The Head of the Ming Dynasty Spared His Life

Everyone was happy: "Then please trouble Brother Zhang."

After Zhang Fuqiang 'finished the meeting', he went straight to the prefect's yamen. At this time, the prefect Ye Daji was already thinking about how to welcome Jiajing and treat Jiajing well so that he could get promoted and make a fortune in the future. Make the Water Transport Wharf very lively, organize the people to greet him, and shout long live, so that Jiajing will definitely like it very much, and even prepares to send a bunch of "Yangzhou skinny horses" to serve Jiajing.

If you want to talk about this Yangzhou thin horse, you are not talking about a horse.

Yangzhou is the settlement of salt merchants in the Lianghuai area of ​​the Ming Dynasty. Each salt merchant can be said to be a wealthy party, with a life of luxury comparable to that of the royal family. Their wealth has also supported a large number of industries that live next to them. "It is one of them, they are created to cater to the psychological needs of salt merchants.

Why is it called "skinny horse"?Because the Yagong and Yamao engaged in "breeding thin horses" bought young girls from poor families at a low price, and then sold them at a high price after they were raised. , so people call this kind of women "thin horses".

"Raising thin horses" is a lucrative investment. There are a large number of people who specialize in this profession...First pay to buy back good-looking girls from poor families and then train them, teaching them singing and dancing, Qin, chess, calligraphy and painting cost only a dozen yuan when you first bought a virgin, but when you get married, you can earn up to 500 taels.

Not only big households, but even common people saw the benefits and followed suit, and it became popular.

This can be said to be a nationally renowned feature of Yangzhou.

Just as the prefect Ye Daji was actively preparing, Zhang Fuqiang walked in.

"My lord, are you preparing to pick up the holy driver?"

"Brother Zhang, why are you here? It's just right, you can help my staff with how to pick up the driver, some things may need your help..."

"My lord, I'm afraid it won't work. I am here to represent those merchants in Yangzhou..."

……

……

Meeting Yu Chenglong, an upright boy in Huai'an, made Jiajing sulky for a while.

This way south, for several days, he spent all of Jiajing on the boat, and he didn't see any beautiful scenery.

This won't work, I'm on a southern tour, not by boat.

No, the next stop is Yangzhou. I heard that Yangzhou's skinny horse is very famous, so I can't miss it.

Soon Jiajing thought of an idea, summoned all the ministers, and came to his boat.

"Dear dear friends, I feel that the boatmen 0.5 have been exhausted during this period of time. All dear friends are also bored all the way. The next stop is Yangzhou. Why don't you stay in Yangzhou for a few days, which can give the boatmen a few rests. Oh my God, is it also for Zhong Ai Qing to ease his mood?"

When the ministers heard this, they were moved and wept bitterly.

"Your Majesty, you really treat your subjects leniently and show compassion for the people~" One of the flattering ministers burst into tears on the spot, and his acting skills are really good.

"Long live Shengming!!"

All the accompanying ministers and boatmen shouted in unison!

With such expectations, the fleet has become more powerful, and they are all looking forward to the prosperity of Yangzhou.

Moreover, many ministers have never been to Yangzhou. They have long heard of the reputation of Yangzhou's thin horses, and they are all looking forward to it.

.

. .

Chapter 205 The Humiliated Jiajing 【2】

The reason why Emperor Jiajing did this was because he was tired of staying in the dragon boat these days—although the canal scenery along the way was beautiful, he would also get tired of looking at it after a long time.

As for what Emperor Jiajing said about "sympathizing with the hard work of the officials and the boatmen, I really can't bear it, so I will stay for two days" and so on, all of which are just high-sounding excuses.

"Yangzhou's famous garden is the best in Jiangdong, and Fen Daiqi is the best in the world!"

Salt merchants in Yangzhou often invite dignitaries, literati and celebrities, bring singing girls, go boating and drink freely, and enjoy the joy of heaven, heaven, heaven, and human beings amidst the peach blossoms, willows, greenery, and wind, flowers, snow and moon.The prosperity of salt transportation and sales objectively promoted economic development and urban prosperity, but most of the wealth accumulated by salt merchants was spent on extravagant consumption, and extravagance among salt merchants was all the rage.

The descendants of salt merchants are full of playboys. These people fight cocks and horses all day long, indulge in silk and bamboo orchestras, and spend their time in brothels and Goulan.Due to these huge consumption, objectively promoted the prosperity of Yangzhou's clothing industry, and also attracted dignitaries and nobles and even emperors to flock to Yangzhou to enjoy themselves in time.

So Jiajing wanted to turn the table after getting impatient all the way south.

And what about those ministers?I also hope so, after all, sitting on the boat for so long has almost made my stomach vomit.They also want to see the thin horse in Yangzhou and the romance of fireworks in Yangzhou.

They didn't know that Yangzhou was undergoing a vigorous top-to-bottom "rectification" at this time. All the prosperous places were all ruined, most of the shops were closed, and the business was closed. These days they are resting and there is no reception, and the brothels are closing down one by one.

……

On the night of the second day, a black figure jumped up and appeared on the deck.

"Master Gai..."

The guards were on guard at the beginning, but when they saw that it was Ge Nie, they put down their swords one after another.There is also a reason why these guards respect Gai Nie so much.A few days ago, Jiajing heard that Gai Nie was like picking up something out of a hundred people in Nanjing City to catch the bandit leader. He couldn't help being curious, thinking that Gai Nie was a monk, so he asked him in detail.

The purpose of my Jiajing is to achieve Taoism and ascend, but as for strengthening the body, it is too low.

However, Gai Nie's experience still aroused the curiosity of the forbidden ~wei who guarded Jiajing. Some of the guards wanted to compete with Gai Nie and try Gai Nie's weight. In the end, Gai Nie easily defeated and convinced the group of guards .

Gai Nie came to the room where Yan Song was.

"My lord, the matter has been settled. These rich merchants in Yangzhou, under the guidance of our people, those merchants have withdrawn from the pick-up. Many rich merchants have even left Yangzhou and gone out."

Yan Song: "It should not have been discovered by them. There is our shadow in this matter."

Gai Nie: "Please rest assured, everything is done in a very secretive manner. The wealthy merchant who is loyal to us is an old merchant in Yangzhou for eight generations."

Yan smiled and nodded: "Shandong, Huai'an and other places are just to make them relax their vigilance and let His Majesty build up fire, and Yangzhou is a place where His Majesty should let him vent his anger."

This time, Yan Song spent so much thought to encourage the Jiajing Southern Tour, the purpose of Yan Song is to deal with those maritime merchants + big merchants + big landlords + officials + weaving mansion + noble princes - the Maritime Alliance.

Along the way, Yan Song kept accepting bribes, just to numb them and let them relax their vigilance, and also to accumulate Jiajing's aggrieved dissatisfaction.

People in Yangzhou don't know that they have fallen into Yan Song's trap. If they knew, they would probably cry.