The most reckless man in the Ming Dynasty.

Chapter 148 The old Duke’s request! Sudden nausea!

New Year's Eve.

The Marquis Mansion in Zhongshan is packed with guests.

In order to allow officials to work more efficiently, the king specially set up a corresponding rest system, that is, a holiday system.

"Xiu Mu" originated from the Han Dynasty. It means that officials have one day off per week to bathe and change clothes, fix their clothes, grow their hair, and ensure that they are dignified before going out to work, so as to maintain the official's dignity, so it is called "Xiu Mu".

According to the Ming Dynasty system, the Zhengdan Festival of each year begins on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and all civil and military officials have a five-day holiday. The Winter Solstice begins today and has a three-day holiday. In the seventh year of Yongle, the Lantern Festival was ordered to begin on the 11th day of the first lunar month, and all officials were given a ten-day holiday.

In addition, it also includes legal holidays such as the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, and the corresponding holiday system is very complete.

On New Year's Eve, all officials have to go to court, but after the court is over, they can get off work and wait for tomorrow's Zhengdan to attend the grand ceremony. After that, they will take five days off directly to spend time with their families.

In view of Tang Hao's status as the Marquis of Zhongshan and the fact that he was a popular upstart in the court, when New Year's Eve came, the front door of the Marquis' Mansion was packed with guests.

Most of them are military commanders and nobles who send people to visit and give gifts. They usually don't show up easily. After all, they want face and status.

They were either rare treasures or swords and armors, all of which were worth at least a thousand taels of silver.

"Isn't this a disgrace to this junior!"

What is the intention?

"We are all members of our own family, so we don't need to do these false etiquette."

Secondly, it is because Tang Hao is now a real upstart in the court. Not only is he deeply trusted by His Majesty the Emperor, he is also in charge of the entire Beijing army. It is rumored that even the British Duke Zhang Mao and the Baoguo Duke Zhu Hui fully support this Zhongshan As the Marquis of Zhongshan, and they also wanted to marry him, the status of the Marquis of Zhongshan was even more difficult for them to meet directly.

Firstly, it was because these generals and nobles were not very familiar with Tang Hao. After all, Tang Hao rose too quickly and suddenly, just like he was born out of nowhere. If you can't even get in, it would be a bit embarrassing.

After hearing this, Tang Hao finally reacted, but his face gradually became ugly.

What does this matter have to do with the generals?
Tang Hao looked at Zhu Hui hesitantly, thinking about the purpose of this cheap father-in-law.

"Tang Hao, what is your intention in sending troops this time?"

Upon hearing Zhang Mao's voice, Tang Hao quickly stood up and saluted.

"how?"

He is a man who repays kindness in return.

"I and Zhu Hui are here to discuss important matters."

Tang Hao's attitude was very helpful to Zhang Mao, and he smiled and patted his shoulder.

Hearing this, Tang Hao nodded, and then led the two elders to the study.

Hearing this, Tang Hao was stunned for a moment, then pinched his eyebrows with a headache.

Tang Hao, the cheap second uncle, was reading these gift lists with a smile, and Tang Hao was very annoyed.

"Old man, why did you come here in person?"

"This is all a gesture of goodwill from the noble generals. If you retreat, people will think that you... look down on them!"

Seeing that Tang Hao didn't speak, Zhang Mao couldn't help but sigh.

But as soon as Tang Er heard this, he immediately became anxious.

Even if Zhang Mao supports him to rise to power, it is for profit reasons, but Zhang Mao's support and help to him is also an indisputable fact.

Jiangnan gentry!

"You also got a piece of this pie?!"

Just from this New Year's Eve gift, the Zhongshan Marquis Mansion could earn tens of thousands of taels of silver.

"Hey, Tang Hou, our troublemaker, is actually troubled sometimes?"

All in all, you should give gifts that should be given, but you should not embarrass others, as that will be counterproductive.

"Xiao Tang Hao, let's be more straightforward."

"Life is not easy for everyone, there is no need to spend so much money!"

Therefore, when facing the British Duke Zhang Mao, Tang Hao always treated him with respect as a junior.

Just when he was distressed, the British Duke Zhang Mao and the Baoguo Duke Zhu Hui came hand in hand.

Tang Hao smiled and spoke.

"Second uncle, how about... go back?"

Tang Hao felt uncomfortable holding this money.

"Brother Hao, we really can't go back from this!"

After sitting down, Zhu Hui couldn't wait to speak.

According to etiquette, there is no reason for elders to come to pay New Year greetings to younger generations. Tang Hao should go to the British government to visit them in person.

"This time, are you going for the Jiangnan gentry, or are you going for the coastal guards?"

Zhang Mao and Zhu Hui came to the door and directly asked Tang Hao about the purpose of sending troops, which was unreasonable in itself.

