Many people feel fierce and evil when they hear Jinyiwei, and the leader of Jinyiwei is like a demon, which is actually a misunderstanding. Although the methods used by the Jinyi Guards to deal with prisoners are cruel, it does not mean that they are too different from others. On the contrary, Jin Yiwei is born to be better at dealing with people than others, and knows how to communicate with people.

Tian Ergeng knew that in his own capacity, serving as the secretary of the Nanjing Criminal Department, which could only be held by civilian officials in the past, would definitely cause people to talk about it, and would inevitably not be accepted by mainstream officials. Although he doesn't care about this, in order to do a good job, he must integrate into officialdom as soon as possible. Among the six Shangshu in Beijing, most of them are Jinshi officials like Li Banghua who came from a clear background, only he and Song Yingxing were not Jinshi from Jinshi, and they were also resisted by court officials, which was simply connected to the same fate. Therefore, Tian Ergeng deliberately communicated with Song Yingxing, trying to enhance friendship and become each other's officialdom in the future.

Under Tian Ergeng's deliberate support, Song Yingxing excitedly talked about his invention, Tian Ergeng expressed surprise and applauded from time to time, and it was easy to get Song Yingxing's favor, and the two could be said to have a very happy conversation.

After chatting well, Song Yingxing also felt that Tian Ergeng was a good person, not at all like the rumored fierce god and notorious appearance, and he had a lot of experience and knowledge, and what he said could often scratch his heart, and it didn't take long to introduce Tian Ergeng as a confidant, and often sat on the bow of the boat together to drink and chat.

However, Li Banghua, who was traveling with the two, seemed much more withdrawn, and often locked himself in the cabin alone. Song Yingxing invited him a few times when he was drinking, but when he saw that Li Banghua did not agree, he gave up.

"People are the Nanjing officials who have been approved by the court to sign the cabinet and the ceremonial supervisor is wearing red, so I can't talk to us who took office by the decree." Tian Ergeng said with a smile.

Song Yingxing and Tian Ergeng's appointments were not approved by the cabinet, but were only appointed by the emperor, so from this point of view, they naturally lowered Li Banghua.

"Master Li is broad-minded, and he will definitely not look down on us because of this, maybe he is worried about his family in Jiangxi." Song Yingxing said.

Tian Ergeng nodded: "Maybe." ”

The official ship went south along the canal, and soon passed through Dezhou to Shandong.

"Hey, this peaceful scene in Shandong is completely different from what I saw when I came to Beijing a few years ago." When the boat arrived in Linqing, looking at the surface of the canal where the boats came and went, and then looking at the people who were cultivating the fields on both sides of the canal with peace of mind, Song Yingxing suddenly sighed. In the first year of Chongzhen, Song Yingxing passed through Shandong when he went north to participate in the imperial examination, and encountered many robberies of ringing horses, and the entire Shandong was in turmoil. And now it looks like a peaceful and prosperous world.

"This situation is also only this year, just last year today, Shandong Wenxiang Sect uprising, swept most of Jiaodong. Fortunately, His Majesty toured south to Shandong, dispatched the Janissaries to fight the rebellion, and transferred thousands of Janissaries from Liaodong to extinguish the Wenxiang Sect thieves, and then carried out the reform of the clan in Shandong, and implemented the Juntian release of slaves, disposed of the Yansheng Mansion that tried to plot rebellion, and distributed the fields of the vassal king, the Yansheng Mansion, and the gentry to the landless people, so that the cultivators had their fields, and ordered Cao Bianjiao to be the general soldier of Shandong to exterminate the Xiangma bandits, and now the Xiangma bandits in the entire Shandong have almost disappeared, and the people live in peace and happiness, which is no longer the chaotic times of the past. Tian Ergeng explained with a smile. As the former governor of Jinyiwei, he knows the situation everywhere well.

"Your Majesty's work is truly good governance." Song Yingxing praised.

Li Banghua walked out of the cabin at some point, listened to the conversation between the two silently, looked at the fields on both sides of the canal, and showed a thoughtful expression on his face.

The fleet passed through Liaocheng and Jining, and soon arrived at the territory of Nanzhili, and then saw more and more ships on the canal, most of which were ships going north.

"These are supposed to be boats carrying grain to Beijing, and in the spring, the canal thaws, and the grain hoarded in various parts of the south of the Yangtze River is going north one after another." Tian Ergeng said to Song Yingxing.

"I see." Song Yingxing nodded.

"Hehe......" Li Banghua, who was standing at the bow of the boat at some point, sneered.

"When did Meng Dugong come out?" Song Yingxing hurriedly saluted Li Banghua and said with a smile on his face.

"I've seen Meng Duong." Tian Ergeng was also busy with Li Banghua.

Li Banghua returned the salute lightly.

"Why did Meng Yangong laugh just now, is there anything wrong with what I said?" Tian Ergeng said with a smile.

