I

After Zhao Han's large military fleet passed Yushan County, they had to disembark and walk.

The grain can be transported away, but the boats must be replaced. Because the following river is only 20 meters wide at its widest point and only 10 meters at its narrowest point. This is a small artificial river connecting two major rivers in the provinces.

When arriving in Jiangshan County, Zhao Han received a letter from Zhang Tieniu.

It has been clearly interrogated that more than 300 rebel troops have been ambushing Quzhou City for many days and captured the government and county offices in one fell swoop.

Since the rebel army was mainly composed of scholars, plus some domestic slaves and businessmen, military discipline was fairly strict. They did not kill indiscriminately, but maintained law and order, and then recruited more than a thousand homeless people to defend the city.

Many of those homeless people are gangsters, and it is these people who do bad things!

They robbed shops in the city and angered merchants all over the city.

The scholar who led the uprising was also very funny. Instead of guarding the city honestly and waiting for Zhao Han to take over, he took the officials to divide the fields outside the city and had a conflict with the big landowners outside the city.

As a result, merchants in the city and landlords outside the city united to recruit troops to fight back.

Four rebels were killed and seventeen wounded. The entire army collapsed and fled out of the city, and thirty-six people were captured during the escape.

As for the homeless people who were temporarily recruited to defend the city, when they saw the landlords leading troops to kill them, they abandoned the city wall and ran into the city to set fire to disrupt the situation. Only by causing chaos could they survive and rob.

How to deal with this?

Zhao Han arrived at the capital of Quzhou by boat and immediately ordered the release of the captured Xiang Yong.

As for the gentry and merchants who suppressed the uprising, since they did not kill people indiscriminately, they can be treated with extra mercy. They had to pay for compensation. For each rebel killed in battle, the family members would receive one thousand taels of silver, and the injured could receive three hundred taels.

In addition, the act of suppressing the uprising must be punished accordingly.

When the land was divided, members of these families could only keep ten acres of land each. Within thirty years, members of these families cannot obtain franchise licenses or engage in specialized trade. The direct son and grandson of the main sect cannot be an official within three generations!

These are all explicit punishments, and special attacks will be carried out next.

Among the seven major clans, find the two who have done the most evil, and the main lineage will directly interrogate and confiscate their homes!

Seeing Zhao Han release those gentry and merchants, Nankong leader Kong Zhenyun was very happy and finally willing to come to see him in person.

"I've met Mr. Zhao."

Kong Zhenyun bowed his hands, having convinced himself that he was worshiping the Ming Dynasty General.

Zhao Han was recruited by the imperial court, and to this day, he has fought in successive wars and has not been removed from his position as the commander-in-chief of Ji'an.

"Dr. Kong, there is no need to be polite." Zhao Han smiled and helped him up.

Kong Zhenyun flattered and said: "The soldiers from General Zhao's town did not commit any crimes when they came to Quzhou in autumn, because they are elite soldiers with strict military discipline." After saying this, the topic changed, "There are such elite soldiers in the general town, why don't they lead the troops northward? Help the imperial court to exterminate the bandits and Tartar slaves. You will surely be able to make your wife a sheltered son and help the country!"

These words did not anger Zhao Han, but made him feel ridiculous.

Kong Zhenyun said this for three purposes: first, to express his loyalty to the Ming Dynasty; second, to maintain Nan Kong's poor dignity; third, to gain Zhao Han's appreciation and recognition.

Sometimes, if you have strict military discipline, you will be considered to be easy to talk to.

Just like now, Kong Zhenyun is sure that he will not be killed. Because a commander who can restrain the army and treat the people well must be tolerant, not to mention that he is a descendant of Confucius.

The Manchu Qing Dynasty was so ferocious that they did not dare to really go on a killing spree when faced with Nankong who refused to surrender, so they could only let the people from Beikong persuade them to surrender.

Descendants of the Confucius family, descendants of saints, can speak with confidence.

Zhao Han laughed loudly, took Kong Zhenyun's hand and said, "Dr. Kong's words are very much in line with my opinion. Heroes think alike!"

