Saving the Ming Dynasty: I can exchange bodies with Chongzhen

Chapter 140 King Xiang: Don’t let your fake play become real and have another child
At night, Hongniang looked at Zhu Yonggan and said, "Why do I feel that you are very different from during the day?"

"Different? How is it different?"

Hong Niangzi was stunned for a moment. "Mr. Zhu in the daytime is like the private school teacher I have seen before, rigid and indifferent. I heard from the children and parents that the books you teach are still good, and they are still the same old ones about loyalty to the emperor and patriotism."

Hongniang passed by the school intentionally or unintentionally these days. She could see Master Zhu teaching in the school and the students nodding their heads inside.

But at night, he seemed to have transformed into a learned and talented rebel.

This feeling is not something that is felt once or twice, but has become deeper and deeper over the past few days.

Zhu Changgan was silent for a moment. "During the day, I am a teacher, teaching and educating people, so naturally I have to teach them the words of the saints."

Lady Hong bit her lip and said, "Actually, I've always wanted to ask, why do you want to teach these children to be loyal to the emperor and love their country?"

Although Lady Hong has been supporting him and giving him support.

But there are more and more rumors in the village. If she wants to suppress them, she can certainly suppress them, but she always feels that the other party must have his own reasons for doing so.

So she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Zhu Changgan thought for a moment and said, "After all, they are still young. They should first learn to discern clearly and then learn to think critically."

"They are different from adults. Although you haven't been to a private school for a few days, you have been struggling in this world for nearly 20 years and have already formed your own inherent ideas, such as rebellion."

"So, I can talk to you about rebellion, poetry, and these sensitive things."

"But children can't do that. If they start talking about rebellion, they will never be able to accept the principles of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness."

"In the future, even if you succeed in your rebellion, these people don't have these things in their hearts, and they will definitely continue to kill, fight among themselves, and fight for power. Do you understand what I mean?"

Red Lady listened and finally nodded, "I understand what you mean. I will explain it to them tomorrow."

Then turn your back and rest.

For so many days, the two of them maintained the status quo.

The two of them became much more natural. Hongniangzi was a woman of the world, so she was not pretentious. Except for a brief contact between the two on the wedding day, they stayed one meter away from each other afterwards.

During the day, Hongniang was busy with her own things, and at night, she would occasionally ask Zhu Changgan a few questions.

Some changes are also taking place in the village without people noticing.

For example, in the meeting hall, four words are hung: "Fairness, Democracy".

Hongniangzi also used these four words as the standard to handle all matters in the village. When she dealt with village personnel who violated the law, she also began to listen to other people's opinions.

When it comes to important directions in the village, she will also let people in the village express their opinions and then vote by raising their hands.

Of course, if things go against Hongniangzi's original intention, she will still overturn the table and suppress the whole situation with her iron spear.

But the overall trend is moving in a good direction.

On the table were some things that Hongniang had given him.

Books, pens, ink, paper, inkstones, and pen washers. The government troops suppressed the peasant army, and the peasant army in turn looted the towns.

This is why things from wealthy families often appear in the village, and Hongniangzi will pick out some good ones and send them to him.

After a while, Lady Hong asked again:
"It's strange to say, these days, our people always encounter fierce resistance from those landlords when they go out. Where do they get so many people?"

Zhu Changgan's eyes flickered. "What does it mean that there are suddenly so many more people?"

"That's right. In the past, these landlords and wealthy families offered almost no resistance, but now, they are protected by a large group of troops. Yesterday, the third brother and his men were almost surrounded by the enemy. Fortunately, I didn't die in Qi County."

"United? Militia?"

Zhu Changgan immediately understood the reason, and the militia training finally began to take effect.

Last month, more than 50 militia ministers were appointed, with the largest number in Shaanxi and Henan.

"Master Zhu? Master Zhu?" Hongniang called twice. Zhu Changgan suddenly reacted and sighed, "You don't have much time left."

"What do you mean?"

"The Ming emperor implemented a policy called 'militia training'."

Zhu Changgan explained the so-called militia to Hong Niangzi. In fact, it is estimated that the other party will understand this militia after some time.

Anyone who suffers a few losses at the hands of the opponent will understand what the opponent is like.

After hearing this, Lady Hong looked very unhappy. "Doesn't this mean that all our supplies will be in short supply in the future?"

"In theory, that's right." Zhu Changgan nodded, "Just like the issue of the united front I told you before, while you are trying to unite more people, the Ming court is also trying to win over more people."

