Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 214: All the mechanisms were exhausted, but a poor man came out on top!

Suzhou Fucheng,

The flag flying at the city gate tower is very strange, red and black, with a few whites mixed in.

The uniforms of the soldiers standing guard are even more weird.

However, the brass buttons are very eye-catching.

Black military boots and brass buttons are very stylish!

Mr. Lu couldn't understand the armed belt, but he felt very energetic.

There is no tax collected at the city gate.

This surprised him.

In the past, people who donated 1 penny into the city could never avoid it.

Marshal Li may really not be short of money, so he doesn't even look down on this free money.

The country people said that Marshal Li had dug up Shen Wansan's cornucopia. Every day, pots of money kept pouring out, and the house was about to burst.

Although absurd, it is very marketable.

Little did he know that the source of this rumor was Jia Xiaozhen, director of the Strategic Publicity Administration.

He locked himself in his room every day, laughing and making up all kinds of promotional copy.

Some are 70% true and 30% false, and some are 30% true and 70% false.

Of course, most of them are very fake!

……

There are a lot of temporary workers under the Publicity Department, the kind of idlers on the street.

If you need them to do something, just give them a few hundred coins.

Let them drink tea, tell stories along the way, and spread the copywriting to create public opinion.

These idle people are the self-media of the Qing Dynasty, focusing on being close to the people and eloquent.

Although a few hundred pennies is not much, it represents a kind of respect and attention from the Yamen.

In addition to money, idlers can also gain a kind of social recognition.

The teahouse was full of guests, and everyone was paying attention to what he was saying.

This feeling is equivalent to being an official.

……

Mr. Lu spent two days wandering around Suzhou City, but gained nothing.

He didn't dare approach the Yamen on Daoqian Street because there were too many soldiers carrying muskets.

Except for Marshal Li's soldiers in the city, their braids were cut off and their uniforms changed.

The rest of the people are still the same, with melon skin hats and big braids. The rich ones wear long shirts, and the poor ones wear shorts.

It’s still the familiar Qing Dynasty!

Mr. Lu, who was about to run out of money, could only quietly pack his bags and go home.

After all, I didn’t dare to cut my braids~

……

Tongxiang County, Jiaxing Prefecture, Zhejiang Province,

Many people don’t know about Tongxiang County, but everyone knows about Wuzhen.

Miao had a forest department and was stationed in the county seat.

Notices of fines for cutting pigtails were posted in towns and even at the entrance to villages.

Wuzhen Pier,

A group of people gathered around, listening to the bookkeeper shaking his head as he read the contents of the notice.

The coolies dispersed after hearing this. Such illusory things have nothing to do with them.

Just use it as a funny conversation piece to talk nonsense in your spare time.

Zhao Laogui is a middle-aged bachelor with no land, house or money.

He made a living by doing odd jobs for others, and lived in the Chenghuang Temple at night, nicknamed "Agui".

Lazy, slovenly, cowardly, bad-mouthed, everything is wrong with him.

I was just carrying a big bag at the dock, but because I was too weak, I dropped a box.

The owner of the cargo beat him up and drove him away.

Walking to the familiar tavern, he muttered:

"It's on credit from the shopkeeper."

"Agui (q), you have already charged 90 Wen."

"Let's do it on credit again, and we'll settle it together next time."

The shopkeeper snorted and gave him a tael of wine.

……

With Agui's status, he is naturally not qualified to sit and drink.

I can only lean against the wall and drink slowly in small sips.

I hope I can taste the taste of 10-year-old wine from this poor quality village wine.

Suddenly, his ears perked up,

Two dock bookkeepers were discussing the notice about cutting pigtails.

Agui's hearing was very good, and he heard a sentence: "In Jiangnan Province, all common people will be fined 6 tael of silver for having their hair braided!"

Is there such a good thing?

He bent over and asked with a smile:

"One tael of silver for braided hair? Is it true?"

"Of course it's true. It's stamped with the red official seal of the Jiangnan Regiment Training Office. It's white with black characters and a red clay seal. It's unmistakable."

"Where is this office?"

The two bookkeepers got into the mood and decided to tease Agui, an idiot.

"You don't have to go that far, Tongxiang County Government is just there."

"It's the grandson who is lying."

The shopkeeper also smiled, pointed to the door and said:

"See, it's stuck. I don't recognize the word, but you don't recognize it."

Agui walked to the door with the bowl in hand.

Sure enough, there was a notice taped on the empty wall.

