Looking for a feudal prince?
Zhang He looked at Gu Zhengchen in shock.
Not being able to become the founding prince was Zhang He's deepest reluctance, but calmly speaking, in terms of merit, he was really not as good as Tang He, Wu Zhen, Zhou Dexing, Hua Yunlong and other princes.
But the problem is, I don’t have the opportunity to display my talents.
When attacking Chen Youliang, he was on the side of the army and assisted in the attack.
When he was beating Zhang Shicheng, he stood outside Pingjiang Changmen and watched Zhang Shicheng's efforts, and he had no chance to kill a few soldiers.
By the time he attacked Beiyuan, he had already followed Wu Zhen to fight against Japanese pirates and pirates.
In the third year of Hongwu, Wu Zhen became the Marquis of Jinghai, but he had not yet accomplished much and could not reach the threshold of a Marquis.
This year, I followed Wu Zhen and killed a lot of pirates, which can be regarded as a meritorious service. However, this merit was covered up by the pirates who invaded the Yangtze River Estuary. If Gu Zhengchen hadn't stopped these pirates, it would be impossible to say that the entire group of pirates would have been destroyed. The navy's face will be thrown into the depths of the sea.
Zhang He felt very bitter inside.
Seeing that the sea has not been peaceful in recent years, and it may not be possible to calm the sea in the foreseeable three to five years, I am afraid that I will not have the opportunity to participate in the Northern Expedition, and I can only stay in Fujian and watch the sea.
Want to become a marquis here?
This is not an ordinary difficulty, but a difficulty on the road to Shu.
Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhang He who looked suspicious and did not believe him, and said seriously: "The emperor has clear rewards and punishments. Anyone who has made many military achievements will be promoted to a noble rank! If Commander Zhang is willing to stay in Quanzhou Port and obey orders, the emperor will be at most one year old. I will remember that you have made many contributions and been granted the title of marquis, and you have been favored by your descendants."
One year is twelve years.
Zhang He stared at Gu Zhengchen and asked seriously: "When I come to Quanzhou Port, I will naturally obey your orders. Why do I have to talk about becoming a marquis?"
Gu Zhengchen knocked on the table: "A general who doesn't want to be a prince is not a good general. I need to see your ambition before we can reach a consensus. If you don't have the desire to be a prince, I don't know how to face the dilemma. At this time, can you still burst out with strength, fight your way out, and complete the mission I assigned you!"
Those who have the will to climb up, the unwillingness to settle for unfinished business, and the ability to excel are not easily defeated.
When facing Japanese pirates and pirates, you can fight them calmly.
Even if the enemy is the sky, the wind, or the sea, he can still remain unafraid and command with determination.
Seeing that Gu Zhengchen was serious and not joking at all, Zhang He nodded: "I want to be granted the title of Marquis! If you can help me, I will never forget your kindness!"
Gu Zhengchen waved his hand and said calmly: "This is not a deal, it is not my wooing you. You, like me, serve the court and His Majesty. I help you become a marquis because I need you to do something. Pioneer of the sea, you need me because you need merit to prove that you can't lose to anyone! We are not an alliance, let alone a party. Apart from official business, you and I do not need to have any personal relationship."
Zhang He looked at Gu Zhengchen with admiration.
The person in front of me is very young, but he acts calmly and does everything flawlessly.
Indeed, there must be something extraordinary about being the only living county man in the Ming Dynasty. What's more, the emperor's trust in him exceeded everyone's imagination. There must be a reason behind this.
"Can you tell me why you were knighted for your merits?"
Zhang He asked the doubts in his heart.
Gu Zhengchen chuckled and pointed in the direction of the door: "You can go to Quanzhou Guard. You will understand when you get there."
Zhang Heran understood, got up and walked out, but felt something was wrong again, turned around and came back and asked: "Now that I'm here, you must arrange something for me, right?"
Gu Zhengchen shook his head: "It's okay at the moment. Chu Xing, Meng Wanli, including the navy and ships in Quanzhou Port are all under your control. You only have three days to get familiar with the generals and sergeants."
A general does not know his soldiers, and a soldier does not know his generals. This is a taboo for military strategists.
It was impossible for Gu Zhengchen to hastily let Zhang He take over the navy and go to sea in a hurry. This was a true voyage of trade. It was related to whether Gu Zhengchen could persuade Zhu Yuanzhang to relax the sea ban, and it was related to the maritime power and national destiny of the Ming Dynasty. Thorough preparations must be made.
After several days of inventory, calculation and review, Hufang Huang Fei finally calculated clearly and handed the account book to Gu Zhengchen: "Through the inspection of Yang Baiju, Wu Kang, Qin Xin, Bu Jia, Wei Hong, Shi Ruji and other gangsters, From the house of a corrupt official, a total of 73,621 taels of gold and silver were obtained, and 32,720 copper coins were obtained, 427 coins in total. There were 112 house deeds and 182 store deeds. Zhang, among which there are 121 store deeds in Jinjiang City. A total of 8,268 shi and two buckets of grain were obtained..."
Gu Zhengchen looked at the final accounts and was stunned by such an astonishing amount. This did not include the silk, ceramics, tea, spices, rare treasures and other physical items.
"Households are hard work."
Seeing that Huang Fei was a little tired, Gu Zhengchen said.
Huang Fei chuckled: "Compared to the hard work of the three days of continuous review by Fu Zun, our hard work is nothing. Just Fu Zun, when will these things be put into the warehouse?"
"No rush, just wait."
Gu Zhengchen closed the account books and asked Huang Fei: "Although you are not an old person in a household, you have been living in a household for a while. Do you think you know something about the taxes in Quanzhou Prefecture?"
