stubborn thief

Chapter 326 Another Choice
In the early morning of the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, Shi Cheng and I, who were temporarily staying in the Shuai’s mansion, went back to the Military Weapons Bureau outside the city, called the chief officer of the Baigong Bureau to quarrel, and asked him to strictly control the quality of production without thinking.

By the way, ask the soldiers to send a new Babu bed to the city.

Behind the screen in the inner room of the Marshal's Mansion, Bai Liuxi rubbed some rouge on Fan Sanlang's face and decorated the hairpin pendant on his head before Yun Jiaoyue stretched out the bronze mirror with a smile.

Fan Sanlang looked at his long-lost decoration in the mirror, with joy in his eyes, but in the end he shook his head and took off his head little by little, saying: "Let's tie the hair scarf."

Bai Liuxi and Yun Jiaoyue couldn't help it either, so they had to ask Fan Sanlang to take off his head and face, and went to the bathroom to wipe Liu Chengzong's body after his morning exercise.

Because the bed was broken, none of them slept well last night. As long as one of the four turned over, the broken bed board would creak, so that after talking for half a night, Fan Sanlang almost said the name Du Qiaoer, but still Before he finished speaking, he was stopped by Liu Chengzong.

He said that the savior is the reincarnated parent, and it is also filial piety to use the reincarnated parent's name to stand up and practice the Tao, and to be famous in future generations.

Tianbao prepared horses and a carriage outside the gate of the mansion. Today Liu Chengzong will take them to bury Fan Sanlang, and then go to Xining.

There are two major events in the East and West of the Marshal's Mansion.

The first is the news sent by Chen Qindai, the prefect of Haibei County, through the post station. Many Mongols appeared in the Qilian Mountains to the west in winter. It is said that Arslan died in Subei after escaping, but it is not known who killed them.

The second is that his father, Liu Xiangyu, sent two news one after another from Xining. One day earlier, the food and grass crisis in the Marshal's Mansion had been properly resolved, and another day later, there was still a shortage of food.

Liu Chengzong burned paper for Fan Sanlang at the Yiguan Tomb at the foot of the southeast mountain in Juerwan, and then he took the people to Xining City.

Along the way he frowned and considered the situation.

Arslan took away more than 2000 Mongolian soldiers and a large amount of food and grass, almost a miniature version of himself when he moved westward. It is normal for such people to die in Subei, and it is only accidental that he can gain a firm foothold like him.

Liu Chengzong estimated that Arslan probably died of civil strife. If he did not have the prestige brought by his move to northern Shaanxi in the Lion Army, civil strife would easily break out when he was stationed on the coast of Qinghai Lake.

So he didn't think it was a big deal, but it was the news from his father from Xining, which was very strange.

The day before, he sent a letter saying that Li Tianyu was willing to contribute to the Marshal's Mansion, and that he could exchange an earl for [-] shi of food and grass.

In the blink of an eye, he sent another letter the next day saying that he was afraid that food and grass were still insufficient, and that he had to go to Xining to make up his mind.

Liu Chengzong thinks that things can make his father pay so much attention to it. There must be a big change and the need to use soldiers?
In his heart, he tends to use troops eastward, but he is also cautious about throwing a mouse... There are thousands of hectares of fertile land in the Hehuang Valley, and it is not as safe to hold it in other people's hands as in his own.

However, there are many Tusi Baozhais in the east, which is different from Kangning. The Tusi here has a high degree of Sinicization, more like Han landlords than Han landlords. .

It's not scary to walk an inch, Liu Chengzong has already attacked the city once very seriously, and with some experience, he is confident that one fort after another will reach the mouth of the river and face Lanzhou across the river.

The terrible thing is that if you move forward step by step, you will inevitably delay the farming season, destroy the fields, and cause the defenders to fortify the walls and clear the fields... Then it would be meaningless to take down the Hehuang Valley.

The fields that have been watered with blood will surely have a bumper harvest in the next year, but the Marshal's Mansion will not be able to handle the fact that they will not be able to harvest food next year.

Near Xiningwei, just in time for the big exercises at the Zhenhai camp, Liu Chengzong went down to watch the exercises.

The soldiers of the Zhenhai Battalion are quite special in Xining. Like Fuqiang Fort, the soldiers here are all Ming Dynasty soldiers. In the past, the chieftain Qi Guoping was the general.

However, the Zhenhai camp normally experienced a power struggle. This struggle lasted for fourteen months, which was longer than Liu Chengzong's southern expedition, and the Zhenhai camp officially ended with the battle of Guide.

For fourteen months, Liu Chengzu and Qi Guoping chased each other around the rations, equipment, and welfare of the Zhenhai camp.

Liu Chengzu distributed food to the Zhenhai camp, and Qi Guoping asked for payment for the Zhenhai camp. Lanzhou actually shipped money once; The army is out of camp.

It wasn't until the imperial court Chen Bing Lanzhou sealed off the defense that Qi Guoping lost the confidence to fight... [-] battalions, without the support of the imperial court, how could he afford it.

