As the saying goes, poor mountains and bad waters come out of the people, although Hujin is poor mountains and bad waters, but there was not much turmoil before, but in the case of the rapid increase in taxes and forced labor, there are still many places where the people are in turmoil.

Of course, Mei Long knows the truth that a spark can start a prairie fire, let alone in this kind of chaotic situation in the world?

In order to ensure the safety of Hujin, we can only maintain one army and horses, and if we want to maintain soldiers and horses, we can only increase taxes, and increase taxes, which will naturally cause unrest among the people, and the people can only mobilize troops to suppress it.

Mei Long can be said to be in a hurry, at this time, Xuanyuan Shao came to Hujin with hundreds of guards.

Mei Long naturally knew that Xuanyuan Shao was a close confidant of the emperor, and hundreds of guards were also the top soldiers of the empire, so the arrangement of these people naturally could not be sloppy, and he could only add another expense to temporarily serve these people with good food and drink.

If in this situation, Mei Long can barely hold on, then there is news from the front that Wen Pu led the remnants to retreat from Yanshan to Hujin, which made Mei Long gasp.

His first reaction was not that his power in Hujin would be weakened, but that the thousands of Qin troops who had retreated, how could he feed himself?

And the news is very clear, a large number of men and horses under Wenpu's command have been scattered, and the remaining horses are all royal guards.

The royal guards who arrived before were already waiting for good food and drink, but now they are coming in large numbers, so naturally they can't favor one over the other.

Mei Long knew very well in his heart that now the Hujin army is only hungry every day, and it is not enough to eat at all, let alone eat well, if it is like this from top to bottom, it will not be too much of a mess, but if thousands of guards are all eating and drinking, not only will Hujin bear a great burden on top of money and food, but also will have a great impact on the morale of the Hujin army.

There were not a few refugees who fled from Hexi to Hujin Province, which increased the burden on Hujin, and now the Guards came over, which made Mei Long even more upset.

He only ordered a county town in the north of Hujin to temporarily receive the group of Qin soldiers led by Wen Pu, and did not let Wen Pu's soldiers and horses continue to come south.

Naturally, the excuse was just that the Qin soldiers were working the way and were temporarily resting there.

However, a county town, if it wants to supply thousands of Qin troops all the time, even if it is more than enough, it is not enough, and the side has continuously sent people to report, hoping that Meilong will make another arrangement, even if it really wants to leave the Qin army there temporarily, it will also allocate grain and grass.

Mei Long agreed, but did not really act.

He now deeply understands what it means to be in dire straits, and now he doesn't think about the wolves on all sides, but there are already a lot of problems within Hujin Dao, and the problems facing the Qin army in front of him are extremely tricky.

The two or three thousand soldiers and horses under the command of Wen Pu are not much, but for Mei Long, it is not a lot, after all, these soldiers and horses are all elite royal guards, both equipment and combat effectiveness are far above the Hujin army, and the tens of thousands of horses and horses recruited by their own subordinates are only two or three thousand people who really have combat experience, even if they gather all the soldiers and horses in Hujin Province, they may not be the opponents of the retreating guards.

He naturally saw the doorway clearly, before Wenpu arrived at Zhengcheng, the capital city of Hujin Province, Xuanyuan Shao's strength was still weak, and he had the potential to send people under the fence, but even so, Xuanyuan Shao also repeatedly asked Meilong to continue to levy grain and grass, hoard soldiers and horses, and wait for Dingwu to arrive, ready to restore the country based on Hujin.

After a few days, Mei Long's hair turned a lot grayer.

"Lord Qiqi, Director Wei asks to see you!" Just when Mei Long was in a depressed mood, Wei Fan, the director of the Hujin Household Division, came to the door to ask to see him.

can be in charge of Hujin's money and food, and is naturally Mei Long's right-hand man.

Wei Fan was over fifty years old, and he looked old and serious, and when he saw Mei Long with a worried face, he sighed lightly: "I didn't want to come to disturb Mei Du, but hey, Mei Du, I don't know if Mei Du knows about the fact that the guards want winter clothes?" ”

"Winter clothes?" No Dragon frowned.

Wei Fan explained: "Just now, Commander Xuanyuan sent someone to the Hubu Division, ordering the subordinate officials to prepare winter clothes as soon as possible, saying that General Wen's soldiers and horses will arrive in Zhengcheng in a while, and before they arrive, winter clothes must be all ready. ”

"It's really the commander of Xuanyuan who loves soldiers like a son." Mei Long stroked his beard and said, "He didn't send someone to inform this official." ”

Wei Fan smiled: "Maybe Commander Xuanyuan thinks it's a trivial matter, just let someone tell me about the Household Division, but!" Shaking his head and smiling bitterly, "Mei Du, let the lower officials rush to make two or three thousand sets of winter clothes at this time, I really can't do anything." Our Hujin army doesn't have enough winter clothes, or can barely make do, if we can get these thousands of sets of winter clothes, wouldn't the lower officials have already allocated our own soldiers and horses? ”

Mei Long's face was indifferent and he didn't speak.

