Chapter 1422 The arrival of the army
Zhang Pucheng, the magistrate of Fushan County, has hardly opened his office in recent months. This is not because he is lazy, but because Fushan County has now changed its owner. The county government's decrees cannot leave the city at all, and even their influence within the city is increasing. Small. Zhang Pucheng was unable to make any strong resistance to Haihan, and could only acquiesce in Haihan's local influence.
Of course, Zhang Pucheng did not lack such things as integrity, righteousness, and loyalty. It was just that between "living to enjoy glory and wealth" and "dying silently", he ultimately chose the former. Now he doesn't have to do anything. Haihan will send him a generous "office fee" every month and keep the place in order for him, allowing him to live a life of a rich man without any worries. . If we ignore the positions of both sides, then life like this can really be said to be a happy one.
Of course, Zhang Pucheng also knew that his cowardice in Fushan County would not be recognized by Dengzhou or even the Chief Envoy of Shandong. However, the higher authorities now still need his presence as a mediator and messenger, so they can tolerate his almost treasonous behavior. Inaction. But if Haihan withdraws from Shandong in the future, the superiors will no longer sit back and watch him continue to sit on the sidelines in the Fushan County government office, and will inevitably liquidate him. So while becoming a rich man, Zhang Pucheng had quietly begun to plan a way out for himself.
The reason why he was willing to accept Haihan's benefits was, on the one hand, because the price offered by Haihan could not be refused, and on the other hand, it was also because Haihan had considered extremely thoughtfully how officials like him could escape punishment from the court in the future. There are corresponding arrangements. To put it simply, it is to leave the Ming Dynasty when necessary and start another life as a Haihan citizen.
But if he really has to leave Daming in the future, it will be particularly important for him and his family to have a stable source of income if they don't want to sit back and have nothing to do. Last year, Zhang Pucheng had arranged for a close confidant to go to the Haihan Colony in the south to confirm that the more than 200 acres of spice plantations subscribed there were already in operation. He also learned that many of the bosses who invested money behind the local plantations were It was from Ming Dynasty, so I felt a little relieved. As long as the situation is not right, he will immediately arrange for his family to sail south by sea. When the court wants to accuse him of any crime, it will be up to them. Being able to live well is the most important thing.
However, Zhang Pucheng still occasionally has nightmares, dreaming that the Haihan army suddenly landed on Zhifu Island, then marched westward, sweeping across the Shandong Peninsula, destroying the cities they encountered, burning, killing and looting, which plunged Shandong into a situation worse than the Denglai Rebellion. In the midst of serious war disasters. Every time he woke up from this kind of nightmare, Zhang Pucheng would feel a deep sense of guilt, as if all this 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 had no intention of invading the Ming Dynasty. Now that the society in Fushan County is stable and the government is harmonious, it is certain that the Haihan people will 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, which far exceeded the size of the fleet previously stationed on Zhifu Island. Denglai and Denglai states simply do not have enough maritime armed forces to threaten Zhifu Island, so why did the Haihan people mobilize such a large fleet to come to Shandong? Zhang Pucheng's subconscious reaction was that Haihan was planning to attack Shandong.
Half of Shandong's military strength was destroyed by the Denglai Rebellion a few years ago. The remaining half of the armed forces, of which the elite were transferred in large numbers to the Central Plains to kill the peasant armies, left only some weak garrison troops guarding the place. . For Haihan, who has strong ships and powerful guns, Shandong's local military defense force can only be described as vulnerable. And the Haihan people are not religious men and women, so why should they keep looking at such a big piece of fat instead of eating it? Thinking of this, Zhang Pucheng felt that the reality was about to match the nightmare he had had. He couldn't help but panic in his heart. Once the war started, he, a local official, would have no room for maneuver. Could it be that he really wanted to abandon his official position and run away? It's time?
"Sir, we need to make an idea as soon as possible!"
Han Qin, the head catcher of Fushan County Government, urged Zhang Pucheng with an anxious look on his face. It was he who informed Zhang Pucheng that the Haihan fleet had arrived at Zhifu Island. Although Han Qin had long been forced to compromise with Haihan, an outsider, no one could remain calm enough in the face of Haihan's army. Next, whether Fushan County should resist behind closed doors or surrender with open doors, the county magistrate Zhang Pucheng must express his attitude.
