In fact, in addition to accepting Zuo Liangyu, a loyal dog.

For the other fifteen imperial court generals, Xu Jiazhuang also put forward the concept of strategic partners and accepted a number of strategic partners.

So what is a strategic partner?

The following core conditions must be met:

First, no matter what the circumstances, we will never be enemies of Xujiazhuang and will not do anything that harms the interests of Xujiazhuang.

Second, they are willing to cooperate in mining, road construction, logistics escort, and bandit suppression, etc., to help safeguard the interests of Xujiazhuang, and Xujiazhuang will also give them rewards and benefits.

Third, set up contact groups with each other, report major incidents immediately, and maintain communication and liaison at any time.

Fourth, become a VIP customer of Tianxiatong Bank, try to deposit your property in Tianxiatong Bank, and you will also enjoy preferential treatment in terms of loans, investment and financial management in the future.

Fifth, he joined Xu Jiazhuang's "Maritime Strategy", and was willing to follow Xu Jiajun to overseas expeditions in the future, establish colonies, and obtain overseas resources.

There are other terms and so on.

But just looking at the above five core clauses, once all of them are agreed, what is the difference between it and Zuo Liangyu's dog?

Well, there's really no essential difference.

But they are dignified court generals, most of them are high-ranking officials of the second and third grades, and they are dogs to a merchant force, what kind of system is this? If it is spread out, where will the face be placed?

So the biggest difference is reflected, compared to the ugly dog, strategic partners sound much better and more acceptable.

And when the dog does not have the right to choose and refuse, but the strategic partner can choose some cooperation projects they like, and refuse projects with high risk and low return, that is, they have a certain degree of autonomy, which is also a very big difference.

So a strategic partner for this.

Yang Yufan, Wang Hong, and Deng Xi were the first to join without hesitation, and all the terms were accepted without thinking.

Hong Chengchou, Wu Xiang, Zu Dabi, and Zuo Guangxian are the second batch to join, but they ask for anonymous cooperation, and they don't want to be exposed, otherwise they will definitely be very passive.

Cao Wenzhao, Wang Yinghui, Li Bei, Ai Wannian, Tang Jiuzhou, Liu Zeqing, etc. begged to consider again, wait and see, and could not make a decision immediately, while Xu Jiazhuang said that they would be given half a year to consider, and they could join at any time in the middle.

Clearly said not to join or impossible to join, only Qin Liangyu, Chen Yongfu, Wang Yinghui three, no way, although with Xu Jiazhuang, become the so-called strategic partner, is able to bring great benefits, but it does not mean that they are willing to be dogs, willing to obey Xu Jiazhuang's life, this is also disloyalty and betrayal to the imperial court, let alone let go of self-esteem and self-reliance, so no matter how much temptation they face, they still want to stick to themselves, do not want to lose independence.

And never regret it!

Xu Jiazhuang expressed understanding and respect for their choice, and no longer forced them, but also put them in the list of ordinary partners.

……

November 25th.

The weather is getting colder and colder, and the procurement is almost complete.

Hong Chengchou, Cao Wenzhao and others applied for settlement and left one after another, hoping to be approved.

Xujiazhuang also fulfilled its promise, not only refunded them the discount, but also arranged a fast convoy to send them back: if they went to the cold north, they were escorted by sleigh cars; If they go to the warm south, they are escorted by horse-drawn carriages or merchant ships, in short, they are to be sent home safely and comfortably.

In addition, they purchased a large number of commercial goods, Xujiazhuang will immediately organize a logistics team, free shipping delivery to the door (except for the close distance can be free shipping, generally will charge a certain fee), even if it can not be delivered this winter, it will be delivered in the spring of next year, so that they do not have to worry.

However, on the 25th, when Hong Chengchou and others left.

There was a cavalry of about 500 men, coming from north to south, non-stop towards Harbour City, and every man on horseback had a swarthy face, and many of them had many cuts in their faces by the cold wind.

Who are they?

How to do the opposite, not afraid of the cold, also came to Xujiazhuang Harbor City.

Tianxiong Army!

These are all Lu Xiangsheng's Tianxiong Army soldiers, and they finally arrived late, barely catching up with the end of this Xujiazhuang visit and procurement activity.

Having said that, it's so late, the members of the visiting purchasing group have left one after another, what is Lu Xiangsheng still doing with these people?

Do you also want to purchase a batch of supplies in Harbour City, and hope to enjoy a discount of 88%?

This is indeed the idea.

Through the liaison staff of the Xujiazhuang caravan, Lu Xiangsheng learned about this visiting and purchasing group, and after he had missed the registration period, he was anxious at that time and asked if he could add him temporarily, and he also wanted to go to Harbour City to buy some commercial goods.

The liaison officer reported Lu Xiangsheng's request, and quickly got a reply: Tianxiongjun can join and enjoy group purchase discounts, but only within this year.

So Lu Xiangsheng took the Tianxiong army of 500 people, took the bank passbook, and went to Harbour City non-stop, barely catching the last train.

But after smoothly entering Harbour City.

