It was 18 March since Han Xiufeng received the edict of Batu Luyong and the official document of the Ministry of War, which was read by Ngo Dinh Tong in person, and the official document of the Ministry of War was also sent by Ngo Dinh Tong himself.

It's just that he was given the Yong number, and Han Xiufeng was not surprised that he was dismissed by the Ministry of War after letting Bing Yong serve for five or six years. Because I already knew these two news, and the news was personally sent by Ji Yunfei, the editor of the Hanlin Academy. The only surprise was that Ngo Dinh Dong actually brought three military attachés.

One is called Tong Chun, born in Zhenghuangqi, although he is not very old, only twenty-one, the days of being a soldier and eating food are not short, from the resume he was ten years old when he was selected to be a raised soldier of the Xishan Jianrui Battalion, first practiced horse foot shooting, and later practiced spear. I don't know if it's really good at martial arts, or whose way I went, I did it at a young age to do the Zhengliupin Xiao Riding School, and now I am promoted to the Wupin, and the official of the Eight Banners is the acting assistant of the Yamen to the river camp.

A surname Yang, named Debiao, twenty-eight years old, born in the army, hometown Cangzhou, turned out to be the general of the Huailai City Garrison in Xuanhua Town.

The third place is a little interesting, the surname is Guan, the name is Pengcheng, the word Yaxuan, he is not very old, although he is only twenty-four this year, he is from Zhuozhou, and he was born in Wuju, but he doesn't look like a person from Zhuozhou, let alone a person from Wuju. As soon as you open your mouth, you can hear the accent of Huguang, short and thin, white and clean, and her gestures are all crepe, and the whole thing is like a fake reader. Like Yang Debiao, who can't read a basket of words, he came to the river camp with the military department official voucher to be the general manager of Qian.

Although there was some surprise, thinking about it, Han Xiufeng felt that all this was reasonable.

After all, the original garrisons of the river camp, the co-organizers of the garrison and the general manager, and the general manager were sent to Jinghai to serve, and now they are re-recruiting young and strong people for training, and they can't just have soldiers and no officers. Gu'an is so close to the capital, and it is impossible for the military attachés at all levels in Heying, especially the military department, to allow Wu Tingdong or him Han Xiufeng to come and promote.

Thinking of this, Han Xiufeng was also relieved, and after sending Wu Tingdong away, he asked Yongxiang to take them to settle down first, but he returned to the flower hall on the left side of the second hall like no one, and followed Ji Yunfei, who had been in Gu'an for two days, to continue to eat and drink.

There were no outsiders in the flower hall, Ji Yunfei had nothing to worry about, put down the wine glass and said with a smile: "This is Baturu, if it was a few years earlier, it would be a great honor to be given the Yonghao, and even the Yonghao could be used as a name, but now this Yonghao is becoming less and less valuable." ”

Han Xiufeng couldn't help laughing and said: "Since Liu Cunhou was given the Yong, Hu Kunyuan has been given the Yong Baturu with the garrison, the monk Lingqin has given the Tuan Duo Baturu, the Suiyuan general Tuo Minga has given the Xilin Batulu, and even your colleague Yuan Baoheng of the Hanlin Academy has given the name Leyi Le Tu Batulu, plus my Han Si, think about the reward of the Emperor Batu Lu Yong during this period is a bit much." ”

"It's a little more, but it's not overdone." Ji Yunfei drank the wine in the cup, put down the cup and said: "At least the civil and military officials who can be awarded the Yong number all have military merits, including my colleague Yuan Baoheng, not all rely on his father, as far as I know, he is now really from Rong, and every time he goes into battle, he is the first soldier." ”

Although Han Xiufeng has never seen Yuan Baoheng, he has heard of Yuan Baoheng's name more than once, his father is now in Anhui to quell the chaos of the military department of Yuan Jiasan, since he was a child, under the tutelage of his father, he studied Confucius and Mencius, and studied martial arts, thirteen books, fifteen swords, twenty-one years old, twenty-five years old, and Ji Yunfei was the same official residence in the Hanlin Academy.

Two years ago, he took leave to send his relatives back to his hometown and went to Anhui to visit his father Yuan Jiasan, who commanded the army and suppressed the twist. Yuan Jiasan was worried that there was no one to use at that time, so he asked the court to keep him in the army to serve. After that, he was uncontrollable, not only led his troops to relieve the siege of Bozhou, but also pulled out the White Dragon King Temple, Si'er Ji, Zhihe Ji and other strongholds, and now he is serving under Shengbao.

In fact, it was precisely because of the relationship between Ji Yunfei and Yuan Baoheng that Han Xiufeng dared to let Wang Qianli, Chen Hu and other cronies lead troops to serve in Shengbao. It is said that Shengbao values Yuan Baoheng very much, and Wang Qianli and others have Yuan Baoheng's care, at least they will not be sent by Shengbao to be cannon fodder.

