The grievances in Si Kuang's heart surged up, and he smiled with an ugly face: "You have Yang Yanzhao in your heart, and he is so hot when he comes!" I'm just a cat and a dog in your heart! It's not hard for you, and you're not willing to help me......"

"You're wrong...... Xuemei sneered, "but you're not entirely wrong. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 info little woman,I like the strongest one among a bunch of men.。 ”

Si Kuang was suddenly annoyed and angry, came up and grabbed Xuemei's arm, and a scolded him in his throat.

Unexpectedly, Xuemei was not afraid, but said coldly: "I see that you are becoming more and more ignorant, what do you want?" ”

Si Kuang was stunned and was at a loss for a while...... He didn't dare to scold Xuemei, this girl knew some powerful characters.

Si Kuang didn't know any dignitaries, and Xuemei was the only person he knew who had a doorway. He thought about it, Xuemei didn't seem to owe him anything, and gave him food and clothing, and slept with him in vain.

Sure enough, Xuemei said softly: "What point am I sorry for?" ”

Si Kuang stood there, very hesitant and wandering, his heart was in turmoil.

On the one hand, he felt that this meal was very untasty, even if he was full and dressed in warm beauties, his heart was very blocked! On the one hand, he doesn't know where the road is now, and there is no way out, this Xuemei may be able to give himself some help...... It really doesn't hurt to her.

At this moment, Xuemei stretched out her hand and put it on Si Kuang Junlang's face, and said gently: "I am good to you with my heart, people, and the most reliable thing is what I earned myself." ”

Si Kuang's face was blue and white for a while, and he swallowed a breath and said: "People live with a face, and trees live with a skin!" Leave! ”

Xuemei was taken aback and hurriedly said, "Where do you want, I'll entangle you." ”

Si Kuang said loudly: "Please go to Lingyan Pavilion temporarily, if you are a scholar and a marquis?!" ”

He strode out the door and wiped tears from his sleeve.

Si Kuang walked out of the mansion, asked people all the way, and asked the place where Kaifeng Mansion recruited "Xiangyong", which turned out to be outside Bianjing City. Rush over now.

When I went to the camp on the outskirts of the city, I saw a square flag hanging on the camp: Serve the country with loyalty and bravery!

Before he reached the door, a scribe and a few sergeants immediately came, and when they asked Si Kuang if he was a soldier who came to join the army, he immediately grabbed Si Kuang's wrist and said, "Brother Si!" From now on, we will all be brothers in the same country, and we will share blessings and hardships......"

Si Kuang was stunned.

The scribe took him into the camp again, and his mouth did not stop, "Brother Si doesn't need to see outside when he comes in, he has clothes to wear, food to eat, and he doesn't need to bring anything." Let's arrange a place for you to live first, and then register for your ......"

Si Kuang felt very hot all of a sudden, and he only felt that the people here were very good to him!

On the way to the camp, I saw that the soldiers who came and went greeted him very kindly. Si Kuang finally couldn't help but say, "No, this ...... I don't know martial arts, do you choose soldiers? ”

The scribe smiled and said: "The handsome Cao Gong, the young man who likes to read the most and the son of a good family, it doesn't matter if he can do martial arts or not, as long as the person is good!" He said in his own tone, "Don't hide it, it's not easy to recruit soldiers these days, you have to be voluntary, and you have to be young and strong." The country is the time to employ people......"

Si Kuang's brain was hot, and he hugged his fists and said: "Just rush to the brothers to look down on it, dare not report it?" ”

As for the lobby, a military general looked Si Kuang up and down, and he was also very polite, and asked someone to sit on the bench, and Wen Yan asked his name and origin, etc.

Hearing that Si Kuang was a living apprentice, the military general immediately said: "If you go back to your hometown and bring some young and strong people to farm, I will immediately let you be a general!" Mind the people you bring. ”

"What?" Si Kuang was a little puzzled about this military position.

