national surname chiming

Chapter 97 Nanjing Affairs, Nanjing Bi

To Shen Shuren, Yan Yingyuan and others were just names in "History of Ming Dynasty".

Apart from knowing that they are very reliable in terms of national integrity, Shen Shuren knows nothing about other talents and actual abilities in commanding troops—only Yan Yingyuan, who can definitely have a bit of "commander halo".

After sitting down and having an in-depth chat, Shen Shuren's understanding became fuller, and those names became real images with flesh and blood.

By the way, a strategic plan for recruiting talents and cultivating influence gradually became clearer and more perfect in his mind.

When he left the Nanjing official office, riding on horseback, Shen Shuren couldn't help but think:

"The people I recruited today are all loyal ministers and righteous men who helped the King Lu's regime fight against the Qing Dynasty after the fall of Nanjing in history.

We also read the information of some other officials from Xu Shiqi before, and they are all loyal and reliable people. Unfortunately, the official positions are already high now, and we, a fifth-rank magistrate, cannot be persuaded.

For example, in history, Huang Binqing, a general of the Tang dynasty who was attacked and killed by Zhang Mingzhen because of Tang Lu's internal fighting.Although this man died in the civil war, his anti-Qing attitude was still firm.It's a pity that I'm already a general of Ning Shaotai, three ranks higher than Zhang Mingzhen, I have no right to win him over..."

Thinking of this, Shen Shuren also summed up a rule in his heart:
In history, the generals of the Lu royal family in the later Nanming Dynasty are generally the lowest in rank today, because the Lu king has low legitimacy, power and base area are also small, and few talents can be attracted.

People who had already held high positions before may have surrendered when Nanjing fell in history.

The talents under the King of Tang have slightly higher official positions than those of the King Lu family, the King Lu family is higher, and the King Fu family is the highest (Beijing officials in Beijing are not included in the discussion).

After thinking about this point, Shen Shuren's road map became clear: when he wanted to recruit reliable talents, he had to go against this reverse elimination route and search from the back to the front.

Now he is only the magistrate, and he is only worthy of looking for someone from the royal family of Lu.

After he is appointed as a soldier, he may be able to get some low-level generals in the Tang dynasty in history.

Only when he is promoted to governor can he consider the backbone of the Tang Dynasty, and even some people from the Lu Dynasty...

As for the Fu Wang family, it should be impossible to subdue it by relying on officialdom struggles.After all, you have to be the head of the Nanjing Six Departments to be able to talk about this.

In the year Chongzhen died, that is, more than three years later, Shen Shuren was only 24 years old.

No matter how he upgrades his meritorious service through official struggles, it is impossible for Shi Kefa and Ma Shiying to follow him at the age of 24.What's more, Shi Kefa was still his old boss when he first became an official.

Therefore, it is absolutely impossible to rely on official struggle for the last remaining "one foot" that will unify the military power in the south and fight against the Qing Dynasty in the future, and can only be guaranteed by force.

Official struggles and pulling people are just playing the "passing and assisting link" before the goal.

"I have to take advantage of the last three years before Chongzhen's death to get promoted quickly. In any case, I want to save those Han people who have been consumed by Tang and Lu's internal struggles in history, and try to win over and unite with me. In the future, we will be united and external. Hit the Tartars.

In the future, I will save those who were consumed by Lu Wang's sway... To do this, I must at least be the governor before Chongzhen dies!It's best to be the governor!With one more official position, there will be more resources and titles to unite with one another! "

Shen Shuren secretly made up his mind, and his desire to be promoted and gain power has never been so inflated and urgent.

But he is not ashamed of it. He knows that every step he takes is for the sake of national justice, to unite more united fronts, not for selfish desires.

What's wrong with wanting to be promoted?He was promoted to serve the people of the world.

……

After leaving the household department, Shen Shuren had no time to spare, and soon went to see Zheng Chenggong again.

The mansion bought by the Zheng family in Nanjing is much more luxurious than that of the Shen family.

Knowing that his son will study in Nanjing all the year round without any danger, Zheng Zhilong is willing to spend money.Not only is he spending money on his son's life, but he is also willing to make friends with various figures in Nanjing's official circles. Regardless of whether he has real power or not, he can more or less share some benefits.

If Zheng Chenggong hadn't been just 15 years old when he came here, now a year and a half later, he is only [-] and a half years old, [-] years old, which is too young.

Otherwise, relying on the Zheng family's own operations alone, Zheng Chenggong could easily get an official position, and it would not be Shen Shuren's turn to sell this favor at all.

Of course, Shen Shuren also knows that Zheng Zhilong has not sought any foreign official position for Zheng Chenggong so far, and there is another layer of worry, that is, he is afraid that after leaving Nanjing, it will be unsafe to go to other places, and he will be easily retaliated against if he is not taken care of.

The Zheng family is so rich, powerful and has many enemies.The further inland they went, the more the Zheng family could not control the situation.

Now that he, a quasi-ally, is helping to take care of her, the Zheng family dares to rest assured.