The benefits Han Qin could get from Haihan were naturally not as generous as those of Zhang Pucheng, the county magistrate, and he couldn't buy a farm of hundreds of acres in the south and become the boss. But Haihan also promised him that if one day the situation in Shandong worsens and he has to leave here to save his life, Haihan will arrange a job for him in the south, and his income and living conditions will never be lower than now. . Although this verbal promise was not binding, Han Qin still chose to believe in Haihan's credibility.
But neither Zhang Pucheng nor Han Qin wanted Haihan to use force in Shandong. No one wants their living environment to undergo major turmoil. They have all experienced the horrors caused by war, and they do not want to see such a scene happen again. If the outbreak of war cannot be prevented, then at least arrangements must be made as soon as possible to avoid this catastrophic disaster.
Zhang Pucheng gritted his teeth and said, "Have you really confirmed this news?"
Han Qin said: "My brother-in-law, who is in a humble position, is working on the dock of Zhifu Island. He said that the Haihan Fleet arrived yesterday evening. Each boat was full of soldiers. At night, the entire dock was lit with torches, and the people on the boat arrived at the dock. It was only finished at midnight. There were at least several thousand troops who came by boat this time. It can’t be faked!”
Zhang Pucheng took a breath and thought that Haihan quietly transported so many troops from the south. This could not be just to show off his force or to conduct troop exercises. The purpose was probably to capture Denglai. From two states. It's just that Dengzhou is still some distance away from Zhifu Island, and there is a city and thousands of troops stationed there. Haihan will have to spend a lot of time to attack Dengzhou, but his own Fushan County is right under Haihan's nose. If there is really going to be trouble in Shandong, the first thing to do is to take over the place completely. It seems that the county magistrate of himself is about to come to an end.
Zhang Pucheng remembered something and asked Han Qin: "Does Mr. Huang know about this?"
There were only a hundred or so Ming troops stationed in Fushan County. Chief Huang Qu was considered a smart man who understood current affairs and had long been deaf and dumb to Haihan's various actions outside the city. Although Zhang Pucheng didn't know what benefits the Haihan people gave Huang Qu, he probably wouldn't treat the only military attaché 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: "Boss Huang's nephew is also working on Zhifu Island. I think he should have received the news. He is a smart man and he will not do stupid things."
"You have to have that ability if you want to do it! He only has a few people under his command, and they are probably all gone now. How can he fight against the Haihan army? Go and invite Mr. Huang here, and say that you have something to say. Business." Zhang Pucheng said it easily, but still planned to confirm Huang Qu's attitude in person. If Huang Qu had any other plans, Zhang Pucheng would have to try to remove himself first to avoid being implicated.
Huang Qu came soon. Maybe Zhang Pucheng would have come to the door himself if he hadn't invited him. Whether it is war or surrender, such a big matter can only be decided by the only two local officials representing the civil and military camps. As a close subordinate of Zhang Pucheng, Han Qin was 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 got straight to the point: "Not to mention that I don't have many soldiers under my command, even if Even if we are fully loaded, I will not jump out and do that thing. If we want to die for our country, we should have died a year ago. Since we have been living in an ignoble way, then living is the right thing."
Many of Huang Qu's soldiers quietly left the county to serve the Haihan people, and some even immigrated to the south. And as he said, even if they choose to die for the country now, it will not help the situation. The Haihan people will not care, and the court will not treat them as loyal ministers. Even if they die in the county, they will probably not even get a splash. . After all, when it comes to controlling public opinion mouthpieces, they can't even catch up with Shanghai Han. Therefore, not only did Huang Qu not intend to resist, but he actually wanted to persuade the county magistrate Zhang Pucheng to give up his unrealistic fantasies and make saving his own life his top priority.
From a certain perspective, their ideas actually coincide with each other. The desire for survival in human nature, or to put it more unpleasantly, the greed for life and the fear of death, made it impossible for them to muster the courage to fight against the arrival of the Haihan army. Since you have already chosen to compromise and settle down before this, it doesn't make much sense no matter how hard you try at this time.
