Chapter 219 The Great Guanzhong Earthquake
The conversation between Su Ze and Li Zhi was interrupted by Mrs. Li. After inviting Su Ze to have a meal at home, Mrs. Li gave Su Ze a lot of gifts in return and asked him to take them to his ninth aunt and the elders in the family. .
Su Ze declined again and again, but still accepted the return gift. It must be said that Mrs. Li was quite generous with her offer. It also included several exquisite items from her daughter's home, which needless to say were provided as a supplement to her daughter.
"Rulin, ask Lan'er's uncle to go to the Imperial Academy of Nanjing with you in the next year, so that you can have someone to take care of you along the way." You
can only go by land from Fujian to Nanjing. Going north from Fujian needs to pass through Zhejiang, which is in the midst of the Japanese rebellion, and is now near Nanjing. There were also Japanese pirates causing trouble. This time Li Zhi brought several loyal and brave servants to protect him when he came back from Nanjing. It was thanks to them that he averted the danger.
It was naturally safer for the two of them to go north together, so Su Ze naturally agreed.
Although Li Zhi was reluctant to return to Nanjing Imperial College, he felt happy at the thought of being able to travel with Su Ze and ask him for advice along the way.
After the guests and hosts had a good time, Mrs. Li also hinted that Su Ze should drop by Huguan to visit Fang Wanghai and finalize the marriage as soon as possible.
Su Ze understood what Mrs. Li meant and also said he would visit Suzhou along the way.
After all, Su Ze was not officially married, so Mrs. Li arranged for her to rest in the Li family's villa in Quanzhou City.
After bidding farewell to Mrs. Li the next day, Su Ze returned with a carload of gifts in return. After he returned to Changning Guard, he encountered a notice from Eunuch Tao, asking him to visit the mine supervisor when he returned.
Su Ze could only put down his things in a hurry and rushed to the mine supervisor's workshop. He saw the smiling Eunuch Tao grabbing Su Ze and saying, "Mr.
Xie Yuan! The Za family has important matters to discuss with you."
When Tao arrived, In the newly built house of his father-in-law, he said:
"Gong Jie Yuan! The imperial court has issued a decree to restore the Ryukyu tribute trade, and appointed me to be promoted to Fuzhou Shipping Secretary!"
Su Ze was naturally overjoyed when he heard the news. What he knew about Emperor Jiajing was that Ryukyu had ambergris, and this bargaining chip was enough for Emperor Jiajing to agree to reopen Ryukyu tribute.
But Su Ze still didn't expect that Eunuch Tao would be appointed to promote the city's shipping department!
Originally, Su Ze was thinking about how to open up connections and drag Fuzhou Shipping Company into trouble!
There is no need for it now, Eunuch Tao has been tied to him for a long time.
Su Ze quickly raised his hands and said, "Congratulations, Eunuch Tao! It's a good job to be promoted to the city's shipping department!"
Eunuch Tao touched his chin and laughed.
Compared with Eunuch Hu and Eunuch Xiaoyou who were content to be in the mine supervision, Eunuch Tao was naturally not willing to live in a ravine.
But before coming, Li Fang told Eunuch Tao not to disturb the local area, and the emperor's decree also told him not to live in the city and disturb the local area.
Naturally, Eunuch Tao also wanted to go to the city to enjoy the blessings, but everyone in Fujian was watching him. He must have done some bad deeds and he would be doubly impeached.
Fuzhou Shipping Department already had official offices and residences in Fuzhou City, but it had been abandoned due to the interruption of tribute trade in recent years. It only needed to be renovated to make it habitable. The imperial court also allocated the cost of repairing the City Shipping Department.
In this way, Eunuch Tao can move to the bustling city of Fuzhou instead of living in this shabby ravine.
Moreover, the promotion of eunuchs by the City Shipping Department is the most fertile vacancy. Private goods included in the tribute trade can be laundered through the City Shipping Department. The tributes are also paid to the emperor by the City Shipping Department. The most important thing is that the City Shipping Secretary promotes eunuchs and there are The right to reveal secrets.