The military general talked eloquently: "The generals of our township brave army are not ordinary generals, and there are as many as thirty-six people under them!" A team of thirty soldiers, six firemen, divided into three fires.

There are some things you don't know, Xiang Yong mainly uses bows, crossbows, firearms, and tactical three-stage shooting, so the army is very different from the forbidden army. Three teams take turns shooting, for one; The two are a regiment with a school captain; The second regiment is one command...... A state conscription command, full of 472 people, all of them are fellow villagers! ”

The military general is a commander, and it seems that he has to recruit someone to become a veritable commander, otherwise he is a light pole. He kept persuading: "Although Brother Si is a student, it is not easy to be admitted to the Jinshi Scholar, which is one in a million; Even if you are admitted to the Jinshi, if you want to be an official, there is still an optional exam!

Now that you are in the army, you are a scholar, find some more people to come, and you will be a general. In the future, if you make some contributions on the battlefield, you will be promoted to two levels from the general, the head and deputy commander, and you will be given an official position immediately after three years of military registration!

If you can't be promoted to a commander, you can go to the 'system of subjects', and only those who go to the officer examination are much easier to get on the list than to directly take the regular subject of the imperial examination. No matter how bad it is, if you mix with a scribe, you also have a mouthful of imperial food to eat, right? Officer scribes, the court will give preferential treatment, but they can be promoted to officials! ”

In order to encourage him, the military general said in a low voice: "With Cao Gong waiting, we people have been transferred to officials, and it is not that no one takes care of ......."

Si Kuangxin said: This is also a way out.

...

At dinner that night, Si Kuang was invited to share the table with the commander, and there was actually wine!

After three rounds of drinking, the commander asked Si Kuang how many people he could find. Si Kuang couldn't answer, he asked some more about going into battle, but the commander couldn't answer either.

The commander said: "We don't care about fighting. ”

Si Kuang wondered: "The imperial court does not recruit soldiers for war, why?" ”

The commander said: "Brother Si has just arrived, and I don't know anything. Cao Gong was ordered to set up the 'Forbidden Army Governor's Mansion', with a total of five armies, including a troop transfer army, a unified army, a money and grain army, an armor army, and a newspaper army. We are the commander of the army, and now we are only in charge of recruiting people, and we don't care about the war. ”

Si Kuang was a little confused when he heard this, and muttered, "I see......"

The commander said: "There are three levels of the Forbidden Army's Governor's Mansion, and the one in the capital is the Governor's Mansion; Ten to fifteen prefectures have provinces, and each has a commanding envoy, and the prefecture and government have a commanding envoy division. We are the Kaifeng Prefecture Command Division, and now there is only the Commander Army Division. The yamen is in the city, and when it is repaired and things are done, it will be moved over. ”

The commander said with a smile: "Brother Si said that he didn't know martial arts, but he didn't hide it, and the general's martial arts were also very sparse, but he was literate." Anyway, the generals of our army will not fight. ”

Si Kuangxin said, no wonder this brother is so easy to speak, it turns out that he is specialized in pulling people, and he also said politely at the moment: "Where is it, the general is too modest." ”

The commander said with a smile: "It's really ridiculous!" He seemed to see through Si Kuang's thoughts, and said, "It's not enough, we'll deal with each other in the future." If the people who are mobilizing the army want to gather men and horses to fight, we must let us find all the people; During the training, the troop transfer army sent people to teach, and it was us who took care of the brothers. ”

Si Kuang frowned and said, "Isn't the person who took us into battle not known?" ”

The commander muttered: "I must know who the name is, I just don't know it." However, the deputy commander and the following are not separated; I don't know who is above, and the deputy commander, the capital head, and the general below are all brothers who I know each other...... You don't care who is above you, all the officials of the army come to pass the military orders, and the military orders of more than 100 people are all the responsibility of the army of the herald, telling you to go wherever you go, and fight as you want. ”

"That's just as well." Si Kuang echoed, anyway, he doesn't know how to soldier.

