Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 239 Undercurrent is turbulent
After the beginning of spring, Shaanxi is mixed with spring rain, Qinchuan is eight hundred miles away, and several large rivers are criss-crossing. Since thousands of years, this land has been favored too much.

Zhengguo Canal, Baiqu Canal, Zhengbai Canal, Fengli Canal, Wang Yushi Canal, Guanghui Canal, etc. were built in the Han and Tang Dynasties and later, which not only shaped the water transportation extending in all directions, but also irrigated countless fertile fields.

Not to mention anything else, during the Wanli period, Shaanxi paid nearly [-]% of the country's taxes, which was several times that of Sichuan, the land of abundance.

If there were no border towns and the encumbrance of the vassal princes, life in Shaanxi would be pretty good.

After all, only relying on several prefectures such as Fengxiang, Hanzhong, and Xi'an, Sun Chuanting was able to train an army of [-].

Similarly, since entering Xi'an and changing his name to Chang'an, Li Zicheng understood the potential of Shaanxi.

Especially after leaving Beijing and returning to Shaanxi, Li Zicheng made a 180-degree turn and began to treat the gentry kindly, and violated his promise of three-year tax exemption and began to collect taxes.

Jingyang County.

In the field, the wheat seedlings are growing continuously, gradually distinguishing them from the weeds. The people are extremely happy, and they are constantly weeding, fertilizing, and watering, and they are very busy.

"This King Chuang is just like the government. To put it nicely, he still has to pay taxes."

"It's a beautiful thing to think about. Is there still a court in the world that doesn't pay taxes?"

"As long as you don't conscript to fight..."

"The people in the yamen are still old people. There is no difference between Da Ming and Da Shun."

In the field, the people in short and brown clothes, the whole family went to battle, their sallow faces were full of dissatisfaction.

Only when they were resting, they chatted a few words, hiding their dissatisfaction with King Chuang.

At this time, from the far side of the Jing River, a young man riding a mule, wearing an ill-fitting robe, holding a book, followed carefully by several servants.

"The young master from Henan is really comfortable."

"I'm so envious, I force you to come here, and I don't want to."

The farmer chatted with emotion while eating wheat rice.

The man on the mule had to return home under the scorching sun.

"My son, it's just in time for you to come back."

At this time, the shrewd Mr. Zhao hurriedly held the letter and said anxiously: "Several families in the vicinity have written letters, and the matter is of great importance."

Zhao Wenxuan was taken aback for a moment, quickly put away the book, and opened it to read.

Only a few families stated that they had obtained the consent of Luoyang Hong Chengchou, the governor of Hong, as long as they surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, they would not be stingy with official titles.

"We are just ordinary people, what can we do?"

Mr. Zhao stroked his beard and tremblingly said: "I have promised so much, and the price is quite high. Our old Zhao family finally settled down..."

"Who knows what will happen to King Chuang?"

Zhao Wenxuan shook his head, resentful said: "The thieves murdered the king, and forced us to leave our homes. Now it's not an expedient way to show favor to us?"

Thinking in this way, he paced and walked for a long time, and said: "Well, it's nothing more than letting us spy on the military situation, and also make trouble from the rear when the burglars are fighting."

"Father, Daming is far away in the sky. Although the Manchus are barbarians, they are better than trespassers."

"If you stay in Shaanxi for a day, you will be in danger for a day. Bandits are bandits after all. Are there few people who change their orders?"

These words completely convinced Mr. Zhao.

The Dashun court, which is like a grass-roots team, does not look like a long-lived one. It is unreasonable and unreasonable. It is a heinous crime to force them to enter Shaanxi.

"Row!"

Mr. Zhao said in a deep voice: "Then I will write back to them."

"A few months ago, when the Slaves came, people in the province were in panic. You were right not to take the imperial examination. This Dashun is something that a rabbit's tail can't grow."

"I just don't know when the court will recover the Central Plains."

Following Hong Chengchou's calculations, a large number of spies came to Guanzhong, conveying the Qing's idea of ​​avenging Emperor Chongzhen, and promising official positions.

