Follow Zhu Yuanzhang to conquer the country

Chapter 106 Zhu Yuanzhang investigated corruption and made Chuzhou a river of blood

"It's terrible."

Liu Bowen's friend Song Lian also learned about Zhang Cheng's recent actions through the letter Liu Bowen received. He also admitted that the series of things Zhang Cheng did were to combat the powerful and stabilize people's livelihood, so he followed up and said this. .

But he was also frightened by the emergence of figures like Zhang Cheng in the rebel army, and sighed: "The fundamental reason is that the court does not trust us Han people and is unwilling to rectify the atmosphere, so that such a hero has to work to save the people. A thief!"

Liu Bowen nodded: "Yes!"

then.

Liu Bowen added: "But I still feel that the integrity of a scholar cannot be easily lost! It is better to be loyal to orthodoxy and do things as much as possible. Now the prime minister can be said to be a good minister of Zhongxing. I believe that as long as he wipes out all the monsters and thieves in the world, he will definitely reorganize the court. Then we will reopen the imperial examinations and recruit talents, so that we can revive the Yuan Dynasty and return the world to prosperity."

Song Lian said with a helpless smile: "I'm afraid it's a bit difficult. The struggle between the central and central parties for supervision is very serious. I'm afraid it won't be long before the Prime Minister takes power, and it will be difficult to wipe out all the demons and thieves in the world!"

Liu Bowen did not refute, just closed his eyes and sighed: "You are right, I am also worried that Dayuan is really going to die, but the monsters and thieves will take over the country. However, by then, we scholar-officials should save our integrity and sacrifice our parents and common people. , or should you sacrifice your integrity for the sake of your parents?"

"Then the guild will be recruited by Li Mengeng, who has become a thief, to go to Chuzhou to see and deal with Zhang Cheng, who has become a thief?"

Song Lian asked about Liu Bowen.

Liu Bowen smiled, waved his hand and said: "According to what Li Menggeng said, although this Zhang Cheng has a far-reaching layout, what he used to fight against the officers and soldiers outside was just a focus on strange skills and tricks, and no performance in military tactics. He has so much profound knowledge, so it is not enough for me to temporarily go to a place where thieves are raging and deal with him for the imperial court."

"I plan to send a disciple to take a look first to see how much real ability he still has."

Liu Bowen said, "I will write to Yang Xian in Jiqing now and ask him to go to Walianglei first to see what Zhang Cheng is doing. There is no need to go to Chuzhou to see Li Menggeng, and there is no need to say that he was recommended by Li Menggeng. It’s just that he’s here because he’s famous, and let him find out what kind of tricks Zhang Cheng used to defeat the army with fire cannons!”

……

"You are also a scholar, why do you want to be a thief?"

Wa Liang base.

When Zhang Cheng called representatives from all walks of life in the city to negotiate, Ying Guangzu, a local noble gentry who had served as a minor official in the Yuan Dynasty, asked this question bluntly in front of Zhang Cheng and others.

It is clear.

Ying Guangzu had already confirmed through Zhang Cheng's behavior of inviting them to negotiate that the rebel army in front of him would be very polite to them scholar-bureaucrats, so he didn't have so many scruples to ask Zhang Cheng.

Zhu Wenzheng, who was with Zhang Cheng, stood up on the spot after hearing this, frowning angrily.

Wang Guangyang and Shu Anguo looked a little ashamed.

Zhang Cheng pulled Zhu Wenzheng and smiled slightly and said: "We are not thieves, we are to save the people of the world and restore China."

"Violating the rules of etiquette is becoming a thief!"

Ying Guangzu replied disdainfully.

Zhang Cheng said: "Only those who regard the barbarians as masters and make the people slaves are thieves!"

"Your parents and ancestors were also born in the Yuan Dynasty, but they did not rebel against the Yuan Dynasty, and they respectfully accepted the Yuan Dynasty as their master. Are they also thieves?"

Ying Guangzu asked with a chuckle.

Zhang Cheng said: "They are thieves! They have also stood on the opposite side of the nation and the people."

Ying Guangzu was stunned on the spot and asked Zhang Cheng: "How can you say that about your parents?"

