In November of the fifth year of Chongzhen, the Dongchuan thieves who had been entrenched in Shaanxi for several years were finally destroyed under the conquest of the official army. The governor of the three sides, Hong Chengchou, left several teams of men and horses to patrol to prevent the lawbreakers from recovering in Dongchuan again, and the other people and horses returned to their respective stations.

Only a few troops, including Cao Wenzhao, the general soldier of Lintao, continued to lead the army south to pursue the thieves who had previously wandered into Xi'an. As long as this gang of fugitives is cleared, the thief rebellion in Shaanxi can basically come to an end.

And Zhang Mengjin, the capital of the camp on the Jingbian side of Yansui West Road, was not selected to be included in the southward pursuit. Dai Junen, the soldier of the West Road, received a report that the Ming army outside the border wall did not collect at night, and more than 200 thieves appeared more than ten miles outside the border.

Dai Junen was worried that it would be a prelude to the Mongol invasion, so he hurriedly recalled Zhang Mengjin's elite troops.

After Zhang Mengjin received the news, he gave up the idea of returning to Jindingshan first. Instead, he took his men and horses directly back to the Jingbian camp to garrison, and immediately Zhou Shaoteng and Fan Shunjiang, the two experienced sentinel leaders, went out to investigate.

During this time, the Mongols outside the border wall of Yansui West Road did not make any major movements. Because in April of this year, in order to avoid the conquest of Hou Jian, Lin Dan Khan had already moved west with his men again, and could not lead his men and horses to harass the many military forts on the Yansui West Road.

After that, Jianyu was outside the Datong Xuanfu and attacked the border fort of the Ming Dynasty and chose to retreat. There were only a few small Mongol tribes left in the Hetao area, and even if they could harass a certain Ming military fort, they would not have the strength to continue deep into the hinterland.

This has brought many benefits to Shaanxi, one is that during this time, there is no need to worry about large-scale looting outside the border wall. The second is the embarrassing Mongolian reward silver problem, which can be ignored for the time being. The third is that the elite soldiers in the border towns can go south and begin to wipe out the thieves in various parts of Shaanxi. (Note 1)

Now that the Dongchuan thieves have been exhausted, Dai Junen and the others thought that their good luck was over, and the Mongols began to make trouble again. But when Zhou Shaoteng and others came back with the news they had discovered, everyone knew that it was a false alarm.

It turned out that the Mongols were just a small tribe of about 100 people, and they just placed some straw men on their horses to frighten the sentinels of the Ming army.

And this group of Mongols chose to leave quickly after that, Zhou Shaoteng and Fan Shunjiang and their sentry cavalry were in the sentry mission, and they captured a ranger of the queen before asking the truth.

Now that the threatening alarm has been lifted, the West Road has returned to its previous peaceful days.

Zhang Mengjin and others rested in the Jingbian camp, and some of the people who had been injured in the previous battle were sent to Jinding Mountain for recuperation after some diagnosis and treatment.

The thief caught by Yu Baocheng and Wei Heyong on the bank of Gao's house was also sent to Jinding Mountain with his younger brother.

……

"Doctor Yang, how is my brother's injury?" Seeing that Jin Dingshan's doctor had completed the diagnosis and treatment, Zhao Ran, who was also lying on the bed, opened his mouth to ask.

"His hand has finally been saved, and the wound must not touch the water for a while. Give him some delicious food, and usually remember to change his dressing, and it should be nothing big after twenty days. You don't have to worry so much, be careful that the wound is torn. ”

While packing up his own medicine box, Doctor Yang opened his mouth to reply with relief, and at the same time stopped Zhao Ran's somewhat large movements.

Hearing that his younger brother was no longer in serious trouble, and he had successfully saved his arm, Zhao Ran said happily: "Doctor, you are really a miracle doctor, our brother will definitely remember your great kindness." ”

"This is the order of the leader of Xiucai in the village, and I am just following orders, you should go and thank the leader of Xiucai. Don't forget to change the dressing yourself, your injuries are actually quite serious, don't hold on alone. As for the supplements to eat for recuperation, the leader of Xiucai should also prepare some for you, so you don't have to worry, as long as you heal your injuries as soon as possible. ”

This doctor surnamed Yang in Jin Dingshan, whose name is Yang Xiaodong, is actually from the peak of Artemisia. Although he is relatively young, his medical skills are outstanding in the entire Baoan County, and even in the adjacent Ansai County.

