Chapter 283: Xi'an falls

With Master Zhang, the vicious and vicious lord, Jia Yingbi, the governor of Guangping who was wearing a pair of pants with the Wei family, did not have the courage to learn from the pen holder to confront the officials. Wei Tang and his son were scattered, and they could only honestly explain the so-called relative relationship between him and Wei Zhongxian to Zhao Zhenye. As Zhang's crow mouth said, the local rich man Wei Tang and his son really didn't know that Wei Zhongxian was originally surnamed Li, but only knew that his family moved from Suning three generations ago, so he thought that Wei Zhongxian was the same clan. He often used Wei Zhongxian's relatives' signature fish meat in the countryside to bully the people. Local officials did not have the courage to investigate whether Wei Zhongxian had this relative. As Wei Tang and his son became more and more aware that they were really close to Wei Zhongxian, and then they were close to the court.

After understanding this, Zhao Zhenye, who had long wanted to deal with Wei Tang's father and son, immediately ordered the Wei family to be imprisoned and taken to the capital for trial. The Wei family's father and son kowtowed desperately, and Jia Yingbi dared not speak out. However, Master Zhang was too lazy to make a big deal and offered two choices to the Wei family's father and son. One was to fine the silver 3,000 taels and hand it over to the Handan County Government to provide relief to the poor people. The father and son each blamed thirty, and the other was to take it to the capital and hand it over to the Ministry of Pacification for strict interrogation. Of course, the Wei family's father and son were willing to choose the first one.

However, the old man Wei Tang was too old and would be afraid that he would kick his legs if he couldn't stand the thirty-six boards. Master Zhang was very pleased to ask Wei Tang to pay another 300 taels of silver, so that Wei Tang's son Wei Yue could be blamed. Wei Tang of course agreed. Although Wei Yue opposed it, he could not resist the intimidation of his father and Guangping prefect Jia Yingbi. In the end, he obediently agreed to this condition. Amid the cheers of the people of Handan, his butts and thighs bloomed together, and his flesh and blood were blurred. From then on, he restrained a lot.

After handling the case in a hurry, Zhao Zhenye brought Mr. Zhang into the back hall, and first gave the court to the magistrate to pay homage to the governor, and explained: "Zhang's ministry is not deliberately not going to see you outside the city, but is indeed plagued by official affairs. Therefore, he planned to pay homage to the next meeting after the case was completed, and to share the friendship of the same age and the rudeness. I hope the ministry will forgive you."

"Brother Zhao Nian, why are you polite? What's the point of asking about the tribe? Also, don't call it a tribe, be apart! You and I are Jinshi in the same subject, so please call each other in the same year." Master Zhang laughed and helped Zhao Zhenye up and asked kindly: "Brother Nian, listen to your accent, it seems that you are from Shandong like me, right? Where is from Shandong?"

"What Brother Zhang Nian said is not bad. My family lives in Yanshen Town, Qingzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province for generations." Zhao Zhenye replied honestly. Master Zhang was overjoyed, "Okay, then we are not only in the same year, but also in the same hometown." After that, Master Zhang asked curiously again: "In my new brother, why are you still a seventh-rank magistrate? If I remember correctly, our subject seems to be doing well. Basically, if you become a magistrate, you will be promoted. With your political achievements, you should not be qualified to be promoted, right?"

"I'm not afraid of brother Zhang Nian's jokes." Zhao Zhenye explained with a wry smile: "After three years of service, the Ministry of Personnel's assessment and evaluations for Yudian are indeed excellent, and they are preparing to be promoted to the magistrate of Huzhou. However, when the son of Feng Ge Lao, the official of the Ministry of Revenue, went to Handan to visit, Yudian did not kowtow and gave him money, nor did he ask the post station to pay for him to entertain him. He annoyed Mr. Feng Ge Lao's son, and he just found a censor to participate in it, and my younger brother's sixth rank was ruined. Fortunately, the Minister of Personnel is our master, and the people of the Ministry of Personnel do not look at monks and Buddha's faces, and finally saved this seventh rank county magistrate."

