This house is located in a plum forest, and its owner is Mei Linrong, the right minister of the Ministry of Industry.
It's just that the word "Nanjing" is added in front of the right minister of the Ministry of Industry.
Even though they are of the same level and product, once the word "Nanjing" is added, it basically becomes a semi-retired state. Except for the Ministry of War, which can still be busy, other departments are basically idle.
Mei Linrong was originally a Jinshi in the 15th year of Yongle. In his early years, he made great achievements in river management. At the age of thirty-five, he was promoted to the right minister of the Ministry of Industry. He can be regarded as a model of young and promising.
However, in this year, his career was suddenly interrupted.
In the 21st year of Yongle, Emperor Taizong Zhu Di was seriously ill. Guard commander Meng Xian and others colluded with the imperial eunuch Wang Shecheng and the adopted son of the eunuch Yang Qing to forge a posthumous edict, intending to secretly poison Emperor Taizong, depose the crown prince Zhu Gaochi, and support King Zhao.
Zhu Gaosui becomes emperor.
During this period, a counselor named Gao Yizheng spilled the beans while drunk and accidentally revealed the matter, which was learned by Wang Yu, the chief flag officer of Jinyiwei.
Wang Yu was a princeling. After learning about this incident, he immediately reported it to Emperor Taizong. Immediately afterwards, Meng Xian and others executed him, and Wang Yu was promoted to Liaohai Guard Qianhu for his merit.
This matter can be big or small. To put it seriously, it is a rebellion. At the very least, you will be stripped of your title and demoted to a commoner.
However, the then crown prince Zhu Gaochi couldn't bear to see his younger brother in trouble, so he tried his best to defend him. Zhu Gaosui took advantage of the situation to shift all the blame to his subordinates, and made his own choice.
Zhu Di was unwilling to kill all his sons, so in the end, the mastermind Meng Xian and other thirteen people were killed by all three tribes. Zhao Wang Zhu Gaosui was only banned for half a year, and ordered him to study at home to cultivate his character and not go out.
This Meng Xian is Mei Linrong’s brother-in-law.
The so-called Zhu San clan, the first clan is Meng Xian’s wife, brothers, sisters and spouse;
The second family is Meng Xian’s parents, uncles and their spouses;
The third group is Meng Xian’s children and their spouses.
Mei Linrong's concubine is Meng Xian's sister. According to Ming law, she is also among the three clans.
For this reason, he almost squandered his family wealth, sought out countless connections, and finally managed to escape the crime with a forged divorce letter.
However, things are far from over.
In the officialdom, there is always a carrot or a pit. If you occupy a position, others will not be able to get in.
If you want to move up, there are only two possibilities, either to move up, or to go down and give up your position to others.
Mei Linrong was implicated in this incident, and it was impossible to go up, but there was a lot of room to go down!
If you don't say anything else, just exposing the fact that you are Meng Xian's brother-in-law will be enough for you.
In the end, Mei Linrong was transferred to Nanjing, far away from the center of power, and things slowly went downhill.
Life in Nanjing was much more leisurely, so Mei Linrong bought a piece of land in the suburbs, planted plum blossoms, and built a small courtyard. He could drink tea and chat with friends on weekdays, which was quite leisurely.
Today, two important guests arrived.
The first one is Yang Xiong, the protector of the White Lotus Sect.
The other one is a handsome young man in his thirties, wearing a Confucian shirt.
No one would have thought that this person was the infamous sea pirate, the three-headed dragon Shenlang.
At this time, the door curtain was lifted, and Wang Qinghai hurried over and asked: "Master, are you looking for me?"
Mei Linrong nodded and said, "Tell the two guests what you saw and heard in the capital."
"Oh, good!"
Wang Qinghai looked at the two guests, lowered his head and said: "The young one sent Tan Jing to the old manor in Gao Ge. When he was about to return, he heard that something happened in the capital, so he stayed for a few more days."<
/p>
Yang Xiong raised his eyebrows and asked, "What's the matter?"
"According to rumors, the imperial court is preparing to go to war with Annan Kingdom!"
"Tell me more specifically, what did you find out?"
"It is said that there was a fight between Annan and the Champa Kingdom. The envoys of the Champa Kingdom traveled thousands of miles to the capital and asked for help from the Ming Dynasty. Then the imperial court sent Prince Jing'an as an envoy to Annan. I also heard that Nanjing's soldiers and horses
We all have to go with Prince Jing'an. What is this but a war?"
Yang Xiong and Shen Lang looked at each other, with surprise in their eyes.
Mei Linrong waved his hand and said: "Okay, you can go down."
"Yes!"
As soon as Wang Qinghai left, Yang Xiong couldn't help but said: "The imperial court wants to use Nanjing's troops, God helps me!"
