Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 67

This battle started early in the morning, it was the end of Shen Shi when the Japanese village was defeated, and it was time for you to clear up the battle.The fog gradually faded, but it didn't dissipate completely. The sun over the mountains in the west was a circle of orange, dimly shining obliquely on the sea and the beach.

Anyone who has fought a big battle in Qi's army knows that after a fierce battle, it is often more difficult to clean up the battle than to fight.According to Hu Zongxian's military regulations in Zhejiang, all captured Japanese pirates must not be killed indiscriminately.As it was near dusk, at this time both prisoners of war and civilians had to camp nearby and wait for the next morning before they could be escorted and repatriated.From the fleet on the sea to the coast, there are crowds of people, orders and shouts come and go.

Qi Dazhu and his volunteer soldiers had nothing else to do, and they were all sitting quietly on the beach at the corner of the battlefield, some of them were bandaging their wounds, and some of them were looking at two rows of strange crowds not far away.

These two rows of people, one row is the soldiers of the Qi family army, they are all young and young, with excitement on their faces, but they dare not make a sound, and stare at the row of people opposite them with wide eyes.

In the row opposite the soldiers were dozens of women rescued this time, most of them were young women in their teens and twenties, and there were also women in their thirties, all of whom stood there quietly.

Hu Zhen, who commanded the warship of the Southwest Navy, stood in the middle of the top of the two rows of people, looked at the row of women first, and said loudly: "Think about it yourself, are there any lost relatives to look for? After the Japanese pirates were killed, their homes were burned, so they could stay and become military households. Those who don’t want to be military households can still go to join their relatives and friends!”

All the women in that row lowered their heads, none of them answered, and none of them left.

Hu Zhen: "That means you are all willing to stay. Well, then marry a chicken and follow the chicken, marry a dog and follow the dog! From now on, Taizhou Wei will be your home." He turned to the row of soldiers again: " You heard it clearly! It’s still the old rule, starting from the left, the first one is No. [-], and the number you go down is the number. Whoever picks you up is your wife! Military regulations are the orders of your parents, and casting lots is In the words of the matchmaker, this means that the matchmaker is married! Don’t be disgusted, don’t exchange privately, don’t fight or scold after following you, live a good life!”

The platoon of soldiers responded in unison: "Yes!"

Hu Zhen said to the soldier holding the bamboo tube next to him: "Let them cast lots!"

The soldier walked towards the row of women holding the bamboo tube, and stopped in front of the first one.

The first woman looked at the bamboo tube timidly, then closed her eyes and picked out a small ball of paper from inside, eager to open it.

The soldier: "Pinch it. Tell me to open it and then open it again."

The woman immediately pinched the ball of paper in her palm.

Then in order, one woman and one woman took out a ball of paper from the bamboo tube held by the soldier, and held them tightly.

The soldier froze before a woman, who stood silently with her head bowed, not casting lots.

The soldier said, "Yeah!"

The woman raised her head: "Let's go to the next one."

The soldier stood there in a daze—this woman had just come down from a catastrophe, and there was a long knife mark from her left forehead across her eyebrows to her right cheek, but her eyes were still so bright, covered by gunpowder smoke and sweat. I can't help the indescribable vividness on her face!

The row of soldiers on the opposite side all looked at this woman.

The soldier holding the bamboo tube: "Why are you standing here without casting lots?"

The woman was still stubborn: "Let the next one pick it up."

Hu Zhen also noticed it: "Let's be next!"

The soldier had no choice but to hold the bamboo tube and pass it to the next woman.

Many soldiers in the opposite row were still staring at this woman's face, but this woman looked at Qi Dazhu and the others.

Although the distance was not close, Qi Dazhu's gaze met the woman's gaze at this moment, and his heart moved inexplicably.At this time, the brothers around him all stood up one after another, but he didn't realize it.

"You are Qi Dazhu?" A figure stopped beside Qi Dazhu.

"I am." Qi Dazhu responded in a manly voice, and then turned his gaze over, and stood up quickly without being surprised.

Qi Jiguang stood in front of him.

"Xiaomin Qi Dazhu sees General Qi!" As he said, he cupped his hands and was about to bow down.

Qi Jiguang supported him with both hands: "He is a hero! You are the first in this battle! I want to reward you and your brothers."

