The days when I ransacked the house in Jinyiwei

Chapter 364 The Twelve Years of Zhengde

(Open volume 22 "Zhan Yingzhou")

In the twelfth year of Zhengde, April 26th, the beginning of summer.

A huge mansion in the north city of the capital.

On the gate of the mansion hangs a gilded plaque "Jin'an Marquis Mansion" inscribed by an imperial hand.

This mansion belongs to Jin'an Hou Changfeng.

Two years ago, Chang Feng's cousin Chang Qingli died of illness. Chang Qingli had no heirs. The members of the Chang family held a family temple for discussion and decided to write a letter to Emperor Zhengde and recommend Chang Feng to succeed Jin'an Marquis.

The Chang clan people's calculations were in full swing. Whoever becomes the Marquis of Jin'an will be the chief of the Chang family.

If the patriarch is the powerful Chang Butcher, the whole family will have a big umbrella. As the saying goes, it's good to enjoy the shade under a big tree.

So the Chang clan members jointly wrote to Emperor Zhengde, requesting that Chang Feng be allowed to attack the prince.

Emperor Zhengde believed that Changfeng had served the Zhuming royal family for thirty-five years since he joined the Jinyiwei as a warrior in the 19th year of Chenghua's reign, and he had worked hard and achieved great results. You should also be a true honorable person.

In addition, the Chang clan members took the initiative to request it, so Emperor Zhengde was happy to be a smooth favor.

As a result, the constant wind attacked the Marquis of Jin'an. Liu Xiaoyan became the wife of Jin'an Hou, and Chang Ponu became the prince of Jin'an Hou. Chang Qingyun became Jin'an Hou Shisun.

In the past six years, Emperor Zhengde was extremely kind and honorable to the Chang family. Even Mrs. Ninth, who was Chang Feng's concubine, was awarded a second-grade imperial edict. Biyun conferred a third grade imperial edict.

Chang Ponu was promoted to the prefect of Baoding in the ninth year of Zhengde, and was promoted to the inspector of Northern Zhili in the eleventh year of Zhengde. Within a year, the right minister of the Ministry of Revenue was vacant. Chang Ponu was promoted to Beijing again and acted as the right minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs.

There was no way, Chang Ponu was promoted too quickly by Emperor Zhengde. Emperor Zhengde could only add the word "acting" in front of the official title of his right minister, so as to save the officials from making noises.

Chang Ponu was only responsible for one thing in the household department - raising military expenses for Emperor Zhengde.

Emperor Zhengde had been planning the Northern Expedition for many years. Now the Beijing camp and the frontier army have taken on a completely new look. The strength of the Ming army returned to the level before the defeat of Tumubao.

At this time, Emperor Zhengde had enough capital to imitate Taizong, drive his own troops and march across the grasslands.

Chang Feng's in-law Li Dongyang died of illness in his hometown of Chaling, Huguang, in July last year. Emperor Zhengde posthumously awarded him the title of Grand Master and his posthumous title of Wenzheng.

Since the Tang Dynasty, being awarded the posthumous title "Wenzheng" after death has been the highest pursuit of civil servants in all dynasties.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China by Taizu, Li Dongyang was the first person to receive the posthumous title "Wenzheng". (Note: Fang Xiaoru was posthumously named by the small imperial court of Nanming)

Li Dongyang returned to his hometown after serving as an official in the seventh year of Zhengde. In the last five years of his life, he spent the rest of his life surrounded by curses. Most of the civil servants in the imperial court and the entire Jiangnan officials said that he was a "soft-headed former chief assistant" who was submissive to the powerful eunuch Liu Jin. Li Dongyang was in great pain.

He was an honest official throughout his life. I don’t know where the Qing Dynasty went compared to Liu Jian and Xie Qian. As a result, he was destitute after returning to his hometown.

As an in-law, Chang Feng sent people many times to give him pension money. They were all declined by him.

People always have to eat. What's more, Li Dongyang still has a large family to raise?

Li Dongyang was forced to make a living by selling calligraphy and painting. Moreover, his calligraphy and paintings never include his own name. They all make up some signatures that no one has heard of, and put the calligraphy and paintings on sale in the market.

Li Dongyang deserves the word "Wen Zheng".

Chang Feng's close friend Wang Shouren has been transferred to Jiangxi. Wang Qiong, the Secretary of the Ministry of War, admired Wang Shouren very much. With Wang Qiong's strong recommendation, Emperor Zhengde was promoted to the governor of Southern Jiangxi and received the title of Censor of Zuo Qiandu of the Capital Inspectorate.

