Chapter 265: The Women of Jinzhou Prefecture Are All Tigers
The firearm was completely black, about two meters long, and had four wheels underneath, probably for easy transportation. On top of it was an iron pipe as thick as an adult man's arm, extending coldly towards the sky.
It is impossible to tell what material it is made of, but its hardness far exceeds all the ironware in the Zhou Dynasty. When you tap it lightly, there is a clear and crisp echoing sound.
Zhu Kui's men even climbed up and knocked on the firearm.
A Tao, who was standing aside, felt like his heart was bleeding. If Jiang Yongkang hadn't reacted, he would have wanted to pull that man down with one hand!
They treated the firearm with as much care as they would their ancestral tablets.
But Zhu Kui and his gang of wild boars started to touch him right away!
Even after seeing it with his own eyes and touching it with his own hands, Zhu Kui still couldn't believe it. "This thing can really blow down the city wall?"
"Not only city walls, but even mountains can be penetrated! So you'd better be careful and don't get blown away!"
"What?!" The generals under Zhu Kui were frightened and immediately let go, no longer daring to touch the firearms.
A Tao held back his laughter.
Zhu Kui was extremely disappointed. "This...this...I can't tell what this is."
He had always considered himself somewhat knowledgeable about weapons; he could tell how most weapons were made after just a few glances. So, he figured, if he just glanced at the legendary "firearm," memorized the rough outline, and went back to the craftsmen to study, he'd eventually be able to figure it out.
But the other party let them see it openly, but they couldn't figure out what it was no matter how hard they looked.
"Don't say General Zhu can't see anything. We're the same. This thing has a very sophisticated structure. Even if you take it apart, you still won't understand it!"
Zhu Kui was somewhat shocked. "Who on earth could have come up with such a magical object?"
The surrounding soldiers laughed and replied, "Who else could it be? Of course it's our city lord! Our city lord is no ordinary person. They say he's a god from heaven who has descended to earth!"
Zhu Kui developed a strong curiosity about the legendary "city lord" of Jinzhou Prefecture.
What kind of person could come up with such a powerful weapon?
But Zhu Kui was more interested in something else. "So how much does this thing cost?"
Jiang Yongkang smiled and said, "How would we know? This is a matter of military logistics. We just use it."
There was a hint of disappointment on Zhu Kui's face.
A Tao on the side saw it clearly.
After talking for so long, Jiang Yongkang didn't reveal any key information!
Was this to intimidate them, to let them know the disparity in strength between the two sides, and hopefully make them afraid to fight? Or was there some other purpose?
The young general beside Zhu Kui was even more demanding: "Mr. Jiang, could you please show us this powerful weapon? We've heard it can blow down city walls; it's the most powerful weapon in the Great Zhou Dynasty!"
Ah Tao said, "That won't do. Every shot is worth money! Even though this thing is small, it's more valuable than gold! Every shot is worth at least several thousand taels of silver!"
In fact, A Tao didn't know the price, but he felt that Zhu Kui's subordinates were very unruly. He was even more worried that they would really take a fancy to this firearm, and it would be bad if they went back to study it.
The young man was a little embarrassed.
But Zhu Kui immediately understood the hidden meaning.
If firing a single shot is so valuable, it only proves that this weapon cannot be built and used on a large scale!
Whose money can withstand such treatment?
In other words, although this weapon is powerful, they don't have to be too afraid of it.
But he also had to go back and inform His Majesty the King Ming immediately so that His Majesty could make preparations early.
"My brother is right! Forget it, forget it, let's not talk about these things. We finally won the battle, let's go drink!" Jiang Yongkang saw that the situation was almost going well, so he pulled Zhu Kui back, still smiling and coaxing him, "If you are interested in these firearms, you may as well join us. Our city lord is eager to recruit talents, and heroes like you will definitely be welcomed by our city lord. As long as you join us, we have plenty of these weapons, you can take a look!"
Zhu Kui's face flushed from drinking, but now he said with a serious expression, "Young Master Jiang, please don't joke. His Majesty the Prince Ming has been so kind to us, how could he abandon him?"
