"How many vacancies are there?" Zhizhou Han Zhao asked.

He Zhengqing said: "There is a shortage of 64,000 yuan of money and 8,000 stones of grain. All counties reported that the wealthy had been forced to donate, but they still did not make up enough. ”

"Where's the shortfall? The county officials have taken too much," Han Zhao sighed, "Alas, let's start shipping at the beginning of next month, regardless of whether the amount is collected or not, we will transport the money and grain to Xiangyang first." ”

He Zhengqing said: "The imperial court is too anxious, I'm afraid that all roads will not pay enough, not my Jinzhou family." ”

"Perhaps." Han Zhao could only think like this.

After Wang Hao became the prime minister, he was recruited for the first time nationwide, and the experience of looting was still somewhat insufficient. Only the overall task was issued, not to mention how many husbands should be recruited along the way, how much each husband should pay, and no one was sent to supervise.

For the second time in history, he had experience.

At that time, he had already obtained the land of Yanyun, and he drew blood in Hebei, Hedong, and Shandong, and he couldn't bear it in a year.

So he levied and exempted the husband from all roads of the country, and prescribed the detailed amount of the husband for each road, and each husband paid thirty yuan. He also sent Cao Chen to supervise, and violators of military law were punished. It is also stipulated that the clan, relatives, the ruler, the palace, the temple, the ...... Don't even think about running, you have to pay free money.

To put it bluntly, knowing that the small people could no longer squeeze oil and water, they asked the local officials to select fat sheep to slaughter, and Shengsheng was levied by Wang Hao to 20 million yuan.

Han Zhao and He Zhengqing, as the first and second leaders of Jinzhou, get along relatively harmoniously.

It's not too ruthless to make money, each has its own money, and it doesn't interfere with each other.

It's a pity that the general environment is not good, and the tasks assigned by the imperial court are too heavy. They don't make much money by themselves, but they are more stinky than Li Daochong, and the counties of Jinzhou have already been full of grievances.

"I heard that Zhu Chenggong is back?" Han Zhao said.

He Zhengqing said: "Those who return to Yangzhou to visit relatives will be amnesty to the world after the eclipse, and those surnamed Zhu will also be demoted from management to resettlement, and they can temporarily return to their hometowns after reporting." The small people are ignorant, and it is rumored that he returned to Jinzhou to be a guard. ”

Han Zhao thought about it carefully: "There are frequent thieves in various counties, and I heard that Zhu Chenggong is quite famous in Jinzhou. Can you ask him to appease the thieves? It doesn't matter if you organize those thieves into an army, send them home at your travel expenses, and save yourself from wasting money and sending troops to recruit them. ”

"It's a good idea, but is he willing to help?" He Zhengqing asked.

Han Zhao said: "You can try it." ”

These two tried to save trouble, and they really went to find Zhu Ming.

Zhu Ming couldn't cry or laugh: "Let me appease the thieves?" Han Taishou is guilty of guilt. ”

Han Zhao said: "It is no longer a big crime to arrange pardon for resettlement. Now that thieves are a troubled place, they have successfully been the parents of Golden State, and their fame is spread in five counties, and they will definitely receive miraculous results. ”

Zhu Ming hesitated, thought again and again and said, "Please give me some money and food, and then transfer some officials for me to call." ”

"Yes," Han Zhao said, "600 yuan of money, 1,000 stone of grain, and 50 officials in front of the ya." ”

Such a bizarre event really made Zhu Ming encounter it.

When he called Wang Jia and told him the specific situation, Wang Jia's expression was extremely exciting.

Zhu Ming instructed: "You are the head of the Jinzhou Yaqian, and you will send someone to send this notice to all counties." Each county sent ten officials with archers from each county to go to the mountains in my name to appease the thieves. ”

Wang Jia really wanted to ask, do you really want to rebel?

But I felt that it was inappropriate, maybe I thought about it too much, Zhu Xianggong didn't plan to raise troops.

