The water and land posts of the Ming Dynasty were very accessible, but the water had a waterway and the land had a land route. The carriages and horses are all land posts, and the boats and boats are water posts. But the four horses of Jinyiwei galloped here along the embankment on the bank of the Xin'an River. At the end of mid-June, in previous years, it was the time when the sun was shining, and the horses were sweating and the people were sweating.

It happened to be at the bend of a river, and there were a few large trees to cover it, and from here you could already see the pier in the distance. The head of the brocade guard reined in the horse, and the other three brocade guards also reined in the horse. Under the hat of the four apparatus, the four pairs of eagle-like eyes immediately looked at the river surface of the dock.

Shen Yishi's dozens of boatloads of grain have been left here for a few days, and at this time, they are still lined up on the river, and the lanterns of the "Weaving Bureau" and the posters of "Disaster Relief" on the mast are still hanging there. Even stranger was the fact that bags of grain were still full on board. The guards were gone, and only a few servants and shipwrights remained lazily there.

The four of them were a little surprised, glanced at each other, and then looked back to the shore.

The soldiers who had been sent to protect the grain from the provinces along the coast were gone, but more than a dozen tables were set up. There seems to be a sign erected in front of each table, and there is a person sitting behind each table, each holding an umbrella in one hand and a fan in the other.

The four of them looked again at the field on the shore.

Countless shacks were erected in the deserted fields in a matter of days. There were people everywhere, some in the huts, some outside the huts, some sitting quietly, some lying quietly. Not far from the shack, about ten zhang one, there are more than a dozen porridge sheds, and each porridge shed has a large pot for thousands of people. Some children were running through the porridge shacks with bowls. Some of the officials were shouting with whips.

"Didn't you say that the guy surnamed Shen gave all the food? Why is all the food still on board? A brocade guard said.

"It's a little weird." Another brocade guard said.

"No wonder I made the Long Live Lord and the old ancestor unconscious. It seems that this ghost place in Zhejiang is really famous. Another brocade guard followed.

At that moment the bell rang on the other side of the wharf, and the people in the shacks poured out and ran to the porridge shacks.

Jin Yiwei: "You guys are here to let the horses eat some water and grass." I'll go over and ask first. Remember, according to the agreement, don't reveal your identity. ”

The other three brocade guards: "Understood." ”

All four dismounted. Jin Yiwei went down the embankment and walked from the water and grass in the field to the shacks.

The victims all lined up with bowls to get the porridge, and the shacks were empty, except for the occasional old and sick people still lying there, probably because family members helped them get the porridge.

Jin Yiwei wore a hat on his head, wore a coarse cloth shirt, and pedaled straw sandals under his feet, and walked all the way to the shack with the crowd of people rushing to receive porridge, and no one cared. Passing through some shacks, his eyes roaming under his hat, he saw an old man sitting in front of a shack with his eyes closed and smiling there, and he walked over.

"Uncle, don't you get the porridge when you put it?" Jin Yiwei squatted down next to his old man.

The smile on the old man's face disappeared, and he slowly opened his eyes, but he didn't look at him, his eyes were full of alertness: "Who are you?" You're not a local? ”

Jin Yiwei was surprised, looked at the old man carefully, and found that the old man was blind. Hurriedly smiled and said: "I am a merchant who makes silk, I came from the north, I heard that your land has suffered a disaster, and raw silk is cheap, so I want to buy some." ”

When the old man heard his introduction, he became even more vigilant, and said loudly: "I don't care where you say you are from, if you leave as soon as possible, there will be officers and soldiers everywhere here." ”

Jin Yiwei: "You always misunderstood. I'm not a wedge. If this is so far from the sea, and there are soldiers everywhere, will I come to find death? ”

The old man refused to believe it all, rolled his eyes, and looked like he wanted to call someone.

Jin Yiwei continued: "Why don't you call the soldiers to come over and let them check me." ”

The old man was a little convinced, and his face looked better: "If you don't have a wolf, you can leave as soon as possible." Not long ago, a Japanese robber pretended to be a merchant and came to us to sell grain for silk, dragging dozens of us down, and we are still in prison. This has always been when a foreigner comes to buy silk, and he catches one by one. ”

"Is there such a thing?" Jin Yiwei looked surprised, "The government should also ask clearly, it is not possible to indiscriminately wronged a good person." ”

The old man: "What year, still indiscriminate?" The people we were arrested were all honest Sanghu, and they didn't ask for confessions, and they didn't go to the court, and if they said a word in the province, they would be killed the next day. ”

"Didn't you just say you're in prison?" Jin Yiwei asked deliberately.

When the old man heard him ask, he immediately came to his senses: "It's also that God has eyes, and a sea master has come to our Chun'an new magistrate county." That day was his first day in office, and the province called him to supervise the beheading. When he came, he was still dressed in civilian clothes, and hundreds of soldiers followed, and he did not speak, nor did he pay attention to people, and sat in the lobby as soon as he came. dragged on until 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and suddenly wanted to read the case file and confession. The people in the province couldn't get the confession and the case file, so Master Hai was powerful, holding a copy of "Da Ming Law", and he refused to kill people in a daze, and dragged these people back from the ghost gate. ”

Jin Yiwei: "A county magistrate dares to do this with the province? ”

The old man was still excited: "You strangers don't know that this old man Hai is a person sent by the prince." ”

"Oh." Jin Yiwei's voice dragged out, pretending to be appreciative, "You can't see with your old eyes, but you know everything." ”

The old man was a little smug: "Can't see and won't listen?" ”

Jin Yiwei: "That's the same." Those who can't see know better. What's the matter with so many grain ships on the river? ”

The old man sighed: "The emperor is still good, and the prince is also good." That's why we sent a sea lord to call the shots for us. The Jiangnan Weaving Bureau must have been ordered by the emperor and the prince to help Master Hai, so they sent us grain and lent us to survive the famine. ”

Jin Yiwei couldn't help but laugh when he heard him think so wildly.

The old man: "You don't believe it? ”

Jin Yiwei immediately replied, "No." I mean, if the Weaving Bureau has brought the grain, why is it still in the ship and not lent it to you? ”

The old man: "It's not that we don't want to borrow, it's that we don't want to borrow now." ”

Jin Yiwei: "Aren't you waiting for food to save your life?" Why don't you want to borrow it? ”

The old man: "The government said that after borrowing grain, the fields should be replanted with mulberry seedlings, and the big guys are unwilling to borrow it." ”

Jin Yiwei: "I heard that planting mulberry silk is more than growing grain and selling it, why are you reluctant to borrow mulberry seedlings?" ”

The old man: "It's half a month and a half, and now I plant mulberry seedlings, and I can't harvest much silk this year." When the government asks us to return the grain, we can't afford to pay it back, so what should we do if we take away our fields? ”

Jin Yiwei: "Didn't the emperor borrow this grain from you?" If the emperor doesn't urge you to pay it back, who dares to urge you to pay it back? ”

The old man: "It was said that the emperor borrowed it, but in fact, the big boss Shen Yishi and the people in the province couldn't reach our old man Hai, so they borrowed it under the brand of the Weaving Bureau." The emperor is so far away, if Master Hai is promoted and transferred away, who will call the shots for us. ”

Jin Yiwei: "Can't you and the government spend it like this?" ”

The old man: "As long as the government doesn't force us to plant mulberry seedlings, we will borrow it." I borrowed grain to plant seedlings, and by October I had harvested half of the rice, and half of it was still half, and the year of disaster had passed. Dozens of boatloads of grain are on the river, two meals a day, and there will be porridge to drink at that time, and no one dares to transport all the grain transported by the emperor back. ”

"I see." Jin Yiwei stood up. Turned around and walked away.