"Alas, as troubled times are about to break out, it's only natural to find a good time to rest in a beautiful tree. I think Brother Zhu has great talent, and our City Lord is a rare talent, valuing friendship and loyalty, a true hero in troubled times. Furthermore, the City Lord has already taken over Xingyuan Prefecture, Bao'an Prefecture, and Xiangshui Prefecture, and now owns five prefectures. In just over a year, the City Lord has become the most powerful person in the southwest. Following our City Lord, your future is limitless!"
Zhu Kui was horrified: "You have already taken over Xingyuan Prefecture? Is this true?"
Jiang Yongkang smiled, "Of course it's true. Our city lord is now in Xingyuan Prefecture. If you don't believe it, you can send someone to inquire."
Zhu Kui's men were also shocked.
Xingyuan Prefecture, that is one of the richest places. Beyond that is Henan Prefecture, which is already approaching the city of Bianjing!
Not to mention that Xingyuan Prefecture is almost located in the heart of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and its geographical location has unique military advantages.
It seems that the Great Zhou Dynasty is really about to die. It is indifferent even when the enemy is almost at its doorstep!
Jiang Yongkang smiled and asked, "Do you know how old our city lord is now?"
Zhu Kui said nothing. In the southwest, there were many bandits and rebels of all sizes were swarming like fish in the sea. Xu Zhenying was not conspicuous among them.
However, he had heard that Xu Zhenying was not very old and seemed to be under the age of 20.
As for the legend that she might be a woman, Zhu Kui thought it was pure nonsense!
This is simply a slanderous rumor spread out of thin air!
What woman could achieve such an accomplishment?
Which woman could have so many elite soldiers and generals under her command? !
Which woman could invent such a powerful firearm?
Jiang Yongkang's eyes were filled with pride. "Our city lord is only fifteen years old this year! She's a true genius! Just imagine how long her political career will last!"
Zhu Kui and others were secretly surprised.
Fifteen? That's still a young boy, right?
A fifteen-year-old boy not only owned five provincial capitals in just over a year, but was also able to hold the local people of Qianzhou tightly in his hands and use them for his own purposes, not to mention that she had to support so many people, which meant that her ability to make money was also first-class!
Jiang Yongkang is right, this is truly a genius!
If they were not enemies now, Zhu Kui would really like to meet the biggest leader of the Qingtou Gang in person!
But that's all.
Zhu Kui considered himself a soldier of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and naturally he was irreconcilable with a traitor like Xu Zhenying. Even if Prince Ming was also a rebel, he was at least of pure blood and a son of the previous emperor, so they could be considered a just army with a legitimate cause.
It is absolutely impossible to let him become a bandit and rebel!
Zhu Kui deliberately put on a stern face and said, "Brother Jiang, we are loyal to His Majesty the King Ming. Don't mention such things again!"
Jiang Yongkang was naturally pleased to see that things were going well. When the two of them returned to the center of the banquet, he poured more wine for Zhu Kui: "Okay, General Zhu, let's not talk about business today, let's just drink!"
Zhu Kui and Jiang Yongkang had a great chat, and after a few drinks, both of them felt a little dizzy.
It’s just that on Jiang Yongkang’s side, he was the only one drinking, while the others only ate the dishes.
Zhu Kui and others had never seen such a scene before, and naturally felt neglected at first. However, after Jiang Yongkang explained the three commandments and they visited the firearms, the anger of being neglected unconsciously changed.
Look at their military appearance and military regulations, no wonder it was so easy to capture Xiangshui Prefecture.
No wonder they fought their way to the meeting point so early.
I have to admire it.
After three rounds of drinks, Jiang Yongkang and Zhu Kui were both helped back by their subordinates.
The people from Xiangshui Mansion warmly invited them to stay overnight and cleaned up the rooms in the restaurant. Zhu Kui and others could not refuse their kindness, so they had to carry the drunk Zhu Kui back to his room.
As soon as Jiang Yongkang's men left, Zhu Kui's men looked at the man's receding back warily, then turned around again, and only felt relieved after confirming that they were not being monitored.
When the man returned to Zhu Kui's room, he saw Zhu Kui already sitting beside the bed. Although his face was still flushed, his eyes were clear and he didn't seem drunk at all!
The two soldiers who had gone to inquire about the news in the city had returned and were now reporting to Zhu Kui what they had seen and heard in Xiangshui Prefecture today.
"General, their firearms are real! Almost all the people in Xiangshui Prefecture said they heard a deafening sound, like a dragon turning over, and many houses collapsed. Some even said they saw people on the city wall being blown up more than ten meters into the air, with arms and legs broken. Judging from this, the firearms are really powerful!"
