Huangming

Chapter 489 Taking advantage of the chaos to start construction is unlike that of a ruler.

The smoke of battle had not yet dissipated from the battlefield outside the east gate of Changzhou Prefecture.

The cold snow washed away the wreckage of weapons and dark red bloodstains scattered on the ground, making the muddy land sticky, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder, blood and damp earth.

Li Fuming, covered in the dust of battle, his bright armor splattered with mud and dark red bloodstains, stood on a makeshift platform, his gaze sweeping over the densely packed prisoners below, his brows furrowed slightly.

Yesterday's bloody battle crushed 100,000 rioters in just one day, but the work of cleaning up the mess is far more mentally taxing than the fighting itself.

The work of gathering the prisoners lasted for five days.

At first, the defeated rioters scattered and fled. Some hid in the nearby mountains and forests, some hid in the woodsheds of the village, and many even jumped into the cold canal, trying to escape downstream.

Li Fuming had no choice but to divide his troops into four groups.

They blocked the entrance to the mountain forest and shouted to persuade the inhabitants to surrender.

They searched village by village, clearing out stragglers.

They deployed defenses along the river to intercept fugitives fleeing on the water.

The last route set up checkpoints around the battlefield to take in civilians who surrendered voluntarily.

He would get up before dawn every day to coordinate his work, and could only rest briefly in his command tent late at night. He didn't even have time to take off his armor, and could only rely on hot tea to dispel the chill.

Five days later, the final list of prisoners was presented to Li Fuming.

More than 45,300 names filled three whole rolls of yellow hemp paper.

He sat in his command tent, his eyes sharp as knives: "List the ringleaders and key members separately, and immediately escort them to Nanjing for joint trial by the three judicial departments."

The guards under his command obeyed and quickly dragged out more than a hundred bandit leaders whose heads were wrapped in red turbans.

These were mostly generals, surrendered officials, and pirate leaders under Wang Haoxian's command. They all looked dejected, yet still retained a touch of arrogance, muttering curses as they were being led away.

The remaining 40,000 prisoners were carefully selected in three groups:
The first batch consisted of various craftsmen.

Li Fuming specially invited technical officials sent by the Ministry of Works in Nanjing to screen the prisoners one by one.

Blacksmiths, carpenters who could build ships, coppersmiths who were skilled in making tools, weavers who knew how to weave, and even peddlers who could repair pots and bowls were all selected separately, registered, and sent to Nanjing by horse-drawn carriage.

“The palace workshops and the Academy of Sciences are currently expanding production and are short of manpower. Sending these craftsmen there can fill the gaps in the Ministry of Works.”

Li Fuming looked at the group of craftsmen being taken away. Although these people had caused chaos, they had a skill and would be useful if they were kept.

The second group consisted of young and middle-aged people.

Approximately 20,000 people were incorporated into the labor camps, provided with coarse linen clothing and farm tools, and placed under the command of the Jiangnan Disaster Relief Office.

Some of them will accompany disaster relief officials to Zhenjiang and Changzhou to participate in land surveying.

Previously, it was common practice for gentry in Jiangnan to conceal their land holdings. Taking advantage of the recent land reclamation following the war, the ownership of the land can be clarified.

Others were sent to build water conservancy projects, dredging silted-up river channels and dikes to prepare for the spring planting season the following year.

"Letting them atone for their crimes with their labor not only relieved the Disaster Relief Department's manpower shortage but also gave them a chance to reform themselves."

Li Fuming gave instructions to the officials of the Disaster Relief Department.

The third group consisted of the remaining 10,000 or so people, mostly unskilled and unemployed migrants.

They were taken to the canal wharf and boarded northbound cargo ships bound for Liaodong.

"Although the Jurchens have been pacified in Liaodong, there are still thousands of miles of wasteland, and manpower is urgently needed to cultivate land and build fortresses."

Li Fuming watched the cargo ship sail away and muttered to himself.

“Jiangnan suffered from war but its population remained large, while Liaodong needed development but was sparsely populated. This kind of migration can be considered a win-win situation.”

At this time, the officials previously sent by Zhu Youxiao to Liaodong had begun to reorganize the region. These refugees, once they arrived there, would be allocated land and farming tools and become civilians guarding the border, thus contributing to the consolidation of Liaodong's foundation.

And after doing all these things.

News of the great victory in Changzhou also reached Yuan Keli's command tent in Zhenjiang Prefecture.

