My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 186 Let the peasant army fight against the Jiannu? Hong Chengchou, you are really a genius!
At this time, Chongzhen was wearing a dragon robe and climbed up the city wall with steady steps. Looking at the war-torn land of Liaodong not far away, he felt a lot of emotion in his heart.

He is the first emperor to come here in the three hundred years of the Ming Dynasty!

He was also the only emperor who personally led his country to victory in a battle that was a matter of life and death for the country!

Although most of this was Zhu Cilang's achievement, as a father, isn't it normal for him to take some of the credit from his son?

Then, Chongzhen's gaze fell on the Jingguan in the distance.

Looking at the Jingguan built with the heads of the Jiannu people, there was no fear in Chongzhen's eyes, only excitement and anger.

Because considering all the crimes that the Jiannu had committed before, doing this was considered too easy for them!

Zhu Cilang stood quietly beside Chongzhen, his eyes also cast towards the Jingguan not far away which was made of piles of Jiannu human heads.

The cold wind in the early morning was blowing, making a rustling sound through his clothes, but his eyes were exceptionally calm.

Perhaps because he has witnessed this scene every day these days, he no longer has the initial shock and emotion he felt, and is now left with only indifference.

After a long time, Zhu Cilang saw that the excitement and anger on Chongzhen's face gradually eased, and his expression also relaxed a little.

Then he spoke softly and told Chongzhen everything he had carefully planned with Zu Dashou and other generals.

After Zhu Cilang finished speaking, Chongzhen showed a gratified smile on his face and praised sincerely:

"My son has thought it through. This is a brilliant plan!"

That look was full of admiration and expectations for Zhu Cilang.

At this moment, Hong Chengchou, who had been standing quietly by the side, as silent as a statue, seemed to be suddenly touched by something, and an important idea flashed through his mind.

He subconsciously straightened his clothes, took a step forward, and said respectfully:
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, I have something to report regarding the affairs of Liaodong."

Chongzhen and Zhu Cilang turned their heads at the same time, their eyes met, and their gazes fell on Hong Chengchou.

Zhu Cilang spoke first:

"Master Hong, this is not the court. There is no need to be so formal. Feel free to speak your mind. There is no need to get bogged down in formalities."

Chongzhen also nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Hong Chengchou asked:
"Your Majesty, I have heard that 300,000 disaster victims have gathered outside the capital in recent days. Is this true?"

Chongzhen was slightly stunned, not quite understanding what Hong Chengchou meant. He was clearly talking about the situation in Liaodong, so how could he involve the victims in the capital?
But then he nodded and said:
"It's true!"

"Have these disaster victims returned home?"

Hong Chengchou continued to ask.

Chongzhen shook his head slightly, with a hint of helplessness and worry in his voice:

"Not yet. Natural disasters continue to plague Shaanxi, Henan, and Hubei. These disaster victims probably won't be able to return anytime soon, my Lord."

Having said this, Chongzhen suddenly stopped.

The next second, he seemed to understand Hong Chengchou's intention, and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes as he said:

"Wait. Are you planning to relocate those 300,000 disaster victims to Liaodong and establish a border settlement?"

The so-called immigration and border defense, in simple terms, is to achieve the goal of protecting border security and development by guiding the population to migrate to border areas in an organized manner.

This action not only strengthened the defense capabilities of the border areas, but also consolidated the country's border security.

At the same time, it has also injected vitality into the economy, culture and other aspects of the border areas, promoted the comprehensive development of the region, and had a profound impact on maintaining national territorial integrity and social stability.

Since ancient times, almost every dynasty in China has implemented immigration and border defense.

Seeing that Chongzhen finally understood what he meant, Hong Chengchou smiled and nodded slightly in affirmation:
"Your Majesty is wise and wise. This immigration to guard the border is of extraordinary significance!"

"Since the Crown Prince doesn't intend to exterminate the Jurchens, then for the long term, we must ensure that the Han Chinese outnumber the Jurchens and all other foreign races in Liaodong!"

