"My father-in-law, it's been a tough journey. I've already arranged the room. Why don't we rest for a night and go to Lingqiu tomorrow?" Du Wanyuan said with a smile.
Eunuch Li, who had just collected the money, was not in a good mood to refute Governor Liu's face. In addition, he was really tired from the whole trip, so he said, "That's fine, we'll just stay at our house for one night."
"Father-in-law, please, I will take you to your room to rest." Du Wanyuan made a gesture of invitation.
Eunuch Li stepped inside.
After the people left, Zhang Huai, who was standing aside, approached Governor Liu and asked in a low voice: "What did Eunuch Li say? He didn't mention how the court will deal with us?"
Governor Liu glanced at Zhang Huai with pitiful eyes.
Zhang Huai's situation is different from his.
As the commander-in-chief of Datong Town, he suffered a defeat and was deeply involved with the Tiger-Character Banner. The best outcome would be to be dismissed from his post. In more serious cases, he might even be sent to prison. Apart from these two, there was no other possibility.
"Sir." Zhang Huai was so frightened by the look in Governor Liu's eyes that he couldn't help but call out, "Sir."
Governor Liu looked back and said with a smile: "Don't worry, as long as the Tiger Flag is recruited, everything should be fine. At most, you and I will be demoted."
"That's good, that's good." Zhang Huai patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
Governor Liu straightened the black gauze hat on his head and said, "Let's go, I will prepare a banquet tonight, and Mr. Zhang and I will accompany Eunuch Li together."
"Don't worry, sir. I will definitely accompany Eunuch Li." Zhang Huai assured.
Governor Liu nodded.
The news that the imperial court sent people to Datong to appease the tiger-character flag soon spread from the governor's office.
This disappointed some people who wanted to see the Tiger Flag destroyed.
On the day the news came out, a fast horse left Datong Fucheng.
Yang Guozhu, who was stationed outside the city of Datong Prefecture, was not surprised when he received the news that the imperial court wanted to recruit the Tiger Flag.
The soldiers and horses of Datong and Xuanfu were defeated by the Tiger Flag one after another. There were no soldiers and horses available in the northwest. Unless the court sent a large army from other places, the only way was to recruit troops.
The signing room in Xujiazhuang, Lingqiu.
Yang Yuan walked in from outside.
"Master, we just received news from Datong Fucheng that the messenger sent by the imperial court has arrived in Datong." Yang Yuan stood in front of Liu Heng's desk.
Liu Heng closed the account book in his hand and said with a smile: "It came faster than we expected. It seems that the court is really anxious."
The messenger sent by the imperial court had not yet left the capital. Wang Zizi, who stayed in the capital, got the news that the imperial court wanted to recruit the tiger-character flag and arranged for someone to bring the news back to Lingqiu.
Yang Yuan, who was standing in the signing room, said: "There is an uprising in Wenxiang Cult in Shandong. The leader Xu Hongru even claims to be the Zhongxing Fulie Emperor. Tianqi and the ministers of the imperial court are anxious to go to Shandong to quell the rebellion. Otherwise, I’m afraid they won’t recruit us at all.”
Liu Heng nodded slightly and said: "What you said makes some sense, but another reason why the imperial court wants to recruit us is because there are no more troops to send to Datong from the northwest because of several failed campaigns."
The strongest military forces in the northwest are undoubtedly the important towns in Jiubian. Now the soldiers and horses in Datong and Xuanfu towns have been defeated by Hu Ziqi. The weakest Yulin is left, let alone Tiger Ziqi. flag opponent.
"Are we really going to agree to the imperial court's recruitment?" Yang Yuan asked Liu Heng.
Liu Heng nodded and said: "There is no harm in recruiting us, and we can also have an official body and do things honestly."
"I feel it is such a pity." Yang Yuan said, "Now that the Wenxiang Sect in Shandong is rebelling, the court's attention is all on Shandong. Our tiger-character flag can take advantage of the situation and raise it to echo the Wenxiang Sect in Shandong. Overthrow the Ming Dynasty."
Hearing these words, Liu Heng smiled and said: "The imperial court is building a cavalry in Liaodong that can fight with Houjin in the field. Once the imperial court uses this cavalry against us, even if we can win, we will still lose a lot. Fighting soldiers, with the few fighting soldiers we have, we cannot afford the losses with the imperial court."
The news about Sun Chengzong's formation of the Guanning Cavalry in Liaodong was sent by the Foreign Intelligence Bureau. As the director of the Foreign Intelligence Bureau, Yang Yuan naturally knew about this matter.
As far as he knew, this Guan Ning cavalry was also equipped with a large number of firearms.
Liu Heng held his fingers on the outer wall of the tea vat and continued: "Although Xu Hongru is making a big fuss in Shandong, there are tens of thousands of soldiers and horses on the surface, but most of these soldiers and horses are coerced common people and believers. Really We don’t have many elites, and once the imperial court takes over, the rebellion in Shandong will soon subside, so for our Tiger Character Banner, this is the best opportunity to accept the recruitment."
"My subordinates just feel a little unwilling. Our Tiger Character Banner has defeated the soldiers of Datong and Xuanfu in a row. As long as we are willing, we can take Datong at any time and establish ourselves as king." Yang Yuan said regretfully.
Liu Heng reached out and rummaged around on the table, pulled out a page from one of the envelopes, handed it to Yang Yuan, and said, "Look at this, this is the news from the grassland."
Yang Yuan took the page and read it in front of his eyes.
There were not many words on the paper, and he quickly read the contents.
At this time, Yang Yuan frowned deeply and said: "Not long after Su Nang was defeated, Tumote's people came to stir up trouble again. This time, it was Bu Shitu, Tumote Dahan, who came forward."
"The imperial court's use of troops against our Tiger Flag is not a secret. The news has reached Tumut. The nobles in Tumut see that there is an opportunity, so naturally they will not let go of such an opportunity to deal with our Tiger Flag." Liu Heng said in a calm tone.
Yang Yuan held the page in his hand and said: "These Mongolians are really nothing. Not only do they want us to give up the forts in Dahei River, but they also want to drive our tiger-character flag caravan out of the grassland and sell them to us in the future." The goods for the Mongols must be handed over to the Han merchants on the grasslands. What is even more despicable is that the goods sold to those Han merchants cannot be higher than the price in the previous horse market. We really think that our tiger-character flag is a soft persimmon. .”
He had a look of hatred on his face.
Nowadays, there are constant natural disasters and famines every year. Grain production is decreasing in various places. The price of grain is already more than twice what it was at the horse market. If it is sold to the Mongolians at the price of grain at the horse market, the Tiger Flag itself will not make any money. You also need to pour money into it.
"This is because our Tiger Flag is going to deal with the imperial court. Those Mongolians think they can defeat us." Liu Heng picked up the tea jar on the table and took a sip.
Yang Yuan said with a depressed look: "It seems that our Tiger Character Banner can only agree to the imperial court's recruitment."
"Recruiting is not a bad thing. At least it can stabilize our rear." Liu Heng said with a smile, "It won't be too late to deal with these Mongolians when we have our hands free."
Tumut's attitude made him decide to fight him.
