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Text Chapter 507: Things get rough

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    w "What? Master Zu is coming back!"

    Wu Ji was a little stunned for a moment. In the past, they had been looking forward to Zu Dashou's return, hoping that he would bring good news that would make them feel at ease. But when Zu Dashou and the generals really came back, he didn't dare to  Trust the news.

    Heizi, who ran to Wuji, saw Wuji standing there in shock. Slowly, two lines of tears fell from his cheeks. He choked and said: "Boss, Mr. Zu is finally back. He brought food and military pay."  I¡¯m back, and my brothers finally don¡¯t have to go deep into the North just to get a bite to eat.¡±

    When Heizi said this, everyone cried in Yebushou. Yes, everyone knows the dangers in the north. Why did they risk being discovered and attack Manchu villages after investigating the military situation?  In order to seize more skins, people and goods?  For these goods, more than ten brothers have died on that land this time. If they were paid, would they still need to work so hard?

    After a while, Wu Ji wiped the tears from his cheeks and said to the Ye Bu Shui people around him: "Okay, now that Mr. Zu is here, I think our life will be much better in the future, and we don't have to worry about it anymore."  While running around, brothers, let¡¯s go to the General¡¯s Mansion first to pay our orders, and then we all go out of the city to meet the adults and reinforcements.¡±

    "Let's go!"

    These nights did not collect which one did not roll over on the tip of the knife. She was used to the man who was used to life and death. After a bit of sadness, they all restored the normal state. They followed Wu Ji's body.

    Zu Dashou was riding on the horse. He put his hands on his waist and shook his body a few times. A feeling of soreness and numbness surged up. He had been riding the horse for more than ten days and his whole body was stiff.

    Seeing that Zu Dashou looked a little uncomfortable, Zu Dalue said with concern, "Brother, if you bear with me, you can have a good rest when we arrive in Jinzhou."

    Zu Dashou sighed: "Hey, old man, I remember that I followed Governor Yuan and fought against the Tatars for several months in western Liaoning. I was still in high spirits, but now I feel that my bones can't hold up after only riding a horse for a few days.  Come on, you¡¯re really old!¡±

    "Hahaha" a laugh rang in Zu Dashou's ears. With the laughter, Li Yan also rode up to them and said with admiration: "General Zu is too modest. You are called Lao Dang Yizhuang."  , How many people of your age can mount a horse and kill the enemy? How many people can eat two legs of mutton in a day? Otherwise, Your Majesty would not let me lead you to fight against the Tatars!"

    Being praised by Li Yan, the great man who was the Minister of War and the Superintendent of Liaodong at that time, even though Zu Dashou was so humble, a trace of pride appeared on his face, but he still waved his hand out of inertia, "Thank you, Superintendent."  , the general is just doing his duty as a warrior. But the emperor is able to train such an elite soldier, this is what really makes the general admire him!"

    After saying that, Zu Dashou looked back at the team behind him, with a look of envy in his eyes.  behind him.  The 20,000-strong army was divided into three rows and followed behind him. Although they had been traveling for more than ten days, no one in the marching team was left behind.  The formation of the team is still neat, and the uniform black armor looks more like a dark cloud from the sky.

    Zu Dashou likes to lead troops, and at the same time he has been a veteran for most of his life, but he has never seen such a well-trained army behind him.  He spent very little time dealing with Pang Gang, and it was rare for him to see the sergeants under Pang Gang's command. But this time Li Yan led an army of 20,000 people with equipment, food and fodder along the way, and he was shocked more than once.

    Zu Dashou is not a rookie, on the contrary, he can be said to be a veteran who has been on the battlefield for a long time.  He is even more knowledgeable about military matters.  In the past, the infantry of the Ming Dynasty generally marched at a speed of only thirty miles a day. Those who could reach forty or forty-five miles were already considered a strong army, and this was because the infantry all put all their armor with the army.  In the case of a large vehicle.

    But this army is good. It marches at a uniform speed of sixty miles every day. It starts cooking pots before dawn every day.  After eating, they set off and set up camp on time at Youshi. Moreover, these infantrymen all wore helmets and armor when marching, from the legion commander down to the soldiers, there was no exception.

