~~~~~~

In the evening, the rain still didn't stop, it was pouring, the sky and the earth were hazy, and the temperature dropped by at least seven or eight degrees.

Correspondingly, the consumption rate of firewood or grain and grass in Haizhou City has also increased a lot.

Li Yuanqing has also been thinking carefully about how to break the Haizhou situation.

When it comes to defending the city, Li Yuanqing has enough confidence and assurance to manage Haizhou City as if it were impregnable.

However, Haizhou is an inland city and cannot receive supplies from the sea. As time goes by, the problem of insufficient food and grass has become prominent.

Li Yuanqing is not an 'ogre' like Zu Dashou, and he has no interest in cannibalism.

Not to mention, all the people in the city are Han Chinese.

Even eating tartar makes Li Yuanqing feel sick.

Who knew they only took a bath every few hundred years...

If there are only two soldiers, even if they forcefully break through, even if it is very difficult, as long as they are well prepared, Lao Nu and Hou Jin's main force may not have much to do to cause any real harm to Li Yuanqing and Chen Zhong.

.

But there are still more than 30,000 Han slaves and female dependents in the city, which is like a drag bottle, restraining Li Yuanqing.

In this era, even in future generations, manpower is the most precious resource.

Only when there are people can there be labor force and wealth can be created.

On the contrary, if there is no one, even if you can dominate the earth? But what power does one person have?

Not to mention, these are Han people, and it would be difficult for Li Yuanqing to leave them alone.

In this way, it is obviously unwise to break out of the encirclement. Li Yuanqing will never choose this worst strategy until the last moment or when he has no choice.

Now, the only option is to make progress!

Faced with the threat of Hou Jin's main force, he went to the surrounding villages to collect food and supplies.

But before that, these dog Tatars must be beaten to pain and fear, so that they dare not act rashly or confront the Ming army head-on.

On top of the city.

Li Yuanqing was preparing to have dinner with the soldiers and inspect several places in the city. At this time, Hong Qiang's familiar figure appeared under the city again.

Chen Zhong couldn't help but smile, "Yuan Qing, it seems that the old slave can't sit still anymore. He doesn't want to fight with us anymore."

Li Yuanqing also smiled, "It's hard to say yet. Let's see what price he paid for it first."

Not long after, Hong Qiang was pulled to the top of the city again. Li Yuanqing did not show any extravagance like last time. He held a simple banquet for Hong Qiang in a shack not far from the inner wall.

After exchanging pleasantries and eating some food and wine, Hong Qiang carefully took out a tightly wrapped picture scroll wrapped in oilcloth from his arms and placed it in front of Li Yuanqing.

"Yuan Qing, this is Da Khan's favorite thing. Please open it and take a look." Hong Qiang looked at Li Yuanqing's face carefully.

Li Yuanqing smiled: "Brother Qiang, what's the point of selling this? Are you trying to get rich?"

"Well?"

Hong Qiang was startled and said hurriedly: "Yuan Qing, how dare I do this? This is..."

He wanted to say something to explain, but Li Yuanqing smiled, waved his hand, and opened the scroll casually, "Brother Qiang, I believe you."

"..."

Hong Qiang was speechless for a moment. After a moment, he reacted and said hurriedly: "Yuan Qing, this is the portrait of the Great Khan's beloved daughter, little Gege Conggulun. The Great Khan has always kept it with him as a treasure. Take a look."

At this time, Li Yuanqing was also attracted by the portrait on the scroll and looked at it carefully.

The portrait is a traditional brush painting.

It can be seen that the person who painted the portrait is very skilled in craftsmanship, and the use of lines is extremely exquisite. In just a few strokes, the charm of the girl in the portrait is vividly outlined, especially the pair of eyes, which are extremely captivating.

Although it is not as accurate as Western oil paintings, it has a kind of ethereal and ecstatic temperament in traditional Chinese figure paintings.

