When people from Qingmo Mountain saw Zhang Dai and Zhang Yuan's brothers looked strange, they quickly explained that he had met the girl Dong Milk Tea on the edge of Surabaya. He was on his way to the canal at that time. Although he was in a famine-stricken area and his money had been robbed,

I was so hungry that I was dizzy, but I knew very well that the only way to survive was to rush to the canal. Many victims resettled and refused to flee to other places even if they dig grass roots and eat tree bark. As a result, they starved to death——

On the south bank of Surabaya, a man from Qingmo Mountain was tired from walking and rested under a big locust tree on the roadside. He still had two wheat cakes in his arms. He was about to eat a few bites to satisfy his hunger before heading on the road. He saw an old couple carrying a seventeen-year-old boy.

The eight-year-old girl also went to rest under the tree. The old man and the old woman were nearly sixty years old. They were too hungry to walk. As soon as they sat under the roots of the tree, they gasped and couldn't speak. As soon as they sat down, they wanted to eat.

It would be very difficult to stand up again. The girl was wiping her tears. Seeing that this family of three was pitiful, the people of Qingmo Mountain thought that the journey to Jining should be less than 200 miles. As long as they reached the canal, there would be so many passing merchants.

His sharp tongue would not starve to death, so he took out two wheat cakes and shared them among the four of them. The old man ate half a piece of wheat cake before he had the strength to speak. After thanking him, he asked the people of Moshan

Where to go?

People from Qingmoshan said that when they went to the capital, they were robbed, but he had skills, so it was okay——

The old man asked again: "Do you have a wife?"

A man from Qingmo Mountain said: "I haven't married yet."

The old man pointed at the girl and said to the Qingmo Mountain people: "I will give you my daughter as your wife."

When the people of Qingmo Mountain saw the girl with unkempt hair and beautiful eyes, they were a little tempted, but they still politely said: "I am penniless and my future is uncertain. I don't want to cause my beloved to suffer."

The old man spoke very concisely, and he must have read poetry: "I am trapped here, and I will die if you don't give me wheat cakes. I entrust this girl to you, and my old wife and I can make a living elsewhere with peace of mind."

The old couple begged the people of Qingmo Mountain to marry their daughter, so the people of Qingmo Mountain had no choice but to take the girl on the road for two or three miles. Seeing that the girl was just crying, they got impatient and sent the girl back to where she was. However,

There was no trace of the old couple under the big locust tree. People from Qingmo Mountain searched all around and found no one. The old couple were so hungry that their hands were shaking and their feet were weak. After such a while, where could they go?

Well, there is only one possibility: the old couple knew that there was no way to survive as a family of three together, and did not want to drag their daughter down, so they committed suicide in Surabaya——

The girl Dong Milk Tea obviously realized this. She stumbled to the river bank. Sure enough, there was a cloth shoe left on the stone wall on the bank. It belonged to her father. Dong Milk Tea looked at the river and cried. The river bank here is steep and the water is fast. People fall into the water.

It would soon be washed away, and the people of Qingmo Mountain did not have the strength or money to collect the body. They had to comfort the girl, and the two of them followed west and stayed in an abandoned temple. After walking for three days, they finally arrived in Jining. The girl

He was so thin that he looked like he was going to be blown down by the wind at any moment, but he didn't fall down. The Qingmoshan people were sick, hungry and tired and fell down first——

"To the west is my auspicious place, and there will be noble people to rescue me. Sure enough." The Qingmoshan native ended his story with these words. He was sick and frail, and was out of breath after talking for so long.

Zhang Dai and Zhang Yuan both lamented that the disaster in the six counties of Shandong was so severe and the suffering of the people was really shocking. The old couple entrusted their daughter to a random person and committed suicide. This is so sad. The old couple must have thought

, a person who is willing to give up wheat cakes for them to eat at that time may be trustworthy, but what if he is not trustworthy!

The girl Dong Milk Tea was crying, and Mu Zhenzhen was comforting her in a low voice.

