With a muffled sound, black smoke rose, and the entire hillside was filled with the smell of gunpowder. All kinds of birds and beasts were frightened by the sound of gunfire and ran around.

Du Zhongxiao said to Cheng Wenli beside him: "This kind of gun roar is already very powerful. No matter what the other side is, it is all made of dust. The rural soldiers who are in the field of the field use muskets to ensure peace in this area. Although the border people are good at martial arts, how can they find so many good bows and crossbows at the moment? There may be as many thousands of households in the field of the field of the field of the year, so how can they have so many good bows? It is better to use muskets, just to recruit more blacksmiths to make them. The states in this area all produce sulfur and nitrate, and there is no shortage of gunpowder."

Cheng Wenli said: "I know that the army is self-dedicated, and the subordinates dare not say much. However, although the musket is powerful, I have never seen anyone use it. When it comes to the battle formation, I don't know what it is. If it is just used for the village soldiers, it's nothing."

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "What the prosecutor said is, when will you try it when to fight a war?"

Cheng Wenli was startled: "The court and Dangxiang have negotiated peace with each other and have been working with the Khitan for decades. Don't do anything to do anything in trouble when you know the army!"

Du Zhongxiao said: "I know what I know. The court rules are all there, so wherever I dare to go to war with a great country."

After saying that, Tao Shiqi asked his men to clean up the wild boars he had hunted and prepare wine and meat.

After drinking and eating, Du Zhongxiao asked the soldiers to cut dozens of kilograms of pork, and Cheng Wenli and several other officials were divided. Their official positions were low and their salary was small. Although Du Zhongxiao took care of him and lived a good life, he could not save much money. He always helped them with some wine and meat so that they would not be embarrassed.

He ordered Tao Shiqi and Shisanlang to still lead people to patrol. Du Zhongxiao said, "Look at the weather, we will take a look at the ranch there, rest for a night, and return to the field business tomorrow. Now the autumn is clear and the weather is cool, so the ranch needs to prepare winter food and grass. Furthermore, there are more horses in Dongjiazhai. If there are good horses, the yamen will buy them. One is to supplement the ban army, and the other is to use it for the village soldiers."

Tao Shiqi sang Nuo and said to Du Zhongxiao: "Officials, this place is close to the mountains. When we were patrolling, we often hunters of the foreign tribes. They said that they were their own tribes, and they had no personal confrontation and did not know the details."

Du Zhongxiao said: "Whenever you meet someone who is unknown, no matter what their identities are, just write it down and don't ask too much. After a few days, we will set up some patrol forts and send people to guard it."

Everyone agreed to the promise. From here, they entered the mountains, which were theoretically under the jurisdiction of Bitouzhai under the Volcanic Army. However, Bitouzhai was abolished when the war with Dangxiang a few years ago, and there were no military troops stationed there. The foreign troops in this area were in chaos. Du Zhongxiao's time to go to the Volcanic Army was still short and he had no energy to rebuild Bitouzhai, so the matter was put on hold. The foreign families in Bitouzhai are now belonging to the Song Dynasty and Khitan, which is a bit sensitive.

To the east of Dongjiazhai and to the north, Ningbian Prefecture was a nail that the Khitan extended in to compete with the Song Dynasty for this area. First, joining the foreign tribes, creating a fait accompli, and then using this as a basis to demand the cedes of the Song Dynasty to cede territory, and then establishing the prefecture county was the old way for the Khitan to expand its territory in this area. In the past, the Song army was insufficient here, and the Khitan succeeded repeatedly, so Ningbian Prefecture was built. After the defeat of the Dangxiang War, the Khitan increased its efforts to operate in this area. Du Zhongxiao was not sure how many foreign tribes were bought in the mountains, and Du Zhongxiao did not know, so he did not act rashly for a while.

