Huangming

Chapter 321 A Motley Crew, Swift Actions

Li Hongji had red handkerchiefs brought out and distributed them to his men to tie on their heads.

This attire made them indistinguishable from the other rebels of the Fragrance Cult.

Upon seeing this, the messenger's face immediately broke into an impatient smile: "Huang Chuantou, come with me quickly! The lord is still waiting to see you in the camp!"

Upon hearing the term "Huang Chuantou," Li Hongji scoffed inwardly.

How dare you call him "Chuan Tou" when you haven't even figured out his real name?
He increasingly felt that Xu Hongru's troops were like a makeshift troupe.

Recruiting a leader of nearly a thousand people, yet they couldn't even be bothered to thoroughly investigate the other party's background?

With such actions, it's no wonder that the Fragrance Cult, despite causing trouble for over twenty years, has never gained any real influence.

However, the term "passing on the torch" confirmed Xu Hongru's approach.

This is a legitimate position within the Fragrance Scent Cult.

The founder, Wang Sen, established a rule that the followers should be organized into "associations," with a leader appointed for every twenty or thirty people.

Several leaders are under the jurisdiction of a "transmission leader," who is directly responsible to the head of the church.

Wang Sen also set up offices in various provinces, prefectures, and counties, and stationed messengers there. They used a bamboo stick branded with the words "Three Kings" to pass messages, making them the real local officials in the sect.

In this sense, with his nearly one thousand men, Li Hongji became the "leader" of the Wenxiang Sect in the entire county as soon as he joined, making him the top local official.

"No hurries."

Li Hongji deliberately slowed his pace and patted the knife at his waist.

“My brothers have just been given the red scarves, so I need to give them a few instructions. Besides, they can’t go to see your lord empty-handed, can they?”

The envoy was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to have this concern, and quickly said, "Don't worry, my lord doesn't care about such things! Your willingness to submit is the greatest show of sincerity!"

Li Hongji sneered inwardly, but feigned understanding on the surface: "That's true. Let's go then."

He turned and gave his trusted acumen a wink.

That was a signal for them to keep an eye on their brothers and hold the camp.

Only then did he follow the envoy outside, his eyes glancing at the refugees wearing red scarves. Seeing the bewildered or excited expressions on their faces, his conviction grew stronger:

Such a mob, if not for natural disasters and man-made calamities, how could they possibly stir up any trouble?
But isn't it true that the looser the organization, the easier it is to infiltrate?

He followed the messenger through the chaotic camp, listening to the constant shouts of "passing on the head" all around him, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.

Xu Hongru, you thought you had recruited a powerful general, but little did you know you were inviting a wolf into your house.

He wanted to take a good look at the stronghold of the Fragrance Cult.

Li Hongji, with about a hundred brothers, followed the messenger through the mass grave outside the city, and soon entered the city gate of Yuncheng.

Xu Hongru's faction has recently been causing quite a stir in the area west of Juye, south of Yuncheng, and even in the surrounding areas of Fanxian and Caoxian.

He proclaimed himself "Emperor Fulie of the Restoration" and set the reign title "Dacheng Xingsheng". He was aggressive and took Yuncheng in just a few days.

But the moment Li Hongji stepped into Yuncheng, his brows furrowed deeply.

On both sides of the street, the doors of shops were smashed to pieces, and silk and grain were scattered all over the ground, trampled and filthy.

Several men wearing red scarves were dragging a wailing woman into the alley. The woman's clothes were torn to shreds, and the men were cursing and laughing, showing no trace of their "righteous army" mentality.

Further away, civilians huddled in a corner, watching their “own people” burn, kill, and loot, their eyes filled with fear.

This is no uprising; it's clearly a new group of people wreaking havoc on the city.

Xu Hongru just let his subordinates do this?

But after a moment, Li Hongji shook his head, already understanding.

It's not that Xu Hongru doesn't care, it's that he simply can't manage it.

At this time, the Yuncheng County government office had already been occupied by the Wenxiang Sect.

Inside the main hall, Xu Hongru was wearing an incongruous dragon robe.

The material was nice, but the embroidery was crooked and the collar was askew. He sat in the former magistrate's seat, looking blankly at the chaos below.

"Master... no, Your Majesty!"

A follower rushed in in a panic.

"The brothers on the south street are fighting with the ones on the west street again, saying it's over the daughter of a pawnshop owner..."

"What are you fighting for!"

Xu Hongru slammed his hand on the table, but his voice lacked conviction.

"Tell them to stop! We are a righteous army, not bandits!"

But the follower looked distressed: "Your Majesty, nobody listens... They say that once the city is captured, we should get a share of the spoils..."

Xu Hongru slumped back into his chair, his mind a jumbled mess.

The uprising of the Fragrance Sect was originally scheduled for next year.

