"Oh, I understand, brother, you mean to give the fields to the meritorious soldiers, right?" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly felt that he understood something.
"Brother, of course the land should be allocated to the meritorious soldiers. However, the Chuzhou gentry has too much land. It is not enough to just distribute it to the soldiers. We must make good use of it and distribute it to the poor.
Farmers, let them transform from tenant farmers and poor farmers into people with land!" Zhu Han said.
hiss!
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly took a breath of cold air.
This is an absolutely generous act!
The tens of thousands of poor peasant tenants in Chuzhou were afraid that they would have their fields allocated to them, so Zhu Yuanzhang's rebel army did not have much land in their hands.
"This is too much!" Zhu Yuanzhang was a little reluctant.
This is not to say that Zhu Yuanzhang did not pity the poor people, but it was because the rebels consumed a huge amount of food and grass. If they did not have sufficient fields, they would not know how to motivate the soldiers.
"Brother, now all the rebels only know how to fight and kill, we can't do that! We must win over the people's hearts and minds. Once the people's hearts and minds are with us, no matter how many powerful enemies come, they can't shake us at all!" Zhu
Han said.
The love of the descendants of Yan and Huang for the land can be said to be unparalleled in the world.
"Can it really work like this?" Zhu Yuanzhang was still a little worried.
"Brother, it will definitely work! We allocate fields to the people. If they don't follow us and work hard, the fields they get will be gone." Zhu Han said.
"However, if these fields are turned into military camps, we will no longer be afraid of lack of food and grass. After all, the food and grass in Jiangnan are across the Yangtze River, so it is not as reliable as having it in our own hands." Zhu Yuanzhang still wanted to seek safety in his heart.
Zhu Han is not worried at all about this issue.
"Brother, this is not a problem at all. We allocate fields to the people, and we don't give them to them for free. We can collect taxes from them every year! When the people have their own fields, they will be more diligent in farming.
, the grain produced will be more, and we will definitely not be short of military rations." Zhu Han said.
Zhu Yuanzhang was already a little moved by what Zhu Han said.
Immediately afterwards, Zhu Han continued to speak.
"Brother, when we divide the fields, it also serves an important purpose!"
"What does it do? Come on, tell me!" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
"In order to conquer Jiangnan in the future!"
"Jiangnan?"
"That's right, although there are fewer natural disasters in Jiangnan and people are not starving to death, the poor people are also very miserable, and everyone does not have much land. If the news that we are allocating fields in Jiangbei spreads to Jiangnan, in the future
When we march into Jiangnan again, there will definitely be thousands of poor people supporting us!" Zhu Han said.
Zhu Yuanzhang naturally understood the reason, and he even thought of another question.
"Dividing the land has won the hearts and minds of the poor, but those powerful gentry will probably hate us to the core of their bones!"
Zhu Yuanzhang's concern is also very practical.
Today, most social resources are in the hands of powerful gentry.
If they rebelled against the rebels, that would be a big problem.
"Brother, we are not going to overwhelm a whole boat of people with one stroke, nor are we going to attack all the people. We will only attack those who have evil deeds, or who have defected to the Tatars and committed evil deeds!" Zhu Han said.
"Well, okay, in this case, there is no threat!" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed.
This method of pulling in one group and then hitting another group is a conspiracy that has been tried and tested for thousands of years.
The powerful gentry always felt that they would not be so unlucky, so they did not dare to rise up against the rebels.
"Then let's go to Jiangnan first, and then we can divide the fields after we come back!"
A few days later.
The rebel army, which had completed its army preparations for war, under the leadership of Marshal Zhu Yuanzhang, was ready to sail eastward outside Chuzhou City.
The massive rebel army frightened the remaining defeated generals of the Yuan army in Jiangbei and fled.
On the water and land routes from the Qingliu River to the Yangtze River, there was almost no trace of the Yuan army.
Liuhe Shuiguan, which was originally thought to be a battle, returned to the control of the rebels effortlessly.
The news that tens of thousands of red scarf thieves were marching by land and water, preparing to attack Jiqing Mansion southward, flew to Jiqing Mansion as if it had wings.
Pingzhang Bolu, the provincial governor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces in the Great Yuan Dynasty, and Fan Yao, the provincial councilor and governor, heard the news, and their faces turned ashen.
