First Minister of Ming Dynasty

Zhang Shicheng really dared to think, after surrendering, he would continue to live in the palace, and Daming had to pay for them to support them, so why don't he go to bed quickly, there is everything in his dream!

"So, should he be allowed to raise soldiers and horses, or simply maintain the current situation without changing anything?" Zhang Ximeng couldn't help but mocked.

"No, it's not!" Qian Yongqin said hastily: "His Royal Highness Huai Wang intends to hand over the troops, as long as he keeps [-] palace guards."

"no!"

Zhu Yuanzhang flatly refused: "There are no two days in the sky, and there are no two masters in the country. Zhang Shicheng wants to continue to be the emperor of the land, so let's fight him to the end and see if we can smash his dream!"

This time, Qian Yongqin was frightened, he couldn't help but kowtowed and said: "Your Majesty is a sage and hero, a world-class hero, far surpassing the emperor of Zhao and Song Dynasty. King Huai is willing to accept the soil and belong to him, bathe in the king's transformation, and with the virtue of great Ming, Measuring yourself should be far better than Zhao Song. King Huai wants [-] guards, but he is just uneasy. How can he really act recklessly and continue to separate one side? I also hope that His Majesty can understand King Huai's thoughts and tolerate King Huai's talents with generosity and kindness yes."

Zhu Yuanzhang just snorted coldly with his nose, and simply remained silent.

Zhang Ximeng said: "Qian Yongqin, as Qian's family, you took out the iron coupons of Dan Shu as security in exchange for Zhang Shicheng's trust, and came to discuss the matter of accepting the land and surrendering. I am naturally happy to hear and see, and I also affirm your goodness. It is indeed not easy to work hard. But please also tell Zhang Shicheng that you must immediately let go of your illusions and recognize the reality. Don’t continue to dream, I am not the Song Dynasty! We will not be half-hearted when it comes to national justice. "

"Well, there is no need for you to waste your words. Our conditions are very clear. First, Zhang Shicheng came out of Suzhou, came to Yingtian, met His Majesty, and formally surrendered the land. Second, it turned out that Zhang Shicheng's soldiers and horses were all handed over to the emperor. Daming, handle it properly. Third, Zhang Shicheng appointed officials to wait for Daming’s inspection, and those who are suitable for use will stay, and those who are not suitable for use will go. All in all, Zhang Shicheng must give up the idea of ​​​​being the emperor of the land, this is his only way to survive. "

The condition gap between the two parties was too great, so Qian Yongqin had no choice but to go back to Suzhou temporarily and continue to discuss with Zhang Shicheng.

And Lao Zhu didn't bother to see the messenger here, so he handed over the matter to Zhang Ximeng.

In the following time, Qian Yongqin kept going back and forth, and it was common for him to travel overnight. The skin on the inner thighs was worn out layer by layer, and calluses appeared.

After no less than five rounds of negotiations, Zhang Shicheng finally gave up most of his unrealistic fantasies.

He agreed to surrender, and the land of Suzhou could be handed over to Daming.

But he hopes to keep the king, Suzhou as his food town, and maintain the Zhang family's affluent life...Moreover, he wants to ask Zhu Yuanzhang to give him a gold medal to avoid death, just like the Qian family's one.

I swear to God, from now on, the descendants of the Zhu family will not harm the descendants of the Zhang family.

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't hold back anymore. During the time when the envoys were traveling, he had mobilized more than 300 warships and surrounded Zhang Shicheng's territory with water.

On land, Lao Zhu deployed an army of 20 troops, and pressed them from two directions in the southwest.

Under the suppression of the Ming army, Suzhou City was startled three times a day, and it was already a mess.

Food alone has increased by more than ten times in a short period of time.

There is no way, because Daming controls silk exports, Zhang Shicheng wants to earn more military pay, and the big households below are also trying to make more money.

Zhang Shicheng couldn't stop them wantonly encroaching on rice fields and planting mulberry cotton, or if he dared to stop them, the people below would overthrow him.

After all, the largest silk and satin workshop in Suzhou belongs to Zhang Shixin, and the cotton spinning workshop in Songjiang belongs to Princess Zhang Shicheng. As for another brother, Zhang Shide, although he is not involved in the silk cloth business, he controls the industry in Yancheng.

With such a group of royal relatives around, what else could Zhang Shicheng do?

Stop them from getting rich?

Aren't you afraid that the princess will smother him to death with a pillow?

The result of conniving and accommodating is that Zhang Shicheng actually wants to buy food from his biggest enemy.

And it is increasing day by day. Now that the war is imminent, how can food prices be kept down?

I'm afraid Suzhou will collapse if there is no need to fight.