"Damn it, it's Feng Quan, the old man who is old!" Master Zhang was furious and shouted hypocritically: "Brother Nian, don't be anxious. Tell me the whole story. I'll write a letter to my father and ask my father to deal with that old man!" Zhao Zhenye laughed and quickly refused Master Zhang's kindness, saying that he didn't care about his official position, and as long as he could benefit the people, he would be satisfied. Master Zhang pretended to perseverely insisted a few more words, and of course Zhao Zhenye refused. In the end, Master Zhang had to let him go.

As the same year as Mr. Zhang, Zhao Zhenye had to hold a banquet to entertain Mr. Zhang. Although Zhao Zhenye had already stated in advance that he could only treat Mr. Zhang with carrots and cabbage, the pretending to be honest Mr. Zhang certainly would not dislike the poor and love the rich. He happily accepted Zhao Zhenye's invitation. When Zhao Zhenye's yellow-faced wife went to cook, Mr. Zhang took the opportunity to test whether Zhao Zhenye was interested in serving under his command, but Zhao Zhenye did not give a positive answer.

First, I asked Master Zhang a question, "Brother Zhang Nian, I heard that the court was the first to promote the stake in Shaanxi. After the failure, Lord Ma Shiying and Lord Ma made another move in Datong, and finally achieved success. Not only did he reduce the burden on the people, but he also increased the income of the court. Later, the court issued an order to allow Lord Ma to be promoted to the governor of Xuanda and to fully implement the stake in Xuanda - Brother Nian, you have just come down from the position of Governor of Xuanda, and I wonder what you think about this?"

"Spread the stakes into the acres?" Master Zhang frowned. This is also the most sensitive issue when Master Zhang contacts officials at all levels. The stakes into the acres hurt the interests of officials and gentry, and the benefits are ordinary people and the country. There are 70 to 10 opponents of civil and military in the court. Even many innocent and honest officials are very dissatisfied with this. In this way, if Master Zhang shows his attitude of fully supporting the new policy of spreading the acres, he is afraid that the talents who are about to get will fly again. With hesitation, Master Zhang can only answer ambiguously: "Spread the stakes into the acres are still beneficial to the court and the people, but there are still many obstacles in this. Ma Shiying is too fussy, so he has to act cautiously..."

"Brother Zhang Nian, I don't agree with this." Zhao Zhenye said seriously: "Isn't it only a little benefit for the court and the people? In my opinion, this is completely the best medicine for the Ming Dynasty's revival! The land in the world, the vassal kings and officials and gentry in various places who do not pay taxes and do not pay taxes account for two, and only one of the three is in the hands of the people. Most of the taxes in the world have fallen to the people. In this way, these officials and gentry who do not pay taxes are still desperately annexing the land, relying on the privilege of tax exemption to try every means to deprive the people of the people. In the long run, the land in the world has fallen into the hands of officials and gentry. The people have no land to farm and have no money to pay taxes. What else can the court use to govern the country and to support the army?"

Speaking of this, Zhao Zhenye looked at the eldest master with some disappointment, sighed and said, "Tanhualang, the officials always thought that among the civil and military officials in the court, there may be many people who do not understand the benefits this new policy brings to the court and the people, but you absolutely understand! But now it seems, no wonder Lord Ma has always been in many obstacles in Xuanda and has been attacked in the court..."

"A new brother, you misunderstood me." Master Zhang felt relieved and said with a smile: "Did you know that when Ma Yaocao was promoting the establishment of a stake in Xuanda, who sent troops to protect his safety and help him force officials and gentry to pay taxes? Did you know that last year, more than 90 officials jointly impeached Ma Yaocao. Who helped him escape this catastrophe in the court?"

"Who is it?" Zhao Zhenye asked in a slight question. Master Zhang smiled but did not answer. Zhao Zhenye suddenly woke up and asked, "No wonder he is Brother Zhongzheng?" Master Zhang smiled and nodded, and smiled bitterly, "Don't be surprised if you are new brother, just because this new policy of ditto is too sensitive. Brother, I hold the military power of five provinces, and I am already very suspicious. So in this question, I dare not express my opinion easily, and I can only secretly support Brother Yaocao."

