Those Things in the Ming Dynasty Part 1 The Great Emperor Hongwu _ Chapter 2 Disaster
The fourth year of Yuan Zhizheng (1344) came. At the beginning of this year, the leaders of the Yuan Empire received two pieces of news. First, the Yellow River overflowed, and hundreds of thousands of people along the coast in Shandong and Henan became refugees. Even if they did not
The common people are human beings, but they must be prevented from rebelling, so building the embankment of the Yellow River has become a must-do.
But what is surprising is that there were two different opinions in the Yuan government. One believed that it must be repaired, and the other believed that it could not be repaired. From now on, it seems incredible that the Yellow River was not overflowing.
If we go to repair it, are we going to let the Yellow River change its course and drown so many people? There are too many incredible things in Chinese history, and this one is no exception.
Objectively speaking, in such a matter, in terms of maintaining the rule of the Yuan Dynasty, those who advocate repair are not necessarily loyal ministers, and those who oppose it are not necessarily treacherous ministers. What is the secret? We will not find out until seven years later.
The person who strongly advocated the revision was the famous Prime Minister Tuotuo of the Yuan Dynasty. He could be said to be the last famous minister of the Yuan Dynasty. He implemented many reform policies, was honest in government, and was very capable (he presided over the revision of "History of the Song Dynasty"), but
What he didn't expect was that his strong advocacy had already planted a big explosive bag for the Yuan Dynasty. He had pulled the fuse and was just waiting for the faint light of fire.
The other was the severe plague and drought along the Huaihe River. For the Yuan government, this was relatively simple. Anyway, if you died of starvation or disease, there would be no trouble. Of course, superficial efforts still had to be made, and the emperor (Emperor Yuan Shun) had to issue an edict for disaster relief.
, the senior officials of the Zhongshu Province wanted to contact grain and silver. Of course, it was understandable that they took the opportunity to get some themselves. Disaster relief items were allocated to various roads (the Yuan Dynasty local bank
(Government unit), the local governors left some more, and then the states, counties, layer by layer, until the chaff was left in the hands of the people. Then local officials at all levels wrote letters to express their gratitude to the emperor, and as usual they also said
He wrote some words of thanks for Heaven's grace, and compared the history of Yao, Shun, and Yu with the emperor. After seeing the report, the emperor felt deeply that he had done a great thing, so he made a note in his heart.
Everyone is happy, everyone is happy, everyone is satisfied.
But the people are not satisfied, and many are extremely dissatisfied.
Zhu Chongba must be one of those extremely dissatisfied people.
After the disaster struck, Zhu Chongba's father starved to death on the sixth day of April, his eldest brother died of starvation on the ninth day of April, his eldest brother died of starvation on the 12th, and his mother starved to death on the 22nd.
If this is a diary, it should be one of the most tragic diaries in the world.
Zhu Chongba's wishes were not excessive. He just wanted a family, children of his own, and a comfortable old age for his honest parents who had worked hard all their lives and never bullied others. At least they would have something to eat.
Although his family is not big, the family members have a harmonious relationship and rely on each other. Although his parents are poor, they still bring surprises to Chongba every day when they come back from working in the fields. Sometimes it is a small bamboo dragonfly, sometimes it is a pig head that the landlord does not eat.
Meat. This is Zhu Chongba’s home, but now there is nothing.
Zhu Chongba's sister was already married, and the third brother went to work as an intruder. Apart from Zhu Chongba's second brother, there were no other members in the family.
Seventeen-year-old Zhu Chongba watched helplessly as his relatives died one by one, but he was helpless. There is no greater pain in the world than this!
His only way to vent was to cry. But after crying, he still had to face an important problem - burying his parents, but there was no coffin, no shroud, and no cemetery. He could only go to the landlord Liu De and ask Liu De for help.
Seeing that his father had been a tenant for his whole life, he found a place to bury his father.
Liu De rejected him neatly. The reason was very simple. Your parents are dead. It doesn't matter to me. He worked for me and I also gave him food.
Zhu Chongba had no choice but to cover the bodies of his relatives with straw mats with his second brother, and then carry them around with door panels, hoping to find a place to bury his parents. But although the world is big and there is land everywhere, there is no
A piece belongs to them.
Fortunately, some kind-hearted people saw that they were really pitiful and finally gave them a place to bury their parents. "My soul is long but I can't find my parents, my ambition is down and I am wandering." This is the emotional memory of Zhu Yuanzhang who later had enough to eat.
Zhu Chongba didn't understand that his parents had cultivated the land all their lives, but they couldn't even go to the ground after their death. The landlord never cultivated the land, but he had no worries about food and clothing. Why? But he couldn't think about this at this time.
The problem is, because he also needs to eat and survive.
When he was desperate, Zhu Chongba prayed to God more than once. From the Taoist Taishang Laojun to the Buddhist Tathagata Buddha, he prayed for everyone whose names he could know. The only content of his prayer was that he hoped to live with his parents.
Have something to eat.
