Chapter Seven, Rare Goods Can Be Profitable

Mashi Ying is certainly not the one; this fellow is the governor of Fengyang and cannot reach Huaiyang.

Lu Sigan let out a laugh but did not speak

In summary, he Lu Wenzong would never go to Yangzhou to deliver a head.

In relation to his current status, serving in the military can still be considered as being a member of the system. In a time of great change, with a knife in hand, who knows if heaven will grant an opportunity

It should not be the case; this prominent figure of the Donglin Academy, Zuo Guangdou, seems to have been appointed by Chongzhen as the Minister of War in Nanjing before the fall of Beijing, and is regarded as one of the so-called three giants of the southern capital

It is neither Ma Shiying nor Shi Kefa, so who is it

The reason is that he feels he has already suffered enough, thus he must compensate himself in terms of his name

Which newly arrived Huaiyang governor did Uncle mention

Are you sure your name is Wenzong

Lu Si no longer thought much about it. To reach Huai'an and then travel along the river, he would have to walk there. The journey of over 200 miles would take at least four or five days, so it was better to get some sleep quickly; otherwise, the journey tomorrow would be quite challenging

The water in the pot boiled quickly. Lu Si brought a wooden basin for washing feet and placed it in the hot water. After testing the water temperature, he put his feet in, then leaned half against the stove, covering his face with a warm towel. The sensation was indescribably comfortable, as if all the capillaries in his body had suddenly expanded.

Go home and sleep early. Tomorrow morning, use a rope to tie up the quilt and bring it along. Do not bring any food; I have asked your sister-in-law to prepare it here...

Not even a glance is given

A dynasty that claims to be orthodox yet relies on a group of defeated soldiers to maintain its facade is indeed a great joke throughout history. In the end, none of the four towns met a good fate; Liu the Second surrendered to the Qing, Gao Jie was lured into assassination, and Huang Degong died for his country.

With this idea, one's thoughts naturally become much more active and contemplative, and it is only natural to gravitate towards significant matters

Lu Si "Gulu" sat up, and after a while, he chuckled at himself. As an ordinary farmer's son, even if he were to bring the Prince of Fortune into his grasp, what could he possibly achieve?

Lu Si estimated that the silver bean given to Song Wu by his uncle weighed about one qian. According to the memories of its original owner, one qian of silver could be exchanged for approximately sixty to eighty copper coins, which is not a large sum, but certainly not an insignificant amount either

Lu Si racked his brains to recall

The warmth of the towel gradually dissipated, and the heat beneath his feet slowly faded away. When Lu Si opened his eyes again, he returned to reality.

Which gentleman was pulling the strings in this matter, Lu Si could not recall at the moment. He only remembered that after the fall of Beijing, the defeated generals Gao Jie, Liu Zeqing, Huang Degong, and Liu Liangzuo from Shandong and Henan, who had been routed by Li Zicheng and the Qing army, fled with their remnants to the Jianghuai region, and then transformed into what later became known as the Four Towns of Jiangbei and the founding figures of the Hongguang regime.

Guangyuan's child is truly illiterate to the core, yet the mother is equally unaware. Upon seeing Uncle and Wenliang, Lu Si realized that this entire family does not understand what the term "Wenzong" signifies

Well, I understand now. Fifth Master, please take care as you leave

After the candle was lit, the light brought a sense of humanity to the dark room. Lu Si scooped water from the vat into the pot, then sat down behind the stove to start boiling water.

Lu Wenliang invited Aunt Liu to dinner, but Wang insisted that the laundry at home was not yet done. She exchanged a few more words with Lu Si, mainly advising him to take care of himself while outside, to be more cautious while working, and not to overexert himself.

In comparison, Song Wu, this accountant, can indeed be considered an intellectual

After closing his eyes, there was a moment of daze, and Lu Si felt as if he were still in the 21st century, even believing that someone beside him was massaging his legs

Regardless, when the river workers from each village gather tomorrow, there will definitely be people from the county leading the team. At that time, we can find a way to inquire about it.

Who among ordinary people would dare to take this name

The premise for Qi Huo Ke Ju is that Lu Wenzong must have territory, troops, and financial resources, being a local lord.

