Kunshan City is located in the east of Yangcheng Lake, about 70 miles from Suzhou City, and the distance to the Yangtze River is also 70 miles.

Yaojiawan is located in the south of Kunshan City, a full 20 miles away from the south gate of Kunshan City.

Dong Gencai is an ordinary villager in Yaojiawan and has only one son. The family has three acres of paddy fields handed down by their ancestors, plus their wives and daughters-in-law often weave some bamboo baskets, which can basically ensure food and clothing.

The Suzhou-Kunshan-Yangtze River line is very different from other places, and belongs to the area surrounded by Taihu Lake and the Yangtze River. The further north you go, the narrower the lot becomes.

The area east of Taihu Lake is full of waterways and canals.

The fleets of the Wuwei Army and the Gaoyou Army, cruising on the Yangtze River and Taihu Lake on weekdays, can appear at any point in the area at a critical moment.

Fang La's army fought fiercely, and once captured Suzhou, but fell into the dilemma of being surrounded by the official army on all sides.

Fang La's army could not destroy all the waterways, let alone drain the water of Taihu Lake, so Shi Bao, as one of the four generalissimos of the Yongle Dynasty, could only withdraw angrily. Xing Zheng left the small town of Wujiang in the south of Suzhou, and Shi Bao headed east to defend against Yao Pingzhong, who was constantly sneaking up on the back road.

The Yongle Dynasty's offensive east of Lake Taihu did not make much progress, but it did a good job in another goal.

As soon as he was raided by Fang La's army, Dong Gencai, who was in his early forties, fled to the north with his family. Seeing Fang Lajun destroying the paddy fields from a distance, his son cried and shouted to go back desperately, but was dragged to death by Dong Gencai and his daughter-in-law, and picked up a life.

Dong Gencai wanted to cry without tears.

The field house was destroyed, and he could only hope that the few copper coins he had hidden could buy a few catties of more grain, otherwise the remaining three acres of paddy fields would not be saved.

Kunshan City appeared in sight, but Dong Gencai did not report any hope.

The heaven-killing Fang La army, I don't know how many acres of land have been destroyed, how much grain can the government snatch from the mouths of the officials and soldiers to support their small people?

The little granddaughter had sharp eyes, sat on her father's neck and rubbed her eyes, and pointed her dirty little finger ahead, "Daddy, grandpa, there is an official in front of me who is giving porridge." ”

The granddaughter has always been well-behaved, and Dong Gencai knows that she can't lie. The family was apprehensive, cheered up and quickened the pace.

The closer you get to the city of Kunshan, the more hungry people there are.

Kunshan City is close to the intersection of two wide canals, and the sailors of the Wuwei Army and the Gaoyou Army can support them at any time. Fang Lajun only tried it once, and then gave up the idea of capturing this place.

The west and south walls were steaming hot. When I looked closer, it turned out that dozens of cauldrons were boiling porridge.

Large wooden barrels containing thick porridge were constantly lowered into the city walls, and then distributed to the hungry people through the hands of officials under the city walls.

Dong Gencai's family approached the south gate and saw that those who cut into the queue to make trouble were beaten by officials, so they honestly lined up to get wooden signs.

After receiving the wooden plaque, the family walked to the soup kitchen's tent under the guidance of officials, archers, and hired servants.

Dong Gencai couldn't believe it, holding the bamboo tube, trembling and not daring to drink.

"Hurry up and drink, there's someone in the back!" The official in front of him scolded loudly. Dong Gencai drank only two or three sips, grabbed the wooden sign and walked towards the north.

Before he had taken two steps, Dong Gencai, whose stomach was still rumbling, heard an earth-shattering cry.

"Xiaomin thanked the official family and thanked Lord Zhizhou. I hope that the officials and troops of the country will set foot on the Yongle rebels as soon as possible, and return the peaceful life of the small people! ”

A young man with a disheveled head, covered in filth, bowed down first to the northwest and then to the city wall.