Kong Zhenyun was stunned: "Mr. Zhao is really willing to help the court?"

"Of course I'm willing, so I accepted the recruitment," Zhao Han said with emotion, "Thanks to Your Majesty for not giving up, he made me the chief military officer. Your kindness is profound, and I keep it in mind every day. Therefore, I work hard to eliminate corrupt officials for the imperial court. I am a corrupt official who governs the people of the world for the imperial court. When I have managed the world, I will leave it to Your Majesty to rule. This is what I say to you, Yao and Shun!"

As soon as these words came out, no one spoke for a moment.

Even Huang Zongxi and Kuang Lu called Zhao Han their lord in Nanchang because they were sincerely swearing to serve him to the death. Hearing Zhao Han speak at this moment, everyone felt that this lord was too shameless and knew the essence of confusing right and wrong and mistaking a deer for a horse.

Kong Zhenyun couldn't laugh or cry, because Emperor Yao and Shun could still operate like this.

Zhao Han said: "We are fighting and the military situation is urgent. Dr. Kong will take me to the Confucius Temple to worship. There is no need to go through all the etiquette. Just worship. When I have time in the future, I can worship Confucius grandly."

"Mr. Zhao, please come!" Kong Zhenyun personally led the way.

Zhao Han came to Quzhou Confucius Temple and saw the statue of Confucius in the temple. He suddenly sighed: "Alas!"

Kuang Lu asked: "Why is the chief town sighing?"

Zhao Han did not answer Kuang Lu, but turned to ask Kong Zhenyun: "Dr. Kong, do you know what I was thinking when I first saw this image?"

"What the commander-in-chief is thinking is beyond anyone's imagination." Kong Zhenyun said with his hands in hand.

Zhao Han sighed and said, "I just think Confucius is a pitiful man."

Kong Zhenyun's heart was beating wildly, knowing that his previous words must have offended Zhao Han. He bit the bullet and said, "Please make it clear from the mayor."

Zhao Han shook his head and sighed: "Why do I say Confucius is pitiful? It's just that he was tampered with the meaning of the scriptures by corrupt scholars of all generations, but he was actually trapped in the mud for hundreds of years by his own unworthy descendants, who used magic from outside Buddhism and will never be reincarnated. ah!"

Such heart-wrenching remarks made Kong Zhenyun sweat all over.

The secretaries following Zhao Han were all Confucian disciples, and they were all equally shocked.

Kong Zhenyun wiped his sweat and asked: "Why did the chief town say this?"

Zhao Han pointed to the statue of Confucius and said: "Confucians only offer wooden tablets (tablets), and Buddhists offer statues. Doesn't worshiping a statue of Confucius mean using Buddhist magic to trap Confucius in a clay body, so that he will never be reincarnated? This Zhang Fujing of the Jiajing Dynasty argued the truth clearly in the court, and the Jiajing Emperor also agreed and ordered Confucius temples across the country to demolish statues of Confucius. How come the Confucius Temple of the Southern Sect was not demolished?"

"I'll have them demolished when I turn around!" Kong Zhenyun couldn't argue, because this was indeed an order from the Ming Dynasty.

Kong Zhenyun originally inherited the official position of Doctor of the Five Classics. When he returned from the capital, he went to pay homage to the Confucius Temple in Qufu.

The Confucius Temple in Qufu is even more terrifying. It not only disobeys the imperial order but openly enshrines a statue of Confucius. Moreover, the "Dacheng Most Holy Master" conferred by the Ming Dynasty was abandoned, and the "Dacheng Most Holy Master Wenxuan Wang" conferred by the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty was still enshrined.

Because the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty canonized Confucius as king, he was demoted to teacher by Emperor Jiajing. Then the Qufu Confucius Temple does not recognize the titles given by the Ming Dynasty, but only the titles given by the Yuan Dynasty!

"Alas!"

Zhao Han suddenly became possessed by drama, lamented and cried: "Confucius has become a clay sculpture, Confucianism has become a dogma, Confucianism and Confucius have been imprisoned by evil arts." Zhao Han shouted: "Here comes someone!"

The soldiers immediately stepped forward.