Thinking of this, Han Xiufeng put down his chopsticks and said: "A letter came from Qianli, saying that not only did I see Yuan Baoheng, but also listened to Yuan Baoheng's orders in the next month and a half, not only did I not have to worry about food, but I also received ten shotguns and fifty shields from the general grain platform under the care of Yuan Baoheng." ”

"So you don't need to worry about them, other colleagues may not give me Ji Yunfei face, but Yuan Xiaowu will definitely give it, I will introduce you to you when I have the opportunity in the future, and when I see you, you will know what he is like."

"Thank you."

"What is there to thank for the effort." Ji Yunfei waved his hand and asked curiously: "Zhixing, you just said that you would only let Wang Qianli serve in Jinghai for a month and a half, but now the four military attaches brought by your subordinates Yongxiang and Wu Tingdong just now, none of them are brave, who will you send to Jinghai to rotate when Wang Qianli's service period expires?" ”

"Brother Bowen, I don't have any soldiers at this time, it doesn't mean that there will be no in a few days. To tell you the truth, those gentry in the neighborhood have not visited in vain these days, I treat people with sincerity, and they also gave me a few thin noodles. As long as those who have visited have agreed, they will send the children of the village to serve in three days. ”

"Those gentry are so good at talking?" Ji Yunfei was skeptical.

Han Xiufeng helped him pour the wine while explaining with a smile: "Brother Bowen, you haven't looked around, you don't know the situation of those nearby Zhuang towns. Long hair killed Zhili from Jiangning in one go, the emperor was worried, the Manchu Dynasty civil and military were worried, and they were just as worried. Almost all of the gentry I visited these days were on guard, not only petitioning the state and county halls to let them hold regimental exercises, but even building forts and forts, intending to hold on. ”

Ji Yunfei has never been a parent official, nor has he led a soldier, so he really doesn't understand this, and muttered: "I've really heard of this, but why do they believe you?" ”

Mentioning this, Han Xiufeng said with embarrassment: "To be a man must have a good reputation, and to be an official is to have a good official reputation, how have I rectified the river camp and how to manage my family since I took office, those gentry all saw it in their eyes and listened to it, and they thought that I, Han Xiufeng, was a doer." What's more, they know very well that if Changmao really breaks through the siege and kills to the Yongding River, they can't save their lives by themselves. If you want to keep the house and property, you can only help the officers and soldiers to hold on, and if you want to flee to the capital with the whole family to avoid trouble, it depends on me Han Xiufeng and disagree! ”

Ji Yunfei reacted: "The houses and fields are all here, and those gentry want to go to the capital to avoid disasters and they can't leave their homeland." If you want to stick to it, it's a plate of loose sand, and you lack a backbone. In addition, as the official river who led the army, you already shouldered the responsibility of guarding the Yongding River, and Changmao really wanted to kill here, he did not allow the soldiers and civilians to wait to cross the river in the name of preventing spies, they would not be able to cross the river, and they would not be able to go to the capital! So I can only listen to you, and I can only rely on you? ”

"That being said, in fact, the Yongding River is so long, if they really want to cross the river and go to the capital to avoid trouble, I can't stop it even if I want to. After all, they are like mirrors in their hearts, and they all know that if Changmao can really kill the Yongding River, they can also capture the capital, even if they hide in the capital, it is useless. ”

"I see," Ji Yunfei nodded slightly, thought about it and asked, "Did they name how many people?" ”

"Zhili lacks everything, but there is no shortage of people, as long as I want, 1,500 soldiers can be recruited within three or five days, but I am now so much money and food, and I can recruit so many people at once What do they eat and drink? Therefore, we can only think of raising money and food while recruiting soldiers, and how much food we have to recruit how many soldiers. ”

"It's hard for you."

"It's not embarrassing, it's really nothing compared to when I was in Taizhou," Han Xiufeng smiled and said embarrassedly: "I'm not afraid of your jokes, I really like this errand now." As long as you devote yourself to raising money and training troops, you don't have to go into battle in person, and you don't have to worry about those annoying taxes, money, food, and criminal lawsuits. ”

Ji Yunfei couldn't see him the most unenterprising, and couldn't help but say: "According to what you say, it's really a beauty difference, but it's a pity that it's not a fat difference." ”

"In fact, it is easy to make money, but you can't have it both ways. If I really want to make money, all that mess will follow, so it's better to be as down-to-earth as I am now. ”

"But isn't that a loss?"

"I can't lose anything, after all, even if I go back to Ba County, I have to spend money to live at home, and there is more or less a bit of official income and incorruptible silver here, at least I won't sit on the mountain, at least I can barely get by."

In other words, Ji Yunfei would not believe it if he was killed, after all, thousands of miles of officials are only for money, but Han Si said that he was convinced, because Han Si was originally a man with no ambitions, not to mention that he had already been a fat salt official and a tax official before that, and he had already earned enough.

