Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

In Dongshi, due to the soaring prices in Huai'an Prefecture, the prices of dishes have also risen, so Chef Hao has not opened.

At this time, he was leaning half of his buttocks on the chopping board, holding a piece of "Ming Pao" with relish and reading a serialized martial arts novel. However, judging from the serialization date, it was obviously a version at least a few days ago.

There was no way. Before the technological point of the telegraph was discovered, it was too difficult to realize the timely dissemination of civilian information. Even Huai'an Prefecture, a north-south communication hub that relied on canals, could not do this at all.

Chef Hao was reading martial arts novels and gesturing with a knife in his hand. He was obviously a cultured and knowledgeable killer.

No one knows about Chef Hao's past, and there is no need to delve into it. There are many ruthless people on the water transportation road.

But now he only knows that he is alive again, and it is still a big life.

Shi Youmin gave money readily, and one job would often be enough for him to spend money like water for a year. If he lived a normal life, he might not be able to spend it all in a lifetime. Unfortunately, Chef Hao is not a person who can live calmly, so he never saves much money. Come on, and he was used to making quick money, so he no longer looked down on earning steady money slowly and being exploited from time to time.

In other words, he prefers this time of licking blood with the tip of a knife.

It's just that the difficulty of this mission is surprisingly high.

Compared with the last time he sneaked into an undefended government office in the middle of the night to assassinate the prefect, trying to assassinate the imperial envoy who had just been assassinated once under the heavy protection of dozens of imperial guards would be about as difficult as climbing to the sky. .

Moreover, the number of frequent tasks recently also shows that Shi Youmin, a big employer, is indeed in a hurry.

This made Chef Hao think carefully.

Should he accept this order and gain wealth at risk, or should he pack up his things and run away?

It is not necessarily easy to run away. These belongings and the hidden belongings make Chef Hao unable to let go.

"Daddy."

At this time, a little girl ran over with her hands open.

The little girl had two energetic little buns and a dark blue dress. Her face was as pink and tender as a glutinous rice dumpling.

Chef Hao stretched out his arms to hug her, and took a few bites with a smile: "What's wrong with my dear girl?"

The little girl replied in a sweet voice: "Daddy, you haven't taught me how to read for a long time!"

Chef Hao laughed for a while and took out the "Ming Pao" stuffed in the back.

"Nanny, be good. Daddy will teach you a few words later, okay?"

"Okay!" The little girl clapped her hands excitedly.

Chef Hao turned over the page of the martial arts novel, and when he saw the content behind it, his expression changed several times. Then he sighed softly, picked up his daughter, put it on his shoulders, and walked towards the house.

The little girl said in his ear: "Daddy, don't you teach me how to read?"

Listening to his daughter's words, Chef Hao couldn't help but smile bitterly. How could he easily say what was in "Ming Pao"?

The National Preceptor vigorously cracked down on corrupt officials, used the examination method to eliminate incompetent officials, did good things for the people, and even specifically cited the example of Xie Jin being injured.

As the saying goes, "A great chivalrous man serves the country and the people." Influenced by martial arts novels, and it's not like Chef Hao doesn't understand the truths in these newspapers, now that he thinks about it, he wants to do something for Shi Youmin, who is disguised as Qingfeng with two sleeves. A huge corrupt man, he went to assassinate the imperial envoy, and then he saw that his neighbors were suffering from soaring prices, and he was inexplicably touched in his heart.

He is not a good person, but at least he is a human being, and being a killer is just his profession.

Of course, this kind of touch is just a hint under special circumstances.

"Hey" Chef Hao sighed longly.

"Daddy, what's wrong with you?" the girl asked, raising her head.

"Oh, it's nothing, let's go in quickly."

——————

Jiang Xinghuo acted very quickly. Under his coordination, Li Zengzhi took a large number of grain ships carrying Japanese rice from Changzhou Prefecture, passed through Yangzhou Prefecture, and quickly transported it to Huai'an Prefecture.

Grain is a hard currency, and with a large supply of grain purchased in limited quantities per household, although the market prices in Huai'an Prefecture did not drop immediately, at least the people's normal lives were guaranteed, and the promise made before understanding Jin was fulfilled.

After the people's emotions were basically stable, Xie Jin began to work on the most important work.

The preparations for the Japanese army to move south cannot be concealed from those who are interested.

In the shock of the salt merchants and gentry in Huai'an Prefecture, the comprehensive takeover of the two Huai salt fields began.

