In the first few decades of the New Dynasty, Pujilian Island and the Ryukyu and Penghu Islands in the southeast ocean were not only the largest gathering places of sea bandits in the Eastern Ocean (nearly 150,000 sea bandits gathered under Gongliang Youqin, and 100,000 bandits under Lin Feng), but also the main distribution center for materials in the Eastern Ocean.

Most of the land trade between the Silla Island and the Nanyang Islands east of Puji Island passed through Puji and Ryukyu Islands.

In the 36th year of the New Dynasty, Xu Xing pacified the Ryukyu bandits, defeated the 100,000 bandits under Lin Feng, and incorporated the Ryukyu and Penghu islands into the Southern Fujian Rule. The royal palace of Zongzheng County of Southern Fujian set up Fengzhu Mansion in Ryukyu to govern the Ryukyu and Penghu islands.

The Ryukyus and Penghu islands are wedged between the Nanyang Islands and Puji Island, and the commodity trade with the Nanyang Islands can not only obtain rich benefits, but also enhance the strength of the naval warfare of the water camp, thus effectively suppressing the incursion of the Puji bandits into Zhangzhou and Quanquan in northern southern Fujian. Naturally, Koyokoto did not want to see such a situation happen, causing the group to attack and disrupt navigation in the outer waters of Ryukyu Island. During the reign of Zong Zhengqi, he was worried that the limited strength of the water camp would be defeated by Gongliang Youqin, and he always restrained the water camp from cruising in the coastal waters of Penghu, Zhangzhou, and Quanzhou.

The pirates invaded the East China Sea, Yue County, and Southern Fujian counties all year round, but they also had a group of secret agents in the three places to carry out trade between Puji, the Ryukyu Islands, and land. These proxy forces are usually tyrants of the world, who are not only engaged in the Lou trade, but even directly carry out the acts of pirates, wantonly plundering and killing along the coast, and their behavior is more heinous than that of the Puji pirates.

The Ryukyu and Penghu Islands were far from the jurisdiction of the Southern Fujian Sect politicians, and these proxy forces were even more rampant and reckless, making them a paradise for bandits again. In recent years, the inhabitants of Fengzhu Province have gradually moved inland, and there is a desire to abandon the Ryukyu and Penghu Islands again.

There are also such proxy forces in Yuejun and the coastal areas of southern Fujian, and these proxy forces are not only Puji's commercial and trade agents and financial resources, but also the eyes and ears of Puji bandits in the interior.

After the Battle of Fuzhou, although Puji still had 40,000 foot soldiers in Wenling, and the strength of the water camp was not damaged, its morale was low and it was unable to launch a large-scale battle in the near future.

Clean up the agent forces of the Puji bandits in the three places, cut off Puji's financial resources, and deal a blow to the bottom of the kettle.

Xu Boying straightened out his thoughts and looked at Zongzheng Xunda fixedly.

He came to Southern Fujian to pay homage to Zongzheng Xunda, in addition to the tea and horse business, more importantly, to discuss how to give the Puji bandits a blow to the bottom of the kettle, only by defeating the Puji bandits, the southeast bureau forces can really settle down.

Zongzheng Xunda has succeeded as the king of Nanmin County for ten years, forty years old, his temples have been stained with frost, the tail lines at the corners of his eyes are oblique into the temples, his eyes are slightly cloudy, and his body is sitting in a high-backed chair with pear branches, and his expression looks indifferent.

More than ten years ago, the dispute between the crown princes of Southern Fujian, the eldest son died violently for no reason, and the second son was disabled, which made the old county king Zongzheng Qi haggard and haggard like ashes.

Xu Boying said: "It is rumored in the world that the king of the county has a compassionate heart, and he is worried about the white temples of the people who have suffered from bandits in Zhang, Quan, and Quan, and is praised as the Buddha of ten thousand families by the people of Southern Fujian. ”

Zongzheng Xunda laughed and said: "It is my duty to carry love and pity the people in the governance. ”

Xu Boying smiled secretly in his heart, and in the corner of his eyes, the eyes of the two columns of Southern Fujian officials on the left and right flickered, thinking: Are you afraid that the Puji Water Camp will attack Quanzhou, the root of the Zongzheng family, and leave the huge water camp in Quanzhou Port, so that it will not take the initiative to attack, so that Zhangzhou and Fengzhu will open their doors to the Puji bandits, and you can still accept that praise calmly? His heart was full of disdain, but there was no trace on his face, and he said: "After the Battle of Fuzhou, the strength of the Puji bandits has been hit hard again, I don't know what the king of the county thinks about this?" ”

"Ahem... cough ......" Zongzheng Xunda looked away from Xu Boying and wandered away to seek the advice of his subordinates.

Although the people of Southern Fujian discuss matters in the same hall, they have their own thoughts.

The foundation of the Zongzheng family is in Quanzhou, and Zongzheng Xunda, who has done nothing in government affairs and military affairs, concentrates the elite warships in the Quanzhou area, which makes the families of Zhangzhou and Fengzhu dissatisfied.

Everyone in Southern Fujian was not unwary of Xu Boying's trip, and they were all indifferent to the tentative gaze of Zongzheng Xunda, and they were unwilling to express their opinions.

