Hong Chengchou entered Cangzhou City and started a hunger strike.
He no longer paid attention to Tu Guobao, said another word to him, and stopped eating. He looked like he was going to die for the Qing Dynasty and be loyal to the Qing Dynasty. When Tu Guobao saw this, he didn't bother to talk more, and just told his soldiers to pay attention.
Capturing Hong Chengchou was the first big gain after the landing, but it was idle hunting rabbits. Capturing Cangzhou City was also an unexpected surprise. Such a big city is also an important canal and Luyan town, so it can't be in vain.
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"Uncle, isn't Hong Chengchou willing to surrender?"
Tu Guobao rubbed his beard and said, "I guess he is too shameless. Maybe he won't be able to change for a while. Let him go for a while and then wait for a few days. How was the harvest this time?"
"I've made a fortune. I've just interrogated Wang Wenyuan and Zhang Xuan. Before leaving the capital, Hong Chengchou sent a flag officer to deliver the order to prepare salt and grain. He also specially summoned the Changlu salt merchants and asked them to
In order to donate money, Zhang Xuan mobilized a lot of river soldiers and transport soldiers. If we hadn't come under the banner of Hong Chengchou, it would be impossible to capture Cangzhou City."
When Tu Guobao heard this, he immediately became energetic.
"Then hurry up, it's not a good place to stay for a long time!"
Only 500 of them landed from the seaside. During this period, they rushed here and there, attracting many salt traders and bandits, rebels, hungry people, etc. They said they numbered thousands, but in fact they were really going to encounter the elite of the Eight Banners, and even
Even the stronger Green Camp might be surrounded and annihilated.
Tu Guobao came out this time to express his loyalty to Emperor Shaotian first, but he also had to protect his own life first, and he was not here to die.
Yamen Flower Hall.
All the civil and military officials, powerful gentry, and salt merchants of Cangzhou who were high-sounding only half a day ago were now crowded in in great embarrassment and fear, and even their hats were removed from each one.
Tu Guobao was so intent on murdering people that he immediately cut off their braids. At this time, all of them had disheveled hair, as if they were mourning for their heirs. Their official robes had also been taken off, and they were only wearing a white middle coat. They followed the mourning and vigil in the hall.
Same.
Standing at the door were armored soldiers with guns and knives, watching eagerly.
People in the hall were frightened and did not dare to talk nonsense. They were all waiting for the unknown unknown.
"The Governor of the Imperial Ming Dynasty, Tianjin, the Minister of the Ministry of War, and the Chief Imperial Censor of the Imperial Procuratorate, Mr. Tu, are here!"
The soldiers suddenly shouted loudly outside.
The lifeless people in the hall immediately stood up as if their tails had been burned by fire, and looked at the door uneasily.
The door opens.
Tu Guobao came in with his generals and soldiers.
"Hello everyone, sit down, sit down!"
Everyone looked at Tu Guobao in fear. Among them were some people who knew Tu Guobao before, such as Zhang Xuan, the salt patrol officer, and several of Hong's staff.
I looked at this guy who started out as a private salt dealer and later became a water bandit in Taihu Lake. After being recruited by Hong Chengchou, he joined the army and became a deputy general. Later, he was recruited by Hong and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. He followed the army in the southern expedition and became the governor of Jiangning.
At this time, he was wearing cotton armor and had a big sword hanging on his waist, looking very proud.
"Everyone here, some know Tu and some don't. Let me introduce myself formally. I am Tu Guobao, a native of Shanxi. I have sold salt and fallen grass, been recruited, and joined the army.
Like everyone else, I went through a detour and survived the Manchus, but later I realized I had lost my way, turned around, and returned to the Ming Dynasty again. Fortunately, Long live the Lord ignored the past grudges, was kind and kind, and still entrusted me with the important task. This time I led the troops to advance the Northern Expedition.
, and I’m here especially to greet my old benefactor, Mr. Hong Gongzu.”
