It's not that Chen Jisheng wants to be greedy for the money, but that in his plan, or the plan reported by Guo Dajing, the amount of money to spend is simply not something that can be stopped by 108,000 yuan.
Not to mention anything else, just the copper and iron materials, sulfur, and saltpeter required to make various weapons and equipment are quite expensive.
This is a necessary condition for the defense of Jinzhou, and it cannot be omitted even if it is tried. Chen Jisheng thinks that it is absolutely impossible that Jianlu will give up.
Although Guo Dajing has asked the Lin family to purchase sulfur and copper materials through the Japanese country, if it can succeed, it will definitely be cheap, but no matter how cheap it is, it still requires money.
Mao Wenlong pondered for a moment and said: "Since the eunuch of the Supervisory Army is stationed in Jinzhou, it is natural that he should know about the difficulties in Dongjiang Town. If the court does not care, he will not have the confidence to make decisions."
Chen Jisheng nodded his head and agreed: "The general will know how to do it."
Since he is the emperor's trusted confidant, his memorial will have a different effect. At least, the emperor will trust him rather than suspect that Dongjiang Town is making false reports.
If the imperial court can increase its investment in Dongjiang Town, not to mention wages, but even the supply of combat materials, it can solve great difficulties.
Of course, if the imperial court still ignores him, what prestige and confidence does Fang Zhenghua, the eunuch who supervises the army, have?
A strong dragon does not overwhelm a local snake. Mao Wenlong paid some attention to Fang Zhenghua, the eunuch in charge of the army, but he was not too afraid or worried.
Within Dongjiang Town, Mao Wenlong is quite confident in his prestige and control.
The two discussed for a while and decided on other matters. For example, Zhang Tao was left to take command of the newly established Jinzhou Navy.
Jinzhou is no better than Phi Island and is blocked by the sea, so more elite soldiers and generals are needed for defense to ensure safety.
The Nanguan defense line is very strong, and the only worry is that Jianlu will attack in winter and cross the ice to attack. Therefore, the navy is very critical and must be strong.
Everything has been decided, Mao Wenlong's departure date has also been determined, and he will lead his army back to Pi Island in three days.
Seeing that he had no other instructions, Chen Jisheng stood up and left, asking Mao Wenlong to rest early.
In a courtyard in Lushun Fort, under the same night, Fang Zhenghua did not rest. He sat at the table, thinking and writing, recording what he saw and heard along the way.
From a quick glance, Fang Zhenghua could not see anything essential. When they arrived at Lushun Fort, Mao Wenlong and others welcomed him warmly, but they were not groveling.
Silver rewards, service, and upgrades were all what Founder brought. But in his opinion, the emperor's favor was so great that even if he came empty-handed, he also represented the emperor and the supreme authority of the emperor.
"Come in." Hearing the knock on the door, Fang Zhenghua put down his pen, tidied it up, and then spoke.
The accompanying young eunuch came in, served fragrant tea, and bowed to leave. Fang Zhenghua asked, "Have all the Jin Yi guards gone to bed to rest?"
"Yes, father-in-law." The little eunuch bowed and said, "Do you want me to wake them up?"
Fang Zhenghua pondered for a moment, shook his head and said, "Forget it, there's no rush tonight. You can go and have some rest. There's no need to wait here at the Za family."
The little eunuch took the order and left. Fang Zhenghua drank tea and thought about his next move.
Mao Wenlong would probably be unhappy if he went to various military bases so rashly to proclaim his favor and reward him with clothing and armor.
Then wait until Mao Wenlong leaves Jinzhou, then walk around in the name of inspecting the army and meet some of the fierce generals in Dongjiang Town, such as Guo Dajing and Li Weiluan.
It stands to reason that Mao Wenlong should have summoned all the generals to come to Lushun Fort to meet the newly arrived eunuchs and listen to the imperial edict.
However, it was originally decided in Jinzhou that all ministries should build fortifications to guard against the attack of Jianqi, and the general would not be allowed to leave without permission, which makes sense.
Fang Zhenghua didn't want to pick this argument. When he arrived in Jinzhou, he had better not show too much sharpness, lest Mao Wenlong and others would be wary, which would be detrimental to the completion of the emperor's order.
