Liu Yan gave a bitter smile. His original plan was to severely inflict heavy damage on the Song family's troops in Xitunzhuang, and then allow the Song family, especially the inspector Song Gongming, to sit down and negotiate peace with him.
As the saying goes: Only by defeating a bastard can the bastard sit down and listen to your reasoning.
But now he used too much force, and Liu Yan led his troops to beat Song Long to death. Although this Song Long was a bastard, he was the nephew of the inspector Song Gongming. Now the hope of peace talks was slim.
However, Liu Yan didn't care too much. Anyway, he had the strength in his hands. If Song Gongming wanted to fight or make peace, he could accompany him to the end.
Liu Yan then sent Xu Ming, a small flag officer, to lead the troops without collecting the flag at night and patrol around Xitunzhuang to gather back the scattered Song family horses.
Then the men and horses from the other banners drove into Xitun Village, and the first thing they did was to look for Song Long's body.
Soon, several captured wanderers came over carrying a bloody corpse. Liu Yan immediately stepped forward and took a look. It was indeed Song Long himself.
"Find a coffin and pack it, select a few reliable prisoners, and send Song Long's body back to the Ancient Town Inspection Department."
Liu Yan said to Wang Bo, the flag officer next to him. Wang Bo clasped his fists and accepted the order, and then led several Dunjun soldiers to find someone. The other small flag officers also began to direct their Dunjun troops to search everywhere, leaving only Miao Shao and his men to follow Liu Yan for protection.
"I wonder if that gangster Zhao Maqun is here?"
When Liu Yan returned to Dapanbao, he told everyone what happened in the inspection department of the ancient town. Naturally, several small flag officers also knew about the discounting of Zhao Maqun's legs.
Not far away, although Wang Yue, a small flag officer, ordered his Dunjun to search the nearby rooms, he always paid attention to Liu Yan. When he heard Liu Yan's question, he hurriedly came over and said: "Captain Jia, my subordinates." I just asked a few prisoners, and Zhao Maqun also followed Song Long, but the scene was chaotic during the fierce battle, Zhao Maqun escaped at some point, and took a lot of idlers with him."
Liu Yan couldn't help but exclaimed. This Zhao Maqun was already lame and probably couldn't walk normally. He was able to successfully escape with some of his troops in the chaos. What a great skill!
However, a monk who could run away could not run away from the temple. Liu Yan knew that his grudge with the inspector Song Gongming was not over yet, and there would definitely be a chance to fight again in the future.
An hour later, the troops from all banners raided almost every corner of Xitunzhuang and captured more than 60 idlers in total, as well as more than 30 military households.
The treasury in Xitunzhuang also has some storage, including about 30 shi of grain, 380 kilograms of iron, as well as some coal, wolf dung and other sundries.
After Liu Yan saw it, he said to the flag officer Zhang Yi: "The more than sixty idlers are all handed over to you. You can lead your troops to take them directly back to the salt drying field and work as coolies there. As long as they perform well, After three years of service, you can regain your freedom. If something happens within three years, you will be beheaded and buried!"
Zhang Yi clasped his fists and accepted the order.
Then Liu Yan asked again: "Remember to chop off the thumbs of both their hands."
Zhang Yi grinned and said, "Don't worry, Commander Jia, I remember."
Liu Yan nodded. Although there are Chu Yunfei's men stationed at the salt drying field now, this Chu Yunfei is a new defector after all, and he has not yet gotten along with him. His men have not been reorganized and are still there for the time being. I can't completely believe it, so Zhang Yi's bannermen still have to be temporarily stationed at the salt drying field.
Then, Liu Yan asked Zhang Yi to lead his troops to take the first step, and then he stayed in Xitunzhuang with the remaining troops for more than an hour, mainly counting the captured materials, and then packed them all in the fort. On several carts.
In addition, Liu Yan also ordered his Dun Jun to briefly clean the battlefield and bury all the killed idlers, military households, and Dun Jun on the spot.
