My life skills in Daming Liver

The forty-one year of Jiajing is finally coming to an end, on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Fengyang Mansion, the imperial city.

The Imperial City of Fengyang Prefecture is a square city with tall walls. The so-called imperial city has two main functions.

Anyone from the Zhu Ming clan who commits a serious crime will be sent to Fengyang Imperial City to be imprisoned.

Other eunuchs and maids who made mistakes will also be sent to Fengyang to guard the mausoleum. Of course, they cannot live in the imperial city and can only live near the imperial city.

A carriage drove into Fengyang Imperial City, and the Zhu Ming clan members who were imprisoned here poked their heads out and looked at the newcomers brought by the carriage.

A thin middle-aged man stepped out of the carriage with the support of a young man.

The official responsible for the transfer pushed the two of them into Fengyang Imperial City, handed over the documents, and drove away in a carriage.

"Dad! We finally arrived in Fengyang!"

The middle-aged man responded weakly, and the young man immediately shouted: "Eat! My father is General Fengguo! Give us food quickly!"

The group of people watching on the city wall came down, surrounded the father and son and said:

"What mistake did you make to come to Fengyang?"

The young man said: "My father broke through the border to complain to the Shanxi clan and offended Your Majesty. My father and son were sent to Fengyang."

The onlookers were all talking: "It turns out that we are from the same clan in Shanxi. You guys are enjoying your time here!"

Fengyang Imperial City was not that big, so someone quickly delivered food, and the frail middle-aged man finally recovered slowly.

The Shanxi clan member who just spoke came up and asked:

"But Zhu Congzhen, the general of Fengguo, is here?"

The middle-aged man nodded, and the Shanxi clan said, "Thank you, General Fengguo, for speaking up for our Shanxi clan!"

According to the ancestral system of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty clan could not leave the fiefdom at will.

Zhu Congjin, the Fengguo general in the Dai Mansion, left his fiefdom without authorization and went to the capital because the Shanxi clan's lumi was often in arrears, and told Emperor Jiajing the miserable situation of the Shanxi clan members:

"I am bound to the city, and my actions are prohibited. I have no property to earn, and no one to rely on. I haven't eaten a single meal for several days, and the young and old are crying. It's all kinds of hardships: some are over thirty and can't get married, and some are showing signs of ten There are people who are not allowed to be buried for many years, some are begging in the market, some are working as servants, some are migrating to other places, and some are starving to death on the road. Although the name is a clan, the suffering is very poor, the people are facing the sky, and there is no way to complain. Please take charge of it, and you will accumulate wealth. It took a total of twenty-two years for rice to be inspected and replenished, so that my parents and wives could have enough. I was willing to risk my life and die."

The emperor was naturally furious and sent Zhu Congjin and his son to Fengyang Mansion for breaking through.

In fact, the clans of the Ming Dynasty were also at two extremes.

The larger clans were not only supported by the royal family, but also occupied the official and private fields. In the territory, the common people were fed and fed, and everyone was fat and oily.

However, most of the poor clans are often pushed around by local officials. Because of their clan status, they are unable to engage in other professions, and many of them starve to death.

Some clans would even deliberately scold the emperor just to be assigned to Fengyang City.

The black humor lies here. The imprisoned clan can still have a mouthful of food, but they may really starve to death outside.

The problem of vassal kings in the Ming Dynasty was actually a class problem. It does not mean that anyone with the surname Zhu will have hard-core crops.

However, the Ming court did spend a lot of money to support the clan every year, which had become a chronic problem for the court during the Jiajing period.

It's just that most of this money fell into the hands of the nearby vassal kings and corrupt officials in various places. This money could not fall into the hands of ordinary clans.

Zhu Congjin and his son lived in the city, and the food in Fengyang Imperial City was only enough to satisfy them. After all, these clans were all prisoners in captivity.

But even so, it is much better than the life of many clans in Shanxi.

Zhu Congjin's son Zhu Huaye ate every day and stood on the wall of Fengyang Imperial City looking into the distance.

Zhu Congzhen was full of guilt for this son. Zhu Huaye was precocious and could read and write at the age of five. If it were not for his clan status, he might even be admitted as a scholar.

"The newspapers are here! The new newspapers are here!"

Being imprisoned in the royal city of Fengyang Mansion, there is not much to do on weekdays. Reading newspapers has become the biggest job of these clan useless people.

In addition to the "Huang Ming Official News" edited by Zhang Juzheng, "Jing Shi Bao" and "Tong Yan Shuo" were also secretly distributed underground in Fengyang Imperial City.

When Zhu Huaye arrived in Fengyang City, he carefully read all the previously issued "Warning World News". Today was the day when the new newspaper arrived. Zhu Huaye immediately ran to wait for the new newspaper.

"Great! This article by the Governor is really well written!"

Zhu Huaye finished reading today's newspaper and said to Zhu Congjin.