Zhang Pucheng pondered: "What Mr. Huang means is that we take the initiative to surrender to Haihan and offer the city?"
Huang Qu sneered: "What do I mean? Isn't that what Mr. Zhang meant?"
Although both of them had the idea of surrender, they were not willing to bear this bad reputation, and there was inevitably some conflict between their words. On the other hand, Han Qin, a bystander, saw clearly and persuaded with a wry smile: "Two adults, now is not the time to be vindictive. From now on, both of you will probably have to leave here. Maybe you will have to naturalize as Haihan in the future. For your sins in the Ming Dynasty, Putting it in Haihan might be a great achievement!”
The two of them looked at each other and thought that although Han Qin's statement could not stand up to scrutiny, it still had some truth to it. At this time, whoever takes the initiative to surrender may be treated better afterwards, while the one who moves slowly may be regarded as following the trend.
However, Zhang Pucheng was cautious by nature. Even though Huang Qu's words had basically stated his attitude, he didn't have to worry about the general manager going against him. He still had other things on his mind.
"Huang Bao is always a smart person, so naturally I won't worry. But what is the attitude of Qishan Institute?" Zhang Pucheng looked at Huang Qu and asked, "Does Huang Bao know what Feng Qianhu means?"
Huang Qu responded expressionlessly: "Qishan is Qishan's business and has nothing to do with me. If Feng Qianhu wants to challenge Haihan, then let him do it."
Qishan Qianhu Station is only a dozen miles away from Fushan County. After Haihan landed on Zhifu Island, the first thing he removed was a post set up by Qishan Station in Zhifu Bay. Although Feng Fei, a Qianhu resident stationed there, was intimidated by the force of Haihan and could only turn a blind eye to everything that happened on Zhifu Island, Feng Fei obeyed orders from Dengzhou and had never chosen neutrality like these two from Fushan County. Huang Qu expressed his attitude, that is, to distance himself from the relationship between himself and Qishan Suo. He didn't think that Qishan, with only a few hundred soldiers, could resist the invasion of thousands of Haihan troops. If Feng Fei couldn't see the situation clearly, he deserved his death.
Zhang Pucheng saw that Huang Qu was flawless, and at the moment he admired this guy's determination. Before the Haihan people came to Dengzhou, Huang Qu and Feng Fei were visiting each other from time to time, and the two parties even agreed to become in-laws. However, when a disaster comes, they all fly away. Huang Qu is justified in doing so out of self-protection. It is better to live alone than to die together.
Zhang Pucheng made up his mind and said: "Since Mr. Huang's thoughts are consistent with mine, it is better to contact the important officials of Haihan as soon as possible to inform us of our attitude to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings later."
Huang Qu nodded and said: "Master Zhang's words make sense, but I once heard the young General Chen say that action is worse than a heartbeat. Since we have made up our mind, why bother to find someone to convey the message, why not Take a trip to Zhifu Island to express your feelings.”
Zhang Pucheng hesitated: "Is it necessary to do this?"
Huang Qu stared at him and said noncommittally: "If Mr. Zhang feels it's inappropriate, then don't force it. Just wait for the news in the county seat."
Hearing this, Zhang Pucheng thought to himself that you still want to leave me and eat alone. How can this fulfill your wish? He immediately said: "The situation is unclear now, and it is still risky to go to Zhifu Island. I will go with Mr. Huang Ba. What happened?" It’s good to have someone to take care of you.”
In his heart, Huang Qu looked down on Zhang Pucheng, who acted like a civil servant, acted like a mother-in-law, and spoke hypocritically. However, Ming Dynasty always respected civil servants. Although he was a little unhappy, he still did not look down on him in person.
After the two people discussed it, they prepared their cars and prepared to set off. Han Qin originally wanted to follow him, but Zhang Pucheng was worried that the people in the city would panic and chaos after hearing the news of the arrival of Haihan's army, so he ordered Han Qin to stay in the city to prevent any changes in the county.
(End of chapter)