Fang Guozhen was a lucky man. Chen Youliang died, Zhang Shicheng was reduced to ashes, and all the heroes were beaten away by the wind and rain. Only this guy who broke his promise, surrendered and surrendered, and rebelled and surrendered again, actually got away. A normal death.
Even after death, the treatment is still very high.
Not only did Lao Zhu lead people to pay homage, he also asked Song Lian to write an article specifically for him.
Gu Zhengchen has not seen Song Lian's article, but he sympathizes with Song Lian. It is not easy to write about a guy who has no merit and still have to dig out the good points and praise him.
Shortly after Fang Guozhen's death, a group of people followed him on the road, namely, the chief officers of Nanhuizui Zhonghou Station, Baoshan Station, Wusongjiang Station and other guard stations. Because these people were unaware of the identity of the pirates, the coastal defense was empty, and the pirates marched in. , Zhu Yuanzhang did not spare them lightly, he killed several people, and several generals were directly demoted to infantry and sent to the north to continue serving.
Jurong, Liulitian.
The head of the village, Feng Zhong, beat the gong and walked through the muddy path in a loud voice: "It's time to weed the fields. Mrs. Wang, let your men get up and go to the fields to weed. Zhao Laizi, can you be more diligent? Feng Sansheng , If you dare to say a few words of nonsense again, I will break your legs and go to work!"
As a li leader, he needs to persuade the people to be diligent.
This was originally the job of the old man, but the county magistrate said that the old man was not in good health and his voice was not loud, so he gave the job to the head of the village. I have no choice but to get up early every day and urge the villagers to get up and work first.
Knocking back and forth twice, if anyone's house hasn't gotten up yet, you have to stand at the door of his house and knock. There was a drought at the beginning of this year. Although the county magistrate brought water, we still have to take better care of the harvest if we want to keep it.
The men got up one after another, and even took their children and mothers out. Weeding in the rice fields is really not an easy task. Bending over can break your waist, and crawling on your knees for a whole day is unbearable.
Some children are most afraid of weeding. No matter how tiring the work is, they will not want to go to the fields to weed. But there's nothing you can do about it. Grass eats the soil and eats rice. If you don't weed it, the rice won't grow well.
When the weather is not too hot, go early and work more. If you go out late and work for less than an hour, the sun will start to drive you away.
In the fields, every household is working.
An eleven or twelve-year-old boy was kicking the dirt at the edge of the field, looking angry and wanting to leave but not daring to leave.
On the road, two people came.
A young scholar, holding a folding fan, looked at the boy as he came closer, and then looked at the fields. Two rickety figures, dressed in cloth, were hiding in the green rice fields. The wind blew, the green waves rippled, and even the people straightened up. , enjoying a rare sip of coolness.
Seeing that the boy was wary, Gu Zhengchen asked with a smile: "Are those your parents?"
The boy nodded and shouted: "Dad."
Hearing the sound, the old farmer turned around and saw the stranger. He walked over with a shovel, protected the baby behind him, and looked at Gu Zhengchen and Zhang Pei: "outsiders?"
Gu Zhengchen cupped his hands and asked, "Is this Liuli Dian?"
"That's right."
The old farmer replied with a cold expression.
Gu Zhengchen became serious: "We have been ordered by the county magistrate to investigate Feng Zhong, the head of Liulitian. I heard that this man bullied the villagers, did all kinds of evil, and even robbed a yellow-flowered girl. Is this possible?"
"Which bastard is talking nonsense?"
The old farmer immediately jumped to his feet and said quickly: "I'm talking about official duties, you can't just listen to the wind and rain. Feng Li is a very good person in Liulitian. He has helped many people overtly and covertly, and there are still several people who live there. Those who can't make it, it's Feng Lizhang who helps them..."
Gu Zhengchen glanced at Zhang Pei, and then asked the old farmer, "The story about the yellow flower girl can't be groundless, right?"
The old farmer spat: "You should be talking about Zhao San's family. Old Zhao died of illness last winter, leaving behind a widow and two daughters. Feng Lichang knew that their family was in trouble, so he went to send some rice from time to time. Zhao My daughter also knows how to be grateful. She went to work in the weaving compound, earned some money, and brought her widow to the house to express her gratitude. How does this mean that she has robbed someone else's daughter?"
"I see."
Gu Zhengchen gritted his teeth. The person who spread the rumors was really hateful.
The old farmer pointed to the rice field not far away: "If the official doesn't believe it, you can directly ask Widow Zhao. That girl is also there. Did you see the willow tree?"
After Gu Zhengchen saw it clearly, he asked the old farmer, "Is there anything done to bully the people in Liulitian?"
"That's not true."
The old farmer relaxed.
Gu Zhengchen nodded slightly: "The county magistrate has a clear policy. Whenever someone bullies the people in the local area, or the village chief or the elderly do things unfairly, they can go directly to the county government to file a complaint. If it is inconvenient to go, you can also ask someone to tell you, and the county government will send someone to investigate. .”
The old farmer grinned: "Our county magistrate is a good official, no one bullies us."
Gu Zhengchen joked for a while, then walked to the Zhao family's field and walked in along the ridges. From time to time he would look at the growth of the rice fields and say a few words to Zhang Pei.
The voice alarmed Widow Zhao and Yatou Zhao. Just as Widow Zhao was about to speak, Yatou Zhao exclaimed: "The county magistrate, mother, it's the county magistrate."
