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The intersection of the Yangtze River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Zhenjiang. Search: \(End Book God Station) to read high-quality literature for free.

Flying water birds circled over the white sails on the river, and the busy port was reflected in the blazing sun. People came and went, approaching noon, and the city was still operating rapidly.

"Zhenjiang has been a prosperous town for hundreds of years. The teacher in the mansion said that it is the east-west hub and the north-south thoroughfare. I was not quite convinced when I was young and asked if it was even more powerful than Jiangning? The teacher said that it not only has the Yangtze River, but also the Grand Canal. The Wu Dynasty is prosperous in trade, and this place is the most important. I came here when I was eight years old, and that big circle outside wasn't there yet."

The scorching sun shone down, and cool shade was cast by the lush zelkova forest on the western hillside. When the wind blew over the hillside, the leaves rustled. Outside the zelkova forest was a hillside with various wildflowers. Looking down from this hillside, one could see the busy scene of Zhenjiang, surrounded by towering city walls. Outside the city walls were residential areas stretching for several miles, with low houses connected to fishing villages along the canal. Roads passed through the houses, radiating far along the riverbank.

On the higher hilltops in the forest, and along the distant riverbank, were military camps and watchtowers stationed. At this time, beside the zelkova forest, the leading man sat casually on a stone under a tree. Beside him were young followers and guards. In the distance was the carriage they had arrived in.

"For two hundred years of the Wu Dynasty, Zhenjiang only looks the most prosperous now, although a few years ago, it was broken by the Jurchens... In the second year of Jianshuo, the search of mountains and seas, Ru Hua, do you remember? Shu Lie led his troops to take Yangzhou directly. I escaped from the other side of the river and met your sister here."

The man sitting on the stone still looked handsome and dignified, but he had a beard under his jaw and was wearing ordinary yuanwai's clothes. Although his eyes seemed gentle, he still had his majesty. This was Crown Prince Zhou Junwu of the Wu Dynasty. The young man sitting on the grass beside him was pale. Hearing him say this, he trembled slightly and nodded.

The pale young man was named Shen Ru Hua, the younger brother of the current Crown Prince's concubine, Shen Ru Xin. Compared to his sister Zhou Pei's entanglement in marriage, Junwu, who had been ambitious since childhood, regarded marriage very lightly. Now, he had one wife and five concubines in his mansion, but apart from Shen Ru Xin, the families of the other five concubines were all wealthy families. The fourth wife of the Crown Prince's mansion, Shen Ru Xin, was a confidante Junwu met during his escape during the search of mountains and seas. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she was not only the most beloved on weekdays, but also the most special lady in the Crown Prince's mansion.

But today's Shen Ru Hua was clearly not relaxed, and even seemed to be trembling slightly, on the verge of collapse.

Junwu looked at Zhenjiang in front of him and was silent for a moment.

"In the second year of Jianshuo, that was eight years ago. I escaped to Zhenjiang, and soon after, the Jurchens crossed the river and began to attack the city. I escaped first. After the Jurchens broke the city, they did not sheathe their knives for ten days, and nearly 50,000 people died. Ru Hua, your family, the governor of Zhenjiang sent people to the outside first, and survived, do you remember? 50,000 people..."

Junwu recalled the catastrophe of the past, raised his fingers slightly, and his face was complex for a long time. Finally, he smiled strangely: "So... it's really strange. 50,000 people died, and half the city was burned down. In eight years, look at Zhenjiang, how prosperous it has become. The city walls can't hold it anymore, and everyone lives outside. This year, the governor of Zhenjiang roughly ruled that the population of this area is about 750,000... It's too strange, 750,000 people. Before the Jurchens attacked, Bianliang only had a million people. Some people happily reported it, 'adversity builds the nation'. Ru Hua, do you know why?"

Shen Ru Hua looked dejected and was about to cry. Junwu looked at him for a moment and stood up.

