The young emperor in the Chengqian Palace was overjoyed by the good news coming from Shaanxi. However, Hong Chengchou, who had reported the good news, was in his Yansui Governor's Yamen in Yulin, but he was not happy at all.
Last year, Yang He was sent to Beijing as an envoy to investigate the crime because of Shenyikui's rebellion. Hong Chengchou was promoted to governor of the three sides as governor of Yansui. However, the good times did not last long, but because he "supported the troops and refused to advance, the thieves caused a riot in the Central Plains."
He was charged with taking away the post of governor of the three sides and still served as governor of Yansui. However, his old boss Yang He's son, Yang Sichang, the former governor of Shanhaiguan, was promoted to the right minister of the Ministry of War and the censor of the right Qiandu, governor of Xuanfu, Datong, Shanxi
In military affairs, he jumped up to take over his position as governor of the three sides, which made Hong Chengchou quite depressed. What made him feel even more upset was that Chen Qiyu, the new governor of the five provinces, succeeded him when he was promoted to governor of the three sides.
It was Chen Qiyu who took the position of governor of Yansui.
Today, not only the son of his old boss has become his boss, but his old subordinates have also become his bosses. This cannot help but make Hong Chengchou feel tight-chested and panicked. He also knows his shame and forges ahead. In the past ten months, he has quelled seventeen places of banditry, large and small, and has returned to Hong Chengchou.
Ten days ago, the bandit leader Wang Jiayin was killed in one fell swoop, which brought peace to most of Shaanxi Province. It was a great achievement.
Having accomplished great achievements and wiped out his own shame, Hong Chengchou should be happy, but he didn't look happy at all. On the contrary, the people below cheered and encouraged him.
"I would like to express my congratulations to Lord Futai. When the good news arrives in Beijing, His Majesty will be greatly pleased. Your merits will be rewarded with great rewards." The person who entered the room was Yang Xian, who recorded his participation in the army. When Hong participated in politics for Shaanxi Province, he was only a county official.
One of the Confucian scholars in the middle learned from his predecessor, Ban Zhongsheng, who abandoned literature and joined martial arts, and he had gained experience over the past few years. He was a man of great intelligence, and was favored by Hong Chengchou among his subordinates.[
"I am just fulfilling my duties as a minister, but if I can help your father and you, I am satisfied with my wish. I don't care about any rewards from the court." Hong Chengchou said a few words in a calm manner, and raised his hand to signal.
Qin Xian sat down and talked.
After Qin Xian sat down, he sincerely praised: "Your Majesty is so noble and upright, I am ashamed of myself." After a pause, he said: "But not everyone is as magnanimous as your Majesty. Some people wish that you were reprimanded repeatedly.
You are so talented, how can you expect to see the greatness of an adult?"
There was something in Qin Xian's words. Hong Chengchou didn't know it, but he didn't want to say anything more. He just asked, "How is Yang Junmen doing now?"
"Why do you need to ask him, sir?" Qin Xian was startled for a moment, and said with hatred: "Yang He raised the bandits and caused trouble, ruining lives. The imperial court punishing him for his crimes is retribution. Who can blame him?"
Hong Chengchou listened silently and sighed: "Shen Yikui rebelled again, and Yang Junmen also tried his best..." He raised his eyes and looked at Qin Xian, "Is there any news from General Du?"
Du Zongbing refers to Du Wenhuan, the chief military officer of Guyuan. He fought against the northern barbarians in many places in the Hetao area and made many gains. During the Tianqi period, he led his troops to participate in pacifying the "She'an Rebellion". After the civil unrest in the northwest, he also led his troops to march eastward.
To attack the west, the commander-in-chief of Guyuan, the commander-in-chief on the right, was one of the generals under Hong Chengchou, and he was leading the Guyuan troops to besiege the bandits who had fled to Ningsai City.
"There is not much food stored in Ningsai City. The city is besieged and internal and external transportation is cut off. When the food and grass are exhausted, there is no need to worry about the leader being captured without hesitation. General Du is also a veteran on the battlefield, and his soldiers and horses have defeated many thieves, so there is no need to
Worry."
"I still have to go to Guyuan. Only when I see the thieves being crowned with my own eyes can I feel at ease."
Although Qin Xian spoke with great confidence, Hong Chengchou was still a little worried. After resting for a few days in Yulin, it was time to leave for Guyuan.
Hearing that Hong Chengchou was going to Ningsai, Qin Xian hurriedly reminded: "If you go to Guyuan, where is Chen Qiyu?"
Chen Qiyu, the governor-general of the five provinces, sent an official document a few days ago, saying that he would mobilize troops to Yulin, and that the governor of Yansui would be under the jurisdiction of the governor-general of the five provinces. Naturally, Hong Chengchou could not leave lightly.
Hong Chengchou smiled nonchalantly and told Qin Xian: "Ask Wang Chengen to lead his troops to garrison in Yulin. If Mr. Chen comes, just follow his orders."
This Wang Chengen is not the big crotch man next to the emperor, but Wang Chengen, the chief military officer of Yulin, who has the same name but the same surname but a different person.
