Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 175
In Jinzhou City, there are several luxurious houses with a large area and many houses, which belong to the three brothers Zuo Dashou, Jinzhou Chief Soldier Zu Dashou, Deputy Chief Soldier Zu Dale, Ningyuan Chief Soldier Zu Dabi, and their brother-in-law, Shanhaiguan Chief Bing Wu Xiang.

Zu Dashou's mansion is located in the middle of several mansions. Its grand structure, wide area and gorgeous decoration are even better than the other few mansions.

In the study in the courtyard of the owner of the back house, Zu Dashou is receiving Li Sutai who came secretly, and the eldest son Zu Zerun stands behind his father.

Under the matchmaking of Jiang Xin, the former Liaodong guerrilla and captured in the Dalinghe Battle, Li Sutai spent a lot of money to bribe several generals before he was received by Zu Dashou.

Zu Dashou was not tall, but he was burly and strong. Sitting on the top chair covered with tiger skin, he looked like a hill, with a pair of long and narrow eyes shining brightly.

Since Chongzhen was besieged in Dalinghe City for several months in the fourth year, Zu Dashou, who had fled back on the grounds of seizing Jinzhou, had no choice but to feign surrender due to long-term food shortages.

Although Huang Taiji sent secret envoys to bring letters over and over again, urging Zu Dashou not to break his promise and to donate Jinzhou as soon as possible, but Zu Dashou did not see the envoys, and only used various excuses to prevaricate and shirk, still sticking to the front line of Jinzhou and refusing to do so. Offer the city.

The reason why I met Li Shutai this time was that Zu Dashou, who didn't want to refute everyone's face, reluctantly agreed to it after several requests from trusted generals around him.

He knew in his heart that these grandsons did not know how much property they had eaten from Jiannu, so they took turns to speak for the secret envoy frequently.

The outside was already dripping into ice, but the fire walls on both sides made the interior as warm as spring. Li Soltai, who was dressed in fur, was already sweating on his forehead, and felt extremely hot all over his body.

After he picked up the tea on the low table beside him and drank it in one gulp, the feeling of irritability and nausea was slightly reduced.

Zu Dashou, who was wearing a satin casual robe, said in a deep voice, "Mrs. Hong, why are you here? I'm busy with business, so tell me quickly!"

Li Shuitai stretched out his sleeves and wiped the sweat from his forehead, and bowed his hands to salute: "If you go back to the general system, my emperor ordered me to come here this time because I want to renew our friendship with the general system and plan for the future together. Bringing a heavy gift to reward the general system for helping me in the Qing Dynasty for many years!"

Zu Dashou snorted coldly and said: "Speak if you have something to say, and let go if you have to fart! Lao Tzu and Mrs. Hong have a fart relationship? You are the native barbarians of Jianzhou, and you have to return to the Qing Dynasty! How did you and I come together!"

The expression on Li Shitailue's face was embarrassing, but since he was denied friendship with Jianzhou and asked him to tell the truth about the purpose of this trip, he had no choice but to stop playing around.

He took out a letter from his pocket, got up and wanted to pass it to Zu Dashou, but Zu Dashou waved his hand and said impatiently: "I have something to say! I won't have time to read Lao Shizi's letter!"

Li Shuitai had no choice but to sit back on the chair again, put the letter on the low table, and said, "General Zu, this time I am here to ask for help on behalf of my emperor! Now that I am in a difficult situation in the Qing Dynasty, I still look forward to seeing my ancestors." The general extended a helping hand to help me clean up, and I will be grateful from all the people in Qing Dynasty!"

Zu Dashou squinted his eyes at Li Shitai, grinned his teeth, and said, "Hey! What a miracle! Your master is known as a wise man, omnipotent, and he would have been defeated by him back then. Did you come to my door? Come on, tell us, what happened to Mrs. Hong? Is there a shortage of food or something else?"

Li Sutai had no time to pay attention to Zu Dashou's ironic words, and after cutting off the trade route, Jianzhou was in a dilemma of lack of supplies, and implored Zu Dashou to lend a hand at this critical moment.

