The ruthless emperor in the late Ming Dynasty forced Chongzhen to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 151 Punishing the Doctor
Although nearly a thousand scholars were all aggrieved, they wished to point at the back of the red lady and yell at her, and then walked away.

But in the end, no one chose to leave, but they all honestly counted more than a hundred thousand people.

These nearly a thousand people are almost either scholars or Juren, and they are all obliged to respond to the court's call, especially Juren.

If they really left, it would be refusing to answer the call, and Hong Niangzi would expel them from their merits, then there really is no reason to go.

Compared with being unable to complete the task and being punished by the imperial concubine, everyone cares more about their own fame, and even the most backboned people know how to choose.

What's more, everyone didn't think that the red lady would really do anything to them, at most she would humiliate them a little bit more. Anyway, being humiliated by the empress is not a humiliation.

When Hong Niangzi returned to the city, she happened to bump into a group of cotton cloth merchants kneeling at the gate of the palace begging to see Zhang Yan.

For these businessmen, Hong Niangzi really didn't have the slightest concern, and immediately vented her anger on them.

Everyone directly rewarded twenty big boards, and there was a lot of wailing and screaming for a while, many people's buttocks were blooming, but the people onlookers secretly applauded.

"Don't you like to petition? Well, I will help you. From now on, you will be kneeling all the time. Without my order, no one is allowed to get up!"

Although the red lady's anger subsided a little, she still didn't intend to let them go. After finishing speaking, she gave instructions to the female general at the side, Xu Lan.

"Xu Lan, look after me."

"It's the lady."

As soon as Xu Lan beckoned, hundreds of female soldiers surrounded dozens of cotton cloth merchants, and the cotton cloth merchants were all in a state of mourning. They didn't expect the red lady to come back so soon.

Still don't ask the reason, don't reason, just start the fight.

The other big businessmen who were watching from a distance all looked dignified.

For this kind of person who doesn't make sense at all and uses force to solve everything, everyone feels a little powerless.

And this delay, Hong Niangzi did not return to the palace, but went back outside the city again to check the statistics of the scholars.

In an hour, the scholars naturally couldn't finish counting and compiling the books, and even distributed the people, and were about to start counting and compiling the books.

There are more than [-] messy people, including men, women, old and weak. It is very rare to be able to sort out the clues within an hour.

But Hong Niangzi still rewarded each of them with ten army sticks, and they still beat them in front of 10,000+ people.

Scholars who used to be high above the top are now like ordinary people, lying on the bench and being beaten with a board, or thousands of people were beaten, which immediately caused a sensation in the whole city of Nanjing.

After all, it has been impossible to punish a doctor since ancient times.

And many scholars were beaten to the point of crying and howling, showing all their ugliness, and they could no longer maintain the demeanor of scholars.

"Look at your distressed looks, you are so unbearable, if I really want to add swords and axes, what kind of scene will it be?

I can't even bear this bit of hardship. How can I be an official in the future, how can I take on the big responsibility and benefit one side?
I will give you another day, if you still can't finish it, each person will be rewarded with another [-] army sticks! "

Facing the lesson of the red lady, some people blushed and showed no anger, some lowered their heads in shame, and most of them closed their eyes and pretended not to hear.

"What are you still doing in a daze, why don't you go to work?"

Seeing them like this, the red lady immediately shouted again.

"Let's go!"

Looking at the limping scholars, Hong Niangzi lost her interest and lost interest in punishing them. Compared with her husband, these scholars are like candlelight and bright moon, and punishing them by herself waste time.

Chen Yuanyuan looked at the back of her former lover Mao Pijiang, and sighed softly. Only she knew that although the empress deliberately made things difficult for these scholars this time, she also wanted to test them.

Who would have thought that so many people would be confused by the arrogance and unreasonableness on the surface of the empress.

Three days later, Hong Niangzi took a [-]-strong army and nearly a thousand brothel girls including Chen Yuanyuan, and went to Yangzhou by boat.

At the same time, all salt merchants were notified to go to Yangzhou to discuss the reform of the salt administration.

Originally, Hong Niangzi really wanted to choose some scholars with real talents and knowledge to go to Yangzhou together, but the performance of those scholars made her very disappointed, and she didn't even think about teaching.