Qi Dazhu: "We came voluntarily, no rewards."

Qi Jiguang: "Whether you come or not is your business, and whether you are rewarded or not is my business. I will discuss with you, would you like to bring your brothers to stay and work with me?"

Qi Dazhu looked at Qi Jiguang: "I am willing! Some brothers are also willing. But some brothers are afraid that they have to go back."

Qi Jiguang was very happy: "As long as you are willing to stay, that's fine! If you want to go back, you can go back."

"NO.17!" At this time, there was a loud announcement from the other side, and then a burst of commotion broke out.The eyes of the people on Qi Dazhu's side were attracted again.

It turned out that Hu Zhen had checked the number in the first woman's hand, and just after reading out the number, No. 17 in the soldier's row walked towards the woman amidst the noise with a gun in his hand, and stopped a foot away from her. The woman stretched out the barrel of the spear in her hand, and the woman lowered her head, at a loss.

Hu Zhen: "Pinch the handle of the gun."

Only then did the woman timidly pinch the handle of the gun that the soldier extended over, and was led by him to walk towards the opposite side.

Hu Zhen went on to read the second number: "Number nine!"

There was another commotion, and the ninth soldier walked over with a gun in hand.

Qi Dazhu and the others were dumbfounded.

The sound of Hu Zhen's chanting came continuously, as did the noise of soldiers.

Seeing the expressions of Qi Dazhu and others, Qi Jiguang smiled: "The Japanese pirates have committed crimes, and these women are homeless. It happens that many of our brothers are single, so the method of forcing them out is considered a merit."

Qi Dazhu's admiration spontaneously arose: "It's said that the Qi family army is iron, Xiaomin saw it today."

Qi Jiguang's smile suddenly faded, and his complexion sank: "This is not a Qi family army, and you are no longer a commoner."

Qi Dazhu was stunned.

Qi Jiguang said loudly: "Click a little, see how many of your brothers are willing to stay, form a team, and I will transfer some veterans for you, and it will be under your control. From today on, you will be my head of a hundred households!"

"Yes." Qi Dazhu was actually a little shy at this moment, and his answer was a little silent.

Qi Jiguang: "Speak up."

"Yes!" Qi Dazhu's voice was very loud.

Qi Jiguang's face was very stern at this time: "When you enter the Taizhou Guard Army Camp, everything must be done according to the military regulations. Also, you are not allowed to say what you are from the Qi Family Army in the future. All the military camps in my Ming Dynasty are the military camps of the imperial court, not the military camps of any family. !Understand?"

Qi Dazhu shivered, and replied solemnly: "Yes!"

Qi Jiguang: "Your brothers rest here first, someone will arrange for them to eat and form a formation. You go with me to meet someone first."

Qi Dazhu: "Yes."

Qi Jiguang took Qi Dazhu to the other side of the mountain.

"Wait a minute!" a woman called out from behind them.Both Qi Jiguang and Qi Dazhu stopped.

A woman ran towards them, it was the woman who refused to cast lots and had a knife mark on her face.

Qi Dazhu suddenly had a feeling in his heart, and he stared closely at the woman who came running.

The woman ran over but didn't look at him. She knelt down in front of Qi Jiguang and raised her head high: "Are you General Qi?"

Qi Jiguang: "Yes. What's your business?"

"I want to be with this man! General Qi please make the decision." The woman said these words in shock, and then kowtowed on the ground.

Qi Jiguang was a little puzzled: "Which man are you going with?"

The woman raised her head again and looked at Qi Jiguang: "It's the man next to the general!"

Qi Dazhu was startled, and looked at the woman with his eyes wide open.The woman didn't look at him, she was still staring at Qi Jiguang closely.

Qi Jiguang slowly looked at Qi Dazhu, then at the woman: "You mean him?"

The woman: "That's him!"

Qi Jiguang: "Why?"

The woman: "He helped me kill the Japanese pirates who killed my whole family!"

Qi Jiguang: "Do you want to repay your kindness?"

The woman: "Yes."

"How do you know if he has a wife?" Qi Jiguang said, looking at Qi Dazhu.

"It doesn't matter whether he has a wife or not." The woman rushed to answer loudly.

