The emperor issued an edict to allocate 50,000 taels of silver to the sharpshooter battalion, and the generals who participated in the training were each given 10 taels of silver per month, and the sergeants were increased by 2 taels. It's all silver, not grain.

Whether it is a civil and military official, or a sharpshooter battalion, all of them are given grain, and there is no precedent for issuing silver. As soon as the news came out, there was a sensation in the government and the opposition, and countless people sharpened their heads and wanted to enter the sharpshooter camp.

Gu Xingzu was overjoyed, and after receiving the edict, he entered the palace to thank him, and then went to the Jinyiwei compound to thank Zhang Ning, and when he entered the door, he hugged his fists and saluted, and said: "Lord Zhang, virtuous nephew, the old man is grateful, but I really don't know how to repay it." ”

50,000 taels of silver is enough for more than 3,000 sergeants in the battalion, and more than 20 generals will be paid for six or seven months. Besides, this is extra, and the original Yu Lu is still issued.

Zhang Ning teased: "Master Hou, don't promise yourself, this official can't afford it." "I'm not interested in men.

"You kid actually made fun of the old man. Hahaha. Gu Xingzu wanted to make a look of blowing his beard and staring, his eyes were just bulging, and the smile on his face couldn't hold back, where could he stare at it? He grabbed Zhang Ning's arm and said, "You just want to be a brother with the old man, and the old man immediately agreed." Don't you know, the old man goes to the household department every month to ask for military salaries, which month is not allowed to go several times? Sometimes you can't get it on time. ”

"Why?" Zhang Ning was puzzled. The first emperor should have a lot of silver left, but now the nobles are still there, and the civil officials can't cover the sky with one hand, why is it so difficult to ask for military salaries?

Gu Xingzu said: "It's okay in the first year of orthodoxy, and you can get it on time in the second year, but it will be delayed for a day or two in the third or fourth year, and now it will not be delayed for ten days and a half months, and you will definitely not be able to get it." Every time the old man breaks his leg, he has all the good things to say. Alas, it's difficult. ”

It's now eight years of Orthodoxy. In other words, it has been eight years since Zhu Zhanji died, and even if he left more silver, it would be almost spent. Zhang Ning said: "Silver, it's always forbidden to spend it." ”

"yes. Every time the household department always shirks, the old man doesn't know if he really has no money or excuses, in short, there is no time to be so happy. Gu Xingzu said: "The sharpshooter battalion is one of the three major battalions, and outsiders look at the scenery, but in fact, they are ......."

"Now it's okay, with these 50,000 taels, the soldiers can rest assured." He sighed and was relieved.

The three battalions are the emperor's own army, and the sergeants who are filled into the three battalions are all good sons of one out of a hundred, these people have to support their families, and the monthly salary cannot be paid on time, and the sergeants will inevitably complain. Now I have this silver, the cash money issued, and the money for two months a month, and my morale is greatly boosted.

Zhang Ning said: "Master Hou, 50,000 taels can't all be used for hair, and you have to buy the best armor and replace it with a new type of firecracker." Also, the sharpshooter battalion doesn't need so many people, according to this official, a thousand people are enough. ”

The two walked while talking, and at this time walking on the stone road leading to the courtyard where Zhang Ning lived, Gu Xingzu was stunned when he heard this, stopped his steps, and said, "A thousand people? ”

I have more than 3,000 people under my command, which is not too little, and you tell me now, 1,000 people are enough? What about the remaining 2,000 people? No, I'm missing more than 2,000 people all at once.

Zhang Ning motioned for him to enter the courtyard and went to the flower hall to speak, while saying: "Ah Nian and Ah Chun go to the sharpshooter camp every day to train sergeants, I wonder if Hou Ye is watching at the scene?" ”

"Just look at the first day for two hours." Gu Xingzu wanted to say that he had been watching it, but he thought that he couldn't hide it from Zhang Ning, so he had to tell the truth.

"What do you think?"

