Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 387 0382 [The drama in the army]

Zhong Shidao, Zhong Hao, Zhong Xi, Zhong Li, Zhong Yanchong, Zhong Yansong.

Three generations of grandparents and seven castes were escorted here.

Chong Yanchong was carried away, and was knocked down by the rebels and survived, but the tibia of his right leg was trampled and broken.

On Zhong Li's neck, there is still a clay pot, which contains Zhong Li's ashes.

Just when Zhu Ming was about to speak, a soldier came over and whispered.

After hearing this, Zhu Ming ordered, "Bring it here."

Soon a corpse was brought up, it was Zhong Shidao's younger brother Zhong Shimin.

Zhu Ming said: "I just swallowed my breath, but I couldn't save him. I was shot in the chest and abdomen."

The three generations of the Zhong family didn't react too much when they heard the bad news, or they had already been psychologically prepared.

Zhong Shidao cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for helping to collect the corpse."

Zhu Ming said: "I know that the Zhong family has been loyal for generations, so I won't persuade you anymore. If you are willing to stay and serve, tell the soldiers guarding you. If you don't want to stay, you will be released after three months, lest you go back to Gao Qiu came up with a plan."

Master Zhong smiled wryly: "We are all sinners, it is a blessing not to be imprisoned, how can we give advice to the commander? The defeated general is extremely incompetent, and he is ashamed of the court and the soldiers."

"This battle has nothing to do with ability," Zhu Ming said. "If you and I exchange identities, I will definitely be powerless to lead troops to suppress the bandits. In the middle is the rushing Baoshui, with cliffs and plank roads on both sides. The army is still in a dilemma. How can there be half a chance of winning?"

These words speak to the heart of Zhong Shidao, and every sentence is his personal experience.

Mr. Chong was silent for a while, then raised his head suddenly and said, "Can you see the weapons of your army? They are the ones that can make loud noises and thick smoke."

"No." Zhu Ming directly refused.

Zhong Shidao asked again: "Did you think of how to defeat the official army before the battle?"

Zhu Ming laughed and said: "Do you still need to think about it? If the Shimen plank road is blocked, the Western Army can only fly over. The longer the time drags on, the court will inevitably urge the Western Army to come to die by boat. Put the prisoners back to disturb the morale of the army, and so on." At that time, even if there is no surprise attack to seize the camp, the rebel army can win by storming by boat, but the casualties will be higher. The day you lead the army to set off, it is doomed to defeat."

"It seems that the defeat is not unjust." Zhong Shidao said to himself.

Zhu Ming said: "Your Excellency can seriously consider the matter of asking to marry the daughter of the Chong family."

Teacher Zhong refused sternly: "It is impossible for a daughter of the Zhong family to marry a thief."

Zhu Ming asked with a smile, "What if the emperor orders a marriage?"

Zhong Shidao was stunned, he didn't expect Zhu Ming to say that, he immediately shook his head and said, "How could the government give marriage to the traitor?"

Zhu Ming asked: "I said that the stupid king will definitely do it, do you dare to bet?"

"No need." Zhong Shidao didn't know what to do, Song Huizong was really absurd, and he could do anything.

Zhu Ming said: "Everyone, move on and watch a good show."

The grandparents and grandchildren of the three generations of the Chong family didn't know what to watch, so they were escorted to the center of the camp.

They found that there were not only many rebel soldiers here, but also many prisoners of the Western Army who had been disarmed.

Several officials were escorted, or dragged to be precise, and they were so frightened that they were powerless.

Zhu Ming pointed to one of them and said: "This guy is called Huang Sheng, a scholar from Xixiang County. He and I are old acquaintances. We used to drink and play together. I started the army less than half a month ago, and this person came to seek refuge and was appointed as the The magistrate of Sanquan County. This year he collected autumn grain in Sanquan County, relying on his friendship with me, he fished the people and filled his own pockets."

Huang Sheng's mouth was covered with a rag, and he whined, as if begging for forgiveness.

