In a study room in the Jiedu Mansion of the Eleventh Town of Ganyang City, Hu Yi reported to Zhou Rui: "Marshal, according to the information we have obtained from many aspects, it can be confirmed that the imperial court has a plan to annex Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town, and Yongwei Town. ”

Zhou Rui frowned and asked: "Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town, and Yongwei Town have now formed the Northeast Alliance, and the combined forces of the three towns in all aspects can gather at least more than two million troops, does the imperial court now have the strength to swallow these three feudal towns in one bite?" ”

Hu Yi said: "Because Zhao Rongguang, the governor of the forbidden army who controls the imperial court, has received the support of the Golden Lion Empire in terms of weapons and funds, and now the forbidden army has expanded to 70 infantry.

According to the establishment of 30,000 infantry divisions of each forbidden army, not counting some miscellaneous troops, the imperial court already has 2.1 million well-armed and well-equipped forbidden troops.

Considering the military power of Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town, and Yongwei Town, they are too scattered, and once the imperial court sends troops, if there is no external force to stop them, it may be difficult for these three feudal towns to resist the attack of the imperial forbidden army. ”

"External forces? Could it be that you are referring to the town of Shuodong? ”

The fox nodded, "Although Shuodong Town has not joined the Northeast Alliance of Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town, and Yongwei Town, it will never sit idly by and watch the imperial court annex Jinggu Town, Zhongfang Town, and Yongwei Town.

Otherwise, Shuodong Town will inevitably become the next target of annexation by the imperial court. ”

Zhou Rui shook his head and said, "Our Zhou family can't stretch out their hands so long now, and the focus of your 'ghost' next work is still the four feudal towns of the Southwest Alliance and the five feudal towns of the Northwest Alliance.

I hope that when our Zhou family sends troops to the Southwest Alliance and the Northwest Alliance, the resistance they encounter will be a little less. ”

In fact, with the current strength of the Zhou family, it is enough to send troops to annex the other four feudal towns in the southwest region of the Han and Tang Empire and the other five feudal towns in the northwest region.

But at present, the energy of the Zhou family has been involved in the silver wolf column, if the war to unify the southwest and northwest regions is launched now, the Zhou family will be equivalent to fighting on two fronts, which Zhou Rui does not want to see.

What's more, these nine feudal towns have formed a military alliance against the Zhou family, and once a war starts at the same time with these nine feudal towns, the Zhou family will also have to bear a lot of pressure.

All the armies of the nine feudal towns combined, probably more than six million.

However, the tree wants to be quiet and the wind does not stop, sometimes you don't want to cause trouble, but someone will take the initiative to provoke you.

Pingluan Copper Mine was originally a small open-pit copper mine located in the territory of Huanan Town, and the copper reserves were less than 10,000 tons.

With the memory of his previous life, Zhou Rui knew that the Pingluan Copper Mine was actually the fourth largest gold mine in the world in terms of gold reserves, so he took the Pingluan Copper Mine into his pocket early.

As the strength of the Zhou family became stronger and stronger, Zhou Rui's scruples about the major families in Huanan Jiedu Mansion and Huannan Town became smaller and smaller, so he began to mine a large amount of gold from Pingluan Copper Mine a few years ago, and renamed Pingluan Copper Mine Pingluan Gold Mine.

After Huanan Jiedu made Feng Zhihuan learn the true gold reserves of the Pingluan Gold Mine, his eyes were red.

It's a pity that considering that the owner behind the Pingluan Gold Mine is the Zhou family, Feng Zhihuan has not dared to reach out to the Pingluan Gold Mine.

However, in the past two years, natural disasters have continued in the town of Huanan, resulting in a sharp decline in the financial revenue of the Jiedu Mansion in Huanan.

Last year, there was also a large beast tide that broke out in a different time and space node in Huannan Town, breaking through the army's defense line and bringing huge casualties and property losses.

