I have a cornucopia

Chapter 226 The Peaceful Smile of the Duke of Yansheng
On the Tujiaobu battlefield, the Jiangxi gentry finally won their first victory.

Great victory!

It must be a great victory!
Although in fact it only blocked the vanguard of Li Zicheng's detachment.

But for the gentry, they finally saw a ray of light in their dark world. The idea Yang Feng gave them was effective. Although it did make their hearts bleed, the problem was that otherwise it would not just be their hearts that would bleed.

It is said that the bodies of the local celebrities in Jianchang have almost dried up.

The oil is dripping.

At the same time, they also achieved certain results in appeasing the shack dwellers.

At least those refugees from Fujian who made a living by growing brocade and had relatively close contacts with them promised not to be seduced by Li Zicheng...

Dajing is bluegrass.

The refugees hid in the mountains to survive, so of course they needed crops suitable for the mountains. In this era, corn and potatoes were not widely used, so there were no such things as the fights between the shed dwellers who cultivated corn in the mountains of Huizhou during the Qing Dynasty and the natives down there. But these refugees from Fujian chose to grow dajing. They were not even refugees, some of them were professionals who grew dajing. Fujianese also did this on a certain island later. Because this crop is suitable for the mountains, and as an economic crop, it also has good profits, and they can rely on growing dajing to survive and even make money.

Of course, the relationship between these shanty dwellers and the gentry outside is relatively close.

After all, the latter controls the market.

For example, Song Yingxing is quite knowledgeable about this thing.

Shed dwellers is a very confusing general term, and actually includes all kinds of people.

Under the strict household registration system of the Ming Dynasty, refugees, especially those who escaped from military registration, always needed a place to stay, and such a place must be a mountainous area. Therefore, with the collapse of the garrison system in the late Ming Dynasty, a large number of military households fled, and the number of refugees in various places became more and more serious...

The post of Yunyang Governor was established to deal with the refugees in that area.

The same is true in northern Jiangxi.

It's not just in northwest Jiangxi, there are also many in northeast Jiangxi.

It's just that most of the people there are miners. Nowadays, most miners are also refugees, and some are even trafficked. Why can farmers endure the oppression in the farming era? Because by comparison, agriculture is at least safe. There is the most basic order in the countryside and the most basic legal protection. Although they are hungry, the probability of sudden death is the lowest. But other industries are basically all about hanging your head on your belt, without any protection, life is worthless, and death is like the death of an ant. For example, a certain governor in the Qing Dynasty was kidnapped and sold to a coal mine when he was on a secret visit.

He revealed his identity.

But the coal mine owner was afraid that he would be retaliated against if he was released, so he simply threw him in to dig!

Later, he secretly carved words on coal blocks, and kept carving for several years. Finally, his hard work paid off. A piece of coal block with words carved on it was bought by the local county magistrate.

This is the world beyond ancient agriculture.

Even at this time, beyond the Great Wall to the north of the capital, there were also tens of thousands of bandits active in the Rehe Mountains all year round. The main source of these bandits was the fugitive military households from the interior of the country, and of course, also the fugitive herdsmen from the Mongolian chieftains, who formed a group like the Cossacks. The same was true in the southwest. When She Chongming rebelled, most of his generals were actually Han Chinese, and even several of his generals were fugitive military households from Yongning Guard, including the one who killed the governor in Chongqing. His Yongning Xuanfu Division shared the same Yongning City with Yongning Guard, and the fugitive military households from Yongning Guard ran directly to his side, were protected by him, and became his generals who disrupted the southwest.

Such gathering places for refugees became the abscesses of the Ming Dynasty's empire.

They will really rebel.

And they really eat people...

They lived with wild beasts in the mountains and of course degenerated into wild beasts. There were many records of shanty dwellers rioting, capturing cities and eating people during famine.

Now is the time to completely remove these abscesses.

"The regent is compassionate and thinks that your life in the mountains is difficult, especially for those who have lived in the mountains for generations. Look at what you are like.
What’s the difference with savages?
You have to be responsible for your descendants. Do you want them to live like savages like you?"

Yang Feng looked at the group of invited shack dweller leaders in front of him with a serious expression.

As for the battle situation, it can still be held up for now.

The main reason was that Wan Yuanji really held on in De'an. After all, the De'an Hometown Association also fought hard. They had already shouted slogans in the city, such as repel Li Zicheng and not collect rent in De'an for ten years. After all, the tragedy of the Jianchang Hometown Association could not be repeated. More importantly, the reinforcements from Raozhou and Guangxin also arrived.

Jiangxi has now been mobilized, and gentry from all over the country have all taken action, especially in the counties and cities that are not threatened by shanty dwellers for the time being, and they have to take on the responsibility of reinforcing the front line.

