Du Zhongxiao stood by the roadside, watching the detective cavalry from Xiongyong Village go out and head towards the depths of the grassland. He didn't drive the horse north until he couldn't see anyone.

Because of the Yellow River blockage, the volcanic army was not affected in the war with Dangxiang, but it did not mean that it was not affected. Twenty miles along the border was the forbidden area, but in this area, the Song Dynasty and the Khitan did not have a strict border, and the scope of the forbidden area was free and proof. The Song Dynasty actually used the Yellow River as the standard, and there were only a few military camps in this richest river valley area, and the people were not allowed to cultivate, which caused an unmanned area.

The origin of the foreign households entering the forbidden area is complex, including Khitans and those who escaped the Dangxiang war, which may not necessarily invade and cultivate. The Volcanic Army is actually controlled by Dangxiang in the north of the Yellow River, but from a legal perspective, it still belongs to the Song Dynasty and is a banished place. Because of its special geographical location, it is between the Song Dynasty, Khitan and Dangxiang, and its leaders actually surrender to the three parties at the same time, which is a very delicate place.

After nearly a year on Hedong Road, Du Zhongxiao had enough of being a magistrate and working hard to put out the fire, and was worried about taking the blame for the superiors. He wanted to try it out with the Volcano Army. A large number of foreign households had unclear boundaries, but there was actually a lot of room for operation. The first step was to develop the richest valley area that clearly belonged to the territory. Is this forbidden area? It depends on where the boundaries were drawn.

If Tanglong Town in the north belongs to Dangxiang, it is still far from the border. The border between the east and the Khitan is the same. Since there are all small bodhi tribes within hundreds of miles, the border is extremely elastic. The forbidden area now is actually based on the easternmost Bidhi village. Due to the inaction of the defenders, Bidhitan villages have only existed in name only and were occupied by the Khitan forces. However, the small bodhi tribes that occupy that area surrendered to the Khitan, and did not have Khitan troops stationed there. These small bodhi tribes are fence-headed, so they stand on the side wherever there is a benefit. The Khitan is stronger than the Song Dynasty and can guarantee their interests more. They surrender to the Khitan and make a profit from the Song Dynasty. What if the Song Dynasty is stronger than the Khitan?

Du Zhongxiao looked up at the continuous mountains in the north and sneered involuntarily. The terrain here determines that large-scale wars cannot occur, and there will only be small conflicts. If you don’t even eat them to death, you will not be able to kill them.

After months of continuous improvement, the flintlock musket has already taken shape, and all it lacks is perfection. This terrain is enough to be invincible. It is not difficult to fight the Khitan and Dangxiang, but it is not difficult to scare the small tribes in this area.

Pang Xun followed behind, no longer the same as the previous few days, and came to Du Zhongxiao to get close to him. He originally thought that Du Zhongxiao was just a new official and went out to inspect, but he didn't expect to take action. Yesterday, he severely scolded Fei Lizhi and ordered him to send a detective cavalry to check the river valley area clearly, how many people have penetrated and what their identities are. If he can't do it, he will replace him. If he fails to receive the order, he will be killed. Pang Xun can feel that it is not a joke.

After several years of fighting with Dangxiang, the volcanic army was sitting across the river and killed life and death. They were not injured in a single hair. They also made money through the war and became soldiers. They were good at running faster than anyone else. When they were in danger, they turned around and left.

After leaving Xiongyongzhai, Guanlu no longer follows the Yellow River, but goes north. Du Zhongxiao walked along the way and saw that the terrain was flat, which was very different from the scene he came from Bingzhou. After decades of abandonment, the green grass was everywhere here, and it had already become a prairie.

Shisanlang urged him to step forward and followed Du Zhongxiao closely, looking nervous.

Du Zhongxiao glanced at Shisanlang and asked, "What are you doing like this? There is Dongjiazhai in front of him, and there are two hundred wing troops."

Shisanlang said, "I heard that there are many tigers and wolves in this area, and there are daily eclipses every year. When I grow up, if there are big insects coming out, I can fight for one. Unfortunately, I don't wear iron armor, so I'm not afraid of anything."

