Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 203 Coping
In the study of Jinzhou City Zu Dashou Mansion, Zu Zerun handed the imperial court writing to his father, who was seated on the main seat, and stepped back.

Zu Jun, who was released from Shanhaiguan by the Yongwei Battalion, knelt on the ground.He has already described the ins and outs of the matter in detail, and brought back the document that the Yongwei Battalion handed over to him.

Zu Dashou took the writing with a gloomy face and read it.

The writing was signed and issued by the Minister of the Ministry of War, and the content is very simple.The general idea is that after investigation by a supervisor, it is suspected that there are criminals in Liaodong who trafficked and built slaves, provided them with military supplies, and made huge profits from it; I hereby write this article to all the officers and soldiers on the front line of Liaodong and Shanhaiguan. Any military assets pass through Shanhaiguan and the Jinzhou defense line until the imperial court lifts the ban, and offenders will be punished as gangsters.

After simply browsing through it, Zu Dashou casually put the writing aside, then waved his hand irritably, while Zu Zerun on the side shouted softly: "Get out!"

The terrified Ancestral Army heard the words, as if he had received amnesty, kowtowed, got up and walked backwards to the door of the study room, turned around and gently opened the door, stepped out of the room, and then quietly closed the two doors.

After the door was closed, Zu Zerun asked softly: "Father, this move by the imperial court is no different! How has my ancestors suffered such a shame? If we don't fight back, people will inevitably be despised in the future! What should we do about this matter, Please show me your father!"

Zu Dashou glanced at the eldest son, and asked angrily: "How to fight back? Raise troops to attack Shanhaiguan? Don't forget that your uncle's department has been transferred away! This is a warning from the imperial court to my ancestor's family, let me restrain myself , you can’t just break up with Daming just because of this matter, right?”

Zu Zerun said: "Father, my son feels that the situation is getting worse for Liaodong. In recent years, the imperial court has changed its previous policy of favoring Liaodong. The salary, silver and military funds are much less than before, and they often write to reprimand me. This time, they directly and openly robbed my Liaodong supplies! If things go on like this, how will my ancestors deal with themselves in the future?"

Zu Dashou frowned and said: "In the past, the imperial court had no strong army, and our Liaodong Army was its only reliance; whether it was resisting Jianzhou or being transferred to the pass to suppress thieves, our army's strength was demonstrated everywhere, and the imperial court had no choice but to let it go. Let me wait. But the current situation is very different from the previous few years. Hong Hengjiu and Lu Jiandou suddenly became good at fighting. The thieves and giant bandits were strangled to death by several people one after another. There was also the Yongwei Battalion that repelled Azig with Changping. Only then will you press on every step of the way! Although my father knew the details a long time ago, he is still thinking hard and unable to do anything!"

Zu Zerun took a step forward and said in a low voice: "Father, my son feels that the only way out now is to put pressure on the imperial court on the grounds that Jianzhou is aggressively pushing Ningjin. Force them to lift the ban, restore the supply of military supplies, food and salaries, and then resell them to Jianzhou!"

Zu Zerun's words made Zu Dashou ponder.

He understood the meaning of the eldest son: to continue to support bandits is the most important thing, and it is no longer the small-scale capitalism that was concealed before, but blatantly supporting Jianzhou.

Although Jianzhou has obtained a large amount of population and materials through conquests and looting in recent years, its strength has gradually grown, forcing the Liaodong Army to retreat in the city and passively defend, but Zu Dashou and others do not think that Jianzhou has the ability to change the world. Need to borrow outside help to maintain.

What a joke, there are less than 200 million people, how can you deal with Daming, which has billions of people?
In their eyes, Jianzhou, like the Tartars, came to Daming for a bite when they were very hungry, and then went back to hunt and fish in the deep mountains and old forests, just lingering in the cycle.

Aren’t the descendants of the Mongolian iron cavalry who swept the Song and Jin Dynasties back then also singing Chile songs, grazing and eating soil outside the Great Wall in the wind and snow?

Aren't the generals of Xuanda, Yansui and other border towns doing the same thing in Liaodong?I haven't seen the Tartars turn upside down. It's been more than 200 years. Don't the Tartars want to fight back?
I want to, but they don't have the skills of their ancestors.

