Chapter 161 Zhang Shourong encounters the enemy (Part 1)
Zhang Wanbang learned the news that Tumen and Chaohua were joining forces to go south one evening.
It was raining at that time, and the autumn rain in Liaodong in August was already a bit cool. However, Zhang Wanbang, who was born in Yanghewei (at the northeastern border of Datong) and grew up with the wind blowing all year round and was only in his twenties, did not
Afraid of the cold, he had just returned from inspecting a pier without even taking off his cloak, when he received news from another pier that a detective from the Flower Speculation Department had been spotted.
In fact, in Dongchang Fort, it is not surprising to find that the Chaohua Department is exploring horses, just like when Zhang Wanbang was staying at Yanghekou in Yanghewei when he heard that Tumut was discovering horses outside the pass, it is really commonplace.
Therefore, Zhang Wanbang did not realize at the time that behind the news was the 20,000 cavalry of Tumen and Chaohua going south. He just remembered Gao Pragmatic's previous instructions and was more concerned about the recent actions of the Chaohua Department, so he asked directly.
One sentence: "How many people are there in these scouts? Have you found out? In addition, which pier are you sent to report military information?"
The soldier from Duntai hurriedly said: "If we return to Shou Rong, the younger ones are from Duntai on the Sancha River. Those speculating horses from the Huahua Department were peeping on the other side of the river. At that time, it seemed that there were about thirty riders."
There are twelve subordinate piers and abutments of Dongchang Fort, including Shahekou Platform, Lanchaikou Platform, Matoukong Platform, Yianqiantou Platform, Ancient Tower Platform, Big Old Stork Tsui Platform, Little Old Stork Tsui Platform, and Dayuehe Platform.
, Xiaoyuehe Platform, Liushagou Platform, Yangqiao Platform, and Sanchahe Platform, there are a total of 428 officers and soldiers stationed there. On average, there are less than 36 people on each pier. There is really a war.
If it happens, it will mainly serve as an early warning.
Zhang Wanbang nodded. There were more than thirty cavalrymen, and they were still on the other side of the river. The few people on the Sancha River Platform would definitely not dare to cross the river to investigate. It could be seen that the approximate number of people on the other side was pretty good.
He had been running around all day, so he didn't plan to care too much about this little thing, but after thinking about it, he felt uneasy, frowned, and said angrily: "More than thirty people dare to peek at my Sancha River, this fried flower
I think the Tatars here deserve to be beaten."
Then he turned around and ordered: "Pick fifty cavalry to go with me to have a look, and send someone to notify the Sancha River Pier, saying that Ben Beiyu wants to borrow one of their boats to cross the river and have a look, and ask them to help arrange it."
Although he has high pragmatic authority and can command the servants of the Gao family at Sanchahe Wharf when necessary, it is obviously not yet the "necessary moment" in Zhang Wanbang's understanding, so the only way to ask for a boat at Sanchahe Wharf is to borrow it.
.
A leader of the servants following him was a little worried and advised: "Master, it's dinner time now, why not eat something first before going. Besides, fifty people is a bit small, so why not bring a hundred people with you?"
, and to prevent the other party from having any ambush."
Zhang Wanbang said with a smile: "How can a group of scouts ambush you? Although eating is a big deal, I'm not in a hurry right now. I'm afraid that these Tatars will leave after just one look. Then, aren't I going to eat shit? Hurry up.
Yes, get moving, just bring a few pieces of naan bread to nibble on the road, and make up for it with another meal when you come back later... If you keep up the good work and shoot the war horses of the fried flower department, you will be allowed to stew horse meat when you come back.
."
Horse meat is actually unpalatable. A common saying in later generations is that "horse meat is sour." In fact, there are two main reasons why horse meat is unpalatable. One is that the fiber of horse meat is compared to the fiber of other animals.
It needs to be thicker, and the chewing texture is almost tiring; secondly, when horse meat is boiled or stir-fried, foam will be produced and it will emit a unique sour smell. Therefore, many people do not like the taste of horse meat.
