I don't know if it's an illusion. Zhu Ming thinks that the Yamen of Ming Factory seems to be bigger.
Entering the lobby, Zhu Ming looked at the plaque of "Integrity" and grinned: "Duke Wei's calligraphy needs to be improved. How could you hang such a plaque?"
Wei Zhongxian threw away his brush and said with a smile, "If people all over the world knew that the emperor's handwriting was not as beautiful as those of his ministers, they might laugh their teeth off."
Zhu Ming's smile froze on his face. He picked up a brush on the table and wrote a word "male" on the paper. But the more he looked at it, the more ugly it became. He threw the brush away and said, "The brush is too difficult to practice."
Wei Zhong casually carried a copper basin and asked Zhu Ming to wash his hands before he entered a secluded room in the backyard.
"The emperor asked Qian Longxi to stop collecting evidence. Is he soft hearted to the eight Shanxi merchants?" Wei Zhongxian made Zhu Ming a cup of tea.
"You can't say that you are soft hearted. Duke Wei thinks that if you catch and kill those businessmen, you can stop smuggling and selling the country?"
"Killing people is the most effective means. Don't the emperor think so?" Wei Zhongxian has always believed that "I have a sword in my hand". In front of real strength, everything is floating clouds.
Zhu Ming thought Wei Zhongxian's words were always right, but he had been Chongzhen for only one year, and many people had already been killed.
He naturally didn't want to kill all the time. In that way, he would become another Chongzhen.
Indeed, those businessmen and ministers are afraid and dare not speak up, but what about the future?
It is not good to accumulate anger and resentment.
Zhu Ming took a sip of tea. It was very bitter because he put too much tea. Zhu Ming swallowed hard: "Duke Wei can't keep killing like this, can't he? Anyone who refuses to obey will be killed. Is it true that Duke Wei can't play with high intelligence except violence?"
Wei Zhong shook his head casually and said, "Any of the eight major Shanxi merchants who smuggle and sell can be condemned to death. Besides, there are a dozen or even hundreds of people in their big family. With the implicated and consecutive people, I'm afraid there are thousands of people in prison. Is the emperor soft hearted when there are so many people?"
"Yes, my heart is softened. I always feel that it is too cruel to involve nine ethnic groups and Lianzuo. After all, the child is innocent."
Zhu Ming could not overcome the difficulties in his heart all the time. The adults made mistakes, and the children and even babies of several years old were killed. It was hard for him to accept.
"Cutting grass must be rooted." Wei Zhongxian said firmly: "Cutting grass does not root. Are we waiting to be mercilessly retaliated 20 years later?"
Zhu Ming insisted: "Can we only kill the leaders who have committed serious crimes?"
Wei Zhongxian was silent for a moment and sighed, "Do as the emperor wants."
……
On July 20, the first year of Chongzhen, the sun was shining brightly and the weather was sunny. The food market in the capital was much busier than usual.
Caishikou has always been known as a place for killing people.
There are many alleys and street corners in Beijing, and the most famous one is the entrance of the vegetable market outside Xuanwu Gate.
The food market is famous because it used to be the execution ground and the place where the court killed the most criminals.
After the prisoner was killed, the body was quickly transported away, and the blood was immediately covered with loess.
Later, some people sold vegetables here. Because there were many people eating melons and watching the excitement, the business of the food market was very prosperous, so the food market was famous.
Caishikou is very famous in the capital. In the Liao Dynasty a thousand years ago, it was the countryside outside Andong Gate. In the Jin Dynasty, it was the T-shaped street in Shirenmen. In the Ming Dynasty, it was also the largest trade market in the capital. There were many stalls and shops along the street. Therefore, many people from the "Four or Nine Cities" came here to buy goods and called the largest square in the center of the market "Caishikou", To the east of it is a big market for mules and horses.
At the entrance to the food market, there is a gate erected with wooden posts. In the middle of the gate, there are three big black characters "food market entrance".
After entering the gate, stalls are listed, and people are crowded. Vegetables, cereals, farm tools, leather goods, pottery, and earth cloth are spontaneously mixed together and sold along the street.
Farmers and merchants mostly barter, and some also use copper coins and silver coins, or exchange a few copper plates for several pots, or a few eggs for half a basket of vegetables, or a piece of cloth for a ewe.
However, most people exchange various things for food and farm tools.
The hot summer is about to pass and the autumn harvest is about to enter a busy stage. Farmers must make arrangements in advance to buy farm tools and prepare for the autumn harvest.
Caishikou is not a stable commercial street. Farmers call it "Daji", and listed trading is called "Ganji".
The so-called "collection" is a simple market that has been established for a long time and is regularly traded in a certain place.
As it is in the bustling capital, the food market has become the largest market.
Once every ten days, every ten days is a collection.
The fair day is not only a big gathering of people in the city, but also a grand event for farmers, hunters, and merchants who live tens of miles or even hundreds of miles around.
Such a big collection, just before the autumn harvest, was even more lively.
Since the morning, people from far and near have poured into the capital. By noon, the market was crowded.
At this time, there was a small commotion in front of the official square in the market center, and many people were driven by curiosity to join in the excitement.
The official square is a bluestone wall, also known as the notice wall, hanging notices from the government. It is more than ten feet wide and eight or nine feet high.
On ordinary days, the government usually hangs various orders and proclamations related to market transactions on the stone wall, with two clerks standing beside them, who recite and explain to people.
At dusk, the scribes put away the proclamation and hung it up the next day.
For some shrewd businessmen, the official shop is the place they pay special attention to. Every time there is a fair, they should first look around the official shop to see if there is any new order issued. When they know it, they can sell goods.
At noon, when the market was at its busiest, a group of soldiers suddenly appeared in front of the official square.
They pasted a notice on the wall and guarded both sides of the official square.
The people who went to the fair felt strange, so they stood around looking at the notice and pointing.
Just then, a small official in blue set foot on the stone pier where he usually read the notice, and loudly announced: "All the people in the fair listen: Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty has announced the implementation of the new trade law in the Ming Dynasty. From now on, all shops and vendors must register, obtain the business license issued by the court, and pay the trade tax before they can trade, otherwise it will be considered illegal!"
As soon as the young officials in green had finished speaking, there was a roar of laughter below, and many farmers who had finished their business also gathered around.
Look at me, I look at you, and you are laughing all the time.
A businessman in a blue shirt asked loudly, "Collect business tax? Now the government has come to the big gathering to make fun of it? We are all small earners, and we have little profit. How can we afford to pay business tax? Do you think so?!"
"Yes! The imperial court won't let go of mosquito meat?" Some small businessmen behind him shouted together.
The little official in green clothes pressed his hand and said, "Don't worry, everyone. Since the court encourages business, it will inevitably introduce corresponding support strategies. All legitimate businessmen who register and pay taxes will be protected by the court's trade law. Even if they lose their costs, they can also borrow from the Royal Bank temporarily."
"What if some merchant ran away after borrowing money? The court paid for it, didn't it?" one man asked loudly.
Hearing such dishonest and naughty words, the crowd roared and laughed again.
Some people shouted, "I think the imperial court is changing its ways to collect taxes. The government won't pay attention to you until it loses its capital!"
"Yes, yes, these days, who can afford to take out silver and build a house with just a few taels of silver? Is the emperor so foolish? If you dare to borrow money, you must have high profits."
"The government said last time that the land tax would be reduced, but it didn't, can you believe it?"