The paper is very white, the characters are very square, and the large print is bright red. It looks very formal at first glance!

……

If you cut your braids, give them 1 tael.

One tael of silver can be exchanged for 1 copper coins, enough for a year's worth of wine and a plate of salted peanuts.

The more Agui thought about it, the more excited he became, and he drank up the wine in the bowl.

He strode across the alley to find the barber.

There are bridges everywhere in Wuzhen Water Town.

Agui walked to a high stone arch bridge. The summer wind blew and the smell of alcohol hit his head.

Suddenly he was full of pride and shouted:

"Rebellion, I rebelled."

The few people who were walking towards him lowered their heads in fear and slipped away.

There was also a businessman in silk clothes who actually took off his melon cap and smiled at him.

Agui felt as if he had opened a door to a new world.

He walked towards the old barber at the entrance of the town.

"Cut my braids."

"what?"

The old barber and the customers who were shaving were shocked.

"I said, I want to cut my braids, you cut my braids."

Plop, the chair turned over.

The old barber was so frightened that he rolled over and ran away.

The guests didn't dare to say anything and ran away with their bubbles.

……

Agui was confused, so he took matters into his own hands.

The barber ran away and the guy was nowhere to be found.

I picked a sharp razor and pulled hard, and the sparse braid fell to the ground.

I went to the river and took some photos, and it felt a little weird.

But it doesn’t matter, as long as you get the reward money.

Agui had no money and could not afford to hire a carriage, so he could only walk to the county seat.

But he had never been so far away in his life, so he got lost.

I was so hungry that I ate some radishes on the way.

The next day, I came back feeling resentful.

When he walked into Wuzhen, everyone looked at him in surprise.

Some were dumbfounded, some closed the door in fear, and some boldly asked:

"Agui, where have you been?"

"I'm going to the county government office."

"Your pigtails?"

"Cut it."

"The county magistrate didn't hit you?"

"The county magistrate invited me to have a drink, and I'm back again."

……

A group of people gathered around Agui and invited him to drink.

I want to ask him about his experience.

Unexpectedly, Agui's drinking capacity was so poor that he got drunk after just two taels of yellow rice wine.

He slapped the table and suddenly said madly: "Rebellion, I, Agui, have rebelled."

Half of the people present were so frightened that they knelt down.

Agui was even more proud. He showed off his cut braids and went out laughing.

A group of drinkers were stunned, but they did not dare to laugh at or even beat the thin Agui like they usually did.

The landowner in town also heard about it.

Carrying a box of snacks, I went to the Chenghuang Temple and found Agui who was sleeping in a daze.

"Lao Gui, I heard that you rebelled?"

"Correct."

Agui was still lying down, covering his face with a broken hat, and replied vaguely.

"Then what is this rebellion about?"

"Kill people."

The landguard's back was so frightened that his back bent even harder, and he asked in a low voice:

"Who are you going to kill?"

"Kill Zhao Juren first, then Zhou Xiucai. Damn it, my son will beat me." Agui was obviously in a hallucination and muttered to himself, "Anyone who has a problem with me will be killed, click."

The security guard was so frightened that he couldn't stand still. He left snacks and a bunch of copper coins and ran away.

……

The news that Agui had rebelled and wanted to bring in troops to kill people spread throughout Wuzhen before lunch.

Zhao Juren, Wang Yuanwai, Zhou Xiucai and hundreds of other men and women in the town were all in panic.

They all beat Agui.

Let’s put it this way, about half of the people in Wuzhen have beaten Agui!

As for those who have scolded him, they are probably countless.

In Zhao Juren's house, a group of people were discussing how to deal with Agui.

In the afternoon, the servant sent out to inquire about the news came back riding a donkey.

I brought back a shocking news: Yesterday, soldiers from the county went to the countryside and arrested three gentry. They all clicked.

Zhao Juren pointed at his family and shouted:

"You saw it with your own eyes."

"The younger one watched for half an hour. The county's soldiers, foreign guns, and cannons, and white helmets and white armor, said they were wearing Chongzhen's filial piety. Press the person on the wooden stake, click~"

Wang Yuanwai, who was watching, shivered in fright, feeling that the blade of the knife had reached the back of his neck. I got nervous and sat on the ground.

He said tremblingly: "Agui, how could he ignore the friendship between his fellow villagers and attract troops?"

Zhao Juren complained: "Huh, what does it mean to be from the same hometown? He and I still have the same ancestor. In other words, we are just relatives."

