Chu State, border.
Under a simple watchtower, there is a complex of buildings built out of wood similar to a camp.
There is a wooden fence around it, and inside are barracks built of wood. This is a typical border garrison point, usually a battalion of 500 people is stationed here.
Under normal circumstances, this border battalion should be equipped with at least 10 Cyric front-loading field guns. However, the border troops are generally not full of troops. There is a high probability that only 5 artillery pieces will be deployed in such a camp.
Similarly, the number of soldiers in the frontier army will not be full. The officers will habitually take some free pay, and the elders in the rear are also happy to see these frontier generals taking these free pay.
This is a shortcoming of the old system. If the generals of the border army want to get rich, they must drink the blood of their soldiers, so the phenomenon of shortages is naturally repeated.
Under normal circumstances, the king and ministers in the rear do not want to see the frontier army being too strong, so they are willing to tolerate a certain degree of blood drinking from the soldiers. It is not that they don't know, but they deliberately pretend not to know.
Once this kind of gameplay is played, it is called strong trunks and weak branches, strong dominance, and avoids troubles by the border troops. If we lose it, we will become the Song Dynasty or the Ming Dynasty...
However, the supervisory role of the old system is really not accurate, and it is normal for it to fail. Therefore, a more advanced modern military system will replace it.
The sentry standing on the watchtower walked back and forth, and the smoke of birds and cooking fires rose up in the camp. Some soldiers were busy preparing for lunch, while others were scattered in various corners of the camp.
What was different from the past was that at this moment, on the side of the camp close to the Chu Kingdom, hundreds of refugees were kneeling on the ground, being guarded by hundreds of Chu troops.
The leading Chu army officer put his hands behind his back, looked down at the civilians kneeling in front of him with a sneer, and walked slowly past each of the civilians who had their heads lowered.
These people were kneeling on the ground and did not dare to raise their heads. Someone was crying in the distance, and some women among the crowd were pleading.
"Sir! We have nothing to eat! Just let us go..." I don't know who is crying in the crowd, but I can vaguely hear someone saying this.
There were also some children's cries mixed in with the women's sobs, making the pleas even more desolate.
"Please! Sir! We are really desperate! Let us go!" Another person mingled in the crowd and bravely begged for mercy.
"You are citizens of our Chu State! Crossing the border is a serious crime! My duty is...don't make it difficult for me." The Chu State officer sneered and shouted to the refugees in a long voice.
The national population of each country is a precious asset that cannot be given up easily. When people cross the border privately, it is a serious crime of smuggling. If they are caught, they will be cast into slavery and they will be slaves and maids for the rest of their lives.
It is impossible to kill naturally, because population is wealth. But the next punishment was very strict - as slaves, they were not protected by the law and became an asset, belonging to the rich.
"Hundreds of people have been arrested this time... Your Excellency must be very rich." A captain stood beside the battalion officer and congratulated him in a low voice.
Naturally, only a few of these slaves were confiscated and re-auctioned for distribution. Most of them must be sold at a good price and put into their own pockets.
Most of the money must have been taken away by officials above and who could issue relevant documents, but he must have received a certain amount of profit.
Thinking of this, the officer of the border army was naturally very proud. Looking at the refugees kneeling on the ground, he seemed to see a field of golden gold coins.
"Sir, there is someone from Zheng Guo... Tang Guo... who wants to see you." At this time, a soldier hurried over and reported carefully.
Whether it is the Zheng State or the Tang State on the other side of the border, the Chu State official has not yet made a conclusion. Everyone doesn’t have a formal name. Some are still called Zheng Guo, and some change their name to Tang Guo. Anyway, it all works, and the meaning is probably correct.
But as time goes by, more and more Chu people are willing to call themselves Tang people, because people across the border call themselves Tang people.
"Huh?" The Chu officer frowned and looked at his subordinates - he was surprised that the other party didn't seem to understand the rules.
Logically speaking, there will definitely be no contact between the border troops on both sides. Firstly, there is really no need to interact with each other. Secondly, it is taboo because people know about it.
Everyone is their own master. If there is really any connection, forget it. But if it causes misunderstanding and involves yourself, then you will become a fool, right?
He thought for a while, then looked at the refugees kneeling on the ground in the darkness, snorted coldly, and said to one of his confidants: "I'm going to have a look! Watch the people here! I'm running away." I want your head!”
"Yes! I understand!" The confidant immediately nodded and agreed.
The leading officer immediately took several of his men, as well as the captain, through the camp and walked to the side close to the Zheng border.