After all, the eunuchs who supervise the army in Dongjiang Town do not have that much power. The precedent set by Emperor Tianqi allowed Mao Wenlong to hold Shang Fang's sword and control one side.
But - Your Majesty, Dongjiang Town is a great victory, but you have halved the food and salary, which is really embarrassing!
Fang Zhenghua smiled bitterly and stroked his forehead. If all military towns were reduced by half, that would be enough. But Guan Ning's army remained the same, so how could he explain to Dongjiang Town?
Could it be that Dongjiang Town's battles were ineffective, but in the past two years, the number of victories they won and the number of heads they captured were infinitely greater than those of Guan Ning's army.
Favoring one over the other, with no reasonable excuse, and even unclear rewards and punishments, this made Fang Zhenghua very embarrassed.
The key point is that this is the territory of Dongjiang Town, and the person he is facing is Mao Wenlong. It is not a question, but a question, a polite one, which makes it difficult for Fang Zhenghua to answer directly.
Alas, from now on, the issue of raising food and payment will fall on me!
Fang Zhenghua sighed helplessly, walked to the window, opened it, and looked at the night sky with great sadness.
On the same quiet night, the gentle moonlight swept across the window lattice.
Without any worries or sorrows, Guo Dajing and Axiu slept snuggled together. After the passion, they both fell into sweet dreams, and all worries and unhappiness could no longer disturb them.
Perhaps, this is happiness, although it is short-lived, it is rare.
Axiu smelled the familiar scent again, was hugged by strong arms, felt peaceful again, slept soundly, with a vague smile on her face.
Guo Dajing was the same. He hugged his wife and no longer thought about the disaster or the battle. He felt as if he had entered a safe harbor and completely relaxed his mind.
……………….
The port of Dalian is expanding at full speed, the workshops are busy manufacturing and testing new weapons, and the newly settled people are looking for every piece of land that can be cultivated and planted...
Looking around, there is no trace of ice or snow in the fields. It is either dark soil or green seedlings that have just sprouted.
An old man was holding a sheep whip and driving the sheep slowly on the hillside in the distance, adding white clouds to the green grass.
Guo Dajing and others galloped towards the military camp in the north.
Happy reunions are always so short-lived. Cui Xiaoyi and others were sent away, and the musket transformation in the workshop was basically on the right track. Guo Dajing was going to the army again to shoulder his responsibilities as an officer.
There seemed to be lingering scents of women's body fragrances on the nose, including Axiu's and Fujino Hide's; there seemed to be lingering reminders from wives and concubines in his ears.
Guo Dajing shook his head gently, getting rid of these distracting thoughts, and forced himself to turn his thoughts to the army and the next military.
All beauty and happiness require you to work harder to protect it in order to maintain it for a long time.
From Guanglu Island to Jinzhou, we only achieved a set small goal. We sailed against the current, and if we did not advance, we would retreat. The development of the situation did not give Guo Dajing much leisure time.
The Jianlu still occupied most of Liaodong and were eagerly looking for opportunities to attack; and the imperial court, or Emperor Chongzhen, should have issued an imperial edict to recall Yuan Chonghuan.
The situation is not as smooth as people imagined, and Guo Dajing knows it better than anyone. Whether it is internal strife and suppression, or fierce foreign enemies, Dongjiang Town will face more severe tests.
Although Guo Dajing could plan ahead and make preparations in advance, such a court and such an emperor made him increasingly resentful and disgusted.
It is the most stupid thing to rely on oneself and place hope on the court and the emperor.
Guo Dajing narrowed his eyes and slowed down his horse. At the fork in the road ahead, a soldier carrying a bag was bowing and saluting.
As they got closer, Guo Dajing smiled and recognized that this soldier was from Guanglu Island. In other words, he was an officer of his own unit.
"Han Zhong, a humble official, has met Mr. Guo." Han Zhong bowed and saluted.
Guo Dajing stopped his horse, nodded, and asked kindly: "Is this a vacation? Are you coming from the warning area north of Nanguan? How is the situation?"
"Bizhang is on vacation. Now the outpost is in Xiaoheishan, and everything is normal in the warning area." Han Zhong replied: "Bizhang's family is in this new village. I heard that many people who moved from Guanglu Island also live in this village.
.”
Guo Dajing raised his head and looked around. A few miles away from the fork in the road was the newly built village. He had some impression that it was indeed a village settled by the people of Guanglu Island.
