Early morning.

Zhu Ming rubbed his sleepy eyes and woke up, and came to the deck to breathe the air.

The mist still has not cleared on the river, but the morning sun has risen in the east.

Last night, all the archers slept in their clothes, and their weapons were left by their side, just waiting for the bandits to come and attack.

However, nothing happened......

The leader of the gang was still making a fire to make food, and the domestic servant and overseer came up: "Zhu Dutou, give me a team of archers, and I will go back to the county seat to resume my life." ”

"Your Excellency is no longer with the army?" Zhu Ming asked.

The servants and overseers said: "The money and grain are in charge of the officials, and the war is under the command of the head of the capital, and it is the same whether I go or not." ”

Zhu Ming smiled: "That's okay, I'll transfer a team of archers to you." ”

As a representative of Xiangzhi County, this guy just wants to go back with his goods as soon as possible. And it has already been asked, the little white man has a house in the county outside, and there is also money hidden there waiting to be received.

The next thing, the domestic servants and the army are too lazy to care.

Because, Xiang Zhixian has made enough, and he has made two windfalls before and after, and the income added up to nearly 10,000 yuan.

Settle in the bag for safety!

A group of miscellaneous soldiers threw it to the servants and overseers, and this guy ran away on a boat, and he didn't even bother to eat breakfast.

It was against the current, much slower, and it was better to get all the goods in before the gates were closed. The iron money is heavy and abundant, and in order to grab time, he simply hired the dock coolies directly and let the miscellaneous soldiers maintain law and order throughout the whole process.

The coolies' wages were paid twice as much as they usually worked, and they were all elated and energetic.

The county officials had already left work, and when they heard the news at home, they were very blushing when they heard the news.

Xiang Zhixian was a little scared, and when these goods were moved, he didn't immediately move the money hidden in the county by the little white man.

He asked the servant: "These archers, but Zhu Chenggong's henchmen?" ”

The servant replied: "More than 300 archers, more than 200 regular soldiers were selected, and those are Zhu Chenggong's henchmen, and they were all taken to fight in Heifeng Village." These eleven men were just miscellaneous soldiers among the archers. ”

Xiang Zhixian suddenly had a plan, and he called all the eleven archers to the backyard of the county office.

Pointing to the two baskets of iron money, he said to the magistrate: "These are all rewards for you, whoever is the leader, take it and distribute it yourself." ”

"Thank you, county!" The captain of the archer was overjoyed.

Xiang Zhixian said: "Zhu Dutou has enough troops, you don't have to go back, just stay in the county lieutenant department as a standing archer." In the future, as long as you listen to me, you will have money and wealth, and your family's taxes can also be exempted. ”

The eleven archers were overjoyed when they heard this, they couldn't stand the rules, they didn't take the initiative to be soldiers, they were originally active-minded, and they were easily bought with a little benefit.

In a small remote county like Xixiang County, there is no quota for standing archers, but there are basically between ten and twenty archers. In the past, they were all the henchmen of Zhu Zhu's book, but now they are all vacant, which is just convenient for cultivating power to the magistrate.

Xiang Zhixian said: "In the future, there will be a county lieutenant, and you will also listen to me." Can you hear it? ”

The captain of the archer immediately knelt down: "Eat the food of the county and do things for the county!" ”

"Very good," Xiang Zhixian asked again, "You are not a soldier, but have you learned the Mandarin Duck Formation?" ”

The captain of the archers said, "It's all practiced." ”

Xiang Zhixian was even more satisfied, and when the archers on Zhu Ming's side were disbanded, his subordinates would be the strongest combat force in the county.

He felt that it was not safe, and ordered: "When the other archers come back, you can recruit another team to come." Don't be a soldier, as long as you are a miscellaneous soldier, it's best not to be close to Na Zhu Dutou! ”

"Yes!" The captain of the archers understood.

Xiang Zhixian smiled all over his face, so that he had two teams of archers, a total of 22 people to call.

……

In the morning, Zhu Ming continued to march with the archers.

Soon came to the riverside village downstream, which cannot be called a village, only more than a dozen households, and is an outpost set up by Heifeng Village.

