Daming Yinghua

Chapter 434 Whistleblower

At the turn of Chensi, the morning market in Hetuala became lively.

In the past two years, from Kaitie to Fushun, the Ming Dynasty had closed the country to Houjin. However, the merchants with great dexterity either bribed the border troops or found small roads, and they could always make small daily necessities other than horses, grain, and iron ore, like sieves. Like the powder leaking from inside, it was gradually transported to Houjin, where supplies were extremely scarce.

Some cloth could also flow to Yiju in North Korea. This time, Yue Tuan Beile opened up the trade route to Huining. The bannermen who followed him not only transported food, but also brought food and clothing specialties from Chongjin, North Korea. Record the amount of money for each cow and sell them uniformly in the market.

Amidst the constant bargaining, Tong Xiyu's servant Li Gui found Ji Lantai who was picking up the goods.

Jilantai was startled, quickly glanced around, and walked towards the low wall behind the market, followed by Li Gui.

"Aren't you afraid of being seen by that Nikan woman in broad daylight? I said I would come find you in a few days." Jilantai said angrily.

Li Gui grinned: "Don't worry, I came over from the flag master's yamen. Your master has just entered the household department to take charge."

Gilante moved closer to the sun to get rid of some of the early spring chill.

"Looking for me in a hurry, what's wrong?" She asked Li Gui, stroking her palms.

"Yes. The Nikan woman went to ask our master yesterday to lend her some copper to cover her. Our master agreed."

Ji Lan Tai suddenly changed his face: "What do you mean? We buried Mu Zaohua in a trap, and now we are pulling her out?"

Li Gui took out a thin silver bracelet and coaxed: "Don't be angry, our master is either really going to wear a pair of pants with her, or he is going to treat her like a monkey and then use her as a money tree. Then what, this The bracelet is given to you by the master. If you wait another year, the master will let Mu Zaohua relax and allow you to follow me. Wouldn't it make her suspicious if I say it now? "

Ji Lantai put on the bracelet, still pretending to feel aggrieved, and let out a sigh: "I only wear it for a while, can I wear it all the time? No matter how stupid Mu Zaohua is, he will still ask me where I got it. Really? If you want to reward me, why don’t you just reward me with money? By the way, you won’t make cannons for Zhenglan Banner if you collect it?”

Li Gui was ordered to coax Ji Lantai today so that she could continue to be Tong Xiyu's eyeliner for a while. Hearing her last words, Li Gui softened and quickly continued to smooth her hair.

"Of course I listened to your idea and went to make copper coins. You are right, the copper from the Japanese country is very pure."

Jilantai rolled his eyes and asked, "You have to burn a big furnace to make copper coins, right? Are you afraid that other bannermen will ask?"

Li Gui chuckled: "How could our master be so careless? He did this outside the city. I won't tell you more, my dear, my dear, you must hold back your anger and don't report it. Mu Zaohua. Listen to my brother, I will serve Master Tong well and he will not treat me badly. I will sleep on the bed every day for at least a year. "

That night, Ji Lantai brought hot water for Mu Zaohua to soak her feet, and then went to the door of the small room next to the woodshed. He heard the manservant Zakshan snoring, and then returned and reported to Mu Zaohua. Li Gui's words.

"Outside the city..." Mu Zaohua thought for a moment and speculated, "A blast furnace is needed to smelt copper. It's too eye-catching. Tong Xiyu probably won't build a new one in her own village. She should use the existing furnace for making iron. The Great Khan allowed the Tong family to make their own armor for the war. Jilantai, which furnace do you think Tong Xiyu will use? "

Ji Lantai said: "Li Gui said that Tong Xiyu and her brother are getting worse and worse, but she and her nephew Tong Fengnian are still selling goods together in private without letting Tong Yangxing know about it. I guess, Tong Xiyu This time, I am also planning to mint money with Tong Fengnian."

Mu Zaohua nodded and ordered: "Tomorrow I will send Zakshan away and ask him to go to our village to see if Yu Ding has starved to death. You can go to Tong Fengnian's blacksmith alone to explore the situation."

