serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 277 Ready
Wanping City was first built in the 11th year of Chongzhen in the late Ming Dynasty, and it took three years to complete. It was originally a military camp, and troops were stationed to guard the capital, also known as Gongbei City and Gongji City.

It is located on the east bank of the Yongding River, facing the Lugou Bridge, directly strangling the main road of Gyeonggi.

As the acropolis of the capital, Wanping City is different from ordinary small county towns. It not only has city towers, turrets, horse-faced walls and urns, but also has only two gates in the east and west, the "Shunzhi Gate" in the east and the "Yongchang Gate" in the west. The whole city is 640 meters long, 320 meters wide from north to south, and the city wall is more than seven meters high.

At this time, Wanping City was screaming and killing. Looking down from the tower, black armored soldiers were rushing towards Wanping City from a distance, carrying the siege ladder and roaring.

Soon, the siege ladder leaned against the city wall, and then a soldier with a waist knife in his mouth quickly climbed along the ladder to the city wall.

Those who are bored inside and outside the city, as well as passing traders and pedestrians all gather at the gate of the city far away, discussing quietly while watching.

A merchant was curious: "What is this for?"

"The military master of the Yongwei Battalion is rehearsing the siege." Someone in the crowd replied.

Another vendor: "What can this practice?!"

"You know shit!"

"That's right, don't talk nonsense if you don't understand."

"Open your eyes and look carefully, do you see that people climb the ladder like walking on flat ground!"

An old man said: "These military masters are all wearing double-layer iron armor. When they really attack the city, they only need to take off one piece, and the wind will blow under their feet and fly towards the head of the Tartar city."

Everyone coaxed a laugh.

The old man blushed: "I went to Liaodong with a caravan back then. Except for a few military towns built in the Ming Dynasty, the city wall of Shengjing City of the Tartars was relatively high, but it was only about three feet taller than our Wanping City. Not too high."

"There is such a thing?!" Everyone was curious.

The old man: "It's absolutely true! Let me tell you, the other city walls are made of adobe, and they can't withstand the bombardment of cannons at all!"

"Oh!" Everyone exclaimed.

"There's water in that!" A businessman interrupted at this moment.

"Oh?" Everyone turned their heads to him again.

The old man asked back: "Why is there water?"

The businessman smiled and said: "The old man should have gone to Liaodong a few years ago. It was true in the past, but it is different now. The walls of Shengjing and other places have been rebuilt long ago, and they are a bit shorter, but the main The city has built a new wall outside the city with blue stones. It won’t be knocked down by cannonballs.”

The old man: "Hey! How can such a thing be hidden from the court, let's stop worrying about it."

"Justified! Reasonable!"

"Hey! Why didn't you hear the cannon fire today?"

"Yes!"

The old man smiled: "I know this, I just saw the convoy escorting the ammunition by the Ministry of War, and it will ring in a while."

Without saying a word, the deafening sound of artillery came from the direction of the camp.

The faces of the common people who joined in the fun turned pale with horror.

Someone heard it: "This voice is much louder than the previous few days!"

Some people even heard: "This is not the previous artillery!"

An old man was even more astonishing: "That's right. The Yongwei Battalion must have replaced it with a new type of artillery, and they fired iron bullets weighing more than ten catties!"

Everyone: "Oh?"

"Master Yang used to be a gunner in Shanhaiguan, and he used red cannons to beat Tartars!" said the young man standing beside the old man.

The old man continued: "Listen to the sound, this new type of artillery is much more powerful than the red cannon."

"Oh!" Everyone exclaimed.

The old man smiled and did not speak again.

On the embankment of the Yongding River, Jia Hu was sitting on a horse, looking towards Wanping City with clairvoyant eyes, paying attention to the training situation of the Sword and Shield Battalion.

On his left, Yang Dayong is also holding a binoculars.

"Hey, what did the matchmaker say?" Jia Hu asked suddenly.

Yang Dayong put down the binoculars, "The old god of Qingxu Temple is still combining horoscopes."

"Oh?"

Jia Hu glanced at him, "You didn't give Taoist Zhang any money? Cough. Incense money."

Yang Dayong was startled, and stared at Jia Hu with questioning eyes.

Lin San on the side smiled and said: "Send 500 taels of silver over there, tomorrow you will be a match made in heaven, a match made in heaven."

Yang Dayong was surprised: "It's so dark!"

Lin San smiled: "It's too expensive? Then you can wait slowly."

Yang Dayong hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth: "Okay."

Seeing his sore look, Jia Hu said angrily, "You give the money first, and settle the marriage as soon as possible. Which of the antiques in your father-in-law's study is worth a hundred gold, while he drinks If you coax one thing when you are drunk, you will earn back."

