Ming Dynasty man

Chapter 96
During this period of time, the brothers on the mountain were scattered to various counties in Weihui Mansion to rob the old landlords. Every time they went to one place, they had to send scouts in advance to inquire about the news, and at the same time, they had to investigate the movement of the government.

It can be said that the bandits going down the mountain to rob at most is just an errand, and the real work is actually done by the scouts.

When Ma Wu left the mountain in the next year, more than ten people were taken away from the scout team. If another 20 people were drawn, the number of scouts would definitely not be enough.

After thinking about it, Li Jing said, "Do the math, how many houses have we robbed in total? How many have come to us now?"

Gao Qi pinched his fingers and said: "There are seventeen families in total. Basically, the landlords and Lao Cai who are close to our periphery have gone through all of them. Only six families have found us now, and there are five or six other families that seem to have the same intention."

Li Jing nodded.

Seventeen families were indeed too many. Even if six families asked for their protection, there would still be eleven families left.

At least 22 scouts are needed to monitor these eleven families alone.

In fact, although it was necessary to send scouts to investigate many times during the first robbery, the work was much easier, because these homes had never been robbed before, and they were not on guard.

After the robbery, it is difficult to investigate the news.Because these people have become frightened birds, they will naturally take strict precautions against unfamiliar people. After suffering a loss, if they don't know how to take precautions, wouldn't they be fools?
After the robbery, they still have to investigate. It's not that Li Jing and the others have nothing to do and toss the scouts.

Because their purpose of robbery is not actually for robbery, but for future development.This requires them to pay close attention to the reactions of these people.

You must know that no matter who is robbed, the first reaction is to report to the official.

So what will the government do?The first is to send the servants in the yamen, but if the servants in the yamen can catch the bandits, why do they need officers and soldiers?The main use of the messenger is to find out the truth.

When the guards find out the truth, the government will ask the officers and soldiers for help. Of course, the help is not for nothing, but money and food.

In this way, these families who have been robbed have to consider whether it is worthwhile.

If the price from the government is too high, they will give up.

Because it is not certain whether the officers and soldiers can catch the bandits. If they can't catch them, it is impossible for the officers and soldiers to send troops to help them guard their homes.

The final result is that the money and food have been paid, and they have to face the threat of bandits.

Therefore, if the officers and soldiers asked for too high a price, they might as well organize their own people to resist the intrusion of bandits.

But their organization of manpower defense depends on whether the bandits will give them time.

Because most of the people they gathered were farmers, and it was never heard that farmers with hoes could fight bandits with knives and guns.

If you want to fight against the bandits, you have to train a bit.

And if the bandits don't give them time to train, it will be useless for these people to organize, and it will blow their confidence.

As long as the bandits harass them a few times during this period, even killing or injuring a few people, these people will be afraid and will not dare to go to the nursing home for others.

Money is good, but life is more important after all.

If no one is willing to take care of the homes of these big households, then the big households that have been robbed will have only one last choice, to compromise with the bandits.

But with so many bandits, they can't compromise all of them, so even if they have money, they can't afford to compromise. They can only find the most powerful bandits to compromise.

The most powerful group of bandits took advantage of it and naturally had to negotiate with other bandits, so as to keep them safe.

These are the various countermeasures Li Jing and Gao Qi deduced for these robbed big households.

But one thing is certain, that is, these people will definitely not come to them immediately.

Then during this period of time, scouts should be sent out to detect the reactions and actions of these people, and they can take corresponding actions only after they get the news.

In this way, it is necessary to send a large number of scouts and spies.

But the fact is the same as the judgment of Li Jing and others, those people who were robbed followed those few steps.

It was the actions of the officers and soldiers that made Li Jing and others dumbfounded. According to Liu Ming's report, when the commander of the Weihui Guard Station heard that they were going to the Hongshanling area to suppress the bandits, their first reaction was to jump up. The county magistrate is a curse.

"Damn it, don't you know that there are ghosts near Hongshanling? Last time, more than 200 of my subordinates were killed by evil spirits, and you actually asked me to suppress the bandits. Do you think I have too many people under my command? ?”

The news of the haunting around Hongshanling spread to both Weihui and Zhangde prefectures. How could the county magistrate of Huixian not know about it?

However, at this time, the county magistrate had to bow his head when he had something to ask the officers and soldiers. Otherwise, although the rank of the commander was higher than that of the county magistrate, he would never yell at the county magistrate.

The county magistrate was also resilient, and he waited until the commander had finished cursing before saying, "Even if we don't want to suppress the bandits, at least we have to put on a show, otherwise the government office in Hui County won't be able to convince the public."

The commander immediately said: "I don't care if you are convinced or not, but I will definitely not go to Hongshanling to suppress the bandits."

Seeing that the commander was so stubborn, the county magistrate had no choice but to resort to the last big move: bribery.

Of course, the money must not be paid by him.

The only unlucky one was the robbed family: Yang Baifu.

