I

  Chapter 241 239【Team training】

  Zhao Han smiled and looked at Zhang Bingwen: "Do you want to take an exam?"

  Zhang Bingwen cupped his hands and said, "There is no need to take the Four Books and Five Classics exams. The contents of elementary and middle schools are too simple, which is no different from the exams for scholars back then. Please ask the general town to come up with questions, and take the "Datong Collection", "Mathematics" and "Geometry"?"

   "There's no need to take the test, I trust you. A chief envoy wouldn't tell such a lie." Zhao Han said.

  Zhang Bingwen handed over again: "Thank you for your trust!"

  Zhao Han asked suddenly: "What do you think of the general situation in the world?"

Zhang Bingwen cheered up immediately. This is the real test: "The treasury of the Ming Dynasty is empty, the government is corrupt, and the annexation is serious. It has long accumulated evils. The bandits in the Northwest, running around endlessly, can't stop and develop stably. They are nothing more than a large group of horse bandits. When will the rogues be able to beat the officers and soldiers to run around, can these rogues establish an official system and have the capital to compete for the world. The Liaodong Tartars are foreign ears. But at this time, the Tartars have established a system. Rogues have a better chance of fighting for the world. As for Jiangxi, I don’t need to repeat it.”

  Zhao Han was very satisfied, and asked again: "Do you know how I will develop next?"

Zhang Bingwen said: "South Zhili is the most beautiful place in the world. You can go out from Guangxin Mansion to the east and occupy Zhejiang first. Then take the navy down the Yangtze River, attack by land and water, and conquer the cities of Nanjing, Taiping, and Zhenjiang. In this way, Jiangnan is settled. , half of the country is at your fingertips."

   "Then should I play Zhejiang this year?" Zhao Han laughed.

   "No," Zhang Bingwen said, "With the temperament and intelligence of the general town, we must first go to southern Hunan, and then to Guangdong and Fujian."

  Zhao Han became more and more satisfied, and asked, "Why?"

Zhang Bingwen analyzed: "If the south of the Yangtze River is lost, the Ming Dynasty will perish quickly. The Tartars will definitely break through, and the Tartars who establish themselves as emperors will quickly occupy Hebei. The rogue bandits who have not established a system are definitely not opponents of the Tartars. Before that, as long as The general town dared to attack Nanzhi and Zhejiang. The Ming court must have desperately dispatched the troops of the six northern provinces to fight Jiangxi with all its strength. At that time, the general town had to deal with the imperial army alone. Take advantage of the fisherman's profit. How unwise?"

   "Then why did I go to Shonan first?" Zhao Han asked.

  Zhang Bingwen said: "Huguang is cooked, the world is full, and Dongting Lake is also the granary of the world. In this troubled world, the grain is the heaviest. Whoever can feed the people will win the world."

  In the middle and early Ming Dynasty, the main grain-producing area of ​​the Ming Dynasty was the south of the Yangtze River, to be precise, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the surrounding areas of Taihu Lake.

  However, since the mid-Ming Dynasty, the population in these places has continued to multiply, and a large number of cash crops have been replanted, resulting in a serious shortage of food supply. And Huguang was developed again, thus becoming the granary of the world. Many of the grains from the Jiangnan prefectures are transported to Huguang and Jiangxi for sale.

  Therefore, Zhao Han doesn't have to conquer Jiangnan, as long as he occupies Huguang and Jiangxi's grain production areas, he can grab the neck of Jiangnan at any time.

  Zhang Bingwen continued: "As for Fujian and Guangdong, maritime trade is of great benefit to the world. Once the sea is opened, smuggling is cracked down, and taxes are no less than those in Nanzhi and Zhejiang."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

  Zhao Han laughed heartily and said, "You are a great talent."

  Although Zhang Bingwen is from Tongcheng, he has served as a military patrol in Fujian, and he knows how profitable Fujian Maritime is.

  The Ming court was not easy to do it, but Zhao Han could do it casually, killing a group of smuggling merchants. Kill him whatever you want, anyway, it doesn't involve his interests, Zhang Bingwen is happy to see it succeed.

  Zhao Han asked someone to bring a copy of the information, handed it over and said, "Sir, please read it."

