In a tent in the military camp, a dozen Guanning Army soldiers gathered together.
A Guanning Army soldier holding a package was kneeling among the crowd and being interrogated.
The leader pointed at the kneeling soldier and said, "Wu Laoer, do you want to confess?"
The soldier named Wu Laoer looked very innocent: "Why are you confessing? I am innocent!"
"Unfair?" The little leader kicked the package on the ground, and a crisp and pleasant metallic collision sound came from inside.
The little leader continued to question: "There are hundreds of Ming Dynasty silver coins in this box. Your monthly salary is only two taels. Where did you get so much money?"
"It was given by General Bakyong." Wu Laoer replied.
"Bakyong?" The little leader was a little surprised. "He betrayed our general at the critical moment. Now he is the Ming army and we are the Qing army! Why did he give you money? Did he ask you to persuade us to surrender?"
Wu Lao Er laughed: "Persuade to surrender? If I had that ability, I would have been promoted long ago."
"Then why are you here with the money?" the little leader continued to ask.
"Send money! The imperial court had already issued the salary, but your Lord Wu has been holding back. When the imperial court found out, they wanted to investigate the responsibility, but your Lord Wu surrendered to the Jian Nu."
"Bullshit!" The soldiers immediately yelled, "It is the court that is in arrears with the pay, how can it be said that Lord Wu is not paying the pay?"
"You may not believe my words, but you must take the money. The court knows that we have been fighting with our lives, and also knows that we have been owed wages. So the court prepared another penny and gave it to General Bakyong. General Bakyong asked me to risk my life to bring the money here to share with the brothers."
The little leader glared and said, "What a joke! We have already surrendered to the Qing Dynasty and become Qing soldiers. Will the Ming Dynasty government reimburse us Qing soldiers?"
Wu Laoer replied, "This is the salary for January and February! The court said that although the brothers have surrendered to the Jiannu now, they sold their lives to the court in January and February and did not surrender. They will not pay for the future, but they must pay for the lives they sold back then."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present felt very guilty.
"I betrayed the court, but the court still cares about me. I am such a fucking piece of shit."
"Don't say it. I feel bad about it."
"Divide the money. After that, it's time for me to leave." Wu Laoer stood up and said.
"Where are you going in the middle of the night?" asked the person next to him.
"Of course I'm going back to Fushun! The court has prepared money for everyone who was owed wages. I can only take a little at a time, and the rest is in Fushun." Wu Laoer replied.
The more Wu Laoer said this, the more guilty the people present felt.
At the end of the conversation, a group of burly men actually burst into tears.
In another tent, the Ming army who delivered money to them said something different.
"Everyone, the money has been delivered. I have to go back."
"What are you doing back home so late at night?"
"This is a life-threatening mission. The court promised that as long as I deliver the money to you, I will be given a month to visit my family. My wife and son are waiting for me at home!"
The Guanning Army has been in Liao for several years.
Although they wrote letters home on a daily basis, words alone could not alleviate the soldiers' homesickness.
Especially in this situation.
They had followed Wu Sangui and joined the Qing army, but their families were still citizens of the Ming Dynasty.
Should we continue to surrender with Wu Sangui?
Or should I run back early to see my family?
Everyone at the scene fell into deep thought.
The stars are moving in the night and the morning light is dim.
Wu Sangui was sleeping soundly when he was awakened by shouting outside the tent.
Hu Xinshui shouted in a deep voice: "Sir, something happened, sir!"
Wu Sangui stretched and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Before dawn, I sent hundreds of scouts to Fushun. Nearly half an hour has passed, and they haven't returned yet."
"Send more and explore again!"
"Yes." Hu Xinshui turned and left.
Wu Sangui got up, washed his face with cold water, had a simple breakfast, and then set out again for Jiefan Village to ask for military pay.
Of course, when I arrived at Jiefan Village, I happened to meet Shang Kexi coming down the mountain.
Looking at Shang Kexi's livid face, Wu Sangui clasped his hands together and said, "Brother Shang!"
"Brother Wu!" Shang Kexi also clasped his hands together.
Wu Sangui asked: "Who are you angry with?"
"No one." Shang Kexi shook his head.
"I'm new here, so please take care of some things, Brother Shang." Wu Sangui bowed deeply to Shang Kexi.
"Hey," Shang Kexi sighed and asked, "What are you doing here? Prince Rui is angry!"
Wu Sangui whispered, "The Guanning Army has been cut off from pay. I want to ask Prince Rui for some money."
Shang Kexi immediately pulled Wu Sangui aside and whispered to him, "Don't mention money. I mentioned money to Prince Rui and he scolded me."
Wu Sangui took a half step back and asked in a low voice: "The Qing Dynasty... is short of money?"
“That’s quite a shortage!”
"How...how much is missing?"
"The two blue flags haven't received their salaries for three months, and the two red flags have also been owed more than two months' salary. The two yellow flags and the two white flags have used goods instead of silver. In name, they haven't owed any salary, but the things they have been issued are things that are not used on a daily basis, which is actually the same as owing salary."
"The situation is so serious!" Wu Sangui felt a little regretful.
His purpose of surrendering to the Jian Nu was not only to save his life, but also to have good food and drink.
Judging from the current situation, it would be good enough to have coarse food, let alone delicious food.
But he had no way out.
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