Anti-Qing: Starting from the Reincarnation of the Ming Dynasty

These people were really fed up with the exploitation by profiteers like Zhou Kang.

It doesn’t matter that the grain sold by Zhou Kang himself is expensive.

They even sent people to the place where the imperial court sold cheap food to snatch life-saving food from ordinary people like them.

Then they mix some old rice and miscellaneous grains into the grain bought at a low price, and then sell it to them at a high price.

Is this something that humans do?
When the imperial court first killed people, they did feel fear and terror.

But when the imperial court announced that the Zhou family grain store would reduce prices starting today, they could only feel happy and excited.

Good kill!

Killing this profiteer was simply satisfying.

A profiteer like Zhou Kang, who has made it difficult for the country to make money, should have his home confiscated, beheaded, and the nine tribes exiled.

On this day, the streets of Beijing were filled with blood.

Many profiteers who were usually quite aggressive were branded as collaborators and traitors by the Ming army, and then executed on the spot.

In this way, it can be regarded as a good purge of people's hearts.

The grain merchants in the capital were frightened by the imperial court's iron-blooded methods. After being severely frightened, they all began to cooperate with the imperial court to stabilize grain prices in the capital.

It can be seen that although the method of killing is simple and crude, it is the most effective.

Without the shock of these heads, those grain merchants would not obediently listen to the court.

……

As the imperial court took action to stabilize food prices with iron-blooded means, and after killing hundreds of unscrupulous profiteers to scare the monkeys, the price of food in the capital fell at a speed visible to the naked eye.

After food prices stabilized, people's livelihood in the capital soon stabilized.

In particular, the food obtained by the profiteers who ransacked their homes not only met the needs of the people in the capital, but also greatly supplemented the military rations required by some of the armies for combat.

Due to the cutoff of water transportation, the situation in the capital that has become somewhat tense is improving at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In many cases, food is the people's heart. When food prices stabilize, people's hearts will naturally stabilize.

"Your Majesty, the price of food in the capital has returned to stability, but there is some criticism in the court."

Wang Shun came to Zhu Jianzhuo, holding a report submitted by the Price Administration Bureau in his hand, and came to Zhu Jianzhuo to report.

Zhu Jianzhuo took the report and frowned while flipping through it.

"How to say?"

Wang Shun said with a slightly anxious tone.

"The ministers in the court all think that the court's methods against those grain merchants were too harsh. The court should give them a chance to change their ways, instead of directly killing people and ransacking their homes."

Zhu Jianzhuo didn't speak when he heard this, but Zhu Jing'an on the side spoke.

"Ku Lie? I think the court is too gentle this time."

"Now that water transportation has been cut off, there is a shortage of food in the capital. Those grain merchants are driving up food prices at will, making people's livelihood very difficult, and civil unrest is almost going to break out in the capital."

"I have to suspect that those grain merchants are colluding with the rebellious officials and traitors in the water transportation to disrupt our Ming Dynasty."

"Compared with their behavior, the court only ransacked their homes and did not exterminate their clan, which is kind enough."

"Besides, it's not like the court didn't give them a chance. How many days has it been since the announcement in the Ming Dynasty Daily was sent out? Are there any of those grain merchants who can cooperate?"

"As long as they can obediently cooperate with the imperial government, I will not be willing to kill anyone."

Many things are like this. If you are not on the scale, you will not weigh three ounces. If you are on the scale, you will not be able to weigh a thousand pounds.

If Zhu Jing'an wants to take things to the next level, no one will be able to find fault.

Because the behavior of those grain merchants to drive up grain prices will indeed lead to chaos in the rear of the Ming Dynasty.

To a certain extent, this is indeed assisting those rebellious water workers.

If Zhu Jing'an really used this reason to accuse them of being collaborators and traitors, there would be no problem.

And for collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country, doesn't it mean he should be beheaded and his house confiscated?
Seeing this, Wang Shun opened his mouth and did not dare to refute.

Because what Zhu Jing'an said was reasonable, if he refuted it, wouldn't it mean that he was siding with the grain merchants who collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country?

Wang Shun, an old fox, would never do such a thing.

He knew who his prosperity and wealth depended on. He, the chief assistant of the Ming Dynasty, had done a good job, so why bother to make the prince unhappy?

Seeing this, Zhu Jianzhuo spoke calmly.

"Jing'an doesn't need to be so radical. I believe that the reason why the ministers in the DPRK said this is for the good of the court. It's just a reprimand. Don't be too harsh."

"There is nothing wrong with making people dare to speak."

Hearing this, Zhu Jing'an nodded and did not continue to dwell on this topic.

Zhu Jianzhuo asked as if he remembered something.

"By the way, how are the preparations for the army?"

"When can we start heading south?"

"Although the imperial court has now stabilized food prices and public sentiment in the capital, it is still not an option in the long run."

“Water transportation must be opened as soon as possible!”

Zhu Jing'an heard this and nodded to express his understanding.

"Father, don't worry, my son understands!"

"A few days after returning to Beijing, the army has been almost repaired, and preparations for the army's march south are in place. Early tomorrow morning, the vanguard of the army will leave Beijing and head south."

After hearing this, Zhu Jiazhuo nodded and said.

"So good!"

"If water transportation can be opened as soon as possible, the DPRK and China can breathe a sigh of relief earlier."

Hearing this, Zhu Jing'an nodded and said.

"Father, just relax, don't worry too much, I have everything under control."

"The riot of millions of waterworkers sounds huge, but these waterworkers have no weapons or equipment, have not experienced professional training, and have not experienced the temper of battle. They are just a mob."

