Chapter 32
Winter wheat in Shandong Province is sown in September and October, and after spending the winter in the fields, it is harvested in May and June of the following year.
However, as the snow covering the fields grew thicker and thicker, the Shandong officials standing on the ridges of the fields were all worried. If the winter wheat in the fields could not survive the winter this year, the six prefectures in the province would be plagued by famine next year.
Wang Runzhi planned to dispatch soldiers from Shandong General Yang Zhenxiong to help the people clear the snow in the fields. However, he did not expect that a vicious incident occurred in Licheng County under the jurisdiction of Jinan Prefecture where the army set fire to the wheat seedlings.
When Wang Runzhi and his officials arrived at the Jinger Lake Reservoir in Licheng County, the army was firing guns to stop the people from transporting water from the reservoir to extinguish the raging fire in the fields.
Seeing the despair on the faces of the people, Wang Runzhi angrily whipped his horse to find the general in charge of the army, but saw a familiar red figure arguing with a young general.
"It seems to be Mr. Zhang from the Imperial College who came from the capital." An official reminded Wang Runzhi.
Wang Runzhi jumped off the saddle and ran over to see Zhang Xihua holding the imperial sword, with the tip of the sword against the young general's throat.
Zhang Xihua angrily scolded the young general.
"Take your soldiers and get out of Licheng County! You are stationed in Shandong by imperial order to protect the people of the six prefectures of Shandong and to ensure peace and prosperity in this area. Yet, you are eating the emperor's food and oppressing the people."
Wang Runzhi saw the young general's handsome face clearly and reacted immediately.
"General Xiao Yang, were you the one who led the troops to burn all the wheat fields in Licheng County?"
The young general continued to confront Zhang Xihua with a cold face, and ignored Wang Runzhi who was in a panic.
Zhang Xihua applied a little force with his wrist, and drops of blood immediately slid down the young general's neck.
Wang Runzhi quickly stepped in front of the young general and said, "Zhang Jijiu, this young general's surname is Yang Ye, and he is the youngest son of Shandong General Yang Zhenxiong. His teacher, Mr. Kong Chun of Licheng Academy, and his three older brothers were trampled to death by the flood victims who rushed into Licheng Academy while trying to stop them from seizing the collection of books. General Yang is already fifty-three years old, and he only has this little son left. I hope Zhang Jijiu will show mercy and not kill this young man."
"Uncle Wang, this crooked official doesn't know right from wrong. If he didn't have the imperial sword in his hand, I would have shot this pretty boy to death." Yang Ye cursed at Zhang Xihua.
Wang Runzhi turned around and slapped Yang Ye, then held Yang Ye's shoulders and shook him, saying, "My child, Mr. Kong was also your father's and my teacher. I watched you and your three brothers grow up, but your hatred for their tragic deaths cannot be attributed to the 160,000 people of Licheng County. If you lead your troops to set fire to the wheat fields tonight, what will the people of Licheng County eat next year?"
Yang Ye pointed at his chest and roared, "I can't get over this rage in my heart! Uncle Wang, you've also seen the bodies of our teacher and my three brothers, bloody and broken." He pointed at the tip of Zhang Xihua's nose, his eyes bloodshot. "It's him, it's that corrupt official! He let the murderers who killed my teacher and brothers go unpunished. Aren't these unruly people in Licheng County afraid of freezing to death? I'm lighting this fire tonight, and they won't be cold anymore. The books in Licheng Academy can be burned, but can't their wheat fields be burned as well?"
Licheng County is full of wheat fields, and the people are afraid that the wheat seedlings will freeze to death, so most of the wheat fields are covered with quilts or wooden sheds. The army led by Yang Ye set fire to the four corners of the east, south, west and north. It happened that no snow fell tonight. If the spreading fire is not extinguished in time, the wheat fields in Licheng County will have no harvest next year.
Zhang Xihua did not have the patience to persuade Yang Ye any further, and ordered the Jinyiwei and yamen runners to clear a path for the people to go to the reservoir to transport water to put out the fire.
