Chongzhen Daming: Starting from Coal Mountain

Chapter 104

Chongzhen took [-] Yiding all the way and rushed all the way, and it took only three days to arrive at Caowan Town in Huai'an Prefecture, which is only across the river from Shanyang City, the capital of Huai'an Prefecture.

Fu Shan and the other four scholars who had fled to the south also saw Chongzhen's ruthlessness.

The Holy Majesty is really ruthless, not only can he ride a horse for several hours without a break like Yi Ding, but he can also eat the same food, fermented soybeans, vinegar steamed cakes and hard salt blocks as Yi Ding.

Such things, they all find it difficult to swallow.

But the Holy Majesty, the Crown Prince, and King Ding enjoyed it so much, they couldn't accept it.

"Hu Guozhu." Chongzhen reined in the horse lightly, beckoning Hu Guozhu to come forward and speak.

Hu Guozhu lightly urged the horse to take two steps forward, arched and bowed on the horse's back: "Your Majesty?"

Today's Hu Guozhu has completely become Chongzhen's loyal lackey, at least on the surface.

Chongzhen said: "You are temporarily stationed outside Caowan Town with [-] barbarians. You are not allowed to cross the Yellow River without an order, and you are not allowed to lead your army into Caowan Town without authorization."

"The minister leads the order." Hu Guozhu solemnly agreed.

Chongzhen said again: "Wu Ba charcoal, you pick twenty barbarians to put on old commoner clothes, and cross the river with me."

Wu scratched Tan's head and said, "Your Majesty, the ministers only carry armor and battle jackets with them, and no civilian clothes. What should we do?"

Fu Shan volunteered and said, "Your Majesty, the grass-roots would like to go to the clothes shop in the market to buy common clothes."

Sun Fanzhi and the three of them said in unison, "Caomin and others intend to go together."

"Okay, then I'll trouble you." Chongzhen readily agreed.

The four scholars took 2 taels of silver and came straight to Caowan Town.

Chongzhen is also picky enough, and he only gives 2 taels of silver when he sends imperial envoys to handle errands, and he is not afraid of being laughed at.

At this time, Caowan Town has already restored order, but traces of the war can still be seen everywhere, such as the ruins of burned houses, and a large number of refugees begging along the street.

When the four major scholars entered Caowan Town, they went straight to the restaurant.

"Shopkeeper, here are eight steamed cakes!" Fu Shan greeted after sitting down.

The steamed cakes in the Ming Dynasty were steamed buns, which were fermented dough and then steamed, without filling.

"Okay." The shopkeeper quickly opened the drawer, filled out eight steaming pancakes, and filled four bowls of soup for the four of Fu Shan for free.

The four wolfed down eight steamed pancakes, still wanting more.

After three days of eating food, dried vinegar cloth, and fermented soybeans, I suddenly felt that steamed cakes are also delicious in the world.

"It's gone." Fu Shan accepted the account, spread his hands and said, "There are only a few big money left, which is only enough to buy eight steamed cakes."

As for the 2 taels of silver given by Chongzhen, it was used to buy clothes, who would dare to touch it?Do you think your life is too long?

"Forget it, I'll treat you guys to a good meal when we get to Yangzhou." Fu Shan said, "I have a friend in Yangzhou, who seems to be a salt seller at home, and it is said that he has a lot of money."

"Brother Fu, that's the deal." Sun Fanzhi and the three said in unison.

"One word from a gentleman, four horses are hard to follow." Fu Shan agreed, and then walked along the main street to ask about clothing shops.

"Everyone, I have something to say, I can't say it quickly." Ji Yunhong, a student of Qu Zhou, couldn't hold back, and said, "I can eat the dregs today and be able to enjoy it as much as I want, can I be called the Son of Heaven?"

"True Holy Son of Heaven." All three of Fu Shan agreed deeply.

They said in unison: "This time, the Ming Dynasty is expected to rejuvenate."

Well, scholars who have never set foot in officialdom are so simple.

In their view, officials who are clean and self-restraining are good officials, and officials who eat like dog food every day are great upright officials. As for the emperor who eats dog food, they have never heard of it. None of the emperors can be considered the Holy Son of Heaven, so which emperor dares to be called the Holy Son of Heaven?
The four scholars quickly bought dozens of old commoner clothes and came back.

Chongzhen and his party of more than [-] people immediately changed their clothes and crossed the Yellow River.

When disembarking from the canal pier, it was almost impossible to disembark.

Because merchant ships were densely parked inside and outside the pier, and because there were too many merchant ships, they even lined up on the canal.

The ferryman smiled wryly: "Guest officer, I'm really sorry, I'm afraid I can't take you to the pier, so I can only find a place nearby to put you ashore. I'm really sorry."

"No problem." Chongzhen waved his hand and asked again, "Boatman, why are there so many merchant ships on the pier?"

"Hey, it's not all caused by the Hecao Yamen." The boatman said angrily, "The Hecao Yamen first let out the rumor that they would buy a large amount of grain at a price of one or two or five yuan per stone, but wait for the grain merchants in the Jiangnan provinces to buy more grain." Really transported the grain to Huai’an Mansion, but then changed his words and said that he would not collect the grain, what do you call this?”

"Why doesn't the Hecao Yamen stop collecting grain?" Chongzhen asked with a frown.

"Who knows." The boatman spread his hands and said, "I want to know too."

While speaking, the ferry had already docked, and the boatman put down the sampan to send Chongzhen and others ashore.