A strong sense of powerlessness haunted Zhang Shicheng, and at this moment, an iron coupon of the Danshu was delivered to him.

It was indeed written by Lao Zhu, imitating the appearance of the Qian family, even the writing is generally the same.

Zhang Shicheng was overjoyed, looked again and again, and suddenly found that there were four words on the back of the Danshu Iron Coupon: except treason!

Zhang Shicheng fell from the peak of joy to the abyss in an instant.

"Zhu, you, you are too deceptive!"

At this time, a letter from Zhu Yuanzhang was also placed in front of Zhang Shicheng, "If you want to surrender, surrender honestly, don't play tricks, your life is in our hands, and ask us for a piece of iron, who can save your life ?”

Zhang Shicheng gritted his teeth, but in the end there was nothing he could do, "Okay, okay! Zhu Yuanzhang, you're ruthless! I, I surrender!"

Chapter 526 Zhang Xianggong is out

"Qizou Your Majesty, King Huai is willing to accept the land and surrender, there are no extra conditions. He is just serving as an official to benefit one side. Although King Huai has never benefited the people of Suzhou, he does not want to see the people of Li people suffer, so he boldly begs to be stationed in Suzhou and wait for the army to take over. When Suzhou is fully entrusted to His Majesty, King Huai can leave with peace of mind."

Qian Yongqin knelt on the ground and reported to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Old Zhu's face sank like water, and he sneered, "It's not just a word of delay, but it's making us look down upon!"

Qian Yongqin hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, King Huai absolutely dare not lie to His Majesty, he has already prepared the atlas of Qian Gu Jiabing, Cao Min brought all the records and presented them to His Majesty immediately, how can this be fake?"

While talking, someone brought up a huge box, which indeed contained a full inventory, which seemed to prove Zhang Shicheng's sincerity.

But Lao Zhu is not an ordinary person after all, how can he be confused by false appearances!

Zhang Shicheng's reluctance to leave Suzhou must have been calculated, and he even simply said that this acceptance was a trap for a Hongmen banquet.

We can't be fooled!

Zhu Yuanzhang sent Qian Yongqin away, and invited Zhang Ximeng to discuss together.

"Sir, what do you think? What is Zhang Shicheng's plan? This Qian family's traveling back and forth can actually facilitate this matter. What is their plan?"

Of course Zhang Ximeng smiled, "My lord, the Qian family sent us letters through people, and they were able to persuade Zhang Shicheng to bow his head. Actually, it is not difficult to guess that standing behind them is a big family in Songjiang, Suzhou... They have two major fears, one of which is naturally Troubled wars happen one after another, if hundreds of thousands of people go to war, their family property may be wiped out. Secondly, they are worried that Ming's national policy of land equalization will harm their interests."

Lao Zhu lowered his brows, thought in his heart, and couldn't help admiring, "Sir, you really have a good idea. After saying this, we can understand. As long as Zhang Shicheng surrenders, he doesn't need to fight, and he can bargain with us. These two fears can be solved. Ingenious solution. This method is really powerful!"

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, and said again: "Sir, what we don't understand now is why Zhang Shicheng is willing to be manipulated by these big households? It doesn't seem right."

Zhang Ximeng nodded, "There is indeed something wrong, but after thinking about it, I have only one explanation, that is, Zhang Shicheng has been completely kidnapped by a big family all these years."

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a sullen face: "Can you explain clearly, sir?"

"My lord, because we have always advocated the equalization of the land, we are not polite to the powerful. Liu Futong has gathered a group of great Song Zhongliang, and Zhang Shicheng may not be without it! And the group of people around Zhang Shicheng, I am afraid it will be even more powerful."

"How to say?"

"My lord, please think about it. Zhang Shicheng stationed [-] troops in the land of Suzhou to resist Ming Dynasty. Just to raise troops, he spends countless every year. Zhang Shicheng can play tricks with anyone, but he can't make fun of his own life. Finance and taxation For him, it is even more important.”

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, his mind turned, and he gradually understood Zhang Ximeng's train of thought.

It seems vulgar to start with money, but it is as small as a person, a family, as large as a team, or a country.

Ordinary people want a few taels of silver, and the country wants more revenue.

Facing the behemoths, Zhang Shicheng was under the greatest pressure and his expenses were staggering. He couldn't implement equalization of land and collect taxes from ordinary farmers like Daming did... In this way, Zhang Shicheng's biggest support was the large households in Suzhou.

Especially the luxury merchants of silk cloth.

And the production of silk cloth requires a lot of mulberry fields and cotton fields... Zhang Shicheng has been buying grain from Daming for the past few years.

