It started snowing in the north very early, and ordinary people were unable to farm almost all winter, and there was no stable source of food. People would starve to death when the weather was cold and freezing.

Under the roots of dead trees in the corner of the outer wall of Shangjing, there were more than a dozen bodies that were not collected, both men, women, and young and old. They were placed in a stinking manner and were stinking. No one paid attention to them.

Everyone is familiar with it. When winter comes, people will die, and no one cares about the sparse crowds coming in and out.

In the past, when the Liao Kingdom was a strong man over fourteen years old had joined the army. He followed the army to rob, robbed Han people south and other tribes on the grassland north. Only in this way can the young and strong people survive.

Later, with the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, the Liao Kingdom has since had a large area of ​​arable land, and life has been easier. It doesn’t have to be a life-threatening for many people to survive. Then, they learned the Han system and opened up all the officials of the court, and gradually grew stronger.

Even in Shangjing, he is still a semi-nova and semi-cultivated state, and his living environment is not as cruel as a hundred years ago.

The scattered tribes and villages alternated outside the city, which was an unseen view elsewhere. Shangjing had begun to become less like those cities in the north.

In recent years, the people of Shangjing have a more way to live. The emperor ordered that the military weapon surveillance build many iron furnaces in the east of the city, recruiting a large number of people, and making various weapons such as swords, guns, swords, halberds, armor and other weapons. As for why almost everyone knows, I heard that the south is coming.

On a small slope to the east, beside the river, hundreds of shacks are busy in the snow.

Liu Xu brought several officials and a group of guards to travel among them. He is now the prime minister, with a noble status and a high position and a powerful position, but at this time he had to come and see him in person.

He was over fifty years old, and even in the bustling huts, he was trembling with coldness.

"Prince, you don't have to come here in person for such a small matter. You can check it out with a lie. If your precious body is frozen, it will be a huge loss for my great Jin Kingdom." The accompanying official next to him said.

"You can leave these words to others." Liu Xu was a little unhappy. He didn't like these words that were actually useless, not to mention that Jingguo was already eyeing him. What's the use of doing these things at this time?

Ignoring his embarrassing subordinates, Liu Xu continued: "Whether our Jin Kingdom or the grasslands in the north, skilled craftsmen are not as good as Jing Kingdom. Now, after hearing the news from the scouts, Jing Kingdom has hoarded a large amount of food and grass in Yanshan Palace, and its wolfish ambition is obvious!"

Liu Xu's face turned serious: "It's not as good as a human being. If you don't prepare early, you will suffer a big loss at that time."

"But Prime Minister, the terrain of the western Liaoning Corridor is narrow, easy to defend but difficult to attack. They dare to fight. We are guarding those dangerous passes. What can Jingguo be no matter how powerful it is?"

"Yes, yes, Shanhaiguan and its important towns south of the country are easy to guard everywhere. With the narrow and long terrain, no matter how many troops the Jing army has, they cannot be arranged. Why are they afraid...?"

"Yes, according to my husband, from the south to the north, no matter how powerful Li Xingzhou is, it will be difficult to achieve anything. This is God's destiny. This terrain is born and grown up, and the Han people should be bullied. This is fate..."

“…….”

Everyone talked, and Liu Xu couldn't answer every word you say, because what they said made sense. It has been easy to fight from north to south since ancient times, but it was very difficult from south to north. Many heroes often failed and fell into the sand.

Having said that...

Liu Xu couldn't help but think of Li Xingzhou whom he met in the south. His actions, words, decisive and wise work, his charm of living alone, and his indescribable spirit.

Every time I think of him and such an enemy, Liu Xu couldn't help but become nervous again. "It's better to be cautious and prepare for the future than to sharpen the guns in the face of battle. At least you have to prepare the arrows and crossbows. If Jing Jun is pressing on the pressure, the long-term siege will be very expensive."

When the prime minister talks about this, naturally no one is ignorant.

Liu Xu didn't say much, and took everyone to inspect. Halfway through, a big man greeted him. This person was the chief official of the Shangjing Military and Cao Mansion. A few days ago, Liu Xu asked him to do something.

"Get up, what progress has happened before?" Liu Xu asked as he walked.

The chief minister shook his head, "The minister also forgives his crime. His subordinates can't understand the use of those stones. They look like charcoal and iron stone, but they say that carbon cannot be lit, and that iron stone cannot be refined. The only use can only be used to mark."

"Make a mark?"

"Well, it's better to use than charcoal after being cut into sticks, and it's not easy to fade, but it's more troublesome."

Liu Xu frowned and shook his head, "No, right? If you just make a simple mark, you will never take time and effort to transport it back from thousands of miles away with Li Xingzhou's shrewdness. There must be some other important purpose."

"This... I can't understand it. In short, I didn't find any useful things in those black stones." The Changshi looked embarrassed.

Liu Xu had no choice but to think: "Is it Li Xingzhou's trick? But what's the purpose..." The final result was naturally completely lost.

The Changshi suddenly had a lit up: "Secret Master, can it be that black stone in the formula of gunpowder?"

Liu Xu was stunned.

"Now, Yanshan Mansion of Jingguo is solid because they have cannons, and the key to cannons is gunpowder. The gunpowder made by the Taoist priest is black, but it doesn't have the power of the people of Jingguo. The black stone is also black. Li Xingzhou has not traveled thousands of miles to buy it. Will there be black stone powder in the gunpowder formula?"

Liu Xu nodded, and felt more and more reasonable, "You can write down this matter quickly!"

The chief nodded repeatedly.

.........

Nowadays, most people in the Jin Dynasty believe that Jing Guo will send troops north, whether it is revenge or ambition, but in the same way, almost no one believes that Jing Guo can achieve any results.

Starting from Shanhaiguan, the narrow and long Liaoxi Corridor along the coast has dangerous and important towns everywhere. This defense network that connects each other can prevent the Jing army from advancing.

In addition, the narrow and long terrain will make the army of Jing Kingdom unable to unfold, and no matter how many people are, they will not be able to exert their corresponding combat power. The nobles of the Jin Kingdom are fearless.

In winter, the scouts heard news that more food and grass in Jingguo were transported to Yanshan City, and auxiliary soldiers from all over the country began to camp in batches in Yanshan Prefecture.

Many signs convey anxiety, but no one is afraid. The people of Jing just want to take revenge. What the people of Jing retreated in the face of difficulties is the idea that the ruler and ministers are united.

Throughout the winter, the Emperor of the Great Jin Kingdom was busy sending envoys to Goryeo and Xia Kingdom to rebuke their kings and asked them to attack the tribute again.

In addition, the situation in the grassland was also concerned by the Emperor of Great Jin. He sent envoys to reprimand Temujin for betraying his faith and asked the Queyan tribe to continue to pay tribute. However, the result was very tragic. Only one of the five batches of envoys who went out came back, and the envoys had their noses and ears cut off.

Wanyan Li was furious and threatened to send troops to the grassland, but Jingguo was staring at him, and everyone knew that he was just a threat.

Because of this, Temujin became even more presumptuous. In winter, he directly announced that he would no longer comply with the title of Jin Kingdom, established the Great Mongolian Kingdom on the grassland, called himself Genghis Khan, and completely separated from the Jin Kingdom.
Chapter completed!