Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 332 0327 [The main general kills the deputy general]

The Dai family, the largest grain merchant in Jinzhou.

An old man who was completely deaf, buried his head in looking at the black and white paper, sat in shock for a long time and finally said: "Is the prefect Zhu really rebellious?"

Dai Chengsi wrote: "Killed Zhizhou, Tongpan and Silu, and is about to divide troops to occupy the remaining four counties."

The old man is not only deaf, but also has poor eyesight. He used a magnifying glass to paste the paper, and his eyes were pasted to the magnifying glass.After reading what Sun Tzu wrote, he murmured: "It's over, it's over, no matter whether the surname Zhu succeeds or not, Jinzhou will be in trouble. If officers and soldiers come from the east, Jinzhou will bear the brunt. I don't know how many people will die." people."

Dai Chengsi went on to write: "Jinzhou has the victories of mountains and rivers, and it is not easy for officers and soldiers to attack."

The old man looked at it for a long time, and said: "Since he raises troops in Jinzhou, he must occupy the whole of Hanzhong. How can he not have the victory of mountains and rivers? The officers and soldiers who want to quell the chaos will come from Shaanxi, Shuzhong, and Jingxiang."

After thinking carefully for a moment, the old man said: "It's good that the officers and soldiers can quickly quell the chaos, but I'm afraid that the surname Zhu will take advantage of the terrain and have been fighting against the imperial court for more than ten years. At that time, we must collect grain and fight every year. Our Dai family's grain business What can I do?"

Dai Chengsi wrote: "Does my grandfather think Mr. Zhu can do anything?"

The old man read it carefully: "The surname Zhu is not Fang La. His father and son have been operating in Yangzhou and Jinzhou for a long time. If there is no trouble, it will be difficult for officers and soldiers to come in. I heard that the imperial court sent all the elite soldiers to attack Liao. The Zhu family and their sons can still occupy the land of Shu, and then it will be a situation of separatism."

Dai Chengsi also wrote: "There are three subordinate officials in Jinzhou City, who have been appointed as county magistrates, and my grandson wants to follow Mr. Zhu to revolt."

The old man knelt down and read it again and again, as if he didn't understand the text.

After a long time, the old man finally said, "Oh, I'm old, you can make up your own mind. The only thing to remember is that you have to leave a way out in everything. Once the Zhu family and his son seem to be ruined, immediately contact the court secretly, maybe You can still serve as an official.”

Dai Chengsi wrote: "Grandson, remember."

After the old man finished reading, he leaned on the chair and closed his eyes to meditate: "Burn it, I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse."

Dai Chengsi lit the oil lamp, burned all the words he wrote just now, and helped the old man go to the yard to bask in the sun.

Not long after, a servant ran in: "Your Majesty, Mrs. Zhu... Mr. Zhu summoned you."

Dai Chengsi bid farewell to his grandfather and hurried to the state office.

Observing the situation in the city all the way, I found that the law and order was good, as if nothing had happened.

There were not even any robbers who took advantage of the chaos. Those ruffians in the city had already experienced Zhu Ming's methods, and they knew that their heads would be beheaded if they made trouble today.

When I came to Huangtang, the state government office, I found that three other grain merchants had arrived.

Dai Chengsi cupped his hands in greeting, then sat down and waited.

After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, Zhu Ming came from the outside, raised his hand to signal that he didn't need to stand up and saluted, and went straight to the point: "To make a long story short, the four of you are big grain merchants in Jinzhou. Now the price of grain is soaring, we can't continue like this. Based on white rice, it can sell for up to 800 Wen per stone."

A grain merchant named Song Jue said, "It's too... um..."

"Just call the general." Zhu Ming said.

Song Jue wondered: "General, most of this year's summer grain has been confiscated by the government. We are all selling last year's stored grain. The market price has already exceeded 1200 renminbi, and it is difficult to support only 800 renminbi per stone."

Zhu Ming glanced at the four major grain merchants and dared not speak for a moment.

Dai Chengsi was not only a merchant, but also a local scholar, who often went to listen to Ju Ming's lectures.

But he had never seen Zhu Ming with such eyes, as if there were knives hidden in his eyes, ready to kill someone at any time.

It seems that the temperature in the room has dropped several degrees.

