The idiom "from good as flowing water" refers to Zhu Erdan seriously listening to the collective opinions of the people of Xiaohu Village and sending the entire Hu family off on their way.
Strictly speaking, the peasant association established by Zhu Xiaosong was very different from the peasant associations in actual history. At the very least, historical peasant associations did not habitually send entire families of certain local tyrants and bullies to their demise.
Because this act of sending the entire family of a wicked gentry to their death would absolutely affect the promotion of the peasant association and might even push a large number of gentry to the side of the Tatars.
After all, compared to the Tatar government that only extorted silver, Zhu Xiaosong's peasant association, which sent entire families to their deaths, was far more terrifying to the so-called local gentry and scholars.
But Zhu Xiaosong did it anyway.
While this was partly to warn and deter, to use the heads of certain wicked gentry to force those local tyrants and bullies not to oppress the people too much, there was another reason, which was that Zhu Xiaosong intended to use this opportunity for a purge, thereby achieving wealth redistribution and simultaneously solving some clan issues.
As for a deeper reason, it was related to the song sung by the doctor, "Before, I didn't know you, you didn't belong to me."
This song is defined as a wrong time, a wrong thing that was initiated, and can be found in Putian.
However, if we set aside whether the song was right or wrong and delve into the fundamental reasons for its occurrence, it is not necessarily without the factor of insufficient reckoning with these local tyrants and bullies.
If you still don't understand, you can read the fifth volume of "Dragon Slaying Techniques." If you understand it, you will understand.
...
When Zhu Erdan sent the entire Hu family on their way, the sky had already gradually darkened. By the time Zhu Erdan and Geng Rui distributed the Hu family's money and grain to the people and handled the matter of the people electing the peasant association, it was completely dark.
The crescent moon hung in the sky, and the already brightly burning torches occasionally crackled, the firelight flickering gently, casting Zhu Erdan and Geng Rui's faces in a fleeting light and shadow.
Now that everything was settled, Zhu Erdan looked at the villagers below the threshing floor who had received their money and grain and shouted loudly, "The wicked gentry have been dealt with, and the money and grain have been distributed. The peasant association has been elected by you all. From now on, if you have any matters, you can find the peasant association to handle them for you. If the peasant association cannot handle them, you can come to our Menglianggu to deal with them. Now, everyone should go back to their homes, eat their meals, and sleep their sleeps."
Then, the villagers under the threshing floor looked at Zhu Erdan with a bewildered expression.
It was over?
After a day's work, sending the Hu family on their way, distributing money and grain, and establishing the peasant association, what next?
Did they not need the villagers to prepare meals for them? Did they not need to arrange for their soldiers to stay in the villagers' homes?
Then what were they doing this for?
The villagers under the threshing floor looked at Zhu Erdan in bewilderment, and Zhu Erdan was also bewildered by their gazes. In the end, he could only look at Geng Rui in bewilderment and ask in a low voice, "Why are they all looking at me? Did something grow on my face?"
Geng Rui was also looking bewildered, utterly bewildered.
If the people under the threshing floor were all beautiful young women and married women, then it could be said that they were attracted by his handsome appearance. But these were all grown men, and more importantly, they were staring directly at him. Anyone would be flustered, wouldn't they?
Geng Rui was filled with surprise and uncertainty. He forced a smile onto his face and replied in a low voice, with a forced smile, "Don't ask me, I don't know. I'm also flustered."
Seeing that Geng Rui was unreliable, Zhu Erdan couldn't help but snort. He looked at Hu San, who had just been elected by the villagers as the leader of the peasant association, and said, "Since everyone isn't going home, why are you still here?"
Hu San hesitated for a moment, then said with a smile, "Well, well, you military lords have been busy all day and haven't had a hot meal. How about we go home and make something to eat for you military lords, and clear out some rooms so you military lords can rest?"
Hearing Hu Lao San say this, Zhu Erdan and Geng Rui immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, these villagers were only worried about this and had no other thoughts.
Zhu Erdan, who was not hesitant or soft-handed when wielding a knife, was almost scared to urinate by the villagers' strange gazes!
After calming down, Zhu Erdan thought for a moment and waved his hand. He then shouted to the villagers under the threshing floor, "Everyone, please don't call us military lords. We don't do that here at Menglianggu."
"Our great chieftain of Menglianggu once said that we are all the same as everyone else. We were all poor people originally. We are rebelling to overthrow the Tatars, not to lord over the people. Therefore, our soldiers at Menglianggu are the sons and brothers of the common people. We should be as ruthless as winter towards the Tatars and as warm as spring towards our people." xxs壹贰
"Since we're here anyway, I'll take this opportunity to tell everyone about our rules at Menglianggu: no taking a single needle or thread from the common people, speak kindly, buy and sell fairly, return borrowed items, compensate for damaged items, do not beat or scold the common people, do not damage crops, do not harass women."
"Whoever dares to violate these rules will be dealt with according to military law. Even if I, Zhu Erdan, am the chieftain's own brother, if I violate these rules, it will not be allowed!"
"So, everyone doesn't need to worry about anything else. Just go back to your homes. Eat your meals, sleep your sleeps. Don't bother about us. We will guard the night for you."
The villagers under the threshing floor looked at each other, almost disbelieving what they had heard.
Since ancient times, there has been the saying that bandits pass like a comb, soldiers pass like a rake, and officials pass like a shave. Coincidentally, the people led by Zhu Erdan perfectly fit these three identities: bandit, soldier, and official.
