Ping An Biography

There was a mess of people in the camp, but most of them looked excited and novel.Rows of oxcarts were parked outside the low brick wall, on which were piles of clothes, boots, belts, helmets and other supplies. Many people gathered there to collect things. People didn’t seem to understand that there was still a queue. As soon as I said it, I huddled together.What's even more unbearable is that there are a group of people who are naked | washing with wooden barrels over there, and they don't shy away from taking a bath in the open air in broad daylight.

In the crowd, a boy was heard saying in dialect: "I am so old and have not worn such bright clothes, this outfit can be passed back to be the bridegroom's official!" The surrounding fellows immediately booed.

The Suzaku military uniform does not cut corners. The indigo lining is made of soft and comfortable cotton; There are four iron buttons, because the buttons are new and shiny because of the new clothes, and the collar is a traditional cross-collar pattern, but in Zhang Ning's opinion, it looks a bit like a western-style small suit collar.The trousers are relatively wide and the same color as the jacket. The trousers are wrapped with socks (socks are often wrapped with cloth in the Ming Dynasty), and soap boots are worn.He still looks very energetic in his attire.

At least a thousand times better than the tattered beggar's clothes that the rookies replaced.

The smell of stewed meat was still wafting in the air, and all this inevitably excited a group of young men who had just come from various places, as if they were in heaven.With a population of several million in Huguang and the newly occupied ten prefectures in Jiangxi, there are only tens of thousands of soldiers in total. Of course, the material is richer than that of the people. [

At this moment, Mr. Wu Qian took the joke of Li Zhen, captain of the guard, seriously. Maybe Wu Qian wanted to show it in front of Zhang Ning, and immediately went to get the whip to beat him.Zhang Ning shouted: "Stop!"

The people around gradually noticed the signs. When people saw this group of well-armed and well-trained troops and a person surrounded by generals, someone suddenly shouted: "The official has come to sing the Buddha!"

The surrounding gradually subsided, people stood on the ground and looked at this side, many of them were afraid to speak.

Zhang Ning walked through the crowd for a while, followed by the generals, and Mr. Wu Qian shouted loudly: "This is King Xiang, the third prince of Emperor Jianwen of Ming Dynasty, everyone is listening to the prince's lecture!"

The soldiers finally became quiet and looked over one after another. Suddenly, several people fell to the ground with a thump, and the surroundings also knelt down.This scene caused the generals to look at each other in dismay, but it's no wonder that Xin Ding, in urban and rural counties, the common people also kneel when the grand master comes.

At this moment, Zhang Ning also thought in his heart that it was useless to teach or do something by himself.Organizational training and rules require generals at all levels to take time to be effective, and it is not just a matter of lip service.Then what is the role of the superiors coming to visit?Zhang Ning felt that apart from looking at the actual situation with his eyes, he could only put on a show.

He personally helped up a teenager who looked like he was only in his teens, and said loudly, "Get up, Suzaku Army doesn't like to kneel." Wu Qianzong and others also yelled: "Get up, don't kneel!"

Zhang Ning gently asked the junior in front of him: "Parents are alive? How many brothers and sisters in the family?"

The young man buried his head for a long time but couldn't fart, Li Zhen shouted: "Ask you!" The young man was startled and fell to his knees again.

Zhang Ning had no choice but to turn around and choose someone who looked older, and asked the question again.This soldier has yellow and black skin and looks to be in his 30s, but he doesn't know how old he is. He needs to be bolder. Although he has a heavy accent, he still speaks clearly: "Both parents are here, four A younger brother and a younger sister, the goose is the boss."

"Why did you join the army? Does the government force Latin?" Zhang Ning asked again.He speaks standard Ming Mandarin, which is common at this time.

The soldier said: "The government didn't conscript, the geese came voluntarily. People from the county said that the soldiers don't pay for their food, they are paid, and the geese just want to eat and save food for their families. It would be better if they were paid. "

Zhang Ning asked again: "Are the brothers in the family married?"

The man said: "Not at all. The little sister changed her wife with a family in a neighboring village, and the second brother has settled down. Goose and other brothers can't do anything."

Zhang Ning said coldly: "A teacher of justice, joining the army and fighting has always shed blood for others... After you die in battle, you will receive a pension. The money sent to your home will allow several brothers to marry their wives, and you can even buy a piece of land."

After hearing this, everyone fell silent, and the whip in Mr. Wu Qian's hand dropped even lower.

The expressions on the faces of Li Zhen and others became even more respectful. These veterans had heard Zhang Ning speak the truth on big occasions, but now unexpectedly he convinced these illiterate recruits with just a few words.

At this moment, a quiet voice said: "The grassroots dare to ask the prince, the decree says that soldiers who can read and write after serving in the army can serve as officials in the government, and officials can also be examined for officials. Is this true?"

Zhang Ning followed the voice and saw that it was a tall and straight young man with regular facial features. At a glance, he could tell that this person was not a hard-working commoner. People who had suffered for a long time did not have the complexion and complexion like him.Zhang Ning said: "The emperor's seal and the cabinet's seal have been used in the decree, of course it is not a joke... Do you want to be an official?"

