The imperial decree to mobilize the soldiers of the Beijing camp to go south to fight the rebellion was quickly circulated to the Beijing camp. After hearing this, the soldiers of the Beijing camp were all excited and cheered. This was a good opportunity to make achievements. If they could kill more enemies and show more bravery during the counter-insurgency, You might be able to get promoted and make a fortune!
Warriors are different from literati. Literati can take imperial examinations and accumulate political achievements in politics, while warriors can only get promoted and make a fortune by killing enemies on the battlefield and making meritorious deeds.
The new army in the Beijing camp was reorganized in the first year of Hongzhi. As of the second year of Hongzhi now, there are 83,200 people in the infantry battalion, 16,400 people in the cavalry battalion, and 8,400 people in the musketry battalion. , the artillery battalion has 3,200 people, 542 light artillery pieces, Hudun artillery pieces, and 720 large artillery pieces, Folan machine guns. With the strong support of Zhu Youtang, the new army in the Beijing camp has developed. It can be described as rapid progress.
In the Jingying school grounds, the Jingying soldiers gathered together to read the new notice.
"Hey, Xiao Xu, what's written on it?"
This person called Xiao Xu was Xu Ruiguang, a native of Taiyuan, Shanxi, who dared to take the initiative to talk to the emperor when Zhu Youtang inspected the capital camp in the first year of Hongzhi.
Xu Ruiguang is seventeen years old. Ever since he was encouraged by Emperor Zhu Youtang, he has trained hard and learned strategies. He is considered a young talent in the Beijing camp.
Xu Ruiguang, in the crowd, raised his head and glanced at the announced notice for a few times, then turned around and said: "The governor has an order. This time we go south to quell the rebellion, we must start from various places." The battalion selected elite soldiers to participate in the battle, totaling 10,000 people.”
There were many onlookers in the school grounds. Some people did not crowd in the front, so they had to listen carefully to see if the people in front read out the announcement posted on the wall.
At this time, when Xu Ruiguang said this, everyone around him sighed. There are more than 100,000 soldiers in the Beijing camp. In the end, only 10,000 people are selected. The probability is 1 in 10. Isn't this just like thousands of troops crossing a single-plank bridge?
Those who had been injured in training not long ago were destined to be unable to participate in this selection, and they burst into tears for a while.
Xu Ruiguang frowned. To be honest, he really wanted to participate in the southward campaign to suppress the rebellion. He had been in the army for more than a year and had yet to make any achievements. More than a dozen people in his family were counting on him to support him.
If he goes south to put down the rebellion this time, he can kill more enemies and get more silver rewards, and his family won't have to work so hard. Thinking of this, Xu Ruiguang secretly made up his mind to stand out in this selection!
A few hours later, the school field began to select, and Governor Ma Wensheng was stroking his beard on the general stage to observe.
Among them, when the cavalry battalion was inspecting, there was one person who was particularly dazzling. Ma Wensheng hurriedly pointed at that person and asked: "
"What's the name of this guy who rides a horse and dances with a steel sword?"
The bosses on both sides stood up and watched to see who could make the governor ask for his name.
After a while, a commander stood up and shouted: "Return to the general, this is my soldier, he is still a baby, his name is Xu Ruiguang, from Taiyuan, Shanxi."
When the other commanders saw that his man had been found, they all lowered their heads and sighed, hating that they didn't have such a sharp-headed soldier at their disposal.
In the cavalry camp, Xu Ruiguang took the lead and slashed the head of the straw man in front with his steel knife. Then he returned to the horse formation, drew his bow and set an arrow.
"咻咻" Three Arrows
All of them hit the straw man's vitals.
"Good archery skills!"
On the general stage, everyone couldn't help but applaud.
After Xu Ruiguang finished shooting, he took out the three-eyed gun and rushed into the straw men, wielding it like a mace.
After the selection, Xu Ruiguang was successfully selected for the Beijing Army's expedition due to his outstanding performance, and he was also ranked first in the cavalry battalion!
…
In the Xinuan Pavilion, Zhu Youtang had just finished approving the memorial. He stretched his arms and said, "Yanhai, go and take two people with you to see the queen. See if she is in Kunning Palace or Xianyang Palace. I will stay with the queen tonight." "My slave obeys the order."
