In and outside the city of Guangzhou, the news spread like wildfire that the governor, wearing a sword given by the emperor, went to Shuxuan, a local village sage, Zheng Juren.
Zheng Juren prepared carefully for the exam, but when the disaster hit, he could only donate five hundred taels of silver to express his gratitude. The people in Guangzhou City knew about this - during this period, many people in the city spread the news.
Which gentry or wealthy businessman donated how much grain, and who would be the governor next year to report to the imperial court for a favor is a topic of discussion.
Now, the governor went to the library where Zheng Juren studied in Guangzhou.
"Mr. Zheng will definitely be recommended by Mr. Futai. He is also a literary star. If he can go to high school next year, Guangzhou Prefecture may also be able to produce a top scholar!"
"...I think it's a bit strange. If Mr. Futai heard about Mr. Zheng's virtuous reputation, why did he wear the sword given by His Majesty? Mr. Zheng is a scholar. How can he wear a sword when he comes to visit? He has seen blood..."
The people near Zheng's house were talking about it, and the news had spread to many homes in Guangzhou.
"Futai went to Zheng Cunzhong's house with his sword and many people?" The fat and wealthy man asked in a trembling voice, "Did you read that right? How does Futai look?"
"...The younger one just happened to go there to buy snacks for Wu Yiniang. I didn't see Futai's expression clearly. It was raining at that time..."
"...Hurry! Hurry! Prepare your horses, I'm going to the country village!"
"Master, the rain hasn't stopped yet."
"Ready your horse!"
At Nanhaiweili outside Guangzhou, Zhao Jun stood on the school field waiting for the soldiers to gather.
Beside him were the Qianhu of the guard station and the commanding officers of the Guangdong Metropolitan Commandery Department.
They all know Zhao Jun's identity: the former Jin Yiwei Lingnan Xingxing, an old minister of His Majesty's latent residence.
What is the purpose of hastily ordering troops in the rain now?
Zhao Jun was very calm.
Although the decree has not yet come, Chen Jin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and Zhu Qi, the chief military officer, have previously stated that everything will be arranged by Zhang Fujing.
Just now, he and the Chief Military Officer of Guangdong heard the arrangements.
Now, General Chiang Kai-shek should also be mobilizing the officers and soldiers from the front, rear, left, and right guards of Guangdong.
Each guard dispatched some soldiers to serve on duty, and Zhao Jun knew that the soldiers on hand might not be enough.
Zhang Fujing was taking a big risk: after all, the imperial decree had not yet come down, and Zhang Fujing decided to take action first.
It's all because of this hurricane.
No one knows whether there will be another round of hurricanes in the future.
So Zhang Fujing said that he has a huge responsibility! But in the subsequent disaster relief and late rice, no one can cause trouble!
Now, Zhang Fujing nodded in front of Zheng Cunzhong and said words of approval: "You are indeed familiar with the teachings of the sages. But I don't understand one thing. Since you are so obsessed with fame, why do you want to distract yourself and cause trouble?
, so that the servants are constantly running around, frequently traveling to Beijing and Nanjing, and always going to Chaozhou and Guangzhou counties?"
Zhang Fujing said seriously: "They are all very tired."
"...Students have been taking exams for several years and have many friends."
"'Brother Lu, don't worry about it. Although Yang Yongxiu did not take the donations from the gentry for his own use, he participated in politics, accepted bribes, and asked for beauties. There is solid evidence for everything. I will ask Brother Lu to bring the solid evidence and then come to the capital. Brother, brother
I have more than 700 acres of fertile land under my name, but the damage this time was not serious...'"
Zhang Fujing did not read the letter again, but stared at the pale Zheng Cunzhong and said: "'Guangdong's strict governance has caused widespread resentment among the people, and the Guangdong gentry is suffering. Nowadays, hurricanes are raging, and cruel officials are rampant. From the governor to the governor, down to the government.
The county yamen all send out officers frequently, and the people have sold their sons and daughters, exchanged their sons for food, and cannibalized each other! 'Zheng, a great talent, with your dedication to state affairs, I really should recommend you to your majesty. The Zheng family in Guangdong has a son, Zheng Cunzhong.
