First Minister of Ming Dynasty

Wang Liushi wept bitterly and begged Xiaoju.

Xiaoju didn't expect that she would be so miserable, but Xiaoju bit her lip tightly, unwilling to let go.

"No, you have to tell me, where are my parents? Where are they?"

Wang Liushi was stunned, and cried: "Girl, this is the only rule in this business. Let alone you, even if there are so many brothels in Yangzhou City, no one will tell the whereabouts of any girl who buys it? You just Don't force me to break the rules, I won't live for a few days, so why let people poke my back!"

Xiaoju was furious, and scolded angrily: "You fart! Our family suffered a disaster that year, and my parents ran out with me, begging all the way to Yangzhou, and you paid a hundred guan and bought me, my parents Just took the money and left, where did they go? You don’t know? What do you say?”

The unconscionable industry of buying and selling people has existed since ancient times. Ironically, they have also formed rules.Most of the children were abducted and sold away when they were very young.

And when this child grows up, if he wants to know who his parents are and where his hometown is, all the related people will be killed without telling.

If you sell it, it will be broken, keep your word, and you can't go back on your word.

At this time, Wang Liushi is still unwilling to say anything, and she is afraid of being poked in the back. Who will poke her back?It's not the counterparts in Yangzhou City!

I didn't expect this person to be quite dedicated!

Snapped!

A loud slap made the corner of Wang Liushi's mouth bleed, Lan Yu grabbed her tightly, "Say, say!"

Wang Liushi raised her eyelids to look at Lan Yu, turned her head to the side, as if closing her eyes and waiting to be hammered, Lan Yu was furious and wanted to hit her.

Zhang Ximeng stretched out his hand to stop him, and he turned to look at the people present.

"Folks, everyone knows that this brothel is a hell that harms people, and these people are evil ghosts that eat people. How many people have been ruined, wives and children have been separated, and they have suffered. If you have any news, you can say Come out and help make the family whole, the merit is immeasurable!"

Zhang Ximeng said it several times in a row, at this time an old man stood out tremblingly in the crowd.

"Master, although the little old man doesn't know the whereabouts of this girl's parents, but, but the little old man knows that these bastards have a dark heart. They gave money here, bought the child, and looked for thugs later. Beating people to death. One is that there is a lot of money left over, and the other is that they are afraid that they will find it back in the future and disrupt the business. Well, many girls in brothels don’t know about it, and they think their family members are alive!”

Xiaoju was dumbfounded. Hearing this, the child couldn't take it anymore and burst into tears. She knelt on the ground, heartbroken. She had been looking forward to it for so many years, that one day she would be able to see her parents, even if it was only for one side, she would be satisfied. up.

But how did she know, maybe on the night of parting, her parents were beaten to death, and from then on, heaven and man will be separated forever, and she foolishly hoped for so many years!

"Father! Mother!"

Xiaoju wept bitterly, Lanyu gritted his teeth, he drew out his saber, and wanted to kill Wang Liushi to vent his anger, when Zhang Ximeng stretched out his hand and stopped him.

"Killing a dead person is not a hero." Zhang Ximeng turned his head and said, "Folks, this is the case, I would like to ask you one thing, a question... Those brothel people, are they eligible to receive food here? Can you stand shoulder to shoulder with the big guys under the sun?"

The people in Yangzhou didn't know what Zhang Ximeng meant, but they were also furious and said in unison: "No! You can't let these black-hearted maggots stand with others, they don't deserve it!"

Zhang Ximeng nodded sincerely, "The folks are well said, then let me ask you again, if I order to arrest all the owners of the brothels, and then thoroughly investigate their crimes, and punish them, you will What do you think?"

The people were taken aback for a moment, and someone immediately shouted: "Okay! Great news! The old man is virtuous!"

Zhang Ximeng remained calm, and asked again: "Folks, I would like to ask one more question, if our Zhu family army orders to seal down all the brothel and painting boats in Yangzhou City, so that they are not allowed to do this kind of business, what do you guys think?"

