The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 357 Something happened
Of the 7,000 men in the right wing army, 4,000 were transferred away, leaving less than 3,000 men to guard the camp.

From Hexi Camp to other camps.

Zhang Yuncheng followed Zeng Zhi step by step, his feelings complicated.

"What's wrong? Feeling like I've left you behind?"

Zeng Zhi was a smart man. He saw through Zhang Yuncheng's thoughts and instead of avoiding the topic, he directly brought it up, leaving Zhang Yuncheng with no way to retreat.

Zhang Yuncheng's face darkened.

However, Zhang Yuncheng's personality was different from before. After thinking for a moment, he actually smiled.

"If it's meant to be, it will be; if it's not, it won't be."

Zeng Zhi was greatly surprised.

"Didn't you used to hate this nonsense the most? Why do you believe in fate now?"

"As the General once said, 'Three parts are destined by fate, and seven parts depend on hard work,' and sometimes you have to admit that."

Zhang Yuncheng chose to believe Zeng Zhi.

Sometimes, it's easier to get along with things once you've talked them out.

Keeping things bottled up inside is bad for everyone. If you talk it out, everyone can laugh it off and you're still friends.

really.

After admitting it, Zhang Yuncheng found that he was not as ashamed and angry as he had imagined; on the contrary, he felt relieved.

"Come on, I'll take you to see the biggest secret of our town."

Zhang Yuncheng was stunned.

Not knowing whether Zeng Zhi was joking or meant something, after seeing Zeng Zhi walk away, he could only follow.

“Zhonglang”.

“Zhonglang”.

They arrived at a courtyard where several soldiers were guarding it.

Zeng handed over his waist tag, and the soldiers opened the gate to let him through.

Wait until you enter the house.

The room was filled with bookshelves, which were piled high with booklets.

“These are our account books. Since you’ve taken on the role of military advisor, you can’t be ignorant of these things, otherwise you won’t be able to come up with any ideas.” Zeng Zhi found a few booklets, spread them out on the table, and gestured for Zhang Yuncheng to look at them.

Zhang Yuncheng dared not look.

"Has the commander-in-chief agreed?"

"It's what the commander-in-chief told us, otherwise what did you think?"

Amused by Zhang Yuncheng's cautious demeanor, Zeng Zhi explained with a smile, "The General has always believed in not using those you doubt and not doubting those you use. Once you've used someone, you won't doubt them and will definitely give them important responsibilities."

Zhang Yuncheng frowned.

This is not a good habit.

While it can quickly win people's hearts, it also makes it easy to make mistakes, and big ones at that.

"Do not worry."

Zeng Zhi could not understand Zhang Yuncheng's worries. "What you can think of, I have also thought of. Anyway, the General has not misjudged anyone over the years. You will know in the future that we both have to admire his ability."

"Does the commander-in-chief never misjudge people?"

Zhang Yuncheng found it unbelievable and couldn't believe it.

“You’ll find out later. You won’t believe me even if I tell you now. Let’s learn about these things first.” Zeng pointed directly to the account books.

Personnel and finance.

It will always be the core.

Account books are half of personnel and finance; understanding account books is equivalent to thoroughly understanding the Western Army and Right Route Army of Datong.

Zhang Yuncheng no longer hesitated and followed Zeng Zhi through the account books.

Zeng Zhi didn't let go of his work either; he personally explained the more detailed accounts to Zhang Yuncheng, who would ask questions from time to time.

After a while.

Zhang Yuncheng's expression grew increasingly solemn, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"The rent from Hexi Camp was the initial income of the General Headquarters, three hundred taels a year. Don't underestimate these three hundred taels; they solved the initial problem of feeding Hexi Camp," Zeng Zhi said with a smile.

Zhang Yuncheng was speechless.

"The Hexi market actually pays the general nine thousand taels of silver every year?" Zhang Yuncheng couldn't believe it.

The Hexi market grew larger year by year, with a complex mix of forces involved, to the point that even the Five Cities Garrison dared not interfere.