"What do you understand?" The brocade guards were all gone, and the old man was still asking himself.

The most bitter thing these days is Tian Youlu. A fright has just passed, Jiang Qianhu and Xu Qianhu are gone, and so many victims are here again. There is no food to eat and make trouble, and if there is food, lend it to them and don't want it. Haizhi County called himself to guard here, two meals of soup porridge a day, and I don't know what the results are below. When the heat was scorching, he was anxious and worried, and he was already sick at this time, covered with a big umbrella, lying on a bamboo chair, his eyes were blue, and his face was black.

There was porridge over there, and a yatou came over, holding a list of food relief in his hand: "Second master, this is the amount of food for a meal of porridge today, you should sign it." ”

Tian Youlu: "How much grain have you eaten?" ”

The yatou: "In the past few days, I have eaten a boatload and a half." ”

"Always eat like this, what a head!" Tian Youlu was very anxious, "Take grain to buy their fields and make trouble, and lend grain to them to plant mulberry and make trouble." How can there be such a people! They eat food like this every day, and if they eat empty, am I not responsible for the crime? From this afternoon onwards, I will not approve this word. If you want to approve, you go to Master Hai for approval. ”

Seeing that he refused to sign, the yatou was not in a hurry: "Then I will give it to Master Hai for approval." He kept asking, did I say that you always asked him to approve it? ”

Tian Youlu was angry and anxious: "There are evil officials above, and Diao people below, even you errand boys have come to squeeze me!" ”

The yatou: "Second master, it's not that you have bad luck and you're old enough to memorize words alone." Even you don't have to bear the burden anymore, how can we be errands? ”

Tian Youlu didn't have anything to say: "Bring the list." ”

The head of the yaman held the slip on the palm of his hand and stretched it out. Tian Youlu took out a name badge from the placket, and there was no ready-made ink, so he stretched the seal into his mouth and took a breath, and stamped a shallow seal on the list.

The head of the yaman looked at the list and nagged to himself: "This seal is not very clear......

Tian Youlu's eyes glared: "You can't get along with me, aren't you!" ”

The Yatou: "I didn't say anything. Then he slowly walked away with the list.

The yatou left, and a servant came with a food basket and walked under Tian Youlu's umbrella: "Second master, Mrs. stewed a chicken for your old man, and said that you should eat it quickly to replenish your body." ”

Tian Youlu sighed: "When?" Where? Tell me to eat stewed chicken in front of so many victims? ”

The officer: "Or do you always go to the cabin to eat?" ”

Tian Youlu was impatient: "I can't eat it." Take it back and give it to the old lady to eat. By the way, did the old lady go to the house? ”

The officer: "No, Madame still doesn't want to take the old lady to live." ”

Tian Youlu sat up suddenly: "Does she want to kill me or what?" Master Hai scolded me for being unfilial, I had to pass so many bad things before, go back and tell her that if I don't take the old lady over, I will tell her to go back to her parents' house! ”

The officer: "Second master, how dare you say this little thing......

"What a slut!" Tian Youlu sighed, "Help me up, I'll pick up the old lady." ”

But the official did not help him, but leaned down and whispered, "You'd better not go to the city now." ”

Tian Youlu: "What's wrong?" ”

The official said in a low voice: "According to the inspector, Master He came, brought a lot of soldiers, and I couldn't find those prisoners in the prison, and I was fighting with Master Hai in the yamen at this time." ”

Tian Youlu was taken aback: "Lord He is here!" Where did you come from? Why didn't you tell me sooner? ”

The officer: "I see that you are always annoyed, and I am afraid that you will be anxious when you hear it." Lord He came at noon, as if he had entered the city from the side of the Five Lions Mountain. ”

Tian Youlu was so anxious that he sweated again: "It's going to happen again, it's going to happen again......"

At this time, there was another commotion on the other side of the shelter, and another official ran over.

The official wiped his sweat and said to Tian Youlu: "Second master, there are a few more victims who have developed a plague!" ”

Tian Youlu lay down on the bamboo chair again: "Simply, it's all dead......

The officer: "Master Hai said hello, you can't starve to death a person, and you can't die of illness ...... a person."

Tian Youlu: "Then ask me?" Carry it to the city! ”

There are regulations, the county government from the wall to the courtyard of the lobby is a few zhang square, at this time are full of provincial soldiers, led by Jiang Qianhu and Xu Qianhu, all carrying knives, all standing on the steps of the lobby, looking at He Maocai and Hai Rui in the lobby, with a posture of going in to arrest people at any time.

"Where did the Japanese and the criminals go?" He Maocai grabbed the shocking wood on the public case and slapped it vigorously, "You say! ”

Hai Jui sat in a chair next to him, neither answering nor moving.

He Maocai was even more angry, and he stopped shooting, grabbed the lottery holder on the public case and threw it to the ground!

There are rules, there is a bamboo tube on the official case of the court at all levels, and the tube is usually filled with ten bamboo sticks, and the hall official takes out the bamboo stick and throws it into the lobby to beat people. A bamboo stick beats ten sticks, and ten bamboo sticks are a hundred sticks. Now He Maocai threw the entire bamboo tube to the ground, and ten bamboo sticks were scattered on the ground. The holder didn't break, and it rolled out of the lobby.

Jiang Qianhu and Xu Qianhu immediately broke in with a few soldiers and looked at the bamboo sticks on the ground.

Jiang Qianhu shouted to those soldiers: "Prepare for execution!" ”

Those soldiers all looked at He Maocai, and He Maocai himself was a little confused.

According to the rules of the Ming Dynasty, as long as the current official commits a big thing, unless there is an edict, the superior can only be punished. He Mao was just because he was irritable and dropped the lottery holder, how could he really hit Hai Rui?

Jiang Qianhu, Xu Qianhu and others hated Hai Rui to the core, so they thought of using He Maocai's anger to eliminate the hatred in their hearts. Jiang Qianhu said loudly: "My lord, it is an unforgivable sin. He is now hiding in secret, and he can kill and kill, and he can't go wrong with a few punishments! ”

Xu Qianhu also added fuel to the fire: "The adult is the criminal name of a province, and the signatures have been scattered, and they will be picked up if they can't be done!" ”

He Maocai was forced by them, and knew that he couldn't fight, so he held his breath and stared at Hai Rui fiercely.

Hai Rui slowly stood up and faced Jiang Qianhu and Xu Qianhu: "This is the hall of Chun'an County, and I am the current official." I didn't call you in, who told you in? Get out! ”

Jiang and Xu were already fed up with Hai Rui, and at this time, relying on He Maocai's support, how could they still buy his account, and they immediately went sideways.

Jiang Qianhu: "My lord, you have always seen it, how rampant this surnamed Hai is!" If you don't have a good time talking, go to the back hall and rest, and we'll clean him up! ”

Xu Qianhu: "He hid the Japanese privately, we treated him, and there was a saying in the imperial court." ”

He Maocai was originally a black stick in the officialdom, and when things were cornered, his brain was a little dizzy, and he yelled at Hai Rui: "You heard it all!" If I don't hand over the prisoner and beat you to death, I can still afford this crime! ”

Hai Rui ignored him, still looking at Jiang and Xu: "I told you to go down, did you hear it?" ”

Jiang and Xu almost jumped up and looked at He Maocai: "My lord, let's do it!" ”

"Someone!" Hai Rui roared.