"Perhaps you don't know, but in fact, after the defeat of Songjin in Liaodong and the capture of the enemy, Hong Gongzu was always in Cao's camp and his heart was in the Han Dynasty. He never really surrendered to the Tatars. He only temporarily committed himself to serving as thieves."
"Last year, Gongzu Hong appeased Jiangnan and then conducted a military campaign in Huguang. Why do you think it happened that just last year in Jiangnan, Huguang was corrupted and completely ruined?"
"To be honest, not only did Duke Yan come out of Jiangnan, but also because Hong Gongzu had been secretly aware of it for a long time. Therefore, the Tatars' deployment in Jiangnan and Huguang fell into the hands of Long Live Lord, and they were defeated everywhere.
Just move on."
"Why do you think I appeared in Cangzhou so coincidentally? Why do you think you are here? It's all because Duke Hong summoned me here through a letter passed down by his ancestors."
Everyone was stunned.
"Hong Gongzu has long been secretly appointed by Long Live Lord to be the Governor-General of Zhili, Shandong and Henan provinces. He is also the Minister of the Ministry of War, the Censor of Youdu, and the Governor of Shuntian. He is also in charge of rivers and the director of Lu Yanzheng. He is also the admiral of military affairs and in charge of food and wages.
also."
Zhou Yuji and other Hong Chengchou's staff looked at Tu Guobao with half disbelief in their hearts.
But others were half-convinced, and some were even convinced of it. Otherwise, how could Tu Guobao just happen to appear, or would he have defrauded Cangzhou on Hong Chengchou's ship?
"Everyone, this is a list of commendations and awards given to me by the saint when I was traveling north from Dengzhou. Everyone, please listen carefully."
"Zhang Xuan was granted the title of right deputy censor of the capital, Prime Minister Changlu, Lianghuai, Shandong Sanyan Transportation Department, and also in charge of Beihe Road."
"I confer Wang Wenyuan as governor of Baoding!"
······
Tu Guobao read out a long list of seals. Zhang Xuan, who was originally a seventh-grade salt patrol officer, was directly promoted to a third-grade officer of the Salt Patrol Department, and was in charge of three salt areas.
Wang Wenyuan, who was originally a third-grade salt transport envoy, was directly promoted to governor of Baoding.
Grain plague
The other people in the hall, this one was promoted to Chief Envoy, that one was promoted to Assistant Inspector, this one was promoted to patrol, and that one was promoted to prefect, all in all it was quite lively, and it even felt like they had a share in the meeting.
Even many squires and salt merchants were awarded official positions.
Hong Chengchou's staff team all have at least a fifth-grade official position.
Those whose names were read out were stunned when they heard about their official positions, while those whose names had not been read out were full of expectation and nervousness.
After the last name was read, everyone fell into a strange emotion.
Everyone looked at this local treasure who claimed to be the governor of Tianjin, and they didn't know how to express it.
At this time, even Zhou Shizhong and other Hong's close aides couldn't help but wonder, could it be that Hong Chengchou had really become enlightened in secret so early?
He had just been awarded the position of Changlu, patrolling salt and managing rivers. It was only the seventh rank, but it was a very hot job.
"Where's Mr. Hong?"
Zou Zhuoming, who had just been appointed as the sub-inspector of Qinghe Road, always felt that something was wrong. These staff members were Hong Chengchou's confidants. Even if Hong was transparent, it was impossible for him to do everything perfectly. It was impossible for them to know nothing, let alone when he was in Jiangnan and Huguang.
It's already clear.
"Hong Gongzu is writing a memorial to the emperor. In addition, he accidentally fell into the water on the river and caught a cold, so he won't come over for the time being."
Zou Zhuoming has not forgotten how Tu Guobao led his troops to attack them on the canal. The scene of blood and flesh flying everywhere with swords, arrows and cannons. Even Hong Chengchou personally picked up a knife and went to the deck to fight. In the end, he was defeated and threw himself into the water.
