Chapter 47: Crossing the River (Part II)

This meal, the guests and hosts are happy.

After the banquet, Boyan was naturally led down to rest. After he is familiar with the basic situation of the Huai'an Army, he will be transferred to the relevant departments of the army according to his own wishes and abilities. In this regard, in the process of recruiting new blood in the past, the Grand Governor's Mansion has already figured out a set of rules, as long as it is done step by step, it can be successfully completed, and there is no need for Zhu Chongjiu to spend any more effort.

What Zhu Chongjiu needed to spend some time and effort to digest was some of the situations that Boyan took the initiative to report while being moved. For example, the morale of the forbidden army, weapons and equipment, the composition of Li Siqi's Baoyi army, and the attitude of the officials and people in the capital towards the Huai'an army. There were some things that he had read in the reports of the Military Intelligence Department, but the things that had been processed and sorted out by others, although they were clearly organized and focused, were far less detailed than those reported by Boyan, the deputy of the forbidden army. There are some details that the Military Intelligence Department has not paid attention to in the past, and through the conversation with Boyan, Zhu Chongjiu just took them in to make up for the lack of details in the information he had.

On the whole, the situation is developing in the direction that is most favorable to Huaiyang. Tuhuan Timur's father and son killed each other, which not only brought a huge blow to the military strength of the Mengyuan court, but also some of the top ministers in this court were no longer optimistic about the future of the golden family and were ready to find their own way back. At the same time, some ambitious guys, such as Li Hanqing, Gong Bosui, Han Yong and the like, also began to prepare to fish in troubled waters. Although the power they possessed was weak at the moment, it was better to be concealed and dispersed, which was unguardable.

"Congratulations to the lord for receiving another good general!" Chen Ji drank a little too much, and with a little bit of alcohol, he congratulated Zhu Chongjiu.

Back then, he and Robben and others went to Huaiyang to take the exam, which can be said to have withstood the scolding of all the people who read all over the world. Those who consciously "have loyalty" think that they are serving thieves with their bodies and are short-sighted. Some former literary friends even openly wrote articles announcing the severance of diplomatic relations with them. And no one expected that just a few years later, the Huaiyang Governor's Mansion would have the strength to win the world. The Great Yuan Dynasty is about to decline. Those who used to scold them for being short-sighted could no longer make any sound. The former literary friends also found various reasons and gradually resumed their correspondence.

It is foreseeable that if the Northern Expedition is successful, he, Robben, Ye Dexin and others may be named Ling Yan. At that time, they will line up to come to the door, hoping that among the "juniors who are recommended by them", there will be no shortage of some smart people who cut off relations in the past. This kind of pleasure of raising eyebrows and exhaling is intoxicating every time I think about it. Even if you don't get a drop of wine, you will bring out a bit of smoke in your conversation!

"A good general may not be, with my Yangtze River Martial Arts Hall, where does the lord still need to find another good general from outside?!" Zhang Song's mentality is far more stable than Chen Ji. Seeing that the other party was happy, he smiled and made fun in a low voice, "According to Zhang's ugly opinion, the lord is Ma Guer of Qianjin City!" treats a Boyan so kindly, it is inevitable that there will be some treasures, no flowers, and clams in the future, and they will take the initiative to vote. In this way, on the road of our army's Northern Expedition, many obstacles can be reduced! ”

"Huh?! Director Zhang's knowledge is far-sighted, and Chen admires it!" Although Chen Ji didn't like Zhang Song to sweep his face in public, he had to admit that what the other party said was more reasonable.

"Don't dare, don't dare, Zhang is just guessing." With a little joy, Zhang Song smiled and waved his hand.

The two looked at each other and smiled, both of them feeling a little smug in their hearts. At this moment, I heard Liu Bowen, the deputy governor of the Privy Council, knock lightly on the table and reminded in a low voice: "My lord, according to what Boyan just said, the grain price in the capital this winter is much lower than last year. The rent of labor and shops in the city is steadily rising! ”

"Let's go back to the yamen to discuss this matter!" Zhu Chongjiu quickly turned his mind from his contemplation and commanded in a low voice. "Collect all the relevant information of the Military Intelligence Service, not only in the capital. And then calculate, if we really do this risky move, how much loss will our side bear? And what will be the reaction of the people? Finally, decide carefully! ”

"Yes! Wechen is going to arrange the plan! Liu Bowen agreed in a deep voice and solemnly saluted.

