Historically, Pang Tianshou was from Daxing County, Shuntian Prefecture.
He served as the imperial eunuch during the Chongzhen period.
Before Li Zicheng captured Beijing, Pang Tianshou was ordered to go to Nanjing.
Before he reached Nanjing, the capital had already fallen.
So he changed his service to Emperor Hongguang.
Emperor Hongguang Zhu Yousong ordered him to go to Fujian and Guangdong to collect taxes.
He had just arrived in Fujian when Nanjing fell.
So he changed his service to Emperor Longwu Zhu Youjian.
In the second year of Longwu, he was ordered to go to Macau, intending to borrow Portuguese troops to resist the enemy.
Soon after setting out, Fujian fell...
Therefore, this "fallen brother" of the Ming Dynasty could only lead 300 Portuguese soldiers to Zhaoqing to serve Emperor Yongli.
After that, he followed Emperor Yongli to Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou regions.
Due to his excellent performance, he was promoted by Emperor Yongli to be the seal holder of the Imperial Household Department and the commander of the Yongwei Camp.
But later he colluded with Ma Jixiang, not only participated in party struggles, but also forced Emperor Yongli to abdicate to Sun Kewang and fabricated the Eighteen Gentlemen case.
(During the Yongli reign, Sun Kewang wanted to establish himself as emperor. The courtier Wu Zhenyu and others were ordered to summon Li Dingguo to Beijing to protect him. However, the plot was exposed. Sun Kewang ordered Wu Zhenyu to hang himself on charges of stealing treasures, forging imperial edicts, and bullying the masses and harming the good. He also executed 17 courtiers. This was known in history as the Case of the Eighteen Gentlemen, or the Prison of the Eighteen Gentlemen.)
When Pang Tianshou was appointed as the seal holder of Nanjing Imperial Household Department, the patrol camp sent the latest news: a clue had been found.
Ren Jun, the left assistant minister of the Ministry of War who was in charge of the matter, asked, "What clues?"
The yamen runner replied: "The patrol camp found the gate of the Nanjing Treasury from a civilian's house..."
Ren Jun was almost angry to death.
He thought the patrol camp had found the silver, but unexpectedly they only found the gate.
"This bunch of losers, I asked them to find silver, but they went to find the door... What a bunch of good-for-nothings!"
After waiting for a long time, there was still no news from the patrol camp.
This cannot be blamed on the patrol battalion's ineffectiveness; it is simply too difficult to investigate the case.
The patrol battalion first targeted the ambassador and treasury soldiers in the Nanjing treasury.
As a result, the entire family of the treasury ambassador disappeared, some of the treasury soldiers died at home, and the remaining soldiers disappeared just like the ambassador.
So they could only try to find witnesses.
It was dark when the incident happened, and unless you put a lantern in front of you, you couldn't see the other person's face.
After the people snatched the money, they scattered and there was no way to find it.
Checking every household not only takes time but also courage.
After all, there are many powerful people in Nanjing City whom the police patrol cannot afford to offend.
in addition.
The money in the Nanjing treasury was all Ming Yuanbao, not silver ingots.
The people took the money home and hid it.
Even if the police found the money by digging deep into the ground, they would not be able to prove that the money came from the Nanjing treasury.
Because there is no mark on it.
As long as the people insist that the money belongs to them, the police will be helpless.
Due to various reasons, the case progressed very slowly.
That evening, the patrol camp sent a message: three thousand taels of silver in the treasury were recovered!
After receiving this news, Ren Jun knew that there was no way to recover the money.
That night, Nanjing court officials and Pang Tianshou, the seal holder of Nanjing Imperial Household Department, discussed the issue of money and grain together.
"Everyone!" Gao Hongtu said first, "This matter must be resolved as soon as possible. Once it gets to the ears of the army, it will probably affect the morale of the army!"
Pang Tianshou asked: "Master Gao, do you have any countermeasures?"
