Li Chengzhi sneered and said sarcastically, "I, Li, have always persuaded people with reason, why do I use force?"
It's okay if I don't mention it, but when I mention the words "convincing people with reason", Da Xi becomes so angry that his mouth smokes and he gnashes his teeth.
He treated Li Chengzhi as an accomplice, but Li Chengzhi used him as a club and forcefully coaxed two thousand soldiers away from him.
Why did he argue for Li Chengzhi in front of Xi Kangsheng afterwards?
The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became. If he hadn't known that even if the three of them were tied together, he would be far from a match for Li Chengzhi, Da Xi would have pounced on him.
Li Chengzhi turned over and dismounted, first greeted Zhang Jingzhi respectfully, and then stepped forward with a smile and took the reins of Da Xi's horse.
"I knew I shouldn't lie to you, but I was forced by the situation and had no choice but to make this move. I also know that you are grudges, so I am willing to hold the reins for you today to express my apology. If you still don't understand your hatred, I will
Pick up the riding crop and whip me..."
Da Xi was just loyal, not stupid. Not to mention beating Li Chengzhi, if he dared to let Li Chengzhi take the horse one step forward today, Da Xi would dare to skin him and cramp him.
So the moment Li Chengzhi took the reins, Da Xi jumped off the horse in a hurry as if struck by lightning. His arms were like iron hoops, and he used almost all his strength to hold Li Chengzhi's wrist.
"You...don't hurt me..."
Seeing how pitiful he was, Li Chengzhi sighed secretly: Look, this is an honest man. When he is nervous, he will say whatever he thinks in his mind...
Is it also Li Chengzhi’s fault that he didn’t expect this?
Today is not what it used to be, let alone the West Sea, and what will happen in the future, even in terms of the title of Duke, Li Chengzhi is already higher than Xi Kangsheng. And Da Xi is his disciple, how dare he accept such a great gift?
If we talk about guilt, there may be a little bit of it, but most of it is just for profit. In addition, Li Chengzhi really doesn't want to cause a rift with Da Xi because of this.
It is said that the higher you stand, the fewer your confidants are. Now even Li Xian, who had always been bold and bold, was obedient when he saw him and did not dare to go beyond the limit.
Among them was the reason why Li Song'er recommended his life, and it may be that his increasing majesty made even stupid young men like Li Xian gradually develop a sense of awe.
He didn't want to suffer from the disease of being alone before he reached the level of a widower. And when he counted them down, the only one he could call a friend was Yu Daxi. So when he saw that although Daxi was full of anger, he showed his true feelings, Li
Not only was Chengzhi not annoyed, but he was extremely pleased.
He smiled faintly and let go of the horse's reins: "It's true that I was reckless... In that case, why don't you go back to the Yamen and I can give you a drink to make amends?"
Da Xi felt a little relieved. Seeing Li Chengzhi speak sincerely, the anger in his heart had long since disappeared. Instead, he was faintly touched: "If you don't drive here, how can I dare to usurp the guest? You must never do this, otherwise it will make me feel even worse."
Uneasy..."
"That's fine!"
Li Chengzhi nodded, turned around, and bowed again: "You've neglected my uncle!"
Zhang Jingzhi is exquisite in all aspects and has a clear mind: It is precisely because of the difference between close friends and distant friends that Li Chengzhi will treat guests first and then kiss each other.
"Why should you and I be polite?"
He smiled slightly and looked at the sky: "The sun is high in the sky at this time, and it's still a little early for the banquet. How about you taking Zhonglang and I to look around?"
This statement was exactly what Da Xi meant. He was extremely curious about Li Chengzhi at this moment and wished he could open his head to see how Li Chengzhi built a poor Zhenyi into a great city in just three years.
"You must have heard what Bie Jia said just now, and you should be able to understand what I mean by obeying my father... And if you don't mind, just leave me under your wing. From now on, I will be in front of the horse, and my brain will be ruined..."
"I think I'm a bitch?"
Li Chengzhi laughed and scolded, and threw the reins to Da Xi, "I wanted to help you and my uncle get married, but if you want to see it, I will let you see it all, and I will definitely know everything..."
As he spoke, he got on his horse and invited Zhang Jingzhi and Li Shiliang, "I also asked my uncle and uncle to be witnesses, so that they would not think that I was talking nonsense and boasting..."
Hearing the song and knowing its elegant meaning, Zhang Jingzhi knew that Li Chengzhi wanted to show off his skills, so that he could use his words to give Xi Kangsheng some confidence.
The two laughed in response and got on their horses, following Li Chengzhi and Da Xi.
"What I just said about convincing people with reason is really not a boast. If it hadn't been getting late and the army was ten miles away, I would have given you a look. But I can tell you about the joints...
After I arrived at Xihai, I first organized the army, and the first step was to reorganize the system and change the army from conscription to recruitment..."
Recruiting troops?
Da Xi thought slightly: "Is it like the feather forest in the capital, where the tigers and tigers are fierce, and all the soldiers who serve in the army have a salary of rice and have been in the army for many years?"
"right!"
Li Chengzhi nodded, "Although the military pay is not high, just two stones of millet per month for infantry soldiers, the harvest is guaranteed despite droughts and floods, so there are many people who respond."
Not to mention Da Xi, even Zhang Jingzhi was extremely surprised: "Where does the food come from?"
Forty thousand soldiers, the monthly food and salary alone would cost 80,000 dan. If the generals and assistant officers were added, it would cost even 100,000 dan.
A rough calculation shows that this alone requires one million stone grains a year, and there are more than 100,000 private households. Should they all be left alone?
This does not include the food provided for the war horses and the wear and tear during the expedition.
"The fields of the West Sea have not been cultivated for a long time, so they don't have such a large output. But fortunately, we have prepared a lot of grain in the first two years, which is enough to sustain two to three years. After two or three years, we should be able to harvest Branch balance...
Moreover, military pay is not paid in corn, but in new coins based on the grain price in Luoyang... This is the item, which was newly minted after I arrived in Xihai, about a hundred pieces per pound..."
As Li Chengzhi spoke, he took out two copper coins from his arms and handed them over.
Before even receiving it, Da Xi exclaimed: "Why is it so dazzling?"
There were many copper ingots hidden in Xi Kangsheng's house, so Da Xi could tell at a glance: Even if there were seven copper and three lead, there would never be such heavy smoke and rust, and it would even turn green.
But this coin is glowing with gold. Could it be that it is mixed with real gold?
How could Li Chengzhi be so extravagant? Of course there is no gold, just some zinc added.
The raw ore of zinc is relatively common, and the refining method is even simpler. Just seal calamine (commonly used by Chinese medicine and Taoist priests) in a clay pot, and then accumulate it for a few days to get metallic zinc ingots.
Compared with lead, this substance is not only non-toxic, but also an essential trace element for the human body, and it can also prevent rust. Li Chengzhi simply made the best use of it.
He couldn't explain it. He only said that there was no gold in the coin. As for why it was so dazzling, he didn't know.
But Da Xi still felt like he had seen a ghost: "If it were converted into money, it would cost 40,000 jin per month, nearly 500,000 jin per year. How many years have you spent in Beijing, do you know whether there is such a large amount of money in the imperial treasury?"
Even if Li Chengzhi told him that the current annual grain production in Xihai could reach tens of millions of dan, he would never be so shocked.