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After hearing a series of doubts raised by Zhao Junchen, Mr. Shi remained silent, while the refugees gathered around the two people started talking.
Zhao Junchen sighed: "Any disturbance, whether it is a foreign invasion or internal civil strife, is naturally a disaster for ordinary people, but in the eyes of the wealthy gentry, as long as they can ensure that they are safe, it is a annexation Land, a great opportunity to expand wealth... The reason is simply because the gentry are better able to avoid and resist risks!
They can often get the news in advance and hide within relatively safe city walls before the storm occurs. They can even transfer wealth in advance, while ordinary people can only find out later when the incident is about to happen.
They often have a close relationship with the government, and are protected by the government when a storm breaks out. After the storm is over, the government will give priority to recovering losses for them, while the safety and losses of ordinary people will not be taken seriously by the government;
They often have a deeper foundation and savings, which can support them to have enough food and clothing before the storm subsides. After the storm subsides, they still have enough energy to seize the opportunity to annex land, while ordinary people will only lose their property and have no way of living;
They are also more united than ordinary people, marrying each other, combining interests, and are willing to cooperate closely and divide labor to implement established plans... But most of the time, ordinary people are just a piece of loose sand...
Therefore, as long as it is not a catastrophic disaster that will never end under the influence of the whole family, the gentry is also happy to see a natural or man-made disaster occur every once in a while. After the natural disaster or man-made disaster occurs, in order to tide over the current difficulties, the common people can only Selling off the family property, and maybe even selling children and daughters, the gentry could take advantage of the opportunity to purchase a large amount of land and people at a low price. The price may be only one-tenth of the usual price, or even take advantage of the chaos and use various means to seize it. The hard-earned savings of the people..."
Speaking of this, Zhao Junchen shook his head regretfully and said: "As for Mr. Shi's experience, it is obvious that the Jin gentry jointly planned it. Some Jin gentry are responsible for spreading rumors, some Jin gentry are responsible for buying off the garrison, some are responsible for driving up prices, and some are responsible for colluding with the government. ...Hey, it seems that the layout is complicated and the investment is not small, but just driving up prices is enough for them to make back their money, let alone using various means to rob people of their families afterwards!
Mr. Shi, if I am not mistaken, after the turmoil thirty years ago, most of the farmers in Xingzhou who were in a similar situation to you were like you, and the Jin gentry took the opportunity to take away everything, right? And the land you worked so hard to cultivate was eventually divided up by the gentry, officials, and military attachés, right? "
After hearing this, Mr. Shi turned pale and his body was trembling. He was obviously very excited.
The next moment, Mr. Shi suddenly knelt down in front of Zhao Junchen, kowtowed repeatedly and cried loudly: "Sir, you have high power and position, you must make the decision for me!"
At the same time, among the hundreds of refugees standing around, there were many people who had similar experiences to Mr. Shi. At this time, they all reacted and rushed to Zhao Junchen, begging Zhao Junchen to seek justice for them.
Seeing the anger of the refugees, they flocked to the vicinity of Zhao Junchen. The number of people gathered was getting larger and larger. Originally, there were only two or three hundred people gathered near Zhao Junchen, but in a moment, it turned into five or six hundred people. The imperial guards under Junchen were all extremely nervous. They quickly drew their weapons and blocked Zhao Junchen with their bodies.
But Zhao Junchen did not panic in any way. He still had a cordial and unassuming attitude. He waved his hand to stop the nervous reaction of the imperial guards, and he still maintained close contact with the people.
However, after hearing the people's calls for justice, Zhao Junchen's response was very ruthless.
At the same time, Zhao Junchen's self-identification quietly changed from "junior" and "I" to "this pavilion", which seemed to want to emphasize his noble status and great power.
"It seems that many of you have encountered similar situations. Due to various changes, the gentry took away their property. This pavilion deeply sympathizes with you and is willing to uphold justice for you, but..."
Having said this, Zhao Junchen shook his head with regret again: "There is really nowhere to start! Take Mr. Shi's experience as an example. The gentry took away his family property thirty years ago. Times have changed, and people The evidence and evidence cannot be found, but if there is no conclusive evidence, there is no reason for this court to stand up and seek justice for everyone... In fact, let alone what happened thirty years ago, even if it was three to five years ago. It’s already difficult to obtain evidence.”
The implication of Zhao Junchen's words is that it is not that he has no desire and ability to make decisions for the people, but that he has no evidence and reasons to make decisions for the people.
Later, Zhao Junchen seemed to be comforting and reminding, and concluded: "So, the past can only be in the past. Everyone should focus on the present and the future."
Mr. Shi is worthy of being a literate man. When he heard this, he immediately reacted and asked urgently: "Sir, you said that you just couldn't find a reason to come forward to uphold justice for us. You also said that every time the people experience a turmoil, they will... This is a great opportunity for the Jin gentry to seize the opportunity to annex land, and civil unrest is currently taking place in Xingzhou. We, the common people, also became refugees in order to avoid this civil unrest. We all abandoned a lot of belongings when we fled our hometown...
So, do you think the civil uprising in Xingzhou was also deliberately instigated by the Jin gentry? Are they repeating their old tricks and trying to take the opportunity to loot the property that our people have worked so hard to accumulate? Also, if it is finally verified and it is found that the gentry deliberately provoked this civil uprising, does that mean... Minister, you can stand up and uphold justice for us? And the old man will have a chance to claim back his family property that was taken away by the gentry thirty years ago? "
Hearing Mr. Shi's repeated inquiries, the eyes of many refugees around him lit up, and they all responded with excitement and positivity.
