Jingnan Strategy

Chapter 104 Not far from home
Time flies, just in the blink of an eye, more than half a month passed quietly.

As the days of Zhu Gaoxu's confinement came to the end of September, many people seemed to have forgotten that he, the future prince who once won the favor of the emperor, set their sights on the Second Mansion of Su Song, who used money to offset taxes.

As Zhu Gaoxu said in the Wuying Palace, with the implementation of the policy of "paying taxes with banknotes", the people in Jiangnan no longer resisted the treasure banknotes as they did in the first half of the year.

Faced with the increasing price of treasure banknotes every day, many people choose to hoard banknotes.

In less than a month, the value of the banknote with the same denomination and actual value of only [-] Wenbao rose to [-] Wen.

On September 28, with the beginning of the autumn harvest in the south of the Yangtze River, rice in the Susong Erfu rice fields began to be harvested in batches.

It was rare that the officials of the second government did not delay, and the local gentry and wealthy households also actively cooperated.

In just three days, [-]% of the taxes of the Susong Second Mansion have been registered. The speed is so fast that it can be said to be the fastest registration of the Susong Second Mansion since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

"Suzhou Prefecture has a tax of over 87 shi, and Songjiang Prefecture has a tax of over 37 shi. Including other miscellaneous taxes, the total is 64 seven guans and 320 wen..."

On the first day of October, the copper furnace in Wuying Palace was filled with spices, and the eunuchs in the palace and the soldiers at the gate also put on winter clothes.

In the hall, Zhu Gaochi, who had a round figure and was wearing a winter coat, read from the book handed in by Su Song's second house.

In the hall, Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yunwen, Zhu Jixi, Zhu Shangbing and his grandson sat in their seats and listened quietly.

After Zhu Gaochi finished reciting, Zhu Yunwen took the lead in bowing to Zhu Yuanzhang from a distance:
"Grandpa, according to the submission time of the second government in previous years, the first grain book this year is ten days faster than in previous years. It is estimated that in another ten days, the grain book of the second government will be handed in."

While speaking, Zhu Yunwen looked at Zhu Gaochi again: "Gaochi, what is the amount of the second government's 'tax offset with banknotes'?"

He asked with a smile, but Zhu Gaochi looked at the food book and said with a guilty conscience: "59 five guanyu 370 Wen..."

Zhu Yunwen's smile suddenly froze. He didn't expect that the wealthy gentry from Su Song's Second Mansion would be so good at doing business.

Based on the current value of treasure banknotes, this is less than 60 guan of treasure banknotes, and its value is less than 36 guan.

These plus the remaining more than 5 guan, which means that the Susong Second Mansion actually paid just over 40 guan this time, and Ming Dynasty lost more than 10,000+ guan in tax revenue compared with previous years.

Zhu Yunwen's expression was a little stiff, but Zhu Yuanzhang remembered what Zhu Gaoxu said.

'Tax offset with banknotes' was originally a loss-making business, in order to stabilize the price of banknotes.

Now it seems that this policy is indeed effective. At least the price of treasure banknotes in the Jiangnan area has remained at [-] yuan, while the price of treasure banknotes in more remote places such as Huguang and Shandong has also risen back to [-] yuan. In more remote Yunnan and other places, the price has also risen to [-] yuan. There are also four hundred texts in the land.

If you continue to follow this path for a few years, the treasure banknotes should be able to return to their face value.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang said: "The purpose of using banknotes to offset taxes is to make banknotes rise again. Now that we have seen the results, there is no need to doubt ourselves."

During the conversation, he looked at Zhu Gaochi and said, "Go to him later and ask him what to do with the treasure money he collected."

The 'him' in Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth is naturally the banned Zhu Gaoxu.

"Yes! My grandson will do it soon!" After hearing that his grandfather finally asked him to see his second son, Zhu Gaochi immediately knelt down and bowed in return.

Looking at his appearance, Zhu Jixi and Zhu Shangbing couldn't help but sigh.

For more than a month, Zhu Gaochi has been begging Lao Zhu to let him see Zhu Gaoxu, but Lao Zhu has always refused.

It was delayed until today, and I finally got it right once, but it was still because Lao Zhu wanted to ask Zhu Gaoxu something.

Zhu Jixi and Zhu Shangbing looked at each other, and they both seemed to feel that their grandfather really spared no effort in using people.

