In just half a month, Yucheng and Xiayi counties, as well as twelve forts, were extorted from more than 3,000 stone of grain. And because "Second Brother Tian" was able to get food, there were more and more bandits who went to join the gang, so that Tian Yong was able to mobilize more than 10,000 people, which were all young and strong.

Due to Li Yan's inaction, the banditry in Shangqiu County, which was not serious, began to become more and more serious. However, the area of the village established by Li Yan is very peaceful, but if there are thieves who want to make trouble here, they will be beaten out by the soldiers in the village, as well as the people who are organized to fight out. But there is no one to take care of the grange of those big families, and there are not many tenants in the grange, even if they have the courage to die for the owner, most of them are just sent to death in vain.

Guerrilla Yamen.

Five days ago, Gao Yuanheng's family finally moved out, and Li Yan also moved his office and residence, so that there was no need to use such a large guerrilla yamen.

"General Li" Master Liu roared angrily: "My grange was looted by thieves, twelve tenants were killed and wounded, sixteen women were plundered, and all the seedlings in the field were burned, why didn't your troops come to the rescue?" ”

Li Yan said lightly: "My troops can't even eat, how can they go out to fight?" If you force them out, maybe they'll mutiny. ”

Master Ye said dissatisfiedly: "Look at your subordinates, they train in the barracks every day, and the trumpet shouts loudly, where does it look like there is no food to eat?" ”

Li Yan explained seriously: "That's right, the amount of training is large, so I'm hungry fast." My soldiers used to get two litres a day, but now they have halved it. ”

"You, you are a strong word" Master Liu pointed at Li Yan and said loudly: "I want to write to the court, I want to impeach you"

Li Yan said helplessly: "I'm sorry, but I really can't do anything." ”

Master Shen San suddenly spoke: "Then how come the village next to Master Liu's grange has not been attacked by thieves?" ”

Li Yan replied: "Oh, I've checked this, the young and strong people in the village have come out to guard, and those thieves naturally can't please them." After a few times, they didn't want to waste time in the village. ”

"Nonsense," Old Man Liu snorted angrily and said, "There are your soldiers there, and we are all blind, can't we?" ”

Li Yan smiled and said, "I have no choice, the city can only supply these few hundred soldiers, and the rest of the soldiers can only be scattered to the villages outside the city." ”

"They don't have anything to eat themselves, and they can still feed the soldiers?" Master Shen San glanced at Li Yan and said, "General Li should make it clear, squeezing out like this sentence by sentence, it's strange to be tired and panicked." ”

Li Yan looked at the several officials and gentlemen, nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll talk about it." The people of those villages, from the beginning of their autumn harvest, will give me 30% of their harvest as my army and as a reward for their protection. And for you, as long as you pay 20%, you can get the same benefits as those people. And if you can scrape together 50,000 stone of grain now, I will record it in the book, and from next year, it will be deducted from the portion you are due. ”

Everyone finally knew the whole picture of Li Yan's request, which was to make money from them and then raise his soldiers. The officials and gentry all looked at each other, and then they stopped talking with a very tacit understanding, even Master Liu, who was still snorting angrily, only stared at Li Yan, but he had no intention of speaking.

Master Shen San said expressionlessly, "We need to discuss it." ”

Li Yan stood up and arched his hand, "Everyone, please." ”

After the officials and gentry all withdrew, Li Yan asked Sun Sifu, "Is there any news from Tian Yong?" ”

Sun Sifu replied: "That "Second Brother Tian" may be Tian Yong, but it's not sure yet. It's just that I heard that his subordinates all call him General Tian, and I'm still asking them to investigate. ”

Li Yan nodded and said, "Let them be careful, don't be too anxious." With this news, it's basically the same. There are really few thieves who are willing to call themselves generals, and they either choose a name from the Water Margin and the Three Kingdoms, or they will be named some kind of king. ”

"Well, there's also the fact that his team is a little more neat, not as messy as other teams." Sun Sifu nodded and said.

Li Yan thought for a moment and ordered, "Go and find Wu Ding." "Wu Ding is the general of the garrison in the mansion, and the burial task of the thief's body was completed well, so he was officially appointed by Li Yan as the head of the registered thousand. It was a temporary official position, but he didn't report it to the imperial court, and he didn't look down on the appointment from the imperial court.

And after Su Jing's lobbying, the gentry of Guide City did not do much to entangle Li Yan in killing Mao Garrison, so the punishment of the imperial court did not come down. Now the imperial court is still mobilizing troops to exterminate the thieves, and there is no time to care about the life or death of a garrison.

In a hard-hit area like Henan, there is not even a single governor. Originally, after Li Xianfeng was arrested, he was appointed as the deputy envoy of the Xiangyang military garrison. However, judging from the list of victims, this Deputy Envoy Zhang has already been killed.

After that, the imperial court looked around, but there was no suitable candidate. So he directly promoted Gao Mingheng to the right inspector of the imperial history, and let him directly take over the position of governor. But it can be regarded as a reward for meritorious service, Li Xianfeng was not there when Li Zicheng attacked Kaifeng, and it was Gao Mingheng who led the officials of Kaifeng City to resist the enemy, so he gave Gao Mingheng a chain jump.

Even civil officials are so casual, and a military attache is just a military attaché, it is even more impossible to attract the attention of the imperial court. Therefore, Li Yan has not even received a verbal warning now, and he still sits quietly as a guerrilla general.

After waiting for half an hour, Wu Ding came from the barracks to the guerrilla general's mansion.

"My subordinates have seen the general." As soon as Wu Ding saw Li Yan, he immediately clasped his fists and saluted.

Li Yan nodded and asked, "Are you familiar with Tian Yong?" ”

"Tian Yong?" Wu Ding asked suspiciously.

Li Yan explained: "It is the general Tian Yong who left the army. ”

"Oh, that's familiar." Wu Ding replied.

"Where is his family?" Li Yan asked again.

Wu Ding said nervously: "General, even if Tian Yong goes to be a thief, it's just a small share, so you don't need to offend your family, right?" ”

Li Yan frowned and said, "Don't worry, as long as his family is not a thief, I won't touch them." ”

Wu Ding nodded at this time and said: "His family is in the city, and he will take care of him when he leaves." ”

Li Yan tapped his hand on the public case and thought about it, and then asked for a while: "If you are asked to contact Tian Yong, do you dare to go?" ”

"What do you mean, let him come back?" Wu Ding asked puzzled.

Li Yan shook his head and continued to ask: "No, if possible, it should be cooperation." Would you like to go? Would he like to talk to you? ”

Wu Ding thought for a while, and finally nodded: "I am willing." The lowly believes that he will meet the lowly. ”

Li Yan instructed: "Okay, you go back." Don't talk about it to anyone, including your family. ”

Wu Ding was a little excited in an instant, he knew that he was about to enter Li Yan's core. And judging from his observation for more than a month, Li Yan still has great potential for development.

"Obedience"

...