Originally, every winter, people who had not saved enough food for the winter would move their families to the city to ask for food, and these people were the main displaced people in the city. This year, because of the war, there are more displaced people in various cities, especially Xiuwuzhi.

Xiuwuzhi is in the easternmost part of Xuliang County, bordering Jiyuan County in the east. Zhang Lu led his people to defeat the Eastern Route Army stationed in Jiyuan County, and many defeated soldiers fled to Xiuwuzhi. These soldiers would not go to the street to ask for food like ordinary people, so they formed a gang and did the business of robbing homes and houses, which made He Tao, the county commander of Xiuwuzhi, a headache.

These days, He Tao was surprised to find that there were fewer homeless people on the street, and let his subordinates inquire only to know that Qinghua City was recruiting a large number of homeless people, He Tao couldn't help but laugh: "Are the people in Qinghua City stupid?" What is the use of recruiting so many displaced people? Could it be that you still want these displaced people to go to war? ”

In the following days, a large number of displaced people gathered in Qinghua City, and the number of these displaced people far exceeded Zhang Shumo's imagination, and within a month they recruited a new army of 20,000 people.

With the increase in the number of people, the consumption of food also far exceeded Zhang Shumo's assumption. However, fortunately, Niu Bao calculated an account, and the existing grain in the city was enough to eat until the new year, as long as the Chinese New Year's Eve and the city of Wuchen and Mengzhou were cultivated, the food problem would be solved.

In addition to food, the lack of equipment has also caused a thorny problem. Thanh Hoa City has less than a thousand sets of equipment in stock, and most of the newcomers' equipment is from the battlefield. But with the explosion of the number of people, the later people couldn't even pick up the rags, so they barely wore cotton clothes to cover their bodies, and began to train with wooden sticks.

Faced with the problem of equipment, Zhang Shumo was far less concerned about the food problem, Shang Lei had reflected the seriousness of this problem to Zhang Shumo, but he was prevaricated by Zhang Shumo, and everyone knew that Zhang Shumo really had no choice at the moment.

There was no way to solve the problem of equipment, so Zhang Shumo had to work intelligence.

In the past few days, Zhang Shumo has been staying in Lu Li's small building all day long, and the scout team has been in and out all day long, looking extremely busy.

As the end of the year approached, all the scout team members had been sent out, and Lu Li had no choice but to select a few clever people among the homeless people to supplement the manpower.

After some time of operation, the news of the various cities in Xuliang County was transmitted back to Qinghua, but the scout team found that Zhang Shumo was particularly concerned about the news of Xiu Wuzhi. I don't know what Zhang Shumo found in the message, he discussed with Lu Li alone in the house all night, and the next morning Lu Li personally went to Xiu Wuzhi Square to find out the news.

In Xu Liangcheng, Peng Mao wore thick cotton clothes and walked eagerly in Liu Ye's mansion on crutches, looking very clumsy.

When the guards saw Peng Mao's appearance, they knew that he had received some important news to report to Liu Ye, so they quickly led him to Liu Ye's house.

"General, the subordinate spies just sent the news that Zhang Shumo really incorporated all the displaced people into the army, and now there are 20,000 people!" Peng Mao said.

Liu Ye snorted heavily: "I said that I would attack Qinghua as soon as possible, but you refused." Now that he has made so many people, although they are all rabble, it is troublesome enough to really fight. ”

Peng Mao smiled slightly: "The general doesn't need to worry too much. In the humble opinion of his subordinates, Zhang Shumo is preparing to break the kettle and fight with the general at the beginning of spring. Qinghua City lacked reserves, and Liang Jia let go of the big families in the city, without support, their existing grain, grass and equipment were definitely not enough to support 20,000 people. As long as we avoid fighting and not fighting, the team of 20,000 people will be defeated! ”

Liu Ye nodded after listening, as the general of the Northern Route Army, he knew how many resources it would take to maintain an army, and it was absolutely impossible to maintain a team of 20,000 people with the scale of Qinghua City.

Thinking of this, Liu Ye couldn't help but ask suspiciously: "In that case, why is the military advisor in such a hurry?"

"Because the subordinate spies also came with a news, Zhang Shumo was not only inquiring about our Xu Liang during this time, but also collecting news about Xiuwuzhi and Mengzhou City, so his subordinates thought that Zhang Shumo wanted to attack Wuzhi and Mengzhou City. As long as these two cities are captured, the food and equipment problems in Thanh Hoc can be alleviated. Peng Mao said.

Liu Ye's glasses narrowed into a slit, and then opened suddenly: "If he dares to attack Xiu Wuzhi and Mengzhou, I will let them have no return!"

"General, my subordinates always feel that this matter is not as simple as imagined. His subordinates have worked with Zhang Shumo for a while, he still has some talents, if he really wants to attack the other two cities, why is it so obvious? Isn't that what we guessed? Peng Mao analyzed.

Liu Ye snorted coldly: "He's just a little smart, how can he have an old military advisor when it comes to talent?" Maybe he didn't expect the military advisor to plant spies in the homeless people, so he didn't take precautions. ”

Peng Mao also hoped that things would be as simple as Liu Ye said, but after years of experience, Peng Mao felt that there must be something strange about this matter, but Peng Mao couldn't think of what Zhang Shumo could leave behind, so he would discuss it with Liu Ye. But now Liu Ye also thinks that Zhang Shumo has no backhand, so let Liu Ye decide the next move, and complain about his own province.

Thinking of this, Peng Mao asked Liu Ye, "In that case, what does the general think we should do next?"

Liu Ye thought for a while: "Then continue to let your people keep an eye on every move of Qinghua City, and once they find out that they have the movement to attack the other two cities, report it immediately, and we will directly take their group of rabble!"

In the west house of the Yamen of Thanh Hoa City, Niu Wen was writing down the things explained by Zhang Shumo one by one. Now Niu Wen is already a clerk in Qinghua City, responsible for all kinds of writing work. He never dreamed that he would actually embark on a career because of Zhang Shumo, and it was ridiculous to recall that he still wanted to teach Zhang Shumo before.

After a while, Niu Wen wrote all the letters and handed them over to the scout Wang Er.

This Wang Er was originally just an outcast, but he was more clever and good at observing words and feelings, so Lu Li recruited him into the scout team.

When Wang Er received the letter, he asked intentionally or unintentionally, "Brother Niu, why have we been so concerned about the situation in Xiuwuzhi and Mengzhou City recently?" A lot of our team has been sent over there, and now we have to deliver letters there, so we shouldn't be going to fight those two cities, right? ”

Niu Wen glared at Wang Er: "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, this is a secret!"

Wang Er hurriedly nodded: "Yes, yes, the little one is too talkative, Brother Niu doesn't want to blame, the little one is just curious."

Niu Wen patted him on the shoulder: "It's not a good thing to be too curious, but don't worry, you will understand on the first day of the Lunar New Year!"

When Wang Er heard this, he nodded thoughtfully, and hurriedly took the letter and said goodbye.