Wang Yue was lazily half-lying, squinting, and giving military orders one after another.

Those who don't know think that he is an old man who sets up a stall in the capital to sell fried cypress, and tells his family to prepare for the stall tomorrow morning.

Chang Feng listened carefully to Wang Yue's military orders on the side.

Chang Feng was surprised to find that the border army of 80,000 people was assembled, and Wang Yue's order could be accurate to the movement of every hundred households.

He hadn't looked at the map all the time. Ningxia's grass, trees, mountains and rivers seem to be in his mind.

Chang Feng thoroughly understood why Ma Wensheng said that "the crisis in the northwest can only be solved by Wang Yue alone".

Chang Feng even began to be annoyed. If he had made a move earlier and helped Wang Yue become the general system of the trilateral system, why would the situation in the northwest deteriorate to this point?

It will take about a month for the border armies of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningbo to complete their assembly in Lingwu.

After the assembly is completed, the army will march towards Helan Mountain.

The soldiers and horses did not move, and the grain and grass went first. After Wang Yue gave military orders to the generals, he began to meet with the magistrates to discuss grain and grass matters.

Under the trilateral general system, there is one big governor (Shaanxi) and four small governors (Gansu, Ningxia, Hedong, and Hexi).

Wang Yue was the immediate boss of the Northwest Magistrate. The five governors have gathered in Lingwu City, just waiting for Wang Yue to summon them.

In the big tent, the generals retreated. Each went to carry out the military orders issued by Wang Yue.

Wang Yue said: "There are five governors invited!" ”

Then Wang Yue said to Chang Feng and Zhang Yong: "There are two Lao, stand by my side." ”

Wang Yue was still half-lying on the recliner. Chang Feng and Zhang Yong stood on either side of him, like two generals.

Wang Yue is pulling the banner of the tiger skin: Look, the master of ceremonies and the shopkeeper of Jinyiwei are my followers. You, civil servants, had better cooperate.

Not long after, the five governors walked into the tent with a swagger.

The first of them was Yang Tingxu, the governor of Shaanxi.

These people each have their own backers in the capital, and they have a huge network of protégés and old relationships.

For example, Yang Tingxu was the same year and best friend of Liu Jian, the second assistant to the cabinet.

These people look down on Wang Yue in their bones: You are a top three-class person, if you didn't lick Wang Zhi's belly back then, how could you rise all the way and become a trilateral general system above us?

Who are we? Either the top three jinshi and the first in the first class, or the top ten in the second class, are all the best among the readers.

If you don't cling to the powerful. As far as the rotten ranking is concerned, I'm afraid that I will die and mix up the top five grades.

Wang Yue also looked down on these people: just a group of rotten Ruers. With a few test-taking articles, he earned this high-ranking official.

I have been away from the Northwest for eight years, and the family foundation I worked so hard to build at the beginning is about to be ruined by you.

When the five governors saw Wang Yue, they did not kneel and bow, but stood there.

Zhang Yong sneered: "You guys Futai is such a big pomp." Wang Zhishuai has the title of prince and princess, and he is a civil official from the first grade. Not to mention that he's still your top boss! ”

"A few of you come to see him from the second and third grades, and you don't kneel or worship. Why, after being a feudal official for a long time, my knees won't bend? ”

After getting along all the way from the capital to Ningxia, Zhang Yong was impressed by Wang Yue's military talent. Naturally, you have to stand by him and help him speak.

The celebrant spoke with a pen, and the five governors had to kneel down honestly: "The lower officials have seen the king's handsome. ”

Wang Yue said: "Get up." We don't have to take off our pants and fart. It's good to go straight. ”

"I need you to raise the 100,000 stone military rations needed for the 80,000 border army to march west within a month."

In Wang Yue's plan, this westward campaign would take three months. 100,000 stone of military rations is enough to support.

Yang Tingxu said coldly: "Our five places can raise up to 50,000 stone of military rations. It is clear that the northwest is barren land. ”

Wang Yue glanced at Chang Feng: "This is Jinyi Wei Zuo Tongzhi Chang Feng." This time, he served as the military commander of the western expedition. Specializing in food and grass affairs. ”

Chang Feng's name, the five governors have long been like thunder.

There is a chain of fear in the Ming officialdom: military attaches are afraid of civil officials, civil officials are afraid of Jinyiwei, and Jinyiwei is afraid of eunuchs.

Chang Feng Zhengse said: "Yang Futai, Hedong, Hexi, Ningxia, and Gansu are barren lands, is your Shaanxi also barren land?" ”

"Shaanxi is famous for plugging the south of the Yangtze River! Before I came, I checked the ledger of the Accounts Department. ”

"Last year, Shaanxi handed over the grain department of the household department for the whole year, totaling 2 million stones. With only 100,000 stone grains, do you still have to push back and block? ”

Yang Tingxu was dumbfounded.

Chang Feng said again: "The war in the northwest is fought with grain and grass. Whoever is perfunctory in the supply of grain and grass, I often do not agree. Jin Yiwei didn't agree. Catch what should be caught, kill what should be killed. ”

Yang Tingxu muttered: "We are all civil officials from the second rank and the third grade." Jinyiwei's acquaintances don't seem to have the right to arrest us. ”

Yang Ting is telling the truth. The power of Jinyiwei is not as great as later generations imagined, and any Shangshu, squire, governor, and governor will be arrested.