The wails of women and children came and went. The hungry people who lost their homes wept bitterly, and while thanking the officials, they cried and begged the officials and soldiers to exterminate Fang La as soon as possible.

Dong Gencai started from his heart and began to scold Fang Lajun.

On the city wall, the governor of Suzhou, who was firmly surrounded in the middle by officials and guards, whispered to the staff on the right: "It's not appropriate, right?" Is that okay? ”

"Of course it is. This Ding Xizhe is worthy of being a little familiar with Washeliu Lane, without the slightest flaw. As long as the adults report the hearts of the victims to the country and the government, it should be able to offset the fault of fleeing Suzhou. After all, this is still a territory of Suzhou, and now it is important to employ people, and a few ministers will not be too embarrassed. ”

The staff whispered.

It turns out that the young offspring with a cloak is a "drag", and the task is to create a scene of hatred and hatred, so as to alleviate the sin of the Lord Zhizhou who abandoned the city and fled.

This Suzhou governor was actually a little embarrassed, "Ahem, although so, as a son of a saint, using these little tricks is ...... after all."

The staff began to comfort their proprietor, "My lord fought hard to defend the city, and in order to protect the gentry, he did not hesitate to lead away Fang Lajun, worthy of the officials and the people." It doesn't hurt to protect yourself with small means. ”

"And it's even more difficult for adults to hold Kunshan City firmly and resist the Fangla army."

"There are also good strategies such as exchanging sticks for porridge and getting on boats with sticks to attract the hungry, which is also the credit of the adults, and the hungry people have benefited a lot. A major event is coming, and it is most important to carry out the decrees of the transfer envoy and the pacification envoy, and to serve the country and the dynasty in the next major event. ”

Lord Zhizhou stroked his beard and smiled, "Thank you Mr. Zhao for your advice." If this official can make meritorious contributions, be appreciated by several ministers, and go to Bianjing to be an official, he will definitely try his best to win a place for Mr. as an economic official. ”

"Thank you, sir!" The staff was overjoyed.

Not far away, Kunshan County Ling, felt as uncomfortable as eating Xiang.

Closed the four gates and put porridge down from the city wall, so as not to give Fang Lajun a chance; using small bamboo sticks of different colors for dispatch to evacuate the hungry to the north; Arrange officials, archers, householders, and young men to persuade the gentry and wealthy merchants to donate food and money......

The Kunshan County Order, which dares to act boldly and has outstanding practice, has made all kinds of great achievements, and may be about to soar into the sky, but it was robbed of most of the credit by the Suzhou Zhizhou who "transferred" here.

Liu Yu was very upset.

Regardless of the various operations of Suzhou Zhizhou to snatch credit and use means to get rid of criminal responsibility, Dong Gencai's family finally crossed the pontoon bridge and went to the place where there was allegedly food.

"Fang Lajun is here!" The courier on a pony ran to the wall, shouting as he shook up smoke and dust.

Suzhou Zhizhou's feet were weak and he almost fell, but fortunately, there were staff members on the side to help, so he didn't make a fool of himself.

The gongs and drums at the head of the city were beaten, and the hungry people in the city did not care to drink the porridge, so they fled north with the officials and archers. Fang La's army attacked Kunshan City, not once or twice, whether it can escape or not depends on whose feet are fast.

"What a turtle!"

Repelled Yao Pingzhong, Shi Bao, who launched a surprise attack by the way, spat heavily.

The county seat of Kunshan was still not open, the fleet on the canal also began to move, and several officers and troops were attacking on the flanks, and Shi Bao, who could not find an opportunity, led his troops away.

A day later, Huzhou City, the state government house.

"Kunshan County is very capable, and Suzhou Zhizhou is a slippery head." Mr. Zi'an looked at several military reports, analyzed the battles that had taken place east of Taihu Lake for Han Shizhong in recent days, and explained the intentions of some civilian officials from time to time, so that Han Shizhong could know in his heart.

