Even though there is no snow in Chengdu, the cold that penetrates the body is still uncomfortable.
Xu Mu was not idle. While waiting for information, he went to Nanlin County.
"Longbow, how are you doing?"
This time, instead of Si Hu, I brought Gong Dog, who had just recovered from a serious illness.
"Don't worry, my lord, I'm fine." Riding on the horse, straightening his body, Gong Dog smiled.
According to Chen Que, Gong Dog was a blessing in disguise. The toxins he ate from cooking snakes when he was young accumulated too much on his back, but they were slowly resolved by the medicinal bath. As a result, his hunchbacked body began to slowly become straighter. Although it was not as good as
A seven-foot tall man like Chao Yi is at least like a normal person.
"Long Gong, is there a woman you admire? If so, I will teach you some methods. When I was studying, I would empty a drawer of love letters from women every day when I went to school."
"Lord, there is no..."
Xu Mu smiled and stopped asking. His younger brother had just turned around, and it would take a while. However, he was more looking forward to Gongou's future performance. He simply increased Gongou's Divine Gong Camp to ten thousand people. Of course.
, most of them are newly recruited troops and still need some training.
"Lord, Seventy Miles Tomb Mountain has arrived."
Not far from Chengdu, there is the Seventy Miles Tomb of Heroes. In this battle against Cangzhou, loyal heroes such as Lu Xiu have been sent back to Chengdu, and the remains of Chen Jiaqiao who returned from Li Dushan are also buried in the same place.
this.
There are still many offerings of worship in front of the old friend's grave. Previously, from his king of Shu to the people of Western Shu, countless people came to pay their respects and mourn.
"Get the wine."
Xu Mu held the wine bowl, was silent for a moment, and poured it in front of the tomb. Every soldier of Western Shu who died in battle would return here. If one day, he, the king of Shu, died in battle, he would also choose to rest here, with many old friends.
Friends, meet under the Yellow Spring.
The entourage of more than a thousand people all bowed their heads and remained silent. Not far away, there were also many people who came to pay homage. Along with Xu Mu, they sprinkled the hot wine in their hands onto the tomb.
Putting down the wine bowl, Xu Mu raised his head and looked at the stretching tombs in front of him. In the bottom of his heart, he became more determined to compete for the throne. If he couldn't take it, he would be sorry for these heroes who dedicated their lives to Xi Shu.
"Keep marching."
After rubbing away the melancholy between his brows and looking towards Nanlin County in the distance, Xu Mu spoke in a solemn voice.
…
"My lord, my lord!"
As soon as they entered Nanlin County, Han Jiu's shouts could already be heard. Since Meng Huo's Pingman camp was to be transferred to Yu Wen's side, the defense of Nanlin County was also handed over to Han Jiu.
Although he is a reckless general, he has studied the art of war diligently. And the most rare thing is that he is a loyal person.
According to Xu Mu's temperament, he would rather use a loyal and reckless man than a cunning and sinister man. This is why there have always been very few rebel generals in Western Shu.
"Han Jiu pays homage to the lord!" Han Jiu looked ecstatic and bowed to Xu Mu, then hurriedly beat Gong Gou's chest as a sign of happiness for a new meeting.
"Li Tao pays homage to the lord." Beside Han Jiu, there was an ancient scribe who also paid homage to Xu Mu.
Needless to say, this was naturally Han Jiu's military aide. Xu Mu had also heard about Li Tao. He was said to be a close friend of Wang Yong and Wang Shenzhi. He was invited out of the mountain by Wang Yong and now serves as the Shenzhen of Nanlin County.
"Without courtesy." Xu Mu laughed, "I have been outside Shu for a long time. If you two hadn't been stationed in Nanlin, I'm afraid the tiger barbarians would have caused trouble again."
"Han Jiu, how are you doing recently?"
"Don't worry, my lord. The last time my lord besieged Cangzhou, the tiger barbarians tried to take advantage of the opportunity, but they couldn't attack the Nanlin Mountains at all."
The last time, when the Demon Queen planned to destroy the Six Barbarians, the Human Xiqiang actually also participated, but they were suppressed in the end.