"I don't see anything. The two sergeants were divided into three teams, and each team repeated the action of shooting in turns, retreating, and filling the projectile, which was very boring. Gu Xingzu said: "A-Ning, do you have any meaning for letting them do this?" ”

"This way, please." Zhang Ning pointed to the left-hand side and said, "Master Hou has experienced a hundred battles, led the troops for many years, and has been the commander of the sharpshooter battalion for not ten years, but also eight years, right?" You can't see such a small thing? ”

Are you kid laughing at me to my face? Gu Xingzu's face turned red, he wanted to have a seizure, and he wanted Zhang Ning to bear the infamy, and he had just gotten 50,000 taels of silver for the sharpshooter camp, so he had to swallow this breath and said, "Please also ask the virtuous nephew for some advice." ”

Zhang Ning went from being held by him to supporting him, the two walked into the flower hall together, invited him to sit down, and ordered Qing'er to serve tea, and then said: "Master Hou has watched for two hours, don't you understand, how many people in this formation will be injured by mistake?" Ancient books say that the person who created this formation only used a hundred people to be invincible. We use 1,000 people, which is already ten times as many people. ”

In a word, after learning the three-stage form, a thousand people are enough, and the rest can be disbanded.

Gu Xingzu was willing to do so, and said: "Virtuous nephew, you and Ah Chun should be good, for Ah Chun's sake, you can't cheat the old man." There are a thousand people left, this, this, this ......" In a hurry, he couldn't find the right words to persuade Zhang Ning.

Zhang Ning said with a smile: "Master Hou is worried about the lack of people and loneliness, right?" The fire gun is powerful and invincible, who dares to underestimate it? You should make the sharpshooter battalion a place where everyone wants to enter, but no one can get in. ”

"What?" Gu Xingzu doesn't understand, according to what you say, fewer people are still an advantage? Of course, the more soldiers and horses, the better, and how can there be as few as possible? Do you kid understand? If it weren't for the 50,000 taels of silver, he would turn around and leave now, not talking nonsense with Zhang Ning, for the sake of 50,000 taels of silver at this time, he would have to patiently ask Zhang Ning for advice.

Zhang Ning said: "You don't want to use all the 50,000 taels of silver allocated by His Majesty to make a fortune, right?" Half a year will be spent, and then you tell the soldiers that the silver is spent, and everyone will go back to the days of a few stones of millet a month. Do they promise, you say? ”

"Isn't it you?" Gu Xingzu said with anticipation.

"Master Hou, the commander of the sharpshooter battalion is you, not me." Zhang Ning seemed to hear the funniest joke, and laughed back and forth, how could he have half the fierceness of the commander of the Jinyi Guard?

Qing'er served tea, Gu Xingzu stood up, Qing'er was caught off guard, the vermilion lacquer tray in his hand was knocked over by him, the tea cup fell to the ground, fell apart, and the tea splashed on the ground.

Qing'er glanced at Zhang Ning, and was about to ask for guilt, Zhang Ning said softly: "Clean it up." ”

"Yes, Childe." Qing'er said and glanced at Gu Xingzu, you said that you are so old, what are you doing so impulsively?

Gu Xingzu shook off his hand that was burned by the tea, and said, "So, only this silver?" ”

"Don't you ask why such a large sum of silver fell from the sky?" Zhang Ning was speechless.

"The old man knows, you speak in front of Your Majesty, so that you can train soldiers and set aside money." Gu Xingzu rubbed his nose and said, "Since you want to reuse the Divine Spear Battalion, isn't it normal to continuously dial silver?" ”

Who gave you the rightful and rightful time? Zhang Ning rolled his eyes and said, "Master Hou, Daming has more than one sharpshooter battalion, the three major battalions also have more than one sharpshooter battalion, don't the three thousand battalions and the five military battalions want silver?" I'm afraid that the commanders of the two battalions have already rushed to the noon gate to ask to see His Majesty. Do you still think that the money will continue to flow down? ”