Han Shizhong was very disdainful of that Suzhou Zhizhou in his heart, he exhaled and laughed at himself: "It's really uncomfortable to be in the name of recruiting envoys, but to obey the correction of pacification envoys, transfer envoys, and salt and iron envoys." According to the temper of this trick, he would have already taken a boat to the east of Taihu Lake, and then circled Taihu Lake, which is not better than staying in Huzhou City and becoming moldy? ”

"The gentry on Jiangnan Road are really afraid. Nearly half of the area east of Taihu Lake is erosive, and the pacification makes several adults wish that the general would not go anywhere, and they will stubbornly defend Huzhou City and barrier the west of Taihu Lake. Mr. Zi'an put down a stack of Zijun newspapers and official documents, rubbed his eyes a few times and said.

"Several members of the Jiangnan and Jiangnan roads are still very concerned about the envoys. Didn't you support your lords to go out of the city before, wiped out the nearby Fang La army, and attacked the Wufu Department in Hefu Town? Replaced by other generals, several senior officers are not so easy to speak. Mr. Zi'an was worried that Han Shizhong would have friction with the big men who controlled the two roads, and added.

The gentry and wealthy merchants in the south of the Yangtze River hated and feared the other party's army, but they had no choice but to rely on Han Shizhong for the time being.

Han Shizhong's temper smoothed down a little, and he rubbed his face with his rough big hands, "As a general who commands the army, I can't sweep away the traitors for the official family as soon as possible, and I can't keep the people safe, so I feel ashamed." ”

"And food. It is not clear that there are more than 600,000 hungry people around the Qiantang River, and a large amount of food is consumed every day. If it goes on like this, the granaries along the Yangtze River will be empty, and the court's plan will also be in vain, and I can't afford it. ”

"It's hard to ride a tiger now, and once the relief to the hungry is cut off, it will definitely be a big mess. It's not enough to just take food and hang the lives of hungry people, so what should we do? How can I live? ”

Although the Great Zhou Dynasty has the phenomenon of redundant officials, it is far better than the previous dynasties in terms of professional division of labor and work efficiency.

The hungry had to be appeased, and the pacification envoys, the transit envoys, and the salt and iron envoys certainly knew this.

The official document and the military newspaper were combined into one and quickly conveyed to the prefectures, counties, and towns. The granaries used for the war were opened, and the local governments tried to mobilize every grain of food.

The gentry who were scolded by Han Shizhong for the iron rooster were finally afraid: selling grain, coarse salt and other materials to the government at a low price is just to make less money for the country, and if the Yongle Dynasty continues to be arrogant, they will lose everything!

The matter is urgent, and of course there is corruption and embezzlement in the process of relief, but most of the economic officials have heard some information and have not gone too far.

The best benefit is yet to come, because it is stupid to be kicked out of the game because of a little grain.

When Mr. Zi'an heard the word "living person", he suddenly had an idea, "The proprietor, don't you just think of a person." I don't know what to say, or not to say? ”

Han Shizhong rolled his eyes and nodded weakly.

"Far away, close at hand."

Mr. Zi'an didn't sell much guanzi, pointed to the west, and said loudly:

"It's Li Xiang's kid. Mingyuezhuang was originally a poor village, but now every family eats meat. Open the Mingyue Collection, make peace with the Bianjing martial arts, and don't forget to make a fortune when you go to Jiangnan......"

"Liu Chengdong's cheap son-in-law, the ability to make money and live is rare in the world, why didn't the general let him contribute?"

Han Shizhong's eyes widened, and his right palm slapped on the table, making a "squeak" sound.

Li Xiang's ability to make money, of course Han Shizhong has seen it. Han Shizhong's nephew and several cronies are working intensively with Li Xiang, and the initial preparations will be completed soon. If there are no accidents, everyone involved in it will surely make a lot of money, fame and fortune.

"This kid is in Xiwang Temple, Mr. Lao Fu wrote a letter and asked him to come quickly."