In fact, everyone knows that once the second issue is clarified, the first issue will be much easier to solve.
Once the structure of long-term interests is clarified, then when it comes to immediate interests, everyone can make some compromises, especially for the people of Inner Khalkha.
Hou Chengzu came up with a kettle at the right time. Feng Ziying glanced at Busia Mara and said, "Busiya Mara, come and mix tea for me and Lord Zasai."
A look of anger flashed across Busia Mara's face, but Feng Ziying turned a blind eye: "Busiya Mara, my identity and that of Mr. Zasai, please mix it into the tea, so that I won't humiliate you, right? Besides, Mr. Zasai and I Well, weren’t you, the intermediary, responsible for the meeting? Shouldn’t you, the intermediary, propose a cup of tea as a token of congratulations?"
Busia Mara was originally so angry that she almost had a fit, and her plump breasts were almost unbearable even for her armor. But when Feng Ziying said this, she felt that this was really the case.
If the Great Zhou and the Inner Khalkhas formed an alliance, they would be able to greatly suppress the Horqin people and avoid being attacked from both sides by the Yehe tribe. At the same time, with the support of the Great Zhou, the Inner Khalkhas could also support the Yehe tribe and Ula. After the merger, they competed with Jianzhou Jurchens for the East China Sea Jurchens.
As the king of the Haixi Jurchens (four tribes of Hu Lun), the Yehe tribe has the qualifications and reasons to compete with the Jianzhou Jurchens for leadership and control over the East China Sea Jurchens. If the Khalkha people support the Yehe tribe on this issue, it will be a huge encouragement to the Yehe tribe in all aspects.
It can be said that this is the best news for Ye Hebu.
Seeing that Busia Mara's face was gloomy and uncertain, Feng Ziying didn't say much and just looked at her with a smile.
In the end, Bushiya Mara snorted softly, took the tea set from Hou Chengzu, then put it down, first mixed tea for Feng Ziying and Zasai, and then poured a cup for herself.
Feng Ziying smiled and raised her teacup, "I don't have any wine today, so I'll have tea instead of wine. I'll pay my respects to Mr. Zasai first..."
The tea was boiling hot, so it was naturally impossible to drink it. Feng Ziying also raised his glass to indicate it, and Zai Sai responded with a smile and raised his glass.
Then it was Bushiyamala's turn to raise her glass and congratulate the two on their successful meeting.
The next step is to discuss specifically the matter of more than 50,000 prisoners in the Beijing camp.
Feng Ziying had already reported the news through two channels. One was to report it urgently to the Secretary of Communications in the name of Yongping Mansion, and the other was to deliver it to You Shilu of Ji Town in a private name. You Shilu forwarded it to You Shigong. Go to the Ministry of War.
How to solve the problem of more than 50,000 prisoners has always made Feng Ziying think a lot.
It is easy to convince Zaisai, even if there may be a ransom issue involved, but this kind of thing may arouse the suspicion and dissatisfaction of Emperor Yonglong, which is the most difficult to grasp.
There is no doubt that the transfer of the 80,000 people from the Beijing camp was a move planned between Emperor Yonglong and Zhang Jingqiu, and even Chai Ke and the cabinet ministers tacitly approved of it.
The 140,000 soldiers and horses in the Beijing camp consume a huge amount of money every year. Unlike the local troops, they can be cultivated and fed. It is not easy to live in the capital. Every year, the lumi of each soldier is converted into more than 20 taels of silver, which is equivalent to the expenditure of a farmer in the suburbs of Beijing. The military salary alone will cost three million taels, not counting their daily training, weapons and other expenses.
If you add them all up, a rough calculation would be at least more than five million taels of silver.
This is only the cost of soldiers, and when the military salary expenses of officers and generals are included, at least another two million taels will be added. In this way, the 140,000 men and horses in the Beijing camp alone will consume seven to eight million taels of silver. But how much role have so many people in Beijing Camp played over the years?
Not to mention how many of them were eating up their quotas and empty pay, the combat effectiveness of these Beijing camp troops was not optimistic to the common people in the capital. Of course, when there were no other armies in the capital, this was still a behemoth.
But whether it's a mule or a horse, after all, it's not as simple as shutting the door and drinking by oneself in the middle of the capital. It has to be pulled out to see the results, so when it was pulled out to show off, a huge hole was suddenly opened. .
It can be said that even Emperor Yonglong, the cabinet ministers and the Ministry of War probably did not expect that the performance of the Beijing camp would be so miserable.
They thought that the Beijing camp would be defeated and defeated, but they did not expect that 80,000 people would be wiped out overnight. More than 50,000 people, including almost all senior generals, would be captured in one fell swoop. This was simply a creation. A record second only to the Tumu Fort Incident in the former Ming Dynasty.
But at least the Tumu Fort Incident lasted for many days, but this time the "Three Tun Camp Incident" collapsed overnight, captured everything, and spread thousands of miles. I don't know how to describe it in words.
Such an army was actually the emperor's personal army, and the famous three battalions performed so poorly, which really left people speechless.
