After Du Zigong went to Gushu to meet Huan Wen, he returned to Qiantang and built a golden urn dojo in the Tianshi Taoist Hall in Du's Manor in the north of the city.
It was formed by the exhalation of the Tianzun of the Yuan Dynasty, whose predecessor was Dayu. Every tenth month and fifteenth, he came to the world to punish sins and blessings, and to eliminate disasters for people——
No matter how high-ranking officials or nobles are, they are not immune to illness, pain, and disasters, not to mention the poor people who dare not expect to pray for blessings. The most realistic thing is to be free from illness and disaster. Therefore, every year during the Xiayuan Festival, the water official celebration is the most grand. Believers from nearby counties gather in Qiantang——
When Chen Cao and his party arrived at Du's Manor, they saw Feng Mengxiong accompanying Wang Shao, the internal historian of Yangzhou. Wang Ningzhi, the internal historian of Jiangzhou, was talking to Du Zigong. Wang Shao and Wang Ning's uncle and nephew arrived last night and rested at the county post, so
He arrived at Du's Taoist Temple before Chen Caozhi.
Chen Caozhi and Xie Daoyun greeted Wang Shao and Wang Ningzhi. Wang Shao said to Chen Caozhi: "I already know about the Chu family's collusion with bandits. I will talk about it after the Shuiguan Emperor's celebration. Such scum must be severely punished."
Because he paid attention to Xie Daoyun, he asked: "Is this the Shangyu Zhu Yingtai who threatened not to marry anyone other than Xie Daoyun?"
Wang Shao once tried his best to build momentum for Chen Caozhi to marry a girl from the Lu family. Jiankang scholars talked about it. A large part of the reason was Wang Shao's push behind the scenes. Wang Shao was grudged by the personal grudge between his father, Wang Dao, and Lu Wan, and he was happy to do so.
Seeing that Chen Caozhi, who was born in a lower-class noble family, married a girl from the Lu family of the Sanwu clan, Wang Shao certainly had no good intentions. He just wanted to see the Lu family be humiliated. As for Zhu Yingtai who wanted to marry Xie Daoyun, Wang Shao
Shao is scornful, because the Xie family of Chen County is a cross-river gentry like his Langya Wang family, but Zhu Yingtai is from the south. If Xie Daoyun is married by a descendant of a southern gentry, it will be him in Wuyixiang who will be humiliated.
Wang Xie, of course, Wang Shao never believed that Zhu Yingtai could marry Xie Daoyun. Xie Daoyun did not express any love for Zhu Yingtai like the Lu girl was obsessed with Chen Caozhi. There was no such rumor in Jiankang. Zhu Yingtai
Just wishful thinking——
Xie Daoyun felt unhappy when he heard Wang Shao's sarcastic words, and responded: "Exactly."
Wang Shao sneered and said unceremoniously: "Chen Cao's talent and fame are more important in the world, and his affair with Lu's daughter is a good story. But you, Shangyu Zhu Yingtai, want to marry Xie's daughter, which is enough to make people laugh.
, at the elegant gathering of Xie Mansion in Wuyi Lane, are you better than Xie's daughter?"
Chen Caozhi was worried that Xie Daoyun would be embarrassed when he saw Wang Ningzhi. Unexpectedly, it was Wang Shao who attacked Xie Daoyun. He quickly whispered: "Brother Yingtai, don't talk about such stupid things here. Since you want to become an official, why bother to build a tree?"
A useless enemy?"
Xie Daoyun smiled, nodded, and said: "Wang Neishi, who I want to marry is my private matter, so don't worry about it." He was quite upset. Chen Cao's marriage to Lu Weirui was a good story, but she——
Xie Daoyun thought about it and found it funny. This trouble was really inexplicable.
Wang Ningzhi has a good temper and has no objection to Zhu Yingtai who is determined to marry Xie Daoyun. He just smiles.
The ceremony of Emperor Shui Guan began. Du Zigong led his disciples to open the altar, invite saints, and pay homage to each other. They did so one by one, and everyone followed them until it was time.
Du Zigong invited Wang Shao, Wang Ningzhi, Feng Mengxiong, Chen Xian, Chen Caozhi, and Xie Daoyun to a banquet. They talked about the bandits in Wuchao Mountain. Wuchao Mountain was about seven or eighty miles away, and the Chu family who was sent to lure the enemy was hiding in their house.
