Chapter 213

Wuchang Prefecture.

Zhu Jingyi, who had successfully reduced expenditure, soon encountered a boomerang. The obedience that Xu Wenyue had worked hard to build lost its effect directly when it reached him.

After receiving the military order, the various units did not take action immediately but instead demanded departure fees.

"Bastards!"

"Each and every one of them is selfish, only knowing how to calculate petty profits, completely ignoring..."

After a burst of angry cursing, the calmed-down Zhu Jingyi soon realized that the situation was not good.

In the past, the Great Dayu army also had a tradition of demanding departure fees, but their appetite was definitely not this big.

In emergency situations, generals would also work while asking for money from above.

This time the situation was special; the troops below seemed determined to get the departure fees before taking action.

He had just taken office as Viceroy, and the people below dared to pull such a stunt, clearly not taking him seriously.

If it weren't for Xu Wenyue's impatient departure, he would have suspected that Grand Secretary Xu was unwilling to leave his post and was venting his anger on him.

After all, there were not many people who could make the various units act collectively.

For the troops who received orders to give him eye drops together, the possibility of it being spontaneous was too low.

"Secretary, who do you think is playing tricks behind the scenes?"

Zhu Jingyi asked with concern.

For his subordinates to jump out and bargain when executing orders was also a blow to his authority.

If he couldn't find the mastermind and resolve it, and others followed suit, he, the Viceroy, would become a joke.

"Master, there are only a handful of people in the entire Great Dayu who can simultaneously influence the imperial armies of Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou, and most of these people are in the capital.

For no reason, there is no need for everyone to trip you up.

To make them ignore the big picture and take action, unless doing so can bring them huge benefits."

Secretary Zhou said uncertainly.

He couldn't be sure if there was a mastermind. After all, what his master did after taking office was indeed very hateful.

Cutting everyone's funding right from the start, the people below had resistance in their hearts, and it was understandable to stir up some trouble.

However, since his master had brought up the mastermind, he could only follow the conversation. Whether the inference was correct was not important; the key was that emotional value must be provided in place.

"The struggle to enter the cabinet!"

"It seems that I am blocking some people's way; they don't want me to sit firmly in the position of Viceroy, which is why they used despicable means.

The person behind the scenes is truly vicious.

Among those in the court qualified to enter the cabinet, besides me, there are six or seven others.

Whose handiwork it is, it's hard to tell for a while.

After all, those warriors below are all people who would call anyone mother if they have milk. Inciting them to make trouble for money doesn't take any effort at all."

Zhu Jingyi said to himself.

Having deduced the answer, his mood not only did not improve but became even worse.

Originally, the position of Viceroy was not easy to sit in, and now that someone was dragging his legs, it was even harder.

"Master, perhaps things are not that bad.

Although the means of those few are not bad, to say they have influence in the army, it's actually not very good.

It's fine to incite them secretly, but if they really want to reach into the army, they don't have the ability.

As long as we strengthen control over the army, we can prevent similar things from happening again."

Secretary Zhou said slightly awkwardly.

Theoretically, as the Minister of War, Zhu Jingyi's influence in the army should be very strong.

However, during his tenure as Minister of War in Nanjing, Zhu Jingyi spent his whole time slacking off and living his days, and his mind was not on military affairs at all.

His understanding of the armies of various provinces was limited to official data.

Generals in the army who wanted to visit him were often tossed around enough. If one really had to talk about influence, it was mostly notoriety.

"You are right; a few petty people, all of them are means that cannot be brought to the table, there is indeed no need to take it too seriously.

However, the trend of making trouble for pay cannot be allowed to rise!

According to past precedents, the departure silver per capita has never exceeded three taels.

This time they opened their mouths like lions; the coalition army of Yunnan and Guizhou asked for seven taels, and Guangxi was even more outrageous, actually daring to ask for fifteen taels; it is simply greedy!"

Zhu Jingyi immediately scolded angrily.

No matter how much he slacked off, he didn't serve as Minister of War for nothing. He was very clear about the basic common sense of the army's departure silver.

Knocking on his head for a bamboo pole was purely looking for death.

"Master, it's not worth getting angry for a group of soldiers.

Such a high departure silver, daring to report it openly, the matter is definitely not simple.

If this student is not mistaken, I'm afraid everyone from top to bottom has shared the money from it.

It might be better to record the account first, and after the war is fought, then settle the account with them later."

Secretary Zhou immediately advised.

During wartime, it is precisely the time when people below need to sell their lives. Falling out at this time will inevitably affect the great cause of suppressing the rebellion.

Theoretically, Zhu Jingyi, as Minister of War, Viceroy, and Imperial Envoy, has the power to dismiss or even behead the generals below, but this is limited to theory.

