Chapter 316: Military Funds Are Tight, and War Horses Are Borrowed

Chapter 316: Military Funds Are Tight, and War Horses Are Borrowed

Chapter 316: Military Funds Are Tight, and War Horses Are Borrowed
Two days passed quickly.

The news that Lu Yunyi, the commander of the front army's scout unit, had been suspended from his post spread widely in Kunming City and became known to everyone.

At first people didn't care, but when they knew,

After learning that Lu Yunyi was the one who married Miss Mu San, he was shocked.
He was secretly afraid of Xiping Hou's ruthlessness and impartiality, and at the same time paid attention to him.

However, there are too many things in the army that the common people cannot know.

However, the many speeches in the martial arts hall were spread more and more.

Originally it was only spread in a small area.

But now, there is a desire to spread outside Kunming.
Even peddlers and hawkers knew what "the sin is committed in the present, but the merit is gained in the future" meant, and they gradually learned about the killing of prisoners.

This did not arouse the people's resentment.
Lu Yunyi's reputation among the people is getting higher and higher.
Just like before, the people saw it very simply.
Anyone who is not of my race can be killed, since we are all defending Yunnan anyway.

Lu Yunyi had already guessed about the change in public opinion.
The messages exchanged in recent days also fully illustrate the trend of expanding public opinion.

And, he keenly discovered,
The expansion of public opinion is no longer limited to a small part of the past. Someone is behind it.

These forces started from teahouses and restaurants and slowly spread outward.

It's just that there are some storytellers of unknown origin in Kunming these days.

Often appear in wine shops and tea houses,
It even appeared in the markets where Lifu merchants often gathered, which is why it spread so widely.

As for who is behind this?
There was no need for Lu Yunyi to think, it must be the power of Xiping Marquis Mansion.

In today's Ming Dynasty, storytellers are the government's biggest mouthpieces among the people, with many government offices behind them.

Whatever these people say or do, they have their own agenda.

Today's storytellers are naturally fermenting public opinion.

At this time, Lu Yunyi was looking at the summary of the past two days.
It records in detail the changes in public opinion among various groups of people.

and the trend of public opinion diffusion determined by location classification.

Seeing this, he nodded repeatedly. After a few days of practice and improvement, the soldiers who carried out this task became more and more skilled.

At this time, the sound of light footsteps accompanied by a burst of fragrance came.
Mu Chuting, dressed in white, walked in cautiously.
Although she was wearing a woman's hairpin, she still looked a bit cold and aloof, as if keeping people at a distance.

But once she entered the study, the coldness on Mu Chuting's face disappeared instantly.
Instead, she was replaced by Wenwan, a married woman with a smile on her face and her pace quickened.

She approached carefully, Lu Yunyi looked up, and the two looked at each other and smiled.

Mu Chuting came to Lu Yunyi and leaned over to sit on his lap.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, rested her head on his shoulder, and whispered softly:

"Husband, everything is ready, we can set off now."

Lu Yunyi felt the softness in his arms and smiled gently:
"Okay, let's set off tomorrow.
I have been in Yunnan for a long time, but I have never seen the beautiful mountains and rivers. What do my father-in-law and mother-in-law think? "

"What do you mean?" Mu Chuting raised her head, looking surprised:

"Of course it's great. Father has also sent a guard of a thousand men to protect us along the way."

As she spoke, Mu Chuting's face was covered with a few blushes. She leaned her head closer and said softly:
"Mother didn't say anything, but just told Ting'er to pay more attention and get pregnant as soon as possible."

Lu Yunyi blinked his eyes gently and pursed his lips.

Looking at the many documents on the table, I couldn't help but feel very strange.

"Not now, I still need to look at the documents.
Duke Cao has been managing military affairs recently, and some matters still require his guidance.
Otherwise, the army will be in chaos."

Speaking of Li Jinglong, Mu Chuting couldn't help but have a strange expression.
They felt it was extremely strange that Duke Cao came to their house eight times in one day.

Mu Chuting said with a puzzled look on her face. She blinked her eyes slightly and saw that it was already noon.

"Why hasn't Duke Cao come yet? He's here before my husband even gets up..."

Lu Yunyi also reacted, with a look of confusion on his face:

"Maybe there's something going on in the army. I guess they'll be here soon."

After hearing this, Mu Chuting's face suddenly showed some urgency, and she was eager to try.
She quickly held him tighter, her voice soft and her face flushed:
"Husband~"

"When Duke Cao comes, you will have to discuss military affairs again, and Ting'er will be left out again."

