Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 104

A fleet of Ming soldiers appeared on the canal, and all eyes were on it.

"Here we come." Tan Lun whispered in Zhao Zhenji's ear.

Zhao Zhenji: "Fire the cannon and play the music."

The ceremonial officer shouted an order: "Fire the cannon! Play the music!"

Dozens of guns lined up in two rows shot out continuous bursts of fire according to the order of sequence!
The ten big drums beat at the same time, the trombones sounded in unison, and the suona and flute played the "Triumph Order"!
The fleet is approaching.Outside the official formation welcoming the triumphant soldiers, on the river bank were the people who spontaneously ate pots of pulp to welcome the returning soldiers, and they uttered bursts of heartfelt cheers!

The fleet approached the dock, and the main ship that was docking stopped.Zhao Zhenji and Tan Lun led a group of officials down the pier and greeted them.

After the huge gangplank was set up, Zhao Zhenji and Tan Lun stared at the gangplank on the big ship, and a group of personal soldiers came out and lined up in two rows on the shore.Then a burly figure appeared, it was Qi Jiguang!

The people on the shore let out a thunderous cry!

Qi Jiguang led several generals across the springboard quickly, facing Zhao Zhenji and Tan Lun.

"The merit of all ages! The merit of all ages!" Zhao Zhenji congratulated Qi Jiguang loudly.

"The body of a hundred battles is the blessing of all people!" Tan Lun also congratulated Qi Jiguang loudly.

Qi Jiguang turned sideways and led all the generals to bow.

Qi Jiguang: "Go up to entrust the sage to Hongfu, Hu Butang and you adults are well-planned! I rely on the soldiers to use their lives, and the people support and help!"

Zhao Zhenji's smile was still bright at this time, his eyes were looking at the big boat, and he asked Qi Jiguang: "Where is Mr. Butang? Let's get on the boat to meet him."

Qi Jiguang made a serious face: "Go back to Zhao Zhongcheng, Hu Butang didn't come back with the brigade."

Zhao Zhenji was startled, Tan Lun was also startled, and all the officials who were waiting were also startled, looking at Qi Jiguang.

Qi Jiguang: "In fact, the minister has been ill for a month or two, and he didn't lie down until after the battle. Let me tell you adults, I can't bear the hardship of the boat, and I have to rest in Taizhou for a few days."

Zhao Zhenji and everyone else were moved, cheers continued on the shore, but there was a moment of silence here.

"The dry city of the country! The two imperial envoys should report this matter directly to the emperor." Zhao Zhenji looked at the two Jinyi guards beside him.

On the other side of Jin Yiwei: "Great loyal minister! It's rare! We will play today!"

Zhao Zhenji looked at Tan Lun again: "Zi Li, try to find Doctor Li, and ask him to go to Taizhou and show it to the Ministry Hall."

Tan Lun: "I'll send someone to look for it immediately."

Only then did Zhao Zhenji turn to Qi Jiguang: "There is a celebration banquet for all the officers and men, General Qi, please."

A group of people walked to the pier.

Dozens of guns fired again and again!The drum, trombone, suona, flute, and flute played "General Order"!
Zhao Zhenji's feet, Qi Jiguang's feet, Tan Lun's and two Jin Yiwei's feet climbed up the long pier.

"General Qi, where is Qi Dazhu in your army?" Zhao Zhenji suddenly asked Qi Jiguang while walking.

"What did Zhongcheng ask him for?" Qi Jiguang heard something wrong from his tone.

Zhao Zhenji glanced sideways at Jin Yiwei.

As they walked, Jin Yiwei replied, "We are looking for the Japanese pirate leader Shishiro Inoue when he is involved."

Qi Jiguang stopped for a moment and glanced at Tan Lun.

Tan Lun's eyes dimmed a bit.

Qi Jiguang continued to walk: "He is following Hu Butang now."

Zhao Zhenji exchanged glances with the two Jin Yiwei.

The party stopped talking and boarded the pier.

Only then did they know that at this time Hu Zongxian had already delivered a memorial to the imperial court to complain about his illness, secretly boarded an official boat, went upstream, and had already arrived in Chun'an County.Before returning to his hometown Jixi, he wanted to see Hai Rui.

Haimu was sitting on a bamboo armchair on the left under the eaves of the verandah outside the main entrance. Hai Rui's youngest daughter was leaning on her grandmother's lap, looking at the yard in amazement!