As soon as he arrived at Zheng's mansion, before Shen Shuren got off his horse, he saw Zheng Chenggong and Zheng Hongkui coming out to greet him. Obviously, he had already obtained a letter of approval from Wumei Village.

The Zheng family's personnel arrangement is still the same - the fourth eldest, Zheng Hongkui, takes a military post and travels outside to contact and handle relations with all parties, while the second and third follow the eldest brother to lead troops in Fujian.This time, it was still Zheng Hongkui who contacted him to send his nephew to the post.

"How is Shenfutai always good? Shenfutai is really a hero among the people. I haven't seen you in just a year and a half, and I've already lived in the fifth rank. I have to take care of my nephew."

Zheng Hongkui was the first to say some polite words, and there was nothing fake and sour in his book bag. He looked like a vulgar general.

The only difference from back then is that he no longer dares to call Shen Shuren "Nephew" when he speaks.

Shen Shuren didn't put on airs, and still carried people in a sedan chair: "Uncle Shi is too famous. We haven't seen each other for a year and a half. Aren't you promoted by Dusi as a guerrilla? I'm afraid you will be a general soon." The rank is still higher than that of my nephew."

Dusi and garrison are fifth-rank martial arts, guerrilla has fourth-rank, and general is third-rank.Theoretically, after Shen Shuren's military preparations were settled, he was on the same level as Zheng Hongkui's current guerrilla.

But in fact, Zheng Hongkui obviously wouldn't accept this kind of compliment, everyone knows how to do it: "Shen Futai, don't make me look like a shabby man, let's compare military and civil service. If you are so polite, then you won't treat us as your own."

The two sides were no longer hypocritical, and Zheng Chenggong on the side only seized the opportunity and saluted Shen Shuren: "In the future, I will rely on Shen's office for advice, and the officials only want to defend the country and kill the enemy to make meritorious service."

Shen Shuren hastily stretched out his hand to help him: "Hey, why is my virtuous brother like this? We only talk about the friendship we had in the Imperial College. You and I are both from Wu Shanchang's family. If he taught us, we will be classmates for the rest of our lives, and we will call Shen Futai later. I'm so annoyed!"

Only then did Zheng Chenggong go along with the flow, calling him Brother Shen.

While making friends, the Zheng family has already invited Shen Shuren to sit down in the house.The two sides talked about some specific personnel appointments, and Shen Shuren also explained the situation.

Zheng Chenggong went through the normal channels, and it is said that at most he would be an official of the eighth rank, and he would be an official of the eighth rank.

This time it was for him to find ways to give him money. Shen Shuren used money to entrust his relationship and got him a seventh-rank patrol envoy under Yanfa Road in Hubei, who will be responsible for anti-smuggling in Huangzhou and Wuchang in the future.

When Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Chenggong heard this term, they were almost shocked. Obviously, they had a big misunderstanding of the authority of this official position.

"Yan Fa Dao?! How is it possible? This is a shortage in the world. Doesn't it mean that there is a serious shortage because of the place where thieves are rampant and the local officials are precarious? The officials of the Yan Fa Dao Yamen don't have to go to battle to face the bandits. , how could there be a vacancy?"

Zheng Hongkui spoke in a hurry, obviously unable to understand at all.Although Zheng Chenggong next to him didn't say anything, his eyes were full of doubts and excitement.

Shen Shuren casually raised his hand as a signal to be safe and calm: "Don't worry, you have misunderstood the Yanfa Road, I'm afraid it is compared with the Lianghuai Yanfa Road in Nanzhili.

The salt fados in salt-producing provinces are several times different from those in non-salt-producing provinces.Huguang does not produce salt, so it depends on Huai salt to help Chu or Sichuan salt to help Chu.Therefore, Yanfa Road in Hubei only has the power to suppress smuggling in the Yangtze River.

The reason why Brother Damu was arranged there this time was also because he had been through with Jiang Shilang of the Ministry of Household Department and asked him to understand.After the imperial court officially started to levy lijin, because there was no special office for tax inspection and anti-smuggling before.

Therefore, Huguang, Nanzhi and other places will split up some staff from Yanfa Road Yamen, which has always been experienced in anti-smuggling, to temporarily manage Lijin anti-smuggling and crack down on tax evasion.On the Hubei side, the key is to block the Huangzhou-Wuchang River.

The Zheng family lives on the water, and Brother Damu can work in this kind of yamen, so you must be willing to help him make meritorious deeds as soon as possible.If during the anti-smuggling blockade, you can also attack the pirates' navy and transport fleet, why not be promoted as soon as possible?

This kind of official position is much safer than finding a county magistrate in Suizhou and Huangzhou to be recovered at random. Isn't it beautiful to be able to make meritorious service without worrying about safety? "

Shen Shuren's operation was obviously deliberate, taking into account the pros and cons of all parties.

He can also directly arrange for Zheng Chenggong to start as a magistrate, but will Zheng Zhilong agree?Can you rest assured?Once the Zheng family's power goes deep into the mountains, it will greatly reduce their sense of control, and Zheng Zhilong will feel uneasy, which will inevitably cause trouble in the future.

Finding Zheng Chenggong an errand to beg for work on the water will reassure the Zheng family completely, and letting Shen Shuren manipulate it is also selling an extra favor.