The commander was not stupid, after haggling with the county magistrate of Hui County, he finally agreed to send troops to take a look around Hongshanling.

Yang Baifu spent a lot of money just to buy officers and soldiers to go on a one-day sightseeing tour around Hongshanling. He didn't even see the scenery in the mountains. At that time, he thought of hanging himself.

Fortunately, Yang Baifu's ability to resist attacks has improved a lot after going through the blows. Seeing that the officers and soldiers could not count on him, he prepared to arm himself.

But it's good that he didn't organize the manpower. At the beginning of the organization, the bandits took turns to harass him, and they harassed him day and night, which made Yang Baifu miserable.

In the end, the butler gave Yang Baifu an idea to find the biggest bandit leader in Hongshanling for protection.

As for the contact person, the housekeeper has a relative in Xiaomazhuang. He knows that all the families in Xiaomazhuang are related to the bandits in Jinniuling back then, so it is not difficult to get in touch.

So after going around and around, Yang Baifu finally found Li Jing.

I was a little curious about this unlucky Li Jing, I don't know how he survived, and he was the first to find Hongshanling, so Li Jing naturally wanted to meet him in person to save face.

After seeing Yang Baifu, Li Jing said a few words of comfort, and promised that Hongshanling would come forward to deal with those bandits and protect the Yang family.

Of course there are conditions.

Li Jing's conditions are neither high nor low.

Yang Baifu had about [-] mu of land, and Li Jing didn't count with him, so he made up a whole number of [-] mu, and paid [-]% of the grain per mu to Hongshanling every year.

Moreover, Li Jing also set a bottom line for Yang Baifu, that is, the yield per mu is calculated at 450 catties.

Yang Baifu almost fainted when he heard this figure. You must know that the average yield per mu at that time was only about 450 catties. Calculated at [-]% of [-] catties, it was equivalent to paying half of the output.

But Li Jing's words are not finished yet, if it exceeds 450 catties, then [-]% will be smoked.

Yang Baifu almost jumped up and scolded Li Jing: Do you know how to farm?Do you know how much food can be produced per mu of land?

Fortunately, Yang Baifu knew why he came to Hongshanling, so he finally suppressed this impulse.

Next, of course, is bargaining.

However, Li Jing insisted on this number and would not let go, so Yang Baifu came up with another way, giving money but not food.

But Li Jing was even worse.

You can also pay money, according to the market price of grain, convert the grain that should be paid into silver money.

At this moment, Yang Baifu finally realized who he was meeting. The person in front of him was even tougher than him, even more penny-pinching than him.

At this point, Yang Baifu finally bowed his head and admitted that spending money to buy peace was better than being tossed about by bandits all day long.

And Li Jing did what he said, after Yang Baifu paid the money and food, there were no bandits to torment him immediately.

There are a total of six companies like Yang Baifu, and several other companies are said to have this idea, but they have been hesitant because Li Jing's asking price is too harsh.

Li Jing didn't force them, but sent Liu Erleng and others to torment them from time to time, preventing them from organizing their staff.

But during this period, scouts and spies need to be watched, and there are a few diehards who need to be watched more closely.

In addition, the scouts have other things to do, so the scouts on the mountain are not enough.

This is why Gao Qi was embarrassed when he heard that Li Jing wanted to take away [-] scouts.

Li Jing is also very clear about these situations, but what Li Jing is even more aware of is that the capital is related to his development layout, which must not be ignored.

After thinking for a while, Li Jing said, "Gao Qi, call back those who monitor the officers and soldiers of Weihui Mansion. With Liu Ming and Liu Hong taking care of them, these people don't have to keep an eye on them anymore."

Gao Qi nodded. This time Hongshanling made so many disturbances, and the officers and soldiers of Wei Huiwei were unmoved. It was obvious that Liu Hong had made great efforts.Since Liu Hongken was helping in the dark, it meant that Liu Hong really wanted to make friends with bandits like Li Jing, so there was no need to keep people watching them.

But even if these people are drawn back, the manpower is still not enough.

Gao Qi thought for a while and said, "Brother, why don't we recruit troops?"

Li Jing pondered for a long time, and finally shook his head slightly.

Li Jing knew very well that Hongshanling didn't have enough scouts, even ordinary soldiers.

Hongshanling now has less than five hundred soldiers, but there are three places that need to be defended.The first is naturally the main cottage of Hongshanling, the second is the Laohuling reservoir area, and the third is the valley of Wanbai Mountain.

If the officers and soldiers are determined to encircle and suppress, Li Jing will definitely give up two places and defend one place with all his strength.Otherwise, the troops will be divided everywhere, and the troops everywhere will be very weak.

You must know that although this area is full of mountains, the peaks are not steep.Except for the valley of Wanbai Mountain, which is considered dangerous to defend, the other two places of support are just difficult mountain roads, and the officers and soldiers cannot use them.

It is not enough to defend three places with less than [-] soldiers.

(End of this chapter)