In addition to finding a way to get grain, Li Yan now has an additional task of buying iron ore. After battling the hungry people, he realized that his stock of arrows was dangerously low, especially the number of crossbow arrows. Therefore, he had to find a way as soon as possible to let Blacksmith Zhou continue to work, make more crossbows, and the arrows of crossbow arrows came out.

The role of the crossbow in this battle was unmistakable. Training is easier than a bow and arrow; The physical requirements are lower than those of the bow and arrow; Although the range is slightly shorter and the rate of fire is not fast, it is powerful enough at the right distance. Therefore, crossbows should be equipped with more, at least until the appearance of qualified muskets, crossbows are a good choice.

Li Yan took Blacksmith Zhou and Li Mou, as well as ten soldiers, to the south. The hungry people all went to Kaifeng in the north, so it was extremely unsafe to go north. With Blacksmith Zhou, there is a chance to find a place to sell iron ore, so that he can identify whether it can be used.

They took five carts with them, and hid their weapons under the wheels of the carts. But weapons like spears couldn't be hidden, so they only replaced the Yanling knife, waist knife, and bow and crossbow These short weapons. The stockade was handed over to Li Zhonglai to be in charge.

Li Yan and the others went south along the official road, and there were almost no people for 100 miles. Especially in the countryside, those who can move have long gone to escape the famine, and those who can't move may not be able to move anymore after so many days. The fields were bare, all eaten by locusts, and the thatched huts were open, but there was no movement, and the sight was full of desolation.

When they came to Suizhou City, they saw the living. At the gate of the city stood the soldiers guarding the city, and there were many soldiers at the head of the city. However, it seems that the atmosphere is not too tense, and the soldiers defending the city are quite relaxed, some chatting together, and some are basking in the sun.

"Stop! What for?! They were stopped at the gate as usual.

Li Yan stuffed a tael of silver into the hands of the interrogating soldiers, and replied: "Come to handle the goods, now we are short of everything in Qixian, so let's come here to see if we can get some goods." ”

The soldier said in a low voice: "Now that the food has risen to the limit, this money will definitely let you go in normal times, but now it is not possible." ”

Li Yan smiled and nodded, and took out another one or two pieces of silver and put them in the hands of the gatekeepers.

This time the soldier finally smiled, picked up the two pieces of silver, waved his hand back, and then said, "All right, let's go in." ”

Li Yan arched his hand and led his convoy into Suizhou City.

"@yes!" As soon as Li Mu entered the city gate, he cursed in a dissatisfied whisper: "A group of dogs kill talents!" Entering a city gate, you dare to ask for two taels of silver? What a greed! ”

Li Yan persuaded in a low voice: "It's not easy for them. Now the grain has reached 2,500 yuan, and it will continue to rise. If they didn't have extra money, they, and their families, would starve to death as well. ”

Li Mu was still dissatisfied and said: "Hungry to death!" They're not good people either! ”

"Okay," Li Yan stopped: "With your fierce face, people can put you into the city, it's the credit of those two taels of silver." ”

Li Mou stopped complaining, and everyone searched the streets to see where the grain store was.

"There's a blacksmith there." Blacksmith Zhou pointed to the small alley next to him and said.

Li Yan walked in with his men and came to the door of the blacksmith's workshop, and found that the gate was closed and there was no sound inside.

"Wouldn't there be no one anymore?" Li Mu glanced at it and asked casually.

Blacksmith Zhou shook his head and stepped forward and began to knock on the door. After a long while, a weak voice came out: "Don't knock, don't take the job, go to another house." ”

"Open the door, something to discuss." Blacksmith Zhou continued to knock on the door with a bang.

The door finally opened, and a big soft man leaned on the door frame, and said weakly: "Everyone, my family is no longer working, look at our hungry, we can't even hold a hammer, you can go to another house to have a look." ”

"Do you have any iron? Sell us some. Li Yan asked.

Dahan glanced at Li Yan, and then saw the cart they were carrying, so he smiled and said, "There is iron, I don't know how much the son wants?" ”

"As much as you want."

The big man smiled and said, "We have two thousand catties of refined iron powder here, which I just bought in the mine last year." Once the locusts have passed, there is no business. ”

"You have mines here? Where is it? Li Yan immediately asked.

The big man shook his head and said, "They have all fled to the wilderness, and there is no one left." ”

"Then I'll do it, you can make a price." Li Yan thought for a moment and said.

"Don't sell, just change. In exchange for grain, a pound of grain, in exchange for a pound of iron. The big man smiled slyly and said.

Li Mu said loudly: "What is the price of grain now?" A pound of grain and a pound of iron, do you still dare to say it? ”

Dahan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll let you give a price, a pound of grain, and five pounds of iron." ”

Li Yan suddenly smiled and said, "We don't want it, you can use these iron powder to satisfy your hunger." With that, he turned around and beckoned his men to leave.

"Wait, wait." Dahan hurriedly grabbed Li Yan's sleeve and said anxiously: "Let's discuss, let's discuss." ”

"One pound for ten pounds." Li Yan turned around and said. It's a way to leave.

Dahan nodded again and again, and said, "Just do it, just do what the son says." ”

Li Yan finally smiled, patted the big man on the shoulder, and said, "Now the grain is the most expensive, forgive me." ”

Dahan was hungry now, and was slapped so gently by Li Yan that he almost fell to the ground, but it was Blacksmith Zhou who helped him to stand firm again. Nodding his head, he said, "What Childe said, what he said." ”

"So where is the grain store here?" Li Yan asked. After he bought the grain, he exchanged a part of it for the iron powder, killing two birds with one stone.

Dahan sighed and said, "There is no grain, the grain is empty, and now there is grain, that is, the Ye family." Alas! ”

"No food? Does the Ye family have food? Li Yan didn't quite understand, and asked suspiciously.

Dahan explained: "The county magistrate has set the price of grain, and the rice must not be higher than three thousand. The grain store was all opened by the Ye family, so it was marked with a price of 3,000 yuan, but there was not a single grain in the grain store. If you want to buy grain, you have to go to the Ye family's grain depot and fight for five thousand rice. This was the price four days ago, I don't know how much it is now. ”

"So expensive?" Li Mu said in surprise: "If it is a little later, it will not rise to the sky?" Can anyone afford to buy food? ”

"It can't be helped, the locusts have helped his family a lot."

Blacksmith Zhou looked at the big man curiously and asked, "Why don't you run away?" ”

"The commander asked us to build equipment for him, and this iron material is used for this. He went to King Qin, but we didn't dare to run. The big man said dejectedly.