"Only in this way can we better control Liaodong!"

"Furthermore, Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei and other places are currently experiencing widespread civil unrest due to natural disasters. If these disaster victims are allowed to return, they are very likely to be swept up in the chaos and become part of the rioters."

"In that case, it would be better to move them to Liaodong."

"In fact, more than just these 300,000 disaster victims can be relocated to Liaodong. Anyone who is starving and struggling to survive due to natural disasters can be relocated to Liaodong."

"Even if there are more peasant armies surrendering in the future, they will be relocated to Liaodong according to this example."

"These peasant armies are fickle and will rebel again if things go wrong. This will only drag down the imperial court and drain national strength."

"We can simply move them all to Liaodong. Once there, if they behave themselves, we can let them farm peacefully and contribute to Liaodong's development."

"If they are restless, let them go to the battlefield and fight against the Jiannu. This will be considered as contributing to the Ming Dynasty and the people of the world."

"This way, we can not only enrich the population of Liaodong, but also strengthen the border defense and resist foreign enemies. We can also solve the Ming Dynasty disaster and the peasant army uprising. It is really killing two birds with one stone."

After listening to Hong Chengchou's words, Chongzhen was completely shocked.

Because he found that what Hong Chengchou said was absolutely right!
If you really follow his method, you can solve a lot of problems at once!
At the same time, Zhu Cilang was also amazed in his heart.

In fact, he also wanted to relocate all 300,000 disaster victims to Liaodong to increase the population.

So when Hong Chengchou mentioned immigration to guard the border, he was not surprised.

But Hong Chengchou then mentioned that the surrendered peasant army should also be moved to Liaodong, which really surprised Zhu Cilang.

Because even he didn't think of this!
I have to say, Hong Chengchou is really a talented person!

You know, the peasant army surrendered and rebelled repeatedly over the years, causing unrest in the Ming Dynasty and consuming a lot of manpower, material and financial resources.

Kill them?

Most of them were ordinary people who had nowhere else to go and rebelled only because they could not afford to eat. It would be hard to bear to kill them.

Only a ruthless person like Hong Chengchou would issue such an order.

Why not kill them?
If we are not careful, they will start rebelling again, making it hard to guard against them!
But now that Hong Chengchou had this idea, the problem of the peasant army was easily solved.

From then on, all the peasant soldiers, whether they surrendered voluntarily or were captured, were moved to Liaodong.

If they want to farm the land with peace of mind, then let them farm the land with peace of mind.

But if they still want to make trouble, they can go and cause trouble for the Jiannu.

As for whether these peasant armies would join forces with the Jiannu to deal with the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Cilang was not worried at all.

Because when they arrived in Liaodong, they would naturally know about the atrocities of the Jiannu, such as using the Ming people as human shields and brutally massacring 50,000 people in Yizhou City.

By then, they will understand one thing!
Only in the Ming Dynasty are they considered common people and human beings!
But once they reach the Jiannu side, they will become "things" that can be abandoned at any time!

Chongzhen had now fully grasped the ingenuity of Hong Chengchou's plan. He clapped his hands excitedly and cheered loudly:

"It's a brilliant idea! Immigrating to the border is a good way to protect the country and the people!"

Hong Chengchou smiled, and that smile contained a bit of humility and a bit of confidence.

He continued:
"Your Majesty, asking the people to abandon their ancestral homeland and travel such a long distance to Liaodong is by no means an easy task."

"So we must give them tangible benefits so that they will willingly come to Liaodong."

"I suggest that the court distribute land, farm tools, seeds, and other items free of charge to all the people willing to come to Liaodong. A working ox will be given to every ten households, and taxes will be exempted for three years."

"Before the grain harvest, the imperial court was responsible for distributing rations to ensure their basic living needs."

"In this way, the people will certainly be willing to respond to the call and move to Liaodong."

"In addition, to ensure the smooth implementation of the immigration and border defense, it is necessary to set up post stations along the way to provide rest areas for the people and arrange special escorts to ensure their safety on the road."

