At the end of September, Asari, the assistant military minister of the eastern marching platform, led 3,000 cavalry to meet the Eastern Expeditionary Army, and the two armies retreated together to Dorenor. The Qing armies on the southern and northern routes also met west of Ulahada, following the Fengzhou army to the vicinity of the border, but there was no clash between the two sides, and the Qing army withdrew after three days of stay - neither side actually wanted to tear their faces, and many things still had to be resolved at the negotiating table.

Li Yu breathed a sigh of relief, and also ordered his various armies to return to the station, and then hurried to Dushikou with Xue Xianguang - Asari brought bad news, Liu Xingzuo's condition deteriorated in the middle of this month, and then he was bedridden, and people often fell into a coma.

Li Yu galloped all the way to Dushikou, dismounted and trotted into the back house in front of the official office in the eastern Xingtai. There was a lot of sadness in the bedroom, Liu Xingzuo's wife and children had arrived from naturalization, and they were lying in front of the bed sobbing in a low voice, Father Deng Ruoshui held Liu Xingzuo's hand and prayed in a low voice, looked up and found Li Yu coming in, and hurriedly pulled him out of the door.

"Domus can't do it, he keeps calling your name when he wakes up, I probably want to see you, go and accompany him!" Deng Ruoshui lowered his head and said, Li Yu's tears burst out of his eyes, Shenyang's friends Zhongkuertang and Yingge were killed, Dahai and Sakhalian died in an unknown way, and now the only brother who accompanied him was also leaving, he felt a wave of heat rushing up, and rushed to the courtyard to cover his face and cry bitterly, I don't know how long later, Deng Ruoshui came to his side again, "Your Royal Highness the Earl, be calm, all people will be called by the Lord, Domus is a good person, he will definitely go to heaven, you should pray for him." ”

Li Yu returned to the bedroom, sat in front of the bed and held Liu Xingzuo's cold and dry hand, and prayed with Deng Ruoshui in a low voice, but tears kept dripping on Liu Xingzuo's hand, this hand suddenly moved, and after a while, Liu Xingzuo opened his eyes, and a smile appeared on his pale face.

"Big brother, I'm back, I'll always be with you, when you're well, we'll return together, and there will be no more wars in the future, I'll accompany you back to Kaiyuan's hometown, and you will also accompany me back to Wula Mountain, okay?" Li Yu whispered to Liu Xingzuo.

Liu Xingzuo shook his head slightly, his eyes kept blinking, Deng Ruoshui quietly reminded "Domus has something to worry about", Li Yu thought about it and hugged Liu Chengzu next to him and said: "The eldest brother's son is my son, he likes Li Jin, let them be together, and he will have a share of my family business in the future." ”

Liu Xingzuo still shook his head, Li Yu thought for a while, pointed to Xue Xianguang who was covering his face and sobbing on the side and said: "Junshan is the person trusted by the eldest brother, and I also trust him, and the east gate of Fengzhou will be handed over to him in the future." ”

Xue Xianguang couldn't hold back any longer, ran out of the house and cried loudly, Liu Xingzuo nodded, but still kept blinking, Li Yu guessed a few times and was a little confused, Liu Xingzuo suddenly became excited, his chest continued to rise and fall, and he gathered all his strength and shouted, "Enter the customs - Huguang", and then passed out again.

Late that night, one of the founders of Fengzhou, the commander-in-chief of the military and political affairs of the eastern part of Taiwan, Liu Xingzuo died, Father Deng Ruoshui presided over the funeral for him, Li Yu, Zhao Ji, Xue Xianguang, Chang Shu, Asari, Tuba carried the coffin for him, tens of thousands of Han, Mongolian, and Manchurian people spontaneously rushed to his funeral, and on the same day, public sacrifices were also held in various parts of Fengzhou - Liu Xingzuo guarded the east gate of Fengzhou for ten years, prepared for military preparation, improved people's livelihood, and was supported by the people of all ethnic groups, and the strongest side wall was the hearts of the people. The eastern frontier of Toyosu has become an impregnable iron gate in his hands.

Li Yu always felt that the eldest brother had not left, set up a camp tent in front of the tomb, insisted on staying with the eldest brother, and wrote a letter to Zhao Ji and Chang Shu to the presidential palace on several important matters - the letter said that the surrender of the right battalion of the cavalry was by no means a shame for the Fengzhou army, but a "glorious surrender", if the responsibility was borne by him, and asked to posthumously award the title of governor of Dehun Andu, plus the fourth class Baturu Shixun; In addition, it was suggested that Xue Xianguang should lead military affairs as the commander of the eastern Taiwan Tour, and at the same time add the title of governor of the capital; In the end, he denounced Lengkouguan's act of booby-trapping Fengzhou's auxiliaries as despicable and shameless as Li Chengliang's booby trapping of Su Jianghai and Fang Zhikun to trap Guiyingcha, and demanded that the presidential palace negotiate with the imperial court to compensate the families of the deceased and severely punish the officials who caused the incident.

