It's the middle of winter, and the Spring Festival is approaching. Minglan plans to send herself a pair of couplets. The first couplet reads "Things are as good as gods", the second couplet reads "Iron mouth cuts straight through", and the horizontal line reads - "half immortal".
After a sudden incident that day, Chang Wu went to Jinling the next day. The current situation was unstable, and it would be good to have more soldiers to protect the family and the courtyard. The Jinling Commandery Department and the five surrounding guards all wanted to beat people.
Too few, Chang Wu was naturally very popular; after five consecutive feasts of fat goose and big duck, Chang Wu took leave and returned to Youyang.
"Sister, you're talking nonsense! Just say that there is no war in the south, right? I have been lying on the wall of Jinling for many days and nothing has happened. However, the big families in Jinling City know that there is a war outside, and they are afraid to death. No... Banyuefou has been paid three times.
The city guard donated it! Well, the company was allotted fifty taels of silver." Chang Wu threw a heavy cloth bag embroidered with gold silk on the table and smiled bitterly. For those who rely on military pay, this is a lot of money.
But the Sheng family brother is not short of money.
When Mrs. Li saw that her son wanted to go north again, she felt that she had nothing to say, and she broke out in a sweat in the middle of winter.
"Second brother, don't worry." Ming Lanran said, "Think about it, the war just started last month, and the refugees walk on two legs. How can they be as fast as riding a horse? Just wait!"
"Really...?" Chang Wu looked at Minglan with doubtful eyes.
Minglan nodded, then encouraged him with his advanced deeds, and said in the tone of a storyteller: "I think back then, Emperor Wu personally conquered Wuliangha, and for nine cold days, drops of water turned into ice. He led an army of 100,000 and waited for two people in the ancient city of Nuergan.
Yue, neither arrogant nor impetuous, eventually earned Wu Liangha and underestimated the enemy. Several tribes came out with all their elites, and Emperor Wu wiped them out in one fell swoop! Second brother, I learned that a hundred people are against a thousand enemies, and maybe there will be ten thousand enemies in the future.
'Patience' is what matters!"
The power of example is endless. Changwu was so stunned that he went back to Jinling that night. At dinner, Mrs. Li put vegetables into Minglan's bowl, and Yoona put the two chicken drumsticks that were given to pregnant women on Minglan's plate.
Inside.
"My nephew-in-law, I praise her!" Old Mrs. Sheng said with a smile, "This little girl just opens her mouth to make people like her."
Sheng Wei looked solemn and said: "We are not sure. Seeing that my niece's words are reasonable, she has been walking around the countryside and towns these days. She invited the elders of various wealthy families to have tea. I asked them not to be extravagant during the New Year and to save more food and firewood.
, Just in case, there is chaos outside."
Sheng Wei felt very sensitive, but three days later, Changwu asked someone to come back with a letter: the refugees were coming.
Because King Jing had been plotting for a long time and was in urgent need of huge amounts of silver and grain for military supplies, he had been exploiting the people for many years. Officials at all levels were trying to break the bones and suck out the marrow of the people. It happened to be the middle of winter, and there was heavy snowfall. The people were hungry, cold, unbearable, and homeless.
The people had no choice but to flee Anhui, and a large number of people fled to Su, Henan, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces.
At the end of the twelfth month of the first year of Chongde, 50,000 refugees from Anhui Province gathered at the foot of Jinling City. The government opened warehouses to release grain, and the wealthy households in the city also opened porridge shacks, distributed firewood, and allowed the refugees to spend the winter in houses outside the city.
Changwu finally had a place to use. Because he was afraid of the troubles caused by the refugees' livelihood, every time the city gate was opened for rescue, troops were required to guard it, working day and night. Youyang also ushered in the new year at the end of the first month of the second year of Chongde.
The second wave of refugees.
Fortunately, the Sheng family had already made preparations. Together with several other wealthy families in the county, they built many temporary shacks to accommodate the refugees. They gave up their porridge twice a day and found some unused quilts and cotton-padded clothes for them to survive the winter.
