During the Zhaowu period of the old dynasty, Emperor Zhaowu forced the royal surnames of the nine clans to give up the royal family surnames and switch to the Han Dynasty. The blood feud accumulated over 600 years cannot be faded in a moment.

When Liang Bao led eighteen Yi warriors to appear at Cuishi Peak, most people thought that this scam was a scam by the clan to completely exterminate Baiyi, and no one would believe that a Xu Ruyu who suddenly appeared would help the Baiyi clan out of goodwill. Zi Yangqiu himself didn't believe it. Even if General Qingfeng's prestige was no longer prestigious, Zi Yangqiu would not believe that there was no shortage of benevolent enemies in the six-hundred-year history of blood and tears of the Baiyi clan.

However, the years in the mountains were too difficult, and since nearly 20 slave hunters entered the mountains, many tribesmen were forced to abandon their original habitats and move to the area of Cuishi Peak. In the great transfer of ethnic groups, the already insufficient food stocks were even more stretched, and the most cruel spring famine had not yet begun, and people had already starved to death on the mountain. Because of the slave hunting team, the tribesmen were forced to abandon many suitable valleys for survival, and the area of activity and production was reduced by nearly half compared with before, which also means that the harvestable products and grain are only half of last year's. Six hundred years ago, there were 36 clans in Baiyi, and now there are only seven left, if there are no effective measures, Baiyi is not far from extinction.

When Zi Yangqiu left the Green Lion Peak, he resigned as the chief leader, and he always felt that this trip would bring a ray of light to the clansmen. Even if it is a lie more unreasonable than this, Zi Yangqiu will go to see what happens, for fear of missing the slightest opportunity that can reverse the fate of Baiyi.

Eleven years ago, Zi Yangqiu, the then chief of Baiyi and Zi Yangqiu's father, disappeared with the royal family in the mountains south of Fuzhou City, and Zi Yangqiu, who was only nineteen years old, succeeded to the position of the chief of Baiyi. After the disappearance of the royal family, a royal family was also plundered by Puji Island, according to the family law of Baiyi inherited for more than 1,000 years, the most powerful Ziyang one naturally became the current royal family of Baiyi, Ziyangqiu has always rejected Jimo, the surname that cannot see the sun, he believes that the real Jimo Wangzong will rise again, and there will be a man with the surname Jimo as the king of the Baiyi family.

Liang Bao and the 18 Yi warriors angrily entered the enemy group, and later fought and retreated, luring the slave hunters away from the village to facilitate the evacuation of the Yi civilians. During the battle, Liang Bao and the Eighteen Yi warriors always protected Zi Yangqiu and his two escorts, and later let them evacuate first, where he and his warriors lured the slave hunters. Zi Yangqiu was naturally unwilling, and Liang Bao yelled at him: "Sir can bring hope to my Yi people, but if you die here, who else in the clan will believe in Sir?" ”

Zi Yangqiu began to believe Xu Ruyu a little, and he waited for a long time on the slope in the northwest of Wuling Mountain until the bloodstained Liang Bao and the only twelve remaining Yiren warriors, one of whom drowned and died without supporting the camp.

When he followed Liang Bao to Xu Ruyu's camp on the south bank of the Lishui River estuary, he saw more than 100 Yiren warriors and those Han warriors wandering around, and the camp was in full swing.

When Xu Ruyu proposed that his subordinates carry out a counter-hunt against the slave hunting team that entered Wuling Mountain, Zi Yangqiu was a little unable to adapt. Although he heard that Liang Bao was the master disciple of General Qingfeng, who was famous all over the world in this weak crown year, Liang Bao was hit hard in a fierce battle with the slave hunters, and Zi Yangqiu felt that he didn't need to do so much.

The information in the mountains is blocked, but Zi Yangqiu still knows a lot of rumors about General Qingfeng. At that time, when he heard these rumors, Zi Yangqiu felt very far away from himself, for six hundred years, the general trend of the world has changed again and again, but the fate of the Baiyi clan has never changed, no matter which one dominates the four counties in the southeast, the policy of blockade and suppression is implemented against Baiyi, and now Baiyi is blocked in the depths of Wuling Mountain, Wuling Mountain, and the mansions around Wuling Mountain are all the worlds of the Baiyi clan.

