A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 196 Starting to Build a Stronghold

In March of the 11th year of Chongzhen, Niujiaowa Huodun.

The Niujiao Wahuo Road Pier is close to the mountain and the river. The body of the pier is 13 meters, and the outer wall is rounded and square. Standing on the top of the pier and looking out, you can see the news of fireworks passing on the Wahuo Road Pier in Hebei Province several miles away.

Niujiaowa Huodun is under the jurisdiction of Huiyaobao. According to the geographical situation, it belongs to the Hedong Township of Zhuolu County in later generations, and it is nearly a hundred miles away from Huiyaobao.However, not far south along the Aikou Ancient Road, there are a few fire roads on the Mashuikou Pass Wall in Zhenbao Town.The place where the two towns meet is quite important, so it is understandable to set up Huodun here.

Later generations, Hedong Town is a large town with forty villages around it and a population of tens of thousands. The Zhaojia River flows here and forms a gentle river, so the population is dense and it becomes the location of a town.But for a long time, only some mountain hunters lived here sparsely, plowing and hunting on weekdays, with a population of less than a hundred.

The leader of the pier army in Niujiaowahuoludun is a small banner officer named Luo Luofu, who is in charge of the four pier troops below, as well as their wives.Originally, there were still two nights in Dunnei, but they were all transferred to Zhoucheng to enjoy the blessings by the garrison adults, which made people think very envious.

Thinking that life is much better now than before, the pier soldiers in Niujiaowahuoludun are full of hope again.

Like the army under Wang Dou's command, before the Chinese New Year, several pier troops in Niujiaowahuoludun also issued brand-new mandarin duck battle jackets, which were made of warm and thick materials, and each of them also issued sheepskin coats, leather hats, and leather boots. It's really warm to wear on the body. I heard that the garrison is from the Dunjun, and he is really kind to them, the Dunjun brothers.

Wearing this brand-new military uniform to go out, the Mashuikoudun soldiers in the nearby Zhenbao Town saw it, and they were all very envious. They even sighed why they didn't have such a sympathetic superior.

Not only that, but in the ten years of Chongzhen, everyone’s taxes and grains were exempted from collection. At that time, the garrison, who was an integrity officer, encouraged everyone to reclaim wasteland, rented them out to farm cattle, and built irrigation water trucks for everyone. People also reclaimed dozens of acres of wasteland, and saw dozens of stone grains and rice to start with when they saw the autumn harvest. This year, they were also exempted from collecting grain.

Dunjun in Niujiaowahuoludun can quickly eat enough to eat, which has a strong attraction to the extremely poor mountain hunters in the surrounding area. Dunjun Xu Kui, who is nearly [-] years old in Dunnei and has not married a wife, has grown up in the surrounding area. Many families have said that they are willing to betroth their daughters to him as his wife.There are even many families who are willing to give their daughters to the rest of the Dunjun who have wives as concubines, just to let their starving daughters have enough to eat. The man immediately overturned the jar of vinegar.

The military households in the Mashuikou area of ​​Zhenbao Town continued to flee to the surrounding area of ​​Niujiaowa, and reclaimed wasteland on their own. During the spring plowing, they borrowed cattle from several soldiers in Niujiaowa.While asking Luo Luofu and others how to join the military household in Baoan Prefecture, Luo Luofu and others felt quite superior.

Seeing that there are more than 40 military households in Zhenbao Town who escaped from around him, and a village is scattered in the north of the pier. Luode Fu should report this matter to Master Chang Zhengwei, the management team officer of Huiyaobao.

Therefore, in the early morning of this day, Luo Luofu dressed up completely, put on his mandarin duck war jacket, a red military hat, and a warm sheepskin coat, adjusted his waist knife, took his firecracker, and went out.Beside him was Jiang Zhongmin, a pier soldier.The remaining three pier troops continued to stay in the pier and look out.

