The first month of the fifth year of Chongzhen was a good day. Zhang Yuanheng, the old flag soldier of Songpanwei, returned home in glorious glory.
Although Zhang Yuanheng is from Baoding, the term "returning to his hometown in fine clothes" is only suitable for Songpanwei, because no one in Baoding needs him to return to his hometown in fine clothes to earn face, and no one needs his support.
In the yamen of the Xiaohe Guards Office, Mr. Zhang was sitting at the top, wearing a fur robe and a big hat. He used a porcelain tea cover to collect the tea leaves floating in the tea bowl, took a gentle blow, raised his head and said, "Huguang also The earth dragon turned over, and the heavenly army was defeated again at Daling River?"
Qianhu and Baihu, who used to be bossy in the past, stood nearby to accompany them. Qianhu nodded in agreement and added: "In November, the Liao army in Dengzhou mutinied at Wuqiao. Huang Long, who had the most 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's heart was unmoved and he took a sip of tea: "Don't talk about other people's affairs. I have been building the city wall in Songpan for a year. What are you doing now? I heard that when it comes to plowing, the flag army will Give it to the Fanqiang head people and go to work with them?"
When Zhang Yuanheng said such a shameful thing, the officers in the yamen couldn't even raise their heads, and they deeply hated this eunuch who had no dick.
Is this fucking happening now? It was normal for you to have no balls when we were building the city wall here. It was just that the masters felt sorry for you and didn't have a dick, so they didn't send you there. Now it's better to put on a eunuch's skin and come to raise an army to punish you.
In fact, the generals were not afraid of Zhang Yuanheng. The reason why they were cautious and respectful was that they just didn't want to cause trouble to themselves.
After all, eunuchs have a strong vengeance mentality. If you can't avoid it, you can hide. If you can't, it's enough to be disgusted by him and send him away like the god of plague.
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 go against Fan Qiang, but you sent troops to stop General Zhang from the Marshal's Mansion in Qinghai?"
When this matter was mentioned, several generals looked at each other in confusion. Finally, Qianhu spoke up and asked: "Master Zhang said this, we know it, but what is the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion?"
They have been wondering for several months.
The terrain of Songpan is complicated, and there are grasslands to the west to isolate the Fanlu. News further west must be relayed by people from Dong Bu Han and Hu Xuan's Comfort Envoy Department.
This Dong Buhan Hu Xuan comfort envoy was the superior comfort envoy from around Songpan to Jinchuan chieftain, but now it has passed its heyday. In the past, the territory could only protect itself from Baili's invasion, and could not protect its subordinates. Everyone inside has their own thoughts.
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 Laoji led their troops to pursue Dunyue Duoji and approached Songpan Grassland. When the Songpan Guard got the news, they thought it was Dunyue Duoji and Chen Bing's border, and quickly led their troops to intercept them.
As a result, the two sides looked at each other from a distance across the swamp, and Zhang Tianlin retreated, leaving Songpan Wei's army, Monk Zhanger, confused... Why was it the Han army?
After many inquiries, no one could figure out the reason. The Fanqiang tribesmen who often passed through the territory did not know the truth. Some people said that King Nangqian destroyed King Baili, and some said that the Mongols from Tumed invaded Malkang. , and some people say it is the army of the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion.
All kinds of news spread wildly in Songpanwei, and no one knew which one was true and which one was false.
King Nangqian and Tumote should not have Han soldiers. They only know that the Qinghai Xuanwei Envoy is the leader of the rebels, but what is the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion?
no one knows.
"You don't know about the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion, but Liu Chengzong should know about it, right?"
Zhang Yuanheng took off his banner soldier's uniform and put on the eunuch's skin. Now he spoke with force. He pointed at the foreheads of the generals and said: "Everyone fears the Qiang people as much as the tigers, but they dare to stop the general's army." , should I say you are timid or bold?"
Xiaohe Qianhu couldn't hear this the most, and frowned and said: "Humph, Mr. Zhang was once a banner soldier. Don't you know that if we are soldiers who are afraid of the Qiang people, it is really because the superiors don't ask for provocations. If they go to the banner army, Who wouldn't dare to fight against the Fanqiang barbarians?"
"But it doesn't matter if you risk your life to fight a war. You won't get any benefits because of the lack of food and grass externally, and you waste the lives of your flag troops internally. In the end, you won't be exempted from the punishment of your superiors."
"As for me and the generals, haha." Xiaohe Qianhu said: "Does Mr. Zhang think that letting the Qiangmu drive the flag army will make us proud of it, so he is willing to do it?"
"Know."
