After Wei Han led his troops back to Lingshan Acropolis, they not only brought back Lu Xiangsheng's autographed letter, but also some armors and fire guns that Lu Xiangsheng allocated for Liu Yan. Although the number was not very large, there were more than 300 pairs of armors and five fire guns. There are hundreds of bird muskets and three-eyed muskets, but those fire muskets are basically matchlock guns, and there are very few flintlock guns.
Upon seeing this, Chen Xun ordered Wei Han to make another hard trip and send these armors, fire guns and Lu Xiangsheng's personal letter to Jimo Yingcheng.
When Wei Han arrived at Jimo Yingcheng, they happened to meet the money and grain officer Yue Ming and the commercial officer Song Gongming outside the guerrilla general's house. They saw the two of them walking out, with a trace of anxiety on their faces.
Seeing Wei Han, Song Gongming and Yue Ming greeted each other with clasped fists. The three of them exchanged greetings. Wei Han asked with a smile: "When did Song Qianhu and Yue Qianhu come here and are they going back now?"
Song Gongming said: "We arrived yesterday. Your Excellency urgently summoned us to discuss matters, and we have to rush back now."
Wei Han said in surprise: "So urgent? Otherwise, wait a moment and I will hand over the escorted troops. How about we go back to Lingshan Guard together?"
Yue Ming waved his hand and said, "Let's go first. The time given to us by the Lord is too tight, and we can't waste even an hour."
After saying that, Yue Ming clasped his fists and confessed, and left quickly with Song Gongming. There were people at the gate who had prepared horses. Yue Ming and Song Gongming got on their horses, wrapped in thick leather cloaks, and rode away in the cold wind.
Wei Han shook his head. He didn't understand what the two "gods of wealth" were anxious about. Could it be that something big had happened?
"You go to the military camp in the city first and store the troops in the arsenal."
"yes."
After sending away his subordinates, Wei Han entered the guerrilla general's residence and met Liu Yan in Nuan Pavilion.
At this time, Liu Yanzheng was writing something with his brows furrowed. Wei Han stood in the distance and saluted with clasped fists, informing him about the escort troops, and then took out Lu Xiangsheng's autographed letter.
Liu Yan expressed his hard work, opened the letter and read it. He didn't say anything, but sighed slightly, and then said to Wei Han: "You came at the right time. You must have had a hard time."
Wei Han screamed bitterly in his heart and asked with a smile: "What is your mission, sir?"
"You lead your troops to Dapanbao. It's the end of the year. The soap workshop, wine shop, salt drying field and glass workshop all have a backlog of money and grain. You lead your troops to transport this batch of money and grain directly to Jimo Yingcheng."
Wei Han was stunned for a moment and said: "Sir, the profits from the various workshops have always been deposited directly into the Lingshan Guards treasury. The treasury here in Jimoying City is an official mansion shared by General Zhang Youxun and other adults. Treasury, if we deposit it in..."
Liu Yan said: "Don't worry about these things. After they are shipped back, you can deliver them directly to Miao Shao, the commander of the Guards Battalion, and he will prepare the treasury separately."
Wei Han clasped his fists to accept the order, and then retreated, but he secretly said in his heart: "No wonder I saw Song Qianhu and Yue Qianhu just now. Their expressions were not right. It turned out that the adults were raising money and food. Could it be? Is there a battle to be fought?”
Wei Han thought as he came outside the gate, mounted his horse and went to the military camp to mobilize his men.
In the Nuan Pavilion, Liu Yan was still writing something. The rice paper was already filled with various numbers. It turned out that he was calculating the amount of money and food.
"It's still close!"
Liu Yan calculated a total, then leaned on his chair and smiled bitterly.
It is now the twelfth year of Chongzhen, which is 1639 AD. At the end of this year, Emperor Chongzhen ordered the training of border soldiers and militia, and an additional land tax of one cent per mu of land tax. A total of 730 levies were collected across the country. One hundred thousand taels.