The eunuchs who are promoted have the right to hear and speak out, which is equivalent to the imperial envoys sent by the emperor to the local area. This right is the most important.
With this right, Fujian officials no longer want to see Eunuch Tao, but will be respectful and submissive when they meet in the future.
Compared with coinage, being promoted to the Chief Shipping Officer was a very lucrative job. Eunuch Tao also knew that this was the emperor's reward for his coinage job.
Thinking of Su Ze's contribution, Eunuch Tao relied on him even more. Who wouldn't like a capable consultant who doesn't take credit?
Eunuch Tao asked: "The Za family heard that the person who suggested reopening the Ryukyu tribute was Mr. Wang, the governor of Fujian, and Mr. Wang was Xie Yuanlang's house master. Is there any inside information that you can tell the Za family?" Eunuch Tao is very good at grasping the key points
. He was able to obey Su Ze's advice on the matter of minting coins because he knew that the key to minting coins was to make money, and Su Ze was the one who could help her make money.
And this time, the most important thing about the work of the Shipping Department is naturally the ambergris.
The emperor reopened Ryukyu to pay tribute because these Ryukyu people had ambergris in their hands. Being able to get this batch of ambergris was the most important thing.
Su Ze pretended not to know and said, "My mentor and I did mention the Ryukyu tribute in the letter. My mentor said that these Ryukyu people really have ambergris in their hands." Eunuch Tao's eyes lit up, and he immediately said
: "If there is really ambergris, we must send it to the emperor as soon as possible!"
Eunuch Tao kept pacing, and he said as he walked:
"It is already December, and we will definitely not be able to catch up with the Lantern Festival at the end of the year. Can you make it in time?"
"If the ambergris can be presented before the Lantern Festival, the Emperor will definitely be very happy!" "
But Fujian and the capital are thousands of miles apart, how can we make it in time for the Lantern Festival?" "
I don't know if the Ryukyu envoy has it. When will the ambergris be delivered to Fuzhou?"
Seeing Eunuch Tao looking so anxious, Su Ze knew the power of the imperial power.
In order for the emperor to obtain ambergris, all important things had to give way to this matter.
For the sake of ambergris, Ryukyu tribute can be reopened, and for the sake of ambergris, one can ride on the earthly concubine and laugh, which is the embodiment of the emperor's infinitely expanded personal desires.
Eunuch Tao has already thought about using the channel of conveying military information to pay tribute to ambergris, but he still feels that this speed is not enough.
He thought for a while and said: "Forget it, it seems that we can't wait until the Lantern Festival. When we get to Fuzhou, we will ask Mr. Xie Yuangong to help introduce Governor Wang so that the Za family can get in touch with the Ryukyu envoy as soon as possible." Su Ze thought to himself about the ambergris
. Just at Choning Guard, the Ryukyu envoy is also waiting on Toao Island.
Eunuch Tao was eager to reopen the Ryukyu Tribute, and Su Ze naturally wanted to do so. Now that the Shifusi Yamen has started to be repaired, he agreed to accompany Eunuch Cao to Fuzhou after the year.
Su Ze took out the gift he had prepared and said,
"Eunuch Tao, the New Year is coming, this is a gift for you."
In addition to Eunuch Tao, Eunuch Hu, Eunuch Xiaoyou, and Su Ze also gave gifts.
New Year's Eve is a difficult time for ordinary people, but it is also quite troublesome for a person like Su Ze who has a good reputation.
Over the course of the year, Su Ze would give various New Year gifts to acquaintances. This year, Su Ze was admitted to the Juren Examination again, which was completely different from celebrating the holidays all year round.
Sun Zhixian, the county magistrate, will give gifts, and the Yu family will also give gifts later. Students from the county school who are studying in the same year will also give gifts.
