Daming Yinghua

Chapter 459 The Taste Is the Same

Soon, the guards outside the house announced that the great prince had also arrived.

After Nurhaci nodded, Daishan walked in and knelt down to pay respect to his father.

"Get up and sit down," Nurhaci stared at Daishan, who was already over 40, and pointed at Mu Zaohua, who was also given a seat. "Zaohua's mother said that the weapons used by those Korean musketeers you brought were something that her former bad master from the Ming Dynasty had never made."

Daishan had smoked the magic crow ointment sent by Manggurtai. He was depressed at first but then became more active during his stay in Huining. It was all thanks to the Han woman who had surrendered to the Jin Dynasty. He no longer regarded Mu Zaohua as a low-ranking servant. He said calmly, "Have you ever tried to see how far a gun can penetrate armor?"

Mu Zaohua replied respectfully, "My Lord, I went to Degelei to ask for the Ming army armor and cotton armor seized from the victory at Emaocheng. I tried them all. I also tried our shield carts which are more powerful than those of the Ming army. I think the Korean spears can shoot farther than the muskets sold by Zheng Haizhu to Liaodong."

Daishan breathed a sigh of relief, but did not dare to show any intention of seeking credit. Instead, he said to Nurhaci in a serious tone: "Father, the Kaiyuan defender Ma Lin's ancestors came from Xuanda. Unlike Li Chengliang and others, Ma Lin can use chariots. We can just use small cannons and muskets to deal with him."

Nurhaci drank a mouthful of ginseng soup, and no longer spared his praise for Daishan. He said in a deep voice: "Before the Dragon Boat Festival, how much grain can you still have from the crops grown by the bannermen and the tributes given by that so-called Gwanghaegun to curry favor with us?"

Daishan calculated carefully, reported the number, and asked Nurhaci whether he wanted to advance the autumn offensive.

Nurhaci narrowed his eyes and smiled grimly: "Second brother, when you came back this time, did you hear that several guerrillas under Li Rubai were rioting for pay?"

Daishan nodded, "My father, when Yuetuo received the grain, he told me that there were serious disturbances in Weining Fort and Lianshan Pass. There was also an old lieutenant general who took his servants back to Tieling, saying that he was going to the west to do business. If the military fort without a garrison commander was not too close to Yagu Pass, the Ming army would definitely send troops to help. Yuetuo said that he wanted to take his men to occupy it directly."

Nurhaci sneered, "The emperor of the Ming Dynasty, as their own people say, is mean and ungrateful. This has always been the case. The new Liaodong governor must be someone who cannot have a say in front of the emperor. He went to the Ministry of War and made a scene but failed to get any money. I heard that they are forcing the merchants in Liaoyang to donate money. There has been a lot of turmoil these days."

Daishan expressed his flattery with surprise: "Amaren, you know what the governor did in the capital of the Ming Dynasty?"

Unexpectedly, Mu Zaohua said, "How could the actions of those corrupt officials in the Ming Dynasty be hidden from the Khan? Didn't Mao Wenlong in Zhenjiang..."

She stopped abruptly.

Furthermore, since he had been appreciated by the Khan for his various achievements, it would be extremely disrespectful for a Han slave to interrupt the conversation between the Khan and the Beile.

But before Mu Zaohua was about to kneel down and confess, Nurhaci waved his hand to stop her, and said to Daishan with a clear sense of pride in his tone: "The officials of the Ming Dynasty's Ministry of War went to find Mao Wenlong to complain. They said that he was selling goods for his own benefit, eating empty salaries, and allowing his servants to harm the Koreans in Yizhou Xuanchuan."

Daishan glanced at Mu Zaohua: "This Mao Wenlong, isn't he friends with your former evil master? Isn't your evil master still a high official in the Ming Kingdom? Shouldn't she say a few words to Mao Wenlong?"

Mu Zaohua said attentively and with a hint of sarcasm: "People in the capital of our Great Jin have sent news that Zheng is no longer so favored by the Emperor of Ming. I guess it's because she offended many people in the fight for military pay, and she went to the Emperor to make trouble, which annoyed the Emperor. Khan, Lord Beile, she is just like that. She thinks that being able to get money is the most amazing ability in the world and she is not afraid of anyone. In fact, those officials in Ming are the most vicious."

Dai Shan suddenly realized something and said, "So, the Ming army in Dongjiang Town might need to change its commander? At least the morale of the army will be unstable for a while."

Nurhaci put down the bowl of soup and said to Daishan, "Well, how can we miss such a great opportunity? Our horses should have given birth and gained weight by May. Your brothers have asked their Niulu to start recruiting people."

Daishan pretended to be excited and encouraged: "Father, my son's flag soldiers of the Zhenghong Banner have also been transferred from Huining."

Nurhaci said, "Send three Niulu here first, along with the hundred or so musketeers, to follow Yuetuo into battle. You can take ten Niulu armored soldiers with you to garrison Emao City and Kuandian, and keep an eye on the movements in Liaoyang for the Zhenglan Banner who are staying in Hetuala. The rest of the Zhenghong Banner will stay in Huining to guard the grain. If we send troops to open up Yuantieling in May, even if we can get a lot of money and money from the people, the bondservants cannot do farm work, so the grain in Huining is a guarantee."

