Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 27

He Maocai wished to arrest the two magistrates immediately after hearing the report from the team officer at the Neisi Yamen.But according to regulations, only the governor of a province can dispose of the incumbent, so He Maocai had no choice but to bring Hai Rui and Wang Yongji to the governor's yamen bitterly.He ordered them to stay in the concierge, and went to the back hall angrily to see Zheng Bichang.

"Gao Hanwen's situation has not been settled yet, and the two county magistrates openly joined hands with the troubled people in office and defied the provincial government!" He Maocai became more and more angry, "If they continue to stir up trouble like this, will the fields still be bought? After June, Don’t plant mulberry seedlings either.”

Zheng Michang was sitting on the chair by the coffee table at this time, his face was very solemn: "How do you think they will be dismissed?"

He Maocai: "You are the governor, and you will submit a memorial to the court and tell them to suspend their duties pending participation. I will immediately go back and put up a sign, and first let the county magistrates of the two counties act as county magistrates."

"Excuse me." Zheng Michang stood up from the chair beside the tea table, and walked slowly towards the desk, "Hai Rui and Wang Yongji will be exempted together. If possible, even Gao Hanwen will be exempted."

"Gao Hanwen is probably unavoidable..." After saying this, He Maocai felt that Zheng Michang's words were not right, so he stopped and looked at him, "Is it true that Gao Hanwen is not up to old Shen's news?"

"There is no news from Lao Shen, but there is a letter from Beijing. Alas!" Zheng Bichang sighed suddenly, "Now, I don't know whether it is still possible to buy fields, and whether it is possible to change rice into mulberry. .”

He Maocai was taken aback. Hearing what he said, and his tone was very depressed, he knew something was going on, and quickly asked, "Where is the letter? How should I say it?"

Zheng Michang picked up a few open letters on the case: "There are those from the cabinet, and some from the palace. They are all just received. Let's see what Mr. Luo Longwen said first." Speaking of which, he picked up one of the letters above. Handed the letter to He Maocai.

After reading a few lines, He Maocai was stunned, and looked up at Zheng Michang: "Chun'an and Jiande, the two magistrates, were both recommended by King Yu to the Ministry of Officials?"

Zheng Michang didn't answer this topic, and picked up another letter on the case: "Eunuch Yang, you can read it too." He said and handed it over.

He Maocai became a little nervous now, and after reading a few lines, he raised his head and looked at Zheng Bichang: "We waited for him to come back to do such a big matter, but he stayed in Beijing and didn't come back. What do you mean?"

Zheng Michang sat down and looked out of the door with absent-minded eyes: "The matter has become more and more obvious. A new magistrate was recommended by Mr. Xiaoge, and he opposed us as soon as he took office. The two new magistrates are It was recommended by King Yu, and he dared to act against the notice of the governor's office today. But at this time, Eunuch Yang was also hiding and couldn't come back. What does this mean? It means that the court is in chaos... They were fighting with knives on top, but they all slashed at Zhejiang...Old He, if you have a way to get rid of me as the governor now, I will let you do it."

He Maocai was also a little surprised. After thinking about it, he didn't fully agree: "Zhongcheng, you are overthinking, right? The imperial court suffered such a big deficit, and that's why they wanted to change rice into mulberry in Zhejiang. If you don't change the imperial court, you won't be able to pass the test." It is not wrong to change it to us. Hu Zongxian lost the governor precisely because he opposed this national policy. No matter who recommended a magistrate or two county magistrates, is it better than Hu Zongxian?"

Zheng Michang: "Now you still think Hu Zongxian has suffered a disadvantage?"

He Maocai looked at him in surprise.

Zheng Michang: "Hu Zongxian is brilliant! So we all thought that he was a big official, too busy, and ignorant of current affairs. Now it seems that you and I can't even touch Hu Zongxian's back."

He Maocai: "What you said made me a little confused."

Zheng Michang: "I was also confused. Looking back, I realized that Hu Zongxian had long seen that the imperial court's plan to change rice into mulberry in Zhejiang was a deadly move, so he used a bitter trick, and he did not hesitate to offend Mr. Ge and Mr. Ge, in order to get rid of the golden cicada's shell." .Now it’s all right, the court was fooled by him and dismissed his governor of Zhejiang. I took over the governor, and you were promoted to be the chief envoy, but you are all foolishly holding a baby. Now I just want to turn around, I can't go back either."

