In the summer of the 19th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty, cabinet scholars Wang Xijue and Wang Jiaping came to Runing Mansion in person to investigate the case of the prefect Liu Qichang and his subordinate officials colluding with powerful officials to embezzle disaster relief grain funds and embezzle farmers' land. Chongwang Zhu Yijue understood the righteousness and took the initiative to donate 50,000 acres of fertile land.
It was used to compensate the people who had lost their land, and won high praise from both the government and the public. When Emperor Wanli learned of this, he appropriated 50,000 taels of silver from his treasury and rewarded him with jewelry and some utensils. He also called on the vassals from all over the country to follow suit. This is beside the point.
Under the guidance of Su Hao, Prince Chong's eldest son Zhu Changjin recruited miners to dig mines and search for minerals on the 50,000-acre barren mountain acquired in exchange for fertile farmland. Sure enough, they found a large coal mine and a large iron mine. Prince Chong's Mansion then opened a new mine in Runing City.
A large iron smelting factory was built outside. The quality of the steel produced by the factory exceeded the best Suzhou steel on the market. It was included in the procurement list of the Ministry of War and was specially used to manufacture high-quality weapons.
This year, Runing Prefecture's agricultural production also achieved fruitful results. On the one hand, it was because the gambling houses and banks that drank the blood and sweat of the farmers were eliminated, which made the farmers more enthusiastic about production. On the other hand, it was because of Su Hao's arrangements.
Phosphate fertilizers were brought from Jiangxi, which improved local production conditions. Crop growth in all states and counties was very gratifying that year. According to estimates by some old farming experts, the summer grain production that year was expected to increase by more than 30%.
In this joyful atmosphere, Su Hao and the officers and soldiers of the survey camp were about to embark on another journey.
Su Hao originally thought that he could return to the capital after completing Runing's mission, but unexpectedly, an old friend of his, Chen Dao, a doctor from the Ministry of War, came from the capital and brought him an order from the Ministry of War.
"Mr. Chen, why is it you again?" Seeing the dusty Chen Dao, Su Hao didn't know whether to be happy or depressed.
"Haha, Su Youyi, Brother Yu is here to congratulate you." Chen Dao's fat face was filled with enthusiasm, making it impossible to say anything else to him.
"Why, the Ministry of War has promoted me to an official again?" Su Hao heard that Chen Dao called him a name, and knew that he had been promoted again. From the garrison to the guerrilla, it was a step up. He didn't know why the Ministry of War was promoting him.
They favored him so much, and it was clear that Runing's investigation this time had nothing to do with the Ministry of War, but it did not prevent the Ministry of War from giving him another promotion. If he continues to be promoted at this rate, he might be able to become a senior official before he is 20 years old.
The general is here.
Chen Dao handed a petition to Su Hao, and it was written on it that Su Hao was promoted to the rank of guerrilla for such and such merits, and so on. The credit mentioned above was basically nothing. Su Hao accepted the petition and
He bowed symbolically to the north and expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of War, and then said with a smile: "Mr. Chen traveled all the way to Runing. I'm afraid he didn't come here specifically to send me this confession?"
Chen Dao pretended to have a serious look on his face and said, "Why not? Brother Yu couldn't help but be happy when he heard that Gai Zhi was promoted. He specifically asked the Ministry of War for this assignment to deliver a letter to Gai Zhi. Why is Gai Zhi so ungrateful?"
Su Hao said: "My errands here have been completed, and the new magistrate of Runing has also taken office. I had already planned to return to Beijing. I can just send these documents to you after I return to the capital. Why bother Brother Chen to run away?"
How about a trip?"
Chen Dao said: "Well... the main thing is that things have changed. The Ministry of War means that instead of returning to Beijing, there are some other errands to do."
"What's the errand?" Su Hao asked. Chen Dao's words did not surprise Su Hao. From the first moment he saw Chen Dao, Su Hao knew that there was another evil moth in the Ministry of War. This time he was promoted smoothly.
, it is obviously purposeful.
Chen Daodao: "The previous commission from the Ministry of War was changed to garrison, allowing you to train the reconnaissance camp. The original intention was that after you have trained your troops well, you can conduct surveys on the nine sides and draw detailed operational maps of the nine sides. Instead, you will lead the troops to Runing.
It has been more than half a year, and you have reported to the Ministry of War that the training of the soldiers has been completed, so the Ministry of War wants you to lead your troops north today and start surveying as soon as possible."
"So that's it..." Su Hao nodded. If Chen Dao hadn't mentioned it, he would have really forgotten that his army was actually a surveying and mapping unit specially established by the Ministry of War. The purpose of the army at the beginning was to survey geography and provide information for the army.
Drawing combat maps. In the past six months or so, while assisting Su Hao in investigating the case, the survey battalion did not relax its training. Now the soldiers have become more proficient in surveying and mapping technology, and it is time to go to border areas to carry out surveying and mapping.
Thinking of this, Su Hao put away his smile and said sternly: "Su Hao doesn't dare to neglect his responsibilities. I wonder where the Ministry of War has asked our troops to go to do surveying and mapping first?"
"Let's do it from west to east, town by town." Chen Dao said lightly, "Wang Shangshu means that the first stop of the survey camp should be Ningxia Wei."
"Su Hao obeys the order!" Su Hao bowed and said.
