As the Tongcheng County Government retreated to the Hall of Thought, the lanternman hung up two lanterns, reflecting Pi Yingju's somewhat tired figure.
The prefect of Anqing, Pi Yingju, arrived at Tongcheng only in the afternoon. In just two days since Xue Tuiguan failed to recruit an undeserving official, the situation in Tongcheng had become unmanageable. All businesses in and outside the city were closed, and scoundrels from far and near gathered in the county seat. The north-south thoroughfare
The official channels were blocked. The situation was already very critical, forcing the prefect to rush to Tongcheng in person to deal with the civil uprising.
When Pi Yingju came to Tongcheng before, he stayed at the Fenshou Road Yamen Office, which was prepared for Fen Shoudao to go on business trips. Although the Yamen Office was small, it was always cleaned and looked after, so Prefect Pi chose that place every time. But this time Tongcheng was in anarchy.
Due to the poor state of the county, only the county government office was relatively safe in the entire county, so Pi Yingju could only live in the back room, and the Tuisi Hall became his office.
Yang Fangfian, the magistrate of Tongcheng County, came to the hall and said respectfully to Pi Yingju, "Master Pi, I have prepared the recruitment notice for the Anqing government office and will post it on the six doors and four corners tomorrow morning."
Pi Yingju hummed, and Yang Fangqian looked up and observed Pi Yingju's expression before continuing, "Huang Wending came to the Yamen in the afternoon and reiterated that he would not violate the county warehouse, the south prison, or the official residence, but he looked very arrogant. There were rioters everywhere in the city.
They gathered around as usual, and in the afternoon they robbed Liu Xiucai's house and burned it to the ground."
After he finished speaking, Pi Yingju still didn't express anything. Yang Fangqian knew that Pi Yingju was dissatisfied and his throat was a little dry, so he finally admitted, "The lower officials are unable to restrain the thieves, and even the subordinate officials in the yamen can't control them. Those who come to the yamen to wait for orders during the day
, which is less than 30% of the usual amount.”
Pi Yingju spoke softly and said, "I don't dare to use the 30% that comes. Some people say that all the subordinate officials in the yamen are used by thieves."
"The lower official is stupid!"
Pi Yingju waved his hand, "I have received the news that the officials have initially appointed you as the magistrate of Xinghua Prefecture in Fujian Province. You have a bright future and must not be hindered by this civil unrest."
Yang Fangqian's whole body trembled slightly. He had indeed entrusted people to work in the capital in order to be promoted to the prefect. Pi Yingju's evaluation of him was also very good, and he had indeed been kind to him.
He had worked diligently in Susong for several years, and now he knew that the official positions were determined by the tribes. The official position that was originally a sure thing had become out of reach because he acted as the magistrate of Tongcheng. It was difficult to relieve his anger. In his heart, he remembered the former magistrate Gu Chaojian
All the eighteen generations of my ancestors have scolded me. If Gu Chaojian hadn't left office early, how could he have encountered this once-in-a-century civil uprising? No one could compare to his luck.
Yang Fangqian bowed her body and her voice was trembling, "Xiaguan only took up his duties on August 2nd, which lasted only about twenty days. I am really unjust."
Pi Yingju showed no sympathy at all, "The world is in chaos, and Southern Zhili is the mainstay of the imperial court's wealth. Although Anqing is located in the corner of Southern Zhili, it is also Southern Zhili. The weight in the emperor's heart is different. If
It’s really a mess. Who do you think cares about when you perform your duties? No one cares whether you are unjust or not.”
Yang Fangqian was speechless. After a moment, she tiredly said to Pi Yingju, "I understand what your Excellency said, but the thieves are wreaking havoc, and I am really unable to deal with it."
Pi Yingju stood up and took two steps with his hands behind his back and said, "Before I came to Tongcheng, Huining Chi Taibing prepared the Wangdaotai and brought a guerrilla named Pan to the government office, claiming that if the Tongcheng rebels continued to gather around, they would
I wanted to lead troops to Tongcheng to quell the chaos, but I refused. Do you know why?"
