On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month of the eighth year of Chongzhen, Zhang Xianzhong captured Fengyang, and the remaining Zhu Guoxiang in Zhongdu was defeated and committed suicide. Yan Rongxuan, the prefect of Fengyang, was killed, and the four thousand defenders were wiped out. Zhang Xianzhong set fire to burn the imperial tombs, cut off hundreds of thousands of pine and cypress trees in the imperial tombs, demolished the surrounding buildings and the Longxing Temple where Zhu Yuanzhang became a monk, and then dug the emperor's ancestral tombs, killed all the wealthy families in Fengyang, and put forward the banner of "The King of the Dragon Emperor of the Guyuan". Later, Gao Yingxiang rushed to Fengyang to meet with Zhang Xianzhong.

The bandit army ravaged Lianghuai, Susong, Luzhou, Lu'an, Anqing and other places and was threatened by the bandit army.

When Emperor Chongzhen heard the 800-mile rushing report and the imperial tomb was destroyed, he fainted on the ground. After waking up, he ran to Taimiao with mourning clothes and mourning.

Emperor Chongzhen was furious, and a large number of officials were in trouble. The officials in Fengyang were basically thrown into death row by Chongzhen and were cut off. Even the former governor, prefect, and general who had been transferred to other places did not escape. They were all arrested by the Jinyiwei and sent to Beijing, surrendered to Zhao Prison, and sentenced to death. Zhang Fengyi, the Minister of War, was also dismissed by the angry Emperor Chongzhen.

Chongzhen, eager to retaliate, dispatched more than 100,000 troops to gather in the Huaihe River, in an attempt to wipe out Zhang Xianzhong and Gao Yingxiang's bandit army, but the bandits in the Huai River had reached one million.

During the battle between the Ming Dynasty and the bandits in Huaihe River, a guy became famous. He was Liu Liangzuo, the general of Datong. He rode a flower horse and was called Huama Liu. Liu Liangzuo fought with the bandit army and made many military achievements. He was promoted to general.

"The people of the two Huai Rivers are in trouble!" Wang Quan, who was stationed in the Douhu Village, looked at the people who were constantly coming to seek refuge, and sighed a long time.

Although the Little Ice Age brought about drought, climate changes had little impact on the two Huaihe Rivers. This area was full of river networks and abundant water resources. Large areas of rice fields could plant rice, with abundant yields. However, after the bandit army arrived, the two Huaihe River was seriously damaged. The bandit army destroyed farmland, burned villages, and carried the people. There was no grass growing wherever they passed. The trapped refugees were forced to join the bandit army and become cannon fodder.

A porridge shed was set up outside the city wall, and disaster victims with tattered clothes and pale faces rushed to join. Among the victims, there were men and women, most of them were women, children, elderly and weak. Occasionally, a few young and strong men also had dishes on their faces and their clothes were torn like sacks. Some children huddled beside their parents had messy hair, pale faces and thin skin, and their clothes had long been as rotten as rags.

The Lianghuai land in the first lunar month is extremely cold, and it is wet and cold in the south. Even if you wear more clothes, you cannot withstand the biting cold.

The refugees were concentrated outside the snow-covered city. A gust of cold wind blew towards us, and many people began to tremble constantly. The men were fine, but the women and children beside them were even more unbearable.

"Brother Wang, they are so pitiful. Let's let them go into the village to cook the fire." Liu Rushi, who helped the soldiers to prepare porridge, felt unbearable when he saw this and stepped forward to propose to Wang Quan.

"Sister-in-law, we can't put them all into the village, we're afraid that there will be thieves in the fine work of them." Wang Quan replied.

When Liu Rushi heard the words "Sister-in-law", she turned red and turned to the same as He Xiang and Mo Zhu. She went to greet the soldiers to prepare firewood, fetch water, and cook porridge.

Soon, the fragrance of rice porridge came out of the porridge shed. The refugees outside were in a stir, and they all stretched their necks to look there, especially the children, who were even more drooling.

I don’t know how long I waited, but Hexiang and Mo Zhu directed several soldiers to pour the porridge in a large pot into a large wooden barrel. Then the two soldiers lifted the large wooden barrel and walked outside.