"After arriving in Liaodong, we must also establish a comprehensive household registration management system and rationally plan the layout of villages so that the people can quickly settle down."

When Zhu Cilang heard these words, he didn't know what to say for a moment.

Because Hong Chengchou has basically said everything he thought and didn't think of!

Zhu Cilang could only sigh in his heart:
Hong Chengchou, you are indeed a fucking talent!
At the same time, Chongzhen fell into a moment of thought.

Not long after, he suddenly looked up at Hong Chengchou, his eyes revealing determination and decisiveness.

"One more thing: anyone willing to come to Liaodong will be given two taels of silver. One tael will be given before departure, and another tael will be given after arriving in Liaodong!"

When Hong Chengchou heard this, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised. He really didn't expect that Chongzhen would be so generous this time.

If each person gets two taels of silver, then these 300,000 people alone would cost 600,000 taels of silver, not to mention the farm tools, seeds, oxen and other things that need to be prepared in advance.

All in all, it would cost at least three million taels of silver to safely relocate these 300,000 people to Liaodong and properly resettle them!
However, when he thought about the fact that many ministers' homes had been raided before and that Chongzhen's treasury was not short of money, Hong Chengchou did not say much.

Instead, he said respectfully:

"Your Majesty is wise and wise. If this arrangement is truly made, I am absolutely certain that the people will rush to migrate to Liaodong."

When Chongzhen heard this, he looked relieved.

Logically speaking, this great victory in the war should have been a cause for celebration and excitement for the whole country.

According to past practice, the good news should be sent to the capital as quickly as possible, and then announced to the world so that all people can celebrate together!

However, Zhu Cilang remained silent and was not in a hurry to announce the good news.

Because he wanted to wait until Zu Dashou completely took over the lost territories before making a decision.

However, with Hong Chengchou's attention, Zhu Cilang felt that there was no need to wait any longer.

Therefore, Zhu Cilang made a prompt decision and summoned all the civil officials in Liaodong to arrange the subsequent matters in an orderly manner.

He divided the civil officials into two groups. One group was composed of officials with quick wit and outstanding writing skills, who devoted themselves to writing victory reports.

Zhu Cilang attached great importance to the content of the victory report. He personally explained in detail to these civil officials the key points of this great victory, such as how many Jiannu soldiers the Ming navy had captured and how many civilians had been rescued.

How did Qin Liangyu defeat Dorgon on the Mongolian grasslands?

As well as Zu Dashou's merit in breaking through the enemy lines during the Battle of Songjin, etc.
In a word, it is to let the people of the world truly feel the power and glory of the Ming army!

The other group consisted of civil officials who were good at budgeting and familiar with financial affairs. Their task was to carefully calculate the various expenses needed after the war.

These expenses covered a wide range, including pensions for soldiers who died in battle, rewards for soldiers after the war, expenses for resettling local people in Liaodong, and the proper resettlement of 300,000 disaster victims outside the capital.

These civil officials were busy for a long time, repeatedly calculating and accounting for every expense, with the abacus in their hands clattering.

After some intense and busy calculations, the final number was like a bombshell, causing everyone present to gasp!
According to preliminary estimates, it would take at least 13 million taels of silver to properly handle the affairs in Liaodong!
The pensions and rewards for the soldiers alone amounted to eight million taels!
Those civilians who were used as human shields by the Jiannu and died innocently in the war also need to be given pensions and rewards to comfort their souls in heaven and appease their families.

The people who were brutally massacred in Yizhou City must not be forgotten. Their funeral arrangements and the compensation for their families will also require a large amount of money.

In addition, there are many other matters to be considered, such as rebuilding cities destroyed by war, purchasing seeds, agricultural tools, food, oxen, etc.

All kinds of expenses soared and finally settled on the astonishing figure of 13 million taels.

Everyone was so shocked by the huge number that they were speechless for a moment. The room suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and worry, and subconsciously glanced at Chongzhen and Zhu Cilang, trying to find a hint of response from their expressions.

