Fu Shanhe

Chapter 496 The finishing touch

The capital city, Wenyuan Pavilion.

"The Northern Frontier Army, marching south, slaughtered the gentry, causing the situation in Jiangnan to spiral out of control. Their intentions are despicable!"

Fei Xinyuan, the Minister of Justice, was the first to speak out.

Anyone who has been in the imperial court knows that in such situations, the less you say, the bigger the matter you represent.

If you write a long, rambling essay and throw around a bunch of big labels, then it doesn't really amount to much.

"Lord Fei, you can't just say things like that."

When did the Northern Frontier Army ever massacre the gentry?
Minor frictions during the tax collection process are perfectly normal; you mustn't make a big deal out of it!

Marquis Weiyuan immediately retorted.

There are some things you can do, but you absolutely cannot admit to.

The massacre of the gentry was clearly carried out by the White Lotus Rebels; what does it have to do with the Northern Frontier Army?

Even if someone is to be held accountable, the worst that could happen is that the rescue efforts were inadequate.

Compared to the rich spoils of war seized during the suppression of the rebellion, this minor mistake is far less significant than the merits.

"My lord, have you ever seen rebels dressed in armor, wielding muskets, and possessing a large number of cannons?"

Fei Xinyuan retorted dismissively.

The things that the nobility did in the Jiangnan region were truly outrageous.

Regardless of whether they were the initiators of the tax resistance movement or who the other party was, it was a case of whoever was most powerful destroying the entire organization.

More than a dozen prominent families in Southern Zhili were all brutally murdered; these were the core pillars of the Qingliu Group in the region.

Fortunately, his home wasn't in Southern Zhili, otherwise he would probably have faced the same fate as his entire family.

As a result, the remaining powerful families in the Jiangnan region were all trembling with fear.

If we let those soldiers run rampant, the executioner's blade will eventually fall on our own heads.

To avoid being wiped out, the powerful families were forced to disperse their members to various places.

People can go out and hide, but family businesses cannot be abandoned.

Many of the businesses owned by powerful and influential families are illicit and cannot be brought to light.

Whether it's doing business in secret, hiding land, or illegally mining or minting currency... none of it can be brought to light.

After the "rebel army" wreaked havoc, and the government troops quelled the "rebels," these properties all became stolen goods.

Even if the government returned the victims' property after the war, these shady businesses could not be claimed.

Even if no one in the clan is harmed, after being ravaged, they will lose at least 80% of their assets.

In fact, this is still an optimistic view.

Even the most prestigious and virtuous families have their dark side.

With so many clansmen, there are bound to be a few good-for-nothing troublemakers.

Such a large industry doesn't just fall from the sky.

If the nobility were to find fault with him during this period, he would be utterly disgraced.

Those unfortunate fellows in Southern Zhili are the best negative example.

When the government troops sealed off the mansion, they discovered many places that exceeded the regulations.

Even the smallest things are too insignificant to be bothered by the authorities unless someone reports them.

However, if it is taken too seriously, it becomes a grave offense of disrespect.

The case was reported up through the ranks to the central government, and all the sons of these families who held official positions in the court were implicated.

Essentially, this was also the imperial court handling the aftermath.

After all, we just wiped out their entire family, so we wouldn't trust anyone to use them.

The best solution right now is to quickly remove all these people from their posts to prevent them from causing disaster for the court.

Once these unfortunate individuals were dealt with, the vacated positions were conveniently divided up by other political factions.

Since everyone had benefited, they naturally wouldn't hold a grudge against the noble faction.

After all, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

These tasks were also undertaken to raise funds and provisions for the imperial court; the practice of discarding a donkey after it has served its purpose would wait until the flour had been ground.

The only one that suffered was Qingliu Group.

"Minister Fei, the world is full of wonders."

The White Lotus Rebellion swept across many southern provinces back then, so it's perfectly reasonable that the remnants possessed some of the imperial court's standard equipment.

The fact that these rebels were able to grow so powerful right under our noses was probably due in no small part to the protection of the local powerful families in Jiangnan.

Now the backlash has come back to haunt him; it's entirely his own fault!

Marquis Weiyuan responded with a smile.