Daishan thought to himself, as expected, in the first good battle after the establishment of the Great Jin Dynasty, my father, in addition to his own two yellow flags, brought his most beloved Huang Taiji and Yuetuo to Kaiyuan and Tieling for a good looting. Naturally, the people and wealth looted went to Huang Taiji's Plain White Banner and Yuetuo's Red Banner, which got the most.

But he already had a granary base in Huining, and secretly received the collusion and promises of the deposed Joseon Emperor Gwanghaegun. He was no longer as resentful and angry as before, and only nodded and agreed to his father.

But I heard my father slowly say: "Speaking of the Zhenglan Banner, have you visited Manggurtai since you came back?"

Daishan said honestly: "Father, I went to see my fifth brother the day before yesterday." "Doesn't he look more like a half-buried person than this Khan?"

"No, no, what is Ama talking about? Ama is in good health..."

Daishan complimented her while glancing at Mu Zaohua's expression.

As soon as he returned to Hetuala, he heard from the younger beiles that Uncle Manggurtai rushed to the Ministry of Revenue office next to the Eight Banners' duty room and asked Mu Zaohua for the magic crow paste. Mu Zaohua refused, saying that she had already reported to the Khan. Because the Third Beile was too weak to be nourished, eating the magic crow paste would be counterproductive. Manggurtai then drew his knife to stab Zaohua Ezhen, but was stopped by Beile Yuetuo who came rushing over.

The day before yesterday, Daishan was at Manggurtai's house and heard his younger brother, who used to be closest to him, cursing Yuetuo, Daishan's biological son, for having an affair with Mu Zaohua.

Daishan didn't feel embarrassed at all. Whether it was his brother or his son, in his eyes, he was just the leader of a banner, a powerful enemy that he might have to face in the future when he joined forces with the King Gwanghaegun of Joseon. They were currently fighting for the favor of a Nikan woman, and what Daishan was concerned about was the Khan's attitude.

"Haha," Nurhachi sneered a few times and suddenly turned to Mu Zaohua and said, "You are right not to give the Third Prince the divine crow ointment. This Khan still hopes that he can get well one day and take the Zhenglan Banner with me to conquer Shenyang and Liaoyang. Well, now that we have finished the business, you can take out the good stuff."

Mu Zaohua hurriedly waved outside the house, and her maid Ji Lantai came in quickly, carrying a bundle.

Nurhaci watched Mu Zaohua and Ji Lantai open their bundles, revealing three beautiful copper pipes and a packet of Shen Ya paste. He said to the ignorant Daishan, "Abahai has been curious about this for a long time. Today I will let Mu Nucai teach her how to eat it."

Daishan had once come into contact with the magic crow cream, but because Manggurtai was stingy, he only had a small amount. After that, when he went to Huining, he thought about it for a while, but finally gave up because he had not yet found out the way of the Korean merchants. The addiction gradually dissipated. This year, when he met Li Xun, a subordinate of Gwanghaegun, he asked about it again. Li Xun promised to help him find it, and Daishan began to yearn for the magic crow cream again.

When he saw Mu Zaohua bringing this thing today, Daishan's memory of the feeling of ecstasy, as if the scene of his invincible conquest, suddenly became clear.

But Daishan thought about Manggurtai's recent situation and managed to maintain an indifferent expression.

Nurhaci rarely showed a fatherly expression and waved to Daishan: "You haven't tasted it for a long time, let's eat together. The servant Zaohua said that this thing is like fine wine. Don't be greedy like Manggurtai, and it will help to invigorate blood and replenish qi. During the meeting, I saw Degelei also smoking, and wanted to try it. The servant Zaohua was really bold. She refused to let the Khan touch it, saying that she was too old and couldn't stand it. The Khan came back and told Abahai about it. She said that she was the same age as Zaohua and it was fine to eat it."

Daishan felt relieved after hearing these words.

His father was not testing whether he was addicted to the magic crow ointment like Manggurtai.

Mu Zaohua crouched down and came to the kang, fiddling with the pipe and tobacco paste, teaching Abahai how to smoke.

Daishan no longer pretended to be restrained. He took the remaining copper rod on the table and skillfully put the tobacco paste into the pipe.

The servants who were serving on both sides immediately lit lamps and lit cigarettes for their masters.

Nurhaci continued to ask about Huining's scenery in a leisurely tone, but his eyes were on Mu Zaohua and Abahai.

The three pipes were held by their respective owners for a while, and Nurhaci suddenly said to Daishan: "Second brother, your pipe should be exchanged with Zaohua's."

Daishan was stunned for a moment, but after a few breaths, he did as he was told and exchanged the weapons in his hands with Mu Zaohua.

A strange look suddenly appeared in Mu Zaohua's eyes.

"Great Khan, did I do something wrong?"

Nurhaci ignored her and asked Daishan, "Does the stick in your hand smell like the magic crow paste?"

Daishan was a little confused. After taking a few deep puffs, he replied in confusion: "Father, it tastes the same."