At the beginning of June of the ninth year of Chongzhen, it was by taking advantage of the east wind of the warm current of the Pacific Ocean that the first fleet of the Ming Dynasty, under the guidance of John and others, left the port of Pusan, North Korean Province, and embarked on a route to North America.

In this fleet, every ship has chat group members. Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen was able to know the situation of this fleet in real time through the chat group. Therefore, although others have already arrived in Jiangnan, they can also know that this fleet has set off.

The ship docked at the wharf of Yangzhou City, and the first few times it was basically through Yangzhou without entering, at least not to have a good walk. This time, Emperor Chongzhen finally decided to take a walk in Yangzhou.

After getting off the boat, Emperor Chongzhen found that Yangzhou seemed to be more prosperous than before. Not to mention anything else, just this port, passing by a few times, Emperor Chongzhen still has feelings, whether it is the ships on the shore or the flow of people on the shore, all of them are more than in his impression.

I remember that in the past, Yangzhou Wharf was originally indistinguishable from the goods. Looking around now, those ships that are purely carrying goods are already their own separate areas, separated from the docking point of passenger ships.

On the wharf, there are many houses, along the road all the way to the city wall of Yangzhou. pedestrians, travelers, idlers; Men, women, children, and all kinds of people can be seen at a glance. Of course, most of them are men.

"Master, I didn't expect Yangzhou to be so prosperous!" After Yuan Guifei looked at it for a while, she said with a little surprise on her face.

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he turned his head to look at her, and said with a smile: "It wasn't as prosperous as it is now!" ”

This Yuan Guifei, when she first left Beijing, was still a little restrained, but now that she has walked so far, she has finally let go a little. This temperament is still too quiet.

When Liu Xingzuo, the commander of the Jinyi Guard who was guarding on the side, heard this, he smiled a little and said in a low voice: "The lord has let go of the tax collection along the way, mainly to collect taxes at the buying and selling points, so that the goods from all over the country come and go from south to north, and naturally it is much more prosperous than before." ”

Speaking of which, this is also related to the rule of officials.

In the past, although the Ming Dynasty stipulated that it was thirty taxes and one. However, for example, there are so many tax cards on the road.

Zhou Hui of the Ming Dynasty recorded an example of tax checkpoints in his "Jinling Trivia".

This example is said to be in the twenty-eighth year of Wanli, and a man named Lu Er decided to sell lamp grass in other places for profit, because there was a price difference in other places. However, when he hired a boat to set off, he successively encountered the tax card set up by the local prefect, the tax card set up by the county governor, the tax card set up by Zhao Gonggong who went home to recuperate in the capital, and the regular tax card point, and some temporary tax card points, anyway, all kinds of tax cards, as a result, Lu Er was forced to sell the lamp grass and go home halfway before he arrived at his destination. Otherwise, it's really not enough to accompany you.

Of course, this Lu Er can't do this business of buying and selling in different places, that's because he is an ordinary person. If he has a background and a reputation, then some tax cards will not be collected. If the background is hard enough, then basically not a single tax card will be collected.

This is also the reason why in the original history, although the Ming Dynasty was prosperous in commerce, it was actually a bureaucratic business prosperity, but the imperial court basically could not collect taxes.

But in this plane, first of all, Sun Chuanting ruthlessly governed commercial taxes, and anyone, regardless of his background and fame, would pay taxes in accordance with the provisions of the Ming Law. These taxes, which were originally escaped, can go into the national treasury.

In addition, Emperor Chongzhen reformed the system of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and set up all the branches of the Metropolitan Procuratorate at the county level. The duty of this Metropolitan Procuratorate is not to manage the people, but to manage the officials. If there are officials or squires who do anything wrong, they are allowed to go to the branch of the Metropolitan Procuratorate to file a complaint. In addition, the name of the factory guard, with the previous big events, has also restarted the brand.

In this way, there will naturally be no such thing as those places setting up cards to collect taxes privately. If Wang Er sells in other places, he doesn't have to pay so much tax, but pays the thirty taxes stipulated by the Ming Law.

It is also because of this that Daming's business immediately flourished. Even businessmen without an official background can make money by engaging in commercial trade in today's environment.

As a result, not only Yangzhou City, but also other places, all of them are more prosperous than before because of the prosperity of commerce.

