Dongjiang Town will definitely be established this year, or at the latest in two or three months.
But the emperor was clearly still unsure about who would command Dongjiang Town. Mao Wenlong was a ready-made candidate, and Luo Sigong had come to investigate. He was also investigating not only Dongjiang but also Denglai.
After decades of career as a Jinyiwei, Luo Sigong still has a good eye for people and is even better at analyzing and judging other people's temperaments and personalities.
Zhu Youxiao gradually came to realize that historical records are not that reliable and historical figures are not that simple.
Mao Wenlong has both praise and criticism. Those who praise him call him the Great Wall of the Sea, a hero who resisted the Qing Dynasty, and a major threat to the Later Jin Dynasty. Those who criticize him accuse him of breaking the law, colluding with the enemy and plotting treason, and being guilty of crimes that deserve death.
Zhu Youxiao believed that people are complex and not always the same, and it is not surprising that people change according to changes in external conditions.
After Mao Wenlong was first established in Dongjiang Town, like most newly appointed officials, he was naturally eager to show himself and achieve results.
However, it was quite normal that Mao Wenlong gradually became domineering and arrogant in the lack of constraints and the chaotic political situation in the late Ming Dynasty.
Instead of waiting until problems arise before making changes, why not take preventative measures in advance and nip uncertainties in the bud?
Why was Mao Wenlong left unchecked? Why did different people give different accounts of the situation in Dongjiang Town? Why did they have to wait until he was fully grown before assigning personnel to him, only to cause his dissatisfaction and resistance?
After receiving the order, Mao Wenlong ordered his deputy Chen Jisheng and the generals to go down and speed up preparations. He warmly entertained Luo Sigong and his party.
Luo Sigong looked relaxed and at ease, but he slowly carried out the emperor's instructions.
"These people were originally my subordinates." Luo Sigong called over a few Jinyiwei and introduced them to Mao Wenlong. "The leaders are Yang Jie and Fang Dingbang. They are both good at intelligence and reconnaissance. They will obey General Mao's orders in the future."
Luo Sigong waved his hand, and several Jinyiwei bowed to Mao Wenlong and said, "I pay my respects to the general."
Mao Wenlong was a little confused. He quickly raised his hand to support the other party and said, "No need to greet each other." However, his expression was complicated. He didn't know what these Jinyiwei meant by staying by his side. Surveillance? Assistance?
Luo Sigong smiled faintly and asked the Jinyiwei: "Talk to General Mao, what are your duties?"
Among the Jinyiwei, only Yang Jie had a unique image: a slightly plump, middle-aged man with a perpetual smile. If he were dressed differently, you'd definitely mistake him for the attentive owner of an inn or restaurant.
Yang Jie bowed, his smile growing wider as he said, "We are responsible for gathering military intelligence externally and eliminating spies internally. General Mao will be the one to dispatch the personnel you need. As subordinates of General Mao, how dare we interfere with his military command?"
Luo Sigong nodded and said to Mao Wenlong with a smile: "They are General Mao's subordinates. General Mao can order them around as he wishes."
That being said, Mao Wenlong also knew that he couldn't send these people to fight. They were spies, and they had already made it clear.
"I understand." Mao Wenlong bowed to Luo Sigong and said with a smile, "These brothers are smart and strong. I am very grateful to have their help."
Luo Sigong nodded slightly, and continued: "I also sent a few heroes from the capital. When the emperor saw their superb riding skills, he asked them to come to General Mao to gallop and kill the enemy..." After saying this, he showed a bit of a wicked smile.
Mao Wenlong also looked strange after hearing this. He had never expected the emperor to punish the dandies in the capital in this way. But knowing the family backgrounds of these dandies, he could not help but grin.
Zhang Zongbao of the Huaining Marquis Zhang family, Zhao Huizu of the Wujing Marquis Zhao family, and Zhang Junneng of the Shoucheng Marquis Zhang family...
Luo Sigong saw Mao Wenlong's embarrassment and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, just give them a small punishment and a big warning, let them suffer a little. These bastards, after eating a few meals of coarse food and seeing the horrors of the battlefield, how can they not change their temper? General Mao, don't worry. I have sent people to take good care of them."
"Lord Luo is very thoughtful." Mao Wenlong breathed a sigh of relief.
Mao Wenlong had no control over whether Luo Sigong's people treated these second-generation rich kids well or badly, nor did he want to. But if he were to come, he would have to deal with it in a way that was neither too light nor too heavy, which would be a real headache.
Until now, Mao Wenlong still couldn't figure out Luo Sigong's intention. Was he just sending a few intelligence officers, or was he sending these second-generation rich kids to suffer?
These are definitely not the case, Mao Wenlong knew it without even thinking about it.
And apart from the one in the imperial city, there is probably no one else who can appoint the great god Luo Sigong to visit the small Pi Island to care for the beggar soldiers in Dongjiang and the refugees in Liaodong.
His Majesty is interested in Dongjiang!
Mao Wenlong didn't know what it meant for the time being, but he was certain that as long as this task was done well, the situation in Dongjiang might change dramatically.
As they discussed and negotiated, the atmosphere on Pi Island had already heated up. Refugees and soldiers alike were delighted and rushed to share the news.
Rice is cooked in a big pot, and the aroma of rice is everywhere; the slaughtered pigs and sheep are chopped into bone-in pieces and stewed together with cabbage and radish, and the meat aroma is tempting.
Although the food was not plentiful and not elaborately prepared, it was a rare delicacy for the Dongjiang soldiers and civilians who were rushing around in the cold wind and snow and living in a hurry on the deserted island.
In Dongjiang, where the standard of happiness is to be able to eat enough, being able to eat meat and drink meat soup is definitely the happiest thing.
Teams of Dongjiang soldiers lined up under the command of their officers to receive weapons and equipment.
There was not much armor, so it could only be distributed to a small number of people such as officers; as for the soldiers, they either had swords and shields or spears, but at least everyone could get a mandarin duck battle jacket and a felt hat (Fan Yangli).
The mandarin duck battle jacket is red, knee-length, with narrow cuffs and cotton lining, and is also known as the "red fat jacket." Knights often wear a double-breasted jacket for easier riding.
Even the lowest standard of equipment made the Dongjiang soldiers, composed of refugees, excited and thrilled. Dressed in clothes and hats, armed with guns and swords, at least they were no longer a messy beggar army.
not to mention--
"The emperor's grace is boundless. Long live the emperor, long live the emperor, long, long live the emperor!" Holding the three taels of silver tightly in his hand, Feng Datie knelt down to express his gratitude along with his companions in front, behind, and on both sides.
Three taels of silver is a lot. In fact, according to normal calculation, it is only more than one month's salary for a Ming army soldier.
But as a veteran of the Liaodong Army, Feng Datie, who had been there for more than two years, had never received so much silver.
In his memory, being able to provide the standard of four months of discounted color and eight months of original color every year was already something he was very grateful for.
The so-called "zhese" means silver, while the "bense" means grain. But what kind of grain is distributed? The better ones are "mixed with sand and chaff", while the worse ones are "soaked in manure".
Not only was the amount of silver available, but most of it was withheld by officers. On average, ordinary soldiers in the Ming army received only about four cents in military pay, and some received only two and a half cents.
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