The young man clasped his fists and said: "The grassroots have failed the imperial examination for many years, and the scholar has also failed the examination. I am really unwilling at home, and I have no connections. In desperation, I only feel that joining the army is a connection."

Zhang Ning said with a smile: "If you are still alive after three years, you have not violated the law, and you will come to me if you haven't been hired as an official."

……

At this time, in the Nancheng camp in Nanjing, the British Duke Zhang Fu was also patrolling the army.He was sitting on a chair, surrounded by soldiers standing in silence, and the sound of "cracking" whips and screams of people echoed in the air.

On a wooden post not far away, a few strong men were tied to the upper body with five flowers, and the leather whip kept lashing their flesh. There was a bloodstain all over the place.

Looking back at the army, Zhang Fu found that the voice of the man in his 50s was still loud and full of spirit: "Military law and military robbery, fifty lashes per person, until the star media helmsman is beaten!"

A man shouted loudly: "Prince England, please forgive me. If it wasn't for the debts raised by the family, the lowly position would not dare to resist and rob..."

At this time, a group of military generals begged for mercy, and some people complained that the income was too small and poor.Zhang Fu couldn't respond to everyone's narration, because he was not the only one who had the final say on matters such as rules and military expenditures, but he still ruled the army sternly and did not order to stop the whipping.

There was a general in armor kneeling on the soil below, he took advantage of the situation and kowtowed and said: "The last general knows his mistake, the British Duke will give the general a chance to make up for his mistakes!"

Hearing this, Zhang Fu was furious, slapped the armrest of the chair and shouted: "Soldiers can be forgiven for plundering, so the old man was not sentenced to death, but now he covets property and indulges his subordinates, extracting money from them, the crime can be forgiven and death is not enough! Come on, behead Already!"

"Prince England, spare your life! For the sake of following you through life and death...forgive me!"

Zhang Fu stood up, waved his hand unmoved, turned and left.

In addition to the generals above the general officer in the big tent, there is also Lu Qianshi from Jinyiwei Nanzhen Fusi.Lu Qian came forward to greet him, and said: "The emperor once said that the British prince is an instrument of the country and an important minister of the country. Today's observation really lives up to his reputation."

Zhang Fu said indifferently: "Xuan Da's soldiers are almost from the hometown of Zhili in the south, but they don't know that foreign soldiers are like bandits. If you don't strictly manage the army with respect, there will be chaos."

Lu Qianshi suppressed his smile and said: "The lower officials have sent people to do their best to investigate and understand some things, but the most important thing is that they can't get the cannons of the rebels. In all the battles, no one has captured the rebels. Heavy artillery, so let's start with... Well, this year, the Shenji Battalion won a battle after crossing the river in the first month of the lunar year. It is a pity that the army was blown up."

Lu Qianshi continued: "However, we have figured out something." He squatted down and picked up two stones on the mud floor, "This is how our General Cannon and Hu Zunxin Cannon were shot. A hole; and the heavy artillery of the rebels is like this... Whoosh, flying sideways, jumping all the way on the ground, so it is much more powerful."

Zhang Fu asked: "Can Jin Yiwei supervise the production of artillery like the rebel army?"

"This is impossible, at least a year and a half can't get it out." Lu Chen said, "Xiaguan has stayed in Nanzhen Fusi for many years, and the sharp guns he got from Jiaozhi, the firecrackers used in the Shenji camp, and the guns used on the ship I have seen all kinds of firearms before. The gun needs to be shot high before it can hit far. Just like archery, projectile shooting is always farther than flat shooting. If the gun is shot high, it will be a pit when it falls, and there is no way out."

Zhang Fu frowned and said, "How did the bandit army do it?"

"The guns fired are powerful and fast, and they can be fired flat and far. According to investigations, the barrels of the bandit army's heavy guns are longer than ours. How they are made, we have to squat first to find out." After talking about the matter, Lu Qian pondered for a while, "But it should be difficult to get it. The spy army is very strict with heavy artillery, and things that cost hundreds of thousands of catties are not lucky if they are carefully crafted. There is another way. Capture some of the cannon-makers."

Zhang Fu said: "Then I ask Lu Qian to do it as soon as possible."

"The emperor doesn't pay attention to the chaos in Huguang every day, and the next official should do his best." Lu Qian said hurriedly. [

Looking back at the generals on the left and right, Zhang Fu said, "A battle in the interior is not about attacking and defending the city, but fighting in battle formations. If you are defeated in the battle formation, you will be restrained everywhere. We should be familiar with the tactics of the bandit army, and we must not stick to the rules."

All the generals said in unison: "The last general will follow the teachings of the Lord."

Zhang Fu nodded in satisfaction, and threw a stack of files on the table: "This is the record of the wars that I sent people to interrogate and inquire about. The battle process, the experience of the soldiers, the types of weapons, etc. are all written down, and several copies have been copied. You go and have a look, and then discuss. Are there any illiterates among you?"

Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere finally became more relaxed.These high-ranking generals are either heroic nobles or descendants of the generals. Needless to say, their family background conditions, not only learning martial arts and bow horses, but also military books.