In the eleventh year of Chongzhen (1638), the first day of the second month.

After the Shangyuan Festival, Bao Xuezhen settled down in Dapan Fort, and with the support of Liu Yan, opened a medical center, and began to select suitable children and teenagers as apprentices in the fort.

A few days later, the Guzhen Inspection Department also came back, and Song Gongming, the inspector, made a favor and turned Bao Xuezhen's "personnel relationship" around, and since then Bao Xuezhen has been an official staff member of Dapanbao.

At the same time, Wang Yue, Wang Bo, Zhang Yi, Xu Ming, Miao Shao, and Chen Xun also began to train the sentry army.

Zhang Yi led his troops to be stationed in the salt drying field, and Chen Xun led his troops to be stationed in the area of Juntun, and enough houses had been built on both sides, with some courtyards, enough for these two sentinels to live.

The other four sentinels are all stationed in Dapan Fort, at this time in the school field outside Dapan Fort, you can see the people and horses who are practicing intensely every day, and the military households who have not yet started spring ploughing are very interested, and the happiest thing every day is to gather on the fort wall to watch the drills of the dun army, and from time to time there will be a burst of cheers, or boos.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, caravans from all over the world rushed to pick up the goods, and Jia Hongyu, the chief flag officer, personally brought people to come as usual, and carried bags of sea salt, boxes of soap, and a jar of pot of wine onto the cart.

In the General Flag Official Hall, Liu Yan pulled Jia Hongyu to drink hot tea and chat, and the rest of the businessmen, including those sent by Song Gongming, the ancient town inspector, were all entertained by Wang Yue, the little flag official, and only Jia Hongyu was personally received by Liu Yan.

"Hehe, Brother Jia has gained a lot of weight recently."

Jia Hongyu patted his belly, and said with a smile: "It's really a lot fatter, there's no way to do it, thanks to Liu Zongqi's blessing, now this day is too comfortable, there is endless silver to spend every month, it's really like a dream." ”

"Brother Jia is polite, and earning money is also the result of our brothers' concerted efforts, and it can't be said that who trusts whom."

The two talked for a while, and Jia Hongyu said: "I don't know if Liu Zongqi has come to see Tang Bao recently?" ”

Liu Yan was slightly stunned and said, "No, I heard that the Qianhu Office in Xiahe Village hasn't sent a Tang newspaper for two months, could it be that Brother Jia has seen the latest Tang News?" ”

Jia Hongyu nodded and said, "It's true that there has been no news from the Qianhu Office for two months, but some time ago I went to the Guzhen Inspection Department to do business, and I saw a hand-copied Tang newspaper over there, which was last month. ”

"Something happened to the court again?"

Jia Hongyu said: "In this world, when will something happen to the court?" It's us Shandong! ”

Liu Yan frowned slightly and asked, "What's wrong with us in Shandong?" ”

"Last year, we had a series of droughts in various parts of Shandong, and the people around the country have been displaced, and after the winter, it snowed heavily in various places, and the local government did not have enough relief, it is said that all the prefectures and counties are full of corpses, miserable!"

Liu Yan sighed heavily and said, "In this way, I am afraid that there will be a civil uprising in various parts of Shandong this year!" ”

"Liu Zongqi is really a masterpiece, I guessed it!"

Jia Hongyu said: "It is said that there have been many civil uprisings in various places, and the scale is not small. ”

Liu Yan hurriedly said: "Please also ask Brother Jia to be more detailed." ”

Jia Hongyu paused, and then began to speak.

Since the beginning of winter last year, the victims of the disaster who could not survive in Shandong have begun to riot, either joining the thieves in various places, or simply pulling up a group of people to do it themselves, and bandits of all sizes in Shandong have emerged in an endless stream.

At the end of last year, there were thieves Pei Shouzheng, Ma Ruiheng, Liu Tongxiang and others in Guanxian County, Shandong Province, who gathered to attack the surrounding villages and cities.

At the same time, the victims of the disaster in Yanzhou, Jining, Caozhou and other prefectures also rose up, and the momentum was very huge, and there was a great tendency to set the prairie on fire.

In addition, there are also some small groups of thieves and thieves who have also invaded various parts of Shandong, and they have been fighting and harassing localities in various prefectures and counties, constantly absorbing disaster victims and small bands of thieves from various places, and gradually developing.

Hearing these news, Liu Yan also became alert, and from this time on, the real turmoil finally came.

Jia Hongyu on the side looked at Liu Yan who was deep in thought, and said with a smile: "Don't worry about Mr. Liu, although all parts of Shandong have gradually become chaotic, but our Lingshanwei side is quite peaceful, after all, we are close to the sea here, it is too remote, and we will not be able to get here for a while." ”

Liu Yan smiled, and then wanted to leave for dinner, Jia Hongyu waved his hand and said, "Forget it today, I have to go back to accompany the management team to get busy, let's talk about it next time." ”

Seeing this, Liu Yan did not force him to stay, sent Jia Hongyu out of the fort, and returned to the General Flag Hall with a frown.

"I really didn't expect that Li Zicheng's men and horses also appeared in Shandong, how do I remember that at this time, Li Zicheng should be wandering around Shaanxi and Shanxi, at most involving Henan, why did he run to Shandong?"

Liu Yan was puzzled, but he didn't know that more than ten days later, in a valley in Ma'er Mountain in Zhucheng, a man who looked like a scholar had led a large army to occupy this place.

This man is the white shopkeeper contacted by Sun Qian, the salt lord before, and more than 3,000 people have gathered in the valley at this time, and they are camping here.

"General Bai, the thieves we have collected all the way are too miscellaneous, they don't have any combat power at all, but they still have to consume our food and grass supplies, it's better to drive those thieves to fight Zhucheng tomorrow, and it can be regarded as making a little noise."

