On the edge of the water, the mountain road is steep.

Some sections of the road even have only narrow boardwalks.

The plank roads have fallen into disrepair, and a few decaying planks have been replaced with new ones by the slender men. And it can be changed very casually, just saw a few thick branches and nailed them.

This is all the slenders can do, and if they want to overhaul it, it must be led by the government.

However, the government turned a blind eye.

The situation is very embarrassing, this belongs to the boundary of Zhenfu County, but it is Xixiang County who is in a hurry to use the plank road.

Maybe when something happens on the plank road one day, the magistrate of Xixiang will come forward and ask Yangzhou to allocate funds. At that time, it will not be possible to allocate it, because the taxes of Xixiang County have to be transported from here.

Zhu Ming stepped on the plank road, trembling, for fear that this thing would suddenly collapse.

Bai Chongyan was calm on the contrary, because he had already gone through it many times.

On the way, I met two groups of gold diggers, both of whom gathered in the shallows by the river. The turbulent river carries the golden sand, washes down from the upstream, and the speed of the shoal slows down, and the golden sand also settles.

From the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, no matter how much gold sand should be emptied.

Zhu Ming stood on the shore and observed, and there were several gold diggers in front of him, standing in the water in rags. At this time, just after the Lantern Festival, the river water is cold to the bone, and it is easy to catch a cold and fever.

The cold water is nothing, and even harder is that there is no harvest.

These people searched for a while, and it seemed that there was not a single grain of sand.

They appear somewhat numb, and all movements are mechanical. Constant sand extraction, constant sifting, day after day, year after year, just to satisfy the stomach.

"Take a break." Zhu Ming couldn't help but say.

The gold diggers turned a deaf ear and continued to repeat the action.

After a while, someone finally picked up the broken porcelain bowl and took out a grain of golden gold from the bowl, and the smile on his face bloomed like a flower.

Maybe Zhu Ming and the others stayed too long, and a man came ashore and took the opportunity to rest: "Do you want to buy gold for the two showmen?" We haven't found much sands. ”

Bai Chongyan took a scholar, and Zhu Ming also brought two entourages, carrying books and dry food in large bags, and was mistaken for a scholar who was going on a study tour.

The iron money is too heavy, and it is inconvenient to go far away, so it is much more comfortable to exchange it for gold.

Zhu Ming took out the dry food again and handed the other party a piece of wheat cake: "My name is Zhu Ming, what do you call Your Excellency?" ”

The man took the wheat cake and replied, "My name is Liang Jin, the gold of gold." ”

"You're their leader?" Juming pointed to the other gold diggers.

Liang Jin said: "There are no leaders here, they are all brothers and sisters. ”

Zhu Ming inquired carefully and quickly understood the basic situation.

These gold prospectors, who live in the nearby mountains, have been cultivating for generations. The food they grow is not enough to eat, and they must pan for gold to subsidize the family, so they elect a leader to settle disputes internally and compete for gold turf externally.

They are all poor, and the leaders have no privileges, and if they can't serve the people, they will be replaced.

Well, the electoral system.

Zhu Ming inquired: "I heard that there is a good man named Pi Dahu Gong Xiu nearby?" ”

"What do you ask Brother Gong to do?" Liang Jin suddenly became vigilant.

Bai Sheng immediately said: "My brother Zhu is also a good man, nicknamed the winged tiger, and he has been the head of Xixiang County. ”

Liang Jin only knew about gold panning all day long, and the news was not as well-informed as the slender man, and he had never heard of Zhu Dutou's name. But when I heard that it was from Xixiang County, my vigilance was greatly reduced, because this place belonged to the boundary of Zhenfu County.

Zhu Ming said: "I like to make friends with good men, and I heard that Gong Xiu is also a good man, so I want to find him to drink wine and eat meat." ”

Liang Jin pointed to the northeast: "There is a small river in front of you that enters the Han River, and you can reach it in two or three days by following the small river." ”

Zhu Ming asked, "You are all Gong Xiu's subordinates?" ”

"No, Brother Gong will send someone to collect the golden sands." Liang Jin explained.

After chatting for a while, I probably figured it out.

