When Wu Shigong summoned everyone, he started a long speech. At this time, Wu Shigong had not yet calmed down from the excitement of robbing the iron ore and saltpeter mines, so he was very excited and tried his best to talk about how he must send troops to Nanyang Mansion.
The reason. It was not until Wu Shigong spoke for nearly half an hour that his mouth went dry, that he stopped his speech and waited for his subordinates to express some opinions that agreed with him.
But what Wu Shigong faced next was silence, and everyone remained silent for a long time. This situation also made Wu Shigong see the signs. It seemed that all his subordinates did not agree with his sending troops.
In fact, at this time, Wu Shigong fell into a misunderstanding. For Wu Shigong, who vaguely knew that the Ming Dynasty was about to perish, maybe his choice was not wrong. But none of his subordinates here knew this. In their opinion,
, Wu Shigong's troop dispatch this time was simply too risky.
You must know that Wu Shigong is now the leader and core of this group, so his decisions are basically final, and his subordinates basically have to implement Wu Shigong's decisions. Even if they have some objections, they are all
Mainly reserved.
Moreover, the big situation of Runing Camp created by Wu Shigong was basically founded by Wu Shigong. It should be said that in the eyes of people in the Ming Dynasty, these were Wu Shigong's private property, so it should be
When it comes to how to use this private property, it should be Wu Shigong's decision alone.
This view should be said to be correct, but the group Runingying has already established a certain scale, and Wu Shigong's staff also have a certain status in this group. Therefore, the rise and fall of this group is also related to Wu Shigong's subordinates.
’s future is closely related.
Therefore, when Wu Shigong proposed such a risky move, his subordinates were unwilling to accept it from the bottom of their hearts. If Wu Shigong had not been successful in the past and developed a huge prestige, these subordinates might have interrupted Wu Shigong's words and refuted
Now, I won't just use such silence to express my attitude.
Seeing that the scene was silent for a long time, Deng Qifan, Wu Shigong's chief staff officer, had to start speaking: "Sir, why do you have to send troops? The student's statement may not be correct. But since the iron materials can be purchased,
You should also be able to buy the saltpeter. It's just asking the miners to build another saltpeter mine."
"The student also knows your Lord's judgment of 'three years of chaos in the world', and basically agrees with your thoughts. But a few days ago, the student asked the accountant to do a careful calculation, even including the income from the Yangzhou salt merchants.
Every year, nearly 20,000 taels of silver are put into the expenses of the Runing camp."
"My lord, why don't you think about it, what if the world is not in chaos? Or if the world is in chaos, it won't come to our Runing Mansion for a while? Or what if it takes four or five years before the world is in chaos? What if, sir?
If you continue to be so lavish, don't wait until the world is in chaos. Maybe our Runing camp will be in chaos in a few years because we have no money. Sir, I would like to advise you again, think twice!"
Deng Qifan opposed Wu Shigong's sending troops from a financial point of view, and it should be said that he was justified in what he said. But because Wu Shigong didn't know the specific time of the chaos, he was also moved by Deng Qifan's advice. Wu Shigong frowned.
After thinking for a while, he decided to listen to other people's opinions: "If you have anything to say, just say it openly. I am not someone who cannot listen to objections."
Therefore, Xue Yongli then raised objections from a military perspective: "Uncle, if we want to send troops, it will definitely not work if there are fewer people. At least 1,500 soldiers are needed, and the number of auxiliary soldiers cannot be less than
This amount."
"Because after all, there were more than 4,000 miners who revolted, and they all also underwent military training. They were not the same as the rebellious miners who were members of the Holy Spirit Society at that time."
"Furthermore, the fighting areas are all in mountainous areas, and there are also miners' families and local compatriots nearby. Those miners are definitely better informed than us. Therefore, I feel that it is difficult to send troops this time, and I may still be annihilating Li Yaozi.
It’s more difficult than that group of bandits.”
"Also, according to your judgment, those miners will definitely organize to fight us. But what if they don't fight? What if they hide and hide with us in the mountains like Li Yaozi did? The battle will definitely be protracted.
Moreover, in the future, Your Majesty will station an army locally to eliminate the remnants of the miners who are hiding. This approach will definitely contain some of your troops."