After the death of its leader Wang Sen, the church split into two. Wang Sen's son, Wang Haoxian, ran the church in Hebei, while Wang Haoxian preached in Shandong. They had agreed to coordinate their efforts in the north and south during the Mid-Autumn Festival of the following year and take over several provinces in one fell swoop.

But for some reason, half a month ago, the followers of the church in Yuncheng suddenly started a riot, seized the granary, killed the county magistrate, and forced him into the eye of the storm.

His title of "Emperor Fulie, the Restorer of the Dynasty" seemed more like he was being dragged along.

Most of the people below were disaster victims who could not survive. They followed the Fragrance Sect only for food and clothing. Now that they had captured the city, all they cared about was looting. They were no longer willing to listen to his rules.

Despite being called a righteous army, their military discipline was worse than that of bandits.

"Report—Huang Hu has arrived!"

An announcement came from the doorway.

Xu Hongru snapped back to his senses and quickly straightened his comical dragon robe: "Let him in."

He desperately needs someone to help him stabilize the situation.

I heard that this "Yellow Tiger" can lead a thousand men and can also steal things from government troops; perhaps he is a useful talent.

What Xu Hongru didn't see was that when Li Hongji stepped into the main hall, looking at his dragon robe and recalling the tragic scene on the street, a hint of undisguised contempt flashed in his eyes.

With a face like that, he still wants to be emperor?
Li Hongji shook his head inwardly. It seemed that the Fragrance Sect was even more vulnerable than he had imagined.

Dismantling them might be much easier than expected.

"Greetings, Master Xu."

Li Hongji leaned against the door frame, a half-smile playing on his lips. His demeanor was deliberately flippant, and even his form of address was disrespectful.

Several of Xu Hongru's close associates, dressed in yellow jackets, immediately bristled, glaring and shouting angrily:
"Insolence! This is Emperor Fu Lie, the restorer of the dynasty! He has come to see His Majesty, yet he does not kneel down and pay his respects!"

Xu Hongru raised his hand and waved it gently, his voice tinged with weariness: "No need for formalities."

He has no time to concern himself with such formalities.
The rioting soldiers in the city were about to turn Yuncheng upside down. His few trusted men were no match for him, and he desperately needed a strong armed force under his control.

The thousand men that Li Hongji brought were exactly the kind of strength he needed right now.

"Huang Hu".

Xu Hongru leaned forward slightly, his tone earnest.

"Now that our great undertaking is just beginning, we need the help of someone as brave and resourceful as you. I really can't control those rioting soldiers in the city. How about you go and quell them for me?"

Li Hongji shook his head inwardly.

Rules should have been established when this group first entered the city. Now that burning, killing, and looting have become commonplace, it's impossible to restrain them now.

Moreover, the rebel army's notoriety for looting has already spread. If they stop now, they will not only fail to win back the hearts of the people, but will also make their subordinates feel that they "have not gotten enough benefits" and harbor resentment.

This Xu Hongru probably hasn't even grasped the basic tricks of starting an uprising in chaotic times.

If it were Li Hongji, he would have simply condoned the looting from the beginning, using wealth and women to lure the refugees, then incorporated those who were coerced into the ranks, letting them continue to rob, growing their momentum like a snowball.

Only in this way can we quickly build a fighting force that dares to fight and have the resources to compete with the government troops.

Unfortunately, Xu Hongru didn't understand this.

Of course, one must not show disdain.

The play that needs to be performed still needs to be performed.

Li Hongji hesitated for a moment, rubbed his hands together, and said, "Controlling the mutinous soldiers isn't difficult, but... what benefits does the leader intend to give me?"

"How dare you!" The trusted confidant beside him exploded again.

"The Emperor is asking you to do something; it's an honor you've earned over many lifetimes. How dare you bargain?"

"Stop being so rude."

Xu Hongru shouted to stop him again, but a calculating glint flashed in his eyes.

Clean up the troublemakers in the city?
This job looks simple, but in reality it's pushing Li Hongji into a fire pit.

Those rebel soldiers were mostly refugees from various places, and they were all deeply entrenched in their own groups. If Li Hongji led a thousand men to suppress them, there would inevitably be bloodshed, and the entire army might be wiped out.

When "Huang Hu" is no longer of any use, he can then take over the remaining remnants, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

Having made up his mind, Xu Hongru softened his tone: "As long as you can help me stabilize Yuncheng, and in the future we take over the cities of Juye, Zouxian, Tengxian, and Yixian, I will let you lead Yuncheng alone and become the garrison commander of this region."

Li Hongji sneered inwardly.

"Wait until we take them down"? In other words, these cities haven't been captured at all yet?
The envoy had previously boasted that "Yanzhou Prefecture is under our control," but it seems that was all just bragging.