Zhou Xiucai on the side thought to himself,

The year before last, Agui said that his surname was also Zhao, but you knocked out a tooth.

However, in the face of a powerful enemy, internal strife is not appropriate.

……

A group of people discussed until the evening, but they didn't come up with any ideas.

finally.

Wang Yuanwai, who was a businessman, gritted his teeth and stamped his feet, and decided to jump off the ship first.

He hired a soft sedan, took a envelope of silver, and went to the City God's Temple playing some music.

"Master Agui, please come to my house to rest."

The two little maids helped the confused Agui onto the sedan.

That night, wine was served.

After a few glasses of wine, Agui and Wang Yuanwai bowed to each other on the spot.

That night he stayed in the mansion again and served as the groom's official several times.

Wearing silk clothes, her short ear-length hair was neatly combed, and she looked very energetic at first glance.

The people in Wuzhen cried out that they had miscalculated and acted too late.

That night, Zhou Xiucai and his family fled.

Zhao Juren, on the other hand, recognized his ancestors and returned to his clan. He dug out a genealogy he had obtained from somewhere and insisted that Agui was his sixth uncle.

In short, Zhao Laogui has become a great figure in Wuzhen.

Act as judge and arbitrate disputes on behalf of others.

After living in Sanjin's house, there were a group of young women in the family, but there was no Wu Ma.

He also patted his chest and promised that he would not summon the soldiers with white helmets and white armor to come down.

Instead, he quietly went to the city alone and proactively promised to pay him the food on time.

Miao Youlin just thought he was some frightened and wretched country squire, and dismissed him with a word of comfort.

He was busy building cities, expanding the army, and training troops, preparing to become a real local power. There were small conflicts between his subordinates and the Zhejiang Qing army from time to time, and they were in a state of mutual testing militarily.

Therefore, all the towns and villages under governance need to do is be respectful and pay for food.

Even the fine of 1 tael of silver was waived, and a certificate was directly issued allowing for the haircut to be cut.

Agui didn't dare to ask for money. He thought magnanimously and thought that his son was cheating on me.

After returning,

Two thugs in the town were driven out of the town by him in public. Agui received 6% of the family property, while Wang Yuanwai and Zhao Juren received 4%.

Wuzhen has returned to its former peace.

……

Jiangnan is very peaceful, but the surrounding area of ​​Wuchang City is very tense.

The White Lotus army is besieging the city, and small groups of troops are going around to collect food!

Zheng Jiuling, the tenth commander of the protective army, worked as a salesman in his early years and traveled around the streets.

He had some impressions of this area and was looking for a family.

"Brothers, I remember that there is a rich man's manor nearby. It is very hidden in the mountain col. You can't find it unless you walk up to it. You can't see it from a distance."

"Everyone, please spread out and look carefully."

Sure enough, before the sun goes down.

A foot soldier came to report happily that he had found it.

"That family is so smart. There is a large circle of trees planted around it. If I hadn't noticed the sheep dung on the ground, I wouldn't have thought there was anyone nearby."

"Hasn't it been discovered?"

"No, but there is a nursing home there."

Everyone got excited.

Zheng Jiuling discussed with several people and decided to attack at night.

In a night battle, the first reaction of ordinary people is to panic.

And they are veterans who have fought in the war, so they have an advantage.

Chun Shou also became excited and began to sharpen the knife.

Thanks to the care of his adoptive father, he was given a short sword of military standard with a sharply sharpened edge.

meow~

Xiaoju seemed to be infected by this nervous excitement and jumped onto Chun Shou's shoulders.

Making a purring sound.

……

"Xiao Chunzi, you, the cat, can't bark blindly later."

"Don't worry, Uncle Zhou."

The cavalryman known as Uncle Zhou is also an old man named Bailian.

From the mountains of Yunyang Prefecture, he followed the Holy Emperor all the way to Wuchang, and was just recruited into the Guarding Army.

If he completes his mission this time, he will also be promoted.

At night, the moonlight shines like water.

The field of vision is clear and you don’t have to worry about walking at all.

This is often the case on moonlit nights in rural summers.

A group of dozens of people quietly found a depression in the mountain, and then approached lightly.

Zheng Jiuling held the bow in his hand, and the arrows were lightly placed on the string.

His eyes were very good, and he saw a nurse standing on the wall of the courtyard from a distance.

Not moving, probably dozing off.

This manor is the villa of a local squire. According to the owner's arrangement, there are two nursing homes on duty tonight.