Zhu Congjin took the newspaper and found that it was an article written by Su Ze himself, discussing the clan issues of the Ming vassals.

""Lun on Zongfan"? Was it written by Su Ze himself?"

Of course Zhu Congjin also knew Su Ze's name. After he finished reading this article, he couldn't help but said: "I didn't expect that such a rebel would be the one who knows the most about the problems of our vassal clan! Su Ze's words are really Let the whip go inside!"

Zhu Huaye said: "The Governor's words of 'cutting down the wealthy families to support the common people, exterminating the clan to relieve the shackles of the people' really spelled out the direction to solve the clan problem! In my Ming Dynasty, there were too many clans and wealthy clans, and ordinary clans And they are bound by the patriarchal clan and cannot freely choose their career.”

Zhu Huaye added: "With the Ming Dynasty like this, it's better to do the opposite! Dad, I heard that the clan will not receive special treatment in the southeast. They can freely engage in any profession, and even join the military and politics."

Zhu Congchen remained silent.

Zhu Huaye said: "Our great Ming Dynasty clan has to be imprisoned in order to have enough to eat, but those vassal kings and clans eat and feed the common people every day. It is better for the court to do the opposite!"

There was naturally not much New Year atmosphere in Fengyang Imperial City, but the capital was a little lively.

Capital, the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month.

The princes in the court can finally temporarily forget the unlucky things that happened this year and prepare for the New Year.

However, this year’s New Year is destined not to be a happy New Year. The restoration project of the three main halls has been suspended, the war in the south is still going on, and the court is full of money. This year, Xu Jie, the chief minister of the cabinet, proposed that the cabinet and Officials above the third rank do not receive salary, and officials below the third rank only receive half of the salary for the time being, and the rest will be paid after the New Year.

This naturally reduced Mr. Xu Ge's reputation in the capital.

This Ge Lao, who was born in Qingliu, is now as famous as his predecessor, Yan Ge Lao, the most treacherous minister in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

In addition, Yan Song's son Yan Shifan was beheaded by the emperor's order. This powerful little pavilion elder cried bitterly when he was about to be executed. It is said that he was so frightened that he even excreted urine before being beheaded.

Yan Song was originally ordered to become an official and return to his hometown, but halfway through his return, Jiangxi was occupied by Su Ze.

After Yan Shifan was beheaded, Yan Song was immediately given back all treatment. The emperor ordered Yan Song's property to be searched, and then imprisoned Yan Song in a local prison.

Elder Xu Ge dragged his tired body back to his home.

"Is the young master back?" Xu Jie handed the towel to wipe his face to the housekeeper and asked.

"Go back to the master, the eldest young master has not been released from office yet."

Xu Jie frowned. His son took over the errand of Yan Song's son and presided over the restoration project of the three main halls. He was busy day and night in the Ministry of Industry and the Imperial Palace, but the relationship between father and son became increasingly tense.

The reason is also very simple. For his son Xu Fan, building the three main halls was an errand given to him by the emperor, and it was his credit for doing it well.

Although the imperial court had issued an order to stop the construction of the three main halls due to the problem in the southeast, Xu Fan actually went to the secret service and put forward the suggestion of "postponing the repairs."

This suggestion was naturally approved by the emperor, and now the restoration project of the three main halls has started intermittently.

However, no matter how "scheduled repairs" are made, such a huge project requires manpower and material resources. Nowadays, the court has too many places to use people and money, and Xu Jie, the chief minister of the cabinet, also has a huge headache.

So every time Xu Fan went to the cabinet to ask Xu Jie for money, the relationship between father and son was very tense.

As the New Year is approaching, Xu Fan simply doesn't go back to the Xu Mansion very much. He stays in the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry at night on weekdays, or has fun with his friend Dadan.

Xu Jie, an important cabinet minister who was generally recognized as governing with "softness", finally showed an angry look at home.

He said to the housekeeper: "Go and call the young master back, I have something important to do!"

Xu Jie sat in the study for a long time, and then Xu Fan, smelling of alcohol, returned to the house.

Smelling the odor of alcohol on Xu Fan's body, Xu Jie frowned and said, "State affairs have reached this point! You are still drinking outside, aren't you afraid that officials will interfere with you?"

Xu Fan is now also the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and he is considered a senior official in the Ming Dynasty. He is also in charge of important projects such as the restoration of the three main halls, so naturally he cannot accept the punishment like before.

Xu Fan said calmly: "As long as dad can allocate enough manpower, money and food for the big project, he will not be afraid of impeaching his son no matter how many officials speak out."

Xu Jie raised his finger and pointed at his son, and it took him a long time to say one word: "Hey!"

Xu Fan thought he was right, so he immediately said: "Dad! Your Majesty personally entrusted your son with the big project. This is His Majesty's favor to our Xu family. Once it is completed, it will be a great contribution to our descendants! What do you think? Don't worry about it!"

