Han Qian once again stood at the head of Canglangzhou, his hometown in Jun County. It was already November 14th, and nearly a month had passed since he entered Xiangzhou.
Depriving Chai Jian, Zhang Ping and others of their command authority over the guard battalion, establishing a new guard battalion, and confirming that Shen Yang would be in charge next to the third prince, these many things wasted nearly half a month.
Maybe in the eyes of others, it's worth it.
Regardless of whether Shen Yang is biased against Han Qian and Li Zhigao, Shen Yang is fair and will try his best to maintain the internal stability of the Longque Army. He will also more effectively mobilize the enthusiasm of generals such as Guo Liang and Gao Chengyuan, so that The more balanced development within the Dragon Bird Army will give more Han clan generals the opportunity to come forward, which will ultimately consolidate the power of the third prince and enhance his reputation.
However, for Han Qian, who counts every second, the half-month that passed in vain really made him deeply regret it.
Yang Qin and Tian Cheng also waited until Shen Yang and others led the main force of the Dragon Bird Army to Xiangzhou City before Han Qian reassigned them to Canglang to take charge. When Han Qian delayed his arrival for three or four days, the planned Canglang City , up to this time, even the foundations of several square courtyards had not been cleared.
However, the people who stayed in Canglang still did some things in the past half month or so.
On the north bank of the Han River, from the remnant city of Jun County to the west and to the north within a hundred miles, there are nearly a hundred mountain villages of various sizes scattered among the mountains, with no roads to the outside world.
In the past half month, people who stayed in the old city of Jun County traveled over mountains and rivers carrying tea, medicine, salt, iron and other generous gifts to communicate.
A considerable number of cottages were still wary of the Zuosi scouts who came as officers and soldiers and refused generous gifts. However, there were also a dozen cottages whose living conditions were really embarrassing. At the same time, the traffic conditions between these cottages and the outside world were relatively better. The Chu army was extremely resolute in advancing along the Danjiang River. Worried that they would be severely punished if they refused, they accepted the generous gift from Zuo Si and each sent ten or twenty strong men, for a total of 300 strong laborers to gather to build Canglang. The old city of Jun County in the city was used for labor by Zuosi.
This was Zuo Si's biggest gain in the past half month in the old city of Junxian County. However, Han Qian wanted to build Canglang City in the old city of Junxian County, and the 300-strong labor force was too few.
Han Qian summoned Feng Xuan, Feng Zhang, Gao Bao and other leaders assigned by the four surnames to escort the ship, and said: "Your Highness wants to build Canglang City here, and there is a lack of manpower. The four surnames lend me ten people. Feng Xuan, your subordinates If there are a little more people and horses, leaving thirty people behind will not delay your escorting the ship back to Xuzhou."
Zuo Si gave generous gifts to the villagers, and the villagers who received the gifts also knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch. In addition to sending some of their strongest laborers to participate in labor, others also used mountain goods to make up for the shortfall.
Compared with the rulers who controlled the Dengxiang area in the past, who wanted to control and exploit these cottages, Zuo Si at least provided opportunities for fair trade for the cottages that had been short of supplies for many years. Although he would not immediately dispel the wariness of all cottages, he did not It caused a sharp confrontation, which was a good start.
In addition to handing over the collected mountain goods to Feng Xuan and the others to be transported to Xuzhou, Han Qian also allocated additional money from the money the money shop had recently raised for loans. Three million yuan, which is equivalent to the freight of the fleet and the profits due to the four surnames.
When Han Qian made such a request again at this time, the leaders sent by the four surnames found it difficult to refuse. Without Gao Bao's encouragement behind his back, Feng Zhang and others agreed: "No one of us dares to disobey Master Han's order."
After all, Han Qian only temporarily borrowed ten people from each clan. When they returned to Xuzhou, they could supplement their manpower from the tribe.
Feng Xiangxi's four surnames, Yang, can only be said to be Yelang's arrogance within the territory of Dachu, but each surname oversees more than a thousand households. Not to mention the strength and bravery, the number of strong laborers is less than 2,000 or more.
"You guys have given me convenience to Han, and I have nothing else to thank you for. Let's play with these little gadgets." Han Qian motioned to Xi Yong to take out a few kits and give them to Feng Zhang.
et al.
Feng Zhang opened the brocade bag and saw that it contained small animals carved from the finest turquoise. They were in such a good mood that they all expressed their gratitude in joy.
The old city of Jun County has produced Bidianzi since ancient times.
In the middle and early stages of the former dynasty, there were close contacts with the Western Regions, and Bidianzi was still popular with the world. By the late period of the former dynasty, Bidianzi was not as popular as other jade, but it was still a valuable pearl and jade, especially from southern Hunan and Qianzhong.
People still have the habit of using Bidianzi as ornaments.
Among this batch of mountain goods that were discounted, the most precious ones were a batch of Bidianzi rough stones.
The Bidianzi carved beast that Han Qian presented to Feng Zhang and others may not seem big in size, but it can be said to be a rare treasure. It is worth at least 20,000 yuan if it is obtained in Xuzhou.
Although Feng Zhang and others were the leaders sent by the Four Surnames to escort the ship, they could barely be considered core disciples within the Four Surnames.
