Chongzhen Daming: Starting from Coal Mountain

Chapter 231
Six days passed.

For the officials in Nanjing, six days was just a blink of an eye, and the time soon came to March [-]th, the eighteenth year of Chongzhen.

Zhang Youyu, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, is quite good at handling affairs.

In just six days, Zhang Youyu personally led a group of officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs to draw up detailed regulations on the Ministry of Household Exchange and the Daming Household Bank.

Immediately Zhang Youyu came to the cabinet with the drafted statement.

After Shi Kefa and the other four had read the report, Zhang Youyu said, "What do you think of the four senior elders?"

Gao Hongtu said: "There is no problem with the general direction, but some details still need to be considered."

Shi Kefa looked at Gao Hongtu helplessly, and said, "Then let's review each item one by one."

"It should be so." Gao Hongtu nodded, and said first, "First of all, the total amount of the first issue of bonds. I think it is too little to issue only five million taels, and at least quadruple it, twenty million taels!"

"Twenty million taels?" Zhang Youyu was taken aback when he heard this, it was too cruel.

Jiang Riguang and Xie Xuelong were also a little startled, this step was too big.

Zhang Youyu said: "Gaoge is always like this, this first tranche of bonds is just a trial run, because no one knows whether the gentry and merchants in Jiangnan really recognize this model."

"Because of this, it is even more necessary to increase the amount of bond issuance."

Gao Hongtu said: "Because I missed this village, there will be no store."

Zhang Youyu then turned his attention to Shi Kefa, the chief assistant had to nod for this matter.

Shi Kefa said solemnly: "I thought that we shouldn't go too far at the beginning, so let's sell five million taels first. If the gentry and merchants rush to buy it, it won't be too late to sell the second bond."

Jiang Yueguang and Xie Xuelong echoed in unison: "The servants also think that things should not be rushed."

"Okay." Gao Hongtu said helplessly, "Then try to sell five million taels first."

After a pause, Gao Hongtu said again: "Also, the interest rate is set too high. One-year debt is eleven, three-year debt is fourteen, five-year debt is eighteen, and ten-year debt is three. Ten returns, it's really too high!"

"Eh?" Zhang Youyu said, "Mr. Gao Ge, the second issue of bonds sold by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the interest rate. We can't set a lower price than the Ministry of Internal Affairs, otherwise, who will buy it?"

"Absurd." Gao Hongtu said, "Who in the south of the Yangtze River buys and sells bonds, who really cares about the interest rate? What they are greedy for is the difference between buying low and selling high, so the bonds sold by our household department market are completely fine. Set the interest rate as low as possible, because no matter how low it is, people will still buy it.”

Gao Hongtu's words actually spoke of the essence.

"I see the same thing as Mr. Gao Ge." Xie Xuelong said, "The interest rate can be set lower."

Seeing that Shi Kefa and Jiang Riguang did not object, Zhang Youyu asked, "Then how much should we decide?"

Gao Hongtu decided with one word: "The one-year debt is one hundred one, the three-year debt is one hundred and thirty, the five-year debt is one hundred and fifty, and the ten-year debt is eleven. Gentlemen and merchants will definitely buy it."

After a pause, he continued: "Let's put it bluntly, their silver will only grow dust in the cellar, but if they deposit it in the bank account of the household department and then buy bonds, they will be able to collect money with a drought and flood guarantee of [-]% every year. Why not?" Why not?"

"Okay." Zhang Youyu said helplessly, "Then tentatively, it will be Eleven a year."

The other rules were fine, so Zhang Youyu took the papers back to the Ministry of Accounts to re-draft.

Watching Zhang Youyu leave, Shi Kefa asked, "Can you report to Huai'an Mansion today?"

"No." Gao Hongtu shook his head and said, "I just went to the Secretary of General Administration to check, but there is no Tang newspaper in Huai'an."

"Can't even publish the Tang newspaper?" Jiang Riguang said worriedly, "So, Jiannu has already completed the encirclement of Shanyang City."

Xie Xuelong also sighed: "I don't know how long it will last."

"The Huai'an Mansion's support for a few more days and less support for a few days will not affect the overall situation." Gao Hongtu said with a wave of his hand, "I just need to do a good job in the defense of the Yangtze River. Jiannu does not have a navy, so there is no way to cross the Yangtze River."

After a pause, Gao Hongtu said again: "As long as Nanjing City is still there, the Ming Dynasty will still be there!"

Xie Xuelong said quietly: "Although that is the case, I still hope that Shanyang Mansion can last for a few more days, so that we can be more prepared. At least let the Marquis of Nan'an call in another navy."

"That said, why don't I want Huai'an Mansion to last for a few more days?" Gao Hongtu said angrily, "But the problem is, you have to be able to hold on to Huai'an Mansion. With a few unknown people, Huai'an Mansion can sustain it." Can you live?"

