I

  Chapter 218 216 [Traveling in the mountains and rivers] (addition for the leader "Gone with the Wind NJ")

  Natural disasters and man-made disasters have always been connected together.

  In terms of the severity of the drought last year, Shanxi and Shaanxi were actually relatively mild, but they caused the most severe famine.

  Where was the hardest hit by the drought last year?

   According to the administrative divisions of later generations, there are southern Jiangsu, southern Anhui, southeastern Hubei, northeastern Jiangxi, eastern Fujian and the entire Zhejiang!

  These places are relatively prosperous, so in the history books, there was no large-scale famine in the south in the ninth year of Chongzhen.

  However, Zhejiang, where the province experienced a severe drought last year, suffered another persistent drought this year. Although the drought was milder than last year, the people of Zhejiang couldn't bear it anymore, because the Chief Secretary was stepping up tax collection.

  Yao Yongji, the Zuo Buzheng of Zhejiang Province, had no other choice. When he reported the disaster situation last year, the emperor didn't believe it at all, so he took the official and stayed on, and if he didn't pay the taxes, he would be dismissed!

  Jian, General Military Mansion.

  Zhao Han gave instructions at the spring plowing meeting: "Officials from all over the country, missionaries, members of peasant associations, and the army, all fight against drought and disaster relief!"

  Li Ke said weakly: "Zongzhen, why don't you personally offer sacrifices to the sky and pray for rain?"

   "Pray for rain, if you have that money, why don't you use it for disaster relief!" Zhao Han flatly refused.

  Pang Chunlai said: "Praying for rain is also possible, not to move the world, but to unite people's hearts."

   "The town doesn't believe it, but the officials and the people do." Li Banghua echoed.

Zhao Han thought for a while and said, "Unity of will is the unity of people's hearts. As for praying for rain, there have been years of severe drought in the north. Why didn't the court and ministers pray for rain? The main officials in various places were ordered to dismiss anyone who prayed for rain in the future. Give me all your thoughts on fighting the drought!"

"yes!"

  The officials stopped dissuading.

  …

  The magistrate of Nanchang has already left, claiming to be seriously ill, and without the permission of the imperial court, he hung a seal and went home to take care of himself.

  The new county magistrate is called Han Chengxuan. He was the county magistrate in Zichuan before. During his tenure, he only did two things: first, the whole county restored a whipping law, and no more exorbitant taxes were imposed; second, he built a stone city to resist bandits.

   Dazhi in Zichuan County!

  As soon as he entered Jiangxi, he heard that the spring drought was severe, and Han Chengxuan frowned. He is from Shanxi. He passed the Jinshi examination three years ago and has already tasted enough of the drought.

  Going to Jiangxi this time, Han Chengxuan did not have a master, and only brought two servants with him.

  After leaving Poyang Lake, Han Chengxuan stood at the bow of the boat to observe. He found that on both sides of the Ganjiang River, the seedlings were lush and lush, which was completely different from what he had imagined.

  Han Chengxuan said with emotion: "The land on the right side of the river is really rich. There are rivers and lakes to moisten, and even a severe drought can yield a good harvest."

   Came to Nanchang Fucheng, the place is extremely prosperous, and it doesn't look like a rebel.

  Han Chengxuan didn't stop, changed boats and went down the small river, ten miles away was Nanchang County.

  Walking along the way, on both sides of the river, I saw many times people lined up to fetch water. The water level of this small river has dropped a lot, and the water truck can't lift water into the canal, so the peasant association organizes artificial water lifting.

   "Docked."

   Before arriving at the county seat, Han Chengxuan landed ahead of time.

  He looked at the mud left by the river bank after the water receded, and then looked around at the lush rice fields, feeling an indescribably strange.

  Han Chengxuan asked his servant to stay on the shore to guard his luggage, and walked along the ridge with his sword on his back alone. After walking several miles in a row, it was already far away from the river, but there were still no withered and yellow seedlings.

  It's only spring. Although it doesn't rain, Nanchang County is full of rivers, and it connects Ganjiang and Fuhe rivers. Drought relief work is actually very easy to do.

  The real tricky part is the mountains!

  Suddenly, Han Chengxuan saw a flag with an indigo background embroidered with an ear of rice.

