Although after receiving several million taels of silver from Wei Zhongxian, the financial situation of the Ming court in the first year of Chongzhen improved.

However, the Ming Dynasty is now also caught in an arms race with Liaodong.

Mao Yuanyi said: "According to reliable information, Chongzhen has ordered another 20,000 new troops to be recruited after the autumn harvest. ”

In this way, the three major battalions of the Beijing Division have 90,000 troops, the Yulin Battalion has also increased to 80,000, and the Ming Dynasty has 170,000 troops in the Beijing Division alone; In addition, the 60,000 border troops in the surrounding Jizhou and Xuanda, as well as the 30,000 horses in Beizhili. There are 260,000 horses in the Ming Dynasty around the Beijing Division alone, and there are many elite divisions. ”

"Our army does not count the naval division, with 10,000 troops stationed in Monan, 120,000 troops stationed in Liaodong, 8,000 troops stationed in Korea, 3,000 garrisons in the Ryukyus, 5,000 garrisons in Taiwan, and 1,000 garrisons in Nuer Gandusi, a total of 147,000 people."

"It looks like there are a lot of troops, but the territory that needs to be guarded is too big, and the maximum number of troops that Liaodong can conquer south is 80,000."

"However, Monan Mongolia, Horqin Mongolia, and the "Jurchen Three Guards" should also be able to send 70,000 or 80,000 horsemen to help me go south. ”

At present, these forces in Liaodong are almost up to the ceiling, and they all say that Liaodong Iron Cavalry, in fact, among Li Xianzhong's more than 100,000 people, there are only 20,000 real cavalry.

Most of them were dragoons who used horses as a means of transportation, but they were nothing more than horse infantry.

Li Xianzhong also thought about this, there are so many Jurchen Mongolian cavalry that can be used, and there is no need to use it in vain.

After all, the cost of one cavalry is about to catch up with ten infantrymen, and even if he is a local tyrant, he can't afford to raise so many cavalry.

Fan Wencheng said: "After all, my Liaodong is a corner against the entire Ming Dynasty, although after the establishment of the Liaodong Bank, there is no shortage of political envoys and there is no shortage of silver for the time being, but after all, the money is borrowed, and we still have to pay interest." ”

"However, at present, except for Mo Nan and Nurgandus, there is a surplus of tax revenue in other places. After Liaodong stopped such large-scale projects as road construction, wharves, and shipyards last year, the local government also had a surplus. ”

"And the income of the East Ryukyu Company and the Liaodong Trade Division is enough to support shipbuilding and raising troops, of course, provided that a large number of troops are not recruited."

"As for the supplies, most of our supplies are self-sufficient at the moment."

"Only saltpeter and cotton need to be imported in large quantities from Daming Pass."

With the capture of Ryukyu and Taiwan, the sulfur of Liaodong was settled.

However, the demand for saltpeter is still huge.

In addition to the original nitrate extraction in the corners, cellars, and latrines in Liaodong.

Under the guidance of Song Yingxing, Liaodong has begun to artificially cultivate a large number of nitrate soil by itself.

The first step is to dig out multiple ditches, lay clay in the trenches, and pile them on top of each other with excrement and rotting leaves. Limestone or plant ash should be laid between each floor, and small branches should be erected to ensure a certain amount of air circulation.

Workers also need to regularly replenish the ditch with urine and feces to keep it moist.

After months of "planting", the dirt in the ditch is dug up, put into barrels, and pure rainwater is added to dissolve and leach the saltpeter crystals.

Finally, the water dissolved in saltpeter is boiled dry, and relatively pure potassium nitrate is obtained.

As you can imagine, the smell of this process is extremely sour, so these ordinary people are reluctant to do it, so they can only use a large number of North Korean laborers.

Although manual nitrate mining is very difficult, in order to prevent it from being "stuck" in the future, this project has also been rolled out in Liaodong.

Ordinary villages and towns also have people who collect nitrate on a regular basis.

Cotton is entirely due to the climate.

Fortunately, the demand for military cotton is not large, and it is mainly used to make cotton clothes to resist the cold.

However, the Jin merchants led by Fan Yongdou repeatedly assured that even if Liaodong and the Ming Dynasty went to war, they would be able to let these two materials and resources continue to be transported into Liaodong.

Relying on a strong foreign trade system, Li Xianzhong is still confident that he can defeat the Ming Dynasty.

Because Taiwan's nearly 4 million acres of high-yield Zhancheng rice still gave him a lot of confidence, and according to the news from Sun Chuanting, southern Taiwan can achieve three crops a year.

