The weather in July, if it is said that it is already autumn according to the season, but on the ground of Jinmen, even if there is no autumn tiger, this is also the time when it is hot. In Xinnong Town, on the playground, the men and horses of the artillery battalion had just completed the stabbing training, and they were tired and crooked, and they all looked for a shady place to sit down. Huotoujun pushed the white porcelain jar, which was filled with mung bean soup that was not cold or hot, and the white sugar was sweet but not greasy, which was a good product to cool off.

At the level of the gun commander, in addition to mung bean soup, there is also white sugar water, and if you like to drink tea, there is a high crush. If you make it to the sentry, you will have enough supply of Tessie drinks such as Dutch water. With Tessie's cannon and drinking Tessie's drink, if you don't sell your life on such a day, will there still be people's hearts?

Although the entire army of Wuwei has 10,000 brothers, although the food is abundant, but to say that there is no one else except the artillery battalion for such enjoyment. Seven days for a meal of meat, fifteen days for a flatbread stew, this is a day that the gods dare not imagine.

Of course, the artillery team is important, but this kind of care is not enjoyed by all special forces, even if it is the treatment of the cavalry battalion, it is far inferior to the artillery battalion. Even some people from the cavalry battalion or the baggage battalion have already thought about transferring to the artillery battalion.

With benefits that are far superior to those of colleagues, full military salaries, whether it is the leather whip and stick of the training officer, or those wastes and other titles, everyone has no complaints. Especially as the training progressed, these recruits gradually understood that after cold words, what was taught was the essentials of killing the enemy on the battlefield and saving their lives. Although the saying that sweats more in peacetime and sheds less blood in wartime has not spread, everyone knows its meaning in their hearts.

Since Zhao Guanhou returned to Tianjin, the intensity of training has been strengthened day by day, with weight-bearing, long-distance running, queues, physical fitness, many training subjects, and high requirements, but the enthusiasm of the soldiers has not diminished, and the quality of the troops has been significantly improved. According to the judgment of the general general, the current two teams of the artillery battalion can probably reach one company of the foreign artillery team. In the past, the five teams of the Golden Artillery Team may not have reached the first company of Shangyang soldiers, and Zhao Guanhou's training results can be called the crown of the right army.

On the one hand, these benefits of the artillery battalion were the care of the upper echelons, and on the other hand, it was Zhao Guanhou who brought in sponsorship from Mrs. Jenson. In the name of his own Jensen Foreign Company, Jensen donated a sum of money specifically for the welfare of the soldiers in the artillery battalion, ensuring that they had a variety of drinks and meat.

After a long time, some unclear news about the relationship between the family and the beautiful Western widow also spread, and the soldiers did not despise it, but were mostly envious. There are also people muttering that their own family officers sacrificed their lives for the brothers in the artillery battalion, and they are indeed exemplary for the three armies.

Originally, Han Rong let Zhao Guanhou's artillery battalion have such a large establishment, because he was worried about waiting until he set up the shelf, draw blood from it, and fill his Wuwei Central Army. However, the Wuwei Chinese Army did not take shape for a while, it just stayed on paper, and even the infantry was not recruited, and the special forces could not be discussed. Moreover, Zhao Guanhou made a meritorious contribution to Beijing this time, and almost squeezed out Zhang Yinheng by the way, his reputation was too loud, and it was not good for Han Rong to draw his artillery team again.

In fact, in addition to him, there are quite a few people who are worried about the artillery team. Cheng Gongting, the former army of Wuwei, was the commander of Zhili, and he was short of artillery, and even a batch of horses and pack horses he purchased were intercepted by Zhao Guanhou, because he always wanted to transfer part of his artillery battalion to the former army of Wuwei.

The Wu Wei Hou Army's Dong Wuxing Department was originally recruited by the chaotic people and bandits to form an army, although the combat effectiveness of the troops was fierce, but the equipment was extremely poor, and the headquarters only had earthen artillery and no foreign artillery. For this artillery team, he is even more coveted, and has already asked Han Rong for a request for a gun.

After Zhao Guanhou heard the news, he took a few tents and made a number of account books overnight, which recorded that the artillery battalion was currently in deficit, and then spread one of them. If anyone wanted to draw blood from the artillery battalion, he would have to fill the gap in the artillery battalion first, and Mrs. Jenson exerted a little pressure through the influence of the foreigners, and the proposal was abandoned. It's just that the gap between the artillery battalion and the front and rear armies of the military guard has also arisen.

In the barracks, the officers of the artillery battalion had just finished teaching mathematics for an hour, and the soldiers brought in cold Dutch water to cool off with the commanders. Shang Quan said while drinking Dutch water:

"When I used to learn artillery drills in Prussia, they were there, too. Artillery officers must learn mathematics and calculate the angle and amount of artillery according to the firing table. It's just that I, Dajin's soldiers, have always despised this way, and after returning home, this discussion is not popular, and I don't want to take care of it, as if I have also studied it in Prussia, and revived this method. The people in the artillery battalion will calculate, when the cannon is fired, the head is accurate, and the shell has eyes to see where the enemy is hiding. ”

Team officer Zhang Huaizhi smiled, "Our cannon has not been used, whether it is good or not, we will always know when we go to the battlefield." But the cannon brought by Zhao Guan must be good. You think, if he hadn't been a good gunner, how could he have comforted the foreign widow and asked for money and things. This is a real artillery skill, relying on this artillery skill to raise the prestige of our country, a shame before the snow. ”

Several officers laughed, their eyes slipped in the direction of the reception room on the other side, and they imagined various scenes in their minds, and they had feelings of envy and jealousy in their hearts.