If someone else were to ask Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Gaoxu might not say anything, but if Zhu Gaochi was sent, Zhu Gaoxu might be soft-hearted and confess.

Zhu Yuanzhang saw the two people sighing, but this was the effect he wanted.

"Grandpa, if this is the case, then the actual tax paid by Su Song's Second Mansion this year may be less than one-tenth of previous years."

Zhu Yunwen looked troubled: "Recently, news about the gold, silver and copper mines in Yunnan has leaked out, and local officials in Yongchang, Lijiang, Lin'an, Luchuan and other places are ready to take action. Even though the Marquis of Xiping stationed [-] troops in Yongchang, it did not deter them."

"Now the Marquis of Xiping is inextricably involved in northwestern Yunnan. The chieftain of Guangnan, Nong Zhenyou, and the chieftain of Ningyuan, Dao Baishan, are also flirting with the chieftains of Lin'an Prefecture, such as Wang Nong and Amizhou."

"I'm afraid they are all looking for the recently discovered gold, silver and copper mines..."

As Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Yunwen expected, the unruly local chieftains in Yunnan became restless after learning about the gold, silver and copper mines in the territory.

It is normal for them to be restless. After all, the Mu clan chieftain of the Naxi tribe in Lijiang can support thousands of Mu clan papaya soldiers with only a gold and silver mine in the north. If the news about the gold, silver and copper mines in Yongchang and Linan is true, then occupying a gold and silver mine Copper mines will allow them to raise more soldiers and horses.

No one in any era could resist such a temptation, let alone the early Ming Dynasty when Yunnan Chieftain was at his peak.

"There are 580 seven chieftain families in Yunnan. The powerful ones such as Luchuan have tens of thousands of soldiers. The less powerful Mu clan of Lijiang, the Gao clan of Heqing, the Ye clan of Weishan, the Cun clan of Tengyue, and the Feng clan of Luowu also have tens of thousands of local soldiers. "

"What we need to do now is to select those who are biased towards the imperial court as soon as possible, and then wait for Wei Guogong to lead his army to Yunnan to intimidate all parties."

When Zhu Yunwen explained the strength of Yunnan Chieftain, he couldn't help but have a headache.

The seven chieftains of Yunnan 580 together can pull out 10,000+ native soldiers.

Even if only half of them were motivated by interests, it would be enough to cause Yunnan to be in turmoil for several years.

Just for the local gold, silver and copper mines, the Ming Dynasty had to send troops.

"Pass the edict..." Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been silent until now, spoke again. The eunuch beside him immediately took out a piece of paper to record and write the imperial edict.

Seeing that the eunuchs with him were ready, Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Marquis Muchun of Xiping will be appointed as the general of Zhengnan, and Duke Xu Huizu of Wei will be appointed as the general of Pingnan, and he will lead the five guards of the government army out of Yunnan."

"In addition, Song Sheng, the minister of command of the military governor's office, was appointed as the deputy general on the left side of the expedition to the south, He Fu was appointed as the deputy general on the right side of the expedition to the south, Gu Cheng became the general before the expedition to the south, and Qu Neng, the general after the expedition to the south, led his troops to Kunming and left the town."

"Servant, take your orders..." The eunuch who was with him recorded the words and made a book. As for Zhu Jixi and the other two people, they were a little stunned.

Needless to say, Song Sheng was a famous general with great authority in the northwest before he returned to Nanjing. He was in charge of the external affairs of the Shaanxi Xingdu Department, so that the vassals in the Western Regions and Qinghai did not dare to invade the border.

As for Qu Neng, He Fu, and Gu Cheng, these three are also famous generals who have put down rebellions in the southwest all year round.

Previously, the rebellions of Burmese, Jidong, and Sichuan Yi were successively put down by Qu Neng. The rebellions of Duyun, Fengning, Xiliang, and Wacai were defeated by Gu Cheng's army alone. More than [-] people were beheaded, and the river water was red with blood. Like red.

As for He Fu, needless to say, he has been an old partner with Wang Muying of Qianning and Hou Muchun of Xiping for many years. He contributed a lot to foiling Luchuan's invasion of Yunnan and pacifying the rebel barbarians in Yuezhou.

Not to mention bringing the three of them together, even letting them leave the town alone in a corner of Yunnan can make the local chieftain not dare to act rashly.

Such three people were gathered together with Song Sheng. Not to mention the chieftains in Yunnan, even the chieftains in Burma and Luchuan did not dare to act rashly.

