"The council said it would do its best to assist us in defending Jiangxi." Since the Ming court began to lose control, the council has been operating in Jiangxi for more than a decade, and its most important job besides business is to assist fellow villagers in avoiding the threat of the imperial court. The patriarchs of most clans were extremely supportive of this, and the gentry and landlords in Jiangxi regarded it as an action to accumulate virtue and do good deeds and save people's lives. In this way, the tax set by the imperial court to Jiangxi was to be collected by the council. The following layers of deduction and wear and tear were avoided, which was within the bearability of the council and the gentry who helped them, and a large number of peasants were able to save their family property and their wives and children.

The council already controlled a quarter of the village chiefs in Jiangxi, and many of the magistrates had also gained fame through the Zhendong Hou to buy through the imperial court, so it was now a good response, and Jiang Min reported that the council had sent a group of militiamen and selected people who were familiar with the terrain to act as guides.

"Have these people ever fought a war?" Shi Ce was very uneasy, the camp was menacing, and the task given to him by the Marquis of Zhendong was to prevent the army from invading Jiangxi.

"Of course not, but neither did the Jiangxi soldiers, and when they heard that the intrusive army was approaching, they all withdrew first."

"That's all there is to it." Shi Ce couldn't think of it, a batch of *** had just arrived in the past two days, all of them were brand new flintlock muskets, and Shi Ce ordered these weapons to be sent to the militia of the Council immediately, at least not to let them fight the intrusive army with their bare hands.

"With such fanfare, the governor of Jiangxi won't have any ideas, right?" Liu Xiang is far away in Guangdong, where the council is already very rampant, basically including all the county-level officials in Guangdong, and the governor of Guangdong needs their support, but Liu Xiang in the mainland is worried that this is too conspicuous and will *** the strength of the Zhendong Hou.

"Don't worry, Lord Fang, the governor of Jiangxi, is an old friend of Lord Hou." Shi Ce told Liu Xiang that Fang Zhenru, the governor of Jiangxi, was an old friend of Zhendong Hou for decades: "When Hou Ye was in Guangning, he had a lifelong friendship with the governor, and I was not even by Hou Ye's side at that time." In addition, the Jiangxi soldiers were not of great use, and Governor Fang had high hopes for the policy, and since entering Jiangxi, all kinds of requirements for the Funing army have been obeyed.

"It's really thirty years in Hedong and thirty years in Hexi, at the beginning, Hou Ye couldn't get it if he wanted to see Lord Fang, and after Guangning, he wanted to kowtow when he saw Lord Fang," Shi Ce recalled the situation when he was first assigned to join the army, and was responsible for driving a boat to send Huangshi, Yang Zhiyuan and He Baodao to Shanhaiguan for the first time, at that time Fang Zhenru's official authority was really impressive: "Now Lord Fang wants to kowtow when he sees Lord Hou, if it weren't for old friends, ordinary governors wouldn't be able to see Lord Hou if they wanted to." ”

……

The two Funing Army soldiers in charge of the vigil walked to their posts before dark, and saw from a distance that two more people were already around the campfire, doing shooting exercises.

"Two brothers, hard work." The soldiers of the Funing Army looked at the two Jiangxi militiamen who were sent to assist in the defense with a smile, both of them were nervous, obviously making them feel extremely nervous when they went to the battlefield for the first time.

"The thieves are still far away from here, we just need to be more careful, and besides, we don't let the intruders' meticulous work pass easily," a soldier of the Funing Army kindly relieved: "Don't be too nervous, take it easy, lest you really encounter the thieves." ”

"Yes, big brother," a Jiangxi militiaman agreed, but began to operate the musket in his hand again, doing a full set of actions of filling, aiming, and pulling the trigger step by step: "I haven't used this thing before, why don't you learn how to kill thieves?" ”

The two Funing Army soldiers sat by the fire, no longer persuading, only occasionally reminding them of the essentials of their movements.

It was busy until it was completely dark, and the two sweaty Jiangxi soldiers sat back by the bonfire, and one of them reached out to take the kettle handed over by the Funing Army, tilted his neck and drank a few sips, handed the kettle to his companions and asked, "Are the two eldest brothers Funing Army or Zhaoqing Army?" ”

"We are the Funing Army."

"Ah, didn't the two eldest brothers go to Huguang?" The Jiangxi militiaman who drank the water first asked.

