Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 7

In Zhejiang, after a winter dry season, the peach blossom flood has also passed. In the fourth month of the lunar calendar, the Xin'an River has the most abundant water, and generously waters the boundless rice fields on both sides of the river from the various weirs it flows through.The river water is so clear and calm that people can't help but think of the motto "The best kindness is like water" in the "Tao Te Ching", which makes people feel infinite gratitude.

But this year, all the weirs were blocked, and the Xin'an River, which was bestowed by heaven, was caught by the embankments on both sides of the river and flowed down in vain.The predictions of Zhang Juzheng and others were all confirmed. As soon as the imperial government's national policy of changing rice fields into mulberry fields was implemented, it brought disaster to the people of Zhejiang.On the embankment of the Xin'an River in Chun'an County, soldiers and government servants with swords and guns were standing at this time. The national policy of rice as mulberry.

On the embankment, people kneeling as far as the eye can see are all common people, all of them are full of despair.Next to the rice fields under the levee, there is a neat row of war horses, and immediately there are soldiers in studded armor.

"Step on the seedlings!" Ma Ningyuan roared.

The horse team drove, and countless horseshoes swept away like mountains and seas.It's not a battlefield, and there are no enemy soldiers. Under the horse's hooves are dry and cracked farmland, and there are green seedlings that have grown several inches high.Amidst the chaotic sound of horseshoes, the cries of countless people followed.The horse team stepped across one mound of seedling field, and then stepped on another mound of seedling field like a mountain.

"Insert the card!" This roar came from Chang Boxi and Zhang Zhiliang who were beside Ma Ningyuan.

Several yamen servants carried wooden signs and ran towards the trampled seedling fields.The wooden sign was stabbed in the middle of Miaotian by one yamen servant, and another yamen servant nailed the wooden sign in with a hammer.There are two big characters "Sangtian" written on the wooden sign!
The cries became louder, and the cavalry was still marching towards the Miaotian in front of them like an overwhelming mountain!
"Father!" Suddenly, a woman's terrified cry resounded amidst the many cries!
Under the terrified eyes of many people, an old man desperately ran to Miaotian, to the mound of Miaotian where the horse team was about to step on!
The horse team is still running forward.The old man ran to the middle of the seedling field and fell down on the ground, his face pressed tightly against the field among several green seedlings, and his outstretched arms slightly circled inward, as if to protect his child , Protecting those seedlings that are already a little yellow.The horse team was getting closer and closer to the old man.

"Anyway, it's death!" A young and strong man roared, "Fight it!" Roaring, he jumped up and ran towards the miaomiaotian where the old man was lying on his stomach.Immediately afterwards, a group of young and strong farmers jumped and rushed to the seedling field.

The horse team was still running forward, and in front of them, a human wall was formed in front of the old man lying on the ground.The soldiers on the horse were all nervous, and many eyes were on the officer in the middle of the horse team.The officer began to subconsciously pull back the reins in his hand, and many soldiers also began to pull the reins in their hands.But the inertia of the galloping horse is still running towards the human wall.The officer in the horse team was sweating on his face, and the rein in his hand began to be pulled back tightly.All the soldiers pulled back the reins desperately.The distance was less than ten feet, and the horse team stopped abruptly!Many horses were snorting their noses frantically, and many horseshoes were pawing the ground frantically.

"Troublemaker!" Zhang Zhiliang, magistrate of Jiande County, stomped his feet, then looked at Ma Ningyuan beside him.

"It's against the people!" Chang Boxi, the magistrate of Chun'an County, snapped, "Someone just said 'against the people'!"

"Who said it was wrong?" Ma Ningyuan's face turned blue.

"You can see clearly." Chang Boxi pointed his hand, "It's that person!"

"Catch it!" Ma Ningyuan growled.

A group of yamen servants rushed over with iron chains and rulers.After a while, the man who took the lead in blocking the horse was pulled over by the iron chain, and a dozen other men were also pulled over by the iron chain.

The people who were still kneeling stood up and started to commotion. The swords and guns of the cavalry and infantry sergeants formed a formation, blocking the crying crowd.

Several men were chained and pulled in front of the officials.Ma Ningyuan, whose face was ashen all the time: "Who is the one who said 'reverse' just now!"

"It's me." The guy in the lead replied immediately.Chang Boxi and Zhang Zhiliang were startled, and then looked at each other.

