The Head of the Ming Dynasty Spared His Life

Yan Song knew that even if he relied on the authority of Emperor Jiajing to suppress all these opposition groups temporarily, he would still not be able to promote changes in the southeast pattern.

If we want to wipe them out completely, we must overwhelm them politically, expose them in fact, stigmatize them in reputation, so that hundreds of millions of people in the southeast can recognize their ugly face and flayed nature, and thus spurn them.

In this way, Jiajing was able to push the boat smoothly, and wiped out these guys who were deeply colluding with interest groups, and made more room for him Yan Song.

Jiajing Longyan Dayue: "Yan Aiqing, please speak!"

Yan Song came out.

In the midst of everyone's attention, Yan Song is going to start a big debate with Liu Weishan on the dragon boat about the salt tax and even the interests of the southeast.

Yan Song first bowed to Jiajing, and then to the people in Yangzhou and Southeast who were watching the excitement, and said loudly: "People in Yangzhou, people in Southeast, I am Yan Song, the chief assistant of the cabinet and a scholar. Refers to the traitor."

. .. .

Chapter 219 Great Debate [2]

"People in Yangzhou, people in the southeast, I am Yan Song, the chief assistant of the cabinet and a scholar, that is, the treacherous official Wan Fu refers to in your storytelling upstairs."

Up and down the canal, on boats, on bridges, on houses, and on shore, countless people roared loudly.

They looked at Yan Song one by one, with curiosity and hatred, in short, it was very complicated.

But it was the first time that Yan Song dared to stand up and speak to the common people face to face.

Someone scolded: "This is Yan Song, the treacherous minister"

Someone advised: "Hush! Listen to him"

Some people disdain: "Confiscation of the house, raising the salt tax, we can't live."

Someone praised: "The big salt merchants and big clans are not good birds."

Yan Song waved his hand, and the surroundings became quiet.

Yan Song said indifferently to Liu Weishan: "You said that I have three major crimes: ransacking the house and breaking the door, competing for profit with the people, and violating the ancestral system, right?"

Liu Weishan thought that he had the backing of the entire Jiangnan officialdom and big clans, even if he lost to Yan Song temporarily in the officialdom, he would be able to return to his homeland with unrivaled prestige, and he was not afraid of the emperor and Yan Song at all. He sneered and said, "That's right! You Yan Song is a traitor! I would rather not be an official today than expose your crimes."

"We reason." Yan Song smiled: "The first one."

Liu Weishan said loudly: "Yes! Those dozen or so big salt merchants in Yangzhou, what crimes did they do? They ransacked their homes and beheaded just because they talked behind their backs?"

He incited the surrounding crowd: "Fathers and folks in Yangzhou, this is bullying us Yangzhou people! Isn't it?"

The people in Yangzhou, who did not know the truth, were agitated and made loud noises.

Yan Song was not in a hurry, he pouted.

Huang Jin took out a thick stack of confessions and evidence, and said in a sharp voice: "Liu Weishan, those damn big salt merchants are insulting the emperor every sentence, and you are talking nonsense with your eyes open, look at these ¨.!"

Liu Weishan's heart sank, his expression changed.

He received a request for help from the great salt merchants yesterday, saying that the great salt merchants in Yangzhou were overthrown by Emperor Jiajing, and a dozen of their homes were confiscated. He asked him to find a way.He is the umbrella of the evil forces, so he can only bite the bullet and call the colleagues of the Zhejiang Party and the Chu Party to come together.

On the way, Liu Weishan and the others discussed this matter. They can only pretend to be a loyal minister who "offends his words and admonishes him directly", and hang himself up crying, making trouble and hanging himself, so that Emperor Jiajing can't say anything even if he doesn't listen to them. Come.

Since ancient times, many "Qingliu Zhichen" are not the spokespersons of some interest groups?Just pretending to be outspoken, with these two brands of "violating words" and "directly admonishing" to protect yourself, maybe you can gain both fame and fortune.

But they didn't expect that Yan Song of Jiajing got all the stolen goods, and the ironclad evidence is as solid as a mountain.

Looking at the pile of papers piled up with crimes, Liu Weishan's mouth was bitter, and he cursed the salt merchants and pig teammates in his heart, this cannot be denied.

The people heard that the big salt merchants had no king behind their backs and cursed at the emperor. The evidence was solid, and the direction of the wind began to change.

After all, this is the Ming Dynasty.The way of the sage emphasizes "heaven, earth, ruler, relative and teacher", and the thought of loyalty to the emperor is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.No matter how lazy Emperor Jiajing is, how he practiced Taoism, and liked to beat ministers, he is still an emperor!Scolding the emperor behind his back, and being caught by the emperor, the big salt merchants are treasonous.

Among the people, many scholars and gentry shook their heads suddenly: "Heaven committed evil, it is still forgiven, but self-inflicted evil, you cannot live."

"There is no king in sight, and it violates the rules and regulations!"

"According to the law of the Ming Dynasty, these salt merchants really deserve to die."

Liu Weishan panicked when he heard the tone of the people began to change.

Offended the emperor and Yan Song, public opinion is their only talisman.

If the reputation is rotten, without Jiajing's action, the people will scold them to death.

Fortunately, Liu Weishan and his fellow treacherous and cunning immediately avoided the serious and ignored the insulting emperor, and changed their words: "Because you, Yan Song, violated the ancestral system and raised the salt tax without authorization, and forced these salt merchants to have no way out, so I scolded you! I didn't mean to scold His Majesty!"

He shouted: "I will sue you for competing with the people! If you increase the salt tax by six times, the price of salt must be increased by six times! Increase the price of salt by six times, can these people afford it? Yangzhou people, you Are you saying you can tolerate this happening?"

Hearing Liu Weishan spread rumors that the price of salt would increase by six times, which was related to vital interests, the common people quit immediately and shouted one after another.

"Six times? My God, I won't be able to eat salt anymore"

"Now it's 300 Wen a catty, and if it increases six times, it will be the usual 800 Wen."

"The common people have no way out!"

Liu Weishan sneered slightly, and shouted: "`‖Yan Song, have you heard the people's grievances are boiling? Your Majesty, the price of salt in our dynasty is the highest in all dynasties. If the tax is increased, the people will have no way out! This is Yan Song The tyranny of the government is as fierce as a tiger, and it caused chaos. Please also ask the emperor to punish Yan Song severely, lower the tax rate, and benefit the people!"

The spokespersons of these salt merchants were a little afraid of Yan Song at first, but they straightened their backs when they heard the complaints from the people in the southeast.

Liu Weishan spread rumors to create troubles and manipulated public opinion, Jiajing was so angry that his eyes burst into flames, wishing he could be pushed out and beheaded right now, but there are hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the strait, and the people's grievances are boiling at this time, if not handled properly, it will cause great chaos.

Jiajing could only turn his attention to Yan Song, because Yan Aiqing would never let him down.