Xu Jie looked at his eldest son, and he suddenly understood his old boss Yan Ge's feelings towards his son.

Xu Jie sighed and said, "It's a blessing to the descendants, but I think it's a disaster to the descendants."

Xu Jie added: "I heard that you are involved in Prince Yu's family's business?"

Xu Fan trembled and said, "It was my personal steward who received some shares of winter clothes. He also wanted to contribute to the court."

Xu Jie said: "Contribution? Do you think your father doesn't know about the things that the Li family did? That you outsourced the project procurement of Dagong to Princess Yu's natal family in a very secretive way?"

Xu Fan was completely panicked now.

Xu Jie sighed and said, "The money in the house is not lacking for you to eat and drink, right? Why do you still want to get involved in the matter of winter clothes?"

Xu Fan calmed down, looked at Xu Jie and said, "Dad, you wrote a letter to your second brother asking him to leave Songjiang Mansion and come to the capital. Has he left?"

"I heard that the winter clothes of the new army of thieves were produced by my second brother's workshop, which is also our Xu family's workshop."

"When I am an official in the capital, I always have to make friends. You don't care when my second brother is helping the emperor in Songjiang Mansion. Why don't you scold me over and over again when I earn favors for our Xu family in the capital?"

"How about father, please write a letter and ask your second brother to make an exchange with me. I will go to Songjiang Mansion to be the rich man and ask him to come to the capital to serve you!"

After saying this, Xu Fan walked directly out of Xu Jie's study.

Looking at his son's back, Xu Jie sighed heavily.

Xu Jie now has a preliminary understanding of the quality of the winter clothes shipped to Jiubian. He just hopes that the beginning of spring this year will not be too cold, otherwise the Jiubian soldiers will freeze to death before they reach the front line.

It's just that although Xu Jie had psychological expectations about the quality of Jiubian winter clothes, he knew that leaving it to the Li family would definitely be greatly compromised.

But Xu Jie never thought that the lower limit of these merchants was so low.

Hou Ping was a merchant Li Wei made friends with, and this time he also got a share of 3,000 winter clothes.

When he saw the unloaded winter clothes from the merchant ship in Songjiang Prefecture, and the grass clippings protruding from the winter clothes, Hou Ping was also a little scared.

Can such winter clothes really be shipped to Jiubian?

Will his head be chopped off for shoddy goods?

According to the requirements of the Ministry of War, these merchants not only have to buy winter clothes, but also send these winter clothes to the guards designated by the court.

Hou Ping's winter clothes were going to be delivered to the guards in Jiliao Town. The businessman who was traveling with him saw his uneasiness and said nonchalantly:

"Master Hou, is this your first time doing business outside the border?"

Hou Ping nodded, and the businessman said: "As long as the money is enough, these are not problems. These winter clothes are issued to ordinary soldiers, and the officers don't care."

"When we transported grain to Liaodong, it was fine to mix a catty of brown rice with half a catty of sand!"

"When you get to Ji Liao, you can follow me to do it, I promise it will be fine!"

Hearing what his companion said, Hou Ping put his heart into his heart. He had to rush to Jiliao to transport grain during the New Year. He couldn't even go home for this little money. Isn't this also working for the country?

Thinking of this, Hou Ping felt much less guilty. Anyway, everyone is doing this, and Li Guozhang will have to bear it when the sky falls!

The Southeast, meanwhile, is in a festive spirit.

Fuzhou City, New Year's Eve.

In order to celebrate the New Year, the Metropolitan Government specially issued 10,000 new silver coins. The back of the silver coins features the iconic classics of Shibosi Yamen and Southeast New Army Academy as patterns to commend these two departments for their contribution to the Southeast New Army this year. contribution.

Except for ironworks and special workshops that cannot shut down, all workshops will have a holiday on the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. Craftsmen in government-run workshops can receive half salary. Some private workshops also give employees holiday pay and New Year gifts. .

The people who got the money also want to have a good year.

But the hawkers didn't care about the New Year, they set up stalls in the market and the streets to sell things, and the whole city of Fuzhou was full of water.

Compared with the days when Fuzhou City was threatened by Japanese pirates and had no enough food to eat and no warm clothes, the people of Fuzhou have truly experienced what earth-shaking changes mean.

Su Ze also set up a post office next to the Yamen of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, specifically asking the clergy of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion to write family letters, allowing military families to write free letters to their children in the military to send New Year's greetings.

Those whose families had children joining the army all told about the current situation at home this year, and urged their children to join the army well and serve the governor.

Su Ze stayed in Fuzhou until the third day of the Lunar New Year, then boarded a clipper to go to various military bases to express his condolences.

I'm trying to resume the update today. Please ask for a monthly pass at the beginning of the month.

I'm still checking it in the past few days. The update may be unstable. If it can't be updated, I will make an announcement. Thank you everyone. It's been much better recently.