"Are you saying that our Xiying traveled hundreds of miles, passed through hundreds of miles of deep mountains and old forests in Fangxian and Baokang, and went to Nanzhang to grab his vote?"

Zhang Xianzhong's eyes flashed, fiddling with the letter Zhang Dingguo wrote to him, and asked Feng Shuangli in his mouth.

Zhang Dingguo's letter made it very clear that this group of Nanzhong businessmen carried a large number of commodities, including knives, guns, armor, grain, oil, salt, saddle knees, medicines, cloths, etc., and even said that as long as the price was appropriate, it would be a problem for the big Buddha machine and the firecracker!

For a time, the local gentlemen from the counties around the county came to negotiate in the name of self-protection, and even fierce tigers, He Renlong and others also sent confidant officers to discuss the purchase.

"Handsome! Didn't the young marshal say it in his letter! This method must not be used! Since this group of businessmen dared to carry so many things that everyone would blush at their sights in the troubled times, they naturally had the force to protect them, and my Xiying had recently suffered a setback, and every old brother was extremely precious and could not be damaged. ”

Feng Shuangli still has a sentence that he hasn't said, that is, once he does something to this group of businessmen, he can't succeed in one fell swoop, the news leaks, and the Wu Biao Department stationed nearby is bound to come to the aid in a big way. The reason is actually very simple, although Wu Biao has now changed his court and taken refuge in the imperial court, but after all, there is still a bit of incense between the people and Nanzhong. Moreover, his troops were accustomed to eating, and the supplies and ammunition of his troops had to rely on the support of these Nanzhong merchants. This is also the reason why this group of Nanzhong merchants set up their base in Jiuji Town.

"If you can't get it, it's easy to be counterattacked. I'm afraid that the thousands of old battalion men and horses in my Xiying will be glued by the officials and soldiers. It's hard to get out! The young marshal meant, not so much to use the strong, it is better to exchange the goods in the camp with this group of merchants! Then our army marched into Sichuan! Feng Shuangli explained Zhang Dingguo's intentions one by one.

"How dare these people sell me these taboo things?" Zhang Wenxiu, who had not spoken for a long time, listened to this for a long time and found the crux of the problem.

"It doesn't matter! When General Ning Yu and I approached these merchants, we only said that we were gentry from Fangxian and Xing'an, and that we needed some weapons to protect ourselves, and we were willing to pay a high price to buy them. According to his subordinates, these people are greedy for profit, as long as they give enough money. Even my own mother and son will sell it! Let alone. The people who asked them to buy weapons, in my opinion, have bandits and bandits! As for the identities of General Ning Yu and me, they also know it! Merely. I don't want to debunk it! ”

Everyone turned their attention to Zhang Xianzhong. Looking forward to his final decision.

"Xiao Wang! Go open the door. It's too stuffy in this shack, and Lao Tzu wants to go out to breathe! ”

Wrapped tightly in a mink cloak on his body, surrounded by a group of adopted sons and generals. Zhang Xianzhong patrolled back and forth in the camp.

Most of the horse soldiers and old battalions in the camp wore felt hats, breastplates or leather armor, spears, waist swords, bows and arrows around their waists, and some people carried bird guns on their backs, and sub-medicine boxes were hung diagonally on their chests. Before the second uprising in Gucheng, Zhang Xianzhong took advantage of the location of the land and water wharf to collect taxes and fees for a period of time, and exchanged this money and local products for a lot of equipment in Nanzhong, although there were several defeats during this time, and the men and horses were quite damaged, but there were also many weapons and armor of officers and soldiers were captured, at least the equipment of the old battalion and the horse army was exquisite, especially the brothers of the old battalion.

These people rested around the fire or roasted the fire, or mended cotton armor, sharpened swords, mended shoes and socks, and from time to time the soldiers carried basins and basins of blood-stained bandages in and out of the tents and shacks, to treat the brothers who hung the colors, and from time to time from a certain tent came a groan of pain and screams.

"Marshal, there aren't too many knife wounds and cotton bandages in our camp. These hundreds of color number brothers, the injury is at the critical time......" The low voice of the old battalion secretary muttered twice in Zhang Xianzhong's ear, telling him the truth in the camp in front of him.

Hundreds of old brothers are extremely precious to Zhang Xianzhong and any leader of the peasant army, especially the old brothers who will not leave at the end of the road, which is more useful than the tens of thousands of hungry people in the glory days.

"Where's the grain, oil, and salt?"

In the same low voice, Zhang Xianzhong was fighting with those peasant soldiers, and quietly asked the secretary of the old battalion.

