Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 123 Emperor Longwu plotted against the Zheng family
Zheng Zhilong just said the day before yesterday that he wanted to ask for a Marquis for Zheng Zhibao. Today, Emperor Longwu granted Zheng Zhibao the Marquis of Chengji, Zheng Cai the Marquis of Yongsheng, Zheng Lian the Boss of Dingyuan, Zheng Tai the Boss of Jianping, and Zheng Sen the Boss of Zhongxiao. The Zheng family was immediately filled with princes and princes, and was favored.

Zheng Zhibao won the award, so he couldn't disobey the emperor's will. He happily led his troops to Quanzhou, forgetting about dealing with Wang Yan, and then Zheng Cai and Zheng Lian also led their troops to Xianxia Pass to guard against Qing army.

Within the imperial court, the power of the Zheng family weakened accordingly, but Zheng Zhilong didn't notice it. Instead, he believed that with the promotion of officials from the Zheng family, especially when Zheng Sen took control of the Imperial Forest Army, the power of the Zheng family not only did not weaken, but greatly strengthened .

In the palace, Emperor Longwu was strolling in the imperial garden, Zheng Sen followed behind him wearing armor and holding a knife. He saw the emperor's face full of melancholy, and then said, "Your Majesty is worried about the Northern Expedition?"

Emperor Longwu stopped in his tracks when he heard the words, and sighed: "Nowadays the Jiangnan Rebel Army is rushing up, eagerly waiting for Master Wang, but I have done nothing in Fujing, and I feel very guilty in my heart! Yesterday my newly promoted Jinyiwei Qianhu Wang Zhilong reported that Kunshan County, Suzhou Prefecture, was captured by captive soldiers. Wang Zuocai, the general soldier of Langshan, was killed. The remnant soldiers broke out and were defeated and rushed to Taihu Lake. Without the support of the imperial court, the righteous soldiers in the south of the Yangtze River will certainly not be able to last long. How can I not be worried and angry?"

"Your Majesty!" After listening to the emperor's words, Zheng Sen couldn't help bowing: "Although I am not talented, I am willing to share the worries for Your Majesty. I am willing to personally raise an army, go out of Xianxia Pass to rescue the righteous teachers in the south of the Yangtze River, and restore the rivers and mountains for Your Majesty!"

"Successful and loyal man!" Emperor Longwu praised, helped Zheng Sen himself, and then sighed: "However, not all the ministers in the court are as dedicated to the country as Qing! The national treasury is empty, there is no money and food to support it, but it can't move the army!"

Hearing this, Zheng Sen couldn't help frowning slightly. After thinking about it in his heart, he seemed to make up his mind and saluted Long Wu again: "Your Majesty, I have a plan for the issue of food and payment, which may be resolved."

"Oh?" Emperor Longwu couldn't help smiling when he heard the words, "What's your plan? You can try it out."

"Your Majesty!" Zheng Sen replied: "Nowadays there are a lot of ships trading at sea, but the imperial court has never made a profit. If it can get this profit, it will earn at least one million a year!"

Emperor Longwu couldn't help being surprised when he heard the words. Both he and Wang Yan knew that the interests of the sea were huge, but they didn't expect it to reach such a point. You must know that during the Chongzhen period, the annual income was only more than 1000 million taels. The sea tax in Fujian alone can collect millions of dollars, and Long Wu believes that Zheng Chenggong will take into account the interests of the Zheng family to some extent, so the real income will only be more than this.

"Is what you said true?" Long Wu was pleasantly surprised at first, and then pretended to sigh: "Ah! Even if what the Qing family said is true, but the Pingguo government said that there are barbarian bandits on the sea, and the imperial navy is weak, but they can't control the sea area. , Naturally, it is difficult to collect tax money."

"Your Majesty!" Zheng Sen said: "My father can do it for the sea tax. I am willing to persuade my father to share the worries of the court!"

"Duke Pingguo has been running Fujian for many years. His prestige is high, and he has thousands of ships under his command. If he can sincerely help the imperial court, great things will come true!" Emperor Longwu nodded and said, "I will propose this matter in the court tomorrow morning, and it will be successful." When the time comes, you must support my decision!"

"Willing to serve His Majesty!" Zheng Sen saluted.

"Haha~" Emperor Longwu smiled when he saw this, "I had a conversation with Qing today and listened to the strategies you offered, and the melancholy in my heart will be relieved. Qing is really my good minister!"

