Chapter 202 The Powerless Duke
In early September, Chen Cao, who had returned to his home in Jinling, received an official document from the capital. The court approved Chen Cao's resignation as the commander-in-chief of the Dingwu Army.
In order to commend Chen Cao's achievements, the emperor promoted Chen Cao to a noble title regardless of the opposition of the ministers. Now Chen Cao has changed from Dingwuhou to Liang Guogong, the top lord of the Ming Dynasty.
In the study room, Chen Cao, Zhao Xin and Jinshan Hou Puxiang were sitting.
"I really can't say congratulations."
Pu Xiang took a long time to speak. He felt very uncomfortable.
Chen Cao laughed, and then said: "It has been more than two months since I was granted the title of Duke. The only one who came to my house to congratulate me personally is your brother Pu. I, Chen Cao, will remember this sentiment."
Pu Xiang quickly raised his hands when he heard this: "Hey, if you and I didn't say this, now that Brother Chen has lost power, those people no longer take us seriously."
"We have a lot of powerless princes in the Ming Dynasty. You can see it just by looking at the Chang family and the Tang family." Chen Cao said with a smile: "They have done their best by not jumping ship and rebelling. Here, I still have to thank them.”
After hearing this, Pu Xiang shook his head: "Now the whole Southern Zhili Province knows about Brother Chen's situation. What has harmed you, Brother Chen, is actually your worthless imperial title."
"Brother Pu, do you know who the first Duke of Liang in our Ming Dynasty was?"
Pu Xiang nodded: "General Lan Yu."
"Do you know how Lan Yu died?"
"How can I not know this? Isn't our family just involved? Which of those people is not implicated because of Lan Yu's matter?"
Pu Xiang was a little excited, but Chen Cao didn't take it seriously: "Brother Pu, my title was handled by Wei Zhongxian. This Duke of Liang is the top noble in the country."
"What the hell..." Pu Xiang showed no restraint at all: "Who with eyesight doesn't know the inside story? Lan Yu, that Duke of Liang died miserably."
"Lanyu died because of rebellion..."
As soon as Chen Cao finished speaking, the excited Pu Xiang was stunned for a long time: "Brother Chen, you..."
"Hahaha..."
Chen Cao didn't say anything, he just laughed loudly. Zhao Xin on the side added: "Master Hou, Lan Yu was living well before he rebelled..."
The meaning couldn't be more obvious. Pu Xiang is not a fool, and the emperor's intention is also highlighted: "Brother Chen, you, the prince of the country, only have alchemy books and no iron certificates..."
If there is no iron certificate, it means that it cannot be hereditary...
Chen Cao still cares about these things now: "Those are just names. Brother Pu, you have to know that I, Chen Cao, am the Duke of Liang in the Ming Dynasty..."
Pu Xiang seemed to have understood what Chen Cao said to him today. Although he did not specify it clearly, based on his experience over the years, he should have guessed it well.
"Now that the matter has come to this, Brother Pu has come to our government in person. Does Brother Pu think no one will know?"
Pu Xiang nodded in despair. When Chen Cao saw this, he said: "Zhao Xin, go and see the Marquis of Jinshan..."
When Zhao Xin returned, Chen Cao was writing a letter to be sent to Fangjin Village of Japan.
"Send this letter to Song Che by sending your confidants to make sure it doesn't fall into the hands of others."
"My subordinate..." Zhao Xin took the letter and put it in his arms, and then said coldly: "Master, someone from Nansi is here."
"How was it arranged?"
"Tune Luo to cultivate his character and serve as the commander of Fusi in Nanzhen. Dong Kun is in charge of punishing thousands of households."
Chen Cao raised his eyes and looked at Zhao Xin: "That guy Luo Yangxing chose the emperor? Humph, he is really a smart man...Dong Kun, I remember that the Hakka family mentioned to me that this person is the emperor's confidant, you Be careful in Nansi."
"From the province..." Zhao Xin nodded and said, "After Dong Kun came to Nansi, he retrieved all the files from Nansi and sent Zhou Jiamo to the capital."
Zhou Jiamo was detained by Chen Cao in Nansi for nearly a year, and now he is being taken to the capital. His future is definitely not good. Moreover, this signal is enough to show that the emperor is supporting Wei Zhongxian in suppressing the self-righteous Donglin Party.
"Also, our people in the capital sent news that the emperor had learned that Zhang Heming had embezzled a huge amount of military pay from Liaodong, and had issued an order to remove Zhang Heming from his official position as Liaodong's manager, and asked the Jin Yi guards to escort him back to the capital for trial."
Xin Zhao whispered: "Zhao Nanxing and his gang really did not disappoint me."
Nonsense, one hundred thousand taels of silver...
"Is there any news about who the imperial court is planning to appoint to take over the position of Liaodong Manager?"
"The Donglin Party and the Eunuch Party are fighting fiercely. They all know that Liaodong is a good place to make money. Now that the emperor has money, they are trying their best to arrange their people there, so now they can only let Governor Sun take charge of Liaodong temporarily. The matter will not be discussed for the time being."
