Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 815 Getting Serious
Zhu Yi was caught in a dilemma.

Fearing that Zhang Yanling would report his collusion with Qian Neng, his illicit wealth, and even his involvement in the illegal sale of weapons and ammunition, which would lead to the emperor's dislike of him, a decree reprimanding him, or even stripping him of his official position and bringing disaster upon his family, he was eager to immediately mobilize troops to fight Zhang Yanling.

He also feared that Zhang Yanling's background was too powerful, and that he had brought with him the Imperial Guards and the legendary new army soldiers trained by Wang Yue, whose combat power was astonishing. If his subordinates were incompetent and failed before even touching the head of the emperor's brother-in-law, then the Duke of Cheng's mansion would very likely be erased from the list of meritorious officials of the Ming Dynasty by the enraged emperor... This made Zhu Yi feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his limbs numb and his hands and feet ice cold.

Just the day before, I was living a life of great power and peace, how did I suddenly become so anxious?
They might even face the tragic fate of having their property confiscated and their entire family wiped out?
"Young Imperial Uncle, don't scare this old man."

Zhu Yi immediately cowered, "How could I possibly arrange for soldiers to engage in any kind of trading in warehouses? Who knows who owns the things stored there? This matter should be thoroughly investigated; you can't frame an innocent person!"

Zhang Yanling nodded and said, "Duke Cheng, I'm not trying to criticize you, but there have always been bandits in the coastal areas of Southern Zhili and Zhejiang. It seems that the local authorities have a big problem in suppressing bandits, and we must pay attention to this!"
"If this continues for a long time, it will be extremely detrimental to the development of land and sea trade and will hinder the economic development of the Ming Dynasty. You, as a meritorious official in charge of defense, must take responsibility!"

"Yes Yes!"

Zhu Yi nodded obsequiously and said, "Your Excellency, please rest assured, even if it costs me my life, I will wipe out all the pirates along the coast!"

Qin Yun, standing to the side, thought to himself, "Where were you all this time?"
Those bandits have committed numerous atrocities, and you, as a meritorious official in charge of defense, have turned a blind eye and maliciously condoned them. You are simply a dead-end job!

Even worse, you wouldn't secretly collude with them, letting them bring you a continuous stream of "protection fees," would you?

Zhang Yanling said, "That's very good... I have already sent people to confiscate the goods stored in the warehouses and shops inside and outside the city... Duke Cheng can allocate manpower to guard them. After I report to His Majesty, I will ask His Majesty to issue an order for the disposal of these seized goods."

"Should we... inform His Majesty?"

Zhu Yi said cautiously, "What I mean is... there's no need for such a drastic measure... I've heard that the court is severely short of money and food recently, and the soldiers in the Northwest haven't even secured their winter provisions yet. Otherwise, Nanjing could provide the necessary supplies..."

He claimed he was willing to make up for the shortfall in funds and provisions for the court and the soldiers in the Northwest, but anyone with a discerning eye could tell that Zhu Yi intended to divide the spoils with Zhang Yanling.

Finally, a symbolic donation to the court is sufficient to appease the emperor.

Zhang Yanling sighed and said, "Your Excellency's words are indeed wise and insightful, but unfortunately I am burdened with the Emperor's mandate and heavy responsibilities, so I dare not agree... Your Excellency, please forgive my bluntness, but the military affairs in Nanjing seem to have stagnated in the past two years. In the prosperous Jiangnan region, bandits and local bullies are everywhere. On land and water, people have set up checkpoints to extort money and even openly rob people of their wealth."

"His Majesty hopes that you, my lord, will take your responsibilities seriously, instead of letting things slide and causing unrest throughout Jiangnan, which has unsettled the court and the people. Therefore, you must also submit a truthful report to His Majesty."

Zhu Yi was filled with resentment.

Hit someone but don't slap them in the face.