"Take all these seizures and the military households in the fort back."
Soon the entire Xitunzhuang was evacuated by Liu Yan's troops. At this time, several small flag officers led the flag army to retreat in formation. The former military households in Xitunzhuang in the team were still a little frightened. Some of them Liu Yan's brother and father were killed in the battle, and Liu Yan was originally worried that these military households would hate him.
But at this time, Liu Yan looked at the looks of those military households and realized that he was overthinking.
These military households were all in ragged clothes. Even in the coldest month of winter, most of them were wearing single clothes. Some of the children were even standing barefoot on the cold frozen soil. Liu Yan couldn't help but be moved when he saw them.
This kind of life has completely numbed these military households. Although their family members had just died in the battle, after shedding a few tears, these military households became numb again, as if life was more painful than death. Maybe it's a good thing if your own family members die!
So Liu Yan rode on his horse and asked some Dunjun soldiers to pick up the thinly clothed children in the crowd to prevent them from freezing. Then he said loudly to the military households: "I don't care what your life was like in Xitunzhuang before. , now you have been recruited by me, Liu Yan, from now on you will be my military household under Liu Yan! From now on, as long as you follow me with peace of mind, live in Dapanbao with peace of mind, and can obey my orders, I can call you Promise: At the beginning of spring next year, we will allocate farmland, farm tools, and seeds to you on a per-household basis, so that you can live a life of hope and dignity, and let your children and families have enough food and clothing!"
Those military households with more than thirty households and nearly two hundred people were walking in the cold wind. When Liu Yan's words came to their ears, their originally cloudy eyes began to flash. Something seemed to melt in their hearts. Many people All the women began to cry, which seemed particularly desolate in the cold wind at the end of the year.
When Liu Yan led his troops back to Dapanbao, it was already nightfall, but the entire Dapanbao was brightly lit inside and outside. The flag officer Chen Xun led his troops to the wall for defense, and many young and strong military households also guarded the wall.
Many torches were lit around the fort walls, and there were dozens of bonfires outside the fort, illuminating a hundred steps around the fort.
At this time, Chen Xun and a group of Dunjun soldiers and young military households saw Liu Yan and his troops returning victoriously. They immediately stood on the fort wall and cheered. Then they lowered the suspension bridge and opened the gate. Many military households and civilians rushed out. , regardless of the biting cold wind, gathered around Liu Yan and other Dunjun officers and soldiers to greet them and cheer.
When the military households in Xitunzhuang saw this, they were deeply attracted by the warm cotton clothes on the Dapanbao military households, their rosy faces, and the hopeful joy in their eyes.
"Perhaps being caught in this big battle isn't such a bad thing after all!"
At this time, almost every military household in Xitunzhuang was thinking this, and then they were led into the fort by the flag officer Wang Bo. They were all temporarily settled in various places until houses were built one after another on the open space in the fort. , and then reallocate housing for living.
Liu Yan rode his horse into the fort amidst the cheers of the crowd. He saw Wang Yunhe in the crowd, so he laughed and got off his horse. Wang Yunhe had already run over, crying and laughing at the same time, and threw himself directly on Liu Yan's head. In arms.
The surrounding military households and the Dunjun army clapped and cheered when they saw it. The flag officer Chen Xun even said loudly: "Commander Jia, hurry up and prepare the betrothal gifts, appoint a matchmaker, and go to the house of shopkeeper Wang as soon as possible to propose marriage!"
There was another round of cheers all around.
Liu Yan laughed and said: "Haha, it's a little late today. Tomorrow at noon: the whole fort will kill chickens and sheep to reward the soldiers of all banners. The soldiers who went to battle and the soldiers of the Dun Army who stayed behind will be rewarded with five coins of silver each, and will be stationed at the salt drying field." Each of the saltmen will also receive a reward of five silver coins!"
The crowd cheered.