Yang Ye shouted, "Fire! Anyone who dares to take even a bucket of water from the reservoir will be shot on the spot!"
The people were eager to save the wheat seedlings, and no matter how terrifying the gunshots were, they still rushed to the reservoir gate.
Yang Ye was about to give orders when he saw a group of cavalry coming here.
The officer behind Yang Ye warned him, "It's over! The general is coming! General Yang, you'd better run quickly. Your subordinates are here to deal with the general on your behalf."
Wang Runzhi knew Yang Zhenxiong's temper and advised Yang Ye not to provoke his father at this juncture.
Yang Ye was not afraid at all.
Yang Zhenxiong came forward and whipped Yang Ye's arm until the skin and flesh were torn and the bone was exposed.
But Yang Ye still stood straight, without dodging, allowing his father to whip him.
Yang Zhenxiong cursed, "If I don't beat you to death tonight, you little bastard, I'll be ashamed to face the people of Licheng. I raised you with every bite of food I could. If I had known you were going to waste the people's food, I should have strangled you to death in your cradle..."
The dozen or so officers who followed Yang Ye and all the officers brought by Yang Zhenxiong knelt around the father and son and pleaded for Yang Ye.
"Zhenxiong, Ye Ge'er did something wrong, but your entire Yang family depends on Ye Ge'er. If you beat Ye Ge'er to death tonight, how are you going to explain to your old lady and your wife when you go back?" Wang Runzhi snatched the whip from Yang Zhenxiong's hand and patted Yang Zhenxiong's back to help him calm down.
Zhang Xihua also spoke up, "General Yang is young and full of vigor. He was blinded by hatred for a moment. The most important thing now is to put out the fire in the wheat field. Saving as many wheat seedlings as possible is crucial."
Before Yang Zhenxiong came, he had ordered the soldiers to carry water to put out the fire. After informing everyone about this, he suggested that everyone go to the county government office in Licheng County to discuss ways to remedy the situation.
*
After entering the lobby of the county government office and sitting down, Zhang Xihua drank some ginger soup to ward off the cold and scratched the chilblains on his hands.
Wang Runzhi handed Zhang Xihua a box of ointment. "If you scratch these chilblains, they'll leave scars. Master Zhang, apply some of this anti-itch ointment. Did you bring only your subordinates and the Imperial Guards to Licheng County? Are the officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court at the Jinan Prefecture post station or somewhere else?"
Zhang Xihua applied ointment. "Several officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court have caught a severe cold, and they returned to the capital overnight. I was too cold to sleep tonight, so I came to Licheng County to see the damage."
Wang Runzhi originally thought that these Beijing officials were too pampered and could not stay here, so they would definitely claim to be sick and return to Beijing early.
Especially this Imperial College chief academician looked the most delicate and weak, but unexpectedly, Lord Zhang kept him.
Wang Runzhi lowered his voice and asked, "Did Zhang Jijiu go to the government and military warehouses in Licheng County to check out the grain storage?"
Zhang Xihua took a sip of his tea. "Empty, completely empty. There's not a single grain of wheat in the government or military granaries. If I'm not mistaken, this summer, the six prefectures in Shandong were plagued by locusts, and your local officials secretly opened those granaries to provide relief to the people, right?"
Wang Runzhi wiped his tears with his sleeve. "I had hoped that the people would return the grain to the granary after the winter wheat harvest next year, but I didn't expect disasters to keep coming. I don't know how many people in the six prefectures of the province will starve to death next year."
Zhang Xihua did some calculation in his mind.
"The imperial court sent 10 million dan of disaster relief grain to Shandong this year. How much of it actually ended up in the stomachs of the disaster victims?"
"Less than one million shi." Wang Runzhi sighed several times.
"Does Lord Wang know the whereabouts of those more than 9 million shi?" Zhang Xihua didn't expect that those people in the capital could embezzle so much disaster relief grain.
