Chapter Seventy-Two: The Emperor's Small Actions Prisoner of War Arrangements

Using the kiln gang people to fight the thieves is a strategy that no matter how stupid the emperor is, it can't even be counted as a strategy, that is, everyone knows that it must be done. As for the various criticisms raised by those civil servants, they are just small tricks that they want to restrain their imperial power everywhere. Emperor Chongzhen didn't even bother to pay attention. Although Emperor Chongzhen heard that the Yaogang people defeated Li Zicheng, he was often happy and couldn't control himself. However, he still began to worry that the kiln gang people were getting bigger. Although the kiln people still recognize themselves as the emperor, every time they hear the good news of the radio broadcast, they will immediately receive a secret letter from the kiln people. This kind of secret letter is enough to make Emperor Chongzhen feel the joy of victory again, and at the same time, he can feel that he is the master of these, and he feels that he is the emperor, no matter how powerful the Yaogang people are, they are still their subjects. Even because of this, Emperor Chongzhen once again showed off a secret letter sent by Yaogang to an important minister. The important minister held a secret letter full of numeric codes, and the appearance that he couldn't understand at all also made Emperor Chongzhen very happy. In the end, Emperor Chongzhen told him complacently, "This is a secret letter from the people of Yaogang, and only I can understand it." ”

Those Wenchen didn't understand the relationship between Emperor Chongzhen and the Yaogang people.

However, it is absolutely impossible to let the Yaogang people drive away Li Zicheng and regard Shanxi and Shaanxi as his territory, which is still the place of the Ming Dynasty, and Emperor Chongzhen's idea is to make up his mind. But he was worried that the Yaogang people would cut off their silver, in that case, let alone take care of the Ming Dynasty, he wouldn't even be able to eat. Besides, if the kiln people turn their faces, they can't help them at all. Their military power is simply terrifying.

Li Zicheng's million-strong army was defeated by them, and some people say that the Yaogang people won the victory by taking advantage of firearms and waiting for work at ease, and Li Zicheng underestimated the enemy. But this time it was different, and in more than three months, the Shaanxi nest that Li Zicheng had painstakingly managed was completely eliminated. It is said that Li Zicheng was so frightened that he ran away without even resisting. What is terrifying about the Yaogang people is not only the amazing combat power of the army, but also that they are obviously prepared for all their actions. The army in front opened the way, and the officials in the back followed up and took over, and they simply didn't think of leaving anything for the imperial court. It seems that the people of Yaogang have a long-term plan, and although they are also working hard to prepare, their strength is still too bad. The soldiers and horses mobilized from Beizhili and Shandong, and the grain and grass gathered, are simply insignificant compared with the kiln workers. In the past, I felt that the Yaogang people did not seize the pass of the Taihang Eight Paths after occupying Shanxi, because they wanted the court to know that they had no intention of rebelling. But now it seems that they don't worry about their own military power at all, and they don't have to spend energy managing these places. The Yaogang people are not stationed here, but the imperial court should strengthen the garrison here, but it can't be too obvious, so as not to let the Yaogang people know that they are dissatisfied.

As for what to do with Shanxi and Shaanxi, let the courtiers arrange it. If you don't get it with the kiln people, you will come forward again, anyway, the places that can't be put in the Ming Dynasty will be handed over to the kiln people. Otherwise, there is no difference between it and Li Zicheng.

In fact, Li Zhi had already reported the news of the imperial court's conscription and preparation for war in Beizhili (Hebei) and Shandong, and Zhang Zhimu did not take their little actions seriously. Zhang Zhimu understood these actions of Emperor Chongzhen. Because Emperor Chongzhen still has to do his best to maintain his own Ming dynasty. However, Zhang Zhimu didn't want to have a showdown with Emperor Chongzhen too early.

Kiln Gang Command Center.

Lu Chengxiang, who had just returned from Lingshui Wharf, was happy with a smile on his face.

As soon as he entered the house, Yan Boju joked: "It seems that Lao Lu has picked up gold!" You see his face is round again. ”

"Hey, hey! I'm happier than picking up gold," Lu Chengxiang said as he sat down and gestured with his hand, "It's great to get more than 50,000 women." ”

"Just up to you, and get more than 50,000 women?" Yan Boju deliberately teased Lu Chengxiang.