"I'll tell you, because the people who came down from the north first arrived in this area of Jiangnan. Zhenjiang is the north-south hub, and everyone gathered here... Of course, it's impossible to all go to Zhenjiang. At first, it was still possible to go further south, but later, too many people went south. Those large families in the south didn't allow it, saying that Southerners should return to the South and Northerners should return to the North. There were several problems and banditry broke out, and many people died. Zhenjiang has 750,000 people, and 600,000 are refugees who escaped from the north, either with broken families or bringing their families with them."

He pointed to the front: "In these eight years, I don't know how many people have died. The remaining 600,000 people live here like beggars. The densely packed houses outside were built in these years. They have no fields, no land, and no belongings. Six or seven years ago, let alone hiring them for money, even just giving them a little porridge to fill their stomachs and treating them like livestock was a great act of charity. They've been struggling until now. Those who couldn't survive died, and those who survived have houses inside and outside the city, no land, but a hard labor job to do, or they become soldiers and sell their lives... Many people are like this."

"...A little better than livestock." Junwu smiled at Shen Ru Hua, "I secretly went to see many people, a little better than livestock, and they can live on. They say they just hope for a few more years of peace. From Jiangning to Zhenjiang, from Zhenjiang to Lin'an, millions of people live like this, giving them a way to survive. As for the rich, let them work, and those who have fields at home, hire them to farm..."

He took a breath, clenched his right fist involuntarily at his side, and paused: "The Jurchens went south three times, taking away hundreds of thousands of Han people from the Central Plains. Those people became slaves in the Jin Kingdom, and the Jin people really used them as livestock to feed the meat-eaters of the Jin Kingdom. And the Wu Dynasty, lost the Central Plains for ten years. Millions upon millions of families were broken and had nothing left. We treat them like livestock, just give them some food, and doing things, farming, and the commercial affairs of various places suddenly became prosperous. Lin'an is prosperous, unparalleled for a time. Some people say that my Wu Dynasty learned from the pain of losing the Central Plains, so adversity builds the nation. This is the reason why adversity builds the nation, Ru Hua. We have more livestock from the entire Central Plains."

Junwu's eyes stared at Shen Ru Hua: "For so many years, these people were originally fine, had their own families, their own wives, children, and parents. After the Central Plains was attacked by the Jurchens, those who were lucky enough to move south with their families lost their property. With a little more hardship, their elderly parents were gone. Even more tragic were those whose parents, wives, and children died... And those whose parents died and wives and children were captured to the Jin Kingdom, leaving only one person. Ru Hua, do you know how these people feel when they survive? Just one person, still alive and well, the others died, or they know that they are suffering in the north, living a life worse than pigs and dogs... There are also such broken families in Zhenjiang, Ru Hua, do you know how they feel?"

"Life is worse than death..." Junwu pressed his fist to his chest, with tears in his eyes, "The Wu Dynasty is prosperous, relying on the destruction of these people's families..."

"Brother-in-law..." Shen Ru Hua also cried.

"But they are still not satisfied. They are afraid that these beggars who can't get enough to eat and wear will disturb the good days in the south, so Southerners should return to the South and Northerners should return to the North. Actually, this is nothing. Ru Hua, it sounds irritating, but it's actually very normal. These people are beggars and livestock, as long as they don't disturb other people's good days, they just hope to live peacefully for a few more years, ten more years, and they can live in places like Zhenjiang... But there is no peace."

He stopped here and paused for a moment.

"In the areas of Yangzhou and Zhenjiang, hundreds of thousands of troops are prepared for war. Zong Fu and Zong Bi have attacked, and they are about to attack here. Ru Hua, war is never a child's play. You can't win if you are careless and rely on luck. The Jurchens are determined to win this southward invasion of the Wu Dynasty. If they can't win, the things that happened before will happen again. Only in Zhenjiang, how many of these 600,000 people can survive until the next time the world is at peace..."

