On April 27, the twenty-fifth year of Chongzhen, Zhu Youzhen, the son of heaven, looked at the pieces sent from all over the south of the Yangtze River, and frowned.

These recitals are piled up with Zhu Youzhen's book cases, large and small, all of which are here to shirk Zhu Youzhen's recruitment.

Now Zhu Youzhen's court is barely functioning.

Although Li Zhi killed 1,100 civil officials who collaborated with the enemy, there were still several hundred civil officials in the court who did not commit crimes to death. Zhu Youzhen symbolically punished some civilian officials who showed favor to the Jiangbei Army but never betrayed intelligence, and used these more "loyal" civilian officials to build up the central shelf.

The first thing the center did after it became operational was to recruit civilian officials from the local government.

Of course, whoever is recruited and who is not recruited will have many famous names in it. For the purpose of controlling Jiangnan, Zhu Youzhen recruited more than 700 civil officials in Jiangnan. Basically, more than half of the chief political officials of the prefectures and counties in Jiangnan were replaced by Zhu Youzhen.

All of these people were asked to enter Beijing to fill the empty center after the massacre.

Jiangnan has relied on the military might of the Jiangbei Army over the years, and has not taken the Son of Heaven in his eyes at all, and Zhu Youzhen has changed these civilian officials at this time. This requisition and transfer was nominally an ordinary personnel transfer, but in fact it was the replacement of local officials who did not obey orders in Jiangnan and the promotion of more obedient officials to Jiangnan to take charge of the government.

But obviously, Zhu Youzhen's intentions were seen through by the civil officials in Jiangnan. The civil officials in Jiangnan used a very simple trick to deal with Zhu Youzhen - disobedience.

Officials in various localities quibbled in various names, some said that the local disaster had suffered, some said that the people were retained, and some said that they were sick and bedridden. Of the hundreds of letters sent by officials of Zhu You's inspection department, few of them were effective.

What's even more helpless is that Zhu Youzhen is powerless against these blatant disobedience to the orders of the ministry.

There were only 20,000 people in the Beijing camp, and there were not enough troops to defend the capital, so it was impossible for Zhu Youzhen to send troops and horses to Jiangnan to arrest these civil officials who had collectively disobeyed his orders.

After the defeat of the new army to the Jiangbei army, Zhu Youzhen's strength on his hands can be said to be much worse than before. There is still a long way to go to regain control of Jiangnan.

Wang Chengen looked at those disobedient movements, but he was annoyed, and said: "Holy Lord, these civil officials are really lawless. Now that the Jiangbei Army has been defeated, they still dare to disobey their orders! ”

Zhu Youzhen sighed, paced to the window of the Qianqing Palace, and muttered to the scenery outside the window.

Wang Chengen followed and said, "Shengshang, it's better to send Dongchang Fanzi to Jiangnan to get people!" Arrest a few leading officials and put them in the East Factory, so that these civil officials know the Holy Heaven's might! ”

When Zhu Youzhen heard this, he looked at Wang Dehua, the eunuch of the East Factory next to him.

Wang Dehua's face was grim, and his face was sad.

Zhu Youzhen knew that Wang Dehua could not complete this task, shook his head and said, "What's the use of those thousands of people in Dongchang? The local battalion soldiers and guard troops in Jiangnan all listened to the civilian officials. If Dongchang's fanzi treks thousands of miles to the south of the Yangtze River to get people, I'm afraid that people won't be able to get them, and their lives will be fearful. ”

If you really send Dongchang Fanzi to Jiangnan to get people, I am afraid that the most likely result is that Fanzi died abnormally in Jiangnan, and then all of them were pushed to the heads of thieves and bandits.

Wang Chengen thought for a while and stopped talking.

After a long time, he also sighed and said, "It's not easy to defeat the Jiangbei Army, can't the emperor regain control of Jiangnan?" Can't get the new law to the whole country? ”

Zhu Youzhen looked at the scenery outside the window and frowned.

For a long time, no one in the Qianqing Palace spoke.

