Follow Zhu Yuanzhang to conquer the country

Chapter 157 Zhu Yuanzhang used industry to control Zhang Shicheng

After Zhang Shicheng finished his anger, no one dared to speak, and the hall was suddenly silent except for his own up and down breathing.

As the siege of Gaoyou was lifted, Zhang Shicheng's other brother Zhang Shide, who was brought back from Huai'an, glanced at Zhang Shixin soon after and said first:
"I have reminded you that it is better to buy weapons and armor from others than to make them yourself! But the eldest brother wants to listen to the soldiers. He feels that it is more important to strengthen the army now, so he can not rush to make weapons and armor himself. But now, Zhu Yuanzhang is pinching him because of it. It hurts our feet."

"I didn't expect that Yuan Ting would suddenly be willing to recruit us!"

Zhang Shixin explained.

Zhang Shicheng said: "Shixin is right. Who would have thought that the imperial court would suddenly be willing to recruit us."

As Zhang Shicheng spoke, he frowned and pointed at the "China News" that had fallen to the ground and said:

"But how did Zhu Yuanzhang know that I was going to be recruited? Why did he say it so unpleasantly in the "China News"? It seemed that if our Zhang family accepted the recruitment, we would betray our ancestors and embarrass the Han people all over the world. , and you compare me with people like Shi Jingtang!"

When Zhang Shicheng said this, Zhang Shixin lowered his head, because he took the initiative to leak the news that Yuan Ting wanted to recruit Zhang Shicheng to Zhu Yuanzhang's forces.

After all, he doesn't want Zhu Yuanzhang and his arms trade to be interrupted due to recruitment. In that case, he will suffer a heavy loss.

After Zhang Shicheng said this, he asked Zhang Shide, Zhang Shixin and others with an extremely angry face:

"You think, Song Lian, as a Confucian scholar, didn't say before that the Great Yuan Dynasty was Zhengshuo who received the destiny from heaven. Shouldn't we Han people just accept the destiny from the grassland?"

"Why now, he says that we Han people should not regard the barbarians as kings, and whether we say good or bad things is all decided by a scholar like him!"

"Brother, don't get too angry with these Confucian scholars, lest you get hurt."

"Song Lian is just doing it for his own personal wealth."

"What we need now is to come up with countermeasures as soon as possible."

Zhang Shide persuaded Zhang Shicheng and said, "Besides, no matter what, we have to organize our own craftsmen to make armor and weapons. We can't just buy them just because we have money."

Zhang Shicheng calmed down a little at this time, and asked Zhang Shixin, who was in charge of internal affairs: "How many craftsmen can we use?"

"not a lot."

"Some craftsmen have joined the army, and it is difficult to withdraw them for a while and let them serve in making ordnance."

"Other craftsmen who didn't want to fight on the battlefield fled to Chuzhou, because now Chuzhou actually pays craftsmen wages and doesn't restrict them from opening their own shops."

"There are also some craftsmen who were secretly bought by Zhu Yuanzhang's people in collusion with some large households."

"In short, the number of craftsmen still under our rule is less than 20% as before. The key is that among the 20%, many are just craftsmen who weave, dye and make things used by women, such as rouge and gouache, and there are few who make instruments."

Zhang Shixin answered truthfully.

But he was embarrassed to say that he secretly sold many craftsmen to Zhu Yuanzhang and other Chuzhou rebels, and earned a lot from them.

After hearing this, Zhang Shicheng sighed in embarrassment and said, "I never thought that one day I would be in trouble because of these craftsmen."

In this era, influenced by the mainstream values ​​​​that "everything is inferior, only education is high", from the powerful to the common people, craftsmen are not valued highly.

Therefore, Zhang Shicheng and others never thought that he would be in trouble because of the loss of craftsmen.

of course.

This is also related to the fact that Zhang Cheng attaches more importance to craftsmen and industry from the beginning, and also intends to control other forces through industrial manufacturing capabilities. Therefore, Zhang Shicheng has only now realized that he has been variously criticized in newspapers. He boasted that Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhang Cheng and others, who also gave him various generous gifts during the holidays, would fall out so quickly when they fell out, and directly withheld the ordnance he ordered and refused to return the money he had paid in advance. . "Without enough ordnance and armor, even if we accept Hu Yuan's recruitment, we still have to worry about the danger of being annexed by Hu Yuan."

"More importantly, Hu Yuan will definitely deal with Zhu Yuanzhang after we are recruited, but now that we have insufficient weapons, there is no way to deal with Zhu Yuanzhang."

Zhang Shide began to analyze at this time, and then said to Zhang Shicheng:
"Brother, now we can only step up the recruitment of craftsmen and build equipment. At the same time, we can stabilize Zhu Yuanzhang's side and persuade him to send us the ordnance that has been built for us. At the same time, we can continue to contact the imperial court secretly and ask the imperial court to give us the promised money. A group of ordnance, armor and craftsmen will be used to make up for our temporary shortage of ordnance and armor.”

"As for the next step, whether we accept the recruitment or reject the recruitment, it is best to look at the situation in Jiangnan. The first thing is whether Zhu Yuanzhang can capture Taiping Road and successfully cross the river!"

Zhang Shide spoke again.

After hearing this, Zhang Shicheng nodded and said, "That's right!"

"If Zhu Yuanzhang succeeds in crossing the river, it means that Hu Yuan is really at his end. We can no longer accept the recruitment. We must get ahead of Zhu Yuanzhang and occupy the Changzhou and Pingjiang roads!"

"But if Zhu Yuanzhang fails to cross the river, it means that Hu Yuanqi has not been exhausted, and we have to accept the recruitment."

Not long after Zhang Shicheng said this, his other brother Zhang Shixin came over and said, "Zhu Yuanzhang has sent an envoy."

"Have a good reception! Just like the envoys sent by the imperial court, give them a banquet to welcome them, and prepare the beauties and gifts that need to be given. The size is doubled than usual and let them take them back."

Zhang Shicheng immediately gave the order.

"Yes!"

While Zhang Shicheng knew about Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude towards his being recruited by Hu Yuan, Duo'er also learned through the China News that Zhu Yuanzhang and others would not let Zhang Shicheng accept his recruitment.

"How did Zhu Yuanzhang know this?"

Duoer only darkened her face.

"what?!"

then.

Duo'er just shouted and asked again.

"Is our Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provincial Government a sieve? He, Zhu Yuanzhang, knew such confidential information!"

Duo'er only looked at Yang Yuangao and other military officials who were responsible for Jiyi writing, with a gloomy look on her face.

Yang Yuangao took the initiative to step forward and said: "You Cheng, calm down, Zhu Yuanzhang may know this not through us, but through Zhongshu Sheng. After all, there are many dignitaries in Beijing doing secret transactions with Chuzhou's bandits." Iron, grain, medicinal materials, saltpeter, and even horses.”

Duo'er couldn't deny it after hearing this, so she punched the table:

"What the hell is this? I'm protecting their inheritance for them, but they are trying to undermine me behind my back. Who is the culprit of the current chaotic situation in our Dayuan? I can't even tell the difference! "

"Your Majesty, please be at ease."

"We are not doing it for them, just for our own loyalty."

Yang Yuangao persuaded.

Duoer sighed helplessly, glanced at the China News and said:
"Sometimes I feel that what Song Lian said is actually right. The main culprit that caused the common people to become thieves and the gentry to be tortured is ourselves!"

(End of this chapter)