"My subordinates are going to make arrangements now." Seeing that Hong Chengchou had made up his mind, Qin Xian followed the instructions and went out to make arrangements.
The servants brought dinner, and after Hong Chengchou ate it hastily, he wrote a long plea for Yang He overnight. After he had finished transcribing it, he checked it carefully, and when he saw the end, he couldn't help but recited silently: "Yang He has been cautious since he came here. I have been planning for the place every day, and everything has been done from the perspective of enclosing the frontier. Even if there are one or two raids, there are also suppression and appeasement. The situation has to be like this. However, being poor and desolate is more beneficial, and thieves are becoming more and more numerous. They attack here and there, and one is destroyed and another is destroyed. .The change of Shen Yigui is really extraordinary and unexpected. With Yang He around, I feel uneasy, and I beg your Majesty to be lenient."
Seeing that there were no omissions or clerical errors, Hong Chengchou felt that he should beg for favors for Yang He. After all, Yang He was his old boss, and his son Yang Sichang was now the governor of the three sides. If you can't ask for mercy, then Yang Sichang will always sell his love in the future, and there will be no difficulties in meeting and dealing with each other in the future.
At the fourth watch, Hong Chengchou took his personal bodyguards Cai Tong, Jin Qiude and others, summoned Qin Xian's staff, led three thousand Hong soldiers and rushed to Ningsai City in Guyuan.
Du Wenhuan, the chief military officer of Guyuan who was at the gate of Ningsai City, had a grudge against Yikui, the leader of thieves in the city, for killing his brother. After besieging Ningsai City, he couldn't bear the thought of his brother's family dying tragically at the hands of the thieves in the city. They attacked the city by force. They were too anxious to get off, but they injured many soldiers. When Hong Chengchou arrived with his Hong soldiers, he hurriedly left the camp to meet each other. After meeting, he asked himself to be punished.
However, Hong Chengchou did not mean to blame him. Instead, he helped him up and comforted him: "These thieves had better be smart, otherwise they will be forced to surrender and fight to the death, which will be difficult. Fighting with trapped animals is not the best." It's a good deal, and there are no casualties, so we have to call for QGU. Come on, lead the way. I want to meet the Shen Yikui for a while." [
Du Wenhuan was moved and hurriedly led the way, leading Hong Chengchou to a high place. He saw the leader of the thieves, Yikui, standing guard at the top of the city, followed by Huang Youcai, Zhang Mengjin, Liu Jin, Xu Hongru and others.
Hong Chengchou watched for a moment and suddenly asked from a distance: "Shen Yikui, when you planned to kill Ru to become famous, you swore to submit to the imperial court, but why did you change your mind in the blink of an eye? Now that the soldiers have arrived, which brother do you want to kill to deal with the emergency?" You are such a loyal rat, but there are still people following you, seriously!"
When his scandal was exposed in public, Shen Yikui was immediately embarrassed and frightened. He forced himself to retort: "We are all brothers who have drank blood and wine. We cannot be born on the same day. I hope..."
Hong Chengchou didn't wait for him to finish, and burst into laughter: "Brother? Who will listen to your nonsense! When you had a way out, did you ever care about brotherhood? If so, how could Ru Chengming die in your hands? Now you are trapped Gucheng, another disaster is approaching, do you still want to exchange your brother's life for wealth?" His words were aggressive and did not give Shen Yikui a chance to refute.
"You, you're talking nonsense!" Shen Yikui was furious, but he didn't know how to defend himself. His face turned pale with anxiety, and he didn't even dare to look back at the people behind him.
Huang Youcai and Zhang Mengjin became suspicious, and they secretly glanced at each other. Huang Youcai tentatively said: "Brother, the leader has many officers and soldiers. If he fights an alien and seeks death, why not demote him again?"
Shen Yigui was silent, but his confidant Liu Jin shouted sternly: "Brother, don't be bewitched by him! Hong Chengchou is cruel and ruthless, far more ruthless than Yang He. We have already surrendered to the rebels, and this time we surrender again, how can anyone surnamed Hong rest assured?"
If we don't light up the sky lanterns, we will be buried alive. Brother, please don't make the wrong decision!"
Shen Yikui's expression was gloomy. He was already in a state of confusion. Reinforcements from the army outside the city had arrived, and Hong Laojiu, the murderous man who did not blink an eye, had also arrived. Ningsai City might not be able to be defended anymore.
I am afraid that many more lives will be lost overnight, so I have to find a way to escape as soon as possible.
Shen Yikui was already quick-witted and capable of commanding troops, but this was exposed by Hong Chengchou. He didn't know how to stabilize the morale of the army first, but instead thought about how to escape. There he said forcefully: "A good man will not suffer the immediate consequences, but he can hide for a while."
Just for a while! Brothers, please go make arrangements separately, and follow me to break out after dark."
Before he finished speaking, Huang Youcai sneered, and then he drew his sword and struck at Shen Yikui. Shen Yikui was caught off guard, and with a scream of "ah", he was chopped into two pieces!