Jilantai felt comfortable.

The master is still wary of Zakshan until now, but he already regards her as his confidant.

Jilantai also felt a little ridiculous. He was originally sent by the Great Khan to monitor Mu Zaohua, so how could he become a real master and servant with this Han woman?

Gradually, she wanted to go smoothly.

The Great Khan did spare her life, but he did not give her any more benefits. As for Mu Zaohua, in addition to being more capable than many bannermen masters and being kinder to Bao Yi, she would also listen to her talk about her unwillingness for her husband to die in the same clan's tribe, and how many women in the Tong family had a direct impact on her. He gained the hatred of the cold-blooded upstart who was the head of the family, and then told her without hesitation how to stop being trapped in hatred.

Moreover, once you have figured out a way, just do it without missing a moment.

Now that this Han woman has dispelled the doubts of the Great Khan and Baylor with her solid achievements, of course she can follow such a powerful master wholeheartedly.

"Master, I will definitely bring you good news tomorrow. I can't deceive Tong Yangxing and drag his eldest son and his aunt into the water together. This slave will be enough to relieve his anger."

Mu Zaohua didn't have a very expressive expression, but her heart was surging even more than Jilantai's.

Tong Fengnian, the stinky Tatar who killed Mr. Wu in Chongming, if she, Mu Zaohua, only assassinated Yu Hetuala, it would be too easy for the Tong family.

This time we want to see if, in front of the angry old chief, the Tong family will bite even their blood relatives in order to protect themselves.

Mu Zaohua quickly came back to her senses from her thoughts, and said to Jilantai with a smile: "Of course I trust your ability, Jilantai, I have met a lot of men, and you are more capable than many men." Like a seasoned hunter, when I take care of the Tong family this time, I will let you marry in glory."

Ji Lantai got excited and blurted out in panic: "Master, I, I don't want to marry that brat like Zakshan."

In the banner people's accounts, the master will not allow men and women to get married outside the house.

Unexpectedly, Mu Zaohua said sternly: "Who said I wanted to marry you to Zak Shan? The person I have chosen for you is Mr. Xia Bi Tie Shi."

The scholar from the Ming Dynasty who returned to Japan? When Gillante arrived, it was like licking honey.

Mr. Xia was very different from the man she died. To be precise, he was different from most of the men in Hetuala. He was not as fierce as a tiger or leopard, nor was he as dull as a roe deer. His expression was always I can't say whether it's warm or cold, a bit like Yue Tuo Baylor.

When Ji Lantai went to the household department to deliver food to the hostess, she met Mr. Xia several times. She was in her lusty youth and fell in love with this Ming Dynasty man.

When Ji Lantai hooked up with Tong Xiyu's servant Li Gui, it became less awkward later on. This was because while enjoying physical satisfaction, he secretly thought of Li Gui as Mr. Xia.

Mu Zaohua caught the unexpected joy in Ji Lantai's eyes, which might encourage this foreign subordinate's motivation to run errands.

Both Mr. Wu and Mrs. Zheng once emphasized that when setting up a situation, you must make full use of it. In addition to the main purpose, you should also identify as many friends and enemies as possible.

Therefore, before people, including Xia Wenming, pass the test, "Let Mr. Xia marry you" is just a cake drawn on paper.

"Jilantai," Mu Zaohua suddenly lowered her voice and said, "I don't like Zakshan. This time, give him a try for me."

……

With enough food to eat, Hetuala lived a relatively decent year.

Just after the first lunar month, in front of the main office of the Khan Palace, a knight dismounted, stood outside the threshold of the meeting hall, and said loudly: "Great Khan, the sentinel from the north has sent a message. Horqin Gege's team will arrive in about three or four days of walking." Hetuala. There are nearly a hundred horses in the dowry."

After hearing the report, Nurhachi felt very happy.

It seems that the Ming Dynasty did not go to Horqin to make a difference like Goulian Chahar did. Horqin's Taijis, in accordance with the previous engagement, sent their daughters over for marriage.

