I want to be emperor

Chapter 228 Goods and the Imperial Family

Outside the city of Hanyang, Zhang Zijin, who was sitting in the carriage, frowned slightly as he looked at the gate of the city not far away through the window of the carriage.

At this time, dozens of people were queuing up at the gate of the city, waiting to enter the city. Most of them were nearby villagers carrying firewood, fruits and vegetables, etc., waiting to enter the city for sale. At the end of the line were more than a dozen people wearing gray robes and shaved heads Bandit soldiers are guarding the city gates, and they are also checking the people who enter the city one by one.

Immediately, a young man dressed as an entourage sitting in front of the carriage murmured, ""Is this a barrier from entering the city?That's right, these security thieves were born as bandits. Even if they were proclaimed emperors, they still couldn't get rid of the temperament of bandits. People who entered the city would inevitably be exploited. "

Zhang Zijin also sighed after hearing this: "Speak carefully, don't let those people hear it!"

Although the young attendant was still muttering softly, he didn't stop talking.

The team entering the city moved forward slowly, and after a while, the carriage of Zhang Zijin and his party also approached the gate of the city, but the scene they saw was the same as expected.

Although these gray thieves will check the people entering the city, they don't ask for money, they just check and ask a few words at will.

But when it was Zhang Zijin's turn, one of the gray bandits asked, "Where did you come from? What are you going to do when you enter the city?"

The entourage got off the carriage and immediately stepped forward and said: "Master Jun, my master came from Jiangling, Jingzhou, and he came to Hanyang this time to visit friends."

But as soon as these words came out, the bandit soldier stared at the two of them several times, and muttered at the same time: "Did Jiangling come here?"

Two more thieves came over, and one of them looked like a small boss and said: "It's a mess everywhere, you came all the way from Jiangling to visit our friends in Hanyang City?"

"No matter what you are here for, come here first to ask for registration."

After hearing this, the attendant hurriedly said, "Ask me? What are you asking?"

"My master is Ju Ren, what qualifications do you have to ask my master!"

Seeing this, the leader of the bandits became even more vigilant, one hand was already on the handle of the knife at his waist, and at the same time his expression froze: "Go!"

After finishing speaking, he turned to Zhang Zijin who was sitting in the carriage and said nothing all the time: "Your fame is also a fake fame. It has nothing to do with us. On special occasions, any people from other places who want to enter the city must be questioned." And register to prevent spies, hum, be obedient and avoid suffering!"

The entourage wanted to say something, but fortunately, Zhang Zijin got out of the carriage at this time, put his hand on his shoulder, and at the same time said to the leader of the bandits who had half drawn his waist knife: "Master, don't blame me. Children speak without restraint, please forgive me if your words offend you."

"We'll just listen to the arrangement, don't worry, we're not spies, we're just visiting friends!"

Zhang Zijin led his entourage to a small row of houses next to the gate of the city. After entering one of them, there were two bandit soldiers watching behind him, and in the room was a man dressed as a scribe in a long robe sitting behind a table. .

When the scribe saw the person coming, he immediately dipped his pen and ink, and at the same time raised his head and asked, "Name? Native place? Age? Gender?"

Zhang Zijin said: "My surname is Zhang, my name is Zijin, my name is Wudu, I'm from Jiangling, Jingzhou, I'm thirty and six years old, my gender...male!"

Zhang Zijin's entourage also introduced himself, and after finishing speaking, he muttered: "I also asked about gender, maybe we are still women!"

Zhang Zijin turned his head and glared at his followers: "No more nonsense, the family law will serve you!"

The attendant immediately turned pale, and did not dare to speak nonsense anymore.

After questioning and answering for a while, Zhang Zijin left the addresses of his friends in Hanyang City, and then he was able to leave and enter the city.

After entering the city, Zhang Zijin sat in the carriage and found that Hanyang City was different from the previous few times he came here.

First of all, the street is much cleaner, there is no garbage, and even the shops on both sides of the street look much cleaner.

He remembered before that the shops on both sides of the street in this area would sell their goods directly at the door, so that the originally spacious street became extremely narrow.

But now, the shops on both sides of the street do not place goods at the door, so that the whole street looks more spacious.

Occasionally, bandits in gray uniforms could be seen patrolling past in groups.

Zhang Zijin watched all the way forward, and after a while the carriage arrived at the gate of a three-entry courtyard in the city, and his attendants immediately stepped forward to knock the door.

After a while, Zhang Zijin sat in the flower hall of the house, and sitting opposite him was a man about forty years old, dressed in a scribe's robe.

I only heard the man say: "Brother Wudu has come from a long way, so I welcome you from afar!"

Zhang Zijin said: "Brother Songquan, you are being polite, it was Zhang who came here rashly, what a bother!"

Fang Xubing said: "You and I have been classmates for many years, and it's the same year, so why bother?"

After the two chattered a lot, they gradually turned to the serious business, Zhang Zijin said: "I heard from brother Fang's letter earlier that the Township Protection Army plans to select officials from among the scholars?"