"You're wrong..." Chen Cao knocked on the table: "Wei Zhongxian is very clever. All the managers of Liaodong either committed suicide or died for their country, or were imprisoned and talked about death. The reason why Sun Chengzong was temporarily in charge was because both groups were They don’t want their own people to go up, because if something happens in Liaodong, they will be implicated;
The emperor may not seem to like carpentry work, but he has been taught by Emperor Wanli since he was a child, and he is very smart. From his title of duke, we can tell that this emperor is extraordinary. "
Only then did Zhao Xin remember something: "Your title is the slanderous suggestion given by that old dog Wei Gong..."
"The emperor intends to beat me..."
Chen Cao thought for a long time, maybe based on Zhu Youxiao's IQ, he must know the meaning of Liang Guogong, and being able to agree to Wei Zhongxian's proposal must have the purpose of beating Chen Cao.
And that eight million taels of military expenditure can be worth two years of taxes of the Ming Dynasty.
"Now that the father-in-law has lost his power, those people still don't know how to deal with us." Zhao Xin was a little worried.
"No, if I were the emperor, if this person can make money, I must keep it for great use instead of knocking him out casually. Besides, Song Che still has a division of new troops and Pang Zhifan's naval fleet in Japan. , neither the emperor nor anyone else in the court will crush me too much unless Song Che is transferred away;
Did you see that? Even though I was fucked clean, the emperor still did not agree to let Wei Zhongxian's people take over the important positions in the army. They used either the Donglin Party or the other three parties. This also shows that the emperor did not intend to let Wei Zhongxian's family dominate. "
Xin Zhao's eyes lit up: "Master, do you mean this is our opportunity?"
Chen Cao nodded: "I have lost power. Except for the perverted Wei Zhongxian, the scholars in the Donglin Party will not take the initiative to cause trouble for me as long as I don't go too far. Who is in charge of the Dingwu Army?"
"I issued an official document and appointed Wei Guogong as the commander-in-chief, transferred Taizhou General Qi Changguo as deputy general, and appointed Wu Chun, who is familiar with the military situation of the Dingwu Army, as the eunuch to supervise the army. Chen Bangzhan, the left minister of the Nanjing Ministry of War, will supervise the military equipment of the Dingwu Army."
"Um..."
Chen Cao shook his body and nodded. The emperor's appointment still had some intention. The Dingwu Army was created by Chen Cao. You can know how much it cost from Wu Chun. Such a firearms unit can fight. If it is disbanded, it will be a big trouble for the gang. Although Xu Hongji has been removed from the post of Admiral Caojiang, he will be put in charge of the Dingwu Army. His loyalty to the century-old Duke's Palace is unquestionable.
"By the way, sir, I have an unkind request..." Zhao Xin bowed his head and said, "I want to send all my family members to my father-in-law."
"Well, safety comes first, that's what it should be. What about that? Send all your family members to me. There are still many tenants' vacant land around the mansion. I just want to humiliate you for a while and let the workshop repair it for you. Several yards are up.”
"My subordinate Xie Gongye..."
"Also, as the commander of Nansi these days, you should never come to me without my order. Just transfer Han Shizhong to listen to my instructions at any time. You and Lao Xu should be careful in the yamen, don't If Luo Yangxing and Dong Kun are caught, if something happens to you now, I don't know if I can save you."
"Yes, my subordinates will tell them when they get back."
"By the way, send some people to watch Pu Xiang secretly..."
.
Chen Cao is now without an official position. Except for the dispensable official position of governor of Songjiang, which makes money, he lives a life of drunkenness and dreams like the second generation of contemporary Xun at home.
There was a barbecue party at home today, and all of Chen Cao's wives, concubines, and children gathered around a charcoal stove. Because it was mid-October, the weather was not that hot at this time.
"Husband, if you have nothing to do, you should avoid going to those places with fireworks and willows. Now that you are the Duke of the country, you can't compare to that time."
As the eldest lady in the family, Li Xiang said to Chen Cao in front of a crowd not only to show her status as a eldest wife, but more importantly, to shock the sisters below.
At this time, Chen Cao naturally couldn't be angry with Li Xiang, otherwise she would lose Li Xiang's face and she would not be able to control the family in the future. So he smiled and said, "Hey, why don't you go there? Take a look at my house. Every one of them is a national official." Sexy and fragrant, which one is not my favorite? Besides, if I go to those places with this identity now, if someone deliberately traps me, your husband and I might lose his title the next day, and the whole family will end up in the Jiaofang Division again. "
Zhang Shuhua and her mother Liu Miner stayed in Qinhuai Tower for a year. At that time, they could not go anywhere. This feeling was not easy to live with. Li Fengchun was also born in a brothel, so he naturally knew that even if Chen Cao was joking, the three of them There is something strange about every woman's face.
"Sprinkle this lamb leg with chili powder, sprinkle some pepper and Sichuan peppercorns, brush with a layer of oil, and then sprinkle with fine salt, my God..."
After Chen Cao's operation, the aroma in the backyard was already spreading all over the house, and the girls couldn't wait to eat. Chen Cao, whose father was full of love, was the first to cut off the best one for his sons and daughters. A piece of meat, and then give it to his women in turn.
"Um..."
The familiar taste of roasted mutton came to Chen Cao's mouth. It was the most delicious barbecue food in this era. In addition to the mutton, there were also slices of salted fish on the grill. The taste of the salted fish after grilling was also unique.
Chen Cao likes this kind of life, barbecuing, drinking and playing with women, it is a beautiful thing day after day.
"Chunyao, come with me..."
