"Your Majesty, water transport is called canal. This canal gang is responsible for matters related to water transport. Trackers, sailors, helmsmen, etc. on both sides of the strait are all under their jurisdiction.
They united the people on both sides of the canal and negotiated with the government for grain on their behalf, earning a floating fee, that is, the price difference.
The people are individuals and cannot negotiate with the government, so the government oppresses the people.
When the Caobang is united, it becomes a behemoth, and the government cannot force it, but can only talk, and then the two parties reach a certain balance.
The boat gang is a gang that transports ships, transports, etc.
Ships were needed to transport grain northward, but after the civil fort, the court's control over water transportation declined, and corrupt officials formed gangs and embezzled official ships.
In addition, the national treasury was empty, the grain ships were in disrepair and other reasons, and the official ships could no longer satisfy their needs.
So those who fled from the Cajun army joined forces with local wealthy businessmen to build a large number of ships to help transport grain and earn a certain amount of profits. Over time, the government became dependent on them.
Suddenly one day, they were no longer satisfied with making a certain amount of profit, so they started to stir up trouble. Naturally, the government did not agree.
However, the deadline for water transportation and the quality of the grain are clearly stipulated. If the ship gang does not help transport the grain, if the grain cannot reach the north on time, it will be beheaded. Officials can only compromise.
Then various benefits were transferred, and officials also tasted the sweetness, and finally they all fell.
After the Cao Gang and the Boat Gang colluded with the government, they began to attack the merchants on the canal. They had to pay money or get out.
Those who dared to resist directly sent a few water ghosts to pierce the cargo ship. This was considered a good thing, but if it was bad, they would directly sink their bodies in the river.
Moreover, if the ships that monopolize the canal want to earn a living, they must either join the two major gangs or pay a certain amount of money in protection fees every month.
Doing business privately without their permission will have serious consequences.
However, they can lend money and ships to people who want to do business, and provide training and other packages, and they charge a certain commission or high interest. "
I'm crazy...
After hearing this, Chongzhen was speechless in his heart.
Caobang is somewhat similar to an intermediary company in later generations, while Chuabang is a certain platform.
Both understand the essence of free things being the most expensive.
"Your Majesty, a balance and a win-win situation have been reached between the water gangs, the boat gangs, the people, and the government. If any party has a problem, the water transportation will be blocked.
Moreover, the Cao Gang and the Boat Gang are still the leaders. After all, only with their help can grain be transported northward and merchants can flow unimpeded on the canal.
The accidents in the Hangou section and the Jiangnan Canal last year were caused by salt merchants colluding with the Caogang and Ship Gangs. "
"court death!"
Chongzhen's brows were filled with anger.
After getting angry, Chongzhen suddenly thought of a possibility: "You said that the number of government canal boats is gradually decreasing. Could it be that the cauldron gang and the boat gang are behind it?"
"It's not impossible, but it's been so many years and it's been impossible to find out."
Regarding this kind of thing, Li Ruolian also shook his head.
Even Jin Yiwei is helpless about such an old matter.
Although there was no evidence, he was certain that there must be people from the Cao Gang and the Boat Gang doing something.
"Chengfu, please continue what I interrupted just now!"
"yes!"
After Li Ruolian responded, he continued in a low voice: "Before the boss came to power, Jiangnan cultivated many officials, and they held important positions in various ministries and agencies of the DPRK and China.
The imperial court sent people to investigate. If they were officials from Jiangnan, they were members of their own family. Didn't they have the final say?
If it were other local officials, there would be plenty of ways to make the imperial envoy surrender, or they could say whatever they wanted the imperial envoy to see. "
At this point, Li Ruolian lowered his voice again: "My boss, the biggest problem here is Nanjing.
Nanjing is a permanent capital with six complete ministries. The taxes of Southern Zhili are collected by Southern Zhili. The Criminal Department of Southern Zhili is in charge of Southern Zhili cases. Beijing cannot intervene and has relatively independent judicial power.
Moreover, the Ministry of War in Nanjing controls forty-nine guard posts in Southern Zhili. Within the scope of Southern Zhili, it has the right to mobilize guard posts without going through Beijing!
Since then, it has provided strong protection for the people below.
The most important thing is the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Nanjing. The Beijing Ministry of Civil Affairs conducts inspections every six years. The Ministry of Civil Affairs in Beijing is not allowed to interfere with the inspections of the Six Ministries in Nanjing. This is equivalent to Nanjing having the final say on the inspection results of officials from Southern Zhili.
When one’s own people examine one’s own people, doesn’t that mean that one will get whatever results they want?
I think this problem is almost unsolvable. If the government officials are touched, the Cao Gang and the Boat Gang will inevitably investigate. When the time comes, water transportation will be blocked and the people will continue to be oppressed by the government.
It is even said that the remaining members of the Cao Gang and the Boat Gang will cause trouble. They will drill through the passing ships without being able to detect them. As long as there are several shipwrecks a month, the canal will be considered abandoned.
Moreover, the Cao Gang and the Boat Gang are only in the Suzhou-Hangzhou section. There are at least thirty to fifty gangs of this size in the entire Grand Canal.
Many of them are mobile crimes. After spending a lot of manpower and material resources, only a few scapegoats can be caught.
This is why the imperial court has always turned a blind eye to water transportation. "
The coldness in Chongzhen's eyes slowly turned into murderous intent.
Did he know that the problem in Jiangnan was serious, but he didn't expect it to be so serious.
After a while, he slowly suppressed it and regained his speechless expression.
If you can't solve it, just let nature take its course? This is simply nonsense, or an unwillingness to change the status quo.
No solution? Damn it, that’s because you didn’t meet Taizu and Chengzu.
If the two of them are angered, they can slaughter all the Cao Gang and Boat Gang on both sides of the canal.
But there was a trace of thought in his eyes. In his opinion, there was still a solution to what Li Ruolian said, and there were several solutions.
How to solve it specifically will be decided after he watches it in Suzhou.
Li Ruolian looked around and whispered: "Master, do you want to see the show?"
"Watching a show?"
Chongzhen was stunned and said thoughtfully: "Anyway, it's idle, so let's take a look!"
"Master, let's go to the passenger ship next to us first, so as not to reveal our identity!"
After Chongzhen and others entered the passenger ship next to them, Li Ruolian nodded towards Yang Qingyun's son, Yang Shaoan, and two royal guards in short attire hung a flag on the mast.
In just half an hour, a small boat came over quickly, and four people jumped on the boat.
The leader was a tall and thin middle-aged man with messy hair, a greasy face, pale face, and heavy dark circles under his eyes. As he got closer, a strong smell of sweat came.
The three people behind him were also a little listless, standing behind the man, yawning profusely.
The middle-aged man glanced at the people on the boat, leaned against the mast and said feebly: "Where did you guys come from? What kind of business are you doing?"
"Come from Tongzhou!"
Yang Shaoan stepped forward and smiled apologetically: "The imperial court won a great victory in the grassland, the Xuanfu government opened up trade, and a large amount of furs and medicinal materials from the Mongolian tribes poured in. We purchased some at Tongzhou Wharf.
The rich people here in Jiangnan like these furs and medicinal materials, and want to come over and make a profit! "
"Hey, fur? Medicinal materials?"
The leader's eyes were bright, as were the three people behind him, their eyes full of greed.