    When Zu Dashou asked Li Yuan, the commander of the regiment, why he asked the soldiers to march in armor to increase the weight of the soldiers.  Li Yuan asked back, "If we suddenly encounter Tatars during the march, can they give the soldiers time to put on their armor?"

    This sentence alone made Zu Dashou speechless. Yes, when the Ming Dynasty was founded, the military marching was also required to wear helmets and armor and march fully armed. But I don¡¯t know when this rule of the Ming Dynasty began.  It was reduced again and again, and in the end it was no longer even armor. What was the reason for this?

    Li Yuan then said: "In my country, Dahua, from the generals to the cooks, everyone wears armor when marching, and no one??Exception, even if His Majesty is in the military, he must abide by this regulation!  "

    As soon as Li Yuan said this, even Zu Dashou was immediately surprised, "Is Pang Gang really so rigorous in running the army?"

    Thinking of this, Zu Dashou's eyes glanced at the dozens of sergeant-looking knights in the team. Their armors were no different from those of ordinary sergeants, except that they had a red armband on their left arm. This armband was on  What the Dahua Army represents is military law and adjudication, and they are the military judges in the Dahua Army!

    Seeing these military judges, Zu Dashou's heart tightened. He knew that these people were the eyes, ears and spies sent by His Majesty to his army, and they were also upright spies. Thinking of this, Zu Dashou couldn't help but have a trace of melancholy on his face.  , he was very clear about the situation in his army. After the middle of the Ming Dynasty, it had become an open practice for the generals in the Ming army to take empty pay, and Zu Dashou was no exception. Although the flowers in his army were  There are still more than 15,000 soldiers on the roster, but it would be good to have 12,000. After arriving in Jinzhou, if the whole army really gathers for roll call, I am afraid they will be exposed.

    Just when Zu Dashou was deep in thought, the long team had already arrived outside Jinzhou City. As the team approached, uncontrollable smiles appeared on the faces of the soldiers on the city wall. It seemed that the imperial court had owed them some money.  Landed.

    Hao Dayong, who was walking in front of the team, looked at the city in front of him with satisfaction. This expedition to Liaodong was of great importance, and it also meant that there were many opportunities to make meritorious deeds. Although Hao Dayong, who had already reached the rank of guerrilla, was already forty-eight this year, he still  His desire for advancement did not diminish as he grew older.

    Originally, before sending troops to Liaodong this time, his son-in-law Da Zhuang had already persuaded him to resign his position as a guerrilla and find another job for him in his hometown in Qingzhou.  He thought of it as a pension, but he didn't listen. He insisted on going out with the army and earning a title that could be passed on to his descendants. Da Zhuang refused to listen no matter how he persuaded him, so he had to go with him.

    Looking at the mighty soldiers in front of him and behind him, Hao Da burst out with pride in his chest and shouted loudly to everyone.  "Boys, let's sing!"

    ¡°If ten thousand people are of one mind, Mount Tai can be moved, but only loyalty and righteousness can lead to a bullfight.

    "My lord, the general will kiss me like a parent. If I violate the military law, I will not be free."

    The orders are clear and the rewards and punishments are given, but if you go to water or fire, you dare not stay late.

    Report to the emperor to come down to rescue the head of Guizhou, kill all the Japanese slaves, and find a place to be granted a title.  "

    When the song "Song of Triumph" started, only a few people were singing at first, and then more and more people joined in the chorus. Li Yan, Li Yuan, Zu Dashou, Zu Dayue and others also sang along.  .  The singing became louder and louder, and finally spread almost throughout the entire army, and the loud singing reached the city walls.  When it reached Jinzhou City, the sound of tens of thousands of people singing in unison was so shocking that the entire Jinzhou City was almost shocked.

    "The orders are clear and the rewards and punishments are given, but if you go through fire and water, you dare not stay late."

    As he sang, Zu Dashou was immersed in memories again without knowing it. He couldn't remember how long it had been since he sang this song.  Zu Dashou tried hard to remember the last time he sang this song. Oh, by the way, it was the early years of Chongzhen, when he was in his prime.  He followed Governor Yuan in a decisive battle with the Tatars in the Ningyuan and Xiaolinghe areas. The battle was so exciting that even the bandit chief Nurhaci was hit by their artillery and died of his injuries.

