Gaoyang County is a city located between Renqiu County and Baoding Prefecture.
On the eastern outskirts of Gaoyang County, there is a large river called Zhulong River that flows into Baiyangdian. The river is not wide, and its banks are boundless alluvial plains.
In March, it is the time when the grass grows and the orioles fly. The green grass has sprouted by the Zhulong River, creating a green and vibrant scene.
In the open space on the west bank of the Zhulong River, entrusted by the imperial court, Ma Zhongxi, the deputy censor of Zuodu, held discussions with Liu Chong, the rebel Fengtian general marshal, about recruitment.
According to the agreement, each side sent fifty infantry soldiers to accompany them. Moreover, before the negotiation began, each side sent soldiers to guard the opponent within ten miles behind to prevent the other party from cheating.
In a temporary thatched pavilion, people from both sides entered and sat down. According to the agreement, each side brought three people to assist the negotiation, and fifty soldiers lined up a hundred steps away to avoid disturbing the negotiation process.
On Liu Chong's side, Liu Chen, Yang Hu, and Zhao Sui were naturally involved, while on Ma Zhongxi's side, in addition to a Hejian Prefecture Guard Commander, there were two civilian officials.
At 4 o'clock in the morning, the recruitment and security consultation officially began.
Ma Zhongxi first stated his position: "I believe that you have carefully read the letter I sent. I am Ma Zhongxi, deputy censor of Zuodu of the Inspectorate. In accordance with the decree of the imperial court, I act as a recruitment and security negotiation official with all the leaders. Therefore,
You can rest assured that this time the imperial court is full of sincerity and wants to quell the war and return the people of Hebei to a peaceful and peaceful life. Leaders don't have to worry about anything later."
Liu Chong chuckled and said, "Master Ma, the court should know why we rebelled."
Ma Zhongxi frowned and said: "There is no need to go into the details of the whole story. What happened in the past can just be written off and no longer needs to be mentioned. The important thing is to calm down everything in front of us from today on."
Liu Chong nodded and said: "Okay, let's not mention the past things. Since the imperial court has come to recruit people, we have to give the imperial court face. But the conditions must be satisfied. We can't go in vain. You just said it in a few words.
surrendered."
"Captain Liu, if you have any requests, feel free to mention them. As long as we can quell the rebellion, we can discuss it." Ma Zhongxi said with a smile.
Liu Chong said with a smile: "Then I have to mention it. We have no other requirements. First, the court must issue an order to exempt all those who join our rebel army. Those who hold any position in our army will be given
What a position they have. If they are willing to go home and farm, don't force them."
Ma Zhongxi nodded slightly and said: "Chief Liu is indeed a benevolent and righteous person. No wonder he can gather so many people to follow you in rebellion. This first point alone shows that Chief Liu is benevolent and righteous. Chief Liu is only missing one thing: loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness."
Liu Chong laughed and said: "Master Ma, there is no need to beat around the bush and accuse me of Liu Chong's disloyalty. Don't forget that we are what you call rebels. Why are you talking about loyalty to the emperor?"
Ma Zhongxi smiled and said: "I don't mean that. I can guarantee that the court will agree to this. I can make the decision. The court will issue a general amnesty, everyone will be fine, and they will be recruited according to their original positions. Director Li will write this down.
."
The civilian official next to him was busy transcribing it into the record with a pen.
Liu Chong smiled and said: "It's quite refreshing. Secondly, I have made some distribution of land and property. The court must keep its promise and admit that the land and property I distributed belong to the people. Otherwise, the people's joy will be in vain.
But I, Liu Chong, am not the kind of person who only cares about myself and ignores the people."
Ma Zhongxi was surprised and said: "What distribution of land and property?"
Zhao Sui said in a deep voice from the side: "Master Ma, the general of my family has given an order to seize the land of the powerful and distribute it to the families of the common people. These things must be counted."
Ma Zhongxi was astonished. He originally looked down upon these guys in front of him, but now he was a little in awe. They actually knew that equalizing land would benefit the people. This was a move to win people's hearts. How could a group of thieves do this? Look,
His ambition is not small.
"This matter... I'm afraid it needs the permission of the imperial court. The power of enfeoffing the land lies with the imperial court. If a few of them agree to recruit people, they are ministers of the imperial court and have to listen to the imperial court's arrangements. In short, the imperial court will definitely settle the people properly.
