Whenever there was a turmoil, the big landlords either went to the county seat and the capital city to escape the war, or built tall fortresses and organized their own armed forces to save themselves.

The Huguang riot in Chongzhen's five years, with Zhu Shunming's intention, made it difficult for the landlords hiding in the village forts in the countryside to escape the catastrophe.

The properties of the landlords who had taken refuge in the county towns were also destroyed in the countryside. King Ji's (in Changsha) property in the countryside was also looted.

Zhu Shunming's new Changsha guard was strong in combat and easy to bully (Zhu Shunming's army was strict in military discipline and never disturbed the people, so it was considered easy to bully), and many landlords and bureaucrats gathered in the yamen of Fucheng to put pressure on the prefect Lei Qilong and Zhu Shunming, demanding that Changsha Wei immediately exterminate the mob and restore peace to the countryside of Changshafu.

But all the big landowners have more or less some background. Without collusion between officials and businessmen, and without digging the corners of the imperial court, how can the landlords gather land? How to loot money?

Therefore, the prefect Lei Qilong could only persuade these landlords with good words, and did not dare to offend too much. Otherwise, he may not be able to stay in Changsha Mansion.

"Lord Lei, Commander Zhu, give an accurate number, how can we completely quell the mob turmoil in Changsha Mansion? How much silver is missing, everyone here makes up to ensure that those who are hard to serve as soldiers have enough money. ”

It was Li Benping who spoke, showing talent and fame, and the head of the Li family. The Li family has nearly 100,000 acres of fertile land with sufficient water sources around Changsha County and Xiangtan County.

Of course, it is impossible for a talent to accumulate and have such a vast fertile field. Li Benping's uncle is Li Zhensheng, the academic administrator of Changsha Mansion, who is in charge of the fame of tens of thousands of students in Changsha Mansion, and even the prefect Lei Qilong has to think about and weigh his words.

Li Benping is not very good at reading, but he is a good hand at managing general affairs. Under his control, the Li family grew stronger and stronger, and faintly became the first large landowner in Changsha Mansion except for King Ji.

Lei Qilong said with a smile: "When the army marches to fight, it still depends on Brother Zhu." ”

Zhu Shunming said with a straight face: "Protecting the family and defending the country is the true character of a soldier. Even if there is no military salary, soldiers should do their best for the country. ”

"Since Zhu settled in Changshawei, he has never taken a grain of rice or a tael of silver from the imperial court. But Zhu resolutely sent troops and relieved the siege of Changsha Mansion. Now Zhu's soldiers are starving, and they are still chasing and exterminating the mob. ”

"Ladies and gentlemen, the mob is difficult to exterminate, although there are few soldiers and insufficient supplies for Zhu, but more often because the mob has no food and clothing, so they have to rise up and rebel. If everyone had clothes to wear and food, who would rebel with their heads in their hands? ”

Li Benping was confused. Zhu Laojiu said so much, what does it mean? Is it because the money given is too little?

"Lord Zhu, we can make up for the lack of pay for the guards; There is a shortage of troops, and you can recruit. Seeing that you have trained your troops well, recruiting another 5,000 recruits is enough to solve the mob rebellion in Changsha Province. ”

Zhu Shunming said with a smile: "Thank you Lord Li for your praise and support to Zhu." Zhu's generation, Changsha, and thousands of brothers thanked you for your generosity. ”

"There are a few words to tell you. People have no foresight, but they must have near-term worries. Now the north of the Ming Dynasty is full of smoke. Why? Civilians have nothing to eat. ”

"There are also mob riots in Changsha today, ostensibly because of natural disasters, and everyone has no food. If you think about it, in addition to natural disasters, they are not man-made disasters. ”

"All of you here have thousands of acres of fertile land and thousands of wealth, if you can take out some food for disaster relief, I am afraid that the current situation will not occur, right?"

The landlords looked at each other, not knowing what this Zhu Shunming meant. Is he going to give everyone a political lesson?

Li Benping said: "Master Zhu, if you have any requirements, just say it, as long as we can do it, we will definitely do it." ”

"Then I'll say it directly," Zhu Shunming stood up and said solemnly: "You have received the emperor's grace in the world, and you have accumulated a monstrous family business. Nowadays, the government is rotten, the local people are hungry, and the border is constantly fighting. Why don't you take out some of your goods from time to time, so that you can not only strengthen your armaments, but also provide relief to the victims? In this way, the riots will be quelled once and for all, and you will be able to enjoy life to the fullest. ”

"You have a lot of land and countless shops, and you want to come up with a hundred percent of the output, it doesn't hurt, right?"

All the landlords immediately discussed, Li Benping was so angry that his face turned green, and Lei Qilong was also frightened. This is a tax of 10% from the bureaucrats and landlords! This Zhu Shunming actually dared to defy the world's disapproval.

"Impossible." Li Benping said categorically: "Taizu has clouds, and the royal family and scholars are in the same world. "Da Ming Law" is clearly written, there is no need to pay taxes for scholars and doctors, and Xiucai only needs to pay half. Surnamed Zhu, do you dare to disobey the ancient teachings of Taizu? ”

Zhu Shunming smiled. If you don't see the coffin, you won't shed tears. Is it really easy to bully when the army is disciplined? Is it really peaceful in the city?

There is no bloodless change, no replacement without sacrifice. These landlords were blinded by the glory and extravagance of the past, and it was time to teach them a profound lesson.

Zhu Shunming smiled: "Suggestion, just suggestion." If you don't agree, forget it. Thank you for the silver taels. Zhu reorganized the army and went out of the city to exterminate the mob and thieves. ”

Li Benping's face improved slightly. These stinky soldiers always have to inch in, and they can't give them a good face.

