End of March.
The war in Jinan Fucheng is still going on. The tens of thousands of thieves and bandits are unable to attack the solid defenses of Jinan Fucheng. The thieves and bandits from all walks of life have suffered serious losses. Those old bandits have begun to retreat, and then some bandits are left behind to drive away the victims. They continued to attack the city, and at the same time began to divide their troops to plunder the surrounding areas. The victims from various places were constantly being dragged into the bandit army. The thieves were getting stronger and stronger, and the situation became more and more serious.
At the same time, the bandit troops and horses in the Dongchang Prefecture were also very active. All prefectures and counties were attacked successively, and many places were looted by the bandit troops and horses. A large number of people and disaster victims fled southward and entered Yanzhou Prefecture. .
After hearing the news, Liu Yan immediately ordered personnel from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture to go north and set up many resettlement sites in the north of Yanzhou Prefecture and Qingzhou Prefecture to resettle the people who fled south. At the same time, Liu Yan ordered Wu Guojin to lead the intelligence department to go north to strictly investigate the bandits' spies and prevent them from being mixed into Qinglai Town.
Nowadays, in the entire Shandong Dusi area, only the four prefectures under the jurisdiction of Qinglai Town have been basically stable. The bandits in Yanzhou Prefecture, Qingzhou Prefecture, Dengzhou Prefecture and Laizhou Prefecture have been pacified. Liu Yan sent staff officer Li Jiwen to coordinate and lead An "investigation team" composed of officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Household Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Agriculture began to provide relief to people and restore production in various places.
People everywhere are at peace, and merchants have begun to become active again. Song Gongming also reported that various industries of the Ministry of Commerce have begun to increase production. This year's goods will be sold in large quantities to southern Zhili and other places, and the income will be higher than last year.
Seeing that the situation was stable, Liu Yan ordered the allocation of 200,000 silver coins and 300,000 shi of grain for distribution. This batch of money and grain was only the first batch.
The Ministry of Finance is still raising money and food to stabilize the situation in various places.
In the General Military Mansion, Wu Guojin hurried to the main hall and saw Liu Yan who was handling official duties. He stepped forward and said: "General Town, we just received news that the court is discussing the selection of the new Governor of Shandong. All parties are in a stalemate. It is estimated that it will not be long." Nothing will come of it within the time frame.”
Liu Yan put down the official document in his hand and frowned slightly: "I asked you why the court is so strange. There is clearly King De in Jinan City, so why haven't they mobilized troops to rescue him yet? So that's it."
Wu Guojin said: "Headquarters, there is a lot of news in the capital now, and it is very complicated. However, the Intelligence Department has sorted it out, and my subordinates believe that the current situation is deliberately caused by the emperor, who wants to use the new governor to check and balance the town. Prevent the main town from continuing to grow bigger.”
Liu Yan sneered and said: "Yes, the new governor is here and the Shandong bandits were pacified. The credit belongs to the governor of course. We can only follow the soup. If the battle is not done well and Jinan Fucheng falls, the feudal prince will be held responsible. It’s ours, it’s like the emperor’s behavior, he’s trying to give us Qinglai some eye drops.”
Wu Guojin didn't understand what "eye medicine" meant, and didn't care. He continued to ask: "Headmaster, what should we do? Should we do something?"
Liu Yan thought for a while and said, "Who is watching over in the capital now?"
"Investigate Chief Cao Wang Yang."
"Tell Wang Yang to find an opportunity to meet Hong Chengchou as soon as possible and ask him to help me win the post of governor of Shandong."
Wu Guojin said worriedly: "Hong Chengchou is a very sophisticated person. His subordinates are worried that Wang Yang is not his opponent and Hong Chengchou will not agree."
"snort
, it’s nothing more than a matter of price. "
Liu Yan said: "Tell Wang Yang that as long as Hong Chengchou agrees and helps me become the governor of Shandong, all conditions are easy to negotiate."