After Zhang Ximeng's question, the people fell into a long silence... It's nothing else, can it really be forbidden?Throughout the ages, dynasties have changed, isn't it always like this, brothel painting boats, talented scholars and beautiful ladies, endless romance, endless romance, how can it be forbidden?

There was a moment of silence, and suddenly someone knelt down on the ground.

"Master Qingtian! Master Qingtian!"

Someone took the lead, and in an instant, the common people fell to their knees, kowtowed, weeping, and begged for the prohibition of brothel painting, which is a harmful thing.

Behind those beauties and talents are the romance of the rich and the nightmare of the poor!

As long as we can live on, who wants to do this?It's not that there is no way out, and the mountains and rivers are at the end of the road.There are so many of them like Xiaoju.

In the year of the catastrophe, the family couldn't survive, and they had no choice but to let the business ravage them. A good life, before it even started, was almost over.

The people of Yangzhou can see very clearly that these brothel paintings are to use the daughters of their poor families to please the rich and powerful. If they are really allowed to choose, they will naturally not want to.

But the question is can it work?

Will someone really ban brothels?

"Here's an order to seal all the brothels, and don't let any one go!" Lao Zhu understated, and issued a crucial order without any hesitation.

Chapter 131 Long Live

Zhang Ximeng was taken aback by Zhu Yuanzhang's decision to ban brothels. This is something that has been impossible for thousands of years and dynasties. Although Lao Zhu is quite courageous and can do similar things, shouldn't he be so hasty?Shouldn't it be deliberate, deliberate, and determine the strategy before it can be implemented!

Why did you just order it directly?

"My lord, this decree has immeasurable merits and brilliance throughout the ages. From now on, I... will have a rich and colorful article in the annals of history!"

Excited, Zhang Ximeng almost said "I'm Daming"... Fortunately, he swallowed it back.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't think about it so much, he said with a sneer: "This matter was mentioned in a letter sent by Mr. Li. He suggested that we close the brothel, or at least cut down [-]% of it."

"Mr. Li?"

Zhang Ximeng was stunned for a moment, "He also knows about brothels in Yangzhou?"

"How could you not know?" Old Zhu said: "He was an official in Chuzhou back then, and he had money in his hands. Isn't it reasonable to come to Yangzhou to enjoy it?"

Zhang Ximeng took a deep breath. If Li Shanchang noticed this, it is absolutely impossible for him to have lofty ideals and sympathize with the poor people, so he wants to seal brothels. He is not such a person.

Then why did Li Shanchang have such a suggestion? That would be interesting.

Zhang Ximeng's brows twitched and his thoughts turned. He noticed that Lao Zhu relayed Li Shanchang's suggestion, either to ban it or cut it by [-]%... Zhang Ximeng licked a little, and suddenly had an idea.

This matter is indeed related to the brothel, but it is not about the brothel... How important the location of Yangzhou is, after analyzing so much earlier, there is no need to talk nonsense.

There are both rivers and rivers here, connecting the north and the south, benefiting from salt and grain, and beautiful in Zhongling.In other words, the benefits of the whole world have been poured into Yangzhou, and this has nourished a place of wealth and wealth, a gentle town that is the first in the world.

Only then do they spend a lot of money, spend years and years to cultivate an oiran lady, a unparalleled thin horse... But now, do they still have this condition?

Not anymore!

Gaoyou in the north is still in the hands of Zhang Shicheng, and further north is the territory of Yuan Ting.

Today's Yangzhou is in the hands of Zhu Yuanzhang. After crossing the Yangtze River, it is the area of ​​the Yuan army... The whole world has been torn apart and shattered into one place.

Yangzhou, which originally gathered the benefits of the world, suddenly became the frontier of several forces and the front line of the war.

Needless to say, can talented people from the south of the Yangtze River still go to Yangzhou to listen to music?Can salt merchants in Yancheng and other places still come to drink?Can those officials and merchants who used to travel north and south through the canal still go to Yangzhou for consumption?