Zhao Han pointed at the statue of Confucius: "Let me start immediately, smash the statue of Confucius, and rescue Confucius!"

Several soldiers knocked down the statue of Confucius and hacked at it with knives.

This scene made all the scholars afraid to speak. It seemed very reasonable, but also felt very awkward.

"Burn!" Zhao Han shouted again.

The soldiers carried the carved statue of Confucius to the open space in front of the main hall, found firewood and burned it.

Zhao Han smiled and said to Kong Zhenyun: "Dr. Kong, I have avenged your ancestor's escape."

Then I should thank you?

Of course Kong Zhenyun did not dare to refute, and cupped his hands and said: "This is the true meaning of Confucianism."

Zhao Han asked: "Does the Confucius family in Qufu also enshrine a statue of Confucius?"

"Of course," Kong Zhenyun took the opportunity to apply eye drops to Beikong, "the Confucius Temple in Qufu not only enshrines statues, but also enshrines the wooden owner of the 'Dacheng Supreme Saint King Wenxuan' of the Yuan Dynasty."

Zhao Han was furious: "It's unreasonable. The Kong family in Qufu still remembers Meng Yuan. Is this because they admire the previous dynasty and want to rebel? When I lead troops to Beijing, I will report to His Majesty the Emperor and ask the court to punish the Kong family in Qufu. Let Kong from Quzhou be the Duke of Yansheng."

"Nan Kong and North Kong are from the same lineage. Nan Kong would never dare to covet the position of Holy Duke Yan." Kong Zhenyun said no, but he was already happy in his heart.

Throughout the Ming Dynasty, Beikong deliberately suppressed Nankong.

Imperial officials who wanted to gain benefits for Nan Kong always aroused opposition from Northern Kong. It is simply because they are afraid that South Kong will become bigger and share the influence of North Kong.

Even the family rules and genealogy compiled by Nan Kong had to be sent to Beikong for review.

Zhao Han was making a fool of himself at this moment, and there were only two real meanings: first, no statue of Confucius was allowed to be enshrined; second, the southern hole was used to replace the northern hole.

Kong Zhenyun became more and more respectful and said: "The Kong family will definitely cooperate with the general town in dividing the land. If the general town is willing, I would like to accompany the army on the expedition, so that those stubborn people will know the general town's 'Dedicated to Jun Yao and Shun'" Good intentions.”

This was the conclusion of the deal, and Kong Zhenyun asked himself to serve as the "Eastern Expedition Persuasion Officer."

Zhao Han smiled even more happily, took Kong Zhenyun's hand and said, "The one who knows me is Dr. Kong. Everyone says that I am a rebel, but only Dr. Kong knows that I am a loyal minister. Let's do this, within five days of serving. The children of the Confucius family in Quzhou can each reserve 25 acres of land. The Confucius Temple can reserve 100 acres of land for worship!"

"Thank you so much for the kindness from the head of the town." Kong Zhenyun thanked him bravely.

Regardless of which emperor, the Confucius family was given land of hundreds or even thousands of acres.

Zhao Han, on the other hand, instead of granting the land, took back the sacrificial land and only left 100 acres. This was an extra favor, and he wanted the Kong family to thank him for his kindness.

For Nankong, everything is worth it, he can get back the hereditary title of "Yanshenggong"!

The Tianshi Mansion in Longhu Mountain has now behaved itself. It can continue to live by guarding the remaining land, relying on the incense of believers, and paying taxes honestly.

The Confucius family in Quzhou will also become like the Tianshi Mansion.

After staying in Quzhou for two days, Zhao Han began to divide his troops. The main force marched towards Longyou County, and then sent a partial division to capture Kaihua County in the north.

Kong Zhenyun went out with the main army. He wanted to persuade the officers and soldiers to surrender and appease the scholars along the way.

On the day of departure, Kong Zhenyun received news that more than forty descendants of the Xu and Wu clans had been arrested and put on trial.

It seems that the house is being ransacked!

Kong Zhenyun no longer dared to accuse Zhao Han of betraying his promise, and he became more honest from then on, and was particularly diligent in persuading him to surrender.