It was already falling in Xiangyang, but Zhu Yixi didn't dare to stop.
Because the troops in Chengtian Mansion and De'an Mansion are empty, they must be taken in immediately, otherwise they will be occupied by Zuo Liangyu from Jiujiang.
So, the next day, without any repairs, he issued another military order to Mingfu Camp and Mingjie Camp, with a total of 6,000 troops, to march into De'an Mansion to guard against Zuo Liangyu.
"Chen Yongfu is the chief, and Liu Tingjie is the deputy. They work together to guard De'an. Zuo Liangyu should not be underestimated."
"I will understand!" The two of them agreed in unison.
"In addition, Chengtian Mansion cannot be left behind."
"Li Jizu and You Shiwei, you two will lead the Sanbian Camp and Yulin Camp to capture Chengtian Mansion. After that, you will closely guard Jingzhou, observe the situation of the Western bandits, and report to me at any time."
"As ordered -" Li and You said excitedly.
So, in the blink of an eye, 12,000 troops and horses rushed east and south.
In this way, Zhu Yixi breathed a sigh of relief.
Seize the time to seize the fruits of victory, so as not to become a wedding dress for others.
Sitting down alone, Zhu Yixi began to handle the government affairs in Xiangyang.
Zhu Quan, the Yin of Xiangyang Prefecture established by the intruder, bowed and said with a smile:
"Reporting to General Zhu, Xiangyang Prefecture governs one state and six counties. Due to the wars for many years, the number of people living there is only 23 per cent. There are no more than 30,000 households, and there are no more than 50,000 people in Xiangyang City."
"Now that the imperial court has been restored, it is really gratifying and congratulatory."
Zhu Yixi listened to his words and checked the information without feeling a headache.
For several months, almost no practical work has been done. Rivers are silted up, bridges are damaged, official roads are in disrepair, rice fields are deserted, people have fled, and the entire Xiangyang Prefecture is already in a state of semi-anarchy.
If local grassroots organizations are not organized as soon as possible, then the summer harvest will suffer heavy losses.
There is no shortage of gold and silver at present, but food is the only thing that is urgent.
It’s impossible to rely on Hanzhong to support it, right?
"How much is the barren land?"
Zhu Yixi couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know, but I guess it accounts for about 80%, right?"
Zhu Quan said softly.
"How come there are so many?"
Zhu Yixi was quite surprised.
"The royal family of King Xiang and the powerful family were almost forced to ransack their homes. Many people fled, and naturally there were more wastelands."
"Go down!"
Zhu Yixi waved her hand, saying that the governor appointed by Li Zicheng could only be used temporarily. In the final analysis, he had to be one of his own.
"It would be great if Mr. Zhao was here."
Thinking about so many open spaces, Zhu Yixi was quite happy.
The entangled local forces were almost wiped out, leaving behind only small and medium-sized landowners who were unable to compete with the imperial court.
The constraints are reduced, the cost of governance is reduced, and the amount of land that can be planned is considerable. For him, it is really a good thing.
"If you occupy Jiangnan, don't even think about doing anything."
With a sigh, Zhu Yixi buried herself in government affairs.
The next day, Zhao Shu, who was in charge of grain transportation from Yunyang Mansion, finally arrived at Xiangyang Mansion.
Zhu Yixi gave a grand welcome.
Zhao Shu had a smile on his lips. When he saw Zhu Yixi, he hurriedly raised his hands and praised: "The general defeated the Huguang intruders in one fell swoop and became famous. I can't wait to get this joy."
"Sir, you came just in time. I was just asking for your help."
Walking hand in hand, the two returned to the Xiangyang Palace.
Along the way, Zhao Shu looked around. The streets were smooth, the people looked sallow and thin, and the market was in order, not like a military disaster.
"The general has excellent control over military discipline."
Zhao Shu praised: "In those days when Emperor Taizu was in charge of the army, he paid special attention to military law. He ranked first among all the princes in the world. He was so well-known in the world that even the Tatars came to join him."
"The Judge Advocate General did a good job."