Minglan also went out to see Mrs. Li in the sedan. After coming back, she felt sad for a long time. Growing up in a modern world with no worries about food and clothing, a child could not imagine what it must be like: there was heavy snow, the ground was covered with frost, and many old people and children could only
Wearing single clothes, shivering next to a small fire to keep warm, their skin was purple with frostbite, their hands were covered with frostbite, their hungry eyes were staring blankly at the bowl of cold thin porridge, as if that was their only hope.
There were no loud cries in the shack, only sparse sobs. The mother was holding her hot and feverish baby, dying and unable to cry. Her weak cry of hunger made Minglan's heart ache.
"...At that time in my hometown, there was a flood. The fields at home were all submerged. There was no harvest and no food. My brother was sick again, so my parents sold him." Xiao Tao recalled the blurry past and said very calmly, "I heard from the uncle in the village.
Taigong said, the current dynasty is relatively good. Every household has its own land and does not need to pay rent. During the chaos in the previous dynasty, the people did not have their own land. They were all big families! However, if there were some natural disasters, they would not be able to pay rent.
To pay the land rent, one has to sell one’s sons and daughters and go hungry and cold.”
Minglan nodded slightly. As the dynasty progressed, land annexation became more serious. When the farmers could no longer survive, they would change dynasties and start over.
Qin Sang was also in a very low mood and whispered: "My family used to have more than ten acres of land. When the weather was good, my family would go there. But that year, a county magistrate came. Seeing Tian'er asking for money, he even fell in love with Yinhua in the village.
He wanted his sister to be his concubine, but Yinhua's family refused, so he took Yinhua's father and brother, saying that they were unruly people who resisted food supply, and put them in jail and tortured them. Yinhua's sister entered the county magistrate's office on the third day, but her father didn't know.
My brother could not endure the punishment and had long since died in prison. When the villagers went to discuss the matter, the county magistrate's housekeeper said that he should go to bed and don't bring trouble to himself. Later, sister Yinhua hit her head and died in front of the county government office."
Minglan felt miserable in her heart, it was really "the county magistrate who destroyed the family, and the governor who destroyed the family"; these days, the happy life of the common people is like a thin piece of paper, which can be pierced by a few natural disasters; Minglan suddenly felt that her rebirth was a good one.
"What does this have to do with the family?" Luzhi listened for a long time and missed the point.
"Sister Yinhua is my brother's daughter-in-law."
——Everyone was in awe.
Qin Sang stirred the charcoal fire in the stove, and the light on his plain face softened: "My brother was so angry that he wanted to fight for his life. He was driven out by the government officials after being beaten to a bloody state. My father was also angry and fell ill. Two men in the family wanted to see a doctor.
With no labor left, how could we have so much money? Grandma said we couldn’t sell the land, and we had to plant it when the men were well, so we had to sell it. After selling it, we also had Yinhua’s sister, younger brother, and sister, and I don’t know where they are now. (
·~ )”
Danju asked softly: "Do you still remember the name of the county magistrate?"
Qin Sang shook his head, the velvet flowers on his servant girls' hair trembled slightly: "I don't remember, I was only five or six years old at that time. I only know that when I left, the village chief and Li Zheng were discussing that we should collect some money and ask the village chief to come out."
He was a scholar, and when he was bullied in the future, there was someone who could speak;... Later I heard that the county magistrate was sued, his house was confiscated, he was dismissed from office, and he was sent to the army. I was very happy. Unfortunately, sister Yinhua's family had been ruined, and the houses and fields were deserted.
Now, no one talks about them anymore."
Everyone was sad and silent for a long time. Qin Sang became cheerful again and said with a smile: "In the past two years, my family sent a letter to my family. The family is getting better. The eldest brother and the second brother have married. The younger brother is studying, and my parents are doing well."
He also said that he would redeem it when things got better, but said no, he was fine here. He had two or three coins a month, which was more than his father and brother, so he saved all of it and took it home to buy more land."
Minglan listened to them quietly, and then she couldn't help but ask: "My family would rather sell the land than sell it. Don't you blame them?"
Qin Sang's smile slightly curled up: "I thought about it for a while, but then I thought about it. I have land, a father, and an older brother, so I have hope. My mother also made a lot of inquiries before I sold it. If you are lucky, you can enter our house."
