Zhenjiang, the intersection of the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal.
Water birds flew around the white sails on the river. The busy port was illuminated by the scorching sun. People came and went. It was almost noon, but the city was still moving quickly.
"Zhenjiang has been a prosperous city for a hundred years. When I was young, my teacher said it was the hub of the east and the west, the north and the south. I wasn't convinced and asked if it was more powerful than Jiangning. My teacher said it not only has the Yangtze River, but it also has the Grand Canal. The Wu dynasty was prosperous in trade and commerce, so this place was the most important. I came here when I was eight, but it didn't even have the big circle outside. "
The scorching sun shone down, and the green beech forest on the mountain west of the city reflected the cool shade of the trees. When the wind blew over the mountain, the leaves rustled. Outside the beech forest was a hillside with all kinds of wild grass. Looking down from the hillside, one could see the busy scene of Zhenjiang. The towering city wall surrounded it, and outside the wall was a residential area that stretched for several miles. The low houses were connected to the fishing village by the canal, and the road passed between the houses, radiating along the river bank.
On the higher mountains of the forest, on the banks of the river in the distance, there were military camps and watchtowers. At this time, beside the beech forest, a man was sitting casually on a rock under a tree. There were young people and guards following him. In the distance, a group of people came in a horse carriage.
"In the two hundred years of the Wu dynasty, this is the most prosperous place in Zhenjiang, although it was destroyed by the Zhenren a few years ago … In the second year of Jianshuo, we searched the mountains and the sea. Ruhua, do you remember? Shu Lie sent troops to Yangzhou. I escaped from the river and met your sister here. "
The man sitting on the rock still had a handsome face, but he had a beard and was dressed in the casual clothes of an ordinary official. Although his eyes were gentle, he still had his dignity. This was the Crown Prince of the Wu dynasty, Zhou Junwu. The young man sitting on the grass was pale. When he heard this, he trembled slightly and nodded.
The pale young man's name was Shen Ruhua. He was the younger brother of Shen Ruxin, the third concubine of the crown prince. Compared to his sister, Zhou Pei, who was struggling with her marriage, Jun Wu, who had been ambitious since he was a child, didn't care about marriage at all. He had one wife and five concubines, but apart from Shen Ruxin, the other five were all from wealthy families. The fourth wife of the crown prince's residence, Shen Ruxin, was a friend that Jun Wu had met while he was on the run. She might not be his favorite, but she was the most special wife in the crown prince's residence.
However, it was clear that Shen Ruhua was not at ease at all. In fact, her entire body was trembling, and it seemed like she was on the verge of collapsing.
Jun Wu stared at Zhenjiang in silence.
"In the second year of Jianshuo, that was eight years ago. I escaped to Zhenjiang. Not long after, the Female Enlightened crossed the river and started to attack the city. I escaped first. After the Female Zhenren broke into the city, she did not seal her saber for ten days, and nearly fifty thousand people died. The prefectural magistrate of Zhenjiang sent someone to send Ru Hua and her family out. They survived. Do you remember? Fifty thousand people … "
Jun Wu recalled the catastrophe of the past. He raised his finger slightly, and a complicated expression appeared on his face for a long time. Finally, he smiled strangely. "So … it's really strange. Fifty thousand people died, and half of the city was burned down. Look at how prosperous Zhenjiang has become in eight years. The city walls can't hold it anymore, and everyone is moving out. This year, the prefectural magistrate of Zhenjiang roughly estimates that the population of this area is about seven hundred and fifty thousand … That's strange. Seven hundred and fifty thousand people. Before the Female Enlightened Master attacked, there were only a million people in Bianliang. Someone happily reported it to the prefectural magistrate. It's so hard to make a country prosper. Ruhua, do you know why? "
Shen Ruhua's face fell, and he looked like he was about to cry. Jun Wu looked at him for a moment, then stood up.