Luo Luodou swaggered out of Huodun, and when the mountain people along the river and the fleeing military households from Zhenbao Town saw Luo Xiaoqi coming out, they all greeted him loudly, their faces were full of flattery, and they looked at him eagerly Brand new military uniform.

Luo Xiaoqi nodded slightly, and Jiang Zhongmin, the Dunjun, followed behind him, and he was quite proud.The two of them swaggered and hadn't gone far when Luode Fu was stunned suddenly. Not far ahead, on the ancient road along the river, a mighty army was approaching. Judging by the flags, it should be an army under the command of the garrison.

Dunjun Jiang Zhongmin also marveled at the back: "My mother, look at the horses, there are probably thousands of people, I don't know where they come from, Shunxiangbao or Zhoucheng? Why did they come to our poor mountains and remote places?" , where are you going to fight?"

Luo Luofu said: "Shangguan passed by our Niujiaowa, it is impossible to guarantee that he will go into the pier to have a look, let's go back quickly."

Luo Luofu and the two returned to Niujiaowa Huolu pier, and kept urging the ladies of the pier army in the pier to tidy up the pier. The few pier soldiers who stayed behind also saw the army coming ahead, and hurriedly tidied up the pier.

In the ninth year of Chongzhen, Wang Dou once strictly rectified the pier affairs, and formulated a series of pier military regulations, such as the number of openings in each pier, fireworks regulations, necessary physical weapons, etc., which were reviewed by special personnel every month. Cleaning regulations have been added again and again. The pier needs to be cleaned daily to keep it clean and hygienic. Violators will be severely punished.

There is no problem with the number of openings in the pier, and there is no problem with the equipment of physical weapons in the pier, but the cleanliness is difficult. It is not easy for the pier soldiers to clean up every day.Although some small flags guarding the pier were often hit with military sticks during the harbouring, but the hartain was spotless on the day of the hartaining, and the rest of the time was also piled up with garbage.

The same is true for Niujiaowahuoludun. There is a pile of garbage on the left and a pile on the right. Several Dunjun and their families are used to it, and they don't think there is anything wrong.However, it is possible that the official will come, and the cleanliness of the pier... Immediately, several pier soldiers quickly cleaned up, and then quickly transported the garbage to the outside of the pier. Seeing that the inside was clean, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, the army was not far from Huoludun, and the mountain people and military households around Huoludun had all dispersed in one blow, and their doors were locked behind closed doors. People in the city also heard that they didn't understand the virtues of the officers and soldiers in Baoan Prefecture, and it was safer to close the door first.

On the hanging tower of Huolu Pier, soon, Luodefu saw dozens of horses coming this way, all of them were very sturdy, not far from the suspension bridge, they stopped, and Luodefu looked in surprise It turned out that Master Chang Zhengwei, the team officer of Huiyaobao who used to be revered like a god, was accompanying a young general, nodding and bowing from time to time to introduce him.

Seeing Chang Zhengwei, Luo Luofu hurriedly ordered the suspension bridge to be lowered, and led a few soldiers out of the pier to meet him.

The chief general was less than thirty years old, with a calm demeanor and a pair of iron armor on his body. Some of the guards accompanying him were all strong, with fleshy faces, and excellent armor. A murderous look, no one dared to look at them.Seeing the aura of these people, Luo Luofu was secretly startled, and guessed the origin of the identities of these people.

The general looked at Huo Ludun for a while, then took another look at Luodou, and said, "I am the commander of the Chinese army, Han Chao, and you are the commander of Niujiaowa Huoludun, Luodfu?"

Luo Luofu was startled, the person in front of him was actually Han Chao, I heard that he was one of the old brothers who were born in Huoludun together with Lord Guard, he was the most valued by Lord Guard, after following Lord for a few years, he made a great success, from an ordinary night to nothing Shouzhi was promoted to the official position of Qianhu, and now he is serving as the head of Qianhu. He hurriedly led a few soldiers to meet him.

