Paper Maker: This is the end of the Ming Dynasty in Liaozhai

Chapter 186 Zhu·The Best Internal Response·Youjian
"Your Majesty Qihuang, my father said that a 600-year-old precious medicine costs 1000 taels, a 500-year-old plant costs 800 taels of silver, a 400-year-old plant costs 600 taels, and a 300-year-old plant costs 300 taels of silver. Common medicinal materials are priced in dan."

Hearing that Su Hao was able to extract [-] shi of grain, Mao Chenglu was immediately overjoyed. Half a month ago, the capital sent an imperial envoy to Phi Island to thoroughly investigate the military strength of Dongjiang Town. Although this time Zhu Youjian did not directly take down Mao Wenlong , but also investigated Dongjiang Town to the bottom.

The previously reported 15 troops were cut down to 8000 people, and the food, grass, and military pay that was shipped to Phi Island will be calculated based on 8000 people. When they arrive at Phi Island, [-]% of the number can be counted as conscientious officials of the Manchu Dynasty. up.

So they had to plan ahead, at least 1 people's food and grass were raised to barely guarantee the food supply for the soldiers on the island. Now that Su Hao can provide [-] shi of food, it can meet the needs of at least [-] people.

"The price is not expensive, I wonder how you plan to trade?"

Hearing Mao Chenglu's quotation, Su Hao nodded lightly. This price is half cheaper than the price he bought in Guide Mansion City and Lu Zhen, and it is considered the source price.

Of course, Mao Chenglu should be able to reduce it a little more, but now he is not short of food for the time being, but lacks experts. If he can continuously get precious medicines and other medicinal materials from Mao Wenlong, The warriors on his side should grow up quickly.

After all, except for those first-rate warriors, most warriors do not have the problem of drug overdose. As long as the precious medicine can keep up, within a few years, he can cultivate a group of second- and third-rate personal guards.

"We don't have enough ships, and we hope His Majesty Qi Huang can send a ship to transport food to Phi Island."

Mao Chenglu quickly replied that if they could, they would prefer to go to Jiangnan to buy grain, because if they went to Jiangnan to buy, firstly, they would not be charged with collaborating with the enemy, and secondly, the price of grain would be cheaper.

But now Shandong is occupied by Su Hao, and to buy food from Jiangnan, you have to go through Shandong. It is easy to be stopped by Su Hao halfway, and the journey is several times longer.

Food is nothing else. For other things, if you slow down, you can endure it even if you don’t have it, but food is not good. If you slow down for a few days, you will starve to death.

Once they buy from Jiangnan, but Su Hao intercepts them and seizes their lifeblood, the tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Dongjiang Town will really be slaughtered. That's why Mao Wenlong asked him to come to Su Hao. Now the food on their island It can last for a few more months. If Su Hao can't buy food here, they will have enough time to go to Jiangnan to buy food.

"That's fine."

Hearing this, Su Hao said calmly, "However, the food price will increase three times."

"This is natural."

Mao Chenglu quickly responded, although the price is not cheap, but the risk at sea is very high, it would be good if Su Hao could help with the transportation, if he sells other commodities, the profit will be even greater.

Su Hao nodded: "I will arrange the Minister of the Household Department to discuss specific matters with General Mao."

...

After Mao Chenglu retreated, Su Hao summoned Liao Qing.

"Go and check to find out what happened to Mao Wenlong."

Su Hao ordered, in fact, he had already prevented Mao Wenlong from attacking Dengzhou Mansion from the sea, so he deliberately left Tian Ming in Dengzhou Mansion, leaving [-] soldiers and horses for Tian Ming to command.

Now Mao Wenlong is also looking for him to buy food at the expense of collaborating with the enemy, which shows that Mao Wenlong must have been forced to a certain extent, otherwise he would not have taken such a risk.

"The minister obeys the order!"

Liao Qing clapped his hands in response.

"Before I asked you to find a way to cut off the logistics of the Ming army, did you gain anything?"

At this time, Su Hao continued to ask, even if Mao Wenlong could exchange the precious medicine, it would be difficult to achieve results in a short period of time.

Now Yuan Chonghuan is besieging Dongchangfu City and Linqing Prefecture. Although these two places can survive in a short period of time, it is hard to say whether there will be accidents in these two places in the long run. Now we can only find a way to break the situation from other places.