They originally wanted to mobilize the Yuan army from Yangzhou in the north of the Yangtze River, but because a local salt dealer named Zhang Shicheng rebelled, the entire army was wiped out under the walls of Taizhou City.
The front leg received the news that the last fresh force was destroyed, and the back leg received the news that Zhu Yuanzhang, the leader of the red scarf thieves, personally led an army of 100,000 to attack Jiqing Mansion southward.
The government offices of Jiqing Prefecture were buzzing around in panic.
"These abominable thieves have cut off the waterway. Even if we want to escape, we have nowhere to run!" Bolu was so anxious that tears were about to come out.
Upon seeing this, Fan Yao, the political advisor, knew that he was in a situation where he could die for the Yuan Dynasty at any time.
"There are no reinforcements from outside, and there is no strong army inside!"
"Jiqing Mansion is going to be finished!"
When they thought about the sadness, Bolu and Fan Yao were so scared that they hugged each other and cried.
The provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang were the most important areas for taxing grain and grass for the Mongolian and Yuan Dynasties. Millions of officials and people in the capital still relied on the grain and grass supplies from the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
If Bolu and Fan Yao lost the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, even if they escaped with a life and fell into the hands of the Yuan Dynasty emperor, their heads would inevitably end up dead.
If a feudal official cannot protect the territory of the imperial court, he is naturally unworthy of continuing to live.
As for coexisting with Jiqing Mansion, Bolu and Fan Yao also know that it is absolutely impossible.
Since the Mongol and Yuan Dynasty conquered the south of the Yangtze River with killings, they have never stopped doing all kinds of cruel and cruel things. Now the Han rebels are approaching the city, and they expect the Han people in the city to defend the Mongols who oppress them to the death. Anyone with a normal mind knows that this is impossible.
There is neither the ability to defend the city nor the escape route.
Bolu felt that the best outcome for him was to wait for death in Jiqing Mansion. At least in that case, he would be regarded as a martyr for his country, and his family members who stayed in the capital would not be killed.
"It's over, it's over for the rest of my life!" Bolu collapsed on the ground dejectedly.
Fan Yao, the political advisor on the side, was also desperate, but he was not willing to just wait for death.
"Pingzhang, let's think of a way, we can't just sit back and wait for death!" Fan Yao begged.
"What can I do! Even if Zhuge Kongming comes down to earth, it is impossible for the thieves to retreat. My family has been favored by the Great Khan for generations. If the red scarf thieves break into Jiqing Mansion, I will die!" Although Bolu is a dandy, but
The Mongolians still have some self-consciousness. Besides, these days, if the Mongolians fall into the hands of rebels, there will be almost no good end.
"Zhuge Kongming?" Fan Yao suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
"Yes! Zhuge Kongming!"
Fan Yao seemed to see hope, clapped his hands and laughed.
Bolu thought Fan Yao was stupid. Did Zhuge Kongming become frightened and stunned?
"Pingzhang, I thought of a person who might have a plan to repel the bandit army!" Fan Yao said.
Belu's eyes widened immediately, "Who is it? Tell me!"
Fan Yao smiled slightly, "Liu Ji!"
When he heard this name, Boru was stunned.
"Liu Ji Liu Bowen?"
It's not that Bolu didn't know Liu Bowen, but that he was too familiar with him.
Liu Bowen is now the Marshal Dushi of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, that is, the military staff officer of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Not long ago, he just repelled the rebel Fang Guozhen's troops in eastern Zhejiang. However, because he was not satisfied with the recruitment of Fang Guozhen, he repeatedly contradicted the superior officials. He was considered a
A scholar with a bad temper.
"Liu Bowen is a Jinshi appointed by me, Yuan Dynasty. He is known as the Zhuge of the time and has many tricks. Maybe he can really make the thieves retreat!" Bolu instantly became happy.
"Pingzhang is right, Liu Bowen has a great talent, you can give it a try!" Fan Yao said quickly.
"But Liu Bowen has a very bad temper. I just heard that he wanted to resign and go home because of Fang Guozhen's incident. I wonder if he will agree." Bolu said worriedly.