Yang Fangfian thought for a moment and replied, "It's easy to recruit troops but difficult to send them. Your Excellency, I'm worried that Tongcheng will suffer a military disaster."
"No, if there are soldiers entering Tong, it means that you and I are unable to calm down the chaos."
Yang Fangqian was silent for a moment and took a rough breath, "Wangdaotai is equipped with military equipment, so it is natural to use troops to control violence. But the difficulties faced by us and other pastors guarding the place cannot be explained to outsiders."
Yang Fangfian was full of resentment. He also had one thing in his mind: Wang Gongbi would probably like the chaos in Tongcheng, so he would lead his troops to wipe it out, gain military honors, and have the opportunity to be promoted to governor.
Both of them understood it in their hearts, but neither said it out loud.
Pi Yingju slowly circled in the Tuisi Hall, "Children in the market are also singing everywhere, thieves pass like soldiers passing by like a grate. Chizhou soldiers and horses crossed the river and entered Tong. Master Wang was famous for his side achievements, but if Qiu Ba was poisoning the place, Tongcheng gentry
After handing in the impeachment, this debt will still be settled on us, Mu Shou, in the end."
"I wonder what the military discipline is like in Chizhou?"
Pi Yingju sneered and said, "Some officials from Chizhou Prefecture came across the river and said that Wang Gongbi was going to mobilize troops to suppress the bandits. The Chizhou camp's sergeants dispersed, and the remaining ones claimed that they would never cross the river unless they opened up. If such troops came,
Tongcheng, can the county magistrate like you still have peace for a day?"
Yang Fangfian sighed and said, "When thieves come, thieves will suffer, when soldiers come, soldiers will suffer, and when subordinates come, they will also be in a dilemma."
"That's why I feel that if I don't have to worry about troops and preparations for the road, then I don't have to worry about it. The situation in Tongcheng has not yet reached an uncontrollable point. Although the thieves have become powerful, they can still slow down their plans."
Yang Fangfian nodded and said, "What you said is true, but the lower officials are also worried. If we don't invite soldiers, it will turn from a small chaos into a big chaos. Isn't it worth the loss?"
Pi Yingju raised one hand, "So I can't say not to invite troops, nor can you say it. It's up to the Tongcheng gentry to say it. Even if there are some troubles in the future, we can be excused."
Yang Fangqian said with admiration, "Your Majesty understands that those country gentlemen have great fortunes and are most reluctant to let soldiers come. Just ask them to write to Wang Gongbi, which is the real evidence."
Pi Yingju nodded and said, "We won't invite soldiers, but the chaos still needs to be quelled. First of all, remember that the chaos cannot be generalized. There are tens of thousands of people in the city who are in chaos, are they all chaos? No, we must distinguish between leaders and subordinates to disperse them.
The leader is no more than Huang Wending and his men, or two or three hundred at most. The rest of the stupid people are just taking advantage of the fire to plunder, just for the sake of immediate gain, and they are definitely not working for Huang Wending and others. We don't want the troops to come, but we can borrow them.
I asked Wang Gongbi about the military strategy to recruit the Anxian sign. At that time, he announced that Chizhou soldiers were coming from Anqing, and the followers would disperse immediately, and then they could slowly attack. Only the two or three hundred thieves were left.
, it’s easier to deal with. The subordinate officials in the yamen are unreliable, so they have to rely on the power of the gentry in the city. Fortunately, as soon as my official arrived in the afternoon, Fang Kongzhen came to the door and talked about how the officials and gentry should work together to destroy the thieves."
Yang Fangqian thought for a moment and then remembered this Fang Kongzhen. This person was a minister, Wailang, and he was in Tongcheng at this time. Ding Fuyou was an official in the capital, and Dingyou would be reinstated in the local government.
He was very influential among the gentry.
