Chapter 161 Go to Nanjing to train troops

Fengqiu, Wang Puxingyuan.

Wang Pu walked quickly and handed the pond report in his hand to Sun Chuanting and said, "Kaifeng has fallen."

"What did you say?" Sun Chuanting was shocked when he heard this and said in a lost voice, "Kaifeng has fallen?"

"That's right." Wang Pu said, "This is the last report sent by Henan General Chen Yongfu before the city was captured. The bandits exploded a gap of more than 30 meters wide in the northwest corner of Kaifeng City. More than 100,000 bandits flocked in. Chen Yongfu led the official army to resist for two days, but was finally captured."

"well."

Sun Chuanting sighed, fell back into the chair and didn't say anything for a long time.

To be honest, the collapse of the Western Army was very exciting to Sun Chuanting. Then the bandits captured Kaifeng, the capital of Henan. The cold facts are constantly proving that Wang Pu’s statement is correct. Now the bandit climate has become, and the official army has completely lost the ability to take the initiative to attack. If they can barely attack, they can only bring shame to themselves.

"It seems you are right." After a while, Sun Chuanting said quietly, "The thief has indeed become a climate."

Wang Pu said: "It's still time to change the strategy."

"Son, come with me to Guanzhong." Sun Chuanting raised his head, looked at Wang Pu with a burning gaze, and said in a deep voice, "We two strive to train an elite soldier within two years, and there is still something to do about it."

"There is no way to survive in Guanzhong." Wang Pu shook his head and said, "Guanzhong is too barren."

Sun Chuanting frowned and said, "There are eight hundred miles of Qinchuan in Guanzhong, why are they barren?"

Wang Pu said: "If you want to go, I won't go anyway."

Sun Chuanting said: "Are you determined to go to Jiangnan?"

"Yes, I'm already determined." Wang Pu said, "regardless of whether you agree or not, whether the court allows it, I'm going to make a decision on Jiangnan."

Sun Chuanting said: "Do you dare to disobey the imperial edict?"

Wang Pu smiled and said, "Do I still have less resistance to the order?"

Sun Chuanting said: "Are you not afraid that Longsheng will send troops to suppress you?"

"Send troops to suppress me?" Wang Pu sneered. "Jiannu and the bandits are already a headache for Master Long Live. Besides, I didn't raise the flag to rebel. Why should he send troops to suppress me?"

Sun Chuanting said: "If you resist the order, it will be like rebellion."

Wang Pu said: "Old man Sun, you know that it is a chaotic world. Besides, the orders of the kings outside the country are not accepted. Resistance and rebellion are two different things!"

Sun Chuanting said: "As a minister of the Ming Dynasty, you should be loyal to the emperor and the country."

Wang Pu said tit-for-tat: "In my heart, protecting the people is the first priority, followed by loyalty to the king and the country."

Sun Chuanting said: "Loyalty to the king and the country is to protect the people."

"Two things." Wang Pu said sternly, "Now, Master Long Live and the idiots in the court are following the strategy of destroying the country. If I listen to them, then I will be the sinners of the Han people! Old Man Sun, if you listen to them, even if you can win the title of loyalty to the kingdom, the country, and the sinners of the Han people in the end!"

Sun Chuanting said in a sarcasm: "What did you say?"

Wang Pu said coldly: "Old man Sun, dad! I'll tell you all this because you are my godfather. Let me tell you the truth, no matter whether you listen or not. I'll just assume Cao Cao!"

Sun Chuanting said angrily: "I will kill you now!"

"Hahaha." Wang Pu laughed to the sky three times and said loudly, "Old man Sun, don't overestimate yourself. The person who can kill me, Wang Pu, hasn't been born yet."

Sun Chuanting suppressed the anger in his heart and asked, "Then tell me, where is the best place in Jiangnan? Why do you have to go to Jiangnan?"

"Isn't this obvious?" Wang Pu said, "There are rich strategic materials such as silk, salt, iron smelting, tea, porcelain, etc. in Jiangnan, as well as the convenience of shipping, which can trade with the Eastern Japanese and Western barbarians. Jiangnan also has a huge group of powerful merchants. 70% of the land taxes in the Ming Dynasty came from Jiangnan. Only by relying on the prosperous land of Jiangnan can we have enough financial resources to train new troops, enough financial resources to eliminate the thieves and conquer Jiannu."

Sun Chuanting said: "Then we can train troops in Shandong and still get the support of Jiangnan's financial resources."

Wang Pu smiled bitterly and shook his head and said, "Why did Liu Zeqing's Shandong soldiers mutiny? Have they received the support of Jiangnan's financial resources?"

Sun Chuanting said in a speechless manner: "This..."

