Without money, what is the point of being a traitor?

Chapter 254 It’s All Politics
Pei Yuan was filled with emotion for a moment.

He patted Ding Hong on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Do your job well. Since you are so loyal, when the next river governor takes office, I will give you more responsibilities."

Ding Hong was very excited after hearing this.

This is recognition from Captain Pei!
"Get up." Pei Yuan looked at Ding Hong.

According to his original plan, Xuzhou Zuowei would serve as the logistical support force for his Grand Canal strategy.

When the time is right, we can expand the scope and completely transform them into a navy.

Now that Ding Hong is so successful, it seems that we can invest some more resources.

What makes Pei Yuan depressed now is that, although he has bribed his way into the system from a young man with flexible employment over the past year or so, he does not have many available talents.

Pei Yuan's initial trip to the south was just to survive in the complicated situation.

Later, after gaining the trust of Captain Han and mobilizing the resources of the Captain's Office, he gradually became qualified to take action.

Although the strategic layout of the Grand Canal has been built in bits and pieces, there are still many links that need to be opened up in order to make this system work.

If you think about it this way.

Compared with opening up the joints, it is better to put your own people at the joints.

As long as the Grand Canal strategy can be implemented, it will not only provide Pei Yuan with a steady stream of economic support, but also provide a complete political system to cultivate his own party members.

Now the question is, where can Pei Yuan get so many suitable people to support this framework?
The only people around Pei Yuan who are suspected to be loyal and reliable are the biochemical pervert Chen Toutie, the abandoned disciple Cheng Leixiang, and the beautiful Song Chunniang.

Could it be that Captain Pei relies on these three things to support his Northern Bureau and his Grand Canal strategy?
What's more, Pei Yuan now has a biggest weakness.

That was his identity as a military officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Although as a Jinyiwei, he directly controls a certain amount of violence, which can bring many conveniences when Pei Yuan is weak.

However, this identity adds many obstacles when trying to recruit civil servants capable of governing the country.

The civil officials were the emperor's disciples, teachers and friends, and as a Jinyiwei, even if he made it to the top and became the commander-in-chief of the Jinyiwei, he was nothing more than standing by while the emperor and the civil officials were talking.

Are we just going to miss out on this turbulent era?
Pei Yuan thought silently.

The answer gradually came to my mind.

It is too slow to build up a team bit by bit now.

The best way is to be able to swallow up a mature political force like a snake swallowing an elephant.

Even if he could take over a declining political force, it would be enough for Pei Yuan to do anything.

So where should I start?
Pei Yuan couldn't help scratching his head as he thought about it.

This made Ding Hong, who was already confused, even more confused.

"Qianhu?"

He asked carefully.

"Ok?"

Pei Yuan came back to his senses, glanced at Ding Hong, and realized that now was not the time to think about this.

He looked around and saw that the camp had basically been settled.

He immediately proposed a practical and feasible short-term goal, "Let's eat first."

In view of Ding Hong's active approach, Pei Yuan didn't want to disappoint his loyal minister, so he took him to his home to have dinner together.

Although there were quite a few people on Pei Yuan's side, they were seated in distinct sections.

A dozen Jinyiwei formed a group, a few gangsters formed a group, and forty or fifty young and strong men from Xuzhou formed a group.

Pei Yuan took Ding Hong to sit over there with the Jinyiwei.

Seeing Pei Yuan coming, Chen Toutie, who was determined to make progress, hurried to help scoop rice.

Pei Yuan suddenly remembered that this biochemical pervert usually fiddled with mercury and human skin, so he quickly stopped him and said, "No need."

Chen Toutie was stunned and paused for a moment.

Ding Hong, who was sitting, suddenly jumped up from the ground.

Then he picked up a clean bowl and said, "I'll do it, I'll do it!"

Chen Toutie watched Ding Hong scoop the rice into the bowl, and he was almost petrified.

Thousands of households...

Pei Yuan took it and introduced it to everyone, "This is Ding Hong. He will be our man from now on."

Ding Hong knew that those present were all Captain Pei's confidants, so he did not dare to put on airs as the commander of the Left Guard of Xuzhou, and greeted everyone warmly.

Pei Yuan had something on his mind, so he ate without saying much.

After finishing his meal, he waved to them casually and went back to his own place.

When they lifted up the tent, they saw Song Chunniang and Jiao Yaner eating and talking and laughing.

Pei Yuan's heart tightened, and he looked at Jiao Yan'er carefully. Seeing that her clothes were not messy and her behavior was calm, he felt relieved.

Although Pei Yuan had already told Jiao Yaner about Song Chunniang's various misdeeds.

However, there were only two women in the team, and Pei Yuan often asked Song Chunniang to help him guard the nest, so it was inevitable that the two of them would become closer.

Fortunately, General Song was also very conscious. When he saw Pei Yuan coming in, he chuckled and got up and left.

Pei Yuan was thinking about something and didn't bother to pay attention to her.

When his eyes fell on Jiao Yan'er, Pei Yuan couldn't help but think of her grandfather, Jiao Fang, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

Speaking of which, Jiao Fang is also a very old man and he still has a few years to live.

