Chapter 134: No War in Lingnan (Part II)

In fact, the reason why Xu Xiake, who has always been low-key, has a relationship with the "Australians" is because of the gang of Donglin scholars who went south to Qiongzhou: that day, when the Sanya side mobilized police to surround the inn and arrest the stunned young scholars of the "Donglin Tour Group" headed by Fang Yizhi, Xu Xiake and his brother Xu Zhongzhao happened to live in the same inn, they were also dressed as scholars, and they also had a Jiangnan accent, so they were also killed by the pond fish and were arrested as suspects. Although he actually didn't have any friendship with Fang Yizhi......

(History books say that Xu Xiake seems to know Zhang Pu and is friends with Huang Daozhou, but has little contact with other celebrities.) Because of the big difference in status between the two sides, if Fang Yizhi and Zhang Dai are the top gentlemen with hands and eyes like the "Top Ten Sons of Beijing", Xu Xiake is just an ordinary farmer. Moreover, Xu Xiake's age is much older than these celebrities in the late Ming Dynasty, about one or two decades apart, so naturally they can't get together. ）

Next, after some interrogation, the Xu Xiake brothers, who truthfully confessed, finally cleared their suspicions, but their true identity surprised the traversers - everyone has basically read this guy's "Xu Xiake's Travels" in the school's Chinese textbooks!

As a result, Xu Xiake and his clan brother were respectfully invited out of the detention center and lived in a high-end sea-view room in the "Sanya Old Cadres Sanatorium". Then a group of inexplicable people came to ask him to sign autographs and take group photos, and then he was cordially received and given a banquet by the "Emperor Tai of the Song Dynasty" (retired former president), and then a group of "Australian Confucians" (professors of history and ancient Chinese) came over to discuss with them the hardships of hiking and the experience of writing travelogues, so that Xu Xiake, who had long been despised by the mainstream public opinion of the Ming Dynasty scholars, was flattered for a while.

――In the eyes of modern people, Xu Xiake's popularity and gold content are definitely far better than Fang Yizhi's courage and Qian Qianyi.

Next, the hospitable "Australians" even entertained them to take a big iron boat to visit the exotic scenery of the Ryukyu country on the island of Taiwan, and personally experienced the tropical seascapes of coral islands in the South China Sea. And those "Australian Confucians" were also amazed by his articles, and even prepared to advance money from them to print Xu Xiake's travelogues over the years into books and spread them all over the world (the modern "Xu Xiake's Travels" has lost many chapters), which made Xu Xiake cry with joy - one of the highest pursuits of traditional Chinese scholars is to "write books and write biographies"!

In addition, the eastern coast of China, South Africa, Australia and other republics have also invited Xu Xiake to travel and write articles, so that when promoting their own territory, they can come up with some high-grade masterpieces - if only they could produce a few masterpieces such as "Xu Xia's Trip to the Great Lakes", "Xu Xia's Visit to Tierra del Fuego", "Xu Xia's Visit to the Great Barrier Reef", "Xu Xia's Visit to the Ancient City of Machu Picchu", "Xu Xia's Visit to Ostrich" and so on.

However, there is no such thing as a feast that will not be dissolved. Although he was very grateful for the warm invitation of the "Australians", considering the large family of children who were still in his hometown in Jiangnan, Xu Xiake still did not accept the invitation of the "Australian Song Dynasty" after all, but proposed to resign and return to his hometown with his brother Xu Zhongzhao to reunite with his relatives. And the "Australian" also behaved very generously in this regard, not only generously gifted the money for the winding road, but also sent someone to escort him to Guangzhou. In addition, he was given a badge of "Honorary Member of the Huameng Writers Association" - Xu Xiake automatically made up his brain according to his experience as the "Hanlin Bachelor" of the Australian Song Dynasty, so he moved this old donkey to tears, feeling that he was treated like a national soldier, and he didn't know how to repay.

However, no matter how maverick he is, no matter how far away he is from political affairs, Xu Xiake is still a member of the scholar class of the Ming Dynasty after all.

Therefore, the magical experience and hospitality of the past year certainly made Xu Xiake complacent. However, the great ambition of the "Australian Song Dynasty" for the Central Plains also made him deeply worried about the fate of his homeland and homeland.

If we say that when Xu Xiake just set off from his hometown in Jiangyin and went south to Qiongzhou, he just regarded the "Australians" entrenched in Qiongzhou as a group of novel and interesting "exotic visitors". So when he embarked on his journey home, the entire land of Shenzhou had been turned upside down by the Australians.