Deng Ruoshui would not let go of the opportunity to be alone with the number one person in Fengzhou, and volunteered to stay and guard the tomb with Li Yu, Li Yu couldn't ask for it, he also wanted to ask this learned Western missionary for advice, and the two accompanied each other day and night, and soon became close friends who talked about everything.

Since Deng Ruoshui arrived in Fengzhou, he has vigorously advocated a three-level new style of teaching, that is, a primary school was set up at the level of 100 households to teach literacy, arithmetic, and virtue, and a junior high school was set up at the level of a thousand households to teach number theory, logic, ethics, and poetry, while a senior middle school was set up at the level of government and health to implement separate subject education, which could set up subjects such as economics, government affairs, water conservancy, mining and metallage, agriculture and animal husbandry, industrial tools, and economics and history. The Prime Minister's Office was stunned by this grand plan, and pushed him to the Presidential Palace like a ball, Li Fugui was very interested, and immediately approved the addition of a normal department in the Government Affairs School, and also suggested that all three levels of teaching should open a "Citizen" course, and then give Deng Ruoshui a senatorial title, and send him to the governors, of course, local autonomy also includes teachings. Deng Ruoshui had perseverance, and while preaching and promoting his new-style teachings, he always ran into a nose, and the richest Naturalization Mansion and Baoketu Mansion only agreed to set up new-style primary schools, and the other health centers were basically indifferent.

"Over the years, all the guards have been rich, but they are willing to spend money on business, but they are not willing to spend money for their children." Deng Ruoshui complained very aggrievedly.

"They are short-sighted, and they have losses and profits in business, but they don't lose money by spending money to teach their children to study," Li Yu expressed support for Deng Ruoshui, but said in embarrassment, "The situation of the various government guards is different, and the presidential palace is not easy to interfere with, Father, what do you need me to do?" ”

"Opening a university, Father Julius has already explained in "Western Learning", universities not only impart knowledge, exchange knowledge, but also promote a style of learning, Europa did just that, its university is unprecedented, the scale can reach 10,000 people, His Royal Highness the Count, if you open a university, the promotion of new teachings will definitely get twice the result with half the effort."

"It takes a lot of money, doesn't it?" Li Yu was a little weak-hearted.

"Of course, it takes a lot of money, to open a university in Europa, the official money is far from enough, you must rely on the donations of the church, the monarch and the nobility, Your Highness is the greatest and most enlightened ruler I have ever met, and you should also donate a university, this university will not only give your citizens a good education, but also make you famous in history," Deng Ruoshui saw that Li Yu's face began to turn white, and his heart was snickering, and he continued while the iron was hot, "You should also set up an academy of sciences to gather the best talents in various disciplines to discuss knowledge, They're going to do miracles, and they all need talent, and you're in luck, and the Jesus Church can help you send the brightest young people of Toyosu to study in Europa, and they will be able to return in ten years at most, and then your university and academy will be the glory of all Asia. ”

Li Yu was shocked when he heard this, and after a long time he blushed and said: "Father Deng, I don't have any money, the establishment of the Academy of Sciences and the sending of people to study in Europa are two things that are easy to do, I can write a letter to the Prime Minister's Office, and the opening of the university must be planned slowly." ”

"His Royal Highness the Earl is incorruptible, of course he can't take out the money, but your two ladies are very rich." Deng Ruoshui said with a smile.

Li Yu has more than 5,000 acres of land, and it seems that there are a lot of 40 taels a month, and he is second only to Ortai, Li Fugui, Liu Zhilun and Du Wenhuan in Fengzhou, but there are many places where he is used to spending money by indiscriminately good people, and it is a joke to want to open a university, and he only has the idea of beating his wife, but he doesn't even know how much money Wulan and Wu Langha sisters earn, how can he cheat it?

When he was racking his brains, Su Tai suddenly appeared in front of him, Li Yu was happy in his heart, Su Tai has been working with Ulan and Wu Langha to make money, and he must know the details, but as soon as Su Tai opened his mouth, it was not a good thing - there was infighting in the family.

"What should I do?" Su Tai asked with red eyes - the second girl is here, and she also brought Xiao Erlu, she can't stay in the Li family anymore, so she finds her son Kong Guoer and asks Li Yu what is going on.

