Chapter 155, The Turbulent Jiangnan (Part 2)
There was also a more serious rebellion that broke out along the coast of Taihu Lake. This is the main grain-producing area in the south of the Yangtze River. The additional physical taxes urgently imposed by the Nanjing court are also extremely heavy. Coupled with the layers of tax collectors and rural gentry at all levels, local farmers cannot afford to pay official taxes even if they buy their sons and daughters.
Therefore, under the crazy urging of the government, some farmers and fishermen near the lake area first began to evade taxes. This group of people hid the latest harvest of food, fled to several islands in the center of Taihu Lake in small boats, and refused to cooperate with the tax levy. Contact the tax officials and the landowners who collect rent.
In response, the furious officials immediately organized government officials and strong men to row boats over to carry out a cleanup. As a result, when the problem developed into an armed conflict, things became increasingly out of control. After several small-scale battles, such as The remnants of the Cao Clan, the bandits of Taihu Lake, the remnants of the Wenxiang Sect, and even figures from all three religions and professions, such as the Zhejiang Army's defeated troops, all joined the riot. By mid-August, these Taihu rebellious parties not only defeated the government's pursuit, but even gathered thousands of people and relied on internal and external cooperation to conquer Yixing County on the west bank of Taihu Lake, and then plundered Huzhou Prefecture on the south bank of Taihu Lake!
Prior to this, in order to prevent internal conflicts, the leaders of the twelve water villages along the Taihu Lake had held an alliance on the West Dongting Island and elected a leader named Su, or the "general scooper". It is said that a special envoy of the Australian Kun bandits participated in the alliance and gave the Taihu bandit army the name "Twelve Links of Dock". In order to win foreign aid, the Soviet Union leader readily accepted the above-mentioned title, and the Taihu bandits suddenly became more powerful.
It was not until this time that the Nanjing court, who had just woken up from a dream, began to mobilize troops and generals to target the Taihu bandit area and arrange for the clean-up. However, due to the exchange of documents requesting instructions from layer to layer, by the time the Yangtze River Navy entered Taihu Lake and began to suppress it, it was not long before the incident occurred. A full three months have passed. However, the Nanjing court's action to suppress the peasant uprising was strongly supported by the landowners in the Taihu Lake area. In fact, when these peasants initially launched a tax riot and united with various political figures to repel the government troops , the landowners and rich farmers in the surrounding areas were terrified, and many people even packed up their belongings and prepared to flee in advance. After all, the farmers in the Hangzhou area in the south had been instigated by the Australian thieves to kill the gentry and divide their fields. Without the guidance of the work team, these farmers' spontaneous land reform actions were extremely bloody, often resulting in massacres of entire families.
So when the Yangtze River Navy entered Taihu Lake, they actually enjoyed the feeling of having a pot of food. With the backbone of the landowners, the Jin gentry not only reluctantly spent a large sum of money to reward the sergeants, but also organized a team A large militia group came to help. So before the battle started, in addition to receiving a lot of supplies, the imperial officers and soldiers also received an additional three thousand soldiers and horses out of thin air.
Unfortunately, the ensuing battle did not go smoothly. Although the Yangtze River Navy performed very hard this time, it not only took only one day to recapture the fallen Yixing County, but also continued its efforts to attack the private island harbor where the "Twelve Links of Links" was occupied by water bandits. However, the water bandits in the "Twelve Chain Dock" were by no means mediocre. Not only did they bravely drive a sampan to launch a suicidal attack on the navy, but they also carried out a highly technical "fire ship" night attack, which was completed in one breath. Hundreds of official and military ships were burned. The local wealthy gentry recruited rural warriors to train in a group. Although they had a good fighting spirit, they were really no match for "professionals" like the Caobang in terms of more technical water warfare. As a result, due to repeated failures in water battles, they have never been able to land on the island where the water bandits are entrenched in the "Twelve Links Dock". The numerical advantage of the official and military camp has never been brought into play, and they can only stand on the shore and look at the water and sigh.
What's even more terrible is that after learning about the military situation in the Taihu Theater, although the Kun thieves in Hangzhou did not send troops to respond, they drove the Hainingwei rebels to attack Huzhou from the southeast and planned to attack the capital city of Huzhou, thus completely disrupting the official army. cleanup plan. The local warriors in Huzhou and Jiaxing had to hurriedly return to their hometowns to defend themselves against the enemy, while the Yangtze River Navy had to be content with regaining Yixing's military exploits and return in "triumph" with a string of human heads hung on the mast.
