The time slowly entered the beginning of August.

As the southernmost county of the empire, Tiannan County ushered in the hottest time of the year. Especially in the first two days, after noon, the blazing sun scorched the ground, and the temperature even approached 40 degrees at one point. Even the Omanis, who lived further south, had to pause their march and rest in the shade in the heat.

Thankfully, this afternoon, there was a cloud in the sky, and a light rain was falling.

The cold rain hit the ground, and the temperature finally dropped a lot.

Although it was much cooler than the previous two days, Saladin was not in a good mood during the camp.

The scorching heat in the past few days, although the progress of the army was delayed, the weak resistance of the Qianyuan people still allowed the army to easily break through Nanfeng Mansion. However, under the order of the old immortal guy of Leji, the wells in the villages and towns along the way and the city of Nanfeng Mansion were destroyed, all the grain and grass materials were transported, and everything that could not be taken away was burned on the spot. The army fought all the way here, but nothing was captured.

Food cannot be replenished on the spot, which means that energy is constantly transported from the rear to the front.

During the attack on the South Peak Fortress, the grain brought by the Kingdom of Oman from the rear was piled up at the Koi Castle at the front. At that location, it was relatively close to the South Peak Fortress, and it was not too difficult to transfer to the front line. But as the army moved north, all the way to Nanfeng Mansion, the extra 100 kilometers made the grain transport team feel difficult.

Compared to Songjiang's relatively well-developed road system, the roads in Tiannan County are much more dilapidated. Moreover, the number of armies of the Kingdom of Oman to the north is simply too large.

Even if the two divisions stationed at Nanfeng Fortress and the wounded soldiers who were resting there were removed, the army going north still numbered a full 190,000 people, not counting the large number of conscripts who accompanied the army. With so many soldiers, the amount of food and grass consumed every day is a staggering number. Even if it can barely be maintained now, if it continues to attack Tianlong with the army......

A grain route that is too long will become a hidden danger for the army.

Although a large number of people fled in Nanfeng Mansion, there were still many brave Qianyuan Minzhuang and defeated Tiannan Army soldiers in the territory who spontaneously attacked and harassed them. Compared with the Taiping Army, which is also from the empire, the Omanis are a foreign race, and they have been demonized by the empire a lot in recent years, so the resistance of the people of Tiannan, who are already fierce, is extremely amazing.

As a famous general, it is impossible for Leji not to see this, and most of them will also send a small force to infiltrate and sabotage in the rear.

It seems that before the official attack on Tianlong, it is necessary to set up a granary on the front line and hoard enough grain and grass to carry the baggage.

Considering that the 190,000-strong army was likely to hold out outside Tianlong City for a long time, Saladin's gaze wandered over the map secretly mapped by the black-clothed guards, and finally landed in one place.

Ancient Qingguan!

This famous Taoist temple in Tiannan County is extremely large, with a flourishing incense burner and a large area of ready-made buildings to use. What's more, its location and topography are superb. The location from the front line is moderate, and it is located on the Pingling Mountain, the terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack, which is very suitable for serving as a grain point for the army.

After a moment's pause, Saladin, who hadn't thought of a better choice, made a decision.

………

When the army of the Kingdom of Oman suspended the pace of the offensive, desperately hoarding grain, grass and ordnance to the front line, and at the same time requisitioning the Qianyuan people of Nanfeng Province to demolish the Nanfeng Fortress, the Taiping army was also doing its best to prepare for a battle in the south. At this time, Fang An, the special envoy who secretly contacted the Taiping Army, finally rushed back to Zhongzhou.

Imperial capital, in the imperial study.

After returning late at night the day before, he had just bathed and rested for half a night, and early the next morning, Fang An was summoned by Qianyuanji. Appearing in the imperial study together, there were also the ministers who had previously decided to recruit An. Although the general result had already been passed through the 600 li urgent report, the things on the report were brief after all, and Qian Yuanji and several important ministers of the center needed to ask them face to face before they could make a final judgment.

"Back to His Majesty, the minister secretly arrived at Daqing Pass and ......"

After Fang An entered Daqing Pass, he was exposed and detained because of checking his bags, and then he told everything he saw and heard in detail. Of course, he would not admit that he was dragged on suspicion of being greedy, but emphasized that the Taiping army forcibly detained him and refused to let him go on the grounds that there were horse bandits along the way and refused to let him go, and carried out close surveillance.

"It's a pity!"

Hearing that when Fang An arrived, Dengzhou had not yet fallen into the hands of the Taiping army, and Chen Sansheng and Feng Wu invariably had a look of regret on their faces. However, after listening to Fang An's description, they also knew the situation at that time. Since the Taiping army had a great advantage, even if Fang An arrived early, the final result would probably be similar.

It can only be said that those mercenary businessmen in Dengzhou are too hateful!

If it weren't for their internal and external cooperation, the Taiping army would not know how long it would take for the Taiping army to capture Dengzhou. In that case, the empire would be able to use this as a bargaining chip to gain a more favorable position and conditions in the negotiations of Zhao'an.

But now?

Looking at the conditions that Fang An brought back, whether it was taxes or the right to appoint personnel to local officials in Songjiang, almost all of them fell into the hands of thieves. Although it is necessary to pay a symbolic quota and the officials are nominally reported to the center, they are only empty names of little significance to the empire.

