Chapter 20 Kangxi (Part 2)
The Ming army's show-off outside Jiujiang City left a deep impression on the people around them. The soldiers' exquisite military uniforms and healthy and rosy faces proved to the audience that their living conditions were quite good, which was completely different from the traditional soldiers like beggars, beggars, and serfs in the eyes of the people. After the local snake helped promote the publicity, many farmers were moved and were willing to consider marrying the Ming army.
Of course, the most important thing is the betrothal fee promised by the Ming army. In order to help the soldiers solve the marriage problem, Deng Ming allocated Ren Tang a budget of 500,000 taels of silver. Ren Tang tried his best to get it for his hometown. Deng Ming had a wealth of money and it was necessary to make Deng Ming finally determined to take out such a large amount of money.
Among them, a budget of 100,000 taels will be used to pay various necessary expenses, such as commissions paid to matchmakers and household registration fraud fees paid to clerks, while the remaining 400,000 taels can make each Ming soldier pay a 100 taels of betrothal to his father-in-law's family. Even in Nanchang City, ten taels of silver can be bought for a girl. For the people nearby, marrying a daughter to exchange for such a large betrothal gift is enough to marry three sons in a decent manner, not only can they build a house for their sons, but also buy some household items.
Many local peasant families are poor, and if they do not consider changing their kinship, they do not even have the ability to marry their second son. Although girls are far away from Sichuan, since their husbands have the ability to give out such a large betrothal gift, it is unlikely that their daughter will be hungry and cold. Even ordinary little landlords are reluctant to give out such a large betrothal gift. In fact, after hearing the amount of Ming Jun's betrothal gift, many little landlords were also moved and solemnly considered marrying their daughter to Sichuan, and then using the betrothal gift to buy a few acres of land. If they were not married to a soldier, many little landlords would go to inquire about the marriage.
Deng Ming had already told his subordinates in advance that he could not bear all the marriage costs. Every soldier would receive a bonus of 5,000 IOUs for participating in the Gaoyou Lake Battle, which was converted into 50 taels of silver. The remaining 50 taels of betrothals were temporarily lent to them. However, this is an interest-free welfare loan to help the soldiers get married. In the next fifty years, they would have to repay 100 yuan to the government every year. The extra expenses given to the matchmaker were considered as Deng Ming treating him.
The soldiers were not dissatisfied with Deng Ming's request. They calculated privately that 100 yuan a year was just equivalent to paying one stone of extra grain, and it was not a heavy burden. Moreover, Deng Ming also explained that this kind of welfare loan was a person's debt. If they unfortunately die within the next fifty years, the debt would not fall on their wives and children.
In addition to repaying debts every year, Deng Ming also said that another repayment model could be adopted, that is, let his wife work in a factory run by the government. Deng Ming tried his best to improve the status of women and use this part of the labor force. The result of his hard work was that women must be paid through labor like men. Deng Ming also gave a high-sounding reason. He said that Sichuan is in a mess and needs to make a large amount of bedding, clothes, shoes and socks and other military supplies. Women's participation in labor can greatly help the army. If soldiers agree to let their wives support the government and the army - for example, for five years, Deng Ming will not only pay wages, but also exempt their loan debts.
The high bidding fee puts the Ming army soldiers in a very favorable position, and they can choose girls who meet their wishes. After initial contact, the people of Jiangxi were surprised to find that these Ming army soldiers were literate and could at least write their own names. Some smart soldiers could even write their own letters.
When Deng Ming and his main force arrived in Jiujiang in a mighty manner, Ren Tang reported to him that hundreds of marriages had been agreed upon. Not only were there small landlords, but also nearby people came to choose their son-in-law after hearing the news. It seemed that the Ming army could solve lifelong affairs for at least 30% of the soldiers in Jiangxi, and the rest could be completed by the Ming army's long stay in Huguang.