After going to the wholesale market in the south of the city and purchasing for about half a day, Lu Xiangsheng and others ended the procurement action, even used up the 12% discount, and planned to leave for home early tomorrow morning to bring the New Year's goods home.

Anyway, it's too efficient.

Thousands of miles away, just half a day to purchase the end, tomorrow morning to leave, this process is too fast, right?

In order to enjoy the group purchase discount of 88% off, this Lu Xiangsheng is too hard, right?

That's right.

Lu Xiangsheng is this kind of style of wind and fire, moving like lightning, otherwise it would be impossible to successfully catch up with Gao Yingxiang, and it is impossible to successfully bite the main force of the Eight Banners in the recent retreat of Jiannu, and tear off a piece of flesh and blood, and get countless captures.

Of course!

He finished his purchase quickly this time, and it was also related to the fact that he didn't spend much money, and he bought a total of 150,000 silver dollars worth of commercial goods, compared to Hong Chengchou and others who spent three or four million in three days, Lu Xiangsheng's spending efficiency was slow, after all, it was only such a small amount of money, and it was spent in two or three clicks.

Wait a minute!

150,000 silver dollars.

Why does Lu Xiangsheng have so much money in his pocket? Although he and his Tianxiong army, for the sake of relieving the people, failed to catch up with the action of 'copying and destroying the eight masters of the Jin merchants' and missed this opportunity to make a fortune, but in the process of pursuing the Houjin army, the Tianxiong army also won many battles and captured countless times.

If you give an exact figure.

The grain and livestock, gold, silver, jewelry, men, women, and young men captured by the Tianxiong Army must have been worth more than one million silver dollars.

Although he did not become a big nouveau rich, he was a little rich, and he was not much worse than Hong Chengchou, Cao Wenzhao and others.

But the value of the commercial goods purchased in Xujiazhuang now is only 150,000 silver dollars, where did Lu Xiangsheng's money go?

……

At night.

Outside Harbour City, inside a Chase shop-style budget hotel.

Lu Xiangsheng proposed that early tomorrow morning, everyone would return to the Daimyo's Mansion with a small number of New Year's goods.

Silent.

Everyone in the Tianxiong Army looked at him silently, did not speak, and no one nodded, but many people's eyes were on Lu Xiangguan beside Lu Xiangsheng, and their eyes kept signaling.

"Big brother, there's no hurry to go back to the Daimyo's Mansion, now we have a more important matter to deal with."

Feeling the urging in everyone's eyes, Lu Xiangguan had to open his mouth and say in Lu Xiangsheng's ear, and at the same time beckoned, a soldier of the Tianxiong Army immediately handed the two big white bowls to Lu Xiangguan's hands.

"What's going on?" Lu Xiangsheng frowned and glared at this younger brother.

"That's Tianxiongjun, we should discuss and discuss the matter of applying to become a strategic partner of Xujiazhuang......

"What's there to discuss?"

Lu Xiangsheng immediately interrupted him rudely, waved his hand and said: "I have already refused this matter, I, Lu Jiandou and the Tianxiong Army, it is absolutely impossible for me to betray the imperial court, and I will be the loyal dog of a merchant force, so there is no need to mention this matter again!" ”

"Big brother, this is what you mean, it doesn't mean what we all mean, the Tianxiong Army is not your own big brother, such a major matter, big brother, you don't count it alone, you have to vote together to decide."

Lu Xiangguan raised the two big white bowls in his hand, asked people to bring a small bag of soybeans for feeding the horses, and said loudly: "Next, I want to have a vote, anyone who agrees to become a strategic partner of Xujiazhuang, please put the soybeans into the white bowl on the left, and if you disagree with it, please put the soybeans into the white bowl on the right hand." ”

"What are you doing, what are you doing here?"

Lu Xiangsheng's face was as black as charcoal, and he began to vaguely realize what these people wanted to do, and he said to these people with a stern expression: "Take back the bowl quickly!" The Tianxiong Army was built by me Lu Xiangsheng, no matter how big or small, I have the final say, it's useless for you to do this! ”

But it didn't work.

In the past, with a serious face, he could make people kneel down and admit their mistakes, but no matter how loud and powerful he was at this moment, no one was afraid and ignored.

The soybean vote, which was not transferred by his personal will, was forcibly carried out.

The results were also coming out quickly.

In the white bowl on the left hand side of Lu Xiangguan, 499 soybeans were put in, and a small mountain was piled up.

In the white bowl on the right hand, there is only a lone soybean, which represents Lu Xiangsheng's vote.

"Big brother, you see it, public opinion, this is public opinion, this vote is all the people in the Tianxiong Army to vote together, I'm afraid it will be the same result, so the Tianxiong Army will apply to become a strategic partner of Xujiazhuang, I hope that the eldest brother will obey the will of the people and take the initiative to negotiate with Xujiazhuang tomorrow to join."

Lu Xiangguan said with the bowl of soybeans in his hand.

"What if I don't go?"

Lu Xiangsheng said in a deep voice with a dark face, the muscles at the corners of his eyes twitched.