It's all impossible.

Without the infusion of these funds, can Yangzhou's brothel painting boats survive?

Li Shanchang has his own ideas. How many brothels and paintings were there in Yangzhou in the past?

Roughly estimated, there are twenty or thirty well-known ones, and there are even more secret ones.All in all, there are thousands of women.

Among these women, there are outstanding ones, who are assigned more than one maid, and there are also bands, dancers, cooks, grooms, boatmen, guards... just the brothel painting boats have gathered 3 to [-] people.

In addition, there are quite a few literati and celebrities wandering around in brothels... and in order to meet the luxurious life of these high-quality men and women, basic necessities of life, food, clothing, pens, ink, paper and inkstones, and jewelry, not to mention the skilled craftsmen gathered from all over the world, There are more than a thousand people.

If you count the little girls raised in the brothel, the apprentices of various craftsmen, and the merchants who rent out their houses, there is no need to say more.

Around the brothel painting boat, the industry that can be involved will never be less than 10 people.

In the past, these 10 people were supported by rich businessmen and celebrities from all over the world, and they worked together to support them. Naturally, it was very easy.

But now that it is in Zhu Yuanzhang's hands, it can't continue to be quiet, everything is as usual, right?

Even if Zhu Yuanzhang thought about it, would Zhang Shicheng think about it?Did Yuan Ting agree or not?

In Li Shanchang's letter to Zhu Yuanzhang, there is one sentence that is the most critical... Can Chuzhou with 30 people support Yangzhou with 80 people?

Brothel Painting Boat is different from other places, it does not generate wealth itself, but it also needs to be resplendent and ingenious in every way, and it doesn’t mean that it has to rely on those big spenders to pay for it!

At this time, look at Lao Zhu's subordinates. Even if everyone from top to bottom works day and night, sleepless and restlessly, and gives all their hard work to support, they still can't support this industry!

Therefore, based on the simplest common sense of arithmetic, Li Shanchang also proposed to ban brothels.

Old Zhu thought it was reasonable, Zhang Ximeng proposed it, and he naturally agreed.

To be honest, they really didn't think it would be so complicated, and it has nothing to do with whether brothels can be banned completely, nor is it to surpass the times, it's just that they simply can't afford it.

Of course, it can be ignored. Without customers, these brothels and paintings will naturally decline, the common people will die and flee, and the prosperity of Yangzhou will not be there.

Historically, a few years later, Zhu Yuanzhang sent Miao Daheng to occupy Yangzhou. At that time, there were only eighteen households left in the register!

What exactly happened to the people of Yangzhou, I'm afraid no one knows or can imagine.

So at this time, it is a more cost-effective policy to ban brothels, arrange a way out for these people, and use these human resources to the fullest.

Again, there are too many policies that will not be considered hundreds of years later, and the problems to be solved are nothing more than imminent problems.

Thinking of this, Zhang Ximeng couldn't help laughing.

"Mr. Li is indeed an old Jianghu, much better than me."

Zhu Yuanzhang just smiled, "What he can think of, you can think of too, we don't believe it, you have no way to settle these people?"

Old Zhu is still clever, and Zhang Ximeng also considered Yangzhou's carrying capacity. Starting from the ban on brothels, he gradually cut off those industries that did not generate wealth, and turned Yangzhou into a city dominated by workshops, so as to cooperate with Chuzhou and other places. , forming an urban-rural economic cycle.

If we follow Zhang Ximeng's way of thinking, we will also turn Yangzhou from a canary in the hands of dignitaries into a production base for Zhu Jiajun. It can only be said that the two are going to the same goal by different routes, and it is difficult to distinguish who is superior.

Now that the opinions are unified, let's do it!

It's not just brothels that need to be banned, but also casinos, as well as the plethora of beggar gangs and water workers on the canal, all of which are temporarily unusable and unable to support.

