Chapter 1: The Man Who Prepares to Go Home

The fifteenth year of Chongzhen is not a good year for Tianfu.

Although this year has been smooth, there is no smile on the face of Shi Kefa, the prefect of Ying Tianfu.

Li Hongji's million-strong army is in Luzhou, and Yingtianfu is close at hand, how can he get up happily.

Fortunately, the nobles, salt merchants, and wealthy families of Nanjing City also saw the threat, so Shi Kefa's strategy of organizing the Yangtze River defense line to deal with Li Hongji was recognized by everyone.

It was also the first time that Shi Kefa's decree was carried out unimpeded in Yingtianfu.

Weapons, rations, soldiers, ships, and salaries were all purchased very smoothly.

When Tan Boming entered the study, Shi Dewei, who was discussing things with his father-in-law Shi Kefa, hurriedly said to Tan Boming: "Brother Mingdao, the thieves are stationed in Fengyang, and I have pre-led 5,000 soldiers and horses to enter Yangzhou, and the food and military salaries, have you ever prepared them?" “

Tan Boming said: "There is a salary for the grain and straw, the question is how does the young general lead the troops into Yangzhou?" I have just received an official letter jointly signed by Zhang Tianlu and Zhang Tianfu, the commander-in-chief of Yangzhou.

They said very clearly in the official letter that Yangzhou has strong soldiers and horses, and there are 200 warships, which is more than enough to deal with the rogues, and we don't need the help of Tianfu. ”

As he spoke, he put the official letter on Shi Kefa's desk.

Yan Ermei, the counselor of Ying Tianfu, who was discussing the matter together, said angrily: "What time is it, Zhang Tianfu, Zhang Tianlu is still on guard against us." ”

Tan Boming frowned and said, "To be honest, I don't approve of sending troops to Yangzhou. ”

Stilwell said: "At this time, the world is full of people, everyone has the responsibility of defending the land, the rogues have arrived in Chuzhou, Nanjing is blocked by a big river, and the thieves are not good at water warfare, so they are naturally safe and sound."

As long as the thieves go south, they will arrive in Yangzhou in one day and night, once the thieves come in a big way, what will they resist?

Just Zhang Tianlu's 20,000 soldiers and horses who ate empty salaries? ”

Tan Boming looked at the young Stilwell and sighed: "Ying Tianfu is not stable!" ”

Shi Kefa pondered for a moment and said to Shi Dewei: "I will write a letter to Zhang Tianfu and Brother Zhang Tianlu again, explaining that you only went to Yangzhou to assist them in defense, and we brought our own food and military salaries, and we did not covet Yangzhou."

5,000 soldiers and horses go to Yangzhou, it is only to assist in defense, and you have to be controlled by Zhang Tianfu and Zhang Tianlu brothers when you go to Yangzhou. ”

Stevens said angrily: "How can you give up the command? ”

Shi Kefa glared at Stilwell and said, "Focus on the overall situation!" ”

Tan Boming saw that Shi Kefa had made up his mind, so he didn't say anything anymore.

Shi Kefa, who focuses on the overall situation everywhere, has already spent a lot of money and food on Ying Tianfu......

This kind of policy without focus and attention, no matter how strong Ying Tianfu is, it will gradually become defeated because of this behavior of sprinkling pepper noodles everywhere.

Seeing Tan Boming's gloomy face, Shi Kefa sighed and said, "Bear with me." ”

Tan Boming smiled bitterly and arched his hand at Shi Kefa and said: "As the Facao of Ying Tianfu, I have the responsibility to inform the Mansion that Ying Tianfu is now surging because of the arrival of Li Hongji's army, and it needs to be suppressed by soldiers and horses.