"Uh okay."

Lu Yunyi thought about it carefully and decided that since it was a vacation, of course he wanted to have fun, so he did not refuse.

He put his hand under Mu Chuting's legs, wanting to carry her away.
But Mu Chuting tensed up and rejected this plan.
"Husband, why bother so much."

As she spoke, she turned around and looked at the particularly large desk and the bed not far away for rest.
"There are no outsiders here."

Lu Yunyi's eyes suddenly widened after these few days of work.

He found that women in ancient times were only conservative towards outsiders, but not conservative at all towards their spouses.

He had a smirk on his face and leaned closer to whisper:
"Ting'er doesn't usually look like this. She looks so fairy-like in her white dress, which makes people feel cold."

Mu Chuting rolled her eyes at him and snorted:
"You should do this in front of outsiders, but you don't have to do this with your husband~"

"hey-hey."

The Yunnan Provincial Government Office is located in Kunming City.

At this moment, it was just like any other day, with clerks and officials coming and going in an endless stream.
Among them were not only officials and clerks from the Dusi, but also people from the other two divisions.
Because the southwest is currently at war, the other two offices must be dispatched by the Commandery.

In fact, the highest-ranking of the three yamen in the Hongwu Dynasty was the Military Commandery, which was in charge of the military and political affairs of a province and was the highest local leadership body.

The Provincial Civil Affairs Commission was responsible for the civil affairs of a province and was the highest local administrative body.

The Supreme Court was responsible for supervising criminal and judicial affairs in a province and was the highest local supervisory judicial institution.

This is reflected in the official position. The commander-in-chief is a second-rank official.
During the Hongwu Dynasty, he was on par with the six ministers and held great power.

The Minister of State Administration was a second-rank official, and the Chief Justice was a third-rank official.

This process progressed step by step and thus formed the governance structure of one province in the Ming Dynasty.

But there are exceptions to everything. In the inland provinces of the Ming Dynasty where wars rarely occur,

The power of the Military Commandery is being seized by the Provincial Administration Commissioner.

This was because the governor controlled most of the money except for military and government money, and also had the right to nominate officials in the provincial government offices.

After taking control of finances and personnel, the Dusi had no wars to fight and his power was further weakened.

In border areas, the situation is exactly the opposite.

The southern and northern border towns were not only garrisoned by vassal kings, but also by many military governors.
The Military Command Office was still able to control the power in its hands, and this is the case with the Yunnan Military Command Office now.

With the existence of Pingxi Hou, the Chengxuanzhengshisi almost became the office of the Dusi, running around busily.

At this time, in the inner hall of the Dusi,
This place is antique and has several figures sitting in an orderly manner.

The atmosphere in the room was particularly solemn and no one spoke.

At the top was Su Yunzhou, the second-rank commander-in-chief.

He was an old man in his fifties, skinny, with a gray beard, and no expression or mood on his face.

Among the commander-in-chief, the associate governor and the assistant magistrate, one of them is in charge of the affairs of the office, called the seal-holder, who is responsible for the overall management of the commander-in-chief's office.

One person was responsible for training the troops, and the other was responsible for farming. They were called Qianshu, and were responsible for military training and agricultural production respectively.

The rest were in charge of patrol, military equipment, grain transport, military exercises in the capital, and defense.

Those who are not responsible for specific duties and only hold an official position are called "salaried" and are just an honorary title.

In the Yunnan Military Command, the Commander-in-Chief Ning Zheng was in charge of military affairs in Jingdong.
Feng Cheng, who co-governed the Dusi, also managed the military affairs of the Jinchi Guard.
Nowadays, many affairs of the Dusi are led by Su Yunzhou, the seal-holder.

At this moment, he was sitting at the top, quietly drinking tea from his cup, with no sign that a fierce quarrel had just broken out.

After a long silence, an old man in his fifties at the bottom sighed softly.
His name is Liu Yangwen, the right councillor of the provincial government. He is usually responsible for the preparation and coordination of military supplies.

He said in a deep voice:
"Lord Su, we cannot gather the military supplies needed by Lord Ning and Lord Feng on the front line.

Armour and weapons are being worked on day and night, and they are needed everywhere.

Not to mention bows, crossbows and long arrows, the daily consumption is a number that I dare not even imagine.
That would be fine, but I just don’t understand why there are so many siege weapons?
It is really impossible to build a workshop. Even the workshops of merchants in the city have been requisitioned.

