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

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I know what I'm doing." Zhang Shikang said.

He wanted to take back the land controlled by the royal family, not their heads. What did Chongzhen mean? He really thought of himself as a murderer.

"I have already severely reprimanded the Prince of Lu, fined him two years' salary and asked him to go back and reflect on his actions. Your army will certainly pass through Shandong when it goes out to fight. Why not let the Prince of Lu go with you?"

Emperor Chongzhen suggested, considering the safety issues along the way.

Prince Lu came to the capital in a prison car, following the convoy that was transporting the Kong family's property. He arrived in the capital ten days later than Zhang Shikang.

After arriving in the capital, he did not receive a favorable reception from Emperor Chongzhen. Even though he cried about Zhang Shikang's barbarity and shame as soon as he saw Emperor Chongzhen, he was still scolded harshly.

But no matter how much they were scolded and punished, the lineage of the Prince of Lu was after all personally appointed by Emperor Taizu, and unless it was the crime of treason, they would not be punished with death.

"That's great. I feel that this time when we go to the south of the Yangtze River, we have to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys. Your Majesty might as well ask His Royal Highness the Prince of Lu to cooperate so that we don't have to kill chickens along the way." Zhang Shikang thought for a while and said.

Emperor Chongzhen had a strange expression on his face.

"How can you say that Prince Lu is a chicken? Never mind. I will tell Prince Lu later.

We will set out the day after tomorrow. Are all the food and supplies ready?"

“It was prepared a few days ago, but there is not much food and fodder, and it can only last for a month.

After some thought, I decided that we should leave 20,000 soldiers from the Beijing Camp to garrison the capital. This would not only provide an extra layer of protection for the capital, but also provide enough food and fodder to sustain it for a while longer.

I just hope Zheng Zhilong can deliver the food and fodder as promised, otherwise I will have to go to Quanzhou and tear down his newly built mansion."

As the saying goes, food and fodder must be sent before troops move out. Zhang Shikang was originally still worried about food and fodder, but a few days ago, he finally received a reply from Zheng Zhilong.

In his reply, Zheng Zhilong flattered Zhang Shikang, the new upstart in the court, and agreed immediately to Zhang Shikang's request to purchase grain through him.

In order to show his friendliness, Zheng Zhilong also allocated a full 200,000 shi of military rations and donated them to the court in the name of fundraising. Of course, the recipients of the donations could only be the Beijing camp.

In addition, he also promised to purchase 1.3 million dan of rice for the court through maritime trade within ten months, and the purchase price would only be charged at cost price, which was about 2 taels, 8 qian and 5 fen per dan.

This is definitely a big deal.

Two hundred thousand dan of rice, before the price increase, even in Jiangnan one dan would cost more than three taels of silver. Now it would be six or seven hundred thousand taels of silver, and it was given away for free.

One million three hundred thousand shi in ten months was something that only the Zheng family, who were wealthy and controlled three shipping routes, could accomplish.

The most important thing is that Zheng Zhilong only charged cost price.

In Zheng Zhilong's view, this might be a gesture of goodwill to the imperial court and a political investment in Zhang Shikang, but no matter what, it was real help to the imperial court.

The imperial court is not short of silver now. The current silver reserves in the national treasury alone have exceeded 30 million taels.

But even so, Zhang Shikang did not dare to purchase grain on a large scale in various parts of the Ming Dynasty, so that the food and fodder for the garrisons in various parts of the Ming Dynasty were now very tight.

Zhang Shikang probably knew why Zheng Zhilong was so generous, but he didn't care. Whether it was a black cat or a white cat, as long as it could solve the problem, it was a good cat.

Zheng Zhilong originally planned to send the 200,000 shi of free grain directly to Tianjin by ship.

But as the army was about to set out, Zhang Shikang wrote back and asked him to transport the food to Nanzhili. This would not only reduce losses, but also provide enough food to replenish the current food reserves of the soldiers in the Shangjing camp.

However, there is a small risk in doing so, that is, if Zheng Zhilong does not keep his promise, his hometown of Quanzhou is not far from the Donglin Party's lair.