, He is truly a genius. If you ask him to be your prime minister, the world will be in great order. What do you think, Zheng, a great talent?"
Zheng Cunzhong listened to his strange words and could only bite the bullet and said: "The student was born and raised in Guangdong. He couldn't help himself when he heard about the tragedy, so he expressed his feelings..."
"Then how did you know the actual evidence of participating in politics, accepting bribes, and asking for bribes? How did you prepare for the exam with peace of mind?" Zhang Fujing sneered, "I got this letter as soon as you sent it out. You are still lucky.
?”
Zheng Cunzhong gritted his teeth, looked directly at him and said: "Students don't know why Futai is keeping an eye on students' homes. The fact that students interact with each other is one of the two facts. Students saw it with their own eyes and heard it with their own ears in Guangzhou Mansion. If Futai is
We are here to handle the case, and students can testify who showed it to them."
He asked himself that except for this letter, everything else was discussed face to face through various banquets, and the information passed back and forth by the servants was not written down.
Although he didn't understand when he was targeted, he was sure that Zhang Fujing was sitting here so patiently now and had no other solid evidence in his hand.
As for this letter, what happened to the Guangdong scholars who were filled with indignation and wrote to their fellow students to complain?
Please inform Lu Yushi that the more than 700 acres of land purchased by his brother in Guangzhou Prefecture was not seriously affected, so what?
Zhang Fujing smiled: "I haven't played chess for a long time. I wonder if you are in the mood to play a game with me?"
"... Futai has a destiny, and I should accompany him."
Zhang Fujing's reaction made him feel extremely uneasy. After the trembling butler fetched the chess pieces from the chessboard, he looked at Zhang Fujing.
"I came to Guangdong for the first time. How about I go first?"
"……please."
Zhang Fujing smiled and picked up a chess piece, placing it lightly on Tian Yuan.
Zheng Cunzhong looked at the chessboard in astonishment.
Starting with Tian Yuan instead of starting with Bian Xing, does Zhang Fuking not understand Go or is he extremely powerful?
"Historical Records and Almanacs" says: When a king changes his surname and is ordered to do so, he must be cautious about the beginning. He corrects the new moon, adopts the color of Yi, promotes the origin of Tianyuan, and obeys Jue's intention.
Tianyuan symbolizes the king.
Zheng Cunzhong raised his head and looked at the calm Zhang Fuking: He came with the emperor's order.
Do you disdain the corners of the country and secure Tianyuan to control the corners?
What is happening outside your home?
How can he confirm that he is the leader of this big thing?
Who became the traitor?!
…
Huo Tao is the censor of Guangdong, and what Huang Zuo puts in front of him now is a stack of paper that makes his face turn pale.
"Senior Huang, you are also from Guangdong." Huo Tao looked at the young Huang Zuo with a dry mouth, "You want me to cut myself off from the Guangdong elders!"
"It's not that I want you to commit suicide, it's that the elders of Guangdong want to see if you can open up this world for your fellow villagers!" Huang Zuo said with a gloomy face, "After the hurricane came, didn't Huo Xun see the miserable plight of the people? This year's small
Wind, there will be strong winds next year. Why do so many families lose their grain and rice when there is a strong wind? Where did all the grain and rice go? Did Liang Gong recommend you to go out to the mountains to make you turn a blind eye? Or do you?
Say, Huo Xunji thinks it is enough to carefully supervise the constitution when clearing the land last year? Do you also want to follow the example of Fang Xianfu who you recommended and report his illness? "
Huo Tao was so angry that he blushed.
However, after being born as a Jinshi and staying in his hometown for ten years, the Huo family is not so clean.
There were endless arguments in the court, but Huo Tao finally felt lucky.
When he saw the pile of paper in front of him, he said in a solemn voice: "If I were to submit this memorial, with so many prefectures and counties in Guangdong, who would be able to protect the land and calm the people in such a hurry? Mr. Futai didn't finish them last year.
, isn’t it because we know very well that if we deal with everything, there will be chaos? Even if the imperial court can select someone to take over as soon as possible, what about the subordinate officials below? Can they all be dealt with? You know this is changing the soup without changing the medicine!"
"I just brought these charges to you on the orders of Futai and Fantai. You don't need to worry about what happens next!"
Huo Tao was still struggling: "At this time, the counselors in the DPRK and China are arguing endlessly. Is the Futai feudal government sending these for the sake of the people of Guangdong or for the sake of the DPRK?"
Huang Zuo looked at him quietly.
The patrol censor was only responsible to the court, and even Zhang Fujing and Zhang En could not order him to do anything.
It can be decided by Huo Tao himself whether he should write a memorial to impeach so many officials in Guangdong.
Huo Tao felt very painful. He didn't want to see so many crimes.
Since Zhang Fuking and Zhang Enming were sent by Huang Zuo, they naturally have solid evidence. This is not surprising at all. They are serving as officials under their noses, and some of them are the guilty ones among the batch last year.
Huo Tao just saw something bad: wasn't the imperial court still arguing over whether to reform the law? Why did Zhang Fujing seem to be going on a killing spree in Guangdong again?
When such a memorial was delivered to the capital, it was certain that His Majesty would be furious, and Yang Tinghe would certainly use it to render Fei Hong speechless.
Will there really be taxes and levies in the future? Huo Tao can't think of any new law that can cause Guangdong's gentry to riot collectively and Guangdong not be in chaos.
"I won the second place because Your Majesty asked how to make the country rich, and I answered with official administration." Huang Zuo suddenly spoke, staring at him and said, "Mr. Wei, you have been a Jinshi of Huiyuan High School and studied in Xiqiao Mountain for ten years. Are you not a sage?"
Have you forgotten all the teachings?"
Huo Tao showed a trace of shame and annoyance in his eyes, and said loudly and forgetfully: "Of course I have not forgotten it! However, His Majesty has not been in power for a long time, and it is still unclear why he wants to implement the new law at this time! If the new law in Guangdong is implemented and then abolished, wouldn't it be a torment for the people?
"
Huang Zuo's eyes showed disappointment.
Huang Zuo knew some things, but he couldn't tell Huo Tao.
But even if Huo Tao doesn't know the situation behind it, it is still his duty to patrol the constitutional areas.
Huo Tao's words can only mean that he is watching and even hoping that the "old party" in the court will win.
So Huang Zuo cupped his hands and said, "I have brought the things, and Huo Xun will make his own decision."
After that, he said goodbye and left.
Huo Tao, who was about to go to Chaozhou Prefecture to help deal with the people's siege of Jieyang County Government, did not know what was happening in Guangzhou City. He could only watch Huang Zuo leave the post house outside Zengcheng County, get on his horse and rush back to Guangzhou City in the rain.
.
His eyes fell back to the stack of papers in the room, and he frowned anxiously.
Not long after, noises could be heard in my ears. There were the footsteps of many people and the neighing of horses outside the inn.
Huo Tao walked to the eaves outside the door and looked at it from a distance with his eyes focused.
"Where are these officers and soldiers?" he asked his entourage nervously.
After that, he walked out of the inn in the rain that had become lighter. It was almost dark at dusk, and he only saw a man riding a military horse.
"Commander Zhao?" He recognized it, it was Zhao Jun, "Are these soldiers going to Chaozhou?"
Zhao Jun only saluted him immediately: "I have military orders, so I won't talk to Huo Xunjing any more."
After saying that, he took the horse and continued to press the formation and moved forward.
Huo Tao looked at this group of officers and soldiers solemnly, seeing that there were five hundred people in total.
You don’t have much food with you. Where are you going?
After a while, his expression changed and he walked quickly back to the room.
Military order!
In Guangdong, the only people who could give military orders to Zhao Jun were the governor and the chief military officer.
Zhao Jun is no longer serving in the Commanding and Envoys Department, he has entered the Guangdong Capital Commanding and Envoys Department system.
Even Dusi's troops were used, which must be known to the Ministry of War.
Calculating the time, after the hurricane hit the country, it was impossible for the Ministry of War to issue orders so early.
Either Zhang Fujing mobilized troops without purpose, or he had been given the authority a long time ago.
Since Wang Xian of the Ministry of War currently belongs to the old party, how could Fei Hong agree with Yang Tinghe to use weapons in Guangdong?
Those who can use such a large array to deal with it are either powerful or the government!
Chaozhou has not yet turned into a civil uprising, so there is no need to do so! Even if something happens in Chaozhou, there will still be Chaozhou Guards and soldiers from Chenghai, Pengzhou, Haimen and other stations!
"I won the second place because His Majesty asked how to make a country rich, and I answered with official administration."
That was Huang Zuo's last reminder to him.
Huo Tao ignored his wet hair and began to grind the ink in a cold sweat.
Inside and outside Guangzhou City, the soldiers of the Four Guards of Guangzhou were also divided into several teams, led by different flag officers or hundreds of households.
In the Gongyuan, the second exam had not yet ended, and they could not hear the footsteps of soldiers in the streets of Guangzhou Prefecture at night.
Outside the city, there are also many teams rushing to different places in the night.
The road was muddy, but there was violence and a hint of greed in the eyes of the officers and soldiers.
On the official road in Beizhili, a team of fast horses is still rushing.
In the center of the cavalry was a carriage, and an anxious voice came from the carriage: "How far is it to the next post house?"
"My lord, there is still about ten miles of land, please bear with me."
In the carriage, Xu Guangzuo grimaced, gritted his teeth and said, "Faster!"
Your Majesty has orders, what can he, the Duke who has been appointed as the head of the former military governor's office, do? Huguang Dusi and Guangdong Dusi are under the jurisdiction of the former military governor's office.
A hurricane is approaching. What happened in Guangdong, the center of the new law whirlpool, that requires him, the Duke of the country, to go to the town?
Cui Yuan refused to fucking say it!
What does it mean to ask Zhang Fujing when you arrive in Guangdong? I am a great prince, am I not qualified to know?
A handful of old bones may fall apart!
Zhang Fujing, who was muttered by him, dropped a white stone and picked up a black stone.
The rain has stopped temporarily, but there are still raindrops falling on the eaves.
The light has been turned on in the bookstore, and this game of chess has been played for more than three hours.
Normal hand-to-hand conversations would naturally not take such a long time. But every time Zhang Fuking waited for Zheng Cunzhong to make a move, he would not think about it or make a move, and would just keep talking to him about the customs and customs of various places in Guangdong.
Zheng Cunzhong has been suppressing the worries, fears and uneasiness in his heart.
He knew that Zhang Fujing was just showing him one thing: the governors knew all the prefectures and counties in Guangdong. Which gentry there were in which places, what were their relationships, and what interesting stories they had with local officials.
.
This is the reason why Zheng Cunzhong's fear accumulated little by little.
And Zhang Fuking didn't seem to care about winning or losing in this chess game. His method of playing was just to randomly stare at a certain chess piece and kill it, completely ignoring the overall chess board.
Zhang Fujing has already lost this game of chess.
But in this official stage, he still persisted unhurriedly.
"... Futai, I admit, student, the outcome of this game of chess has already been decided. It is already getting late, and some wine has been prepared in the humble house. Please invite Futai to enjoy the meal and sit down at the table."
Zhang Fujing smiled: "In your eyes, is there a winner or loser in this game?"
"...There is a chess game, and there is a winner and loser."
"I'm not here to play chess. I'm here to fight grass. Are you worried about something happening in Guangdong?"
Zheng Cunzhong forced a smile and said: "Students don't know what Futai means."
Who is the grass and who is the snake?
Zheng Cunzhong probably had some guesses in his mind, but it was really hard to imagine that Zhang Fuking could be so rough to the gentry.
When the second, third and fourth grade officials fell down, there were a lot of people in Ming Dynasty waiting eagerly to fill the vacancies, but it would take a lot of time to straighten them out after they came.
Zhang Fujing left behind so many unclean fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade people, isn’t it because he couldn’t kill them all in one go?
But being so rude to the gentry is a disgrace to the entire Guangdong community.
Sixty to seventy percent of Guangdong's land tax is shouldered by them!