"Oh," Zhao Zhenye was overjoyed and stood up and bowed, "I don't know what Brother Zhongzheng is doing. Is it offensive to you, so please forgive me." Master Zhang smiled and waved his hand, saying he didn't mind. Zhao Zhenye grabbed Master Zhang's hand again and begged, "Brother Zhongzheng, I have something to ask for. I hope Brother Zhongzheng will agree to it in the same year."

"After the new brother, please say, as long as I can do it, I will do my best." Master Zhang patted his chest. Zhao Zhenye held Master Zhang's hand and begged: "To be honest, since Datong's successful implementation of the implementation of the stake in the acres, I have submitted a letter to the court and requested to try this policy in Handan. If it is also successfully implemented in Handan, it can be fully implemented in Beizhili. Unfortunately, after the memorial was sent to the court, it was a muddy bull and no reply was seen. I know that Brother Zhongzheng, you are in the court with high power, and you can hand it over, either the cabinet or the stake in the stake in the acres. I dared to ask Brother Zhongzheng to help me with my help. The previous memorial told the court, let me try the new policy of the stake in Handan."

"After new brother, I finally understand why your official position cannot be promoted." Master Zhang smiled bitterly and said, "I dared to take the initiative to submit a request to implement the new policy of placing a taxi into a dime. I am brave enough! Your memorial was probably given by the Governor of the Northern Zhili or the Governor's Office - how could they admit that there was a bad trend of placing a taxi into a dime in Beizhili?"

"Brother Zhongzheng's speech is really humorous, but it is also a fact. For those officials, what I did is indeed a real unhealthy trend." Zhao Zhenye also smiled bitterly and asked anxiously: "Brother Zhongzheng, what is the thing I said? Can you help me?"

"Help you tell the court that you can promote the taxi in Handan to earn acres of acres in Handan - no!" Master Zhang answered firmly. Zhao Zhenye was stunned. When he was about to ask again, Master Zhang smiled and said, "But I recommend you as the senator of the Shaanxi Tongzheng Envoy Department and let you fully implement the taxi in Shaanxi, which is what I should be able to do."

"What?" Zhao Zhenye was completely stunned and asked in surprise: "I am only a seventh rank, so how could I be promoted to four levels in a row and become the senator of the Shaanxi Provincial Administrator?"

"Isn't Hong Chengchou a fifth-rank before he became the third-rank governor?" Mr. Zhang said lightly: "Not to mention that the court is promoting the stakes and employed people, there is no reason. I beg my father to upgrade you to the fourth level, and I guess my father will give me this face." Zhao Zhenye opened his mouth wide and couldn't say a word for a long time. Mr. Zhang smiled and said, "What? If the new brother doesn't believe it? Then let the master write a letter to my father in front of you."

"No..., it's not that I don't believe it." Zhao Zhenye came back from his surprise for a long time, and was about to say that he was talented and poor and useless. The door was suddenly knocked in a hurry. The prefect of Guangping Jia Yingbi shouted tremblingly outside the door: "Zhangbutang, there is an emergency military information in Shaanxi to report to the court and you. The messenger passed by Handan Station. When he heard that you were in Handan City, he reported the pond to you. Do you have a ministry to come in and speak?"

"Come in." Master Zhang was most concerned about military information. He quickly opened the door himself. Jia Yingbi, who was so cold that his face was blue and pale, bowed into the door, and did not dare to go to the fire to keep warm immediately. Instead, he held the pond newspaper in front of Master Zhang with both hands. Master Zhang took it and opened it quickly. He looked at it for a few glances and looked ugly. Zhao Zhenye asked carefully: "Brother Zhang Nian, what happened?"

"It's nothing, it's just that Xi'an City was captured by the rioters." Master Zhang pretended to be relaxed. Zhao Zhenye and Jia Yingbi next to him were shocked and said in unison: "How is it possible? Sun Ge Lao and Hong Zhongcheng are in charge of Xi'an at the same time. Can the rioters still take Xi'an?"