In fact, the things sent by these noble generals are really not cheap.

Coast Guard!

Unless... some generals at the Coastal Guard Station were begging for them, hoping that the Marquis of Zhongshan would be able to spare them and leave them a way to survive!
However, this also means that the British Duke Zhang Mao and the Baoguo Duke Zhu Hui were also involved and got a share of the overseas trade!

Facing Tang Hao's question, Zhu Hui's expression became unnatural. Looking at his posture, you can already know the answer.

Zhang Mao still looked calm and spoke calmly.

"Xiao Tang Hao, don't speak so harshly."

"Without these benefits, the military commander would have collapsed long ago. How could he still be able to sustain himself until now?"

"Everyone is having a hard time, so we can only do this. Anyway, even if we don't do it, someone will do it. How can the civil servants and gentry let go of this benefit?"

Tang Hao looked at Zhang Mao blankly, suddenly feeling very ironic.

He also thought that these military commanders and nobles were living in misery because of the suppression by civil servants and gentry.

Just now, he wanted to return the New Year's Eve gift of the military commander to others, so there was no need for them to spend so much money.

As a result, now, the mainstay of the military generals, the British Duke Zhang Mao of the Ming Dynasty, suddenly told him that the military generals were also involved in the overseas trade and also got a share of the pie.

Is this what is called "having a hard time"?
After a brief period of confusion, Tang Hao also understood.

It turns out that civil servants, gentry, and generals were the main force in overseas trade.

Behind the civil servants and gentry stood the local gentry, especially the gentry from the south of the Yangtze River.

Behind the officers of the Coast Guard stood top nobles such as Zhang Mao and Zhu Hui, secretly conveying benefits to them and covering up from the side.

As for the consequences of doing so, the navy is becoming increasingly corrupt, the Japanese pirates are becoming increasingly rampant, and the Ming Dynasty is becoming increasingly decadent... But no one cares.

What do you care about?

The navy and the army are not the same system!
The Ming Dynasty Navy was born out of the Chaohu Navy, one of the two main forces under Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. This "strong force" on the water was originally to gather troops in Chaohu to protect the countryside. It was composed of Zhao Pusheng, Li Guosheng, Yu Tingyu, Yu Tonghai, Yu Tongyuan and their sons. , commanded by the brothers Liao Yong'an and Liao Yongzhong, and then the Chaohu Navy joined Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, and showed great success in the Battle of Crossing the River and the Battle of Poyang Lake, laying the foundation for Zhu Yuanzhang's hegemony.

However, it was precisely because of the great power of the earthquake master that it finally aroused the suspicion of Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang. All the veterans of Chaohu were eventually killed or injured in the Hu Lan case. Then came Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas. With the help of the team left behind by the Chaohu Navy, Zheng He completed the historic feat of seven voyages to the Western Seas. However, because Zheng He's naval forces were all eunuchs who were in charge, the navy was never decorated by military commanders. Gui accepted it.

To this day, even though the civil servants and gentry control the government, and the generals and nobles are declining day by day, the secret cunning still makes people feel sick when they see it.

Tang Hao originally thought that the fusion of civil and military affairs appeared in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, such as the Jiajing and Wanli years, but now it seems that it started to appear in the Zhengde Dynasty.

None of these dignitaries of the Ming Dynasty is really good!
Tang Hao's face turned a little cold when he thought of this.

"Old Duke, what do you want me to do?"

Perhaps he heard Tang Hao's cold tone, or perhaps he noticed Tang Hao's cold expression. Zhang Mao couldn't help but explain in a deep voice: "Tang Hao, Emperor Yongle ordered Zheng He to sail to the West in the past, and the benefits were all benefited by the royal family. , Even if Emperor Yongle is trying to raise military expenses, he should not swallow up all the benefits alone. "

"In the same way, I know that you are sending troops this time to prepare for the voyage to the West. The others will not say anything. Even if you kill those corrupt and bribed guards generals, I will have nothing to say. But about the voyage to the West, This time I must bring my military commander with me!”

Zhu Hui was shocked when he said this.

"Old Duke, you can't do this..."

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Mao slapped him hard.

"shut your mouth!"

"Get out!"

Zhu Hui suddenly received a slap in the face. Although he was very unconvinced, Zhang Mao was firstly his elder and secondly the leader of the military generals, so he could only leave with hatred and shut the door honestly.

At this moment, Tang Hao and Zhang Mao were the only two people left in the study.

Zhang Mao looked at the expressionless Tang Hao and spoke with a deep look.

"I know you are angry now, but this is the fact."

"There are flaws in the guard system. Those officers and generals have long been indulged in pleasure and have become corrupt. Even if I don't agree, they will make this deal with the Jiangnan gentry."