"If you dry it every day, the whole army can last for half a month."

"Damn! Take out the money and buy some game and meat with the neighboring mountain people to nourish the body of the brothers. Let the brothers do it twice a day! Only when you are full can you beat Zuo Liangyu! ”

"But ......!"

What else did the old battalion secretary have to say, seeing that Zhang Xianzhong turned his head, he knew that it was useless to say more, so he had to make arrangements.

"Xiao Wang! You take Lao Bai to find your brother in Jiuji Town! Tell him that the group of Nanban merchants how many things Lao Tzu wanted! However, he has to transport it to Fang County for our Lao Tzu! At the very least, it has to be shipped to Baokang! Freight Lao Tzu out! ”

Turning his head, Zhang Xianzhong looked at the men in the camp who were full of beards in the wind and snow, and only had a torn sheepskin jacket on their bodies. The leather jackets were lifted by the cold wind from time to time, and in the weather where the cold wind was mixed with snowflakes, they still did not change their faces, talking and laughing.

"Brothers, let's add food and wine to the big guy tonight! It's a good meal! ”

"Xie Lu, Xie Dashuai!"

"Thank you, Dashuai!"

"Handsome! Why do you add wine and food to your brothers!? Not a year? Someone laughed and talked to Zhang Xianzhong.

"Why? Lao Tzu sent the poor today! Send poverty to our Xiying! Go for bad luck! ”

"Sending the poor" is a very distinctive custom of the ancient Chinese folk. It means to sacrifice poor ghosts (poor gods). The poor ghost, also known as the "poor man". According to Song Chen Yuanliang's "Guangji of the Year", quoted in "Wenzong Beiwen", it is recorded: "When he was in Gaoxin, he gave birth to a son in the palace, and he was not dressed properly, and he was known as a poor son in the palace. Later, he died in the first month of the year, and he was buried in the palace, which is said to be sent to the poor son today."

The custom of sending the poor is everywhere, but it is much the same, it is nothing more than the annoying monster of poverty to go out and stop harming yourself. In northern Shaanxi, there is a habit of sending the five poor and eating gray noodles. The so-called "five poor" are also called "five ghosts". It refers to five kinds of poor ghosts, such as "poor in wisdom, poor in learning, poor in literature, poor in life, and poor in friendship". Then he sent it three times. Later, it was often used as a metaphor for bad luck with "five poor".

At present, Zhang Xianzhong has been defeated in a row. It was in this season again, so he talked about the excuse of sending poverty in a joking tone, which immediately caused everyone to laugh.

A few days later, Zhang Kewang rushed back first, with a thousand life-saving kits and knife wound medicine, and returned to Zhang Xianzhong.

After handing over the urgently needed medicines to Lang Zhong, Zhang Kewang ran to Zhang Xianzhong with a fire.

"Father! I'll go back first to get back to my father! Dingguo's younger brother and Bai Wenxuan and others were accompanying the group of Nanban merchants to slowly escort a large number of grain and grass goods to the territory of Baokang County, and the place of the transaction was Siping Town in Baokang County! ”

"What are you trading?"

Zhang Xianzhong didn't care to ask his adopted son if he was tired and hungry, and in the past few days, he has seen that the grain, meat, oil, and salt have been decreasing day by day. He didn't say anything on his face though. I am more anxious than anyone else.

"In addition to the medicine I brought back, there are a thousand sets of armor, knives and guns! After all, our old battalion and the horse army can be replaced! ”

"Two hundred sets of saddle horses, and shoes and other things. Five hundred pieces of cotton cloth. A thousand cotton clothes. ”

"Except for these. There are also some meat, grains, rice, oil, salt, etc. The detailed number is in Dingguo's younger brother! Taking a breath, Zhang Kewang looked at Zhang Xianzhong with some excitement, "Father." This group of Nanban really has everything! Let it go, as long as the money we pay is real money, or what they want, they can buy anything, and they can sell anything! ”

"What? They don't know that our Lao Tzu is a thief? ”

"Zhilu Dao!"

As soon as Zhang Kewang said this, Zhang Xianzhong's interest was immediately aroused.

"Donkey balls! Knowing that Lao Tzu is a thief, he dares to make a birthday with Lao Tzu like this, this group of guys is a character! ”

However, Zhang Kewang's later words surprised Zhang Xianzhong.

"They said that this deal is too much, and it is better to ask my father to go to Siping Town in person."