Huang Taiji followed his father's thoughts and respectfully suggested: "Amma, among the large tribes in Mongolia, after taking Horqin, we have to make friends with Luo and Karaqin. With the Ming Dynasty, we can trade with Chahar and rebuild Daning Town's style, my son guessed, they will also go to Haraqin next." Yue Tuan on the side also echoed: "Great Khan, my grandson saw the Zheng family's road when he was in Chongming. She knows how to use benefits to lure local snakes to be led by her. If Harqin turns to the Ming Dynasty like Lin Danhan, Horqin and the Taijis will also change their minds. "

Nurhaci nodded with satisfaction.

The Haixi Jurchens also used horses, but as war horses, they were not as good as the horses sent or sold by the Mongolian tribes. If they want to complete a conquest grander than Genghis Khan's, the Eight Banners disciples cannot do without the horses imported from Mongolia.

Huang Taiji and Yue Tuo's uncle and nephew were indeed the Jurchen aristocrats whose minds were most similar to his own.

When Nurhachi thought of this, he saw the two empty chairs in the meeting hall, and the look of joy on his face faded.

"Why are Daishan and Mang Gurtai sick again? Didn't they just look at each other during the family reunion dinner?"

Yue Tuo replied: "When my grandson paid New Year's greetings to the two eldest Belles in the first month of the year, they looked really good."

Huang Taiji frowned and said, "Did you deliberately avoid coming to discuss matters due to illness and smoke the divine crow ointment in the mansion?"

Yue Tuo caught a glimpse of the fierceness flashing in Nurhachi's eyes, and rushed to report: "My grandson didn't dare to offend the two uncles, so he asked Mu Zaohua directly. The slave said that she didn't have the crow ointment in her hand. Moreover, , she also dissuaded Sanbeile from continuing to smoke, saying that she was afraid that people would think that Sanbeile’s physical weakness was due to the use of Shencrow Cream.”

Huang Taiji narrowed his eyes almost invisible.

His sudden words were to test this loyal nephew to see if he was attracted to the Nikan woman and would defend her.

Now, after getting the answer he wanted, Huang Taiji will certainly not continue to ignite Nurhachi's doubts.

If the divine crow ointment was really harmful to the Jurchens' constitution, he wished Mang Gurtai would use it more.

Huang Taiji then nodded and said sincerely: "Yue Tuo is right. Doesn't this divine crow ointment also come from aphrodisiac? Previously, Ama drank the soup of aphron shell and the intestinal disease was cured. I guess that's why It's a good medicine. Besides, I see that woman also smokes the divine crow ointment."

Nurhaci held up his knees and pondered for a moment, but he still couldn't suppress his anger.

"You guys, after the discussion is over, follow me to Mang Gurtai's mansion to have a look..."

After a while, the guard brought someone to the door.

"Great Khan, Bao Yi Zakshan of the Ezhen family in Hubu has something important to report to the Great Khan."

……

Half an hour later, the cannon foundry east of Sanbeile Mansion.

Nurhachi stared at the copper blocks that his attendants brought out from the wooden house. Behind him lay seven or eight trembling craftsmen. Next to him stood Yue Tuan, who looked solemn, and Huang Taiji, who looked slightly suspicious.

"Yue Tuo, look carefully. Is this copper the Japanese copper you are talking about, or the brass from the Ming Dynasty in the west?"

No matter how much Yue Tuo wanted to save Mu Zaohua, he had no choice at this time. Hetuala went to Huining to collect copper. In addition to him and Mu Zaohua, there were other bannermen and attendants. Moreover, there was also Japanese copper in Huang Taiji's artillery factory, so it was impossible to hide it.

Yue Tuo could only say in a deep voice: "Hui Dahan, these should be brass."

Nurhachi said calmly: "How to tell?"

"Brass is as bright as gold, with only blue-green interspersed with it. As for Japanese copper, purple or dark red can be seen on the surface, so it is also called red copper."