"Go, go!" Lu Chengxiang feigned anger and said, "I don't have that spirit anymore." Now it's a big problem for Baotou. But thanks to the Red Lady and Yang Yulin, they passed. Otherwise, it's not easy to do. ”

Zhang Zhimu handed Lu Chengxiang a glass of water and said, "Tell me quickly, how is this done?" ”

This time, in Shaanxi, more than 300,000 male and 50,000 female officers and soldiers were captured. Thanks to the large amount of grain hoarded in Tongguan in advance, it can be transported to Shaanxi nearby. Otherwise, it is a big problem for hundreds of thousands of captives to eat. For convenience, the captives ended up in Weinan. Because the ships of Yaogang can directly transport materials to Weinan by ship, where it is convenient to provide food. So a long prisoner camp was built on the south bank of the Wei River in Weinan.

Some of the captives knew that the Kiln Gang people did not kill the captives, but most of them did not. Seeing that there were more and more prisoners concentrated, some of them said, "Oh no! Now that more and more people are coming in, what if the kiln people can't take care of the food? ”

"yes, if you don't get it right, you'll start killing. Let's run. ”

"If you run out and don't get it right, you'll starve to death. Besides, now the people of Shaanxi see us like thieves, maybe they go out and be beaten to death by the people. ”

The captives were talking a lot, waiting for the time of doom.

The female captives were even more panicked, they knew that the fate of being a female prisoner would be even more miserable, and there were even female captives who committed suicide. However, to the luck and confusion of the captives, the food is getting better and better. It's even better than eating in the barracks.

As the situation settled down, female nurses and soldiers came to the camp to take care of them. At first, they saw the military uniforms with very good fabrics worn by the female health guards in the kiln gang, all of them were clean and beautiful, and they were simply envious, jealous and hateful. Especially when they saw that the female soldiers in the kiln gang were ruddy and could write, they felt even more ashamed of themselves. But when I asked later, I learned that many of these female soldiers fled from the women's barracks of the Dashun Army to Yaogang, and most of them were the original female soldiers of the Red Lady. This made the female captives feel very mixed. The female soldiers of the Red Lady are often bullied by them in the women's barracks. Some of them starved to death without food. Now it's in their hands, and I don't know what they're going to do to them.

The female captives talked more privately about jealousy. And it's jealous redness in the eyes. Those female soldiers who used to dare not squeak loudly in front of them are now dressed so well and have learned to write. All of them were pale and red, and those handsome and beautiful kiln officers always came to pay their respects to them. They hum songs all day long, and they don't know how to do it. In short, the jealousy of women has reached its extreme at this time.

But jealousy is jealousy, and they have to face their own unknowable fate.

One day, the food got better. Steamed snow-white steamed buns, stir-fried greens, and broth. There is also a lot of minced meat in the soup bowl.

However, one of the female prisoners in a female prisoner camp suddenly burst into tears, and she said, "This is a decapitated meal, right?" Otherwise, we will not be given meat to eat. ”

"That's right! Why give us broth to drink for no reason. Also, why do you give us such good white flour steamed buns? ”

The female soldiers were in chaos. The female soldiers who were guarding the camp didn't know what was going on. I hurriedly ran to this female prisoner camp and wanted to ask what was going on, but the female prisoners in this camp were chaotic and did not listen to the greetings.

The female platoon commander took out a pistol and fired three shots into the sky, which brought the scene under control.

When they asked about the situation, the female soldiers couldn't laugh or cry angrily. The platoon commander of the female soldiers ordered all the food to be taken away from the camp. Then bring out the female officers from this captive camp. The female platoon commander took them to the wharf on the Wei River, pointed to a string of tugboats that were unloading the boat, and said, "Look, those are quick-frozen mutton and chicken that have just been transported. Today you have drunk the broth, and our mutton has arrived. At the back of the boat is the flour from our kiln. Our flour is so white. Because the wheat bran that is ground on the wheat is made into MSG by us. Therefore, the white flour steamed buns in our kiln are exceptionally white. If we had tried to kill you, we would not have brought you another cotton coat. ”

"And give us cotton coats? Why? A captive female officer asked.

"The cotton coats that arrived today are the first generation of military uniforms in our former army. However, it has been re-dismantled and washed, and the cotton has been re-dried and bounced and sewn. Keep it clean and warm. Why? Because it's still a little cold at night, I'm afraid you'll be freezing. The female platoon commander said.

"But...," the captured female officers still couldn't understand.

