Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 542 Only Prince Jia can save the Qing Dynasty
The next day, the court meeting proceeded as normal.

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony,

Qianlong was still majestic and the ministers in the palace were still respectful.

but,

Prince Jia Yongyan rarely participated in court meetings.

Even when attending the meeting, they would wear soft armor and hide sharp blades in their boots. The guards would even enter the Meridian Gate and wait in the square.

The cautious attitude is obvious.

The father and son are at odds and each has his own ulterior motives.

……

suddenly,

A guard rushed into the Hall of Supreme Harmony and knelt on one knee:
"Report~A large number of soldiers have arrived outside the Meridian Gate."

Qianlong stood up instantly and shouted:
"Which government office are they from? What do they want to do?"

"Looking at the flag, it's the Infantry Commander's Office's South Camp, with more than 2000 men, fully armed, and with bright flags."

There was an uproar in the palace.

He Shen asked:

"Did they attack the Meridian Gate defenders?"

"No, just a queue."

Heshen hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly left the Hall of Supreme Harmony and climbed up to the Meridian Gate Tower to check.

outside,

The soldiers shouted:
"Defend the Qing Dynasty, protect the Qing Dynasty."

……

Countless descendants of the Beijing Banner gathered around.

Discussions abound~
This time, this group of people who had always been calm and composed lost their usual ease, and fear was revealed in everyone's eyes.

The Beijing flag people are lazy, disorderly and cunning.

But not stupid at all.

On the contrary, they are particularly savvy.

Having lived in the imperial city for so long, what tricks and ways of playing have they not seen?

In the current situation, if the father and son fail to exercise restraint, the city will immediately become a battlefield.

Therefore,
Jingqi particularly does not want to fight.

They hoped that Qianlong would be sensible, recognize the current situation quickly, not be stubborn and refuse to change his ways, and quickly become the emperor.

What's wrong with being the emperor?
Li Yuan also served as such and lived a very good life.

……

The court meeting was dissolved in an atmosphere of panic.

The ministers walked out of the Meridian Gate in fear and looked at the soldiers lined up on both sides.

Fu Shou took the lead in drawing his sword, and more than 2000 soldiers drew their swords and guns in unison.

Intimidate!

"Ouch~"

Jingqi, who was being watched more than ten feet away, was instantly injured by the sword energy and took several steps back before he could barely keep his balance.

Heshen's face turned pale.

The old man Yu Minzhong was very calm, his face didn't change and his heart didn't beat.

He even walked over tremblingly and asked:
"Brothers, what are you doing here?
"All the brothers in the Infantry Commander's Office hereby announce to the entire city that we are determined to defend the Qing Dynasty to the death."

"well."

Yu Minzhong smiled and stretched out his right hand, flicking the blade with his index finger.

Dang~
“It’s a little rusty.”

Fushou came over, bowed and said:
"Mr. Yu, you may not know that a rusty knife is more effective in chopping people."

……

Yu Minzhong waved his hand to indicate that he was hard of hearing, then he climbed slowly into the carriage with his hands behind his back, hunched over, and left.

When people get old, they generally have two mental states:
Extremely afraid of death, but also not afraid of death.

Lao Yu obviously belongs to the latter category.

After returning to the mansion, he did not hesitate for a moment and immediately sent his confidant to the south with his token and message, informing his two sons to quickly establish relations with the south.

The ship is about to capsize and the earth is about to collapse.

Every day from now on is a countdown!
……

At Fu Shou's instigation, the infantry patrols of the Southern Camp drew their weapons and swords and circled the Imperial City, shouting along the way:
"Only Prince Jia can save the Qing Dynasty."

Businesses on both sides of the street closed their doors, and people huddled in their quarters, trembling with fear.

I was afraid that the leader would suddenly say:
"For the Qing Dynasty. Brothers, grab whatever you want."

Just when things were getting tense, Prince Jia's steward arrived on horseback.

With a complicated expression, he went to the real owner and asked:

"Master Fu, what are you doing?"

"At this point, only Prince Jia can save the Qing Dynasty. I may be a playboy, but I am also a descendant of the royal family. For the sake of the Qing Dynasty and the foundation of my ancestors, I am willing to be a fool to protect the Qing Dynasty."