"The Hexi Market and the General Town have a deep connection. Given the size of the Hexi Market, it shouldn't only have nine thousand taels. However, you should know that nine thousand taels is already quite a lot, and it's all thanks to the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce."

Zhang Yuncheng continued reading.

"Gathering crowds, fifty-one thousand taels."

"The Xue family has 60,000 taels of silver."

"Li Ji Cannon Factory, 421 taels."

"Master Liu's arquebus factory: 3,467 taels."

All things considered, the annual income could reach more than 120,000 taels of silver.

Then there are the expenditures of each military unit.

"No wonder the Western Army of Datong was so good at fighting."

Zhang Yuncheng suddenly understood, as if he had found the key.

“That’s not all.”

Zeng Zhi shook his head.

There were too few people around the general who could offer advice, and Zeng Zhi also hoped that Zhang Yuncheng could gain a foothold. Given the relationship between Zhang Yuncheng and himself, it was better than him being weak and alone. Zeng Zhi did not consider himself a petty person.

“As early as when the General first entered the Beijing Garrison, it happened to be the time when the Beijing Garrison was training its troops, and the General already had his own set of methods.”

"Oh?"

"The imperial court is short of money, and various places are in arrears. So for many years, it has become a common practice for military officers to keep private servants. The imperial court has tacitly approved of this. But where does the money for keeping these servants come from? It is simply the meager military pay issued by the imperial court that is concentrated on the servants."

"I don't need to explain the drawbacks; you've been observing the Ministry of War for many years and know them better than I do. Our General Commander chose to engage in military business, relying on self-sufficiency. Therefore, with the same minimal military expenditure, the General Commander can not only support more soldiers, but also battalion-level soldiers."

With these accounts and Zeng Zhi's explanation, Zhang Yuncheng understood everything perfectly.

"Easier said than done."

Zhang Yuncheng sighed with emotion.

"The idea of ​​the army engaging in commerce and self-sufficiency was not first proposed by the General. Not to mention the distant past, when Grand Secretary Zhang was still in Nanjing, didn't he also let the Yingtian Battalion engage in commerce, but the results were very poor?"

Zeng Zhi had no idea about this matter and asked curiously, "Why is that?"

"Although Yingtian Camp has maintained its size, its combat effectiveness has been completely ruined. Once the soldiers have connections, they are naturally obsessed with money. The generals above are even more focused on business. With morale low, how can the army be led?"

“Look at how Grand Secretary Zhang has been in Beijing. When has he ever suggested that the military should engage in business again? He hasn’t said a word about it. Doesn’t that further prove that this path is not viable?”

"So why did we succeed?"

Zeng Zhi also became bewildered.

"Yes."

"It seems you still don't understand."

Zhang Yuncheng gave him a disdainful look.

Zeng Zhi had nothing to say.

I thought I knew enough, but it seems I only have a superficial understanding.

"No wonder the commander-in-chief was able to keep things stable."

Zhang Yuncheng continued flipping through the account books, understanding Wang Xin's recent actions while also feeling somewhat uneasy. "Although he is well-prepared, such a passive and reactive approach is not a long-term solution."

"The commander-in-chief is waiting."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait until you are completely disillusioned with the imperial court."

After what just happened, Zeng Zhi, who originally intended to offer more help, has now changed his mind. He has his own strengths, and Zhang Yuncheng's years in the Ministry of War have not been wasted; he can spot problems that Zeng Zhi missed.

Zeng Zhi quietly said, "The Hexi Camp is going to war, but the General Commander has instructed that unless they are ruthless thugs who kill without blinking an eye, they are just righteous troops seeking survival. The Hexi Camp can only retreat, not win."

"A general in the field may disobey orders, especially since the one in charge is General Liu Qi, and the one leading the troops is Li Wei, the adjutant."

Zhang Yuncheng was not convinced that the hope lay in the failure of the officers and soldiers to suppress bandits in Shandong, saying, "Being not upright and honest is only one aspect."

"The commander-in-chief is just too upright and honest."

Zeng Zhi snorted coldly.

“You haven’t been to Liaodong or the Northwest. Sometimes, just reading the official gazette and local memorials is one thing, but seeing it with your own eyes is another.” Zhang Yuncheng subconsciously looked at Zeng Zhi; his old friend had changed.

Zeng Zhi no longer concealed the truth: "The people of Liaodong would rather abandon their homes and livelihoods and flee to the barbarians than stay in Liaodong. If this does not change, Liaodong will surely suffer a great disaster. Not to mention the continuous disasters in the Northwest, the ineffective disaster relief efforts of the court, and the countless deaths from starvation. If anyone raises their arms and shouts, there will surely be many who respond."

"The Liao people's defection to the barbarians was ignorant, and they will suffer the consequences sooner or later. In any case, they should not have defected to the barbarians."

"you're right."

Zeng Zhi did not object, but rather approved.

Zhang Yuncheng was increasingly surprised.

Before Zhang Yuncheng could speak, Zeng said directly, "Surrendering to the barbarians is indeed like lambs to the slaughter. Given the barbarians' habits, they will surely slaughter all the Liao people when they encounter problems in the future. But what can the Liao people do? It's better to die in the future than to die now, right?"

Zhang Yuncheng was blocked.

half an hour.

"Why is this so?"

Zhang Yuncheng said weakly.

Zeng Zhi was unwilling to say more.

The Great Zhou inherited the Great Ming, and the Great Ming's garrisons were self-governing, with even the cabinet having no right to interfere.

The Liaodong Military Command is the same today.

Although the censors were ineffective and local affairs were in disarray, at least everyone could see that the Liaodong Regional Military Commission was completely silent, like a bottomless pit. In addition, there was the internal strife among the Prince of Dongping, and external threats from the Donghu and the barbaric Shu barbarians.

"The General Commander can afford to wait. I believe the General Commander will definitely get his chance."

Zeng Zhi affirmed.

"Who knows."

Zeng Zhi was a scion of a wealthy family in Liaodong, yet he was so pessimistic about Liaodong. Zhang Yuncheng had nothing to say, but he also didn't believe in the inevitability of things. Who could know what would happen in the future? Was Liaodong bound to have a bad day?

What if it doesn't?

Even if it exists, who knows how long it will take—a year, ten years, or fifty years?
-
Datong.

Zuoyun City.

"Crackling."

The accountant kept tapping the abacus beads.

Zhou Wen sat in the chair with a sullen face, waiting for the result himself.

The Western Army of Datong numbered 12,000 men. The militia received a monthly subsidy of eight qian of silver, while the garrison soldiers received a monthly military pay subsidy of one liang and five qian. The annual military expenditure was 140,400 taels of silver, but the imperial court only paid less than 90,000 taels.

Wang Xin was capable, and Zhou Wen admired him.

But he couldn't conjure up any silver himself. Whoever listened to him and joined him would get a bigger share of the silver.

I received a full share of Tang Ping's military expenses, 37,200 taels of silver, with his unit alone accounting for more than a third of that. I treated him with all my heart, but the Grand Secretary wrote to me saying that he had been deceived.

Zhou Wen's face gradually turned ashen.

Has Tang Ping arrived yet?

"It's already on its way."

"Once he arrives, arrest him and I will interrogate him personally."

Zhou Wen said hatefully.

The staff member hesitated.

"Will this cause trouble?"

The garrison commander had been in office for over a year, but he had not yet captured the Western Army of Datong. If he rashly took action against the adjutant, it would easily provoke a counterattack. If he could not suppress it, he would make a huge mess of things. However, he dared not say it openly.

The garrison commander was furious, and his staff were worried about being implicated.

Ta-da-da.

Zhang Can rode his horse at full gallop, followed by more than a dozen knights.

We arrived at Zhenyuan Pass.

Zhang Can successfully entered the city.

When Zhao Yong learned that Zhang Can had arrived at Zhenyuan Pass, he was greatly surprised and immediately invited Zhang Can in.