"Sun Ge Lao was not in Xi'an, Hong Chengchou was caught in the plan of tyrants to pull the tiger away from the mountain." Master Zhang looked through the Tang newspaper and said with a wry smile: "As I expected, the tyrants besieged Pingliang Mansion was indeed a feint attack, luring Hong Chengchou to send troops to rescue, and then fighting and retreating to lure Hong Chengchou's main force further away from Xi'an. Then the tyrant Li Zicheng suddenly deviated from behind Hong Chengchou and attacked Xi'an City... Huh." Speaking of this, Master Zhang suddenly realized something was wrong because he was in the army.

The Qingtang newspaper made it very clear that the reason why Li Zicheng was able to successfully capture Xi'an was mainly because the rioters who had sneaked into the city in advance should open the city gate. Zhu Yifeng, the deputy commander of Xi'an, and Zou Jiasheng, were caught off guard, and both of them were broken and died. In the impression of Master Zhang, the rebel army seemed to have never used similar methods when the peasant uprising in Shaanxi in history. However, Master Zhang's mortal enemy Jiannu's army was familiar with this and tried it again and again.

"Ministry, what happened?" Zhao Zhenye and Jia Yingbi asked again. Master Zhang shook his head, "It's nothing. I remembered an old friend on the battlefield. It seems that he has made great efforts to fall from Xi'an this time." After that, Master Zhang folded the pond newspaper, put it in his arms, and smiled and said, "Brother Xin, I originally wanted to chat with you for a few more days, but it seems that it is not possible. When the recruits arrive tomorrow, I have to set off immediately. What I said to you just now is settled. When I liberation Xi'an, you can come to Xi'an to meet me. And Priest Jia, don't worry about what you have done today. I don't mean to blame you. It's just that if you act in the future, you can think more for the people of the Ming Dynasty..."

……………………

Although Master Zhang spoke easily in front of Zhao Zhenye and Jia Yingbi, after returning to the military camp outside the city after using simple food at Zhao Zhenye's home, Master Zhang immediately asked Shi Kefa to write on his behalf, and sent an order to Sun Chengzong and Hong Chengchou as the governor of the five provinces, so that they could take back Xi'an. If they could not get it back in a short time, they would never be able to fight. They would lose their troops and immediately withdraw to Huazhou and Huayin areas for rest and wait for their reinforcements to arrive.

It is not too late to restore Xi'an. At the same time, it can also assist Henan Governor Yang Zuoji to defend Tongguan at a critical moment to block the road to the treacherous thieves entering the Central Plains. Although Master Zhang's order was to stabilize the overall situation, Song Xiance immediately said after listening to the orders dictated by Master Zhang, he said: "Boss, don't waste your energy. Master Sun Geji will not listen to your order. And if this order is sent over, it may have a counterproductive effect!"

Master Zhang had a gloomy face and did not speak. Shi Kefa, who was writing quickly, raised his head and said, "Mr. Song, isn't it? Zhang Butang is the governor of five provinces. Although Master Sun Ge Lao is highly respected, he is also the actual subordinate of Zhang Butang. Zhang Butang's constitution, why would he not listen? How could it be counterproductive?"

"The bad thing lies in the words of high morality and respect." Song Xiance sighed: "Who is Sun Ge Lao? The teacher who is long alive now, has also served as the Grand Secretary of Dongge, Minister of War, Liaodong and Shaanxi-Ganxi. That official position is smaller than that of Dongjia? This time the imperial court appointed Dongjia as the governor of five provinces to govern Sun Ge Lao. Sun Ge Lao must be dissatisfied. Now the number one important town in Shaanxi has been lost in Sun Ge Lao's hands. How could Sun Ge Lao obey the orders of the boss and withdraw Huayin to assist the Henan army in defending Tongguan? He is not afraid of being ridiculed by others? So I bet that even if the boss's order was delivered to Sun Ge Lao in time, Sun Ge Lao would never listen. He would only be determined to take Xi'an."