This news spread quickly throughout the counties of the Huanghuai Chief Envoy Department, as if it had wings, causing chaos in all the salt areas of the Lianghuai Salt Fields.

At the same time, Cao Yu, the former chief envoy to the right of Beiping, the current chief envoy to Huanghuai, and Longping Hou Zhang Xin, who had been serving as governor of water transportation for a year, also received relevant information.

Two old foxes who were staying in Fengyang, the central capital, got together to briefly discuss countermeasures.

"Longpinghou."

Cao Yu had known Zhang Xin as the capital commander in Peiping, and now they had to work together in the same boat, so he was naturally much more open-minded than others.

"The Lianghuai Salt Farm was taken over by the Japanese army, which will definitely have an impact on us. If Xie Jin is handled properly, it will be okay, but if it is handled incorrectly, I'm afraid..."

Zhang Xin was silent as he drank tea. Although the emperor was very kind to him and relied on his contribution to changing history at critical moments, which was enough for him to last a lifetime, this did not mean that Zhang Xin was a person resting on his credit book, especially Zhang Xin knew very well how many people wanted his position and how many people were coveting it.

Cao Yu didn't take it seriously and continued: "As the saying goes, one move affects the whole body. Every decision made in Lianghuai may have a chain reaction in other places. Therefore, I think what Xie Jin did, We don't have to stop it, but the first thing we need to do is to ensure peace within the Chief Envoy's Department from outside interference; and in addition, we must do everything we can to prevent the matter from getting bigger, otherwise it will be like the Guo Huan case and the Kongyin case. Implicate the whole world."

Of course, Cao Yu's worries are justified. Zhu Di's personality is very similar to his father, and the number of officials killed in the four major Hongwu cases are something that these veterans who have experienced the Hongwu Dynasty will never forget.

And at present, in the Yamen, the salt envoy for transporting salt from Huaihe River to Huaihe River, no one can tell how much mud can be brought out by pulling out the radish.

"My subordinate Zuo Shenzheng and the prefect of Huai'an have some contact with me."

Zhang Xin's meaning couldn't be more obvious, but he then rubbed his forehead, feeling a bit free and easy.

"However, if we live and die as they do, it will hardly implicate you and me."

"That's very true." Cao Yu nodded in agreement, "I think what Marquis Longping said is very true."

"I see that Jie Jin is acting like a scholar. Now he has lost his enthusiasm as a scholar and has become violent. People like this will inevitably go to extremes. You are right about this matter. You can't make it too big."

After Zhang Xin thought for a while, he said: "If you and I together write to His Majesty, the salt tax matter should not be expanded. This will not only clear up some positions, put in more talents from our own pockets, but also avoid Things got out of hand."

"When the Japanese army moves, Shi Youmin will probably be at his wits' end. Since he can't escape this time, it's time for us to jointly submit a letter."

Cao Yu has been hiding behind to observe the situation for a long time. Shi Youmin acted cautiously. The Metropolitan Procuratorate did not get his evidence last time, but this time the Japanese army, which only the emperor could mobilize, dispatched three guards, starting from the grassroots level. Tax inspections began in various salt districts, and Shi Youmin couldn't escape this time no matter how well he kept his account books.

After all, the cost of dispatching tens of thousands of troops is too high, and this money must be recovered.

It is clear that the emperor has fattened the pig and wants to kill it for the New Year.

"But we have to do something."

After Zhang Xin paused, he continued: "I heard that there are some private salt dealers in Huanghuai who make a living by smuggling private salt. Now that His Majesty wants to vigorously rectify the salt affairs, these private salt dealers do not exist. It’s necessary, and it’s time to ask His Majesty to agree to send some troops to wipe out these bandits. Even if someone criticizes us, I don’t think Your Majesty will blame us too much.”

Cao Yu felt a chill in his heart. Zhang Xinming said that he was just and righteous, but in fact, how could there be so many private salt dealers in Huanghuai?

At the same time, even those big salt lords or salt merchants control some salt fields, but not all of them are like Huang Chao or Zhang Shicheng. In fact, more salt lords rely on private salt to accumulate wealth and then leave office. face and improve one's social status.

To put it bluntly, it is not unclear about the Governor of Water Transport.

Cao Yu nodded calmly and said: "This is a solution. However, these private salt dealers are powerful and cunning. It is not easy to find them."