The governors of the Ming Dynasty were divided into fifteen major governors and eight minor governors.

The so-called "big governor" refers to the thirteen provinces and two direct governors.

The eight minor governors include the governors of Nangan, Yansui, Xuanfu and other places.

Although the governor of Southern Jiangxi was a minor governor, Wang Shouren finally became a local governor and established a government office, allowing him to display his talents and ambitions.

What court officials fear most is being the governor of Southern Jiangxi. Because the biggest specialty of southern Gansu is bandits.

Southern Jiangxi is not plentiful and its production is not profitable. In the Ming Dynasty, there had always been unruly people born out of poor mountains and harsh waters.

It was too late for the court officials to hide from this shortcoming. Wang Shouren went happily.

As soon as he took office, Wang Shouren discovered that Nangan was a place full of vitality and everything was flourishing. Bandits numbering in the dozens and tens of thousands participated in the event.

The bandit leader Xie Zhishan occupied Hengshui, Zuoxi and Tonggang; the bandit leader Chi Zhongrong occupied Huantou; the bandit leader Gao Kuaima occupied Lechang; the bandit leader attacked Fuquan and occupied Chenzhou, and the bandit leader Chen Yueneng occupied Dayu.

In the entire southern Jiangxi, the government controls almost half of the area and the bandits control the other half.

Wen Sen, who took office as the governor of southern Jiangxi, resigned because he could not control the situation, so he packed up his bed and rolled up his sack.

Since ancient times, officials and bandits have been part of the same family. There are countless bandits’ eyes and ears in the government.

What Wang Shouren faced was such a fragmented Southern Jiangxi that was ablaze with wildfires.

For mediocre officials, Southern Jiangxi is a disaster. For Wang Shouren, Nangan is the stage for him to display his talents!

After he took office in the summer of the 11th year of Zhengde, he first spent half a year clearing out the bandits' eyes and ears in the government. At the same time, he selected 3,000 young men from the 30,000 Southern Gan Guard Army and stationed them in Shanghang County, which was surrounded by large groups of bandits.

There is no room for sand in the eyes of bandits. Not to mention the three thousand nails personally led by the governor of Nangan! The bandit leaders formed a blood alliance and went to Shanghang to "annihilate" the government troops.

That's right, in other places the government and army suppressed bandits. In southern Gansu, bandits suppressed the army.

The enemy was outnumbered and we were outnumbered. Wang Shouren pretended to retreat, and then responded with a carbine. This time the carbine force was a little stronger - "Forty villages were destroyed in a row, and more than 7,000 bandits were killed and captured."

Wang Shouren's first battle to suppress bandits in southern Jiangxi was successful.

The documents of the great victory arrived in the capital, and Emperor Zhengde Longyan was overjoyed! The emperor wrote a personal letter, encouraging Wang Shouren to make persistent efforts to put an end to the banditry in southern Jiangxi.

But Wang Shouren took it to the court - Your Majesty! The governor of Southern Jiangxi had too little power to mobilize more garrison troops. There is nothing I can do.

Wang Shouren is indeed very courageous. When Liu Jin gained power, he dared to scold Liu Jin. Now I dare to bargain with the emperor.

Emperor Zhengde was not only not angry, but overjoyed. I'm afraid you don't dare to ask for power from me! The governors of other places want power from me, but they have ulterior motives and evil intentions. The governor of Southern Gansu wants power from me, he is responsible and dares to act! I give it to you!

Emperor Zhengde made an exception and granted Wang Shouren, the "little governor", a royal flag, and the entire Jiangxi garrison was under his command.

Wang Shouren is even more powerful now that he has greater military power!

In February, Wang Shouren marched into Dayu, defeated thirty-seven bandits' strongholds, and killed and captured 4,600 people. In March, he conquered Zuoxi and Hengshui, defeated eighty-four bandits' strongholds, and killed and captured six thousand. Then he sent troops to Ganzhou and killed and captured two thousand people.

The rest of the bandits fled in all directions, like birds and animals.

Wang Shouren also posted a placating notice, asking anyone who had been a bandit to register with the government voluntarily, and the government would not blame them. Otherwise, if found out afterwards, they will all be beheaded.

At one time, more than 20,000 bandits rushed to the government to surrender.

