Taking advantage of the cool morning, Chen Qing and Zhang Yan took Ding Niang out of Xinye City. Not far away, Chen Qing couldn't help but look back. Said: "What a wonderful city! It's really prosperous inside, with all kinds of shops. Living here will bring endless blessings."
Zhang Yan said: "I just dig food in the soil, how much money do I make a year? I come here and spend a lot of money, and I don't know when I can make it back. It's better to go back early, pick up the crops, and watch the sunset every day. It’s also a good day to have a glass of wine.”
Chen Qingdao: "Your son is now an official! He has more than 30 coins in a month. If you just miss a little bit, it will be enough for you!"
Zhang Yan shook his head: "My dear, what year is this? We fight endlessly all year long, and Erlang is an officer. If he is not careful, he will lose his life. Make a few money, and let him enjoy it to his heart's content."
Chen Qing couldn't help but cursed after hearing this: "Now that my daughter is engaged to Erlang, you are going to say something like this! I think Erlang is full of heaven and looks rich, so he will definitely live a long life!"
Zhang Yan apologized hurriedly. Looking back at Xinye City, I felt inexplicably melancholy.
At this moment, ten or twenty horses came out of Xinye City and headed east with the dust.
Chen Qing and Zhang Yan hurriedly avoided it and stood on the roadside watching the eastbound team. They knew that this was Wang Xiaolie's subordinate, and they were walking in such a hurry that they didn't know where they were going. Thinking that Zhang Chi was in the army and would be sent out to fight at any time, he didn't say anything for a moment.
Ding Niang stood behind, looking at the billowing smoke and dust in the distance, as if she saw her future husband riding a horse on the battlefield, and she was a little crazy for a moment.
Caikou Town, located at the intersection of Cai River and Ying River, is an important north-south transportation artery. In peacetime, this place is particularly prosperous. Ships traveling from south to north meet here, with white sails like clouds. The Jin army broke through Kaifeng and the Central Plains was devastated. The place quickly became deserted. Nowadays, there are no white sails on the river, but occasionally there are a few small boats swaying leisurely on the water.
There is a grass market in the town, where nearby villagers trade. Nowadays, there is a war and chaos, and there are not many stalls in the market. There are only two wine shops, a bakery stall, a few selling live sheep, two selling meat, and one selling cooked food.
Qian San shook his arms, exposed his chest, and walked around the market with Zhao Ming and Wu Balang. When he saw the stranger, he stopped and asked where he came from, what he was doing, and most importantly, asked for some money. If he didn't give it, he would be hit with a fist as big as a bag of sand.
An egg seller had not yet opened his business. He was punched several times and half of his eggs were robbed. He was holding the bag on his head. He whispered: "Where did this robber come from? He just beats people and steals things in broad daylight, no one cares about him?"
The vendor selling straw sandals whispered: "Sir, please keep your voice down! This man is called Huajiaohu Qiansan, and he is the first general under Ruan Yuanwai in the east. There are dozens of villages around here, and Yuan Yuan is now in charge of them. If you offend me, He could be beaten, or sexually assaulted, and he would not be offended!"
The egg seller was so frightened that he quickly covered his mouth and did not dare to say a word.
After walking for a while, Qian San scolded: "Straight bitch, there are fewer and fewer people selling things in this town! After walking for several miles, I still can't get a few bucks, how can I do this! There are dozens of us, What to eat!"
Zhao Mingdao: "I heard that a certain Wang Zhizhou came to Caizhou in the west to recruit people to farm. Like Xiangyang and Dengzhou, many people fled there. Without face, business will naturally not prosper."
Qian San scolded: "These unscrupulous people who have suffered tens of millions of dollars only want to farm and harvest food without paying for it, and they are running around everywhere! Go back and report to the officials, and let everyone in the village keep a close watch! If you run away, People, just collect food from other people!”
After walking around for two times, Qian San asked Wu Balang: "How much did you collect today?"
