Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 54

"We met again." Hu Zongxian looked at Gao Hanwen, who was busy in the world, his tone was still so calm, but Gao Hanwen could hear the vicissitudes in the meaning of the words.

Gao Hanwen looked deeply at this senior official, and at this moment he knelt down completely from the bottom of his heart, and kowtowed excitedly: "Subordinate Gao Hanwen pays his respects to the minister."

Hu Zongxian came over and stretched out a hand to help him: "Don't talk about politeness before the army, let's talk about military affairs quickly."

After Gao Hanwen got up, his eyes were red: "Military affairs have been misunderstood by officials! Ministry, the following battles cannot be fought. This time, this subordinate is really ashamed of the Ministry. We are all guilty!"

Hu Zongxian was still very calm: "National affairs, government affairs, and military affairs, it is not a short time to make mistakes again and again. You have only been in Zhejiang for more than a month, and you can't be blamed for the crime. Did you copy Shen Yishi's house without copying the money? ?”

Gao Hanwen couldn't restrain his excitement: "The department hall is really a minister who seeks the country! Shen Yishi is known as the richest man in Zhejiang, but this time his family's wealth was confiscated, which is not as good as that of a middle-class family. All the accounts have disappeared! The department hall, the weaving bureau and The officialdom in Zhejiang is already full of mud and mud! The situation in the southeast is so critical, facing the court and the people, you must stand up and speak out!"

Hu Zongxian looked at him and shook his head slowly, and then said: "Of course I want to say what the court said to the people. But now I just want to say a few words to you. You don't care if you hurt your ears, right?"

Gao Hanwen: "Please enlighten me."

Hu Zongxian: "First, you should not come out to be an official. Your talent is only suitable for poetry and elegance, but your character is not good for an official in your life."

Gao Hanwen was taken aback for a moment, then nodded deeply.

Hu Zongxian: "Secondly, since you have won the imperial examination, you should write books in the Imperial Academy, and you should not talk about national policies. The books of the saints are all for people to read, and they are useless for doing things."

Gao Hanwen was a little disapproving at this moment, and remained silent.

Hu Zongxian: "It's the first time I saw you at the post station. I can't tell you these things. It's been more than a month, and you were able to do what I told you in Zhejiang. It shows that you and I are still in the same boat. Now that I’m telling you these words, it doesn’t matter if I talk about them lightly or deeply. Even though I know that these words are difficult for you to understand, maybe you won’t be able to understand them until the day you die, I still want to say them. Do you know why?”

Gao Hanwen raised his head: "The minister must want me to do something, just say it bluntly."

Hu Zongxian: "This is your talent. It is enough that you can hear the implication. Listen to me. After delivering these military supplies, return to Hangzhou immediately, find the Jinyiwei sent by the imperial court, take the initiative to plead guilty, and ask them to imprison you immediately. Send the capital!"

Gao Hanwen was startled: "Butang, I can do what you say, but I need to know why?"

Hu Zongxian: "I can't tell you now. Asking you to do this is not only for yourself, but also for the sake of the court, so that I can fight this battle!"

Gao Hanwen was shocked there, and it took him a long time to look at Hu Zongxian again: "I believe in the Ministry. But if my subordinates did this, let those moths who harmed the country and the people let them go unpunished?"

Hu Zongxian: "Let me explain to you. Within a month, the imperial court will set off a big case in Zhejiang, and none of those who harmed the country and the people will be able to escape! The most you are pleading now is because of the confiscation of Shen Yishi's family property and ineffective handling of the case." If you stay in Zhejiang, you will be involved in them!"

Gao Hanwen seemed to understand, but new doubts suddenly emerged: "Why does the ministry treat me like this?"

Hu Zongxian's face immediately became serious: "As the governor of Zhejiang Province, under my jurisdiction, who is guilty and who is not guilty, shouldn't it be clear!"

Gao Hanwen no longer had doubts, but was moved and knelt down.

Hu Zongxian looked at him and suddenly sighed: "If I could plead guilty and leave like this, I would have pleaded guilty a long time ago. In fact, you are still a blessed person."

Gao Hanwen raised his head: "This subordinate will go back to Hangzhou overnight, and must do what the minister said!" After speaking, he kowtowed again and stood up.

Hu Zongxian: "Remember two things. First, what I told you tonight can only be buried in the bottom of my heart. Second, you will be locked up in prison for a year or so at most. After you get out of prison, you will resign immediately and don't be an official again."

