Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

"Of course, there are those who have made significant contributions."

"For example, Your Excellency, you do not need to take any exams; the Ming Dynasty court will directly grant you an official position."

"Your Excellency shall remain temporarily in the Andong Protectorate to assist the Protectorate in registering the people."

"Completing this important task will surely lead to a promotion."

Han Qixian was overjoyed. He turned around and bowed in the direction of Kaifeng, and then bowed to Ma Kuo and Li Cheng.

Everyone was overjoyed except for Wu Qimai, who was arrested.

With mixed feelings, Wanyan Zongpan left and began to relocate his clansmen to a new settlement.

Because of the coup, his relationship with his younger brothers was strained, and it was unclear which of them was willing to move with him.

Actually, he himself didn't really want to move.

Because they could not take the serfs with them, nor could they take the artisans from the Bohai, Han, and Khitan ethnic groups.

What's the point of moving to Huligai?

There was a small town there, but it was dilapidated and old.

Having enjoyed wealth and luxury since childhood, Wanyan Zongpan could no longer bear to leave the bustling capital.

After much deliberation, Wanyan Zongpan actually approached Li Cheng: "Protector, may I stay here?"

“Keep my house, amend the deeds of the servants in my household, and keep all the valuables in my house.”

“I know I can’t pass the imperial examination, but I can work as a clerk in the Protectorate General’s office.”

"As for the position of Commander Huligai, it can be given to my younger brothers."

Over the years, Wanyan Zongpan has amassed a considerable fortune, enough for him to live a life of luxury.

Li Cheng thought he had misheard, then burst into laughter: "Since you are willing to stay, I will naturally inform the court."

"If His Majesty is pleased, he might even grant you a position in the Protectorate."

There were quite a few Jurchen noblemen who were used to city life.

In order to appease the nobles and officials, Li Cheng and Ma Kuo did not conduct a large-scale confiscation of their property.

According to Wu Qimai's order, the property of Wanyan Zonghan, Wanyan Zonggan, Wanyan Xiyin, Jin Wuzhu, and other deceased individuals was confiscated.

In addition, the property of Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Loushi, and others who died young was also confiscated.

Those young nobles whose family property was not confiscated, and whose fathers and brothers had been killed in battle.

Surprisingly, more than half of them chose to stay and be registered as residents, refusing to move to live a tribal life no matter what.

They can speak Mandarin, have read Confucian classics, and even imitate the clothing and appearance of Han people.

He can't farm, he can't fight, all he knows is how to enjoy life in the city.

This situation left Li Cheng both amused and exasperated, so he went to discuss it with Ma Kuo.

Ma Kuo said, "They can stay, but their names must be changed to Han names when they are registered as households."

Do not plunder their property, but protect it well and let them squander it to the fullest, thereby revitalizing the city's industry and commerce.

The registration of households and the distribution of land among freed slaves in rural areas must be carried out without the slightest error or omission.

With agriculture, industry, and commerce, if governed in this way for ten years, the city of Andong Protectorate and its directly administered areas could be quickly transformed into Han Chinese territory, even without exiling Han criminals there.

"By then, Protector Li, you will have rendered a great service!"

"I'll do as Mr. Ma says." Li Cheng began to fantasize about the future.

.....

Ten thousand Ming troops went to Shangjing in the Jin Kingdom, but only five thousand returned – before all the soldiers who volunteered to be stationed in the Andong Protectorate arrived, they had to leave enough troops to intimidate Li Cheng and other tribes.

Liu Yu and his entire family had their hands tied behind their backs and followed the army south.

Beside him were the puppet Empress Dowager and Emperor of the Song Dynasty; the young emperor had already come of age.

Further ahead were Wuqimai, who was also bound, along with his queen and concubines.

There are also historical records and classics in large and small carts, including not only the complete set of historical materials of the Liao Dynasty, but also the self-compiled national history of the Jin Dynasty in the previous years.

