Daze Prefecture... In fact, in Wu Tie's heart, he would rather call this place Daze County, Daze Township or something like that.
A clearing of hundreds of miles in size was opened in the forest, and a fence twenty miles long and wide was built with log piles. Outside the fence was a trench three to four feet deep and five to six feet wide, filled with turbid sewage. .
This is Dazezhou.
Outside the trench, there is open farmland. The fields are quite neat and full of various crops. They are lush and green. The tallest corn stalks are almost as tall as two people.
There are ridges of varying widths between pieces of farmland for people to walk on.
Wu Tie rushed to the fence with a lean man who called himself Li Erhuazi. The log-clad iron gate on the west side of the fence had been opened, and a suspension bridge was lowered and erected on the trench.
Outside the west gate is a rather wide dirt road, with countless insects rolling and twisting in the mud more than a foot deep.
Hundreds of people surrounded a team of animal-drawn vehicles and slowly came over. Above their heads, more than three feet above the ground, there were two small 20-foot-long boats slowly following the team. flying, assuming the posture of accompanying the escort.
Wu Tie squinted his eyes. The team over there was still more than ten miles away. Through the thin mist, Wu Tie could clearly see the huge animal-powered vehicles.
The cart was pulled by a huge beast, three feet long and two feet tall, shaped like a green bull.
These big guys came in groups of three, with iron chains as thick as their wrists fastened to them. The iron chains were stretched straight and kept making a "clang, clang" sound.
The beast-powered cart behind the giant beast is about five feet wide and more than ten feet long. The heavy body is made of fine iron. Each beast-drawn cart has eight wide metal wheels, which are piled with hills. General cargo.
It's just that these goods are covered with thick animal skins, and I don't know what they contain.
Just by looking at the way those one-foot-wide metal wheels were sunk deeply into the soil, you could tell that the load-bearing capacity of these animal-powered vehicles was heavy.
There are more than two hundred such carts, and each cart has a driver and two or three guards on both sides of the cart.
At the front of the convoy, a dozen men in soft armor rode mounts that looked like gray wolves but were several times larger than the gray wolves and slowly walked towards the west gate.
Wu Tie had sharp eyes and could clearly see the appearance of the leader from a long distance away.
Li Ermo carefully pointed at the man and told Wu Tie that the man was Qian San, the tax minister of Dazezhou.
Qian San was tall and lean, and the muscles under his dark skin were like iron bars and steel bars, giving him an extremely tough look.
The clothes and soft armor on his body are somewhat damaged, but when worn on this man, it gives people the feeling of a general who has broken his golden armor in a hundred battles. He does not feel shabby and shabby, but only has a cold sense of pride and fighting spirit.
"Tax Commissioner... he's a civil servant, right?" Wu Tie touched his chin and murmured to himself: "He is the Tax Commissioner from the tax supervisor under Bo, the governor of the state? Why does he look like a fighting man?"
Li Erxiao smiled dryly: "Master Qian San, he is not an official of the State Lord's Mansion... In the State Lord's Mansion, several state leaders have died quickly, where are the people left? Master Qian San, he is... He is from the Shenwei Military Station The tax commissioner in charge of the Black Phoenix Army stationed in Dazezhou."
Wu Tie turned to look at Li Ermouse and blinked hard.
"The Divine Power Army...the Black Phoenix Army...the tax chief stationed by the Black Phoenix Army?"
Wu Tie patted his head hard. This news was something that was not in 'Huo Xiong's' memory. After all, 'Huo Xiong' is just a small captain in the Shenwu Army. What he knows is mostly about the matters in the Shenwu Army. He knows very little about the Shenwei Army.
Li Ermo lowered his voice and hurriedly explained to Wu Tie the origin of Qian San.
The Divine Power Army is the main field army of the Jin Kingdom. It is a pioneering army that is dedicated to opening up territory for the Jin Kingdom, opening up more living space around it, and seizing more living resources.
Under the Divine Power Army, countless battalions, large and small, were organized according to the heavenly stems, earthly branches, one hundred and eight stars, etc. These formally organized battalions are the backbone of the Divine Power Army.
However, in the Shenwei Army, in addition to the regular battalions directly under the Jin Military Headquarters, there are other auxiliary forces.
For example, a certain concubine son of a wealthy noble family is deeply loved by his elders, but due to the eldest son inheritance system, it is impossible for him to inherit the family business.
Such a concubine, a son with no future prospects, will live his life by slipping some benefits from the fingers of his elder brother who took over the family business, and will spend his whole life just waiting to die.
However, some ambitious sons of concubines, while they were still favored by their elders and while their elders held the power of the family, used family resources to form a private army to join the Divine Power Army and join the Divine Power Army in its great cause of opening up territories. , which is also an excellent way out.
