"Don't say it, let's go ......" Zhang Shun and Cheng Chong spoke, and hurriedly walked out of the brigade headquarters. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

In YX County, the method of collecting the entrance fee is a hard way, while in Ji'an Province, because of the complexity of the situation, a different way is adopted; Merchants who refused to pay the entrance fees to the city would be blocked by masked "bandits" in the middle of the road, people would be injured, and the goods would disappear without a trace.

Merchants who have paid the entrance fee are responsible for escorting the caravan by the joint defense team to ensure the safety of the caravan.

Although some merchants suspect that there is a greasy in it, but there is no evidence, even if they report to the official, the government will not pay attention, even if they do, they can't find the perpetrator, and after several times in a row, everyone has to pay the city fee to ensure the safety of the goods.

After finishing the matter of the entrance fee, Zhao Guohua began to think about the security fee again.

After some planning, the people and horses of Qinglongzhai went down the mountain, and the grange of several big landlords was breached. There are all kinds of bandits, including a mountain carving, a pangolin, a black dragon club, an axe gang, and a big knife club, in short, there are many names.

By the time the officers and soldiers arrived slowly, the bandits had already run away without a trace. There was no way, the landlords had to turn to the joint defense brigade for help.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is the responsibility of our joint defense team to protect everyone's property and life, and I will definitely give you an explanation. Tomorrow I will send troops to encircle and suppress the bandits. Zhao Guohua said happily, and the merchants also left with a thousand thanks.

The next day, the joint defense brigade responded to the call, and sure enough, the results were outstanding, and the bandits were quickly beaten away.

At this time, the joint defense brigade put forward a request: in order to protect the safety of the Grange, it is required to pay one-fifteenth of the total income of the Grange every year as an annual security fee, that is, a protection fee.

Naturally, some landlords are willing to pay this security fee, but more landlords are unwilling to pay.

Under some operation, the grange of the landlord who is willing to pay is safe and sound, and the grange property that is not willing to pay is robbed, and people are also beaten, and there is no way to ask for help.

In the face of hard facts, the landlords and old fortunes of Ji'an Mansion had to pinch their noses and pay the security fee.

That night, the father and son of the Yang family had dinner and talked about Zhao Guohua's income from city fees and security expenses at home

"Dad, this Zhao Guohua is too bullying, not only collects the entry fee for the goods of my shop, but also now collects the security fee for my family's field, these two things, he will collect 1,500 taels of silver from my family a year, 1,500 taels......" Yang Rui gritted his teeth and howled angrily, like a wild dog with a broken leg.

Shaking his head, Yang Degui sighed and said, "Alas! There's no way, he has soldiers in his hands, and Governor Meng and Song Zhixian don't care about him...... It's not easy to do. ”

"Dad, why do you say that Ji'an and Yongxin suddenly have so many bandits?" Yang Rui asked puzzled.

Glancing at him, Yang Degui twisted his beard and said: "You, why can't you even understand this, this is what Zhao Manzi manipulated, if he doesn't do this, will everyone pay the money obediently?" ”

After thinking about it carefully, Yang Rui suddenly realized.

He asked angrily: "Dad, since you know that Zhao Manzi is the mastermind behind the scenes, why didn't you sue him in Ji'an Mansion?" ”

Looking at him dissatisfied, Yang Degui said: "You, you still owe experience, everything in this world is driven by interests, people have no interests, who is willing to get up early, Meng Zhifu and Song Zhixian must have some agreement with Zhao Manzi to share the spoils, otherwise Zhao Manzi would dare to act so nonsense." You're still a lifter, you can't even think of such a simple thing......" After speaking, he shook his head dissatisfied.

"Yes! Be! Dad, you're right, I'll study more in the future, but what should I do now, is our family just going to let that Zhao Manzi rub it? Yang Rui asked unwillingly.

Yang Degui had a gloomy face, and said hatefully: "The hero doesn't eat the loss in front of him, pay it first, Liu Wanshi is so crazy, but because he didn't pay the entrance fee, people were beaten, and the grain and rice were robbed, and in the end, he didn't have to pay the money obediently...... Hmph, when he finds an opportunity, the old man won't let him have a good time. ”

One morning, three months later, Zhao Guohua and more than 100 members of the joint defense team escorted a carriage out of YX County.

The carriage headed for the city of Ji'an Province with the sound of wheels, and there were five large boxes on it, which contained the money for the first three months of Ji'an Mansion and the division of silver for the security fee, totaling 45,000 taels.

Yesterday, he settled Yongxin's division of 15,000 taels with Song County, and today he went to settle the division with Ji'an Mansion.

In three months, a total of 250,000 taels of entry fees and security fees were collected, and in addition to those distributed to YX County and Ji'an Prefecture, there were 190,000 taels left, which is equivalent to 60,000 taels of income per month, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Through several so-called suppression of bandits, he transferred nearly half of the team members to Qinglongzhai in Jinggangshan under the pretense of casualties, and then recruited 1,000 new joint defense team members. At present, his strength has reached more than 4,000 people.

