prosperous age

Chapter 160 Chapter 159
The army stayed in Zhongxi Town for the past few days, so Zhang Hongfu and Wei Guangde couldn't stay idle, they went directly to take a boat tour of Taihu Lake, and ate all the aquatic products of Taihu Lake by the way.

Taihu whitebait, white fish, white shrimp, and of course Taihu crabs are all their targets, and Wu Dong and Wei Wencai who followed them are also a feast for the eyes.

Originally at this time, Wu Dong and Wei Wencai, who were the officers leading the team, could not leave the team, but whoever led the team was their father, who waved his hands without saying anything harsh, and let the four of them go out Just play.

Although this group of Japanese pirates has been wiped out, there is one thing, the cavalry is still thrown out.

This time 51 Japanese pirates were eliminated, but it is not known whether there were any scattered Japanese pirates before, so they came out with more than 20 soldiers to protect their safety.

This day when the boat docked, several people disembarked and boarded Huishan Mountain next to Taihu Lake. Standing on the top of the mountain, they looked at the whole Taihu Lake, but saw the sparkling lake surface, occasional shadows of sails on the lake, and Ma Jinshan in the distance. It was a small lake in Taihu Lake. hills on the island.

"Lakes and mountains, is that what you mean?"

Zhang Hongfu suddenly asked Wei Guangde.

"You say it is, it's just a description, there are lakes and mountains, it is the scenery of lakes and mountains."

Wei Guangde replied casually.

They were grilling food on the mountain, and a few soldiers were busy up and down there. Zhang Hongfu, Wu Dong and Wei Wencai were already playing money together.

Wei Guangde didn't like this in his previous life, and he still doesn't feel it now. Although he occasionally ends up on the field, it's only when he can't avoid it.

To be honest, Wei Guangde has been a little immune to the mountains and rivers after walking countless times in the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake, and he didn't think it was very good, but the fish and shrimp in the water taste really good.

"I'm going around, you guys are playing here."

Wei Guangde spoke to his eldest brother and the others, and went down the mountain with four soldiers.

Going down the mountain road to the official road, Wei Guangde actually planned to go back to the boat for a while, when the sound of horseshoes came from the official road in the distance, and there were not many horses.

It was a normal reaction, Wei Guangde and others stood by the roadside, looking for the reputation to see where the cavalry was, there was no other garrison around here, only Zhongxi Town had their people.

It is not yet confirmed that all the Japanese pirates have been wiped out, and they are worried that some will escape, so they are waiting for the horse team to come over at the moment to confirm what is going on.

Soon, the horse team approached, and the six people behind them seemed to be in the attire of personal soldiers, with complete armor, while the one in front was not wearing a helmet or armor, but was wearing ordinary civilian clothes.

Well, officials don't have to wear official uniforms all the time, it's not for office work, and they are still very casual.

However, the six of Wei Guangde stood on the side of the road, which naturally attracted the attention of the cavalry. There was no village or store behind, and a few people suddenly appeared, four of whom were carrying waist knives and blunderbuss.

Walking to the front, the first man reined in his horse, stopped not far from Wei Guangde, and stared at Wei Guangde and his party.

Seeing such a situation, the six personal soldiers behind the man also immediately spread out to the two wings, as if to surround them.

When Wei Guangde frowned slightly, Zhang Ji behind him had rushed forward to block Wei Guangde, while the two soldiers behind him pulled out their sabers from their waists at the same time, and the two behind them also unloaded their guns from their backs, and began to reload them sideways. , the action is very skillful.

"Who are you, why are you surrounding us?"

Wei Guangde felt a little upset, he just stopped by the side of the road to take a look, and the team immediately surrounded him, so it is possible that the legendary officers and soldiers occasionally pretended to be bandits when they saw the fat sheep.

Think of yourself as a fat sheep?
Wei Guangde's later generations read a lot of novels in the late Ming Dynasty. It was a chaotic era, and sometimes it was really hard to tell the difference between officials and bandits.

Even now, when the imperial court's control is still strong, it is said that the border town is very chaotic, and the caravans doing business have to bring many good people to protect them.

Although this is an inland area, the Japanese pirates have just been suppressed recently. If they really have evil intentions, they can be blamed on the Japanese pirates afterwards.

Just as the people behind Wei Guangde were reloading their guns, the six soldiers on the other side had already taken out their bows and arrows. The arrows rested on the bowstrings, but they didn't open them.

Although Wei Guangde could tell from the clothes that this group of people should be officers and soldiers, it was just because the leader wore ordinary clothes, so naturally he couldn't tell who the other party was from, not to mention that they seemed extremely unfriendly when meeting each other.

