Gangnam. This book is from.

Yangzhou.

This New Year in the second year of Chongzhen is not easy for some people.

The emperor suddenly involved the salt merchants in the court meeting, and the investigation of the salt merchants became a foregone conclusion, and the news spread to Huaiyang, followed by some salt merchants who were invited by Jinyiwei to drink tea, and then the family property was seized.

This made the salt merchants in Huaiyang, who had been prosperous for 200 years, shocked and contacted one after another to discuss countermeasures.

Before these salt merchants could discuss an effective countermeasure, then worse news came, the salt merchants' post-"relationship" and the emperor completely failed, which made the restless Huaiyang salt merchants even more uneasy, followed by more salt merchants being involved one by one, and more salt merchants being confiscated. The news from the court is not wrong, the emperor is going to take advantage of the capture case to clean up the salt merchants.

Yangzhou has been a prosperous city since ancient times, and it is also one of the centers where salt merchants gather.

On the fourth day of the first lunar month, the big salt merchants in Huaiyang did not enjoy themselves at home, but gathered in Yangzhou anxiously to discuss countermeasures.

A teahouse.

The salt merchants are not as cheerful and chic as they used to be, nor are they as calm and calm as they used to be. The salt merchants present were all hesitant, anxious, panicked, and more desperate.

Representatives of the Zhu family, the Guo family, the Wang family, the Liang family, the Liu family and other large and small families gathered in this teahouse to discuss countermeasures.

The opening is not the song and dance of the warbler in the past, not the ròu forest wine pond in the past, but the dead silence, but the silence, the reason why they have a large number of salt merchants, the reason why they can cross the Ming Dynasty for two hundred years, is related to the relationship network they weaved, in addition to the scholars who have the right to be officials, they also sponsor the children of poor families, and after these people study and take the Jinshi, these people in turn become the umbrella of these people, or simply the children of their own family to take the Jinshi, and there are also high school students, so, the salt merchants and the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, They are inextricably linked.

I thought that with this inextricable "relationship", they could sit back and relax, enjoy peace, and enjoy endless prosperity, but they didn't expect that a thunderbolt fell from the sky, splitting them dizzy, splitting their eyes with Venus, and the emperor did not move, and as soon as he moved, he would weave a net that they had woven for two hundred years, completely shattered, and they became duckweed without roots.

The endless silence has been hanging over these people, making this usually lively teahouse silent and terrifying.

After a long time, someone finally broke the silence and spoke.

"Needless to say, the situation in Jingli should be known to everyone." The representative of the Wang family was the first to speak. Since he hadn't spoken for a long time, he suddenly spoke, and his voice was hoarse and indistinct.

Everyone knows the news in the capital, of course, there is no need to say it, none of the overwhelming news is beneficial to the salt merchants, and the Di Bao that day is not scolding the salt merchants? Not to mention the news sent from there by their "connections".

After being silent for a while, someone said: "I know, the current emperor, it's not easy to mess with, I said at the beginning, don't owe the salt class to the emperor today, even if you don't finish it, you can prevaricate it with two or three million, but you don't listen, you have never been afraid of the emperor, and the emperor can't do anything to us, now it's okay, look at what we have become now?" A rat that everyone shouts and fights? The cockroaches cursed by the people of the world, the national thief, maybe they were called by Jinyiwei that day...... "This person is the representative of the Guo family, complaining, Jinyiwei kept calling the salt merchant for questioning, followed by the raid, one today, two tomorrow, these two Huai salt merchants, is already the pole of fear, not allowed to come to their heads that day, ask for help from their "relationship", but the "relationship" told them that only "good for themselves", only prevarication.

“…… It's still light to be called by Jinyiwei, I heard that Jinyiwei doesn't beat people now, I'm afraid that someone will compare us with Qin Hui, and put the kneeling statue of our people together with Qin Hui, then it will be stinking for 10,000 years......" The representative of the Wang family, with a black face, said helplessly.

