The Great Seminary

Chapter 85 Toughness
I practiced the divine cluster for most of the night using the method of natural perception.

At dawn, Zhang Gui teleported from his bedroom back to the deep mountain mushroom valley of Dongsheng Continent.

Then we crossed mountains and rivers and returned to Zhihai Village. It was already dawn.

In the village.

Zhang Gui's fifty personal soldiers were divided into five teams and began a day of inspection.

The remaining two 'half guards' make a total of two hundred guards;

four deputy 100 guards;
Ten team leaders;

One hundred regular soldiers;

The three hundred elite soldiers still retained their duties as officers and soldiers and went on board for training.

The remaining more than 3,000 people.

Whether it was soldiers or civilians, those who built houses built houses, those who were ironmakers worked as ironmakers, those who were grinding flour ground flour... everyone was doing their part, and there was no longer the dead air of the past.

But this is not Zhang Gui's ability to educate the masses.

But the vitality brought by the 50,000 taels of silver
……

The spring breeze blows.

Compared with the severe cold not long ago, it makes people's bones feel weak.

Zhang Gui strolled to the newly built commercial street next to the port and visited the first shop, 'Dagui Grocery and Sauce Factory'.

The business has opened.

The left half is filled with groceries such as oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea, and soap nuts.

In the middle are large jars of fish and shrimp sauce, chili sauce, pumpkin sauce and other pickles.

The front of the right half is filled with tables, chairs and boards, and behind it is a simple kitchen for making porridge and pancakes.

Although groceries are not sold at this time, it is comfortable and pleasant to buy some pickles, drink porridge and eat cakes for breakfast.

At the dock not far away, merchant ships would come in and go out from time to time.

Whenever a major war broke out in the North, the freight business in the South became abnormally prosperous.

transfer of industries;
those who are fleeing;
There was an endless stream of people coming to buy things from the government and gentry.

Even "cold locations" like Zhihaizhai Wharf have found their place.

Especially the famous or slightly famous docks such as Siyang County City Dock, Longmen Dock, and even Pingyang Town Warehouse Dock.

The mooring fees at the berth and the rents of shops near the pier are rising rapidly.

Small traders who are squeezed out of the bank can only find other ways to make a living.

At this time, Zhihai Village, which was headed by Zhang Gui, happened to open the port to replenish funds, citing difficulties in raising funds for militia training and military support.

After several months of preparation, the dock gradually became prosperous.

The businessmen who came and went did not know which governor was in charge of the military base and wharf here, and who was the one who took the opportunity to make a fortune from the war.

It is impossible for the old residents of Zhihaizhai not to know him.

When they saw Zhang Gui show up, several men who were slurping thick porridge and spreading sauce on hot flatbreads stood up without even putting down their chopsticks.

Although Zhang Gui had taught him not to kowtow, he still nodded and bowed, not daring to raise his head as he shouted, "I pay my respects to the governor."

"Alright, I've already told you that this isn't the time for sitting in the hall or reviewing, so there's no need to be polite when you see me."

Zhang Gui waved his hand impatiently and went to the kitchen. He filled a winnowing basket with hot pancakes and ate them while getting the sauce.

Before he even reached the jar of sauce, his mother had already scooped out a bowl of shrimp paste and handed it to her son.

“Eat heartily, and if you are thirsty, there is millet porridge.

Just now, your second aunt came over to deliver groceries and said that Zhang Liuqi from the Nei Sifang had sent her a message, wanting to see you.

Zhang Gui said indifferently:

"If you want to see me, just come to Zhihai Village.

She insisted that I go back to Pingyang Town and the main house and ask the doorman to pass on the message for me to meet her.

What a great honor."

"Are you so stubborn?"

"Of course." Zhang Gui laughed and reassured his mother.

Looking at the blue sea and sky in the distance, he said with a satisfied look, "What a wonderful day."

As they were talking, a large ship came with a tonnage of 20,000 tons.

The ship's name is written in gold in block letters on the port side, 'Shrimp Soldier Boat'.

