stubborn thief

Chapter 290
The first month of the fifth year of Chongzhen was a good day, and Zhang Yuanheng, an old banner soldier of Songpanwei, returned home in fine clothes.

Even though Zhang Yuanheng was from Baoding, the term "returning home with a golden body" is only suitable for Songpanwei, because no one in Baoding needs him to return home with a golden body to save face, and no one needs his support anymore.

In the yamen of Xiaohe Guarding Thousand Households, Mr. Zhang sat at the head, wearing a fur robe and a big hat, covered the tea leaves floating in the tea bowl with porcelain tea, blew lightly, looked up and said: "Huguang also The earth dragon turned around, and the heavenly army lost again at the Daling River?"

Thousands of households and hundreds of households who used to be bossy stood by to accompany them. Qianhu nodded in agreement and added: "In November, the Liao army in Dengzhou mutinied at Wuqiao. Huanglong, who had the highest military exploits in the battle of Luanzhou the year before The general had his ears and nose chopped off by the rebels."

"Oh."

Zhang Yuanheng had no fluctuations in his heart, and took a sip of tea: "Don't talk about other people's affairs. The master has built the city wall in Songpan for a year. What is going on with you now? I heard that when it was time to plow the fields, the flag army Gave it to the headmen of Fanqiang and went to work with them?"

Zhang Yuanheng said this kind of embarrassing thing, the officers in the yamen couldn't hold their heads up, and hated this cockless eunuch deeply in their hearts.

Is this a fucking thing now?It's normal for you to be a bastard when the city wall was being built here. It's just that the gentlemen felt sorry for your lack of a dick, so they didn't send you there. Now, it's better to put on the skin of an eunuch and come to Xingshi to inquire about the crime.

In fact, the generals are not afraid of Zhang Yuanheng, the reason why they are cautious and respectful is that they don't want to cause trouble for themselves.

After all, things like eunuchs have a strong sense of revenge. If you can hide, you will hide. If you can't hide, you will be disgusted by him. Sending him away like a plague god is enough.

Songpanwei did not welcome Zhang Yuanheng.

But for Zhang Yuanheng, Songpanwei is even more like his home than Baoding Mansion.

"I also heard that you didn't dare to fight against Fan Qiang, but you sent troops to stop General Zhang in Qinghai Marshal's Mansion?"

When this matter was mentioned, several generals looked at each other in blank dismay, and finally it was Qian Hu who asked, "We know what Mr. Zhang said, but what is Qinghai Marshal's Mansion?"

They also wondered in their hearts, for several months.

The terrain of Songpan is complicated, and there are grasslands to the west to separate the captives. The news further west must be conveyed by Dong Buhan Hu Xuanwei envoys.

This Dong Bu Han Hu Propaganda Envoy is the superior comfort envoy from around Songpan to the chieftain of Jinchuan, but now it has passed its heyday. The insiders have their own hearts.

For example, the chieftain of Jinchuan paid tribute to Dong Bu, Lijiang Mutianwang, and Qinghai Marshal's Mansion at the same time.

A few months ago, Zhang Tianlin and Li Laozhen, who were chasing Dunyue Dorji, led their troops close to the Songpan Grassland. Songpan Wei thought it was the border of Dunyue Dorji and Chen Bing, and hurriedly led the army to intercept it.

As a result, the two sides took a look across the swamp, and Zhang Tianlin withdrew, leaving Songpanwei's army Zhanger Monk puzzled...how could it be the Han army?

Afterwards, many inquiries were made, but no reason was found. The Fanqiang tribes who often passed through the territory did not know the truth. Some people said that it was King Nangqian who destroyed King Baili, and some people said that it was the Mongols from Tumet who broke into Malkang. , Some people say that it is the army of the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion.

All kinds of news spread wildly in Songpanwei, and no one knew which was true and which was false.

King Nangqian and Tumed shouldn't have Han soldiers. They only know that the Qinghai Consolation Envoy is the leader of the rebel army, but what is the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion?
no one knows.

"You don't know about Qinghai Marshal's Mansion, but Liu Chengzong should know about it?"

This piece of Yuan Heng took off the uniform of the banner army and put on the eunuch's skin. Now he speaks with a strong voice. He pointed to the heads of each general and said: "Everyone is afraid of Qiang people like tigers, but they dare to stop the Generalissimo's army. , should I say you are timid or bold?"

Xiaohe Qianhu couldn't hear these words the most, and frowned and said, "Huh, Mr. Zhang used to be a banner soldier. Don't you know that it's not because our soldiers are afraid of Qiang people. It's really because the commander didn't ask you to give birth. Personally, who wouldn't dare to fight the Fanqiang barbarians?"

"But so what if you risk your life to fight a battle. If you don't have enough food and grass outside, you can't get any benefits. If you lose the life of the banner army inside, you will not escape the punishment of the chief in the end."

"As for us generals, heh." Xiaohe Qianhu said: "Could it be that Mr. Zhang thinks that if the flag army is driven by Qiang's eyes, we will be able to bear our faces, so he is willing?"

