Recruiting soldiers and buying horses

Datong, Wang Family Courtyard.

Wang Puzheng and Zhen Youcai were discussing things.

Zhen Youcai's eyes were deep, his eyes were covered with bloodshots, and he was wearing a loose cotton jacket, and he looked like a vampire.

This is all tiring. From the end of the first month of the 15th year of Chongzhen to the beginning of April, Zhen Youcai actually did a lot of things for Wang Pu. He took care of almost everything except leading troops to fight. He was responsible for escorting the 100,000 shi of grain from Beitongzhou back to Datong. He settled and distributed the pensions for the fallen soldiers himself. There were also three weapon workshops and two gunpowder bureaus that were sold from Zhang Zi'an. Zhen Youcai was also operating and managing.

There are too many things that require Zhen Youcai to take care of. He has to go from morning to dark almost every day, and he has little time to rest.

In addition to managing the army and leading the troops, Wang Pu also gave all the affairs of all sizes and brains to Zhen Youcai. On the one hand, it was because Wang Pu trusted Zhen Youcai, or he did not doubt his employing people, but on the other hand, it was because Wang Pu lacked people, so he was forced to use Zhen Youcai to death.

Looking at the exhausted Zhen Youcai, Wang Pu's eyes were filled with guilt and said, "Thank you for your hard work."

"What is the general?" Zhen Youcai said solemnly, "I thank the general for his respect, and he handed over all things big and small to Beizhi to deal with. I dare not say anything about other things, but please rest assured that the general will do his best to handle all matters, so that the general will have soldiers and food in his hands, and that the brothers will have guns and ammunition in their hands."

As he said that, Zhen Youcai took out an account book from his sleeve and handed it to Wang Pu and said, "General, this is the account recorded by the villain. Please check it out."

Wang Pu pushed the account book back to Zhen Youcai and said, "It doesn't matter. You can choose a few main ones."

"Yes." Zhen Youcai responded respectfully. He said, "As of the first day of April of the 15th year of Chongzhen, the 100,000 stones of grain purchased from Beitongzhou had been transported back to Datong in batches; the weapons workshop has created a total of 1,072 new muskets and 7,926 Dragon King cannons with handles."

Wang Pu couldn't help asking: "Where is the paper shell bullet? How many shots have been produced?"

The unintentional innovation reminded Wang Pu of the paper shell bullet invented by the Swedes, and immediately sent someone to find Zhen Youcai, who was responsible for the weapons workshop and the Gunpowder Bureau. The two of them first made appropriate improvements to the creativity of Nian Niang, and finally set up the paper shell bullet. The two gunpowder bureaus stepped up their production.

"More than 8,000 shipments have been produced." Zhen Youcai said this, and then said, "In addition, more than 600,000 cattle, sheep and camels purchased from Zhang Zi'an were paid in part for the purchase of fine iron and sulfur from Shaanxi and the capital, and part for the discount to the soldiers' salaries and the pensions of the fallen soldiers. The rest had been made into bacon, totaling more than 18 million kilograms. Fifty thousand horses were sold for more than 30,000 horses, and more than 200,000 taels of silver were obtained. All expenses were deducted, and there were still 1.52 million taels of silver in the silver treasury."

"Okay." Wang Pu couldn't help but say, "You did a pretty job. You didn't disappoint me with talent."

Zhen Youcai said modestly: "I just did something within my ability."

"These things are very important." Wang Pu said solemnly, "It's early April now, and the Eight Banners Iron Cavalry in Jiannu may reach Datong at any time. If we cannot prepare in advance, we will suffer a great loss when Jiannu is in front of us!"

While the two were talking, Lu Liu suddenly came in and reported, "General, the second master is looking for a meeting outside the courtyard."

"Second brother?" Wang Pu scratched his head and asked, "What is he looking for me?"

As mentioned earlier, the Ming Dynasty's son-in-law was not allowed to be an official or lead troops according to convention. Moreover, once someone became the son-in-law, the entire family could not become officials. But in fact, this is not the case. The Zhu Ming Dynasty did not implement this ancestral system thoroughly, and there were still many son-in-laws who led the army and served as guards.