Gao Hanwen clasped his hands together: "Wansheng remember it!" After speaking, he turned and walked out.

Hu Zongxian also walked slowly outside the big tent at this time, looking at the sky full of stars, he suddenly shouted: "Come here!"

The captain of the bodyguard immediately came over from the dark place: "Master Department Hall."

Hu Zongxian: "Send someone to inform General Qi immediately, and the army will rest on the spot and wait for backup!"

Guard Captain: "Yes!"

The two doors of Yang Jinshui's bedroom were wide open, the courtyard wall stood tall, and the sky full of stars seemed to be inlaid above his head, appearing so close.Yun Niang stood by the door, quietly waiting for the call from inside.

"Come in." Yang Jinshui's voice came from inside.

Yun Niang walked in, still standing quietly in the door, with her head slightly lowered.It can be seen from her demeanor that she doesn't know anything about what happened outside these days.

"Come on, sit down." Yang Jinshui called out to her while sitting at the table.

Yunniang walked over and sat down, only to find that the round table of red sandalwood inlaid with marble was covered by a six-foot-square satin cover, and there were obviously a lot of things piled up under the satin cover.

Yang Jinshui looked at her: "Isn't it lonely living in a small courtyard these days?"

Yunniang: "Eunuch Yang has any orders, please tell me."

Yang Jinshui sighed lightly: "You still don't want to call me godfather?"

Yunniang had no choice but to call softly: "Godfather."

"You called out, I can tell you a lot of things." After speaking, Yang Jinshui tore off the satin on the table, revealing three things on the table: a one-foot square wrapped A red sandalwood box with gold sheets; a copper box about one foot long and five inches wide and five inches high, locked by a copper lock, and the copper lock is full of green rust; there is another one. The guqin that Yun Niang usually plays here!

Yun Niang slowly looked away, lowered her head slightly, and stopped looking at the things on the table.

Yang Jinshui: "I did the math. You and I have been together for four years and three months. From 17 years old to now, your false age is 22. Godfather found someone for you, and you have been with him for the rest of your life. Bar."

Yunniang raised her head: "Godfather, I don't want your old things, and you don't force me to go with anyone when you are old. Let me go. I will be grateful for your kindness for the rest of my life."

"That won't work." Yang Jinshui shook his head firmly, "He gave you these things, and I promised him. I can't break my promise."

Yunniang already understood who Yang Jinshui was talking about, she couldn't help but asked in a low voice: "Who?"

Yang Jinshui: "Sink a stone."

Yunniang was silent again, and said after a while: "He bought me with money, since he wants to take me back, I'll just be his slave."

There was a trace of sadness in Yang Jinshui's eyes: "He will never ask you to go back to be a slave in this lifetime."

Yunniang's eyes lit up, she looked at Yang Jinshui, and suddenly felt something strange, she asked timidly, "He doesn't work with the weaving bureau anymore?"

Yang Jinshui nodded and stood up slowly: "I don't need to do anything anymore. I don't have to work hard or worry. I clap my hands and leave. He is a blessed man!"

Yun Niang stood up abruptly, her voice visibly trembling: "Where did he go..."

Yang Jinshui was also moved at this time, stretched out his hand and slowly opened the red sandalwood box, and took out the top page of writing pads, his hand also trembled slightly: "This is what he left behind. Tell me to read a few words to you."

Yunniang stared at the piece of paper in Yang Jinshui's hand bewilderedly, and Shen Yishi's familiar words came into her eyes!

Yang Jinshui began to read with a slight tremor in his voice: "Hou Feihou, Wang Feiwang, return to Mang Mountain with thousands of horses! After me, who will recover from the injury. "Guangling San" will be played again for Yunniang."

"He, he's dead..." Yun Niang's face turned pale, and she froze there!

Yang Jinshui: "Being attached to the weaving bureau, attached to an errand in the palace, where else can he go but die?"

Yang Jinshui looked sideways at her slowly, and found that tears filled her eyes, and then flowed down.

Yang Jinshui: "Are you sad?"

Yun Niang choked up: "Actually, he's not a bad person..."

"Okay!" Yang Jinshui pressed one hand on the wooden box, "With your few lines of tears and your words to him, I can give these things to you." He opened the lid of the box.

