after being kidnapped by the general

It took seven or eight days for the Karasuma people to come to Zhuolu County from Pan County. During these seven or eight days, Yuanli first welcomed a group of cronies who came from Bohai.

There were about 30 cronies in this team, and they were the thirty elite guards that Yuanli had brought to Luoyang.

Each of them looked resolute, and their exposed skin was peeled and scalded by the sun, but they still rushed all the way without stopping, and handed over the hastily purified fine salt weighing three hundred catties to Yuanli.

The leader of the team was Meng Yanyi, the Meng guard whom Yuanli hadn't seen for a long time. He clasped his fists and said, "It's a good thing that my subordinates are not disgraceful."

When Yuanli came to Youzhou, he took three hundred songs with him.

These trilogy are excellent talents he cultivated with modern military theory. Yuanli taught them literacy, basic farming and medical knowledge. Each of them is grateful to Yuanli and absolutely loyal.

Yuan Li supported Meng Huwei, and said with relief: "Thank you for your hard work."

He immediately ordered someone to bring food and drinks to Meng Huwei and the others, invited a medical doctor to look at their sunburns, arranged ice cubes to cool down their room, and settled everything properly.

After the cronies settled down and began to rest, Yuanli sent someone to call Chu Hechao and Yang Zhongfa.

These two people happened to be staying together, and after hearing Yuan Li calling them over, they looked at each other and came expectantly in their hearts.

As soon as he entered, Yang Zhongfa asked curiously, "Young Master Yuan, do you have any good things?"

After entering the door, Yang Zhongfa was the first to see a bulging sack on the table in front of Yuanli. The sack had been torn open, exposing something white like snowflakes.

Yang Zhongfa asked strangely, "Did you grind the ice into powder?"

But looking at it again, it doesn't look like ice cube powder.

Chu Hechao strode forward, stood by the table and looked at it for a while, then suddenly stretched out his hand to dip a little bit in front of his nose and smelled it. After he didn't smell anything, he put the powder into his mouth.

The next moment, Chu Hechao froze in place.

Surprise flashed across his face, and he looked down at the bag in disbelief.

Yang Zhongfa became more and more curious, and walked over quickly, "What is this, General?"

After saying this, Yang Zhongfa impatiently took some of it and tasted it.The obvious salty taste spread quickly in the mouth and melted instantly without any bitter taste. Yang Zhongfa's eyes widened and he looked at Yuanli suddenly, "My old lady, this is, this is—"

He was so excited that his beard was trembling, and he suppressed his voice instantly, "This is salt?!"

Is there such white as snowflake salt in this world? !

Chu Hechao also looked at Yuanli with burning eyes.

Stared at by two pairs of fiery eyes, Yuan Li didn't tantalize anyone, nodded firmly and admitted, "Yes, this is salt!"

Chu Hechao rolled his Adam's apple, "Very good."

He stared at Xiyan, and suddenly smiled.

Yang Zhongfa gasped and was speechless for a long time.After reacting, ecstasy hit him, he laughed and patted the table vigorously, his face flushed as if he was drunk, and he put a finger of salt in his mouth, his expression was distorted by the salt, his eyes were Brighter and brighter, "Good salt! Good salt! The taste of fine salt is much stronger than that of coarse salt, and it doesn't even have a bit of bitterness. The emperor has never eaten such salt!"

Yuanli brought him a cup of tea, "Master Yang, rinse your mouth."

Yang Zhongfa quickly waved his hands, "Don't rinse, Mr. Yuan, you let me taste this salt, I can't bear to rinse my mouth!"

Chu Hechao was watching carefully with a pinch of salt.

These salts are delicate and white, without a trace of impurities, and the grains are distinct, just like a shrunken grain of white rice.

Salt is not a livelihood material, but a very important strategic material, which can be compared with iron, or even more important than iron.

For soldiers to be strong and powerful, salt is essential.Chu Hechao also paid great attention to the control of salt ponds in various places in Youzhou. He asked himself that he was well-informed, because of his high status, he had definitely seen good things, but he had never seen such salt.Yang Zhongfa was right, the emperor had never eaten such salt.

"Sister-in-law," Chu Hechao said slowly, with a faint smile on his lips, "How much salt do you have? Is it pond salt, well salt, or sea salt? Where did you get it?"

After a pause, he turned his head to look at Yuanli, and he was sure to win, "If this place is not in Youzhou, you have to grab it."