The people from Qingmoshan begged the Zhang brothers to take him to the capital. Zhang Dai said: "It's not easy to live in the capital. You'd better go back to Shanyin. I'll give you two a few taels of silver for travel expenses."

Zhang Yuan suddenly thought that he might need such a person who could pretend to be a ghost. The art of divination was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. He could tell certain prophecies through the mouths of the people of Qingmo Mountain. Saving the country was difficult, so he had to use any means, so he asked Zhang Dai

He said: "Brother, let Shanren follow us to the capital. There is not much distance left, and it is even farther back to Shanyin."

Zhang Yuan asked Qingmo Shanren to recuperate at the inn next to the medicine shop. When the canal was clear, he asked someone to call him and set off together. Qingmo Shanren naturally thanked him profusely.

…

On the second day of the twelfth lunar month, the waterway ahead was cleared, and thousands of ships blocked in Jining began to sail. Zhang Yuan asked Wang Dachui to go into the city, take Qingmo Shanren and Dong Milk Tea on board and set off together. The Qingmoshan people took three doses.

Xiaobuihu Decoction, after the high fever subsided, the disease was generally cured. On the boat, Wu Ling finally couldn't help his curiosity and asked Qingmoshan people how old they were this year? Because he had seen Qingmoshan people on the cross street wearing a beard and looking sanctimonious.

He is about forty years old, but now he looks like he is only in his twenties or thirties——

The man from Qingmo Mountain told the truth. He is twenty-six years old this year. The reason why he pretends to be more mature is because he is too young and no one believes in fortune telling. The three strands of beard are actually glued on. In this world, most people

People are only what they look like.

This incident made Wu Ling laugh all day long.

The wife Dong Milk Cha chosen by the people of Qingmo Mountain changed completely after taking a bath on the boat. Although she was skinny, she was very delicate and her skin was fair and she no longer looked unkempt. The people of Qingmo Mountain cherished her very much, "

"Milk tea, milk tea" is on the lips.

…

The boat went all the way north, and on the seventh day of the lunar month it arrived in Liaocheng, where it was jammed for another day. It was said that the Linqing Chao Pass was being repaired. When passing the Linqing Chao Pass in the evening of the 9th day, Wen Zhenmeng met an acquaintance from Zhucheng, Qingzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province.

Chen Qiyou, one of the candidates for the exam, met Wen Zhenmeng in the capital during the Guichou Examination three years ago. They were a casual acquaintance. Chen Qiyou and an old servant took a merchant ship to the capital to take the examination——

Seeing that Fan Wenruo's boat could accommodate a few more people, Wen Zhenmeng invited Chen Qiyou, his master and servant, to live with him. Zhang Yuan came over the boat to ask Chen Qiyou about the drought in Shandong. Chen Qiyou burst into tears and said that the people in his hometown of Qingzhou Prefecture

The people of Qilu are homeless, the hungry people cover the fields, the villages are barricaded, and their children are sold like cattle and sheep. They, the people of Qilu, have never accumulated any money in advance. They will be full when the year is good, and famine will happen when the year is poor. The land of Qingzhou

, Barrenness and bitterness are combined. Ten days of rain will lead to water disease, and ten days of sun will lead to drought. Since the beginning of spring this year, there has been heavy rain first, and then severe drought. Three-thirds of the wheat sown will not be able to get a cent, and a hundred grains will be sown.

Not even a grain was harvested, but locusts were everywhere. Not only were all the garden vegetables eaten, but even the weeds were gone, with no roots or shoots left. It was impossible to dig wild vegetables——

Zhang Yuan asked: "Didn't Shandong officials launch famine relief?"

Chen Qiyou said: "Qian Shi, the censor of Youqiandu, Shandong Province, sent a letter to Shu in the seventh month after he finished his work. He said that there would be no rain in the six counties of the eastern province from the first month to the sixth month. The fields were withered and burned thousands of miles away, and the plowmen and traders were swarming to follow them.

They plundered to get enough to eat, and asked the court to quickly provide food relief, but so far there has been no reply."

Zhang Yuan thought: "Emperor Wanli, who owns the world, no longer regards the world as belonging to his Lao Zhu family. He doesn't care about the life or death of the people."

