Zhao Rong was still waiting for another word, Zhao Wen gave him a wink and shook his head calmly. Zhao Rong didn't understand his intention, but he still held back. Zhao Wen was the main envoy, and he was just cooperating with Zhao Wen's deputy envoy and could not be outspoken.

Zhao Wen immediately discussed with Zhang Hong the use of 12 million taxes, including Yang Biao's 30,000 gold. Before he went on his mission, the emperor made clear requirements, the three most important items were food, cloth, and weapons. 312 million yuan seemed to be a lot, but the things that could be bought were very limited, especially for the court that was preparing for the Western Expedition.

The military equipment in Nanyang is of good quality and high price. Even if the court wants it, Zhang Hong was willing to sell it according to the price and would never give up the price. Zhao Wen repeatedly weighed the pros and cons and finally decided to buy two thousand sets. The emperor not only had more than 300 Yulin cavalry, but also had more than 2,000 knights in the Five Northern Army Schools. In addition to rewarding other generals, two thousand sets of armor were not enough, and could only meet the basic requirements of the emperor.

But this is the upper limit he can accept. He needs too many materials, and more than 300 million is not enough. He must be careful in calculations. In addition to cavalry equipment, infantry also needs equipment. The sound camp needs strong bows and hard crossbows and equipped with enough arrows. This requires money, and it is a large sum of money. In terms of arrows alone, one arrow is ten coins, and a crossbowman must be equipped with at least fifty arrows, and there are more elite tax shooters. The Han army has heavy crossbows, and the proportion of crossbowmen in the army is as high as more than 30%. The army of 10,000 troops has at least 3,000 crossbowmen, and the arrows they carry with them cost 150,000. With the reserves, it is impossible to go out without two million arrows. This alone costs 20 million.

Sun Ce said that he was willing to help the emperor, which means selling weapons at the price, and the quantity limit was appropriately relaxed. However, Zhao Wen knew that the profits of weapons were very high. Even if Sun Ce had opened up the supply, he could not buy much. He could only endure it, balance the allocation, and meet all requirements as much as possible. Excellent weapons were indeed very important, but only weapons could not fight. For example, food. Ten thousand people went to battle for half a year, and were mainly cavalry. People ate horses and chewed. With the help of transportation, they needed at least one million stones of grain and stone, and a hundred coins per stone of grain would be needed. The taxes in Guanzhong and Yizhou were not enough to support this war and they had to be purchased from Jingzhou.

The emperor must have gone to war with more than 10,000 people, but Zhao Wen had only so much money, so he could only meet the needs of the emperor's direct main force. These people may not be able to decide the outcome of the war, but they can ensure the emperor's safety to the greatest extent.

Zhao Wen is nearly 60 years old and has become Sikong. He has never had such a hard time calculating the accounts in his life. I don’t know if he can satisfy the emperor in the end. What made him feel comforted was that Zhang Hong was the leader, and he used two sets of finely made new armor as tributes to the emperor, and gave them two sets of golden silk brocade armor. However, this customized armor and brocade armor require the size of the wearer, otherwise it will not fit. Zhang Hong asked Zhao Wen to ask the court for instructions and send the emperor's height and waist size as soon as possible. If he intends to reward others, the size of the recipient will also need.

Zhao Wen agreed happily.

After dinner, Zhao Rong followed Zhao Wen back to the inn. As soon as he entered the room, he couldn't help asking: "Brother Zirou, why did you agree to Zhang Hong to receive the imperial edict? This is not in line with the etiquette."

Zhao Wen signaled Zhao Rong to be calm and stayed up. He took the seat first and ordered someone to serve tea. The two of them sat opposite each other. Zhao Wen took a few sips of tea before lifting his eyelids and looked at Zhao Rong with a serious expression. "Zhichang, tell me the truth, did you volunteer this time or did the emperor's intention?"

Zhao Rong did not answer the question. "Brother Zirou said this because I am from Liangzhou?"

Zhao Wen lowered his eyelids and looked at the tea fog for a while. "I thought, how about you compared you with Shi Sun Junrong?"

Zhao Rong was very angry. "I am a martial artist, how can I compare with a famous scholar like Sun Junrong? Brother Zirou, what do you mean? Why do you want to say it bluntly? "

"When I was in Wujun, I met Sun Junrong," Zhao Wen said. "He was under house arrest by Sun Ce, saying that it was related to the Yuan family's destruction, but so far, Sun Ce has not killed him." Zhao Wen raised his eyelids and glanced at Zhao Rong. "As far as I know, you have a close relationship with Yuan Shao, and the court can turn a blind eye and not pursue you, but Sun Ce may not be so polite."

Zhao Rong looked slightly stern, but he was still stubborn. "What does it have to do with Yuan Shao?"