"In the twelfth year of Chongzhen's reign, all the wages were exhausted, but the thieves were not eliminated, so we discussed with Sichang and Zhang Bojing, the governor's minister of wages, and increased the wages by 7.3 million in addition to the wages."
In the last years of the Ming Dynasty, there were 80,000 soldiers in training, and the number of Liao, Suppression, and Training troops increased to more than 7 million in 1,000. The disadvantages were the same.
At this time, Liu Yan recalled some historical materials he had read, and his heart was very heavy. The reason why the three rates in the late Ming Dynasty were so famous was not because of itself, but because of the harmful effects of the three rates. Many scholars even believed that the imposition of the three rates accelerated the defeat of the Ming Dynasty, making it impossible to reverse the situation in the world!
This time the imperial court increased recruitment and training rates. Judging by the time, it is estimated that Emperor Chongzhen's edict has been sent to the headquarters, and the Ministry of War chaired by Yang Sichang has also issued an official document. It will not take long for various parts of Shandong to receive the news.
"Hmph! Yang Sichang thought that with an additional levy of more than 7.3 million taels of silver, he could train a large number of elite troops. How naive!"
Liu Yan knew very well that at this time, most of the officials in the Ming Dynasty were corrupt officials, or they were so-called clean-minded people who only knew how to talk, and there were very few truly capable officials. Under this situation, the levy and training rates were increased. Of the more than 7.3 million taels of silver collected, how much of it could actually be distributed to the soldiers? One million or one hundred thousand?
"How ridiculous!"
Liu Yan knew the methods of the officials at this time. The imperial court had clearly stated that it would collect 7.3 million taels of silver, but officials at all levels would definitely increase the amount. How much money would they show off to the people? Ten million or twenty million? Liu Yan didn't know and didn't dare to think about it.
What is even more frightening is that officials at all levels will not collect training salaries from merchants, gentry, and officials themselves, but will pass all the pressure on to ordinary people, making the already poor and helpless people even worse.
Liu Yan concluded that after the training and salary conquests were launched, there would be a wave of emigration in the world. At this time, Li Zicheng and others would laugh out of their dreams. Emperor Chongzhen, at Yang Sichang's suggestion, gave Li Zicheng a "gift package of soldiers" for nothing!
This time Liu Yan called Song Gongming and Yue Ming urgently to raise some money and food for later use.
When the military training begins, the various guards in Shandong will definitely be forcibly apportioned. Although the military households of Lingshan Guard and Aoshan Guard are far richer than the common people elsewhere, when faced with such apportionment, they will be robbed at best, or directly destroyed at worst. Liu Naturally, Yan would not sit idly by, so he decided to use the money and food in his hands to directly make up for the money and food allocated this time.
At the same time, Liu Yan concluded that military households in other places would definitely be hit. When the war was launched, there would be a flood of bankrupt people in various places. Liu Yan must prepare enough money and food in advance to meet unexpected needs.
However, there is not much money and food that Liu Yan can mobilize now. In addition to the expenses of Lingshan Guard and Aoshan Guard to repair the city defense, as well as the expenses of the new army, some of it must be retained in the treasury of Lingshan Guard.
The remaining money and food, after calculation by Song Gongming and Yue Ming, are currently only 380,000 taels of silver and 200,000 shi of food.
Liu Yan thought about it again and again, and ordered Song Gongming and Yue Ming to find ways to raise more. They collected 450,000 taels of silver and 300,000 shi of grain, and transported them all to Jimo Yingcheng within one month.
Miao Shao had received Liu Yan's order earlier and was now leading his troops to build a treasury in an abandoned village ten miles east of Jimo Ying City, near Aoshanwei, as a place to store this batch of money and grain.
After a lot of work, Liu Yan sighed. He had tried his best to overcome the difficulties.
"I thought that there would be a lot of refugees from various places this time. It would be a great opportunity to absorb the population, but it's a pity that we are short of money!"
"Forget it! As much as you can, do your best and obey fate!"
