Yuan Yao became interested and waved his hand, indicating Chen Li to take a seat.
"Appreciate further details!"
After Chen Li took his seat, he explained Peng's "cunning rabbit in three caves" in a few words.
"The Peng family has branches in Pengze and Poyang. I heard that after the general captured Shangliao, he did not kill all the Peng family. Most of the Shangliao Peng family members followed Peng Cai and fled to Poyang."
"Speaking of this, Peng Cai has some tricks. In just one month, he integrated the branches of Pengze and Poyang; he even launched the banner of 'attack Haihun County and recapture Shangliao City'."
Yuan Yao just sneered and said: "Hmph, he saves me trouble, so that I don't have to hunt out these Peng family thieves one by one in the future."
"But as for the Li family and the Wang family, I have no enmity with them. Why are they here to join in the fun?"
Chen Li smiled and said, "What the general doesn't know is that the Wang family was just a small family attached to the Peng family in Poyang more than ten years ago."
"And this Peng Cai's original surname is not Peng, but Wang, and he belongs to the Wang family. But I don't know what kind of luck he had. By chance, he was taken in by Mr. Peng as his adopted son, and he cultivated it a lot, and this became the so-called Peng family. Young Master."
"And it was because of Peng Cai that the Wang family became today's Wang family in Poyang. And the Li family is the natal family of Peng Cai's wife. It must have been persuaded by Peng Cai that she became the enemy of the young general."
"Wang Cai?" Yuan Yao couldn't help but want to laugh as he read the name.
"How many people did the three families gather for Zhu Hao?"
"Reporting to the Major General, the three families of Peng, Wang, and Li have gathered a total of more than 10,000 people to seek refuge with Zhu Hao, and more than half of them are members of the Peng clan."
Yuan Yao took a deep breath in his heart. Are there so many people in these clans? Is it all so troublesome?
However, he did not show this emotion. You must know that the Yuzhang Chen family represented by Chen Li in front of him also has many clan members who are attached to his sect.
"Even if there are 100,000 people, they are still just a mob."
Yuan Yao pretended not to take it seriously.
"That's natural. In the past, the Major General only led 500 soldiers to defeat the Peng clan. Today, the Major General has more than 5,000 soldiers. The Peng clan and others are just seeking their own destruction."
Chen Li also praised Yuan Yao generously, since it didn't cost much to talk.
For these Yuzhang natives headed by Chen Li, it doesn't matter who becomes the prefect. The key is to see who can give them more benefits.
At the moment, it is naturally Yuan Yao who can bring them the greatest benefit. Yuan Yao divided Yuzhang County into three parts in the name of his father, Yangzhou Mu Yuan Shu. With the addition of two more counties, the opportunities for the children of powerful clans to join the official ranks were greatly increased. Over time, it was no longer a dream to transform themselves into wealthy families in counties and counties.
Zhuge Xuan and Zhu Hao now both hold the title of Grand Administrator of Yuzhang, so they naturally reject the idea of dividing counties. They will not and cannot directly divide Yuzhang County into three parts.
As for Liu Pan and Liu Biao behind him, even if they wanted to divide the counties, they didn't have the reputation. Although Liu Biao, as the general of Zhennan, could supervise the military affairs of Jiao, Yang, and Yi states, his title of Jingzhou shepherd did not have the right to divide Yangzhou into counties. Moreover, the natives of Yuzhang were already wary of the outside forces in Jingzhou.
The only person who can divide counties like Yuan Shu, Yuan Yao and his son is Liu Yao, the official governor of Yangzhou appointed by the imperial court, but Liu Yao now...
Thinking of this, Chen Li suddenly became serious: "Have you heard about the war in Jiangdong recently, Major General?"
"I heard that Liu Yao fought a decisive battle with Sun Ce in Qu'a, and was severely defeated by Sun Ce. The sacred land in Jiangdong that Liu Yao occupied is now all owned by Sun Ce."
"Part of the defeated army under Liu Yao has fled to the east of Yuzhang. The leader of this defeated army is named Zuo Rong, and he has joined forces with Zhu Hao."
"My old friend in Poyang told me that with the addition of the troops brought by Zuo Rong, Zhu Hao has 20,000 fighting troops, which is extremely powerful!"
Yuan Yao was slightly startled, not expecting that Zuo Rong would arrive in Yuzhang County so soon. In this way, the trajectory of history has not yet shifted.
"I just don't know if Liu Yao will also lead his remaining troops to come to our Yuzhang County...or will he retreat to Kuaiji County? If Liu Yao also leads his troops to come, I'm afraid..."
Chen Li became uneasy as he spoke, and Yuan Yao also understood at this moment that the purpose of his visit to him today was not just to report military information.
"Then Zuo Rong was sent by Liu Yao to lead the attack. In a few days, Liu Yao will lead his troops to Yuzhang."
Yuan Yao directly told Chen Li what was about to happen in history.
Chen Li couldn't see a trace of panic on Yuan Yao's face. He immediately thought that Yuan Yao also had some secret work in Jiangdong, or his father Yuan Shu's secret work had already reported the news of Liu Yao's defeat to Yuan Yao. .
Perhaps Yuan Shu's reinforcements are already on the way, otherwise Yuan Yao would not be so confident.
Chen Li didn't know that Yuan Yao's confidence was not his father Yuan Shu, but Huang Zhong sitting next to him.
Come and shoot one of those miscellaneous fish like Zuo Rong and Peng Cai, and chop a pair of them together!
The expression on Chen Li's face also became relaxed, he cupped his hands towards Yuan Yao and said with a smile:
"It turns out that the Major General has already obtained the relevant military information. It seems that the official's coming to report today is really unnecessary."
