Chapter One Hundred and Eight

The First Battle of the Heavy Mountain Mando (1)

It is said that in the early morning of the next day, Wei Detaodu, the elder of the imperial array, led more than 1,000 disciples of the main altar to the north, and when they arrived at the crossing of the Yangtze River under the rule of Danyang County, they divided the people led by them into four groups, led by four deputy generals. All the disciples disguised themselves as ordinary people, and took four large ships prepared in advance, each with fifty boatmen on each boat, and turned westward, and Xuanyuan sent all the people to rest on the boat.

Cheng Hongji, Wu Han and Zhu You had nothing to do, and then stood on the bow of the boat, looking at the rolling Yangtze River east of the water, and several boatmen were cooking on the deck. Although the scenery on both sides of the strait is beautiful, Zhu You can't help but sigh, Cheng Hong gradually said: "Why do you sigh brother?" Zhu You said: "It's nothing, I just feel that I have affected my uncle by gambling, and I feel a little depressed in my heart." ”

Wu Han was from a bitter background, and at this time, he only felt that Zhu You was big-hearted, so he immediately said: "If you want me to say that you are really too unreasonable these days, I heard that you went to the Qinglou and gambled again, and the money you spent must be the expenses of many families for a year." ”

Over the years, Wu Han has not been smiling, and sometimes his words are blunt, but Zhu You saw that he treated his friends righteously, because he got along well with the other party, and knew that the other party was thinking about himself, so he sighed lightly and said: "You don't know, the reason why I went to Qiya Pavilion and Cuiyuxuan is because of the recent accident at home. Cheng Hong gradually asked, "What's going on in your family?"

Zhu You said: "My father Zhu Shouren was a merchant in Danyang County, and there was a businessman named Li Jia here who often fought with my father, and Li Jia was in-law with Taishou here. Wu Han said indignantly: "It must be their officials and businessmen who colluded to frame your father." ”

Zhu You was silent for a moment, and then said: "Exactly, over the years, Wang Mang has set up a decree called 'Wujun Loan' under the banner of Tuogu's reform, which seems to be beneficial to the country and the people, but the puppet emperor actually relied on the rich businessmen and Dajia to implement the new policy, and made them court officials. Wu Han was indignant and said: "These two people collude together, and they must not frame your father." ”

Zhu You looked back at Danyang and said sadly: "A few days ago, Li Jia's dog colluded with Danyang Taishou to set a trap on my father, and then arrested him and imprisoned him, and all my family's businesses were seized. I thought about robbing the prison, but there were heavy soldiers in the city to stop, and it was not easy to rely on the strength of a few people, and my uncle had always been ostracized over the years, so Wei Chide would definitely prevent the faction from transferring people to help me rob the prison. Later, the head of the family gave my uncle a hundred taels of gold and asked him to pass it on to me so that I could go around. ”

Cheng Hongjian and Wu Han both looked at Zhu You these days as always, but they didn't expect his family to encounter such a catastrophe, and they felt stunned in their hearts, and when the other party said, Wu Han asked: "What use can you use to go to Qi Ya Pavilion and Cui Yu Xuan?" Zhu You said: "Do you know, Cui Yu Xuan's Qin girl has attracted many officials and nobles, and Qi Ya Ge is rich and powerful, I heard that even the new Yangzhou Mu is supported by Qi Ya Ge, no matter which line I can take, there is hope to rescue my father." ”

In ancient times, Yangzhou was under the jurisdiction of a wide range, and now most of Anhui is also subject to its control, and the Seven Pavilions in Anhui Province business, is to use materials and connections in the Pavilion to support the feudal officials, although Wu Han does not know how the rich and noble people act, but also feel that Zhu You's words are reasonable, and then the head of the chin said: "If the Seven Pavilions are willing to help you, it is more hopeful, after all, Yangzhou Mu is the top boss of Danyang County, but this matter is not simple, those people are not allowed to open their mouths." Your home has been seized, although the head of the family gave you a hundred taels of gold before, but you spent thirty taels of gambling on it, so how can a hundred taels of gold be enough?" Zhu You said: "Fortunately, Yu Gongzi of Qiya Pavilion favors Brother Cheng, and Yu Gongzi has returned thirty taels of gold to me." ”

Cheng Hong gradually said gently: "Brother, don't be too anxious, I will try my best, hoping to save your father." Zhu You didn't know that Yu Gongzi was really the eldest lady of Tianzhi Gang, and he was in love with Hongji, so he sighed lightly and said: "I wanted to treat you and Yu Gongzi closer, and then bother you to help and introduce you, but at the moment, I am afraid that it is not mature." Cheng Hong gradually said: "Brother, relax, I believe that as long as she can do it, she will definitely mediate this matter." ”