……

These words are truly passionate.

The honest people were deeply moved and their blood boiled after hearing this, thinking that this was a "Tan Sitong".

but,

The old-timers in the city were not only not moved, but also felt no emotion at all.
Seven out of ten people who talk lightly about justice are bastards.

The butler suppressed his anger and whispered:

"Prince Jia has ordered that the fire has not yet reached its peak, so return to camp immediately."

"Whoo."

Afterwards, Yongyan was indifferent towards Fushou.

but,

Fu Shou didn't mind either.

He was blessed to have two great empires serving him alone.

Don’t you see, after this incident, many people in the capital came to visit him and gave him money.

……

At Jiang Tianmu's request, Fushou secretly sent his mother and son out of the capital, went south along the canal, and lived in the area actually controlled by Wu's army.

Both as a hostage and for safety.

Not only him, many smart people in the city of Beijing were secretly making arrangements for their retreat.

They quietly shipped some of their family members and money back to Shengjing.

For a time,

Real estate prices in the capital and even the entire Zhili region continued to fall, antique calligraphy and paintings were no longer in demand, and gold became a hot commodity.

Some gentry in the north who were not closely tied to the Qing government also began to try to contact the south.

For most of the rich, the imperial court can fall, but life still has to go on.

Protecting the family is the first priority.

……

But the common people in the north were completely unaware that drastic changes were about to happen.

All the people can see are their own and neighboring villages.

The common people only knew the surnames of the scholars in the surrounding villages and the increasing number of tax resistance incidents. The gentry, officials and runners who went to the countryside to collect taxes were like wolves and tigers, and they would whip them at any time.

The grain collection is particularly severe in Shandong and Henan provinces.

Each household was only allowed to keep 50 kilograms of grain, and the rest would be confiscated.

The name of the levy was upgraded. There was no Wuxiang or Huohao, but "early collection of land tax in the 48th year of Qianlong's reign."

If anyone conceals the money and refuses to pay, their house will be confiscated immediately once discovered.

Men were forced to do hard labor and women were sold.

The skinny cows, thatched huts, and thin fields were all confiscated.

……

Shangcheng County, Henan Province.

It is located at the northern foot of Dabie Mountain, half mountainous and half plain, with many rivers flowing through the area, and the agricultural conditions are good.

The spring grain harvest this year is quite good.

but,

The people were in a gloomy mood, with no smoke from cooking fires.

8% of the newly harvested spring grain had been taken away, and the gentry and the county officials were watching covetously.

What can the people do?
The corpse in the cage at the entrance of the village has not dried yet.

Anyone who dares to disobey will immediately have his family destroyed.

Henan Governor Liu Yong was a ruthless man who worked hard for the Qing Dynasty.

It is said that

The government warehouses in the provincial capital were full, so the goods had to be transported north in truckloads.

……

Hujiawan in Shangcheng County is the hometown of Hu Zhihuang, your Majesty’s sworn brother and the current Jiangpu General.

The villagers gathered at the threshing ground, looking worried.

Someone asked:

"Second Master, the food we have at home can only last for 20 days at most. How can we survive?"

The oldest master in the village was smoking a pipe with a frown on his face.

After a while, he gritted his teeth and said:
"I'll go to Mr. Liu's house and ask him clearly."

……

Mr. Liu was the only scholar within a radius of 30 miles. He was amiable and kind-hearted. He even personally came out to the flower hall to receive the peasant, Erye, who had come to his house unceremoniously.

"Xinyang Maojian, good tea, drink it."

"Thank you, sir, thank you, sir."

The second master was flattered. Drinking tea is a symbol of status.

"You, what are you doing in my house?"

"Sir, the county has collected too much grain this year. The villagers are afraid that they may not be able to make it to the autumn harvest." Mr. Liu had a serious expression.
He bowed to the north and said with emotion:

"The Emperor knows all about your difficulties. There is a war going on in the south right now, and the suppression of bandits is at its most critical moment. The Emperor is only lending us food to temporarily divert us."

