The sea breeze in November is already filled with chills, especially after the fleet has passed Jiangsu, the biting cold wind can blow the chill into people's bones.
Pang Gang, who had already put on a thick winter coat, stood on the bow of the ship, watching the waves lapping against the side of the ship, a surge of pride constantly stirring in his heart. He had successfully completed the mission of this trip, acquiring 260,000 yuan.
This time, the ship accompanying him also carried the first batch of more than 20,000 shi, and the rest will be shipped back one after another next month along with the ships carrying refined salt.
According to Pang Gang's estimation, if this year's plan to recruit refugees succeeds, he will have an additional population of more than 200,000. Even if there are only one-fifth of the young people, that will be 40,000 to 50,000 troops. With enough
With the population and military strength, your next plan can be carried out better.
A slender Rouyi gently held Pang Gang's big hand. This small hand seemed to have a pitiful charm that made people want to explore the owner of this small hand.
Pang Gang didn't need to look to know that the owner of this hand must be Chen Yuanyuan who asked to follow him to Qingzhou. Pang Gang did not refuse this famous Jiangnan princess who showed an unusual affection for him. He also always believed that if Chen Yuanyuan followed him,
If she loses herself, her future outcome will definitely be much better than if she follows Wu Sangui, because he has the confidence and strength.
Pang Gang's eyes quickly shifted to Chen Yuanyuan's exquisite face. This exquisite face truly amazed many people. Pang Gang found that no matter how many times he looked at it, he could not find a single flaw. Chen Yuanyuan had a slender and elegant face.
She has a strong and beautiful body. Her waist is so slender, as if it can be hooped up with two fingers. Her surprisingly beautiful face, as white as porcelain, is full of expressions.
She had a lovely blush. Above her elegant forehead, there was a head of very soft black hair. There was also a slightly upward curved nose with graceful lines, which seemed to reveal the shy and yet delicate look on her face.
The bold expression became more obvious. Between the two slightly open, moist and small cherry lips, two rows of snow-white teeth flashed. They were real pearls, which seemed to be exactly the same as those floating on her small lips.
The charming little dimples on her round chin are very colorful.
Looking at the beauty in front of him, Pang Gang let out a long sigh. He used his right hand to pull the beauty in front of him, and she immediately threw herself into his arms. Pang Gang hugged her soft and slender waist and asked softly: "Yuanyuan
, are you really ready to follow me?"
"Well!" Chen Yuanyuan, who was lying in Pang Gang's arms, replied with a soft nasal voice, a look of intoxication flashed in her eyes. She felt unprecedented comfort and security in this man's arms.
"But why did your sister Liu come here with you?" As for Liu Rushi also following Chen Yuanyuan to Qingzhou, Pang Gang was a little puzzled.
Chen Yuanyuan, who was lying in Pang Gang's arms, blushed with embarrassment and said, "Sister Liu is afraid that I will suffer a loss, so I want to come and see. Sister Liu is a good person. General, please don't blame her."
After listening to Chen Yuanyuan's explanation, Pang Gang gave a bitter smile and stopped talking. The dispute between Liu Rushi and him was the difference in ideas. Liu Rushi always believed that the imperial power was granted by heaven, and as a minister, his previous actions were all right.
The emperor's disloyalty, disloyalty to the court, and these dissatisfaction reached its peak when Song Xinghe sent the heads of the Yan family's grandsons. Liu Rushi even had a big quarrel with Pang Gang after hearing about this.
After a fight, she was so angry that she wanted to take Chen Yuanyuan away, but how could Chen Yuanyuan be willing to leave. In the end, she didn't know what was wrong with her, but she actually said that she would follow Pang Gang's ship back to Qingzhou to see the lives of the people in Qingzhou.
Is it as good as Pang Gang said, and he still wants to protect his sisters even though he has a beautiful name?
Pang Gang could only smile bitterly at this. Regarding women, he is no longer as full of fantasies about three wives and four concubines as he was when he first came to Lingshan Guard. Now he also realizes that having too many women is actually a problem.
It was quite a troublesome thing. For example, how to appease the emotions of different women was a very troublesome thing. He was full of admiration for the man in later generations who would use computers to manage many mistresses and even nannies.
However, Pang Gang was a very tolerant person, and he quickly put these worries behind him. His thoughts were quickly immersed in the upcoming work, the refugee wave, conscription, training, navy, weapons, and general arrangements.
The work has taken up most of Pang Gang's time and experience.
Seeing that her sweetheart frowned again, the considerate Chen Yuanyuan did not disturb him, but gently stepped back. The soup she had stewed in the kitchen was in the pot.
Just when Pang Gang returned to Qingzhou with a ship full of grain, thousands of miles away in the Forbidden City in Beijing, Emperor Chongzhen was also furious with an urgent memorial of 800 miles from Hangzhou. This was
Wu Yadong, the governor of Zhejiang, issued a memorial jointly signed by the inspector Xi Lianglin and others. This memorial accused Pang Gang of building a private navy and forcibly besieging the Hangzhou wharf to collect taxes and buy grain. In the memorial, Wu Yadong,
Xi Lianglin and other Zhejiang officials asked the imperial court to remove Pang Gang from all his posts, and to send troops to take the thief to Beijing for joint examination by Dali Temple, the Ministry of Punishment and others.