When the father and son crossed over, they begged for food here.

Revisiting the old place, quite emotional.

Zhang Guangdao was already standing by the river to greet him, and he led his troops to go further downstream last night, and crossed the river in a small boat in the dark to ambush him. The purpose is, of course, to intercept the bandits' rout and cut off the bandits' retreat.

It's a pity that the bandits didn't come, and all the preparations were in vain.

Zhang Guangdao couldn't help but complain: "Yang Ying has been frightened and doesn't dare to come to the night attack and burn the ship." Even a dozen or so families by the river fled into the mountains, and they fled in a hurry, and some food was not taken with them. ”

Chen Ziyi guessed: "It seems that the thieves are demoralized and dare not leave the cottage at all. ”

"Now we can only attack, let's go." Zhu Ming ordered.

The river entering the mountains is too small, and large ships are prone to run aground, so they can only use small boats to transport grain, and all the personnel go ashore on foot.

After walking for two or three miles, you can see private houses.

They were all thatched huts, and the search team came back and reported: "Dutou, there is no one in those houses, and all the grain, livestock, and rice pots have been taken away." ”

"Revisit."

"Yes!"

Zhang Guangdao pointed ahead and said, "I still have to go forward, bypass the mountain col over there, and only then can we reach the foot of the mountain in Heifeng Village." Every time the officers and soldiers came to suppress the thieves, the peasants under the mountain would evacuate, and all of them would withdraw to the Black Wind Village on the mountain. ”

The team rounded the col and the terrain was much wider, with more thatched huts and farmland.

As we continued on, it narrowed sharply, revealing a series of mountains ahead.

Near the river is a cliff on one side, and the other slopes are steeper.

"It's not hard to climb." Chen Ziyi looked at the hillsides.

Zhang Guangdao said: "It is not difficult to climb at the foot of the mountain, but halfway up the mountain, the place where you can walk is very narrow. And then go up, narrower and steeper. Traps have also been set up in the few places where it is possible not to take the mountain path, and officers and men need to climb up against falling rocks while removing the traps. ”

There are traps under their feet and falling rocks overhead, which is really difficult for the officers and soldiers.

After all, the officers and soldiers who came to suppress bandits in the past were also temporarily recruited archers, and they had not been seriously trained. Stepping on a few traps and being hit by a few stones, it is estimated that you will have to flee on the spot.

】

"Set up camp on the shore first." Zhu Ming ordered.

The men and miscellaneous soldiers immediately moved to carry the ship's grain to the shore.

It is said that it is camped, but in fact, a few rows of wooden fences are just laid down, and the real veterans will be amused when they see it.

Zhu Ming still doesn't know how to set up camp, and his relevant knowledge comes from "Ji Xiao's New Book".

According to the "New Book of Ji Xiao", after the army has eaten lunch, it should consider the matter of camping.

Qi Jiguang said that the main general and the battalion generals of the front battalion, together with the rest of the battalion generals and the officers of the Chinese army, would go to the outpost in person after lunch. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the commander-in-chief and the accompanying officers should ascend to the heights in advance to observe the terrain. After the large army caught up and the camping site was basically selected, the Chinese army flag was erected and specific camping matters were arranged.

While setting up camp, they also had to send out sentry horses to check the situation.

There are auxiliaries who need to go out to cut trees, collect firewood, cut grass and feed the horses, all of which need to leave the camp, and be sure to count the number of people when they return. If you come back less, it may be that there is an accident, and you should send a small group of elite soldiers to look for it. If you come back more, there must be spies, and you have to check carefully.

All of this is clearly written, but Zhu Ming doesn't know the details, and it's all up to him to figure out.

For example,, Qi Jiguang didn't talk about it in the camping chapter, Zhu Ming could only choose a location and stipulate that the soldiers must go there to solve it. He now has fewer troops, which is completely possible, if he commands tens of thousands of troops, how can he make soldiers?

If tens of thousands of people confront the enemy for a month, how much feces and urine should be pulled out? It is difficult to deal with and can easily cause infectious diseases.

When the militia was camped, Zhu Ming sent several teams of archers to the relatively open hillside to guard.

