The days when I ransacked the house in Jinyiwei

Chapter 209 Salt Pond
Wang Yue lay lazily half-lying, squinting his eyes, and issued a series of military orders calmly.

People who didn't know thought he was an old man who sold fried juniper at a stall in the capital, and told his family to prepare for the stall tomorrow morning.

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

Chang Feng was surprised to find that Wang Yue's order could be accurate to the mobilization of each hundred households when the 8-strong frontier army was assembled.

He never glanced at the map.Every plant, tree, mountain and river in Ningxia seems to be in his mind.

Chang Feng completely understood why Ma Wensheng said "Only Wang Yue can solve the crisis in the Northwest".

Chang Feng even started to feel annoyed.If he had acted earlier and helped Wang Yue become the trilateral leader, how could the situation in the northwest have deteriorated so much?
It will take about a month for the frontier armies of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia 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, but the food and grass went first.After Wang Yue issued military orders to the generals, he began to meet with local officials to discuss food and grass matters.

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

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

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

Wang Yue said: "I invite five governors!"

Then Wang Yue said to Chang Feng and Zhang Yong: "You two, please stand beside me."

Wang Yue was still half lying on the recliner.Chang Feng and Zhang Yong stood on both sides of him, like two generals humming.

Wang Yue is pulling the tiger's skin to pull the banner: Look, Bingbi, the supervisor of ceremonies, and the shopkeeper of Jinyiwei are both my followers.You civil servants better cooperate.

Not long after, the five governors swaggered into the commander's tent with their eight-character official steps.

The leader among them was Yang Tingxu, governor of Shaanxi.

These people each have their own backers in the capital and have a huge network of old and new disciples.

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

These people looked down on Wang Yue in their bones: You, a top-ranked bastard, if you hadn't licked Wang Zhi's butt back then, how could you have risen all the way and become a trilateral leader above us?

Who are we?Either the top three Jinshi in the first class, or the top ten in the second class, are all leaders among scholars.

If you don't cling to the powerful.As far as his poor ranking is concerned, I'm afraid that he will be at the fifth rank at most until he dies.

Wang Yue also looked down on these people: they were just a bunch of rotten people.With a few exam-oriented essays, I earned this high-ranking official and generous salary.

I left Northwest for eight years, and the family fortune I worked so hard to build was almost wiped out by you.

When the five governors saw Wang Yue, they didn't kneel down to worship, but stood there.

Zhang Yong sneered: "It's such a big show for you all. Wang Zhishuai has the title of Prince and Taifu, and he is a serious civil servant. Not to mention that he is your immediate boss!"

"A few of you from the second rank and the third rank will not kneel or worship him. Why, you have been a feudal official for a long time, and your knees won't bend anymore?"

After getting along all the way from the capital to Ningxia, Zhang Yong has been impressed by Wang Yue's military talent.It is natural to stand by his side and speak for him.

The inspector of ceremonies spoke with a pen, and the five governors had no choice but to kneel obediently: "Your official has seen Wang Zhishuai."

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

"I need you to raise the [-] shi of rations needed by the [-] Frontier Army's westward expedition within one month."

In Wang Yue's plan, the Western Expedition will take three months.One hundred thousand shi rations are enough to support.

Yang Tingxu said coldly: "Our five regions can raise up to [-] shi of military rations. Marshal Wang is clear that the northwest is a barren land."

Wang Yue glanced at Chang Feng: "This is Jin Yiwei Zuo Tongzhi Chang Feng. He is the military admiral for this Western Expedition. He is in charge of food and grass affairs."

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

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

Chang Feng said seriously: "Yang Futai, Hedong, Hexi, Ningxia, and Gansu are barren lands. Is your Shaanxi also a barren land?"

"Shaanxi is famous as the top of the Yangtze River! Before I come, I checked the account book of the transfer department."

"Last year, Shaanxi turned over a total of 200 million shi to the grain department of the Ministry of Households. A mere [-] shi of grain, do you still have to push three times and four times?"

Yang Tingxu was dumbfounded.

Chang Feng said again: "The war in the northwest is for food and grass. I, Chang Feng, will not agree to anyone who is perfunctory in the supply of food and grass. Neither will Jin Yiwei. Those who should be arrested and those who should be killed."

Yang Tingxu muttered: "We are all civil servants from the second rank to the third rank. It seems that the colleagues of Jin Yiwei have no right to arrest us."

What Yang Ting narrated was the truth.The power of Jin Yiwei is not as great as the people of later generations imagined. Whatever ministers, ministers, governors, and governors are arrested.