The entire event made no mention of the tax resistance movement, but everyone knew that this "self-inflicted blame" referred to the tax resistance.

If these guys hadn't been so greedy and repeatedly challenged the court's bottom line, they wouldn't have suffered the calamity of their entire family being wiped out.

Whether you like it or not, the killings are already done.

The order to collect taxes at all costs came from the cabinet; the problem lies in the misunderstanding of the lower levels.

Regardless of the good intentions, the overdue taxes were collected.

As for the chaos in the Jiangnan region, this is a temporary setback.

"What a fine example of 'you only have yourself to blame'!"

"It seems that in the Marquis's eyes, the gentry of Jiangnan are like weeds, to be treated as mere trifles..."

"Shut up!"

"Anyone under heaven may raise objections to the affairs of Jiangnan, but you, Minister Lü, are not qualified!"

The Marquis of Zhendong's angry rebuke deeply hurt Lü Lingfeng.

No matter how big the incident in Jiangnan became, it was all for the purpose of raising funds and grain for the imperial court and solving the deficit of the Ministry of Revenue.

If the problem of money and grain is not resolved, the first person to be dragged out as a sacrifice will be him, the Minister of Revenue.

Regardless of what happened in the Jiangnan region, the military's demand for payment saved Lü Lingfeng's political life.

Those who are the biggest beneficiaries and then jump out to criticize others for doing the work are undoubtedly repaying kindness with enmity.

Refusing to speak won't work either.

As the spokesperson for the Qingliu Party in the government, how can one remain silent when their own party's interests are harmed?

He had intended to say a few symbolic words to prove to the party that he had worked hard, but he was outmaneuvered by his opponent right from the start.

"you……"

Halfway through his sentence, Lü Lingfeng suddenly fainted in his chair.

Being sandwiched in the middle, everything I do is wrong now.

Rather than being caught in a dilemma, a strategic retreat is better.

"Someone come here, take Minister Lü to rest."

Grand Secretary Jiang Shuhan immediately issued the order.

Knowing that Lü Lingfeng was faking unconsciousness, he didn't bother to expose him.

The fact that the Qingliu faction is missing one person will also facilitate the conduct of the upcoming meetings.

However, this change left Fei Xinyuan and Le Xiangsong quite frustrated.

If possible, they also want to make a strategic retreat.

The strength of the Qingliu Party lies in its verbal sparring at court meetings, but they are at a disadvantage in closed-door meetings of the cabinet and the six ministries.

Most importantly, the person has already been killed. The imperial court now needs the military to stabilize the situation in Jiangnan, and it is impossible for them to discard the useful person so quickly.

Their attack on the noble faction was essentially an attempt to obtain compensation.

Within the Qingliu Party, there are also numerous small factions of varying sizes, each with different political demands.

The battle had barely begun when one of our generals fell, which was a huge blow to morale.

"Let's leave the previous matters aside for now."

During the suppression of the rebellion, the Northern Frontier Army captured a large amount of spoils, enough to make up for the previous tax shortfall.

The most urgent task is to find a way to get the goods back as soon as possible.

The rebels extensively damaged the waterways, and dredging the canal could not be accomplished overnight.

For now, the only option is to use maritime transport as an emergency measure.

The navy mobilized all available ships, and even borrowed a fleet from the Marquis of Hanshui.

But even combined, this capacity is still a drop in the ocean.

After watching Lü Lingfeng leave, the Second Assistant Minister Bai Jilin changed the subject.

The actions of the nobility in the south, while causing sympathy among the gentry, also protected the interests of the northern gentry.

The people in their hometowns were waiting for money and grain to provide disaster relief, the towns along the nine borders were waiting for money and grain to be distributed as wages, and the people in the capital were waiting for this money and grain to save their lives.

For the sake of the greater good, sacrificing a dozen or so prominent families in Southern Zhili was, in his view, entirely worthwhile.

As for the resulting political consequences, that's a matter for the future; for now, let's address the immediate practical problems we face.

“Southern China has a well-developed overseas trade, so there should be quite a few ocean-going vessels.”

If there is a lack of transport capacity, it can be directly requisitioned from the Jiangnan region.

"How could my mighty Yu state possibly be short a few ships?"

Minister of Rites Yuan Tianyu asked in confusion.

