Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 21

"Father." The daughter's voice came timidly in the silent night courtyard, as if something suddenly grabbed Hai Rui who was walking to the small door!

Hai Rui turned his head quickly, and saw his daughter's weak figure appearing at the door of the main house.

Hai Rui turned around again, and now his daughter was jogging towards him.

Hai Rui immediately put down the luggage in his hands, squatted down, and hugged his daughter who threw herself into his arms.

The daughter sobbed: "Daddy came to pick up Nana..."

"Yes. Daddy will come to pick up Nana." Hai Rui said softly, putting his arms around his daughter, and with the other hand, he opened the drawer beside him, took out a lotus leaf rice cake, and stuffed it into her daughter's hand .

The daughter sobbed: "Father is traveling far away, Ah Nan doesn't want to..."

"Father gave it, and Ah Nan wants to pick it up." At this moment, the wife came over and hugged the daughter.

Hai Rui slowly picked up his luggage again, looked at his daughter who was hugged tightly by his wife, turned around resolutely, and walked out of the small door.

Gao Hanwen, who went to Hangzhou from Beijing, was in a different situation.There are soldiers escorted by four horses in front, and soldiers escorted by four horses in the back. There are also two horsemen on both sides of the carriage, and this trip is very impressive!According to regulations, it is arrogance for the magistrate of Hangzhou to appoint such a pomp.But this was Yan Shifan's arrangement, and it was the cabinet's arrangement in the eyes of outsiders. He ran across several provinces along the way, and replaced horses at various post stations. Before the man arrived in Zhejiang, the momentum was enough to declare that the imperial court's determination to change rice into mulberry was overwhelming!
Gao Hanwen in the carriage was full of emotions all the way.It took less than four years for Zhongjinshi to enter Hanlin, and he took up this important task.In his life, he took Mencius's teacher's study as his standard, and he pursued such a happy life of running around like a horse.Yan Shifan's important use gave him a chance to display his ambitions, but after all, Yan's mansion was not favored by Lixue Qingliu, and his trip was criticized in Qingyu.The national policy of changing rice to mulberry must be implemented, and hundreds of thousands of victims of the disaster must be relieved. How to achieve both, even Hu Zongxian, who has always been known for his ability, is at a loss.In other words, even if the national policy of changing rice to mulberry is implemented this time, if public resentment is aroused, it is hard to predict how the government and the public will think of him.But the hardships of the Hanlin Academy are unbearable after all, and the purpose of accumulating talent and raising hope is to put it to good use, and earning it out of the water will not be in vain.Therefore, we did not stop all the way, traveling day and night.It was the end of May at that time, and the sun was shining brightly, so he simply ordered someone to remove the roof of the sedan chair, and remove the door curtains and curtains, in order to commemorate the meaning of eating and sleeping in the open.When I run fast, sometimes I stand up and stand by Shi.The wind of the car is blowing against the face, the sleeves of the clothes are fluttering, and the solemn and solemn hesitation is always the feeling of the ages!

The horse team ran like this, and Gao Hanwen had a long way to go, with the bumps outside his body, and suddenly felt that the car slowed down, and his clothes didn't flutter.After a closer look, it turned out that a post station had arrived.

"Take a rest." Gao Hanwen ordered.

But as soon as the four horses driving ahead entered the gate of the post station, they all stopped there.

This is a county post, and the yard is not very big. At this time, there are more than a dozen horses scattered inside. Some soldiers are feeding the horses, feeding water, feeding and brushing their fur. There is no open space inside, and Gao Hanwen's horse team can't squeeze in. .

"What's going on?" Gao Hanwen's entourage came in and asked loudly.

The four cavalry who came in earlier did not answer, but just motioned him to look at the situation in front of him.

The attendant said to the busy soldiers: "He's from Beijing, who will pick you up?"

Those personal soldiers who should be fed water and food are still feeding water and food, and those who should brush their fur are still scrubbing their fur, and no one pays attention to him.

The attendant raised his voice: "Is there anyone picking up the station?"

Gao Hanwen also walked in at this time.

Seeing him, a postman in the stable came over with a bitter face: "I have seen you, sir."

Gao Hanwen's entourage: "We are from Beijing. We are going to Hangzhou to take up our post. Why is there no one to pick us up?"

The postman's face was still bitter: "The grown-ups have all seen that we have nothing to feed the horses that have been allocated before. No, even our rations have been fed to the horses."