    What a pity, since Governor Yuan was escorted to the capital.  In the end, he was delayed.  Zu Dashou has never understood what kind of serious crime Governor Yuan committed and was sentenced to the cruelest punishment of being cut into pieces with a thousand cuts.

    Since Commander Yuan was punished by Ling Chi, the hearts of Liaodong soldiers have become cold. From then on.  The Ming Dynasty's defense line could only retreat again and again, and this song, which was Governor Yuan's favorite when he was still there, was no longer sung.  Zu Dashou recalled and pondered, but he didn't realize that his cheeks were already filled with tears.

    Just when Zu Dashou was crying, the city gate rumblingly opened. Wuji, Heizi and Huzi, who had just returned from completing their mission in the north, followed countless Jinzhou soldiers and poured out of the city gate, looking at the people marching not far away.  The troops marched in neat steps and sang familiar military songs, and they also shed tears.

    Many old people have lost count of how many years it has been. The Ming Dynasty seems to have forgotten this place. Except for the food and wages shipped every few months, there are no more reinforcements. It seems that the entire Ming Dynasty has abandoned this place.

    Today, a support force finally arrived. They sang this familiar "Song of Triumph" and came here with neat steps. They are no longer alone!

    Soon, the army from afar, led by Zu Dashou and other generals, entered the city. The setting sun reflected the dark light on their armor, which dazzled the eyes of the people around them.

    Heizi looked at the Chinese army that was pouring into the city. What caught his eyes was their neat military appearance.Thick armor, and the full spirit of the entire army.

    Heizi looked at this army with envious eyes, and then looked at his own leather armor that had become tattered and tattered after countless years, and said: "Damn, this new court is really rich. Look at those armors.  They are all made of high-quality stainless steel. It costs at least fifty taels of silver to buy their outfit. In Jinzhou, who can afford it except those adults who are guerrilla or above, they are better off.  , one set per person, how much money does it cost for so many people?¡±

    Looking at Heizi who was drooling about sour grapes, Wu Ji grinned and said proudly: "Look at your potential, think about it, now that the Ming Dynasty is gone, Master Zu led us to join Dahua.  Will we have less of our share in the future? Just wait and see, before long, we will definitely have what they have!"

    "yes!"

    Heizi slapped his thigh fiercely and suddenly realized: "The Ming Dynasty is gone, we are now considered to be people of Dahua. The adults above will definitely not forget us and we will have our share soon."  Bar."

    Wu Ji and Heizi didn¡¯t know that their words would soon come true.

    After Li Yan led the army into the city in a mighty manner, a banquet was held on Zu's birthday that night. Li Yan, Li Yuan and officers from Qianhu and guerrilla levels were entertained. Even dozens of military judges sent by Pang Gang to Jinzhou also received the banquet.  When the invitation came, these military judges all showed up to show their dignity.  But during the banquet, when many generals intentionally or unintentionally asked them to be merciful when counting the soldiers, these military judges just said a few words and blocked their mouths.

    "My lords, please don't make things difficult for the villains. Our military regulations stipulate that if military judges and military generals collude to embezzle military pay, they will be beheaded regardless of the circumstances or the amount!"

    After hearing the answers of the military judges, the Liaodong generals were all dumbfounded and looked at each other one by one.  Now all the good days are gone.

    As the Minister of War and the Governor of Liaodong, Li Yan had the most respected position, so naturally he sat at the head of the table, with Zu Dashou sitting on his lower left hand.

    Although Zu Dashou kept asking Li Yan to drink, the actions of the generals in the audience never strayed from his eyes. Seeing that all the generals were disappointed, Zu Dashou couldn't help but feel unhappy.

    He looked at Li Yan and found that the man was sitting in his seat eating the dishes in front of him, as if he was indifferent to what happened in front of him.

    Zu Dashou gritted his teeth bitterly.  He cupped his hands and said to Li Yan: "Inspector Li, I will finally have the courage to ask you for a favor!"

    Li Yan took a look, put down his chopsticks and said with a smile: "Master Zu, you are serious. What happened that made you beg for mercy from me?"