Fang Xubing took a sip of tea, moistened his throat, and said: "Yes, there have been rumors earlier, and the notice was posted three days ago. This time, they have made a big move. , I heard that a hundred officials will be selected at one time."
As he said that, Fang Xubing said again: "Brother Wudu, you should have heard of it. They have proclaimed the emperor and established a system not long ago. Now there is a lot of waste to be done, and there is a lot of shortage of talents, so there is a selection of officials."

"And this time, the selection of officials is specifically aimed at those officials who have achieved fame and served at home like me!"

Speaking of this, Fang Xubing hesitated a little and said: "I am dissatisfied with Brother Wudu, I have decided to accept their invitation, and I am ready to become an official!"

As he spoke, he smiled wryly and said, "I'm a 15-year-old middle school student, and a 22-year-old middle school student. In the past 20 years, I entered Beijing to take the exam and failed five times. The difficulty of the imperial examination is beyond the sky!"

Speaking of this, his face became slightly gloomy: "A certain person on our side has all the skills of governing the country and the people but has no use for it. To be honest, I am not reconciled!"

"It is said that Han Chuang has studied hard for decades, just for goods and the emperor's family!"

"Since Zhu Ming doesn't like someone's talent on our side, then it's no wonder I'm loyal to Luo Chu!"

"Brother Wudu, what's the matter? Do you want to work for Dachu with me? I've asked, and I'm going to go to the past with my reputation as a person, at least starting at the sixth rank, and giving priority to important positions in various ministries, and now my Dachu is expanding at a high speed. Among them, there are many vacancies and very few good talents. As long as we do well, we can reach the fourth rank or even the third rank within three to five months."

"It's not impossible for him to become a prime minister every day!"

Zhang Zijin was slightly taken aback after hearing this. When he received a letter from Fang Xubing some time ago, he also guessed that Fang Xubing would do this, otherwise he would not have written to him specifically, and even hinted at persuading himself to be with him. He also became an official in the rural protection army.

To be honest, he was a little moved, otherwise he would not have set off for Hanyang City directly after receiving the letter.

He, Zhang Zijin, is in his thirties this year. He was under 20 years old when he won the exam. However, he failed every time he went to Beijing to take the exam for more than ten years. After the last time he failed the exam, he actually gave up and wanted to go home to take care of family affairs. , Cultivate children.

But just like Fang Xubing said, he is not reconciled!

Since he was enlightened at the age of five, he studied hard for more than [-] years, for what?
It is for one day to pass the Jinshi examination and become an official, so as to win a whole body of glory and wealth.

But how difficult it is to be a Jinshi!

Whether he is Zhang Zijin or Fang Xubing, they are just one of the countless failed candidates in the world.

At this time, he received a letter from Fang Xubing, and heard that after the Xiangbao army went south to Hanyang, they had proclaimed the emperor and established the system, and they were preparing to recruit scholars to the court as officials.

to be frank!
He was moved!

If the Township Protection Army was just a group of rogues, he definitely would not have such an idea, better than Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong and other rogues.

From the bottom of his heart, he doesn't like this kind of rogue. It looks good now, but it won't be long before he is under the siege of the government and army.

But the Township Protection Army is not an ordinary bandit.

In the past six months, the Army of Protecting the Township has taken over the entire Northern Chu area like a broken bamboo. Not only has it won, but the most important thing is that the Army of Protecting the Township can still hold Northern Chu.

For this alone, it is not comparable to Gao Yingxiang and other rogues.

In addition, there is another very important point, that is, the people in the Township Protection Army seem to be from bandits, but they are extremely disciplined.

When he was in his hometown in the countryside of Jiangling, Jingzhou Prefecture, he also saw the rural protection army.

Those thieves gave him the feeling that domineering is domineering, especially those tax collectors are scum concentration camps, which makes people feel disgusting.

But what I have to say is that these thieves, whether they are their thieves or tax collectors, are very well-mannered.

When the thieves captured their hometown, they did not send troops to loot. Instead, they actively exterminated bandits and deserters to maintain law and order, and set up town yamen and village chiefs.

Helped organize the villagers to cultivate the autumn harvest, and also organized manpower to dig water canals.

Zhang Zijin saw all of this.

There is no rule without rules, and with rules and rules, only then can a real foundation be established.

In his opinion, with a powerful army and good manners, the Township Protection Army will be able to occupy a corner of northern Chu no matter how bad it is in the future.

If it is planned properly, it is possible to occupy the entire Huguang, and even several surrounding provinces such as Sichuan.

If coupled with good luck, there is a certain possibility of Dingding Kyushu in the future.

If he, Zhang Zijin, could join it, it would be the same as what Fang Xubing said, it is possible to hold a high position and even join the cabinet in the future.

However, Zhang Zijin also has his own worries.

The Great Chu Empire seems to have a bright future, but it is also full of dangers. Can the Great Chu Empire, which only occupies the land of northern Chu, really be able to stop the Ming court's counterattack and encirclement?
Once this can't be stopped, those officials who voted for Chu will be completely finished.

To cast Chu, this is equivalent to taking a gamble with one's worth and life, or even the fate of the entire Patriarch!
It is no problem to become prosperous and rich.

Lost, ransacking the family and exterminating the clan is also a matter of minutes.

With such an important choice, Zhang Zijin had to be cautious!
(End of this chapter)