Again, Lu Sida said: "Your father and your second uncle are still unaware of this matter. Tomorrow, I will go to the town to see if anyone is going to the lake to inform them, so they won't be worried..."

Alas, the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, the sixteenth year indeed

Old Lu, you can rest assured, Wenliang and the others have grown up under my watch. We are from the same village, how could I let them suffer any injustice?

Knowing that there are tigers on the mountain, those who still venture toward the tiger's mountain are brave men, but they are also fools

With no other options, Lu Si could only choose to go to bed. This bed is the one he has slept on since childhood, with a mat made of reeds underneath and a pillow stuffed with rice straw

In a state of confusion, Lu Si fell asleep

The members of the Donglin Party and the Restoration Society, who enjoy infighting over there in Nandu, are all stronger than him, and that young man from the Fuwang is even less likely to engage with a farmer who has nothing to his name

Now being able to secure the Prince of Fu is no less than Lü Buwei betting on the Ying Yiren father and son

Shi Kefa

In this era devoid of electricity and entertainment, especially in rural areas, once night falls, there is truly no other pastime but to go to bed.

The timing is truly not opportune, as there are still a few months until the Jiajing Incident, and similarly, a few months until the Qing army enters the pass

Mother, what does "Wenzong" mean?

Lu Si let out a sigh, silently wiped his feet clean, and got up to pour out the foot-soaking water. After that, he wanted to do something, but after standing there and thinking for dozens of breaths, he still did not know what to do

Wang has left, and the courtyard has quieted down once again

After randomly drinking two bowls of porridge, Lu Si wiped his mouth and said he would go back to sleep first, so that he could get up early tomorrow morning to meet with Brother Wenliang.

The banner of the king changes atop the city walls; should one live a life as a submissive subject to the Qing, or should one strive to be a valiant hero against the Qing

Moreover, in this day and age, silver is weighed, and it is often cut and trimmed, referred to as silver beans. However, they look almost like lumps of silver, and at first glance, they truly appear dirty and unattractive

Therefore, Lu Si does not reject the idea of going to Huai'an to inspect the river; he wants to take a chance and see if the heavens have left an opportunity for Lu Wenzong in Huai'an Prefecture, which is over two hundred miles away

It was also due to this position that Shi Kefa later became the Chief Grand Secretary of the Hongguang regime. In other words, Shi Kefa is now a high-ranking official in the central government and cannot serve as a local official in Huaiyang.

As Song Wu was about to leave, Lu Youcai took out a small black object and placed it in his hand. Then, holding Song Wu's hand, he said: "Master Wu, Wenliang and the other two have not been out much. You are considered their elder and you work in the public sector. You need to take extra care of these three while they are outside, so please look after them as much as you can."

What kind of mentality is this

Not a single one!

That black, shiny object is a silver coin, which I estimate was painstakingly saved by my uncle. He usually cannot bear to use it, so it appears dark and lacks any luster.

Honestly, Lu Si believes that being conscripted might also be a way out for him

Mr. Wu went to pick some greens and tofu to cook a salty dish, and dinner was simple, consisting of porridge. The Lu family, given their circumstances, could not possibly manage two solid meals and one light meal a day.

Otherwise, it is nothing but nonsense

After Song Wu went out, he heard a neighbor greeting him, most likely inquiring about the river works. The Wang family stayed a little longer, and seeing that it was not yet late, they decided to return home first

This fellow is a rare find

Song Wu smiled as he stuffed the silver coins into his waist pouch, closed the register, and reminded Lu Wenliang: "You three should gather at Wang's Society tomorrow morning at 7:45. Make sure to arrive early so as not to miss the time. This time, the He Gong County is pressing hard; if anything goes wrong, the head of Shuaizi County will be penalized."

In his dream, he saw the vast, desolate plains of the Central Plains, witnessed the rampant plague in the capital region, observed the banners fluttering of the peasant army, beheld the Eight Banners cavalry knocking at the gates, and saw the already gray-haired Emperor Chongzhen... He saw the Qinhuai River bustling with tourists, witnessed the scholars and officials in a state of drunken stupor, and saw the heads of those who refused to shave their hair, propped up on bamboo poles at the city gate.