"Let me tell you, it's because the people who came from the north first arrive in Jiangnan. Zhenjiang is the hub of the north and south, so everyone is gathering here … Of course, not all of them come to Zhenjiang. At first, it was still possible to go further south, but later on, there were too many people going south, and the big families in the south did not allow it. They said that the people from the south should return to the north, and the people from the north should return to the south. There were several problems, and there were bandits, and many people died. There are seven hundred and fifty thousand people in Zhenjiang, and six hundred thousand of them are refugees who fled from the north. "
He pointed to the front. "In the past eight years, who knows how many people have died. The remaining six hundred thousand people live here like beggars. The densely packed houses outside are all built in recent years. They have no fields, no land, and no family. Six or seven years ago, not to mention hiring them, even giving them some gruel to fill their stomachs, and then using them as livestock, would be considered a great philanthropist. They have endured until now, and those who couldn't endure died. Those who survived have houses outside the city, but they don't have land. They can do manual labor, or serve as soldiers … Many people are like that. "
"… They are a little better than livestock." Jun Wu smiled at Shen Ru Hua. "I've secretly visited many of them. They are a little better than livestock, so they can live on. They said that they hope to live a few more years of peace. From Jiangning to Zhenjiang, and from Zhenjiang to Lin 'an, millions of people are living like this. They are given a way to make a living. As for the rich, they are allowed to work, and those who have land at home can be hired to farm …"
He took a deep breath and unconsciously shook his right fist by his side. He paused for a moment and continued, "The Lady Zhenren went south three times and kidnapped millions of Han people from the Central Plains. Those people became slaves in the Jin Kingdom, and the Jin Kingdom really treated them like livestock to feed the meat of the Jin Kingdom. But the Wu dynasty lost the Central Plains for ten years, and millions of people lost their families. They had nothing, but we treated them like livestock. We just gave them some food, and they were asked to work and farm. All of a sudden, the businesses in various places prospered, and Lin 'an was prosperous for a while. Some people say that the Wu dynasty lost the Central Plains, and that's why it took so much effort to prosper the country. That's why it took so much effort to prosper the country. Ruhua, we gained all the livestock in the Central Plains. "
Jun Wu stared at Shen Ruhua and said, "All these years, these people were living well. They had their own families, wives, and parents. But when the Lady Zhenren invaded the Central Plains, some of them were lucky enough to move their families south and lost their property. Then, they lost their parents, and what's worse, their parents, wives, and children all died … Some of them even lost their parents, and their wives and children were taken to the Jin Kingdom. Only one of them was left. Ruhua, do you know how it feels for these people to survive? Only one of them survived. The others died, or they just knew that they were suffering in the north, living a life worse than pigs and dogs … There are also people like this in Zhenjiang. Ruhua, do you know how they feel? "
"Living a life worse than death …" Jun Wu put his fist on his chest and there were tears in his eyes. "The prosperity of the Wu dynasty depended on the destruction of these people's families …"
"Brother-in-law …" Shen Ruhua also burst into tears.
"But they're not satisfied. They're afraid that these starving beggars will ruin the good life in the south, so the people of the south go back to the south and the people of the north. It's not a big deal, Ruhua. It sounds annoying, but it's actually very normal. These people are just beggars and livestock. They don't want to disturb other people's good lives. They just want to live a peaceful life for a few years or even a decade. They can live a peaceful life in a place like Zhenjiang … but it won't be peaceful anymore. "
At this point, he paused. After a moment, he said,
"The hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Yangzhou and Zhenjiang are prepared for war. Zong Fu and Zong Bi are coming, and they're almost here. Ruhua, war is never a child's play. You can't win by relying on luck. The Lady Zhenren is determined to conquer the Wu dynasty this time. If they can't win, they'll have to repeat what happened before. But how many of these 600,000 people in Zhenjiang will survive until the world is at peace again … "
"In order for the army to fight this war, I've offended a lot of people over the years … Don't think that no one dares to offend the Crown Prince. If the army comes, those in the court will have to go down. If the civil officials lose something, the aristocratic families behind them won't be happy. If the aristocratic families aren't happy, the officials won't be happy. When they do things, they'll be a step slower. When everyone is a step slower, everything will slow down … The army is also troublesome. When the children of the aristocratic families join the army, they want to give their families some benefits. If I don't allow it, they'll just pretend to agree but secretly oppose. People won't do things that don't benefit them … "
Jun Wu smiled at Shen Ruhua and sat down in the shade of the tree. He rambled on and on about the difficulties at hand. After a while, a bird flew over the treetop.
"All these years … I've punished many people by military law. Those who should be exiled have been exiled, and those who should be killed have been killed. My subordinates are a bunch of lonely officials and unfilial sons. It's said that the imperial family likes lonely officials and unfilial sons, but I don't like them. I like people with a bit of humanity … Unfortunately, the Lady Zhenren doesn't have that … "He paused." She doesn't have it for us. "
Jun Wu sat there with his hands clasped together and his head lowered. Shen Ruhua's body was trembling. She had been crying for a long time. "Brother-in-law … I'm willing to join the army …"
"Put on an act and send me to the army. Then, I'll replace you after a while. You'll still be alive."
"I- I won't …"
Jun Wu looked at him and interrupted him. "If they think you will, they'll say that."
"I- I only took seven hundred taels. I don't have any more. They … they all …"
"Seven hundred taels is still a capital offense!" Jun Wu pointed in the direction of Zhenjiang. "Seven hundred taels is enough for a man to live a good life for the rest of his life. That's enough to save the lives of tens of thousands of people. Seven hundred taels is enough to pay seventy soldiers for a year … Yes, seven hundred taels isn't much. Ten years ago, when your sister married the crown prince, you would have accepted seventy thousand taels as a gift. But today, the seven hundred taels you have is either worth your life or seven million taels … The evidence is clear. Someone wants you dead, and the reason is because they want to deal with me. The crown prince's mansion has killed too many people over the years, and some of them are still in prison. If I don't kill you, I won't be able to kill anyone else."
