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

Even though Zhang Shikang thought Ma Chengzhao was a qualified general, the problem still had to be solved, and he showed enough sincerity.

To be granted a title was a great reward for all the generals. Ma Chengzhao, ignoring the yellow sand in the sky, immediately knelt down before Zhang Shikang:

"The Ma family swears to be loyal to His Majesty and the Marshal until death!"

No matter what, Zhang Shikang's arrival made the Ma family very worried. They would be uneasy until Zhang Shikang told them how he would deal with them.

Zhang Shikang only strolled around the Great Wall and then gave a solution to the Ma family.

He was conferred a title, and the rest of his family members were transferred to the interior of the country, while retaining their original positions.

Although the Yongning Army has just started recruiting soldiers, and due to food issues, the full number of soldiers will only be recruited in the next few years.

But no matter what, this was an answer that was enough to make Ma Chengzhao overjoyed.

At this moment, it seemed as if all the hardships and coldness he had endured in this town over the years had been rewarded, as if everything was worth it.

"Get up! From now on, if you need more sand digging and conscripted laborers, the court will not only provide food, but also pay monthly wages.

The specific regulations are based on the court's latest reforms, so you should study them carefully.

The previous behavior was not a crime, but from now on, anyone who dares to extort, oppress the people and soldiers will be punished with a serious crime.

The Censorate and the Imperial Guards will be involved in secret surveillance, and this will apply to the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty.

In addition, in the near future, I will lead a northern expedition, but Your Majesty will not hesitate to reward me with titles if I have military merit.

Tell you all to train your troops well.

I will go for a stroll in the city, you can start making arrangements."

After saying this, Zhang Shikang didn't stop talking. He had only been talking for a while, but his mouth was already full of sand.

Without actually standing in this yellow sand, it is impossible to realize how great the impact of desertification is on people.

It is said that a long time ago, this place was the center of Hun people's activities. At that time, there was abundant grass and water, and the scenery was pleasant, making it a good pasture.

However, due to unreasonable reclamation, overgrazing, climate change and war, it gradually became a desert.

Zhang Shikang didn't know much about deserts in other areas, but the Mu Us Desert was not only controlled in later generations, but great results had even been achieved.

Moreover, unlike the causes of deserts in other areas, the biggest cause of this desert is not climate, but human activities.

However, the impact of this desert is the greatest on the northern provinces. After all, it is not only close to the Loess Plateau, but also not far from the capital.

Zhang Shikang thought that since later generations chose to vigorously govern this place and achieved great results, it was obvious that they had conducted in-depth research.

That means that after a few years when the imperial court has completely resolved the food crisis, he can govern this place in advance.

Of course, this would inevitably be another huge project, so Zhang Shikang could only write it down in a small notebook and think about it later.

He wandered around Yulin City with a team of personal guards, which was almost his habit when he arrived in a new place.

It is very interesting to understand the local customs and culture, and the fastest way is to go to the pubs and teahouses in the city.

There is a mixed crowd here, including traveling merchants, porters, ordinary people and soldiers who occasionally take leave in the city.

They drank low-quality alcohol and didn't even have a decent side dish. A small plate of pickles or something else would last them half a day.

But this is not the point. They will brag and chat while drinking, talking about interesting things from all over the world.

People who live in truly cold and bitter places, on the contrary, will not complain about the environment and are relatively optimistic. Zhang Shikang has witnessed this more than once in Guan Ningjin's tavern.

When Zhang Shikang came in with his personal guards, the noisy tavern suddenly became much quieter.

After all, Zhang Shikang was dressed in fancy clothes and had five or six servants with swords with him. It was obvious that he was not an ordinary person.

These were only the people who had entered the house. Outside the tavern, there were more than a hundred guards who had almost surrounded the entire tavern.

But there was nothing that could be done about it, as too many people wanted to kill him.

In order to minimize the impact, Zhang Shikang made these personal guards wear only servants' clothes, making him look less like a provincial governor and more like a young master of a wealthy family.

"I'm sorry, I have many enemies, so I have no choice but to do this. Please forgive me.

As an apology, all the expenses of this restaurant today will be paid by me. Please continue to drink, my friends. " Zhang Shikang said to the people present with a smile.

Upon hearing this, although a few timid civilians still left, those who stayed immediately changed from being cautious to being quite happy.

"We want to eat meat, will you pay the bill?" At this time, one of the guests at a table in the corner asked loudly.

This man is big and strong, and looks like a warrior, so he doesn't take young masters like Zhang Shikang seriously, and even shouts out loud when he takes advantage of them.

"Okay, but there is a condition," said Zhang Shikang.

"Any conditions? You are such a petty person. What conditions?" the man yelled again.

"I'll sit at the same table with you guys. Let's all drink big bowls of wine and eat big chunks of meat together. How about that?" Zhang Shikang said with a smile.

There were four or five guests at that table, all of them were in their thirties or forties, and all of them were strong and sturdy. They were also the ones who boasted the most when they first entered the room. Zhang Shikang was very interested.

But Hong Xiucheng behind him frowned. He was a martial artist and with just a quick glance, he could tell that everyone at the table had very skilled skills.

If they wanted to harm Zhang Shikang, he was not sure he could protect Zhang Shikang, so he pulled Zhang Shikang's sleeve and was about to dissuade him, but he heard Zhang Shikang say:

"Just call a few more servants outside. This young master is in a good mood today, don't spoil his mood."

Of course Zhang Shikang understood Hong Xiucheng's concerns, and he also valued his own life, so he said to Hong Xiucheng.

"What kind of condition is that? Just come and sit down. I'm just worried that you, a pretty boy, will fall down after drinking two bowls of wine." The burly man said sarcastically.

So Hong Xiucheng called seven or eight servants from outside the house and asked them to sit next to the table of guests in the corner. Zhang Shikang also sat down at the table with the other big men, smiling.

"You are such a coward, young man. I have no grudge against you, and I won't eat you."

The man didn't mind Zhang Shikang sitting at their table, but he was very dissatisfied with Zhang Shikang's excessive caution. A group of servants almost surrounded them. Who could stand that?

"Hehe, don't mind, guys. We have enough meat today. Restaurant, give us ten pounds of beef first!" Zhang Shikang had to smile apologetically.

When Zhang Shikang came in, two of his personal guards went to the kitchen to check without making any noise.

But this behavior obviously made the people present very disdainful. Another strong man at the same table sneered:

"You young man don't know the suffering of the people. Where does beef come from in such a place? If the government finds out, you will be beaten with a stick."

……

PS: I learned from historical data that Yulin is a place full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers at this point in time. But I don't know what happened these two days. I just can't get into the state. I delete and write, write and delete, and I am always not satisfied. I didn't do the promised burst of updates. I'm really sorry. I'm trying hard to get back into the state, and please allow me to slow down for a while.