As soon as Hu Dadao left, Feng Jian immediately summoned the five captains of his own outpost, informing everyone that he might have to go down the mountain for a few days, and ordered Zhao Shougang to be in charge of the affairs of the sentry in the past few days. If the cottage is drawn from the guards, each team will send five members to form its own guard team, led by Huang Fuchun, who has the best martial arts among the five, to participate in the cottage operation.

Feng Jian finally ordered: "In addition, the five escort teams will each team up to go into the mountains to collect herbs, mushrooms and wild vegetables, and the mountain herbs collected can be kept for their own use and the rest can be handed over to the outpost." Although Hu Dadao said that it was impossible for these local products from the mountains to be transported to the city for trafficking, they could be trafficked to the markets of the surrounding towns and villages, where the government was not strict.

Zhang Dalai was a little suspicious: "Master Feng is not here, the things he picked back will be handed over to the one in the outpost!" ”

Feng Jian said: "We will set up a mutual aid association, the people of the village will come back every day to hand over the medicinal materials to the mutual aid association, the mutual aid association will set up a special person to record the work according to the number of collected mountain herbs, pick more medicinal materials and valuable medicinal materials, the work is relatively high, and the five captains will temporarily supervise and judge the work of each person, and the small Xiucai Su Su will record each labor point, and in the future, these work points can be used in exchange for money and food materials for the outpost, and the first trial run, and so on I come back from the mountain is the establishment of the mutual aid association." ”

Several captains felt very novel about Feng Jian's way of doing things, how did this little flag officer come up with a mutual aid association, and the collective cooperative farming method he proposed and established made most of the old and young of the self-post taste the sweetness, and every household had food as long as they participated in the labor, because of collective farming, people without strong labor could still get the harvest, so the old and young of the outpost really respected Feng Jian as the leader of their own post.

Feng Jian saw that several people had been confused, so he said, "You guys do what I say first, Zhao Shougang." During my absence, I will hand over my whistle to you, and Zhang Dalai and a few of you will assist Zhao Shougang. The five squad leaders nodded in agreement.

Zhao Shou just waited for Feng Jian to finish speaking, and then said a little stiffly: "Please rest assured, we will not disappoint adults!" ”

After all, he didn't know much, so he didn't say a word, and only looked up at Feng Jian with awe.

Feng Jian enjoyed the feeling of being looked up to a little, and watched these villagers who had gradually transformed into bandits respectfully obey their orders, and his mood suddenly became happy.

Feng Jian patted Zhao Shougang on the shoulder and said: "You work hard, our own outposts will never be worse than other outposts, and when we exchange the mountain herbs for food, we will not starve." ”

Zhang Dalai, who was stout, said loudly: "May I ask Lord Feng, how should we use the mountain herbs collected by everyone in the future, and they can't always be put in the cottage to become moldy." ”

Feng Jian said strangely: "Didn't you hear what I said just now?" When the number of medicinal materials and mountain treasures increases, of course, they will be transported to the city to be sold, in exchange for the food we need. ”

Zhang Dalai said: "But have you ever thought about how many peaks you have to pass from the mountain to the city, how many thieves along the way, if there is no brigade of people to protect, I am afraid that our herbs and mountain treasures will be robbed by thieves along the way without going to the city, and our mountain herbs are not worthy of the protection of the brigade, so I feel ......."

Zhang Da looked at Feng Jian, and the rest of the words remained in his mouth, his opinion was the same as Hu Dadao.

Feng Jian said: "I also know that transportation along the way is a big problem, please wait and see, I am confident that I will train an elite escort team in my own post to maintain the safety of our cottage sustenances." ”

The five captains were dumbfounded, and they didn't know where Feng Jian got his confidence.

Feng Jian didn't explain much, and looked at everyone: "Now everyone will do what I said, and go back to prepare." ”

After everyone left, Feng Jian began to sort out the equipment for the descent, the dart is his own big killing weapon, Feng Jian carefully arranged it and put it in his arms, more than ten of them were used to fight with the grinding cone thieves in the canyon, and they were not recovered afterwards, the remaining darts should be used well, and they can save their lives when it is critical, and there is a dagger hidden in the waist, and the entire cottage weapon blade is extremely lacking, this dagger is the last time he saved the lives of more than 300 people in his own post, and Xu Ma Gang rewarded him.

