Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 860 Jiangnan Dam Broken
Jiangnan prefectural government office,

In the West House,
Ma Guangcheng, the magistrate of Jinling in Jiangnan, pursed his lips and smiled, as if he was just explaining a small matter. However, the two captains of the police in the hall had already turned pale. They all said that civil officials killed people without shedding blood. Today, they realized that the storyteller's words were shallow.
It's not just the dike that's broken, it's obvious that they were asked to dig up the river dike to cause floods. If it's dug up, the farmland in several counties of Jinling will be gone. It's a matter of life and death, and countless people will die. When they were bandits, they only wanted money and never killed people.

The two looked at each other in doubt and Li San asked with a stiff upper lip;

"Sir, it's easy to make a breach, but it's basically impossible to close it. Now it's the rainy season, with continuous heavy rains and swollen rivers. Even if it's a small breach, the scale of the breach will be beyond human control under the scouring of the water. If it's washed open and spreads, I'm afraid Jinling City will also be flooded."

I'm afraid that Lord Ma doesn't know the serious consequences. Li San and his men have been pirates for many years. The water flow is unpredictable and the consequences are unpredictable. Even Feng Si, who usually doesn't talk much, has something to say;
"Yes, sir, this breach cannot be stopped. At least Anning County and Shangyu County, and even Jinling and Chunyang County will be affected. With so many people, how can the government have money to provide disaster relief? Your government will definitely be reported. There will always be someone to take responsibility for these. If the court blames you, the governor, you may not be able to handle it."

In Jinling, Lord Jing and the governor, Lord Zhuang, are in a heated dispute. Officials, even the yamen runners, know it clearly. Now it is obvious that Lord Ma is leaning towards Lord Jing, and the prefect and his men have not shown up. There is something fishy going on here.

Ma Guangcheng laughed.
"Haha, you know a lot. To be honest, I didn't seek refuge with Lord Jing, but with Eunuch Yang from the capital. Lord Jia, the prefect, went to supervise the mining of jade in Jiangbei. Lord Hu was responsible for the tax collection in Jinling, which was also a hard job. I helped him convert the fields into mulberry trees. So, the people who did this were unaware, and they were all brothers. After doing this, Lord Shen from the Suzhou Weaving Bureau will give you another reward. You two should take the brothers you sought refuge with before and leave the city now. You can work during the day and save more people."

"This is an adult."

Li San looked solemn, nodded, and immediately took the banknote.
"Sir, I still have some potential brothers under my command. These silver notes are the money to buy their lives. Can you give them some more? In an hour, water will come in."

"This, too, needs to be quick."

Ma Guangcheng pondered for a moment and nodded. If he could use silver to get things done, then that would be easy. After all, Shen Wanhe gave him 30,000 taels of silver. As long as he could get things done, it would be okay to give him more. So he took out another 5,000 taels of silver note and put it on the table.

Li San bowed, took the banknote back, and left. Feng Si wanted to ask more questions, but Li San grabbed him back. The two of them left the hall, immediately called their brothers, changed their clothes and left the government office.

As soon as the people left, Ma Guangcheng saw everything clearly from the window, turned around and gave orders to the captain of the government army;

"Send someone to follow them and make sure the job is done."

"Yes, my lord."

The captain, along with a number of soldiers, followed along the street and waited at the city gate.

But Li San and his gang left the government office in a hurry.

First they went to Li San's house. After everyone had a hot meal, Feng Si couldn't help but ask,

"Brother, what's the matter? You agreed to it so easily. This is a crime that goes against the will of heaven and earth. If you fail, not only will you lose your life, but if you succeed and get discovered, you will be beheaded. We have finally settled down, what if..."

"Hmph, what if? It's still uncertain whether I can pass this level."

Li San looked at the whole room with a cold face. Even if they wanted to run away, they couldn't. Many old brothers also had stiff faces and asked anxiously;

"Brother, what are you talking about? Just do whatever you want and come back to collect your money."

"Yes, brother, there are many things to do, but this is the only thing missing."

