The Ming Dynasty’s Prodigal Son - Chapter 1352

[1352. Chapter 1285 Where did the people go?]

It was cold and windy in Changping County at night.

There are guards everywhere here, and all the lights are out at night, like a dead city.

In this deathly town, the guards are stationed every three steps to one post and five steps to one sentry.

Whenever someone makes an inquiry, Xiao Jing steps forward and with a token, the other person retreats with a look of fear on his face.

Factory guards are doing things, so don’t ask anyone else.

Emperor Hongzhi finally got on the carriage. Sitting in the carriage, looking at the darkness, he couldn’t help but said to Fang Jifan in the carriage: “It’s strange to say, it’s so lifeless here.”

Fang Jifan said with a smile: “Your Majesty, chickens and dogs hear each other. Well, look, aren’t there roosters crowing and dogs barking here?”

Emperor Hongzhi said with a grin on his face. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

He looked out the car window and ordered, “Go and tell Xiao Jing to get out of the county. “

As soon as the carriage arrived at the east gate of the county, someone took Xiao Jing’s badge and went to negotiate.

How could the city gate guards dare to neglect? Knowing that the factory guards had something to do and wanted to leave the city, they quickly opened a corner of the city gate and ordered Emperor Hongzhi’s carriage and dozens of guards to go out.

Emperor Hongzhi was a little tired and took a nap in the carriage. After falling asleep, when he got up, he couldn’t help coughing: “When is it?”

Fang Jifan was lying on the small sofa beside him, sleeping soundly and snoring. .

Xiao Jing, who was outside, heard the truth clearly, knocked on the door of the carriage, and said outside: “Your Majesty, it’s already midnight.”

Emperor Hongzhi opened the curtain of the carriage, and a ray of sunlight shone in.

Fang Jifan felt a sting in his eyes and hurriedly rubbed his eyes with his hands.

So Fang Jifan began to gnash his teeth and cursed while half asleep: “It’s like a dog…”

“Jifan.”

Fang Jifan opened his eyes and looked at Emperor Hongzhi. The murderous look on his face turned into gentleness. He smiled: “Ah “Your Majesty, you’re awake.”

Emperor Hongzhi said, “I should be the one to say this.”

Fang Jifan was speechless. When he just woke up, his brain hadn’t turned on yet, so he was a little confused.

Emperor Hongzhi ignored Fang Jifan: “Xiao Banban, where are you now?”

“We are fifteen miles out of the city. There is snow on the road, so we dare not go fast.”

Emperor Hongzhi frowned: “Don’t you see the village?”

Xiao Jing hesitated.

“Speak.”

Xiao Jing said: “I passed two villages and saw no people.”

“How is this possible? This is Changping.” “

How about, Your Majesty, we just passed a village.”

“Let’s go and see. Let’s see.”

Emperor Hongzhi nodded.

Ever since he came to Changping, he felt uncomfortable all over, and he didn’t know why.

The carriage moved again, and after a while, the sound of reading could be heard in the distance.

The sound of reading sounds very friendly.

Emperor Hongzhi felt moved, stopped the carriage, and got off the carriage with Fang Jifan.

This is a village entrance.

The snow has stopped, and the snow has covered the path in front of the village, but at this time, there are still not many people around.

Emperor Hongzhi led people into the village. There was a school in the village. In the school, an old Confucian scholar was teaching children to read.

Emperor Hongzhi felt warm in his heart.

Looking at these children, Emperor Hongzhi couldn’t help but get excited.

The Confucian students in the school seemed to have seen someone coming.

So, he put down his ruler, walked out, and looked at Emperor Hongzhi and others hesitantly: “Who are you…looking for?”

Emperor Hongzhi stepped forward: “May I ask Gao’s name?”

“My surname is Lu, Lu Wenli.”

Emperor Hongzhi said : “I, Zhu Dashou.”

“Zhu Dashou.” The old Confucian scholar shook his head: “This name is inelegant and vulgar.”

Emperor Hongzhi’s face twitched, and then he smiled: “Vulgarity is elegance.”

“That makes sense.” Lu Wenli’s eyes Yiliang: “I dare to ask you…”

Emperor Hongzhi said: “I passed by here and wanted to take a rest, but there are no people here.”

Lu Wenli stroked his beard and smiled: “This is the land of Wenchang, don’t you know? Has the emperor come to Changping? The emperor is knowledgeable and is here to pursue the great road. You have also heard of Mr. Mao Ji Mao from Dayang Mountain. “

Speaking of Mr. Mao Ji, the old Confucian scholar’s eyes shone.” Mr. Mao Ji has students all over the world and has taught all over the world. Neo-Confucianism began with him. The phoenix nirvana was born from death. Today the emperor is also here. In order to prevent the emperor from being contaminated by vulgarity, the county magistrate has already issued an order. There are common people.”

Emperor Hongzhi: “…”

Fang Jifan couldn’t help but want to raise his thumbs. This county magistrate is really admirable.

Emperor Hongzhi frowned: “Where are the common people?”

Lu Wenli said: “I don’t know. I think someone has already arranged for them. People from the county came in a hurry.”

Emperor Hongzhi was silent.

