At the end of the Ming Dynasty, I freely traveled through Yangshen

Chapter 71
"The Crown Prince said that those over sixty and those under fifteen can leave!"

As soon as the prince made the decision, someone immediately went to do something. A loud eunuch led a group of young eunuchs along the North Wall Street of the Imperial City and shouted loudly. This shout made those who were waiting in a queue The young man became a little agitated.

"You don't want me if you are under 15 years old or over 60 years old? Why do you have so much control over a day's work for this money? Although I look old in appearance, as if I am in my 59s or [-]s, I am actually only [-] years old this year."

"Go to hell with your 59th birthday! Didn't you celebrate your [-]th birthday in just two days? Why is the old man here to join in the fun?"

"What do you care about? If you don't make money, you are a fool? One penny a day. This money is used to buy a coffin for me, old man. If there is no robber, how old am I?"

"Yes, this old man is right. He looks like a 59-year-old man. Stop minding his own business. He will be as old as we say he is. Ruining people's wealth is like killing their parents!"

"Yes, the intruder hasn't come yet. In my opinion, he and the prince will make this money together first, and then when it's time to do something, we'll all hide."

"That's the reason. It's better to work here first and wait until the trespassers come. I heard that when the trespassers come, the life of us ordinary people will be better!"

"Will our life be better? What a good idea!"

"Equalize the land, exempt from taxes, not tax for three years, and still make decisions for us!"

"Master, what master?"

"Don't talk nonsense. If the prince hears this, he might lose his head. Go, go, stay here. Will you make money or even your life?"

……

After hearing Zhu Cixiang's recruitment request, these people all got into a mess. They were all men from the surrounding areas of Beijing who could not survive and came here to make a living. They were not like the servants of Wu Xiang's family. They were all here in Beijing. The Wu Xiang family was extremely poor, and the servants of the Wu Xiang family were allotted hundreds of acres of land to each generation in Shanhaiguan. Counting these servants, they can be regarded as the same people in the military system of the Tang Dynasty. They all have some foundation and are landlords and soldiers, so These people have nothing to do with Chuang Ni's "Jiantian exempt from taxation, three years without levy", and even have a natural hostility towards Juntian.

Although King Chuang did not come today, Zhu Cixiang, the scheming prince, listened to what these people said. Knowing that these people actually wanted to come over to pick his own wool, Zhu Cixiang couldn't laugh or cry.

But Zhu Cixiang was also wary of the attraction of ordinary people in this era to the group of thieves. These people from around Beijing are working people, and many are farmers who have gone bankrupt due to natural disasters and man-made disasters. For these people, It is said that the rebellious "no conscription for three years, equalization of land and no tax" is simply pie in the sky and has great appeal.

Fortunately, Zhu Cihong himself also wrote some canonization edicts to win people's hearts. He was also in compliance with the rules. Although he wanted these people to follow him into the Izumo Kingdom, he was really not stupid enough to just win over Wu Xiang. Senior figures such as Zhang Tao on the Jinyi Guards, Wang Zhou on the Brave Guard Camp, and Pan Shuchen on the Nanhai Zijing Army can lead the team well. He is not Bald Jiang, but he does not have that ability.

The mud-legged people in this era want very simple things. They just want land, money, and some immortality. It is of no use to them. Maybe they will let these people know the secret and run away to thieves or Tartars. Although Zhu Cixiang was not afraid of this, it would be less troublesome.

Zhu Cixiang, who was standing downstairs at Bei'anmen Gate, saw that not many of these people left voluntarily. He immediately smiled with satisfaction and said to Wu Xiang beside him: "Father-in-law, Lao Taishan, let the bosses and hundred bosses pick people. , they all know who can fight." "Here!" Wu Xiang respectfully accepted the order, turned around and took the servants of the Wu family and the servants of the ancestral family to convey Zhu Cixiang's order.

Just when Zhu Cihong gave the order, the accompanying eunuch Qiu Zhizhong trotted over. Under the Bei'anmen Gate, he ran to Zhu Cihong and whispered, "Prince, the Governor Wang is here!"

"it is good!"

Zhu Cixiang nodded, and then he saw a eunuch wearing a red python robe and a pair of hats running towards him in a hurry.

"Slave, Wang Chengen, I wish you a thousand years old prince."

Seeing that the person coming was Wang Cheng'en, Zhu Cixiang waved his hand, indicating that he would do something convenient and said, "Wang Banban, there is no need to be polite. Have you seen my father over there? What's going on there? What did you say?"

As he said that, Zhu Cihong looked at Wang Chengen expectantly, to see if Wang Chengen had leaked anything, and at the same time wanted to see what Emperor Chongzhen was doing now.

"Back to Prince Chitose, the emperor's old servant has seen him. The emperor will discuss with the cabinet bachelors how to raise the military expenses for moving Guan Ning's army to the capital. He said that he would ask the nobles to donate money at the court meeting tomorrow morning. First, Zhou The father-in-law took the lead, and the family donated some, and I think the shortfall of more than 50 yuan should be able to make up for it."

Wang Chengen replied: "As for our recruitment of people to train the army this time, the old slave has not told the emperor in detail. He only said that Admiral Wu and the old slave worked together to recruit Ding Zhuang from Beijing City to organize some manpower in Beijing City. Come to defend the city, other old slaves don’t dare to mention it, they understand it very well.”

"That's good, Wang Banban, you still understand the truth."

"But you said that my father wants to ask the nobles headed by Zhou Guozhang to raise funds?" Zhu Cixiang looked strange when he heard this: "Wang Banban, do you think this is reliable?"

Zhu Cixiang knew history. In history, Emperor Chongzhen asked Zhou Guozhang and others to raise funds. As a result, Zhou Guozhang cried for poverty and only donated a thousand taels of silver. Moreover, the money was obtained from the sale of jewelry by Empress Zhou. It is said that there are 5000 taels. With 5000 taels in hand, he only donated 3000 taels. This week, the abbot even took a kickback from his own daughter. He was stingy as hell.

Later, when all the officials and nobles saw that Zhou Guozhang was so stingy, everyone else just acted like they wanted, so the result was that Emperor Chongzhen simply didn't raise enough money.

Compared with the stinginess of these nobles, unofficial history records that a poor old man in Beijing donated all his life savings to the court when Emperor Chongzhen ordered to raise military expenses. At that time, Emperor Chongzhen was moved. After it was broken, Emperor Chongzhen also granted him the official position of Jinyiwei Qianhu. However, within a few days, the most virtuous capital of the Ming Dynasty was destroyed, and Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself in Meishan.

"It should be calculated. After all, this matter was discussed by the cabinet's bachelors." Wang Cheng'en didn't know what he meant, but just replied, "But now that Admiral Wu and Lao Nu have led the army together, this matter There may be less children. If the city defense can be done well and the emperor and nobles can feel at ease, maybe we can get the money?"

　This place echoes from beginning to end. When I was writing Chapter 108 today, this plot appeared again.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)