Originally, women were forbidden in the barracks, but Mrs. Jenson, as a foreign envoy and the overseer of the use of road funds, was not included in the ban. Even Han Rong was a little polite to her, not to mention the small artillery battalion, she could come whenever she wanted, and she would not be hindered. At this time, Mrs. Jensen's face was crimson, her body was soft and crispy, and she did not have the style of a strong woman in the past, so she tidied up her dress, and saw that Zhao Guanhou was already dressed neatly, and complained

"Why is it in your barracks every time, or on the table? I've invested so much, can't you buy a bed? ”

"That's too explicit, don't say it. I also said, you can wait for me in the concession, I will go as soon as I have time, this will not have a good impact. ”

"To hell with the impact! Whoever dares to have an opinion on our actions, I will interrupt the loan! Your Emperor is now going to carry out a new law, and he needs money everywhere, and in addition to the original road money, he has also proposed to us to borrow, and the key person who can succeed in borrowing money is ...... It's me. ”

Jensen raised her head proudly, she had recently traveled back and forth between Beijing and Tianjin, rushing to and fro on loans, and the general office affairs yamen had also been going back and forth for a long time, and she became more and more proud. Just then, like a wronged little woman, she raised her leg and gently kicked Zhao Guanhou's leg

"You don't keep your word. You promised me that you would come to see me often, but since you came back from the capital, you have been with your wife, but you rarely come to accompany me. And I'm helping you negotiate business. A lot of landmines have been sold now, including in the concession area and Shandong, and some people have bought a large number of mines, and I think that the arms business may also be considered for a while. ”

"Buy mines? What does the concession buy this for. ”

"Beware of the rebels in your country. Those boxers attacked churches, attacked God's servants, and offended us merchants at the same time. These mines are effective against mobs, so our business is good. ”

Zhao Guanhou nodded, "It's good that the business is very good, you can help me deposit the commission I get in the Warbee Bank, and take out half of it to exchange it for Albion pounds." The other half is to be cashed in. ”

Mrs. Jenson was stunned, "Very good, you have finally figured it out and are willing to deposit the property in my bank." I promise, your money is absolutely safe. ”

"My money is your money, your money...... It's still your money, of course I'm relieved. What I'm worried about now is Daikin's bank. In a few days, I will withdraw all my money and give it to you for pounds and silver, and I believe you. Also, how did I do with you? ”

Mrs. Jenson smiled, "I will not be able to do it." In Shandong, I saved two hundred rounds of shrapnel for you, and now, I want to pay a commission......"

Zhao Guanhou shrugged his shoulders, his mouth was short, and he asked Mrs. Jenson for sponsorship, and asked her to help him buy powerful shrapnels, and in other aspects, he had to listen to her. Fortunately, he is willing to pay this kind of commission a few more times, and he doesn't feel at a loss. The two got tired of being together for a while before he asked:

"In addition to the troublemakers, what is the situation in the capital, the situation in the capital feels very chaotic now, and there are telegrams sent every day, which makes us dizzy. In the beginning, it was one thing to take it seriously, but now ...... No one cares anymore, and they really can't. Fortunately, in our army, the impact is not big for the time being, except for the gold side. ”

After the edict was issued, the edict was issued frequently, and the telegram continued, and the entire Dajin, in Zhao Guanhou's view, entered a chaotic and impetuous state. In less than three months, dozens of telegrams have been issued on the implementation of the new law.

Its content ranges from the economy to the system, and involves the military, politics, and official system, covering everything, from the capital to the localities, and whether it is correct or not, whether it is appropriate, can be known without asking. In the capital, six yamen, including the Tongzheng Department and the Zhan Shifu, were abolished, and in the capital, there were more than 10,000 people who were innocent and lost their official positions. At the local level, the governors of Hubei, Guangdong, and Yunnan were abolished, the Caoyun Supervision Office was abolished, and some of the salt roads without salt were also abolished.

The one that has a direct bearing on the army is the abolition of the green battalion and the large-scale regimental training, and the other is the suspension of the collection of cents of gold. Since the Hongyang Rebellion, the imperial court recruited troops to practice, and all the money spent depended on money. At that time, Zhang Shaoquan relied on the income of centigold to buy foreign weapons and hire foreigners, so that he could later make great achievements in the Huai Army. As for the establishment of the Beiyang Naval Division and the training of the new army, the centigold is an important source, and Jinmen is a densely populated place for merchants, and the income from the centigold can be raised with heavy troops. Once the money is exhausted, the military salary of the armed guards will be a big problem.