You brat, not only are you cutting off my source of income, but you're also making me apologize to the emperor myself? Doesn't that mean I'm cutting off my own escape route? You've figured out I wouldn't dare do anything to you.
Where do you get your confidence, kid?
Zhang Yanling continued, "There are still remnants of bandits outside the city, fleeing into the mountains and along the river. I plan to send men to wipe them all out in the next two days. Heh, who would have thought that these pirates could turn into river pirates and openly become merchants around Yingtian Prefecture? It's truly bizarre..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yi's face flushed red and then turned pale.

This is no different from openly pointing fingers and spitting on him.

He still couldn't figure it out... what gave this young imperial brother-in-law the audacity to stir up the stagnant waters of Nanjing's officialdom?
……

……

Zhu Yi left the courtyard, seething with anger.

As soon as he returned to his residence, Zhu Fu came out to greet him.

“Father, I heard that the Zhang family lad is mobilizing troops again… He even contacted the Ministry of War in Nanjing to ask the local authorities to cooperate in troop deployment.” Zhu Fu said cautiously, “It seems he doesn’t intend to let this go and has other plans.”

Zhu Yi looked very unhappy. He went straight inside, and after reaching the main hall, he plopped down in the armchair and began to sulk.

Zhu Fu asked cautiously, somewhat puzzled, "Father, what should we do now?"

Zhu Yi said with a stern face, "He said a lot to me, the implication being that I should take the initiative to apologize to His Majesty."

"What? Has he... gone mad?"

Zhu Fu was taken aback and said, "They say a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger, but he... he's completely disregarding the consequences and acting lawlessly! Speaking of which, he's only been in Yingtian Prefecture for a few days, how can he be so reckless? What can those few men under his command do?"

Zhu Yi said, "Let me ask you, since the people he brought are insignificant, why were the places he searched able to easily breach the defenses and enter?"

"There must be quite a few ruthless characters in Yingtian Prefecture, right? There are at least a dozen notorious bandit gangs, so why is everything so calm now, with everyone being defeated by him?"

Zhu Fu asked curiously, "You mean..."

"I'm asking why he acts so cleanly and efficiently? It's like he's crushing everything in his path!" Zhu Yi asked.

Zhu Fu pondered for a moment and said, "No matter what, he was sent by His Majesty, and his men brought real weapons. I heard that there have been many dead and injured inside and outside the city since last night."

"Is anyone dead?"

Zhu Yi's dim old eyes gleamed with a sharp light, clearly not expecting the struggle to be so brutal.

Zhu Fu nodded and said, "Speaking of which, there are many places outside the city where mountain bandits and river pirates are entrenched. Even the local government troops dare not provoke them easily. But his men just charge straight in. Once, they were driven back by the other side... Hey, guess what? He just had someone bring out a cannon weighing about a hundred pounds and fired it directly. I heard that the houses were all blown down! Many people were buried!"

Zhu Yi said in shock, "I thought he was all bark and no bite, just using his status as the emperor's brother-in-law and imperial envoy to bully me... Does he really dare to do it for real?"

Zhu Fu said, "I just found out... Most of the people he brought were armed with firearms, and those firearms... were so powerful that I've never heard of them before."

“Outside the city, there was a heavily fortified inn, built like a castle. The outer and inner walls were made of bluestone, twelve feet high and three feet wide, and there were sheds and arrow towers at intervals, making it as solid as a rock.”

“I had heard long ago that the inn was stocked with a lot of contraband, much of it loot from pirates. It has always been kept tightly shut and rarely opened. Even if government troops were to besiege it, several thousand soldiers might not be able to break in.”

"So... what happened next?"

Zhu Yi hurriedly asked.

Zhu Fu said helplessly, "They dug tunnels and buried gunpowder along the way. Somehow, they blew up both the front and back high walls... That gunpowder was really powerful... Then the troops rushed in and captured everyone in the inn without much effort..."

"What...what does he want to do?"

Zhu Yi panicked, her face turned pale, and she asked in fear.