Wearing a dark blue official robe, Yuan Keli received the victory report from the scout. Only after seeing the words "Greatly defeated the chaotic army, capturing more than 45,000" did he breathe a long sigh of relief, and his shoulders, which had been tense for many days, suddenly relaxed.

He turned and walked to the map, his gaze falling on the red line connecting Songjiang, Jiaxing, and Suzhou, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

More than a month after Wang Haoxian raised his army, he fled from Songjiang to Jiaxing, and then captured Suzhou. His 100,000 troops swept through the area like locusts, causing panic among the gentry and revealing old abuses wherever they went.

Although this was exactly the "seeking order amidst chaos" he wanted, he worried every day that this chaotic army would get out of control.

After all, Wang Haoxian's expansion from 50,000 to 100,000 was too fast. If he had even half a capable general under his command, and if the rebels really gained power, not only would he be able to pacify Jiangnan, but Nanjing would probably be shaken as well.

"Fortunately, he's just a good-for-nothing after all."

Yuan Keli muttered to himself, a relieved smile playing on his lips.

Wang Haoxian had a force of 100,000, but lacked military discipline and combat effectiveness. When they encountered Li Fuming's 6,000 elite troops, they were routed. Their utter vulnerability put Wang Haoxian's mind at ease.

It seems that the strategy of "using bandits to eliminate abuses and expelling bandits to consolidate the territory" can continue.

"Minister, it seems that this heavy burden on my mind can finally be lifted."

Duke Zhang Weixian of England, dressed in military uniform, strode into the tent with an undisguised smile on his face.

He had just arrived from the Beijing garrison and, upon hearing the news of the victory, immediately sought out Yuan Keli to discuss matters.

"Li Fuming fought a brilliant battle, not only thwarting the enemy's advance but also capturing tens of thousands of rebels, which can be considered a good start for the war in Jiangnan."

Next, shouldn't we march east and retake Suzhou?

Yuan Keli gestured for him to sit down and personally poured him a cup of hot tea.

"There's no rush to attack Suzhou. Although Changzhou is now secured, Wuxi is still under the control of the rebels. It's the main route from Changzhou to Suzhou. If we don't take Wuxi first, our flank will be vulnerable."

"One month has already passed since His Majesty gave us the three-month deadline."

Next, we shouldn't rush things. We should first steadily recover the entire territory of Changzhou, take Wuxi, and force the enemy army back to Suzhou.

After that, they followed the route through Suzhou, Songjiang, Jiaxing, Huzhou, and Hangzhou, gradually driving Wang Haoxian southward.

"Pursue the thieves?"

Zhang Weixian paused, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

"This gradual approach, while prudent, is time-consuming and exhausting. Why not concentrate our forces and wipe them out in one fell swoop?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Keli chuckled softly.

"The British may not know that what I want is not just to quell the rebellion, but also to use this chaos to eliminate the long-standing problems in Jiangnan."

Wherever Wang Haoxian went, gentry either surrendered to the bandits or fled. The old problems of land annexation, clan power, and official corruption were all exposed in the chaos.

We followed the rebel army's footsteps, and every time we recovered a place, we immediately sent officials from the Disaster Relief Office and the Land Clearing Office to follow up.

Land surveys, household registration checks, and reform of officialdom—His Majesty's new policies are being rolled out step by step.

"After Wang Haoxian was driven from Changzhou to Suzhou, and then to Songjiang and Jiaxing, all the prefectures along the way were reorganized."

By then, the hidden lands of the gentry will be uncovered, corrupt officials will be brought to justice, and displaced people will be properly resettled. Your Majesty's new policies will then be able to take firm root in Jiangnan without any further obstacles.

Looking at the lines of dots on the map, Zhang Weixian instantly understood Yuan Keli's deeper meaning and couldn't help but nod in admiration:

"Your Excellency has played a truly brilliant game! By using the chaos caused by the rebels as a weapon, you have eradicated the old problems in Jiangnan, quelled the rebellion, brought peace to the people, and implemented new policies—a triple win!"

Yuan Keli picked up his teacup, gazed at the falling snow outside the window, and spoke in a calm tone:

"Tomorrow, an order will be issued, instructing Li Fuming to rest for three days before leading his troops north to recapture Wuxi."

"Let's take it one step at a time. Once the purge of Jiangnan is complete, Wang Haoxian's death will be imminent."

Zhang Weixian nodded, but his heart was filled with emotion.

