Of course, it is still very difficult to transport 16,000 soldiers and sufficient supplies to Liaodong by relying on the current 10 medium-sized sea-going ships and 40 light sea-going ships.

Therefore, in the next stage, Xu Shiyang has to find an opportunity to strengthen his water division.

This aspect is not as troublesome as strengthening the cavalry, because Jiangnan is the largest shipbuilding base in the world in this era, and Xu Shiyang can find a way to get ships from there.

What's more, there are Li Feihu and Li Feihuang, if they cooperate, there will be no problems with maritime capacity.

The question is how to avoid interference from hostile maritime forces.

The Jurchen Tartars do not have a sailor, but the current number one sea force in the East, Li Feilong, has the possibility of becoming an enemy, and Xu Shiyang must take precautions.

To this end, Xu Shiyang planned to install the new artillery that the arsenal had begun to produce on medium-sized ships such as Yingzhou, so as to overwhelm Li Feilong's numerical superiority with firepower.

To this end, it is planned that all ten medium-sized ships will be equipped with two new 8-kilogram cannons (the old kilograms, equivalent to more than 10 pounds in the West, and now the army only has two equipped with a given brigade, and the others are all given to the navy) and six 2-kilogram guns.

In terms of tactical use, the 8-pound cannon is used to attack the enemy's hull from a distance, and at close range, the Shenji cannon suppresses the deck of the enemy ship with rapid fire to cover the jumping gang operation.

The last time Xu Shiyang went to Jiangnan, the battle to intercept the Zhou ship showed that such a tactic could allow the warships of Qi Province to subdue an opponent of the same level with a very fast speed and few casualties - it is estimated that there will be no problem in challenging the large Fu ship by leapfrogging the class.

If Li Feihu and Li Feihuang can cooperate well, the ten gunboats plus their fleet will have a chance to defeat Li Feilong and the others.

The premise is that in this situation where the main battle faction in Jiangnan gradually develops to the point where it can compete with the main peace faction and defeat the Tartars on his own land, Li Feilong still has the courage to be the enemy of Xu Shiyang.

Sure enough, more than two months after the Battle of the Yellow River, Gan Xiong came to Xu Shiyang, saying that their big shopkeeper had sent a representative to talk to Xu Shiyang.

Gan Xiong, as a messenger arranged by Li Feilong to be by Xu Shiyang's side, participated in the previous trench rat fight with the Tartars.

In Xu Shiyang's eyes, he can be regarded as an "old comrade-in-arms".

So, let's talk about it.

Ganxiong's face has to be given, not to mention that the two sides have not officially turned their faces.

It's just that I didn't expect that the person who came was actually a big cabinet - under Li Feilong, Li Feifeng, the second strongest Li Group.

He is Li Feilong's younger brother and Li Feihu's elder brother, and the three of them are the only real brothers in the thirteen cabinets.

According to Gan Xiong, unlike Li Feihu, who gradually became independent and split, Li Feifeng has always been an absolute supporter of Li Feilong, and he will not oppose any decision made by Li Feilong, whether it is to support the main battle faction or turn to Qin Xianggong.

Therefore, this person has also won Li Feilong's absolute trust, and talking to him is basically equivalent to negotiating with Li Feilong himself.

This is a middle-aged man with dark skin and a strong body.

The expression is always smiling, as if he is an ordinary fisherman who has caught a net full of big fish, and the happy expression hangs directly on his face, which is quite kind.

However, if you really treat him as an ordinary fisherman, it is definitely looking for death.

This is a powerful pirate leader with more than 500 large and small ships and more than 20,000 men.

In this era, there were and only pirates from the East had such strength.

Xu Shiyang met with Li Feifeng in Rizhao Port, and the reason why he chose this place, instead of Dengzhou, where the future Qi Provincial Navy Headquarters is located, was to conceal the direction of his next attack - to people of this era, the position of the commander is the core of the army, and the meeting in Rizhao can make Li Feifeng think that Xu Shiyang does not know the importance of Dengzhou.

"General Xu, it's a pity that we couldn't meet in Shuangyu last time."

In Rizhao, Li Feifeng smiled and arched his hand, and said with a smile:

"Congratulations on defeating the Tartars and cutting the canal once and for all."

"Shopkeeper Li, you also know that I cut off the canal."

Xu Shiyang said unceremoniously:

"What should your chief treasurer give me? Two months after I cut off the canal, the reward you promised has not been coming-well, Brother Feihu promised to give, but what about the share promised by the big treasurer himself? ”

"As of today, you have been in arrears to me for half a year, why, the big shopkeeper, as a businessman, plans to get benefits and not give money?"

Li Feifeng's face was a little embarrassed.

Stopping the support given to Qi Province was a decision that most of the big cabinets agreed to - at that time, Xu Shiyang had not yet shown the ability to defeat the Tartars' all-out attack, and the Lord and Faction did not have the strength to overthrow the main battle faction's court as it is now.

The big treasurers unanimously agreed that the share of the 250,000 yuan loan given to Qi Province last year was already a lot, and if it continued to be given this year, it might just add some loot to the Jurchens.

I really didn't expect that Qi Province would defeat the Tartars and become a force to be reckoned with.

"It's not going to be good for us this year." Li Feifeng tried to explain: "The operation to fight Fusang made very little money, the daimyo over there blocked the port, and even sent Zhou ships a lot, and we lost a lot of money. ”

"The trade in Liaodong will not increase for a while and a half, so the loan is a little late. Brother came this time to solve this problem. ”

"Goods worth 250,000 yuan, General Xu can give the next list, and it will be shipped to Rizhao before the end of the year."

Xu Shiyang thought for a while, and then said seriously:

"Shopkeeper Li, things are not so simple now."

"How?" Li Feifeng asked.

Xu Shiyang explained lightly:

"The goods you should give are late, so you can put this issue aside for now."

"The biggest problem now is that you have already taken refuge in Qin Huizhi, right?"

Li Feifeng didn't speak, he acquiesced.

Xu Shiyang directly called out Qin Xianggong's name, and he could be regarded as showing his attitude.

The Li family's wall grass is too much!

"The big shopkeeper promised at the beginning, when I connect with Wen Xianggong here, I will realize the recruitment of your family within ten years."

Xu Shiyang frowned and said solemnly:

"Now you bypass me to complete the recruitment, is it comfortable?"

"We were forced to do so." Li Feifeng explained: "We have been working hard for more than ten years to recruit An, and of course we can't let go of ...... when we have the opportunity. ”

Xu Shiyang directly interrupted the explanation and asked, "So you broke your promise?" ”

"It's our fault." Li Feifeng generously admitted: "So I came to talk to the general on behalf of my eldest brother and try to see if there is a way to repair the relationship between us." ”

"Yes."

"Oh? What should we do? ”

"You guys will help Qin Huizhi transport New Year's coins to Liaodong, won't you?" Xu Shiyang said coldly: "Give me the New Year's coins directly, even if you have made a contribution." ”

"It can't be! What is the face of the Li family in this way? ”

"If you don't do this, your family will really lose face."