He never thought that a guy who could climb from a civilian to a commander in a year or two could be a good match?

………………

Zhu Shunming acted neatly, and took the army out of the city that night and went all the way to the east.

Li Benping and the others watched the army go away from the city, and laughed at each other: "These stinky soldiers just can't give a good face. If I had known this, I should not have given those salaries. ”

"That's it, it's ......"

Many times, ignorant people regard politeness as weakness, retreat as cowardice, hidden danger as victory, and danger as a joke.

In the middle of the night, the west gate was secretly opened, and countless black shadows quickly poured in, divided into several teams on the street corner, and went to the set goal.

Soon, the Li family compound, the Yang family compound, the Kuang family compound and other large businessmen and landlords in Changsha resounded with exclamations, fights, screams, ......and even earth-shattering explosions, which could be heard in most of Changsha City.

"Oh no, the mob is in......"

"Run......"

"Help......

Everyone hid in the corner of the bed, shivering, praying to God. Why did these big landlords drive the guards out of the city? There are soldiers guarding it, why is there tonight's disaster?

The shouts of killing became quieter and quieter, and the night returned to calm, covering up all evil.

People finally got through until dawn, and when they went out to see that nothing was going on, everything was in order.

Some bold people went to the Li family and other compounds to take a look, and immediately vomited out bitter bile water. It's miserable, it's so miserable, there are no chickens and dogs left all over the house, there are four dead bodies everywhere, there is blood everywhere, and there is not a single living mouth in sight.

A big hole was blown open in the courtyard wall of the salt merchant Kuang's house, and the family members lay in a courtyard, and the head of the house, Kuang Heng, was cut into seventeen or eighteen pieces, as if venting his anger.

On the gate of each victim's courtyard was written in dark black blood letters, "Murderer Shi Xiaohuye".

The mob came into the city. The people of Changsha were in chaos and terrified.

Lei Qilong was also frightened. Zhu Shunming's team was responsible for the defense of Changsha City. Although his troops went out of the city to exterminate the mob, could he not leave enough troops in Changsha City?

Quietly open the city gates, kill selectively, and retreat before dawn...... In the entire Huguang, only Zhu Shunming has the ability to do all this.

The new commander of Changsha Weidu, looking at him and amiable, didn't expect to be so ruthless and so greedy with a thief's heart. He wants to control the entire Changsha Mansion.

Lei Qilong touched his neck and felt a hint of coolness. Zhu Shunming can attack a big family like the Li family, and he is so resolute and ruthless, so unsparing, if he raises a butcher's knife against himself...... Lei Qilong was almost scared to pee.

Zhu Shunming was promoted to the commander of the second grade by the governor of Huguang, Fang Kongzhi. Could it be that Fang Kongzhi is dissatisfied with himself? Lei Qilong shuddered.

It wasn't just Lei Qilong who was scared to pee. The surviving landlords and bureaucrats in Changsha were frightened one by one.

He tore his face during the day, and he killed people and set fire to them at night, and all the big families who opposed Zhu Shunming resolutely were all killed, and the chickens and dogs were not left.

Thinking of Zhu Shunming's still smiling look after being rejected, and thinking of the tragic situation of corpses all over the field, the more everyone thought about it, the more scared they became.

Even the Li family, which has inextricable relationships in Changsha Mansion and a high status among thousands of scholars, is ruthless. This martial artist, too...... Scary. He is not afraid of the court's condemnation?

………………

In the face of the compromised merchant landlords, Zhu Shunming still smiled, without the slightest appearance of complacency or domineering.

But his smile was like the smile of the king of Hades in the eyes of everyone, and he was so frightened that he didn't dare to speak loudly, let alone go against him. Zhu Shunming said whatever he said, and they should promise anything.

The smiling Yan Luo Zhu Demon King became an existence that could not be disobeyed by the upper class of Changsha City for a while. On a mental level, Zhu Shunming has already ruled Changsha City.

While the iron was hot, Zhu Shunming on the one hand vigorously reformed the tax system of Changsha City, and on the other hand, he recruited troops on a large scale to expand the strength of Changsha Wei.

Lei Qilong couldn't figure out Zhu Shunming's background. In his heart, it must be that Governor Fang Kongzhi was dissatisfied with himself and sent Zhu Shunming to empty himself. It's better to follow him by yourself, at most, to be a nominal prefect. If you dare to disobey the yin and the yang, or even be the first bird, you are afraid that you will be inferior in the assessment, charged with corruption and bribery, or beheaded by the "mob" in the middle of the night.

Relying on the financial and military strength accumulated in Chengbu and Wugang for more than a year, and relying on the guiding ideology that "all reactionaries are paper tigers", Zhu Shunming acted brazenly and really took control of Changsha City in just two months.

Building momentum, taking advantage of the situation, achieving success due to things, and being excellent in himself created Zhu Shunming's transformation from a landlord to a rogue to a second-class member in less than two years. Only in the era of corrupt government and corrupt government during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty could such a miracle occur.

With the help of Fang Kongzhi's name and the troops at hand, Zhu Shunming took control of Changsha Mansion. Then he began to expand to the periphery of Changsha Mansion in an orderly manner. Yuezhou Mansion, Changde Mansion, Hengzhou Mansion, Yongzhou Mansion, Jingzhou Mansion, Chengtian Mansion, plus Zhu Shunming's base camp Baoqing Mansion, all or part of them have fallen into Zhu Shunming's control.

With most of the land of fish and rice in the south of Huguang, Zhu Shunming already has the foundation to wrestle with the world's heroes.

However, Zhu Shunming is well aware of the strategic importance of "building a high wall and accumulating grain to slow down the king," and even more so the importance of "justifiable" to the legitimacy of the regime. He also needs to accumulate strength and prestige and wait for the right moment.