After hearing the news, everyone present, including the county magistrate, changed their faces. Mr. Fan couldn't help but stretched out his hand to stretch Li Dan's sleeves. What he meant was: My young master, shouldn't we talk about this kind of thing in private?
"Your Majesty, please don't blame me for being direct," Li Dan simply turned around and bowed to Mr. Fan with a smile: "Instead of everyone muttering and speculating below, it's better to let everyone know the details." Then he sat upright again. :
"All of you here are Dan's elders. With the elders in front of you, Dan can't talk nonsense, and he dare not hide anything. At the moment, Yu Gan is in a storm and a torrent. He must either bravely move forward through the whirlpool, or the boat will be destroyed and everyone will die!"
"Uh, Sanlang, can you be more specific? What you said... scared us all." Xu Tong looked at the stunned people and said with a wry smile:
"We only know that thieves are spying on the county. A few days ago, His Excellency General Zhaoyi led his men to encounter the lake bandits outside the north gate. But as you said, isn't it a bit... is it really that serious?"
"Secret Uncle Xu, the county magistrate has read the official document. It clearly states that he wants me to come back to do two things: organize the training of the township warriors and fight against the invading bandits. Why is it written like this? This is out of Lord Tongzhi's judgment of the enemy's situation.
Everyone knows that the Yang Xing rebels have occupied Anren County, and the vanguard is spying on Huangbu. Just now Uncle Xu also said that the Lake Bandits had come to peek outside the north gate, but everyone probably didn't know that the Lake Bandits had been trying to unite with the mining rebellion in the east.
Lord Tongzhi believed that they contacted various mining gangs in order to expand their strength, and it was very likely that they planned to support Yang Xing's northward movement in Yugan.
If Yugan is occupied, the communication between the prefectures and counties in the east of Hudong and the chief envoy in the west of Huxi will be cut off, and the entire Raozhou Prefecture will be in danger of falling! "
There was an uproar below. Wu Xuanye, the head of the Wu family, stood up with his hands on the edge of the table: "Sanlang, Poyang is the head of the government and the place where the government and troops are stationed. You won't just let it go like this, right?"
Li Dan stood up, crossed his hands, asked the old man to sit down, and then said:
"Old man, the Poyang army has both camp and garrison troops. If there is only one or two fires, they can still save them, but how can they save it when there are fires everywhere? It is difficult for a good man to defeat four people, not to mention there are countless local and foreign enemies. As many as ten thousand?"
"What, what should we do?" There was a lot of discussion below, and some people even sighed loudly: "If I had known this, I might as well have fled to Nanchang with the Li family!"
Mr. Fan secretly glanced at Li Dan and saw that there was no change on his face. He reached out and took out the handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his face. At this time, I heard Li Dan say again:
"Elders, instead of waiting for others to come to save you, it is better to save yourself. Dan led hundreds of warriors to the county to help you recruit local warriors and establish team training. This matter needs to be started as soon as possible.
No one knows when the gangsters will attack, and even one day's hesitation may lead to regrets. The younger generation is brave enough to make some suggestions here with the power conferred by the Tongzhi adults and the trust of the county magistrate:
1. Starting from tomorrow, a recruitment office will be set up inside and outside the city to recruit two thousand to four thousand village warriors to organize into regiments and prepare for war! At the same time, several inspection divisions were established in the surrounding areas to help and guide the local formation of rural militiamen.
Second, we issued an order to all the villages on the four sides of the county to immediately send women, children and the elderly to take refuge in Beiguan; squires, celebrities and those with meritorious status from all over the country must enter the city immediately!
Third, recruit labor from surrounding areas and rush to the county to participate in the construction of the Mianshan camp and the repair and reconstruction of the city wall. We made preliminary calculations and estimated that it would take 10,000 laborers to participate.
Fourth, from now on, the team training will take over the garrison and inspection of the four gates (including Watergate). Anyone who refuses to cooperate will be shot to death! The city gate is open for three hours every day from Si time to Wei time!
