Chapter 7 I had no choice but to use a tool man Chen Yuanyuan
The fifth day of June, noon.
Near the Liujiagang Pier, the old place Goulan.
It was another leisure time for scholars to gather together and discuss political opinions while listening to music.
The old faces like Chen Shuren, Zhang Huangyan, and Gu Yanwu upstairs are still the same, but the talents who are enjoying the show downstairs have changed one after another.
Most of the scholars who came to Taicang were just passing by, waiting for the ship to go to Nanjing to take the exam together. After gathering enough people, they set off.
Zhang Huangyan said that Gu Yanwu was originally supposed to leave, but he stayed behind because he had a good chat with Shen Shuren. Anyway, he arrived in Nanjing early and had cultural meetings with others every day, so there was no difference.
In the past few days, Shen Shuren has been thinking about something and is looking for a case that can be used as a bureau.
But he also knows that there is no point in shutting up and thinking about creative work. He just needs to talk to more people and learn more about the market. Goulanwashe is the place where the most gossip and market news are.
On the other hand, taking advantage of the less tense days, he also had time to plan "after Yang Sichang's affairs are settled, what benefits should I ask Mr. Yang Ge for, how to enter the official career and quickly climb up, and prepare for the anti-Qing Dynasty."
Several chats with Gu Yanwu also deeply inspired Chen Shuren and made him gain a lot. He gradually adjusted his goals. He had goals in mind about what kind of official position he should ask for or buy in the future.
For example, in the first few days after time travel, Shen Shuren hesitated on one question: Should he save Chongzhen? Should he go to the northern frontline to serve as an official in the future and try his best to stop Li Zicheng?
Although Shen Shuren knew that Chongzhen was a scammer and would kill ministers indiscriminately, the more critical the situation was, the ministers were helpless and anyone who jumped out to do something would be more likely to be in danger.
But as a Han Chinese, Shen Shuren obviously did not want the Qing soldiers to be put into the pass.
Because he knew that once the Qing troops entered the country, the impact would not only be as simple as suffering for the northern compatriots. It would also lead to the collapse of people's hearts.
Many Han people will have a breakdown in their will to resist on a spiritual level. They will feel that "the north can't be defended, so why can the south be defended? Didn't the Southern Song Dynasty also fall?"
Those who follow the crowd may even think that "there have been very few successful examples of unification from south to north in the past, so it's better to just give it a try."
War and dynasty changes are never games. Playing games can easily control "morale", but real politics and people's beliefs are very difficult to operate.
Therefore, professionals like Shen Shuren are very cautious about whether to abandon Chongzhen in the future.
It depends on how far in the next few years he can solve the problem of the heroic people's will to resist and ensure that people's hearts remain intact, and then he can make realistic decisions.
After getting to know Gu Yanwu, after several days of discussions, Shen Shuren quickly saw a possibility:
The man in front of him was the most powerful ideological theorist in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, who had invented the theory that "those who subjugate their country will be plotted by meat-eaters, and those who subjugate the world will be responsible for everyone."
It's a pity that Gu Yanwu's theory came a little late in history. He put it forward before the main territory of the Ming Dynasty fell, and the people's will to resist had already dispersed.
However, now that Gu Yanwu has known himself in advance, is it possible to give him some advice and ask him to work in this direction in advance, summarize this set of ideological weapons that encourage the people's will to resist, and further optimize and improve it?
If this can be done, it will be able to offset part of the impact on people's hearts caused by the fall of Beijing.
Therefore, to decide whether to save Chongzhen or not, you cannot directly slap the forehead. You must first arrange the compensation options for the corresponding options.
Practice is the only criterion for testing truth.
The military is a major event for the country and the key to survival, and there is no room for subjective likes and dislikes.
Now, this issue is gradually understood, and Shen Shuren has a clearer understanding of the route he will take after buying or getting an official position in the future:
In this mess in the north, I don't have the strength to go far for the time being. In the next few years, I will first see if I can help Yang Sichang contain the bandits of Zhang Xianzhong's clan, especially those from the periphery who are coerced by Zhang Xianzhong and whose opposition is not firm. Start with soft persimmons.