Influenced by the Annam Protectorate's expansion into Southeast Asia, the maritime industry of the Dayu Dynasty developed rapidly.

The caravans traveled as far north as Goguryeo and as far south as the Indian Ocean, with trade reaching directly to the African continent.

When it comes to foreign import and export trade, it is undoubtedly number one in the world.

It possesses the world's largest fleet and the strongest maritime transport capabilities. Compared to European colonial empires, its only deficiency is a lack of experience in long-distance maritime trade, with most trade routes concentrated near its borders.

"Lord Yuan, things are not as simple as you think."

Our Great Yu Dynasty certainly has no shortage of seagoing vessels, but the merchants who own a large number of seagoing vessels spend most of their time at sea.

These people have a keen sense of smell; knowing that the imperial court might conscript a fleet, they all disappeared long ago.

Moreover, the order in the Jiangnan region had collapsed, and the imperial court's rule in the area was practically nonexistent in many places.

The gentry were unwilling to cooperate, and it was extremely difficult to mobilize local resources.

The fleet currently being mobilized by the imperial court can transport approximately 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) each time, and once the fleet is fully assembled, its transport capacity will increase to 800,000 shi.

Bai Jilin explained with a helpless expression.

Reputation can directly influence people's judgment.

For maritime merchants, being summoned by the imperial court was like the sky falling.

This expense is definitely recorded in the freight company's accounts, but whether it will actually reach them is another matter.

Even though maritime merchants also had official connections, they still lacked the leverage to negotiate with the imperial court.

Simply making a few free trips isn't a big problem.

The most feared fleet, once summoned, is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

After all, similar operations have occurred countless times in the history of the Great Yu Dynasty.

The court's credibility had long been ruined by its predecessors.

Can't afford to offend, can afford to hide.

Sensing that something was wrong, they all hid away.

On the vast ocean, even if the imperial court wanted to recruit a fleet, it couldn't reach anyone.

Of course, the fact that the news could be transmitted so quickly must be due to the involvement of powerful families in Jiangnan.

Having suffered such a great loss before, it's impossible for the imperial court to expect them to contribute now.

"A drop in the bucket!"

Minister of War Luo Wenbo couldn't help but sigh.

Judging solely from the perspective of transportation capacity, the organizational capabilities of the Great Yu Dynasty were already quite good.

According to the measurement standards of Dayu, 300,000 shi is approximately 15,000 tons, and 800,000 shi is 40,000 tons.

Looking at the same period, there are very few countries in the world that have this kind of transportation capacity.

But such a small amount of food was barely enough to fill the gaps in the teeth of the Great Yu Dynasty.

The Guangbian Army consumes 6.5 million shi (a unit of dry measure) annually, and the amount consumed during transportation along the route is twice that figure.

The Great Yu Dynasty consumed more than 13 million shi of military rations every year during transportation.

Perhaps the actual losses were not that great, but the bureaucratic system of Dayu had long been accustomed to taking advantage of every opportunity.

Even if the grain were to land at Dagu Port and be transported to the capital, the official transportation costs would still be no less than 30%.

Faced with such terrifying consumption, the 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) before departure would at most amount to 200,000 shi upon arrival in the capital.

It was helpful in stabilizing prices in the capital, but it was far from sufficient to help the border troops.

Even if the transport capacity were increased to 800,000 shi, it still wouldn't be enough to meet the demand.

There's no way around it; it's been dragging on for too long.

If we had acted a few months earlier, giving us a few more months to adjust, the situation would have been much better.

"Something is better than nothing. At least the food crisis in the capital can be resolved."

As for the border troops' supplies, we'll just have to wait.

"I am Zhu Hongxuan, the Minister of Personnel," he said slowly.

Transporting grain from Jiangnan by sea was a journey of more than two thousand li.

It can take anywhere from ten days to more than a month, depending on whether the weather cooperates.

A round trip would take at least a month, and in the short term, the fleet's capacity was only enough to supply the capital's needs.

"My lord, things are not as simple as they seem."

The imperial court's grain reserves at the border are limited and are now nearing depletion; the soldiers at the border will soon go hungry.

There had been a dispute before over the issue of food and pay.

If we run out of food again, the consequences will be unimaginable!

