"Congratulations to Master Zhou on returning home!" On the Wuchang wharf, a group of gentry wearing silk vests and melon skin hats stood on the wharf to welcome Zhou Peigong back from Anqing.

Governor Zhang Changgeng personally held a banquet in the mansion to invite Zhou Peigong, who came back. Although he Zhang Changgeng is the governor, he is very shrewd, and he knows that Zhou Peigong is valued by Aobai, and he will definitely have a bright future in the future. And this time, Zhou Peigong was authorized by Aobai to build a new green camp, how can he not pay attention to such a pillar of talent.

Ao Bai attaches great importance to Zhou Peigong, and through a long talk with Zhou Peigong, Ao Bai knows that Zhou Peigong is a very strategic person, as long as he uses it well, he is a new Hong Chengchou! Although the current tactical level of this person is too poor, it is just that he is too young, if he is given the opportunity to exercise, he will inevitably become a Confucian general.

Time goes back to a few days ago, when Zhou Peigong left, Ao Bai said to Mu Lima: "This person is a pillar of talent, but he doesn't have much actual combat experience now, when he builds a new green camp, we will let him exterminate the thieves, and we are responsible for protecting him!" ”

Mulima has always believed in his eldest brother, and he will naturally take care of the people he likes. So Mulima sent his own soldiers to escort Zhou Peigong back to Wuchang, and gave him the best and most luxurious ship to send him back.

Zhou Peigong sailed on the Yangtze River on the luxurious boat given to him by Mulima, protected by the Goshha of the Eight Banners along the way, and there were singers and girls playing the piano and dancing on board. There were delicacies on the table in the cabin, and several Goshha took turns to toast Zhou Peigong, which made his head a little hot, and the whole person was fluttering.

"Lord Ao and Lord Mulima love the lower officials so much, the lower officials can only serve the court with their lives!" Zhou Peigong arched his hand. What he said finally came true. Later, someone fulfilled Zhou Peigong's wish and asked him to serve the court with his life.

After the ship returned to Wuchang. He was warmly received by the governor Zhang Changgeng.

The governor held a banquet, and the gentry and nobles who received the invitation and those who did not receive the invitation but were able to climb the relationship came to the governor's mansion one after another.

"Zhao Yuanwai, please inside!" At the entrance of the house, a butler-like person was greeting the arriving guests.

The guy outside in a melon-skin hat and a blue silk gown returned the salute, and then pointed with a fan to the two servants carrying the gifts: "Bring in the gifts for the governor!" ”

"Master Zhao, you're too polite! You are a regular visitor to our house. How embarrassing is that? The butler said with a false excuse.

"It's just a small courtesy, not a respect!" Zhao Yuanwai arched his hand.

Outside the door, the guests walked into the house one by one, and the people who came were all carrying gifts. Gold and silver treasures, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and all kinds of luxury goods are piled up in the front yard inside the gate of the governor's palace.

Zhang Changgeng sat in the lobby, looking at the endless stream of guests walking in, and he smiled in his heart. Originally, this kind of banquet of local parents and officials was a cover for making money, and they and their parents had birthdays. Children get married, give birth to children, take concubines by themselves, concubines give birth to children, etc., as well as New Year's banquets, etc., which can make the local gentry take out gold and silver to give gifts. And the gentry who are qualified to come to celebrate their birthdays and participate in the banquet are the best relations, and they still give you face by accepting your gifts.

This time, congratulations to Zhou Peigong on his promotion. It was also used by Zhang Changgeng as a cover to set up a wine banquet to make money. But in addition to making money for yourself. Another important thing today is that the formation of a new green camp requires silver, and these silver can't be paid by Zhang Changgeng himself, right? You gentry, who eat a lot of fat on weekdays, should you contribute a little to the Qing Dynasty when the Qing Dynasty is in trouble?

Before the banquet begins. Zhang Changgeng first said something that was not nutritious, anyway, he congratulated Zhou Peigong, and said thousands of words, needless to say, the specific content is needless to say, anyway, it is something that is not nutritious. Just look at the news from a certain TV station to understand. After finishing speaking, Zhang Changgeng raised his hand and said, "Serve!" ”

After five flavors of food and three rounds of wine, Zhang Changgeng stood up again and spoke: "Everyone, Haikou is powerful, and the anti-thief is arrogant!" Now the thieves are entrenched in Jiangnan and wantonly slaughtering innocent people! Coerce the gentry with knives and guns to give them money! These guys who eat people's hearts and drink people's blood, they even brutally killed scholars, killed squires, robbed food, deprived the people of their land, and turned them into military fields! The thieves have committed a lot of crimes in Jiangnan! ”

The Ming army did kill a group of gentry in Jiangnan, confiscated their property, confiscated their land, turned the land into military reclamation fields, and distributed them to the military households in the army to cultivate. However, the gentry who were killed were all active in doing things for the Qing court, or someone in the family was an official in the court.

