Chapter Ninety-Nine: Two Cadres

The conversation with Mr. Ouyang also started with tea. After the two of them fully tasted the sweetness and bitterness of the tea, Mr. Ouyang put down the teacup, sat upright and said, "Mr. Zhang, I have been coming to Yaogang for many days, and I have been watching you and Yaogang. You've been working hard to build and improve the environment. But did you know that you are now surrounded by danger? ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Please give me advice!" ”

This Mr. Ouyang was not polite, and said: "With your current strength, in this troubled world." Now you don't have the ability to compete with any party, you fight Li Zicheng and save Kaifeng. In fact, it is a big taboo. You are coming out too early when your wings are not yet full. In this way, Li Zicheng hates you, and the court will guard against you, and if you don't get it right, it will quietly attack you. Let's talk about the surroundings, Li Zicheng in the west will soon defeat Shaanxi, and when he turns around, he will immediately deal with the Jin King of Shanxi. You also know what this Jin King is like. I can't count on him to resist Li Zicheng at all, so what should we do? As soon as Li Zicheng's army arrived at our kiln gang, this point was not enough to sweep away the army. The Tatars in the north have always been eyeing each other, and it is difficult to predict when the descendants of Genghis Khan will enter the south, and if there is a crisis in Shanxi, they will definitely take advantage of the chaos. The Ming army in the east was defeated repeatedly in front of the Manchu iron cavalry. Aren't we in danger? ”

Listen to what Mr. Ouyang said. Zhang Zhimu felt that this person was still very knowledgeable, at least with a sense of the overall situation. This is something that these people do not have at present.

Zhang Zhimu said: "What Mr. Ouyang said is that the environment around us is very bad. We shouldn't be too sharp either. However, if we don't fight Li Zicheng's sailors on the Fen River, they will eat us, and then we won't be able to talk about the safety of our surroundings. As for the opening of the seal, I acted only after careful consideration. If Kaifeng was occupied by Li Zicheng, the Central Plains would be completely occupied by Li Zicheng, and the Ming Dynasty would not be able to concentrate too many troops against the Manchus, because he had to divide his troops on the banks of the Yellow River to deal with Li Zicheng. Now the Manchu Qing Dynasty is a much more powerful enemy than Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong. There's no way we can expose ourselves. ”

When Mr. Ouyang heard this, he was overjoyed. I feel that this Zhang Zhimu is really ambitious, thinks about the problem in the long run, and can be compared with ordinary people, and then looks at what he is doing so far, this person must be the dragon and phoenix among people. Mr. Ouyang smiled slightly and said, "I'm really not mistaken, Mr. Zhang really has lofty ambitions." I listened to Lu Qiyi's introduction at home, and there was a person like Mr. Zhang in Shanxi, and I always wanted to get to know him. It just so happened that I also wanted to take a look at the north, so I came out with me. I have been observing Mr. Zhang since I came out. I don't think Mr. Zhang is an ordinary businessman. Listening to your words today, I know that Mr. Zhang really puts the world in his heart. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Mr. has an overreputation. Since my husband has been here for a few days and knows me a little, I won't hide it. I was originally a businessman, but in this troubled world, we are not as strong as we are in each other. Therefore, we should not think about the affairs of the world, but also strive for ourselves. As the saying goes, 'If you want to eat, you need a dog stick'. ”

"So what does Mr. Zhang think?" Mr. Ouyang asked.

Zhang Zhimu once again explained the principle of dividing the world and ruling the country. Zhang Zhimu really wanted to get the help of this Mr. Ouyang, so he told him some ideas about talking to Li Mao. This Mr. Ouyang, after hearing this, got up and was about to bow down. Zhang Zhimu hurriedly stopped. Mr. Ouyang said: "I am willing to rely on what I have learned, fight with whom Mr. Zhang, and die with all my might." ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "I am very happy that Mr. can work together for us. But I'm afraid, I'm afraid that you're fighting for me like this. We should fight for the people of the world. Otherwise, in this world, there will be no escape from the cycle of divide and rule. The goal we strive for is that the world is the world of the people of the world. You must not make a family. When the conditions are ripe in the future, the slogan I want to put forward is 'the world is for the public'. ”

Mr. Ouyang exclaimed: "What a 'world for the public', my goal in this life in the future is to follow Mr. Zhang to fight for the world for the public." ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Sir, I currently have a very important problem that needs to be solved. That is, there were eight major merchants in Zhangjiakou, who secretly transported grain and intelligence for the Manchu Qing Dynasty. However, these businessmen are rich enough to rival the country, and the foundation is very strong. I want to get rid of them, so that one of the Manchus' foreign aid can be reduced, and the time for the Manchus to enter the customs can also be slowed down. That is, to buy us a little time. But I don't know where to start. ”