"Dear fellow villagers, after the porridge is cooked, they will take the bowls and chopsticks to drink the porridge." Liu Rushi opened her voice and greeted. She was also a miserable person since she was a child. She couldn't support her at home, so she sold her. Later, she was sold for many times and finally became a mess. After meeting Zhou Daodeng, she originally thought she could have a place to settle down, but who knew that Zhou Daodeng's wife and concubine could not tolerate her, so she sold her back to the yard. Fortunately, Li Guodong, she came here.

The refugees took out the bowls and chopsticks from their luggage. Wang Quan and a group of servants with murderous aura stood aside to maintain order. They did not dare to fight and waited in a row. The refugees lined up behind had already been so hungry that they were croaking. When they smelled the scent of porridge, they were even more hungry. However, they were afraid of the murderous aura on Wang Quan and his group, so they kept snoring their heads and waiting anxiously.

It is not unreasonable to fear. A strong man went to compete with an old woman holding a child, but was cut off by Wang Quan. Now his head is still hanging on the flagpole at the door, as if warning the young and strong man among the refugees not to disrupt the order, otherwise he would be killed.

Liu Rushi, Mo Zhu and Hexiang were wearing straw hats and veils on their faces, and they personally served porridge for the refugees.

The porridge in the bowl is sweet and thick. The porridge is made of brown rice, millet, sorghum rice and chopped sweet potatoes. There is absolutely no bark or grass roots added.

Since the bandits came, the refugees have not eaten anything for a long time. In fact, their daily lives are not good. Most of the income from hard work every year is rented as land, leaving only a little food for barely living. They eat braised vegetables on weekdays. Today, they come here to escape, but drink such good rice porridge, and many people cry.

The child picked up the bowl of porridge and drank it in big mouthfuls. The porridge smelled so good, and the red things inside were a little sweet. The children quickly finished a bowl. The adults only drank a few sips, shook their heads, picked up the child's empty bowl, and then lined up to get the porridge.

Wang Quan and his dozens of elite servants were actually the elite old clerks of the caravan and a group of caravan guards who later made meritorious service. They now have the identities of officers and soldiers. After all the refugees were assigned to the porridge, Wang Quan and his soldiers also sat down on a stone on the snow. Each of them held a big bowl in their hands and drank porridge in big mouthfuls.

Wang Quan, who was extremely powerful and had a strong martial arts skill, drank five bowls of porridge in one breath before he felt full. He stood up and looked around the dark refugees.

Zhang Shiwen beside him knew that the boss was going to speak, so he called the servants to come forward and maintain order together: "Please be quiet! Quiet! Wang Qianhu is going to speak!"

The noisy refugees calmed down. Wang Quan cleared his throat and opened his voice and shouted loudly: "Dear fellow villagers! You are all my people in the Ming Dynasty! I, Wang, are military officials at the Ming Dynasty. The bandits are raging. We cannot defeat the thieves. I am really ashamed of all the villagers!"

After saying that, Wang Quan bowed deeply, bowed to the ground, and gave a big gift to the refugees.

"Master Qianhu, you can't do it, you must not do it!" The refugees shouted, and several old men burst into tears.

Wang Quan stood up and continued to open his voice and shouted loudly: "Since you are here to join me, Mr. Wang, it is your trust in me, Mr. Wang! When you come here, I will take you to reclaim wasteland, plow ox seeds and farm tools, we will provide you with us! Just let go and support yourself with your own labor."

"Master Qianhu, you are the young ones who have received great kindness. How much does it take for farming earn? " someone asked loudly.

Wang Quan looked around and said, "Everyone, the city here is mine, we dug the canals, and I also produce the seeds of oxen. Naturally, the land rent must be collected for harvest. As for land rent, one in ten will be collected! Never add more!"

People were talking about this. This land rent is much more preferential than the taxes paid by self-cultivated farmers or the land rent given to the landlords by tenants. It is very conscientious that tenants farm and gentry collect 50% of the income, and the best paddy fields charge 60% or even 70% of the income! If the weather is good, the family can barely make a living. If it encounters a disaster year, it can only sell children and daughters.
Chapter completed!