Shandong has made matters worse. It has not rained since February this year. As the saying goes, spring rain is as precious as oil. This season is a critical period for wheat jointing and booting, and the requirements for moisture are very high.
It hasn't rained for several months, and the wheat is almost dying of drought.
Wheat is the main food crop along the coast of Shandong and in Qi County, Pingyuan County, Bohai County, Qinghe County, Wuyang County, Beihai County, Jibei County, and Dongping County in the lower reaches of the Yellow River.
There were floods last year and drought this year. It’s hard for gods to save us.
Zhang Xutuo is going crazy. The counties in Shandong and Hebei that are close to the Yellow River are all having problems. Yangxin County, the capital of Bohai County, has been occupied by the bandit leader Sun Xuanya, and his base camp in Qi County.
Lord Bo Mengrang led a mob of 500 people and occupied Linyi County.
In desperation, Zhang Xutuo urgently returned to attack Linyi. He defeated the enemy in a battle on the outskirts of the city. Meng Rang was defeated and fled. Zhang Xutuo also suffered heavy losses and had no choice but to return to Licheng to rest.
"Catch the young men. My father is deposing the ambassador for the six counties of Shandong Province. However, there are rebels in various places, and it is difficult for the officers of the six counties to support them. And our military pay is not much. If this continues, even Qi County will not be able to get out.
"Zhang Yuanbei persuaded.
Zhang Xutuo and a group of generals were discussing matters in the hall, and everyone was in a bad mood.
Around Qi County, five rebel thieves have emerged. Although Zhang Xutuo has sent orders to each county to recruit 2,000 guards to join forces with him, the progress is not smooth.
The reason is that people used Zhang Xutuo's recruitment order to recruit soldiers, but they were reluctant to send them to Zhang Xutuo, because once the soldiers left, their own safety would not be guaranteed.
However, they had to worry about Zhang Xutuo's demands for military pay, and military pay was Zhang Xutuo's only means of controlling the six counties other than deposing the ambassador and arresting the ambassador.
Zhang Xutuo has understood this truth for a long time, so he did not force it. As long as you have soldiers everywhere, the momentum of the rebels can be suppressed. Don't always let me fight in front and get my butt on fire.
"It's not yet time to catch strong men," Zhang Xutuo shook his head and said, "Your Majesty has given me permission to recruit troops in Shandong, but I still need to post recruitment notices in all counties, counties and villages. The military salary will be increased, five hundred yuan a month.
Three stones of grain and five bolts of cloth."
Zhang Yuanbei smiled bitterly and said: "With such a high military salary, our current inventory cannot last long."
Zhang Xutuo said: "If you don't increase the military pay, these strong men will become rebels. As one goes, it will be even more difficult for me in the future. The brocade your Majesty gave me will be sold quickly to raise military supplies."
"Half of it has been sold, and the rest is not easy to sell," Zhang Yuanbei said: "At this time, there are not many people who are willing to spend money and grain to buy brocade. We defeated Meng Rang in Linyi and took back the
Those supplies and those families who were robbed are asking us for them."
"What the hell!" General Xiong Bao said: "We took it back with our lives, why should we give it to them?"
Zhang Xutuo raised his eyebrows and said: "At this juncture, people's hearts and minds are of paramount importance. Wang Thief and others have deceived people's hearts and minds to become powerful. If I don't pay back, there will be chaos in Linyi. It's appropriate to withhold some food."
, give the rest back to them.”
Zhang Yuanbei shook his head helplessly.
On the contrary, a young general in the hall said with respect: "Your Majesty understands righteousness, and I will admire you. If I seize the people's wealth that the thieves have plundered, it will be unpopular. In the current situation, comforting the people's livelihood is the top priority.
.”
Zhang Xutuo couldn't help but laugh and said: "I thought you were a rough man, but I didn't expect you to have a delicate side. You came in time for the crisis in Linyi. The chaos in Shandong is a disease, but for the people in our army, you can't help but laugh."
This is also an opportunity. As long as you follow me well, you will be indispensable for my future achievements."
Cheng Yaojin laughed: "The last general went to the envoy just to be a wife and a shadow."
"Then you're overthinking it," Zhang Xutuo couldn't help but laugh: "I'm not even that far, but it's good that you have this ambition."
There was no trouble in Dong'e County. Cheng Yaojin saw no opportunity to make meritorious deeds. Hearing that Governor Zhang of Qi County was exercising the power to recruit troops in Shandong, he took 300 people to defect.
Then, Zhang Xutuo ordered everyone: "Send a message to the chief officials of all counties and counties. The city of Liaodong has been captured. My Sui Wang division will return in August at the latest. Let them appease the local area and spread the good news throughout the country."
All villages thought it was a shock."
This method is quite effective. Some people who have not followed the rebellion will hesitate when they hear the news, while those who have rebelled will be afraid. It has an inhibitory effect on the rebels' continuous acquisition of soldiers.
A slogan over there can attract tens of thousands of people, but Zhang Xutuo cannot attract so many people even with money and salary.
The imperial court in Shandong has lost people's support, and it will not be easy to restore it.
.......
Of course it was impossible for Yang Ming to do nothing.
Liu Su, the former minister of the Ministry of Industry, was now sent to Southwest Xingtai to serve as the minister of the Ministry of Industry in Xingtai. He cooperated with Gao Shilian of Honglu Temple to collect money in the name of building temples.
Money has always been available, but the price of food has soared. The ten pieces of money before can now only be spent as three pieces of money.
The key is to get food.