Zhu Ming said in a cold tone, "Everyone, don't forget that I'm a traitor now, and I'm doing a decapitation business. Wouldn't it be easier if I didn't have to call you here and lead soldiers to ransack your house? The food in your family is all from farmers. It was harvested by hand, or it was planted by your own tenants. There was no disaster in Jinzhou last year. No matter how fierce the price of grain has risen, when you harvest grain, it is absolutely impossible for each stone to exceed 300 renminbi. Are you allowed to sell 800 renminbi? Am I not kind enough?"

That's true, but it's not the case at all.

Last year and this year, the four grain merchants received the most money from the government, and they had to sell grain at a high price to earn back.

Zhu Ming's meaning is very clear, the money and food apportioned by the government has nothing to do with him as a traitor!
Dai Chengsi quickly stated: "The Dai family would like to obey Mr.'s order, and the price of grain will never exceed 800 pennies a stone."

The other three families also agreed one after another, for fear that Zhu Ming would directly ransack the house and rob food.

If you hit a stick, you have to give a sweet date.

Zhu Ming put on a friendly expression, smiled and said: "As long as you are honest and obedient, you will benefit. After the other four counties are defeated, each county will choose a grain merchant. From now on, there will only be eight of you in the five counties of Jinzhou. Family grain merchants can go to the countryside to buy grain. Only you eight grain merchants can open grain stores in the city. The rest of the merchants are allowed to open stores in towns at most to sell grain!"

Several people looked at each other, excited and worried.

They have obtained the grain franchising license. As long as Zhu Ming can stand upright, each family will definitely be able to take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune.

But what if Zhu Ming is wiped out?They are so deeply bound, I am afraid that they will be liquidated by the court.

Dai Chengsi had already decided to follow Zhu Ming in the uprising, so he didn't need to worry too much about it. He got up immediately and said, "The Dai family is willing to help you achieve great things. All scholars in the family can serve you!"

"Very good," Zhu Ming smiled approvingly, "Just follow me. The rest of the Dai family who can read will be sent to the various armies to be clerks first. If you have a little merit, you will be promoted."

Another grain merchant gritted his teeth and said, "The Chen family is also willing to help the prefect achieve great success!"

Anyway, it's all bound, so it's better to do it more thoroughly.

In this hellish world, even if you don't follow the thieves, you will be tricked by the government to make it more and more difficult.

Moreover, if Zhu Ming was really wiped out by the court, he would be the same if he had never been a thief.They are the largest grain merchants in Jinzhou, and the officers and soldiers will definitely extort them when they come, just like they looted the southeast when Fangla was quelled.

The remaining two families looked at each other and expressed their willingness to send the disciples of the clan to work - they were afraid that they would be retaliated by Ju Ming's jealousy if they continued to do so.

Ju Ming was very satisfied, he drew a big cake and said: "I will never forget your dedication, and you will never know if you will become a marquis in the future."

No matter how much it is said, it is just a scene, and it is impossible for anyone to trust anyone. Zhu Ming has to withstand the conquest of a group of officers and soldiers.

Even their grain business license, when the external environment stabilizes in the future, Ju Ming will turn his face and deny anyone.

It's too ugly to directly cancel the license plate, but you can increase the license plate.If one is issued every year, it will be worthless after a few years. Anyway, it is impossible for anyone to monopolize the grain trade.

At this stage, monopoly is beneficial, and it is easier for Ju Ming to control food prices.

As for those big landlords, big businessmen, and the subordinate class who control the states and counties, Zhu Ming doesn't plan to move for the time being.

The top priority is to quickly expand and occupy Sichuan. Landless farmers are all high-quality soldiers!
Those landless farmers who flocked to the state city to work have been conscripted as soldiers.It not only solves the employment problem, but also alleviates the security problem, and can quickly fight out the soldiers.

Ship after ship of weapons was transported from Tiemao Village.

The weapons are single and simple, just countless iron spear heads, and the bamboo or wooden sticks can be turned into long spears.This kind of ordinary pikemen didn't even have a pair of leather armors. Although they couldn't beat the elite officers and soldiers, they were more than enough to deal with the local Xiang army.

The next day, notices were posted inside and outside the city, announcing that the price of white rice would be reduced to 800 a stone, and other miscellaneous grains and old rice would be sold even cheaper.

