Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 155: Cut the Gordian knot! (Second update)

Three days later.

A small courtyard in the west of Beijing.

Xia Zhibai was flipping through a booklet.

The above is what was recorded by Dalu and others based on the oral account of a little beggar on the street.

half an hour.

Xia Zhibai put the booklet down.

He looked at Heiwa standing beside him and asked, "Heiwa, how long will it take for the people sent by the court to arrive? Is there a definite time?"

Heiwa stood up and scratched his head, saying, "Brother Xia, I've asked every day these past few days, but the post station couldn't explain clearly. They only said that the court had sent someone, but as for when they would arrive, they're not quite sure at the moment."

Xia Zhibai frowned.

He has been in Peking for nearly ten days.

Many things were slowly getting on track, and he was just waiting for the final iron smelting plant to start construction. However, the people allocated by the court had not arrived yet, and his factory had never been built. As he waited day by day, Xia Zhibai became a little upset.

Xia Zhibai placed his hand on the booklet, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Forget it. Since it hasn't arrived yet, let's not rush to deal with the iron smelting factory. Let's deal with the salt market first. Go and help me notify the 15 salt merchants currently in charge of the Beiping Salt Market and tell them that I have something to notify them."

"in addition."

"Just tell them straight away."

"I, Xia Zhibai, am here on orders this time."

"From now on, the Northern Salt Market will be managed by me alone."

Heiwa was stunned.

He asked doubtfully, "Brother Xia, are you just going to tell them directly?"

"Just tell them directly." Xia Zhibai said firmly, with a smile on his face, "What do you think I have been busy with during this period? I have been busy looking for evidence of these people secretly communicating with government officials. Now that we have some clues, we should strike while the iron is hot."

"Take advantage of their restlessness and seize the Peking Salt Market in one fell swoop."

"Calm as a virgin, swift as a rabbit."

"One strike kills the enemy!"

"I don't have the time or the energy to dawdle in the salt market in Peking, nor do I want to beat around the bush with them. The north is huge, and if I spend half a month in each place, I don't know how long it will take me to unify the salt market in the north."

"I just want to cut the Gordian knot."

"Salute first, then soldiers."

"Go."

Xia Zhibai waved his hand and asked Heiwa to pass on the message.

Heiwa nodded excitedly and hurried to pass on the message.

During these ten days, he was almost never idle and ran through all the streets and alleys in Beijing, big and small.

He’s almost becoming the leader of the beggars in Peking.

Xia Zhibai sat down and opened the booklet again.

It clearly records the movements of the fifteen salt merchants in Peking during the ten days that he was in Peking.

In the first few days, these fifteen salt merchants basically did not move, but five days ago, when Zhu Di was investigating corruption in the military, these salt merchants began to take action one after another.

I've been going out more frequently these days.

Of course, not all fifteen salt merchants were like this.

There were three or four salt merchants who made very little noise.

However, Peking was the former capital of the Yuan Dynasty. Under the management of the Yuan people, collusion between officials and businessmen was unprecedented. Even though the Ming Dynasty drove away the Mongols, the atmosphere of collusion between officials and businessmen was still strong.

These three or four salt merchants are not unwilling to take action.

But the backstage collapsed.

As an important city in the north, Beiping has only two powerful institutions.

One is the Peking Provincial Government and the other is the Prince of Yan's Palace.

More than half a month ago, the Beiping Provincial Government was wiped out by Zhu Yuanzhang, and these salt merchants suddenly lost their backing. The salt trade in Beiping was also greatly affected. The scale of these three or four salt merchants was not small, with salt permits of 30,000 to 80,000 kilograms a year. However, they were now being eroded step by step by other salt merchants.

Before Xia Zhibai arrived, all the salt merchants who were in the limelight were related to the Prince of Yan's Palace without exception.

To be precise, it is related to the military officers under Prince Yan.

Zhu Di was arrogant by nature.

He simply looked down on the small money earned from selling salt.

However, Zhu Di would not let it go, even though he looked down upon it.

Xia Zhibai picked up the pen and pointed at Ma Wenhua and Peng Jiasheng. These two families were the most popular recently. One had connections with Qiu Fu's father-in-law, and the other had close contacts with Li Bin's brother-in-law. Qiu Fu and Li Bin were both generals trusted by Zhu Di.

The Beiping Provincial Government fell down, and the Prince of Yan’s Mansion was well fed.

The world is so realistic and cruel.

Xia Zhibai would not make things difficult for these salt merchants. That was the custom in the north. Without the support of officials, they could do nothing. What he wanted was for these salt merchants to hand over the salt market.

There was another booklet in Xia Zhibai's hand.

The news recorded on it was even more shocking, but Xia Zhibai had no intention of touching the booklet.

He did intend to stir up the situation in Peking.

But we have to take it step by step.

He can profit from it only by muddying the water, but if he muddies the water too much, to the point where he can get stuck, then that would be too much.

What he wants is a slow knife to cut the meat.

Soon.

Heiwa is back.