——In the box is a stack of banknotes!
Yang Jinshui: "These things are the dowry he entrusted to me before he died. He said, you have a high heart, and few people in this world can match you. I have wronged you these few years, and I will discuss it with you. People go."

Yun Niang had already sat down, lying on the table and sobbing.

Yang Jinshui: "Don't cry yet, listen to me."

Yunniang was still sobbing, and said with a choked voice: "I don't want anyone's things. Godfather, if you and Mr. Shen really pity me so much, let me become a monk. I will recite scriptures for him every day, which can be regarded as paying him back." debt……"

Yang Jinshui: "I said, what I promised him, I must do it!"

Yun Niang slowly raised her head again, with tears all over her face: "Who do you want me to go with?"

Yang Jinshui: "Gao Hanwen!"

Yun Niang stood there in a daze.

Yang Jinshui's face was so dignified: "This trip is thousands of mountains and rivers, ravines and ravines! What awaits you may not be a blessing, but there may be dangers that you can't get through. Old Shen said that this copper box may save you when the time comes. It can also save Gao Hanwen's life! Don't open it, break the lock if you really can't get through."

Yun Niang burst into tears.

……

On a moonless night, the starlight shines on the dark rubble field. Who would know that this place used to be filled with flames and flowers blooming like brocades!

Yang Jinshui accompanied Yun Niang without lighting a lantern, and walked in silently from the backyard door of Shen Yishi's other courtyard.A few black shadows immediately guarded the courtyard gate and stood there.

Faced with the rubble, Yun Niang slowly knelt down, put down the basket in her hand, and took out the paper money.

Yang Jinshui lit the tinder for him, bent down, Yunniang lit the paper money, and bowed deeply.

Yang Jinshui waited for him to pay his respects for a few times, then patted his palm on the black figure outside the courtyard gate.His accompanying eunuch came in with a guqin in hand, handed it to Yang Jinshui, turned around and walked out again.

Yang Jinshui handed the guqin to Yunniang: "Let's play and sing for him at the end, just sing the few words he gave you, and let him know that I have done everything I need to do."

Yunniang was still kneeling, took the guqin and placed it on the ground, slowly took out Shen Yishi's book from her arms, took a last look at the few words written by Shen Yishi by the light of the paper money, gently Put that piece of paper on the burning paper money, and that piece of paper immediately burned.

With a sound of "ding dong", Yun Niang plucked the strings, swallowed a tear, and sang softly with the passage in "Guangling San" that should play horn notes: "Hou Feihou, Wang Feiwang, Qiancheng Wanqi returns to Mount Mang..." At this point she choked up and couldn't sing anymore.

The book was burnt white on the paper money, but it was still a neat row of books!

Suddenly there was a gust of wind, and the paper that had turned into ashes of white paper was blown up by the breeze!
"Okay." Yang Jinshui looked at the floating paper ember, suddenly felt a chill hit him, and his voice trembled, "He has heard it."

At this time, Yunniang had no fear at all, and stared blankly at the piece of paper ember slowly floating down again with teary eyes, turning into countless pieces.

Yang Jinshui came over and pulled Yunniang up: "He will protect you when you are ready. Let's go. We have a long way to go tomorrow."

Yun Niang stood up slowly holding the piano.

Although there are lanterns hanging under the eaves of the gate, the people in the square are still crowded, and the real faces cannot be seen.But they all sat there quietly, very orderly.

The sound of horseshoes sounded so tired in such a night, everyone sitting on the floor stood up, and in the direction of countless faces, Gao Hanwen's horse team was walking wearily towards the yamen.

Facing so many people, Gao Hanwen's horse stopped, and the soldiers behind him also stopped.

A soldier's head asked loudly, "Who? What are you doing here?"

A burly man in the crowd greeted him, and knelt down on one leg in front of Gao Hanwen's horse: "Xiaomin Qi Dazhu, under the order of Haizhi County, led the young men of Chun'an to report to Lord Gao, and volunteered to join the army with Hu Butang, Qi The general is going to fight the Japanese pirates!"

Gao Hanwen immediately got down from his horse, and said to Qi Dazhu who was kneeling, "Did Haizhi County call you here?"

Qi Dazhu: "Actually, we came here voluntarily."

Many voices shouted simultaneously: "We volunteer for the army!"

Gao Hanwen was a little excited, and helped Qi Dazhu up: "Okay, okay. Is Haizhi County okay?"