It can make use of the remaining heat.

Moreover, because Jiao Fang reduced his holdings precisely and fled three months before Liu Jin's downfall, he remained standing no matter how the officials impeached him afterwards.

If we were to summarize Mr. Jiao's life, it would probably be like this.

Young and successful.

Success in middle age.

Success in old age.

Then he escaped with his life as the chief minister of the cabinet and had a good end.

If this political old fox could lend a hand, or gather the remaining forces of Jiao Fang, perhaps the situation could be greatly improved.

However, Pei Yuan gave up this decision after just a quick thought.

Putting aside whether Jiao Fang would like him, Jiao Fang herself had a big hidden danger.

Because Jiao Fang is a super regionalist and particularly hates people from the South.

To be more specific, they are people from Yuyao and Jiangxi.

To be more specific, they are people from Xie Qian's village and Peng Hua's village.

How evil can Jiao Fang be?

When he was an official, he would be very happy every time he dismissed a southerner. Even when he was talking about ancient people, he would always slander the southerners and praise the northerners.

When Emperor Zhengde first ascended the throne, the ministers of the Ming Dynasty immediately and eagerly recalled the wonderful recommendation system during the "minority period of Zhu Yunwen" and "minority period of Zhu Qizhen".

Why are you still hesitating?
The bull market is here again, and the wind is blowing again. Go for it while the emperor is still young!

Therefore, the cabinet ministers hastily issued an edict overnight to "recruit people with talents and virtues", intending to take the opportunity to solve the employment problem of officials' children.

Local officials everywhere immediately took action, writing letters to each other to recommend their colleagues' sons who were both virtuous and talented. The final result is predictable.

The southerners, who had mastered the right to interpret ideology and filled the entire Ming officialdom, once again became the big winners.

This time, a large number of southerners did not have to take any exams and entered the officialdom in one step.

As a Jinshi from Henan, Jiao Fang was at a disadvantage in officialdom and was easily excluded by others.

Then, Jiao Fang saw the scholars who were recommended for their moral integrity and talent, and at a glance, he saw that they were all from the South.

Ok?
Looking closely, I’m from Yuyao!
Swipe, swipe, swipe, Jiao Fang continued to flip through the stack, and all the recommendations were from Yuyao!

Looking at the cabinet minister, Xie (Yuyao) Qian, who was sitting there with a mysterious smile, Jiao Fang directly overturned the table. How the hell is this going to work?
I'm surrounded!

I am surrounded by Yuyao people!
I can't breathe.

Jiao Fang then quickly found his political ally, Eunuch Liu Jin!

Then the problem comes again.

Why did Jiao Fang, a combative Jinshi who was proficient in political tactics, risk the disapproval of the world and choose Liu Jin, the old eunuch, as his political ally?
That is because, during the administration of Eunuch Liu, he once sharply put forward a point of view, "Do not abuse the people of Jiangxi."

These seven words really hit Jiao Fang's G-spot.

Aren’t Jiangxi officials the purest base of southern officials?
——There is no better father-in-law in the world. The Ming Dynasty is not worth it. I am in tears.

Jiao Fang and Liu Jin quickly formed a group and, in the name of "favoritism and personal recommendation", they overthrew the Grand Secretary Xie Qian in one fell swoop, dismissed the Yuyao people who had recommended them, and in the process defeated the Jiangxi Gang in the court.

In order to thoroughly consolidate their victory, the two men, not only took advantage of the "recommendation case" to deal with Xie Qian, but also jointly reduced the number of places for the Jiangxi provincial examination by 50.

Liu Jin added 100 places for the provincial examination in his hometown of Shaanxi!
Jiao Fang added 95 more places for the provincial examination for his hometown Henan!
Unfortunately, now that Liu Jin's new policies have been overturned, it is time for Jiangxi officials to make a comeback.

A large number of Jiangxi officials will return to important positions.

If Pei Yuan approached Jiao Fang at this time, or tried to gather Jiao Fang's remaining forces, he would inevitably offend the southern officials.

This is not wise.

But apart from Jiao Fang, who else can he attack now?
Pei Yuan's mind flashed with the image of Zhang Cong, a beautiful man who had been wandering for half his life, but he immediately crossed it out and then thought of his fat brother Ouyang Bijin.

Ouyang Bijin was from Ji'an Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, and could be considered a Jiangxi native among Jiangxi natives.

With the addition of his brother-in-law Yan Song, who was also from Jiangxi, Pei Yuan could take advantage of the rapid rise of the Jiangxi people by simply following this relationship.

Pei Yuan thought about it and didn't say much to Jiao Yan'er. He lay on the thick straw mat, looking at the top of the tent, and couldn't help but utter four words, "The power of the village party!"

If I introduce local forces into my plan, are they the ones who are reflecting my will, or am I reflecting their will?
Pei Yuan, a mere military man, felt that this matter was unreliable.

Even if he manages to fit in, I'm afraid he will still be a very marginal one.

And who knows, they might even see it as a knife in their hands.

What about the remnants of Liu Jin?