Gao Hanwen and his entourage looked towards the manger on the ground in the yard. There were indeed soybeans and millet in the manger, but not much, and the horses were scrambling to chew.

The attendant didn't care about this: "Our horses will never go hungry."

The courier said, "Then you should go and discuss with them, and see if they are willing to give up some materials."

Gao Hanwen continued, "Whose cavalry are they?"

The postman obviously played tricks: "How can a villain dare to ask, the formation seems to be bigger than that of the second rank."

The entourage was startled: "Is it Governor Hu's men?"

The postman: "Probably."

"Let's go." Gao Hanwen said this, turned around and left.

"Excuse me, is this Mr. Gaofu Taigao?" A voice stopped him at this moment.

Gao Hanwen stopped, and slowly turned around again.

Hu Zongxian's personal captain came to him.

Captain of the personal army: "May I ask if you are the new prefect of Hangzhou, Mr. Gao?"

Gao Hanwen looked at him, and answered after a while: "I am."

The captain of the personal army: "Our lord has been waiting for Mr. Gao here for a long time, please follow me." Then he put on an appearance of leading the way.

Gao Hanwen didn't want to see him, but Hu Zongxian was the governor of Zhejiang Province after all, and now he openly invited him, so he hesitated for a while, so he had no choice but to follow the captain of the army and walk inside.

In the main room of the inn, Hu Zongxian seemed to be ill, lying on a chair with his eyes closed, with a wet handkerchief on his forehead.

The captain of the personal army walked over quickly, gently lifted the handkerchief on his forehead, and said softly: "Ministry, Mr. Gao is here."

Hu Zongxian slowly opened his eyes, looked at Gao Hanwen standing at the door, nodded, and stretched out his hand: "Please sit down."

Gao Hanwen was still standing there: "Excuse me, is this Mr. Hu Butang?"

Hu Zongxian: "I am."

Gao Hanwen immediately bowed deeply: "Jiu Yang, my subordinate Gao Hanwen."

Hu Zongxian: "Please sit down."

Gao Hanwen had no choice but to go to the chair next to him and sit down.

Hu Zongxian looked at him: "Although I am still the governor of Zhejiang Province, according to the regulations, you are under the direct management of the governor of Zhejiang Province, and there is no assignment between us. I see you today only for Zhejiang and the court."

Gao Hanwen didn't look at him, but lowered his head and said, "Master, please speak if you have something to say."

At this time, Hu Zongxian looked at the captain of the army: "Distribute some of our horse feed to the cavalry team in Gaofutai."

"Yes." The personal captain walked out.

Then Hu Zongxian turned to Gao Hanwen again: "Does Gaofutai know how many disaster victims there are in Chun'an and Jiande, and how much food is still in the official warehouse in Zhejiang as of today? According to four taels of relief per person per day, there is still more food to be distributed." how many days?"

Gao Hanwen replied: "There are 29 victims in Chun'an, and 14 victims in Jiande. Before the disaster, there were 20 shi grains in the official warehouse. For 43 victims, each person received three taels of disaster relief every day, which was 20 shi per day." .Now [-] days have passed, and there are about [-] shi left in the official storehouse, which can be distributed for up to ten days."

Hu Zongxian nodded: "You still have a heart. What are you going to do after ten days?"

Gao Hanwen raised his head slowly, and looked at Hu Zongxian: "Master, are you blaming your subordinates?"

Hu Zongxian didn't answer, just looked at him.

Gao Hanwen: "The proposal of 'Reform and Relief, Dilemma Self-Solution' was proposed by the subordinates. Of course, after ten days, those who have money and food will use food to buy the fields of the victims. The national policy of rice as mulberry is then ordered to those big households who bought the fields to complete it, which is the only way to do it now because of the situation and reason.”

Hu Zongxian: "Then how much grain does Gaofutai plan to let those who have money and grain buy the common people's fields?"

Gao Hanwen was taken aback, and then replied: "A thousand-year-old farmland, eight hundred owners. There has always been a fair price for buying land, and it seems that the government should not ask about it."

Hu Zongxian: "Ten days later, the relief food is cut off, the victims have no food to eat, and the people who bought the land lowered the price of the land. Will the government have a problem?"

