Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 152
On the afternoon of the day when Hu Ting Lu and Song Sizhang were discussing countermeasures, Cheng Fang, Wang Fu, Liang Zan and others came to Hu Ting Road's mansion together, and at the same time brought the bad news.

According to Cheng Fang, several people sent people to Nanjing with a total of 2 taels of gold, of which 5000 taels were given to Zhang Yixian, and the other 5000 taels were given to Xin Chengbo Zhao Zhilong.

Although Zhang Yixian and Zhao Zhilong both came forward to meet the steward of Cheng's mansion when they heard that a lot of money was sent to them, but they heard that the Huai'an matter was handled by Jin Yiwei, and their reactions were exactly the same. The gold was also reloaded and driven out.

What a joke, only the emperor can order Jin Yiwei.The identities of the two are one is a royal servant, and the other is an honorable man who lives with the country. Who would go against the emperor for the sake of outsiders?For the sake of being filial for many years, go back and tell your master, don't make mistakes, it is not easy to accumulate such a large family property, it is better to accept it as soon as it is good.

After Hu Tinglu heard Cheng Fang's words, his face lost all color and became sallow, his eyes were dull, and his mind was blank.

After Cheng Fang exchanged glances with the others, he said softly, "Mr. Hu, what should we do next? If this matter is not dealt with properly, the consequences will be disastrous!"

Hu Ting murmured to himself at the intersection: "What should I do? Could it be that the old man is doomed this time? What should I do? What should I do?"

Although Cheng Fang and the others secretly despise him, they must come up with a charter as soon as possible. Although Hu Tinglu is greedy and incompetent, he is an official after all, and he needs to support some things.

If Jin Yiwei asked Hu Tinglu alone, Cheng Fang and the others didn't intend to sacrifice their lives to save him.But this time, they didn't care about drinking because they were drunk, and they came directly to Lianghuai Salt. Huting Road and Song Sizhang were just disasters.Saving Hu Tinglu is tantamount to saving himself, and this stall must cheer him up.

Thinking of this, Cheng Fang comforted her and said, "Mr. Hu, don't lose your mind easily. The matter may not reach the desperate situation that Mr. Hu thought. As long as you operate properly, there may be another turning point!"

Hearing the words, Hu Tinglu was like a drowning man catching a straw, and hurriedly sat upright and asked repeatedly: "What's the trick, Brother Cheng Xian? Why teach me? Tell me quickly!"

Cheng Fang said sternly: "Mr. Hu, I don't want to talk too much about the current situation. The people behind the private salt have already understood. If we want to fight in person, we will be seeking our own death! The only way out now is to take the water Make things messy, make things bigger, and get more participants, so we can take advantage of it! But this matter requires Mr. Hu to make a decision!"

Hu Tinglu leaned back in his chair dejectedly, smiled self-deprecatingly, and said in a low tone: "The old man has been thinking about it for a long time, and now, only a strong man has lost his arm! As an official of the court, Hu has no way out. As long as I take the initiative to donate my income over the years, and then invite myself to be an official, I believe that the court will be able to forgive me, and I will not die! And as long as you agree with Mr. Zhang, you will accept it, and you will withdraw from the Lianghuai salt business. The imperial court will not kill them all! I know a thing or two about Cheng Xian's implication, and if something goes wrong, I'm afraid I will die without a place to die!"

Cheng Fang, Wang Fu, and Liang Zan were all shocked when they heard the words.

Unexpectedly, Hu Tinglu, who usually seems to have no opinion, can be so thoughtful and decisive at a critical moment, and there is no mediocre person who can get into the third-rank high position.

Cheng Fang shook her head resolutely and said: "If you don't say I'm waiting for Mr. Hu, even Mr. Hu himself doesn't believe it! During the five years in office, Mr. Hu's family wealth has accumulated as much as that of a prince. Can Mr. Hu really be willing to do so? Since the opening of the imperial court, my ancestors have been waiting I have transported countless grains for the Nine Frontiers, and I have done my best to use up all my family’s wealth to fund the border affairs in exchange for today’s achievements! Who would have thought that today’s imperial court would not miss the old feelings and turn against each other? How could we just sit and wait for death! Could it be so easy to leave our ancestors behind? Abandon the great cause of the next? Then what will it be like to meet the ancestors when you come to the ground?!"