By Emperor Chongzhen, the Ming Dynasty was already in turmoil and even took these red tape indifferently. Therefore, Wang Pu's second brother Wang Hua did not retreat according to the rules, but still stood in front of the procurator of Datong Prefecture.

Lu Liuying said: "The second master said there is important military information."

"Important military information?" Wang Pu's heart was thrilled and he said anxiously. "Hurry. Let my second brother come in."

Lu Liu took the order and left, and soon Wang Hua cursed and entered the warm room. He said unhappily: "I said, "The third brother, it's getting harder to see you now? Hey, is it still the Wang family compound? Or is it the Wang family's property? Why is it so difficult for me, the second master of the Wang family, to meet someone?"

"Second brother, calm down, cool down, cool down." Wang Pu quickly stood up, gave Wang Hua to the pit, and said with apologies, "Of course this is the Wang family courtyard. Of course, the second brother also comes as soon as he wants to come, but aren't you pretending to be sick these days? In order to block the news, I asked Lu Liu and the others to take it a little more seriously, but I didn't expect that Lu Liu, the swearing, you won't even let me enter, the second brother, but I swear, this is definitely not my order."

"Dedede, who doesn't know your little thoughts?" Wang Hua said, "I've been a brother for more than 20 years. Third brother, I'll tell you, you will know what fart you are going to do... Okay, I won't talk to you about this. Today I'm here to find you. I just sent a document from Shaanxi, and a bandit rushed back to Mizhi. Now Yan'an Prefecture, Qingyang Prefecture and Pingliang Prefecture have all rebelled. The document also said that this bandit may invade Shanxi eastward in the next step, so that the prefectures and states in Shanxi are ready."

Wang Pu was overjoyed when he heard this, "Second brother, are the three prefectures in Shaanxi really rebelling?"

"It's really a rebellious." Wang Hua said angrily, "I know your little thoughts, so I came here to tell you. Now you don't have to pretend to be sick anymore. The three prefectures in Shaanxi rebelled. Based on my second brother, I have been in the officialdom for many years, the governor of Shaanxi's three-sided governor Fu Zonglong is afraid that he will die this time. With Shanxi, these wine bags in Shaanxi are not opponents of thieves. Now Hong Chengchou is dealing with Li Zicheng in Henan again. No one in the court is available, so Long lively, you still have to use the third brother."

Zhen Youcai said: "The second master's analysis is very reasonable. I also thought that the general would be able to lead the general of Datong soon."

"It doesn't matter whether we are actually appointed as the general of Datong. What's important is that we don't have to go back to the capital." Wang Pu smiled and said, "It's not that I brag. Just because our Wang family is in Datong now, even if I, Wang Pu, don't lead the general of Datong Town, the army in Datong Town will still be under the command of my Wang Pu. Hehe."

Zhen Youcai agreed and said, "That's it."

"Three, I advise you to be more at ease and not be too sharp." Wang Hua advised, "In Datong, our Wang family has some forces. Ordinary people don't take them seriously. Just say, Wei Daben, the governor of Datong, and Wang Qiaonian, the governor of Shanxi, must be respectful to me, but we cannot ignore the world because of this. Don't forget that King Dai is also in Datong."

Wang Pu said: "Second brother, I know, I will be able to do my best."

"Um." Wang Hua nodded, stood up and said, "Okay, my second brother will leave first if you have something to do."

Wang Pu said: "Second brother is busy with yours."

Wang Hua had already arrived at the door and suddenly turned around and said, "Hey, I'll say, third brother. Why do you think you are more and more like the head of our Wang family? Recently, my elder brother hasn't done much business anymore, so he just ran around and ran for you, buying iron and sulfur, and my second brother, I am almost the sight of you putting it in the Datong officialdom."

"This is called "Energy is more laborious." Wang Pu smiled apologized. "Who made the eldest brother know how to do business, and the second brother, do you know how to be an official?"

"This is what you guy has a conscience."

Wang Hua hummed twice before turning around.

