Late Ming Dynasty: Starting with the overthrow of the county magistrate, a rebellion was launched to

On Zhang Da's way back to Xiangyang, the road was exactly the same as the one he had taken from Xiangyang to Nanyang. The road was still deserted, withered grass lay flat, and the desolation of the end times was still everywhere.

However, because of his different mindset of being in a hurry, what Zhang Da saw at this moment was actually a beautiful scene.

you do not say!

Judging by the timeline, news of his victory—the thousand-mile raid from Luoyang, the burning of Li Zicheng's old camp and provisions, and the lifting of the siege of Nanyang—should have already reached Xiangyang.

Such a feat is already a done deal in history books and famous figures, let alone the official titles and rewards.

It's time to go to Xiangyang and ask for an official position.

Having served as military commander for half a year, Yang Sichang's strategies effectively blocked Zhang Xianzhong's path into Sichuan and also curbed Li Zicheng's rise. Now, with Sichuan, Hubei, and Henan both stable, the military commander is pleased with himself, the pressure on the court is greatly reduced, and it is the perfect time to make demands.

"Is it possible for me to bring Xinhua, Xinning, Wugang, and Chengbu, all under the jurisdiction of Baoqing Prefecture, under my direct control, and to rightfully control these four counties and one prefecture in central Hunan, and to have complete control over the recruitment, training, administration, and funding of soldiers, leaving only the imperial court to collect a fixed amount of grain tax...?"

Thinking of this, Zhang Da couldn't help but laugh out loud.

If it were truly possible, I would be willing to do anything! Although Yang Sichang certainly couldn't make the decision on these conditions, if he were to strongly recommend it, given Emperor Chongzhen's current eagerness to quell the rebellion, it would most likely succeed.

Therefore, Zhang Da must return to Xiangyang as soon as possible and, while they have not yet made a decision regarding his official appointment, strive to gain as much benefit as possible.

Xiangyang, the headquarters of the military governor.

At this moment, armored soldiers stood in rows inside and outside the headquarters, banners fluttering in the wind, creating a solemn atmosphere.

Yang Sichang, dressed in a scarlet official robe, sat upright in the main hall. His desk was piled high with victory reports, including those from Sichuan and Henan, but most of them were related to Zhang Da.

Since Zhang Daxian devised the strategy of locking down the Three Gorges, uniting with the local chieftains, and garrisoning northern Sichuan, generals such as Zuo Liangyu, He Renlong, and Zhang Yingyuan acted accordingly, effectively blocking Zhang Xianzhong in the Wushan and Daning Mountains of eastern Sichuan. Although they failed to completely defeat him, they made it difficult for him to advance and he lost his former domineering power that had swept across seven provinces.

Now, good news has also come from Henan: Zhang Da's surprise attack has achieved great success, Li Zicheng has suffered heavy losses and retreated to Funiu Mountain to lie low, and is unable to launch another attack in the short term!

With the war situation in Sichuan, Hubei, and Henan all stable, Yang Sichang, who was often frowning and stern-faced, had recently been in increasingly better spirits, and was even able to chat and laugh with the generals beside him.

"Look, everyone! Zhang Da led three thousand light cavalry on a thousand-mile raid, burned the enemy's supplies, destroyed their main camp, and returned with a complete victory."

Upon hearing the news, the civil and military officials in the hall stepped forward one after another. He Renlong, Li Guodong, Zhang Yingyuan and other military officers gathered around, and when they saw the contents of the victory report, they all showed joy on their faces.

"Zhang Qianshi is truly a genius! He pretended to be crazy in the Xiangyang Hall earlier, and I thought he was just a lecherous man. I never expected him to be such a brilliant strategist!" He Renlong slapped his thigh and laughed loudly.

"With hundreds of thousands of grain supplies destroyed in one day, the rebels have no chance of causing trouble again in the short term. Henan can be guaranteed safety for half a year!" Zhang Yingyuan stroked his beard and exclaimed in admiration.

"Even someone as stingy as Prince Fu specially sent envoys to Shaoyang with gold, silver and silk as a reward, which shows that even the imperial relatives acknowledge Zhang Qianshi's merit!" Li Guodong replied with a smile.

Everyone chimed in, praising Zhang Da's achievements. Yang Sichang stroked his beard, nodded, and glanced at the crowd before slowly speaking:

"Speaking of the Prince of Fu's rewards... this has given us a reminder—gentlemen, Zhang Da has rendered such a great service, how should the court reward him? What suggestions do you have?"

Rewards and titles have many purposes; they are never just about granting official positions and titles, but also about defining and controlling a person's position.

Zhang Da is a young man of great talent and resourcefulness, capable of both decisive action in battle and effective governance. Should such a person be recruited for one's own use, or should one be wary and suppressed? Should one delegate authority, or maintain a degree of control and restraint?

Everyone was thinking the same thing: What kind of official position should Zhang Da be given? How much military power should he have? And can we really trust him?