Just from the scene outside the car window, it can be seen that Guangzhou has completely become the territory of Australians, and Fujian has long since changed banners. Then, according to the news Xu Xiake read from the Australian newspaper, in the early spring of this year, their Northern Expedition vanguard army had penetrated deep into the south of the Yangtze River, swept half of Zhejiang, and entered the provincial capital Hangzhou City in one go, which was only one step away from his Jiangyin hometown of Xu Xiake.

At this time, the Ming court was a scene of the building about to fall apart - the Jingshi and the entire Northern Zhili had fallen into the hands of the Liaodong Tatars, and Shandong and Shanxi seemed to be about to fall. The demons of the Wenxiang Sect are still raging in Lianghuai, and the northwest and the Central Plains are rampant. What's even worse is that the confrontation between Chongzhen Yong and the two emperors further involved the remaining forces of the imperial court on internal friction and further accelerated the collapse of the country.

However, for ambitious readers, this troubled era certainly means the danger of losing their lives, but it also means the opportunity to soar. For example, by Xu Xiake's side, his closest brother Xu Zhongzhao kept nagging along the way, "...... Dude, to be honest, you really should stay with the Australians and make a career in the future! With all due respect, you've been in trouble for most of your life before, and your family business has fallen into ruin, although you've made a little reputation by traveling in the mountains and rivers, but it's really useless. Now that it is difficult to find a clear master with blue eyes for you, why not seize this opportunity quickly? Wait, don't you think the Australians are too small? Or do you think this Australian can't win the world? ”

“…… Brother Zhong Zhao, what are you talking about? How could I, Xu Hongzu, be such an insatiable person? ”

Xu Xiake looked down at the "Honorary Member of the Writers Association" badge on his chest, and couldn't help but smile bitterly and shook his head, "...... has no merit in the lower body, and the family background is also ordinary, and it is difficult to be a master of history on the side of the Ming Dynasty, at most he can only be a staff member and a guest. The Australian and Song Dynasty courts were able to treat the old man like a guest and award him the position of Hanlin Bachelor, which was already a great blessing that could make the ancestral tomb of the Xu family smoke! It's just that...... I heard that when the Ao-Song army attacked Zhejiang, they killed a lot and treated the Jiangnan gentry very harshly. If I take refuge in the past, will it hurt my family's reputation? ”

“…… Hey, now is the time for the heroes to change the dynasty, whoever wants to be in charge of the world, how can there be no wanton killing? ”

Xu Zhongzhao stretched out disappreciatively, "...... Back then, Zhao Kuangyin, Taizu of the Song Dynasty, released the military power with a glass of wine, and trained his descendants not to kill the scholars, which should be regarded as a rare benevolent lord! But he sent troops to break through the Southern Tang Dynasty to attack Xishu before, didn't he still kill people?

Besides, I think it's very peaceful here in Guangzhou! I didn't see how the new imperial court slaughtered the Lingnan gentry at all! It can be seen that most of the gentry in Zhejiang are bent on resisting the new Chaotian soldiers, looking for death by themselves, and naturally they can't complain about others. Throughout the ages, whenever there is a change of dynasty, how can there be no one who does not fight and does not die? If you are really worried about your clan and family business, then you should join the new dynasty as soon as possible, so as to seek protection from the Australian and Song army!

Brother! Don't hesitate! It's too early to get from the dragon! In these troubled times, what is the mere face? You haven't eaten the Ming Dynasty's Yulu, and you don't have the Ming Dynasty's meritorious title, even if you want to be the old man of the current dynasty, it doesn't seem to be qualified, right? ”

Seeing that his brother Xu Zhongzhao followed him to enjoy a year's courtesy and hospitality on the territory of the Australians, and had already called Daming "the former dynasty", Xu Xiake's mood couldn't help but be even more entangled. It's just that he is entangled, but he actually knows in his heart that what Xu Zhongzhao said is the truth. Even if Xu Xiake has no intention of career and doesn't care about the title of a dragon hero, he also has to think about the future of the Xu family under the rule of the new dynasty!

What's more, based on what he has seen and heard in the past year, the Australian's mind and military wealth are unimaginably huge, and as for all kinds of amazing skills, they are even more appalling. Once they really made up their minds to chase the Central Plains, this Ming Dynasty would definitely be difficult to resist.

And, to be honest, if the world falls into the hands of Australians, it may not be a bad thing for all people.