Lu Wenli said: “I think you can come and go freely here. I think you are going to Dayangshan to visit Mr. Mao Ji’s scholars. Since you are passing through here, you are friends. Have you seen that house? In that big house, there are The one who is here is Mr. Zhao from a prominent local family. Mr. Zhao is a gentry, heirloom of poetry and calligraphy, and he is the best scholar. Come on, I will let the children go from school first, and I will invite you to pay a visit. “

Lu Wenli actually seemed very interested.

He explained to Emperor Hongzhi: “Since Mr. Mao Ji came to Changping, the gentry and scholars here have been influenced by him. Mr. Zhao once visited Mr. Mao Ji, and Mr. Mao Ji praised him very much. Mr. Zhao Now he can be regarded as half of Mr. Mao Ji’s disciples. After returning home, he opened this school, recruited some students to study, and donated three hundred taels of silver to the county. He used Mr. Mao Ji’s benefits all day long. Keep it on your lips.”

He held up his scarf and looked very proud.

The group entered the mansion. Emperor Hongzhi looked around and saw that there were still servants here, so he said, “Aren’t these people also common people?”

“This is different.” Lu Wenli smiled.

Emperor Hongzhi waited outside for a while, and someone took his name and ordered him in. After a while, the disciples invited them in.

After entering this third-level house, you can see that there are quite a few people in the house, mostly servants, and it seems a little overcrowded.

Emperor Hongzhi was thoughtful, but Fang Jifan said: “Could it be that the locals are not allowed to have lay people, so these lay people all joined the Zhao family as slaves to be spared.”

Lu Wenli did not deny it, but sighed and said enviously: “The so-called family that accumulates good deeds must be blessed; Mr. Zhao usually does good deeds and spreads righteousness, but now, isn’t his luck coming?”

Emperor Hongzhi’s face was gloomy.

There must be Yuqing in everything.

This shows that the government wants to drive people away, and if they want to stay in their hometown, they have no choice but to commit themselves to the family of this person named Zhao.

Just as he was thinking about it, someone came out quickly: “It’s great to have friends from far away.”

The person who came out was a man with a big belly and a silk scarf.

He stepped forward quickly and glanced at Emperor Hongzhi and Fang Jifan. One was old and the other was young, and they were quite generous. In fact, in this era, one can tell whether a person is noble or low just by looking at their faces.

For example, although Emperor Hongzhi was pale and looked bad, he was obviously a noble man. And Fang Jifan has thin skin, tender flesh, and fair complexion, so he must be a young man.

As for ordinary people, their skin color is like the bark of an old elm tree, with dark complexions and rough skin. Many young people are afraid of premature aging and look old.

“I, Zhao Yi, come on, please come in.”

Emperor Hongzhi was invited to sit down.

Zhao Yi looked at Emperor Hongzhi: “Brother, are you going to visit my master?”

Emperor Hongzhi’s face twitched, but he still said: “I just want to see you.”

“This is great.” Zhao Yi sighed: “Listen Your accent sounds like someone from the capital. Although Changping is also under the emperor’s feet, the accent is still different. I think you came here because of its reputation, but… I’m afraid it’s too late now. The emperor has arrived in the county, and he must visit the thatched cottage. Go and pay a visit to my master, haha, I’m afraid I won’t have a chance to pay a visit until the emperor leaves.”

Zhao Yi seemed very enthusiastic and ordered tea to be served.

Emperor Hongzhi said: “I have long heard that Changping has become a place of rites and music, but along the way, I saw very few people.”

Zhao Yi smiled: “This… everyone in Beijing is saying that Mr. Mao Ji is… A sage is rare in a hundred years. Since he is a sage, villains will be trembling with fear when they see him. Gentlemen come here because of their fame…”

“But if everyone leaves, this county will be empty .

Are you done?”

Zhao Yili was happy and glanced at Lu Wenli.

Lu Wenli also smiled at him.

Lu Wenli said: “I won’t hide it from you, sir. In fact… these people were just requisitioned.”

“Requisitioned?” Emperor Hongzhi looked at Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi said: “The county wants to control the river. As gentry, why don’t we give money to support it? Besides, we are all disciples of saints, so everyone has money to contribute and has the ability to contribute. We donated money and food. People, of course you have to help, right?”

Emperor Hongzhi’s expression softened.

At least, that’s one reason.

Every winter is the time for the common people to perform corvee service. Although the Baoding Chief Envoy has adopted the method of replacing labor service with taxes, other places still require the common people to serve as usual.

This makes sense.

Emperor Hongzhi said: “No wonder there is no one on this road.”

Zhao Yi said with a smile: “Not to mention those ordinary people, since Mr. Zhu is here, let’s have a simple meal here. Oh, Mr. Zhu is from Beijing. “People, a few days ago, someone spread the news that… we are going to build a railway in Changping. Does Mr. Zhu know about this?”

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Fang Jifan with a surprised look on his face.

Fang Jifan said with a smile: “How do we know? Maybe… there is.”

Zhao Yi said with a smile: “No one usually pays attention to us in Changping, but now, the prince came to Changping Guard to train troops. , and all of a sudden, he said that he wanted to build a railway. After that, His Majesty actually came in person. It was really strange. “

Lu

Wenli on the side said: “I heard that Mr. Mao Ji was very critical of the road construction.”

Yi nodded and took a sip of tea: “Yes, the people are suffering a lot. Once the road is built, it will inevitably disturb the people. I don’t know how much land will be expropriated and what trouble will be caused. The first thing the people should do is It’s education, otherwise, it will harm them.”

…

Chapter Two.

(End of chapter)