"In order for the army to fight this battle, in recent years, I have offended many people... Don't think that the Crown Prince doesn't offend people, and no one dares to offend. When the army wants to come up, those who point fingers in the court must go down. When the civil officials lose things, the wealthy families behind them are also unhappy. When the wealthy families are unhappy, the officials are unhappy. When they do things, they will be one step slower. When everyone is one step slower, everything will slow down... The army is not worry-free either. Children from large families enter the army, wanting to ask for some benefits for their families, to take care of their family's power. I don't allow it, so they will disobey me in secret. No one wants to do things that don't have benefits..."

Junwu smiled at Shen Ru Hua, sat down in the shade of the tree, and絮絮叨叨 counted the difficulties at hand. After a while, a bird flew over the treetops.

"These years... Many people have been dealt with under military law. Those who should be exiled are exiled, and those who should be killed are killed. My subordinates are all a bunch of loyal but dissident officials. People outside say that the royal family likes loyal but dissident officials, but I don't like them. I like those who are a little more humane... Unfortunately, the Jurchens have no humanity..." He paused, "Not to us."

Junwu clasped his hands together, sat there, and lowered his head. Shen Ru Hua trembled and had been shedding tears for a long time: "Broth- Brother-in-law... I am willing to go to the army..."

"Pretend to send you to the army, and then replace you after a while, and you can still live."

"I- I won't..."

Junwu looked at him, interrupting him: "They think you will, they will say that."

"I- I only took seven hundred taels, no more, they... they all..."

"Seven hundred taels is also a capital crime!" Junwu pointed in the direction of Zhenjiang, "Seven hundred taels can give someone a good life, seven hundred taels can save the lives of tens of thousands of people, seven hundred taels can pay the salary of seventy soldiers for a year... Yes, seven hundred taels is not much. If it were more than ten years ago, let alone seven hundred taels, your sister married the Crown Prince, and others would give you seventy thousand taels, and you could take it. But today, the seven hundred taels in your hand are either worth your life, or worth seven million taels... The evidence is conclusive, someone wants to harm you. The reason for harming you is because they want to deal with me. In recent years, the Crown Prince's Mansion has killed too many people, and some people are still locked up in prison and are about to be killed. If you are not killed, others will not be killed either."

"Shen Ru Hua, fighting a war is not that simple, even a little bit of difference is not allowed..." Junwu looked to the other side, "If I let you go today, my subordinates will doubt me. I can let go of my brother-in-law, Yue Fei can also let go of his brother-in-law, Han Shizhong will have to let go of his children. People around me also have such close relatives. Those who oppose me in the army will spread these things, and more people will believe them. On the battlefield, more people will want to escape, more will waver, and more will want to be greedy and take bribes, and do things a little slower. Adding up little by little, there will be many people, so I can't let you go."

His eyes seemed to have tears falling, but when he turned around, no trace could be seen: "I have one wife and five concubines, and I have the purest relationship with your sister. Your sister

Your sister is not in good health. After this incident, I don’t know how to see her again. Your sister once told me that you have a simple mind since you were a child and are a good boy. Let me take care of you more. I am sorry for her. You are the only son in your family. Fortunately, the girl you are in love with is already pregnant. When the child is born, I will take him over... I will raise him well as if he were my own. You can... go with peace of mind."

At first, when Junwu talked about the other party's sister, his words seemed hesitant, but later he gradually became resolute. After he finished speaking, he no longer looked at Shen Ru Hua, and stood up with his hands on his knees.

Over the years, although what he has done seems to be iron-blooded and decisive, in fact, Junwu is only twenty-seven years old this year. He is not a dictatorial, iron-blooded, and strict personality. More of it is that the situation forces him to control the situation in this way. Shen Ru Xin asked him to help take care of his younger brother. In fact, Junwu is also a younger brother, and he has no experience in how to teach his brother-in-law. Thinking about it now, I really feel sad.