"Can we be blamed for this? The emperor wants five million taels a year? If we have so many jiāo, what do we have left? Nothing? The representative of the Liang family was a young man, and said angrily, his whole face was distorted, the master of his family had just been called by Jinyiwei for questioning, and he was about to raid the family.

"There's not much left, it's better than now, look at the present, one by one, copying the house, waiting for death, hahaha, our salt merchants have been prosperous for hundreds of years, it's enough, in my opinion, take advantage of the fact that you haven't done it yet, enjoy it......" The representative of the other family said very "optimistically", wanting to show a free and easy look of "there is wine today and drunk today", but a face of pain and unwillingness to be entangled together, extremely distorted. ,

"Bang!"

There was a loud bang, and all the representatives of the salt merchants looked over.

The representative of the Liu family smashed the teacup angrily and said, "Is it useful to say these now?" Nothing else to do but wait for death? I Liu don't believe it, gather the strength of our salt merchants, and we can't fight the emperor, we are in a hurry, we will die and the net will be broken, he will take us to open the knife, we will strike the market, so that the people in the world can not eat salt, see if the emperor is in a hurry, let's let the emperor not have a good time......"

In the face of the vicious words of the representative of the Liu family, many people were silent, some were suspicious, some were hopeful, and some were helpful.

"Yes, let's boycott the market, the emperor let us die, we don't let the emperor have a good time, let's make the world can't eat salt, see how he is the emperor...... Let's let the emperor see what it means to be eroded everywhere and ...... everywhere," shouted some representatives of the salt merchant family.

"Yes, we salt merchants have so many relationships in the imperial court, let's mobilize these relationships, let them write a notebook, Emperor Bī concessions, as long as everyone works together, Emperor Bī will definitely be able to give in, otherwise, we will wait for the salt merchants to die and have no place to be buried!" Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to decide......" said another, smaller representative of the salt merchant family.

"Yes, it should be done, my Liang family has dredged up a few adults who have a good relationship with my Liang family, and they all promised to speak for our salt merchants, as long as we work together, we can always get through this difficulty." The representative of the Liang family said anxiously, his family is a famous salt merchant, and Jinyiwei has already invited his master in, and if he doesn't want to do it, everything will be over.

Even if there are a number of big salt merchants, they must be divided into grades, strong and weak, some salt merchants, and the big officials in the capital have jiāo feelings, although they can't shelter them, but the news is always there, the source is relatively reliable, for the situation in the capital is very clear, in the face of these clamors, is silent; Some salt merchants, although they also have relations with the DPRK and China, cannot reach the core level, and they have a very vague understanding of the inside story and dynamics of this matter, and they have followed the clamoring.

"Hmph......, the fish is dead and the net is broken? In my Wang's opinion, it is probably that the fish are dead, even the big fish and the small fish are all dead, but the net may not be broken, who can say, what is the emperor's net? What other means did not come out? If anyone can say a two-five-one, my Wang will also follow him, ...... is now the emperor has severed the relationship between us and the court officials, so that they dare not do this, the emperor just needs to concentrate on dealing with us, but don't forget, we are just a few salt merchants, Shinong industry and commerce, we are at the bottom, the emperor wants to clean up a few of our businessmen, is it difficult? …… If in the past, it was okay for us to threaten the emperor with a strike, to say a word about competing with the people for profit, and with our relationships to speak for us, we could still bī retire the emperor, but now? Do you want our relationships to abdicate for our emperor? Are they willing to bear this charge? Can they afford it? ...... "The merchants of the Wang family immediately came out to break it, and at this time, there are still people who expect their relationship network to play a role, bī resign from the emperor, this is simply a dream, the reputation of this emperor today is so good, you let those "connections" abdicate for a few of them salt merchant bī emperor, this is simply unimaginable.