"Look at this, Maedu!"

"Don't bother." Mei Long said lightly: "The situation in Hujin, isn't Xuanyuan Shao clear?" Wuping Mansion fell, out of the mouth with a large group of food, and the fart was not brought, can we still steal it? ”

Wei Fan hurriedly said: "But if you can't get the winter clothes at that time, with the character of Xuanyuan, I'm afraid that I'll cut off the official's head, but I'm afraid that it will involve Mei Du because of this." ”

"Master Wei, don't beat around the bush, your mind is clear." Mei Long glanced at Wei Fan, "Are you looking at those people who are not pleasing to the eye, and you want to make Ben Du and Xuanyuan Shao tear their faces?" ”

Wei Fan hurriedly said: "The lower officials don't dare." ”

"There's nothing you dare." Mei Long said: "We are old brothers for many years, in front of me, you don't have to hide your eyes, if you have anything to say, just be happy." ”

Wei Fan sighed and said, "Mei Du, the lower officials don't care about Xuanyuan Shao's gang. They add up to only more than a hundred people, even if there are big fish and meat every day, it is not difficult for us to squeeze here, but listening to that, Commander Xuanyuan is preparing to let Wenpu's thousands of soldiers and horses also come to Zhengcheng, if this is the case, the lower officials and lower officials will really not be able to support it. ”

Mei Long frowned and said: "At the beginning, the saint asked the governor to recruit troops and horses in Hujin, and the governor thought that the imperial court would always allocate some money and grain, but he didn't want to get a penny from the imperial court, but he wanted to take money and grain from Hujin and go to Hexi." Now there are thousands of soldiers and horses retreating from Hexi, and the governor is worried, how to solve the problem of eating and drinking these thousands of men and horses, Director Wei, the governor is also ready to ask you for advice, and now it seems that even you have no way. ”

Wei Fan smiled bitterly: "Others don't know, Mei Du is clear, our Hujin Guancang has never had a stock of grain, to put it mildly, in the past, we had to eat and dress, and we had to transfer it from other places, so we can still barely deal with it." Now we have tens of thousands of soldiers and horses to raise, as the saying goes, when the horn sounds, there are 10,000 taels of gold, even if these tens of thousands of horses sit still, every day is like water money and food to go out. Mei Du, to put it mildly, we have nothing to do in Hujin, we are clear, since the founding of the country, we have never raised so many soldiers and horses, if you know, if you know that the cost of raising soldiers is so much, the lower officials should try their best to stop Mei Du from recruiting soldiers. ”

"The thieves in Hebei are eyeing each other, if you don't raise soldiers, will you watch them kill them?" Mei Long said angrily.

Wei Fan said: "That's what I said, but what if I raise soldiers? The gang of thieves in Hebei are robbing houses and houses, robbing them if they lack food and silver, where can we go to get it when we lack food and silver? And we have tens of thousands of soldiers and horses in our hands, if the Qingtian King really fights, can we really resist it? Now that the west side of the river is occupied by the Northwest Army again, who knows, who knows if they will take the opportunity to go south! A look of distress.

Mei Long clenched his fists, as if he was about to be angry, but the anger on his face quickly disappeared, and he sighed helplessly: "It's a while to be able to hold out for a while, you can't sit still." ”

"Mei Du, according to the opinion of the lower officials, Wen Pu's men must not be allowed to come to Zhengcheng." Wei Fan hesitated for a moment, and his expression became resolute, "It's okay if they don't come, if they really come, I'm afraid that there will be a big mess." ”

"Big mess?" Mei Long frowned and said, "What do you mean?" ”

Wei Fan sneered: "Mei Du, most of Wenpu's subordinates are guards, these people have eyes on the top of their heads, just these hundreds of people in Zhengcheng right now, we all have to serve like grandfathers, if Wenpu's gang comes over again, what should we do?" If the service is poor, those people will inevitably make trouble, but if we want to serve well, we don't have that ability, even if we have that ability, after the Hujin army knows the truth of the matter, does Mei Du think they can be willing? ”

Mei Long sighed and said: "I don't know what you said, but Xuanyuan Shao has already said twice or three times that he wants Wenpu to lead his troops to Zhengcheng to rest as soon as possible, and he also said that this is the most relied on guard army of the saint, and it is the foundation for the restoration of the country, I have dragged it for a long time, but I can't drag it out like this." ”