A few days later, the imperial court's order to increase the training rates was sent to Jinan Fucheng. This time, the guards in various parts of Shandong were allocated a large share, a total of 430,000 taels of silver.
Lu Xiangsheng was quite indignant when he received the order, and said to Yan Jizu who came to discuss countermeasures: "We have two capitals and thirteen provinces in the Ming Dynasty. The provinces in the north have been continuously ravaged by the army of bandits and slaves. The people are in poverty and the fields are in ruins." It is desolate, but the southern provinces have been very limited. At present, the country is barren in the north and rich in the south!"
"However, the imperial court did not differentiate between the rich and the poor when it came to raising taxes and training, and divided the northern provinces equally. Shandong was plundered by slave thieves twice in a row. The military households and civilians were almost unable to survive. We didn't even have the money to repair the city. None, but the imperial court allocated 430,000 taels of silver, and wealthy areas such as Southern Zhili, Fujian, and Zhejiang only allocated 30,000 to 400,000 taels of silver. How is this?"
Yan Jizu was also indignant and said: "Don't forget, Governor, the government is currently controlled by the Donglin Party. Most of their relatives, disciples and former officials are in the Jiangnan provinces. Naturally, they have to protect them. How can they care about the lives of the people! "
Lu Xiangsheng was actually a member of the Donglin Party, at least he considered himself Donglin. After hearing Yan Jizu's words, he felt a trace of sadness in his heart and sat down dejectedly.
When Yan Jizu saw this, he realized that he had made a mistake and hurriedly apologized with fists in his hands.
Lu Xiangsheng shook his head and said: "Yan Futai is right. The Donglin Party members today are no longer the Donglin Party members of the past. The Donglin officials in the court have long lost the character of the Donglin wise men in their eyes. They only have power and gold and silver, and they don’t care about the life and death of the people or the safety of the world!”
Yan Jizu wanted to say something, but in the end he couldn't say anything, so he sat down and shook his head and sighed.
After a long time, Lu Xiangsheng stood up slowly and said: "Let Yan Futai be in charge of Jinan Fucheng and make sure to collect as much salary as possible. Today, I will go on inspection tours and urge the generals to turn in their training salaries."
Yan Jizu hurriedly said: "Master Governor, let's think about it again. Considering the current situation of the people in Shandong, to put it bluntly, even if we force a civil uprising, these 430,000 taels of silver will not be enough." !”
Lu Xiangsheng said: "Liu Yan has a saying that is right: the people have no money, but the officials everywhere are very rich! During this inspection of the places, the governor will check on the spot. If the people are too poor to receive full salary, the local officials will either use their own money to make up for it. Qi, you can either be dismissed from your post on the spot and go home to farm!"
Yan Jizu was shocked and exclaimed: "The governor must not do this! If this happens, the governor will become the enemy of Shandong officialdom!"
A few days later, Lu Xiangsheng went south from Jinan Fucheng, passing through Tai'an Prefecture and Yanzhou Prefecture. After staying in Yanzhou Prefecture for three days, he turned east and entered Laizhou via Mengyin County and Yishui County.
Along the way, Lu Xiangsheng kept beating local officials and urging generals at various military stations, but the effect was minimal.
People everywhere pay very limited training wages, and officials everywhere also pretend to be poor. What's more, they directly put on a righteous and awe-inspiring posture: I am an upright official, and I don't have any money!
Lu Xiangsheng was helpless about this.
"Supervisor, where should we patrol next?"
In the cold wind, Lu Xiangsheng's guard of honor was marching along the official road. Lu Huaiying rode beside the carriage. Lu Xiangsheng opened the cotton curtain on the window and said, "Go to Gaomi County and then make plans."
"yes."
Lu Huaiying knew that from Gaomi County to the north past Pingdu Prefecture, there was Laizhou Fucheng, and from Gaomi County to the south, there was Jimo Yingcheng.
"The governor is also confused!"
Lu Huaiying said in his heart.
Some people died, but not completely...
