Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Dengzhou Port is deserted.

Wang Juzheng, the prefect of Denglai, said: "Goryeo ships only come to trade once a year, so they are rare to see."

Ju Ming asked: "Aren't the southern maritime merchants also unwilling to come?"

Wang Juzheng said: "If Jiangnan maritime merchants want to trade in Shandong, they will also choose Banqiao Port in Jiaoxi County. Firstly, it is closer there, and secondly, the risk is less. Dengzhou is still too close to the enemy."

"Where are the local maritime merchants in Dengzhou?" Zhu Ming asked.

Wang Juzheng said: "Dengzhou Port has been closed to the sea for decades. How can there be any local maritime merchants? Even the craftsmen who build sea-going ships are old and can only build small boats for offshore fishing."

Ju Ming looked at the empty harbor, which was even more depressed than the Banqiao Port he inspected before.

"Make arrangements to go to Salmon Island to have a look." Ju Ming ordered.

Wang Juzheng hurriedly admonished: "Your Highness, you must not do it. There are many extremely vicious people on the island!"

Ju Ming smiled and said: "There is a military port on the island, and half of the Dengzhou sailors are on the island. Are we still afraid that those thugs will rise up and hurt people?"

"Yes!" Wang Juzheng could only obey.

Wang Juzheng was born second in the Northern Song Dynasty. After the exam, he went home to live in seclusion and study.

The imperial court successively awarded four official positions, including county magistrate, professor of state studies, and professor of government studies, but Wang Juzheng refused to accept them all. It wasn't until the world was in chaos and he couldn't live safely in Yangzhou that he came out to assist Fang Mengqing in pacifying the Huaihe River.

Historically, this man was so deceived by Qin Hui that he actively helped Qin Hui climb to the position of prime minister.

As a result, it was soon discovered that something was wrong. Wang Juzheng was so angry that he ran to see Zhao Gou and said to Zhao Gou: "That guy Qin Hui promised me that he would plan ZTE when he became prime minister, but now he is doing this mess. Please ask your Majesty for me. Ask that bastard if what he said actually counts?"

Then, Wang Juzheng was demoted to be the magistrate of the state...

The Southern Song Dynasty comprehensively criticized Wang Anshi's new learning and reforms, and Wang Juzheng took the lead in promoting it. The real purpose was to liquidate the remaining parties of Cai Jing and Wang Fu.

That night, Ju Ming chatted with Xue Daoguang about his overseas experiences, and the next morning he took a boat to Salmon Island for inspection.

Shamen Island, later known as Miao Island in Changdao County, was also the most terrifying place of exile for felons in the Northern Song Dynasty.

In the middle and early stages of the Northern Song Dynasty, some civil servants were considered guilty and deserved to be killed, but the court gave preferential treatment to the civil servants and instead sent them into exile. Their place of exile was basically Salmon Island.

It was said to be exile, but in fact it was no different from being sentenced to death. Many prisoners committed suicide on the way.

Political prisoners, economic prisoners, criminal prisoners... two to three hundred people are exiled every year, and the island often accumulates two to three thousand criminals. And what about the court? Only three hundred people are allocated food each year.

There are residents on this poor island, and they are free of taxes, but there are only about 200 households in total.

Nine out of ten criminals have no food to eat and must work for the islanders to make money. But the islanders are also poor, how can they afford to support them?

For example, during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, there was an official named Li Qing who was responsible for managing criminals on Salman Island. In just two years since he took office, Island Master Li directly killed more than 700 people. He could kill anyone he wanted!

Often when new criminals arrive, the first thing to do is to see if the person brings a lot of goods. If he does, he will kill the ball directly.

This place is too scary, and everyone among the officials is in danger.

Because if the law is strictly followed and corruption exceeds ten cases, the principal criminal in the case can be exiled to Salmon Island.

Finally, during the Xining period, Salmon Island gradually stopped accepting civil servants. At the same time, the imperial court also increased its food supply to Salmon Island.