In the period when the confrontation between Yi and Han was not very fierce, Nanmin County could be connected to Yue County through Qingfeng Gorge and Lishui River Valley Channel, and Nanning County could also be connected to Jing County and Yue County through the tributary valley of the upper reaches of the Qingjiang River, which were also the southeast tea and horse trade routes that have been passed down since ancient times. During the period of fierce confrontation between Yi and Han, the southeast tea and horse trade route would be closed, and Nanmin would only be connected to the Central Plains by sea navigation, and Nanning County would only be connected to Nanping County through the branch of the Qianshan and Xiangjiang rivers, or connected to the county government in the north through Nanmin County by sea navigation.

If the situation of the clan in Nanmin County is chaotic and they are unwilling to interfere in the political situation of Nanmin with the help of the Lishui River Valley channel, the intensity of the confrontation between Yi and Han will be strengthened and the passage here will be blocked. On the contrary, the situation in Yue County is chaotic, and the family of Yue County will also strengthen the pressure on the Yi people.

The Baiyi people vaguely felt the existence of this situation in the 600-year history of blood and tears, until the Puji bandits appeared in the land of Yue County and Qingjiang Mansion became a barren city, which changed the situation. But it's not for the better. The northern coastal area of Nanmin County was infested by Puji bandits, and in order to prevent the bandits from Qingjiang Province from entering Nanmin through the Lishui River Valley Passage, and at the same time realizing that the commercial value of this passage no longer existed, a blockade was also implemented on the southern side of Wuling Mountain.

In the past years, Wuling Mountain was usually only unilaterally blocked, and often when the relationship between the Yuejun family and the Yi people was bad, the policy of the Nanmin family towards the Yi people would be slightly more relaxed. However, in the past 50 years, everything has changed, Yunling has been invaded by the three Miao people, and Wuling Mountain has been completely severely blocked by the families of the two counties, and in 50 years, the number of Yi people has suddenly dropped to less than 300,000. Now, due to the existence of the slave hunting team, the living space of the Baiyi people has become even narrower.

If Xu Ruyu really intends to open up the southeast tea and horse trade road, the Baiyi clan will undoubtedly be able to get an excellent opportunity to recuperate, but can these more than 300 soldiers and more than 500 civilians achieve this goal right now? It is to open up the southeast tea and horse trade road, can Xu Ruyu enjoy the benefits with the power in his hands?

Zi Yangqiu looked at Xu Ruyu's face with a faint smile suspiciously, and it was difficult to decide for a while. However, I still feel that he is a person who can influence others very much, no matter what, the initial actions are beneficial and harmless to the Baiyi clan. Ziyang has honed a pair of wise eyes after hardship, and the eager and excited eyes in the eyes of Yi soldiers such as Wei Yan and Ming Xi told him that Xu Ruyu's trip was not malicious. Of course, perhaps he was a great evildoer, and his true thoughts were hidden from everyone, including his closest subordinates.

Ziyangqiu glanced at Xu Ruyu and said slowly: "I will write a letter and ask the clan to send three hundred good men here to participate in this anti-hunting operation, and let them expand along the Lishui River to the periphery of Wuling Mountain, and at the same time as we open up the lower reaches of the Lishui River, open up the waterway in the middle reaches of the Lishui River to ensure the safe transportation of grain." Please General Qingfeng send someone to escort one of my escorts to Cuishi Peak with a letter to the other leaders of the clan, only if my escort and the letter appear at the same time as Cuishi Peak, the content of this letter can be confirmed to be at my behest, so there can be no difference between people and letters. ”

Meng Yi said: "I'll take a trip, Bo Ying can give us two ordinary mounts, and we can only abandon the mounts in the barren forest after Qingya Ridge." "To ensure that the escort and the letter arrive safely at the Cuishi Peak, in addition to Xu Ruyu, only Meng Ye has this ability.

Xu Ruyu nodded decisively and said, "Then it's hard work." ”

Youli walked in, Xu Ruyu was stunned for a moment, and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"Wei Yan has sneaked into the mountain."

"What." Xu Ruyu raised his hand to touch the pen holder on the case, and rolled all over the ground, Xu Ruyu hurriedly moved to the front of the case to pick up the pen holder, inserted the pen into the pen holder one by one, picked up half of it, and asked slowly: "Is it impossible to catch it back?" ”

You Li held his shoulder and said softly: "Wei Yan Xiuwei has made a lot of progress recently, and besides, he will retreat despite difficulties, so you don't have to worry too much." ”

Xu Boying, Meng Yi, uncle Sun Fangwu, and Ming Xi all looked silent, and they all knew that with Wei Yanning's unyielding surname, they could only hope that he could not find the slave hunting team, otherwise there would be more luck and less luck. The mood is extremely gloomy.

