Chen Xiang's news was delivered to Wang Huan on the third day after the establishment of the pacesetter battalion of the 100-man team, and the person who reported the news was a subordinate sent by Ma Long, who stayed behind in Kuafu Mountain.

Chen Xiang's news spread very quickly, because he left only two of his 20 people in Chongqing City, and the rest of the people, according to the distance of one person every 40 miles, evenly distributed on the official road from Chongqing City to Kuafu Mountain, using the method of beating drums and passing flowers, one person relayed one person at a time, day and night, a distance of 700 miles, and it took less than three days for the news to arrive at Kuafu Mountain Malone.

Ma Long did not dare to slack off, and immediately sent someone to send Chen Xiang's bamboo letter to Wanshou Valley, and when Wang Huan unfolded the letterhead in the bamboo tube, Zeng Ying's men and horses had just stepped out of the gate of Fotu Pass.

Wang Huan frowned and looked at the letterhead carefully, then gently put the letterhead on the table at hand, staring and contemplating.

In the conference hall, Ma Xintian, Zu Bian, Xu Goudan, Ma Wannian and Ma Chongming sat left and right, holding their breath and not saying a word, waiting for Wang Huan.

After half a ring, Wang Huan handed the letter to Ma Xintian on the left and let everyone circulate it.

Ma Xintian was still calm when he saw it, but Zu Bian and the others were shocked, and Ma Wannian even raised his head and exclaimed: "Zeng Ying actually sent an army of 10,000 people to attack my Wanshou Valley, he is so big and bold!" Aren't you afraid of the court's blame? ”

Wang Huan tapped the arm of the chair with one finger and said in a deep voice: "Zeng Ying is cautious, the lion fights the rabbit, and one blow will be hit." ”

He smiled bitterly: "Besides, where can the imperial court still manage our piece now, Shuzhong is already a hodgepodge of stewed dishes, officers and soldiers and thieves are intertwined, and those who can be divided here are all soldiers and uncles, can the court manage it?" can only appease and co-opt, whoever has the big fist is the treasure in the eyes of the court, if Zeng Ying destroys us, the court will only pay more attention to Zeng Ying, and will not pay attention to us who are trampled underfoot. ”

Zu Bian thought for a moment and said in a loud voice: "What the lord said is extremely true, at the beginning, Zuo Liangyu was dominant in Wuchang, expanded his power, and killed many disobedient generals and civil officials, but the court not only did not issue an order to punish severely, but said that those who were killed were all guilty people, Zuo Liangyu killed well, and from then on Zuo Liangyu was called the king of Wuchang, and no one dared to stop his edge. ”

Xu Tiezhu was shocked when he heard this, and hurriedly said: "Then let's quickly inform Ma Long, let him blow up the mountain and cut off the road, cut off Zeng Ying's way to come, and keep me safe in Wanshou Valley!" ”

Wang Huan waved his hand and said: "Don't worry, Chen Xiang's letter said that Zeng Ying's people will be ten thousand immediately, and they will have a lot of baggage, and they have just left the city gate in procrastination, calculate the time, and they will not arrive in the Black Valley in seven or eight days at the earliest, and we will have time to transfer troops and send generals, and when I get to the Black Valley in person, it will not be too late to see the situation and bomb it." ”

Ma Xintian, who had been sitting still, only spoke at this time, he got up and clenched his fists: "My lord, my Wanshou Valley now has a total of 300 soldiers, excluding the 150 people guarding the silver mine and the refinery, there are only 150 soldiers, including the newly established 100-person team, the strength is too small, do you want to ask the stone pillar for help?" ”

Wang Huan shook his head: "No! The stepmother does not have enough troops in her hands, and she still has to guard against the Yangtze River waterway, so she can't ask for troops. ”

He looked at Xu Tiezhu: "How many can you take out of the young and strong people in the valley?" ”

Xu Tiezhu hurriedly got up and responded: "There are three thousand tuntian households in the valley, but each household can draw one ding, this is no problem, other middle-aged men have been scattered in various mines in the deep mountains, it is not easy to gather together, there are nearly 3,000 people in the city, and 1,000 men can be drawn from them, so that a total of 4,000 men can be used." ”

Ma Xintian frowned and said: "These people are all Zhuang style with hoes and iron pickaxes, and they insist that they go into battle to defend against the enemy, I am afraid that they will not be used." ”

Wang Huan thought about it, and then asked Ma Chongming: "How many people can be drawn in the Matou Village?" ”

Ma Chongming frowned, lowered his head and thought about it for a while, before he said in a dumb voice: "If you count all the men over fifteen years old and under sixty years old, there are only two hundred. In the past few years, the imperial court has drawn troops, and the blood has been drained, you know, my lord. ”

The atmosphere in the hall became dull, everyone looked at each other, 4,000 peasants took hoes to confront 10,000 officers and soldiers, and knew the consequences with their toes, the thieves used this trick in the past, and the 100,000 people who were surrounded by the thieves were rushed by thousands of officers and soldiers, and they would immediately be defeated and scattered.

But Wanshou Valley can't even afford this cannon fodder, they are all dependent on future development, no one farms and mines, Wanshou Valley will only be a mountain village.

Wang Huan got up and stood up, looking at the gloomy crowd, but laughed.

"Everyone, have you forgotten, I haven't tried the firearms of Wanshou Valley yet, and the power of the extinguishing bullet is just for Zeng Ying's soldiers and horses to test the effect." He said loudly: "The soldiers are coming, the water is coming, the battle has not yet been fought, how do you know who wins and who loses?" You don't know that the batch of gunpowder a few days ago has been dried in the shade, and nearly 30 catties of yellow gunpowder have been obtained, and these 30 catties of gunpowder have been made into exterminating bullets, a total of 70 exterminating bullets, 70 exterminating bullets! ”

"Seventy exterminators!" The people in the hall are all happy, the power of one exterminating bomb is greater than the shelling of a Furlong cannon, seventy, isn't that equivalent to carpet bombing?

"So, cheer up, according to my next arrangement, go back to their places, build ordnance, and prepare for battle!"

Wang Huan's prestige has given everyone an inexplicable sense of faith, he said that what can be done, no one will suspect that it can't be done, at this moment everyone saw that Wang Huan's heart was not flustered or short-lived, and he was strategizing, he immediately cheered up and responded loudly: "Please give an order!" ”

Wang Huan restrained his smile and said sharply: "Xu Tiezhu, I order you to immediately take people up the mountain to cut wood today, and build two hundred shields that are eight feet high and one foot thick, and they will be accepted in two days!" ”

"Yes!" Xu Tiezhu replied loudly.

"Ma Xintian, I order you to immediately step up the training of one hundred and fifty soldiers, specialize in throwing, and make sure that everyone can skillfully throw the exterminating bomb twenty zhang away!"

"Yes!" Ma Xintian clenched his fists.

"Zubian, I order you to immediately gather three thousand households in the city, one for each household, and practice the array, so that you can line up in two days without chaos."

"Yes!" Zu Bian replied in a thick voice.

"Ma Wannian and Ma Chongming, you two are guarding the silver mine and Wanshou City respectively, to prevent the small people from taking the opportunity to make trouble, and those who dare to take the opportunity to make trouble and disturb the hearts of our people will not be spared! No entry or exit in the city! ”

The two stood up, clasped their fists and said, "Yes!" ”

Wang Huan walked to the huge sand table in the center of the hall, his eyes showed a cold light, he slammed his palm on the table, and said hatefully: "How many people are you, as long as you dare to offend my Wanshou City, you will definitely have no return!" ”