Chongzhen and I became partners

Chapter 70 Zhou Yuji's Proposal
As soon as he heard that it was Zhou Yuji who asked for an audience, Emperor Chongzhen immediately received him.

For him at this time, Zhou Yuji should be ranked first among all generals.

Even if they were the same three recommended by Liu Weichao, Zhou Yuji was more sacred than Sun Yingyuan and Huang Degong.

Although Sun Yingyuan and Huang Degong's military ranks were higher than Zhou Yuji's, in terms of military achievements, of course they are more.

But in the same way, Zhou Yuji also has a lot of military exploits.When returning to the capital from the south of the Yangtze River, a powerful bandit leader was captured alive in Shandong.

The reason why Zhou Yuji became the No. 1 general in Emperor Chongzhen's heart was mainly because of what happened later.

Among the three of them, Sun Yingyuan will die in battle this month, so naturally there will be no credit for it later.

And Huang Degong mainly guarded Fengyang Imperial Tomb, and he didn't have any special record against Zhang Xianzhong.Even when he finally died, he was a bit useless.

Zhou Yuji's side was different.

When Jianlu invaded in the second half of the year, more than [-] people looted a large amount of supplies and young and middle-aged people from Shandong and returned to the outside of the pass through Yangliuqingbei.

At that time, Zhou Yuji, who had been transferred from Yangliuqing to Shanxi as the commander-in-chief by the imperial decree, had already led his troops to set off, but he heard that the Jian captives were going to pass through Yangliuqing, so he led the cavalry back to Yangliuqing, and used the terrain to beat up the Jian captives. Thousands of Qing Jian captives were killed and injured. , Created a rare example in the history of Ming and Qing battles in which the Ming army won more with less, and it was still a field battle.

From this battle, it can be seen that Zhou Yuji's loyalty to the country, especially against the background of other Ming army generals, is even more commendable!
And it can also be seen that Zhou Yuji is an outstanding general who leads troops.

In addition, he was stationed in Shanxi to prevent Li Zicheng from attacking the capital from Shanxi.In the trend of officials from all over the country surrendering one after another, they all persuaded him to surrender too.

However, Zhou Yuji beheaded the lobbyist, vowed not to surrender, and finally died in Ningwuguan.His daughter-in-law also followed him, the kind who would rather die than surrender.

Many later generations commemorate him. The classical Kunqu opera "Ningwuguan" and the Beijing opera "Ningwuguan" show Zhou Yuji's life as a soldier.

How could Emperor Chongzhen not be moved after reading these materials!
How could he escape from the number one position of military commander!
It was also for this reason that before Liu Wei went beyond his ideas, he himself granted Zhou Yuji the title of Uncle Zhongwu.

No, Emperor Chongzhen deliberately waited for Yuji next week, and when he arrived, he let him get into the imperial chariot and headed to the glass factory together.

"I also make some glassware, which is very profitable. I have to order it quickly. By the way..." Emperor Chongzhen looked at Zhou Yuji and said, "There is also a telescope, which can also be made. I'll call you some then."

Zhou Yuji was a little surprised when he heard it, but of course he was also very happy, so he played to Emperor Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, the general thought about it for a long time yesterday, and he may have a plan to solve the problem of the length of training for recruits!"

After speaking, he took out a memorial from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

When the waiter at the side saw it, he hurried up to take it and passed it on to the emperor.

"Really?" Emperor Chongzhen didn't expect Zhou Yuji to say this. Suddenly, he was a little surprised, and even couldn't wait to read the memorial, so he asked Zhou Yuji directly, "What good plan does Aiqing have? Tell me quickly!"

"The final general obeys the order!" Zhou Yuji immediately replied after hearing this, "If all recruits use firearms, the training time can be shortened. The method used by Marshal Qi to train soldiers back then can be used!"

"Oh?" Emperor Chongzhen was a little suspicious when he heard it, and reconfirmed, "Is it really effective?"

When Zhou Yuji heard this, he raised his head and held his chest high, and said without hesitation: "Marshal Qi's achievements are obvious to all, and the army he trains must be a strong army!"

"Then why don't other people use Qi Jiguang's method?" After hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen still asked doubtfully, "If it works, our Ming army is all strong, so why is there such a disaster today?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuji knew that he didn't understand military affairs, so he quickly explained: "Your Majesty, there is only one reason why there is no such strong army after Marshal Qi; the reason why the last general didn't mention this before... ..."

Hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen heard what he meant, as long as he could solve the problem, he would be able to get a strong army, so he immediately asked impatiently: "What is the reason?"

"money!"

"What?" Emperor Chongzhen was very surprised to hear it, and he couldn't believe it. Is it just because of this?

"That's right!" Zhou Yuji immediately replied affirmatively, "Marshal Qi's method of training and commanding troops costs money!"

"How do you say it?" Emperor Chongzhen heard that it was only a question of money, and now his waist was a little stiff, so he showed great interest and asked immediately, "Is it enough to pay the army?"

"Your Majesty, it is only basic to pay the army adequately!" Zhou Yuji replied immediately after hearing this, "The armor and weapons used by the army, including firearms, must be of high quality, and should not be used in excess. The first-level reward is 40 taels of silver..."

"..." Emperor Chongzhen was stunned when he heard this.

In his Chongzhen dynasty, arrears of military pay were the norm.

Why are there so many rebellions among the frontier troops in the Qin land, that is, those who have been paid for two or three years, and they can't survive by selling their sons and daughters, so of course they will rebel.

Before that, he paid the military salary of the Yongwei Battalion in advance, which was a great thing, at least in the eyes of Emperor Chongzhen, it was very fulfilling.

Unexpectedly, Qi Jiguang's army back then was so costly, beheading one level cost 40 taels of silver!
At this time, he had an impulse, so much money, if he wanted him, he would go all out to behead him!
Seeing Emperor Chongzhen in a daze, Zhou Yuji felt a little uneasy.

Earlier, he saw that the emperor trusted him very much, and let him see that the emperor was really rich.

The combination of these two aspects gave him the courage to talk about the money, or in other words, the firearms.

For a long time, the generals of the Ming army were built by the military bureau or the military supervisor regardless of the ordnance.

The low status of generals in the Ming Dynasty is obvious to all.What kind of ordnance is allocated, and what kind of ordnance can only be used, who dares to object?
However, there were so many corrupt officials in the late Ming Dynasty, it is naturally impossible to miss the arms, and cutting corners is the norm!
As a result, firearms often explode, who dares to use them?

The same is true, even in the Yongwei Battalion, the proportion of firearms is not high.

And Zhou Yuji, as a general in charge of the army, how dare he question the quality of firearms to the eunuch in charge of the imperial horse supervisor?
If it weren't for Emperor Chongzhen's change, he would certainly not have dared to propose this method of firearms this time.Because this is tantamount to going against those who are in charge of the military bureau under the Yumajian, that is, going against those eunuchs, and cutting off people's money.

Otherwise, Zhou Yuji, as the general of the army, could not have known that the training time of firearms soldiers was shorter than that of cold weapons.

　Thank you for the reward of 500 starting coins for the Red Army, and thank you for the reward of chirping service Jiji and isaactangTAT!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)