In the summer of the twelfth year of the Great Cause, the north continued to have high temperatures.

From mid-May, there was no rain for almost a month, and the land was parched and cracked, like a baby's mouth. It was an extremely dry summer, with early signs of harvest failure in many places. Crops died of drought and rivers were cut off, especially in Yingchuan, Liangjun and other places, the long-awaited flood season was long gone, and the only glimmer of hope in my heart became disappearing with the drought of the land.

Since the eighth year of the Great Cause, the accumulated resentment has begun to erupt.

In Dongjun alone, in just one month, there was a spectacular scene of tens of thousands of people going to Wagang.

Li Mi, who had just arrived in Wagang, was keenly aware of this situation. In order to win the hearts of the people and recruit Zhongzhou heroes, Li Mi compiled more than a dozen slang songs and ordered the Wagang people to spread them.

"Hold the master, hold the mother, take the children to Wagang, and eat righteous food on the Wagang village......"

"Hand make the axe racing wheel, kill Yang Guang to save the poor ......"

Slang songs like this quickly spread among the people. In the eight years since the Great Cause, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty has been reckless in his military force, and the evil consequences of repeatedly using troops against Goguryeo have finally appeared. Compared with Wang Bo's "Song of the Death of the Waves of Liaodong", the slang songs composed by Li Mi are obviously easier to understand and easier to be sung by the common people. For a time, heroes from all over Shandong rushed to Wagangzhai.

This is also the first time that among the rebels in various places, the slogan of killing Yang Guang was clearly aimed at the Sui room and shouted.

For a time, the prestige of Wagang Village was greatly enhanced, and the number of people under his command was soaring rapidly, and by the beginning of June, Wagang had gathered 200,000 people.

There are more people and horses, and the momentum is up!

But the ensuing questions made Zhai Rang feel a headache.

With so many people and horses, eating, drinking, and lazing, the amount of grain and grass consumed every day is innumerable. With the current strength of Wagangzhai, how can it support after gathering so many people? If you don't come up with a way as soon as possible, I'm afraid it will be difficult for the banner of Wagangzhai to last for a month.

So, Zhai Rang urgently summoned Li Mi to discuss countermeasures.

To be precise, when Li Mi came to Wagang to defect, Zhai Rang was not very reluctant.

Although Li Mi showed a posture of Zhai Rang when he went up the mountain, and he has always been very low-key. But Zhai Rang is a person who has mixed in the officialdom after all, even if he is just a small Fa Cao, he can still feel the pressure brought to him after Li Mi went up the mountain.

Soon after Li Mi went up the mountain, Li Xuanying, a native of Luoyang, came to Wagang and said in private: "Li Mi should replace Sui." ”

In Wagang Village, Zhai Rang also had a lot of supporters, so he was naturally very unhappy, so he asked the reason.

Li Xuanying said: "If Tao Li Zhang is circulated today, it is very clear. Peach and plum, the queen went around Yangzhou and went to the garden. Tao Lizi, that is, the fugitive surnamed Li, and now Yang Guang is in Yangzhou, I don't know when he will be able to return. Tao Li Zhang finally said, don't say much, who can allow it. Doesn't the phrase 'don't say much' mean the word 'secret'? And Li Mi is a wanted criminal in the imperial court. ”

Li Xuanying's explanation is inevitably a bit far-fetched.

But the people of Wagangzhai are convinced. After that, there was also Songcheng (now Shangqiu, Henan) County Weifang Xuanzao, visited the Hanchu River Basin, and after looking for all parties to change people, he came to Wagang to take refuge in Li Mi. This made Zhai Rang a little unhappy, thinking that Li Mi would become a big trouble...... However, since Li Mi came, Zhai Rang couldn't drive him away.

So he was lukewarm to him, and Li Mi was not allowed to participate in the specific affairs of Wagangzhai.

Li Mi also knows Zhai Rang's thoughts.