Thinking from a prostate perspective, the Donglin Party would certainly send people to win over Zheng Zhilong.

Zhang Shikang didn't care much about it. When the time came, he would just collect grain on the spot.

However, he would never follow in Yang Sichang's footsteps. There are rich and powerful people everywhere, and it is really stupid to bully ordinary people.

"If Zheng Zhilong is willing to help the court, I will grant him a title, and that's fine." Emperor Chongzhen expressed his opinion immediately.

"Your Majesty, please don't do that. Hehe, sometimes not giving it is more useful than giving it. You might as well give it to me." Zhang Shikang said with a wicked smile.

"A wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a secret lover, and a secret lover is not as good as not being able to steal at all?" Emperor Chongzhen teased.

"Your Majesty will answer quickly."

"I learned it all from you."

"You don't learn from all my good qualities."

"Besides being lazy, what else are you good at?"

……

After leaving the palace, Zhang Shikang returned home.

This trip to the south of the Yangtze River will take at least several months, and at most more than half a year, and the future is uncertain.

Zhang Shikang knew that his parents would definitely be worried, so he was unusually honest and obediently accepted his father's teachings and listened to his mother's nagging.

This kind of honesty lasted until very late, and when he returned to his warm bed, he switched his honest state back to dishonesty.

In Chen Zhuer, Zhang Shikang seemed to turn on some kind of switch.

The next day, Zhang Shikang left home and rode Ergou straight to the Xishan camp.

For the rest of the day, Zhang Shikang made final arrangements for the expedition with Sun Weifan and other senior generals of the Beijing camp.

The deputy general of the Beijing Camp, Wu Qiangbo, was arranged to stay in the capital, with 5,000 veteran soldiers and 15,000 new troops from the Beijing Camp as the defense force of the capital, while Zhang Shikang led the remaining 30,000 troops to go into battle.

At the same time, he ordered the brothers of the Second Son Group stationed in Henan and Shandong to assemble in Yanzhou Prefecture and return to their positions.

On the seventh day of February, 30,000 troops from the Beijing camp gathered at the parade ground, and Zhang Shikang made the final mobilization.

He was wearing golden armor, with a Shangfang sword on his waist, holding the imperial edict in his left hand and his right hand on his waist, looking very helpless.

"During the first expedition of the Beijing Army to the Jianlu, three people were made barons, and dozens of people were promoted for their merits.

The Beijing army defeated the Jianlu for the second time, and thirteen people were awarded titles and hundreds of people were promoted.

This is the glory that the veterans of the Beijing Camp earned with their blood.

Our Great Ming Emperor is determined to renew the world. We will never allow those who have made contributions to be buried, nor will we be stingy with rewards.

After several months of training, it is time for you to go to the battlefield.

As the saying goes, whether it's a mule or a horse, take it out for a walk.

You are lucky. As soldiers, you are born in such troubled times and have many opportunities to make meritorious deeds.

There is constant unrest in Jiangnan right now, and this is the place where you can use your skills. Whether you can be promoted or not depends entirely on your ability.

But the people of the world are very unlucky. Born in this chaotic world, there are many chances of losing their heads.

Most of you are commoners, and many of you were even refugees who could not get enough food before. You should know that it is not easy for the lower-class people to live.

This commander only has four words to say: enforce your orders.

It goes without saying that military law stipulates seven beheadings and thirteen killings. Anyone who bullies the people on this trip will be severely punished. Anyone who dares to kill innocent people and claim credit for it will be beheaded without mercy!

As the imperial guards, our Beijing Camp should serve as a role model for all the armies of the Ming Dynasty.

This general wants to seize all the land in the world and return it to the people.

You must know that in this battle, you are not fighting for me, nor for the powerful people of this dynasty.

But fight for yourself, fight for the people of the world, and fight for morality!

This is a feat that has never been seen in the 271 years of our Ming Dynasty, and even before the beginning of the world.

You will make history!

Follow me and wipe out the rebellion!

For the people, the benevolent will win! "

……

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