Five hundred and thirtieth chapters original clear source
"You all can speak freely and honestly. Zhang Shicheng has been in Suzhou for almost ten years. From the time he first surrendered to the Yuan Dynasty to later accepting the canonization of the Ming Dynasty, how did he do? How are his subordinates? How should we make a final conclusion? How should we judge these ten years!
As Zhang Ximeng spoke, he looked at the people in the audience. There were many wealthy and wealthy people who were inclined towards the Ming Dynasty. There were also people like Shi Boren who had their families ruined by Zhang Shicheng. There were also Suzhou talents led by Gao Qi and others.
Plus some people brought by Zhou Huiniang.
Sitting together, these people can probably give Zhang Shicheng an evaluation.
But this topic is so heavy that no one dares to speak.
The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. At this moment, Zhang Shicheng has been captured by the Ming army. If you speak for him, isn't that praising the bandits?
Do you still think about it?
Of course, they were all under Zhang Shicheng's rule in the past. If they were just scolding, then why didn't they take any action in the past? The question is probably why you don't wear a hat, who told you to wear a hat?
No matter how I answer, if I want to cause trouble for you, don't even think about running away.
Therefore, everyone chose to remain silent.
Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "I know what worries you guys have. In fact, you don't have to worry about anything. Whether it's Han Shantong, Peng Yingyu, Liu Futong, Chen Youliang, we Ming Dynasty all have a conclusion, whether it is praise or criticism, because
It’s just so convincing.”
"Everyone, we are in troubled times. The world is falling apart, wars are constant, and heroes are rising together. To be able to become the overlord of one party, at least you have done something right. At least you have to have considerable support. Otherwise, you will not be able to dominate one party, especially if you can
After occupying the prosperous Suzhou for ten years, what happened to Zhang Shicheng and the force under his command? From eighteen poles to dominating one area, from being the overlord of one area to having no one to respond.
, between ups and downs, we cannot just attribute it to destiny. Only by explaining the truth clearly can we provide reference and warning for future generations.'
Zhang Ximeng said seriously again: "We, the people, have to take responsibility for future generations and make things clear, so I want to ask you to be responsible for the history of the ages, speak for all the people of the world, and judge Zhang Shicheng fairly. Please rest assured that this time
If you speak, you will never be punished for your words, let alone have any worries.'
Zhang Ximeng looked at it again, and finally smiled at Qian Yongqin and said: "You have many contacts and participate in negotiations between the two parties. Just tell me, how is Zhang Shicheng?'
Qian Yongqin had no choice but to think about it and said: "Prime Minister Zhang, Zhang Shicheng is ignorant of current affairs, greedy for money and lust, and indulges in enjoyment. His subordinates are all a group of desperadoes. Naturally, he has committed a heinous crime. Needless to say, he has also helped the people. His mother Cao Cao
On his birthday, Zhang Shicheng opened a porridge factory and donated grain and rice. In particular, he also spent his money on regulating the Baimao River, building dams, solving floods, and planting sericulture extensively, allowing trade to travel far and wide.
I don't know how to draw a final conclusion, I'm afraid I have to ask Prime Minister Zhang for advice.'
Zhang Ximeng smiled slightly. It can be said that he was not surprised at all by these comments. He was completely expected. Perhaps at this point, we can make a comprehensive conclusion. He has done some good things, but he is still a heinous bastard.
In other words, his surrender to the Yuan Dynasty was detrimental to his integrity, and no matter what he did, he was not worthy of recognition.
Zhang Ximeng did not jump to conclusions, but asked: "Mr. Qian mentioned the Baimao River. It seems that this flood control is very important. Then I would like to ask, are there any changes before and after the water control?'
Qian Yongqin cheered up and immediately said: "Replying to Prime Minister Zhang, before the river was regulated, the floods flooded. Every three or two years, the fields on both sides of the river would be submerged, and the people were miserable. But after the river was regulated, there were no more floods on both sides of the river.
There are as many as half a million acres of mulberry fields alone!”
"Is it just Sangtian?" Zhang Ximeng suddenly asked.
Qian Yongqin was stunned and could only explain: "Xiang Zhang, this is suitable for growing mulberry. An acre of mulberry field can earn more than an acre of farmland. This is also a good thing that benefits the country and the people."
"Really?" Zhang Ximeng asked again.
Qian Yongqin was shocked and didn't know how to answer. Isn't it wrong?
At this time, Shi Boren suddenly said, "Mulberry fields are more profitable than farmland, but what the people eat in their bowls is rice, not raw silk! After all, building river embankments and planting mulberry trees is still good for big households!"
Qian Yongqin was even more surprised and had to say: "Growing mulberry, raising silkworms, and reeling and weaving silk naturally need to be used by the common people. Many people make a living from this. It is not necessarily true that it is only good for big households!"
The two men began to argue faintly, and everyone present had various thoughts. Some people agreed with Shi Boren's view, while others thought it was more fair to use money to use hard work.
Zhang Ximeng said: "Since you have an argument, you might as well take a look at how much manpower and material resources were used before and after the treatment of the Baimao River, and how much effect it produced. After the treatment, how many mulberry fields will there be, and what is the people's livelihood like? Finance and taxation
Whether it increases, and whether it enriches the country and the people!"
Zhang Ximeng looked around the audience and said to everyone: "This matter is extremely important. Once we understand the whole truth, we can fairly evaluate Zhang Shicheng and figure out what happened in Suzhou City in these years!"