The commander picked up the wine bowl, his face was already red, but he still spoke clearly, "There are some things, I have to make it clear to Brother Si, and you have a score when you recruit people." ”

Si Kuang hurriedly clenched his fists and said, "I hope the general will tell me." ”

The commander said: "There is no military salary, and the soldiers below the deputy commander have no military salary." ”

Si Kuang: "......"

"If there is a military salary, the imperial court will directly expand the forbidden army, why bother so much?" The commander glanced at him: "It's not without benefits. As long as you are registered, you don't need to be forced into labor, the whole family doesn't need to be forced to work, you don't have to suffer and suffer, isn't it, take a step back, even if someone takes the money to hire someone to replace the labor, it has to spend money, right? ”

Si Kuang frowned and said, "That's the same." ”

He said in his heart: Lao Tzu is not to save that money, and besides, I am a disciple, so I don't have to serve forced labor.

The commander said: "Ordinary people are gathered to train the troops, and the clothing and food are all from the public, and after the training is over, some food, cloth, and salt will be more or less distributed and taken home; Anyway, when you don't train the army, you can farm when you should be farming, do the work of craftsmen, study when you should study, and don't delay......

And if there is a war? That's the big head! Before the transfer of troops, some settling-in allowances will be issued, and after the battle, they will be rewarded according to the level of military merit, and the money and food will be directly distributed by the army, and it is clear that Chu Tongsu is not bullied; Relying on this to buy a home, it is completely possible!

If you are dead and disabled, you will have a pension, and the money from the Son of Heaven will be distributed. If there is no money in the inner treasury, the Son of Heaven will take the 'official land' and fertile land to arrive.

Those who are poor and afraid, as long as they give up their lives, doing this is a profitable business. ”

Si Kuang was stunned.

The commander said kindly: "Brother Si is different from ordinary soldiers, and your future is greater. Do a good job, if you make a meritorious service and ask you if you want money or an official, you want an official, once you break through the level of deputy commander, then you will really eat the emperor's food for the rest of your life!

If you can pass the exam, you will be transferred to a civilian official, and if you can't pass the exam, you will stay in the Governor's Mansion of the Forbidden Army. Like Ben General, a person who commands the army, he doesn't have to fight, he manages people, what is the difference between him and an official? ”

Si Kuang nodded vigorously after hearing this, this is what he wants, the way to progress!

……

In Bazhou City, it is already night, the autumn rain is dripping on the long street, and the light of the lanterns has become hazy, giving birth to a sense of coldness.

In the "Forbidden Army Governor's Mansion", Cao Bin was still watching the file under the lamp.

He looked tired and hadn't slept well for many days.

An offspring came up with tea and whispered, "Gong Cao will take a break." ”

"Hmm." Cao Bin didn't answer.

Although most of the people in this township army do not pay military salaries, Cao Bin probably calculated that the emperor has made a bloody investment. If it is smashed, most of the emperor's belongings in the treasury will be smashed inside, can he spare himself?

However, Cao Bin also sees this as a huge opportunity. Because of the importance of the matter, if it is done, as the first helm of the "Forbidden Army Governor's Mansion", I am afraid that it will be more beautiful than the "generals and prime ministers" in the Han and Tang dynasties, and the prime minister may have to give three points of courtesy when he sees him!

The stakes are very high, and it is not as simple as setting up a military government and a large battalion in the southwest.

Cao Bin carefully pondered the chapters and articles of the "Military Order" of the Privy Council under the lamp. This is a big strategy at the national policy level.

Not only is there such a thing as forming 100,000 soldiers, but 100,000 horses are only the first batch. The Privy Council meant to expand the military resources on a large scale and implement a three-tiered strategy of tapping the potential of war.

Cao Bin felt that this was a crazy national policy, and it was not an exaggeration for civilian officials to criticize the reckless use of military force.