Such a lineup, not to mention others, even Zhu Yunwen himself thinks it is a bit too luxurious.

"Grandpa, the chieftains in Sichuan Xingdusi and other places have not yet been calmed down. Would it be a little too nervous to send Gu Cheng and Qu Neng to Yunnan at this time?"

Zhu Yunwen put forward his opinions to Zhu Yuanzhang, but Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head slightly when he heard the words: "The use of banknotes to offset taxes has begun, and mines in Yunnan and other places must be dug early."

Zhu Yuanzhang knew very well that if the gold, silver and copper mining in Yunnan was disrupted by chieftains in Yunnan and other places, the tax credit policy with banknotes would only be short-lived.

Of course, he is more aware that the north is currently too short of money. Gold, silver and copper mines in Yunnan and other places are fundamental to alleviating the money shortage in the north and cannot be delayed.

Speaking of time, what Zhu Yuanzhang lacks most now is time. He cannot judge how long he can live. He can only hope that during his lifetime, the mining of gold, silver and copper mines in Yunnan and other places will be on the right track, leaving Zhu Yunwen a Best situation.

It's just that his good intentions, in Zhu Yunwen's opinion, have many problems.

Zhu Yunwen couldn't sit still and walked forward to bow: "Grandpa, if we have to send so many people, there is no need to come to Wei Guogong."

"..." After hearing Zhu Yunwen's words, Zhu Gaochi and the other two people in the palace looked away with surprised expressions.

Regarding these words, Zhu Yuanzhang was still calm: "Things have been decided, so don't change them."

"But..." Zhu Yunwen wanted to say something more, but when he met Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, he still closed his mouth. In the end, he could only bow obediently: "My grandson knows."

Zhu Yunwen had no choice but to retreat, and Zhu Yuanzhang continued to lower his head to deal with the memorial. Zhu Gaochi and the others did not dare to say anything when they saw this, so they could only lower their heads to manage the affairs.

After an hour like this, with the arrival of noon, Zhu Gaochi bowed and left, eagerly rushing to the front guard square of the government army.

Along the way, he thought of countless things that happened to Zhu Gaoxu in the carriage, and he felt worried.

But as soon as his carriage arrived at the front yard, he heard the sound of playing cards coming from the yard.

"These guards are so arrogant. I don't know if they are being treated poorly."

Zhu Gaochi frowned and was worried, then he got off the carriage and changed his face again, and said with a straight face to the two Baihu soldiers with the word "Xu" at the door:

"I am Zhu Gaochi, the direct eldest son of Yan Mansion. I have come here to question Zi Xu, the second direct eldest son of Yan State, on the instruction of His Majesty."

"Your Highness Qianfu!" Upon hearing that the person coming was Zhu Gaochi's brother, the two soldiers on duty at the door immediately saluted and then opened the door without even checking Zhu Gaochi's badge.

When Zhu Gaochi saw them like this, he was suspicious: "They don't look like they are treating their second son lightly..."

With uneasiness, Zhu Gaochi walked into the courtyard, but after walking around the screen wall, he saw an unforgettable scene.

At this moment, Zhu Gaoxu was playing cards with seven or eight people. He stood on a stone bench with one foot, holding a flower horse card in one hand, and a toothpick in his mouth. He looked so majestic...

"Hua Ma! Give me money!"

Zhu Gaoxu almost roared, because this was the second game he had won today.

Seeing him winning money, Lin Wuliu and others also smiled and pushed the money to him.

Looking at the scene in front of him, Zhu Gaochi felt that his three views were being impacted.What about the promised ban?

What about cultivating your moral character?

What is this doing?
"Second child..."

Zhu Gaochi took a deep breath and spoke nervously, breaking the lively scene.

Zhu Gaoxu, Lin Wuliu and others, holding toothpicks in their mouths, turned around. Their fierce looks made Zhu Gaochi mistakenly think that he had entered Beilu's camp.

"Big brother?"

"Big brother?"

When Zhu Gaoji opened his mouth, Lin Wuliu and others followed him in confusion, but after reacting, they immediately stood up and bowed to Zhu Gaochi: "Your Highness Qianfu..."

"Well..." Zhu Gaochi was still a little dazed and responded simply.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu also ordered Lin Wuliu and the others: "Pack up your money and go to the backyard to help me take care of Chi Huan."

"Yes!" After hearing Zhu Gaoxu's words, Lin Wuliu and others immediately took the money on the table and ran to the backyard in a hurry.

