Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

Chapter 49: The Empire's Beauties Enter the Capital!

Upon arriving in the alley, Yu Zhen discovered that it was filled with five commoners dressed in short jackets.

Seeing Yu Zhen, the men surrounded him with smiles.

"Official, are you looking to exchange Hongzhi banknotes? We have some here."

One of them said, carefully pulling out a stack of Hongzhi banknotes from his chest.

They had denominations ranging from one hundred wen to one string of cash.

Yu Zhen's eyes lit up: "I'll exchange them. How many banknotes do you have here? I'll exchange them all for you."

The man chuckled: "I don't have much, only twenty-three strings and seven hundred wen worth of cash."

Yu Zhen was a little disappointed, but he thought that although it was a bit short, it could at least solve his immediate problem.

So he generously said: "Bring them all to this official. I won't take advantage of you. I'll give you twenty-five taels of silver."

As Yu Zhen spoke, he was already preparing to take out broken silver from his pocket.

But unexpectedly, the man suddenly put the banknotes away and changed his tone.

"Official, hold on. Your twenty-five taels of silver can't exchange for my twenty-three strings and seven hundred wen worth of cash."

"Right now, one string of Hongzhi banknotes can be exchanged for two and a half taels of silver outside."

"I won't ask for much, just fifty taels of silver. What do you think?"

Yu Zhen was furious: "Bold and cunning commoner! How dare you try to take advantage of this official!"

"Do you not want to live anymore?!"

Yu Zhen pointed at the five commoners and shouted at the servants behind him: "Hurry up and take the banknotes from their hands and bring them to me!"

The several strong servants obeyed and were about to step forward.

The five commoners who were scalping Hongzhi banknotes exchanged glances, then silently moved to the left and right, creating an opening.

A West Depot spy with a cool blade in his hand was sitting silently on a wooden box behind them.

The spy didn't say anything, just quietly looked at Yu Zhen and his servants.

But that one glance made Yu Zhen, a dignified fifth-rank Ministry of Works official, break out in a cold sweat instantly.

His servants were also scared to death.

They hurriedly retracted the steps they were about to take, and even took two or three steps back, hiding behind Yu Zhen instead.

"Lord... Lord, what do we do? It's a West Depot spy!"

"Lord, let's run! We can't afford to offend the West Depot spies!"

"Lord, he's looking at us! Is he going to kill us?!"

"..."

Yu Zhen felt his throat was dry, and he could barely make a sound.

Yu Zhen's face turned red from holding back, and he trembled for a long time. Finally, he took out fifty taels of silver from the carriage behind him.

"This good man, fifty taels it is. I... I'll exchange them."

The commoner who had the banknotes smiled and took the silver, offering the Hongzhi banknotes in his hands with both hands.

"Official, please take these banknotes."

"Take care!"

Yu Zhen took the Hongzhi banknotes and turned to leave.

He started running after only a few steps, quickly disappearing into the alley.

He was afraid that if he was a step late, he would never be able to leave this alley in his life.

After Yu Zhen disappeared, the man took out ten taels of silver from the fifty taels and respectfully held it up to the West Depot spy.

"Official, this is for your troubles."

The West Depot spy didn't decline and reached out to take the silver.

After the West Depot spy took the silver, the five commoners breathed a sigh of relief and left together with joy on their faces.

...

In the following period, with the Baochao Department's accelerated printing of banknotes, the officials in the capital finally exchanged enough Hongzhi banknotes.

Because there was a gray industrial chain of commoners exchanging banknotes and then exchanging them to officials at high prices, the attitude of many commoners in the capital towards Hongzhi banknotes also changed.

From the initial resistance to the later non-resistance, and now to welcome.

The reason why the gray industrial chain of commoners exchanging banknotes for officials could have such a great impact was because the West Depot not only did not crack down on this industrial chain, but also silently protected it.

This allowed more and more commoners to participate in it, and the commoners were happy to hand over half of the profits to the West Depot spies in exchange for peace.

All in all, this was a win-win-win situation.

Zhu Youtang won once, the common people won once, and the West Depot also won once.

At this time, the nationwide talent selection, which lasted for nearly a month, finally came to an end.

The talent selection officials who went to the two capitals and thirteen provinces also began to bring the beauties who passed the preliminary selection back to the capital one after another.

In the Jingji area, a line of carriages was slowly moving forward.

This team departed from Yingtian Prefecture in South Zhili, escorted by one hundred garrison soldiers, led by thirteen talent selection officials, and carrying twenty-seven beauties who passed the preliminary selection back to the capital.

The setting sun cast a golden glow over the earth.

When the team passed the post station, Zhang Cai, the highest official in this team and a Secretary of the Ministry of Rites, lifted the curtain of the carriage, looked at the sky, and then ordered.

"It's getting late. Let's stay at the post station tonight."

The garrison commander who commanded this garrison army raised a question.

"Lord Zhang, there is still some time before dark. The capital is right in front of us. Why not speed up and enter the city before dark?"

Zhang Cai frowned and scolded: "What do you know? The carriages behind may be carrying His Majesty's future concubines."

"The safety of the beauties is the top priority. Why rush for such a short time?"

"If something happens to the beauties behind, can you and I bear this responsibility?!"

The garrison commander was scolded so badly that he didn't dare to raise his head, and could only salute with his hands: "Lord Zhang, this official was wrong. This official was reckless."

"This official will go and arrange accommodation at the post station."

Zhang Cai nodded in satisfaction: "Go ahead, be careful."

"Yes, sir."

After Zhang Cai dismissed the garrison commander, Zhang Cai got out of the carriage and came to the last carriage.

"Ladies, we will be arriving at the post station soon. We will rest here for one night, and we will be able to enter the palace tomorrow morning."

After Zhang Cai finished speaking, after a while, a clear and gentle voice came from inside the carriage: "Understood, Lord Zhang."

Zhang Cai took out a water bag from his arms and handed it in through the window.

"You must all be thirsty, have some water first."

"Thank you, sir."

The person in the carriage took the water bag, and after a while, returned it.

Zhang Cai smiled and took the water bag back to his carriage.

The team entered the post station, one hundred garrison soldiers were stationed outside, and the talent selection officials and beauties lived in the post station.

Zhang Cai, Sun Nvshi, and other talent selection officials and beauties got out of the carriage and walked towards the post station.

Suddenly, from the largest and most luxurious carriage at the end of the team, there was a burst of coughing.

The talent selection officials present changed their expressions after hearing this.

"What's going on? Why are all the beauties in the last carriage coughing?"

Sun Nvshi stopped and her expression was grave.

Zhang Cai also frowned: "This is not easy to handle. According to the rules, beauties with health problems cannot enter the palace to meet the emperor."

"Sun Nvshi, what do you think?"

Sun Nvshi hesitated for a long time, and finally made a decision: "Since that's the case, then blame them for their bad luck."

"Remove their names from the register, and note that they were disqualified due to illness."

"Lord Zhang, what do you think?"

Zhang Cai suppressed the joy in his heart, and pretended to be calm on the surface.

"I will defer to Sun Nvshi's decision."