The feudal officials involved the foundation of the society. To catch them, you need the emperor's clear decree.

Zhang Yong's face changed: "Jinyiwei's acquaintance has no right to arrest you, do I, the celebrant Bingbi, have the right to arrest you?" ”

Chang Feng and Zhang Yongyi sang a harmony: "The military order of the king has been issued." Within a month, you must raise all 100,000 stone of military rations. ”

"If you don't raise enough. You are just obstructing the western expedition, plotting against the enemy, colluding with foreign enemies, and betraying the country. ”

Chang Feng, the butcher of the brocade guard, is very good at buttoning his hat.

As soon as these words came out, the five governors had no choice but to agree.

Wang Yue closed his eyes: "Then there is Lao Zhu Futai." Go and run errands, each of you. ”

The five of them left the tent.

Yang Tingxu took a sip: "Ahh Wang Yue something. It's just a stinky top three. In addition to settling with eunuchs and favored ministers, he has no other skills. ”

"This time, I found the celebrant and the big man of the brocade guard to support him."

Governor Hexi Gao echoed: "That's it." He called us, who were noble and noble, from the first and second grades, like cattle and horses. Is he worthy? ”

Governor Lin of Ningxia said: "The two, the face of the celebrant and the brocade guard, we still have to give it." ”

"As the saying goes, don't look at the face of the monk, look at the face of the Buddha. I think we'd better hurry up and raise food and grass. Save the moldy head of Gonggong Zhang and the butcher. ”

Yang Tingxu sighed: "Alas, it can only be like this. ”

Inside the tent.

Wang Yue said: "Chang Feng, I saw it." Fighting a war is never an easy task. The enemies of the Ming army are both outside and inside, in the light and in the dark. ”

"Do you know why Grandmaster Ying defeated Tumu Fort in the first place?"

Chang Feng replied: "Naturally, it is because the traitorous eunuch Wang Zhen is good at improving the military line. Resulting in the exhaustion of the soldiers. ”

Wang Yue's next words surprised Chang Feng: "That's just part of the reason. ”

"Tell you what. There is also a part of the reason that the people and horses of the Jingying camp who accompanied the Ying Zongye personally have been in short supply of grain and grass. ”

"Among the civil officials in Beijing, there are people who deliberately delay the supply of grain and grass."

Wang Yue's words ruined Chang Feng's three views. Chang Feng said: "Can't you, right? Do civil servants have such audacity? ”

Wang Yue sneered: "Heh, why can't you?" Master Ying reused eunuchs to check and balance civil officials. Some people in the court were looking forward to the defeat of Grandmaster Ying and the fall of Wang Zhen. ”

"Of course, the delay in the supply of grain and grass by the civilian officials was only one of the many reasons for the defeat of the civil fort."

Chang Feng suddenly remembered the three things that Wang Shu had mentioned about him in the letter before.

Don't underestimate the shamelessness of civil servants; Do not underestimate the folly of the people; Don't underestimate the cruelty of the court.

Wang Yue said again: "Why do I let you, the butcher of the brocade guard, take care of the grain and grass." It's not overkill, it's to deter local civil officials. ”

"Let them not pull the hindrances of my alien party over the supply of food and grass!"

Chang Feng said: "Don't worry. I would like to make a military order. Within a month, if the grain and grass cannot be properly collected, let the emperor kill my head. ”

"Of course, I'll kill the heads of those governors first."

Wang Yue was very pleased: "With the words of Chang Ye of Jinyi Wei, half of this battle will be won!" ”

Chang Feng walked to the map: "Dare to ask Wang Zhengtai, where is our grain and grass hoarded?" ”

In any war throughout the ages, it is necessary to choose a safe place to store grain in the rear.

At the beginning, Yuan Shao was burned down by Cao Cao because of the Wuchao granary, which led to the defeat of the Battle of Guandu.

Wang Yue walked to the map and pointed to a place - Yanchi.

The salt pond is two hundred miles southwest of Lingwu.

Wang Yue said: "Yanchi City is suitable for stockpiling grain, you let the five governors transport all the grain and grass raised from all over the country to Yanchi." ”

Chang Feng came out of the tent, found the five governors, and ordered them to transport grain and grass to the salt pond to concentrate.

The five of them smiled at him on the surface, and sold batches of women and horses in their hearts.

They not only looked down on Wang Yue, but also looked down on Chang Feng: a landed lifter who didn't even pass the three exams.

also relied on patting the emperor's sycophants and became a powerful minister in the capital.

Oh, the world has really changed. A small person actually gave orders to us, the first and second class jinshi!

On the same day, Chang Feng took Xu Fatzi and Wang Yue to transfer the 3,000 border troops to Yanchi.

The 200-mile journey is the Gobi Desert, uninhabited. Scattered camel caravans can occasionally be seen.