After hearing this, Zu Dashou burst into laughter, and Zu Zerun also had a mocking look on his face.

The fact that Azige was defeated and returned to Jianzhou had already reached the ears of Liaodong generals. While Zu Dashou was gloating, he was also surprised by the sudden appearance of such a powerful army in the imperial court.

For a long time, the Guan Ning army has repeatedly fought and defeated Hou Jin, but they have always believed that they are the most elite armed force of Ming Dynasty.The reason why he lost to Jiannu repeatedly was because the opponent was too strong, as long as the Guan Ning army couldn't beat the opponent, he would give it to anyone for nothing.

Didn't you see the invincible bandits in the pass, and they perished quickly after the imperial court mobilized a few Liaodong cavalry?This proves that the Guan Ning Army is the last reliance of the court, so it is only natural to ask the court for money.

This kind of arrogance is common among Liaodong generals, so when they first heard that Azig, who was known for his bravery, was defeated by the official army in Changping and suffered a lot of losses, the Liaodong generals still couldn't believe it.Later, news about this battle came from all sides, and the Liaodong generals finally believed that there was an armed force stronger than the Guanning Army in the hands of the imperial court.

Before Zu Dashou could think about how to get along with the court in the future, Li Sutai came.

Can Zu Dashou not be happy to see the arrogant Jiannu deflated one after another?
Li Sutai had expected Zu Dashou's reaction a long time ago, and after Zu Dashou finished laughing, he calmly cupped his hands and said, "General Zu, you only saw the successive damages to our Qing Dynasty, but you never thought about it. What will happen to my ancestral family after the decline of the Qing Dynasty? There is an old saying: when the birds are gone, the good bows will be hidden; How can it survive? Over the years, Liaodong generals have despised the Ming court, and there are countless things that have been disregarded by the Ming emperor! Did General Zu think that the whole court of the Ming Dynasty would have no complaints about the Liaodong generals' actions over the years? Our Qing Dynasty was overthrown The day will be the time when the ancestral family will be defeated!"

Li Shutai was smart and eager to learn since he was a child. When he was five years old, his father Li Yongfang invited an old scholar from Liaodong to enlighten him.Although Li Shuitai was unable to participate in the Ming Dynasty's imperial examinations, but after many years of extensive knowledge, Li Shuitai not only gave it with his tongue, but also his knowledge was definitely top-notch in the later Jin Dynasty. Can lift.

After Li Shitai finished speaking, Zu Dashou was furious. He pointed his halberd at Li Shitai and shouted sharply: "You slave, you are talking nonsense! I will chop you up! This general has been guarding Liaodong for the imperial court since his ancestors. Countless meritorious deeds have been made during this period! My ancestral family’s great sons and daughters stained the battlefield with blood! Up to this generation, father and son brothers are fighting together to fight with your master! The purpose is to defend Liaodong for the imperial court, so that you and other savages do not harm me The people of Daming! My ancestors have always been loyal to Daming! You slave, how dare you drive a wedge between my Liaodong general and the imperial court! You are really blind! If it is not for the sake of your late father, I will chop it up now You feed the dog!"

Zu Zerun also glared at Li Sutai, but he didn't move a muscle.

Li Yongfang served as a guerrilla in Fushun before he came to the Qing Dynasty, and had a good relationship with Zu Dashou's father, Zu Chengxun, who was then the deputy commander of Liaodong.If it wasn't for his early betrayal, Zu Dashou and Li Sutai should be family friends, and the two sides should be called brothers.

Li Shuitai didn't care about Zu Dashou's intimidation. He knew in his heart that if Zu Dashou wanted to kill him, he wouldn't talk nonsense, and he would have been dragged down and beheaded long ago.

Zu Dashou's stern words just now were not so much for him to hear, but actually more like self-comforting and self-explaining words.

This shows that his words have touched the weakest part of Zu Dashou's heart.It was also a realistic problem that Zu Dashou had considered but never dared to face.