Immediately, he personally led his troops up the mountain, and Zhang Guangdao followed by him, and went to observe the situation around the battlefield on the spot.

After half an hour of climbing, the mountain suddenly steepened.

Zhang Guangdao pointed ahead and said: "The hillsides on both sides of the road over there can be climbed, but there are thorns and weeds everywhere, and there are many traps. In some places where it is convenient to dig pits, some pits are dug with sharpened bamboo pieces in the pits. ”

"If that's all, it's not hard to conquer." Zhu Ming said.

Zhang Guangdao said: "On the hillside, there are thieves guarding it, and once the officers and soldiers climb up, they will push the stones down. Even if there is a small group of officers and soldiers who climb up to avoid rocks and traps, they will be attacked by the thieves guarding above. ”

Zhu Ming asked, "There are more dangerous places." ”

Zhang Guangdao said: "After capturing here, if you continue to go up the mountain, there is still a key point. The mountain road can only accommodate two people walking side by side, and there are cliffs on both sides of the mountain road, with one side of the cliff on top and one side down. Above the cliff, you can throw rocks down, and the officers and soldiers on the road can't dodge, they either retreat or jump off the cliff. ”

Zhu Ming took out a pen and paper and began to draw a simple diagram, marking a few key points.

As for the upper place, it cannot be observed by the naked eye for the time being, so Zhang Guangdao can only make up for it from memory.

"Where is the easiest place to climb if you sneak up?" Zhu Ming asked again.

Zhang Guangdao said: "If you continue to walk deep into the mountains by boat, the cliffs by the river will become shorter and shorter. It takes about two or three days to climb ashore and climb the mountain, and then climb to the back of the Black Wind Village. There are tigers in the mountains, and there are many snakes, insects, rats and ants, and even the bandits dare not go. ”

Zhu Ming asked, "Then do you dare?" ”

"Why don't you dare?" Zhang Guangdao immediately said, "I used to sell smuggled salt, and I have traveled all over the mountains of Xixiang County, so I naturally know how to avoid those big insects." ”

Zhu Ming arranged: "Then you take three squads over." I'm here, I'll take the less dangerous places first, and then I'll wait for you to cooperate in three days. ”

"Within three days, I'll be there." Zhang Guangdao made a guarantee.

The two returned to the camp, and Chen Ziyi had already finished camping.

Zhang Guangdao called his three squads to receive torches, dry food, medicinal powder and other materials. These are prepared in advance, especially the deworming powder, the price is quite expensive, and they will be reimbursed to the county magistrate.

Zhu Ming sent soldiers to search the nearby hillside to prevent any bandits from secretly observing.

After making sure that his whereabouts would not be exposed, Zhang Guangdao led his troops to set off, and took a boat to circle the upstream while it was still dark.

After dinner, it was getting dark.

Zhu Ming personally led people to patrol the camp, and the camp of hundreds of people could be seen at a glance, and there was nothing to inspect.

The main purpose is to appease people's hearts, and when he meets the sentinels, Zhu Ming will always chat a few words and tell them not to desert.

Pacing all the way back to the tent, Chen Ziyi walked over and took the initiative to ask: "Tomorrow I will be a pioneer." ”

"Yes," Zhu Ming took out a simple map, "Before attacking tomorrow, I will accompany you to familiarize yourself with the terrain." The place where the cross is drawn on the map, it is the most dangerous, and it is absolutely impossible to storm it. When the attack reached here, it was necessary to stop, and while sending people up the mountain to persuade him to surrender, he waited for Zhang Sange to lead the troops to attack. ”

"Do you want to bring the door panel?" Chen Ziyi asked.

Zhu Ming smiled: "Of course you have to bring it, that thing is of great use." ”

The vine players of the Mandarin Duck Formation are divided into long players and short players. Long cards block ranged weapons, short cards block melee weapons.

I heard that there was an earthen bow in the Black Wind Village, and there was also a rolling stone attack, so Zhu Ming got some door panels and temporarily used them as long cards.

Today, during the on-site investigation of the battlefield, Zhu Ming found that the door panel actually had another wonderful use!