His Majesty is shrewd and ruthless.

He's born to be an emperor!

In that case, there is probably nothing in the Great Ming Dynasty that can stop His Majesty.

the other side.

Ying Tianfu.

Nanjing.

Inside the town's residence, the garrison eunuch Gao Qiqian, the Academy of Sciences Song Yingxing, and the Jiangning Bureau of the Jiangnan Textile Bureau eunuch Li Mingbo were in the main hall.

In the main seat, the garrison eunuch Gao Qiqian leaned back in a round-backed chair covered with a white tiger skin.

His gaze swept over the two people in the hall, and he slowly began to speak.

"The agreement with the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal is due in just over a month. Will the Jiangning Textile Bureau be able to gather those hundreds of thousands of bolts of silk on time?"

The original delivery deadline had arrived, but Zhu Youxiao sent officials to discuss with these merchants and postpone the delivery by two months.

Song Yingxing, who was standing on the left, immediately stepped forward, bowed, and replied:
"Don't worry, Zhenjian. The Academy of Sciences workshop has already produced a hundred spinning machines, which are currently being installed in the new factory of the Jiangning Textile Bureau."

I visited the other day, and although the weavers are still inexperienced, they can produce more than twenty times the amount of raw silk they used to weave each day.

As long as the raw silk supply is sufficient, producing 300,000 bolts of silk within a month is absolutely no problem.

Li Mingbo, the eunuch in charge of textile production in Jiangning on the right, quickly echoed his sentiment.

"What Steward Song says is true. We have selected more than two thousand women with silk weaving experience from among the refugees, and they are working in three shifts. The looms in the factory are running day and night. However..."

He paused, his tone becoming somewhat hesitant.

“The availability of raw silk and skilled weavers has always been a problem. Those silk merchants in Jiangnan held onto their mulberry orchards and were unwilling to sell their goods easily.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Qiqian suddenly chuckled softly.

"What Eunuch Li said might have been true before the chaos in Jiangnan, but now... there's no shortage of raw silk and weavers."

Both Song Yingxing and Li Mingbo were taken aback by his words.

Gao Qiqian sat up straight and continued:
"Have you forgotten? Those silk merchants, relying on the support of the gentry, hoarded raw silk and drove up prices. Even the Imperial Textile Bureau had to defer to them when it wanted to make purchases."

But what about now? The gentry of Songjiang and Jiaxing have either had their homes confiscated or been escorted to the capital. The rest are barely able to keep their own mulberry orchards, so how could they dare to oppose the Imperial Textile Bureau?

The other day, Wang Fulai, a silk merchant from Suzhou Prefecture, voluntarily delivered 100,000 catties of raw silk, saying he was "willing to serve the imperial court," as if afraid we would settle old scores with him.

"And the weavers!"

"When the chaos broke out in Songjiang and Jiaxing, the weavers who relied on the silk merchants were afraid of being kidnapped by the rebels, so they fled to Nanjing one after another."

When we were receiving refugees outside the city, as soon as we heard that the Weaving Bureau was recruiting weavers, with food, lodging and a monthly salary provided, people flocked to sign up.

Now we not only have enough skilled weavers, but we've also recruited over five hundred apprentices, so we won't have to worry about manpower in the future.

Upon hearing this, Song Yingxing said thoughtfully:

"In that case, what we couldn't accomplish despite our best efforts before has become a natural outcome because of this chaos. However, His Majesty specifically instructed that we should no longer use the small workshop model of silk merchants. Instead, we should open 'factories' in Nanjing, hire workers, pay them monthly wages, and calculate payment based on the number of pieces of silk woven."

This method is quite novel; I couldn't figure it out at first.

"Can't figure it out?"

Gao Qiqian picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of hot tea, and his eyes sharpened.

"Director Song is a capable person at the Academy of Sciences; he should understand the ins and outs of this."

Can an ordinary small workshop afford your 38-spindle spinning machine?

Even if we could afford it, if it breaks down, who could fix it without someone from the Academy of Sciences?
"His Majesty's intention in opening factories is to wrest weavers from silk merchants and firmly control them under the Imperial Textile Bureau!"

Song Yingxing flattered from the side:

"The town supervisor is right!"

At first I couldn't figure it out, but then I understood. His Majesty was cutting off the source of the problem!

Imagine, our spinning machines are highly efficient, and the cost of the silk we produce is 30% lower than that of silk merchants.