Mr. Ouyang said: "Our strength now is that although we don't have a lot of troops, we have a small team that is smart and capable. In addition, now we have made great contributions to the imperial court, and the imperial court is our backer. This small team, if you go into battle directly, there are too few people, but it's okay to rob a grain team, as long as we don't do it too obviously, the court will pretend to be confused for the time being. There is also a clear person who wants to stab this matter to the court, and at this time, it involves the safety of the court, and it is useless to let him have anything to do with the court. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Yes, we can use both light and dark. Yan Xing from Niutou Mountain came over tonight, and they were even more experts in this dark aspect. When he comes, we'll discuss it together. ”

Mr. Ouyang took out a cloth bag, opened the cloth bag, and took out dozens of pieces of white silk. He spread out the white silk. Zhang Zhimu looked at the map. Mr. Ouyang said: "These are all maps of all the dangers that I have drawn when I am traveling around. ”

Zhang Zhimu came over and looked at the map and said, "This is a baby." I must find a way, even if it costs a lot of money, I have to get a picture of the Ming Dynasty from the hands of the imperial court. With a map, we can see the big picture. ”

Zhang Zhimu went out and asked Yang Yulin to invite Li Zhi, and asked Li Zhi to bring the map they had drawn.

Zhang Zhimu and Mr. Ouyang talked about it, and they were very happy. Zhang Zhimu smiled and said, "From the moment you came, I could see that you are not a fortune teller. How can there be a fortune teller, with two scholars, with so many books. ”

Mr. Ouyang said: "What I bring is a war book. I want to learn from Mr. Zhang and give lectures to those officers on military books and war books. Talents should be cultivated as early as possible. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Yes. In particular, it is necessary to study the strategy and tactics of the firearms age. Because in the era of firearms, the martial arts of the main general are no longer very important, and the requirements for the mind of the main general are higher. During this time, you, Uncle Chen, and Liu Yun studied our own strategies and tactics in detail. Strategy is to consider the overall situation, and tactics are specific combat methods. The various formations that Mr. learned in the past may not be adapted to the era of firearms, and we have to sum up new things. In fact, those war books and war books were also compiled by predecessors, and I want to have a selective inheritance. I think how to deal with the Mongol cavalry and the Manchu iron cavalry in the steppe is a big research topic. ”

"Mr. Zhang is really extraordinary, and I have this intention." Mr. Ouyang said.

While the two were talking, Li Zhi came in with some drawings. Zhang Zhimu said: "In the future, Mr. Ouyang will be my office director. In my absence, he takes care of my business. ”

Zhang Zhimu spread out the maps of the two of them on the table, and Zhang Zhimu said, let Mr. Lu Bingyi help mark all this useful information on a map. Li Zhi said, "Let's go in a few days." The three disciples of Mr. Lu Bingyi are holding the map of Shanxi that you got from the King of Jin, leading a dozen people to re-explore and supplement it. When they come back, ask them to replenish together. ”

Mr. Ouyang saw that Zhang Zhimu had already made all kinds of preparations here, but outsiders couldn't see it at all. I admire Zhang Zhimu from the bottom of my heart, and I feel a little pressured by the abundance of talents here. So he made up his mind that he must start a study class first. Tell everyone what you've learned all your life.

Yan Xing's arrival is a major event in Yaogang. Mrs. Cai was naturally embarrassed when she saw Yan Xing. Yan Xing and the Yang family talked together for a long time.

Fortunately, Zhang Zhimu didn't arrange a class today, and it was time for everyone to finish dinner. Huang Yukun and Sister-in-law Xu arranged two tables of sumptuous banquets in the restaurant. Several chefs who came together showed their skills and made the banquet very classy.

Attending the dinner were Yang Yulin, Mrs. Cai of the Yang family, Yang Yulin and Yang Jing, as well as Zhang Zhimu, Chen Yufeng, Huang Yukun, Yan Boju, Lu Chengxiang, Lu Bingyi and Mr. Ouyang of the Yao Gang, and of course, Xiaoqing and Xiaohu. The women were at the same table as the children, and Yan Xing came with the three masters, and they were at the same table with these people in the kiln. The women and children over there ate a table steadily, but this table is not good. These people in Yaogang are the life-saving benefactors of Niutou Mountain, and when everyone has said what they should say and thank, the rest is to drink. It is estimated that when Yan Xing and the three masters came, they were ready to drink and lie down. These two drank if they had a toast, or Zhang Zhimu saw that the situation was not good, and gave Chen Yufeng a look. The wine was slowly drunk.