The four soldiers of the Governor's Office immediately rushed out from behind the screen in the lobby with knives on their shoulders, and two on each side stood beside Hai Rui.

The soldiers of the Governor's Office are all dressed in special uniforms, which are instantly recognizable. Seeing them suddenly appear, first He Maocai was stunned, and then Jiang and Xu were also stunned.

Hai Rui: "Get these two people out of the hall for me!" ”

The four pro-soldiers immediately approached Jiang Qianhu and Xu Qianhu: "Go down!" ”

Some of the soldiers of Jiang Qianhu and Xu Qianhu's cronies in the hall all ran in when they saw this.

The four pro-soldiers pulled out their knives on the spot, and two of them dealt with one, and the knives were all on their necks, forcing Jiang Qianhu and Xu Qianhu there.

He Maocai finally sobered up a little, and shouted, "What are you doing? What are you going to do? ”

A soldier from the governor's office replied, "We are at the behest of Hu Butang to be dispatched by Haizhi Prefecture. ”

He Maocai was so angry that his face turned white, and he yelled at the soldiers who poured into the lobby: "Go down!" Get out of here! ”

His soldiers began to retreat.

He Maocai looked at the four soldiers of the governor's yamen again: "Okay, good." Hu Butang has to give me an explanation. Don't put the knife down yet. ”

The four soldiers slowly moved their knives away, but they were still staring at Jiang and Xu.

Hai Jui: "Tell them to go down." ”

The four pro-soldiers all faced Jiang Qianhu and Xu Qianhu again: "Please." ”

Jiang and Xu were pointed at four knives and walked out of the hall with hatred. The four soldiers followed him all the way to the entrance of the hall, where they stood and stood with their swords on their shoulders.

Only He Maocai and Hai Rui were left in the hall. It was tense just now, and there was silence at this time.

He Maocai sat on a chair in the middle of the lobby and gasped for a while: "Hai...... Rui, what are you doing here? ”

After this round, Hai Rui replied: "If the adult asks each other on official business, he will reply to the adult." Ten days ago, he had reported to the governor's yamen, the governor, the yamen, and the yamen according to the inspection that Qi Dazhu had a great grievance in the matter of their collusion, and asked his boss Yamen to jointly try the case. To this day, the boss Yamen still does not want to hear the case. Now the adults want to take the prisoners away, and according to the "Da Ming Law", the trial procedure is not in order. ”

He Maocai: "If you want to be tried, you have to go to the province to try it, and you can't call Hu Butang and Zheng Zhongcheng to your small county government for trial!" ”

Hai Rui: "The report of the lowly position is given to the third-level yamen, so the governor's yamen and the governor's yamen jointly issue an official document to take the prisoners away." ”

"Hai Jui!" He Maocai was forced to have nothing to say by the judicial process on his left and right, and he was so angry that he stared at the strange man in front of him, "You are from a high background, and you are in your forties, and you finally became a magistrate, and you have made enemies everywhere in the officialdom, what are you trying to do!" ”

Hai Rui: "My lord said that I have a grudge everywhere, who do I have a grudge with?" ”

One sentence put He Maocai there again, the hand trembled with anger again, and his eyes looked at the public case again, a seal, a pen holder, and a piece of shocking wood were placed there, and he didn't know what to drop.

Hai Rui walked over and took off the gauze hat on his head: "If you want to drop something, then drop my gauze hat." As he spoke, he put the gauze hat on the public case in front of He Maocai, folded it back, and sat down on the chair with his bare head: "Born in his forties, he finally became a magistrate, my lord's question is good, I will answer you now." I was born in my forties, and I was originally a small teacher in Nanping, Fujian, and I had a year to go home. But at this time, the imperial court asked me to come to Chun'an to be the magistrate of this county, saying that hundreds of thousands of people had suffered disasters and wanted someone to make decisions for them. At the same time, he also told me clearly that if this magistrate is not good, he will lose his head. I also hesitated, and I didn't want to come, not because I was afraid of death, but because there was no one to support the gray hair in the high hall. They promised me that if I were martyred, they would serve my old mother for me. Loyalty and filial piety can be both, and I came. When adults ask me what I picture, I don't draw anything. A person who lives for a hundred years is a death event, and it is my plan to leave this head in Chun'an like this. Are you satisfied with this answer? ”

From the beginning of the discussion in the governor's yamen hall, to the later unauthorized suspension of the beheading, He Maocai and others have been unable to understand this Hai Rui, and now listening to his confession, I finally understand a little, there are really such people in this world who admit death and do not want to die. At this moment, his anger was all at once, and he sat on the chair and looked at the person in front of him in a daze.

Hai Rui knew at this time that he could now negotiate terms with the greedy and black-boned person in front of him who was afraid of death, so he said slowly: "My lord, studying and becoming an official is nothing more than for two ends, one is to be loyal to the court, and the other is to be the master of the people. As long as both ends can be taken care of, I Hai Rui does not have to be embarrassed by my boss. ”

"Say what? What did you say? He Mao came to his senses, and thought that he had misheard, so he stared at Hai Rui tightly.

Hai Rui: "The adult is in charge of the criminal name of a province, and if he is a widow, he should be handed over to the adult to deal with." But Chun'an is now in the midst of a catastrophe, and hundreds of thousands of people will not do well and provoke a popular uprising. What is the reason why Qi Dazhu's people bought grain in the hands of the Japanese Kou, I am afraid that no one can say clearly when it is really tried, and it is a big case to stab the imperial court. I don't think adults want to make this case like that. ”

He Maocai: "What do you want?" ”

Hai Rui: "Inoue Shishiro is a real widow, I can hand it over to the adults to take back to the province." Qi Dazhu didn't know that he was a widow, so they bought grain from him when they were fooled. According to the "Da Ming Law", this is not a crime for those who do not know. With such a finalization, I wonder if adults can agree with it? ”

He Maocai was afraid that Inoue Shishiro would leak the affair of their affair, and the purpose was to take this person away, and then kill him to prevent future troubles. I was also worried that someone behind Hai Rui was using Inoue Shiro to ask for their lives, and now I didn't believe it for a while when I heard that Hai Rui actually agreed to hand this person over to him.

At this time, Hai Rui took out a closing document from his arms: "This is the closing document that I wrote down in detail in the past few days. Qi Dazhu and his people wanted to buy grain to survive the famine, but they didn't know that the people who sold grain were the widows. Therefore, there is no such thing as a matter of mischief. But if he has associated with the Japanese and has not known that he has made a mistake, he should be whipped twenty times according to the law, and then released. If you agree, please approve the final document. It is better to immediately go to appease the disaster victims in this county, ask them to plant mulberry seedlings, and implement the national policy of changing rice to mulberry in the imperial court. After speaking, he handed over the paperwork with both hands.

He Maocai looked at him and hesitated for a moment before taking the paperwork, reading it quickly, and then looking at Hai Rui: "Where is that Inoue Shishiro now?" ”

Hai Jui: "Guarded by the Governor's Office's own soldiers. The adult approved the word, and handed it over immediately. ”

He Maocai spread the document on the table, picked up the pen on the pen stand with one hand, probed the ink into the inkstone, paused for a moment, and finally signed the document quickly, put down the pen and picked up the paperwork.

