Wuwei Zhai, a gloomy cloud in a side room, Zhang Ning and several other quarry and lumber yard owners in Yiyang County gathered together to discuss their bleak future.

Not long ago, they were full of confidence in their own business, and the government built a lot of construction and water conservancy, and also built all kinds of iron tools, and needed countless stones, lime, and charcoal, and they could make a lot of money from these alone.

However, since the mountain barbarians came down to harass them, the young men they hired have suffered a lot of casualties, not only the quarry and lumber yard have stopped, but also the bereavement pension paid to the family members, which is a large expense.

Although it is possible to beat the family members who come to the door, or drag it out and not give it, or give less, but in this way, the family members will go to the state government to beat the drums, and then Yuwen will make the king mad, so no one dares to delay.

What to do next, no one has the bottom, and signed a supply contract with the state government, it will definitely not work if it doesn't start, but what to do next is what Zhang Ning and others are concerned about, Shanman looks difficult to solve, and everyone is uncomfortable if it drags on like this.

"Didn't Yuwen envoy say that he would send troops to the mountains to guard and protect the quarry, so that the young and strong people can start work with confidence." Some people say that even if they persuade others, they are to encourage themselves again.

"How long can the officers and soldiers stay? If you don't solve the mountain barbarians, you can't stay forever. Someone complained, "There is no end in sight of the endless mountains, and as long as the mountain barbarians drill deep into the mountains, how far can the officers and soldiers chase them." ”

"Why don't you discuss it with the owners of the village again? Let them mediate in the middle and make peace with that Tian Yunshan. ”

"Don't make a fool of yourself, can't you see it, they're in a gang!!" Zhang Ning scolded, seeing a few people looking at him, he sneered and said: "It's nothing more than a group of people pretending to be good people and a group of people playing bad guys, you won't have seen this kind of trick, right?" ”

"Who says it's not, one gang pretended to be a good guy and took the benefits of everyone, and the other gang came out to stir up trouble, and then we had to find the first gang to make peace with the sweetener, and then spend money to reconcile, and within a few days the bastard turned his face, and then started again!"

"They're going to do it in a different way!"

"Bastard, I can't open mountains and quarry, I can't cut wood for materials, and I don't do it for others!"

"Whatever angers the mountain gods, what ancestral places, all of them are excuses!"

Everyone vented their dissatisfaction in their hearts, although they are good people under the rule of the government, but they also have a relationship with the mountain barbarians, the mountain barbarians living in the mountains of Jiangbei states, also known as 'Wushui Man' or 'Xiyang Man', the source is the Jiangbei Wushui Basin.

Legend has it that as early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the Chu State moved the Ba tribes in its territory to the east, and these tribes landed in Jiangbei at Ba Shuikou, and today's Bahe City is said to be the earliest settlement place of the ancestors.

Based on Bahe City, they have gone through countless years along the 'Xiyang Five Waters' of Ba Shui, Qi Shui, Xi Shui, Chiting Shui, and Xiguishui, and opened up wasteland along the way.

With the passage of time, the Ba people who settled in the flat land have merged with the Han people, while their relatives have made their way to the mountains, some of them have settled in the endless mountain range from Dabie Mountain to Tongbai Mountain, and some have crossed the mountains to settle in the Central Plains.

The residents who settled in the flat land cultivated the fields and cultivated rice, planted mulberry and silkworms, and became good citizens who paid taxes in successive dynasties, while the residents who settled in the mountains were still called mountain barbarians, and they were entangled with the government from the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

After the wars of the Southern Jin, Song, Qi, and Liang dynasties, there were also many people who fled the war, or defeated soldiers and fallen magnates who took refuge in the mountains.

At the same time, there were also many chieftains who surrendered to the government, took their subordinates out of the mountains, and settled in the prefectures and counties to become tax-paying people, so if the people here today go back hundreds of years, they are not the same ancestors as those village owners in the mountains.

The other party mentioned that the mountain was the 'land of ancestors', which made them laugh, but now they can only sit and complain, and there is no way at all.

Daqi Mountain is the remnant vein of Dabie Mountain, and the mountain barbarians can hide in the depths of the mountains to avoid the limelight when they see that the situation is not good, and no matter how much the officials and troops can fight, they can't carry each other all over the Dabie Mountain Range, so the mountain barbarians will make a comeback sooner or later.

