"Benefiting" from the surrender of the former Ming Dynasty general Tang Tong and the military eunuch Du Zhiyi without a fight, the military facilities in Juyongguan are intact, and the residential and commercial offices in the city are all available. What is interesting is that all the merchants are local civilians.
Jia Duo was established by the Shunjun family members.
Chongzhen and his party found an inn to settle down. The innkeeper stood at the door and immediately saw the Captain's badge on the visitor's waist. He rubbed his hands and said hello.
Embarrassingly, Chongzhen had never stayed in an inn, and he didn't know what to say for a moment, so he had to take off his sword and put it on the counter, and said loudly to the shopkeeper: "Shopkeeper, do you still have a room here?
"
The shopkeeper rubbed his hands vigorously, the scarf on his head swayed, and he extended his hands in a three sign.
"Yes. May I ask General, are three rooms enough?"
"No, two rooms are enough. Please prepare some food and have hot water delivered to the room."
"Okay, Xiao Zhou! Let's take our distinguished guest upstairs to two rooms in Class A!"
Chongzhen waved his hand, signaling for others to go ahead. Yang Boxian and his wife and daughter were extremely grateful and thanked them repeatedly.
Wang Chengen quickly supported them and followed the waiter upstairs.
After everyone left, the shopkeeper saw Chongzhen stopping and seemed to have something to say, so he led him to sit down at a table by the window and ordered some food and wine to be served in the kitchen.
Chongzhen looked around and said, "The shopkeeper's business is booming recently."
"Hey, the general is joking and barely making ends meet. It's all thanks to the son of the family who rebelled against Emperor Chongzhen with the rebels. This little guy is what he is today. I have to thank the general and your majesty!"
"In this inn business, we come into contact with a lot of people from all over the world. Can the shopkeeper tell me about the current situation in Shanxi?"
"The general wants to go to Shanxi?" The shopkeeper looked at Chongzhen questioningly, but seeing that he didn't answer, he had to continue:
"Shanxi and Henan are the same. The situation is terrible. God has no eyesight. After the floods, there is a drought, and then there is a great epidemic. There are not many people alive outside the city. Especially with the pimple plague, the patients have fever and weakness, and have long hair on their armpits.
The bulging pain is unbearable, and if it lasts for a long time, he will vomit blood and die, which is a very miserable death." Just saying that the shopkeeper was consciously frightened, as if he had witnessed the patient's death with his own eyes.
There was another plague, which had appeared in the capital long before Li Zicheng came to the capital. However, Chongzhen only learned about the specific situation of the epidemic from the mouths of civil servants, and the content was modified. It was regarded as a common wind-cold disease and did not pay attention to it.
Now Chongzhen knew that later generations would call this the plague, and the problem was caused by rats. With the current medical standards, not to mention a cure, even the cause of the disease could not be found.
If it is not controlled, as rats and refugees migrate, when this disease sweeps across the world, there will be no survivors in every place, and every household will be wiped out.
Seeing the worried look on Chongzhen's face, the shopkeeper poured some wine and said with relief: "General, since the beginning of winter, the epidemic seems to be under control and has improved."
"It's a shame for us poor people, shopkeeper, I plan to stay for two days and then leave. I wonder how much the rent will cost?"
"The general is a benefactor. How can I accept the general's money? I don't want it."
Chongzhen took the shopkeeper's hand, put a piece of silver into his hand, and said: "This trip is business. Shopkeeper, do me a favor. You saw it just now. There are two men and one woman with me.
There is also a baby in my arms, so just buy some new clothes for them and send them to their room."
The shopkeeper secretly weighed the weight in his hand, and said with a smile: "I'll leave it to the villain! By the way, the general's horse has been taken to the backyard and handed over to someone to take care of it, don't worry!"
Seeing the shopkeeper approaching, Chongzhen stopped talking, got up, left the inn, and walked around Guancheng.
By the time he returned, it was already night.
Entering the room, he saw Yang Boxian and Wang Chengen sitting at the table. Both of them had washed themselves and put on new clothes. However, the food on the table had not been moved, as if they were waiting for them.
"Why don't you eat first? Wait until I do something."
When Wang Chengen saw Chongzhen opening the door, he hurriedly stepped forward to take off his coat and complained: "Where is Brother Huang going? There is no news. Old Wang is so worried."
Chongzhen held two books that he had bought outside in his hands. He leisurely walked to the dining table and sat down, placing the books gently on the table.
"It's rare to come out, so of course I have to go shopping."
Uncle Yang stared at the book on the table and asked, "Brother, what kind of book is this?"
Wang Cheng'en had just hung up his coat, walked up from behind, squinted at the cover of the book, and said, "One is called "Wu Bian" and the other is called "Ji Xiao Xin Shu"."
"What is this book about?"
"Eat vegetables, eat vegetables." Chongzhen was very hungry, so he picked up his chopsticks and ate. Seeing him move his chopsticks, Yang and Wang started to eat. They had been waiting for Chongzhen, but they didn't eat a grain of rice.
After a while, Yang Bo couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked about Chongzhen's book again.
Chongzhen held the bowl in his left hand and picked up one of the books in his right hand and replied: "This "Wu Bian" was written by Mr. Jing Chuan in the Jiajing year. The other "Ji Xiao Xinshu" was also written in the Jiajing year. The author is Qi Shaobao."