    Zu Dashou secretly gritted his teeth and cursed: "Keep pretending! Did the emperor send those officers to Liaodong to see the scenery?"

    But Li Yan was pretending to be stupid, but he couldn't continue to be stupid, so he had to make his words clear. Zu Dashou smiled bitterly and said: "Master Li, please don't hurt the general. It's not a matter of empty quota. The general knows that the emperor has sent these troops."  The judge came to Liaodong just to put an end to the issue of short quotas. But since the beginning of Emperor Shenzong in the previous dynasty, short quotas have almost become a routine in our Ming Dynasty. The life of our border generals is hard, many brothers can't eat more than a few meals of meat throughout the year, and even more so  Not to mention supporting the old and young at home, they have no choice but to eat a few empty wages. I would like to ask the supervisor to show your kindness and let them go. I will thank the supervisor on behalf of the soldiers of Liaodong! "

    Zu Dashou burst into tears as he spoke. After finishing speaking, he stood up and wanted to bow to Li Yan, but Li Yan stood up first.  He stood sideways and made it clear that he could not accept such a big gift.

    Seeing Li Yan's insistence on not being accommodating, Zu Dashou's face gradually turned ugly, and he said coldly: "Master Li, are you really unwilling to give this little face to the Liaodong soldiers?"

    Seeing that Zu Dashou was showing signs of falling out, Li Yan was not panicked at all. His face also slowly darkened, and he sneered: "Master Zu, I used to respect you as a straightforward man, but I didn't expect you to  You actually want to speak for those scum who live on empty wages. I want to ask you, what did the emperor tell you before leaving the capital? I don¡¯t need to remind you of this, right? Haha, the emperor already told you before leaving the capital.  , let bygones be bygones, from now on you must serve the court and the emperor in a down-to-earth manner, and the court will have its own rewards.

    Before arriving in Jinzhou, I thought Master Zu was a good man who knew his mistakes and could correct them. I thought Master Zu would order his subordinates not to look at these past activities again, but I didn¡¯t see any sign of repentance on your part.  , treating the emperor's original kindness as a bargaining chip.  "

    Li Yan's voice gradually became louder, and the generals in the hall also noticed something unusual here, and came over one after another, surrounding their respective superiors.Finally, the smell of gunpowder on both sides gradually became stronger.  Many generals behind Zu Dashou slowly pressed their hands on the hilts of the swords behind them. At the same time, the hands of the generals led by Li Yuan behind Li Yan also touched the muskets behind them. A conflict was about to begin.  to happen.

    Li Yan naturally saw clearly the little moves of the generals behind Zu Dashou. He just smiled lightly, pointed at everyone and said with a contemptuous smile: "Why, if the soft ones are not enough, are you ready to use the hard ones? I will tell you the truth, if you really want to  Take action, I can guarantee that in less than two quarters of an hour, the imperial court's 20,000 troops will kill you all on the spot. Do you believe it or not? In my opinion, Wu Xiang and his son are smarter than you.  Shanhaiguan has been conscientiously dismissing the old and weak, and the empty positions they have falsely claimed have been wiped out. Is it possible for them to rebel?"

    Li Yan's words were like a plate of cold water poured on everyone's heads. They then thought that although this was their territory, the 20,000 elite troops brought by Li Yan were stationed in the city at the moment. If they really wanted to take action, none of them would run away.  No.

    Zu Dashou's expression changed rapidly several times, and finally his face dimmed. He slowly knelt down on one knee in front of Li Yan and said sadly: "You two adults, please don't blame the generals. They are also concerned about chaos, and they have no intention of rebelling against the imperial court.  Show mercy to the adults and don't embarrass them. If there is any punishment, let me bear it!"

    "Master Zu, you can't do that!"

    When the generals of Liaodong saw that Zu Dashou had taken the blame, they all knelt on the ground and cried loudly.

    ps: Here, Ah Ding would like to ask all the readers of this book on Wireless. Brothers who use wireless mobile phones to read this book, if you have wireless points, you might as well give some to Ah Ding.  I¡¯m still short of points now!  To be continued.  If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my biggest motivation.  m

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