He Kegang's question, like a thunderbolt from a sunny day, shocked Deng Changchun, and subconsciously turned his head to look at Yan Mingtai.

Yan Mingtai was also a little confused, he didn't expect He Kegang to ask so bluntly.

But after thinking about it, it was probably He Kegang who was under tremendous pressure and desperate to get out of this predicament.

"I feel a little about the general's predicament."

Yan Mingtai said indifferently: "Yan is from a Jinshi background, and he is also full of ambitions. But because he didn't agree with his boss, he was dismissed, and later defected to the eunuch party, so he made a comeback. ”

He Kegang has heard a little about this experience.

"When the eunuchs were driven out of the court, I also lost my backer."

Yan Mingtai sighed and said, "The imperial court doesn't remember merit and loyalty, just because I am a eunuch, it will dismiss me and investigate me, how similar to the general at this time. ”

The situation of not being allowed to be in the court and being impeached by Qingliu made He Kegang very sympathetic.

After hearing this, He Kegang said: "Inspector Yuan was arrested, and we were forced to return to Ningjin because of the lack of food and grass. Heaven and earth are too great to accommodate the faithful. ”

"Even if Inspector Yuan is not arrested, you can return to Ning Jin safely, and the future will not be easy."

Yan Mingtai's words changed: "Because the importance of Ning Jin is much worse than before. ”

"What do you mean by that......"

"With the recovery of the Guangning area by Yang Shuai, Ningjin is no longer a strategic location, and the imperial court will definitely treat Ningjin as well as before."

Yan Mingtai said: "Excuse me, a place that is not as important as before, is the imperial court willing to give a penny?" Without the military salary of the imperial court, what do you rely on to support your family? ”

"This ......"

He Kegang was shocked into a cold sweat, only thinking about the current situation, and did not think about the future development at all.

Yes, there is no need to fight against the front line of the Tartars, and with the urine of the imperial court, it will definitely be in arrears to the Guanning army like it is owed to other border troops.

At that time, he didn't have the ability of Yang Shuai, where did he get the money to feed this group of brothers who were born and died.

"Whether it's Sun Chengzong or Ma Shilong, they don't have the ability to continue to give money, at best, they need you now, so they will deliberately win them over."

Yan Mingtai reminded: "Only Yang Shuai urgently needs your joining, so that he can fight against the Tartars on the outside and settle the people of Liaodong on the inside." ”

He Kegang was stunned for a moment, and then reacted, Yan Mingtai had actually answered the question he asked at the beginning.

Yang Chengying also set his sights on Guan Ningjun, hoping to be included in his command.

"In addition, Yang Shuai approved the soldiers of each army, and set the salary of the soldiers of the Jinzhou Army at three taels per month, and forty taels of silver per year, plus rice and clothes."

Yan Mingtai further advised: "Soldiers in battle should take the first flight, the number of enemies killed, and the wounded as the standard of military merit, and additional rewards such as silver, camels, and horses will be paid. ”

"I've known that for a long time."

He Kegang said helplessly: "The brothers also know that Yang Shuai's courage and financial resources are just the kindness of Inspector Yuan......"

"What Inspector Yuan hopes most is to eliminate the Tartars and stabilize the north."

Yan Mingtai interrupted him: "I have been friends with Inspector Yuan for many years, and I know Inspector Yuan's character very well. also knows that what he hopes for most is Guan Ningjun's livelihood. ”

"Hey......" He Kegang still hesitated, "Let me think about it again and give you two more answers." ”

"Okay." Yan Mingtai readily agreed.

On the same day, under the guidance of Zuo Liangyu, they rested in the pavilion.

Regarding whether to take refuge in Yang Chengying, Guan Ningjun has different opinions.

As the old soldier, Zhu Mei disagreed: "Inspector Yuan is just going to prison, and there is no hope of being released, if we take refuge in Yang Chengying, it is equivalent to breaking hope." ”

"We are soldiers of the imperial court, not individual soldiers."

Zuo Fu also disagreed: "If we take refuge in Yang Chengying, it is equivalent to changing from a soldier of the imperial court to a soldier of Yang Chengying." Future...... Forget it, I don't agree anyway. ”

He Kegang nodded, and also felt that the two masters were very reasonable.

At this time, Zuo Liangyu said loudly: "I have a low status, so I shouldn't have spoken. Some words are not spit out and unhappy, I hope the two masters will forgive me. ”

The three of them looked at Zuo Liangyu almost at the same time.

Zuo Liangyu cleared his throat and said, "Yang Shuai's thoughts, you all know. But Yan Mingtai has a saying, which I think is very correct. ”

"Which word?" Zhu Mei asked.

"Our Guanning Army relies on the Ningjin front, so that we can have enough food and soldiers. Without the meaning of the Ningjin front, we are equal to waste. ”

Zuo Liangyu said: "No one knows whether Inspector Yuan can come back or not. But as soon as he walked on the front foot, we were underpaid on the back foot. Coupled with the reduced importance of Ningjin, how can we survive? ”

Zhu Mei and Zuo Fu were stunned at first, and after glancing at each other, they both faintly saw worry in each other's eyes.

This concern is not unreasonable, but it is a lesson from the past.

Jizhen is because of the perennial arrears, which has caused the Great Wall defense line to become a sieve. The Guan Ning army has no need to directly confront the Tartars, and Jizhen is the future.

As the main general, if you don't consider the way out of your subordinates, it is extremely harmful.

Zhu Meina has been beaten.

For a while, Zhu Mei and Zuo Fu fell silent.

Zuo Liangyu further said: "In the final analysis, on the surface, Yang Shuai needs us, but in fact, we need Yang Shuai. ”

Cao Wenzhao on the side nodded violently, agreeing with Zuo Liangyu's point of view.

"If you have milk, you are a mother, how can you be worthy of Inspector Yuan!"

He Kegang twisted his eyebrows and said: "We have fallen into a situation of disloyalty and injustice, how can we go on any further." ”

It is not so much to blame Zuo Liangyu and Cao Wenzhao, but to say that He Kegang is asking himself.

He was trying to convince himself.

"Unfaithfulness and injustice? Does the imperial court look up to us a little? ”

Zuo Liangyu sneered and said: "To this day, the imperial court still doesn't care about us, only about waste generals like Ma Dengyun. When they are all gone, they will not think of us. ”

"When we're done with it, we'll throw it away like rags."

Cao Wenzhao took over the conversation: "Then, we began to stop paying our military salaries, so that our brothers didn't even have the money to buy clothes for their mother-in-law." ”

"Enough!"

He Kegang raised his hand and signaled them to shut up: "Let me think about this matter slowly, and I must not have the slightest promise." ”

His hesitation was understandable.

Yang Chengying is a general soldier who is loyal to the country, but he is worried about the Guan Ning Army, so how can He Kegang not be suspicious.

But the future, as Cao Wenzhao guessed, is almost inevitable.

This made He Kegang and others entangled.

After Yan Mingtai heard He Kegang's hesitation, he hurriedly wrote a letter and asked Deng Changchun to bring his own soldiers to Yizhou, and handed it over to Yang Chengying with his own hands.

Yang Chengying received the letter in the afternoon of the next day.

"He Kegang hesitated, it seems that I need to make a trip myself."

After reading the letter, Yang Chengying said: "The imperial court has not yet realized the importance of the Guan Ning Army, although Sun Chengzong is aware of it, but he does not have the energy to pay attention to it, this is a good opportunity for me to incorporate the Guan Ning Army." ”