Firstly, this can prevent the rear base areas from being destroyed too much by Zhang Xianzhong in the future when resisting the Qing Dynasty.
After all, in history, when Nanming was first established, it was said that it owned half of the country in the south. In fact, what the imperial court could control was only Jianghuai, Zhejiang and Jiangxi, which was equivalent to four provinces. Huguang and Sichuan had been completely ruined by Zhang Xianzhong's clique.
To put it bluntly, the "Yi, Jing, and Yang" lands in the south could only be used by the Southern Ming Dynasty. "Yang", Jing, and Yi were all inhabited by thieves.
In the future, if I can prevent Huguang and Sichuan from being severely destroyed, unite people across the Yangtze River, and raise the banner of fighting against "the subjugation of the world", the situation will be very different.
Moreover, if you take the route of suppressing bandit officials and become an official, as long as you choose the initial jurisdiction well, choose a place that has inconvenient transportation communication with the imperial center and is blocked by other enemy-occupied areas to serve as an official.
At the same time, control your attitude and rhythm towards the court, and don't make any obvious excuses. Then you can completely close the door and concentrate on farming and building base areas, and crack down on rogue thieves to expand their territory.
In this way, we not only have the righteous status of the Ming Dynasty banner, but also have the practical benefits of completely controlling the local area. Isn't it beautiful to gain both fame and reality?
…
After discussing current affairs with Zhang Huangyan and Gu Yanwu, Shen Shuren secretly figured out this big issue of right and wrong, and was about to take the last step and ask Yang Sichang for an official position.
And the problem went round and round, and circled back to how to complete the important task of Mr. Yang Ge as soon as possible, and then come to claim credit.
However, after the Goulan essay meeting that day, a few joking words between Zhang Huangyan and Gu Yanwu suddenly woke Chen Shuren up.
It turned out that these guys were tired of holding meetings at Goulan, a restaurant run by the Shen family, so Zhang Huangyan started to tease:
"Cousin, your family is so wealthy, yet you still hold gatherings here and don't change places."
Gu Yanwu also agreed with Zhang Huangyan's words in his heart, but he was a fool in the first place, so he helped Chen Shuren smooth things over:
"Brother Cangshui, why bother? We are talking about current affairs. There are 'Hongru's like me here who come and go. Although it is a humble house, it is also virtuous. It doesn't matter if the girl sings. After all, this is Shuren Brother It’s good for your own business to be convenient.”
Zhang Huangyan knew Shen Shuren's family background, so he explained with a smile: "Brother Tinglin doesn't need to help him save money. He is a hidden treasure in a golden house, and he can't find a husband. If you really want to invite us to listen to music, why don't you need to spend extra money?" money?
You don't know, I heard from my uncle that since the beginning of the year, he has hired a girl in Lixiangyuan, Kunshan, and she is paid three hundred taels a month, whether she can sing or not.
That time he suffered a heatstroke and was carried back by his servants. I heard he was in Lixiangyuan, and he wanted to ask for a favor from the old madam to delay the grooming of the sister and give him some time to collect money to redeem himself. "
Having said this, Zhang Huangyan also turned to his cousin with a condescending expression and said: "Honestly, are you thinking of 'paying money in vain and not holding court meetings, not letting the beautiful woman show up again'?
Cousin, I'm not telling you, you really have to listen to your uncle on this matter, and you can't be too careful with those girls. In the future, you will buy an official position and marry a lady. Whether it's these courtesans or top-notch courtesans, even if you have money to redeem yourself, , they should at least be concubines, right? Who would be willing to be a maid without any title?"
After hearing this gossip, Gu Yanwu was aroused some curiosity, but that was all.
Chen Shuren himself, on the other hand, was suddenly reminded and felt a little embarrassed.
He couldn't bear to have a woman show up in public. He had completely forgotten about it since time traveling.
He was so busy with business and couldn't even worry about it, so he had no time to think about women.
