Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 471 Touching interests
Lin Kuang retreated, and Fan Ning paced back and forth in the big tent with his hands behind his back. The situation of being short of salary was much more serious than he imagined. Household Cao officials took 1% of the money, and the command staff took at least [-]% of it, and the command staff got [-]% of it. Cheng, there are hundreds of dollars in income every month. After ten years, it will be more than [-] dollars. How can they spit it out?

Even if he refused to spit it out, he was afraid that they would not accept the loss of hundreds of coins per month, and they would definitely resist this reform. He had to prepare countermeasures.

Not long after, Lin Kuang handed in a list of vacant soldiers, a total of 80 people, distributed in six battalions, of which the third battalion was the hardest hit area, with as many as [-] people.

Fan Ning drew a circle on the name of Zhou Qing, the commander of the third battalion. Their battalion has a monthly salary of 120 guan, and he takes [-]% of it, which is [-] guan. In the past eight years alone, he has received an empty salary of [-] yuan.

This person deserves attention!
From the time when the military camp was stationed in the military camp to carry out reforms, the Yingtianfuxiang army barracks has been in a state of silence. From the generals to the soldiers, everyone is anxious. It has been announced before that after cleaning up the overage soldiers, the next step is to consolidate the number of soldiers , that is, the empty soldiers are cleared out.

In the big tent of the commander of the third battalion, Zhou Qing and another commander were sitting at a small table drinking, Zhou Qing's eyes were red from drinking, he put the wine cup on the table, and said bitterly: "If it weren't for us back then Taking down Jiang Chenghua, with that fellow's violent and reckless personality, he would definitely draw his sword and kill someone, I regret it now! If Jiang Chenghua hadn't been stopped at that time, Fan Ning, a bastard, would have died, how could there be such a reformation today?"

The other commander is Wang Que, the chief general of the second battalion. He and Zhou Qing are from the same village, and they have a very good relationship.

Wang Que also responded: "Cutting people's money is like killing their parents. My second battalion is better. You will lose hundreds of pennies every month from now on!"

"Far more than that!"

Zhou Qing gritted his teeth and said: "I heard that the embezzlement of soldiers' salaries will also be cleared. I have five hundred soldiers under my command, so let's count it as 300! If you lose 150 yuan a month, how will you calculate the account?"

"That's right! In a peaceful and prosperous age, there is no war, and you can go up step by step. You don't need to spend money to manage something. In fact, I don't care. The extra income is not much, and there is no burden. If you don't have it, you will be gone. Brother, you are different. ! Without this money, how can your five-bedroom concubine support them?"

Wang Que's last words pierced Zhou Qing's heart like a knife. His salary of more than 250 yuan a month was handed over to his wife in his hometown intact, so that she could raise children and raise his parents. He didn't give his wife a penny of the [-] per month. He divided it into five shares, rented five small yards in the city, and raised five concubines. Over the years, he took turns to spend the night at the five concubines' homes every night. Life is very comfortable.

Now that the law is going to change, his 250 coins may be gone from now on, so what will he use to raise his concubine?Two of the concubines also bore him sons.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing was so depressed that he was going crazy.

At night, the commander Wang Que left the camp and entered the city on the pretext that the child was sick.

His family was indeed in Songcheng County, and his two sons were seven or eight years old, but when he entered the city, he did not go home, but came to a big house.

This is the official residence of Li Hun, the Deputy Envoy of Jingdong Road Transshipment. Li Hun personally welcomed him into the mansion, and the two went directly to the East Courtyard.

Li Hun said at the door of a big house: "Mr. Yang, General Wang is here."

"Please come in!"

Li Hun took Wang Que into the door, the room was brightly lit, and he saw a scribe in his forties standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back, looking at Wang Que with a half-smile, "General Wang will definitely bring good news to you." news."

This scribe is Zhang Yaozuo's confidant, Yang Kai. In order to resist the reform of the Xiang army, Zhang Yaozuo not only let Yang Kai sit in Yingtianfu himself, but also used all his resources on Jingdong Road.

Li Hun has always been a member of Zhang Yaozuo, and many people in Ying Tianfu know it, but he is not very powerful and has little influence, so he was not targeted by Fan Ning.

And Wang Que hides it deeply. He is also the former comforter Zhao Qian recommended to Zhang Yaozuo. He was promoted by the Privy Council. Zhao Qian had an accident. Wang Que escaped the liquidation because Zhao Qian was not directly promoted. He was actually Zhang Yaozuo who was going to install him. He went to Xuzhou to serve as the confidant of the commander of the capital.

Wang Que bowed and saluted, "Just as Mr. expected, the military reform has touched on the issue of empty pay, which has caused widespread dissatisfaction among the generals in the army, but most of them dare not speak out."

"Then where is the person I want you to find?"