To give Song Wuyi silver coins, there is no need to elaborate on what Lu Youcai means. In essence, it is simply a request for Song Wu, a neighbor who works for the public, to take good care of his own children and nephews. For instance, to arrange for them to have lighter work, or to ensure they receive a bit more grain when it is distributed.

I don't know, anyway, Lu Si just calls himself Wenzong

Lying on the bed, he did not think of anything else, nor did he think of the matter of the river works; it was pointless to think about it anyway, as he could not escape this laborious work.

He has considered other names, such as Civilization, Culture, Arts, and Martial Arts... These are all good names and easy to pronounce, but Lu Si does not like them

Tian E went to the kitchen to reheat the leftover dishes from lunch. In fact, there were hardly any leftovers; the chicken soup had long been consumed by Lu Si and his nephew Guang Yuan.

The Lu family, living in utter poverty, could not find a single book with words in it, not even an old almanac, despite turning their house upside down.

However, the situation in the four towns is a matter for next year. At present, the Ming Dynasty still controls the Jianghuai region, and the southern areas remain peaceful. The military affairs in the north have the greatest impact on the common people in the south primarily through the continuous increase in land taxes and miscellaneous levies. Aside from causing a decline in farmers' incomes and making their lives difficult, there are not many other significant effects.

The dim candlelight, the dark walls, the ashen beams, the uneven muddy floor, the dilapidated windows, and the pitch-black outside...

The glow of the fire in the stove made Lu Si's face even redder, and also caused his body temperature to rise sharply, which was quite pleasant

The Lu family of four lives not far from their uncle's house, separated by four households, one of which is the Zhou family. Upon entering the house, he groped in the dark to the kitchen, found a fire stick, and lit a candle. Although there was an oil lamp at home, it had no oil.

I vaguely remember that today my uncle mentioned something about the newly appointed Governor of Huaiyang organizing local militia training, so he advised them not to wander outside, otherwise they might be conscripted by the authorities.

Lu Wenliang sent his younger brother to the door and watched him go home before turning around to close the courtyard gate

Call!

Even if it is not ideal, it is still better than being a farmer

Lu Wenliang politely offered to see Song Wu off, but Song Wu gestured that it was unnecessary. As he was leaving, he turned to Lu Si and chuckled, saying: "Xiao Jue Song, your name is quite frightening."

He is merely contemplating how to delay the matter of going to Yangzhou until after the river workers return from the New Year, as he absolutely refuses to go to Yangzhou.

This is primarily because the Jianghuai and Jiangnan regions are known as the land of fish and rice, and their economy is relatively more developed than that of the northern regions. In addition to farming, there are also job opportunities available, so even if farmers face significant pressure, as long as they are not lazy, they can barely make ends meet.

Thus, Lu Si refers to himself as Wenzong

It was only when I was about to close my eyes that I suddenly thought of something, which is the first emperor of the Southern Ming, Hongguang, also known as His Highness the Prince of Fu, who I wonder where he is hiding now

Lu Si did not expect this; it is not that he did not study history well, but rather that, in fact, after Beijing fell, there were truly no remarkable talents or capable officials in the southern region.

Wenzong, this name is very grand, exceptionally grand, so grand that it has gone into the sea

In this way, large-scale peasant uprisings in the north would not occur; those who truly risk their lives to rebel are the ones who are genuinely on the brink of starvation

Although Song Wu felt that Lu Xiaosi was absolutely unworthy of the name Wen Zong, the other party's attitude was resolute, and he did not violate any taboos. Seeing that Lu Youcai, the elder, remained silent, he indeed recorded the name Lu Wenzong in the register.

The cost of the two characters "taking care of" is indeed not small. After all, during the best times of Lu Youcai's bamboo basket business, he only earned about twenty to thirty wen a day. Moreover, the Yanghe Daqu he loved to drink sold for only around twenty wen a jar in town.

However, there is no law in the Ming Dynasty that prohibits anyone from naming themselves Wenzong Wuzun