Chengbei camp, Yuanmen.

Zhao Xin climbed up to the lookout and raised his arms and shouted: "Brothers, you all listen to Lao Tzu, the salary and silver allocated by the imperial court have made Zhao Santai, a dog thief, greedy for ink, but the general has already found a way to raise 100,000 taels of silver, and the general said that he will use this silver to first distribute the pension of the fallen brothers, so that their families can survive this winter." ”

"The general also said that these brothers died in the battle for the Ming Dynasty, we can't let these brothers go to Jiuquan and shed tears for their families who don't have enough food and clothes, and we can't let them die without turning a blind eye!"

The tens of thousands of border army soldiers crowded inside and outside the gate were silent, and no one questioned this!

These soldiers are rough people, they can't say it and don't understand any big truths, but they are all human beings, and people's hearts are flesh and blood, and they can't not think about it, if one day they also die in battle, what will happen to their families? Therefore, they have no objection to Wang Pu's decision, but they also have their own difficulties.

Zhao Xin continued: "Lao Tzu knows that you also have difficulties, and your family members also can't eat and have no money for heating, but the general has promised to find a way, and now Tang Sheng is already picking people to prepare to go with the general to get silver, can you not believe me, can you still not believe the general?" ”

"We can trust the general!"

"Yes, we believe him!"

"General, he will definitely have a way."

"The general will never leave the brethren alone!"

The soldiers responded.

Zhao Xin shouted loudly: "Okay, since everyone can trust the general, let's go back to the camp and wait for news, He Lao Liu, you take two hundred-man teams with me to carry the silver, and the other brothers are scattered, scattered." ”

■■■

Datong Town guards the eunuch's mansion and is partial to the hall.

Zhao Santai trembled and picked up the poison left by Zhang Zi'an, looking sad, he didn't want to die, but he had no choice!

As Zhang Zi'an said, the mutiny in Datong Town has become a big problem, and it is absolutely impossible to suppress this matter and not let the upper know it, so that Zhao Santai and Zhang Zi'an teamed up with several deputy generals, generals, and guerrillas to be greedy for ink and silver, and Zhang Zi'an, as the town guard eunuch of Datong Town, must give an explanation to the Lord of Long Live and the border soldiers who made trouble, and they must also give them an explanation, otherwise it will be difficult to calm things down.

Zhao Santai was very angry in his heart, he was not the only one who was greedy for ink and food, and the most greedy was clearly Zhang Zi'an's old gelding, but he had no choice!

Zhang Zi'an is a person in the palace, to put it bluntly, he is a person from the Long Live Lord, although he is only a supervisor in name, but in fact he has the power of life and death over Zhao Santai, a general from other towns! Zhang Zi'an is not a Buddha, it is impossible for him to give up himself to protect Zhao Santai, as for those deputy generals, generals, guerrillas or something, they are not qualified to be the scapegoat.

It is clear that this scapegoat can only be him Zhao Santai.

Zhao Santai can not accept his fate, he can fight, but he can't fight Zhang Zi'an! And he knows that the result of the fight with Zhang Zi'an can only be worse, he can't keep his surname and don't say anything, and in the end, he is afraid that even his family will not end well! If Zhao Santai resigned himself to suicide, he would at least be able to save his family.

At this point, Zhao Santai believes that Zhang Zi'an will not lie to him, Zhang Zi'an said that he will properly settle his family and will definitely do it, this is not Zhang Zi'an's righteousness, let alone Zhang Zi'an's conscience, to put it bluntly, this is just the unspoken rule of Daming officialdom, Zhao Santai died for Zhang Zi'an and a group of people, if Zhang Zi'an doesn't want others to be cold, if he still wants others to continue to do things for him in the future, he must do this.

"That's it......"

Zhao Santai closed his eyes ruthlessly and poured the poison in the small bottle into his mouth.

■■■

Half an hour later, several lieutenant generals, staff generals and guerrilla generals in Datong Town were all invited to Zhang Zi'an's mansion, and these people, like Zhao Santai and Zhang Zi'an, more or less shared some benefits from the salary and silver allocated by Emperor Chongzhen from the internal funds, and none of them had a clean butt.

