Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 294 The stove-household system is gone!

Two days later.

The workers' conference, which had been hotly debated for a long time, was held.

Cooks from states and counties under the southern provincial governments gathered together. Some of them had met each other privately, while others had not. Now they all sat together in a friendly manner, and many of them even chatted with each other. The atmosphere was very friendly.

There were very few government officials present at today's meeting.

Even the minor officials and soldiers who were needed to maintain basic order were few and far between.

It's like a chat platform.

However, none of the cooks present dared to relax.

After all, officials are officials and people are people.

They were still the troublemakers. If the government really took action against them, they would not have the slightest ability to resist. Moreover, they were actually a little disappointed to see that there were not many officials around. Many of them had one idea in mind: if the government really did not give them a way out, they would fight to the death.

Their lives are cheap.

But the lives of officials are precious.

Killing an official is a complete win for them.

If they could kill two, it would be a huge profit, but these officials seemed to know what they were thinking, and almost no one came. There were only a few minor clerks present, and the rest were burly guards holding weapons.

Deng Muzi sat with Fang Erniu, Li Dali and others.

This was the first time he appeared in public so openly since the incident.

It felt like a lifetime ago for him.

Deng Muzi sat in his seat, raised his butt slightly, looked around, and whispered: "All the slightly famous people in the counties and prefectures are here. If something really happens this time, they will be caught in one fell swoop."

There was some uneasiness and worry in Deng Muzi's eyes.

There were too many kitchen owners who came to participate, and they were all prestigious people in the local area.

If something happens to them, I'm afraid the trouble caused by the kitchen residents will completely die down, and then we'll be really finished.

Fang Erniu said, "Shh, it's already this time, stop saying such things."

"Since you're here, what's there to worry about?"

"You're going to die anyway, so at least you should die knowingly."

"We can't just disappear like the others. Besides, I don't think the government would deceive us. Who are we? In the eyes of the government, we are not human beings. Why would they go to such great lengths to target us?"

"What I am worried about now is that the imperial envoy is willing to solve the problem, but the local officials are not happy about it."

"What should we do if they attack us in private?"

Li Dali said coldly, "What else can we do? The worst that can happen is that we die here. Anyway, I have already arranged my affairs. I have observed the surroundings before. As long as the government does not ambush too many people around, it will not be a problem for a few of us to escape."

Hear the words.

Deng Muzi was stunned.

Then his face brightened up and he became much closer to Li Dali.

The other stove owners who formed a small circle also had their own thoughts.

They all felt deeply uneasy about this conference.

Many of them were even unwilling to come, but were forced by the current situation. They were worried that the government really had this intention and that they would suffer if they did not go. They were also worried that the government was plotting against them in order to catch them all in one fell swoop, so they had very complicated feelings.

The whole person was suspended and tense.

Not long after.

Someone nearby shouted "Silence" at the top of his lungs.

Everyone turned to look at the door. There was no pomp and ceremony, and not many officials.

There is only Xia Zhibai.

Seeing this strange and young official, everyone had strange looks on their faces, with some uncertainty and some doubt. It was not until Xia Zhibai sat on the main seat that they finally realized that this was the "imperial envoy".

Xia Zhibai smiled and said, "You don't need to look at me like that."

"Who says that officials must be potbellied or have cold and stern faces? They don't have to be middle-aged. Young people are fine too. As long as they can do things, do good things, and do things that are beneficial to the world, it doesn't matter if they are younger."

Hearing Xia Zhibai's joke, people around also laughed out loud.

Xia Zhibai added: "I gathered you all together, not because I wanted to catch you all in one fell swoop. If I really wanted to catch you all in one fell swoop, the government would have already taken action a few days after you arrived in Yuhang. Why wait until now?"

"So you can rest assured."

"The court really wants to resolve the issue of the stove owners."

"You can also put your minds at ease. Although I cannot be sure that no one will be dissatisfied, I can tell you very clearly that I, Xia Zhibai, respect and even honor you very much, and I really want your lives to return to normal."

