"I want your elm to bring back Dongshengwei, Xinghewei for me, Hudun Rabbit Han Dying, if it's convenient, bring Kaipingwei back to me." Du Wenhuan's words frightened Li Huai almost sat down, and the three guards that Daming Chengzu threw away casually asked his younger brother to take it back, Du Wenhuan patted Li Huai, who was sweating on his head, and said softly, "Northwest people are bitter!" The land on the three sides is barren and the population is large, and it is sooner or later that something will happen, and Fengzhou and Hetao are fertile for thousands of miles, and it is not a problem to raise six or seven hundred thousand people, and now there is a big chaos outside the border, and there is little population left, it is a good opportunity to take advantage of the chaos to make profits, and we want the land that the Ming Dynasty does not want, which is a way for the people of the northwest to live. ”

"Uncle, do you want to persuade the imperial court to send troops? I'm afraid this can't be done, the court doesn't have this vision. Du Hongtai couldn't help but interject.

"I didn't say that the imperial court should send troops, do the soldiers of the imperial court have the ability to enter the desert to fight? Yuzi is the Tatar favored Humbaturu, we just need to give him money to others, he can control the desert, we don't need to fight with the Yi people, the Yi people are our brothers, we must leave them, there are Yi people, the court will not dare to interfere casually, Fengzhou will be controlled in the hands of our northwest people, this is a big chess, the future is unpredictable, but I really want to gamble, Yongnian, Boxi, are you willing to gamble? Du Wenhuan said a little proudly.

"Dashuai has made a bet, of course I have to accompany him, and I will bet for the villagers in the northwest." Sun Tingyao immediately patted his chest and replied.

"It's too enjoyable, this is called real gambling, isn't it tens of thousands of taels of silver, and my Shen family will also follow it." Shen Shoulian shouted and stepped forward.

Du Wenhuan applauded loudly, and immediately asked everyone to gather around to discuss carefully, the party in Du's study lasted until midnight, and when Li Huai left, his legs were weak and his face was pale, and he was almost helped by Du Hongtai before going out and getting on the horse.

Manhan Mountain, winter November, the first winter of the first year of Chongzhen is very strange, the wind whistling and the biting cold, but the snow has not fallen, the snowless winter often indicates the spring cold and drought next year, Li Fugui is more and more afraid, his own family background he knows best, the grain reserves of the Manhan Mountain are difficult to cope with the beginning of spring, if there is a spring cold, a big drought will definitely starve to death, what makes him even more frightened is that the situation in the pass is worse, the northwest drought is needless to mention, Shanxi, North Zhili and Shandong also have drought this year, grain production has decreasedThis is definitely bad news for Toyoshu, which mainly relies on food imports from Kannai.

Li Fugui is soaring, Fengzhou has to shake a few times, since the sky does not snow, then continue to work, the superiority of the big pot of rice must be carried forward, all thousands of households, hundreds of households in addition to the old, weak, sick and disabled all to dig canals, build water cellars, Fengzhou is not short of rivers, as long as the water can be led to the fields, and then there are a large number of water cellars to collect snow water, rainwater, Li Fugui is confident that he can fight with God.

All the people of Fengzhou and Menghan were mobilized, Ortai and Namur were also busy all day long, helping Li Fugui to wave the flag and shout, and the two ladies of Wulan and Wulangha traveled all over the thousands of households, calling on the subordinates to take active action and work for next year's survival. Although the people complained and scolded Li Fugui to death behind their backs, they saw that Li Fugui's white and pure round face had become black and thin, and they had nothing to say.

In addition to grasping production, Li Fugui is also grasping commerce, Zhao Ji was forced by him to jump, now he does not fight, but he does not let Zhao Ji idle, Zhao Ji and the brothers who have done horse thieves must protect the trade routes leading to the various horse markets of the Great Wall, and also crack down on all kinds of horse thieves and illegal traders who have entered Fengzhou, even if the Chahar people come in, they will not be mistaken, in short, Fengzhou will never allow others to grab food, who wants to do business in Fengzhou, must deal with his people, that is, March.

Ma Qi is living a beautiful life now, the debts are paid off, and he still makes a profit, Li Fugui set up a new business department for him, Ma Qi has become the ambassador of the business and city department with the title of a thousand households, Bi Lige and Fang Zhikun have become his deputy envoys - the official position of the ambassador of Bi Lige is gone, but he has nothing to say, Ma Qi, the former governor of the guerrilla, is simply a personal master, and his ability is much stronger than his Bi Lige, and his title of a thousand households has not changed, and Fang Zhikun has only tried the title of a thousand households.

