Starting in Saarhu, it is a bit difficult to make a comeback.

Chapter 102 The Ministry of War is ruined (please subscribe with monthly tickets)

Master Liu suddenly arrived in Kaiyuan City in a hurry.

Since the last time Master Liu offered his advice to help Zaisai annex Nuantu's tribe, he has stayed in Zaisai's camp as a military advisor.

Of course, this is only his superficial identity. Secretly, he is also responsible for helping Li Xianzhong collect intelligence from various grassland ministries.

After being plotted by Lao Nu this time, Li Xianzhong felt that his intelligence was lagging behind, so he planned to establish his own intelligence system and intelligence department.

For this reason, he has asked his good eldest brother Zhu Chunchen, Duke of Chengguo, to find suitable candidates for him among the active and retired Jinyi guards.

Master Liu is the person in charge of the Grassland Station of the Intelligence Department.

Li Xianzhong knew that Zaisai was currently in a very difficult situation. Although he had annexed many of Manggus's tribe, his strength was greatly reduced because he had deceived a thousand cavalry.

Facing Horqin's revenge and threats from other tribes, it is really difficult to move forward.

So he asked: "Is there something wrong with Zaisai?"

Master Liu said proudly: "General Li, don't worry, with Liu giving advice to Zai Sai, nothing will happen to him."

"Zaisai transferred the cattle and sheep you didn't ask for to Lin Dan Khan of the Chahar tribe, and also sent him five thousand tribesmen from Horqin. Now Lin Dan Khan has asked Zaisai to command the five Chaohua tribes. Of course, this In name only."

"In addition, Lin Danhan also sent troops to sweep away Horqin's left wing. The two sides fought several times. At present, the three alliances of Horqin's left wing have too much to take care of themselves and are simply unable to cause trouble to Zaisai."

"Liu came here to tell General Li some important news. When the cavalry of the Zaisai Department participated in the attack on Horqin, they intercepted a caravan and found a total of four hundred pieces of armor."

Li Xianzhong was stunned when he heard the news. Someone could actually transport four hundred pairs of armor at a time?

You know, he only got 50 pairs of armor after talking to Yuan Yingtai for a long time.

The Mongols simply did not have the ability to make armor. Even if there were craftsmen in Jianzhou who could make armor, they would not be able to transport it out of the country. Their own armor was not enough.

This thing not only consumes a lot of materials, but also takes a lot of man-hours. It takes a skilled craftsman 2 months to build one.

Otherwise, Li Xianzhong would have built it in large quantities himself.

Needless to say, this batch of armor must have come from the Ming Army. Such a huge amount probably came from the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, right?

Now Zai Sai has become more developed. With this batch of armors, he can form heavy cavalry, and he might even become a tyrant on the grassland.

I hope I’m not feeding a tiger into trouble!
Li Xianzhong said: "This batch of armors will definitely not come back. Did you bring me the merchant who smuggled the armors?"

Master Liu said: "Zaisai killed all the businessmen out of fear of leaking the news. I finally rescued a young man and brought him to Kaiyuan."

Li Xianzhong said: "Master Liu, your information this time is very important. I will make a contribution to you. Don't worry, it will be of great benefit to you."

"By the way, is there any other information about this caravan?"

Master Liu shook his head and said: "These businessmen are very cunning and did not leave any information about their identity. I only heard someone calling the young man 'Fan Shaodong's family'."

The person who smuggled Ming army equipment, and his surname was Fan, could he be the infamous "Fan family"?

Historical records do not seem to clearly record the actual age of Fan Yongdou, a big profiteer, but he should not be very old at this time, but he is about the same age as this "Fan Shaodong".

Soon Li Xianzhong saw this young man wearing coarse clothes in Kaiyuan Prison.

This man was about in his early 20s. His eyebrows were thick and drooped, slightly wrinkled. His eyes were deep-set and narrow, flashing with a cunning light, and he seemed to be observing the surrounding situation all the time.

Li Xianzhong thought to himself that he really looked like a profiteer, but this man had dark skin, and he looked like he had been running business outside all year round.

When the young master noticed that someone was coming, he immediately turned his head and pretended to be sleeping.

Li Xianzhong said with a smile: "Fan Shaodong's family are really people who have done great things. Even though they are in jail, they can still sleep peacefully. I admire them!"

The young master didn't react at all.

The jailer on the side yelled: "Commander Li is here, you still dare to show off here, I think you are itchy!"

After saying that, he swung the whip and beat him hard.

Although the young master was beaten to pieces at this time, he still gritted his teeth and persisted, trying not to make any sound.

He knew exactly what it meant to be caught this time.

This pain is nothing compared to the lives of the entire family.

Li Xianzhong waved his hand to signal the jailer to stop.

Then he said with a smile: "It's useless for Fan Shaodong's family not to speak up. This batch of armor must have come from the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War. Everyone in Zhangjiakou knows that you introduced the Fan family. If I want to convict your Fan family, Your confession is not required at all.”

Li Xianzhong's words made him feel as if he had been struck by lightning. How could Commander Li know the details of the Fan family so well? Could it be that he had already targeted him?