As a result, the official army that conquered Taihu Lake retreated, and the water bandits from the "Twelve Links" came back. Not only did they once again invade the dilapidated Yixing County, but they also captured Changxing County in Zhejiang Province, and plundered Suzhou Prefecture. It was said that he slapped the imperial court hard in the face.
Fortunately, the face of Nanjing Yonghe Emperor's **** has been beaten to the point where he is almost the same as Zhu Bajie, so he doesn't care about these slaps.
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In any case, although the land south of the Yangtze River was full of smoke and fire in all directions, relying on the deployment of troops and generals who demolished the east wall to repair the west wall, and reckless bloody massacres, Zhou Yanru, the chief minister of the cabinet, finally managed to put this aside. The chaos was suppressed.
However, those worthless commoners can certainly be killed at will. But the Confucian scholars who took the lead in instigating the civil uprising, especially the scholar-officials with great reputations, once the imperial court ruthlessly slaughtered them, it was as if they had stabbed a hornet's nest. Now, a snowstorm of impeachment memorials has filled the cabinet room, and everyone is yelling at Zhou Yanru, the chief minister of the cabinet. Some people scolded him for "killing scholars and insulting the gentlemen" and "killing the style of writing and being cruel and unkind". Some people remonstrated, "Since ancient times, officials have not been punished. Even if scholars have minor mistakes, they should be forgiven. How can we allow vulgar warriors to kill the country?" What is the difference between being a pillar and burning books and humiliating Confucians?" - The meaning behind the words is: Zhou Yanru, you have done such a heinous crime, why don't you step down quickly?
Regarding this, Zhou Yanru was really angry, funny, depressed and sad: The imperial court is in such a mess now, you censors and officials don't know it, so you actually want to start a new trend of overthrowing the cabinet? Are you really not afraid that the nest will be overturned and the eggs will not be completed? ! However, after some communication, the other party's attitude seemed to be that "life will never end, and the government will continue to fall"! Because this is their entire meaning in life! ! !
"...What is the crime of this generation of scholars? They confuse the public with their evil words, violate the laws of the country, gather ants to rape the people, and mislead the common people. They use the light of rice beads to seize the sun and the moon, and use the ax of a mantis. They often dare to defy heaven! Today's trend , it is better to kill one policeman and a hundred, hang the head of the traitor, and frighten the ugly people in the south of the Yangtze River. Those who openly offend the court will not be forgiven!"
He angrily wrote and gave instructions, and then executed all the hundreds of rice-robbing traitors who had been reported by the Ministry of Punishments to be punished. He was going to choose a day to execute them as soon as possible. Then he stretched himself and was about to take a rest, but suddenly I heard a commotion outside, and then Then a confidant ran over panting, holding a dirty notice in his hand, and kept shouting: "...It's a disaster! It's a disaster! The deposed Emperor Chongzhen issued a proclamation to attack Nanjing! ”
Zhou Yanru was completely exhausted in an instant. He jumped up with a "whoosh", grabbed the list with his hands and opened it to take a look. His eyes suddenly darkened. I saw it clearly written on it: "...I look up and observe, it is the day to fight against the violence and save the people, and to obey the heavens and respond to the people. Yuan led the civil and military ministers to participate in the righteous cause, and he divined the date of September 11th, the sixth year of Chongzhen. Offer sacrifices to heaven and earth in the suburbs, send messages to the cloth room, and tell The army was raised in the temple, and 800,000 land and sea officers and soldiers were mobilized. They marched down the river from Wuchang to Jinling, and joined the traitors and puppet emperors in Liudu to hunt in the south of the Yangtze River. Burning in golden soup, the flag of righteousness is one Move forward, respond to all directions, please the hearts of the subjects, share the anger of the snow and heaven and the people, invigorate my spirit, cut off the clamor, launch the strategy of rejuvenation, jump into the wind and thunder, plan the perfect strategy, sing the rain and dew, if you can understand the right time, Look for the wind to return, and the grass and trees will No damage, chickens and dogs are not afraid; dare to be obedient and rebellious, love the personal favor of the present, forget the old master of the world, hold on to the dangerous pass, resist our king's army, I will supervise the army, personally conquer the nest and cover the nest, the old and childish will not Stay and kill both men and women!
