The reorganization of the troops was hasty, picking out a few hundred-man teams, dividing the troops into two, and then filling them with new recruits. Those officers who usually perform well are promoted, and the veterans and recruits are half and half are combined, which is considered complete. There was no time for run-in training, so he hurriedly set off for Xuzhou two days later.

They could only practice in simple groups during the march, when they were resting. However, Li Yan had already sent a letter to Li Zhong, using Feng Cheng's troops as a reserve and giving them a little time to train.

The happiest people were Feng Cheng and those officers. In the past year, they have been guarding the county seat, and there is almost no chance to go to the battlefield to make meritorious contributions. Although they knew that this was Li Yan's attention to them, and handed over Qixian County to them to guard, they could not be promoted without military merits, which also made them regret.

There are many advantages of officers, needless to say, the treatment in the army is much higher than that of soldiers, and more importantly, they have status. In the past, a talent could summon the army like a house slave, but now, the army is the master of the entire region. Needless to say, even if they are officials of the imperial court, if they violate the rules, they will be whipped with a whip. And when he sees the official, he doesn't kneel, and he can stand straight and straight wherever he goes.

As officers, they will not only be promoted after meritorious service, but also have various rewards and subsidies. Grain, meat, eggs, oil, salt, cloth, silk, and so on, the higher the official position, the more you are given. Of course, now money is cheap, and of course it is more cost-effective to give physical goods, and they can exchange it for what they want from the market, and even exchange it for silver money to store. Later, when prices stabilized, they naturally got mainly money.

With these financial resources, their families can pursue other jobs. For example, open a workshop, such as buying cattle and horses, and cultivate more fields. This makes it easier for their families to earn wealth and make it easier for them to rise and fall.

The most typical is Wang Dejiang's family, their family followed Li Yan at the earliest, and produced many officers, so now it has become the richest family in Qi County. The family has thousands of acres of fields, which are specially used to grow cotton. There is also a cloth mill that weaves and dyes, employing forty or fifty men. Twenty percent of the military uniforms and fabrics they wore were provided by the Wang family's cloth workshop, and they made a lot of money. In the future, as soon as prices are stabilized, the Wang family will definitely be the rich people of Guide Mansion, no worse than those century-old families.

When Li Yan returned to Kaifeng, Niu Wenbing finally caught Li Yan.

"General Li," Niu Wenbing chased after Li Yan, and said as he walked, "Your Majesty has issued a holy decree to General Li to go to the capital to serve the king." ”

Li Yan entered the barracks and said lightly: "I know." ”

"Then why hasn't the general moved yet?" Niu Wenbing asked directly.

Li Yan said impatiently: "I can't get out, Li Zicheng is still eyeing Runing." As soon as the general's subordinates withdraw, they will immediately come again to attack Kaifeng. ”

"This is not something that General Lee should be thinking about. Since the emperor has made a holy decree, you should obey it! Niu Wenbing was equally dissatisfied with the accusation.

It's him off these days. He chased from Xuzhou to Kaifeng, but he didn't know where Li Yan went. After waiting in Kaifeng for half a month, he finally met his surveillance object. Even if there is any confidential matter, it should have been done in a month's time, what is he still spying on?

Li Yan said bluntly: "We must not let the story of Chongzhen's eleventh year happen again!" This time, Li Chuang is not just a few dozen people, but a million people! If the headquarters leaves, Kaifeng will definitely not be guaranteed. Kaifeng connects the north and south, the thoroughfare of eight provinces, once lost, Henan is not guaranteed. Henan is lost, the Central Plains is lost, and Hebei and Beijing will be killed! Can the prison army afford this responsibility?! ”

"There is also General Chen's cooking in Henan, so you don't have to worry about General Li. The capital is in danger, but General Li is supporting the troops and not saving them, are you trying to rebel?! Niu Wenbing's shrill voice echoed in the lobby.

Li Yan said impatiently: "The Qing soldiers have already gone south by different routes, and they have not attacked the capital, so why is it in danger?" If the prison guards have nothing else to do, please go back and rest. Ben will leave tomorrow and return to Xuzhou. ”

"You are resisting the decree, and you want to connect the nine clans!" Niu Wenbing continued to threaten. In fact, what he cares about is the credit for going to the rescue. As long as Li Yan's troops go to Beijing, then he will inevitably be a first-class meritorious service. At that time, even if you can't enter the celebrant eunuch, it is better to be a young eunuch in the Imperial Horse Prison than to be a supervisor here in Li Yan.

Li Yan not only didn't give him gifts, but also strictly restrained him, he just couldn't do it if he wanted to collect some money by himself. They don't have men's belongings, so they can only care about money. But he is here in Li Yan, and he can't even make money, so he is really panicked.

Li Yan sneered: "Although the prison army has gone to report it, remember to remind Your Majesty that you have to think twice when you convict, King Zhou Chitose is my wife." ”

"You, you," Niu Wenbing pointed at Li Yan, and only after a long time did he say hatefully: "A certain family will definitely give His Majesty!" ”

Li Yan ignored Niu Wenbing's threat, and he immediately set off to check Kaifeng's weapons and ammunition and food reserves. Now Kaifeng is his logistics transit point, and he must have enough reserves. Although this increase in troops was not much, only 4,000 men, the supplies needed had increased considerably.

Niu Wenbing wanted to follow, but was stopped by Li Yan's subordinates, this kind of confidential affairs naturally can't be seen by the eunuchs of the prison army.

Later, King Zhou also fully supported Li Yan's decision. What he cares about now is the safety of Kaifeng, Beijing City is high and deep, after the change of Tumubao, the Wara army came to attack, and did not take down Beijing City, and now it is naturally in danger. But it's a different story when you open it. Once Li Yan leaves, Kaifeng will be captured within a month, so he can't let Li Yan go north to King Qin.

At this time, the unhappiness between Li Yan and King Zhou can be regarded as over. Li Yan guaranteed the safety of Kaifeng, and King Zhou blocked the pressure from the imperial court, and the two took what they needed, and they were both happy.

So Li Yan didn't even bother to write an explanation to the imperial court, so he set off from Kaifeng and went to the front line in Xuzhou. His arrival made Chen Yongfu, who was already anxious, settle down again.

Chen Yongfu is ready to withdraw the army, and now the city wall of Xuzhou has not been repaired, even if Li Yan leaves him some supplies, he will not be able to hold it, so he plans to retreat directly to Kaifeng. And you have to withdraw quickly, otherwise you won't even have a chance to go back to Kaifeng. Now that not only Li Yan is here, but also more troops have come, he is finally relieved. As long as he had Li Yan as his backing, he believed that Li Zicheng would not dare to attack him.

And Li Zicheng and others in Runing finally gave up their illusions, continued to retreat honestly on time, and gave Li Yan the way to let Runing out. Retreat to their last stronghold in Henan, Nanyang and Xinyang. Luo Rucai took He Yilong and Lao Huihui to retreat to Xinyang, while Li Zicheng led the others to retreat to Nanyang, preparing to develop towards Huguang.

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