Nanming Engineer

Chapter 32 Civil turmoil
Although the main hall of the small temple is called the main hall, it is pitifully narrow, about the size of a main room. The original statue of the god case has long disappeared. The hall was almost full, and Wang Tao, a little embarrassed, led Li Tingyu and Wang Huan into the hall, and the others could only stand outside the door and watch under the eaves.

A water thief offered several cups of tea. Wang Tao rubbed his hands and said awkwardly: "In the mountains and wilds, there is no good tea to entertain distinguished guests. Please take care of me, sir."

Li Tingyu sat on the grand master's chair on the left without touching the teacup, and said with a slight tilt of his head, "You don't need to be too polite, I will be a soldier all my life, and I don't pay so much attention. Our banner people are not like you Han people. Poor and long-winded, since we’re here, let’s get straight to the point.”

These few words were harsh and harsh, counting all the Han people without distinction. He followed Wang Tao into the main hall and sat on the bench on the right. He just sat there with half of his buttocks on the chair, pretending to listen intently, so he couldn't get angry, so he just sat there and didn't talk.

Wang Huan and Li Yan, who were sitting on the bench on the left, looked at each other awkwardly, and both said in their eyes: Li Laosan is so into this scene, but he didn't know that he was scolded by these words!
Li Tingyu, on the other hand, was not aware of it, and was still a little proud. He felt that he had faked Tu Hai's expression, and continued: "I heard in Huai'an that Chief Wang was a good citizen. He was once rich and benefited the village, but he was The officials of the Ming Dynasty framed him, and his property was taken away, and his wife and concubines were robbed. It was really too much, and he had no choice but to enter the lake and become a water thief. I don’t know what the truth is?"

Wang Tao's eyes filled with tears when he heard this, his round face twisted, and he was about to burst into tears. This is the noble man who understands himself!Every word spoke to the depths of his heart. Over the past few years, he had gone from a wealthy and prominent family to a water thieves and bandits that others had heard of. His ancestors' hundreds of generations of family business had been completely destroyed in his own hands. The noble family had become the leader of a den of thieves, which made him beat his chest and beat his head with tears streaming down his face every time he dreamed of it late at night. He felt deeply ashamed to see his ancestors and his ancestors.

This has become a lingering pain in Wang Tao's heart. Although the days are nourishing, killing happily, big pieces of meat and big bowls of wine are wanton and unrestrained, and he looks refreshed in front of his hands, the pain in his heart is like drinking water. Self-awareness.

And Li Tingyu's words, like a clear spring flowing into the dry land, instantly moistened Wang Tao's heart, which was already ashamed, like the morning light shining in the night sky, seeing bright hope.

Guangzong Yaozu, Wang Tao, who has lived forever, dare not think, as long as he can return to the previous state, he can openly worship his ancestors in the ancestral hall of the Huai'an royal family, return to the mansion in the city to continue his life, and walk in the street with dignity. At the meeting, the country gentry and adjutant officials greeted each other politely. Wang Tao would rather give up all his hard-earned possessions over the years to get such a promise of security.

The Ming Dynasty was bitter and bitter, and Wang Tao had no hope at all, but the Qing Dynasty was different. He had no enmity with the Manchus in the past, and he had no grudges in the present. Let's talk about it, the fools, I am a businessman after all, a businessman who is only interested in profit, why bother so much?Enough support?

The ups and downs in my heart are reflected on my face, which is full of excitement.Wang Tao was just sitting there, but when he heard Li Tingyu's words, he jumped up and bowed his hands in a very sad way: "Your Excellency is wise! Caomin is indeed a good citizen who was forced to go to Liangshan. Caomin was in the boundary of Jiangsu and on both sides of the Huaihe River. It can be regarded as a small family fortune, and the ancestors also produced several Jinshi Juren, and the Caomin himself was also a local chief appointed by the government. Not to mention the officials of many generations, he was also considered a local gentry. How could people like Caomin become bandits? It was all forced by corrupt officials of the Ming Dynasty!"

Speaking of this, Wang Tao blinked, and a stream of tears could no longer be controlled, and the tears fell on the spot.A reckless man wept in public, talking about the dilapidated affairs of his own family, which made the atmosphere in the hall suddenly bleak and sad.

The water thieves inside and outside the house looked at each other in dismay, their faces were full of capital letters, the boss recalled the dusty past with snot and tears, and the words were full of infinite nostalgia, and he couldn't finish his life at that time yearning, what is it now?What are we?Robbers also have pride, boss, you can't sell us all like this!
Li Tingyu added fuel to the fire at this time, and he said in a heavy tone: "Boss Wang, sit down and talk, don't worry, I'm here this time to listen to what you have to say."

These words were like a gust of spring wind, blowing open the door of his heart that had been closed for many years, and Wang Tao's emotions were mobilized again. He seemed to have finally found an underground worker in the organization, and he repeatedly agreed, sat down again, and spoke in a high-pitched tone. .