Du Zhongxiao smiled and said, "This is a business road. I don't know how many merchants pass by here every year, so how can there be any tiger or wolf--"

At this moment, a soldier who was exploring the way back quickly and came to Du Zhongxiao with his hands crossed: "Officials, there is a caravan in front of him, I don't know where to come from. The young man dared not ask without authorization, so I came back to report."

Du Zhongxiao said: "I think it's a businessman who went to Dongjiazhai to trade. You bring their leader to see me."

The soldier crossed his hands and sang the Noble, turned around and ran away. Not long after, he brought a few horse riders back. Du Zhongxiao looked closely and saw that the person in front was Feng Yuan, a fur businessman he knew in Bingzhou. He couldn't help but whisper: "Mr. Feng, it turns out that you are here to do business."

Feng Yuan saw that it was Du Zhongxiao, so he couldn't help but be happy. He hurriedly called his horse and bowed forward, saying, "So, is the official here to be an official? I haven't seen him for several months, and I think the official has been promoted."

Du Zhongxiao smiled and shook his head: "It's not a happy event that the official was promoted, but it was transferred from the prosperous city of Bingzhou to this bitter and cold place on the border. By the way, you were originally doing fur business in Bingzhou, but why did you disappear later?"

Feng Yuan sighed: "Officials should not raise it quickly, as it will be irritating. The fur business in Bingzhou was originally done by the three of us brothers and we should make a fortune if we take the lead. Unexpectedly, Kang Chengdong later colluded with the power figures in the Khitan. It was extremely difficult for any merchants who had nothing to do with him to buy raw skin from the Khitans. The three of us brothers were excluded by him and had to come here. Opposite to the Volcanic Army were some small tribes, and the Khitans could not control the place, so the business could barely be done. Now we are buying raw skin from the northern quid and then transported to Bingzhou."

Du Zhongxiao sighed and comforted Feng Yuan. He was an official from the Song Dynasty and could not take care of the Khitans. He could take care of Feng Yuan in Bingzhou, but he could not help them do business with the Khitans. After these people had been doing business in the border areas for a long time, they came here later. There were only a few places along the border, and there were only remote places around him. They were surrounded by small forces. Although the size was small, the business was relatively easy to do.

It is rare to meet an old friend here, Du Zhongxiao said, "Since we meet here, we are destined to be together. It is better to go back to Dongjia Village and delay a few days. Let's talk about the past. Now I am a military officer here and I am about to develop a place. The official can use his skills."

The merchants most hoped to get the support of the government. Feng Yuan agreed to ask the people around him to order the caravan to return and walk with Du Zhongxiao.

Not far away, I caught up with Feng Yuan's caravan. Du Zhongxiao saw that they had more than ten horses and more than twenty camels, and said to Feng Yuan: "The business of the official is doing big, with so many pack animals. I want to meet you for the first time that day, and you three are a small boat, and it is still a small business."

Feng Yuan said: "The officials built a fur yard in Bingzhou, and we really made a fortune and bought these industries. If Kang Chengdong hadn't tolerated that guy, how could he have the current scale? Alas, there is no need to mention the past."

Along the way, the two of them walked together, and Du Zhongxiao asked about the surrounding geography and human feelings. Feng Yuan bought raw skins nearby and ran through many foreign troops, and there were questions and answers. The largest foreign troops in the north of the Volcanic Army were the Dangxiang people in Tanglong Town. They were originally subordinates of the Zhe family in the Prefecture and Prefecture, and they were divided into two parts. In the past few years, the Dangxiang invaded, the Song army did not rescue in time, and the army also caused the leader to come to his family to take his people to join Dangxiang. Now it is divided into two, and the east side of the Yellow River was subdued by the Khitan, which is Ningbian Prefecture, and the west side of the Dangxiang, which has long been destroyed.

Feng Yuan said: "Before Dangxiang rebelled, Tanglong Town was the most prosperous place within hundreds of miles, with merchants gathering. Now, after a series of wars, coupled with the Dangxiang people plundering people and moving westward, it has long become an unmanned deserted city. However, the small bands on the same border have lost Tanglong Town to bully, and life has become a little better, so our business can be done. If it were not for Tanglong Town's approval, business would definitely not be done."
Chapter completed!