"Where is it?" Yuan Yao pretended to be inscrutable: "Didn't Jun Cheng Chen answer my doubts about Peng Cai?"
Chen Li thought about it. Since Yuan Yao looked very confident, he must have a back-up plan. If you don't make a bet, it will be too late.
"Before Xianguan came, I asked the clan to prepare five thousand shi of food, which will be sent to the camp tomorrow to serve as military rations for the major general to help the general fight against Zhu Haorong."
Afraid that Yuan Yao would be dissatisfied, Chen Li added:
"After I go back today, I will contact the Xu family, Nie family and other clans to raise food and grass for the young general. I dare not say that there is too much food. At least 30,000 shi of food can be provided."
"Jun Cheng Chen is interested!"
Yuan Yao nodded, then shook his head: "It's just food. I, Yuan Yao, am not short of it."
Chen Li rolled his eyes and knew what Yuan Yao wanted, and was a little embarrassed for a moment.
After a while, Chen Li made up his mind. He couldn't bear to let his child trap the wolf. Compared with Chen's future, what would his next capital expenditure be like?
"I, the Chen family, would like to select three hundred elite men from the clan to serve under the general, and also set an example for all families and clans!"
Chen Li gritted his teeth and made a condition that made his heart bleed.
Yuan Yao was a little surprised in his heart. His original intention was to ask powerful clans such as Chen and Xu to summon thousands of clan members to assist him in fighting Liu Yao.
But he didn't expect that Chen Li would be willing to directly send a group of young men into the army.
But in a blink of an eye, Yuan Yao figured out that this courtesy was also leaving a way out for him.
If Chen Li really led his clan and people to join Yuan Jun, it would be equivalent to raising a flag and becoming Liu Yao's enemy. It would be good if he won, but if he lost, it would very likely bring disaster to the Chen family.
But providing some young men to Yuan Jun is another concept.
When Liu Yao invades Nanchang, he can change his story and say that it was Yuan Yao who forcibly recruited young men from these clans. You, the governor of Liuzhou Mu Zhu, have to make the decision for us little people!
Yuan Yao did not expose Chen Li's intentions. He was more willing to expand his army than to let clans such as Chen and Xu help him.
So Yuan Yao laughed and said: "That's great!"
"It's just that the troops are good but not numerous. I have always been very selective in recruiting troops. I don't accept just anyone. I must have heard about the standards I use to recruit troops these days, right?"
Chen Li's heart trembled when he heard this. He was strong enough to draw a stone bow, but he was definitely the strongest among his clan.
He was only thinking about how to leave more room for Chen, but he forgot about this.
"The lower officials have heard that only a son of a good family with a clean family must draw a full stone bow to join the army."
Chen Li regretted that he had given Yuan Yao 300 people.
Fortunately, Yuan Yao's next words immediately made him feel relieved.
"But since it is a gift from Lord Chen, there are not many conditions. As long as he can draw a stone bow more than half way, and he is not a weak person."
"And the food for the An family, it's ten stones per person, and I and Chen Juncheng's family will each pay half of it, how about that?"
Chen Li immediately nodded and said, "Just follow what the young general said."
Although there is only one word difference between fully drawing a stone bow and drawing a stone bow, they are two different levels.
Most adult men with a little bit of strength can draw a stone bow.
For a wealthy family like the Chen family in Yuzhang, sacrificing three hundred ordinary young men would not hurt their muscles and bones.
Just randomly select 300 men from those who sold themselves into slavery and the farmers who were dependent on the Chen family.
As for the five shi of food he wants to provide for Anjia, three hundred people can only get 1,500 shi of food. At that time, it’s not up to you to decide whether to give this food or not?
Chen Li was afraid that Yuan Yao would regret it, so he stood up and said goodbye: "As soon as I return from my official post, I will contact the Xu family, the Xiong family and other clans, and together we will select more strong men for the young general!"
"May the general become famous and powerful, and may he win victory!"
"Jun Cheng Chen, go slowly, I won't send you off."
After watching Chen Li leave, Yuan Yao turned to Huang Zhong with a smile and said, "General Huang, you have no shortage of soldiers now, right?"
Huang Zhong said calmly: "Being able to fire a stone bow, although this standard is not as good as the hundreds of strong men recruited a few days ago, it is still useful!"
This Huang Zhong is good at everything, but his mouth is too honest.
If other people heard this, seven out of ten would say that Huang Zhong had an eye above his head and was ungrateful.
But for Yuan Yao, this is not a shortcoming.
A capable person has more or less personality or temper.
Just say that among the five tiger generals, which one has no temper?
Furthermore, Huang Zhong's straightforward temperament is nothing compared to the other three tigers except Zhao Yun!
If Yuan Yao had Huang Zhong's ability, he would probably be more arrogant than the second master and more explosive than the third master!
Are you still trying to develop by hiding from Sun Ce like you are now?
If you don't kill Sun Ce head-on at the beginning, it means Yuan Yao doesn't have balls!
On the second day after conquering Huang Zhong, Yuan Yao lowered the Anjia grain standard to twenty shi of grain and rice per person.
But that's a lot. There are still many people from all over the country who came to apply.
Some people even came from other counties such as Jiancheng and Xingan to sign up. Because there was no way to identify whether these people were from good families, Yuan Yao had no choice but to distribute rations to them and let them return home.
In fact, Yuan Yao's strategy of using grain to recruit troops was originally to show Zhuge Xuan and Liu Pan that he had plenty of grain. Now that his purpose has been achieved, he will not continue to spend money.
So after spending 30,000 shi to store grain, Yuan Yao completely stopped using Anjia grain to recruit troops. Most of the more than a thousand men recruited who could draw a stone bow were added to Huang Zhong's command.