Zhang Yuanheng chuckled, he knew best what these generals were planning.
To put it bluntly, if the court gives them a reward of thirty taels for each Qiang Fan head, and if the reward is equal to the amount of silver, they can first kill the Qiang people to extinction, and then disguise the Han people's heads as Qiang Fans, and then kill them all together.
But there was no silver reward, no merit if they lost and lost their lives, and no merit if they won, so they were unwilling to start a war. The so-called irresponsibility and unwillingness were just nice words to say.
After all, generals have to listen to local officials, but the flag army also listens to these generals. Is it possible that they are so innocent?
The flag army is under orders, so being under orders is not being under orders.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yuanheng really felt that it would be good to follow Liu Chengzong. Although the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion still doesn't have military pay, the lion soldiers can't give them enough rations. If they want to eat good food, they have to try their best, but at least they won't be angry. .
Zhang Yuanheng said: "I know it's not easy for you. I went home to take a look this time. I just thought of a way to make the brothers of Songpanwei live a better life."
The generals looked at each other in confusion. Does Yuanheng still have such a conscience?
To be fair, Zhang Yuanheng was exiled in Songpan because the young eunuch Zhang in the palace gave him a message. On the other hand, because he was a scholar himself, no one in the generals made it difficult for him.
But Zhang Yuanheng could actually regard Songpanwei as his hometown. This was beyond the imagination of Songpan officers... They thought, do you, Zhang Zhongguan, have no family? You regard Songpan, which has been building the city wall for two years, as your city home?
Zhang Yuanheng really has no family.
Xiaohe Qianhu asked: "I wonder what method Master Zhang said?"
"The imperial court ordered me to go to Xining to inspect the tea horses. Regarding the affairs of Xining and the origin of the newly established Qinghai Xuanwei Envoy Department, all the generals must have heard about it. No matter what you say, I have not broken 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 their consciousness, who can look down on a group of rebels? To hold on to death is nothing more than extravagant worship of Ming Anbangyan, Huang Taiji and others.
Zhang Yuanheng saw the subtle expressions on everyone's faces and knew what they were thinking. He simply said: "Okay, Liu Shuai comes from a rough background, but don't think of yourself as a hereditary officer. How about Du Wenhuan, the marshal of Yulin Town?" , How about He Huchen, the commander-in-chief of Ningxia Town?"
"Thousands of families like you, Liu Shuai killed countless people before he entered Qinghai, and he didn't even leave a name behind. Ask yourselves, hereditary officers are hereditary. You can't control the enemy outside, and you can't protect the country and the people." What?"
Xiaohe Qianhu's hands hanging down loosened and clenched around his waist, clenched and loosened again.
A general's nose is neither a nose nor a face. If Zhang Yuanheng hadn't been a eunuch of the imperial court, these people would have had many ways to kill him.
There's no such thing as a slap in the face.
Zhang Yuanheng didn't care, and looked at the crowd and said: "The pirates who have been harassing the border for decades, pretending to be lucky and have more than 10,000 captives, are now allowed to run freely under Liu Shuai's command. They have already passed Qamdo and entered Tibet."
"Biliton, who annexed Nangqian and scared the chieftains of Jinchuan to build watchtowers, had a good time, but he was wiped out in a few months. After all, Liu Shuai is a man from northern Shaanxi. He is currently doing great things in Xifan and is just waiting for the Han people from the mainland to follow him. .”
"Songpan is my home, and it has become like this. Don't you want to be better?"
When all the generals came to their senses, Zhang Yuanheng cursed at first to elicit this sentence. Xiaohe Qianhu sneered: "Master Zhang wants us to surrender to thieves?"
The generals were very happy and were already sharpening their knives in their hearts. They could just use this opportunity to kill Zhang Yuanheng, a nasty guy.
No matter how nice it is, there is no temptation for hereditary generals to follow whatever they want, so can Liu Chengzong offer better conditions to the Ming Dynasty?
"What kind of traitor do you want to surrender to? Across the Songpan Grassland, even if you raise a flag to rebel, Liu Shuai won't want you. He even wants to help the imperial court suppress the rebellion."
Zhang Yuanheng didn't say anything in a good mood. For Songpan's geographical location, if Liu Chengzong took it in today, 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 many fields over there that are waiting to be cultivated. There is no shortage of craftsmen in Songpan. Over there, medicinal materials and other materials can be purchased at high prices for farm tools. You can think about it. General Songpan will take the lead and exchange what they have. Don't you want real money?"
The general at Xiaohe Qianhu Station immediately relaxed. You said earlier that you just wanted to smuggle and do some business. Does this need so much preparation?