In this way, on average, Taiwan's rice can yield 5 stone of rice per mu per year, and the yield is very stable, which is 5 times the yield of wheat per mu when the east wind of Liaodong is in good weather.

However, other people in Liaodong don't see it that way, and they all think that the longer it drags on, the worse it will be for Liaodong.

It is unbelievable that the local government consumes the central government, and the central government can be consumed.

Of course, they also knew that it would take another time to raise troops.

Since the 48th year of Wanli, the power of the Xiaoice climate at the end of the Ming Dynasty began to appear, and various natural disasters continued, droughts, floods, earthquakes, and locust plagues almost never stopped.

But if you want to say where the drought in Daming is the most serious, it must be the Shaanxi region, which has been in drought for 7 consecutive years since the first year of the Apocalypse.

Especially since the fifth year of the Apocalypse, there has been almost no heavy rain in northern Shaanxi and Weibei.

Most of the land in the entire Weibei region is in a state of non-harvest.

Baishui County is located at the junction of the Baishui River and the Luo River, and the water resources are still relatively abundant. In the surrounding area, the villagers of Nanlujiao Village, under the leadership of Wang Er, took water from the Baishui River through a waterwheel, and finally saved a little crop, so that the villagers barely starved to death.

Just when everyone thought that Chongzhen overthrew the eunuch party, the imperial court would implement a new policy.

Hu Fan, the tax collector of Baishui County, actually came again to tax the little summer grain they had.

It is necessary not only to collect taxes on this year's summer grain, but also to collect this year's "liao salary."

At this time, the common people were angry, and Wang Er said loudly: "Jianyu has long been eliminated by the Duke of Liao, why does the imperial court still have to collect 'Liao salary'?" ”

"Are you corrupt officials deliberately exploiting the people in the name of 'Liao'!"

Wang Er himself is tall, powerful, and has a great influence in South Antler Village.

After he raised the question, the people behind him responded.

Originally, the tax collectors wanted to take down this "thorn" who took the lead in making trouble, but as soon as they saw this posture, they immediately coaxed.

The people in northern Shaanxi have always been fierce, and where are the opponents of this group of Diao people?

The "Liao Salary" court was indeed not exempted, he just came to collect it in advance.

However, this summer grain was their own showdown, the drought in the north of Weibei, in fact, the imperial court has exempted Baishui County from this year's grain tax.

Originally, when Wei Zhongxian was in power, they still had to take care of the ubiquitous Dongchang Tongjin Yiwei, after all, there was a civil uprising, and the noses of these eagle dogs were still very smart; And there are tax inspectors everywhere, and they can't afford to apportionment themselves.

But none of these obstacles are there anymore.

Of course, at this time, he was still a little weak-hearted, so he could only say in a good voice: "Now the relationship between Liaodong and the imperial court is not good, and Your Majesty is still pointing to the 'Liaojiao' to train the new army, and Hu Mou and Zhang County are also very embarrassed." ”

The Tianqi and Chongzhen royal families and the ministers of the court could use the defense of Liaodong as an excuse to continue to levy the so-called "Liao salary".

But the common people don't understand that Jianyu has been wiped out by Li Xianzhong, the Duke of Liao, and you still have to collect "Liao salary"?

The government always said that it was the eunuch party that was chaotic and caused by the tyranny of expropriation; But now that the eunuchs have collapsed, haven't we seen these tyrants reduced?

Anyway, Princess Wei also canceled the "Liao salary" for a year when she was in power, and reduced some taxes to the disaster area from time to time.

Now, if the government takes away this food, it will cut off their way of life.

So Wang Er shouted: "Fellow villagers, this so-called 'Liao salary' must have been imposed on us by Zhang Douyao of Nazhi County and this tax collector Hu Fan, and now half of the people in the surrounding villages are starving to death, and they are still thinking about collecting taxes." Since they didn't let us live, then we simply grabbed the granary in Baishui County and opened a warehouse for everyone to put grain! ”

Wang Er's proposal was quickly supported by villagers such as Chongguang Dao!

The ancestor of Chongguang Dao is a generalist of the Northern Song Dynasty, although he has long been reduced to a civilian after so many years, but his martial arts have not been wasted, and he also reads some military books and war strategies from time to time!

But he has another identity at the moment, a spy in the Intelligence Division.

Soon the two of them were elected by the villagers as the leaders of the rebel army.

