Chapter 264: Table Conversation
Zhu Kui also said, "Young Master Jiang is absolutely right. The Li Wangs are just names, but they can never achieve anything."
The only one that can make a difference is probably the rebel group led by Xu Zhenying.
"How many casualties did you suffer?"
Zhu Kui was undecided and could only make a random guess: "Thousands of brothers died, and there are still 70,000 to 80,000 people left."
Although the situation in Fancheng is unknown, false reporting of the number of people is a common practice among the generals of the Zhou Dynasty.
Therefore, the 70,000 to 80,000 people mentioned by Zhu Kui are estimated to be cut in half.
Jiang Yongkang had a rough idea in his mind, and thought that Zhang Wanjun should be in the same situation. Everything was ready, and today was a good day to catch the turtle in the jar.
He then stared at Zhu Kui, his smile becoming increasingly amiable. "General Zhu, you must be exhausted after all this march. Why don't we let the brothers rest for a bit, and you come with us for a few drinks!"
Jiang Yongkang enthusiastically took Zhu Kui's hand and walked inside, not giving him a chance to refuse. He ordered the non-commissioned officer beside him, "Go, get a few hundred jars of good wine to welcome the brothers from Fancheng! Pass my order, everyone above the rank of captain must go to the old prefect's house. Tonight we will cook beef and lamb and give a good treat to our friends from afar!"
Zhu Kui was naturally unhappy.
Jiang Yongkang completely claimed Xiangshui Prefecture as his own in his words. It was a pity that they had vowed to take this place into their possession before they came.
If Zhu Kui hadn't been concerned about the firearms, he would have wanted to turn against the people from Qianzhou Prefecture right now!
The generals around Zhu Kui secretly pulled his sleeves and said, "General Zhu, don't forget to ask them about the firearms!"
"I know. But bringing up the firearms right off the bat will inevitably make them think we have ulterior motives. Truth comes out when drunk, so after three rounds of drinks, I'll ask about it indirectly. Give the order, everyone, be on your guard! These rebels are quite resourceful, we have to be on our guard!"
The general immediately responded with full vigor.
Zhu Kui was eager to find out more information about Jinzhou Prefecture. He caught a glimpse of many dark-faced men in Jiang Yongkang's team. Although they wore the same military uniforms, their skin color and facial features were obviously slightly different. Zhu Kui quickly realized that these should be the natives of Qianzhou!
He was secretly surprised that Qianzhou Prefecture had actually subdued the natives?
The natives are the most unruly, how could they willingly be controlled by the Han people?
Zhu Kui then quickly asked Jiang Yongkang with a smile, "I see quite a few dark-faced men among you. They look different from us. Could they be the native brothers from Qianzhou Prefecture?"
Jiang Yongkang nodded. "That's right. If it weren't for the strong support from the chieftains of Qianzhou, we wouldn't have made it to Xiangshui Prefecture! The local brothers have made an invaluable contribution!"
Almost all of Jiang Yongkang's team are natives, Miao people, and Dong people from Qianzhou. Most of them are thinner and have darker faces.
Although there was a deep blood feud between them and the Han people in the past, after Xu Yinxi took office, he vigorously promoted industries such as tea, fruit trees, and sweet potatoes, and at the same time sold their Miao dyes and Miao medicines to Qianzhou Prefecture. In just half a year, their lives became better.
In addition, Xu Yinxi encouraged the natives to go down the mountain, and at the same time he kept educating the people of Shunyuan City that "the natives and the Han are one family", so the natives and the Han people merged at a very fast speed. Now when they talk about the Han people, they will consciously divide the Han people into two groups.
One group was the Han people from Jinzhou Prefecture and Qianzhou Prefecture. They were smart, brave, hardworking, and very friendly to them. They never looked down on them. These people were brothers who would stand by them at all times.
The other group was the Han people of the Great Zhou Dynasty. They were as cunning as foxes and always called them "barbarians", just like Zhu Kui and others before them.
Zhu Kui was shocked when he heard this, but a forced smile appeared on his face. "I heard that the chieftain of Qianzhou was still rebelling last year. How come he surrendered to your King Xu this year?"
Ah Tao, however, corrected him somewhat unconvincedly: "It's not the king, it's the city lord."
