On the fifth day of the notice, on a very cold day, Li Xiao, the king of Tang, received an urgent report from Zuo Maodi, the governor of Yingtian, in the Qianqing Palace.

"King Tang, it's not good! Oh no! ”

It was almost the New Year, and the weather in the south of the Yangtze River was cold and cold, and the thin Zuo Maodi ran in a hot sweat and panted from the gate of the Qianqing Palace.

Li Xiao, who was sitting on the chair of Hua Mu Nan in the Qianqing Palace, was holding a cup of tea in his hand, and was blowing it carefully, when he suddenly saw Zuo Maodi running in such a hurry, he couldn't help frowning.

"Zhong Ji (Zuo Maodi), why are you so panicked, huh?"

"Oh no, my lord! Now in the Confucian Temple in Nanjing, a large group of scholars and scholars are gathering there to cry in the temple! Zuo Maodi ran out of breath like a cow, and said loudly to Li Xiao with an anxious face.

"Oh, that's the case?" Li Xiao's face suddenly became solemn.

"King Tang, you may not know that this crying temple is a unique custom in my Jiangnan area." Zuo Maodi saw Li Xiao's serious face, thinking that he still didn't understand what was going on in the Crying Temple, so he hurriedly explained: "This matter of the Crying Temple, in the area of Nanjing and Suzhou, is a long-standing custom. In the land south of the Yangtze River, the economy is developed and the humanities are gathered, and those scholars who come from wealthy families, especially those in the Fushe Society, often gather to talk and comment on current affairs, but they have become an important social force. ”

Seeing that Li Xiao listened carefully, Zuo Maodi said again: "King Tang, these students of the Restoration Society, whenever there is something illegal or improper in the government, the scholars gather in the Temple of Literature every time to make "Juantang Wen" and cry to the ancestor Master Kong Shengren. What's more, they immediately summoned the people and reported to the higher authorities. You must know that in this area south of the Yangtze River, this powerful scholar "crying temple" declaration can often make the government dare not underestimate it and be forced to adopt it......"

Zuo Maodi lowered his head and said this, he didn't notice at all that Li Xiao's face was as cold as frost at this time.

"Let's put it bluntly, they are crying in the temple this time, they are very dissatisfied with the king's new policy." Li Xiao interrupted Zuo Maodi's rambling speech and asked straight to the point.

Seeing that Li Xiao said so directly, Zuo Maodi was like a rabbit with his neck pinched, and he was speechless in an instant, he looked at Li Xiao above in fear, and his mouth was so snorting that he didn't dare to say anything further.

"Tang Wang, this, this ......"

"Honestly!"

"Exactly, sir." Zuo Mao gritted his teeth, wiped the cold sweat on his forehead, and continued: "King Tang, please forgive me for inappropriate words. On that day, as soon as your notice was issued, it immediately caused a strong reaction and commotion in the entire Jiangnan. The officials and gentry in all parts of the Jiangnan were extremely dissatisfied with the fact that the Tang King wanted to collect taxes from the gentry. He also has a deep grudge against you for imposing a tenfold tax on the surplus land in your land. Therefore, those scholars who have already made a name for themselves among the rich and landed gentry have come up with a way to unite and embarrass your ......."

"So, they came to the Temple of Literature in Nanjing and wept together with the statue of Confucius, in this way, to express their dissatisfaction and vent their hatred to the king, right?" Li Xiao replied coldly: "Then after they finish crying, next, it is time to encourage the people who don't know the truth to come together to attack this king, isn't it?" ”

Li Xiao's words were direct and sharp, which made Zuo Maodi tremble.

For a moment, he stood stunned, not knowing how to reply.

Li Xiao looked directly at his flickering eyes, and asked again: "Zhong Ji, this king asks you, do you have a view on this king's policy?" ”

Li Xiao's question made Zuo Maodi's expression even more embarrassed.

Li Xiao, who has crossed over from later generations, naturally knows what kind of person Zuo Maodi, who was later promoted to the governor of Yingtian by himself during the military affairs of the former Hongguang Puppet Dynasty.

Zuo Maodi, the word Zhongji, the number Luoshi, Shandong Laiyang people. In the official history, he served as the envoy of the Southern Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, and was later detained by the Qing Dynasty, and would rather die than surrender, and was finally beheaded by Dolgon at the mouth of the vegetable market, and later known as "Wen Tianxiang at the end of the Ming Dynasty".

It is precisely because of the fact that seeing that this person has such a valuable quality of uprightness and righteousness, after Li Xiao pacified Jiangnan, he immediately promoted him from a small military department to the governor of Yingtian.

And Zuo Maodi has another identity, that is, he was the main member of the Wenshe Shanzuo Taisha (Fushe Branch). According to the "Laiyang County Chronicle", of the 91 members of the Shanzuo Taisha, Laiyang people account for six or seven out of ten, and Zuo Maodi and his cousins Zuo Maotai, Zuo Maofen, Zuo Maogui, Zuo Liangfu, etc., are its leaders. They often participate in social gatherings, learn from each other, and comment on the current situation, which can be described as pointing the country and the country, and their literary fame is far and wide.