With such a blustering attitude, does he even deserve to be called "Emperor Fulie of the Restoration"?
He feigned great joy and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Since Your Majesty has made this promise, I will gladly die for you! I will immediately lead men to quell the mutinous soldiers and ensure Your Majesty has a peaceful Yuncheng!"

Seeing that he agreed so readily, Xu Hongru's eyes flashed with satisfaction. He waved his hand and said, "Go ahead, I'll be waiting for your good news at the county office."

Li Hongji turned and left, but the smile on his face vanished the moment he stepped out of the county government gate.

He glanced back at the county government office with the "Da Cheng Xing Sheng" banner hanging there, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Did Xu Hongru intend to use someone else to do his dirty work?
He might as well take this opportunity to get a good look at the true nature of the Scent Cult, and incidentally...

We need to recruit some capable personnel.

As for restraining the disorderly soldiers?

He has plenty of ways to turn this "cleansing" into an expansion of his own power.

Of course, Li Hongji knew in his heart that it was a pipe dream to quell the chaos in Yuncheng with only his thousand or so men.

Moreover, the soldiers he brought were essentially vagrants who followed him for a living, and if it came to a head-on confrontation, they might not be as reliable as the random soldiers on the street.

He wasn't going to get entangled with these rioters to the end.

He, Li Hongji, was an informant planted here by the Embroidered Uniform Guard; he was a man of the imperial court.

If someone were to be coerced by rioters like Xu Hongru and have no control over their own destiny, that would truly be a joke.

Xu Hongru has given up on himself, but he still has a bright future ahead of him.

As long as this rebellion can be thwarted, official rank and titles are within reach; there's no need to risk one's life.

He now only hopes for one thing: when will the government troops to quell the rebellion arrive?
As soon as a large contingent of government troops arrives, he can coordinate with them from within and without, and take the opportunity to shed the label of "traitor" and present himself as a meritorious official.

……

Deep within the palace, Zhu Youxiao was also staring at the urgent report sent from Shandong, his brow furrowed.

According to the sequence of events he knew, Xu Hongru's Wenxiang Sect uprising should have broken out in May of the second year of the Tianqi reign, which was the following year.

Therefore, he had already secretly made arrangements to have the Embroidered Uniform Guard continue to track Xu Hongru's whereabouts, intending to nip him in the bud.

The plan can't keep up with the changes.

The conscription of laborers for the Liaodong campaign had already placed an unbearable burden on the people of Shandong.

Unfortunately, corruption in Shandong's officialdom had reached its core. The grain and salary allocated by the Ministry of Revenue were embezzled at every level, leaving the laborers unable to even get a full meal, and their resentment reached its peak.

These two sparks collided, prematurely igniting the powder keg that was already in Shandong.

The most troublesome aspect of the current situation is that the government troops have not yet arrived.

The garrison troops in Shandong were already corrupt, and there were very few soldiers capable of fighting.

Deploying troops from other areas would take at least half a month for a round trip.

If we allow popular uprisings to grow like wild grass and spread throughout Shandong, or even echo the Later Jin forces beyond the Great Wall, then half of the Ming Dynasty's territory could be shaken.

"Wei Dynasty".

Zhu Youxiao put down the memorial, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity.

"Send an imperial edict to Yang Lian, instructing him to abandon his detour through Shandong and immediately change course, traveling day and night to Yanzhou to secure the canal transport route! In addition, dispatch the Tianjin naval forces northward along the Grand Canal and sea routes, ready to provide support at any time!"

He couldn't wait any longer.

Before the peasant uprising gets completely out of control, we must cut off the main artery of the Grand Canal, then mobilize troops to nip the rebellion in the bud.

Wei Chao bowed and replied, "This servant will take care of it immediately."

Zhu Youxiao gazed at the deepening twilight outside the window, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

The chaos in Shandong, though unexpected, served as a wake-up call for him.

The foundation of the Ming Dynasty was already riddled with holes, and any slight disturbance could trigger a catastrophe.

This uprising, which broke out ahead of schedule, is both a crisis and perhaps an opportunity.

Taking this opportunity to clean up the corrupt officials in Shandong and crack down on those who line their own pockets might not be a bad thing.

However, this move must be made steadily and decisively.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youxiao immediately ordered someone to convey his decree, summoning all the cabinet ministers and Ministry of War officials overnight.

The lights in the Qianqing Palace remained on all night, reflecting the solemn atmosphere inside.

Such an urgent summons in the dead of night made everyone vaguely guess that something serious must have happened.

"In Yuncheng and Zou County, Shandong Province, the Wenxiang Sect has gathered crowds to cause trouble and has already occupied the cities. The popular uprising is spreading."

Zhu Youxiao got straight to the point, briefly summarizing the core content of the urgent report from Shandong.