We still can’t make it in time. The weapons the commander wants will take time!”

Listening to his complaints, even though many of the adults present were powerful people, they couldn't help but sigh.

Someone tried to persuade him, "Master Liu, we understand your difficulties.
But you also need to understand our difficulties.

Lord Feng and Lord Ning on the front line are in need of military supplies to fight.
How can we, the people in the rear, not do our best? "

Hearing this, Liu Yangwen immediately glared at him and said, "Sir Wang, your face is thicker than the city wall.
All the previous military supplies had been delivered, but the sudden increase of nearly 30% caused such panic and tension.

It’s not that I can’t get it out, it just takes time!!”

"Master Liu, you need to think of a solution.
Now the Jinchiwei outside Dali, Youyubu and Pingshanao are all ours.

We can't let the soldiers use their usual weapons to fight the enemy, we have to replace them just in case."

At this point, Liu Yangwen seemed even angrier, and waved his hand:
"Speaking of the Dali defense line, I get really angry. Why should a good defense line be expanded outward?

After all this trouble, the provincial government had to spend nearly 200,000 taels of silver and conscript countless civilians.

I know this is inappropriate.

But the Heyang Guard and Henghai Guard, who were in charge of Yongping's defense, had just sent over documents this morning.

He demanded a large amount of military funds and war horses, and bluntly stated that the situation was urgent.
Where did I find so many weapons?
What's more, there are 3,000 war horses? The defense line has been expanded, what's the use of war horses? "

Liu Yangwen's voice was up and down, and he was firing at full power, suppressing the whole audience by himself.
All the adults present looked at each other and looked around.

Seeing that no one spoke, Liu Yangwen became furious and turned to look at Su Yunzhou who was sitting above him:
"Sir Su, I am not complaining.
But now almost all the war horses that can be mobilized in the entire Yunnan Dusi have been pulled to the front line.
The provincial government really couldn't find any war horses.

If possible, I will take my donkey and help the Luchuan war."

After these words were spoken, all the adults present looked helpless.

Once the war started, those who stayed behind not only had to bear the pressure from the front lines,
They still had to argue in the back all day, so now these words were still very polite.

Su Yunzhou, who was at the top, pursed his lips.
He stretched out his hand and pinched his brows, a smile appeared on his face, quite kind:
"Master Liu, please understand.
Now the Pingshan Pass from Dali to Jingdong has been blocked, but this does not mean that Luchuan cannot come to Dali.
If they pay enough,
It is still possible to take a detour through the mountains and forests and enter Dali.

In this way, the defenders of Jinchiwei and Pingshanao could not move rashly and could only rely on the defenders of Yunlongzhou and Yongping Defense Line.

As you know, Yunlong Prefecture is going to start building watchtowers these days.
These matters were personally assigned by Lord Feng and Duke Cao. We must not be careless and must not allow the enemy to disrupt them.

In this way, if there is a war, the task of stopping the enemy will fall on the Yongping guards.

However, the Heyang Guard and the Henghai Guard were both infantry, so it was inconvenient for them to pursue the enemy.
So it is only natural to ask for some war horses.

There are now 10,000 soldiers defending Yongping City, so asking for 3,000 war horses is an exaggeration.
I think that if Lord Liu could squeeze out one or two thousand war horses from somewhere else, it should be enough.

After all, it’s just a precaution, and the people from Luchuan haven’t arrived yet.”

"One thousand? Not even a hundred!"

Liu Yangwen refused to give in. He stared with his eyes wide open, his gray beard blowing back and forth like an angry lion.

He then said:
"Sir Su, why are the troops from the capital so hypocritical?
It would be fine if the defenders of Yongping asked for military equipment, after all, it is located on the border and they are still at war.

What about the front scouts? Aren’t they staying in Kunming City? "

As soon as these words were spoken, many people who had been absent-minded quietly raised their heads, with inexplicable flashes in their eyes.

Someone asked with some doubt:
"The front-line scouts are also asking for weapons?"

Liu Yangwen's expression changed back and forth, and finally he nodded in frustration:

"Duke Cao came to ask for it personally, how can I not give it to him?"

Liu Yangwen looked up:
"Sir Su, I have already checked the weapons that were replaced by the front scouts.
There are only some wear and tear, but they are still usable. Why not send them to the front line first?"

"Master Liu, stop talking nonsense. How do we use the weapons we replaced?"

Liu Yangwen looked over and saw that the person who spoke was a general in his thirties.

