Zhao Han looked at Zhang Bingwen with a smile: "You want to take the exam?" ”

Zhang Bingwen arched his hand and said: "There is no need to take the Four Books and Five Classics, the content of primary and secondary schools is too simple, and it is no different from the examination of Xiucai back then." Please ask the general town to ask questions for "Datong Collection", "Mathematics" and "Geometry"? ”

"You don't have to take the test, I trust you. A political envoy would not tell such a lie. Zhao Han said.

Zhang Bingwen gave his hand again: "Thank you for your trust!" ”

Zhao Han suddenly asked, "What do you think of the general trend in the world?" ”

Zhang Bingwen immediately cheered up, this is the real exam: "The Ming treasury is empty, the government is corrupt, the annexation is serious, and it is difficult to return to the malpractice. The Northwest Rogue, running endlessly, unable to stop and develop steadily, is just a large number of horse bandits. When will the rogues be able to beat the officers and soldiers everywhere, and only then will these rogues be able to set up an official system and have the capital to compete for the world. Liaodong Tartar thief, alien ear. But at this time, the Tartars have already created a system, and once the Ming court collapses, they have a better chance of fighting for the world than the Liukou. As for Jiangxi, I don't need to repeat it. ”

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

Zhang Bingwen said: "Nanzhili, the land of the world's elite. You can go east from Guangxin Mansion and occupy Zhejiang first. Then take the water division down the Yangtze River, water and land sandwiching, and the cities of Nanjing, Taiping and Zhenjiang will be kept. In this way, Jiangnan is fixed, and half of the country is at your fingertips. ”

"Then I should fight Zhejiang this year?" Zhao Han said with a smile.

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

Zhao Han became more and more satisfied and asked, "Why is this so?" ”

Zhang Bingwen analyzed: "If Jiangnan is lost, the Ming Dynasty will die quickly." The Tartars will inevitably break through, and the Tartars of the emperor will quickly occupy Hebei. Unorganized rogues are definitely no match for the Tartars. Before that, as long as the headquarters dared to move Nanzhi and Zhejiang, the Ming court would definitely be desperate to send the troops of the six northern provinces to fight a decisive battle with Jiangxi. At that time, the situation became that the main town dealt with the imperial army alone, and the rogues and Tartars instead sat on the power of the fishermen. How unwise? ”

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

Zhang Bingwen said: "The lake is wide and ripe, the world is full, and Dongting Lake is also the granary of the world." In these troubled times, food is the heaviest, and whoever can feed the people will be able to win the world. ”

In the middle and early Ming Dynasty, the main production area of the Ming Dynasty was Jiangnan, to be precise, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the surrounding areas of Taihu Lake.

However, from the middle of the Ming Dynasty onwards, the population of these places continued to multiply, and a large number of cash crops were planted, resulting in a serious shortage of food supply. And Huguang was developed again, thus becoming the granary of the world. A lot of the grain in the provinces south of the Yangtze River was transported to Huguang and Jiangxi for sale.

Therefore, Zhao Han does not have to fight Jiangnan, as long as he occupies the grain-producing areas of Huguang and Jiangxi, he can jam the neck of the Jiangnan region at any time.

Zhang Bingwen continued: "As for Fujian and Guangdong, maritime trade is a great benefit in the world. Once the sea is opened, the smuggling will be cracked down, and the tax will not be less than that of Nanzhi and Zhejiang. ”

"Hahahaha!"

Zhao Han laughed heartily and said, "Jun is a great talent. ”

Although Zhang Bingwen is a native of Tongcheng, he has done military patrols in Fujian, and he knows how profitable Fujian's sea trade is.

The Ming court is not easy to start, but Zhao Han can do it casually and kill a group of smuggling businessmen. Kill him no matter what, anyway, it doesn't involve his interests, Zhang Bingwen is happy to see it.

Zhao Han asked someone to bring a piece of information, handed it over and said, "Sir, please take a look." ”

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

This year's Lantern Festival did not rest, the fourteenth day of the first month issued a document, Chongzhen accepted the Ministry of Industry to Fu Yuanchu's suggestion, ordered to open the sea in Fujian to levy tariffs to help pay.

Zhang Bingwen shook his head and sighed: "Alas, the foundation of the Ming Dynasty is broken, even if the sea is opened, it will not be able to collect a few taxes." ”

Zhao Han handed over another piece of information, which was also in the first month, and Nanjing laid off 89 redundant personnel.

"It seems that the imperial court really has no money, and it has actually begun to lay off officials," Zhang Bingwen said with a smile, "It's a pity that there are too many constraints, and if you really want to cut redundant personnel, Nanjing can lay off at least 300 people." Moreover, why don't you cut a few more waiters? The highest official positions are only a few principals. ”

Zhao Han got up and said, "You go to the secretary's house to do something." ”

If a person like Zhang Bingwen comes to vote, it is naturally impossible to really be a petty official, but it is even more impossible to break the rules for him. Therefore, it is best to get the secretariat, accumulate two years of qualifications, and then release it to be a second officer, and you will soon be able to be gilded and promoted.

Zhao Han has already released four secretaries, Fei Yu was sent out of the county, and when he expands in southern Hunan and Guangdong, Fei Yu can be promoted to be the magistrate.

Zhang Bingwen settled his wife and concubine, and sent someone back to Tongcheng to pick up his children.

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

It was Xie Lijing, the prefect of Guangxin who was going on a hunger strike, and Zhao Han didn't bother to persuade him, so he asked this person to go to the countryside by himself, and then recruited him into the secretary's house as an ordinary secretary.