Hai Rui looked at him, and He Maocai also looked at Hai Rui.

He Maocai: "Haizhi County, I have been an official for a few years longer than you. Send you a word, in officialdom, you must be with the light. ”

Hai Jui: "Thank you for your teachings. ”

The paper was slowly handed from He Maocai's hand to Hai Rui's hand.

Qi Dazhu and others followed Hai Rui to the shore of the wharf, and the victims were all in a stir, and men, women, and children crowded their heads.

More than a dozen tables were ready-made, and Hai Rui brought Qi Dazhu and them here, and they all stood up.

Hai Rui looked at Qi Dazhu, and then looked at the dozen or so people: "I have said everything that should be said, and I have done what I should do." Do you all understand what I mean? ”

Qi Dazhu: "My lord doesn't need to say anything, we, as well as the hundreds of thousands of people in Chun'an, were saved by adults." Let's do the following. ”

Hai Rui nodded: "Then you will be punished." ”

Qi Dazhu glanced at the other dozen people: "Go up." As he spoke, he jumped on the middle table.

The dozen or so people climbed onto the table and knelt with their backs to the crowd, each beginning to take off their shirts, revealing their bare tops.

A dozen officials walked over with leather whips.

The crowd of people was silent all at once. Countless pairs of eyes were on the people at the table.

In the vast crowd, there were four pairs of eagle-like eyes that also looked at the people on the table—the four people of Jinyiwei were mixed in the crowd!

Suddenly, Jin Yiwei's eyes lit up!

The eyes of the other three brocade guards are also bright!

- At the same time, they saw a pair of tiger arms and bee waists, with shoulders, arms, and back muscles bulging like iron, black and shiny like oil! This person is Qi Dazhu.

"Good body!" A brocade guard couldn't help but cheer in a low voice.

The gaze on the other side of the brocade guard immediately fixed on him, and the brocade guard immediately shut up.

Just then the whip sounded, and they looked again.

More than a dozen leather whips were drawn upwards towards the men's backs.

At first, the eyes of all kinds were still looking quietly, but soon some of the victims took the lead and shouted: "Seven! Eight! Nine! ”

Then more victims shouted, "Ten! Eleven! Twelve......"

Hai Rui's face immediately became grim, and his two eyebrows also shrugged.

Tian Youlu didn't know when he had already stood by Hai Rui's side, and at this time he was holding a fan to fan him.

"Twenty!" There was a thunderous shout, and the crowd was noisy.

Qi Dazhu put on his shirt and stood up on the table.

The other torturers also put on their shirts and stood up on the table.

Hai Rui walked towards Qi Dazhu's table.

Qi Dazhu hurriedly knelt down on one leg, stretched out his arms and put them under Hai Rui's armpits, and lifted Hai Rui up to the table.

The eyes of the four brocade guards lit up again, and they glanced at each other, and at the same time looked over again.

Seeing that the county lord was on the table, the crowd slowly became quiet again.

Hai Rui looked at the crowd of people in front of him and said loudly: "Just now, these people were being tortured, and many people below were cheering. I now wonder who is cheering! Stand up with cheers! ”

So many people, under such a big sun, actually didn't make a sound at all.

Hai Rui: "Do you know why these people are being punished?" In order to buy grain for you, so that your fields are not bought by big households. For that, they were almost burned and hanged, you don't know! ”

The crowd was quieter.

Jin Yiwei's four pairs of eyes were all staring at Hai Rui at this time.

Hai Jui: "After such a catastrophe, hundreds of thousands of people will either starve to death or have to sell their fields. There are a few people who can come out and do something for the folks like them! None of that is to be said. What I want to say now is that the emperor has brought you grain, lent it to you, and does not want you to pay any interest. There is only one point, so that you can have food, and then you will plant mulberry fields instead. But in the past few days, no one has been willing to borrow grain to change their crops. I know what you think, but you just think that you can eat food, but you can't eat raw silk. No one thinks that raw silk can buy more grain with money from selling it! The reason why Ma Ningyuan, the former prefect and Chang Boxi, the former prefect, is unwilling to let you change to planting mulberry fields by yourself is because the emperor decreed that planting mulberry is tax-free for three years, and planting mulberry is more profitable than growing grain. How many big families want to buy fields to plant mulberry seedlings, why are you unwilling to plant mulberry by yourself now that there is grain to lend to you? Today I am standing here, dozens of boatloads of grain are on the river. In addition, Hu Butang also borrowed dozens of boats of grain from Yingtian, and Gaofutai would transport the grain in a day or two. I only have one sentence now, if you are willing to plant mulberry seedlings, I will lend you grain on behalf of the emperor and the imperial court, and the people of Baoben County will have a shortage of grain this year. Anyone who is unwilling to plant mulberry seedlings will not borrow a grain of grain! I don't want the people under my control to starve to death, and I have to pay to the court! Anyone who can't let me do it, it's because you can't get along with yourself. Such a people, I, Hai Rui, can't save you! ”

The crowd immediately stirred, and countless people were talking about it.

The four brocade guards also looked at each other, looking at each other.

Hai Rui glanced at Qi Dazhu at this time, and Qi Dazhu nodded.

"Listen to them all!" Qi Dazhu's voice was grand, and he stood on a high place and shouted, and the crowd quieted down again.

Qi Dazhu said loudly: "God has eyes, send us Chun'an a Qingtian master!" Saved my Qi Dazhu's life, and also saved everyone's lives! Master Hai said just now, if you want to live, listen to him, borrow grain and grow mulberry! If you can't get along with Master Hai, you don't have to be taken care of by the government, and I, Qi Dazhu and my brothers, won't let you go! If there are those who do not want to borrow grain to grow mulberry, now you will leave by yourself! If you are willing to borrow grain to grow mulberry, the township covenant of each township will go to Lord Hai to sign an IOU and receive the grain! ”

"We do!" One crowd responded.

"We do, too!" At the same time, several crowds of people responded loudly.

For a while, there were cries of "willingness" everywhere!

Qi Dazhu looked at Hai Rui excitedly. Hai Rui's face was expressionless at this time, and his eyes were blank and he didn't know where to look.

In the crowd, the Jinyi Guards whispered to the other three Jinyi Guards in the roaring voices, "Let's go!" ”

The moon on the night of June 14 has been round, and a few bushes of water and bamboo in the back hall courtyard are sprinkled on the brick and stone ground, like the shadow of cool water, which shows that the former magistrate is still a little elegant. But this elegance was immediately disrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps. Hai Rui's face was covered with sweat, and he rushed in from the front yard.

A ladle of water splashed from the brick floor of the back hall, splashing a droplet.

Hai Rui's eyes revealed a rare excitement, he saw a pair of bare feet with a high trouser leg, and saw Tan Lun who was leaning over and scooping out a scoop of water from the bucket and splashing it on the ground.

