Zhang Guojun walked in a hurry and broke into Lao Zhu's study in a windy way.
"Your Highness wants to give Wang Chuangzi twenty thousand taels of silver?"
"Well, the reconstruction of the Brave Guard Camp is not a joke. I hope that the Brave Guard Camp can be rebuilt as soon as possible and recruit three thousand warriors. It is very expensive to raise soldiers. They need food and drink, and some accommodation expenses, not to mention the purchase of weapons, food and equipment.
Wait, everything costs money. Twenty thousand taels of silver actually won't do anything, and I was planning to ask you to borrow some money first."
As Lao Zhu spoke, he stopped the pen in his hand, picked up a newly written IOU and handed it to Zhang Guojun.
Zhang Guojun took it, glanced over it, and his expression changed slightly.
Borrow 20,000 taels of silver and earn three cents of monthly profit.
"I know that your Ningbo family, Mr. Zhang, also runs a pawn shop. The monthly profit is three cents. If you borrow ten taels, the interest for five months will be one tael and five cents, and the interest for three years will be one tael and eight cents. Simple interest. I have nothing to pledge, so I use my
The credit guarantee of King Zhu Yihai of Lu. Twenty thousand two or three years of interest, twenty-one thousand six hundred taels, plus the principal of twenty thousand taels, then the principal and interest will be given to you forty-one thousand six hundred taels."
Zhang Guojun looked at this IOU and felt a little speechless.
The powerful Zhang family in Ningbo not only engages in maritime merchant ship trade, but also engages in gold and silver shops, bank pawnshops and other businesses. Three cents per month is correct, but it is generally a short-term business. Although it is simple interest, the actual interest is
It's still quite high. After all, it's backed by a mortgage, so it's naturally lower than ordinary private loan sharks.
Under normal circumstances, the interest rates for large long-term loans are certainly not that high, but the conditions are also high and they will not lend you large sums of money easily.
Lao Zhu asked to borrow 20,000 taels, which made Zhang Guojun not sure how to answer.
"I know that your Zhang family has a lot of wealth. Let alone 20,000 taels, you can easily get even 200,000 taels."
Zhang Guojun had no choice but to hand back the IOU, "If the prince is short of money, just ask and our Zhang family will send it to you, so there is no need to ask for a loan."
"This is different. If it were one thousand eight hundred taels, I would naturally not ask for it to be borrowed. But this is twenty thousand taels. Your Zhang family's silver did not come from the strong wind, so one yard will return to the other."
Zhang Guojun thought to himself, if you put it this way, why should I lend you 20,000 taels of silver and you turn your back to Wang Chuangzi to train in the Yongwei camp? Isn't this a waste of money?
"Your Majesty is really determined to stay here and fight against the Qing Dynasty!"
"What else?" Lao Zhu chuckled, "Not only do I want to stay, I have also decided to take over the throne and lead the Ming army and people to fight against the Qing Dynasty!"
"My lord, why don't you think about it again."
"I've thought about it very clearly."
There was silence in the study for a moment.
For a long time, Zhang Guojun saw the firm look in King Lu's eyes and could not persuade him. He just said in a roundabout way, "Your Majesty, you want to rely on Wang Chuangzi? But have you ever thought about it? Wang Chuangzi only has dozens of Yongwei battalion troops under his command now, even if they are defeated.
Your Majesty rebuilt the Brave Guard Camp, but what use are the thousands of newly recruited troops?"
"Wang Chuangzi's adoptive father Huang Chuangzi couldn't defeat the Qing army, nor could the four towns in Jiangbei with a combined force of more than 100,000 men. Even when Wang Chuangzi was still in Liaodong outside the Pass, the imperial court used all its strength to supply Guan Ning's army.
, the Guanning defense line built can’t defeat the Tatars either..."
Lao Zhu shook his head, "Some things, even if you know there will be many difficulties ahead, you still have to give it a try."
"Those warriors may not be trustworthy. The Yongwei Battalion is known as the First Guards Army, but doesn't it also have traitors like Tian Xiong and Ma Degong?"
"Guo Jun, I come from the south, and your Zhang family has been very helpful to me. I will keep this in mind. Before, I appointed you the position of Jinyiwei Baihu, and now I want to do something big.
I need the help of trusted people around me. I plan to appoint you as the commander of the Jinyiwei. How about you help me rebuild the Jinyiwei and lead the emperor's army for me?"
Commander of the Imperial Guard.
This was a very prestigious official position in the Ming Dynasty. It was not only a rank official, but more importantly, the power of the Jinyiwei. The commander of the Jinyiwei had always been a confidant of the emperor and held a high position.
Last year, he was just an arty and wealthy young man in the Jiangnan Poetry Club. Suddenly he was given the title of Commander of the Imperial Guard. Zhang Guojun was a little confused.
