Emperor Ming Dynasty

The rainy season in May comes as soon as it is said, and the drizzle spreads all over the south of the Yangtze River. As the essence of the south of the Yangtze River, Suzhou has always been the center of fashion, called Suyi.

Since the mid-Ming Dynasty, Suzhou's status in China's fashion industry is roughly equivalent to that of Paris, France today.

Regardless of food, clothing, housing, transportation, or even behavior, once it becomes popular in Suzhou, it will spread to the whole country in a short time. Its influence is so great that it is probably second to none in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Just like the saying that was circulated during the Wanli period: "Su people think that those who are elegant will follow suit, and those who are vulgar will follow suit." ("Guang Zhi Yi")
"Where does Beijing know elegance? It's just the barbarians of the past. At most, they just joined the army to fight and do some rough work."

In the teahouse, on a table facing the window and facing the street, several well-dressed young men were holding on to the Nidie album. The leader, with his neck up, tried his best to express:

"When it comes to living, you have to enter the courtyard three times. Fine wood furniture and rockery gardens are absolutely indispensable, and it must look elegant; when it comes to clothing, it is natural to wear brocades, and no expense is spared; when it comes to eating, pay attention to the Jiangnan flavor, the so-called "never tire of fine food, never tire of fine meat"; when it comes to play, antique calligraphy and paintings are a must, and in spare time, let the domestic troupe perform "Peach Blossom Fan", which is even more elegant."

"it is good--"

People nearby nodded in appreciation.

They are from Suzhou, and they praise their hometown, which is absolutely comforting.

Hearing the applause, the leading man put down the album, surrounded the circle and bowed his hands to thank him, then sat down calmly and chatted with a few friends.

"Why is the capital of Jiangsu placed in Yangzhou? How can it compare with Suzhou?"

"Without Su, there is no province, and Nanjing is not worthy of comparison..."

They discussed unscrupulously, and the album was spread out, not afraid of being heard.

At a table not far away, there were three or five burly men listening carefully to his words with their ears tilted, their faces solemn.

Sitting in the middle was a burly man with a slightly dark complexion and bright eyes. He kissed Bao Jiang, the brocade guard who supervised the "picture book" in the south, as if there were more soldiers than brocade guards.

Although Jin Yiwei is the emperor's pro-army, the middle and upper ranks have always been filled by nobles, and there are very few real low-level school captains.

"Suzhou's catalog seems to be more extensive than imagined."

Bao Jiang shook his head, with a gloomy face, left the teahouse and returned to the Suzhou Thousand Households.

"Shangguan, the album appeared earlier in Suzhou than in Yingtianfu. It followed the style of the bulletin from the beginning, but the content was mostly short-sighted and interesting stories."

"Later, when there were more people running the newspaper, some people thought about it and drew a page of the newspaper to attract the attention of ordinary people..."

"From peonies, chrysanthemums, and peonies, to women in brothels, the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers, all of them shine, attracting people in Suzhou to buy them, so in Suzhou and other places, newspapers are also called albums."

It turned out to be the case.

Hearing Jin Yiwei Qianhu's eloquence, Bao Jiang couldn't help but bought a few albums, looked at them one by one, and found that the style was exquisite and pleasing to the eye.

The family history recorded above is short, and the neighborhood and rural affairs seem to be close at hand, which makes people unable to resist to find out.

"In Suzhou alone, there are five or six albums, which are published every half month or once a month..."

Chito said cautiously.

"As a Jin Yiwei, you don't know how to report it?"

Bao Jiang couldn't help but said.

"Shangguan, this album is not illegal, humble official, humble official thinks reporting it is just a waste of time..."

This kind of naive view is quite normal.

"Notify the Suzhou government to ban all atlases."

Bao Jiang couldn't help getting up, stretching his muscles and bones: "I knew it in Yangzhou, and the key to this vigor lies in Suzhou."

Soon, the yamen servants cooperated with Jin Yiwei and banned all the albums, and no one was allowed to do it again.

On the Daming Gazette, the court's resolution was published: no one is allowed to run a newspaper, and those who violate it will be severely punished.

Jinyiwei from all over the country acted quickly, arresting a series of albums and newspapers.

Managers, investors, etc. were all arrested, which caused huge waves in Jiangnan.

No matter when, without some background, how could it be possible to run a newspaper?
Those implicated and arrested have reached as many as a thousand people, and the number of newspaper offices seized in Jiangsu alone has reached more than [-], which is not an exaggeration.

The threshold of the governor's yamen was about to be trampled by a begging lover again, but this time the leader of the incident was Jin Yiwei, and the emperor stood behind him, who would dare to be presumptuous?
After receiving helpless explanations, the gentry did not give up, and the relationship networks of fellow villagers, same-years, relatives and friends were constantly mobilized.

The economy in the Jiangnan area is developed and there are many educational resources. Naturally, there are also many people who have passed the examinations for Jinshi, and many of them are officials.

It is a pity that a large number of high-ranking officials were taken down in the case of slavery in Nanjing, and there were not many children from Jiangnan in the middle and upper classes.

Even so, this power should not be underestimated.

"It's so annoying!"

Wang Yingxiong was lying on the rocking chair, wearing a thin coat, beside two maids waving cattail fans, but still dripping with sweat.

"Jiangnan is the foundation of the imperial court after all."

Jiang Hongtu, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, was old, sitting there drinking hot tea, he didn't feel too hot.

"That's true." Wang Yingxiong nodded and echoed, "If you don't go to the Ministry of Households, you don't know the prosperity of the three places in the south of the Yangtze River."

During the period of three years of tax exemption for all in the north and two years of half tax, Ming's finances were all supported by the south.

Anhui, Jiangsu, and Yingtianfu paid more than 600 million yuan of Huai salt a year, and the tariffs and commercial taxes also amounted to several million.

In terms of land tax, since there are many economic crops such as mulberry, hemp, and cotton planted in the south of the Yangtze River, the burden of paying three points per mu is not too big, but it is much easier than before.

The people in Jiangnan were even more excited, and finally they were able to pay taxes normally.

We must know that in the previous Ming Dynasty, Suzhou Prefecture alone could pay 80 taels of land tax for one year; Songjiang Prefecture could contribute 200 million bolts of cloth a year, and the national contribution was only 700 million.

Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi, these four provinces accounted for half of the imperial court's taxes, so there must be no chaos in the south of the Yangtze River.

"Small punishment, big commandment."

Gao Hongtu shook his head and showed a smile: "Who said that people are panicked, but it's not something that lost their heads. It's just that the group of bold gentry violated the taboo of the court."

"If you think about it, after a while, this group of people will have results. You have to persuade them not to be too impulsive."

As he said that, Gao Hongtu said seriously: "Nowadays, we are a soft-bodied person, don't let the trouble get out of hand."

"I understand." Wang Yingxiong nodded, showing a confident smile: "I understand everything."

A few days later, the imperial court made a decision to move all these people to Ningxia and Gansu provinces, and confiscate all their land properties, leaving only their floating wealth.

Let this group of people go to the frontier to contribute to Daming, and finally no lives were caused.