With monthly salaries and piece-rate pay, the weavers could earn half again as much money as they would in a silk merchant's workshop.

Who would still want to work with silk merchants?
Once the imperial mulberry orchards begin production next spring, the raw silk production will be self-sufficient. At that time, the silk trade in Jiangnan will entirely belong to the Imperial Textile Bureau!

"Isn't that the truth?"

Gao Qiqian put down his teacup, his tone tinged with smugness.

“Those silk merchants and gentry have been exploiting the people and accumulating wealth through the silk business. If the court wants to implement new policies, it must first cut off their source of income.”

Now, taking advantage of the chaos, they seized their mulberry gardens and weaving households, and then used machines to reduce costs. In the future, all the profits from silk production will go to the government.

This was not merely for trade with the Western barbarians, but to fundamentally change the economic landscape of Jiangnan!

"We have built three large factories in Nanjing, each capable of accommodating 5,000 weavers."

We can start production this month, and at that time, we will not only be able to deliver on time, but also weave tens of thousands more bolts to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

Those weavers who had fled there, upon hearing that they could get work in the factory, were eager to start immediately, and even settled their homes in shacks near the factory.

Song Yingxing's eyes flickered.

"In that case, the task of the Textile Bureau can be completed this year."

Gao Qiqian stood up, walked to the window, looked at the snow falling outside, and said:
"It's not enough to just complete the tasks assigned by the Weaving Bureau."

"His Majesty said that the problem in Jiangnan is not just the gentry's rebellion, but also the fact that the economy is controlled by a few people."

Now, taking advantage of the opportunity to quell the rebellion, we must not only eliminate the rebels but also revitalize the economy.

Once the silk trade is monopolized, the next step will be to bring salt, tea, and grain under state control.

Only then can Jiangnan truly achieve stability, and only then can the new policies be successfully implemented.

"These things all depend on your hard work."

Upon hearing this, Song Yingxing and Li Mingbo bowed in unison and flattered him, saying:
"Your Majesty is wise, and the garrison commander is a master strategist. We will certainly do our best to fulfill our mission and live up to expectations!"

While things were going smoothly for the government troops, Wang Haoxian, the leader of the Wenxiang Sect, was not in a good mood in Wuxi.

The main hall of the government office in the city.

Wang Haoxian suddenly smashed the porcelain bowl in his hand on the ground, scattering shards of celadon everywhere.

His brocade robe was stained with mud, his once neatly combed hair was disheveled, and his face no longer held the majesty of a former "leader," only the frustration and anxiety ignited by defeat.

"The Chosen One?"

He cursed under his breath.

"What a load of rubbish about destiny! Changzhou Prefecture alone wiped out my 100,000 brothers!"

The horrific scene outside Changzhou kept replaying in my mind:
Li Kuiqi's three thousand rebels were bombarded by cannons and turned into bloody messes. Li Tietou's five thousand elite troops fell like wheat being harvested. When the army of one hundred thousand fled, they trampled each other. Even Li himself was almost caught up by the government cavalry.

That was a defeat he had never experienced before, and the first time he had truly felt the shadow of "death".

The smugness from conquering Jiaxing and Suzhou has now turned into a painful mockery.

He thought he could sweep across Jiangnan, but in the end he found that in the face of the real government troops, his "righteous army" was nothing but a paper doll that could be punctured at a glance.

"The leader."

Outside the hall, Xu Chengye bowed and walked in, holding a clean cotton robe in his hands, his tone cautious.

"It's cold, please change into warm clothes. I'm thinking that although we've lost, there's still a chance for a turnaround."

Wang Haoxian glanced at him, didn't take the cotton robe, and just waved his hand impatiently:
"Speak quickly, don't dawdle!"

Xu Chengye quickly put down his cotton robe, stepped forward, and lowered his voice:
"Master, in my opinion, our most urgent task is to train our troops."

It's better to have a good army than a large one. Before, we relied on refugees to make up the numbers. Although we had a lot of people, they were actually no match for us.

If we could select the elite troops and train them properly, we wouldn't be in such a sorry state the next time we encounter government troops.

Wang Haoxian's eyes flickered, and he said, "Training soldiers is necessary, but how should we train them? Are we going to suddenly turn those refugees who only know how to carry hoes into soldiers who can fight?"

"of course not."

A glint of light flashed in Xu Chengye's eyes, and he quickly said:

"Hasn't the leader incorporated a lot of surrendered soldiers from the garrisons?"
People like Hou Chengzhu and Bai Qin are all veteran generals who know how to train troops.