This is a beauty.

And she is a beautiful woman of noble birth.

After a moment, Li Yuanqing smiled and pushed the scroll aside, looked at Hong Qiang and said, "Brother Qiang, what does old slave mean?"

Hong Qiang hurriedly smiled and said: "Yuan Qing, the Great Khan has decided to canonize Little Gege as Princess Heshuo. As long as you can submit to Dajin, the Great Khan will complete the marriage between you and Little Gege in the shortest time. Haizhou City and

Gaizhou City is Xiao Gege's dowry. Of course, Yuanqing, Xiao Gege is of noble birth, so your first wife will naturally be divorced."

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Li Yuanqing couldn't help laughing, so much so that he almost shed tears.

Hong Qiang was speechless, "Yuan Qing, this, this is..."

Li Yuanqing's expression suddenly became solemn, and he looked at Hong Qiang coldly and said: "Brother Qiang, you must have heard of it. We Han people have an old saying that a wife of wretched chaff will not go to court. Although I, Li Yuanqing, am not a gentleman, I am loyal, filial, benevolent, righteous, and honorable. I

I still know. The old slave’s daughter? Haha!”

Li Yuanqing suddenly smiled, "Not to mention being a wife, even if it is a concubine or a maid, I won't consider it. If I want it, I will naturally go to Shenyang City to get it!"

"Uh? This, this..."

Hong Qiang never expected that Li Yuanqing would refuse so simply.

Thinking of the old slave's earnest instructions to him before leaving, the huge profit promised, and the consequences of failure, the cold sweat on Hong Qiang's scalp instantly oozed out densely.

"Yuan Qing, this, this, if, if, if you can't be a wife, you can be an equal wife. As long as you are willing to submit to Dai Jin..."

Hong Qiang wanted to say something else, but Li Yuanqing smiled and waved his hand, "Brother Qiang, I'm still very busy with military affairs today. I won't spend much time with you. You can do whatever you want!"

With that said, Li Yuanqing strode out of the shack, leaving Hong Qiang stunned.

After hesitating for a while, Hong Qiang finally came to his senses.

You have to face life or death.

He had no choice but to leave Haizhou City in the rain and go back to resume his life.

On the other side of the city gate building, Chen Zhong looked at Hong Qiang's back with a smile and said: "Yuan Qing, this old slave is really arrogant! How could he expect that we would surrender to him? Just for this mere woman.

What?"

Li Yuanqing also felt a little funny in his heart. Could it be that the old slave is an old fool?

But Li Yuanqing also understood that the old slave would never take aim without aim. This is a mature and sophisticated person.

"Brother, maybe this is just a delaying tactic for the old slave. When the rain stops, we can take the initiative and find the old slave to do it. If we don't beat this old dog, he really doesn't know how high the sky is.

,The ground is so thick!”

Chen Zhong smiled and said: "Yuan Qing, actually speaking of which, Cong Gu Lun has been famous for a long time. It would be a good thing if you could marry her as your concubine."

Li Yuanqing smiled and shook his head, "Brother, we are already in a lot of troubles. Are we still going to leave excuses for the big guys in Beijing?"

Chen Zhong also understood what Li Yuanqing meant, "That's true. What a pity! What a pity for such a beautiful woman! How can a beautiful woman like you be a thief?"

Hearing that Chen Zhong actually mentioned Yang Guang's famous saying, Li Yuanqing couldn't help but smile: "Brother, if we conquer Shenyang City in the future, I will give you this Cong Gu Lun."

But Chen Zhong smiled and shook his head: "Yuan Qing, Cong Gu Lun is already your woman, how can I, the elder brother, rob her from my own brother? I don't want her. I want Lao Nu's other daughters, and my wife is enough. Got it!"

The two looked at each other and couldn't help laughing.

The two exchanged views on tomorrow's defense at the city gate.

