Chapter 166 – Leaving Daqi
Jiang Zhen has always done business with Toyo before, but recently, he has stopped.
Not only that, he also sent some of his men to patrol the waters near Fucheng so once they see pirates they would capture them.
The weather was getting colder and colder, but the pirates became more and more rampant, because they suddenly found that the people of Daqi were really easy to rob. Most of them only begged for mercy unable to fight back.
Up to now, whether they were from Toyo or Daqu all pirates were called easterner pirates by the people and the government.
The Toyo invasion was getting more and more serious, and many people along the coast ware suffering, but along the coast of Wexing Province the people’s life was no different from before.
Those pirates did not dare to come to this area of Wexing Province to cause trouble.
It was a good thing for the people of Wexing Province but others had a hard time sleeping and eating.
When winter turned to spring and the peach tree bore another flower, a ship went south along the coastline of Daqi and finally stopped at the dock of Yabian Village. Shortly afterwards, a middle-aged man with a cold face came down from the ship.
The person guarding Yabian village was none other than Jiang Mingm so seeing that person Jiang Ming was a little surprised: “Marquis?”
The person who come was the same person who had been asking Jiang Zhen to help buy food and grass all these years, Marquis Qi – Qing Qi.
At first, it was Luo Tianzhi who brought this man to the south of Yangze river and let him meet Jiang Zhen. He also did not tell Jiang Zhen his identity at first, but later due to their cooperation Jiang Zhen learned that this person turned out to be marquis.
Daqi dynasty lasted already for more than 300 years, at the beginning, there were few members of the imperial family but now there were tens of thousands of people so the relationship with the imperial family and Qi Qing was a little far but is hasn’t declined. This Qi Qing also had some skills and now not only has inherited the title and become a marquis but was also the general of the Liaodong Iron Riders.
“I want to see Jiang Zhen.” Qi Qing said.
Jiang Ming quickly brought the man to Jiang Zhen.
“What does Lord Qi want with me?” Jiang Zhen looked at Qi Qing with some confusion.
“Jiang Zhen, in the previous winter, pirates made a lot of trouble and burned down one of our granaries, Liaodong Iron Riders were also affected… we are now short on food and grass. hope you can purchase another batch of food and grass and send it to Liaodong Iron Riders.” When Qi Qing saw Jiang Zhen, he immediately said.
“Just this? If it’s just this there would be no need for the lord Qi to come all the way here, right?” Jiang Zhen looked at Qi Qing in some confusion.
“Jiang Zhen, I came here personally because Liaodong Iron Riders can’t pay money right now, if possible, I hope you can ship it in advance.”
Qi Qing said.
The Liaodong Iron Riders couldn’t get the money, this was something that Jiang Zhen believed.
Despite the fact that south of the Yangtze River was very prosperous, except for the coast with many ronins invaders were people life was relatively difficult, others lived well and from the point of view of the whole Daqi it was very peaceful.
For example, in the year he went to the capital with Zheng Yi, there were many places suffering from drought. For example, a few years back there was also floods, not to mention all Toyo people who were moving now…
In addition, there ware many officials, clans and armies so expenses were also very big making court often unable to make end meet.
Although the court has always attached great importance to the Liaodong Iron Riders and did not treat them badly, but it was impossible to give them enough food and pay in the end.
“We can delay part of it, but we must settle the money before next time.” Jiang Zhen said.
“It’s okay.” Qi Qing let out a sigh of relief.
Because the people around the south of the Yangtze River were more willing to plant mulberry trees or cotton than grow grain, waving clothes to sell for money the price of grain in the south of the river was not cheap and not very easy to buy.
Of course, no matter how expensive it was, it was still cheaper than the north side.
It would take Jiang Zhen some effort to buy some of the grain and grass but at Qi Qing’s urging, he sent a fleet of ships to send the grain and grass to the northwest.
The fleet left, but Qi Qing did not, intending to stay and acquire even more grain.
Jiang Zhen was not surprised with his actions, in ancient times when there was a natural disaster, the people would lose their harvest, so almost everyone liked to store their grains. It was also very normal for Liaodong Iron Riders to want to store grains.
That day, after having dinner with Qi Qing, Jiang Zhen went back to his residence in Yabian Village and slept.
As a result, in the second half of the night, he was suddenly awakened by the sound of trumpets and shouts of killing.
Someone had attacked Yabian Village and if that was not enough, the people who came to attack were government soldiers.
If he was an ordinary merchant, the local officials would just put a charge on him and he would probably be put in jail having his family’s assets confiscated.
But because power in his hands was too big… and with Cheng Yongzhen previous experience, Jiang Zhen was very clear that he certainly scared some people.
However, even Jiang Zhen did not expect that court would act so soon.
The Zheng family had someone in the imperial court so he always asked Zheng Yi to keep an eye for him but this time, Zheng Yi didn’t send a message to him at all!
When Jiang Zhen brought people out of his residence, he saw Qi Qing protected by some soldiers. When Qi Qing saw him he said in loud voice: “Jiang Zhen, if you surrender early, I will report it to His Majesty and give you a way out.”