Yuanli replied one by one: "Because the time is still short, there are only about [-] catties at present. I ordered people to refine the salt on the south coast of the Bohai Sea, using a new method, so the taste of the salt is also different from the coarse salt in the past. It's not the same. The south coast of the Bohai Sea belongs to the general's fief, so naturally there is no need to rob it."

The southern coast of the Bohai Sea is rich in shallow underground brine resources. In addition, the terrain is flat enough, the sunlight is sufficient, and the amount of evaporation per day is large. It can be described as an ideal place for salt production. *

Chu Hechao was a little surprised, "It turned out to be Haiyan..."

Yuan Li smiled and said: "According to the general and Lord Yang, what is the value of this sea salt?"

"It's definitely hard currency!" Yang Zhongfa replied first, "Once sold, it will definitely drive people crazy. It's just..."

He hesitated and asked, "Is this white salt expensive?"

In the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the price of salt was [-] to twice the price of grain, and this price specifically refers to the inland peacetime.In remote areas or places where ethnic minorities gather, such as Youzhou and Liangzhou, the price of salt can be as high as five times the price of grain.People often eat light food because they can't afford salt, which also leads to emaciation.

In the event of war, the price of salt may soar to eight to ten times the price of grain.

Yang Zhongfa was very afraid that the salt in Yuanli would be more expensive.

But Yuan Li said: "If it is to be sold, the price of this salt should be the same as that of five grains."

Yang Zhongfa suddenly looked up at him, startled.

Yuan Li smiled, "Master Yang, it is meaningless to earn money from common people. If you want to earn money, then earn money from barbarians."

A coldness flashed in his eyes, "This salt will not be sold to the common people in a short time, after earning enough gold, silver, treasures, cattle, sheep and horses from the barbarians at a high price, the fine salt will be released in Youzhou at a low price." sales."

Chu Hechao understood immediately, "You mean, sell these salts to Dadan and his party, and take back from them the spoils of looting Pan County and Xiangluo County?"

"Yes or no," Yuan Li raised his eyebrows, suddenly raised his lips into a smile, and said in a mischievous and cunning voice, "Mr. Liu, please bring me some coarse salt."

After Liu Jixin brought the coarse salt, Yuanli directly mixed the fine salt and the coarse salt at a ratio of [-]:[-], and made a second-grade salt that was much better than the coarse salt.

Yuanli nodded in satisfaction, and wiped his hands, "This grade of salt is much better than the salt on the market. Karasuma people are short of salt, and they have just robbed a large amount of gold and silver treasures, so naturally they have become much richer. Master Yang , You said I put this grade of salt in front of them, will they buy it or not?"

"Of course I'll buy it," Yang Zhongfa laughed, his eyes sparkling. "The Karasuma people are very happy, and Dadan is easy to be complacent. Although I'm really unwilling to sell such good salt to them, but I can cheat them all." Pen, I'm happy just thinking about it, Mr. Yuan, leave this matter to the general and me!"

Yuan Li said: "Then it will be hard for you two. It's just that in addition to exchanging salt for the gold and silver treasures in their hands, it's better to exchange some livestock such as cattle, sheep and horses, as well as the white rice people who were captured by them as slaves."

Yang Zhongfa was a little puzzled: "Cows and sheep are possible. It's just that the Karasuma people would rather sell the horses to a horse dealer than give them to us. One more thing, Mr. Yuan, why do you want to exchange them for Baimizhong?"

"Even if the Baimi people are guilty, they are still the people of the Central Plains. How can the people of the Central Plains be slaves to barbarians?" Yuan Li said coldly, "Master Yang, I leave this matter to you. The mixture of fine salt and coarse salt is worth six shi As much as we can get from Karasuma people, it depends on the banquet in a few days."

Yang Zhongfa couldn't help answering with awe.

Afterwards, they began to discuss how to defraud the Karasuma people.

After the conversation, Yang Zhongfa and Chu Hechao left.

On the way back, after Yang Zhongfa lamented the magic of fine salt, he suddenly smiled and said with a little show off: "General, do you feel that Mr. Yuan seems to be more enthusiastic about me than you?"

Chu Hechao squeezed his finger bones, couldn't hold back the sound of "click", and looked at Yang Zhongfa with a half-smile, "Really?"

Yang Zhongfa didn't see it, and continued to show off: "Look at what you said just now, Mr. Yuan took a mouthful of 'Master Yang' and gave me water to drink. But as for you, General, Mr. Yuan just called you and told you A few words. General, I didn’t say that, Mr. Yuan doesn’t seem very close to you.”

