Chapter 532: Dismissal from Office
Puzhou City began a massive construction boom. The entire prefecture was engaged in a frenzy of building.
The dock town to the west saw extensive expansion!
The iron mine town to the south underwent massive expansion!
The cement and paper mill towns to the north were massively expanded!
...
Everywhere, there was digging and construction!
A vibrant, prosperous atmosphere enveloped Puzhou.
Yet, at the same time...
In northern Shaanxi, Yan'an Prefecture.
Hong Chengchou, impeccably dressed in a clean, crisp official robe and maintaining a dignified posture, had been respectfully awaiting their arrival for quite some time.
“Governor Hong!” Yang He demanded immediately upon entering, “What is the latest on Shen Yikui’s unrest? Report quickly.”
Hong Chengchou’s face remained calm and composed. “Please, Governor Yang, there’s no need to rush. Shen Yikui is already dead.”
“What?” Yang He gasped in astonishment. “When I was in Puzhou, I heard of Shen Yikui’s rebellion and rushed back. How could he be dead already, before I even reached Yansui?”
Hong Chengchou explained, “I deployed Deputy General Cao Wenzhao, Yulin Advisor Zhang Fuzhen, and Gansu Commander Yang Jiamo to advance from three sides, encircling Shen Yikui’s forces. The battle was a resounding success. First, we eliminated Shen Yikui’s brother, Shen Yiyuan, which shook the rebels’ morale. Then, we employed a stratagem of sowing discord, persuading Shen Yikui’s subordinate, Huang Youcai. Huang Youcai fell for the trap and assassinated Shen Yikui.”
Hearing this, Yang He couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath. Who was this Hong Chengchou? He had only been traveling for a few days, and this man had already killed Shen Yikui? He was truly formidable.
Yang He asked, “After Shen Yikui’s death, his remaining forces must have dispersed, right?”
Hong Chengchou replied expressionlessly, “Not yet. Shen Yikui’s remnants still number over one hundred thousand, continuing their stubborn resistance under the leadership of Hong Junyou, Li Dusi, Du San, and Yang Laochai.”
“One hundred thousand more?” Upon hearing that figure, Yang He felt his composure crumble. That was an immense number. Even with Shen Yikui dead, one hundred thousand rebels would not be easy to deal with.
Hong Chengchou said, “These one hundred thousand are nothing to fear. I was just about to lead my army to deal with these remaining bandits. If Governor Yang is concerned, perhaps you would care to join me?”
Yang He declared, “Very well. I shall observe how you intend to resolve this situation with one hundred thousand bandits.”
What followed was a true display of Hong Chengchou’s masterful skill.
A few days later, Hong Chengchou, leading his personal guard, the “Hong’s elite troops,” joined forces with Deputy General Cao Wenzhao on their northward march.
Though highly capable, Cao Wenzhao was not a man of temper and was extremely obedient, moving east when Hong Chengchou commanded and west when ordered. Such a personality, if paired with an incompetent commander, would undoubtedly lead to a miserable end.
But Hong Chengchou was far from incompetent; he was one of the most capable men in the late Ming Dynasty.
When a valiant general met a brilliant commander, the result...
The Hong’s elite troops, combined with Cao Wenzhao’s forces, defeated the one hundred thousand rebels in a single battle, capturing Du San and Yang Laochai alive.
However, Hong Chengchou’s captures were different from others; he captured enemy generals to behead them, not to persuade them to surrender.
Du San and Yang Laochai were swiftly beheaded, and their bloody heads were displayed outside the city gates for all to see.
The two remaining rebel generals, Hong Junyou and Li Dusi, continued their flight!
Hong Chengchou and Cao Wenzhao relentlessly pursued them.
Yang He could only follow along, witnessing firsthand Hong Chengchou's varied and ingenious methods to utterly crush the rebels. He first eliminated Hong Junyou using a stratagem of sowing discord. Then, he feigned being ambushed, drawing himself into Li Dusi's trap, only to unleash a "berserker's rage" within the encirclement, cutting his way out and turning Li Dusi's head into a gruesome decoration for the city gate.