In this case, how necessary is it for such an army to exist?
I'm afraid many people have considered this issue, but if the existence of this army is not needed, then how can we defend the huge capital city, the center of the imperial court, and the residence of Tianjia?
Is it just the security forces of the Five City Soldiers and Patrol Battalions, or the piecemeal security forces of the Four Guards Battalion, Warrior Battalion, etc., which add up to only a few thousand people?
Obviously not. The three major battalions must exist, but they must not be in the current form. The current command structure exists, especially the latter. It must be completely adjusted and changed. I am afraid this is what Emperor Yonglong is most concerned about. things.
In contrast, Feng Ziying felt that issues such as weak combat effectiveness and insufficient pay may not be what Emperor Yonglong was most concerned about. What he was most concerned about was whether this force was loyal to him and whether it could be controlled by him.
After understanding this, Feng Ziying's countermeasures became much simpler.
Since what Emperor Yonglong wants is control of this army, he might as well let Zaisai escort the generals and officers in this army back to the grassland, and slowly ask for ransom. The price can be higher, or even for various reasons. Making things difficult, in short, prolonging the time.
The soldiers were irrelevant. After these people returned, they could select some who could be used to replenish their ranks and enter the capital camp. However, the selection of officers would become the focus of Emperor Yonglong and the Ministry of War.
It is estimated that it will not be easy for Wu Xun's disciples, whether they are captured like Liu Guoquan and Mu Tianyan, or escaped like Qi Jianyao, to go back and continue to live the good life they had before. Emperor Yonglong and the Ministry of War will definitely try their best to exclude them, and the vacated positions will naturally be used by Emperor Yonglong and the Ministry of War to arrange their preferred candidates.
"Sir Zaisai, Feng shouldn't have interrupted how the imperial court redeemed the officers and soldiers of the Beijing camp. However, these tens of thousands of officers and soldiers of the Beijing camp are indeed a burden in the hands of Master Zaisai. The daily consumption is not a small amount. How about this, Feng is willing to find a way to raise one hundred thousand taels of silver, and package all the soldiers that Lord Zaisai doesn't like, at a package price." Feng Ziying got straight to the point, "As for the other soldiers that Lord Zaisi thinks are valuable, please forgive Feng for being unable to do anything. ."
Zaisai was confused. Didn't he say that Feng Ziying was also a child of Wu Xun? Most of these generals and officers are children of martial arts. Shouldn't Feng Ziying find a way to redeem them?
On the contrary, Zai Sai himself felt a headache for these tens of thousands of soldiers. It would be a pity to let him go. If he didn't let them go, couldn't he kill them all? Not only would he not get any money, but he would also create a huge feud.
As for the initial expectation of getting one million taels of silver to redeem themselves, Zaisai and the people in the fifth department had already figured it out. They were too naive. With so many tens of thousands of people, they could not bring them back to the grassland. The imperial court of the Great Zhou Dynasty It's impossible to redeem them.
If it were really calculated based on a person's ten taels and twenty taels of silver, that would be tens of millions of taels of silver. The Zhou court would definitely not agree, and it was even expected that the Nei Khalkha people would have to be released in the end.
Unexpectedly, Feng Ziying would be willing to redeem her life for them.
Of course, now that Feng Ziying has spoken, Zai Sai himself also wants more. At any rate, this is also a net income.
"Five hundred thousand taels of silver." Zasai said calmly: "I know that Mr. Feng is also in a dilemma. He is not in his position and does not seek his own government. However, in the future, Liaodong will have many dealings with the five Inner Khalkha tribes. As friends, Should we think more about it for us? The five tribes of Inner Khalkha are in a bitter cold place, and it is not easy to come to the south. The people of the tribe are also looking forward to a stable and comfortable life this winter. I will not embarrass Mr. Feng, no matter what Things, tea, salt, cloth, iron materials and ironware, everything can be calculated at the highest current price, and can be discounted for the five hundred thousand taels of silver, how about it?"
No silk, no porcelain. Tea, salt, cloth, and iron are all the most important materials for the survival of these nomadic peoples. This also shows the thoughts of Zasai. It also made Feng Ziying look at him high and did not mention weapons or armor. , probably considering that it was impossible for him to give him these things.
"One hundred and twenty thousand taels of silver, I'm afraid this is the limit of my own power. As for tea, salt, cloth, and iron, that's no problem. Mr. Zasai said it well. We will deal with each other a lot in the future. We have Common enemies can also lead to common interests, which is why I am willing to help in this way." Feng Ziying nodded, "But please understand my difficulties, Lord Zaisai."
Zai Sai took a deep look at Feng Ziying and said, "Master Feng, I was originally considering selecting a few thousand strong men to bring back to the grassland in addition to those generals and officers. These guys are young and strong, and if the others are not good enough, they will work for me as coolies on the grassland." Is that okay? If that doesn't work, I might as well ask the merchants to take their names and places of origin back to the capital city, ask for a ransom of 350 taels per person, and then split it in half with the merchants, right? That's more than what you said. Silver, right?”
