Zhou Xiaohu's tearful narration cannot be said to be touching.
However, he was the only one who expressed his intention to follow Zhang Rui.
We can't blame the Green Camp soldiers for this, after all, none of them had the same experience as Zhou Xiaohu.
At this time, Zhang Rui can only die in their eyes. Even if they don't consider it for themselves, they must consider it for their family.
The Chinese people are the easiest group of people in the world to manage. No one will choose to rebel as long as they have a way to survive. This has to be thanked for the unique Chinese numerology saying: Whatever it is, resentment.
Now it is not so easy for Zhang Rui to recruit more players. After all, joining Zhang Rui's anti-bandit team now is tantamount to becoming a "anti-bandit". Not many people are willing to die, and not many people are willing to be "rebels."
Therefore, Zhang Rui's troops could only come from two sources at this time.
One is the source of soldiers in Zhilian Mountain. At present, we can only wait for more poor people to join. In this regard, those who helped Zhang Rui publicize him actually helped him, so this world has a saying that blessings and misfortunes depend on each other.
The two are people who have a deep hatred for the Manchus. Such as Wang Kaiyuan and others.
Unless Zhang Rui can capture several cities in a row and recruit troops by force, he can only waste time and slowly grow his team.
However, if Qianlong knew that he still existed, he would not let himself develop so slowly.
Although Zhou Xiaohu's narration did not make the Green Camp soldiers join, it planted seeds in their hearts. How the rest of things develop is left to be seen later.
"Brother Six, are those really captured soldiers?" Wang Kaiyuan asked Zhang Rui doubtfully after walking out of the prison camp.
"Yes, is there anything to be confused about?" Zhang Rui asked.
"No, the ancients said: The benevolent are invincible. I will not deceive me if I am honest! I guess it was Sixth Brother's benevolence that moved them." Wang Kaiyuan couldn't help but sigh after hearing Zhang Rui's answer.
"What's the explanation?" Zhang Rui asked in confusion.
"Because of your rescue on the battlefield! Students have never heard of any army rescuing the enemy, even the benevolent and righteous teachers in history. They just use the enemy's heads as their own military merit. It is precisely because of Liu It was my brother's rescue that earned them their gratitude. That's why we say that Sixth Brother is benevolent and righteous, and he who can be benevolent is invincible." Wang Kaiyuan said with some excitement.
"Really? It's not enough for you to think so." Zhang Rui stopped, looked at Wang Kaiyuan who was following him and said:
"Remember, you have to be strong. Only if you are so strong that you are invincible can they really be grateful to you. Otherwise, their current gratitude will not affect them from cutting off your failed head. And this is just in exchange for their failure. I can only mourn for you for three seconds in my heart."
"Three seconds?" Wang Kaiyuan was a little puzzled by this word. At the same time, he also admired Zhang Rui's mature thinking. He couldn't help but admire him and thought to himself:
"It's hard to imagine that someone so young can see things so clearly!"
"Yes, that little bit of gratitude will not affect their intention to achieve military merit. Therefore, there is no need to be complacent about others' silence at that moment." Zhang Rui nodded and replied.
"So, Sixth Brother, why do you put so much effort into rescuing those injured prisoners? Wouldn't it be less of an enemy if you just cut them down?" Wang Kaiyuan was a little confused.
"You are now a staff officer, let this be a question for you to practice and think about! Come over in a few days and tell me what you really think." Zhang Rui said with a smile to Wang Kaiyuan, and then continued to walk forward . Thinking silently in my heart:
"If some time passes and you still can't figure out my purpose, then I have to consider whether you are qualified as a staff officer."
"Yes, Sixth Brother." Wang Kaiyuan replied with his hands raised to Zhang Rui, and followed Zhang Rui's footsteps.
…
"Sixth brother, we found Manchu Tatar troops ten miles ahead. It seems they are the ones who came to ransom the prisoners." At this time, Hong Hu, the leader of the scout team, came to Zhang Rui to report.
"Oh? Mr. Yu is here, you kept me waiting for so long. Do you know where Kai-fu Li is? Find someone to inform him?" Zhang Rui said to Hong Hu.
"Yes, Sixth Brother. I will go over and find someone to look for him." After saying that, Hong Hu saluted Zhang Rui again and then left.
A few moments
"Brother Six." Li Kaifu came to Zhang Rui and saluted Zhang Rui and asked.
"Well, your troops are here now. How can I cooperate with you?" Zhang Rui asked Li Kaifu
"At that time, General Guarjia will take the opportunity to mobilize the Eight Banners Han Army who came with him for transportation, leaving only "our" people. But if anyone from the Eight Banners Han Army comes over, please trouble Sixth Brother to admit that you are from Wuzhou Green Camp. That’s it.” Kaifu Lee said
"That's it? That's no problem!" It was so simple, so Zhang Rui naturally agreed without much thought.
A ten-mile journey is said to be far or near. But it was enough for Sitku and the others to walk for more than an hour. It’s not that they were dragging, it was just that there was a huge ox convoy and the mountain road was not easy to walk, so it was relatively late.
During the period of time until Sitku arrived, Li Kaifu looked at the messages that the scout team members kept passing to Zhang Rui, and he felt relieved about the last defeat.
"A team that can collect intelligence information in such detail is naturally considered elite, and losing to them is not an injustice."
…
According to the information exchanged between the two parties, the transaction was completed naturally.
Sitku finally held the coveted note and felt that he was no longer afraid. After heaving a sigh of relief, he led the prisoners back.
Zhang Rui also asked people to take over the convoys of cattle carts. Looking at this huge motorcade, he had to sigh:
"Good guy, it's a good thing that they gave me a national banknote for five hundred thousand taels of silver. Now there are sixty-three oxcarts for just one million taels of silver. If the five hundred thousand taels were also in cash, we wouldn't need 100 taels of silver." An ox cart will do?"
It was already afternoon, and Zhang Rui was not in a hurry to go back.
After all, there are one million taels of silver here now. Who knows if Sitku and the others will bring the troops of the Eight Banners and Han Army to fight back?
For safety reasons, all the bullock carts rushed to the camp first. Until Sitku and the others left completely, they slowly rushed back. At the same time, for safety reasons, more than a thousand bandit suppression team members brought by Zhang Ruirang were working as rearguards.
The camp is not far from here, and it is not difficult for the ox cart to catch up with the camp. Zhang Rui asked people to stand behind him in order to prevent him from being attacked by the Eight Banners Han Army led by Sitku to guard the silver during transportation.
If that's the case, if you can't organize a counterattack, your team will suffer a disastrous defeat. Everything will be over by then, so Zhang Rui has to face this with caution.
…
"General Guarjia, what's going on?" Geng Shangzhi, the chief of staff of the Eight Banners Han Army, looked at the large number of captive soldiers brought back by Sitku, then he knelt down and asked Sitku, who was riding a swing on his horse.
"What's going on? These are all my brothers. They're just back now, so don't ask any more questions." Sitku answered him with a very embarrassed expression.
Geng Shangzhi couldn't help but understand what Sitku said. Thought in mind:
"It seems that the rumors are true. Yang Yingju and Sitku were indeed defeated by that Zhang Rui. It really embarrasses the Qing Dynasty that so many people would lose to those Guangxi monkeys who just put down their hoes. I don’t know what your Majesty will think when he finds out, but it seems that our Eight Banners and Han Army will have to fight this battle.”