And he is modest, and his patients, regardless of whether they are leaders or slaves, are kind to everyone, so everyone in Jinding Mountain likes this young and promising doctor.

This time, he received Zhang Mengcheng's commission to heal the newly arrived Ding brothers in the village, and he was as serious as ever. Even if the other party is a descendant who has just joined the cottage, he has no disrespect.

"I really should thank the people in the village, and I will express my gratitude again later. But after all, our brother was cured by you, the doctor, although I don't have any money to thank now, but our brothers will definitely remember this love, and we will definitely find an opportunity to repay the doctor in the future. ”

Zhao Ran seriously said that the doctor had a great kindness to him, and he would definitely repay him in the future, and now he even planned to get up and kowtow to the doctor regardless of his injury.

"Don't mess around, be careful of your injuries, this little bit of false etiquette is really unnecessary."

Yang Xiaodong resolutely stopped Zhao Ran's movements, and finally calmed the other party. However, he had other things to do and could not stay here any longer, so he then spoke: "If you find out what is going on later, you can come to me, and now that I have other things, I will not disturb your brother's rest." ”

"Doctor, go slowly, and I'll send you again." Zhao Ran didn't care that he was still injured, and despite the doctor's dissuasion, he still sent Yang Xiaodong out.

"Be careful of your leg injury, don't mess around, okay, enough, you get down quickly, or I'll be angry." Yang Xiaodong was so good at talking, and finally persuaded the other party to go back. In order to avoid any further trouble, he hurriedly left the place.

After seeing the doctor leave, Zhao Ran, who was still lying on the bed, moved his body, came to his brother-in-law and asked, "Little baby, what do you think, the doctor said that your arm was saved, and you don't have to worry about becoming a cripple anymore." ”

"Brother, I'm much better, you don't have to care. You've got injuries too, so get some rest. Wu Quanwu also heard the doctor say that his hand was saved, so he was very happy, and his tone was much more relaxed than before.

"Brother is no big deal, Dr. Yang's medical skills are very powerful, and now my brother's body doesn't hurt anymore." Although Zhao Ran's words were a little stubborn, he was indeed fine.

Zhao Ran felt that these days, he really seemed to be transferred. When he saw an official army targeting him halfway up the mountain by Gao's house before, he almost thought that he was about to be killed by the official army's bird gun.

But after the sound of the gun, it was the leader next to him who died. The only discomfort he experienced was that he was splashed in the eyes by the blood spurting from the body of the carved arrow. Even in the subsequent battle, he was stabbed several times, but none of them were fatal.

Even if it was the two knives that were pierced through the left and right calves by Leader Yu, that is, the pain was worse when he was first knifed, and his actions after that were not very convenient. Moreover, Leader Yu is clever and deliberately avoids his vital points.

So although I looked miserable at the time, I didn't have to worry about the injury on my leg later. Now that he has been treated by Dr. Yang again, Zhao Ran feels that his two legs will be able to return to normal after a while.

The two officers and officers who captured him alive at that time did not kill him afterwards. And because of the appreciation of the head of the general surplus, both brothers were treated by the official army.

even went through a relationship by pleading for mercy, and asked for two tickets to the governor of the three sides, Hong Chengchou, for himself and the fine baby.

Now, in order to further heal the injuries on himself and the three children, he was actually sent directly to Jinding Mountain like this. Being able to sleep peacefully without worrying about the pursuit of the officers and soldiers and your own livelihood is really like something that only happens in a dream.

"Zhao Ran, it's inconvenient for you now. I'm Lao Chen, just say something at your convenience. At this time, Chen Weili, the top cigarette under Yu Baocheng, came to the door, and he shouted at Zhao Ran in the room.

"It's okay, Brother Chen, come in. Baby Xiaozi, Brother Chen has come to see us, remember to say hello later. After responding to Chen Weili, Zhao Ran then instructed the little baby.

"Doctor Yang's medical skills are good, he invited the most proud disciple of the miracle doctor at the top of Artemisia, the leaders of our cottage, to invite him with a lot of effort."