March loves his new job very much, Fengzhou not only gives him the space to fully display his talent as a profiteer, but also someone to support him, as soon as he takes office, he raises the smuggling industry of Fengzhou to a new height, the horse market is a decoration in his eyes, with a large number of Ming officials and fort officers and soldiers were thrown into the water by him, the strong Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty has been unable to stop his smuggling footsteps, every night in the dead of night he comes out to activities - this guy is in high spirits at night, his eyes are shining, and a certain fortress on the side wall will be opened for him, Toyosu's livestock, skins, and timber entered the customs area, while the grain, cloth, and pig iron from the customs area were transported out of the customs area. Ma Qi's career development is smooth, he pointed the finger at the Ming Dynasty's central enterprises - Taifu Temple, instigating businessmen inside and outside the customs to trade sanctions on Taifu Temple Datong and Shanxi Division, this call has been unanimously supported by businessmen, and the Taifu Temple branch has always eaten the overlord's meal The life is very sad, they are responsible for the purchase of cattle, horses, camels and donkeys for the Ming Dynasty, in addition, the court also sent them the "city book" to do business to make money for the imperial court, the central enterprises used to make money, the people of the Taifu Temple used the horse market not only to increase a large amount of income for the military department, And the personal pockets are also full, but with March, who specializes in digging the corners of the Ming Dynasty, their good days are coming to an end.

Li Yu was also very satisfied with Ma Qi's work, he decided that the next time he caught the prey, he must give the old horse a large piece of meat, but before he could go hunting, the old horse and Fang Zhikun came to the door, and the god mysteriously told Li Yu that they had caught a spy of the Ming Kingdom Jinyiwei, and the people had been kidnapped by them, Li Yu was surprised when he saw the person who was escorted up, this person was actually Zhang Shi'an Boss Zhang who had opened a business inn in Kuku and Tun in the past, and Boss Zhang shouted injustice when he saw Li Yu.

"Great Commander, this guy is the lackey of the Ming Kingdom Jinyi Guard, our brothers saw him when they were in the Ming Army, this dog was ordered to hide in Kuku and Tun in the past, and now it is mixed into the caravan of our Shang Market Division, it must be a spy sent by the Ming State to monitor us." Ma Qi said with certainty that Zhang Shi'an's identity can be hidden from others, but he can't hide Ma Qi, who is mixed around the governor of Xuanda, and Fang Zhikun, who is in an important position as a general, they were terrified when they found out that this Jinyi guard appeared in their caravan, and they both thought that the imperial court sent someone to arrest them, so they attacked first and directly tied Zhang Shi'an to Li Yu - the Jinyi Wei who killed the imperial court directly was still weak-hearted, and it was best to kill people with Li Yu's hand.

"Great Commander, Ming Guo has a bad heart, he dares to send this thing to Fengzhou Chuan, my brother will throw him out to feed the wolf for you, God doesn't know it, Ming Guo is not easy to find us if he loses people." Fang Zhikun stayed here for a few months, and he also called Daming Cheng Mingguo as soon as he opened his mouth, what he was most afraid of was that the court would find him to settle accounts, and he couldn't wait to kill Zhang Shi'an as soon as possible.

"General, no, the commander, my old Zhang is a good person! You know, it's true that I'm Jinyiwei, but I've never thought of harming people! I'm just eating in Jinyiwei, and I have to feed my wife and children. As soon as Zhang Shi'an heard that he was going to be thrown out to feed the wolves, he was so frightened that tears came out, and he fell to the ground and pleaded with Li Yu.

"Lao Zhang, what's the matter with you, hurry up," Li Yu saw Zhang Shi'an's pitiful look, stepped forward to pull him up, and said kindly, "I am the Jingyu general of the Ming Dynasty, you are the Jinyi guard of the Ming Dynasty, everyone is a family, you don't need to be afraid, just make your affairs clear." ”

"Yes, you tell me honestly, what did Jinyiwei send you for?" Ma Qi and Fang Zhikun drank.

