Thinking of this, Wu Xiang said to Zhu Cixiang and Wang Chengen: "Your Highness, Governor, the emperor's secret order to send dogs to escort Nan Xing has not been issued yet, right?"
Zhu Cixiang said: "Not yet. This secret edict is also a central edict. It was not issued through the cabinet and the Ministry of War. I am afraid that it will be blocked by General Wu."
According to the system of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial edict must have votes for approval before it can take effect. If there is no vote but only the emperor's approval, then it is the so-called edict, which is almost like the emperor's personal letter.
It's hard to say whether Wu Sangui would carry out the order if he received the order asking him to escort Nan Xing. Because he carried out the central decree, he offended the cabinet and the civil service group. Failure to do so would offend the emperor. Both sides are not easy to mess with, which indeed puts Wu Sangui in a bit of a dilemma!
Wu Xiang patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness, I will write a letter to Quan Zi and ask him to immediately recruit 5,000 elite troops and travel to the capital at starry night to support the emperor Nan Xing."
"Okay!" Zhu Cixiang nodded repeatedly, his face full of joy, as if there was really an edict about to be issued soon... Of course there was no edict. Emperor Chongzhen was a wise king, how could he bypass the cabinet and go alone?
But Wu Xiang’s handwritten letter is still useful! When Li Chuang's army arrives near Beijing tomorrow, Zhu Cixiang plans to take this letter to find Chongzhen. At that time, the situation is imminent. Chongzhen should break through the bottom line and start to mobilize his troops with Zhongzhen.
In this way, when Zhu Cihong breaks out from Beijing, he will be able to get support from Wu Sangui's troops, and his hope of escaping safely will be much greater.
In addition, Zhu Cixiang, holding Wu Xiang's autographed letter, also had the capital to bargain with Emperor Chongzhen - this is called a white wolf with empty gloves!
There was paper and pen in the lobby of the inner campus. Wu Xiang wrote a letter on the spot and handed it to Zhu Cixang.
Zhu Cixi carefully collected the letter from his father-in-law, and then smiled and ordered Wang Chengen to prepare wine and food. It was getting late now, it was almost dinner time, and Zhu Cixiang wanted to continue to fool Wu Xiang and Wu Sanfu, so he had to eat and drink while fooling around.
It would take a while for the food and wine to be served, but Zhu Cihong and Wang Chengen continued to talk to Wu Xiang and his son. It wasn't just idle talk, but the conversation turned directly to the army's breakout.
Wang Chengen, an honest man, was somewhat efficient at doing things. He stayed up all night and gathered a group of godsons and godsons all over Beijing to kill people.
300 strong fire eunuchs were selected from the Nanhai Zijing Army (an eunuch army with about 3,000 people). They also summoned some veterans of the Yongwei Battalion in Beijing - most of them were older soldiers who were not suitable to continue serving in the army. There were also some generals who were recovering from their injuries in Beijing. The number was not large, only two or three hundred. In addition, there are Dongchang Tiqi under Wang Chengen's own jurisdiction, who have also recruited more than a hundred. In addition, there are some assorted strong men who are servants of Wang Chengen and his "descendants". Finally, about 1,000 people were gathered, and now they were all gathered in a corner of the inner school yard, waiting for the meal to be served.
Before Zhu Cixiang arrived, Wu Xiang and Wu Sanfu and his son had already gone to see it.
"It's not bad. He's pretty strong. He's much stronger than the soldiers guarding the city gates everywhere."
This is Wu Xiang, who has led troops for many years, and commented on the gang that Wang Chengen temporarily summoned.
Wu Xiang said: "There are many old soldiers among them, and they all have fierce looks on their faces, which makes even Jingjun Tiqi fear. They can tell at a glance that they have passed through the killing formation. If I can use my servants as generals, they should be able to organize them." Wu Chengjun. As long as the armor and weapons are sufficient, they will be able to fight."
This servant brought by his father-in-law is actually the strength that Zhu Cixiang values the most!
Now it is easy to get soldiers in Beijing, but it is hard to find generals!
Because all the fighting troops in the Beijing camp have been transferred out, that is to say, there are no organized elites left.
But there are still many able-bodied men, because these years have been chaotic and chaotic. There are many men who have been on the battlefield and served as soldiers, and for various reasons have come to Beijing to look for food.
Moreover, the base camp of the Yongwei Battalion is also in Beijing. The established troops have left, but there will always be scattered troops left behind or veterans whose sons and nephews have filled the ranks.
In addition, many officials and noble families in Beijing have tried every possible means and spent a lot of money to recruit veterans who have been on the battlefield and the best in the Beijing camp to protect themselves. It also provided jobs for these veterans.
Now as long as Wang Chengen can spend a little more money, he can always raise some. And when it comes to making money, Zhu Cixiang still has some ideas.
