Idle courtiers

Chapter 119
Tang Shunzhi's stubborn personality can be regarded as a small flaw.However, he is well-versed in human nature and has insight into the world. He has seen all kinds of people and never heard of any kind of words.

In the past, when a scholar came to vote, he would meet with him out of politeness and say a few words.

Of course, the talking time is not long, at most a stick of incense, and some even ask someone to take them out for resettlement after only two sentences.

If the scholar wanted to impress Tang Shunzhi and make him look up to him during this period of time, he had to keep talking in a non-surprising way.Or scaremongering, or pretending to be arrogance that the world is drunk but I am alone, or gags to sensationalize the public.

Zhou Nan's words are alarmist, the routine is very old, and he is tired of aesthetics.

Tang Shunzhi naturally had a set of procedures to deal with it, so he said casually: "You said there is something inappropriate about using soldiers?"

According to the procedure, Zhou Nan still had a chance to say a word. Next, Tang Shunzhi planned to place him in Xingyuanli Zhonglang.

Seeing his lack of interest, Zhou Nan sped up his speech and said, "Futai sent troops to the Suzhou government this time to open up waterways and take the manpower and financial resources of the Suzhou government. The water comes and goes like the wind. If you can fight, you will fight, if you can't fight, you will run away. Don't give Tang Gong a chance to fight on the battlefield. The imperial court repeatedly used troops, which cost a lot of money. Not to mention the results of the battle, it is meaningless. This is probably Futai retreat Because of returning to Xingyuan."

"Yes, Xiaosheng has no experience in the army, and he knows a thing or two about the military. Xiaosheng used to work as a pawn in the county government office, and has handled money and food. In my opinion, this war is the same as doing business. You have to Only those who make money can do it. Sending troops to Suzhou is obviously a loss-making business, so naturally it cannot be done."

Tang Shunzhi frowned, Zhou Nan's words really entered his heart.

That's right, what is fought in war is money and food, and what is fought is logistics, which requires a large amount of military expenditure.

However, the military salary allocated by the imperial court was deducted layer by layer, and there was not much left at all. The reason why he sent troops to Suzhou and opened up the waterway transportation line was to use Suzhou's resources for his own use.He had planned this plan for a long time, moved Xingyuan to Jiangyin, and prepared a large amount of supplies.

But in the battle of Suzhou, a few Japanese pirates could not be killed at all, so they had no choice but to retreat.As soon as the imperial army left, the Japanese pirates got out again and continued to show off their might on the river.Finally, calculate the cost and the head of the enemy in hand. This is a big loss.

"That's right, war is about doing business, and you can't do business at a loss. You have to make money every time. Every time we make money, the enemy's strength will be weakened." Tang Shunzhi smiled and looked at Liu Xianchi: "Xianchi, you You didn’t say yes yesterday, but you also spoke for the prefect of Suzhou, let me continue to use troops, now you understand this truth?”

Liu Xianchi was convinced: "If you don't explain the truth, you won't understand it. You will eventually be taught." He looked at Zhou Nan again, and nodded: "Zhou Xiucai is a man who knows how to fight, and he is a talent. Since Futai wants to serve him, why not Keep it. If the futai is not used, it can be used by the last general."

Tang Shunzhi laughed and said: "You are always complaining that you are short of manpower, now you are planning to call this old man? Well, I will give you a prescription. Ask Zhou Nan to leave a prescription for treating this old man's disease, and you will get one in your military preparations." Once you have achieved meritorious service, you will report to the imperial court for a formal appointment."

Liu Xianchi said embarrassingly: "The last general dare not, the care of the platform is very important, and I will follow Ying Degong's orders."

The so-called meritorious service refers to the achievements of officials. Tang Shunzhi's words have conveyed a message that if Zhou Nan has meritorious service in the future, he can be given an official position.

It is estimated that this official is about below the seventh rank, not in the stream.But the gap between officials and officials is so huge, how difficult it is for ordinary people to cross it in one step, and many people will not be able to take this first step in their entire lives.

Zhou Nan gave up the imperial examination a long time ago. Although he often said that it doesn't matter whether he is an official or not, as long as "the little husband has money on hand, it is fine, and it is a perfect life." But he was inevitably a little unwilling.

Hearing Tang Shunzhi's promise, he felt ecstasy in his heart, and he also understood that Governor Tang's intention was first to repay him for his kindness in treating sepsis, and second, he felt that he was indeed a person who could do things.