Zhang Xin said with a smile: "This is easy. We don't need to go to the battlefield in person. We just send a few people to find out the whereabouts of the private salt dealers along the way, and then look for opportunities to wipe them out."

"Well, that's according to what Marquis Longping said."

The two biggest bosses in the Huanghuai world unanimously gave up on the people below.

The North Korea-China route that Shi Youmin had high hopes for also dealt him a heavy blow.

At this sensitive moment, no one was willing to help him, and some people who had received heavy payments returned their money to him.

At this time, it is no longer a problem that money can solve. This is a piece of fat that has been targeted, and now everyone who is qualified to serve is waiting to carve it up.

Before that, Shi Youmin could survive the disaster and could rely on winning over local officials, gentry, and salt merchants to form an alliance to fight against the court's investigation.

But now, the Huanghuai Chief Envoy and the officials of the Huai'an Prefecture have all been cleared up by the "Assassination Case", and the salt merchants have also begun to prepare for a way out. There is no way out. Then wait for death at home. Faced with the army dispatched by the court, almost no one will try to use the mantis as a chariot.

The attitude of the kitchen households who had been instigated by Shi Youmin to go on strike began to change dramatically at this time.

——————

In a certain salt area in Lianghuai, a group of men wearing short shirts sat in the yard eating.

"Second brother, I heard that the imperial court sent troops here, or soldiers from Shandong, just to punish us for smuggling surplus salt?" a bearded man asked the young man next to him.

The young man was about twenty-five or six years old, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. When he heard this, he put down his chopsticks and said: "Don't worry, as long as we bite the bullet and don't let go, there will definitely be nothing we can do. I don't believe it. These hundreds of thousands of kitchen households, There are a few who have not been sold to the salt merchant Yu Yan, how can we behead them all? It must be a rumor."

A dark-faced man sitting on the other side answered: "That's right, we have so many brothers, even if they take over the salt farm, at worst we can do something else."

The bearded man snorted coldly: "These dog officials are always greedy and vicious. Even the imperial envoys are just the same raccoon dog. It's probably just dog biting dog that's why they behave like this. Let me tell you, we have to be on guard. How can you place your own wealth and life on the mercy of others?"

"But I heard some time ago that the imperial envoy said that the price of food should be stabilized and the sins of us kitchen households would not be punished." A young man next to him said weakly.

At this time, the man sitting in the main seat put down the clean bowl and said.

"Let me tell you, there are no good soldiers or generals at all. They are all just wine and rice bags. Brothers, just be prepared. Hide first. If the situation goes wrong, then run away. The world is big and the worst is to end up on the sea. .”

"Brother is right!" Someone immediately agreed: "It is said that the soldiers who took over the Lianghuai Salt Fields this time are the soldiers from Shandong who are on guard against Japanese pirates. Guess what they are composed of? In the past, they were under the Mei Prince Consort in Huai'an City. They were all soft Damn, I’m afraid I can’t even fight a private salt dealer.”

Some even cursed: "These bastards are just bullying us. The salt farm is the richest source of oil in the entire Lianghuai River."

At this time, someone suddenly said: "Brother, whether this salt tax reform can be successful depends entirely on whether the imperial court will take thunderous measures against us. We might as well organize our brothers to escape before the imperial court takes action." , The fellow villagers who have gone to seek refuge overseas cannot stay here and wait and see."

The man shook his head and sighed: "Although we brothers are used to being domineering, we don't want to be desperadoes who leave their hometown. What I just said is just a bad idea."

These people are the self-protection groups that have initially formed an organization in Yanding.

"But if you stay here, if what you say is true and the court investigates you, you will be caught and killed sooner or later!"

The man hesitated for a moment, but finally shook his head and said: "You still can't take risks, just in case..."

He was still thinking, but was interrupted by someone on the side: "Brother, this is so urgent, what can you do to your mother-in-law? No matter what, make up your mind quickly!"

Seeing the brothers' resolute attitude, the man hesitated again and again, gritted his teeth, and finally decided to stay and observe the situation. After all, some of them were single, but some of them still had wives and children, so it was difficult to let them go.

"Hide and check the situation first. If things go wrong, we brothers can run away."

Hearing this, the second brother immediately clapped his hands and said, "Then go and get ready! Let's set out early tomorrow morning and go to the swamp to take shelter."

——————

The next day, in front of the post house.

Accompanied by all the civil and military officials, the imperial envoy Xie Jin came out and stood on the steps looking into the distance, as if waiting for something.