As the news spread, the sergeants in the Kanyu camp had no complaints. Since they came out to serve as soldiers, they naturally went wherever they should. There was nothing to criticize. The treatment in the Kanyu camp was much better than that of other teams, and the officers treated the soldiers
They are also very caring. What else could the soldiers be dissatisfied with?
All the soldiers had only heard about the Ningxia town they were about to go to but had never been there. In their imagination, it should be the legendary border gate outside the Great Wall. For several days, some strange things could be heard in the camp.
The soldiers of culture were reciting poems such as "The scenery is strange in autumn under the barrier" or "Poor bones by the Wuding River", which made people's blood boil.
Among the entire survey camp, the only one who had been to Ningxia Town was veteran Xu Guangzu. When he heard that the Ministry of War was going to transfer the survey camp to Ningxia, Xu Guangzu frowned slightly, looking thoughtful.
"Uncle Xu, have you really fought in Ningxia Wei?" Su Hao asked casually. Of course, Su Hao in this life had never been to Ningxia, but Su Hao in the previous life was very familiar with it.
Of course, he was only familiar with Ningxia a few hundred years later. Ningxia now was just a health center with almost no residents.
"That's still false. Back then, I fought bloody battles with the Tatars in Ningxia Wei for three days and three nights." Xu Guangzu said proudly.
"Is that place dangerous?" Su Hao asked again.
Xu Guangzu shook his head and said: "That place is mainly afraid of Tatar invasion. However, in recent years, the Tatars have also submitted to the imperial court, but I have not heard of any war. Occasionally, some Tatars break in to grab some.
The food will not directly conflict with the defenders, so there should be no danger."
"But, why do I feel like you have something on your mind?" Su Hao said.
"You have become a spirit!" Xu Guangzu scolded, "Why do you tell me what I think?"
Su Hao smiled and said: "Uncle Xu, please don't hide it from me. Your eyebrows are usually straight, but when you have something on your mind, your eyebrows are curved. Can I still not see it?"
"Are my eyebrows curved now?" Xu Guangzu quickly covered it up, stretching the muscles on his forehead desperately to straighten his eyebrows. Only when he saw the teasing smile on Su Hao's face did he realize that he had fallen in love with Su Hao again.
Hao was right, there was no difference between straight and curved eyebrows. Su Hao was clearly deceiving himself.
"I just think the arrangement of the Ministry of War is a bit strange." Xu Guangzu explained. In fact, even if Su Hao didn't deceive him like this, he still wanted to exchange his thoughts with Su Hao.
"What's so strange?" Su Hao asked. He didn't understand military matters, so naturally he wasn't as thorough as Xu Guangzu.
Xu Guangzu said: "Think about it, among the nine sides of the Ming Dynasty, which place is the most important?"
Su Hao thought for a while and said: "It should be Jizhen, and Xuanda. These are the gateways to the capital, and they are the most important."
"If you were Wang Yi'e and had a team that could draw maps, which place should you draw the map first?" Xu Guangzu asked.
Su Hao said: "Of course, draw the most important parts first. Who knows when they will be used?"
"That's right, but the order brought by Chen Dao is for us to go to Ningxia Town first. Isn't this strange?" Xu Guangzu said.
When Xu Guangzu asked the first question, Su Hao understood what Xu Guangzu meant. The explanation Chen Dao gave him was that he painted from west to east, so he went to Ningxia Town first. But military arrangements would not be so arbitrary.
. No one knows when a war will break out. For the Ministry of War, if you want to determine the priority of drawing a map, you should first select the border towns around Beijing and then extend outward. Now the Ministry of War requires a survey of the Yu camp
Let’s go to Ningxia first, which is a bit abnormal.
If something goes wrong, it will turn out to be a monster. Xu Guangzu understands this truth, and Su Hao also understands it.
"You mean, there might be something going on over there in Ningxia?" Su Hao asked.
Xu Guangzu nodded and said: "Chen Dao came to Runing specially to deliver the order. He obviously wanted to accompany us to Ningxia. This means that something must have happened in Ningxia. We can't be stupid and let others sell it.
You know, you have to plan ahead and make preparations in advance.”
"I can't disobey orders, right?" Su Hao said.
Xu Guangzu said: "Who asked you to disobey? If something happens in Ningxia, it is our duty as soldiers to charge into the battle. I mean, we must be prepared to deal with various situations."
"I understand." Su Hao nodded, "Since we are going to the border town, we must be prepared for war. Maybe the Ministry of War has received some information and suspects that the Tatars are going to be detrimental to our border. I will write a letter right away.
Go back to Beijing and ask Xu Guangqi and others to quickly transport a batch of firearms and artillery. If there is really going to be a war then, we will have powerful firearms on hand and we will not be passive."
"That's exactly what I meant." Xu Guangzu said.
Su Hao understood the mystery and tried to ask Chen Dao for confirmation. Chen Dao just pretended to be confused, as if he didn't know what Su Hao was talking about. Su Hao was so angry that he really wanted to find someone.
It was a good opportunity to trick Chen Dao. However, Xu Guangzu was sure of one thing, that is, Chen Dao expressed his intention to go to Ningxia Town with Kanyuying. His reason was naturally the same as when he deceived Su Hao to go to Zunyi.
He said that it was rare to come out to play once. The more mysterious he was, the more Su Hao believed that there must be a reason.
At the end of summer, the survey camp organized its troops and horses and headed to the northwest border. (To be continued...)