"Okay! Just dare to say it and admit it." Ma Ning glanced at the man from a distance, then looked away, and then asked, "What's his name?"

That man: "Qi Dazhu."

Ma Ningyuan: "What do you do for a living?"

The man: "Local Sannong."

"Sang Nong?" Ma Ningyuan turned his head to look at the man again, "Why did Sang Nong come and bring the rice farmers to make trouble?"

The man was silent for a moment, and replied: "I feel uneasy."

"Okay, okay. He's a man!" Ma Ningyuan nodded his head, and suddenly increased his tone, "What kind of leader are you at Wang Zhi's place?"

"Wang Zhi?" The leader was taken aback, "Which Wang Zhi?"

Ma Ningyuan: "Wang Zhi, the leader of the pirates!"

The leading man was startled, and then replied loudly: "I don't know."

"When the time comes, you'll say you know each other." Ma Ningyuan's face turned livid again.After finishing this sentence, he faced the crowd of black people and said loudly: "Changing rice fields into mulberry fields will benefit the country and benefit you! Such a great good thing, but it cannot be carried out! Today, people are still gathered to fight! Now I understand, It turns out that there are Japanese pirates instigating rebellion!"

This is a big crime.After Ma Ningyuan said a few words, the crowd who had been rioting and crying just now fell silent like death.

Ma Ningyuan then ordered loudly: "Continue to step on the seedlings! Anyone who dares to obstruct will be arrested and taken to Hangzhou with these few!"

Chang Boxi and Zhang Zhiliang shouted at Miaotian's cavalry at the same time: "Step!"

The horse team stepped towards the seedling field in front again, and the horseshoes passed by patches of fallen and messy green seedlings!
Suddenly, the leading officer in the cavalry showed surprise in his eyes, and began to strangle his mount.He saw a group of five riders on the embankment galloping towards the embankment.Gradually approaching, many people could clearly see the big red tassels on the helmet of the leading rider and the black and red cloak on the back of the shoulders flying backwards while galloping.

"It's Lord Zongzhen!" the officer blurted out, and reined in the reins.He recognized that this man in third-grade armor was the immediate superior of his group of officers and soldiers, Qi Jiguang, who is currently the commander-in-chief of Taizhou Town, Zhejiang Province.

The horse team in the seedling field all stopped in unison.

The five galloping horses are getting closer.The infantry soldiers on the embankment immediately ran forward and formed two neat rows on the embankment.

Qi Jiguang who was on the horse pulled the reins suddenly a few feet away from the two rows of infantry, and the five horsemen stopped neatly.

Qi Jiguang looked at the cavalry in Miao Tian, ​​and the cavalry had already driven their horses towards the embankment.Soon, the cavalry and cavalry all boarded the embankment, dismounted in front of the infantry, and also divided into two rows and formed a queue.

Then Qi Jiguang rode his horse and walked slowly to the middle of the two cavalry lines. His eyes first looked at the crowd on the embankment, and then at the dry, cracked and jumbled farmland under the embankment.His gaze was so cold that the cavalry officers lined up there were silent, even their horses were motionless.

The sudden restlessness of the army did not let Ma Ningyuan, Chang Boxi, and Zhang Zhiliang realize that it was Qi Jiguang who had come!

Chang Boxi: "What is he doing here?"

Zhang Zhiliang: "Isn't it here to transfer the soldiers?"

"The soldier was transferred to me by the Ministry, and he can't transfer away." Ma Ningyuan said, striding towards Qi Jiguang.Chang Boxi and Zhang Zhiliang followed closely behind.

"You happened to be away when the troops were transferred." Ma Ningyuan approached Qi Jiguang loudly, "I will leave the department's troops transfer orders to you."

Qi Jiguang ignored him at this time, but stared fiercely at the cavalry officer in front of him: "Did you lead people to step on these young crops?"

The officer frowned: "It's my subordinate..."

With a "pop", the horsewhip in Qi Jiguang's hand flashed across the officer's face like lightning, and a bright red bloodstain immediately appeared on the officer's face!The officer stood up straighter after being whipped hard.

Qi Jiguang immediately asked sharply: "Anyone else who has stepped on the green seedlings, stand up!"