Wang Shouren is only honest with honest people, not with bandits! Let bygones be bygones? Oh, I believe you will lose.

He asked more than 20,000 people who surrendered to report themselves. Anyone whose life is in hand will be killed without mercy. The leaders of the bandits, big and small, were also killed without mercy.

Among the scholars in Jiangnan, Wang Shouren was known as "Mr. Yangming" and "a sub-sage" who was extremely knowledgeable. In the mouth of the bandits in southern Jiangxi, it is "the king's shaved head".

In this way, the banditry in Southern Jiangxi, which had troubled the imperial court for more than 20 years, cost countless military expenditures, and left five governors helpless, was completely put down by Wang Shouren in only ten months. Emperor Zhengde took a look and said, "Oh, this Wang Shouren is so good!" The banditry in southern Jiangxi has been put down by you, and the banditry in western Fujian and eastern Guangdong will also be left to you!

As a "little governor", Wang Shouren was able to command the garrison armies of Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong provinces. He fought consecutive battles in western Fujian and eastern Guangdong. The bandits from all walks of life dispersed.

You think that I, Wang Shouren, am just a scholar, but you don’t know that I am an out-and-out Ming Dynasty God of War.

This "god" is not something Wang Shouren calls himself. Officials and people in the south all called Wang Shouren the "immortal governor".

After the bandits have been suppressed, we must come up with effective methods to prevent bandits from resurrecting.

Wang Shouren restored the Qin and Han Dynasty Baowu system among the Hakka people in Jiangxi. Establish "old soldiers of fathers" and "old soldiers of sons and daughters" in various places, which are what later generations call militias.

Then Wang Shouren began to set up schools and promote education. Promote the "Ten Family Monuments" and the "Southern Ganxi Township Agreement". The aggressive and aggressive culture in southern Gansu was changed. The whole of southern Gansu has taken on a new look.

Next is to encourage land reclamation. "All the new fields reclaimed will belong to the people who reclaimed them." When people have food to eat, they will naturally stop making trouble. This is the fundamental way to eliminate banditry - this is the truth he realized from his interactions with the Miao people when he was demoted to Longchang.

The so-called saints should not only create doctrines but spread them for thousands of years. They should be able to put theory into practice and make it effective.

From this standard, there is actually only one saint in China. That is Wang Shouren. Confucius and Mencius were inferior to them. As for Zhu Xi and Er Cheng, who were known as the second sages, they were just hypocrites and rotten Confucians who were seeking fame and reputation and restraining human nature.

It stands to reason that Wang Shouren made such a great contribution in southern Gansu. Not to mention being a civil servant like Wang Yue, he should at least be promoted from the title of Censor of Qiandu to the title of Minister of the Ministry of War.

However, Emperor Zhengde only gave verbal praise to Wang Shouren in his newspaper for his achievements.

This may be due to the jealousy of the young and energetic Emperor Zhengde. There can only be one God of War in the Ming Dynasty, and it’s me! Not you Wang Shouren.

Xu Guangzuo, Chang Feng's brother in life and death, seems to have awakened his Zhongshan King bloodline in the past few years, or maybe he is too old to play anymore. He no longer visits brothels, admires skinny horses, or plays with his mother-in-law. Instead, he stayed in the Beijing camp for many years, training soldiers, and practicing riding and archery.

Emperor Zhengde appreciated him greatly. If it weren't for Xu Miaoyun's kinship, Xu Guangzuo would be Emperor Zhengde's cousin. Even Emperor Zhengde wanted to accept him as a fat godson in his fifties and weighing more than 200 pounds.

Chang Feng's sister Chang Tian is thirty-eight years old. The watery girl who was loved by everyone back then has become a fat and bloated woman. She is still a guest of Queen Mother Zhang and Queen Xia.

Chang Feng's brother-in-law Huang Yuan was the fourth-rank Shaoqing in Guanglu Temple. He is an official in charge of the cook. Chang Tian often goes to the kitchen of Guanglu Temple to enjoy the autumn breeze. No wonder he's so fat.

Chang Feng's adopted son You Jingwu is worthy of You Tianjue's bloodline. Compared with running secret errands in Jinyiwei, he is better at leading troops. Now he has been promoted to the capital. In charge of Fenwu and Xianwu battalions are 30,000 soldiers and horses.

In the west courtyard of Jin'anhou Mansion is the Jingxin Hall.

