Chapter 6 Causes and Consequences

"Is this your lunch?" Xu Jinghong looked at the three wooden barrels in front of him in disbelief and asked. These are two large wooden barrels that are half tall and thick. One contains yellow and white steamed buns that are hard to distinguish, and the other contains half an oil star. There are only a few cabbage leaves floating on it, a clear vegetable soup, and a much smaller wooden barrel containing some pickles.

These three barrels have just been carried in by soldiers from the outside. Although the weight is enough to fill the stomachs of these 50 people, the quality is really not flattering. Although these food is better than Xu Jinghong's in the mine, after all, this is the army, which can't be compared with the workers in the mine, and Xu Jinghong's food has been much better than this month.

"Yes, this is our lunch." Tian Dahu could understand Xu Jinghong's thoughts, and he was also surprised by the difficulties of ordinary soldiers: "The food at night is slightly better, and you can see a little meat in ten days and a half months."

Xu Jinghong was stunned for a long time before asking, "Is it such a crude meal used in the army?"

"Of course not!" When a quick-mouthed soldier saw Xu Jinghong's question, he took a steamed bun and chewed it and replied, "Only us ordinary soldiers use these. You don't have to do this."

"Oh?" Xu Jinghong looked at Tian Dahu and wanted to see what he said.

Tian Dahu smiled bitterly and said, "Yes, this is for our brothers. The food of the team will be delivered later."

"So, is there still good food in my barracks?" Xu Jinghong said and patted the wooden barrel: "That's really unreasonable! The soldiers have to practice strictly every day, but only let people eat such food. How can this fighting power be maintained?

"This is what my subordinate just said in time." When Tian Dahu saw that Xu Jinghong was at the critical point, he also said, "Just now, the team was asking why the brothers in our team are so casual that they don't look like soldiers. This is one of the reasons. If it weren't for these things that you eat every day, and the brothers have no oil and water in their stomachs, and their strength is unsustainable, why do they do nothing all day? And our battalion doesn't do much military exercises, so we have to pass it.

"What?" Xu Jinghong was even more shocked when he heard this: "We are the border troops in the southwest. How can we guard one side if we don't practice?"

"You don't know this team. Although we are called the frontier army, it is actually similar to those local guards. After all, Yunzhou is still a little far from the boundary of the barbarians. Naturally, those generals will not put their fighting power in their hearts..." One of the commanders named Geng Zhong also interrupted at this time. Obviously, the resentment in their hearts is still not light.

Tian Dahu sighed and said, "In fact, it's not just here, but the situation of the guards in the Central Plains is even worse. I heard that many guards there are actually less than half of the soldiers left in the register..."

"This is empty-rate..." Xu Jinghong couldn't help sighing. Unexpectedly, this Song Dynasty was not as literary and military as he thought, and there were many sins hidden in it.

"Yes, the defenders of the Central Plains fled because of their hardship and lack of money, but we border troops can't escape. After all, this is the border, and the court is also watching closely, so those generals absolutely do not allow anyone to escape. Tian Dahu said the helplessness they faced again.

"However, the behavior of those generals swallowing the money has not been slightly reduced by half as a result..." Presumably, they have been suppressed for a long time. Seeing that Xu Jinghong paid so much attention to this matter, the soldiers couldn't help saying everything they knew: "Our border troops were originally very much on the money. Not bad, there is one, two or three pieces of money a month, which is enough for a family life in a year. But since Governor Ye came up three years ago, we only have less than five yuan left..."

Xu Jinghong's face is cloudy and sunny: "Is there such a thing? How can Ye be the governor of this army for five years? Do you just let him strip and oppress him like this?

"Someone did make trouble because of this, but he quickly bombed it down and killed dozens of leaders. After that, the soldiers in the army have not made any more trouble..." A soldier in his forties obviously stayed here for a long time and was very clear about everything that had happened in the past.

Seeing that Xu Jinghong was a little puzzled by this answer, Tian Dahu explained aside: "In fact, his withholding military benefits is not for the whole army. Those of his trusted guards and their respective guards have gained a lot of benefits here. Naturally, they are going to help Ye Hao. With such an identity, the money will not move, and the food is much better than ours. In this way, only ordinary soldiers are treated harshly. Most of them are poor, and they can only swallow their anger.