Seeing that many people were confused, Li San slammed the table and scolded,
"What do you know? Ma Guangcheng asked us to go to the upper reaches of Anning County and dig up the river bank. This kind of thing is not only detrimental to one's moral character, but also a life-threatening business. If something goes wrong in the future and we are caught, we will be confiscated and our family will be exterminated. Now there is no way to retreat. We are being targeted now,"

Feng Si and his brothers looked gloomy. They were going to kill the donkey after it had done its work. They still had a family here. What should they do?
"Third brother, what should we do? It's better to run away with the others."

"Fourth brother, where are you running to? Look, there are soldiers from the government waiting for us at the corner of the street."

Someone was paying attention, and peeped out through the crack in the door. Sure enough, there were government soldiers hiding from the rain in the tavern at the corner of the street. They were clearly following them. When they saw them, their faces were grim, and some of them were about to attack with a knife. Li San immediately stopped them when he saw them.

"Don't worry. Since they want us to do something, they can't possibly harm our lives. But after we're done, we don't know what will happen. So, for the sake of our family, we still need to do this. It's just a matter of how to do it and making good arrangements."

"Hey, Third Brother, it's always time, just give the order."

"Yes, Third Brother, you said,"

The brothers in the room were talking at once, anxiously asking for solutions, but Li San just sneered;
"We brothers came to Jinling to turn over a new leaf. We have done so much for the Ma family. Now he treats us like this. He is unkind, so we are unjust. We have taken the money and the job, but we have to dig the cave entrance carefully. As for the housewife, we can't take it away, but we can wrap the old letters in oil paper. Fourth brother, you go out the back door and borrow a boat from the old brothers at the dock. I will take people to the Xinbei levee in Anning County. After digging the river channel, we will leave by boat upstream and return to the hills of Xihe County and go back to our old business. With these evidences, Ma Guangcheng will not dare to attack the people in our city."

"Okay, let's do it this way. Listen to Third Brother."

Everyone nodded. They were all used to being bandits and came to the city. Some brothers stayed in the old nest to look after the house. In recent years, the officials and bandits have colluded and made a lot of money. In the future, I am afraid that there will be no such good things.
They did what they said. They packed their bags and prepared the carriage. They were about to leave when Li San's wife, Li, came out in a hurry.

"Where are you going, sir?"

Li San turned around, sighed, took out three hundred taels of silver from his pocket, stuffed it into the woman's hand, and said;
"No matter who asks you, you should say that your husband is out on business for Lord Ma of the government office. You should live well with your young son. I will pick you up when I have the chance. When you go back, keep the door closed and don't go out unless necessary."

Without waiting for Li to say anything, the main gate was opened and three carriages drove out from the front door and headed towards the north of the city. Feng Si changed his clothes and took the opportunity to run to the pier outside the west city gate from the back door, found a passenger ship, left the pier and headed north, stopping at an embankment.

At this time,
There was no one in the wilderness,
torrential rain,

Northwest of Yong'an County,

Several carriages came and a group of people got off. Not far behind them, a group of soldiers from the government army followed, wearing straw raincoats and staying in sight.
It was just that the rain and fog were so thick that I couldn't see clearly what was happening ahead. I could vaguely see a few carriages stop and a group of people got out, holding pickaxes and hoes, and started working on the embankment.
The waves in the canal are rising and falling. The wind helps the rain and the rain helps the wind. How can it be stable?

Li San looked at the river and saw a passenger ship had reached the shore. He knew that Feng Si had arrived, so he called out to him.
"According to the old method of nine shovels to empty one, first dig nine holes on the embankment, and finally all of them reach the north bank. Once the water comes, even gods can't stop it. Remember it."

"Remember, Third Brother, it's a piece of cake."

Everyone agreed. They were pirates, so they were very familiar with this. They lined up and started to loosen the soil and dig. They thought it would take a lot of effort, but they dug out a large piece with one shovel. Someone was stunned for a moment and cursed;

"Damn it, Third Brother, this is the dam built by the government. Look, they dug out a large piece with just one shovel without any effort. It will be over sooner or later. There is no need for us to dig."

