Han Xiufeng was too lazy to see Zhang Gui, the garrison on the south bank, Chen Hu didn't have so many scruples, and heard Ji Da say that Master Han was going to visit Wu Daotai later, thinking that the carriage he hired before had already returned to the capital, and he couldn't just walk like this, so he ran to the garrison office opposite the school to borrow a horse.

Zhang Guiyi, who was waiting for the news in the calligraphy and painting antique shop, heard the news from his family, and hurried back to ask the groom to lead out the only two horses in the government office, not only tied the saddle with his own hands, but also personally led the horses to wait at the entrance of the river hall with Chen Hu.

After waiting for about half a pillar of incense, Ji Daji and the others, who were all dressed in ordinary people's clothes, not only changed into official uniforms, but also carried oxtail knives and foreign guns. The big head is wearing an iron helmet and a cotton armor inlaid with copper nails, pressing a short and delicate handcuff in his left hand, and holding an oxtail knife in his right hand, like a door god, majestic.

Zhang Gui always thought that they were all Master Han's family, but he never thought that they were all military attachés, all of them did not squint, did not get angry, and knew that they had seen blood in battle. In contrast, the dozen or so yellow-skinned, listless, and patched green battalion soldiers under his command were a group of people called Hanako.

was secretly frightened, Han Xiufeng came out accompanied by Wang Qianli and Cui Hao, who also changed into official uniforms, stood at the gate of the yamen and looked around, and asked expressionlessly: "Zhang Shoubei, when did you become a groom?" ”

Zhang Gui hurriedly said: "Master Han, there is nothing to do in the morning, I can just show you the way and accompany you to the Provincial Department." ”

"The dignified five-grade guard, leading people and horses, what kind of system has it become?" Han Xiufeng looked back at the civil officials such as Guan Hezhou Judge, Zhou Tonghe County Cheng, and Zhu Bo, who bowed down to guard a row of sedan chairs and were reluctant to leave, and said coldly: "I want to check and inspect the battalions this afternoon, so you better hurry up and run errands." ”

Zhang Gui was most worried about this, how could he miss this opportunity to stammer, and hurriedly loosened the reins and bowed down: "Master Han, the humble position is close, there is nothing to prepare for, but there is one thing that I don't know whether to talk about or not." ”

"But it doesn't hurt to say it."

"The brothers stationed on the side of Shijingshan are far away, even if they can arrive before the sun sets, they won't be able to go back after you check the check, Master Han." Zhang Gui peeked at it, and said cautiously: "I know that you plan to let them practice here, but so many people come at once, what they will eat and where they will stay at night, they can't be unprepared." ”

Han Xiufeng secretly thought about why they came so many at once, they had to have so many talents first, but he still nodded slightly: "Well, you have to make some preparations." Otherwise, if you are familiar with this area, please help Zhang Luo with today's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast. How much money do you need, ...... with Su Jueming That is, the chief of the official shall take it with him. ”

"Get the order, go to Zhang Luo!"

"A few of you, please go back too, this official is on official business, go first." Han Xiufeng bowed his hand to a group of civil officials who were guarding the gate of the yamen and did not want to leave, then took the reins from Zhang Gui's hand, turned over and got on the horse, and led the big head and others to the direction of the Provincial Department without looking back.

There was one horse left, Wang Qianli wanted to give in, but Cui Hao said with an embarrassed face that he had never ridden a horse, and Wang Qianli was not polite, so he climbed on the back of the horse with the help of Chen Hu, and led Chen Hu, Zhang Qingyu and Tian Gui and other six brothers of the old Taiyong battalion to Gu'an County.

Fortunately, Chen Chongdi's family was clever enough, and they went to the village to hire a mule, so they accompanied Cui Hao with the owner of the mule to Huang Village, where the office of the South Road of Shuntianfu was located.

The soldiers were divided into three routes, leaving only Su Jueming, Ge Erxiao, and Wang Hedong as two additional foreign commissioners. The civil officials under the jurisdiction of the Zhuozhou Prefecture Judge and other civil officials under the Nan'an Department wanted to leave but did not dare to leave, so they invariably surrounded Su Jueming and the three of them to inquire about the news. Su Jueming didn't dare to accept the door bags they stuffed, and he didn't dare to say anything that shouldn't be said, so he simply made a circle for them, and ran into the government office to thank the guests.