"I know Qi Shaobao, Qi Jiajun, but who is Mr. Jingchuan?"
Just as Chongzhen was about to answer, Wang Chengen asked again: "Brother Huang, are there any bookstores open in the city?"
"There is a bookstore, but it's closed. I got these two military books from a street stall. I read them when I'm bored to pass the time."
When Uncle Yang first heard the word "Book of War", his eyes widened and he shouted: "Brother Huang still knows the art of war? My grandfather said when I was a child that scholars who know how to fight are the most powerful."
Chongzhen picked up a piece of seasonal vegetables and put it into his mouth, shaking his head repeatedly: "I don't understand, and it is precisely because I don't understand that I have to learn. In troubled times, it is always a good thing to know the soldiers, drink and drink!"
After a long and arduous journey to get here, we finally had a good meal. The three of us came and went, drinking and drinking happily.
After they were full of wine and food, Chongzhen and Wang Chengen helped Yang Boxian, who was drunk and talking nonsense, to the next room to sleep.
When Uncle Yang lay down, his wife Yang, who was standing aside, said, "My dear, thank you for your kindness. My man is reckless and ignorant, and has caused trouble for you two."
Chongzhen covered Yang Boxian's quilt and said:
"Acquaintance is fate, and we are one family if we travel together across the world. There is no need to speak the same language."
"My little girl has to thank Mr. Huang for the new clothes he sent me during the day..." As she said this, she couldn't help covering her face and started crying. She wanted to escape all the way, but her heart had been suppressed for a long time.
After some persuasion, the two of them finally appeased Mr. Yang.
After returning to his room, Wang Chengen checked that no one was listening outside the door and bolted the door.
While waiting for Chongzhen to take a bath, all the questions in his mind were put out.
"Long live my lord, it's been nearly a month since you left Beijing, and no one in the world knows your whereabouts. Will there be chaos in the south?"
"When I was wandering around today, I heard someone say that news came out from the capital that Emperor Chongzhen was hanged in Meishan and that the intruder was enthroned in Wuying Palace. It won't be long before this news reaches the south."
"There is fear of great chaos in the south of the Yangtze River. Long Live Lord, please respond quickly and take charge of the overall situation." Wang Chengen said hurriedly.
"I know you have been worried about this along the way. You are worried that Yingtian officials will establish a new emperor after hearing the news of my death, right?"
"Those rebellious ministers and traitors in the south of the Yangtze River will definitely commit such a treasonous act. I am really worried about Your Majesty."
"I'm not worried about this. I just feel sorry for Commander Li. It was me who harmed him." Chongzhen closed his eyes in the mist, blaming himself deep in his heart.
"Since you want to know, I will tell you and listen to it. Just keep it in your stomach."
Wang Chengen gently rubbed Chongzhen's back and waited for the next words.
"Jianlu will break through Shanhaiguan in the near future. Although I don't know the specific time, Li Zicheng will not be able to hold on for a few days. In fact, from the bottom of my heart, I hope that Li Zicheng, the Emperor of Dashun, will stay longer so that I can have more time.
"
"It's not that I won't go to Nanjing, it's that I can't go now. The Taoist in the temple said it right. It's just me and you. What can we do if we go to Yingtian now? Can it change the corrupt situation in the north? Or should we count on the civil servants?
Are you counting on that bastard Zuo Liangyu? Previously, with all the strength of the world, the built-up bandits were not wiped out, and the rogue bandits were not wiped out either. Now, do we still hope that living in Jiangnan can make a difference?"
"When I came to Shanxi, I wanted to experience the sufferings of the people firsthand, so that I could self-govern myself. In the past, I didn't understand the people's country. I listened to everything described by the civil servants and military generals. I was kept in the dark and didn't realize it, so that I became unconscious.
Frequent attacks will harm the country and the people!"
"Secondly, you also know that most of the Chuang army is soldiers from the Nine Sides. They have rich combat experience and are the best source of troops to fight against the Jianlu. Over the years, there have been frequent wars in the north, and most of the court's taxes are supplied to the north. Due to the long-lasting peace in the south,
This resulted in a lack of weapons and weak soldiers, making it difficult to achieve combat effectiveness in a short period of time."
"Your Majesty wants to...?" Wang Chengen has vaguely thought of the subsequent development through these words.
"Cheng'en, the Ming Dynasty is rotten to the core. I can't cure it by returning to Yingtian. I want a strong army that truly belongs to me! As for the throne, it's just who wins and who is established. Chuangjun wins.
Li Shun, Jianlu defeated Li Qing! Do you think I still care about who the civil servants establish? I will take it for myself!"
"Since the world is in chaos, instead of letting thieves wreak havoc, it would be better for me to be the biggest bandit, smash the world to pieces, and let everything start again."
"I will pretend to be the captain of the Chuang Army. When Li Zicheng is defeated and the world is in chaos, I will take the opportunity to recruit his remnants and build an army of my own."
Long Live Lord wants to be a rebel? Then think of the military book on the table...
Wang Chengen opened his mouth and looked at Chongzhen unable to speak for a long time. This chapter has been completed!