Qianlong twenty-one years, early December.

Nanjing, Jiangsu(江宁城)

…

"Selling steamed buns... Fragrant and sweet buns, delicious and inexpensive..."

"Ravioli... Delicious chaos, eat a bowl of cold to warm up..."

"Let Jean, please let me pass..."

Three days after the bandit army entered the city, the chaos in the city was quickly quelled. With the arrival of the grain transported by the bandit army, the high price of oil and grain in the city also dropped rapidly, and the hearts of the people in the city gradually became calm.

Now that the end of the year is approaching, the street vendors have also come out to do their own small business, and the flow of people on the street has gradually increased. Although there are still faint traces of blood in the city of Nanjing, the streets are gradually returning to their former prosperity.

Although it is still a time of war, the lives of ordinary people must go on. War is disgusting after all. Compared with the endless wars, the common people always care about their own firewood, rice, oil and salt. As long as you can live peacefully, no one wants to make trouble without anything, let alone for the sake of a court like the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

"Boss, come have a bowl of ravioli. Add more soup to warm up. It's cold enough. In a wonton stall on the side of the road, a sturdy man in a plain cotton jacket and a winter hat sat down in front of the empty table and shouted.

"Great! It's really cold. I don't know if this master eats vegetarian dishes or adds meat? The boss looked at the man and asked with a happy face.

"Can you still miss that money? Of course, it is eaten with meat. The man replied, seemingly dissatisfied.

"Yes, how can you be the master who is short of money, I am too talkative. Ye first sat down and drank hot water, and the chaos would be fine for a while. The wonton boss apologized and said with a quick greeting.

There are four Eight Immortal Tables in the entire wonton stall, and in addition to this man, there are also a few people sitting on the other Eight Immortal Tables. Due to the lack of manpower, this wonton is naturally a little too busy, so I have to wait a little bit.

"Hey, Dawei, you also come out shopping." On the street, a young man in a patched cotton coat shouted happily when he saw Zhan Da drinking hot water from a teapot in the wonton stall.

"Huh? Stone pile, you are there too? Come, come and sit, and eat a wonton together. Zhan Dawei saw that the person who came was his very good brother Shizhu, and hurriedly greeted.

Shi Zhu answered, and sat down opposite Zhan Dawei. Zhan Dawei greeted the wonton boss and added an extra bowl of wontons, then poured a bowl of hot water and handed it to Shizhu.

"Come, Shizhu, take a sip of hot water to warm up. On such a cold day, did you also come out to buy rice grain? Zhan Dawei asked.

"Yes and no. You know, the recent thief... Isn't this bandit army engaged in some kind of braid tax? You also know the situation of my family, how can I have the money to pay the pigtail tax. Shi Zhu said slowly after taking a sip of hot water.

"Well, yes. Although this is anti... This 'king' is to abolish a lot of harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes. But this braid tax is really very high, it really sucks people's blood, and ordinary people have to pay nearly one or two silver braids tax, not to mention those with a little family background, which is really unacceptable. Zhan Dawei looked around vigilantly, suppressed his voice, and then said helplessly:

"A man's braids are born to suffer, and they are not as comfortable as a woman's long hair. The Manchu Qing Dynasty wanted to keep their heads without hair, and keep their hair without their heads. This 'Wang Shi' didn't force you to cut this braid, but it has to pay a braiding tax, and this braiding tax will make you lose your skin even if you don't die. ”

Shi Zhu naturally nodded to Zhan Dawei very approvingly, but he explained for the bandit army in a general manner: "Actually, this can't be completely blamed on these anti... Bandit Army. After all, they are not in the same place as the Manchus, and it can be regarded as benevolent and righteous that they can not force us to cut our braids. Most of us prefer to keep our braids because we are afraid that if the Manchurians come in again, they will cut off our heads. ”

"If you are willing to cut your braids, you can still live more comfortably with them. People who don't want to cut their braids are not strictly their people, and it's good that they don't cut off their heads, and it's reasonable to have to pay heavy taxes. Shi Zhu said after taking a sip of hot water.

"That's what I said, but I don't have my hair on my head! It's hard to say whether this bandit army can succeed, once the braids are cut and the Manchurians are beaten back, this will be a loss of head. Although Zhan Dawei understood Shi Zhu's words very well, he was inevitably excited. Suddenly, as if sensing something, he asked:

"Wait, didn't you just say you couldn't afford to pay the braids tax? Why did you help them talk? ”

"This, hehe... Actually, I just went to cut my braids, and they gave me 300 yuan. Shi Zhu replied with a shy smile, and as he spoke, he lifted the winter hat he was wearing on his head for Zhan Dawei to see.

"Stone pillar, stone pillar, why are you so confused! Don't you understand what I just told you? Although this pigtail tax is heavy, it is just a little more than the previous harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, as long as you grit your teeth, you can always pass. You're going to lose your head like that. "Zhan Dawei hated the general complaint that iron does not become steel.

"Dawei, it's not as bad as you think. Didn't the Qing soldiers who gathered a few days ago also let the bandit army run away? It is said that the Hu people have no national fortune for a hundred years, and I see that the world will eventually return to the hands of our Han people. Only the emperor of the Han people will treat us as people. Shi Zhu said comfortingly.

"I don't want us Han people to sit back in the country, it's just that this is full of evil. How many times has this rebellion happened, but none of them can be accomplished. The rebellion of the three feudatories was big enough, and it didn't let Kangxi settle down. Wu Sangui was still the chief soldier of the former Ming Dynasty, and all the soldiers and generals were defeated, and who dared to guarantee that they could succeed in this bandit army. If I can't make it, I don't want to put my head on it. Zhan Dawei shook his head, disagreeing with Shi Zhu's statement.

"The benevolent see the benevolent, the wise see the wise! But the bandit army said well: if you don't want to cut your braids, he doesn't want to cut your braids, then who else wants to defend this country and defend your home? Shi Zhu asked rhetorically: "I think about it, this braid is actually good and wonderful." ”

"How?" Zhan asked curiously.

"If you think about it carefully, many people who are unwilling to cut their braids naturally have to pay heavy taxes, so the bandit army will have military expenses. And those who cut their braids can only fight with the Qing soldiers in order to survive, and the bandit army has soldiers. This requires money, money, and soldiers. Moreover, the man who has no braids will have his head cut off, and he who has braids will have his head cut off because he has the power of the enemy. So it's the same whether you keep braids or not. Shizhu said.