Zhou was in Gansu for six or seven days, then left, heading straight south to Guizhou.

The most severely affected place in the Ming Dynasty is considered by most people to be Shaanxi, but in fact, it is Guizhou.

Guizhou is remote, the land is poor, and there are many toasts, from the Wanli years, all kinds of wars have not stopped, the toast surrounds Guiyang, Guiyang fell not once or twice, the so-called 'ten rooms and nine emptiness', is the most significant feature here.

Governor Wang Sanshan accompanied Zhou Zheng with a solemn expression, and said: "Dingguo Gong, although you pacified the northwest and gave Guizhou a lot of money and grain, the situation is still not optimistic, it is not that the lower officials are perfunctory and shirk their responsibilities, it is really a difficult situation, and it is not human......"

Gao Hongtu, who was beside Zhou Zheng, frowned when he heard this, and said: "Governor Wang, what you said is full of shirking responsibility, is it possible, let me Dingguo and I come to be the governor for you?" ”

Wang Sanshan smiled bitterly and said, "Gao Shangshu, how dare the lower officials?" You've been here for a few days, and what you've seen and heard, could it be that the lower officials deliberately put it on your side? The land is barren and deserted, the people are scattered, and the people are tired...... Xia Guan believes that I am afraid that it may not be able to recover in ten years......"

Gao Hongtu snorted coldly and said, "You are like this as a governor, you can imagine it below." Governor Wang, I've listened to it for a long time, but there is not a word of good news? Could it be that the hundreds of thousands of dollars and grain given to you by the imperial court are all greedy for you? ”

Wang Sanshan looked at Gao Hongtu and said, "Gao Shangshu, Gao Tangguan, you are in the capital, you eat and drink well, look at me here?" If you persecute the officials like this again, I will die here in front of Dingguo Gong! ”

Zhou Zheng played a round game, waved his hand and said, "Okay, how do I feel that the two of you said it to me on purpose?" ”

Gao Hongtu laughed with him and said: "My lord said that he was joking, the lower officials just felt that there are difficulties in Guizhou, but they are not all difficulties, and this Governor Wang shirked too cleanly." ”

Wang Sanshan hurriedly said: "Dingguo Gong, you have to be the master of the lower officials, the lower officials have never slacked off, they have been sleeping at night, and they have never slept well in the past two years......

Zhou Zheng glanced at him and said, "I know the purpose of your Qu, and you still want money and food, but there is no more!" Shaanxi, Sichuan, Huguang, then Fujian, Liangguang, Jiangxi, my Ming thirteen provinces, you tell, where is there no shortage of money? ”

Wang Sanshan restrained his expression of pouring bitter water, and also said with a smile: "Xiaguan has no other meaning, just, 500,000, 500,000 ......"

Zhou Zheng walked forward directly, looked at the cracks in the fields, and said, "There is no more, you have to do it for me." Now the government and the opposition are waiting to see my jokes, take my handle, and drive me down, if I step down, you will definitely be able to rise and soar......"

Wang Sanshan couldn't laugh anymore, glanced around, and said in a low voice: "My lord, do you want us to say a few words in the book?" ”

Zhou Zhengyi's family almost did not appear, attack, and defend in the party struggle, so Zhou Zheng was very lonely in the government and the opposition.

Zhou Zheng walked forward and said: "No need, you concentrate on doing things, promote the change of law for me, restore the people's livelihood, and stabilize my Ming foundation, and you don't need to worry about other things." ”

Wang Sanshan bowed and said 'yes'.

But I thought in my heart: Meeting such a Shangguan may be the greatest happiness in the career of an official.

Zhou Zheng walked, watched, and said, "Although there is no more money and food for you." Bring also a few comments to you. First, Nanzhili is vigorously reclaiming wasteland, and there is a shortage of people, so you can move some over. Second, Guizhou should actively strive for the project of the Ministry of Industry, which can also relieve your pressure. Third, for some dry crops, you should increase your efforts to promote them. Taxes on salt, iron, etc., will be exempted at the discretion of the imperial court......"

After hearing this, Wang Sanshan said with a smile: "The lower official said that the adults will not ignore Guizhou." ”

Zhou Zhengdao: "My next stop is to go to Huguang, I hope they can give me some good news." ”

Wang Sanshan was honest again and again, and continued to walk forward with Zhou Zheng.

