When Zhang Ning was chatting with Yang Shiqi and others, Yang said that every major yamen in the capital had guards in uniform guarding them at the door every day, which was called sitting records. Zhang Ning has little experience in the officialdom of the capital, so he really didn't know that such a thing existed.
There is also such a "sitting secretary" in the Wuchang Cabinet lobby, that is, Xia Yu, the permanent servant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Whenever important matters are discussed, she will almost always sit in the Zanzheng Hall next to the lobby to listen. This is not to monitor the activities of the cabinet. Zhang Ning is usually present at the collegial meeting. If he is asked to make decisions, does he still need to monitor it? The main purpose is to enable the upper echelons of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to understand the strategic direction of Huguang, so that the Ministry of Internal Affairs can organize spies to conduct detailed intelligence gathering on military and political needs, and it is also responsible for instigating those who may rebel.
It is said that Xia Yu came from a family of officials. Although she was a woman, she had seen the world. At least she was well versed in government affairs and could go to Yao Ji and explain clearly what the Huguang court was doing.
This morning, Zhang Ning had a discussion with the ministers in the lobby. After the group dispersed, he called Xia Yu to the study room upstairs to talk.
Of course he didn¡¯t have any bad thoughts about Xia Yu, he just wanted to ask about business. For some reason, with so many women in the Chu Palace, Zhang Ning alone had no evil thoughts about Xia Yu. Although he didn't want to molest every woman, he didn't even think about it. He took a few glances at Xia Yu first. Logically speaking, this woman was quite beautiful, with good facial features, good skin, and long legs, but for some reason she lacked that kind of charm. After Zhang Ning took a closer look, he felt that it might be because her face was too flat and not charming, and mainly because her words and deeds were orderly, tall and calm, like a man.
"I have met the prince." Xia Yu cupped her fists and saluted in a neither humble nor overbearing manner. Yes, this is the feeling. She is more upright than ordinary men of the common people, which will give people the illusion that she is an official.
Zhang Ning nodded, thinking about something in a low voice. Xia Yu knew her identity and just stood aside without saying a word. He pondered for a long time before asking: "Zhu Guangyang, who was recently promoted to the command of the Second Battalion of the Navy, has too little written in the file. Do you have any inquiries?"
It¡¯s not that Zhang Ning doesn¡¯t want to trust the people recommended by Monk Yao, it¡¯s just that he once again invested a lot of money in the navy and concentrated the resources of two provinces, so he had to know more about the candidates for the leadership. Now that so many people in the Wuchang court have become one, Zhang Ning did not bring them all by himself, and he does not have the ability to clone; most of them formed a group that grew geometrically through the relationships with the people around them. Starting from Zhang Ning Relying on Yao Ji, she got the support of hundreds of people under Yao Ershang. Then she met Zhou Mengxiong because of her relationship with Emperor Jianwen, and won over Yang Shiqi Yao Ershang and Zhou Mengxiong each accumulated contacts, and Yang Shiqi and Yu Qian also won over a large number of gentry in Huguang and Jiangxi, so their people became more and more popular. Many, the victory of the war accelerated the expansion of power. Zhang Ning had to use the people recommended by Monk Yao, otherwise he would not be able to find a suitable candidate.
At this time, Xia Yu said: "I have some understandingthe prince is interested in the Navy these days. If I am not prepared, if he suddenly asks me like today, how should I answer? I dare not not do some understanding in advance."
"Oh?" Zhang Ning was slightly surprised, surprised by her explanation, and couldn't help but look at her with interest.
Xia Yu asked calmly: "Does the prince still remember Zhao Hu?"
"Remember." Zhang Ning said without thinking. He once told Xu Wenjun that although there were more and more people around him, he never forgot who was there when there were only a few people around him. This sentence was not meant to make her happy, Zhang Ning did remember it in his heart.