"Go," one of the Funing soldiers admitted calmly, "the two of us ran back together, and we only returned five days ago." ”

The Jiangxi militia hesitated and opened their mouths, but finally did not speak.

"Dare to do it, there's nothing to be embarrassed to say," or the Funing army said: "Neither of us fired a shot, and all of a sudden the army was rushed by the thieves, and the two of us ran away, and it was really bad luck to be on the stall with General Zheng." ”

The two Jiangxi militiamen glanced at each other, their faces becoming more nervous, as if they felt that these two companions were too unreliable.

"But I won't run anymore," the first Funing Army soldier was a cheerful person, and he could say whatever he thought in his heart: "Behind Jiangxi is Fujian, and we can't let the flames of war burn to my hometown, and our Funing Army will defend Fujian here and in Jiangxi." ”

"Not bad." The second Funing soldier chuckled lightly, agreeing with what his companion said, and he asked the two Jiangxi people: "Are you paid by the council?" ”

"Yes, the council gives each militiaman twenty taels of settling-in allowance, in addition to two taels of silver per month." The first Jiangxi man replied honestly.

"Not bad."

"I'm not fighting for that money." The Jiangxi people seemed to feel that the other party's praise was an insult to him, and he immediately explained: "I have more than 100 acres of land in my family, and I am an only son." ”

"Oh, then how did you come up with the idea of joining the council?" Hearing that it turned out to be a rich peasant's son, the Funing Army soldier who couldn't hide his words in his heart asked, "Only son? Will your family agree that you will buy your life for two taels of silver? ”

"The council is good to our village," said the rich peasant son, "who helped us choose a good county and a good village head, who has always been very fair, leading everyone to contribute powerfully and with money, and some people in other counties have fled because of the heavy taxes of the imperial court, but our county ...... At least not in our village, the lonely and widowed elderly in this world can still be supported. If it was for the sake of the imperial court, ......" the rich peasant child snorted: "I won't come to fight hard, but this is for my own family, and the young people in our village are rushing to come to help defend it, and I was selected because of my good health." Although my family is worried, there is also light on my face, and when I leave home, people from all over the country come to me to do it. ”

"What about you?" Fu Ningjun turned his head to look at the other Jiangxi militia: "Why are you here?" ”

"I heard that the thieves were doing free food in Juntian again, so I came to join the army," replied the second Jiangxi man, "I think someone has to kill the thieves, so that they don't dare to come to our Jiangxi." ”

"How many acres of land do you have at home?" Hearing this, the Funing Army soldier immediately asked.

"I don't have land at home, and my ancestors have been tenant farmers who paid rent for generations." The son of a Jiangxi farmer shook his head and glanced at his companion: "I don't have as much money as his family, so these two taels of silver are a lot for me, and the ten taels of silver given by the council can also be used as a dowry for my eldest brother." ”

"Oh," it was not surprising that the soldiers of the Funing Army thought that this peasant boy had come to serve as a soldier for military pay, but it was strange: "Then what did you just say that the land is free of grain, and it is not on your head?" ”

"I don't think it's right for Juntian to be free of grain, it's a robber to do so, and if you see a robber on the road, even if it's not to rob me, I'll draw a knife to help you when you see injustice." Fu Ningjun's question scratched the itch of this peasant child, and he immediately talked eloquently: "I have always felt that separating people's fields is like a robber *** weak woman; If it is right that most people benefit, then a group of robbers have benefited, and only one woman suffers, is it right? I'm not a gentleman, but I want to be a gentleman, I don't have land, but I would never want to get rich by robbing someone else's land. ”

The other three people were stunned for a while, they didn't think about this analogy, and after half a ring, the first soldier of the Funing Army said: "The words are not rough, it is good, I don't think you are like a farmer but an official." ”

"The head of our village was also selected by the council, and the reason why he has been in office for more than ten years is because our village chief raised funds so that the children in the village can read and write." The Jiangxi peasant replied: "I have an ambition, and I will also become an official in the future, and I will become a big official." ”

The ambition of this peasant boy shocked the three companions speechless, and they only heard him continue: "Whether you can be an official in the past depends on whether you have a good father, who can afford you to read and write, and who has friendships that can make you pass the examination. Now we Jiangxi is different, as long as you do things for the villagers seriously and do good things for the villagers, you can be an official and glorify your ancestors, what's so difficult about this? I'm willing to do things for the folks. ”