Mother Xiong from Wuyishan also brought a gift, Huang Tiju from Huimin Pharmacy, the shopkeepers from the printing shop and several shops also gave red envelopes.
For the first time, Su Ze felt that he needed a hostess to take care of these things. Two figures appeared in his mind. Su Ze quickly shook his head and once again devoted himself to all the New Year matters.
This year Changningwei was also extremely lively. The records of the same year for the Fujian Provincial Examination were finally compiled two years ago. Huang Maochong, who ranked second in this subject, came to Changningwei in person to deliver the printed "Records of the same year".
Su Ze warmly entertained Huang Maochong. Seeing the prosperous scene of Changningwei, Huang Maochong was also amazed. Su Ze asked people to serve sweet potatoes and potatoes to entertain Huang Maochong. After eating the sweet roasted sweet potatoes, Huang Maochong said in surprise: "
This Is it sweet potato? I also grow it in my family’s mountain fields, but it’s not as delicious as the one at Rulin’s house.”
Huang Maochong is from Xinghua Prefecture, Fujian, which is closer to Yuegang. Sure enough, sweet potatoes have been introduced to the coastal areas of Fujian for a long time. .
Because it was imported from foreigners’ ships, the locals call it sweet potato.
However, when sweet potatoes were first introduced to China, the varieties were small and tasted bad. When Fujian people first planted them, they used them to feed animals or satisfy the poor.
Because sweet potato planting technology is not developed, it is only grown casually in mountain fields, and the yield is not large.
Su Ze took the opportunity to sell it: "This is my improved variety. It is currently only grown in Weishan Mountain in Changning. If Brother Xiangqian likes it, I will send you some grain seeds for you to plant back." Huang Maochong said quickly: "Thank you very much, Brother Rulin
. "
Su Ze has been actively promoting the planting of sweet potatoes and potatoes. Although these two crops are not enough, they can save many people's lives during times of turmoil.
Just as Su Ze and Huang Maochong were chatting and drinking tea, the ground suddenly shook.
Su Ze's heart skipped a beat, and Huang Maochong also stood up in surprise and looked around blankly.
The Changning Guards ran out of the house. The ground shook again. Aunt Jiu shouted:
"The ground is moving! Get out of the house!"
Everyone rushed out of the house. The ground did not continue to shake. Huang Maochong breathed a sigh of relief.
But Su Ze looked north, and he actually forgot about this!
On December 12, a huge earthquake occurred in Shaanxi.
In this earthquake, many high-ranking officials who had returned home, including Han Bangqi, Minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing, and Ma Li, Minister of Nanjing Guanglu Temple, and their families were crushed to death on the same day.
It was midnight in Shaanxi and Shanxi. The sound was like thunder, the power was like shaking, and the big trees were like brooms sweeping the ground.
Throughout the Shaanxi earthquake, even these officials were not spared, and countless people died in the earthquake.
According to historical records, five provinces including Beijing, Shandong, Nanzhili, Huguang, and Hannan were also affected by this major earthquake, and earthquakes were recorded in Fujian and Guangdong.
Huang Maochong looked at Su Ze and asked: "Rulin, but the ground is shaking?"
Su Ze nodded and said: "The earthquake came from the northwest, we are just aftershocks, but today I would like to ask Xiang Qian to build a shed and stay outside for one night to avoid another earthquake at night. "Earthquake."
Huang Maochong said worriedly: "This year, I have invaded the border in the north, and the Japanese insurgency in the south has calmed down a little. I don't know whether this earthquake will be big or not. If there is another disaster, the court will not be able to withstand it." Huang Maochong insisted
. After returning to his hometown overnight, Su Ze could not persuade him and could only ask the Changning Guardsmen to escort him back to Xinghua Prefecture.
After seeing off Huang Maochong, Su Ze's mood also dropped. In the Shaanxi earthquake, so many senior officials died at the epicenter. Historical data said that the death toll in this earthquake was 830,000. In fact, according to local chronicles, Far more than this number, the government has no ability to count the death toll.