Emperor Chongzhen actually didn't need Liu Xingzuo to say it, he could understand it in his heart. Ignoring this topic anymore, after looking up, he immediately pointed to the most eye-catching restaurant on the other side of the pier and said, "Let's go, go and see if there is anything delicious there!" ”

For some reason, as soon as Fang Zhenghua, who was on guard, heard this, he remembered that when he visited Weifu privately, he always seemed to encounter some things. This time, will we meet again?

Thinking so, seeing that Emperor Chongzhen had already disembarked, he hurriedly followed, and followed behind the emperor and the concubine. It's a pity that he doesn't have sunglasses, and his eyes sweep around, so that others can notice him at once.

The ships that were close to the collar were also disembarking. There are groups of three or five, and there are those who are alone. Emperor Chongzhen went out on patrol in micro-clothes, so naturally he would not engage in martial law, but the brocade guards guarding the outside surrounded the emperor and the concubine without a trace.

As soon as I walked up to the dock, I suddenly saw a carriage in front of me that was about to start, the curtain was lifted, and a little girl jumped up, crying and running towards the boat.

Emperor Chongzhen looked in the east and the ground in the west, and naturally saw this situation at a glance.

This little girl, who looks very good, about ten years old, pear blossoms with rain, shouting "Uncle, I want to go home, I want to go home......"

Behind her, a middle-aged woman with a flamboyant flamboyance also jumped out of the carriage and chased after the little girl, telling her not to run.

This little girl probably doesn't want to part with her loved ones, right? Emperor Chongzhen looked at this scene and didn't think much about it. He just stood and walked on. However, Yuan Guifei stared at it more before she followed Emperor Chongzhen.

"What are you doing here?" An annoyed voice sounded, Emperor Chongzhen turned his head when he heard the sound, but saw a middle-aged man, dressed a little shabby, waving to the little girl who ran over with an annoyed face, letting her go, and at the same time said, "I told you, follow this mother, you will eat and drink spicy food in the future, what a good day!" ”

Hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen's brows couldn't help frowning, as if he had thought of something. Turn around and stop, looking over there.

I saw that the little girl ran fast, and the woman behind couldn't catch up, and soon arrived in front of the man, knelt down directly, looked up with tears and said: "Uncle, I'm very well-behaved, I can help the family, I can make a lot of money, don't sell me, I won't go, okay?" ”

Yuan Guifei had already stopped, and after hearing the little girl say this, her face immediately showed a look of unbearability, and she whispered in the ear of Emperor Chongzhen: "Poor child! ”

Emperor Chongzhen listened, nodded, didn't speak, just looked over there.

Seeing a trace of impatience on the man's face, he looked around and saw that many people around him stopped to look at him, and suddenly, he was a little annoyed, lowered his head, and reprimanded the little girl: "What are you crying about, this is for you to enjoy the blessings." Besides, you've been in my house for a few years, and you don't need money to eat and drink? I can't afford to support you......"

The onlookers probably understood what was going on, and basically no one cared, and when they were talking in a low voice, Emperor Chongzhen also heard a conversation between two men.

"This little girl has a good look and a good voice, and it is estimated that she has sold it for a lot of money."

"It's not, the so-called Yangzhou thin horse, it is estimated that after this little girl is trained and trained, she will definitely be able to sell it for a big price!"

Yuan Guifei had already given birth to a daughter, although she was not as old as the little girl in front of her, but she immediately remembered her daughter in her heart, and couldn't help but sympathize, and said to Emperor Chongzhen: "I don't know if this little girl's parents know?" If it were possible, no one would want to sell their children, right? This person is just an uncle, will there be any hidden secrets in the middle? ”

It was clear that she was trying to interfere in the matter. It's just that the emperor is here, and without the emperor's consent, she doesn't dare to interfere privately. If you change Hai Lanzhu or Tian Guifei, you can't figure out what you want in your heart, so you just say it directly.

Hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen nodded, and was about to step forward, when he saw that the woman chasing after him had arrived, and said a little angrily: "You little girl, mother, I won't treat you badly, study hard, your five fingers don't touch the spring snow, and the good days are ahead!" ”

The little girl ignored her, just looked at the man, and continued to plead: "Uncle, please, take me back, I will definitely make a lot of money when I grow up, I don't want to repay it, I will give it to you......"