Otherwise, if the two sides fall out and there is no food supply, even if they can win a few state capitals, it will be worthless.

Waiting for Lao Zhu to come back, Zhang Shicheng will be in bad luck immediately.

So it's not surprising that Zhang Shicheng chose to close his eyes and wait for the hammer.

Now that the matter has fallen to the Qian family, why can they persuade Zhang Shicheng to bow his head?

"My lord, some wealthy and powerful families represented by the Qian family, they have seen clearly that Zhang Shicheng can't keep going, so they took the initiative to stand up. Zhang Shicheng is eating his food, so naturally he can't turn the table."

"Then, are all the big households in Suzhou like this?"

Zhang Ximeng laughed loudly, "How could it be! If it was like this, Zhang Shicheng would not have agreed smoothly."

This bend is really a bit big...Old Zhu thought for a long time before he finally understood, "Sir, the big households in Suzhou are also divided into two parts. Some people are willing to join us, but some want to resist. Zhang Shicheng knows that even if everyone is united, Even if he is not our opponent, with so many half-hearted big households under his command, he will definitely lose. Therefore, Zhang Shicheng might as well push the boat forward and pretend to surrender. When our soldiers and horses pass by and arouse dissatisfaction among the merchants and people in Suzhou, then he can rely on those big households The forces, clear the ghosts, and fight with us for life and death by the way."

Zhu Yuanzhang thought about it again and again, "Where did you see this idea?"

Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "Luo Guanzhong's Three Kingdoms is almost finished, only some specific content has not been filled in... Isn't this paragraph Jiang Wei's fake surrender!"

Old Zhu was suddenly stunned, and couldn't help laughing out loud: "This Zhang Shicheng, who is relying on the story to fight the war, how can he be our opponent? Jiang Wei's ingenious plan failed, and Zhang Shicheng's imitation will only increase the jokes!"

Zhang Ximeng immediately said: "My lord is wise, that's true. But don't be too careless, Suzhou, Songjiang, with a million households, a hundred thousand soldiers, and Taizhou and other places, if it is as Zhang Shicheng expected, you will really fight to the death , If blood flows into rivers, even Jinling will be affected, not to mention the loss of life, it will also affect the overall situation and delay the progress of the Northern Expedition... In fact, from the point of view of the method, Zhang Shicheng's move is very vicious!"

Zhu Yuanzhang had a sullen face, wondering in his mind... Zhang Shicheng was forced to do this. He relied on the big family, and the big family under him were divided into two factions. Their ideas were completely different. If they fell out, they would directly use the knife. it's over.

He had no choice but to play the trick of pretending to surrender and set the fire on Daming.

The question is, can Daming handle it?

After spending so many years, Zhang Shicheng still had no clue, and was still being led by the nose. Daming was not prepared at all, and suddenly intervened, almost no need to ask, something was bound to happen.

Throughout the entire Ming Dynasty, Lao Zhu's family did not get along very well with the southeast region headed by Suzhou.

After Lao Zhu eliminated Zhang Shicheng, he imposed heavy taxes on Suzhou, and then Suzhou has been circulating stories about Zhang Shicheng, remembering this loyal minister of the Yuan Dynasty.

In fact, how good can Zhang Shicheng treat the people?

Rather than missing Zhang Shicheng, it is better to say that he hates the emperor of the Zhu family.

This resentment lasted until the end of the Ming Dynasty. In Suzhou and other places, the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River defaulted on taxes and could not collect them.Jin Yiwei was sent down, and those who were beaten ran away, hiding in the hut and not daring to come out.

The Ming Dynasty, which could not collect money, fell, and the gentry in the southeast did not end well.

In the elegant government of the new dynasty, after the benevolent model ascended the throne, the tax arrears were tracked down, and Tanhua Ye Fangyi owed a penny, but was actually demoted, leaving behind the allusion that Tanhua is not worth a penny.

From a certain point of view, whether the problem in Suzhou can be properly handled will even be related to the national destiny of the Ming Dynasty.

"My lord, Zhang Shicheng pretended to surrender. We might as well make the fake show real, and find a way to take over Suzhou properly, win the hearts of the people in Suzhou, and completely smash Zhang Shicheng's plot!"

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, "Mr. is right... It's just that the big households in Suzhou have their own thoughts, and Zhang Shicheng is insidious and cunning. There are so many threads and chaos. Not everyone can handle the affairs of Suzhou well. Looking at the court, Li Shanchang Too slick, Yao Guangxiao too aggressive, Yang Xian is treacherous, as for Mr. Fenglin, he is old and physically strong... there is no one person who can do this."

Zhu Yuanzhang sorted out all the way, and there was indeed no suitable candidate, but why did Mr. Zhang look a little weird?