The three of them were silent for a long time, and then Wang Dehua had the courage to say: "Emperor, the slave maid thinks that the only thing that the civil officials in Jiangnan are afraid of is the King of Qi." Now if you want to control Jiangnan, you can only rely on the power of King Qi! If Jiangnan is ordered in the name of King Qi, those civil officials will probably obey the order. ”

Zhu Youzhen was stunned and turned his head to look at Wang Dehua.

Wang Chengen frowned and said, "Wang Dehua, what are you talking nonsense?" If the king of Qi is allowed to order Jiangnan, then won't the whole world listen to the king of Qi? ”

Wang Dehua was reprimanded by Wang Chengen, bowed his head and didn't dare to say more, and took a step back.

"Yes, our family lost their word."

Zhu Youzhen was interested in Wang Dehua's words, waved his sleeves and said, "Wang Dehua, what do you think?" Say it boldly! ”

Wang Dehua looked up at Wang Chengen, and then at the Son of Heaven.

Zhu Youzhen said again: "Say it boldly! ”

Wang Dehua licked his lips and said: "Now the most feared thing for the civil officials in Jiangnan is the King of Qi who has hundreds of thousands of male troops in his hands, the Son of Heaven might as well discuss with the King of Qi about the requisition of the civil officials in Jiangnan this time, if the King of Qi can express his support for the Son of Heaven, I am afraid that things will be easy to do." ”

Zhu Youzhen asked, "How can King Qi support me?" ”

Wang Dehua thought for a while and said: "If you want to recruit officials to arrange personnel, it is better to let the King of Qi concurrently lead the post of secretary of the imperial court." At that time, if the Son of Heaven has any personnel recruitment, he will directly let the King of Qi cover the seal of the prince. ”

At the same time, let the king of Qi transfer 20,000 tiger troops to Nanjing to deter Jiangnan. The crumbs in Jiangnan trembled, and they obeyed orders honestly. ”

When Wang Chengen heard this, he hesitated and said, "I'm afraid this is inappropriate, right?" Let the king of Qi be in charge of the personnel of the court, and even garrison Nanjing, won't all the officials in the world listen to the king of Qi in the future? ”

Zhu Youzhen also showed a hesitant look, shook the front of the dragon robe and sat on the chair, thinking contradictoryly.

After thinking for a while, he asked, "It is also a way to use the power of King Qi to order the world. It's just that after a long time, if everyone in the world is accustomed to the authority of the King of Qi because of this, they have fallen into the banner of the King of Qi and despised the court, what will it be? ”

Wang Dehua arched his hand and said: "If this matter is to be successful, it requires the King of Qi to be loyal to the imperial court. Zhou Gong was afraid of rumors, and Wang Mang was humble and did not usurp the time. The loyalty of the king of Qi can only be distinguished by the saint. ”

When the Son of Heaven heard this, he put his hands on the bookcase and did not speak.

Wang Chengen said in a panic: "Holy Lord, this is very inappropriate. King Qi is already a big tail in Tianjin. If he is allowed to be involved in the central master of personnel again, what decision of the Son of Heaven will have to be discussed with him King Qi? I'm afraid it's really powerful! ”

Zhu Youzhen was still reminiscing about Wang Dehua's sentence "Zhou Gong is afraid of rumors", and suddenly stroked his beard and said: "Interesting! ”

Wang Chengen was stunned, "Huh? "Yes.

Zhu Youzhen looked at Wang Dehua with a smile and said, "Wang Dehua! Your advice is interesting! ”

Wang Dehua arched his hand and said: "Emperor Shengming! ”

Zhu Youzhen stood up and said: "Wang Chengen, quickly draft the decree, just say that I will transfer the king of Qi into the dynasty to serve as the secretary of the ministry, and be in charge of the affairs of the world." This holy decree Wang Dehua you personally send to Tianjin to see how King Qi reacts. ”

Wang Chengen blinked, stopped talking, and finally agreed.

Wang Dehua bowed his hand and said, "The slave obeys!" ”