big song poppi

Chapter 301 0298 [Xu Cun’s Wonderful Drifting]

In just two days, the bandit Zhang San became the leader of the refugee team.

Just because yesterday, Zhang San hunted a wild pig and shared a bowl of broth with everyone.

Liu Mianzhi is ill. Perhaps he ate too many wild vegetables the day before and had diarrhea several times yesterday.

On the third day, he was completely exhausted, his face was pale, and he could not stand firmly.

But the refugee team will not stop because of him alone. The earlier they arrive in Shandong, the earlier they will be allocated fields and food.

In desperation, Xu Cun had no choice but to carry Liu Mianzhi on his back and grit his teeth to follow the refugee team.

But he was alone and weak, and he had only eaten wild vegetables to fill his stomach for the past two days, so he had no strength.

After only walking five miles, I was so tired that I was panting and my eyes were filled with stars.

Listening to Xu Cun's heavy breathing, Liu Mianzhi said in a weak tone: "Brother Chengsou, please let me down. You go to Shandong first."

"Brother Zhong, don't talk nonsense."

Xu Cunxi's words are like gold, and now even one more word feels like a burden to him.

"I'll carry it."

At this moment, a deep voice sounded in their ears.

Looking up, I saw Zhang San standing in front of me at some point.

"Thank you!"

Xu Cun didn't try to be brave and put Liu Mianzhi down with gratitude on his face.

After Zhang San took it, he easily carried it on his back, turned around and left.

The group of people walked and rested until noon, when a boundary monument appeared on the roadside.

There was a sudden burst of cheers from the crowd.

"Arrived in Shandong!"

Just four words put a smile on the faces of the exhausted refugee team.

Everyone felt a burst of energy coming out of nowhere and quickened their pace.

After walking less than two miles, I saw a checkpoint on the official road ahead.

The two-meter-high Juma blocked the official road.

Hundreds of heavily armed Xuanjia soldiers were waiting on both sides of the road, charging towards them with a breathtaking evil aura.

Seeing this scene, everyone's expressions changed and they stopped.

Da da da!
Dozens of cavalry broke away from the military formation and came straight towards them.

The refugee team suddenly panicked. Zhang San swallowed and tried to calm down.

As they galloped closer, the cavalry reined in their horses, and the leading cavalry shouted loudly: "Who are you waiting for?"

Zhang San replied: "This military master, we are here to defect to County Magistrate Han."

The first cavalryman was obviously used to the strange thing and ordered: "Everyone, please turn in your weapons. If you have any secret possession, you will be severely punished!"

Zhang San hesitated slightly. The steel knife was his only property.

Just seeing the cold eyes of the cavalry, he gritted his teeth, first put Liu Miuzhi down, then took out the long knife from his waist and threw it on the ground.

Seeing this, the refugees who followed him also threw away their simple knives and bamboo poles.

With the weapons waiting to be collected, the cavalryman waved his hand: "Come with a certain family!"

The refugees followed the cavalry all the way to the checkpoint.

A gap was removed from the horse, allowing only two people to pass through, and the refugees lined up in a long queue to be interrogated one by one.

When it was Xu Cun and Liu Mianzhi's turn, the interrogating soldier looked them both up and down, and said in a surprised tone: "Scholar?"

"Yes."

Xu Cun nodded and said immediately: "I was invited to work in Shandong. I never thought that I would be attacked by water bandits on the way. My friend is seriously ill now. Can you send me to the nearest county for treatment?"

Hearing this, the soldier's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly asked, "Do you have any proof?"

"As evidenced by letters, my good friend's surname is Xie Mingding. Do you recognize him?"

As Xu Cun spoke, he took out a letter from his arms.

"Thank you, Minister?"

The soldier was startled, took the letter and said: "My dear husband, please wait a moment. I'll come back as soon as I leave for a certain house."

After that, the soldier took the letter and left.

Not long after, several supplementary officials were seen walking quickly.

The letter was soaked in water and the ink was blurred, but the seal was still very clear. It was obvious that the seal was made of fine ink pad.