The situation on my side is obviously similar to that of the other side, so it is impossible not to see that the four people on my side are not members of the army.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

The person on the opposite side spoke, but ignored Wei Guangde's questioning, and questioned them directly.

Wei Guangde looked at this group of people, the leader looked about 40 years old, his skin was a bit dark, as if he had sunbathed at the seaside all year round, and his body was also strong and powerful. It's kind of like a pirate.

In Wei Guangde's mind, if Ming people do evil, they are pirates, not Japanese pirates, Japanese people are.

"Who are you? Let me ask again. If you don't answer, don't blame me for being rude."

Wei Guangde's tone became serious, there were more than a dozen people on his side on the distant mountain, and there were also people on the boat by the lake behind, but he was not afraid of what the other party wanted to do at all.

If the officers and soldiers want to bully them and steal some money from them, Wei Guangde doesn't mind giving them a hard lesson.

With preconceived thoughts, Wei Guangde looked at those people with unkind eyes.

However, here, there are fewer people around Wei Guangde. Although there are bird guns, it is still a bit of a disadvantage if they really match, even if the bird guns are fired to attract the eldest brother and the others.

"The Japanese are being suppressed here. When you appear here, there are no villages for more than ten miles. Where did you come from?"

The man still didn't answer, but continued to question the identities of Wei Guangde and the others.

"You tell me who you are first? Don't scare me, the young master didn't scare me too much."

After saying this, Wei Guangde turned around and took a loaded bird gun from a soldier, feeling a lot more courageous.

Seeing that the other party still didn't seem to speak, Wei Guangde took half a step forward, but he was still behind Zhang Ji, and he had already raised the blunderbuss in his hand, aiming the muzzle at the leader's head.

His sudden action startled the other party too.

After all, Wei Guangde is still in his teens, and because he has been studying all the year round, he looks very refined. Obviously, they did not have such a decisive reaction as Wei Guangde, and directly pointed their blunderbuss at their adults.

While the man was frowning, the two riders beside him had already rushed over to block Wei Guangde's gun, while the other four aimed at Wei Guangde with their bows and arrows.

Even though Wei Guangde had Zhang Ji's meat shield in front of him, it could block the front of him, but it couldn't block the arrows from both sides, and Wei Guangde's back was sweating instantly.

The feeling at this time is more intense than when I was killing the Japanese pirates a few days ago.

At that time, among the cavalry, there was no danger at all.

But it's different now, he's fighting with someone from the other side.

In just an instant, Wei Guangde recovered, because the gaps on both sides of his body had been firmly protected by two personal soldiers, and now there were people in front of and around Wei Guangde.

It's safe, Wei Guangde breathed out quietly, the feeling of being aimed at by four arrows just now was really uncomfortable.

"Do you know what the bird gun in your hand is? This is a firearm.

According to the law of the Ming Dynasty, for private privateers who are prohibited from carrying military weapons such as vests next to brand fire tubes, cannons, flags, banners, and so on, one cane is eighty, and each piece is plus one; One hundred, three thousand miles.

Do you think this officer wants to take you, right or wrong? "

The other party's words stunned Wei Guangde, and he didn't know what to say for a while.

Daming law, the other side is right, it is indeed strictly forbidden for civilians to own horse armor and firearms, Wei Guangde now knows why the other side stopped targeting him, it is all caused by the bird guns on the backs of the four soldiers.

War horses and war armors were strictly forbidden to be kept privately in all dynasties. The Ming Dynasty also strictly prohibited civilians from owning firearms and iconic items such as flag flags. Bows and crossbows were handed down to later generations. In fact, there was no prohibition on private use in the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, this crossbow is a single-man crossbow. If you want to make it into a ballista or a large ballista, it will definitely not work.

"We are also officers and soldiers."

Wei Guangde immediately knew that these people could not be admitted as private soldiers, even if they were.

In fact, the Wei family's private soldiers are all attached to Jiujiangwei, and they are all members of military households.

Emperor Zhengde carried out the military reform, and finally turned it into a half-baked project. In fact, the generals were used to raise servants according to their ranks, but after all, they could not be brought out in the open.

The other party wanted to check their identities with firearms, Wei Guangde really couldn't say anything, lowered the blunderbuss in his hand, and stopped aiming at the other party.

In fact, his previous actions were just for show, but he didn't dare to shoot. The opponent was probably a court official.

Even though he put down the blunderbuss, Wei Guangde would not sit still.

"I'll have someone verify your identities for you, and you must also reveal your identities. We are searching for any captured Japanese pirates, you guys."