On the deck, a scholar-like figure with three long wisps of beard nodded and greeted Zhang Gui. Zhang Gui narrowed his eyes and thought to himself:

"Shrimp Soldier Boat, Green Shrimp Demon, this Guan Xihui is really getting more and more daring and arrogant now, and he has even grown his goatee so much longer.

Isn't this equivalent to having the words "big pirate" engraved on your head and showing off your power in southern Xinjiang?

The big bandits operating in the sea areas of Ming and Song had been with the imperial court for a hundred years.
'If you don't plunder near the coast, I won't send troops to encircle and suppress you.'

Could it be that the Daohai Gang wants to make a move now and come from behind to gain the upper hand?

Or perhaps the Ming and Song dynasties have undergone major changes!"

Thinking of this, he felt a chill in his heart.

He finished the pancake in his hand in a few bites, put the winnowing basket on the counter, and strode to the berth.

The Shrimp Boat just dropped anchor and stopped steadily.

There were several battles in five months.

Zhang Gui's tough attitude towards the Pingyang Zhang family and the local forces in Pingyang County.

It made him and Guan Xihui really feel like "allies".

After all, when there is no conflict of interest between the two parties, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, which is an eternal truth.

As the weaker party, Zhang Gui consciously raised his head first and bowed to Guan Xi with a smile, saying:

"Spring is here and flowers are blooming. I just heard the magpie calling. Mr. Guan, you are here."

Since Zhihaizhai was opened as a port, more and more merchants have come here.

When Zhang Gui met the white paper fan of this new gang again, he called him "Sir" in front of others and "Gang Leader" behind his back.

The ship was a huge one, and the hull alone was more than five meters tall when it was out of water.

He looked up so hard that his head felt like it was going to fall off.

Guan Xihui jumped off the side of the boat and whispered to Zhang Gui:
"Commander Zhang, something big has happened."

Zhang Gui's heart sank. "But did the Ming Song court's army make a mistake in the war against the Yuanshan Kingdom?"

“The governor is really scheming, that’s exactly what happened.

Emperor Hezheng had made a big move a few days ago, sending out nine armies of a thousand-man army of Flower Dragon Cavalry to support fifty armies of ten thousand-man infantry and cavalry.

Fighting a fierce battle with the 45,000 households of Yuanshan Kingdom.

As a result, the main army was fine, but the Hualong Cavalry, which was in charge of the formation, wanted to make a flanking attack.

Changsheng Tiemu sent him to the Qiexue Royal Forest, where he was surrounded and killed by the two Wanhu Canglang Guards and Bailu Army.

The country is in a state of decline and is in imminent danger."

According to the military system of the Song and Ming dynasties, unless it was a militia unit similar to a civilian armed force.

The regular army's organization is 77 times 7.

Therefore, the "Thousand Flower Dragon Riders" does not mean one thousand Flower Dragon Riders, but two thousand four hundred and one.

This was also the highest organization of the national defense troops above the sixth rank in the Ming and Song dynasties.

As a result, because of their reckless advance, the nine thousand-general Flower Dragon Cavalry were suddenly wiped out.

Not to mention the actual loss of military power.

The blow to national prestige, national strength, military morale and public morale alone is extremely heavy.

Zhang Gui opened his mouth in surprise.

“Are round bullets meant to be fired?
That is used for nuclear deterrence!
That idiot actually fired the round bullet, and it was successfully intercepted by the opponent!"

"What are round bullets?"

“Ah, this thing is an ancient military formation magic weapon.

He can easily cause the sky to collapse and the earth to split, and destroy armies and cities.

But it is very easy to hurt both sides, so it is wiser to use it instead of actually using it, but then wait until the enemy is afraid and has no way to retreat. "

Guan Xihui savored it and nodded slightly.

The open-air pier is crowded and busy, so it is not suitable for discussing business.

Zhang Guidao:
"Mr. Guan, there are so many people here and they are talking too much.

How about we go to the backyard of the village office and have some tea and chat?"

"As it should be."

Lao Guan nodded and walked towards Zhihai Village Yamen with Zhang Gui shoulder to shoulder.

(End of this chapter)