"If parents are guilty, they should admit it. If they don't cover up their parents' sins, then they won't cover up the monarch's sins. Only then can the world be long-term and peaceful, and the people will not be in trouble, and the fields will not be starved to death, and everyone will be a slave."

Zhang Cheng replied.

Ying Guangzu said: "You are violating filial piety!"

"In the past, Zigong said: 'A son obeys his father's orders and is filial; a minister obeys the king's orders and is chaste. Master, what's the point of ridicule?' Confucius said: 'You are a villain, you don't know how to give gifts! In the past, in the country of ten thousand chariots, there were quarreling ministers. If there are four people, the territory will not be reduced; if the country of Qiancheng has three contending ministers, the country will not be in danger; if the family of Baicheng has two contending ministers, the ancestral temple will not be destroyed. If a father wants to fight for his son, he should not be rude; if a scholar wants to fight for his friends , not unjust.”

"So even according to Confucius's wishes, you are not told to blindly follow the orders of your parents. If your parents are guilty, you are guilty. If you cover up your parents' sins, it will be the behavior of a villain who will destroy your parents and your country."

Zhang Cheng responded and said: "According to Confucius' meaning, he is actually a villain!"

Ying Guangzu gritted his teeth and puffed out his cheeks, and finally said: "The saint's words are not entirely correct. It's okay to talk about it, but you can't really do it. Admitting that your parents are guilty and disobeying your parents is unfilial!"

"Then there's nothing to talk about."

"If you are really angry now, you can die for Hu Yuan."

Zhang Cheng said, "Wenzheng, give him a knife."

Zhu Wenzheng said yes and asked someone to hand Ying Guangzu a knife.

Ying Guangzu looked at the knife, and finally just waved his sleeves and said: "The country is not destroyed, I will die for nothing, as long as I don't become a thief!"

"So, don't think about me doing anything for you. I just hate that I am old and weak, so I can't kill the thief!"

Ying Guangzu then looked at Zhang Cheng and said this, smiling coldly.

Zhang Cheng here asked someone to put the knife back, then looked at Ying Guangzu and other tycoons who represented the landlord class and said: "You have misunderstood. I asked you to come today not to ask you to work for our rebels, but to declare to you." To achieve our rebel policy, I hope you will cooperate."

Ying Guangzu was quite shocked and disappointed, and asked: "What policy should we cooperate with?"

"To be specific, I want you, the large landowners of the government and gentry, to reduce rents and interest rates, accept the abbot, and be willing to give up the land you own without tenants."

"Middle-level landlords also need to reduce rents and interest rates, but they no longer have to rely on the wealthy gentry and bear the cost of sending money and mail."

"Small landowners and peasants shall be free of all exorbitant taxes."

"The poor people were organized by the rebel army to reclaim wasteland and divide their fields."

"Businessmen and craftsmen have all re-determined tax rates. The principle is that tax reductions are necessary for the people and tax increases are not necessary."

After Zhang Cheng answered, he said to Wang Guangyang: "Please give them specific thoughts."

Wang Guangyang started to read.

Zhang Cheng then asked: "What do you still don't understand about this, or do you have any opinions?"

These people all looked at Ying Guangzu and other local gentry.

Because in local areas, whether they were poor and lower-middle peasants or landlords and merchants, they all relied on local eunuchs for their livelihoods. Therefore, they all needed to see the opinions of Ying Guangzu and other eunuchs and did not dare to speak for themselves.

Ying Guangzu suppressed his face and turned red, but he could not come up with a reason to object, because rent reduction and interest rate reduction were to benefit the poor, and accepting the land without tenants was also for the sake of peace of the people, unless he did not want the virtue he had accumulated in the local area. Hope, otherwise, he would not be able to say that this is not possible.

"Why aren't you talking?!"

Zhang Cheng asked loudly at this time.

Ying Guangzu had no choice but to stand up and bow his hands: "I have nothing to say. Although you are thieves, you are doing things that benefit the people and make profits. How can we continue to fight, not to mention that a gentleman should be ashamed of talking about profit."

Another squire Lu Dehe also smiled bitterly and said: "Yes, what else can we say, I just hope that I can really insist on making concessions that benefit the people."

