Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

In Heifeng Village, there is no gathering hall, only a meeting hall.

There are nine top chairs in the hall. The bandits in the Song Dynasty did not call them the heads of the house. They were just called eldest brother, second brother and third brother in the order of brothers in the family.

The eldest brother is the leader of the village, named Yang Jun.

His family used to be tea plantation owners, but because they offended the "tea planters" (the official intermediary after tea was banned), they were forced to go bankrupt. His father fled with his family into the mountains. Their tenants also went to seek refuge one after another because they were overwhelmed.

Later, he simply became a bandit, went out into the mountains to kill landlords, distributed the land to the villagers, and robbed the property himself and hid in the mountains.

The government came to suppress them several times, but all failed, and they could only vent their anger on the farmers on the riverside.

In the end, the peasants were forced to rebel, and they all went to the mountains to join the bandits.

The Yang family had a large number of people and built a wall in the steep mountains. They also gave the surrounding land to farmers for cultivation. At the same time, they owned the most fertile land. It gradually developed into what it is now. Yang Jun is both a bandit leader and a big landowner, and he also acts as a government official to collect taxes from farmers.

The village is too dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Successive county magistrates pretended not to see it and acquiesced in the existence of the bandit village.

The envoy sent by Bai Zongmin was named Huang Chunhe. He looked helpless: "This year's tea harvest in the county has been bumper, and the tea horse department has severely lowered the price. If the price of private tea does not decrease, merchants will all go to buy official tea, and there will be no white officials." Find a way."

The bandit leader who sits in the third position is named Yang Ying. He is the younger brother of the village owner and is responsible for foreign trade.

Yang Ying sneered and said: "Do you really think I'm a fool? The tea master and the tea merchants are the same group. They don't lower the price all the time. Don't fool me with this statement!"

Although Yao Fang was a foreign defector, he took the second highest position and was responsible for practicing spears and clubs. He also took the lead in charging when he went down the mountain to rob. He shouted angrily: "If you keep lowering the price like this, tomorrow I will order all my troops and horses to flatten Xiabai Village, capture Bai Zongmin, and kowtow to my elder brother to admit his mistake!"

Of course this is just a threat and will not be broken easily.

The chief Zhu Zhu in the county, as well as some businessmen in the county, are all partners outside of the novice member. The tea produced in the cottage and the stolen goods stolen by the bandits all require the help of novices to ship out.

"There are more than one private sellers of tea in the county. The tea harvest has been bumper, and all the private teas in each village are reducing their prices. I can't do it without lowering the prices here," Huang Chunhe explained the reason, and then said in a gentle tone, "Then I will take a step back. , first-class tea is 80 Wen per catty, second-class tea is 53 Wen per catty, and third-class tea is 40 Wen per catty. How about it?"

This price, excluding tea interest, is slightly higher than the official purchase price. Moreover, you don’t have to go all the way to the tea collection farm, and you can save a lot of transportation costs back and forth.

Yang Ying was quite satisfied with this and nodded secretly towards her eldest brother.

"Then it's settled," Yang Jun, the leader of the village who had been silent, finally showed a smile and said enthusiastically, "Mr. Huang is tired from traveling around, so don't leave tonight and stay in the village to have a drink!"

"Thank you, Brother Yang, for your hospitality." Huang Chunhe bowed his hands.

…

Zhang Guangdao, who ranked fifth, was very drunk in the evening and went to Yao Fang privately: "Second brother, this Bai Zongmin is becoming more and more difficult to serve. Let's just rush into Xiabai Village first, rob his family's belongings, and then raise troops to attack the county!"

Yao Fang shook his head helplessly: "Although I am the second in command, to really make the decision, I have to ask the village leader to come. He is afraid of a real rebellion. If everything fails, he will not even be able to sell tea in the future."

Zhang Guangdao said dissatisfied: "The man surnamed Yang is just a local rich man, how can he be like a mountain bandit? He alone gets the most money from selling tea. He also gets the most money from farmers in the mountains when they pay grain. With these two things, He can make enough money, so he doesn't even want to go down the mountain to rob. I think one day, he will join the government, become a submissive citizen, and become a landlord like Lao Bai Yuanwai!"

"Oh, there's nothing I can do." Yao Fang sighed.

Zhang Guangdao suggested: "Simply take our people and find another place to stay."

Yao Fang asked back: "Everyone has finally settled down, how many of you are willing to go with you? Even if you can really take people away, where will they stay? Although there are many wastelands downstream, they still have to be reclaimed, and there are not many For years, there wasn’t even enough food to eat.”

"It's just a few years of hard work, it's better than staying in Heifeng Village!" Zhang Guangdao said.

"Let me think about it again."

Yao Fang couldn't make up his mind. He was the leader of the outside faction and had more considerations in his mind. Naturally, he was not as free and easy as Zhang Guangdao.

Moreover, the rebellion a few years ago had sapped Yao Fang's vigor and made him more calm.

In Yao Fang's view, even if he really wants to rebel, he still has to wait for the opportunity.

You must wait until the government imposes exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, making the people miserable, before you can launch an army to rebel, and you may even gain support from the landlords.

Rebellion will inevitably lead to failure, and you are not even worthy of being recruited!

After a few words of comfort, Yao Fang personally sent Zhang Guangdao out.

At the same time, a secret discussion was also going on at the home of the village leader Yang Jun.

