"As the saying goes, in war, you should try to restrain the enemy's strengths and maximize your own strengths."
Jin Feng asked back: "Think about it, what are the advantages and disadvantages between you and the bandits?"
"Our advantage is that we have advanced weapons and our combat power is higher than that of the bandits. Our disadvantage is that we are not familiar with the terrain."
Qing Mulan looked thoughtful: "The bandits are just the opposite of us. They are very familiar with the local terrain, but they can't defeat us."
"Since you understand, why do you still compare your own shortcomings with the enemy's strengths?"
Jin Feng said: "The bandits have hid in the mountains, why do you care about them? Blitzkrieg works, then change the place and do it again!"
"Sir, do you mean to ignore them and go fight against the bandits in other counties?"
Qing Mulan asked: "But doesn't this mean bowing down to the bandits?"
"What does it mean to bow to the bandits?"
Jin Feng glanced at Qing Mulan: "Don't forget what your original intention is. When you lead people to various places, you are not going to seek revenge in the world, nor are you going to target a certain group of bandits to death, but to frighten every place.
, let them stop harvesting the new year’s grain!”
The authorities confuse the onlookers, but a word awakens the dreamer.
Qing Mulan was stunned for a moment.
Yes, why do I have to waste my military salary and time on fighting with several groups of bandits? Couldn't they just go into the mountains and find the next group of bandits?
"Besides, even if you really don't like these bandits, you shouldn't go around in circles with them in the mountains."
Jin Feng continued: "There are not many hills suitable for bandits to make their lair. After you leave, the bandits are likely to go back and continue to occupy the hills. Isn't it more effective if you leave some informants and then find an opportunity to secretly kill them?"
?"
"I see!"
Qing Mulan asked: "Where do you think I should fight next, sir?"
"Go to the study, there's a map there."
Jin Feng got up and took Qing Mulan to the study.
The two of them kept discussing in the study until dark, and it didn't end until Guan Xiaorou came over and called for dinner.
Jin Feng looked at the backs of Qing Mulan and Guan Xiaorou leaving, and sighed slightly in his heart.
The supporters behind the bandits are basically local gentry, and they represent the interests of the local gentry. They are like a cancer. Now this cancer has grown and penetrated deeply into the flesh and blood of Dakang.
Even if the emperor is determined to dig out this cancer, he will still have to go through severe pain and even cause catastrophe.
Qing Mulan has five thousand men, which sounds like a lot. It is definitely enough to defend a city and a place, but for the huge Xichuan, it seems to be beyond his capabilities.
But if nothing is done, the cancer will only get bigger and bigger.
Qing Mulan's bandit suppression was similar to a chemotherapy session. It might not be able to eradicate the cancer, but it could delay the disease and locally control the development of the cancer.
What Jin Feng can do is to maximize the efficacy of the medicine.
After a busy day, Jin Feng was so hungry that his chest pressed against his back.
As a result, as soon as we arrived at the restaurant, Da Liu came over again and said that Zheng Fang was here.
After getting to know my boss in my previous life, I often heard him complain that he was too tired.
At that time, Jin Feng was still scolding him in his mind for being pretentious. Why should he be called tired when he eats, drinks, and goes to clubs with his clients every day?
But now he somewhat understands his boss's mood.
There are so many things going on that I can't stop even after a meal.
However, if Zheng Fang came to see him at this time, something must have happened, and Jin Feng had to see him.
"Let him come here."
According to the rules, it is already dark now, so it is inappropriate for Zheng Fang to enter the inner courtyard.
But Jin Feng never cared about this. Several women in the family also had their own careers and were used to it.
Soon, Da Liu brought Zheng Fang in.
"Old Zheng, have you eaten?" Jin Feng pointed to an empty seat: "Let's eat something together."
"No, I just came after dinner."
Zheng Fang waved his hand and said: "Sir, the rock salt you asked for has arrived at the dock. Let me ask you what to do with it?"
Most of the salt in Dakang is obtained by drying seawater, which is not only inefficient, but also requires a very long journey to transport it from the sea to inland provinces like Xichuan.
Therefore, the price of salt has remained high.
But after Jin Feng obtained the qualification to make and sell salt, he immediately thought of salt mines.
Many years ago, the land of Sichuan and Sichuan was still an ocean. Later, after geological movement, it turned into land.
This process is slow. During the change of sea and land, huge amounts of seawater accumulated in some sea basins were evaporated, and then salt mines were slowly formed.
Sichuan and Sichuan are extremely rich in mineral salt resources. Zigong and Wanxian are both world-famous mineral salt producing areas.
However, Jinchuan is located in northern Sichuan, far away from both places, and Sichuan and Sichuan are mountainous, so it is not cost-effective to transport mineral salt from the two places.
In Dakang, a city with backward transportation conditions, water transportation is undoubtedly the cheapest mode of transportation.
So after Jin Feng decided to use mineral salt, he immediately asked Zheng Fang to send people to search up the Jialing River.
At the same time, people were sent to start building a salt-making workshop.
Sichuan and Sichuan are one of the terrains most likely to form salt mines. There are salt mines not only in Zigong and Wanxian, but also in other places.
The people sent by Zheng Fang found a place more than a hundred miles away in less than half a month.
Jin Feng took a special look and found that the salt mine met his requirements in all aspects. Although the scale was not as large as that of Zigong and Wanxian, it was enough for him to mine for many years.
The most important thing is that this salt mine is very close to the Jialing River. Send the salt to the ship and then go down the river to reach the Jinchuan Pier in less than half a day.
The salt mine was still within the boundaries of Guangyuan County. Jin Feng went to the county town the next day and asked the county governor to buy several hills near the salt mine.
Then immediately ask Guan Zhuzhu to lead people to prepare for the preliminary work.
"So fast?"
Jin Feng put down his chopsticks.
Guan Zhuzhu only brought a dozen people with him. He originally thought that the mineral salt would not be delivered until next month.
"It's easy to do things if you have money. Brother Zhuzhu was afraid that you would be impatient, so he spent money to hire many young people to work in the local area."
Zheng Fang explained: "If I hadn't wasted some time looking for a ship, it would have been delivered a few days ago."
"Then let's take it to the Double Hump first."
Jin Feng thought for a moment and said.
Now the several bandit lairs he occupied have come in handy.
Maomao Mountain and Hutou Mountain are the places where recruits are trained. Iron Can Mountain is responsible for producing soap. The coal mine in Heishuigou works day and night. Shuanghump is the closest to the Jialing River, so Jin Feng set up the salt farm there.
"Sir, you don't want to use mineral salt and make your own salt, do you?"
After Zheng Fang left, Qing Mulan asked with wide eyes.
She has been busy out fighting bandits recently and rarely comes back. She doesn't know about Jin Feng's plan to make salt.
"Yes, is there any problem?" Jin Feng asked.
"This is a big problem!" Qing Mulan put down her chopsticks: "Did you know that mineral salt is poisonous and can kill people?"