"In order to protect their own interests, the bureaucrats and gentry were willing to give out some of their money and grain to resist the peasant army."

Hongniangzi frowned even more, "So, what is our future?"

"Then it all depends on whose united front is broader and whose ideas are more advanced."

"What do you mean by more extensive? More advanced?"

"It's actually very simple. It depends on whoever proposes a slogan that can attract more people. That person will be more popular and more advanced." Zhu Changgan said this and said no more.

Hongniangzi also fell into long contemplation.

Yes, what kind of slogan can attract more people?
The bureaucrats and landlords use money and food to win over some people to work for them. What can we, the rebel army, give them?
Hongniang was thinking about the people in the village, what were their demands?
Isn't it just to have something to eat and something to wear?
Give money? Or give food?
She had none of these at this moment, as if everything was in great despair and panic.

"Master Zhu" She raised her head and wanted to ask the other party what she should do, but found that the other party had fallen asleep.

Zhu Changgan didn't sleep. He just kept his eyes straight and tried to steady his breathing.

For many things, I can only come up with a vague concept, and the specific ideas have to come out of Hongniang's own mind, and she has to feel it.

All of this was thought out by me. I have figured out things that even you, Master Zhu, haven't figured out.

The root of everything is that I want to build a different world.

The next morning, when Chongzhen woke up again, Hongniang had already returned from practicing martial arts outside.

Chongzhen glanced at the other person and went out on his own. He never ate here, but went to Prince Xiang's place.

Hongniang looked at his back, frowning slightly, and this feeling came again.

A moment later, Chongzhen arrived outside the school.

King Xiang saw him and said, "You and that girl didn't make it real, did you? Don't make a baby out of it."

Now that I have married a traitor, I don’t know how it will end. If I have a child, I will be completely finished.

"Same old, we don't interfere with each other." Chongzhen took two mouthfuls of rice and said, "Father, you have come all this way, and are you disappointed to see the Ming Dynasty?"

This was the question he had always wanted to ask but had not dared to ask. Now that he was trapped in the mountain village, he finally couldn't help but ask it.

The food and drink of the current Prince Xiang are naturally not as good as when he was in the Prince Xiang's Mansion. He, who was originally wealthy, has now become like an old farmer.

"Disappointed. If I were to say I'm not disappointed, I'd say I'm disappointed."

Chongzhen's eyes suddenly dimmed, but Prince Xiang's next words made Chongzhen stunned for a moment.

"If the emperor of the Ming Dynasty saw all this, perhaps many of his decrees would no longer be implemented in this way, right?"

Chongzhen murmured and sighed: "See it with my own eyes? What can I do?"

"How's the saying, why not eat meat?" Prince Xiang Zhu Yiming spat out the sand in his mouth, "When the Zhu family first came to power, the Ming Dynasty was so stable. The reason was that Taizu came up from the bottom, so he knew best what the people wanted."

"The current emperor is levying taxes on Liao and suppressing the rebellion. I think this is probably why he is like Sima Zhong, deceived by others and thus becomes stupid and stubborn."

Zhu Yiming looked at the refugees in the mountain village who were half-naked and half-fed, and couldn't help but shook his head.

At this time, Chongzhen's face turned red.

Yes, he had learned Sima Zhong’s stories since he was a child, and now it was actually happening to him. How ironic.

The only difference is that Sima Zhong said, "Why don't they eat meat porridge?"

And what he said was, "Then let the people suffer for another year."

Chongzhen held the meal in his hand, looked around, then approached Prince Xiang Zhu Yiming and said softly: "Father, I have changed my mind. I want to stay in this mountain stronghold for a few more days."

"Hmm?" King Xiang frowned and looked at him, "Why did you change your mind again?"

A few days ago I told myself I wanted to run, but after a few days I didn’t want to run anymore. Last night I told myself I would find a chance to run, but today I say I don’t want to run anymore?
Are you walking the dog?

In fact, Chongzhen was also innocent. At first, Zhu Changgan wanted the two to run away quickly, but later changed his mind and wanted to change these people, but he still wanted to send Prince Xiang away after all.

Chongzhen originally wanted to escape, but now he wants to see the real Ming Dynasty.

But the two people's thoughts were entangled, which made King Xiang a little confused.