Gao Hongtu suggested: "I think we can borrow money from the wealthy families in Nanjing and pay them back after the autumn grain is collected. When the bandits besieged the capital, Your Majesty borrowed money from the officials and nobles in the capital."
It would have been fine if he hadn't mentioned borrowing money, but when the word borrowing money was mentioned, everyone present glared at Gao Hongtu fiercely.
Many people died when Chongzhen borrowed money.
They dared not let the prince follow Chongzhen's old path.
After all, no one can guarantee that he or she will not be the next to die.
Cao Rong, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, shook his head: "At this juncture... I'm afraid no one is willing to lend money. Besides, in whose name should we lend it? The Nanjing court? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince? Or... you or me? In addition... His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is recovering from illness and cannot show up."
Ren Jun, the left assistant minister of the Ministry of War, said, "I have an idea."
"What is the solution?"
"Call on Nanjing gentry and merchants to donate money."
Pang Tianshou thought for a moment and said, "If I can't even borrow money, donating money is even more impossible. Even if someone donates money, the amount will be negligible."
Ren Jun was anxious: "What do you think we should do? We can't let the army collect food on the spot, right?"
Pang Tianshou's eyes lit up: "It's not impossible to collect food locally."
Gao Hongtu frowned: "What do you mean? Let the soldiers plunder, right?"
Pang Tianshou explained in a low voice: "It's not looting, it's soliciting donations! Wherever the army arrives, they will inform the local people, gentry or landlords and ask them to donate money and food to the army."
Gao Hongtu continued to ask: "What if you don't want to donate?"
"If they don't want to donate, then don't donate, but donating money is good for them."
"What's the benefit?"
"You can promise them that their taxes will be reduced after the situation calms down."
Ren Jun nodded: "This method seems to work."
"I don't think so!" Gao Hongtu objected. "You all started from the bottom. Once the orders from above are delivered, they will be completely changed. Once this order is issued, the soldiers at the bottom will come to your door to demand it, or even directly rob it!"
Pang Tianshou snorted coldly: "If you think it won't work, then think of a way that will work!"
Gao Hongtu also snorted coldly, but said nothing.
If he had a way, he wouldn't have come here in the middle of the night to discuss matters.
Since there was really no better solution, everyone could only decide to raise food locally.
The news was sent to the front line that night.
The army sent to support the king was divided into two routes.
The Eastern Army was led by Zhu Guobi, Marquis of Funing, Xu Wenjue, Duke of Wei, Liu Kongzhao, Earl of Chengyi, and Zhao Zhilong, Earl of Xincheng.
The Western Route Army was led by Ma Shiying, Nanjing Counselor of Aviation and Governor-General of Zhili.
The two armies set out from Nanjing at the same time.
After crossing the Yangtze River, the Western Army marched directly to Fengyang Prefecture, intending to enter Henan from there.
In the evening of that day, the Western Route Army arrived at the city of Chuzhou.
The defenders and officials in the city were all members of the Donglin Party. When they heard that the army had arrived to support the king, they immediately went out of the city to welcome them.
After the Western Army captured Chuzhou without bloodshed, they marched towards Fengyang Prefecture the next morning.
Unlike the Western Army, the Eastern Army encountered trouble.
They crossed the Yangtze River as planned and arrived at the city of Yangzhou.
The prefect of Yangzhou was Zhang Huangyan.
Before the Eastern Army arrived, he received the prince's proclamation to support the king.
After putting down the manifesto, Zhang Huangyan was in a dilemma.
He didn't know whether the prince's move was to serve the king or to rebel!
He could support the king's support, but he could not support rebellion.
in addition...
He didn't know whether Chongzhen was okay or not.
If Chongzhen had any problems, serving the king would be a just act and he could respond.
If Chongzhen was fine, then the army coming to support the king would have no justification.
If he responds, he will inevitably be implicated.
What to do?
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