On the third day after Li Yan returned to Qi County, the Wang steward of the Zhou Wangfu came with the grain tax. Li Yan met him in the barracks in the city.

"General Li," Steward Wang politely said, "I heard that you are back, so the contemptible people sent the prepared food." There is also the New Year's gift of the palace, which was also brought. ”

Li Yan said with a smile: "It's only November now, isn't it a little early for the New Year's ceremony?" ”

"The palace should also be avoided, Governor Gao is from a patrol background, and he is in office, and the general understands." Steward Wang sat in his chair and replied with the same smile.

Li Yan casually put the list on the table and said, "The grange of the palace, the harvest is not bad?" ”

"Thanks to the general," Steward Wang said, "There is no invasion of thieves, the water source is enough, and the harvest is not bad." ”

Li Yan nodded, ready to serve tea to the guests.

Steward Wang said, "General Li, I heard that you have a new thing here that yields more than ten stones per mu?" ”

Li Yan nodded and said, "That's right, there is such a thing." ”

"That~" Steward Wang arched his hand and said, "Can you give us some of the grange?" ”

Li Yan just smiled and didn't speak.

"The reward is good," Steward Wang continued, "the master of the guide, plus two acres of seeds, we will produce thirty stone of grain. ”

Li Yan pretended to think for a while, nodded and said, "Yes, when the agricultural season is next year, I will let people bring the seeds over." ”

In fact, the Zhou Wangfu has already shown enough goodwill, if Steward Wang wants to get the method of potato planting, I believe that it will not take ten stones of grain to get it from the people. So thirty stone is already a lot of reward.

"Then thank you, General." Steward Wang stood up and thanked him, and then took his leave and left.

Li Yan picked up the gift list and looked at it, it was still the same as last year, some gold and silver, cloth and silk, as well as sheep and poultry. He had things sent home, and the grain tax from the Grange was sent to the granary.

Li Zhong came in at this time and said puzzledly: "It's strange this week, the king was forced by us last year, but this year he consciously sent things over." ”

Li Yan said with a smile: "It seems that the palace also knows our importance." If it weren't for our protection, his grange here would have been deserted. ”

"Leaving tomorrow?" Li Zhong no longer talked about the affairs of the palace, but asked about Li Yan's itinerary: "Where is Guide not dealt with yet?" ”

Li Yan nodded and said, "Those big families still want to resist, I have to go back and deal with it." ”

"Do you want to use it?" Li Zhong asked.

Li Yan shook his head: "Not yet, although Li Zicheng and they are still attacking the city and plundering the land, they are still heading south, and wait for the situation." But anyway, they're going to have to start paying taxes next year. ”

"Will it be possible next year?" Li Zhong asked suspiciously.

"According to this trend, either the imperial court will send officials and troops to encircle and suppress Li Zicheng, or the whole of Henan will become a battlefield." Li Yan tapped his fingers on the table while analyzing: "But is there still a soldier in the imperial court?" Although Liaodong held Ningyuan, it also had to be garrisoned with large troops. Moreover, there are 40,000 or 50,000 people such as Hong Chengchou and Zu Dashou who are surrounded in Songshan and Jinzhou, and they also need to be rescued. ”

Li Zhong nodded when he heard this, and said, "This is the truth, it is estimated that there will not be many soldiers in the imperial court." ”

"By the time we wait until next year, our recruits will be trained, 40,000 troops, even if the imperial court is not satisfied, who can fight with us?" Li Yan continued, the more he spoke, the more confident he became.

Li Zhonggang defeated Zhang Xianzhong, and he was also full of confidence. However, he was still a little sensible and said: "Our current defect is that the horse team is too small, and the total is only five hundred. There are not enough cavalry, and it is always impossible to completely defeat the enemy. ”

"It's not easy to solve." Li Yan said regretfully: "We don't produce horses here, and it is difficult to transport them from Shanxi." The surrounding defenders have basically been bought by us, so don't think about Chen Yongfu there. ”

Li Zhong could only shake his head helplessly. They must not be like the thieves, who also use mules and donkeys as mounts for their cavalry. Besides, their artillery team is about to be formed, and there are not enough mules and horses to pull the cannons. There were also ammunition carts, baggage teams, these used up their mules and horses, and they had nothing to do if they wanted to use mules.

If it is to be captured, it is really difficult to fight in the way they fight. Any enemy cavalry that approached their formation would hardly be left alone. But if the enemy runs away, they will hardly be able to catch up.

Li Yan instructed Li Zhong: "This will be done later, you have to supervise the musket team and let them train well." They have been training for so long, and there are 400 of them, and they will be required to go into battle next time. If you don't go through battle, you'll always be a recruit. ”

"Don't worry," Li Zhong nodded, "Sun Tianyang is training very seriously. But then he questioned, "Are they really better than crossbowmen?" Not to mention anything else, the smoke formed by the firing of muskets is no smaller than that of artillery. When the time comes, you can't see anything clearly, how can you aim and shoot? ”

Li Yan explained: "There is no need to aim, they only need to fire the projectile in the direction of the enemy. Their effect, like the shotgun of artillery, inflicts a large number of casualties on approaching enemies. ”

"Well, that's up to them." Li Zhong nodded and said, "Maybe you're right." Let's hope their role can offset their training consumption. ”

In the afternoon, Li Yan left the barracks and returned home.

"Childe," Wu Niang saluted: "The New Year's gift given by the palace has been put into storage." ”

"yes, got it." Li Yan nodded casually. Then he had the whims, to see how much wealth he had in his treasury, and he commanded, "Go, open it to me, and see how much money I have." ”

Wu Niang didn't say anything, took the account book and led the way in front, ready for Li Yan's audit.

After Li Yan entered the warehouse, he didn't ask Wu Niang for the account book, but looked at it casually in the warehouse. He asked, "How much gold and silver is here?" ”

"Four hundred and eighty taels of gold, and eight thousand five hundred taels of silver." Wu Niang reported it casually.

Li Yan shook his head and said disappointedly: "How many are there, that is, ten thousand taels of two." ”

"Childe has a big use?" Wu Niang asked.

Li Yan said casually: "It's nothing, I just don't think it's much." ”

"There are so many gold and silver objects and jade calligraphy and paintings, and those things are also very valuable." Wu Niang reminded.

Li Yan nodded casually and didn't say anything. He was wondering how much copper he could buy with all this gold and silver. But now it's useless to have money, Zhu Xianzhen's copper materials have basically been bought by him, and if you want to buy it, you don't know when you have to wait. The cast cannon should have the best alloy ratio, if it is made by melting other bronze objects, the proportion of bronze will be different, and there will be impurities, and the quality of the cannon will be different, which is completely contrary to the standardization he wants.

"Childe, don't you want to take a look?" Wu Niang reminded.

Li Yan waved his hand, walked out, and said, "No, I can trust you." ”

Qiu Niang was waiting for Li Yan in the distance, and when Li Yan came out, she asked, "Childe, don't we have to pack up our things and go back with Childe?" ”

"No, you don't." Li Yan finished speaking briefly, leaving the disappointed Qiu Niang and going back to the study.

...