The Jingxin Hall is located in the most tranquil place in the entire Hou Mansion. It was given by Chang Feng to his thirteen-year-old grandson Chang Qingyun to improve his studies.

Thirteen-year-old Chang Qingyun is about the same age as Jia Baoyu appeared in the later masterpiece "A Dream of Red Mansions".

Jia Baoyu's romantic style pales in comparison to Chang Qingyun's.

Chang Qingyun sat in front of his desk, shaking his head and reciting "Shang Shu".

The eighteen-year-old maid Chunmei came to pour him tea. This Chunmei is tall and fair-skinned.

Chang Qingyun asked: "Where are Xia Yue and Qiu Gui?"

Chunmei replied: "One of them has suffered from heat stroke and is resting in the bedroom. The other has gone out of the house to visit relatives."

Chang Qingyun's eyebrows were filled with joy: "So, there are only two of us in the Jingxin Hall at the moment?"

Chunmei's face turned red: "Master, you are not serious again."

Chang Qingyun smiled and said, "Hey, sister Chunmei." After saying that, he took Chunmei's hand and said, "Sister Chunmei, I feel so uncomfortable that I'm about to die. Please help me. Please."

Chunmei quickly pulled her hands away: "It's in broad daylight. I want the Marquis, Madam, and Jiu Yiniang to know that they are not allowed to break my legs?"

Chang Qingyun smiled and said: "No. If you want to break it, you will break my leg. They won't let it go! If my leg is broken, how can the Chang family continue the family lineage!"

Chunmei chuckled: "Hu Qin again. What does a broken leg have to do with continuing the family line?"

Chang Qingyun said: "It depends on which leg is broken. Sister Chunmei, let's go lie down on the couch over there for a while."

Chunmei was deliberately anxious to Chang Qingyun: "I don't. If someone comes to Jingxin Hall and sees you treating me like a fool, how can I have the face to see others! It's still night, when I go to wait for you to undress and sleep. "

Chang Qingyun said: "I can't wait any longer! Sister Chunmei, Living Bodhisattva, please!"

Spring plum blossoms cannot defeat the evergreen clouds. Besides, if she becomes pregnant with the Marquis's grandson's child, wouldn't her maid become a pheasant and become a phoenix? From now on, she can at least be the aunt of the Hou family.

The two of them are as glued to each other as they want to enjoy the feast.

Liu Xiaoyan came to deliver bird's nest soup to her great grandson. She is fifty-two years old this year, and her hair is half gray.

As soon as she entered the study room, she saw her great grandson lying on the couch with Chunmei.

When Chunmei saw her, she exclaimed: "Ah!"

Then Chunmei almost rolled off the couch and knelt down in front of Liu Xiaoyan: "Madam, I deserve to die. I know I was wrong."

Liu Xiaoyan did not blame her: "If you want to blame this kind of thing, you have to blame the man. It's not your fault. You go down first."

Chunmei fled.

Chang Qingyun wished she could find a crack in the ground and crawl in. She was so embarrassed that she dug her feet into the courtyard.

Liu Xiaoyan sighed: "Oh, I really don't know how you were born. When your father was thirteen, he took a slingshot to the pond in the back garden of our old house every day to shoot that fat tortoise. How could he know that kind of thing? thing?"

"That's good for you. Of the three maids around you, two of them slept with me just knowing them!"

Chang Qingyun put on her clothes and knelt in front of Liu Xiaoyan: "Grandma, Qingyun knows that she was wrong."

Liu Xiaoyan said: "I'll go and beg the Queen Mother tomorrow. Let her pick you a powerful wife from the clan and noble family. This will save you the trouble with your maid all day long."

"I think Ling'er, the second daughter of Xu Guangzuo's family, is pretty good! She's only fifteen, and she's already mastered in wrestling. She's so tight!"

Chang Qingyun said quickly: "Grandma, farewell. Xu Ling's mother-in-law has bullied me since I was a child. If she becomes my wife, I will have to be a rake for the rest of my life!"

Liu Xiaoyan said: "That's all. Let your servant Nan Cheng go to the warehouse and get two taels of musk. That monkey boy will definitely know how to use it."

"What if the maid gives birth to a child? If the eldest son is not a legitimate child, then what's the point?"

"Stop kneeling and get up to eat the bird's nest! Your grandfather has been busy these days and has been unable to guard the house in Jinyi. You can just mess around!"

(End of this chapter)