"But there are so many cooks and it's impossible to cover everything."

"I can only do my best."

"If there is anything else that is not thoughtful, I hope you can forgive me." Xia Zhibai bowed slightly.

Some people cheered, but many people still had doubts on their faces.

They are not three-year-old children anymore, so they will not be moved by such empty talk.

Moreover, they all have families and children, so it is impossible for them to be extremely moved by a few empty words.

Xia Zhibai looked calm and said slowly: "The main purpose of calling you all together is to discuss how to properly relocate the kitchen households. You are all people with a certain influence and reputation from various counties in the south, so your speeches are representative to a certain extent."

“It can be considered a collective representation.”

"And I represent the Ming Dynasty!"

"I don't need to say much about what has happened in the south in the past year. You all know it better than I do. As for the reasons, I also understand them. It is mainly the promotion of machinery that has deprived you of the jobs you originally relied on for a living. In just one or two months, you all lost your jobs."

"The Ming Dynasty's stove household system has certain problems in this regard."

"The position of salt-making household is hereditary, and the whole family of salt-making household can only be salt-making household. If the government stops collecting salt, you will lose your income and be abandoned. You may even be unable to engage in other industries due to the constraints of the system."

"You are dissatisfied."

“Thinking that all this is caused by machines.”

"So some people started to stir up trouble, wanting to smash the machines so that the government would continue to employ you."

"Let the world return to the 'way' you know it."

"but"

"You should have gone to the market these past two days and seen the steam engine with your own eyes. You should also understand that in this era of gradually roaring machines, the era of the stove owners has completely passed and will never come back."

“Not many people would want to go back.”

"The people don't want it, the government doesn't want it, the merchants don't want it, and even many kitchen owners don't want it."

"You get up early and work late every day to make salt, but you can't earn a few pieces of silver. The family is always stingy. More importantly, the whole family, young and old, can only make salt. This kind of life is foreseeable. You have become accustomed to it, but not everyone is willing to accept it."

"Not everyone is numb. Everyone has the right to pursue a better life."

"I am here this time not only on behalf of the court, but also on my own behalf, to solemnly tell you this."

"The stove-household system has been abolished!"

"From now on, there will be no more stoves in the world."

"Your persistence is meaningless."

"After more than half a year of trouble, I'm afraid you are exhausted both physically and mentally, otherwise you wouldn't think of coming here. If you still want to continue to trouble, the government can continue to accompany you, because the government stands with the majority, and you are the minority after all."

"If you want to give up, then we can sit down and talk."

"The government will arrange a way out for you, solve your current worries, and let you start over."

"Change your life, change your outlook."

"Now, I leave this decision to you."

Xia Zhibai looked at the people below calmly.

It was quiet all around.

Few people spoke.

They all looked at each other in confusion.

Decide?

What decision can they make?
Continuing to fight the government to the end is clearly a way to death.

But if they give up, what can they do? They have been making salt for the first half of their lives, and they only know how to make salt. If they switch to other things, can they really survive? Many people are confused and at a loss.

Xia Zhibai didn't say anything, waiting for their answer.

half an hour.

Finally someone spoke.

Someone stood up, his body slightly hunched, looking very unconfident. He didn't even dare to look directly at Xia Zhibai, but only dared to look at the soles of Xia Zhibai's shoes. He whispered, "Sir, if we don't become cooks, what will the government do? I want to hear the government's arrangements."

Others echoed, "Sir, how did the government arrange it?"

"We need to listen first."

"Correct."

"."

More and more people followed suit.

Xia Zhibai shook his head and said, "The government's attitude has been clear for a long time. It is impossible to satisfy everyone, so you need to decide for yourselves first. Otherwise, even if I say it, you will make a fuss again, and it will end up being a farce."

“People need to be responsible for the decisions they make!”

"I can only tell you that the government has done its best!"

(End of this chapter)