……

Wu Tingdong knew that the new Nan'an Tongzhi was going to reorganize the river camp today, and he knew even more that he could not be present at such a major event, otherwise it would be out of control if he provoked a mutiny, so not only did he not patrol the river today, but he also ordered two patrol officers to summon the government service archers to stand by in the school yard early. Shi Zanqing was also worried that Han Xiufeng was young and reckless, so he actually brought all the archers of the North Shore Hall, and was ready to take the opportunity to suppress it once a mutiny was provoked.

Han Xiufeng rushed to the Provincial Department and couldn't help but smile when he saw that more than 200 government archers had gathered on the school grounds, all of them as if they were facing a great enemy.

Worried that there would not be enough people, Shi Zanqing, who was about to send his subordinate officials to Gu'an County to move troops, saw him like he was nothing, and couldn't help but greet him and ask, "What are you laughing at?" ”

"Uncle Shi, what are you doing here?"

"If you're not afraid of 10,000, you're afraid of what if, what if those Qiu Ba don't accept you?"

"I don't need them to obey me, as long as they obey."

"What if those Qiu Ba don't obey the order?" Shi Zanqing asked.

"If you don't obey orders, you are rebelling, rebellion is not a joke, I forgive them for not having the guts." Han Xiufeng smiled, and then said: "What's more, I have already thought about how to rectify it, if you put a hundred hearts, nothing will happen." ”

Shi Zanqing was still not at ease, and asked eagerly: "Don't sell Guanzi, how are you going to rectify it?" ”

"It's not the place to talk outside, let's go in and talk."

"Well, I'd like to hear what you have in mind."

Bypassing the Yimen and entering the Provincial Office, I saw Wu Tingdong reading the official documents in the lobby, and Han Xiufeng hurriedly dusted off his horseshoe sleeves and stepped forward to greet him.

Wu Tingdong glanced up and asked coldly: "Brother Han, I heard that Xu Sikui has moved out of the government office overnight, is there such a thing?" ”

"Lord Wu, Xia Guan only found out in the morning. But please rest assured, Lord Wu, the lower officials have already sent someone to invite. ”

"He's going to step down sooner or later, so why do you want him to come back at this juncture?"

"If the lower official just lets him go, what if the money and food in Heying are not enough." Han Xiufeng glanced back at Shi Zanqing, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly: "What's more, if he leaves, who will lead the soldiers of the river battalion to gallop to Jinghai?" ”

Wu Tingdong was stunned, and immediately reacted: "So you don't plan to stay with the original soldiers." ”

"Lord Wu is wise, that's what Xia Guan planned." Han Xiufeng thought about it and bowed down again: "As the saying goes, 'When a soldier eats food, he fights and gets paid', if it weren't for Lord Wu, you gave the lower officials 5,000 taels last night, it would really not be easy to send them to serve under Lord Shengbao, at least the silver for this expedition, the silver for salt and vegetables and the silver for rations for the expedition would not have been found." ”

Wu Tingdong didn't expect that Han Xiufeng would plan to re-recruit young and strong people for training, and he didn't expect that Han Xiufeng would use all the five thousand taels of silver he gritted his teeth to squeeze out the original soldiers of the river camp to Jinghai to quell the chaos. Everything is done according to the rules, as long as those poor soldiers can get money, they will naturally not make trouble, as long as the soldiers do not make trouble, those garrisons, thousands of generals, generals, and foreign commissioners will not be able to make trouble even if they want to.

But thinking of five thousand taels of silver just like this, Wu Tingdong really couldn't be happy, and said with a gloomy face: "Brother Han, you really don't know how expensive firewood and rice are, you must know that it is five thousand taels!" ”

"Lord Wu, Xia Guan is just as reluctant, and he doesn't dare to squander the five thousand taels you are trying to help with just like this, so Xia Guan sent someone to invite Xu Dusi back."

"Do you think he'll be able to spit out what he's already eaten?"

"If he doesn't spit out what he eats, he'll have to lead his troops to serve under Lord Katsuho. Marching and fighting is not child's play, swords and guns have no eyes, and they can't really know how to shroud the body of horse leather. ”

Shi Zan Qingle couldn't help asking, "Brother Han, are you sure he doesn't dare to go?" ”

Han Xiufeng said confidently: "As far as Xiufeng knows, the Ministry of War has more than once ordered the River Battalion to send troops to aid Cangzhou, Jinghai and other places, if he Xu Sikui has the courage, if he really has the heart to serve the imperial court, he will lead the River Battalion soldiers to quell the chaos as soon as possible, and he can wait until today." ”

Han Xiufeng was thinking about how to rectify the river camp, Wu Tingdong was not only thinking about how to rectify the river camp, but also thinking about the five thousand taels of silver he squeezed out by smashing the pot and selling iron, and he actually muttered: "This idea is a bit of a loss, but it is also a way." Later, let the barracks find out the official document of the military department ordering the river battalion to rush to Jinghai, and the official will see if he dares to disobey again. ”

"Lord Xie Wu."