The Japanese army has already sent to the Lianghuai capital to transfer salt to the large and small salt areas under the jurisdiction of the envoy. What he has to do is to announce the new surplus salt policy and at the same time ask a large number of officials who have been reinforced from Nanjing to verify the salt production in recent years. Find out the loopholes in the Salt Envoy's account books and finally find the missing salt tax.

Not long after, Zhu Heng, the vice president of Daming Bank, arrived. He was sent by Jiang Xinghuo to check the accounts. Today he will accompany them to the nearby salt area to personally announce the salt surplus policy.

This is an important form, and the surrounding salt areas do not require their own hands.

On a tall building in the distance, Chef Hao put down the telescope in his hand.

This is a rare thing. Most of the ones circulating on the market come from the black market in Nanjing. Shi Youmin also spent a lot of money to get him one to facilitate his mission.

He walked downstairs, took the horse, and headed out of the city in one direction.

If he wanted to escape unscathed, he couldn't take action in the city. After waiting for a few days, Xie Jin's outing was his best chance.

Two hours later, Xie Jin arrived at a salt area.

Different from the salt area where he was "assassinated" in Yangzhou Prefecture, the salt area here is obviously much larger.

The Japanese army has already taken over this place, and the salt and kitchen households in the salt area are also lined up here to wait for the arrival of the imperial envoy.

There are about 700 kitchen households in this salt area. They all wear coarse linen clothes and carry tools on their shoulders. Some of them have hemp ropes tied to their bodies. They look like they are ready to work at any time. They just say "very energetic" "Yes.

But all this was obviously a gesture forced by the officials.

Xie Jin looked at them and said with emotion: "They are all subjects of the dynasty."

Zhu Heng asked: "Your Majesty, please make an announcement now?"

Xie Jin shook his head, now is not the time.

The intention of the National Master is to integrate the salt industry, like fertilizer and glass, into the country's management system. As the saying goes, "giving both kindness and power", it is difficult to unite people just by showing kindness. Only by seriously explaining that private traders The nature of the remaining salt and the suggestion that the state and the court understand the difficulty of life of these kitchen households and show mercy outside the law can achieve the goal.

Xie Jin cleared his throat, looked around at the crowd and said:

"There is a law in the country. Anyone who sells smuggled salt will be punished with a hundred sticks and a three-year prison term. If he has weapons, he will be given a first class. If he falsely accuses a common person, he will be given a third class. Anyone who resists arrest will be killed. You must also know this. Zao Hu The remaining salt can only be sold to salt farms, and selling it to merchants is treated as selling illegal salt."

"Sir, we were wronged!"

"Your Majesty the Imperial Envoy, we really can't survive anymore!"

"Sir, please be kind and let us go."

"."

Listening to the cries of injustice from the people in the audience, Xie Jin didn't react at all.

After a week of indifferent glances, he continued: "I think you are all innocent, so I'm going to let you go. From now on, if you think this matter is nothing, how can you continue to sell illegal salt?"

Xie Jin turned to the people standing in the last row and asked, "What's more, who can prove whether you are selling surplus salt or selling private salt?"

These people were the ones who complained the most fiercely just now. When they saw the imperial envoy looking over, they immediately shrank their heads and bowed their heads in silence.

At this time, Zhao Haichuan, who was standing on the right side of Xie Jin, stood up and answered loudly:

"Your Majesty, we have found some accomplices of private salt dealers and are escorting them to the Yamen. Your Majesty can summon them at any time."

Xie Jin nodded and ordered Zhao Haichuan beside him: "Take them to see them."

Several guards in Jinyi stepped forward, grabbed the arms of those people and dragged them out. Seeing that the situation was not good, the group of kitchen households quickly knelt on the ground and kowtowed for mercy, crying in their mouths: "Spare my life, imperial envoy, spare my life!"

Xie Jin has been used to this kind of thing for a long time, and he doesn't bother to pay attention to it. Although the national preceptor always said that the people should be the fundamental thing, the aloofness in Xie Jin's bones cannot be changed. He still feels that these people cannot be too kind to them and treat them so easily. If you give benefits, you will not appreciate the kindness.

At this time, a few children hiding behind saw this situation, so they sneaked out and came to the water bank full of reeds. They held a small boat and found the place where the salt cubes were hiding.

"Uncle, it's bad! These people are going to kill everyone in our village!"