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for being arrogant. It is true that the Qing Dynasty is so majestic and the heaven's grace is boundless. The grassroots people are like dew after a long drought. Your Majesty sent envoys here a few days ago. Although the words are not detailed, the grassroots people have already understood. At that time, I made up my mind to give this great body to the Qing Dynasty. I only regretted that the time was too short and I could not shave my hair and change my clothes. But please rest assured, sir, although my hair has not been shaved and my clothes have not been easy, we have already fixed it in our hearts. The Qing Dynasty believed that China was the master."

Wang Tao stood up again and stood in front of Li Tingyu who was sitting upright. He suddenly dwarfed and knelt down. He knocked his head on the ground and shouted: "Please show mercy and recruit the grassroots and others. We are all good citizens of Hongze Lake. Sincerely." Since the rebellion was established on the mountain top, we have been like water without roots, floating duckweeds, without a king or a father. It is very pitiful. Although we have killed officials and harmed people, they are all things of the past. As long as the Qing Dynasty can bring rain and dew, the blessings will come down, and the common people will I will definitely repay my kindness and return to my rural home from now on, vowing to be an obedient citizen of the Qing Dynasty and never betray!"

After saying that, Wang Tao knocked his head several times, and then glared at the group of small bosses standing in a daze. These small bosses who followed him to the hall to discuss matters were all his confidantes, and they followed him all the way to the dark place. At this time, although things are changing too fast, I can't figure out what kind of magic the boss has, but I still have a faint sense of it on weekdays, knowing that the boss has always been obsessed with the past, and has never given up on Zhaoan. Shocked, but Wang Tao rolled his eyes, these little bosses came over immediately, regardless of their will, knelt behind Wang Tao, and said in unison: "Please forgive me, my lord!"

In this scene, more than a dozen water thief leaders knelt in front of them neatly, knocking their heads on the ground, begging like dogs, and bewildered Li Tingyu who was sitting upright.

Things were going so well that he didn't know what to do.

This estrangement scheme was executed so smoothly, not only the giver was pushing, but also the receiver was pushing desperately, trying to cooperate, as if it would be uncomfortable not to jump off the fire pit.

Li Tingyu maintained his composure, stroked his beard as if thinking, and fell silent.The water thieves headed by Wang Tao were a little confused, so they had to kneel still, with their heads lowered, waiting for the adult on the grand master's chair to speak.

In fact, Li Tingyu was blinking at Wang Huan frequently, wanting to ask what to do in this situation, should he continue to frame them as fools, or directly express his attitude.

Looking at Wang Huan, Wang Huan's mind was also spinning rapidly. Things went too smoothly, far exceeding his expectations, and the steps planned with him were several orders of magnitude ahead of schedule, which also caught him off guard.In his plan, this kind of situation where water thieves are crying and begging for safety should happen after two or three days. Only when Lu Yilu seized the command flag of Prince Yu Duoduo from Tuhai will it appear.At that time, there will definitely be the second and third masters who are unwilling to surrender and will not obey, and there will be conflicts with the leader Wang Tao, so just a little provocation among the three will naturally cause the two sides to fight. Although Wang Tao is the master water thief However, he is not necessarily the opponent of the second or third leader. After Wang Tao died, he changed his identity and returned to the identity of the Ming army, and then took some money to recruit the remaining water thieves, and it would be a success.To take a step back, if Wang Tao wins, the pirates after the fire will be severely injured. With Li Tingyu's five hundred men, they can be swallowed by force. Just kill Wang Tao and gather his men, and the goal can also be achieved. It's just a price to pay.

But after all the calculations, Wang Tao didn't expect Wang Tao to be so savvy. In the past few years, the water thief brother who had been encircled by the government and army several times, the man of iron bones, actually knelt down on the first face, begging with snot and tears Recruitment, but the second and third bosses over there have not been in contact with each other, what is their attitude, and the contradiction of turning their faces has not been exposed, how should this divorce scheme be carried out?

Beads of sweat appeared on Wang Huan's forehead, and his brows were deeply wrinkled. Thoughts flashed in his mind, but he denied them one by one.On the other hand, Li Tingyu couldn't sit still anymore, and began to twitch like a needle prick in his buttocks, and moved uneasily. Obviously, it was not an option to delay talking like this.

Just at this time, a figure flashed outside the door, and a water thief rushed in. When he saw a crowd of people kneeling on the ground, he was taken aback for a moment, and then saw Wang Tao's figure in the crowd, hurried over, and attached himself to the crowd. Wang Tao whispered a few words in his ear, and Wang Tao's face changed instantly, with obvious anger appearing on his face.

When Wang Huan saw it, his heart lit up, like a stone falling to the ground in his heart. The only thing that would make Wang Tao angry at this time was the internal strife among the water thieves.

Wang Huan also stood up, walked to Li Tingyu, and said a few words briefly. Li Tingyu was relieved, as if he had received an imperial edict, and immediately gave up the look of not knowing what to do, and shouted loudly to the kneeling crowd. : "Everyone, please get up, I am here this time to bring you the order from Prince Yu!"

(End of this chapter)