In fact, he had already heard the footsteps, Tan Lun splashed this scoop of water, raised his head, and looked at Hai Rui with a smile: "Take off your shoes and come in again." ”

A smile also appeared on the corner of Hai Rui's mouth, it was originally a shallow cloth shoe, but he took it off as soon as he shook his foot, but his eyes kept looking at Tan Lun: "Give me a scoop of water." ”

Tan Lun scooped up a scoop of water and walked to the door, Hai Rui reached out to pick it up, Tan Lun retracted his hand: "Lift the robe and I'll pour it for you." ”

Hai Rui pulled up his robe and tucked it into his belt, then lifted his trouser leg with both hands and cocked a bare foot to the side. Tan Lun poured the scoop of water on his feet. When the foot was washed, Hai Rui stepped into the threshold and stretched out the bare foot out of the threshold. Tan Lun scooped up another scoop of water and poured it on his foot.

Hai Rui stepped into the house barefoot: "Out of nowhere, hand over the soldiers of the Governor's Office to Gaofutai and bring them, and hide yourself, do you think that now you secretly come to wash the floor for me, I can spare you so easily." ”

Tan Lun glanced at him and continued to splash water: "A Chun'an Zhixian, how big an official you are." How can I Tan Lun say that I was also sent by King Yu to Zhejiang to join the army, Hu Butang didn't dare to ask me to serve, I will wash the floor for you as soon as I get here? ”

Hearing this, Hai Rui immediately alerted, looked at another bucket of water and another scoop floating on the water, and understood a little: "Didn't you bring your mother here?" ”

Tan Lun didn't look at him anymore, scooped up a scoop of water and splashed it on the ground: "Don't ask anything first, it's important to wash the floor." We wash together, and talk while washing. ”

Hai Rui confirmed his guess and immediately became anxious: "You brought your mother!" ”

Tan Lun slowly straightened up and looked at Hai Rui fixedly: "The old lady, sister-in-law, and little niece will arrive early tomorrow morning with the grain ship." ”

"Tan Zili!" Hai Rui snatched the water scoop from Tan Lun's hand, "The victims haven't been appeased yet, and there is a plague going on here, what are you doing with your mother!" ”

Tan Lun was snatched of the water scoop by him, and simply sat down on the chair: "What you blame." But I also want to ask you a few words. Now it's mid-June, do you still want to plant seedlings in Chun'an's hundreds of thousands of acres of fields? ”

Hai Rui: "What does it have to do with planting seedlings and bringing my mother here?" ”

Tan Lun: "You think it's okay, the people of Chun'an think it's okay." Why are they unwilling to lend them grain to survive the famine, and do not need interest? There are so many benefits to changing mulberry seedlings, why are they reluctant to change? Just one is worried, I'm afraid that you, the master of the blue sky, will come and leave, and no one will make the decision for them at that time. ”

Hai Rui didn't answer, just stared at him.

Tan Lun: "Now that the people of Chun'an are convinced of you, you have to let them put their hearts in their stomachs." The current official doesn't bring his family, who will believe that you can stay here? ”

Hai Rui was a little short of words when he asked this: "Then you can't pick them up a few days later?" ”

Tan Lun: "It can't be too late to change the mulberry seedlings." Don't look at the fact that the victims of the disaster have all started to sign and borrow grain today, the people's hearts are like water, and the people's movements are like smoke. Unsettle their hearts, and the common people will change when they say they will change. ”

Hai Rui was silent, slowly pulled up his trouser legs, walked to the other bucket, picked up a scoop of water, and splashed it on the ground.

Tan Lun stood up again, walked to his bucket and scooped up water and splashed it together.

Two scoops were pouring water on the brick floor, and they were silent for a moment.

"Wang Yongji's family is also in Jiande today." Tan Lun splashed water to break the silence, "It's easier for him to do it there than you, only half of the county has changed to planting mulberry seedlings, and Gao Hanwen has also gone there, and he can quickly plant all the mulberry seedlings in half a month at most." Speaking of this, his tone became solemn: "What you do this time will soon be in the heart of the emperor, travel a hundred miles and half ninety, and quickly insert the mulberry seedlings." With these achievements, if you continue to work hard, it is not impossible to seal the territory and enter the cabinet in the future. ”

"Don't provoke me with officialdom!" Unexpectedly, Hai Rui's face changed when he heard this, "Did you say that when you wrote to me to Chun'an?" 'The mother of the male is the mother of the people of the world, and the daughter of the male is the daughter of the people of the world', the ink has not dried, the danger is lurking, and the following situation is still undecided, so you sent them here too. You want to seal the territory and enter the cabinet, but I, Hai Rui, didn't come to Chun'an to seal the territory and enter the cabinet! ”

Tan Lun was stunned by his seizure, and said slowly for a long time: "I said this sentence wrongly, but you have no conscience when you say this." I'm the one who invited you to Chun'an. You risked your life here, you are really going to be offended by the court, and you will be held accountable, and the first person in the group is me Tan Lun! At that time, King Yu couldn't protect you, and he couldn't protect me. It's not that I'm afraid, but from the day you left, I told my family that I had prepared a house for the old lady. If you lose your life and I am in prison, I will ask my family to take the old lady, Mrs. Zun, and Ling Ai to live in my house. One day Prince Yu really takes over the throne, I can have another chance to speak, I dare not say anything else, ask for a posthumous advice for you, ask for a letter for the old lady, and ask the court to come up with a sum of money for you to support your family. You don't believe these words, do you? ”

Hearing him say this, Hai Rui calmed down: "I believe all of this." You just shouldn't have brought them in without consulting me. As he spoke, he scooped up a ladle of water and threw it on the ground.

Tan Lun splashed water and approached his side, and said in a low voice: "I actually picked them up to arrange a big event for you, do you want to hear it?" ”

"I don't listen." Hai Jui continued to splash water.

Tan Lun: "This is the thing that can make the old lady the happiest, you can't help but listen." ”

Hai Rui's hand stopped there again, looking at Tan Lun, seeing his solemn face, of course his mother had to ask: "What can make my mother happy?" ”

Tan Lun: "I have a way to let her old man have a grandson." Will he rejoice in this? ”

Hai Rui was stunned at first, and then his face immediately became ugly: "Tan Lun, you should understand my personality after more than ten years of friendship, I don't like to make such jokes." Strange powers, especially don't tell me. ”

Tan Lun was very serious: "You don't believe in God or medicine? You have always heard of the famous Li Shizhen and Imperial Doctor Li. ”

Hearing this name, Hai Rui's expression immediately became solemn: "That Li Shizhen who opposed the emperor's letter magic in the palace?" ”

Tan Lun: "By the way, it's this person." He's not weird, is he? ”

Hai Rui: "Can you bring him?" ”

Tan Lun: "It was invited by Hu Butang." The original intention was to ask him to come to the rescue of the plague victims here. I talked to him about you in Suzhou, and he agreed, willing to prescribe a few prescriptions for you and your sister-in-law, ten percent sure that there is no one, and seventy percent can light an incense for you Haimen. I've done this for you from the ground up. ”

Hai Rui's face slowly soothed, and he understood it in his heart, but he avoided this topic: "It is a great thing to have him to rescue the victims." When will Dr. Li arrive? ”

Tan Lun: "I came by land with me, and I've already arrived." ”

Hai Jui: "Where?" ”

Tan Lun: "When I entered the county office, I saw that your sick victims stayed there, and they were probably inspecting the epidemic at this time. ”

"What a name!" Hai Rui threw the scoop into the bucket, "Take me to him." ”

In addition to the second hall of the main hall, there are courtyards and houses on both sides of the county government's main bookkeeper and the clerk of money, grain, and punishment, which can usually provide dozens of people with office, food and accommodation. Now that the places are vacated, the houses are filled with the seriously ill and the mildly ill ones lying on the mats of the pergola in the courtyard. At this time, there was a piece of moonlight and a few lanterns illuminated, adding a bit of the scene of "my people are sick". Fortunately, there were two large iron pots in the courtyard, and a raging fire was boiling medicine under the pots, which made the courtyard a little angry.

