Chapter 152 Officials force the people to rebel (Subscribe)

In the Grain Supervisory Office.

Hai Rui left a message saying "People with different ideologies cannot make plans together" and really parted ways with Zhang Juzheng.

He was going to continue investigating the issue of local land taxes.

He tried to single-handedly spread the matter to the capital, which was thousands of miles away.

However, Zhang Juzheng had to stay in the Suzhou Grain Inspectorate and continue to focus on increasing silk production.

However, they had to face the problems of land, taxes, corvee, population, and administration exposed by the two prefectures of Suzhou and Songjiang, but they were powerless to do anything about it.

The different concepts of being an official made Zhang Juzheng and Hai Rui two completely different people, standing in completely opposite positions.

And Yangzhou Prefecture is just across the river from Suzhou Prefecture.

Yan Maoqing, Left Vice-Chief Censor of the Censorate of the Ming Dynasty, was the imperial commissioner in charge of the salt administration in Lianghuai and commercial taxes in the southeast.

But it feels like a spring breeze, and life is full of joy.

Jiangnan is inherently rich.

Yangzhou was full of dens of brothels.

The skinny horses of Yangzhou were once famous throughout the world.

Yan Maoqing, who held power, lived an official life completely different from that of Hai Rui and Zhang Juzheng.

Yan Maoqing naturally had no scruples and was not constrained by numerous affairs.

After mobilizing the salt soldiers under the Lianghuai Salt Transport Commissioner's Office and the troops of the Huaiyang Military Preparations Department.

Commissioner Yan's salt inspection was in full swing.

Under the strong pressure of the soldiers, the salt merchants in Lianghuai who were rich enough to rival a country, "willingly" took out their money and grain and presented them to the office of the Salt Transport Commissioner with both hands.

The Lianghuai Salt Fields accounted for three-tenths of the sea salt, lake salt and well salt produced in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty, making it the most important place in the court.

The Lianghuai salt merchants were also the richest salt merchants in the world.

The troops are approaching.

Every day, countless glittering pieces of silver filled large carts and were delivered to Yan Maoqing.

The merchants who occupied Yangzhou, a thoroughfare between the north and the south, were also extremely obedient and sent their accounts to the Salt Transport Commissioner's Office, and then paid and made up the past commercial taxes according to established practice.

someone said.

Nowadays, there is no place for people to stay in the Salt Transport Commissioner's Office.

The ground was littered with silver flakes that had been randomly piled up on the ground because they could not be contained.

If you are not careful, you will be tripped by the silver snowflakes on the ground.

Yan Maoqing, who had countless money and grain in his hands, naturally became the person who was best at using money in the Ming Dynasty.

Brocade decorated toilet bed.

Platinum as a drowning vessel.

Dozens of women carried the sedan chair and walked through the market.

He spent all day in his luxurious mansion in Yangzhou city, giving banquets and hiring famous musicians and opera troupes to sing and dance all day long, spending countless gold and silver every day like the water of a river.

But if Yan Maoqing was enjoying himself in Yangzhou City.

He asked a dozen women to carry the sedan chair out of the city, with soldiers protecting them on both sides, and searched for the Lianghuai Salt Field.

The salt workers had not committed any offense or disobeyed the law, but they were still brutally killed and abused, and charged with the crime of selling surplus salt privately. The salt officials were beaten and killed, and they were accused of stealing from the public.

If they found a beautiful woman among the people, they would abduct her into a sedan chair and rape her in broad daylight in the open field. After that, they would send her to the Salt Transport Commissioner's Office, where they would either rape her themselves or give her to officials, gentry, or merchants who would kneel down and prostrate themselves.

that day.

After returning from the city, he found a beautiful woman as usual and brought her to the government office, Yan Maoqing.

He was stopped by the Imperial Censor of Lianghuai Salt.

The people in the Lianghuai area had already been destitute of life due to Yan Maoqing's rule. The common people were full of complaints and some salt farmers had even begun to flee.

The Salt Censor knelt in public in front of the Salt Transport Commissioner's Office and begged Yan Maoqing to show mercy, otherwise there would be disasters in the Lianghuai area where the officials would force the people to rebel.

By then, there would be chaos in Lianghuai, which would even affect the grain transport, interrupt the north-south freight, and even cause a shortage of supplies in the capital, and cut off the money, food and military pay in the nine border areas.

However, Yan Maoqing publicly accused the Salt Censor of concealing the guilt of officials and businessmen, and then put him in a cell, waiting to report to the court and convict him.

It just happened within a few days.

A message came from the cell.

The Salt Censor actually left a suicide note, confessing his crimes, and then committed suicide in the prison cell.

Since then.

No one inside or outside Yangzhou City or in the Huai River area dared to speak a word in front of Yan Maoqing anymore.

Now in Yangzhou city, officials, civilians and merchants alike are in a state of panic, fearing that they will be targeted by Yan Maoqing.

The villa where Lianghuai salt merchants often gathered was dead silent.

There were countless people sitting there, but no one spoke.

These wealthy salt merchants from Lianghuai, who used to wear silk and satin, now all wear coarse linen clothes.

It’s not that Yan Maoqing really looted all their property.

But if they were still wearing silk and satin, once the news got out, they would certainly be taken away by Yan Maoqing for questioning, and then their money and grain would be extorted.

I don't know whether it is good for Yan Maoqing to abide by the laws of the country on merchants, or it is good for him to be greedy for gold and silver.

After a long period of silence.

Finally someone raised his head.

"Does Yan Maoqing really want to force everyone in our Lianghuai area to rebel against him?"