In the end, there was no other way, Qi Guoping, like Li Tianyu, went home to rest.

Now in charge of the camp is Xining Weiqianhu Feng Ru.

Whoever can get the Xining Guard to provide food will be the leader of the Zhenhai Battalion. In this matter, Feng Lu can do it, but Qi Guoping can't.

Therefore, when the news of the Generalissimo's parade was announced to the whole battalion by the messengers alternately, Liu Chengzong had just entered the gate of the camp when he heard the voices of the battalion soldiers shouting long live.

Qi Guoping thought about motivating the battalion to seize Xining City, but not only the soldiers were unmoved, but the officers were also unwilling to go to war.

The battalion soldiers are well aware of the struggle for power between the Marshal's Mansion and the Tusi, but everyone is happy to see it. They not only oppose Qi Guoping's mobilization of troops against Xining Wei, but also Liu Chengzong's use of force against Qi Guoping.

Everyone is smart, who doesn't like the days when grain is paid today, wages are paid tomorrow, and cotton jackets and bedding are distributed the day after tomorrow.

Even if Liu Chengzu wins, as long as Qi Guoping is not dead, they will not be in arrears with the rations they should have, and they will even get a salary that they have never seen before.

Feng Ru said to Liu Chengzong during the camp exercise: "They are all veterans and good soldiers, no worse than Yulin soldiers, but they are tired of being owed wages. It is useless for us to tell them, and it is useless for the court to tell them. One stone grain and one tael of silver per month, you can practice how you want, and you can transfer wherever you want."

Liu Chengzong smiled and understood very well. This is the epitome of the emotional change of the imperial army, and it is a very good phenomenon for him.

Things were going the right way for these battalions, whose bread they ate, whose silver they took, and whose words they listened to.

The army is different from ordinary people. The army is recruited by the court, and it is a matter of course for soldiers to eat food. When the court fails to do this, the army will still move forward along the inertia until they encounter another possible choice.

Liu Chengzong is another possible choice.

However, it seems that only Liu's father and son know about the affairs in the east, Feng Ru knows nothing about it, but mentions that Gao Xian in Pingliang Mansion is looking for a needle in a haystack.

Gao Xian originally stayed in Pingliang Mansion to recuperate from his injuries, and after recovering from his injuries, he stayed there to practice some strength. Later, he asked Han Xiaowang to help him send someone to find his mother-in-law in Shanxi, but he still hasn't found one. His palace sent a letter to him. He wanted to go west, but he heard that the imperial court had locked Lanzhou.

Liu Chengzong scratched his head and was also quite troubled by this matter, so he asked Feng Ru to write back a letter to Gao Xian, asking him to stay in Pingliang for the time being, and wait until Hekou was taken down.

When Liu Chengzong entered the yamen of Xining City and saw his father, Liu Xiangyu was not as urgent as in the letter, and detailed the ins and outs of Li Tianyu's willingness to provide food and grass.

"He's going to bet all his wealth and life on us." Mr. Liu curled his beard and chuckled, "One hundred thousand stones of grain were transported from Lintao Gongchang in the southeast of the Yellow River, one tael or five dollars a stone is not enough cost, and it will make him offend. A lot of people."

Liu Chengzong thought about this, shook his head and said: "Big, I don't think it's something that offends many people. The price, no matter whether it is transported from Lintao or Gongchang, to the Hehuang Valley, counting the foot price, the grain price is less than one tael per shi. No one will make a loss-making business, and it is not his turn to offend."

Unexpectedly, Liu Xiangyu had no surprises, and said firmly: "Yes, he has controlled the grain market in Xining for many years. No matter how he transports the grain, we will buy it in Xining with one tael or five dollars of silver."

Liu Xiangyu said: "If the grain merchants are dissatisfied with the price, they can use furs to offset the price. One piece of sheepskin is added to each stone, and gold and silver cannot be added. 15 taels will surely kill you. This is not in Juerwan. Gold and silver can't be returned when they go out."

As he spoke, Liu Xiangyu shook his head and smiled, "It doesn't matter how much food can be brought in, it's important to be able to bring in; how much money is not important, the most important thing is to let Li Tianyu who is in the crack leave Hehuang Valley."

"Let Li Tianyu leave Hehuang?"

Mr. Liu nodded and said: "If Li Tianyu doesn't transport grain, he will die first; if he doesn't want to die, he has to scare the officers and soldiers at Hekou first. Putting food in itself is more important than how much food is put in."

Liu Chengzong knew his father's plan in a blink of an eye, and Li Tianyu was a touchstone. Whether he could put in the food was his father's test of the fighting will of the officers and soldiers guarding the front line of the Yellow River in Lanzhou.

"Father means that if the food can be put into Lanzhou, even if it is only [-] shi, it can mean that the officers and soldiers are unwilling to fight, or that they are not ready."

"Yes." Liu Xiangyu continued: "And Li Tianyu did this, no matter whether he can put the food in or not, it doesn't matter what he thinks, everyone on the other side of the Yellow River will think that he is doing things for you. If he enters the river valley, he will also suffer.”