After Zhang Zhimu finished talking to Mr. Ouyang, he said to Huang Yukun and Chen Yufeng: "This Mr. Ouyang is full of wealth, has a sense of the overall situation, and has great potential to be a military officer. I want to try to use him. Chen Yufeng said: "We lack such people in the kiln. Those literati and martial artists cannot replace such people. You can use it boldly. "Huang Yukun, then he has no opinion.

Zhang Zhimu also intended to introduce Mr. Ouyang to everyone on this occasion. When the wine was almost drunk, the topic was brought to the world's major events. This Mr. Ouyang understood that Zhang Zhimu was deliberately creating opportunities for himself on this occasion to show himself. When everyone said about it, Mr. Ouyang summed up what he had talked about with Zhang Zhimu for an afternoon, and said it together, and sure enough, everyone looked at this Mr. Ouyang who was newly raised by Zhang Zhimu, and everyone thought again, if there is no real thing, a mediocre talent will not be able to enter Mr. Zhang's eyes, since Mr. Zhang uses him, he will naturally use his reasoning. When it came to the art of war and tactics, Ouyang, Chen Yufeng, and Yan Xing found their soulmates again. When the three of them talked about the end, they also cherished each other and hated each other. Ouyang said: "In a few days, I will prepare and want to give the officers a lesson in the art of war and tactics. Seeing them discussing this formation and that tactic, Zhang Zhimu said: "No matter what is theoretical, it must be tested in practice." ”

When the wine was finished, Zhang Zhimu could see that Yan Xing had gone out a few times and probably spit out all the wine outside, otherwise he would have poured it a long time ago. Seeing that he can still support, I want to go back to sleep. Zhang Zhimu said no, I will take you to a good place. Yan Xing said: "I don't want to eat flower wine. Don't look at me drinking too much, I know it in my heart. Zhang Zhimu said: "In this way, the second uncle is still a little fancy." All of a sudden, I thought of flower wine. Let's go, don't think about that good thing. There is no place like that in the kiln. ”

Zhang Zhimu and Chen Yufeng took Yan Xing and the three masters to the bath, and a pool of hot water was re-placed in the bath at night. Oil lamps are lit on the walls around the bath, illuminating the bath. Waiting, Yan Xing and the scholars of the three masters adjusted the cold and hot water in the rain, and after taking a shower, several people went down to the hot water pool to soak and sweat profusely. A few people were comfortable, and no one spoke. After a while, someone brought in tea. These people drank those wines and sweated these times, and it was when they were thirsty, and the tea was especially delicious at this time. After a few people drank tea, their minds were also a lot clearer. Yan Xing said: "Comfortable! We Niutou Mountain, which has been in business for several generations, have not made your kiln like this. Seeing that your water is led to the house with a pipe, you don't go out of the house to, and you will wash it away with water directly after you finish. When we get back to the bulls, probably no one will believe it's true. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Otherwise, second uncle, if you want to talk about living conditions, here is better than Niutou Mountain." If the old people and children on the mountain can leave, come to the kiln. Our school is about to open. Children here have to go to school and learn culture. Especially in winter, we have installed heating in all the rooms here, which is to pipe the hot water into the house, so that the house is not cold in winter. A man will suffer less sins. ”

"That's great, we used to think Niutou Mountain was good. When it comes to you, we're a rat's nest. Children can't live like that anymore. To be honest, I've always felt that Zhimu is definitely not an ordinary person, and what you are doing now is no longer something that ordinary people can do. Especially these people under you, any one of them who goes out is a terrible cadre. Can you tell me the truth today. Tell me about your plans for the future. ”

Zhang Zhimu didn't answer his question directly, he adopted the same way of conversation as he did to Li Mao, guiding him to think about the problem. In the end, I said my thoughts and intentions. Zhang Zhimu wanted to pull Yan Xing into his team, and he didn't hide his thoughts and plans from him.