Zhu Ming gritted his teeth and said, "Let's not mention these things. When I led troops to conquer Shuzhong, the system was not perfect at that time. The military salaries of the soldiers from Sanquan were sent back to the Sanquan county government first, and then the families of the soldiers came to collect them with household slips." .You are so daring, you dare to reach out for the soldiers' salaries sent home!"

The three generations of the Chong family felt normal after hearing it.

The Song Dynasty's military payment delivery system is complete, but it is still being deducted in various ways. Soldiers have long since dared not send it by mail, not to mention that the rebel army is still a rudimentary creation.

Zhu Ming ordered: "Declare this person's crime. Give him a pair of armor and a gun. If he dares to embezzle the army's salary, let him fight with a group of soldiers. If he wins the fight, he can be pardoned!"

The messengers immediately rushed to all parts of the camp, telling the rebels and captives who watched the excitement about the various crimes committed by Huang Sheng.

Whether they were rebels or captives, when they heard that Huang Sheng embezzled the soldiers' salaries, they all glared at him, wishing to flay this guy alive.

A pair of armor and a spear were thrown in front of Huang Sheng.

A small group of mandarin ducks marched forward, confronting Huang Sheng on the spot.

The rag from Huang Sheng's mouth was torn off, and he began to cry immediately: "Da Lang, I had a drink with Da Lang in Shangbai Village. At that time, Lu Tixue was there, and I praised Da Lang's poems well. When Dalang raised his army, all the scholars in the county were watching, and I was the first one to join the army. It was just a few military pay and rations, I already knew I was wrong, and I will never do it again in the future, I beg Dalang to spare my life..."

Zhu Ming scolded: "Put on the armor. Since you dare to embezzle the army's salary, you should think about how to deal with the soldiers. The soldiers have never read a book, so they can't recite poems and write poems to discuss victory or defeat with you. They can only talk with the swords and guns in their hands." !"

Huang Sheng was still crying, desperately unwilling to put on his armor.

Zhu Ming sent two personal soldiers to help Huang Sheng put on the armor by force, and then forced the long spear into Huang Sheng's hand.

Huang Sheng finally stopped crying, and stood in front of the mandarin duck team with a long gun in his hands, trembling, like a chicken waiting to be slaughtered.

"Hahahaha!"

Both the rebels and the captives laughed, and they laughed heartily. The show in front of them was really exhausting.

They can't wait to catch all the corrupt officials in the world and teach them a lesson like this.

The mandarin duck team burst into tears with laughter, the team leader suddenly blew his whistle, Huang Sheng was so frightened that he dropped his weapon and ran away, but was stabbed back by the supervisor team behind.

The squad leader said to the soldiers under his command: "Let's play tricks on him."

So, these soldiers yelled to kill the wolf and poked their spears in front of them, Huang Sheng was so frightened that he ran away with his head in his arms.

Like a cat catching a mouse, the soldiers were just scaring, not killing them directly.

After playing for a full quarter of an hour, the rebels and the captives were laughing. The embarrassment of this corrupt official was too funny.

The three generations of the Chong family looked at each other in dismay. Zhu Ming directed this good show, not just to make the soldiers vent their anger.

"killed!"

As soon as Zhu Ming gave an order, the members of the Mandarin Duck Squad immediately rushed forward and stabbed them randomly.

Throughout Xixiang County, the first scholars who took refuge in the rebel army were stabbed to death by soldiers indiscriminately.

One after another, a few more were pulled up. The charges of being officials and officials were all related to military pay.

After killing the corrupt officials, Zhu Ming rode slowly in the camp, shouting along the way: "Is the military salary paid enough?"

"It's enough!" The rebel soldiers shouted.

Zhu Ming asked again: "Is the monthly food supply enough?"

"Enough!" The rebels continued to shout.

Zhu Ming asked again: "Would you like to follow me to Tokyo and capture that dog emperor!"

"Willing! Willing!" Shouted loudly in the camp.