He Maocai was dumbfounded by his words, so he also sat down, thinking about it for a while, then stood up suddenly: "Old Zheng, can you explain your words more clearly?"

Zheng Bichang: "How else do you understand? The imperial court has fallen short, and the burden is on the elders Ge and the elders of the younger pavilion. If the deficit is made up, the elders and the elders of the younger pavilion can continue to work for a few more years. If the deficit cannot be made up, the emperor will He will kick them! Now King Yu and the people behind him are trying to find a way to change the rice in Zhejiang into mulberry, in order to bring down Ge Lao and Xiao Ge Lao. At that time, it was not others who suffered the first disaster , it’s me, and you.”

He Maocai: "The elder Ge and the elder Ge should go to hell and make it happen! How could they send someone to hold us back?"

Zheng Bichang: "I thought the same way at first. As long as it is successful, it will add money to the national treasury. One handsome man will cover up all the ugly, and the old man and the young man will pass the test. We will also pass the test. But since Gao Hanwen said yesterday Attitude, I became suspicious. Since Mr. Xiaoge wanted us to do this, who is not easy to send, send such a person? Today I understand, it is all because of the pressure from King Yu and others. As soon as Hu Zongxian disturbed it again, it started to mess up at Xiaoge's old place. We were asked to goug out the flesh and mend the sores, and we had to send a doctor to watch by the side. We also wanted to make up for the shortfall, and we had to lose face Hot. To put it bluntly, we want us to bleed more, buy the land and change it to mulberry, and the common people don’t make trouble, and then pay every penny of the money we make. We also want the horse to run, and also want the horse not to eat grass.”

He Maocai: "Then let them build an archway, and we'll be whores! It's a big deal, we just don't pay for it."

Zheng Michang: "If you can be a bitch, I will admit it. Now I'm afraid I can't be a bitch anymore. We don't pay money, those in the palace, those in the court, do those people want to share money? Also, the real photo Gao Hanwen and the two county magistrates do it like this, 30 shi per mu, 50 shi per mu, and Shen Yishi would not be willing to spend so much money to buy fields. Let’s not talk about the fact that the annual increase of [-] silks can’t be done. This year, the business of [-] horses with Xiyang was ruined. It was at the end of May, and if it was stirred up again, it would be delayed until June and July, and the change from rice to mulberry would be delayed. At that time, if the investigation was carried out, the matter of destroying embankments and flooding fields would also be lost. It will explode. In order to wash ourselves clean, Xiaoge Lao and the others, as well as the Weaving Bureau, will push things on us. Wait, Lao He, the prison car has been prepared for you and me. You and I will wait Send it to the capital."

He Maocai's scalp went numb with a bang, his face flushed red, and his eyes glowed: "Then we are all going to die! They are fighting with knives in the court, and we are not fish on the chopping board. If you want to stir it, you will muddy the water. If you want to move us then, you have to make them stick to their bones and muscles!"

Zheng Michang knew that He Maocai was a little impatient, but when he was impatient, he would often resort to ruthless moves. He looked at him and asked, "How do you muddy the water?"

He Maocai: "Didn't Gao Hanwen be sent by the old Xiaoge? Didn't Hai Rui and Wang Yongji be sent by Yu Wang? Then let the people they send change it, and force them according to ten stones per mu and eight stones per mu." Go change it!"

Zheng Michang didn't believe his words again: "You saw Gao Hanwen's attitude yesterday. Although Lao Shen is trapping him, he doesn't know if he will fall in or not. Hai Rui and Wang Yongji are from King Yu's side. It is even more impossible for people to do what we want.”

"This is a risky move!" Having said that, He Maocai stopped, walked to the door of the signing room, and said to the outside, "You all go outside the second hall, no one is allowed to come in now."

Someone left at the door.

He Maocai closed the door and turned around.

Zheng Michang was looking at him intently at this moment: "What dangerous moves, you say."

"Tong Wo!" These two words suddenly came out of He Maocai's mouth.

"Tongwo?" Zheng Michang's face immediately turned pale, "Old He, are you crazy? Tongwo is a crime to destroy the family!"