Whether it is the Yunnan-Guizhou coalition army or the Guangxi Field Army, they are hundreds or thousands of miles away from his position and simply cannot be reached.

An order to arrest someone only exists in plays.

The Great Dayu army is composed of the generals' retainers as the core, and the generals' own orders are far more deterrent than his, the Viceroy's.

Unless special means are taken to trick people out of the army, punishing them is a joke.

"Humph!"

"If we really wait until after the war, they will all become heroes of suppressing the rebellion, and if the imperial court punishes them then, wouldn't it be killing the donkey after the millstone is used!

Look at the reasons they wrote: transportation difficulties, high losses, high grain prices.

The price of rice in Yunnan and Guizhou needs one and a half taels per shi; the price of rice in Guangxi has even reached three taels per shi.

When did the price of rice in our Great Dayu get this high!

By the way, what is the price of grain outside now?"

Zhu Jingyi suddenly asked.

Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi are mountainous, and he acknowledges the transportation difficulties. He can also accept the rise in grain prices during wartime, but it must have a limit.

Rice that is five qian per shi in normal times suddenly soared to three taels, which is a bit excessive.

Except for extreme situations where the rebel army surrounds the city, it shouldn't happen.

"Master, the price of grain in Wuchang Prefecture has also risen sharply, and now it is about eight qian of silver per shi of brown rice.

Transported to the Yunnan and Guizhou regions, the price rising to one and a half taels should be considered a normal level.

Guangxi has been severely harmed by the rebel army, the people are seriously short of grain, and in the newly recovered inland areas, three taels per shi may not be impossible.

It might be better to let the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigate to see if they are lying."

Secretary Zhou reminded him tactfully.

The price of grain is affected not only by transportation costs but also by supply and demand.

Affected by the war, the sudden surge in grain prices in a certain place in a short period of time is not a new thing.

Guangxi is the best example; although the government is trying to find ways to transfer grain, what is transported there is mainly coarse grain.

With the end of the war, the price of cheap grain in the Guangxi region continues to fall and gradually stabilizes, but this does not include rice.

The price of rice remains high, besides merchants seeking profit, it stems more from the instinctive performance of Great Dayu officials.

Official-merchant collusion, deliberately creating scarcity, the price naturally goes up.

"Good!

Let the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigate; I don't believe they are innocent!"

Zhu Jingyi said coldly.

Making this decision is actually equivalent to making a concession.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard investigation takes time, and before that, to mobilize the main army, he still has to issue the departure silver first.

Of course, he could also choose to issue grain, but that would take longer.

By the time grain is collected and transported there, the rebel army would have already attacked.

Guilin Prefecture.

Unaware of the uproar caused by demanding departure silver, Li Mu was looking at the Great Dayu map on the wall.

The rebel army is constantly mobilizing troops, and the gathered strength is getting larger and larger; one look and one knows the enemy wants to do something big.

Facing the gathered rebel army, no one dares to be careless.

Judging from the actual situation of the various encirclement armies, no one dares to guarantee that their own troops can single-handedly take on the rebel army.

Once the enemy selects an attack target, it indicates that someone will be unlucky.

"Commander Li, the Viceroy has strictly ordered that we must recover the entire Guangxi territory within ten days and then recover Yongzhou Prefecture together with the Yunnan-Guizhou coalition army."

Guangxi Provincial Governor Zhang Sihan said with a solemn expression.

Recovering the entire Guangxi territory is fine, as it was originally in the plan, but the trouble is sending troops to Yongzhou.

At this moment, the main force of the rebel army is gathering there, and just this little bit of strength in Guangxi is really not necessarily enough for the enemy to fight.

If they suffer a defeat, the achievements made earlier will be completely wasted.

"Provincial Governor, we have not yet made preparations for a decisive battle with the rebel army; this is not a good time to recover Yongzhou.

The coalition army of three provinces sounds good, but in reality, everyone knows how difficult joint command is.

The Yunnan-Guizhou coalition army has been acting together for so long, and until now, they have been fighting on their own. If we join in, it will only make the situation more complicated.

As for the Viceroy, you find a way to fool him first. At worst, it's just being impeached; in any case, the imperial court will not easily change people at this time."

Li Mu's answer made Zhang Sihan half-dead with anger.

The Minister of War concurrently serving as Viceroy, who may enter the cabinet at any time, is a proper decision-making layer of the empire and is not a soft persimmon.

Such a person is not easy to fool!

"At worst, it's just being impeached" is even more ridiculous. If the Viceroy really submits a memorial to impeach him, it's dangerous whether he can keep his position as Provincial Governor.

Even if the imperial court doesn't change people now, after the war ends, they will hold him accountable for not listening to orders.

A Provincial Governor who cannot command the troops below is miserable enough, and now he has to help Li Mu take the blame; this is too suffocating.

