As the sky grew brighter, the fire in the hay field had been extinguished, and only a few long columns of black smoke were still drifting in the wind. Liu He sat on a dead war horse and let the cold wind blow his face. The battlefield was littered with dead bodies, and the air was filled with a strong smell of blood, which made people smell sick.

Guan Yu and a few sergeants escorted Wu Yan, who was hanging on his breath, Que Ji, who was seriously injured, and the two commanders of the Xianbei people, walked up to Liu He and pressed them to the ground and knelt down.

Wu Yan was so painful that his face was about to deform, and there was a dense layer of sweat on his forehead, and he looked up and saw Liu He: "You are the chief general of the Han army?" Why not Cheng Pu? ”

Liu He looked at him indifferently with an expressionless face, it was this person who led the army to attack Lu Longsai, killed the lives of more than 2,000 soldiers in Lu Longsai, and killed his good brothers who had only made friends for so many years.

He stood up and drew his sword from his waist, he was going to kill this man! Kill this man who started the war. He walked to Uyan's side, sword in both hands, ready to chop off his head with a single sword.

"You dare to kill me?" Seeing Liu He's murderous expression, Wu Yan finally couldn't help but cry out with fear in his heart.

Liu He sneered and chopped with a knife.

Suddenly, a long arrow flew across the air and stabbed at Liu He.

Liu He's saber was disturbed and didn't cut it, he stopped and turned his head to see that it was Huang Zhong.

"My lord! He is the big leader of the Wuhuan clan in Youbeiping County, we can't kill him! It's better to ask Liu Gong and Taishou to decide. ”

Liu He's anger could not be extinguished, and the sword was raised again and slashed at the dead horse with a roar.

"You have settled and grazed in the land of my Han Dynasty, and you have lived and multiplied on the grasslands of my Han Dynasty, when has my Han treated you badly? You, a heinous villain, dare to invade my Han land, attack my Han fortress, kill my Han people, and destroy my Han homeland, you should be divided by five horses. ”

Wu Yan didn't seem to hear Liu He's scolding, and stared at him viciously with a pair of provocative eyes. Liu and Yu were angry and kicked Wu Yan in the face, and shouted at Guan Yu and the soldiers around him: "Fight! Call me. ”

Guan Yu and the others rushed up to the four captives for a burst of punches and kicks, and Liu He was also caught in the middle and kicked and punched.

The next day, after Cheng Pu and Han Dang received Liu He's report, the follow-up troops they sent arrived. They took all the horses, baggage, fodder, and captives from the pastures back to Luronse.

Liu He and his soldiers were greeted like heroes in Lulongse.

Lu Longsai's victory was like a thunderclap that stirred up thousands of waves in the land of Yan Zhao, injecting a dose of fresh blood into the terminally ill man, and making the crumbling giant vaguely see the hope of rebuilding its glory.

At this time, Liu Yu, Fu Zhu, Tian Feng and others arrived in Ji County, Guangyang County. Guangyang County, the hometown of the pre-Qin Yan Kingdom, Ji County is also the old capital of the Yan Kingdom.

Back in Jixian County, it was already dawn. Tell the city gate to be opened, and all the people enter the city, and go outside the palace of the assassin. Zhou Gongcao Xian Yufu received an urgent report from the city gate in advance, and greeted him in front of the gate: "But the son Liu Shunzhi? ”

"Yes. Excellency? Liu He made a move.

"Yuyang Xian is supplemented, the word feather line, and Liu Gong is promoted by Liu Gong, and he is now engaged in Gongcao. Childe, please come in! Xian Yufu invited.

"But Brother Shuzhang?" Liu He suddenly remembered Xian Yuyin.

"Exactly."

"Haha! With the help of the Jun brothers, the matter in Youzhou is decided. Shuzhang also made meritorious contributions in this offensive and defensive battle. Liu He said with a smile.

"It's all Childe's command."

Entering the meeting hall of the Assassin's Mansion, Liu He saw his father Liu Yu sitting in the main seat in a serious manner, Tian Feng and Fu Zhi sitting on the left and right, and the seats on both sides were Youzhou civil and military.

"Sima Liu He of the Youzhou Military Department meets the assassin history." Liu He knelt down and bowed.

"The ministry has worked hard! Get up. Liu Yu motioned for Liu He to get up.

Liu Yu looked calm, in fact, he stayed up all night, his spirit was exhausted, and he sat in the hall and waited for Liu He's news.

Then Liu He reported on the battle of Lulong, beheaded 1,500 enemy troops, captured 300 people, captured Wuyan, the leader of Wuhuan, Que Ji, Suli, and 2,000 commanders, captured more than 5,000 horses, 300 cattle, 200 sheep, and 10,000 stones of forage. The Han army lost 1,800 people, 300 lightly wounded, 500 seriously wounded, and more than 700 people still have the strength to fight.

"Great! All generals have meritorious deeds, and Cao is rewarded and punished according to the law. Liu Yu was very excited after hearing this.

Then Liu Yu introduced the civil and military affairs of the Assassin Mansion for Liu He, don't drive Tian Feng, the long history is frustrated, and the Gong Cao is engaged in Xian Yu is self-aware, and Liu He remembered a few that appeared in the romance, and he was engaged in Wei You, Dong Cao Peng, Qi Zhou, and Zhang Ju. [Note 1]

Then the people began to discuss military and political affairs.