Qianhu asked: "How much does he want?"
"He will take as much as you have." Zhang Yuanheng waved his hand and said: "This matter is not urgent. The Marshal said that a family of Songpanwei and Sichuan people came to take advantage of it and were given a cow, six sheep, and 200 acres of land. You all have many families, and there are many remnants of the Guards, do you have any thoughts on going over there to earn some land?"
Qianhu shook his head and said: "If the farm tools are profitable, Songpan can provide him with a lot of support. Don't think about it. Songpan is not short of land. He drags his family and his family to go to the land. What are you doing?"
Zhang Yuanheng chuckled lightly and said nothing.
Songpan is not short of land, indeed there is no shortage; but Songpan is also short of land, very short of land.
It just depends on who it is for. For these hereditary officers, Songpan certainly has no shortage of land. Not only does it have military land, but also the civilian land occupied by them belongs to the families of the officers.
But for bannermen who are like tenant farmers, there are as many families as there are households without land.
However, Zhang Yuanheng felt that there was no need to elaborate on this matter with the officers.
Anyway, in their eyes, the Banner Army was just a lazy man who was lazy at work and couldn't fight or farm.
This was not the task Liu Chengzong gave to Zhang Yuanheng. He just mentioned it casually and said with a smile: "It's okay. If you can make farm tools, just make some farm tools for the Marshal's Mansion. When May comes, send them over. You will be rewarded with some wealth." .”
Zhang Yuanheng's subordinates are all in the guard station, and they are talking to the banner army about the Qinghai Marshal's government's policy of granting land. He can foresee that by May to August, when the grassland is better, I am afraid that Songpan Guards will have a few The unclear flag army dragged his family and his family 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 served as a banner soldier in Songpanwei for a year and knew what a banner army was like.
The Banner Army is cunning and lazy. They won't work if they can. They are also afraid of war. They eat and wait to die every day. They are the scum of the army. Even if they are given military land to cultivate, they can't do it well.
Why?
The officers said that the flag troops were lazy and inactive.
Yes! There is nothing wrong with him at all, he is lazy and not active.
Of course, the Banner Army is not active. When the fields are harvested, the Emperor's grain will be harvested first, half, then the commander's half, then the Qianhuye's, and then the Hundredth's. , how can you not be lazy?
Zhang Yuanheng knew that Songpanwei's flag army might not have much ability in fighting due to the lack of military discipline. 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 best at cultivating the fields. Good candidate.
As long as Liu Chengzong doesn't allow others to exploit them, they can cultivate as many fields as they want, and they will even explode with fierce fighting power to protect their own land.
A scholar always thinks more than others. After all, a scholar is a subordinate identity, and when a scholar has no other identity to attach to, he is a useless person.
And useless people can't do anything except think.
Zhang Yuanheng also discovered a strange thing in his thinking. Songpan Wei was in the hands of the Ming Dynasty. These flag troops were excellent representatives of those who failed to succeed but failed more than failed.
But if in the hands of Liu Chengzong, the guard's organizational base was even moved to the deep mountains and old forests that the Ming Dynasty could not contact... they would become very powerful, and might even regain the power of the guard's flag army in the early Ming Dynasty to conquer the world.
He didn't know why, but he 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 flag army to transport iron materials from Pingwu County in Long'an Prefecture, or ordering craftsmen to work hard to build farm tools, the lifeless Songpan Wei glowed with great vitality.
Even the officers noticed that the lazy flag soldiers were working hard again.
Under this appearance, Songpan Wei's flag army even included small flag officers and several general flags, and every household had a large vat for drying vinegar cloth.
People were immersed in their work and became more and more silent. Some officers discovered that some lazy flag soldiers began to hone their skills in the morning and night.
Some people polished the rusty waist knives carefully, removed the rotten wooden handles, and wrapped them in circles with twine.
Some people found ancestral arrow clusters, polished each one to a crisp, and carefully scraped each arrow shaft with the arrow tip.
But whenever the officers asked, the response was always the flag army's giggles and self-deprecation.
Even the officers couldn't help but smile, what can these flag troops do?
Only at night, under the light of the oil lamp, will the eyes of the flag army shine.
The sack was dumped on the bed, and his rough hands counted the grains he had saved over and over again, and carefully divided them into twenty small bags.
Twenty days of dry food, dry vegetables, dry sauce and vinegar cloth.
They were about to rush out of the grassland. Jin Yiwei's words would not lie to others. Marshal Liu, who had done great things, was waiting on the other side of the grassland, waiting for them to go and benefit from it!