Fan Yao smiled coldly, "Pingzhang, I'm sure Liu Bowen wouldn't dare not agree!"
"Oh, why did you say that?" Bolu asked quickly.
"Pingzhang, you and I are both from the north. We are guarding Jiqing Mansion for the imperial court. If we can't defend the city, it would be better to destroy Jiqing City with a fire than to take advantage of the rebels. As long as Liu Bowen understands this, he will
It's impossible not to agree!" Fan Yao said proudly.
"Haha, wonderful! Wonderful! If Liu Bowen doesn't agree, let them be buried with us!" Bolu also gave up.
Since it is no longer possible to save your own life, you can only try your best to save your family.
When that time comes, the two of them setting fire to the city will also make Emperor Yuan take more care of their relatives.
The Red Scarf Army who fought out of the Qingliu River quickly entered the Yangtze River Channel.
Because the main force of the Yuan Army in the south of the Yangtze River was almost completely lost, the Red Scarf Army's hundreds of large and small warships, although not very familiar with water warfare, were still able to dominate the Yangtze River without any rivals.
After pulling out some peripheral Yuan army strongholds, the warships boarded by Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Han and others had already appeared on the water outside Jiqingfu City in a swaggering manner.
"My dear mother, this city is really big!"
The generals of the Red Scarf Army stood at the bow of the boat, stretching their necks to look at Jiqingfu City on the south bank.
Today's Jiqingfu city wall is basically still the original appearance left over from the Tang and Song Dynasties. Although it looks majestic, it is much stronger than Chuzhou, Haozhou and other cities.
However, if compared with the Nanjing city of later generations, it is completely inadequate.
"Jinling has an imperial spirit!"
Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Jiqing City in the distance and suddenly uttered this sentence.
When Zhu Han heard this, his heart moved.
"Brother, we will never be able to escape from Jinling City in the future!"
"Hahaha, such a big city is here. If you don't open your legs, you won't be able to run away!" Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily.
The navy of the Red Scarf Army was approaching Jiqing City like a parade.
Only when he could clearly see the crenellations on the city wall did he stop.
"If we attack such a large city, many people will probably die!" Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the city wall and sighed again.
"Brother, we are here to extort money this time, not to grab territory. Don't worry about dead people!" Zhu Han said next to him.
"By the way, brother, we have already reached the Jiqing Prefecture Tatars. How should we let them negotiate?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
Their purpose this time was purely an armed march, and their purpose was to extort money and food. Naturally, they needed to contact the Tatar officials in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
"I have already made up my mind. We will first show off our swords and guns outside Jiqing City to scare the Tatars, and then secretly send people to Jiqing Mansion to say that there is a way for us to withdraw our troops. When we meet the Tatar officials, we will also
Then we can negotiate." Zhu Han said.
The Red Scarf Army and the Mongolian and Yuan Dynasties were at odds with each other. If they really negotiated, they would have to be secretive.
Therefore, Zhu Han can only play a curve game.
"Okay, then let's take the first step to scare these Tatars!"
Subsequently, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the artillery on the warship to fire a volley of flying stones, which successively destroyed many Wubao strongholds on the south bank of the Yangtze River, causing panic in the city of Jiqingfu.
Jiqing Mansion, in a secluded alley.
In the Great Yuan Dynasty, the residence of Liu Bowen, the Marshal of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, was located in this alley.
Liu Bowen was forty years old. He was wearing a blue shirt and was sitting at his desk reading quietly.
The wife Chen on the side was packing her luggage while talking to her husband.
"Husband, I heard that the rebels in Jiangbei have already reached the outside of the city and may be about to attack the city. We still have to pack our bags. I'm afraid we won't even be able to get out of the city," said Chen.
Liu Bowen held the scroll and smiled slightly: "Don't worry, these Red Scarf Army's thunder is loud but the rain is small, it's just a bluff, they will not attack Jiqing Mansion!"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "If you don't want to attack Jiqing Mansion? Then what are they doing here, just to set off firecrackers outside the city?" Mrs. Chen was a little confused.
Although she comes from a womanly family, she has been studying and studying literature since she was a child, and her knowledge is definitely not comparable to that of an ordinary woman. Liu Bowen even praised Chen for being able to compare with the knowledge of a county student.
