Fang Changqing looked at Fourth Master who was about to speak but hesitated.
Fourth Master motioned for him to sit down: "If you have anything to say, just tell me. It's okay."
Fang Changqing then said: "I'm afraid that the peace talks between the two sides are just wishful thinking."
Fourth Master nodded: "Yes, it is our wishful thinking. But no matter how difficult it is to achieve, we have to find a way to try." He sighed longly: "Now, we can no longer afford to go on for a long time.
The battle has begun. Besides, the south is still undecided, and we can't free our hands. These tribes are too scattered. If we suppress one today, another will come to interfere tomorrow. Most of our troops and energy will have to be consumed on the northern front line.
Rather than asking them to fight with us, it is better to ask them to play with us slowly first."
"In addition, the people really cannot afford the war. Farming has not resumed in the north, and the south just went through a cold winter last year. Coupled with excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes, the people are miserable. Last year, we were able to purchase grain and cloth from the south to supplement
Our shortcomings. This year..." Fourth Master shook his head, "Not only is there no hope for the south, we also have to accept the refugees from the south. The north has not yet recovered, and a new burden has been added."
Fang Changqing frowned and said: "What Fourth Master said makes sense, and the fact is indeed such a fact. However, others may not understand the disadvantages that we can understand. Therefore, I am afraid that the other party will open his mouth like a lion."
Fourth Master sneered: "Don't worry, I'm afraid he won't open his mouth."
Fang Changqing was suddenly confused.
Fourth Master waved his hand: "In two days, a batch of things will arrive. You go and receive it. The rest, I have my own sense of proportion."
Fang Changqing then stepped back and took a deep breath. Then he looked back at the fourth master's tent and felt that the master's thoughts were really difficult to guess.
Wu Chunlai poured tea for Fourth Master and handed it over: "Master, I'm afraid that all the gentlemen are a little confused..."
"You will understand. You will understand soon." Fourth Master said calmly while holding tea.
When this meeting started, it was already April or May. After waiting for such a long time, to give Fourth Master face, only three tribal leaders came to see Fourth Master.
The wild flowers are in full bloom on the grassland, which is a prosperous scene.
When the Fourth Master greeted the three of them with skillful Mongolian etiquette and Mongolian language, many people were frightened.
A whole lamb was roasting on the bonfire, and kumiss was poured from the jug. The fourth master used a knife to slice off the meat from the lamb leg. Apart from the service, there was no other difference between him and this Mongolian man.
"Fourth Master, are you a Han?" He asked aloud. He raised the wine bowl towards Fourth Master and drank down his neck. "No matter what you want to talk about when you come to us, knowing you doesn't count."
It’s all for nothing.”
The fourth master also picked up a bowl of wine and drank a bowl, "I also feel that I must have been like you in my previous life. So, the thought of having to fight with you is like cutting off my limbs..."
"Fourth Master!" Elesu raised his hand and interrupted the Fourth Master rudely: "The Han people have a saying, brothers will settle accounts. We have been brothers for the rest of our lives, so what should we do?" As he said,
, he looked at □□ and Batu, "Your Zabat tribe and Kashka tribe had the most cattle and sheep that froze to death last winter."
Batu looked at Fourth Master: "No one is willing to sacrifice the lives of his own people..."
The Fourth Master waved his hand and said, "That's an exaggeration. Today, I brought you a gift. Let's talk after you see the gift."
Elesu put down his wine glass and stood up: "Let's go and have a look."
The Fourth Master stood up and wiped the grease stains from the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief, "Let's go then." He said and glanced at Fang Changqing.
Fang Changqing nodded slightly and walked out first.
Li Jishan and Liu Shuquan followed the fourth master and walked out of the tent.
At this moment, artillery had been set up on the hillside not far away. The fourth master raised his hand slightly and saw the flag bearer beside him waving the two-color flag in his hand, which was the flag language.
Immediately afterwards, I saw the soldiers beside the artillery, each holding a torch and heading towards the artillery point.
Then thick smoke rose, and the sound of "booming" could not be heard. The other side of the hillside was instantly razed to the ground.
The ground beneath my feet trembled, and there was a buzzing sound in my ears.
"Red Cannon!" Batu shouted.
"No! No! No!" shook his head: "This is not a red cannon. This is not a red cannon. It is impossible for a red cannon to shoot so far."
Elesu looked at Fourth Master in astonishment, his eyes a little frightened and a little fiery.
Fourth Master pointed at the artillery: "Did you see it? That thing, you can say, I can cast it as much as I want. Your horses are strong and your warriors are brave, but they were blown to pieces like this a thousand meters away. What if?