"Alas......, the matter of the boycott of the city, I will not mention it again, our relations, unwilling to bear the charge of Emperor Bī's abdication, that is a big crime of disloyalty and filial piety, they are unwilling to carry, they can't afford to carry, it is said that on the day of the incident, the capital did not mobilize a single soldier, did not change any generals, and did not even have a curfew, this is already very telling, do you think that our emperor will move us without any preparation? This is clearly already a victory, not afraid of problems......" The representative of the Guo family said with a wry smile, the situation in the capital, they have already figured it out through the "relationship" in the capital, although their relationship will not give them shelter, but they will also give them news, and give them the news in the capital to analyze clearly, for their reference and choice. Show them the way out.

The salt merchants once again recalled what the current emperor had done since he ascended the throne, and had done several major events, all of which were sensational events, and even more of them were major events that were brilliant in history. To say that the emperor has no back, and he will cut them out without preparation, they themselves don't believe it.

“…… That's it, that's it...... But don't forget the charge that the emperor gave us today, but it is a captive, but it is secretly in line with the East and drags the court back, if we make a slight move, strike the market or something, just sit on the charge of stirring up the Luàn Daming, secretly conspiring with the East Captive, dragging down the court, at that time, this charge is irrefutable, I am afraid that it is not now that Jinyiwei has invited people to drink tea one after another, at that time, I am afraid that everyone in the world will eat our ròu, alas, ,......, fourth-class pariahs, seven can be killed, and the emperor can be the enemy, Are you the enemy of the world? Could it be that you really have an affair with Donglu and are ready to be the prince of Dongyu? The words have come to this, what to do, I Wang will not say much, boycott, my Wang family is not involved, and I advise you not to do it......" The representative of the Wang family took over the conversation, sighed and said, indicating his attitude. His family got the inside information of powerful people in the court, and already knew the emperor's backhand, and he had no hope of giving in to Emperor Bī's concessions, looking at those who were clamoring for a boycott, he immediately stated his position, following them is a dead end, and the whole family may suffer, and according to the guidance of the person in the court to his family, perhaps, there is still a way to live. ,

This is not the first time they have discussed countermeasures, they have discussed it years ago, and there has been a debate from the beginning about whether to strike the market, they have never been able to step over a hurdle, that is, their "relationship" is unwilling, and they can't bear the charge of Emperor Bī's abdication, without the protection of "relationship", they boycott the market, I am afraid that they don't have to wait for Jinyiwei to go to mén, a county order can break the house, as soon as the emperor makes a move, he will cut off the connection between them and the "relationship", Let them have nothing to rely on.

"Hahaha...... this is obviously the emperor's crime against us, a captive? Be the prince of Dongyu? Who is this *** whose brain was kicked by a donkey, who believes it? Who will? Who doesn't do a good job of being a man in the prosperous world, and runs to be a savage in the icy ravine? The representative of the Liang family distorted his face, smiling unwillingly, although he shouted for a boycott, but he also knew that the boycott would never end well, their "relationship" had begun to draw a line with them, and then making trouble was undoubtedly a jī egg hitting a stone, and the consequence was by no means as "warm and affectionate" as it is now, although the situation was tense now, and he was running a salt merchant, but just like his family, his lord was called by Jinyiwei to drink tea, but he could still move around, which shows that the emperor still has room for death, and he really wants to seek death by himself, and the consequences are by no means the same as now.

"What Brother Wang said, I Guo Mou believed, at this time, I undoubtedly think that I secretly coincided with the East, dragged down the emperor, dragged down the court, at that time, the people of the world will stand on the side of the emperor, the people of the world can't eat salt, they will only hate us more, take this bī emperor, it is a joke, at that time, without the emperor's hands, a county order can break mén and destroy the family, the world is so big, but there is really no place for us, Qin Hui kneeling like we will have a share, of course, if among you, there are really willing to go to the Guanwai Dongyu, It is also a ......way out, it is said that there are really people who have been entrusted by the East Captives, hún into our salt merchants......" The representative of the Guo family looked around helplessly and dejectedly, and said, his family also has well-informed people in the court, so he resolutely disagrees with the strike, if the market is really boycotted, then there is really no need to say anything, even the "relationship" of his family will turn around and destroy them.