"After the imperial army arrived, they fired a few rounds of artillery, and the rebels dispersed."

Zhu Jing'an still has a little bit of confidence.

This has always been the case in the early stages of peasant uprisings since ancient times.

There is a huge gap between the peasants' temporary rebel army and the court's professional army.

The most typical example is that in the late Ming Dynasty, when the bandits started to rise, they were driven around by the imperial army with an absolutely inferior force. It was not until later that deserters from the imperial court continued to choose to join the bandits and ask for wages from the Ming army, that the bandits began to have the strength to compete with the imperial army.

This shows how big the gap is between ordinary farmers and professional soldiers.

Of course, the same goes for the water workers!
A group of firemen who had never even touched a sword in normal times were like a ragtag group on the battlefield. How could they be the opponents of the elite Ming army who had experienced hundreds of battles?
The biggest problem for the Ming army in countering the rebellion this time was not the battle on the frontal battlefield.

But how to clean the battlefield and capture prisoners after the war.

Once too many water workers are defeated and flee in all directions, it is possible that they will spread all over the country and set off a wave of bandit chaos.

And this is undoubtedly a very bad thing for Ming Dynasty, which has just completed the unification of the world and the domestic situation is not yet stable.

Zhu Jianzhuo naturally understood this and asked.

"How is Jing'an going to capture prisoners of war after the war? In this battle, we need to wipe out all the rebels as much as possible to prevent the rebels from collapsing and causing trouble to the whole country."

When Zhu Jing'an heard this, he shook his head and said.

"There is a vast plain along the canal. There is no trick in this matter. We can only mobilize as many cavalry as possible and use the cavalry to chase down the defeated bandits and expand the results of the battle."

Seeing this, Zhu Jianzhuo sighed helplessly, but still said.

"Jing'an, do your best!"

"Anyway, no matter how bad things get, nothing will be worse than the current situation."

"The canal must be opened as soon as possible!"

……

Zhu Jing'an said goodbye to his father and returned to his mansion to rest for a night.

At dawn the next day, he had already washed and changed clothes, and led his men on horseback to go straight to the Ming army camp outside the capital.

When he arrived at the Ming army camp outside the city, the Ming army was making pots of rice in preparation for the expedition.

At three o'clock in the morning, the army finally finished breakfast and began to set off.

However, this time the Ming army did not go directly south, but planned to take a train to Tianjin first.

Then divert from Tianjin and go south along the canal.

Seven days have passed since Zhu Jing'an led his troops to rebel against Beijing and set off today.

During these seven days, not only the Ming army was resting and recuperating.

While the army was being repaired, Zhu Jing'an was also urgently dispatching trains, wagons and watercrafts to transport troops, horses and supplies.

In addition, Zhu Jing'an also urgently pulled out a group of strong men from the workers building the railway and asked them to help the army transport the grain, grass and weapons needed for the war.

The Ming army left the school grounds and marched all the way to the train station.

Then, they began to line up to board the train according to their respective preparations.

Even the ordnance and war horses provided by the army are loaded according to the rules.

The civilian husbands were helping.

Niu Zhuang was wearing his own uniform and carrying a black box with Lao Song, who was in the same group.

The box was obviously not big, but the two strong men were panting from exhaustion.

"It's such a heavy box. What's in it?"

Niu Zhuang moved the box onto the train, wiping his sweat while he couldn't help but complain.

Old Song on the side also said helplessly.

"Who knows?"

"Maybe this weight is made of gold and iron, right?"

A Ming soldier on the side heard this, turned around and said to the two of them.

"Be careful, this box contains cannonballs, don't knock them."

When the two of them heard this, their expressions changed significantly, and they moved the boxes more carefully.

How have ordinary people like them ever seen what artillery shells look like?
Just hearing the word "cannonball" makes my calves clenched.

The Ming soldiers on the side saw this and smiled.

"What you are carrying is a solid cannonball, just a big iron ball. It won't explode. What are you afraid of?"

Those civilians would not carry those exploding bombs.

Otherwise, if someone operates improperly and the shell explodes, it will be in trouble.

After hearing this, Niu Zhuang and the others relaxed a little and became less nervous.

As time passed, the train started to leave.

With a loud roar and the sound of wheels rubbing against the rails, the train started to move.

beep! Dudu!

The whistle sounded, and white smoke billowed from the front of the train.

A locomotive pulled several fully loaded carriages behind it and drove slowly towards Tianjin.

And, as time goes by, under the action of inertia, the train is traveling faster and faster.

Niu Zhuang and other civilians stood aside for a while, watching the spectacular scene of the train running along the tracks in front of them, with shock on their faces.

They had been building railroads.

I just know that the railway was built to allow trains to run, but I have no idea what a train is.

This is the first time they have seen a real train!
Looking at everything in front of them, seeing the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of kilograms of goods being pulled on the rails by a locomotive, they could run as fast as a galloping horse. They were shocked and said no. Speak up.

Niu Zhuang looked at the scene in front of him and said blankly.

"I finally understand why the imperial court insists on building the railway even if the canal workers rebel."

"This railway is really awesome!"

Old Song on the side also nodded in agreement.

The expression on his face was one of obvious shock.

In fact, it was not only civilians like them who were shocked, but also many junior officers in the Ming army couldn't help but marvel.

Because this was also the first time they saw the spectacular sight of a train running.

"Mom, this train is really powerful. It can drag hundreds of thousands of kilograms of supplies like this."

"This locomotive is probably more powerful than dozens of horses..." (End of Chapter)