If you really want to try its edge, I will accompany you. If you are not willing to give it a try, then we can sit down and continue drinking and eating meat. We can talk about anything and make any deals."
Li Jishan's expression suddenly changed as he listened to the guide he had found translate the fourth master's words, "How can this be done? It's too much to say. What if the other party wants this artillery? This is not possible, absolutely not."
Liu Shuquan shook his head: "You all know this, don't you know that, Fourth Master? Look at that artillery, it is much more powerful than the imperial artillery. But to say it is the most powerful is not necessarily the most powerful. Now this artillery can
If you want to shoot a thousand meters, I guess the fourth master still has one that can shoot two thousand meters in his hand but he hasn’t shown up yet.”
Only then did Fang Changqing understand what Fourth Master meant by asking the other party to fight.
If they sell them second-rate weapons, the first thing they will do is to find a way to annex other tribes. No matter how rich the world in the Central Plains is, they know that there is nothing they can do except make a fortune. Especially the four tribes.
What I showed them made them wary. If they wanted to go south at this time, on the one hand they would face dangers on the battlefield, and on the other hand they would have to guard against being annexed by other tribes behind them. This is not
in line with their interests.
But if they can exchange for such firearms, then they can gallop on the grasslands, annex other tribes, and strengthen themselves.
The weather was perfect, so everyone sat on the floor, but their attitudes were obviously different.
When the fourth master came back, he didn't mention anything about the transaction and only ate and drank.
After a short time, he got drunk and said, "We are here today, let's all disperse." After saying that, he called Fang Changqing to wave and said, "We are entertaining several leaders."
Wu Chunlai helped the fourth master into the tent. The fourth master stood up straight, but he was still a little drunk.
Wu Chunlai quickly went down to pour strong tea, and Li Jishan and Liu Shuquan walked in with smiles.
"My dear!" Liu Shuquan cupped his hand, "Are you going to sit on the mountain and watch the fight between tigers? It's really too high."
The Fourth Master waved his hand: "Let's all sit down. Sit down and talk." He took a deep breath, stretched out his hand to fan his mouth full of alcohol, "I heard a joke before, one person asked another person, 'What is this mole like?
There is no place for people to worry about.' Another person replied, 'It doesn't make people worry when it grows on other people's faces.' The damage caused by this war is like a scab that people don't want to grow, a wound that festers and oozes pus.
It would be better for this thing to grow on someone else's body. We hurriedly grabbed it because the injuries on our bodies are already serious enough. If we have this additional wound, we might really be dragged to death."
Li Jishan nodded: "What the fourth master said is absolutely true, but the next negotiation..."
"Take them with you first." Fourth Master smiled, "We can't make the three of them twist together. If there are new tribal leaders, you will receive them with the same enthusiasm. Don't be indifferent."
Liu Shuquan understood that when there was a fight, there was a need for a referee. Once they could coordinate their relationship, the Fourth Master also established his prestige among them.
One pull, one hit, one close and one distant. He can hold everyone in the palm of his hand.
Next, Fourth Master invited different people to the tent every day, chatting and drinking, without saying a word about the topic.
The leader of the Zabate Tribe was a short-tempered and straightforward man. He said directly: "Fourth Master, what are the conditions for you to sell that artillery to us?"
Fourth Master pressed it with his hand: "I want war horses. The more war horses, the better."
□□ frowned: "It's not that I can't provide so many war horses. In fact, last winter, many war horses froze to death. We don't have many, how can we free them up."
There aren't many of you, but there are other tribes. If you don't buy all these war horses, you will end up raising tigers sooner or later.
The fourth master smiled and said: "You can exchange half of the war horses first, and for the rest, I want all the wool. If your tribe has more wool, I can also exchange it for you one after another for salt, pots and bowls, medicinal materials, cloth, tea, and spices.
, waiting for what you need. Wine and food can also be considered."
The spirits brewed from red sweet potato are enough to satisfy the entire Mongolian market. As long as they raise cattle and sheep on a large scale and are no longer keen on raising horses, then it doesn't matter if they are exchanged for some grain.
The key is iron, which must be controlled. Turning back, we must find a way to make aluminum products. This thing cannot be made into a weapon even if it is melted.
□□ was a little surprised. In his opinion, such a deal was extremely cost-effective.
The two of them discussed the business in a few words.
After □□ left, Fourth Master said to Liu Shuquan: "Go to the capital and tell me to ask Mr. Fan and Mr. Lu to discuss the mutual trade."
Liu Shuquan responded and went out to wipe the cold sweat from his head.
He has already understood what the fourth master has planned. This is to quietly weaken the opponent's strength bit by bit. If this is really the case for ten, twenty, or thirty years, then,
When there is no need to kill for survival in this grassland, who can mount a war horse?