They united two villages near the village of South Antlers and gathered hundreds of people.

The sad tax collector Hu Fan was directly tied to the stone by the angry Wang Er, and pushed down the Baishui River to sacrifice the dragon king.

After everyone begged the dragon king for rain with Hu Fan, they slaughtered to Baishui County.

The county commander Zhang Douyao saw this posture and quickly abandoned the city and fled, these people with wooden sticks and hoes were still very difficult to take the county seat.

After Zhang Douyao ran away, Baishui County also gave up resistance, and Wang Er and others soon occupied Baishui County.

Although there was not much grain in Baishui's treasury, Wang Er and others released grain to the nearby victims, attracting many people to vote.

These people were already on the verge of not surviving, but now as long as they have food to eat, will they still care about rebellion or not?

After the rebels occupied Baishui County, they issued swords and weapons to the victims, and they painted their faces with ink as a symbol of the rebels.

The rebel army fought the first battle in Chengcheng, which was severely affected by the famine.

When he arrived at Chengcheng County, Wang Er said loudly: "Who dares to kill Zhixian?"

Everyone responded in unison: "I dare to kill!"

"I dare to kill!"

"I dare to kill!"

Wang Erzhi army united, that is, he led the crowd to attack the county seat and killed the county.

After the rebels opened a warehouse and released grain, the momentum gradually grew, and Wang Er wanted to stick to the county seat.

Chongguang said: "At this time, hungry people are everywhere in Weibei, and Chengcheng has little food, if we are trapped here, we will soon be surrounded by officials and soldiers." ”

"It's better to retreat to the north of the Luo River first, avoid the edge of the official army, and it will be convenient for us to receive more victims!"

Soon the rebels abandoned the two county towns and retreated directly to the north bank of Luoshui.

In the north of Luohe, with the army starving the people gradually increased, the momentum grew stronger, so he turned to fight in various parts of Weibei, attacked the city and captured the village, beheaded the evil officials, fought the rich and helped the poor, and the people supported it.

The second and second rebels of Weibei gathered tens of thousands, broke through several counties, looted warehouses, and beheaded officials, which soon attracted the attention of officials and soldiers.

Fu Zonglong, the governor of Shaanxi, hurriedly sent troops north to suppress it.

However, Wang Er fought a guerrilla war with the official army in accordance with the strategy of the light path.

In the end, they succeeded in setting up an ambush in the area of Muar Mountain, north of Chengcheng, killing and wounding more than 300 officers and soldiers, and the rest of the officers and soldiers fled back like frightened birds.

The victory of this ambush greatly boosted the morale of the rebels, and the originally hesitant people saw that Wang Eryi's army had defeated the official army, and they also joined the uprising team, many of which were Ming deserters who were forced to flee because of unpaid salaries.

Wang Er also listened to the advice of Chongguang Dao, dismissed the old and weak, and only retained thousands of elite troops with combat power, and the righteous army was active in Pucheng, Yijun, Luochuan, Baishui and other places.

The "Wang Er Uprising" was like opening a Pandora's box, and countless Shaanxi people who were struggling on the death line found that they were not just waiting for death.

Soon, the peasant uprising in northern Shaanxi turned from a spark to a prairie fire!

Soon after, Wang Jiayin, a peasant in Fugu County, northern Shaanxi, gathered a group of hungry people to rebel, and Wang Er led his team north to join them, and the rebel army expanded to five or six thousand people.

Soon Wang Er and Wang Jiayin led the crowd to the south and garrisoned in Huanglongchuan.

Wherever the rebel army passed, they killed corrupt officials, broke prisons, opened granaries, and helped the hungry, which swept Weibei.

At the same time, under the planning of the Intelligence Department, Ansai Gao Yingxiang, Yichuan Wang Zuohang, Yanchuan Chaotian King, Luochuan Black Evil God, Jingbian God Yiyuan, Qingjian Lighting Lamp, Suide Bu Mu, Mizhi Xichuan Wang Zishun, Miao Mei and so on have taken action.

For a time, the whole of Shaanxi was in turmoil, and the peasant army not only spread throughout the whole territory of Shaanxi, but also large-scale peasant uprisings broke out in eastern Gansu, southern Shanxi, and northern Sichuan.

When the news reached Jingshi, there was an uproar in the court.

Because these rebels who participated in the rebellion were not only peasants, but also many of them were border troops who were dismissed by Emperor Zhu Youxiao of the Apocalypse a few years ago.