The white shopkeeper's name is Baimiao, and he was originally a down-and-out talent, but later he couldn't survive, so he joined Li Zicheng's team, and was gradually promoted to become a member of Li Zicheng's old camp.

At this time, Bai Miao looked at the subordinates who came to report and said with a smile: "I still have those people, although their combat strength is not good, but they are still qualified to be used as cannon fodder." ”

The subordinate was named Bai Dazhuang, who was the right-hand man of the White Temple, and said at this time: "General, are we going to Lingshanwei?" What kind of oil and water is there, let's go north, go to Qingzhou, Yanzhou, not only there is a large population, but we can also replenish grain and grass on the spot, and gradually grow our strength. ”

Bai Miao shook his head and said: "Although there is turmoil in Shandong now, the strength of the imperial court in Shandong is still very strong, and we alone will not be able to set off any strong winds and waves, unless King Chuang can send a team of men and horses to support." But now ......"

Speaking of this, Bai Miao sighed, and then continued: "Although Lingshanwei is remote, I am very interested in it, do you remember Sun Qian? ”

"Sun Qian?"

Bai Dazhuang said: "That salt owl? ”

"Yes!"

Bai Miao said: "Before, Sun Qian mentioned a Dapan Fort under Lingshanwei, saying that it was very rich there, with a large amount of money and grain reserves, and there was also a chief flag officer who was said to be very capable, named Liu Yan! To be honest, I'm very interested in this person. ”

"What does the general mean is that he wants to take this person in?"

"yes."

Bai Miao said: "I have talked to Sun Qian in detail and know some things about Dapanbao. If Dapan Fort is really as Sun Qian said, then this Liu Yan is too powerful, he can manage a fire road pier of twenty or thirty people into a large tunbao that can accommodate thousands of people in just one year, and also train a dun army with considerable combat power, why can't we take such talents for our own use? ”

Bai Dazhuang said with a smile: "The general's idea is very good, but he is the chief flag officer of the imperial court, and he lives comfortably in his own tunbao, who is willing to abandon everything he has to join us?" ”

"It's a matter of people."

Bai Miao said: "If Liu Yan is not willing to serve King Chuang, then I don't mind getting rid of him, no matter where such a person is, sooner or later he will get ahead, if he comes out in the court, the threat to us will be great, if he can't be used by me, then we must get rid of it as soon as possible!" ”

After finishing speaking, Bai Miao stood up, walked to the door of the tent, looked at the cold wind outside, and said, "This is not far from Lingshanwei, so we don't have to hide our whereabouts anymore." Starting tomorrow, the army will march day and night, straight to Dapan Fort! ”

Bai Dazhuang said: "General, now there are many thieves in Shandong, these people hate the imperial court to the core, I think we might as well slow down and recruit more people to strengthen their strength, even if those thieves are not good at fighting, but it is good to wave the flag and shout." ”

"Haha."

Bai Miao said with a smile: "You remember, there are not many soldiers, but fine, and the only ones we can really rely on on on the battlefield are the eight hundred horsemen we brought out, and the rest of the more than two thousand thieves can only fight with the wind." So the more people the better, the key is to use them in the right position. ”

"Yes, my subordinates have been taught!"

The cold wind howled out of the valley and raged eastward, over the wilderness and deserted villages, and finally outside the castle.

In the blink of an eye, at the end of February, on this day, Liu Yan came to the castle wall and looked north, his face full of solemnity.

After learning the news of the sudden civil uprising in Shandong from Jia Hongyu, Liu Yan summoned Chen Xun, Wang Yue, Wang Bo, Zhang Yi, Miao Shao, and Xu Ming, and urged everyone to step up the training of the sentry army.

Later, Liu Yan went to the Firearms Supervision Office and the Armor Supervision Office, accompanied by Tan Xiaoda and Xu Le, to inspect the construction of military equipment.

At this time, all kinds of armaments such as birds, spears, swords and shields required by the sentry dun army have been fully equipped, and the number of fixed ammunition has also been reserved for hundreds of thousands of rounds, which can be described as an astonishing number.

However, the output of armor is still insufficient, and now only forty-nine pairs can be made every month, although it seems to others to be very good, but it is still too far from the standard of all armor required by Liu Yan.

"I don't know where that bandit is now!"

Liu Yan is most worried about this thief, after all, Li Zicheng's reputation as a-stirring stick is too great, whether it is in the late Ming Dynasty or in later generations, the people under him are also difficult to deal with.

Now Liu Yan feels the pain of not being able to keep up with the intelligence, as if he is blind, he can't detect his opponent's every move at all, and can only respond passively.

"Captain A."

Liu Yan sighed, and suddenly heard the shout and looked back, it was the little flag officer Chen Xunha who walked over with his hand.

"All ready?"

Chen Xun said: "Captain A rest assured, the seeds and cattle, farm tools, fertilizers and other materials needed for spring plowing have been transported back, and a total of more than 3,700 taels of silver has been spent. ”

Liu Yan took the list and simply looked at it, only to see that the prices of ploughing cattle, seeds, farm tools, etc. had risen a lot, especially for ploughing cattle, and now the price of a ploughing cow had risen to twelve taels of silver, which was outrageous!

"Alas!"

Liu Yan sighed, he was going to feel distressed, not to mention ordinary people, now this world is really unbearable.

"Distribute it as soon as possible, and keep a good record, these things will be gradually repaid by the military households in the future."

"Yes."

Suddenly, Miao Shao, the little flag officer, ran quickly onto the castle wall and said loudly: "Captain A! The master of the management team sent someone over and asked Captain A to rush to Wangjiazhuang immediately to discuss matters! ”

"Did you say anything?"

"Thieves, there are a large number of thieves coming towards our Wangjiazhuang!"