"He wants to see me? Where is he?" Lou Shiming opened his eyes wide and looked at the guy in front of him, who was known as the captain of the bodyguard Li Dan. He felt incredible.
Just a few days after I arrived at Jiyang Mountain, the camp, food, and materials were all arranged. How come the Qingshan team arrived at the same time and found it so accurately! Damn it, there must be something going on inside!
After the last experience, he always felt that the Qing Shi team was surrounding him like a ghost. But let’s just say it’s annoying, but it actually made me a lot of money!
Judging from the figures reported by my uncle, the quality of wine, porcelain, and ironware is not bad, especially the four sedans sold (deposits have been collected and are waiting for delivery). It is simply making money with nothing!
With this financial opportunity, Lou Shiming no longer cares about how much food and salary his father and eldest brother can give him. If this continues, he will be fully capable of taking care of his team by next spring!
But... when did this Li Dan come? How many people did you bring? What are you here for? Lou Shiming found that he had a weapon pressed under his nose without realizing it, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Didn't the boss and the third boss go out to explore the surrounding areas?
He was greatly relieved this time. I originally thought that by bringing 8,000 people, including navy troops, my father would take him more seriously. Unexpectedly, his father, the handsome father, was obsessed with writing poetry. He and a group of literati spent all day gathering and drinking in the valley, leaving all the power to his eldest brother.
And Lou Shiyong obviously didn't want to put his second brother in a prominent position, so he split his team and gave him only 4,000 people, and then sent him to look for food and grass.
Hum! Lou Shiming was not a fool. He could see that his brother felt that he was very sure of winning Shangrao this time, so he did not intend to let him take more credit, so he put himself in the rear.
In this case, Lou Shiming became a bystander out of anger and let it go! Unexpectedly, Li Dan came to the door again. What does this kid want to do?
"Replying to the second general, my master is waiting for you at the foot of the mountain in front of the stone archway on the pond." Lu Jiu answered with clasped fists. This timid and bold guy was even secretly sizing up the famous figure in front of him.
"Go back and tell your master that I will be there within an hour!"
"Master said the place is small, so please bring six followers each."
A smile appeared on Lou Shiming's lips: "He's just being careful, that's fine!"
After Lu Jiu was sent away, Lou Shiming waved a soldier over: "Go and tell the Qianzhong Army that I will go down the mountain to check the surrounding area and return in the evening, and ask him to guard the food carefully and not lose anything!" After giving the order, he ordered something. The whistler will ride down the mountain with him.
When he saw the stone archway from a distance, he left the rest of the people by a pond and only brought six of his close followers with him. On the hill next to the archway, several ancient branches intersect.
Li Dan walked out from behind the tree and greeted him with a smile: "Brother Shiming, why are you feeling a little sad after not seeing you for so many days? But why are you unhappy?"
Lou Shiming didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He jumped off his horse and curled his lips and said: "How can you be so hospitable to guests? Shouldn't you say some auspicious words like 'Still charming and shining brightly' when meeting for the first time? But you are different from others!" "
"Brother, why are you such a common man?" Li Dan asked him to go inside and said with a smile, "Brother, I have high ambitions, and flattery won't work in front of you. It's better to tell the truth."
"Don't, don't, I'll just go back to being a commoner. You're not flattering me when you say this, but why is it so awkward? I always feel like... there's some conspiracy behind this!" Lou Shiming said, Keep your eyes open.
It turns out that there is a small open space in the middle surrounded by ancient trees. Zeng Tietou, Mao Xiulu, and Pei Si have already held up two large octagonal white cloth umbrellas in the middle. These umbrellas are also made of bamboo ribs and are as big as three ordinary umbrellas.
The bottom is surrounded and fixed with stones. There is a rectangular piece of white cloth between the two umbrellas, and the two ends are connected to the edge of the umbrella with clips. Under the umbrella are two bamboo chairs and a square table.
On one side is a small bowl taking care of the wine rack that is warming the wine. A little further away, Mao Xiulu is fanning the ignited coals next to an iron trough. On the trough are bamboo skewers with mushrooms, meat, dried tofu and other foods. sign.