.Those are all the people of the Ming Dynasty." Ma Zhongxi said solemnly.
Liu Qi sneered and said: "Sixth brother, look, this old man can't even do this, and he still comes to recruit people. It's ridiculous."
Ma Zhongxi frowned and said: "You can't say that. Zhao'an will naturally agree to your conditions, but the conditions you propose cannot be outrageous."
Zhao Sui sneered and said: "This is not outrageous. It seems that the court still doesn't know why we rebelled. Isn't it because we have no way to live? Those who work on the land have no food to eat, they are freezing and hungry and owe us high-interest debts, so they sell their children and daughters.
If you want to go out to beg for food, you will be caught. The court treats us like pigs and dogs, and the people will naturally rebel. There is no guarantee that the people will have food to eat. Even if we are recruited, there will still be people who rebel."
Ma Zhongxi pondered: "If you are telling the truth, then the court has indeed passed. I didn't expect that this place in Hebei would be like this. It seems that some people are responsible for this incident. That's all, this
Make a note of this first. I will tell the emperor later, and I believe that the emperor will agree. After all, the land is not gone, it is still in the hands of the people. Chief Li, please make a note of this too."
Liu Chong sneered and said: "Master Ma, you have just said the second point, and you are already reluctant to do it. If you go on to say the next thing, you still have to jump up? I think, let's forget this matter, we are afraid that we can't talk about it
Not close."
Ma Zhongxi said: "Chief Liu, this is a matter of mutual negotiation. You see, as soon as you talked about the inner situation, didn't I agree to the second clause? If there are any other conditions, we can just talk about it. I
I think you should mention the requirements for your main leaders themselves. Tell me, what kind of official do you want?"
Liu Chong chuckled and said: "In that case, I'll mention it. We brothers can't work in vain. Mr. Ma, our request is also very simple. First, the four of us must be knighted. We don't want to talk like a lion.
There is no need for princes, princes, princes or anything like that. Just one person can be granted the title of Duke."
Ma Zhongxi was shocked and angry, his eyes widened in shock.
But I heard Liu Chong continue to say: "In view of the virtue of the imperial court, we don't want to be retaliated by the imperial court, so we don't go to the capital, and we are given fiefdoms in Hebei and other places. One person can fief a county. As for official positions, it is not
It doesn’t matter, just appoint a commander who leads the army. Because we ask the court to allow us to keep our own
We don’t have many soldiers and horses, five thousand soldiers and horses per person. By the way, the four of us are bachelors and haven’t married yet. If the emperor is sincere, he can find a few princesses and princesses to give us one.
In this way, we are also relatives of the emperor. We are all one family, so why rebel? Mr. Ma, can you agree to these conditions?"
Ma Zhongxi sat on the chair as if he was petrified. Several officials beside him also glared at Liu Chong and others.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong, old man? Are you stupid?" Liu Qi shouted loudly.
Ma Zhongxi took a long breath, forced himself to suppress the anger in his heart, and said in a deep voice: "Chief Liu, the conditions you proposed are really too much. Are they just to entertain us? I said that the conditions must be reasonable.
become."
Liu Chong glared and said, "What? Isn't it reasonable? I think it's very reasonable. If the imperial court wants to recruit us, it will naturally treat us favorably. We don't want to be the emperor or the chief minister, nor are we to be princes, we just want to be the Duke of the country.
Just for fun. Isn’t this too much?”
Ma Zhongxi said coldly: "The Duke is the top noble, and should be awarded to those who have made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty. How many Dukes are there in such a large court of the Ming Dynasty? You want to be the Duke with your mouth, is it possible that being a Duke is like a carrot?
The imperial court recruits you for this purpose
In order to avoid the loss of life, it is an act to end the dispute. How can you open your mouth like a lion? This is not sincere. You also need fiefdoms and private soldiers, you can't imagine it. Do you want to be a local emperor? I think,
You have no sincerity."
Liu Chong sneered and said: "Sincerity? It's you who want to recruit us, not us who go up the pole to beg you. Our Fengtian Rebel Army now has hundreds of thousands of troops in hand. With this posture, it is not impossible for us to sweep the world.