The grassroots government offices in some places in the epicenter were completely destroyed, and the entire Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces were completely devastated. Refugees poured into the capital from the two provinces. Emperor Jiajing ordered ministers to block the refugees outside the capital.
According to historical data, because these refugees had no food for disaster relief, they actually opened a human market among the refugees and exchanged their children for food.
According to historical data, "a major disaster, people cannibalize each other" is behind the human tragedy of countless families. Although earthquakes are natural disasters, the Ming court's poor disaster relief was also an important reason for the huge disaster.
And this earthquake once again heated up the factional struggle in the court.
When Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong were executed, another minister was also executed. This minister was named Yang Jisheng, who was a member of the Military Selection Department at the time.
Yang Jisheng was considered a disciple of Xu Jie. In the 32nd year of Jiajing's reign, he wrote a letter "Please punish the traitors and ministers", frankly speaking out about Yan Song's five major crimes, and was framed and imprisoned by Yan Song.
When Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong were debating their crimes, Yan Song included Yang Jisheng's name in Zhao Wenhua's memorial. Yang Jisheng was also executed by Emperor Jiajing and was executed in the city together with Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong.
Before his death, Yang Jisheng handed over the books he wrote in prison to his wife, wrote a desperate poem and then died generously. His wife Zhang also committed suicide. This incident caused a storm of public opinion in the capital, and Qingliu and Yandang became even more antagonistic.
But this time during the Shaanxi earthquake, Qingliu once again wrote a letter to attack Yan Song on the grounds that there were traitors in the country.
As the chief minister of the cabinet, when such a huge disaster occurred, Yan Song naturally wanted to write a letter to plead guilty. But this time, the always superstitious Emperor Jiajing ignored Qingliu's quotation from the classics and instead issued a self-incriminating edict.
In the edict of sin, the great Emperor Jiajing said bluntly:
"The failure of ministers and ministers to share their duties leads to discord between yin and yang, and disasters as a warning."
Translated: This earthquake is because of my sin, and my sin is because of me. He is the emperor, and the sins of your ministers are my sins. Who made me the emperor?
I pray that God will punish me and not the people of Ming Dynasty. Who made me the emperor of Ming Dynasty?
The main content is that regardless of the facts, don't you, the ministers, have any problems?
After the issuance of this sinful edict, Yan Song immediately submitted a letter of resignation.
Seeing Jiajing and Yan Song cooperating so well, Qingliu also knew that the situation was over, and they wrote letters expressing their guilt and praising the emperor's sage.
Even as ministers throughout the court were quarreling with each other, the candidates sent to Shaanxi for disaster relief had not yet been decided. Throughout December, the court was engaged in a fierce struggle over the earthquake.
Before the New Year, Fujian received news one after another that there was a major earthquake in Shaanxi and the entire Guanzhong area was reduced to ruins.
Later that year, the yamen in various places received an imperial edict, asking local governors and ministers to write a letter outspoken about the gains and losses of the government. He also ordered all local governments to "work hard to improve the province, and to perform their duties without making empty promises."
Amidst the chaos in the court, it was not until February that the candidate for the disaster relief minister was decided, Zou Shouyu, the left minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
In such a hectic court situation, just after the New Year, Eunuch Tao received an urgent message from the palace, requiring him to negotiate with the Ryukyu envoy as soon as possible and bring ambergris to the capital to pray for the peace of the country and the people.
Su Ze was also speechless. Even now, Emperor Jiajing is still thinking about his broken whale poop stone.
After spending the Lantern Festival at Changningwei, Su Ze finally couldn't stay any longer. After many urgings from Eunuch Tao, Su Ze finally set off for Fuzhou.
After going to Fuzhou Prefecture this time, Su Ze will go to Nanjing Imperial College together with Li Zhi and the same year.
Su Ze pulled Lin Mojun to explain various matters about Changning Wei.
(End of chapter)