"Then I will be the plenipotentiary representative of the Tianxiong Army and discuss this matter with Xu Jiazhuang, big brother, just wait for the good news to come." Lu Xiangguan said the turbulent way, and in the face of Lu Xiangsheng's fierce gaze, he did not dodge or dodge, but tried to see the dagger.

"Hahahaha!"

Lu Xiangsheng raised his head and laughed, laughing angrily! Gritted his teeth and said: "Forcing the palace, is this what you are forcing the palace to my Lu Jiandou?" And you, Lu Xiangguan, also dare to rebel, dare to do something to devour your brother, I will behead you bastard now! ”

He pulled out the sword at his waist and was about to stab Lu Xiangguan into the body.

But he was immediately stopped by the people around him, and the sword was also knocked to the ground, and Lu Xiangguan ran out of a distance.

However, Lu Xiangsheng in a state of rage is not something that ordinary people can stop at all, even if he doesn't have a sword, with that unicorn arm, he quickly knocked over dozens of people, caught up with Lu Xiangguan, stretched out his right hand and hooked it, and immediately locked Lu Xiangguan's neck, and rolled his eyes with force.

kept scolding in his mouth: "It's the other way around, you bastard dare to devour your brother?" I'll kill you today according to the rules of the family! ”

"No adults!"

"Let go of the second general."

"You don't have to spare your hands, go all out to rescue the second general!"

Everyone had to exert all their strength, and more than a dozen big men rushed up, first rescued Lu Xiangguan who was locked by the neck, and then subdued Lu Xiangsheng, and found a thick hemp rope to tie Lu Xiangsheng firmly to the pillar.

After the scolding Lu Xiangsheng was tired of scolding and finally didn't talk much, everyone began to complain in front of him:

"My lord, we can't do anything about it!"

"My lord, if the Tianxiong Army lets you toss around like this again, the military spirit will soon disperse, and the Tianxiong Army will no longer exist."

"My lord, what you have done, we have endured it again and again, and it is impossible to tolerate it today!"

"That's right! The hearts of the brothers have long been cold, if the adults do not repent and change, we can only elect the second general as the leader, and then listen to the orders of the second general, let the second general advance with the Tianxiong army, my lord, you still enter the court as your civil official. ”

It was like opening a cathartic outlet, and everyone counted all kinds of things that Lu Xiangsheng was not doing.

"After breaking through the Juyong Pass, in order to catch up with the retreating army of Houjin, we marched for three days and nights, and only closed our eyes for a few hours in the middle, so that we achieved many great victories in a row and captured countless materials, worth at least one million silver dollars."

"There is no problem with the release of all the young and strong people, and it is no problem to give them 100 catties of food per person, but the adults can't let go of these people, they have to help people to the end, they have to build houses and resettlement sites for them, collect refugees and displaced people from all over the place, exhaust all the grain of more than 200,000 stones, and distribute tens of thousands of livestock to the people, and finally save more than 200,000 people, because the money and food are not enough, and more than 500,000 taels of silver have been advanced."

"The relief work that originally belonged to the imperial court has been done by our Tianxiong Army!"

"If only that's it, but in order to save these people and make a living Bodhisattva reputation, we missed the opportunity to go to Shanxi to destroy the eight great Jin merchants, and almost all the captured millions of money and grain were used on the refugees, but in order to rescue these refugees, in order to defeat the Houjin army, we traveled thousands of miles, more than 1,000 bicycles were damaged, and more than 2,000 brothers were killed in the battle.

"The court should give us a head reward and pension silver, but we didn't see a penny, all of them were drifted away by the civil officials, in order not to offend the civil officials, the adults chose to swallow their anger."

"In order to show loyalty, the lord also offered 100,000 taels to the emperor's internal payment, but he was only promoted to the rank and did not increase the official, and the suspicion is still there."

"After everything is done, the more than 200,000 people we rescued are more grateful to the court and His Majesty than to our Tianxiong Army."

"I returned to the Daimyo's Mansion with the ashes of more than 2,000 brothers who had died in battle, and apart from the cries of every family, the family members of each deceased brother only received a bereavement pension of 30 silver dollars."

"Now that we come to Harbour City, we find that we can only spend a mere 150,000 silver dollars on ourselves."

"My lord, you have done so many stupid things, stupid things, and meaningless things, and you have not received anything except 150,000 silver dollars for the New Year, do you think it is worth it? Is it a good deal? Is it fair? Should the brothers be angry and angry? ”

"It can't go on like this! We're fed up, my lord, you can either act in accordance with our will in the future, or leave the Tianxiong Army and become your civil official, anyway, don't toss us anymore, we are tired, tired, and don't want to serve the country and the people anymore, we just want to live for ourselves now! ”

This middle-level officer of the Tianxiong Army, venting generally, poured out all the bitter water in his stomach, raised a lot of soul questions, and issued an ultimatum.

And see this angry and disappointed face.

Seeing that they couldn't bear it anymore, they demanded that they must change their determination.

Even his own brother betrayed him and tried to seize his authority.

This kind of scene of betrayal and separation made Lu Xiangsheng have to be silent for a moment and fall into a state of reflection.