Two large wooden barrels filled with well water were carried by two tendon-protruding arms and walked towards the main house with light steps.Qi Dazhu looked at Engong's youngest daughter with a smile on his upper body.Seeing her surprised look, he simply lifted his hands up, straightened his arms, and walked over with the two barrels level with his shoulders.

"Wow!" The little girl exclaimed.

"Good strength!" Mother Hai smiled as she put her arms around her granddaughter.

When he got to the door, Qi Dazhu walked into the house with the bucket still holding the bucket on his side.

The little girl broke away from her grandmother and leaned against the door to look inside.

Inside the house, Qi Dazhu lifted the handle of the bucket with one hand, and the bottom of the bucket with the other, and shouted to En Gong's little daughter with a smile, "Get out of the way, the water is coming!"

The little girl shrank back, and a large spray of water rushed out from the brick floor of the house like a tide!
Qi Dazhu on this side was teasing Hai Rui's youngest daughter, while Qi Dazhu's woman was cooking with Hai Rui's wife on the other side.

Big logs are grown in the mountains of Chun’an County, and the chopping boards used in every household are waist-high logs. The wood is so good that it can be used for two or three generations.There was a large piece of beef on the chopping board, weighing four to five catties. Qi Dazhu's woman was standing by the log, the kitchen knife flicked up and down quickly, and thin slices of beef were neatly spread out on the chopping board.

"Sister-in-law Zhu, it's not like this." Hai Wife, who was sitting by the door inside the kitchen door, stood up at this moment.

"Ma'am, don't get up." Qi Dazhu's woman put down her knife and walked over. She was about to help her sit down when she suddenly remembered that there was oil on her hand, "If you are pregnant, please sit down, madam."

Hai Wife smiled and sat down, looking at Qi Dazhu's woman.

The scar on Qi Dazhu's woman's face has faded to the point where she can hardly be seen, and because she married a good husband, her appearance is even more charming and beautiful.At this time, seeing Hai's wife looking at him, she also looked at Hai's wife with a smile: "Why is it not like this, madam teach me."

Hai Wife: "You people in Zhejiang don't eat much beef, do you?"

Qi Dazhu woman: "Cows are harder than people. They depend on them to plow the fields and pull carts. We usually treat cattle as human beings, and no one kills them to eat them."

Hai Wife: "My family broke your rules."

Qi Dazhu woman: "Ma'am, don't say that. We just don't kill. When encountering cows that fall to death, they die of old age. Some people still want to eat them."

Hai Wife: "That's no wonder. Beef is not like pork, it's thicker than pork. I heard that you cut pork along the grain, but you can't cut beef. You have to cut along the grain, otherwise the meat will be broken in the pot."

"Understood." The woman Qi Dazhu walked back to the cutting board, picked up the piece of beef and changed its position, and began to cut along the lines.This time it is easier to cut, and the knife is more agile.

"Sister-in-law Zhu is so capable!" Hai Wife praised her sincerely.

The woman Qi Dazhu smiled brightly.

There were two sturdy men standing at both ends of the corridor outside the door of the county government's signing and detaining room. After a little identification, it could be seen that they were Hu Zongxian's personal soldiers, but they were all dressed in casual clothes at this time.

In the yard at the end of the corridor was Hu Zongxian, the captain of the personal army, squatting in front of a small charcoal stove, fanning himself, and boiling soup.

In the signing room, Hai Rui moved the bamboo reclining chair that his mother usually sat on, and spread a thin quilt on it, allowing Hu Zongxian to sit there.

Not only was there a disparity in positions, Hai Rui himself still respected this minister from the bottom of his heart, so he moved a medium-low stool and sat on the side in front of him.

Hu Zongxian's cheeks became darker and thinner, but now he looked at Hai Rui with a smile on his face.

Hai Rui lowered his head slightly: "I had no choice but to send the young master to the Butang at that time. It hurt the reputation of the Butang. I hope the Butang can understand the difficulties of the humble."

Hu Zongxian: "You are protecting my reputation."

Hai Rui raised his head and looked at Hu Zongxian. Seeing his sincerity, he couldn't help being moved.

Hu Zongxian: "I went back to my hometown to recuperate this time, and I made a special detour to see you in Chun'an, just to thank you. There are several things, and this is one of them."

On the contrary, Hai Rui felt a little uneasy: "It's a big deal for the department to see the crime of being a humble official. If you say a word of 'thank you', the humble official would be ashamed."