He also had his own ideas, so he bribed and accepted Zhai Rang's henchman Jia Xiong. This Jia Xiong is a Taoist priest, familiar with yin and yang divination, and is also the mastermind of Zhai Rang. Zhai Rang can be said to be obedient to this person. After Jia Xiong was bought, under the pretense of proverbs and illusions, Zhai Rang gradually accepted Li Mi, and from the initial suspicion, it slowly turned into intimacy, and then when he encountered trouble, he would consult Li Mi.

Li Mi is not a person who has a false reputation, he has real talent and real learning.

Coupled with the great respect for Zhai Rang, slowly, he began to gain the right to speak in Wagang Village.

After listening carefully to Zhai Rang's concerns, he also expressed deep understanding.

"The general's concern is indeed justified.

Now that there are more and more soldiers and horses in Wagang, it is inevitable that there will be a shortage of people just by plundering in the wilderness as before. Why not, generals, change tactics? ”

Zhai Rang hurriedly said, "Please also ask the Dharma Master for guidance." ”

He didn't call Li Mi 'sir', but called him the cousin.

On the one hand, it is because it can show closeness by calling it like this; On the other hand, most of the direct calls are master-slave relationships, and non-elders and officials cannot be called like this. Zhai Rang also used this method to show his identity as the master.

Li Mi didn't mind, smiled and said, "General, now the four seas are boiling and churning, and the people are born in dire straits. The generals and horses are prosperous, but they have no foundation. It is difficult to develop for a long time with the land of Wagang alone. If the Sui army presses the border, although the generals and horses are numerous, it is difficult to gather morale, and then they will inevitably scatter and flee for their lives, and the previous good situation will also be in vain.

There is a secret plan, which can make the general worry-free.

Xingyang is a rich place, and the wealth of the world is gathered in Heluo. And that Yang Qing is just a cowardly and incompetent person, this foundation given by God to the general, why not take it. If the general gets Xingyang, he can stand still. You can go to Luokoucang to replenish the heavy grain and grass, and you can go to Wagang Mountain and enter Liyang in the east. When the soldiers are strong and the horses are strong, the generals compete with the world to be the first. But I don't know the general, what do you think? ”

Li Mi put on a mastermind posture, which made Zhai Rang very satisfied.

"What the Dharma Master said is extremely true, but although Yang Qing is cowardly and incompetent, under the rule of Xingyang, the six major military governments are all good at fighting. The six great generals are not good. That Pei Xing, nicknamed Pei Laohu, has the courage to be unstoppable; Xin Wenli is good at using soldiers, and Zheng Wei is good at defending the city. There are also Wei Wentong and Zhang Jixun, who are also extraordinary. I heard that the new Black Stone Lang general Li Yanqing is even more known as 'invincible'.

These people are in Xingyang, and if we want to capture them, I'm afraid it's not easy to ......."

Li Mi listened to Zhai Rang's words, and he kept sneering with disdain on his face.

But when he heard the words 'Li Yanqing', he couldn't help but change his face, subconsciously bit his lip, and his eyes were half-narrowed.

However, he immediately returned to normal and laughed heartily.

"The general doesn't have to worry, Pei Xing is just a reckless man, and Wei Wentong, Xin Wenli, Zheng Weishan and others are not worried. Li Yanqing is a person, I have been in contact with him. It is undeniable that this person does have some means, but the milk has not dried up, how can he be the general's opponent?

In my Wagang Village, the fierce will be like a cloud.

Shan Xiongxin Cheng Zhijie also has the courage of ten thousand people, and the general's nephew Mohou is also a brave general, so why should he grow the ambition of others and destroy his own prestige? ”

Zhai Rang has a nephew named Zhai Mohou, who is born with divine power and strong martial arts.

Dismounted from his crotch, with a sledgehammer in his hand, he killed the Sui generals who came to encircle and suppress him several times. Therefore, in Wagang Village, there is the reputation of 'Sai Zhang Fei'.

The reason why it is called Sai Zhang Fei is also due to Li Yanqing's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

When Zhai Rang heard this, he couldn't help but feel a lot more comfortable, and nodded again and again in agreement.

