Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

"Fight the enemy according to the imperial edict. Those who surrender will not be killed! Those who disobey will be killed!"

Regardless of the combat effectiveness of this group of ragtag soldiers, just the sound they make is enough to bluff people.

Zuo Liangyu's generals, who had been resisting passively, immediately wilted when they saw thousands of people rushing towards them with howling.

Although Zuo Liangyu's troops claimed to have 50,000 soldiers, their military discipline was lax and they were good at bullying ordinary people. In terms of combat effectiveness, they were not much better than the bandits two years ago.

Seeing thousands of people rushing towards them howling, many soldiers dropped their weapons and surrendered.

After the general surnamed Sun was killed by Qin Yiming, all the soldiers around him immediately knelt on the ground.

Qin Yiming immediately ordered the miscellaneous soldiers who rushed up to control the situation.

Half a quarter of an hour later, when Ma Xianglin arrived with a dozen generals from Zuo Liangyu's army, Qin Liangyu finally felt relieved.

The combat effectiveness and military discipline of Zuo Liangyu's troops were very poor, but the inspection officers and militiamen she mobilized from nearby prefectures were not much better.

Especially the group of garrison soldiers, each of them was skinny and bony, and didn't look as real as the militiamen.

But Qin Liangyu was sure that after Zuo Liangyu's death, there would not be a single subordinate among the 50,000-strong army whose discipline was already lax, who would be able to quickly integrate the army.

This group of urgently mobilized ragtag soldiers, if used properly, can change the entire situation with just one encounter.

So before she set out, she ordered officials from all state capitals to issue orders that anyone who participated in the war would be exempted from taxes owed in previous years and the entire current year.

As the governor, she had the power and had Zhang Shikang's support behind her.

There will always be brave men when there is a big reward. In addition, Qin Liangyu said in advance that as long as they show enough momentum, there may not be any need to actually use weapons.

That's why what happened before happened, a group of ragtag soldiers who obviously had little combat effectiveness and would collapse at the first blow, actually howled and displayed a momentum of fighting to the death.

Zuo Liangyu's troops, whose military discipline was also lax and who were shocked to hear that their leader was dead, gave up resistance at that time. In addition, their main generals were captured by Ma Xianglin, and under the influence of the herd mentality, all 50,000 soldiers gave up resistance.

Wherever Qin Liangyu led her five hundred white-flag soldiers, the soldiers there would kneel down on the ground.

"You disobeyed the imperial court's orders, robbed the people, raped women, and committed many evil deeds.

According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, I should execute all of you for your crimes.

But Your Majesty is kind and the Grand Marshal is lenient. Considering that you were all instigated by these evil generals, we will spare your lives and give you a chance to make up for your crimes.

However, this is your only chance. If you commit the same mistake again, you will be like this thief!"

After Qin Liangyu finished speaking to the surrendered soldiers around her, Ma Xianglin waved his hand, and more than a dozen of Zuo Liangyu's main generals were beheaded immediately.

The soldiers around were silent, and the tension finally relaxed after they heard that their lives would be spared.

"Cao Lianshun, don't think that I can't see you just because you are hiding behind." Qin Liangyu pointed at Cao Lianshun who was hiding behind the soldiers.

Upon hearing this, the surrounding soldiers immediately dragged Cao Lianshun out.

"I have said that I will kill you!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Xianglin immediately walked over and killed Cao Lianshun with a single knife without even giving him a chance to beg for mercy.

"From now on, there will be no more Zuo Liangyu's army in the Ming Dynasty, and all of you will be incorporated into the White Spear Army.

In my White Spear Army, we obey orders and discipline. If you don't stop your previous behavior, you will see if the sword in my hand is sharp!"

After Qin Liangyu finished speaking, she handed over the trivial matters to brothers Ma Xianglin and Qin Yiming.

After all, she is old, while the two brothers, who are in their forties, are in their prime. If she was not worried about complications, she could actually let the two brothers do it.

But subduing this mob was just the beginning. Qin Liangyu knew very well that it was not the quantity of soldiers that mattered but their quality.

There were many veteran soldiers in Zuo Liangyu's camp, many of whom were defeated soldiers from other military towns. Many of them were old and had become corrupt, so even if she enforced strict military discipline, it would not have much effect.

In addition, there are many old and weak people in the military camp. According to Qin Liangyu, after the army of 50,000 is disbanded, perhaps less than half of them will be able to stay.