But the result disappointed him, so his young heart began to become cold, and he knew that no one could save him except himself.
The flame of revenge began to burn in his heart.
Such pain made him go from fragile to strong.
In order to have food to eat, he decided to become a monk.
Monk's career
The place Zhu Chongba chose was the nearby Huangjue Temple. In the temple, he was engaged in a job similar to that of a long-term worker. He suddenly discovered that except for the fact that the monks had no hair, their attitude towards him was not much better than that of Liu De. These monks had their own land.
, you can also get married (Yuan Dynasty), and if you have a lot of money, you can open a pawn shop.
But they also need people to do chores for them. The monks there do not chant sutras, do not worship Buddha, and do not even clean the Buddha's golden body. These tasks are naturally completed by Zhu Chongba, a newcomer who has just entered the temple.
Zhu Chongba has always been patient. However, in addition to doing these menial jobs, he also has to serve as a cleaner, warehouse keeper, and oiler (who keeps the lights on). Even so, he is often scolded, and he is often scolded by those monks who drink wine and eat meat.
Sometimes, he would also scrub the floor where pilgrims stepped on. Every lonely night, he could only sit alone in the woodshed, looking at the sky outside the window, missing his parents, who had only been with him for more than ten years.
He is already very content. He can have enough to eat. That is enough, isn't it?
However, fate seemed to temper his will. Only fifty days after he entered the temple, due to the severe famine, all the monks had to go out to beg for alms.
The so-called alms means begging for food. The familiar mantra of Comrade Tang Monk every time is: Wukong, go and beg for some food. In common words, it is: Wukong, go and beg for some food. I once investigated the issue of alms and found that Zhu
Comrade Chongba was bullied even for alms. Since there were many monks, the places for alms were often defined. Where the places were rich, relatives of the leader would be assigned to go. Where the places were poor, Comrade Zhu Chongba would be arranged to go.
You deserve to starve to death anyway, who made you Zhu Chongba?
Zhu Chongba was assigned to Huaixi and Henan, which were also the main areas of famine. Who could help him?
However, from here on, the god of fate smiled on him.
In the life of You Fang, Zhu Chongba could only walk and had no rides. It was a veritable journey. As he walked, he begged for food, passed through cities and villages, went from house to house, and slept in the mountains; every time he knocked on a door,
It was a test for him, because he often faced only blank looks and cynicism. For Zhu Chongba, knocking on that door might mean insult, but if he didn't knock on that door, he would starve to death.
Zhu Chongba has no parents and no home. All he has is a little bit of poor self-esteem. However, the life of begging makes him lose his last protection. If you beg for food, you cannot have dignity.
Which is more important, the dignity of life or the pressure of survival?
Yes, Zhu Chongba, only by losing everything can you understand your own strength and greatness.
Zhu Chongba is different from other beggars, and it is precisely because of his difference that he has not always been a beggar (please pay attention to this sentence).
While begging, he carefully studied the geography, mountains, customs and customs of Huaixi. He broadened his horizons, enriched his knowledge, and got to know many heroes (actually also beggars). At this time, he also had his own religion.
Belief - Mingjiao, he believes that when darkness covers the earth, the great Maitreya Buddha will definitely come to the world. In fact, based on his life experience, it is difficult to say whether he really believes in Maitreya. We have reason to believe that,
The real Maitreya in his heart is himself.
But Zhu Chongba’s most important gain is that he has changed from a child who could only watch his parents die helplessly, from a handyman who could only hide in the woodpile and cry softly after being bullied, to a man who can stand up and face the consequences.
A warrior who faces all difficulties, a warrior armed to the heart.
A long-term difficult life is the best way to temper a person's will. After encountering difficulties, many people can only blame others and muddle along, while others have to bow their heads in the face of difficulties, but their hearts never give in, and they continue to
If you work hard, I believe you will be able to achieve final victory.
Zhu Chongba is undoubtedly the latter.
If he was still a confused young man before he went out to beg for food, when he returned to Huangjue Temple after three years of wandering, he was already a man who was confident enough to conquer everything.
This is a great transformation that many people may not be able to complete in their lifetime. The key to transformation lies in the heart.
For many of us, the heart is the weakest place, and it is particularly easy to be hurt. Betrayal of love, loss of family ties, and loss of friendship will all be a heavy blow. However, for Zhu Chongba, there is also
What is unbearable? He has lost everything, and
What is more painful than watching your parents die without being able to do anything, fighting for food with dogs in order to survive, and being scolded and despised by others! We have reason to believe that on a certain night of painful thinking, Zhu Chongba took advantage of this most vulnerable person.
Place becomes the source of the most powerful power.
Yes, even if you have an appearance that everyone envies, a well-read talent, and endless wealth, it does not prove your strength. Because the strength of the heart is the real strength.
When Zhu Chongba was about to leave Huaixi, where he was begging for food, and return to Huangjue Temple, he carefully recalled the place where he had stayed for three years, thought about what he had gained and lost here, and then packed his bags and set off.