In addition, due to the frequent arrears of the imperial court's salaries, coupled with the exploitation of the Ming governor's general army, a large number of border troops in northern Shaanxi actually received only half a tael of silver per month, which was only one-third of the normal salary.

These border soldiers could not support themselves at all, so they had to become deserters to find another way to survive, and now there are many elite border soldiers among these rebels.

This is also the reason why these rebels are so powerful, and many of them were originally Ming troops.

Sun Chengzong has inspected the nine sides, and he has also heard about these situations, but he can't just say it clearly, otherwise he will offend many people.

He said: "The people of northern Shaanxi are fierce, and most of the elite troops in the northwest come from here. This time, Wang Er and the others are menacing, and they must not be underestimated. The old minister suggested that the elite of the Yulin battalion should be immediately mobilized to Shaanxi to quell the rebellion. ”

"Be sure to kill the rogues as soon as possible!"

Sun Chengzong, as the first assistant in charge of the military department, and single-handedly formed the elite Yulin battalion, his suggestion was naturally recognized by several people in the institute.

The ministers chimed in.

However, at this time, Yang He, the left deputy capital, did not think so.

He said: "Elder Sun Ge is too careful, just a group of peasants who only know how to cultivate the land. ”

"Although the people in northern Shaanxi are strong, the border army is also strong!"

"Among the nine borders, Yansui Town (also known as Yulin Town), Ningxia Town, Guyuan Town, Gansu Town and other towns are all north of the bandits' activity area. Why should we go far and near? ”

"Elder Sun Ge has a very right saying, we must strangle the rogue as soon as possible."

"There is a way that the soldiers are noble and fast, and the terrain in northern Shaanxi is complex, so we don't need to put the elite of the nine sides close at hand, but we transfer troops from Beijing."

"Although the Yulin battalion is elite, after all, it is not familiar with the local climate and terrain, and it is definitely not as good as those border troops!"

Yang He is actually a civilian official, but this guy is a bit like today's military critics.

It's just that he hasn't been on the battlefield, but he always likes to point fingers at various battles.

During the Battle of Sarhu, Yang He commented on the generals, and also recommended Yuan Yingtai to serve as the Liaodong Economic Strategy.

Although what he said is not unreasonable, but at this time, he is also an amateur military enthusiast, and it is really inappropriate to deny Sun Chengzong, the head of the dynasty who knows the soldiers.

Just when the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty felt that Yang He was really humiliating.

Chongzhen doesn't think so.

He felt that what Yang He said was very reasonable.

The main force of the nine sides, which is close at hand, is not used, but it has traveled thousands of miles to transfer troops from the Beijing division.

Doesn't this give the thieves a chance to become bigger?

Previously, thieves were able to run rampant only because the border army could not go south at will.

Now, as long as he sends a suitable minister as the governor of the three sides to unify the deployment of various armies, he should soon be able to suppress the uprising in Shaanxi.

And the Yulin camp may not work, when the White Lotus Sect was exterminated in Yanzhou before, Zuo Liangyu had been with the thieves for more than a year, and he had not taken it yet.

Sun Ge Lao did this to promote his own generals!

He said: "I don't know if Yang Qing has a strategy to deal with the rogue? ”

Yang He didn't have much hope at first, after all, the opponent was Sun Chengzong, the head of the dynasty, but it seems that His Majesty approved it.

Soon he said: "Your Majesty can send a trustworthy and important minister to coordinate the Shanxi Governor Geng Ruqi, the Yansui General Wu Zimian, and the Gansu Governor Mei Zhihuanqin to divide the thieves and criminals. ”

I believe that the main force of the rebels will be annihilated in less than three months, and the rebellion in Shaanxi will be completely quelled in half a year at most!

Yang He's remarks were discussed in the DPRK and China.

Yang He, this guy really dares to brag on paper!

However, Chongzhen was fooled by him, and he said excitedly: "If I appoint Aiqing as the governor of the three sides, you may annihilate the main force of the thieves in March and retreat to pacify Shaanxi within half a year, as I said before?" ”

Yang He was very excited when he heard that he was going to use himself as the governor of the three sides, and immediately said: "Since this plan was proposed by Wei Chen, it is naturally certain that it can be done." ”

Chongzhen was overjoyed when he heard this, and said: "Order Yang He to serve as the governor of the three sides of Shaanxi with the right attendant of the military department, and command the men and horses of Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Gansu to completely suppress the rebellion. ”

Everyone was also puzzled, Yang He, a left deputy imperial history, actually bragged in front of His Majesty and was named the governor of the three sides of Shaanxi, and also controlled the three provinces of Jin, Shaanxi, and Gansu?