The words of the two influential salt merchants made the salt merchants present all mourn and languid, and they all withered, and they didn't even have the strength to shout at the last moment.

"Little Brother Liang, as for the matter of inviting Olympic aid, I think it will be stopped, the two Olympic aids you mentioned, Wang Mou guessed that Zhang and Li, the two politicians, according to the inspectors, and the weighty governors have all entered Beijing...... Alas...... There is nothing in the court to stop the emperor, let alone the two of them? Are they willing to bear the charge of Emperor Bī's abdication? Can they afford it? They are grinding with your family, in addition to not being able to get rid of it, but also grinding your family's money......" The words of the Wang family made the children of the Liang family completely languishing, and they no longer had the strength to shout.

“…… Woowoo...... Is it just waiting for death? What the hell are we going to do? …… Woo woo...... "The children of the Liang family have collapsed, his master has been invited to tea, and the life and death of the family are in an instant."

All the salt merchants felt an infinite net, enveloping them in it, pressing them so that they could not move, except for breathlessness, only coldness.

“…… In fact, the emperor still left room for ...... "The representative of the Wang family is also extremely reluctant and unwilling, but at this time, it is useless to be unwilling.

When the salt merchants saw the representative of the Wang family speak, they all turned their heads to stare at him, to see what he said, the salt merchants here are all big salt merchants, and the Wang family and the Guo family are the leaders among them, and the "relationship" between the two of them in the court is definitely the highest, so many people believe what the two of them say. Not all salt merchants' "connections" reach their level.

“…… Brother Liang, don't you think that the emperor actually still leaves a little leeway? I didn't want to exterminate our salt merchants, otherwise, Brother Liang would have been invited to Jinyiwei, you can still walk around, and you can still come to discuss countermeasures with us? Don't you think this is strange? "The Wang family has received important guidance from the court's "relationship", has known the emperor's backhand, has a more comprehensive understanding of things, and knows their own way, so today, there are more words, not as silent as the previous times.

The representative of the Liang family is a young man in his twenties, who is decadent and crying in despair, and after listening to the words of the representative of the Wang family, a glimmer of hope rose in his heart, yes! His father was invited to Jinyiwei, but he can still move around, he can still work around, pull relationships everywhere, find mén road, this matter, can't help but explain some problems, to put it in the past, this thing is impossible, such a big thing, how can others allow him to do this? ,

“…… This, Uncle Wang, this ......, this is true, that ......, then this means? The representative of the Liang family immediately respectfully consulted the people of the Wang family, and the news of the Wang family was much more reliable and well-informed than theirs.

"Alas......, this matter is ......, in fact, it is also very simple, all because the emperor left a little leeway, as for why, then it can't be broken, little brother Liang, you have to think more about yourself......, alas, in fact, the emperor has blocked all our paths, except to follow the emperor's wishes, I think, it is difficult to get out of the second one......" The representative of the Wang family said with a helpless wry smile.

The other salt merchants hurriedly asked the emperor how to go.

"Brother Wang, then in your opinion, what does the emperor plan to let us go?"

"Yes! Brother Wang, how should we go? ”

Facing the inquiries of a group of salt merchants, the representative of the Wang family smiled bitterly for a while, and said: "Today's news, it is Xu Ge Lao who is in charge of our case, Xu Ge is not bad, and he is known as a living Bodhisattva, Xu Ge Lao is now in Nanjing,......, alas, how to do it, Wang really can't say, however, what Wang does, you may wish to learn from it, it is to explore the way for you, if it is feasible, you may as well follow, if not, forget ......, the words can only be said so much, and if you say more, it will be ......."