I heard Chen Qiyou say again: "If the edict for disaster relief and land tax exemption is not issued, the suffering of the people will intensify, because seven out of ten residents will die or flee, and three out of ten who will collect grain and take tenants will not survive. Of these three out of ten

They have to bear ten dens of tax, which is equivalent to one ding of three dings of corvee. These remaining people will eventually be forced to death or become thieves." He also took out the long scroll of "Picture of the Hungry People" he painted from the book case, and read each

Each picture is decorated with five-character quatrains, as well as narrative and postscript——

Ruan Dacheng came over the boat to look at "Picture of Hungry People". After seeing two pictures, he hurried back to his ship. He couldn't bear to see this miserable situation. Zhang Yuan, Huang Zunsu, Ni Yuanlu and others were so sad after seeing "Picture of Hungry People" that they couldn't eat or drink for several days.

Gan, all the governors met in Beijing and jointly submitted a letter to Fu Que, imploring the emperor to issue an edict for disaster relief as soon as possible to save the people of Shandong from hanging upside down. The governors are not as good as the living members, so they are qualified to speak about state affairs——

Because of this experience, the Hanshe people who were traveling with me felt that the singing and dancing in Jiangnan suddenly became far away. These days, when discussing tax laws and people's livelihood, I have a more personal understanding of Zhang Yuan's "Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the country." The Hanshe group

This requires such a sense of mission that takes the common people of the world as one's own responsibility. This is what Zhang Yuan has always wanted to guide. Eating, drinking and having fun are indispensable, but when it is time to do serious work, you must be able to do it.

…

On the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, the boat arrived at Tianjin Wei. Senior brother Xu Guangqi was the person Zhang Yuan must meet. He also needed Xu Guangqi's guidance and support to submit a letter for disaster relief. So that afternoon, when we arrived at the intersection of Lu River and Wei River, Zhang Yuan asked the boatman to moor the boat on the left bank.

, he and Jinnige, Xu sent a few people to go ashore to ask the local people where Xu Hanlin's farm was?

If it is as Xu Guangqi said in his letter, he can find out the location of his Xu farm by just going ashore at the intersection of the two rivers. Zhang Yuan hired a carriage and rode there with Jin Ni Ge and Xu Zhuan Xin.

Wu Ling, Wang Dachui and several servants followed on foot.

Pingchou wilderness is covered with white snow. There have been several heavy snowfalls in the Beijing-Tianjin area since the beginning of winter, and the climate is colder than in previous years. The big horse driving the horse snorted and exhaled white air, the driver huddled up in a ball with his sheepskin coat, and the carriage headed west for about

Six or seven miles away, the driver raised his whip and pointed to a hill not far away and said: "At the foot of the mountain over there is Xu Hanlin's farm. Xu Hanlin is farming in Jinmen, growing southern rice and various herbal medicines. The water diversion equipment made by Xu Hanlin is even

It's strange that people often come to see the farmers around. Xu Hanlin has no official pretensions and personally teaches farmers how to plant and divert water. It's just that the villain really doesn't understand that Xu Hanlin is not a good official in the capital, but he comes here to farm!

"

Zhang Yuan once heard from Teacher Jiao that the reason why Senior Brother Xu resigned from his post due to illness and stayed idle in Tianjin was that during the Guichou Examination in the 41st year of Wanli Period, Xu Guangqi was appointed as the examiner of Chunqiu Fangtong. At that time, Wei Guangwei was also the examiner of Chunqiu Fangtong. Xu Guangqi was deposed from Wei Guangwei.

Three people were selected and recommended from the failed examination papers. These three people eventually won the Jinshi and had good reputations as officials. Wei Guangwei therefore hated Xu Guangqi and spread rumors that Xu Guangqi accepted bribes from candidates. He even criticized Xu Guangqi for being superstitious about God and being unfaithful and unfilial.

