Daming: I asked you to hang yourself, but I didn’t ask you to rebuild the Ming Dynasty

If the small court in Jiangnan treated him well, Huang Degong might not have made this determination.

however……

He is in a bad situation!

Instead of staying in Jiangnan and being ostracized everywhere, it is better to return to the emperor!

At least, he was not so jealous when he was under the emperor's account.

After being immersed in official circles for so long, Huang Degong knew what to do to truly protect himself.

As long as he hands over his troops to Fang Zhenghua and goes to His Majesty alone to plead guilty...

Not only would the emperor not kill him, but he would also praise him!

Even going one step further is not impossible!

……

Huang Degong showed his loyalty, but Fang Zhenghua ignored him.

How could Huang Degong's little thoughts be hidden from him!

Fang Zhenghua asked in return: "How many of the sons of Yongwei Camp are there?"

Huang Degong's face turned bitter:

"Governor, there are only a little more than 800 left."

After successive battles, the Yongwei camp could not be replenished and almost died!

Seeing Fang Zhenghua ask this, Huang Degong thought that Fang Zhenghua was going to defend the camp bravely.

He hastily said:

"When the younger one returns, we will separate the Yongwei camp and hand it all over to you, the Governor."

"Not so much!"

Fang Zhenghua waved his hand: "Just give me five hundred."

Fang Zhenghua thought for a while and realized that Huang Degong still had to win over Huang Degong, and the chess piece had to be buried.

Immediately, he continued: "Your Majesty said that you will train five thousand elite soldiers according to the training methods of the Yongwei Battalion. You will keep the 300 as the backbone."

"Yes!"

Huang Degong responded respectfully.

Fang Zhenghua frowned and began to think, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the tea cup.

Huang Degong waited for a while and saw that Fang Zhenghua didn't speak, so he had to continue asking:

"Governor, is that young man going to Nanyang tomorrow to plead guilty to His Majesty?"

"No need!"

Fang Zhenghua waved his hand: "As long as you still recognize His Majesty, that's fine. I have other plans for you!"

Huang Degong hurriedly agreed.

It seems that I made the right bet!

He suddenly felt at ease, holding his urine in his hands and waiting.

The flames from the candles swayed, casting the reflections of the two people in the room on the window hinges.

You can hear needle drops indoors.

Fangzhenghua is like an old monk in meditation, motionless.

Huang Degong's mouth twitched from time to time - the bubbles in his urine were about to burst.

After waiting for a while, Fang Zhenghua still didn't speak.

Huang Degong couldn't bear it anymore, and when he wanted to excuse himself and go to the toilet, Fang Zhenghua spoke.

Fang Zhenghua asked:

"Your base is all along the river?"

Huang Degong nodded hurriedly: "The Governor is aware of the situation. Shi Kefa ordered the small ones to be stationed in Chuzhou, Hezhou, and Wuwei. The stations are all on the north bank of the river."

"Jiangnan is better, people will not die from hunger!" Fang Zhenghua said:

"Your Majesty loves the people like your own children. There are more than millions of refugees following Your Majesty into Nanyang..."

Huang Degong's face changed drastically and he said hurriedly:

"Governor, Nanyang is in ruins and there is no food and grass. Please advise Your Majesty immediately to set up checkpoints and stop letting refugees in!"

"Humph!

Do you want you to teach His Majesty how to do things? "

Fang Zhenghua snorted coldly:

"Why, Huang Chuangzi has been stationed in this Rouge Nest for a long time. Have you forgotten what our family told you to "be filial to your parents in the world"?"

"Father and common people, don't you Huang Chuangzi even want it?"

Huang Degong's head was covered in cold sweat.

He wriggled his lips a few times and said:

"The little one is going to collect food and grass..."

He smiled bitterly: "The small business is also very short on food and salary, so we can't make much money.

The governor knew that the young man had never set up an army to plunder or harm the people, so he did not have much property.

Even all the savings can only buy 10,000+ stone grain and grass.

This is really a drop in the bucket of what His Majesty needs..."

(When Zhu Yousong came to power, he still had money to win over people. After Ruan Dayue, Ma Shiying and others came to power, the internal fighting in Jiangnan became more intense, which directly cut off the financial supply of the Hongguang Dynasty. This can be clearly seen in the records of the time) See.)

……

Huang Degong was afraid of being scolded by Fang Zhenghua, so after explaining his predicament, he hurriedly said:

"Others...Rong Xiao, I'll think of a solution for a while."

“Don’t worry, Governor, even if you’re a small kid, you’ll still be able to get food for Your Majesty!”

Fang Zhenghua glanced at him.

Fang Zhenghua did not express any response to Huang Degong's attentiveness. Instead, he said calmly:

"What's the current price of Jiangnan grain and grass?"

Huang Degong stretched out his index and middle fingers and put them together:

"In the area of ​​southern Zhili, the price is seven cents per dou.

There are many gentry and wealthy families here, they are profit-seeking, and there are many fields for growing cotton, mulberry trees, and tobacco leaves.

On the contrary, there are fewer people growing food, so food prices are higher.

If you go to Hunan to buy it, it costs five cents. "

Although the price of grain in Jiangnan is indeed not high, 1 taels of silver can buy [-] shi of grain.

However, Huang Degong did not lie.

He really didn't have much money. Even if he took out all the family property he had accumulated over the years, he could only buy about [-] shi of food.

Fang Zhenghua looked at him with a half-smile:

“This is the price at the market, what if you buy it in bulk?

What if you can buy several boats, dozens of boats, or hundreds of boats? "

Huang Degong smiled bitterly:

"Governor, you also know that the grain stores are the property of the big gentry!

When will people look down upon us like Qiu Ba? No matter how shameless we are, we can only talk about six coins of silver and one stone at most..."

Founder waved his hand:

“How much you talk is your business!

As long as you remember, no matter how much food you get, the governor will give it to you for seven cents of silver! "

"That can't be done!

I'll try my best to save something for His Majesty..." Huang Degong was startled, how dare he ask for the benefits of Founder Transformation!

Huang Degong didn't even finish his words, but was interrupted by Fang Zhenghua:

"This is what His Majesty meant!

His Majesty said that only if you are allowed to work with all your heart and make money without corruption, can you truly serve the country. "

Huang Degong was greatly moved.

Historically, when the imperial court purchased things, in order to prevent courtiers from being corrupted, the prices were always set very low!

Although for bulk trade, the price is indeed much lower.

However, many officials who came from a humble background and studied hard have no idea about these wealthy activities!

In fact, many poor scholars have long been controlled by wealthy families. How can the secular stewards (staff) assigned to their "son-in-law" speak to the country!

In the capital, the capitalists have even extended a whole set of one-stop services specifically for new officials——

Providing loans, running official positions, providing consultation, and providing a staff team to "quasi-masters"...

Will they think about the country?

……

As a result, not only was the court's original intention not reflected, it was actually counterproductive.

In the end, not only did the money not be saved, but in turn, the money was thrown away several times or dozens of times!

It must be said that opaque rules have become a breeding ground for official corruption.

It’s not that you can get things done just by “not being greedy”!

Those upright officials who received the funds allocated by the court would not even be able to complete the prescribed amount without an intimate person to help manage it!

……