As soon as Zhu Youtang finished speaking, Li Guang, the eunuch in charge of the ceremonial department, came in and reported:
"Your Majesty, the list of Beijing troops going south has come out. In addition, Governor Ma has something important to see the Emperor. However, the palace door has been keyed and he cannot come in. Two slaves have informed the slaves to see if the Emperor wants to see him."
Zhu Youtang took the memorial that had just come in, stood up and took off his robe, and said with a smile: "This Ma Wensheng is still like this. He is my general who went south to suppress the rebellion. Why don't you see me? Go and call some guards. Just go out for a walk with me."
Li Guang was about to ask someone to prepare Luanxing, but Zhu Youtang called him to stop him.
"No need, I'll go on foot tonight."
Li Guang called out more than thirty guards from the guard room. Although the emperor was too big-hearted and only allowed a few, Li Guang could not rest assured. He had just been promoted to the position of Chief of Ceremonies and Eunuch, and he had not had time to enjoy the blessings. If the emperor had any shortcomings, he would not be able to live with it.
Zhu Youtang walked out of Yongxiang and out of Xihua Gate. As expected, he saw Ma Wensheng, the governor of the capital, circling anxiously under the stone lion in front of Xihua Gate, waiting for the order.
"Okay, what's the big deal that makes my beloved come here late at night?"
Ma Wensheng's temperament is like this. He usually does things vigorously and resolutely, and whenever he thinks up, he comes up with it. After he handed over the coupon, he suddenly remembered that there was something he hadn't said yet, so he had to go to Xihua Gate in person. Unexpectedly, he didn't check the time when he left. The palace gate had already closed. key.
After the report, Ma Wensheng regretted a little. If he disturbed Long Xing late at night, he would make the emperor Long Yan angry. But the soldiers were so fast that they couldn't wait.
If it were anyone else. The eunuch guarding the gate ignored him at all, but Ma Wensheng was not an ordinary person. He was the governor of the Beijing camp, with a hundred thousand soldiers under his command. Recently, he was the emperor's personal favorite to lead the southward campaign against the rebellion. He must have something important to report when he came late at night. The eunuch guarding the gate did not dare to neglect, so he had to go to Li Guang and ask him to report Zhu Youtang.
Ma Wensheng never expected that Zhu Youtang would appear in front of him. He was stunned for a moment, knelt down and said:
"Old minister, you really deserve to die. It is a crime to disturb your majesty in the middle of the night. However, the Beijing army has decided to leave the customs tomorrow, and there is still something undecided. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Household Affairs have not responded to the documents submitted, so I have no choice but to disturb your majesty late at night."
"The things I'm talking about are military pay and food and grass. The reward system set before does not need to be changed. Everything remains the same. However, these are not in my hands. They are elsewhere. I need to pick them up in person."
Zhu Youtang helped Ma Wensheng up, and he understood what Ma Wensheng meant. Is it just to give a bounty based on the number of enemies killed? Nowadays, the treasury has consumed a lot of money in disaster relief and flood prevention, and its own internal funds have also been used to develop firearms, so there is not much left. It's time to think of other ways to spend this military expenditure. The Ming Dynasty has a lot of "treasury", so it's time to take action and withdraw money.
Zhu Youtang's words made Ma Wensheng confused. Is Yinliang not here with you, the emperor? Do you still have to ask me to pick it up in person?
"At the end of this year, He Ding once told me that the people in the Zhili area must pay taxes to King Xiangyuan, otherwise they will not be able to plant crops in the coming year. After all, our Ming Dynasty prince has already made a fortune, and it is time to contribute to the country. Love. When you go south, you can "borrow money" from King Xiangyuan."
Zhu Youtang's tone became more serious about the last three words "borrowing money", and Ma Wensheng instantly understood what Zhu Youtang meant.
"The King of Xiangyuan is a prince after all. I am afraid that he will not lend money to the Beijing army. At this time..."
"Everything is your way. If anything happens, I will be responsible for it!"
Zhu Youtang's words are equivalent to giving Ma Wensheng a guarantee. It means that if you go ahead and do it your way, I will guarantee you if anything happens!
"I have already read the list of Beijing troops you handed me for the expedition. There is a man named Xu Ruiguang in the cavalry camp. He sounds familiar to me. How is he?"
