Chapter 251 Chapter Eleven

Arriving at the outer hall where the general manager's mansion received the guests, the captain on duty waited for three people, and said: "Your Majesty is seeing the guests, please wait a moment." After sitting down, Xu Ziling was bored, so he listened to the sound in the lobby separated by a door, and just caught a familiar voice with a foreign accent: "The war horse can be transported to Jiangdu within ten days, so that the king can be reorganized." The cavalry team, and I only want the head of Kou Zhongxiang." Although the voice was so thin that it was barely audible, he could basically hear every word.

Xu Ziling was startled, and recognized Brother Ku's voice. Li Zitong laughed twice, and proudly said: "Khitan war horses are famous all over the world. Don't worry, the prince, I will never take these five hundred high-quality horses in vain. As long as Kou Zhong is willing to lead the army to the south, when the situation is right, the widow will invite the prince Lead a surprise army and cooperate with our powerful army to give this little thief a heavy blow and teach him that he will never be reborn." Another voice, as ugly as a broken gong, said: "Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling have been majestic for too long! Enemies are everywhere. The King of Liang informed our brothers yesterday that he has sent the 'Hercules' Bao Rang and the 'Vicious Dog' Qu Wu Fear and the 'Desperado' Su Chuo, the three masters, will come to help deal with these two people, and then cooperate with many masters under King Wu's banner, even if they have two heads and six arms, they will not escape this disaster."

Li Zitong said with a smile: "As long as there is Da Jiang who will help out righteously, why not worry about the big things not being done." Only then did Xu Ziling realize that if the unpleasant voice was not "Dragon Lord" Pei Yue, it would be "Tiger Lord" Pei Yan, he couldn't help but feel amused, if Li Zi told him that he could eavesdrop with his spiritual ear, he must regret it very much. Li Zitong said again: "Now the people sent by Kou Zhong are waiting outside the door. After I find out about Kou Zhong's background, I will discuss with everyone. That little thief is so happy, he always thinks that he is omnipotent and will not let anyone go." In my eyes, I'll take advantage of his advantage to lure him into the trap with a little sweetness."

It was followed by the voice of Brother Ku and others leaving from the back hall. Xu Ziling thought it was his turn to perform. Kou Zhong pulled Chen Changlin, went for a walk in the garden of the general manager's mansion, and sincerely said: "Brother Changlin's life is his own, and he doesn't need to give it to me, let alone anyone else. The most important thing is that ideals and interests are the same when everyone walks together; Then I can die for you, and you can die for me, but the difference is still for myself. Once there is a disagreement, we will go our own way, ha! How ideal."

Chen Changlin smiled wryly and said, "Young Marshal and Wang Shichong are definitely two different types of people. What he wants is blind loyalty, completely putting aside his personal interests, and only putting his interests first." Kou Zhong smiled and said: "That's what all emperors in history have required of their courtiers. How can I agree? For my younger brother, the distinction between upper and lower is just a convenience; We will move forward with our goals, do good deeds for the suffering people, and challenge all kinds of evil forces that oppress the people."

Chen Changlin said: "Young Marshal's idea is very great and special, which is touching." Kou Zhong suddenly stopped, and carefully inspected a plant beside the path with his hands behind his back. After pondering for a while, he said: "Now our young commander's army has taken shape. Xuan Yong and Jiao Hongjin presided over the training of soldiers. The government's There is false action in operation, Luo Qifei in reconnaissance and communications, Ren Meimei in finance and food, divination in water warfare. If Brother Chang Lin manages the trade on the sea and rivers and builds excellent warships and cargo ships for me, it will make everyone happy. The handsome army is like a tiger with wings added."

Chen Changlin Xinyue said sincerely: "The young commander is indeed a person with great foresight, unlike Shen Faxing's generation, who only focus on consolidating power after gaining power, squeeze the blood and sweat of the people, plunder money, food and grass, and are short-sighted and ignorant. Don't worry, the young commander, Changlin will definitely live up to your expectations .” Kou Zhongdao: "Brother Changlin, I'm relieved! But our biggest problem is that we don't have much time. Once Li Xiaozi pacifies the other rebels in Kansai, it's time for him to send troops to the east, so we must grab Before that day comes, only by building an army supported by a huge navy but with cavalry as the main force, can we hope to fight the Guanzhong Army on the battlefield. Regarding the construction of ships, Brother Chang Lin, what good suggestions do you have?"

Chen Changlin nodded and said: "The main equipment for water warfare is warships, which are like a mixture of city outlines, camps, and chariots and horses. A good warship is brave by fighting, solid by discipline, fast by chasing, and strong by rushing. , can be called a good warship if it can achieve courage, firmness, speed, and firmness. However, warships are easily damaged in water battles, so not only must they be large in number, but they must also be equipped with various performances to cope with A kaleidoscopic battle." Kou Zhong turned around and said happily: "Brother Changlin really has a lot of experience in water warfare, I have never thought about these problems, when I was young, I heard people's stories, there are 'more than a hundred blue dragons, thousands of yellow dragons'" I thought it was an exaggeration."