Zhu Kui curled his lips. "Yes, your City Lord Xu. I've heard there's a deep-seated blood feud between the natives of Qianzhou and the Han people! The chieftains of Qianzhou have been submitting for years, then rebelling for years, never completely obedient. How is it that your City Lord has been able to turn hostility into friendship with just one move? By the way, it seems your City Lord has only been in Qianzhou for less than half a year, right?"
Just as Ah Tao was about to speak, Jiang Yongkang raised his hand slightly and said with a smile, "It's nothing more than sincerity in exchange for sincerity. If we treat our native brothers with sincerity, they will naturally return our sincerity to us."
"That's right! It's about sincerity in exchange for sincerity!" A Tao agreed.
"The Han people in Qianzhou Prefecture treat us as brothers and never look down on us!"
"That's right! And the city lord takes good care of us natives. He never leaves us out when there's any benefit! Unlike you people in the Great Zhou Dynasty, who impose heavy taxes on the Miao people! Forcing us to hide in the mountains!"
Zhu Kui listened silently, but concluded in his heart: No matter what methods Xu Zhenying used, he could control the natives in a short period of time. Such ability is really rare.
No, he has to go back and remind the King!
This traitor in the southwest should not be underestimated!
Especially the firearms, he must get some useful information out of Jiang Yongkang today, otherwise Xiangshui Prefecture will hand it over to him, and he will definitely be reprimanded by King Ming when he returns!
Therefore, Zhu Kui appeared more enthusiastic throughout the dinner!
In the private room, everyone took off their weapons and left two seats at the main table, one for Jiang Yongkang and the other for Zhu Kui.
The two old foxes never mentioned the ownership of Xiangshui Prefecture. According to the agreement in their previous secret letter, whoever captured the city would own it. So now, Xiangshui Prefecture naturally fell into Jiang Yongkang's pocket.
The two men only talked about how to wipe out the remaining forces of the Big and Small Li Kings. Although the Big and Small Li Kings were badly injured, the two leaders were still hiding in the hinterland of the East and West Borders with half of their troops, and the fighting in this month would surely make them flee.
Zhu Kui drank a few glasses of wine, but then he saw the men in the room clapping their hands and laughing, "Young Master Jiang, the banquet is rather dull. Why don't you invite the singing girls from the brothels in Xiangshui Prefecture to liven things up?"
Jiang Yongkang explained with a smile, "I'm truly sorry for the poor hospitality, but please forgive me, General Zhu. Soldiers in Jin and Qian prefectures have rules: one, no visiting prostitutes, two, no gambling, and three, no drinking. But since General Zhu has come from afar today, I'm the only one making an exception to drink with you. According to the rules, I'll have to run 20 kilometers tomorrow as punishment."
"What?! You're the only one drinking?!" Zhu Kui was very unhappy. No one had ever treated him like this before. He was furious and annoyed. "It seems that our Ming Wang's reputation is not loud enough, so people are treating us like this!"
Jiang Yongkang quickly held Zhu Kui down, "General Zhu, what are you talking about? First, military orders are as strong as a mountain, and the city lord has many rules. We dare not disobey. Second, we just captured Xiangshui Prefecture not long ago, and Wang Yi's 40,000 bandits have not yet been completely wiped out and surrendered. We are getting drunk now, and I'm afraid no one will take care of us if something happens. General Zhu, when we really pacify the southwest, I will take off this military uniform and drink with you until dawn!"
Zhu Kui refused: "Let some soldiers stay alert!"
"Alas... this is the iron rule set by the city lord, and we dare not disobey it! For example, half a year ago, there was a soldier in our camp. Just because he drank a sip of wine from a newly opened wine shop while on patrol, he was reported and had to be expelled from the barracks." Jiang Yongkang sighed, looking at Zhu Kui and his men, and then pretended to be distressed. "This is such a pity! You don't know, the soldiers in our Jin and Qian states are very popular. The people are scrambling to join the army!"
"What?" Zhu Kui's subordinates shouted first.
Then, realizing his own loss of composure, he quickly picked up the bowl and took two sips before saying, "Is the enthusiasm for joining the army so high over there?"
It's no wonder they were shocked. In these troubled times, unless someone really couldn't make a living or had committed a serious crime, there would be millions of people who were unwilling to join the army.