   "Folks, work harder, these are the last few fields!" A man in ordinary clothes shouted holding a tin horn.

"it is good!"

  Everyone cheered in unison, and then worked harder.

  Han Chengxuan stopped a farmer carrying water, pointed at the flag and asked, "What kind of flag is that?"

   "The flag of the peasant association." The peasant replied.

  One speaks official Chinese and the other speaks Jiangxi dialect, and they can barely communicate.

  Peasant Association?

  Han Chengxuan feels a little bad.

  He observed for a while, then walked back to the river, and went to the county with his servants.

   Arrived at the county government office, reported his background, and the county magistrate, chief secretary, and Dian Shi came to greet him with two teams of guards.

  Han Chengxuan made some inquiries and learned that the county magistrate was called Zhang Ruohai, the master secretary was called Liu Zirong, and the official history was called Hu Dinggui.

  This classic history is quite young, it seems that it is only in its teens.

   Those Zaoban yamen servants are even more strange, each holding a long gun instead of a normal water and fire stick. And order and prohibit, neatly arranged, looks more powerful than the officers and soldiers in the north.

  Han Chengxuan suppressed his doubts and went to go through the handover procedures. Although the treasury was not full, there was still some money and food left for him. This situation is very good. When he first came to Zichuan as a county magistrate, the county government treasury was so poor that he could run away mice.

  Han Chengxuan left the county magistrate, the master book, and the history of the classics, and called them to a meeting in the second hall of the county government.

   "I'm new to this county, and I still have to rely on three more people." Han Chengxuan said, cupping his hands.

  Zhang Ruohai hurriedly cupped his hands: "Don't dare, I will do my best to assist the county lord."

  Han Chengxuan also said: "The spring drought in Jiangxi, I think it has been managed very well. The three gentlemen have worked hard."

Liu Zirong suddenly said: "Master of the county, Nanchang County has flat terrain, fertile land, and vertical and horizontal rivers. There is no need to worry about the spring drought. However, in the surrounding counties, people in the mountains will definitely be affected. After the summer harvest, they may come to beg for food. Prepare early in the morning, try not to starve to death a victim.”

   "Naturally." Han Chengxuan laughed.

  Hu Dinggui said: "If there are refugees, the county officials don't need to panic, I will take people to deal with them."

   "It's time to work." Han Chengxuan cupped his hands.

   After chatting for about a stick of incense, Han Chengxuan could see it.

  The affairs of Nanchang County are all decided by the chief bookkeeper Liu Zirong and the classics history Hu Dinggui. And county magistrate Zhang Ruohai is a puppet, who only spouts nonsense occasionally.

  In the evening, Han Chengxuan paid for it himself, and invited Zhang Ruohai to a banquet in the house of the county government office.

   After a few pleasantries, Han Chengxuan asked directly: "Are the county's master book, history books, and the two classes of government servants all rebels?"

  Zhang Ruohai was so frightened that he trembled all over, and quickly said in a low voice: "The magistrate, don't make a fuss, we've been foolish officials for a few years and we'll get through it."

   It turned out to be a traitor!

  This Nanchang County, although not attached to Guo Nanchang Prefecture, is also the central area of ​​Jiangxi Province. In the majestic county government, except for the county magistrate, all other officials were stolen by the rebels.

  Han Chengxuan's vest broke out in cold sweat, and he said with a stern expression, "Hasn't the Luling thief Zhao been recruited a long time ago?"

  Zhang Ruohai cried bitterly: "It is true that we have been recruited, and there has been no war, but I am afraid that this Jiangxi must have the surname Zhao. The previous county official was scared away, and he directly hung a seal saying that he was sick and returned home."

   "Is this the case in Jiangxi?" Han Chengxuan asked.

  Zhang Ruohai said: "I don't know about other places, but the whole Nanchang Prefecture is like this. Fuzhou Prefecture in the east and Ruizhou Prefecture in the west are also said to be forming farmers' associations. Sooner or later they will fall into the hands of the Zhao thieves."

   "What exactly is a peasant association?" Han Chengxuan thought of the banner in the suburbs.

Zhang Ruohai explained: "Zhao thief has a missionary group, and he goes around preaching about the great unity of the world. The missionary group brings some backbone farmers' associations, and farmers' associations will be established in the villages and towns they pass. They force the landlords to reduce rent and interest, and they don’t pay the government exorbitant taxes. In their spare time, the peasant associations also help each other.”