Fortunately, there was still something to drink on the table. Zhu Gaoxu poured a cup from the clean cup next to him and handed it to Zhu Gaochi: "Brother, please sit down."

"Hmm... okay..." Zhu Gaochi hadn't recovered yet. He took the cup and took a sip, but spit it out the next second: "Why is it wine?!"

He looked surprised, but Zhu Gaoxu said distressedly: "This is the imperial wine sent by the East Palace..."

"Royal wine?" When Zhu Gaochi heard this, he immediately drank the wine in the glass and smacked his lips, as if to say it tasted good.

"Why can eldest brother come to my place?" Zhu Gaoxu looked at Zhu Gaochi's appearance and smiled as he refilled his drink.

After Zhu Gaochi heard this, he also talked about the business of coming here: "Grandpa asked me to come to you and ask..."

He told Zhu Yuanzhang what he had ordered. After hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu said without thinking: "Put away all the treasures for the time being and do not distribute them to sergeants and officials."

"The top priority is to mine the gold, silver and copper mines in Yunnan first to make up for the deficit suffered by the Ministry of Household Affairs."

Zhu Gaoxu said it very logically. It seems that he had thought about how to arrange the "tax offset with cash" a long time ago.

Seeing what he said, Zhu Gaochi also nodded: "Grandpa over in Yunnan has also made arrangements..."

He truthfully told the story about Xu Huizu and others leaving Yunnan. After hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but feel that this lineup was very luxurious.

If General Pingnan hadn't been his uncle, he would have even wanted to say, "This lineup can defeat Southeast Asia even if it's a dog on a leash."

"It seems that there are a lot of gold, silver and copper mines in Yunnan, otherwise Grandpa Huang and the others wouldn't have sent so many people there..."

Zhu Gaochi sighed, but while sighing, he looked at Zhu Gaoxu, pulled his sleeve and whispered: "Second brother, tell me, are there any gold, silver, and copper mines in Peiping? You and I Said, I will never tell dad, when the mine opens, you and I will be [-]/[-], and you [-]/[-]."

"..." Looking at Zhu Gaochi's money-obsessed look in front of him, Zhu Gaoxu was very silent.

He shook Zhu Gaochi's hand away, pulled up his sleeves and said, "I can drive alone. Besides, the gold, silver and copper mines around Peiping have long been mined by the imperial court. It's not your turn or my brother's turn."

Zhu Gaoxu did not lie this time. Several well-known mineral veins in the Hebei area had been discovered and mined since the Han and Tang Dynasties. In the Ming Dynasty, they were directly taken over by the imperial court. Indeed, they had nothing to do with them.

"Alas..." Zhu Gaochi was very disappointed when he heard that there were no undiscovered gold and silver mines around Beiping.

However, he was only lost for a moment, and soon regained his composure, looked Zhu Gaoxu up and down, and said with a smile: "I am here to send a message to Grandpa Huang, and to see if you have been treated harshly."

"Now that you are fine, I feel relieved."

"Don't worry about matters in the court. I will intercede with Grandpa Huang when I have the chance, and one day your confinement will be lifted."

Zhu Gaochi was talking eloquently, but his expression was very serious.

Looking at his appearance, Zhu Gaoxu didn't know what to say.

He didn't care about Lao Zhu's banning of himself, because banning him at this time was actually protecting himself.

The matter of his plea for Fu Youde should have spread. Although Zhu Yunwen didn't care, the East Palace Party members in the temple wanted to kill him.

Thinking of this, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but ask: "Has there been any memorial to impeach me recently?"

"No..." Zhu Gaochi shook his head and expressed his opinion: "I was surprised at first. You have caused so much trouble this time, but no one has impeached you."

"But after the price of banknotes in Jiangnan has been increasing during this period, I can finally see clearly that you are now the target of the wealthy gentry in Jiangyou and eastern Zhejiang. Even if they don't like you, they still hope that you will be well." .”

"The price of banknotes..." Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but smile bitterly after murmuring. He didn't expect that his nonsense about "looking at mountains and mining" would become his own life-saving talisman.

However, he also knew very well how many pounds he had, and there were not many gold and silver mines in the place that he could still remember in his mind. The ability of Shandian Mine could protect him for a while, but it could not protect him for a lifetime.

Once his value is drained, I'm afraid these literati from Jiangyou and Zhejiang will attack him in groups. After all, he has a lot of "dirty material" on him.

