Dong Yougu didn't know what would happen in the future, and Tao Qian, who was far away in Ruijin County, didn't know either. In the Zhongzuo Institute, Zheng Chenggong finalized a marriage. In the county town, the Juren master he had met last time and his enlightenment mentor

Another marriage was also finalized, a marriage between him and the daughter of the master who held the ceremony.

Over the past six months, the Juren Master has been able to get some clues about the whereabouts of his wife and his family, but the situation was very bad. To be precise, when he went to Fuzhou to take the exam, his family felt that the place was not very safe.

, moved his family to Fucheng. As a result, a few months later, the Qing army moved south in a large scale. Admiral Jin Shenghuan and Chief Military Officer Ke Yongsheng attacked Ganzhou Fucheng. Ming Jiangxi Governor Wan Yuanji, Wuyingdian University Scholar Yang Tinglin and six thousand Ming troops were martyred.

He immediately carried out the appalling massacre of Ganzhou. About 200,000 people were massacred by the Qing army, including his betrothed wife and her family.

The bones could no longer be found, so the Juren Master built a tomb for the family in the name of the same year, and invited eminent monks from several nearby temples to help them to save the souls. After everything was over, some time passed, and through Tao Qian

The marriage was finalized through the relationship with the mentor, and the wedding can be completed with six ceremonies in February.

The relationship has become closer, and it is still a big one. Juren's prospective father-in-law naturally wants to support his prospective son-in-law. He just met with the magistrate and had a good talk. It was not convenient for Tao Qian to stay at Juren's house before the wedding, so he returned to the inn on his own.

I went. Just thinking about the words I heard during the chat, I always felt that there was something scary about it.

"... Over in Nanchang, Cai Fujun, who succeeded Xia Fujun last year, was busy cleaning up his father and reducing taxes, appeasing the refugees, and dividing the land for farming as soon as he took office. It was very lively. A few days ago, I heard Mr. Liu Fujun say that

The army also intends to pacify the refugees in our southern Jiangxi, but the ground around here is not peaceful. The Western bandits in Huguang and the pirates in Guangdong and Fujian are really making trouble. We have to send troops to help at every turn, but we really can't take this into account.

…”

"...I am afraid that the Jiangxi King's Division will not last long. When the Jiangxi King's Division is destroyed, the imperial court will adjust its policy strategy in Jiangxi, switching from military suppression to resumption of production in order to ease financial pressure. This is what it should be.

Because the financial situation of the imperial court has always been poor, it is all thanks to the exploitation and tax increases over the years, plus the foundation of torture left by the intruders. But no matter what, as long as the imperial court moves,

Now, this is our chance to play our part!"

The former is the gossip he overheard when he accompanied his prospective father-in-law to visit the local magistrate; and the latter is Chen Kai's original words when he left Chaozhou nearly a year ago.

Last year, Xia Yi'e, the governor of Jiangxi Province, died of illness. Cai Shiying, who succeeded him, was also a bannerman of the Han army. When he took office, he followed Xia Yi'e's strategy and completed the work of defeating the Western Ming army. Waiting for the Jianghushan camp to be broken, the four major forces in Jiangxi

After the entire Kou army was wiped out, Cai Shiying immediately adjusted his strategy from suppression to pacification, and at the same time vigorously restored production.

Jiangxi is like this. Liu Wuyuan, the governor of southern Gansu, also had this intention. However, last year the southwest Ming army came out of Guizhou and defeated the Qing army in Huguang and Guangxi. Ganzhou, separated by a mountain from Huguang, was frightened three times a day, fearing that it would attack

Crossing the mountains in western Jiangxi; Zheng Chenggong swept through southern Fujian, and the Qing army in southern Jiangxi also sent the Tingzhou Green Camp south to contain it, but was defeated by the Ming army's assisting defense troops; although Chen Kai fought a defensive battle in Guangdong, he won both battles.

They also blocked the fleet at the mouth of the Pearl River. They might have to go south to aid Guangdong. With such a busy schedule, who would have the energy to resume production at full strength?

When Tao Qian heard this, he didn't think it was a big deal, but now that he thought about it, especially when these two words that spanned time and space were put together, beads of cold sweat were dripping down his forehead.

After ticking all the way and wiping his sweat several times, Tao Qian finally returned to the inn. He asked the waiter to boil water and prepared a hot bath to make him feel comfortable and relieve the stress. However, this

As soon as the instructions were given, the shopkeeper came forward and said that a Confucian scholar in his fifties came to see him. He was currently living in the quiet and elegant courtyard behind the inn.

"Fifty years old?"

He knew a lot of scholars at this age, and he was a guest from afar. Even if he didn't know him, he couldn't turn them away. When he entered the campus, came to the door, knocked on the door, and saw what he saw

The person in question was a Confucian scholar with a free and easy temperament, and his temperament was quite good. Although he did not know him, he did not dare to trust such a person.

