This was a solid question, and Lu Yizhong had to treat it with caution. He thought for a while and said: "The number one Jin gentry in Guangzhou must be Chen Jisheng."
Liu Xiang thought about the materials he had read. It seemed that there was no one with this name among the Jin gentry, so he asked again: "Who is this person?"
"Speaking of which, this person is very famous," Lu Yizhong said, "Wanli has not yet discovered the beauty, he is the former right minister of the Ministry of Rites, and the emperor's official lecturer..."
Liu Xiang asked: "Could it be Chen Zizhuang?"
Lu Yizhong nodded and said, "It's Mr. Qiu Tao. His nickname is Ji Sheng."
Liu Xiang vaguely remembered that Chen Zizhuang was imprisoned by Chongzhen for "defying dragon scales". Could it be that he has been released now? He asked: "I remember that he was sent to the heavenly prison because he offended the Ming Emperor."
"He came back last year." Lu Yizhong said, "Someone interceded for him, and it is said that the Empress Dowager also softened her cheeks for him. In April last year, he was 'returned as a redeemed disciple'. However, he is still a 'criminal minister' and rarely appears in public.
He showed up in the city and has been living in a villa in Baiyun Mountain."
Liu Xiang originally only knew that Chen Zizhuang was one of the "Three Loyaltymen of Lingnan", but he didn't expect that he was also the number one gentry in Guangzhou! Then he thought about how no one in Guangzhou could compare to him in terms of academic titles, and he was demoted from his post to serve the people without any pretense towards Wei Zhongxian.
The year before last, he had been imprisoned and imprisoned because of his "direct remonstrance". He was simply a role model for scholar-bureaucrats in the late Ming Dynasty. His status and appeal among the Jin gentry can be imagined.
This man participated in the anti-Qing movement after the fall of the Ming Dynasty. He fought repeatedly and failed. In the end, he was captured and refused to surrender and was tortured to death by the Manchus. Before he died, he shouted "People in the world need wooden boards!". He had an extremely strong character. I'm afraid he wasn't that good.
Easy to deal with.
"What's next?"
"This has to be the Liang family. This family has a close relationship with the Senate..."
Liu Xiang knew that he was talking about Liang Cunhou's family. This was the earliest Jin gentry they met in Guangzhou. Liang Cunhou later set up a charity in Guangzhou and recruited exiles. The Liang family made great efforts, and their contacts were quite close. Until
After the Battle of Chengmai, the relationship between the two parties gradually began to become cold. However, the Liang family has always been the director of the Shantang, and they also interacted with each other during the weekdays. In short, there was no shortage of etiquette. However, Liang Cunhou rarely came to Guo Yifu.
Up.
"You are talking about Liang Cunhou's family, right?"
"Yes. His grandfather was Liang Renpu, the former Minister of Household Affairs, and his father Liang Wendao served as two magistrates. The Liang family's poetry and etiquette are passed down to the family. Each generation has a family name, and the family has extensive land and real estate. The food is very particular, and it can be called a bell and a bell.
"The family." Lu Yizhong said excitedly, "When it comes to the skill of the garden and pavilion, the beauty of the concubine, the beauty of the food and drink, and the essence of the medicine, there is no other home in Guangzhou that can compare with it."
Then he talked about several famous Jin gentry in the city. Liu Xiang roughly summarized it. The common feature of these leaders among the Jin gentry is that they have academic titles for several generations. At least they are also candidates. They usually have passed the Jinshi examination and are in the central and local governments.
They have all held positions; by intervening in local government affairs and organizing charities, they have a great say among the gentry and the common people; their families have extensive property, and they are both large landowners and businessmen. The clan is large and has many children.
Liu Xiang secretly thought: This is the integration of gentry power, family power and voice power into one.
Most of the Jin gentry that the Senate met in Hainan had no obvious academic titles and low official positions. Even though there were a few Jin gentry like Wang Hongjie of Ding'an who were Jinshi and had served as high officials, because Hainan's own economic situation was poor and the population was small, their
The power of the family is often not very strong. Wang Hong served as an official and became the Minister of Rites in Nanjing, and his son became the prefect. The Wang family trained only fifty or sixty village warriors in Longmei Village. Even if they went against the Senate, they would not make any waves.
Compared with them, the Jin gentry in Guangzhou can be called a giant. It is not easy to subdue and eliminate them.
Lu Yizhong saw his solemn expression. He knew that Australians hated the Jin gentry's control of the place the most, so he quickly said: "The big Jin gentry families are all people with families and businesses. Even though they didn't know the importance in the past, they were somewhat arrogant. As long as the chief gives them some instructions,
Follow the road, show your authority, and show your virtue, and they will learn how the wind blows and the grass dies.”
Liu Xiang nodded and asked: "What should we do in this case?"
"The first thing is to make them feel at ease." Lu Yizhong said. "I wonder if the chief has the important order to summon the Jin gentry in this city?"
"Not yet." Liu Xiang had indeed thought about this matter. But he felt that it was not a busy matter and did not take up the matter.
"This matter needs to be done quickly. Although the heavenly soldiers entered the city in autumn and did nothing, and the city was safe, it was after all a change of dynasty. The Jin gentry must be uneasy in their hearts. We must calm their hearts quickly. As long as the Jin gentry is at ease and not in chaos, the common people will not be in chaos either. Many things have been broken.
Human thoughts.”
Liu Xiang was puzzled: "What's the explanation for this discontinuation of thoughts?"
