In the fourteenth year of Chongzhen, the second day of the first month, Suzhou.

The merchants' strike has entered the seventh day, and the shops in Suzhou have not yet resumed their opening, and they are still in a depression, and every household is closed.

Some businesses that secretly opened their doors were soon robbed and smashed by some hooligans and ruffians, and the shopkeepers were beaten.

There are still a large number of merchants, domestic servants and local ruffians on the streets, who gather in groups all day long chanting slogans and posting big-character posters against the New Deal.

After several days of development and operation, a large number of businessmen in front of the yamen of various prefectures and counties organized a group to petition, and they pulled banners to denounce the scourge of commercial taxes.

The anti-tax businessmen were not idle, and arranged some theater troupes in front of the yamen to relax and relax while attracting the people to participate in the anti-tax wave.

The "condition" of the Suzhou prefect has not improved, and no soldiers have come to expel the yamen after it has been besieged, which has further fueled the arrogance of the anti-tax crowd.

Chu Yuanfang, the commander of the Tianwu Army stationed in Suzhou Prefecture, issued a notice as early as when the tax supervisor was killed, demanding that all those who strike the market immediately resume the market, otherwise they will be severely punished.

At first, the merchants were still a little scared, and all the merchants who participated in the strike beat drums in their hearts, worried that the Tianwu Army would make some radical moves, and the wave of the strike almost collapsed.

However, the Tianwu army was delayed for a long time, and Wu Buju and others urgently convened businessmen to discuss the matter, and after some conspiracy to cheer up, everyone regained their strength and said that they would stick to the anti-tax to the end.

The strike continues, and the scale is even more chaotic a few days ago, and there have even been ruffians taking advantage of the chaos to smash and loot.

In the face of this chaotic situation, the officials of the cities were either at a loss or secretly happy in their hearts, and only watched the local people coldly, the officials and businessmen colluded to raise prices, and the common people could only bear it silently, and the only thing they could do was to pin their hopes on the crown prince.

Suzhou Garrison Mansion, Tianwu Army Brigade Marshal Chu Yuanfang walked back and forth in the mansion, he has been waiting for news from Nanjing for the past few days, hoping that the crown prince can take a more ruthless measure and teach these officials and businessmen in Suzhou Mansion a hard lesson.

At this time, a herald of the garrison office hurriedly ran over with a piece of paper in his hand, and said, "Report to the brigade commander!" News is coming from Nanjing! ”

Chu Yuanfang hurriedly finished the paperwork, he quickly opened it and glanced at it, and immediately showed joy on his face, and said: "Beat the drum and beat the general, the whole brigade will gather!" ”

In the hall of the garrison mansion, the emaciated and fierce Chu Yuanfang was wearing armor, standing at the top of the hall, looking at a group of generals below, and shouted fiercely: "Order!" ”

"Wow!" With a bang, the regimental commanders and battalion commanders in the hall immediately stood straight.

Chu Yuanfang held the document in his hand and read: "By the order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince: When the decree arrives, immediately send troops to quell the rebellion, arrest the boycott merchants, officials and businessmen who collude, all the officials who participate in the boycott of the market, all the fields and shops under their names will be sealed and confiscated!" ”

"Anyone who gathers a crowd to resist taxes, gathers a crowd to kill officials and humiliate officials, and marches to disrupt public order do not need to ask for instructions, and they will be killed on the spot!"

The generals in the hall shouted in unison: "Obey!" ”

Chu Yuanfang slapped the table and shouted: "Send troops!" ”

.......

The gate of the Suzhou Tianwu Army garrison was wide open, and a group of sergeants with guns and armor poured out.

"Arrest the anti-tax profiteers and seal all the shops of the profiteers!"

The entire city of Suzhou was filled with the ranks of the Tianwu Army, and after several days of collecting intelligence, the Tianwu Army had mastered the political evidence and whereabouts of several major anti-tax gangs in Suzhou Prefecture.

The sound of breaking down the door continued, and most of the strikers participated in the march and petition, and most of the major businessmen were taken one by one, and bursts of heart-warming gunfire were heard from time to time in various parts of the city.

Whether it is an official or a gentry family, the head of the family is directly arrested, and at the same time, all the fields and shops under their names are sealed.

Seeing this situation, the local people in Suzhou were a little unable to react, but fortunately, the Tianwu Army did not commit any crimes in the autumn, which reassured the people a lot, and they hid in the streets and talked about it in the house, showing joy.

Wu Dayou, the leader who led the workers of Suzhou to resist taxes, led thousands of people to wander around in Dongcheng and shouted slogans, and after a few days of development, the big money owners behind him praised him, and encouraged him to become stronger and bigger, and create more brilliance, and promised to add another 20,000 taels of silver to the reward.