Su Tai is a Yehe person, kind-hearted, smart and beautiful, and she is also infatuated with herself, but after all, she is the widow of Chahar Khan, what will she think if she marries a civil and military official in Fengzhou? How will the people of all ethnic groups react? Li Yu didn't dare to take this risk, covered his head and was silent for a long time before whispering "I'm sorry".

"Okay, I'll take my son back to Jinlianchuan." Sutai whimpered and turned his head to leave.

"Uncle, you can marry my mother!" Kong Guoer was stunned and said.

"You don't understand the affairs of the elders," Li Yu smiled bitterly and waved his hand, and then said solemnly, "Kong Guoer Ezhe, when you grow up, I will return Chahar to you, and take the ancestor's Sulu ingot to start a business." ”

Kong Guoer hesitated for a moment, waved his fist and said: "Uncle, don't worry, I will definitely revive Chahar, you give Chagui to me, Brother Adhai will definitely come to Chahar when he grows up." ”

Li Yu nodded, strode forward, Tuba hid under a big tree not far away and kept looking secretly, then he had to stand up and salute, Li Yu grabbed his collar and whispered: "Tuba, I know you have done something in the middle, hear clearly, protect Su Tai and Kong Guoer, otherwise I won't be able to spare you." ”

Su Tai left, Li Yu suddenly felt empty in his heart again, and the heavy snow had fallen when he was thinking about it, and at this time the new trade ambassador of the Qing State arrived, and brought a letter from the Qing Emperor - the Qing Emperor condemned Fengzhou's aggression and said that he would definitely send an envoy to Naturalization next year to settle the account, but now Fengzhou must sell him a batch of grain, and it must be delivered as soon as possible, the money doesn't matter, he has it, in addition, the director of the Ministry of Rites Busai took over as the Qing Dynasty's trade ambassador to Fengzhou, and the former trade ambassador Bayanha has another appointment, Fengzhou's ambassador to the Great Qing Dynasty, Fan Erxi, must also be replaced, this guy is too capable of making trouble.

"Liaodong has been in drought for two consecutive years, and this year we are finally looking forward to the rain, but Qingzhuang went to Jinzhou to fight and the land was barren, we didn't have enough food, and tens of thousands of captives were added to eat, and many people will definitely starve to death after winter, Baturu, you must help us." The new trade ambassador, Busai, who was in his thirties, looked a little weak, and pleaded eagerly.

Li Yu nodded and asked, "Busai, you became a senior official of the Ministry of Rites at a young age, you should have read a book, right?" Listening to your accent, it seems to be someone from outside Zhenbei Pass. ”

"Baturu, I am also a Ula person, after the Ula clan was wiped out, he was incorporated into the red flag with his elders, he was just a poor flag man before, Tiancong became an official in the eighth year of the examination, you don't know us, but we all know that you are the hero of the Ula people." Busai replied with some excitement.

"It's groundbreaking for the Ula people to be promoted in the examination, you are the hero of the Ula people," Li Yu stood up excitedly, took Busai's hand and said, "I don't have any food in my hand, but I can write a letter to the Fengzhou Chamber of Commerce, as long as the Qing court is willing to pay, they will have a way to send the grain to Liaodong as soon as possible." ”

After Li Yu finished writing the letter, he immediately arranged for someone to send Bu Sai to naturalization, Bu Sai was about to leave with the letter, Li Yu suddenly stopped him again: "Bu Sai, you send a letter to the emperor, just say that Fengzhou is going to open a world-famous university, whoever pays more money can name it, this is a good opportunity to be famous for all generations, but unfortunately I have no money so to give it to him, as long as I am willing to pay 200,000 taels of silver, it is called Daqing University, it is called Chongde University, whatever he wants." ”

Fengzhou is lucky this year, after the beginning of spring, it rained a few times, the prefectures and guards also grasped the drought and locusts, the grain output reached an unprecedented three million stones, and the good news came from Hami in early October, the cotton yield per mu planted by Daoerji exceeded 100 catties, and the people of Fengzhou were completely intoxicated - the iron horse in their hands was still strong, and now there are grain, iron tools and cotton, and the heavens simply favor Fengzhou.

The situation in Shanxi is mixed, this year the full implementation of the new policy, the power of affairs and taxation at the same time to decentralize the localities, the local parliaments to take action, organize the people to self-help themselves, with the deposition of the additional tax reduction, the reduction of land rents to encourage farming, the abolition of the two banknotes for free trade, the relocation of displaced people in the Western Regions reclamation, and the introduction of work for relief and other measures, the people have finally breathed a sigh of relief - Shanxi this year there is no famine. At the same time, the gentry in various places controlled the locality, oppressed the good, and the state capital beggar-thy-neighbor, the situation of competing for profit also occurred from time to time, and the stubborn forces loyal to the Ming court therefore scolded the new policy for causing trouble in Shanxi, and the court officials who were retained were used to the days of prestige and fortune and the common people, but now they were stared at by the parliament to do things for the locality, and if they did not do well, they would be scolded and reduced, and even fired and returned home.

