Chapter 320 The End of the World is like a neighbor
The common people did not know the general military and political plans of the government. They were only talking about various rumors and rumors. However, a battle involving hundreds of thousands of people in Dongting Hunan could not be covered up. As a result, rumors started to spread in central Huguang.
At this time, the imperial envoy Yang Sihai sent from Yangzhou to Huguang came to Yuezhou, which made the Yuezhou officialdom even more worried. There was a saying among Yuezhou scholars that the rebels might be targeting the Yangtze River, and the danger to the important towns along the Yangtze River was
Right under the nose, now that a provincial patrol is going to Yuezhou instead of going to other places, it has to make the officials think too much.
Yang Sihai, the imperial envoy who had just arrived in Huguang, was named Sihai (from the meaning of a close friend in the sea and the world is as close as his neighbor). He was a native of South Zhili and was a Jinshi in the Jiachen Branch in the 22nd year of Yongle. The Ming Dynasty came from Hongwu to Yongle.
The number of Jinshi in the Three Dynasties was very small. Compared with a large empire with a population of about 200 million, the talents were far insufficient. As long as nothing unexpected happened, Jinshi in the early stage had a bright future. Sure enough, the imperial science and education was first awarded to the capital in the world, and now there are
Got the opportunity to patrol Huguang.
Jinshi being sent to the Hanlin Academy to compile important classics, or to serve as local inspectors are precursors to rapid success. For example, Yang Shiqi participated in the compilation of "Yongle Dadian" before he even had the title of scholar. Looking at Yang Shiqi's current status
Wèizhi is clear at a glance; compiling official classics means authority, knowledge, insight, and prestige, and being an imperial envoy to patrol a place is also a kind of inspection, experience, and qualifications. As long as you can produce insightful memorials, you are not far away from a big job.
, for example, before Yu Qian became the right minister of the Ministry of War, he visited Southern Zhili.
Of course Yang Sihai was very interested in this relationship. If he hadn't been appreciated by Yang Rong in the capital, and later recommended by Yang Rong to the emperor's eyes, with his current age and qualifications, would he be able to patrol Huguang? So he was interested in this trip.
He attaches great importance to it and regards it as a key to his career.
In addition, he and Zhang Ning were classmates who knew each other... Zhang Ning had been on the imperial examination road for many years, and had been an official for several years. Speaking of which, he knew a lot of people in Shilin, and the circle was so big. This time it was another one.
acquaintance.
But I'm afraid being familiar with each other doesn't make any difference. When he took the provincial examination in Nanzhili Gongyuan, Yang Sihai still remembered Zhang Ning's contempt and humiliation of "I don't want to compare with short people". Afterwards, everyone sat down to drink together.
It has been resolved, and Sihai has no intention of holding such a small incident in his heart. However, this matter has never disappeared from Sihai's memory. There is a reason.
Sihai was born in a poor family and could not afford the expenses of starting a career and studying, so he needed help from others. As a result, he had been looked down upon too much since he was a child, and he knew the world well. However, most people in the world are from poor families, and I don’t know him. The key is that Sihai is talented and intelligent.
His extremely high talent, arrogance and conceitedness contrasted greatly with his current situation, which gave him a very sensitive and extremely high self-esteem. In his early twenties, he passed the provincial examination, general examination, and imperial examination. This is not something ordinary people can do.
If you take the words of ordinary people, you can only tell the talent and hard work determination of the world just by looking at the green smoke on their ancestors' graves.
Moreover, the official circles of the Ming Dynasty were also very superstitious about appearance. Sihai, who was very short, was already between the extremes of self-esteem and inferiority, so Zhang Ning, who had ridiculed him in public, did not leave a good impression on him.
In fact, Sihai was usually very calm. The dilapidated inn where he stayed during the provincial examination actually leaked. He took a basin to collect water and was able to sleep peacefully before the big examination despite the noise of dripping water. Cultivating oneself, bringing peace to the family and bringing peace to the world, he was able to do that as an imperial elite...
...But the human heart cannot be completely changed by moral cultivation. Now that Yang Sihai knows Zhang Ning's background and achievements, he just wants Zhang Ping'an to die without a burial place. Anyone who places hope on other people's sentiments is noble and broad-minded.
, you can do whatever you want, which is obviously extremely ridiculous.
...When Yuezhou officials accompanied Sihai, they all bent down when they came near, fearing that the envoy, who was a head shorter than an ordinary person, would raise his head and talk to them. The imperial envoy in the capital could not really afford to offend, and everyone was afraid.
got it.
Yushi Yang's behavior after arriving in Yuezhou was strange. He didn't ask any questions about the military and political administration. He didn't even ask how the local officials defended the safety of Yuezhou. Instead, he asked the accompanying officials to put on casual clothes and go with them to various parts of the city and countryside to meet with the people.
Talk. It would be fine if this was in peaceful times. It would be understandable to understand the sentiments of the people. But obviously now that war is approaching, do you still care about how the people are living?
Sihai walked around the market and the city, and met many people coming out of the city on the official road. Those people were dragging their children with their daughters, pulling large and small carts with oxen and mules. He asked people to inquire, and most of them were from the city.
The people here moved to the countryside in advance to avoid the disaster of war.
At this time, there was no difference in household registration between urban and rural areas. As long as people in the city were from well-off families, most of them had land in the countryside. In addition to those bankrupt people who were really poor, there were also exiled officials from other places. Who wouldn’t want to buy a few acres of land to establish roots?