Seeing this situation, Lou Shiming was stunned: "This, this is?"
"Oh, this is called charcoal grilled skewers."
Li Dan was still smiling: "Brother, just sit back and enjoy the breeze under the tree and the sky above. Let's take some time to have fun by ourselves.
This is a way of eating that I have painstakingly figured out. It is most suitable for a gathering of three or five friends outdoors. Brother, give it a try. If you feel good about it, I won’t take the iron stove, umbrella, and chair back today. Instead, I will give them to you as a sample. How about that? "
"Wait a minute, you mean, these things can be sold?"
"Why not?"
"These things are neither special nor delicate. Who would buy them?" Lou Shiming shook his head:
"For example, your carriage has special steering and light vibrations, or your umbrella is painted by famous people and its ribs are carved and decorated. It can also be used as a famous item. It's just that, there is nothing strange about it, I'm afraid no one will want it!"
"Brother, don't talk about this product for now. Please sit down and let's talk slowly." Li Dan asked him to sit down, and he also sat with his legs crossed. He patted the waiter beside him and said:
"If we don't go to war, I really want to do some big business with my brother. It's a pity that I don't do business with my brother's talent!"
"The boss's talent is better than mine. He is good at poetry, calligraphy and painting, and he has a reputation for generosity. In comparison, Shiming is just a vulgar martial artist." After saying this, he took a sip of a drink.
The small bowl was filled again, and Li Dan tilted his head to watch him pick up the cup again.
"What are you doing?" He noticed Li Dan looking at him and asked with the cup stopped in mid-air.
Li Dan shook his head: "No, that's not right! Why does it seem so much older when I meet my brother this time? Where is the heroic Second Heavenly King from back then? He has become an old boy who has failed in exams for a long time. How desolate is that?"
Lou Shiming chuckled, put down his cup and pointed, "It's you, Li Sanlang, who dares to say that. If it had been anyone else, I would have beaten him with twenty army sticks first and then I would have said it!"
Li Dan laughed: "Interesting, interesting! One of you and I are rebels, and the other is working for the emperor, but we can sit and drink together and cherish each other. It's a good story.
But Lou Er, don’t always have such resentment. Between brothers, no matter how bad things are, there is still brotherhood. Look at me, my family doesn’t like this bastard, so I don’t care!
I am now able to lead troops, and I was given the title of martial cavalry by the Holy Spirit's favor, and was given the sixth-rank official position I had experienced in Jiangxi Xuanfu Division. I earned all of this myself, but I did not rely on any support from my family! You have courage and wisdom, and gold will shine sooner or later, don't be in a hurry! "
"Aren't you in a hurry...?" Lou Shiming said suddenly.
"Why, are you really anxious?" Li Dan looked at him seriously, leaned over and asked in a low voice, "Are you afraid that he will defeat the superior and become the crown prince?"
"It's not just that." Lou Shiming sighed and took another drink: "Now that the boss has the military power, Yin Tuo will soon come to join forces and listen to his orders. There are two other commanders, one is King Jiu Mu who came from Zhongxin, and the other is Huang Zhougong of Jiulong Mountain.
The two groups were said to have a strength of 30,000 people, but in reality they were about over 10,000. But in this way, the boss can become the real leader of the rebel army. I am busy here and there, but the result is to make wedding dresses for others! "
"Oh, is that so? But there's nothing we can do about it. Who makes him the eldest brother?"
"He is my elder brother and I can't help it, but they are all born from the same mother, and I am no less than him. After fighting this uprising, I don't occupy more towns than he does? Why am I only qualified to carry grain and grass now?"
"Ahem, are you aggrieved by this? That's even more unnecessary!" Li Dan stood up and went over, took two skewers of roast chicken from the oven and handed one to Lou Shiming: "There must be someone to escort the grain and transport the grass. I'll leave it to you." Give it to Third Brother!"