"Agree!"

Qian Yuanji narrowed his eyes, looked up at the carved beams and painted pillars on the roof of the imperial study, his voice trembled slightly, and made a difficult decision. At this point, what if you don't agree? It will only push this gang of thieves into the hands of the Omanis. Although a Songjiang County has been carved out, it is still nominally in the hands of the Empire. As long as this difficulty can be relieved, sooner or later there will be a time to take it back.

"陛xià...... There is one more thing ...... minister"

Seeing that Qian Yuanji made such a light decision, and did not blame or express dissatisfaction, Fang Anxin breathed a sigh of relief, and hesitated to hand out that sentence.

Seeing Fang An's attitude of wanting to stop talking, Qian Yuanji looked stunned, and said lightly: "What else is the matter?" Let's talk about it together. ”

"The thief leader Chen Wu Tuochen said a word...... Willing to be for His Majesty xià Yongzhen Tiannan! ”

When the matter came, Fang An suddenly became a little more afraid, and he didn't have the courage to speak. But thinking of the sandalwood treasure box in his storeroom, he gritted his teeth and said it hard.

There was a sudden silence in the study.

Qian Yuanji's expression was a little stunned, and the clay sculpture of his body generally did not move; Chen Sansheng was stunned, and the words he was about to say were stuck in his throat; Feng Wu subconsciously plucked out his ears, as if he didn't hear what he was saying just now.

A moment later, the roar of Qianyuanji's gaffe came from the imperial study!

"Arrogant! This cowardly and profit-hungry thief is not satisfied with a Governor of Songjiang, and he even wants to plot against Tiannan! ”

In an instant, Qian Yuanji, who was surging with anger, had his hair and beard rushing to the crown, his expression was hideous, and his eyes were frighteningly red. Even Chen Sansheng and Feng Wu had never seen Qian Yuanji so angry, so they hurriedly comforted "Your Majesty is angry", as for Fang An, who helped deliver this sentence, he was even more stupid, he didn't expect Qian Yuanji to suddenly erupt, his head was blank, and he kowtowed again and again to ask for guilt.

This emperor is generally quite generous to his courtiers, but in anger, he will really kill his courtiers!

lost his temper, and Qianyuanji's Imperial City Mansion still made him quickly realize his gaffe. He stubbornly resisted the urge to ask someone to push Fang An out and behead him, or pick up the inkstone on the imperial case and smash the other party's head, sat back in place, took a deep breath several times, and sneered: "Very good, very good!" I came to ask you, how much benefit did Chen Wu, the leader of the Taiping Army, give you? ”

He knew that if he hadn't received the benefits, Fang An would never have agreed to help with this.

Fang An was about to open his mouth to deny it, but Yu Guang saw the murderous intent in Qian Yuanji's eyes, and was frightened by the majesty of the emperor. He knew he only had one chance to speak. If he said that he was panicked, he was found out by Ji Junchen of the Military Intelligence Bureau......

"A sapphire, 500,000 gold coins......"

Almost word by word, Fang An only felt that his back was soaked with cold sweat. Qian Yuanji's gaze was as sharp as a sword, falling on him, and it hurt to cut it one by one, almost making him faint.

"One hundred and fifty thousand gold coins in one sentence! Hey! ”

Qian Yuanji was probably furious and laughed out loud, with anger and faint desolation in his voice. After half a sound, looking at Fang An, who had repeatedly asked for sin, he said coldly: "What are you guilty of!" ”

Similar corruption and bribery have long been common in the imperial court. Qianyuanji is not unaware of it as an emperor, but this accumulation of disadvantages has been formed little by little over 300 years, and it is a common disadvantage when the dynasty is about to enter the end stage. It's just that I didn't expect that this time the thief actually bribed the head of the deputy foreign minister, and it was this number as soon as he made a move.

Chen Wu's ambition is really terrifying!

Even Songjiang hadn't digested it yet, so he immediately set his eyes on Tiannan, and he wasn't afraid of eating too quickly and supporting himself to death? Or did the other party see this as a unique opportunity?

He had initially calmed down from his anger, and he thought about it in his heart, but he forgot that Fang An was still kneeling on the ground and pleading guilty. By the time he came back to his senses, the deputy foreign minister was almost stunned by his own brain, and he knelt on the floor tiles, looking wolf-like.

This made Qian Yuanji a little more disdainful in his anger, but he was helpless, and sighed: "I have been feeling the emptiness of the treasury recently, and after you go back, you will hand over the 500,000 gold yourself, which is just to serve as the salary of the Eagle Yang Legion of Cheng Guogong." ”

Listening to Qian Yuanji's meaning, this matter seems to have been revealed, so that Fang Anru was pardoned and thanked again and again. It's just that after getting up from the ground again, the original panic initially calmed down, the cold sweat disappeared, and Fang An's heart couldn't help but feel annoyance and reluctance.

500,000 gold coins, before they were warm in their hands, they were gone......

knew that he shouldn't have received this money at that time, but he didn't eat the mutton and fell into a mess in vain. Or maybe you just underreported that little?

He lowered his head and looked at his toes, thinking wildly in his heart, but he didn't want Qian Yuanji to man for a while, and suddenly called him by name again.

"Chen Wu wants the matter of Tiannan County, what do you think?"