Zhu Gaoxu's wry smile was seen by Zhu Gaochi. He pulled the hem of Zhu Gaoxu's clothes and whispered: "You are so capable now. Tell me honestly, do you have a way to get out of trouble?"

Zhu Gaochi always felt that his second child had grown too much in the past year, making him elusive.

With his intelligence, there was no way he could get out of trouble, but he still endured the grounding treatment, which puzzled Zhu Gaochi.

Faced with this problem, Zhu Gaoxu smiled and didn't say much, but changed the topic and said: "When this matter is over, I should be able to return to the north."

When he said this, Zhu Gaochi was stunned, but he reacted after a moment and nodded: "It's good to go back to the north... It's good to go back to the north. There aren't so many things going on in the north..."

As he spoke, he showed doubts on his face: "Based on the current situation, are you sure you can go back?"

Zhu Gaochi's words are not unreasonable. After all, Zhu Gaoxu has already written several articles about governing the country, and in the eyes of outsiders, he is also proficient in "looking at mountains and mines".

With such ability, even though he is just a county king, he can be treated as a prince.

In the city of Nanjing, many descendants of the feudal princes were summoned to study at the main hall. The purpose was not to let these people learn advanced knowledge, but to centrally manage them as hostages.

Unless the prince dies, few princes can return to their fiefdom.

It is difficult for a prince to return to his fiefdom, let alone a prince like Zhu Gaoxu.

"It should be possible." Zhu Gaochi nodded slightly. He knew that since Lao Zhu asked Zhu Gaochi to ask him questions, it meant that he was safe now.

Since it is safe, it will not be long before the ban is lifted.

Seeing what he said, Zhu Gaochi was not stupid, and immediately understood what Zhu Gaoxu meant.

At present, the only person who can make Zhu Gaoxu leave Nanjing is his own imperial grandfather. If he opens the door, then no matter how hard the civil and military officials in the temple try to dissuade him, Zhu Gaoxu can still go north.

However, even his own imperial grandfather probably has to find a better excuse to let his second son leave smoothly.

Zhu Gaochi's mind was active and he couldn't help but said with some envy: "It would be great if you could go back to the north. There are only four of you, the eldest sister and the younger sister, around my parents. It is always inconvenient not to have a man around."

"It's just that it's bitterly cold in the north. I'm afraid you'll have to go to war with dad when you go back this time."

Although he envied Zhu Gaoxu, in Zhu Gaochi's view, he still felt that the Nanjing city with the mist of Jiangnan was more prosperous and more comfortable to live in.

Compared with him, Zhu Gaoxu, who is familiar with the historical context, is not nostalgic for Nanjing.

In this prosperous city of Nanjing, he has no way to control his own destiny.

Only when he went to the north did he have room to express himself.

"I have to go now"

Seeing that Zhu Gaojiu didn't speak, Zhu Gaochi took a look at the time and stood up. Zhu Gaojiu stood up with him and sent him out.

However, when he reached the courtyard gate, Zhu Gaoxu still stopped and watched Zhu Gaochi step over the gate.

It wasn't until he was about to get in the car that Zhu Gaochi turned around and saw Zhu Gaoxu who was staying in the door, three or four steps away from him.

When their eyes met, Zhu Gaoxu also smiled calmly and said: "This is why I want to go back to the north."

"..." Zhu Gaochi was silent. He didn't say anything more. He nodded and turned around and got into the carriage.

After the driver shook the reins, the carriage started slowly and drove Zhu Gaochi away from the alley.

Looking at the departing carriage, Zhu Gaoxu let out a breath, and the two brothers with the letter "A" at the door comforted him: "Your Highness, don't be sad, we are still with you."

"Gungungun, what's the use of you guys!" After listening to the two men's words, Zhu Gaoxu waved his hands in disgust, but after finishing speaking, he smiled and shouted into the courtyard:

"Come here! Replace Zhang Wu and Wang Hong, then play cards and then drink!"

After Zhu Gaoxu finished shouting, the originally silent backyard immediately became lively. A group of rough guys rushed out of the backyard like dragons and tigers, placing cards and pouring wine.

Looking at the scene in front of him, Zhu Gaoxu grinned. This was the life of a county king in his imagination.

Of course, it would be better if these rough guys were replaced by a group of Yangzhou skinny horses with long sleeves and elegant clothes...

(End of this chapter)