I'm a big dick

Chapter 209 I'm scared, Jiangnan's eyes and ears
"Let's leave this matter for now." Zhou Yanru stroked his beard and said, "During this time, I have less contact with those eunuchs and gentry."

Wu Changshi nodded dully, and said: "It seems that this method is not easy to use, it's better to avoid the limelight for the time being."

Zhou Yanru was noncommittal, appearing calm on the surface, but inwardly he was terrified to death.He really didn't expect that the emperor was so strong that he would chop him up with a knife without letting him speak.

Since he wanted to be so ruthless, it also confirmed the emperor's dissatisfaction with the eunuchs and gentry. It is certain to do it, and it is only a matter of time.

The supreme imperial power, coupled with the control of the army, and the emperor is not afraid of being stigmatized, in this case, who can resist it?

Zhou Yanru picked up the teacup and took a sip of water. After calming down, he said, "I must be very careful in what I do in the future, and don't leave anything behind. The court may just wait for the crime and punishment!"

Wu Changshi nodded vigorously, and said: "I understand, this will alienate those country officials and gentry with bad deeds, so as not to implicate myself."

Zhou Yanru sighed helplessly, and said softly: "The captives in the east are rampant, and the southwest is not peaceful. Long live is probably forced by money. If you are rich and unkind, you can't blame others for being hit."

Wu Changshi thought about it carefully and found that Zhou Yanru's tone had changed.Just now he was scolding the faint emperor, why is he being considerate now, and instead scolding him as a rich and heartless country official and gentry?
The situation is stronger than the people!

Wu Changshi echoed his words, and made a judgment in his heart: Zhou Yanru was scared, and he was really scared.

And those eunuchs and gentry who participated in this matter were probably also stunned by the fierce knife of the emperor, and were frightened stupid.

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Running to compete for entrustments, public behavior, concealment of money and grain, good public opinion, and monopoly of lawsuits were the basic social images of scholars and students in the south of the Yangtze River in the late Ming Dynasty.

The gentry formed gangs, intervened in the administration, and controlled the village; robbed the property of the small people, enslaved the villagers, and ran amok; accepted donations, and kept slaves...

The great Confucian Gu Yanwu once concluded: "Today, those who go in and out of the public gate to disturb the government's government are also students; If the government flicks its will, those who will gather together to coax them are also students; those who control the government's secret affairs and make it a market with them are also students."

Regarding the bad habits and misdeeds of the students, Gu Yanwu even compared the students, the township officials and the subordinate officials to the three types of "sick people in the world".

At the same time, Gu Yanwu also advocated: "Abolish the world's students and the government will be clean; abolish the world's students and the people will be poor; out."

Although the current Gu Yanwu is only a child of eight or nine years old and does not have such a profound insight, but the evil of the gentry among the students has been accumulated for a long time, how can Zhu Youxiao not know?

It is precisely because of this that Li Qiyuan, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, received the strong support of Zhu Youxiao and began to implement it.

This can be regarded as the first step in rectifying students and eliminating bad habits.Although he was touched by the students, in Zhu Youxiao's view, it was not even an appetizer.

Of course, Zhu Youxiao was not too impatient, and this year will be over for the time being.He must focus on military affairs, and beat Jiannu to tears again in winter.

But the temporary suspension is not to continue to let it go. Zhu Youxiao must be prepared and take cracking down on students and gentry as a long-term task.

Now, Wang Guozhong, acting governor of the East Factory, is standing in the imperial study with his bowed body, listening to the young emperor giving instructions face to face.

Because the imperial palace uses a large amount of silk every year, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the imperial court set up three major weaving bureaus in Jiangnan, where the silk industry is most developed, namely: Jiangning Weaving, Suzhou Weaving and Hangzhou Weaving.

Among them, Jiangning weaving is the most famous in history. Of course, this is a matter of the Qing Dynasty.But in the Ming Dynasty, the three major weaving bureaus still had a relatively single business.

"Wang Ban took over the three major weaving bureaus, not in charge of supervising the silk and satin clothes used by the palace and court officials, but continuing the current duties of the East Factory and being my eyes and ears in the south of the Yangtze River."

Zhu Youxiao said slowly: "I don't think it's too trivial to know about the virtuous, foolish, honest and corrupt officials in the south of the Yangtze River, the crimes of the gentry and students, as well as the local rainwater harvest, people's epidemics and so on."

Wang Guozhong understands that he has done a good job in managing the East Factory during this time, and the emperor recognizes it, so he will let himself out to take care of himself.

"Don't worry, the emperor, the slaves will save it." Wang Guozhong replied with a bow.

Zhu Youxiao stretched out his finger and shook it lightly, and said, "No, you don't quite understand. I will tell you today that many students and gentry in Jiangnan only know Shangjue but not Shangde. moths..."

"The gentry is tyrannical and domineering, and those who do harm to one party should be wiped out; the students who evade taxes, take money from the rich, and steal the money and food that should be paid should be severely punished; the rural eunuchs who are lawless, obstruct the government, and arrogant should be expelled from their homes and ransacked their homes... "

Sweeping, severe punishment, expulsion of nationality and family raids, these words were said lightly from the mouth of the young emperor. Wang Guozhong remembered it carefully, but he didn't think it was too harsh.

These are dealt with according to the law, and the emperor did not come to "crime".