But Ji Yunfei still reminded with a smile: "Zhixing, you don't have to bend your waist for five buckets of rice now, it doesn't mean that others don't have to worry about silver." Not to mention anything else, as for the three people that Wu Tingdong sent just now, they don't have many official salaries, and they are not like civil officials who have cheap money. You are so strict, let them live their lives in the future. ”

"I've already been a lonely minister, and I'm still afraid that others will make me bad behind my back?" Han Xiufeng put down his chopsticks and said lightly: "Go back and ask Chen Chongtong to give each of them two hundred taels of red paper and silver, they can do it here if they want to, they feel that they can't support their wives and children, so they will find another way to find a higher job." ”

"So you don't want the emperor to know about the garrison, the general thousand, and the general military attache touching money and food?"

"Why do you think I want to go to the excerpt and ask the emperor to let Bing Yong only serve in the river camp for five or six years, in fact, I just want to test Yongxiang, and it turns out that before leaving Beijing, you and Brother Yongzhuo guessed that it was right, he can really go up to the heavens."

"He said good things for you, and truthfully explained the pros and cons of changing the military system, so the emperor didn't punish you?"

"Hmm."

"Then have you ever thought about what if he can't reach the heavens and can't help you?"

Han Xiufeng grinned and said, "I've thought about it, it's a big deal to dismiss my post, the emperor can't cut off my head because of this little thing." ”

Ji Yunfei's lungs were about to be blown up, and he pointed at him with chopsticks and scolded: "Zhixing, Zhixing, do you think you can find this shortage?" In the future, you can't be so willful, and if you make a self-defeating mistake, you will really regret it. ”

"No, I'll be a man with my tail between my legs from now on."

"That's pretty much it." Ji Yunfei nodded with satisfaction, and then changed his words: "Zhixing, there is another thing I have always wanted to say, but I am worried that you will not be able to hold your breath." This time I came out and took a five-day vacation, and I have to go back early in the morning, and after thinking about it, I still think I should tell you. ”

"What's the matter?" Han Xiufeng asked subconsciously.

"As soon as you were impeached, Brother Yongzhuo knew that it was inconvenient for him to come forward, so he could only ask someone to help investigate, and it turned out that it was not the Chen Gong'an you said yesterday that Toko Dao impeached you for defaulting on your debts and losing the official system of the imperial court, but two people you and I can't think of."

"Who?"

"Wu Tingdong and Shi Zanqing, but they asked someone to impeach you after Xu Sikui and Ajinggatuo impeached you, and then those officials flocked to it, it can be said that they have contributed a lot, and they are secretly fueling the trouble."

"Wu Tingdong and Shi Zanqing!"

"So if you know people and faces, you don't know your heart, you have to keep an eye on it, and you have to be careful in the future."

Han Xiufeng couldn't believe that this was true, racked his brains to think about it, and muttered with a cup: "I have offended Wu Tingdong, but I have not offended Shi Zanqing, why did Shi Zanqing impeach me......"

"I can't figure it out, before I came, Brother Yonghui said that we treated him like that, and he treated you like this. This is not only not to give me and Brother Yonghui face, but also not to miss Brother Zhuoyun's friendship of the same year. ”

"Brother Bowen, I don't think it's that simple."

"What do you say?"

Thinking that the deficit was left by the former Guan He Tongzhi to pay the gods, and then thinking that not only the south bank Tongzhi had to pay the gods every year, but the north bank Tongzhi had to do the same "Da Anlan", Han Xiufeng couldn't help laughing and said: "I understand, they don't really want to impeach me, or they know very well that even if the emperor is impeached because of this, they will not punish me, so by impeaching me Han Xiufeng told the officials and gentry on the north and south sides of the river that the river god is to be paid, and 'Anlan' is to be done, but it can no longer be as big as before, and it has to be done frugally, otherwise the emperor will be guilty." ”

Ji Yunfei reacted suddenly, and couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Are you saying that they are trying to save money and give an explanation to the officials and gentry on both sides of the strait?" ”

"It should be, after all, after so many years of doing a lot of work and squandering, if you suddenly start to simple, the officials and gentry on both sides of the strait must be very strange, even if you don't say it, you will think in your heart whether you will offend the river god because of this. If there is no flood, it will be fine, but if there is a flood and the capital is flooded, then the words of ghosts and gods will come out, and they will be unable to escape the blame. ”

"Impeaching you for default, not only did the emperor not punish you, but instead ordered the Criminal Department to investigate and deal with the former river member, and even locked up the person surnamed Chen for questioning, and they can justifiably follow the name of the gods and the big and small 'Anlan', even if there is a flood in the future, the charge of disrespecting the river god will not be deducted from them!"

"Yes, what a drunkard doesn't mean to drink."

"I didn't expect the two of them to be so cunning!" Ji Yunfei said hatefully.

Thinking that it was not easy for Wu Tingdong and Shi Zanqing, Han Xiufeng raised his head and smiled: "Forget it, no matter what you say, they are also for river affairs, after all, if they really do it and squander it like before, the Shijingshan Hall, the River Hall on the north and south banks, and the Triangle Hall will add up, and it will cost an extra 15,000 taels of silver a year." ”