The literary giants of the late Ming Dynasty began by copying books

Chapter 22 Gao Yin celebrates his birthday
Since the Linqing Civil War was treated coldly by Wanli, the behavior of the eunuchs sent by Wanli to collect taxes has intensified.

In August of the 27th year of Wanli, the eunuch Zhongguan Chen Feng once again provoked a popular uprising in Hubei.

The process of Chen Feng's provocation of the popular uprising in Huguang was similar to that of the Linqing uprising, but the intensity was completely upgraded.

When Chen Feng went to Huguang to collect taxes, he was originally only ordered to collect taxes on the Yangtze River. However, he expanded the scope of collection on his own, moved the collection area to the market, took away children, occupied ancestral graves, and occupied private houses.

Officials also knew about Emperor Wanli's attitude towards taxation after the Linqing Revolution, but Hua Yu, the official in Jingzhou, still mustered up the courage to confront Chen Feng. He captured Chen Feng's minions and punished them with rods in accordance with the law. He also wrote a letter to punish Chen Feng severely according to the censor's request, which made Chen Feng hold a grudge.

In August, Chen Feng was going to Shashi to collect taxes. The residents of Shashi were afraid of Chen Feng's arrival, so they evicted him in groups.Chen Feng took the opportunity to attribute the cause of the civil uprising to Hua Yu's instigation.

Immediately afterwards, Chen Feng went to Huangzhou to collect taxes, but was expelled by the people of Huangzhou, so Chen Feng reported Huangzhou experienced Che, who had a grudge against him, as an agitator.

In addition, in his memorial to Emperor Wanli, Chen Feng also attacked more than a dozen Hubei officials including the censor and the prefect of Xiangyang.

Emperor Wanli was furious at being instigated by Chen Feng. He felt that these civil servants were delaying him from making money and wanted to scare the monkeys, so he imprisoned two officials, Hua Yu and Che Chongren, into the Fusi of Jinyiwei Town for severe interrogation.

Yuan Hongdao was from Gong'an County, Jingzhou, Hubei Province and came from a family of officials.

Yuan Hongdao's elder brother Yuan Zongdao now serves as a lecturer in the East Palace, and his younger brother is also a student member, so he is naturally in the same camp as the civil servant group.Yuan Hongdao dared to abandon his official position because his family did not lack a Jinshi.

He could not ignore such a major event in the officialdom of his hometown, and Yuan Hongdao's original plan to find Wang Jianyang, the author of "The Scholars" for a long discussion, could only be put aside.

Two days later, Yuan Hongdao and his younger brother Yuan Zhongdao hurriedly set off north to the capital, preparing to go to the capital to help his brother Yuan Zongdao in his activities.

Just because of the eunuch's report, the emperor actually used factory guards against local officials. This move naturally caused shock in the officialdom.

At the same time as Yuan Hongdao entered Beijing, a fierce conflict broke out between the imperial power and civilian officials over the Jingzhou civil uprising.

Civil servants kept writing letters, while the emperor ordered the imperial guards to arrest people continuously. Neither side was willing to give in.

As a result of the struggle, Hua Yu and more than ten people were all imprisoned. Memorials to rescue them came one after another, but Wanli did not reply to any of them.

This major conflict spread to the entire court, making Wang Wenlong, who was watching from afar in Fujian, tremble with fear.

This was still a fight for taxation rights with the emperor's endorsement. Wang Wenlong could not imagine how bloody the struggle for stronger power would become in the battle between the Lott Party and the Donglin Party decades later.

Compared with the various incidents caused by the tax collection eunuchs in Hubei and Shandong, Wang Wenlong discovered that Gao Yin was actually quite politically intelligent among these eunuchs.

This guy has done nothing wrong with the common people, and the money he charges is no less than other eunuchs. However, this guy only offends the common people and merchants. At most, he is a trap for talented people, but he is unwilling to cause too much conflict with the officials. .

Even if the magistrate of Chenghai County, where Yuegang is located, openly confronted Gao Yin many times, Gao Yin only used his own means to put on his shoes and did not bring the matter to Wanli, leaving both sides with feelings.Gao Yin even attracted Chen Xingxue, the chief envoy of Fujian Province, as an ally.

Although Fujian officials were quite disdainful of him, they could only hold their noses and tolerate it. Except for some civil servants who continued to write letters of impeachment, the truly powerful local officials did not dare to break up with Gao Yin.

