stubborn thief

Chapter 328 Cracks in the Eggshell

Until a few years ago, Liu Chengzong was preparing for the New Year.

This New Year's Eve is not just a New Year's Eve. On the one hand, it is necessary to prepare for the deployment of troops to the east. In order to ensure the suddenness of the deployment of troops, the Xining Guard and Zhenhai Battalion will not move for the time being, as the second-line reinforcements after the attack.

However, in the west of Juerwan, a full-scale mobilization is underway. Yang Yao, Wang Wenxiu, Zhong Hu, Wei Qian'er, Dai Daozi, Huang Shengxiao, Xie Erhu, A Haidaiqing, Basang and other battalions are selecting soldiers to prepare ordnance.

On the other hand, he wants to spread invitations to many chieftains, inviting them to bring their families to Juerwan to celebrate the New Year, which is also the prerequisite for Liu Chengzong to choose a partner.

If you are willing to come to give yourself New Year's greetings, you can talk about future cooperation matters and pick out many collaborators among chieftain chieftains;

Just as he was making intensive preparations, Liu Chengzong received news from Gansu that the camel bells had rang along Qinghai Lake, and the little master of the Three Tribulations Society, wrapped in a scarf to block the wind and sand, came back to report on his work.

Haixi County took him all the way from Qilian Mountain, and took Shiliu, a little guy who smelled like a camel, straight to the Marshal's Mansion.

The No. [-] member of the famous Sanjiehui in Gansu Province was thrown into the bathtub by Tianbao according to the size of his head, rubbed vigorously, and screamed again and again.

A dozen or so Gansu deserters who accompanied them stood at the Marshal's Mansion and looked at each other.

They always thought that the sixteen mages of the Three Tribulations Society were the reincarnated sons of Shaohui, who knew everything at a young age, and could endure long drives like veterans. They originally thought that this trip to the Marshal's Mansion was a diplomatic job.

Why... why does it feel like Master Sixteen entering the Marshal's Mansion is like returning to his hometown.

It didn't take long for them to see that Master Sixteen had changed into new clothes that didn't fit well, and the small cut on his head was still a little damp after being wiped off, and the tiger came out gnawing on lactose.

Behind him, there was an imposing young general who came out and clasped his fists to everyone, saying: "All brothers, protect my younger brother and work hard all the way. Liu has prepared some thin wine and meals, please rest for a few days."

Afterwards, guards took them down, and then Liu Chengzong stretched out his hand to measure Shiliu's head, and beckoned him to go into the hall.

Shiliu gnawed on the lactose tiger that Liu Chengzong brought back from the Dajian Stove, followed step by step into the hall, put down the sugar after sitting down, put his hands on his knees, and waited for Liu Shizi to speak.

Liu Chengzong looked at Shiliu and let out a laugh, knowing that the child hadn't seen him for more than two years, he was a little scared: "It's six or seven inches taller, it's pretty good, how are you doing in Gansu, Monk Wang, did you treat you badly?" what?"

Xiao Shiliu quickly shook his head: "Brother Lion, Mr. Wang treated me very well and taught me many things...but I also taught him many things."

As he said that, Shiliu took out a letter and handed it to Liu Chengzong: "This is a letter that Mr. Wang asked me to write to Brother Lion. Please read it."

Liu Chengzong smiled and opened the letter, thinking that Wang wrote the letter for himself, mostly to ask for some money and food?With the scale of the king's own use, it doesn't cost much money for food, and it's not a big deal.

However, the content of this letter was different from what he had imagined. The smile on Liu Shizi's face gradually faded. The letter said that Ningxia had just finished the war, and soon Gansu would also be at war.

Chuoke Tutaiji wanted to do many things, and many things were not done until he died, but in the third month after his death, this Khalkha Taiji finally did one thing... The pier rabbit is here.

Wang Ziyong's news came from the frontier soldiers who joined the Three Tribulations Association. In the summer, Huduntu was still in Guihua City, and in autumn he ran to the Yulin border to meet Hong Chengchou, leaving thousands of heads.

After that, hundreds of thousands of people and animals were driven across the side wall on the sand, and fought with the Ningxia frontier army, leaving thousands of corpses across Ningxia again. They are currently stationed outside Liangzhou, Gansu, and seem to be preparing to fight with Gansu The frontier army bangs and fights.

Gansu is actively preparing for the war, and Wang Ziyong's original intention of asking Shiliu to write this letter was to make the Marshal's House a little bit more prepared, in case the Gansu frontier army bluffed and went south.

Looking at the letter, Liu Shizi was very cautious no matter whether the information Wang used himself was accurate or not.

He understands the Ming Frontier Army, and he also understands the Mongols.

The route of Huduntu is easy to understand. A Haidaiqing who surrendered had told him long ago that Chuoketutaiji wanted to recruit Lin Danhan, but he didn't take it seriously.

