Yang He looked pale and knelt on the ground. Hearing the edict, the eunuch raised his head and read out the imperial edict of Emperor Chongzhen.
Yang He listened to the harsh reprimanding tone of Emperor Chongzhen in the imperial edict.
Ever since he knew that King Zhu Changhao of Rui had been hanged by the thieves in yellow.
Yang He knew that he would not survive.
The emperor's uncle was killed under his rule.
Even if he had a few lives, he wouldn't be able to survive this hurdle.
He thought about committing suicide several times but could not make up his mind.
After Yang He heard the imperial edict, he did not expect that things would turn around.
The imperial court asked him to take charge of the crime and perform meritorious service to eliminate the thieves in yellow.
Yang He already knew his fate. No matter whether the suppression of the bandits was successful or not, he would die on the battlefield.
After suppressing the bandits and winning, Emperor Chongzhen thought of King Rui and easily found the blame, and his family did not end well.
If the suppression of the bandits fails, his life will definitely not be saved, and his whole family will probably be exiled.
To avoid this situation, one can only die and sacrifice one's life for the country.
He could not delay his son Yang Sichang's career.
Yang He stood up and took over the imperial edict, and immediately gave Gao Qiqian a thousand taels of gold.
"Eunuch Gao, this is just a small thing. Can you tell me about the situation in the court?"
The eunuchs were well informed, and the emperor convened the cabinet ministers on the platform to discuss matters.
These things could not be concealed at all, and soon spread in the palace.
Gao Qiqian saw the gold given by Yang He.
He told Yang He everything that happened at that time.
Only then did Yang He understand why he had the opportunity to commit crimes and make meritorious deeds.
Jiannu's invasion of Japan this time has already squandered all the money of the imperial court.
Gao Qiqian did not leave after reading the imperial edict.
He showed the Shang Shang Sword given by Emperor Chongzhen.
"Master Yang, our family came here this time to supervise the army and must capture the thief in yellow.
The emperor is waiting in the capital to use the head of the thief in yellow to pay homage to King Zhu Changhao of Rui."
Gao Qiqian knew he had to do this well.
This was the first time that the emperor reused eunuchs, and he no longer fully trusted those civil servants.
…
In the Governor's Yamen, Yang He and Gao Qiqian convened Shaanxi civil and military officials to discuss matters.
Yang He sat above him, with a sinister expression on his face and a look of risk-taking.
"Everyone already knows that the thieves in yellow have occupied Hanzhong Prefecture and Baoji County.
They went crazy and killed King Zhu Changhao of Rui and many gentry.
The emperor has issued an order for me to lead the troops to exterminate the thieves in yellow.
Please give your full support. Anyone who dares to slack off will be dealt with immediately by military law."
The generals who can come here are all generals or commanders.
When they saw Yang He's attitude, they knew they couldn't be vague this time.
Yuan Chonghuan directly beheaded Mao Wenlong, but he was not punished as he should have been.
All the generals present knew this.
Who dares to object now? Yang He, who has been forced to this extent, really dares to kill him directly.
Yang He saw that no one refuted, and the generals all supported him.
He immediately issued combat arrangements.
"Tiao Guyuan, Yansui, and Ningxia's three major military forces, as well as various local guards, totaled 70,000 people.
I am removing the 30,000 rebels I have recruited.
A total of 100,000 troops are deployed to defeat the yellow-robed thieves."
Yang He began to select generals, and the generals he chose were all very powerful generals.
After he ordered the generals, he looked at Hong Chengchou and congratulated: "Hong Shenzhen should be called Governor Hong now.
The emperor thinks highly of you and appoints you as governor of Yansui. You will be responsible for suppressing bandits in northern Shaanxi and take over my important task.
I hope you can maintain the current situation and not affect my work of suppressing bandits."
When Hong Chengchou looked at Yang He, he held back and did not curse.
This old guy was so insidious that he directly took away the main force of the army and left a mess for him.
Now there are still 50,000 to 60,000 rebels in northern Shaanxi, and his army only has a group of old, weak, sick and disabled people left.
But he couldn't refuse. The official level would crush people to death.
He is the governor of Yansui and can manage the military and political affairs of Yansui area.
Yang He was still the governor of the three sides. He was reprimanded by the emperor, but his power was not reduced by half.
If there is a conflict, Yang He has dozens of ways to deal with him.
Hong Chengchou responded with a smile: "I am here to wish Mr. Yang success.
The army has been suppressing bandits for many days and has been owed wages for three months. If the wages are not paid, there will be a mutiny.
