Begging in late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 123 Recruiting?

"So fast?"

Song Qingshu called out in disbelief. Originally, with the office efficiency of the Ming Dynasty and the deployment of troops and generals, he could at least give himself half a month of preparation time, but it took only three days for the government to respond. Why didn't Song Qingshu feel relieved? shock?
"How many people came here, and where did they come from? Was there ever any cavalry? Was there ever any cannon?" Song Qingshu was so anxious that his mouth was bubbling, he grabbed Little Carrot by the collar and picked him up.

Being strangled by the neck, Xiaoluo rolled his eyes and kicked his legs, and was finally put down, and straightened his neck properly, and then he yelled angrily.

"Not many, just about fifty infantrymen and a few officials. It seems that they are here to clean up the mess in Shangnan County."

Song Qingshu heaved a sigh of relief, and stretched out his hand to slap Little Luobo on the forehead: "You're panting for words! You're shocked! You want to scare someone to death?"

"No, brother, don't you say that any movement from the government is a big deal, and come back and report as soon as something happens?"

Hearing this guy's sophistry, Song Qingshu rolled his foot on his butt angrily, and with a laugh, Little Luobo ran and led the horse out again to relieve his emotions. Song Qingshu also hurriedly went to prepare, See where I can squeeze another machete or two.

But just this small negligence caused Song Qingshu to suffer a big loss immediately.

…………

November 28, the fifth day since the chaos in Shangnan County.

Donghua Village, the nearest village to the county seat, has been transported for several days, and has already emptied half of the people in the village. However, these farmers are reluctant to waste a single grain of food dug out of the soil. Wheelbarrows If it is not enough, I put it in a sack and carry it, and there is a fiery scene of carrying everywhere.

But at this moment, a cowherd boy at the entrance of the village suddenly ran over and yelled: "The official dog is here!" All of a sudden, it was like smashing a hornet's nest in the village. , ran out as soon as he could, and the rest of the old men and women, the old and the weak, women and children also immediately hid back home, trembling against the door.

That scene felt like the imperial army was coming, and it was amazing for my own government to do this!
Even the civil servant leading the team on horseback shook his head helplessly when he saw such a situation, and didn't enter the village. He grabbed Zhang's notice and started reading aloud at the entrance of the village.

"I'm here to investigate the turmoil in Shangnan County in the second year of Chongzhen. The county magistrate Feng Changtu privately increased the levy. He collected the people's fat and the people's anointing in the middle of winter, forcing the people to live. The governor of the three sides, Mr. Yang, was ordered. Once involved in this matter, the people will be killed." Count the pardons! Don't hold them accountable!"

With a sigh of relief, the unknown civil servant escaped and read aloud again: "The people who have been farmed in this county will all be registered on the spot, the land in this county will be allocated, and the land will be granted. Its land reclamation tax for six years! And after the spring, the cattle seeds will be given, so that you can live and work in peace and contentment!"

After finishing speaking, the civil servant did not enter the village, and went to the next village along the path beside the village. Seeing them go, the villagers who couldn't believe their ears came out of the house one after another, and started talking again. .

"How is this possible, pardon us and give us back the title deed? And cattle and farm tools?"

"Six years of tax exemption? Liar?"

"Fart, how could the government lie to people? Didn't you see that the official said it?"

"That's right! It looks like he might be the new county magistrate, but the Holy Son of Heaven has opened his eyes and sent us a good official to Shangnan. It's right to kill that old dog Feng!"

This kind of discussion seemed to have wings, and it quickly spread from Donghua Village to all the villages in Shangluo County.

…………

Funiu Mountain.

Scarface walked ahead like a burning butt, muttering that things might change while walking, but Song Qingshu shook his head again and again, those rebellious villagers couldn't be so stupid, could they?Still nostalgic for that spot, unwilling to enter the mountain?However, when the two hurried to the mountain bank, a large group of farmers from the foot of the mountain were indeed clamoring around the door.

"Give me back the food!"

"Bring back our potatoes and corn!"

Excited villagers even took farm tools and wanted to attack again and again. At this moment, all the strong men in the mountain were gathered and trained by Song Qingshu, and a dozen or so people who watched the warehouse were knocked to and fro. It was broken into.

Looking anxiously, before Song Qingshu could draw his gun, Scarface took out the firecracker and jumped up. His firecracker still went straight to the people's feet, and with a groan, the ten or so old men in front all jumped to the ground. run back.

"This food is the food of the big boss. You bastards still have to rely on our Funiu Mountain for protection. How dare you grab the food of the big boss and don't want to live?"

Originally, he was full of anger at the group of villagers at the bottom of the mountain who caused trouble, and his scarred face was full of anger. He pointed his smoking long fire blunderbuss at the troublesome peasants. Scarface's firecracker, the group of villagers all retracted, suppressing everyone, and Scarface yelled out loudly.