However, there were more and more other types of serious criminals. By the time of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, the number of prisoners on Salmen Island had doubled, and the court had to send an additional 200 defenders to prevent accidents.

Now, Salman Island has been turned into a naval station, and the criminals on the island have been converted into navy.

All the vicious people on the island, including the old, the weak, the sick and the weak, could not live more than three months.

"Dang-dang-dang!"

"Hush!"

"All assembled..."

Early in the morning, more than two thousand naval officers gathered and lined up at the port to wait for the prince's arrival.

Most of the navies transferred from the southeast were stationed at Dengzhou Port.

Only a few ships and dozens of officers were thrown away to train the felons on Salmon Island. More than 90% of these guys in front of me are extremely vicious people.

More than a dozen ships came in force, and the musketeers landed first to clear the way.

Ju Ming walked to the general station and watched the generals conduct the drill. After the exercise, he lectured: "Do you know who I am?"

"Your Highness the Crown Prince!" the soldiers shouted.

Ju Ming said: "In recent decades, Salmon Island has not accepted corrupt officials. Every one of you people has more than one life on your hands. Even if you have never killed anyone before, you will definitely kill people when you get to the island. The Ming Dynasty and the New Dynasty , giving you a chance to live, instead of struggling to survive like before. Are you willing to fight for the Ming Dynasty? "

"willing!"

"We will kill whoever the prince tells us to kill!"

"Your Highness, can you atone for your sins by performing a meritorious service? I want to go home and visit my mother!"

"Prince, if I have achieved great success, can you let me marry an aunt?"

"..."

The military discipline of these soldiers was really bad. They were laughing and making as much noise as a vegetable market.

Ju Ming asked the generals to restrain him, and waited until everyone was quiet before continuing: "Those who have done meritorious service will be rewarded, and they will have enough to eat every day. After three years, ten people will be selected to go home to visit relatives every year. As for women, it is up to you to snatch them away." . Where to rob? Across the sea is the Kingdom of Jin. We cross the sea several times a year to plunder, and destroy all the valuables we encounter. The women they rob must be handed over, and then they will be divided into wives by drawing lots!"

"Long live the prince!"

"I've done this deal!"

"I can steal ten women with one vote."

"I can grab a hundred."

"..."

Ju Ming could feel the "aggressiveness" of these bastards, and it was very reassuring to let them raid the hinterland of the Jin Kingdom.

After the lecture, Ju Ming asked the navy chief of Salmon Island: "I heard that you used to be from Liao?"

The general stood up and saluted: "The last general's name is Shi Huan. He used to be a general of the Jiangnan Navy of the Liao Kingdom. The Liao Kingdom did not pay wages for a long time, and the soldiers had to smuggle sea salt to make a living. When the Jin people came to Jinzhou, I joined them. The sailors under my command took their families and fled to Shandong by boat!"

The Jiangnan Navy of the Liao Kingdom was stationed in Jinzhou.

Ju Ming asked: "How many of the Liao naval forces surrendered to the Jin?"

"I don't know." Shi Huan shook his head and said.

The Liao naval bases were located in Lutai (Ninghe, Tianjin) and in Jinzhou. There are three remaining places, all on the Yalu River side.

Most of the Liao navy chose to surrender to the Jin, and the rest either rebelled and died, or fled to the Song Dynasty.

The Jin Kingdom did not think about fighting a naval battle with the Ming Dynasty. Half of the Liao Kingdom's navy was used to defend several major salt fields, and the other half was thrown into the Yalu River to defend Goryeo.

Ju Ming smiled and asked, "Then what do you know?"

Shi Huan said: "I know where the salt fields of the Jin Kingdom are. I can lead the Ming Dynasty navy to plunder the salt fields! The plan has been made. The criminals on Salmen Island are accustomed to taking sea ships. They will rob the seaside salt fields of the Jin Kingdom this month. (Dongxinzhuang Town, Suizhong County)."

