Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 473 Help me win the last of the Five Blessings - a good death

Zhao Zhuangwen is not a person who does not understand reason.

It was clear at a glance that this old man was just trying to save his own skin.
Then he showed his white teeth,
He bowed and said:
"In that case, I won't be polite. Thank you, old sir."

After all,

He picked up the half bowl of noodles and a fried dough stick that Wang Jie pushed over and devoured them like whirlwind.

……

This casualness made Wang Jie feel good about him.

Wait quietly for him to finish eating.
Then asked:
"Young Master, could you please teach me a thing or two?"

"I dare not. Please speak, senior~"

"I see that you don't seem optimistic about the future of Wuchang or even Huguang. If that's the case, why don't you leave the city?"

Madam Zhou finally found an opportunity.

Sarcastically said:
"The governor has ordered that all common people who leave the city must pay a tael of cash to leave the city, but Master Zhao can't afford it."

Zhao Zhuangwen's face twitched and he didn't want to pay any attention to this sharp-tongued enemy.

Frankly said:

"What Madam Zhou said is true, but the main thing is that there is food in the city."

……

Wang Jie nodded.

During the war,

An unarmed scholar with no money in his pocket is more likely to die while trying to survive in the wilderness.

And I had the intention of testing him.

So I pretended to ask casually:

"Then in your opinion, is there any way for the court to break the current impasse?"

Zhao Zhuangwen shook his head.
Spit out a word:

"Disaster."

Wang Jie laughed and said:

"It's difficult, which means there is a way. It's just that ordinary people can't accept it."

"Yes."

"Please enlighten me."

"Run~"

……

The guard almost drew his sword and killed the young man who was talking nonsense on the spot.

Wang Jie was calm.

asked:

"Where to run? How to run? Until when?"

Zhao Zhuangwen suddenly became serious.
After a moment's thought, he whispered:

"Run to the southwest in an organized manner, carrying food with them."

Wang Jie asked back:

"With the spring grain stored in Huguang and the autumn grain that will soon mature, the surplus grain is more than one million dan. The roads leading into Guizhou and Yunnan are all small, and even if there are a few rivers where boats can pull up, they can't take much away."

Zhao Zhuangwen grinned.
He showed his white teeth and uttered:

"What you can't take away, you divide on the spot."

“Who will they be given to?”

"Distribute it to all the people in the two lakes."

“Why not just burn it?”

"Food is the essence of heaven and earth. Burning it will bring punishment from heaven. Besides, the imperial court has already let down the people of the world. Wouldn't it be a good idea to take this opportunity to distribute the food that cannot be taken away to the millions of hungry people and win back some of the people's hearts?"

……

The guard finally couldn't hold back anymore, the scholar in front of him was simply too outrageous.

He drew his sword,

shouted:

"Be bold!"

In an instant, all the diners around were scared away.

The lady from the Zhou family who was setting up the stall was also so frightened that her face turned pale.

He explained in a panic:

"Sir, he is just a sour scholar. He has become stupid because of reading too much. His brain is not normal. That is why I refused to marry him. Please forgive him."

Wang Jie waved his hand.
As calm as ever, but his eyes were even colder.

"Even if we distribute the grain to the people, if the Wu army comes, we can re-collect it from the people with a military order."

"It doesn't matter. Dividing grain is an open conspiracy. One division and one levy will increase or decrease the people's hearts. If the court wants to fight back to Huguang in the future, it is very necessary to retain some people's hearts. If a fire burns it~"

Zhao Zhuangwen showed a strange smile:

"Then, the court will never come back."

……

Wang Jie was silent for a long time.
Said:

"I, Wang Jie, am ordered by the emperor to be the governor of Hubei. Are you willing to join the shogunate and temporarily hold the rank of a fifth-rank official to assist in military affairs?"

"My name is Zhao Zhuangwen, and I'm here to meet the owner!"

"Let's go! Follow me back to the yamen."

After taking just a dozen steps, Zhao Zhuangwen suddenly stopped.

"Mr. Dong, can you temporarily give me two or three hundred taels of salary to help me pay off the debt I had for eating noodles at this stall?"

Wang Jie was stunned.
I thought, this guy must be in debt to me for more than just money.
but,

If you want to employ people, you have to make sure they have no worries.

There's nothing wrong with getting an advance on your wages.

……

Wang Jie quickly fumbled with his sleeves~
However, as a governor, he did not have the habit of carrying money when he went out, so he turned his attention to the guards.

The guard quickly took out two silver notes with a denomination of 2 taels.
Zhao Zhuangwen took the banknote and quickly walked to the bewildered wife of the Zhou family.
Hands up,

Lower your voice:

"Madam Zhou, take it."

"The world is in chaos, and people are suffering. Tomorrow, we will leave Wuchang and hire a boat to go to Suzhou along the Yangtze River. It is the safest place."

"I understand what my wife is thinking. It's not that I don't know what's interesting, but what I pursue is not the same as what my wife pursues."

"We are not meant to be together in this life. I hope you can meet your soulmate soon."