"Dad, reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. I didn't know this before, but now that I have walked a hundred miles, I have discovered that the truths of this world are a hundred times, ten thousand times more profound than those in books." Chongzhen stared at Prince Xiang with burning eyes, "So, I want to stay."

"But the time for the Autumn Examination is fixed. After this time, you can only wait another three years."

"This shouldn't be delayed. We'll do it when the time comes." Chongzhen was about to answer when he heard someone calling him from outside.

"Master Zhu, the boss wants you to go to the meeting room."

He was a young man in the village, a junior fellow apprentice of Hongniangzi, Wang Wei.

Ever since the last incident, he was sent here to protect him, but of course it is not ruled out that he was being monitored.

"Okay, I get it now."

"This is the latest version of the Ming Times. The boss asked me to show it to you." Wang Wei handed the newspaper to Chongzhen.

King Xiang was about to leave, but when he saw this scene, he stopped.

As a vassal of the Ming Dynasty, after watching the "Ming Times" several times with Chongzhen, I also fell in love with reading this thing.

Just sitting in someone's home, you can know what is happening in the world.

Prince Xiang Zhu Yiming glanced over and his eyes suddenly widened, "Huh?"

On the back page, it was written, "Due to national and military considerations, the imperial examination will be postponed for one month, that is, on the 20th day of the ninth lunar month after the autumn harvest."

Prince Xiang raised his head and looked at Chongzhen, then looked at the Ming Times.

Such a coincidence?
"Dad, I'm going to the meeting room." Chongzhen didn't dare to look Prince Xiang in the eye, because this matter was his order.

As long as it does not affect national policy, he can decide on such small matters.

Just like when he allowed Prince Xiang to come to the capital, after the first time, the second time was easy for him.

As for the Ming Dynasty’s ancestral system, to hell with it.

After entering the room, Chongzhen sat down next to Li Yan. Once he accepted his position, Chongzhen seemed more calm than ever before.

Hongniang was still sitting in the position with her hands hanging down. On her left was Li Yan, followed by Chongzhen, and on the right were the second in command and the third in command, which seemed to imply that there were civil officials on the left and military generals on the right.

Li Yan stood up and said, "According to the people on King Chuang's side, Zuo Liangyu, Chen Yongfu, Cao Bianjiao, Zuo Da Bi Ma and others are leading tens of thousands of troops to join forces to encircle and suppress the Central Plains.

"According to the Ming court, we want to work very hard for three months to end a situation that has not been resolved for ten years. We vow to defeat the rebels in three months."

"It is conceivable that the days ahead will be even more difficult."

Chongzhen's face turned a little red. This so-called "three-month suppression of the bandits" was a memorial submitted by Yang Sichang and approved by Zhu Youjian. He wanted to rely on a huge military machine to massacre the peasant army.

Unfortunately, the Later Jin invaded from the north, reigniting the flames of the peasant army.

Lady Hong stood up and said, "Today, I called you all here to find out what your opinions are in the face of the Ming court's intensified suppression."

"In my opinion, we should merge with King Chuang as soon as possible, unite our forces and fight together. With King Chuang as our backer, our team will grow stronger and the current predicament will be resolved." Li Yan's eyes were firm and sharp.

I want to give Hongniangzi to Zhu Yonggan, but that doesn't mean I will give him the rights.

Why did you give up the fame and honor of the Ming Dynasty and rebel?
Of course, it was for his own ambition, to achieve great things, to be crowned king and appointed prime minister. In Li Yan's view, Hong Niangzi, a woman, was not a talent that could be cultivated. Only people like King Chuang and Zhang Xianzhong were on the right path.

How can I step into the core of King Chuang in one step?

That is to use Hongniangzi's team as his bargaining chip and bring a capable team over, which naturally caught the attention of King Chuang.

Everyone was silent for a while.

No one spoke, but many people looked at Chongzhen.

Chongzhen was just standing up straight when he suddenly realized that everyone was looking at him and he couldn't help blushing.

"Master Zhu, please analyze for us what we should do? What path should we take from now on?"

"Yes, Master Zhu, please show me the way."

"Master Zhu, we all believe in you."

"Master Zhu, last time you said my wife gave birth to a son, and later she really gave birth to a boy."

After several incidents, Master Zhu's reputation in the village became even greater than before, and various titles such as "Zhu Banxian" and "Zhu Banxian" became widely circulated in the village.

Whenever there were weddings or funerals in Shangzhai, people would ask him to write for them instead of Li Yan.

(End of this chapter)