Luo Wenbo said with a solemn expression.

If logistical supplies are inadequate, his position as Minister of War will be difficult.

The officers and soldiers at the front lines cannot serve the imperial court on an empty stomach.

Due to the long-term harassment by the northern barbarians, the military settlements at the foot of the Great Wall had long been abandoned.

Not only were there food shortages at the border front, but neighboring prefectures were also experiencing food shortages.

We can't even get grain from surrounding areas for emergency use.

"Minister Luo is right. The situation at the border is critical, and it is absolutely impossible to cut off our supplies!"

Marquis Weiyuan immediately echoed this sentiment.

As far as he knew, desertion was rampant on the front lines due to the shortage of supplies.

In order to gather supplies, some generals even led their troops to risk crossing the Great Wall and raiding the grasslands.

If there wasn't a real food shortage, who would be willing to risk their life?

When people are starving, they're capable of anything.

They have exhausted all means to appease the troops.

If the problem of money and food is not resolved in time, mutiny is only a matter of time.

Once the border army collapses, the Great Yu Dynasty will be doomed!
"Let's all work together, mobilize all our connections, and raise as many ships as possible to participate in the transportation."

We'll transport as much as we can.

After the grain arrived at Dagukou, half was sent to the capital to stabilize grain prices, and the other half was sent to the Great Wall for emergency relief.

When the second batch of grain arrives, there is no need to unload it all; first, send 200,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) to Liaodong as an emergency measure.

In addition, three million shi of grain were allocated from the tax revenue of Jiangnan to Henan and two hundred shi to Shandong for disaster relief.

After the spring grain harvest in Sichuan was completed, half of it was used to pay the troops on the northwestern border, and the other half was used for disaster relief work in Shaanxi.

......"

Knowing that the discussion would not yield any results, Jiang Shuhan immediately made a decision.

Even if it's just a drop in the ocean, we have to send it over; at least we need to give the border troops some hope.

He didn't know if it would be effective; all he could do now was try his best and leave the rest to fate.

……

Liaodong Town.

"Brother, we've been without pay for half a year, and morale is low."

If the problem remains unresolved for an extended period, things may change.

Judging from the current situation, the Great Yu Dynasty is most likely doomed this time, so...

Shi Jingming was only halfway through his sentence when the boss glared at him and stopped him.

"Shut up!"

"Fool, do you want to ruin the Shi family?!"

Shi Jingfeng immediately rebuked him angrily.

If this had happened before the resurgence of the nobility, and if he had the strength he has now, he would have dared to take a gamble given this opportunity.

But the situation is different now. The armed forces of the nobility are not weak, and their overall strength is far superior to that of the Shi family.

At this point, rebelling would be tantamount to handing over military merit to the enemy.

Moreover, Liaodong Garrison was not entirely under their control; there were also many generals loyal to the Great Yu.

If they turn against us at a crucial moment, their fate will be even more tragic.

The larger and more established a family is, the more concerns they have, and the more cautious they become in their actions.

"Big brother, third brother is right this time."

Things are different now. The imperial court has not distributed money and grain for half a year, and the border troops in various places are having a very difficult time.

It is said that a large number of soldiers deserted among the troops guarding the Great Wall, indicating that even the elite troops were not having an easy time.

Not enough to eat and not warm enough to wear.

Of his original ten points of combat power, he now has at most five or six points left.

In contrast, our situation is much better.

Even though the imperial court didn't distribute the money and rations on time, we still managed to find a way to solve the problem of feeding the officers and soldiers, and the combat effectiveness of the troops was not greatly affected.

If we seize this opportunity, the probability of capturing the capital is very high.

If all goes well, we can also use the imperial court's name to take advantage of the situation and incorporate the troops of the nobility.

......"

Shi Jinglin's words greatly shocked Shi Jingfeng.

I thought only the third brother, that simpleton, wanted to rebel, but I never expected that the fifth brother, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, would also have such thoughts.

Before Shi Jingfeng could refuse, a group of Shi family members began to persuade him.

The prospects depicted were increasingly rosy, as if the path to kingship and hegemony was just around the corner, waiting for them to seize it.

　This is a story about struggle during the late Chongzhen era; those who are interested can check it out.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)