Fang Yuan angrily pushed the door open and entered the room. Seeing Chen Ji still reading leisurely, he snorted and sat on a chair to sulk.
Chen Ji put down the book and said with a smile: "Who has offended you again?"
Fang Yuan said angrily: "I can't stay in Haozhou for another day! I don't understand, Brother Chen, what are you trying to do? People don't take us seriously, so why are we staying here?"
Chen Ji laughed and said: "Why are you more impatient than me? Who said they don't take us seriously! Didn't Guo Zixing send his adopted son to visit us yesterday?"
Fang Yuan said coldly: "I may have said it nicely, but maybe he wasn't sent by Guo Zixing at all."
Chen Ji did not refute, but said: "Then tell me, why does Zhu Yuanzhang come to us so often?"
Fang Yuan was stunned for a moment and said: "Maybe he fell in love with you at first sight, hey! How do I know what that kid is thinking?"
Chen Ji smiled and said: "He wants to inquire about the situation in Jiangdu from me."
Fang Yuan was surprised and said: "Why is he asking about this?"
Chen Ji was silent for a while and said: "I can't guess what this person is thinking, but I heard from others that Zhu Yuanzhang once advised Guo Zixing to leave Haozhou and attack Chuzhou."
Fang Yuan was moved in his heart and said, "You mean he wants to march into Yangzhou?"
Chen Ji sighed: "It's useless for him to think about it. Guo Zixing is a stubborn person and will never give up Haozhou to Sun Deya for nothing. The rebels in Haozhou really have nothing to look forward to!"
Fang Yuan snorted: "Then what are we doing here? The leader of the village and the military advisor have written many times urging us to go back!"
Chen Ji said slowly: "I'm waiting for news."
"What news?"
Chen Ji solemnly said: "When I went to see Guo Zixing a few days ago, he said that he had received a secret report that several provinces were transporting grain, grass and vehicles to Xuzhou in huge quantities. Do you know what this means?"
Fang Yuan was shocked: "Is Tuotuo going to send troops?"
"It's not just as simple as sending troops!" Chen Ji said solemnly: "With Tuotuo's current strength, there is no need to collect so much food and grass. Guo Zixing and I both doubt that the Yuan army will make big moves!"
Fang Yuan snorted and said, "After all, do you still want to help defend Haozhou?"
Chen Jidao: "If I were Tuotuo, I would definitely attack Haozhou, and then go north to encircle and suppress Liu Futong! In this way, all the rebels in Jiangbei will be finished!"
"Isn't there still Zhang Jiusi?"
Chen Ji shook his head and said: "The period of his uprising was too short and he didn't have time to establish a foundation. So we have to defend Haozhou to buy time for Zhang Jiusi and our Longtan Village!"
"What role can the two of us play?"
Chen Ji smiled and said: "There are many people and great strength, how can we say it is useless?"
Fang Yuan snorted and said, "But they don't treat us as human beings! Do you know that Zhao Jun invited envoys from various families to a banquet today to discuss important matters, but he didn't notify us at all?"
Chen Ji didn't take it seriously and said: "He invited the envoys of Liu Futong, Xu Shouhui and Fang Guozhen. We are really not qualified to participate in this kind of banquet."
Fang Yuan said angrily: "If they were the only ones, I would admit it! But he invited people from Lupai Village and Baijian Village to leave us alone here!"
Chen Ji's expression changed slightly. Lupai Village came here to buy food, and Baijian Village, like them, came here to buy weapons.
Moreover, there are only 800 people in Baijian Village, which is not as good as them. Treating them so differently is obviously intended to humiliate Longtan Village!
Chen Ji suddenly stood up and said in a deep voice: "Where are they negotiating?"
Fang Yuandao: "Zhao Junyong's handsome mansion!"
"Let's go and ask them for an explanation!"