Chen Changlin said with a smile: "It's easy and interesting to talk with the young commander. I'm afraid it's like this when you talk and laugh with soldiers. But it's true that thousands of warships were used in water battles. There are more than 2,000 ships in the building, and the Liang Dynasty fought against the Northern Qi Dynasty, and 3,000 ships were burned in the first battle in Hefei." Kou Zhong was startled and said, "Is the Liang Dynasty the same as the Liang Dynasty of Xiao Xian's ancestor?" Chen Changlin nodded yes. Kou Zhong suddenly said: "No wonder Xiao Xian attaches so much importance to Bu Tianzhi's betrayal, because he has learned from his predecessors in everything, and he understands the importance of the navy. Hmph! So if you want to defeat the Baling Gang, you need Feng Xiang's help. Brothels need to break their sources of information, and they must first break their navy, both of which are indispensable."

Chen Changlin had no choice but to listen, deeply feeling that Kou Zhong's thinking was like a powerful and unconstrained style, unfathomable. Kou Zhong thought for a while and asked again: "Based on our current manpower and material resources, how long will it take to build a navy consisting of 500 warships?" Chen Changlin replied straightforwardly: "If everything starts from scratch, it will take at least fifteen years." Kou Zhong was stunned and said, "How can I do that?" Chen Changlin said confidently: "Don't worry, young commander, in fact, most warships and civilian cargo ships do not have a big difference in hull structure, no matter oars, oars, poles, sculls, sails, mats, ropes or sunken stones, they are all the same thing. As long as civilian cargo ships are added with defense facilities and weaponry, they can be converted into military use. Coupled with generals and soldiers who are proficient in water warfare, the scale is complete. Therefore, in less than a year, I can create a large-scale navy for the young commander. fleet."