After hearing this, Zhang Cheng nodded and smiled and said: "Okay, then, when our rebel army is carrying out its policies, if we encounter resistance and directly suppress it, it will not be regarded as killing without teaching."

talking.

Zhang Cheng announced the adjournment of the meeting.

After the meeting, Ying Guangzu and Lu Dehe gathered together. Instead of being as calm as at the meeting, he first said: "We should inform the officers and soldiers as soon as possible, so that the officers and soldiers can rush to suppress this bandit!"

"How dare you do this!" "If you are caught, won't you be punished for the crime of being a member of the imperial court?"

"Now we can only hope that the government troops will come to exterminate this group of demon thieves as soon as possible. It is best not to leave any one behind, otherwise there will be endless troubles!"

Lu Dehe couldn't help but replied.

Ying Guangzu also sighed: "It is indeed more terrible for a scholar to be a thief than for a commoner to be a thief!"

Ludd nodded.

Although, Ying Guangzu and Lu Dehe were still unwilling to lose their own interests.

But then, the big landowners in Walianglei cooperated with Zhang Cheng's policy, reducing rents and interest rates, and allocating land to the poor for tenant farming, which gave the tenant farmers under their respective autonomous regions a breath of relief.

After all, they knew that they could not defeat the rebels at this time.

The middle-level landowners also breathed a sigh of relief because they no longer had to bear additional taxes for these large landowners.

Small landowners and farmers also had their burdens greatly reduced due to exorbitant taxes and exemptions.

Poor peasants and landless people were also greatly moved by the land allocation and joined the rebel army one after another.

As a result, the rebel army was able to gain a foothold in Waliang Base.

But Zhang Cheng knew that Waliang Lei was not a place to stay for a long time.

Sooner or later, the Yuan soldiers will attack the territory in large numbers and capture this strategic location, which is an important part of the Yuan court's strategy of encircling Liuhe and attacking Chuzhou.

Therefore, Zhang Cheng said to Wang Guangyang, Hua Yun, Tang He and others: "We are ready to move at any time. We will not train craftsmen on a large scale to build large factories. The goods that cannot be taken away will be distributed to the people. In this way, after we leave, The Yuan soldiers will inevitably loot, which will intensify the people's resentment towards the Yuan soldiers. In this way, our propaganda here these days will be miraculous."

"Then where should we move?"

"Should we go to Lai'an or Liuhe?"

Zhu Wenzheng asked at this time.

Zhang Cheng looked at him and said, "Don't even go, let's go to the countryside!"

"countryside?"

Wang Guangyang couldn't help but ask.

Zhang Cheng said: "Most of our rebels are farmers, or local farmers. It is better to hide in the countryside than to stay in a big city! What's more, there are not many of us, so it is easy to hide; unless other Yuan soldiers will lead a large group It is not conducive to hide in an uninhabited countryside if soldiers and horses come to suppress him, but in that case, his whereabouts will be easier for us to grasp, and we can evacuate calmly."

"That's true."

"But sir, what about hiding behind the countryside?"

Zhu Wenzheng nodded and asked again.

"Look for an opportunity to annihilate a group of Yuan soldiers so that they don't dare to leave the city without authorization. Even if they leave the city, they will only dare to leave the city in large numbers. This will undoubtedly make them more likely to be discovered by us."

Zhang Cheng replied.

Zhu Wenzheng nodded after hearing this: "Sir, what you said is that, in that case, I suggest that you go to the countryside near the river and recruit fishermen to build boats while collecting taxes along the way. This will replenish food and fodder. At the same time, it will also be easier to find places in rivers to set up ambushes, or to take advantage of them." The transfer of the ship makes it more inconvenient for the Yuan soldiers, who mainly engage in land warfare, to destroy us."

Zhang Cheng therefore smiled at Zhu Wenzheng and said: "This is what your father suggested in his letter."

talking.

Zhang Cheng looked at the crowd and said: "He hopes that once we can't hold Waliang Raid, we will evacuate decisively! And retreat to the river between Chuzhou and Waliang Raid. He thinks that the Yuan soldiers are trying to capture Waliang Raid." , we must take advantage of the victory to attack Chuzhou to eliminate the threat of the rebels to Waliang Lei, so we think we can find an ambush point in the river between Chuzhou and Waliang Lei, and ambush the Yuan soldiers when the time comes!"

