xymnovel Chapter 259: The Tale of Bad Things
Chapter 259: The Tale of Bad Things
Chapter 259 Bad News Travels Far and Wide (Bonus Chapter 2 for Alliance Leader Yu Yuanchuyu)
On New Year's Day in the sixth year of the Zhizheng era (1346), a ship sailed into the deserted Liujiagang.
Feng Siwen was initially reluctant to disembark, but Wang Jingjiu insisted. Considering that it was Feng who wanted to drink on the way, the matter was considered settled, and there was not much more to say.
This gentleman is from Yangqu, Taiyuan. He is known for his poetry and prose. He initially served as a Supervising Censor in the Inner Secretariat, and later held various positions in the central government and local governments. More than two years ago, he was appointed as a Supervising Censor in the Southern Secretariat. In the middle of last year, he was supposed to be transferred to the position of Vice Supervising Censor in the Inner Secretariat, but many things happened in Jiangnan, which affected his overall promotion. Therefore, he continued to serve as a Supervising Censor in the Southern Secretariat.
After what happened a while ago, he probably has no hope of being promoted in this lifetime, so he's not in a good mood.
But what can you do if you're in a bad mood? You're getting old, your career prospects are hopeless, so you can probably only try to make more money.
"Lord Feng, aren't you coming with me?" Wang Jingjiu, the Prefect, pointed ahead and asked.
"No, thank you." Feng Siwen waved his hand, then added, "Come back this afternoon so we can continue our journey."
Wang Jingjiu hesitated slightly.
Feng Siwen looked at him and said, "It's not that I'm making things difficult for you. This matter is of great importance and we must be cautious. Besides, when you go to Hangzhou, you must also find time to visit the people in the Military Equipment Bureau. The Yidu New Army is in such a state that it cannot be left unreorganized."
Upon hearing this, Wang Jingjiu didn't say much. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Alright, Lord Feng, please wait for half a day. I'll be right back."
After saying this, he left the dock surrounded by several attendants and headed towards the Shen residence.
Besides reporting on what happened in Nanjing, they had another important matter to attend to when they went to Hangzhou: to request the provincial government to allocate funds and provisions, replenish equipment, and properly reorganize the Yidu New Army.
The two prefectures and three counties of Jiqing Road are guarded by this army. The roster lists 7,000 men, but no one knows the actual number. Even the Darughachi and the deputy commanders of the Wanhu Prefecture would probably find it difficult to give an accurate figure.
This situation is clearly unacceptable. For the sake of our own lives, we must reorganize the Yidu New Army: first check for vacancies, then distribute money and food, and finally replenish equipment.
As for their past misdeeds of stealing and selling military equipment, just arrest a few unlucky ones to make an example of them, and let the rest off lightly—what else can you do? Are you going to start training a new army from scratch?
After walking for a while with a heavy heart, Wang Jingjiu finally saw the Shen residence he had visited once before.
After knocking on the door, the servant invited him into a hall.
A thick curtain hung in front of the hall, now half-rolled up, revealing glimpses of the tables, chairs, and calligraphy and paintings inside.
The yard was swept clean, without a single fallen leaf. It's not a good day to sweep on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so this was all cleaned up before the New Year.
He was greeted by Lu Zhonghe, the "owner" of the mansion, and Mo Bei and Feng Shao, two managers who remained there during the Spring Festival.
After entering the hall, Wang Jingjiu took a quick look around.
The hall is not large, but the furnishings are quite elegant.
Facing you is a long black lacquered table with ancestral tablets on it. In front of the tablets are dried fruits and pastries. Two white copper candlesticks each hold a red candle with wax condensed on the wicks. They were burned last night and are being burned again today, the first day of the lunar new year.
Hmm, it seems that the ancestors on the memorial tablets are all from the Shen family, but Lu Zhonghe has to offer incense and worship them from time to time. It's not easy for him.
In front of the desk was an eight-immortal table, with two armchairs on the left and right, and four low chairs on each side against the wall.