And the easiest thing is to cut off the logistics. The soldiers and horses have not moved, and the food and grass go first. A normal person has to eat six shi of grain for a year without other supplementary food to have enough strength to work. Yuan Chonghuan has more than 20 soldiers and horses, plus livestock, at least nearly 180 million shi of food a year. Once the opponent's logistics is cut off, so much food will not be able to get together in a short time. Therefore, the Ming army had no other choice but to withdraw its troops.

"Return to Your Majesty, we are currently conducting a secret investigation."

Hearing Su Hao's question, Liao Qing quickly replied: "However, Yuan Chonghuan is extremely strict with the logistics and has left thousands of soldiers in Huai'an Mansion. We haven't found an opportunity to take advantage of it yet."

"keep it up."

Hearing that, Su Hao didn't blame him either, Yuan Chonghuan is also a man who knows how to fight, it is impossible to leave such a big loophole, so he can only take his time, there is no rush.

...

The next day, Liao Qing came to Zichen Palace again.

"Your Majesty, I got the situation on Phi Island from the entourage brought by Mao Chenglu."

Liao Qing took out a piece of information, Shao Xue, who was standing by, quickly went down to take it, and handed it to Su Hao respectfully.

After receiving the information from Shao Xue, Su Hao flipped through it. Although Shao Xue was sent by the Daming royal family to be the head of internal affairs in the Prince De's mansion, he was a loser in the palace. He didn't have much loyalty to the old Zhu's family. After a few illusion tests, and after confirming that Shao Xue had no dissent, he kept Shao Xue by his side.

After all, Shao Xue has been in charge of all the affairs of Prince De's Mansion for more than ten years, and his ability and experience are extremely sophisticated. Now the land under his name has reached nearly 200 million mu. Without Shao Xue, he wants to find a replacement in a short time. The choice of candidates is not so easy.

"I'm afraid Zhu Youjian is crazy, isn't he?"

After reading the information, Su Hao couldn't help being confused, Zhu Youjian actually reduced Mao Wenlong's military salary to more than 2 people, isn't this forcing Mao Wenlong to die?

He had also been a Jinyiwei Qianhu for several years before, and he knew very well about the imperial court's tricks. Otherwise, where did his routine of tens of thousands of taels a year before come from? It came out of the harsh donations, and now Zhu Youjian's actions are simply forcing Mao Wenlong to his death.

"Your Majesty, according to reports from the spies in the capital, the price of grain in the capital has now risen to one stone, one tael, six silver coins, which is three times the original price."

Hearing this, Liao Qing clasped his hands and said: "Moreover, according to the intelligence sent back by the spies, the investigation of the eunuchs in the Ming court has not stopped, and many people are still playing the impeachment of Mao Wenlong."

"Is that so?"

Hearing Liao Qing's words, Su Hao immediately understood why Zhu Youjian attacked Mao Wenlong. The main reason was the lack of food. The entire army in Liaodong was only 11, and Mao Wenlong had reported 15. It would cost millions of shi for a year alone. In the past, the water transportation was not broken, but now the water transportation is broken, and the millions of stones of grain are the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Coupled with Zhu Youjian's prejudice against the eunuch party and the impeachment of the civil servants in the court, it was only normal to attack Mao Wenlong.

At this time, Liao Qing continued: "Your Majesty, many people have fled from Beizhili to Henan, Shanxi, etc., and many people have fled to our Shandong side. I am afraid that the people who fled to Shandong will More."

"I know."

Hearing Liao Qing's words, Su Hao sighed slightly: "I will make it easy for people to settle down."

The main reason for these people to leave their hometowns is still him. If he hadn’t cut off the water transportation and encountered natural disasters, the price of food would not have risen to this level. It is impossible for ordinary people to afford three times the price of food.

But the sigh is the sigh, he can't restore the water transportation for the time being, this water transportation is his means to restrain Daming, Shandong is different from Guizhou where An Bangyan is located, Guizhou is located in a remote place, even if it is chaotic, it will not have much impact in a short time.

And Shandong is at the heart of Daming. Once the water transportation resumes and the food problem is solved in the capital, he will not only have to face an army of more than 20, but may be besieged by an army of 60 or even a million on three sides.

...

As time passed day by day, the battle situation in Linqingzhou City also calmed down. Even if the Hongyi cannons were dispatched, they could not shake the city wall as thick as five or six feet, and the whole battle situation fell into a stalemate.

And Su Hao's business with Mao Wenlong is also in full swing. Shiploads of food are shipped to Phi Island. At the same time, all kinds of precious medicines and medicinal materials are also continuously shipped into Jinan Prefecture. Su Hao's personal guard training has also officially started. on the agenda.

