Chapter 154: This King Has No Money!

Pengze County Government Office.

Gazing at Zuo Liangyu's ferocious severed head, Lin Dao felt some disappointment.

"Barely counts as an Overlord figure."

"How could he die so miserably."

"Having his head chopped off by bandits, you truly are a disgrace."

"Marshal." The personal guard reported, "Those river bandits are asking for reward money."

Lin Dao frowned, "Are they mountain bandits or bandits?"

"Their old camp is in the mountains; normally they operate on the river surface, mainly collecting fees from fishermen, extorting and plundering passing ships, doing dirty work for the local gentry and landlords."

"Business is quite extensive." Lin Dao was also amused, "Arrest them all and interrogate."

"Ask them which masters they have done work for, and what work they did."

"After questioning, execute them all and throw them into the Great River to feed the fish."

The personal guard was somewhat surprised, subconsciously replying, "Marshal, they came to present the enemy chieftain's head."

"They are bandits." Lin Dao's expression turned serious, he spoke in a deep voice, "Bandits are bandits; just because they did a deed, their past sins cannot be swept clean."

"This place of mine is not the Buddhist Gate; I do not preach that laying down the butcher's knife makes one a Buddha on the spot."

"Interrogate properly; anyone with past crimes shall be dealt with uniformly."

The personal guard who received the order was about to leave, but was stopped by Lin Dao's call.

"They brought Zuo Liangyu's head; the reward money that should be given must be given to them."

"If among them there truly are those with no evil crimes, let them take the reward money and leave."

Lin Dao knew very well that doing it this way, afterwards the local forces would not take the initiative to defect and serve.

But~~~

From the start he never counted on these people!

Still that same sentence.

If he were aiming for a speedrun to unify all under heaven.

Then he would have long since compromised with the powerful eunuchs, cooperated with the gentry, recruited bandits and river bandits from all over, accepted the surrender of turncoats and recruited the Ming's civil and military officials.

If so, then why would he, Lin Dao, need to exert himself so strenuously now.

Mountain bandits, bandits, river bandits — which one has not done evil to the utmost, which one is not a ferocious and extremely wicked evildoer.

Just because they brought Zuo Liangyu's head, to forgive them.

Then the common people who died miserably at their hands these years, who suffered their calamity, how painful and desperate must they be.

Even in the netherworld, there would be crying voices stretching in unbroken succession.

What Lin Dao wants to do is not compromise and recruit, but to speak for those common people who no longer have the chance to speak!

For a thousand years since the fall, not many people have spoken for these pitiable people.

Then let it be me!

The great army marched to Hukou, learning that the Jiujiang Prefecture garrison had already scattered and was plundering wildly inside the city.

The fleet loaded with soldiers quickly docked and easily entered the city to pacify the routed soldiers.

This sturdy prefectural city, without even experiencing much warfare, was easily taken.

Outside Jiujiang City, rows of mangrove poles were hung full with the heads of routed soldiers and rascals who had plundered inside and out.

Lin Dao entered the city and readjusted deployments.

He divided his troops into three routes.

One route from Hukou southward, entering Jingdezhen Raozhou Prefecture, down to Guangxin Prefecture, rushing toward Jianchang Prefecture approaching Fujian.

Another route then from Jiujiang southward to De'an, rushing to Nanchang Prefecture, down to Linjiang, Fuzhou entering Ganzhou.

These two forces separately advanced southward along both shores of Poyang Lake, large numbers of ships carrying baggage following along.

Lin Dao's order to them was to recruit local commoners in each prefecture along the way to form one battalion of troops.

Distribute land, provide equipment and training, arrange personal guards and veteran soldiers to take charge of command.

While defending the localities, suppress and exterminate bandits, mountain bandits, river bandits, and suppress local gentry, landlords, local tyrants, temples, and the like.

"Take a place, must hold a place."

"Do not trust the local officials and gentry; the only ones who can be relied upon are the commoners who have been given land."

Historically, Li Zicheng swept across the Northern Regions.

Everywhere submitted at the sight of his banner, switching to Li Zicheng's great banner.