Wei Guangde didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was obvious, you look like Japanese pirates.

"Zhao Er, show them your badge for inspection."

Wei Guangde said to the soldiers beside him.

Zhao Er immediately complied. He took off his waist badge with his left hand and threw it directly at the nearest soldier of the opponent. The man caught it with one hand very skillfully.

But then he looked back at the waist card carefully, and then whispered to the back: "My lord, they are from Jiujiangwei, so they should be right."

It stands to reason that it is definitely impossible for the soldiers of Jiujiang Guard to appear here, but if they appear at this point in time, there will be nothing wrong.

"Let me see."

The man asked for the waist card from the personal soldier and flipped it back and forth, "Youjun Qianhu Office."

The man muttered something in a low voice, and then handed back the badge, but the man didn't keep it in his hand, and just threw the badge back.

Wei Guangde made it clear based on the situation. Although he was not sure how far it was from Zhongxi Town, it would not exceed thirty miles.

If they were inspected by others, they would naturally have to be inspected back. Although they couldn't find an excuse, Wei Guangde had an idea in his mind after seeing their appearance.

"You guys are often at the beach, right? Look at this post. Now I suspect that you are wandering Japanese pirates. Either you will be captured without a fight, or you will show something to prove your identity."

Wei Guangde said loudly to them.

The soldier who had just received the waist badge for inspection said with a sneer, "What is your identity, you dare to inspect my lord's token."

The soldiers beside them, and even the person behind them all looked at them playfully, with a faint smile hanging from the corner of their mouths.

Well, when Wei Guangde saw them laughing at him, he immediately became angry.

Aren't you relying on the fact that there are more people here?

Bullying myself, um, Zhang Ji is too young, so I think he has no fighting power, right?

Wei Guangde didn't think too much, he suddenly raised the blunderbuss in his hand and shot at the sky.

"boom."

The unique crisp gunshot of the bird gun broke the silence here.

After Wei Guangde fired the blunderbuss, although the opponent's six personal soldiers did not shoot arrows at them, they quickly retreated to the leader's side, blocking several directions for him.

Obviously, at this time, they also realized that there may be people from Jiujiangwei nearby, otherwise the opponent would not need to shoot into the air, this is to call people over.

Sure enough, within a few breaths, there was the sound of shouting from the mountain, and more than a dozen soldiers rushed down, and many of them still held the blunderbuss in their hands. It's just that the time was so short, and it was unknown whether the blunderbuss had been loaded with ammunition.

The man in the middle just frowned slightly and looked at the person running down the mountain. At this moment, he also realized that the person was not ambushing here, and probably ran out to play.

Judging by the boy's appearance, he is probably not a member of the army, but most likely the nephew of a certain general.

Just at this moment, there was a rustling sound in the bushes behind him, and several more soldiers rushed over with guns, bows and arrows, and stood behind the boy.

At this time, the man was not nervous anymore, and of course he couldn't speak, but was waiting, waiting for the leader of the other party to come.

Not long after, people from the mountain came over, Zhang Hongfu, Wu Dong and Wei Wencai all came down and stood beside Wei Guangde.

"It's more than people, right? It depends on who has more."

Now that Wei Guangde has confidence, he said a little brazenly.

Then he turned to his cousin Wu Dong and said, "Cousin, didn't we come out to hunt down the pirates who slipped through the net? I saw a few people who looked like people from the sea, maybe they were the slip-through fish we were looking for."

Put the hat on first, the other party used the law of the Ming Dynasty to call him, but now I directly call them Japanese pirates.

"Japanese pirates?"

Wu Dong was speechless. He had noticed the situation here before halfway. It didn't matter who the other party was, but it should be just a misunderstanding.

The opponents were all wearing standard cotton armor, not like fake guard soldiers.

Hearing what Wei Guangde said now, I understand, first find a reasonable reason for myself here, it seems that the younger brother knows that the other party may be an official.

"My official Jiujiang Weiyou Army Qianhu Office Qianhu, who are you?"

Wu Dong said.

"So young?"

Hearing the official name in Wu Dong's newspaper, the man smiled slightly, and then said: "Check their badges, we have to hurry."

The guard who checked the waist badge earlier was probably the leader of this team of guards. Hearing what the master behind him said, he immediately took a waist badge from his waist and threw it over.

Wu Dong caught it, opened it to look at it, and said in his mouth: "Commander, general, Yu Dayou,"

At this point, Wu Dong suddenly looked up, "You are Yu Dayou?"

"Are you Wu Zhankui's son?"

The person on the opposite side really asked in a leisurely manner.

(End of this chapter)