Before a storm, ants will move to high places that cannot be flooded, and people will do the same. Compared with the twists and turns in the official document, Yang Sihai feels that this natural phenomenon is more intuitive. The war may really be spreading northward, rather than some
The people sitting in the yamen and talking loudly said Changsha Mansion. And the people's feet have already hinted at the outcome of the war. Whenever there is a war, it is not always necessary to go from the city to the countryside. If there is chaos among the refugees in the mountains, sometimes the rich gentry people will
People running from the countryside to the city are because the countryside will be plundered and the city has high walls; people running back to the countryside show that the people have no confidence in the defense of the city, and Yuezhou is in danger.
The refugees on official roads were wary of strangers' inquiring questions, and most of them spoke vaguely. However, there were still some who were more enthusiastic and reckless, shouting: "Rich people all run to the north of the Yangtze River! There is a big river across the river, so of course it's better.
It’s much safer here. If we can’t escape, we can only pray to Bodhisattvas.”
The inquirer asked again: "The river has been fortified and people are not allowed to cross the river?"
After hearing this, the man replied: "Your accent sounds like a foreigner, and you don't understand the real situation. If you listen to us here, then cross the river and listen to the people over there, they are all in Huguang territory, and the accents are completely different.
Why? There is no bridge on the river, and there is little traffic. Most people buy some property. People from the north of the Yangtze River live in the north of the river, and people from the south of the Yangtze River live in the south. Ordinary people have neither land nor property in the north of the river. They abandon their homes and businesses and cannot cross the river.
Is it the same as fleeing, can you live a better life? If you are really rich, it will be different. You will have no friends anywhere. You can buy property now!"
Sihai left the official road, so he went to several ferries on the Dajiang River to investigate. It turned out that there were private boats and even flat boats on the ferry. Those who own flat boats are certainly rich or noble... Not to mention hearsay, sometimes
It's not false.
This time Yang Sihai directly asked the accompanying officials to report their names. On the one hand, people with no background would not be able to meet rich people if they wanted to; on the other hand, rich people are not afraid of officials, and are even willing to make friends and chat with people who have a big family fortune.
Who doesn't have a few friends in the officialdom? If they don't break the law, they won't be afraid of you at all. If you mess around, it will affect your whole body and make you walk around without finishing your meal.
The host who received Yang Sihai and others on the boat was a middle-aged man about fifty years old. He did not hesitate to talk about his family's escape. He only said that it is natural to seek benefits and avoid harm to others.
"Let alone the fact that the imperial government cares about the people, the people who work in Yuezhou are always familiar with it..." The male host hinted that he had someone in the Yuezhou officialdom, and wanted to dispel the idea of these bureaucrats asking for some money to "help them pay".
"When the traitor comes, he is a stranger. He has to rely on others to decide whether to rob or kill him, which makes people feel uneasy."
Yang Sihai, who had not come forward to speak, couldn't help but ask: "Sir, do you think the rebels are going to attack Yuezhou and Yuezhou cannot hold it?"
The host said: "I don't mean to belittle Yuezhou's parents and officials. How long ago was the war in the south of Dongting? The imperial court sent two ministers of war and a marquis to mobilize all the soldiers in Huguang and kill them bloody.
The river still failed to stop the rebels. How big is our city in Yuezhou? Moreover, I feel that Yuezhou is unsafe anywhere. It is surrounded by water on three sides. The rebels must come from the southeast by land. The soldiers and thieves can only reach the city by crossing the countryside.
You can’t hide from the traitor either.”
As expected, the owner of this wealthy family was far more knowledgeable than the passers-by, and everyone in the world thought his statement was reasonable.
This class of people are both big landowners and do business in the world, and they have quite a bit of knowledge that cannot be learned in books. The following words of the male host surprised the world. "I plan to stay in Jiangling, Jingzhou for a while, and see the situation.
You can't go to Xiangyang or Wuchang."
Sihai asked why.
The male host said: "Isn't it obvious that there are many wise men and capable people in the government? With the current loss of military strength in Huguang, it is extremely difficult to defend Yuezhou; the navy cannot stay in Dongting Lake, otherwise the rebels will occupy the general of Yuezhou.
A letter from Hukou. The navy is the most powerful in Dongting Lake. Where can we get money and food supplies? The navy is placed on the Yangtze River. One is to go eastward along the river to Wuchang, where Guangzhi is located, and the other is to go upstream to Jingzhou. The rebels are treason after all.
The imperial court will definitely deploy a large army to regain the lost territory. When the king's division arrives, if they want to regain the south of the Yangtze River, they must gather troops in Jingzhou as the foundation. For some reason, the imperial court will not protect Yuezhou at this time, but must protect Jingzhou to gain a stronghold for counterattack... It is now reliable for me to go to Jingzhou.
of.
If Jingzhou is also lost, then Wuchang will not be available. In comparison, Xiangyang is more reliable. Why, you ask? Xiangyang is the outpost from Huguang to Nanyang, Henan. What is Nanyang? It is the gateway to the Central Plains. The rebels want to attack Xiangyang.
, they will soon have the momentum to compete in the Central Plains, not to mention whether they have the ability, can the imperial court allow them to get involved in the Central Plains? "
After chatting for a while, Yang Sihai and others drank a cup of tea on the boat and didn't stay much. When they got to the river bank, the officials accompanying them said that Bai Ding had no knowledge and was just talking and boasting. Yang Sihai did not agree with this statement.
He said: "For the local wealthy gentry, the situation of governing the chaos is related to their wealth, and what they say is more or less reasonable; and this kind of people have a wide network of friends, and their opinions have been screened by three friends. Listening to their words is equivalent to
I have heard the opinions of many people in the civil society."
The officials didn't think so, but they didn't want to argue with the imperial emissary.
Yang Sihai wandered around for a long time before going to inspect the city defenses and exchange official documents and other matters.