On October 12, the ninth year of Chongzhen, in the camp of Runing Army near Xinyang County.
"There have been two night marches in the past few months, but it's been a hard time for those guys." Xue Yongli said with a smile.
"How can these boys suffer? They are so energetic! Every time the cavalry trains, they have to go to the weaving workshop. The shopkeepers of the Ma family have come to me to complain several times." Wu Shigong's words immediately aroused Xue Yongli's attention.
A burst of laughter.
"But soldiers still need to be raised. When this time is over, there should be no big battles. Each legion will take turns fighting, giving them time to rest. The horses and firearms need to be maintained!" Wu Shigong continued.
"That's right. Another group of children are about to retire! Those who haven't started a family should also be cared for by the Yang family." Xue Yongli also nodded.
"How is it? Is it difficult this time?" Wu Shigong asked.
"It's a bit difficult, but it shouldn't be a problem. Defeating the rebel army should be a sure thing, but it's a little difficult to meet my uncle's request. We need to divide the rebel army and then drive small groups towards the Dabie Mountains. I'm afraid the rebel army won't be able to defeat it.
Listen to us!"
"If you don't obey, let our knife tell you. But Uncle Yongli doesn't have to force it, just do your best. The Shaanxi bandits who were let go by Zug last time are now in the Dabie Mountains. I heard that it is also prosperous there, so there is no Xiangyang
It’s no problem for the bandit army to join.” Wu Shigong said with a smile.
"My uncle's words reminded me of that boy from Zug. These days, he is always a little embarrassed. He always thinks that he didn't fight well in the last battle and let so many rebels go. So what does he do now?
They are all listless."
"Actually, he still fought well in that battle! It's just that Yao Liang messed up in Xinye County and changed his plan! No one could have predicted this kind of thing in advance. But there is no need to comfort Zuge, if he can't get out on his own
, then I’m really going to castrate him.”
Wu Shigong's words made Xue Yongli laugh again. After laughing, Xue Yongli said again: "General Li has gone to Nanyang City now, and the patrol is a little empty. I think that we need to form two more legions."
Let us turn around." Xue Yongli was always thinking about expanding the army.
Because of the arrest of Nanyang Counselor Sun Wei, Li Lu was promoted to Nanyang Commander-in-Chief, so he took his group of rabble to Nanyang a few days ago. However, although the composition of Li Lu's regiment training town was mixed,
Its combat effectiveness is not bad, its equipment is good, and its number is four thousand. Therefore, this transfer has made the troops here in Ye County much weaker.
Wu Shigong also understands this, but he still has to consider it comprehensively. Although the finances of the Runing Army are now loose, Wu Shigong is still not ready to spend lavishly. Once the number of soldiers increases, it will be difficult to reduce them, so Wu Shigong's first choice is to expand the army.
Or they are conscripts similar to the guards of the Reclamation Company.
So Wu Shigong said: "I have also considered this matter. I want to first form a main battle corps between Shi Zhong's Qi Zhong Corps and Yao Liang's regiment, then restore the engineering corps, and then transfer the Guide Corps. That's it.
There are two mobile corps."
"There is nothing going on in Guide Mansion now. It would be a waste to put another legion there. But now Yu Suanding blocks Ruzhou, which also reduces some troubles for us. In addition, we will arrange it in Kaifeng Mansion in the future.
Guide Mansion should be able to handle the mobile force."
"This is what I think: Qiqi has taken away most of the Marine Regiment. Let Rubao build another Marine Regiment, and then build a direct artillery regiment. But this regiment is mainly equipped with newly built heavy nine-pound and twelve-pound heavy artillery."
"And an independent regiment and a cavalry battalion have been built in Guide. That will be enough to stabilize the place. In this way, even if the current needs are met, the expansion of the army will not be large. Otherwise, Mr. Deng will not be able to explain it.
ah!"
Xue Yongli thought about it carefully and found that this arrangement was quite appropriate and would not be discounted by Deng Qifan. So he nodded and said, "This is good."
This time Wu Shigong led the Runing Army as a bait. He wanted to attract the attention of the peasant army spies and cover Xue Yongli's military operations. So after communicating for a while, Xue Yongli said goodbye to Wu Shigong and returned to the camp to prepare for Huhou Town.
's set off.
After seeing off Xue Yongli, Wu Shigong returned to the inner tent. Mei Yun quickly stepped forward to change Wu Shigong's clothes. While changing clothes, Wu Shigong asked Zhu Qilan and Karelli who were standing aside: "How did you play by the Huaihe River today?"
"
Zhu Qilan and Karelli were so excited that they nodded repeatedly. But Mei Yun said with a smile: "Sister Ka is okay, but sister Lan is not. She ran wildly on the boat, and the boat shook, and sister Lan almost fell into the water."
Zhu Qilan immediately pouted and said: "Didn't you agree to keep Lan'er a secret? Sister Mei's words don't mean anything. But Sister Ka said that she has been on a ship that is more than ten times bigger than this ship. My husband,
Is it true?"
Wu Shigong smiled and nodded: "Actually, the ship Li'er took was not the biggest. There was an ancient man named Zheng He who made seven voyages to the West. His ship was more than ten times bigger than the one Li'er took.
.” Wu Shigong also had a sense of national pride, so he carried Zheng He out.
"Is your husband a liar?" Karelli said with a look of disbelief.
"It's true!" Mei Yun also received a good education in the Xue Mansion. "That Eunuch Zheng was from the Yongle period of this dynasty, and there are records in the history books."
"Oh? Zheng He was also a eunuch?" Wu Shigong asked strangely.
Mei Yun nodded and said with a smile: "My uncle has been studying too much and may have forgotten it."
Wu Shigong laughed "hehe" a few times, knowing that Mei Yun was covering up for himself, so he immediately changed the subject, pointed at Zhu Qilan and said: "If you continue to be so naughty, I will send you back to Runing and Xiu'er as companions immediately.
.”
Zhu Qilan spat out her sweet tongue and said in a low voice: "Lan'er doesn't dare anymore. But this time Xiu'er can't come out, she is very sad. Who allowed her to have a baby? But husband, when will you let Lan'er have a baby?"
Where’s the baby?”
After hearing Zhu Qilan's innocent words, Wu Shigong and the others laughed. Wu Shigong had to say: "They will all be there! But what kind of baby do you want?"
Zhu Qilan tilted her head and thought for a while, then said: "I want to have two identical ones like Sister Xiuzhu. But Sister Xiangka's is not bad either. She is weird and cute."
"Hahaha--!"
…
Wu Shigong was quite relaxed this time and simply regarded this trip as a vacation. Wu Shigong thought to himself: "Don't let another accident end your vacation early again!"
On the evening of October 14, the ninth year of Chongzhen, Xue Yongli led 12,000 people from Huhou Town to Xiangyang. (To be continued...)