nanming man

Chapter 15
Brother Gao and others waited for a long time in a forest in the south of Fengqiu County before Gao Xinghao and the other two brothers came back with a car.

There was a severe drought in Zhongzhou, and the price of grain soared. Only 15 taels of silver, plus a few catties of salt, was exchanged for a large cart and [-] catties of grain. There is no end to it, but only in this way can I get two shi of grain.

Although there was not much food, everyone couldn't help laughing when they saw a cart full of food.

Gao Yihuan looked at it, afraid that he would not be able to eat it for many days, but he still had 300 taels of silver in his hand, plus more than 50 catties of salt, so he should be able to think of something after returning.

At this time, he ordered the people to throw other things on the carts, so that the grain and salt should not be scattered on the road. Then he drove the mule cart and shouted loudly: "Let's go back to the camp!"

The brothers cheered, and even Gao Yicheng and the others smiled, helped push the cart, and headed south.

I went to Fengqiu, and when I came back, I was driving a grain truck and there were wounded people. When Gao Yihuan led a few people back to Kaifeng, it was already the afternoon of the fifth day, but it was finally time to return to the camp.

Gao Yihuan gained a lot this time, especially in the capture of Fan Dongling. He didn't want to give Liu Heizi the credit, so he decided to use his father to see if he could meet the legendary Li Yan.

After the group arrived outside the camp, Gao Yihuan waved his hand to stop them, and then ordered: "Zhao Daxian, you are injured, take them back first, and hide the money and food." He then turned his head and pointed at Fan Dongling and said: " Xinghao, you and Zhao Zhuzi supported him and followed me."

"Second brother, if Wang Jiaping's grandson comes over, what should I do?" Zhao Daxian asked.

Gao Yihuan looked up at the sky and thought for a while, "You just say that I went to my father's place and I will be back later. There is no wrong time."

Zhao Daxian sat in the car, and drove the car to his camp. Brother Gao observed the camp ahead for a while, and saw a camp with a green flag in the middle, knowing that it was the middle camp, so he escorted Fan Dongling there.

······
In Daming Mansion, in the lobby of the government office, Yang Wenyue, governor of Baoding, and Lu Yifang, the magistrate of Daming, were sitting in the hall.

"You mean, Jiannu spying on the news of Shandong and wanting to enter the Kou Pass, you realized that something was wrong, so you beat them all to death." Yang Wenyue frowned and asked.

The Tatar-killing hero in the eyes of the people and the green forest entered the government's yamen, but he couldn't hide his nervousness no matter what, and soon revealed his original appearance under the eyes of the two officials.

Gao Yizhen knelt on the ground, the first time he saw such a big official, his mouth was a little nervous, "Master Hui~hui~, these Tartars pretended to be salt merchants, not only inquiring about news in Henan, but also inquiring about Shandong. According to the shipbuilding news, it is said that the ship will be destroyed this year when entering customs.”

As he spoke, he recalled what his second brother had told him, "My lord, the imperial court must guard the wall and not let the Tartars enter the pass, causing harm to the common people!"

Yang Wenyue bowed his head in deep thought and did not speak. Lu Yifang who was beside him immediately asked, "I am asking you, did you find anything else?"

Gao Yizhen thought about it nervously, and suddenly remembered something that his second elder brother ordered before he left, so he licked his lips, "Return to my lord, there is a businessman surnamed Fan from Shanxi Jiexiu, who is with these Tartars. They got together and helped them inquire about the news, and we beat them to death together. Jiexiu Fan’s family is rich, if the court lacks money, they can raid their house.”

Brother Gao guessed that he couldn't think of Fan Yongdou's money, but he couldn't take advantage of this traitor, so before leaving, he ordered Gao Yizhen to see if he could cheat Fan Yongdou, and help the Ming Dynasty find some money to use as military funds.

"You don't have any evidence. The imperial court is based on the law. How can you say that you can copy whoever you want?" Lu Yifang's face darkened, and he looked at Yang Wenyue, "Mr. Yang, what should we do?"

Yang Wenyue raised his head, looked at Gao Yizhen, and then said: "Since you have meritorious service in killing slaves, this governor must reward you, so you can stay in this governor's army and be a small banner officer!"

After Gao Yizhen heard this, he felt anxious, "My lord, there is still an old lady at Caomin's house, my lord should let Caomin go back to his hometown~"

"Since you are capable of killing slaves, why don't you serve the court? If you serve the army well, you are repaying your mother." Yang Wenyue said involuntarily, with a look of displeasure on his face, and waved his hand impatiently, "Go down, it's none of your business here."

Gao Yi's face was filled with confusion, which was completely different from what the second brother said, and he didn't know how to deal with it at all.

As soon as Yang Wenyue spoke, his own soldiers stepped forward and took out Gao Yizhen, whose mind was blank.

He is an ordinary person, and he has no chance to bargain in front of the second-rank officials of the imperial court.

Lu Yifang and Gao Yijiao were taken out of the hall, looked at Yang Wenyue with some puzzlement, and said, "Mr. Yang, I don't look like a hero. He himself admits that it's not him who builds slaves carefully." Killed by one person, he just came to report the news, so he can send away a few dozen taels of silver, why do you have to keep him?"

Yang Wenyue stroked his beard, "I don't care whether he is a hero or not, as long as the people in the Daming Mansion think he is a hero, and the army knows that there is such a hero who killed four slaves and served the court, that's fine. .”

No matter what Lu Yifang said, he was also a senior member of the fourth rank. He could understand that the current situation was rotten and the morale of the army was low. A Tartar, there is nothing terrible about a Tartar.

Immediately, he stopped asking questions about such a small person as Gao Yichu. He was silent for a while, and then asked: "Duke Yang, is what this person said credible?"