It is far different from the donkey meat of its close relatives "dragon meat in the sky and donkey meat on the ground".
However, this kind of attention is only for people of later generations who are rich in materials. Among the frontier armies of the Ming Dynasty, especially among the northern frontier armies, dead war horses are already very good food - at least they are also meat.
Do you really think that a group of Qiu Ba uncles can eat delicacies from all over the world and still be picky about a large amount of meat?
Of course, Zhang Wanbang said this to his servants. The servants are treated better. Comparatively speaking, horse meat does not improve the food, but it still occupies a large and sufficient advantage, so he said this.
At the end, everyone was quite happy, all grinning.
One of them joked: "Thank you, Master! However, I am afraid that these Tatars will come and go faster. We can only pick up a few pieces of horse dung when we run over. That would not be good."
Zhang Wanbang laughed and scolded: "What's wrong with horse dung? Can't it be burned? I'll reward you for picking up horse dung, so you can have a warm sleep tonight!"
The servant was Zhang Wanbang's confidant, and he didn't feel stage fright after hearing this. Instead, he smiled and said: "Young Master is enjoying himself as much as he can. This horse dung must be dried before it can be burned. The fresh stuff you just picked up is useless. All the rest will be used."
It stinks, and I don’t want to bring it into the room, little one."
"Damn it, I'm so verbose about giving you good things, don't hold me back... Hurry up, stop talking nonsense, pack up and go with me, you don't want the horse dung, and you don't want the horse meat either?"
So a group of people quickly started moving. Zhang Wanbang said exactly what he said. He said he was bringing fifty people, but he really only brought fifty people.
In fact, he brought 300 servants to Liaodong to take up the post. This has already brought half of his father Zhang Bingzhong's capital. However, precisely because it is half of his family's capital, he is more cautious in using it and refuses to bring any money with him.
too much.
Of course, since the other party was just a group of scouts, he felt that fifty people were more than enough.
The servants of the Zhang family were not all cavalry, but they were all able to ride horses. After they followed Zhang Wanbang to Liaodong, their treatment became better because they were the confidants of Gao Pragmatic, the Minister of Yuanmasi, and they were all equipped with horses. Although these
The quality of the war horses at Yuanma Temple in Liaodong is average, but having a horse to ride is much better than being an infantryman.
It took about half an hour for the group to arrive at the Sancha River Platform. They had not seen anyone on the platform yet, but a servant of the Gao family from the Sancha River Pier rushed over to report that the boat was ready and asked the guards to inspect it.
.
There is no need to inspect it. Although Zhang Wanbang can barely do a few dog paddles, he doesn't understand the quality of the boat at all. He can't see the point of asking him to inspect it. Besides, he is just borrowing the boat to cross the river, and he is not taking anyone with him.
If you go to have a water fight, are you still afraid that the boat will sink as it runs?
So Zhang Wanbang politely declined the inspection procedure and directly boarded the boat with his men and horses, asking the Gao family's gunboat to take him across the river.
People in Jinghua also knew that Zhang Wanbang and Zhang Shourong were trusted generals of the employer. The gunboat transferred to him was a large ship. Of course, it was not actually a serious warship. It was equipped with one No. 3 cannon and four No. 2 cannons.
A large inland river armed transport ship. Because this ship also plays a transportation role in daily life, it can also accommodate fifty war horses.
Nothing unusual happened during the crossing of the river, and there was no trace of the Huahua Department's detective horses on the opposite bank. Zhang Wanbang got off the boat without any danger.
Just as he was about to leave, a servant of the Gao family on the boat grabbed him and said: "Zhang Shourong, the boys are waiting for you here. Take care of yourself. If there is an ambush by the Tatars, just come back and get on the boat. Just get on the boat."
, even if the Tatars come with 10,000 cavalry, it will be in vain."
Zhang Wanbang smiled and said: "Thank you very much, but if the damn Tatars have ten thousand cavalry, it's hard to say whether I can come back or not."
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