In the Zeng family, the second Zeng Mi played the role of a military advisor, giving advice and rarely taking action in person.

This time out of Liao, it is very different from the past.

The main reason is that the current identity is different, in the past, it was a private businessman, whether it was an official along the way, or a border army, they had dotted their homes and had a protective umbrella on them.

But now they are rebels and thieves, and no one dares to cover them anymore, if Zeng Mi is recognized, I am afraid that he will have to be escorted to the capital.

Although they are all worried about the second brother, everyone is a rough man, they can't express it, they still smile on their faces, and they gag, but they can't dilute the sadness of parting.

The four brothers were fighting, talking and laughing, and after eating, the third, fourth, and fifth returned to their respective armies.

Before leaving, everyone gave Zeng Mi a bear hug. Zeng Mi told them to practice martial arts diligently and learn more about the art of war, but they told the second brother to bring a sister-in-law back from Liao, which made Zeng Mi cry and laugh.

After the three of them left, Zeng Lang and Zeng Mi fell silent.

After a while, Zeng Mi couldn't help but ask the doubts that had been hidden in his heart these days, "Father, why did you take the initiative to propose to the lord to disband the Qianji Battalion, and also left the army, ran to take care of the money, food and sundries, and brought the children with you?" ”

"Huh!" Zeng Lang smiled faintly and said, "Several of your other brothers also asked me this question, but I didn't answer them. I'll tell you today! ”

Zeng Mi perked up, sat up straight, and listened attentively. He knew that his father had always had far-reaching plans, and every action had a deep meaning.

"Qianji Camp is my Zeng family's army, on the surface, this is the lord's preferential treatment of our Zeng family, but it is also a rift, so that my Zeng family cannot integrate into the Zhu family's army."

"The little Qianji camp is like a small pond, how can I settle the five tigers of my Zeng family? Besides, with me, an old man and Teacher Su, you five tigers will be crushed to the death, and you will not be able to come out! ”

"Only by breaking the small pond and blending into the sea can the five of you show your talents!"

"Moreover, I proposed to the lord to disband the Qianji camp, isn't it a temptation to see what the lord's attitude is. As a result, he was very happy and said yes! It can be seen that he doesn't want to see the existence of the Qianji Battalion! ”

Zeng Mi admired: "Father is thoughtful! But you don't have to leave the ranks and run to manage the money, food, and miscellaneous items, right? ”

Zeng Lane didn't answer immediately, he was silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed and said, "Five of you, I am most optimistic about you and your eldest brother." Your eldest brother is calm, you are thoughtful and cautious. ”

"The third child is not bad in all aspects, but it also seems ...... Be mediocre. The fourth child is brave and tough, but his personality is irritable and reckless. The fifth child is smart and clever, but frivolous and arrogant. ”

"In the future, the Zeng family can only rely on you and your eldest brother!"

"I know you want to be a general in the army, and you don't want to manage money, food, and sundries with me, but I have been in business all my life and have realized a truth - that is, eggs cannot be put in one basket."

"Taiping was originally set by the general, and the general was not allowed to see the peace! Although the generals are majestic in the troubled times, when the heavens are settled, the more the generals are in battle, the more they are feared by the king! ”

"But civil officials are different! When the world is stable, the king will need you even more, and then it will be the time for civil officials to show their talents! ”

"Besides, I'm in the army, and I'll suppress you! No matter how great your brother's merits are, you can't be above me, right? ”

"If I were in the army, it would be impossible for your eldest brother to serve as the general of the White Tiger Army!"

"You, don't underestimate the position of the head of money and grain, no matter how powerful the army is, it can't be without grain and grass, and no matter how wise the monarch is, it can't be without money! As long as you do a good job, you will become the left arm and right arm of the lord! ”

"Don't believe it, look at Xiao He!"

once made a few words, which made the second son suddenly brightened, and he had to sigh that Jiang was still old and spicy.

……

Three days later, Zeng Mi quietly set off.

A group of two hundred elites, all of whom were Yan Zhao Jian'er, used to be a doorman in Zengtou City.

Zhu Long personally saw him off and sent him all the way to the outside of Nanda Camp.

Zeng Mi stopped and said to Zhu Long: "Lord, go back, don't send it again!" ”

"Good! Take care all the way! If it doesn't work out, it's not a big deal, the most important thing is that you and your brothers come back safely! ”

"I have written to Zhu Biao and Hua Rong, asking Hua Rong to accompany you and protect your safety,"

"You take a boat down the river, go directly to Qingzhou, find Yang Zhi, and see if he can provide some help!"

"In addition, Li Jun also raised a naval army in the Bohai Sea, you asked Zhu Biao to write a letter to him, maybe it will be useful!"

……

Zhu Long chattered, did not mention a horse, but repeatedly told the safety of his brothers, which made Zeng Mi feel very cordial and a little moved.

He somewhat understood why Guan Sheng, Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen, and Qin Ming followed him with all their hearts, not only because he was brave and good at fighting, but because Zhu Long was sincere and humane.