In the end, the financial deficit was serious, and Feng Zhihuan, the envoy of the Huannan Jiedu, who was unable to even pay the military salary, directly sent troops to forcibly take over the Pingluan gold mine on May 10, 1543.

In the Rongnan Jiedu Mansion in Longping City, the capital of Huannan Town, Xie Xun, the commander of the First Infantry Division of the Rongnan Army, persuaded Feng Zhihuan, the envoy of the Huanan Jiedu: "Marshal, quickly withdraw the troops of the Pingluan Gold Mine!"

Pingluan Gold Mine is the Zhou family's industry, once the Zhou family sends troops for Pingluan Gold Mine, the consequences will be unimaginable! ”

Xie Xun is Feng Zhihuan's henchman and Feng Zhihuan's brother-in-law, but Feng Zhihuan sent troops to take over the Pingluan Gold Mine this time, but he did not discuss it with Xie Xun before.

Feng Zhihuan shook his head and said, "Now our Huannan Jiedu Mansion can be said to be in debt, and we can't even pay our military salaries.

If we don't find new sources of wealth, we don't have to wait for the Zhou family to send troops to attack, and our Huanan Jiedu Mansion will be directly scattered.

I sent troops to occupy the Pingluan Gold Mine, and there was no way, and I didn't want to provoke the Zhou family, but at present, only the Pingluan Gold Mine could save our Huanan Jiedu Mansion. ”

Xie Xun said bitterly: "Dashuai, I know the difficulties of Jiedu Mansion, but I can't go to Pingluan Gold Mine!"

The Zhou family controls millions of land forces in their hands, and if the Zhou family sends troops to attack Huanan Town, we won't be able to stop it at all! ”

"You tell me, if we don't grab the Luan gold mine, where else can we get a large amount of money?"

"Dashuai, can't you borrow some more from Yanjia Qianzhuang?"

"Jiedu Mansion has borrowed 300 million silver coins from Yanjia Qianzhuang before, Yan Shaoqiu told me that Yanjia Qianzhuang can no longer provide more loans to Jiedu Mansion, otherwise Yanjia Qianzhuang's funds will also have problems.

If there is a problem with Yanjia Qianzhuang, not only our Huannan Town, but even Rongbei Town, will have to be messed up. ”

After a pause, Feng Zhihuan continued: "Now the rebel Silver Wolf Column supported by the Zhou family is fighting a fierce battle with the Barbarian Bull Empire.

Our Huannan Town has joined the Southwest Alliance again, and the Southwest Alliance has also formed a military alliance with the five towns in the Northwest against the Zhou family, maybe the Zhou family can endure it this time. ”

Xie Xun said a little gloomily: "Dashuai, the Zhou Rui who controls the Zhou family, but he only controlled a few cities, and he dared to fight to the death of the Silver Wolf Empire.

This time, our Rongnan Jiedu Mansion forcibly occupied the Pingluan Gold Mine, which can be said to be a slap in the face of the Zhou family, and with Zhou Rui's character, he will never give up. ”

Feng Zhihuan was silent for a moment, and then said in a firm tone: "Fight and fight, anyway, sooner or later you have to meet the Zhou family."

Pingluan Gold Mine, I will never let it out, return Pingluan Gold Mine to the Zhou family, what will I use to pay the troops below!

Immediately let the armies of the major families in Rongnan Town, as well as the 5 infantry divisions and 4 mixed brigades under the jurisdiction of our Rongnan Jiedu Mansion, fully enter the preparation for war. ”

When Xie Xun left Jiedu Mansion in Rongnan and returned to the station of the First Infantry Division of the Rongnan Army in Longping City, there were already two other infantry division commanders and two mixed brigade commanders of the Rongnan Army waiting for him in Xie Xun's office.

"Lao Xie, what did the marshal say?"