Wang Jia personally led people to carry out the mission, went to the counties to gather archers, and then dispersed to the township to do things, and asked the chief of the armor to deliver the news to the thieves: the former Jinzhou Taishou Zhu Ming, entrusted by the current governor, to appease the thieves with a reputation guarantee. Those who are not heinous can go to Jinzhou City to surrender, so that they will not be resettled for their crimes, and they can also receive money and food to go home.

Zhu Ming's signboard was really loud, and only a few days later, a group of thieves from Xicheng County came.

There are only more than ten thieves in this gang, and the head of the thieves knelt down when they met: "Pantuogou Wang Er, kowtow to Zhu Taishou!" ”

Zhu Ming and Yan Yue said: "Get up and speak, why are you a thief?" ”

Wang Er stood up and said: "Our village is poor, and a few years ago we were hit by a disaster, and half of the village came to the state city to beg for food. My mother starved to death at that time, and thanks to the relief of the minister's food, I and my brother and sister were able to survive. When I returned to my hometown, my husband also gave me rations, and I remember my husband's kindness for the rest of my life. When the prime minister left Jinzhou, those officials became bad, and I really couldn't be a thief. ”

Zhu Ming nodded and said, "Since you are willing to surrender, you can trust me, and you will not be at a loss." and stay in the camp, and wait until there are more thieves who surrender themselves and then make unified arrangements. Take your brothers with you and get your rations. ”

"Yes!" Wang Er respectfully stepped back.

One after another, more than 200 thieves rushed to the state city.

The rest of those who didn't come were either too far away to arrive, or they didn't trust the government.

Liu Shiren, Yang Zhi, Sun Li, Zhang Qing, Tu Shen, Zhang Jin and others, with the village Yong of Iron Hat Village, sneaked into the city in batches to live.

Liu Shiren, the village head, often went to the city, made friends with officials at the state and county levels, and even got acquainted with some scholars. In the name of transporting iron tools, he transported a lot of armor to the city, but it didn't attract anyone's attention, and the guards didn't bother to search for it.

On this day, Zhizhou Han Zhao was working in the Yamen, but he heard that Zhu Ming's personal entourage asked to see him.

"Bring him in." Han Zhao didn't think much about it.

Bai Sheng entered anxiously: "Han Taishou, my family has important matters to discuss, please go to Qingfeng Tower for a while." ”

"What's the matter? When will it pass? Han Zhao asked.

Bai Sheng said: "I don't know what it is, I just said that there was a banquet at Qingfeng Tower at noon. ”

Han Zhao said: "I will go then." ”

Bai Sheng gave up his hand and retired, and continued to invite other officials.

It was almost noon, Han Zhao left the state government with his entourage, and as soon as he left the yamen, he ran into his secretary general: "Where is Bourne going?" ”

Xu Hou, the observation envoy, said: "Zhu Chenggong set up a banquet in Qingfeng Tower. ”

"Byrne too?" Han Zhao was a little confused.

Xu Hou asked, "Did you also invite Taishou?" ”

The two chatted and walked, but they couldn't figure out what was going on, so they got into the carriage with suspicion.

When Han Zhao entered Qingfeng Building, he found that the entire restaurant had been chartered by Zhu Ming, and there were many officials from the state court and the general judgment hall.

The officials greeted each other and then inquired about the situation, but the more they asked, the more confused they became.

Not long after, the general judge He Zhengqing also came.

Han Zhao asked, "What is the big judgment, can you know what important things to discuss today?" ”

He Zhengqing shook his head and said, "Don't you know? ”

The two looked at each other, and they couldn't understand what medicine was sold in Zhu Ming's gourd.

After waiting for a while, the officials at the state and county levels have almost arrived.

"Where did that soldier come from?" Someone's entourage exclaimed outside the door.

The rest of the relatives went out to see the excitement.

I saw about a hundred people, all in armor, with knives and guns, trotting over.

Judging by its momentum, it is an elite soldier!

Up to this point, no one had reacted to what was going to happen.

Even the residents of the city went to the streets to watch the excitement, pointing at the soldiers, speculating that they might be officers and soldiers from other places.

