"What are you talking about, Ma Yuejiao (Ma Xianglan) refused to accept guests?"
Qinhuai River.
This day.
Yang Yingkui was obsessed with sperm and was tired of having several concubines at home, so he wanted to talk to the famous prostitute Ma Xianglan about his character and ask her to introduce some girls. However, when he heard that Ma Xianglan refused to accept the guests, he couldn't help but said: "Then go find her." Li Yaoer’s Anxiang Pavilion.”
Not long after.
When Yang Yingkui arrived at Anxiang Pavilion, he saw that the door of Anxiang Pavilion was closed, and a large white cloth hung outside the door with the two characters "No Acceptance" written on it.
"These bitches!"
Yang Yingkui couldn't help but cursed and said, "Leave in a sedan chair and go to Xu Xiang'er's place."
But after a while, Yang Yingkui’s slave came over and said:
"The bearers are on strike!"
"What?!"
Yang Yingkui was shocked and asked: "Are these brothels and boathouses also on strike, with all their doors closed?"
"Sir, yes."
"The brothels, boats, and theaters across the Qinhuai River are on strike."
"Even Mr. Rabbit Prime Minister's Mansion is closed."
Yang Yingkui's slave replied.
After hearing this, Yang Yingkui cursed: "What does this have to do with scumbags like them, why they are also going on strike!"
"Sir, you don't know. The brothel and the boathouse all rely on those down-and-out literati who write lyrics, music, teach culture, and beg for food. The bearers and boatmen are also on good terms with them. Now I know it's the officials' fault. Don't let them do this. When people buy subscription tickets, they will naturally become united."
"In addition, I heard that many people received strike subsidies during the strike. The strike subsidies were more than their wages, so they all went on strike!"
The slave replied.
Yang Yingkui pondered for a moment after hearing this, and then said: "There is a conspiracy here, there must be a conspiracy, go to Eunuch Zhang!"
Shortly after.
As soon as Yang Yingkui left his ship and landed, he saw many scholars and people waiting for him holding the "Great Edict".
Yang Yingkui asked quickly: "What are you doing?"
At this time, Zhang Yunxiu came over and said, "I, Zhang Yunxiu, are bringing a group of relatives and friends to invite you to come to Beijing with us!"
"What are you doing in Beijing?"
Yang Yingkui asked.
Zhang Yunxiu replied: "Of course I would like to ask your Majesty to make the decision. I will accuse you of Yang Yingkui for conspiring to corrupt my Zhang family, ruining the reputation of our loyal government, and instigating the royal guard Huo Chu, the prefect Xiao Dacai and others to embezzle the profits from the subscription!"
After saying that, Zhang Yunxiu said again: "We are now following Taizu's instructions to bring the public lock to the capital. Please cooperate with us!"
"Take it!"
Zhang Yunxiu shouted after finishing speaking.
So, five or six strong men rushed over and tied Yang Yingkui into a rice dumpling.
Yang Yingkui couldn't help but struggle: "Brother, if you have something to say, please say it. Don't be so angry!"
"Besides, do you Zhang family really not intend to turn back? Your father is also a member of the Imperial Academy after all!"
Zhang Yunxiu said: "I have nothing to say to you."
At this time, Yang Yingkui saw Zhang Jing upstairs and hurriedly shouted: "Eunuch Zhang! Please intercede with Zhang Tishuai for me. Even if you want to get an official position, don't let the people get an official position!"
Zhang Jing hurriedly hid inside, ignoring Yang Yingkui, and said to Gu Yuncheng who was also here: "I didn't expect things to develop like this!"
"From what I see below, it seems that Zhang Jingxiu was behind the plan. He asked his slave Min Hong to go home and transferred his brother Huo Chu away. This was actually to clean up the family and at the same time attack the bureaucrats!"
"And now only brothels, boathouses, theaters, restaurants, and music halls are on strike, and only sedan bearers, silversmiths, and carriage drivers are on strike. It's obvious that Jin Yiwei is behind the scenes, and he, Zhang Jingxiu, is here to target high-ranking officials."
"This Zhang Siwen wants to learn from his father and fight against the people of the world!"
Gu Yuncheng said to Zhang Jing at this time.
Zhang Jing nodded after hearing this, and then sighed: "Poor Mr. Yang, he hid so deeply that he doesn't even know who betrayed him."
After Zhang Jing said this, he deliberately looked at Gu Yuncheng.
Qian Yiben and others who came with him also looked at Gu Yuncheng.
Seeing this, Gu Yuncheng hurriedly said: "How could my Gu family betray Mr. Yang? Even if they did, why did they wait until today?"