"May I ask, sir?"

Tao Qian bowed his hands in a salute. The Confucian scholar looked at him, waved away the shopkeeper who followed him, and replied in a low voice: "My surname is Hong, and the cursive character is Jinlan."

Hong Jinlan didn't seem to have anything novel at first, but once the name hit his ears, it shocked Tao Qian's mind like a thunderous explosion. Then, he allowed the middle-aged Confucian scholar to let him go.

After entering the room and closing the door, the man went on to explain his intention.

"The person who is sending you back to your hometown has asked me to ask you a question."

The reply "Please speak frankly" came out of his mouth like a conditioned reflex. Tao Qian swallowed his saliva, but only heard the man say, "The earth is shaking and the mountains are high, and the Western Mountains are beautiful through the ages", but there was no question in his tone.

Tao Qian naturally understood the meaning of these words, and he had already realized that there would be such a question when Hong Jinlan announced his name. Seeing this, he could only take a deep breath and calm down a little.

He was so shocked that he whispered back to the middle-aged Confucian scholar: "The door faces the sea, and the three rivers merge and flow for thousands of years."

This is a code that was set long before Tao Qian set out. Not only him, but the Jiangxi Confucian scholars who were training on Nan'ao Island are also using the same code, but no one has contacted them yet.

After meeting the code and looking at the middle-aged Confucian scholar, Tao Qian felt inexplicably calmer and no longer as shocked as before. But before he could speak, the middle-aged Confucian scholar said to him bluntly: "I'm here

Kuang Lu, on the orders of Chief Steward Chen Jinnan, came here to hold an initiation ceremony for Mr. Tao. Chief Steward Chen said that he believed that Mr. Tao must still remember the mission of returning home this time!"

………………

There is a saying that you should not marry in the first lunar month and not in the twelfth lunar month. Just like Tao Qian's wedding was set in February, Chen Kai's wedding was also set in February. However, unlike Tao Qian, he had to follow the six rites.

Chen Kai and Zheng Xiyuan only had one last gift left.

This matter was finalized at the Zhongzuo Institute. The edict envoys took a short rest and boarded the ship to Chaozhou. According to Zheng Chenggong, Chen Kai should be handling local affairs in Chaozhou, and they arrived

After there, the edict and appointments are announced, and once everything is completed, you can return directly from Chaozhou.

The edict envoy and his party set off, but at this time, Chen Kai was not in Chaozhou, but had already returned to Hong Kong Island by boat. After a few months of separation, the camp near the port on Hong Kong Island had gradually begun to form.

The appearance of these market towns, taverns, teahouses, inns, and brothels. As the sea trade trading place shifted from Guangzhou to this place, it naturally brought more employment opportunities to the local area.

People from Xin'an County in the north have begun to try to move here to make a living, which is a good trend. Accordingly, Chen Kai is also preparing to increase investment in this to further squeeze the commercial profits of the Qing army-controlled areas in Guangdong.

"More fleets and garrisons are needed. In addition, forts or bastions need to be built?"

There is no need to look far away. The Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island face each other across the sea. Chen Kai even vaguely saw some traces of the Qing army. The Ming army entrenched Hong Kong Island and used it as a starting point to cut off the maritime trade at the Pearl River Estuary. This has long been no secret.

However, the Ming fleet was powerful, especially stronger than the Qing navy. Even if it was blocked in the Pearl River mouth to collect pay, all the Qing army could do was to build one or two outposts on the other side, across the river.

Hai watched the situation on the other side.

"Let them see it, it's just for fun. If the army dares to invade the territory, I will build another bastion to suppress the shock. As for the name, Hong Kong Libra Bastion?"

Thinking of this, Chen Kai couldn't help but laugh out loud, but none of his entourages knew why. However, this did not prevent him from continuing to spread his thoughts: "Lu Feng Twin Bastion, Hong Kong Libra Bastion, Dian White Capricorn Bastion"

Fortress, Qiongzhou Lion Bastion, etc., etc., twelve groups of bastions were built in one go along the coast of Guangdong, and they were called the Great Guangdong Sea Iron Wall, or the Zodiac. Well, as long as Shang Kexi can't invite you,

There is nothing to fear about the Bronze Saint."

Even though he could feel the dissatisfaction of the Qing army on the other side across the sea, Chen Kai could not stop his laughter at all. At least in his opinion, it was necessary for the Qing Dynasty to experience being blocked at the door of their home by warships two hundred years in advance.

The taste - last time it was European colonists, but this time it was the last fleet of the Han Dynasty in ancient China that had dominance on the Chinese sea!

Lin Cha is still in charge of things here for the time being, and the person who collects the royalties is sent by Zheng Chenggong. The income from the royalties goes to Zhongzuo, and the profits from the trade go to Chaozhou. This is the profit sharing model that he and Zheng Chenggong have already set.