If there are civil and military personnel who are proficient in the art of war and proficient in geography, they may wish to offer advice to the army and assist them. Officials in all prefectures and counties who are honest and honest, who love themselves and the people, will still hold their posts. The grain and cereals collected are sealed and stored in warehouses, and the books and records are sealed before the army can be released. If there are unfinished business, it is better to issue another treaty. Everyone should obey the warning carefully and not to stain the sword head with blood. Then I will be very lucky, and the world will be very lucky! ”
Looking at the rows of murderous words, the thin piece of paper in Zhou Yanru's hand felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds... After standing in such a daze for a moment, the attendants on the left and right felt that something was wrong with Zhou Yanru. I wanted to come up to check, but I saw the chief assistant vomiting a big mouthful of blood, and collapsed on the table, "...It's over! It's over! You really shouldn't be the chief assistant! I really regret it!”
However, after all, Zhou Yanru also knew that he had committed the crime of treason and had no way out. After crying and venting for a while, he finally picked up his energy again and began to plan countermeasures: "...quickly draft an official document and urge them. Lu Weiqi returned to Nanjing to prepare for the westward expedition! Then he summoned the ministers and held a meeting to fight! No matter what, we have to give them money and food! It all depends on this time!"
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On September 11th, the sixth year of Chongzhen, Emperor Chongzhen, together with his civil and military officials, set up an altar in Wuchang to offer sacrifices to the ancestors of heaven and earth. He then issued an edict to attack a group of traitorous ministers of the false emperor in Nanjing, and prepared for his personal expedition to the south of the Yangtze River. An old minister came to remonstrate and said: How can the majestic emperor move lightly? The responsibility of the emperor is to cultivate one's moral character and educate all people with benevolence and righteousness. It's not about being on a bloody battlefield or being with warriors. What kind of decency would it be to rush into a conquest in person? The emperor replied: Now that the world is falling apart, the two capitals have fallen, the tombs of our ancestors have fallen into the hands of thieves, and there are many rebels among the nobles, civil servants and military officials, how can this be the time to cultivate one's moral character? If I don't go on a personal expedition, I'm afraid I'll end up with swords and axes soon! So they sent out 80,000 troops from Huguang, known as 800,000, marching by land and water, marching eastward together, causing half of the southeastern wall to shake for a while.
On the 25th, the emperor entered Jiujiang, and the whole province of Jiangxi was shocked. Officials from the governor and chief envoy of Jiangxi on down rushed to Jiujiang to see him and swear allegiance. Emperor Chongzhen then set up a camp in Jiujiang to pacify the people and collect grain and fodder as a backing for the conquest of the Jiangnan army. At the same time, he worshiped Lu Xiangsheng, the Minister of War, as his general, and led the entire army to march into southern Zhili. On the 26th, the Nanjing court also ordered the capital to be under martial law. At the same time, it mobilized all the troops in the south of the Yangtze River, led by Lu Weiqi, the Minister of War, and rushed upriver to meet the enemy. A decisive battle between the east and west armies was about to begin.
On the third day of October, Wang Dou, the vanguard of the Western Army, advanced by land and water and invaded the southern border of Zhili, invincible along the way. Frightened by the power of Emperor Chongzhen and the Ming Dynasty, the prefect of Anqing and the county magistrates under his jurisdiction all switched sides and changed their banners. The Western Army conquered Anqing without bloodshed. Counties in Chizhou and Luzhou are also trembling with fear.
After hearing the news, the commander-in-chief of the Western Army, Lu Xiangsheng, also mobilized his army and rushed to Anqing to supervise the battle. All the generals in the Western Army were jealous of Wang's repeated victories in battles and his deep favor with the emperor. Lu Xiangsheng also wanted to take sole responsibility for the restoration of Jinling. Then the Anqing government office held a meeting and decided to send Wang Dou's troops to abandon ship and land far away from the Yangtze River, and go south over the mountains to attack Huizhou on the grounds that there were several battalions of Zhejiang soldiers stationed in Huizhou, which might threaten the army's retreat. Wang Dou accepted the order angrily, ordered three thousand troops to land and headed for Huizhou.
At this time, Lu Weiqi, the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Army and the Minister of War in Nanjing, sent all the troops south of the Yangtze River and gathered more than 70,000 Eastern Army troops. However, the troops were mixed. Since leaving Beijing, they could only travel more than ten miles a day. When they arrived in Wuhu, they learned that Jiangbei Anqing Prefecture has already surrendered to the enemy, and the counties in Chizhou Prefecture in the south of the Yangtze River are also very suspicious, with many rumors spreading about surrendering to the enemy. Lu Weiqi then stopped his troops in Wuhu and did not dare to advance further. Instead, he set up camp on the spot and prepared to attack the enemies upstream. On October 12, Lu Xiangsheng led the main force of the Western Army to break through Chizhou and advance to Wuhu. They were blocked by the Eastern Army's camp, and a decisive battle between the two armies was imminent...