"what!"

Lao Zhu suddenly realized something, "Sir, do you want to go?"

Before Zhang Ximeng nodded, Old Zhu shook his head again and again, "No, absolutely not! Sir is our confidant minister, how can we let him put himself in danger? I would rather delay things in Suzhou than let him make mistakes."

Zhang Ximeng smiled slightly, "My lord cares about me, and I am grateful. It is not necessary to say that you are in danger. After so many years of frenzied oppression by Zhang Shicheng, the people of Suzhou have already been destitute. As long as more than [-]% of the people can be captured, Zhang Shicheng's It's a trick, it can only add to the joke!"

Zhu Yuanzhang took a slight breath, his face was serious, and after thinking twice, he said: "Sir, even so, I can't let you take risks. Is there no one else in the court? Guo Xing, Zheng Yuchun, they have also dealt with the matter of surrendering troops."

Zhang Ximeng laughed and said, "But they don't know about merchants and what the people of Suzhou want."

When it comes to this point, Lao Zhu is speechless. It is true that no one can do it except Zhang Xiang, even if he himself is powerless.

"That's all... Pass the decree, select elite soldiers and generals, fine civil servants, mobilize all personnel, and go all out to protect the safety of your husband!"

With Zhu Yuanzhang's decree, the entire Ming Dynasty hall was mobilized, and personnel were transferred from the army to find capable ministers and officials in the court, and a large number of people quickly gathered.

In addition, Lao Zhu mobilized [-] elites from various places. Lu Zhongheng, Tang Shengzong, Zhu Liangzu, Zhou Dexing, Geng Junyong, and Li Xincai were all assigned to Zhang Ximeng.

At the same time, Lao Zhu gave Zhang Ximeng the title of Zuozhu, as a young teacher and Duke of Qi, the governor of Songjiang, Suzhou...By the way, Zhang Ximeng also got the achievement of the first governor.

All civil servants and generals gathered in Zhenjiang, and Zhang Ximeng arrived in person. Facing everyone, Zhang Ximeng proposed the first military rule.

"Do not enter civilian houses! This is the most important one. From the very beginning, we must show that we are different, and we must engrave military regulations in our bones."

Zhang Ximeng said again: "Today, a soldier ate at a noodle restaurant, but he didn't pay... ten times the fine, apologized to the store, and informed the whole army. If he commits another crime in the future, he will be punished a hundred times, and the military law is merciless!"

Chapter 527 Starting from the Silk Workshop

Zhang Ximeng led the troops, set off from Zhenjiang, and headed for Suzhou in a mighty way. In Zhang Ximeng's team, in addition to capable ministers and officials, elite soldiers and strong generals, there were also many special talents.

Including Wu Datou, who has long been famous all over the world and known as the number one red thief, and Shi Boren, the husband of Zheng Yunduan, a famous talented woman whose family has fallen.In addition, there is Zhou Huiniang, an official of thousands of households transferred from the Gongwei Division.

Zhang Ximeng's team is not only well-equipped with civil and military skills, but also has 360 lines, with talents in every line.The reason why they are so well-matched is that Suzhou is in a special situation, and they are not fully prepared, so they dare not venture into this dragon's pool and tiger's lair.In addition, Lao Zhu was also afraid that Zhang Ximeng would be in danger, so he was very careful and spared no expense.

All in all, everything that can be assigned is assigned.

The rest depends on Zhang Ximeng's methods.

"I've said military discipline a hundred times, so I won't talk nonsense. Another thing is to maintain a flexible and keen mind. We are not looking for faults, killing people and setting fire, but understanding a city, understanding how it works, and learning from each other's strengths. .For those inappropriate things, we must resolutely eradicate them without mercy."

"But we must also be clear that some good things must be preserved to become a boost for Daming's development."

Everyone dared to be indifferent to Zhang Ximeng's words. Even if they didn't understand what they said, they tried their best to keep it in their hearts and ponder it carefully.After all, with Zhang Xiang's current status, everything he said was right.

If it’s not right, then it’s because you’re stupid and haven’t understood clearly.

In all fairness, Zhang Ximeng was very afraid of this situation.

The Ming army entered the city quite a few times. From the initial removal of the state, to Jinling, and then to other cities, it can be said that they are familiar with it and have rich experience.

What's different about Suzhou?

Needless to say, the current Suzhou is just different.

Even cities like Yangzhou and Jinling, with a large number of citizens and developed industries and commerce, are completely different from Suzhou.

The textile workshops in Suzhou are not only large in scale, but also mainly sold overseas. Every year, more than 50 pieces of silk are sold overseas.