As Zhen Rong expected, when he came to Pengcheng, Pengcheng Xiang Xue Li greeted him very warmly. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

After some greetings, Zhen Rong was filled with righteous indignation and told the story of Liu Miao, the Taishou of Jiujiang County, who had raised troops for no reason, and added oil and vinegar in the middle, and automatically ignored the fact that he robbed Jiujiang money and grain first. Zhen Rong proposed to let Xue Li rectify the soldiers and horses of Pengcheng to help him recapture Xiapi, and sent someone to inform Tao Qian.

Xue Li readily agreed, and thoughtfully arranged for Zhenrong to rest, saying that he would hold a banquet to entertain him that night, and that the specific dispatch of troops would be discussed in detail when the time came.

Zhen Rong was very happy, feeling that Xue Li was still the loyal and pedantic in his impression, but he could take it from him, thinking of his current situation, he couldn't help but have a different kind of thought in his heart, but he didn't notice that Xue Li's eyes shrank when he heard the name Liu Miao.

That night, Xue Li hosted a banquet in a small living room in the Prime Minister's Mansion in Pengcheng. Zhen Rong only brought one cronie to the table, and the other dozen or so guards were drinking in the hall outside.

Before Rong Rong entered, he vaguely gestured to the guards, and all the guards understood what he meant-smashing the cup!

Xue Li once again enthusiastically introduced Zhenrong into the banquet.

Di Rong secretly observed, except for the two maids who bought wine and food, Xue Li did not bring anyone into the table to accompany him, and Di Rong was even more determined in his heart.

For a while, under the deliberate flattery of Zhenrong, the atmosphere was very warm, and after three rounds of drinking, the two called themselves brothers.

"Brother Xian, this time you have to help your brother, although Liu Miao Xiao'er was an unrighteous soldier, and he attacked and forcibly occupied Pi, but after all, it was his brother's fault, and he really had no shame to explain to Tao Envoy. If the virtuous brother can help his brother regain Xiapi, he will be rewarded in the future, well, how about privately exempting Pengcheng from paying taxes for a year? Zhen Rong promised, his eyes revealing infinite sincerity.

Xue Li looked at Zhen Rong with surprise on his face, and said in his heart that this guy would be very good at making empty promises. It is rumored that the three counties of Zhenrong are taxed and lucky, but all of them are intercepted for their own use, listening to the current tone of this guy, it seems that he is indirectly admitting that there is really something to do. Despite this, Xue Li was also unwilling to believe in it, who knew what Tao Qian and Zhen Rong had secretly planned.

Besides, Xue Li himself had already made a choice, so he pretended to sigh and said, "My brother also wants to help my brother, but I'm afraid I'm weak in my eagerness!" ”

"Why did Brother Xian say this?"

"My brother should know that there are only eight cities in Pengchengguo, and the number of hukou is far less than that of Shangpi, and after the county pays the Pengcheng Wangfu Juelu, most of it has to be handed over to the state capital, and there is very little left, and there is almost no balance. As a result, there is no way to raise too many county soldiers, and at present, all the county soldiers in the county add up to only two thousand, so how can such a small number of soldiers and horses save Pi? I'm afraid that Pi has not recovered it now, but has lost Pengcheng, wouldn't it be more difficult to explain to the state capital? ”

Zhen Rong looked at Xue Li suspiciously, as if he wanted to judge the truth of his words by his expression. However, there was no gain, but after thinking about it carefully, it seems that what Xue Li said is also the truth, Pengcheng is not like Xiapi, in Xiapi he can easily support more than 10,000 soldiers and horses, because there are many Xiapi cities, there are many household registrations, and he still has three counties to pay taxes.

Thinking about these clearly, Zhen Rong said: "Brother Xian, I don't think it's like this, Brother Xian hurry up and recruit another 3,000 soldiers and horses, there are 5,000 soldiers and horses, which is enough to save Pi." As for grain and grass, the stock of Xiapi is still sufficient, so there is no need to worry about it at all. ”

"Hasn't Xiapi City been captured by Jiujiang soldiers and horses? How can there still be grain and grass? Xue Li asked.