The feudal official in Xinjiang involves the foundation of the country.To catch them requires the emperor's decree.

Zhang Yong's complexion changed: "Jin Yiwei's comrades have no right to arrest you, do I have the right to arrest you, Bing Bi, the supervisor of ceremonies?"

Chang Feng and Zhang Yongyi sang together: "Wang Zhishuai's military order has been issued. Within a month, you must raise [-] shi of military rations."

"If the collection is not complete, you are obstructing the Western Expedition, plotting against the law, colluding with foreign enemies, and betraying the country."

Chang Feng, the Jinyiwei butcher, is very good at labeling himself.

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

Wang Yue closed his eyes: "Then I will thank you all for helping me. Go to your own errands."

The five left the handsome tent.

Yang Tingxu spit out: "Ah, bah! What is Wang Yue? He's just a stinking top-ranking man. Apart from currying favor with eunuchs and favored ministers, he has no other skills."

"This time, we have recruited the chief inspector of ceremonies and Jin Yiwei to back him up."

Governor Gao of Hexi agreed: "That's right. He treats us high-spirited, first- and second-class people like cattle and horses. Is he worthy?"

Governor Lin of Ningxia said: "You two, we still have to give the face of the Supervisor of Rituals and Jin Yiwei."

"As the saying goes, don't look at the monk's face to see the Buddha's face. I think we should hurry up to raise food and grass. To avoid the bad luck of Eunuch Zhang and Butcher Chang."

Yang Tingxu sighed: "Oh, that's the only way to go."

Inside the handsome account.

Wang Yue said: "Chang Feng, did you see it? Fighting a war has never been an easy task. The enemies of the Ming army are both outside and inside, both in the open and in the dark."

"Do you know why Emperor Yingzong defeated Tumubao in the first place?"

Chang Feng replied: "Naturally, it was because the treacherous eunuch Wang Zhen was good at improving the army's route. The soldiers were exhausted."

What Wang Yue said next surprised Chang Feng: "That's only part of the reason."

"Let me tell you. There is also a part of the reason. The supply of food and grass has been insufficient for the troops in the Beijing camp that accompanied Emperor Yingzong himself."

"Among the civil servants in Beijing, some people deliberately delayed the supply of food and grass."

Wang Yue's words ruined Chang Feng's three views.Chang Feng said: "Impossible? Are civil servants so courageous?"

Wang Yue sneered: "Oh, why not? Emperor Yingzong reused eunuchs to check and balance civil servants. Some people in the court hoped that Emperor Yingzong would be defeated and Wang Zhen would fall from power."

"Of course, civil servants delayed the supply of food and grass, which was only one of the many reasons for the defeat of Tumubao."

Chang Feng suddenly remembered the three things that Wang Shu mentioned in his letter before.

Don't underestimate the shamelessness of civil officials; don't underestimate the ignorance of the people; don't underestimate the cruelty of the court.

Wang Yue said again: "Why did I let you, a Jinyiwei butcher, take care of the food and grass. It's not that you are overqualified, but to deter the local civil servants."

"Let them stop dragging me, a foreign party, in the supply of food and grass!"

Chang Feng said: "Don't worry, Commander. I would like to issue a military order. If the food and grass cannot be properly collected within one month, the emperor will kill my head."

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

Wang Yue was very pleased: "With the words of Master Jin Yiwei, this battle is half won!"

Chang Feng walked to the map: "Dare to ask Wang Zhitai, where do we store our food and grass?"

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

At the beginning, Yuan Shao failed in the battle of Guandu because the Wuchao granary was burned by Cao Cao.

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

Yanchi is two hundred miles southwest of Lingwu.

Wang Yue said: "Yanchi City is suitable for hoarding grain. You ask the five governors to transport all the grain and grass raised from various places to Yanchi."

Chang Feng made a handsome appearance, found five governors, and ordered them to transport the grain and grass to Yanchi for concentration.

The five of them were smiling at him on the surface, but in their hearts they were venomous.

Not only did they look down on Wang Yue, but they also looked down on Chang Feng: a landed Juren who hadn't even passed the three exams.

So by flattering the emperor, he became a powerful minister in the capital.

Oh, the world has really changed.A little man, actually giving orders to us top-notch Jinshi!
That day, Chang Feng rushed to Yanchi with Fatty Xu and the [-] frontier troops transferred to him by Wang Yue.

The distance of two hundred miles is the Gobi Desert, completely deserted.Occasionally scattered camel caravans can be seen.

Fatty Xu rode on the horse and complained: "It's agreed that I will go to the front this time and revive the glory of the Xu family. That's good, take me to the rear to manage food!"

