The area on the border between Shanxi and Shaanxi, near the Yellow River, in Shanxi, a small county town in Pingyang Province, was occupied by a rebel army at this time, and a force of 10,000 people was entrenched here, which was one of the many leaders, Gao Yingxiang's uprising force.

At this moment, just after dinner, in an ordinary people's house, there were two little minions of the rebel army standing at the door, and in the back room of this family, Gao Guiying and Gao Yigong sisters and brothers stood opposite each other, talking quietly.

"Sister, it's been more than a year, I heard that my brother-in-law is famous in Shaanxi, although his reputation is big, but he is not doing well, and he often faces the encirclement and suppression of the government, and he has never been able to grow. Why don't we leave my uncle and return to Shaanxi, find my brother-in-law, and help my brother-in-law, how about it? ”

"Brother, sister understands your mind and wants me to get together with your brother-in-law as soon as possible." Gao Guiying smiled helplessly, and shook her head again and again: "However, since your brother-in-law's mutiny, his whereabouts have been erratic, how can we find him?" And, have you forgotten? Your brother-in-law has repeatedly told us to stay with my uncle, and he will come to us. ”

Hearing this, the excitement that had just risen was extinguished, Gao Yigong became wilted, looked wilted, and said weakly: "Aren't I worried about my brother-in-law?" A few days ago, I heard that the Li family army under my brother-in-law robbed Hong Chengchou's military salary and weapons, and was being chased by the official army and fled in all directions, and the number of troops was greatly reduced again, how can it be reassuring? ”

Let's say it, Gao Yigong sighed, his face was sad, and he turned to nag: "Brother-in-law is really, my uncle's reputation in many rebel armies is so great, as long as you inquire a little, it is impossible where are we?" If you come to join your uncle, why do you have to hide everywhere, worrying about Hong Chengchou's encirclement and interception? ”

Gao Guiying didn't say anything more, turned her head to look out the window, the colorful glow of the setting sun, the corners of her eyes flashed with an inexplicable light, her lips moved a few times, she didn't know what she was saying, but her face was full of longing.

However, it seems that he didn't notice the change in his sister, and Gao Yigong began to chatter and talk to himself.

"Having said that, my brother-in-law is really a gentleman! Doing things is simply neat, making people happy, clapping their hands! Wherever the Li Jiajun led by his brother-in-law passed, corrupt officials, bullies, and those who were unkind to the rich would be corpses on the streets, and their property would be confiscated and distributed to the people. ”

"Not only that, every time a city is captured, it is bound to open a warehouse to release grain, and help the people and refugees, which is commendable, and there is no one who is not admired."

"Sometimes, I really have an uncontrollable impulse, I can't wait to fly to my brother-in-law immediately, join the Li family's army, follow my brother-in-law to do chivalrous righteousness, rob the rich and help the poor!"

......

The moon rises into the sky, the stars twinkle, in the silent night, echoing bursts of insect chirping, in the depths of Quwu Mountain in Ningxia Wei, Mars flickering, one by one the fires are dotted, there are dozens of large and small, and there are people sitting around the fire.

Not only that, with the help of the moonlight, you can faintly see scattered figures, scattered everywhere, guarding the perimeter, so as to ensure the safety of people around the fire.

The camping quilts are spread out flat, just enough to accommodate one person. The people inside slept peacefully, it can be seen that although the quilt is thin, it is extraordinarily warm, let him the mountain wind howl, a little cold, the people sleeping inside do not frown, sleep very smoothly.

Observing carefully, it is not difficult to find that the equipment and clothes worn by these people are the unique signs of Li Jiajun, and Li Zicheng is beside the fire in the middle, and the dim firelight makes his face a little yellow. The deep eyes don't blink, I don't know what I'm thinking?

At this moment, Liu Fangliang, Yuan Zongdi and Wu Ruyi were also beside them, staring at the fire in a daze, as if they were listening to the sound of dry wood burning, looking preoccupied.

Liu Fangliang moved, looked up, and finally stopped at Li Zicheng's body, showing hesitation, and finally asked in a low voice: "Boss, I really don't understand, for more than a year, we have developed base areas, generally starting from the original base areas, and constantly expanding around. However, the span of this operation was too large, and it went directly to the extreme north of Shaanxi, the barren place of Ningxia. ”

After a while, Liu Fangliang, who did not get any response, did not give up, and continued: "Moreover, boss, you have broken the routine this time, and have gathered more than 3,000 soldiers from various base areas to come to this barren land. If the whereabouts are leaked and let people know, almost instantly, the Li Jiajun has increased so many people at once, even if the existence of the base area is not known, our 3,000 people will be encircled and suppressed by the official army. ”

"The most important thing is that Ningxia Wei is close to Pingliang Mansion in the south and Yan'an Mansion in the north. Once Yang He sends troops from the south and Hong Chengchou advances from the east to the west, we will be attacked on both sides, it is very dangerous, I really don't understand, what is here in Ningxia, it is worth so many brothers to come here? Do you take it so seriously? ”

Li Zicheng's calm expression finally had a hint of emotion, but he did not immediately solve Liu Fangliang's doubts, but looked up at the starry sky, and then looked at the east, and then said lightly: "Fangliang, if you want to establish a base area, and continue to maintain and develop, you need not only food and people, but also the most important thing......

Before Li Zicheng finished speaking, Liu Fangliang couldn't help but interject and asked, "What is it?" ”

"Salt... Salt! Li Zicheng said very firmly, as if in order to increase his convincingness, he nodded his head inexplicably, and then said further: "Although we have also got a lot of salt in Qinzhou, compared with the future development, having more base areas is slightly insufficient. The Haiyuan of Ningxia Wei has two largest salt farms in Shaanxi, Qianyanchi Fort and Hairadu Fort, which are on the east side of Quwu Mountain. As long as these two places are controlled, and a large amount of salt inside is transported and stored. Even if 20 or 30 small and medium-sized base areas are added in the future, there will be no need to worry about salt in three to five years. ”

Hearing this, Liu Fangliang showed a sudden look, and just wanted to say something excitedly, but Wu Ruyi took the lead, and his tone was also full of excitement, very excited.

"Hey, hey... Boss, if you can really win these two salt farms, it will be equivalent to cutting off Shaanxi's salt source. At that time, if the state capitals of Shaanxi want to replenish salt, they will inevitably buy it from other places. No matter where you buy it from. Either from Shanxi, or from Henan and Sichuan. ”

"Moreover, in order to be able to quickly replenish Shaanxi's salt needs, if my guess is correct, Yang He will definitely do it at the same time. The salt transported from Shanxi, we may not be able to take them, and we can't intercept them. However, if salt is imported from Henan and Sichuan, no matter where it enters Shaanxi, it will pass through our base in the southwest of Shaanxi. ”

Between the words, a picture emerged in everyone's minds, starting from the Wuzhu Mountain base in the southernmost part of Taozhou Wei in the west, passing through the Shouyang Mountain base area, the Sun Mountain base area, and then to the Panzuka Mountain base in Qinzhou, until the easternmost Taihua Mountain base area, just forming a protruding arc, blocking Sichuan and Henan outside, and the team transporting salt will definitely pass through the base area if they want to enter Shaanxi, and the result is self-evident.

As the proposer and executor of the plan, Li Zicheng was very calm, and after he Liu Fangliang and the others finished speaking, he said lightly: "Taking these two salt pans, plus the salt pans in Qinzhou, is equivalent to having two preparations, which is equivalent to revitalizing our situation in the entire Shaanxi, and we can rest assured and boldly develop the base area." ”