Yuan Xi was also worried at this time, Yijing's Zhao Rui was like an injured mouse, and he closed the city gate and didn't come out. He sent people to shout and explain his identity, and was recognized as a liar and wanted to win the city gates. The defender prisoners he put back, and the words he brought to the past, were also considered to be a ploy of the enemy army. As for his desire to negotiate with the captive, he was ruthlessly refused, on the grounds that there was nothing left to talk about with Gongsun Zhan. Zhao Rui's subordinates even threatened: "The garrison army of Ji County is coming soon, and you don't have a few days to live." ”

This made Yuan Xi smile bitterly, thinking: Aren't the troops of Ji County in front of you.

But in this way, at least Yi Jing's people would not disturb their own land reclamation, so Yuan Xi put them aside and encouraged his subordinates with all his might. The farm tools and seeds were all prepared in advance and transported from far away from Ji County. Once the land has been prepared, it is time to sow seeds.

During this period, the captured defenders of Yijing played an important role, and they became the backbone of the labor force. This allowed Tian Yu's troops and the people's army to take time out for collective drills.

The predecessor of the People's Army was the first camp, and Tian Yu's troops were white horses, and the two sides were mortal enemies.

Yuan Xi thought that the movement they made was too big, so they moved to the south of Yingshui. That way he can farm in peace on the North Shore.

At this time, there were down-and-out farmers in Ji County who came to defect one after another, and most of them got the propaganda of the Assassin's Mansion, saying that they could get land for nothing, tax exemption and exemption, so they were moved to run. Some of them are farmers who have lost their land and are in debt, and some are tenants who work under the hands of the wealthy clans, and they are all people who have no way to live, and they came to Yingshui in the spirit of adventure, only to find that there are really hundreds of people working hard here, and there is still food to eat, and they can't help but be overjoyed.

Lu Fang took the account book and happily reported to Yuan Xi: "At the beginning, there were three or four households a day, but now there are more than a dozen households a day, all of which are dragged with their families. In this way, the food we brought from Ji County is a little insufficient. ”

Yuan Xi was also worried about this, the food originally planned was enough, but there were hundreds of more captives, all of whom were strong laborers, and it was a pity not to use them, but they could stay and consume food, so they couldn't help but be in a dilemma.

"What about the direction of Yijing? Have they softened? Even if I'm really Gongsun Zhan's remnant, everyone can sit down and talk, why do you have to keep your own door behind closed doors? ”

For Zhao Rui, Yuan Xi really has no choice. squatting in Yijing City like a shrunken turtle all day long, and he didn't even dare to open the city gate, which made the people in Yijing panic and complain. It was also difficult for him to be scared like this by more than 20 white horse soldiers.

It's just that the front is too violent, and the army of more than 2,000 people actually sent a hundred people to overturn, what does this make Zhao Rui think?

Lu Fang said: "Second son, or we will directly defeat Yijing City." I went to see it the day before yesterday, and the walls of Yijing were all collapsed, and the front was surrounded for five months. ”

Yuan Xi said: "The spring sowing season is coming soon, and if you miss this time, the harvest will not be good." You tell Xu Dayan and them to stop training and spend more time farming. Maybe I'll have to do it myself......"

Lu Fang hurriedly stopped him and said, "The second son has a noble status, how can he work in the field?" ”

Yuan Xi said: "Emperor Wen of Han and Emperor Jing of Han have all set aside a place to farm in the palace, what do I have to be lazy." ”

Lu Fang stuck out his tongue and thought: The second prince really has a bad heart, and he actually compares himself with the two emperors. He was surprised and delighted, and he was surprised that with such a rebellious lord, he was frightened every day, and maybe one day the ship would sink. I'm glad that maybe one day it will be done, won't I become a minister of the dragon? But he didn't know that Yuan Xi was just talking about it, and he didn't worship the contemporary emperor as much as the people at that time. Ordinary people felt that the emperor was ordered by heaven and was the chosen son, so he automatically submitted to the imperial court. Yuan Xi just didn't have this kind of awe by nature.

In the afternoon, Yuan Xi took farm tools and went to the field to cultivate. The workmanship of this hoe is quite crude, and it is said that the workmanship is already good, which is completely incomparable with the skills of later generations. Not only is the shape of the hoe crooked, the surface uneven, but also the moment it is shoveled into the soil, it must be strengthened. In addition, the iron sheet was too thick, and it was a little rusty, and it was very heavy to carry in the hand.

"Lu Fang, where is this hoe produced?"

Lu Fang was also working beside him, and he was dragged down. However, when it comes to loosening soil, his talent is much stronger than Yuan Xi's. He already thinks that this farm tool is very good, and when he didn't have a farm tool before, he used to dig out the stones in the land by hand.

"The hoe was made by craftsmen in Ji County, and it was not easy to scavenge it."

"Ji County? The blacksmiths there are so badly crafted? How can such a simple iron tool as a hoe be made like this? Are there any better craftsmen? ”

"A better craftsman? Then you have to go to Nanpi ......."

"Nanpi? Isn't it just south of here? ”

Yuan Xi raised the tools in his hand and said: "If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools, Nanpi is a good place, since there are good craftsmen there, we should make more use of it." ”

Lu Fang kept in his hand, sifted out the stones in the soil, and then threw them aside, and said, "Second son, but Nanpi is from Jizhou." And we don't have iron in our hands, and people won't help us build things. ”

Yuan Xi said: "This is indeed a problem, last time I raided Song Lu's house and found that he had several iron mines, but they were all in Qingzhou, which is a pity." ”

Horses, iron, salt, and grain are all the leading industries of this era, and those who engage in this business are often rich and rival countries, but they are generally controlled by the imperial court. However, since the division of the princes, these properties have been controlled by private individuals, and those big families and tycoons who control resources have become the objects of attraction in the eyes of the princes. The two sides traded and formed an alliance.

In order to form combat effectiveness, this iron smelting must also be grasped. Yuan Xi thought in his heart, and swung the hoe in his hand down hard. Bang, I don't know what hard object I touched, but the iron piece actually broke off the hoe.

"This thing is iron? Why is it so brittle? ”

Yuan Xi wiped his sweat and looked helpless.

Lu Fang hurriedly rushed over, picked up the piece of iron, and said, "Don't worry, as long as you tie it up with a rope, it can still be used." ”

The two of them were working, and there was the sound of horses' hooves next to them, but it was Tian Yu.

Tian Yu dismounted and said to Yuan Xi: "Lord, I found that there is an unknown army in the south......

"How did you find out? Is there a flag? ”

"No...... We went a little further south this time and saw this guy. They were pushing a cart after cart, and they didn't know what was on it, and it looked so heavy that it even sank into the earth...... It's too far away, and we don't dare to get close. ”

"Let's go and see."