Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 255
The secluded ancient road is long and silent. Two women dressed in ordinary clothes wrapped in cloth scarves, under the shade of trees on both sides of the road, holding bamboo sticks and carrying burdens, walked forward silently with their heads down.

At this time, a sound of horseshoes came from behind them, which made the two women panic. They walked quickly and saw a tea shed by the roadside, so they quickly sat down.

The sound of "thump thump thump~" horseshoes trampled on the ancient road, a group of cavalry in yellow armor galloped past the shed, as if some urgent battle broke out ahead.

The two women sat in the tea shed, a little shocked, but the owner's family seemed to be used to the military experience and seemed quite calm.

The owner of the store is in his thirties, with a thin long braid on his bald head. A four or five-year-old girl is playing by herself while the owner's wife is washing vegetables.

The two women sat at the table and looked around, one of the younger women couldn't help asking: "Madam, General Damu asked us to wait at Xianxia Pass, but there are Qing soldiers everywhere, what should we do?" What about passing?"

The two women were Liu Rushi and her personal maid Xiao Yinger. Ever since Qian Qianyi surrendered, the relationship between Liu Rushi and him had cracked. After Qian Qianyi went to Beijing to become a high official in the Qing Dynasty, Liu Rushi Then I received a letter from Zheng Chenggong, asking her to come to Fujian to be a disciple.

When Liu Ru was in Changshu, he had many conflicts with Qian Qianyi's young master, so he hurriedly packed his clothes and went south with his little maid.

At this time Liu Rushi heard Xiao Yinger's words, and couldn't help but tighten her brows. They walked all the way, and they saw no less than ten Qing soldiers and horses rushing towards Xianxia Pass. It means to attack Xianxiaguan, or has already fought with the Ming army in Fujian.

Two weak girls, in this turbulent place, if there is no one to support them, how can they pass through the Xianxia Pass where there are many soldiers?
Thinking of this, Liu Rushi felt a little sad.

At this time, the innkeeper came to their table with a pot of tea and filled two tea bowls. Seeing this, Liu Rushi said slightly: "Thank you innkeeper~"

The shopkeeper repeatedly waved his hands and said, "You're welcome, you're welcome, this is what it should be."

Liu Rushi glanced at the shopkeeper and his wife and daughter, and couldn't help feeling a little emotional, "It's really enviable to see your family of three in these days of war and chaos~"

Hearing the words, the shopkeeper looked at his daughter who was playing and then at his wife who was washing vegetables, with a look of love on his face, and he also sighed: "This is just a few days after peace, a while ago, there was a man surnamed Zheng General, in this battle with the Qing soldiers, tens of thousands of people fought from day to night, until more than half of them were killed and wounded, leaving more than ten thousand corpses, and they had no choice but to retreat."

Liu Rushi couldn't help but change slightly when he heard him say this, but the shopkeeper didn't notice it, and sighed helplessly, and then said: "Oh~ we ordinary people, just try to be safe, and watch them fight over and over. , It’s like watching a play, no matter who is the emperor, life is still going on anyway~ Just a few days ago, at Xianxia Pass, a person was lifted down from the top, saying that it turned out to be some high-ranking official of the Ming Dynasty, but now Became a high official in the Qing Dynasty again~ so what, isn't it like a dream~"

Guan Zhongxiang, Duke Huan of Qi, said: "If the granary is real, you know the etiquette; if you have enough food and clothing, you know the honor and disgrace."

For most ordinary people, survival is the most important thing. The Ming Dynasty could not provide them with the most basic guarantee of survival, so how could they be required to be as loyal to the country as scholars educated in Confucianism?What's more, even the court minister, Shihlin Saw, surrendered to the Qing court. As a low-level commoner, why couldn't he choose to live on his knees?
Liu Rushi could not help feeling sad when he heard what the shopkeeper said. If you are ambitious, most of the people nowadays think like this~

The little Yinger at the table listened intently and was very interested in what the shopkeeper said, so she couldn't help asking, "Do you know the name of that high official?"

The shopkeeper heard the words, but couldn't answer, "It seems to be Ruan~Ruan~Ruan~"

Spring flowers and autumn moon, one dream, fame and fortune, one dream, success or failure, one dream, the bright moon of the homeland, one dream.

Liu Rushi naturally knew that the shopkeeper was referring to Ruan Dacheng, but her mind was in a mess, so she put down a few copper coins and left with Xiao Yinger.

A few days later, they still failed to reach Xianxia Pass. After Duoduo's army swept east Zhejiang, they stationed troops outside Xianxia Pass, preparing to sweep southeast in one fell swoop.

Half a month later, Liu Rushi and Xiaoying'er returned to Changshu. When they arrived at the door of their house, they met Qian Qianyi who had abandoned his official position in Beijing. Their eyes met and they were speechless.

When Qian Qianyi returned home, his son complained to Qian Qianyi, "Father, it is now under the Qing Dynasty, but Mrs. Hedong communicated with your student who resisted the Qing Dynasty, and even left home to go south. This is not to harm me." The whole family? Look~"

Qian Qianyi turned his back and sighed: "The country is broken and the king is dead, and the scholar-bureaucrats can't be full of festivals. I'm already a second minister. Why do you criticize Mrs. Hedong?"

Hearing this, his son had no choice but to leave in disappointment.

In the early morning of the next day, Liu Rushi got up early, but suddenly heard Xiao Yinger exclaiming "Ma'am", so she hurried to the backyard door, and saw a man wearing a bamboo hat covering his face, she couldn't help but wondered: " This gentleman?"

Hearing the words, the man turned around and took off the bamboo hat. Liu Rushi stared at it, his eyes dimmed for a while.

"I'm here to find Mr. Mu Zhai~" The person who came was Chen Zilong. When he saw Liu Rushi, his mind was disturbed for a while, but he didn't know what to say.

Hearing this, Liu Rushi took a step back and led Chen Zilong into the study.

Qian Qianyi had already heard the movement, walked down from the library, saw Chen Zilong, his expression was slightly stunned, then strode up to meet him, cupped his hands and said: "Brother Zilong, you are very welcome~"

"Shepherd~" Chen Zilong also bowed and said, "On behalf of the righteous men of Jiangnan Fuming, I also welcome you back."

Seeing this, Liu Rushi knew that they had important matters to discuss, so she closed the door and retreated.

At this time, Qian Qianyi and Chen Zilong sat down, and Chen Zilong said straight to the point: "Master, I think you should understand my reason for coming. Wu Risheng and I have already drawn up a team, and now there are about 2 people." There are many people, the bugle is Zhenwu, but there is an urgent shortage of funds, and I don’t know the shepherd~”

After World War I in Suzhou, the Taihu rebels seized the food and grass that the Qing court was going to transport to Huguang, which eased the crisis of food and grass for the rebels, but hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians crowded on a small island, sooner or later they would all be exhausted.

If you have an army, you have to pay, but the Taihu Rebel Army has no source of money, so Chen Zilong had to go out to find a place in the south of the Yangtze River, a famous old friend, and ask him to raise a batch of money.

Qian Qianyi heard the words, pondered for a while, and then said: "Brother Zilong, I am very pleased that you can find me. Don't worry about money, but give me a few days to go raise money."

(Thanks to Zhenzu, Shuzhanzhishang, and Shushanqin for their rewards. The group number is 160522963. There are already eight friends.)
(End of this chapter)