This letter written in the name of Master Kong was a collaboration between Zhu Yiyuan and Song Lian. He came up with the idea and Song Lian wrote it. Then Zhu Yiyuan thought that his writing was too literary and asked him to change it to speak more plainly.
Song Lian also readily agreed without saying anything extra.
This Fushe celebrity, who has always been proud and arrogant, obeys Zhu Yiyuan, who is ten years younger than him. If his father Song Jicheng saw this, he would be amazed.
And all this stems from something that happened when I just entered the door.
Song Lian came over to inquire about Zhu Yiyuan's next move and see how they could cooperate.
Because he was walking in a hurry and was sweating again, Song Lian was thirsty, so he casually said to a little guy in the room: "Go and pour me a cup of tea."
After he gave the order, the little guy remained motionless, his eyelids rolled up, as if he hadn't heard.
Song Lian couldn't help but laugh, "What a big temper? Are you afraid that Mr. Zhu won't want you if you act like a servant?" Song Lian was talking about it, but he didn't take it seriously. He got up to pour the tea himself.
At this time, the little guy glanced at him, then took the kettle, poured him a cup of tea, handed it to Song Lian, and said, "Please use it."
Song Lian didn't say anything, just took it and drank it.
At this moment, the little guy suddenly shouted: "Although you have read books, sir, you are not polite."
Song Lian felt more and more amused, "Boy, why am I rude? You should tell me, I'm all ears."
The little guy just smiled lightly and said, "It's disrespectful for you to call me that."
Song Lian still wanted to ask, but at this time Zhu Yiyuan came in from outside, holding several notices in his hand, and handed them to the little guy.
"Wang Huan, please send it to several villages, one for each village. It's about grabbing grain. Go back quickly, don't delay."
Wang Huan happily took it and ran away. After a few steps, he stopped at the door and turned to Song Lian: "Look, I said someone was rude!"
After saying this, the little guy ran away.
Song Lian's eyes widened in shock, and Zhu Yiyuan also frowned slightly, "Is this?"
Song Lian was a little embarrassed, but he told what happened just now. After Zhu Yiyuan heard it, he couldn't help but laugh, "This kid has a pretty good memory."
Song Lian asked curiously: "Master Zhu, can you tell me how you taught him?"
Zhu Yiyuan nodded and said: "This boy's name is Wang Huan. He has performed meritorious service a few days ago. I asked him to come over and serve as a messenger for me. He comes from a poor family and used to herd sheep for the landlord. I have an older sister in the family.
She worked as a maid in the landowner's house. When he came over, he put on all the tricks of serving others, serving tea and pouring water. He stood respectfully beside me and I said a few words to him."
Song Lian was startled. This was normal. There were only a bunch of servants in his house, so he asked, "What did you say?"
"I told him that we are junior soldiers, and what we mean is that officers and soldiers are the same. There is no difference between high and low positions. There is no difference between high and low. I asked him to come over, and he is a member of the rebel army. He is not someone's slave. No one needs to yell at him or boss him around.
.Be polite when you speak, especially when you meet for the first time. When asking others to do things, say "please" or "thank you" for your trouble. When you get help, say "thank you". Be polite and courteous to everyone, neither humble nor overbearing."
After Zhu Yiyuan finished speaking, Song Lian was greatly shocked and was speechless for a long time. He said slowly and helplessly: "In this way, I am indeed rude, and I am really ashamed."
Then he said in confusion: "Mr. Zhu, can you tell me why you are doing this? Is it true that things like respect and inferiority are wrong? Confucianism in the past dynasties is right to pay attention to etiquette, but it is also true that punishment is not good enough for officials, and etiquette is not good enough.
Common people, what kind of etiquette should we use when treating ordinary people?"
Zhu Yiyuan nodded, "That's true. It's just a matter of superiority and inferiority. How can we expect the people to sincerely support us and fight against the Qing Dynasty together?"
"This?" Song Lian pondered and said: "This has always been the case in the past dynasties. To inspire loyalty to the people, reward them with money and silk, and make clear rewards and punishments, that's it."
Zhu Yiyuan laughed loudly, "Now that the Ming Dynasty has lost two capitals, how is it different from the country's subjugation? How useful are the words loyalty and righteousness? As for money, silk, rewards and punishments? You must have money to reward, and power to punish!"
Song Lian was greatly surprised, "Master Zhu, you said that loyalty and justice don't work, nor do rewards and punishments. Then how do you resist the Qing court, and how do you restore the people's hearts and the mountains and rivers?"