Looking at the memorial in his hand, Chongzhen's face twisted a few times in an unknown way, and the exposed veins on the back of his hands seemed to be beating. After a long time, Chongzhen let out a long breath, which seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
The sound came out of his mouth.
"My dear friend, this Pang Gang is getting more and more arrogant. He ignored the imperial court's maritime ban and built a navy privately. He even besieged the Hangzhou wharf and forced merchants to pay taxes to him. What does he want to do? Rebellion? I can't do it anymore.
If you can't bear it anymore, I will remove him from all his posts and send a large army to put down the rebellion."
"Your Majesty, you have to think twice!" Cao Huachun was shocked. If he forced Pang Gang to rebel, Shandong would be in chaos.
"That's enough!" Chongzhen gritted his teeth, his thick black brows knitted into the Chinese character "Sichuan", and he cursed in a rare voice: "Tell me, how do I treat him on weekdays? I promoted him from a small Qianhu household.
He served as the commander of Qingzhou, General Dingyuan and guarded the three states. And how did he repay me? Forget it if he expanded the army privately, I tolerated sending troops to Korea privately, and I built a navy privately as if I couldn't see it.
But now he secretly collects tax money, forcibly buys grain, and sends troops across provinces to intimidate local officials. How is his behavior different from that of rebellious officials and traitors? I can't bear it anymore. I want him to know that I can give him what I can.
Take it back. You immediately draft an order and order Liu Zeqing, the commander-in-chief of Shandong Province, to immediately send troops to capture Qingzhou. We really want this Pang Gang to get the end he deserves!"
"According to the decree!" Cao Huachun sighed softly. He knew that he could no longer stop the furious emperor, so he had to gently spread out a blank piece of paper and began to write...
Qingzhou Magistrate’s Office, there have been signs of snowing in the past two days, and the weather has become increasingly cold. Wei Manting and her personal maid Qiaoer hurriedly walked on the path in the garden. Most of the flowers in the garden have withered.
, Wei Manting and Qiaoer's embroidered shoes stepped briskly on the thick dead leaves on the road, making a "puff" sound.
Qiao'er, who was following Wei Manting, kept complaining: "Miss, don't walk so fast, I can't keep up."
Wei Man Ting listened but just ignored it and kept speeding up. After a while, the two came to the study room. When Wei Man Ting opened the door, Wei Tongnian's voice came from inside, "Is it Man Ting?"
, why are you in such a hurry, what's the matter?"
Wei Man Ting walked away and said, "Dad, there is news from Chaodong."
"Oh, what's the matter? Has his food been bought?"
"Yes, he is back, but he has also brought trouble."
With that said, Wei Manting came to the desk and handed a letter to Wei Tongnian, who was sitting behind the desk giving instructions on official documents.
Wei Tongnian put down the langhao pen in his hand, picked up the envelope and looked at it. His face gradually became serious. After a long time, he sighed and said: "Chaodong's move is too hasty and will definitely lead to disaster."
Wei Manting sat down in front of the desk and frowned: "He actually led warships to surround the Hangzhou dock, and even fired cannons to drive away merchant ships. Now he is going to offend all the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River. In this way,
How could the Hangzhou government be willing to let it go? Although they were afraid of Chaodong's warships and did not dare to do anything to him, they would definitely report it to the court. Now, no matter how much the emperor could bear it, he would never turn a blind eye. This Chaodong could really cause trouble for him.
."
Wei Tongnian saw the anxious look on his daughter's face and asked slowly: "Man Ting, do you have any good ideas?"
Wei Man Ting smiled bitterly and said: "What good idea can my daughter have? The only way is for the soldiers to come and cover up the water and the soil. My daughter now only hopes that the imperial court will not mobilize the Xuanfu army to attack Chaodong."
"Instigating the Xuanfu army to attack Chaodong?" Wei Tongnian lost his mind and said, "You think too highly of your fiancé-in-law. Although Chaodong did something wrong at this time, he still won't let the imperial court use all the troops of the country to attack."
The crusade will only benefit the Mongols and Manchu Tatars, and the emperor will not be so confused."
Wei Man Ting couldn't help but rolled her eyes at her father and said: "Of course this daughter understands, but Chaodong's current situation is very bad, but her daughter came here to ask her father to make preparations in advance."
"What preparations are you making?" Wei Tongnian smiled and said, "Don't worry, my father estimates that even if the imperial court sends troops to attack, it can only order Liu Zeqing, the commander-in-chief of Shandong, to mobilize soldiers and horses from Shandong. If this is the case, do you think Liu Zeqing will
Will the old fox risk his life for this?"
Wei Tongnian was indeed a veteran who had been immersed in officialdom for most of his life, and he immediately grasped the context of the matter.
After listening to her father's words, Wei Manyao still sighed: "But Qingzhou currently has more than 5,000 soldiers and horses. It is enough to protect ourselves, but it is still a little too little if we want to have the ability to fight back."