Good morning everyone, today I would like to introduce to you Macheng an upright official who dedicated himself to the people in the late Ming Dynasty Mei Zhihuan .
Mei Zhihuan: courtesy name Binfu, nicknamed Changgong, and layman Xintian. A native of Shenjiazhuang Village, Macheng County, Huangzhou Prefecture in the late Ming Dynasty, he was good at horseback riding and archery. In the 32nd year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty, he became a Jinshi and served as an official in seven provinces. From the Hanlin Academy, the Jishi were moved to the official department and transferred to Shizhong. Chongzhen In the early years of Chongzhen, he became the censor of Youqiandu and became the governor of Gansu. He made great achievements in guarding the border areas.
In the past, Macheng donated food directly to Huangzhou Prefecture on shoulders and backs. On this more than 100-mile road, I don’t know how many mountains and valleys I have to climb. The highest mountain among them is Tianjing Mountain. Its road is both narrow and steep. People carrying burdens are so tired that their bones fall apart. When climbing this mountain, some people always fall to death from exhaustion.
After Mei Zhihuan found out, he immediately reported to the emperor that the people of Macheng could no longer donate food anyway and should think of other ways. The emperor didn't understand what he meant and asked why. He said: "Our food in Macheng is always sent to Huangzhou Prefecture. The mountain road is very difficult to walk, and people often fall to death from exhaustion. There is such a song among the people: 'There is a Tianjing Mountain in Macheng, only a few meters away from the sky. Three feet and three, you have to lower your head when a person passes by, and you have to get off the saddle when a horse passes by. Do you think it is difficult?" The emperor was very surprised after hearing this. How can there be such a high mountain in the world? He wanted to send Beijing soldiers to find out the truth. If there really is a mountain, Macheng will be exempted from paying food donations. If he deceives the Holy Emperor, not only will the food and taxes be increased, but Master Mei will be reduced to a civilian position.
The two soldiers from the capital sent by the emperor arrived at the foot of Tianjing Mountain in Macheng after dozens of days of running around. They were already very tired, so they stayed at a farmer's house that night. They packed their bags and started climbing as soon as they arrived early in the morning.
Just as it happened, it rained heavily the night before. It was rainy and foggy in the early morning, and the mountain peaks seemed to be inserted into the sky. The two Beijing soldiers climbed up in a daze. The mountain road was narrow, steep and muddy, and it was very difficult.
When they were almost halfway up the mountain, they found an old man with a white beard sitting on a big rock and resting, with a selection of new straw sandals in front of him. The old man asked gently, "Which way did you two gentlemen come from and which way do you leave?" The two soldiers stopped immediately and explained to the old man clearly. The old man said: "Since you came here specifically to climb this mountain, why do you only wear a pair of cloth shoes?" The two soldiers asked in surprise: "Isn't it necessary to wear out several pairs of shoes to climb this mountain?" The old man smiled. He laughed and said, "Of course, you see, I'm wearing a new pair of cloth shoes, and I have to carry a lot of straw sandals. I can't climb this Tianjing Mountain without wearing out these shoes."
" Isn't your boss a coaxer? "
"Where did I go? My beard is on the ground and the dirt is piled up to my eyebrows. What are you trying to do?"
"That's it! God! If this is the case, why should we go to such trouble? We will have to walk for a year and a half before we finish wearing the straw sandals!" They spun around and returned to the capital to start the ceremony. From then on, Macheng stopped paying food donations.
