Chapter 1422
The arrival of the army
Chapter 1422 The arrival of the army
Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fushan, has hardly opened the office in recent months. This is not because he is lazy, but because the current Fushan County has changed its owner. Small.Zhang Pucheng could not make any strong protest against Haihan, he could only acquiesce to Haihan's local influence.
Of course, Zhang Pucheng doesn't have any such things as backbone, righteousness, and loyalty. It's just that between "living and enjoying glory and wealth" and "dying silently", he finally chose the former.Now that he doesn't have to do anything, Haihan will send him a generous "office fee" every month, and he will also take care of the place in good order on his behalf, so that he can completely live a life of a wealthy family with nothing to worry about. .If the camp positions of both sides are ignored, then these days can really be said to be beautiful.
Of course, Zhang Pucheng also knew that his behavior in Fushan County could not be recognized by the Dengzhou and even Shandong governors, but he was still needed as a mediator and a messenger, so he could tolerate him who was almost treasonous. Do nothing.But if Haihan withdraws from Shandong in the future, the superiors will no longer sit back and watch him as a wallflower and continue to sit in the Fushan county government office, and they will definitely be liquidated.So while being a rich man, Zhang Pucheng has quietly started to set up a way for himself.
The reason why he is willing to accept the benefits of Haihan is that on the one hand, the price offered by Haihan cannot be rejected, and on the other hand, it is also because Haihan is extremely thoughtful about how officials like him will get rid of the punishment of the court in the future. There are corresponding arrangements.Simply put, it is to leave Daming when necessary and start another life as a Haihan citizen.
But in the future, if he really had to leave Daming, and if he and his family didn't want to sit still, having a stable source of income would naturally be very important.Last year, Zhang Pucheng arranged for a trusted nephew to go to the Haihan Colony in the south, and confirmed that the more than 200 acres of spice plantations subscribed locally were already in operation, and he learned that many of the bosses behind the local plantations invested money. Coming from Daming, I felt a little relieved.As long as the situation is not right, he will immediately arrange for his family to sail south from the sea. When the court wants to accuse him of any crime, then they will be left to go. The most important thing is to live well.
However, Zhang Pucheng still has nightmares occasionally, dreaming that the Haihan army suddenly landed on Zhifu Island, then marched westward, swept the Shandong Peninsula, broke the city, burned, killed and looted, and made Shandong fall into the rebellion even more than Denglai. in the midst of a serious war.Every time he wakes up from this nightmare, Zhang Pucheng feels a deep sense of guilt, as if all the chaos was caused by himself.He could only comfort himself, the Haihan people had promised him more than once that they would not take the initiative to use force against Shandong, and they had no intention of invading Daming. Now that the society in Fushan County is stable and the government is harmonious, presumably the Haihan people should not go back on their word.
But his idea was shaken by the news that just came today. Haihan sent a very large armed fleet, far exceeding the scale of the fleet stationed on Zhifu Island before.The Denglai states simply do not have enough naval forces to threaten Zhifu Island, so why did the Haihan people mobilize such a huge fleet to Shandong?Zhang Pucheng's subconscious reaction was that Haihan planned to attack Shandong.
Half of Shandong's military force was destroyed by the Denglai Rebellion a few years ago, and the remaining half of the armed force, the elites of which were also transferred to the Central Plains to kill the peasant army, and only some weak guard troops were left to guard the area. .For Haihan, who has a strong boat and cannon, the local military defense force in Shandong can only be described as vulnerable.And such a big piece of fat, Haihan people are not good men and women, why do they keep looking at it and not eat it?Thinking of this, Zhang Pucheng felt that the reality was about to match the content of the nightmare he had done, and he couldn't help but feel a little panic in his heart. As soon as the fight started, he had no room for manoeuvre as a local official. Could it be that he really wanted to abandon the official and run away. time?
"Sir, you have to come up with an idea as soon as possible!"
Han Qin, the head of the Fushan county government office, urged Zhang Pucheng with an anxious look on his face.He informed Zhang Pucheng of the news that the Haihan fleet had arrived at Zhifu Island. Although Han Qin had long since compromised with the outsider Haihan under pressure, no one could remain calm enough in the face of the Haihan army. Next, whether Fushan County should close its doors to resist or open its doors to surrender, which requires the magistrate Zhang Pucheng to express his attitude.