However, there is still a problem here, which requires work.

After Tang Shunzhi was cured, and then served under Liu Xianchi's command, it seemed like he couldn't do much.First of all, he doesn't know how to fight, and he doesn't want to die on a bloody battlefield.Secondly, if you stay in Bingbeidao, it is estimated that the copybooks will be used as accountants all day long, and you will become short-sighted, and you will end up being a ninth-rank or eighth-rank official.

If you want to go further, it is impossible to enter the ranks of court officials.

If you want to be an official, you have to have meritorious service, and you have to stay by Tang Shunzhi's side all day long and enter the core decision-making level of this war.Military merit, only military merit is the shortcut to promotion.

What kind of future can the Ming Dynasty's civil and military officials have with Liu Xianchi?Zhou Nan was naturally unwilling, and he also knew that today's great opportunity would pass away, so he must firmly grasp it.If you miss it, you will regret it for life.

Immediately, Zhou Nan said: "General Liu, Xiaosheng is here to vote this time, with the aim of serving the country. He is willing to follow Yingde to the front line in person. I am sorry that I cannot go to the army."

This is clearly because he thinks he is a small official and can't use him as a great talent. Liu Xianchi's face is a bit ugly, but it's not easy to get angry in front of Governor Tang.

Zhou Nan said loudly again: "I have a strategy to offer to Futai. If Tang Gong uses my strategy, I will wipe out the bandits in Su, Song, Chang and Yang in one fell swoop."

These words are too arrogant and outrageous, Liu Xianchi couldn't bear it anymore, Tieqing said with a face: "What a scholar who doesn't know anything, but because of his talent, it's okay to make such big words. Forbearance, what can't be tolerated. A great talent like you would not dare to use it, quickly leave the prescription and retreat to Bingbei Road to get the money and go home!"

"Haha, haha!" Zhou Nan burst into laughter suddenly: "Doesn't General Liu want to hear what I have to say?"

Liu Xianchi's eyes sparkled: "See what kind of ivory you can spit out of your mouth?"

Zhou Nan strode up to the map hanging on the wall, and pointed his hand on it: "Futai and General Liu must know the origin of the Japanese pirates. They are desperadoes from the Fusang Kingdom in the far east. The number is not large. Many, only [-] to [-]% of them, and the rest are thieves entrenched on the island. Tang Gong wants to open up the Suzhou waterway, thinking of taking the money and food of the prefecture for military use. As for the pirates, they are also greedy for the property of the prefecture. The talents come in a steady stream from the sea.”

"Both Futai and General Liu are people who know the army, so they naturally understand that fighting requires money and food. If the two armies are facing each other, if they want to win a big victory, they must first cut off the enemy's food supply. If the bandit army has no logistics supplies, we don't need to fight. Mess up yourself first."

"The Japanese pirates use the sea as their route. The supply line is located in the vast sea, and there is indeed no trace. However, it is not impossible to break."

"Xiaosheng heard people say that Futai used to fight Japanese pirates at sea, and often lived on the ship for three months. Naturally, he knew that if he wanted to guarantee the food road, it would take a long time to rely on large ships for direct transportation, not to mention the cost of the road. Therefore, Most of them use islands, reefs, and sand on the sea as their bases, build docks, set up treasuries, and relay one by one. The Japanese pirates come from the sea, and there are only a few islands, reefs, and sand on the sea. From this point of view, the supply line of the Japanese pirates is very easy. It has been drawn. Let’s draw this line and occupy these islands and reefs one by one. Japanese pirates are trees without roots, water without sources, and they will naturally collapse.”

"Ah, why didn't I think of this, it really is a good idea!" Liu Xianchi was moved and shocked.

Zhou Nan thought to himself: Isn't this nonsense? The Ming Dynasty has always implemented a policy of closing the country to the outside world, and nothing can be pulled into the sea.In this way, they are also helpless against the enemies coming across the sea.My tactics are borrowed from the leapfrog tactics of the Pacific War of World War II.