Two calligraphy scrolls hung on the wall, one reading "Great virtue carries all things" and the other "A family that accumulates good deeds," signed by a name Wang Jingjiu had never heard of before. The calligraphy and paintings were quite old, the paper yellowed and the edges frayed, but the mounting was still neat, which gave the impression that the owner had some cultural refinement.
Mo Bei had tea brought over, then sat down and, while introducing his nephew, said warmly, "It's been many years since we last parted at the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. How have you been?"
"It'll have to do." In front of acquaintances, Wang Jingjiu was not at all reserved and let down his guard. He sighed and said, "The world is becoming more and more chaotic. I'm worried that one day something will happen to me, and I'll be beheaded and my family will be exiled to a distant place."
"How can you be so self-deprecating?" Mo Bei asked in surprise.
Wang Jingjiu gave a wry smile, and seeing that there were no outsiders, he recounted the recent events.
Halfway through the conversation, footsteps came from behind the hall; Lu Zhonghe had arrived.
Wang Jingjiu looked up and sized him up.
Mo Bei took the opportunity to introduce.
Wang Jingjiu nodded slightly and said, "You must be Qiushui's husband? You are quite handsome."
Lu Zhonghe quickly stepped forward and bowed, smiling as he said, "Your Highness, what brings you here on the first day of the Lunar New Year?"
Wang Jingjiu stood up from his chair, returned the greeting, and said with a smile, "Zhonghe, Happy New Year. I am on my way to Hangzhou with Imperial Censor Feng and am passing through Liujiagang. I thought I'd stop by for a chat and have a cup of tea."
Lu Zhonghe paused for a moment, then said, "I see. Your presence is truly an honor to our humble abode. I apologize for failing to greet you properly."
Wang Jingjiu glanced at Mo Bei and casually said, "No need for formalities, sit down and let's talk."
Lu Zhonghe did not sit down. He glanced at the tea and snacks on the table, then at Mo Bei, and said unhappily, "How can we treat our distinguished guests with such indifference? If we are not in a hurry to travel, please allow me to add a few more dishes and at least treat them to lunch."
Mo Bei felt slightly embarrassed upon hearing this.
Wang Jingjiu glanced at him, his eyes filled with a hint of mockery.
He then coughed lightly and said, "No need, I'll just sit for a while and then leave. I only came to see if Rongfu was there. It's the New Year, I suppose he's in Suzhou, enjoying the company of Wan San Gong and Madam Zeng. I've been presumptuous. I haven't seen Qiushui for many years either. The last time I saw her, she was just a little girl, reading her book very carefully and speaking very seriously, like a little adult."
Upon hearing this, Mo Bei smiled and said, "Madam is becoming more and more composed now, managing everything in an orderly manner. Master Wan and Madam Zeng are very pleased and say they want her to take over more business."
Upon hearing this, Wang Jingjiu frowned slightly and said, "Qiu Shui has been strictly controlled since childhood, and her childlike nature has been suppressed. I didn't expect her to still be like this now that she's grown up. Sigh. Never mind, let's not talk about this anymore."
I've come here today and said a lot, but really it's just so you can tell Rongfu that he needs to be careful around the stalls on Jiqing Road.
Zhu Dingbo's men are scattered in various places, and they are currently being investigated. I expect there will be a lot of trouble to come.
This is what traveling merchants fear most: even if they aren't robbed by bandits, they might be robbed by government troops. Many of the Yidu New Army soldiers are stationed elsewhere; once they're recalled, driven mad by poverty, who knows what they might do? Especially with the Darughachi and the General preparing a city-wide search, anything could happen. Just keep this in mind.
"May I ask, Your Highness, who is Zhu Dingbo?"
"That is Zhu Chen's real name. I only just learned of this name myself," Wang Jingjiu said.
Mo Bei felt somewhat uneasy.
Feng Shao's face remained calm, but a raging storm was brewing within him.
Shao Shuyi is a jinx; you can't go out with him, something always goes wrong. Last time it was killing Inspector Yu Xi, and this time he's really stirred up a hornet's nest, almost paralyzing the officialdom of Jiqing Road.