After all, they now have to face enemies from two directions at the same time. Even if they are on the defensive, they still need a lot of money to ensure the existence of a strong wall.

After an inspection, Chen Kai was quite satisfied with this. At least he still needs more energy to achieve further development here.

After leaving the dock and returning to the official office, Chen Kai reviewed some official documents and account books, and without saying anything else, turned to the area he had marked when he left.

A few months have passed, especially after Chen Kai defeated Geng Jimao and brought some prisoners, the building speed there has been accelerating. Even the transplantation of the kapok trees has been carried out in an orderly manner.

among.

"It's a pity that if it were spring, you would still be able to see the garden full of red flowers, but now you can only see some bare branches and half-finished pavilions and pavilions under construction."

This is a pity, but there is nothing to regret. The buildings here are rising from the ground, but there must be a process of piling and foundation building. Without a solid foundation, it is nothing more than a castle on sand. As long as others gently

If it is pushed, the house will collapse and the family will be destroyed.

"The house is not in a hurry to be built, so let's make the plaque first."

"May I ask the president, how should I write it on this plaque?"

The official in charge hurriedly stepped forward to ask. Chen Kai smiled and replied without hesitation: "There is no rush in the square. It is enough to prepare the wood and carvings. As for the plaque on the gate, it is the facade. It must be done well."

As for the content, the three words "Honghua Pavilion" are enough."

………………

Chen Jinnan's name appeared early in this era, so naturally he was also a Honghua Pavilion. However, Niujiazhuang, Hubei Province is still the hinterland of the Qing army, and Chen Kai can only touch it because it is occupied by the Ming army.

Those corner areas, such as Hong Kong Island, are one of them.

The Honghua Pavilion on Hong Kong Island is still under construction. In another hinterland of the Qing army, at Tao Qian's home in Ruijin County, Ganzhou Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, the incense hall for the initiation ceremony has already been carried out in secret.

In the night, the door of the study room was closed tightly. The candles flickered and the lights flickered, illuminating the meeting flag embroidered with swords and crossed bamboo slips. Kuang Lu turned his back to the meeting flag, stood upright, made a fist with his right hand, and bent his arms.

On his shoulders, Tao Qian, who was face to face with him, acted like this, following Kuang Lu in reciting the oath of membership.

"All things in heaven and earth will revive China and exterminate the barbarians."

"All things in heaven and earth will revive China and exterminate the barbarians."

"We should live and die together, just like the Taoyuan story, we are brothers and become one family. We worship heaven as our father, earth as our mother, the sun as our brother, and the moon as our sister. We also worship the two ancestors of Yan and Huang and the most holy teacher."

"We should live and die together, just like the Taoyuan story, we are brothers and become one family. We worship heaven as our father, earth as our mother, the sun as our brother, and the moon as our sister. We also worship the two ancestors of Yan and Huang and the most holy teacher."

"..."

"In the past, the two capitals and thirteen provinces should work together to destroy the barbarians. We should follow Chen Jinnan's orders, support the club's program, abide by the club's charter, fulfill the obligations of members, implement the club's decisions, and strictly abide by the club's disciplines.

Keep the secrets of the society, be loyal to the society, work actively, strive for life for the great cause of rejuvenating China, be ready to sacrifice everything for the society and the nation, and never betray the society."

"In the past, the two capitals and thirteen provinces should work together to destroy the barbarians. We should follow Chen Jinnan's orders, support the club's program, abide by the club's charter, fulfill the obligations of members, implement the club's decisions, and strictly abide by the club's disciplines.

Keep the secrets of the society, be loyal to the society, work actively, strive for life for the great cause of rejuvenating China, be ready to sacrifice everything for the society and the nation, and never betray the society."

"Burn incense and make an oath, obey the will of heaven, restore the Han family and the world, and avenge the shame."

"Burn incense and make an oath, obey the will of heaven, restore the Han family and the world, and avenge the shame."

"We swore a blood oath and the gods warned us."

"We swore a blood oath and the gods warned us."

After that, the dagger pierced the fingertips, and the blood of the two changed the color of the wine. Then, after drinking it all, Kuang Lu and Tao Qian clasped their fists and greeted each other: "Welcome Brother Tao Qian to become a formal member of our Tiandi Society."

"In order to drive out the Tartars and restore the Han Dynasty, I have devoted myself to death and died!"

Tao Qian raised his head and replied. In his impassioned voice, he was particularly excited even if he lowered his voice. At this moment, the alien feeling of loneliness in the hinterland of the Qing court disappeared, because he knew very well that from today on, he would

He is no longer fighting alone, there are brothers from the ever-growing Tiandihui, and there is also the legendary chief helmsman.

Victory will surely come!

(Volume 2, Heavenly Father and Earthly Mother, end)
Chapter completed!