Hundreds of households in Liaodong, covering the light with one hand

Chapter 290 Hong Chengchou, Zi Yanyan

"My dear, what did you say?"

Zhu Youxiao, who was sitting on the throne, was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't hear clearly what Ye Xianggao said.

"Back to Your Majesty," Ye Xianggao straightened up and raised his voice slightly: "I have received this report. Thirty thousand rebels gathered in Puzhou, Shanxi Province. They destroyed Pingyang Mansion in three days. The fire burned for three days and three nights."

what?
  Zhu Youxiao stood up suddenly and said angrily: "The rioters destroyed Pingyang Mansion? Where did the rioters come from? Why didn't there be any news in the early stage? The governor of Shanxi, Shanxi soldiers are preparing for the road, what do the censors of each province do?"

Zhu Youxiao, who was in a better mood just now, heard about this and immediately stood up from his chair, his tone almost questioning.

Generally speaking, in the state capital, everything is covered by military, political and civil affairs. If there is any disturbance, the county magistrate, prefect, and governor have the right to report it to the court, and all troops are prepared, and each censor is mobilized in advance. The right to suppress popular uprisings.

However, from Ye Xianggao's words, Zhu Youxiao did not hear any information about Shanxi people rising up to resist and killing the enemy to protect the city.

Moreover, Zhu Youxiao had already thought that the chaos would be very detrimental to his plan to weaken Wang Qi!

"Pass an order to immediately ask the Taiyuan General Soldier and the Military Bei Dao to join forces with the Shanxi Governor to gather troops to kill these thieves within the boundaries of Puzhou and Pingyang Prefecture, and not to allow them to spread to any area outside of Shanxi!"

"Your Majesty, the rebels are very powerful. If we only mobilize troops and horses within Shanxi, it will not help." Ye Xianggao shook his head: "At the worst, the imperial court will send someone to Shanxi to take a general picture!"

After hearing Ye Xianggao's words, Zhu Youxiao immediately calmed down, half-squinted his eyes, and didn't reply for a while.

This old fox obviously meant something.

It is true that the imperial court sent people to Jin to take charge of the overall situation.

But who to send?

The Duke of Qi is still the pillar of the country on the surface. Naturally, he can't let Wang Qi go after this small fight. Even if he is nominated by the cabinet, he, Zhu Youxiao, can't let Wang Qi go. Isn't this a slap in his face?

Eat your words? The emperor is still embarrassed.

Send Sun Chuanting and Yang Changsi? These two men are too young and have insufficient qualifications. They are not suitable to take over the military and political power of several provinces, and they are not capable of convincing the public.

After thinking about it, it seems that only Wang Huazhen has this qualification?
  But who is Wang Huazhen?
  Wang Qi's uncle and the previous governor of Liaodong.

After a while, there was a snap.

Zhu Youxiao placed the tea cup heavily on the table: "The cabinet can sort out a list and report it to me for further discussion!"

"Your Majesty, we are in urgent need of help." Ye Xianggao stepped forward, trying to win over him.

"Ye Aiqing, the chaos in Pingyang Mansion didn't rise overnight. If you have time, you might as well convene a few cabinet members to discuss a countermeasure." Zhu Youxiao interrupted Ye Xianggao mercilessly: "I'm waiting. .”

"Old minister, old minister obeys the order"

Ye Xianggao knelt down and worshiped again, then slowly retreated.

The setting sun in the cold winter stretched the figure of this veteran minister to an elongated length, making him seem to be getting thinner and thinner.

"Go, summon Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting, I have something to ask!" Looking at Ye Xianggao's leaving back, Zhu Youxiao pursed his lips, and there seemed to be a sense of pride in his eyes: "These veterans, early on It should be swept into the trash heap."

At this moment, Zhu Youxiao finally felt happy in his heart.

