A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 37
After summing up, there were many problems, so Wang Dou asked Zhong Rong to enter them into the military records one by one. These battle records will become valuable treasures in the army in the future.

This way of discussion made Han and North Korea feel novel, and everyone spoke freely and pointed out many existing problems.

One very important point is that Jingbian Fort needs to hire several doctors. Whether it is to treat the military households in the fort, or to accompany the army in the future, the doctors are indispensable.However, it is dangerous to accompany the army, and I am afraid that few private doctors are willing to accompany them. The best official doctors in Baoan are concentrated in the Medical Department of Zhoucheng. I don’t know if we can recruit some doctors from there in the future.

In addition, this time the bandits have gained a lot, and everyone has seen a shortcut to quickly accumulate wealth.

Wang Dou considered again and again, and decided to draw Han Chao out and ask him to form a team to specially recruit elite sergeants from the fort to train the night scouts.

Wang Dou said to Han Chao: "Brother Han, from now on, you will take those people to various places to spy on the bandits, collect information, and mark the population and terrain of each place one by one. In the future, we can also follow the map to find out and kill the bandits. , to safeguard the safety of the village!"

Han Chao was very happy to receive Wang Douxin's appointment, and he could be regarded as returning to his old profession.And the team he originally led was temporarily led by Wang Dou himself.

After discussing the military affairs, Wang Dou ordered the whole castle to take a holiday for a few days to prepare for the New Year, and there was immediate applause.

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, heavy snow fell in the sky, and the snowflakes flew all over the sky, and soon a thick layer was deposited on the ground.

The auspicious snow heralds a good year, how many years has it been since such a heavy snowfall?

In the heavy snow, the inside and outside of Jingbian Fort were also full of joy. For the New Year, Wang Dou went to Zhoucheng to buy a batch of New Year's goods.From the early morning of this day, the adults were busy changing door gods and posting Spring Festival couplets, while the children happily set off firecrackers beside them. Amidst the sound of firecrackers, a strong atmosphere of the New Year is also spreading.

Wang Dou also asked people to buy a few pigs and sheep. On this day, everyone can eat meat freely, and everyone is smiling. For so many years, this New Year's Eve is the most steadfast.

In addition to slaughtering pigs and sheep, from this day on, men and women in the castle also work together, and everyone makes white flour steamed buns together.A large basket of white flour steamed buns was continuously steamed, which made everyone satisfied after seeing it.Just like meat, in the past few days during the Chinese New Year, everyone in the military households in the fort can open their stomachs to eat white flour steamed buns.

It's rare, after so many years, many people have forgotten the taste of white flour steamed buns.

The first flour from the wheat is fine white flour, and the steamed buns are snow white, but the white flour is precious, and it is not easy to grind it. If you have to go to Dongjiazhuang and Xinzhuang to grind it, how can you easily eat it?
After Wang Dou recruited military households, although he fed them every day, he only ate some millet, sorghum and other millet grains on weekdays. Today I can finally have a good time.

In the midst of everyone's busy work and laughter, everyone's feelings for Tunpu became more and more profound. Although Jingbian Fort was established less than half a year ago, many people already regard this place as their home and their future roots.

……

In the past two days, Yang Tong and Qi Tianliang brought the children of Dongjiazhuang to celebrate the new year. When they were Dunjun in the past, their parents, brothers and several children lived in Dongjiazhuang, and they also brought their wives to celebrate the new year. Back to the village.This year, the whole family will be brought to Jingbian Fort to celebrate the New Year. After the fort wall is built in a few months, the whole family will move here to live.

Seeing the happy look of the family members, the two are not talking about their high spirits.

Unlike Qi and Yang, Zhong Rong still went back to Dong's village for the New Year. Wang Dou paid his salary for the past few months and sent a military household to send him back.When Zhong Rong returned to the village, he also brought a basket of white flour steamed buns, in addition to a few catties of meat, some dry goods, snacks and candies, etc.With such a sumptuous New Year's goods, when Zhong Rong returned to the village, he felt quite elated. Presumably those people who dismissed him in the past will be surprised when they see Zhong Rong today.