Chu Hechao snorted, "Yang Zhongfa, why do you talk so much?"

Yang Zhongfa realized something was wrong belatedly, he raised his head to see Chu Hechao's expression, and immediately trembled.He smiled and said: "General, what the last general said is all nonsense and cannot be taken as the truth. You and Mr. Yuan are serious uncles and sisters-in-law. I am an outsider. How can I compare with your status in Mr. Yuan's heart? "

When Chu Hechao heard this, his expression didn't become better, but the sarcasm became stronger, and there was no smile in his eyes.

He also felt that Yuanli was being too polite to him.

It is not cold to say that it is cold, it is business-like, neither unfamiliar nor close, and the attitude is just right.

Chu Hechao pursed his lips.

This is actually a normal uncle-sister relationship in any family. Which family's brother-in-law and sister-in-law have such a close relationship?

Yang Zhongfa peeked at Chu Hechao one after another, always feeling that Chu Hechao was a little scary at the moment, as if he was on the verge of rage, which made him a little scared.

He didn't dare to make a sound, and the two walked away all the way.

At night, Meng Huwei and others woke up.Yuan Li took them to Zhuolu County to soak in springs, and came back talking and laughing all the way.

On the way back, they met Chu Hechao, and Yuan Li and Chu Hechao nodded and said hello before passing by.

When Yuanli was going to sleep at night, Chu Hechao came and asked Yuanli outside the tent for the clothes that had been left in Yuanli a few days ago.

Yuan Li got up in a daze, searched around for a long time before he found his dark singlet with many scratches on the back, put it on his arm and walked out of the tent.

When the wind blows at night, there is a puff of heat, Yuan Li smiled awkwardly, "I thought the general didn't want this dress, and it hasn't been mended yet."

Chu Hechao took the clothes, "Nothing."

Yuan Li politely waited for him to leave, but Chu Hechao stood still.The moonlight was covered by dark clouds, Yuanli's hair was blown messy, and under the light of the torch, it looked like flying gold.

The prolonged confrontation made the atmosphere extremely weird, Yuan Li finally took the initiative to cough and asked, "General, do you have anything else to do?"

Chu Hechao twitched the corner of his mouth, "Is sister-in-law in a good mood today?"

Yuan Li didn't know why he asked that, but he didn't want to spend any time in embarrassment with Chu Hechao here, so he shook his head and hinted: "It's not very good, I don't have much interest in talking."

"Oh," Chu Hechao said calmly, "I saw you chatting and laughing with your cronies just now, and thought you were in a good mood."

Yuanli: "..."

Chu Hechao said again: "Are they your cronies, the ones who brought you salt?"

Yuanli nodded.

Chu Hechao laughed twice, "Not bad."

The corners of Yuan Li's mouth twitched, he didn't understand what he meant, he always felt that the man was acting strangely, "General, if you have nothing to say, I'll go back to sleep."

Just as Chu Hechao was about to speak, Yuan Li yawned exaggeratedly, turned around and lifted the curtain and waved to him, his eyes curled up, "General, see you tomorrow."

See you tomorrow?

Chu Hechao's jaw tightened. He stood alone for a while, then suddenly snorted, "You want to see me tomorrow, have I agreed?"

The next day, Chu Hechao got up early in the morning and took a shower after training and sweating.He didn't stay in the tent all day long, he just walked outside to train soldiers. When he was busy, he glanced around casually from the corner of the eye occasionally, but he didn't wait for Yuanli to say "See you tomorrow."

Two days later, Lord Karasuma Dadan of Shanggu County came to Zhuolu County with [-] cavalry.

Zhuolu County had already prepared a banquet waiting for him. In the evening, a bonfire was lit, and wine and meat were served in plates.

Chu Hechao sat in the upper middle, and Yuan Li and Yang Zhongfa sat on the left.When Dadan came, he inspected the banquet, and sat down behind a row of low tables on the right with his cronies.

As soon as he sat down, Dadan put the sword on his body on the ground beside the table, and laughed loudly, the laughter shook people's brains, "Hahahaha, I haven't seen the general for a long time. It's been a few years, Da Dan The general is still so heroic and brave."

Yuan Li was sitting diagonally across from Dadan, and in the light of the fire, he looked at Dadan.

Dadan looks to be 50 to [-] years old, and looks very strong. He and his subordinates are all dressed as barbarians. Called a good player.