Zhu Fu asked curiously, "Why is Father going to such lengths? No matter how powerful his firearms are, he still has fewer men. As long as our troops are mobilized, we will surely be able to defeat him!"

Zhu Yi seemed not to hear her son's words, muttering to herself, "Thank goodness... thank goodness... I didn't break ties with him..."

"Father, what's wrong...?"

Zhu Fu really wanted to say, "You've wilted so quickly?"
Didn't we agree that in Nanjing, if you call yourself number two, no one dares to call themselves number one?
Zhu Yi said, "I thought the rumors outside were exaggerated, but now it seems that Zhang Laizhan and his son are serious... Zhang Yanling said that they are preparing to attack the bandits who are entrenched in the mountains and rivers outside the city! Speaking of which, those people have been following Qian Neng for decades, from Yunnan to Southern Zhili, and have harmed countless people... Now their retribution has come!"

Zhu Fu said in surprise, "That group of people is quite large. Does he really dare to send troops to attack? Speaking of which, there are quite a few people in our government who are secretly in cahoots with them... Should we leak the news beforehand?"

Zhu Yi shouted sternly, "Guess why he told his father about this?" "He..."

Zhu Fu couldn't answer for a moment.

"If the news leaks out beforehand, do you think he'll suspect me?"

Zhu Yi said coldly, "The Zhang family is indeed extraordinary. His father was known for his recklessness in the court. During the reign of the late emperor, he dared to fight Liang Fang to the death by himself, and in the end, he even brought Liang Fang down... Do you think I will become the second Liang Fang?"

"Father, don't boost the morale of others and diminish our own."

Zhu Fu looked helpless.

Zhu Yi waved his hand and said, "Mobilize the troops and coordinate the operation. Go to his courtyard again and tell Zhang Yanling that I am willing to cooperate with him in everything. After this matter is over, I will personally submit a memorial to His Majesty to apologize."

"Father, are we just going to back down like this?"

Zhu Fu was very confused.

The old man was the garrison commander of Nanjing. Just because a young man without any official rank arrived, he had to give up his power and apologize to the emperor.
Zhu Yi said, "No matter what, he's just having a problem with Qian Neng right now... If we're not smart enough and take Qian Neng's side, and things escalate to the point where we have to resort to arms, then it won't just be a private brawl anymore. We could very well become traitors! After all, he represents His Majesty!"

Zhu Fu quickly said, "Father, that boy can't represent His Majesty, much less the court. Why don't you go and talk to Minister Geng? See what his stance is?"

"These civil officials are just watching from the sidelines."

Zhu Yi shook his head and said, "Just do as your father tells you! Right now, it's enough for us to keep our titles. As for the position of Nanjing garrison commander... well, we'll talk about that later..."

……

……

That afternoon, Zhang Yanling mobilized his men, preparing to fight a bloody battle against the bandits and river pirates outside the city who had submitted to Qian Neng and occupied various strategic passes, engaging in local bullying, extortion, murder, and robbery.

Before setting off, Qin Yun, as the commander-in-chief at the front, came to report to Zhang Yanling: "...The young master of the Chengguo Duke's Mansion has arrived, and he has dispatched more than 500 people, saying that he is going to go with us to quell the local bandits."

Zhang Yanling said, "Is the Duke of Cheng's mansion so cooperative?"

Qin Yun said, "This humble servant also believes that they have malicious intentions and may cause trouble in secret when we take action. They might even be colluding with the bandits from within..."

"That's not the case."

Zhang Yanling shook his head and said, "No matter how bold the Duke of Cheng is, he wouldn't openly help the bandits... Since His Majesty sent me to Nanjing to do things, the court couldn't possibly be unaware of what happened here. Even the officials of the Six Ministries in Nanjing would report the matter truthfully."

Qin Yun nodded in understanding: "So, we can use them?"

"In that case, let them go with us."