Zhou Zheng stayed in Guizhou for three days, and then rushed to Huguang.

Huguang is Zhou Yanru's territory, but despite this, Zhou Zheng still took a serious look and went everywhere he should go.

Zhou Zheng also seriously explained a lot of things, but watching Huguang's 'Shoucheng' posture, he didn't have much hope in his heart and went to Liangguang.

He stayed in Liangguang Zhou for a long time, and planned a lot of things, especially Haimao, he walked on the beach for a long time.

Seven days later, Zhou Zheng set off for Fujian, and the first thing he did was to inspect the 'sailors' and even conduct an exercise at sea.

As soon as Zhou was in Fujian, it was December.

Zhou Zheng, Gao Hongtu, Fujian Governor Yu Huaiyuan and others walked outside Fuzhou to inspect crops.

Yu Huaiyuan said: "My lord, the disaster situation in Fujian is getting more and more serious, especially this typhoon, this year there are actually one after another, twelve come, and there has never been anything before. ”

Zhou Zheng nodded slightly, and along the way, he had seen so much that he was so shocked that he didn't want to speak.

Gao Hongtu's face was solemn, and he said: "The disaster we are facing is unprecedented in ancient times, if Zhang Juzheng's law can be sustained at the beginning, maybe there will be no need to work as hard as we do now." ”

Yu Huaiyuan nodded and shook his head, "What I'm worried about is that one day, our descendants will say the same thing. ”

The corners of Gao Hongtu's mouth twitched, looked at Zhou Zheng's back, and stopped talking.

Zhou Zheng said: "We can't go back to the capital this year, Gao Shangshu will go back first, the household can be empty for too long." After that, I will go to Jiangxi, and then go to Nanzhili, so that I can go back at least in April and May next year. ”

Gao Hongtu's expression was dark, and he said, "My lord, aren't you worried about the changes in the capital?" ”

Zhou Zheng laughed and said, "Don't worry, they can't make waves." ”

Gao Hongtu nodded lightly and didn't say anything more.

Zhou Zheng stayed in Fujian for more than ten days, in the second year of Anhe, the fifteenth year of Chongzhen in history, and went to Jiangxi under the escort of Liu Liuzhe's brocade guard.

Zhou was sitting in the carriage, staggering and falling asleep.

Liu Liuzhen sat on the horse, looked at the situation on both sides of the official road, and said in a low voice: "Second Young Master, something is wrong with the situation. ”

Zhou Zheng didn't open his eyes and said: "They can't do anything to me in the capital, this is a chance for them, it's strange if they don't make a move." ”

Liu Liuzhen leaned closer and said in a low voice: "Second Young Master, we only have more than seventy people in total, I'm afraid it won't be enough to deal with it." ”

Zhou Zheng staggered and said, "Keep walking, pretending not to know anything." ”

Liu Liuzhen was stunned for a moment, and then he realized.

He, the second young master, is accustomed to seeking stability, so he must have an arrangement.

Zhou Zheng's horse convoy was walking on the official road as usual.

In the woods in the distance, a group of black-clothed men waited quietly with their heads bowed and knives in their hands.

These are divided into two sides, and they are very long, and the number of people is as high as more than two hundred!

"Something is wrong." One of the men in black whispered.

The other person stared at Zhou Zheng's somewhat 'empty' carriage, and then said in a low voice: "It is impossible for Jinyiwei not to be unaware, and Zhou Zhengyun will not be so unguarded." ”

"What to do? In addition to our people, there are also many mountain bandits, if we don't do it, they may do bad things, and it is a little difficult for us to kill them. The third man spoke.

"Then do it, it's a hundred!"

"Okay, fight to the death!"

"Good!"

The three men in black quickly reached an agreement, and each made a move, preparing to attack suddenly.

At this moment, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly sounded, and they rushed towards here.

The faces of the three black-clothed men changed drastically, and they pressed their hands violently, making everyone more hidden.

"It's a soldier of Ying Tianfu."

"That seems to be Zhang Yitan, Zhou Zhengyun's former personal guard."

"It's him. Say less about a thousand cavalry, what to do? ”

"Don't be presumptuous!"

The man in black was extremely nervous, and Zhang Yitan's thousand cavalry was enough to easily annihilate them.