"There is a secret plan that can make the general take Xingyang lightly."

Li Mi saw that Zhai had brought his spirit, and immediately struck while the iron was hot.

Zhai Rang asked in a deep voice, "What is the master's plan?" ”

"If you want to take Xingyang, you must first take Jindi Pass. Jindi Pass belongs to Niuzhukou Pei Xingyan out of the town, so if you want to take Jindi Pass, you must kill Pei Xingyan. ”

He stepped forward and whispered in Zhai Rang's ear.

Zhai Rang's brows tightened at first, but listening to Li Mi's words, he gradually relaxed. In the end, the pair of copper bell eyes almost became a slit.

"The Dharma Master's plan is very good, according to what you say!"

****

Twilight summer is also the hottest time of the year.

This year's summer in Gongxian County is even hotter, hot people are panicked, hot people are impetuous, and hot people are even reluctant to go out.

Blackstone Mansion, in fact, is a barracks, located outside Blackstone Pass, Blackstone Ferry.

After Li Yanqing arrived at the Black Stone Mansion in mid-May, he did not make much of a move. Humanity is the new official's three fires, but he burned Yin De to death in the first fire, and after getting rid of the Xiang brothers, he never took action again. This also makes many people feel uneasy.

No one knows where Li Yanqing's second fire is going to burn.

Just looking at his methods of dealing with the Yin family, it is terrifying. A great clan that has been inherited for 600 years was uprooted by him all at once. Even though this prestigious family has long since declined, its foundation is still there, and it is still not to be underestimated. But Li Yanqing didn't even have the slightest chance for the Yin family to make a move. On the tenth day after he left the town of Heishi Mansion, an edict came from Luoyang to behead the Yin family.

Yin De was in prison and committed suicide by biting his tongue.

After Yin Zongdao was beheaded, he was abandoned into the wilderness.

Up and down the Yin family, nearly 300 men were killed, and all the women were demoted to lowly households and exiled to the border...... Regarding the ending of the Yin family, Li Yanqing was also a little unbearable. But he knew that in these years, it was not his turn to sympathize with others. Having lived in this era for almost twenty years, he has learned to be ruthless. If people don't offend me, I don't offend anyone. If anyone sins against me, I will let his whole family die. What's more, the Yin family has been entrenched in Gong County for hundreds of years and has deep roots. If you can't get rid of it, can you control it in your hands?

Maybe it's because of the habits of the previous life, Yanqing likes to control everything in his hands.

He didn't want anything to go wrong, because any mistake could lead to death. Just like today's Yin De's family.

After coming to the Black Stone Mansion, the first thing he did was to allocate 500 people to Mai Zizhong from the former Luokou Mansion.

Originally, there were only 600 people left in Luokou Mansion, and 500 people were given to Mai Zizhong at once, which was equivalent to Li Yanqing, and he needed to recruit soldiers and horses again.

Mai Zizhong also disagreed, and tried his best to refuse.

In his opinion, as an eagle strike general, he is already an exception to the command of a group of soldiers and horses. Wouldn't it be too arrogant to transfer the elite of Luokou Mansion away? If this is propagated, there will be suspicion of taking the lead. Mai Zizhong didn't want to fall out with Li Yanqing.

"Maizi, you don't have to worry too much, the reason why I gave you these soldiers and horses is not because I am dissatisfied with you.

Since the rebellion of Yang Xuangan three years ago, after Lao Xu left the town of Luokou Mansion, Gong County has maintained the training of the township bravery. In the past three years, he has repeatedly attacked bandits, although he is mainly based on soldiers and horses from Luokou Mansion, but he is also interspersed, and his hometown is brave to cooperate. The township warriors of Gong County may not be as elite as the soldiers of Luokou Prefecture, but they are also fierce soldiers who have experienced the battle. As long as they are trained, they may not be slightly worse than the soldiers of Luokoufu. ”

After hearing this, Mai Zizhong couldn't help but be relieved.

"It seems that Lao Xu and you are both people who can take precautions!"