Shen Lang smiled softly and said, "That's not all. The number of civilians recruited by Huai'an Prefecture to regulate the river has exceeded 100,000."
"Okay, okay! If one hundred thousand people rebel, it will be enough for them to drink a pot!"
Yang Xiong stood up excitedly and continued: "At that time, Shandong's soldiers and horses will be busy going to Huai'an Prefecture to quell the rebellion. If we wait for the main force to surprise Nanjing, great things will happen!"
Shen Lang still looked unfazed and said: "Protector Yang, I don't know when your leader will show up. It's time to talk about business!"
Yang Xiong nodded and said: "Brother Shen, don't worry, I will go back and report to the leader right now!"
"Okay, I'm always waiting for good news!"
But it was said that after Wang Qinghai left the courtyard, he walked around and came to a tea shed outside the city.
Business travelers often pass by here, and the stall owner is an honest, middle-aged man who always has a smile on his face.
Wang Qinghai ordered a bowl of herbal tea, and the stall owner brought it over and said, "Do you want anything else?"
"No need..."
Immediately afterwards, he said in a very low voice: "Mei Linrong entertained two people in his courtyard in the suburbs. They seemed to be very interested in Prince Jing'an's mission to Annan."
The stall owner asked with a smile: "What are these two people's names? Have they been here before?"
Wang Qinghai picked up the tea bowl and glanced around. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he continued: "I have seen it a few times before, but I don't know what your name is. When working in the Mei family, you shouldn't ask too many questions.
."
"Okay, feel free to use it!"
That night, a piece of information was sent to the Jinyi Guards in Nanjing City, and then it was sent to Huai'an Mansion without stopping.
…………
Huai'an Prefecture, Yellow River Embankment.
The Yellow River, the mother river of China, has traveled thousands of miles from Huai'an Prefecture to the Huaihe River and merged into the Yellow Sea.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading!
As the Yellow River carries a large amount of sediment when it flows through the Loess Plateau, the downstream flow gradually slows down and sediment accumulates, causing the river to be silted up. During the rainy season, continuous large-scale outbursts occur.
According to the memorial of Huai'an Prefecture, the Yellow River is vast and surging. The water surface is tens or even hundreds of miles wide. Wherever it floods, there is a vast ocean, with villages far and near, and treetops and house ridges half-exposed. Some of them gradually dry up.
The muddy beach is thin and tender, and people and horses cannot stop.
After Wang Yonghe, the left minister of the Ministry of Industry, came to Huai'an Prefecture, he immediately recruited more than 60,000 farmers to control floods.
He was originally worried that this would cost too much money and food, but he did not expect that the emperor issued an imperial edict saying that 60,000 people would not be enough, at least 100,000. As for money and food, there was no need to worry, as long as the rivers could be managed well,
It doesn’t matter how much it costs!
Also coming with the imperial edict was Yu Qian, a cabinet scholar who had just returned from the Northern Expedition.
Wang Yonghe is not worried about Yu Qian taking credit. After all, river management has been a waste of time since ancient times.
If you manage it well, you will naturally have to record it, but if it is not managed well and a lot of money and food are wasted, even if the emperor does not issue an edict to blame you, he will not look good on you.
However, when Yu Qian arrived, he was stunned by a series of operations.
First of all, a new edict was issued, and corvee service became recruitment. It was originally unpaid labor, but now not only the workers were paid, but also took care of food every day, and all the wages owed before were repaid. All of a sudden, the people signed up enthusiastically. p>
Regarding this measure, Wang Yonghe had no objections except that he was worried about money and food.
After all, the money for river control comes from the imperial court, and you can’t spend it on yourself, so you can spend it if you want.
However, the next one made him very puzzled.
Select hardcover players from the civilian husbands of each team to form a Cuju team, and hold a game every ten days.
Moreover, a silver reward was also set up, the first place was rewarded with 200 taels of silver, the second place was rewarded with 100 taels of silver, and the third place was rewarded with 50 taels of silver.
Wang Yonghe was confused, what does this mean?
There is also a Cuju competition, do you think the construction period is too long?
How much construction time will be wasted? How much money will be wasted?
He once tried to talk to Yu Qian about this matter, but Yu Qian was very decisive. The general meaning was, just do as I say, and there is no need to ask so many questions.
Wang Yonghe was also helpless. He had no choice but to follow what others said.
However, he secretly wrote a memorandum. Yu Qian held a Cuju competition at the river control site, elaborated on the waste of money and food, and sent someone back to the capital.
In this way, when the emperor pursues the investigation later, it is you Yu Qian who insisted on having your own way. I have persuaded you anyway, and it is your business whether you listen or not.
Therefore, when Zhu Qizhen and his party arrived at Huai'an Mansion, they were stunned by the scene in front of them.
It was the tenth day of the lunar month, but the huge river management site did not start construction. Instead, everyone was watching the Cuju competition.
