"Have you heard? A fool came to the street yesterday."
"I heard that he was called Zhang Rui, Zhang Liuge or something like that. He actually gave out buns and buns to a group of poor people who were selling their sons and daughters."
"Yeah, looking at that oily bun, I haven't eaten it in a long time."
"You were there? Why didn't you go get one?"
"You think I don't want to. It's just that he has people guarding him with steel knives. Who knows if they will give me a break if they are angered, so forget it."
"Come on, I'm just a coward. I heard that this fool is very kind and righteous. Tell those poor ghosts that as long as they can't survive, they can go to Zhilian Mountain in Cangwu County to find him, and they will be fed and clothed."
"I don't know if it's true or not, with such a loud tone. Nowadays, even in the so-called prosperous era of Qianlong, no one dares to say that they should be fed and clothed. He is nothing."
"No, but don't tell me, this fool is quite rich. He cleared most of the rice, cloth, oil, salt, iron, etc. in the city in one go. The merchants in the city were very satisfied with him. .”
"So rich? It seems like he has some confidence..."
…
Conversations are taking place all over the city of Wuzhou. The hottest topic today is Zhang Rui and Zhang Liuge. Now even the beggars in Zhoucheng are not talking about where to beg to get leftovers, but about what Zhang Rui said about how to feed and clothe people.
If true, it's a truly desirable place.
…
The sun sets in the west and the sunset glows thousands of miles away.
Wuzhou Prefecture Government Office
Yuan Meide was walking with his hands behind his back, and walked out of the inner court of the female relatives of the government office with joy. Having just finished teasing his fifth concubine, he regained the feeling of his first love when he was young.
"Sir, it's true as the bandits in the prison said. This fool Zhang Rui invited people to dinner again and spent money indiscriminately."
As soon as Zhang Chengsong saw Yuan Meide coming out, he immediately stepped forward and told him the latest news he had obtained.
"Are you inviting someone to dinner again? Who are you inviting?" Yuan Meide asked calmly.
"I'm asking the poor people who sell their sons and daughters in the city and some beggars." Zhang Chengsong replied.
"What are you doing by inviting those poor people to dinner? What's the benefit?" Yuan Meide couldn't imagine what benefit Zhang Rui would get from doing this, so he asked
"I don't know, maybe he thinks he has a kind heart! Otherwise there is no way to explain it, and he also told the poor people that if they really can't survive, they can go to him and he can give them food and clothes. " Zhang Chengsong said
"Currently, many poor people in the city are a little excited. It is said that he also purchased a large amount of oil, rice, grain, cloth, farm equipment, iron, etc. in the city, which means nearly ten thousand taels at least."
"Sure enough, he likes to spend money everywhere. He only supports a few people but he still wants to buy so many things? Eighty thousand has gone to more than ten thousand." Yuan Meide couldn't help but feel a little distressed about the money. But then I thought about it and asked
"Master Zhang, do you think there is a possibility that Zhang Rui wants to rebel? If he wants to rebel, then we will be finished trying to find an official position for him."
When Zhang Chengsong heard Yuan Meide talking about the rebellion, he was immediately shocked and frightened. But thinking about it carefully, Zhang Rui seems to be a little more unruly, and other things are relatively orderly. So he said to Yuan Meide
"A person seeking an official position does not look like he is going to rebel. It is the "prosperous age" of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. Who can live a good life with enough food and nothing to do? ?”
"So he shouldn't be rebellious. From the looks of it, he just wants to gain a reputation so that he can climb up to a certain official position. After all, I love this reputation the most as the current emperor."
After finishing speaking, Zhang Chengsong did not forget to go to the north and salute with clasped hands.
"What Mr. Zhang said makes sense, let's do this! I'll draw up a memorial later and hand it over to see what it means. You go back and talk to him, don't let this stupid young man make our work in vain." Yuan Meide couldn't help but wonder. said with a little worry
"Okay, sir." Zhang Chengsong responded.
Immediately afterwards, Yuan Meide ordered again
"You ask the bandit leaders to prepare at least 3,000 taels of silver each, and each of the others to prepare 500 taels. Each of them should find someone to take his place and escape the "white duck", and don't give me any tricks when the time comes. .”
"Understood, sir, students take orders." Zhang Chengsong saluted Yuan Meide again:
"Well, go and do your business!" Yuan Meide said, pushing open the door of the office study and going in.
…
"Your Majesty Yuan Meide now has a memorial:
Since I took over Wuzhou Prefecture in Guangxi three years ago, I have been working hard. I may not be able to repay the kindness I received from you. However, Guangxi has a vast territory and sparsely populated areas, with poor people living in mountainous areas. There are many bandits who bring harm to the villagers, and the people are miserable. Although many of my ministers wanted to kill the thieves, the soldiers were few and far between, and they spent a lot of money but achieved no results. Today, a righteous citizen named Zhang Rui and others suffered from banditry. They gathered more than 30 people and captured two bandits from the top of the mountain who were directly connected to the mountain. They captured more than ten bandits and took them to the government office in order to obtain the post of general of foreign affairs. However, although many villagers in the mountains and countryside have bad habits, they do not understand etiquette and do not know how to kneel and worship. But he also has an innocent heart and protects the love of the people. I am stupid. Kowtow to the Holy Judge.
May 2, the 20th year of Qianlong's reign"
After Yuan Meide finished writing the memorial in his study, he gently blew the ink on it with his mouth. I couldn't help but watch it, but I still felt that my level had dropped.
"Zhang Rui, I asked for what you asked for. I hope you can spend more money to thank me."
With that said, Yuan Meide packed the memorial in a special box. Then he went to the door and called a yamen servant, and asked him to take him to the capital in the same way as before.
Looking at the back of the Yamen servant leaving, Yuan Meide couldn't help but say: "It will probably take two months for this memorial to go back and forth to the capital! I hope that guy still has 30,000 to 50,000 taels, otherwise he will be sorry for me!"
…
Zhang Rui couldn't hear Yuan Meide's emotion. At this time, he was returning to Zhilian Mountain with his subordinates and the many people who could not survive behind him. At the same time, there was a long convoy of vehicles transporting supplies to him.
Although some villagers and bandits wanted to seize the supplies on the way, they became peaceful again after seeing the twenty sword and shield soldiers beside Zhang Rui.
When Zhang Rui returned to Zhilian Mountain, the people on the mountain were shocked. They were caught off guard by so many people and supplies.
Since they returned relatively late, the entire village was almost filled with people who stayed in Zhilian Mountain to rest that night. It wasn't until all the goods were unloaded and all the handlebars were driven away the next day that Zhang Rui breathed a sigh of relief.
After Liu Muxiu spent a long time sorting it out, there were more than 30 households who came back with Zhang Rui, most of them families, and there were also some elderly single beggars among them.
In Liu Muxiu’s opinion. This is a family with men, so it's understandable that Zhang Rui wants to come. After all, giving them food can help them with some work. But what does Zhang Rui do to support those old single beggars? Even their children may not be able to support them.
Could it be that Zhang Rui only engages in this business of purely losing money and making a profit in order to gain fame? How much money will be lost if this continues?
After all, in this era, most elderly people from poor families are looked down upon. Some old people can't help but go out to beg for food. In times of famine, some elderly people would even go to the mountains to hang themselves in order not to become a burden to their children.
It is such a miserable world that Zhang Ruicai is called a fool. But how many people understand the world of fools?