"Come on, come on."

"Hold on for another month or so, and the court will return the grain with interest. A full 10 shi, enough for the people of Shangcheng to eat until the autumn harvest. There is no need to panic at all."

……

The second master's face turned red, and he waved his hands repeatedly:

"Too much, too much. I dare not eat it like this."

A trace of contempt flashed across Mr. Liu's eyes, which he then covered up with two dry coughs.

Solemnly said:

"Go back and tell the villagers not to cause trouble. The law is not something you can easily mess with~"

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"Yes, yes. We dare not break the law."

"Don't learn from that Hu Zhihuang. He's only a thief for a short while, but he'll be killed sooner or later."

"Don't dare, don't dare."

Actually,
Last year, Mr. Liu brought soldiers from the county to dig up Hu Zhihuang's ancestral grave.

Let’s just assume that’s the case.

A pile of mass graves are covered in weeds on the hillside. The wooden signs in front of the graves have long since rotted away, and the exact location can only be identified by nearby villagers.

……

After Erye left~
The county's household clerk came out from behind the flower hall, pulled out a chair and sat down.

Pointing to the clean tea bowl:
"Mr. Liu, you gave him Xinyang Maojian? Isn't that a waste of good things?"

"Oh, that's not what I meant. Now we have to keep them steady."

"It seems to make some sense."

Mr. Liu held the book in one hand, shook his head and said:
"Don't underestimate the farmers. They are strong but timid. If they start a fight, the soldiers from the county and the archers from the village will not be able to stop them."

"So, we have to lie! Once they run out of food, they won't have the strength to do anything."

……

The clerk read it carefully and gave a thumbs up:
"It has to be a scholar. A bowl of good tea is worth a village."

"High, really high."

"Hahahaha~ Books contain golden houses and Zhang Liang's strategies. Well, I asked the chef to prepare a table of stew. Tonight, we can eat and talk. Can you tell me more about the developments above?"

"Easy to say, easy to say."

……

After eating and drinking, the satisfied Mr. Liu broke into the room of the little maid that he had just bought with 30 kilograms of rice.

After some trouble,
He scolded the crying maid:
"You cheap bastard, you will realize in a few days how happy it is to still have a meal to eat."

The housekeeper who came upon hearing the news hurriedly helped to teach him a lesson.

After waking up, Mr. Liu whispered:
"Hurry up, the fort must be completed within half a month. Raise the outer wall by another 3 feet. Also, go to the market and find a dealer to buy eight or ten large fierce dogs."

"Yes." The housekeeper thought for a moment and asked again, "The fierce dog needs meat, and feeding it every day is a considerable expense."

Mr. Liu looked at the moonlight and showed his sharp white teeth:
"After a while, we won't have to feed him anymore. Pay attention and do it quickly."

"Yes Yes."

The butler's back was covered in cold sweat.

He thought he was dazzled when he saw Mr. Liu showing his fangs under the moonlight.

……

Next to the mall, Huoshan County, Lu'an Prefecture, Anhui Province, Dabie Mountain Area.

Jinzhai Village.

All the men in the village gathered in the threshing ground, and the atmosphere was depressing.

An orange cat was circling around Zheng Chunshou's feet, having fun without any regard for others.

meow~
What do human joys and sorrows have to do with me, the orange cat?
Xiaoju followed Zheng Chunshou all the way from Wuchang. After the Bailian army was defeated, the few remaining troops were forced to live in seclusion in the Dabie Mountains and merged with Jinzhai Village.

Men farm and women weave, a peaceful and simple life.

Dabie Mountains is a refuge for mankind and a paradise for orange trees.

When he left Wuchang, Xiaoju weighed 6 catties, and now he has increased slightly to 20 catties. Dabie Mountains may not be suitable for people, but they are suitable for cats.
……

"Chun Shou, go ahead."

"The officials cannot be trusted, so they rebelled."

Hundreds of men stared at Zheng Chunshou, who was the village's headman who liaised with the government.

"Chun Shou, this is a big deal."

Zheng Chunshou stood up and pushed Xiaoju away with his foot.