At present, Emperor Longwu and Zheng Sen walked in the imperial garden for a while, and then asked Zheng Sen to inspect the palace, while he returned to the study to deal with government affairs.

Not long after Emperor Longwu returned to the study, a Jin Yiwei Qianhu entered the study under the guidance of his servant.

The person who came was Wang Zhilong, who traveled thousands of miles with Liu Shun, and after fleeing to Fujing, Wang Yan recommended him to Emperor Longwu, and the emperor felt his loyalty and integrity, and named him Jinyiwei Qianhu, and regarded him with his confidantes. .

"I pay homage to Your Majesty!" Wang Zhilong walked up to the emperor and saluted.

"The Qing family is safe!" Emperor Longwu raised his hand with a smile when he heard the sound, then put the letter written on the imperial case into an envelope, handed it to Wang Zhilong and said, "The Qing family will leave the city immediately, and hand this letter to Zhongyonghou. Let him know, understand?"

"I know!" Wang Zhilong took the letter and saluted again: "I will live up to your Majesty's trust!"

"En." Long Wu nodded and said, "Your Excellency, let's do it!"

Immediately, Wang Zhilong took a few steps back, then turned around and left the study, and rushed to the place where Wang Yan was stationed outside the city.

In the early morning of the next day, all officials met.

Zheng Zhilong stood at the head of the generals, Zuo Maodi stood at the head of the civil servants, Emperor Longwu sat on the big treasure, and the servants on the side sang loudly: "If there is something to do, let's play, and if there is nothing to do, leave the court!"

"The minister has a copy to play!" University scholar Huang Daozhou took out a copy of the report from his sleeve, and went out to salute: "The Minister of the Ministry of War and the right capital of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, Jin Sheng, rebels and recovered Huizhou Prefecture. Now it is in Congshan Pass and The captive soldiers fought fiercely. Although they repelled the captive soldiers several times, they had neither elite soldiers nor food and grass. It was only thanks to the blood of thousands of volunteers that they barely managed to keep Congshan Pass. Now there is a call for help. Your Majesty, please send troops to support !"

"I have the book to play!" University scholar Su Guansheng came out and said: "Jiangxi governor Li Yongmao and Wuyingdian University scholar Yang Tinglin fought fiercely with Qing general Jin Shengheng in Ji'an. The soldiers' wages can't be continued. Please support the imperial court!"

"I have a book to play! Kunshan and Jiaxing have been attacked by captive soldiers successively, and countless righteous people have been slaughtered. Now the volunteers in Nanzhili are in crisis. I ask the court to send reinforcements quickly to save the survivors from the fire!" Huang Mingjun also appeared on the list. road.

One year, three academicians came out to report, and they said they were asking for soldiers or money, which made Zheng Zhilong, who stood at the top of the military general, feel a little bad in his heart.

"The performances of the three lovers are all urgent matters. Huizhou and Jiangnan volunteers are related to whether our dynasty can recover the southern capital, and the land in southern Jiangxi is the barrier of Fujian. We must not lose it!" Emperor Longwu said solemnly: "I have decided to approve the performance of the three nobles, and send troops out of Xianxia Pass and enter the south of the Yangtze River! Gentlemen! Who dares to be the vanguard? Help me restore thousands of miles of rivers and mountains!"

"Zhu Chenggong, the left governor of the Yulin Army, is willing to lead the athletes under his command, serve His Majesty, be loyal to the court, and send troops to the Northern Expedition!" Zheng Sen heard the emperor's words and went out to pay homage.

Hearing this, Zheng Zhilong's expression changed drastically. He asked Zheng Sen to select [-] elite soldiers from the Zheng family to control the emperor, not to let him go north to consume with the Qing army.

For a moment, Zheng Zhilong couldn't help feeling angry, and glared at Zheng Sen. He was about to speak out, but he was startled. At this moment, he looked around the court, but suddenly found that many people from the Zheng family were not on the list, and most of the civil servants were on the left. Mao is the first party, and among the generals, the Zheng family, which originally had an absolute advantage, was unable to suppress Wang Yan because Zheng Zhibao, Zheng Cai, Zheng Lian and others led troops out of Fujing successively. In addition, the rebellious sons Zheng Sen and Zheng Zhilong Already at a disadvantage.

(End of this chapter)