marquis of jingan

Chapter 38 Open and honest

Chen Zhifu's response plan is undoubtedly very wise.

If it takes a lot of effort to arrest the people who sang this nursery rhyme in the city, the end result will only be to make this matter worse.

Once it gets too big, it can't be stopped.

The imperial court has the most reputation. Once the ministers in the imperial court or the censors know about this matter, no matter how beautifully the prefect Chen handles it, in the end this matter will become an indelible stain on his political career .

Therefore, this matter cannot be done on a large scale.

First of all, people in Jiangdu must be prohibited from singing this song again, and secondly, the source of this nursery rhyme must be eliminated.

The source of this nursery rhyme is not the person who created the nursery rhyme, nor is it the person who sang it in the streets, but the source is the rising food price.

Therefore, Prefect Chen reacted immediately, preparing to go to the neighboring state capital to adjust the grain, and at the same time inform the grain merchants to let them lower the grain price.

These two operations should have been done by the magistrate's office when the food price had just risen, instead of waiting until now, when the food price has risen for ten days and a half months, the magistrate's office did it belatedly.

Obviously, Chen Yu, the prefect of Jiangdu, didn't care much about Jiangdu's people's livelihood and economy. He only cared about his own future and his official reputation.

It is a very feasible way to adjust grain to save the market, but it is extremely difficult to expect people from the magistrate's yamen or the magistrate's yamen to find out who is behind this matter, or Shen Yi who created nursery rhymes.

The local yamen is not a secret service agency, and there are very few official "officials". A magistrate's yamen usually has only about ten formal staff members, and the rest are "officials" who serve as temporary workers.

In addition, in this era, without that kind of monitoring means, it is difficult to trace back to what happened three days ago, and the means of the local yamen, it is impossible to question the people all over the city.

Even if the people were interrogated, Xu Fu and others who sang the nursery rhyme three days ago were "running around and committing crimes" in Jiangdu City. Even if someone knew that they had sung it, there were too many people who sang this nursery rhyme in Jiangdu City. It is extremely difficult to find Xu Fu and other children, and then find Shen Yi from these children.

Therefore, it is basically impossible for Chen Yu to ask the county government to find out who made up the nursery rhymes. Even if it is done, Shen Yi has a plan prepared in advance, so he will not be in a hurry.

As the god of Jiangdu Prefecture, the prefect Chen has great energy. After he gave an order, the county government and the people in the government office began to get busy. imperial court.

However, food prices are still rising and have not completely dropped. There are still many "thorns" in private, and they just hum a few words when they have nothing to do.

After all, Jiangdu Mansion is a part of Gyeonggi, and it is under the feet of the emperor. The common people also have confidence, and they are sure that the government will not dare to do anything to them.

As for Shen Yi, who caused a lot of trouble, he stayed in the academy honestly for the past few days and didn't go out. In order not to cause trouble to himself and Xu Fu and others, he didn't find anyone to contact them , only Tian Boping is very loyal, and still writes down the situation in the city and sends it to Shen Yi every day.

On the afternoon of the fourth day when the nursery rhymes began to spread, Shen Yi was standing in Master Lu's small courtyard, listening to the teachings of this great Jiangzuo Confucian.

After a period of thigh-hugging, his relationship with Lu Anshi has become quite close, mainly because Shen Yi has a high "emotional intelligence" now, and his vision and knowledge have also caught up. Being by Lu Anshi's side, he will not only ask Lu Anshi for advice, but sometimes You can also talk freely about world affairs with this Jiang Zuo great scholar, which Lu Anshi likes very much.

At this moment, Shen Yi wrote another policy theory on "Disaster Relief" and handed it to Lu Anshi for correction. Master Lu readily agreed, put down his work, and read Shen Yi's policy theory from beginning to end.

After roughly commenting on Shen Yi's strategy, Master Lu looked up at Shen Yi who was holding the disciple ceremony, and asked: "Whenever there is a disaster, the first thing to go up is the price of food. If a disaster occurs in a certain place, the local businessmen and wealthy households will stock up on food. , so that food prices skyrocketed, what should we think?"