"The Imperial Household Department and the Cheng Party officials each took half." Wang Runzhi said.
"Let's see how much of the relief grain distributed by the court this time is left for the people of your province." Zhang Xihua no longer needed to continue inspecting the government and military warehouses across the province. She just wanted to hurry back to the capital to report the crisis to the emperor. "Sir Wang, I will give you one of my private seals. Send a trusted person to Hulufang in Taiping Prefecture to find a royal merchant named Wan Youjin. He will lend you grain to fill the government and military warehouses of the six prefectures to meet the grain inspectors sent by the court at the end of the year."
Wang Runzhi took the private seal given to him by Zhang Xihua and his eyes filled with tears.
"Zhang Jijiu, your great kindness and virtue will be repaid in my next life by tying a grass knot and holding a ring."
Wang Runzhi went over and whispered with Yang Zhenxiong, who had just woken up from a nap. Yang Zhenxiong then came over and offered Zhang Xihua tea instead of wine.
Yang Zhenxiong: "My son offended Zhang Jijiu tonight. I kneel on his behalf and beg for his forgiveness."
Zhang Xihua hurriedly helped Yang Zhenxiong up as he was about to kneel down.
"General Yang spent his entire life in the military, the first half of which he spent defending the borders of the Ming Dynasty. All five of his sons died on the battlefield. The three sons who entered the government could have enjoyed high positions and generous salaries in the capital, but General Yang exiled them to serve as officials in the poorest areas. I wonder why those three sons perished alongside Master Kong at the Licheng Academy?"
Yang Zhenxiong explained the whole story. Originally, the three young men came to attend Mr. Confucius' birthday banquet, but they were delayed at Licheng Academy because the road was blocked by heavy snow.
Zhang Xihua sighed.
"If General Yang is trustworthy, please allow me to bring General Xiao Yang to the capital. I will plead for General Xiao Yang in front of His Majesty and at least save his life."
"No need." Yang Zhenxiong burst into tears.
"No need?" Wang Runzhi seemed to understand something and pulled Yang Zhenxiong's sleeve. "Zhenxiong, Ye Ge'er is your last son. Why are you so stubborn? Where is Ye Ge'er now? Since Zhang Jijiu said that he can save Ye Ge'er's life, you--"
Yang Zhenxiong interrupted Wang Runzhi.
"I have ordered him to be taken back to the execution platform in the barracks and beheaded according to military law. He is my son, yes, but I also need to give an explanation to the folks in Licheng."
As he spoke, Yang Zhenxiong choked up several times.
Zhang Xihua lowered her head and cried.
*
December 29th, the fifth year of Huiyuan.
As soon as Zhang Xihua returned to the capital, he was summoned by the emperor.
Waiting for the emperor's arrival with her in Wenhua Hall were cabinet ministers and officials from the six ministries.
Before Zhang Xihua returned to Beijing, more than a hundred memorials were delivered to the emperor's desk every day, accusing him of ordering the private release of victims involved in the beating and killing of students at a college in Shandong.
After Zhu Mingji took his seat in the Wenhua Hall, the cabinet ministers and officials from the six ministries began to argue about Zhang Xihua's favoritism and abuse of power.
"Zhang Jijiu, what do you have to say in your defense?" Zhu Mingji didn't dare to look directly at Zhang Xihua, because the cabinet had actually already agreed with him on how to deal with her before she came to Beijing.
"The ministers are guilty, there is no denying it."
Zhang Xihua knelt on the ground and kowtowed, quietly waiting for his punishment.
"Drag him to the Meridian Gate and punish him with twenty strokes of the cane."
After Zhu Mingji finished speaking, he felt a chill in his heart.
It turns out that even if he is the emperor, there will be times when he is helpless.
He stared blankly outside the palace, watching her in a red robe disappear into the falling snow, his hands clenched in his sleeves until his knuckles turned white.
He sighed silently and his eyes turned red.
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