First of all, the war horses captured in the battle of Lulong were left with 1,000 horses, 500 were allocated to Liu He to supplement the cavalry, and the other 500 were added as guards and horses of the Assassin's Mansion, and the remaining 4,000 horses were all sold to enrich the treasury, and cattle, sheep, and forage were all stored for winter.

Horses are the first of the six animals, and they are the foundation of armor, and the horse breeding industry of the Han Dynasty has always been very prosperous. There are many lush pastures in You, He, Liang, Hebei Prefectures and Guanzhong areas, and many wealthy families specialize in animal husbandry. For example, the Zhongxing hero, the famous Fubo general Ma Yuan, when he was young, he went to the border county to engage in field herding, "up to tens of thousands of cattle, horses and sheep". Most of the horses used by the imperial court, the army, the localities, and the people came from these places.

According to the market price, the horses are at most 10,000 or 20,000 yuan, and the ordinary good horses are only 40,000 or 50,000 yuan, but the castrated war horses, judging from the old example of the previous Rihao right Gu Rong, these 4,000 war horses can be sold to the Central Plains County Haoqiang, at least five or six times!

"Gu Rong" - monopoly, mainly refers to the behavior of the powerful and powerful Hao right to buy and sell the court, which began in the former Han Dynasty and flourished in this dynasty, and the benefits obtained by Hao Yu are often tens of millions.

Now it is presided over by the Thorn History Mansion, and it is definitely a seller's market, mainly because these war horses are captured, and they are sold for money.

Liu He calculated in his heart that the starting price of war horses must be higher than that of ordinary good horses, at least seven to one hundred thousand, if the transaction can be made in the Central Plains, the profit will be about five or six times, according to the starting price of 70,000 yuan, three or four hundred thousand yuan can be sold, a horse can earn two or three hundred thousand yuan, and according to the calculation of four thousand, it can earn more than 100 million yuan.

"! This... This..."Liu He now regretted it a little, and immediately calmed down: Although the expansion of the army is important, it is even more important to relieve the people.

Let's discuss and ask Liu He how many people Lu Longsai needs to guard at this time?

They want as few people as possible, which will ease the huge expenses of the state and county. After the war, money was needed for the reconstruction of the Lulongse army, money was needed for the replenishment of materials and equipment for the border army, and money was needed for the bereavement and rehabilitation of the dead soldiers in the prefectures and counties.

Liu He understood what they meant, so he ignored the opposition of Cheng Pu and Xu Rong and strongly demanded a night raid because after plundering a large amount of property of the Hu people, firstly, to replenish the treasury and supply expenses, and secondly, to make the Hu people so badly damaged that they could no longer organize an army to harass and plunder Lulongsai and other places on the border.

Liu He said: "Lords! I said bluntly, according to the beginning of Lu Long's design, this plug is a big stopper. The number of soldiers and horses required for the jurisdiction is 3,000, which is not a burden, but I know that now Youzhou is in financial difficulties, and 1,500 people are enough. ”

Liu Yu frowned and sighed in his heart: My son, it's not that you don't know that Youzhou has no money.

Then there was another discussion: I hope Liu He understands the difficulties of the state and county, and hopes that he can cut some more people and reduce unnecessary expenses in the short term, because the long winter is coming soon.

Liu He said: "Eight hundred people can't be reduced anymore!" But next spring it will have to be restored to two thousand people, which is the minimum limit for garrisoning a huge fortress. ”

Seeing Liu He's concessions, this base is actually the remnants of Lu Long's army, and everyone is no longer embarrassed - given that the enemy army has been completely annihilated at present, the strength of the Wuhuan tribe in Youbeiping County has been hit hard, and the leaders of the two big tribes in Xianbei in the east have been captured, and it is impossible for the Hu people to invade again in the short term, so it is indeed unnecessary to garrison Lu Longsai in a large number of troops in the coming harsh winter - this can save a lot of expenses for the state and county.

Lu Longsai's original more than 800 wounded soldiers remained in the fortress to recuperate, and medicine should be collected and delivered. Wu Yan, Que Ji, Su Li and other Hu nobles and captives will be dealt with after Liu Yu negotiated with the Wuhuan people and Xianbei people.

Liu Yu felt a little sorry for his son, and in order to comfort Liu He, he gave him a privilege - he could recruit troops in the name of the Assassin's Mansion to expand the shortcomings of the Lulongsai border army. As for the salaries and equipment of the newly recruited soldiers, Liu He could report to the county government and the assassin's mansion to receive them when spring came. It would be great if you could support yourself! As for how to support himself, that is Liu He's own business.

Then Liu He put forward his opinion on Wuyan's question: "In the past, Chen Zigong said: 'Those who commit crimes against strong men will be punished even if they are far away. 'Yidi, beasts, fearing power but not virtue. What's more, today's Wuyan is different from Zhi Zhishan Yu, he received the grace of my Han Dynasty and attached the land of the Han family, but he was not grateful and raised troops to rebel, and he should be late according to the law! Not killing is not enough to establish the majesty of my Han family in Youzhou. ”

For a while, the people's meeting hall immediately fell silent, and everyone was silent.

Liu Yu said: "If you kill him rashly when you are tired in Youzhou, there will be another military disaster in Youbeiping, and you should be appeased." ”

Liu He saw that his father was a scholar, so he stopped discussing it.

[Note 1] Wei You: First Liu Yu and Gongsun Zhan fell out of harmony and wanted to ask for it. You said: "Today's leadership, taking the public as the home, and seeking ministers and minions is indispensable." Zhan is talented and powerful, although there are small evils, it should be tolerated. "Yu is stopped.