After Deng Ming arrived in Jiujiang, Dong Weiguo came to the camp to pay his respects that night. He did not come to see Ren Tang before, so as not to avoid suspicion, so as not to Deng Ming suspected that he had other intentions when he had private contact with the Ming generals.
He was captured twice, and there was another negotiation and another one to entrust his orphan. The Jiangxi governor was more comfortable than Jiang Guozhu in the Ming military camp, and his happy laughter echoed throughout the camp.
"I heard that General Ren is from Jiangxi?" After two glasses of wine, Dong Weiguo asked Ren Tang with a smile: "Don't you know that General Ren still has tribe members in his hometown? If the general wants them to go to Sichuan, he will agree that everything will be covered by me."
Ren Tang shook his head and told the other party that most of his relatives and tribe members had died in the Anti-Qing War. However, his cousin Ren Hongcheng had a young son who survived, but his whereabouts were unknown.
"What a loyal and fierce family!" Dong Weiguo raised his respect and patted his chest and said, "General Ren's cousin is also a loyal descendant. I must not look at the loyal and noble descendants. Don't worry, I will do my best to find his whereabouts, and I have no choice."
"I heard that General Ren is not married yet," Dong Weiguo sighed, and the topic changed: "I know some ladies from a family. If General Ren is interested, I am willing to be a matchmaker." As he said that, Dong Weiguo looked at Zhou Kaihuang again: "It seems that General Zhou has no family yet, right? The girls from Jiangxi scholars are well-educated, gentle and virtuous, so General Zhou can also consider it."
"The admiral has an order that no officer or soldier in our army shall marry a woman with small feet." Ren Tang shook his head: "Besides, the barbarians have not been destroyed, why should they be the family?"
Deng Ming used the previous reason to send Jiang Guozhu's niece and Lin Qilong's daughter home. Liang Huafeng regretted it even more and repeatedly lamented why he, a military general, wanted to learn from scholars to bind his daughter's feet, but ended up misleading his daughter.
"It turns out that he is a young hero, with a lofty ambition, he should be out of nowhere!" Ren Tang's latter reason made the Qing Dynasty's Jiangxi governor sigh. He raised his glass to respect Deng Ming, Ren Tang and Zhou Kaihuang, and then raised his head and drank it all.
"It seems that I am far more than me who have schizophrenia." Deng Ming thought to himself, raised his teacup and drank a sip of tea, while Ren Tang and Zhou Kaihuang both silently accompanied Dong Weiguo to drink a cup.
Dong Weiguo knew that Deng Ming didn't like drinking, so he didn't persuade him to drink. Seeing that the atmosphere in the camp was a bit cold, the Jiangxi governor laughed. He had congratulated Deng Ming on his victory in Gaoyou Lake just now, and now he congratulated again: "The admiral killed the previous emperor and was intimidating the world. The Shunzhi ended in just 17 years. I don't know what the year name will be next, and I don't know how many years I can last in front of the admiral this time? The following officials' opinions may not have even 17 years, haha."
"The symptoms of his schizophrenia are even more serious than those of Jiang Guozhu." Deng Ming thought, and smiled slightly: "I think it's Kangxi."
"Kangxi?" Dong Weiguo was stunned when he heard this, not knowing why Deng Ming said that. Shunzhi had just died, and the year name for next year had not been decided at this time; and the decision of the year name was the highest level of the court, and even the Shangshu and the banner master were not qualified to hear it. Even if it had been decided, unless the important minister of Oboi level or even the Empress Dowager sent someone six hundred miles to inform Deng Ming, how could he know? Dong Weiguo figured it out in a blink of an eye. This was purely Deng Ming was telling a joke. He laughed intriguely: "It's really good, but Admiral Deng loves our court too much."
"Why did the admiral determine that it was the word "Kangxi"?" Ren Tang became interested when he heard Deng Ming say this. This was not the first time he heard Deng Ming mention this. Before releasing Soetu and others, Deng Ming went to see them and said to the prisoners: "The era of Shunzhi is over, and Kangxi is next."
