Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 17 Stay behind
Chen Bangyan put the decree in his arms and was about to leave. He had been delayed in Zhaoqing for a long time. The King of Gui was in a difficult situation now. The sooner Su Guansheng came to Beijing, the better it would be for the King of Gui.

But before Chen Bangyan could salute, Zhu Lang called him back again.

"Sir, you are from Guangzhou. Can you tell me about the current situation in Guangzhou?" Zhu Lang's eyes flashed and he said
"Guangzhou is located on the ocean, and is a place where merchants gather. Merchants from all over the world gather in Guangzhou, and there are even foreign merchants from Southeast Asia. Thousands of ships gather in Guangzhou Port every day, and merchant ships are constantly flowing."

"The people in the city rely on the profits from maritime trade and serve the wealthy sea merchants. They have no worries about their livelihoods and are prosperous. Even at this time of year, the city is still peaceful," Chen Bangyan answered.

"What about the soldiers in the city and the city defense?" Zhu Lang continued to ask
"Guangzhou is located in the rear and knows little about the war in the front. The people are obsessed with business and don't care much. Therefore... the city's military preparations are a little slack, but after Su Ge Lao arrived in Guangzhou, he rectified the military discipline. I believe that in the near future, Guangzhou will be able to change greatly."

Chen Bangyan soon realized the real intention of His Royal Highness the Prince of Gui. It was obvious that His Royal Highness the Prince of Gui was not concerned about the situation of the people in the city, but whether there were any available troops in the city.
However, Chen Bangyan knew the situation in Guangzhou very well and could not say anything against his will, so he had to try his best to make amends.

In fact, the situation in Guangzhou was more than a simple slack in military preparations. After a long period of peace and in the rear, the garrisons near Guangzhou had long been rotten. All the garrison soldiers could only be found in paper accounts.

The officers of the various garrisons either devoted themselves to the maritime trade business or invested in other maritime merchants. Using their status as garrison officers, they engaged in smuggling in coastal areas.
The soldiers of the garrison fled in large numbers. Relying on Guangzhou's maritime trade advantages, these soldiers did not have to worry about their livelihood after fleeing. As long as they entered the city, they could easily find work in Guangzhou.
On the one hand, they stayed in the garrison and cultivated the land and built houses for the thousand households for free, and on the other hand, they went into the city to earn money for themselves. It would be a big surprise if the garrison soldiers did not flee.
Even the officers of the garrisons encouraged the soldiers to flee. When the soldiers in the garrisons fled, the land under their names became ownerless wasteland, and the officers of the garrisons could naturally take the land into their pockets.

If you soldiers don't flee, how can the garrison lords annex the land?
Su Guansheng was originally recruiting soldiers in Gan Province. Logically, he had no control over the affairs of Guangdong Province. Why did Gu Yuanjing, the governor of Guangdong Province, obey his orders as soon as Su Guansheng retreated to Guangzhou and smoothly let him take over Guangzhou City?
In addition to Su Guansheng's status as a university scholar, more important was the 3,000 soldiers he recruited. Guangzhou City probably had no soldiers available to defend the city except for the three shifts of yamen runners in the government office.
In this situation, Gu Yuanjing used his head to stop Su Guansheng. What else could he do except to welcome the royal division into the city?

Zhu Lang's eyes flashed with understanding, but he didn't show any surprise.

He had anticipated this situation. The benefits of transoceanic trade were extremely lucrative in later generations, not to mention the difficult transportation in ancient times.
The profits from maritime trade during this period were ten times, dozens of times, or even hundreds of times higher. The gentry and common people in Guangzhou were busy making money, so who would care about the situation in the Ming Dynasty?

The Ming Dynasty had to collect money from them when it existed, and now that the Ming Dynasty is gone, the new imperial court will certainly still collect money from them.
But maybe the new dynasty cares about its reputation and will exempt them if it wants to. Even if it won't be exempted forever, it would be good if it can be exempted for a few years. If so, it seems not bad to change the court.

The young prince was silent, and the atmosphere in the room was somewhat solemn. Chen Bangyan looked at the worried young prince, and didn't know how to comfort him.

Now the Ming Dynasty is in turmoil. The prince is heroic and brave, and has the world in his heart. He must be disappointed to hear the situation of the people in Guangzhou. However, the neglect of military preparations cannot be solved with just a few words.

The young prince paced back and forth in front of the table, looking extremely anxious. After a while, he seemed to have made up his mind and finally spoke in a deep voice:

"Sir, I have received a report from the secret guards that Gan Province has fallen. The Qing army will invade Guangdong Province in one month at the shortest and two months at the longest."

"What, this... did the elders of the previous dynasty know about this?"

A trace of panic flashed in Chen Bangyan's eyes. Although they, the people who came to aid Jiangxi, returned halfway, they kept hearing all kinds of cruel and brutal rumors about the Qing army during the recruitment period in Jiangxi Province, such as that the Qing army was invincible, that thirty real Tartars could destroy thousands of troops, and that the Tartars enjoyed drinking blood and eating human hearts and lungs.
With the Qing army's continuous siege of cities in Gan Province, even these officials who were loyal to the Ming Dynasty began to fear the ferocity and invincibility of the Qing army.

