A century-old family that runs through the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 375

Zhang Xianzhong looked at Sun Chuanting, who was lying on the ground with wounds all over his body and had died in the battle, and laughed wantonly, which was completely beyond his expectation.

After a while of excitement, he ordered:

"Who killed Sun Chuanting? Give him ten thousand taels of gold and silver, and pay homage to the general!"

Some soldiers fell to their knees in surprise and thanked Zhang Xianzhong for his kindness with tears streaming down his face. However, King Daxi had already walked away with a smile.

"Father, we should take advantage of this opportunity to send troops immediately. Taking advantage of the low morale of the Ming army, we can use this power to annex the land of Huguang. Otherwise, when Wang Er's army returns, if the other party has thoughts about Huguang, there will be consequences Trouble."

The adopted son Li Dingguo did not chat and laugh with Zhang Xianzhong like the other brothers. Instead, after thinking deeply, he made suggestions to Zhang Xianzhong.

Zhang Xianzhong stroked his beard for a moment, feeling that what Li Dingguo said made sense. Just as he was about to speak, Sun Kewang on the side said first:
"It is a first-class joy for my father to defeat such a formidable enemy. I believe that the ceremony can be prepared now. When the time is right, my father can proclaim himself emperor like the second king!"

"That's right." Zhang Xianzhong laughed again after hearing this:
"You two are right. After we capture Huguang, my father will officially proclaim himself emperor!"

……

Fortunately, Hong Chengchou had repelled the Shun army at this time, basically recovered the lost cities in Northern Zhili, and built a line of defense at the border. This finally reassured many ministers. In a short period of time, Sheji was still worry-free. of.

"With Governor Hong here, at least Zhili and other provinces will be fine. As long as he is still sitting on the border between the Ming Dynasty and Pseudo-Shun, then the other side will not even think about taking a step forward. When we clean up the old mountains and rivers, we will still be able to calm the world. possible."

Someone said this, and it was recognized by most people.

"In Datong, Xuanfu and other places, wage disputes have occurred one after another..."

After receiving the news, everyone in the court who was still immersed in the joy of victory couldn't help but shrink the smiles on their faces.

Subsequently, in order to make up for the shortfall in the national treasury, the cabinet drew up a plan and presented it to the public.

"The salary arrears of officials and nobles at all levels of the imperial court have reached more than half a year..."

Their solution to this problem is to increase the amount of "suppression pay" among the people.

At the same time, he also gave Sun Chuanting the posthumous title of "Zhonglie".

Sun Chuanting's death in battle was combined with the previous news of the fall of Jiangxi and the capture of Chen Qiyu. These two great Ming generals died and the other was captured, which undoubtedly cast a haze over this victory.

Seeing this plan, Zhu Yousong couldn't help but said angrily:

The situation in the South is corrupt.

However, even so, Emperor Hongguang still issued an edict to blame himself, claiming all his faults, saying that it was because of him that the bandits became powerful and endangered the court, and that he would definitely change his ways in the future, no matter what, I hope this can save some people's hearts.

Listening to his words, Zhu Yousong's head lowered lower and lower, and finally waved his hand feebly.

The war in Dengzhou continued to spread until it reached the capital.

However, Liu Yuliang's next words made him feel like a deflated rubber ball:
"Your Majesty, the border army's salary arrears from last year have not yet been paid."

"In recent years, God has not been kind, and has brought many disasters, causing the people's harvest to be extremely poor. Now that things have just improved, it is the time to recuperate. If we have to add more taxes, wouldn't this be forcing them to rebel!"

Hong Chengchou had been fighting for many years without any defeat, and at this time he almost became the reassurance of Hongguang's emperor and his ministers.

The policy was implemented.

……

"Sun Chuanting, governor of Huguang, led his exhausted army to fight against the Shun and Xi armies for fifteen days, and finally died in Dengzhou City."

Lu Xiangsheng put down the newspaper in his hand and leaned gently on the chair. Another good general has died.

"Ugh."

He sighed quietly.

Yan Shizhao could not be used, Xiong Tingbi and Sun Chengzong became officials. One died of old age in Jiangxia, and the other died of resolute resistance when Wang Chongzu went north. Yuan Chonghuan committed suicide in defeat, and he and Chen Qiyu were captured. Now Sun Chuanting died in Dengzhou again.

The stars that guard Ziwei rise slowly, and then slide down the sky quickly like meteors...

When all of them fall, the Emperor Star will eventually sway...

On the other side, this matter was inevitably discussed at the meeting of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang military governments.

"Sun Chuanting died in battle. The Huguang Ming Army may no longer be able to withstand the rebels."

Yan Shishu stated the conclusion after the military department's deduction.

"Huguang is already in a situation where the three forces are divided. The Shun Army in the north and the Western Army in the east are not easy to deal with. The Ming Army can stabilize or even expand in this situation. With one against two, it still has the upper hand. It’s entirely because of Sun Chuanting’s personal military talent.”

"Now that he has died in battle, unless another handsome man appears in the court, its fall is a foregone conclusion."

Most likely, Zhang Xianzhong can win Huguang. Yan Hongliang said, and everyone agreed.

"If Huguang is lost and the canal is blocked, the connection between Guangdong and Guangxi and the capital will be even weaker... It is simply a good opportunity given by God and cannot be missed."

Yan Ling said:

"Complete various tasks in the province as soon as possible and prepare for further expansion."

He looked at Huang Zhipeng, Minister of Industry, who immediately said:
"Thanks to the recent recruitment of a large number of personnel, the project has progressed rapidly. Now the paving between various prefectures and cities in Zhejiang Province has been completed, and now we are ready to expand outwards."

Then, each minister reported the work one after another, and everything was going well.

This new regime is full of vitality.

On the other side, the Daxi Army also came out in all directions and began their conquest.

In July of the first year of Hongguang, the Daxi Army broke through Wuchang and soon defeated other Ming armies. There were more than 40,000 defenders. In the end, only more than 10,000 people withdrew into Sichuan. The foundation that Sun Chuanting had worked so hard to create was in vain.

Zhang Xianzhong took full control of Huguang, then set up an altar to worship heaven in Wuchang, officially proclaimed himself emperor, made Wuchang his capital, and established the country of Daxi, with the reign name Dashun.

Subsequently, he appointed a large number of demoted officials and scholars from the Ming Dynasty and some rural scholars as officials in the new dynasty. At the same time, he followed Wang Chongzu's example and held the imperial examination.

The content of the imperial examination was naturally the Four Books and Five Classics of Confucianism, just like the Ming Dynasty. He also needed the support of local scholar-bureaucrats.

Moreover, if he were asked to conduct new examinations like the Jiangsu and Zhejiang military governments did, he would not be able to!

This method also had immediate results. At least the grass-roots team of the Great Western Dynasty was set up, and there were still many people who wanted to be officials. Zhang Xianzhong's rule over various places gradually became more solid.

However, there are also disadvantages, that is, these officials did not restrain their moral conduct in the new dynasty.

You must know that with the death of Yan Chenhao, officials in the Ming Dynasty began to gradually deteriorate. In the last years of Wuxing, finances were in short supply, which was not without the continuous help of these civil servants.

Under such circumstances, the newly established political power of the Daxi Imperial Court became somewhat depressed.

(End of this chapter)