"Thank you." Hu Zongxian said affirmatively, "I wrote to Quanzi before he came, telling him not to disturb the government, but the first stop when he entered the Zhejiang border harassed the government. The movement. How can I not thank you for blocking this hole here?"

Hai Rui stood up: "If all the ministers of my Ming Dynasty have the mind of a minister, there is hope for ZTE."

"When did Hai Bijia learn to flatter his boss?" Hu Zongxian smiled wearily.

Hai Rui's face was serious: "Hai Rui never speaks against his will."

Hu Zongxian also made a serious face: "I am very relieved to receive Hai Gangfeng's sincere words. Please sit down."

Hai Rui sat down again.

Hu Zongxian then said slowly: "What I should thank you more is that you sent me Qi Dazhu's righteous people from Chun'an. They are loyal, brave and good at fighting, and they saved Hu's life. You have to accept this thank you." Holding on to the armrest of the reclining chair, he sat up straight and bowed to Hai Rui.

Hai Rui hurriedly got off the stool, knelt down, and bowed his hands together: "The righteous people are loyal and brave, it's their credit. The word 'thank you' in the department hall is even more unacceptable."

Hu Zongxian: "Without good officials, there will be no good people. You saved the people in a county, but your mother can only buy two catties of meat for her [-]th birthday... [-]% of the prefectures and counties in the Ming Dynasty were officials like you. The atmosphere will be right. Why are you resigning?"

Perhaps this was the real reason why Hu Zongxian made a detour to meet Hai Rui in Chun'an.Hai Rui knelt there and raised his head.

Hu Zongxian looked at him closely: "Please get up and tell me."

Hai Rui stood up, but did not answer right away.

Hu Zongxian supported the armrest of the reclining chair with both hands, and looked at him closely.

Hai Rui didn't look at him, but after thinking for a while, he replied, "The hall should know about 'Water of the Canglang'!"

Hu Zongxian obviously touched his heart, and stayed silent for a moment, no longer asking him, and slowly lay down, leaning on the armrest of the recliner, his face immediately turned bad, and he opened his mouth slightly to pant.

Hai Rui was startled: "Butang, are you feeling unwell?"

Hu Zongxian closed his eyes, shook his head slightly, and tried his best to breathe evenly there.

Hai Rui hurriedly stood up, "Come on!"

Plainclothes soldiers ran in immediately.A person knelt down on the side of the chair and gently stroked his chest with one leg, and a person walked to the door and called, "Is the medicine ready?"

"Okay! Come here!" The captain of the guard came in with a medicine bowl, and served Hu Zongxian to drink the bowl of soup.Then whispered in his ear: "Butang, you can't talk anymore, go back to the boat."

However, Hu Zongxian lay back, and the captain of the guard quickly followed him and put him on the back of the bamboo chair.

Hu Zongxian waved his hand lightly, and the captain had no choice but to back out.

Only he and Hai Rui were left in the room.

Hu Zongxian looked at Hai Rui again. Hai Rui knew that he still had something to say, so in order to save him some energy, he moved a stool close to his head and waited for him to speak.

Hu Zongxian was obviously short of breath, but his words were slow and clear: "Regardless of position or age, let me tell you a few words."

Hai Rui: "Please tell me the ministry."

Hu Zongxian: "Reading is for understanding. You just mentioned the 'Water of the Canglang'. It was during the war in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, when seven countries were in conflict and there was no common master in the world. That's why people from one country voted for another. My Ming Dynasty is now unified, so why is the water so clear and turbid? An old saying goes: "When the sages come out, the Yellow River is clear." Confucius also came out, and Mencius also came out. Is the Yellow River clear? An official like you who regards the people's hunger and cold as his own is not If you are willing to send to the king, Yao and Shun, if you don’t like it, you will resign from office and go back to seclusion, not to mention the country and the country, what will happen to the people in the world?”

These words shocked Hai Rui, and he couldn't help staring at the Governor of Zhejiang Province who was so close at hand.For a long time, although Hai Rui recognized this person's work as an official, he always had the impression of a "strict party" in his heart.When they met for the first time last time, the two had a short conversation, and they had a little more affection, after all, they couldn't get rid of the obstacles in their hearts.Listening to him say these words this time, the artistic conception is high and the insight is deep, which is no more than that of the famous officials of the past dynasties.Is this what this person is saying?Why should he keep himself?Or maybe this person is treacherous and loyal, so he has other plans!
Hai Rui went straight to the point: "There is a presumptuous remark, I would like to ask the Ministry for my humble post."

(End of this chapter)