Leaving Huai'an's Second Division, Luo Jian continued to take a boat along the canal to Xuzhou.

Since the last battle with the Qing soldiers, Liu Zhaoji's 1st Division and the Qing soldiers have continued to confront each other, and small-scale clashes have occurred from time to time, but there have been no major battles.

Luo Jian met Liu Zhaoji in the camp of the First Division outside Xuzhou.

"Xinghua, the Qing soldiers are advancing very quickly, I see that their army is equipped with a lot of small generals' cannons, this thing is not a small threat to us."

After saluting and sitting down, Liu Zhaoji couldn't wait to say to Luo Jian.

"The trumpet's big general's cannon? What's that? "Luo Jian is a little strange.

"Xinghua, this small cannon of the Qing soldiers looks very similar to the general's cannon, but it is much lighter than the general's cannon, and it can be hit on the rack, although the firing speed is not fast, but its range is two miles away, and it can also be hit half a mile away with a shotgun, which is not a small threat to the infantry." Liu Zhaoji explained.

"Oh, this is a new situation, could it be that the Manchu Qing have mastered a new cannon casting technology?"

Luo Jian was a little surprised, the Ming Dynasty has always used the clay fan, this kind of clay fan cannon is characterized by slow speed, it takes a lot of time to build a cannon, and the quality of the cannon is not high, and there is often a danger of exploding.

The Manchu Qing Dynasty took over the Ming Dynasty's general as a prison in Beijing, did its technology advance by leaps and bounds? Luo Jian remembered that the intelligence said that Dolgon asked John Tang to invite a group of foreigners over, could it be that these foreigners made it?

"Brother Liu, don't worry, our new artillery is about to be distributed, this kind of artillery is lighter than theirs, and one person can carry it." Luo Jian refers to mortars.

"That's good, but Xinghua, you have to let them hurry, Qingbing is a little dishonest during this time." Liu Zhaoji said.

Hearing Liu Zhaoji's words, Luo Jian felt that there were many new problems in the direction of Xuzhou, and what was the intention of these actions of the Qing soldiers had to be carefully pondered.

"Xinghua, are you going to marry Sister Liulan during the Chinese New Year?" Liu Zhaoji waved his hand to let everyone else walk out, and then asked.

"yes, how did the news spread so quickly? Li Chengdong knows, and you know here? Luo Jian asked amusedly.

"Merchants came and went along the way, and all the news from Yangzhou came here. But Xinghua, there's something you need to pay attention to. ”

Liu Zhaoji glanced up at the door and saw that there was no one else, so he said.

"Oh, what's the matter?"

"Alas, Xinghua, I don't know how to tell you, I remember you said, you don't want to be the emperor, and you don't want to have another emperor in the world, but many people don't think so, and many people are looking forward to being the founding hero."

"Brother Liu, what do you think of this?"

"Xinghua, it's been almost two years, Brother Liu has always remembered what you said to me by the Slender West Lake, others don't understand you, Brother Liu understands you. I'm afraid that someone will push you up there. ”

"Is this also the case in your first division?" Hearing Liu Zhaoji say this, it means that the first division also has this kind of thinking, and Luo Jian began to be a little worried.

"Why not? I've done a few repairs, and it's only slightly better. ”

Hearing Liu Zhaoji's words, Luo Jian felt a deep sense of helplessness, now it seems that this kind of thinking is not only possessed by a few people, if it is allowed to develop, I am afraid that a trend will soon be formed, and it will be difficult to correct it.

"Brother Liu, to put it mildly, you and the supervisor are the closest people to Luo Jian, Luo Jian and a few people came to Yangzhou, without your support, I'm afraid I won't be able to support it for a day, everyone works together to have today's situation in Yangzhou, I'm really afraid that one day everything will be ruined because of this!"

"Xinghua, if you hadn't come to Yangzhou, I'm afraid we would have been dry bones in the grave a long time ago, and Brother Liu understands this best. Xinghua, you can rest assured, no matter what road Xinghua wants to take, Brother Liu will accompany you even if he fights for this life, I can't control other troops, as long as I am Liu Zhaoji in the first division, I can't make waves. ”

Hearing Luo Jian say what was in his heart, Liu Zhaoji was also very moved.

"That's it, Brother Liu, let's talk to the officers at all levels of the army separately, and if we don't untie the knots in their thoughts, I'm afraid there will be another incident in the future."

Luo Jian stayed in the first division for four or five days longer than originally planned, and talked to dozens of officers, the first division is considered a family unit, if even the first division can't support him, then the road ahead will be really difficult.

Leaving Xuzhou, the waterway is no longer passable, Luo Jian and others can only ride to Fengyang, the situation of the fourth division is better, although there are some rumors, but everyone is not talking much, but the fourth division is anxious to change clothes, and there are some opinions on dragging it to the end.

Luo Jian focused on inspecting Li Benshen's Third Division, and Luo Jian was also very worried about how well the problems found in the Third Division last year had been corrected.

The situation of the Third Division was better than Luo Jian had imagined, and Li Benshen had obviously learned the lessons of last year, and the troops had made marked progress in both education and work style building, and there was no longer a clear gap between them and several other divisions.

Luo Jian stayed in Xuyi for only two days before Shi Kefa sent someone to find Yangzhou, and Wang Qiang and the fleet had already returned from Japan.

Luo Jian didn't know what caused Wang Qiang and the fleet's trip to Japan to take more than three months, and he was eager to know the reason.

When Luo Jian returned to the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, the huge hall was already full of people, and the sofa was not enough to sit, and a large circle of chairs was placed next to it.

Needless to say, Shi Kefa and Ren Minyu and others, even Mr. Liu Zongzhou, Zhu Yujian, Gao Hongtu, and Lu Daqi also came, and there were also people from the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce.