The scene was unprecedentedly grand, comparable to the World Cup scenes in later generations.
Zhu Qizhen mingled in the crowd and watched for a while, but didn't see anything interesting.
Cuju is somewhat similar to football in later generations. It is also a group of people playing a ball, but the rules of the game are different.
Li You's "Ju Cheng Inscription" of the Eastern Han Dynasty explains: "The round and square walls resemble yin and yang. The moon and the law are in opposition, and two and six are equal. The building is long and flat, and the rules are regular: no closeness or distance, no selfishness; correctness.
If you are calm, don't blame him for his faults. Ju Zheng is still there, but he is still determined!"
The general rule is to erect a three-foot-high cue stick in the center of the court. The upper goal is about one foot in diameter, which is called the Fengliu Eye. Each team has twelve or sixteen people, called the ball head, Xiaoqiu, and the goalkeeper.
, head holding, left pole net, right pole net, scattered stand, etc. During the game, the whistle and drums are used as the signal. The left team members kick off the ball first, bump the ball to each other several times and then pass it to the vice captain. The vice captain tosses and waits for the ball to be corrected.
Steady, and then pass it to the captain, who will kick the ball towards Fengliuyan, and the score will be counted as a hit.
Then the right army serves, and the whole process is the same. At the end, the victory or defeat is determined by the number of balls passed.
At this time, the captain of the left army made a beautiful volley and sent the ball steadily into Fengliuyan. The crowd immediately burst into cheers.
"Okay!"
Among the crowd, Fan Zhong couldn't help but cheer.
Yuan Bin glanced at him interestingly and asked: "Lao Fan, do you usually play?"
Fan Zhong nodded and said: "Occasionally practice with the soldiers!"
In fact, since its birth, the sport of Cuju has not only been a pastime for literati, but has also been widely spread among the military.
It is recorded in Liu Xiang's "Bielu" that Taju is also a sign of military strength. Therefore, when practicing warriors, you will know that you have talents, and they are all taught and practiced because of play.
In other words, Cuju not only symbolizes military strength, daily practice can help soldiers maintain good physical strength and mood.
Therefore, when Fan Zhong and Yuan Bin saw Cuju, especially the one that played beautifully, they immediately had a common language.
Zhu Qizhen didn't feel anything at all. In his eyes, this level of exercise was a bit ordinary.
Yuan Bin and Fan Zhong were chatting enthusiastically. If they weren't busy with official duties, they would be interested in having a discussion.
"Two adults..."
At this time, I heard Beilin saying from behind: "The emperor is gone!"
Only then did the two of them react and hurried to follow.
Zhu Qizhen did not go directly to find Yu Qian, but found a restaurant to stay, because Yu Qian's temporary public house was located in the prefect's Yamen, and it was inconvenient to get in and out.
Jinyiwei has already figured out the situation in Huai'an Mansion and has arranged spies around it, so there is no need to worry about safety issues.
Everyone has been traveling for days and can't eat well. Now that they have some free time, they ordered a table full of food and wine and asked the waiter to deliver it to the guest room.
While several people were eating, Yu Qian arrived.
"I bow to the emperor!"
Zhu Qizhen chewed the vegetables and asked, "Have you eaten?"
"Uh... not yet..."
"Sit down and eat something together!"
Yu Qian also carried a gun with Zhu Qizhen, so he was not polite at the moment, bought a pair of bowls, and started making them directly.
Zhu Qizhen said while eating: "How are you these days?"
Yu Qian held the bowl and replied: "Thanks to the emperor's kindness, everything is fine."
Zhu Qizhen asked again: "Do you like Cuju?"
Yu Qian shook his head and said, "I don't like it."
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but put down the bowl and said bluntly: "Then why are you holding a Cuju competition? Isn't this a waste of money? Even if you don't need money, you are not afraid of delaying the construction period? It's winter, and the water can't be cured anymore.
, people will have problems farming next spring."
tomatoes
Yu Qian seemed to be fine and said, "Your Majesty, do you still remember what I said to the Emperor before I left the capital?"
Zhu Qizhen thought for a while and said: "You mean, controlling floods and leading troops are the same thing?"
"Exactly!"
Yu Qian explained: "I asked each team to select a Cuju team. The original intention was to let the teams compete with each other in Cuju to distract their complaints about Shangguan and give them a place to vent their energy."
Zhu Qizhen looked confused and seemed to have difficulty understanding it for a while.
Yu Qian continued: "In addition, it can also create a sense of competition among them. In this way, they will work hard to strive for the Cuju team they support to win every ten days.
, not only will there be a huge silver reward, but you will also get the joy and satisfaction of victory."
"What you mean is, find something for everyone to do so that no one will wait for an opportunity to cause trouble?"
Zhu Qizhen somewhat understood that there was actually a hidden art of war in this little Cuju.