"Madam, I am not wrong. Judging from what he has done, Zhu Yuanzhang, the leader of this group of Red Scarf Army, is not an ordinary reckless rebel. He does not kill indiscriminately or loot. He has a strategic plan at first glance.
Man, he would not do such a thing as attacking Jiqing Mansion." Liu Bowen said with a smile.
Chen suddenly became even more confused, "Jiqing Mansion is so nice, it is the most prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River. Aren't these rebels just trying to fight for territory? Why don't they attack Jiqing Mansion?"
"Haha, it is precisely because Jiqing Mansion is too wealthy that Zhu Yuanzhang and his group of Red Scarf Army members do not have enough status and strength, so they will be in constant trouble if they are defeated." Liu Bowen deserves the title of Little Zhuge, and he only relied on some hearings and
From the official reports, we can already guess the intentions of brothers Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Han.
Mrs. Chen is also a smart person and immediately understood the meaning of her husband's words.
"Husband, if this is the case, then you should really leave Jiqing, a place of right and wrong, sooner or later. There will be a catastrophe and war sooner or later," said Chen.
"Well, the court is dark and unruly, and corrupt officials are wielding power. It's useless for me to stay here. I might as well go back to my hometown to teach and educate people." Liu Bowen sighed.
At this moment, the yellow dog in the yard outside the door barked.
Then I heard someone knocking on the door.
"What's going on with Liu Dou?"
"Is Liu Doushi at home?"
Liu Bowen put down the book, walked out and opened the courtyard door.
I saw seven or eight petty officials in official uniforms at the door.
"Who are you?" Liu Bowen asked, thinking he had some official business, but he didn't know these people.
The leading clerk saluted and said with a smile, "Liu Du, I am waiting for Master Feng Pingzhang to ask you to go there!"
"Pingzhang?" Liu Bowen was slightly surprised.
He couldn't understand what Pingzhang Bolu, the provincial governor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, was doing with his little boss.
"Liu Dushi, please!"
The clerks all came here carrying sedans, which was obviously a special courtesy.
When Liu Bowen saw this, he knew it was not a bad thing, so he changed into official uniform and followed them to Pingzhang Mansion.
Although Bolu, a Mongolian, had a post as a general, he usually only paid attention to his name when he was not involved in political affairs. He really had nothing to do with Liu Bowen.
but.
When Liu Bowen entered the Pingzhang Mansion, he immediately saw his immediate boss's boss, who was an acquaintance of the political minister Fan Yao.
"Oh, Bowen is here, Jiqing Mansion is saved, and the people in Jiangnan are saved!"
Fan Yao came all the way to greet him, shocking Liu Bowen.
"Your Majesty, Liu Ji, pays my respects to Seng Zheng!" Liu Bowen still saluted respectfully.
"No need, no need, come with me quickly!"
Fan Yao pulled Liu Bowen into the inner hall.
I saw Pingzhang Bolu, already sitting on a chair with a fat belly, waiting.
"See Pingzhang!" Liu Bowen saluted again.
"No need! I came to you today because I have something to ask of you, Zhuge Liang of this generation." Pingzhang Bolu, the provincial governor, said straight to the point.
"What Zhuge Liang is doing is just a rumor. Liu Ji really doesn't dare." Liu Bowen said neither humble nor overbearing.
This is Liu Bowen's best attitude towards a Mongolian and Yuan official like Bolu, who lives in a state of insignificance.
"Bo Wen, I'm telling you the truth. Now the rebels are roaring outside the city. The gathering is in danger, and the people in the south of the Yangtze River are in danger! I invite you to come here just to ask if there is any good strategy to repel the rebels!" Fan Yao
He looked at Liu Bowen eagerly and said.
Upon hearing that it was for this matter, Liu Bowen suddenly felt a burst of contempt in his heart.
Bolu and Fan Yao, these two idiots, didn't even realize that the red scarf thief was just bluffing.
Judging from the appearance of the two of them, they seemed to be scared out of their wits.
However, since they didn't see it, Liu Bowen was unwilling to point out the reason.
"The lower officials are less talented and less knowledgeable, so I'm afraid they don't have good strategies," Liu Bowen refuted.
Bolu felt a little annoyed when he saw Liu Bowen's tepid look. Just when he was about to reprimand him, he saw Fan Yao give him a look.