Soldiers in the Zhou Dynasty were not well paid, and their salaries were often in arrears. Not to mention that being a soldier meant charging into battle. If you were injured or disabled, you would be sent back home for a few taels of silver.
Nowadays, what can a few taels of silver do? It's all I need to buy two prescriptions, not to mention my future livelihood. If I go back home, I'll be a burden to my family. It's better to die.
Jiang Yongkang smiled and said, "Of course. Our soldiers are well-treated, with a monthly salary of one or two taels of silver, which is never in arrears. Three meals a day, all buffet style. Oh, and by the way, buffet style means the dishes are laid out there, and you can help yourself to them. But there's only one rule: no wasting or taking anything away."
When the dozen or so generals under Zhu Kui heard this, their eyes immediately lit up.
Although they have reached a certain rank and no longer have their meals cut back, they still remember the days when they first joined the army, when each meal was rationed and they often had to fight on an empty stomach.
Not to mention the current chaos and war, the soldiers under his command are often hungry, and hunger makes them prone to mutiny.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Kui looked at Jiang Yongkang's men calmly.
As expected, they were all strong and powerful, tall and strong.
It is also easy to distinguish between the soldiers of Jinzhou Prefecture and the natives of Qianzhou.
The soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture looked stronger, their eyes sharper, and their movements were methodical, making it clear at a glance that they were not ordinary soldiers. The soldiers from Qianzhou Prefecture, while also strong, had darker skin and were thinner.
Someone immediately asked, "Are the soldiers in Jinzhou Prefecture treated so well?"
One of Jiang Yongkang's subordinates laughed and said, "It's more than good! Not to mention the monthly salary of one or two taels, nor the twelve sets of clothes for four seasons and the year-end benefits, let's talk about the most amazing one. As long as we serve in the army, no matter whether we are fighting, on duty, or on leave and returning home, no matter what the cause, as long as we don't take off this military uniform, if you are injured or disabled, the medical treatment will be free until you are cured!"
Someone asked in shock: "What if he died?"
"If you die, it'll be even more worth it!" The man laughed heartily, speaking with no fear at all. "After you die, your family will receive a lump sum of 20 taels of silver. There's money for your mother, your wife, and your children, plus a monthly stipend of 1 tael of silver. This subsidy will last until the children reach adulthood or their parents pass away. You can even be recognized as a martyr, and your children will get discounts on education and medical treatment. It's truly worth it!"
This person's words shocked everyone present.
Are the pensions for soldiers in Jinzhou Prefecture so high?
Not only do you give out twenty taels of silver, but you also give your family a monthly allowance?
How could the person in Jinzhou Prefecture be so wealthy?
For a moment, Zhu Kui and the others even suspected that this man was lying! But looking at the calm expressions of the surrounding soldiers, it seemed that his words were not empty words!
There seemed to be a huge wave in the hearts of Zhu Kui and the others.
With the Zhou Dynasty's wars in the past two years, it was common for military pay to be in arrears. Not to mention the soldiers under their command, even generals of high rank like them were very angry.
However, since following King Ming last year, this situation has eased a little. At least the monthly military salary is paid on time, but it is just enough to barely make ends meet. If you want to make a fortune, you have to rely on looting.
Who would have thought that these remote and impoverished Jin and Qian states would be so wealthy and powerful? Looking at their posture and the number of people, Zhu Kui silently estimated that the military expenditure for this year must be over a million!
God.
Zhu Kuike no longer dared to say that the city lord was a makeshift team.
If Xu Zhenying and his team are a makeshift team, then what are they?
Thinking of this, Zhu Kui and others couldn't help feeling depressed, so they drank a few more cups in silence.
Instead, the general beside him asked, "Young Master Jiang, why is your city lord so determined to ban alcohol? These soldiers are out there charging into battle, facing the flashing of swords and the clash of sabers. Who knows, they might die on the battlefield any day. How can you not even allow them to drink? This rule is too inhumane..."
"That's right! I'm afraid the soldiers are almost saying it out loud!"
"If soldiers don't drink, visit prostitutes, or gamble, then what's the point of being a soldier?"
"Our city lord established this rule because, firstly, alcohol can easily paralyze the brain and liver, especially in older people, causing hand tremors or loss of control. Our soldiers have trained hard for years. If we let our bodies suffer because of drinking, wouldn't that be more harm than good? Secondly, the city lord has said that drinking can easily cause trouble and lead to mistakes. He also dislikes those who indulge themselves. If someone can't even resist their alcohol addiction, then they certainly can't stand other temptations. Such a person is not fit to shoulder great responsibilities!"