After landing on the shore, Chongzhen did not rush into the city, but found a high place to wait and see.

As a result, as soon as the group reached the high place, they saw a sudden commotion outside the east gate of Shanyang.

Thousands of boatmen with bare breasts and belly and dark complexion gathered outside the city gate, copying boat oars and pennies. It seemed that they wanted to discuss an explanation with the Hecao Yamen, but they started to quarrel. .

Wu Ba Tan immediately became alert and asked Yi Ding to surround Chongzhen, father and son.

"It's okay, these grain merchants are keeping their senses, they're just asking for an explanation, and they won't rebel." Chongzhen's eyes were still poisonous, and he could see that the troublemakers were instigated by the grain merchants.

Of course, even if the grain merchants really wanted to rebel, Chongzhen was not afraid at all.

All it takes is a word of mouth, and the eight hundred barbarians in Caowan Town can arrive quickly. There are only a few thousand boatmen in this area, and there may not be enough for one of the eight hundred barbarians to charge.

"Father, these grain merchants are really daring!"

Zhu Cijiong said in a deep voice: "Why don't you transfer the barbarians and arrest them all, the grain they sold is just fined and confiscated to be used as grain grain. Wouldn't the problem of grain grain be solved in this way?"

Hearing this, Fu Shan and the other four all cast astonished glances at Zhu Cijiong.

Wu Batan and more than [-] Yidings showed a hideous look on their faces, because they thought so too.

Chongzhen's face collapsed in an instant, but he looked at Zhu Cihong, and asked, "Xiao'er, do you think so too?"

"My son thinks this is inappropriate." Zhu Cihong frowned and said, "These boatmen just gathered to make a noise, and they didn't even fight with the troops in the Hecao Yamen. It's probably inappropriate to rashly arrest people and confiscate food like this. .”

"What's wrong." Zhu Cijiong has grown courageous after spending time with Chongzhen these days, so he dared to say anything. Shen Wansan's family property has just built Nanjing City, and there are only a few hundred grain merchants in the area, so why not kill them?"

In Zhu Cijiong's eyes, these grain merchants are no different from fat pigs.

Hearing this, the eyes of Fu Shan and the other four scholars have changed from astonishment to horror.

They are both scholars and businessmen, so they are extremely frightened by Zhu Cijiong's point of view. His Royal Highness King Ding thinks so, so what about the Holy One?
The four looked at Chongzhen in unison again.

"Shut up!" Chongzhen reprimanded Zhu Cijiong sharply.

"Boy, your thoughts are dangerous! Very dangerous!"

"Why?" Zhu Cijiong asked with a blank face, "Where is my son's thinking dangerous?"

"Jiong'er, Hong'er, you must keep in mind that power is not without boundaries." Chongzhen taught his two sons in front of Fu Shan and others, and these contents can be taught face-to-face.

"The more superior you are, the more you must know how to be in awe."

"Respect the way of heaven, respect the rules, and use the power in your hands with caution."

"A king who does not obey the rules and a court that abuses power is unpopular and destined to suffer the backlash of heaven. Isn't the lesson of so many tyrants throughout the ages enough to explain the problem?"

"Jiong'er, you just mentioned that the Taizu Emperor Gao confiscated the property of the Shen family to build a city wall."

"But what you don't know is how much harm Emperor Taizu Gao did to Daming."

"Since ancient times, it has been unstable without agriculture, and rich without business. Taizu's move directly led to hundreds of years of commercial diversion in our Ming Dynasty, and the lack of national use. Our Ming's regular tax plus three salaries are even less than five cents of the Southern Song Dynasty. One, dare you think?"

"Ah this?" Zhu Cijiong was dumbfounded when he heard the words, but his father actually said that Emperor Gao was wrong?

Fu Shan and the other four were both shocked and relieved. The shock was that the Holy Majesty dared to say that Emperor Taizu Gao was wrong, and the comfort was that at least the Holy Majesty still obeyed the rules.

Chongzhen went on to say earnestly: "Long'er and Jiong'er, you two must remember that you must be political and abide by the rules. Even if you have the ability to break through the constraints of the rules, you must never abuse your power!"

Zhu Cijiong said with a bitter face: "Father, don't you have to follow the rules in everything?"

"That's not necessarily the case." Chongzhen said, "When you can get the support of the majority, you can break through the constraints of the rules."

After speaking, he pointed to the boatmen gathered in front of him and said: "For example, these boatmen must be dealt with according to the rules. If they dare to make trouble, let the Hecao Yamen arrest them. Only when they really rebel can you and my father and son send troops to suppress them. Only then can their food be confiscated, otherwise even the emperor can't plunder the food on their ship without authorization."

"My son understands." Zhu Cijiong seemed to understand, but only he himself would know if he really understood.

While the father and son were talking, the commotion outside the east gate of Shanyang had subsided, and the gathered boatmen gradually dispersed and returned to the boat, but some were also invited into the city.

Chongzhen immediately said: "Let's go, it's time for us to enter the city."

A group of people came to the gate of the city, but were stopped by the Yunjun.

"Shanyang City is under martial law today." Yunjun said with a dark face, "Idlers are prohibited from entering or leaving!"

Li Ruolian, the commander of Jinyiwei who accompanied him, took a step forward and showed his Jinyiwei waist badge.

Seeing the Jinyiwei waist card in Li Ruolian's hand, the captain of the Yunjun at the door turned pale with fright, and quickly signaled the Yunjun behind him to remove the antlers and let Chongzhen and his party enter the city.

(End of this chapter)