"know."

Zhang Yuanheng chuckled, he knew best what these generals were planning.

To put it bluntly, if the imperial court offered them a reward of 30 taels for a Qiang fan's head, and if the reward was distributed as much, they would be able to exterminate the Qiang fan first, and then convert the heads of the Han people into Qiang fan, and then exterminate the species together.

But there is no reward, and there is no merit in losing the battle and losing their lives and winning the battle. They are not willing to go to war.

After all, generals and schools listen to local officials, but the Banner Army also listens to these generals and schools. Could it be that they are so innocent?
The banner army is ordered, and whoever orders it is not ordered.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yuanheng really felt that it was good to follow Liu Chengzong. Although the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion has no military salary, each of the lion soldiers can afford enough rations. If they want to eat something good, they have to try their best, but at least they will not be angry. .

Zhang Yuanheng said: "I know that it's not easy for you. I went home to have a look this time, and I just thought of a way to make the brothers of Songpanwei live better."

The generals looked at each other in blank dismay, does Zhang Yuanheng still have such a conscience?

In all fairness, Zhang Yuanheng served as an army in Songpan because the eunuch Xiao Zhang in the palace gave him a message, and on the other hand, because he was a scholar, none of the generals made things difficult for him.

But Zhang Yuanheng was able to regard Songpanwei as his hometown, which was beyond the imagination of Songpan officers... They wondered, do you, Zhang Zhongguan, have no home, and you regard Songpan, which has been repairing the city wall for two years, as your home?

Zhang Yuanheng really has no home.

Xiaohe Qianhu asked: "I don't know what method Mr. Zhang said, what method is it?"

"The imperial court ordered me to go to Xining to inspect the tea horses. The generals must have heard about Xining's new establishment of the Qinghai Propaganda Commissioner. Don't worry about what you say. I didn't tear myself apart with the imperial court."

When Zhang Yuanheng said this, the generals in the yamen looked at each other, wondering what Zhang Zhongguan meant.

They are all serious hereditary officers, and they know very little about Liu Chengzong, but based on consciousness, who would look up to a group of rebels?Stretching to death is nothing but extravagant Chongming An Bangyan Huang Taiji and his ilk.

Looking at the subtle expressions on everyone's faces, Zhang Yuanheng knew what they were thinking, and he simply said: "Okay, Liu Shuai came from a reckless background, but don't act like a hereditary officer in your heart, how about Du Wenhuan, the commander of Yulin Town?" , How about the commander-in-chief of Ningxia Town, He Huchen?"

"There are thousands of households like yours. Liu Shuai killed countless people before he entered Qinghai, and he didn't even leave a name. Ask yourself, hereditary officers are hereditary. If you are a hereditary officer, you can't suppress the captives outside, and you can't protect the country and the people inside. Is it?"

Xiaohe Qianhu loosened and clenched the hands hanging down around his waist, clenched and loosened again.

A general's nose is not his nose and his face is not his face. If Zhang Yuanheng hadn't been an eunuch of the court, these people would have found ways to kill him.

There is no such slap in the face.

Zhang Yuanheng didn't care, looked at the crowd and said: "The pirates who have been disturbing the border for decades, boasting that there are more than ten thousand captives in Taiji, now they are driven by Liu Shuai, and they have already passed Qamdo and entered Tibet."

"Bai Li, who annexed his wallet and frightened the chieftain of Jinchuan to build watchtowers, disappeared within a few months. In the end, Liu Shuai is a man from northern Shaanxi. He is currently working on a big career in Xipan, and he only waits for the inland Han people to come and benefit from him. .”

"Songpan is my home, it has become like this, don't you want to live a better life?"

The generals came back to their senses, Zhang Yuanheng scolded at first, in order to elicit this sentence, Xiaohe Qianhu sneered: "Master Zhang wants us to turn to thieves?"

The generals were very happy, they were already sharpening their knives in their hearts, and they could just rely on this opportunity to kill Zhang Yuanheng, this annoying ghost.

No matter how nicely it is said, there is no temptation for hereditary generals to go to Fandi and benefit from it, so could Liu Chengzong give Daming better conditions?
"What kind of thief do you vote for? Even if you raise your flag to rebel across the Songpan Grassland, Liu Shuai doesn't want it. He even wants to help the court put down the rebellion."

Zhang Yuanheng didn't speak in the slightest bit in a good mood, as far as the geographical location of Songpan was concerned, Liu Chengzong accepted it today, and he would have to spit it out tomorrow.

Why is the border a border? There must be a natural barrier blocking it, otherwise it would not be a border.

"There are a lot of fields over there, waiting to be reclaimed. There is no shortage of craftsmen in Songpan. There are medicinal materials and other materials that can be used to earn farm tools at a high price. You can think about it. General Songpan will take the lead to exchange supplies between the two sides. Don't you want real money?"