What kind of mystery is Liu Bowen playing again? Not only did Chen Ji and Zhang Song feel a little dissatisfied, but Xu Da, Yu Tingyu and other generals also frowned secretly. The Northern Expedition of the Great Army, at this moment, has really reached the point where "everything is ready, only the east wind is owed". At this time, for the generals, the Privy Council can no longer draw snakes, or don't draw snakes.

With a stomach full of suspicions, everyone got out of the restaurant and returned to the temporary chief manager of the city in a carriage. First of all, the Privy Council intern staff officers in the line greeted him, drank a few cups of tea, and sat in the ventilated place to sober up for a while. Immediately, he was invited into the conference hall by Liu Ji.

In the conference hall, Yu Changlin, Li Mubai, Cai Liang, Huang Laocrook and other high-ranking civil officials who did not follow Zhu Chongjiu to the restaurant for dinner also arrived one after another. Everyone is busy with the abacus and pen, and the pen and paper are busy around a huge oval table. On the table, a huge piece of mulberry paper was spread. On the paper is a very complex table of accounts. Whenever Yu Changlin and the others took their subordinates to calculate a new number, a special staff officer from the Privy Council would fill in the corresponding position in the form. The cycle goes on and on, and it doesn't stop for a moment.

"What's the score? Doesn't it mean that the amount of dividends, rewards and punishments at the end of the year has already been calculated in advance? When Zhang Song saw it, he quietly shuddered in his heart. When he made a summary report at the end of last year, in order to change his position, he was no less than Chang Lin and Li Mubai on eye medicine. This time, if the other party intends to retaliate, he may not be able to pick out a few broken bones from the work he is responsible for!

"It seems to be calculating the war tolerance of Meng Yuan's side!" This time, Chen Ji saw more clearly than Zhang Song, lowered his voice, and quietly reminded. "As early as a long time ago, the lord instructed the Huaiyang firm to deliberately reduce the price to send grain to the north. It is better to make less money or even lose money, rather than let the price of grain fluctuate too much around the capital. Right now"

"Now it's time to ask Timur for interest!" Zhang Song was so smart, and suddenly two ghostly lights shot out of his eyes.

In the areas north of the Yellow River in the Mongol court, the supply and consumption of food were not balanced. In particular, the capital city had to transport large quantities of rice from the south every year with the help of canals to meet daily consumption. In recent years, although the Huai'an army controlled the most critical section of the canal, it never forbade traders to sell rice and grain to the north. Even if the battle with Tokhoff was so tragic back then, when the Yuan army retreated north, Huaiyang's side immediately took the initiative to open the canal and waterway in the name of pity for the difficult survival of the people in the north

In this way, Zhu Chongjiu is more solid in the name of "Buddha", but on Meng Yuan's side, I am afraid that few people will think that the Huai'an army will take the initiative to cut off their food supply one day. In addition, Huaiyang firm deliberately misled for a long time in the previous period, trying to keep grain prices stable at a low level for a long time. In disguise, the princes and nobles of Hama were encouraged to set up workshops, enclose land to plant grass, raise sheep and shear wool

Raising sheep is several times more profitable than farming, and raising sheep requires much less manpower than farming. Those princes and nobles only have their own interests in their eyes, and they have never cared much about the life and death of the Mengyuan court and ordinary people. And the collection of money and grain in various places is controlled by the tax collectors all the year round, who also never do loss-making business. In addition, those black-hearted grain stores controlled by various dignitaries and dignitaries, as long as the Huai'an army closes the canal

What a terrible sight would that be? Zhang Song, who used to be the prefect of Mengyuan and Yuan, even immediately remembered the words "Yizi eats". In this case, the Yuan army in various places also needed a large supply of grain and grass. Once the government can't get it out of the warehouse, it will undoubtedly focus on the people, on those local gentry who still have a little nostalgia for the imperial court. And those gentry found that before the Zhu butcher was killed, the Mengyuan court had already begun to ask for their lives, and the consequences would be conceivable!

"Enlightened lord, the results are out. According to estimates, once the shipping on the canal is cut off, the price of grain in the capital will inevitably double within a month! Just when Zhang Song was thinking about it, he saw Li Mubai walking up to Zhu Chongjiu's side and reporting loudly, "According to the information sent back from all over the country by the Military Intelligence Department, the harvest in Zhuozhou, Hejian, Yizhou and other places last autumn can only be regarded as mediocre. The supply of the local people is barely possible, and there is no ability to deliver food to the capital! ”