With this new worry, Yang Sichang's gaze fell on the joint memorial from Luoyang and Nanyang, and his expression gradually darkened.

To say that Zhang Da's surprise attack across a thousand miles, risking his life so desperately, was solely for loyalty to the emperor and to serve his country, is utterly unbelievable. What he undoubtedly seeks is territory and military power, and judging from his actions, he certainly deserves them.

But the problem is—

Do you dare to give it to me?

Can you give it to me?

If we give it to them, won't it be like raising a tiger that will turn on us, creating another Zhang Xianzhong or Li Zicheng? If we don't give it to someone who has performed such a great service, won't they immediately become like Zhang Xianzhong or Li Zicheng? Wouldn't that chill the hearts of the people?

At this time, Yang Sichang was in charge of the military affairs of seven provinces and was granted the imperial sword, which allowed him to execute first and report later. His power was considerable. However, it was still necessary to be very cautious to entrust the military and political power of a prefecture to a person who had been a young rebel general.

"Gentlemen," Yang Sichang raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the assembled civil and military officials, "Zhang Da has now defeated the rebel leader Li Zicheng and relieved the crisis in Henan, his merits are outstanding. I intend to submit a memorial to the court requesting an official title for him. What do you think he should be granted, and what place should he be given?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a murmur of discussion arose in the hall.

The first to speak was the Provincial Governor of Huguang, the head of the civil officials, known for his prudence and caution.

"Your Excellency, although Zhang Da has made great contributions, he comes from humble origins and once rebelled against the emperor by occupying a city. It is not appropriate to grant him a high position so quickly. In my opinion, we can report to His Majesty to promote him to Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Huguang Province and concurrently Magistrate of Shaoyang County, while he remains stationed in Shaoyang. We can also reward him with gold, silver and silk. I believe these rewards will be enough to appease him."

Civil officials are indeed a bit stingy.

Yang Sichang mentally scoffed, then shook his head slightly, offering neither comment nor affirmation.

As expected, He Renlong also felt this was excessive and immediately shook his head in opposition: "Your Excellency, you are mistaken! Zhang Qianshi's victory over the enemy a thousand miles away is an extraordinary feat. How can a mere nominal position as a provincial inspector be enough to stop him? In my humble opinion, he should at least be granted the rank of deputy commander-in-chief, stationed in Baoqing, commanding the troops of the southern route of Huguang, given military power, and provided with provisions and pay, so that he can serve the court again in the future!"

He Renlong is a bit too honest.

Yang Sichang listened quietly, without expressing his opinion.

Zhang Yingyuan pondered for a moment and said, "This humble general believes that we should establish the Baoqing Military Commissioner, with Zhang Da as the Military Commissioner, in charge of the military affairs of Baoqing Prefecture, and also in charge of civil administration. He can collect and use his own money and grain, and only needs to pay the quota on time. In this way, we can reward his merits and also secure the gateway to central Hunan, preventing Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng from sneaking into Huguang."

Yang Sichang thought the suggestion seemed good and was about to nod in agreement when another civil official suggested: "Why not appoint him as the prefect of Shaozhou, upgrade Shaoyang to a prefecture, directly under Huguang, and not under the jurisdiction of Baoqing Prefecture? This would be considered an exceptional promotion."

Then another military officer chimed in: "Add him to the position of Assistant Commander of the Central Army of the Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters, with the seal of a general, and the authority to obey orders but not summons. He will be on equal footing with generals like Zuo Liangyu and He Renlong. Surely, a mere villager like him should be convinced of such treatment."

For a time, four or five suggestions came up, each with its own merits, but Yang Sichang still felt something was missing. So he simply listened quietly, his expression calm, while his mind churned with thoughts for a long time.

"Why not emulate the Tang Dynasty and give him complete control over the military and political affairs of the four counties and one prefecture of Shaoyang, Xinhua, Xinning, Wugang, and Chengbu, making him akin to a regional military governor, yet operating under the banner of the Ming Dynasty to defend the territory for the court..."

The moment this bold idea popped into Yang Sichang's mind, it was instantly suppressed by reason.

No, no, no... Absolutely not! Granting such real power to local authorities is tantamount to raising feudal lords. They will become too powerful and difficult to control in the future, making it hard for the imperial court to keep them in check.

Isn't this just imitating the story of the fall of the Tang Dynasty?

Yang Sichang sighed and raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

"I will not make a decision regarding the reward. Let him come to see me in person when he returns to Xiangyang. Let him say what he wants himself."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized what was going on.

The minister is passing the buck to Zhang Da, to see if he dares to speak up, and if so, how.

If he makes exorbitant demands, it means he has too much ambition, which he can't hide. Kill him!

If he doesn't want the small one, it means he's extremely cunning and has far-reaching plans. Kill him!

Ahem, those two possibilities were naturally just fantasies born from a bit of jealousy towards Zhang Da, who was joking around.

"Pass down the order: on the day Zhang Da returns to Xiangyang, open the main camp wide and personally go out to welcome him. Do not be negligent."