And those dozens of cotton cloth merchants knelt for three days and three nights, during which each of them was only given a bowl of water to drink, and they were so hungry that they were left with half their lives, so Zhang Yan came forward and asked someone to carry them back.

If Daming had a manufacturing output value ranking, then Yangzhou and Suzhou would definitely rank first.

The two cities accounted for at least [-]% of the total output value of Ming Dynasty's manufacturing industry, which shows how developed the textile industry in Suzhou and the salt industry in Yangzhou are.

As word spread, it wasn't just the salt merchants who went to Yangzhou, there were countless others.

And Fang Yizhi and other nearly a thousand scholars even rented dozens of boats and went to Yangzhou to continue to join in the fun.

Many people were still writing hard in the cabin, writing out all their reforms and opinions on the salt administration, and they were going to present them to the matchmaker.

Almost everyone didn't believe that Hong Niangzi, a mere anti-thief leader, could come up with a new salt policy, so it must have been ordered by His Majesty.

This is why I want to see how His Majesty will reform the salt administration, so as to analyze His Majesty's attitude towards Jiangnan business.

The scholars naturally wanted to use this to gain fame.

It can be said that every move of the imperial court affects the sensitive nerves of the Jiangnan business gentry.

Although the imperial concubine went with a large army, everyone thought it was for deterrence. With so many businessmen gathered together, they would not believe that the imperial concubine dared to kill.

After more than 100 years of development, merchants in Jiangnan seem to have formed a tacit understanding that salt merchants can only sell salt, not silk and cotton.

And the silk and cotton merchants are not allowed to intervene in the salt industry. Both parties abide by this tacit agreement, and no one dares to cross the line.

Similarly, these two most profitable businesses are also firmly monopolized by both parties, excluding other businessmen.

The meeting place was in a manor outside Yangzhou City. This manor was extremely luxurious and huge. It was the property of Duke Wei. When the red lady arrived, many businessmen had already gathered in Yangzhou City.

"I'm telling you, the four princes of Jinling and dozens of scholars are asking to see you outside the manor."

Early the next morning, as soon as the red lady woke up, the female soldier came in to report.

"Hmph, a group of guys who are full of fame and fortune, take them to the side hall."

The red lady snorted coldly, Fang Yizhi was the only one of the four young masters, who was somewhat bloody, so after thinking about it, I decided to meet them.

But Fang Yizhi and others were overjoyed when they were brought to the hall. They were worried that the imperial concubine would not summon them.

The red lady was also dressed in a military uniform, and she sat down directly when she came to the hall.

"Greetings to the imperial concubine, the empress is a thousand years old."

"Tell me! What is it that I came to ask to see?"

"The salt industry is related to the people's livelihood in the world. We heard that your mother wants to reform the salt administration. We have lived in the south of the Yangtze River for a long time, and we know a lot about the salt industry. We have a little experience and want to contribute to the imperial court. This is our respect. Some advice and insight into the pros and cons of the salt industry!"

As Fang Yizhi said, he took out a thick booklet from his arms and held it above his head with both hands.

The female soldier on the side took the brochure and handed it to the red lady. Everyone looked forward to it.

Who would have thought that Hong Niangzi didn't look through it, but put it aside directly.

"You guys know so much about the salt industry, know its disadvantages, and have a good plan in mind, why didn't you write a letter to the court earlier to rectify the salt industry?

I had to wait until my palace was in Yangzhou before coming to offer advice. Do you really care about the common people and want to contribute to the court, or do you want to take this opportunity to gain fame for yourself? "

After the red lady finished speaking, she stared straight at them.

Everyone's faces turned red, they didn't expect this noble concubine to be so shrewd, she could see their purpose at a glance, and even said it directly.

"The matter of the salt government is related to the Ming Dynasty. It's not like this group of scholars who only care about fame and fortune, who can make irresponsible remarks, step down!"

The red lady waved her hand.

Everyone's thoughts were seen through by her, and they were already very embarrassed, so they all resigned and left after seeing this.

There is no shame in continuing to stay and participate in the follow-up conference.

"Fang Yizhi, if you really want to do something for the imperial court and the people of the world, I advise you to travel to the north, instead of hanging around with these people on the banks of the Qinhuai River all day, boasting!"

"Thank you, Ma'am, for the reminder."

Fang Yizhi, who walked to the door, paused, turned around, and cupped his hands at the red lady.

(End of this chapter)