Li Shizhen tied her hair, wore only a long gown, and did not bring any followers, so she walked slowly among the patients in the pergola in the courtyard alone, and sometimes stopped to look at the patients on the ground. No one knew him, and no one wanted to know him, so he slowly walked to the two pots where the medicine was boiling.

Next to the cauldron are several large bamboo baskets, each containing medicinal herbs. Li Shizhen reached out and picked up a handful of medicinal materials from one basket and looked at it, and then picked up a handful of medicinal materials from another basket and looked at it. Then he asked the man who was sitting by the pot and boiling the medicine, "Where is Lang Zhong?" ”

The man was the head of the king's cell. Because there were no prisoners in the prison at this time, he asked Hai Rui for this messenger to boil medicine, in order to atone for his crimes. On a hot day, there was a fire, guarding hundreds of patients, and it was already miserable for a few days, and at this time, he was sweating profusely and was irritable, so he begged to Li Shizhen: "While staying, waiting to take medicine, where did hundreds of people get sick to see one by one." ”

Li Shizhen: "Let me ask you where Langzhong is?" ”

The head of the king looked at him, but he didn't have the heart to be angry with him, so he ordered the messenger who boiled the medicine: "Give him a bowl of medicine and let him go." ”

The servant who boiled the medicine picked up a bowl from the side, scooped out the decoction from the cauldron with a bamboo spoon, poured it into the bowl, and handed it over: "Take it." ”

Li Shizhen took the bowl of medicine and poured it on the ground: "You can't eat this medicine, call you Langzhong." ”

"Where did you come from, bastard, you dare to splash the medicine administered in the yamen!" The head of the cell stood up suddenly.

Li Shizhen: "Which medical book says that the medicine in the yamen is not allowed to be spilled?" ”

"Let's make trouble!" The usual ferocity of the head of the king came out again, and he said to the messenger who boiled the medicine, "Pull it out, hand it over to the brothers outside, and ask who told him to make trouble." ”

The officer: "Sixth Master, Master Hai said, don't worry about these victims at this time, just ignore him." ”

"The more you let it, the more you put it on your face. I'll take care of it. Pull it out! Wang Prison Head drank, snatched the bamboo spoon in the hand of the errand and threw it into the pot, unexpectedly the hot soup splashed by the thrown bamboo tube burst into his face, and he jumped up hotly, painful and annoyed, so he grabbed Li Shizhen's collar, "Go, go out with Lao Tzu!" He grabbed him and walked outside.

Outside the gate of the side courtyard, Hai Rui and Tan Lun walked in.

"The master is here!"

"Sir!"

"Big Master!"

Under the moonlight and lantern light, the patients in the courtyard saw Hai Rui and Tan Lun walking in, sat up one after another, and greeted Hai Rui.

"Lie down, all lie down." Hai Rui greeted Tan Lun and walked through the pergola.

The head of the Wang prison was grabbing Li Shizhen's collar and walking here, Tan Lun was shocked when he saw it opposite, and was about to scold the errand forward, but Li Shizhen on the opposite side stopped him with his gaze.

When Wang Prison saw Hai Rui, he bent down and saluted, and his hand still grabbed Li Shizhen: "Taizun came just in time, these people are really lawless." ”

Hai Rui asked Wang Cell, "What's the matter?" ”

Wang Prison Leader: "Taizun said well, 'The people can make it, but they can't make it known'." The better Taizun treats these people, the more they don't know what to do. This person dared to spill the medicine given by Taizun. Taizun said how to send it down, right? ”

Hai Rui's brows immediately furrowed when he heard Wang Cell's words, but when he looked at Li Shizhen, he was immediately shocked and said to Wang's Cellhead: "Put your hand down." ”

Wang Prison Boss refused to let go: "He didn't care about the medicine after splashing it, and said that the medicine you used was wrong." This is clearly inciting the victims to make trouble. Taizun, this can't spare him! ”

Hai Rui shouted: "Let go! ”

Only then did the head of the Wang cell let go of his hand and looked at Li Shizhen with hatred.

Hai Rui put his hands on his chest: "Dare to ask Mr. is Imperial Doctor Li?" ”

Wang Prison was immediately shocked when he saw Hai Rui saluting this person, and he raised his throat in one breath and looked directly at Li Shizhen.

Li Shizhen neither returned the salute nor answered, only shook his head.

Hai Rui was stunned and looked back at Tan Lun: "He's not Imperial Doctor Li?" ”

Tan Lun knew that these two were weirdos, but he didn't expect this episode to happen again when they met, and at this time, he was stopped by Li Shizhen's gaze, so he had to stand there noncommittal.

Hai Rui looked at Li Shizhen: "If you are sick and recuperate, don't make trouble." As he spoke, he looked ahead.

Wang Prison held his breath in his throat and spit out, and immediately leaned over and fanned Hai Rui: "Who is Taizun looking for?" ”

"I don't care who I look for." Hai Jui still looked around, "When did I tell you what nonsense you just said, 'The people can make it happen, but they can't know it'?" If you are impatient to do something for the people, you can go back if you are reluctant to boil medicine here. In the future, if you dare to talk nonsense about the words of the saints, you will slap your own mouth. ”

The head of the prison was so bored that he replied, "The little one understands." Answered, and hurriedly walked towards the medicine pot.

Hai Rui said to Tan Lun again: "It should be in the house inside, let's look for it inside." So saying, he continued to walk forward.

Tan Lun let him walk forward alone, and made eye contact with Li Shizhen, both of them stood there, and at the same time looked at Hai Rui, who was walking forward.

"Didn't you ask someone to follow Imperial Doctor Li?" Hai Rui thought that Tan Lun was still with him, so he asked casually while walking, but there was no answer. Then he stood again, and when he looked to the side, he found that Tan Lun was not there, and when he turned around, he saw Tan Lun and the man just now standing together under the moonlight and lantern light, with a faint smile on his face, and he immediately understood. Stunned, he hurriedly turned around and walked away.

"Zili, this is Imperial Doctor Li?" Hai Rui looked at Li Shizhen and Tan Lun on the other.

Tan Lun nodded.

"Why didn't you say that?" Hai Rui immediately waved his hands at Li Shizhen again, "It's too rude, Doctor Li forgive me." ”

Li Shizhen arched his hands at this time, but said, "Do you value the imperial doctor so much?" ”

Hai Rui was stunned.