Liu Shizi didn't mind Huduntu driving the herd over. The Mongols couldn't beat the Ming army, and Huduntu couldn't beat him.

As long as the Mongols can beat the frontier army, why can't they enter Beijing to celebrate the birthday of Lord Chongzhen?
However, there are two things in this letter that Liu Chengzong can't understand.

First, Huduntu hit the side wall of Daming madly with his brains along the way. This irrational behavior cannot be explained by performance art.

Second, Huduntu fought the frontier army frequently along the way, fought two battles after going through three sections of the side wall, and even wanted to fight the third.

Shiliu, who was sitting in the hall, watched Liu Chengzong's complexion change, puzzled, and comforted: "Brother Lion, the northern captives are outside Liangzhou, and they can't break through the Gansu side wall, so it's okay."

Liu Chengzong put down the letter and sighed. Looking into Shangshiliu's worried eyes, he laughed and then shook his head and said firmly, "I'm not afraid to fight him. He's running away, and he's out of food."

His conclusion comes from the fact that the frontier army captured the heads. Only the victors on the battlefield can get the chance to clean up the battlefield. The Mongolian army has the habit of leaving with corpses, so obtaining the heads from the Mongols has always been the most difficult.

Usually the Ming army and the Mongolian army fought against each other, and the ratio of killing and capturing heads could reach two to three or even ten to one.

It is impossible for the Yulin frontier army to kill tens of thousands of Huduntu. If that happens, Huduntu will not dare to go west. It is only possible that he did not collect the corpses.

It must have been in a hurry and panic, and hitting the side wall again and again means lack of rations, and looting must be used to make up for the military resources for the long-distance westward migration. From Daming, and still some distance away from him.

The source of Huduntu's fear is ready to come out, Huang Taiji, the post-gold.

How would you describe your mood at this moment?Liu Chengzong didn't know either, if he really wanted to say it, he could only feel his pity.

The Mongols under him are either Tumed or Khalkha. One has a feud with Huduntu for seizing land, and the other also regards Huduntu as heresy in belief, so they don't sweat it anyway.

It's a pity that Huduntu is a poor ghost, otherwise he can consider crossing Qilian Mountains to snatch this guy; it's even more regrettable that he is also a poor ghost, otherwise he can consider recruiting the hungry Chahar tribes.

However, between two poor ghosts who have eaten their last meal but never finished their meal, there will only be mutual contempt, and it is difficult to find a common language.

Liu Chengzong ignored the poor ghosts in the north of Qilian Mountains, and asked Shiliu in a good mood: "It seems that Sanjie will develop well in Gansu, and there are many frontier troops joining?"

Mentioning this, Sixteen proudly raised his head, clasped his fists like a little adult, and said, "Brother Lion, the Three Tribulations Society already has four judges, ten lands, 47 big men, 47 great vanguards, and eight thousand There are more than seven hundred brothers."

Judge, Land, Langtou, Pioneer?
Liu Chengzong could only understand the last 700 brothers, but he was not in a hurry to express his admiration for this huge number, but asked: "What are these judge lands for?"

"The magistrate is in charge of two lands, just like parents and officials; the lands are all respected local old people, the big and small Langtou are the brothers' leaders, the brothers in charge are less than a hundred brothers are the Xiaolangtou, and those who are over a hundred are the Dalangtou."

Sixteen explained one by one before saying: "Every Langtou has a pioneer next to him, who is the most powerful among all the brothers in the local area. It may be the general flag of the small banner of the guard station, the superintendent of the military camp, or it may be a Pawns aren't even pawns."

This can't help but make Liu Chengzong show admiration. The Sanjiehui are all positions for local self-government. Almost whenever Wang Ziyong said that he would raise a rebellious flag, places with many brothers in the congregation would rebel on the spot. Pull out an army of peasants.

But that's all. Sixteen said that although there are quite a few brothers in their congregation, more than half of them are widows and elderly people, and more than half of the young people are rural women and children. If they want to start an incident in Gansu, they have to wait two or three years.

Originally, Wang Ziyong planned to come to Juerwan to meet Liu Chengzong in person during the Chinese New Year, but because Hudun Rabbit was stationed outside Liangzhou, Wang Ziyong couldn't get away, so he sent Shiliu back.

Liu Chengzong said strangely: "Huduntu is outside Liangzhou, and he is also preparing for battle outside Gansu. What is Monk Wang busy with?"

Sixteen was astonished, and said as it should be: "People will die in wars. Brothers in the congregation are not allowed to train funeral teams and prepare a few more teams. Those who die in battle will be sent back by the disabled. Those who have money can earn some money for burial, and those who have no money The burial of the deceased should be regarded as a good deed, prepare some brothers to speak with the old man who lost his beloved son, take care of the disabled veterans, and expand the brothers in the congregation."

