"What if I agree and my father turns around and refuses to admit it?"
"It's not that he doesn't believe in dad's character, it's just... well, he just doesn't believe it."
Seeing the hesitation in Zhu Di's eyes, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said: "You don't have to rush to give us the answer. There is still time. You are still young. It won't be too late to wait until you are two years older to make a decision!"
After settling Zhu Di's affairs, Zhu Yuanzhang grabbed some food and then went back to his endless work.
The current situation in the late Ming Dynasty has greatly improved compared to more than a year ago. The basic situation of the Ming Dynasty south of the Yangtze River has been roughly clarified after more than a year of sorting out.
The huge community of interests formed by officials, businessmen, and gentry has been shattered by his manipulations.
Coupled with the exemption of various exorbitant taxes and the killing of nearly half of the large landowners, the originally acute land conflicts were alleviated.
It can be said that even if Zhu Yuanzhang withdraws directly now, the Ming Dynasty will not be defeated in a short time.
Because at this moment, a group of vested interests supporting Zhu Yuanzhang's policies have once again formed within the Ming Dynasty. Even if Zhu Yuanzhang is gone, they will still spontaneously maintain the current system.
Anyone who dares to oppose them has a sworn hatred against them.
Not even Emperor Chongzhen.
Of course, Zhu Yuanzhang will definitely not leave now. After all, the task of rebuilding the Ming Dynasty has not been completed, and the coveted task reward has not been obtained yet!
He is a hammer!
Not only would he not leave, he would also launch a new round of actions and plans as soon as possible.
After all, the mission time is very tight, and all his opponents have not been killed yet, so now is not the time to relax.
Zhang Xianzhong, Dorgon.
These are the last two names listed in Zhu Yuanzhang's notebook today.
One was restrained in the north by his previous strategy, trapped in the quagmire of war, unable to make any progress, while the other was already sitting in Sichuan, enjoying wealth and wealth.
However, surprisingly, the first target Zhu Yuanzhang set his sights on was not the Manchu Qing Dynasty, which was still fighting fierce battles with warlords of all sizes in the north, but Zhang Xianzhong, who was entrenched in Sichuan.
In fact, for more than a year, while Zhu Yuanzhang was rectifying the officials and gentry, he was also watching the situation in Sichuan with a cold eye.
He had long discovered that this Zhang Xianzhong would not achieve anything.
Since he ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, he has done nothing but indulge in women all day long and covet wealth.
Sichuan under his rule seemed peaceful, but in fact there was already an undercurrent.
It can be said that all walks of life in Sichuan are dissatisfied.
As a peasant soldier, after Zhang Xianzhong occupied Sichuan, he did not choose to completely liquidate the landlord class, but chose to compromise and appease.
At the same time, military discipline is strictly enforced, the military is not allowed to disturb the people, officials are regulated, and political clarity is strived for.
But he didn't realize at all that various conflicts in the late Ming Dynasty had already reached the point where they had to be resolved.
What Sichuan needs is not rectification of officials, but reform, a vigorous reform from top to bottom.
It is a pity that Zhang Xianzhong did not have such courage. In other words, as a peasant uprising, he was blinded by being allowed to fight and kill people and govern the local area.
The result of this was that the gentry were dissatisfied because they felt that Zhang Xianzhong was a bandit and now he was standing on their heads to shit and urinate, which was a humiliation.
The people were also dissatisfied, because after the peasant army, which was full of joy and expectation, took power, they were still the same, still oppressed by the landlords, still not full to eat, and still had no fields.
The troops under his command were also dissatisfied, because before they could burn, kill, and loot after conquering cities and territories, but now that the king of Daxi has proclaimed himself emperor, his brothers are not allowed to do this, and those who dare to do so will even be beheaded.
Isn’t this just killing the donkey?
Everyone has grievances, and everyone’s interests are not met. You don’t have to think about the consequences.
Historically, when the Qing army came, Zhang Xianzhong only experienced one defeat. In the blink of an eye, the entire Sichuan force to resist him sprung up like mushrooms after a rain.
There were even rebel generals under him who rebelled directly and became the leading party for the Qing Tatars.
It was precisely because Zhu Yuanzhang saw this that he targeted Zhang Xianzhong as his next opponent.
Because he knew very well that this opponent seemed to be strong, but in fact he was fragile and vulnerable.
As long as we can identify the most critical point, and then give it a gentle push, this rogue bandit group that has caused headaches for more than ten years from the Chongzhen Dynasty to the emperor and all the officials will fall apart in an instant.
Half a month later.
It is still Fengtian Temple.
Mao Xiang walked in quietly.
"Your Majesty, news has come back from Sichuan." He said softly.
"Oh...!" Zhu Yuanzhang stopped what he was doing, took the secret letter presented by Mao Xiang, glanced at it, and couldn't help but smile on his face.
"Is Zhang Xianzhong dead?" he asked.
"yes!"
Mao Xiang also laughed: "He was stabbed to death in the street by a real Tatar assassin. Of course, several of our brothers also played a small role in it."
"But there is no doubt that he died at the hands of Tatar spies."
"good!"
"Although King Daxi was a bandit, he was also the leader of a force recognized by the Ming Dynasty. The Tatars were so frantic that they assassinated King Daxi in the street. We cannot just sit idly by and watch this matter!"
"According to our decree, all the Tatar spies caught a few days ago and those traitors who want to defect to the Tatars will be arrested and executed in Lingchi to comfort the soul of King Daxi in heaven."
"In addition, you personally go to Sichuan to express condolences to King Daxi's men on my behalf, bring two copies of the marquis' edict and two earls' edicts, and ask them who is willing to continue to fight the Tatars to avenge King Daxi. You can
Just ban them."
"Also, use their hands to plow the official and gentry class in Sichuan." Zhu Yuanzhang said with a cold light in his eyes.
"Yes!" Mao Xiang agreed and was about to retreat.
"By the way, take the Fourth Brother with you and let him follow you to gain knowledge!" Zhu Yuanzhang said again.
"This... Sichuan is currently in chaos. Your Highness, the Fourth Highness, has a distinguished status. Why don't you take a moment?" Mao Xiang hesitated.
"How can our son not go through hardships? If you have anything to do here, just tell him to do it. Don't treat him differently just because his surname is Zhu, otherwise he will really be raised as a pig!"
"Look at these clans with the surname Zhu now. Every one of them is a fat pig ready to be slaughtered. They don't have any royal dignity at all."
Zhu Yuanzhang said with a cold face.
"Fourth!"
After Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking, he turned to look at Zhu Di and said: "No matter what your final choice is, if you want to live a smooth life in the future, you must develop skills, understand..."