Follow Zhu Yuanzhang to conquer the country

Chapter 63: Officials and gentry decisively knelt down and surrendered
  On the stage set up, actors recruited by Shu Anguo were performing the tragic situation of the Yuan court officials' excessive expropriation of land tax, and the love between a boy and a girl was used as a clue.

"My lord, it's only the thirteenth year of Zhizheng now, how can I receive the thirty-three year of Zhizheng!"

"It is the order from above to collect the land tax for thirty-three years in advance. If you don't pay it, your daughter will be used as food rations!"

"father!"

"mother!"

At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang and others saw with their own eyes a girl playing the role of a daughter on the stage being violently dragged by Hu Yuan's officials and her parents were helpless.

And soon, the screen turned to the other side. On the other side, there was a scene of a boy crying and calling his parents. His parents were watching helplessly as Hu Yuan officials violently dragged him, and soon he was so hungry that he died. Too harsh and breathed out.

Then there is the scene of the boy and girl meeting in the prison of Zhizhou Yamen, crying to each other because of their acquaintance, and the words of the nobles and bureaucrats of Hu Yuan discussing with each other how to eat these rations.

In the end, the rebels appeared and rescued the boy and girl, allowing them to hold hands and go home, singing the lyrics and music of "The King of Hell only wants my life, but Hu Yuan wants the lives of my whole family."

"Damn, these Tatars are so abominable!"

Hua Yun, who was watching the show here, couldn't help but curse, and couldn't help but rush to kill the Tatars, but was stopped by Tang He.

Tang He, who was standing with Hua Yun, said: "The person who served as an official for Hu Yuan is not a good person. He helped the Tatars force his parents to death and also ate them."

Zhu Yuanzhang also saw it with red eyes.

Because it reminded him of a similar scene.

At this time, after reading it, Ren Qiande came directly to Zhu Yuanzhang and bowed to the ground: "Please allow me to join the rebel army!"

"Please allow us to join the rebel army!"

Li Menggeng and Guo Jingxiang also looked at each other, and then resolutely knelt on the ground.

Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhang Cheng in surprise, then looked at the three people again: "What are you doing?"

“Hu Yuan’s evil deeds are too numerous to describe!”

"The play I watched tonight still reminds me of those gnashing of teeth and hatred for the injustice of the people!"

"Therefore, although the common people have called on their children to be active candidates and serve as officials in the Rebel Army when the day of examination comes, but now in order to join the Rebel Army as soon as possible, so as to wipe out the Tartars and restore China as soon as possible, the common people would rather join the Rebel Army and become a pawn first. , or you must first become a servant of the general, or you must first join the rebel army, and do your best to wipe out Hu Yuanlue as soon as possible!"

Ren Qiande spoke.

"We are the same. For the sake of the world, we are willing to be the general's slaves or the general's pawns."

Li Menggeng and Guo Jingxiang both came back.

After Zhu Yuanzhang heard what these two people said, he couldn't help but glance at Zhang Mian beside him, and then helped the three people up: "You three, please get up quickly!"

Zhang Mian grinned stiffly.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled kindly at Ren Qiande and the others and said: "The three of you are all local dignitaries. Since you are willing to join our rebel army, we will naturally give you this opportunity. We are willing to make friends with you as brothers and friends."

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was merciless when killing scholar-bureaucrats in history, he was still very polite on the surface, and he did treat each other as brothers in many cases.

For example, when Zhu Yuanzhang wrote a letter to Tian Xing, a literary staff member who followed him, he said in the letter: "Yuanzhang abandoned his brother for no less than ten years, wandering to the ends of the earth and unknown places, how can he hope for a while?"

It can be seen that Zhu Yuanzhang, at least on the surface, would treat some literati and officials as brothers.

Zhu Yuanzhang also treated Ren Qiande, Li Menggeng, and Guo Jingxiang with such courtesy at this time, which made the three of them feel flattered, and they were even more glad that he chose to surrender at this time.