Yan Xing listened to Zhang Zhimu's words, and his heart suddenly brightened. He said, "If only the world could be as you say, everyone would be equal." All the officials are elected together, so who will go up to the mountains to be bandits. Oops, my heart lit up. I didn't know why I was alive before. Now I know, in the days to come, I will follow you to live for that 'world for the public'. So be it. Zhimu, you can take Niutou Mountain into it. More than a thousand of us listen to you, and we will kill wherever you point. You should get a good grasp of the matter of building a party as soon as possible. ”

Chen Yufeng said: "It is not so easy to build a party. The core of this party will be selfless, fearless, and wholeheartedly strive for our common ideals. Yan Xing said: "I can do this, and the knife holder is not ambiguous around the neck." ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Your more than 1,000 people, don't say who co-opts whom." The location of Niutou Mountain is very important. And it's easy to defend and difficult to attack, if it wasn't for the carelessness last time. It is impossible to be attacked so quickly. The bull head still has to be built. In this way, it can form a corner with the kiln. Once things are in danger, the people of Yaogang can first retreat to Niutou Mountain to take refuge. When there is nothing to do, the old and young women on the head of the ox can go to the kiln to live, and the living conditions here will get better and better. It is said that there is still a lot of good land at the foot of Niutou Mountain, and the rest of the brothers might as well plant it. Wait for us to produce some pipes, and let Li Yunhe bring someone to install the heating for you, there is wood on your mountain, just use wood to burn the boiler for heating. ”

Yan Xing said: "I still let you speak." There is really a lot of good land under our ox head, and there is a spring up the mountain, which has enough water to water the ground. When I went back, I organized the brothers to farm, and those who did not want to farm and wanted to leave could also leave. As for the heating and burning wood you said, then it is even more useless. There is coal on the mountain behind us, and you can burn it by pulling it directly. ”

When Zhang Zhimu heard this, he said in his heart, Mom, this Yan Xing guarded Baoshan and went to snatch other people's things. Hurriedly asked: "Can all the coal you said be found in the open field?" ”

"It's directly exposed, and it's more under the soil, and it's coming out with a shovel."

Zhang Zhimu said: "Second uncle, you are guarding Baoshan." After that, you began to farm and pull coal, and you were guaranteed to be more nourishing than you used to be bandits. However, you can't let go of your military training, and you can't let go of the dog-beating stick in your hands in this troubled world. Take some muskets back with you when you go. Then ask Liu Yun to take some brothers to Niutou Mountain to help you train and train. ”

Yan Xing said: "That's great. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "There is one thing I want to ask you. Do you have any understanding of the eight major merchants in Zhangjiakou? ”

"I know too well. They all have our bronze medals in their hands, and they send us a lot of food and silver every year. It's a little less this year. Their caravans often pass through here. Yan Xing said.

Zhang Zhimu said: "These eight Jin merchants have been transporting food and intelligence to the Manchus, and they are typical traitors. We must destroy them, so that we can slow down the time for the Manchus to enter the customs and buy us some time for development. Originally, there were a few bandits from here to kill Hukou, and I wanted to use them to train my soldiers and kill them. Now I don't see any urgency in this matter, and I will keep them as cover. When the grain teams of these eight Jin merchants came, they were all robbed. We don't have enough food to eat, but they use it to feed the enemy. ”

Yan Xing thought for a moment and said, "There are two problems, one is that these businesses have a relationship with the people in the green forest. And their caravans are all large. There are one or two hundred bodyguards. Second, their caravans carrying grain from Shanxi are now much rarer. If they go from Tianjinwei, we can't help it. ”

"Then give him the grain road on this side of Shanxi. One or two hundred bodyguards are easy to deal with if they use muskets. But if you use a musket, you have to silence all the people who say it, or they will soon find out that we did it. In this way, innocent people will be killed indiscriminately, and it will not be easy to kill hundreds of people without running away. Zhang Zhimu said.

"If you're determined to do it, there's a way. One or two gunshots are fine when it counts. The average person cannot hear the difference between a musket and a musket. We can choose a powerful place, take advantage of the fact that they think they have taken care of everything and never have trouble in their hearts, and suddenly attack, the first bow and arrow can kill most of them, and then take them down at once, and some of them can be named with muskets. I saw it last time in Niutou Mountain, and a few of you shot too accurately. There are a few of them and it's all done. When the time comes, the specifics will be studied. I really can't help it. You can't be too merciful. If it is time to extinguish, it must be extinguished. We don't rob other goods. Looting food. They can't figure out what's going on. Let's let it go a little bit more. Said that it was done by a passing horse bandit. It just so happened that we had an accident in Niudoushan. That's it. After a few rounds of getting them, maybe we'll have another way to deal with them. ”

Within a day, Zhang Zhimu, who had two powerful assistants, couldn't be more in a good mood, and Huang Yukun said that he was so beautiful that he sang in his dreams. In fact, Zhang Zhimu had no dreams all night.