But when news of Li Zicheng's defeat arrived, those former Ming officials and local gentry immediately changed face and rebelled.

These living examples all warn Lin Dao that these fellows are unreliable.

Only commoners who have received land, to protect their own allotted land, to protect the hard-won good life, will not hesitate to stake their lives!

Lin Dao personally led one force, advancing along Jiangxi westward rushing to Wuchang.

"Huang Hu, killing intent too heavy."

Passing Huangmei, everywhere in sight was ruinous beyond description.

Villages and towns in ruins, everywhere were broken walls and ruins.

Corpses unceasing by the roadside, red-eyed wild dogs carrying bones shuttling among them.

Able-bodied men and women all captured by them, wealth and grain swept clean.

This scene made the soldiers' hearts tremble with fear.

If bandits entered their own hometowns, simply unimaginable.

The various prefectures of Jiangnan basically had never encountered war disaster.

Although the days were hard, they could still get by.

They never imagined that the places ravaged by bandits could be so terrifying.

Beyond the shock, the courage and fighting spirit in their hearts gradually surged.

No matter what, they could not let the bandits reach their hometown.

"Disaster relief first." Lin Dao instructed the bodyguards at his side. "The injured and disabled soldiers from before can be demobilized along the way to stabilize the localities."

"Recruit all the remaining people along the way, distribute land and provide supplies, and launch self-rescue."

The bodyguards accepted the order and left; Lin Dao was also scratching his head here.

Before, he had always been operating in affluent places like Jiangnan; spoils far exceeded expenses.

Now formally entering ravaged territory, it went without saying that expenses would inevitably far exceed income.

"If there's still a chance to go to another time-space, I hope it's at least a place where grain can be self-sufficient."

Withdrawing his gaze, Lin Dao considered Huang Hu and Zhang Xianzhong.

"History books cannot be fully trusted, especially the 'History of Ming' written by the Wild Boar Skins."

"But as bandits, wanton plunder and slaughter is inevitable."

"Zhang Xianzhong might not be as terrible as written in history books; the massacre in Shu was most likely done by the Wild Boar Skins and Wu Sangui."

"But he, too, has towering crimes."

"This trip to Wuchang Prefecture, we must leave him behind!"

"To prevent him from continuing to roam and harm countless people."

Outside Wuchang City, the bandits' old camp.

"Ah-qiu~~~"

Zhang Xianzhong sneezed several times, shaking his head. "Who's badmouthing your grandpa Zhang?"

Shaking his head, he looked at his adopted sons. "Wuchang City, when can we take it down?"

The adopted sons glanced at each other; Sun Kewang stepped forward and saluted. "Father Marshal, Huang Degong is quite capable; we've attacked several times but couldn't take it down."

"Huang Degong." Zhang Xianzhong scratched his head. "Old Huang has a knack for war."

"The eunuch soldiers he brings can also fight; troublesome."

Zhang Xianzhong liked to speak plainly, rather humorous.

Speaking of eunuch soldiers actually refers to the Yongwei Camp, subordinate to the Imperial Horse Supervisor.

Eunuchs command, but the soldiers are not eunuchs.

This force counts as the Chongzhen Emperor's private troops; grain and pay supply doesn't go through civil officials' hands, so it won't lose thirty percent before even leaving the capital.

With ample grain and fodder supply, the Yongwei Camp's morale and combat power are naturally guaranteed.

"Left Liangyu over at Jiujiang ran off to fight Lin the Grand Marshal." Li Dingguo spoke up. "If he repels Lin the Grand Marshal, or they reach a deal, he might turn back and attack us."

"That Lin Dao really has good luck." Zhang Xianzhong clicked his tongue repeatedly. "Occupied the good lands of Jiangnan, has money, grain, and men."

"Why not take a nickname, using his real name directly is really bold."

"Never mind Left Liangyu; before we take Wuchang City, he won't come."

"Wait until we break Wuchang City, clean up the treasure and population and leave; then he'll come to recover lost territory and ask the old Emperor for rewards."

Everyone laughed, the atmosphere harmonious.