He Maocai: "It's not that we master Japanese, let them master Japanese!"

Zheng Bichang: "How can they know Japanese?"

He Maocai walked over, sat down on a chair, and put his head close to Zheng Michang: "Do you still remember the man Ma Ningyuan arrested last time?"

Zheng Bichang: "The head of that Sangmin in Chun'an?"

He Maocai: "Yes. Ma Ningyuan was arrested for causing trouble when he stepped on seedlings. He was later released by Hu Zongxian. According to his subordinates, it was this man who was released by Shanghai Rui at the pier today. He led the unscrupulous people in Chun'an to buy grain everywhere, and incited the people not to sell their fields. They will definitely buy grain everywhere these days, and find a way to get them to buy from the pirates. Even if they bring the pirates together to catch them Stop, make it a dead end, and then leave it to that Hai Rui to handle."

Zheng Michang's heart was moved: "Go on."

He Maocai: "According to the law, Tongwo must be executed on the spot. The first thing that Hai Rui was asked to do when he went to Chun'an was to kill people! Kill these people who refuse to sell their fields!"

Zheng Michang: "What if Hai Rui doesn't kill these people?"

He Maocai: "These people were released by Hai Rui today. If they don't kill them, it means that Hai Rui is also suspected of collusion. We can deal with him!"

Zheng Bichang: "It's even close."

He Maocai: "If Hai Rui kills these people, no one in Chun'an and Jiande will dare to buy grain. If there is no grain, they will have to sell their fields. Hai Rui and Wang Yongji will not dare to stop them. I’ll listen to them again; it’s their fault if anyone dies of starvation, and he can be dealt with at that time!”

Zheng Michang: "Why do you let those people buy food from Japanese pirates?"

He Maocai: "I'll take care of this matter. Hurry up and urge Lao Shen. Tomorrow morning, as long as Gao Hanwen changes his mind and agrees to our proposal, the remaining two county magistrates and those troublesome people will follow this method. The gate is to ask Lao Shen Shen will trap that Gao Hanwen no matter what tonight."

Sitting there, Zheng Michang thought about it for a while, and then slowly looked at He Maocai again: "Whatever you do, you have to clean up, and don't let anything happen."

He Maocai stood up: "You have been in prison for more than ten years, so don't worry about it."

"It's also forced by them. Let's do it." Zheng Bichang also stood up, "Where are Hai Rui and Wang Yongji now?"

He Maocai: "It's in the concierge."

Zheng Michang: "You have been thundering all day, and I will have a few drops of rain. Tell them to come in, and I will say a few words, and stabilize them first. You hurry up and do your thing."

"Okay." He Maocai took two steps and then stopped, "Old Shen, you have to hurry up."

This is a dungeon, which can be seen clearly under the light of the torch. To the north is a wide passage, and to the south is a row of thick iron railings.

At this moment, He Maocai was sitting on a chair at the innermost end against the north stone wall. There were soldiers standing around him, all holding long guns, all pointing at the bars of the opposite cell.

There was a Japanese ronin sitting in that cell!
The man was wearing thick shackles on his hands and feet, but he was wearing a clean silk kimono, and his head and face were clean-shaven, revealing the hairstyle that only Japanese pirates had on his head!
"We always mean what we say." He Maocai's voice was very gentle, "It's been two years, and we haven't killed you, and we haven't killed your brothers again. We give what we ask every day. Why don't you believe it. "

"That's why you dare not do this." The Japanese was actually fluent in Wu dialect, "Don't forget, your ex was the one who killed us in prison, and we killed the whole family."

He Maocai frowned at him, and his tone became hard: "It's not like what you said. Since you are so powerful, why don't you kill Hu Zongxian's whole family and Qi Jiguang's whole family?"

There was a fierce look in the Japanese's eyes, and he immediately slapped the short table on the mat into several pieces: "One day, Hu Zongxian and Qi Jiguang's whole family will die!"

Several soldiers immediately clenched their guns and stood in front of He Maocai.

"Get out of the way." He Maocai called out those soldiers, "I told you everything, Mr. Shishiro Inoue, don't you Dongying people all have loyalty? You can save a dozen of your brothers by yourself. You can still get so much silk. Will you or not, I am waiting for your word now."

