Crazy at the end of the Ming Dynasty

() Shanxi was an important military town in the Ming Dynasty and an important base for weapons manufacturing in the Ming Dynasty.The well-known Shanxi merchants in later generations developed by relying on the "Kaizhong Law" of the salt industry at the border of the Ming Dynasty.

Regarding the "Kaizhong Law" that had a huge impact on the history of the development of the salt industry, this is not the main point, so here is a brief introduction: it is that merchants provide Ming army food and grass at the border in exchange for salt imports as a reward.

At first glance, this seems to be a good way to win a multi-win situation, but exploiting loopholes is the strength of merchants in any period. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, a group of large salt merchants finally appeared who used salt to lure the rich.As for the group of Yangzhou salt merchants that Wu Shigong had dealt with, many of them were from Shanxi and Huizhou.

At that time, Huizhou merchants and Shanxi merchants were the two wealthiest business groups in the Ming Dynasty. Huizhou merchants mainly relied on being in the land of fish and rice, while Shanxi merchants relied on border trade.

By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the border ban of the Ming Dynasty was in vain. A large number of Shanxi merchants sold salt, grain, armor and weapons to the Mongols outside the customs, and even sold them directly to Hou Jin, who then traded with himself. The acquainted Mongolian tribe got a lot of military and strategic materials, but what they paid was the property looted by Houjin from inside the pass and special products outside the pass.Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that the history of the development of Shanxi merchants is the history of blood and tears of the Huaxia nation in the late Ming Dynasty.

So at this time, Shanxi merchants were so bold as to sell salt, food, armor and weapons to the Tartars outside the pass, so what's the big deal about selling some weapons to the bandits inside the pass?

Of course, the price of these weapons is quite expensive, basically seven or eight times the market price.But even such expensive weapons are often out of stock, because when Houjin purchases weapons in large quantities, Shanxi merchants can sell these weapons for more than ten times the huge profits.

So when these Henan bandits learned that they could buy swords, guns and weapons at about five times the price, they immediately eagerly purchased them.You know, those gangsters are not in harmony with each other. It can be said that there are various battles between them every day for various interests.

Modern people who are deeply influenced by modern martial arts novels may not know it, as long as it is a cold weapon.No matter what kind of magical weapons, as long as they fight fiercely for a few rounds, the weapons will be scrapped after being hit and smashed, so the Henan bandits have a very large gap in their weapons. After all, when it’s time to fight, it’s always impossible to use those agricultural tools of.

In a short period of time, the Runing Army sold a large number of second-hand weapons seized before.The captured weapons were not used by the Runing Army themselves.It was rotten in the warehouse, but those gangsters just happened to use it, and the price they paid was high. Shan Chuansi really did a good deal.

However, Shanchuan Division also has principles in doing this kind of weapon business.It is only sold to those bandits who have built a stronghold to protect themselves.Because those bandits are basically immobile, and they pose little threat to the Runing Army, and in case those bandits turn their backs.It is also convenient for the Runing army to take revenge, after all, even if they have a family and a job, they can't escape.

In addition, the Runing Army does not sell armor and firearms, bows and arrows only sell hunting bows, powerful longbows are not sold, and military standard arrows are also in limited supply.And in order to hide, Runing Army is willing to make more money for the middleman.He didn't come forward in person, just trying to prevent the government from being aware of this weapon business.

This business is so booming that within a short period of time, the Runing army has earned more than 1 taels of silver.Even shopkeeper Zheng, who had just arrived in Runing, got on the boat, and the hundred Japanese knives he brought for trial sale this time were all wiped out.

And through the intermediary of Sihai Commercial Bank, shopkeeper Zheng's Minhai Commercial Bank also received a large number of orders for Nanyang goods in Kaifeng, Luoyang and other big cities in Henan, which made shopkeeper Zheng laugh from ear to ear.Don't look at the chaos in the interior, the consumption power of the officials and gentry in the interior is not low at all!

The silver earned from this weapon exchange was immediately deposited by the Runing Army as a reserve fund.No one thought of using the windfall.For Wu Shigong and the others, the hard life of the Runing army is a little bit enough!

There was also good news from the capital.Xue Yufei gave birth to another son.Wu Shigong looked at the happy announcement written by his father-in-law Xue Lian, but he couldn't hide the ecstasy in the strokes and tone of voice.Wu Shigong couldn't help slandering in his heart: "What's there to be happy about? Isn't it just a double insurance? Reinsurance, isn't that still my son?"

Of course, Wu Shigong himself was also very happy, and this time his father-in-law Xue Lian returned the right to name his son to Wu Shigong.Wu Shigong thought for a long time, and finally chose the word "ping".I hope my son is safe and sound, and I hope the world is peaceful.

But as long as the name "Xue Chengping" was good, he was immediately besieged and criticized by the wives in the inner house.They all thought that the name was too ordinary, and then attacked Wu Shigong for his ignorance as usual.

That night, Wu Shigong, who was seriously injured, only went to Xiuzhu, who had the lowest level of humanization, to seek comfort.After some wind and rain, Wu Shigong stroked the hair of the embroidered bamboo and sighed: "A woman who has no talent is a virtue!"

Unexpectedly, Xiuzhu twisted Wu Shigong's tender waist severely.Jiaodian said: "No matter how talented these old girls are in the inner house, they still cause trouble for the young master!"

Wu Shigong, who was choked by these words for a long time, finally looked up and sighed: "This day is really impossible!"

At this time, the peasant rebel army who was pressed by Chen Qiyu, the governor of the five provinces, came to the Hanzhong Plank Road.Under the pressure of the government and the army, the peasant rebels Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong, Xie Zikuai, and Zhang Miaoshou strayed into Chexiang Gorge in the south of Xing'an.

Chexiang Gorge, just think about the name of this canyon. It is surrounded by cliffs and cannot be climbed.The exit was tightly guarded by the Ming army, and it rained for more than 70 days in a row. "The crossbow was eroded by the sword, the armor was soaked, the horseshoe was worn out, and I couldn't eat for several days."

Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong and other tens of thousands of people are almost desperate.In order to get rid of this difficult situation, the leader of the peasant rebel army decided to use the swindle to surrender again.

It was still the old way, Li Zicheng and other leaders ordered to collect the gold and silver property seized by the army, and after they entered Chen Qiyu's camp, they bribed them all over the place, and then they burst into tears and snot in front of Chen Qiyu, almost digging out their utter loyalty.

And after suffering so much, many military officials of the Ming army also opposed the appeasement.However, Chen Qiyu was surprised to find a situation. Those military officials objected, but none of them was willing to lead troops to completely wipe out this peasant rebel army.

Everyone understands the reason why the trapped beast will fight to the death. Who would take the risk to fight to the death with the troubled peasant rebel army?So Chen Qiyu found himself in a situation where he had to be comforted.

Coupled with Chen Qiyu's lack of experience in dealing with the peasant rebel army, he may think that the peasant rebel army is really scared of being defeated, and he is a little worried that the peasant rebel army will jump over the wall in a hurry. In the end, Chen Qiyu agreed to deal with this peasant rebel army. The army recruited. (To be continued.)