Zhang Yitan rushed over with the cavalry, ordered the army to follow slowly twenty zhang away, he rode a horse, came to the window of Zhou Zheng's carriage, and grinned: "My lord, I'm not late, am I?" ”

Zhou Zheng opened the curtains and looked at it, the two sides of the road were quiet, the quiet was a little scary, and he said lightly: "Pretend not to know, don't care." ”

Zhang Yitan snorted coldly and said, "My lord, you are too lenient, if I wipe out these people, I will not leave any of them." ”

Zhou Zheng glanced at him and said, "Yo he, as a chief soldier, do you have a good temper?" ”

Zhang Yitan hurriedly put on a sincere smile and said, "Adults scold me, who doesn't know that my old Zhang is the most kind, can you still not listen to adults?" ”

Zhou Zheng pointed at him and said, "When you arrive at the border of Jiangxi, you will be answered, and you can go back." ”

Zhang Yitan became more and more honest, and said: "Adult, the little one still wants to follow you and learn more things." ”

Zhou Zheng directly lowered the curtains, too lazy to pay attention to him.

Zhang Yitan immediately sat up straight, serious.

Liu Liuzhen watched from the side and smiled secretly, the two have known each other for many years, and they didn't break it down to laugh at him.

Zhou Zheng's carriage never stopped, and passed through the ambush point so calmly.

The cavalry behind didn't know if they knew about the ambush, so they sat on their horses and didn't move.

The men in black on both sides were extremely nervous, and if these cavalry attacked, none of them would be able to leave!

However, the cavalry passed peacefully, as if they were blind.

After walking away, the three black-clothed people relaxed, and one of them said, "What does Zhou Zhengyun mean by this?" Don't you take us seriously at all? ”

"He must have spotted us, and the reason why he didn't move was to lure out the people behind us? Or is he going to do it after he's gone? ”

The other man in black was silent for a while before he said, "I feel very uneasy, get out of here quickly, and tell the upper authorities not to do it again." Zhou Zhengyun, what may I have to do. ”

The other two men in black glanced at each other, nodded silently, and quickly retreated.

And the robbers who were bought over, were confused, although they took the money, but the employer ran away like this?

Zhou Zheng left Nanzhili and entered Jiangxi under the escort of Zhang Yitan.

Although he was born in the capital, his genealogy is in Jiangxi, and as soon as he returned, the whole Jiangxi, especially the top and bottom of Jiujiang Mansion, showed great enthusiasm.

Some people called Zhou Zheng 'Dingguo Gong', 'Zhou Ge Lao', 'Zhou Jiujiang', and countless honorifics.

Zhou Zheng naturally wanted to go back to worship his ancestors, the Zhou family didn't see a few clan elders, elders and people from each branch and room appeared, and the pomp was extremely huge, there were hundreds of people!

It's still purely a man!

After worshipping his ancestors, Zhou Zheng met with officials at all levels in Jiangxi and inspected all aspects of Jiangxi's law reform.

Zhou Zheng's prestige in Jiangxi was unprecedented, and he was not stingy, and promoted more than 100 people from Jiangxi to the provinces and the imperial court.

When leaving Jiangxi and rushing to Nanzhili, the Jiangxi officials and elders were almost ten miles away.

Entering the boundary of Yangzhou Mansion, Liu Liuzhen said beside Zhou Zheng's carriage: "Second young master, it's okay all the way, it seems that they have retracted." ”

Zhou Zheng snorted and said, "What did you find?" ”

Liu Liuzhen said: "They are more scattered, and their movements are very secretive, not like ordinary outlaws, judging from some actions, they should be veterans in the army." I tried to arrest a few, they were originally death row prisoners in prison, and they were escaped after Li Zicheng's retreat, and I can't find out who is behind the scenes for the time being. ”

Zhou Zheng listened, shook his head, and said: "Where do you still need to check, I can call more than 200 people to attack me, and there are few people who look at Daming." ”

Liu Liuzhen thought about those people in the court, and felt that it didn't look like it, and said: "Could it be the remnants of the thieves, they have never given up." ”

Although Li Zicheng was eliminated, he was not so clean, I don't know how many people tried to make a comeback, secretly sabotage, and the assassination of Zhou Zheng never stopped.