But once this national policy is successful, Datang will definitely become a military power. As long as there is money and food, the imperial court can invest its wealth and national strength in military affairs...... Is this what Lu Fei occasionally mentions, how to transform national strength?

Cao Bin picked up another stack of papers, all of which were the lists of generals recommended by the guards Ma Busi and the front division of the palace, most of which were the generals of the lower camp who had been driven to Tuntian by streamlining the forbidden army before. These people will be the initial framework of the Southwest Battalion.

Now Cao Bin wants to first establish the command and envoy divisions of the provinces and state capitals.

I just thought that the stakes were very high, that is, even the pattern of the government had changed for the military order. Previously, the local system of each dynasty was mainly inherited from the county and county second-level official system since the Qin Dynasty; State and county governments.

Now there is one more "province" directly under the central government, which belongs to the third-level government. At present, there are only provincial commanders, but they are always higher than the state and county institutions.

Cao Bin felt that it was a bit similar to the Tang Dynasty's Jiedu envoys, but the power was not so great. All command envoys are only in charge of the troops, and only have the right to command the troops; The right to transfer troops, money and food, and armory are not in place. They have no right to interfere in local governance, taxation, etc., because the Forbidden Military Governor's Mansion and the Six Divisions of the Political Affairs Hall belong to two different government offices.

There is also the "Messenger Army" of the Forbidden Army's Governor's Mansion is very special, it belongs to the Governor's Mansion, but the Governor's Mansion can't control it, and the Privy Council is in charge. Cao Bin guessed that in addition to the ordinary incumbent officials, there were also undercover agents of the Privy Council's "Bing Cao Division...... He had heard that Bing Cao Si, a faceless yamen, was doing this job!

Unconsciously, late at night, Cao Bin fell asleep.

The attendant outside wanted to come in to see if the tea was cold, but when he saw Cao Bin lying on the table and falling asleep, he found a blanket to cover him.

Early the next morning, Cao Bin washed up properly and rushed to the lobby to meet with the generals for early discussion.

The generals had already arrived early, waiting there, and after a salute, Cao Bin asked everyone to sit down on both sides. A military general said: "Outside the city, I saw the big camp school field, the land was not enough, and the officials of Bazhou City did not let us build it, and said that we would seize the people's land!" How is it good? ”

The generals scolded their mothers when they heard this, Cao Bin had two black lines on his forehead, these martial artists did something, and they were indeed not as polite as civil officials.

A soldier general scolded: "Don't you let you build a battalion? Whoever blocks kills! ”

Cao Bin said: "If the people are provoked, who of you will end it?" Let's fight a counterinsurgency battle here? ”

At this moment, there was finally a subordinate general who understood what was wrong, and the subordinate general hugged his fists and said: "We can't control the officials of Bazhou City, but if Cao Gong goes to Zhang Qian, he may be able to help." ”

Someone immediately chimed in: "By the way, that Zhang Qian is very prestigious in the southwest, and all the officials respect him; Zhang Qian has received the emperor's favor again, otherwise he would be able to do well as an official in the southwest we occupy! Cao Gong is the emperor's errand, and Zhang Qian should give face. ”

The crowd listened and agreed.

Unexpectedly, someone said: "Looking for Zhang Qian, it is better to find Chen Sheng." ”

"Huh?" Cao Bin thought thoughtfully, thought about it and asked again.

The man said: "Southwest Shilin respects Zhang Qian, but Zhang Qian also has to take care of the meaning of the Southwest people, and let him come forward in this matter, but it makes him in a dilemma." Chen Sheng is different, this person has a bad relationship in the southwest officialdom, but he is a local official in the southwest and an official in Bazhou City. With his actions back then, as long as he knew that he was righteous, he would help Cao Gong deal with this matter. ”

Cao Bin nodded yes after hearing this, and said, "Foresight Chen Sheng probed the tone." ”

...

Si Kuang returned home and told him about joining the army, but his mother and wife were crying, and he was almost beaten by his father. Later, it was easy to say that he was going to be an official and just a military attaché, and he was slightly understood.