Chu Hechao also smiled. He raised his hand and poured himself a glass of wine. He raised the glass to Dadan, rubbing the glass with his fingers with black leather knuckles, "I'm still the same as before, but you Dadan It's a lot older."

After he finished speaking, he drank the wine in one gulp.

Dadan's face turned ugly for a moment, then he recovered quickly, and said maliciously: "Of course I can't compare to the general. I don't know if the general's hands can recover? After so long, the general's burn won't hurt anymore, right? .”

If before, Dadan would not dare to provoke Chu Hechao no matter how complacent he was.But the Karasuma people are now the subjects of the Northern Zhou court and the heroes who put down the uprising army. Dadan thinks he has made a contribution, and he has the confidence to face Chu Hechao, forgetting all the fear of Chu Hechao before.

The generals on the left blushed with anger, Yang Zhongfa slammed the table, and said sharply, "Well, you Dadan, you dare to be so disrespectful to the general. I think you don't want to leave Zhuolu County today!"

After saying that, a whole row of generals stood up abruptly, and with a "crack" in unison, they pulled out half of the steel knife at their waists.The cold light was dazzling, threatening the Karasuma people on the opposite side.

Seeing this, all the soldiers around drew out their weapons at the same time, staring at the Karasuma man.

Chu Hechao didn't stop him, and poured wine alone with ease.

Dadan's face was blue and red.

It stands to reason that he has ten thousand cavalry outside, and Chu Hechao would never dare to kill him here.

But at this time, there were only a dozen subordinates around him.If these generals were really angry and killed him directly, the subordinates around him would be powerless to resist.

Chu Hechao is another person that he can't figure out. Dadan is old and he regrets his life. He dare not bet on the one in ten thousand possibility.

Dadan stood up aggrieved, cupped his fists and lowered his head to Chu Hechao in a muffled voice, "I asked the general for forgiveness for my unscrupulous words."

Chu Hechao took off a dagger from his waist, threw it directly on the ground in front of Dadan, and said coldly, "Since you know you said something wrong, then point it at me and apologize."

Dadan said angrily, "Chu Hechao, don't bully people too much!"

Chu Hechao stood up abruptly, walked quickly in front of Dadan, and looked down at Dadan.

Dadan was already very strong, but Chu Hechao was a head taller than Dadan.Because Dadan's back is no longer straight, the former hero Karasuma felt his own age belatedly under such a comparison. He looked up at the expressionless Chu Hechao, and he was almost on the verge of dying in the depths of his heart. The forgotten fear and timidity towards Chu Hechao gradually emerged.

"Dadan," the firelight hit Chu Hechao's side, and bright and dark shadows danced on his face. Chu Hechao suddenly smiled, bent down, and whispered coldly, "I still remember your Karasuma leader Gu Lichi?" Is the head almost chopped off by me?"

The flesh on Dadan's face trembled violently.

Five years ago, Jianyuan was 34 years old.

Chu Hechao led [-] infantry and defeated Karasuma. From then on, Karasuma moved to Youzhou to take orders from the Northern Zhou court.The casualties in that battle were heavy, and Chu Hechao almost lost [-] to himself and [-] to the enemy.But this battle had to be fought.

That war was extremely tragic. There were too few cavalry in Chu He Chao, and only 18 of the original 13 army in northern Xinjiang died, and hundreds of subordinates died.And the co-lord of Karasuma, the greedy and vigorous eagle Gu Lichi of the Wuhuan people, ruled the leader of all Karasuma factions at a young age, and was almost beheaded by the red-eyed Chu Hechao.

Gu Lichi finally escaped, but he also broke an arm because of it.

In the end, Dadan bowed his head submissively, bent down and picked up the dagger on the ground, pulled out the scabbard with trembling hands, and gritted his teeth to cut off his fingers.

The subordinates on the side said anxiously: "My lord, no!"

Chu Hechao watched indifferently.

At the critical moment, Yang Zhongfa turned a white face, "Slow—"

The ferocious look on his face suddenly withdrew, and he clasped his fists to Chu Hechao and said, "General, let's forget it. The food has already been served, don't let the filthy blood disturb our interest in eating meat."

Dadan stopped his hands and looked at Chu Hechao expectantly, hoping that Chu Hechao would keep his hands.

Chu Hechao straightened his body slowly, turned around and strode to the upper seat, raised his robe and sat down, "Forget it then, Dadan, sit down, you can punish yourself with three cups."

Dadan sat down quickly, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

The hot wind was blowing, and he realized that before he knew it, his back was already wet with sweat.