The Zhenwu Camp was located between Purple Mountain and the old Forbidden City. The camp stretched for several miles and looked much larger than the naval camp of Marquis Linhuai. However, it was also a camp set up in one place and there were no separate camps.
There were deer antlers and fences in the camp, with watchtowers built every two hundred meters. Crossbows were mounted on the watchtowers, with spear-like crossbow arrows ready to be fired. There were also two artillery batteries built with earth in the camp, with dark Portuguese cannons placed on the batteries, with bowl-shaped gun barrels pointing obliquely to the sky, which was very deterrent.
Looks heavily guarded.
But when he got closer, Zhu Pingan couldn't help but frown. This is just a showpiece. The hardware is good, but the software is not. There is no one guarding the Portuguese artillery. There are just a few bare artillery pieces sitting on the turrets, like sculptures. The sentinels on the watchtowers who were supposed to be on guard did not fulfill their duties. They used the watchtowers as a playground, facing the barracks, sitting on the ground, playing finger-guessing games and drinking... Even if they looked up during the breaks, they looked towards the barracks...
Zhu Ping'an and his party walked until they were thirty meters in front of the military camp, but they did not see any sentry tower issuing any warning information.
The guards at the door were also gathered together, not knowing what they were doing. It was not until Zhu Ping'an and his party arrived at the gate that they noticed him. A guard stuffed something into his arms in a panic, and several guards stepped forward and asked, "Stop, what are you doing?"
"I'm Zhu Ping'an, the assistant judge of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provincial Criminal Investigation Department. I have an appointment with your governor, Duke Wei. Please inform him." Zhu Ping'an stepped forward and bowed, took out a business card from his sleeve and handed it to the guard in front.
The guard took Zhu Ping'an's name card and turned to ask the guards behind him, "Is there anyone among you who can read?!"
"Haha, head, this word knows me, but I don't know it."
"Boss, what you are saying is nonsense! If we could read, who would come here to be a soldier?"
The guards burst into laughter.
"Get out of here! You can't read and still have the nerve to laugh." The leading guard turned around and scolded the guards who were laughing.
"Boss, can you read?" the guard asked with a smile.
"What you are talking about is nonsense. If I could read, I would not ask you!" The leading guard scolded them again.
"Boss, we don't need to be able to read to get in, we can just pass our name card inside."
A guard reminded.
"Well, you are a fool, but you are smart for once. Here, you can go in and tell them."
The leading guard stuffed the business card into his arms, patted his shoulder, and pushed him into the camp.
They don't look like soldiers at all, they are clearly street scoundrels. Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but curl his lips.
About a cup of tea later, a man dressed as a deputy general and Li Er walked out of the camp.
Zhu Ping'an was surprised to see Li Er. Why was Li Er in Zhenwu Camp? It seemed that Linhuai Hou was also in Zhenwu Camp today.
"Sir Zhu, I'm here on the orders of the governor to welcome you into the camp." The deputy general clasped his fists towards Zhu Ping'an from afar.
"Fifth uncle, the Marquis and the Duke of Wei are waiting for you in the camp." Li Er ran over and bowed.
"Thank you, General, Butler Li." Zhu Ping'an smiled and bowed in return.
"Are you blind? Why are you still standing there? Open the gate quickly and let Lord Zhu and his party in." The deputy general glared at the guards at the door, scolded them angrily, and ordered them to open the gate.
The gate was wide open, and Zhu Ping'an and his entourage, led by the deputy general and Li Er, entered the Zhenwu camp.
"Bah... Why are you so proud? You are just a straw dog... Wait, you will see what happens."
Zhu Ping'an's ears were much sharper than those of ordinary people. After walking for a distance, he vaguely heard the guard at the door spitting and cursing in a low voice.
The dog they were talking about was the deputy general, but what about the straw bag?! Were they calling Duke Wei a straw bag?! Duke Wei was so unbearable among the soldiers of Zhenwu Camp?! Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.
After walking in the military camp for about a cup of tea, they arrived at the Duke of Wei's tent, and the deputy general went in to report.
"Hahaha, my dear nephew, I am sorry for not welcoming you in person." The Duke of Wei and the Marquis of Linhuai walked out of the general's tent and greeted him with a smile.
"Uncle, you are too kind." Zhu Ping'an stepped forward and bowed, then greeted Linhuai Hou, "Uncle, you are also in Zhenwu Camp today."
"I happened to be here on official business today, so I'll help you supervise this old guy to prevent him from breaking his promise and getting rich."
Linhuai Hou said with a smile.
"You really don't mind your own business. I, Xu, always keep my word. How can I go back on my word like you do?"
The Duke of Wei rolled his eyes at the Marquis of Linhuai and mocked his figure. They had grown up wearing the same pants and were used to fighting.
"Bullshit, what do you mean by breaking your promise and getting fat? I have a broad mind and a fat body, unlike you who have a narrow mind and a thin body, like a bean sprout that will fall down when the wind blows." Linhuai Hou was naturally unwilling to be outdone and mocked the Duke of Wei for being thin.
"Don't worry, nephew. I have already had the items counted and put in the warehouse. Deputy General Xu, you take your men to receive them. One hundred tents, one hundred sets of armor, two hundred muskets, and ten stones of gunpowder. Nothing can be missing. If anything is missing, I will hold you responsible. Also, if the horses and carriages and men you brought are not enough, you can transfer some from the camp."
After the Duke of Wei and the Marquis of Linhuai exchanged insults for a while, they smiled and said to Zhu Ping'an, then ordered his deputy generals to take Liu Mu, Liu Dadao and others to the warehouse to receive the military supplies promised to Zhu Ping'an.
"Yes." Deputy General Xu bowed and accepted the order, then said to Liu Mu and others, "Follow me."
"You all must follow the arrangements made by Lieutenant General Xu." Zhu Ping'an said to Liu Mu and others.
"Yes, sir." Liu Mu, Liu Dadao and others, along with the officials from the Ministry of Justice, followed Deputy General Xu to receive military supplies.
"My dear nephew, it's windy outside. Please come in and have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up." Duke Wei invited.
"Uncle, please." Zhu Ping'an bowed politely.
The Duke of Wei and the Marquis of Linhuai entered the tent first, and Zhu Ping'an entered the general's tent afterwards. The Duke of Wei's general's tent was decorated very luxuriously and comfortably. There was a piece of tiger skin on the chair in the middle. There was a table in the middle of the tent. On the table there was a bubbling pot, which was the earliest prototype of hot pot. On the table were plates of hot pot ingredients. The most eye-catching were plates of freshly cut mutton. The meat looked good, including cucumber strips, lamb brain, lamb tendons, and cleaned mutton offal. There were also three small wine pots warming on the table. The intoxicating aroma of wine wafted out from the spouts of the pots, making the whole table of hot pot look particularly appetizing. This wine must be good wine. Zhu Ping'an, who didn't like drinking, couldn't help but salivate when he smelled the intoxicating aroma of wine.