The benefits that Han Qin can get from Haihan are naturally not as rich as Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate, who can't buy hundreds of acres of farms in the south to be the boss.But Haihan also gave him a promise that if the situation in Shandong worsened one day and he had to leave here to save his life, then Haihan would arrange for him to make a living in the south, and his income and living conditions would never be lower than this time. .Although this verbal promise was not binding, Han Qin chose to trust Haihan's credibility.
But neither Zhang Pucheng nor Han Qin would want Haihan to use force in Shandong.No one wants a big turmoil in their living environment. They have all experienced the tragic situation brought about by the war, and they do not want to see such a scene happen again.If the outbreak of war cannot be prevented, at least arrangements must be made as soon as possible to avoid this catastrophe.
Zhang Pucheng gritted his teeth and said, "Have you really confirmed the news?"
Han Qin said: "My brother-in-law is now doing paperwork on the dock of Zhifu Island. He said that the Haihan Fleet arrived yesterday evening, and the ships were full of soldiers. At night, the whole dock was lit with torches. It didn't finish until midnight. This time, there are thousands of soldiers and horses who came by boat this time, it can't be fake!"
Zhang Pucheng breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Haihan silently transported so many troops from the south. This was not just to show off his strength or to perform troop drills. The purpose was to take Denglai. from two states.It's just that Dengzhou is still a long way from Zhifu Island, and there is a city and thousands of troops there. Haihan will have to spend a lot of money to attack Dengzhou, but his own Fushan county is right under Haihan's eyelids. If you really want to make trouble in Shandong, the first thing should be to take over the place completely. It seems that the county magistrate is about to end.
Zhang Pucheng remembered something, and asked Han Qin, "Does Huang Pao know about this?"
The Ming army stationed in Fushan County was only about [-] people, and Zong Huangqu was regarded as a wise man who knew the current affairs.Although Zhang Pucheng didn't know what benefits the Haihan people gave Huang Qu, he certainly wouldn't treat the only military attache in Fushan County too badly.Now that the Haihan army has arrived, Huang Qu is the first to bear the brunt, and his attitude may determine whether this small county will fall into war.
Han Qin nodded and said, "President Huang's nephew is also working on Zhifu Island. I think he should have received the news. He is a smart person, and he won't do stupid things."
"If you want to do it, you have to have that ability! He only has so many people under his command, and now he is almost running, how can he fight against the Haihan army? Go and invite Huang Pao, and say something related. Business." Zhang Pucheng said it easily, but he still planned to confirm Huang Qu's attitude in person.If Huang Qu had any other plans, Zhang Pucheng had to try to get himself out first, so as not to be implicated.
Huang Qu came soon, probably if Zhang Pucheng didn't invite him, he would come to the door himself.Whether it is a war or a surrender, such a big matter can only be decided by the only two local officials representing the civil and military camps.And Han Qin, as Zhang Pucheng's trusted subordinate, is also qualified to stay and participate in this discussion.
"Master Zhang, you are thinking too much." Huang Qu knew very well that the other party came to him to discuss something, so after sitting down, he cut to the point: "Not to mention that I have few soldiers to call, even if It is full of people, and I will not jump out and do that thing. If we want to die for the country, we should have died a year ago. Since we have survived until now, it is the right thing to live. "
Many of Huang Qu's soldiers quietly left the county seat to serve the Haihan people, and some even emigrated to the south.And as he said, even if they choose to die for the country now, it will not help. The Haihan people will not care, and the court will not treat them as loyal ministers. Even if they die in the county, they may not even have a splash. .After all, when it comes to the means of controlling the mouthpiece of public opinion, they can't catch up with Shanghai Han.
Therefore, Huang Qu not only did not intend to resist, but actually planned to persuade the magistrate Zhang Pucheng to let him voluntarily give up his unrealistic fantasies, and to save his own life as the first task at the moment.