Wang Qiang, Lu Wei and Zheng Chenggong sat on a couch, and Wang Qiang was talking excitedly.

"Xinghua, you've finally rushed back, let's go wash first." Looking at the dusty Luo Jian, Shi Kefa said.

Luo Jian walked directly to the sofa and sat down, "Don't worry, let's talk about the situation first." ”

"Chief, we've completed the task, but..."Wang Qiang was the first to speak.

"It's good that the mission is complete, has the merchant ship come back? Were there any casualties among the troops? Luo Jian didn't wait for Wang Qiang to finish speaking, and asked anxiously.

"The merchant ship is back, the troops..."Seeing that Wang Qiang wanted to speak and stopped, Luo Jian was a little anxious.

"What the hell is going on with the troops?"

"Report to the Metropolitan Governor, the troops have suffered more than 100 casualties, and Division Commander Wang feels that the casualties are a bit large, and it is difficult to explain to the Metropolitan Governor, but Zheng Sen feels that the casualties this time are not large." Zheng Chenggong saw that Wang Qiang was embarrassed, so he stood up and said.

"I said Governor, you just ask how many casualties the troops had, and you don't ask how many people they killed in Japan?" Before Luo Jian could speak, Liu Zongzhou stood up with a frown and said.

"I don't care how many Japanese I kill, as long as I complete the task!" Luo Jian glanced at Liu Zongzhou and said without hesitation.

"King Tang, Inspector, listen to it, everyone listen, what is Luo Xinghua talking about? The reputation of my Ming Etiquette State is completely ruined! Liu Zongzhou pointed at Luo Jian and said impassionedly, as if Luo Jian was a sinner.

Liu Zongzhou said happily, but few people echoed him, which made him feel a little bored, so he went back to the sofa and sat down.

"Has the problem of trade been solved?" Luo Jian asked Lu Wei.

"The Metropolitan Governor, it's kind of a partial solution." Lu Wei said.

"Part of it? What do you mean? ”

"Japan did not open all of its ports to trade, except for one port each in Edo, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Nagasaki for our trade. However, we signed an agreement with the Japanese shogunate to lease their port of Nagasaki. Lu Wei said.

"Oh, and on loan?" Luo Jian was a little strange.

"This was Master Wang's idea, and we signed an agreement on a 100-year lease." Lu Wei said.

"Only a hundred years?" Luo Jian asked with a frown.

"What lend-lease? You are robbers! Liu Zongzhou listened to the conversation between the two, and finally couldn't help but stand up and say.

"Chief, we have too few people, if there are 5,000 people, I have to arrest their bullshit emperor back, and I will bring more people next time." Wang Qiang was also very annoyed when he saw Liu Zongzhou's accusations, and stood up and said to Luo Jian.

In fact, the Japanese emperor at this time had no real power, and was completely in a state of being hollowed out, and Wang Qiang's remarks were just angry words, even if the Japanese emperor was arrested, it would not be of much use to solve Japan's problems.

"Are you too few people? How did I hear that you slaughtered Nagasaki and Fukuoka? Mr. Liu Zongzhou is like a demon today, and he has been holding on to the "atrocities" of Wang Qiang and others in Japan.

Listening to Liu Zongzhou's words, Lu Wei's face still showed some guilt, mixed with some fear.

When Zheng Chenggong heard this, he stopped doing it, stood up and hugged his fist at Liu Zongzhou, and then said: "Dare to ask Mr. Qishan, we went to discuss the return of the merchant ship, but the Japanese sent troops to surround us, did we lay down our arms and let them cut them down?" Or should we rise up and fight back? ”

"Negotiate and discuss, what are you taking the army for?" Liu Zongzhou still refused to give up.

"Mr. Qishan, no matter how many people die, they are not my Ming people, so don't mention it." Zhu Yujian was Liu Zongzhou was entangled, and said next to him.

"Tang Wang, I think Mr. Qishan is reasonable, my Ming Dynasty is the Celestial Empire, Japan is a foreign country, should be morally educated, I am afraid that I can't be good at raising troops, and now Yangzhou is still facing the Manchu Tartars, the top priority is to recover the lost territory of the Northern Expedition, and return me to Kyoto, why do you want to add troops to this clothed Japan?" Gao Hongtu listened until King Tang said this, then he stood up and said.

Shi Kefa saw that Gao Hongtu stood up and spoke, he felt a little unable to sit still, glanced at Luo Jian, saw that Luo Jian's face was already a little unsightly, worried that he would be angry, and also stood up and said:

"Mr. Yanwen (Gao Hongtuzi), this Japan and my Ming Dynasty are related, the harm of the Japanese Invaders a few decades ago must still be fresh in everyone's memory, Wanli Dynasty, its troops to North Korea, has come to the side of my Ming Dynasty, and I Ming has also had a fierce war, everyone must still remember, right? From this point of view, this neighbor of ours is not a good kind, and if we can't make him surrender in a battle, I'm afraid that there will be trouble in the future! ”

"Hmph, the trouble is not caused by you, what is the use of begging for such an island? If you don't forcibly occupy the island, Japan will not detain our merchant ships, and if we lose, we should send people to negotiate well, but as a result, you rely on force to show off your might in their land, which is really unreasonable! ”

Liu Zongzhou listened to Shi Kefa's words, slapped the armrest of the sofa vigorously, and said angrily.

When Luo Jian heard this, he felt very unhappy in his heart, and stood up and said to Wang Qiang, Lu Wei and Zheng Chenggong: "You three come to the study with me, Brother Xian, you and Liu Lan are here to talk to everyone." ”

After Luo Jian finished speaking, he got up and went upstairs, Wang Qiang and the three of them hurriedly followed, looking at Luo Jian's back, Liu Zongzhou and the others looked at each other.