"So father thinks that he will really join us?"

Mr. Liu nodded first, then shook his head, his words were not so firm: "I can't say yet, let's see if he will go to pay you New Year's greetings during Chinese New Year. If he goes, he will probably ask for a place to live for He can go anywhere, such as Wulan Mountain or something."

"Wulan Mountain can't do it." Liu Chengzong shook his head decisively and said, "Wulan Mountain has salt pond fields and a small town, and I'm planning to set up a military fort there with [-] households stationed there. Row."

When Mr. Liu heard about the Oasis, he thought that his son was more ruthless than me, so he persuaded him, "It's enough to go south and north. At any rate, I can grow a land after a few years of operation, so what's the point of throwing it away."

Liu Chengzong nodded, he just said it casually, and then asked: "Then what does the father mean when he said that even if the food is transported, it may not be enough?"

Mentioning this, Master Liu was very happy. He raised his hand and tapped the edge of the table lightly, and said mysteriously: "The opportunity to march east has arrived... The people in the east have asked for help from the Marshal's Mansion."

"Ask for help? How should I say it?"

It turned out that at the beginning of this summer, when there was a shortage of food, dozens of people in Nianbo and other places in the east of Xining went together to borrow food from Xiningwei.

At that time, Lazun's tribesmen had not poured into Xining, and the Marshal's Mansion was very rich in food and grass. This matter was not even reported to the Wei Ya, and it was settled only when the Deputy Qianhu He Zijie came.

This Hezi Festival was originally the leader of the local bandits in Ningzhou, and he also came from a poor background. He knew that the people had a hard time when they were dying. Anyway, the rations of dozens of people were not much. After discussing with his soldiers, he took one person from the army Squeeze out a mouthful and take some food to help these poor people.

In essence, it is for emergency use. They happen to have it, so they don't expect anything in return, and they count as one alive.

But in this era, things tend to slowly get worse, just like their days in northern Shaanxi, and they will not get better.

Then in the fall, the Marshal's Mansion found that the population had surged, and the food and grass might not be enough by next year; and the situation of the people in the Hehuang Valley was not much better.

This was a chain reaction. Xining found that there was not enough food, so it had to buy food from the market; the large-scale purchase of food reduced the food stock on the market, just in time for the people to finish the food for the court, and the government and army blocked the river mouth.

The price of grain in the Hehuang Valley increased sharply. In the process, all kinds of monsters and ghosts came out. The price of grain changed day by day, and the interest rate of lending became higher and higher. At one point, the price of grain rose to two taels of silver for a stone of white flour.

This price is not high compared to the price of grain in northern Shaanxi, but in the extreme situation in northern Shaanxi, the rich can no longer survive. The Hehuang Valley is different. The people couldn't survive.

Farmers cannot profit from rising food prices. There are not many self-cultivators in the Hehuang Valley, and the tenants are eating their own grain. Last year’s grain debts have not been paid off during the Chinese New Year, and they have to borrow grain to plant in the spring. This leads to a vicious circle. Persist in the process of selling grain at a high price.

What's more, even for self-cultivators, many fields in Hehuang are planted with cash crops for oil extraction, and the rise in food prices has not caused oil prices to rise.

"More farmers ran to the Marshal's Mansion, asking for rations to grow." After Liu Xiangyu finished speaking, he looked at Liu Chengzong and said, "The fire is cooking oil, and the opportunity to completely control the Hehuang Valley has come."

Liu Chengzong could hardly contain his smile. This is the real drowsiness, and someone will give you a pillow. In his dreams, he hopes that the common people and the gentry, the tenant farmers and the landlords, and the doormen and the chieftains will be separated.

The turmoil caused by this grain price is the best opportunity. The various classes that seem to be intimate like fish in water are separated by the price of two taels per stone in the grain shop.

He took a few deep breaths before he managed to regain his composure, and said seriously: "Father, Zhou Tongzhi from the Naval Yamen told me something a while ago, saying that I am not a prisoner from the east or a prisoner from the west. Doing benevolence and righteousness can win the hearts of the people of Hehuang, I think he is right."

"The Marshal's Mansion is really not capable enough to act in a peaceful place where there is no disease or disaster."

After Liu Chengzong finished speaking, he raised his hand and changed his expression, and said seriously: "But in places where there is a shortage of food, we are the most methodical people in the world... The chieftains in Xining have many eyes and ears, and my father selected a few farmers who asked for food and sent them to Jur Bay."

"I will select people to make a plan and prepare two armies, one for light and one for darkness. Let the chieftains choose sides during the New Year this year. In the spring of next year, our team will lead people to riot throughout the valley, and at the same time, one army will quickly push to the mouth of the river to seize Take the lead, so that the imperial court has no way to intervene."

Speaking of this, Liu Chengzong couldn't hide his excitement. He had never organized such a large and rigorous operation, and he only had three months of preparation time: "If everything goes well, maybe it won't delay the next spring. kind!"

　good afternoon!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)