Houjin and Liaodong have fought against each other for many years, and they know each other well, and they know very well about the domineering actions of the Liaodong generals towards the Ming court on weekdays.

It has long been known that Zu Dashou led his troops to withdraw after Jin attacked the capital two years after Chongzhen.From then on, Huang Taiji and others believed that Zu Dashou had a different heart, so they let him go in Dalinghe City, hoping to win the enemy's army without fighting with the gesture of buying a horse's bone with a thousand gold.

But at that time Houjin was not as strong as it is now. After thinking about it, Zu Dashou felt that following Houjin would not have much future, so he surrendered.

After Li Sutai handed over his hands, he said sincerely: "General Zu, what I said just now is not alarmist. The general and the major general may wish to think about it carefully: the general should have heard about the defeat of the king of Wuying County a few months ago. The Liaodong confronted us in the Qing Dynasty For many years, the general should have known the strength of my Eight Banners and the bravery of the King of Wuying County! But even these brave generals were defeated in Changping. It is normal for the Eight Banners to occasionally lose battles. This Ming army has been listed by our emperor as an army that must be destroyed, but the Ming emperor and his courtiers will think that they have a new force that can replace the generals of Liaodong! If the general asks your country’s court for money and things again, I’m afraid he won’t be able to give and take whatever he wants like before?!”

Both Zu Dashou and Zu Zerun remained silent.

Li Soltai's words pointed to the point.Since the ninth year of Chongzhen, the amount of money and materials allocated by the imperial court to Liaodong has gradually decreased, and Yang Sichang, the new minister of the Ministry of War, has written several times to Liaodong, angrily criticizing the Liaodong generals for falsely reporting the number of troops and taking empty pay. , which has never happened before.

Seeing this situation, Li Sutai further increased his weight: "General Zu, Major General, my Qing Dynasty has no intention of entering the customs and occupying the Ming Kingdom. My emperor only wishes to preserve the bitter cold land of Liaodong with my ancestors. It is enough for the two families to share wealth and honor for generations! For others and for ourselves, please ask General Zu to complete it!"

Li Sutai's words completely moved Zu Dashou.

As long as the status quo can be maintained, Jianzhou will always put pressure on the imperial court in Liaodong, and the imperial court has to accept the unreasonable demands of Liaodong generals in order to protect the border.

In fact, this is not the first move of the ancestors. Before the rise of Jurchen in Jianzhou, various Mongolian ministries took turns to detain borders, and the military leaders of Xuanda, Yansui, and Ningxia towns did the same. They used various excuses to ask the court for money. Maintain the prosperity and wealth of your own family and your subordinates.

It would be even better if Jianzhou could find an opportunity to severely damage the Ming army in Changping. Since then, the imperial court has no strong army, and in the end it has to look at Liaodong.

Zu Dashou pondered for a while and then said: "I will know what your family lacks, but after all, I will be a minister of my Ming Dynasty, and you must not go too far! I will make a charter today: This time you need what you need to build the state. Materials, pig iron should not exceed [-] catties, gunpowder should not exceed [-] catties, and a certain family is short of food, so only [-] shi will be given! The rest will be handled at Zerun’s discretion! A certain person has a word first, only this time, there will be no next time! This matter must never Let irrelevant people know! When you go back, tell Mrs. Hong, let him take care of himself!"

After all, Zu Dashou got up and left, and Zu Zerun stayed behind to discuss with Li Sutai how to operate.

Li Sutai was relieved, the supplies that Zu Dashou promised to sell to them this time were much less than expected, but it finally solved Houjin's urgent need, and he could have an explanation when he went back.With these iron materials, more arrows can be made and more weapons can be repaired, so as to prepare for the spring west expedition in the coming year.

Although Zu Dashou said it was only this one time, as long as he spends a lot of money to open the way, regularize the original small-scale smuggling activities, and find other ways in the coming year, Jianzhou will gradually overcome this difficulty.

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(End of this chapter)