"Humph!" The female platoon commander said, "Do you want to ask, why is it so good to you?" ”

"Yes, no." The female platoon commander asked bluntly, and the captured female officer didn't know what to say.

"I tell you, first, it is our military discipline to give preferential treatment to prisoners; Second, if you lay down your arms, you will not be enemies, and we will treat you as sisters. We, Mr. Zhang, are also telling us that you are all here to eat a bite of food, to be a soldier for your life, and we want us to treat you well. If there is a way to live, that woman is not willing to be at home with her husband and children. ”

The words of the female platoon commander made these captured female officers who were much older than her admire her very much, and they were also very moved in their hearts. No one has cared about them for a long time, and as women, they have also lost their instinct to care for others in the barracks. At this moment, they have regained the feeling of being women.

When sending them back, the female platoon commander said: "Go back and tell the sisters that I will take care of everyone as much as possible if conditions permit." But if someone makes trouble, then I'm not welcome. This is a prisoner of war camp after all. ”

I didn't eat a good meal, which made the female prisoners in this captive camp feel too wronged. began to find the captive who was the first to cry out for anger. But it was stopped by the officers here. Now the female officers in the prisoner camp are also very entangled. They knew that the camp was not well guarded, and they muttered that they wanted to escape. But some people hesitated, because they knew that Li Zicheng was too far away, and they were afraid that they would escape and not get to Li Zicheng, so they would starve to death on the road. So they didn't dare to move.

The female captives were each given a cotton coat, because it was still very cold at night, and it was much better to have it. The cotton coats were old but clean, and some of the female prisoners were born in poor families. The cotton coat they got was already their best outfit. That's why they wear them and cherish them.

Regarding the transformation of the captives, the kiln gang people were also carefully designed.

At first, they can't be instilled too much about how good the kiln gang is, because they will be very rebellious and can't accept it. It is necessary to wait for them to stay in the prisoner camp for a long time, defeat the anger, and then slowly infiltrate and affect them. As long as they begin to care about their future and destiny, then the time has come.

The prisoner camp, who was starved for making trouble, never made any more trouble. Because they don't want to let their stomachs suffer. Gradually, the captives became familiar with the female soldiers who guarded them. They asked if they could change some tricks on the food. The female soldiers, of course, agreed, and asked their cooks to come out and help. Unexpectedly, the female captives were willing to come out to help. Because they can change the environment when they come out, and they can also talk to the female soldiers in the kiln.

One captive at a time asked a female soldier in the kiln, this female soldier was the female soldier of the original Red Lady, "Do you hate us?" ”

"When you bullied us in the women's barracks, you hated us to death, and you had the heart to kill you. But when I see you like this, I don't hate it. The female soldier said, "It is not easy to survive as a woman in this troubled world. ”

"Are all the female soldiers you escaped from the kiln?"

"No, there are older people who can't marry if they become soldiers again, some of them work in factories, some in kindergartens and many other places. More went to Baotou. The younger ones went to school. ”

"Well, there are still wild places in Baotou?"

"Huh! You don't know that hundreds of thousands of people have migrated to our kiln gang over there. There are many single men there who have land, carts and horses, but there is a shortage of mothers-in-law. They can pick a good man to marry there. Besides, the woman who went to Baotou was encouraged by the kiln gang and gave a lot of silver. I went as a soldier. Hehe! ”

The words of the female soldier would soon spread in the prisoner camps. For these female soldiers, marrying a man who has land, a car, a horse and a house is simply their dream. Especially the older ones, they can't let go of it after hearing this.

Slowly, they began to find ways to inquire about the kiln. In the end, of course, the question is about their future fate. Unable to help but elect their officers, they asked the female soldiers in charge of them what would happen to them in the end. The female soldiers replied, "We don't have the right to decide where you end up. Wait, soon things in Shaanxi will be stable. I'll think about you. ”

The female captives began to wait in real anxiety. Seeing that the fire was almost over, the female soldiers invited them out, captured the officers in the camp, and told them, "The kiln post has been decided." You are willing to go to Li Zicheng, and you have no objection. It can be released immediately, and Li Zicheng's concubines have already been sent away. You can take the coat that was given to you. Other people who are willing to work in the kiln can go to the kiln, and those who are willing to go to Baotou to participate in the reclamation of the wasteland will be given a unified arrangement and a part of the funding. However, if you are too young, you have to go to the kiln to study in school. ”

When the female captives heard the news, they jumped with joy. It turned out that a few people who wanted to go to Li Zicheng also hesitated, they lived a life of three full meals a day, and they were already afraid of two porridges in the Dashun army camp that were not enough for the bottom.