Hu Tinglu bowed his head and remained silent.

What he said just now was half sincere and half reluctant.

In the past five years, he has seized a lot of wealth through various means, and he has not even counted how much.It is estimated that there should be more than 50 taels of silver, not including this beautiful house and calligraphy, painting and antiques.Not to mention handing over all of it, even if he kept half of it, he would be very reluctant to part with it.

But if you don't pay, you can only wait for Jinyi to come to your door. Needless to say, it is a problem that you can't save your own life, and your family may also be affected.

Although what Cheng Fang just said was not thorough, Hu Tinglu could roughly guess what he meant.

It is nothing more than inciting the kitchen households to encircle the government in the name of the court and the people competing for profit, causing the appearance of a civil uprising, exerting pressure on the court, and forcing the emperor to compromise, and Song Sizhang and himself will get through this hurdle safely.

In the south of the Yangtze River, where the style of writing is prosperous and the folk customs are enlightened, there have been many incidents of gathering people to fight against the imperial court because of the infringement of self-interest.There will be one or two civil uprisings every year in Suzhou Prefecture. Small vendors, workers in workshops, big businessmen, gangsters in society, and even brothel women will participate in protesting against the excessive increase in food prices, which makes ordinary households Survival pressure increases virtually.

In the end, the local government, under the pressure of all parties, opened the granary and sold rice at a lower price to appease the public outrage.

The organizers of these so-called civil uprisings were all students or gentry.

Some students also participated in it, taking the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction with the imperial court's control of the number of people in the Jiangnan imperial examination.The gentry group has always had a "responsibility for justice" in today's society, and these two groups are recognized as representatives of conscience in Jiangnan.

As far back as the 29th year of Wanli, Suzhou weavers broke out a large-scale civil uprising against mining tax envoys, known in history as the "Weaving Maid Change".

This year, there was a flood and the price of goods was very high. Sun Long, the weaving eunuch, added tax to the weaving account.So, first, the helpers Xu Yuan and Gu Yuan gathered more than [-] people to protest.The weavers started from Fengmen, and beat and killed the tax officials when they saw them.The country gentry and wealthy households who took refuge in the tax supervisor were inevitable. Although the imperial court did not withdraw the weaving eunuchs, it did not use force to suppress the civil uprising.

Nearby, officials and gentry bewitched the common people to gather together and forced Chongzhen to abolish mine and tax supervisors in various places, which eventually led to Wei Zhongxian's suicide and the collapse of the eunuch party.

If this strategy is finally implemented, the result is likely to end with another compromise from the court.

Especially in the current turbulent situation, the imperial court still counts on Jiangnan to provide a large amount of taxes to the north to guarantee the huge expenditure of food and salaries for the officers and soldiers, and stability is the imperial court's top priority at present.Therefore, according to common sense estimates, Cheng Fang's strategy is very likely to succeed.

But what if the court is tough, how will it end?Don't forget that Jin Yiwei is in the early stage this time, and the outcome cannot be controlled by the government.

Hu Tinglu didn't dare to think about it.

Seeing that there was no response from Hu Ting Road for a long time, the older Wang Fu couldn't help but ask: "Young Master Hu thinks you already understand what Brother Cheng Xian said, but what kind of attitude is Hu Gong? Can you let me wait?" Know? We have been with Mr. Hu for several years, and we have become confidantes on weekdays. Is Mr. Hu afraid that I will harm you? This matter has great potential, and there have been countless examples before! It is not a man's action to look forward and backward at a critical moment! How to choose , and please Hu Gong quickly make a decision!"

Hu Tinglu struggled in his heart for a long time, and finally made up his mind and said: "Since you have a perfect plan, then I will give it a go! Only we can overcome this difficulty with our sincerity and unity!"