He could only give up and shut his mouth.
"Bo Wen, let's be honest. Now that the rebels are coming suddenly, there is no soldier in the province who can resist them. If the rebels attack Jiqing Mansion, then we will all be destroyed!" Fan Yao
said.
"Together we will be destroyed?"
Liu Bowen was startled, and immediately realized what Bo Lu and Fan Yao were planning.
"Alas! We don't want to, but the imperial court has already sent a secret order. Once the situation is critical, we must not leave any grass, wood, brick or tile to the thieves. We must burn both jade and stone!"
Liu Bowen was very angry. The secret order from the imperial court must have been a bad idea thought up by these two thieves.
He was determined to expose the true intentions of the Red Scarf Army, but he didn't want to take advantage of Bolu and Fan Yao, two evil-hearted people.
"Sir, what do you plan to ask your subordinate to do?" Liu Bowen asked.
He wasn't sure what these two people wanted to do. The prosperous Jinling City was destroyed by the war, which was what Liu Bowen didn't want to see the most.
"Bowen, it's not what we want you to do, but we want to ask you what we should do." Fan Yao said.
"Yes, yes, as long as we can make the red scarf thieves retreat, we will do whatever Liu Dushi says!" Bolu said with a big fat face.
When Liu Bowen took a look, he immediately had an idea in his mind.
"The red scarf thieves are coming fiercely. It may not be easy to make them retreat!" Liu Bowen said.
"Well, if this were easy, why don't we just do it ourselves? Why would we bother you, Lao Bowen?" Fan Yao said with a smile.
Fan Yao's official position as a political advisor was seven or eight levels higher than Liu Bowen's as a governor. Now that he was speaking on an equal footing, it could be said that his attitude was extremely low.
"In this case, Liu Ji is willing to go to the traitor camp on your behalf to see if he can find a way to make the traitors retreat!" Liu Bowen said loudly.
Bolu and Fan Yao were both shocked when they heard this.
They did not expect that Liu Bowen, a weak scholar, would be so courageous that he would dare to speak up and go to the camp of the red scarf thief.
"You broke into the bandit camp alone, Liu Bowen, you are such a hero!" Bolu gave a thumbs up and praised sincerely.
"Bo Wen, you are so loyal and brave!" Fan Yao also expressed admiration.
Regarding the reactions of these two idiots, Liu Bowen had no reaction at all.
"However, if I find a way to make the red scarf thieves retreat, you two adults must also agree to something." Liu Bowen continued.
Bowen and Fan Yao looked at each other with relieved expressions.
If Liu Bowen, a courageous and knowledgeable person, only does things but does not submit documents, that will make them uneasy.
"Bowen, just ask, whether it's promotion or transfer, I, Mr. Heping Zhang, will promise you!" Fan Yao said, patting his chest.
"Sir, Liu Ji does not want to be promoted or transferred. He just wants to be able to recover his mission of recruiting Fang Guozhen, a rebel in eastern Zhejiang. This person is capricious. He is not the kind of good citizen who goes astray due to the situation, but a man who makes a living by robbing homes and homes.
Rough bandits, if such people are recruited, it will encourage more good people in eastern Zhejiang to become robbers and bandits." Liu Bowen said.
Regarding this condition, Bolu and Fan Yao agreed without thinking.
Fang Guozhen is just a small character in eastern Zhejiang. Recruiting or not is a matter of course. He cannot threaten their Jiqing Mansion at all.
"Okay, no problem!" Boru slapped the table and agreed.
"Bowen, if you go to the bandit camp, do you want any help?" Fan Yao asked immediately.
Liu Bowen shook his head, "No need, I just need to go there myself!"
Under the earnest gaze of Bolu and Fan Yao, Liu Bowen made the decision to quietly leave the city tomorrow to bravely break into the bandit camp.
When Liu Bowen returned home and told his wife Chen the news, Mrs. Liu was immediately shocked.
"Husband, this is too dangerous. I heard that those red scarf thieves worship evil spirits and have special methods of eating people's hearts alive!" Mrs. Chen said, touching her mouth.
"Haha, it's just a rumor written by ordinary people to fool the people. It can't be taken seriously!" Liu Bowen said with a smile.