After all,

He took two steps back and bowed his hands to the bottom.
……

After Zhao Zhuangwen entered the shogunate, his talent was just as he claimed, that if a needle was put into a bag, it would burst out.

Bold, sharp-eyed, and willing to take responsibility.

The assistant military affairs are in good order.

Wang Jie was indeed not wrong about the person.

Talent in the world has never been scarce.

Although most of the people are mediocre.

But among the huge population base, there is always a considerable number of smart people~
Most smart people live their lives doing nothing.

Because there is no mentor and no platform!
……

A huge empire in a stable period does not need too many smart people at all.

The world has established rules, just like a train rumbling along the rails, there is no need to open up new routes.
It is enough to have mediocre people guarding the area around the railway.

Smart people are self-righteous, they listen one way and think another. They think that their ability to make progress depends 7% on their brains and 3% on noble people.

Mediocre people are different.

He knew that his progress was all due to the help of noble people.

Comparing the two,

It is not difficult to understand how the nobles will choose.

……

In peaceful times,
Wang Jie's exceptional employment would inevitably cause criticism from the Censorate and government offices at all levels in Hubei.

But now is wartime,

Those who talk big are all smart people and know how to judge the situation.

The princes, nobles, aristocratic families, officials and wealthy businessmen are all looking forward to someone brave enough to take up the responsibility and repel the Wu bandits, even if you are a beggar.
No matter what, we’ll talk about it later.

This is called distinguishing between major contradictions and minor contradictions!

……

Mrs. Zhou, who ran the noodle stall, left, and the family quietly left Wuchang and hired a small boat to go down the river.

She sat in the cabin, tears streaming down her face.

After this incident,

She suddenly realized:
Zhao Lang didn't like women, but he loved power. Therefore, even when he was poor and destitute, he was unwilling to commit himself to this woman who had a little wealth and beauty.

Now, this is the life he wants.

"Kid, don't be sad. That Zhao guy is not a good guy~"

"Mother, I understand." Madam Zhou wiped away her tears, "After I settle down in Suzhou, you can help me find someone to live with."

"Hey, hey, okay."

……

The Yangtze River section in Jiangxi,
The small boat passed by the Wu army fleet.

The wife of the Zhou family looked at the fleet of ships.
The last time I shed tears,
Moving to Suzhou was probably the first and last time this bastard told me the truth. The Qing Dynasty was probably finished!

but,

There was still one thing she didn't understand. Since Zhao Lang was more optimistic about Wu Jun, why did he want to work for the governor?

……

Hubei Governor Wang Jie was well aware of her confusion, but he didn't say anything because it would be pointless to point it out.

One cannot possess both youth and the understanding of youth at the same time!

same,

It is impossible for a person to have both an intelligent brain and a slave consciousness at the same time.

Zhao Zhuangwen is already over thirty years old. He can neither be an official nor a bandit. Will he be willing to be a submissive citizen?
Entering the governor's office,

As the fifth-rank assistant in military affairs, he saw many confidential documents of the court.

The little bit of awe he had in his heart for Qianlong and the Grand Council was gone.

That's it?

Wise?

It turns out that the Qing Dynasty is even more ridiculous than he had imagined.

……

As the assistant in military affairs, he is naturally qualified to inspect the new army camp.

The sound of gunfire was deafening, and the nine-in-ten series was carried out with great fanfare.

The wooden target was hit and dust fell down.

Zhao Zhuangwen was very interested in knowledge that he did not understand, and even tried firing five lead bullets on the spot to get a feel for the musket.

It's not easy to be a civil servant.

The scholars at this time wished to stay as far away from the soldiers as possible, for fear of tarnishing their reputation.

Stand on one side,
Carefully observed the training for 2 quarters of an hour.

Zhao Zhuangwen's confidence in defending Wuchang rose from 0 to 10.

Relying on a strong city,

With sufficient firearms, the new army should be able to achieve good results.

Wuchang had no shortage of food, gunpowder, guns, cannons, and swords.

……

The larger parade ground was the new army's artillery training site.

Walk in a little bit,

Then there was a dull sound of artillery fire, like thunder.

Directly in front of the shelling was the side of Snake Mountain in Wuchang City.

The shells hit the mountain, splashing dirt.

Zhao Zhuangwen stood in the distance and saw that the gunners were loading the guns in a standard manner, if not proficiently.

I was just about to walk closer to ask for specific details.

A yamen runner came galloping over on horseback:

"Master Zhao, the governor wants to see you."

"Let's go."

……

Before entering the governor's office,

Zhao Zhuangwen dressed neatly in a red-tasseled straw hat and official robe, and his words, actions, and every gesture were quite official-like.

When his unfamiliar colleagues saw him, they all thought he was a seasoned bureaucrat who had passed the imperial examination and had been in the officialdom for more than ten years.

Actually,
This guy was still using favors to cheat women on the street seven days ago.

can only say,
There is a small group of people in the world who seem to be born with an all-powerful system.

"Meet the teacher."

"Sit down, there's no need to be formal."

3 days ago,

Wang Jie officially accepted Zhao Zhuangwen as his disciple, and if nothing unexpected happens, he will be his last disciple.

