"Master, where should we go next?" Zhen Jian said after returning to the post house.
"Call Li Kui, Lai Jinxing, and Wang Shi together."
"What about the silver? Do you also need to prepare the same share?"
"Well, not a penny less!"
"No!" Zhen Jian turned around and left after hearing this.
Although he didn't know what the young master meant, he believed in the young master's arrangement!
In this way, for several days in a row, Li Changkong did almost nothing else except sending the veterans home to retire.
Not to mention conscription, there is almost zero progress.
On the other hand, Chen Xituan's side, with enough publicity and the people's belief in him as the governor of the state, there was an endless stream of people coming to recruit soldiers at the beginning.
It's a pity that after the initial enthusiasm, it started to feel weak.
Often at the end of the day, not even a hundred people can be recruited.
In this way, half a month passed in a row.
…
In Zhizhou Mansion, Chen Xituan frowned, his expression full of sadness.
The people sitting on his left and right sides were also familiar faces, notably Cai Tongzhi and Lu Tongpan.
"What is the number of conscripts today?"
"Less than a hundred people." Lu Tongpan said solemnly.
As soon as these words came out, Chen Xituan's brows furrowed even more.
"So far, how many soldiers have been recruited in total?"
"Less than ten thousand."
"What is the amount required by the court?"
"Jizhou is a big continent, and we need at least 50,000 people!"
As soon as these words came out, the scene fell into dead silence.
No one spoke, but the sadness on everyone's brows was getting deeper and deeper.
"Is publicity still useful? Have you mentioned the benefits of conscription?" After a long time, Chen Xituan finally broke the silence.
"We've all mentioned it, but the propaganda... just went door to door, and the results... were not satisfactory." Lu Tongpan sighed.
"Lord Zhizhou, Lu Tongpan, the conscription has reached this stage, we have done our best and obey the destiny!"
"Even if the court seriously holds me to account, the main responsibility does not lie with me."
"If the expedition continues, there will probably be no good results. Why not just report to the court like this?" Cai Tongzhi said.
"No!" Chen Xituan frowned and shouted.
"The soldiers we have recruited are going to the northern Xinjiang to defend our country. This is a major matter concerning the country, the country, and millions of people!"
"It's not that the mission given to us by the imperial court is just a show of force."
"If the imperial court does not come to urge you, the conscription will not stop!"
"If you can conquer one more, that's one." At the end of the sentence, Chen Xituan sighed heavily, his tone full of powerlessness.
At this moment, he only hated that he was just a civil servant.
Otherwise, I must personally go to Northern Xinjiang and kill the barbarians of Northern Yuan!
Rather than just being here, looking at the ocean and sighing, helpless!
This feeling is so painful!
When Cai Tongzhi and Lu Tongpan heard this, they looked at each other and sighed. Finally, they nodded and said in unison: "No!"
"By the way, is there any movement at Uncle An Bei's place?" Chen Xi Tuan asked.
He still has some hope for Li Changkong!
I have just arrived in Jizhou after a long journey and a long journey, so there is nothing wrong with taking an extra day or two to rest.
On the contrary, I was a little impatient and took the spotlight.
Maybe they have their own clever plan to recruit troops.
"This..." Cai Tongzhi hesitated, hesitating to speak.
"Just say whatever you have to say, and so and so, what's the point of it?"
"No. In the past few days, Uncle Anbei has been very busy, leaving early and coming back late every day."
After hearing this, Chen Xituan's expression improved slightly.
This is already rare good news!
If Li Changkong also recruited a lot of troops, and merged with them, and worked hard together, it wouldn't be impossible to gather 50,000 soldiers.
However, Cai Tongzhi's next words completely shattered his illusions.
"It's just that I don't know what I'm busy with, and I never raised the flag of recruiting troops."
"To this day, I'm afraid I haven't recruited anyone."
boom!
As soon as he said this, a cup of hot tea fell to the ground with a crisp crackling sound.
Chen Xituan stood up, feeling like stars were in his eyes and almost fainted.
Cai Tongzhi saw this and hurried to help him.
While helping him, he said: "But I asked Zhen Jian a few days ago, and they said that the recruitment will start tomorrow."
"And he is quite confident in his words."
"Hmph! He is so confident that he has a use for it!"
"The recruitment starts tomorrow? What time is it tomorrow? We have already recruited all those who are willing to join the army. If he can recruit a thousand people, Lu will personally go to him to plead guilty!" Mr. Lu Tong slapped the table and stood up. , said coldly.
"This man is not worthy of his name! The rumors have misled me!" Chen Xituan lamented, broke away from Cai Tongzhi, turned around, and walked towards the depths of the Zhizhou Mansion step by step, his back looking bleak.
Cai Tongzhi and Lu Tongpan watched this scene, and for some reason, they felt their hearts throbbing.
Once upon a time, this man stepped forward in times of crisis and saved the lives of all the people in Jizhou!
But now, with the opportunity before him, he couldn't save Da Gan's life!
How sad! How deplorable!
…
"Zhen Jian, send to the north, are you ready?" Li Changkong, wearing thick winter clothes, walked over and said as he looked at the recruiting platform that had been set up.
"Master, don't worry, we are well prepared!"
"That's it..." Zhen Jian hesitated for a moment before he finally gritted his teeth and asked, "Are you really sure that someone will come to join the army?"
"That's natural. I'm afraid there are quite a few people there."
"But at this time, Chen Xituan and the others have recruited all those who are willing to join the army!" Li Jibei, who had always been taciturn, couldn't help but worry at this moment.
"It doesn't matter, just set up a platform with peace of mind. If no one comes to join the army tomorrow, just come to me."
"No!" Seeing Li Changkong say this, the two had no choice but to respond.
Night falls and the sun rises.
In the blink of an eye, the second day arrived.
On this day, the sun rarely came out, the ice and snow melted a little, and the weather became much warmer.
Li Changkong brought Zhen Jian and Li Jibei to the recruitment platform early and sat there waiting carelessly.
On the side, Cai Tongzhi also came.
After all, Li Changkong is a Shangguan from Qiandu City. Now that the recruitment is about to begin, local officials should accompany him no matter what.
But Chen Xituan and Lu Tongpan really didn't want to come, so he was the only one.
As everyone waited, time passed by minute by second, but there was not a single shadow in front of the recruiting platform.
It stayed like this, after waiting for several hours.
Finally, someone couldn't help it anymore and said, "General, is no one here?"
"Why are you panicking? There is still some time before noon. Just wait until noon. If no one comes yet, we will go back to the inn."
Cai Tongzhi on the side couldn't help but snorted when he heard this.
Wait until noon? Let alone noon, even if you wait until midnight, no one may come!
However, just as he finished thinking this, noisy footsteps and shouts came from the distance.
"Folks, this is it, General Lee is recruiting troops right here!"
Hearing this, Zhen Jian and Li Jibei looked at each other.
Because both of them recognized this voice, it was Wang Sanfu!