"Husband, is there really no danger?"
Liu Bowen nodded, "This group of Red Scarf Army did not even kill the captured imperial officers and soldiers, and even released them with travel expenses. How could such a benevolent and righteous behavior hurt me?"
"But why don't your husband tell Ping Zhang and Shen Zheng that the red scarf thief is bluffing and tell them not to worry? Wouldn't that mean they would end up together?" asked Chen.
Liu Bowen smiled disdainfully, "Those two fools are used to being arrogant and domineering. Now that the Red Scarf Army is here, it would be a shame not to scare them."
"Husband, do you have other plans?" Based on her understanding of her husband, Chen noticed something unusual.
Liu Bowen smiled slightly and said, "Haha, madam, you really have a keen eye. I'm actually a little curious and want to see who Zhu Yuanzhang, the leader of this group of Red Scarf Army, is."
"If you know what he is, what are your plans?" Chen continued to ask.
"This person is not simple in his actions. He seems to have a strategy to conquer the world. If this is true, with this experience, maybe I can really show off my strategic ambitions from now on!" Liu Bowen said.
Mrs. Chen was immediately startled, "Husband, are you planning to surrender to the rebels?"
"If you kill one person and become a thief, if you kill ten thousand people, you are no longer a simple thief!" Liu Bowen said.
The navy led by Zhu Yuanzhang swept away the Yuan army strongholds on the south bank and found a suitable place to anchor.
Their next plan was naturally to send people in disguise to sneak into Jiqing City to negotiate.
Although we need to negotiate, we can't blatantly say that we need to negotiate.
Zhu Han had already thought about it and decided to let Tang He pretend to be a Chuzhou businessman, saying that he had a way to contact the leader of the Red Turban Army, and then create a bridge.
Tang He looks honest and honest, and when he puts on a businessman's clothes, he looks like a farmer-entrepreneur, not a brave rebel at all.
Just when Zhu Han was preparing everything, suddenly a scout from outside came in to inform Zhu Yuanzhang.
"Marshal, there is someone outside asking to see you, saying they are from Jiqing Mansion."
Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Han were both stunned. In the past two days, many green forest heroes from the south of the Yangtze River had indeed come to seek refuge, but they were either from some mountain village or some water village. There were no people from Jiqing Fucheng.
.
"Who?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
"Reporting to Marshal, he said his name is Liu Ji and he has something to ask for. He seems to be a weak scholar." said the scout leader.
"Liu Ji? Liu Bowen?"
Zhu Yuanzhang did not speak, but Zhu Han was surprised.
Liu Ji and Liu Bowen are famous names. He is a legendary figure who founded the Ming Dynasty. It is said that he has the ability to communicate with gods and ghosts.
"Brother, have you heard of this man?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked curiously.
Zhu Han nodded, "Brother, this Liu Bowen is a powerful person. Some people say that he is the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was also shocked when he heard this.
"What, really?"
"Well, I heard that's the case, but I don't know what it's like in real life!" Zhu Han said.
"Well, let's meet this reincarnation of Zhuge!"
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled heartily and said to the guard: "Go and invite him!"
"Wait!"
Suddenly, Xu Dal next to him suddenly stretched out his hand to stop him.
"What's wrong?" Zhu Yuanzhang was a little confused.
Xu Da frowned slightly and said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Marshal, this Liu Bowen is so powerful, so you must be on guard against him. If he is an assassin, it will be terrible!"
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly became cautious, but Zhu Han didn't take it seriously.
Liu Bowen, who had no sincerity in founding the Ming Dynasty, could be the assassin of Zhu Yuanzhang.
"Brother, don't worry, this Liu Bowen is a scholar, not an assassin." Zhu Han said with a smile.
"Scholar, it's all right. Come and invite us in!" Zhu Yuanzhang said.
Soon, a middle-aged man wearing a blue shirt and a Confucian robe was brought in by the guards.
When Zhu Yuanzhang saw that this man had a dignified appearance and a gentlemanly demeanor that could not be insulted, he had a good feeling in his heart.
"Student Liu Bowen, I have met the marshal!" Liu Bowen said neither humble nor overbearing.
