Crazy at the end of the Ming Dynasty

Zhang Zhiheng didn't rush to answer, he just looked at Wu Shigong with a smile.If Wu Shigong was loyal to the emperor and patriotic, he would definitely order Zhang Zhiheng to be arrested, or at least reprimand him.But Wu Shigong just gave a few words of persuasion lightly, so Zhang Zhiheng knew Wu Shigong's true thoughts.

Facing Zhang Zhiheng's smile, Wu Shigong also gradually understood that he had seen through his thoughts. After looking at each other for a while, both of them couldn't help laughing.Everything speaks for itself!

After laughing for a while, Wu Shigong continued, "Sir, please tell me!"

"In just eight years, my lord has grown from a meager thousand households to owning two prefectures, with a hundred thousand troops in his hands. He is definitely a great talent, but I don't agree with what I have done today."

Wu Shigong immediately saluted and said: "I have been saying: the Runing Army is not my Runing Army alone, but the Runing Army of all the Runing Army officers and men. Back then, I was demoted to Guide as an agent of a thousand households. Two hundred family members took office. To be honest, sir, including myself, they don’t understand military affairs or internal affairs, and their wealth and food are poor and poor. The reason why we created the current situation is not the work of me alone, but the wisdom of everyone.”

"So please speak freely, sir. As long as it is reasonable, I will act according to plan. Sir is also very knowledgeable, knowing that as long as our Runing Army is doing well, then all of us will be fine!"

Zhang Zhiheng nodded, and first asked: "Sir, do you think the existing Runing Army can sweep the world?"

Wu Shigong shook his head immediately: "The strength is not enough. At most, it is a feudal town. Tell me something plain! I believe that the imperial court, the Tartars, the Shan bandits and our Runing Army are the only ones who can control the world. Among them, they come from the military. Said: The Tazi soldiers are the most elite, the court soldiers are the most, the Shaanxi bandit soldiers are the most miscellaneous, and our Runing army is the worst."

"And what's wrong with our Runing army? It's not because we don't need to be up and down, and it's not because we can't train a strong army, but because of the geographical limitation. Our Runing army only has two prefectures, and at most it can expand to the south of Henan, which is difficult to expand. As long as we There is a slight turmoil here. The court will know about our alienation. How to occupy other territories? Can you teach me, sir?" [

Zhang Zhiheng shook his head and said: "Fa! Your Excellency thinks the same as me." Seeing the disappointment in Wu Shigong's eyes, Zhang Zhiheng continued to laugh and said: "Actually, your Excellency is wrong. Since the Runing Army is the worst, why not let it go?" Will the Runing Army become the strongest?"

Wu Shigong's eyes lit up, and he said hastily: "Sir, tell me quickly!"

"Actually, what my lord is doing now is a trick. He doesn't care about the general situation at all. He only knows how to fight again and again. Have you ever thought about it? If you win like this, what good will it do?" Zhang Zhiheng asked.

Wu Shigong felt a little strange when he heard this, he quickly asked: "Is there any harm in exterminating the Shan bandits?"

"Of course!" Zhang Zhiheng nodded, "Can you think about it, my lord? What would happen if your lord's Runing army together with the various official troops of the imperial court wiped out the bandit army? For your lord, there are three endings." .”

"One is to take the Runing army to fight outside the customs, and fight with the Tartars, and both sides will suffer; the second is to disarm and return to the field, and disperse the Runing army to go to the capital to enjoy the blessing; the third is to support the soldiers and respect themselves, and the officers and troops in each pass will take the bandits. The trend is to encircle and suppress the Runing Army of the Lord. Regardless of the outcome, it is the worst policy for the Lord."

"What adults should do now is: support the bandits' self-respect and maintain a balance. This method has the following advantages: reduce the loss of the Runing Army and have time to grow; consume the strength of the official army and the bandit army; The role is gradually increasing. The adults can ask for more benefits from the court."

"Therefore, the most important thing is to try to consume all the officers and soldiers in Henan. With the prestige of the Runing Army, your lord will become the general army of Henan to take charge of the military affairs of a province. If you have luck, you can also take the opportunity to occupy Huguang Xiangfan To the land of Wuchang. Backed by the Han River and the great river, the Runing Army can be said to be rest assured."

"After that, it's time to look for opportunities. As long as the world changes, my lord will first march eastward and seize Shandong. Put the canal in the hands of your lord. Then, whether you go north to occupy the capital and seize the world's artifact; or go south to occupy Nanjing and occupy the river. Occupying half of the country is all in the mind of an adult."

"Then why don't you go west and occupy Sichuan and Shaanxi?" Wu Shigong asked suspiciously.

"Although the land of Sichuan and Shaanxi is also where the king's business is located, it was too dilapidated by the thieves. If an adult occupies this place, although the effort may be less, it will require a huge amount of property to restore and recuperate. According to you Ning Jun's power is hard to solve!" Zhang Zhiheng replied.

Wu Shigong nodded, knowing that Zhang Zhiheng had considered it quite thoughtfully.So he asked again: "Sir, what you said is certainly true, but if you do what you say, then what the Runing Army will do is like walking a rope while juggling, and it will fall off at any time. It is not easy to raise the bandits' self-respect." ah!"

"What's the difficulty?" Zhang Zhiheng laughed, "Just remember: whoever beats whoever is strong, and whoever is weak can support whoever is weak. Your Excellency not only has a strong army, but also a caravan."

