Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 345 An Assist from Manqing
As for going south again and regaining Jiangnan, it seems to have been forgotten.

In fact, the Manchu and Qing courts were too busy to take care of themselves.

The previous hair-shaving order was promulgated because of taking Jiangnan, Dorgon thought that the world would be settled, and he no longer needed to consider the feelings of the Han people, so he enforced it forcefully.

Even after two years of rule, turmoil still occurred in Gyeonggi, and in places like Shanxi and Shandong, countless scholars led protests.

That's all, the big deal is suppression.

However, scholars are worthy of being scholars, and they immediately realized the loophole of the Manchu Qing Dynasty - lack of food.

Therefore, many people do not fight on the surface, but secretly fight against taxes.

It can not only reflect the spirit of confrontation, but also save money and food, why not do it?
The local government is helpless.

Droughts and epidemics have been frequent since the end of the Ming Dynasty. Once the local gentry concealed the population and land, now they do not even cooperate on the surface, and the treasury is naturally empty.

The hair-shaving order, coupled with the land enclosure movement, immediately turned Beizhili into a mess, and the Taihang Mountains were full of fleeing people.

The household registration was lost, and the fields were barren.

As a result, the situation of the summer harvest in the third year of Shunzhi was extremely severe.

Compared with the previous two years, the household registration has decreased by [-]%, and countless cultivated lands have been abandoned. The local governments simply can't count them, and they can't count them.

"Today, in the four provinces of Northern Zhili, Shandong, Henan, and Shanxi, the tax payment this summer is only 3 million shi, and the offering to the court is only 2 million shi."

Fan Wencheng frowned, such a simple yet exaggerated number really made him uneasy.

What can 2 million stone do?
One hundred thousand and eight banners, doing nothing for a year will cost so much.

Hundreds of officials, hundreds of thousands of Han troops, and the royal family all need to be supported.

Over the years, life in the pass has been difficult, but Liaodong is not much better. It needs a large number of Shanxi merchants to sell food to survive. Now it supports at most 500,000 shi.

The salt tax, commercial tax, etc. add up to only a few 100,000 taels.

In other words, today's Manchu Qing is living on its laurels.

"How much is the shortfall?"

When Dorgon heard this, his head was about to explode, and he quickly shook his head and asked.

"Dingkou was greatly reduced due to the great epidemic in the capital, but the Eight Banners brought their families into the city. Taicang is still short of a million shi of grain, and so far gold and silver..."

Fan Wencheng didn't say anything, but just shook his head and said, "Wu Sangui's Guan Ning Army alone needs 500,000 taels a year."

Dorgon was silent.

He stood up, his expression very irritated.

The reasons why the Ming army took refuge in the Qing Dynasty were all false, and the only thing that was true was the generous money and food.

Over the years, he has invaded the pass several times, and last year's southward travel has accumulated a large amount of money in the imperial treasury.

But if you live on your laurels year after year, how many years can you eat?
"Mr. Fan has a solution?"

Dorgon raised his head and said seriously.

"My lord, the imperial court has only one way to take down Jiangnan, the most affluent place in the world."

Fan Wencheng said directly and decisively: "Whether it is Shandong, Shaanxi, or Henan, which is a piece of white land, it doesn't matter. Only Jiangnan is the most important thing."

"Of course I understand!" Dorgon stroked his beard and said solemnly:
"Since you can't take it all at once, then come a few more times."

"Building new naval divisions and training troops all require money and food."

Dorgon narrowed his eyes and said, "So, suspend the execution of the hair-shaving order!"

"Wei Chen understands."

Fan Wencheng knew that this was the Prince Regent's compromise.

The so-called suspension means no strict supervision and freedom, and those who have already shaved will naturally continue to shave.

Politics is such a thing, constant compromise.

But he understands that when Jiangnan is captured, the hair-shaving order will be implemented again.

……

And just as Zhu Yixi was preparing for the enthronement ceremony, the order to shave hair and enclose land from Beijing finally spread to Nanjing.

In an instant, a huge wave of public opinion was set off.

At this time, Fushe was in a mess, while several societies opened up.

If it is said that Fushe is good at talking about politics and participating in politics, then these societies are a gathering place for a group of literary youths.

As the leader of several clubs, Chen Zhilong looked at the dozens of club members in front of him, trembling all over, and his eyes were red:
"Body and skin, the parents of the recipients, don't regret it lightly. The establishment of slaves is rampant, and they want to replace Xia with barbarians."

On the side, Xia Yunyi (Xia Wanchun's father) also pulled his beard and said angrily:
"Being a slave is already unfaithful, and those shameless people shaved their heads and changed clothes, humiliating their ancestors, shameful, despicable, extremely hateful..."

After scolding several times in a row, I still can't understand the hatred.

But after all, he is a scholar, and he keeps saying a few words back and forth. He wants to learn the slang of the country, but his face is flushed and he can't speak it.

"Then, what about Mr. Hou? The Donglin Party..."

Suddenly, someone said cautiously.

"What time is it, let's take care of them."

Chen Zhilong roared loudly: "The country is ruined and Li Bang is overthrown. If we are like that money rats in the future, how can we face our ancestors?"

"I'm going to petition and implore the king of Yu to make a northern expedition, save the people of Li from fire and water, and save Libang."

At this moment, Xia Yunyi panicked, quickly grabbed his arm, and said, "Have you forgotten Hou Fangyu's lessons learned?"

"His Royal Highness Prince Yu hates forming cliques for personal gain and gathering crowds to make trouble. If one is not good enough to be imprisoned, it will be the end of the family."

Although Zhao Zhilong is forty years old, but his blood is still there, he raised his head and said: "Are you afraid?"

Xia Yunyi shook her head, said with a wry smile: "I'm not afraid, but I'm afraid that before I die, I won't see Da Ming's recovery, and die in vain at the hands of my own people."

Now, Zhao Zhilong was silent.

All the Wenqing were also silent.

This is too true to be refuted.

Zhao Zhilong suppressed: "Are we just letting it happen like this?"

"Aren't the civil and military officials of the Manchu dynasty not working?"

Xia Yunyi calmly said: "This kind of matter is not suitable for us to bring it up, but it should be raised by those powerful people, which is the best result."

Several members of the community sighed one after another.

I'm afraid that's the only way to go.

In Hu's house, because of Beijing's hair-shaving order and land enclosure order, a group of civil servants gathered together.

This time, it was Wang Yingxiong who was the first to speak:

"Your Highness, the establishment of slaves is against the law, and the people in the north are in dire straits, waiting to be fed. I implore Your Highness to obey the people's will as soon as possible, ascend the throne and proclaim the emperor, and order the south to conquer the north and establish slaves—"

Note that the public opinion at this time refers to the small and medium landlords headed by the owner farmers, also known as the property owners.

They understand a little bit of culture, participate in local governance, and cooperate with the government's actions, but their minds are purer.

However, it's not just them now?

When the hair-shaving order came out, even those big landlords who wanted to make peace could only fight to the end.

This is not a change of dynasty, this is the barbarians who want to change China, from the spirit to the body, all-round enslavement.

(End of this chapter)