Follow Zhu Yuanzhang to conquer the country

Chapter 41 Zhu Yuanzhang asked Li Shanchang angrily

After Zhu Yuanzhang expressed his emotion, Zhang Cheng also echoed: "What the superior said is that in conquering the country, what we are actually conquering is money and food."

"Whoever has plenty of money and food will have strong soldiers and horses."

"So, this is why Hu Yuan's army can still suppress many rebels even though most of his powerful bureaucrats are greedy for life and fear death."

"It's because they still have more money and food than our rebels, and because they have better weapons and armor, they can afford to be defeated. However, because our rebels don't have enough money and food, many of them can only fight on the run. Armor, horses, and even food and clothing are all captured. Wherever you eat, you will naturally not be able to afford defeat. Once defeated, you will have no choice but to flee into the mountains and become bandits, unable to enforce strict military discipline and improve combat effectiveness."

After Zhang Cheng said this, Zhu Yuanzhang and others had no objection.

Because this is indeed the case in these years. Although the Yuan soldiers have been defeated many times, they still have the ability to encircle and suppress the rebels on a large scale. Recently, news that Tuotuo has assembled a large army to suppress Zhang Shicheng's troops and won successive victories has spread throughout the world.

But they also admit that the current Yuan Dynasty nobles and bureaucrats are indeed not very good.

The fact that Zhang Cheng was able to kill one Dalu Huachi in a formation could confirm to Zhu Yuanzhang, Li Shanchang and others that these Yuan Ting nobles were indeed not very useful.

At this time, Li Shanchang also took the initiative to stand up and said after Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhang Cheng talked: "The superior, Mr. Zhang, my subordinates checked the warehouse and the records of people in Chuzhou and found that according to the grain stored in the warehouse and the records of generals in Dingtian, grain can be collected. , but there are more than 300,000 stones."

After Li Shanchang said this, Zhu Yuanzhang laughed: "Shanchang is indeed the first to know why we are worried. We also saw it this morning. You and Guoyong investigated together. The soldiers only thought about looting, but The only thing you two are worried about is seeing how much food we have."

"Thanks to the praise from our superiors, we don't dare to slack off."

Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong replied at this time.

Li Shanchang continued here: "It's just that if the superiors want to issue military pay of this scale, they can no longer help the hungry people outside the city, but can only kill them."

"Why kill?"

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help frowning after hearing this.

Zhang Cheng smiled slightly.

Li Shanchang replied here: "Back to the superior, because the income from Chuzhou's grain and fodder can only support the army according to the military pay standards just set by the superior. If there is any surplus, it can only expand the army to 30,000, and the hungry people outside the city are also There will be no food to support them until they survive until next year, and then they can rely on the success of land reclamation to support themselves."

"Even if we borrow grain from wealthy and powerful families to help the refugees, because Chuzhou's taxes and grain are only enough to raise troops according to the military pay standards, we can only kill these refugees."

"Because instead of watching them starve to death, it is better to kill them and bury them in pits, so as not to cause diseases after starvation, or to avoid being driven by Yuan soldiers to fill the trenches."

After Li Shanchang said that, Zhu Yuanzhang said: "But you, Shanchang, have advised us not to kill people indiscriminately."

"Your Majesty!"

"The subordinates are just asking the superiors not to kill people indiscriminately, not to persuade the superiors not to kill people. What's more, now is the time when we have to kill and we can't be kind to women."

Li Shanchang replied.

Feng Guoyong also echoed at this time: "The superior, as Zhi said, this is indeed a must. If we don't kill them, we can only give more money to the people. But the people are already in poverty, and we can't let our rebel army occupy Chuzhou." After the city, the people of Chuzhou will have to bear heavier taxes than when Hu Yuan was in power, right?"

Zhu Yuanzhang fell silent.

His expression became serious.

Zhang Cheng was very disappointed after hearing what Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong said.

Because according to what Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong wanted, it turned out that the rebel army wanted to be reborn, but they still had to go to the point of massacring refugees in large numbers.

After all, there is overpopulation and the contradiction between man and land is very acute.

It seems that it is precisely because of this that in history, during troubled times, there will be a large number of population attritions. Therefore, it seems that these people in history did not understand that population is the greatest wealth, but they had no choice but to do so?
  Zhu Yuanzhang was also very disappointed, so he smiled bitterly and said to Zhang Cheng: "Mr. Zhang, it seems that Ni Bai told the rebel brothers that population is the greatest wealth of an official, because in the end, the population you want to retain is still To kill."

When Zhu Yuanzhang said this, he gritted his teeth and said with red eyes: "These people are obedient people who endured hunger and did not rebel just like our parents did back then. As a result, now we, Zhu Chongba, are not only unable to keep them from being hungry or cold." , we still have to kill them, but you know, Hu Yuan’s government didn’t massacre them, if we do this, wouldn’t we be worse than the Tatars?”

"The superiors are as kind and virtuous as heaven, and all the subordinates know it, but right now, if we want to implement the military pay system, this is the only way."

Li Shanchang replied.

Feng Guoyong also comforted Zhu Yuanzhang: "We are all incompetent and cannot save the people from the fire and water. Please don't worry, superiors. We will cross the river to Jiqing in the future. There is plenty of food in the Jiqing area, and we will be able to support the people by then!" Now, if we really want not to kill these refugees, we can only temporarily suspend military pay, or temporarily increase taxes on the people."

"Is this really the only way?"

"I don't think that's the only way it can be!"

Zhang Cheng said with a sneer at this time.

Li Shanchang then looked at Zhang Cheng in astonishment and handed over his hand to Zhang Cheng: "I don't know what other wise ideas Mr. Zhang has. Please enlighten me!"

Feng Guoyong also handed over: "The subordinates also asked Mr. Zhang for advice."

If Zhang Cheng had not crammed in knowledge in the real world, he might have really admitted that what Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong said was right. If the rebel army was to be reborn, it was necessary to massacre the refugees outside the city and do something that Yuan Ting did not do.

But he is a person who is learning at any time, so he no longer believes that this is really the only way.

Therefore, Zhang Cheng said at this time: "Do you really think the number on the human rights register is 100% true?"

Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong felt nervous.

"What's wrong with Mr. Zhang's words?"

Zhu Yuanzhang also took the initiative to ask at this time.

Li Shanchang replied at this time: "It must be true. How could the Hu Yuan government allow ordinary people to evade taxes?"

"I don't think so. It has been nearly a hundred years since the founding of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty. The cultivated land should have increased, and the population should have increased accordingly. The number in the population and field registers should have increased. If the population and field registers did not record the increase, then It can only be that there are a lot of powerful people underneath hiding the population and land."

"What's more, Yuan Ting's tax system determines that they will be bolder in hiding their population and acres of land!"

After Zhang Cheng said this, he asked Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong: "Do you think this kind of people's land registration is trustworthy? Doesn't it need to be rechecked? How can you say that this is Chuzhou's real grain and fodder income?" ?”

At this time.

Li Shanchang and Feng Guoyong were both silent.

"say!"

"Are you reaping the benefits of a wealthy family, or are you worried that your family will also be evicted, or you want to take this opportunity to annex more acres, so you don't mention the need for eviction."

"I'm sorry that your usual loyalty is all to deceive us, but Mr. Zhang is not sincere to us!"

Snapped!
  Zhu Yuanzhang was also stunned for a moment.

Then, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly slammed the table, his eyes widened with anger, stood up, shouted, and questioned the two of them.

(End of this chapter)