At this time, it is inappropriate to send a major general to take away the 5,000 soldiers and horses we have worked so hard to train. ”

Shi Kefa said with a smile: "It's okay, the people of Ying Tianfu are docile, after two years of governance, the people's will is already extremely obvious, as long as we investigate Ying Tianfu diligently, it will be fine." ”

Tan Boming looked at the roof with his eyes and said lightly: "I hope so." ”

Yan Ermei said with a smile: "Now that the shortcomings of the Ming Dynasty have been eliminated in Yingtianfu, the reason why the young general was allowed to lead the troops to Yangzhou is to let the people of Yangzhou know the name of the mansion."

Use the battle of Yangzhou to establish power, and then prepare us for the next step to implement the new policy to Yangzhou. ”

Tan Boming said in a low voice: "Fuzun has such ambitions, why don't you order the young general to follow the example of the Warring States Xinling Jun to seize power with a big iron cone?" Tan Boming is willing to be the deputy of the major general! ”

Yan Ermei was taken aback and said: "How can Mingdao make such a perverse statement, doing so will cause the government to be disloyal, unfilial, unkind and unjust." ”

Tan Boming looked at Shi Kefa and said: "Knowing that Zhang Tianfu and Zhang Tianlu are the two brothers who are corpses and vegetarians, but let the young general obey their orders, it will be just if the thieves don't come, if the thieves come, the first bad person will definitely be the young general."

Fuzun, the reason why Daming has fallen to such a point is because those of us who want to do things are bound by etiquette and law, and we will end up in such a field with forbearance everywhere. ”

Shi Kefa shook his head and said: "Your Majesty has entrusted me with the Heavenly Mansion, I will repay it with loyalty, enlighten the way, and do my best." ”

Tan Boming sighed and left the study.

Shi Dewei's mind flickered a little when he heard Tan Boming's words, and he wanted to speak, but seeing that his father-in-law was worried, he finally swallowed what he wanted to say into his stomach.

Yan Ermei said: "The authority of Fuzun, Tan Boming, and Zhang Xiaofeng is too great, and now they are rebellious......

Shi Kefa waved his hand without waiting for Yan Ermei to finish speaking: "We have to unite as one, don't chill the hearts of these people." ”

Yan Ermei clasped her fists and saluted to apologize.

When Tan Boming returned to the office, Zhang Xiaofeng, who was writing official documents, put down the brush in his hand, looked up at Tan Boming and said, "How is it?" ”

Tan Boming said in a low voice: "You are right, even if you tell them what happened, they still think that the riot led by Zhou Guoping is just a disease of scabies."

My proposal to take advantage of Stilwell's presence in Yangzhou to kill Zhang Tianlu and Zhang Tianfu's brothers was also denied. ”

Zhang Xiaofeng rubbed his hole vigorously and said: "The expected thing, our mansion honorable man does not spare his life, but he is afraid of doing big things, since he can't do big things, we should push him to do big things."

Stilwell is young, and he is very ambitious at this time, so he should be able to do it if he is instigated. ”

Tan Boming said: "You decided to bypass the Mansion and do this?" ”

Zhang Xiaofeng spread his hands and said, "Why not?" Anyway, sooner or later, we will enter Yangzhou. ”

Tan Boming smiled when he heard this, patted Zhang Xiaofeng's hand and said: "I originally planned to continue to carry the position of Facao on my body to deal with the upcoming riots, but now, Facao has a new candidate." ”

"Who? Yan Ermei? ”

"That's right, my words today exceed the bottom line that Fuzun can bear, it is natural for me to be replaced, it is estimated that I will be sent to serve as the magistrate of a county, and Yan Ermei will replace me as Facao."

Zhang Xiaofeng said with a smile: "Don't take out the academy's wits and bully these old Confucian students, it's too bullying." ”

Tan Boming said with a smile: "It's just a trivial matter, I hope Boss Zhou has already arranged everything, the county has issued a strict order, and given a deadline, we have already overtime." ”

Jiming Temple on the edge of the drum tower!

Full of white.

Zhou Guoping sat in the middle, with a gorgeous silk lotus flower on her head.