In other words, the emperor does not want to use shady means to carry out large-scale removals, but handles them openly and in accordance with the law.

"Only investigate and investigate secretly, and grasp the criminal evidence." Zhu Youxiao emphasized: "First hand it over to the local government, and let them deal with it."

As he spoke, the corners of Zhu Youxiao's mouth turned up slightly, showing a few sneers.In this way, it is just to see which local officials are capable and dare to take on the role, and which ones have been corrupted by the squires in name only.

Zhu Youxiao wouldn't do that if he overturned a boat with one pole.

Among the living beings, there are people who are unbearable, and there are also loyal ministers and officials like Shen Tingyang, who deal with them first with the law, and are not in a hurry to use unscrupulous methods.

"If the king's companion is difficult to decide, he can play it in secret first." Zhu Youxiao finally explained: "Also, the Nanjing Jingying is being rectified and rebuilt. If there is a civil uprising, you can go to discuss with Lu Jiude to deal with it urgently."

Wang Guozhong knelt down and kowtowed, "The servant obeys the order. I will go here to make a good mission and live up to the emperor's kindness."

Zhu Youxiao nodded, and said in a harmonious voice: "I believe in the ability of Wang Ban, and I will be able to share my worries. Well, I can step back and prepare."

Wang Guozhong advised to back out, Zhu Youxiao narrowed his eyes slightly.

During the investigation during this period, Wang Guozhong was still able to satisfy him.It is not only because he is sent out to be his eyes and ears, but also because Uncle Wei is coming back soon.

Thinking of the money that Lao Wei brought back, Zhu Youxiao couldn't help grinning.

For the Imperial Bank, the reserve fund has finally been collected almost, so we can speed up the pace of preparations and strive to open for profit next year.

Just as Zhu Youxiao was happy for a while, he remembered that Xiong Tingbi would continue to purchase horses and equipment to form cavalry.

It's hard to earn enough to spend slowly, the young emperor smiled wryly again.

Under Li Qiyuan's promotion of advantages and elimination of disadvantages, although the finances have improved, they can only rely on internal funds to support such a large amount of expenditure.

Fortunately, there are Taipu Temple, Xingtaipu Temple and Yuanma Temple in the capital, and they have raised a lot of horses, so they can be transferred directly.Moreover, war horses can also be purchased from various tribes of Mongolia through the border market.

But cavalry is easy to establish, but it is very painful to maintain and support.Weapons and equipment, people eat horse chews, one cavalry is equivalent to five or six infantry.

Counting his fingers, including the [-] cavalry who have already left the pass and garrisoned around Jinzhou, Zhu Youxiao felt that this year he could only pay Xiong Tingbi another [-] cavalry at most.

And this is still a cavalry with insufficient equipment. Anyway, it is only for training now, and it cannot be pulled out to fight Jiannu, and there will be time to make up for it later.

It's just that the Dongjiang Army also needs a cavalry, and Mao Wenlong has already asked for it, and Teacher Yuan agreed.

Zhu Youxiao stroked his forehead and thought for a while, gritted his teeth, and pulled out two thousand horses for Dongjiang Town.This year's gold flowers and silver are all manufactured, which should be enough.

If he hadn't made some money by selling mirrors, and if Grandpa Wanli hadn't left him an inheritance, the royal family wouldn't even be able to pass the New Year's Eve!

Thinking of making money, Zhu Youxiao felt that it would be enough to let the Dutch and the British hang out these days.

Mutual market trade is possible, but it must be done according to the rules of Ming Dynasty; it is also possible to set up shops and warehouses in treaty ports, and pay the rent.But if you want to garrison troops, there is no way!
It's easy to talk and discuss, I can bear it first.Wait until the Ming Dynasty Navy becomes tyrannical and beats you all back to your hometown.

………………… Divider………………

The opening of the new sea route has strengthened the connection and trade between Europe and various regions of the world. The types of commodities circulating in the European market have greatly increased, including silk, fabrics, spices, cotton, and tea from Asia, gold and silver, tobacco, and fur from the Americas, and Africa. gold, ivory, etc.

At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Netherlands successively established fourteen companies focusing on East India trade.

In order to avoid excessive commercial competition, these fourteen companies merged into one joint company, the Dutch East India Company.

The National Assembly of the Netherlands authorized the Dutch East India Company to have a trade monopoly in the Strait of Magellan from the Cape of Good Hope in the east to the southern tip of South America in the west.

The East India Company at that time was not a purely private enterprise or a joint-stock company. It was mixed with funds invested by royal relatives and local officials, which was the so-called aristocratic capitalism.

In the 32nd year of Wanli, Wei Malang of the Dutch East India Company led three giant ships to occupy Penghu Island while the Ming army was changing defenses.In the name of the mutual market, they attempted to occupy the Penghu Islands forever.

Shen Yourong, who was in charge at the time, went through strict deployment, regardless of his own safety, and sailed to the Dutch ship in a single boat, pointing out his interests, and sternly announced, forcing Wei Malang to retreat.

In the 34th year of Wanli, the fleet of the Dutch United East India Company defeated the combined fleet of Spain and Portugal in the Strait of Malacca, and mastered all sea dominance in the Far East except the China Sea.

In the 47th year of Wanli, the headquarters of the Dutch United East India Company moved to Batavia (now Jakarta).Within a few years, the Netherlands established a series of colonial strongholds and established an Eastern colonial empire.

(End of this chapter)