Yang Kai asked again with a smile: "Is it true that among the generals in Yingtian Mansion, there is no such person as I want to see?"

"Yes! It has already appeared. This person is Zhou Qing, the commander of the third battalion. He is very skilled in martial arts, and he is very suitable for the task. Today, I have a drink with him. It can be seen that he already wants to kill Fan Ning. "

"He lost a lot?"

"It's not just a big loss, but he has five concubines in the city and two illegitimate children. Once Fan Ning reforms, his financial resources will be cut off, and he will not be able to face the tragedy that is about to happen."

Yang Kai smiled faintly, "This is very interesting, does this Zhou Qing dare to kill people?"

Wang Que nodded, "Which one of our commanders has few lives in his hands, as long as Fan Ning really pushes him to a dead end, he will definitely kill Fan Ning!"

Yang Kai shook his head, "Your hatred is directed in the wrong direction. Although I also hate Fan Ning to the bone, Grand Master Zhang can't wait to eat his flesh and hide his skin, but the person we are going to kill this time is really not the right one. he."

…………

As the sky was getting brighter, a cavalry consisting of more than [-] people ran quickly along the southwest official road. The leading cavalry was Fan Ning, the appeasement envoy. He received news last night that hundreds of over-age veterans in the Xuzhou military camp were dissatisfied with the retirement plan. , Surrounded the big tent of five retired officials, and Zhao Zhongzhen happened to be patrolling Xuzhou at this time, and the situation was very critical.

After running for more than [-] years all night, the speed of the horses and men was relieved, and their speed gradually failed. Although Fan Ning's horse was still full of energy and could gallop for more than a hundred miles, he cherished his horse and immediately slowed down.

At this time, Fan Ning saw a large tea shed on the road, and several employees were attracting customers by the side of the road. Fan Ning said, "Go and have a rest for a while, and have something to eat!"

Everyone got off their horses one after another and led their horses towards the tea shed. The shopkeeper of the tea shed saw them a long time ago. He was both happy and worried. He was happy because he had a big deal, but he was worried that the other party was actually a soldier. Would he refuse to pay?
But the shopkeeper still warmly greeted him, "Military masters, please come to the shop to rest and sharpen!"

At this time, the shopkeeper saw Fan Ning dressed as a civil official, and was overjoyed, and apologized quickly, "Welcome to the shop!"

"Okay, if you have anything to eat and drink, just bring it up, and your money will be indispensable!"

Hearing that the other party paid with silver, the shopkeeper was even more delighted, and quickly ordered the staff not to invite customers, and hurried to serve these soldiers.

The soldiers tied the horses to the stalls, and a boy came to feed them, and the soldiers soon filled seven or eight tables.

The guys brought all kinds of food and tea to the table like flowing water, and the soldiers were really hungry after running all night, and they ate like a storm.

Fan Ning took a few sips of hot tea and asked the shopkeeper, "How far is it from Pengcheng County?"

"If you go back to the officials, this is Xiaoxian County, and the county seat of Xiaoxian County is in front of you. After passing the county seat, you will reach Pengcheng County by about [-] miles. The road conditions are good, and you may arrive at noon."

Fan Ning nodded, and asked again: "Does the shopkeeper know that the Xuzhou military camp is in the city?"

The shopkeeper smiled and said: "There are two barracks in Xuzhou, one is the barracks of the imperial army, which is in the west of the city, and the other is the barracks of the Xiang army, which is in the north of the city. They are not in the city, but they are not far from the city."

"Thank you!"

After everyone had eaten and drank enough, Fan Ning dropped five taels of silver, mounted his horse with his men, and ran along the official road towards Pengcheng County.

Xuzhou has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times, and its strategic position is very important. It is also the second largest garrison on Jingdong Road after Yingtianfu.

At noon, Fan Ning and his party arrived in Pengcheng County. He did not go directly to the camp of the Xiang Army, but first came to the camp of the Forbidden Army.

The Forbidden Army camp is located ten miles west of the city, close to the official road. The barracks covers an area of ​​more than 1 acres, with [-] troops stationed.

The pigeon letter Fan Ning received yesterday was sent by Zhao Zhongzhen from the Forbidden Army camp, so Fan Ning first rushed to the Forbidden Army camp to see Zhao Zhongzhen.

Zhao Zhongzhen's safety was strictly protected by the guards, and he couldn't help himself in safety. After the soldiers rioted in the Xiang Army barracks yesterday afternoon, his guards immediately transferred him to the Imperial Army barracks, and urgently notified Fan Ning to deal with the matter.

Official Fan Ning was appointed as the appeasement envoy on Jingdong Road, and the Xiang Army was under his direct jurisdiction. Fan Ning had to deal with the accidents in the military camps under his jurisdiction. It can be said that anyone except Fan Ning to handle the matter would be an act of ultra vires.

(End of this chapter)