After sorting out his equipment, he returned to his home and only told his mother that he would go down the mountain with Hu Leader for a few days, so that his mother would not have to worry about it.

Feng's mother didn't know the danger of Feng Jian's trip, but only told Feng Jian to listen more to Leader Hu after going down the mountain and not to do dangerous things.

Feng Jian listened to his mother's chatter, and felt warm in his heart.

After noon, Hu Dadao sent someone to inform Feng Jian that he would gather at Wushao an hour later, bid farewell to his mother, and go to Wushao.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It is said that a luxurious banquet is being held in the back hall of the Pingdu Zhizhou Official Office, and the back hall is the place where the Zhizhou receives higher-level officials, discusses political affairs and office living, and some cases involving confidentiality and inconvenient public trials are also tried here.

The scholars and doctors of the Ming Dynasty were all self-appreciating, flaunting the style of celebrities and gentlemen, often placing their affection on poetry and wine, or feasting and drinking for pleasure, and resting when drunk.

Feasting is not only a tasting, but also the sustenance of life experiences and the thickener of interpersonal communication. Therefore, in the eyes of the literati, paying attention to eating and drinking is no longer a mundane matter, but also an elegant act.

This attitude to life has prompted many literati and doctors to love to meet friends with wine and food to socialize, and food parties and wine clubs are all over the country.

In the middle of the hall, there is a long table of Nanmu, most of the wine in the delicate porcelain cup on the case exudes the aroma of wine, and there are four bowls and eight plates of fine dishes in the middle of the table, and the four bowls are the whitebait, braised anchovies, stewed goose stewed palms, and stewed hoof tendons; The eight dishes include pickled crabs, spring bulao, ham, dried meat, split chicken, sweet pickled melon and eggplant, dried sausages, and dried bamboo shoots.

On the cushion behind the table sat a tall and thin old man with a somewhat wooden expression, and there was a sommelier on one side of the table.

Under the old man's cushion is a well, above which is a hollow iron manhole cover, on which the old man sits on it, and the cool air in the well is dissipated, and he does not feel the heat of the weather at all.

The case seat on the left side of the old man's desk is Pingdu's new governor Chen Suowen, experienced Fang Zengwei and the officials of the sixth room of the state government; On the right side of the desk sat a few officials, literati and scholars, as well as well-known businessmen and wealthy gentry in Pingdu City.

There are also four bowls and eight dishes of the same dishes on the table in front of them, and there is also a beautiful singer waiter on the side of each table. However, there was no well under their seats to cool off, but more than a dozen pots of crushed ice were placed around the hall, exuding a burst of coolness, making people not feel much stuffiness.

A beautiful singer sits on the outside of the hall and sings an evocative water tune, while in the middle of the hall a group of singers dances.

On the table, a variety of exquisite dishes are transmitted like water, and a dish will be replaced by a new dish with a few chopsticks.

Such a lavish banquet cannot be encountered often by these literati and doctors. When the wine was hot, some literati couldn't help but praise: "The fire meat has no oil for a long time, and it has the smell of pine and cypress; The wind fish for a long time is like fire meat, and it has the taste of muntjac deer. The pickled crab meat is like white jade, the shrimp is flossy like dragon whiskers, and the baked chicken and pheasant are like cake bait, which makes people have a great appetite. ”

The whole banquet is extremely extravagant, compared with Feng Jian and other Zhuanghu people who can't even eat, it is a heaven and a hell, I don't know how much silver taels this banquet will cost, and how much blood and sweat of ordinary people will be looted!

From time to time, someone came to the old man with a glass of wine to toast, the old man raised his glass but did not drink, only with the delicate woman who sat on one side to serve the wine, this is it, those who came forward to toast were also excited to face red, and it was a great honor for them to have the honor to salute the old man of the dynasty to Shige with a glass of wine.

The head of the high seat is when the old Zhou Daodeng, who can sit at this banquet are all people with heads and faces in Pingdu Prefecture, but compared with the old cabinet, they can only be regarded as toads in the small pond, just jumping around, drinking with the old cabinet of the former pavilion, saying it is definitely a matter of glory to the ancestors, if you can climb up to the old pavilion, it is the ancestral tomb smoke.

The heat outside the hall was rolling, the autumn cicadas on the branches were chirping weakly, but the hall was cool, but this luxurious feast was gradually coming to an end.