He brought all the news.

Xia Zhibai nodded, picked up a fallen leaf from the ground, threw it into the vegetable patch in the yard, and said calmly: "What are these salt merchants saying?" Heiwa said: "What else can they say? They can only agree to meet with Brother Xia and talk."

"But these people looked really unhappy when they heard those words."

Thinking of the ugly faces of those salt merchants, Heiwa couldn't help but cover his mouth and laugh.

Xia Zhibai smiled and said, "Of course they can meet. The time is up to them. They should go to discuss with the military officers. Remember to have the spies on the street keep a close eye on it. This is also one of the 'evidences'."

Heiwa nodded repeatedly and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Brother Xia, I will remind you on the way."

"They are all very energetic."

"During this period, they have food every day, which is something they never dared to think about before. They are so enthusiastic about their work that they even wish they had a few more pairs of eyes, or could go into the houses of the salt merchants and stare at them intently."

Xia Zhibai was also at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

He just let those spies track and obtain information, but he didn't want these spies to risk their lives.

However, as an important city, Peking had a large population and did not have the awareness of vigilance that people have in later generations. Basically, there would be no accidents if they found some little beggars to watch over them. Even if the salt merchants found that there were little beggars watching over them, they would probably not take it seriously. They would just curse a few words and drive them away out of bad luck, and would not get angry and attack them.

This gave Xia Zhibai an opportunity.

The cost is also quite low.

Food to fill your stomach.

Xia Zhibai reminded: "Remember to tell them to pay more attention to safety. If they are discovered, leave immediately and don't insist on staying. Don't go there again for a while, or switch to guarding with others, but it shouldn't take too long."

"These military officers are already busy with their own affairs, so how can they spare the energy to take care of the salt merchants?"

Xia Zhibai is just taking advantage of the situation.

While the military officers of Prince Yan's Mansion were preoccupied with their own dirty affairs, they intervened in time to seize the salt market.

Although the salt market was destined to fall into his hands, it was obviously more cost-effective to snatch food from the tiger's mouth than to pay some price and spend more time and energy.

Hei Wa's eyes rolled around, hesitating for a long time as he was about to speak. He asked with some lack of confidence, "Brother Xia, after this incident is over, what are we going to do with these little beggars in Beiping? Should we continue to let them live on the streets? Or should we find something else for them to do?"

Heiwa's voice became smaller and smaller.

In the end, the sound was as soft as a mosquito's buzz and could not be heard unless you listened carefully.

“I think they are all quite pitiful.”

"or."

"."

Seeing Heiwa's eager look, Xia Zhibai laughed, touched Heiwa's head, and said seriously: "Don't worry, when this matter is over, I will hand them over to Dalu and others, and let Dalu teach them to read and write."

"You and Hua Que'er and the others will also go. Once you learn some basic characters, I will find some teachers to teach you other knowledge."

"I have high hopes for you."

"Don't let me down."

Hear the words.

Heiwa, who had been lowering his head and looking uneasy, suddenly raised his head with a gleam in his eyes. He said in disbelief, "Brother Xia, are you serious? Will you really keep them? And teach us to read and write?"

Xia Zhibai said: "Absolutely true."

"When have I ever lied to you?"

"Teaching you to read and write was part of the plan."

"You have worked in the salt factory and the coal factory, and you know the situation inside. I have too few literate people, and the court will not arrange more scholars to come here. Most of those scholars are unwilling to condescend, so naturally I can only train them myself."

"But I am not training scholars who only read the books of sages."

"It's to train you to be engineers."

"To build and innovate."

"Don't be too happy now, or you might not even have time to cry later."

"Studying is a very boring day."

"Haha."

Xia Zhibai couldn't help but make a joke.

Heiwa looked indifferent. How many people wish to study?
He was a beggar before.

Being able to follow Xia Zhibai was already a great fortune. He had never thought before that he could study in the future. He had no time to cherish this opportunity. Afraid of hardship? When had he ever been afraid of hardship?

Xia Zhibai said: "Don't announce this in advance."

"Peking is still unstable."

"Tell them when the time is right."

Heiwa nodded continuously like a chick pecking at rice, and covered his mouth with one hand.

Xia Zhibai chuckled and shook his head.

Xia Zhibai had been thinking about cultivating his own talents for a long time.

What he wants to do cannot be supported by outsiders, and sometimes he can only cultivate it himself.

The scholars outside have read too many books of sages, and their heads are full of "zhihuzheya" and "morality and righteousness". This kind of rote learning is of little use to the world. Instead, "engineers" are what the world really needs.

This part can only be cultivated by yourself.

What he has to do, in a sense, is not teaching.

But literacy.

Seeing that Heiwa was still excited, Xia Zhibai did not disturb him and went straight back to the house to prepare for the meeting with the salt merchant.

in the afternoon.

The salt merchant representative sent an invitation.

Invite Xia Zhibai to meet at Ma Wenhua's home tomorrow.

Discuss the Peking Salt Market.

(End of this chapter)