Xindian Town.

A group of representatives of the people in the town begged Li Dingshan, the owner of the grain store: "Boss Li, when will you open this grain store, if you don't open it again, the people of our Xindian Town will really have no food!" If you are old, be kind and reopen! Although the imperial court has changed the tax policy, your grain store can still earn huge profits, so why do you need to go against the imperial court and ignore the life and death of the people! ”

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is not Li Mou's ruthlessness, but the above is such an arrangement, as long as the court refuses to give up the new tax policy for a day, Li's grain store will not be able to open for a day, even if Li opens, the people above will make Li unable to open, please forgive me, I will not accompany you!"

After Li Dingshan finished speaking, he took the car to bid farewell to these representatives of the people.

And the representatives of the people could only watch Li Dingshan go away, and even those who had been educated in the new-style school spat Li Dingshan angrily:

"Phew! Over the years, he relied on his younger brother to be an official in Huguang, and he made a lot of money from us, but now because of the tax reform of the imperial court, he has come to harm us people! ”

Although some people are very disgusted by Li Dingshan's behavior of preferring to watch the people starve to death rather than open a store, it is true that they can't do anything with Li Dingshan, after all, Li Dingshan himself doesn't want to open a store to make money, and no one can force him to open it.

At this time, Li Dingshan, who was sitting in the carriage, looked at the disappointed and disappointed looks of the people in Xindian Town, and couldn't help but smile coldly, he was also very proud, he had never been so proud as now, he found that these merchants could really manipulate the government and the situation in the world, and these merchants also had their own strength in some aspects.

Ji Xuan, who happened to come to Xindian Town, also saw this scene, and also smiled coldly: "Xindian Town is the same now, it can be seen that this strike is still very effective, the imperial court didn't say that the reform of the tax policy is to safeguard the interests of the people, is it for the long-term stability of the Ming Dynasty, when the whole Jiangnan is hungry and the people are in turmoil due to hunger, and then look at it, will the imperial court believe that the reform of the tax policy can make the Ming Dynasty have long-term stability!" ”

"I'm afraid, now that the imperial court has begun to disbelieve, as long as the civil unrest is together, there will definitely be officials to play, but I am afraid that in order to calm the people's grievances and let us open our businesses, we will also execute the officials who reformed the tax administration at that time."

A monk named Hui Jue, who was following Ji Xuan, said with a smile.

"Yes, the imperial court gave up reforming the tax policy and compromised with the gentry in Jiangnan, so that His Royal Highness's industry in Jiangnan could also be preserved and would not be found out, but if the imperial court still didn't give up, it didn't matter, it really wanted to cause civil chaos, I'm afraid that I don't need His Highness to stand up first, the world will already start to be in chaos!"

As soon as Ji Xuan said this, seeing that the people of Xindian Town would rather be hungry than dare to go against the national law and directly grab grain, he said disdainfully while being proud: "These guys, they have reached this level and don't make trouble!" It's useless! ”

……

In fact, at this time, there were already people in Xindian Town who couldn't stand the poisonous tricks of the profiteers, and one of the people stood up first and shouted: "Everyone, Li Dingshan would rather let tens of thousands of stones of grain become moldy and rotten than sell it to us, and would rather see us starve to death than open a business, in this case, why don't we catch this profiteer and force him to hand over the grain, it is difficult to see his wife and children starve to death!" ”

"Yes, you can't let Li Dingshan go for nothing!" The rest of the people followed suit.

Seeing this, Ji Xuan was even more proud, smiled coldly, and was ready to watch a good show, he wished that the people would riot, and then make the world chaotic.

Li Dingshan didn't notice this scene at this time, and he was still proud of his ability to manipulate the entire Xindian Town.

But at this time.

Suddenly.

A gong sounds!

"Ma's grain store opened, and the steam engine beat white noodles with eight cents of silver per bucket! The steam engine engine only needs six cents of silver per bucket to remove grain white rice! The first 100 people can also get a discount again! The grain store is under the big locust tree in the west of the town! ”

The words of the informant reached the ears of the people of Xindian Town like a burst of Sanskrit sound, and the already irritable and angry hearts of the people of Xindian Town calmed down suddenly.

Some people couldn't help but let go of their fists and smiled: "Is there a grain store opened?" There are even grain stores opening? ”

"I really didn't expect such a good thing, and the white flour only costs eight cents of silver per bucket, and the white rice only costs six cents per bucket, which is much cheaper than the Li family's grain store!"

And at this time, some people already ran over: "Uncle, it's true, I have already gone to buy five buckets and come back!" They are all good rice and noodles, this Ma's grain store heard that it is from the north, specially purchased from the Nanyang grain, people threshing with new machines, grain transportation with Nanyang Fannu, so the price is cheap! ”

So, hearing what the people said, the others also hurriedly ran to Ma's grain store.

