eldest son of Ming dynasty

Chapter 532 Entering the city!

There have been pictures of so many officials gathered in this post station called Shenggu Station like today, but there are not many of them.

Most of the passing passers-by saw that the officials had brought guards with them, and most of them didn't dare to approach them. They just looked away in awe, and then went about their own business.Even the horses had to be tied a little further away.

In case something goes wrong and people from the government find trouble with you, how dare you resist as a commoner?
So Zhang Cong still got a quiet environment.

When meeting people, needless to say the politeness and etiquette at the beginning, after revealing his identity and purpose, Zhang Cong dared not neglect, and invited people to the house to set up a table and make it ready.

Because the person who came here was a staff member of the Shaanxi governor's yamen, which was similar to the feeling of an advisory group.

In the governor's yamen, there are often a few to a dozen staff members who assist the governor in handling government affairs. As for how important they are, it depends on the degree of trust the governor has in them.

Zhang Cong still couldn't tell what role this Yi Dunyan was with Wang Tingxiang, the governor of Shaanxi, but Yi Dunyan did bring the governor's personal letter and the seal of the yamen, so it couldn't be faked.

"The old man has his destiny, so Zhongcheng naturally dare not be sloppy. Originally, I was already waiting in the city for the dispatcher, but the dispatcher suddenly stopped, so I went out of the city to pick him up."

"Elder Ge has a life? Elder Yang?"

"Naturally, it's Elder Yang Ge."

Zhang Cong's official position is not high, but he is knowledgeable. He knows that Yang Yiqing has been in the Northwest for more than ten years, and he must have used many people.

Putting aside this point, he explained: "In this Qingyang City, I am afraid that the imperial envoy below will be regarded as a scourge at this moment. He has already moved frequently before entering the city. I originally wanted to find out more about the situation before entering the city. I thought of asking Brother Dunyan to come out of the city to pick him up."

While speaking, there was a flash of light in his eyes, since the people from Shaanxi Governor's Yamen can come, others should also be able to come.

If you want to hide, you can't hide. In this case, it is better to open the door to welcome guests.

Yi Dunyan thought to himself, not only is it a scourge, it is simply a hook for death.

"On business..."

Zhang Cong raised his hand, "I use the word Bing, so it's better to call it this way."

"No, Zhang Yushi is an imperial envoy sent by His Majesty, and he is no more than an aide, so how dare he go beyond the rules. It should be called a superior envoy."

Yi Dunyan's posture was very low, and he didn't despise the person in front of him because he was very young. Besides, apart from his status as an imperial envoy, the imperial censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate was also a low-ranking but high-power position.

In the past, Zhang Cong had only been a magistrate, and he had never been involved in major court affairs. The inertia in the past was too heavy.In this instant, I had my first taste of power.

"Shangcha, Ge Lao's intention to Zhongcheng is to fully cooperate with Shangcha's actions in Ningxia. But Zhongcheng has something to ask me to risk my life to ask Zhongcheng for advice."

"Just say it straight."

"Okay. Zhongcheng wants to know, is the clearing of the military colony this time in Ningxia or Shaanxi?"

Zhang Cong slowly put down the teacup in his hand, he understood why Shaanxi Governor Wang Tingxiang was so concerned about this issue.

If it is only to investigate Ningxia, then like the case of corruption in Zhejiang and what happened in Huai'an Mansion, a few people have exposed problems and made Long Yan unhappy, so if they are investigated and dealt with, it is nothing more than He Jinyi.

But if we really understand it according to the meaning of cleaning up the military settlements, it shouldn’t just be cleaning up Ningxia Town. There are so many guards in the world, so what’s the point of cleaning up only one town?
However, to really clean up the entire army station in Shaanxi, as the governor of Shaanxi, you have to be very careful.

After thinking for a while, Zhang Cong said: "The evils of the military settlements have been around for a long time, and His Majesty wants to get rid of them and shake up the world."

Yi Dunyan understood, and his palms trembled slightly, "In this way, the wind and rain are coming."

"Under Putian, is it the king's land; on the shore of the land, is it the king's ministers. Now that the imperial edict has come, who dares not to obey it?"

He had no confidence before.Later, I didn't know who in Qingyang City was exposing each other's secrets, and actually sent him the situation of He Jinyi, Jiang Han, Yang Ying and others' private soldiers stationed in the fields.

Coupled with the assistance of the Shaanxi Governor's Yamen, it is naturally a little more sure.

"Brother Dunyan, I have changed my mind, how about entering the city?"

Come in, even if he doesn't come in, others will find him.

"Yes!"

Alright, now Qingyang Mansion is going to be bustling.

……

……

Before today, Zhang Cong had never received such courtesy.

The chief soldier of the town and the guarding eunuch treated him like a distinguished guest. When he entered the city, the Xingyuan had already made arrangements, and there was a dinner on that day.

All military officers from Ningxia town who could see up and down were present.

However, he, the official announcer, hasn't said anything yet, and this group of people seems to know everything.Just this kind of heart of minister, he can't see it.

In the barren land in the northwest, the Xingyuan is not dilapidated, with red walls and black tiles, and shaded by green trees. In a daze, I thought I was in the south of the Yangtze River.

There is nothing else going on in Ningxia Town today, it is this imperial envoy from Beijing.

There is a long corridor in the courtyard, and flowers of different shapes are carved on the walls, separated by a wall, and Ningxia officials are waiting.

"It feels like a Hongmen banquet." Yi Dunyan said.

Of course Zhang Cong knew, he straightened his official hat, "I can't even move a chopstick."

the other side.

All are ready.

About a dozen people accompanied Zhang Cong into the door one after another.

After taking his seat, Jiang Han also said: "Zhang Yushi, prepare a little wine to show your heart. Look, can we start?"