Li Shizhen: "I am no longer a doctor, and Haizhi County will not be called like this in the future." ”

Hai Rui looked at Tan Lun, and then turned to Li Shizhen: "Okay." I will henceforth call you sir. Mr. Wang, don't call me Zhixian, just Gangfeng. Mr. has been in the dust all the way, please go to the back hall to rest for a while. ”

Li Shizhen: "You didn't ask about that matter just now, just ask me to rest now?" ”

Hai Rui was stunned for a moment, and then replied: "The people of the public gate are used to oppressing the people, and they have offended Mr., so I will call him over now to ask for his guilt." ”

Li Shizhen: "Who cares about this?" You've got the wrong medicine, and you need to fix it quickly. ”

Hai Rui was taken aback: "No." All the medicines I used were medicines to relieve heat and clear heat, and they were all caught according to the prescription in "Qianjin Fang". ”

Li Shizhen: "With a copy of "A Thousand Golden Prescriptions", you dare to boil medicine and treat so many people, no wonder Tan Lun said that you are full of guts, and your courage is indeed great." Arrange a room for me, call your men, and I'll re-prescribe them, and tell them to go back and get the medicine again. ”

"I'll arrange it right away." Hai Rui replied respectfully.

Tan Lun looked at Hai Rui from the side and smiled strangely.

It wasn't until the time of the ugly card that the moon rose to midheaven. After finishing Li Shizhen's business, Hai Rui and Tan Lun returned to the back hall, took off their shoes at the door, and entered the room barefoot, both of them were a little tired, so they sat down on the chairs.

"How is Mr. Li?" Tan Lun looked at Hai Rui.

Hai Rui: "People who have the ability have a big temper. ”

Tan Lun smiled: "Temper is bigger than yours?" ”

Hai Rui: "I don't have as much skill as him. ”

Tan Lun: "I'm relieved." Today there is a Mr. Li who has a bigger temper than you, and tomorrow there will be an old lady with a bigger temper than you. Invite these two people and I can go. ”

"You're leaving?" Hai Jui stood up.

Tan Lun: "There are some things that I want to tell you when we meet, but time is running out, so I'll pick the important ones to tell you." ”

Hai Rui sat down again with a serious face, looking at Tan Lun fixedly.

Tan Lun: "Changing rice to mulberry to bring about the current situation was something that Yan Dang could not have expected, and even the emperor could not have expected it. They want to annex the people's fields to make up for the deficit in the treasury, and they can no longer do it. There are variables in the national policy, and someone has to take the blame, and the deficit has to be made up, and people have to be punished. ”

Hai Rui: "After 20 years of misleading the country and the people, it is time for the party to fall." ”

"I'm not talking about them, they can't do it right now." Tan Lun's face was very grim, "There will be a big move in the near future, and there will be a big war in the southeast." If you want to win this battle, you have to use a lot of money, the treasury is empty, no one can take over, and the emperor still has to rely on Yan Song and Yan Shifan to support the situation. If they can't get the money, they will take the money and cut it. Hu Butang analyzed, there is only one person who has a huge amount of money to fill the deficit in the treasury - Shen Yishi! ”

Hai Rui: "Shen Yishi is a member of the Weaving Bureau, do they dare to move?" ”

Tan Lun: "The Weaving Bureau relies on him to make a fortune, but his wealth is not from the Weaving Bureau." If he could buy the people's fields at a low price this time, the weaving bureau would rely on him to sell the prolific silk to the West in exchange for silver. Now the people's fields could not be bought, so the court had to copy his family wealth to make up for the shortfall. Because only by raiding his house did there be enough silk to sell to Western merchants! So many workshops are naturally attributed to the Weaving Bureau, and the emperor will agree to such a result. ”

Hai Rui was silent, and said for a while: "But Shen Yishi took out the money to buy grain and lend it to the people this time, and it is not close to heaven to copy his home, and it is also against the law." ”

"That's why he's killing himself!" Tan Lun looked at him, "He saw that there was opposition from King Yu above, and you were resisting from below, and he knew that it was impossible to annex the people's fields, so he used the money to buy face and buy people's hearts for the emperor, thinking that by doing so, he would be able to protect himself." But he forgot one of the most fatal ancient admonitions, that the treasury has always been empty, and it is necessary to fight either the ideas of the people or the merchants. Now that the people have been saved, how can he protect himself! ”

Hai Jui: "There has to be a crime, right?" ”

Tan Lun: "It's not easy to charge. Just take him to buy grain for disaster relief under the sign of the Weaving Bureau, and the imperial court can put on him a charge of 'businessman disorder'! ”

Hai Rui was a little shocked: "Shinong and industrialists are all the people of the imperial court, the court is extravagant, and the officialdom is greedy for ink. ”

"Rectification is a matter of the future!" Tan Lun immediately stopped him, "This time you can save hundreds of thousands of disaster victims, and disrupt the Yan Party's position, it's already an earth-shattering shock." There's something you don't like to hear, and I have to say it. If there is any move by the imperial court in the future, you must not intervene again. As soon as the Yan Party falls, the court will definitely reuse you. In order to seek a country, you also have to learn to make a living. ”

Speaking of which, Hai Rui was really moved: "The soldiers are fierce." You should take care of yourself this time. ”

Seeing that he accepted his advice, Tan Lun was also very pleased: "If you fight in the front, you are afraid that the rear will be unstable." Chun'an is a hard-hit county, and if you stabilize Chun'an, you will stabilize half of Zhejiang. If your Haigang Peak is stable, I, Tan Zili, am not afraid. Within half a month, let the people insert all the mulberry seedlings, and sell all the raw silk to the Weaving Bureau. Not only to seek benefits for the people, but also to have an explanation for the above. I'll speak for you from above. After speaking, he looked at Hai Rui deeply.

Hai Rui was silent for a moment, and finally nodded heavily.

"I won't be able to meet the old lady this time. Kowtow to me. I'm leaving! So saying, he walked to the door.

Hai Rui hurriedly walked in front of him, stepped out of the threshold, picked up the shoes placed outside the threshold for him, and motioned for Tan Lun to stretch his feet over.

Tan Lun stood inside the door, looking at Hai Rui, without raising his legs.

Hai Jui still held his shoes, stubbornly waiting there.

The moonlight over the courtyard was so white and bright, quietly shining on the two people.

"Where there is no moon, what moon does not shine on people, only no one like me!" After Tan Lun finished saying this, he held on to the door frame with one hand, and slowly raised one bare foot and stretched out of the threshold.

Hai Rui put his shoes on his feet for him.

In the 40th year of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, in 1651 AD, after Hu Zongxian and Qi Jiguang killed their leaders Wang Zhi and Mao Hai the year before, the Japanese Japanese invaded on a large scale. At this time, they got a glimpse of the contradictions and crises that appeared within the Ming Dynasty, and chose the strategy of encircling Taizhou and attacking Taozhu, and a historical tragedy in which the Japanese Japanese robbers colluded with the smuggling bandits on the southeast coast of the Ming Dynasty to slaughter Taozhu in Zhejiang.

The moonlight shone quietly, and Taozhu City was shrouded in tranquility.

In a small inn in the city, several figures dressed in black coats walked to the stables and began to untie the reins of the horses.

A door squeaked open, and the shopkeeper walked out with an oil lamp, looking at the dark shadows: "Guest officer, it's only midnight, and the city gate hasn't opened at this time." ”

The shadows didn't answer, but led their horses and walked towards him.

The shopkeeper: "Let's rest again, and leave again when ...... dawn"

Suddenly, a sword light flashed from the waist of the black shadow at the head!

The shopkeeper's head flew out at once!

The headless body stopped for a moment before falling down with a bang, still holding the oil lamp tightly in his hand!

The shadows mounted their horses and rushed out the inn door.

The tranquility of Taozhu City was shattered.

Dense iron hooves make a noise on the street stones!

The occasional lantern hanging on both sides of the street was left behind by galloping horses, and sparks burst from the galloping iron hooves on the street stones!