Zhang Cheng became more convinced of his inner judgment of these officials and gentlemen.

He had to admit that these people were indeed smart. They knew how to be soft when they needed to be soft, and they did so without hesitation at all. However, the fundamental purpose of Zhang Cheng's strengthening of cultural propaganda was not to deal with these officials and gentlemen, but to deal with Hu Yuan.

Because he knew that unless Hu Yuan was eliminated, these people would always have someone to rely on, and his rebel army would always have to show some mercy to them.

After all, although the landlord class and the colonists are both the most reactionary and hateful, and are the enemies that most need to be eliminated, the specific operation must be based on the actual situation and the primary and secondary contradictions must be distinguished.

Therefore, Zhang Cheng did not act too proud because these officials and gentlemen gave in decisively. He also came over with a smile and said: "I am also very happy that all the wise men can join the rebel army. I just don't know what you think of today's scene." How about it? Is it worth promoting to the public?"

"Can you say it's not worth it? Can't it be promoted?"

Guo Jingxiang glanced at Zhang Cheng and muttered in his heart.

But Ren Qiande laughed at this time and said: "In my humble opinion, it should be promoted naturally. This will make it easier for the Han people all over the world to share the same hatred!"

"Yes! My Li family would like to ask the state department to send someone to perform at each of our Li's villages. I would also like to ask Mr. Zhang for permission."

Li Menggeng even took the initiative to request.

Zhang Cheng said: "How can I not allow it?"

Then, Zhang Cheng, Zhu Yuanzhang, Ren Qiande, Li Menggeng, Guo Jingxiang and others all laughed.

Only Zhang Mian was very angry. He didn't expect these officials and gentry to become intimidated so quickly.

Didn’t you just say that you have to hold on?
  Why did he turn around and kneel down?

Is it that the scene arranged by Zhang Cheng is too powerful, or are you just too cowardly?
  Zhang Mian couldn't help but glance at Zhang Cheng.

He had to admit that Zhang Cheng was really good at calculating. He actually thought of this trick to use acting to inspire the Han people to hate Hu Yuan. Since Zhang Cheng could think of using this method to inspire the Han people to hate Hu Yuan, Hate, then this method can be used to inspire the Han people to hate officials, gentlemen and bureaucrats.

Zhang Mian himself shuddered when he thought of this.

"This Zhang Cheng is too scary."

"With a knife in his hand, he also has a pen in his hand that can arrange others. Which master taught him this method?"

Zhang Mian slandered like this, and still glanced at Ren Qiande and others fiercely, thinking: "Although Zhang Cheng's move is too poisonous! But this is not the reason for you to kneel down so quickly! Where is the shame, where is the integrity? ?”
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  "I can't do it without kneeling!"

"If you don't kneel down, I'm afraid it won't just be Hu Yuan's sins, but our sins."

"When the time comes, these rebels mobilize the people to liquidate the officials and gentry, they will cause us to destroy our family and genocide, not to cause Zhang Zhilan to destroy his family and genocide. He can sit back and relax. Anyway, if we confess, he does not have to admit it. After all, there is no physical evidence, but we Why risk the destruction of your family and your entire clan to stand up for him!"

After Ren Qiande came back, he told Li Menggeng and other Chuzhou officials and gentry why he suddenly knelt down just now.

Li Menggeng also nodded to express his understanding and said: "Yes, it is better to follow Zhang Zhilan's example and join him, so that he can keep his family business no matter he is recruited or establishes a new dynasty in the future."

"makes sense."

"This Zhang Zhilan is a villain! He doesn't insist on it himself, but he wants us to insist on it!"

"Do you really think we are stupid and can be deceived?"

Guo Jingxiang also sneered.

Zhang Cheng also walked up to Zhu Yuanzhang after these officials and gentry left. He looked at the backs of the Chuzhou officials and gentry who were leaving and said, "Your superiors must have seen it. They will definitely kneel when they should kneel."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said: "You, Mr. Zhang, are smart and know that what they fear most is the common people."

(End of this chapter)