"Commander Li, you're not joking, are you!

The Viceroy has given a death order; if I do as you say, people will die!"

Zhang Sihan said angrily.

At a time like this, Viceroy Zhu doesn't dare to move the military generals with real power, but it's very handy to manipulate him, a civil official.

If he really angers the other party, while impeaching him to the imperial court, the other party can also execute him first and report later, throwing him into prison in advance.

When civil officials let go of their integrity, fabricating charges is just a basic operation. As long as Viceroy Zhu is willing, he can impose a hundred charges.

"Provincial Governor, stay calm for now!

Judging from Viceroy Zhu's style, he likes to unite civil officials and strike at military generals.

So even if he punishes, he will punish me, this Regional Military Commissioner, and will not implicate you."

Li Mu immediately complained.

Under normal circumstances, such words that destroy unity cannot be said.

However, the situation is special; the rebel army is making big moves, and there must be a suppression army that will be unlucky next.

No matter who these unlucky people are, they will eventually implicate Viceroy Zhu. At best, he will be reprimanded by the imperial court; at worst, he will be directly dismissed from office.

Li Mu personally feels that the probability of him being dismissed is greater.

After all, the rebel army making such big moves cannot be for the sake of plotting against the rotten land of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi; it must be aimed at Huguang and Jiangxi provinces.

Both places are indispensable strategic areas of Great Dayu; no matter which province is lost, the imperial court will not let him, the Regional Commander, go.

With Emperor Yongning's style, he will likely go all the way and directly throw him into prison.

If the defeat on the battlefield is miserable, he might even borrow his head to deter the hundred officials.

A superior who is about to be unlucky can be offended; in any case, what he said is the truth.

After Viceroy Zhu took office, the overall military expenditure of various units was reduced by nearly 20%, with Guangxi being reduced the most, and even the tacitly approved embezzlement increased by 10%.

If the imperial court has no money, everyone lives a hard life together, which can be barely endured.

However, the reality is the opposite; the soldiers below have to bear all the bitterness of the military expenditure reduction, while the gains of the civil officials have increased instead of decreased.

Sacrificing the interests of others to consolidate one's own base has no problems at all.

But as the party being sacrificed, Li Mu cannot endure it. Not directly leading the troops to make trouble is already for the sake of the big picture.

The Viceroy's orders must be executed selectively.

If there are no accidents, other powerful generals with high autonomy will also have similar operations.

No matter how strong the power suppression is, it cannot withstand the disobedience below.

If military generals want to fool them, just relying on those civil officials who don't know military affairs, any order will become unrecognizable when it comes to execution.

"Lord Jia, you are the Army Supervisor appointed by the imperial court; quickly persuade Commander Li."

Seeing Jia Bo eating melons and watching the show on the side, Zhang Sihan couldn't help but say.

"Provincial Governor, I think Commander Li is right; let's just fool him for now!

The Battle of Wuzhou has already started, and it's not a big problem to end the battle within ten days; the task assigned by the Viceroy can be considered half completed.

As for the attack on Yongzhou, we can completely take a detour through Guangdong and pincer the rebel army together with the Yunnan-Guizhou coalition army.

It's just a little bit late in time; as long as we can successfully recover Guangdong, I think the Viceroy won't mind."

Jia Bo said with a smile.

In the past, he often urged to send troops because the Viceroy was his own boss, and as a younger brother, he had to implement the boss's will.

Now that the Viceroy has changed, he has become the Guangxi Provincial Administration Commissioner, and he considers local interests first when considering problems.

If Viceroy Zhu wants to hold him accountable, there is still the Provincial Governor to take the lead, and he can slack off without any pressure.

"You..."

Glaring fiercely at Jia Bo, Zhang Sihan only felt that he had mispaid. He originally came to ask for help, but he didn't expect that Jia Bo, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, would actually help with the trouble.

Having gained the support of the Provincial Administration Commissioner, Li Mu's confidence in not sending troops became even stronger.

"Provincial Governor, calm down!"

"The main force of the rebel army is gathering toward Yongzhou; this is the best time for us to recover Guangdong.

If we don't take this credit that has been delivered to our door, it will be cheap for the Fujian side."

Guilin Prefect Chai Jingcheng followed up to persuade.

With soft persimmons to pinch, no one wants to chew hard bones.

In any case, the two places are far apart; even if they disobey, Viceroy Zhu will be powerless for a while.

Once they successfully recover Guangdong, they will become great heroes of the imperial court.

By then, even if Viceroy Zhu hates them to the point of gnashing his teeth, he will pretend that nothing happened and even have to ask for credit for them.

After scanning the officials present, Zhang Sihan instantly understood everyone's meaning.

Clearly, no one wants to take the risk of provoking the main force of the rebel army.

(End of chapter)