(It’s hard to write a book, would you like to click to add it to the bookshelf to support me, brother? Hahaha, thank you then)

The main camp of the Mizhi Guard was built under the west wall of the city. When it was first built, the area was originally extremely vast. To the north were neat barracks that could accommodate 1,500 people. A towering guard office was built facing north and south.

On business, facing the Yamen is the huge martial arts school ground where soldiers practice daily. All of this is surrounded and protected by tall blue brick walls, and there are watchtowers on all sides. Residential homes are not allowed to be built within 150 steps.

If there is any violation of the rules of the house, they will be immediately executed on the spot for having evil intentions and will not be treated leniently.

The original guard barracks was full of people shouting and shouting all day long, and there were constant shouting and killing drills. There were even neatly armored soldiers and officers coming in and out. It was so prosperous and majestic.

But now it looks dilapidated.

The barracks on the barracks wall have collapsed long ago, and the watchtowers have disappeared. The remaining dozens of them have been repaired and colorful, and are crumbling in the wind and rain. The campus is covered with wormwood, and there are city foxes from time to time.

Rats are infested, and the scene that used to be filled with loud killings has been replaced by a lifeless atmosphere.

Outside the camp, there were many low and dilapidated houses surrounded, and most of the people coming in and out were ordinary people with haggard faces, and there were also prostitutes who were working at their door.

There are sewage flowing across the road, and the garbage mountain is higher than the camp wall. Occasionally walking out of the camp without a gate are just a few old and weak people who look like dead people. The military uniforms on their bodies are even more colorless and patchy. They are usually patched.

People walked in and out crookedly, walking in the streets and alleys carrying begging jars, some begging, some robbing, it was no longer the grand scene of the Hongwu period.

There were originally a quota of more than 1,200 military households, but now there are only four to five hundred old, weak, sick and disabled people who have nowhere to go. The young and strong may become tenant servants of generals at various levels, or they may live in secret to do other activities.

went.

When the thousands of households gathered the original group of generals, Sabaihu and others, and carried boxes of various sizes to the military camp, the thousands of households couldn't find their own government office. They had no choice but to shout loudly in a place with few wormwood.

Gather troops.

After a period of hoarse shouting, four to five hundred people finally gathered from the dilapidated military camp, not in lines, but squatting or sitting with numb expressions on their faces, looking at the now unfamiliar Shangguan.

"Brothers soldiers, tens of thousands of poles have gathered outside the city to attack the county seat in the near future. As soldiers of the garrison, we have the responsibility to protect the city and serve the country. Now is the time for everyone to serve the country."

There was no response, no fear, just numbness.

Qianhu saw that his impassioned speech only resulted in the numbness of the soldiers.

The war is about to begin, and morale is the number one priority. How can these soldiers defend themselves against the enemy with their current appearance?

Seeing that their righteous words could not impress the soldiers at all, the Qianhu households angrily stopped their original long speech and said something practical: "At the same time, I would like to give you another piece of good news. Each of the brothers present here will be promoted to

level, the soldiers used to be small flags now, the small flags are raised to the general flag, and the general flag is raised to hundreds of households."

Still feeling lifeless and numb.

There are thieves coming to attack the county town. This news has long spread in the county town. Especially this morning's arrest of people, it has made people panic. The so-called promotion is just to ask everyone to go to the city to guard and protect the officials and rich households.

Gentlemen were beaten to death.

What does the entry of poles into the city have to do with us beggars? Those poles actually treat these poor people more kindly than these officials, and the results may be better.

Seeing that no one responded, Qianhu immediately lost interest in continuing. He pointed at a fat shopkeeper who was covered in fat and said, "Shopkeeper Xue."

The man hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, with a charming smile on his face and said: "The last general will be deputy to a thousand households. I will wait for your order."

Qianhu suddenly realized that he remembered that the biggest pawnshop owner in the city was still his deputy, so he smiled and said: "Please, Shopkeeper Xue, no, it's Deputy General Xue, who will lead people to check the number of people, verify the accounts, and give these soldiers

Let’s distribute some money to each household.”

"Yes, your Majesty will order."

The shopkeeper Xue, no, he was Deputy Xue Qianhu. He was originally a hereditary man. When the guard house collapsed, he relied on his cleverness to turn his own soldiers into clerks and opened a restaurant on Mizhi East Street.

The pawnshop, as the saying goes, the pawnshop thrives in troubled times, and it has grown bigger and stronger in a short time, becoming the largest pawnshop in Mizhi. Therefore, everyone has forgotten that he was originally a fifth-grade Ming Dynasty deputy Qianhu with the rank of general, and

Only shopkeeper Xue can tell outsiders.

This time when the pole was used to seize the city, Qianhu remembered that he was his deputy, so he issued an order to recruit him back. Although shopkeeper Xue had long forgotten his position, even though he was extremely unwilling, this Ming Dynasty

The laws and regulations forced him to come out to respond to the mission.