Hearing this, everyone's first reaction was, "Isn't this group of barbarians planning to lure Dashuai (our Laozi) to Siping Town, and then set up an ambush to annihilate the soldiers of Xiying in one fell swoop, right?!" ”

"Xiao Wang, aren't you tired and confused?" Zhang Xianzhong blinked and stared at Zhang Kewang with somewhat red eyes.

"No, Brother Dingguo and Uncle Wen Xuan also see it that way. It was suggested that the father should go to meet with the Nanzhong businessmen, and there were several contracts signed by the father! ”

"Huh?" Zhang Xianzhong was a little more and more surprised.

"It's up to you to decide this deal. It's just a matter of tens of thousands of taels of silver. Just go to the old camp secretary and get it! ”

Zhang Xianzhong was still very satisfied with the arms purchase of his two adopted sons and several generals. To be able to exchange useless gold and silver for useful things is worth the cost. What's more, the price of the merchants in Nanzhong is a very generous conscience price in his opinion.

"First, Dingguo's younger brother has been discussing with Nanzhong businessmen about the purchase of the Big Buddha Lang machine. Recently, this group of Nanban merchants said that the newly built Big Buddha Lang machine is only about 800 catties with a gun carriage, and a mule and a healthy donkey can be dragged everywhere. And there are also shock springs and tires, even the march on the mountain road is also extremely convenient. Dingguo's younger brother has been thinking that if we have such an artillery team, we will attack the city and break the wall, and it will be much easier to deal with the official army. And now there are more and more firearms in the officers and soldiers everywhere, if we don't have them, we will definitely suffer a big loss in the future! ”

"If they are willing to sell guns to our Lao Tzu, it will be worth taking a risk for our Lao Zhang!"

Zhang Xianzhong knew the performance of the big Buddha Lang machine, and this thing was the same as the Type 92 infantry gun of the Japanese army in later generations, which had the best effect on fortification targets and group targets, and it was simple and lightweight, and it was simply tailor-made for these "rogues" who were erratic in their combat marches!

Hearing that the other party could get a big Buddha machine, Zhang Xianzhong decided to give it a try!

"Father, don't take the risk, they ask Father Shuai to go to Siping Town to arrange first, and then they can arrive!"

Hearing that he could go to the trading place to arrange it first, Zhang Xianzhong became more and more determined.

"Xiao Wang, if there's anything else, let's talk about it happily!"

"This time, I talked with my brother Dingguo about a business with a Nanzhong businessman."

Zhang Kewang paused deliberately to look at Zhang Xianzhong's expression.

"In the future, our army's weapons, armor and other items can be used for the goods and jewels we have seized. Or they are trading in a specialty that they approve of in their location. ”

Hearing Zhang Kewang say this, Zhang Xianzhong suddenly sat up from the tiger skin chair and grabbed Zhang Kewang's arm, "Xiao Wang!" It's true?! ”

"It's true! That's why we have to go and sign a contract with them, we don't dare to specialize! ”

Gradually trying to calm down from the initial excitement, Zhang Xianzhong paced back and forth in the shack, he was considering the details of the incident.

"Wenxiu! Nengqi! The two of you, take the 500-old battalion to Yu'er to pick up one or two on the way. By the way, it is deployed in Siping Town! ”

"Ma Yuanli, you and Xiao Wang follow our Lao Tzu and lead a thousand people!"

"Feng Shuangli. You've been going back and forth for the past few days. It's really hard, so I watched the family in the old camp and rested by the way. Pack up your things, we're ready to get out of the water! "Excited. Zhang Xianzhong said that the retreat was out of the water. The black words of the year have come out.

Siping Town is also a town that Zhang Xianzhong was very familiar with when he was stationed in Gucheng. It is adjacent to Transition Bay in the east, Fangxian in the west, and Chengguan and Maqiao in the south. It is adjacent to Gucheng and Fangxian in the north, the mountains are high and the slopes are steep, the ravines are vertical and horizontal, the southwest is higher, the northeast is slightly lower, and the South River runs through the whole territory.

Along the South River that originates from Shennongjia and Wudang Mountain, it enters Gucheng County from Dongzhuangyu. It flows into the Han River through Gucheng County to Geleizui.

At this time, on the wharf where the Nanhe River flows through Siping Town, twenty or thirty large boats were moored, and the people of the town were mobilized, and young and middle-aged people went to the wharf to help carry goods and earn double wages from the Eight Kings and Long Shengxing.

In the rain and snow, the stone slabs on the docks and several streets in the town were slippery, and heavy goods were carefully stacked on both sides of the streets. The street, which could have been used for two large cars in parallel, was crowded with all kinds of goods.