.........

Huai'an Fucheng.

In a private house, Wu Shi was playing with a skull-shaped magic weapon in his hand, and on the table was a map of Huai'an Fucheng.

"Eighth Junior Brother, is there any progress?"

Wu Shi frowned. The Yinshan faction and the Meishan faction joined Su Hao at the same time. Now the war in Dongchang Mansion is fierce. The Meishan faction has already shown its role, but their Yinshan faction has not played much so far. effect.

Now Su Hao makes a lot of offerings to them every month. If he can get 300 taels of silver every month, but with so much offerings, but they can't play a role, they are not too embarrassed.

"Eldest brother, I have been lurking here for four months, and I have heard a lot of news, but those people are too cautious, and I can't do anything."

Hearing Wu Shi's words, Xue Dong shook his head. It's not difficult to find out the news. The Yinshan faction is good at exorcising ghosts. Some wandering ghosts are not very strong, but they are good at hearing the news. Although they can't get close to those who are in the stream Experts, I have heard important news, but it is still possible to get close to those ordinary people who are not in the world.

"Can't get in?"

Hearing this, Wu Shi's heart sank. They didn't come to investigate corruption. Even if they found some information and couldn't intervene, it would be useless. Their purpose was to burn the food stored here, which required a large amount of The oil should be transported to the place where the grain is stored, otherwise even if it is set on fire, it will be useless, and it will only make people vigilant.

Wu Shi fell into deep thought, the skeleton magic weapon kept turning in his hand, and at the same time wisps of cold aura crawled in and out of the skeleton.

After a long time, Wu Shiya gritted his teeth and said decisively: "Eighth Junior Brother, sort out all the news you have heard."

"Brother, what is the use of these messages?"

Xue Dong was taken aback for a moment, they didn't come to investigate the case, so sorting out the news was useless.

"Since there is no chance to intervene, then muddy the water."

Wu Shi narrowed his eyes slightly: "The water is muddy, so we can fish. This Yuan Chonghuan also has enemies in the Ming Dynasty Hall. If there is evidence that Yuan Chonghuan and others stole military supplies, do you think Yuan Chonghuan's enemies will make trouble?"

"And even if Yuan Chonghuan can't be brought down, it can still cause chaos in Huai'an Mansion, and then we will have a chance."

Regarding Xue Dong, Wu Shi didn't hide his thoughts. They were all Xie Bing's apprentices, and they were all orphans. Before joining the sect, they swore an oath and cast a curse. If they apostate, they will be burned , the soul flies away and dies, no one can betray.

"But now we know that there is no evidence of Yuan Chonghuan's theft of military rations."

Xue Dong wondered, although he had heard a lot of news, but it only involved the defenders guarding the food, not Yuan Chonghuan at all.

"We don't have to worry about that."

Wu Shi smiled lightly: "As long as there are real evidence, let's add oil and vinegar, so we don't have to worry that the fire will not be burned on Yuan Chonghuan."

During the year under Su Hao's command, besides covering for Su Hao's caravan outside, his main job is to collect all kinds of information. He is also quite clear about the struggles in the Ming court. He doesn't need any real evidence at all, as long as he has some Plausible evidence is enough for those civil officials in Ming Dynasty to fight to the death.

"I'm going right now."

Hearing this, Xue Dong nodded, then turned and left.

.........

Nanjing City.

In a remote residential house, Gong Qingshan, Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, sat on a rocking chair, basking in the sun, beside a small table with a small plate of pastries.

Picking up a piece of pastry, Gong Qingshan looked at it, and then put it down again. It has been almost a year since he was exiled to Nanjing City. He was impeached by the censor.

Although he was not demoted, he was exiled to Nanjing and became a young minister of Taichang Temple with no real power. Taichang Temple does not have much power, let alone Nanjing City.

The Taichang Temple on the side of Nanjing City is a complete Qingshui yamen, not even a little bit of money, not even regular money, if not for a lot of money in the Daming Mansion, just with that little salary, They must all starve to death here.

Snapped!
At this time, a bundle was thrown into the yard from the wall.

Seeing the burden, Gong Qingshan couldn't help being taken aback, but after thinking about it for a while, he still walked towards the burden. He was not afraid that someone would harm him. To be honest, he is almost useless now, and there is no need to waste time on him.

On the contrary, killing him will also attract the attention of the court. After all, Shaoqing of Taichang Temple is also an official ordered by the court.

(End of this chapter)