"It seems that you have just arrived and haven't visited the village yet." Guo Dajing smiled and said: "I must be thinking about you very much, so go and visit your home quickly."
Han Zhong said: "Sir, don't you go to the village and have a look?"
Guo Dajing shook his head and said: "I have to rush to the military camp, so I won't visit the folks. They are all common people on the island, and the village chief is not an outsider. There shouldn't be anything wrong. If there is anything wrong,
You can report it to your superiors, or you can go back to the army and report it to your superiors, who will know about it."
"Also, you tell the village chief, just say it's me, and put up road signs here as soon as possible to make it easier for passersby to walk."
"Yes, I understand." Han Zhong bowed again.
Guo Dajing bowed his head in greeting, grabbed the horse's belly, and embarked on the journey again.
When Jinzhou was first built, there was still a lot of work that had not been completed. For example, Guo Dajing proposed this road signage, but there were obviously still some omissions.
And if the people who have moved from various places on the island are centralized and resettled, they will all be familiar with each other, so there will be less conflicts and it will be easier to settle down.
Watching Guo Dajing and others gallop away on horseback, Han Zhongcai picked up his luggage and strode towards the village.
It has been several months since he left the island for the expedition. Thinking of never seeing the old house on the island again, Han Zhong really missed it.
But what he is more concerned about is how his new family is doing, how are his son, Shuzhen and others doing? He just heard that the military families were given fields and plowed and planted well, but seeing is believing.
The road leading to the village is obviously much narrower, and it can be seen that it has been recently repaired. Next to the road is a vast field with undulating furrows, and young green seedlings have sprouted and swayed gently in the wind.
"Dazhong." Someone in the field shouted loudly, waving and walking quickly towards this side.
Han Zhong stopped and recognized the person who was coming. He was a distant relative of his family. When he was on the island, his son had been entrusted to someone to take care of him for a period of time.
"Brother Li." Han Zhong greeted him affectionately and said, "Is this the family's field?"
Brother Li stepped on the village road with bare feet, which was covered with black mud. He said with a smile: "It's not like you, who gave us free land. We farmed ten to two, and finally rented thirty acres of land."
Han Zhong immediately calculated that Brother Li's family could harvest six acres of land for nothing, and said with a smile: "If we grow potatoes, six acres of land will be enough to eat."
The potato harvest is almost ten times that of traditional rice and wheat, and six acres can be regarded as fifty or sixty acres. Of course, just eating potatoes is not enough, but people like to calculate it this way.
Brother Li grinned and said: "In addition to potatoes, there are also rye and corn. They are all planted according to official regulations. After the autumn harvest, some of each can be given and distributed according to the total harvest."
"Don't delay here, go home and take a look!" Brother Li urged, "The fifth house at the end of the village is on the left. If you have any questions, we can talk about it when we have time."
Han Zhong agreed, said goodbye to Brother Li, and walked towards the village. Looking at Brother Li's expression, he was basically relieved and everything should be safe at home.
The village road is a bit muddy, but from time to time you can see gravel and sand piled up on the side of the road. It should be that materials are being prepared for road construction. This is all official requirements and plans, just like the installation of signage at intersections.
There is a huge open-pit lime mine in Dalian, and mining is also on the agenda. Sand and gravel, pottery powder or loess, and lime were called "three combined soils" at the time. They were used to pave roads or build wall foundations, and were good building materials.
Guo Dajing's plan to build Jinzhou is very ambitious. The first is the requirement for roads. The roads are muddy and full of potholes, which is not only unsightly but also very detrimental to transportation.
Road construction is only the first step, and daily maintenance is more important. No matter how good the road surface is, it will be damaged over time. Therefore, road construction and maintenance have become one of the servitudes that the villagers have to bear. Each village has a responsible road section.
The condition of the road is also one of the performance evaluations of the village chief.
Of course, it is just the beginning now, and there are many things that are not satisfactory. But after half a year, there will be a big improvement.
But Han Zhong didn't care about this bit of mud. The common people, including him, were used to such road conditions. Not to mention at that time, and in later generations, it was not surprising that rural roads were muddy and difficult to navigate.
Feeling timid about being close to home, Han Zhong walked to his new home with anticipation and some apprehension, and stopped to watch.