Tightly wrapped straw bales, huge oil jars, wine jars, jars filled with refined salt, heavy cloths, and whole boxes of meat porcelain jars dazzled the eyes of the people of this mountain town.

Zhang Xianzhong casually opened a very tight straw bundle wrapped with straw rope and straw, picked up an item casually, and after the straw was scattered, it was beaten with grease, and a long knife full of oil smell appeared in front of the eight kings.

"Good boy! Very profitable! With his thumb slightly touching the blade that had not yet been fully opened, Zhang Xianzhong gave a judgment to this knife quite experienced.

"The eight kings, a thousand sets of armor, knives and guns, and one of the goods that should be discussed with the two young marshals are all here, please collect them."

Chen Dongtao, a businessman who was popular in Long, pointed to the mouth-watering items on both sides of the street that made the soldiers of Xiying love to put it down.

Among the 1,500 people who came, there were already quite a few anxious fellows who took out the armor, knives and guns from the straw bales, assembled them, put them on themselves, and swayed their bodies from side to side, so that their companions could see if they fit together.

"Yu'er, give the money to Shopkeeper Chen! Add 30% according to the price of the goods! Zhang Xianzhong waved his hand very generously, saying that there is no need, these things, even if the officials and soldiers hold the silver, there may not be a place to buy them, not to mention that he is a thief?

"Thank you for the generous gift, but the merchant also has the rules of the merchant, and he will not dare to accept the reward he gives."

"How?" Chen Dongtao's performance surprised Zhang Xianzhong very much, he had never seen a businessman who hated giving a lot of money, that is, a Shanxi businessman who claimed to be a fellow villager with him, and he had never been afraid of less money, not more money.

"Are you afraid that you will not be able to steal the stolen goods?"

"Not really. Since you dare to do business with Dashuai, you won't worry about this. It's just that the merchant has the rules of the merchant, and if it is said to be how much it is, it is how much it is. Don't dare to overcharge the handsome's silver! ”

"Huh! Our Lao Zhang felt that it was freezing on this day, the guys were so hard, trekking through mountains and rivers, and there was nothing to entertain in this small town in the mountains, so he took some silver and asked the brothers to go and drink a glass of wine to block the cold after they went out of the mountain! ”

Zhang Xianzhong stroked his beard happily, with a smile on his face.

Then the merchant was ashamed. A few days ago, the two young marshals turned Chen Dashuai to get the meaning, planning to buy the big Buddha Lang machine, if the marshal can buy more than ten at a time, the businessmen will be responsible for training the gunners for the marshal, if they don't teach me not to go, all the gunpowder is consumed, and the food and wages for teaching are all reported by the merchants. I don't know what the big handsome thinks? ”

These words made Zhang Xianzhong, Zhang Kewang, Zhang Dingguo and other fathers and sons can't help but dance. Isn't it just to buy ten cannons? Do you still teach the Bao Society, don't teach and don't leave? Where in the world can you find such a kind businessman?

"Xiao Wang! Yu'er, take out the contract you said! It's rare for such a righteous person as the shopkeeper Chen, and our Lao Zhang also has to repay the favor and sign the contract! In the future, we will all treat the shopkeeper Chen as our own people! ”

The content of the contract is actually very simple, strictly speaking, it is a framework agreement.

The supply of military supplies for the troops under Zhang Xianzhong, the eighth king of Xiying, will be supplied by Chen Dongtao's team in the future. The Eight Kings could use gold, silver, jewelry, antique calligraphy and paintings, or all other items approved by Chen Dongtao and others to offset the payment.

Zhang Xianzhong pulled out the dagger at his waist, made a mark on his thumb, and pressed a handprint under his name.

"Good! Handsome and bold! This contract was signed, and the merchants went back to prepare those big Buddha Lang machines for the commander's battle! ”

"Also, when the commander fights in the future, if there is anything urgently needed in the army, you can rely on this contract and token to transfer goods to the Nanzhong firm near the left, and pay according to the price! Only under the power of the handsome tiger, you can restrain the soldiers and open up to the Nanzhong businessmen! ”

"This is natural! It's all a family, who dares to move, Lao Tzu is the first to split him! ”

Hearing that with this contract, he can no longer worry about the shortage of baggage in the army, and Zhang Xianzhong can't help but be overjoyed.

"Xiao Wang, Yu'er, Lao Bai, a few of you will pass the order on my behalf, if anyone dares to offend Chen's shopkeeper's brothers in the future, they will be beheaded on the spot to show the public!" (To be continued......)