Eighteen towns of the four prefectures of Southern Fujian, excluding the Ryukyu and Penghu islands under the jurisdiction of Fengzhu Prefecture, Zhangzhou suffered the greatest problem of Puji bandits, Quanzhou was the foundation of the Zongzheng family, heavily defended, and the bandits would not become a disaster, Putian was in the southwest of Nanmin County and Nanning bordered, far away from the place of banditry.

Today, everyone is here mainly to discuss trade matters, but Xu Boying brought the topic to banditry.

The bandits of the Eastern Ocean are rampant, the Wuling Mountain is roaring, and there are many disagreements with the Yue family in Nanning, Nanmin County has been blocked from trade routes for decades, and there is little contact with other counties. Among the fifteen counties in the world, Nanmin County is the weakest, with only 30,000 water battalions and 70,000 foot soldiers.

The news of the rise of the Qingyan Army in Qingjiang Mansion and the intention to reopen the tea and horse trade route has long reached the ears of everyone.

Xu Boying's visit made everyone in southern Fujian feel inspired.

Seeing that no one responded, Zongzheng Xunda retracted his gaze and said, "Bo Ying's behavior is about the tea and horse business, why did he mention the Puji bandits?" Gongliang Youqin suffered two big losses in the East China Sea and Yuejun, which is naturally very happy. ”

Xu Boying said with a smile: "Boying heard that the bandits in Zhangzhou are more serious, and although the tea and horse trade road can avoid the most serious northeast region, the bandits in Southern Fujian will not be eliminated, as the source of the tea and horse trade road, it seems that there is not much wealth for this trade road." ”

Zongzheng Xun was angry, but he didn't know what to say.

Xu Boying continued: "The Tea and Horse Trade Road was also known as the Spice Road in the middle of the Old Dynasty, when shipping was developed, and spices and other goods from the Nanyang island countries arrived on Ryukyu Island, which was divided into two routes, one along the coastline to Yuhang and Yongyang, and all the way into Quanzhou to connect with the Tea and Horse Trade Road. Now the Puji bandits blockaded the ocean in the northeast of Southern Fujian, and the spices of the South Seas could only be transported to the hinterland of the Central Plains through the tea and horse trade routes to obtain huge profits. The hinterland of the Central Plains has a great demand for spices, so it is better for the two companies to start with spices. ”

The Ryukyu and Penghu islands, although the Ryukyu bandits have been pacified, but in recent years, the Puji Sea bandits have invaded very frequently, except for the agency forces that are embarrassed with the Puji Sea bandits, few families can gain a foothold in Fengzhu. The palace of Nanmin County deliberately abolished Fengzhu Mansion, and transferred more than 10,000 elite soldiers and nearly 1,000 officials of Fengzhu Mansion to Zhangzhou and Quanzhou to strengthen the protection of Quanzhou.

Penghu is the gateway of Zhanghu and Quan, Ryukyu and Penghu lips and teeth depend on each other, Ryukyu lips die, then Penghu teeth are cold, Penghu is lost, then Zhang, Quan's gateway is open.

There were many far-sighted people among the bureaucrats in southern Fujian, and naturally they tried their best to prevent Zongzheng Xunda from insisting on going his own way.

However, Zongzheng Xunda still abolished the Fengzhu Governor's Mansion and only set up the Metropolitan Mansion to supervise Fengzhu.

Zongzheng Xunda saw Xu Boying deliberately mentioning the spice trade and ridiculing him for giving up the Ryukyus, his face was slightly red, and then he was annoyed, and said: "The southern continent has been isolated from the hinterland for a long time, and the spice trade has long been stopped. ”

Xu Boying saw that there was no shortage of gloating people in the audience, and thought of the rumors that someone within the Zongzheng family was secretly colluding with the Puji bandits, and felt that it was the right time to accept it when he saw it, and said: "I am not very familiar with Southern Fujian, so I am smiling and generous. After a pause, he said: "The tea and horse merchants pass through Zhangzhou, and the bandits in Zhangzhou will not be eliminated, but I am afraid that it will be difficult to attract business travelers to come to Southern Fujian to pan for gold." ”

Zongzheng Xunda couldn't say that "Southern Fujian lacks troops, so it can only divide troops to defend dangerous places and thoroughfares", and he can't avoid this topic.

The world often ridicules Southern Fujian and Zhangzhou as the rear and granary of the Puji bandits.

Xu Ruyu rose to Qingjiang and formed a mortal enmity with Gongliang Youqin, how could he not take advantage of the victory to chase him and allow him to turn over?

Xu Xing pacified the Ryukyu bandits, and the battlefield was mainly concentrated in Zhangzhou, making Zhangzhou's elite soldiers stronger than Southern Fujian, and then forming Fengzhu Mansion, and most of the generals and officials were from Zhangzhou. As a result, the power of the family in Zhangzhou increased greatly in the following decade.