Gao Hanwen was taken aback for a moment, and then replied: "The laws of heaven and the state are all there, if that is really the case, of course the government will have to intervene!"

Hu Zongxian: "Which government office? Is it your Hangzhou magistrate's office, or the governor's office, or the vassal's office?"

Gao Hanwen gradually understood the meaning of Hu Zongxian's words: "Master Butang means that the Zhejiang government will condone the big farmers who buy land to take advantage of the disaster to lower the price of land?"

Hu Zongxian looked at him deeply: "If this is the case, what should you do?"

Gao Hanwen was silent, and it took a long time to raise his head again: "This subordinate will fight hard with reason."

Hu Zongxian: "How to fight?"

Gao Hanwen was stopped by the question again, and looked at Hu Zongxian.

Hu Zongxian: "At that time, you could neither raid the homes of big households to bring their food to the victims, nor persuade the victims to sell their fields. Neither side could use troops. If the victims mobilized, Zhejiang would immediately fall into chaos. The memorial that you mentioned in the imperial court, "Reform and relief, the dilemma will be solved by itself" has become the source of chaos! Gao Futai, I am afraid that is not your original intention for this memorial, is it?"

Only then was Gao Hanwen shocked, and asked: "How should I fight, please tell me clearly."

Hu Zongxian: "You proposed the strategy of 'Reform and Relief', and you have the right to explain it. First, those big households should not be allowed to buy the victims' fields for less than [-] shi of rice. In this way, Chun'an Construction They will not buy all the fields of the people in Deliang County. For example, if one of the three brothers in a family sells the field, he can lend the grain from the sale to the other two brothers to tide over the famine. There are two people who still have fields to cultivate, and Chun'an and Jiande will not be in chaos."

Gao Hanwen nodded deeply, and then asked: "Then the number of mulberry fields to change 30 bolts of silk this year is not enough. May I ask the Ministry, how to solve it?"

Hu Zongxian sighed: "This national policy is to gouge out flesh and mend sores. But it will be very difficult if it is not implemented now. This is the second, let those big households disperse to counties that have not been affected by the disaster to buy, and buy rice at the rate of [-] shi per mu . Hundreds of thousands of acres of mulberry fields should be allocated to various counties for improvement, and Zhejiang will not be chaotic."

Gao Hanwen: "They don't want to?"

Hu Zongxian: "You can play in the name of Qin Shi! Let the court make up its mind, don't make up your own."

Gao Hanwen was stunned again, looking at Hu Zongxian.

Hu Zongxian: "I will not let you fight alone. If you go to Zhejiang, I will go to Suzhou first to borrow grain from Yingtian Governor Zhao Zhenji. Within ten days, I will borrow grain and let you fight for the land price. And , the new Chun’an magistrate Hai Rui and Jiande county magistrate Wang Yongji, these two people can help you, you have to use them.”

Gao Hanwen was already in a state of mind at this time, looking at Hu Zongxian, he took a long time to say a word: "Department Hall, I don't know if I should ask a question or not."

Hu Zongxian: "Please tell me."

Gao Hanwen: "Why didn't the Ministry tell the emperor about these matters?"

Hu Zongxian smiled wryly: "Things are difficult without experience. You will gradually understand some things in the future." Speaking of which, he looked at the sky outside the door, stood up on the reclining chair: "It is the end of noon, and it will be the end of the afternoon." There is still eighty miles to a station. Hurry up."

Gao Hanwen changed his vigilance when he first met, took a step back, knelt down, and kowtowed: "Take care of the hall." After speaking, he stood up and strode out.

Watching Gao Hanwen go out, Hu Zongxian suddenly felt that his eyes were dark, and he was a little unsteady. He reached out to help the reclining chair behind him but failed, and sat down on the ground at once.

"Department hall!" The captain of the guards outside the door rushed in, knelt down and supported him with one leg.

"Don't touch him!" Tan Lun appeared from the side door of the inner room, and hurried to Hu Zongxian's side, and hugged Hu Zongxian from the other side.

Tan Lun said to the captain of the soldiers: "Go, find the doctor!"

The captain of the personal army: "Yes." He ran out quickly.

Hu Zongxian's eyes slowly opened, struggling to stand up.Tan Lun struggled to help him stand up, and then helped him to sit down on the chair.

Tan Lun: "It's only three or four days' journey to Suzhou. If it doesn't work, let's rest here for two days."