Xu Ruyu gently placed the pen holder on the case and said slowly: "Wei Yan left his military post without permission and removed from the post of commander of the guard camp. Okay, that's all for the agenda, let's go to dinner. Qiang Zhen's expression bowed to Ziyangqiu, and said: "Mr. Ziqiu, I won't accompany you for dinner, you can discuss the details of grain sales with Boying, if you are not satisfied, just look for me." ”

Xu Ruyu and Youli came to the side tent to visit Liang Bao, who was still in a coma, and took a break to heal his injuries for a while, and then withdrew with Youli.

The camp to the southeast is the Lishui River embankment, to the southwest is the Qingjiang River embankment, Xu Ruyu also Youli stands on the arc-shaped embankment of the two embankments, there are more than ten red peaks in the upper reaches of the Lishui River in Wuling Mountain, after the Lishui flows through there, the river water is slightly dyed red, and the rough look can not be detected, but at the intersection with the clear Qingjiang River, there is a clear waterline, Xu Ruyu said softly: "This section of Lishui is also called the Rouge River, six hundred years ago, the Yi people themselves opened mines in the mountains to smelt refined iron, washed the ore with the water of the Rouge River, the Rouge Creek flows into the Rouge River, the color is darker, That's when the Rouge River was veritable. ”

Youli asked, "Can there be fish in the river?" ”

"Of course, as long as the water from the smelting does not flow into the river, the fish will be fine. But this is all my father told me, and I don't know what the truth is. Xu Ruyu suddenly grabbed Youli's soft and said gloomily: "The shore has just been a full day, and it is really like what my father said: the world is difficult to plan. I just wanted to be like my father since I was a child, but I secretly learned the magic trick in Wanling, which caused a series of changes, and I still want to be like my father. His father was indifferent to fame and fortune and despised the powerful, but he didn't seek inaction, he wanted the world to be ruled greatly, knowing that it was impossible, but he kept exploring. It is with this ambivalence that the father resolves his longing for his mother. It was during Yongyang's time that I understood my father's thoughts a little. I'm just afraid that in the end, it may not be something I can control. ”

As soon as he arrived in Xuancheng, there were two accidents, Liang Bao was seriously injured and did not wake up, and Wei Yan was in danger again, of course Yu Li could understand Ru Yu's wandering state of mind, and also knew that he was worried that what he did in the future could not change the pattern of the family's hegemony, and would bring inexplicable variables to the world.

"If the world is allowed to sink like this, it will be worse, I am sure of that. You are the personal disciple of the two families, and Sect Master Fu will not teach you the 'Great Dao Zesheng' for no reason. ”

In the early morning of the next day, the two warships of Mi Yusheng and Wei Yu sailed into the waters of Taishan and returned to the estuary, at this time a very simple wharf was built in a large inner concave lake on the south bank of the estuary, only two miles away from the camp under construction, and dozens of people were building a slightly decent wharf next to it. The abandoned Lishui River Port and Xuancheng City are on the north bank and are now owned by the Xiangfan Society.

As a formal port, it must not occupy the river, and without a natural lake, the port needs to be excavated manually. Although there are two natural lakes within ten miles of the Lishui River, neither of them can reach the geographical advantages of the original abandoned river port. Entering Xuancheng, the development of water camp is an extremely important strategy, and the use of abandoned river ports will reduce the amount of work a lot.

Mi Yusheng felt that Xiangfanhui's behavior was a bit excessive, and when he heard that Xu Ruyu wanted him to assist Xu Zhaorong in training Xiangfanhui's sailors, he had even more opinions in his heart, and said: "If Xiangfanhui also develops the water camp, won't it compete with my Qingyan Army for control of Qingjiang in the future?" ”

Xu Ru smiled foolishly: "It's just to help him train the water army, at present, our troops are limited, and there are not enough water camp guards, since the people and horses of the Xiangfan Society are transported across the Qingjiang River, of course they have to do this part." The Yongyang dock is also only for commercial and civilian ships, and the docks in Liyang and Wuzhou in Yuejun were completely destroyed by the Puji bandits, and the warships have become forbidden items. Although there are fewer ships to moor, we will not only develop here. ”

Xu Boying wanted to bring 200 Mabang children to the south bank, so he went to the Xiangfan Hui camp on the north bank with Mi Yusheng. Xiangfan will occupy a corner of the deserted city of Xuancheng, and now the defense conditions are much better than the Qingyan Army camp on the south bank.

Wei Yu was in a depressed mood when he knew that Wei Yan had entered the mountain, but Mi Wusheng and Xu Boying went to the north bank, and he could only give a detailed account of the situation of the one hundred and fifty miles of waterway that had been traced up from here. One hundred and fifty miles away from the waterway, Xu Ruyu believes that the Yi people can guarantee safety.