Opening up territory and expanding territory also has great military merits. If you accumulate more military merits, or the territory you open up is large enough, these sons of the common people will be able to obtain a small territory as their own territory.
Building a city and opening a mansion by yourself can be regarded as spreading the branches of the family and establishing a branch. It is a good thing for the family and for yourself.
There are even some top wealthy families who don't care about the expense of forming a private army. They send elites from the clan to form armies to join the Divine Power Army, and constantly occupy new territories for the family. This is also a way to increase the strength of the family and enhance the family heritage. a practice.
This kind of private army that joins the Divine Power Army on its own has various military names and is not included in the official establishment of the Divine Power Army. The Divine Power Army has the power to restrict and manage them, but it does not have too mandatory command power.
To put it bluntly, these private armies are considered the official mercenaries of the Great Jin Kingdom
The Black Phoenix Army is such a private army.
Nearly half of the territory in Daze Prefecture was conquered by the Black Phoenix Army, including the largest landmass in Dazezhou where Wu Tie is now based, and it was conquered by the Black Phoenix Army.
The Black Phoenix Army opened several mines in nearby mountains, and Qian San was the general manager responsible for the operation of these mines.
The reason why he is called Qian San's "Tax Cheng" is because Da Zezhou and the Black Phoenix Army have agreed that in the next few years, 50% of Da Ze State's annual tax revenue will be paid to the Black Phoenix Army for military expenses, and Qian San is also in charge of it. This part of the tax authority has been removed.
In a word, Qian San is the spokesperson of the Black Phoenix Army in Dazezhou, and is responsible for collecting money from Dazezhou.
Wu Tie and Li Ermouzi were still some distance away from the west gate. They were whispering here, and hundreds of capable men had already walked out of a row of wooden buildings next to the west gate. Amid the shouts of several officers, they A fairly neat queue formed behind the city gate.
Most of these men are in the Chonglou Realm, and a small number are in the Sensing Xuan Realm. Only the few officers who are constantly giving orders have just entered the Mingchi Realm.
"Are they the Black Phoenix Army?" Wu Tie pointed at the men wearing tattered soft armor.
"Yeah, yeah!" Li Er Mouse nodded desperately.
"Where is the state army?" Wu Tie frowned fiercely.
"Haha..." Li Erxiao looked at Wu Tie and laughed: "The state army... several state leaders are dead, and several state army chiefs are dead... Hey, this, the post masters and post soldiers in the post house are all dead... "
Wu Tie remained silent.
Li Ermouzi pointed to the wooden building where the Black Phoenix soldiers lived and said softly: "Originally, that place was used to station the state army, but later... a fire, all the state troops were killed. , these wooden buildings were rebuilt by the Black Phoenix Army."
"Who did it?" Wu Tie frowned and stared at Li Ermouse fiercely.
"Well...who knows? Anyway, I'm not a kid." Li Erxiao smiled dryly: "Look, I am at the first level of the Chonglou Realm. I can bully the common people... I have no intention of going against the military men. This kind of thing!"
The weather in Dazezhou is really not good.
Wu Tie and Li Ermouzi had just muttered a few words here when a large dark cloud came from nowhere, and raindrops the size of thumbs rained down on their faces.
In the urban area enclosed by the fence, the silt that had not yet dried immediately turned into mud, and then turned into muddy water with a suspicious color. The water in the ditch outside the fence was full and quickly mixed with the muddy water in the urban area.
'Crash', countless large and small water splashes splashed on the ground.
Outside the west gate, the beast-powered convoy led by Qian San came slowly. The Black Phoenix soldiers in the city came to the suspension bridge and helped the driver drive away the giant beasts and pull the beast-powered cart into the city.
Qian San's sonorous and powerful voice came through the rain curtain: "Hurry up and send all the goods to the warehouse... It doesn't matter if the ores are piled in the open air for the time being, the herbs, animal meat, animal skins, animal tendons, animal bones, and the digging The food that comes here must be sent to the warehouse as soon as possible, and we don’t dare to let the rain ruin it.”
Cursing the damn weather, Qian San yelled at the people in the city who were standing in groups under the eaves of thatched houses to take shelter from the rain: "Here, is anyone breathing? Hurry up and help carry the goods. Each person has three sweet potatoes. Men, women, both can..."
After greeting the damn weather again, Qian San yelled: "Master Qian, I have shown some kindness today. Old man, old woman, and those children who can move, come and help. Two sweet potatoes each!"
Near the west gate, tens of thousands of people rushed out of the thatched huts and wooden houses scattered around. Braving the rain, they surrounded the large carts under the command of Sergeant Heifeng, and quickly Packages of goods were unloaded from above.