- The black flying horse, the black galloping horse, through the stone street like lightning, galloped towards the castle tower.

On the city gate hole, the two stone carvings of "Taozhu" come to the face.

"Who!" The patrol soldiers on the castle tower asked.

There was no answer, no stopping, and the horse's hooves still walked up the stone steps to the tower at lightning speed.

The black horse and black spree galloped on the city tower, and the heads of the soldiers defending the city flew up one by one together with the tips of the stabbing spears under the swords that swept by!

A line of dark shadows stopped. At the same time, the man on the horse lifted the hood that connected the big man, revealing a braid of hair that had been tied up to the back of his head!

The sword in the hand of Inoue Thirteenlang, the leader of the Japanese bandits, stopped in mid-air—it was more than four feet long, and there was a white light shining on it, but there was no trace of blood.

The other Wako sat on their horses and took out their shakuhachi and boasted about themselves.

There were so many pirates lurking at the foot of the dark walls! At this time, they all jumped up when they heard the shakuhachi sound coming from the castle tower, and they all let out a tiger-like howl and rushed towards the castle wall.

Immediately afterwards, a row of iron anchors thrown from under the city appeared on the battlements, tightly hooked into the city bricks.

Countless Japanese robbers with two long and short swords in front of their waists, carrying firearms on their backs, climbed the rope and jumped to the top of the city.

Torches were raised on the winding city walls, and the soldiers defending the city in the south, west, and north began to rush towards the east tower.

But it was already too late, and the Japanese who jumped up to the castle tower all fired their guns at the soldiers who were defending the city.

In the firelight, the bodies of the soldiers running in front flew backwards and fell heavily on the stone ground of the city wall.

All the ants who jumped up to the castle tower drew their long and short swords, and shouted and hugged from the east tower to the south and north towers. Some of the defenders fell, and some of the defenders fell! More and more pirates rushed down the tower and rushed to the streets of the city.

On the castle tower, the few black-clad widows were still sitting on their horses, blowing shakuhachi, a desolate but high-pitched shakuhachi full of murderous aura, floating above countless shouts and howls like tigers and wolves, echoing over Taozhu......

Countless swords reflecting the moonlight swept through the streets and alleys!

After the tiger-wolf shouts of killing, there were hundreds of terrified cries and cries of the people!

At first, there was a fire in the southeast corner of the city, and then there were fires all over the city!

Taozhu City was soon engulfed in flames!

Everywhere are people running in panic, everywhere is the blood light after the sword light!

Taozhu City has fallen!

The moonlight also splashed quietly on the Taizhou fort.

Tan Lun's exclamation to Hai Rui was originally quoted from Su Dongpo's eternal exclamation with his friends. As the saying goes, "the ancients did not see the present time and the moon, and this month once looked like the ancients", the eternal feelings are nothing more than hoping to stay with this month after the name, so that future generations will look at the present and the present. It was at this time that Hu Zongxian and Qi Jiguang stood side by side in the moonlight.

Behind them stood soldiers with a hazy mountain behind them; In front of them was the sound of the waves, and in the distance of the waves was the shadowy warships of the Japanese Invaders!

"Yuan Jing." Hu Zongxian called Qi Jiguang's words, "Can you estimate how many Japanese ships there are on this sea?" ”

"Three hundred." Qi Jiguang replied in the affirmative.

Hu Zongxian: "How many warships did the military report from all over the country dispatch this time? ”

Qi Jiguang: "More than five hundred." ”

Hu Zongxian: "Where should those 200 or so ships be now?" ”

Qi Jiguang: "It should be in the Taozhu Qitou area." ”

The Q&A was very concise and tacit.

"Taozhu is going to fall." Hu Zongxian made a judgment.

"Tonight's invasion must be Taozhu, and Taozhu is going to fall." Qi Jiguang repeated Hu Zongxian's words, but not just repeatedly.

Hu Zongxian: "If Taozhu falls, where will the Japanese invade below?" ”

Qi Jiguang: "That's Xincheng." ”

Hu Zongxian's face became very grim, whiter than the cold moon above the sea.

At this time, there was a wind and waves on the sea, and the sound of the waves seemed to be even louder, and Hu Zongxian seemed to hear the sound of killing in the distance in the waves: "We can't be dragged in Taizhou by the Japanese invaders." Yuan Jing, where are you going to fight your first battle? Hu Zongxian looked at the sinking sea.

"Ministry, if you stay here, I can only stay here, and I can't fight any battle." Qi Jiguang's gaze looked at Hu Zongxian deeply.

"Then let the coastal cities be slaughtered by the Japanese invaders?" Hu Zongxian stared at Qi Jiguang's eyes tightly.

"But with 4,000 troops and horses to attack the ...... that is several times his own"

"No, but!" Hu Zongxian waved his hand and interrupted Qi Jiguang, "You say, where should this battle be fought?" ”

Qi Jiguang was silent, and replied after a while: "Longshan." There are 3,000 people in ambush in Longshan, and they can completely annihilate the enemy who retreats to the sea after plundering and killing Taozhu! ”

Hu Zongxian: "Leave 1,000 people with me here to guard Taizhou, and you lead 3,000 people to Longshan immediately!" ”

"Unless the ministry goes back to Hangzhou first." Qi Jiguang is still very stubborn, "The ministry is tied to the overall situation of the southeast, so I can't stay here!" ”

Hu Zongxian sighed: "How do you say that you can understand?" Let me tell you, I'm safer here than in Hangzhou. ”

Qi Jiguang looked at Hu Zongxian in confusion.

Hu Zongxian whispered: "The cabinet sent a message from the court, asking me to go back to Hangzhou immediately to implement the change from rice to mulberry." The big war is coming, can we still change rice to mulberry? ”

Qi Jiguang understood a little at this time: "Ministry, you are too difficult. Or go with my army. ”

Hu Zongxian turned his head and looked at Qi Jiguang deeply, "I must stay in Taizhou!" I'm here, and the court will change its decision. With the strength of the whole country, it is also necessary to raise food and raise troops, and only by resisting foreign troubles will the province be worried. This time, we must set up a decisive battle with the Japanese invaders, and we must finish the battle for half a year and a year. If you lead 3,000 men to fight the first battle, and if you win this battle, I will make arrangements for the following things. In addition to the troubles, but also for the sake of internal reform and maladministration, the situation of our Ming Dynasty will have a turnaround. Got it? ”

Qi Jiguang finally nodded, took a step back and knelt down: "Take care!" ”

Hu Zongxian looked at him deeply: "Go ahead." ”

Qi Jiguang stood up and shook his hands, then turned around and walked towards the artillery ladder: "The 123rd battalion stays here, and the other battalions are in full force!" ”

Immediately several generals followed him down the stairs.

"Raise the flag and set off the cannon!" Hu Zongxian gave a loud order, which immediately broke the silence of the night.

Countless flags were erected in the fort and on various hills in an instant, and countless cannon muzzles pointing to the sea spewed fire!

When the Japanese invaders had been afflicted on the southeast coast of the Ming Dynasty for ten years, and it was also when the internal affairs of the Ming Dynasty were becoming increasingly corrupt, a decisive battle against the Japanese invaders was deployed by Hu Zongxian, the governor of Zhejiang, and the Qi family army of the famous general Qi Jiguang was the main force in this year, and the southeast coast of China began!