When he came in just now, he took a peek and saw three people in the big tent. Two of them were young people in their twenties, and one was a boy of 12 or 13 years old. The one standing in the middle must be Zhu Yuanzhang, the coach of the Red Scarf Army.
Already.
"Mr. Liu, you and I have never met before. I don't know why you came here today?" Zhu Yuanzhang said kindly.
"Students dare not deceive Marshal Zhu. They are here to ask Marshal to withdraw his troops!" Liu Bowen said.
"What? Retreat?"
As soon as Liu Bowen said these words, Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Han, and Xu Da were all stunned.
Immediately, anger appeared on Zhu Yuanzhang's face.
"Liu Bowen, you are so brave, you turned out to be a lobbyist for the Tatars!" Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily.
Zhu Han also frowned.
At this time, he remembered that Liu Bowen should still be serving the Yuan Dynasty.
"Marshal, let me kill this spy!" Xu Da said angrily.
There was no trace of fear on Liu Bowen's face.
He smiled slightly and said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Marshal, you are not here to attack Jiqing Mansion. Even if you retreat, what's the difficulty?"
The expression on Zhu Yuanzhang's face was a little more shocked.
The extortion operation he had agreed upon with Zhu Han was only discussed with Xu Da and others, and was not disclosed at all to ordinary soldiers and generals.
How did Liu Bowen know?
Zhu Han's face was not too shocked.
"Mr. Liu, you are here to seek death." Zhu Han said deliberately.
Liu Bowen laughed.
"Haha, little general, you are wrong. I am not here to die. I am just here to persuade the marshal to withdraw his troops."
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and interrupted Liu Bowen's words.
"Okay, Liu Bowen, what you said is wrong. I am a man of justice for heaven. The insurrectionary soldiers will kill Bao Yuan. I will never retreat just because of your words! Jiqing Mansion, no, it should be Jiangnan. I want to
deal!"
Liu Bowen's expression did not change at all, and then he said with a smile: "Marshal, why are you doing this? You didn't have this plan here, so why did you try to deceive me?"
When Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Han heard this, they immediately looked at each other.
"Mr. Liu, why do you say that?" Zhu Han said.
Later, Liu Bowen explained his purpose for Zhu Yuanzhang's march south. As for the reason why he could not capture Jiangnan, he also told him everything.
After Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he was extremely surprised.
For Liu Bowen, he even developed a love for talents.
Zhu Yuanzhang secretly thought in his heart: His purpose this time was extremely hidden. Liu Bowen, a scholar, could guess his true intention with just some scattered knowledge. Could he be a legendary genius?
When Liu Bowen saw that Zhu Yuanzhang and others had not spoken for a long time, he knew that he was right.
"Marshal, to be honest, I came here to persuade the troops to withdraw, but it was actually for the sake of the marshal!" Liu Bowen said.
Zhu Yuanzhang's face was gloomy and he stared at Liu Bowen: "Oh, I want to hear how you think about me."
"Marshal, the south of the Yangtze River is a tax-heavy land and is famous for its wealth in the world. If the marshal joins the army, there will inevitably be war disasters. It is impossible to restore the people's strength within two or three years. But if the marshal withdraws, I can let him
The provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang offered grain, grass and money in exchange for the marshal's withdrawal!" Liu Bowen said slowly.
This sentence directly touched Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.
Their goal this time was to get Jiangnan's grain, grass, and money from Liu Bowen, and there seemed to be no harm in doing so.
"Humph, I won't be fooled by your clever words and tricks! Come and see the guests off!" Zhu Yuanzhang said with a deliberately cold face.
Liu Bowen did not make any move, but looked at Zhu Yuanzhang quietly.
"Brother, let's wait a moment and listen to what conditions they can offer." Zhu Han said.
It is impossible for a smart man like Liu Bowen to leave with just a few words and pretentious gestures.
In this case, it’s better to get straight to the point.
When Zhu Yuanzhang saw this, he waved his hand to repel the guards who had just entered.
"Then tell me, what conditions can they offer to the Tatar officials in Jiangnan Province?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
"Marshal, as for the conditions, I won't say anything because I know that the marshal must have already had a charter in his mind. Why don't you speak out and I will take the letter back with you." Liu Bowen said.
His behavior made him look like he was sure of Zhu Yuanzhang.