From a certain point of view, their ideas actually coincide.Human nature's desire to survive, or to put it uglier, is greed for life and fear of death, so that they can no longer muster the courage to fight the arrival of the Haihan army.Since he had already chosen to compromise and be stubborn before, it would be meaningless to work hard at this time.
Zhang Pucheng pondered: "General Huang Pao means that we take the initiative to surrender to Haihan and offer the city?"
Huang Qu sneered: "What do I mean? Isn't that what Master Zhang meant?"
Although both of them had the idea of surrender, they were unwilling to bear this bad reputation, and there was some conflict between their words.On the other hand, Han Qin, a bystander, could see it clearly, and persuaded with a wry smile: "The two adults, now is not the time to fight, both of you will probably have to leave here in the future, and maybe you will have to become a Haihan citizen in the future. Putting it in Haihan might be a great achievement!"
The two looked at each other, thinking that although Han Qin's statement could not stand up to scrutiny, there was some truth to it.At this time, whoever takes the initiative to drop first may be treated better afterwards, and those who move slowly may be regarded as following the trend.
However, Zhang Pucheng is cautious by nature, even if Huang Qu's words have basically made his attitude clear, he doesn't have to worry about this boss singing the opposite of himself, he still has other things in mind.
"Huangpao is always a smart person, so this officer naturally won't worry about it. But what is the attitude of Qishan Institute...I don't know how?" Zhang Pucheng looked at Huang Qu and asked, "Huangpao always knows what Feng Qianhu means?"
Huang Yafang replied expressionlessly: "The Qishan Institute is the Qishan Institute's business, and it has nothing to do with me. If Feng Qianhu wants to challenge Haihan, then he can do it."
Qishan Qianhu is only a dozen miles away from Fushan County. When Haihan landed on Zhifu Island, the first thing he pulled out was an outpost of Qishan in Zhifu Bay.Although Feng Fei, who was stationed in the local area, was intimidated by the military force of Haihan, he could only turn a blind eye to what happened on Zhifu Island, but Feng Fei obeyed Dengzhou and never chose to be neutral like the two in Fushan County.When Huang Qu expressed his attitude, he wanted to clear the relationship between himself and Qishan Institute.He also didn't think that Qishan with only a few hundred soldiers could resist the invasion of thousands of Haihan soldiers. If Feng Fei couldn't see the situation clearly, he deserved to die.
Zhang Pu was convinced that Huang Qu was not leaking, and at the moment he also admired this guy's determination.Before the Haihan people came to Dengzhou, Huang Qu and Feng Fei were walking around each other every three or five minutes, and the two sides even made an appointment to become in-laws.However, when disaster strikes, they fly separately, and Huang Qu is out of self-protection. It is understandable to do so. It is better to live alone than to find death in a group.
Zhang Pucheng made up his mind and said, "Since President Huang's intention is the same as this officer's, it's better to contact the senior officials of Haihan as soon as possible to inform us of our attitude, so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings in the future."
Huang Qu nodded and said: "Master Zhang is right, but this officer once heard a saying from the young General Chen, that it is better to act if you want to. Since we have made up our minds, why bother to find someone to spread the word, why not? Take a trip to Zhifu Island in person to show your intentions."
Zhang Pucheng hesitated: "Is it necessary to do this?"
Huang Qu stared at him and said noncommittally: "If Master Zhang feels inappropriate, then don't force it, just wait for the news in the county seat."
Zhang Pucheng heard the words and said in his heart that you still want to leave me and eat alone, how can this fulfill your intention, and immediately said: "Now the situation is not clear, going to Zhifu Island is still a bit risky, this official will go with President Huang Pao, what happened? It would be nice to have someone to take care of.”
In Huang Qu's heart, he looked down on Zhang Pucheng's civil service style, acting as a mother-in-law, and speaking hypocritically. It's just that Daming always respects civil servants. Although he was a little unhappy, he still didn't swipe the other's face.
After the two of them discussed it, they prepared their own cars and sedans to set off.Han Qin originally wanted to follow, but Zhang Pucheng was worried that the people in the city would panic and chaos after hearing the news that the Haihan army had arrived at the port, so he ordered Han Qin to stay in the city to prevent any changes in the county.