There was a sneer on his face:
"Master Chen, I don't understand. I have asked around.
The standard for replacing weapons for the front-line scouts has changed.
Long swords should be replaced after three battles, bows and crossbows should be replaced after fifty shots, and saddles should be replaced when they are worn out.

Not to mention the firearms, which were only used twice and then all replaced.

They are all intact weapons, how can they not be used on the front line?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of everyone present changed slightly, and they all looked a little strange.

At this time, Su Yunzhou, who was sitting at the top, waved his hand gently:
“There is no need to say more about this matter. The front-line scouts have experienced fierce fighting, so it is only natural for them to replace their weapons.

You can't just let the horse run without letting it eat grass."

At this time, the elder surnamed Chen frowned slightly and spoke in a deep voice:
"Sir Su, but now the military equipment is tight.

The front army scouts are stationed in Kunming City and are not needed for the time being. Wouldn't it cause trouble if we replace the weapons at this time?"

As soon as he finished speaking, several adults present who had never spoken before forgot about the past and had strange expressions on their faces.

His name is Chen Shuhan, and he is the deputy commander of Yunnan.

On weekdays, he was not responsible for specific military affairs, but was "paid".
Now the Dusi is short of manpower, and some generals are away fighting.
So he had a specific job, responsible for the defense of Kunming City, but it was more of a title than a substance.

The three government offices are all here, as is the Xiping Marquisate, so he doesn't have to worry about the defense of Kunming City.

But even so, Chen Shuhan cherishes this position very much.

He is the commander-in-chief.

This was because his grandfather, father, and two elder brothers were generals under the command of Duke Ying, and all died during the expedition to Yunnan.

Only then was he granted the position of a deputy magistrate of the Dusi as a token of his favor and honor.

Even though he didn't have much power, he still wanted to do something.

Therefore, he would participate in every discussion within the department to show his diligence.

Su Yunzhou, who was sitting at the top, stared at Chen Shuhan again and again.

Then he looked at some colleagues who were looking at him obscurely.

I sighed in my heart and said to myself silently:

"This silly kid, when someone else instigated him, he rushed forward excitedly."

Su Yunzhou pursed his lips and spoke in a deep voice:
"Sir Chen, the front scouts are now in need of weapons for the defense of Kunming City.
Besides, Duke Cao was the commander of the Beijing Army and was in charge of the affairs of the front army scouts.
He came to ask for it personally, so we have to give it to him."

"Can"

Chen Shuhan raised his eyebrows and wanted to say something, but Su Yunzhou, who was sitting at the top, raised his hand to interrupt him:

"Well, the weapons have been issued, the matter is settled, so stop arguing."

Chen Shuhan couldn't express what was in his mind.
He could only open his mouth helplessly, and his straight back shrank back in disappointment.

At this time, Liu Yangwen, who had been looking at him, blinked.

He suddenly raised his head, took a breath, and looked surprised, as if he remembered something.

Seeing everyone looking at me,

He sighed again in disappointment, pulling back and sighing.

"I know of a place with war horses, but I can't use them. What a pity. Alas."

But, strangely,
No one responded after the words were spoken, and the room suddenly fell into silence.

I noticed the atmosphere was a bit awkward.
Chen Shuhan looked around and felt that he had the lowest status here and should not let his words fall on the ground, so he opened his mouth and said:

"Lord Liu, where is the warhorse?"

"Where else can it be? Of course it's in Kunming.
The front army scouts had nearly 8,000 tall grassland horses.

It's a pity to leave it in the city like this." Liu Yangwen said while shaking his head, but he replied very quickly.

"You actually have so many war horses? It would be a shame to leave them unused."

"The horses on the grassland are much better than our Yunnan horses."

"General Lu was able to achieve such great achievements thanks to these war horses!"

As soon as the conversation started, the originally quiet atmosphere suddenly became noisy, and everyone started talking at once.

Chen Shuhan blinked his eyes as he listened to each sentence, and his mind began to ponder.

Soon he weighed the pros and cons in his mind and spoke hesitantly:
“I wonder if I can borrow a group of war horses from General Lu, no, from Duke Cao?
Didn’t Lord Liu say that only a thousand horses would be enough?”

As soon as these words came out, the originally noisy atmosphere became heated.
The adults present seemed to have heard some brilliant advice and all echoed it.

"Yes, yes, Master Chen is right."

"The front army scouts only have 5,000 soldiers, so it won't be difficult to borrow 1,000."

"It's very important, border defense is still very important."

(End of this chapter)