Moreover, after the Tujiaobu victory, the Jiangxi militia had already launched a counterattack on Jianchang.

Of course, the counterattack failed.

But Hao Yaoqi was indeed surrounded in Jianchang.

So Li Zicheng is currently really blocked in northern Jiangxi.

Of course, the key is that he can't open the lake mouth.

Attacking a city requires heavy weapons and a large number of artillery, especially heavy artillery that can blow open the city walls, but the conditions of this era limit the long-distance mobility of heavy artillery on land, especially in the southern water network area, which is more dependent on waterways. In the history of the Qing Dynasty, the capture of southern cities including Yangzhou also relied on the transportation of heavy artillery via the canal, but now Li Zicheng cannot open the lake mouth. Even if he has heavy artillery, he can't drag it from Jiujiang through the hilly area. As for Hao Yaoqi, it is even more impossible. He led his subordinates through the mountains to raid Jianchang. He currently only has a few artillery captured in Jianchang. In short, now that the militia is no longer prone to collapse, and has begun to defend in a real sense, Li Zicheng's problems have begun to emerge.

However, the initiative is still in his hands, especially since he still has the shack dwellers as a chess piece.

Zhu Yiwu had already surrounded Yuanzhou, and another group of shanty dwellers who responded to him had also captured Wanzai. Just like in Pingxiang, they also hanged the local people, but of course they couldn't massacre the whole city. Li Zicheng had already ordered that anyone who massacred the whole city would be considered a traitor and his entire family would be executed. However, hanging the local people didn't count, because the local people were resisting the king's army, so they were already traitors, and of course their property could be divided up.

Local people from all over the country were all gnashing their teeth.

Several shed dwellers' leaders looked at each other...

"My lord, can my descendant pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar?"

One of them asked cautiously.

People like them still understand Mandarin, after all, they still have to trade with the outside world.

As for Yang Feng saying that they looked like savages, this was not an exaggeration. Even after taking a bath and changing into new clothes prepared for them by the elders, they could not hide the wild smell on their bodies. Simply put, they were dark and thin, with a mouth full of rotten teeth and various defects on their bodies, and most of them had scars on their faces.

Like a group of scars.

"People like you also have the dream of becoming the top scholar?"

Yang Feng exclaimed.

"In reply to your Majesty, as long as our descendants can become the top scorers in the imperial examinations, we will obey you."

The leader of the shanty dwellers said.

"can!"

Yang Feng said simply.

"Are you serious?"

the other asked eagerly.

Yang Feng looked at this guy speechlessly. Now he finally understood why the Jiangxi Elders Association insisted that Ma Shiying send a special person. He stood up immediately, and at the same time, his tool, Kong Yinzhi, the Duke of Yansheng of the Ming Dynasty, appeared in front of the door wearing a dragon robe...

"Do you know who this is?"

Yang Feng pointed at the posing Duke Yansheng, and then spoke to the leaders of the shed dwellers. The latter shook their heads.

"This is Duke Yansheng. Since you all know about the imperial examination, you should also know the Confucian Temple where the scholars worship, right? The Confucian Temple enshrines Duke Yansheng's ancestor Confucius. The imperial examination is a test of the knowledge passed down by his ancestors. You may not believe me, but you can't not believe Duke Yansheng. Now I can ask Duke Yansheng to be your guarantor. If the court breaks its promise in the future, you can go to him.

His home is in Qufu, Shandong. It’s a big house. You’ll know when you go there.”

Yang Feng said.

Duke Yansheng smiled calmly.

The leaders of the shanty townspeople all looked surprised.

In fact, this is what they really want. Although it is indeed speechless, the matter of taking the imperial examination is very sacred even among the shack dwellers, or even among bandits and pirates. Although the old bandits can chop down the imperial examination winner without blinking an eye, they are still full of fantasies about becoming the number one scholar.

For example, people like Zheng Zhilong actually tried every means to make his son worship Shui Tailiang as his teacher.

Moreover, an important method used by the Qing Dynasty to deal with the shanty dwellers later was to register them.

Then you can take the imperial examination.

So much so that later on, the natives and Hakkas even quarreled over the issue of the imperial examination.

"Damn it, this is inexplicable!"

Looking at the shack dwellers' leader who was obviously excited, Yang Feng couldn't help but speak angrily.

Of course, it is not that simple in reality. There must be a division of interests between them and the gentry, including their future interactions. There are many things involved, and even a simple appeasement cannot solve it. The official can only give them legal status, but it will take a long time to bridge the conflicts between the natives and the Hakkas. Now we can only say that a unified position has been established in facing the issue of Li Zicheng.

This is all the Jiangxi Elders Association wants.