"Wang Chuangzi will rebuild the Yongwei camp for me, with the guards outside. How about you form another Jinyi Guard for me, with the guards inside?"
Zhang Guojun's face turned red with excitement. He could not calm down in front of the huge hat of Commander Jin Yiwei. Although he felt that the Ming Dynasty was about to end and Taizhou had become a dangerous place, the title of Commander Jin Yiwei was too tempting.
When Lao Zhu saw his appearance, he knew he had succeeded.
Smiling, he stretched out the IOU again and said, "I borrow 20,000 taels, and Yongweiying and Jinyiwei will each borrow 10,000 taels."
Zhang Guojun could no longer refuse and reached out to take the IOU, "I'll arrange for the money to be shipped right away."
Come in a hurry and go in a hurry.
Liu Chao came in to report.
"The guest is flattering Zheng and Eunuch Li and asking to see His Highness."
Lao Zhu borrowed 20,000 taels of silver from Zhang Guojun with an IOU. He was very happy. After hearing this, he said to Liu Chao, "These two people must be here for the position of admiral of the Yongwei Camp."
Li Guofu was originally the admiral of the Yongwei Camp. He was the adopted son of Han Zanzhou, the former Nanjing garrison eunuch. Han Zanzhou had meritorious service in supporting Zhu Yousong as emperor and became the most powerful eunuch in the Hongguang Dynasty. After gaining power, he naturally arranged for his adopted son Li Guofu to be the Yongwei.
Admiral of the camp.
However, later Han Zanzhou had a conflict with his chief minister Ma Shiying, and he tried to persuade Hongguang several times not to neglect political affairs. As a result, he fell out of favor, and Ma Shiying took the opportunity to make his son the admiral of the Yongwei Camp.
As for Ke Fengyi, he is Sizheng of the flattery department of the eunuch organization of Prince Lu's Palace. He is the first chief eunuch of the Prince's Palace. Like Gu Wenguang, he was highly trusted by Prince Lu and can be called the sleeping dragon and phoenix of Prince Lu's Palace.
Some of the future historical trajectories of these two people emerged in Lao Zhu's mind. Later, Li Fuguo fought against the Qing Dynasty with King Lu. Later, after King Lu was defeated, he still fought against the Qing Dynasty in Jiangnan and never surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. His final defeat was unknown.
However, like Gu Wenguang, Ke Fengyi surrendered to the Qing army immediately after his defeat.
"Liu Chao, I want you to go to Yongwei Camp to supervise military affairs. Are you willing?"
Lao Zhu said suddenly.
Liu Chao was stunned. He was ranked fourth in the Flattery Department, and his status was far inferior to that of Ke Fengyi. There were several eunuchs above him who had higher qualifications and grades than him.
The admiral of the Yongwei Camp was traditionally held by the Royal Guards eunuch. For example, the first admiral of the Yongwei Camp in the Chongzhen Dynasty was Cao Huachun. During the Hongguang Dynasty, Li Guofu, the admiral of the Yongwei Camp, was also the eunuch of the Royal Guards.
"Slave, slave...incompetent..."
"Liu Chao, you are also an old man in Prince Lu's Mansion."
Liu Chao nodded, "I was my adoptive father back then. Liu Lao Nei from the palace found me abandoned in the alley outside the palace on a cold winter morning. I was still in my infancy and almost frozen.
Dead. I grew up in the palace, and the palace has been kind to me..."
Although Prince Lu's Mansion saved Liu Chao's life, they also took away his treasure. Lao Zhu didn't know whether this was a favor or something else.
However, Liu Chao had been in Prince Lu's Mansion for many years, and he was indeed as loyal as a slave. Moreover, he had memories of the future of Liu Dynasty's history in his mind. After the bloody battle in Zhoushan, King Lu's anti-Qing base in the Zhoushan Islands was destroyed. At that time, Lu
Wang Zheng was leading his troops in the Northern Expedition, but his hometown was destroyed.
Princess Lu and other concubines committed suicide by jumping into a well. Liu Chao, after helping to bury the well, drew his sword and committed suicide.
For this reason, Lao Zhu trusted Liu Chao very much.
There is nothing more trustworthy than a person who can give his life for you.
"Liu Chao, I know that you have always been loyal and cautious, so I specially asked you to go to the Yongwei Camp to supervise military affairs. With you here, I feel relieved."
"Your Highness, Eunuch Li, the eunuch and eunuch, is of high rank and seniority, and he has also supervised the Yongwei camp before. He is more suitable than a slave."
Lao Zhu shook his head.
"Eunuch Li, I have another important role. I plan to let him supervise the East Factory and work together with Zhang Guojun's Jin Yiwei."
Lao Zhu was not very familiar with Li Guofu, so he was not completely at ease with the former imperial eunuch and admiral of the Yongwei camp who came to join him. Even though he knew that he persisted in resisting the Qing Dynasty and did not surrender, after thinking about it, he decided to change him.