Who knew that this was like pouring a ladle of water into a frying pan, causing the hundreds of villagers who looted to boil again.

"It's all planted by Lao Tzu so hard. Why do you all belong to the bandit leader?"

"Return our food, or we will sue the officials!"

There was also the excited one, whose tone was a little softer, holding the account book and begging bitterly: "We don't want all of them, you promised to give us food according to work, so forget about our work points, okay?"

I was dumbfounded and listened to these people yelling for a long time. The noise here also called all the minions who were training on the playground. Hundreds of people surrounded them with swords, guns, swords and halberds. Seeing that he had controlled the scene further back, Song Qingshu paced forward.

Scarface was very domineering and stretched out his hand to grab the person who opened his mouth to report to the official. He stretched out his hand and fell in front of Song Qingshu. His face sank like water, and Song Qingshu bent down slightly gloomy.

"Tell me, why do you want to take the food back all of a sudden?"

He was very brave just now, and seeing the minions holding the two-handed machete viciously shaking the blade, the old farmer in his thirties also lost his courage and knelt on the ground trembling.

"The big one has nothing to do with the little one! Zhang Xiaodian, the captain of our production team, forced me to come here. You, you, don't you want to cut off the little one's head?"

"Why do you want to move the grain back all of a sudden? Aren't you afraid that the government will come to encircle and suppress it?" Song Qingshu frowned impatiently, and Song Qingshu repeated it gloomyly. After a daze, the old farmer replied tremblingly.

"Back to the head of the family, then, an official came from the government and sent an order from village to village, saying that the governors of the three sides pardoned everyone, and also rewarded us with all the land we are cultivating now, tax-free for six years!"

"Fart, who are you fooling?" Scarface was the first to laugh out in disdain. He had been in the government, and he knew how much the government held grudges. Eight tongues yelled.

"Really, master!"

"I saw it with my own eyes, and the new county magistrate told us himself!"

"Yeah, I also listen to it with my own ears!"

This time, Song Qingshu's brows tightened even more, he pinched his chin and began to meditate. The farmers at the bottom of the mountain also looked over eagerly. After a long time, some people began to lose their temper, some started to run away from behind, and some were in the crowd. There was a clamor again.

"Return our food quickly, or report to the government and hang you bandits!"

Listening to this tone, it seems that they didn't come to the mountains to fall grass before, and they have already taken their status as good citizens seriously. The behavior of the white-eyed wolf made the scarred face and cheeks bulge, and the bandits nearby were also shaking their weapons. , just around the corner.

However, at this time, another cough came from behind Song Qingshu.

"That Dong Weng, let the miscellaneous family see if it works?"

Scarface immediately frowned impatiently, and cursed: "Eunuch dog, what are you doing here?"

It seemed that people really didn't like eunuchs, they all dispersed after a while, seeing this eunuch Jiao approaching, Song Qingshu was also surprised, unexpectedly, he stretched out his hand to greet him.

"Go and see!"

Although this dead eunuch is vicious and perverted, he has been in the high-level government after all, and he knows a lot more than the low-level officer like Scarface. Let him take a look, and he will not suffer, Song Qingshu thought.

That eunuch Jiao was really concealed, his smile spread out, he was kind like an old lady, and he asked the captured villager slowly.

"Come on, tell the miscellaneous family, what kind of official came to pass the order, what kind of notice is it, has it been stamped with the seal of the Governor's Mansion?"

Maybe this harmless smile made the villager relax a bit, and after trying to recall, the villager held his head up and narrated intermittently: "It's a middle-aged official in a red official robe, with a dark face and a short stature. As for the notice , No notice! It was the official who said it at the entrance of the village."

"Yes, he still speaks with a foreign accent, which sounds weird, and some words need to be repeated by the officer next to him!"

Hearing this, Song Qingshu sneered. Seeing that he had made a judgment, Eunuch Jiao retreated back with a sneering smile. Looking at the villagers down the mountain who were staring at him anxiously, Song Qingshu suddenly waved his hand easily.

"Open the grain depot, let them move back as much as they moved up before, but listen, from now on, you are no longer from Funiu Mountain, and Funiu Mountain has no obligation to take care of you, life and death have destiny, wealth and honor In heaven!"

"Big master!" Several confidant bandit leaders nearby with scar faces immediately became anxious, Song Qingshu hurriedly lowered his voice and said in a low voice: "There is a reason for the incident, I will explain it to you when I go back!"

Song Qingshu said so, and it was difficult for others to say anything. There was a bang and the door of the warehouse opened, and the peasants who were confronting each other rushed in cheering, and ran away with sacks on their shoulders.

"This, this is true!" Seeing the granary holding back all of a sudden, Scar's mouth was crooked in anger...

(End of this chapter)