If Fang Kongzhen was there to help, Yang Fangqian would be more confident and completely rejected any possibility of calling in troops, because the risk caused by the army was greater than that of thieves.
Yang Fangqian took a breath and said to Pi Yingju, "Master Xie went to Tong in person to give you advice. I know how to do it. I no longer care about the future. I just hope to eliminate the chaos as soon as possible without affecting everyone."
Shangguan."
"It's nothing for me to come to Tongcheng. It's a matter of my duty. Nanzhili is a place where half of the world's wealth comes from. Any disturbance is a big deal. As long as you don't offend the governor this time and the governor comes to Anqing in person, it will be fine."
It's a blessing from heaven, otherwise I would be ashamed of Zhang Dutang."
"Suzhou and Anqing are thousands of miles apart. I wonder if Zhang Dutang has received the application details."
Pi Yingju raised his head, closed his eyes and said, "Expedited delivery, it should be received soon."
…
In Wuxian County, Suzhou Prefecture, a small black-topped boat rowed through the winding river and docked leisurely under a large banyan tree on the bank of Shitang Water Dome. The boatman in a white short coat came ashore and skillfully tied the boat to the stone pile.
, and then walked to the shore with the oar in hand.
Seven or eight people were waiting on the shore, including a civil servant wearing a seventh-grade official uniform and several government clerks.
The civil servant came up and took the oar respectfully, and the boatman in short coat raised his head. He was about forty years old, with thin cheeks and bright eyes, looking very capable.
He just nodded slightly to the civil servant without verbally thanking him.
After the boatman sorted out the water stains on his body, he said to the civil servant, "From Nanren River to Guanlan Port, it is the most important part of the canal's water control. After my review, the length and width were determined to be during the Zhengde and Hongzhi years, which is a long time ago.
, there are many changes in the river course. The width of its main river and branch rivers must not be short. When I was patrolling the flood season, I found that the river channel has narrowed in three places. As the county magistrate, you should dredge it as soon as possible. Since this is a water control area,
It’s also a way to ensure good luck, so don’t ignore it.”
After hearing this, the county magistrate bowed and agreed. The boatman was about to talk about some other river issues, but he saw an old man next to him taking a step forward. Knowing that the old man had something to say, he said to the magistrate, "Please wait a moment."
The magistrate quickly retreated, and the old man immediately came forward and reported in a low voice, "I have just received the ultimatum from the Prince of Huining Chi Taibing Bei Dao, and there is also the Anqing magistrate Pi Yingzhi's application for details, all of which are urgently delivered. Check Anqing Mansion
An anonymous post appeared in Tongcheng County on August 22nd, with the title Daihuang Law Enforcement and other words. On the night of the 23rd, someone gathered to cause chaos, killed people and hung their bodies on the city tower, and burned down the eunuchs and gatekeepers in two hometowns."
The boatman was very calm until he heard the last sentence with a slight frown and said, "A country official?"
The old man lowered his head, "This is a dangerous place. There were changes in Yixing last year, and the aftermath of the incident in Liyang in April has not been resolved, and all the local officials are involved."
The boatman pondered, "What do you mean, is there someone behind the Tongcheng incident?"
"I don't dare. I just say that this matter is dangerous, because that gentleman knows the thoughts of the Holy One best. If the affairs of the local officials are not handled properly, it will be suspected of forming a clique."
"Who are those two rural eunuchs in Tongcheng?"
"Wu Yingqi and Ye Can have been officials for many years, having served as minister of Nan Dali Temple and minister of Nan Hubu respectively. These two people are not from Donglin. They have nothing to do with you for the time being, but there are many wealthy families in Tongcheng who have passed down poetry and calligraphy. Apart from He Ru Chong,
In addition, there are both Donglin and eunuchs, and most of the scholars in Tongcheng are Fushe. The involvement is complex. If Tongcheng is just an ordinary murder case, that's fine, but if the situation continues to develop, it will be difficult to explain."