Following his gaze, Zhu Yixi shook her head and said with a smile: "As soon as we entered the city yesterday, the Military Justice Department started patrolling. Whenever they found a case of robbery, they showed their heads to the public and killed more than a dozen people in a row to scare the monkeys. There will be no more."
Zhao Shu stroked his beard, nodded and said, "The commander-in-chief must be knowledgeable, so I don't see intruders, officers or soldiers doing such things."
"Hahaha!"
Zhu Yixi laughed.
"That's it for other people. I have to endure Mr.'s flattery. I feel comfortable."
After that, the two of them arrived at Prince Xiang's Mansion.
As soon as Zhao Shu got off the carriage, he frowned: "The general is neither a king nor a traitor, so why should he live here?"
Seeing that he had misunderstood, Zhu Yixi hurriedly said: "Sir, you misunderstood. The thieves' food, grass, baggage, money and weapons are all stored in Prince Xiang's Mansion. I will be especially worried if I don't personally take charge."
Only then did Zhao Shu smile: "If the intruder had not gone to Guanzhong, how much could he have left behind?"
Zhu Yixi smiled slightly and whispered a number in his ear.
"Oh my God!" Zhao Shu's eyes widened and he said in disbelief: "This is plundering the entire Henan!"
"This really needs to be done personally. We can't let thieves get away with it. A few violations are nothing."
Zhao Shu nodded hurriedly, his attitude changed drastically.
The structure of the royal palaces of the Ming Dynasty was actually the same. The scale and palaces were all customized and could not be violated.
So the two of them had no intention of reading, and sat down facing each other directly, lit up the brazier, and started discussing.
Zhu Yixi looked at his rather tired face and couldn't help but said: "Mr. Zhao, I will also send troops to Chengtian Mansion and De'an Mansion. If nothing happens, they will be captured."
"In this way, plus Hanzhong Prefecture and Yunyang Prefecture, there are a total of five prefectures under its jurisdiction, with a household registration of one million, and management must be arranged as a foundation."
"What my lord said is true." Zhao Shu said softly: "I walked along the road and looked at the flowers. I saw that the local states and counties were in decline and the villages and towns were empty. Managing the people and the army must go hand in hand."
"Govern the people!"
Zhu Yixi sighed softly: "This matter is very important, and we must go all out."
Didn't Li Zicheng suffer a loss because he had no base? Hubei has been in operation for half a year, and Guanzhong has only been in operation for two months. They thought that if they occupied Beijing, they would be invincible.
As everyone knows, as long as one battle is defeated, the army will not be supplemented with supplies and troops, and will be defeated again and again.
"Xiangyang has been captured. The north is where the worries lie. We can take care of the people."
As he spoke, Zhu Yixi looked serious and emphasized:
"However, although civil affairs are important, they are complementary to military affairs. Everything is for the army. The host and guest must not be reversed."
"I call it a military-first policy, where the military comes first and the people come last."
Zhao Shu was a little confused, but then he realized: "You are saying that most of the manpower, material and financial resources should be concentrated on the army."
"That's right!" Zhu Yixi nodded and said seriously: "I will establish the Military and Political Department Yamen, which will be fully responsible for regulating the local area in order to enrich the army. Mr. will serve as the head of the Military and Political Department."
"It has a total of six halls under its jurisdiction, which are divided into the ceremonial hall, the household hall, the workers' hall, the officials' hall, the punishment hall, and the inspection hall..."
"Where is the military hall?" Zhao Shu turned his head and asked curiously.
"I will establish a staff department to be fully responsible for military matters."
Zhu Yixi was stunned for a moment when asked, and then explained: "Chasi is equivalent to the censor."
"I see."
Zhao Shu was shocked. Isn't this equivalent to the six prime ministers?
He stood up abruptly and said respectfully: "Although the name of the Secretary of Military and Political Affairs is small, he holds real power. The lord has full authority to appoint him, and his kindness is as great as a mountain."
"Now, the most important thing, sir, is to plan the land for the five prefectures. The summer harvest is approaching."
Zhu Yixi sighed.