I hope that when you go on an expedition, you can supplement the military pay of the soldiers."
Hong Chengchou knew Yang He's current situation.
I also know that the biggest problem he encounters now is lack of money.
This time the imperial court did not distribute a cent of military pay, but only allowed the use of Shaanxi local tax money.
Hong Chengchou knew that when the tax money was collected, it was all lost by the officials. The reason was that Shaanxi was severely affected by the disaster.
Many generals made their fortunes solely on empty pay.
Whenever there is a major war, the previous arrears must be paid, and a few more months of military pay must be paid.
Yang He's suppression of the bandits this time was a disaster.
Even if he succeeded in suppressing the bandits, his career would not go any further.
If you fail to suppress the bandits, your reputation will be ruined.
To exterminate the thieves in yellow, we can only rely on the officers and soldiers of Shaanxi, who are still seriously short of pay.
The odds of winning are too low.
Hong Chengchou tried his best to maintain superficial harmony with Yang He.
He was most afraid that Yang He would disregard Chongzhen's will and ask him to lead troops to exterminate the yellow-robed thieves.
Now he has no confidence at all to wipe out the yellow thief in a short time.
His situation is very good now. He just needs to wipe out the rebels in northern Shaanxi and train an elite army in the process.
When Yang He fails, he will inevitably become the new governor of the three sides.
When the time comes, we will have elite soldiers and strong generals, and both the thief in yellow and Yang He will be injured.
That's when the fruits of victory are harvested.
When Yang He heard about the issue of military pay, he frowned.
He looked at Shaanxi Chief Minister Li Yuanbao, who was sitting quietly beside him.
"Master Li, I will leave it to you to raise the money and food for this troop dispatch.
This year’s tax money will all be used for military pay.”
Li Yuanbao responded with a sad look on his face: "Governor Yang, no taxes will be collected this year.
Besides, the tax money of more than 200,000 taels a year is not enough for the army."
Yang He slapped the table and ordered in a stern tone: "If you confiscate it, bring it up and collect it again."
If the tax money is not enough, it will be apportioned to various places.
If any county cannot collect enough money and grain, I will directly lead troops to collect it."
Yang He knew that his reputation would be ruined if he gave this order.
A large army needs a lot of money to go on an expedition, and the local people don't have much money to scrape, so they have to collect money from the gentry.
He has no choice now, he must get through this difficulty, no matter what means he uses.
Li Yuanbao looked at Yang He with a murderous expression on his face.
His heart trembled, but he did not dare to refute the order and went ahead with the arrangement.
…
Yang He's order for the expedition was issued, and the entire Shaanxi Province was immediately mobilized.
The three major generals and the soldiers from various Shaanxi military units continued to gather towards Fengxiang Mansion.
Yang He removed 30,000 rebels and surrendered his troops to serve as the vanguard.
The Chief Secretary of Shaanxi Province ordered the recruitment of 50,000 corvees to provide logistics for the army.
…
In Xianyang County, Xi'an Prefecture, Dian Shi led several official servants.
Holding a knife, he stood in front of the home of local rich farmer Wu Xingwen.
"Mr. Yang He, the governor of the three sides, wants to suppress the bandits. Your family has a total of two hundred taels of silver for taxes and showdowns.
Now give me the money and we will leave immediately.
If we don’t give money and our brothers rush in, it’s hard to say what will happen.”
Wu Xingwen asked painfully: "Wu Xiucai, a gentleman in the village, paid five taels of silver.
His wealth is a hundred times that of mine, why should I pay so much?
Besides, the amount of tax money is wrong, how could I pay so much?"
Dianshi glared and scolded loudly: "If you have any money, please pay it quickly.
This tax money has been received from Chongzhen twenty years ago.
Even with this amount, if you don’t have money, you have to pay it even if you sell your son or daughter.
Wu Xiucai is a man of great fame, you can compare him to him."
Wu Xingwen was heartbroken and took out several jars of copper coins, worth a total of two hundred taels of silver.
This is the money their family has saved for decades to support their son’s education.
After he watched the official leave, he yelled: "Yang He, Yang Bapi, you will not die well."
Dian Shi took the official mission and continued to collect taxes in the village.
For those who could not pay the tax, their women and children were directly sold to offset the tax.
All the men were captured and used as corvees to transport grain.
…
On February 10, the third year of Chongzhen, Yang He officially sent out troops.
They claim to have an army of 200,000 to fight against the thieves in yellow.