Across the shallow ditch on the border, there was a car parked in the Tang Kingdom. It was a very good People's Model 3 car. It was not that fancy, but its performance had been improved a lot.
If it were an ordinary People's Type 1 car, it probably wouldn't be able to drive in such a rugged area. It would have insufficient horsepower and insufficient off-road performance. But People's Type 3 cars can drive here easily.
The man standing in front of the car had a smile on his face, was wearing decent clothes, and was wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
The other party was polite and polite, and the Chu officers were somewhat relieved after seeing this man. As long as he's not in military uniform, there won't be much trouble if he meets him.
"I heard you want to see me?" There is a small wooden bridge on the border. In fact, the shallow ditch can be crossed without a bridge, but it is inevitably a bit muddy underneath, so such a small bridge was built.
In fact, not many people pass by this bridge on weekdays, so the bridge has not been repaired once a year. It keeps squeaking when you step on it, as if it is about to collapse at any time.
"Yes, General." The gentle man replied with a smile: "I heard about General's name..."
"Stop talking about these useless things, just tell me why you came to see me." The Chu general waved his hand and said impatiently as if to shoo away flies.
"Come down here to discuss a business deal with the general." The bespectacled man answered the Chu general's question with a smile.
"Huh? Business? I'm a soldier, what kind of business can I do?" The Chu officer glanced at the man with glasses in front of him and asked.
"I want to find the general to buy... people! Those refugees, healthy people." The man with glasses answered directly.
"Ha! I'm not crazy yet. There's no need to do this business. Goodbye." General Chu raised his eyebrows and refused simply.
"Two gold coins per person." The man with glasses didn't seem to hear the other party's rejection and directly set a price.
"Huh?" This time, not only the officers of Chu State, but also the junior officers who followed the officers were a little stupid.
They capture the refugees and send them back...but there is no such a good price. Judging from the price alone, this deal... can be done.
"Too little." Unexpectedly, the Chu officer smiled greedily and said, "This is the life money for me and my brothers!"
"Two gold coins for a prime-age man, three gold coins for a woman of appropriate age, the same price for old people and children." The man with glasses took out a gold coin and threw it to the Chu officer: "This price is not low."
After receiving the gold coin tossed by the man with glasses, the Chu officer looked at it and saw that the gold coin in his hand was of good quality. He rubbed it and stuffed it into his pocket.
When he catches refugees who cross the border, he has to share the profits with the people above him. He can only take his own share, which is obviously not much.
But if he turns a blind eye to the refugees crossing the border and allows these people to cross the border, he does not need to report the amount or perform complicated operations, and he can get several times the original reward, which is obviously better. choose.
"How much do you want?" The tempted Chu officer showed greedy eyes and asked with a grin.
There are hundreds of refugees behind him. If the other party wants them all, he can easily get nearly 1,000 gold coins.
Although the money still needs to be distributed to his subordinates to stop their mouths, he can finally get most of it, which is definitely good news.
"I will take as much as you have." The man with glasses still smiled and replied calmly: "I will give money to everyone as long as they can cross this wooden bridge by themselves."
"Are you crazy?" The Chu officer had no idea that the other party had such a big appetite and was shocked.
"Bang!" The man with glasses snapped his fingers, and the two guards who had not been near the car immediately opened the trunk of the car and took out two large boxes.
They walked to the wooden bridge, placed the heavy box on the ground, and skillfully opened the box, revealing the neatly arranged gold coins inside.
"Here are 500 gold coins." The man with glasses made a gesture of invitation.
His escort walked back to the car and brought out two more large boxes. Using the same movement, he moved it in front of the Chu officer, placed it on the ground, and opened the lid.
"Now it's 1,000." The man with glasses said casually: "I can pay you the money first! How about it?"
"What exactly do you do?" The Chu officer was frightened by the other party's generosity and asked after swallowing his saliva.
"Me? I'm a businessman." The man with glasses replied: "A businessman who makes friends everywhere. General, are you willing to be my friend?"
"Of course. You can send people to collect people tomorrow, hand over money with one hand, and hand over people with the other." Of course, the officer of Chu State was willing to be friends with Qian: "I have many refugees here, more than you can imagine!"
"Well, I believe that!" The man with glasses spread his hands indifferently: "But I also have a lot of money, really... more than you can imagine!"
After saying that, he turned around and walked away, walked to the car, and looked back at the Chu officer: "Do you like this car? How about giving you one next time?"