It seems that His Majesty Chongzhen is going to use a large number of newcomers.

Although Yang He's cowhide blew loudly, he had never led soldiers after all.

But who would have thought that His Majesty would be able to put a large number of nine sides of the elite and the power of the three provinces in his own hands.

However, Yang He's novice aura is a little too powerful.

Wang Er, the leader of the rebel army, was actually captured in a battle with the official army.

At that time, Luo Dao, a military merchant in Shaanxi, Liu Yingyu didn't know that his capture was Wang Er, the leader of the rebel army, so he killed him directly.

Although Yang He did not annihilate many of the main forces of the rebel army, he captured Wang Er.

When Wang Er's head was sent to Jingshi, everyone who questioned him shut up.

They all praised His Majesty for his reputation and discernment, and the rebellion in Shaanxi would soon subside.

Chongzhen once again believed that he was the Holy Lord Mingjun, much stronger than those ministers.

After Wang Er's death, Wang Jiayin took over the banner of the leader of the rebel army and continued to lead the rebel army against the official army.

After that, Wang Zuohang and others attacked Yichuan, was repelled by the county magistrate, and turned to attack Hancheng, Hancheng officials and troops had no generals, Yang He appointed Hong Chengchou to lead the troops to resist, captured and killed more than 300 people, the siege of Hancheng was lifted, and the thieves went to Qingjian.

This is Hong Chengchou's first time in charge of the army, but he has shown amazing talent.

Yang He just needed a big victory at this time, so Hong Chengchou became the lucky one.

Yang He, the governor of the three sides, personally asked Emperor Chongzhen for his reward.

Another good news entered Beijing, which made Emperor Chongzhen feel very good, and he also remembered the name Hong Chengchou.

In February of the second year of Chongzhen, Yan'an prefect Zhang Yuan and Dusi Aimu marched into Yanchuan to force the thieves and surrendered the thieves Wang Zishun, Zhang Shusheng, and Ji San'er.

In addition, the thief leader Wang Jiayin ransacked Yan'an and Qingyang, but Yang He concealed the matter and did not report it.

At this time, the thieves became more and more troublesome, and Yang He knew that it was difficult for him to come back with a bragging cowhide.

So, in order to quickly settle the Liukou, he began to change the suppression to the fu!

Yang He also issued a certificate of exemption from death to the thieves Wang Hu, the Little Red Wolf, Yizhangqing, the Land Raider Tiger, and the Chaojiang Dragon, and placed them in the Yansui and Hequ areas, causing these thieves to commit adultery and loot as usual.

These people had a certificate to avoid death, but the local government did not dare to ask about it, and the disaster was caused in this way.

The troubles caused by the thieves became more and more serious, and then Wang Jiayin captured Huangfu, Qingshui, and Papaya, and then captured Fugu; The thief head Shen Yiyuan captured Xin'an, Ningsai, Liushujian and other castles, and killed most of the clansmen of the guard Du Wenhuan, and Shen Yiyuan's younger brother Shen Yikui besieged Qingyang and laid down Heshui, Yang He immediately moved to Ningzhou after learning about it, Shen Yikui accepted Zhao'an, and Yang He sent him back to Jiang Yingchang, the county.

Yang He set up an emperor's seat on the city tower, let these thieves kneel and bow, shout long live, and then read out the emperor's instructions, ordering them to take an oath to return to the army or return to the peasants, and never be thieves.

The thieves pretended to agree, and Yang He immediately pardoned their crimes. So the thieves all regarded Yang He, the governor, as a child's play.

Yang He also because Shen Yikui's power is the strongest, he invited his son-in-law to the military tent, eat and live together, Shen Yikui really came to surrender, Yang He listed his ten major crimes, Shen Yikui kowtowed and asked for guilt, Yang He read out the edict to pardon him, gave him an official position, arranged his troops of more than 4,000 people in Ningsai, and sent a garrison Wu Hongqi to protect them.

At that time, the guard general Du Wenhuan was very indignant about this, so he left with his people.

On the surface, Yang He's appeasement policy stabilized the thieves in Shaanxi in the short term, but in fact buried major hidden dangers.

Especially Wang Jiayin, he not only inherited most of Wang Er's people, but his subordinates can be said to be full of talents, Gao Yingxiang, Zhang Xianzhong, Li Zicheng and others are all under Wang Jiayin's orders.

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