After hearing Zhang Zhiheng's words, Wu Shigong laughed clearly.After laughing a few times, Wu Shigong asked again: "What about the Tartars outside the pass? They have disturbed the city of Beijing several times."

"Ignore it!" Zhang Zhiheng's answer was quite cold-blooded, "The Tartars are too far away from the local area, and they will not face them immediately. If your lord occupies the world and wipes out the remnants of the imperial court and the Northwest bandit army, then we can gather the power of the whole country and promote the power of Han and Wu." Prestige. If the Tatars break through the capital, they will take advantage of the situation to rise up. At that time, they can coerce a prince, or establish their own family, and attack the north and south logically." [

Although he knew Zhang Zhiheng's words were right, Wu Shigong still couldn't bear it: "But my father's family, wife and children are also in the capital, so what should I do?"

"There must be a trade-off. To hide one's strength and bide one's time, an adult must have the hostess in Beijing!" Although he didn't say everything, Zhang Zhiheng already understood what he meant.

"Let's discuss this point again!" Wu Shigong thought for a while, and found that there was no good solution, so he decided not to mention this topic for the time being, "Then what else can you teach me, sir?"

Zhang Zhiheng bowed his hands and said: "Today's words are all from the bottom of my heart, but some words are a bit harsh, don't blame me after hearing it!"

Wu Shigong nodded, and said: "No problem! Sir, what you said today has made me suddenly understand. I really need to ask for more advice."

"If your lord wants to aspire to the top, in addition to a strong army, you must also have righteousness." Today's Zhang Zhiheng is ready to say everything thoroughly, "Other righteousness can always find a way, but your lord has two identities that will be criticized by outsiders. "

"One is the status of the adult's son-in-law. There is a solution to this point. It is not to promote the filial piety of the adult and the elder of the two families, and then inherit the heir of the two families."

"What do you mean?" Wu Shigong immediately frowned.

"That is to say, my lord establishes two wives and two sons, each inheriting the surname of my lord." Zhang Zhiheng finally got to the point.

Wu Shigong's knife-like gaze immediately shot out, he would never forget that Zhang Zhiheng was Wu Chengying's mentor.But Zhang Zhiheng looked at Wu Shigong without any sign of weakness, insisting on his own idea.

After looking at each other for a while, it was Wu Shigong who softened first.Anyway, what Zhang Zhiheng said is a good way to solve the identity of his son-in-law.And now I haven't succeeded in conquering the hegemony, so the issue of the heir is not so urgent.

So Wu Shigong avoided Zhang Zhiheng's gaze and said, "I know this. Please continue, sir."

Since he didn't refuse on the spot, Zhang Zhiheng has achieved his goal today, and things can take his time in the future.So he didn't bother to ask anymore, and then said: "One more thing: Your Excellency is a foreign race!"

"What?" Wu Shigong, who was still immersed in Zhang Zhiheng's words just now, didn't realize it all at once, "What kind of foreign race? I'm a Han nationality, where did I come from the foreign race?"

Zhang Zhiheng didn't answer immediately, just looked at Wu Shigong with a smile.Wu Shigong suddenly realized that his ancestors were Mongolians, and immediately scolded: "Fuck! But I have been Han Chinese for seventeen or eight lifetimes! I have nothing to do with Mongolians!"

Zhang Zhiheng shook his head, he understood Wu Shigong's current mood, but he still explained: "The key is outsiders!"

Wu Shigong who calmed down also knew that in the eyes of outsiders, he was a Mongolian no matter what.China is determined by the identity of the patrilineal family. Even if you marry a Han woman several times, you will not be able to change your Mongolian identity.

If Wu Shigong shouted the slogan "Expel the Tartars" and fought against the Tartars, but he himself was a Tartar, then it would be a big joke!

At this time, Wu Shigong was a little anxious, he asked: "Does the gentleman have a magic method?"

Zhang Zhiheng said: "Your Excellency must not deny your ancestors, otherwise it will be unfilial and even more abandoned by the world. Your Excellency can first do these three steps of preparation: search for classics to prove that the Mongols are also Chinese descendants; blur the difference between Mongolian and Han; respect the saints Doctrine. In fact, what the adults are doing now is really subtle, such as the adults worshiping the Shenggong and teachers, setting up schools to educate the common people, etc. "

After hearing this, Wu Shigong couldn't help being a little proud.I didn't expect that after I foolishly worshiped Yan Shenggong as my teacher, there would be such benefits.It seems that we still have to get close to the Confucian Mansion!

Then Wu Shigong's mind immediately became flexible.He thought of many ethnic policies of later generations, so he asked: "Sir, is it reasonable to listen? I want to promote the Huaxia nationality. As long as they follow the Chinese clothing and the teachings of the saints, they are all Huaxia people. And the Han people are also Huaxia people." The big clan. To blur the differences between the various clans."

"I will be entrusted with the love of Shenggong Yan and carried into the Han nationality to follow the Chinese clothes. After that, as long as I respect the barbarians in the Chinese clothes, I can also be carried into the Han nationality to show my broad mind."

What Wu Shigong used was not the method of the Chinese nation and the flag-raising system for the Han people after the Manchus entered the customs, in order to solve some of his identity troubles.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Zhiheng was immediately fascinated by Wu Shigong's thoughts, because this kind of thinking also made Zhang Zhiheng suddenly enlightened.After thinking for a while, he stood up and saluted Wu Shigong: "Your Excellency is amazingly talented, you must be the hero!" (To be continued...)