Not only the faces of the grandparents of the Chong family changed drastically, but even the prisoners of the Western Army were also panicked.

If when they returned to their hometown, the imperial court recruited them to serve as soldiers again, how could they win against these rebels who had sufficient food and wages?
The rations and salaries of the Chong family army were not enough.

It's not that there are too many corruptions in the teacher's way, but that the distribution to the teacher's way is uneven!
Especially the enlistment fee, each township soldier is given ten guan as usual, which is distributed by the state government, transported to the county government and distributed to the soldiers.At the state and county levels, there are layers of deductions. How much a soldier can get depends on the conscience of the official.

Zhu Ming rode back and gathered all the soldiers who killed the corrupt officials just now.

He said to one of the squad leaders, "What's your name?"

The team leader replied, "My name is Lu Jun."

Zhu Ming said: "Lv Jun remembers a small achievement, and the whole team will be rewarded. For the other Yuanyang teams, the team leader will play ten army sticks, and the team members will each play five army sticks!"

Everyone was stunned.

Zhu Ming explained: "When a tiger catches a rabbit, he still knows how to do his best. Except for Lu Jun, what were you all doing just now? This is a military camp, not a theater stage. When fighting, you don't know how to line up and play tricks on the enemy. fatal!"

Soldiers one after another were stripped of their trousers and beaten with batons.

The audience was in awe.

Those prisoners of the Western Army, when they watched the theater to relieve their anger, heard that there was enough food and salary, and yearned for it.Now seeing such strict discipline, I feel inexplicable fear of the rebels.

Zhu Ming said to the Xijun: "When you arrive at the ramp, I will give you three buckets of food each, so don't delay on the way back to your hometown."

Zhong Shidao muttered to himself: "The Zhong family army is finished, and the Western Army is also finished."

After seeing the rebel army who killed corrupt officials and the rebel army with enough food and money, what would these prisoners think?
If you re-recruit as soldiers, the chances of rebellion will be greatly increased!
Zhong Xi said: "This Zhu Tanhua never paid much attention to the Western Army from the very beginning. He released the prisoners after he caught them, again and again, and he was not afraid that the prisoners would gather again to fight. The lower the morale of the Western Army, the more frightened we will be when we see Hanzhong bandits from now on."

Chong Yanchong said in a low voice: "Little sister is not yet married, if she can marry... that's fine. This person is capable of both civil and military skills, and he is also resourceful. He is the best in the world..."

"No nonsense!" Zhong Shidao immediately reprimanded.

Chong Yanchong closed his mouth, and when he looked at Zhu Ming again, there was even some admiration in his eyes.

After a rest, the rebels set off with the prisoners.

The three generations of the Chong family were guarded by Ju Ming's personal soldiers, and the prisoners were each responsible for carrying a bag of grain.

Let the captives transport food...

It is impossible to make trouble. The generals are escorted together, and the officers are also escorted together. A group of bottom-level prisoners are not organized at all.

These captives were also very obedient. They couldn't run fast with their food on their backs, and they would starve to death on the Bao ramp if they escaped without carrying their food.

So they obediently helped to transport the food, looking forward to arriving at Xiegu early, and then went home quickly after receiving the rations.

Zhu Ming took special care of Chong Yanchong's calf fracture and allowed Chong Yanchong's soldiers to carry him away.

Although both uncle and uncle died in the battle with the rebels, Zhong Yanchong no longer felt any resentment in his heart.

It's normal to die on the battlefield, and the volunteers will save them as soon as they need to, and they have done their best.

When approaching Xiegu, Zhong Yanchong said with difficulty: "I...I want to stay."

Zhong's family thought they heard it wrong, but after confirming it again and again, they couldn't believe it.

Zhong Yanchong repeated again, and his tone became firmer: "Zhu Tanhua can accomplish great things, I want to stay and work for him. If I change my name, I will treat him as dead in battle, and I will definitely not implicate the Chong family."

(End of this chapter)