Hu Zongxian: "Within ten days the grain cannot be delivered to Zhejiang, and I will see Gao Hanwen in vain today."

Tan Lun: "Do you really think it's useful to talk to Gao Hanwen?"

Hu Zongxian looked at Tan Lun: "Then is it useful for you to recommend Hai Rui and Wang Yongji to Zhejiang?"

Tan Lun froze for a moment, knowing that Hu Zongxian was accusing himself of discussing with Yu Wang and others about sending Hai Rui and Wang Yongji as magistrates of Chun'an and Jiande counties and had been hiding it from him.

Hu Zongxian: "There are no friends in the officialdom."

"Ruzhen." Tan Lun blushed, "I didn't intend to hide it from you about sending Hai Rui and Wang Yongji to two counties..."

"I said at the beginning that I will do the same thing whether you Tan Lun comes or not. Today is still the same sentence, I will do the same if you don't hide it from me." As he said, Hu Zongxian stood up again holding the armrest, "With me After talking with Gao Hanwen today, the Hai Rui and Wang Yongji you recommended may be able to compete with those people. Find me a carriage and let's go."

The lakes and mountains are beautiful, and the wind and moon are people.The streets of Hangzhou in the evening are even more picturesque.Walking in such a place with that big green mule, Hai Rui seemed a bit out of place.

The big green mule carried a bamboo cage on its back, and Hai Rui, who was holding the reins, had a bamboo hat on his back, and a long gown that was splashed with mud, with one corner still tucked into his belt, conspicuously showing his bare feet in straw sandals.Those feet stepped on the bluestone street flatly, and the four hooves of the walking mule stepped on the bluestone street wearily, and the gate of the governor's yamen in Zhejiang was in sight.

Looking in from the tall gate, there is a tall flagpole, and further forward, there is a huge middle gate.The light from the inside shines all the way to the outside of the gate, to the large plaque with gold letters on a red background on the lintel: Zhejiang Governor's Office.

The governor was established as the highest chief executive of each province after Xuande in the Ming Dynasty. His rank was slightly lower than that of the governor, but the real power of a province was actually in the hands of the governor.High eaves, gates, eight-character walls, and flagpoles and large flats are all the atmosphere of sealing off borders.The weather here was even more prominent tonight. Sergeants were standing inside and outside the middle gate all the way to Daping and Yuanmen.This is the first meeting held here after Zheng Bichang took over as governor of Zhejiang.After receiving the report from the former station that Gao Hanwen, the new prefect of Hangzhou, will arrive from Beijing today, Zheng Michang immediately notified the relevant vassals, bureaucrats, ministers, and dao yamen to attend the meeting.He will deploy the imperial court's strategy of "reformation and relief" overnight, and complete the conversion of 50 mu of rice into mulberry within one month.

Therefore, starting from Shenshi in the afternoon, martial law has been imposed in front of the governor's yamen, and all the idlers have been driven away. During this period of time, the front of the gate and the street are very quiet, the shops are closed, and no one moves around.As soon as Gao Hanwen arrived, discuss matters immediately.At this time, Hai Rui and his walking mule approached the shaft gate and opened their eyes.

"Stop!" The team officer guarding the gate immediately walked over and stopped him, "Who is it? Didn't you see that this is the governor's gate!"

Hai Rui stopped, took out the official diploma from the Ministry of Officials from his lapel, and handed it over.

The officer of the team was obviously not very literate, but he knew the big official seal of Fang Zhuhong on the official certificate, so his attitude became better: "Which yamen?"

Hai Rui: "The county magistrate of Chun'an."

The team officer looked at Hai Rui again, and then yelled to the gate, "Who knows, will the magistrate of Chun'an inform you of the meeting tonight?"

A person who looked like a book office outside the gate responded, "Let him in!"

The team officer returned the official certificate to Hai Rui: "Go in. Hey, this mule can't go in."

Hai Rui also looked at him, then passed the rein to his hand, and strode over.

The team officer: "Hey! What are you doing for me, you mule?"

Hai Rui has already entered the gate!
——This year is the 40th year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, that is, in 1561 AD, Hai Rui was appointed as the county magistrate of Chun'an, Zhejiang.From the moment he stepped into Hangzhou and reported to the governor's yamen, he began his lifelong journey of declaring war against the corrupt forces of the Ming Dynasty!

(End of this chapter)