The movement was too big, and Han Zhao and He Zhengqing took the officials out to check.

He Zhengqing speculated: "It won't be sent by Xiangyang to urge money and food, right?" ”

"Probably so."

Han Zhao nodded and took two steps forward.

When these soldiers approached, Han Zhao found that the person leading the troops had tattoos on his face, and instantly understood that it was a thief army, and immediately asked, "Are you waiting for the Xiang army from Xiangyang?" The Golden State money and grain have been loaded onto the ship and will be shipped out in two days. ”

Yang Zhi said: "Ladies and gentlemen, please return to the Qingfeng Building, and my father-in-law will come later." ”

"Who is the father-in-law?" Han Zhao asked.

Yang Zhi grinned and replied: "But it is an old acquaintance with Han Taishou." ”

Han Zhao really couldn't remember which old man it was, so he returned to the restaurant in a daze, drinking a little wine and waiting for the old man.

Zhu Ming went to the school field, followed by nearly 100 soldiers.

The barracks near the school yard are now all inhabited by thieves who surrendered themselves, and Zhu Ming asked them to come to the school yard to receive money and food.

Zhu Ming sent money and food first, and although everyone didn't give much, it still made the thieves happy.

Zhu Ming asked, "Can you trust me?" ”

"We surrendered, of course, we can trust each other." Wang Er said.

Zhu Ming said again: "It's true to let you turn yourself in, but Zhao'an is fake, it's nothing more than sending a few money and food to send back to your hometown." I don't want to do you badly, so I tell the truth. Even if you are organized into a box army, you can't eat enough, are you willing to live that kind of life? ”

"I don't want to!" More than 200 thieves shouted.

Zhu Ming said: "The emperor in Tokyo only knows how to enjoy himself. He demoted all the good officials, only used traitorous ministers as officials, and let traitorous ministers loot the people. Can you bear to drink your blood and eat your flesh? ”

Another thief named Dong Daliang said: "What can you do if you can't bear it? We don't want to be thieves, but the government doesn't let us live in peace. I turned myself in this time, thinking that Xianggong was a good official and could arrange a life-saving errand for us. ”

Zhu Ming said: "Now there are thieves everywhere, and officials everywhere are forcing the people to rebel. The emperor doesn't care whether the people live or die, you go back to the countryside, you can survive this year, but you can't survive next year. Next year's taxes will be heavier because the imperial court is at war with the Liao State. I advised the emperor to be kind to the people, and the emperor took off my official hat. I really can't see the people suffering, and I plan to rebel. If they have no eggs, they will take the tray back to the countryside to farm, and in the next year they will be levied heavy taxes by the officials, and they will sell their sons and daughters to beg for a bite to eat. If you have an egg, follow me into Tokyo and win the bird spot! ”

As soon as these words came out, all the thieves were shocked, and then they were inexplicably excited.

They are more courageous, after all, cowardice will not be a thief.

Now someone is taking the lead in the rebellion, and Zhu Taishou, who is still trustworthy, seems to have found the backbone in an instant.

"Entered Tokyo and took the bird spot!"

"Entered Tokyo and took the bird spot!"

“……”

Zhu Ming drew his sword and shouted: "Follow me!" ”

On the other side of the wharf, the infantry of the Xiang Army and the miscellaneous soldiers of the Xiang Army were all organized into the Gang Army to escort money and grain.

At this time, they were moving the money and grain to the ship, and more than half of the ship had already been loaded, and they would leave for Xiangyang in two days.

Zhu Ming took two teams of village warriors and more than 200 thieves to the north gate to control the guards, and then rode to the dock: "All the soldiers, all put down their work and gather to count the number of people!" ”

There were nearly 1,000 people in those gang troops, half of whom belonged to the van army conscripts who had no combat effectiveness, and the other half were the van army infantry who had been trained by Zhang Gen.

Although Zhu Ming has been dismissed, although he can't get an official document, these van troops still gather together honestly.

(End of chapter)