Twenty-two-year-old Li Zicheng was sitting at the door of his house, looking at the people coming and going outside. Some of the hot sunlight shone on him, and he felt a little groggy.
A month ago, he was a postman at the Yinchuan Post of the imperial court. Although his salary was not much, he could still maintain his family's livelihood. Who knew that the post station would be abolished under an order from the imperial court.
Otherwise, at this time, he should be either delivering official documents on the official road or tending the big yellow horse at the inn, instead of sitting idle at the door like now, thinking about what to eat next?
As for what he could eat, the last thing he had at home was millet. It would be okay to cook porridge for a few more days, but he had a big problem in front of him that he had to solve immediately.
When his father died, he borrowed money from the wealthy Ai Ju family to help pay for his father's funeral. Over the past few years, the money he borrowed has not been fully repaid, but it has become more and more.
He used to work as a postman at the inn, and Ai Juren didn't have the time to go to the inn to collect debts. However, now that he has returned to Mizhi, it is another matter.
"Uncle, why are you still here? Go and hide. Someone from the government is looking for you!"
A young man from a distance ran over in a hurry. When he saw him sitting in front of the door, he shouted to him anxiously.
"Why are you still so frivolous!" Li Zicheng looked at his nephew: "Your uncle has not committed any crime. What should I be afraid of when the government comes looking for me? Maybe things at the inn have gone wrong!"
"No!" The young man was Li Zicheng's nephew Li Guo. At this moment, he was sweating profusely: "It was the Aiju man who sued you to the county government, saying that you refused to repay the debt and deliberately denied it...
…”
While he was talking, the far corner turned around, revealing the figures of two businessmen. At a glance, he saw Li Zicheng sitting in front of the door. The businessman pointed at Li Zicheng and shouted loudly: "Boy, stand still and don't move. Your lawsuit has been filed."
, don’t make things difficult for me, brother!”
Li Zicheng stood up and smiled at Li Guo: "Take care of your aunt, I'll go with them!"
Two officers came over and put an iron chain on Li Zicheng's neck. Seeing that he showed no intention of resisting, they seemed relieved.
An official gave Li Zicheng a slap in the face: "I'm so arrogant, I thought it was a tough case, but I didn't expect that I'm a coward!"
Li Zicheng turned his head sharply and looked at the official in front of him fiercely. He was not angry but was intimidating. The official's heart skipped a beat, and he stopped kicking him the second time.
"Why are you staring at me? I'm back at the county office. Let's see how I deal with you!"
"Uncle..." Li Guo called from behind a few people. Li Zicheng turned around, smiled at Li Guo, and followed the officials away.
At the same time, Beijing and the Forbidden City!
The heat of the afternoon seemed to be driven away by a bowl of cool sour plum soup. Zhu Youjian took a long breath of relief and waved the waiter to leave.
"Yuan Qing's family, keep talking!"
In front of him was Yuan Chonghuan, who had been reinstated as the Minister of War and served as the right deputy censor of the capital, the governor of Ji Liao, and the governor of Denglai and Tianjin military affairs. Today he was summoned by the emperor to the palace and was describing the military affairs.
.
Being able to be rewarded with something like sour plum soup to relieve the heat when this gentleman's prelude is right shows Zhu Youjian's appreciation for Yuan Chonghuan.
"If we follow the Yuan Qing family's strategy, we can expect the Yuan Qing family to regain the Liao territory!"
Yuan Chonghuan, who was in front of him, was calm and confident: "The strategy has been laid out. I accept your majesty's special favor, and I am willing to take advantage of it. In five years, the whole Liao can be restored!"
"Five years?" Zhu Youjian was surprised, and then overjoyed: "Is the Qing family confident that they can regain Liao territory within five years? If it is true that the Qing family can accomplish this, it will be a blessing to our Ming Dynasty, and it will be a blessing to our country, Zhu Youjian."
I will never be stingy about rewarding princes and princes when it comes to the important matters of my family’s descendants!”
Yuan Chonghuan looked solemn: "I dare not speak nonsense in front of His Majesty!"
Zhu Youjian's heartfelt laughter suddenly erupted in the entire palace: "This is the Qiancheng of my country, my arms. If you have any requests, just ask!"
"Of course this is not something I said in front of His Majesty because I was hot-headed!" Yuan Chonghuan said: "Five years is just a rough estimate by me. If things go smoothly, it may be possible some time in advance."
"Don't be anxious, have a strategy, proceed slowly, everything is stable!" Zhu Youjian comforted him: "The best policy is to be foolproof. If you leave behind troubles for a few months and a half, when the time comes,
It’s not worth it if the court still has to spend countless money on food and soldiers to solve these troubles!”
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!" Yuan Chonghuan said: "In these five years, the Ministry of Household Affairs will transfer military pay, the Ministry of Industry will supply equipment, the Ministry of Personnel will employ people, and the Ministry of War will deploy troops and select generals. In order to achieve success, everything inside and outside the court must cooperate.
This matter is not the matter of one person, nor is it the matter of Your Majesty alone, but the matter of everyone in the court. If anyone among them obstructs, perfunctory, or even ruins a major event, it will affect my strategy!"
"Don't worry about this!" Zhu Youjian said in a deep voice: "Don't talk about the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the Ministry of War. As long as the trouble in the north can be quelled, it doesn't matter if everyone in the Ming Dynasty and the whole country will do their best for this matter.
, if anyone dares to obstruct it, I will punish him severely and will never tolerate it!"
"Also, I heard that there are frequent civil unrest in Shaanxi, and the local government fails to respond well, and even uses border troops to suppress it!"
Yuan Chonghuan continued: "The Nine Borders are the Nine Borders of the Ming Dynasty. Each border town has its own responsibilities. If the elite of the border army is deployed to suppress civil unrest, it will not only ruin the minister's strategy, but also make it worse.
The border troops have lost their awe of the war. You must know that the civil war is just a group of unarmed refugees, and the real enemy of the border troops is the Jiannu cavalry with unparalleled cavalry and shooting!"
"Aren't you going to mobilize the border troops to suppress the civil unrest?" Zhu Youjian's face dimmed for a moment, and then he nodded: "I can also agree to this. No matter what the civil unrest is, I don't think you will mobilize any troops from the Jiliao border army.
Yi pawn, since I am using you, I won’t let you feel restricted!”
"In this case, I have no other requests!" Yuan Chonghuan thanked him: "I will dedicate myself to your majesty to complete this great cause of peace and Liao Dynasty!"
"Not enough!" Zhu Youjian shook his head: "I think this is not enough. I will give you a Shangfang sword and grant you the third rank of civil servants. Officials below the second rank of military attachés will be beheaded first and then report their duties. In Jiliao, Denglai, Tianjin, I promise
You act expediently and have the right to make decisions at the spur of the moment!"
Yuan Chonghuan's face was calm: "Thank you, Your Majesty for your kindness!"
"Yuan Qing's family!" Zhu Youjian let out a long breath, as if he was going to spit out all the arrogance of Hou Jin that Ming Dynasty had suffered in the past few years in Liaodong, Liaoxi, Liaobei and North in one breath: "I have high hopes.
As for you, you must never let me down!"
"My dear! No! No!" Yuan Chonghuan replied in a sonorous and forceful manner.