When Huang Chunhe explained his true intention, Yang Jun became furious: "How dare you come to provoke me? Do you really think that I don't dare to use swords and guns?"

Huang Chunhe said calmly: "Yao Fang has been a rebel, and he is very good at handling guns and sticks. Who wouldn't call him a hero when he sees him? He has only been in Heifeng Village for a few years, and his prestige is getting higher and higher. That's Yang You, the leader of the village, have to let him sit in the second position and let his brother take the third position. He is also generous and generous. Everyone in the village admires him and more and more people listen to his orders. As time goes by, Brother Yang Can I really take the position of village leader again?"

Yang Jun still had an angry expression: "Don't say more about this matter. Brother Yao and I are very close, closer than those brothers. Brother Yao is loyal. If he doesn't, he will not be the chief bookkeeper." Congratulations!"

"How much is loyalty worth?" Huang Chunhe said, "Brother Yang, people's hearts will change. If we talk about loyalty today, who can tell tomorrow? Ten years later, Yao Fang doesn't want to be the leader of the village. Those brothers under him will , and will help him become the leader of the village. Brother Yang knows who is more popular."

Yang Jun still refused: "You can go away. I will just pretend that I didn't hear what you said tonight."

Huang Chunhe neither left nor spoke anymore, just stood there silently.

After a long time, Yang Jun looked embarrassed, as if he was saying to himself: "We are all brothers. If we are fighting each other, do you still want my face?"

Huang Chunhe understood that there was something going on, so he did not answer directly, but asked: "Brother Yang, you are indeed majestic as the leader of the village. But no matter how majestic you are, can you compare to the young member Wai Bai? But how can you compare to the old member Wai Bai?"

Yang Jun said: "It's incomparable."

Huang Chunhe continued to ask: "Brother Yang also made a lot of money, but what can he do? He went to the county seat and didn't dare to say anything. You have two sons, how dare you let them go to the county seat to study? If the government doesn't come to suppress you now, what if? What about changing the county magistrate? You know, the current Master Zhu was a rebel in the past. If he got the order from the magistrate, he would really dare to lead troops to attack Heifeng Village! "

Yang Jun sneered: "If he dares to come, I will make him unable to come back!"

Huang Chunhe said: "Master Zhu is now an official. If you dare to kill an official, you are considered a rebel if you don't rebel. You can stop the officers and soldiers once or twice, but can you stop them ten or twenty times?"

Yang Jun said harshly: "Don't say ten times or twenty times, Heifeng Village has strong soldiers and horses, which annoyed me, so I went straight to the county government and killed all the bird officials in the county!"

Huang Chunhe asked: "Kill all the county officials and state officials. Kill all the state officials. There are other county and state officials on Lizhou Road. You have occupied the entire Lizhou Road. Can you stop the imperial army?" ?”

Yang Jun was silent.

Huang Chunhe added: "Yao Fang, the second most powerful person in the village, has a grudge against Zhu Zhu, the county magistrate. You also know this. In addition to Lao Bai from Shangbai Village, Xiang Zhixian and Zhu Zhu also dislike him very much."

"These are none of my business," Yang Jun said.

Huang Chunhe was still talking: "Kill Yao Fang first. Not only will you do something for Master Zhu, but you will also benefit yourself. If you get rid of the serious troubles in your inner circle, you will be able to speak out in the village from now on. Then go to plunder Shangbai Village, and you will be able to rob Not to mention countless wealth, you can also please the magistrate Xiang and Zhu Zhu. With just one word from these two officials, you can turn from a bandit to a country squire."

Yang Jun was silent again.

Huang Chunhe added: "If you become a country squire, you will be able to go to the county town with all the glory in the future, and your son will be able to go to the county town to study. As time goes by, after a few decades, who will remember that you were a bandit? Maybe your grandson will You can still take the imperial examination and become an official!"

These words were full of temptation, and they all spoke to Yang Jun's heart.

"Let me think about it again." Yang Jun was already moved.

Seeing his appearance, Huang Chunhe couldn't help but smile, cupped his hands and said, "I'm leaving."

After sending this man away, Yang Jun returned to the bedroom, and his wife came over to help him undress.

"Don't bother me!" Yang Jun pushed his wife away.

He is also somewhat loyal, and he does have a good relationship with Yao Fang. The two have known each other for more than twenty years.

Even Yao Fang was being hunted by the government and only planned to hide in Heifeng Village for a few months and leave with his men after the news was over. At that time, it was Yang Jun who took the initiative to retain him and directly let Yao Fang take the third spot.

Subsequent developments made Yang Jun deeply uneasy.

In just a few years, Yao Fang's prestige has risen steadily, winning the heartfelt admiration of countless bandits.

As a last resort, Yang Jun could only rearrange the seats, let his brother be the third master, promoted Yao Fang to the second master, and appointed Zhang Guangdao as the fifth master.

If this continues, he will really be unable to hold it back!

Yao Fang's personal charm is so strong that even Yang Jun himself admires and likes him very much, not to mention other bandits.

Also, his younger brother Yang Ying had a very bad relationship with Yao Fang due to his lower seat.

Sooner or later something goes wrong.

He lay in bed all night, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. When he woke up the next day, Yang Jun's eyes were filled with bloodshot eyes.

After sitting there for a long time, he finally made up his mind and called his brother and said, "I have something I need to plan with you."

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