A supplementary officer asked: "Mr. Yiping?"

"Exactly!"

Xu Cun nodded.

Seeing that someone recognized him, he couldn't help but feel relieved.

The supplementary official looked respectful and said, "Sir, please come this way. I will arrange a carriage to take you to the county seat."

The other two supplementary officials stepped forward to support Liu Mianzhi.

After passing through Juma, I saw several straw huts built on both sides of the official road. The refugees who came in once again lined up in a long queue and were led to the huts on the right side of the official road.

Xu Cun asked curiously: "What are you doing?"

The supplementary official explained: "Mr. Hui, this is after registering the household registration. After the registration is made, each refugee will be issued a voucher. At that time, he can use the voucher to find the town where he settled to receive rice grains and paper clothes. The local government will also provide them with Allocate fields.”

"This is a great move!"

Xu Cun's eyes lit up and he clapped his hands.

In the hut on the other side of the official road, several large pots were steaming, and a faint fragrance of rice porridge surrounded the tip of the nose.

The registered refugees can go to the opposite side to get a bowl of rice porridge with their voucher.

Gollum!
Xu Cun swallowed, his stomach growling unsatisfactorily.

Xu Cun said awkwardly: "My friends and I have been living on wild vegetables these days. Can you give us some food?"

The supplementary officer slapped his forehead and said apologetically: "I was negligent. Don't blame Mr. Yiping. Please come over here."

"It's okay."

Xu Cun smiled.

Taking Xu Cun and Liu Mianzhi under the thatched shed, the official brought two bowls of steaming rice porridge and a small plate of pickles.

Rice porridge is made from grains and mixed with some wild vegetables.

Xu Cun was so hungry that he didn't care about burning it, so he ate the pickles which were extremely sweet.After eating two bowls of rice porridge, Liu Mianzhi looked much better and felt much more energetic.

His previous weakness was partly due to diarrhea, and the other half was purely due to hypoglycemia.

The supplementary officer said: "Mr. Yiping, the carriage is ready. After a short rest, we can set off."

"Thank you!"

Xu Cun raised his hand.

"It's your duty, Mr. Yiping, you don't have to be polite."

The official quickly waved his hand, and then said with an admiring look on his face: "I have read the "Lectures on the Six Classics" written by your husband. Every word is really thought-provoking."

Xu Cun saw that this man's words and deeds exuded a bookish atmosphere, which was completely different from ordinary subordinate officials. At this moment, he also heard that the other person said that he had read his own books, and couldn't help but ask: "Are you a scholar?"

The official said with a ashamed look on his face: "My qualifications are dull and I am still just a scholar."

Xu Cun consoled him: "Don't belittle yourself and accumulate too much. There are many late bloomers. Think of Su Laoquan, who started working hard at 27 and eventually became a great Confucian."

"Students remember the teacher's teachings."

The supplement officer bowed.

At this time, Liu Mianzhi on the side asked: "Are you a subordinate official now?"

Bu Guan heard the regret in his words, and explained: "Mr. Xiujiao knows that under the county magistrate, there are no subordinate staff, and now they are called Bu Guan. Anyone can be an official, or Bu Guan. Participate in the lock-in examination, or be promoted based on political performance."

"In Shandong, whether you are a scholar or not, if you want to become an official, you must start by supplementing officials. The county magistrate said that supplementing officials is the cornerstone of the court. Only by understanding the sufferings of the people and serving as an official can you truly serve the people."

Hearing this, Liu Mianzhi said with emotion: "What a Han Zhen, what a man to share the world with his subordinates!"

The official asked curiously: "Have you never asked this gentleman for his name?"

Liu Mianzhi announced his family name: "My surname is Liu Mianzhi, and my courtesy name is Zhizhong."

"It turns out it was Mr. Baishui who was disrespectful and disrespectful in person."

The official looked solemn and bowed.

As Yang Shi's favorite disciple, he was even more famous than Xu Cun. He, Hu Xian, Liu Zihui and others founded the "Liu Hu School", and his "Collected Works of Thatched Cottage" was regarded as a masterpiece by countless Fujian Luo scholars. The principles of Neo-Confucianism.