Probably not. If he had been eyeing his batch of armors long ago, they wouldn't have fallen into Zaisai's hands.

He began to recall every detail, from receiving this batch of Zhajia, to exiting the Xuanfu, and then passing through the Chahar territory that he had bought, and successfully arrived in Horqin.Zaisai's appearance in Horqin was indeed an accident. Even if he was discovered by Chahar's cavalry, there would definitely be no problem with his family's many years of relationship.

Just when he was puzzled, Li Xianzhong said again: "You must have heard about the theft of the arsenal in Kaiyuan before. That Zheng Zhifan is a tough guy, and he carried it for three days and three nights."

"I wonder if Fan Shaodong's family is interested in my torture device? Or should I call you Fan Yongdou?"

Fan Yongdou looked at Li Xianzhong in disbelief.

Before he could recover, Li Xianzhong said: "I won't talk nonsense to you, there are two ways, life or death?"

"If you want to live, tell the truth and work for me in the future. If you want to die, then try all the tortures I have here first, and then I will hand you over. Someone will naturally destroy the nine tribes of your Fan family!"

Fan Yongdou made a decision quickly.

A complete transportation chain from the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, through the Fan family's Chuxuan Mansion, through the Chahar Territory transaction, to the Horqin Department, and finally into Jianzhou, was displayed in front of Li Xianzhong.

What's even more annoying is that this batch of armor was originally intended for Liaodong.

This made Li Xianzhong furious. He fought bloody battles with the Tatars in Kaiyuan, but in the end he did not receive as many supplements as the Tatars.

From the Kaiyuan arsenal to the Ministry of War arsenal, the old slave has regarded Ming's arsenal as his own arsenal!

It seems that I underestimated the old slave. I originally thought that they were just buying some Liaodong border officials, but I didn't expect that they actually reached out to the court of the Ming Dynasty.

But he also knew that this matter was not that simple.

Although the doctor in the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War is only a fifth-rank officer, this fifth-rank officer can be regarded as one of the best fifth-rank officials in the Ming Dynasty. Even border generals with heavy troops like Xiong Tingbi and Li Xianzhong sometimes have to look at his face.

If Li Xianzhong directly brought this matter up, it would be like stirring up a hornet's nest.

After all, it is impossible to be a doctor in the Arsenal Department without a background behind it.

Maybe not only the Ministry of War, but even the entire Ming Dynasty would be turned upside down.

This matter still needs a long-term plan.

He said to Fan Yongdou: "I keep my word. I will not involve your Fan family in this matter. But you have to leave a confession in my hand so that I can let you go."

Li Xianzhong knew very well that even if Fan Yongdou was handed over, he would not be able to identify the arsenal of the Ministry of War and convict the Fan family of treason.

After all, Zha Jia is not in his hands now, and he has no direct evidence to prove that he has taken the stolen goods together.

Fan Yongdou is a smart man. He knows that Li Xianzhong is willing to let him go, so he must have something for him.

So he said: "What's the use of Mr. Li to go to the villain and my Fan family? Fan Yongdou will do his best."

At this time, no one thinks that Jianzhou can defeat the Ming Dynasty. They risk selling military supplies just to make money. The Fan family is just a speculator, and naturally there is no loyalty to Jianzhou.

Li Xianzhong was worried that no one could break into Jianzhou, but Fan Yongdou was in a good position.

So he said: "I will not affect your Fan family's business. You can continue the trade with Jianlu. But you must find out information for me, and all the information Jianzhou needs must be reported to me regularly."

"Of course, if you have armor or firearms, which the general is also in urgent need of, you have to say hello to me in advance."

Fan Yongdou said: "General Li, don't worry. I understand, I will be your spy from now on. As long as there is any trouble in Jianzhou, I will report it to you in time."

Li Xianzhong nodded with satisfaction.

He knew that these unprofitable businessmen were unwilling to do anything early, so he still had to give him some benefits. Otherwise, Fan Yongdou would inevitably be unable to work with just a confession. Of course, he would also solve his own shipping problem.

Then he said: "By the way, I also have a lot of specialties from Jianzhou and Mongolia here. Since your Fan family has been shipping for them, I guess you have your own channels to help me ship."

"In addition, if you need it, you can place an order directly with me. As long as the Jurchens and Mongolians have it, my Liaodong cavalry can give you guns."

"I also have my own workshop. The production capacity of firearms and armors is temporarily insufficient. If you need them, I can make them for you."

Fan Yongdou was overjoyed after hearing this. He originally thought that he would definitely die if he fell into the hands of the Ming army this time. Who knew that he had simply found a way to make money.

He naturally understands what Li Xianzhong said, which means just say whatever you want. As long as the price is right, I can grab whatever the Mongols and Jurchens have, and I can make it for you if they don't have it.

So he quickly thanked Li Xianzhong profusely!
After sending Fan Yongdou away, Li Xianzhong fell into deep thought.

The Ministry of War of the Ming Dynasty is really in bad shape, but the cancer of the Arsenal Department still needs to be eradicated.

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