Regarding the female captives, Lu Chengxiang insisted that they all be sent to Baotou. Because there are still too few women over there. And Lu Chengxiang also learned the lessons of the past. It turned out that many women who were ready to go outside the customs were reluctant to leave when they were concentrated in the kiln. So Lu Chengxiang said, "Those women were arranged at Lingshui Wharf and pulled directly to Guanwai by train." ”

Now when the tugboat of Yaogang goes to Weinan, it pulls all the material, and when it comes back, it pulls all the female prisoners.

In order to reassure these female captives, the Red Lady personally went to Lingshui Wharf to greet them. Comfort them. When each batch arrived at one or two thousand people, they arranged for them to take a bath and change their clothes in the naval barracks. After washing and changing into clothes, they all look different. These days in the prisoner of war camp, because of the good food, they all have good faces. After changing their clothes, they took pictures of each of them. Those who were too young were sent to Yaogang to continue their studies, and most of the captives were persuaded to go to Baotou to participate in the reclamation. And if you agree to go to the reclamation, you can get the silver by filling out the form immediately. The women who had worked hard had never had such a silver in their hands. When they got the money, their hands trembled.

Lu Chengxiang personally went to Lingshui Wharf to arrange for these people to be assigned to different places. According to the arrangement, Baotou has done a good job of reception there.

Since the female soldiers knew about the Red Lady, she participated in this work. The female captives were much more relieved.

In the end, more than 40,000 female captives got on the train and went directly to Guanwai. Lu Chengxiang was very excited to complete this work. He knew that as long as there were women there, men would be much more stable. With these 40,000 women, the population will grow a lot in a few years.

There are more than 10,000 people who stay in the kiln, some of whom are too young and need to study, and some of whom are too old and need to be assigned some jobs that suit them, such as cleaning. There are also some people who are really not in good health and need to stay in the kiln for recuperation and treatment.

Compared to female captives, male captives seem to be more adaptable. After a few days of eating a full meal, they began to be unable to stay. If they needed help with something, they rushed out. Their former officer scolded: "Why didn't you find out that you were still so willing to work? ”

The captives said, "Come on, what did we eat before?" Now the food is better than what we eat during the New Year, and it is uncomfortable not to do some work. ”

Most of the people sent by the Yaogang people to see them were the original soldiers of the Dashun Army. As soon as they came into contact, these Dashun prisoners were all moved. Seeing that the original brothers were now wearing straight military uniforms and walking with their chests and backs upright, they also began to envy and hate.

After Liu Yun got the telegram that the kiln post was to be renovated and the Qin Straight Road was to be renovated, and these prisoners were needed to participate, he began to mobilize. Tell the captives that they could volunteer to build the road. The food for participating in the road construction is better than that here, and there is a silver subsidy according to the quality of the work.

At first, there were not many applicants, but the method adopted by Liu Yun was to raise enough 10,000 people and take 10,000 people away.

The Qin Straight Road has a total of more than 700 kilometers from Baotou to Xianyang, that is, more than 1,500 miles. According to the length of Qin Zhidao, Yaogang required them to build 50,000 miles of land, so 50,000 miles of land, build a camp, live 10,000 people, and have a regiment of soldiers to guard. Most of the soldiers in custody were Zhou Yuji's soldiers who had returned from the Great Wall, because the Great Wall did not need so many people to guard it now. There are also many soldiers who did not participate in the military operation in Ordos. They are happy to be able to come out to participate in the road repair work, because the food here is according to the standards of the kiln workers. Eating well is too tempting for a soldier.

Liu Yun's method is very effective. At first, there were very few captives who participated in the construction of the road. But after a long time, there is no need to urge, and more and more people have signed up. Soon, half of the prisoner camp remained. Seeing the various camps merging, the captives couldn't stand still.

The soldiers guarding their kiln laughed at the remaining captives and said: "Those who arrived at the construction site early have become small leaders, and the subsidies are much more than those who went later." The later you go, the less you earn. When the road construction project is completed, some people can take the money and go home to marry their wives. Wait here! ”

In the end, there were more than 10,000 people left, and Liu Yun didn't care whether they wanted to or not, so they were all divided into various sections.

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Mt. Fuji erupted, Japan was earthquaked. --Progress of "Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty".