Hearing that His Majesty was going to reward each Guan Ning army with fifty taels of silver, Wang Chengen behind him immediately understood that he was going to give out another four hundred thousand taels of silver! It seems that His Majesty really paid great attention to this Guan Ning army and visited it personally.
The rewards have never been like this since His Majesty ascended the throne seventeen years ago.
In these troubled times, your majesty can be so close to the soldiers. Isn't it a good thing for me?
These 400,000 taels of silver were obviously not much for the imperial court which had just confiscated Zhou Kui's home. Although the imperial court had not reproduced the tens of millions of silver coins it had in the past, 3 million taels of silver should not be underestimated at such a juncture.
He immediately ordered people to tell the people in Dongchang and Jinyiwei, and took out 400,000 taels of silver from the Ministry of Household Affairs and sent it to the Guanning Army Camp.
"Yang Kuo, let me take a walk in your camp." Zhu Ling dismounted and came to Yang Kuo in person. His tone was quite calm. Such treatment made Yang Kuo instantly at a loss.
"I don't dare. The general is leading the way. Your Majesty, please go in front." Yang Kuo was quite frightened at this time. He, who had been active on the battlefield, looked very panicked when he saw such a noble Majesty today.
Zhu Ling looked at the somewhat honest Yang Kuo and laughed a few times. He stopped insisting and walked in front. Gao Wencai and Wang Chengen followed behind him. The other generals and guerrilla generals of the Guan Ning Army followed one after another.
.
Along the way, I looked at the patrolling and training soldiers. Everyone was in high spirits and relaxed, and one could guess their fighting ability just from their appearance.
"I have always known Guan Ningjun to be the elite of the Ming Dynasty. I have only seen it once in the seventeen years since I ascended the throne. It is a pity. It would have been better if I had noticed you earlier. Those bandits had been completely eliminated earlier. How could they be like today?
The shame of being surrounded." Zhu Ling said as he walked, his words couldn't help but reveal his love for Guan Ning's army and his hatred for the rogue bandits.
Yang Kuo on the side had a knife slung across his body and couldn't help but sigh as he listened to His Majesty's words. Your Majesty paid so much attention to his army, but they suffered a defeat. If His Majesty hadn't come to rescue him that day, I'm afraid they would have suffered losses.
Even more tragic.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel hatred for those who slandered and abused the imperial court and His Majesty, and replied: "It is our blessing that Your Majesty values our Guan Ning Army so much. With His Majesty's presence, we will naturally escort His Majesty to Tianjin at all costs.
.”
"This road is full of dangers, General Yang, do you know how many troops we still have in the capital?" When Zhu Ling heard what Yang Kuo said about escorting them to Tianjin, he knew that Wu Sangui not only warned Li Yuan, but even the deputy general
Bing also informed him, and it seemed that he might have to put in some effort.
"I don't know what will happen next."
Yang Kuo is a simple-minded person, so naturally he doesn't know that Zhu Ling is seducing him bit by bit at this moment.
"There are less than ten thousand soldiers capable of fighting!"
"Your Majesty..." Yang Kuo couldn't help but be surprised when he heard such pitiful numbers. The Ming Dynasty's capital city had less than 10,000 combatable soldiers. What a concept. Isn't this equivalent to saying that defense is empty?
"It's unbelievable. The capital of the Ming Dynasty actually only has 10,000 fighting soldiers. I'm afraid even a province has 100,000 soldiers." Zhu Ling laughed it off. After all, this was not his doing.
"I don't know why I will die, but I am deeply worried about it."
As a deputy commander-in-chief, Yang Kuo naturally couldn't say anything, but he was still extremely shocked by this.
"There are some people who exploited the soldiers without telling me, and forged the roster. The newspaper said there were 10,000 people, but the actual number was less than 3,000." The group of people had already arrived in front of the big tent, and Zhu Ling continued: "Some people
Withholding military pay and occupying fertile land, many soldiers could not even support their families, so wealthy businessmen and powerful people recruited them to work for their families and became long-term laborers."
"The army in the capital was harmed by these people!"
At this point, even Gao Wencai and Wang Cheng'en, who were standing aside, lowered their heads, sighing inwardly at the cruelty of the world. They also lamented that Your Majesty has indeed undergone great changes, and they couldn't help but feel a little lucky for the hope of tomorrow.
After hearing this, Yang Kuo and the generals behind him suddenly did not dare to say anything. After all, this kind of thing was not something they could discuss. It was the greatest honor for His Majesty to tell them these things today, so he could not continue to talk.
Seeing that they were suddenly silent, Zhu Ling chuckled lightly and entered the tent, followed immediately by everyone behind him.
"Yang Kuo, I ask you, if there are no accidents, how many enemies can you kill in a field battle with the Chuang army?" The sudden turn of the words immediately stunned Yang Kuo and others who had just walked in.
But he immediately reacted, his brain was working rapidly, and he gave the answer with a slight hesitation: "If there is no ambush, the other party does not have a sharp weapon to restrain my cavalry, and our army is prepared."
Su Er's eyes were stern, he raised his eyes and said, "Looking at the eight thousand soldiers in our army, we can fight at least twenty thousand intruders!"
Hearing that he could fight 20,000 troops, Zhu Ling was immediately overjoyed. He turned around and took a few steps forward to hold Yang Kuo's calloused hands and said to him sincerely: "Are you serious about this?"
Yang Kuo no longer hesitated, and immediately knelt down and said loudly: "The general is willing to issue a military order here. If in this case, the enemy cannot be killed by 20,000, let someone bring the head of the general to see your majesty!"
"
"good!"
Zhu Ling was very happy. With Yang Kuo's words, he would no longer be afraid of intruders and thieves on his way south tomorrow, and he could realize his plan.
He helped Yang Kuo up, pulled him to sit on a seat beside him, then sat next to him, and continued: "Tomorrow I will lead hundreds of officials to go south. I think the intruders will definitely stop them when they learn of the movement. I need to keep them in check."
Ning Jun."
"Since the general is here to serve the king, he must listen to your majesty's orders!"
Yang Kuo likes to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, and because he promised his Majesty the military order, he will not go back on it easily.
While they were talking, Wang Chengen stepped forward and leaned into Zhu Ling's ear and said, "Your Majesty, the money has been delivered."
After waving his hand to let him leave first, Zhu Ling stood up and said to the other generals: "Everyone, the money has arrived, it's time to get it!"
After hearing this, all the generals were immediately overjoyed, but they did not dare to make a mistake in front of His Majesty, so they had to wait patiently and happily. However, they saw His Majesty holding Yang Kuo's hand and leaving the tent directly like a brother.
There were already many boxes lined up outside, and guards in uniforms were standing around to wait on them. All of them were sweating on their foreheads. It must have been extremely troublesome to carry them here.
"Thank you for your hard work." Zhu Ling's mission is to get close to his subordinates and win their hearts. After all, although he is the emperor, he has no soldiers or power. He shrinks in the capital like a tiger in the mountains.
Completely unaware of the outside world.
If he no longer wants to win over military power in this way, no matter how good his idea is and how hard he works, it will be of no avail.
"It's not hard to be small."
The leading hundred households immediately knelt down in fear, not daring to accept His Majesty's words.
Zhu Ling gave a signal, and Wang Chengen beside him immediately understood what he meant. He approached and handed out dozens of taels of silver. Hundreds of households hurriedly bowed their heads when they saw it, not daring to accept the money. If it had been in the past, he might have accepted it on the spot, but
His Majesty is present. Wouldn't it be a death penalty to accept it? He is not that bold.
"Take it, this is a reward from your majesty. Look at how scared you are."
Wang Chengen laughed and scolded, and Baihu accepted it hesitantly, and then immediately retreated with his people.
"Yang Kuo, take the silver and give it to me to kill the enemy tomorrow. You are partly responsible for whether the Ming Dynasty can continue." Zhu Ling opened the box, took out a ingot of silver and handed it to Yang Kuo.
Yang Kuo didn't dare to take it, but after seeing His Majesty's eyes, he immediately took it and said quickly: "The general will definitely live up to His Majesty's trust!"
"Okay, give it to all the soldiers. Go to bed early tonight and get up at midnight tomorrow. I'm afraid you don't have enough energy."
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
After leaving the Guanning Army camp, he did not return directly to the palace. Wang Chengen, the shill, returned to the palace to inform the harem and others of the departure time, and took the jade seal and other important items with him, and then went straight to Meng Zhaoxiang's Beijing camp. At this time, he had not returned. Zhu Ling
No one was summoned, he just sat in the big tent and waited.
Meng Zhaoxiang was counting the list of soldiers to be recruited today. Looking at the list of nearly 2,000 more soldiers, he couldn't help but feel happy. With enough soldiers, he would be more certain about guarding the capital in the future.
But he didn't know yet that His Majesty was visiting the camp in person. When it got darker, he planned to go back to the tent to have a meal. However, he saw many guards in royal robes standing in front of the tent. He immediately knew that His Majesty might be inside, so he immediately tidied up his clothes.
"You two, can you tell your majesty that Meng Zhaoxiang is here?"
"No need, Meng Qing can come in directly."
A voice came from inside the camp. Meng Zhaoxiang did not hesitate and walked in immediately. Then he knelt down and said, "My minister, Meng Zhaoxiang, did not know that your Majesty was visiting the camp in person. Please forgive me."
"Get up, I am not a person who punishes people arbitrarily."
After Meng Zhaoxiang stood up, Zhu Ling softened his tone and said, "Meng Qing, life in Beijing Camp has been difficult these days."
"Your Majesty attaches great importance to me, so naturally I am not afraid of hard work to serve your Majesty and the Ming Dynasty."
Meng Zhaoxiang's expression changed slightly, thinking that His Majesty was here to discuss important matters, but unexpectedly he was here to care about himself.
"I'm tired of hearing these words and don't want to hear them anymore. I just want to ask you, do you miss home? Do you want to go back and visit? Have a meal with your family and children?"
"I...think about it."
After all, he couldn't hold back the longing for home deep in his heart. Under Zhu Ling's questioning, he finally lost his former strength and began to sob unconsciously.
Zhu Ling did not speak anymore, but gestured to Gao Wencai on the side to read out the edict.
"Meng Zhaoxiang is a citizen of the country and is loyal to the people. When it comes to life and death, he will do everything he can to solve his own problems. 1. The law of the Ming Dynasty is the order of the world. Before those who serve the country as a king, they are specially added to the Duke of Zhongdu. The son is hereditary as a royal guard.
The commander also knows that my wife is the third-grade imperial concubine, and I hope she will become a great bright force."
After finishing speaking, Gao Wencai stepped aside and Zhu Ling continued.
"We will also reward Jingying with one million taels of silver, Zhongdu Bo with one hundred thousand taels of silver, and two hundred acres of land."
"Meng Qing, don't be dissatisfied with the small land reward. The rest has to be given to the soldiers."
[Author's digression]: The first volume is about to end. The road to truly restoring the Ming Dynasty is still to come. Let's look forward to it together.