“…… Yes, thank you Brother Zhongzhao for waking up. Even if the rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of the husband, after all, we are just a mere grass people, I am afraid that we don't have the ability, and we don't have the heart to help the Zhu family keep the country. ”

After a moment of silence, Xu Xiake finally nodded, admitting the correctness of Xu Zhongzhao's opinion, and at the same time felt that his mouth was a little dry, so he took out a bottle of herbal tea from the small rattan box under the seat, pulled out the cork and poured it, and continued: "...... Now the Ming Dynasty is worried about internal and external troubles, the court is listed with traitors, and the people are not able to live in peace, I have been going all the way in the past two years, only to see that this big tomorrow is full of countless starvations, even the rich land in the south of the Yangtze River is also the same, but the Australians here, the people's life is called happy and rich...... Maybe the destiny of heaven is really going to be transferred! ”

“…… The virtuous brother said this very much, but the world under the rule of Australians, not to mention those rich cities, even if it is a remote countryside, the people can have no worries about food and clothing. In the past year, Brother Fool has traveled with you to many places under the rule of Australians, and has seen with your own eyes that even prisoners and prisoners can be fed and clothed, and have never seen people die of cold and starvation (death of sickness and exhaustion is another matter). ”

Speaking of this, Xu Zhongzhao's tone became more and more embarrassed, "...... Tell me, can there be such a good place for the two capitals and thirteen political secretaries in this big tomorrow? Don't say anything orthodox, what destiny. What the people in the world are looking forward to most is just a peaceful birthday? Who is the emperor, and what does it have to do with the people? Australians have a clear distinction between public and private, and they value trustworthiness and reason, and under their hands, the small people in the market can have a way to live, and the life of the gentry is better than in the past. If the Australians really sit in the Dragon Court, maybe the whole country and county will be as rich and prosperous as Lingao? So why not? ”

“…… Alas, that's what you're talking about...... This is indeed the truth, why not let Australians sit on the throne? Da Ming is afraid that his qi has run out. ”

Xu Xiake shook his head, "...... However, I am waiting in my hometown in Jiangnan, after all, I still have family to take care of. If you rashly defect to the new dynasty in order to gain fame and fame, where should you put these flesh and blood relatives? It must be arranged in advance, so as not to bring trouble to them! ”

Next, he took out a letter from his sleeve and shook it in front of Xu Zhongzhao, "...... After returning to Jiangnan this time, you and I will pick up our families and go to Hangzhou together to join the Australian army! I have here a handwritten letter from Wen Dehei, the ruling party of Qiongzhou, as long as I go to Hangzhou and meet Lord Zhao Yinggong, who is presiding over political affairs over there, I will definitely be able to take care of and appoint him! Even though the warriors in the army may not pay attention to the writing and thinking below, the contemptible people have traveled in the mountains and wilderness of the southern provinces for many years, and they all know the customs and customs of the mountains, rivers, roads, and customs in southern Anhui, Zhejiang, and southern Zhejiang! In the future, if the officials and troops of the new dynasty leave the coast and march inland, then there will inevitably be a place for them to make suggestions! ”

“…… Oh, I didn't expect that the virtuous brother had already succeeded, and the foolish brother was really worried before! ”

Listening to Xu Xiake's plan, Xu Zhongzhao turned his worries into joy in an instant, "...... Also, at this time of the world's Ding Revolution, instead of staying in the official poetry club to dance and write and be a close minister who is looking for chapters and excerpts and singing praises of virtue, it is better to serve in the army and work hard to earn a few military merits, and it will be more face-saving to speak out in the future, so as not to be regarded as a lucky person! Sure enough, it's still a virtuous brother who is thoughtful! Foolish brother is ashamed of himself as ......"

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After eliminating the previous estrangement and entanglement, the mood of the two also relaxed, and after a while, they each reclined on the soft pillows and took a nap on the sofa of the carriage - now both of them are not young, and they are grandparents in the Ming Dynasty. Although Xu Xiake's long-distance travel career has allowed Xu Xiake to practice a pair of iron feet and a good body of muscles, it has also accumulated a lot of dark diseases for his body.

Before, he was tired and upset, so Xu Xiake hadn't rested for a long time. Now that he was in a relaxed mood, the soft sofa and the stable carriage suddenly made him fall asleep quickly. It wasn't until the sun set in the west that Xu Xiake woke up leisurely, just looked out the car window, but found that the carriage had bypassed the city of Guangzhou and drove straight to the mountains and fields in the northern suburbs of the city!

Xu Xiake, who was very confused about this, hesitated for a moment, then immediately opened the car door, stopped the coachman and the entourage, and asked what this meant? And the lieutenant of the security army, who was accompanying him, replied very politely, "...... The two distinguished guests did not know that now Guangzhou is building a lot of construction, and it is noisy everywhere, which may not be conducive to rest. Therefore, our chief has already instructed that two distinguished guests should be arranged to stay at the Changliu Taoist Temple in the north of the city......"