The rapid expansion of the army made Yang Xin distressed, this time it seemed that the steps were a bit big, and he was pulling eggs.

Yang Xin and the princess took Bai Youcai, and Xu Sheng calculated the accounts in the hall for a morning, and was surprised to find that he had to feed four hundred households, plus forty mercenary cavalry, this expenditure was an astronomical amount.

The monthly salary of 400 people alone is more than 600 taels, and the 40 mercenaries are 50 taels each, which is as high as 2,000 taels.

In this way, the monthly expenses are nearly five thousand taels, of course, the mercenaries account for the majority of the expenses, but now they have no cavalry, and they must rely on this mercenary army of forty people, Yang Xin still thinks that the contract may be renewed when it expires in two months, but this will not know the whereabouts of Liu Zongmin's army, and he can't discuss it with Sun Shixiong.

The most expensive has not yet been counted, that is, weapons, Yang Xin's request is to buy the most advanced firearms in this era as the main battle equipment, there are currently less than 100 muskets, 2 muskets and 100 households, and the shortage is as high as more than 100.

If you buy it at the previous price of one hundred taels of muskets, you will need more than 10,000 taels of silver, plus an army of more than 400 people, you already need to buy small artillery to strengthen the firepower, such as Frankie guns, etc., the key is that there is money and no place to buy it now!

What's more, firearms are consumed extremely quickly, and most of the gunpowder and projectiles of the muskets purchased in the last batch were consumed after only one battle.

The four of them roughly calculated that they would buy all the equipment of these four hundred soldiers according to Yang Xin's requirements, and at least 20,000 taels of silver would not be able to get down.

In this way, it will cost 24,000 taels of silver in the first month, which is still the starting price, and then it will be used for the renewal and loss of weapons, the soldier's salary, and the consumption of food, and at least 6,000 taels of silver must be prepared every month.

"General, you see that this musket and artillery are too expensive, should we equip ourselves with more weapons such as broadswords and spears?"

Bai Youcai had just taken office, but he didn't expect that this quartermaster was not good, and he was already sweating profusely at this time.

Xu Sheng, the adjutant on the side, was the same, and hurriedly echoed: "Yes, there is also this soldier's food, which is white rice, white flour and meat every day, and this kind of food is not willing to be paid to the family of the little rich now, can we reduce it appropriately?" ”

Yang Xin shook his head and said, "No, what I want is an elite army, whether it is weapons or food, it must be according to the highest standard in the world!" ”

The princess sighed: "It's really not easy to raise an army, I ......"

She originally planned to say that my father had been worried about the military salary before, but fortunately she kept her mouth in time, and then said: "The 50,000 taels of silver we brought over will have to spend most of it in the first month, and it won't last for four months in the future." ”

Yang Xin smiled bitterly when he heard this, he still has a big plan, that is, to do sea trade, he didn't dare to put it forward at this time, this plan is difficult to start now, just to buy sea ships, goods, the cost is also astronomical.

He could only adopt the usual style of pretending to be forced, and pretended to be calm and said: "You don't have to be anxious, I have my own opinions, Bai Youcai, Xu Sheng, the two of you send more subordinates, as soon as possible to purchase the required armaments along the road, there is no way to buy muskets for a while, just buy a little big knife and spear to make do, and we must not let the soldiers have no weapons in their hands." ”

Yang Xin already has a shadow in his heart about the wooden stick soldiers of the Beida Battalion, such soldiers are useless in field battles, and defending the city can still play a starting role, and the combat effectiveness is like a street fight, which is really shocking.

Bai Youcai and the two promised to leave with sad faces.

Looking at the backs of the two leaving, the princess sighed: "This army is really expensive, we only have to raise an army of 400 people is still so difficult, I really don't know how much energy my father spent raising an army of millions in the Ming Dynasty!" ”

And Yang Xin patted his head, "Oops, I forgot, there is also the armor of the soldiers, this is a big item, a good pair of iron armor is more expensive than a musket!" ”

The princess cried and said, "I don't live anymore, and I won't let it go, so if I calculate it, the fifty thousand taels of silver will be gone......"

At this time, Yang Xin has already begun to fight the idea of saving silver in the capital, speculating in a house to spend 100,000 taels, bringing out 50,000 taels, and there are still 300,000 taels of old capital left in the capital, but now the war is chaotic, and the journey is far away, even if it is to transport silver, it is difficult to climb to the sky.

Yang Xin saw that the princess was about to cry, and comforted: "Don't be sad, little princess, remember to collect the new shareholders' entry money in the afternoon, and the thirteen shareholders can still collect more than 30,000 taels!" ”

The princess instantly burst into tears and laughed, "It seems that we have to live on the old capital of these new shareholders......"

At this time, Daniel Zhang came to report outside the door.

"General, urgent military situation!"

Daniel Zhang frowned and walked to Yang Xin.

"Today, a large number of displaced people have poured into Tianjin, and it is reported that the capital has been broken, and the Manchu Qing sent a partial division to prepare to attack Tianjin!"

"What?"

Yang Xin stood up in surprise.

"Why hasn't the Dashun Army in Tianjin moved at all?"

Yang Xin has been so busy since he entered Tianjin that he has not rested for a moment, and the time has not reached a day, and he has entered with his front foot, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty has followed his ass and beaten him, and the speed is so fast.

Daniel Zhang said with a bitter smile: "There is no regular Dashun army in Tianjin, and the current government is all the Daming government that surrendered to Dashun before, and there are only dozens of servants left, and they are simply unable to organize resistance." ”

Yang Xin walked back and forth in the hall, thought for a moment, and said: "Organize a retreat immediately, and the army will start early the day after tomorrow." ”

Although it is urgent, the number of troops and their families is now as high as more than 700, and the preparations must be sufficient, otherwise it will be difficult to handle on the road, especially the procurement of armaments and the recruitment of new soldiers that have just been explained, and they must be completed before they can retreat.

Fortunately, this coke cripple is very efficient, fifty people were recruited in place in just one morning, and now the war and famine, Yang Jiajun's such a high treatment is not worrying at all, not to mention that last time they had pulled hundreds of people, Daniel Zhang only hired more than a hundred, they have no shortage of people in their hands, they are all strong dock coolies.

Daniel Zhang immediately complied.

Everything is going on in an orderly manner, I didn't expect that they have become the most powerful armed force in Tianjin, no wonder I didn't see a Dashun army or official when I came back from the dock yesterday, and the people on the road were also very wary of them.

At the same time, more and more displaced people are pouring into Tianjin, and they may move at any time! Chaos, it is estimated that the displaced people do not know their attitude and do not dare to act rashly for the time being, after all, Yang Xin has forty Dashun mercenaries in his hands who often appear on the streets, and Yang Xin's headquarters has not played the banner of Dashun for a long time, but just casually played a Yangzi flag, and the displaced people may mistakenly think that they are the Dashun army.