However, before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the man, who heard her shout: "Enough, that's all!" ”

The woman also began to pull the little girl, trying to pull her away.

When the onlookers saw this, they knew that this little episode was coming to an end, so they all dispersed and prepared to go their separate ways.

However, at this time, Emperor Chongzhen stepped forward and said in a low voice: "Slow! ”

When the woman heard this, she looked up. Her eyes were poisonous, and as soon as she saw Emperor Chongzhen's temperament and the entourage around him, she knew that this was a nobleman, and she didn't dare to offend, so she let the little girl go first.

And that man was annoyed that someone else was meddling, although he saw that Emperor Chongzhen had a family member to follow, like a rich man, but he was not afraid, and immediately said: "This son, the child is not sensible, and he has disturbed you." ”

Seeing that Emperor Chongzhen's face didn't seem to be good-looking, he hurriedly explained: "I am his uncle, my family is poor, I found a way for her to live, it's okay." ”

Emperor Chongzhen ignored her at all, just lowered his head and asked the little girl, "Where is your father?" ”

As soon as the little girl saw that someone was paying attention to her, she looked up at Emperor Chongzhen as if she had grasped the last straw, and hurriedly replied: "My father went out to do business two years ago and never returned, and my mother ...... not long after my father left It's gone. I'm at my uncle's house......"

"Listen, this son, I'm not lying, I'm her uncle." When the man heard this, he interrupted the little girl and said, "His father must have died outside, and he has not heard from him for more than two years." My family is not wealthy, and I have been raising her for two years, so I have no choice but to help her find a better way out. ”

In this era, going out, no matter what you do, is very risky. If you are not careful, it is easy to die in a foreign land. There has been no news for more than two years, and in general, it is likely that something is out there.

It is precisely because of this common sense that this man will make the decision to sell this little girl.

But Emperor Chongzhen still ignored him, just frowned, two years ago, there was no new household registration system at that time, so it was a bit difficult to write ID numbers for the people of the whole country.

He turned his head to look at Yuan Guifei, who looked sympathetic, then turned back to the little girl and asked, "What's your father's name?" ”

"My father's surname is Chen, his name is Xuan, his name is noble, and he is a real person in Yangzhou." The little girl replied earnestly, and even said how it was written.

Obviously, in the past, her family background should be okay, or her parents knew a few words, so they also taught her.

Here in Jiangnan, the literacy rate is indeed relatively high, and the family conditions are slightly better, even before the opening of the children's school, there are quite a few people who can know some words.

When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he immediately entered the chat group and went to the household registration folder to search by name. Although it may not be found, it is a point of hope after all.

There are many people named Chen Xuan, and Emperor Chongzhen searched for words on this basis, and as a result, there must be a person who meets the conditions. Look at the details again and check the information.

The man waited for a while, and saw that this noble man seemed to be a little stunned, and after waiting for a while, he didn't move, and then he became impatient, and turned his head to look, as if his boat was about to sail, and he didn't speak, turned around and left. Anyway, the money was already in hand, and he didn't want to stay here to deal with it.

When the woman saw it, she hesitated slightly, and wanted to pull the little girl away.

Liu Xingzuo knew what the emperor was probably doing, but even if he didn't know, the emperor had already spoken just now, and without his permission, the few people in front of him didn't want to leave. Therefore, he just looked at him, and immediately, several brocade guards took two steps forward and blocked the way of the man and woman.

As soon as he saw this, the man was a little annoyed, and immediately shouted, "What do you mean? I haven't broken the law, if you use your power to bully people, there is a Metropolitan Procuratorate here! ”

In recent years, the Metropolitan Procuratorate's deterrence of officials and gentry is also relatively large. After all, when a new official takes office, he needs three fires. If the new local yamen is opened, if it does not do things to increase its popularity, then won't the local branch of the Metropolitan Procuratorate become an ornament?

That's what this man thinks, so even if he looks at this nosy man like a noble son, he is not afraid!

The woman didn't speak, and stood up obediently in the face of Jinyiwei's stopping, and at the same time let go of the little girl. She looked at Emperor Chongzhen and then at the little girl, feeling a little reluctant. If she hadn't seen that this little girl had the potential to be a big seller, she really didn't want to offend the noble son, and would rather this deal be yellow.

The people around couldn't help but gather around again when they saw the movement here. With a little curiosity, the onlookers became a crowd of melon eaters.