The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 299 No need to worry
Liu Nineteen continued, "I heard that the food we eat is taken from the government warehouse and given to the people as compensation for making our military uniforms. What's wrong with that? Besides, don't we still have the document given by Rong Rongzhongtang?"

Liu Shijiu originally wanted to call Ronglu by his name, but then he thought it was inappropriate. Ronglu was not only the Governor-General of Zhili, but also the highest official recognized by the court in Zhili. Ronglu also did a favor to Teng Yuzhao, so he changed his name in time.

Hu Dianjia explained, "Rong Zhongtang is now the governor of Zhili. The document he gave is only valid in the counties and prefectures of Zhili, but it is not valid in the capital. The capital is under the jurisdiction of Shuntian Prefecture, which is directly under the jurisdiction of the court. Zhili has no jurisdiction over this place."

"Also, we can use this food for our own consumption, but we cannot give it to the people, even as a reward. Someone in the court will definitely bring this up in the future, and they may even ask Zhili or the Marshal to pay compensation."

Hu Dianjia said with some concern, "I heard that there are still more than 100,000 people in the city who have not left. Most of them are poor people. Once those businesses close, I'm afraid many people will lose their livelihoods. Now if the price of food rises again, they will probably starve."

"I don't care about so much. Just open the warehouse and release the grain." Teng Yuzhao said decisively with a wave of his hand.

Wei Jinghai hesitated and said, "General, even if there is criticism from the court in the future, releasing grain to save the people is fine, but the grain in those government warehouses may not be enough."

Wei Jinghai went on to say, "There are still more than 100,000 civilians in the city. Add our vanguard troops and several thousand Gansu troops, and the number will exceed 200,000. The daily rations will be 200,000 to 300,000 catties, which means 2 to 3 million catties in 10 days. I'm afraid the food in those government warehouses is not that much."

Teng Yuzao said, "Those grain merchants in the city have left, but they can't take their grain with them, right? Don't they have any grain stored in their warehouses?"

Wei Jinghai smiled bitterly and said, "Marshal, of course they have. They can't find a vehicle to transport so much food. It is said that there are no donkey carts in the capital now."

Teng Yuzao nodded, "It's good that they didn't take them away. We don't know how long we can hold on to the capital. If we lose our strength, we will have to withdraw."

"As soon as we leave, all the food in this city will become the foreigners'. There is no need to worry so much. All the warehouses of rice and grain stores have been sealed. From tomorrow, they will be opened to release grain and provide two months' rations to every household."

Teng Yuzao decisively instructed, "Remember, only distribute sorghum, corn, millet and other grains to the people. Do not distribute rice or flour."

"Also, starting tomorrow, our entire army will eat as much wheat as possible, and all our war horses and pack horses can also eat the rice and other grains. We can even transport some out of the capital and exchange them for vegetables and meat."

"The labor costs for making military uniforms were all paid with food."

Seeing that everyone was looking at Teng Yuzao with puzzled eyes, Liu Nineteen slammed the table and said loudly, "Xingfu did a great job. Otherwise, after we evacuated, the foreign devils would come into the city and steal the people's food if they had nothing to eat. If it were all these grains, the foreign devils would not be interested in them and would not steal them."

"Let's try to use up all the food in Beijing. The foreign devils won't get any more food after they enter the city. At least they will have to find a way to solve the food problem themselves."

After Liu Shijiu said this, everyone understood Teng Yuzao's intention.

Then, Wei Jinghai reported that the Boxers heading to Guandong had begun to leave the city through Anding Gate one after another.

The Boxers led by Liu Zhigang and Zhou Zhan, who wanted to make a living on their own, had to leave Beijing through Deshengmen, but they said they would leave after three o'clock in the morning.

Teng Yuzhao was not surprised that the Boxers who were leaving chose to leave through the northern city guarded by the Gansu Army.

Dong Fuxiang, the president of Gansu Army, or Wuwei Houjun, was born in the Northwest Green Forest and had always had many contacts with people from underworld. When he was in the capital, it was Dong Fuxiang who dealt with the Boxers, and the leaders of the Boxers believed in him. It is said that Dong Fuxiang was also a sworn brother of Zhou Zhan's master.

Given these relationships, it was natural for them to choose to leave North City.

After the meeting, unlike Liu Shijiu, Cao Futian and Hu Dianjia who were in a hurry to return to their respective units to start adjusting and enriching the officers at all levels required for the expansion of their units, Li Xiance did not rush to leave, but lingered until the last minute.

After everyone left the Ministry of Revenue, which served as the headquarters, Li Xianze followed Wei Jinghai to Teng Yuzhao's residence, a small courtyard.

Although it had already become completely dark, it was not dark in the Ministry of Revenue. Lanterns were hung everywhere and the entire office was brightly lit. Not only were there people from the Guards Battalion standing guard in front of important roads and courtyards, but you could also often see mobile sentries and patrols in groups of three or five.

There are even lurking sentries on some of the higher rooftops.

This arrangement not only made the Ministry of Revenue as bright as day, but also made it heavily guarded, as if facing a powerful enemy.

This is not just a unnecessary trick; in Teng Yuzhao's opinion, it is completely necessary.

It's not that Teng Yuzhao wants to show off, but this is the headquarters. Not only is the command structure of the entire vanguard army here, but the important items of the vanguard army are also stored here. Not to mention that the Ministry of Revenue has a lot of silver, all the money and valuables seized on the battlefield today are also stored in the warehouse here.

This is also the residence of Teng Yuzhao, the supreme leader of the vanguard army.

Although the battlefield had been cleaned up and Hu Dianjia had even sent people to conduct a thorough search of the area surrounding the battlefield, it was difficult to guarantee that there would not be any remaining Allied soldiers who had escaped in such a large-scale melee. It was even very likely that a small group of remaining enemies would escape the encirclement and hide in civilian houses. This was also very normal.

As a large number of people have evacuated the capital, and there is fierce fighting inside and outside the city today, with soldiers guarding the main streets and intersections, the people can only move around in a certain area. If they are not buying necessities such as food, they will not easily come out.

What's more, the current city defense war is very different from the past. There is no need to mobilize the people to help defend the city.

Today, we no longer rely on the offensive and defensive battles of the cold weapon era where ordinary people could be mobilized to go up to the city walls to participate in the battles. In hot weapon wars, civilians who have not received military training can play no role at all on the city walls.

Even if guns were distributed to civilians during street fighting, the role they could play would be minimal, at most causing some trouble for the enemy.

Therefore, the city is now empty everywhere, with many vacant courtyards and rooms. In such a large and empty city, hiding a few escaped coalition soldiers is like a fish in the sea. It is very difficult to find them.

In order to avoid accidents, it is normal for the headquarters to strengthen vigilance, and Wei Jinghai's arrangement is absolutely necessary.

Moreover, on the day Teng Yuzao entered the city, he seized the leadership of the Boxers in the capital from Liu Zhigang and Zhou Zhan, who had long held a grudge against them. No one could guarantee whether they would take risks out of hatred for Teng Yuzao before leaving the capital.

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(End of this chapter)