But one of them was tired and went to rest secretly.

They took turns and each slept for 2 hours.

Zheng Jiuling suddenly stood up, fully drawing the bowstring and loosening it.

Phew, the guard was hit by an arrow and fell to the ground with a scream.

"superior."

A group of people rushed over and used the only temporary ladder to set up the courtyard wall.

……

The height of the courtyard wall is 1 foot. After all, it is just a squire's manor.

The ladder was not long enough, so the infantry who climbed up first struggled to hold on to the courtyard wall before climbing up.

Then came the second one.

Zheng Jiuling was holding a bow and arrow with sharp eyes.

Be ready to shoot the enemies that appear on the courtyard wall at any time.

He was able to serve as a captain of ten men in the Guarding Army because of his archery skills.

Hearing the footsteps behind him, he knew that Chun Shou was coming.

Said softly:

"We'll fight in later. Follow me closely and don't run around."

"Yes."

Chun Shou also silently took out his short knife and looked at the thick wooden door eagerly.

Within the courtyard wall,

There was a shrill cry: "The thieves are coming." Then there was the sound of gongs.

There was a scream and the sound of the gong suddenly stopped.

Immediately afterwards, the thick elm door opened.

"Come in and kill."

Dozens of people rushed into the manor crazily.

Zheng Jiuling fell behind the crowd instead. After entering the manor, he heard the sound of fighting in front of him.

He climbed onto the millstone, pulling and releasing it.

Holding a spear, the leader of the nursing home who was the most valiant in martial arts was suddenly hit by an arrow in the throat and fell heavily.

The dozen or so guardians of the courtyard dispersed and were defeated.

……

"Killed 7 and captured 31. What should we do?"

"How much food is there?"

"Hey, our car can't even load it. With two warehouses full of grain, I think we can still load it for five trips."

"Great."

To get food, there is no need to ask.

Everyone had a hearty meal first, not only rice, but also fragrant meat.

Zheng Jiuling stood up, and Chun Shou quickly followed.

The prisoners were all kneeling with their heads lowered.

Those wearing cloth clothes belong to the nursing home, and those wearing silk clothes belong to the host family.

Several women were crying over a corpse.

Apparently the head of the family died. The corpse's eyes were wide-eyed, and it was still holding a scribe's sword tightly in its hand.

In Zheng Jiuling's eyes, this kind of sword is just a fancy sword and may not be as useful as a manure fork.

A woman suddenly picked up her sword and cursed:

"You damn rebels."

Bang, Zheng Jiuling drew his sword and knocked it lightly, blocking the sword swung by the woman and sending it flying.

Unexpectedly, that woman turned out to be fierce.

He turned around, picked up the sword, and stabbed it again.

……

Zheng Jiuling didn't want to be merciful anymore and ended it with one knife.

With a thud, the body fell to the ground.

Chun Shou was not afraid, he was used to seeing death during this period of time. Bai Lian's, officers and soldiers', stranger farmers'~

Skeletons on the roadside are nothing unusual.

He just touched the little orange head in the bag and pressed it back.

He didn't want it to see this senseless killing, and despised the Twolegs' cruelty.

It was probably the blood that stimulated the kneeling captives.

A guard wiped the blood that had just been spattered on his face, suddenly stood up and knocked over a dazed Bailian recruit, snatched the weapon from his hand, and stabbed him with his backhand.

"The thief is unethical and wants to kill us. Let's fight."

Most of the guards who were kneeling on the ground stood up to resist.

After a short scuffle, they were all killed.

Zheng Jiuling was a little annoyed, he didn't expect such a scene to happen. But if you kill, you just kill, it’s no big deal.

"Get some rest quickly and transport food back to camp tomorrow morning."

"Yes."

……

Chun Shou looked at the corpses on the ground in silence, picked up a jade pendant from the ground, wiped off the blood, and hung it around Xiao Ju's neck.

obviously,

Xiao Ju didn't like this kind of vulgar thing, so she used her paws desperately to get rid of this burden.

He could only perform his special move, and Xiao Ju was very satisfied, as his fur was being cared for in the most comfortable manner.

In the early morning, Chun Shou woke up hungry.

He quietly got up and went to the kitchen to find something to eat. After entering the kitchen, he saw something crawling out of the furnace with its black forelimbs.

Xiao Ju, who was lying on his shoulder, was so frightened that his hair exploded, his back arched, and he jumped back half a foot.

Chun Shou screamed strangely and drew out his short sword.

(End of this chapter)