The others also agreed.
"Yes, Third Brother, you see, we only dare to dig four sections. After five sections, we can't guarantee that we won't be spoiled." Li San immediately squatted down and dug some soil and gravel with his hands. It was indeed loose and tight. It was obviously the result of using low-quality sand on the shore without burning it. Damn, these corrupt officials,
"Then dig four sections, withdraw immediately, and use the last shovel to make a hole. How long it can last depends on God's will."

Li San sighed and looked at the overcast sky. Heavy rain poured down from the sky. The canal was rolling with waves, which was beyond human control. At this time,
Suddenly someone shouted,
"Quickly retreat, the dam is failing,"

With just one shout, everyone was frightened and ran towards the north bank. In an instant, the embankment that had been dug in three sections fell apart like tofu dregs. The rolling white waves rushed into the inside of the embankment and instantly tore a big gap. Without giving anyone time to react, the gap collapsed and the surging river water poured back into the river channel and fields, forming a huge wave that rushed in.

They had never seen such a scene before and were terrified. This was not a levee, but a piece of tofu.
"Stop looking, go away,"

Li San saw the figures of the government troops appearing on the opposite side. He called out and the group quickly turned around and ran. They arrived at the agreed place, boarded the passenger ship, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The captain who followed behind was also dumbfounded. Looking at the river and the embankment in front of him, he felt chilled. Sir Ma actually did this. He immediately shouted to everyone;

"This is a natural disaster. Hurry back and report that the Anning County levee has broken. Leave quickly."

The captain waved his hand, turned around the remaining carriages, and rode back in the carriages.

However, the river was so fierce that it immediately flooded the Anning County Office. Along the river, Shangyu County and Chunyang County were also submerged. The people were wailing. The magistrates of the two counties had grim faces. Looking at the water that was already halfway up the county office, the yamen runners shouted;

"Master, hurry up, hurry up, there is a boat on the top of the city, Master, go first."

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"Wherever I go, there must be someone trying to harm me. I need to file a petition, a petition."

Tang Qingwen had long felt something was amiss. The dam was destroyed just after it started to rain. But the yamen runners didn't care. They took the important documents, dragged the county yamen master and his family, and ran to the top of the city.

"Master, it's already late, run first,"

"Okay, let's go to Jinling City,"

The same scene happened in Shangyu County. The county magistrate Li Zhengchuan reacted early and closed the city gates. Although the flood did not enter the city, the flood hit the fields and farmers outside. The white waves pushed over the fields and made a mess. Thousands of people fled in all directions, but how could they escape the rolling flood? They were afraid that they would lose their lives.
Rumble, it seemed as if even God couldn't stand it anymore and the rain was getting heavier!

Beijing,

Luoyunhou Mansion,

East Garden House,

Zhang Jinyu wanted to sleep in, after all, she had used up a lot of energy last night. She didn't expect that such a weak woman would be so resilient and still have sweet dreams. Who knew that Qin Keqing got up at dawn to wash up, asked Baozhu to help her find men's clothes to change into, and called Yueshu and the other two girls over to tell them about going out today. Yueshu and the other two girls became interested, so they could go out for a walk today.
When it comes to disguise, the sisters took the lead. They took a few human skin masks as thin as cicada wings from Dongyun Tower and put them on. They also carefully painted the disguise costumes. In less than half an hour, the appearance of three young men with slightly prominent chest muscles was revealed. They did not look like women at all. Only a close look at their Adam's apples could tell that they were so realistic. They also took a few jade pendants from the box and hung them on their waists. Finally, they were dressed up properly.

Qin Keqing was smiling, and hurriedly arranged for Baozhu to go to the kitchen to ask if breakfast was ready. She then walked to the bed and pushed the sleeping man. Zhang Jinyu opened his eyes in a daze and saw a young man shaking him. He suddenly woke up and got up instantly. But when he took a closer look, the smell and face of the man were exactly the same as those worn by Qin Keqing in her previous disguise.

I feel relieved.
"Madam, why are you getting up so early? The palace gates have just been opened. It's still early!"

"My dear, don't be in a hurry. It's a great thing to have a free day to go out and play. Shu'er and Yue'er have woken up early. Ningrong Street is already covered with red cloth and silk. The opera troupe has been invited. A buffet has been prepared outside. They said that within three days, the common people and relatives will be allowed to eat there. I heard that Ningrong Street was as bright as day last night."