Li Dingshan was stunned when he saw this scene, he was both surprised and angry in his heart, surprised that there would be someone who dared to open a grain store at this time, and angry that someone was so ignorant that he dared to open a grain store in Xindian Town, not knowing that Xindian Town was his own territory?

Li Dingshan hurriedly ordered: "Quickly send someone to ask about the origin of this Ma's grain store!" ”

In the evening, Li Dingshan's servants came running: "Master, ask clearly, Ma's grain store was opened by the first assistant Ma Wensheng's family back then, and the fourth son of his family came to Jiangnan in person this time and opened more than 200 grain stores in one go, this is just a semicolon!" ”

Li Dingshan couldn't help but sit on the chair after hearing this, his face was very complicated, thinking that this is not a good thing, such a character came to Jiangnan to open a grain store, and he would definitely not be able to let people not open it, even if it was the prefect.

Therefore, after a long time, Li Dingshan suddenly became a lot haggard, and he was busy and weakly instructed his people: "Tomorrow, the grain store will start to open, and all will start business, and not only will it start business, but all grain prices will be lowered!"

Lost, we lost! We didn't lose to the imperial court, we lost to our own people, these hateful northern imperial merchants, they followed His Majesty to eat imperial profits back then, and naturally they didn't care about paying heavy taxes, but they didn't care about our life and death in order to eat more profits! Everyone is a businessman, is it true that they are imperial merchants, and the royal family will always let them grow! ”

Li Dingshan roared angrily, he was indeed unwilling and regretted, because he had lost no more than 10,000 silver dollars because of the strike these days, and what made him regret even more was that he did this but caused the capital predators of the Northern Imperial Merchants to take the opportunity to enter their own territory, which also means that he will face more losses in the future.

……

The conversation turned back.

Ji Xuan was also shocked and angry when he heard that the Ma's grain store suddenly appeared: "Who is so bold to dare to open at this time!" Don't cooperate with our strike! ”

Ji Xuan instructed as he spoke: "Go and ask the mayor of Xindian Town, what's going on, is it possible that the words of their Futai adults can't be counted?" ”

After a while, the mayor of Xindian Town came running in person: "Ji Xianggong, please forgive the little presumptuous, this Ma's grain store can't be provoked, I reported the name of Lord Futai, they didn't pay attention to it at all, I wanted to let people check it directly, but it turned out that the police soldiers of Ying Tianfu rushed over!" I heard that his son-in-law can reach the sky! ”

Ji Xuan's expression turned cold after hearing this, and he also began to realize that something bad might happen, so he hurriedly ordered: "Inquire about the origin of this Ma's grain store as soon as possible!" No matter how much money you spend, you have to find out! ”

After speaking, this Ji Xuan was about to turn around and leave, and at this time, the monk Zhu Zhen couldn't help asking: "It seems that the imperial court also has actions that are not groundless, these imperial businessmen really came to Jiangnan!" These people have always eaten people and don't spit out bones, this strike is only afraid that it will fall short, and not only will it fail to stop the new tax policy of the imperial court, but it will also lose the hearts of the people in Jiangnan and the opportunity to make money, Ji Xianggong, do you think that the more than 400 cement craftsmen in Heguang Temple in Xindian Town will be dismissed? ”

"Dismissal! All dismissed! It's too early to say that the strike failed, even if the imperial court has the support of the imperial merchants, even if these imperial merchants are rich and rival the country, will my Huidi, Jindi and Jiangnan gentry be poor! ”

Ji Xuan decided to continue fighting with the imperial court without giving up at the beginning.

And because of this, more than 400 cement craftsmen were also dismissed on the same day, Ji Xuan, who had come to Heguang Temple, looked at the pitiful appearance of these more than 400 cement craftsmen begging not to be dismissed and would rather take half of their wages, his mood suddenly improved a lot, and it seemed that now he is very willing to see the pitiful appearance of these low-level migrant workers.

However, at this time, there was another gong sound: "The notice of the county working committee, you can have unemployed and unemployed people here, and now the 24th Bureau of the Infrastructure Construction Bureau is coming to Xindian Town to recruit migrant workers, strong men and strong women, how many recruits, preferential wages, the minimum is two silver dollars a month, including food and housing, and those who are literate and understand arithmetic are also recruited, as long as they are graduates of the primary school or above, they will be given a monthly salary ranging from five silver dollars to ten silver dollars, and they will pay insurance for them!" ”

Although the more than 400 unemployed cement craftsmen present did not understand the new thing of insurance, when they heard that they were recruiting migrant workers, and that it was not less than two silver dollars a month, they were all moved, and they hurriedly stopped the person who struck the gong and asked to apply for employment.