However, purchase restrictions are fully implemented. When buying food, you must bring your household registration book, and those who do not have a registered permanent residence should apply for it quickly.

The common people rushed to tell each other, and there was a cheerful atmosphere everywhere, and they all thought that it was a good thing for Zhu Taishou to rebel.

This is really a strange phenomenon. Rebellion elsewhere will only lead to soaring food prices, gentry fleeing, and starving people everywhere.But Zhu Ming rebelled, but quickly stabilized the price of food, not to mention the people at the bottom, even the gentry and merchants were too lazy to run away.

Of course, there are always people who don't listen.

Pingli County is the closest to Jinzhou City, and the county magistrate and chief bookkeeper heard the news and ran away with gold and silver, not even paying attention to copper and iron coins.

Zhang Jin and Yang Anshi led a thousand newly recruited soldiers to take over Pingli County without any effort.

The gangsters in the city took advantage of the fire to rob, Zhang Jin immediately asked Yang Anshi to lead troops to maintain law and order after occupying the county government and the soldiers' storehouse.

Yang Anshi didn't want to do anything else at first, he just completed the task honestly.

However, when a wealthy family fled, they accidentally knocked over the box containing the goods.A group of soldiers were fascinated, and even killed the wealthy businessman, robbed the money and distributed it privately, and even occupied the house to hide the money in the house.

Yang Anshi learned of the situation and planned to punish him severely, but those soldiers offered their money and goods to beg for mercy.

A total of more than [-] pennies, Yang Anshi's eyes are straight, he will never earn so much in his life.

Yang Anshi took out a few hundred guan and distributed them to the soldiers who knew about it. He monopolized [-] guan, and warned: "Don't speak out, otherwise, with Mr. Zhu's temper, we will all lose our heads!"

The soldiers said yes again and again, happily sharing the money.

The two commanders of the Xiang army, when Zhu Ming allocated troops, deliberately prevented them from continuing to lead the Xiang army, in order to prevent the army from losing control.

Yang Anshi's subordinates are all newly recruited young men.

It is inevitable that there are timid and smart people who don't want to take the risk with more than ten pennies, and quietly go to Zhang Jin to report.

Zhang Jin used to be a blacksmith in Xuzhou, he was a bandit leader, and he was very loyal.He lived in Tiemao Village for a few more years, and practiced under Yang Zhi for more than a year. His thinking was completely different from Yang Anshi's.

In the name of discussing the military, Zhang Jin called Yang Anshi over, and the latter yelled angrily as soon as he entered the door: "Take this guy down!"

Yang Anshi exclaimed: "You are the chief general and I am the deputy general. What qualifications do you have to arrest me?"

Zhang Jin said: "Mr. Zhu has repeatedly told you not to loot the people and not to hide money privately, but you don't listen at all."

Yang Anshi still didn't think he was wrong, and said, "The big deal, you'll get half of the money. We all rebelled, what kind of rebels are you if you don't plunder the money?"

Zhang Jin sneered: "I'm a rough man, and I don't understand the principles. I only met two good officials in my life. One was Xuzhou's Taishou Xu, and he was arrested by him and wanted to beheaded. I also admire him. The other A good official is Mr. Zhu. Mr. Zhu is doing great things, and he will be the emperor in the future. We are all heroic officials, and we must be able to be princes. Your eyes are too small, you can only see wealth, But you can't see the generations of princes."

"Being a fart duke, maybe one day the officers and soldiers will kill you and I will lose our heads," Yang Anshi said, "It's better to get more money and women, enjoy it while you're still alive, and rebel in vain."

"I don't understand," Zhang Jin ordered, "Take the soldiers who have received the money, together with this fellow, to the street, and behead them all in front of the people. Anyone who robs and hides in the future will do so. end up like this!"

Yang Anshi finally panicked: "I'm the deputy general on this road, you're exceeding your authority to kill me, and you'll be hanged by Mr. Zhu!"

Zhang Jin roared: "Drag it down and chop it up!"

As soon as the county was taken down, the chief general killed the deputy general, and sent someone back to inform Zhu Ming, requesting that another deputy general come over.

(Thanks to Mai Lin Benlin, the lord who has reserved a few points for the time being, O(∩_∩)O~)

(End of this chapter)