Widow Zhao was so surprised that she was about to salute.
Gu Zhengchen hurriedly stepped forward to stop him: "This is a rice field, not a place to salute, so just forget about it."
"Why is the county magistrate here?"
Zhao Yatou asked excitedly.
Gu Zhengchen frowned and looked at Zhao Yatou: "You worked in the weaving compound?"
Zhao Yatou nodded and said openly: "Yes, Madam also praised me for my fast weaving. Once when the county magistrate picked up Madam, he saw the county magistrate, so..."
Gu Zhengchen smiled.
Sometimes Zhang Xiwan was busy in the weaving compound and Gu Zhengchen went to pick her up a few times.
Gu Zhengchen said seriously: "I came here to see if the people in the village are in harmony, but some people have been wronged and have nowhere to complain. If you know about it, you still need to speak out. Don't be afraid of others and dare not speak up. Yes. As long as I am here, I will never allow anyone to bully or dominate the people in the village."
Zhao Yatou was overjoyed and took her mother's arm: "Mother, I said that the county magistrate is a good man who makes decisions for the people. Do you believe me now?"
Widow Zhao patted Girl Zhao's hand with some embarrassment and said to Gu Zhengchen, "I have never heard of anyone bullying the people in Liulitian."
Gu Zhengchen saw that Widow Zhao was serious about what she said, and that Girl Zhao also had a bright face. Seeing that the sun was already high, he said, "I don't know how much longer you guys have to work. Can you come and ask for a bowl of water?"
"OK."
Zhao Yatou agreed immediately and took her mother to lead the way.
Surrounded by trees, I walked through the forest path and passed two ponds before I saw Liulitian.
Most of the houses are thatched houses, and most of them have low wooden fences as walls.
Several five or six-year-old children were playing and shouting something around an old sycamore tree.
Gu Zhengchen looked at the children and then followed Widow Zhao and Girl Zhao into a small courtyard. The courtyard was not big and there were no livestock. They only opened a vegetable garden in the west and planted some eggplants.
The empty, flat and clean courtyard shows the family's poverty and diligence.
Widow Zhao arranged for Girl Zhao to cook, and she brought two shabby little stools. Gu Zhengchen sat down and felt that the legs of the stools were a little wobbly.
"Liulidian, are there any families who can't survive?"
Gu Zhengchen asked.
Widow Zhao thought for a while and said bluntly: "There are still three or five families, and every family has difficulties. Opposite the door to Mrs. Wang's family, her eldest son was seduced to become a sergeant, and the second son fell into the river and drowned. There is a third son who is 21 years old this year, but because of an illness, his legs cannot use any strength, so he can only sit paralyzed at home. His father, Wang Guangzi, is also old and cannot plow the fields. I don’t know if I can survive this year.”
"Is it so hard?"
Gu Zhengchen frowned.
Widow Zhao shook her head: "Wang's wife's family is not the most difficult one. The most difficult one is Feng Qi's family in the next alley. His mother is paralyzed in bed and his father is blind. Two years ago, Feng Qi's wife had a difficult childbirth and left A child is gone. He is sick and old, and there is a baby below. Feng Qi was born weak and sick, unable to support his shoulders and lift heavy objects with his hands. But he is a man after all, and his family’s taxes are very small..."
Gu Zhengchen was worried.
In later generations, look at the wealth and wealth in "Alive". In the midst of suffering, relatives leave one by one, and he can only live alone.
Once upon a time, we thought that wealth was just a special case, the epitome of concentrated suffering. But now, if we look at the bottom of the Ming Dynasty, there are many families like Wealth. Suffering like Wealth is never an exception. Those who struggle to live like Wealth People are not just one or two.
Misery, gathered at the bottom.
People in Jinling are intoxicated by the prosperity, and they think the world is full of prosperity; immersed in the excitement, they think there is no desolation and loneliness.
When you go down to the bottom, into real people's homes, you will find that there is so much misery.
Gu Zhengchen reluctantly ate some food at Zhao Yatou's house, and forcibly left twenty coins despite Zhao's refusal. Then he went to Wang Kuangzi's house and looked at the paralyzed Wang Kuangzi, the tired old Wang Kuangzi, and the dim eyesight. , Mrs. Wang is still weaving.
Except for a loom, this family is really bare. To put it bluntly, even the corners of the eating bowls are torn, and the clothes have been patched countless times.
Gu Zhengchen has always wanted to solve the feeding problem of Jurong people, but in the end he found that what many people faced was not the problem of eating at all, but the problem of survival.
Even if it allows them to have enough food for a year or two, the family will collapse before long.
It is difficult for one person to feed a large family.
In the final analysis, they lack the means and ability to make a living and survive. Once they can no longer farm, the family will almost be in dire straits.
Wang Guangzi squatted on the ground, looked at Gu Zhengchen who was talking to Mrs. Wang, and said sadly: "We may owe this year's taxes."
Gu Zhengchen turned back to look at Wang Kuangzi and said seriously: "My family is in such a difficult situation. If I ask for your taxes again, wouldn't it cost you your lives?"
Zhang Pei looked at Gu Zhengchen in surprise and winked repeatedly.
Taxes are something stipulated by the imperial court. Sir, you don’t dare to cancel them casually.