Qi Dazhu: "Go back to your lord, Haizhi County is waiting for you in the back hall."

"Oh!" Gao Hanwen immediately threw the rein in his hand and strode into the yamen.

……

Gao Hanwen was supposed to lead Chun'an's strong men to the front line, but when Gao Hanwen mentioned that he was going to plead guilty and send him off to the capital, Hai Rui glanced at Gao Hanwen and fell silent.

The two sat opposite each other, the distance between the two chairs was less than two feet, and both of them were silent. After fighting in Zhejiang, the two people with different personalities, backgrounds, and tastes had a difficult feeling. Break up friendship.

It was Gao Hanwen who broke the silence: "There is one more thing. I have seen Shen Yishi's account books at his house, some things are written down, Brother Gangfeng may need them someday."

Hai Rui looked at Gao Hanwen fixedly and nodded.

"You can't leave ink marks. I will recite it slowly. Brother Gangfeng will remember it carefully." Gao Hanwen said softly.

Hai Rui closed his eyes: "Please tell me, I can remember."

Gao Han's diploma slowly recited it from memory: "In May of the 39th year of Jiajing, new silk was launched. In June, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Jiangnan Weaving Bureaus rushed to weave 39 pieces of top-quality silk, and all of them were sent to the Inner Court Needle Industry Bureau. Jiajing 39 years In July, Yingtian Buzheng Yamen and Zhejiang Buzheng Yamen complied with the decree and purchased 20 bolts of high-grade silk, 220 bolts of medium silk, and [-] bolts of fine printed cotton cloth from Songjiang River with the tax money of the two provinces, and sent them to Beijing. The Ministry of Industry, in case the emperor rewarded officials of the vassal kings and envoys of foreign vassals. In October [-], Jiajing, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Jiangnan Weaving Bureau negotiated [-] bolts of silk trade with merchants in the Western Regions, equivalent to [-] million taels of cash, and handed over all the keys to the inner court library. Note: No need to register with the Ministry of Accounts."

Hearing this, Hai Rui's eyes opened suddenly, "Did you see this with your own eyes?"

Gao Hanwen nodded solemnly: "It's all recorded in Shen Yishi's account. Also, Brother Gangfeng must remember."

Hai Rui no longer closed his eyes: "Please tell me, I will remember."

Gao Hanwen continued to recite: "In February of the 40th year of Jiajing, the Minister of Rites passed on the imperial edict. In that year, the silk produced in Zhejiang should be traded with Western merchants. The 12 pieces of silk stored in the previous year were all sealed up, and the new silk produced this year will be collected. A full 50 pieces of silk were sent to the household department in silver to make up for the shortfall. In March, the supervisor of ceremonies sent an order to release the 12 pieces of silk that had been sealed up last year and send [-] pieces of silk to Beijing as a reward for Princess Yu. The Hou family." Gao Hanwen stopped at this point.

There was silence.

Hai Rui: "No more?"

Gao Hanwen: "He just showed me these accounts."

Hai Rui stood up: "There is no distinction between family and country! There is no distinction between the imperial court! Corruption in the officialdom begins with the inner court!"

Gao Hanwen: "Shen Yishi has been running the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau for 20 years, and I don't know how many of them have hidden secrets! Brother Gangfeng, you are the person that Prince Yu favors, and one day you will be obliged to rectify the imperial court and the officialdom!"

Hai Rui: "When are you going to see Jin Yiwei to plead guilty?"

Gao Hanwen: "I can leave at dawn."

After a moment of silence, Hai Rui suddenly asked, "What else did Hu Butang tell you?"

Gao Hanwen was taken aback: "Why did you suddenly ask Hu Butang?"

Hai Rui: "You just came from Hu Bu Tang's camp, who else would teach you to do this except him."

Gao Han looked fixedly at Hai Rui, and after a long time he sighed with great emotion: "Hu Butang said that I am not an official. Now I believe it even more. Brother Gangfeng, based on what you just said, I also know that the officials of the Ming Dynasty are only qualified by people like you and Hu Butang!"

Hai Rui also looked deeply at Gao Hanwen: "I'm not an official either! But according to the principles of heaven and conscience, it's nothing more than a point to fight for the court and the people of Ming Dynasty. One day I can't fight, and I will I will go back to my hometown and be alone."

(End of this chapter)