Now they are behaving themselves into submission, and they are probably thinking of dragging Lu Wan down with them.

If Pei Yuan gets involved at this time, why would he have to bear the political burden for no reason?
Pei Yuan thought about it, and his thoughts slowly extended.

If we say that everyone exists, they naturally have a stance.

Then whose interests do I represent?

Pei Yuan felt tired from thinking so he closed his eyes and rested.

Soon he felt Jiao Yan'er pressing gently on his forehead with her fingers.

Pei Yuan felt relieved, as if all his worries were wiped away by her.

Pei Yuan let his mind run wild and casually asked Jiao Yan'er, "How did your ancestor rise to the top and sit firmly as a cabinet minister when he had such bad relations with the southerners?"

The key point is that despite being weak and alone, Mr. Jiao was able to overthrow the Jiangxi Gang that dominated the government. This is simply incredible.

Jiao Yan'er thought about the words "village forces" that Pei Yuan had blurted out before, and had a rough guess about Pei Yuan's troubles.

Pei Yuan seemed to be just speaking casually, and he didn't expect Jiao Yaner's answer.

After saying that, he grabbed one of Jiao Yaner's little hands and played with it.

Jiao Yan'er thought for a while and said, "Although my ancestor was not on good terms with the southerners, he did not deliberately target other southerners, although he occasionally affected them, except for joining forces with Liu Jin to deal with officials from Jiangxi."

"Hmm..." Pei Yuan thought about it and it made sense. Although Jiao Fang generally targeted people from the south, his systematic attack seemed to be directed only at people from Yuyao and Jiangxi.

The number of places for Jiangxi people in the provincial examination was also reduced.

This is what is said in the "Ming History Biography of the Eunuch Party": "Whenever they mention Yuyao and Jiangxi people, they will abuse them because they are from China."

"Husband." Jiao Yan'er paused, and there was a brief silence in the tent.

Pei Yuan immediately remembered what Jiao Yan'er had said sadly last time, and he didn't know if he would have the chance to call her that again in the future.

He immediately looked at Jiao Yan'er and said, "Call me husband."

"Yes." Jiao Yan'er responded obediently, and called out shyly and happily, "Husband."

When Pei Yuan closed his eyes and continued to enjoy her massage, Jiao Yan'er reorganized her thoughts and asked in a low voice, "Does my husband have a conflict with the Jiangxi people?"

Pei Yuan said, "That's not the case."

Ouyang Bijin is my sworn brother, so what’s the difference between this and my second hometown?
It is no exaggeration to say that for the sake of Ouyang Bijin and Yan Song, I, Pei Yuan, can also be a spiritual Jiangxi person.

Pei Yuan said, "That's right, I just remembered what happened to your ancestor back then, and I wanted to ask about it."

Jiao Yan'er pressed Pei Yuan's forehead, seeming to be hesitating whether to say it or not. After a long while, Jiao Yan'er said softly, "But there are two capitals and thirteen provinces in the whole world."

"Oh." Pei Yuan's mind was empty, and he was thinking furtively about how he could rest his head on the little beauty's legs without being noticed.

Seeing that Pei Yuan did not respond, Jiao Yan'er could only continue to remind him, "In this world, the problem is not the lack of wealth but the inequality. The literati in Jiangxi are powerful, and they have encroached on more than just the interests of our ancestors. In the entire Ming Dynasty, there are two capitals and thirteen provinces."

When Pei Yuan heard this, he suddenly opened his eyes.

Jiao Yan'er didn't seem surprised at Pei Yuan's reaction at all. She was also looking down at Pei Yuan, her clear eyes meeting his.

Pei Yuan climbed up with a grunt.

Thinking quickly in my mind.

The Jiangxi literati were indeed powerful, and no force in the court was qualified to compete with them.

But what if we divide the court into Jiangxi forces and forces that are anti-Jiangxi?
Even if we exclude those who are neutral or ambiguous, but with the strength of the two capitals and twelve provinces, even if they are pieced together casually, won't the balance of power between the two sides be reversed in an instant?
Pei Yuan immediately felt a sense of enlightenment.

No wonder Jiao Fang was able to drive the Jiangxi Gang out of the court so easily. It turned out that he represented broader interests.

Pei Yuan sorted out the logic here bit by bit.

Jiao Yan'er whispered again, "I don't like the Jiangxi people's power. It is widespread and loose. There is no cohesion at all, and no will to fight to the end. Then, my husband, do you know why they can fully support our ancestors?"

"That's because, that's because..."

Pei Yuan's mind flashed through Jiao Fang's life, and the answer became clearer and clearer.

"That's because Jiao Daxueshi clearly dislikes Jiangxi people and opposes them. Even people from the south are disliked by him."

"Even when he was talking about the ancients, he would certainly denigrate the southerners and praise the northerners."

"The signal from him is extremely strong. There is no concession or compromise, so those forces with their own agenda are willing to see him touch it."

After Pei Yuan said this, he couldn't help but sigh even more.

It turned out to be the case.

It's all politics.

Mr. Jiao is such a damn good actor.

(End of this chapter)