In fact, in Li Yanqing's heart, he had other plans.

Under the rule of Gong County, there were also six or seven hundred Qilinwei hidden among the people. Because of his previous status, these people could not appear openly, and the annual expenses for these six or seven hundred Qilin Guards were really staggering. Now, there is such an opportunity to transform Qilinwei into another identity and appear, and at no other cost, why not do it?

As for the 500 soldiers allocated to Mai Zizhong, to put it bluntly, they were all locals.

And when Xu Shiji was Luo Koulang's general, he was also in frequent contact with Li Yanqing. To put it bluntly, Li Yanqing is familiar with these people, and he is more sure that he can mobilize these people at any time. Handed them over to Mai Zizhong, on the surface, he lost control, but in fact, it was still in his hands. If Mai Zizhong recruits a new group of strangers, it will be difficult for Li Yanqing to control it.

It's just that this kind of thought, Li Yanqing can't tell Mai Zizhong.

After arriving in Luokou Mansion, Li Yanqing quickly recruited the Qilin Guards scattered throughout Gongxian County under the pretext of recruiting government soldiers.

In just over ten days, the six hundred Qilin Guards were assembled, plus the remaining soldiers and horses in Luokou Mansion, Li Yanqing gathered eight hundred people.

He divided the eight hundred men into two regiments, each of which was four hundred men.

Later, Xiong Kuohai and Kan Ling were appointed captains, and they were in charge of two regiments. These two people are both henchmen and fierce generals who fought with Li Yanqing, whether it is Qilinwei or the soldiers of Luokou Mansion, they all know the name of black and white. Their deeds are also familiar. With these two people taking over the captain, even Fei Qingnu has nothing to say. In terms of martial arts, these two people are unworthy warriors, and in terms of merit, they accompanied Li Yanqing to fight in Goguryeo, and also participated in the evaluation of Yang Xuangan's rebellion, and Fei Qingnu cannot compare with them.

As a result, the majestic sea and Kan Ling smoothly entered the military government.

On the contrary, Su Lie's affairs are a little troublesome. The reason is very simple, the battle of Li Yanqing's fame was the battle of Goguryeo. And Su Lie, but after that, took refuge in Li Yanqing. Although he is capable enough to take over the position of captain, even as a soldier and a general.

But this qualifications are meritorious...... It's more troublesome.

Fortunately, Li Yanqing can also be equipped with a personal guard, and Su Dingfang is handy when he takes up his original position.

Li Yanqing's 300 Qilin Guards are also the most courageous soldiers and horses in the entire military government, and they are all composed of cavalry, which is far from being comparable to ordinary government soldiers. Therefore, Su Dingfang was not dissatisfied, and happily continued to stay by Yanqing's side, and he also had an additional name: Captain Qilin.

Xu Jingzong happily followed Li Yanqing to the Black Stone Mansion and served as the governor of the Black Stone Mansion.

And Ma Zhou's age is still young, so he can only stand in the name of Shuzuo. The things he shared with Xu Jingzong were different, Xu Jingzong was exquisite, could speak well, and was mainly responsible for various contacts between the military government and the local government. Ma Zhou, on the other hand, was beautiful and quick-witted, and became Li Yanqing's secretary, specializing in handling all kinds of official documents and correspondence. As far as Li Yanqing's personal staff is concerned, his team has been structured.

It's just that, as far as the entire Blackstone Mansion is concerned, it is not yet complete.

Du Ruhui's requisition order has been issued, but there has been no reply so far; Su Yong and Huang Wenqing have already set off, but they have not yet arrived in Gong County.

Li Yanqing had no choice but to leave the matter of military training to Su Dingfang for the time being.

At the same time, he had to send a letter to Chang'an County again in the name of the Blackstone Military Government, urging Du Ruhui to arrive in Gong County as soon as possible.

Because, as the momentum of Wagangzhai grows, Li Yanqing feels more and more pressure from Wagangzhai.

At the same time, he secretly looked forward to a face-to-face, real confrontation with those legendary Wagang heroes......

(To be continued)