The outermost part of the hall, the beautiful singer and the dancing singer have left the hall.

Zhizhou Chen has just been in office for more than a month, although he is disdainful of the old man who sits in the first place, he still has to show respect on his face.

He looked at the expression of Zhou Daodeng, the old man of Mu Ne, and carefully served this old man who was the former cabinet elder of the court, although he was a former cabinet elder, but there were still many protégés and former officials who were officials in the court, and offended this former cabinet elder.

Seeing the song outside and exiting the hall, Chen said respectfully: "Elder Ge, the weather is hot, and the lower officials have specially prepared a holy product to cool off, please taste it." He pointed to the upside-down porcelain bowl on the table and said: "This is watermelon paste, take a piece of peach blossom juice and watermelon juice in May, sprinkle it all, fry it to seven or eight minutes on a simmer, and stir the sugar to refine it." Peach paste such as red amber, melon paste can be compared to gold silk sugar, drink the heart and eyes, quench the thirst of the heat, please taste the elder. The beautiful woman serving wine on one side opened the porcelain bowl, and suddenly, a bowl of red watermelon paste with a hint of cool air was presented in front of everyone.

Although Zhou Daodeng has eaten all the world's delicacies, but such exquisite food is also the first time to see, he carefully watched this delicacy, and couldn't help but admire: "The eyes are extremely worldly, the ears are extremely worldly, the body is extremely fresh in the world, and the mouth is extremely worldly. ”

The corners of Chen Suowen's mouth twitched fiercely on the side, a feast, exhausting the family's property, can't do it, the cost is huge, and in the end it is just in exchange for such a sentence!

Chen Suowen hurriedly stood up and said to Zhou Daodeng: "In this vulgar place, there are many inconsiderate hospitality, just don't dislike Zhou Gelao." ”

The old man of Zhou Daodeng Zhou Pavilion lifted his eyelids, paused for a while and said: "The old man has become a minister, and he is no longer the old man of the court, and he is not worthy of such preferential treatment from the government and the adults." ”

Chen Suowen's heart jumped when he heard this, this old man of Zhou Ge is notoriously difficult to serve, he was fine just now, why did his tone change in a blink of an eye?

He hurriedly left the table and gave the old man Mu Ne a deep look, and said in a panic: "The elder pavilion came to my Pingdu Zhou City, which is the blessing of several generations of junior generations such as the lower officials. ”

Zhou Ge's old face twitched a few times, and said in his heart that the old man Baba rushed to this despicable place, was it just to eat a meal, and the gentry here thought that sending a few thousand taels of silver could satisfy the old man! Hmph, it's really a frog at the bottom of the well, and it has to be beaten well.

Thinking of this, he said slowly: "Chen Fuzun is too worried, the old man has deeply felt the kindness of the adults of Pingdu Prefecture and the gentry present, and the old man has written it down." ”

Zhou Ge Lao's words did not dispel the doubts of Chen and everyone present, the businessmen and gentry present were all elites, and they heard that Zhou Daodeng seemed to have the intention of asking for bribes. are secretly planning to give a big red envelope after they go back to win the favor of this old man Zhou Ge.

Zhizhou Chen heard that the main officials of the state city couldn't figure out what Zhou Ge Lao meant, and several people quietly looked at each other a few times, each waiting for Zhou Ge Lao's next words with different thoughts.

Elder Zhou Ge didn't seem to be thinking very smoothly, and his tone was very slow: "Although the old man has embarked on the road to return to his hometown, the holy grace is in his heart, and he really can't forget it. However, it is not with me at the time, only regrets for the time being. At present, the court is not quiet, foreign slaves have repeatedly attacked the border, and today's saints are rigid and strict and lack of patience, which has caused turmoil in my Daming Society, and the people have no food and clothing, which is really the pain in the heart of the old man! However, my colleagues have been delaying and chasing each other all the time, for the sake of mouth, which makes the old man even more sad!

Everyone present carefully pondered the meaning of the old words of the former cabinet, who was ostensibly expressing his concern for the country and the people, and seemed to be a little complaining about Emperor Chongzhen.

However, the last sentence is blaming everyone for only knowing how to eat and drink, and not doing business. Everyone present heard from Chen that the gentry in the city scolded in their hearts: "This old scoundrel, he eats and drinks his grandson and does not raise his grandson." Chen Suowen and other state officials all understood that this old boy was asking for benefits!