However, although these systems have a clear edict and a local attitude, they are still conservative and wait-and-see, and the money of Jinmen is still received. But how long this kind of local method can be maintained, these soldiers don't know in their hearts, and Zhao Guanhou thinks of what he saw and heard in Beijing, and always feels that such a method doesn't seem to be very good.

Mrs. Jensen said, "Your Great Emperor is a young man full of enthusiasm, idealism and enterprising spirit, many of his ideas are very good, and he seems to us to be more open and friendly than your Lafayette......"

"I'm going to be jealous when you say that." Zhao Guanhou turned his face, "Don't you know that we Jinguo men are stingy and don't allow their women to praise other men?" ”

Hearing his words about his own woman, Jensen smiled and kissed him on the cheek, "Honey, you are really good at pleasing me, and I know that I like to listen to you." Well, I mean, he's an emperor who is quite in our interests, but ...... He is not in your interest. He lacks good staff, and he himself is a wayward child. Do whatever you want, never think about the consequences. Didn't even his master be expelled? ”

In the early days of the reform, when the crowd was excited, the emperor Weng Fangtian was suddenly convicted and was expelled to return home, which brought a trace of incongruous noise to the reform. In particular, Dajin attaches great importance to the Taoist system of master and apprentice, master and apprentice are like father and son, and apprentices drive teachers, just like chasing fathers with sons, and there are always obstacles in reputation.

Nominally, it is true that some people participated in the impeachment of him and Zhang Yinheng for obtaining a bribe of 2.6 million yuan in negotiations between Albion and Prussia on foreign debts. But the other party, Zhang Yinheng, was especially there, but Weng Fangtian was expelled, no matter how you look at it, it is also favoritism. In connection with the fact that the Son of Heaven and the master had quarreled several times before, it is more acceptable to use the apprentice to drive the master.

Jenson recalls the scene in the capital: "It was unfair to many people who lost their positions and could not get new placements. After all, they just do things according to your rules and must be very unhappy to lose their positions for no reason. Another unhappy thing is the Jurchens, the emperor wants to stop their salaries and let them make a living on their own, and these people have been raised for hundreds of years, and now they will definitely be angry if they say that they will give them up. ”

"There are also scholars, who have learned Bagu since they were children, and now they are told that they will not take the test, they will take something else, and they will not be given a time to buffer, it is strange that they can be happy." Zhao Guanhou shook his head, "The Jurchens are dissatisfied, the ministers are dissatisfied, the local governors are dissatisfied, the scholars are dissatisfied, and even the monks and Taoists who have turned their temple properties into schools are not satisfied, I really can't imagine who this new policy is trying to satisfy." ”

"Within the reformers, there is also a struggle for power. That Mr. Kang Zuyi has always regarded himself as a confidant of the Son of Heaven, but in fact, he has only seen the Son of Heaven once. His official position was only six grades, and he could not be summoned, which was an insurmountable obstacle. As far as I know, he is suggesting to the Son of Heaven that a system bureau be set up, and he will be the person in charge, so that he can bypass the rules, and he can also bypass those big officials and talk to the Son of Heaven in person. ”

Jensen said with a smile: "Although these systems seem a little ridiculous, but for me, such a golden country is the best." You need us, and we can't do without us to control this country. It's like I can't live without you, so you control me......"

Seeing that the two of them were about to be entangled again, there was a sudden knock on the door of this reception room, and Mrs. Jenson's face sank, "I remember I said that I don't want to be disturbed by anyone!" It seems that someone should learn to follow the rules! She jumped to the ground as she spoke, came to the door in three or two steps, and then saw Tang Tianxi, who was a boy and a girl.

If she faced someone else, her anger would definitely erupt directly, but Tang Tianxi was Yuan Weiting's favorite general, and Mrs. Jensen was also polite to her, so she had to greet her, "Mr. Tang Tianxi, what are you doing?" ”

Tang Tianxi looked into the room, and when he raised his nose and smelled it, he knew what the two of them were doing, and his face was silent, "Lord Yuan has an order to ask Lord Zhao to see him." This is a very urgent business, and I can't help it. ”

"In a hurry? I'm sorry, I want to know, how urgent is this, there are also very urgent things to discuss between me and your Lord Zhao. This involves a large amount of loans......"

Zhao Guanhou squeezed her hand, "I think, the adults must be in a hurry to find me, let's talk about the loan another day." ”

Jensen reluctantly retreated, and Tang Tianxi gave Zhao Guanhou a thumbs up, Zhao Guanhou handed over a silver ticket, and then asked, "Brother Tang, please give me a word, what's the matter here?" ”

"Don't worry, it's not a bad thing, it's to take you to play Tianhe, not to let you play Simen." Tang Tianxi said a witty remark, and when he saw the numbers on the silver ticket, he revealed another piece of news: Emperor Tianyou had a telegram: "Order Han Rong, the governor of Zhili, to send Yuan Weiting to Beijing to see His Majesty." ”

Zhao Guanhou also understood at this time, most likely Yuan Weiting was suspicious of entering Beijing, for fear of any danger, and wanted his own Zilong to accompany him. (To be continued.) )