Haisheng Mingdi

Chapter 488
West bank of the canal.

Changlu, the city of Cangzhou.

In the city, Wang Wenyuan, the transfer envoy of Changludu for salt, Sidu for transfer, was preparing a banquet in the flower hall.

Today, Hong Chengchou, a bachelor of the Academy of Internal Secretaries and governor of the three provinces, will pass by Cangzhou. Naturally, Wang Wenyuan, the envoy, must treat him well.

Although the situation was tense and several saltworks along the Beizhi coast had been attacked, Wang Wenyuan was still busy helping Hong Chengchou.Invitations were also sent out early, and all the people present were famous people in Cangzhou.

"Is Zhang Yushi here?"

"Just arrived."

Compared with the third-rank salt transport envoy, Cangzhou also has a patrol salt censor.The grade of Xunyan Yushi is low, only the seventh grade.The yamen of Cangzhou Yanyan Yushi is located in Beijing, outside Xuanwu Gate, but there are also offices in Tianjin, Cangzhou, and Shandong.

The relationship between Wang Wenyuan and Zhang Xuan is actually that Zhang Xuan of the seventh rank is in charge of Wang Wenyuan of the third rank.Originally, when the patrol salt censor was established in the early Ming Dynasty, its duty was only to patrol smugglers and picket fraud, and did not manage specific salt affairs.

After the mid-Ming period, the Salt Patrol began to intervene in the management of salt affairs. Although the affairs of the salt area were still transferred from the capital to the head of the Salt Envoy Division, they were subject to the decree of the Salt Patroller Yushi.

In addition to the fact that the censor is a central official sent by the Metropolitan Procuratorate, it is also because in the middle period, the censor of Changlu Xunyan also manages the river, and the censor of Changlu Xunyan also manages the rivers in Tongzhou and Jining Prefecture, and admirals Wei Yousi, banned and ruled the powerful, abolished adultery, supervised the collection of money, inspected post stations, arrested thieves, inspected horse boats, etc.

It can be said that although the inspector is only seventh rank, his actual authority is no less than that of the governor.

He is also in charge of Beihe, in fact he can be said to be the governor of Beihe.

He is in charge of both salt and river, as well as Chaoguan and military guards. It can be said that he is a senior official.

Wang Wenyuan's third grade is compared with other people's seventh grade, and he is not worthy of carrying shoes. If he rises up these three grades, he can at most become an inspector or even a deputy envoy, or participate in politics, or a political envoy. It must be a powerful position such as patrolling.

Come to the door to greet Zhang Xuan in person, and respectfully invite him into the flower hall.

"My lord, Mr. Hong Ge will be here soon, is everything ready?"

Zhang Xuan spoke bluntly.

"There is nothing else in Cangzhou, except that there is a lot of salt. The boat and salt are ready, and the salt merchants in Changlu have also been summoned."

Facing Zhang Xuan, who was much younger than himself, Wang Wenyuan did not dare to be careless.

Before Hong Chengchou left Beijing, an order had been sent to Changlu to prepare salt.

The Changlu salt field not only manages the salt field in Changlu Town, but also the entire Beizhi and even Shandong salt fields.

Now that the Qing government is in short supply of money and food, Hong Chengchou went out of Beijing to governor the three provinces, and his eyes were directly aimed at Changluyan.

When I was in Beijing, I had already asked the imperial court for a lot of salt, and got a lot of money from the salt merchants in Beijing. Then I came to Cangzhou, and I had to go directly to Shandong to take a large amount of salt to use as military pay.

Hong Chengchou didn't care about the trouble and harm to the salt merchants by issuing additional salt quotations, nor did he care that his coming to raise salt would actually make the salt merchants have no salt.

Of course, Wang Wenyuan and Zhang Xuan didn't care about this.

Zhang Xuan was even a student of Hong Chengchou.

Naturally, he had to do his best to meet the teacher's request.