"Forget it, people are separated from each other, who knows who will betray Mr. Yang, but everyone should be more careful in the future, and don't do many things no matter how much you want to do!"
Zhang Jing then tried to smooth things over.
Everyone nodded.
"But the strikes are now on places where people perform music, waiters, and places where jewelry, jade, rouge, and spices are on the market. This is really affecting the prosperity of this prosperous age, so it's better to end it as soon as possible."
At this time, Shen Jing, the Prime Minister of Guanglu Temple, couldn't help but speak.
"Can't you stand this?"
"You want to go to Li Zhuowu and ask Li Zhuowu to negotiate with the soldiers and the people and admit that Mr. Yang and others are heinous criminals?"
"I don't mean to ridicule you, you are all men with eggs, and you are upright men. Unlike me, a little yellow man, who is destined to be a slave and a maid, you should be wronged, and as a man, you are How can I be wronged and how can I compromise?!"
Sun Hai asked at this time, as if he was unwilling and disappointed for these scholar-bureaucrats.
"Does the father-in-law still hope that we gentlemen will one day recover and help him return to the palace and enter the ceremonial department?"
"Why must father-in-law be so crazy!"
"It's better to retire in Nanjing with peace of mind and guard the mausoleum of Taizu!"
Shen Jing couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Bang!
At this time, Sun Hai slapped the table and asked: "Are we really no longer planning to rescue the emperor from the traitors? Isn't it just to encourage the poor people in the market to force the brothels and boats to go on strike, so that you can't look for flowers and ask for help? , you don’t want to fight against the traitors anymore? What kind of loyal ministers do you think you are!"
When Sun Hai scolded him like this, Gu Yuncheng and others not only didn't get angry, but instead looked up to Sun Hai more and more.
Gu Yuncheng even came over and offered his hand to Sun Hai: "My father-in-law, you scolded me well, I am so ashamed!"
Shen Jing also burst into tears: "Yes, the scolding is right. We are ashamed of your father and cannot save your father from fire and water."
Although Gu Yuncheng and others seemed to be deeply touched by Sun Hai's scolding, they did not hesitate when it was time to act timidly.
It seems that they are really having a hard time not being able to go to romantic places.
After Shen Jing returned to Suzhou, she immediately asked to see the governor Li Zhi and said to Li Zhi:
"Reporting to the Fuyuan, we several village officials who were lucky enough to buy the subscription tickets discussed it and decided that we are willing to give up the subscription tickets!"
"Firstly, the subscription coupon itself was not legitimate. Now we know that Xiao Dacai deliberately sold it to us and secretly sold it to us behind the back of the common people. Therefore, how can we occupy it without authorization?"
"Second, equal wealth is originally advocated by saints. Now the common people also have this request. How can we not follow the will of the people?"
"Therefore, we are willing to give up the subscription tickets and ask the imperial court to sell them to the people of Suzhou in a fair way, so as to benefit as many people as possible."
After hearing this, Li Zhi was very moved and said: "It's so good, so good. Whether the world can have long-term peace and stability depends on the profound understanding of righteousness by the wise people!"
Shen Jing smiled sarcastically and said, "Fuyuan is so complimentary."
Li Zhi then said: "I will use this to send people to contact the troubled scholars and people to ask them not to cause trouble. I will send people to negotiate with this court on how to better sell the subscription tickets."
Shen Jing then added: "I have an idea to make the sale of subscription tickets fairer and more beneficial to the people."
"If you have a good idea, Mr. Shen, please tell me."
Li Zhi hurriedly raised his hands and asked.
Shen Jing said: "It is better to use the lottery method to limit purchases. Each state and county is divided into a certain number of subscription coupons based on population. Naturally, these quotas are not enough for everyone in the local area to buy them. Then it is better to use the lottery method!"
"Drawing lots?"
Li Zhi asked hurriedly.
"Yes, whoever is drawn by each state or county will be eligible to purchase, but those who have already purchased are not eligible for drawing lots."
"In addition, those who are qualified to draw lots can only buy one subscription coupon, and cannot buy many at once."
"In addition, it can also be linked to tax-paying credit and observance of etiquette. Only clean households that have paid taxes and have no major evildoers can be qualified to draw lots."
After Shen Jing said this, he added: "When the lot is drawn, the emperor sends people from the palace who have nothing to do with it to supervise it, and the people also send highly respected people to supervise it. In this way, naturally no one will doubt the drawing process, and everyone will do it." If you are convinced, those who didn’t buy the subscription won’t complain, they will just say that they are unlucky.”
"And as more and more subscription coupons are issued by the imperial court, more people will benefit from this, and everyone in the world will benefit."
(End of chapter)