Zhao Wen sighed softly. "There were only three people living in the Eighth School Captains in Xiyuan back then. Cao Cao and Sun Ce had fought with Sun Ce. Feng Fang was in Wujun. Do you think Sun Ce would know you? Child, Sun Ce's understanding of the situation in Guanzhong is more than we know about him. You shouldn't come. Zhang Hong saw that you were different at first glance."

Zhao Rong's eyes twitched and he didn't say anything. He was from Liangzhou and was originally not valued in the court. Later, he climbed up to Yuan Shao and occupied a position among the eight lieutenants of Xiyuan. Now that Yuan Shao is dead, he has been anxious for a long time. It happened that the emperor intended to use troops to Liangzhou and try to win over the Liangzhou family. As the representative of the Zhao family in Tianshui, he was unexpectedly valued. This time the emperor sent an envoy to Nanyang to pass the imperial edict. He volunteered to know the deployment of the five prefectures under Sun Ce's rule so that he could report to the emperor after returning to the court. But he forgot one thing that the emperor did not want to kill all Yuan Shao's remaining parties, but Sun Ce had no such concern. Once he knew his identity, it would be difficult for him to escape. If he was under house arrest by Sun Ce, he would not be able to participate in the Western Expedition.

This is a rare opportunity for the Tianshui Zhao family, and he doesn't want to lose his big picture because of a small amount.

"Take this opportunity to see if you can buy some weapons." Zhao Wen glanced at Zhao Rong meaningfully. "Although it is expensive, the quality is indeed good, and you can save your life on the battlefield."

Zhao Rong was also thinking this way. "Can Zhang Hong be able to be compatible?"

"You can try it, but don't give too much hope." Zhao Wen smacked his lips, with some toothaches. He couldn't say something directly to Zhao Rong. He suspected that the black market in Nanyang was also under Zhang Hong's control, just to make huge profits. The black market price of a set of cavalry and weapons is 500,000, which is a hundred times that of ordinary armor. It is impossible to use it in batches, but it is very suitable for the generals to use it for their own use. In order to have a more survival chance on the battlefield, the generals would not mind these dozens of gold, but as far as he knew, these armors were standard equipment in Sun Ce's army. If they were all so expensive, even if they were as rich as Sun Ce, they would not be able to afford it.

Zhang Hong was willing to provide the court with arms, so he wanted to take back half of the money. Even if the official price was 50,000, it would be very expensive, and the profit would be generous. If it weren't for the safety of the emperor, he wouldn't spend this in vain money, and would rather buy the eliminated old arms.

Zhao Rong asked Zhao Wen about this. He met Ma Chao on the way to Nanyang and knew that Ma Chao had bought a lot of weapons from Nanyang. In addition, he had seen them in Hansui's military camp before, so he had long been envious. This time he came to Nanyang to buy some, but he didn't know the market. After asking Zhao Wen, he realized that Nanyang's weapons were so expensive. He couldn't help but be amazed and complained a few times.

Zhao Wen was also helpless. Nanyang Iron Officials were strictly garrisoned. Without Zhang Hong's order, no one could enter. Huang Chengyan, who was originally in charge of Nanyang Iron Officials, was transferred to Wujun by Sun Ce and strictly protected. Huang Chengyan and his daughter were worth an army of 100,000, but before Sun Ce, almost no one noticed their value.

Every time Zhao Wen thinks of this, he feels very disappointed.

Xia Pi, Huaipu County, Chenjia Manor.

The new Xia Pi Prime Minister Liu Cheng sat on the horse's back, squinted his eyes, and looked at the figures on the fort opposite. Behind him were one thousand county soldiers and two thousand strong men recruited from nearby town pavilions. A retired veteran Lang acted as military marquis and Du Bo. After several months of suppressing bandits, these people were already an elite team with great training. Although the number was not large, they were orderly and murderous, which made people dare not take it lightly.

Chen Gui stood on the corner tower, looking at the county soldiers outside the manor, and his back felt cold. Chen Ying was standing beside Chen Gui, gritting his teeth. "This thief is simply shameless and wants to flatter Sun Ce with the heads of more than a hundred people from my Chen family. My father asked me to fight out, chop off his head, and then kill Sun Ce to avenge his brother."

Chen Gui didn't say anything. He was not Chen Ying, not that naive. There might be some possibility to defeat Liu Cheng, but there was no possibility to defeat Sun Ce. Sun Ce was in Xuzhou. Once he got angry and led the main force to come, the Chen family would not be a matter of death, but to exterminate the clan.

"Zhonglong, put down the suspension bridge and open the door. I will go out to meet this Liu Guoshang."

"Father."

Chen Gui reached out and pressed his hand on Chen Ying's shoulder and sighed. "Zhonglong, everything is no longer possible. We have tried our best. Instead of burning all the jade, it is better to endure it for a while and see how the way of heaven reincarnation."