Bandit, although the rebel army of Menglianggu had the word "rebel," it was still a rebel army, worthy of the title "bandit."
Coincidentally, there was also the word "army" in this rebel army, so they could also be considered soldiers.
As for official, it was even easier to explain – Zhu Erdan was the younger brother of the great chieftain of Menglianggu, the second chieftain of Menglianggu. If he was not an official, who was?
Perfectly fitting the conditions of bandit, soldier, and official, yet they only distributed money and grain to the people, did not comb or shave, did not prepare meals for the people, and did not intend to rest in the villagers' homes. Instead, they told the villagers to do whatever they were doing and not bother them?
Who would believe this?
Hu San, however, became energetic. He shouted, "I told you so! I said our Xiaohu Village peasant association was strange, completely different from the Menglianggu rebel army I heard about and what Hu老爷 told us. You all didn't believe me. Now what? Listen to the military... listen to the second chieftain and hurry home!"
The villagers were still somewhat bewildered.
But no matter how bewildered the villagers were, and no matter how unbelievable it was for them to hear and see all this, what Zhu Erdan said, what Hu Lao San said, and everything that happened today all proved that the Menglianggu rebel...義軍 was indeed different from the armies they had seen or heard of before.
Perhaps, only the Yue Family Army, legendary for not looting even when starving and not demolishing houses even when freezing, could be compared to the army before them?
After another period of unspeakable silence, the villagers began to disperse in twos and threes. Zhu Erdan then rubbed his slightly stiff face from smiling and said to Geng Rui, "Arrange the camp accommodation. We'll stay outside Xiaohu Village tonight."
"By the way, the visible sentries will not move tonight. We will add more hidden sentries. Our return to Xiaohu Village cannot be kept secret from those who are paying attention. Although we don't know if it's true that Hu老爷 is related to the gentry in the surrounding ten villages, we must guard against an attack on the camp tonight."
Geng Rui nodded in agreement and immediately went to arrange the camp accommodation.
It must be admitted that although Zhu Erdan was reckless in other matters, his talent in leading troops in battle was extraordinary. Few on Menglianggu could match him, and Geng Rui, who had partnered with him the longest, would not doubt him.
However, as Zhu Erdan began to set up camp, the villagers who had returned to their homes began to toss and turn in their beds.
The words "from the common people," "sons and brothers," etc., that Zhu Erdan had spoken seemed to have some magical power, constantly drilling into their minds.
Perhaps it was because they had never seen such an army before?
Even though it was early spring, and there were no crops for them to ruin, and even though everyone at the threshing ground before was a grown man, there were no young women or married women for them to harass, but the fact that they didn't take a single needle or thread from the common people and spoke kindly was something they had actually witnessed.
Such an army was guarding the night for them, while they were lying in their own beds sleeping soundly?
Hu Lao San couldn't sleep the more he thought about it. Especially when he thought that his life was saved by the Menglianggu rebel army, Hu Lao San felt as if he were being scratched by cats and dogs, making him feel extremely uneasy.
After tossing and turning for most of the night without coming up with anything, Hu Lao San simply got out of bed, put on his clothes, lit the oil lamp, and began to rummage through his house for sweet potatoes.
This item had only been promoted in Laizhou last year.
Although eating too many dried sweet potatoes could cause flatulence, it was said that they had high yields and could fill the stomach. Who cared about flatulence? Anyway, Hu Lao San had planted a lot of them. After the autumn harvest, Hu Lao San had dried them all, even drying the vines.
He lit the stove and started a fire, then soaked the dried sweet potato vines. Hu Lao San prepared to steam some dried sweet potatoes and cook some sweet potato vines with fermented beans, and then send them to the rebel soldiers later.
Hu Lao San had thought it over. Although the second chieftain said that their Menglianggu rebel army was not allowed to take a single needle or thread from the common people, he was from the peasant association and hadn't given them needles or threads, nor had he given them money or valuables. It was just some food. This should not violate their rules, right?
Anyway, it was almost dawn. In a little while, when the moon completely set, the sun would slowly rise. It was just right for his life-savers to have breakfast.
However, before Hu Lao San could soak the sweet potato vines, a bang sounded from the north of the village, followed by a continuous series of such bangs, which were particularly clear in the night.
Zhu Erdan was so angry he wanted to kill someone.
Damn it, although he had prepared for an attack on the camp, who could have imagined that these local tyrants and bullies would actually dare to attack the camp?
Fine, you attack the camp. Attacking the camp at the time between night and dawn was quite thoughtful. Perhaps some Tatar soldiers were not as considerate as you were.
But, why the hell are you carrying torches? Who attacks a camp while holding torches and shouting "kill the bandits to avenge Hu老爷"? Where are the scouts? Where is the vanguard? Where is the formation?
Charging over in a dark mass at night, daring to charge the military camp with just a bunch of household guards and the like, are you sure you're not here to insult my intelligence?
Feeling that his intelligence had been insulted, Zhu Erdan immediately rushed forward, wanting to draw his saber and kill someone.
You insult my intelligence, and I'll take out my anger on your heads. Isn't that fair?
ps: The matter of Sixth Master should have a result tomorrow, who is right and who is wrong, right and wrong.
ps: I still need to hang an IV drip for three days and strive to resume two updates starting tomorrow. Also, please vote!