Amidst the snow and sunshine, Xu Mu got off his horse comfortably after General Feng was running in a roundabout way until he arrived at Horseshoe Lake.
"My dear boss, how about General Feng!"
"Very good!" Xu Mu looked happy. Even if it cost two or three thousand taels of silver, he was willing to buy it.
"Congratulations, little boss, for getting a BMW to match." Liu Wu solemnly clasped his fists, not mentioning the money at all.
Xu Mu was also excited. With this incident, Liu Wu and the horse dealers were firmly tied together.
Wait until the spring of next year and send another two to three hundred horses. Then the power of the Qinglong Battalion in hand to defeat the enemy on horseback will be even more amazing.
However, the number of private soldiers notarized by thousands of people has not yet reached the full number. If he had a choice, Xu Mu didn't want to just recruit refugees. After a round of life and death at the border, veterans who had experienced battles like Qinglongying would be the best choice.
Two thousand people defended the city and blocked the attack of hundreds of thousands of troops. In any dynasty, it would be something to be proud of.
"Brother Liu, this is Ma Yin."
Without any pretense, Xu Mu took out a delicate wooden box. When he opened it, golden light suddenly appeared, and thick gold bars were spread on at least three layers.
There are also banknotes, but in these troubled times, banks also have risks. In addition, Liu Wu and others are from Shu, so it is most appropriate to simply give them gold bars.
Xu Mu added three more gold bars and used them as General Feng's horse silver.
"My little boss is benevolent and righteous." Liu Wu did not refuse. There is a saying among Jianghu people. If the relationship is appropriate, you will accept the courtesy and return it when the time comes.
"Brother Liu, please stay a few more days, wait for the wind and snow to subside, so that a certain family can show some kindness as a landlord."
"I'm disturbing my little boss."
The wind and snow have not stopped, and it is still a difficult journey home after traveling thousands of miles back to Shu, even if it is to rest in a town.
"Chen Sheng, bring a few more hand stoves to keep the heroes of Shu warm. In addition, get some thicker bedding. If it's not enough, go to Weicheng to buy some."
Chen Sheng nodded and hurried down to give instructions.
"You're so polite, little boss." Liu Wu praised, his face becoming more and more beautiful.
"If my little master is free, he will go to Shu Land. I will definitely open the courtyard to welcome my little master."
"This is natural." Xu Mu smiled. From now on, he would have to rely on these horse dealers. The more stable the relationship, the better.
"However, it would be best to arrive in autumn next year. I guess this trip back to Shu will take a long detour."
"Why."
"In the Dangyang County area, I heard that there was a rebellion. A few peasants who could not be bullied, under the guidance of a private school teacher, gathered nearly ten thousand people and occupied Dangyang County."
Xu Mu frowned. Throughout the ages, there have been countless uprisings by the people, but without the soldiers and horses of the government and the righteousness to stop them, they would quickly fall apart.
"Muyun Prefecture is not far from Dangyang County, and has begun to mobilize troops. As soon as the wind and snow subside, they will encircle and suppress them."
"Chen Changqing, the Dingbian general of Muyun Prefecture, has already regarded Dangyang County as his own territory. How can he let others cause trouble? An army of 50,000 will rush towards Dangyang soon."
Xu Mu sighed, thinking of the tragic situation the entire dynasty would be in after Yuan Tao died.
"However, I want to give my little boss a message."
"A message?"
Liu Wu looked determined, "Although I don't know what the little boss wants to do, no Zhuangzi will raise five hundred cavalry. Even the big merchants and nobles in the inner city only raise a few private armies at most." Guard with a knife.”
This sentence is true. The materials consumed to raise a cavalry army are almost two or three times that of an infantry archer.
But what Xu Mu didn't understand was why Liu Wu said this.
"My little boss, when I entered the inner city from the south, I passed by a village about four hundred miles away." Liu Wu's expression became solemn, "The men in the village are all mountain hunters."