However, Zhu Cilang's expression was calm at this time, without any emotional fluctuations.

Because in his mind, although 13 million taels is not a small amount, the treasury is now full, with more than 110 million taels of silver. This expenditure is just a fraction and there is nothing to be afraid of.

Moreover, this money is spent on providing pensions to soldiers and resettling civilians, for the long-term stability of the Ming Dynasty. It is worth it no matter how you look at it!
Although Chongzhen knew that the Ming Dynasty was currently financially strong and could easily come up with this money, when he heard this number for the first time, he couldn't help but frown slightly, and a hint of surprise and hesitation flashed in his eyes.

After all, this is indeed not a small amount of money!

Although there is money in the national treasury and the imperial treasury, it cannot be spent so recklessly.

Hong Chengchou noticed Chongzhen's hesitation, and then cautiously took a step forward, bowed slightly, and said respectfully:

"Your Majesty, would you please allow me to discuss this with the others and perhaps we can save a little more money?"

Hong Chengchou knew in his heart that Chongzhen would most likely not easily agree to such a huge expenditure. After all, this concerned the country's overall financial situation.

So he planned to discuss with several other civil officials to control the amount of money to around 11 million taels.

However, he also knew that one hundred and one million taels was the bottom line. If it was any less, many things would be difficult to handle.

Whether it was providing relief to the soldiers or resettling the people, he would face many difficulties and he was really powerless.

Chongzhen did not respond to Hong Chengchou immediately, but slowly turned his gaze to Zhu Cilang.

He knew very well that he could not do anything in the current situation and Zhu Cilang had to have the final say.

Seeing Chongzhen suddenly look at Zhu Cilang, Hong Chengchou and others also shifted their gaze to Zhu Cilang.

At this moment, Zhu Cilang was tapping the table lightly with his fingers, making a rhythmic sound, and seemed to be lost in thought.

No one dared to disturb him and could only wait quietly by the side, even Chongzhen did the same!
After a moment, Zhu Cilang slowly asked:
"Is thirteen million taels enough?"

When Hong Chengchou heard this, he was stunned at first, and his face instantly showed an expression of confusion and puzzlement.

He had never expected Zhu Cilang to ask this.

After reacting, he hurriedly said:
"Enough is enough!"

Thirteen million taels of silver is enough!
However, Zhu Cilang shook his head slightly and said firmly:
"But I don't think it's enough! How about adding another two million taels of silver?"

"However, this money was not used to distribute rewards, but was specifically used to improve the living conditions of the soldiers and military households in Liaodong, including medical care, food supply, and accommodation."

"I will assign someone to manage this money. Every expense will be recorded in detail and sent to the capital for review and approval at the end of the year."

"If the accounts are correct, in addition to the fixed military pay, an additional two million taels of silver will be allocated to Liaodong every year."

When these words were spoken, everyone present was stunned, and there was even a slight gasp in the room.

You know, they originally thought that they would have to cut spending next, and at least they would lose two or three million taels of silver.

Unexpectedly, not only was the amount not reduced by a penny, but an additional two million taels were required, and this additional two million taels would be available every year thereafter!

For a moment, everyone couldn't help but murmur in their hearts:
Is the prince crazy?

However, some generals who were specially allowed to participate were deeply moved at this moment.

They knew very well that the soldiers in Liaodong had been sleeping in the open air, risking their lives for many years, and their living conditions were extremely difficult.

Now that the Crown Prince is so compassionate to them and is willing to spend a lot of money to improve their lives, in their eyes, the Crown Prince is truly a sage king!

For a moment, a warm feeling surged in their hearts, and their gratitude towards Zhu Cilang was beyond words.

At the same time, after everyone came to their senses, they turned their attention to Chongzhen.

In their view, such an important decision ultimately requires Chongzhen's approval.

Chongzhen was also shocked by Zhu Cilang's words, his eyes full of surprise.

But he soon calmed down.

