The changes in the Huguang rebellion have not yet spread to Shandong, but the changes in Qi Yuanda and Linqing Chaoguan Jiang Guanqing have been noticed by many people in Linqing City.
The emperor focused on people from all walks of life who used ships to bring goods to avoid taxes.
In a city like Linqing that thrives on water transportation, the wharf is one of the core areas.
Regarding water transportation, in addition to various trading houses, there are also more gangs that sell coolies and bully and dominate the market.
"Brother, what does Qu Jia Chang mean?"
Looking at the ingot of silver in front of them, this small gang making a living at the Nanbanzha Pier in Linqing City doesn't even have an official gang name. It only has a small reputation as Nanbanqi.
Nanban Qi's family owns three boats, and about fifty people make a living by Qi Fuguang's side.
Firstly, Qi Fuguang was from the same family as Qi Yuanda, and secondly, he knew how to do things and get things done, so he was able to steadily take over a lot of work under the Shandong General Manager of the Cao Army.
Normally, when he goes out of people or ships, he always interacts with Captain Qu Jia, who is nominally in charge of five canal ships and fifty canal soldiers. There were things like calling brothers and sisters, drinking and having fun, but it was Qi Fuguang who gave the money. Never had he seen Chief Qu Jia give him money, and one ingot was worth twenty taels of silver.
No wonder Qi Fuguang's "Second Master" was worried.
"...Didn't he say that? This is Qi Dutai's reward for our brothers seeing that we have done things well over the years. It was not easy for everyone in the past..."
The second boss looked constipated.
When did Qi Dutai become such a good person?
Isn’t it because His Majesty has arrived in Linqing...
This money is hot to the touch.
"Isn't it because there is no work to do later, so Commander Qu Jia used money to stop our mouths?"
"What's going on? Isn't there going to be a shipment of new grains from Shandong to the south in a while? We still have our work to do this time..." Qi Fuguang was also very worried. After looking at the ingot of silver for a while, he said, "Put it away first and wait. After this storm has passed, it still has to be sent back."
Where can Qi Yuanda's money be so easy to get?
After much deliberation, it was simply because of the current situation that Cao Jun Shandong always had to settle some matters with money.
With so much free money, who would be willing to part with it?
Nan Banqi's family is just a minor player in Linqing City, and the big players know more about the situation.
"This is settling old scores."
In the flower hall of a wealthy family's house west of Wei River, several wealthy businessmen gathered together.
"Everyone, I don't know what's going on with you. But if Caojun can't use it anymore, I, Fu Ji Muxing, will have to pay an extra two thousand taels of silver every year."
"So what, Shandong is going to try out a new law. Can you and I, the Fujian Chamber of Commerce, be able to fight against the imperial court in Shandong?"
These wealthy businessmen were all originally from Fujian, and came to Linqing City via the canal to serve as shopkeepers or directors of their respective businesses. It was Shopkeeper Wu who said this.
One sentence made several wealthy businessmen in the flower hall look ugly.
Having been tacitly agreed to for many years, transporting cargo via canal ships was beneficial to them, the Cao army, and the imperial court.
Only the imperial court will benefit more from this change.
"Qi Dutai recognized it." Someone sighed, "Zhang Fujing is in Shandong, so cruel."
"His Majesty is stationed at the Confucian Temple. The Linqing gentry originally complained a lot, but this year they had to cancel the provincial examination Enke."
Shopkeeper Wu looked at the few people who were talking to each other, but he remained silent.
"Old Wu, we, the Wu family, are in the spice business. If we don't use the water boats, we will suffer the greatest loss. Do you agree?"
Shopkeeper Wu was silent for a moment and then said: "Zhao'an is at the border of Fujian and Guangdong. Our Wu family also has some goods that are on Huang Mingji's line. I don't know about the others. If Shandong is like Guangdong, the money in the future will definitely be less than before. It’s easy to earn. But if you don’t recognize it, what can you do?”
One person suddenly said: "I heard that the coastal defense divisions of Zhejiang and Guangdong have merged with the sea off Fujian and are attacking the west coast of Taiyuan Island."
All three people nodded.
If that island is captured, the Navy is stationed in Penghu, and the Penghu Inspection Department is restored, then if we want to take risks and send ships out to sea in the future, will we have to bypass Taiyuan Island and go to Nanyang or Ryukyu through the deep ocean?