It was the first time for Qi Jiguang to encounter such a thing, he felt interesting, after all rashly, he looked at Qi Dazhu, and then at the woman: "Do you know if he wants you?"

The woman was so determined: "I'll just follow him."

Qi Jiguang was moved by her attitude, and looked at Qi Dazhu fixedly.

Qi Dazhu lowered his head instead.

Qi Jiguang said to the woman, "Go over there first and wait."

The woman kowtowed, stood up quietly, and walked towards Qi Dazhu's brothers quietly, never looking at Qi Dazhu.

Qi Dazhu's brothers stood there in a daze for a long time, and countless eyes were looking at this woman who came quietly.

The woman walked about a foot away from them and sat down on the beach by herself.

Qi Jiguang took Qi Dazhu and continued to walk towards the mountain: "Do you have a wife?"

Qi Dazhu: "So yes, I gave birth to a child last year, and it was difficult to deliver, and the mother and child were not kept."

"Oh." Qi Jiguang couldn't help but glanced at him again, then stopped talking and strode forward.Qi Dazhu silently followed his steps and walked into a forest.

"Bibutang, my subordinates brought him here." Qi Jiguang knelt down on one leg.

Qi Dazhu stood there in a daze.On a big rock in front of him, the person sitting was black, thin and inconspicuous.And the well-known General Qi knelt down at that person.

Qi Jiguang stood up again, facing Qi Dazhu: "This is Hu Butang who let you go at the beginning. Come and meet me."

Qi Dazhu was startled, only then did he realize that this person was Hu Zongxian, governor of Zhejiang Province, and immediately knelt down on his knees: "Xiaomin Qi Dazhu pays homage to Hu Butang!"

Hu Zongxian smiled lightly: "Did Haizhi County send you here?"

Qi Dazhu: "Master Huibutang, yes."

Hu Zongxian: "This time you have made a contribution."

Qi Dazhu: "Master Huibutang, it should be."

Hu Zongxian: "You didn't receive military pay from the imperial court, so you shouldn't say so."

Qi Dazhu raised his head: "If Master Butang hadn't let us go, and if Haizhi County hadn't rescued us later, we would have died several times. Of course we should do something for the court."

Hu Zongxian looked at Qi Jiguang: "Did you hear that? The people don't know what the court is. The court in their hearts is us officials."

Qi Jiguang was deeply moved: "This subordinate understands."

Hu Zongxian asked Qi Jiguang again: "Did they agree to stay?"

Qi Jiguang: "Go back to the Department Hall, he agreed, some people are willing to stay with him, some people want to go back."

Hu Zongxian stood up slowly: "Write the military report and give them the first credit, and recommend the rest according to the merit, and I will report it to the Ministry of War tonight."

Qi Jiguang: "Yes."

"Get up." Hu Zongxian looked at Qi Dazhu again.

Only then did Qi Dazhu stand up.

Hu Zongxian: "Although you are an officer and army now, fighting this battle is still done by righteous people. I have no other reward for you. I will give you this sword." He untied the sword at his waist and handed it over .

Qi Dazhu stood blankly, not daring to reach out to catch the sword.

Qi Jiguang was also a little surprised: "Butang, this is the sword you used when you were in the Ministry of War, how can you give it away?"

Hu Zongxian: "It's not very useful for me to carry it, why not give it to him to kill a few Japanese pirates."

What is "not much use"?Being an official is nothing more than advancing and retreating. Qi Jiguang immediately felt the retreat deep in his heart, and it was the kind of helpless retreat. : "Come here!"

Qi Dazhu knelt down again, and raised his hands to receive the precious sword.

Hu Zongxian began to walk towards the mountains, and the captain of the guards and the guards led the horses and immediately followed.

Qi Jiguang bowed deeply: "Send it to the hall!"

Hu Zongxian stopped again, and when he turned his head, Qi Dazhu was still kneeling there with a sword in his hand, looking at him.

Hu Zongxian: "I ask you brothers who have gone back to bring a word, thank you to Haizhi County."

Qi Dazhu replied loudly: "Yes!"

The sky was getting dark, and Hu Zongxian and his soldiers disappeared into the depths of the dark woods.