5. Cars, horses, and boats within the county are immediately prohibited from leaving the country. Without a handwritten letter from the county official and this patrol inspection sign, leaving the country will be regarded as aiding the enemy, deserting, and being arrested on suspicion of espionage!
Sixth, the soldiers and civilians in the city were organized into households according to the neighborhood. Ten men of the right age have one Shi, and one Shi leader; the sixth Shi is the sentry, the third sentry is the team, and the fourth team is the camp. When something happens, take action and report accordingly. "
Discussions below were already boiling like boiling water. Some people complained: "The general had already donated ten shi of food to prevent thieves. Why should he donate it again now? Alas!"
Some of the others sighed, some frowned, and some whispered in low voices, probably nine out of ten.
Complaining.
At this moment, someone suddenly heard someone snort loudly and said, "After all, this general is still out in battle. Mr. Li, may I ask how it counts that the eldest master of your house left the people in the city and fled alone?"
Li Dan didn't even need to look at it to know that this was "General Zhaoyi" who was posing a problem for him. He sneered and replied: "We will know later, please don't worry."
Then he stood up and pressed his hand down. When everyone's voices subsided, he continued:
"Do you think it's too much? To be honest, I think it's a little too much. But it's not okay. If you are not prepared, you will be beaten, killed, and suffer!
Are you willing to have your family's blood splattered in front of you, or are you willing to hand over your money and food to thieves?
I went to Shangrao this time and saw with my own eyes how they dealt with the squires. Two examples, there is Kwun Tong on the way to Lingyan Temple, where the big family's surname is Cong. Mr. Cong is an old benefactor who supports Lingyan Temple because of his philanthropic nature.
As a result, the rebel bandit You Sanjiang made his family kneel by the pond, beheaded them one by one, and even raped his granddaughter.
Another example of the bandit leader's arrogance was that Lou Zishi's third son wanted to occupy the courtyard of Tu's family in Fengling Town. As a result, a leader of his soldiers named Hou Qi led his men and dragged Mr. Tu's family to the mountains. , dug a hole and buried him alive. "
After he finished speaking, he glanced at the silent audience: "You still think it's troublesome to move into the city, and you still think it's a big loss to donate money, grain, and equipment? Compared with human life, what are these things?"
He saw a few more old gentlemen taking out handkerchiefs to wipe their sweat. "As long as people are still here, money can be earned, houses can be renovated, and food can grow in the fields! If your life is lost, then everything will be in vain. It's too late to regret!"
"Everyone, I think Li Sanlang is from our county. He went out and experienced it again. What he said is correct!" Wu Xuanye stood up and said:
"I think everyone should prepare quickly and take refuge in the city! No matter how high and thick your wall is, can it be compared to the county wall?"
"Yes, what Mr. Wu said makes sense!" Xu Tong looked at his eldest brother and third brother sitting next to him, exchanged glances, then stood up and said:
"Our Xu family has also responded and will start making preparations tomorrow! In addition, please ask for inspections. The cars and horses in the store are not allowed to leave the country. But is there any other purpose?"
"If the carriages, horses and carriage drivers come to the county government and are assigned to various construction sites to assist in transporting materials and labor, they can be deducted from the donation according to the amount listed in the county." Li Dan looked at the surprised Magistrate Fan with a smile. At a glance:
"I have an idea that I plan to discuss with all the elders. This operation will last for three months. The purpose is to assist the army to repel attacks from three directions: the Lake Bandit, the Mining Bandit and the Yang Bandit.
I will make a list of the food, salary and military supplies needed for these three months. I will ask you to select five virtuous and talented old gentlemen to review this list. After agreeing, the whole county will start collecting donations according to this quantity and amount. , the shortfall will be fully subsidized by my Li family.
After the war, the expenses are deducted, and the remaining balance is calculated and sold for seizure. Each family will get back its own dividends according to the proportion of investment, regardless of the principal loss or profit! "
"What? Saburo is treating war as a business?" Everyone immediately became agitated.