Zhang Shi'an is very honest, trembling and trembling to explain his own affairs, Zhang Shi'an ancestors have meritorious, was given the hereditary Jinyi Wei general banner post by the emperor, to his generation has been five or six generations, the general flag position was left to him, but their family has long passed the time to eat and drink spicy, no one in the Jinyi Wei can afford him this poor boy, he has been in Beijing for a few years and is not welcome, he was sent to Kuku and Tun to lurk for a long time, the main task is to monitor the remnants of the White Lotus Sect of Bansheng, Zhang Shi'an's latent is more than five years, the White Lotus Sect fled to Fengzhou is a matter of the Jiajing Dynasty, Several generations have passed, the Han people of Bansheng have their own lives, who still believes in the White Lotus Sect, Zhang Shi'an has nothing to do, and the people above seem to have forgotten him, and he didn't care about him after less than a year, Zhang Shi'an understood the taste, this is obviously someone bullied him for having no money and no backing, and deliberately sent him outside the gate to tell him to get out, Zhang Shi'an has backbone, he just doesn't bow his head and beg for people, he started a business and asked a local man to be his wife, and his life is comfortable, if it weren't for the Han invasion, he would have been going on like this in his life.

After the chaos in Fengzhou, Zhang Shi'an fled back to Guannei, at this time Jinyiwei suddenly remembered him, sent someone to find him, Zhang Shi'an had the opportunity to return to Beijing, and reported the local situation in Fengzhou that he knew in recent years to Shangguan, Jinyiwei finally had some real goods to the east factory, Jinyiwei commanded Luo Yangxing to summon him for this purpose, and after some encouragement, he was directly promoted to Jinyiwei 100 households, and sent him back to Fengzhou, the task was to monitor the Tatars in the Barbarian Mountain.

After Zhang Shi'an finished explaining, he said with a sad face: "Great Commander, I really didn't do anything, I came back just to continue trading, Jinyiwei didn't even make up for my arrears, why should I give them my life." ”

Li Yu laughed when he heard this: "Since you haven't done anything bad, what am I going to do with you, you go and do your business." ”

"No, you can't let him go," Ma Qi and Fang Zhikun said in unison, and Ma Qi explained, "What this guy said is pitiful, but Jinyiwei's heart is like a poisonous scorpion, what if he sells us, then our brothers are too wronged." ”

"Lao Zhang, let me make it clear, the people who come to me are all my brothers, including you, whoever wants to harm my brother, I will never let him go, even if you Jinyi Guard commander comes, this is Fengzhou is not Guannei, you think it out yourself, if you want to stay here, don't think about moving me." Li Yu nodded and said sharply.

Zhang Shi'an immediately swore to the sky that he would never harm anyone, Li Yu sneered and said: "As long as you Lao Zhang is a good man, I will never embarrass you, but if you dare to come nonsense, I also have a way to deal with you, the Ming army is about to enter Fengzhou, but their little ability can't turn over the sky of Fengzhou, I am going to see them, you talk about it yourself, no one is allowed to come nonsense." ”

Li Yu turned around and left, Ma Qi and Fang Zhikun looked at Zhang Shi'an coldly, Zhang Shi'an was in a cold sweat, Li Yu could let him go, but these two people could also control him to death, Fengzhou is a vast and sparsely populated place, it is too easy to kill someone, and you don't even have to bury the corpse, you can be eaten clean by wild beasts in one night.

"Two big brothers, let's do business together, the younger brother is not talented, but the border merchants are still very familiar" Zhang Shi'an was so anxious that he was sweating profusely and said, Ma Qi and Fang Zhikun didn't react at all, Zhang Shi'an was even more anxious, "I am most familiar with the Datong side wall, and I also know a lot of the officers and soldiers who are guarding, I know a few hidden paths to go under the side wall, we can secretly dig a hole and keep the goods and livestock that can pass." ”

Ma Qi and Fang Zhikun sneered again, they had already done it this hand, a few holes had been dug in the side wall, and they had been pasted with bricks and mud, and they could be opened at any time, this was their way to deal with emergencies, Ma Qi thought for a while and asked: "Lao Zhang, do you dare to sell smuggled salt, if you dare to do this head-killing business, then we are our own people, and from now on, we will do business together." ”

"Dare, I'm not afraid of anything ******, just sell smuggled salt, I did it." Zhang Shi'an also let go, if he doesn't do something to lose his head, these two will definitely not let him go.

Ma Qi and Fang Zhikun showed a smile at this time, Li Fugui's private salt workshop has a pitiful small output, only a few hundred catties a month, and can't make a few dollars, Ma Qi and Fang Zhikun generously handed over this headless business to Zhang Shi'an, which is also something they regret for life, and a few years later, Zhang Shi'an became the largest private salt dealer in Shanxi and Beizhili.