Zeng Mi and his entourage carried bows and knives on their backs, and walked to the edge of Liangshan Bo, there was a tavern of Zhujiazhuang on the shore, and there was a trestle bridge behind the house, leading to the lake, and two big boats were waiting by the trestle.

"Brother Erlang!" Hua Rong came from the inn with more than a dozen people and greeted him.

"General Hua, this time the little brother depends on you!" Zeng Mi said with a smile.

Hua Rong said with a sincere face: "Where to say, I'm just your deputy, everything is based on you!" ”

Hearing this, Zeng Mi breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

Hua Rong's status, qualifications, and close relationship with the Zhu brothers are not comparable to him, if he dominates, then Zeng Mike will not be able to do things.

"Come in, big guy, eat and then go! When you're away from home, it's hard to have a full meal or get a good night's sleep! Hua Rong invited.

Zeng Mi joked: "Okay, it's better to be respectful than to obey!" Anyway, it's your own store, so you don't have to pay for it! ”

Hua Rong smiled and did not speak.

After Zeng Mi and the others entered, they found that the store was quite large, more than 200 people, it was not crowded, and the meals were prepared in advance, and they couldn't help but secretly praise Hua Rong for doing everything well.

While eating, Zeng Mi found that Hua Rong was actually checking out at the counter.

Waiting for Hua Rong to come over, Zeng Mi asked, "General Hua, isn't this tavern opened by us Zhujiazhuang?" Why do you still have to give money? ”

Hua Rong smiled slightly and explained: "The lord has always required that the accounts be clear, the input is the input, and the expenditure is the expenditure. Although the main task of this tavern is to receive people from the past and find out the news, it also has to pay an account to the villa every month, and the six transactions of the profit are given to the villa, and the four layers of rewards are given to the brothers who take care of the tavern. ”

"Don't say it's me, even if I wish the third general to eat here, I have to pay. Of course, we can go back and pay the bill! ”

"That's it!" Zeng Mi was thoughtful, he was going to manage the money and food, and he was very concerned about these things.

Hua Rong glanced at the hall and found that everyone had finished eating, so he asked, "Can we go?" ”

Zeng Mi immediately said: "Okay, let's go!" ”

Two big boats, about ten zhang long, most of the soldiers got on the same boat, Hua Rong and Zeng Mi took eighty soldiers on the other boat, including more than a dozen of Hua Rong's personal soldiers.

Zeng Mi stood on the trestle for a long time, refusing to get on the boat, just looking at the ship curiously.

I saw that there were waterwheels under both sides of the ship, with spikes in the bow and stern, and three towers on each side of the deck, which were covered by bamboo fences to block arrows.

It wasn't until everyone got on the boat that Zeng Mi got on the boat.

"What kind of ship is this? I've never seen it before! Zeng Mi asked Hua Rong, in fact, he had never seen such a ship, even ordinary ships, he had never seen a few, because he was a northerner.

Hua Rong's face was pale, and he said: "This is a small loach boat, and there are more than 100 soldiers on board." There are six waterwheels on each side below, and there are sixty sailors in the cabins, and if there is a headwind or a battle on the water, they will step on the waterwheels, and the boat will fly like a fly, and they will not be afraid of the wind and water! ”

"What a clever work!" Zeng Mi was amazed: "I don't know who thinks, it's really a genius!" ”

"It's a shipbuilding master named Ye Chun, the lord doesn't know how to know his ability, he searched everywhere, and took great pains to invite him!"

Zeng Mi sighed: "The lord is really like love, and he knows how to make good use of people!" ”

"By the way, General Hua just said that this is a small loach boat, so is there a big loach boat?"

Hua Rong smiled and said, "Brother Erlang is really smart-minded, and there is indeed a big loach boat, which is actually about the same, that is, it is just bigger." This time I went to Qingzhou, I was afraid that there would be narrow places along the way and it would be difficult for big boats to pass, so I only used these two small loach boats! ”

The sailors pulled up the sails, and although the wind was not very strong, the ship set sail with ease.

Zeng Mi's curiosity was aroused, and accompanied by Hua Rong, he stepped on the creaking wooden staircase to the bottom of the cabin, which was pitch black, with only a faint light coming from overhead.

Dozens of sturdy sailors pedaled the waterwheel, and the wheels of the waterwheel outside spun rapidly, propelling the ship forward.

It was dark inside, the space was cramped, Zeng Mi felt very depressed, and quickly returned to the deck.

By this time the summer south wind had set sails, and the ship began to move normally.

Someone called the sailors underground to blow the wind, which made Zeng Mi wonder, why did they really come up so quickly?

Hua Rong explained: "We are now in good wind, and we don't need to work hard, brothers!" When you go, it's smooth, mainly when you come back, it's troublesome, against the wind and water, and you need to step on the water wheel! ”

"That's it!" Zeng Mi suddenly realized, and felt that he had gained a lot of knowledge.