"Not only everyone here is like this, but any family in the county who donates more than one tael will get a share of the profits from Li Sanlang!"
The whole place was in an uproar!
"Everyone, let's make an agreement. There are winners and losers in wars. We can't say there are no risks! It doesn't matter if you can't get the money back. If you donate more than one tael, I will pay for the county to erect a monument and pass it on. To the descendants!
If he accidentally made money, Li Sanlang would never dare to risk the disgrace of the entire county and break his promise!
If the elders think this method is feasible, I, Master Ba, will be the chief accountant. You can also select two or three auditors to accompany the army to review the accounts, check the seizures, and convert the amounts at any time. How? "
No one expected that Li Dan would come up with such an idea, and there was a lot of discussion below. At this time, the head of the Qian family said doubtfully: "Can we still make a fortune from these thieves? If they were rich, would they still be thieves?"
"No! Mr. Qian, it's not just because they have money that they do it.
A thief means being a thief if you don’t have money. If you become a thief and you get money, you will want to steal more. Brother Dan, is this a statement? "Xu Bu asked with a smile while twirling his beard.
"Exactly, exactly!" Li Dan quickly replied.
"Hey, it would be great if we could rob his lair. Wouldn't we be able to make a fortune by doing this?" Xu Xian joked.
"You think you can't?" Xu Tong pointed forward: "Look at Sanlang, and then look at the soldiers behind him. When they left the county, each of them only had a green cloth jacket. If they hadn't been captured, where would these equipment have been?"
"Uncle Xu Er is right!" Li Dan chuckled. He didn't expect that Master Xu Er, who had only greeted each other when they met, would be so cooperative and knowledgeable. In his heart, he really wanted to win over the Xu family.
"This junior was originally ordered to go on a business trip. Later, Geyang Weihan's guard ordered the junior to organize a group training to protect the convoy and open the transportation line to Shangrao.
It all depends on the soldiers' lives. So we fought Fengqiguan in one battle, Guangxin City again, and lifted the siege of Shangrao in three battles. What did we rely on?
Naturally, everything is captured, from clothes and armor, ordnance to wages, food, carriages and horses. Every time we win a battle, the brothers will receive dividends according to their military merits. Only in this way can we become stronger and stronger as we fight, and our morale will increase as we fight!
So as long as you win, the donations and losses invested by your seniors will not lose too much, and you will even make a profit. "
"I heard that when our Yugan Qingshirt team went out this time, almost everyone sent money to their families." Someone said loudly.
"Yes, doesn't it mean that the strips on your left arm are for recording merit? The more strips, the higher the level and the greater the merit?"
"Hey, have you all heard about this?" Gu Da looked at Li Dan in surprise.
"It's okay." Li Dan waved his hand: "We call it the military rank system. It does start from a bar for recruits, and the higher you go, the higher the rank.
People with higher ranks will get more dividends, so everyone is vying to be the first to perform meritorious service. No matter how many rebels there are, they will not be able to defeat us. The morale is different! "As he spoke, he waved his hand and said loudly:
"Now I have brought back the most experienced and brave people in that team, just to help our Yu Gan build a team training team that any thieves will be frightened by.
In fact, the donation you made today is not just for three months, but it will contribute to our hometown for a long time. This is why the younger generation has to pay for Fan County to erect a monument for all those who donate more than one tael! "
"In that case, there is no need to talk about the lake bandits. There must be gold and silver accumulated from looting in their lair. They are patrolling, do we still need to build a navy army?
In addition, except for An Ren, the Yang family and his sons are all in Fuzhou, which is beyond our reach.
As for the mining bandits, they are a group of miners. I'm afraid there won't be any profit in beating them, right? I think the Lake Bandits are really worth beating. " Xu Xian said.
The conversation at the meeting suddenly changed from protecting the country and the people to robbing and rebelling against bandits.