……

"I have read the five suggestions you drafted for adjusting the city's defenses. They are very insightful. Don't ask me about similar matters in the future."

"Thank you, Master."

"I have a bold idea. I will cross the river with iron chains and sink ships to block the river, thus preventing the Wu pirate fleet from entering the Han River. What do you think?"

Zhao Zhuangwen was stunned and saw that Wang Jie was not joking.

Then he opened his mouth and said:
"The Wu thieves will concentrate all their forces to attack Wuchang first."

"What do you suggest?"

"The Dongting Lake navy is rushing to Xiangyang to provide assistance and will pass by Wuchang tomorrow. Master, please detain them and strengthen the city's defenses."

"it is good."

Wang Jie, who has always been cautious in doing things, also acted boldly for once.

It was not caused by the disciples.
But he knew in his heart that the court could not blame him.

Only living people can be held accountable.

Dead, irresponsible.

After blocking the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Han River, Wuchang entered the countdown to its fall.

……

Wang Jie is getting old.

He got all the honors he deserved.

The Book of History says: The five blessings are longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and a good end to one's life.

Wang Jie is almost 60 years old.

It is considered a long life in this era.

Of the five blessings, he only needs to take the last one, the final exam.

Common name: a good death.

Die easily, die suddenly, die gloriously, die without suffering for yourself and without burdening your family.

Too difficult~
Wang Jie, he wants to collect all five blessings.

However, he still looked down on Shi Kefa.

Shi Kefa was a terrible official, but he had a good death.

Wang Jie wanted to be the Zhang Xun of the Qing Dynasty.
Who can bear the test of "leaving a good reputation for generations and a name recorded in history" to test middle-aged and elderly Confucian scholars?
It's no exaggeration, I'm salivating~
……

Zhao Zhuangwen remained silent.
Wang Jie smiled meaningfully and said:
"Master, there is one thing I don't understand. After entering the shogunate, you have been measured in your words and deeds, and you have been experienced and steady. You have never mentioned any shocking suggestions such as giving up Huguang and distributing grain to the people. The contrast between before and after is so different, why is that?"

Zhao Zhuangwen bowed:
"Since it has come, I will follow it. I know these suggestions will not be adopted by the court, so I simply keep silent. When I was poor and destitute, I could only use my arrogance to intimidate the villains. Now that I have entered the court, I should restrain my arrogance and keep a low profile. Such a contrast in life is essentially for survival."

"Good! Good, it's not easy for you to have such insights."

Wang Jie was quite pleased and even stood up and walked a few steps with his hands behind his back.

suddenly,

He turned his back to this closed disciple.

Asked in a low voice:

"There is one more thing you must not hide from me. Have you ever thought that a wise bird should choose the right tree to inhabit?"

Zhao Zhuangwen was sad.
Answer:

"I dare not hide it from Master, yes!"

……

Wang Jie turned around with no expression on his face.

"No one is allowed within 5 meters of the study."

"Yes."

The guard in the corner quickly left.

Zhao Zhuangwen straightened his back, realizing that the following conversation would be crucial.

"You have never passed the imperial examination, and the court has not shown much favor to you. Therefore, you have some resentment in your heart, and I can understand it. Now that you are serving the court, you should not have any absurd thoughts. Now I ask you, if you were the governor, how would you fight Huguang?"

"The best strategy is to abandon Huguang and lead the elite troops to retreat to the southwest. Swords, guns, gold, silver, copper, iron, food, and all other useful materials should be withdrawn. If they cannot be withdrawn, they should be distributed to the people. In the future counterattack, the people's hearts can be used. The common people are like clear water, humble and powerless on weekdays, but when the mountains collapse and the earth cracks, they can become floods. This is a strategy for national war, and the effect will not be obvious for a while."

"The middle strategy is to defend Jingzhou to the death. Let the Dongting Lake navy and the elite infantry and cavalry conduct guerrilla warfare a hundred miles away. Give generous rewards to the Oirat Mongol cavalry as the vanguard, wait for an opportunity, and attack from both inside and outside. Even if we cannot win, we can exchange 1000 for 800, or 1000 for 500. A draw is considered a win."

"The worst strategy is to defend everywhere and resist at every turn."

……

Wang Jie sighed:

"What you said is not without reason, but the standpoints are different. You don't see it from the court's perspective, and you don't feel bad about giving up whatever you want."

"Disciple understands!"

The conversation fell into silence.

"What do you think of the court?"

"I am grateful to you, Master. You have great trust in me and I have never been hindered in assisting you in military affairs."

Wang Jie looked at his disciple with a frank look in his eyes.
Hesitant to speak,

After a long while, he slowly said:
"Today I will give you a clear promise. When things are hopeless, you can sneak out of Wuchang without dying with the city. But before that, you must do your best. Assist me in being Zhang Xun! I want to see the Wu thieves' blood flow like a river under the city."

Zhao Zhuangwen bowed solemnly and left.

This conversation is important.

Both the master and the disciple got the answers to their most concerned questions.

……

(End of this chapter)