Zhou Zheng laughed and said, "If it were them, they would have been desperate for a long time, where would they know what to advance and retreat." ”

When Liu Liuzhen heard this, he immediately wrinkled his eyebrows and said, "Second Young Master, I'll send a message back and let them keep an eye on it." These people dare to do something, I am afraid that they will do something in the capital. ”

Zhou Zheng's carriage was silent for a while, and then a voice came out, saying, "There will be no big mess, but there will definitely be action." ”

Liu Liuzhen responded, and suddenly said, "Second Young Master, let's come out this time, just to give them a chance?" ”

Zhou Zheng exhaled lightly and said, "No, I just want to take a good look at the real situation of the place." You inform the people in the capital, give them some opportunities, and I want to see what they want to do. ”

Liu Liuzhen responded, shook his head and said, "It's a pity that I can't watch it with my own eyes in the capital." ”

Zhou Zheng didn't speak again, and when he arrived in Yangzhou, he changed to take a boat, and then went to Yingtianfu.

Lu Daqi and others had long known about Zhou Zheng's arrival, and more than ten people came to greet the governor's yamen, the governor, and the chief soldiers.

Zhou Zheng talked to them all the way to Yingtianfu, settled down, and talked to Lu Daqi, Cao Wenzhao and others.

This chat was in the evening, Zhou Zheng was a little tired, and hurried to say: "I will stay in Nanzhili for at least a month, don't be in such a hurry." ”

Only then did Lu Daqi and the others wake up, stop talking, and leave.

Zhou Zheng rested for one night, and the next day he made an appointment with Shen Yunchang and other people from the Nanjing Chamber of Commerce to go boating on the Qinhuai River.

In the evening, I met with some Xiyi people and officials from Suzhou Prefecture.

Then, Zhou Zheng began to meet people from all walks of life in Nanzhili, honorable ministers, officials at all levels, merchants, farmers, craftsmen, and so on.

By February, Zhou Zheng began to leave Yingtianfu and move around the various prefectures of Nanzhili.

Nan Zhili is too big, and it is not easy to go through it simply, and after a month, Zhou Zheng is only halfway through.

In mid-March, Zhou Zheng participated in the 'cooking competition' held in Huai'an Mansion in Huai'an Prefecture, and at the same time examined the situation of the salt industry in Huai'an Prefecture to extrapolate the entire Nanzhili.

It wasn't until May that Zhou Zheng returned to Yingtianfu and retreated in Yingtianfu, sorting out what he had seen and heard along the way.

On May 15, Zhou Zheng was immersed in writing, Liu Liuzhen suddenly took a flying pigeon book, ran in with great excitement, and said, "Second young master, it's coming." ”

Zhou Zheng didn't raise his head and said, "What's coming?" ”

Liu Liuzhen handed over the note and said: "Zhang Sizhi's descending table to Li Zicheng has come out, not the original text, but it has been copied countless times, pasted all over the imperial city wall, and now it should have alarmed the entire capital." ”

Zhou Zheng raised his eyebrows, put down his pen, looked at Liu Liuzhen and said, "I remember, this table should be in Li Hengbing's hands, right?" ”

Liu Liuzhen nodded and said, "It should be." And this old boy was a scholar of the Criminal Department before, and he was in charge of those reverse cases, I am afraid that he has more things in his hands, Zhang Sizhi is afraid that he will not be able to escape death. ”

When it comes to a big crime like 'rebellion', Zhou Yanru can't protect it, or rather, no one can protect it!

Zhou Zheng groaned and did not speak.

Liu Liuzhen was still excited, and gushed endlessly: "Li Hengbing, this old boy is really ruthless, throw it out at this time." As soon as Zhang Sizhi falls, Yuanfu's forces will be hit hard, and there will be excitement again. ”

"This time, I'm afraid it's really lively." Zhou Zheng said with a smile.

Liu Liuzhen was stunned and said, "Second Young Master, what else is going on?" ”

Zhou Zheng closed the paperwork in his hand, leaned on the chair, and said, "This time, their target should not be Zhang Sizhi, but Yuanfu." ”

Liu Liuzhen didn't know why, and said: "Even if Zhang Sizhi is rebellious, Zhou Yanru is at most unclear, and the emperor still needs Zhou Yanru to control the court situation, is it possible, the emperor still dares to let the second young master be the first assistant?" ”

Zhou Zheng glanced at him and said, "It's not wrong to think so." But judging from all kinds of traces, our Yuanfu can't stay anymore, and Shoufu has to be replaced. ”

Liu Liuzhen was most convinced by Zhou Zheng, and listened: "Then, second young master, will you be the first assistant?" ”