Zhang Cheng continued: "I think we don't even have to think about holding on to the Waliang Barrier. We should evacuate decisively as soon as the Yuan soldiers arrive. We should even shift our focus of development to the countryside now to avoid a hasty evacuation when the time comes. Without the help of the common people, the ambush cannot be effective."

"Mr. Zhang said, if you can't defend it, then don't defend it!"

Tang He replied at this time.

Everyone else nodded.

"So what should we do now?"

Wang Guangyang asked.

"In the name of better combating local tyrants and evil gentry, we must hold literacy classes and train talents who can organize and mobilize the people for our rebel army to take root in the countryside and grassroots!"

"Those who are willing to study for the purpose of fighting against local tyrants and evil gentry can naturally be trusted. Of course, it is still best to find out whether they are from common people first."

Zhang Cheng replied.

Wang Guangyang and others nodded in agreement.

At this time.

Hua Yun couldn't help but ask: "Mr. Zhang, what are you doing now?"

"He has now obtained the power of supervision to fight against corrupt officials and evil gentry in Chuzhou City, providing guarantee for our guerrilla operations abroad!"

Zhang Cheng replied with a smile.

After Zhang Cheng said this, Tang He hurriedly said: "This is great! We are worried that after Marshal Guo comes, he will intensify the internal strife in Chuzhou City, and then stop making progress. Everyone will become corrupt, and then they will be defeated by the Yuan soldiers. Those of us who came out have no way out."

"Yes!"

Everyone was very happy after hearing the news.

Zhu Yuanzhang had indeed begun to crack down on corruption at this time.

Although many officers and generals in Chuzhou City took the initiative to restrain themselves after learning that Zhu Yuanzhang was responsible for supervisory powers, and some even killed their own slaves to silence them, some who were not afraid of trouble were still found out.

Not only Zhu Yuanzhang's own people, but also Guo Zixing's old people.

"Zhu Yuanzhang! I didn't even agree to Guo Zixing's attempts to win over me. Now I just deducted military rations, and you're going to arrest me! What kind of brother are you like this! I surrendered to you for nothing!"

Yu Heng, a member of the Baihu family who had defected to Zhu Yuanzhang on his way south, shouted when he was caught.

Guo Tianrong, a relative of the Guo family who was also accused of helping wealthy businessmen evade taxes, was also seen by Zhu Yuanzhang and shouted to Guo Zixing: "Commander! My nephew, I just want to make some money. You can't kill me according to Zhu Yuanzhang's wishes." Ah, what is damaged in this way is the foundation of the Guo family."

In order to strengthen his own strength, Guo Zixing was not willing to protect a group of people. Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang had arrested all the corrupt people on his side, after knowing that the evidence of corruption of these people was conclusive, he directly ordered: "Everyone Cut it off!”

Li Menggeng, who followed Zhu Yuanzhang in the fight against corruption, also under Zhu Yuanzhang's command, arrested a group of rich and powerful country gentry and businessmen who had colluded with some rebel officers to conduct power, sex, and money transactions, and were scolded by these rich and powerful country gentry and businessmen.

Because Li Menggeng refused to reveal any information to them secretly from beginning to end.

"Li Menggeng, do whatever Zhu Yuanzhang asks you to do. Are you Zhu Yuanzhang's dog?!"

A squire named Yi Youtian cursed Li Menggeng like this when he was arrested.

Li Menggeng could only spit on his face.

Naturally, these captured country gentry and wealthy businessmen also had their heads and homes confiscated.

As a result, Chuzhou City once again flowed with blood, but the military discipline and style of the rebels in Chuzhou City were guaranteed. Commercial tax revenue continued to increase steadily, and more and more soldiers were recruited. Guo Zixing became more and more satisfied with this.

Zhu Yuanzhang also took the initiative to suggest to Guo Zixing at this time: "Commander Father, now our Chuzhou city has strong soldiers and horses, we should fight out as soon as possible instead of sitting in the isolated city!"

(End of this chapter)