"No way to survive." In private, someone finally vented their grievances, "Not only do we have to prepare ships and personnel, pay taxes at many checkpoints, but we also have to take care of things along the way. Can this business still be viable in the future?"
Although they still earn something, if they earn less, it will cost them their lives.
"What? Brother Zhou wants to rebel?" Shopkeeper Wu suddenly said this.
The man suddenly had a sly expression on his face: "Shopkeeper Wu is joking."
"In that case, today's gathering is nothing more than grumbling. Wu will take his leave."
After finding out the mentality of these people, shopkeeper Wu really bowed and left.
After the remaining people looked at each other for a few times, they all lowered their heads.
They are all businessmen from Fujian, and they still know a thing or two about the secrets of the Wu family in Zhao'an.
Pu Zitong, who is currently rebelling in Huguang, was born in the Pu family in Guangzhou.
In the Song Dynasty, one branch of the Pu family from Guangzhou moved to Quanzhou, Fujian.
With the convenience of that time, the Pu family in Quanzhou made the spice business huge and became extremely rich for a while.
A hundred years later, when the Zhao and Song dynasties were already dead in name only, Wen Tianxiang and Zhang Shijie supported the young emperor and fled to Quanzhou, where they mobilized the Pu family's fleet in the name of the imperial court.
The head of the Pu family was awarded the title of envoy to Fujian and Guangdong, and was also in charge of shipping and coastal defense. He was highly trusted. However, in the end, the Pu family abandoned the Song Dynasty and surrendered to the Yuan Dynasty. Wen Tianxiang and others had no choice but to continue fleeing south with the young emperor. Zhao Song eventually perished in Yashan, Guangdong.
However, the Pu family enjoyed many years of wealth and status, and their official positions became more and more powerful. They were called the emperors of Quanzhou and even Fujian and Guangdong, and they even monopolized many trades in the southeastern ocean at that time.
Until Zhu Yuanzhang opened the Ming Dynasty.
For the Pu family in Quanzhou, Zhu Yuanzhang issued a special edict. The entire Pu family in Quanzhou was classified as a lowly status, and he even ordered Pu Shougeng, who was demoted to Yuan Dynasty, to "dig the grave and whip the corpse."
After that, the Pu family in Quanzhou changed their surnames and became anonymous. A large family with more than two hundred years of history has complex roots. After all, there are still many descendants of the Pu family who have interests in dealings with local officials, gentry and wealthy households, and were ultimately preserved.
After another hundred and fifty years, the descendants of the Pu family in Quanzhou accumulated again, and the Wu family in Zhao'an is said to be one of them.
After more than a hundred years of accumulation, an unknown descendant of the Pu family in Guangzhou eventually became a military household, and the current rebel leader Pu Zitong was born.
It's hard to say whether this Pu family has another kind of hatred for Zhu Ming.
At today's gathering, these people actually wanted to test whether the Wu family in Zhao'an had any ideas.
There was still rebellion there, and the emperor was "treacherous" again. Five years before Jiajing, he tried a new law in Shandong. How many people are involved in the benefits of this canal? Someone must take the lead in protesting.
Shopkeeper Wu returned to his house, but his expression was ugly.
Qi Yuanda was actually forced by the emperor to spend his own money to appease the Caoding watermen and many people who were struggling to make a living on the Linqing wharf. The Linqing gangs who were the first to persuade him had no chance to take advantage of the opportunity to ask for some arrears of wages.
The little emperor's power to intimidate Ming officials had reached this level.
The interest circles in Linqing City that used to be like a network of copper wires and iron wires became like melting snow after meeting the emperor.
Linqing Chaoguan was checking many merchant ships and tankers currently suspended in Linqing due to the emperor's southern tour, and the Shandong General Cao Army also behaved like a chicken to admit the inspection and punishment.
There are so many wealthy families and business houses that are obviously full of resentment, but they dare not express it outwardly.
After being silent for a while, Shopkeeper Wu called over the two of them.
"Although General Pu is just a distant descendant of the Pu family from Guangzhou who moved to Shaozhou, but something has happened, the court must be investigating. Even if I, the Wu family in Zhao'an, and the Pu family in Guangzhou have not had anything to do with each other for more than a hundred years, I am afraid that they will be destroyed soon. "
"Uncle, tell me what to do."