The four surnames were initially forced to deal with Han Qian. The four surnames were extremely wary, and the fleet was in a dangerous place. None of the core members of the four surnames were willing to take on the matter. Therefore, Feng Zhang, Gao Bao and other small leaders in the village soldiers were entrusted with the task.
heavy responsibility.
Twenty thousand yuan is almost equivalent to the reward that Feng Zhang and others can get from the four surnames for more than half a year.
In addition, the four-surname fleet has successfully transported two batches of supplies from Xuzhou. Feng Zhang and others also secretly brought some goods to Jinling and Xiangzhou. Han Qian also signaled that the price was raised during settlement, making their pockets rich twice.
Drummed a lot.
As long as they are human beings, they will inevitably be driven by various interests. Even if Feng Zhang and others were wary of Han Qian at first, after two visits, their wariness was gone, and they became emotionally closer to Han Qian and Zuo Si.
Han Daoxun relaxed the land ban in Xuzhou. In addition to the people secretly sent to Xuzhou from Tanzhou, there have been two to three thousand new refugees who have poured into Xuzhou in the past three or four months due to rumors of gold mines.
This has caused a lot of disturbances to Xuzhou, which has a registered population of 60,000 to 70,000, especially the lifting of land restrictions, which has made the four surnames still wary. However, whether Tanzhou is working behind the scenes or the four surnames have actually given up on
Unless they break up the control of Qianyang City, it will be difficult for the four surnames to curb the spread of this trend.
Of course, the four surnames can still tolerate it at this time. On the one hand, the fleet has indeed brought considerable benefits to the four surnames, instead of the four to five million yuan they were worried about being exploited every year. On the other hand, they went back with Feng Zhang and others.
Inciting and publicizing are also irrelevant.
Han Qian stood in front of the river beach blown by the cold wind. After talking to Feng Xuan, Feng Zhang and others for a while, he asked them to get on the boat, and Yang Qin led three war sailing ships to escort them back to Xuzhou.
Years ago, it might be possible to transport another batch of supplies to Xiangzhou.
Han Qian also wrote a letter and gave it to Yang Qin to bring to his father.
After seeing off Feng Xuan and others, Han Qian and Xi Rong landed and walked back to the camp.
In addition to the 300 strong laborers sent from the village, the more than 100 people left behind by the four surnames' fleet and boat gangs, and the more than 100 craftsmen and craftsmen who were transferred from the craft workshops and marched westward with the main force of the Longque Army, there were also Zuo Sibing
Fang's fifty or so elite scouts were all concentrated in the remaining city of Jun County on the north bank.
The camp is quite large, and most people can only live in temporary shacks. Han Qian's main tent is a little more luxurious. He chose a courtyard and covered the roof with broken skylights with tarpaulin, barely keeping out the cold air.
Outside.
At this time, Tian Cheng brought in two dark-faced men, one old and one young, both of whom were quite muscular.
The two of them were walking barefoot in the snow on a very cold day, and their feet were cracked by the cold, revealing bloody cuts. Their clothes were in tatters, and they were shivering from the cold.
"Uncle Chang, Xifa'er!"
Although Zhao Wuji had already joined Yang Qin twenty years ago and took over the sixteen first batch of redeemed Xi boys from Yang Qin, Zhao Wuji took these Xi boys to train in the mountains and fields.
, had not returned to join Han Qian, and it was only at this time that Xi Rong had the opportunity to meet her clan members for the first time.
Seeing two black-faced men, Xi Rong could not suppress her excitement and shouted out with a slight tremble.
"Young lady..." The two Xi clan members hesitantly looked at Xi Rong, who was disguised as a woman.
It has been several years since the Xi clan was dismembered and disbanded. Xi Rong, who was also a young girl with yellow hair, grew into a charming young woman of 29. Her appearance changed a lot. However, Xi Cheng was killed and Xi Rong was given to the governor by Feng Changyu.
Both Xi Chang and Xi Fa'er and his son had heard about the young master's enslavement.
But he never expected to meet the young lady thousands of miles away.
Xi Chang, Xi Fa'er and his son were still unclear about the situation at hand. Even if they recognized Xi Rong, they could only hold back their excitement and lower their heads to wait for Han Qian's fate.
Han Qian sat behind the long desk. The conditions were simple. He pointed to the straw mat spread out in front of the desk and motioned to Xi Chang. Xi Fa'er and his son sat down on the floor and talked:
"Xicheng forgot the hatred of the Xi family's destruction and was willing to become Feng Changyu's lackey. He once intended to assassinate my father and son, but was eventually killed by the guards around me. I made an agreement with Xi Yin that as long as the children of the Xi family can be used by me, I will
I will do my best to help the Xi family regain a foothold in the mountains and rivers of Xuzhou! Let me ask you now, are you willing to be loyal to me?"
Xi Chang and Xi Fa'er stood stunned on the spot and sat down on the straw mat without daring to put their buttocks down. It was hard to believe that what Han Qian said was true.
"What your Excellency said are all facts. I have decided to be loyal to you in exchange for the opportunity to restore the Xi clan. Feng Xuan and the Xuzhou Ship Gang secretly searched for and redeemed the Xi clan members, which was also your Majesty's instruction."
Han Qian's agreement was told to Xi Chang and Xi Fa'er.
