Amidst the snowy scenery and sunshine, Xu Mu got off his horse comfortably when General Feng made a circuitous attack and arrived at Horseshoe Lake.
"Little boss, how is this General Feng!"
"Very good!" Xu Mu looked happy. Even if it cost two or three thousand taels of silver, he was willing to buy it.
"Congratulations, little boss, for getting a BMW to match." Liu Wu solemnly clasped his fists, not mentioning the money at all.
Xu Mu was also excited. With this incident, Liu Wu and the horse dealers were firmly tied together.
Wait until the spring of next year and send another two to three hundred horses. Then the power of the Qinglong Battalion in hand to defeat the enemy on horseback will be even more amazing.
However, the number of private soldiers notarized by thousands of people has not yet reached the full number. If he had a choice, Xu Mu did not want to just recruit refugees. After a round of life and death at the border, veterans who have been on the battlefield like Qinglongying would be the right ones.
The best choice.
Two thousand people defended the city and blocked the attack of hundreds of thousands of troops. In any dynasty, it would be something to be proud of.
"Brother Liu, this is Ma Yin."
Without any pretense, Xu Mu took out a delicate wooden box. When he opened it, golden light suddenly appeared, and thick gold bars were spread on at least three layers.
There are also banknotes, but in such troubled times, banks also have risks. In addition, Liu Wu and others are from Shu, so it is most appropriate to simply give gold bars.
Xu Mu added three more gold bars and used them as General Feng's horse silver.
"My little boss is benevolent and righteous." Liu Wu did not refuse. There is a saying among Jianghu people. If the friendship is appropriate, you will accept the courtesy and return it when the time comes.
"Brother Liu, please stay a few more days, wait for the wind and snow to subside, so that a certain family can show some kindness as a landlord."
"I'm disturbing my little boss."
The wind and snow have not stopped, and it is still a difficult journey home after traveling thousands of miles back to Shu, even if you encounter a town to rest.
"Chen Sheng, bring some more hand stoves to keep the heroes of Shu warm. In addition, get some thicker bedding. If it's not enough, go to Weicheng to buy some."
Chen Sheng nodded and hurried down to give instructions.
"You're so polite, little boss." Liu Wu praised, his face becoming more and more beautiful.
"If my little master is free, he will go to Shu Land. I will definitely open the gate to welcome my little master."
"It's natural." Xu Mu smiled. He would have to rely on these horse dealers in the future. The more stable the relationship, the better.
"However, it would be best to arrive in autumn next year. I guess this trip back to Shu will take a long detour."
"Why."
"In the Dangyang County area, I heard that there was a rebellion. A few peasants who could not be bullied, under the guidance of a private school teacher, gathered nearly ten thousand people and occupied Dangyang County."
Xu Mu frowned. Throughout the ages, there have been countless uprisings by the people, but without the troops and horses to stop the government and the righteousness, they would soon fall apart.
"Muyun Prefecture is not far from Dangyang County, and has begun to mobilize troops. As soon as the wind and snow subside, they will encircle and suppress them."
"Chen Changqing, the Dingbian general of Muyun Prefecture, has already regarded Dangyang County as his territory. How can he let others cause trouble? An army of 50,000 will rush towards Dangyang soon."
Xu Mu sighed, thinking about the tragic situation that the entire dynasty would be in after Yuan Tao died.
"However, I want to give my little boss a message."
"A message?"
Liu Wu looked determined, "Although I don't know what the little boss wants to do, no Zhuangzi will keep five hundred cavalry. Even the big merchants and nobles in the inner city can only raise a few private troops at most."
Guard with a knife."
This sentence is true. The materials consumed to raise a cavalry army are almost two or three times that of an infantry archer.
But what Xu Mu didn't understand was why Liu Wu said this.
"My little boss, when I entered the inner city from the south, I passed a village about four hundred miles away." Liu Wu's face became solemn, "The men in the village are all mountain hunters."
Mountain hunting refers to villagers who go hunting in the mountains.
