On the seventh day of June, the Heavenly Gate opens, so it’s a good time to travel.
Hu Dahai was riding on horseback, looking at Wang Gang next to him, full of complaints but nowhere to express his complaints.
Behind the two men were a group of Jiujiang County government officials, about thirty or forty people.
This morning Wang Gang suddenly found Hu Dahai and asked him to gather his men and go around Jiujiang together in the afternoon.
Wang Gang was Hu Dahai's direct superior, and the request was not excessive, so he had no reason to refuse.
What surprised Hu Dahai was that Wang Gang was not wandering around the county town, but ran out of the city with a group of 30 or 40 people.
How could things get better in the wilderness outside the city? Hu Dahai proposed to Wang Gang that they go to the county's largest flower boat together, but Wang Gang refused.
Hu Dahai could only accompany Wang Gang to the outside of the city with full of complaints.
"Sir, we can't go any further. There are a lot of bandits in this area." Hu Dahai couldn't help seeing Wang Gang going further and further.
"I have heard about the rampant banditry in Jiangxi Province for a long time. Are there also bandits outside Jiujiang County?" Wang Gang asked doubtfully.
Hu Dahai said solemnly: "There is a three-headed mountain outside Jiujiang County. There is a group of bandits on the mountain. The leader, Wang Ermazi, is cruel and always robs businesses. The county organized people to encircle and suppress it twice, but all failed.
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Wang Gang became interested and asked: "Why did we return without success? Could it be that Wang Ermazi has too many people?"
Hu Dahai shook his head and said: "That's not true. Wang Ermazi's group is defending the mountains. The mountains are densely covered with traps. Every time they besiege us, we lose a lot of money."
Wang Gang asked: "The bandits are hiding in the mountains, and water and food are all transported down the mountain. As long as they cut off their food routes and starve them for three to five or seven days, they will naturally destroy themselves."
Hu Dahai said with a smile: "I didn't expect people from Shanda to know the art of war."
"I know a thing or two." Wang Gang said proudly: "To be honest, my biggest task when I went to Jiujiang this time was to wipe out the mountain bandits. I came out this time to inquire about the situation."
When Hu Dahai heard this, his eyes flashed with a glimmer of unknown meaning.
"Sheng Shanda, Hu has dealt with those bandits, and he understands these desperadoes. It is difficult for us in the yamen to wipe out Wang Ermazi alone, let alone there are many other gangsters entrenched near Jiujiang County.
Bandits are stronger than Wang Er Mazi, not weaker."
Wang Gang said proudly: "I have received the official decree, allowing me to recruit soldiers and train militia locally."
Hu Dahai said in surprise: "It turns out that your Excellency actually has the power to recruit troops."
Since the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty, military generals have been extremely strictly controlled, and military power has been strictly guarded. There are not many military generals with soldiers, let alone civil servants.
Wang Gang, a mere seven-level county magistrate, actually had the power to recruit troops. No wonder Hu Dahai was surprised.
"Actually, the imperial court has always been interested in solving the banditry problem in Jiangxi. Unfortunately, the imperial court also has its own difficulties. Therefore, the government allows us to recruit troops locally, but we can solve the problem by ourselves as soon as we have food and pay."
Hu Dahai suddenly realized.
It is natural for soldiers to have food to eat. When recruiting soldiers, the imperial court naturally has to solve the problem of food for the soldiers. But look at what Wang Gang said, when he recruited a militia, he actually asked the county to provide money.
Where does this money come from?
"People from Shanda have just arrived and don't know much about Jiujiang." Hu Dahai said: "Jiujiang is a famously poor county in Jiangxi. It is difficult to barely survive, let alone pay for the army."
Wang Gang said indifferently: "These are just trivial matters. Once the bandits are cleared and the Jiangxi trade route is opened, there will naturally be no shortage of tax revenue."
Hu Dahai said with a wry smile: "Shangda people have simplified the problem. From recruitment to combat, a soldier needs a lot of food supplies, weapons for normal training, and daily expenses, all of which require money."
Wang Gang frowned and said: "No matter how poor Jiujiang County is, if you recruit a thousand soldiers, you should have enough food and salary to last for three months!"
Hu Dahai explained: "Let alone three months, I can't even get half a month out."
Wang Gang's face was stern and he seemed a little unhappy.
Hu Dahai added: "Historically, county magistrates have stayed in Jiujiang County for three years, waiting for the evaluation of the officials, and either been promoted step by step, or transferred to other places. Very few people would really care about the lives of the people of Jiujiang."
Wang Gang heard what Hu Dahai meant. He wanted Wang Gang to be the county magistrate for three years in a daze, gain qualifications, and leave when the deadline was up.
"I am determined to serve the people, how can I ignore the welfare of the people." Wang Gang said seriously: "Master Hu, when you return to the city today, you will start preparing to recruit troops. Within a month, I will see a thousand soldiers."
Hu Dahai was a little embarrassed and wanted to persuade him again, but Wang Gang didn't give him a chance at all. He slapped his horse on the ass and walked away.