(End of this chapter)
Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fushan, has hardly opened the office in recent months. This is not because he is lazy, but because the current Fushan County has changed its owner. Small.Zhang Pucheng could not make any strong protest against Haihan, he could only acquiesce to Haihan's local influence.
Of course, Zhang Pucheng doesn't have any such things as backbone, righteousness, and loyalty. It's just that between "living and enjoying glory and wealth" and "dying silently", he finally chose the former.Now that he doesn't have to do anything, Haihan will send him a generous "office fee" every month, and he will also take care of the place in good order on his behalf, so that he can completely live a life of a wealthy family with nothing to worry about. .If the camp positions of both sides are ignored, then these days can really be said to be beautiful.
Of course, Zhang Pucheng also knew that his behavior in Fushan County could not be recognized by the Dengzhou and even Shandong governors, but he was still needed as a mediator and a messenger, so he could tolerate him who was almost treasonous. Do nothing.But if Haihan withdraws from Shandong in the future, the superiors will no longer sit back and watch him as a wallflower and continue to sit in the Fushan county government office, and they will definitely be liquidated.So while being a rich man, Zhang Pucheng has quietly started to set up a way for himself.
The reason why he is willing to accept the benefits of Haihan is that on the one hand, the price offered by Haihan cannot be rejected, and on the other hand, it is also because Haihan is extremely thoughtful about how officials like him will get rid of the punishment of the court in the future. There are corresponding arrangements.Simply put, it is to leave Daming when necessary and start another life as a Haihan citizen.
But in the future, if he really had to leave Daming, and if he and his family didn't want to sit still, having a stable source of income would naturally be very important.Last year, Zhang Pucheng arranged for a trusted nephew to go to the Haihan Colony in the south, and confirmed that the more than 200 acres of spice plantations subscribed locally were already in operation, and he learned that many of the bosses behind the local plantations invested money. Coming from Daming, I felt a little relieved.As long as the situation is not right, he will immediately arrange for his family to sail south from the sea. When the court wants to accuse him of any crime, then they will be left to go. The most important thing is to live well.
However, Zhang Pucheng still has nightmares occasionally, dreaming that the Haihan army suddenly landed on Zhifu Island, then marched westward, swept the Shandong Peninsula, broke the city, burned, killed and looted, and made Shandong fall into the rebellion even more than Denglai. in the midst of a serious war.Every time he wakes up from this nightmare, Zhang Pucheng feels a deep sense of guilt, as if all the chaos was caused by himself.He could only comfort himself, the Haihan people had promised him more than once that they would not take the initiative to use force against Shandong, and they had no intention of invading Daming. Now that the society in Fushan County is stable and the government is harmonious, presumably the Haihan people should not go back on their word.
But his idea was shaken by the news that just came today. Haihan sent a very large armed fleet, far exceeding the scale of the fleet stationed on Zhifu Island before.The Denglai states simply do not have enough naval forces to threaten Zhifu Island, so why did the Haihan people mobilize such a huge fleet to Shandong?Zhang Pucheng's subconscious reaction was that Haihan planned to attack Shandong.
Half of Shandong's military force was destroyed by the Denglai Rebellion a few years ago, and the remaining half of the armed force, the elites of which were also transferred to the Central Plains to kill the peasant army, and only some weak guard troops were left to guard the area. .For Haihan, who has a strong boat and cannon, the local military defense force in Shandong can only be described as vulnerable.And such a big piece of fat, Haihan people are not good men and women, why do they keep looking at it and not eat it?Thinking of this, Zhang Pucheng felt that the reality was about to match the content of the nightmare he had done, and he couldn't help but feel a little panic in his heart. As soon as the fight started, he had no room for manoeuvre as a local official. Could it be that he really wanted to abandon the official and run away. time?
"Sir, you have to come up with an idea as soon as possible!"
Han Qin, the head of the Fushan county government office, urged Zhang Pucheng with an anxious look on his face.He informed Zhang Pucheng of the news that the Haihan fleet had arrived at Zhifu Island. Although Han Qin had long since compromised with the outsider Haihan under pressure, no one could remain calm enough in the face of the Haihan army. Next, whether Fushan County should close its doors to resist or open its doors to surrender, which requires the magistrate Zhang Pucheng to express his attitude.