By this point, Shen Yikui, Shen Yiyuan, and all four of their top rebel commanders—Hong Junyou, Li Dusi, Du San, and Yang Laochai—had met their end, all slain without exception.
After purging the bandits, Hong Chengchou, with a quick turn, dumped ninety thousand surrendered rebels into Yang He’s lap. “Governor Yang, the ringleaders have been eliminated. These followers, of course, cannot be killed; they must be appeased. But appeasement is not my strong suit, so I shall leave it to you, Governor Yang.”
Yang He looked at the ninety thousand kneeling heads before him, and a sharp throb pulsed in his forehead. “Damn it... What am I supposed to do with this?”
Don’t panic!
Censor Wu Shen had one hundred thousand taels of silver.
Yang He quickly penned a letter: “Wu Shen, long time no see, forgive my lack of communication. The weather is truly lovely today! Have you eaten? I have ninety thousand surrendered rebels here. Could you let me spend your one hundred thousand taels of silver?”
Wu Shen’s reply was evasive: “My sincerest apologies, but that sum is unfortunately not available at this time.”
Wu Shen, in turn, had no choice but to write a letter: “Brother Liang, save me! I have ninety thousand surrendered rebels here, and I wonder if Chengcheng County can still... *cough*... I know this number is a bit large, and Chengcheng County will certainly face difficulties, but difficulties can be overcome. We must share the burden for the imperial court.”
Liang Shixian was internally ecstatic but outwardly composed as he replied, “It is indeed somewhat challenging, but even if I have to sell everything I own, I will share the burden for the imperial court. Please send them all over.”
In the capital, in the Imperial Study.
The Chongzhen Emperor, Zhu Youjian, was flipping through memorials with a weary expression.
The situation in Shanxi was worsening by the day. Though Wang Jiayin was dead, his remnants still numbered over three hundred thousand. His main forces, under the command of Wang Jiayin's Left Prime Minister, Zijing Liang, continued to roam and fight.
The other scattered rebel factions, not part of the main force, continued to spread into various regions. For example, Bu Zhan Ni’s forces once again crossed the Yellow River from near Hequ County, returning to Shaanxi.
Scattered rebels were more troublesome than concentrated ones.
This caused widespread distress and complaints.
Memorials impeaching Yang He piled high on Zhu Youjian’s desk.
“These bandits are utterly desperate and have no means of survival. When our troops arrive, they surrender, but once our troops leave, they revert to looting. This is an inevitable consequence.”
“One wave hasn’t settled, and another rises.”
“All roads lament the appeasement policy.”
“Yang He’s policy of appeasement has done great harm to the nation.”
Looking at the mountain of memorials, Zhu Youjian’s spirits plunged like a stone.
He knew perfectly well why the appeasement policy had been pursued! At that time, when the generals of the three border garrisons had come to the capital to defend the emperor, Yang He had no troops at his disposal. What could he do but resort to appeasement? That was why Zhu Youjian had strongly supported Yang He's policy.
But now, with the Manchu offensive temporarily halted, the imperial relief forces had returned to Shaanxi.
Continuing appeasement was no longer an option! It was time to shift to suppression.
However, such a significant policy reversal required a scapegoat.
That scapegoat certainly couldn't be him; it could only be Yang He.
Zhu Youjian took up his brush and wrote: “Yang He, as the Supreme Commander of all Shaanxi, held immense authority. Yet he allowed the rebels to run rampant, failing to suppress them, thus plunging the people into misery and utterly betraying his commission. He is hereby stripped of his office, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard is to dispatch officials to apprehend him and bring him to the capital for interrogation. A suitable replacement for his post shall be recommended. Lian Guoshi is provisionally demoted three ranks and shall atone for his crimes by suppressing the bandits. Should he remain negligent, he shall be severely punished without mercy.” (This paragraph is excerpted from *Guoque*, Volume 91.)
His stroke of the brush sealed Yang He’s fate.
The appeasement policy formally ended, and the policy of suppression began its ascent onto the stage of history!
The Ming court’s stance towards the rebels was entering a new chapter.
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