"Don't thank you, it's all for the imperial court."

As soon as Wu Tingdong's voice fell, Shi Zanqing actually drew inferences and asked: "Brother Han, not only Xu Sikui, but also those guards, co-organizers, and general managers can also handle it in the same way?" ”

"That's what the lower officials plan, they don't want to serve under Lord Shengbao, but they have to come up with some real money and let others help them do this errand."

"If they don't want to go, who are you going to let lead those soldiers to Jinghai?"

"If they don't want to go, they don't have to go anymore. The 5,000 taels that Lord Wu gave last night can be turned from the silver of the river to the silver of the river, and let them all go to your place to work and help you dredge and build the embankment. ”

"Dare to love the five thousand taels of the river ICBC and then turn to the river work?"

"Master Shi, you were right last night, although the lower official came to train the army by order, he was the official of the river after all, since he was the official of the river yamen, how could he not think about the river affairs."

"That's right, but since you've thought about it a long time ago, why didn't you say it earlier last night?"

"Xia Guan also thought about it all night before he thought of how to rectify the river camp." Han Xiufeng arched his hand again and said: "However, one yard is one yard, the order of the emperor is in his body, and the matter of military training cannot be delayed at all, and the money and food of the Provincial Department should be indispensable in the future." ”

Thinking that the 5,000 taels could finally be used for river work, Wu Tingdong was in a good mood, but when he heard Han Xiufeng's words, he was in a bad mood again, and stared at Han Xiufeng and asked, "So the official still owes you 3,000 taels of silver and 2,000 quintals of rice and noodles?" ”

"Lord Wu, what are you talking about, it's not that you owe the official, but that the Provincial Department should cooperate with the river camp of 3,000 taels of silver and 2,000 taels of rice and noodles."

"You're a good settler, just keep the five thousand taels! I don't want to use the original Qiu Ba in Heying, and I can't afford to use them. Whether it's dismissal, or send them to Jinghai to quell the chaos, you can do it, I will never ask, you and I will clear up in the future! ”

Shi Zanqing didn't turn a corner for a while, and subconsciously started a round again: "Lord Wu......"

Wu Tingdong is so shrewd, how could he be Han Xiufeng, without waiting for Shi Zanqing to finish speaking, he sneered: "Brother Cizhen, do you think those treacherous and slippery Qiu Ba can honestly dredge and build embankments, and those bastards who have not achieved enough things and have more than enough failures don't need it!" ”

Only then did Shi Zanqing realize that Han Si was suspicious of sending those Qiu Ba to Jinghai to quell the chaos, and he actually wanted to quickly cut through the chaos and push those Qiu Ba to the Dao Department, and he was immediately so angry that he gritted his teeth: "Han Zhixing, Han Zhixing, how can you dare to set up Master Wu!" ”

"Lord Wu, Master Shi, don't misunderstand, the lower officials are thinking that Ling Xun is coming, and you two are short of people......"

"This official is now short of people, but no matter how short of people is, they won't use those bastard things." Thinking that this was not an opportunity to clean up the little fox in front of him, Wu Tingdong couldn't help but smile and said, "Brother Han, you still want to think about who to lead them to serve in Jinghai." This is more than 100 miles to Jinghai, and the world knows if they will have trouble on the road. In the opinion of this official, you had better go in person, otherwise if something happens, you and I can't afford it. ”

Han Xiufeng had already prepared, and hurriedly arched his hand and said: "Lord Wu, the lower official is here to train the army by order, if the lower official personally leads them to Jinghai, who will let this soldier train?" ”

"It was you who didn't want to stay, and you were the one who wanted to send them to Jinghai to quell the chaos, so this is your business. asked for money and food, and the official gave it. If you want to rectify the river camp, the official will support you later, what do you still want the official to do? Could it be that you, Han Xiufeng, plan to let this official personally lead those Qiu Ba to Jinghai to quell the chaos? ”

"Lord Wu, you are laughing again, even if you borrow a few guts from the lower officials, the lower officials will not dare to ask you to personally lead those Qiu Ba, who have not achieved enough things and have more than enough failures, to go to Jinghai. If you put a hundred hearts into it, the lower officials will definitely handle this matter properly, and will never cause you any more trouble, let alone cause you trouble. ”