When Wang Hua left, Wang Pucai said to Lu Liu: "Liu'er. Go to Mount Kane immediately and let Zhao Xin, Tang Sheng and the monk come to Datong immediately."

"yes."

Lu Liu responded and took the order.

Mizhi County has now become the base camp of the rebel army.

Over the past half month, thousands of rebels have been gathering in Mizhi from 48 directions every day. The scale of the rebels is expanding at an astonishing speed. Ma Shouying, He Yilong, He Jin, Liu Xiyao, Lin Yangcheng and others are very happy, but Li Yan, as the main general, cannot be happy.

What's worth being happy about?

Most of the rebels who came to join were poor people who had no food and clothing, and had poor people who helped the elderly and the young. There were actually not many strong men who could fight on the battlefield, and what made Li Yan most worried was how to solve the food problem of the rebels on the increasingly large scale? Most of the rebels from all walks of life came empty-handed. Now that they have become Li Yan's subordinates, Li Yan has the responsibility to solve their food problem.

The grain stolen from the official warehouses of various counties in Yan'an Prefecture has not been able to last for many days. What should we do after eating this grain? We can't let the soldiers of the rebels follow the refugees in Shaanxi to chew tree bark and eat grass roots? In order to solve the problem of military rations, Li Yan has not had a good meal for three days and has had a good sleep.

Li Yan was restless in bed and food. Madam Hong was also anxious, but she had no choice.

On that day, Hongniang brought more than a dozen personal soldiers to Laoya Mountain dozens of miles away to hunt. She wanted to make some pheasants stew soup to replenish Li Yan's body, but the pheasant didn't fight but encountered bandits. The group had just turned over a hurdle and heard a whistle ahead, and hundreds of bandits immediately appeared on the ridges on both sides.

Hongniang was very skilled and brave, and did not take this group of bandits seriously. At that time, he led more than a dozen personal soldiers to break through forcibly. The bandits naturally would not let go of the fat meat that was in their mouths. With a whistle, they rushed down from the ridge. A bandit leader rode his horse and raised his sword to attack Hongniang. When Hongniang was about to fight with a sword, the bandit leader suddenly shouted: "Junior sister, it's you!?"

The Hong Madam was shocked when she heard this, and she held her mount and asked vigilantly: "Who are you?"

The bandit leader circled around the Hongmao twice and shouted excitedly: "Junior sister, don't know me anymore? I am your senior brother Jing Maocheng!"

"Ah?" Mrs. Hong was overjoyed when she heard this, "Are you Senior Brother Jing?"

"It's me." Jing Maocheng laughed, "Hahaha, I didn't expect to meet my junior sister here."

After saying that, the bandit leader Jing Maocheng shouted loudly to the surroundings again: "Stop, stop, stop, all of them are their own family!"

The Hongniang hurriedly drank more than a dozen of her own personal soldiers. Fortunately, the two of them stopped drinking in time. No one of the two groups had died, and only two bandits were slightly injured.

The Hongniang ceded forward and asked, "Senior Brother Jing, why are you here?"

"Don't mention it." Jing Maocheng smiled bitterly, "After leaving Henan, I thought that I could join the army on the Nine Borders. I thought that with this martial arts, I could still be able to get a hundred households, a thousand households, or something. Even if I couldn't shine my ancestors, I could at least be able to live without worries. But who would have thought that I would offend a general in a few days after I joined the army, and almost lost my life."

The Hongniang asked nervously, "What's next?"

"Later, I was furious and killed the general, and then ran to Laoya Mountain to fall into the grass. Now I have raised hundreds of brothers." After saying that, Jing Maocheng asked Hongmao again. "Junior sister, aren't you and Li Yan following King Chuang in Henan? Why did you run to Yan'an Mansion again?"

"This is a long way to say, and my little sister can't finish it for a while." The beautiful lady of the Hongniang turned her eyes and suddenly remembered that if she could bring Jing Maocheng and his bandits under her command, she would be a new force that should not be underestimated. She said immediately, "Senior brother, I have something to say, "I don't know if I should say it or not?"

Jing Maocheng said: "Junior sister, tell me."