Gong Xiu guarded a waste gold mine, took the mined gold, and went to Zhenfu County to exchange for money and grain. and brought money and food in exchange for gold gold in the hands of gold diggers.

All the gold diggers rely on Gong Xiu for dinner, and this big tiger has a high prestige.

Gong Xiu is a little stingy, not generous, and calculated, but he is better than buying and selling fairly.

After walking for a long time, I finally saw the tributary.

Bai Chongyan was obviously reluctant to visit Gong Xiu, and persuaded: "There is not much dry food, and some is given to the slender man." The gold digger said that it would take two or three days to go to the scrap gold mine, and I was afraid that we would not have enough dry food to eat. ”

"Then forget it."

Zhu Ming had to take into account Bai Chongyan's thoughts.

As for this Gong Xiu, he is definitely going to visit, and he can wait until he comes back.

Along the Han River, after two more days, we finally arrived at Zhenfu County.

This county seat is extremely small, and it doesn't even have decent city walls, and even Xixiang County is far inferior. It is located on the bank of the Han River, surrounded by mountains, but the county is relatively flat around the county, and belongs to the lowest level of poor counties in the country.

Bai Chongyan said: "You can stay first and wait for the boat to go to Yangzhou." ”

So they went straight to the inn, and Bai Sheng was sent to inquire about the ship.

Leaving the luggage at the riverside inn, watched by Bai Chongyan and the scholar, Zhu Ming took Shi Biao into the city.

The walls were rammed earth, low and broken, and had collapsed in many places.

Inside and outside the city, there are large thatched houses, so fucking poor!

I didn't go far to the county office, which was also dilapidated. There is not even a county magistrate here, only a county order to eat and wait for death.

Zhenfu County used to be called Golden County, which was established because of its abundance of gold.

With the old gold mines exhausted and the new ones undiscovered, its decline is a matter of course. If this continues for a few more decades, it is estimated that the administrative division will have to be abolished and directly incorporated into the Xingdao County next door.

There was nothing to do in the county, so Zhu Ming returned to the riverside and asked the innkeeper for information about the mountains and rivers.

The treasurer pointed to the north and said, "There is a river called Golden Water, and the valley is called Golden Valley." The largest gold mine is in the Golden Valley, and it is estimated that it will be scrapped in a few years. The mine supervisors there did not make money from gold, but all relied on collecting business taxes to make a living. ”

"Business tax? What is the caravan going to do there? Zhu Ming asked.

The shopkeeper smiled and told a well-known secret: "Illicit tea is transported to Xugu (Zhouzhi County) through the Golden Valley." ”

Hundreds of years later, the gold water has long since dried up.

At this time, you can go north along the Golden Valley, and then climb over some mountains, you can enter the Luo Valley, and go straight to Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi along the Luo Valley for hundreds of miles!

During the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Shuang cut down Shu, which was the Fu Luo Road. Shu general Wang Ping led the army to block and garrisoned the Xingshi Mountain in the Golden Valley.

What used to be a marching route has now become a trade route for selling illicit tea - the mountains are high and the valleys are deep, the mountains are blocked, and bandits are rampant.

To the east of Fu Luo Road is the more precipitous Meridian Valley.

After hearing the news from the innkeeper, Zhu Ming hired a small fishing boat and went to the Golden Valley the next day.

After rowing for two hours, Zhu Ming was observing the terrain along the river, but the fisherman was reluctant to move forward.

"Petty officials, there is a fence in front, and you have to collect money when you pass by." Said the fisherman.

Zhu Ming asked, "Official column or private column?" ”

The fisherman said, "The private fence set up by the government." ”

This answer is very interesting, the gold mine supervisor under the jurisdiction of Changping Division has openly set up private toll booths to collect taxes from tea smugglers, and is clearly robbing the tea and horse divisions of their jobs.

"I'll pay the money, and I'll keep going." Zhu Ming said.

The fisherman shook his head: "It's been rowing for almost half a day, and if I go further, it will be dark when I go back to the county seat." In case I encounter a bandit, I will lose a lot. ”

What kind of world?

Bandits everywhere!

It is estimated that he is also a farmer in the mountains, and occasionally works part-time as a bandit.