In this regard, Wang Wenlong could only lament that reading books is different after all, and it is more harmful to people.

What happened in Hubei had no impact on Gao Yin.While Tianxia Qingliu was frantically writing a letter to impeach Chen Feng, Gao Yin held his own birthday banquet in Zhangzhou in a lively manner.

The location of the birthday banquet was in Zhangzhou, not Fuzhou. Gao Yin also knew the principle of sustainable fishing. After fishing in Fuzhou for several months, he decisively led a group of people to fight in Yuegang, planning to return to Fuzhou to make money next year.

Gao Yin's mansion in Chenghai County, Zhangzhou was already busy half a month in advance.The Zhangzhou Prefecture paid for a red archway to be built for Gao Yin. The three courtyards were all covered with open tile ceilings. The tiles were all made of shells, which were not too hot and could transmit light and rain.

There are five beautiful tables on the table. Various pastries are placed directly on the iceberg sculptures carved from ice. It is full of fairy spirit, just like the appearance of overseas fairy mountains. The breeze is blowing, standing next to it. It makes people feel cold all over in the late summer weather.

Early that morning, the masters in charge of punishment and food in the Zhangzhou government office all came wearing new clothes and sitting on a sliding pole, personally grabbing pens to help Gao Yin manage the accounting room.

There is a small Western self-ringing clock in Gao Yin's house.

Galileo discovered the principle of the pendulum only ten years ago, and there were still decades before the invention of the pendulum clock. Western clocks of this era were purely spring mechanical structures, and their complexity was definitely beyond the understanding of the people of the time.

Even before Gao Yin brought Wang Wenlong to Zhangzhou, no one in the whole government could understand it. After Wang Wenlong explained it, Gao Yin was finally able to turn this thing from a decoration into a practical tool.

When the clock reaches nine o'clock, gift-givers come in droves.

"Li Dan, a maritime merchant from the Ming Dynasty, sent Magu a birthday painting to congratulate her!"

"The Luzon Maritime Merchants Association sends five branches of coral trees from the South China Sea and twenty pairs of ivory. I wish my father-in-law as much happiness as the East Sea!"

"The Tax Supervisor of Yuegang gave the immortal man a plate and money to celebrate his birthday!"

All the people celebrating his birthday arrived, and Gao Yin asked the stage to start singing "The Peony Pavilion". Wang Wenlong and Gao Yin's staff sat at the same table.

Seeing the sea of ​​merchants dressed in costumes from all over the world, Wang Wenlong finally understood why Gao Yin had to come to Yuegang to celebrate his birthday.

A large group of maritime merchants in Yuegang heard about Gao Yin's birthday and all tried their best to send him money. In comparison, what profit was there in staying in Fuzhou?
The "Peony Pavilion" sung on the Fuzhong stage surprised some guests who know how to appreciate Kun Opera. It has been more than three months since Gao Yin started rehearsing. Most of the guests present today have the opportunity to see the script of "The Peony Pavilion" Well, indeed no one expected Gao Yin to put this play on the stage so quickly.

However, there were also many people who couldn't understand the show at all, such as the rogues under Gao Yin, who soon started fighting over wine. Wang Wenlong drank and vomited when he saw Li Bagin.

He was huddled in a corner eating vegetables, when suddenly he heard Gao Yin calling him.

Wang Wenlong ran over quickly and saw a young man in his 20s standing next to Gao Yin's wine table. The young man was dressed in Confucian scholar's clothes. He had dark skin and was a bit short. His appearance was not outstanding but his eyes were bright.

Gao Yin pointed at Wang Wenlong and introduced to the young man:
"This is Wang Wenlong who revised "The Peony Pavilion". He also wrote the "The Scholars" at the beginning of the year."

The young man was quite surprised when he heard this. He looked at Wang Wenlong and saluted: "It turns out that The Scholars is the work of Mr. Wang. I have admired it for a long time!"

Wang Wenlong nodded to show humility.

Gao Yin pointed to the young man and said to Wang Wenlong:

"This is Li Dan's eldest son, Li Guozhu. He said that the play you adapted is good, so I will introduce you two to him."

Seeing Gao Yin winking at him, Wang Wenlong understood instantly.

He sighed in his heart: There was no way to hide from Qingjing.He could only go up and chat with Li Guozhu.

　Hurry up and hurry up, it's still past twelve o'clock...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)