He would be back soon tomorrow. Chen Caozhi asked Wang Shao to stay in Qiantang for two days and then return to Yangzhou after rounding up the bandits. Wang Shao agreed.
In the afternoon of the same day, Chen Caozhi accompanied Wang Shao, and Wang Ningzhi went to visit Qian Tang, a famous official. Former Sanqi often served Quan Li. When Chen Cao Zhi came to borrow private soldiers yesterday, Quan Li heard about Chu's collusion with bandits and was very angry.
, this is a great harm to Qian Tang. If it is not eliminated early, the wealthy families of the Qian Tang gentry will not be able to live in peace. Therefore, Chen Caozhi tried his best to help.
The whole ceremony included a dinner for everyone. Because they were followers of Tianshi Dao and fasted during the Xiayuan Festival, all dishes were vegetarian, but the arrangements were also very exquisite. As soon as the banquet was over, thieves from Qiantang County rushed to report, sixty-eight people
Not one of the Wuchao mountain bandits escaped, and they were all captured by Ran Sheng in Chu's manor——
Everyone was surprised and asked what happened? The thief reported: "Su Kuan, a bandit from Wuchao Mountain, received a secret report from the Chu family's hidden house where he was going to lure the enemy, so he led his bandits out in full force and came to Qiantang County in disguise.
The followers of Tianshi Tao who participated in the Shuiguan Emperor's celebration. Because the Chu family's hidden house repeatedly stated that Chu Jian and his son had important matters to discuss with Su Kuan, Su Kuan led the thieves to the Chu family's manor. Chen was ambushed in the manor.
The commander of the village and Wu County Lieutenant led their troops to capture and kill six mountain bandits. Among them, the leader of the bandits, Su Kuan, was killed by the commander of the village, Chen. Seven foot archers from the county were injured——"
Except for the elderly Quan Li, Chen Xian, and Wang Ningzhi who were not leaving, the other Wang Shao, Feng Mengxiong, Chen Caozhi, and Xie Daoyun followed the thieves to the Chu Manor. Sixty-eight Wuchao Mountain thieves were killed except
Except for the six dead people, the rest were all tied to trees in the Chu family's manor. Qiantang County court officials have interrogated thirteen of them as Chu family's hermits. It was Chu Jian who ordered these people to flee in order to avoid having their land removed and their registrations checked.
From Wuchao Mountain——
Feng Mengxiong ordered people to take all the bandits to the county jail. In just three days, the Chu family's collusion with the bandits was completely solved. The case was tried by Wang Shao, the internal historian of Yangzhou, and Feng Mengxiong, the magistrate of Qiantang County.
Chen Caozhi suggested that these bandits be sent to some remote counties in Yangzhou to open up wasteland and farmland. Wang Shao agreed. If all the found hermits and bandits were registered as soldiers and sent to the military government, it would only strengthen Huan Wen's strength.
This is what the Langya Wang family doesn't want to see.
After the bandit crisis was over and the Chu family was completely in decline, Chen Caozhi was relieved. At the same time, he also felt the need to strengthen the Chen family's private army. The Chen family's land property had exceeded that of the Ding family. The Ding family had sixty private soldiers.
With only forty people, it is difficult to defend against a large group of bandits. The huge Qiantang County only has sixty horse-mounted archers. They can only supervise the collection of rents and taxes and perform corvee services. Each aristocratic family basically relies on its own strength to protect its tribe and property.
safety——
On the morning of October 16th, Ding Youwei set off for Huating to visit Lu Weirui. Runer also wanted to see the beautiful ugly aunt, so he went with him. Also accompanying him were Yuyan and Axiu, as well as eight private soldiers of the Chen family and eight
Ding's private soldiers.
Chen Caozhi and Ran Sheng sent Ding Youwei and his entourage out of the East Gate Pavilion. Chen Caozhi said: "Sister-in-law, I'm going back to Chenjiawu today and will go to Kuaiji Shanyin tomorrow. I can't wait for my sister-in-law to come back."
Ding Youwei asked: "Can Xiaolang always come back before the end of the year?"
