Ming Dynasty: A mere unruly commoner is rebelling against the heaven?

Chapter 49: Beautiful ladies from all over the world come to Beijing!
When he came to the alley, Yu Zhen found that five people in shorts had gathered there.

After seeing Yu Zhen, several people came over with smiles on their faces.

"Sir, do you want to exchange Hongzhi banknotes? We have some here."

As one of them spoke, he carefully took out a stack of Hongzhi banknotes from his pocket.

The denominations range from one hundred wen to one guan.

Yu Zhen's eyes lit up: "I'll change it. I'll change all the notes you have here."

The man chuckled and said, "I don't have much in my hand, only 23,700 coins."

Yu Zhen was a little disappointed, but he thought that although it was a little less, it could at least solve the urgent problem.

So he said generously: "Give it all to me. I won't take advantage of you. I will give you twenty-five taels of silver."

As Yu Zhen spoke, he was already preparing to take out some change from his pocket.

But unexpectedly, the man suddenly put the money away and changed the subject.

"Sir, wait a minute. Your twenty-five taels of silver cannot be exchanged for my twenty-three strings of seven hundred coins."

"Now, one guan of Hongzhi Baochao can be exchanged for two and a half taels of silver."

"I don't want much, just fifty taels of silver. Is that okay with you?"

Yu Zhen was furious: "How dare you, you rascal! How dare you plot against me!"

"You don't want to live anymore?!"

Yu Zhen pointed at the five civilians and shouted to the servants behind him, "Go and get the banknotes from them!"

Several strong servants received the order and were about to move forward.

The five people who were reselling Hongzhi treasure notes looked at each other, then silently made way to the left and right.

I saw a Western Factory soldier holding a cold knife, sitting quietly on a wooden box at the back.

The man didn't say anything either, but just looked at Yu Zhen and his servants quietly.

But just this one glance made Yu Zhen, a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Works, break out in a cold sweat.

His subordinates were also scared to death.

He quickly retracted the step he was about to take, took two or three steps back, and hid behind Yu Zhen instead.

"Master, what should we do? They are from the Western Factory!"

"Master, let's run quickly. We can't afford to offend the Western Factory!"

"Master, he's watching us! Is he going to kill us?!"

"..."

Yu Zhen felt his throat was dry and he could hardly make a sound.

Yu Zhen's face turned red from holding it in, and he trembled for a long time. Finally, he took out fifty taels of silver from the carriage behind him.

"My dear fellow, fifty taels is fifty taels. I...I'll change it."

The citizen who held the banknotes took the silver with a smile and presented the Hongzhi banknotes in his hands with both hands.

"Sir, please take these banknotes."

"Go slowly!"

Yu Zhen took the Hongzhi treasure note and turned away.

After walking a few steps, he started running and quickly disappeared into the alley.

I was afraid that if I was a step too late, I would never be able to get out of this alley in my lifetime.

After Yu Zhen disappeared, the man took out ten taels of silver from the fifty taels of silver and held them respectfully in front of the Western Factory guard.

"Sir, this is a tribute to you."

The Western Factory guard did not refuse and took the silver.

Only after the Western Factory guards took the silver did the five civilians breathe a sigh of relief and leave together with happy faces.

……

For a period of time afterwards, with the expedited printing of money by the Baochaosi, officials in the capital finally obtained enough Hongzhi Baochao.

Also, because of the gray industrial chain in which ordinary people exchanged banknotes and sold them to officials at high prices, the attitudes of many people in the capital towards the Hongzhi Baochao changed.

From resistance at first, to no resistance later, to welcome now, the reason why the gray industry chain of people exchanging banknotes for officials has such a big impact is that the West Factory not only does not crack down on this industry chain, but also quietly protects it.

This led to more and more people starting to get involved, and they were happy to give half of their profits to the Western Factory in exchange for peace.

All in all, it's a win-win-win situation.

Zhu Youtang wins once, the people win once, and the Western Factory wins once again.

At this time, the national talent show, which lasted for nearly a month, finally came to an end.

The selection officials who went to the two capitals and thirteen provinces also began to return to Beijing with the beauties who had passed the preliminary selection.

In Gyeonggi Province, a line of horse-drawn carriages moved slowly.

The team set out from Yingtian Prefecture in Nanzhili, escorted by one hundred garrison soldiers and led by thirteen selection officials, and returned to the capital with twenty-seven beautiful girls who had passed the preliminary selection.

As the sun sets, the sky and the earth turn golden.

When the team passed the post station, the highest official of the team, Zhang Cai, a doctor from the Ministry of Rites, lifted the curtain of the carriage, looked at the sky, and then gave the order.

"It's getting late, let's stay at the post station tonight."

The captain of the garrison army raised questions.

"Master Zhang, it's still some time before dark, and the capital is right before us. Why don't we speed up and get into the city before dark?"

Zhang Cai frowned and scolded: "What do you know? In the carriage behind, maybe your Majesty's future concubine is sitting."

"The safety of the concubines is the top priority. Why are we in such a hurry?"

"If something happens to the concubine behind us, can you and I bear the responsibility?!"

The captain of the guards was scolded so much that he dared not look up and could only bow and salute: "Sir Zhang, I know I was wrong. I was reckless."

"I will go and arrange accommodation for you right away."

Zhang Cai nodded with satisfaction: "Go ahead, be careful."

"Yes, my lord."

After the captain of the garrison was sent away by Zhang Cai, Zhang Cai got off the carriage and came to the last carriage.

"My dear ladies, we will soon arrive at the post station. Let's rest here for one night and we can enter the palace tomorrow morning."

After Zhang Cai finished speaking, a while later, a gentle voice came from the carriage: "Got it, Master Zhang."

Zhang Cai took out a water bag from his arms and handed it in through the window.

"I guess everyone is thirsty, drink some water first."

"Thank you, sir."

The people in the carriage took the water bag and passed it out again after a while.

Zhang Cai took the water bag with a smile and returned to his carriage.

The team entered the post station. A hundred garrison soldiers were stationed outside, while the selection officials and the beauties lived inside the post station.

Zhang Cai, his granddaughter Shi, and other selection officials and concubines all got off the carriage and walked towards the post station.

Suddenly, bursts of coughing were heard from the largest and most luxurious carriage at the end of the team.

When the selection officials present heard this, their faces all changed.

"What's going on? Why are all the ladies in the last carriage coughing?"

Sun Nv Shi stopped and looked solemn.

Zhang Cai also frowned: "This is not easy to deal with. According to the regulations, unwell girls cannot enter the palace to meet the emperor."

"Sun Nv Shi, what do you think?"

The granddaughter Shi struggled for a long time and finally made a decision: "If that's the case, then it's just their bad luck."

"Strike their names off the register and note that they were disqualified due to illness."

"Master Zhang, what do you think?"

Zhang Cai suppressed the excitement in her heart and pretended to remain calm.

"It all depends on my granddaughter Shi."

(End of this chapter)