"Bashu has convenient water conservancy, fertile fields and thousands of miles, and there is no shortage of food, but it is all in the hands of local wealthy families. Now the court is in urgent need of food, so we simply find an excuse to kill several families and seize their property and confiscate it for Shandong." Li Mi is a man
Cruel man, this is what he said.
Yang Ming couldn't help but laugh and said: "This is a bad idea, does Xuan Sui have a better idea?"
Don't you always like to think of three strategies when things happen? Let's talk about it.
Li Mi said: "It is the best policy to accuse people of crimes, and it is the middle policy to set up clever names. It is the worst policy to pay taxes in advance."
Do you really have three strategies? Yang Ming said: "Why do I think that prepaying taxes for the coming year is better than committing a crime?"
Li Mi smiled and said: "This is an extraordinary period. The court has an urgent need. Prepaying taxes will delay time and make it inconvenient. The only way to solve the problem is to use thunderous means to seize homes and property. In fact, it is a crime of Luo Zhi. Now
I’m afraid it’s too late.”
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The wealthy families of the Central Plains are completely ruthless against Bashu. If this method is used on the wealthy families of the Central Plains, it will not work. Each family is too deeply involved. Some of you are
I, you are among me, if you move one, you will be involved.
Therefore, when it comes to aristocratic families, you can only touch a certain small house of a certain branch of the family, but you cannot touch the clan of the family.
And even if it happens, it is planned secretly and will not be blatantly stated on the table.
Yuan Wendu shook his head and said: "None of your three strategies will work. The chaos in Shandong has started a prairie fire. And if everything goes well, my army in front will return at the end of August, which is less than four months. Shandong is now
We can only hold on for a while. After these four months, if you get food from Bashu now, let alone whether you can get it, the transportation alone will be extremely expensive and time-consuming, which is not appropriate."
Yang Ming said directly: "What if we can't survive these four months? Or after four months, the rebellion is still not over? You have to think carefully before anything happens. Shandong is currently short of food. We can't ignore it and let them survive on their own. This is not
What the court should do."
"It's my fault that I didn't think carefully, and your Highness is the one who taught me a lesson," Yuan Wendu said hurriedly.
There was silence in the hall, and everyone looked solemn.
In fact, they are not too worried about the current situation in Shandong. What they are worried about is that the chaos will become bigger and bigger. After all, in recent days, there has been no good news in the military reports from Shandong.
"For the current plan, Your Highness might as well send a message to Zhang Xutuo to make him act more conveniently," said Chen Shuda of Jialing Temple.
Yang Ming was stunned for a moment, frowning in thought.
This is easy to do, but it is complicated. It means that Zhang Xutuo can do anything in the local area.
He can rob rich people and even civilians, and he can also make money under various pretexts. This is a huge test for the cadre's humanity. Those who have a conscience should leave some leeway in doing things, but those who have no conscience will be a bad thing.
By doing this, the court would have less of a burden. Zhang Xutuo would have greater authority, but he would have to bear the infamy.
"This method is feasible," Li Mi agreed: "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures should be taken. If Shandong continues to cause trouble, Hebei, Jianghuai and other places will be affected. The envoys granted by His Majesty are to delegate power to Zhang Xutuo. If His Highness makes another
Say hello and it will be easier for him to do things."
Li Gang nodded and said: "I agree, long-term pain is worse than short-term pain, and stubborn diseases require strong medicine. Zhang Xutuo is a safe man in doing things. I believe he will not mess around."
Yang Ming pondered for a moment and said: "It would be best if someone could keep an eye on him and restrain him on what he can and cannot do. I can tolerate him robbing the rich, but I will never allow him to exploit the people again. Which one of you is willing?
Let’s go to Shandong.”
"Xuanling did my duty," Fang Xuanling stood up and said: "Qijun is my hometown, and I know it well. I am willing to go to Shandong to assist Zhang Xutuo in suppressing the rebellion."
Their family's ancestral home is actually in Qinghe County, and Qinghe County and Qi County are neighbors. His father, Fang Yanqian, moved to Zhangqiu County in Qi County.
In fact, it means that we can no longer get property in our hometown, so we are expanding abroad.
Fang Xuanling wanted to go, but she had some selfish motives and acted expediently. This is the greatest delegation of power. It means that Zhang Xutuo can force money and food from any family. If you don't give it, I will condemn you.
As for Zhangqiu County, their family has a large amount of land and property. If he goes there, Zhang Xutuo will not attack their family.
As a result, Zhang Xutuo will definitely get a bad reputation in Shandong, but it doesn't matter. This is a lever that can be used to check and balance Zhang Xutuo. If the rebellion is put down in the future, just transfer him to another place.
"Okay!" Yang Ming nodded and said: "I will allocate three hundred guards for you and send you to Shandong. You take my handwriting and transfer ten ships of grain to Xingluocang, Luoyang, and take it to Shandong. Tell Zhang Xutuo that Shandong will be pacified.
On that day, I will make him a marquis."
"I accept your order!" Fang Xuanling said.
Then, Yang Ming looked at Liu Hongji again and said:
"Ning Huizao, you are responsible for the arrangements. Don't stay in the official post office. Go to Jinyang Tower. Good food and drinks are provided. He can do whatever he wants, but he is not allowed to leave the capital. No matter what excuse he uses to ask to see me, I will give it to him.
I'm blocking it."
"Don't worry, Your Highness," Liu Hongji said with a smile: "Even if he says that he is about to die, I will not let him leave the capital."