When Liu Jin and Xu Hongru saw this, they hurriedly waved their swords, but Zhang Mengjin and the others faced them and blocked them. The four of them fought together, and their men also fought together. In the blink of an eye, the thieves on the top of the city were killed.
It all turned into chaos.
When they saw Du Wenhuan and others in the city, they all admired Hong Chengchou and fell to the ground. They also hurriedly sent orders to attack the city while the rebel army was in chaos. The leader of the Shen Dynasty died, the leader of the group, and the leaders below also slaughtered them. More than 6,000 rebel troops in the city resisted again.
In less than half an hour, Du Wenhuan's Guyuan Army recaptured Ningsai
At dusk, after the bandits in the city were completely cleared, Hong Chengchou, escorted by his personal guards and Hong soldiers, led his staff into the city. Looking around, he saw broken walls and bricks, wood and other debris piled on the streets.
There was little smoke on the roofs on both sides. When entering a house along the street, a skinny old man hugged two children of five or six years old. He was unkempt and knelt down in fear, begging for his life. Hong Chengchou went to the stove and saw that half of the chicken was boiling.
There is a grain of grain in the leaves of the pot. I visited several houses in a row, almost every house.
In this situation, even though Hong Chengchou was killing people like crazy, he kept a gloomy face all the way. Finally, he stopped in front of a dilapidated house and ordered: "Call the grain officer to come over."
Not long after, a lean grain officer came in and saluted with his hands tied. Hong Chengchou looked up and down and said with a smile: "Look at you, you don't look like a grain official. It's obvious that you were reborn as a starving ghost."
The grain officer laughed and said, "Job students are always thin. Even if they have a meal and a meal, they won't gain a pound and a half."
Hong Chengchou asked him: "How much food and grass does the army still have?"
The grain officer replied: "It can be used for ten days."
Hong Chengchou ordered him: "You take out three days of army rations and set up a few porridge sheds, alas! Otherwise, many people in Ningsai will starve to death!"
After hearing this, the grain officer was puzzled: "I don't know when the next ration will be paid. Once the army is short of food, how will we fight?" Hong Chengchou waved his hand and said: "This officer knows that I am not Cao Mengde. I only know when something goes wrong."
Bring the grain officer to justice, and you go down and deal with it without delay! If the soldiers have any complaints, I will bear them all, and I will never blame you. I can't let so many people starve to death!"
Shortly after the grain officer retreated, Du Wenhuan hurriedly ran over and said, "Sir, shacks are being set up in the city. I heard that they were following your military order to help the hungry people. Is this true?"
Hong Chengchou nodded and said: "Not bad."[
Du Wenhuan stamped his feet and said: "No way! Sir, it goes without saying that our army's food and salary are insufficient. Even if we don't have enough food, we can't give it to them!"
After hearing Du Wenhuan's words, Hong Chengchou was surprised: "Wu, I remember your home is in Ningsai, how come you don't have any feeling of being a fellow villager?"
Du Wenhuan smiled bitterly and said: "My lord, it is because the last general's family is in Ningsai that I know the customs here. Since ancient times, there have been many unruly people in Ningsai, who forget about righteousness when they see small profits, are fierce and aggressive, and have no faith. Your Excellency gave me a gift today.
They eat food, and they will surely grab it tomorrow."
"Wu, I understand what you are thinking. I have been in Shaanxi for many years, and I have heard about the customs of various places. To deal with the Shaanxi civil uprising, it is either to suppress or to appease. From a selfish point of view, I agree with appeasement. Suppression is only a temporary strategy.
After all, it is for the sake of tranquilizing the people. How can we continue to suppress it year after year, generation after generation? Suppression is to establish power and care for subordinates and show kindness. Now we have to give both kindness and power. We only know the word "suppression" and the number of people killed, so how are we different from grass bandits? Officials
If the army cannot protect the people, what hope do the people have of living and working in peace and contentment? Rebellion is a death, and staying at home is a death. Naturally, the more bandits are suppressed, the more bandits will be killed." Hong Chengchou said with a deep look in his eyes, "Mencius said, the timing of heaven
The location is not as good as the location, and the location is not as good as the people. We don’t care whether the people appreciate it or not, but we want to give them hope. The more people who live in peace, the better things will be. We can’t put out fires here and there, and be busy.
Stop, but the fire will never go out."
After hearing these words, Du Wenhuan said hesitantly: "Sir, do you want to set an example for people everywhere to see?"
Hong Chengchou nodded and said: "The people are more devoted to the imperial court, and naturally they have less desire to be thieves. It is a little more difficult now, but if we wait for a few more days and harvest new wheat, the difficulty will be almost over. This is what I drafted
Please take a look at the grain discount!" After saying that, he took out a watch stamp from his arms and handed it to Du Wenhuan.
Du Wenhuan took it with both hands and began to read it. After reading it, he immediately praised: "Sir, you are really brave. You reached out to ask the court for one million taels of salary silver, and you also want to withhold 600,000 yuan of Shaanxi tax silver next year. Yuan Chonghuan also had this kind of behavior back then.
Tone. Tell me, there are many governors in the world, but who is as brave as you?" He hesitated, but couldn't help but said: "Can this emperor be accurate?"