First Minister of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 291: crumbs

Chang Yuchun stared at the copper coins in front of him, and suddenly burst out laughing, "It's ridiculous Zhang Shicheng, it's self-defeating. He casts a treasure that God blesses, but God doesn't bless him! This is all Zhang Shicheng's wickedness, abandonment by heaven, and lack of protection from the gods. In this battle, We shall win!"

All the coins were positive, and Chang Yuchun's words quickly spread among the fleet. . .

The soldiers were immediately stunned, and they fell in love with Chang Yuchun. They couldn't help but admire him.

After all, after all, they had just joined them. Although they had tied the hearts of most people with a piece of land deed, they always lacked the tenacity that was hardened into steel.

In addition to facing the master not long ago, Chang Yuchun's grasp is not so great, so he just finished such a hand. It seems that it is the old wisdom used by a famous general. He also occasionally heard Zhang Ximeng mention that these sailors should not come here. knowledge.

Chang Yuchun made such a big fight. In fact, after talking with the barbarian Hague, he learned a piece of news. Currently, Zhang Shicheng is still sending grain to the Yuan court.

The barbarian Hague's fleet was responsible for protecting this batch of grain.

Hearing this news, Chang Yuchun laughed in anger. Such a shameless Zhang Shicheng, you are still filial! If you say that you have surrendered to the Yuan Ting, you are really sending food to the Yuan Ting. How can I let you give these people's fat and people's ointment to the faint-hearted ruler of Dadu for nothing?

Chang Yuchun asked, where did the grain boat depart from? The barbarian Hague told him that the fleet was originally assembled from Jiangyin, but later, considering that it was too close to the Zhu family army, it was placed in Shanghai County in Songjiang Prefecture.

That's right, at this time Shanghai was just a small county.

Songjiang Yifu was upgraded in the Yuan Dynasty. Originally, there was only Huating County. After the upgrade, Songjiang Prefecture still has jurisdiction over Huating County, and at the same time, Shanghai County was added.

Because it is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the water and heat conditions are excellent, and the soil is fertile. It is an important grain-producing area... Even though Zhang Shicheng needs to get grain from Zhu Yuanzhang, the grain that should be given to Yuan Ting every year will still be delivered in full.

Zhang Shicheng also had some subtle logic for this: after losing most of the grain, the Mongols could have enough to eat, and then they could slash and destroy Liu Futong of the Han and Song Dynasties. If Futong is destroyed, Zhu Chongba will be isolated and helpless, and he will be completely defeated, and his head will be in a different place. I'm not sending grain for Dayuan, but it's actually saving my family from a serious problem.

Probably means that the curve resists Zhu!

Of course, this statement is only believed by Zhang Shicheng himself. After all, anyone with a little IQ understands that with the greed of Yuan Ting, sending this amount of food is not enough for the people above to exploit it, let alone use it against Zhu Yuanzhang. It is hard to say how much it can be used on Liu Futong.

In the end, cowardice is cowardice.

Facing Lao Zhu, what Zhang Shicheng needs to think about is not how to deal with Lao Zhu, but to make people believe that he can deal with Lao Zhu... Do you want Zhu Yuanzhang to believe?

Do not!

It was to convince the people of Suzhou that Zhu Yuanzhang knew that he didn't!

It is such a self-deception method, and now it is in danger. Chang Yuchun is stunned to expose the deception. You say how hateful this person is!

"Brothers, these grains are people's fat and people's cream. They shouldn't be used to feed a stupefied monarch and traitor... Zhang Shicheng is shameless, let's help him find his face! Pass my order and immediately dispatch 2,000 elites to land with me and attack Shanghai County. , take the food away!"

If you can fight side by side with the gods, the concubine will bless you.

For a while, countless people shouted to join. In the end, Chang Yuchun selected 2,150 people from the more than 5,000 people. After these people landed with Chang Yuchun, they went straight to Shanghai without hesitation.

It has to be said that the Manzi Hague led the navy and took refuge in Zhu Yuanzhang, which was a huge blow to Zhang Shicheng. In the past, Zhang Shicheng had an advantage in the river. He did not need to set up beacon towers along the river like Zhu Jiajun did, and establish an early warning system.

But suddenly taking advantage of the naval division, Zhang Shicheng's troops were stretched.

He wants to garrison a large army in Changshu to prevent Zhu's army from Jiangyin and Wuxi. He also has to arrange heavy troops in Suzhou to keep the old nest. Besides, there is still fighting in Hangzhou, and there are beacon fires everywhere. What can you ask him to do?

As a result, Chang Yuchun drove straight in, as if entering a land of no one, and quickly rushed to Shanghai County, hardly encountering any obstacles.

The man stationed in Shanghai County was not a general, but a civilian, Yu Siqi, who joined the army of Zhang Shicheng, and a native of Taizhou. In fact, Zhang Shicheng was reluctant to send food to Yuan Ting at first, but this one insisted.

He also said that he was a bandit in the past, but now he is a minister of Dayuan, how could he not pay tribute to the emperor? Is it to be compared with the bandits like Zhu Yuanzhang?

When the three words Zhu Yuanzhang were mentioned, Zhang Shicheng immediately raised his head.

That's right, we are a loyal minister of the Yuan Dynasty, and there are still the Yuan court behind us, and there are so many loyal ministers and good generals, so there is no need to be afraid of the surname Zhu. This canal must be delivered!

In order to show his loyalty, Yu Siqi was specially in charge of this matter.

Every year before the harvest of summer and autumn grains, Yu Siqi will supervise the handling of grains in Shanghai, and they will be shipped to Dadu first.

When the grain was sent out, their hearts were much more settled, and at this moment they were with the Yuan Dynasty again.