Because of the chaos around, Jiang Zhen did not hear Qi Qing’s words very clearly but he still had some general idea when he heard word “HIs Majesty” clearly.
It was His Majesty, not the Empress Dowager.
At this time, he finally understood why all this came so suddenly and without any warning.
When he followed Zheng Yi to the capital seven or eight years ago, the Empress Dowager was in charge of the court, but now seven or eight years have passed. The little emperor from that time had already grown up.
Since he has grown up, he will naturally want to seize the power. Although the Zheng family had been courting the little emperor in recent years, he certainly could not win the trust of the little emperor.
Under such circumstances, it was normal for Zheng Yi to not get any news.
“Qi Qing, I have been doing my best for the Liaodong Iron Riders for several years, and this is how you treat me?” Jiang Zhen sneered.
This Qi Qing was a decent man so he really didn’t expect that this man would suddenly strike at him.
Qi Qing frowned slightly, his expression not very good.
When he first came to south of the Yangtze River three years ago, when he saw the Jinzhen escort agency he already knew that Jinzhen escort agency was not simple. But at that time everything was still controllable, so he did not do anything.
But three years have passed and the Jinzhen escort agency was only getting stronger and stronger.
If they were even a little careless, they might rise another Cheng Yongzhen!
Of course, this was not the only reason for his sudden attack on Jiang Zhen.
He owes allegiance to his Majesty, but most of the imperial court power was still in the hands of the empress dowager… If the truth must be said, Jiang Zhen was on the side of Empress Dowager people!
Jinzhen escort agency couldn’t be kept, this was also the first time his Majesty has shown himself to the Empress Dowager as test,
“Jiang Zhen, tell your men to put down their weapons and surrender, we will not kill innocent people indiscriminately.” Qi Qing added.
Jiang Zhen snorted coldly.
He was not Cheng Yongzhen and would never easily put his life in the hands of others.
“After surrendering, these people will only cut off our heads to receive military merits! Everyone fight with me, maybe there is still a way to live!” Jiang Zhen said in a loud voice.
If Jiang Zhen and Cheng Yongzhen were the same and he never had any other thoughts, he would definitely be forced to a dead end at this time.
But he was always different from the vast majority of people at this time.
He has long prepared a retreat and never intended to be so loyal and patriotic as to willingly offer his own life.
He would not kill indiscriminately, and had no intention of plotting rebellion so he choose to leave.
Jiang Zhen man were also different from the ordinary people in Daqi.
Nowadays, the people around Jiang Zhen ware mostly from the Hongjiang Salt Farm and these people ware not particularly trusting of the court, not to mention that Jiang Zhen has trained them in recent years and consciously done some brainwashing when training them over the years.
That night, the government soldiers raided Yabian Village while Jiang Zhen like Cheng Yongzhen before him, chose to leave.
He really …… left with his men surrounded by countless government soldiers!
When he got on the ship and left, Jiang Zhen was very silent.
He did not want to start any war, much less go up against the government soldiers but in this era there was just no way.
Qi Qing had made a lot of preparations to capture Jiang Zhen this time. He first lured away many of Jiang Zhen’s men by asking him to collect grains and grass for Liaodong Iron Riders. Then he asked Sun Qiyun to lead troops to secretly surround Jiang Zhen. Not only that, he also sent people to the Fucheng to have Zhao Jinge arrested.
At the beginning, before Cheng Yongzhen fled to Ryukyu and claimed the title of the king, his family was caught in the jail so they didn’t think they would be unable to catch the Zhao family.
But they haven’t been able to caught Zhao Jinge yet.
Jiang Zhen has never kept anything from Zhao Jinge and for many years he has been training Zhao Jinge so Jinge was no longer just a simple village man he used to be.
What’s more, the intelligence work of the Jinzhen escort agency was very good.
Zhao Jinge didn’t know about imperial navy attempt to sneak up attack on the Yabian village but he spotted people sneaking around his house and quickly realized that perhaps someone was trying to harm him.
This group of people ..… was large! There were even people from the imperial court among them!
After Zhao Jinge found this out, he chose the same path as Jiang Zhen – to leave.
This was something that Jiang Zhen had explained long time ago, at that time he did not know why Jiang Zhen said this, but now he understands.
He did not want to die, not to mention implicate Jiang Zhen. Since it was the case, he had to escape as soon as possible in the face of danger.
People who tried to ambush Zhao Jinge near his house and wanted to arrest him were finally solved by the people of Jinzhen escort agency. Not only that, Zhao Jinge with his parents and children as well as many people from the Jinzhen escort agency left Fucheng on the ship.
The big ship left the river of Wexing Province and entered the ocean.
Many people from the Jinzhen escort agency, especially the families of He Chunsheng and others, were actually very bewildered and did not understand why they were suddenly taken on the ship to leave. But Zhao Jinge immediately issued orders one by one while gazing at the endless sea.
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