Wang Dou handed over the internal affairs of the castle to Qi and Yang for temporary management, while he returned to Xinzhuang to celebrate the New Year.Because the Jingbian fort wall has not been built yet, the mother and young wife still live in Xinzhuang, which is relatively safe that day, but after the Jingbian fort wall is built, Wang Dou will take them over to live there.

Three bachelors, Han Chao, Han Zhong, and Gao Shiyin had nowhere to go, so they went to Xinzhuang with Wang Dou to celebrate the new year.

The four rode out of the fort on horseback. At this time, the sky was still full of wind and snow, and the sky and the earth were completely white.

The four of them were wearing worn-out felt jackets, and they only went to Xinzhuang after trampling through the broken jade and jade all over the ground.

The four of them rode fast, and soon entered the village, and the households in the village were also busy pasting Spring Festival couplets and changing door gods.Although the year is not good, everyone still wants to celebrate the New Year, but the festive atmosphere of the New Year's Day is not as strong as Jingbian Fort.

Seeing Wang Dou and four people, the households in the village hurriedly greeted and saluted them. When they arrived at the side of the Fushen Temple, a sedan chair was coming towards them. There were more than a dozen family members on the side of the sedan chair. Food boxes, gifts, etc.

The carriages and bridges rush forward and back, and all the villagers they meet are respectful and avoid.

When the bridge arrived in front of Wang Dou and the others, a deep voice came from inside the bridge, and then the bridge stopped, and as the curtain was raised, a figure of a man was revealed inside, and a deep voice sounded: "Isn't this nephew Wang Douxian?" ? Go back to the village today for the New Year?"

Wang Dou was stunned, under his influence, people in Jingbianbao and Dongjiazhuang had already forgotten what Wang Dou used to be called, even if they called him Wang Dou, that Dou would be the fourth syllable.Wang Douji seldom heard Wang Dou named second tone.

Wang Dou saw that the man inside the bridge was about fifty years old, wearing a square scarf on his head, and a jade-colored blouse with wide sleeves and fringe. Although his face was clear and handsome, his expression was majestic.Wang Dou recognized this person, he was Li Shichen, the head of the Li family in Zhuang Nei.

Wang Dou cupped his hands on the horse and said, "So it's Li Shibo, what a coincidence, where is Shibo going?"

However, Li Shichen didn't answer Wang Dou's words, he just glanced up and down at Wang Dou, then looked at the Han and Chao people behind him who were also riding horses, and then said: "I heard that nephew Wang Xian was promoted to the position of the general banner. For my neighbors, I haven't congratulated my nephew yet, it's rude!"

Wang Dou said: "As an elder, Shibo, how dare he be so honorable? It is time for Wang Dou to go to the mansion to pay homage to him."

Li Shichen was a little surprised by Wang Dou's words, he glanced at Wang Dou again, and said lightly: "I want to get closer!"

She nodded slightly, and then closed the curtains.

Looking at the bridge where Li Shichen and his party went away, Wang Dou looked a little cold.In Xinzhuang, Li Shichen and the others are a big family, owning a lot of land and collecting rent every year.In Xinzhuang and some other villages, there are many families who are tenants of their family, and they also have many properties in the city.

And the Li family is still the first family of scholars for generations. The ancestor Li Tinggui once passed the Juren, and there is a Dengkefang in Baoanzhou City.Li Shichen also came from a student background, and donated a quota of supervisors.At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the squires were famous for their greed, and they were very powerful, and they were exempted from taxation and labor. Li Shichen, a mere student, occupied as much as a thousand acres of fertile land near Xinzhuang. His brothers, nephews, and nephews had many It is also the chief and small armor of Minzhuang in the state.Although there are only a few townships in Baoan Prefecture, the gentry are also very powerful, which severely impacted the local Li Changjia chief system.

In Wang Dou's memory, since his father's death, the Li family had once thought about their own land and house.

