After the fifteenth year, the first month is halfway over.

According to the holy decree of the Son of Heaven, Wang Henian, who had shaved his head, packed his bags and officially set off for Changsha.

As before he went to Wuchang, he prepared a full set of forged identity information such as Du Mu.

There's no way around it.

In the Qing occupation area, except for monks and Taoist priests, all men must keep the money rat tail.

Wang Henian felt disgusted, so he could only choose one of the monks and Taoist priests.

In fact, he wanted to choose a Taoist priest. Helplessly, he has never read a single Taoist classic, even if he wants to, he can't pretend. And because of his parents' belief in Buddhism, Wang Henian has been exposed to it since he was a child, and he has also read several Buddhist scriptures.

If you really talk about it with others, at least Wang Henian will not be exposed immediately.

He went to Changsha to spy on intelligence, so naturally he wanted to take root and stay as long as possible.

From Wuchang to Changsha, the smoothest route is to go along the Yangtze River to Baling, and then go all the way south to take a ferry across the Miluo River to the boundary of Changsha Province.

The Yuezhou Mansion where Baling is located is still under the control of the Ming army, and the Miluo River is a natural dividing line, clearly separating the Yuezhou Mansion from the Changsha Mansion.

Wang Henian's march was neither fast nor slow, he took ten days to reach the Miluo River ferry, and spent his wallet on a ferry boat to cross the river.

This was once the place where Qu Yuan, the doctor of Sanlu, threw himself into the river, and Wang Henian was very respectful of Qu Yuan, and he wanted to recite poetry when he touched the scene. But considering his current status as a monk, he had to give up.

The two faint kings of Chu Huai and Chu Xiang made Qu Yuan such loyal ministers depressed, and Qu Yuan was angry and threw himself into the river after Yingdu was attacked by Bai Qi, the general of the Qin State.

Wang Henian can understand Qu Yuan's depressed feeling very well.

In the early years, Wang Henian was exactly the same as Qu Yuan, and he was the same as the merchants of the Chongqing Chamber of Commerce who befriended the Sichuan governor of the Qing court, although he knew that he was waiting for the opportunity, but he still didn't feel good in his heart.

Fortunately, Wang Henian waited for the opportunity, and waited for the Xiongzhu Yongli Emperor to attack Chongqing.

At that moment, Wang Henian knew exactly what he was going to do.

Is it to survive and be a slave for a lifetime, or to fight back and fight for a way out for yourself and future generations?

Wang Henian chose the latter.

Wang Henian saw the appearance of the Son of Heaven with his own eyes, and the spirit of looking at the world was by no means pretended.

Later, sure enough, the Son of Heaven went all the way east to conquer the northern part of Huguang and conquered Wuchang to stabilize the people's hearts.

At that moment, Wang Henian was very glad for the choice he had made.

In his opinion, when today's son is a male lord like Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty, he will definitely be able to prosper the Ming Dynasty.

"Boatman, was this Miluo River also so depressed in the past?"

Wang Henian saw that there were almost no people on both sides of the Miluo River, and there were weeds growing everywhere, so he asked.

The boatman is about 60 years old and has been ferrying on the Miluo River for more than 40 years.

He sighed and said, "Don't hide it from this mage, little old man, I followed my father to ferry on the Miluo River when I was a child, and it was still the forty years of Wanli at that time. Both sides of the Miluo River are full of villages, as well as fishermen and foot merchants who trade in the river. Although it can't compare to the prosperity of Changsha Mansion, it is also a first-class existence in the countryside in this township. At that time, there were many great masters like you who taught the Dharma. Xiao Lao'er also followed his friends to listen to the teachings of the teachers in his spare time, and when he was tired of listening, he bought some mung bean cakes to eat at the market. It's a good day. (Note 1)

Wang Henian was surprised: "It's only been forty years, has there been such a big change? ”

The boatman sighed, "The age of the viewer is only in his thirties, right?" You may not have seen the scene during the Wanli period. That's really the peace of the country. If Emperor Shenzong had died a few years later, I am afraid there would not have been so many things. ”

Although what he said was vague, Wang Henian still understood it.

There are also many people here who are dissatisfied with the rule of the Eastern Prisoners!

As long as people's hearts are available!

Now, after all, more than ten years have passed since the invasion of the Eastern Invaders, and many people still read the good of the Ming Dynasty.

Although Emperor Chongzhen may not be very popular, the prosperity of Wanli still leaves many people with good memories.

"But when it came to the Chongzhen Dynasty, everything was different. Little old man, I clearly remember that there were bandits everywhere on both sides of the Miluo River. Bandits and bandits robbed everywhere, scaring the merchants from coming here to do business again. Gradually, the bazaar decayed. ”

"Doesn't the government care?"

Wang Henian was still a little surprised.

"How does the government manage it? The bandits can stand on a hill. When the officers and soldiers came, they went deep into the mountains, and when the officers and soldiers left, they swaggered out, eating and drinking. ”

The boatman shook his head helplessly and said, "Besides, there were few officials who really wanted to do things at that time. If you have the work to suppress the bandits, you might as well make more money. Those officials, basically none of them are good. ”

The atmosphere on the boat was a little awkward for a while, and Wang Henian coughed twice and said, "Then the banks of the Miluo River have become like this?" ”

"That's not either. No matter what, the Chongzhen Dynasty is also stronger than the Shunzhi Dynasty. During the Chongzhen Dynasty, you can still see people here, but now? I don't know if the mage has noticed that there are graves everywhere along the river, and there are so many lonely souls and wild ghosts. Sometimes Xiao Lao'er feels panicked when he is wandering alone on the river! ”

"Is there basically no one living here anymore?"

"yes, there's ownerless wasteland everywhere. Even if someone is bold, they have to be scared away. ”

The boatman stiffened his neck and said, "Little old man, I have lived for more than sixty years, and I have already half of my life in the ground, and I am not afraid to tell the truth." No matter how the Tartars are, they are outsiders, and they don't treat the people as human beings at all. What is the difference between us and livestock? Although Emperor Chongzhen also has some problems, at least he treats us as people. After the Tartars came, the people of Miluo River were ten rooms and nine empty, and this became what they are today. ”

Wang Henian didn't expect this boatman to dare to say it, and he was shocked.

"Boatman, do you say the same when you meet others?"

"That's not either. Misfortune comes from the mouth, and the little old man still knows this. I am a teacher, you are kind-hearted, and the monks are compassionate, so you should not get involved in such worldly things. I'll talk to you a little more. ”

The boatman swallowed and foamed.

"Good, good, God has the virtue of a good life, and it is really sad that Miluo River has become what it is today. Nam no Amitabha..."

Wang Henian hurriedly folded his hands and said.

The boatman said while paddling: "The master crossed the Miluo River by boat, is he going to Changsha?" ”

Wang Henian nodded and said, "I want to go over there to teach Buddhism." ”

The boatman swallowed and foamed: "There is a sentence that the little old man has to remind the mage, I heard that the north was captured by the Ming army. Therefore, the atmosphere in Changsha Mansion has been very tense recently, and it is better for the mage not to go. ”

Wang Henian smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, the little monk is a wandering monk, and wherever he goes, it counts." ”

When the boatman saw that Wang Henian's attitude was so resolute, he no longer persuaded him.

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Note 1: The meaning of comfort in Changsha dialect.