People elsewhere did not know how cruel Yan Maoqing was, but they had experienced it themselves.

The family fortune accumulated over the years was almost completely lost with the arrival of Yan Maoqing.

If this continues, how can we live?

"opposite?"

Some people looked sad, sighed, and shook their heads.

"How can we rebel? Yan Maoqing has the salt soldiers and the troops of Huaiyang Military Preparations Department. You and I only have money and food. How can we rebel?"

"Even if there is a rebellion, there are the Xuzhou Military Preparation Road in the north, the Susongchang Military Preparation Road in the south, the Yingzhou Military Preparation Road in the west, and the Nanzhili Dusi Yamen, Nanjing Military Department, Nanjing Resident Office, and Nanjing Garrison above."

"How can you and I fight back?"

As this person explained, cries of grief rose up from all over the room.

The man clenched his fists and said, "What's the situation in the capital? We are having a hard time, and we can't let those people in the capital have an easy life!
Prices in Beijing continue to rise. I don’t believe that the young and old men in Beijing can ignore this and let Yan Maoqing, who has aroused public resentment, go!"

Someone shook his head and said, "For freight going north, the price has already started to increase even without our help.

But when the nest is overturned, no egg will be left unbroken. The imperial court wants to obtain money and grain from our Lianghuai territory. Even if Yan Maoqing is invincible now, he may even sue us for bringing disaster to the country..."

"..." There was another silence.

suddenly.

Someone stood up.

"Neither left nor right."

"Are we just going to stretch our necks and wait for that damn Yan Maoqing to chop us down with his knife?"

In Yangzhou City, Yan Maoqing is now hanging a knife over everyone's head.

No one dared to say a word, let alone move.

"Officials force the people to rebel..."

"Then let Yan Maoqing force the people to revolt!"

"I just don't believe it. When the imperial court sees that damn Yan Maoqing has caused a rebellion in the Huaiyang area, will they still care about this matter?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone present looked at him sideways.

Countless thoughts were circulating at the table.

Someone asked, "How can officials force the people to rebel?"

“This matter is not that easy to manipulate.”

"If we don't handle it properly, we will inevitably get into trouble."

Everyone was talking.

The person who first proposed it said in a deep voice: "Yan Maoqing is rampant in Yangzhou City, killing the people and slaughtering the salt workers. Shouldn't the salt households be frightened and take up their salt shovels to rebel against Yan Maoqing?"

"Offer a price and spread the word secretly."

"Whoever doesn't pick up the salt shovel and rebel against this damned Yan Maoqing, don't even think about selling the remaining salt from us!"

Remaining salt.

It is the extra salt produced by salt farmers in addition to the regular salt tax quota levied by the imperial court.

In the early days of the country, the salt was purchased by the imperial court. Later, the imperial court lowered the price repeatedly, and the remaining salt could only be sold through local salt merchants and became private salt.

This is also the reason why the people in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty all bought private salt.

Because private salt is cheaper than official salt, but of better quality.

Reminded by this person.

Everyone present voiced their approval.

"That's it!"

"Cheer up, everyone!"

"Fuck Yan Maoqing!"

……

Capital.

The season has reached its hottest time.

Inside and outside Beijing, cicadas chirped incessantly and heat waves were rolling everywhere.

On both sides of the official road, the branches and leaves of the trees drooped limply.

And in the city.

Yan Shaoting also had a solemn expression.

The prices in the capital have reached an outrageous level.

Many military supplies require more money and food to purchase.

Several construction sites in Changping had to stop work due to rising material prices.

Even Sister Lu sent a letter from her Changping villa, asking when prices in the capital would return to normal. Otherwise, the Yan family could really consider selling the prime minister's residence in the capital.

Everyone in the Ministry of Revenue has been extremely busy recently.

Shuntian Prefecture has already blamed the Ministry of Revenue for several cases of fights over price issues.

In their words, they all blamed the Ministry of Revenue for not doing its job, which led to soaring prices in the capital.

Next came the group of upright officials.

One after another, they began to submit memorials to the court.

If the prices are not calmed down, they won't even be able to get the money to buy paper to write memorials.

At that time, everyone should stop doing anything and just stay at home.

Tighten your belt, look up at the sky, and live your life to the fullest.

Xu Wei originally returned to Changping after dealing with the issue of the quartermaster's shortage of more than 400,000 taels of silver.

But recently he was called back to Beijing by Yan Shaoting.

at this time.

Xu Wei was looking down at news from various places in the capital.

Then he raised his head and said, "Patriarch, according to the current situation, I'm afraid that the prices in the capital have reached their highest point. But if it is not calmed down quickly, I'm afraid that something big will really happen in the court."

Yan Shaoting also frowned and said, "The incident happened in Lianghuai, but I don't know when it will explode and report to the court."

He had no control over what Yan Maoqing would do in Lianghuai and to what extent he would push the people of Lianghuai.

Xu Wei shook his head and said, "It should be soon."

Yan Shaoting looked at Lao Xu: "Why?"

Xu Wei took out a piece of paper from the pile of papers in front of him and handed it to Yan Shaoting.

"This is the news sent by Lu Chenshi this morning."

"It is very unusual that the Huaiyang Military Preparations Department actually petitioned the Nanjing Military Department to transfer firearms at this time."

Yan Shaoting's eyes widened: "Is there really a big mess in Lianghuai?"

Without waiting for Xu Wei to speak, he continued his analysis.

The door outside was banging on and off.

The sound is loud and the frequency is rapid.

"Brother-in-law!"

"Lianghuai is in chaos!"

…………

Monthly ticket recommendation ticket

(End of this chapter)