The general of the Xiaohe Qianhu Institute looked relaxed. You said earlier that you wanted to smuggle and do some business. Does this matter need so much foreshadowing?
Qianhu asked, "How much does he want?"

"He wants as much as you have." Zhang Yuanheng waved his hand and said, "This is not urgent. The commander-in-chief said that the Songpanwei and Chuanmin families used to give one cow, six sheep, and two hundred acres of land. You all have many family members, and the guards also have a lot of soldiers, do you have any idea of ​​going to earn land?"

Qianhu shook his head and said: "If farm tools are profitable, Songpan can provide him with a lot of support, don't even think about it, Songpan has no shortage of land, so he dragged his family and took his mouth to Fandi to plan something."

Zhang Yuanheng chuckled lightly, but did not speak.

Songpan has no shortage of land, indeed no shortage; but Songpan also lacks land, very short.

It just depends on who it is for. For these hereditary officers, Songpan certainly has no shortage of land. Not only the military land, but also the civilian land occupied by them belong to the officer's family.

But for bannermen like tenants, there are no land for as many bannermen as there are.

It's just that Zhang Yuanheng didn't think it was necessary to go into details with the officers about this matter.

Anyway, in their eyes, the Banner Army is just a slacker who is lazy at work, unable to fight wars, or farm the land.

This is not the task that Liu Chengzong entrusted to Zhang Yuanheng, he just mentioned it casually, and said with a smile: "It's okay, if you can make farm tools, you can make some farm tools for the Marshal's Mansion, and send them over in May. .”

Zhang Yuanheng's Jinyi fans are all in the guard, and they are talking with the Banner Army about the policy of granting land to the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion. He can foresee that from May to August, the grassland will be gone. I am afraid that there will be many Songpan guards. The unclear Banner Army dragged their families to immigrate to the area under the jurisdiction of the Marshal's Mansion.

He wanted to call all the banner troops to Fandi.

Zhang Yuanheng had served as a Banner Army in Songpanwei for a year, so he knew what a Banner Army was like.

The Banner Army is cunning and lazy. They don’t work if they can’t. They are also afraid of war. They eat and wait to die every day. They are the scum of the army.

why?
The officers said that the Banner Army was lazy and inactive.

Yes!There is nothing wrong with it, lazy and not active.

Of course the Banner Army is not active. When the land hits the grain, half of the emperor’s grain will be collected first, then half will be collected by the Commander, half will be collected by the Thousand Household Master, and half will be collected by the Hundred Household Master. , how can you not be lazy?
Zhang Yuanheng knew that Songpanwei's flag army, under the abolition of military discipline, might not be capable of fighting. They were all real experts in farming, mining and collecting herbs, and they were the best at fighting among the farmers, and they were the absolute best at reclaiming the land. Good candidate.

As long as Liu Chengzong doesn't let people exploit them, they can reclaim as many fields as they want, and they will even break out a strong fighting force to protect their own land.

Scholars always think a lot more than others. After all, a literati is a subordinate status, and when a literati has no other status to attach to, he is useless.

And useless people can do nothing but think.

Zhang Yuanheng also found a strange thing in his thinking, Songpanwei was in the hands of Daming, and these banner troops were excellent representatives of not doing enough but not doing enough.

But if in the hands of Liu Chengzong, the guards were even transferred to the deep mountains and old forests that the Ming Dynasty could not contact...they would become very powerful, and they might even restore the strength of the guards in the early Ming Dynasty.

He didn't know the reason for this, but thought it was a good thing.

With the arrival of Zhang Yuanheng, just after the fifth year of Chongzhen, the officers issued orders to the Banner Army.

Whether it was ordering the Banner Army to transport iron materials from Pingwu County in Long'an Prefecture, or ordering craftsmen to work hard to make farm tools, the lifeless Songpan Weihuan showed great vitality.

Even the officers noticed that the lazy bannermen were working hard again.

And under this appearance, Songpanwei's banner army even included small banner officers and several general banners, and every household set up large vats for drying vinegar cloth.

People buried their heads in their work and became more and more silent. Some officers noticed that some lazy bannermen began to hone their skills in the morning and night.

Some people sharpen the rusty waist knife, remove the rotten wooden handle, and wrap it with twine in circles.

Some people find out the clusters of arrows handed down from their ancestors, each one is polished brightly, and carefully scrape the shafts of each arrow with the end of the arrow.

But whenever the officers asked, the only response to them was always the smirk and self-mockery of the Banner Army.

Even the officers couldn't help but smile, what can these flag troops do?

Only at night, under the lit oil lamp, the eyes of Qi Jun will shine.

The sack was dumped on the bed, and the rough palms counted the stored grain one by one, and carefully divided it into twenty small bags.

20 days of dry food, dried vegetables, dried sauce and vinegar cloth.

They want to rush out of the grassland, Jin Yiwei's fans will not lie, Liu Dashuai, who has done a great job, is waiting on the grassland, waiting for them to go and benefit from it!

　good afternoon!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)