Chen Ying gritted his teeth, nodded hatred, turned around and walked towards the wheel. He personally pulled the wheel and put down the suspension bridge. Chen Gui had already gone down the corner tower and asked someone to open the city gate. The town party looked at Chen Gui quietly, with complex eyes, sadness, fear, anger, and more relieved. Chen Gui could see clearly, but there was no expression on his face. Since he knew that Yuan Shao was defeated by Guandu, he would have known that this day would be there. If Tao Ying had not had limited abilities, he would have been afraid that he would not even have a chance to celebrate the New Year.

Xia Pi and Guangling were blocked by Sun Ce for more than a year. People's hearts and morale had long collapsed. The Yuzhou family either died in battle or were arrested, and their heads were patrolled in various counties. Bad news came one after another, and at most, they could receive two or three in a day. Most of these people were elites from Yuzhou and Xuzhou, all of whom could influence one state and one county, and the powerful people were now like a despaired dog, with their heads being cut off one after another.

Since even Yuan Shao is not Sun Ce's opponent, how could they be spared? No matter how good his knowledge and morality are, they cannot resist Sun Ce's sharp sword. Fortunately, compared with Dong Zhuo, Sun Ce is not so bloodthirsty and only kills the evil ones, and not the rest. As long as he does not resist, he will generally not kill everyone.

The manor gate opened, Chen Deng walked out of the manor, walked across the suspension bridge, came to Liu Cheng, bowed his hand, and said lightly: "Mingfu Lujun, I haven't congratulated you yet. I'm not sure what advice to you when I visit the humble house?"

Liu Cheng sat upright on the horse's back, motionless. "Since you don't shoot an arrow, you will open the door. I must know why I came here, so why do you have to ask more questions?"

Chen Gui sighed secretly. "Gui caused disaster and dared not survive. He only hopes that Mingfu can temporarily stop the anger of thunder and not harm the innocent."

"Innocent? Are there innocent people in this manor?"

Chen Gui's face turned cold and his eyelids leaped violently. He slowly raised his head and stared at Liu Cheng. "Is the Ming Mansion going to kill all the people and destroy me Chen?"

Liu Cheng looked at Chen Gui without any retreat, tilted his mouth, raised his eyelids, looked at the door that closed the door again and the suspension bridge that was pulled up, and said slowly: "Chen Gui, don't worry, I won't kill innocent people indiscriminately. No one should live. If you shouldn't die, no one will be killed in vain. But if you want to bargain with me, you're wrong. Go back, I'll beat the drum three-way, and the three-way drum. If you don't open the door, tie it up, and treat it as resistance, I will order an attack. I can have a few more people left in Chen's family, so I dare not say."

After saying that, Liu Cheng didn't look at Chen Gui and ordered the drum beat.

With the sound of the powerful war drums, Chen Gui's face changed drastically. He stared at Liu Cheng tightly, his beard trembling on his lips, and he wanted to pounce on him and bite Liu Cheng. However, Liu Cheng didn't even look at him, turned his horse's head and came to the county magistrate Lin Yu.

"After the three-way drum, if the Chen family still does not surrender, launch an attack immediately."

"Here." Lin Yu bowed to take the order, turned around and gave a loud order. The county soldiers responded with a loud bang. The sword and shield soldiers raised their shields, pulled out the battle knife, and the crossbowmen put on the strings and arrows to prepare for shooting. The men shouted trumpets and pushed the stone thrower up, and pushed them step by step towards the river outside the manor.

Chen Gui saw it and sighed again. He dared not be negligent. The three-way drum was not long. What was even more fatal was that if Chen Ying could not control his emotions and ordered a shooting, it would be equivalent to declaring war. It would be too late to surrender. He turned around and ran towards the manor, waved his hand while walking, indicating that Chen Ying could not attack. But he still finished it. A shout from the top of the city, and the sound of war drums exploded. Dozens of crossbowmen shot out arrows in their hands, especially the powerful crossbows on the tower. The short spear-like arrows roared and headed straight for the county magistrate Lin Yu.

Lin Yu was prepared, so he waved his hand, and his personal guards rushed forward and protected him with a big cowhide shield.

"Puff!" Two muffled sounds, crossbow arrows shot on the cowhide shield, and the two large shields were pierced. The soldiers behind the shield were shot and killed. They groaned and blood was covered with the corners of their mouths. Lin Yu glanced at the two crossbow arrows and sneered. "So brave, the small manor is actually equipped with such powerful crossbows. I want to rebel. Come on, pass on my general order and start attacking!"

With a command, the sound of the war drums changed, strong and rapid, like a storm. With the fierce drum sound, the powerful crossbowman began to shoot, and a rain of arrows jumped into the air and rushed towards the Chen family manor, especially the corner tower, which was hit hard. Dozens of crossbow arrows roared and carried out suppressed shooting.

Hearing the sound of war drums, Chen Deng's legs became weak and he almost fell to the ground. He stopped and looked at the rain of arrows flying over his head. His whole body was cold, his throat became sweet, and a mouthful of blood spurted out. He raised his hands high and shouted to the sky.

"The sky has no eyes, my Chen family is loyal and brave, but this ends."
Chapter completed!