The huge gap in combat effectiveness made the battle process simply boring. Compared to the well-equipped Guardsmen who had been trained for more than half a year, the rebel farmers said that the mob had already promoted them.

After a round of artillery fire, there were only a few dozen casualties, and more than 10,000 people collapsed. They were surrounded by cavalry again, and countless people knelt down and surrendered.

Zhao Sheng, the lamplighter, wanted to take advantage of the chaos to escape, but was captured alive by Huang Degong's flying horse.

A counter-insurgency battle ended easily like this. More than a hundred people were killed on the spot and nearly 10,000 were captured. The remaining rebels took advantage of the chaos and fled to the surrounding areas. However, only four or five people in the Imperial Guard were injured, all of whom were Huang Degong's cavalry. Because of their carelessness,

Came off his horse.

In addition to the prisoners, more than 30,000 taels of silver, more than 500 taels of gold, and copper coins that were too late to be counted were also seized, all plundered by these rogues.

"You are the leader of the thieves. You are dressed like a scholar. Why are you rebelling?" Zhu Youjian said unexpectedly as he looked at the lamplighter Zhao Sheng who was brought in front of him.

Zhao Sheng knelt on the ground shaking like chaff. He already knew the identity of Zhu Youjian in front of him.

"Return, return to your Majesty, the common people did not want to rebel." Zhao Sheng trembled and told the reason for his rebellion.

A little boy who didn't even have any fame could easily persuade so many people and make such a big fuss. Zhu Youjian knew that the person in front of him was not an ordinary person.

"Have you ever thought about the consequences of such a big mess?" Zhu Youjian said calmly.

Zhao Sheng raised his pale face and said with trembling lips: "The guilty people know that they have committed an unpardonable crime and are willing to die. However, the people who follow the guilty people are innocent. They really can't live anymore, so they follow the guilty people and take risks. The guilty people

The people ask Your Majesty to forgive their sins."

Zhu Youjian shook his head: "What is the crime of resisting when they are about to starve to death? Why should I punish them? Only those who instigate their own selfish interests are guilty, and those who take the opportunity to kill others are guilty!"

He waved his hand and asked someone to take Zhao Sheng down.

The city gate of Qingjian County opened, and Peng Youmin, the magistrate of Qingjian County, and the gentry all over the city came to greet him with sincerity and fear. After kowtow, they invited Zhu Youjian to enter the city.

"It's a hot day and it's cool outside the city. I won't go into the city. You can just ask someone to send supplies to the army." Zhu Youjian said.

"I'll do it well." Peng Youmin knelt down and retreated, but he was quite disappointed. He defended the city under the attack of more than ten thousand rebels, but he did not receive any commendation from the emperor.

Zhu Youjian had no idea about Peng Youmin and the gentry. He called Zhou Yuji and ordered him to give some of the food to the prisoners and let them cook for themselves.

Smoke rose from the prison camp, and the prisoners felt relieved when they saw that there was food to eat.

Under Zhang Shize's escort, Zhu Youjian walked leisurely in the prisoner camp, looking at them with pairs of blank and numb eyes.

Zhu Youjian stopped from time to time and asked the prisoners in front of him. The prisoners all answered cautiously, for fear that one of them would be beheaded.

Dark skin, half-clothed bodies, thin bodies with ribs exposed, slightly hunched waist, dull and confused eyes, this is the image of most of the prisoners, they are all ordinary farmers in northern Shaanxi, but Zhu

You Jian knew that it was this group of farmers who overthrew his own Ming Dynasty more than ten years later in his previous life, forcing him to kill his wife and daughter and hang himself!

Do you hate them? Maybe you should, but Zhu Youjian can't hate them because they are innocent. They work hard in the fields, but most of the harvest is taken away. They work all year round but don't have enough food and clothing. They feed the court, feed the gentry, and feed the feudal lord.

The royal family, but no one thanked them, everyone regarded them as cattle and horses, objects that could be insulted at will.

They couldn't bear it anymore and took desperate risks, messing up the whole world and bringing down the Ming Dynasty. They themselves were also buried together with their families and their families. The ones who had the last laugh were not only the Tartars who took the opportunity to take over the Central Plains, but also the group of gentry who took refuge with the new master.

.

After seeing the prisoners, Zhu Youjian returned to the camp and summoned officers above the general level and soldier committee members for a meeting.

Soon, dozens of officers and more than a hundred soldier representatives came and lined up to sit on the yellow soil.

"Everyone, what do you think of these prisoners outside?" Zhu Youjian asked calmly.

"Your Majesty, many of them are ordinary people, but they were bewitched by others. The general suggested that only the chief culprit be killed and the others returned to their hometowns." After looking at the others, Zhou Yuji was the first to speak.

Zhu Youjian said: "I'm not asking how to deal with them, but why do they want to rebel?"

Why? It’s not like I can’t survive. The officers and soldiers present thought to themselves, but no one dared to say it.

Zhu Youjian sneered and said: "If you don't tell me, then I will tell you the reason."

"Most of them rebelled because they were about to starve to death and could no longer survive. This place in northern Shaanxi has been experiencing drought for four consecutive years, and it is even worse this year. Everyone has seen that the ground has been cracked by the sun, and the crops in the fields

They all dried up. However, the rent and taxes they were supposed to pay were not much at all! The government servants were like wolves and tigers, and rushed into their homes and robbed them of all their food. They could no longer survive and had to take desperate measures.

What makes their life so difficult? Is it me? No! Just a few months ago, I decreed a tax reduction or exemption for Shaanxi this year. Just at the beginning of this year, I ordered the allocation of 500,000 shi of grain to provide relief to the victims of the disaster in Shaanxi!

However, when I asked, they didn’t even know about the tax reduction or exemption. Some knew a little bit, and the government officials said that taxes would be collected in advance for the coming year. However, the grain for disaster relief has not reached northern Shaanxi at all!"

The officers and soldiers were shocked when they heard this. Zhang Shize couldn't help but ask: "Who is so bold that he even dares to disobey His Majesty's imperial edict?"

"Good question!" Zhu Youjian said loudly, "I also want to know, so I came here personally!"

"Along the way, from Hebei to Shanxi, all the way to northern Shaanxi, I asked many people, and I also have the answer in my mind."

"The reason why the people outside are in such hardship is because there are three big mountains weighing on their heads, one is the feudal prince's family, the other is the evil gentry in the countryside, and the third is the evil officials in the government."

"Shaanxi has two kings of Qin and Rui. King Qin is in Guanzhong and King Rui is in Hanzhong. In addition, there are more than ten vassal kings, hundreds of generals, and thousands of lieutenants. They occupy half of the land in Guanzhong and Hanzhong, and they need tens of millions every year

A stone's salary and rice, and these burdens are placed on the heads of all the people of Shaanxi, and on the heads of those who rebel outside. Every year, part of their harvest is used to support the vassal princes and clans in Xi'an Prefecture.

These vassal kings and clans are all my blood relatives, but in order to support them, I have spent too much money and money, and I cannot protect them. Therefore, I have decreed to reform the vassal system, inventory the private lands of the vassal, and make the clan as much as possible.
Chapter completed!