Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 304
At the same time that the gang of green skins hired by Huang Zhi and others started to set fires everywhere, a rumor that made the citizens even more angry began to spread in the city.

"Old Wan, have you heard of it? The imperial court is going to set up a tax gate at the south gate. From now on, not only will you have to pay taxes on the canal, but everyone who brings goods into and out of the city will have to pay a tax of [-] per cent! I also heard that, Three cents of silver will be levied per mu for the fields planted with mulberry hemp!"

In front of a house in the city, a young man with greasy hair and pink face was spreading the news he had just heard loudly among the crowd.

"Is this really the case? Mr. Zhao, where did you find out about it? I don't think it's true!"

"That's Lao Wan, you don't know much! One of my cousins ​​has been traveling between the capital and Jiangnan all year round. He said that the capital set up tax customs at Chongwenmen! Why not have the government again?"

"Ah?! If this comes true, how can I wait for a small business? I will be charged a certain amount of money for going in and out. The interest is very meager, so how can I support my family!"

"There are traitors in the imperial court! Just like the traitor Qin Hui who killed Yue Wumu! I have to pay commercial taxes when I earn money to make a living. This is something that many dynasties have never heard of! No way! I will go to the magistrate Yamen petition! Never allow this to happen!"

"Let's go together! Go and ask the magistrate to write a letter to the court. No matter what, this tax cannot be levied on us and other common people!"

After a while, Lao Wan's group gathered about a hundred people, and they walked through the streets and alleys towards the magistrate's yamen in the center of the city. The same scene happened in many places in the city at the same time.

When the hundred or so people headed by Lao Wan were walking along the narrow alleyway, on a small bridge on the river a hundred steps ahead of them, a group of captains in blue armor were watching coldly. Looking at this group of more than a hundred citizens who were chaotic and noisy.

"Listen to the people in front! Jin Yiwei is here! Stop now! Everyone should go back to their homes and shut their doors behind closed doors! Stay at home and wait for the government to inform you before going out! Otherwise, you will be killed as a rebel!"

A school lieutenant held up a trumpet made of rolled iron and shouted loudly.This is also what Zhu Youjian ordered someone to make and distribute to the law enforcement yamen after he accidentally remembered this thing from his previous life. After the trial, the effect was quite good. It was several times louder than normal people, and the sound transmission distance was much farther.

After hearing the shout, these more than a hundred people found the Captain Jinyi in front of him. The people walking in front stopped immediately, and some people who followed behind stopped their feet and directly bumped into the people in front. After a short period of confusion mixed with yelling and cursing, the small team stopped.

The captain holding the tin horn repeated what he had just shouted, and most of the more than a hundred people had expressions of panic and panic on their faces.

For more than [-] years in the Kingdom, all kinds of rumors about Jinyiwei are known to the world, especially among the folks in all parts of Ming Dynasty, the name of Jinyiwei is closely related to evil spirits and murder without blinking an eye.Hearing the names announced by the group of warriors in front, the crowd who had been passionate just now fell silent, and some timid people had already started to move back and prepare to return home.

"Jin Yiwei has to be reasonable, right?! We are all good civilians, so Jin Yiwei can't kill us for no reason, right? If we return home this time, then taxation will definitely follow! For our own sake The old and young wives and children can survive, and I will not be afraid of anyone! At worst, I will fight them!"

The Mr. Zhao in the crowd continued to bewitch impassionedly.

He was originally from a wealthy family, and he was also a student. He also had a beautiful wife and maidservants in his family, and his life was very chic.

However, his parents died of a serious illness a few years ago. The unrestrained Mr. Zhao soon became addicted to eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. In just a few years, his family property was wiped out. His wife reconciled with him and returned to his natal home. The beloved maidservant also secretly packed up the only gold and silver in the house and eloped away with others.In desperation, Mr. Zhao can only make a living by setting up a stall to write letters and papers for others, and his life is very embarrassing.

Someone found him a few days ago, and took out 20 taels of silver and a wooden sign, saying that he was only asked to do one thing, and that was to encourage his neighbors and acquaintances to fight against the government. Take the person to Fuya Square and hand over the wooden sign to a grass shed in the southeast corner, and there will be a reward of 30 taels of silver.

20 taels of silver is a fortune for Mr. Zhao now, which is equivalent to his income from writing letters and pleadings in the past two years. Faced with the temptation of a lot of money, Mr. Zhao agreed without hesitation. The scene of spreading rumors to Lao Wan and others.

Adhering to the principle of using other people's money to do things for others, and for the huge reward of 30 taels of silver, Mr. Zhao continued to spare no effort to encourage everyone.

The hesitant citizens were inspired by Mr. Zhao's remarks. The leaders in the front row started to move forward, and the stagnant crowd began to move again.

A general banner of Jinyiwei on the bridge raised his hand after seeing this, and more than [-] school captains held thick long wooden sticks wrapped in cotton cloth and stepped up from the bridge to meet the group of citizens. Several school captains with bows and crossbows stood Searching for targets on the bridge.

Before the citizens could react, the more than 20 captains rushed forward, and two tall and burly captains raised their wooden clubs and smashed them down at the people in the front row.The people in front had nowhere to dodge, they could only turn around to avoid the vital points in a hurry, or raise their arms to block.A crackling sound accompanied by wailing screams resounded on both sides of the river bank. More than [-] school captains waded into the crowd with sticks like tigers entering a flock of sheep. After a burst of rampage, the dozens of people in front were all broken Lying on the ground with blood on his face, the citizens behind him turned around and fled away screaming and pushing each other.

Mr. Zhao was knocked to the ground after being hit a few times, and was trampled by the school captains rushing up from behind. He happened to be trampled on by a big foot, and the severe pain from below made him unconscious instantly. When he woke up, the group of Jinyiwei school captains had disappeared, and there were only dozens of struggling and screaming citizens around him.

"A bunch of mobs! Why did I get together with you blindly! Why didn't I fight those thieves just now? Hundreds of people told him to knock down a dozen of them. It's shameful to spread the word! Pooh!"

Bursts of faint pain came, Mr. Zhao gritted his teeth and forced himself to sit up, looked around and cursed.

"Huh? Where's my money? Who took my money? You and these thieves must have just taken advantage of the chaos to take my money away! Who took it? Hand it over quickly! Otherwise, I will report to the police Already!"

After cursing, Mr. Zhao reached into his bosom and touched it. Unexpectedly, there was only the wooden sign and the few silver ingots disappeared. He suddenly forgot the pain in his body, jumped up and pointed at the crowd lying on the ground and cursed stand up.

(End of this chapter)