"You see, these ships have a very deep draft, and the grain ships definitely don't have such a deep draft. And the people who escorted the grain were all Caoding, and if you look at these ships, the boatmen on them were wearing ordinary clothes, and they were not Caoding boats at all. Li Banghua said lightly.

"I see, I made a mistake, Meng Yangong is really knowledgeable." Tian Ergeng looked at it carefully and suddenly realized.

"Meng Yangong, Your Majesty reformed the salt system last year and abolished the Woben system, and any merchant can sell salt as long as he registers with the Salt Transportation Yamen, is this a good thing?" Song Yingxing said suddenly.

"How does the current price of salt in Beijing compare with previous years?" Li Banghua asked.

"Listening to the cheap one, it seems to be a lot cheaper." Song Yingxing said.

"The price of salt is cheaper, which is naturally a good thing for the people. It depends on how much salt tax the two Huai salt transport yamen can pay to the state treasury this year, and if the salt tax can also be increased, then it is really good governance. Li Banghua said.

Song Yingxing nodded: "What Meng Dugong said is reasonable. ”

Zhu Youzhen's arrest of salt merchants in Yangzhou to carry out salt political reform also caused an uproar in the court at that time. The salt merchants of Lianghuai are rich in the world, which has a background in the DPRK and China, and the officials of the relevant departments have long been fed, that is, the cabinet and the important ministers of the six ministries, and they also receive the filial piety of many salt merchants every year. However, the emperor is far away, and no matter how noisy the court is, it can't change the fact of salt reform. Moreover, Zhu Youzhen installed his own people in the salt transportation yamen and the major salt works, and the appointed officials did not go through the ministry at all, and the court was helpless.

Li Banghua was an honest official, and he did not receive the filial piety of the salt merchants, although he was also dissatisfied with the emperor's unauthorized use of salt politics, but he could still maintain his sanity.

"As long as the people of the world can eat cheap salt, what if the salt tax does not increase?" Tian Ergeng said suddenly.

"That's what Lord Tian said." Li Banghua glanced at Tian Ergeng lightly, and did not bother to refute.

For the Ming Dynasty, the salt tax is the largest income other than the field tax, which is naturally very important! The major events of the imperial court, how can a mere leader of the brocade guard understand?

Tian Ergeng could feel Li Banghua's contempt, but he was helpless. He is good at arresting and judging people, and when it comes to major affairs of the court, he is naturally far inferior to a cadre like Li Banghua.

Wrapped around his waist for 100,000 yuan, he rode a crane down to Yangzhou. Yangzhou's wealth and prosperity are no less than those of Suzhou and Hangzhou. Sure enough, when the official ship arrived in Yangzhou, there were more and more ships on the canal, which caused congestion and blockage, and it was impossible to move forward for half a day. Song Yingxing proposed that everyone go ashore and rest in Yangzhou for a day, and then continue the journey, which was approved by everyone.

"I have heard for a long time that Yangzhou Xihu is infinitely romantic, and Yangzhou Thin Horse is even more famous all over the world, Meng Duong, since we have passed through Yangzhou, we might as well see it." Song Yingxing said with a smile.

Li Banghua was also very moved when he heard this, and happily followed him ashore, ready to find a building and have a good time. True celebrities are self-efficacious, and prostitutes are nothing.

Tian Ergeng opened his mouth, closed it again, and silently followed ashore together.

Entering Yangzhou City, to the shore of the West Lake, several people were surprised to find that there were a lot less Qinglou Chu Pavilions, and the beautiful scenery of the West Lake was actually a depression, that is, there were few scholars and tourists.

found a restaurant at random, and while Xiao Er was serving wine and food, Song Yingxing asked about it.

"The guest officials don't know that after His Majesty arrived in Yangzhou last year, he issued a decree to severely crack down on those who raise thin horses, and once they find out, they will be killed. Moreover, most of the big nest merchants were raided, and the original salt merchants in Yangzhou City ran away and there was no market. In addition, His Majesty ordered the release of slaves to cancel their lowly status, and many sisters chose to leave their nationality and follow a good career. Xiao Er explained.

"Could it be that there is not a green building in Yangzhou City?" Song Yingxing said a little unwillingly. After going south for more than half a month, he was already unable to hold back.

"There are still Qinglou, after all, His Majesty did not force it to be cancelled. But the sisters in the Qinglou are no longer cheap, and now they are only selling their arts, not their bodies. But if the guest officer really wants to play, the villain can introduce you to some private prostitutes......" Xiao Er said and stretched out his palm, skillfully rubbing his fingers.

"......" Song Yingxing was speechless, and waved his hand to drive Xiao Er down. No matter how hungry Lao Tzu is, he won't go to those filthy private prostitutes!

After a big meal, I found a restaurant to stay, and continued to get on the boat early the next morning to set off, going south from Guazhou across the Yangtze River, and going ashore in Zhenjiang, only 100 miles away from Nanjing.