Ma Wensheng bowed and replied: "In reply to Your Majesty, this child is 17 years old this year. He has been practicing martial arts since he was a child. He is good at riding and shooting. He has a courageous personality and is quite knowledgeable about military affairs. In time, he will be a talented general." Zhu Youtang nodded. He nodded and said with a smile: "You are two years younger than me. A hero is born from a young boy. I will give him a small flag first. This time I will go south and train him."
"By the way, when we go out tomorrow, I will have a military parade at the Meridian Gate. You should go back and get ready."
"I will obey the Holy Order."
…
The next day, at noon, Zhu Youtang was about to change his clothes and start driving when he saw Jiang Yue, the manager of Cining Palace, running in in a hurry. She had no time to carry her luggage and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager Wu asked the servant to come over and deliver a message." , if your Majesty is free today, please take time to visit Cining Palace."
"Well, what happened?"
"Mother, I'm probably going to give birth today."
"Ah! Is Zhu Houzhao coming?"
Zhu Youtang waved his hand and said, "Why are you still standing here? Go and ask the doctors from the imperial hospital and the doctors and midwives invited by the people to stay at Kunning Palace for me all day today. I must see that the mother and child are safe. Otherwise, everyone in Kunning Palace will level the three clans today!"
When Jiang Yue heard this, she immediately knelt down in fear and trembled.
On weekdays, Jiang Yue's impression was that Zhu Youtang was a kind-hearted emperor, but he didn't expect that today's Longxing would be so frightening.
Zhu Youtang was about to get up and follow Jiang Yue back to Kunning Palace, when suddenly Yanhai ran in:
"Your Majesty, noon is approaching, and the Beijing army is gathering under the Meridian Gate. Long live your Majesty, please drive—"
When Zhu Youtang heard this, he immediately froze on the spot, thought for a moment, and then ordered: "I have given you an oral instruction, and all the civil and military officials in the court will wait for the order at the Meridian Gate and drive up to the Five Phoenix Tower!"
At this time, ninety-five dragon flags had been raised at the Meridian Gate of the capital. Zhu Youtang led Li Guang and Yanhai to the Five Phoenix Tower. All the civil and military officials had already knelt down and shouted long live the mountain.
Below the city, 10,000 Beijing troops selected by Ma Wensheng were lining up. Suddenly they saw the emperor wearing a dragon robe sticking his head out from upstairs. The soldiers were all excited and shouted like a tsunami: "Long live, long live !”
Then, the war drums and horns sounded, and Ma Wen raised the flag and commanded. Zhu Youtang waved his hand and sighed: "With such heroic soldiers, our Ming Dynasty will definitely be invincible!"
After the Meridian Gate military parade ended, Li Guang had already prepared the royal horse for Zhu Youtang, and Zhu Youtang got on his horse and went straight to Kunning Palace.
The army set off and the Beijing army left the customs. When the civilian and military generals in the prefectures and counties along the way heard that Ma Wensheng was leading his army south to suppress the rebellion, they also came out to see him off.
The forward soldiers of the Beijing army hung the imperial flag sent by Zhu Youtang. At the front was an infantry battalion of more than 4,000 people, followed by a cavalry battalion of more than 3,000 people, and behind them were a 2,000-man musket battalion and a 1,000-man cavalry battalion. An artillery battalion with multiple cannons.
The Beijing army maintained public order and exterminated thieves in the Zhili area on weekdays, leaving a good impression on the people. At this time, the army was walking on the official road, with people on both sides coming to see it off.
All the people tried their best to bring out all kinds of supplies at home and send them to the Beijing army. Governor Ma Wensheng was riding on the horse, his eyes gradually became moist, and he suddenly raised his hand: "Stop!"
After receiving the order, several heralds quickly rushed forward on horseback to tell them, and the Beijing army gradually stopped.
Ma Wensheng cupped his fists and said seriously:
"Thank you to my parents and fellow villagers for sending me away. Now that the country is in trouble, I, Ma Wen, have been promoted to accept the emperor's favor and serve as emperor and wait for a salary. I should be loyal to the country! Everyone, please come back and don't send me away anymore!"
"I wish the general a triumphant return!"
Ma Wensheng nodded, pointed in the distance, and ordered: "March!"
After giving the order, the Beijing army quickly resumed its march and headed south.
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