"In fact, I, as the most distinguished military general, have more of a false reputation. After all, I have never been on the battlefield in my life, and I have never led an army in a battle, so I have no prestige at all."

"Under this situation, I can only pretend not to see it, so that I will feel better."

Tang Hao did not express his position on this explanation. If he believed it, he would be really stupid.

Zhang Mao doesn't dwell on these things. What he really cares about is sailing to the West!

"Okay, let's talk about business!"

"Your Majesty and you alone will not be able to make the voyage to the West!"

"Now all this interest has been occupied by the civil servants and gentry. If you want to take it away by force, it will inevitably arouse fierce resistance from the civil servants and gentry. Even if you lead troops to massacre them, you will not be able to kill them all!"

"The entire court of gentry, especially Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, will not allow you to do this. You and I both know this."

"If you want to return to the West, silk, tea, porcelain and other goods are indispensable. But now these things are all in the hands of the Jiangnan gentry. Do you think you can make them spit out these benefits?"

Hearing this, Tang Hao smiled and asked: "If you want to get on the ship, you must have a ticket!"

Ferry ticket?

Military generals are naturally worthy of honor.

"The noble military general can provide a batch of goods to support His Majesty's return to the Western Seas. I only ask that this time your majesty allows the noble general to participate together!"

"Tang Hao, you know very well what this means. The military general is declining day by day and needs a chance to rise again. As long as he can do business with His Majesty and get a share of the profits, the military general will have hope to rise again. !”

I have to admit that Zhang Mao’s plan was really loud.

Previously, we engaged in maritime trade with civil servants and gentry, which was an infringement of the interests of the country. It was okay if the emperor did not liquidate. Now that the liquidation has begun, no one can escape.

That's why Zhang Mao paid a visit and made it clear that he was willing to spend money to buy a ticket to board the new ship of His Majesty the Emperor.

As for the price, it was to fully support the return to the Western Sea, including sacrificing the lives of the officers and generals of the Coast Guard.

Anyway, these kind of guard officers are not good people, and their bottoms are not clean. If there is one, they will all be killed. There are many people who want to take this position, just change a chess piece.

"Old Duke, what you did today makes me very disappointed!"

Tang Hao sighed with a wry smile on his face.

"For the sake of profit, can you still cooperate with civil servants and gentry?"

"Did the generals of the Ming Dynasty really fall to this level?"

Zhang Mao also had a bitter smile and sighed: "Except for Jiubian, they are all rotten!"

"The noble children are ignorant and incompetent, and most of them have been brought up to be playboys."

"The generals of the guard are even more unbearable, and enslaving and bullying the soldiers is commonplace!"

"If you hadn't forcibly resumed the work of accepting grains, even Jiubian would have declined day by day. By then, the Ming Dynasty would have really been doomed!"

In fact, the situation in Jiubian Military Town must be good?
I'm afraid it's not necessarily the case, or even worse.

If Jiubian was not located in a border defense area, it would still need its generals, Shi Erlang, to defend against the Mongolian barbarians. The mountains are high and the emperor is far away. I am afraid that Jiubian would be ruined faster than anyone else, and even make dramas about supporting troops and respecting themselves.

For example, Li Chengliang, "the martial arts of a frontier commander is unprecedented in two hundred years." He is more powerful than Xu Da Chang Yuchun. Does Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang know?

How great it would be if Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang sat on this dragon chair!

Tang Hao stared blankly ahead and spoke to himself.

"Old Duke, I will report this matter to Your Majesty, and everything will be subject to Your Majesty's will."

"I will not go to the imperial ceremony tomorrow. I will lead my troops directly out of the capital. I will not let go of those coastal officers and generals who deserve to be killed. I hope the old prince can understand."

Hearing this, the wrinkles on Zhang Mao's forehead suddenly became deeper.

He didn't say anything more, he just stood up shakily and walked out of the study slowly.

But when he walked to the door, Zhang Mao spoke quietly.

"Does the marriage between those two families still count?"

"Naturally, the old man can discuss it with my second uncle. When I return to Beijing, I will marry a young lady from the two families."

Hearing Tang Hao's answer, Zhang Mao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This was the promise given by Tang Hao, and it was also the last dignity he gave to Zhang Mao.

When Zhang Mao walked out of the room, Zhu Hui's roar suddenly came from outside the door.

"Why?"

"Does he really think he is someone?"

"If it weren't for our full support, how could Tang Hao be in his current position?"

"Bah! What an ungrateful white-eyed wolf!"

Hearing these words, Tang Hao wanted to rush out and punch this idiot to death.

He finally held back, but the unhappiness in his heart made him extremely depressed and made him want to kill someone!
Today's meeting completely shattered all the luck in Tang Hao's heart.

The people who deserve to be killed are not only civil servants and gentry, but also these noble military officers!

(End of this chapter)