   Zhang Bingwen was a little curious, and glanced at it, but it was a copy of the imperial court newspaper.

  There is no rest for the Lantern Festival this year. On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, a document was issued. Chongzhen accepted the Ministry of Industry’s suggestion to Fu Yuanchu and ordered the collection of customs duties in Kaihai, Fujian to help pay.

  Zhang Bingwen shook his head and sighed: "Oh, the foundation of Ming Dynasty is already damaged. Even if we open the sea, we won't be able to collect a few taxes."

  Zhao Han handed over another piece of information, also in the first month, that Nanjing abolished 89 redundant staff.

"It seems that the imperial court is really out of money, and it actually started to lay off officials," Zhang Bingwen said with a smile, "It's a pity that there are too many constraints. If we really want to cut redundant staff, Nanjing can lay off at least 300 people. And, why not lay off a few more ministers? Official positions The highest ones are just a few masters."

  Zhao Han got up and said, "You go to the secretarial academy to do something."

  For a person like Zhang Bingwen to vote, it is naturally impossible for him to be a petty official, but it is even less likely to break the rules for him. Therefore, it is best to get the secretarial academy, accumulate two years of qualifications, and then release it to be a second official, and you will be able to get promoted quickly.

  Zhao Han has released four secretaries, and Fei Yu has been released as the county magistrate. After expanding in southern Hunan and Guangdong, Fei Yu can be promoted to become a county magistrate.

  Zhang Bingwen settled his wives and concubines, and sent people back to Tongcheng to pick up his children.

   After completing the handover procedures, Zhang Bingwen went to work in the secretarial academy and saw an old man in his fifties.

  It was Xie Lijing, the magistrate of Guangxin who wanted to go on a hunger strike. Zhao Han didn't bother to persuade him. He asked him to go to the countryside to see for himself, and then recruited him into the Secretary Academy as an ordinary secretary.

   There is only one year difference between the two, and they are the oldest in the Secretariat, so they know what the other is like without asking.

   Clasp each other's fists and do things separately.

  Pang Chunlai quietly found Zhao Han, and said as an elder: "Brother Han, should you accept another concubine Ji?"

   "No hurry." Zhao Han said.

   "It's better to take a concubine early," Pang Chunlai said, "This is not my idea alone. Many officials, even the common people, hope that you can take a concubine."

  Zhao Han sighed: "Wait until this year's battle is over."

  The reason why the officials are anxious is nothing more than fear that Zhao Han's heirs will be unhappy.

  Although Fei Rulan gave birth to a son, she has remained silent since then. Last winter, Gun'er caught a cold and had a fever, which made Pang Chunlai, Li Banghua and others very anxious.

   Only one son, with the ancient medical level, it is really very unsafe.

   Must give birth to more, and give birth as soon as possible.

  Chai Rong's son, if he was twenty years old, would Zhao Kuangyin dare to wear a yellow robe?

   It is true that Zhao Hannian is strong and powerful, but the officials under his command are afraid of what might happen.

  For Zhao Han, giving birth to a son has become a political task, so he can only do as he pleases, and go home that night to make a living with Fei Rulan.

  The situation this year is good. After the seedlings are planted, there is generally only a slight drought, and it rains after less than a month of drought.

  Only the northernmost Jiujiang and Nankang prefectures have severe drought-resistance work, and the two prefectures and counties are already busy.

  By the way, for the sake of convenience, Nanchang Prefecture has jurisdiction over four counties in the northwest, all of which are under the jurisdiction of Nankang Prefecture.

  Because starting from Nankang Fucheng, you can go to Wuning and Ningzhou via Xiushui, you can go to Jing'an via Shuangxi, and you can go to Fengxin via Fengshui. Anyway, starting from Fucheng, you can arrive by boat, and the transportation is very convenient.

  If the four counties still belong to Nanchang, the taxes paid in the future must be transported to Nankang Mansion first, and then transported to Nanchang Mansion by boat. When government officials go to the countryside to do errands, they also have to go around, which is a waste of manpower and material resources.

   Poor Nanchang Prefecture, which originally governed eight counties, was reduced to only four counties by Zhao Han.