Originally, he could also continue to go to Nanjing by water, but Li Banghua had to choose to take the land route, and Song Yingxing and Tian Ergeng could only accompany him.

Naturally, taking the land route is not as comfortable as taking a boat, even if you hire a big car, it is quite bumpy when walking.

Li Banghua didn't care about this, and kept opening the car window to look at the scenery outside. When the carriage stops to rest, they will step out of the carriage and talk to the farmers resting on the edge of the fields.

Li Banghua's family was not wealthy when he was a child, because the family had to support him and his father as two scholars, and the cost was too great. When they first participated in the township test, they didn't even have the money to hire a car or boat, so the father and son walked to the provincial capital to take the township test together. Therefore, I am well aware of the sufferings of the people.

In Li Banghua's impression, the ordinary people of the Ming Dynasty were living in poverty, ragged clothes and vegetables were a common phenomenon, and most of the peasants' faces were bent over by life, and their faces were very numb, like the walking dead.

A big war has just broken out in Jiangnan, and in Li Banghua's view, the people in Jiangnan are bound to live more difficult. However, he found that although these people were still dressed in tatters, although their faces were still vegetable, they were in very good spirits, and many of them were humming songs even when they were resting, and they seemed to be beaming and in good spirits.

"Fellow Guigeng?" Li Banghua came to a farmer sitting on the ridge of the field, sat on the ground indifferently, smiled and talked.

"I was born in Gengzi and am fifty-seven years old this year." Shocked by Li Banghua's clothing and temperament, the farmer said with some trepidation.

"Fifty-seven, you should enjoy a few days of blessings, why do you still go to the field to farm?" Li Banghua said.

"Alas, what blessing is it to the harvesters, who are born to suffer. This is not my boy who went to Nanjing to fight for His Majesty, and was left by His Majesty as a Praetorian Guard, the family has just divided the field, and the town organizes people to help cultivate the fields and plant wheat, but you can't let people help with everything. I can still move, old man, so I went to the field to gather grass. The farmer said.

"Ling Lang turned out to be a Praetorian Guard?" Li Banghua said in a surprised tone.

"Yes, noble man, you don't know, my kid has great strength since he was a child, and he is good at dancing guns and sticks, when the peasant soldiers fought in Nanjing, he made meritorious contributions, and was appreciated by His Majesty and stayed as a Praetorian Guard, and last time he wrote to say that he was about to become a chief." The farmer was full of pride.

"That's amazing. By the way, I've heard for a long time that Jiangnan divides the fields, how did you divide them? Li Banghua asked.

"That's right, Your Majesty decreed that all the fields of the gentry and landlords should be confiscated and distributed to the people together with the official land. As long as you are over ten years old, both men and women can divide the land, and if there are Janissary soldiers in the family, you can divide one more acre, my family is not a child, there are five people, and the whole thirteen acres are divided. The farmer said excitedly.

"That's a lot, by the way, how much land tax do you need to pay?" Li Banghua asked. The rivers in the south of the Yangtze River are dense and the land is fertile, and the yield per mu is much higher than that in the north, and the grain produced in the thirteen acres of fields is not much if the field tax is not much, and there is no problem in feeding seven or eight people.

"The emperor is merciful, and only 30% of the field tax is collected, because my son is a Praetorian Guard, and he does not have to serve as a servant. There is still a monthly salary to be paid, and there is no problem with having a full meal this year. The farmer beamed.

"That's pretty good." Li Banghua said sincerely. Eating a full meal is the expectation in the hearts of almost all the people, in fact, there are not many people in the Ming Dynasty who can eat a full meal.

"Yes, Your Majesty came to Jiangnan, and we ordinary people will be blessed, not only will the fields be divided, but the town and village officials will also help our people, and we will no longer have to be bullied by the gentry and landlords in the future."

"What did Your Majesty do with those gentry and landlords?" Li Banghua asked.

"Even if they divided their fields, they didn't do much to dispose of them, and their shops and workshops didn't move. If you want me to say that Your Majesty is still too merciful, you should have raided their houses and confiscated their shops and workshops. The farmer sneered.

"It's not necessary to give a way to live, after all, not all gentry and landlords are bad people." Li Banghua hurriedly said.

"What you said is also true, for example, the squire Tian in our town paves roads and bridges on weekdays, and the people are really good. When I first divided his family's land, I was a little unbearable. The farmer laughed, "But I heard that some squires in other towns were arrested and their homes were raided, and those gentry always bullied the common people and did too many evil things, so Your Majesty sent someone to clean them up." ”

"Your Majesty, good people are rewarded, and those who commit crimes deserve to be punished." Li Banghua smiled.

When they set off by car again, Song Yingxing and Tian Ergeng found that Li Banghua had a little more smile on his face, as if some knot had been untied.