"Humph, you still mention him! He was your defeated general, but now he leads more soldiers than me! He has a good body and a favored mother to protect him, but I am not welcome!"
Li Dan was startled, and then he realized that although Lou Shiyong and Lou Shiming were brothers with the same father and mother, they were actually different. Why was it difficult to ask him directly why there was such a difference?
"Forget it, it's better for me to get less involved in your family's affairs. Come on, come on, let's talk about something else." Li Dan changed the subject.
The two of them were eating and drinking under the umbrella while chatting about recent events and business. Only then did Li Dan know that he was the one who instigated Yang He and his son to go west.
, Lou Shiming also learned about Li Dan's battle with Yu Qian, his attack on Anren, his admission into Jinxian, and his defeat of Dongxiang, and he couldn't help but exclaimed:
"I haven't seen you for several months. I never expected you to do so many great things! It's a pity that I can't put my skills to use, so I'm still wandering around in the mountains!"
"As I said just now, I have a great talent. Now I have no choice but to be confined here, like a tiger in a cage. What a pity!" Li Dan was chewing a chicken wing and pointed with his finger:
"No, it's tigers trapped in Jiyang Mountain. But let's just do some business. Wouldn't it be nice to get together to drink some wine and eat skewers when we have free time? I think it's a hundred times better than that power struggle! Why should I be depressed and depressed? How about falling into pride?"
"You're right! He's pursuing that position all by himself and it's all his own fault! Come on, let's drink to this!"
Li Dan laughed loudly, picked up the cup and drank. Seeing Lou Shiming's eyes sparkling, Li Dan said casually: "But based on my experience, I'm afraid your brother won't be able to break through this city!"
"Huh? How do you put it?" Lou Shiming was eating half of a skewer of mutton when he suddenly stopped and looked at Li Dan suspiciously for a long time. "By the way, after all this, I still don't know what you are doing here this time? Where did you come from?"
"Widely believed."
"Nonsense, Guangxin is occupied by Yin Tuo's subordinates. Do you think I don't know?"
"It turned out to be occupied, but I broke it this morning."
Lou Shiming was stunned and blinked for a long time before swallowing the meat in his mouth. "Are you really from Guangxin? That subordinate of Yin Tuo...?"
"Cheng Shisan, right? Behead him. I've checked his head." Li Dan replied with a smile.
"You are really... you killed the general and captured Guangxin City this morning, and now you come here to drink and eat meat with me?" Lou Shiming suddenly seemed to remember something and turned around to look around.
"Don't look, there is no ambush." After saying this with a smile, Li Dan pointed to the side with his finger: "Your people are in charge of that side, and my people are in charge of the north. No one can get close. Besides, if I harm you , do you need to go through all the trouble of drinking and eating meat?”
After saying that, his face darkened: "Yin Tuo is different. He killed two thousand of my brothers in Geyang. That was a blood feud!"
"Then, why are you here this time?" Lou Shiming asked.
"Send food to Shangrao."
"Talking nonsense again!"
"Really, as we speak, the grain stored in Guangxin City is being shipped to Shangrao City." Li Dan smiled half-heartedly.
"You!" Lou Shiming jumped up.
"Don't worry, even if you go back to the mountain and gather your troops now, it's too late to kill Shangrao. You'd better sit down."
Lou Shiming thought about it and sat back: "Hmph, if I order troops to go down the mountain, you will dare to capture the Jiyang Mountain camp, right?"
Li Dan clapped his hands and said, "Either I think you are very clever, and you can see through it all at once! Our people are very familiar with that mountain, and we have the cooperation of the officers and soldiers of Fengshan Fort. I guess you haven't reached the gate of the city yet. Jiyang The mountain’s fire started first.”
"It's really unlucky for me to meet a little devil like you!"
"Hey, don't praise me like that, at least I helped you earn a lot of money!"
"Shameless!" Lou Shiming scolded, and suddenly he narrowed his eyes and smiled again: "Haha, you lied to me! How many soldiers can you lead? A thousand people? Leave the one who protects the food team, how many people can you lead to attack Jiyang? Mountain?"