Yang Wenyue's face was melancholy, and he said slowly: "He is a grassroots person, he can know the court's shipbuilding proposal, and what Jiexiu Fan's family is, what he said should be the truth. But now the court is about to have a decisive battle with the intruders. The thieves’ containment strategy is intended to divide the imperial court’s troops to guard the pass wall and reduce their pressure.”

Lu Yifang's expression changed, he hadn't thought of this level, "Then this news?"

Yang Wenyue pondered for a while, "This person came from Henan, which made me suspicious. However, Li Chuang and his like are short-sighted and foolhardy, so it is unlikely that they would come up with such a plan. Based on this analysis, I am afraid that Jiannu really has plans to join the bandits."

The Ming Dynasty just lost nearly [-] elite soldiers outside the pass, and Hong Chengchou and Zu Dashou, who were the most capable fighters, were also captured and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. If the Qing army invaded again, what would the court do to resist it?
"Duke Yang, the situation in the border area is bad. If Jiannu really intends to do so, then we must report to the court immediately so that the pass can be prepared!" Lu Yifang said anxiously.

Yang Wenyue shook his head, and said with a wry smile: "Lu Mansion Tower! Do you think the northern side can defend against the invasion of slaves? Apart from Shanhai Pass, the elite soldiers in the other passes have already been lost."

Lu Fangyi was startled, but Yang Wenyue continued: "If this news reaches Beijing, it won't have any effect, and His Majesty will hurry up and urge me to wipe out the bandits. Because only when the bandits are wiped out, the imperial court will have soldiers to guard against them." Slave, but now Zuo Liangyu is not moving, Sun Dushi has just arrived in Shaanxi, if His Majesty urges me, then this governor will have to go to die."

At present, the Ming Dynasty only has so few elite soldiers, except Wu Sangui, Tang Tong, and Jiang Xiang who are barely maintaining the defense line on the northern front, the others are dealing with Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong.

Even though Emperor Chongzhen knew that Jiannu was going to invade the bandits, he didn't have the strength to divide his troops to guard him. He could only urge the aid troops to destroy Li Zicheng as soon as possible, and then go to guard against Jiannu.

It's just that it takes time for the armies to aid Bian to form a cooperation. If they face Li Zicheng one by one, they can only die.

Yang Wenyue was afraid that Chongzhen would urge him, so he decided to hide the matter and not report it.

Lu Yifang was startled, "Duke Yang, if you don't report this matter, it's like deceiving the emperor! If Jiannu really entered the bandits, we'll find out when the time comes, with His Majesty's temperament, I'm afraid Duke Yang~"

Yang Wenyue waved his hand to stop him from continuing, "Now the reinforcements are not well-prepared, especially Sun Dushi, who has just arrived in Shaanxi. The army needs time to prepare, and we must not act hastily. Only by destroying the bandits, the stability Only in Zhongzhou can we turn the world around by the Ming Dynasty. If Jiannu really fell into the bandits, then Yang will bear the responsibility!"

"Duke Yang~" Lu Yifang looked sad, "Did the Ming Dynasty really come to this point?"

Yang Wenyue comforted the words: "The current strategy of the imperial court is to deal with the rogues first, as for things outside the pass, there is no turning point. I heard from Xie Gebu that Chen Shangshu is negotiating peace with the north. If it can be achieved, maybe it can be delayed for a while. "

As he said that, he suddenly grabbed Lu Yifang and said seriously: "This matter came out of my mouth and into your ears. You must not let the wind out, let those admonishing people know, and Chen Shangshu will be in big trouble."

Lu Yifang nodded his head hastily, he also knew that this matter should not be talked about nonsense.

At this time, the entire strategy of the Ming Dynasty has become clear, which is to stabilize the Jiannu, first eliminate the bandits, and then have troops to stabilize the border defense.

After the extermination of the thieves, the imperial court's finances will improve, and it will be able to build ships in Shandong and restrain Jiannu.

In this way, even if the establishment of slaves is repeated, the Ming Dynasty can still stick to the front line of the Great Wall.

The two were silent for a while, and after a while, Lu Yifang said again: "Duke Yang, since Jiannu sent spies to spy on Shandong, it means that their sincerity in negotiating peace is not enough. Now that we know, should we do something?"

Yang Wenyue decided to conceal and not report, in order not to affect the current strategy of fighting against the outside world first, he was afraid that the emperor would urge them to march in, ruining the plan to encircle Li Zicheng, or divide the troops to guard the pass wall, which would affect the decisive battle in the Central Plains, so he decided to hide it. .

However, Yang Wenyue didn't really have any hope for the peace talks. With Yuan Chonghuan's example before him, and Jiannu actually inquiring about the shipbuilding in Shandong, he knew that the negotiation would probably not be successful, and Jiannu would most likely enter the bandits again.

It’s just that it’s hard for a clever woman in the Ming Dynasty to cook without rice. If the army is divided, it is very likely that both sides will lose. He sighed, “I wrote two letters, and you send someone to send them to Jinan and the capital. Let them be more or less prepared. .”

After finishing speaking, Yang Wenyue said again: "There is one more thing. The food and grass for the army must be prepared as soon as possible. The slaves will be invaded by the bandits, and my actions must be accelerated. Gao Futai in Kaifeng City has sent staff to urge me to rescue me. I am going to go to Zuoying to persuade Zuo Liangyu to go north and put some pressure on the rogues."

Gao Yihuan only wanted to inform the Ming Dynasty that he wanted the Ming Dynasty to be prepared, but he didn't expect that the Ming Dynasty also had the national conditions of the Ming Dynasty...

(End of this chapter)