"Lord, please see, Nanlin County has begun to produce grain." Han Jiu spoke hurriedly, perhaps as a sign of comfort, knowing that the granary was burned.
Xu Mu looked up and found that in the newly built Nanlin County, in the area outside the county, the newly resettled refugees and the people who were mobilized on their own initiative had successfully opened up wasteland. Following the outside of the county, the fields were divided and the waterwheels were set up. They just waited.
In the spring of next year, rice fields will be planted.
Among them, there is also a small part of the cotton field, which is surrounded by mud walls, and there are troops stationed nearby to guard against spies.
"Li Tao, are there any problems with the dug river channel?"
Knowing that if he asked Han Jiu about this kind of thing, he would definitely be asking about Lonely, so Xu Mu directly asked his staff member Li Tao.
Li Tao's voice was excited, and he raised his head and said with high spirits, "Don't worry, my lord, the diversion river is already unimpeded. With the waterwheel and your urea fertilizer, I am also confident that after next year, the rice and cotton in Nanlin County will be
, there will be a great harvest.”
Opening up wasteland was not an easy task for the ancients. It was not only very tiring, but also not necessarily successful. Even here in Nanlin County, it took more than two years.
But if it succeeds, the entire Shu state, not only the Central Sichuan Plain, will be able to produce grain, but Nanlin County will also become a major grain-producing county.
Previously, Xu Mu had done the best division. The nine counties in central Sichuan were rice and grain production areas, while the three counties in southern Sichuan were places for trade.
Each is prosperous and each has its own ambition.
Jia Zhou even once said with a smile that after Shuzhou became rich and conquered thirty states in the world, all of them could be located here.
"Lord." Li Tao paused and suddenly spoke again.
"I have another plan... Perhaps, our Shu state is in the south, and we can open a channel directly to the states in the South China Sea."
After hearing this, Xu Mu looked surprised.
You know, if you go to the states in the South China Sea now, you have to detour through Chuzhou in Dongling. In the past, as an alliance with Zuo Shiren, you naturally had no scruples. But it is different now. There is already a vague possibility of becoming an alliance between Xishu and Dongling.
Therefore, Zuo Shiren will be on the Chuzhou side to strictly guard against the entry of Xishu troops.
"Don't worry, my lord, I have already sent people to set out from the Nanlin Mountains, avoid the tiger barbarian settlements, and see if they can go to the South China Sea states. If successful, we can open a passage in secret."
"Li Tao, I'll leave this matter to you. If it succeeds, I will give you a lot of rewards... In addition, how many tribes are there among the tiger barbarians outside the Nanlin Mountains?"
This matter was one of Xu Mu's important matters when he came to Nanlin County. Although he was driven out of Shuzhou, the riots of the tiger barbarians never ceased.
"My lord, there are probably about a hundred tribes. The young and strong army is about 30,000 people. But when the tigers and barbarians fight, all the people are always involved."
Compared with the previous two years, there are already less than half the number of people.
"My lord, are you going to attack the tiger barbarians again?"
"There's no rush." Xu Mu shook his head. As long as the tiger barbarians can't attack Shuzhou, there are plenty of opportunities.
Outside the Nanlin Mountains, there is a swampland with barren land and scarce prey. If the tigers want to thrive, they will inevitably be hindered at every turn.
Of course, if we attack the tiger barbarians, there will probably be a second round. However, at least wait until the situation in Xishu is stabilized.
"Han Jiu, where are the soldiers who were sent to open up wasteland?"
"There are more than 10,000 people."
During the continuous wars, Xi Shu captured many surrendered soldiers. According to regulations, they will first be sent to Nanlin County to open up wasteland and transform. They will only be used again after they are completely owned by Xi Shu.
"Lord, is there going to be another war next year?" Han Jiu asked hurriedly. As per his temperament, he never liked staying in Nanlin County.
Li Tao hurriedly reached out and tugged at Han Jiu's robe and armor.
"Nothing." Xu Mu paused and said with a serious expression, "After next year, Western Shu will compete with the various princes in the Central Plains for power. Everyone, make preparations early."
Han Jiu and Li Tao looked at each other, with expressions of fighting spirit on their faces.