Due to his position, he cannot be allowed to continue to supervise the Yongwei Camp.
Although the reputation of Jinyiwei and Dongchang was not very good in the Ming Dynasty, especially in the late Ming Dynasty, they even smelled a bit like a street smell. However, Lao Zhu felt that spy intelligence agencies like Factory Guard were actually very necessary.
This is like the emperor's ears and eyes. In this situation, the ears and eyes must be clearer.
"I'm of great use to the Yongwei Camp, you have to look out for me."
When Liu Chao heard this, he gritted his teeth and agreed, "This slave will definitely supervise the brave defense of the camp for His Highness."
"Your Highness, Zhu Ren and others have been waiting for a long time. In addition, many popular gentry and elders in Taizhou have also been invited and are waiting in the front hall." Liu Chao quickly reported another important matter.
"Well, I understand, let's go now."
On the corridor leading to the front hall, Lao Zhu took one step at a time, his steps becoming more and more firm and steady.
When he appeared at the door of the front hall, a group of people who had been waiting for a long time stood up to greet him.
"When I heard that His Highness was brave enough to take on the great task and wanted to restore the country and revive the Ming Dynasty, Chen was so excited that he wrote a Northern Expedition message for His Highness!" Chen Hanhui was the first to rush to Lao Zhu and said loudly, holding up a thousand-word message.
.
Lao Zhu took it and nodded.
At this time, another person came up and said, "I heard that His Highness wants to supervise the country and take charge of it?"
Lao Zhu looked up and recognized that this was Song Zhipu, an old friend from Shandong. His ancestral home was Linyi, Shandong. He was a Jinshi in the Chongzhen Dynasty. He was elected as an academician of the Imperial Academy and became Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Household Affairs. His father was also the censor of Zuodu in the court. Father and son were ministers in the same palace.
It was said that Song Zhipu had served as the prefect of Taizhou before, but Chongzhen was recuperating due to illness at the end of his stay. As a result, he broke into the capital and invaded the capital. Then Wu Sangui led the Qing army into the pass. The north fell, and Song Zhipu had to go south.
Zhu Yihai, who followed Yanzhou southward on the way, was on the same journey, and the relationship was good along the way. Later, Lao Zhu was transferred to Taizhou by Hongguang, so he also invited Song Zhipu to come with him.
Facing this Shandong fellow who had escaped the disaster together, Zhu Yihai nodded without hesitation.
"That's right, the two capitals have fallen, China has no owner, and people are panicked. It is my duty to invite you all to come here to discuss this matter. Only by re-establishing the imperial court can we better call on the people of the world to fight against the Tartars and revive the Ming Dynasty.
.”
"Brother Zefu, are you willing to help us in this important event?"
Song Zhipu paid homage with great ceremony, "I have my wish, but I don't dare to ask my ears!"
At this time, another Taizhou gentry, Ke Xiaqing, told Lao Zhu that he and Song Zhipu were on the edge of the Lingjiang River just now, and had gone down the river to commit suicide. After being informed of the exciting news that King Lu had killed the Northern envoy and was determined to resist the Qing Dynasty, he planned to
Not dead anymore.
"Leave this half of your body behind to work for His Highness and revive the Ming Dynasty together."
Chen Hanhui raised his arms and shouted, "It is better to choose a day than to hit it. At this moment, I will set up a table to burn incense and ask the portrait of Emperor Taizu Gao to be hung in the main hall. We, the soldiers and civilians of the Jin gentry in Taizhou, will support His Royal Highness King Lu to supervise the country and lead us to fight together."
Tartars, revive the Ming Dynasty!"
Song Zhipu and Ke Xiaqing, two comrades who had just died in Linghe, were still wet in their clothes at this time, and they both raised their arms and shouted passionately to support King Lu in supervising the country.
A portrait of Zhu Yuanzhang was invited to be hung in the main hall. Everyone surrounded Zhu Yihai and sat under the painting, facing north and south.
Chen Hanhui, Song Zhipu, Ke Xiaqing, Zhang Guojun, Li Guofu, Wang Xiang, Liu Chao and many others paid their respects to the mountain and prayed that the country would live a thousand years.
Behind them, the anxious comrade Zhu Ren and other members of the surrendering party who had led the way were throwing themselves down, with their heads on the ground, their buttocks stuck out higher than anyone else, and their shouts louder than anyone else.
Whether they wanted it or not, they were all swept along by this sudden wave.
"Expedition to the Central Plains, drive out the Tartars, restore China, and revive the Ming Dynasty!"
The sound like a mountain call continued to spread outside, reaching outside the palace walls. Outside the palace, more and more people from Taizhou City gathered. When they heard the mountain call, many people were intoxicated, their faces flushed with excitement, and they raised their arms.
The mountain screamed, and many people even knelt down directly facing the north of the palace, saying long live the palace!