Chen Caozhi nodded and said: "It should be possible. Shanyin is not far from here. I will send an envoy back to report if anything happens."
Run'er said: "Uncle Chou, did Miss Lu write "Huashan Monument" very well? This time Run'er met her and wanted to ask her for advice."
Chen Caozhi smiled and said, "Okay, Run'er wants to greet Miss Lu on my behalf."
Run'er waved with her little hand, letting Chen Caozhi come closer, and whispered: "Uncle Chou, would you like Run'er to recite "Guan Sui" for you to Aunt Chou?" After saying that, he laughed and retracted his head into the carriage.
After sending Ding Youwei away, Chen Caozhi went to the county office to bid farewell to Wang Shao and Feng Mengxiong. After he went to Chenjiawu, he went directly to Shanyin and never came to the county again.
Before noon, Chen Xian, Chen Caozhi, Ran Sheng, Chen Zongzhi, and Xie Daoyun crossed the river from Fenglin Ferry and headed towards Chenjiawu. Chen Xian asked Chen Caozhi to ride with him and said: "I didn't expect that the Chu family was still here."
Such sinister intentions!”
Chen Cao said: "Four uncle, the Chen family of Qiantang has risen rapidly in the past two years, and it is inevitable that it will touch the interests of others. The Lu family and the Chu family were defeated by my Chen family. The Lu family and the Chu family have a huge amount of land."
Part of it belongs to me, the Chen family, and it is certain that I will be hated by others. In addition to continuing to expand my private army, I, the Chen family, must also do more good deeds and benefit the village. Only in this way can the family continue to prosper."
Chen Xian nodded and said: "In the first half of the year, Jing Nu said that he would form a hundred private soldiers of the Chen family. I am worried that the Chen family will not be able to support this private army of a hundred people. After all, the taxes and corvees for these private soldiers must be borne by me, the Chen family, and I will spend every year."
It requires about two million dollars. Your sixth uncle is keen on purchasing land and believes that expanding private soldiers is a waste of money. Now it seems that it is necessary to expand private soldiers."
Chen Cao said: "My Chen family originally had forty private soldiers, and we can expand the number to forty more. These private soldiers are still selected from the children of farmers and tenant farmers. They train during the off-season and still farm on weekdays. The rewards given to these private soldiers are
Appropriate tax exemption for parents means that the Chen family has 80 private soldiers, of which 40 are relatively elite and do not engage in farming and practice patrols every day, while the other 40 are in reserve. If thieves come to attack, they can join immediately.
Defensive resistance.”
Chen Xian said happily: "Okay, this can save a lot of expenses."
After the oxcart had finished its journey, Chen Xian said again: "Come on, my uncle has one more thing to discuss with you. According to the newly issued order of Yin Clothing, Food and Guests by the imperial court, I, the Chen family of Qiantang, can own ninety Yin households. Is it this time?"
Complete the recruitment, fill in the family registration, and report to the county?"
Chen Caozhi knew in his heart that his fourth uncle had counted all the officials and accountants of the ancestors of the Chen family of Qiantang. Of course, this made sense, but in this extraordinary period of great land destruction, the Sanwu gentry were in panic, and the Chen family of Qiantang
However, according to the newly reformed guest system of clothing and food, the original number of 40 yin households increased sharply to 90 yin households. Moreover, he, Chen Caozhi, was in the left prison of the Tu Duan Division and benefited from Tu Duan. This was extremely easy for others to do.
Impeach--
Chen Caozhi mentioned this concern to his fourth uncle, Chen Xian, and Chen Xian nodded repeatedly. He knew very well that Chen Caozhi's official career was the future of the Chen family in Qiantang. If Chen Caozhi's official career was unfavorable, Chenjiawu would have gathered money.
No matter how much property you have, it is difficult to protect it, and you must not damage the long-term interests of the entire family just because of small immediate gains. Chen Xian said: "Your sixth uncle wants to include all his in-laws in the Chen family's shelter to avoid taxes and servitude. I
The next time you go back, you must sternly refuse.”
Chen Caozhi remembered that the last time his fifth brother Chen Chang came to Jiankang, he was so worried about some tea and dried fish. Uncle Liu's family in Beilou was really narrow-minded.