After dealing for so many years, the bandits had long since figured out the government troops' thinking.

I come to plunder the locality, you come to get promoted and rich.

Everyone knows the score in their hearts.

As for those truly loyal to the Emperor, fighting bandits desperately to the death.

Like Cao Wenzhao, Cao Bianjiao, Lu Xiangsheng and others, they were already wiped out clean through concerted efforts from all sides.

Those remaining now are all smart people.

"Father Marshal."

Liu Wenxiu stepped forward to advise. "Huang Degong's eunuch soldiers are indeed capable, but they are too few in number."

"The truly numerous ones inside Wuchang City are still those Dingzhuang recruited by the King of Chu."

"Let's do it like when we attacked Xiangyang, bribe those Dingzhuang to open the city gates."

"Good!" Zhang Xianzhong slapped his thigh, pointing at Liu Wenxiu. "Still you, kid, clever as a ghost."

Sun Kewang at the side lowered his eyes and twitched the corner of his mouth.

He had originally wanted to propose the same, but was beaten to it by Liu Wenxiu.

Hateful!

"Tell the Dingzhuang guarding the city."

Zhang Xianzhong laughed loudly. "Once done, I'll give them twenty thousand taels of silver in reward money, and allow them to pick a few streets to plunder for three days!"

Inside Wuchang City.

Huang Degong and Lu Jiude together came to the Chu King's Mansion to visit King of Chu Zhu Huakui.

"Why come asking for money and grain again?"

Learning the two came to demand money and grain, the chubby Zhu Huakui was very displeased.

"This King has already spent money and grain to recruit Dingzhuang to guard the city."

"Why still come to demand?"

Huang Degong saluted. "Great King, most of the money and grain for recruiting Dingzhuang has gone missing."

"The recruited Dingzhuang not only lack installation fees and unpaid military pay, even food has no guarantee."

"Now people's hearts are panicked; we urgently need the Great King to spend money and grain to comfort military hearts and civilian hearts."

This is also the Great Ming's tradition.

Even if it is money and grain disbursed from the Wangfu, Hu Guang's civil and military officials also embezzle it without the slightest hesitation.

They collude with the Wangfu stewards, working together to completely swallow up the money and grain that Zhu Huakui bit the bullet and produced.

The recruited elite men were actually all forcibly seized.

Not issuing military pay, not giving rewards, and even requiring the elite men to bring their own food.

Under such circumstances, the elite men need not even speak of defending the city; they have the desire to exterminate the entire city.

Upon learning of this, Huang Degong also had no recourse, and could only brace himself and come beg the King of Chu to produce another sum of money and grain.

"The Wangfu can no longer make ends meet."

Zhu Huakui is truly stingy, and at the same time he knows the character of Hu Guang's local magnates.

He knows very clearly that even if he empties the entire Wangfu, the Great Ming's civil and military officials would still dare to embezzle the Wangfu's assets clean!

Since it is so, then he simply refuses to part with a single hair.

Huang Degong, anxious as if on fire: "Great King, we of the Yongwei Camp have come from afar, lacking grain and pay."

"Fighting desperately to protect the Great King, yet fallen soldiers cannot get money for cremation and burial, and wounded soldiers also have no money for medical treatment."

"If this continues, it will surely chill the hearts of the Three Armies~~~"

They are guest troops, having come in haste they brought only a little grain and fodder.

As for the salary bestowed by the Emperor, Wuchang Prefecture is under siege; who can deliver it inside?

At this time, one can only beg the King of Chu.

After all, this person is the true Richest Man in Hu Guang; even a random leak would be enough for the defending soldiers to chew on endlessly.

"This matter, you go find His Majesty, go find the Imperial Court."

Zhu Huakui, his white hair combed perfectly neat and tidy, leisurely accepted the tea bowl presented by a beautiful maidservant.

He sipped a mouthful of tea, handed the tea bowl back, and only then raised his hand to pat the chair he was sitting on.

"This King has no money!"

"How about this, this Golden Armchair bestowed by Emperor Emperor Emperor Taizu, you take it and sell it for money!"

(End of Chapter)