The sixty-mile waterway from the mouth of the river winds on the Lishui River valley of Yima Pingchuan, and the two banks are intermittent dense forests, many shrubs, and it is not suitable to hide a large number of ambushes. Then enter the low ridge area of Taishan, there are about ten miles of waterway, the river is wide and the water is slow, there is no rapids, there is no danger, but the forest is dense. After the low tomb area, you really enter Taishan, the water turns around the peak, the curved corridor is picturesque, but the river is narrow and urgent, the high cliff is dangerous, and it is very easy to be attacked by both banks. Wei Yu pointed out five or six dangerous rivers narrower than 10 zhang in a row.

Xu Ruyu's slightly perked up spirit dimmed a little, and he sighed secretly in his heart, but he didn't show it, and said to Zi Yangqiu: "Now I only have to look at the news of Yunqiao Zhai Sizhai." ”

Wei Yu said: "When we first entered Taishan, we could see Yunqiao Village, we went ashore to post posts, and there was no movement in the village when we returned, will they ignore our proposal?" ”

Xu Ruyu shook his head and said, "No, I'm afraid that the four families are discussing and can't rule for a while." Let's wait. ”

At noon, You Sentinel reported that a group of people appeared in the gap twenty miles away from the dense forest to the west, a total of twenty people, and Yun Yuansheng was also among them.

Xu Ruyu was inspecting the progress and quality of the construction of the camp, and Gu Mingchen was by his side. The stone foundation of the six-foot-thick parapet wall has been laid out of the ground, and the stones used to build the foundation are taken from the collapsed house wall, so there is no need to go to the mountains to mine, which saves a lot of labor. Gu Mingchen introduced that in order to prevent the enemy from flooding, considering the topography and the amount of water in the flood season, the stone foundation should be built at least three feet high, and then the lime raw mud should be tamped on it.

Xu Ruyu said: "This parapet wall will be used for about two years, and then we will build a new city next to this camp on a vacant lot a little south. Maybe it won't take that long. ”

Gu Mingchen was a little surprised and said, "Xu... Xu Ye, is such a secret suitable to reveal to a little person like me? ”

"Little man, didn't you just be appointed to specialize in construction yesterday? You have the right to know the secrets of the army, oh, you will also participate in the morning meeting in the future, but the person who is looking for you today, but you went to the lime firing place. However, if the content of the deliberations is classified as secrets, do not disclose them to others. ”

Gu Mingchen said in a subtle voice: "I thought that the construction was to manage these plasterers, if I knew this, how could I dare to accept it?" ”

Xu Ruyu laughed and said, "Bo Ying is too busy to take care of you, I thought he told you about the responsibility of special construction." In the future, towns, roads, markets, dock ports, defensive fortresses, dwellings and many other buildings will be built on this land, if you don't know about our future development plan, how to arrange all this? Okay, okay, okay, I'll let my uncle and grandson talk to you first, and don't be in a hurry, you will gradually understand the overall situation. ”

Gu Mingchen said with a pale face: "Master Xu, I'm afraid I can't do these things." ”

"Really?" Xu Ruyu looked at Gu Mingchen's flustered eyes, laughed, and said, "It's for you to finish this now, you've done it now, take your time." If you mess up, I'll get you out. ”

"But isn't it too late to do it?"

Xu Ruyu was a little helpless at this not very confident Gu Mingchen, and said: "But let someone else come, you don't have to do it to know that you will smash it." And Mr. Mud to help you, you can. ”

Xu Ruyu saw that his uncle and grandson Fangwu had welcomed the people from the four villages of Taishan into the camp, and said to Gu Mingchen: "Let's go, follow me to the big tent to meet our guests." After that, he didn't look at the embarrassed look on his face, and pulled him towards the big tent. When he entered the account, Xu Boying also led Zi Yangqiu over. The two looked at each other and smiled, one pulled Zi Yangqiu with one hand, and entered the big tent.

Yun Yuansheng saw Xu Ruyu walking into the big tent, and hurriedly stood up, just about to introduce the people behind him to him. The sturdy old man standing behind him took a step forward and said loudly: "General Qingfeng really lives up to his reputation, and Lao Er Yunyi has come here on behalf of the four villages of Taishan." After that, he handed it over, and then introduced the identities of the three people behind him: "These three are Zhang Xu, the second master of Shengyun Village, Ji Kailai, the second leader of Jizhai, and Shao Xingkong, the second leader of Shaozhai. ”

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