After hearing Zhu Cixiang's "punishment decision" on Zhu Cizhao, Jin Shenghuan, Du Yinxi, Qin Liangyu, as well as He Tengjiao, Chang Yanling and Wu Guoyong who were eavesdropping outside the tent, all breathed a sigh of relief.
Does this matter have anything to do with them?
Of course!
This matter is related to everyone in the world!
If Zhu Cizhong can tolerate Zhu Cizhao, then the other warlords here in Huguang will not worry. The next step is to bargain - now more than 20,000 people from the Chu Palace and Zhang Yong have a place to go. However, Jin Shenghuan, He Tengjiao and Chang Yanling still have to negotiate.
Among them, He Tengjiao and Chang Yanling are relatively easy to talk to. After all, they are warlords supported by Zhu Cihong. Moreover, they have been warlords for a relatively short time and have not formed a very tight group.
Jin Shenghuan is relatively strong and his asking price will be higher, but Zhu Cixiang can still afford this price.
If the price is negotiated and everyone is willing to contribute, then there should be no problem in defeating Li Zicheng... And once Li Zicheng is defeated in Huguang, the Ming Dynasty will be stable - the size of Zhu Cixiang's basic market and his The resources at hand are relevant.
Zhu Cixiang now only firmly controls the Huainan and Jiangnan parts of South Zhili, generally controls Jiangxi and Zhejiang, and also controls a small part of Shandong Province.
Using these lands, he could support two to three hundred thousand households of Beifu soldiers, arm them, and provide them with good training and treatment.
If the vast Huguang is controlled and digested by him, then the Beiren Group will be able to expand to five to six million households - there are still many Beiren people struggling in the southeast!
If Fujian and Guangxi also get it, then it is possible for the Beifu Group to expand to 700,000 or 800,000 households.
Only then did Zhu Cixiang really have the strength to crush Daqing and Dashun - these days, everyone can only count the strength of the basic market, not the total population! How could the French Revolution mobilize all the people? How could the founding dynasty of the Ming Dynasty have this ability?
Of course, it takes a lot of effort to resettle and integrate the 700,000 to 800,000 households, and then mobilize, arm, and train the best among them into an army... It will take a lot of effort, and it will definitely not be done just by talking. Damn it!
All kinds of conflicts, all kinds of troubles, all kinds of struggles, all kinds of wrangling, there are many more!
In addition, the southeast (including Nanzhi, Huguang, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong) has overpopulation, food shortages, the balance between indigenous and northern governments, various problems caused by the development of industry and commerce, and the serious lack of horses in the new army. There are other troubles that Zhu Cixi has not thought of yet, and they all need to be properly resolved one by one...
"Captain Qin," Zhu Cixiang's "punishment" of Zuo Mengmei has not yet been completed, so he cannot let her go. At this time, he turned his head and said to Qin Liangyu's grandmother with a smile, "Go to Hukoudu camp alone. It must be lonely, right?”
lonely? Qin Liangyu didn't understand at first. In the 41st year of Wanli, my man was imprisoned for offending Eunuch Qiu (the godfather of the current eunuch Qiu Zhizhong in Sichuan Province). As a result, he died of illness in prison and has been very depressed ever since. Loneliness, I'm used to it.
The old lady didn't understand, but Zuo Mengmei already understood, and immediately answered the question: "Master Qiansui, I have nothing to do when I return to the police, so why not stay at Hukou Ferry to accompany Governor Qin!"
Zhu Cixiang smiled at Zuo Mengmei, "You have a future, so just be a hostage!" With you in hand, Qiu Lei and Zhang Yong can coordinate their troops smoothly!
Qin Liangyu also understood and said repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I'm getting older, so I just want to have a junior by my side to talk to."
Zhu Cixi smiled and said: "Then let the princess recognize you as my godmother."
Qin Liangyu smiled so hard that he couldn't close his mouth, "That's really what you want!"
...
"Your Majesty, the Ming armies in Jiangnan are united!"
In Jiangling City, Li Zicheng was reading the military reports sent by Yuan Zongdi and Liu Fangliang from Xiangjing and Hanyang. At this time, he got the news of the merger of the Ming troops in Jiangnan.
Li Zicheng raised his head and looked at Huang Shu, the Minister of the Criminal Government with one eye - his title of Minister was false, and his real position was Li Zicheng's military advisor, ranking behind Song Xiance and Gu Junen.