As for that Shen Ru Hua, he is only eighteen years old this year. Originally, his family education was good, and he was not flamboyant after becoming a relative of the emperor. After several contacts, Junwu has a good impression of him. However, Shen Ru Hua fell in love with a woman in the Qin Building, and his family's money was not much. People around him opened a gap here. After several exchanges, he encouraged Shen Ru Hua to accept money and goods worth seven hundred taels of silver, preparing to redeem the woman. Before the matter was completed, it was leaked out. Although this matter did not affect the lower-level people for a while, it has spread in the military and political upper levels.

No one commented on this, and no one even wanted to spread rumors unfavorable to the Crown Prince among the people. However, Junwu's scalp was numb. This incident occurred during the critical time of preparation for war. In order to ensure the operation of the entire system, the military law office was working hard to clean up the scum. Corrupt people in the rear transportation system, unscrupulous merchants who filled up with inferior products, and generals in the front military camp who embezzled military pay and sold military resources have all been cleaned up in large numbers at this time. Naturally, there were children of various families and clans in the middle.

If Shen Ru Hua is let go, and even others help to cover it up, then everyone will have to be tied together to some extent in the future. Similar things have happened more than once in recent years. Only this matter makes him feel the most embarrassed.

Raise your hand, and many things in this world will still operate as before. However, the eyes of the dead are watching him. He knows that when all the soldiers face the enemy on the battlefield, some things will be different.

He got up to leave, even if Shen Ru Hua begged for mercy again, he would ignore it. However, after taking a few steps, the young man behind him did not beg for mercy. What came from behind was crying, and then the sound of Shen Ru Hua kneeling on the ground and kowtowing. Junwu closed his eyes.

"The world is in ruins..." he said with difficulty, "This... was originally the fault of my Zhou family... The Zhou family is incompetent in governing the country, causing the world to suffer... I am incompetent in governing the army, so I am harsh on you... Of course, in this world, some people are greedy for hundreds of thousands of taels and do not die, some people take away seven hundred taels and are killed without mercy, and there are always people who have never seen seven hundred taels in their lives. It is difficult to explain the truth clearly. Today... I only guarantee to you today..."

He paused for a long time: "I only guarantee to you that when the Jurchens come to kill, I will go to the battlefield... I will shed the last drop of blood with the Jurchens, no matter what my identity is, I will never苟且偷生."

Junwu did not raise his voice, and simply finished these words. Shen Ru Hua wailed and cried. Junwu got on the carriage and never looked outside again, and ordered the carriage to go to the military camp.

This day was the seventh day of the sixth month of the tenth year of Jianshuo. The Jurchen Eastern Route Army had completed its reorganization in Xuzhou. In addition to the original main force of nearly 300,000, nearly 350,000 puppet Qi Han troops from various parts of the Central Plains were also mobilized. On the one hand, they pursued and encircled Liu Chengzong's westward advance team, and on the other hand, they began to gather in the direction of Yangzhou.

At this time, in the Zhenjiang, Yangzhou area and even the surrounding areas, Han Shizhong's main force had been preparing for defense with the help of the water network in Jiangnan for several years. Although Zong Fu and Zong Bi had the confidence to search the mountains and seas in the past, they did not advance rashly after breaking through Xuzhou, but tried to use the original navy of the puppet Qi army to assist in the attack. Although the Central Plains Han army troops were of mixed quality and moved slowly, the official start of the war between the Jin and Wu sides was imminent. In a short three to five days, or at most a month, the two sides would inevitably launch a large-scale battle.

In these nights before the war began, Zhenjiang still had bright lights. Sometimes Junwu would stand on the dark river bank and look at that lonely city, and sometimes he would not be able to fall asleep all night.

There are many things during the day, mostly official matters, and naturally there are also private matters such as Shen Ru Hua's. The date for executing Shen Ru Hua was set on the tenth day of the sixth month. On the evening of the eighth day, Zhou Pei, who should have been stationed in Lin'an, rushed over from the capital.

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