"As for prostitutes, the women in our Jinzhou Prefecture are very valuable. Like us, they can serve in the military, work as officials, and earn money outside. In fact, in many families, women are the ones who carry the load. Not to mention that almost all prostitutes do not volunteer to work in the sex industry. They are either sold into brothels by their loved ones or abducted and deceived. They are all miserable people. The city lord said that we should focus on helping the miserable, not helping the world bully them."
"As for gambling, this gambler will not recognize his relatives when he gets to the table. We absolutely do not allow gambling in our military camp!"
These words were so powerful that except for the soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture who looked in agreement, everyone else looked shocked.
Even A Tao's expression changed slightly.
No wonder the soldiers of Jinzhou Prefecture all look well-behaved, completely unlike those lazy soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It turns out that even drinking and visiting prostitutes are not allowed in the camp. Only with such strict rules can soldiers like them be trained?
Zhu Kui was also shocked for a long time.
He considered himself a good general. He never took advantage of his subordinates' military achievements and was fair in rewarding and punishing. Therefore, his subordinates were quite respectful of him.
But compared with the soldiers from Jinzhou Prefecture, they are just like bandits!
Especially what Jiang Yongkang said: Help the poor people, rather than help the world bully the poor people.
For some reason, Zhu Kui felt very uncomfortable.
When he was young, his family was poor and his sister was bought by someone. Later he found out that the person was a famous human trafficker in the Jiangnan area, who specialized in selling beautiful women and training them into skinny horses.
Every time he saw the military prostitutes in the barracks, he always felt uncomfortable.
Although he did not touch prostitutes, he never stopped his subordinates from visiting prostitutes.
Soldiers charge into battle, living today and not tomorrow, so letting them indulge themselves is not harmful and will actually benefit the morale of the army. However, no one has ever cared about where those prostitutes came from or whether they have families or relatives.
As for whether he was willing, Zhu Kui didn't even dare to ask.
Which daughter from a good family would be willing to be a prostitute?
It's just that I'm forced by this world!
Jiang Yongkang's few words cooled the atmosphere. The people on Zhu Kui's side lowered their heads and drank in silence, feeling as if they were drunk with sorrow.
Jiang Yongkang winked at A Tao again, and A Tao understood and walked out quietly.
After a few drinks, Zhu Kui felt a little unsteady, but he didn't forget the purpose of his trip to the city. He held Jiang Yongkang's hand affectionately and said, "Let's not talk about those unhappy things! Brother Jiang, I'm very interested in your firearms. Didn't you say you would take us to see it? Why didn't you keep your promise?"
Jiang Yongkang smiled and said, "I'm here to drink with Brother Zhu. If Brother Zhu is really interested, we can go over right now. It's a good opportunity to take a walk and get some fresh air to sober up."
Zhu Kui was shocked, "Are you really going to let us see it?"
"Wasn't this what we agreed on from the beginning?"
"Aren't you afraid that after we see it, we'll go back and build one ourselves?"
Jiang Yongkang laughed softly, "Well... I'm not afraid. As for why, Brother Zhu will know once he sees me."
"Okay, Brother Jiang, you're an open-minded person. I'm determined to be your brother! Let's go..." Zhu Kui grabbed Jiang Yongkang's hand, and the two of them linked arms affectionately. "Let's go, let's go see the most powerful firearms!"
Now, everyone became interested.
People in Jinzhou Prefecture don't drink alcohol, so they have no interest in the banquet. They might as well take a closer look at the firearm.
However, the soldiers of Jinzhou Prefecture did not know why Jiang Yongkang was so generous to Zhu Kui's people.
Shouldn't this firearm be kept secret?
Is it really okay to let the enemy see it so openly?
However, since the top leaders have made the decision, they, the low-level soldiers, can only obey.
Zhu Kui's people were feeling depressed because they had no one to accompany them and they saw the differences between the two teams.
When they arrived at the place, Zhu Kui and others finally understood why Jiang Yongkang was not afraid of making the firearms public.
This thing... not to mention the extremely difficult design, even if they cracked the design, they still couldn't make it!
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