"Very good." Ju Ming expressed satisfaction.

Returning to Dengzhou, Ju Ming reviewed the new army of Denglai again.

There are more than 5,000 new army troops here. The chief general is Zhao Li and the deputy general is Song Jiang.

It is not only to guard against enemies at sea, but also to deter the powerful Denglai forces.

The Shandong army brought back by Zhang Shuye from Tokyo was dispersed and mixed, and most of Song Jiang's old troops were organized in Jinan.

"Greetings to Your Highness!"

Thousands of new troops saluted in unison, with a rainbow of momentum and uniform behavior.

It doesn't look like a new army at all, but more like a strong force that has been fighting for a long time.

If you only look at the number of wars they have fought, they are really veterans of all battles. Many soldiers rebelled in Shandong, Hebei, and then attacked cities and territories, and then moved to Henan and Hebei.

Among them, there were even Western troops who followed Tong Guan in his expedition to Liao. After their defeat, they immediately turned into bandits in Hebei, and then they rebelled and fought in chaos all over the land.

They all crawled out of the dead!

With this kind of troop composition, personal force is no longer important, the key lies in their military discipline. Robbery of people, drinking and gambling, running away from battle... all the bad habits, and not very obedient to management.

Ju Ming observed the military appearance for a while, nodded in approval and said: "You have drilled well, how do you make the soldiers obedient?"

General Zhao Li replied: "Officers and soldiers eat and sleep together. Food and pay will not be withheld. Anyone who disobeys the order will be dealt with severely. At the end of the general's training for one year, six officers and 25 soldiers have been executed. They were beaten with rods, whipped, and punished with drills. , grain deductions are even more numerous."

Ju Ming asked with a smile: "After killing so many, the soldiers didn't make a fuss?"

Zhao Li replied: "Set the rules first, then impose punishments. Official affairs must be handled impartially, and there will be no favoritism!"

"A good man will never show favoritism, and you will be a good general." Ju Ming became more and more appreciative.

He is worthy of the posthumous title of "Zhonglie". When this man fought against the Jin Dynasty in the Southern Song Dynasty, he first rewarded the trophies captured to the soldiers. Every time he fought, he would be at the forefront. He personally beheaded any deserters he caught, and beheaded all the Jin soldiers he caught. He was beaten to death in a street fight, and when he woke up, he was able to steal the general's body and bury it. Every time he fought, he was shot like a hedgehog. Next time he would rush to the front. Unfortunately, he was killed by the Jin's thunder cannon while defending the city.

Zhao Li in this time and space was recruited by Gao Qiu when he was in Xuzhou. He surrendered to Zhang Bor with Gao Qi and followed Zhang Bor to pacify Shandong and was promoted for meritorious service.

Zhu Ming smiled and asked Song Jiang: "Do you obey this superior officer?"

"I'm convinced." Song Jiang's face turned red. He must have been defeated by Zhao Li, and there was nothing he could do against Zhao Li.

It is true that Song Jiang is an old thief, but how can he fight against a fierce man who is shot into a hedgehog every time he fights?

The one who is horizontal is afraid of being stunned, and the one who is stunned is afraid of losing his life!

"Will you also participate in this cross-sea raid?" Ju Ming asked.

Zhao Li replied: "Only a thousand infantry troops will go, and all the cavalry troops will go."

"Is that all Ma Jun?" Zhu Ming asked.

Zhao Li replied: "They are all here. There are six hundred riders in total. They are all horse thieves from Shandong."

Denglai is outrageous enough. The navy on Salmon Island is all serious criminals, the army is all old thieves, and even the cavalry are all horse bandits.

If nothing else, letting them rob homes and homes is definitely a matter of professionals.

In the past, he was doing evil in the Song Dynasty, but now he is going to the Kingdom of Jin to do business without capital!