They no longer had any doubts about this.
The hole blasted in the city wall is irrefutable evidence.
"Several of the generals under the Li Kings refused to persuade them to surrender and were killed as soon as they entered the city. The other 40,000 or so men are now housed in the military camp. I spent half a day among them and discovered that most of them are local civilians who were forced to join the Li Kings in rebellion. They have no loyalty to them at all. Therefore, they don't mind the Qingtou Gang taking over. They even look forward to being soldiers in Jinzhou Prefecture, saying that they can receive a salary of one or two taels of silver a month."
Zhu Kui frowned, "How did they get this information?"
"That's how cunning these young thieves are! It's said that every time they capture a city, someone with red silk tied to their sleeves, some propaganda officer, comes and starts telling them how good life is in Jinzhou, how they're distributing land and grain, and how they even have that cowpox vaccine!"
Zhu Kui disagreed, but was still curious: "What is the cowpox vaccine?"
The man hesitated, "It's said to be a special medicine for preventing and treating smallpox in Jinzhou Prefecture! As long as people are vaccinated with this cowpox vaccine, they will never get smallpox!"
"What?!" Zhu Kui's heart skipped a beat, and he nearly fell off the bed. "A lifetime without smallpox? Is this true?"
The man shook his head. "Those propaganda agents from Qianzhou Prefecture are saying it. I don't know if it's true or not. But the common people can't tell the difference. They all think the cowpox vaccine is a miracle cure. They're just too happy to be Xu Zhenying's subjects, and they're looking forward to the cowpox vaccine!"
Zhu Kui's breathing became a little rapid. "No wonder when I entered the city today, I found that most of the people in the city were so happy!"
"That's not all. I also heard from the crowd that Xu Zhenying has an excellent reputation among the people in the southwest. It's no exaggeration to say he loves the people like his own children! Jiang Yongkang and his men set out all the way from Qianzhou Prefecture, with only 20,000 soldiers, and they made it to Xiangshui Prefecture almost unimpeded! This is because the people along the way have been expecting them to attack, and some even spontaneously forced the county magistrate to surrender the city!"
Hearing this, Zhu Kui felt his scalp tingling!
When did such a monstrous figure appear in the Great Zhou Dynasty?!
There are actually people who voluntarily surrender the city?
Zhu Kui's heart was beating like a drum. He felt that this matter was unbelievable, but there seemed to be clues to follow.
Just from Xu Zhenying's three military orders, no visiting prostitutes, no gambling, and no drinking, one can imagine what kind of people are under his command!
Oh no, this person is definitely a great enemy of His Majesty the Ming King!
Your Highness was wrong, and so was the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty! They had actually ignored the traitor Xu Zhenying because of the remoteness and inconvenient transportation in the southwest region!
Now Xu Zhenying already owns five prefectures and cities, becoming an untouchable giant! Needless to say, this has only been a little over a year!
What if we give him another year? !
Thinking of this possibility, Zhu Kui's mind was in a mess, and he suddenly panicked. He even wanted to rush back overnight to explain the situation to His Majesty the King of Ming in person, and turn his guns to the southwest!
Thinking of this, Zhu Kui almost immediately got up from the bed and said, "General Zhang, listen to my orders and reorganize the army immediately. We will leave Xiangshui Prefecture immediately--"
General Zhang on the side said, "General Zhu, there's a curfew in Xiangshui Prefecture. As soon as we leave this gate, I'm afraid Jiang Yongkang will find out the next moment!"
Zhu Kui looked a little confused.
Yes, doing so would alert the enemy!
Seeing that Zhu Kui had understood, General Zhang continued, "Why don't we pretend we know nothing, rest for a night, and say goodbye tomorrow morning? Otherwise, if we rush out now, it will definitely arouse their suspicion!"
Zhu Kui was helpless. "This is the only way. Everyone, stay alert and don't fall into a deep sleep. Even though Jiang Yongkang and the others are treating us with courtesy, I still feel a little nervous inside."
"I know. I'll assign two more brothers to keep watch."
As for Jiang Yongkang, he wiped his face with a handkerchief and became much more sober.
He stood by the lake where the green lotus had withered, looking at the dim lights on the lake, but he couldn't help but think of that person.