Wang Pu straightened his face and said solemnly: "Dad, let me tell you this. If you can't put the entire Jiangnan under your iron fist rule, it is impossible for Jiangnan to use the land for you. Just like now, most of the wealth has been divided by powerful merchants, but the court can only get a little benefit."

Sun Chuanting stopped talking, and his mind was already a little loose.

What Wang Pu said is true. In recent years, the taxes in the Ming Dynasty have been decreasing year by year, but the expenditure has been heavier year by year. Everyone knows what the problem is, but no one wants to change it. To put it bluntly, it is just unwilling to change it, because the officials in the court have gained benefits from it and they are unwilling to make sacrifices.

Wang Pu continued: "Long Live is not a saint. He cannot be right in everything. As a minister, he only knows blindly following his own blindly regardless of right or wrong. In the end, he may be able to gain a reputation as a loyal king and country. But in fact? In fact, such subjects are very selfish. They only want to gain a reputation as a reputation, but they never thought that doing so would affect the people of the world."

Sun Chuanting suddenly turned around and stared at Wang Pu. This sentence touched him a lot.

Wang Pu met Sun Chuanting's eyes and said frankly: "First there was the Eastern Jin Dynasty and then the Southern Song Dynasty. China was destroyed twice by the barbarians. Is it just that the emperor and the treacherous ministers were wrong? Are those loyal ministers not responsible at all? No, those loyal ministers actually have responsibility. They only know how to sing high-profile words but do not know how to use strategies. They have won the reputation of loyal ministers and filial sons for generations, but the people of the world have suffered disasters and become slaves to the country that have been destroyed..."

Sun Chuanting's brows began to frown. Wang Pu's argument was very strange, but when he thought about it carefully, it seemed to make some sense.

"Dad." Wang Pu looked at Sun Chuanting and asked sincerely, "Wen Tianxiang is a loyal minister who has been praised for all generations, but in the end he could only sigh on the Lingding Ocean. Countless Han people became slaves of the country and became slaves of the Mongols! Cao Cao was a powerful minister who has been despised for all generations, but he eventually unified the area north of the Yellow River. He attacked the Wuhuan in the north, divided the Huns, preserved the vitality of the Han people, and retained the heroic souls of China."

"Nothing nonsense." Sun Chuanting said, "How could Cao Cao be compared with Wen Tianxiang?"

Wang Pu said: "In my opinion, Wen Tianxiang cannot be compared with Cao Cao! Dad. Do you want to be a loyal minister who has been praised for generations but cannot save the country, or do you like Cao Cao be a powerful minister who has been despised for generations but can preserve the vitality of the Han people? Think clearly for yourself."

Sun Chuanting said: "I will never be Cao Cao."

Wang Puhuo said: "Then you just wait to sigh on Lingding Ocean!"

"But I don't think I am Wen Tianxiang," Sun Chuanting changed his tone and continued, "Tomorrow I will submit a report to the court and ask myself to supervise Zhejiang."

"That's right." Wang Pu said, "Old man Sun, you've finally gotten enlightened."

"Go." Sun Chuanting cursed, "I am determined not to be Cao Cao, so you boy should not be Cao Pi."

Forbidden City. Ganqing Palace.

Emperor Chongzhen was patiently explaining to Empress Zhou: "Empress, first Jiannu attacked the border, then the bandits caused trouble. Wang Pu has been leading troops to fight, and he can't return to the capital now."

Queen Zhou said anxiously: "Long live Master. When will Wang Pu return to the capital? Is it not a solution to keep his marriage with Ru'er like this?"

"After a while," Emperor Chongzhen said helplessly, "In a while, I will issue an order to let Wang Pu return to Beijing and marry Ru'er."

When Empress Zhou asked again, she couldn't ask anything, so she had to leave unhappily. As soon as Empress Zhou left, Wang Chengen ran into the hall and whispered: "Long live the emperor, Sun Chuanting made a quick secret report of 600 miles."

"Oh?" Emperor Chongzhen said, "Come on."

Wang Cheng'en took the lead and handed the secret message from Sun Chuanting to Emperor Chongzhen.

After reading it quickly, Emperor Chongzhen's face changed drastically. He stood up and began to pace back and forth in the hall. Without saying a word for a while, Wang Chengen was frightened and did not even dare to breathe.

Emperor Chongzhen suddenly stopped and turned around and asked Wang Chengen, "Where are Chengen, guess what did Sun Chuanting say in the secret memorial?"

Wang Chengen said: "I can't guess it."

Emperor Chongzhen said: "In the secret memorial, Sun Chuanting said that Kaifeng had been captured by bandits, and the whole province of Henan had been defeated by bandits. Zuo Liangyu and He Renlong were as fierce as tigers. Guanzhong soldiers refused to attack the bandits because of lack of food and pay. Liu Zeqing soldiers also mutinized because of lack of food and pay. Sun Chuanting also said that with the current military strength of our Ming Dynasty, the national strength was no longer enough to eliminate the bandits in Henan. He wanted me to turn attack into defense!"