"There are only two hundred people." Li Dan reached out and took a bunch of grilled mushrooms: "But I have ordered the abandonment of Dayuan, Fengshan and other places, and together with the original Guangxin garrison, we can gather about 3,500 officers and soldiers. In this way , are there enough manpower?"
Lou Shiming's face turned ugly: "You, you actually gave up all the peripheral strongholds? How is that possible?"
"How is it impossible? I am a member of the Xuanfu Department personally appointed by His Majesty. Except for the lieutenants, guerrillas, and garrison officers in Shangrao City, I can mobilize everyone else.
Guangxin has fallen and Shangrao is surrounded on all sides. It is meaningless to keep these peripheral strongholds. Instead of being defeated by you individually, it makes more sense to gather into a fist. "
"Tsk," Lou Shiming shook his head: "I think there is no chance of the boss attacking Shangrao this time!"
"So, didn't I tell you everything?" Li Dan raised his glass:
「
If you don't want the boss to succeed, then I'll add more firewood and let Shangrao's furnace burn brightly. Let's see how he puts his hand in! Look, we are not only business partners, we also cooperate in other things very well! "
"Forget it, if we cooperate like this, I'm afraid my father and brother will know that they can't spare me!" Lou Shiming snorted coldly.
"Brother, please don't interfere. Just watch from a distance like this."
"Just do nothing?"
"Brother is guarding the Jiyangshan camp. He has a heavy responsibility for providing food and supplies. How can he leave the camp without orders? Besides, I only have four thousand soldiers under my command, so what can I do?"
The corners of Lou Shiming's mouth turned up slightly and he said, "Good reason!" Then he asked, "Then what are your plans?"
"I will stay outside Shangrao City for one night. No matter what happens tonight, please don't send any troops!"
"What about this night?" Lou Shiming asked strangely.
"The eldest brother will send people to find the second brother and ask you to send troops. At that time, you must not agree immediately and just reply with the reason just now. The eldest brother will definitely order the third brother to take over Jiyang Mountain..."
"Well, what next? Should I agree, or shouldn't I?"
"If you agree immediately, the second brother will only get these thousands of troops and will be relieved of the responsibility of providing food and grass. If you don't agree immediately, the second brother can take the opportunity to ask for more. For example..., take the Liangqu Commandery who is about to arrive under his command."
"Hahaha!" Lou Shiming laughed: "This is a brilliant plan! But, Li Sanlang, aren't you afraid that if I gain military power, I will help my eldest brother capture Shangrao City?"
"As I said, he can't defeat him." Li Dan waved his hand: "His two attacks, even if we give him 30,000 soldiers, he still can't do anything with this Shangrao." Li Dan pointed to the south with his hand:
"After my arrangement, the city of Shangrao is well-armed and well-prepared. Unless there is an army of 50,000 to 60,000, it will be difficult to conquer." After a pause, he added:
"Once he finds that Shangrao cannot be captured, he will order a withdrawal of the siege. But at that time, you already have your own troops, so you can decide what to do."
Lou Shiming gritted his teeth, annoyed that this guy was right, and at the same time angry at how he could calculate everything so accurately? It was as if I had to do what he said. "So, after he agrees to my conditions, I will send troops?"
"Tomorrow morning, my two brothers will send out troops to expel our troops outside the north gate of Shuiying and occupy Shangban Fort. Then our troops continued to retreat. You successfully recaptured Guangxin and completed the siege of Shangrao."
"What? You took Guangxin yourself, and then you gave it to me?" Lou Shiming felt incredible.
"How is this impossible? I didn't come here to defend Guangxin, and I didn't spend a lot of time on it." Li Dan started to eat the tenth skewer of barbecue: "Second brother was wise and courageous in regaining Guangxin, and I want to do something to you. The reputation is more helpful.”
"how about you?"
"As for me, I took the remnant of my troops and fled to Lingshan Mountain without a trace." Li Dan chuckled: "As the second brother's power expands, our business will be better and last longer, right?"