With this sentence, Liu Chengzong has a good understanding of the operation method of Wang Ziyong's Sanjiehui. They will not refuse the congregation, accurately find the needs of the poor and give them to meet, and gain people's approval at the lowest cost.

This aroused Liu Chengzong's great sense of crisis, but the source of the crisis was not Wang's own use, but this kind of Taoism that was said to be the White Lotus Sect or something, which could never be banned.

As long as there are gaps in the eggshell, it will attract flies.

Liu Chengzong felt that he had to learn more about this method of operation, so he asked, "How did you get the officers to join?"

Sixteen smiled and said with his fingers: "A small banner has ten troops, and there are seven left after three runs. The banner troops are all suffering. If one joins the club and becomes a brother, four, five or even seven will become brothers."

"A small flag officer's seven flag soldiers are all brothers, how can he not be brothers?"

Shiliu's childish tone made Liu Chengzong feel a terrible situation, as if the plague was spreading across the land of Gansu.

Liu Chengzong sighed: "Then how do you hold power and prevent other leaders from taking power?"

Shiliu froze for a moment, as if he had never considered this matter before, and after thinking about it for a long time, he said in confusion: "There is no need to guard against others before the incident, and there is no need to guard against others after the incident."

"How to say?"

"Before the incident, we were the only ones who had a list of all the magistrates, land lords and vanguards. We were all afraid of being known by the imperial court. If the imperial court knew about it, they would have to initiate an incident."

After sixteen finished speaking, he looked at Liu Chengzong and said with a smile: "After the incident, whoever can defeat the Gansu frontier army will run to the Marshal's Mansion, and don't need to guard against others. Without the two of us, they can't get in."

The fuck.

Liu Chengzong shook his head and smiled bitterly, co-authoring that he was also a tool used by Wang Ziyong to gain power.

"Okay, now that I'm back, I'll have fun in Juerwan, and I'll go to Gansu after the Chinese New Year. Anyway, there's nothing urgent there." Liu Chengzong thought about it, and said, "When I go back after the Chinese New Year, I still have something to tell you." You ask the king for his own use."

Although the Three Tribulations used by the king seem to be very destructive, they are still only destructive, and it is difficult to pose a threat to the normal regime. Even the Marshal's Mansion is not considered a normal regime. At least it is stronger than the imperial court in Gansu. Some people Doing this in Juerwan, I'm afraid it will be wiped out within two days of activities.

How can there be unrelated people running around in Juerwan, everyone has to get food, not to mention the disciples of the old mother Wusheng who want to help people go to the grave, even if the Jade Emperor comes, they have to wait as an idler, and give it to Liu Chengzong. To be honest, I went hungry for nine meals in three days.

Therefore, the Three Tribulations will temporarily pose no threat to a low-level political system like the Marshal's Mansion. Instead, it is the imperial court's high-level design and collapsed administrative divisions in Gansu that pose a great threat.

Since there is no threat to use it, Liu Chengzong plans to wait for Shiliu to go back and let him talk to Wang Ziyong about the private salt dealer. The official salt is lower, and dumping is profitable in the past.

He plans to implement the equalization of grain to buy taxes, which requires a lot of money. Even if he takes all the Hehuang Valley and closes it to promote his own lion ticket, he will need a lot of reserves to prevent a run. Also less than 50 taels.

Even counting the gains from the capture of Hehuang, it would probably be around a million taels.

Their salt must be exchanged for goods.

However, the conversation with Shiliu really greatly expanded Liu Chengzong's thinking. In the future, the township collective system he will implement in the Hehuang Valley should also pay attention to the care of marginalized people such as orphans and widows.

On the one hand, it is necessary to allow common people to cultivate their own fields, divide a piece of land and use some as private fields and some as public fields.

On the other hand, it is also necessary to prevent farmers from losing their land again after allocating land, and it is also necessary to hold farmers and herdsmen together in order to combat the risks that a single small farmer cannot bear.

Every township should have its own social studies, social medicine, and water conservancy, and the Marshal's Mansion should also have a department, and its subordinate agencies are responsible for selecting grain, breeding stallions, and promoting new planting techniques and new crops.

In Liu Chengzong's current vision, this production method should have a good effect on curbing land mergers, but its shortcomings are also very obvious... Whether it is a good governance or a bad governance depends entirely on the amount and price of grain purchased by the Marshal's Office.

This is a very complicated job, and it is directly related to whether this mode of production can exist for a long time and even be promoted nationwide, or whether it is only used as a stopgap measure when the crisis comes.

After all, for Liu Chengzong, the first problem to be solved is to rely on average means to fight hunger under the condition that the current total amount of food cannot satisfy everyone.

Simply put, he may have to avoid 58 starving deaths at the cost of starving 8 people.

　good evening!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)