She...should be in Xingyuan Prefecture now.
Now that he has taken over the two prefectures, if all goes well, he can even take back the city in Zhu Kui's hands. This means that this time they will truly step onto the stage of history, attract the attention of all parties, and step into the center of the power struggle storm.
But these should be a piece of cake for her.
It just seems like I haven't seen her for a long time. She has such a busy official workload that I wonder if she has lost weight.
Her fifteenth birthday is coming soon. What gift should he give her?
Fifteen years old is such an important day for a girl.
In the Zhou Dynasty, turning fifteen meant one could get married.
However, Xu Zhenying never seemed to pay much attention to his age and birthday. He was afraid that he would be busy all day, so he just passed the day casually.
Somehow, Jiang Yongkang felt a little sorry for the thin girl.
He still remembered that the last time they met was in Qianzhou Prefecture. She spoke to him through the curtain of the carriage, the curtain fluttered, and the night wind blew a strand of her hair. She had a light and elegant fragrance on her body, which made people slightly intoxicated and intoxicated.
Perhaps because he had drunk some wine, Jiang Yongkang allowed himself to be a little unrestrained. Then, when he heard the footsteps of his personal guards, Jiang Yongkang came back to his senses.
It turned out to be good news for Zhang Wanjun.
Zhang Wanjun led her men to encircle the city from the rear, setting off ahead of them and going directly around the back of Fancheng. Almost all the soldiers in Fancheng followed Zhu Kui out, but it was just an empty city. Zhang Wanjun easily captured Fancheng.
In this way, Jiangling Prefecture, which Zhu Kui had previously occupied with great effort, was now under the attack of him and Zhang Wanjun. As long as they persuaded Zhu Kui to surrender, Jiangling Prefecture would naturally be in their pocket.
Giving her three prefecture cities as a gift for her fifteenth birthday should be sincere enough.
Jiang Yongkang smiled faintly. Ah Tao, who had been observing Jiang Yongkang for a long time, saw that he had been somewhat gloomy before, but now his eyebrows and eyes were full of joy. He couldn't help but ask, "Minister Jiang, what good news has happened? Could it be that the city lord has sent us another powerful weapon?"
At this point, Jiang Yongkang no longer needed to hide the truth from everyone, so he smiled and said, "Zhang Wanjun and her men have robbed Zhu Kui's hometown, and now Fancheng is ours. Now we just need to persuade Zhu Kui to surrender, and Jiangling Prefecture will also become ours!"
I learned the term "stealing home" from Xu Zhenying.
Ah Tao was startled. "Zhang Wanjun? That Zhang... Deputy Lord?"
Ah Tao didn't know Jiang Yongkang's battle plan, so when he heard that Zhang Wanjun had taken Fancheng, he was naturally shocked. "But Zhang Fujun is a woman! And a civil servant!"
Seeing Ah Tao's shocked expression, Jiang Yongkang smiled and said, "You usually pay attention to the officials in Qianzhou Prefecture. How could you not know that Zhang Wanjun is a retired soldier? She used to be the chief instructor of the female soldiers. She is both civil and military, and her military combat skills are also top-notch among the female soldiers!"
A Tao was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth.
He also met Zhang Wanjun with the village chief. In his impression, the deputy lord was a gentle and polite person. Although she was a woman, she spoke and acted very efficiently, and was definitely not inferior to men.
He thought that the female soldiers in Qianzhou Prefecture were just for show, and were only there to maintain order or handle matters big and small in the city!
But he never expected... this woman could really lead troops in battle!
Jiang Yongkang smiled and said, "I told you, don't look down on the women under the City Lord. Take this surprise attack, for example. It was the work of Zhang Wanjun. If she hadn't come up with the idea of attacking from behind, we wouldn't have been so successful this time!"
Ah Tao truly surrendered this time: "I dare not, I will never look down on you Han Chinese women again! Each of you is too ferocious!"
Jiang Yongkang thought of that man again, and then patted A Tao on the shoulder and said, "That's not right. The women in Jinzhou Prefecture are all born in the Year of the Tiger! If you see one, you'd better avoid it!"
A Tao was frightened and stunned.
Although Zhu Kui was in the enemy camp, he reminded himself to be alert. However, he had drunk some wine and been exposed to some wind, and had a headache. He went to bed and slept until noon.
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