Chang Feng sighed: "Let Ding Guogong's son charge forward? If something goes wrong, even if you win this battle, it's not a complete victory."

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

Fatty Xu was a little impatient: "Got it! I'll be your follower."

"Oh, it's a pity, this time I even brought my ancestor's Leaf Armor and Flying Dragon Zhanyun Sword. It seems that they are useless."

Everyone rushed all night.At noon the next day, we finally arrived at Yanchi City.

Yanchi is a small county.The magistrate is an old man in his 70s named Lu Gan.

The officials and servants of the county government led by the magistrate of Lu County have been waiting for Chang Feng in front of the city gate for a long time.

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

Chang Feng asked: "Prefect Lu County, how old are you?"

Lu Gan replied, "71."

Chang Feng thought that Lu Gan was late in the imperial examination, which led to him being a seventh-rank magistrate at the age of 71.

Chang Feng asked, "How long have you been an official?"

Chang Feng was shocked by Lu Gan's answer: "Including this year, exactly 46 years."

Chang Feng counted: "You have been an official since the early years of Jingtai? Why have you been an official for so many years, and you are still a seventh-rank county magistrate?"

Lu Gan replied: "The lower officials are born in Juren, and they don't make progress. They have been officials for more than 40 years and have been magistrates in various places in the Northwest."

The top three Jinshi in Ming Dynasty were first awarded the county magistrate.

Juren can only start from the pawn, master book, and county magistrate.

But Northwest is an exception.This is a place of poverty.As long as Juren is willing to come, the first conferment will be the county magistrate.

But the upper limit of a person's official career, most of them stop at the seventh-rank county magistrate.Regardless of how much political achievements you have, if you don't have a Jinshi degree, you will be your seventh rank honestly.

This is one of the disadvantages of the official system of Ming Dynasty.

Chang Feng said with emotion: "You can be regarded as a serious old state and county in Northwest China."

Lu Gan accompanied him with a smile: "Admiral Chang is absurd. I don't make progress as an official."

"You don't make progress in lower officials" is Lu Gan's catchphrase.He said that to every boss he saw.

Huaxia officialdom has a tradition of officialdom that has lasted for thousands of years.When addressing officials, you can call them big, but not small.

Chang Feng was the military admiral, so Lu Gan called him "Chang Admiral", which sounded more prestigious than "Chang Tongzhi".

Everyone entered Yanchi County.In the small county town, there is a huge granary that can accommodate 15 stone grains.

This granary occupies an area almost equal to one-third of the county seat.

Chang Feng was very surprised: "Luzhi County, how much is your county's annual food tax?"

Lu Gan replied: "We are a poor county, a small county. The annual food tax is only three thousand shi."

Chang Feng asked, "Then why such a big granary was built?"

Lu Gan replied again: "This was built in the seventh year of Chenghua under the order of Old Marshal Wang. It was specially used to hoard military rations."

Chang Feng sighed in admiration: "The commander-in-chief is really good at predicting things!"

From 27 years ago, Wang Yue predicted that sooner or later there would be a battle between Daming and the grassland tribes on the military demarcation line Helan Mountain.

He had already selected Yanchi as the rear granary for the Helan Mountain battle.

This is really a person who does not plan for the world, but not for a while.

Chang Feng summoned five frontier soldiers Qianhu.Assign them to defend cities and granaries.

The military system of the Ming Dynasty has 1000 people under the command of Qianhu.

Wang Yue gave Changfeng 3000 people to guard the Yanchi granary.There are five people in one thousand households.

Because the frontier army is not full of quota, it is a bad rule in the army.

Qianhu's subordinates generally have six or seven hundred soldiers.

No wonder there is a saying in later generations to comment on the Ming Dynasty Frontier Army: The frontier army is not full, and the full quota is invincible.

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

In the dining room of Houya.Lu Gan served Chang Fengman with wine: "This time Admiral Chang is here to handle military affairs in the county, and the whole county will definitely cooperate fully and do your best for you."

Chang Feng said: "The grain and grass from all over the country have not yet arrived. After it arrives, the people in Guixian County must do fire prevention in the granary."

"If a hundred thousand stones of grain and grass catch fire, it's not for fun."

Lu Gan said repeatedly: "Yes, I will keep Admiral Chang's teachings in mind."

Fatty Xu interjected: "Follow our Master Chang and work hard. When this battle is won, maybe our Master Chang will help you transfer to a rich land in the south of the Yangtze River and become a comfortable county magistrate."

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

Lu Gan hurriedly said: "Then I will first thank Admiral Chang for his support. Come, come, please drink this cup."

(End of this chapter)