Huang Fei nodded: "Of course."
Gu Zhengchen stood up and walked out: "What are the number of households, population, summer tax, and autumn tax in Quanzhou Prefecture?"
Seeing Gu Zhengchen test himself, Huang Fei replied confidently: "According to the population compilation of counties in the fifth year of Hongwu, there are currently 39,260 households in Quanzhou Prefecture, with a population of 377,762 people. . The summer tax levied by the government is 27,000 shi, and the autumn tax is 18,000 shi, totaling 45,000 shi in one year."
After Gu Zhengchen heard this, he sighed secretly: "Do you know how many people and households there are in Fujian Province?"
Huang Fei hesitated, shook his head and said, "I don't know the detailed number, but I heard that the entire Fujian Province has 800,000 households and a population of 3.8 million."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Huang Fei: "The number you mentioned is basically correct, but have you ever thought about the 800,000 households in Fujian Province and the population of 3.8 million. How many people are there in one household?"
Huang Fei calculated with his fingers: "About four or five people."
"Then you think about Quanzhou Prefecture."
"There are roughly seven or eight people here, how could this happen?"
Huang Fei was a little confused.
Gu Zhengchen's heart was heavy and he said worriedly: "In the ten years since the Baxi Rebellion, countless people in Quanzhou Prefecture have died. Why are there seven or eight people in a family? Oh, it's not because there are too many children, but because of the deaths." Too much!"
Many men die, and women stick together.
In Jinjiang County, Tong'an County, Anxi County and other places, there are many widow villages, and many men from poor families marry not one, but three or four.
This is not lustful, but marrying a woman is probably a life of a woman. Marrying more women is a good deed for Quanzhou Prefecture in the past ten years.
Regardless of whether it is ethical or not, this is the reality in Quanzhou Prefecture.
The Yisibaxi Rebellion occurred at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. The main battlefield was the entire Quanzhou Prefecture. Yisibaxi was a big cannibal, specifically a Persian.
This ten-year catastrophe was a melee between warlords led by the Persian army "Yisibahxi Army". The melee ended two years before the founding of the Ming Dynasty, less than ten years ago.
After the Yisibaxi Rebellion, the war did not stop immediately, because just over a year later, the war between Chen Youding and Zhu Yuanzhang began again...
It can be said that the recuperation of Quanzhou Prefecture began in the first year of Hongwu, and it has only been seven years. It is not easy to revive the people's power! If you want Quanzhou Prefecture to prosper and prosper, and improve the lives of the people in Quanzhou Prefecture, you must open the sea, conduct long-distance trade, and attract merchants and outsiders to Quanzhou Prefecture.
Population is the basis for development, and the population of Quanzhou Prefecture is too small.
On this day, seven county officials rushed to the government office: Yang Xiu, the magistrate of Jinjiang County, Wang Han, the prime minister of Nan'an County, Wang Zhen, the magistrate of Tong'an County, Hou Shiju, the chief registrar of Anxi County, Cai Hui, the prime minister of Yongchun County, Song Hui, the official of Dehua Dianshi, and Luo Geng, the official of Hui'an rite room. .
Gu Zhengchen sat in the second hall and ordered tea to be served. Looking at the restless people, he said solemnly: "A lot of things have happened in Quanzhou Prefecture these days, and many people have died. Some county governments are too corrupt. From the county magistrate to the household officials, all the officials were killed, and only one official from the ceremonial house came."
"It doesn't matter, until the court appoints a new magistrate, county magistrate, and chief registrar, you, the official of the ceremonial room, will temporarily act as magistrate. Things in a county cannot be stopped, and things that need to be done still need to be grasped, and there must be no slacking off. There are some things that should be done. I need to make my words clear, and you’d better keep them in mind.”
Yang Xiu, Wang Han and others looked at Luo Geng. Among the seven counties in Quanzhou Prefecture, Hui'an County Government handled it the cleanest, including the magistrate, county magistrate, chief bookkeeper, dianshi, household official, execution room official, and military room official. When all the clerks and squad leaders have been beheaded, it is not easy to squeeze out a relatively honest clerk in the ceremonial room...
Facing Gu Zhengchen, every official sat upright, and Luo Geng, Cai Hui, Song Hui and others were even more frightened. Even though the young man in front of him looks elegant, he is just a beast, killing people like crazy.
If he is angered, no one can protect him, and even provincial participation in politics will be useless.
Really untouchable.
Gu Zhengchen said solemnly: "I have called you to the government office for three things. The first thing is to combat corruption. According to the regulations of the imperial court, anyone who embezzles more than sixty taels of silver will be killed immediately! But I did not strictly follow the six taels of silver." Instead of the upper limit of ten taels, we chose five hundred taels as the upper limit. But even so, you all know the result."
"No one is greedy! Every one of them is extraordinary. For example, a small official in the torture chamber of Hui'an County embezzled 800 guan! And the origin of these 800 guan was either extortion or extortion! Such a person , there is no need to hesitate when it is time to kill. The major corruption case among officials in Quanzhou Prefecture was mainly caused by the Bu family. However, there are many corruptions involving other than the Bu family, and I have not investigated them in detail one by one. "
"Currently, Quanzhou Prefecture has killed too many officials. If they continue to kill, I am afraid that people will be panicked and no one will be able to handle government affairs. In my opinion, Quanzhou Prefecture does not need to kill people this year, and it will not be too late to do so next year, so don't be so cautious. Everyone is seated."
The corners of Yang Xiu's mouth moved.
What do you mean by not killing people this year? It’s already November...