Xie Xun sighed and said, "Prepare to start a war with the Zhou family!" ”

"What? Start a war with the Zhou family! Isn't this looking for death? ”

"What does the big marshal think? If you don't have money, you can't rob the Zhou family's Pingluan gold mine! ”

"Even if the 5 infantry divisions and 4 mixed brigades of our Jiedu Mansion, as well as the armies of the major families of the Rongnan Army, are tied together, they may not be the opponents of any of the Zhou family's feudal towns!"

"What do we do now? You can't beat it, you can't beat it at all! ”

The two commanders of the infantry division and the two commanders of the mixed brigade were blown up when they learned that Feng Zhihuan had no intention of stopping.

Xie Xun said an intriguing sentence at this time, "It seems that we can only find a way to survive by ourselves." ”

The gold reserves of Pingluan Gold Mine exceed 60,000 tons, and the ore mined has an astonishingly high gold content.

Now the Pingluan Gold Mine can mine more than 100 tons of gold every month, bringing more than 20 million silver coins of net income to the Zhou family.

No matter how rich the Zhou family is, it is impossible to give up such a gold mine.

After the Pingluan Gold Mine was forcibly occupied by Feng Zhihuan, the envoy of Huanan Jiedu, the Zhou family immediately began to send additional troops to the border area adjacent to Fengwu Town and Huanan Town.

"Bang-" Wang Yongxing, the envoy of the Rongbei Jiedu, who was a high-level martial artist, smashed the desk in front of him with a hard fist, and even smashed the desktop made of solid wood.

"Did Feng Zhihuan kick the donkey in the head? Didn't he know that the owner of the Pingluan Gold Mine was the Zhou family? Wang Yongxing shouted angrily.

Yan Shaoqiu, the owner of the Yan family's money village, said with a wry smile: "Dashuai, Feng Dashuai really has no money, otherwise he would not have robbed the Zhou family's Pingluan gold mine."

Our Yan Family Money Village had already lent Feng Dashuai 300 million silver coins before, and we really didn't have the ability to lend Feng Dashuai more funds. ”

Last year, Yan Shaoqiu's father died of illness, so Yan Shaoqiu took over as the head of the Yan family and became the new owner of the Yan family's money bank.

Before the establishment of the Southwest Alliance, Huannan Town and Rongbei Town had been in an alliance for many years, so the Rongbei Festival made Wang Yongxing even more angry.

Huanan Jiedu made Feng Zhihuan rob the Zhou family's gold mine, which was equivalent to dragging Huanbei Town into the water.

It's too late to hide from the Zhou family now, and Feng Zhihuan deliberately hit the muzzle of the Zhou family, isn't this looking for death?

It doesn't matter if you want to die yourself, but don't drag everyone to die together!

Wang Yongxing gritted his teeth and said: "No money is not a reason, isn't our Rongbei Jiedu Mansion also without money?"

You must know that the Zhou family is very jealous of even those beast countries, and Feng Zhihuan's crazy move is completely playing with fire**! ”

Yan Shaoqiu sighed and said, "Maybe Feng Dashuai feels that he has the support of the other eight feudal towns of the Southwest Alliance and the Northwest Alliance.

Coupled with the Silver Wolf Column of the rebel army supported by the Zhou family, a big war is breaking out with the Barbarian Bull Empire, and the Zhou family may not send troops to Huanan Town. ”

"Won't send troops?" Wang Yongxing's expression was suddenly very depressed, "Pingluan Gold Mine is a gold mountain, where will the Zhou family give up easily." ”

Yan Shaoqiu hesitated for a moment and asked, "Dashuai, if the Zhou family sends troops to Huannan Town, will we participate in the battle in Huanbei Town?" ”

Wang Yongxing, the envoy of the North Jiedu, said bitterly: "Let's take a look at the reactions of Boting Town, Deyang Town, and the five towns in the northwest!" ”

Yan Shaoqiu left the Jiedu Mansion in the north of the province and returned to the Yan Mansion in Zeyang City, and immediately found his younger brother Yan Shaoen, "Shaoen, you immediately contact the people of the 'Ghost Shadow' and tell them that our Yan family is willing to provide all the support that can be provided for the Zhou family to enter Huannan Town, and even to enter Rongbei Town."