The soldiers who had stepped over the young crops took a step from the horse's side to the horse's head, still in two neat rows.Qi Jiguang rode his horse between the two rows of standing soldiers, and the whip in his hand flew left and right, with each whip leaving blood marks, every soldier who was whipped straightened up instead.The horse is still walking, and the whip is still flying.

Chang Boxi and Zhang Zhiliang were dumbfounded, the yamen servants were dumbfounded, and the people far away were also dumbfounded, but Ma Ningyuan's face was getting greener and greener.

The whip in Qi Jiguang's hand stopped, and then he shouted to the officers and soldiers: "The water is cut off again, and the seedlings are stepped on again! Soldiers eat food, whose food are you eating!"

"Of course it's imperial food!" What else does Ma Ningyuan not understand at this moment?Then he answered loudly.

Qi Jiguang couldn't ignore him now, and looked at Ma Ningyuan: "Where did the imperial grain come from?"

"Under the whole world, is it the land of the king!" Ma Ningyuan's voice became louder, "Of course the emperor's food belongs to the emperor!"

"Well said!" Qi Jiguang looked sharply at Ma Ningyuan, "Then what you cut off is the emperor's water! What you step on is the emperor's seedlings!"

These words immediately pushed Ma Ningyuan there, his face was ashen.

Qi Jiguang ignored him again, sat up straight, and looked at his soldiers: "Do you know what it is to cut off the emperor's water and step on the emperor's seedlings?"

"Capital crime!" All the soldiers actually answered loudly, obviously they all knew the purpose of their general's question.

"Just understand!" Qi Jiguang ordered loudly, "Assemble the team! Go back to the barracks!"

All the soldiers began to run to his front to assemble.

The common people came to understand, and some people began to shout: "They have arrested people, General Qi, tell them to let our people go!"

"Let go!"

"Let go!"

Many voices sounded!

Qi Jiguang stopped looking at the people and continued to watch his soldiers gather.

"This, is this against us, or against the court!" Chang Boxi was furious.

"Master Futai, don't let Qi Jiguang take the officers and soldiers away." Zhang Zhiliang also panicked, and hurriedly said to Ma Ningyuan.

Ma Ningyuan rushed to Qi Jiguang and shouted: "Qi Jiguang, your officers and soldiers were transferred to me by the Ministry, you have no right to take them away!"

Qi Jiguang's voice was cold but firm: "My soldiers are going to fight Japanese pirates."

Ma Ningyuan: "Is there a transfer order!"

Qi Jiguang: "Of course."

Ma Ningyuan: "Whose order?"

"There is no need to show you the transfer order." Qi Jiguang sneered, "If you want to know, go to the higher authorities and ask."

"I know your background." Ma Ningyuan widened his eyes, "Is it the order from Tan Lun?"

Qi Jiguang was silent for a while, ignored him, and continued to watch the officers and soldiers assemble.

Ma Ningyuan stood in front of Qi Jiguang's horse's head: "Qi Jiguang, you are a member of the Ministry, and I am also a member of the Ministry. If you want to betray the water, it will not end well!"

Qi Jiguang looked at his face, smiled coldly, lowered his head, and said in a low voice: "Since you are a member of the Ministry, I will advise you. Release all these people who have been arrested. Otherwise, my soldiers will As soon as the horse leaves, they will throw you into the river if they don’t allow it.” After saying this, he yanked the reins and ordered loudly: “Go!”

The horse swung its hooves and galloped away.

With the sound of hooves and footsteps, all the officers and soldiers passed Ma Ningyuan who was standing there alone, and ran after Qi Jiguang's horse.

The crowd of people began to surge, and they rushed towards Ma Ningyuan's three sedan chairs on the embankment and the few people locked up by a dozen government officials.

"Let go!"

"Let people go!"

There was a roar again among the people.

Chang Boxi and Zhang Zhiliang panicked first, and leaned towards Ma Ningyuan at the same time.Chang Boxi asked for instructions in a panic: "Master Futai, let him go. Go back to Hangzhou..." Ma Ningyuan glared at Chang Boxi and Zhang Zhiliang with fierce eyes: "Afraid of death? If you are afraid of death, keep the gauze hat Come on, you go."

Chang Boxi and Zhang Zhiliang were stunned.

Ma Ningyuan turned to the panic-stricken yamen servants: "Don't let people go!" Then he greeted the crowd of people who came by himself.

The people stood still.Ma Ningyuan said sharply: "Benfutai is standing here alone now! If you dare to rebel, come here and throw me into this river!"