"The reason I have summoned you all here tonight is to discuss a strategy to quell the rebellion."

As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of everyone in the hall changed drastically.

With the war in Liaodong just over and the national treasury empty, the current chaos in Shandong is undoubtedly adding insult to injury.

Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe, his beard trembling slightly, stepped forward first and said, “Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty has just fought a fierce battle with the Jurchens, leaving the national treasury empty and the army exhausted. It is truly difficult to sustain another major war. In my humble opinion, we should adopt a policy of ‘combining suppression and appeasement, with appeasement as the primary approach.’ When the Song Dynasty quelled the uprisings of Wang Xiaobo and Li Shun, as well as the rebellion of Song Jiang, we first offered amnesty to the leaders, either by granting them official positions or providing them with money and provisions, thereby disintegrating their will to resist and promising ‘no punishment for past transgressions’ upon their submission. This would not only conserve national resources but also prevent widespread bloodshed. If appeasement proves ineffective, it is not too late to deploy elite troops for suppression.”

His words were full of maturity and prudence, and he kept mentioning the phrase "saving national strength," clearly because he was afraid that the war would drag down the already weak court.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao tapped his fingertips lightly on the imperial desk, but remained silent.

Recruitment?

Xu Hongru has already proclaimed himself "Emperor Fulie of the Restoration," clearly indicating his intention to challenge the imperial court. How could a simple surrender resolve this?
If handled poorly, it might make the other side think the court is weak, and they might become even more demanding.

Second Grand Secretary Liu Yizhu stepped forward immediately, his tone earnest: "Your Majesty, while Grand Secretary Fang's words are reasonable, they do not address the root cause. The turmoil in Shandong stems from natural disasters, but even more so from man-made calamities. If the people had any other way to survive, why would they resort to such desperate measures?"
In my opinion, the most urgent task is to alleviate the people's livelihood, open the granaries to distribute grain, and provide relief to the disaster victims to solve their immediate problems. Then, we should rectify officialdom, severely punish those corrupt and cruel officials in Shandong who line their own pockets, and select virtuous and capable people to serve as local officials, so as to appease the people's hearts from the root.

The Scent of Incense Cult is able to bewitch people precisely because officials are immoral and the people harbor deep resentment.

Liu Yiju's words hit the nail on the head, but seemed somewhat too slow to be effective.

With popular uprisings already underway and cities lost, discussing "root cause governance" at this point is like trying to put out a fire with water from afar.

Zhu Youxiao's eyes flickered, but he still did not respond. He turned his gaze to Yuan Keli, the Vice Minister of War, who was standing to the side.

Yuan Keli took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I believe that since the rebellion is just beginning and the foundation is not yet stable, the priority should be a 'swift victory'! Militarily, we can proceed in three steps:"
First, troops from surrounding areas were urgently mobilized to cut off the supply lines of the rebel army, preventing it from expanding.

Secondly, they spread rumors that "100,000 imperial reinforcements have arrived at the Yellow River," thus shaking the morale of the rebels. The rebels were mostly a mob, and what they feared most was being surrounded and suppressed by a large army of government troops.

Third, they secretly dispatched spies to turn wavering elements within the rebel army, especially those leaders who had been coerced.

Finally, concentrate elite troops and accurately behead Xu Hongru and other bandit leaders; the chaotic army will collapse without a fight.

Only in this way can Shandong be pacified at the lowest cost and in the fastest time!

Yuan Keli's strategy hits the nail on the head, with every sentence emphasizing "speed" and "accuracy," clearly drawing on his years of military experience.

The hall fell silent for a moment, as the three men each had their own emphasis: Fang Congzhe sought stability, Liu Yizhu sought fundamentals, and Yuan Keli sought speed.

Zhu Youxiao slowly rose, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "The Grand Secretary's 'appeasement' is a delaying tactic, usable temporarily but not entirely reliable; Grand Secretary Liu's 'fundamental solution' is a long-term strategy, which must be implemented after the rebellion is quelled; as for Vice Minister Yuan's 'quick war'..."

He paused, then his tone suddenly became firm: "As you say, we will immediately dispatch the Tianjin naval forces south along the Grand Canal to guard the key route to Jining and cut off the north-south communication between the rebel army."

He then ordered the governor of Baoding to urgently dispatch 5,000 troops to rush to the aid of Yanzhou overnight.

At the same time, I hereby issue an edict to the Embroidered Uniform Guards within Shandong, instructing them to cooperate with the government troops in spreading rumors and instigating a mutiny. What I desire is not a protracted standoff, but the pacification of Shandong within a month!

What kind of appeasement?
If you dare to rebel, I will wipe you all out and give you no chance!
Although the rebellion is because you can't survive, as the emperor, he will never tolerate it!
(End of this chapter)