The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 156 People in the City
After Zhao Tao confirmed again, he was sure that Wang Xin's troops would set off as scheduled. The next day, he left with a lot of questions in his mind. Wang Xin's attitude was different from what he had speculated when he discussed with the governor, so the backup plan he had originally prepared did not need to be used.

Wang Xin began to arrange Yanmen Pass.

Yanmen Pass recruited another 500 garrisons and stationed them in various locations. The final plan is to recruit 800 young and strong men. Recruitment is still in progress. The soldiers mainly come from Daizhou and surrounding counties.

"Yanmen Pass is now handed over to you." Wang Xin said to Zhao Yong.

Zhao Yong was originally a brave general who followed Luo Ming. He had rich experience in leading troops and was a good talent. Now he has followed him for another half a year, his performance has always been good, and he is the person with the highest position, so Wang Xin handed over the Guancheng to him.

Zhao Yong nodded vigorously: "General, please rest assured. As long as the city is safe, even if the city is destroyed and the people die, I will never let you down."

Wang Xin smiled and said no polite words.

The fortress is the lifeline of the entire defense system of Yanmen Pass, and it cannot be lost. Even if we fight to the death, we cannot give up. Talking without practice is not enough. No one can fool themselves. Wang Xin is confident in Zhao Yong.

If an accident occurs, as long as Zhao Yong can hold on and leave himself enough time, he can rush back with the field army.

Among the two thousand men, there were one hundred cavalrymen, one hundred and twenty artillerymen, one hundred archers, five hundred musketeers, and the charioteers and the rear camp combined into one, totaling about one thousand two hundred soldiers, for a total of two thousand and twenty people in the entire camp.

The cavalry, artillery and archers received the highest salary, two taels of silver per month and two catties of rations per day, and the cavalry had an additional twenty-five catties of fodder.

The archers used one-stone bows, but because the quality of the soldiers was limited and could not be improved in a short period of time, Wang Xin's final plan was to retain the archers, and each archer needed to use a one-stone and a half bow.

In fact, the quality of the soldiers in Hexi Camp is not low.

The original Beijing camp was reorganized and absorbed some remnants of the army in the southeast. It was very rare that they were able to maintain a certain fighting spirit even after the defeat. Some people with different ideas were eliminated, and then there were the old soldiers from Yangzhou who re-enlisted, and then there were the servants that Zhang Can had trained for half a year.

That’s why the Hexi small camp can produce cavalry, the people brought by Zhang Can.

They can also produce archers. Many of the veterans in Yangzhou live a well-off life and are physically strong. They can pull a bow of one stone. As for bows weighing more than one and a half stones, they need longer training.

It cost more than 10,000 taels of silver to purchase firearms and artillery, and nearly 20,000 taels of silver to purchase war horses and livestock. The current expenditure of the entire army is as high as 50,000 to 60,000 taels, with an average expenditure of nearly 30 taels per soldier.

And it was constantly rising, because the purchase of war horses did not stop, and Xue Yan was asked to help imitate the iron barrel cannon. Wang Xin also planned to get some iron armor from the Armory.

From ideas to equipment, we are armed to the teeth.

This is the army I want, and this is what is called an army.

I have no control over my own thoughts, but I have my own advantages that others cannot learn from me even if they want to.

Then there was the old coach Chen. I paid him a salary of more than twenty taels of silver every month, which was two hundred and eighty taels a year, twice my salary and the highest salary in the entire Hexi Camp.

It took a lot of real skills to coax this old man into submission. The young men in the camp were crying out in frustration at the old man.

Liu Tong is a member of the Hexi Camp and was originally an officer of the Hexi Camp. The Hexi Camp is not only his own, but also everyone's. Wang Xin never regards the Hexi Camp as his personal property.

So Liu Tong only took his own share of the military pay. As for teaching his skills to the young soldiers and comrades, it was the same as himself. Didn't he also teach them his skills?

He recognized that the Hexi Camp was his, so he hoped that the soldiers in the camp would learn more skills.

The same is true.