Moreover, Yan Fadao's official position is much better than those naval generals who directly lead the troops. After all, they are fat and short civil servants in name, so they have more face!
Zheng Zhilong is very concerned about face. He already has real power, military strength, and money. The Zheng family now lacks the face of the literary and official circles.

After Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Chenggong finished listening, they were still a little dazzled.

Zheng Hongkui has operated many buying officials. He knows the market and sighed from the bottom of his heart: "If you want to buy a county magistrate, I'm afraid it will cost tens of thousands of taels of silver. Under the Yanfa Road Yamen, even if it is a member of the seventh rank, 10,000 + I'm afraid they can't fight, right?
How dare you let Shen Futai pay such a large amount of money, I will send the money right away when I turn back!It's too heavy, too heavy, we can't bear it. "

Shen Shuren stopped him from taking out the money, and said calmly: "Hey, they are all working together to serve the country, what money are you talking about. If you have the heart, why don't you work hard on 'how to help Brother Damu to make meritorious service in the future'.

For example, when I was in Huangzhou, last year I only relied on all kinds of firecrackers and ordinary weapons to kill thieves.Fortunately, last year Liu Xiyao despised me, and I lured the enemy to annihilate him when he took the initiative to attack.If I were to personally attack the door and storm the city, I'm afraid I haven't wiped out the thief yet.

If some red barbarian cannons are convenient for attacking the city, wouldn’t it be like adding wings to a tiger and getting twice the result with half the effort in the future..."

Hearing Shen Shuren's hint, or even an explicit indication, Zheng Hongkui immediately reacted.

He thought about it for a while, and within the scope of his authority, he simply set a high price: "This is what it should be! Shen Futai is right, let's not talk about money, it's vulgar to talk about money.

How about this, since my nephew can be targeted by the Yan Law Anti-Smugglers, my Zheng family is willing to send out ten cannons seized from the Hongyi people, plus thirty elite warships, and soldiers and weapons. Patrol Huangzhou-Wuchang River. "

Zheng Hongkui specifically emphasized the ten original Hongyi cannons, and then told Shen Shuren that there were other domestic imitation Hongyi cannons or heavy-duty Flang machines on the thirty warships, but the quality was not as good as the original ones. .

Shen Shuren was a little surprised, and after asking a few more questions, he learned that these original goods were seized by the Zheng family from the Dutch during the Battle of Liuluowan eight years ago——

In the autumn of the sixth year of Chongzhen (1633), in order to dominate the East China Sea and the South China Sea, the Zheng family had a bloody battle with the Dutch fleet, which occupied a large number of people.The Zheng family also lost a lot of supplies, dispatched hundreds of arson boats, but finally won the war.

On the Dutch side, they were surrounded by overwhelming arson ships, and finally they were sunk and stranded, and one of the captive Galen ships was burned, several ships were slightly injured, and they fled back to the officers (the Dutch fleet had 9 Galen warships at the time)

From the grounded, sunk and burned warships captured, the Zheng family also seized a batch of cannons that represented the best technological level in the West in the 1630s. In conversion, they were roughly equivalent to 12-pound to 24-pound cannons.

This is even more powerful than the self-made Hongyi cannons in active service in the Ming Dynasty or the Manchu Qing Dynasty.For the favor of Shen Shuren, he directly took out ten original Dutch heavy naval guns, which was already very sincere.

10,000+ taels of silver is nothing compared to these things.

After hearing Zheng Hongkui's bragging and showing off, Shen Shuren couldn't speak anymore:

"This... how embarrassing it is. It's just to find out if there are any private businessmen who have leaked likin in the future. How can we use such a good heavy artillery."

Zheng Hongkui: "You deserve it! This is what Shen Futai deserves. By the way, it will be used to bombard He Jin and Lin Yang's lair. Wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone?"

Shen Shuren: "Then I have no choice but to be cheeky and disrespectful."

An exchange of interests ended in a harmonious atmosphere where both the host and the guest enjoyed themselves.

That night, Shen Shuren brought Zheng's family and the group of subordinates recruited in the morning to Meilou for a feast.

Zheng Chenggong also became familiar with Yan Yingyuan, Zhang Mingzhen and other civil and military officials for the first time, and everyone established a team and established a good relationship.

At the banquet, Shen Shuren further explained to Zheng Chenggong and Zheng Hongkui the benefits of the lijin policy to the imperial court and the exchange benefits that can be given to the Zheng family in the future, so that the Zheng family fully supported this matter.

In the future, the Zheng family's "Shanwulu" caravan along the Yangtze River to the inland to buy goods will also promise to take the lead in paying taxes according to the regulations.

The initial tax rate of lijin is actually not high, which is very conscientious.

Historically, the Qing Dynasty collected more and more lijin from later on, mainly due to the need for food and cards, repeated collection, and arbitrary increases in tax rates at the local level.

Therefore, as long as Shen Shuren promises to do business properly, the Zheng family can fully bear it.

After doing all this, Shen Shuren's layout in Nanjing is considered complete, and he is about to leave for Huguang.

(End of this chapter)