The Soul of the Han Dynasty in the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 881 Mean
The chief assistant Liu Yuliang played back and said: "Your Majesty, Zheng Ge's old words are justified, and the old minister thinks so. The 'King of Hanjiang' cherishes feathers. If he makes a high-profile statement and enters the Central Plains to kill bandits, build slaves, and Tartars, he will have the beginning and the end. .

However, the rogue bandits have plagued the Ming Dynasty for more than ten years, and it will take a short effort to put them down, which will naturally affect the plan for the Ping-Liao Dynasty.

The intention of coming to the 'Red Banner Army' with 3 troops is to leave with one blow and refuse to fall into a protracted war. Therefore, there is no clear task, and they enter the customs from the beginning of training. "

The cabinet minister Xue Guoguan said: "Your Majesty, this is a very good thing!
As long as the "Red Banner Army" with 3 horses appears near the Yellow River, even if they are really training and not participating in the war, they will be able to boost people's morale and make the bandits and Dongnu fearful.The minister believes that the best policy is to play immediately! "

When Chongzhen saw the two elders who spoke positively about the entry of the [-] "Red Banner Army" into the customs, he was slandered. to the Grand Canal.

Zhu Dadian, the magistrate of Caozhou, had delivered the memorial in the form of a fatal letter the night before yesterday, "12 soldiers and civilians in Caozhou are united to protect the Ming Dynasty for two hundred miles." Such a sentence made Chongzhen tearful.

Hundreds of civil servants and military generals in Henan and Zhongdu fled, but Zhu Dadian, the magistrate of Caozhou, wanted to defend the city with less than [-] township bravery and strong people.

Chongzhen wanted to order Liu Zhilun to send troops across the river to help defend Caozhou, but he was afraid that he would be blocked by Manchurian cavalry if he could not reach Caozhou, causing immeasurable casualties.

These tens of thousands of men and horses in the Beijing camp were all based on the "Red Banner Army" equipment and training model. Chongzhen devoted a lot of effort to it. The imperial court spent millions of taels of military expenditure every year, and Chongzhen could not afford to lose.

The "King of the Hanjiang River" asked for an order that 3 people from the "Red Banner Army" would enter the customs for a long-distance march and training. Without specifying the marching route and destination, this is absolutely impossible.

With an idea, Chongzhen couldn't help showing a smile on his face, and he said:

"Dear dear ones, I have allowed 3 people from the 'Red Banner Army' to enter the customs, but they have to specify their marching route and destination, so as to notify the prefectures and counties along the way to cooperate.

I think Caozhou should be the destination. The cabinet and the Ministry of War will immediately formulate regulations for the prefectures we pass through along the way, and send six hundred miles to Shanhaiguan today. "

Zhu Dadian made a high-profile statement that he would live and die with Caozhou. All the important ministers knew that seeing the emperor’s arrangement, they felt that it was indescribable. The first assistant Liu Yuliang immediately flattered him:
"Your Majesty is so wise, the old minister admires such an arrangement. Long live my emperor! Long live!"

The rest of the ministers also began to shout long live!Hearing that Zheng Guochang was very troubled, he hurriedly said:

"My lords, the top priority is to quickly formulate the marching route of the 'Red Banner Army', order the state capitals along the route to provide food and grass, clear the snow on the official roads, and level the roads, and strive to increase the marching speed of the 'Red Banner Army'. If Caozhou is lost, 10,000 + The army and the people are in danger!"

This made sense, many ministers nodded, Chongzhen also felt it was necessary.

But when he heard that 3 horses were to be provided with food and salaries, Li Daiwen, the Minister of the Household Department, jumped out as if being pricked by a needle. He said:
"Drought and locust plagues have hit Gyeonggi, and production has been severely reduced. The food in the state capitals can only be barely maintained. Providing [-] soldiers with horses and chewing horses for a few days will cause a big deficit. I'm afraid the local government will not give in."

Zheng Guochang snorted, and said: "The Ministry of Households just orders the prefectures along the line to prepare for reception, and strive to save a lot of time for the 'Red Banner Army' so that they can reach Caozhou as soon as possible.

Mr. Li can clearly inform the governors, soldiers, prefects and other relevant personnel along the line that all expenses will be reimbursed by the court and deducted from the Liao salary at that time! "

Zheng Guochang's statement made Li Daiwen's eyes brighten. In order to avoid arguing at that time, he confirmed:
"Every month's Liao pay is the top priority of the household department, and the officials of the household department dare not deduct a penny. In case the 'Red Banner Army' uses the reason that the local state government will provide food and grass as a matter of course for guest soldiers to transit the border for a day, What should I do if I refuse to deduct the shortfall from the account department?"

"Hey hey hey!" Zheng Guochang sneered again and again after being annoyed. He really despised the princes who didn't put state affairs first and made their own calculations. fill in the gaps in the Ministry of Accounts."

Li Daiwen said cheekily: "Old Zheng Ge, empty words are useless!"

One of the main reasons for the demise of the Ming Dynasty was the exhaustion of finances. However, Chongzhen was deceived by the Donglin Party for not competing with the people for profit, and actually reduced or exempted a large number of mining taxes and commercial taxes. taxes.

However, the land annexation intensified, and the self-cultivated peasants who paid the tax began to flee in large numbers. A large number of refugees rose up and caused the five provinces to be in flames.

Emperor Chongzhen, who didn't understand the economy and the people's livelihood, was incapable of making money and food. He always saved as much as he could, which made him even more mean.

The most typical example is that Chongzhen called on civil and military officials, nobles, and relatives to help pay, and specially dispatched the eunuch Xu Gao to deliver an imperial edict to the old father-in-law, Jiading Bo Zhou Kui, to be the Marquis of Jiading.

However, it was so difficult for Daming to be promoted from earl to marquis. I don't know how much merit he needs to accumulate to have a chance. Unfortunately, Zhou Kui, who has millions of taels of assets, didn't buy it at all, and only deducted 5000 taels of silver.

Not long after, the army of thieves broke through the capital, Zhou Kui and his whole family were arrested by Liu Zhongmin. Had to hand over a huge sum of millions of silver.

Seeing that the Minister of the Household Department was so skinny and shameless, while the emperor was pretending to be deaf and dumb, Zheng Guochang laughed out loud and said angrily, "I will immediately write and draw notes for the Household Department."

Chongzhen looked embarrassed, but in order to save money, he even sewed and mended the dragon robes. He did not intervene. The waste of 3 people for one or two months is not a small number. The court can still save as much as possible.

In fact, the emperor and the princes of Gungun have become villains in vain. The reputation of the "King of the Han River" is well-known. Not only the government will generously provide convenience for the "Red Banner Army" to cross the border, but the rich and wealthy merchants are willing to provide food and housing.

"Don't plunder the common people if you starve to death!" is not an empty slogan, but a solid military discipline.

If there is no "Red Flag Grain Store" near the campsite, the "Red Flag Army" will borrow grain from big households or the government. With the terms, any "Red Flag Grain Store" will repay the principal and interest.

(End of this chapter)