At the same time, a hint of smile flashed through the depths of Zhao Junchen's eyes.
*
The common people were not very knowledgeable. They had always been extremely hostile to the agricultural reform policy under the instigation of the gentry. However, they did not know the relationship between Zhao Junchen and the agricultural reform policy. They only knew that Zhao Junchen was a powerful official. A high-ranking and important figure, and Zhao Junchen deliberately concealed this from them.
But people are not stupid. They also know how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and know what is good for them and what is not good for them.
Therefore, there is no need for Zhao Junchen to patiently explain the meaning and benefits of agricultural reforms to the people, and there is no need to explain in detail the truth behind the Xingzhou Civil War to the people - these things are very complicated to explain, and the people may not understand them.
He just needs to let the people figure out one thing.
That is - as long as the common people put all the responsibility for this civil uprising on the Xingzhou Jin gentry, Zhao Junchen will have reason to come forward to investigate the evil deeds of the Jin gentry, and they can keep their family business in this storm. There is even a chance to follow the clues and claim their property that was taken away by the gentry many years ago!
When the people figured this out, the truth no longer mattered. Whether the agricultural reform was a good thing or a bad thing, and whether Liu Zimin was a good official or a bad official, it no longer mattered!
The important thing is that as long as all the faults are placed on the gentry, the people will benefit!
Therefore, some people who reacted quickly and were quick-thinking immediately decided in their hearts that the Jin gentry were undoubtedly the masterminds behind the Xingzhou Uprising and wanted to take the opportunity to loot people's wealth. This is the truth!
Interests determine positions, and positions determine ideas. This is true not only for politicians and businessmen, but also for ordinary people.
*
After a smile flashed across his eyes, Zhao Junchen pretended to have no understanding of the Xingzhou Civil Uprising and asked: "Master Shi, do you think the Xingzhou Civil War is related to the instigation of the Jin gentry? We have not entered Xingzhou yet. I don’t know the details, but I just heard that the people were dissatisfied with the court’s new agricultural policy, so they gathered to make trouble... Since you suspect that this civil uprising was deliberately instigated by the gentry, I would like to ask you, Why are the people of Xingzhou dissatisfied with the imperial court’s new agricultural policy? Who is preaching the disadvantages of the new agricultural policy to the people?”
"It's those gentry!"
"Yes! It's the gentry who are saying that the government's new agricultural policy is not good and will drive us and other common people to death!"
"It's all just one-sided words from those gentry!"
After hearing the people's responses, Zhao Junchen asked again: "I also heard that the direct cause of the Xingzhou civil uprising was that the Xingzhou government forced the people to destroy the seedlings that had been planted and let them grow. All the land has been replanted with sweet potatoes, corn, etc... Who came forward to force you to destroy the seedlings? Is it Liu Zimin, the Tongzhi of Xingzhou who is in charge of agricultural affairs? "
"No, we common people have never seen that Liu Zimin!"
"It was all the local gentry and government officials who came forward to force us to destroy the seedlings. They also said that they were also forced by that Master Liu!"
"We are illiterate, and even government decrees are read to us by the gentry!"
Zhao Junchen frowned slightly and asked again: "Then... after the civil uprising broke out, did the Jin gentry transfer their property in advance and hide within the safe city walls in advance as usual? It seems that they had expected this. Is there a civil unrest?"
"Yes! Sir, when you said this, we also reacted! Those Jin gentry were prepared in advance!"
"Just like before, the gentlemen have already hid in the county town!"
"In order to escape the civil unrest, this villain had no choice but to sell his forty acres of farmland at a low price. Now that he thinks about it, he was deceived by them!"
After hearing this, Zhao Junchen frowned more and more, nodded softly and said, "If what you said is true, then the various behaviors of the Jin gentry are indeed full of suspicion!"
"Damn the landowners and gentry!"
"They are the ones who are doing this secretly! They will not die well!"
"Please, sir, you must uphold justice for our people!"
Driven by interests, the common people were already inclined to place all the responsibility for the Xingzhou Civil War on the local gentry. Now that they heard Zhao Junchen continuously point out doubts with reason and evidence, they became even more convinced. .
As a result, the people became more and more excited, and once again asked Zhao Junchen to come forward to uphold justice and severely punish the Jin gentry forces in Xingzhou.
Seeing that he had successfully aroused the people's hatred towards the Xingzhou Jin gentry, Zhao Junchen finally nodded with satisfaction and said loudly: "I have just said that, of course I am willing to stand up and uphold justice for everyone! But for the sake of In order to set the record straight and win the trust of the people, if you want to keep your family business and regain your property, the best way is to appeal to the government through normal channels!
After you return to your hometown, you can collect as many suspicions as possible, contact local folks, and go to the government together to file a complaint! The louder the better! You don’t have to worry about anything. As long as you make things big, this cabinet can justifiably intervene in the matter and strictly investigate the evil deeds of the Jin gentry. At that time, it will not only help you to preserve your current family business in this civil unrest, but also Maybe I can get back the property that was taken away by the gentry for you! I do what I say! "
After hearing Zhao Junchen's assurance, the eyes of the refugees around him lit up!
They all know that Zhao Junchen has a high position of power, and even Shanhaiguan has to give face, so with Zhao Junchen's support, they are naturally not afraid of offending the Jin gentry, nor are they afraid of making things worse!
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