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Why are you now saying that you have been enlightened for a long time?
Or the governor-general of the Ming Dynasty? This is impossible!
Zhang Dade was secretly tugging at Zou Zhuoming's sleeves. In fact, others might believe Tu Guobao's words, but who of them, Hong Chengchou's closest aides, would believe these lies, especially after they had just experienced the canal attack.
Zhang Dade was Hong Chengchou's staff officer, a military strategist who was good at making plans and had a very smart mind. When Hong Chengchou heard that he was good at strategy, he personally visited the thatched cottage and asked him to help out.
Could he not see the problem here?
Tu Guobao's words are full of loopholes.
But precisely because these were all lies, he understood the truth early on. The truth was that Tu Guobao, an old subordinate of Hong Chengchou, surrendered to the Ming Dynasty in the south of the Yangtze River, and then led a troop of troops from Dengzhou to land near Cangzhou to investigate.
Knowing that Hong Chengchou and others were passing by, they were robbed halfway and used their boat and flag to defraud Cangzhou. Everything was not a coincidence, but they were well prepared.
The so-called governor of Tianjin, Tu Guobao, may be true, but there is no way Hong Chengchou could be transparent, let alone the governor of Zhili in the Ming Dynasty.
Tu Guobao said so much here, but the official positions awarded are also very problematic.
Because many official positions were awarded that were inconsistent with their status, even salt merchants and the like were given official positions. How could there be such an award? It was completely random, and even made a temporary arrangement based on the captured people.
Therefore, there will be cases where a former third-grade official is still awarded a third-grade official, a seventh-grade official is awarded a third-grade official, a white-skinned official is awarded a fifth-grade official, etc.
Why Tu Guobao did this can be understood after a little thought, but it was just deception. In the final analysis, he was still just a partial force of the Ming army.
Zou Zhuoming insisted on breaking the casserole and asking the truth. Such doubts were definitely unwise.
If you are smarter, you should pretend to be confused. Since you have fallen into the enemy's hands, pretend to obey first and think about it in the long term.
Zou Zhuoming wanted to say something else, but Zhang Dade pinched him hard on the leg and he finally shut up.
Tu Guobao took in everything and was very satisfied.
"You are all loyal men recommended to the saint by Hong Gongzu, and you are also talented officials. Now that the saint is leading the northern expedition and Cangzhou is newly restored, I have to rely on you. Hong Gong will go to Denglai to meet the saint and report the military situation of Zhili
.
Hong Gongzu specially explained that you should never go to see the saint empty-handed. That would be disrespectful. He specifically told a certain person to quickly prepare the salt, grain, cloth, money, and ships that he had previously told him to prepare and transport them out to sea with him to Denglai.
Pay tribute."
Zhang Dade thought to himself, now the entire city of Cangzhou is in your hands, and our wealth and life are in your hands. If you want money, food, salt and ships, why don't you take it for yourself? Why are you telling us this?
It's just that they still underestimated Tu Guobao.
After taking Cangzhou, the salt, grain, and money ships in Cangzhou City will naturally be his, but he is not satisfied with this.
He made up imperial edicts and appointed officials at random because he wanted to use the waste again. Not only did he want to squeeze all the money out of the hands of these people, he also wanted to make these newly appointed salt inspectors, censors, governors, and chief ministers newly appointed by him.
Envoys, inspectors, patrols, prefects, etc. came forward to lead his men, and then took the opportunity to rob the surrounding areas.
If you can cheat, cheat. If you can rob, rob. Use the waste.
Anyway, he didn't plan to stay here for a long time. The emperor's military order was also very clear, and he was here to harass and destroy. However, the emperor also had a clear intention in advance. Half of the proceeds captured by these advance troops going north in the war zone were directly rewarded to them.
The more you rob, the greater the share will be. Tu Guo Bao is not too rich for the money!
It would definitely be a lot easier to rob from both ends of the canal and deliberately use these Tatar officials to cover it.