When Zong Zhengqi was in power, he still had the prestige to suppress the people of Southern Fujian, and when Zong Zheng Xunda took the throne, he was afraid that the Zhangzhou family would take the opportunity to replace him, so Zong Zheng Xunda deliberately deepened the contradiction with the Yue family in Nanning, and took the opportunity to transfer the water camp from Penghu back to Quanzhou, and transferred the elite soldiers of Fengzhu and Zhangzhou to be displayed in Putian, so that the defense of Fengzhu and Zhangzhou was weakened, and it was convenient for the Puji bandits to invade Zhangzhou and Fengzhu. This move not only dealt a blow to the family power in Zhangzhou, but also strengthened the control of Putian.

Although the news that someone from the Zongzheng family secretly colluded with the Puji bandits to invade Zhangzhou is not yet confirmed, the behavior of Zongzheng Xunda to draw troops and benefit the bandits made Xu Ru despise. In order to attack the opponent, it put millions of people in the two provinces in the middle of fire and water. Although the Zongzheng family has the most power in Southern Fujian, because of the strategy of bandits and weak enemies, the livelihood of Southern Fujian has withered, business and travel have been blocked, and the government treasury has not enough money and grain to survive the two-year famine.

Xu Boying said goodbye to Zongzheng Xunda and returned to the post house in Zhangzhou City with Ziyangqiu in the middle of the night.

Zi Yangqiu said with a smile: "Today, above the main hall, only you and Zongzheng Xunda are-for-tat, and the others are silent, but I think Zongzheng Xunda, the king of the county, is not easy to be." ”

Xu Boying nodded and said: "Zongzheng Xunda personally came to Zhangzhou to greet him, and he has worked too hard as the king of the county, but he believes that we will make some moves in Zhangzhou, which shows that there are other smart people in Southern Fujian, and Zongzheng Xunda is obedient to this person." ”

"In such a situation, it is really difficult to contact the people of the Chen family in Zhangzhou, and you have to think of another way."

"Now there are only a few forces of the Zheng family that can still insist on resisting the Puji bandits in the Zhangtai area, although their strength seems insignificant in Southern Fujian, but they have insisted on leading the people to resist the bandits in the coastal areas for more than ten years, and they have considerable influence among the people in Zhangzhou and even the entire Southern Fujian.

Ziyangqiu said: "When Wuling Mountain is close to the coast, it is already a long ridge less than 200 zhang high, separating the two cities of Wenling in Yuejun and Zhangtai in Southern Fujian. Zhangtai is the most serious place in Zhangzhou Prefecture, ten households and nine empty, almost a deserted city, but the Zheng family led the local people to insist on fighting the bandits in the Zhangtai area, more than ten years, countless children of the Zheng family spilled their blood, but never wavered and gave birth to the idea of retreating to the rear. The mountains near Wuling Mountain are under the control of the Puji bandits, and if our clan wants to extend its power there, it will be twice the result with half the effort to get the help of the Zheng family. ”

"As long as we completely control Wuling Mountain, we can separate the activities of the Puji bandits in Nanmin and Yuejun, so as to effectively suppress the activity space of the Puji bandits." When this proposal was proposed, Shao Haitang's other plans were not clarified, and this plan was also what Zongzheng Xunda was worried about. However, Xu Boying can understand, because Zongzheng Xunda withdrew the superior forces from Zhangzhou Mansion, which made the strength of the family forces in Zhangzhou greatly damaged in the previous bandit attacks, and these families were forced by the force of the Zongzheng family, although they were full of complaints, but they did not dare to vent out.

The families who insisted on resisting in the most troubled areas were in a similar situation to the villages in Qingjiang Prefecture at the beginning. Those families who retreated to the rear and stayed away from the bandit-infested areas, but because the fields and industries were all in the bandit-infested areas, their strength was greatly damaged, and they became insignificant in the political situation in Southern Fujian.

Wuling Mountain alone is far from enough to block Southern Fujian.

Although Xu Ruyu has not yet thought of transferring Baiyi elite soldiers, as a subordinate, he can't help but take this into account. The Baiyi clan has nearly 300,000 people and 20,000 elite soldiers in Wuling, and if the elite soldiers are transferred out of Wuling Mountain, Wuling Mountain will be thin, so it is very important to develop forces close to the Qingyan Army in the south of Wuling Mountain.

Of course, these plans can't be said to Ziyangqiu. Xu Boying and Zi Yangqiu have a tacit understanding, still Xu Ruyu's orders, and do not hide Zi Yangqiu in many details, but the intentions behind these cannot be clearly stated, but with Zi Yangqiu's shrewdness, he may not be able to figure out the joints, but he is still keen on it, which shows that he is very inclined to Xu Ruyu in his heart.

Of course, if it is because of these things, the overreaction of the Zongzheng family will outweigh the losses. Although the prestige of the Zongzheng family in Nanmin has fallen to an unprecedented low, seventy percent of the elite soldiers and all the water battalions in Nanfu are in the hands of the Zongzhengjia.

Xu Boying's conversation with Zongzheng Xunda at night tried to persuade him: In addition to the tea and horse trade road, the Qingyan Army can also carry out more extensive cooperation in the extermination of Puji bandits, but Zongzheng Xunda is too wary and has always avoided the topic of joint suppression of bandits.

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