"Hey, you are all shouting so loudly, do you think the Lake Bandits are really easy to fight? After all these years, the army has never seen anything they can do to them! He says he can make money by fighting, so just listen to his bragging!" At this time, Liu Liu, the head of the family, stood up and said loudly.
This guy has only turned 20 this year. He has a short neck and a thick waist. He looks quite strong at first glance. He was originally one of the Eighteen Tigers in the south of the city. Later, he almost lost the right to inherit the family head because of this. He has only recently become more honest.
His father passed away a year ago, and Liu Qi took charge of the entire family as his legitimate son. His clan father (cousin, his father's ancestral brother) Liu Yong assisted him in big matters, but he dared to make his own decisions in small matters.
What was being discussed today was a big deal, but because Liu Qi was unhappy with Li Su's departure, he had been looking for an opportunity to raise this issue.
"Is it unusual to seize one or two pieces of armor in a battle? If you hadn't stopped me, I would have won the battle just as well if I had accepted this mission!"
"Qi'er, please don't be rude to the magistrate's face!" Liu Yi stood up in a hurry and apologized to Li Dan and Master Fan.
"Uncle, why are you like this? The Li family is used to bullying others, leaving an old one and a young one.
snort! You might as well take away the donations from the whole county and run away. Who among us, who are unarmed, would dare to stop you? "Liu Qi pushed Liu Yi's hand away and refused to let him go.
"What did you say?" Zhou Qin, Tan Zhongxiao, and Gu Da all jumped up, but Yang Yi hurriedly blocked them with Master Ba.
"What they are telling is the truth, and this is what the elders in the county want to say." Zhao Jintang suddenly said:
"Li Sanlang, even if you become an official now, you can't stop Yuyou's mouth, right? Besides, you are patrolling the city, so that's your duty. There are unemployed officials who flee without complying with the law, can you just sit back and watch? Or do you have selfish motives? Abandoned Duke?"
"You!" Zhou Qin and the others noticed that Zhao Jintang deliberately smoothed the yellow belt around his waist with his hands, and had to swallow the foul words that came to his lips. According to the laws of this dynasty, if anyone speaks foul language against the royal family, he will be slapped with twenty blackboards according to the following rules.
"Hey, who is this, and he talks so much about laws?" Zhao Jingzi, who was sitting steadily, suddenly interrupted with narrowed eyes. As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to unbutton his armor robe, revealing the yellow belt inside.
Zhao Jintang was stunned for a moment and then raised his hand: "May I ask who you are...?"
"Zhao Rujing, the thirteenth son of Guilin County Prince and the fifth son of General Zhenguo. Is he the wise nephew of Jintang across from him?" Zhao Jingzi took out a brocade bag from his waist and motioned to Zhong Siqi to help pass it over.
"Huh?" At this moment, everyone in the audience, including Li Dan, was stunned.
"Hey, it turns out that the clan uncle is here? Sorry, disrespectful!" Zhao Jintang opened the bag and looked inside. He immediately jumped up like a fire, rushed to Zhao Jingzi, held the brocade bag respectfully with both hands, and returned the brocade bag.
Zhao Jingzi was still sitting, stretched out his hand to take it and nodded: "Okay, go back and sit and listen to Li Sanlang."
"Yes, yes." Zhao Jintang returned to his seat but did not dare to sit down, and just stood behind the table with his hands down.
Zhao Jingzi ignored him, turned around and bowed his hands to Fan County Zun: "Younger people are ignorant, please forgive me, the county magistrate."
Now County Magistrate Fan and others could no longer sit still and had to stand up. Zhao Jingzi pressed his hand and said, "Everyone, please excuse me. We have some family matters that won't detract from the main topic. Please continue, Mr. Inspector." Then everyone sat down again uneasily.
"Someone mentioned my uncle's problem just now..." Li Dan was about to continue when he suddenly saw Wei Xiong leading Song Xiaoniu to look at the door, so he waved at him: "Song Zhongjun, is there something wrong?"