Liu Yan hugged Wang Yunhe onto the horse amidst the cheers of the crowd, then climbed onto the horse himself, and then ignored Wang Yunhe's shy scolding and rode away directly, leaving only the envious looks of everyone.
That night, Liu Yan originally wanted to take Wang Yunhe back to the flag hall to talk about what was on his mind. It was really just a talk, but after Wang Yunhe repeatedly insisted, he sent him back to his residence in the wine shop.
The next day, a banquet was held to celebrate inside and outside Dapanbao, and more than thirty military households also ate and drank together. Many people had such good food and wine, and they lay on the table and cried bitterly. Some women even fainted from crying. past.
Two days later, Liu Yan sent someone to report the situation of the battle at Xitunzhuang to the team leader Wang Wenzhen. Then he found the person in charge, Zhao Min, and inquired about the family background of Dapanbao.
"For the record, Commander A, although the Guzhen Inspection Department won't buy our stuff for the time being, with the leadership of the team leader, our income is also pretty good."
Zhao Min held the account book and said: "Now we have 37,196 taels of silver and 2,760 shi of grain in the warehouse in our fort, which is quite abundant!"
Liu Yan felt very reassured after hearing this, and immediately asked Zhao Min to prepare two amounts of food:
A sum of money was invested in the salt drying farm. Now there are three salt drying ponds in the salt drying farm. Liu Yan wants to excavate and renovate three more salt drying ponds to double the production of sea salt.
Another sum is to be invested in the soap workshop. The current soap workshop is a separate courtyard. Under the leadership of Chen Jiang, there are more than 110 women and military households, and the monthly output is more than 7,000 yuan.
But Liu Yan is still not satisfied. After all, soap is a consumable product, and now the demand is so great. This output still cannot satisfy Liu Yan. He must at least double the output!
Zhao Min frowned slightly, feeling that Liu Yan's handiwork was too big, so he said: "Chief A's plan is good, but how much labor and food does it require?"
However, Liu Yan did not feel distressed at all and said: "The specific amount of money and food will be discussed by Director Zhao with Chen Jiang and Chu Yunfei. You three can just draw up a list and report it to me."
"Oh, by the way, Chu Yunfei will be responsible for the production of the salt drying farm from now on. I will formally appoint him when I have time."
Seeing this, Zhao Min agreed.
Returning to the general flag office, Liu Yan called the small flag officer Miao Shao and told him about the appointment of Chu Yunfei. He wrote an appointment himself and asked Miao Shao to send someone to the salt drying field and wait a few days before looking for Chu Yunfei. I had the opportunity to have a banquet with several principals and flag officers to formally celebrate Chu Yunfei.
Miao Shao had just left with his appointment, but Wang Yue, the junior flag officer, walked in quickly and said, "Chief A, Jia Hongyu, the chief flag officer of Wangjiazhuang, is here. Wait outside now."
Liu Yan frowned slightly and said, "Please!"
Soon, Jia Hongyu walked in with a smile and said, "Mr. Liu has won the victory. I am so happy and congratulated!"
Liu Yan brought hot tea, let Jia Hongyu warm up, and then said: "It's just a small battle, nothing to celebrate. Is something wrong, Brother Jia?"
Jia Hongyu's expression changed, then he sighed and said, "It's Song Gongming, the 100-household inspector from the Ancient Town Inspection Department, who has arrived at the Wangjiazhuang 100-household Official Office."
Liu Yan sneered and said, "Then Song Gongming is here to ask questions?"
Jia Hongyu hesitated for a moment and said: "The lord of the team asked Mr. Liu to go there, and you also want me to advise you: After all, Inspector Song is a Shangguan. When you go to the Baihu Government Hall, you can just listen to what you say. The worst is to spend some money." Silver. Anyway, you killed Song Long in the battle at Xitunzhuang, and you also held back Lizi. For the sake of face, let him go for a while, how about that?"