Xu Fatzi rode on a horse and complained: "Okay, let me charge into battle this time and revive the Xu family." That's good, take me to the rear to take care of the food! ”

Chang Feng sighed: "Let the prince of Dingguo charge?" If something goes wrong, even if the battle is won, it won't be a complete victory. ”

"Don't underestimate the military rations. According to the words of the marshal Wang, as long as there is no problem with the military rations, half of the battle will be won. ”

Xu Fatzi was a little impatient: "I know! I'll be honest with you. ”

"Alas, it's a pity, this time I even brought my ancestor's Ye Zijia and the Flying Dragon Cloud Slashing Sword. It doesn't seem to be useful. ”

The crowd hurried all night. At noon the next day, we finally arrived at Salt Pond City.

Yanchi is a small county town. Zhixian is an old man in his seventies named Lu Gan.

Lu Zhi County's subordinate officials and officials of the county government have been waiting for Changfeng for a long time in front of the city gate.

Chang Feng got off the horse, and Lu Zhixian saluted him.

Chang Feng asked: "Lu Zhixian, how old are you?" ”

Lu Gan replied: "Seventy-one." ”

Chang Feng thought that Lu Gan was late in the imperial examination, which led to the fact that he was still a seven-grade county at the age of seventy-one.

Chang Feng asked: "How many years have you been an official?" ”

Lu Gan's answer shocked Chang Feng: "Plus this year, it's just forty-six years." ”

Chang Feng pinched his fingers and counted: "You have been an official since the early years of Jingtai?" Why has he been an official for so many years, and he is still a Zhengqipin Zhixian County? ”

Lu Gan replied: "Xiaguan is from a high background, and he does not grow up. He has been an official for more than 40 years and has been serving as a magistrate in various parts of the northwest. ”

The top three Jinshi of the Ming Dynasty were first awarded to the county.

People can only start from the warden, the chief bookkeeper, and the county clerk.

But the Northwest is the exception. This is a place of suffering. As long as people are willing to come, the first grant is the county.

However, most of the upper limit of the career of the people will stop at Qipinzhi County. It doesn't matter how many political achievements you have, if you don't have a meritorious reputation, you will honestly be your seventh grade.

This is one of the drawbacks of the Ming bureaucracy.

Chang Feng sighed: "You can be regarded as a serious old state county in the northwest." ”

Lu Gan laughed: "Admiral Chang praised it falsely." The lower officials do not grow. ”

"Lower officials do not grow" is Lu Gan's mantra. That's what he says to every boss he meets.

Chinese officialdom has a tradition of officialdom that has lasted for thousands of years. To address officials, you can call them bigger, not smaller.

Chang Feng is the military commander, so Lu Gan called him "Chang Commander", which sounds more majestic than "Chang Tongzhi".

Everyone entered the county seat of Yanchi. In the small county town, there is a huge granary that can hold 150,000 stone of grain.

This granary occupies an area that is almost equal to one-third of the county's area.

Chang Feng was surprised: "Luzhi County, how much is the annual grain supply in your county?" ”

Lu Gan replied: "We are a poor county and a small county. The annual grain supply is only 3,000 stones. ”

Chang Feng asked: "Then why build such a large granary?" ”

Lu Gan replied again: "This was built by the order of Wang Laoshuai in the seventh year of Chenghua. Specially used to hoard military rations. ”

Chang Feng exclaimed: "The handsome man is really like a god!" ”

Twenty-seven years ago, Wang Yue expected that sooner or later there would be a battle between the Ming Dynasty and the grassland tribes on the military demarcation line in Helan Mountain.

He had already selected Yanchi as the rear granary of the Helan Mountain War.

This is really not a plan for the world, not enough for a while.

Chang Feng summoned five border soldiers and thousands of households. Assign them to defend the city and the granary.

The Ming military system, a thousand people under the command of a thousand households.

Wang Yue gave Chang Feng 3,000 men to guard the granary of Yanchi. There are five people in command of a thousand households.

Because the border army is not satisfied, it is a customary bad rule in the army.

Under the command of a thousand households, there are generally six or seven hundred soldiers.

No wonder later generations have a saying to evaluate the Ming border army: the border army is not satisfied, and the full quota is invincible.

In the evening, Lu Gan set up a table of wine in the county government to entertain Chang Feng and others.

Inside the back office dining room. Lu Gan filled Chang Feng with wine: "This time, Governor Chang came to the county to do military affairs, and the whole county will definitely cooperate fully and serve you as a dog and horse." ”

Chang Feng said: "The grain and grass from all over the country have not yet arrived. After the transportation arrives, the people of your county should do a good job of fire prevention in the granary. ”

"If 100,000 stones of grain and grass catch fire, it's not fun."

Lu Gan said continuously: "Yes, the lower officials keep in mind the teachings of Admiral Chang. ”

Xu Fatzi interjected on the side: "Follow our Chang Ye to do a good job." When this battle is won, maybe our Chang Ye will help you transfer to the land of Jiangnan and become a comfortable county. ”

"You don't have to eat and drink sand in the northwest."

Lu Gan hurriedly said: "Then the lower official will thank Admiral Chang for his support first." Come, come, please fill this cup. ”

(End of chapter)