The Hongniang said: "Housing in this Laoya Mountain blocks the road and robbery is not a long-term solution after all, and it also burys your good martial arts. Now the Ming Dynasty is already ruined, and the Chuangwang Xiong is very talented and strategy. One day, he will replace him. Why don't the Chuangwang join the Chuangwang's command and build some achievements?"

Jing Maocheng said: "Senior brother, I think too. But Wang Chuang is far away in Henan, and it is too far away."

The Hongniang said, "Senior brother, why should I go to Henan if I want to surrender to the King of Break? There are troops to the King of Break in Mizhi."

Jing Maocheng showed a strange smile on his face and said, "After talking, junior sister, you want senior brother, I will take my men to join your husband."

Speaking of which, Jing Maocheng went away from the nine sides was all because of Li Yan.

At the beginning, everyone thought that Jing Maocheng and Hong Niang were born together, and Jing Maocheng himself thought so. He dreamed that one day he would marry Hong Niang and then take over the throne of the village master from Hong Niang's father, but reality ruthlessly shattered his dream. Once, Hong Niang took people to Qi County to rob, but ended up meeting Li Yan. Then everything changed.

Later, Hong Niang became the leader of the village, Li Yan became her husband of the village, and Jing Maocheng went far away.

Although more than two years have passed, Jing Maocheng still cannot forget Hong Niangzi. It obviously takes courage to ask him to face the affection between Li Yan and Hong Niangzi all day long.

The Hong Madam did not act arrogantly and admitted generously: "That's right, my little sister did this for her husband, but it was also for you, senior brother."

Jing Maocheng smiled bitterly and said, "Junior sister, senior brothers must discuss this with the brothers."

The Hongniang said readily: "Okay, that little sister is waiting for you at the foot of the mountain. If the brothers are willing, senior brother, take them and sister back to the camp. If you don't want to, senior brother, just send someone down the mountain and say it to the younger sister. I will never make things difficult for senior brother."

Datong, Wang Family Courtyard.

Zhao Xin, Tang Sheng and Monk Zhang have already rushed from Kamma Mountain to the Wang family compound, and Scarface and Big Bearded Man have also rushed back from Leigong Mountain camp. In the past two months, Zhao Xin, Tang Sheng and Monk Zhang have been bringing more than 2,400 brothers to Kamma Mountain to be bandits. Big Beard and Scarface are training more than 2,000 new recruits in Leigong Mountain.

More than 2,000 servants on Leigong Mountain were recruited later. Because of the support of more than 2,000 veterans on Guanbei Mountain and a lot of money in their hands, Wang Pu has become a domineering man of Datong and seems confident in everything he does. He doesn't need to look at anyone's face anymore. There is naturally no need to sneak in recruiting soldiers and horses.

When the five people were chatting in the side hall, Lu Liuhongliang's voice suddenly sounded outside the door: "General is here!"

The bearded man, scar face, Zhao Xin, Tang Sheng and monk Zhang stood up, erecting his waist straight, and his five pairs of eyes looked at the door in unison. A figure outside the door flashed, and Wang Pu was already surrounded by Zhen Youcai, Xiaoqi and Lu Liu.

"See General."

The five people greeted each other in unison.

Wang Pu strode to the main seat, waved his hand, and said, "Sit all."

"General Xie."

The five people responded and sat down again. Wang Pu and Zhen You sat down, but Xiao Qi and Lu Liu stood behind Wang Pu, like two door gods standing on the left and right.

Wang Pudi's eyes fell on the bearded man and scarred face and asked, "How are the newly recruited servants training?"

The bearded man stood up and replied, "Report to General, it looks quite like that, but these bastards have never been to the battlefield. If they really go to the battlefield one day, they will inevitably have diarrhea."

Wang Pu thought for a while and said, "There is not too much time left, so let them continue training in actual combat. In this way, more than 2,000 veterans on Mount Kaneshima immediately pulled back to the Leigong Mountain camp and mixed with more than 2,000 new recruits. Half of new recruits and half of veterans in each hundred-person team, and each veteran leads a new recruit, so that the combat effectiveness will be improved faster."

"yes!"
To be continued...