Then he began to encourage the villagers to join the army, and tirelessly talked about the benefits of becoming a sergeant of the township. Because if you don't find some people to go, you can't do anything...... He is an apprentice, if he is a pawn, he will not be able to make a difference at home.

The situation is not bad. The Kaifeng Mansion branch is not easy to recruit people because the villagers don't know what is going on! The people in the township were illiterate, and they rarely went to the city, but the officials in the county did not carry out the imperial decrees well.

…… In the village of Zhangzhuang, the old Zhang family originally had five sons, but now there are three left, and the eldest is in his early thirties, all of whom are singles!

A family of five was eating dinner in the courtyard while discussing what the Si family said.

Although it was a courtyard, it had only a tattered earthen wall, and there was not even a door. It was already dark, and several people were in the courtyard with thick bowls, and there was still a little light, but the house was dark, and there was no lamp oil.

The second and fourth children are dead, Xiu Huanghe is dead, and now there are three men in addition to Zhang Laohan.

Zhang Laohan took a sip of vegetable leaf soup and said, "Exempt from forced labor......"

The old woman with gray hair and unkempt hair hurriedly said: "Those who want to go into battle and work hard, the sword and gun are not long-sighted." ”

Lao San said: "It's better than repairing the Yellow River every year, and you don't need to bring rations." ”

The boss said weakly: "There is still a lot of money to burn when ...... dead."

The family said a word, and then they were silent again.

Zhang Da was dressed in tattered clothes, his hair was tied to the top of his head with a hemp rope, he was very thin, but because of his thick bones, he looked very big and burly.

He drank a bowl of vegetable soup, leaving a thin layer of rice grains in the bowl, then stood up and walked to the old five, who was squatting on the threshold and holding the bowl silently, and the fifth was only twelve years old. Zhang Da poured the rice grains in the bowl into Lao Wu's bowl.

Lao Wu swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said busily: "Big brother, you eat, you eat." ”

Zhang Da turned around and went into the house to put the dishes.

After a while, the third child also poured the remaining rice into his younger brother's bowl, and said with a smile: "Half a child, just when you can eat it." The fifth brother is better, and he will ask for a daughter-in-law in the future, and I will pass on the incense to the old Zhang family. ”

Lao Wu wiped his eyes and said, "If I can please my daughter-in-law, let her also serve the eldest brother and the third brother." ”

When the old woman heard this, she spat and scolded, "Stupid words! ”

Zhang Da walked out of the house and snorted, "I'll go find Si Shusheng, and I'll go to join the army." ”

Zhang Sandao: "Big brother, it's better for me to go, you are a good hand at farming." ”

Zhang Dadao: "The third child is still young, maybe he can still please his daughter-in-law." If I die, the money given by the government will take the money given by the government to marry my daughter-in-law, and give me a straw mat to wrap and bury it. ”

At this moment, the two younger brothers suddenly burst into tears.

"Cry fart!" Zhang Da scolded, "Isn't the second and fourth child buried like this, they are all dead, why do you spend money?" ”

Zhang Da said to his father and mother, and then went out to Si's house, and the third child followed without saying anything.

When he went to Si Kuang's house, he entered the Dewa house, and there were two men talking to Si Kuang there. Zhang Da and the third child were silent, standing against the wall at the door, and the two brothers made a move, their hands in their tattered sleeves, and they stood there with their necks locked.

Si Kuang turned his gaze over and asked casually, "What are you two doing?" ”

Zhang Dadao: "Just do that job, Si Shusheng said in the village." ”

Si Kuang said: "Join the army? ”

"Hmph." Zhang Da snorted from his nose.