The surging crowd was stunned by his aura, and the entire embankment was deadly silent.

Ma Ningyuan still faced the people: "It is the national policy of the imperial court to change rice fields into mulberry fields. You can either change it yourself or sell it to others. If a thousand people die, 1 people will die, and all people in Zhejiang will have to change! Qi Jiguang put The soldiers took them away, and there are still millions of officers and soldiers in the imperial court! Gather people to fight, and the life of the government will accompany you!" At this point, he shouted loudly: "First take these Japanese thieves back to Hangzhou!"

Chang Boxi regained his composure, and said loudly to the yamen servants: "Take people, let's go!" Chang Boxi, Zhang Zhiliang and the yamen servants escorted those people and started to move forward.

At this time, Ma Ningyuan turned around slowly and walked forward.

The people were so kind, and there was no way out. All the people stopped rioting and did not disperse, and they all followed Ma Ningyuan.

"So many people, if they really follow Hangzhou, things will get serious." Chang Boxi followed Ma Ningyuan with sweat on his face and said.

"The matter is already serious!" Ma Ningyuan strode forward, "When we arrive in Hangzhou, we will talk about it after meeting Master Butang!"

The Xin'an River still flows peacefully, just like the people on the levee beside it.

Hu Zongxian, the governor of Zhejiang Straight and the governor of Zhejiang, whom Ma Ningyuan and the others called his master, was dragged helplessly by Yang Jinshui, the eunuch of the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau and the chief eunuch of Zhejiang Shipping Department, to watch silk patterns with a group of Western businessmen in the hall of the Weaving Bureau. .

The drums of one note after another are not knocking people's eardrums one by one, but knocking people's heart every time!Only in the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty can this kind of sound without fireworks be achieved.Accompanied by the sound of the drums, there is the kind of flute sound that only appeared in the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. This flute sound is clearly played by the flute master sitting there in front of you, but it makes people feel that it comes from the huge From the distant sky above the hall.

This is one of the greatest art forms in Chinese history——when Kunqu Opera just matured, the first troupe of Kunqu Opera in the world invited from Suzhou was played here.

Accompanied by the performance of Kunqu Opera, it looks like a cloud, or a stream of water, and a long bolt of silk flows upwards along the long staircase between the handrails in the middle of the lobby.The silk that brushed the stairs seemed to have color, but also seemed to have no color; it had patterns, but it also seemed to have no patterns;The end of the long silk was draped over the shoulders of a slender woman.The sound of the drum and flute played this piece of music so seamlessly, the woman in silk had just walked to the end of the second staircase, looked back and smiled, and the piece of music was over.

Applause resounded from the north side of the ground hall, that is, on the opposite side of the long staircase.

Everyone sitting in a long row of chairs stood up with a smile on their faces.The person in the middle is Hu Zongxian, next to him on the left is Yang Jinshui, who is in charge of the plate today, and on his right are Zheng Michang, the chief minister of Zhejiang, and He Maocai, the inspector of Zhejiang.On both sides are five wealthy businessmen in gorgeous clothes.These wealthy businessmen can tell "not my race" at a glance. Two of them have high noses and deep eyes, and the other three have very dark skin. They were the ones who made the applause just now.

"Hold the candle!" Yang Jinshui ordered with a sharp smile.

Immediately, two lines of attendants walked over from the two doors on both sides of the hall, each holding a lighted candlestick in his hand.Yang Jinshui, Zheng Michang, He Maocai, and those wealthy foreign businessmen each received a candle from a follower.Only Hu Zongxian's hand did not reach out to the candlestick, Zheng Michang and He Maocai immediately looked over to him.

A tired smile appeared on Hu Zongxian's clear face: "Eunuch Yang and you guys will take a look."

Yang Jinshui continued with a smile: "Master Department Hall has been really tired all along, but we dare not let you go. You still have to sit here and rest. How much silk can you sell later will be shipped to the West, and how much silk will you send?" It is up to you to decide on the escort of the warship."

Speaking of this, he smiled at Zheng Michang, He Maocai and those foreign businessmen beside him: "Come, come, let's go and see the goods."

As he spoke, he held the candlestick in front of him, and walked towards the silk that was still blowing on the stairs, and said sharply as he walked, "Turn out the lamp!"

(End of this chapter)