It was Haishi when Hai Rui arrived at the Hangzhou Post Office.The same place, the same people, several months apart, but the attitude of the postmen and postmen who came here this time is quite different.The postman held the lamp himself, and the postman led the horse for him into the courtyard gate.

"Has Wangzhi County arrived yet?" Hai Rui asked loudly as soon as he entered the door.

"Do you dare to come first?" Wang Yongji also held a lantern in his hand, standing in the courtyard, still smiling, looking at Hai Rui.

One is in Chun'an, and the other is in Jiande, a neighboring county, but they haven't been able to meet each other for several months.When Hai Rui saw him, he felt the spring breeze coming towards him, and immediately walked over: "You are always faster than me."

Wang Yongji: "I'm closer than you, it's just a good location, it's just a good location."

"Where do you live?" Hai Rui asked Wang Yongji.

Yicheng immediately answered: "A big room in the East Courtyard has been arranged for the two masters. Master Wang said that he must live in the two rooms you used to live in, and the younger one had to obey. If you find it inconvenient to do business, you can also transfer."

"Originally good! Just live in the two rooms we had last time." Hai Rui agreed loudly.

But as soon as he entered the door, Hai Rui felt something was wrong. Is this the original room?
——Lamps are hung on the beams of the house, lamps are placed on the corners of the room, and lamps are placed on the desks, shining brightly!The room is indeed the same room, but all the furnishings have been changed. The same color of huanghuali furniture, the desk is much larger, and the paper, pen, ink and inkstone on it are obviously top-grade, and they are neatly arranged.On the table, the tea sets on the tea table were also replaced with high-quality fine porcelain, and there were also vases and antiques.

Hai Rui stood in the middle of the house and glanced up, down, left, and right.

Yicheng stood beside him, pointing to the huanghuali washbasin by the door: "Master Hai, wash your face first, and let them wait for you to take a bath later. See if there is anything missing, and I will send someone to give you a bath." Bring it."

It was only now that Hai Rui saw that there was a Baiyun copper washbasin on the wash stand by the door, filled with clean water, and a snow-white Songjiang cotton facekerchief was placed half in the water and half beside the basin.His face became even uglier, and he slowly looked at the Yi Cheng.

Wang Yongji stood on the other side with a ghostly smile, he knew that Yicheng was going to get a bad nose soon.

"What are you lighting so many lamps for?" Hai Rui nailed him as soon as he opened his mouth, "And these vases! We are here for business. Leave one lamp on the table, and take away other useless things. "

The Yi Cheng was immediately embarrassed: "Master Hai, although you and Mr. Wang are still serving as county magistrates, this time they are on official business according to orders. We are receiving them according to regulations."

Hai Rui: "What regulation? Is there such a regulation in the "Da Ming Hui Dian"?"

The postman had no choice but to look at Wang Yongji.

Wang Yongji: "It's better to obey than to be respectful. Just do what Master Hai wants."

The postman had no choice but to shout to the postmen outside: "Get a fork, and turn off the lamps on the beams and the seat lamps. Move out the vases and antiques."

Immediately two postmen came in, one took a long pole and fork to fork the lamp hanging on the beam of the house, and the other went to fetch vases and antiques that were placed everywhere.

Wang Yongji said to Hai Rui: "Wipe your face first. Let them do it. Go sit in my room."

"No more." Hai Rui said, beckoning Wang Yongji to walk out the door.Walking to the door, he said to the postman again: "100 taels of Songjiang cotton cloth are used to make facial handkerchiefs, and you are too rich. Instead, I only use hemp ones."

While speaking, he arrived at the door of Wang Yongji's guest room, and when he opened the door, Hai Rui showed the same expression that he didn't want to go in.

——Wang Yongji's room had exactly the same specifications and furnishings as Hai Rui's room just now.

"Forget it. I'd better stand outside the yard." Hai Rui said and left.

Wang Yongji pulled him back, still smiling: "You don't want to live a good life, and why don't you allow him to be more comfortable? It's too unreasonable."

Hai Rui: "What a great favor. Runlian, do you know how much money this size costs per person per day?"

Wang Yongji: "Including meals, 20 taels a day."

Hai Rui: "Do you know you still live?"

Wang Yongji accepted the smile: "Because Zhao Zhongcheng and the Weaving Bureau personally arranged this."

(End of this chapter)