Mountain hunting refers to villagers who go hunting in the mountains.
"A harsh government is like a tiger. According to the official's words, the village must hunt three colorful sparrows before winter and send them to the palace garden for the little emperor to enjoy in the winter."
"How can there be colorful sparrows at such a good time?"
"That's it. Therefore, the mountain hunters have no way to do it. The village's taxes have been increased by a full 50%."
"While passing by, I saw that the village was pitiful, so I sent a few more old horses. Later I heard that these mountain hunters need to pay a mountain tax if they want to enter the mountains."
"Zhang tax? What's the point of this! If you don't have money, wouldn't it mean that you can't enter the mountain?"
"Little boss, poor people should not argue with reason. If there is no way, the people in this village will suffer from hunger and cold after winter, and even die one after another. It is a pity that these hundreds of green and strong mountain hunters are all kind-hearted people. Good shot.”
He does not mean that.
Xu Mu's heart moved and he wanted to ask again, only to find that Liu Wu got up at some point and went to get hot soup by himself.
The fourteenth day of the eleventh month.
The heavy snow that had been waiting for two or three days finally stopped slowly. In the sky, there are only blossoming snow velvets, falling slowly.
"My dear boss, I'll take my leave now." Liu Wu held the horse and his tone was serious.
"Brother Liu, everything goes smoothly."
Two hundred more jars of wine and several carriages were sent, and the food prepared was enough for the dozens of porter merchants to walk a long way.
After turning around with his horse, Liu Wu suddenly thought of something and turned around hastily.
"My little boss, if something bad happens in the inner city, he will come to Shu. Others dare not talk about it, but Liu has a reputation in Shu."
"Thanks."
Liu Wu sighed deeply, then got on his horse, led the dozens of packmen behind him, and walked away along the long road of frost and snow.
I don’t know how long we have been walking, but we must be hundreds of miles away from Horseshoe Lake.
Liu Wu, who was riding a horse, stopped slowly, reined in the reins, and wondered what he was thinking.
"Wang, I don't understand why you want to get to know this little boss." Another merchant approached him.
"Don't ask. If nothing happens in the future, just treat it as a friendship."
"Next spring, you drive three hundred southwest horses into the inner city and become a horse dealer."
"It's not just spying. The pillars of Daji are about to fall. I'm afraid it will hit Shu. Speaking of which, the Marquis with the surname Guo is also a pitiful person."
"King, there is someone."
Liu Wu, who was on his way, and dozens of packmen, restored their appearance as people in the world, and moved forward calmly and slowly.
A figure in white clothes rode on the bamboo hat. He only looked up for a few times and then lost interest. He seemed to be in a hurry and galloped on his horse.
…
"My boss, Mr. Chen is back."
Xu Mu, who was still deep in thought, suddenly walked out of the house when he heard the news.
"My boss." Chen Jiaqiao took off his bamboo hat with a smile on his face.
"How's it going?"
"Don't worry, boss, Hu Yanche's body has been hung up. Those dog officers and soldiers worked hard for most of the night before they lowered him down."
"Many people inside and outside Changyang City are extremely happy. I heard that there has been a banquet for the past two days at Guoxing Hou's house."
“Refugees passing by would pick up rocks and throw them at Huyanche’s body when they saw it.”
"Is there any news from the court?"
"My boss, the notice on the forced annual tribute has been torn up." Chen Jiaqiao laughed happily.
Xu Mu sat down with his whole body and exhaled comfortably.
What he fears most is that the old dog officials in the court will impose additional annual tributes and lick them desperately, but now it seems that they know that the negotiation is about to collapse.
After all, within two months, Prince Guli and his son died. It was unheard of in a hundred years.
The khan on the grassland probably would have scolded his mother for talking about Mao's peace talks.
"My boss, I estimate that after the spring begins, the Beidi army will attack the city again."
Listening, Xu Mu's tone was extremely calm.
"It is inevitable that the peace negotiation was originally a bullshit farce."