The same is true of Jianzhou.

The harsh environment in Liaodong determines that Jianzhou will not have much future at all.To support the sky is to wait for the generals of Liaodong to gradually decline, and Jianzhou seeks opportunities to nibble away at Liaodong bit by bit, and eventually replace the generals of Liaodong to occupy the entire Northeast region and become a separatist regime like North Korea.

What Zu Dashou and others have to do is how to delay the time of their own decline, and at the same time control the strength of Jianzhou within a reasonable range, neither let them take advantage of the opportunity to grow bigger, nor let them weaken enough to be eaten by one bite Only in this way will the long-term prosperity of the ancestors and Wu family be maintained.

Zu Dashou hope that this situation will last forever and maintain the current situation of hello, me, everyone.

"At present, Liaodong has not yet opened the freeze, and it is difficult for the army to march. It is not the time to report Jianzhou's violation of the border. My son's strategy is feasible. When the snow melts, I will use this as an excuse to report! For now, let's bear it for the time being. Tomorrow I will report it to the court. The reply indicates that Liaodong will act according to the order. It also states that the confiscated materials were faked in the name of my ancestral family. In general, continue to ask for food, pay and military supplies, and don’t let the court notice the difference! Go ahead and do it!”

Zu Zerun understood, and left in a hurry after saluting.The ancestors, who thought they had escaped a catastrophe, never thought that although they had children for their families and worked diligently and loyally to their masters for generations, in the end their own life and death were only at the master's whim.

In the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youjian sat above the Dragon Throne, Wen Tiren and other cabinet ministers, as well as the chief officials of the Six Ministries, the Inspectorate, and Dali Temple, and the supervisors of ceremonies were listed under the imperial steps.

The nine-day general examination has ended, and the Ministry of Rites will submit the list of [-] tributes admitted this time for the emperor's review, and then all the important ministers will discuss Zhu Youjian's proposal to recruit sons and supervisors into the Guozijian for training, and then choose the best ones to be elected officials. Things.

Zhu Youjian browsed through the list of 300 people. Chen Zilong and Xia Yunyi were all on the list. Zhuang Yuanzhou, whom Sun Chuanting strongly recommended in the memorial book, was also on the list, but the ranking was at the back.

Fang Yizhi's unexpected failure to make the list surprised Zhu Youjian, but he was also optimistic about the fairness of the exam.

It seems that most of the officials of the Ming Dynasty still have integrity, and they cannot fully believe in the dirty water poured on these ministers in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

Fang Yizhi's father, Fang Kongxuangui, is the governor of a province with the title of the left deputy capital censor, and the Ministry of Rites did not include his son on the list, which shows that there is not much shady in it.

The leader of this examination is Zhao Shichun, a native of Changshu, Jiangsu, who has not left a very famous reputation in history.

Zhu Youjian doesn't pay much attention to rankings, but more to his pragmatic style in his articles, so whether he can win the palace examination in the future is still hard to draw a conclusion.

Zhu Youjian said: "The result of this meeting is very satisfactory. You have worked hard recently, especially the people in the Ministry of Rites! I will take out 5 taels of silver from the internal shipping warehouse to reward this participation. For the officials, soldiers and soldiers who will take the test, the amount of rewards for each person will be handed over to Wen Qing!"

Wen Tiren came out to receive the decree, and everyone understood that this was an opportunity for the emperor to win people's hearts for Wen Tiren. Attitude.

Zhang Guowei, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, was affirmed by the emperor, and he was also secretly proud of himself. He went out to perform the salute and said: "I invite you, my lord, the list of tributes has been read, when will the palace examination be held? Or will the examination questions be determined by the Ministry of Rites? Also ask the holy majesty to show me!"

Zhu Youjian waved his hand and said: "The time of the palace examination is as usual! The topic is up to me!"

The palace examination is generally held more than a month after the general examination, and the questions can be given by the Ministry of Rites, or the emperor himself can draft the questions.

After Zhang Guowei withdrew, Zhu Youjian glanced sideways at Wang Chengen, and the latter said loudly: "Next, we will discuss the issue of Juzi and Guozijian's birth of an official! All ministers can speak out about the matter, and don't involve the rest!"

(End of this chapter)