When Ren Tang heard this, his thoughts were similar to those of Dong Weiguo at this time, thinking that Deng Ming was just talking casually, or had any other meanings, such as deliberately giving the Qing court a reign to humiliate the Tartars. However, this makes sense. The other party was rebellious in Jianzhou, and Deng Ming's humiliation method was inappropriate.
Afterwards, Ren Tang quickly left this matter behind. Today, when Deng Ming used these two words again, Ren Tang's curiosity was greatly aroused. After thinking about it, he could not appreciate the humiliating meaning in these two words. On the contrary, as Dong Weiguo said, these are two very good words.
"I guessed randomly." Deng Ming smiled slightly and quickly changed the topic. He said these two words as a prank, without any intention, and he didn't know if the Qing court would still use this year name in this history. What would happen if the Qing court still used this year name? Deng Ming had never thought about it.
Dong Weiguo and Ren Tang did not take this matter seriously. Needless to say, Dong Weiguo was not as ignorant as Deng Ming. They all knew very well that formulating the reign of an emperor was a secret of the highest level of the court, both the Ming and Qing courts.
...
"Kangxi, Kangxi...Kangxi..." Soetu, who had returned to Xuzhou, was still thinking hard about Deng Ming's last words before leaving. For a great enemy like Deng Ming, the captured imperial guard officers dared not take it lightly at all. Soetu kept muttering to himself day and night: "What does this mean? A secret code? Who said it to us?"
The officers of other imperial guards around Soetu also heard Deng Ming's words, and they thought secretly. The more they thought about it, the more they felt that there seemed to be a big conspiracy hidden inside. Maybe there was a traitor hidden among their group of imperial guards. It was this person who betrayed the emperor's whereabouts to the Ming army; and Deng Ming might have given some instructions to the traitor with this code. Maybe this traitor was also the contact person of a big man in the capital. If the meaning of these two words cannot be understood, then the true face of the traitor cannot be seen and Deng Ming's conspiracy cannot be stopped.
"Kangxi..., Kangxi... Xi... Kang..." Ebilong's son-in-law kept repeating these two words softly. He could not guess that this was the Qing court's future year name. Although his father-in-law was qualified to participate in the discussion of next year's year name, even if his father-in-law knew about it, he would keep his mouth shut and would not reveal any words to him, his son-in-law. Even Sony would not reveal to Soetu before the Qing court announced the world. There is no doubt that there must be a shocking conspiracy and a terrible secret hidden in the code words.
All the officers of the Imperial Guard were worried. Deng Ming's simple words aroused deep suspicion and suspicion among them: the person sitting next to him might be the traitor who betrayed the emperor!
"Once he meets his father, he must report this matter immediately, and he may be able to figure out what this code means." Soetu made up his mind quietly, and other officers of the Imperial Guards also had the same idea.
...
At the same time, Beijing Forbidden City.
The Empress Dowager sat in the middle, and there were a row of important officials of Manchu and Han Dynasty standing below.
"Empress Dowager, I am so sad." Sony went out and said in a deep tone. The emperor's candidate has been confirmed. Today, the important officials gathered here to determine the new emperor's reign.
Seeing Sony holding the yellow paper in both hands, the empress dowager's tears came out again, and she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. The eunuch took the yellow paper over and placed it on the table respectfully.
"This is agreed by the slaves. Please ask the Queen Mother to be the Holy Lord." Sony took a step back and whispered.
The Empress Dowager glanced at the yellow paper, pondered for a moment, and nodded slightly: "It's very good, just use it. I'll draw an edict and tell the world."
"Abide by the order."
Sony, Oboi and other important officials knelt down on the ground and kowtowed to the Empress Dowager. After a while, after the edict was issued, the Empress Dowager would be officially renamed the Empress Dowager.
"Oh." The Empress Dowager picked up the yellow paper and looked at it again, and gently placed it on the imperial desk. From this moment on, there was no need to keep it confidential.
There are two big words written on the yellow paper:
Chapter completed!