In addition to salt, Hong Chengchou also wanted money, food, and soldiers.

When he came out of Beijing, he brought dozens of servants with him, and he wanted to transfer a group of green battalions in Cangzhou to serve as his pacesetters.Zhang Xuan has soldiers under his command, and he is also in charge of the Beihe River. The thousands of miles of North Canal from Tongzhou to Jining, Shandong Province are under his control.

"Those salt merchants have confessed, right? Don't cry in front of Mr. Hong Ge and say that you have no money. It will not only lose face for you and me."

"Please don't worry, my lord. I have already explained to them personally, and these people are also aware of the consequences if they refuse to pay the money. Whoever dares not pay the money will never get a piece of silver from Changlu in the future, regardless of his hand. No matter how much salt there is in it, it doesn't matter."

Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

"The current situation is difficult, and everyone must work together to tide over the difficulties. Now that the Lianghuai and Liangzhe salt fields have fallen into the hands of Ming thieves, the Changlu salt field is becoming more and more important. If these salt merchants want to continue to make money, they must be obedient."

A servant comes in.

"My lord, Hong Ge's boat is coming from the river."

Zhang Xuan immediately said, "Get out of the city to meet him!"

Wang Wenyuan followed him to the outer flower hall, where a group of officials had already gathered, and in the corridor outside, there were more salt merchants in silk and fine clothes.

"Everyone, Hong Xianggong's boat has arrived, and I will go to meet you with me!"

Ever since, all the civil and military officials in Cangzhou City, as well as the salt merchants who were called, and the local powerful gentry, all rushed to Cangzhou Wharf.

Officials, big and small, crowded the wharf, looking forward to it.

Looking at the fleet approaching from afar, everyone was full of awe and admiration for that old Hong Ge.

A legendary figure who was able to cross the Ming and Qing dynasties, and who was in the prime minister, especially the unofficial folk history, it is said that this man and the Queen Mother once had ginseng soup, which attracted countless people's amazement and praise.

Even if he lost in Huguang last year and suffered a cold reception for a period of time, but now he recovered again and was directly granted the title of Marquis.

It fully proves that Mr. Hong Ge is a mainstay.

The governor of the three provinces, even the two auxiliary princes are subject to his restraint, this power is unmatched, and no one in the officialdom wants to curry favour.

Just like the green-robed inspector Zhang Xuan who stood in front of the crowd, he was a disciple of Hong Jinglue. He served as the magistrate of Wuchang under the curtain of Huguang last year, and later returned to Beijing with Hong.

Hong Chengchou returned together, and Zhang Xuan, who was missing in Beijing, got the post of inspecting salt, and he went out of Beijing to Cangzhou to fight in front of him.

A Changlu patrol salt censor who also manages Beihe, that is a fat post that ordinary governors may not be willing to change. It is salt, banknotes, and canals. The money that passes here is like running water. It's all terrible.

The fleet on the canal approached.

The first boat is flying the Hong character flag.

As the boat approached, Wang Wenyuan had already beckoned to the Le Ban to greet him. Although he was not as good as a third-rank officer than a seventh-rank salt inspector, he was always in charge of salt, so he was still very satisfied, but he didn't dare I offended Hong Chengchou, if I lose this fat job, where can I find it again?
How many people stared at this fat job, especially after the Lianghuai and Zhejiang salt fields were controlled by the Ming army, his job became more and more enviable.

The boat approaches the pier.

A group of armored soldiers jumped off the boat first.

Carrying blunderbuss, bows and arrows, and carrying knives and guns, he is very sturdy.

Wang Wenyuan was still sycophanting there, and said to Zhang Xuandao, "Old Hongge, this pacesetter is really majestic and mighty. His aura, at first glance, looks like a soldier who has experienced many battles. One of them can surpass ten ordinary green battalions."

While talking, more armored soldiers got off the boat, and they ran over and lined up.

I haven't seen Hong Chengchou for a long time.