"Xiapi money and grain are not all placed in the city treasury, and there is still a lot of hidden outside the city for my brother." Zhenrong is proudly authentic.

Xue Li understood, it is estimated that Zhenrong used power for personal gain, and many of his private hidings were outside the city, and he heard that Futu Temple was the base camp of Zhenrong, and it was estimated that those private collections were in Futu Temple.

"Since this is the case, then recruit troops according to what my brother said, although Pengcheng is small, it is still easy to recruit three thousand soldiers and horses." Xue Li no longer hesitated.

Zhen Rong was very happy, toasted Xue Li again, and said, "Thank you for my brother here." ”

Xue Li waved his hand and said, "Brother is polite." But I've been thinking, why would Jiujiang Liu Miao risk the world's disapproval and raise troops to capture Pi for no reason? ”

Speaking of this, Zhen Rong felt that there was no need to hide it from Xue Li anymore, so he replied: "Actually, this is all caused by a misunderstanding, about half a month ago, a team of grain transportation teams passed by Xiapi, refused to inspect, and was detained by the soldiers below. But the man who was carrying the money and food did not come to negotiate at all, and fled from Xiapi. I thought he was a thief, but I didn't know that he was a person from Jiujiang until Liu Miao of Jiujiang attacked Xiapi, but there was no way to explain it at that time. I now suspect that his act of transporting grain was just a deliberate act by Liu Miao, just to find an excuse to send troops. ”

Xue Li suddenly said: "I see. If Jiujiang Liu Miao is really a deliberate move, I am afraid that it will not help for me to send troops to Pengcheng, and my brother should go directly to Tao Envoy Jun Fang for the best policy. No matter how strong Liu Miao is, it is impossible to fight against the entire Xuzhou with a county. ”

Zhen Rong sighed: "Alas! The virtuous brother didn't know that the food for the brother in Xia Pitun was instructed by Tao Zhijun, and now because of a misunderstanding, the soldiers were lost and trapped in the city, and it was really difficult to explain to Tao Zhijun. If it is not a last resort, I will not ask Tao Envoy for help. ”

"In this way, Tao Envoy Jun still doesn't know about the fall of Xiapi?"

"I shouldn't know that Liu Miao's sneak attack on Xiapi will definitely block the news, and Brother Wei came to Pengcheng all the way, and he didn't have time to send someone to Tan County to report the news."

"That's good!" Xue Li said softly.

"What do you mean?" Zhen Rong wondered.

Xue Li smiled meaningfully and said, "Don't hide it from my brother, my foolish brother also wants to meet that Jiujiang Liu Miao, but he still lacks something to make a meeting gift, and he wants to ask his brother for it." ”

"What?" Zhen Rong sensed that something was wrong with Xue Li's words.

Xue Li smiled faintly and said, "Brother's head!" ”

"Ahh Zhen Rong was startled and stood up suddenly, "Brother Xian, this joke can't be made!" ”

Xue Li said seriously: "I'm not joking, my foolish brother has been admiring Jiujiang Liu Taishou for a long time, and he has been suffering from not having a good time to go to work, but my brother gave me such an opportunity." If I can have my brother's head, I think it will be a good gift for Liu Taishou. ”

Only then did Zhen Rong know that Xue Li really had this thought, but he didn't panic, but said calmly: "What is Liu Miao worthy of your service?" He's just like you and me, just a small county guard, can he compare to Tao Envoy Jun? ”

"Humph! Liu Taishou is the emperor of the imperial family, with great talent and strategy, and he is full of hope in Jiujiang for a few months. And Tao Qian is incompetent and nepotistic, how can he compare with Liu Taishou? Xue Li sneered, "Although you are Tao Qian's cronies, you don't have much grudge against me, I can only blame you for offending Liu Taishou, and came to Pengcheng by chance, this banquet should be my practice bar for my brother!" ”

"It seems that you have been tricking me before, and since this is the case, I will have no worries." Zhen Rong said, giving the retinue beside him a look, and slammed the ear cup in his hand to the ground.