Shaking the streamer, Zhou Guoping said softly: "There is no order from the old mother, the time has come for us to return to our vacuum hometown." ”

After speaking, he continued to close his eyes and meditate silently.

The originally quiet Buddhist hall suddenly burst into discussion.

When everyone was talking to the climax, Zhou Guoping's hands pressed in the void, and everyone returned to silence.

"Kill the rich, scatter the surplus wealth, free the servants and maids, open a warehouse and release grain, and then return to their hometown without worry."

An old monk clasped his hands together and said: "The old monk has been waiting to return to his hometown for a long time, Yuankong, let's go, kill the rich, scatter the surplus wealth, free the servants and maids, open the warehouse and release the grain, and then, return to the hometown without worry." ”

The white-bearded old monk slowly stood up with a Zen staff and left the Jiming Temple with a young monk.

"If you don't respect your mother's words, you will fall into hell forever, and you will not be able to be reborn."

A tall man who looked like an old peasant also stood up and left the Jiming Temple with a few young men.

"Tell the disciples in the family that this is the last chance my mother gave me to wait, and if I miss it, I will have to wait another 10,000 years."

An old man who looked like a boatman stood up and walked away with some young men.

An old woman with goosebumps asked, "Leave 30% of the incense money?" ”

Zhou Guoping shook his head and said: "This is the last chance, we all have to go to our hometown in vacuum, if you don't want to go, the incense money is all yours." ”

The old woman smiled and said, "In this case, I will send two thousand people." ”

Zhou Guoping took off the lotus crown on her head and put it on the old woman's head and said: "I'm going to Xu's family, I'm afraid I can't go back to the altar, please tell my motherless mother about me when you cast the spell, I hope that my mother-free mother can return home with my soul." ”

The old woman opened her toothless mouth and said: "Although the holy woman goes, although he goes, the day you start the incident is the time when I open the altar." ”

Zhou Guoping nodded seriously, and said to the last few men left: "Gunpowder, have the weapons been issued?" ”

A strong man nodded and said, "It's ready, just wait for the lifeless old mother to come." ”

Zhou Guoping dissolved her hair, opened her arms like a female ghost and shouted loudly at the Maitreya Buddha statue in the main hall: "On the second day of February, the dragon raises its head, it is the day of the arrival of the lifeless old mother!" ”

Seeing that Zhou Guoping was crazy, the old woman was also prostrate under the sitting statue of Maitreya Buddha, trembling all over, as if there was a strong devil hidden in her thin body, and was about to tear open her body and get out of it.

After a while, the old woman sat up straight and said in a childlike voice that only a girl can have: "On the second day of February, the dragon raises its head, and it is the day when the childless old mother comes. ”

Zhou Guoping glanced at the old woman, and saw that the two pure white eyeballs in her eye sockets could not see a single black eyeball, so he held his long knife, stepped over the old woman's thin body, and strode away from Jiming Temple.

By this time, the sky had gradually darkened, and thin rains were floating in the alleys.

Holding a vermilion oil-paper umbrella, Zhou Guoping wore a lilac dress, like a bright lilac flower.

Even though it was raining, the roast duck stand deep down the alley was still crowded.

Zhou Guoping put the long knife on the low table, sat on the low stool, and said to the long-awaited boss: "The old rule, a duck, triangle wine, don't mix water with wine, and don't mix anything else with it." ”

The boss was not surprised by Zhou Guoping's strange request, because this beautiful masked woman had already eaten sixty-seven ducks from him, and of course, killed two people.

The bosses of Nanjing City are extremely tolerant of old customers like Zhou Guoping, who spend money happily and never pay on credit, even if she kills someone.

After a while, a fragrant roast duck was cut into pieces by the boss and neatly placed on the plate, and the jujube red skin looked like an agate under the oil lamp.

Zhou Guoping, drinking, eating meat, without saying a word.

Soon, a duck, triangle wine into the stomach.

She took out a silver ingot on the table and said to the boss who collected the money: "If you can't open it these days, don't open it." ”