However, after hearing what Wang Jingjiu said, he felt that the government's main attention was now focused on Zhu Dingbo's remaining followers.
These people are running rampant everywhere. Given the incompetence of the Yidu New Army's Wanhu Command, can they be suppressed? Of course not. If things escalate, wouldn't these remaining followers be the perfect "murderers"?
Zhu Dingbo's mistreatment of his subordinates backfired; after being killed by traitors, he became "mentally confused" and rebelled, killing officials.
Should we investigate other people as well? There's no need for that. If something else goes wrong, who will take responsibility?
As Wang Jingjiu just mentioned, another important task of his trip to Hangzhou is to request the allocation of funds, provisions, and equipment to properly reorganize the Yidu New Army Ten Thousand Households, so that it can reverse its decline and stop collapsing at the slightest provocation. The Great Yuan Dynasty cannot afford to lose face like that.
Lu Zhonghe stood to the side, only hearing the latter half of the conversation. He wanted to interject, but didn't know what to say.
Finally, seeing that he was about to become an outsider, he felt compelled to assert his presence and spoke up: "What is there for the prince to worry about? The remnants of Zhu and Chen's rebellion can be easily suppressed by sending troops. If the Yidu New Army is ineffective, then mobilize the troops from the Changzhou and Taiping Ten Thousand Household Offices. With all three ten Thousand Household Offices present, what bandits cannot be wiped out?"
Wang Jingjiu looked at him and chuckled.
The Changzhou Garrison Army was indeed called "Changzhou Ten Thousand Household Prefecture," while the Taiping Road Garrison Army was called "Huai'an Ten Thousand Household Prefecture." Both were subordinate ten thousand-household prefectures, and each had three thousand soldiers listed on its roster. How many people could be drawn from them? A few hundred or a thousand?
However, he gave Lu Zhonghe face and didn't say anything to his face. Perhaps Lu Zhonghe knew that it was just a slip of the tongue?
"Are you skilled in poetry and prose?" he asked.
Lu Zhonghe nodded, somewhat pleased, and said, "My friends and I have been composing poems together for many years and have compiled a collection of poems. We would appreciate your guidance, Your Highness."
.
Wang Jingjiu didn't want to cause trouble, but then he thought that this was Qiu Shui's husband, whom he had watched grow up, so he gave him face, nodded slightly, and said, "Let me see it in a bit."
"Yes," Lu Zhonghe replied excitedly.
Wang Jingjiu then looked at Mo Bei and said, "What I just said should not be spread outside. Just keep it to yourself. If the world thinks that the government troops are useless, who knows how many ambitious people will emerge and make a mess of the situation. At that time, no one will be able to escape unscathed. Remember, remember."
"Okay," Mo Bei replied.
"I should obey," Feng Shao replied.
Wang Jingjiu said no more and continued drinking tea. He casually mentioned the finances of the Jiangzhe Province, saying that they might have to levy taxes again soon, otherwise the government would run out of money, and that they should be prepared.
Around noon, Wang Jingjiu did not stay for lunch and took his leave.
After returning to his study, Mo Bei thought for a moment and then wrote a letter to Madam Shen, who was far away in Suzhou.
Feng Shao also ground ink and picked up a brush to write a letter to his father and brothers who were far away in Huzhou, and instructed them not to spread it.
Three days later, Madam Shen received the letter. At that time, the Shen family was full of guests. Shen Wansan and his son Shen Rong each had close relationships with merchants and in-laws, so the news spread a little more.
Upon receiving the news, the Feng family of Huzhou was greatly surprised. They then wrote a letter to their relative by marriage, who was a centurion in the "Jiangnan Garrison Commander of the Ningguo Road," inquiring about the situation. The Jiangnan Garrison Command comprised a total of 370,000 households, including seven upper-level households, eight middle-level households, and so on.
The twenty-two lower-level military commands, with a total of 15.5 troops on land and water, constituted the entire regular military strength of the Yuan Dynasty in Jiangnan.
Once these people found out, the officials and gentry associated with them gradually learned about it as well.
The news spread step by step in this way, and people's hearts changed step by step in this way.
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