"Okay, Mr. Liu is a smart man, so let's not beat around the bush." Seeing this, Zhu Han took over.
Liu Bowen immediately paid attention to the thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy in front of him.
"Dare I ask, young general, who is the deputy commander of the Red Scarf Army, Zhu Han?" Liu Bowen asked.
"Yes, I am Zhu Han." Zhu Han nodded and said.
Liu Bowen immediately bowed his hand and said, "The young general is indeed a young hero. Liu Ji has admired him for a long time."
"Haha, since sir knows our brothers very well, I won't talk nonsense. If you want us to retreat, then give us 500,000 taels of silver, 500,000 shi of food, and 200,000 cotton and silk in total!" Zhu
Han looked like a lion with his mouth wide open.
As the saying goes, if you ask for a high price, you will pay back the money.
If you don't set the asking price higher, how can you leave room for bargaining?
However, Liu Bowen's reaction was far beyond Zhu Han's expectations.
"Deputy commander, that's all? Isn't it too little?" Liu Bowen said seriously.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Han were both shocked.
However, the expression on Liu Bowen's face did not mean the slightest bit of joking.
He obviously meant this sincerely.
"Sir, what do you mean?" Zhu Han asked.
Liu Bowen looked up to the sky and sighed, "Now that the world is in chaos, I think Dayuan's energy will not last long. The marshal raises troops. In fact, I can't wait to join him. But my relatives in my hometown are all in the south of the Yangtze River. I am afraid of being killed by Meng Yuan, but I am also willing to see it.
Marshal, your mission is a success!"
The strong contrast between before and after made Zhu Yuanzhang increasingly confused about Liu Bowen.
"Liu Bowen, aren't you here to be a lobbyist?" Xu Da asked.
"No, I'm here to discuss withdrawing the troops with the marshal, not to be a lobbyist." Liu Bowen said.
"What difference does it make?"
"As a lobbyist, I am thinking about the Great Yuan Court. I will lower the price of the terms proposed by you, general! However, I came to discuss retreat with the marshal, that is, I hope that you, marshal, can benefit and retreat with satisfaction.
Only in this way can Liu Ji feel worthy of his inner conscience." Liu Bowen said.
"So it turns out that sir, he is actually in the Cao camp and his heart is in the Han Dynasty!" Zhu Han suddenly laughed.
In fact, it is right to think about it. According to Meng Yuan's conduct, it is abnormal to be able to make a truly conscientious person like Liu Bowen loyal to him wholeheartedly.
Especially the Han people in the south of the Yangtze River were divided into four classes by the Mongolian and Yuan Dynasties. Naturally, they wished that the Mongolian and Yuan court would be finished as soon as possible.
"It seems that sir must have understood the Tatars' reserves in Jiqing. So, how much do we need?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked with a smile.
"Double it!" Liu Bowen replied without hesitation.
Double!
This is not a small number.
The price mentioned by Zhu Han can already feed and clothe at least 50,000 rebel soldiers for a year. If it is doubled, there will be enough materials to train more elite soldiers.
"Isn't it too high if it's doubled? Will Pingzhang and others from the Tatars in Jiangsu and Zhejiang agree?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked worriedly.
"Marshal, if you want to take out the grain and grass money from the official warehouse of Jiqing Mansion, there is no problem at all! Because water and land transportation is cut off, the grain and grass taxes collected by Jiangnan have been stored in the warehouse, and there is no time to transfer it to the warehouse.
Dadu, Jiangsu and Zhejiang Pingzhang and others will definitely agree!" Liu Bowen said.
Zhu Han was overjoyed.
This is really pie in the sky. Liu Bowen, an undercover agent who brought his own food, is about to make a fortune.
"Jiangnan is so wealthy!" Xu Da couldn't help but say.
"If it's doubled, that would be one million grains and one million silver coins! Can you really make them agree?" Zhu Han was also a little confused.
Liu Bowen nodded, "No problem. The warehouses in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces should be able to produce so much. Liu Ji cannot join the army to help the general, so he can only do his small part in this way."
If Liu Bowen had said this to an ordinary person, Zhu Han would not believe it at all.
Maybe it was some Sun Tzu who came up with a delaying strategy.