The courtyard wall is a simple fence, and small green tips are planted in the open space in the courtyard. The main house, side rooms, and woodshed are all made of adobe. There are four or five rooms, which are more spacious than those on the island.
too much.
The house and courtyard are a bit simple, but Han Zhong is very satisfied with it. There is nothing in the house originally, and he will just add more slowly, but it is spacious and clean, making people feel comfortable just looking at it.
Under the wall of the main room, there is a row of cages with several rabbits in them. A little girl is squatting there, teasing and feeding them with grass, and giggling from time to time.
Han Zhong gently pushed open the fence door and stepped in. It was his first time entering a new home, so he was a little cramped.
The little girl heard the sound, turned her head, blinked her big eyes, and looked at the man who entered her yard in surprise.
Han Zhong put a smile on his face and said warmly: "Little girl, you don't recognize me? I am your Uncle Han, Shantong's father."
The little girl recognized him now, grinned, stood up, and shouted: "Uncle Han."
Han Zhong responded and asked, "Are you the only one in the family?"
After not seeing each other for a few months, the little girl's face has puffed up and looks fairer. The more obvious change is that she is no longer afraid of strangers, she is more talkative, and she is a lot more courageous.
"Mom and Brother Tong went to work in the fields, and I took care of the house." The little girl pointed to the house on her left with a smile, and said, "You and Brother Shantong live in this house."
Han Zhong nodded, walked over, opened the door, entered the room, and put down the large package he was carrying.
There was no decent furniture in the room, but it was neatly tidied up. Han Zhong knew that his son would not be so diligent, and it must be Shuzhen who was taking care of him.
When Han Zhong walked out of the house again, he was holding a piece of dried horse meat in his hand.
The difference between the army's food and that of the common people is that it often contains meat and fish. Salted fish and dried fish are naturally the most common. In the last war, we got a lot of horse meat and dried horse meat.
The little girl was teasing the rabbit again. When she saw Han Zhong coming out, she quickly stood up again.
"Here, here's something to eat." Han Zhong didn't have a deep impression of the little girl. He only remembered that she often ate pancakes, and he didn't know why her little belly couldn't always be filled.
The little girl's eyes lit up, she rubbed her little hands on her clothes, took it and ate it, smiling at Han Zhong.
"Did the official give this rabbit to you?" Han Zhong took a tree stump and sat down, smiling and asked, "It's quite fun!"
The little girl ate deliciously and said vaguely: "It's only given to military families, and it's not for nothing..."
Han Zhong listened with a vague understanding, and the little girl didn't know the specific policy very well. She probably raised it for you, and you have to hand back the same number next year, and the ones you reproduce will be yours.
The reproductive ability of rabbits is very powerful. Normally, rabbits can give birth all year round, and a litter can contain several rabbits. There have been cases where rabbits have overrun the environment without natural predators.
Han Zhong thought for a while and felt that raising rabbits was a good choice.
The same policy applies when officials also distribute sheep to military families, but it takes a little longer. However, herding sheep takes time and requires manpower, and Shuzhen and Shantong will definitely be too busy.
This is not only preferential treatment for military families, but also a measure to improve people's lives. Raising chickens and pigs consumes food and is not considered in the short term.
"Rabbits are very cute." The little girl pointed to the rabbits in the cage and introduced them to Han Zhong enthusiastically, "They all have names, Xiao Hui, Xiao Bai, and Erya, Xiao Bad."
Han Zhong laughed and complimented a few words, then stood up and walked around the yard to watch.
There was an aisle next to the main house. When he walked over, he discovered that behind the house was a small garden with more vegetables and two recently transplanted sand fruit trees.
The little girl came over in a hurry, pointed with her hand and said: "Brother Shantong dug this from the mountain. He said you can pick the fruits and eat them in autumn!"
"There is also this sunflower, and there are melon seeds to eat during the Chinese New Year." The little girl took the trouble to introduce the crops grown in the back garden to Han Zhong, "These are peanuts, they are delicious when fried!"
Han Zhong gently touched the little girl's head and saw that she was not resisting and even felt a little close to him, which made him feel warm in his heart.
A new home, a new life, because there is a field and a garden, everything is so beautiful, like the green seedlings in the ground, full of vitality and breath.