That Toshiro Inoue adjusted his breathing, sat cross-legged on the mat, closed his eyes, obviously thinking there.

Everyone held their breath, only the torches on the wall made the occasional crackling sound.

"Get me a puffer fish." That Inoue said with his eyes still closed.

"What?" He Maocai didn't hear clearly, and turned to ask the people around him, "What did he just say?"

The team officer next to him: "My lord, he said he asked us to get him a puffer fish."

He Maocai: "Get it for him."

The team officer: "My lord, it's so late, where can I get puffer fish?"

He Maocai: "Go to the Hedao Yamen. Tell them, if you die, get me a puffer immediately!"

In the accounting room of the other courtyard.Shen Yishi put a stack of account books on the desk with a very serious expression.

Gao Hanwen sat there and looked at him quietly.

Shen Yishi: "There is no third person here, so I will dare to tell you. Even the governor of Zhejiang can't read these account books."

Gao Hanwen stood up: "Then I won't watch it."

Shen Yishi was still very calm: "I didn't ask adults to watch either."

Gao Hanwen looked at him.

Shen Yishi: "It's just that I want my lord to know something, for my lord's sake, and for my own sake. It's just a little private thought. I will tell you about this private thought later, and it's up to you whether you agree or not."

Gao Hanwen looked at him more closely.

"Let's do this." Shen Yishi picked up an account book, "Don't read it either. I'll read it, and I'll just read the most important parts of the past two years. did not hear it."

Only then did Gao Hanwen's expression become solemn, and he couldn't help but sit down again, waiting to hear him read.

Shen Yishi opened the account book: "In May of the 39th year of Jiajing, new silk was launched. In June, Nanjing and Suzhou Jiangnan Weaving Bureau rushed to weave 39 pieces of high-quality silk, and sent all of them to the Inner Court Needle Industry Bureau. In July of the 39th year of Jiajing, Ying Tian The chief envoy's yamen and the Zhejiang chief envoy's yamen followed the above order and purchased 20 pieces of high-grade silk, 220 pieces of medium-grade silk, and [-] pieces of Songjiang fine printed cotton with the tax money of the two provinces, and sent them to the Ministry of Industry in Beijing for preparation. The emperor rewarded the officials of the vassal kings and the envoys of the foreign vassals. In October of the [-]th year of Jiajing, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Jiangnan Weaving Bureaus negotiated with Western Regions merchants for [-] pieces of silk trade, equivalent to [-] million taels of cash, and sent them all to the key bank of the inner court. Note: No need Account to the account department."

Hearing this, Gao Hanwen was startled and stood up.

Shen Yishi still didn't look at him, picked up another account book, and his voice was still very calm: "In February of the 40th year of Jiajing, I was transferred to the imperial edict by the Supervisor of Rites. That year, the silk produced in Yingtian and Zhejiang should be traded with Western Merchants, all the 12 bolts of silk stored in the previous year were sealed up. When the new silk produced this year is 50 bolts, the silver goods will be escorted to the household department to make up for the shortfall. The 12 bolts of silk that were sealed up were specially released and [-] bolts were escorted to Beijing at once, and rewarded to the family of Princess Yu Li Hou.”

Gao Hanwen was so shocked that he even held his breath.

"Just read these." Shen Yishi gently put the ledger back, "It stands to reason that Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, three weaving workshops, Yingtian and Zhejiang provinces have so many workshops, and the silk produced every year, and Song If half of the cotton cloth from Jiang and other places is used in the national treasury, it can also cover one-third of my Ming Dynasty's annual expenses."

Gao Hanwen still held his breath, looking at Shen Yishi suspiciously.

Shen Yishi: "But silk cotton is produced every year, and there is still a shortage every year. This year, the imperial court proposed to increase the amount of weaving by 30 horses per year, and this is how to change rice into mulberry. After listening to this, adults should know how to be a good cotton wool. This is bad."

Gao Hanwen looked at him deeply: "Mr. Shen, why are you telling me this?"

Shen Yishi: "As I said just now, it's just a little private thought. To put it bluntly, I want to make you a friend."

Gao Hanwen fell silent again, still looking at him.

(End of this chapter)