Father can be an enemy to the country

Of course, His Royal Highness the King of Chu is here, and it is impossible for the Hu family to entertain him with a big bowl of wide noodles.

The dishes at the luncheon were very sumptuous, far exceeding Boss Zhu’s rule of four dishes and one soup.

In the words of Taigong Hu, Zhu Chongba has nothing to do with it. I like to entertain my grandson with a few dishes, just a few dishes!

This also confirms what Hu Xian said, frugality is just the Hu family's attitude towards life, not their lifestyle... This is just like a rich person's simple food and clothing, but it really doesn't mean that he spends less.

After eating and drinking, and chatting across servers with the old lady for a long time, the men got down to business.

Nowadays, the biggest business of the Old Hu family is to form two capable soldiers for His Royal Highness the King of Chu.

"How's it going? Are there any difficulties?" Zhu Zhen is also very concerned about this matter, because even from a development perspective, his three guards are the foundation for his future.

"Actually, the most difficult thing is to recruit soldiers. Just pull up the team and practice it step by step." The second uncle said helplessly: "The key is that the court does not allow us to recruit soldiers from the private sector. Otherwise, let alone two guards, we will have to recruit twenty guards and horses. It’s not difficult.”

Zhu Zhen already knew that the early days of the Republic of China were different from later generations. In this era, martial arts was emphasized over literature, and the status of soldiers was higher than that of ordinary people and ordinary scholars. And once you become a soldier, you will have an iron rice bowl for generations to come...

Ordinary people don't have the foresight to see before and after, and they don't know how screwed up military households will be a hundred years from now. At the moment, everyone is still trying to become a soldier.

But the problem is that the world has just been settled, and there is no place to place a large number of troops, so unless you are particularly well-connected, don't think about turning civilian households into military households.

Therefore, the Governor's Office stipulates that when forming guards for the princes, they must be drawn from the original army and cannot recruit new ones.

~~

"Why, the Governor's Office is making things difficult for you?" His Highness King Chu's face sank.

"It's okay, it's okay, especially Cao Guogong is so enthusiastic. He met my brother specially a year ago, and specifically told the following to make it as convenient as possible for us." Wuchang Bo Huquan said with a smile:

"He also said that we can pick anyone from the Beijing camp. Even if it's the Forbidden Army, we can coordinate with him if we like him. It's really a great honor."

"No, that's my cousin too." Zhu Zhen said proudly.

I added silently in my mind, and ate the food I grew myself...

It's a bit regretful that I couldn't give it to my grandpa to try. Because ninety-nine percent of the food comes from grandpa’s family, and it will be revealed as soon as you taste it.

But if I have this intention, my mother and concubine should be very happy, right?

Thinking about it this way, His Highness King Chu felt at ease.

"If we select people from the Beijing camp, then they have to be willing to come, right?" Da Bangchui twirled his beard and said, "He is a heavenly soldier from the Beijing camp. Will his whole family follow us to Wuchang to serve as soldiers?"

"Indeed." The uncle nodded and said: "I have asked, how many years have the guards of King Qin and King Jin been established? They are not full yet. It's just that the soldiers in the Beijing camp are unwilling to go to Taiyuan, Xi'an."

"It doesn't matter, isn't it just a matter of Duke Cao Guo's order?" The second uncle said nonchalantly: "Do they dare to disobey the order?"

"You have to make people willing to do it. If you don't want to do it, there will be trouble in the future." The old lady said solemnly.

"I know, Dad." The uncle nodded.

"Under the heavy rewards, there must be brave men. Can we pay more? Are you worried that you can't find anyone?" Zhu Zhen said.

"Your Highness, the military pay allocated by the imperial court is the same." Hu Quan said with a bitter smile: "What should we give them?"

"If we recruit half as many people, can't we give them double wages?" Zhu Zhen said smartly.

"This..." Hu Quan said speechlessly: "Even if we are not suspected of taking advantage of free money, it would be a huge loss to recruit half the troops."

"Just ask me if you can recruit soldiers by offering double pay?" His Royal Highness the King of Chu asked in a deep voice.

"Of course." Hu Quan said with a smile, "I'll definitely squeeze my head out."

"That's fine." Zhu Zhen said in a deep voice, "This is what you will do during the New Year, and I will take care of the rest."

"Is this..." Hu Quan felt a little doubtful, mainly because His Highness the King of Chu was only twelve years old after the New Year, and there was no hair on his mouth.

"Your Highness has already decided, why are you still hesitating?" His hesitation was scolded by Big Stick. "Don't forget whose army you are!"

"It belongs to His Highness." Hu Quan and Hu Bo said quickly.

"The first thing for the guards of the palace is to resolutely obey His Highness's orders. If you can't do that, get out of here and don't occupy the latrine." Taigong Hu scolded.

"Yes, what dad taught you is true. Your Highness, you have made a mistake in your lowly position. If you make this mistake again, I will cut out my own tongue." The uncle said with shame.

"Haha, uncle, don't be nervous. I'm still young. It's not too late to set rules in two years." Lao Liu hurriedly comforted his uncle.

"No!" Da Bang Chui said flatly: "We must set the rules from the beginning, so that we can live up to His Highness's trust."

"Yes, Your Highness, if you want to get off to a good start, you have to set the rules from the beginning." But the uncle had completely corrected his attitude and asked, "Does Your Highness have anyone close to him, or a good candidate, who can inform this humble official?" , arrange to come in at any time.”

"Besides Lao Wang, I don't have any other close confidants..." Zhu Zhen said with a bitter smile.

Eunuch Wang's eyes lit up and he thought, I can do it.

He immediately became gloomy again. Because he remembered that the emperor did not allow eunuchs to interfere in politics, let alone the army.

"I really remembered someone." Zhu Zhen's eyes lit up, he slapped his thigh and said, "I will recruit him now!"

After saying that, he left Hu Mansion in a hurry...

~~

Half an hour later, Duke Wei's mansion.

The sun was tilted to the west, shining warmly on the man and the bear.

After leaving his grandfather's house, Zhu Zhen came here. He first paid New Year's greetings to Duke Wei, and then he couldn't wait to come to the backyard to pet the cat.

The only giant panda in Nanjing is already very familiar with him. As soon as Zhu Zhen arrived, he circled around him. Because he always brings delicious food.

His Royal Highness the King of Chu threw a bag of apples one by one to the giant panda as a tooth-beating sacrifice, and asked the stern-faced Deng Duo with a smile:

"Why is the General displeased with the Chinese New Year?"

"It's not because of you." Deng Duo said angrily: "It's because of my father. I'm fourteen and he still doesn't let me go out to lead the troops. On New Year's Eve, I proposed again that I wanted to go to the Northern Expedition with Uncle Xu, but he ended up having sex with me. Use the whip and I will be beaten."

"Haha, General, you must know good from evil." Zhu Zhen said with a smile: "Being a soldier is too hard. Duke Wei is afraid that you are too young and will not be able to persevere."

"Don't underestimate me." Deng Duo rolled up his sleeves and showed off his slender muscles: "This general can endure any hardship!"

"Really?" Zhu Zhen asked deliberately.

"Is there still a lie?" Deng Duo raised his neck.

"Well, I'll help you tell Duke Wei. If he doesn't agree to let you serve as a soldier, I won't leave today!" Zhu Zhen said with loyalty.

"Oh, Your Highness is such a good person," Deng Duo said with great joy when he heard this: "The general will have nothing to repay, only..."

"No, you have a way to repay me." Zhu Zhen said with a smile and touched the back of the giant panda's neck.