Shopkeeper Xue is worthy of being the owner of a pawnshop. He apportioned the accounts and organized them clearly in just a short time. At that time, he ordered his servants, who were his own soldiers, to open the large wooden box that was brought there.

As soon as the wooden box was opened, a dazzling silver light immediately rose inside, attracting the attention of all the soldiers in an instant.

Silver, neatly stacked silver, something I haven't seen in many years.

Regardless of the presence of generals and superior officers, the four to five hundred people immediately regained their spirits, cheered and hulaed and surrounded them. This time, Master Qianhu was seriously frightened.

These are all very hungry. With this pile of money in front of them, why don’t they immediately rebel?

So he yelled: "Don't worry, everyone, these are the wages that everyone has accumulated over the years. Everyone has a share. It is absolutely fair."

Although the pressure was slightly relieved by shouting like this, the crowd was still ready to move, and they quickly shouted to the generals and soldiers around them: "Why are you still standing there, why don't you suppress these thieves who have never seen the world?"

Then there was a burst of loud swords and guns, shouts and curses that kept the soldiers out of the circle of people, but even so, they still couldn't stop the surging flow of people. The ragged and skinny soldiers kept moving forward with red eyes and shouts.

They squeezed and pushed the soldiers and generals around.

If this doesn't work, there might be a firestorm before the money is released, which would be a big disaster.

At that moment, the Qianhu picked up a long spear beside them, yelled and cursed, and used the barrel of the spear to beat the noisy soldiers. The officer threatened to add the barrel of the spear. After some screams, the scene finally calmed down.

Tired and out of breath, Qianhu stood on the wooden box again and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Brothers, don't worry, these silvers belong to everyone, and I will never take half of them. Not only will these be reissued in previous years,

I have accumulated debts, and I have also paid double wages for this month’s war in advance.”

There were no cheers as expected, but the dirty and withered faces of each soldier had turned a strange crimson color, and each of them was breathing heavily as an ox.

Accumulation of debts has brought these military households into a desperate situation of death.

"Also, the county magistrate will soon transport countless grains, wine and meat, which will be enough to take care of everyone's and brothers' home snacks."

Surrounded outside, the young soldiers who came after hearing the news cheered first, which gave Qianhu some face and satisfaction. Then they once again came up with the shocking news: "And, now, now." He pressed hard with his feet.

Stomping the silver box at his feet, "Now, pay and food will be distributed according to the level after promotion."

After a period of silence, Qianhu was disappointed and prepared to jump off the silver box and hand out the money. Unexpectedly, the sudden burst of cheers scared Qianhu and almost fell down.

Money, grain and silver are what everyone really wants, to serve as soldiers for the Ming Dynasty. This time, thanks to the pole, everyone can get the long-overdue salary.

Holding the heavy white money, each of the skinny military households had tears in their eyes or howled incessantly, and a group of family members in ragged clothes and withered faces rushed up to hug each other and cry.

Qianhu was also moved by this scene and sighed secretly, but what can be done? The entire Ming Dynasty is like this, and it cannot be changed by oneself.

The military household received the arrears, and he himself was also very rich. Of the 20,000 silver given by the county official, he kept 10,000 for himself, and the other 10,000 was distributed step by step according to the size of the rank. Also, he was

When I reported the repayment of my outstanding debt, it was still based on the full quota of 11 soldiers, but here it was only less than 500 and less than 600, and the rest went into my own pocket.

When I mentioned this matter at that time, I talked to the county magistrate confidently. Now is the time when I need to wait for the soldiers to fight hard. If the county magistrate doesn't give it, then I will definitely have all kinds of excuses to give you some excuses.

Although you, the civil servant, are too much older than me and treat me like a pig or a dog, if I don't take it seriously and lose the county seat, of course I will die. But you, the county magistrate, also have a small life at stake. My life is despotic, but yours is

But it's very noble.

Thinking of the pale face of the county magistrate at that time, with his teeth gritted but helpless, I felt a burst of joy after taking revenge, and finally let out a bad breath after these years.

At this time, there was a huge commotion outside the dilapidated camp gate. Everyone looked back and saw carts of grain, wine and meat being transported in a steady stream, which immediately caused the whole camp to cheer and run after the grain carts.

Some children ignored the instability of the grain cart and lay down on it. They opened the grain bags with red eyes and stuffed handfuls of uncooked rice into their mouths. What was flowing out of their mouths were precious grains. Women and old people

He also staggered, chasing the grain truck, picking up the grain that fell on the ground, regardless of the soil and stones, and stuffing it into his tattered arms. For a while, the deserted and withered military camp was in full swing.

got angry.

Suddenly, a burst of heart-wrenching cries from the mother-in-law suddenly arose, and the chaotic military camp became silent for a moment. When I looked up, I saw a skinny mother-in-law lying on the body of a skinny, shapeless child.

Howling.

The child's mouth was full of brown rice, and he was holding a piece of dried meat tightly in his hand. He had no breath at all.

People bowed their heads silently and stopped talking. Only the mother-in-law's cry continued for a long time.
Chapter completed!