Cheng Fang clapped his hands and said with a smile: "This is Mr. Hu's true nature! We have already made a plan, and we just wait for Mr. Hu to make a conclusion! This matter will be completed in the end! I will go back and prepare for it, and Mr. Hu will wait for the good news." Can!"

Hu Tinglu stood up, and said in a deep voice: "I will not sit back and enjoy my success. I will go to Nanjing and contact the officials I know. When the Yangzhou and Huai'an incidents arise, I will play together on the grounds of the stability of the south of the Yangtze River. Put pressure on the imperial court and force it to withdraw its order!"

Cheng Fang and the others praised it in unison, and then they left and returned home, and began to send people around, preparing to launch a large-scale civil uprising.

Hu Ting Road sent a few people away, and immediately ordered someone to prepare a sedan chair. He changed into a blue casual clothes, got on the sedan chair and went straight to the canal pier.

Because the Huaiyan incident has not yet ended, and it is not known how long they will stay in Jiangnan, part of the finances of the Huai'an Judiciary still needs to be taken care of, so Liang Qi ordered his subordinates to rent a moderately regulated inn not far from the stolen silver warehouse. Lived with ten subordinates.

The storeroom was guarded by Fengyang guards, and ten Tiqi took turns to lead the watch. Liang Qi had nothing to do, so he spent 500 taels of silver to buy two fans from the brothel in the city, and stayed in the room where he lived alone all day long. Hu Tian Hu Di in the small courtyard.

Although the south of the Yangtze River is still warm in September, the days are much shorter, and the sky turns dark after halfway through the unitary hour.

Liang Qi, who was drinking and joking with two fans in the room, had lost a lot of weight, and he, who claimed to be fit and strong, couldn't bear to have fun every night.There has always been only exhausted cattle, and there is no plowed land. The color is a bone-scraping steel knife, which has been verified countless times.

Just when the three of them became passionate again through the drunkenness, there was a knock on the door outside.

Liang Qi's interest was disturbed, and he felt very impatient, so he put down his wine glass and yelled towards the door sideways: "I told you that it's not because of Shangfeng's order not to disturb you! What's the knock on the door at this time?!"

A voice from a Tiqi came from outside the door: "My lord, someone from outside has come here, claiming to report something important about Huaiyan! I have come here to report to my lord!"

Hu Tinglu, who was dressed in green, was hidden in the shadows outside the courtyard gate, feeling very uneasy in his heart.

After he boarded the official ship in the name of going to Nanjing to contact others, after the ship sailed out of the pier for more than ten miles, after confirming that no one was following him, he ordered the boatman to turn the bow and head north to Huai'an.

After thinking over and over again, he came to a conclusion that he was almost doomed this time.Even if Cheng Fang and others succeeded in instigating the civil uprising, the emperor was under pressure and did not take action against the salt merchants and Huaiyan, but he would never let him and the transfer envoys, including Song Sizhang, be spared.

The Huai'an Judiciary is a good example.

Although Jin Yiwei will withdraw, but before leaving, he will definitely not let the transfer envoy go.

For the common people, it was the imperial court's business that the officials of the transshipment envoys were brought under control, and had nothing to do with the Huaiyan incident.

There have been several civil uprisings, but none of them were initiated because an official was arrested.
What's more, he is not a famous official who is known for being honest and caring for the people. The result of his being arrested and punished is nothing more than becoming someone's gossip.

Now that you know that the person behind this incident is the emperor, all resistance will be futile in the end, especially the court officials, do you have the ability to play against the emperor?It's not a general who holds a heavy army and makes the emperor and the court afraid.

Cheng Fang and the others had already seen all this clearly, and the reason why they pulled him in was just to give him more help.

Although everyone is called brother and brother on weekdays, and they are inseparable from each other, but at a critical moment, only the interests are the most important, and everything else is nonsense.

If I want to get out of this matter, my confidant is the best way to vote.

　Thank you book friends, I want to be a reward for Brother Hao.Hu Tinglu's decision is the best solution at the moment. Selfishness is also human nature. Many examples prove that those who deceive you are usually brothers and friends.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)