When I come to the house, I don’t beat or scold, and I have the blessing to serve the girl. Over the past many years, I have been well fed and clothed, and my sisters have reconciled, so there is nothing to complain about.”
Minglan couldn't help but be startled. Qin Sang was not of much use in Mu Cangzhai. He was mediocre in appearance and temperament. He was neither as considerate and careful as Yancao nor as sharp and capable as Green Branch. Therefore, monthly money and rewards were also ranked behind. It's hard to hear
His tone of voice is very content with life, and when he talks about his family, he is even more nostalgic; it is very rare to find such a kind-hearted and honest person.
Minglan saw for the first time the kindness and sincerity of the people at the bottom. They were as humble as the soles of their feet, but down-to-earth. Minglan liked it in her heart and said with a smile: "If the family is really prosperous, there is no need to use money to redeem it, just let them out."
, I think my parents and my uncle have already agreed that they will share the dowry when the time comes!"
Qin Sang's face and sleeves turned rouge color, and she stamped her feet and said angrily: "Girl! You can just say this nonsense, tell Mama Fang!"
The laughter finally dispelled the gloom. After Minglan reported it to the old lady, she took out three-quarters of the money she usually saved for her private life. The little girls also scraped together some scraps of money and bought rice, grains and quilts to donate to those in need.
Refugees.
"All the money I saved over the years is gone, now I feel better? Is it possible that if I don't have this, people won't freeze to death outside?" Old Mrs. Sheng looked at Minglan with a half-smile.
Minglan nodded seriously: "My granddaughter knows it's just a drop in the bucket, but she's trying her best and doing what she can, and that's it. I heard brother Wu said that after the spring, the government will make arrangements for them, and they are willing to go back to their hometown, but there is no place to go."
But when they get home, they will clear up wasteland and take root. I hope they can survive the winter."
The old lady hugged her little granddaughter, smiled, and sighed: "You little fool!"
At the end of the first month of the second year of Chongde, mountain bandits were infested in several places in eastern Anhui, western Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu and western Jiangsu. They often robbed the fleeing people and attacked laxly defended towns. Wherever they went, they committed murder and arson, leaving the refugees homeless.
You can go, and there are many people who fall into the grass and become bandits.
Chang Wu and Qian Rexue requested orders several times, hoping to lead the guard camp out of the city to suppress the bandits, but they were suppressed by the Jinling magistrate and the capital commander. Now that there are swords and soldiers outside, it is too late for Jinling to guard the city gate. Who dares to open the city to suppress the bandits?
?!
Changwu's requests for help were rejected several times, and he was so angry that he asked for leave and went home.
"How many times have I told you not to cross your eyebrows or raise your eyes with your superior? It's not easy to get along in officialdom!" Sheng Wei was worried that he would have a dispute with his boss, so he stopped right from the start.
"Dad! How could it be like this?! The brothers all slapped the table and threw their wine glasses to remonstrate with Commander Hu, but they didn't say anything!" Changwu frowned, his face flushed: "That's why I took leave of absence and went home! Otherwise,
How dare I meet my brothers!"
Minglan comforted him: "Second brother, don't worry. He is not a military attaché directly under Jinling, so it is right not to give more advice. Alas, by the way, how is the war outside now? It seems that our south is relatively peaceful. Could it be that King Jing's journey to the north went smoothly?
!”
"He's dreaming!" Chang Wu looked very disdainful, "That gang of rabble made a big fuss, but they were just incompetent people. They were defeated as soon as they entered Lu. The army was cut in half, and the second half retreated to Xuzhou.
After being ambushed in a valley, I fled to Zhuangzhou for the first half of the year, so I guess that's about it."
After saying this, everyone in the room looked relaxed. Father Sheng Wei and Changsong looked at each other and smiled, finally feeling relieved. The old lady counted the rosary beads and smiled. Mr. Li put his hands together and recited Amitabha Buddha. Mr. Wen was busy spreading tea and fruit in the house.
Shulan made a gentle 'cut' sound and said softly to Minglan: "This King Jing is too stupid!"
Minglan patted her chest, sat at the table, poured herself a cup of tea, and drank it slowly.