When Wang Qi's military power is taken back, then will be the time for me to really show my strength!
  ----

When someone from the palace came, Hong Chengchou was roasting a leg of lamb in his small courtyard and feasting with a few friends. Recently, the way to eat charcoal-grilled lamb legs is very popular in Beijing. This is a way of eating that was introduced to the south from the Horqin grassland. It also benefited from the close relationship between the Han and Mongolians in recent years. Many high-quality cattle, sheep, and horses are constantly coming from it. People from Shanxi, Jizhou Prefecture and others shipped it south, and countless huge amounts of wealth flowed and transshipped on the border between the two countries.

Countless people have made a lot of money from it.

Especially the Shanxi merchants headed by the Fan family were the worst!
  The three of them were sitting around. Opposite Hong Chengchou, a young-looking scholar said, "I heard that it was the Duke of Qi who supported the Fan family, which is now known as the richest man in the three Jin Dynasties!"

"Not to mention the Fan family, in the entire north, from Shanhaiguan Road to Yanmen Pass, which is a national border line of thousands of miles, which part is not under the control of Qi Guogong? Today Qi Guogong said to increase the tax rate of Xifengkou by 10%, and tomorrow Jizhou Prefecture The Liu family will go to the cities of Shandong in person, kneel in front of the Duke of Qi's mansion, and ask for the next favor."

"Hey, this prince of the country really regards today as nothing!"

The two friends were chatting animatedly when they suddenly stopped talking and turned to look at Hong Chengchou, who had been silent until now: "Yan Yan, what do you think?"

Hong Chengchou, who was sitting aside with his sleeves rolled up and his mouth full of oil, ignored the two of them. He chewed the leg of lamb and took a sip of wine. After chewing for a long time, he threw his head up and let out a burp. White breath came out of his mouth, carrying the fragrance and aroma of strong liquor. The smell of mutton.

In the cold winter, mutton warms the stomach.

Um, comfortable!

He picked up the white towel on the side, wiped his mouth, and wiped the back of his palms clean before carefully folding down his sleeves.

He may seem rough and arrogant, but he is actually extremely cautious.

"Ask me what I think?" Hong Chengchou chuckled: "Wu Quxing is far away in Zhucheng. Do you think he doesn't want to come back?"

"What do you mean?" the two friends asked in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, you are your Majesty after all. As long as you give it time and don't use any soldiers, the Duke of Qi can only be captured! Military power, personnel, financial power, all are given to you!" Hong Chengchou raised his head, and his tone rose a little: "What is imperial power? What is it? All over the world?”

This is!
  “The imperial edict has arrived!!”

As soon as Hong Chengchou finished speaking, the sound of Xiao Huangmen came from outside the courtyard.

In an instant, with two plops, except for Hong Chengchou, the other two people fell off their chairs.

Only Hong Chengchou had enough time to get ready. He had time to straighten his cuffs and collar when he got up, without showing any signs of panic.

"The Holy One has issued an oral decree, announcing that Hong Chengchou, the left councilor of Tongzheng Yamen, has come to the palace to pay an audience!"

After Xiao Huang announced the edict at the door, he lowered his head and bowed his waist: "Counsellor Hong, the Holy One asked you to enter the palace quickly, there is something big happening!"

At this time, a steward from the Hong Mansion came forward and handed over the 'errand money'.

"But about the civil unrest in Shanxi?" Hong Chengchou asked in a low voice.

"Sir Hong is really good at predicting things! I admire you a lot," Xiao Huangmen complimented, and said sideways: "Without further delay, sir, please come!"

"Take a break, it's not too late to change clothes," Hong Chengchou said with a confident look on his face, bowed lightly, and then turned back to his room to change clothes.

As the left councilor of the Tongzheng Yamen, Hong Chengchou was the first court official to know about the civil unrest in Shanxi, and it was he who handed this memorial to Ye Xianggao.

He knew that everything was according to his plan now.

"Duke of Qi?" Hong Chengchou stood in front of the table and let several maids wait on him to change his clothes. His mind was full of the figure of Duke of Qi Wang Qi: "Just wait, I will catch up with you step by step and surpass you! On this day, It won’t be long!”

(End of this chapter)