Si Kuang said: "Your old Zhang family went to the two brothers? ”

Zhang Dadao: "I'll go, he'll come and see." ”

The third said: "I'll go too." ”

Si Kuang's tone was a little polite, and he asked again, "Have you eaten?" ”

Unexpectedly, at this moment, the old man next to him coughed dryly twice. Zhang Da turned his head and glanced at it, and said, "The general has eaten." ”

Si Kuang picked up his pen and wrote for a while, then raised his head and said, "Then go back and prepare, and leave with me in three days." ”

"Hit?" Zhang Da asked in wonder.

Si Kuang said: "Hit! As soon as I report it, your Zhang family is a military household, and as long as someone is in the military, the whole family does not need to be conscripted. ”

The two of them joined the army in a few words, and when they went back, they made the old lady cry again. But the family said that they had already joined the army, and they did not dare to repent, for fear of being arrested by the government and questioned for their crimes.

Three days later, Si Kuang had already gathered more than a dozen men and walked to the county with them. A green-robed official received them and took them to the courtyard of the government for dinner.

It turned out to be white rice!

A group of people with bright eyes, sat down at the table and picked up chopsticks to eat, no one said a word, only the sound of chopsticks and bowls colliding and the sound of chewing on the table.

There are fast eats, and after a while, they are holding the bowl and licking the bottom of the bowl.

At this moment, a burst of crying was suddenly heard, and when everyone turned their heads to look, the third child of the Zhang family was crying in the room. Zhang Da was annoyed: "Why are you crying? Shame is not shame! ”

Zhang San choked up and said, "I eat white rice, and my father and mother are drinking vegetable leaf soup......"

Zhang Da's expression was gloomy for a while, and he said: "Hurry up and eat, what you eat is not the family's rations, and it will be saved for them." ”

Everyone was silent.

The county government has been distributing wheat cakes for a few days, and they are packed in cloth bags! Then Si Kuang and another leading man went all the way to Kaifeng Mansion with people. The crowd was very dull two days ago, but it didn't take long for everyone to feel tired because they had eaten a full meal, and the atmosphere became lively.

When it came to the camp outside Bianjing, wheelbarrows pushed grain into the camp on the road, and the sack still had the word "Taicang" on it. When everyone saw so much food, their hearts were steady.

The commander personally received Si Kuang and his dozen people, and when he saw that they were all young and strong men, he was very happy, and immediately appointed Si Kuang as the general of the third team of the first command of the right regiment and the right capital, and arranged for more than a dozen people to fill a team for him.

Then, a large cartload of clothes arrived.

The commander waved his hand: "Go to the river to fetch water and boil the bath water, wash it and put it on!" After that, his eyes stayed on Zhang Da's tattered clothes, and he frowned, "Clothes like this, quickly change them and throw them away!" We're not begging for food! ”

In addition to clothes, one person has a pair of helmets; There is no armor, and there are no weapons.

When everyone took a shower and changed into military uniforms, the camp was even more noisy, and from time to time there was a "haha" laughter, and everyone was very happy. Because this costume is beautiful!

The shoulders are leather! Looks like a shoulder armor; The wrists are also leather. Gray linen, strong and smooth, very well made, dense and neat stitches. A large placket on the chest is styled like a cuirass, with a cyan head and a leather belt on the waist; The linen pants on the lower body are slightly lighter in color, and the color of the whole set is very layered. Mille-feuille boots are also comfortable to wear.

The commander also smiled: "I heard that Shen Chen Li weaves and makes the clothes of high-ranking officials and nobles, and the things he makes are really good!" Down! ”

Zhang Da's eyes widened, looked at his third brother, turned back and forth twice, and said in two voices: "Mother|, no wonder it is said that people rely on clothes and horses to rely on saddles, how can the third brother not be able to please his daughter-in-law?!" ”

The waists of the two of them also straightened up, and they were full of food and spirits, and they talked endlessly.

The third said: "You must know that it is so good to be in the army, you should have come a long time ago." ”

…… After more than ten days, the people commanded by Kaifeng Mansion were recruited. The commander did not train the troops, but only asked everyone to stand in line a little and told them that they were going to the southwest camp.