Zhang Yanling put down the documents in his hand and said, "Tell him that when we are conquering cities and capturing strongholds, they only need to watch from a distance. If any escapees are caught, they can go and catch them. But if we engage in direct combat, for the sake of their own lives, they should not be reckless."

"Yes."

Qin Yun said, "The brothers under my command are very motivated now, and they all feel that this is the best opportunity to train them."

Zhang Yanling said, "I told His Majesty a long time ago that Vice Minister Wang will continue to lead the troops in training in the north, while I can use the campaigns against bandits as a form of training."

"Although we don't have many people, our weapons are several generations ahead. One of us can easily take on ten. What we fear most is the enemy disintegrating us from within!"

Qin Yun quickly said, "The people I brought can be completely trusted... They have no connection with any local power. And they know very well who gave them their current status! The generous annual salary and settlement allowance alone will not make them betray us."

"Ah."

Zhang Yanling nodded and said, "Using northern troops to quell the bandits in the south is the least risky way to suppress the rebellion. But we still have to guard against anyone causing trouble!"

"However, Brother Qin, I still have to remind you, don't let your guard down too much tonight. I'll call Qian Neng over after your triumphant return, and then you can come with me to see his reaction!"

Qin Yun laughed and said, "This humble official also hopes to see Qian terrified! In other words, as long as the area around Yingtian Prefecture is pacified, the bandits in Southern Zhili and Fujian and Zhejiang will also be subdued. In the future, when goods come in from the sea, no one will bully or monopolize the market, allowing merchants to go out with peace of mind and no longer worry about losing their lives for doing business."

……

……

A local suppression operation led by the new army began after nightfall.

Locally, although Zhu Yi's son, Zhu Fu, personally led troops to assist him, he did not participate in the front-line battles.

The main objective of this battle was to establish earthen fortresses outside Nanjing, stretching down the Yangtze River to the estuary, under the guise of conducting business...

These people may appear to be bandits, but they do not actually cause trouble for the people, or rather, they do not compete with ordinary people for profit.

Their targets were passing merchant ships and those who exploited travelers. They also used armed confrontation to prevent government troops from entering their territory.

These days, as long as you have the backing of the government, there are countless "bullies" with such connections.

Previously, Qian Neng, as the eunuch in charge of Nanjing's defense, wielded considerable power. During his tenure, he supported many underground forces, including these bandit groups, and sold them weapons and equipment through the government, allowing them to grow stronger day by day.

Once these forces have grown strong, even if the government wants to eliminate them, it will be powerless to do so.

After all, soldiers in Nanjing are used to a peaceful and comfortable life, and they would never take such a huge risk to fight local bandits. Besides, they can also benefit from the "tribute" sent by the bandits... Why would they risk their own livelihood and lives?
As a result, these criminal gangs gradually developed to the point that even local officials were troubled by them and could only let them run rampant, or even ignore them.

Local officials, even if they know about the existence of these criminal gangs, are not very willing to crack down on them, mainly because of the deep-seated conflicts of interest.

Ordinary civil officials, if they oppose an underground armed force that entrenched in a region, are they not afraid of retaliation?
More importantly, these forces are not directly related to what they control.

This time, however, Zhang Yanling's approach was different. He wanted to vigorously develop commerce and trade in the south, thereby fostering the emergence and development of capitalism.

Previously, trade routes inside and outside Nanjing were threatened and monopolized by these forces, making it difficult for foreign goods to pass through numerous barriers and reach the Jiangnan region.

Therefore, for Zhang Yanling to fully take over Nanjing's commercial system, he had to first eradicate these stubborn cancers.

At present, Qin Yun's troops can be described as well-trained. They themselves hope to accumulate combat experience through this method of training in battle, and even to gain military merit and the recognition of the emperor and his superiors.

Moreover, such a battle would be a foregone conclusion.

Even local government troops, as long as they dare to fight and are willing to struggle, can eradicate these malignant tumors, let alone the new army equipped with advanced firearms!
(End of this chapter)