Zhang Huangyan also eliminated a group of gentry and aristocrats according to the list, especially some gentry and aristocrats who entered the Eight Banners of the Han Dynasty, including Cai Shiying's family. Even Zhang Changgeng's manor in Jiangnan was confiscated by the Ming army, and among the families who remained there, all the men were killed and all the women were captured.

At that time, there were indeed many gentry and nobles in Jiangnan who took the initiative to enter the Han military flag for their own status. For example, the Haining Cha clan is a very famous family, among which there are many backbone figures, but there are also many guys who act for the tiger and take the initiative to enter the flag. Naturally, the Ming army also arrested many people from the Cha family.

And the vast majority of the gentry and nobles, the Ming army did not move them. The ordinary gentry and nobles, although they did not cherish their homeland, they did not take the initiative to do things for the Qing court, those people were the objects of the Ming army, and the Ming army did not embarrass them.

But the words came out of the mouth of the Qing court, which deliberately smeared and demonized the Ming army, making these gentry and aristocrats in Hubei in front of Zhang Changgeng feel a feeling of being dead and sad.

It's just that Zhang Changgeng said these words at this time, isn't it a louse on the bald head, and he clearly wants to ask for money from himself? Asking these gentry to come up with money is worse than asking for their lives! In their eyes, the father and mother have no money. You don't see, when the Ming regime was in jeopardy, and Chongzhen was so poor that he couldn't even get his military salary, these gentry were still trying to reduce taxes for themselves and their families, which finally led to the collapse of the Ming Empire. Then as soon as the Qing court came, many gentry threw themselves into the Qing court as lackeys. However, the Qing court did not let them go because they were obedient to the people, and the gentry in Jiangnan finally obediently took out the silver under the knife of the Qing army.

At that time, the Ming court, the Han people's own court, and the gentry were reluctant to take out the silver. Now it's the Qing court, the court of different races, will the gentry honestly take out the silver? Except for loyal ministers of the Qing Dynasty like Zhou Peigong, I am afraid that as long as the ordinary gentry are not brained, it is impossible for them to take the initiative to pay money.

"My lord, the country is in trouble. The husband is responsible, since the thieves are entrenched in the south of the Yangtze River and may threaten Huguang at any time, the grass people are willing to take out the silver to create a new army for Lord Zhou! A gentleman in a blue melon-skin hat and a brown silk waistcoat stood up.

The other gentry all stared angrily at the man who stood up, and if his eyes could kill someone, he didn't know how many times he would have died. As the saying goes, cutting off people's wealth is like killing their parents, and everyone doesn't speak at this time. What do you mean when you stand up? You have a lot of money yourself, so you donate it secretly! Why stand up and be a bird at this time!

Although Zhang Changgeng skillfully set up a name for everyone to give gifts, but the silver of that year was very valuable, generally speaking, some rare antiques, calligraphy, paintings, jewelry, etc., only a few hundred taels of silver, and gifts of 511 silver, it is easy to find people from the yamen, which is not distressing for the gentry. But to form a new army, this fundraising. How much silver each person has to bleed!

Everyone knows that the army is the most expensive place! For example: An army of 10,000 people, not to mention anything else, even if it is a military salary, no more uniforms, and the most rudimentary weapons are used, just food. That's a lot of silver in a month!

"It's Master Liu! Mr. Liu, tell me, how much silver are you going to donate? Seeing that it was an old acquaintance, Zhang Changgeng looked at the gentry surnamed Liu with a smile and asked.

The gentry surnamed Liu first bowed his hand to Zhang Changgeng, and then turned around and bowed his hand to everyone in the lobby: "My lord, the grass people are willing to donate five hundred taels of silver." Support Lord Chou to create a new army! ”

The gentry secretly rejoiced in their hearts: This Master Liu is one of the top riches in Wuchang! So the famous old man only donated five hundred taels of silver, and the gift he didn't give to Lord Zhang Changgeng was valuable! Since he took this head, then everyone doesn't need to raise too much silver, anyway, you Zhang Changgeng have eaten so much ill-gotten wealth from everyone, and your Lord Governor should also spit it out, right?

"I'll donate three hundred!" Zhao Yuanwai, who has always had a good relationship with Zhang Changgeng, also stood up and "generously donated".

The gentry stood up to "generately" raise donations:

"I'll donate two hundred pieces of silver!"

"I'll donate one hundred and fifty taels!"

"I'll donate three hundred!"

“……”

"I'll donate fifty taels!" A blockbuster voice appeared.