Chang Wu hurriedly walked around the room twice and sighed, with a very desperate tone: "Sister Minglan, you are right, you really don't have to go back to the capital. King Jing will have to finish the game before he can reach the capital! Now
Those who can stand up are the troops who suppress the rebellion. If I had known earlier, I would have surrendered to the army long ago!"
Seeing his annoyance, Sheng Wei changed the topic and said, "I wonder which army is quelling the chaos this time?"
Chang Wu didn't leave, sat down, and said: "I'm afraid that the Holy Emperor has been wary of the south. In the past few months, in order to guard against the security of the capital, he has secretly dispatched half of the five military battalions to practice in the suburbs of Beijing.
After the chaos in Xinjiang, the emperor did not use this army. After King Jing raised the rebel flag, the army secretly went south to ambush the rebels in Xuzhou."
Chang Wu felt a little better. The Zhongwei Guards he belonged to belonged to the Three Thousand Battalion. Even if he was in the capital, he would not go on an expedition with him.
"Fifth Army Camp? Isn't that the commander of General Gan? He is a veteran after all." Sheng Wei had done business with the army several times, and he knew something about the situation in the army.
Unexpectedly, Chang Wu shook his head: "It's not General Gan, it's the new general promoted by the emperor. He was also the younger brother of Quan in the capital. I heard that the emperor had high regard for him when he was the vassal king, so he looked for an opportunity to promote him this time. I'm afraid that he will be promoted in the future.
There is a future.”
Minglan's eyes were bright, she smiled and added half a cup of tea for herself, and said, "Really? This general has a lot of vision."
At that time, the Eighth Prince could be said to be a cold stove among the emperors. He was not as good as the three kings in literature, not as good as the four kings in martial arts, not as noble as the five kings, not as good as the six kings in his affairs, and not as favored as the late emperors.
The birth mother is one of the most humble. To think that someone would even think of investing in this unpopular stock is like Buffett's brother.
Sheng Wei was also very interested, secretly planning to establish a relationship with this upstart in the army: "Who is he? Have you heard of him before?"
Chang Wu seemed to have given up and sighed: "I heard that his name is Gu Tingye."
Everyone in the room was at a loss as they had never heard of this name.
Minglan held her saliva in her mouth and held up the teacup and looked at it for a long time before swallowing it with difficulty and asked cautiously: "Why...haven't you heard of this before? Second brother, even military attachés don't have to go through qualifications like civil servants.
, can you be promoted from Bai Shenbu to a general?"
In the blink of an eye, the old hen turned into a duck! Three months ago, the big brother who was fighting for justice with the Cao Gang, how could he suddenly become a general to quell chaos? Is it true that the army and the people are cooperating?
Changwu's spirit was greatly boosted. Ever since King Jing's rebellion, he, an experienced man, had been constantly being reminded by his little cousin that he would not admit that he was indeed insightful and reasonable. Today he finally took the opportunity to show off his elder brother's knowledge.
He breathed a long sigh of relief and said loudly: "Sister, I don't know this. In his early years, General Gu was actually the twelve guards in the Zhengqishu."
"This is just a casual position. Many of the powerful brothers in the capital have them. Why don't they also become generals?" Minglan almost laughed because her supposed suitor Liang Hangong also had this position.
Changwu's tone was quite envious, and he quoted the Jinling Army report: "The important thing is that this General Gu is deeply appreciated by the emperor. Since the emperor ascended the throne, he has been appointed as the commander of Zhengwu Jingwei, Si Zhenfu, and now he is leading the army to counter the rebellion.
I received the emperor’s secret decree in advance.”
Minglan was speechless, smacked her lips, laughed twice, walked over to give Chang Wu some tea, and said with a sweet face, "Second brother, you know so much. No wonder dad often praises second brother for his insight."
Chang Wu grinned, feeling much more at ease; this little cousin was so cute, and if his cousin-in-law dared to neglect her in the future, he would definitely beat her up with all his strength.
The author has something to say: Don’t speculate on CP anymore, everything will be fine; return to the capital in the next chapter.
A best friend recommended an old Chinese film called "A Long Engagement", which is said to be a rare and touching film in China in recent years. After watching it in the afternoon, I burst into tears. It was such a mistake.