And how to arrange these laid-off soldiers is not an easy task.

If they were simply dismissed, these ruffians might gather together and become bandits or mountain bandits, continuing to cause trouble.

With so many additional soldiers all of a sudden, food and pay will become a big problem, and there are still many things to worry about.

Fortunately, the letter from the Grand Marshal said that the financial situation of the court might be alleviated in the near future.

Although I don't know where the Grand Marshal will find the money, I think it should be from those wealthy families.

Ten days later, thanks to the efforts of Ma Xianglin and Qin Yiming, Zuo Liangyu's 50,000-strong army was finally reorganized.

After the layoffs, only 22,000 of the 50,000 troops were left in the barracks.

The remaining nearly 30,000 people were settled in more than a dozen surrounding prefectures under Qin Liangyu's strong hand.

They were registered by local authorities and either reclaimed mountain fields for their own use or, under the leadership of the authorities, were allocated to large households in the prefecture as tenants.

In order to prevent these people from escaping or doing bad things, Qin Liangyu strictly ordered the government to send people to inspect every few days.

If anyone escapes, he will be captured and beheaded to serve as a warning to others.

Qin Liangyu knew very well that only severe punishment could make these soldiers change their ways.

On the evening of the 16th day of the twelfth lunar month, Qin Liangyu was sitting alone in the military camp looking at a map of Sichuan when Qin Yiming ran in excitedly.

"Aunt, I just got the news that the imperial court has announced a new national policy to impose additional labor and business taxes on gentry and merchants!

My nephew thought that this must be the work of the Grand Marshal.

Also, what the Grand Marshal said was true. The imperial court wiped out dozens of Shanxi merchants who had colluded with their slaves with lightning speed, and obtained nearly 20 million taels of silver!"

Even though Qin Yiming had been in battle for many years and his heart was as hard as steel, a long-lost look of excitement appeared on his face.

Twenty million taels of silver were enough to cover the land tax revenue of the imperial court for several years.

No wonder the Grand Marshal was so confident and even taught them how to get money and food. Now it seems that the Grand Marshal is indeed a genius!

Qin Liangyu stood up in surprise when she heard this.

"Commercial taxes! Doesn't the Grand Marshal know who is behind this group of people?"

Although 20 million taels of silver were enough to give the imperial court a break, the power of Shanxi merchants was ultimately limited to Zhangjiakou, Shanxi, and they were not closely tied to the Donglin Party.

However, commercial taxes and industrial taxes affect the interests of merchants and gentry all over the world. How could the Donglin Party let it go?

"I think the Grand Marshal must know. To be honest, I have long hated the corrupt scholars in Donglin. They are all a bunch of swindlers who are only seeking fame and reputation, but they pretend to be hypocritical and take the world as their responsibility!"

Qin Yiming gnashed his teeth when talking about the group of corrupt scholars behind the merchants.

The world has suffered from Donglin for a long time.

"The ambition of the Grand Marshal should be for all the people of the world. The additional tax is not imposed on the common people, but on the gentry. The Grand Marshal's strategy is definitely correct.

But that group of people... Alas, Yiming, you still don’t understand. Now they are no longer a group of people.

They have become a whole, a giant that even those with insight know but dare not touch.”

Qin Liangyu frowned. She couldn't say the word "class", but her words were exactly the same.

Only those who truly understand the problems of the Ming Dynasty can truly understand how terrifying this group of people is.

Qin Liangyu frowned and paced back and forth in the room anxiously. Ever since she stopped wearing armor, there were few things that could make her so anxious.

“Don’t underestimate these people. They may not have soldiers or military power, but they have money and food. Most importantly, they have pens.

Yiming, sometimes a pen is sharper than a knife.

If the Grand Marshal falls because of this national policy, the Ming Dynasty will perish. ” Qin Liangyu finally stopped.

"For now, there is only one strategy that can possibly help us carve out a way out of this chaotic situation."

Qin Yiming frowned. He didn't think as far as Qin Liangyu, so he asked:

"Aunt, what's the plan?"

Qin Liangyu frowned and said:

"Expand the army. Use the capital of Shanxi merchants to expand the army. One force can defeat ten!

Although it is dangerous, if this is accomplished, the Ming Dynasty’s predicament can be resolved.

Yiming, bring paper and pen."

……