In the past, it could be said that Li Shichen would not look at him directly, but today he may have a few words with him because he watched him raise the general flag.However, although he spoke politely, his expression was indifferent. When the servants of the Li family by his bridge looked at him, they also looked at him with disdain. It was obvious that he was a warrior like Wang Dou, and he was also a small general. close family.

Han Zhong also couldn't understand the aura of Li Shichen and others, so he gave a piss and said, "What's so good about a sour scholar?"

Han Chao respected scholars very much, he scolded and said, "Second brother, don't speak ill of elders!"

……

The fat horses of Wang Dou and the others came to his house. After the repairs and renovations that day, it can be said to be completely new. Looking at the newly posted Spring Festival couplets in front of the gate, as well as the debris of firecrackers placed in front of the gate, Wang Dou felt relieved. There is a warmth, it is better to have a home.

The gate was only ajar, Wang Dou and others got off their horses, led the horses into the courtyard, and saw that the inside had been cleaned very neatly, the snow had been shoveled clean, and a small figure was busy, carefully digging into the ground. Sprinkling fine sand, it is Xie Xiuniang.

Hearing the movement, Xie Xiuniang turned around and saw that it was Wang Dou, she said happily: "Brother is back?"

She seemed to have completely forgotten the unhappiness of that day, and she just greeted her happily. Wang Dou nodded with a smile, Han Chao and others hurriedly greeted Xie Xiuniang, and Xie Xiuniang wanted to lead the horse to the backyard. Han Zhong hurriedly said: "Sister-in-law, I'll come Bar!"

While leading the horse inside, he shouted loudly, "Madam, I'm here again!"

Hearing the sound, Zhong's joyful voice came from inside: "It's Dou'er who is back!"

Then he saw Zhong's red face, happily coming out of the house, followed by two men.

Wang Dou called out, "Mother!"

Several people from Han Chao came forward to greet Mrs. Zhong, Han Chao saluted and said, "Today I will trouble the old lady again!"

Mrs. Zhong scolded with a smile: "Why are you guys so polite? You will come to see me, an old woman, and I'm too late to be happy. This Chinese New Year, I just want to celebrate myself!"

While greeting a few people, she smiled at Wang Dou and said, "Dou'er, who do you think is here?"

The two men came out from behind Zhong, looked at Wang Dou with a smile on their faces, Wang Dou was startled, and said, "Uncle, cousin?"

Among the two men, the older one was Wang Dou's uncle Zhong Zhengxian, who was in his 40s and was one of the seven Zhong brothers. The younger man next to him was his eldest son Zhong Tiaoyang. However, their family lived in Weizhou, and they rarely came to Baoanzhou. Wang Dou had only seen them a few times since he was a child.

Zhong Zhengxian's face was quite oily, and he said with a pleasant smile: "Look at my nephew. I haven't seen you for a few years. He has grown so tall. I heard that you have raised the general flag? We finally found an official in our family." ..."

He looked at the horse next to Wang Dou and the others again: "Tsk tsk, look at this horse, it's really strong. I heard that my nephew snatched it from the Tartar? Tsk tsk..."

Wang Dou saluted him and said, "Uncle is well, how is Auntie, is she feeling better?"

In Wang Dou's memory, his aunt was kind, but her health was not very good.

Zhong Zhengxian shook his head and said, "What's the matter, I just blame your aunt for being useless and unable to manage the family business, making my uncle come to rely on your mother after a long time..."

He also called his son Zhong Tiaoyang to meet Wang Dou. Zhong Tiaoyang was 30 years old, with a dark complexion and a quieter demeanor. He greeted Wang Dou. Wang Dou said: "I haven't seen my cousin for many years." , I heard that my cousin got married a few years ago, and my cousin gave birth to a fat son?"

Talking about this, Zhong Tiaoyang smiled on his thick and dark face, but he just saluted and stood behind his father.But he kept looking at Han and North Korea.

Mrs. Zhong said happily: "Look at you guys, you are talking non-stop outside in the cold weather, go inside quickly."

Zhong Zhengxian said: "That's right, go into the house quickly, I haven't seen my nephew for many years, I have something close to say to him..."

(End of this chapter)