This year is the time to supervise the management of summer food, and Yu Siqi came early.

He personally deployed and ordered the officers of the yamen to go to various villages in advance to inform those big households who helped to collect grain in the past, and this year they must complete the task on time. Whoever dares to resist will be severely punished.

But not long after Yu Siqi's order, several big households came to complain.

"Sir in the army, it's not because we are unwilling to contribute to the country, but this year's floods are really serious. In April, there was a peach blossom flood, and many fields were flooded. Animals, grain, and people were swept away. Even our farms were swept away. There are also many losses, and I really can't get more, please join the army and be pitiful!"

Another big household followed suit: "Yeah, now there is no war every day. Originally, there are many miscellaneous tax apportionments, both money and people. In addition, there are always rumors that it is Zhu Yuanzhang's side who gives the points. Tian, ​​return the fields to the light, the people's hearts are unstable, we are afraid..."

"What are you afraid of?"

Yu Siqi suddenly slapped the table and roared, "I ask you, what are you afraid of?"

A few wealthy households were frightened by his sternness, and they were dumbfounded, not knowing how to answer.

However, Yu Siqi was furious, pointed at the wealthy household, and reprimanded them harshly.

"Are you all pigs? Don't you care about the rumors about Zhu Yuanzhang? Waiting for those scoundrels to get up, behead you one by one, and hang your heads on the city gate?"

"I told you a long time ago! You can't be too soft-hearted when dealing with those bad people. You have to let them live half-dead, so that the place can be peaceful. If there is a disaster, what should you be afraid of? If there is a disaster, let them contribute to the difficulties together! Wash away? You should be grateful to Dade. Work hard, cultivate the fields well, and don’t think about useless things.”

"You should have a calculation. The land in Shanghai is better, and the output is more than in other places. For one mu of land, the court takes 40%, you take another 40%, and the remaining 20% ​​is enough for the common people to eat and drink... You can still drink thin water, and even go to the river to fish for some fish and shrimp. In short, you can't starve to death. You have to let them have nothing else to think about other than work and eat every day, and you can't let them relax. understand?"

In the face of Yu Siqi's careful teaching, these wealthy households are all dumbfounded... We ask ourselves, we are not good people, but compared with you, we are still too far behind.

What is human crumbs!

Since all the adults who joined the army said so, the wealthy have nothing to say, except to obey the order, there is nothing else.

Hurry up and start!

In fact, Yu Siqi also wanted to keep things simple. He wanted 40%. The clerks and servants of the yamen also got a share. The rich households took 40% of the land rent, and the thugs under the rich households also got a share.

After all, the harder the exploitation, the more thugs you need to help.

Otherwise, it's just a wealthy household standing in the village, opening his mouth to let the common people ask for land rent, and see if they kill you!

The result is that the place is in chaos all of a sudden. In order to avoid taxes, grains, and rents, the common people simply throw the grains in the ground. Anyway, they will be robbed if they are recovered. It is better to flee to the sea and find a place to hide. Anyway, there is no way to survive. Why do you need to give strength to those people.

There are also some villagers who are unwilling to be exploited. They get together and select the young and the strong. The grain still needs to be collected, but if they dare to come to collect grain, we will fight to death.

I would rather die in battle than give a grain of food.

The common people were also forced to the corner, and there was no way to retreat. The people were not afraid of death, the food was here, let the horses come over!

At this time, a team of soldiers and horses landed from the river bank and rushed to Shanghai to kill. It was said that they were looking for Yu Siqi to settle accounts. When they heard this, the people were excited and cried.

This damned beast, finally God will accept him.

The old man took out the last bit of food that was hidden at home, and rewarded the soldiers... young and strong young men, forming a team, holding simple spears and big swords, and leading the way in front.

In this way, Chang Yuchun led the troops and horses, and without any obstruction, they killed outside the county town of Shanghai.

Facing the fall of the Zhu family's army, Yu Siqi was dumbfounded. He sat there, staring blankly in front of him, "How can it be, how can it be?"

This man kept talking, but he couldn't say anything else.

There was also a general who led the troops under his command. He couldn't stand it any longer, so he interrupted Yu Siqi's muttering with anger.

"Your Excellency was ordered to come here by the King, and now the Zhu thief is killing him. How can Your Excellency be in chaos. The last general is willing to lead troops to defend the city, Your Excellency can sit in the city, deploy troops and horses, and ask the King for help, You can't let down the grace of the king!"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Yes, and Your Majesty!"

Yu Siqi seems to have woken up from a dream, so he can count on Zhang Shicheng!

He reluctantly calmed down, "You're right, I'm going to guard against the Zhu Thief now, I, I have my own plans!"

After dismissing his men, Yu Siqi suddenly jumped up, rushed behind the county office, grabbed a horse, took two henchmen, and rushed out of the county seat before closing the city gate, heading straight for Suzhou.

It's just that they didn't run far before they were discovered by a group of militiamen. Someone recognized Yu Siqi, and the two followers were so frightened that they turned around and ran away.

Yu Siqi also wanted to run, but his horse was disobedient and threw him to the ground, almost fainting from the fall... When he was struggling to escape, a big foot in straw sandals stepped on his back. !

"Beast! Dog officer! You have today too!"

Another militiaman came over, grabbed Yu Siqi, dragged him to the front of a pile of steaming horse manure, and pressed his head down hard.

Yu Siqi wailed in pain, and was stuffed with horse manure, killing him half of his life.

It wasn't over yet, the militiamen dragged him again to a quagmire and pressed Yu Siqi inside, over and over again, until he was drowned and passed out. They were all trampled to pieces, their seven orifices bleed, their flesh turned into mud, and they died in the hands of a group of ordinary people who were only worthy of being half-dead!

There is nothing more reasonable than this fate...