The words of the representative of the Wang family made the salt merchant confused, the salt merchant's case was in charge of Xu Guangqi, this, they knew, but what does this have to do with him being a living bodhisattva? However, there are also some people who are more jīng Ming, and they understand the meaning of the Wang family's words, and their eyes begin to shine, it seems that this Yangzhou does not have to stay, and they have to go to Nanjing immediately, where there is still a glimmer of hope.

Just when everyone was pondering, the representative of the Wang family got up and said goodbye, the purpose of his coming here has been achieved, first, he was instructed by someone to send a letter, and secondly, he also left some feelings among these salt merchants, and it was good to meet in the future, the emperor did not intend to put all the salt merchants to death, and naturally there would be later.

The Wang family said goodbye, and the people of the Guo family also hurriedly said goodbye, and immediately followed.

When the people of the Guo family caught up with the Wang family, they shouted, "Brother Wang, Brother Wang, please stay." ”

When the representative of the Wang family saw that it was someone from the Guo family, he also stood up and said with a smile: "It turned out to be Brother Guo, I don't know if Brother Guo has anything to do with you?" There seemed to be no trace of anxiety on the faces of the representatives of the Wang family, as if the salt merchant case had nothing to do with them.

"Brother Wang is really a free and easy person, so indifferent, admirable, admirable......" Guo Jia's ghostwriting eyes are sharp, and you can see the difference on the Wang family's face at once.

"There, there......" The people of the Wang family looked free and easy.

“…… Dare to ask, is there any news about Lord Qiao? The people of the Guo family immediately asked, his family's news is also quite well-informed, this salt merchant case, his family's "relationship" turned around very quickly, has been ordered early, everything listens to the emperor, what the emperor wants to do, they will do, the emperor will not beat them all to death with a stick, their family is at ease, although the broken family is certain, but, as their family's "relationship" said, it is just a fall, their family's "relationship" is still there, and there is a lot of opportunity to turn over, if you do it with the emperor, then there will be no turnover. In this salt merchant case, the emperor will definitely "trample to death" some people, otherwise the salt merchant case will not be concluded. Recently, a message was sent, asking them to look at the Wang family, which "relationship" of the Wang family is very likely to have dredged the emperor's joints, what the emperor is going to do, it is estimated that it will start with the Wang family, so what the Wang family has done, it is best to follow up, this is why when the Wang family discussed countermeasures today, he helped the Wang family speak, and saw that the Wang family seemed to have a way, so he immediately came out to inquire, and directly put the "relationship" of the Wang family out to show his weight.

"Hehe, Brother Guo is also well-informed! ......" The representative of the Wang family looked at the representative of the Guo family with a smile, and also knew who the "relationship" of the Guo family was, and there were some things that could not be hidden.

"There...... there" The people of the Guo family hurriedly smiled and humbled, although this time the emperor set up a salt merchant, which made his family fall a lot, but his family's "relationship" is still there, and it is not too difficult to turn over again, so it is very different from some headless and brainless salt merchants.

“…… Since Brother Guo asked, then Wang Mou will be a little more transparent, and in the future, I hope that Brother Guo will bring more ......" The representative of the Wang family thought about it, and said, their family's "relationship" has cost a lot, paved a way for them, and now they are ready to go this way, although it is inconvenient to say to outsiders, but the Guo family is different, his family's "relationship" is still alive, and the energy is very great, and there is a need for Jiāo to be good.

“…… There are limits to the path that Wang takes, the sooner the better, and if it is late, the mén of this road will be closed, and what can be said, Wang can only say so much, I think Brother Guo must be able to understand what Wang meant......" The representative of the Wang family thought about it and said.

"That's it, thank you!" The representative of the Guo family thought about it, already had a rough score in his heart, and thanked him.

[A few wordy words, I apologize to everyone, I was too tired yesterday, I wanted to take a nap, but I didn't expect that I overslept and couldn't catch up when I got up, so I had to make up for it today, everyone forgive me! ] 】