The two are only one year apart, and the secretary is the oldest of them, so they don't need to ask to know what the other party is like.

Clasp your fists with each other and do your own thing.

Pang Chunlai quietly found Zhao Han and said as an elder: "Brother Han, shouldn't you take another concubine?" ”

"There's no hurry." Zhao Han said.

"It's better to take a concubine early," Pang Chunlai said, "It's not my idea alone, many officials, that is, the people, all hope that you can take a concubine." ”

Zhao Han sighed: "I'll talk about it when this year's battle is over." ”

The reason why the officials are anxious is nothing more than that they are afraid that Zhao Han's heirs will not be prosperous.

Although Fei Rulan gave birth to a son, she has not moved since. Last winter, Gun'er caught a cold and fever, which made Pang Chunlai, Li Banghua and others anxious.

Only one son, with the ancient level of medical care, is really very uninsured.

You have to have more children, and you have to have them as early as possible.

Chai Rong's son, if he is twenty years old, he Zhao Kuangyin dares to wear a yellow robe?

It is true that Zhao Han is in the prime of life, but the officials under his command are afraid of what happens.

For Zhao Han, giving birth to a son has become a political task, and he can only be good and go home that night to toss with Fei Rulan.

This year, the situation 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 in the northernmost provinces, Jiujiang and Nankang, are relatively serious in fighting drought, and the counties of the two prefectures are already busy.

By the way, for the convenience of doing things, 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 through Xiushui, Jing'an through Shuangxi, and Fengxin through Fengshui. Anyway, from Fucheng, you can reach it 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 ship. When government officials go to the countryside to do business, they must also go around in a circle, which is just a waste of manpower and material resources.

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

During the drought relief in northern Jiangxi, two Jinyi guards had returned to Beijing to resume their lives, and the other four remained in Jiangxi to investigate.

Qianqing Palace.

"Your Majesty, the Zhao thief has occupied the entire territory of Jiangxi." Jin Yiwei knelt on the ground to report.

Chongzhen was actually not angry, because he had already received a lot of information, and it was a matter of time before Zhao Han took Jiangxi alone.

Even, Zhao Han handed over another letter through Wang Tiaoding.

The content is very simple, Zhao Han promised not to send troops to Nanzhi and Zhejiang, the reason is that he does not want to face the soldiers of the imperial court, and he does not want the Liukou to continue to grow in the north.

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

Since Zhao Han's second letter was delivered, Wang Tiaoding's identity has been obvious, that is, the microphone between Zhao Han and the emperor.

"Zhao thieves have stolen the entire territory of Jiangxi." Chongzhen's tone seemed to be calm.

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

Wang Tiaoding said: "Yang Bingbu doesn't have to worry about Jiangnan, Zhao Thief will definitely send troops to southern Hunan, where the most grain is produced." ”

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

None of the monarchs had anything to say.

Liukou in the northwest, Tatar in Liaodong, and Zhao Han in the south. And the money and food of the imperial court are stretched thin to deal with one, and they must deal with three at the same time.

"What can I do about it?" Chongzhen was weak, he was really tired.

Yang Sichang sighed: "Nanzhi and Zhejiang, it is impossible to recruit troops to fight. These two places have been in drought for many years, and it is not easy to collect taxes. It is impossible for the imperial court to send troops to recruit Zhao thieves, the Yangtze River is dangerous, and it is necessary to train the water master, where will the money come from to train the water master? ”

Chongzhen sneered: "What's the use of these words? ”

Yang Sichang bowed his head and said: "I can only believe that the Zhao thief will not fight Nanzhi and Zhejiang, and take advantage of the Zhao thief's plan to expand westward, and the imperial court should quickly exterminate the Liukou." Only by destroying the rogues can he free up his hands to conquer the Zhao thief. As for Zhao Thief...... The gentry of southern Hunan, Guangdong, and Fujian can recruit their own villagers to form a group to practice in order to delay the expansion of Zhao thieves. ”

Chongzhen said angrily: "The gentry recruited their own villagers? Do you want to turn the Ming Dynasty into the Three Kingdoms of the late Han Dynasty! ”

Yang Sichang kowtowed and said: "This expedient measure is only implemented in the three southern provinces, and when the imperial court exterminates the rogue, this order can be cancelled immediately." The top priority at the moment is to quickly exterminate the thieves, and ask Your Majesty to train another 100,000 soldiers! ”

"Where's the money?" Chongzhen asked.

"Pay more!" Yang Sichang gritted his teeth and said, he was also forced to be anxious.

Chongzhen was depressed, and said weakly: "Just follow Qing's plan." ”

What strategy?

Of course, it is to increase the training salary, organize and train the new army, and quickly suppress the thieves. At the same time, it was ordered that in southern Hunan, Guangdong, and Fujian, the gentry and heroes could organize and train their own troops.

The next day, I took it to the court to discuss, and the situation was very surprising.

The matter of organizing a group exercise was unanimously approved, and these officials were afraid that they would be divided by Zhao thieves. Anyway, it was the method proposed by Yang Sichang, and if it was done, it would take the opportunity to impeach, and if it was done, it would kill the Zhao thief.

As for the increase in pay and training, it has attracted hundreds of officials to spray wildly, and everyone knows that they can't toss anymore, and won't the increase in training and training force more peasants to rebel?

The opposition was ineffective, and the whole country was once again re-arranged, and the people were miserable.

On the Jiangxi side, Zhao Han was very strong, and he only waited for the summer grain harvest to send troops.