Xie Xuelong is silent, can Huai'an Mansion hold on?
I'm afraid it might be unbearable, right?

……

At the same time, in Prince Rui's Mansion in Beijing.

Dorgon summoned Ning Wanwo, Fan Wencheng and Hong Chengchou to his house again.

Dorgon said: "Three gentlemen, my Qing army's battle in Xuzhou did not go smoothly, except for the loss of [-] balas in the first battle, and then a lot of losses."

Ning Wan said to me: "Chongzhen has been operating in Xuzhou for several months, this is already expected."

Hong Chengchou said: "But master, you don't need to worry about this, because there is absolutely no need for our Qing soldiers to spend time with Chongzhen in Xuzhou, we only need to leave a part of the army to surround Xuzhou, and then use another army to divert to Huai'an and Yangzhou. , all the way south to Nanjing, then half of the south of the Yangtze River will surely fall down with a drum.”

"Heng Jiu's words are indeed old-fashioned words for seeking the country." Dorgon praised, "Prince Yu did it according to this idea. He left two red flags, Zhenglan Banner, Eight Banners Han Army, and Eight Banners Mongolian regiments to surround Xuzhou. Then I led the two white flags and the bordered blue flags all the way south along Huai'an Mansion and Yangzhou Mansion, but it's a pity..."

Hong Chengchou said: "Master, what's the pity?"

Dorgon said: "It's a pity that we encountered a hard stubble in Huai'an Mansion."

"Stubborn?" Ning Wan said to me, "Chongzhen has stationed a frontier army in Xiazhen, Pizhou, and Xuzhou. Could it be that there are also frontier troops in Huai'an Mansion?"

"Can't it?" Hong Chengchou said, "Nanming doesn't have so many multilateral troops."

Dorgon said: "There are no frontier troops in Huai'an Mansion, only Xiangyong."

"Xiangyong?" Hong Chengchou and the three looked at each other, how could Xiangyong stop the Eight Banners elite?
"Naturally, the elites of the Eight Banners can't be stopped by tens of thousands of township bravery alone." Dorgon said, "However, the scholar who leads the township bravery to defend the city is a formidable person. , all kinds of conspiracies and tricks are emerging one after another, Prince Yu is on guard in every possible way, but he still got caught in this person three times!"

"Eh?" Hong Chengchou and the three looked at each other again.

After a long while, I finally asked, "Master, can you explain in more detail?"

"Yes." Dorgon nodded and said, "The first time was the day when Prince Yu's army first arrived, this person sent a team of dead soldiers to sneak into our army camp with fierce oil, Qiao Zhuang, and coats. The fire burned a month's rations and hundreds of thousands of heavy arrows, in addition to hundreds of carriages."

"This man is truly courageous." Hong Chengchou said solemnly, "He can think what ordinary people can't."

"That's right." Dorgon nodded and said again, "The second time was two days later, when the Zhengbai flag was burned, and this person sent another team of dead soldiers to sneak into our army's camp again and set them free again." Let's set the fire, although the loss this time is not as big as the first time, it still burned half a month's rations carried by Zhengbai Banner."

"Ah? Burn it again?" Ning Wan, Fan Wencheng and I were dumbfounded.

"This man really has a good plan!" Hong Chengchou couldn't help but praise, "The so-called surprise is to attack him by surprise! Zheng Baiqi must have never thought of this event, so he caught the truth."

"Exactly." Dorgon sighed, "Zhengbai Qi is defenseless."

Ning Wan, I couldn't help asking: "Dare to ask the master, but I don't know what the third time is?"

"The third time is to set fire." Dorgon sighed, "When I read Romance of the Three Kingdoms when I was young, I felt that Zhuge Kongming knew the way of setting fire, but it was a novel after all, but this person's way of setting fire is really superb. "

Hong Chengchou asked: "Master, I don't know how this person set the fire for the third time?"

Dorgon said: "Because Prince Yu didn't carry a cannon in red, and the cost of storming was too high, he decided to demolish the eight turrets in the east and west cities of Shanyang. Next, bury a large amount of sulfur, fire nitrate and gunpowder under the ground of the eight turrets in advance."

"The next day was cool, Xianglanqi's elite and Baoyi arrived under the eight turrets with a cart."

Speaking of this meal, Dorgon said sadly: "Then Shoucheng and Rural Yong ignited the fuse. This fire and explosion will ruin the four elite bannermen of Xianglan Banner, plus more than [-] bags. Clothes slaves! Prince Yu said in his letter that it took half a day to burn the dead bannermen and coat slaves!"

"This?!" Ning Wan, Fan Wencheng and I were shocked.

Hong Chengchou also asked: "Master, who is this person's name?"