Li Yu went straight to Datong out of the camp of the Barbarian Mountain, Zhang Zongheng, the governor of Datong, made trouble for him again, Wang Xiangqian went home after making peace with Chahar, Wei Yunzhong, the right attendant of the military department, was transferred to the governor of Xuanda, Wei Yunzhong summoned Li Yu once after taking office, read out the edict appointing Li Yu as the general of Jingyu, and then sent him back, and since then he has ignored him, and Li Yu's top boss Datong General Man Gui has no interest in even looking at him, and it is difficult for Li Yu to see him. Datong Fuyi General Soldier Wang Mumin is not bad to Li Yu, but unfortunately this guy himself is also mixed with rice, and he has no power and no money in his hands, except for accompanying Li Yu to blow a meal, he can't help, but he is more interested in Li Yu, but Zhang Zongheng called him to lecture him a few times, and reminded him to intervene in Hanxu and the snake, don't think about stepping on two boats.

Zhang Zongheng recently had a whim, planning to send officials and the Ming army into Fengzhou, Datong Town was immediately stirred up, the governor wanted to open up the territory for the emperor Everyone can understand, but the problem is that there is no official willing to go, that place is so poor that he can't even afford to eat, how can there be oil and water to fish, and there are barbarians everywhere, one day he is hacked and he doesn't know who did it, whoever goes is a fool, Song Tongyin was also startled, and hurriedly wrote a letter to dissuade him, Fengzhou is a place where barbarians live, remote and bitter cold, shortage of food and clothing, How can tens of thousands of people raise it? And there is no city wall fort to defend, it is easy to get and it is even more difficult to defend, if you commit a dangerous basis, I am afraid that the crime of wreck in the future can be waited!

Zhang Zongheng was also shocked into a cold sweat after reading the letter, and completely dispelled the idea of sending officials, but he still had to send soldiers, he wanted to declare the sovereignty of the Ming Dynasty and deter Li Yu, who was stepping on two boats, so he notified Li Yu to come to Datong to discuss the matter of garrisoning Fengzhou. The Great Commander's Office was very disgusted by this, Ortai and Namur were resolutely opposed, Zhao Ji even claimed that if the Ming army entered, it would be annihilated immediately, only Li Fugui did not take this seriously, isn't it just a few Ming troops, it's not a big deal, just their bear-like can still turn the sky, the elite Ming army during the reign of Emperor Chengzu is untenable outside the border, and withdrew from Dongsheng, Xinghe, Kaiping Sanwei, and now the soldiers of Datong Town are also the material for deserters, but Li Fugui emphasized that the Ming army can enter Fengzhou, but the military salary, We don't care about supplies and ordnance, on the contrary, we have to reach out to Datong to ask for military salaries, they are the Ming army, of course we are also the Ming army, they have military salaries, then we must also have military salaries.

Li Yu arrived at the Yamen of the Governor of Datong, Zhang Zongheng saw that he just casually encouraged a few words, so he sent him to the Yamen of the Datong Prefect to find Ma Shiying, the prefect of Datong, and the general soldier of Datong Man Gui to talk, so Li Yu went to find Ma Shiying again, Ma Shiying was still the same, saw people smiled, beckoned Li Yu to sit down, and sent someone to invite the general soldier of Datong to Man Gui.

Among the officials in Datong, Li Yu's influence on Ma Shiying is very good, this person is not rigid, and he is more easy-going, and he talks about things much more freely than with Zhang Zongheng, Ma Shiying and Li Yu are waiting for Man Gui, while chatting, Ma Shiying suddenly talked about the horse market, and the branch of Taifu Temple complained to him, saying that they can't receive cattle and horses, but there are a large number of livestock from outside the Guan, and even some war horses, and the price is lower than what they used to sell in Taifu Temple, Lao Ma asked Li Yu if he knew what was going on?

Li Yu said with an aggrieved face, the Taifu Temple branch buys livestock too dark, a cow is exchanged for more than a stone of rice, a good horse does not even give ten taels of silver, the livestock dealers in Fengzhou are definitely not willing to do business with them, whoever gives the high price will sell it to whom, no one can care, as for how he knows about the affairs in the Guannei, the Taifu Temple branch can't figure it out, so go and check it yourself.

The old horse smiled, the ghosts all knew what was going on, but who dared to really investigate? He waved his hand and said: "Don't mention this matter, if you don't do some business in that poor place, people will starve to death a long time ago, you can figure out what to do yourself, as long as there is no major incident." Our border merchants in Datong Town are doing well, Xuanfu Town is unlucky, plugging the Han to block the business road outside the Xuanfu border, these barbarians are poor and stupid, and they can't do business, but the border merchants over there are suffering, the official's old friends in Xuanfu recommended a few Zhangjiakou businessmen to come over, can General Li make it convenient for them? ”