"Turn offense to defense?" Wang Chengen said in confusion. "How to abide by the law?"

Emperor Chongzhen said: "Sun Chuanting recommended Wang Qiaonian as the governor of the three borders of Shaanxi in secret memorials, and led the congratulations to the dragon, as fierce as a tiger, and Jiang Xiang defended Shaanxi together. Zhou Yuji guarded Shanxi, Cao Bianjiao guarded Shandong, and Zuo Liangyu guarded Huguang."

Wang Chengen said: "Where is Sun Chuanting himself?"

Emperor Chongzhen said: "Sun Chuanting asked to supervise Zhejiang Zhi. He wanted to use the financial resources of Zhejiang and Zhi provinces to train an elite soldier within two years, and then fight to the death with the bandits in Henan."

Wang Chengen said: "Long live the law, isn't Sun Chuanting's law-abiding a bit wishful thinking?"

Emperor Chongzhen said: "Tell me what you think."

Wang Chengen said: "Since the bandits have captured the entire Henan province, they will naturally attack the surrounding provinces in the next step. They will not be able to wait in Henan for two years, so that Sun Chuanting will train his elite troops before going to fight with them? Besides, Sun Chuanting supervised Zhejiang and Zhizhi, intercepted taxes from Zhejiang and Zhizhou provinces, what should the court do? Zhejiang and Zhizhou provinces account for 70% of the tax sources of the court?"

"Don't worry about this," said Emperor Chongzhen. "Sun Chuanting said in a secret memorial that if he was allowed to become the governor of Zhejiang, he would never intercept the taxes of the two provinces. He also promised to double the tax revenue of the two provinces within two years!"

"Oh?" Wang Chengen said in surprise, "If this is said from others, I will definitely not believe it, but Sun Chuanting is not a nonsense person. Could it be that he is planning to implement the new policy in Zhejiang and Zhejiang provinces? Otherwise, how could he dare to boast about double taxes within two years?"

Emperor Chongzhen pondered: "I can trust Sun Chuanting as a man. He is still loyal to me in the Ming Dynasty, but he can't trust Wang Puzhen."

"Mr. Prince Consort?" Wang Chengen said, "Why is this involving Prince Consort again?"

Emperor Chongzhen said: "Sun Chuanting recommended Wang Pu as the admiral and military training envoy in Nanjing in a secret memorial, and said that only Wang Pu could train the new army well!"

"this……"

Wang Chengen dared not say anything more. Although he had received 100,000 taels of silver from Wang Pu, he had already said a lot of good things for Wang Pu in front of Emperor Chongzhen, which was enough to repay the favor of 100,000 taels of silver.

"Cheng'en, you said..." Emperor Chongzhen asked, "Do you want to approve Sun Chuanting's memorial?"

Wang Chengen lowered his eyebrows and replied, "I dare not talk nonsense."

Emperor Chongzhen frowned and said unhappy: "Just say it, no matter whether it is right or wrong, I won't blame you."

"Long live the Lord." Wang Chengen said bitterly, "I really say it?"

Emperor Chongzhen said: "Say!"

Wang Chengen had no choice but to say, "I want to say it, now the civil and military officials in the court are only Sun Chuanting, who can be used by him. If even Sun Chuanting believes that he can't deal with the thieves, it would be even worse if he changes to someone else. So I think, maybe try it according to Sun Chuanting's method, and the son-in-law is the governor of Nanjing..."

Emperor Chongzhen said: "How is it?"

Wang Chengen said: "Long lively, you might as well agree. Let's stabilize the prince-consort first. Nanjing is not as good as Datong. There are not only six ministers and nine ministers in Nanjing, and many royal relatives, but also Sun Chuanting is holding him. The prince-consort is almost the same as in the capital in Nanjing. No matter how arrogant he is, he can't make a fuss."

Emperor Chongzhen said with vain: "But Wang Pu really turned the sky in Nanjing?"

Wang Chengen was startled and knelt down and begged for mercy, saying, "I should die. I will keep my mouth shut. I will be a servant. I will never say anything..."

"Okay, get up." Emperor Chongzhen sighed and said helplessly. "I don't know if Wang Pu can pass over the sky in Nanjing, but I know that if he is not allowed to be the admiral of Nanjing, he will definitely cause trouble. It is not impossible for a rebel or even a flag to rebel."

Wang Chengen echoed in a charming voice: "Long live the wise man."

"So..." Emperor Chongzhen nodded and said, "There is something you said right. The most urgent thing is to stabilize him first and don't force him to jump over the wall. But I have to put a few people around him. I have to know what he is doing in Nanjing, and I can't do everything according to his wishes. When necessary, hum."
To be continued...