Without Biedouzhai, I don’t know how big the volcanic military controls the territory and how many foreign troops in which area is also the reason why Du Zhongxiao is cautious. In principle, this area is under the jurisdiction of the border inspection envoy and the local assistance. The border inspection envoy in this area is Zhang Ji, and the Gulan Army stationed in the southeast, and Du Zhongxiao also doesn’t know his attitude.

The place to the east of the river valley is a large area of ​​low hills with abundant water and grass, suitable for grazing. Here is the newly established pasture of the volcanic army. Chen Qin once again started his old business and gathered as a horse under the yamen to grazing here.

When Du Zhongxiao and others arrived here, the sun had already set in the west. The wings and servants of the pasture drove horses, cattle and sheep, gathered in the setting sun to the shed, and saw it on the top of the mountain, which was very spectacular.

Du Zhongxiao said: "They offered horses and bought them everywhere. Now there are more than 100 horses here. Chen Qin, who is in charge of here, has a very good experience in grazing livestock. In time, a large horse herd may be born."

Cheng Wenli said: "This army is located in the mountains and produces many horses. It is not short of horses, it is just money."

Du Zhongxiao smiled and said, "Whether there is a shortage depends on how much we use. In the past, the Volcanic Army was only maintained, and the army and horses were often controlled by the prefectures and prefectures in the west, so naturally they were not careful in these matters. Now we have built a camp and land service here, and there will be no shortage of food and grass in the future. We should have some enthusiasm. The Volcanic Army is just between the Linfu Road and the Bing Dai Road, and the population under its jurisdiction is unclear. If we don't say anything about expanding territory, we should investigate the jurisdiction clearly and build forts in necessary places to avoid being eroded by the Khitans. This is a good policy. If we do it, I will not say that the officials and officials can rely on this merit to serve in the mainland. The Border Prefecture Committee is really hard, and you can't waste your life here."

After hearing this, Cheng Wenli and Pan Zhen felt a terrified heart, and hope rose in their hearts. Although they were both prosecutors, the Volcano Army was far inferior to the mainland state army. For example, Cheng Wenli was just a military prosecutor and the lowest level among the officials. Not only was the lower level, but because officials were unwilling to serve in such places, these officials had poor backgrounds. Cheng Wenli was a Jinshi, and Pan Zhen was not even a Juren, but just a scholar in the border area. Because there was no one, they started from the chief clerk and county magistrate to achieve their current position. If there was no accident, this was the pinnacle of their career. Not to mention promotion, it would be a luxury to be transferred to the mainland in his lifetime. If it was really like Du Zhongxiao said, and if someone recommended it, it would be a great temptation for the two of them to be transferred to the mainland state army in a few years.

It is precisely because of the lack of a future that Cheng Wenli and Pan Zhen are a little bit awkward to live a mess.

Seeing the expressions of the two, Du Zhongxiao smiled slightly and urged the horse to rush to the ranch. The one who can stimulate the enthusiasm of officials is to be promoted to the top, especially for Cheng Wenli, Pan Zhen and others. Du Zhongxiao is a Jinshi, and as long as nothing happens, he can be promoted step by step. The same thing is not attractive to him, but it is different for these two people.

The officials of the Song Dynasty were divided into many types, with no background, and no job, and had their own promotion methods. The majority of officials were actually Cheng Wenli and Pan Zhen, who had a low-level selection of people with a short-term future. They worked hard to do things for a chance to advance. The promising Jinshi and his ideals were a typical example, Ouyang Xiu, who did not care whether he was promoted or demoted, and ideals were everything. Low-level officials with no future either worked hard to make money or live a life of political achievements or a chance to advance, and each had his own way of living.

Du Zhongxiao is among these people, and has a Jinshi background, so his future will not be too bad. He also has a sense of mission, always feeling that he should do things that others cannot do, and he particularly likes political achievements. For Cheng Wenli and Pan Zhen, Du Zhongxiao has a sense of closeness.

After Chen Qin received the news, he brought his subordinates early to greet him, and took Du Zhongxiao and his party to the residence.
Chapter completed!