"If you say the truth, there is another one." Wei Fan said with a smile: "Aren't these guards all brave and good at fighting, aren't there bandits in Hujin now?" Why didn't Mei Du let Commander Xuanyuan order the Guards to suppress the bandits? Since they all eat Hujin's grain, the Hujin army is a low-grade Hebei bandit in the south, and the guards can suppress the bandits in Hujin, so there is no need to rush to Zhengcheng. ”

Mei Long's eyes lit up and said, "This idea is not bad, the Guards suppress bandits!" Before he finished speaking, he heard a voice outside: "Cavalry Meidu, Commander Xuanyuan asks to see!" ”

Before Mei Long got up, he heard footsteps outside, and then a person was already standing outside the door, but he didn't enter the door immediately.

Mei Long stepped forward, only to see that the man was wearing armor, but not wearing a helmet, with white hair fluttering, a long bow, cold and straight, it was Xuanyuan Shao.

"Commander Xuanyuan, why are you here?" Mei Long smiled and arched his hand, and before he finished speaking, Xuanyuan Shao had already asked, "Master Mei, can you enter the house?" As he spoke, he glanced at Wei Fan behind Mei Long.

"Please, please, come, tea!" Mei Long invited Xuanyuan Shao in, "Commander Xuanyuan, please sit down first!" ”

"There's no need to sit down." Xuanyuan Shao said: "Master Mei, I came here to tell you, I have sent someone to see Wenpu and tell him to leave for Zhengcheng, in order to avoid misunderstanding, Lord Mei also quickly sent someone to notify the checkpoints along the way, so that they can see Wenpu's people and horses and let them go immediately, so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings between the two sides." ”

Mei Long and Wei Fan both changed color slightly, and Mei Long's originally smiling face had sunk, "Commander Xuanyuan, you mean, are you ready to transfer them to Zhengcheng?" ”

Xuanyuan Shao's expression was cold, arrogant and lonely, and he said lightly: "Yes, what is Lord Feimei's opinion?" ”

"This governor said that General Wen suddenly came over with thousands of soldiers and horses, and Zheng Cheng's side naturally had to make some arrangements." Mei Long frowned and said: "At least the garrison's camp must be properly arranged, otherwise after General Wen arrives, will the heavens and the earth be the feast?" And in terms of eating and drinking, there is always some preparation, is Commander Xuanyuan too anxious? ”

"But Xuanyuan didn't see Master Mei making arrangements." Xuanyuan Shao said lightly: "If the Holy Lord comes to Zhengcheng and doesn't see the Imperial Guard, then the Holy Lord will be furious, I don't know if Lord Mei is burdened or I, Xuanyuan Shao?" ”

"Don't be in a hurry with this Xuanyuan Commander." Mei Long reluctantly smiled: "Actually, about General Wen's side, I was about to discuss with Commander Xuanyuan. Commander Xuanyuan, the main force of the Hujin army is now stationed in the south, but there have been mobs in many places in Hujin, I wonder if I can let General Wen's soldiers and horses go first! ”

"You're going to let the Guards exterminate the bandits?" Xuanyuan Shao frowned and sneered: "Lord Mei, when did the Guards fall to this point?" ”

Mei Long also sneered: "Commander Xuanyuan, whether it is the Guards Army or the Hujin Army, they are all soldiers and horses of Great Qin, and the rebellious mobs are all traitors, is there still a difference between high and low bandits?" The Hujin army is a head shorter than the Guards? ”

Xuanyuan Shao said: "Master Mei, I'm afraid that Xuanyuan Shao didn't make it clear to you." The Guards are the cornerstone of the restoration of the Holy State, and in the future to revive Great Qin, it is the Guards who rely on it, and a good knife should be used on the blade, so that the Guards can exterminate the bandits and grass bandits, I am afraid that even the Saint will not agree. ”

"That's what Commander Xuanyuan meant, right?" Mei Long said: "If the Holy Lord is here, he may not agree with the Governor's proposal. ”

Xuanyuan Shao shook his head and said: "Master Mei, I won't argue with you, I have already sent out the people, at most five days, Wenpu's soldiers and horses will set off, if there is really anything wrong on the way, it will be difficult for you and me to explain in front of the saint at that time." Glancing at Wei Fan, "Director Wei, I sent someone to let you prepare winter clothes, you shouldn't forget!" ”

Without waiting for Wei Fan to speak, Xuanyuan Shao had already turned around and left.

After Xuanyuan Shao left, Mei Long clenched his fists, slammed it on the table, and said sharply: "What a Xuanyuan Shao, he regards himself as the emperor!" ”