Shopkeeper Wu's eyes became intense: "Everyone knows how cruel the Emperor is. Even Yan Shenggong's Mansion can handle it, so my order to protect the Wu family will be unjust. Now that General Pu is seeking rebellion in Huguang, I will order him to be safe." If the Wu family can help, we will be successful one day, and all our descendants will take back our ancestral surname, and the Pu family will once again be famous all over the world!"
After saying that, he stared at his two nephews: "Are you willing to die for the great cause of the Pu family?"
…
Zhu Houcong had stayed in Linqing for the seventh day. He did not leave the Confucian Temple and looked around in Linqing City.
It's a bit regretful to say that, after all, I have been in the Forbidden City for so long and it is rare to leave the house.
But the world is undercurrent, and Zhu Houcong doesn't want to take any risks now.
The days ahead are still long.
What's more, the main reason for coming to Shandong is to send another signal to the world, to change things again and seize the initiative.
Five years ago in Jiajing, it was true that it had not been implemented nationwide, but was only expanded as a pilot project in Shandong.
After all, Guangdong's new law is indeed quite effective, and the increase in tax revenue and grain tax are visible.
"Now, is it time for this year's new grain from Guangdong to be transferred to the front line?" Zhu Houcong asked Yang Tan, "There are new grains from Guangdong and Sichuan. I hope Gu Shilong, Zhu Qi and Luo An can be patient. I am too impatient to handle things in Huguang."
Yang Tan said: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. After hearing your Majesty's strategy, they will know that countering rebellion is not just counterinsurgency. Spending so much money and food will always have long-term benefits for the country and the people. If they don't get enough credit this time, there will be plenty of time in the future. .”
However, Yang Tingyi reported back: "Zhejiang and Guangdong coastal defense roads have reported that apart from some barbarians on Taiyuan Island, there are quite a few fortresses and barbarian soldiers on the north and south ends of Xi'an on the island. Judging from his actions and words, there are actually some Fujian elements mixed in. There are even Japanese rogues with accents from Zhejiang, Zhejiang, and Guangdong. Their armor is as good as the elite soldiers of the guards."
Zhu Houcong nodded: "After the Zhejiang Shipping Division is stopped, those coastal families who used to only focus on the interests of violating the ban on entering the sea will naturally not leave a way out. The provinces are ready to move, and Huguang is rebelling. I am afraid they have no idea. When the imperial court arrived, they would invade Taiyuan. Orders were sent to Wu Tingju and Wei Bin, and the emperor Ming remembered that the newly purchased grain from Cochin this year would be transferred to Penghu. The Taiyuan pirates and private soldiers along the coast also practiced their skills. Be a navy master."
There may be difficulties in terms of specific progress, but in the general direction, Zhu Houcong has decided to hit these punches together in China.
As for the issue of money and food, he personally went south to frighten the south and seize money and food.
Shandong has another arrangement, which is really just a tooth-beating ceremony.
"After I leave tomorrow and come back next spring, Pan Maogong has given Shandong a new look."
"I will do my best." Zhang Fu replied respectfully, and then said, "Your Majesty, the wealthy gentry and elders from Shandong have all arrived, and they are all looking forward to seeing Tianyan."
Zhu Houcong stood up with a smile: "Then let's drive over."
It is still in the Linqing Prefecture Government Office, and there are many tables in the courtyard today.
The emperor will leave Linqing tomorrow. Is today a farewell party?
As soon as Zhu Houcong came, Shandong would also try out new laws.
The atmosphere at this banquet cannot be said to be very harmonious, it can only be said to be frightening.
Fortunately, no matter what storms there may be later, when the emperor is present, the emperor and his ministers must be united and happy.
Zhu Houcong didn't need to say anything else. When he arrived, it was enough to pay respects to his elders, encourage some gentry students, and express his recognition of the gentry and wealthy households' contribution to the education and education of the countryside.
There was "joy and laughter" in Linqing Prefecture's Yamen, and inside and outside Linqing City, Li Quanli, Qi Jingtong, and Liu Zhenyuan were all making final preparations for the emperor's departure tomorrow.
The emperor's big ship has been pulled from the north of the city to the new dock outside the water gate in the south of the city. Tomorrow, the emperor's big boat will leave Linqing City from the Lumen of the border city.
On the way, you will also pass Linqing Chaoguan.