Han Chao waved his hand and said, "Lead me into the pier to have a look."

Luo Luofu secretly rejoiced that he had prepared early, and hurriedly welcomed Han Chao and others in. Including Chang Zhengwei, only five people came in, and the rest were guarded outside the pier.

Walking around the inside of the pier, Han Chao nodded. From his eyes, it could be seen that the sanitation inside had just been cleaned, but the pier of Niujiaowahuolu pier was considered complete, and Luo Luofu was doing his duty.

Everyone climbed up to the top of the pier, and Han Chao looked around. There were high mountains to the northeast of Huolu pier, and a river to the southwest, winding from the north.Going further to the west, there are also high mountains, and the same is true to the south. Only in the area of ​​Niujiaowa, there is a land of several miles around the river and flat river.

Looking at the scenery in front of him, Han Chao was overwhelmed with emotion. He thought that a few years ago, he was just an ordinary Yebushou in Huodun. Thanks to following the adults, he has the current status, and now he has more than a thousand soldiers under his command. Thinking of Wang Dou's kindness, Han Chao felt grateful.

He was watching, and at this time he was followed by three generals under his command, one of whom was General Huang Yujin. He was originally an officer of the second team of the Korean sentry. Chuang, was seriously injured, and then miraculously healed from his injuries. After Han Chao was promoted to Qian Zong, he was recommended by Han Chao, and Wang Dou appointed him as the general.

At this time, Huang Yujin and the others followed the Han Dynasty to look out, Huang Yujin said excitedly: "My lord, this Niujiaowa is an excellent place, a city built here is enough to garrison thousands of troops."

Han Chao nodded and asked Luo Luofu: "Master Luo Jia, you have lived in the area for a long time and know about it. How about the local situation, please tell me in detail."

Luo Luofu was overjoyed. If Mr. Han Qian was satisfied with his answer, maybe he was just around the corner, so he said respectfully, "Yes."

He said: "My lord, there is nothing else in Niujiaowa, except that there are many mountains and deep forests in the area. Around our Huoludun, there used to be more than [-] families of mountain people living in the wild. On weekdays, I hunt some wild game and go to Mashuikou to exchange some grain, rice, salt and cloth for the day, and it is very difficult."

"Ten miles away from us is Mashuiguan in Zhenbao Town. Not far ahead, there are a few Yanduns belonging to Mashuikou. The young Dunjun over there is familiar. And..."

He went on to say: "Master Garrison is benevolent. Seeing that the life of our Dun army is getting better, some military households from Mashuikou escaped and reclaimed fields nearby. Forget the small ones, there are about 40 households."

Chang Zhengwei, the officer in charge of Huiyaobao, said cautiously: "My lord, these military households have escaped, can we register them as our military households in Baoan Prefecture?"

Han Chao said: "This is inevitable."

He said to Luo Luodou: "Master Luo Jia, you are familiar with the local people, you go and tell them that our security guards will set up a fortress in Niujiaowa. If they are willing to come and work, they will definitely not treat them badly."

……

After receiving the important mission from Korea and North Korea, Luode Fu immediately spread the news. With the guarantee of the local "highly respected" flag officer Luo Luofu, and also heard that the military men don't worry about it, and they help with work and have enough to eat. The local mountain civilian military households They came immediately with a bang, and the nearby Mashuikou officers and soldiers also rushed over after hearing about it.

The Han Dynasty led their officers and soldiers to work vigorously, building a walled city barracks along the river bank, digging drainage ditches, setting up a lumber mill, and cutting down trees to directly make log walls. It has been built nearby, and there is no need to set up a village building. What is better than the Niujiaowahuolu pier, which is more than ten meters high next to it, and is more suitable for overlooking the surrounding activities?
A few days later, Wang Dou came to Mashuikou at the invitation of Chu Qinmeng, the defender of Mashuikou.

(End of this chapter)