Shen Qilang's face was calm: "Sir, if killing one person can save ten thousand people, and killing one family can save ten thousand families, then this person should be killed, and this family should also be killed."

Lu Anshi glanced at Shen Yi indifferently, and asked: "Now the grain price in Jiangdu remains high, according to what you mean, all those grain merchants should be killed?"

Shen Yi coughed, shook his head and said: "That's not necessary. If you ransack your home and exile a few, the others will be honest. There are rebellious farmers in this world, but there are no rebellious merchants. They are all pigs, sheep and livestock at the disposal of the court." That's all, whether to kill or not to kill is at the discretion of the imperial court."

"Livestock..."

Lu Anshi let out a "huh" and said, "Most of the animals you are talking about, especially those that are incredibly fat, were not grown by themselves, but were fed by someone. If you want to kill them, I am afraid that these fed animals people disagree."

Shen Yi blinked at Lu Anshi, and said with a smile: "Sir, the people in the hall are very cruel. When it comes to the critical moment, let alone the animals they raise, if they break their arms to protect themselves, they won't even blink."

Lu Anshi folded Shen Yi's strategy, then lowered his eyebrows and said: "If I remember correctly, Shen Yi, you are only fifteen or close to sixteen years old this year, and you have never been out of Jiangdu. How do you know so much about the affairs of the court?"

"This kind of truth can be seen from the book."

Shen Qilang was calm and unhurried, and said: "There are countless examples in the history books, which can support the students' words."

"You are an official material."

Lu Anshi looked up at Shen Yi's immature face.

On the immature face, there is a mature expression that does not match his age.

Mr. Lu said earnestly: "If you, Shen Qi, become an official in the future, don't do evil."

"Don't worry, sir."

Shen Qilang bowed his head respectfully: "If a student is lucky enough to step into the officialdom, he must be a good official who will benefit one side."

Lu Anshi didn't answer, but said calmly: "Did you write that nursery rhyme that everyone in Jiangdu City sang?"

Shen Yi frowned slightly, then looked at Lu Anshi, and asked, "Sir, you know about this even if you stay at home?"

"Qingque told me."

Mr. Lu said in a low voice: "She said that this nursery rhyme has been widely spread in Jiangdu City and has such a great influence that the government has banned the common people from singing it."

After saying this, Lu Anshi looked up at Shen Yi, without saying a word.

Shen Qilang hesitated for a while, then bowed his head respectfully and said, "Mr. Hui, it was written by a student."

"You are so brave."

Master Lu lowered his eyebrows and said, "Jiangdu is full of tigers and wolves. When I write this sentence, I compare Jiangdu yamen and Jiangdu grain merchants to tigers and wolves. Chen Fuzun is the most famous. If he knows that you wrote it, how can he let it go?" you?"

"It's hard for him to track down the students."

Shen Yi looked at Lu Anshi and asked, "How do you know you are a student?"

"Guess."

Master Lu said silently: "I heard from your teacher that you have been going to the city frequently recently, and you have a motive for doing this."

Speaking of this, Lu Anshi paused, and continued: "I asked you just now, you don't need to admit it."

"I believe sir."

Shen Yi smiled and continued: "Sir, there is no reason to harm me. Besides, even if this matter is discovered by the government, the students can explain it clearly."

Master Lu nodded, and said silently: "You want...to use the hand of the government to kill the Ma family?"

Shen Yi shook his head.

"Ma Jun's crime doesn't deserve death. The students think that it's enough to ransack his home and go into exile."

Among the four people at the beginning, Ma Jun didn't take part in beating Chen Qing because of his obesity, and he didn't beat Shen Yi either.

From the beginning to the end, Ma Jun just kicked Chen Qing twice.

Speaking of this, Shen Yi paused, and continued: "As the gentleman said, most of the wealthy businessmen are supported by someone behind them. It is still unknown whether this matter can bring down the Ma family. , if the government didn't attack the Ma family..."

Shen Yi looked at Lu Anshi, and said in a low voice: "Students need help from the master."

(End of this chapter)