"A harsh government is like a tiger. According to the official's words, the village must hunt three colorful sparrows before winter and send them to the palace garden for the little emperor to enjoy in the winter."
"How can there be colorful sparrows at such a good time?"
"That's it. Therefore, the mountain hunters have no way to do it. The village's tax has been increased by a full 50%."
"While passing by, I saw that the village was pitiful, so I sent a few more old horses. Later I heard that these mountain hunters need to pay a mountain tax if they want to enter the mountains."
"Zhang tax? What's the point of this! If you don't have money, wouldn't it mean that you can't enter the mountain?"
"Xiao Dong, poor people should not argue with the truth. If there is no way, the people in this village will suffer from hunger and cold after winter, and even die one after another. It is a pity that these hundreds of green and strong mountain hunters are all kind-hearted people.
Good shot."
He does not mean that.
Xu Mu's heart moved and he wanted to ask again, only to find that Liu Wu got up at some point and went to get hot soup by himself.
The fourteenth day of the tenth month.
The heavy snow that had been waiting for two or three days rarely stopped slowly. In the sky, only a few pieces of snow velvet were left, slowly falling.
"My dear boss, I'll take my leave now." Liu Wu held the horse, his tone serious.
"Brother Liu, everything goes smoothly."
Two hundred more jars of wine and several carriages were sent, and the food prepared was enough for the dozens of porter merchants to walk a long way.
After turning around with his horse, Liu Wu suddenly thought of something and turned around hastily.
"My little boss, if something bad happens in the inner city, we will come to Shu. Others dare not tell us about it, but Liu has a reputation in Shu."
"Thank you."
Liu Wu sighed deeply, got on his horse, led the dozens of packmen behind him, and drove away along the long road of frost and snow.
I don’t know how long we have been walking, but we must be hundreds of miles away from Horseshoe Lake.
Liu Wu, who was riding a horse, stopped slowly and tightened the reins. He didn't know what he was thinking.
"Wang, I don't understand why you need to get acquainted with this little boss." Another merchant approached him.
"Don't ask, if nothing happens in the future, just treat it as a friendship."
"Next spring, you drive three hundred southwest horses into the inner city and become a horse dealer."
"It's not just spying. The pillars of Daji are about to fall. I'm afraid it will hit Shu. Speaking of which, the Marquis with the surname Guo is also a pitiful person."
"King, there is someone."
Liu Wu, who was on his way, and dozens of packmen, restored their appearance as people in the world, and moved forward calmly and slowly.
A figure in white clothes was riding a horse, leaning on a bamboo hat. He only looked up for a few times, and then lost interest. He seemed to be rushing to do something, and was galloping on his horse.
…
"Boss, Mr. Chen is back."
Xu Mu, who was still deep in thought, suddenly walked out of the house when he heard the news.
"My boss." Chen Jiaqiao took off his bamboo hat with a smile on his face.
"How's it going?"
"Don't worry, boss, Hu Yanche's body has been hung up. Those dog officers and soldiers struggled for most of the night before they lowered him down."
"Many people inside and outside Changyang City are extremely happy. I heard that a banquet has been held over the past two days at the Marquis of Guo."
“Refugees passing by would pick up rocks and throw them at Huyanche when they saw his body.”
"Is there any news from the court?"
"My boss, the notice on the forced annual tribute has been torn up." Chen Jiaqiao laughed happily.
Xu Mu sat down with his whole body and exhaled comfortably.
What he fears most is that the old dog officials in the court will impose additional annual tributes and lick them desperately, but now it seems that they know that the negotiation is about to collapse.
After all, within two months, a pair of father and son, Prince Guli, died. This was unheard of in a hundred years.
The Khan on the grassland probably would have scolded his mother for talking about Mao's peace talks.
"My boss, I estimate that after the spring begins, the Beidi army will attack the city again."
Listening, Xu Mu's tone was extremely calm.
"It is inevitable that the peace negotiation was originally a bullshit farce."