Mao Zaidi went over to listen to Song Xiaoniu say a few words, took the letter and came back, whispered to Li Dan and then placed the letter with both hands. Li Dan took it and placed it on his left side, nodding. Then continues:
"As an unemployed official, Li Su should assist the county prince to fight against foreign enemies and tide over the difficulties, but it is a pity that he did not do so. Although I am his nephew, I still despise his behavior."
As he spoke, he raised his head and glanced at Li Yan, Li Zhu and his son, whose faces were a little pale, and secretly gritted his teeth and said loudly: "Where is Song Xiaoniu, the commander of the Central Military Commission and the envoy of the town?"
"My subordinate is here!" Song Xiaoniu thought he was fine and was about to relax and go have a drink with Wei Xiong when he heard that he was told to run back quickly.
He had been wearing armor since he entered the city and had not bothered to take it off. Now when he ran, his whole body made a "squeaking" sound. When he appeared outside the door and folded his hands to obey the order, Li Dan ordered word by word with a stern face:
"I'll take you to the small school field, mobilize all the left guard personnel, and immediately surround the Li Mansion. No one can enter or leave without a patrol warrant. Violators will be punished on the spot!"
"What?" No one here expected that there would be such a scene tonight, and many people shouted in unison: "Saburo, no!"
"Inspection, Li Sanlang, what are you going to do?" Master Fan asked in a low voice.
"Master Ba, you go with the Chinese army and immediately check and count the remaining family property in Li Su's mansion.
All cloth, gold, silver, money, grain, livestock, and vehicles will be confiscated and used as regimental training funds. If there are servants or slaves in the family, they will be named and registered as auxiliary troops for use! "
Li Dan spoke so viciously that the whole audience shuddered.
"Here, how in the world can a nephew check his uncle? Sanlang, no!" Li Yan cried out.
"Third uncle, don't worry about it, I'm doing military exercises!" Li Dan said, and saw Li Zhu tugging on his father's sleeves.
"Everyone, someone just said something about my Li family and that. As a member of the Li family, I apologize to the people of the whole county on behalf of my whole family!" After he finished speaking, he pointed at Li Yan:
"My third uncle didn't leave, not only
Therefore, I heard from the county magistrate that he was the first person in the county to pay a donation of three hundred taels of silver. Li Dan would like to thank his third uncle for his kindness! "As he said this, he bowed deeply to Li Yan.
After getting up, he pointed to the envelope on the table: "My aunt hasn't left either. She heard that I was going to fight against thieves, so she sent someone to send 300 taels of her own money as a donation." Then he touched his sleeve:
"The day before yesterday, I defeated Qu Shuai Yin Tuo, the subordinate of Bandit Lou. The two hundred taels I got are all here. The five hundred taels were donated by my mother and I. Please keep them, Mr. Fan!"
The rest of the people below looked at each other, but it was Xu Tong who spoke up: "Master Li is Master Li, and he should be responsible for what he has done. Today, Li Sanlang wants to set an example for the whole county, destroying families and rescuing people from troubles. I ask the county minister to grant him permission." Bar!"
After saying that, they stood up and handed over their hands. Xu Bu and Xu Xian looked at each other and stood up. Under their guidance, more and more people stood up.
Fan Xianzun had a troubled look on his face: "This, this is really embarrassing for me. Sanlang, even if I ask your family to donate the house, it won't be that much."
"Sir, please agree. If this matter is revealed, it will not be me, Li Dan, but the imperial cavalry who will come to ransack the house."
"Uh..." Fan Xianzun knew that Li Dan was telling the truth. Decades after the founding of this dynasty, martial arts still prevail. Any official who dares to escape the enemy will be severely punished.
Although Li Su was unemployed and would not be beheaded or exiled, he probably wouldn't be able to escape the consequences of confiscating his home.
Mr. Fan could only nod his head: "Well, then, I'll take you to Isaburo!"