"Since there is a post about enforcing the law on behalf of the emperor, it is not an ordinary murder case." The boatman paused and said softly, "Donglin, resume society."
The old man lowered his voice to the lowest level, "Once you are contaminated with these two things, the Lord in the court will pursue you and make sure to get involved with Mr. Yushan."
"Everyone in the court knows that Mr. Yu Shan is my official advisor. The emperor has clear vision and will not be easily deceived by him. If he forces this far-fetched idea, he will only make people laugh."
"My lord is in charge of the ten mansions in the south of the Yangtze River. This is the source of finance and taxation in the world, and has always attracted the attention of the court. That lord may not be willing to hold this position for a long time." The old man raised his eyes and looked around sideways, "A few days ago, Zhang Pu and Zhou were promoted to officials in this mansion. During the Zhikui debate, a group of Fushe scholars besieged Zhou Zhikui and vowed to expel him from Suzhou. The matter was already hotly debated in the court, and it was said that the Jiangnan officialdom condoned Fushe. The changes in Liyang in April were turbulent, because Your Excellency handled it properly, but the people behind it did not do their full work. At this time, when the Tongcheng incident occurs, no matter how big or small, we must not ignore it, and we must not let anyone take advantage of it."
The boatman squinted his eyes and thought for a moment, then said, "What Wang Gongbi means is how to deal with it."
"Wang Daotai stated in the ultimatum that when the report was received, the leaders did not know the size of the rebels. Pi Yingju and Yang Fangqian, the magistrate of Tongcheng, refused to mobilize troops. These two people had entered the hearts of the people of Tong'an at night. Wang Daotai wanted to We will be stationed in Anqing to wait and see the situation and will not send troops across the river for the time being."
"We will not mobilize troops for the time being. Can Wang Gongbi mobilize troops?"
The old man said in a low voice, "I went to Chizhou last month. Under the Huining Chi Taibing Road, there are really no usable soldiers. It's just south of the river. Anqing is isolated in the north of the river. This mansion belongs to Yingtian." Under the governor's rule, it is thousands of miles away from Suzhou and separated by natural barriers, making it difficult to take care of both."
"Anqing is under the control of Governor Yingtian, just like Nanyang is under the jurisdiction of Huguang in Henan Province; Liuhe and Jiangpu in the north of the Yangtze River are under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Mansion. This is the intention of the imperial court to control each other and prevent Tianxian from being special. I won't say it at this time That’s fine.”
"Even so, Anqing only has one water garrison. There are no soldiers available on land. If something happens, we will look up thousands of miles away. Now the rogue bandits are raging in Huguang and Henan. If they poison the north of the Yangtze River, they will be a hidden danger to you."
The boatman sighed softly, "This matter has been reported to the emperor twice this year, both of which have been rejected. We can only discuss it later. You send someone to patrol the Yamen and don't let them report the matter in Tongcheng first."
"I understand, and I will contact the eyes and ears at the patrol station in the evening."
"The matter in Tongcheng cannot be ignored. You will go to Chizhou tomorrow to meet Wang Gongbi and order Wang Gongbi to report every day. Ask him to gather troops and horses on the south bank as soon as possible. Once there is a change in Tongcheng, he will immediately cross the river and eliminate the rebels to avoid a huge disaster. disaster."
After the boatman finished speaking, he patted the mud on his hem that was stained by the oars, and jumped on his horse. The old man immediately got on his horse and followed.
A government official standing nearby asked the person next to him, "Do you know who this person is?"
"I guess he is not a great person. Otherwise, how could he patrol the floods with one person and one boat?"
The yamen servant laughed and said, "Then you guessed wrong, he is Governor Yingtian, Zhang Guowei!"
…
Note 1: Zhang Guowei came to be the governor of Yingtian in April of the seventh year of Chongzhen. He attached great importance to water conservancy and often patrolled floods. He wrote the "Wuzhong Water Conservancy Complete Book".