   "This...is this a rebellion?" Han Chengxuan was dumbfounded.

  Zhang Ruohai said affirmatively: "This is rebellion, and the gentry and landlords have suffered for a long time!"

  Han Chengxuan was completely speechless. If this was considered rebellion, then he wanted to rebel too.

  When Han Chengxuan was the county magistrate of Zichuan, he tried his best to restore Zhang Juzheng's whipping method. Because of this, he offended the rich and powerful. Although the whole county was in great order, he was thrown to Jiangxi to face the rebels.

   I have to admit that the rebels here in Jiangxi are doing better than the government.

   But this is not right, let it go on, the whole Jiangxi will really have the surname Zhao.

  Han Chengxuan was very conflicted in his heart. The education he received was to be loyal to the emperor, to serve the country, and to love the people. Nowadays, being loyal to the emperor and serving the country seems to be in conflict with benevolence and love for the people. Which one should we choose?

  That night, Han Chengxuan tossed and turned, unable to figure out what to do.

   After spending several days like this, Han Chengxuan found that he had nothing to do. The government affairs are handled by Liu Zirong, the chief bookkeeper, and Hu Dinggui, the Dian Shi, handles public security. All the affairs of the county are well organized.

  So, what do you want him, the county magistrate, to do?

   In desperation, Han Chengxuan simply went on a tour, taking his servants across the river to the boundary of Ruizhou Prefecture.

   After inquiring around, it turned out that it was Fu Ruwei, a Jinshi in the same year, who went to Kochi County.

  Han Chengxuan immediately went to meet each other. Strictly speaking, this kind of behavior is not allowed, and the county magistrate cannot leave his jurisdiction without authorization.

   "Brother Kanghou, why are you here?" Fu Ruwei was very surprised.

  Han Chengxuan explained: "I was a county magistrate in Nanchang. I really had nothing to do, so I went out to relax."

  Fu Ruwei didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "The same is the end of the world."

   "Shanggao County was also stolen by rebels?" Han Chengxuan asked.

Fu Ruwei sighed and said: "Two of the four counties in Ruizhou Prefecture are already like this. Only Gao'an County attached to Guofu City and Yifeng County in the mountains are still in the hands of the Ming court for the time being. However, these two counties are also In the development of the peasant association, it will sooner or later fall into the hands of the rebels. You were transferred to Jiangxi, did you offend others?"

   "It has indeed offended a lot," Han Chengxuan said, "I reiterated the whipping law in Zichuan, prohibiting the collection of exorbitant taxes, and re-clearing the land."

  Fu Ruwei smiled wryly and said: "I am not as capable as brother Kang Hou. Last year, there was a severe drought in Zhejiang. I just forced the rich to open warehouses to release grain. I offended several officials of the Donglin Party."

  The imperial court is really interesting, throwing good officials to Jiangxi with all their brains.

  Han Chengxuan suddenly asked: "Should the truth be reported to the imperial court?"

"It can't be reported," Fu Ruwei shook his head and said, "in several battles, Jiangxi's officers and soldiers were all defeated. If it is reported to the imperial court, it will inevitably attract thunder and wrath, and Jiangxi's war will resume. At that time, where will the imperial court get the officers and soldiers to fight with money and food? ? The matter here, dragged on for a day. Sigh, then Zhao Yan is also considered a good thief."

  Han Chengxuan said: "I know he is a good thief, but a good thief is also a thief after all."

Fu Ruwei said: "Brother Kanghou, you can go to the mountains to see how much prestige the Zhao bandits have. The people in the mountains, under the organization of the peasant association, walk a few miles or even a dozen miles on the mountain road, go down the mountain to the river and carry water back to irrigate. This is not a big deal, after they carried the water, they are still digging the reservoir, and they seem to be carrying the water to fill the reservoir! I went to see it once, and it was really shocking, no government can do it. "

  Han Chengxuan has nothing to say.

  Fu Ruwei smiled bitterly and said, "Don't think too much, let's go sightseeing together."

   (Thanks to the ubiquitous chubby lord for the reward, please ask for a monthly ticket by the way.)

  (end of this chapter)