"Brother Yuanyuan, you must have replied to the letter these days, and your hands are numb!" Wu Shigong smiled and joked with Deng Qifan.

"I'm not tired! It's nothing more than a cookie-cutter copy. Deng Qifan also replied with a smile.

After the assassination occurred, the nearby officials and the commanders in charge of various units wrote one after another, in addition to expressing their condolences to Wu Shigong and advising Wu Shigong to calm down, what they were most concerned about was Wu Shigong's next move.

In this regard, Wu Shigong also replied to the letter one by one, and the content of the reply letter was nothing more than to ensure that he would unite around Emperor Chongzhen and do his best for the peace of the Ming Dynasty. Wu Shigong didn't have the patience to repeat this kind of routine answer, so Wu Shigong handed over the matter to Deng Qifan, and he was nothing more than Zuihou signing his name.

"Taoguang has been obscure for nearly ten years, and once lost. Alas! It's really better to be a human being than a god! Wu Shigong sighed.

"Changjing, you don't have to be discouraged. After all, our antipathy has not been revealed, and the court cannot catch us at any wrong. Deng Qifan comforted.

Wu Shigong shook his head and said, "Just rely on a few letters from us?" A few words? The court really believed that there were ghosts too. It's just that they haven't torn their faces for the time being, but their vigilance against us will never be reduced. ”

Deng Qifan also nodded: "It's the same, you can only rely on time to slowly eliminate the suspicion of the imperial court!" ”

"The suspicion will not be diminished." Wu Shigong still has a pessimistic attitude, "The key is that we must have strength, without strength, even if we are really loyal ministers, there will still be no good end." ”

Seeing that the atmosphere of the conversation was getting heavier and heavier, Deng Qifan changed the topic with a smile: "Chang Jing! I heard that the person sent by the imperial court to deliver the holy decree this time is your old one? ”

Wu Shigong also nodded with a smile and said, "You're talking about Gonggong Qin!" He is an old man of the Holy Faith Palace, and he has been friends with me for more than ten years. The days are changing, and these days are going by so fast! The situation when we interacted in the capital. It looks like it's still in front of you! ”

"Then this time he comes, there are always some things that are better to say!"

"To each his own! Personal friendship and state affairs do not mix. That Father-in-law Qin has always been loyal to the saint. Besides, how many people in this world know the true strength of our Runing Army? They don't underestimate that we're already good. There will never be a situation where our tiger body shakes up and everyone bows down! Wu Shigong said with a smile and winked at Deng Qifan.

Deng Qifan was also amused by Wu Shigong's actions. He laughed a few times with Wu Shigong and said, "Changjing has worked hard for many years, and he has indeed received miraculous results. Those who have not yet arrived in Runing are difficult to see the essence of the long respect for soldiers. The letters of those governors were full of words, as if by virtue of their officers and soldiers. It can defeat us in one fell swoop. On the contrary, it was Yu Ruzhou, who was modest in his words, and the other military attaches were even more friendly. Except for General Zuo, he didn't write a letter! Haha-! ”

"The frog at the bottom of the well is not worth mentioning." Wu Shigong also smiled and waved his hand. "That Yu Zilian has also been very depressed recently. There are a lot of military achievements, but the court is stingy with rewards. Moreover, he is not the prime minister of the five provinces. It doesn't belong to Henan, so it relies on half of Ruzhou to raise the army, and Yin is very busy eating grain! So maybe we have the same sickness! Thinking of Yu Zilian's predicament, Wu Shigong couldn't help but gloat.

"Chang Jing should be cautious! However, this year is another catastrophe, so Yu Ruzhou must also be suffering. The court is so biased, is it really not afraid of the chill of the people below? Deng Qifan said again.

"We don't have time to take care of Yu Zilian's affairs. However, he has also seized a lot, and it can be supported for a while. I've asked the comptoir to lower the price of things to give him more time to hold on. With him in the way, our northwest will always be worry-free. ”

Wu Shigong continued: "The catastrophe mentioned by Brother Yuanyuan. It's a real headache. You said that after I arrived in Henan, why didn't there be a time when the wind and rain were smooth, but this internal and external troubles, natural and man-made disasters, is the situation of the last days! ”

Wu Shigong dared to say such taboo words, Deng Qifan was more cautious. He just nodded, and said hehe: "Changjing has worked hard for many years, and he has really ensured the safety of the two prefectures." To put it mildly, Chang Jing really has insight! ”

Hearing Deng Qifan's praise, Wu Shigong was of course very proud, and finally someone saw the strengths of the traverser! Deng Qifan then asked, "Where should we place the Qincha this time?" ”

Wu Shigong thought for a while and said, "It's still in Fucheng!" The conditions in the city are better. "Wu Shigong will never put Gonggong Qin into his camp, so that Gonggong Qin can see his strength clearly," However, the safety of Qincha is also very important, and it must be protected around the official residence. ”

Wu Shigong was once bitten by a snake and was afraid of the well rope for ten years. So the preventive actions that should be done are always to be done. "However, Father-in-law Qin has also sent someone to send a private letter, and this time the will is also written in the letter." Wu Shigong continued.

"Oh? What is it? Deng Qifan asked.

"Let me be stationed in Runing and Guide to the Second Mansion; The number of soldiers increased to 10,000; Gu prefect transferred; Three hundred snowflakes and silver in the palace. And the governor of Henan, Yamen, immediately paid the military salary of the Runing army for one year. Wu Shigong replied.

The snowflake silver in that palace is only of an honorary nature, and it has little practical significance. But the other points prove that the imperial court has made great concessions, so that Wu Shigong has gained a lot of benefits. In particular, Wu Shigong was stationed in Guide Mansion, so that the Runing Army could justifiably exist in Guide Mansion.

So Deng Qifan immediately smiled and congratulated: "Then congratulations, Lord Xi." ”

Wu Shigong also laughed out loud and said, "After nine deaths, it's time to give me some sweetness." However, the imperial court will not give gifts in vain, they want our Runing army to send troops immediately. ”

"Really?" Deng Qifan asked, but he thought for a while and said, "The imperial court is still not at ease!" ”

"So what?" Wu Shigong said nonchalantly, "Now that our Runing Army has expanded to 80,000, I thought it was calm for the time being, and I still thought about reducing it." But now there is a holy decree, and a new town is being built in Runan. Then Liu Guoneng and Zhang and Luo are mixing in Nanzhili, so let's mess up a little more! ”

This time, Wu Shigong urgently expanded the army, because there were too many young and strong people who were transferred, which had already affected local production, and the cost of military spending was too large, so he could not maintain such a huge army for a long time.

Therefore, Wu Shigong was ready to take advantage of the arrival of the holy decree and send a part of the Runing army to Huguang along the river. In this way, it is possible to feed the war with war; It can also supervise Liu Guoneng in real time; It can also dispel some of the court's suspicions; It is more able to train recruits in actual combat, which is really a perfect thing! (To be continued......)