Then Zheng Zhen agreed: "Although your Excellency has many troops now, it is difficult to mobilize them. Your Excellency, you may not know that there is another severe drought in Henan this year. Except for your cultivation, many other places are still without harvests."
"And now that the autumn harvest is approaching, around your farmland, some hungry people sneak into the farmland every day and steal the grain that is about to mature. And the number of those hungry people is so large that the people in the farm protection team can't take care of it at all.
Come, it is usually the soldiers from the Runing camp who help maintain it."
"If your Excellency sends troops this time, there will definitely be insufficient manpower to maintain and protect the autumn harvest, and the food in your farmland will suffer great losses. My Lord, please don't lose a lot for a small amount!"
Yuan Xingshan then spoke: "Sir, after the shopkeeper in the business met with the horse bandits this time, the horse bandits were also very polite and did not refuse anyone. According to the villain's estimation, I will buy iron materials from those horse bandits.
There should be no problem with buying saltpeter. Your Excellency, you don’t have to go to war!"
Zhang Xuebin also came up with an idea: "My boss, the student has an immature idea. Since the boss wants these two mines so much, why do we have to send troops to fight? We can completely recruit those bandits and miners. According to the student
I think those horse bandits and miners also want a good way out. If the boss agrees with it, the students will send someone to explore their ideas first, and after the news is available, the boss will make a decision."
Wu Shigong saw that only Zhou Xun, who was sitting nearby, did not speak, so he called him by name: "Zhou Xun, what do you think?"
Zhou Xun immediately stood up and clasped his fists and said: "Sir, I don't understand what you gentlemen are saying, but I think it makes sense. But as long as the adults make up their mind and give the order, I will definitely lead the soldiers through fire and water."
Please clear the way for your lord and drive the rebellious miners out of those two mines."
Wu Shigong immediately made a gesture with a smile to ask Zhou Xun to sit down, and then joked: "Look, this little Zhou's glib tongue skills have improved since he got married! Okay! If the troops are sent out in the end, then the general who leads the team will
The official must be you."
Wu Shigong's words made everyone present laugh.
Wu Shigong then thought about it for a moment, and then said to everyone: "I did not think carefully about it just now. But I still decided to send troops."
"I just listened to everyone's opinions, and I have two objections in summary: First, I feel that there is no need for the Runing Camp to send troops, and the iron materials and saltpeter can also be purchased. But there is no need to discuss this point anymore, I already know
The truth is, holding something in your hands is better than looking at other people's faces."
"And the iron and saltpeter are simply too important to our Runing camp. They are no less important than the blacksmith workshop and those farms. I am absolutely unwilling to put my lifeline in the hands of others."
"Also, I feel that sending troops is not worth the gain. This is what I consider. If we seize those two mines, and if we can add the salt sales in the two counties where Li Shoubei is stationed, from the perspective of revenue and expenditure, this will
The first dispatch of troops is not without income. Even the food and salary for raising troops in the mining areas in the future can be solved."
"As for the protection of food in the fields, I will soon establish an army specifically responsible for local security. The commander of that army will also be Xue Qiang. From now on, the Runing camp will only prepare for war. This kind of
I will no longer be involved in local affairs."
"Also, the idea of recruiting security that Mr. Zhang put forward just now is very good. But if you want to recruit security, you must also beat up the rebellious miners. Otherwise, those miners have just won the battle with Li Shoubei and are in great momentum. If
If we rush to recruit people, they may be hot-headed and put forward some conditions that are unacceptable to us."
"However, Mr. Deng's considerations about Runing's operating expenses are indeed reasonable. Let's just set a time for one month. If the rebellious miners are not driven out of the two mines within one month,
If so, our Runing Battalion would rather withdraw from Nanyang Mansion and no longer care about this matter. In this way, if we fail to succeed, the loss in expenses can still be borne."
"Also, all of this must be discussed with the gentry who own private mines. If they give us enough benefits, our Runing camp can send troops. Otherwise, we should give up this opportunity."
.Look, is this appropriate?"
Seeing that Wu Shigong had made up his mind, everyone reluctantly nodded in agreement.
So, after the meeting ended, Wu Shigong immediately called Chang Meng over and said: "You should go to Li Shoubei's place now. Tell him that I will host a family banquet for him tonight. Remember, let him