"Every big family has its restless children, as well as ignorant and loyal ones. Now the heavenly soldiers are descending suddenly, and people are worried. They don't know what the Senate will do. Under the suspicion and fear, they are afraid of being incited by others. The leader calmed them down
Even if there are a few restless children, they are suppressed by their parents - how many of them are willing to use their wealth and life to be 'loyal'? By then, there will really be a few who skip the line, and it doesn't take the chief to find out.
I'm here to report to the Prime Minister."
Liu Xiang smiled and said: "Okay, okay, Mr. Lu is indeed a talent."
Lu Yizhong hurriedly said: "The chief is ridiculously complimentary."
"But how can we reassure them?"
Lu Yizhong was confident and said: "The Jin gentry all have meritorious service in the Ming Dynasty. They lived in the Ming Dynasty and got official positions. Suddenly they changed to a new dynasty. They were inevitably a little uneasy. Based on the humble opinion of their humble position, it is better for the Senate to inform the world about the Song Dynasty's influence on the Ming Dynasty.
All achievements and fame are recognized. Not only can it appease the hearts of the gentry, but it can also win over the hearts of scholars all over the world."
Liu Xiang nodded slightly, this move was indeed powerful - the Manchus also used this move when they entered the country. It was a great weapon in winning over the hearts of scholars. He had not thought of this in his original plan.
Once this article comes out, it will inevitably reduce the resistance of the Senate in Guangdong to "decided by propaganda".
However, the Senate despises and is even hostile to traditional intellectuals. Will he be labeled a "capitulationist" if he implements such a policy? There is some hesitation.
Lu Yizhong was such a smart man. Seeing that he was silent, he laughed a few times and said: "This is just a humble opinion of a humble position."
While Lu Yizhong and Liu Xiang were talking, Guo Xier came to the back house. The two family members of the Dong Zhifu family who had committed suicide were still here.
Some luggage and items have been piled up at the entrance of the courtyard, and several National Army soldiers are guarding it. The servants and family members of Dong Zhifu are still being detained here and have not been transferred to Xiaoguang Temple. The special search team of the Planning Institute still needs to find clues about the hidden silver from them. .
Guo Xier said hello to the guarding soldiers and entered the yard. The main room was already empty. She stood at the door of the west wing and shouted: "Aunt Jiang! Aunt Jiang!"
The door curtain opened, and a woman came out of the house. She was only in her early thirties, with plump muscles and temples, an oval face without makeup, and her graceful and graceful appearance was still beautiful. She was just in trouble, her hair was disheveled, and her complexion was gray and yellow. She came out. He cowered and stood with his head down and said, "Miss Guo, are you calling me? Please speak inside."
Guo Xier walked in. There were also three rooms in the east wing, one light and two dark. The middle room was for living and the two sides were used as bedrooms. Guo Xier was born in a poor family and knew little about the atmosphere of wealthy families. But the east wing room faces east. The west is sunny in summer, and the northwest wind welcomes the door in winter. It is cold in winter and hot in summer. Aunt Jiang and her daughter live here, so one can imagine their status in the Dong family.
The furnishings in the room are also very simple. The decoration is neat and elegant, and it can be seen that a lot of care has been taken.
Aunt Jiang asked her to sit down. Guo Xi'er said: "No need. I just came to pass on a message: The leader said he is missing. I want you to feel at ease." He repeated what Liu Xiang said and comforted her a few more words:
"Although your master is gone, you and your daughter must still live. Don't commit suicide - the Senate will always give everyone a way out. If you mother and daughter are in trouble, I will naturally report it on your behalf."
The woman was a little disappointed and responded in a low voice. Suddenly the curtain swung open, and a young girl walked out from inside. She was only fifteen or sixteen years old. She was wearing a lotus-colored rain-blue azure-trimmed robe and a narrow-sleeved gown. Fang Fang congratulated Guo Xi'er and said, "Bless the girl! I know that Mr. Australia is busy and has no time to pay attention to it. It's just that I have a major military incident to report. If Mr. Australia knows about it, it will be of great benefit. "
Guo Xi'er felt a little embarrassed after hearing these words. She didn't know what this "big benefit" was, but she still understood the importance of "military aircraft events". She didn't know what "military aircraft events" this girl had. What if it was not possible at all? If there is nothing important, doesn't the chief have to blame himself?
She shouldn't have done this in the first place, but seeing how pitiful the other mother and daughter were, Aunt Jiang spoke her native dialect again, and she softened her heart and agreed.
She hesitated and said: "Miss Dong, can you tell me something about the military aircraft? The commander is very busy. If there is nothing important..."
Miss Dong said: "Go and tell your master: I want to see him firstly not for revenge, but secondly not to ask him to show favor. I know the whereabouts of many high officials in Guangzhou. As long as he is willing to see me, he will definitely It will be a great achievement in front of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty."
This surprised Guo Xi'er. It was revealed that this girl's father had just committed suicide for the Ming Dynasty. Not only had her identity as an official lady disappeared, her future was even more uncertain: the official died in office, and her family members lived in foreign lands, suffering from poverty and illness, and even fell into poverty.
Falling into a pit of fire was a common occurrence in the past.
The mother and daughter of the Jiang family are now the enemies of the country and the family. Such a girl suddenly proposed to help the Australians arrest local "big officials" who were hiding among the people. Guo Xier couldn't think straight for a while. He didn't know.
How to answer.
However, the report just sent did mention that the whereabouts of several Ming provincial officials in Guangzhou are unknown. They do not know where they are hiding and are being hunted. (To be continued.)