In the sound of hurried and chaotic footsteps, Zhang Zi'an turned out from behind the screen surrounded by two little eunuchs, and several deputy generals, staff generals and guerrilla generals who were sitting stood up in unison, looking at this town guard eunuch with trembling eyes!

Zhang Zi'an waved his hand, and the two little eunuchs retreated respectfully, and closed the door with their hands.

Several lieutenant generals, staff generals and guerrillas jumped in their hearts, and soon realized that the situation was not right, Zhao Santai, the deputy general soldier in charge, had not yet arrived, but Zhang Zian didn't seem to want to wait for him.

"Sit down." Zhang Zi'an waved his hand and said gloomily, "You don't have to wait for Deputy Chief Zhao anymore, he won't come, he won't come, and our family won't hide it from you. ”

"Huh?"

"This ......"

"Mr. Zhao, he ......"

Several adjutant generals, staff generals, and guerrillas looked at each other.

"You don't need to panic, and you don't need to be afraid." Zhang Zi'an said in a dark voice, "Zhao Santai's greed for ink and food is his business, and it has nothing to do with you, even if you want to investigate this matter, you can't find it." ”

"Father-in-law is wise."

"It's still my father-in-law who is sympathetic."

"My father-in-law is really sharp-eyed, Zhao Santai's greed for food and food has nothing to do with us."

Several border town generals hurriedly slapped their ass, Zhang Zi'an's words made them completely relieved, with Zhang Zi'an's words, even if the Jingshi sent someone to investigate, they would definitely not be able to find their heads, because Zhao Santai had committed suicide by taking poison, they could put all the blame on him, and the dead would not open their mouths to defend themselves.

"But ......" Zhang Zi settled down, and then said, "Zhao Santai is greedy for ink and food, but his family is innocent, and a few of you and Zhao Santai are also colleagues, this person should always take care of the old feelings, what to do, you don't need our family to teach you, right?" ”

"Inferior rank understands."

"Zhao Santai's greedy silver has been squandered by him, and we haven't copied any silver in his house."

Several border town generals quickly understood what Zhang Zi'an meant, things like Zhao Santai have happened before, and they will not be without in the future, and this kind of treatment is just an old rule.

"There's one more thing." Zhang Zi'an then said, "Let's talk to you first, Master Ma has already gone to the camp in the north of the city to appease the mutinous border soldiers, and Lord Ma also promised to help solve the arrears of the imperial court, so you don't have to go to the camp in the north of the city in the past few days, and you will stay at home honestly for our family one by one." ”

Several border town generals were puzzled: "But father-in-law, the master of the horse ......."

Zhang Zi'an interrupted sympathetically: "Can't you understand what our family is saying? ”

Several border town generals were stunned and said in a low voice: "I understand, I will never step into the camp in the past few days. ”

■■■

The camp in the north of the city, the general army marched.

Wang Pu said to Xiao Qi who came with him: "Xiao Qi, Madame must be in a hurry at home, you go back to the Wang family compound immediately, and tell Madame that in order to appease the mutinous border army soldiers, I will stay in the barracks for the past few days and not go home, and then let the bearded and scarface bring two hundred brothers to the camp immediately, and Mr. Zhen will also come together!" ”

"Yes."

Xiao Qi answered and took the order.

■■■

Wang's compound, Wang Punuan Pavilion.

Chen Yuanyuan was sitting on the pit embroidering, but the window was open in the cold weather, because through the window she could see the gatehouse of the Wang family's compound, she was looking forward to the door would suddenly open, and then the familiar figure would stride in, the young lady came in from the side door with a plate of snacks, walked to Chen Yuanyuan and looked at it, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Chen Yuanyuan said angrily: "Dead girl, what are you laughing at?" ”

The young lady pointed to the embroidered slap in Chen Yuanyuan's hand, and said with a smile: "Madam, a good pair of mandarin ducks are about to be embroidered into feathered pheasants by you, Gegege." ”

Chen Yuanyuan looked down at the mandarin duck he had embroidered, and couldn't help but smile.

Just now, I was worried about Wang Pu and distracted, didn't I just embroider a good mandarin duck into a hairless pheasant?