Wu Balang said: "I just calculated that I only collected three guans and six hundred literary provinces."
Qian San said: "It's barely enough for the outside members. It's too hot to be here in the sun. Let's go and beg for a pot of wine, and then a fat chicken, and then go back and have a drink! If you don't have money, let's just mess around first." round!"
After that, they arrived at two wine shops, each of which forced them to have a gourd of wine. Then he went to the butcher and cut off a large piece of meat himself. Finally, I went to the place selling cooked food. I didn't bother to talk to the boss, so I just took a chicken. The three of them staggered eastward out of the town.
Zhang Jun led eight of his men and watched Qian San's leaving figure. The boy who came to fill the water asked: "I saw that the big man in the town has colorful tattoos on his legs. He must be a good man. What's his origin?"
The boy hurriedly looked outside and saw Qian San and others walking far away, so he said: "Sir, if you face these three people in the future, don't dare to ask this question! They are the subordinates of Yuan Yuanwai from Ruanjiazhuang in the east. They came to Caikou The town comes to collect money. Those who do business in the town must give them money so that their business can continue. The world is not good, and they charge more money, and the town becomes more and more deserted."
Zhang Jun said: "Why do you have to pay them? They are not the government!"
The boy smiled and said: "My lord, what kind of world is this? As soon as the Jin soldiers came, the officials of the Yamen ran away faster than anyone else. If the officials ran away, it was not just the local tycoons who had the final say? Mr. Ruan's family is very rich, okay? It is a large village with nearly a hundred customers, making it a first-class big business. Now, we here rely entirely on Mr. Ruan to avoid being bullied by outsiders. "
"That's it!" Zhang Jun nodded.
Caikou Town is the intersection of Cai River and Ying River. It is located between the two county towns of Xiangcheng and Nanton. Its geographical location is very important. Ruan Yuanwai is not a big force. He has less than fifty people under his command and controls the area where Xiangcheng and Nanton counties meet.
Zhang Jun has already investigated all this clearly. Because the geographical location of this area is very advantageous, it was selected as one of Zhang Jun's bases. The first thing to do now is to wipe out Ruan Yuanwai.
After drinking tea for a while and asking about Yuan Yuan's situation, Zhang Jun left Caikou Town with his men.
Arriving at the gate of a ruined temple outside the town, Zhang Jun blew a whistle, and more than a hundred of his men came out of the woods one after another.
Zhang Jundao: "I went to Caikou Town today and saw Ruan Yuanwai's men collecting money there. Ruan Yuanwai now has the final say in dozens of nearby villages. The surrounding forces are not big, and everyone sells Ruan Yuanwai. It’s been more than a year since people got used to it.”
Lu Cheng next to him asked: "If we suppress Ruan Yuanwai, will it cause inconvenience to the people?"
Zhang Jun said with a smile: "What's the inconvenience? Although Yuan Yuanwai maintains order, he also collects a lot of money. After destroying Yuan Yuanwai, at least the people don't have to pay money and food. The transportation here is convenient and there are many water networks. If we occupy it, there will be many benefits. . We have several strongholds in Chenzhou and Yingzhou, and this is one of them. Needless to say, just take some people tonight and go to Zhuangzi outside Yuan Yuan to destroy him!"
Xie Chunnian said: "Ruan Yuan is a local tycoon and has many people under his command. Do you want us to conduct a careful reconnaissance to make sure everything is safe?"
Zhang Jun said: "No need. The forces outside Yuan Yuan have been clearly investigated, and Ruanjiazhuang has also visited it. It is right to be careful, but not too cautious. By occupying Caikou Town, Chenzhou City, not far to the north, is under surveillance." After watching Feng Changning, which other force is our opponent? The observation has made us prepare for several months and put a lot of effort into it. We have to make some achievements."
Seeing that Zhang Jun was determined, everyone said yes. In the final analysis, Ruan Yuanwai was just a local tycoon. He had no chance of winning against more than a hundred troops selected from the regular army.