Kou Zhongxi was overjoyed and said: "It's such a cheap thing again. Brother Chang Lin, is there any way to make people not see that they are warships in normal times, and only show their true colors in battle, and they can become surprise soldiers on the water." Chen Changlin said: "I can think of a way." Kou Zhong put his arms around his shoulders, walked towards the lobby, and said in a low voice: "This matter must be done according to our ability, and the main purpose is not to disturb the people. After I get out of the 'Yanggong Treasure', there will be a lot of real money to buy Civilian boats. At the moment, we might as well refit the old ships of the Pengliang Society and the Luma Gang. There are hundreds or two hundred of them, plus dozens of large and small ships from the Giant Kun Gang. " Li Zitong was perched on the Dragon Throne, squinting at Xu Ziling who walked into the lobby accompanied by Shao Lingzhou and Shen Beichang, as if he wanted to see through him. There are 18 grand master chairs lined up on the left and right in the lobby. At this time, the first three chairs on the left are all sitting on Li Zitong's confidantes. Behind the chairs are two rows of guards holding halberds. This kind of style is appropriate to display in the palace, but it is suspected of bluffing in the lobby of the general manager's mansion.However, Li Zitong also had no choice but to abandon the imperial palace that had been ravaged by the fire and switch to the general manager's mansion. In order to show his difference from the faint emperor, he did not dare to live in other palaces built for pleasure. The door official sang, "Shao Lingzhou and Shen Beichang are only invited to meet according to the etiquette of the Jianghu. Xu Ziling will follow suit and save a lot of trouble." After Li Zitong sat down, he asked coldly: "What is Mr. Ling's position in the Young Marshal's Army? Do you have a token of token? Can you speak on behalf of Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling?" The three generals sitting below stared at Xu Ziling coldly to see how he would respond. Li Zitong's appearance is obviously thinner and haggard than when they met back then, and his temples are mottled, which shows the price he has to pay for fighting for the world. Xu Ziling said indifferently: "Since our army was established in a hurry, we have been fighting continuously, and we have not had time to take care of many aspects. We have not prepared all the talismans and documents. Please forgive me, King Wu." Li Zitong frowned and said, "Then how can Mr. Ling prove that he can speak on behalf of the two of them?" Shao Lingzhou interjected: "Your Majesty Mingjian, my helper Gui Xiliang personally confirmed to this old man that General Ling is the plenipotentiary representative of Young Marshal Kou." Li Zitong said "Oh", walked towards the grand master's chair, and introduced three generals to Xu Ziling with a leisurely demeanor, Zuo Xiaoyou, Bai Xin and Qin Wenchao in order. Xu Ziling had a strange feeling in his heart. He and Kou Zhong had heard the names of these three people when they were gangsters in Yangzhou, and they still admired them. Especially Zuo Xiaoyou, who was once the leader of one of the rebels. After the ten-year uprising in Kuogoushan in Daye, he had a great reputation for a while, and then he surrendered to Li Zitong, who rose a year later than him.Among the three generals, he was also considered to be the oldest, in his forties, tall and thin, with a weathered face. Both Bai Xin and Qin Wenchao were young and mighty, with a typical Shandong man's tall and oversized body. They were hostile to Xu Ziling's demeanor, and they just nodded slightly as a courtesy, cold and unreserved. "boom"! Li Zitong patted the armrest and shouted: "Since you can speak on their behalf, General Ling, please tell me why you want to attack Donghai, kill my own brother, and shake the foundation of me, Mr. Li?" Xu Ziling responded to his sharp eyes without giving in, and said lightly: "The king of Wu should be a sensible person. In this era of vying for supremacy, there are no friends or enemies, but our army is polite first and soldiers second. I came to Jiangdu to meet the king and discuss the matter of alliance, but the king refused, so the friend turned into an enemy, how could we be responsible. Also, when we found out that Muyang Li Xingyuan had come to pretend to surrender, we had no choice but to use our tactics and preemptive strikes." Before he finished speaking, Li Zitong stood up abruptly, pointed his halberd and shouted sharply: "Bold! Come! Let the widow push him out and behead him." The guards on both sides of Li Zitong swarmed forward. Xu Ziling pressed his hand on the handle of the knife, and when Shao Lingzhou and Shen Beichang were at a loss, Zuo Xiaoyou jumped up and shouted: "Wait a minute!" The guards stopped abruptly. Zuo Xiaoyou said to Li Zi: "Combining will benefit both, and dividing will destroy both. Your Majesty, please calm down." Li Zi breathlessly stared at Xu Ziling for a long time before sitting back in the dragon chair on the steps. The guards stepped back to the left and right of him. After Zuo Xiaoyou sat down, he said to Xu Ziling: "Young commander sent General Ling here today, what good suggestion do you have?" Because Xu Ziling overheard what Li Zitong said to Brother Ku and others earlier, he knew that the other party was using a hard and soft method to create pressure in order to gain greater benefits in the negotiation.Feeling amused secretly, he still said in that calm and leisurely manner: "General Zuo said well, if we cooperate, we will benefit, and if we divide, we will perish together. Du Fuwei can form an alliance with Shen Faxing, and of course our Young Marshal Army can also join forces with you. If Your Majesty thinks this proposal is feasible, we will continue to talk, otherwise I have to leave immediately and report back to my lord." Li Zitong sneered and said, "Kou Zhong boasted that he could relieve the siege of Jiangdu. Is it true?" All eyes were on Xu Ziling. Xu Ziling smiled calmly: "That's true!" Qin Wenchao said with a long smile: "When Du Fuwei dominates Jianghuai and my lord dominates Shandong, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling are still just punks in Yangzhou City, and they don't even have the qualifications to be a bamboo leaf in the Bamboo Flower Gang. Although they are gaining power now, But how can we repel the Jianghuai and Jiangnan coalition forces?" Xu Ziling laughed dumbly and said: "Compared to Li Mi's crossing the Central Plains, who is Du Fuwei? The question is whether the king can be like Wang Shichong, at least let's cooperate sincerely before breaking Li Mi! Can the king do it? " Li Zitong's face suddenly changed, because what Xu Ziling said was that Kou Zhong can break Li Mi, and he can't take Du Fuwei and Li Zitong seriously, and the cooperation with Li Zitong is only limited to Jie Jiangdu. Surrounded, and then the two sides will win or lose. Fearing that Li Zitong could not hold back his anger, Bai Xin interrupted, "But how do we know that you have the sincerity to cooperate?" Xu Ziling laughed and said, "Boss Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling are people who keep their promises. When did you hear that they have done any treachery?" There was a tense silence in the lobby. Li Zitong knocked on the armrest with his fingers, and said in a deep voice, "What's the use of empty words? What kind of clever plan does Kou Zhong have to solve the crisis in Jiangdu?" Xu Ziling smiled and said: "As long as your majesty is willing to lift the blockade on the canal, provide us with food and supplies from Zhongli, and give us accurate information about the enemy, we can launch a sneak attack on the enemy's rear camps and teach them how to fight first and last." Difficult to care about, facing the enemy. Back then, Li Mi used this method to exhaust the 100,000 elite soldiers of Jiaoyu Wenhuaji, how about Du Fuwei's tens of thousands of Jianghuai troops?" Zuo Xiaoyou said: "At that time, Li Mi's army was like a cloud, with a strong army, but now the Young Marshal's army is just beginning to take shape, how can it be compared?" Xu Ziling replied: "It's just like the Jianghuai army can't compare with the elite soldiers of Yuhuaji at that time, and I heard that Du Fuwei and Fu Gongyou are not in harmony. Is this true or not?" At this moment, everyone knew that they had met an eloquent lobbyist, and they were at a loss for words. Li Zitong said straightforwardly: "How many troops can Kou Zhong mobilize to help me?" Xu Ziling said decisively: "What about the 20,000 soldiers and horses?" Li Zitong immediately said: "Tell the widow first, how you plan to deal with our clansman surnamed Li in the East China Sea." Xu Ziling smiled and said: "Your Majesty is a sensible person. You should know that if there is no problem in cooperating with you, His Majesty's people can leave at will." Li Zitong laughed and said, "Okay! Let's make a decision like this!"