At this moment, when he was reminded by his cousin, he remembered that his maid Qingzhi seemed to have mentioned to him that he hired a singer in Kunshan Lixiangyuan. The original owner of the body before he traveled through time seemed to be fascinated by the girl and insisted on it. He redeemed himself and took her as his concubine, causing trouble with the family.
Chen Shuren's thoughts changed, while dealing with his friends: "What's the big deal if I sing a song occasionally? I don't think I have to go far away in Kunshan, just to listen to a song, I'm afraid you will be too tired..."
Zhang Huangyan couldn't help but laugh after hearing this: "What's the point? It's just a neighboring county. It only takes half a day by boat to walk along the Liuhe River. Brother Gu is from Kunshan. For him, it's just a trip back to his hometown."
Gu Yanwu didn't want to appear too eager, but he also said: "If these wise brothers go to Kunshan, Brother Yu will naturally fulfill his friendship as a landlord and just stay in my house."
As he spoke, Shen Shuren had already figured out his plan: during these days in Taicang, he could not find a case to start with about "buying maids/property and making time for registration". That was because the entertainment industry in Taicang was not developed enough.
In this case, a trip to Kunshan might work wonders. And since I have hired a well-established girl in the industry, I might be able to get some inside information about the industry from that channel.
For example, "Are there any beautiful girls from good families who are worth a lot of money recently and are on the verge of being sold due to the decline in their family circumstances?" If you can find out about one or two such cases, then you can choose one with a suitable time and progress. Already?
Of course, buying a woman was secondary to him. He just wanted to commit a crime and make trouble at the Nanjing Criminal Department.
Moreover, buying a woman to cause trouble is more advantageous than buying a property or manor to cause trouble. It is more in line with his character of a bad boy, and he will be less likely to be suspected by the Zheng family when he tries to run against them in the future.
The women you buy back don't have to destroy others and force them to be maids. You can also act according to the circumstances. If they are not beautiful enough, you can send them to take care of your stepmother, aunt or sisters.
Kunshan is the entertainment center of the Ming Dynasty. Yangzhou thin horses are sold every day, and there is always a case to be found.
After figuring everything out, Shen Shuren made an appointment to be in Kunshan in a few days. He would invite everyone over to listen to music and discuss politics together.
After making an appointment, the literary party for the day ended.
…
After returning to his house, Shen Shuren immediately asked Qingzhi to prepare his luggage. He had to go out and rushed to Kunshan that afternoon.
Shen Fu, who was in charge of external affairs, was also asked to prepare a car.
When Qingzhi heard the word "Kunshan", she couldn't help but feel sad for a few seconds, but she still held it back and said faintly: "But do you think you are getting better? Finally you can't help but go to see Miss Chen?" "
She was the maid in charge of the house, so she naturally knew which women the young master had fallen in love with before. If he got her back, she would definitely be more favored than her.
In order to keep it secret, Shen Shuren didn't bother to explain more. She was a maid in the inner house anyway and couldn't communicate with outsiders. There was no need to say more: "I have other serious things, so don't worry about it. Just follow me and be careful. I will treat you badly."
After all, Qingzhi's status was humble and she had no right to be jealous, so she quietly prepared everything and only asked carefully:
"Master, your whole person has changed a lot since you had a heatstroke. I know you have forgotten a lot of things. You won't forget about Miss Chen, right? Do you need me to help you recall it?"
Chen Shuren was shocked. He had really forgotten. After all, the more recent the memory was, the more it was lost. But he knew that Qingzhi was jealous. Even if he said that he had forgotten, Qingzhi might not believe it. , instead it causes more troubles.
He hesitated for a few seconds without speaking, but his eyes showed that he was deep in thought.
Qingzhi knew him very well. She stared at his expression and observed his words. She could already see the flaw and couldn't help but feel warm in her heart:
"I didn't expect that you really forgot about Miss Chen. It seems that there is really something serious this time. Don't worry, I won't mess up. I will never tell anyone about this. I will first tell you about Miss Chen's identity. Let me tell you again..."