Furthermore, the surrendered soldiers from Hainingwei and Jiaxingwei would at least know how to form ranks and use swords and spears.

"Using these men as the backbone, and selecting the strongest among the refugees, we'll have them train them. Within a month, the rebel army's fighting strength will surely soar!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Haoxian's face darkened.

He stared at Xu Chengye, his eyes now scrutinizing him.
"Use the garrison soldiers as the backbone? Then let me ask you, will the soldiers trained listen to me, or to Hou Chengzhu and Bai Qin?"

Xu Chengye's heart skipped a beat, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He quickly bowed and said:

"Of course we'll listen to the leader! Those garrison soldiers are just instructors; the real military power is still in the leader's hands!"

"Hmph, that's putting it lightly."

Wang Haoxian sneered, stood up, walked to the edge of the tent, and looked at the scattered, defeated soldiers outside.

"Hou Chengzhu and his ilk were originally officials of the Ming Dynasty. Their surrender to me was merely a temporary measure."

What if they turn against us and become elite troops if we actually give them military power?
"Wouldn't I, the 'leader,' become their puppet then?"

He already had a plan in mind:
Xu Chengye's words, seemingly for his own good, were actually an attempt to win over the surrendered soldiers of the garrison.

After all, Xu Chengye came from a gentry background and was more compatible with people like Hou Chengzhu.

If he really does as Xu Chengye says, his power will be diluted sooner or later.

"If we're going to train troops, we have to use our own people."

Wang Haoxian turned around, his tone resolute.

"Let the twelve generals train with their trusted refugees. The garrison soldiers are only allowed to teach the moves, not to touch the military power."

"It may be slower, but at least the soldiers I train will be under my firm control."

Xu Chengye opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him again.

Relying solely on refugees and the Twelve Heavenly Generals, the efficiency of training troops is extremely low. It would take an unknown amount of time to train a large army capable of fighting against the government forces.

But seeing Wang Haoxian's cold and stern eyes, Xu Chengye swallowed back the words he was about to say and could only bow and reply:

"Your Excellency is wise. I will make the arrangements immediately."

"Wait a minute."

Wang Haoxian suddenly spoke, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

“Training the troops alone is not enough. The brothers have just suffered a defeat, and their morale is very low. We need to find a way to boost their morale.”

Xu Chengye was stunned for a moment: "What does the leader mean..."

"Go and relay my order."

Wang Haoxian's voice was low, yet it carried a chilling cruelty.

"All gentry within the territory of Changzhou Prefecture must return to Suzhou with us within ten days, bringing all their belongings, gold, silver, and grain, not a single penny less."

Anyone who dares to disobey will have their property confiscated!

"My lord, you mustn't!"

Xu Chengye's expression changed drastically, and he quickly stepped forward to dissuade him.

“The gentry value their homeland the most, and Changzhou is their base. They would definitely refuse to abandon their families and move to Suzhou!”

"No?"

Wang Haoxian suddenly grinned maliciously, his teeth grinding together.

"If they refuse, we'll confiscate everything! Their gold and silver will be our military pay; their women will be a reward for our brothers!"

There was a greedy glint in his eyes.

"With Li Fuming's elite troops in Changzhou Prefecture, we won't be able to stay here any longer."

Since we can't occupy them, we might as well take advantage of the fact that the government troops haven't arrived yet and loot all the counties and prefectures east of Changzhou, such as Wuxi and Yixing!
The brothers looted gold and silver and took women, so their morale naturally soared.

"Even if we return to Suzhou then, we'll still have the resources to fight the government troops again!"

Xu Chengye stood there, feeling cold all over.

He finally understood that Wang Haoxian's so-called "boosting morale" was nothing more than allowing his men to plunder the people and extort money from the gentry.

But looking at the madness in Wang Haoxian's eyes, he didn't even have the strength to refute.

Since the defeat in Changzhou, this "leader" has become increasingly brutal and short-sighted, only thinking about immediate interests and completely disregarding the long term.

Such a ruler does not resemble a human being.

If the situation continues to develop...

Can they really establish a foothold in Jiangnan?
Could his lord, Wang Haoxian, truly become the second Zhu Yuanzhang—no, Wang Mingzhang?

Xu Chengye suddenly felt that his future was somewhat bleak and uncertain.

The people he searched for who were betting on it didn't seem very reliable.
(End of this chapter)