The first to bear the brunt of these traders who started the mountain to quarry and cut wood, and it was too tiring to deal with those moody village owners in the mountains, Zhang Ning had the idea of 'changing careers', and after supplying the goods according to the contract, he would find other businesses to make money.

Do trading must stop loss in time, otherwise it will put the old capital into it, but it is easier said than done, and they are a little reluctant to give up these obviously profitable transactions, and they are all sighing in the entanglement.

No one had the heart to eat the delicacies on the dining table, and when they saw that they were about to get cold, a shopkeeper wanted to bring them out to warm up, and at this moment there were footsteps outside the door, and a person walked in with a spring breeze on his face.

"Li has something to delay, let you wait for a long time, forgive your sins, forgive your sins"

Li Fang saluted everyone present, and after sitting down, he poured himself three glasses of fine wine to apologize, and seeing that everyone was sad, he smiled and said that Fang had just 'passed' the state government and heard a good news.

"Yuwen envoy Jun has decided to send Yang Sima to lead the official army to Yiyang County to clear the mountain barbarians, not only the state soldiers are dispatched, but the Hulin army also mobilizes troops and horses to help suppress it."

Zhang Ning and the others looked better when they heard this, and it was natural for the state government to send troops, but Yuwen even sent the most capable Hulin army under his command, which shows that the chance of victory is still very large, although it can't cure the root cause, it can cure the symptoms.

Raising troops for a thousand days and using soldiers for a while these tiger forest troops are all fed by yuwen envoy jun with meat it is invincible to fight chen jun these killing gods should not have a problem dealing with the more fishy mountain barbarians but

"Don't worry, the state soldiers will go to Yiyang County the day after tomorrow and garrison the town on the mountain, so that everyone can organize manpower to resume production." Li Fang persuaded, "There is actually another thing to invite everyone to gather this time. ”

To get back to the point, the people present are all in spirit, they are not idle and bored when they gather in this Wuwei Zhai, and now they are all anxious about the affairs of the mountain barbarians, how can they have the heart to drink and have fun, they are all to listen to the news passed by Li Fang.

In fact, it is to listen to what that person has to say, Li Fang is a microphone, saying something that is not good for the person to say in person.

"If the official army wants to clear the mountains, they first need reliable guides to enter the mountains, I wonder if you have a suitable candidate?" Li Fang asked, and when Zhang Ning and the others heard this, they said that their subordinates were more or less familiar with mountain roads, and if they were recruited by the government, they would definitely serve.

"The officials and soldiers want to convene those village owners to discuss matters, and those who refuse to come are against the government, there is no need to stay in the cottage, and you don't need to pay attention to it anymore." Li Fang reminded everyone present not to rush to the doctor.

"Will this force the wavering owners of the village?" Zhang Ning was a little worried, "If the mountain barbarians are hooked up, it will be troublesome." ”

He is not unfounded, there are countless villages of all kinds in the mountains, although the big ones are not more than 1,000 households, but if they are concentrated, I am afraid that there will be no less than tens of thousands of households, these villages are mainly gathered together, and one person is elected to be the commander of the canal, and it is not good that large-scale chaos will break out.

"Dead people don't have to worry." Li Fang sneered, seeing that everyone's faces changed, he added: "The government is not in the mood to play tricks with these village owners. ”

Li Fang said that the official army sent troops this time, but it is not a headache to treat the head and feet, and the cottage near Yiyang County will be destroyed, and those who are not honest will be destroyed, and those who are honest can do business together.

"Doing business? In addition to selling some mountain goods, those mountain barbarians have nothing to sell, they want salt and iron, and the government may not allow them to be sold. Zhang Ning asked with some confusion.

"Yesterday, a merchant came to buy goods, and when he settled on the spot, the accounts were clear, but Li found more salt today," Li Fang said with a smile, "I think the owners in the mountains like salt very much." ”

Of course, Zhang Ning knew that this was an excuse, presumably the one behind who planned to use salt to buy the village owners, but it was a little strange for Li Fang to mention this, because it had nothing to do with them.

"Please also ask Brother Li to make it clear?" Zhang Ning asked, and the others were all confused.

Li Fang smiled, lowered his voice and said, "Li has an idea, and he is about to deal with you" (to be continued.) )