Qingzhi was in a good mood. She realized that the master had forgotten about the vixen outside. How could she be in a bad mood? So she helped Shen Shuren reminisce in a graceful manner.
That Miss Chen is the top performer at Kunshan Lixiang Yuan, and she is also a very famous person in the Kunqu opera circle today. Her name is Chen Yuan. The one verse of "The Romance of the West Chamber" she sang is unparalleled in the world of Kunqu opera.
Chen Yuan had just turned fifteen six months ago, and her adoptive mother, Mrs. Chen, planned to let Suzhou's rich and famous people come to bid for a comb cage. At that time, Shen Shuren's predecessor wanted to redeem himself, so Chen made a high price of ten thousand taels.
It's a pity that the Shen family prevented Chen Shuren from taking the Liyuan girl as a concubine and robbed him of his money, so the matter was settled. However, Chen Shuren also relied on the little pocket money he had on hand, and initially paid three hundred taels per month. Private concert - you can only listen to the music but not sleep.
In exchange for Mrs. Chen delaying Chen Yuan's combing cage and giving him time to collect money, one package was packed for several months and cost one or two thousand taels.
Listening to Qingzhi talking about the ridiculous things that this body had done, Chen Shuren also shook his head secretly. He didn't even go to bed, but he spent so much money on a woman. He was really willing to spend so much money.
Qingzhi was so cooperative in helping him provide information. Shen Shuren was not a heartless person, so he whispered to the maid in private: "Don't worry, I won't buy her back when I go to Kunshan this time. If I want to buy it, I will buy it separately. I just told her She asked for some news."
If you can't find out from Chen Yuan, you can ask the old bustard again, and you can always find out.
After the lunch break, when everything was ready, Shen Shuren drove along the Liuhe River and headed straight for Kunshan.
It was only about thirty miles from Taicang to Kunshan, and the carriage arrived in more than an hour. When we found the Lixiangyuan, it was only in the evening, and we still had time to find a girl to accompany us for dinner.
Chen Shuren walked in with the folding fan swinging, and immediately felt more at home than in the Goulan run by his family before.
All the sisters in Lixiangyuan seemed to know him, and they also knew that he was a generous benefactor with millions of taels in his family, so they all came forward to please him.
Occasionally, there are a few ordinary-looking people who can't squeeze in to please him, so they try to make trouble by saying: "Young Master Shen came all the way to cheer you up. He must be here to see Sister Yuanyuan. I have some eyes, so don't get in the way of Young Master Shen." thing.
Mr. Shen, we will guide you. You haven't been here for more than half a month, and Sister Yuanyuan is worried about you. That day you fainted from heatstroke and were carried back. The sisters were all moved."
"It's really rare for you to be so wealthy and considerate of our sisters here."
"Yes, yes, and I haven't seen you for half a month. Mr. Shen, you have become much more handsome. You may have lost more than ten kilograms."
A group of girls, chattering and chattering, gathered around and led Chen Shuren upstairs.
What they said was not entirely complimentary. The original Shen Shuren's physical body was indeed tall, white and fat. After all, he came from a wealthy family with good nutrition and did not exercise much.
However, after waking up from the heatstroke, Shen Shuren was very self-disciplined. He exercised every day and lost weight due to the consumption during the coma. He indeed lost more than ten kilograms and looked more handsome than before.
If it was said that Shen Shuren was just relying on his millions and two fortunes to attract women, now that he has become a little more handsome, the flattery has become somewhat sincere.
Chen Shuren didn't have time to think about this. He just felt a little dizzy from being squeezed. He subconsciously held the women open while he was pondering their words in his heart, trying to extract more useful information so as not to expose any flaws later.
Especially when he heard the name of that card, he was slightly alarmed: "They call Chen Yuan 'Sister Yuanyuan', does that mean she is Chen Yuanyuan?"
Damn it, I actually have to discuss with Chen Yuanyuan, ‘Have you heard about any of your friends, your sister is about to be sold, and I’m going to cut it off?’, this is too magical.”