Now that a powerful enemy is approaching, everything is easy to deal with, but it will be a different story after we get past Li Zicheng.

but……

This has nothing to do with Yang Feng.

The guarantor is Duke Yansheng.

If the Jiangxi Elders go back on their word, the shanty dwellers can go to Duke Yansheng to seek justice. Then, as the Grand Master of the Confucius and Mencius Knights, he will of course give orders to Knight Yang, ordering Knight Yang to send troops to forcibly maintain Duke Yansheng's credibility. In short, the Jiangxi gentry can curse Duke Yansheng in the future, as Knight Yang is just someone who follows orders.

Under the auspices of the King of Donghai, these shanty dwellers' leaders signed a so-called covenant with the Jiangxi Elders Association.

The content of the alliance was of course to jointly resist Li Zicheng.

Then the various conditions of both parties were listed, those who signed signed, those who put their fingerprints put their fingerprints, and the Duke of Yansheng signed and stamped as a guarantor...

This is a civil covenant.

Because resisting Li Zicheng was an excuse of public opinion by the Jiangxi Elders Association, and had nothing to do with the regent. Similarly, these shed dwellers chose to form an alliance with the Jiangxi Elders Association, also in a civilian capacity. Yang Feng, as an official, came to complete their appeasement, that is, to register them as citizens. This had nothing to do with the Jiangxi Elders Association. They became Jiangxi citizens after being registered as citizens, and then signed this alliance with the Elders Association as Jiangxi citizens. Next, the court will demarcate their respective administrative districts in the mountainous areas according to their settlements, set up inspection offices, and appoint these leaders as inspectors.

As for their taxes, the regent was kind and exempted them.

Besides, they have no land to harvest.

At most, I would charge a little silver.

Just forget it.

Besides, when they come out to trade, they can collect taxes on business.

In fact, the charge will not be reduced.

They purchase supplies and sell mountain products, all of which are subject to tax.

But as court officials, these leaders still received salaries. The Jiangxi Elders Association had no objection to this issue. The salary of a patrol inspector was insignificant, but it could make these guys who would have brought the shanty dwellers to join Li Zicheng and obtained high positions and generous salaries, or even made a fortune by looting the gentry, turn to help them resist Li Zicheng...

This is not even giving a bone, at most it's just throwing away some bone crumbs.

What do these savages know?
What a bunch of idiots!
Of course, the elders were very generous and gave these people many things afterwards, which were all things they had never heard of and dazzling to look at. Some elders even gave them beautiful maids. In exchange, the leaders of the shed dwellers who signed the covenant continued to help the elders to lure other shed dweller gangs, winning over the shed dwellers to the maximum extent and weakening the power that Li Zicheng could call on.

There are even elders who are trying to trick these people into bringing the young and strong people from the sheds out to fight for the Elders Association.

Give me money!
You take the money, and your men will work hard for you.

"Without using a single soldier, Fengsheng solved the century-old problem in Jiangxi in one fell swoop, which is enough to be remembered for thousands of years!"

Duke Yansheng held the covenant in his hand, and was clearly expressing his sincere emotion.

As for the impact of this covenant on him...

If there are too many lice, it won't itch. He doesn't care about that at all. Yang Feng has cheated him many times, and this is not the last time.

"A century of trouble?"

Yang Feng smiled coldly.

"We have caused this century-long trouble ourselves. Besides, have we really solved it? Lord Yansheng must know the real reason why these shanty dwellers in Jiangxi cannot solve their problems, right? Look among these mountain dwellers who have almost become savages. Maybe one of their ancestors helped Emperor Taizu conquer the world!

Who would be willing to associate with wild beasts unless they are forced into a desperate situation? "

He went on to say.

The Jiangxi Elders Association will definitely go back on its word in the future.

with no doubt.

Jiangxi’s century-long trouble?

Why is it that a group of poor people who fled to the mountains to live with wild beasts have never been solved? Is it because Jiangxi does not have enough troops or the gentry in Jiangxi are not ruthless enough? None of them. The fundamental reason is that the gentry, generals, and corrupt officials in the surrounding provinces are too ruthless and constantly force good people to become refugees. They have no place to stay outside, and like the fugitive military households, they may be arrested. The only choice is to hide in the mountains, and finally they can only reproduce in the mountains.

The reason why the problem cannot be solved is not because there is no way to solve it, but because people who can’t survive outside are still pouring in.

Add water as you drain.

Can you finish it?

What’s the point of coaxing these leaders?

As long as the outside world continues to oppress and force more good people to become refugees, and have to hide in the mountains to survive, then when hatred accumulates to a certain level, chaos will occur again.

It's useless to win over the leader, but it's not difficult to kill him and replace him with a new one.

As for the Yansheng Duke...

Of course it was a very peaceful smile!
(End of this chapter)