The two men immediately left the post house with their men and went straight to Marshal Zhao Junyong's Mansion. When they were about to enter, they were stopped by the guard of the Marshal's Mansion.
Chen Ji didn't have a good temper this time. He forced his way into the commander's mansion. When he came to the courtyard, he was surrounded by the commander's soldiers. He couldn't advance even an inch and said angrily: "Guo Zixing, you get out of here!"
Everyone who was having a banquet in the lobby also got the news and came to the courtyard one after another. Zhao Junyong shouted: "Chen Ji, you are so brave, how dare you break into my handsome mansion!"
Chen Ji showed no sign of weakness and said coldly: "I came all the way from Jiangdu to help you defend Haozhou City. I don't want to be humiliated by you. Aren't you afraid of chilling the hearts of the righteous people in the world?"
A short and stocky man sneered: "You Longtan Village has ordered the Tatars to be pacified. It's okay if we don't arrest you. How dare you act so unbridled here?"
Chen Ji said angrily: "I have already said, this is just a temporary measure."
Fang Yuan said loudly: "If we capture Jiangdu in the future, it will be beneficial to all the rebel armies in the world."
Everyone laughed in unison, and the leader of Baijian Village laughed the most happily, saying: "You, Longtan Village, still want to win Jiangdu? Stop daydreaming!"
Fang Yuan said angrily: "Even if we can't take it, destroying your Baijian Village is more than enough!"
The leader of Baijian Village said angrily: "I will destroy you first!"
Just as he was about to rush forward, he was held back by someone. He turned around and said, "Commander Guo, do you still want to protect them?"
"Brother Chen is my friend, please give Mr. Guo a little face." Guo Zixing said solemnly. His face was unrefined, and he looked more like a scholar than other leaders of the rebel army.
Zhao Junyong said coldly: "Marshal Guo, you take care of your face, but these people broke into my mansion and caused mischief. Where can I put my face, Mr. Zhao?"
Peng Da narrowed his eyes and said: "Zhao Junyong, Mr. Chen Ji is an old friend of Marshal Li. Now that Marshal Li is in Zhenzhou and refuses to come over, maybe it's because you have forgotten the etiquette of treating others!"
Zhao Junyong said angrily: "Fart! I personally sent someone to invite him, but he didn't want to come. How can he blame me?"
Guo Zixing came to Chen Ji and said with a wry smile: "Brother Chen, you should leave Haozhou temporarily. You have also seen the situation here, and there is nothing I can do about it!"
Chen Ji took a deep breath and said: "Okay, okay, I'm meddling in other people's business. Just keep it to yourself." He turned around and strode away.
When the two returned to the post house, they saw a group of people outside the post house, talking to their soldiers.
Fang Yuan felt vaguely that these people looked familiar, and suddenly saw a familiar face and shouted: "Qian Donkey! Why are you here? Did the leader of the village and the military advisor send you here?"
Qian Luzi stepped forward quickly and said with joy: "Master of the Fourth Village, Mr. Chen, please go back with me quickly. The military advisor has led us to capture Jiangdu City!"
Chen Ji said in astonishment: "Have you conquered Jiangdu?"
Fang Yuan was even more shocked and couldn't open his mouth from ear to ear.
Qian Luzi said happily: "Yes, there are more than 30,000 people in the village now, the soldiers and horses are strong, and the military advisor has led the general manager of Yangzhou. The village is very prosperous!"
Fang Yuan raised his head and laughed, and the suffocating feeling in his chest was immediately swept away.
Chen Ji sighed and said: "I also said that I would help them, but I didn't expect them to take action so quickly."
Fang Yuan said anxiously: "Brother Chen, let's go back quickly. I don't want to stay in this place for a moment longer."
Chen Ji said solemnly: "Then let's go. There is no need to say hello to them. Let's leave now!"
The two immediately went back to the house to tidy up, and then went out of the south gate with Qian Luzi and others, planning to bypass Chuzhou and return to Zhenzhou first.