"I failed the seventh test, but I have actually been doing the job for many years." Zhang Fujing chuckled, "How many people have come to me and wanted me to buy more land?
Are they helping me plant the seeds?"
Zheng Cunzhong did not answer the words and just listened quietly.
"After I was selected as a Jinshi, I received letters from the elders of my family, hoping that I would buy more farmland in my clan. Even Benfu's three sons were invited to a banquet by many people, and they agreed.
I beg you, please let me know." Zhang Fujing paused and sighed, "I guess, although I haven't let go, they may have bought fields in the countryside, collected the contributions, and are using my name to do this.
act.”
Zheng Cunzhong stared at him, with a glimmer of hope in his heart.
"But you should know that I haven't purchased an acre of land in Guangdong." Zhang Fujing picked up Baizi and said, "I hold Baizi not to gain a head start, but because I want to be clean. Today's world is filthy.
The situation is just like your black stone. You make a camp step by step, combine vertically and horizontally, cleverly arrange the overall situation, and secure the edge. From the perspective of the chess game, the victory is already decided. Even if the white stone can kill a few black stones, in terms of the overall situation, it is not
The more you lose, the more you lose. If you continue to be an official, it will be a matter of time before you run out of money."
"... Futai is clean and honest, and the students admire it greatly. According to the students, black and white are all chess pieces. If the outcome of a game has been decided, and there is another game, the chess pieces are still chess pieces." He asked tentatively, "
Since Futai also feels that the outcome has been decided, why not take a seat first and the students can then ask Futai for advice?"
"I wonder what you mean by another game?" Zhang Fujing asked him seriously, "I use chess as a metaphor for state affairs. You are not a stupid person, so you can't understand it? This white man is like an official and gentry who still has a conscience.
, this black man is like an unscrupulous official and gentry who is deliberately trying to embezzle the land. What do you mean by another game? You might as well make it clearer."
Zheng Cunzhong's face stiffened, and he forced a smile and said: "That's because the students are stupid and don't understand Futai's meaning. The students thought Futai was just talking about this game of chess."
Zhang Fujing shook his head: "I have a very good memory. I remember every word you said. I first talked about my family's purchase of land, and then I lamented the game in front of me. You said that if there was another
The chess pieces are still chess pieces. I wonder what His Majesty will think after hearing this conversation."
"...What is wrong with the students? There is no need to blame them if they want to. Mr. Futai, if you punish students for chatting outside the banquet, the world will not accept it."
When Zheng Cunzhong heard that he was going to put a huge hat on his head, he could no longer act stupid.
"People from all over the world?" Zhang Fujing laughed, "Here, let's play another game. This game is only a metaphor for Guangdong, so you have to pay attention."
After the chessboard was cleared, Zhang Fujing still held the white position, but he said: "I will give you nine pieces."
Zheng Cunzhong only felt humiliated. Let Jiuzi, do you think I am a child who does not understand chess skills?
Having spoken so clearly, he knew that he could not escape this time, so he placed eight stars in succession without hesitation, and the last one landed on Tianyuan, and then he raised his head and stared at Zhang Fujing.
"What a momentum!" Zhang Fu praised him, picked up the white pieces and placed them casually. He was neither fighting for corners against the stars, nor was he arranging in the hinterland.
Zheng Cunzhong frowned, and then started to guard one corner without hesitation.
Zhang Fujing laughed, picked up the white piece and knocked it lightly on the black piece at Tianyuan, occupying its position like a chess piece, and threw the black piece into the yard.
Zheng Cunzhong suddenly changed his color.
Outside a manor on the outskirts of Nanhai County, the servants on the wall hid behind several wooden shields and shouted in fear: "This is the private residence of the Lei family! Which bandits are you pretending to be officers and soldiers? Do you know where this is?"
Will Shaanxi right participate in the politics of Mr. Song's property? I have nearly a thousand strong servants in the village, and the master of thousands of households in Guangzhou is our master's brother!"
However, a staggering man with a fat head and big ears was escorted out of the ranks of officers and soldiers. He was covered in mud and cried mournfully: "Open the village gate!"