It is precisely because of his status as a reinstated society that he was suppressed and depressed in the Hongguang puppet dynasty, and he can be regarded as a marginal figure of Hongguang Yijin. 、

In the official history, it is precisely because of this element of the restoration of the society that he was deeply hated by Ma Shiying, Ruan Dacheng and others, and later, he was appointed by Ma Shiying and others as a negotiator with the Qing court, sent to the Qing court to die, and implemented the unsightly strategy of killing people with a knife.

Therefore, when Li Xiao asked Zuo Maodi's opinion, he actually wanted to understand the true thoughts of this former backbone of the Restoration Society on the policies he had implemented.

Zuo Maodi dodged Li Xiao's sharp gaze, and he nervously calculated in his heart to see how he should answer.

In the end, he gritted his teeth and arched his hand: "King Tang, Weichen secretly thinks that this strategy of the adults is too manipulative, and it is really inappropriate. ”

"Oh? You can tell me more about it. ”

"Tang Wang, although your policy has many benefits, but your implementation in this way has really shaken the fundamental interests of the big landlords in the Jiangnan area." Zuo Mao said with a worried face: "I think that since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, I have always treated the gentry preferentially, and I have such a thing as forcibly seizing land from their hands through a large amount of tax increases?" Even though the government can redeem it at the market price, the land is the foundation of the survival of the big landlords and gentry, and if they are all taken away by the adults by such means, how can they be willing. ”

"Really? If you even look at it this way, those big landlords and gentry, but are they going to fight Ben to the end? Li Xiao's voice was indescribably cold.

"King Tang, things haven't come to this yet." Zuo Maodi wiped the sweat on his face, and said hurriedly: "Now that the people of the society have been restored, they are only venting their dissatisfaction in the Temple of Literature, and the matter has not developed to the point of being out of control. As long as Tang Wang can stop in time and suspend the implementation of this controversial measure to seize land, I believe that those students who have resumed the society will also understand the hardships of the adults, so they can ......"

"Enough!" Li Xiao interrupted Zuo Maodi's words; "Hmph, this king's move is a strategy that has been pondered for many days. Do you think it's just that this king is bored for a while and comes up with it at random? This king is not bored enough to spend his days on his own troubles! ”

"Tang Wang ......"

"Zhong Ji, now the grim situation in Jiangnan, don't you, the governor of Yingtian, really not know?" Li Xiao's expression was very solemn: "Now the entire south of the Yangtze River, although most of our Tang Army has been pacified, but the land annexation situation in various places is extremely serious, and the unemployed people and displaced people from other places are all over the streets and alleys of the prefectures and counties. The reason why there has been no major turmoil so far is entirely because the king's army has been strongly suppressed in various places, and the displaced people are afraid of the momentum of our army, so there has not been a riot all over the place. It's just that if this situation is not changed as soon as possible, how can it last long?! ”

Li Xiao paused, and then continued: "And the king's policy, in general, is to make up for the deficiency with more losses, so that those big landlords and gentry can divide the surplus land and help the displaced and unemployed people, so as to eliminate the factors of social instability. This is the fundamental policy of stabilizing society, and how can it be changed or suspended because of the opposition of those landlords and gentry? Moreover, if the king can redeem their land for a higher price than the market price, what actual loss will they have? Is it necessary to eat so ugly, swallow everything in one person's stomach, and not give others any leftovers, so that the whole society is becoming more and more erosive, and the contradictions in the whole country continue to deepen sharply, is the only way out? How unreasonable is that! ”

Speaking of this, Li Xiao also began to get angry, and he hated it: "These scholars, they have read a belly of sage books in vain, but they don't think about the country and the people, it's really hateful. Out of their own selfishness, in order to protect their family business from the slightest loss, they came to make trouble about this crying temple, what kind of system is it really like! is so selfish, disregarding the people's livelihood, this book has been read into the belly of a dog! They don't want to think about it, if the displaced people rise up and the south of the Yangtze River is turbulent, their family business, even if it is a thousand times more than now, can be preserved, but they are afraid that when the time comes, even this Qingqing's life will be difficult to protect! ”

After listening to Li Xiao's words, Zuo Maodi was already sweating, and he only promised and didn't dare to look at Li Xiao again.

Seeing that Li Xiao finally stopped talking, Zuo Maodi raised his head with a hesitant expression and asked Li Xiao: "King Tang, how should the current situation be cleaned up, so that it is appropriate?" ”

Li Xiao was silent for a long time, and then said slowly: "Zhong Ji, you go to the Temple of Literature and bring those leaders to the palace, and this king will personally meet them." ”

"Tang Wang, this ......"

"Needless to say, just go. Rest assured, even if this king can't talk about them, he will divide and disintegrate them, so that it will be difficult for them to unite again. The corners of Li Xiao's mouth flashed with a faint smile.

Zuo Maodi nodded, then turned to leave.

About an hour later, Zuo Maodi took a group of scholars to the outside of the Qianqing Palace.