Wu Tie smelled the smell of herbs and blood. Just as Qian San said, many of these goods were herbs and meat from hunting.
Wu Tie stood in the rain curtain, quietly watching the large groups of men, women, old and children carrying goods in the rain.
Qian San sat on his mount and glanced around with cold eyes.
He suddenly saw Wu Tie standing a hundred feet away. He rubbed his face vigorously, shook off the rainwater hanging on his eyelashes, squinted, looked hard and looked again, and then cursed vaguely.
Qian San's gray wolf mount rushed forward a few steps, and Qian San finally saw Wu Tie's appearance clearly, obscured by mist and rain.
The gray wolf roared deeply and came to Wu Tie with Qian San on his back.
The huge gray wolf stood in front of Wu Tie, a head taller than Wu Tie. Qian San was sitting on the gray wolf's back, much taller than Wu Tie. He looked down at Wu Tie, his eyes cold and filled with an inexplicable meaning.
"Shucheng, Qian San?" Wu Tie also stared at Qian San for a long time, and finally spoke on his own initiative.
"Black Phoenix Army, Qian Liang joins the army, Qian San." Qian San squinted his eyes, carefully looked at Wu Tie's shirt, and then looked at the seal and token hanging on his waist: "Third-grade general?"
"Huo Xiong was originally the captain of the Shenwu Army. He made some minor contributions and was valued by his superiors. He was promoted to Daze Prefecture as the chief general of the prefecture army." Wu Tie told his origins very politely.
"You are also unlucky. I don't think you can survive here for a few days." Qian San's words were very unpleasant.
He pointed at Wu Tie and sneered: "A third-grade general, in the Shenwu Army, you have at least hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers under your command. Why should you have tens of thousands of personal guards around you... Where are your personal soldiers? Your bodyguards." Where? Where are your soldiers and horses? Where is your... ship? "
Qian San shook his head and murmured: "Especially, from the Shenwu Army... to be 'promoted' to the state army as the leader? Why, the good Shenwu Army becomes the state army? You must have offended someone."
"Usually people like you don't live long." Qian San shook his head and patted his mount's head. The gray wolf roared, turned around and left with Qian San on his back.
"So, I'm too lazy to talk to you. It's a fucking waste of my feelings to befriend a dead person."
Without a single curse word, Qian San simply left.
Wu Tie was stunned for a long time, then looked at Li Er Mouse with a dry smile: "This Master Qian has a very unique personality."
Li Erxiao laughed a few times and looked at Wu Tie pitifully: "Sir, do you have any other orders? If you are fine... How about you let me help carry the goods? Hey, I don't have the guts to go out of the city to hunt. , these three sweet potatoes can last for a while."
Wu Tie's face twitched.
Chonglou Realm... Even if it is only the first level of Chonglou Realm...
Even in the underground world, in that barren rock world, those who have cultivated to the first level of the Chonglou Realm can live a very nourishing life.
This Li Ermouse...
Wu Tie subconsciously touched the hilt of his sword. Li Ermouse's expression suddenly changed, and he knelt on the ground with a bang and kowtowed desperately: "My lord, my lord, I treat you respectfully. Even if you are a villain, you have committed a crime." Wrong, but the superior officer sentenced me to Chongbian. I am a prisoner of Chongbian. My death sentence has already been paid with Chongbian... "
Li Ermouse's head hit the ground hard. The ground was covered with mud and water, and he soon became a mess.
"Take me to... the governor's mansion... no, the governor's residence." Wu Tie let go of the hilt of his sword and looked at Li Ermouse angrily.
The state army's station near the west gate has been occupied by the Black Phoenix Army. Wu Tie just wants to settle down quickly and find a place to live, and then think about his actions in Dazezhou.
"The State Lord's residence..." Li Er Mouse looked at Wu Tie pitifully: "Originally, there was a State Lord's Mansion, a three-story wooden building... It's a pity that the State Lord was also killed. With a fire, It fell down… and now it’s in ruins, used to raise pigs.”
Li Er Mouse blinked his eyes and looked at Wu Tie carefully: "How about... A few days ago, the third Zhao brothers went out hunting and were swallowed by the big snake... If you don't think it's unlucky, you can rest in their house temporarily. one time?"
Li Ermo managed a smile with great difficulty: "Well, the wooden house owned by the Zhao Lao San brothers is quite impressive. If several groups of people hadn't been eyeing this house and fighting for it... This house has already been occupied. People have moved in... But now, it is still vacant. Now that you have moved in, no one will dare to snatch it from you, right?"
Wu Tie's face twitched and he remained silent for a long time.
The cold wind and rain hit him, and it took Wu Tie a long, long time before he slowly let out a breath.
"This is, the four elements are all empty, empty, empty!" Wu Tie looked up at the sky and shook his head speechlessly.