Zhang Changgeng almost fell from his chair to the ground.

At this moment, another even more thrilling voice appeared: "I donate twenty taels!" ”

"Ma's! Twenty taels dare to take it out? Is this a dispatch called Hanako? After Zhang Changgeng finished drinking, his face was originally a little ruddy, but now it is getting darker and darker: these gentry are too faceless, right? Do they have to put knives on their necks before they are willing to bleed?

At the end of the dinner, Zhang Changgeng, who had a gloomy face, called Zhou Peigong to his study.

"Pei Gong! It's all your great idea! What to build a new army, and swore to promise Lord Ao to form an army of 50,000 people! Let it be the gentry who pay! Now it's good to go! There were so many gentry here, and the sum of the money raised was less than 20,000 taels! You said! 20,000 taels of silver, for 50,000 people to eat, how many days can you eat? Don't want money for clothes? Weapons don't want money? Also build ships, buy cannons! You're going to let the official pay for the money himself? Zhang Changgeng almost smashed the official document on the table into Zhou Peigong's face.

"Your Excellency!" Zhou Peigong arched his hand, "Since you have promised Lord Ao, there must be a way to form this new army!" I'm just going to borrow some soldiers from adults! When the time comes, I am not afraid that these people will not take out the silver! ”

"Borrowed soldiers?" Zhang Changgeng's face became even darker, "What crime do you want to use to make them take out the silver?" If there is no evidence to kill people indiscriminately, these gentry can only run directly to the thieves! ”

"Back to my lord! It is impossible for a lowly to kill people indiscriminately without evidence, and a lowly position will not let soldiers raid their homes! But there must be a way for them to honestly take out the money within a month! Zhou Peigong replied.

"Good! That's what you said! The official asked Zhao Liangdong and them to cooperate with you! If you can't get them to come up with the money within a month, then it's time to see how Lord Ao cleans you up! Zhang Changgeng said coldly.

Zhou Peigong was overjoyed: "With the assistance of General Zhao, I will definitely be able to gather 100,000 taels of silver within a month!" Pull up 50,000 horses in three months! ”

"100,000 taels of silver and 50,000 horses, it won't take long?" Zhang Changgeng asked.

Zhou Pei said fairly: "First make up 100,000 taels in the first month, make a good start, and then it will be easy!" Later, those gentry themselves will pay to support the court! ”

"Good! Then you go ahead and do it! If you can't get together 100,000 taels of silver within a month, this official will not spare you! Zhang Changgeng snorted coldly.

After Zhao Liangdong and Wang Jinbao were defeated in Badong, the two fled back to Hubei with the remnants of the defeated army. Although they suffered a fiasco, these two people had made great contributions to the imperial court, and the "dereliction of duty" Li Guoying was "punished" and was demoted to Xiangyang as the prefect, and Tuhai was also "punished" and transferred back to the capital to be idle. In this way, Zhao Liangdong and Wang Jinbao, the two fierce generals, were only punished for one year, and almost did not suffer any losses.

After escaping back to Hubei, Zhao Liangdong was transferred to Chuyang by Zhang Changgeng. He once had an army of 30,000 at this time, with less than 1,000 remnants of the defeated generals left, and the more than 200 elite soldiers and 1,000 elite backbones were also lost, leaving only more than 20 personal soldiers to flee back, and later more than 100 elite backbones fled back one after another.

Zhao Liangdong was stationed in Chuyang, which is now Xiantao, west of Hanyang, and was responsible for guarding the western gateway of Hanyang and Wuchang to prevent the Kuidong rebels from coming down the river to make trouble in Hubei. Although Zhao Liangdong is the general of the defeated army, it is not his responsibility to be defeated, and Zhang Changgeng is still very relieved to have such a fierce general guarding the west gate of Wuchang.

"Report to the two adults! Outside, there was a seven-rank official named Zhou Peigong who asked to see him, and he said that he had a handwritten letter from Lord Zhang and wanted to hand it over to Lord Zhao! Zhao Liangdong was drinking with Wang Jinbao in the barracks, and there were soldiers outside to report.

"Seven-rank sesame official?" Zhao Liangdong sneered, very disdainful in his heart, "Let him come in!" Lao Tzu wanted to see what Lord Zhang's intention was in sending a seven-rank sesame official to find General Ben! ”

In fact, Zhao Liangdong was very dissatisfied with Zhang Changgeng, he believed that if it were not for Zhang Changgeng's unfavorable command and could not break through the defense line of the Kuidong Righteous Army, their Sichuan Qing army would not have suffered such heavy losses, and Zhao Liangdong's elite troops would not have been almost lost.

"I've seen two adults in my humble position!" Zhou Peigong walked into the big tent of the Chinese army. (To be continued.) )