With Zhang Ximeng's words, both sides started to move.
Compared with Qian Yongqin, Shi Boren has followed Zhang Ximeng for so many years and learned too many skills from the Ming army. What's more, for the sake of his own hatred, he has to figure this out and not become a fool.
!
As Shi Boren went to visit, Gao Qi and others were not idle either.
In addition, Wu Datou and Zhou Huiniang all arranged their own people or visited in person. Gradually, a terrible truth emerged.
After Zhang Shicheng entered Suzhou, the city and the outside of Suzhou were completely two worlds.
Especially in the past few years, after leaving Suzhou City, rural areas went bankrupt and farmers fled. There were hundreds of thousands of people who fled to the Ming army alone!
This does not include those people who arrived at Taihu Lake and became bandits, or who went to sea with the fleet and became pirates.
Mulberry cotton cannibalizes people, leaving the people with no clothes on their bodies and no food to eat. This is the reality in rural Suzhou!
"Prime Minister Zhang, Zhang Shicheng wanted to enjoy himself and raise troops. Earlier, he also supplied grain to most of the capital, which all fell on the people of Suzhou. In order to satisfy his selfish desires, Zhang Shicheng connived with the big households, annexed the land, and planted mulberry cotton instead.
Earn more.
Shi Boren spoke loudly and introduced the situation to Zhang Ximeng.
Silk and cotton are indeed more profitable than food, but will the common people benefit more from it?
It seems not necessarily.
First, in order to grow more mulberry trees and produce more silk, the big households wantonly annexed land and turned the common people into tenant farmers, growing mulberry and raising silkworms for them. Most of the income fell into the hands of the big households, while the common people received only a small part.
That's not a big deal. Since you plant mulberry trees, you have to buy rations. Unfortunately, the rations are also in the hands of large households. With the land and rations, a cow will have two layers of skin peeled off!
The outcome can be imagined.
Can those people who have not been robbed of their land and are still farming, sit back and relax?
What are you thinking!
The land has been annexed, but the taxes cannot be evaded!
Not only could they not escape, but they also fell twice as hard on ordinary people.
After years of hard work, I deducted taxes and calculated carefully.
There is not enough food.
Of the three hundred and sixty days, you have to drink water or simply go hungry for three hundred days.
Some people who were even worse off couldn't make a living anymore, so they simply sold their land to big households and changed from owner-cultivators to tenant farmers.
"Prime Minister Zhang used 20,000 civilians to control the Baimao River, and no fewer than 300 people died from exhaustion. After the governance, more than 500,000 acres of fertile land were created, all of which were occupied by large households, as well as adjacent acres.
They were robbed by all means. By controlling floods and building dams, the people not only did not get any benefits, but on the contrary, their families were destroyed. This is Zhang Shicheng's contribution to flood control!'
When Shi Boren said this, he was already gnashing his teeth.
Credit?
fart!
Anyone who unconscionably says that Zhang Shicheng has meritorious service has lost his mind!
When they gathered together again, Shi Boren told everyone this truth. Qian Yongqin was obviously startled. He really didn't expect it."
"Water control has not always been like this in the past. The disadvantages are in the present, but the merits are in the future. If there were not some merits, the people would not agree with water control!"
Shi Boren laughed loudly, "If you say so, Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty will also be an eternal sage!"
Qian Yongqin said with a sullen face: "That's not what I meant, why would you want to add a crime to it!"
Shi Boren was unafraid and said sternly: "The people agree with flood control, but they don't agree with this type of water control that is only for the convenience of the rich! Before and after the flood control, the people's wives and children were scattered, and they fled to death. How could they have a chance to talk? Not all of them had benefited.
The rich people are wagging their lips and whitewashing it for Zhang Shicheng. If this continues, I'm afraid it won't be long before Zhang Shicheng becomes a model of loving the people like a son. Instead, I, the Ming Dynasty, will become a bandit!"
Qian Yongqin's expression changed again and again, and the other big households also felt uncomfortable, as if hundreds of insects were crawling all over their bodies. They all focused their attention on Zhang Ximeng, begging Prime Minister Zhang to speak a fair word for them.
At this time, Zhang Ximeng finally showed a happy smile.
"Everyone, please clarify the source and clarify right and wrong. This is the most important thing. We captured the city and captured a lot of territory, including the horse farm built by the Yuan Dynasty. We, the Ming soldiers and horses, were able to prepare cavalry and made meritorious service in all the battles.
It is well known that the Song Dynasty had been suffering from no horses and suffered from bullying. Now that there are horses, can it be regarded as a contribution to the Yuan Dynasty?"
"I'm afraid it's not possible! They occupied land, built horse farms, snatched people's fields, herded horses in the Central Plains, and killed without calculation. Their actions were not to leave hundreds of thousands of war horses for the Central Plains. In the same way, Zhang Shicheng
The Baimao River embankment was not built to benefit the people of Suzhou. To put it more simply, it was just to make it easier to cut flesh from the people."
"This is my conclusion. You might as well copy this paragraph and give it to Zhang Shicheng so that he can take a good look at it!"
After receiving these words, Zhang Shicheng was furious, and then burst into tears. Zhang Ximeng was torn away from his last bit of dignity.
Why didn't you kill me earlier?
Zhang Shicheng was like a wounded wolf, wailing on his deathbed!