Zhou Daodeng, the old man of Mu Ne, glanced at everyone again, and continued to say dryly: "I hope that everyone here will do their duty and shepherd the water and soil on behalf of the saint, so that the old man will have no regrets!" After speaking, Mu Ne's sluggish face twitched slightly, with a hint of worry and heartache.

People who don't know the truth will definitely be moved by his words when they hear this, and people in officialdom such as Chen Suowen know some of this old Zhou Ge person, and some of his anecdotes are also familiar.

The full name of this old Zhou Pavilion is Zhou Daodeng, and in the first year of Chongzhen, the emperor grabbed the lottery to elect cabinet ministers, and was lucky to enter the cabinet. With no learning and no skills, he played contemptuously and was rumored to be a laughing stock.

Once Chongzhen asked him, "The prime minister must use a scholar, what is the solution", but the old Zhou Pavilion couldn't answer for a while, and stayed for a long time before saying, "Rong Chen waited until the cabinet to find out the echo"; Chongzhen was quite displeased, and asked with a smile: "Recently, there are many words 'affection' in the ministers' music, what is affection?" As a result, the old man replied after a long time: "Those who are affectionate are also affectionate."

This kind of answer actually came from the mouth of a dignified minister, which really made Emperor Chongzhen cry and laugh, and even the eunuch standing next to him couldn't help laughing.

In the second year of Chongzhen (1629), Tian Shizhen and several other imperial historians successively impeached this "face" pavilion elder, impeaching him for not learning and not being good at coping, such a shallow person, self-embarrassment, self-exaltation, protection of personal relations, was dismissed early, from the arrival to the removal of only six months of cabinet ministers.

Zhou Daodeng's surname is **, and there are groups of wives and concubines in the family, and he still looks for flowers and willows everywhere on the grounds that he has no heirs.

It is said that Liu Ru, the head of Qin Huai Bayan, was born in Hina Ji, and was defiled by Zhou Daodeng at the age of fourteen, and was accepted as a concubine by him.

The above few redundant words are really unbearable for this Zhou Dao Deng's person, who is as smart and erudite as Liu is like this, but he was ruined by this cow dung, and finally abandoned by the cow dung, which is really embarrassing!

The banquet was about to end, and Zhou Daodeng was the first to leave the table.

Since Chongzhen was deposed in the first month of the second year (1629), Zhou Daodeng has been stranded in Beijing, seeking a chance to recover, but Chongzhen has a very bad impression of him, and resolutely refuses to recover again, delaying it until the next year, and then he embarks on the road home.

Zhou Daodeng Suzhou Wujiang people, he chose to take a boat from Tianjin to return to his hometown, a group of people along the canal all the way to Linqingzhou, Linqingzhou belongs to the Shandong political envoy Si Dongchang Mansion, located in the northeast of Shandong, and Hebei Jiewei Canal opposite.

Linqing relied on the canal to rise rapidly, and became one of the five major commercial ports in Jiangbei, prosperous for 500 years, and had the reputation of "prosperous pressing two capitals" and "rich Jiaqi County". During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the tax revenue of the Linqing banknote customs ranked first among the eight banknotes of the canal.

Zhou Daodeng was bored all the way, and the concubine who accompanied him persuaded him to travel along the way in order to relieve his boredom, and Zhou Daodeng died after being deposed in history only five years ago, probably not good at communication and depressed.

So Zhou Daodeng moved the idea of traveling and distracting his heart, and when he arrived in Linqing, he obeyed everyone's wishes and began to travel along the way.

Everywhere the local officials are warmly received, although Zhou Daodeng is the old cabinet who was dismissed, but no one can say when it will be reinstated, and it is still a former senior official who has been a cabinet elder, and there are many protégés and former officials in the court, such people can not help people, but the scourge of people is only a matter of one sentence, so Zhou Ge Lao and his party everywhere they go, the local officials are very energetic to receive them, and they dare not slack off at all.

The gentry and dignitaries from all over the country presented greeting gifts, and when they heard that the elder liked the young girl, they offered them one after another to win the favor of the elder of the pavilion.

Along the way, Zhou Daodeng was said to be making money, singing songs every night, and even his own family entourage also made a fortune.

Of course, when he arrived in Pingdu Prefecture, the local officials and gentry sent filial piety as usual, who knew that this former cabinet old man had a huge appetite!

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