If Liu Tong and his men also thought that Hexi Camp belonged to them, they would also be eager for their subordinates to learn more skills, so how could they have the mind to hide their thoughts?

This is the manifestation of public being public and private being private.

The profits from the business cooperation between Hexi Camp, Xue Family and Yangzhou merchants can only be used in Hexi Camp. Even if he is a general, he cannot take a single cent.

at this time.

A wealthy family from Daizhou came to entertain the troops.

Zheng Yonglian brought his own children and clansmen, and presented pigs, sheep, fruits, and vegetables. Wang Xin invited them in.

Zheng Yonglian walked tremblingly on a crutch, supported by his grandson, on the compacted dirt road in the camp, looking both ways constantly, until he reached the training ground.

A total of two thousand soldiers were lined up, wearing bright red battle jackets. Each formation had its own characteristics, but the only similarity was their uniformity. In the front formation, the soldiers had bows and quivers on their waists and Zhou swords in their hands.

Zheng Yonglian looked around and soon saw the person in front of the team. He was young but very dignified. He was also wearing a bright red military robe and golden armor. He held the reins of the horse in his left hand and raised his right hand high.

Every time a group came, someone in that group would immediately take the lead in shouting.

"Dazhou!"

"Mighty~"

The slogans were uniform and like waves, spreading across the surrounding sea of ​​flags, while the war horses under the crotch of the cavalry in the distance did not move at all. It was really rare that even the animals could understand human nature.

The Zheng family watched for a long time, then stopped at the edge of the parade ground, obediently following the officer's orders without daring to breathe.

The descendants do not know the value of it.

Zheng Yonglian felt confused and opened his mouth subconsciously, as if he was in a trance. The Ping'an Army under the Ping'an Jiedushi did not have such a momentum. There were only 2,000 people, but they had the power of thousands of troops.

No wonder...

Zheng Yonglian was an old and experienced man who knew the Great Zhou inside and out. He suddenly realized that the young man in front of him was extraordinary and not an ordinary general. The relationships behind him were the icing on the cake.

Such a capable young man, who holds a high position, must be a figure trained by a certain force to carry the flag. He must have a lot of thoughts in his mind.

"Mr. Zheng."

Wang Xin disbanded the troops and ordered each sentry to prepare and set off the next day.

When they came in front of this group of people, many people didn't dare to look at him. The old man in the lead was old, so Wang Xin took the initiative to speak.

"General Wang," Zheng Yonglian came to his senses and realized his impoliteness. He quickly apologized, "My eyesight is blurry, please forgive me, General."

"Lord Zheng is highly respected. Please come in."

Wang Xin smiled. Although he was just a wealthy man in Daizhou and an old county magistrate who had retired for many years, Wang Xin did not judge people by their appearance. He came to visit the troops. No matter what his plan was, he would use courtesy first and then force.

After taking away the pigs and sheep, the fruits and vegetables on the cart were also sent to the kitchen. Then he turned around and pushed the cart to the camp gate, leaving the people who followed to eat.

Zheng Yonglian brought his grandson to Wang Xin's classroom.

After sitting down, Zheng Yonglian coughed twice and spoke cautiously, talking about Datong.

It turned out to be nothing else. Zheng Yonglian was worried that the new general didn't know the situation, so he came to reveal a few things, but he was afraid of offending the governor of Datong, so he only dared to say half of the words.

If I had only guessed before, with Zheng Yonglian's words, I was now 70% to 80% sure.

Wang Xin accepted the favor and said, clasping his fists, "Thank you, Lord Zheng, for reminding me. If it weren't for you, I would still be kept in the dark." Since he was going to accept a favor from someone else, he should say something that the other person likes to hear. There was no need to explain to him.

Zheng Yonglian had a very good impression of the general in front of him. Although it was their first meeting, from the scene on the parade ground just now to facing this person now, this person's demeanor and so on, all made Zheng Yonglian extremely comfortable.

He became more and more certain in his heart, made a decision, and said with a smile: "I have an unwelcome request."

The grandson beside Zheng Yonglian was secretly shocked.

The old man didn’t tell me before he came. What’s going on? Don’t offend the general.

(End of this chapter)