Seeing that Liu Xianchi had successfully shocked Liu Xianchi, he felt proud, so he simply picked up Tang Shunzhi's brush and drew a line on the map.From Jingjiang to Chongming Island, then to Changsha and Beisha in the Yellow Sea, and finally to the depths of the ocean, stop at a sand state: "Here are three sands, three small islands next to each other. The center of the sea is the middle section from Fusang to Nanzhili. Calculated according to the speed of the ship, the Japanese pirates came from Fusang, and the drinking water in the boat just ran out here, so it needs to be replenished here. If Xiaosheng guessed correctly, this should be the base camp of the Japanese pirates. Where. Our army might as well take advantage of the Japanese pirates still in Suzhou, directly copy his old lair, and cut off his retreat."

"Si!" Liu Xianchi took a deep breath, thought for a while, and shouted again: "Miao, Miao, Futai, I think this is worth fighting for. Zhou Nan, you are truly a peerless national scholar! Futai, let's do it!" , the last general is willing to be the former army. If you can't take Sansha, you will cut off my head. No, no, I will jump into the sea by myself. If unfortunately die in the country, I hope Futai will take care of the wife and children of the last general at home. I don't have a son. As for the three daughters who have not yet left the cabinet, please ask Futai to find a good family for them to marry, and to find an honest man."

Probably because he was too excited, he was a little incoherent.

"This strategy is good!" Tang Shunzhi said with surprise on his face, "It's worth a try."

He looked at the map solemnly: "It is necessary to fight such a battle, otherwise, I will retreat, I will come, it will not be the end after all. Xianchi, you can be a forward. It is our duty to be an official and a minister. However, we can't say death easily, and don't say bad words."

After all, Tang Shunzhi looked at Zhou Nan seriously, his eyes sparkled, as if he was looking at a piece of treasure.

Zhou Nan was a little complacent, bowed and said: "Futai is absurdly praised, Xiaosheng is also bold to speak out, rebellious and rude, forgive me for my sin."

I thought in my heart again: Is this not nonsense, this military plan is from you, I just copied it, and the facts have proved that this battle is an unprecedented victory, can it not be a good strategy?
In real history, just next month, Tang Shunzhi led the main force to the three sands where the Japanese pirates were moored in the lonely ocean, launched an attack on the sea, and won a complete victory. They wiped out more than 200 Japanese pirates and sank [-] of their ships. ship, and seized countless spoils of war.This was a rare victory in the sea against the pirates.

He bowed to the ground: "I would like to follow Mr. Yingde and be the forward-looking of the army. I will not return until I break Loulan."

Liu Xianchi yelled: "Okay, I didn't expect Zhou Nan, a scholar like you, to have such arrogance, so let's take this trip."

"Please come to Lingyan Pavilion for a while, if you are a scholar with thousands of households, good, very good!" Tang Shunzhi laughed loudly: "Seeing you, I think of the same heroism when I was young! No matter, you stay Praise the military affairs around me!"

Tang Shunzhi said to Liu Xianchi: "Xianchi, you should go back to the army and make preparations first, and the plan of marching into Sanpiansha remains unchanged. Since you already know about this matter, it is only rumored. When everything is ready, I will use the power to appease Suzhou again. Send troops in the name of a thunderbolt to the Japanese pirate lair in the ocean."

That night, Zhou Nan began to treat Tang Shunzhi's scurvy.

In fact, no medicine is needed to treat this kind of soldier, just add a lot of vegetables and fruits.

Start with food and daily life.

Just ask Tang Shunzhi if he usually drinks tea?He replied that he would get up at the time of Mao, clean the court, and drink tea for fear of lack of sleep. All things that could disturb people's minds, such as wine, tea, green onions, suan, and leeks, were not used.On weekdays, I also drink plain water.

Zhou Nan shook his head: Liu Hun is not sticky, and tea and salt are not allowed. Old Tang, are you Chang Kaishen's previous life?
Looking at Tang Shunzhi's meals, Zhou Nan was even more surprised: what eating habits, how to eat junk food, it's no wonder that he doesn't get sick.

It turned out that Tang Shunzhi was a standard carnivore, and he didn't enjoy three meals without meat, and he only ate meat.Even if you bring vegetarian dishes in front of him, he won't move his chopsticks.

Asked why he was like this, he replied that the stomach is not good, and vegetarians will have diarrhea, so they simply stopped eating.

Only then did Zhou Nan realize that Tang Shunzhi probably couldn't digest the plant fiber because of his gastrointestinal problems.As a result, the body is extremely deficient in vitamin C all year round.

He ordered the kitchen to mash oranges and vegetables into juice and boil it, and asked Tang Shunzhi to drink a few sips when he was free.

(End of this chapter)