"Sir, wait for me." Hu Dahai hurriedly chased after me.
The two of them were riding horses, so they were naturally very fast, but the officials had to rely on two legs to catch up.
Wang Gang rode on, going further and further away, while Hu Dahai shouted from behind and chased after him.
"Sir, we can't go any further. The area ahead is Santou Mountain."
Wang Gang didn't seem to hear and continued to move forward, but Hu Dahai pulled the horse's head and stopped.
Seeing Wang Gang disappearing in front, Hu Dahai's expression changed several times, as if he was considering whether to follow him.
Not far ahead is San Toushan's sphere of influence, and it is very likely that you will encounter Wang Ermazi's group.
"Mr. Hu, help me, there's a big insect!" Wang Gang's voice suddenly came from the front, surprising Hu Dahai.
The so-called big bug is a tiger. Even an experienced hunter has to run away when encountering a big bug.
"Hurry up and protect your lord." Hu Dahai didn't hesitate, he called to the government officials and rushed forward.
When he caught up with Wang Gang, he saw Wang Gang confronting the big insect with one sword and one sword.
The big insect has bright eyes and walks energetically. Its fur is shiny, with a honey-yellow background with stripes of dark brown markings. It is thick, soft, smooth, and over a foot long.
Wang Gang stood opposite the tiger holding a steel knife. The horse beneath him had fallen to the ground, and there was a ferocious bite mark on his neck.
Hu Dahai felt a little frightened when he saw the tiger, and the group of government servants were so frightened that they backed away.
Suddenly, the tiger rushed towards Wang Gang, opening its smelly mouth and revealing its ferocious teeth.
Wang Gang turned over and avoided the tiger's sudden attack. The long knife slashed the tiger's belly.
The tiger had rough skin and thick flesh, and Wang Gang's hand was not a magic weapon, but an ordinary steel knife in the yamen, so he only made a shallow gash on the tiger's belly.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Although it is shallow, it has successfully stimulated the tiger's ferocious nature.
Wang Gang rolled over and distanced himself from the tiger, but invisibly got closer to Hu Dahai.
Hu Dahai was so frightened that he was about to turn his horse's head and escape, but Wang Gang had already climbed on the horse.
"Master Hu, run quickly." Wang Gang sat directly behind Hu Dahai and called.
Behind him, the tiger pounced again. Hu Dahai subconsciously wanted to drive away on horseback, but it was too late. The tiger had already pounced on the horse and knocked it over.
Hu Dahai and Wang Gang fell down in response, and they rolled together, quite embarrassed.
The tiger killed the big horse in one bite, and then looked at Wang Gang and Hu Dahai fiercely.
"Come and save me." Hu Dahai was so frightened that he couldn't speak clearly. He just hoped that the government servants he brought could come and save him.
Unfortunately, the government officials had long been frightened by the tiger and panicked. Not only did no one come to rescue them, but they scattered and ran away.
Hu Dahai looked at the people who were escaping, and he was so angry that he wanted to go back and deal with them.
It's a pity that the tiger didn't know what Hu Dahai was thinking and pounced on them again.
Wang Gang stood up from the ground like a carp, and the steel knife in his hand danced in an airtight and powerful manner. It really frightened the tiger and did not dare to step forward, so he ran towards Hu Dahai.
"Why are you chasing me?" Hu Dahai was so frightened that he broke into a cold sweat and rolled back.
The tiger with four legs was one step ahead of Hu Dahai after all, and grabbed him with one claw.
"ah!"
One person and one tiger rolled on the ground, stirring up dust all over the sky. When Wang Gang saw clearly, Hu Dahai's body was covered in blood and flesh. Not a single piece of good flesh was bitten by the tiger, and it seemed that he would not survive.
The tiger pounced on Wang Gang again. This time, Wang Gang did not run away. Instead, he stood there, waiting for the tiger to pounce. The steel knife in his hand turned into a cold light and was inserted directly into the tiger's mouth.
This knife was clean and sharp, completely different from the one before.
The tiger let out a wail, fell to the ground, pulled out a few times, and gradually became silent.
Wang Gang slowly walked towards Hu Dahai and found that he was not dead yet.
"Man Shanda, save me."
Wang Gang raised his eyebrows, rolled his eyes, and pretended to run to Hu Dahai.
"Mr. Hu, hold on, I will send you back to the county for treatment."
Wang Gang helped Hu Dahai up and walked towards the county seat. On the way, he met the runaway government servants. Wang Gang asked them to help carry Hu Dahai and they returned to Jiujiang County together.
The yamen sent Hu Dahai to a familiar hospital, and the doctor gave emergency treatment for half an hour. During this time, Hu Dahai's wails did not stop.
The county magistrate Niu Wenjin and Hu Dahai's father-in-law Du Yuanwai heard the news and came over.
"We went out for an inspection in the city and encountered a tiger. Mr. Hu was seriously injured in trying to save me. I feel so guilty!" Wang Gang told Yuan Du in tears.