Speaking of this, Song Xiance spread his hands and said helplessly: "The more troublesome thing is still to come. If this order is sent to Master Sun, then even if Master Sun realizes that retreating to Huayin area is the best strategy, he may miss the opportunity to retreat and continue to attack Xi'an in order to save face."

"Xianzhi, there is no need to write the imperial order. Master Song said it makes sense. This order will only backfire." Master Zhang took back the order weakly. Shi Kefa was stunned for a while and finally put down his pen. After following Master Zhang for a year, Shi Kefa finally became more aware of the world. Moreover, Sun Chengzong, who was good at defending this time, led the army to suppress the thieves and attacked the enemy's strengths by himself. It also made it clear that Sun Chengzong was attacking with anger and was preparing to use several big victories to save face. In addition, Hong Chengchou also took the risk to attack, which led to the fall of Xi'an.

"Who do you know the situation of the Henan Governor Yang Zuoji?" Sun Chengzong did not dare to take the risk of ordering. Master Zhang could only put his ideas on the head of the Henan army and asked, "How much do you know about the Henan army?"

Shi Kefa, who was a little familiar with his knowledge, shook his head in confusion, and Song Xiance replied: "Boss, when I was traveling around to tell fortunes, I spent a long time in Henan governed by Yang Zuoji. In my impression, Yang Zuoji was still a competent governor. Henan had been drought and locust plagues for many years, but the victims had not started. The main reason was that Henan under his control was barely calculated to be harmonious with people. Every time the court distributed relief grain, he could more or less fall into the hands of the victims. From this, it can be seen that he may be a good official and more popular with the people. As for the Henan army, don't mention it. How much combat effectiveness can the local army that is often owed and lost to pay? What's worse is that there is no general in Henan, and the army in various places lacks unified leadership. It is estimated that Yang Zuoji can really mobilize the army guarding the pass, that is, the army of Henan Prefecture."

Master Zhang frowned even more, and his face was calm and he didn't say a word for a long time. Song Xiance guessed that Master Zhang was thinking and whispered: "Boss, don't worry too much. In fact, Xi'an is lost and Tongguan is in a hurry, which may not be a bad thing for you. With his temper and style of life of nine thousand years old, he will make a big fuss about this matter and pave the way for you. Without Master Sun's restraint, you can quickly integrate the Shaanxi army and eliminate the rioters."

"You can talk about these things slowly." Master Zhang shook his head slowly and said in a heavy tone: "What I worry most now is Tongguan. If Tongguan cannot defend it, let the rioters enter the Central Plains, then things will be troublesome." Hearing this, Shi Kefa nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Master Zhang's opinion. Song Xiance snorted coldly, thinking that it might be better if Tongguan is lost. When the rioters flee into Henan, the court will definitely hand over Henan to the boss, and the territory and army controlled by the boss will be more. Of course, it is nothing for Song Xiance to say these words in front of the ambitious Master Zhang, but in front of Shi Kefa, who is as pure as the snow water in the Tianshan Mountains, would not do it - then it might cause death!

"Xianzhi, you might as well write a letter to Mr. Sun Ge Lao." Mr. Zhang thought for a while and said in a deep thought: "If you write this in the letter, first tell Mr. Sun Ge Lao that I and the governor of Henan, Yang Zuoji are friends of life and death. I know Yang Zuoji very well and feel relieved. Then wear a few more high hats on Yang Zuoji's head, making him look rare in the sky and alone in the ground. Finally, you tell Mr. Sun Ge Laoji that he can lead his army to restoration of Xi'an without caring about Tongguan. The Henan army led by Yang Zuoji will definitely be able to defend Tongguan and will not repeat the mistakes of Xi'an. Remember, you must write the words "never repeat the mistakes of Xi'an."

"Wonderful!" Song Xiance applauded and smiled, "The boss is indeed good at using other people's psychology. What a proud and arrogant person is Mr. Sun Ge? Seeing this letter, he will definitely divide an army to station in Huayin. Once Tongguan is in emergency, he will immediately reinforce Tongguan and use a victory to defend the gate to hit the boss in the face." Shi Kefa, who was stunned and suddenly realized and quickly buried his head in writing.
Chapter completed!