"Don't worry, even though Hong Chengchou is now the chief minister of the cabinet, he is also having a hard time in the court, and he is still eager for someone to associate with him. This time the town comes to visit, even if Hong Chengchou is reserved on the surface, he must be very happy in his heart. mad!"
"Yes, my subordinate will do it now."
A few days later, the intelligence department's fast horses rushed into the capital and arrived at a residence in Xizhimen at dusk.
"Sir, this is Sicheng's personal letter."
Wang Yang took the letter, opened it, and read it. His expression suddenly changed. Then he took out the fire certificate and burned the letter in front of the messenger.
"You should rush back immediately and tell Lord Sicheng that I am aware of this matter and am doing my best to handle it."
"yes."
Then Wang Yang said to his subordinates outside the door: "Prepare the carriages and horses at midnight. I want to go to Hongge's mansion."
"yes."
The city of Beijing is very quiet late at night. The originally bustling streets are deserted, except for the occasional watchman who passes by and makes the sound of striking the time from time to time. There are also soldiers from the Five Cities Military and Horse Division patrolling the city, constantly patrolling everywhere in Qiansanmen Street and around the palace.
The carriage Wang Yang was riding in stopped in a small alley outside Chongwen Gate, and then he got out of the car with a gift list and walked, avoiding the soldiers patrolling the city, to the outside of Hong Chengchou's residence.
Wang Yang looked around and made sure that no one was there, then he knocked on the door and put a name on the ground. After the concierge announced, Wang Yang followed the servant to a teahouse in the front yard. After waiting for a while, Hong Chengchou changed
The toilet clothes were turned out from behind the screen.
"The villain pays homage to Mr. Ge."
"Get up and sit down."
"Thank you Mr. Ge."
"I saw it written on the name badge that you are from the Dinglupo shogunate. It is so late that a subordinate who is guarding the general military officer found the home of the chief minister of the current cabinet. If this spreads out, it will definitely cause an uproar in the government and the public. of."
Wang Yang knew that this was Hong Chengchou trying to beat him up. If he really wanted to avoid suspicion, Hong Chengchou would not see him at all.
"Don't worry, Mr. Ge. I'm quite careful in my work and won't embarrass Mr. Ge."
"That's good."
Hong Chengchou picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said, "If you have anything to do, tell me."
"yes."
Wang Yang first presented the gift list, and then said: "My home town heard that the court is discussing the candidate for the governor of Shandong, so I would like to invite..."
"Be bold!"
Hong Chengchou suddenly slapped the case and shouted angrily: "Does Liu Yan really think that the court can't do anything to him? He actually sent someone to ask for an official position late at night. His heart is to be punished!"
Wang Yang was not afraid and said: "Stop being angry, Mr. Ge. My chief town is really dedicated to serving the country. I just want to put down the bandits in Shandong as soon as possible. I want to ask, besides my chief town, who else can be the governor of Shandong right now?"
"I am a great Ming Dynasty, can no one except Liu Yan know how to fight!"
"Don't blame me, Mr. Ge. I speak more straightforwardly. If there was a suitable candidate in the court, how could it be delayed until today?"
Wang Yang said: "Now that the city of Jinan is in danger, King De in the city is also eagerly waiting for it. I must think that Mr. Ge is also anxious?"
Hong Chengchou stared at Wang Yang with a solemn expression. After sitting down, he glanced at the gift list and suddenly showed a surprised expression. The value of this gift list is up to
The amount was less than three hundred taels of silver, which shows Liu Yan's determination.
Wang Yang saw it in his eyes and said with a smile: "This is just a meeting gift from the main town to Mr. Ge. After the event is completed, there will be a big thank you. In the future, in state affairs, I, Qinglai Town, will also have a lot of good friends with Mr. Ge." "
Hong Chengchou frowned slightly, obviously a little moved. Many people are eyeing his position as the chief minister of the cabinet, especially Chen Xinjia, Minister of the Ministry of War. Although they seem to be in harmony with him, secretly they are eyeing him and want to pull him down immediately so that he, Chen Xinjia, can sit down. In this seat.