In the middle of June, a group of bandits rushed out of Luliang Mountain, the bandit leader nicknamed "hairy pig head", it is said that he was born in the first show, and later changed his career to sell pork and lost his capital, in order to hide debts into the mountain to be a thief. This guy is smart, playing the banner of "Fuming and destroying the captives", and all the thieves under his command are wearing red cloths and are known as the "Red Turban Army", taking advantage of the local chaos to seize Yongning Prefecture by surprise. Of course, it is the business of the officials and the army to eliminate the thieves, but the officials and soldiers in Shanxi Town are known as military businessmen, and they can only do business and not fight, and the leaders of the military and businessmen, Wang Guoliang and Wang Zhong, put together three or four thousand people to suppress the thieves, and the result is a complete defeat. The hairy pig head was even more rampant, shouting the slogan of "expelling Hu Lu and restoring China", vowing to drive the Fengzhou barbarians out of the border wall, and the Ming Zhongliang, who opposed the new policy, praised it greatly, and helped openly and secretly, and even some people were willing to take refuge, and even the new governor Fan Zhiwan also noticed this strange thing - Song Xian, the former governor of Shanxi, could not control Shanxi, and was dismissed from his post and returned to his hometown in July.

Fan Zhiwan hated the new policy to the core, racked his brains to fight the Fengzhou forces, and the hairy pig head came at the right time, so he recruited this guy, gave him a guerrilla official position, and ordered him to crusade against the rebellious gentry in various places. The hairy pig's head has a name, simply under the banner of "Fuming and destroying the captives", with Yongning as the nest to attack the city everywhere, Taiyuan, Fenzhou, Liaozhou and other places are all harassed, every place will destroy the parliament, kill, loot the gentry, but also take out some worthless property to buy the people, the thieves quickly expanded to 100,000 people, there is a great tendency to sweep Shanxi.

If these thieves succeeded, wouldn't they be in contact with foreign countries and asked Fengzhou to immediately send troops to suppress the thieves, but Fengzhou refused to send troops on the grounds that the main force was going eastward, and instead suggested that the General Administration of Joint Defense requisition and mobilize the people's armies in various places to clear them out on their own.

Zhang Daojun was angry and looked for Li Huai's theory, but Li Huai told him a shocking news, Mao Zhutou sent people to Fengzhou to beg for surrender, promising never to interfere with the trade routes of Fengzhou to the south, never rob the merchants of Fengzhou, and never make enemies of the Fengzhou army.

"This person is also heroic, and he must be removed! But now is not the time, to lure the snake out of the hole and kill it all, Brother Zixuan can fight for a while first, it doesn't matter if he loses the battle, let those rich people who sweep the snow in front of the door suffer a little, and the local councils should indeed clean up. Li Huai whispered.

Zhang Daojun was miserable, after Shanxi's restructuring, the local state government looked at its own money, grain, and people very closely, and could only take advantage of it and could not suffer losses, and it was too difficult to expect to requisition and transfer people, money, and grain from the localities, and Shanxi was in ruins, and the General Defense Bureau relied on less than a few commercial taxes, and could only afford Xu Sheng's and He Dazhong's 2,000 people's army. The enemy is outnumbered, Zhang Daojun knows that he is invincible, so he contacted Pingyang, Lu'an, Zezhou three governments to defend the Kou, these three are the richest, gentry, rich businessmen many people have been doing business in Fengzhou for a long time, very familiar with the Fengzhou model, according to the cat and the tiger is also far stronger than other places, Zhang Daojun relied on the support of these three places, and finally blocked the Tukou in the stone building, Lingshi, as for the other state capitals can not take care of.

In December, the Fengzhou Presidential Office urgently ordered the people's army of Shanxi prefectures to rush to Yongning within 10 days, and meet the Fengzhou army to suppress the thieves together, and at the same time announced that a general meeting would be held in Datong at the beginning of the year, and those who did not obey the order would be disqualified from participating in the meeting. The leaders of the local councils did not dare to play tricks anymore, they were not necessarily afraid of military orders, but they were afraid that Fengzhou would not take them to play, so they quickly assembled the local people's army, brought their own weapons and rations and rushed to Yongning in the snow, and the Shanxi officials and soldiers could not sit still, picked up the knives and spears that were already unfamiliar and ran towards Yongning - the governor of Shanxi obviously had the intention of getting rid of them, and if they did not destroy this group of bandits, they would not be able to save their jobs in the future.