Li Yuanqing was about to inspect the south gate, but at this time, Hong Qiang came back in a hurry, shouting at the bottom of the city, clamoring to see Li Yuanqing.

Chen Zhong couldn't help but frown, "Yuan Qing, this person is very unstable in his work. He is a trouble! Otherwise, how about finishing him off?"

Li Yuanqing smiled and said, "He is just a small person running errands. There is no need to do things to perfection. No one dares to talk nonsense."

Chen Zhong also understood what Li Yuanqing meant and nodded with a smile, "Yes. They are all our brothers. Who the hell dares to talk nonsense? Let's put him up first and see what he is going to do!"

This time, Li Yuanqing and Chen Zhong met Hong Qiang together.

Hong Qiang also knew that something was not going well, so he could only bite the bullet and tell his purpose.

"Yuan Qing, Chen Shuai, I just went back and the Great Khan gave me new instructions. As long as you are willing to withdraw your troops and give up Haizhou City, the Great Khan will marry Xiao Gege to Yuan Qing. As long as you can agree to this The condition is that tomorrow, the Dajin army will retreat twenty miles, and we will never break our promise."

Li Yuanqing and Chen Zhong looked at each other. Chen Zhong looked at Hong Qiang coldly and said: "Brother Qiang, can this old slave be so kind?"

Hong Qiang was a little afraid to face Chen Zhong's power, and his calves were trembling a little, "Chen Shuai, I'm just a messenger. I don't know the specific details."

Li Yuanqing smiled lightly and said, "Brother Qiang, do you have anything else to say?"

Hong Qiang hurriedly said: "Yuanqing, what the Khan meant is that it is midsummer right now, and there is no point in continuing the fight between the two sides. Dajin cannot attack Haizhou City, but you cannot defeat Dajin's main force. Fall. Why don't both parties take a step back. If there is something, we can sit down and discuss it!"

Chen Zhong couldn't help but sneer: "Discuss? What do I have to discuss with that old dog? You go back and tell the old slave that if he marries that Heshuo princess Conggulun to Yuan Qing as his concubine now, someday , I will attack Shenyang City, and I will leave him a whole body! Otherwise, I will send all the Aixinjueluo family, including their chickens and dogs, to the West!!!"

"Uh? This..."

Hong Qiang couldn't help but be speechless, but how could he dare to refute Chen Zhong? He hurriedly looked at Li Yuanqing for help.

Li Yuanqing smiled faintly: "Brother Qiang, Chen Shuai and I still need to think carefully about this matter. You go down and rest for a while. I will inform you as soon as there is news."

As if Hong Qiang was granted amnesty, he hurriedly left.

Chen Zhong hurriedly asked: "Yuan Qing, what do you mean, old slave? Is this showing weakness to us?"

Li Yuanqing slowly exhaled a long breath, "The world's impermanence is a monster! The old slave will never be so kind. What's the use of him retreating twenty miles? The cavalry can reach it with a single charge. Does this old dog want to Let’s pull them out and defeat us through field battles?”

Chen Zhong nodded, "It's possible. And the possibility is very high. Yuan Qing, we are still not fully prepared! For this kind of inland battle, our disadvantage is still too obvious."

Li Yuanqing also nodded slowly, "It is inevitable to have disadvantages. But sooner or later we have to take this step and compete with the main force of Houjin on the front. Brother, in the current situation in Haizhou, we must take the initiative!"

"Then~~, why don't we agree to the old slave first and stabilize him?"

"Why doesn't he want to stabilize us first?"

Li Yuanqing said and suddenly sneered, "Don't you want to marry Cong Gu Lun to me? Then let him bring you a dowry of 100,000 cattle and sheep first!"

Chen Zhong was stunned for a moment, and he understood what Li Yuanqing meant. He couldn't help laughing: "Wonderful, wonderful! Yuan Qing! Hold them steady first, and when the rain stops, let's give him a hard blow!!"

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Chapter completed!