The benefits that Han Qin can get from Haihan are naturally not as rich as Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate, who can't buy hundreds of acres of farms in the south to be the boss.But Haihan also gave him a promise that if the situation in Shandong worsened one day and he had to leave here to save his life, then Haihan would arrange for him to make a living in the south, and his income and living conditions would never be lower than this time. .Although this verbal promise was not binding, Han Qin chose to trust Haihan's credibility.
But neither Zhang Pucheng nor Han Qin would want Haihan to use force in Shandong.No one wants a big turmoil in their living environment. They have all experienced the tragic situation brought about by the war, and they do not want to see such a scene happen again.If the outbreak of war cannot be prevented, at least arrangements must be made as soon as possible to avoid this catastrophe.
Zhang Pucheng gritted his teeth and said, "Have you really confirmed the news?"
Han Qin said: "My brother-in-law is now doing paperwork on the dock of Zhifu Island. He said that the Haihan Fleet arrived yesterday evening, and the ships were full of soldiers. At night, the whole dock was lit with torches. It didn't finish until midnight. This time, there are thousands of soldiers and horses who came by boat this time, it can't be fake!"
Zhang Pucheng breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Haihan silently transported so many troops from the south. This was not just to show off his strength or to perform troop drills. The purpose was to take Denglai. from two states.It's just that Dengzhou is still a long way from Zhifu Island, and there is a city and thousands of troops there. Haihan will have to spend a lot of money to attack Dengzhou, but his own Fushan county is right under Haihan's eyelids. If you really want to make trouble in Shandong, the first thing should be to take over the place completely. It seems that the county magistrate is about to end.
Zhang Pucheng remembered something, and asked Han Qin, "Does Huang Pao know about this?"
The Ming army stationed in Fushan County was only about [-] people, and Zong Huangqu was regarded as a wise man who knew the current affairs.Although Zhang Pucheng didn't know what benefits the Haihan people gave Huang Qu, he certainly wouldn't treat the only military attache in Fushan County too badly.Now that the Haihan army has arrived, Huang Qu is the first to bear the brunt, and his attitude may determine whether this small county will fall into war.
Han Qin nodded and said, "President Huang's nephew is also working on Zhifu Island. I think he should have received the news. He is a smart person, and he won't do stupid things."
"If you want to do it, you have to have that ability! He only has so many people under his command, and now he is almost running, how can he fight against the Haihan army? Go and invite Huang Pao, and say something related. Business." Zhang Pucheng said it easily, but he still planned to confirm Huang Qu's attitude in person.If Huang Qu had any other plans, Zhang Pucheng had to try to get himself out first, so as not to be implicated.
Huang Qu came soon, probably if Zhang Pucheng didn't invite him, he would come to the door himself.Whether it is a war or a surrender, such a big matter can only be decided by the only two local officials representing the civil and military camps.And Han Qin, as Zhang Pucheng's trusted subordinate, is also qualified to stay and participate in this discussion.
"Master Zhang, you are thinking too much." Huang Qu knew very well that the other party came to him to discuss something, so after sitting down, he cut to the point: "Not to mention that I have few soldiers to call, even if It is full of people, and I will not jump out and do that thing. If we want to die for the country, we should have died a year ago. Since we have survived until now, it is the right thing to live. "
Many of Huang Qu's soldiers quietly left the county seat to serve the Haihan people, and some even emigrated to the south.And as he said, even if they choose to die for the country now, it will not help. The Haihan people will not care, and the court will not treat them as loyal ministers. Even if they die in the county, they may not even have a splash. .After all, when it comes to the means of controlling the mouthpiece of public opinion, they can't catch up with Shanghai Han.
Therefore, Huang Qu not only did not intend to resist, but actually planned to persuade the magistrate Zhang Pucheng to let him voluntarily give up his unrealistic fantasies, and to save his own life as the first task at the moment.