He bowed and said:
"My dear uncles, I, Zheng Chunshou, also want to live a peaceful life and do not want to cause trouble. But now, officials from Lu'an Prefecture frequently enter the Dabie Mountains, and we can no longer live here. You can calculate for yourself, how many groups of officials have come to the village this year?"

"Two groups of yamen runners and one group of Green Camp soldiers."

"Yes, they were quite polite when they asked for food at the beginning, but now they are asking for more and more, and their appetites are getting bigger and bigger, huh."

……

Killing intent suddenly appeared in Zheng Chunshou's eyes.

Looking around at the crowd:

"There is no way to retreat, and there is no way to endure any more."

"The officers and soldiers are greedy to no end. We won't hand over the remaining food. We will fight them after we have eaten our fill."

A group of people responded.

"Yes, no more."

"Kill them."

Chun Shou bowed:

"Uncle Wu, go and count the grain reserves of the entire village."

"Hey."

"Fourth brother, take some people and get our weapons. Find a few young men to go to the blacksmith shop and help forge the weapons."

The sturdy blacksmith and his son stood up:
"Shou Wa Zi, what kind of weapon do you use?"

"150 spearheads and 20 long swords."

The blacksmith was stunned:
"Not enough iron."

"Melt them. Farm tools and iron pots can all be melted down. If all else fails, we can still use the bell at the entrance of the village."

……

"You four kids go stand guard at the entrance of the village. If any strangers approach, report immediately."

"Go get 30 men and go into the mountains to cut bamboo."

"Slaughter the chickens, ducks, geese and other surplus livestock in the village, pickle them with salt and dry them in the sun."

"All the carts that have been repaired and are still usable are gathered in this threshing ground."

Zheng Chunshou issued a series of orders.

The crowd in the threshing ground gradually thinned out, as everyone went about their business.

……

"Shou Wa Zi, have you really thought it through?"

"Master, there is no other way. If we hand over all the grain, we will die. I can see that the Lu'an officials don't want us to live."

"Hey~"

2 days ago,

The Lu'an officials went into the mountains again, followed by a part of the Luzhou new army carrying muskets.

They declared viciously that Dabie Mountains was not a "lawless place" and that refugees in the mountains were required to pay grain.

otherwise,

The army entered the mountains, leaving no one alive.

There were 120 men and more than 200 elderly, weak, women and children in Jinzhai Village, and they were allocated 50 shi of grain.

……

Most people in Jinzhai Village have the surname Zheng.

The family's ancestral tomb was built on a small hillside near the threshing ground.

Zheng Chunshou looked at the small raised earth mounds, knelt down on his knees and prayed for blessings.

When you stand up after bowing,
But I saw Xiaoju sitting upright on the grave in the middle, with his paws retracted, kind eyes, slightly closed, basking in the sunshine.

Cats are always mean animals~
He was too lazy to pay attention. He stood up, brushed the dust off his knees, picked up a branch and started writing on the ground, thinking about how to start and where to retreat after that.

……

rebel,

It's never a romantic thing.

No matter how bad the officers and soldiers are, they cannot be looked down upon by the refugees.

In terms of weapons, battle formations, coordination, and logistics, the refugees are no match for the officers and soldiers.

The idea that peasants revolt and take power is a false proposition.

Throughout history, there has never been a truly pure peasant uprising army that could rule the country.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang himself was a peasant, his foundation was the landlord class and powerful armed forces.

Zheng Chunshou did not understand these principles, but he witnessed with his own eyes how the hundreds of thousands of White Lotus rebels in Hubei collapsed.

Whenever I think of it, I still feel scared.

……

"Chun Shou, have some tea. I'll leave it here for you."

"Hey."

Some wild tea leaves picked from the mountains were added to the coarse porcelain bowl, which was steaming.

Zheng Chunshou was thinking hard about how to make his first pot of gold.

Suddenly, I heard a rustling sound.
Turn around and look.

I saw Xiaoju drinking the bowl of tea happily, his eyes narrowed into a line with happiness.

Zheng Chunshou snatched the coarse porcelain bowl and pointed at the pond in the distance with annoyance.

"go."

"Meow~"

(End of this chapter)