  During the drought and disaster relief in northern Jiangxi, two Jinyiwei had returned to Beijing to return to their missions, and the remaining four stayed in Jiangxi for investigation.

  Dry Qing Palace.

   "Your Majesty, the Zhao thieves have occupied the entire territory of Jiangxi." Jin Yiwei knelt on the ground and reported.

   Chongzhen was not angry, because he had already received multiple reports, and it was only a matter of time before Zhao Han took control of Jiangxi alone.

   Even, Zhao Han passed another letter through Wang Tiaoding.

  The content is very simple, Zhao Han promises not to send troops to Nanzhi and Zhejiang, the reason is that he doesn't want to face the imperial court's soldiers, and he doesn't want the bandits to continue to grow in the north.

   Chongzhen continued to inquire, and then called Yang Sichang and Wang Diaoding.

  Since Zhao Han delivered the second letter, Wang Diaoding's identity has become obvious, and he is the mouthpiece between Zhao Han and the emperor.

   "Zhao thief has stolen the whole territory of Jiangxi." Chongzhen's tone seemed calm.

  Yang Sichang was shocked suddenly: "Jiangnan is in danger!"

  Wang Tiaoding said: "Ministry Yang does not have to worry about Jiangnan, Zhao bandits will definitely send troops to southern Hunan, where the most grain is produced."

  Yang Sichang was speechless for a moment, he was from Changde, and Zhao Han was going to occupy his hometown.

   Both the monarch and his ministers have nothing to say.

  Northwest rogue bandits, Liaodong tartars, and southern Zhao Han. As for the money and food of the imperial court, it is difficult to deal with one, and it has to deal with three at the same time.

   "What can I do for it?" Chongzhen felt weak all over, he was really too tired.

Yang Sichang sighed: "It is impossible to recruit troops to fight in Nanzhi and Zhejiang. It is not easy to collect taxes in these two places after years of severe drought. If we recruit troops to fight again, how can we raise soldiers in the north? It is also impossible for the imperial court to send troops to conquer Zhao bandits. Natural danger, you need to train as a sailor, where can you get the money to train as a sailor?"

  Chongzhen sneered: "What's the use of all this?"

Yang Sichang bowed his head and said: "I can only believe that the Zhao bandits will not attack Nanzhi and Zhejiang. While the Zhao bandits are expanding to the west, the imperial court should quickly wipe out the bandits. Only when the bandits are eliminated can they be freed to attack the Zhao bandits. As for the Zhao bandits ...the gentry in southern Hunan, Guangdong, and Fujian can recruit local bravery to form regiments, so as to delay the expansion of the Zhao thieves."

   Chongzhen said angrily: "The gentry recruited their own courage? Are you going to turn Ming Dynasty into the Three Kingdoms at the end of Han Dynasty!"

  Yang Sichang kowtowed and said: "This expedient measure is only implemented in the three southern provinces. After the imperial court has wiped out the rogues, this order can be canceled immediately. The most urgent task is to quickly eliminate the rogues. Your Majesty, please train another 100,000 soldiers!"

   "Where's the money?" Chongzhen asked.

   "Add training salary!" Yang Sichang gritted his teeth, he was also forced to rush.

   Chongzhen was slumped, and said weakly: "I will follow Qing's plan."

  What strategy?

  Of course, it is to send additional training salaries, organize and train new troops, and quickly suppress the thieves. At the same time, it was ordered that the gentry and powerful gentry in southern Hunan, Guangdong, and Fujian can organize and train their own troops.

  The next day it was brought to the court for discussion, and the situation was very surprising.

   The matter of organizing group training was unanimously approved. These officials are afraid of being divided by Zhao thieves. Anyway, it was the method proposed by Yang Sichang. If it fails, it will be an opportunity to impeach him, and if it is done well, it will kill Bandit Zhao.

  As for the increase in salary and training, it attracted all the officials to complain wildly. Everyone knows that there is no more tossing. Wouldn’t the increase in training salary force more farmers to rebel?

  The opposition was invalid, and the whole country was sent again, and the people were miserable.

   On the other side of Jiangxi, Zhao Han is mobilizing his troops, waiting for the summer grain to be harvested.

  (end of this chapter)