Two days after Yang Wenyue left, Tian Jianxiu came to Qi County again.

After he saw Li Yan, he sneered and asked, "Should Tian be addressed to Your Excellency General Li?" Or should it be called the county horse? ”

Li Yan said with a smile: "General Tian is free to do so." ”

Tian Jianxiu asked: "So is the cooperation between our two sides still effective?" ”

"Of course it works," Li Yan replied: "But it also depends on your intentions, if you feel that there is no need to cooperate, then Li can only express regret." ”

Tian Jianxiu finally smiled and said, "General Li is really a hero, and he is not bound by the personal feelings of his children. ”

Li Yan went straight to the point and said, "Have you already decided?" The imperial army was about to be assembled, and the attack would begin in a few days. ”

"Naturally, I want to continue to cooperate with General Li." Tian Jianxiu said: "However, we have given up so much rich land to General Li, shouldn't General Li also give up some things in exchange?" ”

Li Yan said lightly: "Please speak." ”

"First, General Li will be included in the ranks of our righteous army in the future, and he will listen to the orders of our general Fengtian Righteous Army." Tian Jianxiu said about their conditions.

Li Yan sneered and said, "It's impossible. Let's just cooperate, discuss more things, don't cause friction if you have nothing to do, that's all. ”

Li Zicheng and the others also knew that it would definitely be impossible for Li Yan to obey their orders. Putting forward this condition is nothing more than a sky-high asking price.

Tian Jianxiu said: "General Li doesn't need to answer in a hurry, listen to Tian's words." ”

"Okay, please continue." Li Yan said indifferently.

Tian Jianxiu continued: "Although we can give these places to General Li, General Li has to pay taxes for us. We don't want more, just pay half of Chongzhen's fourteen-year tax. No money, all food. Also, we want artillery, the kind of artillery that General Lee used to accompany the battle in formation, forty pieces. ”

Li Yan smiled and said, "Okay, Li knows, please ask General Tian to go back." ”

"Does General Lee agree or disagree?" Tian Jianxiu asked knowingly.

Li Yan said lightly: "I will not agree to any of your conditions." Ask yourselves for many blessings. ”

"General Li," Tian Jianxiu threatened, "Our million-strong army, even if General Li's command is brave, how many places can General Li defend in so many places in Guide, Qixian, and Chenliu?" ”

Li Yan sneered: "You can just let it go, don't worry about Li." ”

"General Li doesn't want a white wolf with empty gloves, right? Isn't it too greedy to want to get so much rich land from us and not take anything out of it? Tian Jianxiu said dissatisfied.

Li Yan said bluntly: "Li has no time to bargain with you. I will give you 8,000 stone of food, and you don't have to think about the rest. If you are willing, you can do what we have discussed, and if you are not willing, forget it. ”

"Eight thousand stones?" Tian Jianxiu frowned and said, "We have nearly a million people, enough to eat for a few days?" Most of Henan is worth such a little food? ”

Li Yan said casually: "From south to north, you have robbed it for nothing." It's already good to have these grains, you can go back and discuss with Li Zicheng. If Ding Qirui's reinforcements start to go north from the Wei clan, if you don't have any news, you won't use it. ”

Tian Jianxiu saw that Li Yan said so resolutely, and knew that they were afraid that they would not have much to get this time. They are actually greedy for the artillery in Li Yan's hand, which is more powerful than the general's cannon on the city. Although they can make tiger squat cannons by themselves, they can only sigh with joy when it comes to artillery.

Tian Jianxiu didn't say anything cruel, just hugged his fist and left.

After Li Yan returned to the barracks, he immediately instructed Li Zhong: "Notify the counties, enter a state of combat readiness, and prepare to fight the thieves." ”

"Didn't negotiate?" Li Zhong asked. With the build-up of officers and troops from all walks of life, war may break out at any time. So Li Mu had already gone to the front line of Chenliu, and when Li Yan went to see Tian Jianxiu, Li Zhong was in the barracks.

Li Yan said disdainfully: "They have a lot of appetite, and they still want us to pay taxes for them." It's wishful thinking that we should come up with forty three-inch guns. But depending on what they mean, they should also have settled down and wanted a consolidated rear. It's better to deal with this than if they continue to wander. ”

Li Zhong said worriedly: "If they come to attack us with all their might, it is unlikely that the officers and soldiers will come to the rescue." Relying on ourselves, I'm afraid that our territory will also lose a lot. The people don't know how many of them will lose their lives. ”

Li Yan was not so pessimistic, and said: "I have already asked the villages to prepare, and the bombs and arrows given to them are enough." They all know that it is attacked by thieves, and if the stockade is broken, they will be slaughtered, so they will naturally resist it with all their might. No matter which village it is, as long as they can resist for two hours, our troops will be able to arrive. ”

Li Zhong sighed and said: "It's okay to be close to the troops, if it's far away, let alone two hours, it's half an hour, and whether you can stop it is two words." ”

Li Yan frowned and thought for a while, and then ordered: "Now start collecting all the horses, mules, and donkeys in the area under our control, no matter whether they are good or bad, as long as they run faster than people." Whether it is the family of the ordinary people or the family of the large gentry, they will all be requisitioned! ”

"What are you going to do?" Li Zhong was a little puzzled, but he immediately persuaded: "Isn't this robbery?" Once a precedent is set, our prestige will be questioned. If the people can't produce with peace of mind, we will have big trouble in the future. ”

Li Yan explained: "It's not robbery, it's requisition. It is necessary to do a good job of registration and compensate them later, not to take their things for nothing. If only we could recruit more than 5,000, we would be able to form a fast force that could move around in a short time. They rode first with their mules and horses and artillery, dismounted and fought, dragging the thieves first and waiting for the arrival of the brigade. There are 5,000 centaurs, and it's not so easy for thieves to swallow them in one bite. ”

"Is it too late now?" Li Zhong reminded: "It is not a matter of a day or two for soldiers to learn to ride mules and horses. ”

Li Yan waved his hand and ordered, "Let's do it first." I don't need it now, but I will use it in the future. ”

Li Zhong knew that Li Yan had already made up his mind, so he had to agree. Later, he reminded: "It is better to set the compensation measures first, so as not to resist the expropriation." ”

"Hmm. Discuss it with Li Dong. Li Yan thought for a while, and then said: "You can tell them that if you compensate less now, you will return the same amount of livestock to them in the future, just for a year." If they can't be returned after one year, they will be compensated in full. ”

"Well, that's fine, at least we won't have too much pressure for the time being." Li Zhong said happily. If they were to be compensated, even if it was half the price, it would be a heavy burden for them.

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