And more and more soldiers disembarked on the pier.

"Did Mr. Hong Ge bring so many pacesetters?" Wang Wenyuan was a little puzzled.

Zhang Xuan also felt that something was wrong. He was a student worshiping Hong Chengchou, and his relationship was very close. Last year, he went south with Hong Chengchou to appease the south of the Yangtze River, and then moved to the six provinces of Huguang. He also accompanied Hong Chengchou in Beijing before. Sitting on the bench, he knew that there were some veterans around Hong Chengchou, but there were not many.

When leaving Beijing, the imperial court will definitely recruit some Manchu guards, etc., but there will not be many.

Why are there so many mighty armored soldiers suddenly?
If there were so many elites, there was no need for him to send troops to him in Cangzhou. The soldiers on the river were mostly soldiers from the former guards, and they were very ordinary.

In doubt, another person got off the boat, but it was a national treasure.

"Hello everyone!"

Tu Guobao jumped off the boat, greeted everyone, and then waved, "Take it!"

The armored soldiers lined up on the pier quickly surrounded the welcoming officials and gentry, and Monk Zhang Er was puzzled by everyone.

But Zhang Xuan looked at the familiar face and was speechless in shock. It took a long time to point at him with trembling fingers, "Tu Guobao, why are you here?"

"What? I'm not welcome?"

"Master Zhang, we meet again. The last time we met was in Nanjing City. I heard that you are now the censor of Changlu salt inspection and the manager of Beihe River. You have developed a lot."

Zhang Xuan looked at Tu Guobao as if he had seen a ghost.

Tu Guobao was originally a confidant of Hong Chengchou. When Hong appeased Jiangnan last year, he recommended him as the Jiangnan inspector first, and then protected him as Jiangning governor. Later, Hong went to Huguang and did not take him away. Later, he heard that Tu Guobao had lost Suzhou, and finally rebelled against the Qing Dynasty. It's clear.

Can't think of goodbye, it's here.

"You are this?"

"To be honest, I am now a minister of the Ming Dynasty again. This time, I am following the emperor's order to attack Cangzhou in the north."

"What did you do to Mr. Hong Ge?"

"Hongge is doing well, but he caught a cold after falling into the water, and he is recuperating in the cabin now." Tu Guobao waved the knife in his hand, "Forget it, let's not talk about this for now, let's not all stand on the pier, let's talk about it in the city."

There was a lot of chaos on the pier.

He came out to meet Mr. Hong Ge, but he met Tu Guobao and was taken away.

Tu Guobao robbed everyone and went directly to Cangzhou. At this time, the guards in Cangzhou City didn't know what happened. They were in a daze, and they were snatched into the city by the forwards of Tu Guobao Department.

Hong Chengchou was carried into Cangzhou City in a sedan chair, and he sat in the sedan chair with a dark face all the time.

Really shameless.

Who would have thought that he would end up capsizing in the gutter for half his life.

In the city of Cangzhou, Tu Guobao robbed the officials and gentry in the city, broke into the city, and his subordinates quickly took control of the whole city. Many guards in Cangzhou didn't understand what happened. Many people surrendered in a daze, and some resisted Yes, shot to death by random arrows.

"Hong Xianggong, everyone is waiting outside in the flower hall, please go out and say hello to everyone."

Tu Guobao came to Hong Chengchou.

Hong Chengchou bowed his head and sat down without saying a word.

"Mr. Hong, you have been kind to my national treasure, and you have taken care of me in the past. I will always remember it."

"Since that's the case, are you going to repay your kindness?"

"Mr. Hong is wrong. I am here to help you return to Daming. I am saving you. It is not too late to turn around. Otherwise, if you continue on this wrong road, there will be no good results. Not only will your life be lost, but you will have to die in the future." It was passed on by the second official, but now that he regrets it anyway, he can still be regarded as the hero of Conglong Zhongxing."

(End of this chapter)