Xu Guangqi suffered from neck pain and poor health during this period. After being slandered, he resigned and went to Tianjin to recuperate while farming. He compiled the "Encyclopedia of Agricultural Administration", built water conservancy projects, experimented with promoting southern rice, and eased the pressure on water transportation in the south of the Yangtze River. Xu Guangqi

I feel that instead of talking nonsense with those high-profile officials in the court, it is better to retreat and network and do some practical things——

Zhang Yuandao: "In our Ming Dynasty, there were too few officials like Xu Hanlin, otherwise we would have been able to survive even if there were natural disasters."

The coachman said: "This young master is right. Xu Hanlin is a good official. The poor people near Tianjin often rely on Xu Hanlin to help him. This year, the crops from the capital to Tianjin are not harvesting well. Life is difficult."

The carriage rolled through ice and snow and arrived in front of the gate of Xu's manor. Wu Ling went to assassinate him. Before it was time for a cup of tea, several people hurriedly came out from the path of the manor. The Confucian in front was about fifty years old and tall.

Medium-sized, with prominent eyebrows, clear eyes, and clear and well-proportioned nasolabial folds on both sides of the nose, indicating that this person is determined and lives a regular life——

"Junior Brother Jiezi, Brother Yu has been waiting for you for many days."

It was Xu Guangqi who came quickly at the head. He bowed his hands and bowed from a few feet away, beaming with joy.

Zhang Yuan bowed his head and said: "Zhang Yuan has met Senior Brother Xu."

Xu Guangqi is fifty-four years old this year, the same age as Zhang Yuan's father Zhang Ruiyang. However, because of Jiao Hong's relationship, the two are considered equals and are considered brothers in the same discipline——

Jin Ni Ge had already made the sign of the cross and said: "God bless you, peace. Nanjing Jesuit Jin Ni Ge has met Brother Paul."

Xu Zhuanxun also came forward to greet him. Xu Zhuanxun was from Shanghai and his surname was Xu, but he was not related to Xu Guangqi.

Xu Guangqi was very happy to see the three people from Zhang Yuan. He asked that there were twenty-three people who were traveling with Zhang Yuan. They were now parked at the mouth of the Sancha River. He ordered his servants to prepare cars and sedans. He asked Wu Ling to lead the way and bring those people together.

Invited to dinner.

Xu Guangqi introduced the thirty-year-old Confucian scholar next to Zhang Yuan and the others: "This is my fellow countryman Sun Yuanhua, whose courtesy name is Chuyang——"

This handsome Confucian scholar with silkworm eyebrows and red phoenix eyes bowed and said: "I am a student of Master Xu, Sun Yuanhua from Shanghai. I have met Zhang Jieyuan, Father Jin, and Xu Juren."

Zhang Yuan was very happy. He knew that he would probably meet Sun Yuanhua here with Senior Brother Xu. Sun Yuanhua learned eight-part essay from Xu Guangqi when he was young. He was deeply influenced by Xu Guangqi and studied Western learning, especially Western firearms. He was a rare talent. Zhang Yuan was a rare talent.

It turned out to be a passionate friendship——

Xu Guangqi took Zhang Yuan's hand and invited Jinni Pavilion, Xu to relay the message, and Sun Yuanhua to sit down in the front hall of the manor, warm the fire and drink tea. Xu Guangqi said: "I heard that the hungry people in Shandong acted as thieves and blocked the canal. This month

In the middle of the month, I still haven't seen my junior brother arrive. I thought it was blocked. I'm glad the river has reopened. I'm very lucky that my junior brother arrived safely."

Zhang Yuan immediately told Xu Guangqi about the disaster in Shandong. Xu Guangqi's expression suddenly became solemn and he said: "I will go to Beijing with you tomorrow. It is urgent to provide relief to the hungry people."

Jinni Ge was afraid that Xu Guangqi would have no time to take care of him, so he quickly took out a letter and presented it: "This is a letter written by Father Bellarmine, Cardinal of Rome, to the Ming Dynasty saints. He gave it to Brother Paul. The original letter was from Buddha

Lang Jiwen. I have translated it into Chinese characters, but the writing style is so poor that Brother Paul laughed."
To be continued...