Hong Chengchou's reputation in the past, as well as his generous and generous promises, have moved people's minds and turbulent undercurrents in Shaanxi Province.

And in Chang'an, Li Zicheng's Dashun court was celebrating the victory against the Manchus.

In other words, after the battle of Yan'an Mansion, the crumbling Dashun court barely stabilized, and the base of Shaanxi was finally saved.

However, Li Zicheng knew very well that his Dashun Army suffered heavy losses.

In the nearly one year of conquest, the army retreated and was defeated. In the battle of Luoyang and the defense of Yulin, more than half of the elite old battalion was lost.

The total number of troops under his command will also be no more than 200,000, and the old battalion will only have tens of thousands.

On the territory, Henan was completely lost, and Shanxi's Jiang Yu jumped back. The land of the three provinces in the past, only left Shaanxi.

After bidding farewell to his brothers, Li Zicheng received Niu Jinxing and other civil servants very eagerly:

"Can the summer harvest be done well? How much grain can there be?"

After no longer ransacking the house, the finances of the Dashun court were already stretched, and it was extremely difficult. Although many people still wanted to help the salary, Li Zicheng changed.

He wants to be an emperor for real.

Unfortunately, he woke up too late.

Niu Jinxing was quite happy with Li Zicheng's transformation, especially after Li Yan's death, he was almost in power:

"Your Majesty, according to the Yellow Book left by the previous Ming Dynasty, Shaanxi Province can collect 150 million stones of grain. Now that there are frequent wars and scattered people, it is estimated that it can also collect a million stones."

"A million stones? Too little, too little."

Li Zicheng was disappointed, he muttered, and said: "If it's just about food, the army is enough, but if it's about raising civil and military officials, it's far from enough."

"If I don't care about those officials, how can I be the emperor."

"Your Majesty, it's a bit difficult for the imperial court to use it, but if you stick to it, build water conservancy projects, pay less taxes, and let the people live and work in peace, it will be fine."

Niu Jinxing was born as a Juren. Although the specific operation is unknown, it can still be vaguely said.

It sounds like that too.

"After all, it's the convenience that I didn't grab."

Li Zicheng said with emotion when he heard the words.

His single eyes are full of regret, but also with some longing: "Lao Niu, you said that I held the imperial examination last year, how about coming again this year? By then, you will be a Mingjun?"

Niu Jinxing was choked, Mingjun's level is not that low.

He thought that the emperor hated the gentry and officials very much in the past, but now he has turned around, which is not a good thing.

"Don't worry, your majesty. As long as you pay lightly and pay little attention to the people, the people will naturally praise you. You don't need to listen to the words of those gentry."

Regarding Niu Jinxing's words, Li Zicheng shook his head and said, "There are so many scholars in the gentry, to govern the world, you still need scholars!"

Thinking in this way, Li Zicheng suddenly said: "Old Niu, isn't the land of those vassal kings vacant a lot?"

"We can sell it to those gentry at a low price. At that time, we will not only have gold and silver, but also buy people's hearts."

"Your Majesty, many of those vassal fields have been divided up by the generals in the army, and not many can be sold."

Niu Jinxing said awkwardly.

"is it?"

Li Zicheng sighed, being an emperor is too difficult.

On the side, Song Xiance opened his eyes and said, "Your Majesty, Hong Chengchou is now in Luoyang, and he is eyeing Tongguan. From this, it can be seen that the desire to build a slave and kill me is not dead!"

"Hong Chengchou!!" Li Zicheng gritted his teeth and muttered, it was this person who ambushed him from all directions, and let himself break out into the mountain on his own, and suffered a lot.

"This old thief is shameless and surrendered to Jiannu. Chongzhen is really good at employing people."

"Your Majesty, this old villain is outraged by everyone, but he should not be underestimated."

Song Xiance hurriedly said: "For the current plan, we can only temporarily negotiate peace with King Yu of Nanming, so as to avoid being attacked on both sides."

"Zhu Yixi, this little thief is not a good person."

Li Zicheng said in a deep voice.

(End of this chapter)