weaving

Chapter 254
In the early morning of the second day, after breakfast, Zhang Cheng, Chen Zhong and others set off to leave Muzhajian.

Zhao Shihu and Cheng Daning led all the team officers to send Zhang Cheng and others forty miles before returning to the village. They all seemed a little excited.

During the banquet yesterday, Zhang Cheng told Zhao Shihu that all the cavalry under his command would be in armor. Although there are only less than thirty cavalry now, they should not be in a hurry.

At the same time, according to Zhang Cheng's intention, at least 100 of the 200 infantry under Zhao Shihu's command should be fully armored. If the cavalry team is not full, [-] armored infantry can be prepared first.

Zhao Shihu also asked Zhang Cheng to send sergeants to assist him in training his cavalry and infantry. For this, Zhang Cheng asked him to practice on his own for the time being. He would arrange Liu Quan to do his best to satisfy the armor and horses. A group of military funds and sergeants will be assigned to him over there.

Now, Zhao Shihu has 29 cavalry and more than 320 infantry, and most of them are new sergeants with insufficient training.

Zhang Cheng awarded Cheng Daning the military post of deputy Baihu on the spot, and asked him to assist Zhao Shihu with all his heart. Among the fifteen team officers under his command, those old team officers were awarded the general banner, and the new team officers were awarded the small banner.

With serious official status, their hearts were full of joy. Everyone said that they would be loyal to Zhang Cheng, but they were ordered to go through fire and water, and they would not hesitate to do so.

…………

Zhang Cheng and his party rode more than [-] riders away from the tip of the tree hawthorn, and rode their horses to the north.

He originally wanted to go to Yanqing Prefecture, because the North Road reclamation issue might require the help of Yanqing Prefecture, but considering that he was only going there for a face-to-face meeting at this time, it was really a matter of going or not.

Zhang Cheng dismissed this idea for the time being, and would just go to visit and negotiate when necessary in the future. Anyway, the governor had already greeted Yanqing Prefecture.

But there is one place that he must go to, and that is Chicheng Castle City on Shangbei Road, where the Chicheng Bingbei Road is stationed, and it is also responsible for patrolling the Koubei branch.

Chicheng Bingbeidao was served by He Chongwu, the procurator of Shanxi Tixing, so in addition to being responsible for the military drills of the North Route, arresting thieves, and managing the garrison and horse administration of the guards, etc.

He also manages the affairs of patrolling roads, and is responsible for supervising officials and generals in the jurisdiction, inquiring about criminal names, and prohibiting rape and fraud. It can be said that he has a heavy responsibility, and it can be said that he is Zhang Cheng's immediate boss.

Even Zhang Guowei, the deputy general who sits in Yongning City and is the commander of the second-rank Wanquan capital commander, is also under the supervision and command of the regular fifth-rank soldier, and he must treat him politely. Lord Bingxian.

In addition, there is also Qin Shizheng, the North Road Guanliang Tongguan of Xuanfu Town, who is stationed in Chicheng Castle as the Baoding Mansion Tongdan. It is as big as it is, but it is also responsible for monitoring the distribution of money and food in the entire North Road, but it should not be underestimated.

At this time, in addition to the governors and governors in various border towns in the Ming Dynasty, there were also regular fifth-rank grain managers sent by the Ministry of Households. Department of household control and management.

He is responsible for the collection and distribution of money and food in various border towns. Because he controls the most important money bags and food bags, although his official rank is not high, he is highly respected by all parties. Even the governor is polite to him. angry.

In addition to the Guanliang Langzhong located in the town, there are corresponding Guanliang Tongzhi or Tongpan in various roads in Xuanfu. However, like Donglu and Nanlu, there are Yanqing Prefecture, Baoan Prefecture, Weizhou and other places. The income and expenditure of civil taxation are all decided by Guan Liang Tong Judgment.

This North Road is all military households and military settlements, and all the money and food collected go directly to the warehouses and government treasuries of the various fortresses, and the various health offices also have the right to withdraw and use them on their own, but the management of grain and general judgment has the power of supervision. Especially heavy.

What's more, almost all the military settlements in the border towns of the Ming Dynasty are dead in name only, and they can't afford the local food and payment expenses at all, especially now that the recruitment system is prevalent.

Therefore, more than half of the food and salaries have to be paid by the central government or other prefectural warehouses. How to distribute this part of the government-funded food and salaries is completely determined by these food managers.

Just think about holding such great power, how can you not be taken seriously by the generals in various places, and some who can do food management and general judges are even as powerful as the military officials in the local area.

…………

Zhang Cheng and more than fifty riders headed northeast to the official road, passing Chang'anling Fort all the way north, passing Diao'e Fort, Yangtian Fort and other castles, without any delay, they simply beat the top for dinner.

Finally, at dusk on April 25, we arrived in front of Chi Castle.

About one mile to the south of the fort is the altar of wind, cloud, thunder and rain. From here, you can see the south school ground of Chicheng Castle not far to the east. There is also a temple of fire on the east side of the school ground.

Zhang Cheng and the others didn't care to browse, and continued to pass Xiannongtan, Dragon Temple and Guandi Temple, until the Dading Gate on the south side of Red Castle, and then stopped to look at Red Castle in front of them.

Chicheng Castle is the commander of Wanquandu. Because the rocks of Chicheng Mountain two miles to the east of the city are mostly red in color, the early morning sunlight shines on the stones, and the red light pervades the city, so it is named Chicheng.

"History of the Ming Dynasty" records: "The Chi Castle was built in June of the fifth year of Xuande. There is Chicheng Mountain in the east of the castle, and there is also the Donghe River. It is the upper reaches of the Baihe River in Tongzhou. It is about [-] miles away from Wanquan in the southwest, where the capital is located.

Chicheng Castle City, 180 four steps on Wednesday, three feet and five feet high, four towers, four corner towers, fourteen city shops, two gates, Chongning in the east and Dading in the south.

In the third year of Jingtai, Yang Hong, the governor of Jingtai, rebuilt the bricks. In the first year of Tianqi, the East Gate was added, that is, "Dongkuo", which was the place for the army to gather training, set up camps, and go out for battle, and opened the inner wall of the southeast corner.

Zhang Cheng looked at the four big characters "Zisai Clarification" inscribed on the archway outside the south gate, and felt deeply moved. He finally had a place where he could show his ambitions.

He said to Chen Zhong and others in a deep voice, "Go to the city!"

Chen Zhong rode his horse forward, and showed his badge to the guarding sergeant at the city gate, and a chief armor trotted over, knelt down in front of Zhang Cheng's horse and said:
"Du Rucheng, a small flag under the Chicheng garrison battalion, is here to meet the general. Please wait a moment, the general. The villain will inform my garrison to welcome the general into the city."

Zhang Chengce looked at the little flag officer Du Rucheng who was kneeling on the ground right away, and saw that he was a little thicker than the sergeants at the city gate, but compared with his own guards, he looked very thin.

He couldn't help sighing, the soldiers under Chicheng's garrison are probably so unusable, and it's not difficult for Du Rucheng to say to him in a deep voice: "Let me ask you first, what is the official office of the generals in this castle?" Still clean?"

"Back to the general, there are people sweeping the general's office in the city all the time, waiting for the general to arrive."

"Okay, very good. You will lead the way. I'll go to the Admiral's Office first, and send another person to inform Wu Shoubei to come and see me."

　Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)