Ji Xuan's face couldn't help but turn cold when he saw this, and his good mood suddenly disappeared, and he couldn't help but throw the teacup in his hand to the ground: "It's too much!" As soon as we were dismissed, they began to recruit workers, and the income and treatment were not low! What is this for, is it trying to force us to admit defeat?!!! ”

Ji Xuan was furious, and Zhu Zhen was also very helpless, and couldn't help sighing: "It seems that these imperial businessmen are preparing a big deal!" ”

……

Here, Tian Shuxiang, the owner of the weaving workshop, said to his weavers very arrogantly: "Now, this workshop is not open, and you are all dismissed!" Who made you follow me to fight against the new tax policy of the imperial court, and now you are all unemployed, see how you live! ”

Tian Shuxiang sneered, and at this time, Xu Jing's henchman Gu Hui stood up: "It's okay, how much do you dismiss, how much do we recruit, the Xu family recruits, pay the salary first, and report quickly!" ”

……

Coincidentally, other imperial merchants also began to take action, and grain, oil, salt, etc. were all transported to Jiangnan.

"Jiangnan Salt Industry Corporation Investment! Ordinary people can directly come to the head office to wholesale salt in various prefectures and cities in the south of the Yangtze River, all of which are good salt! You can also go wholesale to the township retail to make money! ”

"Liu's firm urgently recruits all kinds of craftsmen, apprentices and all kinds of talents who can fiddle with rockeries, fountains, gardening, and feng shui, and the treatment is preferential, and the monthly salary is not less than half of the market!"

"Jiao's firm undertook the construction of the third phase of the Shanghai Port project, now needs 500,000 catties of cement, 200,000 catties of sand and gravel, interested merchants have always cooperated, please contact the town Jiao's firm shopkeeper!"

……

Soon after Xu Jing and other imperial merchants were called to the south, these imperial merchants began to sprinkle money to invigorate the commodity economy of the entire Jiangnan.

From oil and salt and other livelihood industries to infrastructure construction, they have all begun to attract investment and workers, or directly open stores for business, or directly invest in local government to engage in public welfare undertakings, open free re-employment training courses, open study classes and literacy classes, donate money to build schools, etc.

Thereupon.

The daily life of the people gradually returned to order, and the daily life was no longer affected by the boycott of Jiangnan merchants, and prices began to fall.

Zhu Houzhao also took this opportunity to let the imperial businessmen implement the eight-hour work system and the social security system, and he believed that these migrant workers, after getting used to the high welfare brought by the imperial merchants or the state's capital management, would identify more with their own empire, rather than with these local capitalists in Jiangnan.

For them, since they have already started business again, they will only lose a lot if they don't open again, and it will not have any impact on the imperial court.

"Your Majesty, according to your instructions, the ministers have begun to recruit workers, investment, and investment extensively, and even if these Jiangnan chaebols strike more thoroughly, they can deal with it!"

Xu Jing also met Zhu Houzhao at this time, and confidently assured Zhu Houzhao.

Seeing that the panicked hearts of the people were gradually soothed by the commercial intervention of new capital, and the commodity economy in Jiangnan gradually regained its former vitality, Zhu Houzhao also nodded: "If the new tax policy can be successful, you will make a great contribution, and I hope that after this incident, everyone in the world will have the consciousness that everyone has tax obligations!" The imperial court did not want to fish with all its might, but the imperial court had no money and could not maintain a peaceful and prosperous world. ”

Zhu Houzhao asked the Nanjing Ministry of Officials Shangshu Wengui: "Has the phenomenon of a large number of staff, shopkeepers and officials resigning due to the levy of individual income tax has improved?" ”

"Returning to Your Majesty, after the imperial court decided to let the officials list the master (similar to the secretary of later generations) as a bureaucratic system, and after the rank was determined according to the official position of the Dong Weng in which he served, no staff members resigned, and the students of various universities also came to the Ministry of Officials to vote! The problem of the decline in the efficiency of the imperial court due to the resignation of a large number of staff members has also been solved! ”

After Nanjing's official Shangshu Wengui answered, Zhu Houzhao finally smiled: "This is very good, the problem of people's livelihood caused by the strike has been solved, and now a large number of talents with high incomes have begun to return to work, and the implementation of the new tax policy is finally in danger!" ”

……

"Why, why not keep going! Why are these Jiangnan gentry and wealthy businessmen so uncontrollable! As long as we persist in persevering, we will not lose to the imperial court! Why not stick around! ”

Ji Xuan shouted angrily, what he didn't expect was that with the intervention of the royal capital and the imperial merchants, the strike he led would quickly collapse like an avalanche, and merchants in various prefectures and counties began to open for business, and some of his most loyal allies began to betray him one after another.

At this time, a merchant from Huizhou saw Ji Xuan: "Ji Xianggong, Changshi has instructed that all the industries in Jiangnan that you have operated for Your Majesty have been opened, and the market strike has no intention, and the new tax policy of the imperial court cannot be reversed, and now Zhu Houzhao and his lackeys cannot be completely controlled in Jiangnan!" Open quickly! ”

Ji Xuan nodded after receiving the instructions of his own prince, but he still couldn't help crying: "I'm unwilling, I'm really unwilling!" ”

。 m.