"Shen Ruhua, fighting a war isn't that easy. You can't make a mistake …" Jun Wu looked to the side. "If I let you go today, my subordinates will suspect me. I can let go of my brother-in-law, so can Yue Fei, and Han Shizhong will at least let go of his children. All the people around me have people I'm close to. Those who oppose me in the army will spread the word, and more people will believe them. On the battlefield, more people will want to run away, and more people will waver. More people will want to be greedy, and more people will do things slowly. Little by little, there will be a lot of people. So, I can't let you go. "
There seemed to be tears in his eyes, but when he turned around, they were already gone. "I have a wife and five concubines, and your sister and I have the most simple relationship. Your sister is in poor health, and I don't know how to see her again after this incident. Your sister told me that you're a good boy with a simple mind. She asked me to take care of you, and I'm sorry. There's only one child in your family. Luckily, the girl you like is pregnant. When the child is born, I'll bring him here … I'll take good care of him and treat him like my own. You can … go in peace. "
Jun Wu was hesitant at first when he mentioned Shen Ruhua's sister, but he gradually became resolute. After that, he stopped looking at Shen Ruhua and stood up with his hands on his knees.
Although he had been ruthless and ruthless all these years, Jun Wu was only twenty-seven years old. He wasn't an autocratic and strict person, but he was forced to do so by the current situation. Shen Ruxin asked him to take care of her younger brother, but in fact, Jun Wu was also her younger brother, and he didn't know how to teach his brother-in-law. Now that he thought about it, he felt really sad.
As for Shen Ruhua, he was only eighteen years old and had a good upbringing. Even after becoming a member of the imperial family, he didn't act arrogantly, so Jun Wu had a good impression of him. However, Shen Ruhua fell in love with a girl in a brothel when he was young. He didn't have much money at home, so the people around him took advantage of the situation and persuaded Shen Ruhua to accept seven hundred taels of silver in exchange for the girl's freedom. The matter was exposed before it was completed. Although it didn't spread among the common people, it had already spread among the upper echelons of the military and government.
No one said anything about it, and no one even said anything against the Crown Prince. But Jun Wu felt his scalp go numb. This was a crucial time for the war. To ensure the smooth operation of the whole system, the military law office was working hard to clean up the black sheep. The corrupt people in the transportation system, the profiteers who sold shoddy goods, and the generals in the frontlines who embezzled the army's pay were all cleaned up. Of course, there were the children of the aristocratic families among them.
If he let Shen Ruhua go, and the people around him helped cover up for him, everyone would be bound together in the future. Similar things had happened more than once over the years, but this was the only one that put him in a difficult position.
With a wave of his hand, many things in the world seemed to be operating the same way as before. But the eyes of the dead were looking at him. He knew that when soldiers faced the enemy on the battlefield, some things would be different.
He got up and prepared to leave. Even if Shen Ruhua begged for mercy, he wouldn't care. But after a few steps, the young man behind him didn't beg for mercy. Instead, he heard the sound of crying and Shen Ruhua kneeling on the ground and kowtowing. Jun Wu closed his eyes.
"The fall of the world …" He said with difficulty, "Come to think of it … it was my Zhou family's fault … the Zhou family was incompetent in governing the country and caused the world to suffer … I'm incompetent in governing the army, so I blame you … Of course, in this world, there are people who embezzle hundreds of thousands of taels of silver and live. There are people who steal seven hundred taels of silver and are killed without mercy. There are also people who have never seen seven hundred taels of silver in their entire lives. Today … today, I can only promise you … "
He paused for a long time. "I can only promise you that when the Zhenren comes and I enter the battlefield … I will shed my last drop of blood with the Zhenren. No matter who I am, I will not drag out an ignoble existence."
Jun Wu didn't emphasize his words and simply finished his speech. Shen Ruhua wailed. Jun Wu boarded the carriage and didn't look outside again. He ordered the carriage to go to the barracks.
It was the seventh day of the sixth month in the tenth year of Jianshuo. The Jurchen Eastern Army had finished reorganizing in Xuzhou. In addition to the original three hundred thousand soldiers, they had mobilized nearly three hundred and fifty thousand fake Qi and Han troops from all over the Central Plains. On one hand, they were pursuing and encircling Liu Chengzong's westward troops; on the other, they were gathering in the direction of Yangzhou.
At this time, Han Shizhong's main force in Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, and even the surrounding areas had been preparing for several years with the help of Jiangnan's water network. Although Zong Fu and Zong Bi had the confidence to search the mountains and seas, they didn't advance rashly after breaking through Xuzhou. Instead, they tried to support the fake Qi navy in the attack. Although the good and bad Han troops of the Central Plains were intermingled and slow, the official war between the Jin and Wu sides was imminent. At least three to five days, at most a month, the two sides were bound to engage in a large-scale battle.
In the nights before the war, Zhenjiang was still brightly lit. Sometimes Jun Wu would stand by the pitch-black river and look at the lonely city. Sometimes he couldn't sleep at all.
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