After walking less than two miles, several horses suddenly chased after him. Chen Ji turned around and saw that they were the masters of Baijian Village and Lupai Village.
When the two of them reached ten feet away, they got off their horses, ran forward, and knelt down on the ground together.
The leader of Lupai Village pressed the head of the leader of Baijian Village to the ground and said, "My brother is too blind to see Mount Tai. I apologize to Mr. Chen and Master Fang here!"
Fang Yuan sneered and said: "Why, could it be that when they heard that our Longtan Village captured Jiangdu, they came here to curry favor with us?"
The face of the leader of Lupai Village changed slightly, and he suppressed his anger and sighed: "People in the Ming Dynasty don't tell secrets. Your Longtan Village captured Jiangdu City and became famous in one battle, with a reputation that shook the world. We underestimated Guizhai before, but we really didn't.
So shameful!"
Fang Yuan was so humble and humiliated, "You have something to ask of us, right?"
The leader of Lupai Village raised his hands and said, "Mr. Zhang really wants to ask for help from your village. Please forgive us for our rudeness just now as we are from the same Green Forest family."
Fang Yuan wanted to say something sarcastic, but Chen Ji stretched out his hand to stop him and said: "Zhang Zhai leader has something to say, but there is no harm in saying it. We are all anti-Yuan comrades. The anti-Yuan movement is a big deal, and other details can be ignored."
Village leader Zhang showed admiration and said: "Mr. Chen has a broad mind, and Mr. Zhang is sincerely convinced. That's right, our village has expanded too fast recently and is extremely short of food."
Fang Yuan said harshly: "Didn't you buy grain from Zhao Junyong? He didn't sell it to you?"
Leader Zhang shook his head and said: "The leaders all made excuses, saying that Haozhou doesn't have much grain in stock and they don't want to sell it. So Guo Zixing agreed to sell some to me. Unfortunately, the quantity is too small and it won't last long."
Chen Ji said calmly: "Zhang Village Master, does he know why they don't sell food to you, but they are so kind to you?"
Zhang Zhai leader was stunned and said: "Please give me some advice."
Chen Jidao: "They are interested in your three thousand troops and hope you can join them."
Leader Zhang was silent for a while and sighed: "Yes, no wonder their words are quite inviting."
Chen Jidao: "I wonder what village leader Zhang has planned for the future?"
"Let's take it one step at a time. If we really can't hold on, we can only rely on a force in Haozhou."
Chen Ji shook his head and said: "You have also seen in the past few days how serious the internal fighting is in Haozhou. If you are not careful, you will die at the hands of your own people before you die in the hands of the Tatars!"
Leader Zhang sighed: "What else can I do except surrender to them?"
Chen Ji smiled and said: "Jiangdu is the richest city in the south of the Yangtze River, and there is only one force in the city, Longtan Village. There is no danger of internal strife, and there are mountains of food and grass. Brother Zhang, why don't you come and join us in Jiangdu?"
Leader Zhang thought for a while and said, "Let me think about this."
Chen Ji smiled and said: "It doesn't matter. Leader Zhang can think about it slowly. I will persuade the general manager to sell the grain to Guizhai."
The leader of Zhang Village said happily: "Thank you very much. In a few days, I will bring people pretending to be a caravan and come to Guizhai to buy food. I hope Mr. Chen can give you kind words!"
After speaking, he kowtowed a few times to the head of the leader of Baijian Village, and the two of them stood up and left together.
Fang Yuan snorted and said: "Brother Chen is so kind. These bastards obviously came to flatter us when they saw that we were getting rich. Have you forgotten their arrogant attitude before?"
Chen Ji smiled and said: "If you want to achieve great things, you must have a mind full of the world. You don't have to think about these small things, just remember what our goal is!"
The team continued to move forward, and after walking another seven or eight miles, they were approaching Jiashan.
At this moment, another group of cavalry came chasing behind.