Ganzhou was the last big city on the way from Gan Province to Guangdong. Once Ganzhou fell, Guangdong Province would be wide open to Gan Province, and the Qing army could march south at any time.

Everyone knew that after the Qing army invaded Jiangxi Province, the next step would be to march into Guangdong Province. However, even though they knew it, Chen Bangyan still trembled in his heart when he heard that the Qing army might invade Guangdong Province in less than a month.
Chen Bangyan thought of the tragic situation in Jiangnan reported by the gentry who fled a few months ago, and he couldn't help but feel a chill all over his body. Are the people of Guangdong Province also going to experience such a tragic situation?
"This matter was discovered by the palace's secret guards. This secret guard was established by the previous king who spent all the money in the palace. It is a top secret of the palace and must not be known to any outsider."

"Besides, even I know the general situation of this matter. Lord Ding and other court officials control the military and political affairs of Guangdong Province. Do you really not know the slightest news?"

Zhu Lang was not actually talking nonsense. Except for the fictitious so-called imperial guards, everything else he said was true.
According to previous records, not long after Yongli ascended the throne, news came that Ganzhou in Gan Province had been captured. By capturing Ganzhou, the Qing army could march straight into Guangdong Province.

It was also because of the news of the fall of Ganzhou that Emperor Yongli and his ministers fled to Guangxi Province in a hurry after a few days of regent, giving Su Guansheng the opportunity to be the first to support Emperor Shaowu.
Later, the Yongli Emperor and his ministers returned to Zhaoqing to claim the throne in order to fight for legitimacy, which led to the farce of the Yongli-Shaowu struggle.
According to Zhu Lang's estimation, Ganzhou should not have fallen yet, but it can't hold out for a few more days.
But even though he knew that Ganzhou was the gateway to Guangdong Province and had not fallen yet, Zhu Lang was powerless.
What can he do now? Don’t Ding Kuichu and others know the importance of Ganzhou? Of course they know, but they are still indifferent and bury their heads in the sand.
If Zhu Lang talks about the importance of Ganzhou at this time, will Ding Kuichu and others repent and resolutely lead the army out of Guangdong to rescue Ganzhou for the sake of the Ming Dynasty? Don't be ridiculous.

Even if Zhu Lang initially won over Li Mingzhong, it would be useless. It was one thing to let Li Mingzhong surrender to him and not accept Ding Kuichu's orders, but it was another thing to let Li Mingzhong lead the army to fight against the Qing army.
Even if Li Mingzhong is really loyal to the king and is willing to lead the army to war, what about the military pay?

If the soldiers were to go to war, they would have to be paid for moving camp. How would they get food and fodder along the way? Zhu Lang's treasury couldn't even take out 500 taels of silver, let alone the food and wages for thousands of troops.
"Guangzhou is so unprepared. If the Qing army attacks Guangzhou, the people in the city will suffer." The young prince looked worried.
Chen Bangyan looked at the worried face of the Gui King, and his eyes turned red. He originally thought that the Gui King was thinking about the soldiers in Guangzhou and wanted to dispatch the troops in Guangzhou to fight, but now it seems that this is not the case at all.
The reason why the King of Gui asked about the city's military preparations was because he knew that the Qing army was about to invade Guangdong Province. He was worried that Guangzhou was defenseless and the people would be ravaged by the Qing army. Therefore, he was worried and frowned.
Chen Bangyan, Chen Bangyan, you are a scholar who has read all the books of sages. Although national affairs are serious, when have you ever forgotten the safety of the people of this world?

Chen Bangyan looked at the worried young prince and became more determined to assist the Prince of Gui. The Prince of Gui was resolute and kind, and could definitely be a wise and benevolent ruler for the Ming Dynasty. Only a benevolent ruler like the Prince of Gui who cared about the people could truly revive the foundation of our ancestors. Even if he died, he would order Su Ge Lao to lead his troops into Beijing to prevent those treacherous ministers from controlling the government and ruining the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Lang had a worried look on his face, but he was secretly glancing at Chen Bangyan standing beside him. Seeing that the young official's eyes were slightly red, and he looked like he agreed with the situation and was concerned about the country and the people, he couldn't help but nod secretly in his heart, feeling relieved.

"Sir, the Qing army is coming. Guangzhou is located in the center of Guangdong Province. It is in the rear and is a rich place. We must not lose it."

"Once the Qing army enters Guangdong and knows that Zhaoqing is the center of the imperial court, they will definitely attack first. Although the Guangdong army has gathered in Zhaoqing, the battle is fierce and dangerous, and it is hard to say who will win."

"Besides, we are in the center of the country, how can we have such a lucky hope? Once Zhaoqing is lost, Guangzhou will be the last strong city in Guangdong Province. If Guangzhou is also captured by the Qing army, the situation in Guangdong Province will be disastrous."

"After Lord Su leads his army into the court, I intend to appoint you as the Prime Minister of Guangzhou to manage Guangzhou affairs. I will gather food, fodder, and weapons from Guangzhou in advance, repair the city walls, and prepare for the Qing army," Zhu Lang said in a clear voice.

"I am a lowly official, and I am afraid that I cannot mobilize the officials of Guangzhou. In addition to Lord Su, there is also the Governor Gu in Guangzhou. Now that the military situation is urgent, Lord Gu can make the preparations, so that we can get the credit for the defense. I can go to the court with Lord Su to assist in court affairs."

When Chen Bangyan heard that Zhu Lang wanted him to guard Guangzhou, he did not show any joy on his face. After thinking for a while, he recommended Gu Yuanjing.

Zhu Lang looked at Chen Bangyan, who had a serious face, and his eyes became more and more satisfied.
Chen Bangyan was only a sixth-rank official. If he had accepted Zhu Lang's appointment at this time, he would have become a senior official in charge of the military and political affairs of a place. However, he refused the position out of public interest, which shows that he was indeed loyal and useful.
But Zhu Lang was not prepared to do as he wished. He was determined to hand over Guangzhou to Chen Bangyan to guard.
After the fall of the Longwu Dynasty in the previous life, according to records, it seems that only Su Guansheng committed suicide and died for his country, while the rest of them surrendered to the Qing Dynasty.

Zhu Lang had never heard of Gu Yuanjing's name, but considering his current position as the governor, he must have been a high-ranking official in the Shaowu Dynasty. If such a person also died for his country, it would have been recorded in history books.

But Zhu Lang had no impression of this person, which meant that Gu Yuanjing was most likely also a surrendered Qing Dynasty member.
Guangzhou is extremely important in Zhu Lang's future plans. He will never hand Guangzhou over to an unreliable person.
"Lord Gu is loyal and dedicated, and is certainly the best candidate, but Lord Gu needs to go to the capital with Lord Su this time," the young prince said with a gloomy expression.

"The ministers of the previous dynasty were all high-ranking officials with great reputations in the court and the country. It is likely that it will be difficult for Lord Su to come to the capital alone. Lord Gu is also a governor of a place. If we come to the capital together at this time, Lord Su can help us."

Chen Bangyan's expression was choked. Although His Royal Highness the Prince of Gui did not say it explicitly, his meaning was very clear. He did not look down on you, his younger brother, but your official position was too low. Even if you entered the court, you would not be able to be controlled by a single finger.

Only Gu Yuanjing, the governor, who also came to Beijing, was qualified to step onto the poker table and influence the situation.

Chen Bangyan also understood at this time that the King of Gui invited Su Guansheng to Beijing in order to balance the situation in the court, and with his current official position, he could not influence this matter.
Zhu Lang's eyes flashed with a strange color. In addition to knowing that Chen Bangyan was reliable, he also had another purpose in letting Chen Bangyan guard Guangzhou.

Chen Bangyan is firm in his position. He will definitely be used in key places in the future. Now that he can guard Guangzhou City, he will have a resume of being a frontier governor.
With this qualification and merit, if he wants to promote Chen Bangyan in the future, he can directly promote him to the position without causing any gossip among the people in the court.
Seeing that Chen Bangyan did not refuse, Zhu Lang took out the letter paper, quickly wrote the second decree, and stamped the golden seal of the King of Gui with a snap, and handed it to Chen Bangyan.

Chen Bangyan looked serious and bowed respectfully to Zhu Lang before accepting the order from Zhu Lang. Zhu Lang did not avoid it this time and accepted Chen Bangyan's gift.
Now there are many people in the Guiwang Mansion. After the two of them have discussed it, Zhu Lang also explained some things that need attention. Then Chen Bangyan said goodbye and left.

At the door of the study, under the osmanthus tree, a young official in a blue robe bid farewell to the young prince, and the young prince also held the man's hands.

"It is a pity that we met too late today. If I could talk with you by candlelight, I don't know how happy it would be. However, the state affairs are difficult and it is difficult to keep the happy times. I have to say goodbye to you in a hurry." The young prince's eyes were red and his face was reluctant.
"The palace's current expenses are all funded by the previous dynasty. The palace is short of money, and I don't have any precious gifts to give you. I have carried this jade pendant with me for many years, and I will give it to you today."

"The ancients said that a gentleman is like jade. I hope that the relationship between me and you can be like this jade, bright and clear like the moon."

Zhu Lang took off the square jade pendant from his waist and put it into the hands of the young official with red eyes.

Wu Jisi, who was standing by, looked at the white mutton-fat jade pendant in Zhu Lang's hand, and his mouth twitched. However, he could only turn his head away when he felt Zhu Lang's sharp gaze.
Chen Bangyan was about to refuse, but Zhu Lang interrupted him with a wave of his hand. Looking at the jade pendant that had been stuffed into his hand, he had no choice but to bow respectfully.

"Even if I die, I will not let you down, Your Majesty."

The young official looked serious, and then resolutely walked out of the courtyard.
A breeze blew, and the sweet-scented osmanthus flowers fell like rain. In the golden rain, a handsome young man stood under the tree for a long time.
Only after the figure outside the yard disappeared did the young man let out a long sigh, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and walked back into the room.
Yesterday there were suddenly a lot of comments, I don't know what happened, thank you for your comments
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(End of this chapter)