Zhao Yi is indeed not very suitable to take over Shen Gang's position, firstly, he is too young, and secondly, his father Zhao Jia is too heavy in the Southwest Group.

The Southwest Army is led by Mu Ying and Li Shuo, and the two of them can still restrain each other, but Zhao Jia is taking care of the government affairs in the southwest alone, and he has been taking care of it for many years.

If the southwest is a country of its own, Zhao Jia is a veritable prime minister.

The reason why Li Xin dared to use him like this was because Zhao Jia had no soldiers in his hands, and no matter how much he tossed, he couldn't make any waves, and now everyone is still in the entrepreneurial stage, even if a group of big-headed scholars are together, they can't make any waves.

One day, if the Southwest Group can enter the capital, no matter how good the relationship between the two people is in private, the power will definitely be divided.

It is precisely because Zhao Jia's authority is already big enough that his son can no longer be in charge of the intelligence department, otherwise the father and son together will have some taste of dominance.

Zhao Jia knew this very well, so he opened his mouth to refuse.

Li Xin frowned and thought for a while, and then spoke: "That's the truth, he is too young, but since he is willing to work in the shadows, he will continue to let him take care of the information in the future, it is not a bad thing to have more contact with some things, and I will find someone else to take charge of the overall matter." ”

Zhao Jia bowed respectfully.

"Everything is up to the general."

Li Xin slowly exhaled a breath and said, "I'm going to Hanzhong, Jincheng and the entire southwest, and I have to ask Brother You'an to take care of me." ”

"It's a matter of subordination."

After they talked, Li Xin left him in the house for a meal, and the two sat together and talked for two hours, until the evening, when Zhao Jia got up and said goodbye and left.

Li Xin stayed in Jincheng for only two days, and on the third day he left for Hanzhong, but this time he was not in a hurry, so he did not ride a horse, and sat in a black carriage, accompanied by a man with only one arm.

Chen Sixteen, two or three years younger than Li Xin, is also in his early thirties this year.

He has been following Li Xin since he was sixteen years old, and it has been more than ten years now.

Since Lin Hu's accident, Chen Sixteen took Lin Hu's place and made gunpowder powder in Jincheng, and it has been five or six years now.

He sat opposite Li Xin in a proper manner, with a respectful demeanor.

Li Xin looked at Chen Sixteen and sighed slightly: "Sixteen, has the gunpowder matter been arranged?" ”

"Back to Master Hou, the arrangements are ready."

Chen Sixteen's voice was low, and he said: "I selected five people from those craftsmen, each responsible for a part of the production, although there may still be problems, but there should be no accidents in a short time." ”

Li Xin nodded, and then laughed at himself: "It doesn't matter if something happens, even if the imperial court doesn't get gunpowder, it's almost the same, and there is no need to be so tight in secrecy." ”

Along the way, he looked at Chen Sixteen and said, "Shen Gang is injured, very seriously. ”

Chen Sixteen looked up at Li Xin and asked, "What does Master Hou mean?" ”

"He has to do this job with someone I absolutely trust, so I can rest assured."

Li Xin smiled bitterly: "I also know that you have worked hard in the past few years, and I was going to let you live with Hui Niang and a few children in peace in another year or two, but Shen Gang had an accident, so I can only let you work hard for another two years and take over this stall in the dark department." ”

In the early years, when the dark department was just formed, Li Xin's family was still living in the Jing'an Hou Mansion in the capital, and at that time, Li Xin did not communicate directly with the people in the dark department, but asked Chen Sixteen to communicate with Shen Gang, so Chen Sixteen was very familiar with the dark department.

Chen Sixteen lowered his head and was silent for a while, then glanced at his broken arm, and said in a low voice: "Master Hou, I am disabled, I am afraid that I will not do well and miss Master Hou's affairs." ”

"Out of the way."

Li Xin said softly: "In the dark department for so many years, there are rules and regulations in the system, you can go to the helm, if there are any difficulties, come and tell me, I will definitely deal with it for you." ”

The first time Li Xin went to Chenjia Village, it was because Chen Sixteen's brother Chen Chuyi was gone, and he went to report the funeral of the Chen family.

In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed, although Li Xin has helped their family live a "good life", but he also owes the Chen family a lot.

Chen Sixteen lowered his head and was silent for a while, then nodded slowly.

"My life was given by Hou Ye, since Hou Ye asked me to do it, I will do my best."

"If there is something that is not done well, Hou Ye will punish it at will."

"I can't talk about it."

Li Xin looked at Chen Sixteen and sighed slightly: "Our two families have been together for so many years, I treat you as a brother, if this matter is not too sensitive, how about letting you enjoy a few years of happiness." ”

Chen Sixteen grinned at Li Xin.

"For so many years, our family has been blessed for many years with Master Hou."

Chen Sixteen was the arm that was lost when the Renchen Palace changed, and after recovering from the injury, he entered the Jing'an Hou Mansion to do things, and after more than ten years, although he was nominally a servant of the Li family, there was indeed a relationship between the two families, if it wasn't for the fact that the errand of the dark department was very important, Li Xin would not let Chen Sixteen, who had worked hard for several years, work hard.

When Li Xin heard this, he didn't say anything, just silently patted Chen Sixteen's shoulder.

Neither of them was a man of many words, and there was no sound in the carriage.

Soon, they arrived at the foot of Hanzhong City.

In Hanzhong City, there is a Southwest General's Mansion, that is, Li Xin's residence in Hanzhong, after returning to the General's Mansion, Li Xin called several commanders of the dark department under Shen Gang, and then handed Shen Gang's sign to Chen Sixteen, and under the witness of several commanders, appointed Chen Sixteen as the second commander of the dark department.

After this thing was done, it was almost night, Chen Sixteen left the General's Mansion with a few people from the dark department, and went to the stronghold of the dark department to familiarize himself with the affairs of the dark department, while Li Xin asked Mu Ying and Li Shuo to call both Mu Ying and Li Shuo back.

When it was completely dark, the two generals from the southwest rushed to the General's Mansion and came to Li Xin and bowed half-kneeling.

"The last general, I've seen the general!"

The voices of the two people were neat and full of energy.

Li Xin looked up and down, whether it was Mu Ying or Li Shuo, his face was a little tired, but his spirit was much better than in the previous few months, especially Mu Ying, both eyes were shining.

Li Xin waved his hand and asked the two of them to sit down, then he turned his head to look at Mu Ying and smiled: "Brother Mu, now let you take Xiangyang, how sure are you?" ”

"It's still 10 percent."

Mu Ying took a deep breath and looked up at Li Xin, his eyes were full of admiration, and he said with some excitement: "General, give the last general three months, and the last general will definitely give you Xiangyang City!" ”

Li Xin looked at Li Shuo again.

"What about you?"

Li Shuo's whole person should be more introverted, he bowed his head respectfully, and said: "Back to the general, the last general has asked a lot of things from Mr. Lin during this time. ”

"The last general also thinks that within three months, Xiangyang can be taken."

"Okay."

Li Xin stroked his palms and said: "Since the two of you are so confident, then we will start reorganizing the army tomorrow." ”

He narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice.

"Half a month later, we officially ......"

"Out of Shu Eastern Crusade!"