Wu Dayou's heart was agitated, feeling that he had reached the peak of his life, and people became more and more inflated, just last night, he beat a big businessman who supported the New Deal to death, and slept with his beautiful daughter in the boudoir.

Suddenly, hearing the sound of gunfire in Xicheng, Wu Da was curious, he didn't know what was going on, and when he realized that the situation was not good, a large number of Tianwu troops had already surrounded their location.

Wu Dayou said suspiciously: "I am here to ask for the people's life, where are you officers and soldiers?" ”

Before he finished speaking, the Tianwu Legion that led the team said coldly: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ordered that those who gather a crowd to rebel will be killed!" ”

"Smack! Syllable! Smack......"

A burst of gunfire rang out, and hundreds of muskets of the Tianwu Army pulled the plate machine at the thousands of workers and green skins holding sticks in front of them.

The blood mist shot out in all directions, and the fierce workers who had been exposed fell one by one like ears of wheat blown by the wind.

Wu Dayou was shot a few times, he was beaten and staggered backwards and fell out, he was already angry when he fell to the ground, but his eyes were wide open, staring at the sky, with a look of disbelief on his face, all this came too suddenly.

"Ahh The rest of the workers and the greenskins collectively shouted.

"Fire! Kill them all! The cold voice of the head of the regiment sounded again, announcing the fate of these anti-tax rioters.

There was another roar of guns, and the chaotic anti-tax armed team screamed and was knocked to the ground, blood splattered everywhere, and it was unbearable to see, where was the ferocity of killing tax supervisors and tax officials.

As they prepared to flee, they suddenly found a large number of cavalry running around the streets, their swords swinging sideways, flying past them like the wind, followed by a large number of heads rolling down.

The killing in the city of Suzhou was carried out very quickly, and the soldiers of the Tianwu Army even carried tiger squat cannons and launched shotguns against the anti-tax brigade, and suddenly a ghost crying wolf howl sounded.

The people on both sides of the street watched through the windows, and one by one their faces turned pale with fright, and they did not dare to look at it again, and some bold people secretly applauded and shouted excitement.

Wu Buju, who was commanded by remote control, heard the movement on the street, and soon learned that the Tianwu Army had been dispatched to quell the chaos, he was horrified in his heart, and hurriedly sent someone to contact the prefect of Suzhou.

"Bang!" With a loud bang, the gate of the Wu Mansion was broken, and two teams of Tianwu troops poured in, and they began to take people like wolves.

There were nearly 200 domestic slaves in the Wu Mansion, and when they saw that the officers and soldiers dared to break into the door, everyone in the mansion was shocked and angry.

Wu Buju wore a black silk brocade robe and carried a group of people armed with spears and sticks, and he wanted to popularize the power of the Wu family as an official in the court to the Tianwu army.

For this kind of rebellion, the Tianwu Army has always killed on the spot, and the Tianwu Military Battalion, the leader of the team, never waited for him to speak, so he shouted coldly: "Kill!" ”

A chaotic burst of gunfire rang out, and most of the guards in the Wu Mansion were killed and injured on the spot, and Wu Buju was also cut by a knife, and his head was taken away by the Tianwu Army.

The rest of the Wu family didn't have the slightest idea of resisting, and after hearing the arrest warrant of the Tianwu Army, they all collapsed to the ground, all in despair.

In the backyard of the yamen of the Suzhou prefect, the "sick" Suzhou prefect looked at a group of Tianwu soldiers who rushed into the backyard, and suddenly jumped like thunder.

He shouted, "Bold! You don't look at any place, this is the prefect's yamen! Let your brigade marshal Chu Yuanfang come over and speak! ”

A battalion commander rushed over with a big slap in the face, and the prefect who was straight out turned around three times in a row, and his eyes were full of gold stars.

With the support of several subordinates, the prefect stood still again, first stunned, and then reacted for a long time, his beard was all open, shocked and angry, pointing at the battalion commander and roaring: "Presumptuous! Licentious! ”

The officials next to the prefect were also dumbfounded, this is the prefect, these days the warriors of the military army have eaten the bear's heart and leopard gall? Dare to beat up the four-rank civil official?

The battalion commander didn't say a word, rushed forward and gave him a few heavy slaps again, scolding while smoking: "Useless dog officer! ”

The prefect rushed in with a mouthful of blood, staggered to his knees, stood desolate for a long time, and roared again: "I am the prefect of Suzhou Prefecture with a dignified and upright court, even if I am guilty, you have no right to arrest me without being summoned by the Division!" I want to impeach Chu Yuanfang to the imperial court! ”

The battalion manager smiled and said, "If you have something to say, go to Nanjing!" Tie it up and take it away! ”

With that, the battalion boss walked up behind him and kicked him hard in the back of his knee, breaking his leg bone.

Soon, the news that the "sick" Suzhou prefect was arrested spread loudly, and many people scolded him.