"That's right, brainless!" Lin San continued.

Yang Dayong's eyes flashed immediately, and he nodded vigorously.

Looking at his unpromising appearance, Jia Hu shook his head: "The next step is up to you. Not only do you have to practice siege operations, but you also need to fight in close combat. Only if you can stand on the city wall."

When it comes to business, Yang Dayong said seriously: "Don't worry, Commander, the Sword and Shield Camp will definitely live up to your expectations!"

Jia Hu nodded: "It's February [-]th today, and Liaodong should be at war."

"Is there a war in Liaodong?" Yang Dayong and Lin San looked at each other, and then looked at Jia Hu suspiciously.

Jia Hu: "There is not much time left for us. If the situation is better, the Yongwei Battalion will go out and cooperate with the Liaodong Army to encircle and annihilate the Liaodong Tatars who return to aid. The worst case is to ride a battalion and rush for thousands of miles."

Speaking of this, he stopped, and said to Yang Dayong: "I won't say much else. Here, I will give you a treasure." Then, he took out a book from the saddlebag and handed it to him.

Yang Dayong took it and flipped through it, and then said in surprise: "The commander-in-chief wrote a book and said it?!"

Jia Hu laughed loudly: "Stop talking nonsense. Look around when you have nothing to do, hurry up and settle the marriage."

Yang Dayong: "Yes."

"I'm back!"

Jia Hu flicked the reins, and the horse trotted forward, and Lin San led a group of cavalry to follow immediately.

study room

Dai Quan served Wang Hetang a bowl of tea.

After reading a military report, Emperor Jianwu said excitedly: "Okay! Li Chengyang is doing well! In less than ten days, the obstacles on the way to Guangning have been cleared, and the next step is to wait for the Zhenglan Banner of Guangning." The troops are withdrawn."

Wang Hetang nodded.

Emperor Jianwu went on to say: "This Sun Shaozu is indeed a good sword. It's a pity. Hey, how did he offend Jia Hu? Why must he die?"

Wang Hetang was stunned for a moment, and said: "Your Majesty, this man is resolute and decisive, but also narrow-minded. He is a real villain who is arrogant when he succeeds!" Then he told the story of the former general of Wei Wang of Gansu.

Paused, "Once such a person is reused and has greater military power, he will definitely be 'too big to lose'!"

Emperor Jianwu pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

At this time, the voice of the eunuch on duty came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, please see Li Jin, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment."

Emperor Jianwu: "Let him in."

After a while, Li Jin, Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishments, hurried in. Seeing Wang Hetang who was sitting there, he was startled for a while, and then he walked to the imperial case and saluted: "Your Majesty."

Emperor Jianwu waved his hand: "What's the matter?"

Li Jin hesitated for a moment, and replied: "A strange thing happened in the capital."

Emperor Jianwu came to the spirit: "Speak."

Li Jin: "The eyeliner under the criminal department came to report that many people with criminal records in the criminal department have returned to Beijing."

Emperor Jianwu: "What do you mean?"

Li Jin: "The cases that these people are carrying are all related to Wu Bu, the Empress Dowager's younger brother"

Emperor Jianwu understood, and asked, "Is it all unjust cases?"

Li Jin nodded, and continued: "The Ministry of Punishment has been under the control of the clan and princes for more than ten years, and they have turned a blind eye to these matters. Many people were forced to lose their families and had to stay away from the capital."

"Are these people coming back to overturn the case?" Wang Hetang then asked.

Li Jin shook his head: "They didn't go to any Yamen."

Wang Hetang's expression suddenly changed: "They are here for revenge!"

Li Jin: "Maybe."

"Arrest them! Arrest them all and interrogate them! Someone must be behind the scenes." Wang Hetang stood up.

Li Jin: "Catch, catch one."

Wang Hetang: "How is it?"

Li Jin sighed: "I'm dead, I just hit the wall and died when I was locked in the cell."

After hearing his words, Wang Hetang was stunned.

"Does anyone know about this?" Emperor Jianwu asked suddenly.

Li Jin replied: "Apart from the minister, only a doctor, a scribe and a team of servants know about it."

Emperor Jianwu: "I wronged them to go to prison for a few days."

Dai Quan and Li Jin replied together: "Yes."

Emperor Jianwu went on to say, "Just pretend you don't know about this matter."

The three of them replied in unison: "Observe the order."

Suddenly there was a rush of footsteps outside, and then the deputy head of the Qianqing Palace walked in: "Your Majesty, there is news from Daming Palace that the old concubine has suddenly passed out."

Emperor Jianwu's face changed, and then he stood up: "Go, go to Daming Palace!"

(End of this chapter)