Because neither Song Xiance nor Gu Junen knew much about the inside story of the Ming Dynasty, this "Three Military Advisor" now came from behind and became Li Zicheng's most relied-upon adviser.
"Your Majesty, Zhu Cihong is here!"
Huang Shu guessed it right away.
Li Zicheng looked at him.
Huang Shu said: "Only Zhu Cixiang can combine the two waves of people in Hukou Ferry and Gong'an County."
"He has a way?" Li Zicheng was not sure.
"Yes!" Huang Shu was very sure, twirling his goatee, "This thief is good at deceiving people with false benevolence and righteousness, and can also use interests to unite people from all sides... This is indeed better than his father, Emperor Chongzhen. too much."
"Alas!" Li Zicheng sighed, "It's a pity that Chongzhen is no longer in power, otherwise he would have a chance to go straight to Jiangdong."
Li Zicheng really misses Emperor Chongzhen now! How could such a good emperor be sidelined by Zhu Cixiang, a treacherous and cruel prince?
"But the prince is not without his weaknesses!" Huang Shu smiled coldly.
"Oh? Does he have a weakness?" Li Zicheng asked quickly, "Where is it?"
"It can't last long!" Huang Shu said, "The land in the southeast is mostly planted with mulberry trees and cotton, and the population is too large. Food is not enough for a day. People depend on food. If there is not enough food, the people will be in chaos. The Jiangnan Civil War broke out. , How can the Zhu Thief Prince stay in Huguang and not go back? As soon as he leaves, the Huguang armies will be leaderless, and the emperor will be able to defeat them one by one!"
"Haha!" Li Zicheng laughed, "The fat is good for longevity, and the red thieves are good for quick victory!"
"Your Majesty is wise!"
"Then let's drag it on!" Li Zicheng said, "If we drag it on for three or two months, can the Jiangnan of the Red Thieves be in chaos?"
"There will be chaos!" Huang Shu said, "It's summer now, and autumn will begin in three or two months... If Huguang's autumn grain cannot be exported to the southeast this year, how can there not be chaos in the southeast?"
"Okay, I'll order people to dig trenches and build fortifications near Jiangling City to fight the enemy for a long time!"
...
"Huaiyuan Marquis and Pingman General have always held important positions in Huguang. Shizhou Guards, Yongshun Xuanwei Division, Baojing Prefecture Xuanwei Division, as well as many guards in Yuezhou Prefecture, Chenzhou Prefecture and Jingzhou Prefecture are all It can be placed under the Pingman General Division... These places should not be reorganized like the rest of Huguang. You can be the Pingman General!"
"Jin Zongrong, I plan to set up the Zhengnan General Department to take charge of the affairs of the chieftains in various garrison offices in Guangxi... Only you can do this as the Zhengnan General! Although Guangxi is not as good as Guangdong and Huguang, It is rich, but there are many guard posts and chieftains in the territory, and it is also bordered by the Annan Dutongsi. In recent years, Annan has been in chaos, and there are many opportunities. It depends on whether you can run it? "
"He Futai, although you only have the reputation of being a civil servant, this palace employs people in an eclectic way. There is no rule that non-Jinshi are not allowed to join the cabinet. When the affairs in Huguang are over, you will have a place in the cabinet!"
"Wu Guoyong, the 7,000 Shaanxi troops you have collected have been reviewed by me. They are considered elite. The money you want will be paid in full soon... As long as they are willing to fight to the death, I will continue to do so. Someone’s hurt!”
These are the promises made by Zhu Cixiang when he had a private conversation with generals such as He Tengjiao, Chang Yanling, Jin Shenghuan, and Wu Guoyong after arriving at Hukoudu Camp - Prince Zhu "must pay his debts and keep his words," at least. So far, he's been pretty good at it.
So everyone can still trust him, and the conditions he gave are quite satisfactory.
Of course, these are all said in private and will not be recorded by Bijiu City or recorded in the annals of history in the future.
In the history of Qing Dynasty, Prince Zhu naturally moved the generals below with his kindness. And He Tengjiao, Chang Yanling, Jin Shenghuan, Wu Guoyong and others were also loyal and good people in the Ming Dynasty - there were many loyal people in the Ming Dynasty!
With so many loyal and loyal people helping to charge into the battle, how could the few rebels represented by Li Zichen end up well? Just wait to be defeated by the loyal ministers and loyal people of the Ming Dynasty (the people of Xiangyang and Nanyang)!