When he arrived at the Ji'an Mansion, the prefect Meng Liangchen heard that Zhao Guohua had come to give the money, and he happily greeted him.

"Mingyuan, you can pluck the hair from those iron roosters, you really have a way, the old man really admires it......" Meng Zhifu laughed happily, looking at the white silver in the five big boxes, his heart was sweeter than drinking honey.

He was so satisfied with Zhao Guohua, he did what he said, without any procrastination and slowness, and the three months were just a few days old, and he sent 45,000 taels of silver, which is 180,000 taels this year, and the most important thing is that there is no account for these silvers, and how to dispose of them is completely up to them. With this silver, it is much easier to go up one liter more.

Thinking of his bright future in the future, Meng Zhifu's heart blossomed with joy and almost laughed.

Looking at the happy look on Governor Meng's face and arching his hand, Zhao Guohua smiled and said respectfully: "This is all thanks to the support of adults, otherwise even if you have great ability, you won't be able to do these things." ”

Brushing his beard, Meng Zhifu said with a smile: "Mingyuan don't be modest, if you don't have the ability, it's useless for the official to support him, this person is different, some people can turn brass into gold, and some silver can't become gold, you are the one who can turn brass into gold, the old man is not wrong about you, you will do it boldly in the future......"

Hearing this, Zhao Guohua was overjoyed, knowing that Governor Meng was willing to act as his protector, so he bowed down and said: "Thank you for your support, you will definitely live up to your expectations and do things more successfully." ”

"Well said! Come on, carry these boxes to the back hall........." Meng Zhifu commanded with a smile on his face.

Seeing this, Zhao Guohua hurriedly said: "My lord is busy with official business, so I won't bother when I am here." ”

Governor Meng grabbed him and said, "Don't worry, don't worry, I haven't thanked you for saving my daughter last time...... Come on, set up the garden after drinking, invite Mrs. and Miss to come out, and our family will have a few drinks with Captain Zhao...... And the brothers he brought with him were entertained by the chamber. After speaking, he smiled and pulled Zhao Guohua to the back garden of the mansion.

An hour later, Zhao Guohua drank dizzily and left the palace, and the matter of returning to YX County with the team members was temporarily resolved, and Zhao Guohua began to grasp the training of the army.

Queues, assassinations, bomb throwing, long-distance running, sparring, literacy, under his strict requirements, the joint defense team slowly turned into a disciplined, well-trained paramilitary.

Time flies quickly, in a blink of an eye, it is October of the eighth year of Chongzhen (1636), Zhao Guohua has crossed to the Ming Dynasty for more than a year, he has changed from the original single-handedly to a joint defense team captain with four or five thousand people, this joint defense brigade is nominally in the county, but eat him, wear him, in fact, obey his own orders, can be said to be his own private arm, if not in the late Ming Dynasty, this is unthinkable.

With the expansion of the team, the original purchase of 100 rods of Lu Mi gun is far from enough, due to the consumption of training, there is not much gunpowder, he plans to go to the Nanjing Ordnance Bureau to sell 2,000 bar Lu Mi gun and 50,000 catties of gunpowder. These things cost about 100,000 taels of silver.

He thought: "In more than eight years, the Ming Dynasty will be over, and the speed of army building must be accelerated, otherwise at that time, I will not be able to support the collapse of the Ming Dynasty with my own strength." However, because of the large number of firecrackers purchased this time, it is necessary to have an official document from Ji'an Prefecture to be more convenient. Thinking of this, he called Zhang Shun and a few members of the joint defense team to ride to Ji'an Mansion, and told Governor Meng about selling 2,000 bars of Lumi guns and 50,000 catties of gunpowder

"Mingyuan, it's not that the official won't approve it for you, but the amount of gunpowder and gunpowder you want to buy is too much, and the official is afraid that something will happen......" Governor Meng said embarrassedly.

Zhao Guohua listened to it and knew that what he said was also telling the truth, after all, the team that purchased 2,000 bars of Lumi guns and 50,000 catties of gunpowder was not a formal officer and soldier, and if nothing happened, it would be a major event.

After thinking about it, he looked at Meng Liangchen again, and Zhao Guohua said: "My lord, you are a member of the party, and you are familiar with the laws and decrees of the Ming Dynasty, how do you think you can get this approval for the purchase of firearms and gunpowder?" ”

After walking back and forth in the house a few times, Governor Meng said: "In this way, I'll take you to the Yamen of the Military Preparation Road to see if Master Chen can help you with this?" ”

When the group arrived at the Yamen of Bingbei Road, Chen Sheng received the report, greeted him, and after some greetings, he entered the flower hall.

After a few sips of tea, Governor Meng told Chen Sheng, the soldier, that Zhao Guohua wanted to buy 2,000 bars of Lumi guns and 50,000 catties of gunpowder. Chen Sheng didn't speak after listening, just drinking tea slowly, and he didn't know what he was thinking. Zhao Guohua and Meng Zhifu didn't want to ask him, and for a while, no one spoke quietly in the room.

"Captain Zhao, how many people are in your joint defense team now?" Chen Sheng asked suddenly.