Looking at the shadowy scholars at the gate of the palace, Li Xiao unconsciously sneered.

Zuo Maodi left everyone behind, and first hurriedly entered the palace, he wiped his sweat and replied: "My lord, this errand is really difficult to do. As soon as Xia Guan arrived outside the Confucian Temple, before he entered it, he was stopped by Huang Zongxi and others from the Restoration Society at the gate of the Confucian Temple. This guy asked sharply, saying that I came this time, did I come to get someone. He also said that if you want to take someone, you can take him away first, and you don't have to involve others. “

"Oh, this Huang Zongxi, is he so bold? You know, this person was released from prison not long after this king. ”

"Yes, when Weichen saw him taking the lead to stop him, he knew that he must be the leader of this group of scholars, so he immediately explained to him that this mansion is not here to get people, but on the orders of King Tang, especially to take a few of them to take the lead, go to the palace to see King Tang, and discuss matters with King Tang face to face."

Without waiting for Li Xiao to reply, Zuo Maodi said again: "As soon as the lower official said this, Huang Zongxi immediately expressed his willingness to go with the official to see King Tang. And the scholars in the Temple of Literature were also enthusiastic, clamoring for to enter the palace to discuss with the Tang King. For a while, the crowd was full of noise and hustle and bustle, and even the nearby people and homeless people also ran to see the excitement, but most of the street in front of the Confucian Temple was blocked. ”

"Oh, that's ......"

Seeing that there were more and more people, the lower officials were afraid that there would be more trouble, so they told Huang Zongxi that he would select a few scholars as representatives and enter the palace with the lower officials to talk to the Tang King. Unexpectedly, Xiaguan's suggestion was resolutely opposed by a group of students, who said that they wanted to go together, and they wanted to die together, and they had to come together to see King Tang before they could stop. ”

Hearing Zuo Maodi say this, Li Xiao was silent, but a faint smile appeared on his face.

Zuo Maodi wiped the sweat on his face, and said: "It's just that in this Temple of Literature, there are at least more than 100 scholars, so powerful, you can bring them into the palace." Therefore, the official was good at talking, and asked Huang Zongxi to persuade on his behalf, so he picked out seventeen leading scholars from among them and ordered them to come to the palace with the official. I waited for a while, and the rest of the scholars and the crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed. Now, these seventeen students are all waiting outside the palace gate, King Tang, you see......"

Li Xiao nodded, and then said to Zuo Maodi: "In this case, let them come in together." ”

Zuo Maodi hesitated slightly, then immediately responded, then turned around and went out, bringing the group of scholars outside the door to the foot of Tang King Li Xiao.

"Meet King Tang!"

Zuo Maodi knelt down first, and the scholars hesitated slightly, and also knelt down in front of the steps.

Li Xiao, who was sitting on the Hua Nan wood chair, looked at it slowly, and the scholar who was kneeling in the hula below, but he was inexplicably emotional.

Having traveled from his previous life, of course he knows what this Restoration Society is.

To put it bluntly, the so-called resumption of the society is just a more effective organizational method in the later period of the Donglin Party.

You must know that in Nanjing alone, there are hundreds of people who have names and surnames, and there are thousands of people who have no names and surnames at the bottom of the Donglin Restoration Party.

Among them, more than ninety percent of the local gentry and landlords in Jiangnan were born, and most of them had the status of showing off talents or lifting people, although many of them were swingers with bad conduct, but there were also a considerable number of learned and self-righteous Confucian scholars, so they had an excellent reputation and prestige in Nanjing and Jiangnan and other places.

Moreover, it can be said that in the entire Jiangnan region, the Donglin Party is very large, and compared with other political forces, he has three very huge advantages.

First, most of the Donglin Party members were bureaucratic members who served in the DPRK. Although he has been vigorously attacked by Ma Shiying, Ruan Dacheng and others, and many officials in the court have been deposed and investigated, outside the court, there are still a large number of talented people to prepare for the echelon, such a powerful officialdom force must not be underestimated.

Second, the Donglin Party has been operating for many years, and in the land south of the Yangtze River, it has strong financial and material resources and prestige, such as Qian Qianyi and Xu Yunjue, who have prestige and connections here, and have the same party in the officialdom in the same year. On the occasion of the Qing soldiers going south in the official history, the Donglin Party responded to every call, and often raised the banner of righteousness, and could gather thousands of peasant soldiers to come out, although such an amateur team had no combat effectiveness, but it can also be seen how huge the influence of the Donglin Party and the Fushe personnel in the Jiangnan region is.

Third, since its founding, the Donglin Party has accumulated rich experience in struggle with various political parties accumulated by countless ancestors over the past several decades. Those who follow the East Forest are like-minded, and those who do not follow are enemies. This is a trick that the Donglin Party has tried and tested in the past few decades.

And just when Li Xiao was still groaning, the next voice was already ringing out.

"Tang Wang, student Huang Zongxi, this time I entered the palace, I really have some inner words, and I want to say it to Tang Wang."