¡°Zhao Hu has also been following Zhang Ning for a long time. He is from Xuzhou and was originally a crew member of the Ming Navy. He was one of Zheng He¡¯s subordinates. He was injured in a conflict with the natives in Luzon and returned to his hometown in Xuzhou¡¯s blacksmith shop. When Zhang Ning met him, the Han army defeated the Xuzhou garrison and followed Han King Zhu Heng and others into the city. The Han army officers loosened their restraints and burned, killed and looted the city. Zhang Ning encountered the rebels who kidnapped and beat Zhao Hu's family and wanted to humiliate them. His wife was rescued by Zhang Ning, and the man followed An Qianma to repay his kindness and gain fame. Zhao Hu first followed Zhang Ning to the mountainous areas of western Hunan, and then together they attacked Shimen County and raised troops; however, after the Suzaku Army developed slightly and entered Yuezhou, he joined the Yuezhou Navy and resumed his old profession. He was not seen for a long time. It¡¯s too late.
Xia Yu said: "The archives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs record that Zhu Guangyang was favored by Yao Shangshu and worshiped him as his adoptive father. This is true. But if the prince wants to ask, he has to talk about Zhao Hu first, because it was Zhu Guangyang who first defected to Yao Shangshu. Through Zhao Hu's relationship, without Zhao Hu, Zhu Guangyang probably would not have met Yao Shangshu.
Back then, our army defeated the Huguang official army in Yuanshui and took advantage of the victory to advance to Yuezhou. The prefect of Yuezhou joined forces to defend the city and surrendered. However, the Yuezhou navy did not surrender for a while, but left Dongting Lake and entered the Yangtze River. Our army had no warships and could not enter the river to pursue it. Many family members of the officers and soldiers of the official army and navy were in the city, and supplies could not be found again. There was chaos in the army. We persuaded many naval officers to surrender. Zhao Erhu learned from the surrendered general that Zhu Guangyang was a general in the navy. It turned out that he and Zhu Guangyang were cousins I should have remembered wrongly, Zhu Guangyang's grandmother and Zhao Hu's grandfather were siblings.?Brother and sister. Zhao Erhu then went to Yao Shangshu to ask for orders to persuade Zhu Guangyang to surrender.
Unexpectedly, the officers and soldiers noticed the clues. The general at the top was worried that Zhu Guangyang was about to surrender, but he had no evidence and was wary of the soldiers in his hands, so he sent people to Yuezhou City to pick up Zhu Guangyang's son out of the city, hoping to blackmail Zhu Guangyang. But at this time, Zhu Guangyang had surrendered. His cousin Zhao Hu praised the prince and compared the prince with the King of Han. He thought that following the prince to conquer the world was different from the King of Han. Moreover, the prince was very kind to the Zhao family, and the brothers hit it off.
When Zhu Guangyang returned to Yuezhou, he found that his only son had been picked up. Zhao Erhu then informed Yao Shangshu of the matter. Yao Shangshu knew that he was the prince's man, and immediately dispatched elite troops to cross the Yangtze River at night and sneak attack on a market stronghold of the navy in the north of the Yangtze River. At that time, the officers and soldiers were in chaos and were unprepared. Although they suffered a lot of damage in the battle, they managed to snatch Zhu Guangyang's only son back from a place that had been explored in advance. Zhu Guangyang was grateful to Yao Shangshu and worshiped him as his adoptive father in public. Later, Yao Shangshu ignored his status as a reduced general and always valued him This time the Second Battalion of the Navy was the focus of the imperial court's experience. Yao Shangshu recommended Zhu Guangyang as soon as he arrived in Jiangxi, and that was it. "
Zhang Ning listened patiently from the beginning, and suddenly he understood a lot about this person. I can't help but think: Although Zhao Hu has been a military general under Yao Monk for a long time, he was originally a follower of himself. Among the various camps within the Wuchang regime, he does not belong to any side; and Zhu Guangyang is Zhao Hu If this person is really capable, it is not impossible to win over him. Of course, Zhang Ning would not say this kind of factional dispute verbally, but the difference between one person and many people always exists objectively, and it is not something that can be avoided if he does not want to fight within himself.