Zhang Cong nodded slightly, then he declined the others, poured the wine for himself, and held it in his hand when the glass was full, "You generals don't need to drink. I respect you first."

Among the warriors in the room, he, as a civil servant, did not lose his momentum, and he immediately made people feel a bit capable.

"How?" Yang Ying also stood up, "Zhang Yushi is an imperial envoy. Seeing an imperial envoy is like seeing the emperor. We should respect Zhang Yushi with this wine."

"No!" Zhang Cong's attitude was very firm, he waved his hand and said, "I have to drink this wine first today."

"Then..." Yang Ying didn't want to talk anymore, looked at Jiang Han, and was asked to sit down first.

"I am from Zhejiang. It is the first time in my life that I have come to Ningxia. I think you generals have never been to Zhejiang. Even if you go, you will definitely not recognize me as an unknown person. Jiang Zongbing, Yang Deputy Zongbing, Zhang Cong I'm afraid this is the first time I've heard of this name. What do you mean? It means that I have no enmity with you. But..."

At this point, he paused and glanced at everyone at the table, "But we all know why there is this dinner today, everyone knows why I came, and I also know why everyone came. If you say that warriors are straightforward, then I, a civil servant, don't have ink marks. His Majesty ordered me to clean up the pastures and military settlements. Everyone, this is an imperial decree!"

What Zhang Cong said was like a thunderstorm, and it exploded in the ears of these people.They originally planned to do things secretly by flattering them, but now they are all put on the table. How should we deal with this?

"But your majesty is the next generation of Mingjun, and he treats the military generals who defend the country more favorably than the previous kings. The reason why you made this decree is that the situation is broken and you have to do it! Jiang Zongbing, the Ministry of War records, you should lead [-] troops Yu, but do you really have [-] soldiers and horses? No, how many escaped here? Are these soldiers young and strong enough to fight? Not at all! How many of them are old and weak? Why? The guards are garrisoning fields, but the soldiers have no land to garrison! The world is so exhausted, and if things go on like this, my Ming Dynasty will be like the previous Han, Tang, Song, and Yuan Dynasties!
In the last years of Hongzhi, the Tatars invaded the border every year, and the Ming Dynasty lost more than it won. However, in Taizu Taizong's time, when the frontier army galloped, was there a time when the Mongols flaunted their prestige? !His Majesty is well aware of the harm of embezzling the military settlements, so he wants to clean them up. There is no personal grievance among them, but he has to do it.This is one too!
Besides, I also want to save the lives of the generals.Defending the border for the country is an act of loyalty and courage.If you go against the holy will because of greed for a momentary profit, not to mention losing your own future and implicating your family, it is really not worth it.How many fields have been occupied, then how many fields will be returned. In this way, if I report to the court and explain the reasons, His Majesty may praise Ningxia for its general understanding and consideration of the overall situation.If you want to hide the land you occupy and just want to fool things... Even if you fool me, how can you fool Your Majesty?
What's more, on that day in the main hall, some people were worried that His Majesty's move would cause instability in the border town and turmoil in the world. That means that the generals wanted to kill officials and rebel for the ten thousand mu of land in their hands! "

At this point, Jiang Han didn't dare to sit any longer. He quickly got up, knelt down and said, "Zhang Yushi Mingcha, Ningxia Town has come down from the general army. No one has ever said such a thing or thought about it!"

Yang Ying also expressed her opinion again and again.

They all know the style of the current emperor.Too strong.

Zhang Cong was alone, even if there were guards, there were only a few of them.It's quite simple to kill, but don't even think about having a good life afterwards.He offended the emperor, and he had to settle the score for you to the end.

Zhang Cong helped Jiang Han up and said, "General Jiang, please stand up."

In fact, the so-called words above the main hall were also made up by him, just to bluff these people.

"On that day, I have already defended you in front of the imperial court. Firstly, the Son of Heaven is clearing up the military settlements, and he did not intend to kill anyone. As long as he cooperates with the court, nothing will happen. Secondly, the generals have been guarding the border for generations, and they are loyal and powerful. How could he do such a thing that both people and gods are angry with? Three years ago, the sage came to court, trained elite soldiers and defeated the Tatars. His Majesty has 20 elite soldiers and horses. How can this world be chaotic? Especially in Ningxia, which is connected to Gansu in the west and Shuofang in the north. It is even more impossible. Therefore, if I have the courage to lead this task, no matter what I do, I will not believe that anyone will kill officials and rebel!"

The last words sounded threatening.

But people like Jiang Han can only listen, it is really troublesome for people to use the banner of the emperor.

"Yes, yes. Zhang Yushi doesn't have to worry. As a minister, resisting the decree is a capital offense. How can we not understand this? Whatever His Majesty says, we will do."

"Okay!" Zhang Cong hadn't finished the glass of wine until now, this time he turned to Jiang Han and finally drank it down, "Then I'll cut to the chase."

"Zhang Yushi, please tell me."

"Everyone, please withdraw the extra land you have occupied. The governor's office has also come today, so I will hand it over to the governor's office for registration. I will check the name and quantity so that I can report to the emperor."

This is a blatant request.

Many people's faces became ugly.

They didn't dare to resist the imperial envoy openly, but there must be some unhappiness in their hearts.

Zhang Cong saw that no one disagreed, but how could this be so easy?
At that time, it will be nothing more than occupying [-] mu and handing over [-] mu.So it's considered paying, let's pay a difference.

So he kept his hand, continued to pour wine, and continued to toast, "Zhang, thank you all here. By the way, although His Majesty said that he would not kill people, but for those who violated the law, one out of ten... that still will not be forgiven." of."

clang!
Put down the wine glass.

(End of this chapter)