"This person's surname is Yan, and his name is Yingyuan." Dorgon said solemnly, "The name is Wu Heng. Can Heng Jiu know this person?"

"Yan Yingyuan? Biaozi Juheng?" Hong Chengchou was stunned. He hadn't heard of it. Where did this person come from?

"Heng Jiu doesn't know this person? It seems that he was just an unknown person." Dorgon's face turned cold, and he said with some gloom, "In this case, things will be a little troublesome."

"Master, did you just say that this person is a scholar?" Hong Chengchou asked.

"Yes." Dorgon said, "It is one of the more than [-] scholars recruited by Chongzhen under the guise of the imperial edict!"

Speaking of this, Dorgon stared into Hong Chengchou's eyes, and said with a complicated expression: "Heng Jiu, I have to admit that you Han people are really capable people, and an unknown person is so powerful!"

"Master, such people are in the minority after all." Hong Chengchou said, "What's more, the heavenly power of our Qing soldiers is not something that one or two military geniuses can compete with. I believe that Prince Yu will be able to break through Shanyang."

"That's natural. After all, Prince Yu has been in battle for a long time." Dorgon had a smile on his face.

"If there are no accidents, the two white flags should have entered Shanyang City by now, right?"

Hong Chengchou, Ning Wan and I, as well as Fan Wencheng, were relieved when they heard the words. If the regent dared to say this, the matter planned by Prince Yu must be sure.

……

In Shanyang City, the demolition of Xianglan Banner has reached a fever pitch.

Relying on the shields superimposed together, and the protection of the vaults on the roofs of the two wagons, the more than [-] coats with the blue flag were divided into eight parts, and spread out to the eight turrets in the east and west cities of Sanyang. Crazy digging and demolition.

Although they had just suffered a brutal fire attack three days ago, the coats were not intimidated.

Or they were already frightened, but their masters were guarding behind with saber-chopping knives, so they had no choice but to tear down the city wall desperately.

Under the shield, the packers were sweating profusely.

Pieces of city bricks were pried off by iron drills.

There were also handfuls of rammed earth that were shoveled down by shovels.

The eight turrets have been dug out with large gaps.

If the demolition continues like this, at most ten more days, at least four turrets will be dug and collapsed, and it is even possible that eight turrets will be dug and collapsed at the same time.

Xiangyong on the top of the city has already realized the danger, and is desperately trying to stop it.

However, in the face of the coating with double protection of car and wooden sign, it is useless to rely on gold juice, lime or even ten thousand enemies. The only thing that can be counted on is fierce fire oil.

[Note: Menghuoyou mostly refers to oil, and the mining technology has been relatively mature in the middle of Ming Dynasty]

[However, the fierce oil in the book is not petroleum, but vegetable oils such as tung oil, tea oil, vegetable oil, and animal fats such as lard and sheep oil. By the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the Jiangnan oil extraction industry had reached a considerable scale]

Pot after pot of boiling hot oil poured down from the top of the city.

Burning with hot oil will not kill the coating underneath, but there is still a fire attack.

With the fall of the torch, the wooden signs and even the carts underneath were ignited, and were quickly swallowed by the flames. Many coats hiding under the carts had no time to escape and were directly buried in the sea of ​​flames.

Nearly half of the sixty or so chariots gathered under the eight turrets were burned down.

However, the Ming army Xiangyong on the top of the city also paid a heavy price.

Because Xianglan Banner not only sent Baoyi to demolish it, but also built earthen platforms on the left and right sides of the eight turrets. Although these earthen platforms were not built as high as the top of the city, they were still three feet high.

Therefore, the lethality of the Dashao bow is raised immediately.

Regardless of whether the Xiangyong at the head of the city transported supplies or dumped fire oil, he had to pay the price in blood.

What's more troublesome is that Jiannu will also shoot rockets at the top of Shanyang City. Once the rocket falls into the oil pan, the entire city will turn into a sea of ​​flames in an instant, and instead of burning Jiannu, they will burn their own people.

In short, the Battle of Sanyo has entered into the cruelest stalemate.

He Luohui couldn't help gloating when he saw that the car with the blue flag was burnt down by another thirty or so taels.

"Master, Xianglan Banner has been miserable this time." He Luohui said with a sinister smile, "Not only did the three Niulu banner men die in battle, but the chariot was almost lost. When we return to Beijing, Ji Erha This old dog, Lang, probably could have skinned Tun Qi, and what's worse, Xianglan Qi paid such a high price, and it was just making wedding clothes for our two white flags, hehe."

"Shut up! Don't make sarcastic remarks here." Duoduo reprimanded He Luohui, and then said, "Have all the things that the king told you have been done?"

[No fun on National Day, work hard to code, continue to kneel and beg for monthly tickets]

(End of this chapter)