After entering the house, Chen Weili saw that the two brothers were in good spirits, so he boasted of the military doctor of Jindingshan. Chen Weili hung his right hand on his chest, and several pieces of wood were tied to it. In the previous battle of Gaojiaban, he fractured his right hand due to the attack of the thieves, so he was also transferred back to Jinding Mountain to recuperate.

"It's really good, both of us brothers are feeling better, thank you really Leader."

"Hello Brother Chen, I feel that my arm is much better, thank you for coming to see me."

Zhao Ran and Wu Quanwu expressed their gratitude to Chen Weili one after another, which made Ding Shangyan feel good, so he took out the condolences that had been hidden behind him and said: "You brothers need supplements to recuperate, come and see what I bring you." ”

Seeing Chen Weili suddenly take out a bag of things, Zhao Ran said with some doubts: "Brother Chen, ...... are you?" ”

"This is the leader of Xiucai, oh, that is, the Lord Qianhu asked me to bring it, and inside is a package of processed jerky. He knows that you don't have any money on you now, and you need some delicious food to replenish your body, and you usually treat these things as snacks. When it's time for dinner, I'll bring you another chicken stew. You are blessed, these are all specially collected by the big boss when the thousand households were recuperating from their injuries. ”

Chen Weili is now Yu Baocheng's henchman, so he naturally knows Zhao Ran's previous performance. Although everyone in northern Shaanxi respects the most respectful and courageous man, although he already knows that Zhao Ran is actually from Hunan, it does not affect Chen Weili's admiration for him, so he took the initiative to ask the leader Yu and the leader of Xiucai, who were still negotiating, for this errand.

"How embarrassing is this, Lord Qianhu is really polite, do you want Brother Chen to eat a little." Chen Weili takes a lot of care of Zhao Ran, so since he has delicious food, Zhao Ran feels that he should also repay the other party.

"Now that you are penniless, I will not take advantage of these small advantages. In addition, my daughter-in-law has sorted out some old clothes, and I will send them to you later, they are all things that are not needed, so you should not be polite to me. "In the past, the bandits in Huanxian County smoked on their heads, but now they are a very considerate officer and soldier, and the changes in the world are really impressive.

PS: Note 1: The reward silver originated from the Longqing Peace Conference, and when the Ming and Mongolia traded with each other, the Mongol envoys would also come to the Ming border. At first, it was only a temporary reward from some Xinjiang ministers, and the Mongol nobles also restrained their own people because of this money. Later, this thing developed into a rule, but because of the changes in the strength of the Ming and Mongolian sides, the reward silver also seemed very embarrassing from time to time.

In fact, in the vision of the Mongols, such as "The Biography of Altan Khan" and "Golden Historical Compendium", the title given by the Ming Dynasty to Altan Khan, that is, Altan Khan, was the title of "Shang" (ergükü), not the title of "reward" (kürtegekü). For the goods provided by the Ming Dynasty to the Mongols, they also had a strong sense of superiority and considered them to be "tribute and taxes" (alba tatalγ-a). So once the Ming Dynasty did not give money according to the regulations, the wolf smoke burning on the border would rise.

The official vision of the Ming Dynasty was naturally the opposite of that of the Mongols. But these vain statements do not mean that all Ming officials and even the emperor are fools. They naturally knew that there was something embarrassing about rewarding silver, but this thing could sometimes play a big role for the loosely influenced Mongol nomadic alliance, such as restraining some Mongolian nobles and suppressing other Mongolian nobles who were aggressive towards the Ming Dynasty.

At the same time, this embarrassing thing can indeed maintain a certain amount of peace on the border. So throwing away the useless face, from a pragmatic point of view, the Ming Dynasty did not completely abandon this measure. However, because the finances of the Ming Dynasty were increasingly depleted, the payment of this reward silver was often in arrears.

For example, from the 29th year of Wanli to the third year of Chongzhen, a total of 5,794,723.144 taels of silver were owed to the king of Shunyi. More than five million taels is just a Bu Lost Rabbit suppressed by Lin Dan Khan, and how many other Mongolian nobles will there be.

Later, Lin Dan Khan openly asked the court for money, which also made Chongzhen angry. For example, Sun Chengzong and Yuan Chonghuan have commented on this item, and in the late Ming Dynasty, more and more people have complained about this kind of thing, which has essentially evolved into spending money to buy peace. It's too much to say, so that's it, if you're interested, you can flip through the information yourself.