Tibet

Seeing that Yang Shaoan was silent, Zhang Luanzi sneered again and said: "The five porcelain fire thunders you brought back were studied by more than a dozen alchemists all night and were found to be saltpeter powder. Not to mention how to purify the saltpeter powder, we don't know how to purify it at all. And even if we make nitrate powder, it will be useless. We have to add something else. We don’t know what to add or what proportion to add. More importantly, how to detonate it?”

Speaking of this, Zhang Luanzi shook his head repeatedly, "Not to mention half a year, even if we are given ten years, we can't build it. Mr. Yang, tell us what to do!"

Yang Shaoan suddenly realized that Zhang Luanzi did not want to report him to Li Xilie, otherwise why would he talk so much nonsense?

After thinking about this, Yang Shaoan was no longer nervous. He moved his painful shoulders and smiled lightly: "If you have anything to say, the military advisor might as well say it directly!"

Zhang Luanzi said slowly: "Actually, I envy Ambassador Yang for walking out of Li Xilie's death pit ahead of schedule. I also want to climb out. I don't want to be buried with Li Xilie. Can Mr. Yang help me?"

Yang Shaoan said after a while: "Since the military advisor already knows about Jishitang Pharmacy, what else do you need me to do?"

Zhang Luanzi shook his head, "It's two different things if someone pulls the strings and if no one pulls the strings, I have my certificate of surrender. Mr. Yang doesn't have to worry about the other party not welcoming me, how about that?"

Yang Shaoan was silent for a moment and said, "Even the military advisor doesn't think highly of Li Xilie?"

"It's not that I don't think highly of him, it's that he has committed too many crimes, killed too many people, and lost the hearts of the people. Who dares to support such a person? Now the imperial court's deployment of troops is within my expectation. Hebei can slow down and unify In the Central Plains, opening up the south of the Yangtze River is the top priority of the imperial court. Wang Zhongsheng has been eliminated, and Li Xilie must be next. Look at Li Ye's layout. There are 30,000 troops in Yangzhou, and 30,000 cavalry in the north, plus horses. Lin's army, Lai's army, and the navy have blocked the river. The siege has been formed, and the war will come soon. So I kindly ask Mr. Yang to introduce me to me in the next two days. I guarantee that I can give you an investment that the court will be absolutely satisfied with. name."

Yang Shaoan thought for a moment and said, "Otherwise, it will be tonight!"

At night, Miao Qi met Zhang Luanzi in Jishitang Pharmacy.

According to the records of the imperial court, Zhang Luanzi committed serious crimes. His biggest crime was to propose a plan to spread the epidemic in Haozhou to Yingzhou, causing the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, tens of thousands of people dying of illness, and the loss of more than 10,000 troops. Infected by disease.

Zhang Luanzi knew that his crime was serious. If he wanted to save his life, he had to produce a sign of surrender.

Zhang Luanzi pushed the two letters to Miao Qi, "This is my surrender letter. The first letter is where Li Xilie's property was hidden, including the 4.5 million yuan in tax money he looted from Jiangnan and the money he looted from Jianghuai and the Central Plains." His wealth totaled tens of millions. He buried this huge wealth on an uninhabited island on the south bank of Chaohu Lake. He wanted to establish a foothold in Jiangnan first, and then use ships to transport the wealth to Jiangnan. The letter contains the detailed burial location I drew, which only he and the five hundred soldiers know. Because it was the Feng Shui I showed him, I also know it."

Miao Qi nodded, "What about this letter?"

"This letter is about how to kill Li Xilie in the most cost-effective way. Wang Zhongsheng led the remaining soldiers to flee to Haozhou. Li Xilie will definitely lead his army to Haozhou to annex Wang Zhongsheng's army. As long as the timing is accurate, 30,000 Tang Army cavalry will leave from Feishui Go south, cut off Li Xilie's retreat, and block Li Xilie's hope of fleeing eastward. The Yangzhou army can surround Li Xilie in Haozhou. Although the epidemic is over in Haozhou, the people are sparse, so they can annihilate Li Xilie in the least harmful way to the people. army."