But there are only strong men, no officers to organize them, and no military discipline to restrain them. They are just a mob and cannot defeat the insurgent army.
But in his eagerness, where could Zhu Cixi find a group of officers who could truly organize an army? There are many people with the title of military attaché in Beijing, but how many of them can actually go into battle?
Even if there are some, most of them are unorganized and scattered officers who cannot organize an army within a few days... The army is not standardized these days, and there are no military schools to cultivate standardized officers. A group of officers from different armies come together and cannot lead troops unless they get used to each other for a period of time.
But the servants Wu Xiang brought from Ningyuan were a group of well-organized and battle-hardened people, and among them there must be old servants who had served as grassroots officers. Moreover, Wu Xiang is their old master, who has led them to fight to death for half his life. Old Wu doesn't know how capable he is?
Therefore, using the servants brought by Wu Xiang, the strong men hired by Wang Chengen, and suitable weapons, an army can be formed immediately.
We can't fight a tough battle, but with Wu Xiang, an escape expert, leading the way, there shouldn't be much of a problem in protecting Emperor Chongzhen and his family from escaping...
"Wang Banban, how much do you give them per day?" Zhu Cixiang asked Wang Chengen with a smile.
He didn't see the rabble, so the eunuch in charge was probably afraid of being startled, so he asked them to avoid it.
"Returning to Qian Suiye, except for the people from Dongchang and Jingjun, the old slave will give each of them two hundred dollars a day, and he will also take care of two meals."
Copper coins in the late Ming Dynasty were cast indiscriminately, so their value was very low. Only coins made from high-quality copper materials were more expensive. But Wang Chengen was not so generous. All he gave out were ordinary small coins. About 5,500 Wen was worth one tael of silver. 200 Wenqian is equivalent to three thirds and six strands of silver. If calculated on a monthly basis, it is about one tael. It's lower than the one, two or four cents paid by Guan Ning's army, and about the same as the ordinary Ming army soldiers' pay.
"Let's go and take a look!"
Zhu Cihong didn't know whether it was premeditated or just spur of the moment, but he actually stood up and asked Wang Chengen to lead the way to see the warrior.
…
The so-called strong man doesn't look like much at first glance. Three hundred of them were eunuchs from the Pure Army who were disabled and weak in spirit. There are more than a hundred old men from the Yongwei camp, many of whom even have white hair. There are also more than a hundred Tiqi from Dongchang, who are spies and are elites selected from the Jinyiwei, but they are not expected to fight in battle. Apart from these uncles, soldiers, and spies, there were less than three to four hundred people left who looked a little like strong men.
When Zhu Cihong arrived under the leadership of Wang Chengen, these so-called "strong men" were gathering together and wolfing down the noodles. Crowded in groups. Several of Wang Chengen's "grandsons" were still shouting: "Qiantui Master is here, come and greet him!"
The warriors all lived under the roots of the imperial city. Of course they knew that "Thousand-year-old Master" refers to Zhu Cixiang and several of his brothers, all of whom were extremely noble figures. They stopped eating the cake and gathered around, knelt down and saluted.
"Young ladies, please pay your respects to Lord Chitose!"
A eunuch with a loud voice took the lead in shouting, and then everyone started shouting along, which was quite lively.
Zhu Cixi listened with interest and said with a smile: "Get up, everyone...are you eating? Is there any meat?"
The eunuch with a loud voice immediately replied: "Replying to Master Qiantose, the younger ones didn't prepare any meat for them."
"Then hurry up and prepare... These are the strong men who defend our Ming Dynasty. How can they have no meat to eat?"
"Well, I'll take someone outside the palace to buy something." The eunuch answered immediately.
"Wang Banban," Zhu Cihong turned around and said to Wang Cheng'en, "200 copper coins are too little, so give each person one coin of silver.
Wang Chengen was stunned. This prince was so powerful. He was offering meat and money... This was too much of a spendthrift, right?
"Master Chitose, one penny is worth three taels a month..."
"Give it!" Zhu Cixiang waved his hand, "Wang Banban, go get the money and give it in front of me. Everyone has a share... Jingjun and Tiqi also have a share."
"Thank you Master Qiansui for the reward!"
"Thank you Qiansui Master..."
A group of "strong men" are so happy, and they got a penny and meat to eat without doing anything. Where can they find such good things?
Now I am on duty on the city walls inside and outside Beijing, and I only earn a hundred copper coins a day, and I don’t even care about food!
Wang Cheng'en couldn't resist the order in front of Zhu Cixiang, so he had to ask people to get the silver coins. In front of Zhu Cixiang, ten people were given one tael of silver and asked to divide it among themselves. Of course, everyone among the "strong men" was happy, but those who followed Zhu Cixiang frowned.
This is too much money... The prince doesn’t know how to live!