"Alas......" Chen Yuanyuan stopped laughing after laughing twice, sighed and said, "I don't know what happened to the mutiny of the border army, why haven't I had a letter yet?" ”

"Madame, don't worry." Nen Niang persuaded, "The general even destroyed Jiannu's lair, and the old chief of Jiannu was also captured by him, and now the general's prestige is high, as soon as those mutinous soldiers heard that the general had arrived, they didn't obediently put down their weapons and wait for the general's reprimand?" ”

Chen Yuanyuan said: "Having said that, my heart is still up and down, and I am not steady. ”

"Little maid understood." The young lady covered her mouth and snickered, "Madam, this is called caring and messy, you, you love the general too much." ”

"Go." Chen Yuanyuan said coquettishly, "Little girl, do you know what love is?" ”

The master and servant were making trouble, and Xiao Qi's voice suddenly came from outside the main gate of the warm pavilion: "Madam, the general asked the villain to bring you a message, and the general said that in order to appease the mutinous soldiers, he stayed in the camp and did not go home for the past few days." Madam, the villain will go to the camp soon, do you have anything to say to the general? ”

"Xiao Qi, wait a minute." Chen Yuanyuan hurriedly put down the needlework in his hand, got up and said to Nen Niang, "Nen Niang, hurry up and bring the general's tiger coat, as well as this quilt, which was sent by the grandmother in the morning, and asked Xiao Qi to bring it to the general in the camp." ”

"Hey."

The young lady responded crisply, and took out Wang Pu's tiger robe.

■■■

Two hours later, Xiao Qi returned to the camp in the north of the city, accompanied by two carts, as well as Zhen Youcai, a beard, Scarface, and a full two hundred cronies.

Seeing that Xiao Qi brought someone to move the tiger skin, a few brocade quilts, and some commonly used guys in the house, Wang Pu was stunned and said, "Xiao Qi, what are you doing, moving?" Who told you to bring these things here, this is a big camp, why do you want these things? ”

Xiao Qi smiled bitterly: "This is all ordered by Madame, isn't there no way for the villain." ”

Wang Pu frowned and said, "Didn't you tell Madam that you don't need these things in the barracks?" ”

"Got it." Xiao Qi scratched his head and said, "But Mrs. doesn't listen." ”

Zhen Youcai smiled and persuaded: "General, Madam also cares about you, so stay here." ”

"Okay then." Wang Pu said helplessly, "Let's put things first." ”

Zhen Youcai pulled Wang Pu to the corner of the big tent, lowered his voice and said, "General, there is news from the side of Lushan again." ”

"Oh?" Wang Pu said in a low voice, "Say it quickly." ”

Zhen Youcai said: "The villain has already found out clearly, the person who came to the slaughterhouse to sell horses that day is called Monk Zhang, who lives in Zhangjiatun, is a bachelor, according to the villagers of Zhangjiatun, Monk Zhang was a monk in Shaolin Temple when he was young, and he is good at martial arts, and more than a dozen ordinary strong men can not get close to him, and the villagers also said that this Monk Zhang is usually very honest and good to the villagers, but he will disappear from time to time for a while. ”

"It's kind of interesting." Wang Pu said in a low voice, "This Monk Zhang is really famous. ”

Zhen Youcai said: "The villain also asked about one thing. ”

Wang Pu said: "Speak." ”

Zhen Youcai said: "This Monk Zhang has a good relationship, is a widow in the neighborhood [***], according to the people of [***], the widow has married several men, but none of them lived long, but left two children, people say that she is Kefu's life, and then no one dares to marry her, only Monk Zhang does not believe in this evil, and every once in a while he brings something to the widow's house, and threatens to marry her." ”

"There's a door to this." Wang Pu pondered for a moment, then turned back to the bearded man and said, "Bearded, scarface." ”

The bearded man and Scarface hurriedly stepped forward and answered proudly, "What does the general command?" ”

Wang Pu said: "You go and pick a few brothers who are strong in martial arts, and go with me overnight [***]." ”

"Yes."

The bearded man answered and took the order.

(To be continued)