Do princes, generals, and ministers have the guts to do this? If we win the kingdom, who cares about the prince, we can take turns being the emperor. What does it mean to have a few princes in the court?"
Liu Chong deliberately exaggerated his strength to scare the other party. In fact, the rebel army after reorganization only had more than 60,000 people, not hundreds of thousands.
Ma Zhongxi couldn't bear it anymore and shouted angrily: "How presumptuous. The imperial court is giving you a way to survive. Do you really think that the imperial court is afraid of you? The imperial court has given you the opportunity. You should be grateful. But here you come to cause trouble. How unreasonable."
Yang Hu slapped the table and yelled: "What the hell do we want you to give us a chance? You yourself were so scared that you trembled, and that's why you begged us to recruit you. Be grateful, and fuck your mother."
Ma Zhongxi scolded: "A bunch of reckless people who don't know how high the sky is. They get some advantages and think it's a big deal. Little do they know that once the court makes up its mind, you will all be beaten back to your original shape. Can you compete with the court's millions of troops? It's ridiculous. Tell the truth.
You, the court has decided to grant you the title of earl and reward you with thousands of acres of fertile land.
, let you become state officials and we will no longer pursue you for the crime of rebellion. This is already a great gift. I advise you to seize the opportunity and not to lose this great opportunity. For others to get an official position, it will take ten years to pass the imperial examination. You
But I took a shortcut to get the official position and was awarded a title, which is enough to honor my ancestors and correct my name. Think about it carefully."
Liu Chong burst into laughter, turned to the people around him and said, "What am I talking about? They are treating us like beggars. They want to deceive us by giving us some sweets, but we don't really count."
Zhao Sui sneered: "Then beat them until they cry for father and mother, and then they will know they are afraid. They are not sincere in trying to persuade you."
Ma Zhongxi shouted: "It's nonsense. If you are not sincere, why did I come here?"
Liu Chong sneered and said: "Let me tell you, why did you come to see us? Is it to delay time and gather officers and soldiers from all over to encircle and suppress us? Our people saw a large number of soldiers and horses in Bazhou North and rushed to Bazhou, right?
Your dog emperor asked you to deceive us, and then secretly mobilized troops and generals to prepare for an attack? Don’t think we don’t know your intentions. What the hell are you doing to recruit peace and slow down the troops?"
Ma Zhongxi frowned and said: "Nonsense, that's just a normal troop movement. The recruitment was ordered by the emperor and has nothing to do with the troop movement. The court is sincere."
Liu Chong spat: "Bah, are you treating me like monkeys? On the one hand, you want to recruit peace, and on the other hand, you increase your troops and prepare to encircle and suppress us. Is this your sincerity? The court cannot be trusted at all, we are rebels, why recruit us?"
After we agreed, he took away our
Military power, and then settle the scores after the fall? Wait for the Jin Yiwei and the officers and soldiers to cut off my wives, children, parents, and their own heads and play them as balls? Mr. Ma, don’t play with your evil thoughts. If you are really sincere, you will agree to the conditions.
, Otherwise, there is no need to discuss it.”
Ma Zhongxi frowned and his hands trembled with anger. Recruitment was a move he approved of. He had made a great contribution in appeasing the local riots in Liaodong. He originally thought that this recruitment would be successful because of these rebels.
In fact, I don't want to fight to the end. The end of the road to rebellion is the end, and everyone knows this.
But he never expected that this gang of rebels was not what he imagined. Judging from their actions of allocating land to the people, they were not stupid. And they had no small ambitions.
It was impossible to agree to the conditions they proposed. If you didn't agree, the talks would collapse. Ma Zhongxi didn't want to give up yet. What's more, even if the talks collapsed, they would have to delay the time. It couldn't end so quickly.
The three guards of the border army are rushing to Bazhou, and the soldiers and horses from Henan and Shandong are also heading north. The ten guards and horses will soon be assembled. By then, there is no need to worry. At least we must stabilize them now. The longer the better, the better.
.We cannot let them attack and flee everywhere.
"Well, let me think about this matter. Anyway, it's still early. I've brought wine and food. Let's have lunch and talk in the afternoon." Ma Zhongxi said.
Liu Chong agreed readily and laughed loudly: "It's okay, I have plenty of time anyway. The scenery along the Zhulong River is so beautiful, I think it's an outing in March."