socalfunplaces Chapter 15 Offering Grain
Chapter 15 Offering Grain
In his panic, Lin Lisheng wished he could slap himself—this was truly a case of letting loose his tongue! He could only hope that the young prince was magnanimous and wouldn't stoop to the level of a commoner like him…
However, he then thought that this might be his best chance to turn things around.
Although he had been away from his hometown for decades and was not very familiar with the situation there, he had still managed to learn about the developments in the north from merchants and overseas Chinese from the north over the years.
He also remembered a merchant from Dongning telling him that since the death of Zheng Jing, the heir apparent of Yanping, the internal situation in Dongning had become increasingly chaotic and the future looked bleak.
The Qing court's appointment of the traitorous general Shi Lang as the Admiral of the Fujian Navy is sufficient proof of the Qing court's ambition to unify Taiwan after Zheng Jing's death.
At this critical juncture, the sudden appearance of this previously unknown heir of the Prince of Lu... it's probably not that simple.
Is it to avoid the Qing army's advance and have to flee to Luzon to start anew, following the story of Koxinga's conquest of Taiwan; or is it that the Dongning faction finally decided to revive Koxinga's legacy...? He leaned more towards the former.
Although Lin Lisheng was just a millet merchant, he had studied in a private school for a few years. If it weren't for the Qing army's southward advance, he might have been able to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, bringing honor to his ancestors. Now, although he is over forty years old and can only make a difficult living in Luzon, the knowledge of a scholar and the ambition to climb the social ladder in his heart have not been completely extinguished.
"In the past, Koxinga was able to resist the Qing Dynasty for decades with only a corner of Taiwan. If this Prince Lu's heir is truly ambitious and uses Luzon as his base, he may very well succeed!" The more Lin Lisheng thought about it, the faster his heart raced. He felt that this was the greatest opportunity of his life.
The saying goes, "It's better to offer help in times of need than to add flowers to brocade." The Crown Prince must be in dire need of the local people's support right now. If he were to offer grain as a form of support, given their brief interaction yesterday, he might just win the Crown Prince's favor.
With that thought in mind, he no longer hesitated, and forgot about the rice shop that was about to open. He immediately turned around and walked quickly toward the government office.
When he arrived at the government office, a large crowd had already gathered in front of it. Some were there to watch the excitement, some to inquire about the news, and others, like Lin Lisheng, were quick-witted and trying to seize the opportunity.
In front of the government office gate, several line infantrymen stood at attention with their rifles, their military bearing impeccable. Although they did not block the crowd, their calm and solemn demeanor made the noisy crowd consciously keep a certain distance.
He noticed some familiar faces in the crowd, prominent Chinese merchants from the city, who had also set aside their reserve and were eagerly waiting.
Just then, a figure emerged from the government office. An officer in a dark military uniform with a sword at his waist strode out, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like lightning. The noise instantly subsided, and everyone held their breath as they watched him intently.
"quiet!"
The officer's voice boomed, "His Highness the Regent Prince Lu has decreed that, in order to show compassion for the people and to recruit talented individuals, a 'Recruitment Office' and a 'Grievance Drum' will be established within the government offices, effective immediately!"
Anyone knowledgeable about Luzon's geography and customs, fluent in Western languages, or possessing a special skill willing to serve in the army, may register at the "Recruitment Office." Those verified and hired will be generously rewarded! Anyone who has suffered injustice at the hands of the Franks may strike the "Grievance Drum" and submit a petition to the authorities. His Highness promises to handle the matter impartially and restore justice to you!
"The Chinese detained in prison will be investigated to determine the reasons for their imprisonment. If any are found to have been wrongfully imprisoned, they will be released immediately!"
These words caused another stir among the crowd, with some weeping with joy and shouting, "Your Highness is wise! My son was wrongly imprisoned by those Western barbarians, but now his name has been cleared and he can see the light of day again!"
Someone else shouted, "When will Your Highness recruit soldiers? We Fujianese will certainly participate enthusiastically!"
This statement was immediately echoed by many people.
Zhu Jiheng stood behind the second-floor window, where he could clearly hear the noisy voices below. He nodded slightly, thinking to himself, "Truly, people's hearts can be won over."
If he were to refuse the people's enthusiasm, it would only dampen their spirits. He needed to think carefully about how to capitalize on this popular sentiment.
Just as Zhu Jiheng was pondering this, Lin Lisheng below had already pushed through the crowd and shouted loudly to the officer who was reading the announcement:
"My lord! I am Lin Lisheng, the manager of Lin's Rice Shop in Dongcheng. Hearing that the royal army has restored Lin Jiayan and driven out the Western barbarians, I am willing to offer 800 shi of grain from my shop to reward the royal army's soldiers, and I am also willing to devote all my wealth to assist Your Highness's great cause!"
His loud voice silenced the noisy crowd for a moment, and then everyone's eyes turned to him.
The adjutant looked him over with some surprise, and immediately recognized Lin Lisheng as the shopkeeper from yesterday. He didn't say anything, but nodded: "Shopkeeper Lin is commendable for his loyalty and righteousness. Please come with me. His Highness is currently dealing with military affairs. I will inform him later."
Lin Lisheng suppressed his excitement and quickly followed, passing through the standing guards and entering the government office. The Chinese merchants outside looked at him in surprise and began to whisper among themselves.
He ignored the voices behind him and followed his adjutant up to the second floor. All the way there, his heart was pounding like a drum. He had never felt this nervous when he was waiting for his eldest son to be born.
He saw Zhu Jiheng standing by the window with his hands behind his back, still wearing the same clothes as yesterday, his posture upright like a pine tree. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but the person in front of him seemed to have undergone a complete transformation in temperament.
"This humble subject, Lin Lisheng, pays respects to Your Highness! Long live Your Highness!" Lin Lisheng dared not look any further and hurriedly stepped forward, his knees buckling as he prepared to perform a grand salute.
"Manager Lin, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise." Zhu Jiheng turned around, his voice gentle. He raised his hand to help him up and said, "Yesterday, we traveled together, and Manager Lin was kind and helpful, offering guidance that I deeply appreciate. Today, I heard that you have gone to great lengths to assist us, donating grain to support the troops. Your loyalty and righteousness are truly rare."
Lin Lisheng's heart warmed, his eyes reddened, and he choked out, "Your Highness is too kind! I have wandered overseas for decades, suffering exploitation and bullying from the Western barbarians. I have longed for the royal army day and night like a parched land yearning for rain. Last night, upon hearing Your Highness's divine voice, I realized that the true dragon has arrived!"
"This meager grain is but a drop in the ocean, nothing more than straw. If it can alleviate the urgent crisis of the royal army, help Your Highness drive out the Western barbarians, and restore our Han homeland, I would die ten thousand times without regret! I am willing to sell my possessions and give everything I have to follow Your Highness!"
After saying this, he bowed deeply again, his forehead almost touching the ground.
Zhu Jiheng stepped forward and helped him up, a gesture that shocked Lin Lisheng, leaving him speechless with excitement.
"I am well aware of Manager Lin's sincerity." Zhu Jiheng looked at him intently. "Expelling the Western barbarians and rescuing the people from their suffering cannot be accomplished by one person alone. I will accept this grain on behalf of the three armies and convert it into silver at market price. We must not let loyal and righteous men suffer losses."
"Your Highness! I am not after money..." Lin Lisheng said urgently.
Zhu Jiheng raised his hand to stop him, his tone gentle yet authoritative: "Merit must be rewarded and mistakes must be punished. This is the foundation of military and political governance. Manager Lin, please do not refuse."