There will be inspections along the way, and the curfew will begin tonight until we leave the city, board the ship, and set off tomorrow.
In addition, the supplies on many ships in this line also need to be replenished.
These matters were all handled by Ma Gui, the magistrate of Linqing and Chaoguan of Linqing, under the supervision of Huang Jin.
If there are concubines accompanying you, the spices on the royal boat must be indispensable.
Ma Gui stood next to Huang Jin with endless flattery: "This spice is purchased from the famous Wu Ji in the west of the city. Previously, the spices from Xiaojing Palace in Shandong were also purchased from them. They are all top quality."
Huang Jin personally inspected everything that was to be brought to Yuzhou.
After checking that there was no problem, he waved his hand.
Those who carried it were all cavalry soldiers arranged by Qi Yuanda himself.
These people all kept their eyes open and did not dare to peek at the furnishings on the boat. They just moved their things to the deck and disembarked.
On the ship, there were naturally strong eunuchs who moved everything into various storage compartments.
In the canal a few miles to the south, no one paid much attention to the movement in the water in the night, even though the accompanying guards were already five miles away on both sides of the bank.
At this moment, because the emperor was stationed in Linqing and it was night, there were no boats on the canal traveling near Linqing.
At the bottom of the canal near the shore, there was a strange-looking thing embedded diagonally in the bank below the water.
It looks like a small iron house, with an iron boat bottom underneath for easy sliding on the mud at the bottom of the river.
Not many people know when this thing came here.
But at this moment, there were actually two people in the innermost part of the small iron house sloping upward.
They nested in the innermost part, but the innermost part was not all filled with water. Instead, there was a place two or three feet square, like a well.
Above the well, there is a two-finger-thick pipe leading to the top, and the outlet is hidden in the grass above the canal embankment. It is difficult to search without looking carefully and purposefully.
Now, the two people were waiting quietly inside, breathing the air that was actually very turbid and thin, and looking at the dark tube.
Next to the two of them, there is also a tall iron bucket.
There is also something like an iron boat bottom at the bottom of the barrel. At the bottom of the barrel, there is a long pipe extending out. It is unknown what kind of leather it is.
This upper part is not immersed in water at this moment. Even if it is immersed in water, the place where the pipe leads to the iron bucket has been sealed tightly and no water will seep in. The outside of this slender tube is also coated with something unknown, so it won't float when dropped into the water.
I don't know how long it took, but the two finally caught a glimpse of light from the ventilation pipe at the well mouth.
This bright light is extremely difficult to distinguish, but the two of them have stayed here for two nights and are extremely sensitive to changes in light.
Then, the two looked at each other.
"Third brother, I'm going."
In a small voice, the other person hummed slightly.
Amidst the rustling sound, a man took a sheep's belly bag placed on the top of the bucket and bit it in his mouth.
Then, he pushed the iron bucket and slowly walked out.
After the iron bucket was completely submerged in the water, it actually floated slightly. If it weren't for the two iron blocks tied to his calves to hold it down, the iron bucket might still have surfaced.
And he stepped on the silt, so he walked smoothly to the middle of the canal with the iron bucket under the water.
The people who stayed in the iron house held the string of hoses in their hands and slowly lowered them, watching their cousin push the iron bucket toward the center of the canal under the water.
I don't know how long the breath in the sheep's belly can last, but this cousin is the most water-based person and can hold his breath very well, not to mention that he is risking his life to do this now.
Soon, he disappeared from his faint vision.
At the bottom of the canal ten miles away from Linqing City, before dawn, no one noticed the slight ripples rising at the bottom of the river.
When the hose stopped pulling in that direction, he looked down and saw that it was already the last lap.
The man's eyes were slightly warm, and he knew that his cousin had completed his mission and was waiting to die.
He must have got his hands stuck in the fasteners on both sides of the iron barrel, and the iron blocks on his legs would pin him to the bottom of the river, allowing him to be washed away by the water.
Even after he died, he would always raise his hands and leave the bucket less than two feet away from the river.
It has been dry this year and the water depth in the canal is less than before.
The next task was his own. He had to wait until dawn, and when there was faint movement above his head, he would hold his breath and glance at the largest royal boat passing through the center of the twenty-foot-wide canal through the water.
It should be visible.
He took one last look at the fire stick hanging on the dagger on the ceiling of the cave, and grasped the hose tightly.
(End of chapter)