Bai Chongyan is still waiting at the inn, and Zhu Ming is not pressing, and he will talk about it when he comes back from Xingyuan Mansion.

Another day, they boarded a merchant ship bound for Yangzhou.

Yangzhou is the real "Little Jiangnan", which belongs to one of the elites of the entire Hanzhong Basin, second only to Xingyuanfu (Hanzhong).

There are large areas of fertile land by the river, and Zhu Ming stands on the boat, and the banks are full of rape fields and wheat fields. The paddy fields stretching near the state city alone are equivalent to the paddy fields of the entire Xixiang County.

Moreover, the city walls are so tall that they are even plastered with bricks.

Zhu Ming almost shouted in his heart: This is the land of Lao Tzu's dragon xing!

Bai Chongyan said quite proudly: "If you talk about the taxation of Lizhou Road, Xingyuan Mansion is the first. But our Yangzhou is the best place of Lizhou Road. Since the founding of the Great Song Dynasty, more than ninety percent of the Lizhou Lu Jinshi have come from the three counties of Yangzhou. Yangzhou Academy is the best academy on Lizhou Road. ”

In the northern and southern Song dynasties, there were only 22 jinshi in the Hanzhong Basin, of which 19 came from the three counties of Yangzhou......

Yangzhou Academy is not in the city, but in the foothills outside the city.

After landing on the shore, Bai Chongyan introduced as he walked: "Yangzhou Academy was originally founded by the Min family, and now there are other gentry and businessmen who donate money to run the school. But the head of the academy has always been served by the Min family. Yangzhou Min family, the most prosperous family on Lizhou Road. ”

Of the 22 Jinshi in the two Song and Han dynasties, 4 were surnamed Min.

"Is there anyone in the Min family who is an official now?" Zhu Ming asked.

Bai Chongyan shook his head and said: "Uncle Min Zhenwen, he died of illness a few years ago, and he is the highest fourth-grade court official. Now there is a Min Zishun in the academy, who is the first in learning, traveled to Guanluo, and will definitely go to high school in time. The Min family's origins are incomparable. ”

Bai Chongyan is talking about the non-commissioned officer, and the Min family is temporarily dead. But although the grade of the Yin officials and the donation officials is not high, there are still several in the Min family.

This is a real family of eunuchs, Zhu Ming wants to rebel in Yangzhou, either win over the Min family, or kill the Min family directly!

Climb up the stone steps and the road is lined with trees.

Between the foliage, the building was soon revealed.

It is a complex of buildings with high walls and at least dozens of houses inside.

When Bai Chongyan entered, he even had to take out a wooden waist card, which was probably equivalent to his student ID.

"Yangzhou Academy also follows the example of official learning, practicing the three-way method, I am already a student of the upper house," Bai Chongyan pointed to the building in front of him and said, "Those are all school houses, usually classes are held in the school building, the highest one is the library building, the subset of the history is all-encompassing, and you must be a student of the upper house to borrow books." There is a dormitory, and there is a canteen, as long as you are a dormitory, board and lodging are free. ”

Is there room and board free of charge?

Zhu Ming immediately dispelled the idea of killing the Min family.

In the past few decades, the Min family has relied on the academy to attract countless scholars. Once the Min family is killed, Zhu Ming's reputation in Yangzhou will be ruined, and he must be wooed and beaten at the same time.

Bai Chongyan took Zhu Ming to his dormitory, where a student was reading.

"Da Lang," Bai Chongyan introduced, "this is my roommate Ling Gu Xu, the word Zinuo." ”

Linggu, a very rare surname, most of them have been changed to Linghu, and very few still retain their original surnames. Linggu and Linghu are in most cases the same, and these two surnames share a common ancestor.

"I've seen Brother Zinuo!" Zhu Ming hugged his fists in greeting.

Bai Chongyan said: "Zinuo, this is Zhu Chenggong, who has mastered the Three Classics and has outstanding poetic talent. ”

Ling Guxu's eyes lit up, and he got up and said: "I have admired the name for a long time, like thunder!" ”

Bai Chongyan said with a smile: "Da Lang, you are already famous in Yangzhou Academy. ”

(End of chapter)