He could even help the Zhou family and rebel against the many generals of the two Jiedu Mansion descendants. ”

Yan Shaoen couldn't help but be stunned, "Big brother, are you ready to completely join the Zhou family?"

But the Zhou family already has Zhou's bank, if the Zhou family enters Huanan Town and Rongbei Town, what should we do with Yanjia Qianzhuang? ”

Yan Shaoqiu said with a wry smile: "I can see clearly, the so-called Southwest Alliance, and what else is the Northwest Alliance, it is impossible to be the opponent of the Zhou family.

In order to prevent our Yan family from being eaten, there are not even bones left, so we can only give up some things. ”

Yan Shaoen said with some reluctance: "Big brother, the nine feudal towns of the Southwest Alliance and the Northwest Alliance combined, their strength may not be much weaker than the Zhou family. ”

"But these nine feudal towns are actually just a plate of scattered sand, and if the Zhou family attacks Huanan Town this time, they may not even send troops to rescue the Jiedu Mansion in Rongbei.

And I still have some friendship with Zhou Rui, even if Zhou's Bank will swallow the Yan family's money, it must not be too ugly. ”

On May 15, 1543, the Fengwu Army under the jurisdiction of the Zhou family directly dispatched 7 infantry divisions and attacked Huanan Town in three ways.

Feng Zhihuan saw that Zhou Jiazhen had sent troops, and immediately asked for help from the other three feudal towns of the Southwest Alliance, as well as the five feudal towns of the Northwest Alliance.

At the same time, Feng Zhihuan began to dispatch the descendants of the Jiedu Mansion in Rongnan, as well as the armies of various families in Huannan Town, to block the three-way army of the Fengwu Army.

However, to the surprise of the outside world, the other three feudal towns of the Southwest Alliance, including Rongbei Town, which has been allied with Huanan Town for many years, only strongly condemned the Zhou family's invasion of Huanan Town, but never had the intention of participating in the war.

The five feudal towns of the Northwest Alliance proposed that the Zhou family and the Huanan Jiedu Mansion sit down and talk, and not meet each other because of a gold mine.

The other three feudal towns of the Southwest Alliance and the five feudal towns of the Northwest Alliance did not send troops, so it was foreseeable what would happen to Huannan Town.

But no one thought that the war in Huanan Town would end so quickly.

After the three-way army of the Fengwu Army entered the town of Huanan, many of the descendants of the Jiedu Mansion in Rongnan actually defected one after another.

As a result, it took less than 10 days for the Fengwu army to capture Zeyang City, the capital of Rongnan Town, and Feng Zhihuan, the envoy of the Rongnan Festival, was handed over to the Fengwu army by his brother-in-law Xie Xun.

Immediately, the major families in Rongnan Town successively expressed their willingness to submit to the Zhou family, and even many families expressed their willingness to hand over the family's army to the Zhou family and give up their military power.

Zhou Rui put the telegram in his hand on the table, and then said to Zhou Xiaorong: "I didn't expect the Yan family's influence in Huanan Town to be so great, and the 5 infantry divisions and 4 mixed brigades of the descendants of the Jiedu Mansion in Huanan chose to surrender without a fight under the arrangement of the Yan family. ”

Zhou Xiaorong said: "The money bags of Yanjia Qianzhuang are almost equivalent to the money bags of Huanan Town and Rongbei Town, and they can be said to be deeply rooted in the two feudal towns, so it is not surprising that they can do such an operation.

Dashuai, will you send troops to Rongbei Town next? ”

Zhou Rui said with a smile: "Originally, I was still very worried about the Southwest Alliance and the Northwest Alliance, but through the matter in Huannan Town, it can be seen how unreliable the so-called alliance is.

Since there is an internal response of the Yan family, there is no reason to let go of Rongbei Town! ”