This Jiangxi peasant has been considered a rare smart child since he was a child, the best student in the village's Yixue, and he also has a very firm ambition: "In our Jiangxi, if most of the villages in a county nominate you, the council will help you gain fame and make you a county magistrate!" The farmer's son looked at the two stunned Fujianese, he didn't know much about the situation in Fujian, so he mistakenly thought that the other party didn't believe it: "This is not fake, the magistrate of our county was elected by each village, and everyone didn't believe it at first, but the council really helped him achieve fame and really made him a magistrate." ”

"Do you also want to be a magistrate?" The rich peasant in Jiangxi was finally able to speak, and asked his fellow countryman curiously.

"Of course," said the young man, who was ambitious, without hesitation, "perhaps in ten years, even governors will be elected by the counties." If I become the village head, I will do things for the villagers with my heart, and if I become the county magistrate, I will do things for the whole county with my heart, who knows if the counties will elect me as the governor in the future? ”

"Brother." The rich peasant patted his companion on the shoulder: "I really don't see that I am actually cooking a fire with a governor." ”

"That's why I'm coming to be a soldier, I'm not just for money, Jiangxi is going to live a good life, and being an official in the future doesn't need to see if you have a good father, you don't need to see if you are rich and powerful, as long as you work hard and be good to the villagers." The more the Jiangxi peasant who was bent on his career became more and more impassioned, and he could no longer sit still on the ground, he stood up and said loudly: "In the future, when I want to ask you to nominate me as governor, some people may ask: What were you doing when the thieves threatened us in Jiangxi?" And I was able to say to everyone with confidence: I was defending our hometown! ”

"Okay, if there is a day, I will definitely support you." The rich peasant child laughed: "And I will persuade all my relatives and friends to support you, good man." ”

"This is our Jiangxi!" The peasant looked at the two Fujianese with a smug face: "We are in Jiangxi. ”

"Actually, we are the same in Fujian." The straightforward Funing Army soldier also laughed: "The magistrate of my county is not even a Fujianese, but a Cantonese Yankee, but he is indeed a good person, a very kind and kind person, always helping us build bridges and roads, and we all like him very much." If you Jiangxi don't do this in the future, you can go to Fujian to try, as long as you do things for everyone, no one will care if you are from Fujian. ”

Another soldier of the Funing Army, who had barely spoken in today's conversation, opened his mouth to speak: "Do you want to hear my story?" ”

"Yes."

"I have been a military household in Fujian for generations, since Zhendonghou took charge of Funing Town, our military children have all been literate, my father said, before Zhendonghou came, the military households in the town thought about how to run out all day long, and after Zhendonghou came, everyone begged grandpa and told grandma to want to be a military household."

"Haha, yes." Another soldier of the Funing Army said with a smile: "My father only became a military household by giving gifts and spending money, and then my brothers can read and write." ”

"I like, especially Mr. Feng (Feng Menglong)," the second Funing Army soldier continued: "But I have never seen a story about us being soldiers, two years ago, during the Chinese New Year, I went to the National Book Office and asked them if they would like to publish a book written by a soldier who was a soldier?" ”

"The result?"

"The National Book Company said that they were very willing, but they said first, saying that they didn't want a book about emperors and generals, saying that there were too many such stories, they wanted a book that described the life of small soldiers, and said that there were many, many people who wanted to read such books."

"yes, I'd love to see it too."

The other three soldiers said one after another, and the other Funing Army soldier was already a little impatient: "How much have you written?" Take it out and show us, this vigil is so boring. ”

"It's still a lot worse, when I went to Huguang this time, I was ambitious, thinking that this would be a good story, the children of Fujian set foot on the vast land of the lake thousands of miles away, and fought bloodily to rescue the people who were unknown to them from the hands of the thieves." The soldier writer shook his head: "But this is not the case at all, the people of Huguang, compared to the imperial court and Zuo Liangyu, if they survive until the thieves arrive, it will be their luck, I think we seem to be doing evil, harming people, there is nothing to write about." ”

"yes." The other Funing Army also sighed.

"I didn't write anything in Huguang, and I fled back without firing a shot." The soldier writer raised his hand to greet the two Jiangxi militiamen: "But here in Jiangxi, after meeting the two brothers, I know that Jiangxi is a place where I am willing to fight, and there are stories I am willing to write." ”

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