At this moment, after finishing their rice porridge, the refugee team set off again.

Upon seeing this, Liu Mianzhi stood up quickly and came to Zhang San with Xu Cun.

Liu Mianzhi bowed and said sternly: "The grace of saving my life will never be forgotten. I don't know where the hero was assigned. I will definitely come to thank you in the future!"

"There's no need to come and say thank you."

Zhang San waved his hand and said loudly: "I just hope that when the two husbands become officials in the future, they will treat the people better for the sake of me carrying you."

"Been taught a lesson!"

Liu Mianzhi and Xu Cun stood in awe and bowed together.

"I'm leaving."

Zhang San waved his hand and led the refugee team to set off.

With a bowl of rice porridge as a base, these refugees are full of expectations and yearning for a new life.

Watching the refugee team leave, Xu Cun said with emotion: "There are real heroes in the wilderness."

Liu Mianzhi nodded in agreement: "With just this sentence, my trip will be worthwhile."

After resting for a while, the two of them followed the supplement officer on the ox cart and headed towards Siyang Town along the official road.

After arriving in Siyang, the official helped to hire a doctor, arranged a place to stay, and lent the two of them a few coins.

After recuperating in Siyang for three days, Xu Cun and Liu Mianzhi set off again and rushed to Suqian.

Before leaving, the two of them left a piece of pen and ink as a gift to the official as a token of their gratitude.

I am overjoyed when I get an official position, as if I have found a treasure.

……

Sitting on the merchant ship, looking at the lively and prosperous scenes in the farmland along the way, Liu Mianzhi couldn't help but chuckle and said: "Brother Chengsou, I'm afraid I can't scold Xie Shouqi."

Xu Cun nodded and said: "Just looking at the people under his rule, Han Zhen does have the appearance of a wise ruler."

The land of Shandong is in sharp contrast with Jiangnan and Zhejiang.

When he was in Siyang Town, he had already felt that the subordinate officials in the town were clear-minded, the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the garrison was strictly disciplined.

While the two were talking, a city appeared in sight.

"Two husbands, Suqian has arrived."

The boatman's voice sounded at the right time.

Not long after, the merchant ship slowly docked at the pier. The two stepped onto the pier and headed straight for Suqian County.

As soon as we entered the city, the bustling atmosphere immediately hit us.

Pedestrians rub shoulders with each other on the street, cars and horses come in an endless stream, and the sounds of hawking, playing and talking are endless.

Suqian was originally a Zhong County. At first, there were only more than [-] people under its rule. However, after it was occupied by Han Zhen, it continued to absorb refugees from Huaihe and Huaihe Rivers, so that the population under its rule reached [-] in just a few months, and this number was still is growing.

Liu Mianzhi exclaimed: "The county magistrate here is quite talented, and he managed a middle county to be so prosperous."

The two of them walked along the street and came to the county government office.

I saw many people crying and complaining in front of the county government office.

These people were dressed in silk and satin, and one could tell at a glance that they were wealthy gentry in the city.

Liu Mianzhi and Xu Cun looked at each other, paused, and watched the excitement.

Not long after, a supplementary official walked out of the county government office and said loudly: "The county magistrate asked you to leave as soon as possible. Don't block the government office."

"If we don't give you an explanation today, we won't leave."

"Yes, I must give an explanation."

"Why should we pay more taxes?"

"..."

The official looked gloomy and said sternly: "Hit me!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of Zaoban officials rushed out of the yamen, raised their water and fire sticks, and beat these wealthy gentry on their heads and faces.

The people who were beaten cried for father and mother and fled in all directions.

"Humph!"

The supplementary officer snorted coldly: "If you don't drink the toast, you will be punished with wine. If you dare to come to the county government to cause trouble again, you will be punished as a treason and let the Qingzhou Army come to quell the rebellion!"

Upon hearing the word Qingzhou Army, the remaining gentry and wealthy people all ran away with a crash.

(End of this chapter)