"This matter is of great importance, especially His Majesty, who will not agree to let Dinglubo serve as the governor of Shandong."
When Wang Yang saw that Hong Chengchou was relieved, he struck while the iron was hot and said: "It depends on people. Your Majesty does not want King De to fall into the hands of bandits. Please give me your help."
"Let me think twice about this matter. You go back first. I will have a reply in the next two days."
Early the next morning, Wang Yang received a letter from the servant of Hong Chengchou's house. After opening it, there were only eight words written on it: "Prepare your troops for war and wait for good news."
"It's done!"
Wang Yang immediately re-sealed the envelope, then gave instructions to his men, and then personally took the reply out of the city and rushed to Qingzhou Fucheng.
"Hong Chengchou is really decisive, and he is worthy of being the governor of Jiliao."
Liu Yan was very happy when he took Hong Chengchou's reply. At present, all the bandits in Qinglai Town have been pacified, and the new army battalions have returned to their bases one after another. Liu Yan has begun to mobilize his troops to go north. He can immediately send troops to rescue Yan Jizu only after the court orders.
"Order the cavalry battalion to be on standby in the north of Yanzhou Prefecture, and then
At that time, he was preparing to go north into Dongchang Mansion to encircle and suppress the bandits. "
"Order the right battalion and the middle battalion to set off north, stand by in the north of Qingzhou Prefecture, and be ready to enter Jinan Prefecture at any time to encircle and suppress the bandits."
"Each battalion fights on its own. The cavalry battalion and the right battalion are responsible for encircling and suppressing bandits outside the two prefectures. The middle battalion directly rushes to the aid of Jinan Prefecture."
"yes."
Tian Huixu, the Minister of War on the side, drafted the order, stamped the seal he carried with him, and immediately sent people to all battalions, and then said: "Headquarters, that Hong Chengchou is not a good person. Can the governor of Shandong be accomplished?"
Liu Yan said: "Hong Chengchou and Chen Xinjia seem to be very different from each other. He is a foreign minister who was directly transferred to the cabinet as the chief assistant. He has a shallow foundation and cannot be compared with Chen Xinjia in terms of power. Therefore, although Hong Chengchou is the chief minister and cabinet minister, he is very isolated in the court. We urgently need to find a powerful political ally. We, Qinglai Town, are the most suitable partner for alliance, so as long as Hong Chengchou is not an idiot, we will definitely try our best to facilitate this matter."
"The chief has also said that Hong Chengchou is weak in power in the court. Does he have the ability?"
"After all, Hong Chengchou is the chief minister of the cabinet. He may not have much influence in the court, but his words are still very popular with the emperor. So I think it is not difficult to accomplish this."
Tian Huixu said: "But I am a little nervous in my heart. If Hong Chengchou is unable to do it, even if the matter is completed, it will be delayed for a long time. Even if the town becomes the governor of Shandong, Jinan City insists on If it cannot help but fall, then the responsibility will only fall on the general town to resist."
Liu Yan frowned slightly. He had also considered this situation. At present, he was determined to get the position of Governor of Shandong, so it was necessary
Adding more fire would help Hong Chengchou speed up.
"Send a team of elite soldiers to break into Jinan Fucheng at night and tell Yan Futai: Write a memorial immediately. The core content is that the bandit army is carrying artillery everywhere and is preparing to gather the main force to capture Jinan Fucheng. The Dewang vassal is in danger. If the imperial court no longer If reinforcements are sent, the city of Jinan will definitely not be protected!"
"Yes, I will do it now."
In the blink of an eye, in early April, amidst the quarrel between Hong Chengchou and the ministers in the court, Yan Jizu sent a fast horse to rush into the city of Beijing and delivered a memorial to the court, which immediately caused an uproar.