"My lord, it is true that people should be sent to villages and military camps, and let them be responsible for farming and supporting themselves. But it is better to have a trial and severely punish those villains who have committed many crimes. Of course, we cannot sweep away all the smoke and dust and make the world completely clean. However, if we can do our best and the general trend is the trend, getting rid of some scum and giving the people some hope is better than letting the wicked go unpunished! You can’t just do nothing just because you will die after a hundred years, what do you think, my lord?”

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled, stretched out his hand, patted Zhang Ximeng's shoulder, and said in a low voice, "Sir, this is what makes you better than Li Shanchang!"

Zhang Ximeng couldn't help blushing, hurry up and do something!

This time Zhang Ximeng was completely sure, and with an order, Zhu's army dispatched and quickly seized all the brothels and paintings in Yangzhou, including some famous prostitutes.

Just when Zhu Jiajun killed them, some brothels thought it was a guest coming!The war these days has seriously affected their business.

Some unlucky ones, such as the brothel where Zhou Huiniang lived, could no longer operate and closed down completely.There are also many brothels, which are struggling to maintain, and almost closed down.

When they found out that Zhu Jiajun was coming, someone came out happily to greet him.

"Master Jun, we have all kinds of girls here, so you can keep them to your satisfaction!"

Guo Ying rolled her eyes, "Go away!"

The woman was taken aback, how could this be?She has opened a brothel for more than ten years, and has worked in this business for decades. When has she seen this posture?

Could it be the unreasonable salt worker who was going to learn some time ago?That's not okay!

"Master Jun, you can talk about any girl you want, you can give me money or not, let's make friends, Master Jun is a nobleman, and we are sluts, but noble people can use sluts too... For thousands of years, We open the door to welcome guests and serve all directions..."

"To shut up!"

Guo Ying drew out his saber and put it directly on the woman's neck, "If you dare to say one more word, I will kill you immediately!"

This frightened the woman so much that she didn't dare to speak. Soon, all the people inside, including the girl and other waiters, men and women, more than 100 people, were pulled out and squatted on the ground.

At this moment, a hundred households ran up to Guo Ying and muttered a few words. Guo Ying was shocked and immediately stepped in.

They went to the back, and found a cellar under a warehouse... To be precise, this is a dungeon, in which more than thirty little girls were imprisoned.

The space that each person can get is not as big as a table. The strong sour smell pierces the nostrils. The girls are skinny, staring at them with big eyes. When they hear someone coming, they all curl up in fear. To the extreme.

When Guo Ying was at a loss, Xiaoju rushed over, she was too familiar with it, in fact, every brothel has such a dungeon, the size may be different, but the function is the same, it is used to detain just Buy it, or a disobedient girl.

All kinds of torture tools and cruel methods are not weaker than the real prison, or even worse.

It's just that although every brothel has it, a dungeon with so many people in it still surprised Xiaoju... After she patiently chatted with the little girls and asked, she finally figured it out.

Ganqing, this brothel is very thoughtful, and thinks that no matter what time it is, the brothel business will never be dirty.

Therefore, taking advantage of the cheapness, I bought a lot of girls and hoarded them.

In addition to the dungeons, stables, and warehouses, a total of about 50 people were brought in.

It happened that there was a shortage of food, and they were reluctant to let these little girls go, so they were locked up like this, and they didn't give them enough to eat. More than a dozen girls have died these days.

The oldest of them is only ten years old, and the youngest is only five or six years old!

Faced with this situation, Guo Ying's eyes were red!

"These bastards!"

He carried a little girl with his own hands, and other soldiers followed suit. They took off their outer cloaks, wrapped the girl up, carried them to the barracks, and settled down.

Along the way, these rugged military men were extra careful, as if they were carrying a baby, they spoke softly and kept comforting them.

"Don't be afraid, when you arrive at the military camp, you will have food and clothing, and someone will take care of you, don't worry!"

Many little girls were already crying, and tears fell on the soldiers' backs.

More and more Yangzhou people came out, they looked around on the side of the road, when they saw this scene clearly, many of them gritted their teeth and were furious!