Only then did Xu Jinghong understand the brilliance of the other party's means. This kind of amplification and smallness just formed a strict hierarchy in the army. Those teams not only lost their interests, but also got more benefits and psychological satisfaction. Naturally, they will find ways to maintain the status quo. This is the same as the setting of the foreman in the mine at the beginning. It is really a good way to get the absolute obedience of the people below at the lowest cost.

After being silent for a long time, Xu Jinghong came to his senses and found that the sergeants were already holding the steamed bread in the bucket and eating the coarse pickles. Obviously, for these soldiers born at the bottom, being able to fill their stomachs is the most important. As for being detained for some military and food, they have to admit it. It is precisely because they have mastered the indisputable nature of the sergeants that they will so unscrupulously put all the money and food that originally belonged to the sergeants into their pockets.

Thinking of this layer, Xu Jinghong was even more angry. He was not a rich son for two generations, and he hated this kind of behavior of exploiting the weak with power in his hand. However, after his anger, Xu Jinghong felt a deep sense of powerlessness, because he found that although he knew all this, he could not change the status quo at all.

No, in fact, there should be a way. Xu Jinghong suddenly turned his head and looked at Tian Dahu and said, "You said that such behavior was carried out after Ye Hao became the governor, so why is he going down now, but he is still the same?" People are in politics, and the death of politics is a major feature of the Chinese people's governance. Why is it not feasible to get here?

"This subordinate doesn't know. Although Ye Dudu has been demoted, everything he has decided has not changed slightly. Those generals just threw themselves under the door of Governor Liu, and almost nothing else has changed..." Tian Dahu replied with some uncertainty.

But his words also woke up Xu Jinghong. This matter is not all about Ye Hao alone, but related to the interests of the whole Yunzhou Guard. Thinking deeper, he has mastered the power of the mine. How can Ye Hao, who has got so much gold and silver, still like such a little military pay? I'm afraid he uses this method to buy the forces in the army for his own use.

So although Ye Hao has fallen and has been investigated for many problems, the military salary and military food are still hidden by them, because it is related to the vital interests of hundreds of officers. Once he thought that he was facing a large number of interest groups, Xu Jinghong was even less confident to change all this.

Although Liu Mo put him into the army for the purpose of stirring up this pool of mixed water so that he can truly hold military power, Xu Jinghong understood one thing that it must be harmful to him. Once the officers find out that they have stabbed this matter, I'm afraid that they will not let them go, and Liu Mo may not offend the big and small people in the Yunzhou army for himself. At that time, he will become a bargaining chip for the two sides to talk, and they don't know how to die in the end.

Thinking of this, Xu Jinghong's back suddenly broke out in a cold sweat, and at the same time once again confirmed that he needed enough power to survive safely in this seemingly calm but actually surging era.

At this time, another firehead soldier came in. After saling Xu Jinghong, he handed over a basket in his hand: "Team Xu, this is your lunch. Please take your time!" Then he turned around and left.

This break finally made Xu Jinghong get out of his mind. He opened the lid on the basket and saw several dishes inside, including braised pork, steamed crucian carp, and a plate of cabbage. Even the bowl of rice in one place was a little attractive.

When the soldiers saw it, they also looked salivated, and some people swallowed their saliva even harder. However, no one said a word. Obviously, they are used to such differential treatment.

Xu Jinghong shook his head, picked up his chopsticks and put a piece of meat in his mouth. Then he took out a few dishes and put them in front of everyone: "You eat all of these separately."

After looking at Xu Jinghong for a long time and finding that what he said was true, the sergeants shouted in unison and grabbed three plates of dishes together.

Seeing Xu Jinghong's behavior, Tian Dahu's eyes were more admirable: "The team is really not comparable to ordinary people, but Lao Tian and I. After getting the team's food, I just asked a few close brothers to share it. But you gave it to your brothers all at once. I really admire you.

Commenting on this, Xu Jinghong just smiled and then said, "This deduction of money and meals is the key to indifference in the army, right?"

"Yes, the money is only a little, and the food... Brothers are not in the mood to practice. Fortunately, we have been living in peace with the barbarians for ten years, so we have to live by.

"Humph, can such a thing really go on? If we are not of our race, our hearts will be different. If we have nothing to prepare, we will definitely suffer great losses in the future. Xu Jinghong said, "It seems that I know what my team is now's top priority."