From a certain point of view, their ideas actually coincide.Human nature's desire to survive, or to put it uglier, is greed for life and fear of death, so that they can no longer muster the courage to fight the arrival of the Haihan army.Since he had already chosen to compromise and be stubborn before, it would be meaningless to work hard at this time.
Zhang Pucheng pondered: "General Huang Pao means that we take the initiative to surrender to Haihan and offer the city?"
Huang Qu sneered: "What do I mean? Isn't that what Master Zhang meant?"
Although both of them had the idea of surrender, they were unwilling to bear this bad reputation, and there was some conflict between their words.On the other hand, Han Qin, a bystander, could see it clearly, and persuaded with a wry smile: "The two adults, now is not the time to fight, both of you will probably have to leave here in the future, and maybe you will have to become a Haihan citizen in the future. Putting it in Haihan might be a great achievement!"
The two looked at each other, thinking that although Han Qin's statement could not stand up to scrutiny, there was some truth to it.At this time, whoever takes the initiative to drop first may be treated better afterwards, and those who move slowly may be regarded as following the trend.
However, Zhang Pucheng is cautious by nature, even if Huang Qu's words have basically made his attitude clear, he doesn't have to worry about this boss singing the opposite of himself, he still has other things in mind.
"Huangpao is always a smart person, so this officer naturally won't worry about it. But what is the attitude of Qishan Institute...I don't know how?" Zhang Pucheng looked at Huang Qu and asked, "Huangpao always knows what Feng Qianhu means?"
Huang Yafang replied expressionlessly: "The Qishan Institute is the Qishan Institute's business, and it has nothing to do with me. If Feng Qianhu wants to challenge Haihan, then he can do it."
Qishan Qianhu is only a dozen miles away from Fushan County. When Haihan landed on Zhifu Island, the first thing he pulled out was an outpost of Qishan in Zhifu Bay.Although Feng Fei, who was stationed in the local area, was intimidated by the military force of Haihan, he could only turn a blind eye to what happened on Zhifu Island, but Feng Fei obeyed Dengzhou and never chose to be neutral like the two in Fushan County.When Huang Qu expressed his attitude, he wanted to clear the relationship between himself and Qishan Institute.He also didn't think that Qishan with only a few hundred soldiers could resist the invasion of thousands of Haihan soldiers. If Feng Fei couldn't see the situation clearly, he deserved to die.
Zhang Pu was convinced that Huang Qu was not leaking, and at the moment he also admired this guy's determination.Before the Haihan people came to Dengzhou, Huang Qu and Feng Fei were walking around each other every three or five minutes, and the two sides even made an appointment to become in-laws.However, when disaster strikes, they fly separately, and Huang Qu is out of self-protection. It is understandable to do so. It is better to live alone than to find death in a group.
Zhang Pucheng made up his mind and said, "Since President Huang's intention is the same as this officer's, it's better to contact the senior officials of Haihan as soon as possible to inform us of our attitude, so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings in the future."
Huang Qu nodded and said: "Master Zhang is right, but this officer once heard a saying from the young General Chen, that it is better to act if you want to. Since we have made up our minds, why bother to find someone to spread the word, why not? Take a trip to Zhifu Island in person to show your intentions."
Zhang Pucheng hesitated: "Is it necessary to do this?"
Huang Qu stared at him and said noncommittally: "If Master Zhang feels inappropriate, then don't force it, just wait for the news in the county seat."
Zhang Pucheng heard the words and said in his heart that you still want to leave me and eat alone, how can this fulfill your intention, and immediately said: "Now the situation is not clear, going to Zhifu Island is still a bit risky, this official will go with President Huang Pao, what happened? It would be nice to have someone to take care of.”
In Huang Qu's heart, he looked down on Zhang Pucheng's civil service style, acting as a mother-in-law, and speaking hypocritically. It's just that Daming always respects civil servants. Although he was a little unhappy, he still didn't swipe the other's face.
After the two of them discussed it, they prepared their own cars and sedans to set off.Han Qin originally wanted to follow, but Zhang Pucheng was worried that the people in the city would panic and chaos after hearing the news that the Haihan army had arrived at the port, so he ordered Han Qin to stay in the city to prevent any changes in the county.
(End of this chapter)