As soon as he said these words, Zak Shan, who was also kneeling on the ground, felt his heart finally fall to the ground.

Two days ago, when Ji Lantai and he were on their way to inspect Mu Zaohua's farmland, he said with embarrassment that he had discovered that Mu Zaohua and other Zhenglan Banners who were going to Huining to transport copper had concealed the truth. He found out about the robbery of the copper mine and got away with it by stacking the brass in the yard.

Zak Shan asked Ji Lantai why he didn't report the Khan, and Ji Lantai wondered why. The master of Zaohua treated him very well, and he didn't want the seller to seek glory in exchange for the opportunity to get rid of his cloaked identity.

At this moment, Zak Shan saw that he had indeed made the right bet. He leaned closer to Nurhachi in a coquettish and eager manner, and said in a coquettish tone: "The Great Khan is the true son of all the slaves of our Daikin, and Zaohua'e is the true son of her." If you have lied to the Great Khan, you are no longer worthy of being your slave’s master. You must report to the Great Khan immediately.”

Nurhachi looked down at the bare head on the ground and chuckled: "Well, you are a good slave who knows your duty."

As soon as he said these words of approval or ridicule, Mu Zaohua was brought in by two of Nurhachi's personal guards.

The moment she knelt down, Mu Zaohua looked at Yue Tuo in horror.

Yue Tuo felt his heart twitching again, but he suppressed his nervousness and said in a calm tone: "The Khan has something to ask you, just tell the truth."

Mu Zaohua obviously also saw the copper block on the ground. Before Nurhaci could say anything, she said in a trembling voice: "Excuse me, the Khan, but this slave is because I am afraid that a single oversight will become a major crime and be punished." The servant was unwilling to make any more cannons for Dajin because of the small matter of wrapping, so he brought some brass first. However, the slave did this just to avoid trouble, and waited until he went to Huining in March to collect the Japanese copper. You can pour the barrel as usual.”

Nurhachi stared at Mu Zaohua coldly for a moment, then turned to ask Huang Taiji: "You and I told Ben Khan that it's not possible to use copper blocks from the Ming Dynasty to make cannons, right?"

Huang Taiji replied: "The copper blocks in the Ming Dynasty had a lot of miscellaneous materials and were difficult to smelt. The copper liquid cooled unevenly during pouring. Later, when the cannon was fired in battle, the barrel was prone to explosion. Therefore, the part used by my son was also used. The Japanese copper brought back by Yue Tuo."

Nurhaci turned his eyes and found that Yuetuo had walked to the other side of the yard and then stepped into the smelting room where the fire was blazing.

Soon, he ended his investigation and walked quickly to Nurhachi.

"Khan, what looks like a cannon barrel over there is either a clay mold or a wax mold. The smelting room is also full of molten iron and iron blocks, not copper."

Mu Zaohua, who was lying on the ground, as if grasping a life-saving straw, added: "Yes, Khan, the reason why miscellaneous copper cannot be used was the slave who took the initiative to say it. How could a slave really use miscellaneous copper to make cannons. "

Nurhachi ignored her and walked to Jiangtou's head.

The carpenter's surname was Ji, a Han Chinese, and he was the one Mu Zaohua always insisted on calling "sir". Even when Sanbeile Manggurtai occasionally came to visit the artillery range, Mu Zaohua did not change his name to Ji Carpenter. slave".

"Do you know that copper is wrong?" Nurhaci asked coldly.

Carpenter Ji's head was shaking like a sieve, and he managed to speak: "Hui, Hui sweating profusely, Zaohua Ezhen said early in the morning that copper was a bit fishy, ​​so he ordered his slaves to try making small iron cannons first, without getting any copper. Ezhen will use the copper It's locked in the shed, and the key is only kept by the slave. The slave doesn't dare to look at it, because after the copper block is melted and purified, it is still valuable even if it is not used to make firearms. The slave has to avoid suspicion and not go in and out of the shed often. "

Nurhachi's expression softened a little, and he turned around and asked Mu Zaohua: "Then where did you get these miscellaneous coppers?"