open sea

Chapter 897 Borrowing the Way
Yang Gao lived up to Chen Mu's high expectations, and he returned to his old job after being released for half a day.

According to the report from the inspection department, Yang Gao, who was beaten so hard that he couldn’t walk, returned to the small courtyard he temporarily rented, and even helped people tell their fortunes. up.

There was indeed a family who went to see him, a family of four, parents with two children.

Yang Gao looked at the man, shook his head and said that this is poor life, there is nothing to say, don't want Tongbao; looked at the woman, also shook his head, said that although there are some prosperous husbands, there are also ups and downs in life, and it depends on the mutual support of the two. There is nothing to say about having sons and daughters, don't want Tong Bao.

Looking at the little girl, her eyes lit up, and she groaned twice while covering the robe that covered her buttocks, saying that the little girl has a good luck, that she will meet noble people in the future, and that her parents should take good care of her.

When I finally saw the little boy, hey, I suddenly wanted to get up from the couch, propped myself up and said that this little boy will have a great fortune in 15 years, and he will charge money for this, Tongbao fifty!

To please the aboriginal parents who just learned Chinese, they not only gave him fifty tongbao, but also brought him a basket of turkey eggs, saying that they would nourish the old god.

When this matter reached Chen Mu's ears, he laughed happily, and said to Zou Yuanbiao who came to report: "This fortune teller is quite good at manipulating people's hearts, so keep staring at him. If he doesn't do something big, let him first." Stay in town."

After all, he said to Zou Yuanbiao: "Why did you come here today, you didn't just come to tell me about it, did you?"

Zou Yuanbiao was the magistrate of a large county, so why would it be just because a wandering alchemist came here on a special trip, he took out an official document written in both Ming and Western languages ​​from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Mu, saying: "Marshal, this is the post station just passed the border An official document from the Western Kingdom."

Spanish?

Chen Mu took the official document, which was well sealed with wax. He raised his eyes and glanced at Zou Yuanbiao. The bald magistrate was stretching his neck to look over. He smiled awkwardly at Zou Yuanbiao, took a step back, and couldn't help asking curiously: "Marshal , what is written on it?"

To be honest, people like Chen Mu are very incompetent, but any official who works in the military government, if he enters the military government after the imperial examination is over, it will be difficult for him to make further progress in his official career if he is transferred to the Ming Dynasty. people.

But Chen Mu didn't care. His prestige was based on his incomparable foresight and his unmatched view of the big picture, which no one else could match.

For a long time, his orders were absolutely correct, which is the source of his prestige.

The letter was sent by the Duke of Alva, mentioning that due to the treaty between Ming and Western countries, the army stationed in Chile has moved to Peru. He needs to transfer part of the army from Peru to the New World. He hopes to borrow the port of Changsheng County between this year and next. The Spanish soldiers entered Mexico City from Peru via Changsheng.

The letter also specifically wrote the two Ming Dynasty years, the seventh year of Wanli and the eighth year of Wanli.

"It seems that they are all learning Chinese, but why isn't this letter written by Yang Junzan?"

Chen Mu patted the letter on the table, and said to Zou Yuanbiao and his staff: "The soldiers from Chile have been withdrawn to Peru. There is no need for Peru. Alva wants to transfer them to Mexico City. He wants to borrow from Chang Sheng."

Zhao Shizhen's eyes lit up: "Marshal, the toll!"

Zou Yuanbiao's expression became more serious: "Marshal, let the false ways destroy Guo!"

"Forget about tolls, Alva can't afford much money now, let alone a few thousand steps, how much tolls can he charge, as for the false roads."

Chen Mu paused. It wasn't because he was out of kindness, but because he knew too well that after the end of the border trade last year, Alva couldn't squeeze much money out of him. Yang Tingxiang had the right to see the accounts of New Spain. In fact, the new governor At the beginning of taking office, he sent a copy of the recent expenditure and income of New Spain to Changsheng.

Chen Mu even knew that six out of ten of the West Country Corps stationed in New Spain were in arrears of wages ranging from three months to half a year.

Those legions are Spanish veterans who participated in the suppression of the Netherlands. They are extremely tenacious and have long been familiar with the arrears of military pay. This does not mean that Alva is indifferent to them. In Yang Tingxiang's report, Alva set off in Spain Three months ago, they were paid military salaries, and the king promised to transfer military salaries from the New World.

After arriving in the New World, Mingxi sent out again when Mingxi was in the midst of a battle, but failed to make up for his subordinates both times.

To solve this problem, Alva even embezzled military funds to buy [-] sets of inferior porcelain from the border. This was recorded in the accounts of New Spain. Yang Tingxiang guessed that it was used to distribute military pay after selling it in the Old Continent.

This is indeed a way.

"It's unlikely, and they won't be able to destroy me, but we still need to be careful. The letter said that he needs to transport 1000 troops. Let him transport [-] troops in one month, and he will be transported in two times. When we land on the same day, we must leave the normal area immediately. win."

Chen Mu nodded his head slowly, thinking about various possibilities with blank eyes, and finally said: "We will set up several camps for them on the official road, let the guerrillas come back, and station around the camps on the official road to keep an eye on them. "

"Just right, I can also look at these people who will deal with us in the future. First let Du Heizi lead the troops to wait for an opportunity to bully them at the port, and then ask General Fu to prepare a banquet near the border. Every time the Western Army passes by, we will treat them Their officers, bribe them with small favors."

Chen Mu laughed lightly as he spoke: "Slap first, then give jujube later, it's even sweeter."

"The commander-in-chief is not afraid that they will cause trouble? They are still bullying." Zou Yuanbiao was a little puzzled by the previous matter, but he understood what was said later, and said, "The commander-in-chief thinks that Alva is leaving?"

"They don't dare to cause trouble, don't worry, Tinda has had conflicts with Western officers in Chile, there is a city of Santiago in the south, the Western garrison there is unwilling to retreat, and they want to make trouble, so they drink on the street Stop some of his ronin who walk like crabs."

"Eight of them died, and three of us died. The [-] local garrisons gathered to confront each other, and the company commander was killed by the cannon set up by Tinda in the city. The adjutant stopped the entire company and none of them could escape, and all of them had to be slaughtered by Tinda."

After Chen Mu finished speaking, he said to Zou Yuanbiao and Zhao Shizhen: "I didn't tell Chang Sheng's garrison about this matter, so don't let it out. Chang Sheng has been ostracizing Westerners a little bit recently. If you incite the people a little, I'm afraid they will spontaneously fight with guns. It's the border."

"Alva is definitely going to leave. His [-] elites who suppressed the Netherlands will soon eat up Mexico City. I guess once the soldiers here pass by, the people who guard him will have to disperse."

It's still a bad place, with the Ming army watching over the border, Alva dare not spread the army everywhere, otherwise there will be no mature way, and it will be difficult for his people to gather once a war starts.

But the army gathered in the west of Mexico City. Where can Mexico City alone support the army? The entire giant city in the middle of the lake has no production capacity. In the Aztec era, all food was sent in from outside. More, the cost of maintaining troops under road consumption has greatly increased.

No one can bear it.

"Before he goes, we can't make trouble out of nothing, let him attack Portugal with peace of mind, it's a good thing for us."

Chen Mu said, raising his hand next to his ear: "Let Yang Junzan tell Li Dan to send a few people to bring gifts to visit the Governor of Brazil in Portugal to discuss the purchase of iron ore. Asia needs iron ore. How much is there?" How much to buy."

(End of this chapter)