Although the Khitan and Jurchen scripts were to be abolished, the historical materials of both countries had to be collected.

Heshilie Liangbi, who was only fourteen years old at the time, had not yet changed his name and was still called Heshilie Loushi.

His hometown was in the Huifa River basin. He was not born into a noble family; his father was just an ordinary military officer.

However, he studied diligently and gained the appreciation of Wanyan Xiyin, who personally taught him the Jurchen script and tribal history.

At a young age, Heshilie Liangbi was already working as a professor in the capital, teaching aristocratic children the Jurchen script—he had more than two hundred students.

Heshilie Zhining, Bai Yangong, Wanyan Zongpan, and others voluntarily stayed to be registered as ordinary citizens.

However, Heshi Lieliangbi was forcibly taken away by Ma Kuo.

The reason is simple: not many people can read the Jurchen script, and even fewer are familiar with the history of the various Jurchen tribes.

Chapter 3490 Shaving Hair and Changing Clothes

This young man has never fought in a war, nor has he ever held an official position. He is very suitable to stay in Kaifeng and assist in the research of Jurchen historical and cultural materials.

Heshi Lieliangbi was wearing a hat at this time, covering his newly shaved head.

Apart from those autonomous tribes, from the southern grasslands to Heilongjiang, all those who were registered as commoners had to shave off their Khitan and Jurchen hairstyles.

First, shave your head bald, then slowly grow your hair back.

Regarding clothing, right-fastening, double-breasted, and round-necked styles are all acceptable, but left-fastening is strictly prohibited.

The Ming Dynasty also implemented the shaving of heads and changing of clothing!

……

When the group arrived in Liaoyang, the snow had melted, and the people of various ethnic groups who had been relocated were now farming.

Chen Gui, the Left Provincial Governor of Liaoning, led his officials out of the city to greet them.

Hua Rong exclaimed with delight, "The Left Provincial Governor of Liaoning is actually Mr. Chen!"

Chen Gui smiled slightly, cupped his hands, and said, "General Hua, it's been a long time."

Ma Kuo said, "Since we are all acquaintances, let's go into the city first and talk."

Chen Gui is hailed as the "ancestor of tubular firearms".

He was well-versed in military strategy from a young age and was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) in the Ming Dynasty.

Historically, Chen Gui, as a county magistrate, recruited soldiers to defend the emperor, but encountered the prefect who abandoned the city and fled midway.

He readily took over the defense duties and repeatedly defeated Liu Yanqing's former subordinates who had rebelled.

In the subsequent great victory at Shunchang, which defeated 100,000 Jin soldiers under Wuzhu, Liu Qi's command was naturally the most crucial factor.

But thanks to Chen Gui's advance arrangements, as soon as he arrived in Shunchang, he expanded the granaries and sent officials to purchase grain from all over the place. He also used gold, silver and cloth to exchange for grain transported by the grain passing through.

After Liu Qi led his troops to Shunchang, the first thing he asked was how much grain and fodder they had.

Fight when there's enough food, retreat when there's no food.

Chen Gui replied, "There are tens of thousands of bushels of millet and wheat."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qi immediately decided to resist the Jin forces here.

Because in times of war and chaos, everyone was crying out for poverty and food shortages, and there couldn't possibly be more food supplies than here.

The defenses of Shunchang at that time were also arranged by Liu Qi and Chen Gui.

Based on his years of experience in defending cities, Chen Gui later wrote "Records of City Defense" in four volumes.

This included the use of flamethrowers—gunpowder was loaded into bamboo tubes and sprayed out flames to burn the enemy's siege equipment.

In this timeline, Chen Gui was captured by Li Bao in Huainan. At that time, he dared to enter the capital to defend the emperor with only three hundred soldiers.

Because of his excellent reputation, Li Bao did not make things difficult for him, but only ordered him to disband his troops.