Then he changed his mind and realized that Zhu Cilang was the reincarnation of the Great Emperor Zhenwu, who could conjure up silver out of thin air. Such a small amount of money was nothing to him.

Moreover, the soldiers of Liaodong have indeed paid too much for the Ming Dynasty, so it is reasonable to give them more silver to improve their lives.

Thinking of this, Chongzhen nodded and said:

"Just do as the prince says!"

Seeing this, Hong Chengchou no longer hesitated and quickly responded:

"I respect your order!"

Then he took the lead in flattery:

"Your Majesty is wise, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is wise. You love your subjects and soldiers so much. This is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty!"

After saying that, he knelt down with a plop.

Immediately afterwards, others also knelt on the ground and shouted "Long live" in unison.

This scene made Chongzhen feel very happy.

However, Chongzhen was wrong about one thing, that is, Zhu Cilang had no intention of purchasing this silver from the system store!

Because if that were the case, there would be no way to explain to everyone where the money came from.

After all, who would carry tens of millions of taels of silver with them when going to war?
This money still has to be transported from the capital!

However, he did not intend to spend all the money from the imperial treasury, but planned to have the imperial treasury and the Ministry of Revenue each bear half.

He knew that the Ministry of Revenue would definitely not be willing to pay this money, but no matter how unwilling it was, it still had to pay it!
After all, they had finally won such a great victory. If they shirked their responsibilities regarding compensation and rewards, they would undoubtedly offend all the generals in the world!
If this causes dissatisfaction among the generals and affects the morale and combat effectiveness of the army, it will be troublesome!

Soon, after the victory report and the relevant imperial edict were prepared, they were handed over to the Jinyiwei for delivery to the capital.

After finishing all this, Zhu Cilang waved his hand and asked everyone to leave because he had other things to discuss with Chongzhen alone.

For a moment, he and Chongzhen were the only ones left in the room.

Chongzhen knew that Zhu Cilang must have something important to discuss, so he took the initiative to ask:
"Just say whatever you want to say. I will do whatever I want."

As soon as he said it, even he found it a little funny.

After all, at this moment, it doesn't really matter whether he agrees or not.

Zhu Cilang didn't care about these little things, but started talking about serious matters:

"Father, I wish to discuss with you the post-war rewards for the generals."

Chongzhen frowned slightly when he heard this, feeling a little puzzled.

"Didn't I just say that the 15 million silver coins include rewards for the soldiers?"

Zhu Cilang shook his head and explained patiently:
"I'm not talking about money, but an official position, or more precisely, a title!"

When Chongzhen heard this, he immediately became alert, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he asked:
"What do you want?"

In fact, Chongzhen had already known that Zhu Cilang had posthumously conferred the title of marquis on two generals who died in battle, but he did not care too much about it.

After all, these two people did die fighting for their country, and posthumously conferring them the title of marquis is a reward for them, which is harmless.

But now that Zhu Cilang seemed to be planning to confer more titles, Chongzhen had to consider it carefully.

After all, the Ming Dynasty has always had strict control over titles. Titles represent status and honor, and they cannot be awarded casually like cabbages. Otherwise, it will disrupt the order of the court and cause many unnecessary troubles.

Then, Zhu Cilang said slowly:

"Your Majesty, you are aware that the Ming Dynasty has lasted for three hundred years, and those nobles have long since become corrupt, only pursuing pleasure all day long without any ambition for progress."

"If we rely on them to fight in the future, I'm afraid the Ming Dynasty will really be destroyed."

"So we urgently need to inject new noble power into the Ming Dynasty, and at the same time make those old nobles feel the crisis, so as to force them to make changes."

It has to be said that Chongzhen deeply agreed with what Zhu Cilang said and nodded heavily.

In fact, he had long been dissatisfied with those nobles who were just sitting in office doing nothing!

These nobles rely on the merits of their ancestors to occupy high positions in the court, but they do not do anything practical for the country and the people. It is really infuriating!

It's time to force them to change!

(End of this chapter)