Zhu Yiyuan's smile remained unchanged and asked: "Mr. Xiao Song has read a lot, so he naturally understands that the world is unified, right?"
Song Lian smiled and said: "I can memorize this at the age of five, how could I not know?"
Zhu Yiyuan smiled and said: "I thought that the world's great unity was just a yearning for a better life... Literati of all ages have discussed it, and Mr. Xiao Song knows it better than me. We win the hearts and minds of the people with a better life and a more fair and reasonable family, country and world.
, isn’t it enough?”
Zhu Yiyuan lamented: "Since the late Wanli period, the official system has collapsed, party disputes have arisen, natural and man-made disasters have occurred, and the people have been living in dire straits. As a result, Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong and others started to rebel, and the Central Plains became a hell of Shura. There were also Eight Banners Tartars, who detained Shenzhou and massacred wantonly...
… All kinds of sufferings have fallen on the people, and people’s livelihood is difficult to survive. Isn’t this the voice of hundreds of millions of people in the world to live, to survive, to be fed, to be clothed?”
"Since ancient times, those who win the hearts of the people win the world. Is this the wrong path?"
Zhu Yiyuan asked with a smile.
Song Lian was stunned. After arriving, although he had a few words with Zhu Yiyuan, there was no doubt that this time was the most in-depth and shocking.
In this worst world, the best pursuits emerge.
Everyone in the world is evil, but I am the only one who is good.
Everyone in the world wants to kill people, but I am the only one left alive.
After achieving this step, how could the people not support it?
Song Lian seemed to understand. No wonder Zhu Yiyuan would spend great efforts to persuade Grandma Han, teach Wang Huan neither to be humble nor overbearing, and to look down on the Kong family...
"Master Zhu, what you said is correct, and I can't say anything. It's just that those who are good at the beginning will be successful, and those who are good at the end will overwhelm the few!"
Zhu Yiyuan nodded and said: "Mr. Xiao Song is right, but I don't know if Mr. Xiao Song is willing to be a witness?"
Song Lian hesitated a little, clenched his fists and said: "I have my wish, but I don't dare to ask for my ear!"
After agreeing, Song Lian didn't ask what happened to his father. Anyway, he took on the task of writing Zhu Yiyuan's documents, and he participated in the drafting of letters and propaganda against the Kong family.
It is said that if scholars rebel, it will take three years.
But without the rebellion of scholars, it would not be possible either.
Just like Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong, they just did not get the assistance of outstanding scholars and could not establish their own base. They were like duckweeds and could only run around and act as rogue bandits.
Ultimately defeated.
It was only after Zhu Yiyuan interacted with these people that he truly realized the power of these scholars. One of their articles, Ode to Scholars, or one point of view could quickly spread throughout the country.
Zhao Shizhe wrote a letter to the Confucian government, asking them to cherish the people and not collect more land tax. The scholars in Shandong unanimously agreed.
The content written by Song Lian was even more pungent and satirical, and spread faster than Zhao Shizhe. Especially in Yanzhou, scholars who could not stand the oppression of the Confucius family used this as a basis to incite the people to boycott the Confucius' land rent.
The storm that Zhu Yiyuan wanted finally rose.
"Master Zhu, I just received news that the Confucius Mansion sent servants to Xintai." Song Lian hurriedly told Zhu Yiyuan.
"Xintai?" Zhu Yiyuan frowned, "Xintai is close to Laiwu, and it is also the place that resists the most violent land rent. The Kong family will definitely attack Xintai. They have extended their claws and must be cut off. But what about our soldiers?
Ma Caochuang, if you want to capture a city a hundred miles away, I'm afraid it's still a bit difficult."
Song Lian smiled slightly and said, "Master Zhu, what if the county magistrate of Xintai can take the initiative to open the city?"
Zhu Yiyuan was stunned, "Is it possible?"
Song Lian said happily: "Now the magistrate of Xintai is called Zhu Guang. He was originally the magistrate of Jining. He originally wanted His Majesty Hongguang to send troops north to Shandong. However, reinforcements did not arrive and he was isolated. He had no choice but to surrender to the governor Fang Dayou. Fang Dayou recruited Jining and others.
So he threw Zhu Guang to Xintai as the county magistrate."
Hearing this, Zhu Yiyuan was overjoyed and said, "In that case, I will ask Mr. Xiao Song to contact Zhu Guang."
Song Lian said: "No need, Lao Song has already gone." This chapter has been completed!