When Chen Gui heard that Kaifeng had fallen, he went to Hangzhou to seek refuge with Emperor Huizong of Song.

However, he was upright and honest in his official conduct.

He was still a county magistrate at the age of fifty and had never been promoted. What good would it do him to seek refuge with Emperor Huizong of Song?

In his first year, he offended a favored minister and was demoted to a post in Guangxi, which angered Chen Gui so much that he resigned immediately.

It wasn't until the fall of the small regime in the southeast that Chen Gui was recommended by his friend.

He first served as a local official in the Ming Dynasty, and was quickly promoted due to his outstanding political achievements. He then requested to be transferred to the Ministry of Works to study and develop flintlock muskets.

Because of his experience in developing flintlock muskets, Chen Gui and Hua Rong became very close.

Unexpectedly, he was transferred to serve as the Left Provincial Governor of Liaoning.

After entering the city, Ma Kuo asked, "Is Liaoning still safe?"

Chen Gui said, "The prominent families in Liaoyang who were not relocated are feeling uneasy during this period."

"They still want to cause trouble?" Ma Kuo asked in surprise.

Chen Gui said, "I arrested Zhang Xuanzheng, and he is still imprisoned in jail."

"Since you are going back to the capital, take this person with you."

Ma Kuo was even more shocked: "Zhang Xuanzheng was personally appointed by His Majesty, and was specifically responsible for registering households and people in Liaoyang."

Chen Gui sneered: "This man, relying on His Majesty's favor and having extensive connections in the local area, has actually secretly detained and hidden serfs."

"More than 3,000 serfs of various ethnic groups were hidden away and not registered as households or allocated land."

“Not only was Zhang Xuanzheng arrested, but all the prominent families of Bohai involved in this matter were also imprisoned by me.”

Ma Kuo sincerely admired him: "Mr. Chen has extraordinary courage!"

Isn't this nonsense?

A mere county magistrate who dared to march to the capital to defend the emperor with only a few hundred militiamen—would he be afraid of these powerful Bohai clans causing trouble?

Chen Gui said, "Liaoning is different from the Central Plains; it is severely lacking in population."

“I only arrested the elders of these large clans and forced the remaining clansmen to divide their property. I do not intend to confiscate their property or exile them.”

“That’s how it should be,” Ma Kuo nodded.

In any case, the Bohai clan is finished.

First, the military commanders were killed, then their families were divided up and their property was seized, and many were relocated to Hebei, Shenzhou, and Xianping.

After a series of actions, the major clans have fallen into disarray.

Chen Gui said, "The prominent families in the north and Liaodong were already committing crimes and rampant corruption during the Liao Dynasty. They became even more unruly and unchecked during the Jin Dynasty."

“Zhang Xuanzheng was entrusted with an important task by His Majesty, yet he dared to openly conceal serfs.”

"I imagine there are people in the Andong Protectorate who would dare to do the same."

“I have already submitted a memorial to the court, requesting Your Majesty to dispatch an imperial censor to inspect the Andong Protectorate.”

Ma Kuo smiled, pursing his lips.

When those censors arrive at the Andong Protectorate, many of them will probably suffer.

Han and Bohai civil officials, who survived the Liao and Jin dynasties, ultimately fell at the hands of a Ming dynasty censor.

After spending a day in Liaoyang, Ma Kuo continued his journey.

Chapter 3491 Don't Think Corruption Can't Be Detected

Zhang Xuanzheng and other prominent clan leaders from Liaoyang were bound and taken on the journey with Wu Qimai.

Upon seeing Ma Kuo, Zhang Xuanzheng cried out, "Mr. Ma, I am truly guilty. Could you please put in a good word for me?"

"I will definitely turn over a new leaf and become an honest and upright official in the Ming Dynasty!"

"Mr. Ma, please help me out of our past relationship..."

Ma Kuo sighed, "You, you can't even grasp such great wealth and honor."