After a pause, Zhang Luanzi continued: "As for Hefei, I can arrange for a thousand people to enter the city in the name of recruiting gunpowder craftsmen."

Miao Qi nodded, "I see Taoist Master's sincerity. I will send the two letters to Yingzhou immediately. In addition, I want to know, when will Li Xilie leave for Haozhou?"

Zhang Luanzi said slowly: "He plans to leave in three days and will stay in Haozhou for at least ten days, so the opportunity lies within these thirteen days."

"I know, I will send someone to Yingzhou immediately!"

Li Ye led 20,000 troops to Ruyin County, Yingzhou. The annihilation of Li Xilie was a major event, including the integration of all armies in the Central Plains, so Li Ye personally took command and rushed from Chang'an to Yingzhou.

Twenty thousand troops marched slowly on the official road. The entire Yingzhou looked very deserted. The epidemic hit Yingzhou hard last spring, and most of the people fled. Although the epidemic ended completely last autumn, to restore its former vitality, It will take at least five more years.

The further south you go, the more desolate you become. There are abandoned farmlands and villages along the way. Li Ye sighed and said to Guo Ziyi who came with him: "The prosperous land of the Central Plains is in such decline!"

After Guo Ziyi reported on his duties in Chang'an, he was granted the title of Cao Guogong by Li Ye, the third-grade Jin Ziguanglu doctor, the secretary of the school inspection and military department, and the title of censor doctor as the interview envoy of Henan Province. He was completely converted into a civil official.

Guo Ziyi was very satisfied with this destination. He smiled and said: "The Han people are very tenacious. As long as there is peace and there are no natural or man-made disasters, they will soon take root and sprout and regain their vitality. Your Highness does not have to worry. As long as Li Xilie is destroyed, it will take at most three years." Yingzhou will be different.”

"Not only do we need to restore security, but we also need to be exempted from taxes and recuperate, Commander Guo. The people of the Central Plains must turn to Commander Guo."

Guo Ziyi nodded, "Your Highness, please rest assured. It is a humble honor to be able to contribute a little to the Central Plains!"

Li Ye came to Ruyin County. As soon as he arrived in Ruyin County, he received an urgent report from the Luzhou Intelligence Station.

Intelligence showed that Li Xilie was about to lead his army to Haozhou. The intelligence suggested cutting off Li Xilie's retreat and annihilating Li Xilie in Haozhou, which is currently sparsely populated.

The second piece of information was that Zhang Luanzi, the opponent's military advisor, provided Li Xilie with information about where he had hidden his wealth. Li Ye was very interested in this. The imperial household department estimated that the tax on water transport intercepted by Li Xilie alone amounted to 5 million yuan. Although the ship was later returned to Yangzhou, But the money was not returned, and coupled with Li Xilie's plunder in the Central Plains and Huaixi, the Ministry of Revenue estimated that the money was at least 10 million yuan.

In fact, not only Li Ye was paying attention to this battle to encircle and suppress Li Xilie, but the imperial court was also watching. These civil servants were afraid of living in poverty, and they all wanted to get Li Xilie's wealth back to the imperial court.

Li Ye immediately summoned Ma Lin and Xi Wanli. They had 80,000 troops in their hands. Together with Nan Jiyun's 30,000 troops, the 110,000 troops would be responsible for encircling and suppressing Li Xilie's army in Haozhou.

In front of the sand table, Li Ye pointed at the Feishui River with a wooden pole and said: "Going down the Feishui River is Shouchun. Shouchun has grain and grass, which can be used as a supply for the cavalry. General Xi will go down from the Shouchun line to cut off Li Xilie's retreat. I guess Li Xilie definitely wants to withdraw to Hefei. A fierce battle is inevitable, and I will take care of him from behind. "

Xi Wanli quickly bowed and saluted, "I humbly obey my order!"