The selection of soldiers on the expedition, the preparation of grain and grass, etc., are all in charge of Zhou Yuji, and Zhang Mingwei does not need to worry about it.

But he was not idle, and he was also preparing.

Although Zhang Mingwei has never fought in a war, because of the Internet in later generations, he writes about history, and boys naturally love to watch film and television materials about wars, etc., so some things to pay attention to in fighting a war must be known.

The so-called soldiers and horses have not moved, grain and grass go first, this sentence is wrong in his opinion!

Because the first one should not be grain and grass, but intelligence!

Although the army marches, there will be night before and after investigation, but that is only battlefield news, which belongs to the tactical level. The intelligence that Zhang Mingwei thinks about is the kind at a higher level, which belongs to the strategic level.

Zhang Mingwei had a busy day, and he selected twenty people from the many brocade guards.

There were files of these people on the desk, and when I picked up a copy, I ordered one to be summoned.

No, there is one in the lobby, and as soon as he came in, he hurriedly saluted and said, "Subordinate Ma Wu see your lord!" ”

Zhang Mingwei held his information in his hand and said to him kindly: "I am going to your Fangshan County soon, you should know about this." Before that, I want you to go back first and inquire about the news of the county seat and the news of those thieves. When I arrive, I'd like you to provide some useful information. As long as you can do it, you will be a member of the official Jinyiwei! Would you like to? ”

Hearing this, how could Ma Wu be unwilling, even if he didn't promise to become an official member of Jinyiwei, he had no excuse to solve this matter for his hometown.

At this time, Ma Wu was surprised, and hurriedly said loudly: "It is the responsibility of the subordinates to do their best to investigate the news!" ”

Zhang Mingwei listened and nodded to Princess Kunxing, who was sitting next to him.

So, Zhu Yujiao motioned to Fei Zhen'e to take out some silver ingots from the box on the side and put them on the table.

The size is different and it is a favorite sight. Ma Wu saw it and was a little confused.

"There are a total of twenty taels of silver here, which is the activity fee for your mission." Zhang Mingwei pointed to the silver and said, "Use the silver well, remember, I want useful information, understand?" ”

Twenty taels of silver, according to the purchasing power of later generations from the Wanli period, about one tael of silver is equivalent to five hundred yuan in later generations, and twenty taels is 10,000 yuan.

Ma Wu grew so big, he had never seen so much silver, he was very surprised, and hurriedly replied with a little excitement: "The subordinates understand, the subordinates remember!" ”

Then he went to the princess to sign and draw, and if he couldn't sign, he pressed his handprint.

Waiting for Ma Wuyi to leave, Zhang Mingwei successively summoned other Jinyi Wei captains, all of whom were from Fangxian or the surrounding areas, and like Ma Wu, they were transferred from this refugee. After saying the same thing to them, he also gave each of them twenty taels, and asked them to leave Beijing first and go back to inquire about the news.

There are three follow-up people, who are not refugees, but the old people in the original Jinyiwei, but they have something to do with Fang County, and they were picked out by Zhang Mingwei, and everything else is the same, but the statement is a little different, and they don't say anything like that, after all, they were originally Jinyiwei.

Zhang Mingwei said to them: "During the Wanli period, Jinyiwei spied on the news about the Japanese and was of great help in the fight against the Japanese. I hope that you can continue to carry forward this duty of Jinyiwei, do a good job, and promote you according to the importance of the news. ”

When the twenty people were sent away, and there were no outsiders, the princess stuck out her tongue and said, "This time, there are four hundred taels less!" ”

In the past, Zhu Yujiao had no concept of money. But after following Zhang Mingwei out of the palace, he finally had an idea. Take it out at once for four hundred taels, that's really a lot, and you can buy several good houses in Beijing.

Zhang Mingwei smiled when he heard this: "Fighting a war is burning money!" If four hundred taels of silver can be exchanged for a useful message, it is definitely worth it. ”

The task he had just assigned was only a short-term task, and it was the first time he had arranged such a thing. Later, if you want to arrange a long-term lurk, or a more dangerous espionage mission, you will have to settle the family's small silver, and maybe more silver will be needed for the activity.

Lost the money confiscated from the Jinyiwei series, and Emperor Chongzhen left it for Jinyiwei. Otherwise, you'll have to find another way.

At this time, while they were talking, the news came from the noon gate.

Zhu Yujiao didn't care about Wang Dehua and the others, but when she heard that Zhou Bi'an was also killed by the cane, she was still a little stunned. But she recalled what her husband said, she saw Zhou Bi'an rampant in Beijing with her own eyes, and went to the palace to make trouble, to be honest, she was just stunned.

However, she was still a little worried on her face, so she said to Zhang Mingwei: "I'm a little worried about the queen mother, and I want to go back to the palace to see the queen mother." ”

"Go ahead!" When Zhang Mingwei heard this, he smiled and said, "I'll go to the Yongwei Camp to see the situation of the Yongwei Camp." The sooner the better! ”

Emperor Chongzhen has already killed chickens and monkeys in the court, and next, it is time for him to go to the local area to kill chickens and monkeys and rectify the atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty. I hope it will be effective!

………………

Maybe killing chickens and monkeys is really effective, the next day, cabinet auxiliary ministers Zhang Sizhi and Wei Zhaocheng actually played together, one said that he was old and healthy, and wanted to return to his hometown, and the other said that he had a hidden illness and was powerless to be an official, so he wanted to resign.

In addition to the two of them, there are also some yamen, and like them, they don't want to be officials. Of course, the two of them are the biggest.

For these, Emperor Chongzhen did not immediately approve it, but stayed in it.

When Zhang Mingwei entered the palace to inform Emperor Chongzhen that the expedition had been prepared, Emperor Chongzhen pointed to those pieces and said to Zhang Mingwei with hatred: "Mr. has seen it, after killing chickens and monkeys, these things are afraid." I won't let them go, so I let Wang Daban check from them, and I will spit out everything I eat! ”

When Zhang Mingwei heard this, he said to him: "Your Majesty, it's not wrong to do this, how can there be such a cheap thing, if you are greedy enough for money, you pat your ass and want to leave?" However, this matter can't be made too obvious, let them know that if there is no way out, they are afraid that they will jump off the wall in a hurry! ”

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he waved his hand disapprerovingly and said, "Sir doesn't have to worry about this, but I'm worried about Mr. When you go out of Beijing this time, you must pay attention to your own safety. ”

Speaking of this, he paused and then said: "There are still concubines, no accidents can happen, be careful in everything, and would rather be stable than take risks!" ”

In this regard, Zhang Mingwei naturally agreed.

So, on the day of March 15, the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, Zhou Yuji, the deputy general of the Yongwei Battalion, led 1,000 soldiers, including 300 horse troops, accompanied by Zhang Mingwei, the refugee resettlement envoy of Gyeonggi and the commander of Jinyiwei, and the prince of Xingguo, to go out of Beijing to suppress thieves.

Whether it is the Yongwei Battalion or the Jinyi Guard, it does not belong to the military department and the Governor's Office of the Five Armies.