Qin Keqing brought her husband's clothes and helped the marquis change his clothes. As she was talking, she said that her husband's newly promoted manager had reported back the matter of Ningrong Street last night, and she was quite interested in it. In this way, the Rongguo Mansion could be regarded as a royal family, and Miss Lin would be more noble in the future.

Zhang Jinyu was reluctant, and quickly put on his clothes. He was wearing ordinary tight clothes, and at first glance he looked like a guard of a mansion. He replied unhappily;
"The Jia family has been so generous. Now, the Ningguo Mansion and Rongguo Mansion are almost done. I say, forget about Jia Yuanchun. It's hard to talk about this."

Zhang Jinyu wanted to complain a little. Jia Yuanchun's entry into the palace was a right and wrong move. The right thing was that she was related to the royal family, which gave her face. The wrong thing was that it did not help the Jia family's current situation.
Other options include being a frontier soldier, a military governor, or the direct descendant of the prince of the West or the South. The princes of the vassal states in the interior of the country are definitely not to be touched. The best choice is the wife of a military governor. In the harem, a mother is honored by her son. Unfortunately, Emperor Wu has only three children so far, and none of the palaces have any offspring.
Therefore,
Jia Yuanchun will also end up like this, and when the next crown prince is about to emerge, all her efforts will be in vain.

"My dear, what you said is wrong. In the capital, what matters is the appearance. No one would expose their family secrets, no matter what. No matter how good the story is, the military governors and border troops are far away from the Central Plains. It is not easy for them to return to the capital. Even if Miss Lin's parents are in Jiangnan, they seldom come back once or twice. What's the use of such relatives?"

Qin Keqing pouted and straightened Zhang Jinyu's clothes. Who doesn't want to have a noble person in a family? There is no need to consider so much. Even if the relatives are very close, how many people can help? Remember when Lin Daiyu's mother passed away, only a younger generation of the Jia family passed away, and not even a brother. What kind of relative are they?

Zhang Jinyu was speechless after being confronted by Qin Keqing. It was true that people live by their face and trees live by their bark. In the capital, face was everything. Without it, both inside and outside the capital were ruined. In other words, it was like trying to save face but suffering in life. One had to hold on.

"Madam, you have good ideas. I have been in the military camp and have been with the soldiers for a long time. I don't care much about these rules. You are in charge of the mansion. You are the one who takes care of the interactions between the families. You know a lot about etiquette and rules. From now on, you can handle the things that make me look good."

There is no other way.

In an ordinary family, most of the power lies in the hands of the eldest wife. Generally, the head of the family does not interfere unless it is a major event. Therefore, Zhang Jinyu really has no idea about these things. Even if he has an idea, no one knows what gifts each family will give as a gift.

"I'm not complaining, I'm just saying. My dear, please be careful when you're out there. I'll take care of the things at home for you."

"Well, don't ask the kitchen to prepare anything extra when you get back. Just keep it simple. I have thought of a solution."

suddenly,

Zhang Jinyu didn't know where he was thinking of this. He got up so early in the morning. If he went to the palace, he would pay his respects first. If His Majesty hadn't eaten yet, he might as well go to Rongguo Mansion to have a meal. Didn't they say there was a buffet?

Regardless of my past lives, I have never eaten at a buffet at a noble family. In the past, I often mingled in various restaurants. At those wedding banquets, I ate and drank for free. It was so enjoyable. Unfortunately, the taste of those banquets in my memory has become more and more vague.
Such thoughts are becoming increasingly uncontrollable.

"Where would you like to eat, sir?"

Qin Keqing was a little suspicious. It was so early in the morning and there were only stalls on the roadside or at the street corners selling breakfast. The taverns and restaurants were not open yet. How could she go out to eat?

Zhang Jinyu smiled mysteriously and pointed in the direction of Ningrong Street in the southeast;

"Didn't you say that Rongguo Mansion was preparing a banquet? They would also take care of breakfast."

(End of this chapter)