Zhu You looked at Cheng Hong's expression and gradually became determined, and then his heart was relieved, and then he said: "Hearing you say this, the little brother is a little relieved, and my father asked the eldest brother to save him, no matter whether he can save my father or not, Zhu You is grateful, and such a great kindness will be reciprocated." Cheng Hong gradually said: "We are brothers, I will do my best." After that, looking at the surging river from afar, he continued leisurely: "Over the years, Wang Mang said that he wanted to reform the ancient system, but now the people's livelihood is getting more and more withered, I don't know how many officials like Danyang Taishou and Li Jia are rampant in the township, acting recklessly, and I don't know how many good people are bankrupt. Wu Han said indignantly: "Wang Mang's old thief is really hateful, he only knows how to expropriate and extort, regardless of the life and death of the common people. As soon as the words fell, an old man said: "What the sons said is right, Wang Mang is the emperor, and my family's life is even more difficult." ”

When Hong heard this, he looked at the person who spoke, but when he saw that the old man was over sixty years old, and his face was full of weather, and he was a boatman who was cooking on the deck, he asked respectfully: "What is the name of this old man, and if you have any difficulties, can you tell us about it, maybe you can help." ”

The old man said: "The old man's name is Liu Zizhang, and the guest officer just calls me Liu Laohan." His voice was very old, Liu Zizhang was separated for a while, and then continued: "Before Wang Mang became the emperor, although everyone's life was tight, it was fortunate that the merchants at the ferry were gathered, and they could also ask for some livelihood, but in recent years, the imperial court has imposed taxes and miscellaneous taxes, and many merchants can not continue to do business, and there are fewer and fewer people who need to transport goods. Anyway, I'm old, and even if I starve to death, it's nothing, but I still have a daughter-in-law and grandson at home, and I have to rely on me to support them. Zhu You said: "You are so old, don't you still have a son, and you shouldn't be bothered to support your family." ”

When Liu Zizhang heard this, he sighed to himself, and then said: "I originally had two sons, and the second child was beaten to death by the township bully. The eldest befriended a strongman as a guest, wanting to avenge the second child of my family. Those things were properly prepared, and the boss was afraid of the government's interference, so he gave all the family savings to the official master, and invited the old man to eat and drink at home. Zhu You asked, "That official got the money, did he agree to take care of your family?"

Liu Zizhang shook his head, and then said: "When the official messenger came to the house for dinner, he actually said that the boss of my family gave little, and the strong guest was also eating at the table. Wu Han laughed and said, "Well said, according to me, I will definitely dismantle this kind of dog official." Liu Zizhang hurriedly said: "You can't kill, you can't kill." That's the official family, if he really kills him, our whole family can't get out of it. Cheng Hong gradually said: "There is some truth in what the old man is worried about, I don't know what happened later?"

Liu Zizhang said: "I hurriedly made peace with my son, and asked the official to leave, and then the official led a large number of officials to arrest my son's guests with him, and then the guests he made friends with, and then the guests he made friends died, and the eldest of my family voted for the green forest mountain and started to be a strongman." Later, I couldn't help but burst into tears, and then said: "My eldest son has been away from home for several years, and now there is no news at all, and I don't know if he is dead or ······alive."

Cheng Hong gradually looked at the old man's pity, so he took out a bag of loose silver taels from his arms, and then said: "This bit of silver, the old man will accept it and subsidize the family." Liu Zizhang excused himself and said: "The old man heard that the sons talked about the current situation, so he just said a few words, not for the silver taels. ”

Cheng Hong gradually had the heart to help him, and said at the moment: "Since the old man is in trouble, I should help him, and I should honor you when I am old." Liu Zizhang said: "The kindness of the guest officer, I understand the old man, but after all, I am a descendant of the ancestor of the Han Dynasty, this time I am receiving help, I am only afraid of insulting the ancestors, and besides, your Elder Wei has promised, as long as everyone goes with him to the Green Forest Mountain, the old man can get two taels of silver, and this money is enough to live, and it is not easy to make money now, so the son should take back the money." If I could find my son in the Green Forest Mountain, I wouldn't have to be so scared. The Elder Wei he was talking about was the Imperial Array Elder Wei Detao, Cheng Hong couldn't help but be stunned, and secretly said in his heart: "I don't know why Elder Wei asked those boatmen to go to ······ together."