"What's going on outside the gate?"

Zhao Yong asked anxiously.

Zhang Can traveled through the night, covered in dust and grime, and without taking a break, stared at Zhao Yong with an unreadable expression, saying, "Tang Ping has been arrested."

"what happened?"

Zhao Yong was shocked.

I thought it was something that happened outside the pass, but I didn't expect it to be something that happened inside the pass.

“Tang Ping has been exposed.” Zhang Can said with a grim face, “The man surnamed Zhou sent someone to invite Tang Ping back to Zuoyun under the pretext of official business. Tang Ping did not suspect anything and was arrested by the man surnamed Zhou after arriving in Zuoyun from Tuanshankou.”

As Zhang Can spoke, he kept a close eye on Zhao Yong's expression.

Who leaked the information?

Zhao Yong was surprised and gradually sensed something was wrong, so he asked, "Who told you that?"

"Liu Tong".

Liu Tong was in Yunchuan City.

It's not surprising that he was the first to know about Tang Ping's accident. Zhao Yong's expression was complicated. "I haven't received the news yet at Zhenyuan Pass, but you received it first while you were far away in Guiyun City?"

"I'm not going to argue with you. Is there anything wrong with Liu Tong suspecting you?"

Zhang Can said impatiently, "Now tell me what you want to say: do you want to save Tang Ping?"

The military expenses of the Western Army in Datong were allocated after being centrally planned.

Tang Ping's troops received their full pay, so the general didn't need to subsidize them. The money saved and the collected funds were used to subsidize the other troops, so all the troops were united in their military spending.

As for the military expenses owed by the imperial court, the Datong Western Army did not ask the court for them and could not get them back at all.

Therefore, there was no personal grudge between Zhao Yong and Tang Ping.

"save."

Zhao Yong did not hesitate.

Zhang Can's mood improved. "You're smart to know what's good for you."

Zhao Yong glared at Zhang Can unhappily.

Zhang Can didn't take it seriously and said nonchalantly, "I don't care how you and Tang Ping fight on a daily basis. Anyway, I only recognize the General. If either of you is two-faced, I'm not afraid to tell the truth. I've already made an agreement with Liu Tong that whoever dares to step forward, the two of us will join forces to beat them up."

"whatever."

Zhao Yong waved his hand and said coldly.

Zhang Can left behind a message: "Something is going to happen in Datong soon. All units of the Western Army in Datong are not allowed to move. Anyway, Liu Tong and I are keeping an eye on you."

Finished talking and left.

Zhuo Zhi, the garrison commander standing nearby, hesitated to speak. After Zhang Can left, Zhuo Zhi hurriedly stepped forward and said with a bitter face, "Lord Fu Biao is clearly loyal to the General, why don't you explain more?"

"I have a clear conscience, do I need to explain?"

Zhao Yong ignored him.

Although I don't get along with Tang Ping, it's not because of personal gain. Now everyone misunderstands that I'm fighting for power and profit, and explaining it would make it seem like I'm guilty.

There's also Liu Tong.

Despite having fought alongside him against the Japanese pirates, he now doubted him and secretly contacted Zhang Can.

Other things aside, Zhang Can actually dared to threaten me.

Normally, I would definitely teach him a lesson. Does he really think that just because he calls himself the number one fierce general of the Western Army of Datong, he can be lawless and arrogant?
It's so frustrating to even think about it.

Zhao Yong locked himself back in his room.

Has something happened to the Datong Society?
Zhang Canjiu was outside the Great Wall and wouldn't have such good access to information about the mainland. He himself didn't know, so it could only be Liu Tong.

Liu Tong not only stationed in Zuoyun City, but also had a good relationship with Wei Yi of Yongxing Army.

no way.

Those in the military admire those who are capable.

Who dares to disagree with Liu Tong's abilities?

With his martial arts skills and good temper, he could go anywhere and had friends everywhere. His access to information was unmatched.

Then.

What's going on with the Datong Society?

Zhao Yong was puzzled.

(End of this chapter)