Begging in late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 348 Pillow Wind

The salt administration is a big deal, and Emperor Chongzhen raised a bunch of salt rats without knowing it, and kicked all the finances originally prepared for the country into his pockets. However, the salt administration supported almost a quarter of the tax revenue of the Ming Dynasty. Now the Northwest is using troops, the Northeast is using troops, and the capital is returning his mother's troops. As soon as the food and pay are cut off, it will be all over, so Emperor Chongzhen just kept silent after hearing about it.

Hubu Shangshu Hou Xun's heart skipped a beat again, he probably had a heart attack this time, not because he was afraid of being impeached by a small speech officer, but because of the salt.

The interests involved in salt are so inextricably linked. As an insider, he knows more than the outsider, Emperor Chongzhen. If the salt law of Taizu's time was really followed, half of the princes of the Manchu Dynasty would still have Yangzhou salt merchants. All of them were dragged and beheaded, and some of them slipped through the net, and Emperor Chongzhen's silence meant that he listened.

"Your Majesty, the government of salt must not be moved lightly! Salt is related to the stability of the world, and the survival of the people. Every move will shock you greatly. Today, seventy-eight out of ten of the world's taxes and taxes come from the southeast. If the southeast shakes, the court is in danger of choking the throat. Think twice, Your Majesty." !"

"Think twice, Your Majesty!"

Then, another group of officials knelt down on the ground. This time, it doesn't matter whether it belongs to the Donglin Party or not. After all, I don't know how many people's interests are involved in it. The three calls to kneel again scared the Emperor Chongzhen. .

Full of irritability, the emperor waved his hand helplessly: "We will discuss this matter later, let's all go down."

As soon as the matter was put on hold, it would probably be put on hold forever. Wang Mengzhong became a thorn in the eyes of everyone. Under the murderous eyes, he calmly patted his sleeves.

Wen Tiren, the chief assistant of the cabinet, also put his hands in his sleeves with a smile, but his heart was not so calm. For Song Qingshu, he added a few weights to his heart. During the political struggle just now, almost half of the officials in the northern provinces were able to support him. Speaking of which, even if they were all bought with money, the tricks and connections of this rogue are still impressive. Why didn't you find such a person before?

The next thing is the bad battle situation. Fortunately, the weather is gradually approaching autumn, and the bandits from the north seem to have robbed enough. It looks like they are retreating to the north. All the civil servants under the emperor seemed to feel a sense of relief.

Thinking about Song Qingshu's 20 taels of silver, 20 dans of grain, and the matter of the salt administration, it was rare that the Emperor Chongzhen did not go to review the memorials, but went to the imperial concubine Chenggan Miyata.

It seems to be a bit like his grandfather, Emperor Wanli. Wanli only favored concubine Li Gui. Chongzhen obviously loved the versatile concubine Tian a little more. Later, the famous third prince Zhu of the Qing Dynasty was her son, who was executed by the dignified Kangxi family.

Once Emperor Chongzhen was tired, or sad, or hesitant, he was willing to come to Concubine Tian.

This one has not yet entered the Chenggan Palace, a burst of silver bell-like laughter has already been heard, and the Emperor Chongzhen couldn't help but feel a little more cheerful, and quickened his pace. There are more than a dozen pavilions in the palace. The box, and an old family member seemed to be talking to Concubine Tian Gui. Hearing the shout of the eunuch who was driving by the emperor, the two quickly got up to meet him.

"The concubine kowtows to His Majesty."

"My concubine, get up, what's the matter that makes you so happy today, tell me, let me be happy too!"

That pampering made Concubine Tian Gui's pretty face blush, and she stomped her feet shyly: "Your Majesty."

"It's not a big deal. Today, my father sent someone from Jiangnan to bring some things for my concubine. I chatted with the old housekeeper. I forgot my manners for a while. I hope His Majesty will forgive me."

"Jiangnan."

This word made Emperor Chongzhen slightly raise his brows. After all, a major event related to Jiangnan just happened in this court. The eunuchs brought chairs and pulled Concubine Tian to sit down. The emperor said to the old family in a novel way.

"Tell me, what happened to Yingtian recently?"

"Going back to Your Majesty, it's something interesting." It's a big deal to please the emperor, so the old butler of the Tian family hurriedly searched his mind and began to describe it.

"Recently, there have been a lot of soaps on the market. They have a fruity fragrance, and they are much better than soap for washing and bathing. This time, the master asked the little one to send two boxes to your majesty and empress, and Ruan Dazi wrote again. There is a new play called Strange Talk in the Stone, which has attracted many scholars to watch. Recently, several shops have opened on the other side of the Confucius Temple, which is very lively..."

After talking in detail for a while, Emperor Chongzhen was obviously a little impatient and couldn't help frowning and asked.

"Have you ever heard of someone named Song Qingshu?"

"Song Qingshu?"

The old housekeeper rubbed his forehead in a daze, but then suddenly slapped his thigh: "Your Majesty is asking Fool Song!"

"Oh? What Song fool?"

"This, the villain is not too clear about it. It is said that he used to sell wild sweet potatoes for a living in the market, and he was often covered in plaster. He was stupid. Everyone called him Song Fool. Now people in Nanjing city Although he is called Dashuai Song, he is still called Fool Song behind his back."

"Oh? This silly Song...Song Qingshu is famous in Yingtian?" Emperor Chongzhen raised his eyebrows again, but the old housekeeper Tian couldn't help laughing: "Your Majesty, he is more than famous, he is so famous. He is famous for being lecherous, and all literati like fair ladies, he likes the other kind, the kind, the kind with big breasts, seductive, what do you say this is the original desire of a man, it brings an aesthetic point of view from the mother's womb, big breasts are good for breastfeeding ..."

Everyone loves to listen to gossip, even though it is a bit indecent, Concubine Tian Guifei blushed when she heard it, but Emperor Chongzhen couldn't help being amused, so he quickly turned his face down, and continued to listen.

"And on the second day after coming to the Qinhuai River, he took his 30-odd wives and concubines to the street to show off. Suddenly, he saw two women walking by with umbrellas on the street, and he was immediately shocked. Your Majesty, you don't know. This idiot of the Song Dynasty was all on the ground, this person wanted to fake Taoism and sent someone to propose a marriage, but this time he got a bad nose and stepped his face on the ground."

"Oh? Could it be that Song Qingshu fell in love with someone else's daughter?"

Emperor Chongzhen's appetite was really whetted, and he asked curiously, but Old Butler Tian shook his head heavily, patted his thigh and explained with a smile.

"Miss Qianjin is better. Those two are famous Qinhuai prostitutes. One is named Dong Xiaowan, and the other seems to be called Li Xiangjun."

"Isn't it just two prostitutes? It's just right to match him with a martial artist. I heard that Song Qingshu is quite wealthy. It's a hundred times better to follow him than a brothel."

"Your Majesty, you don't know that this Qinhuai courtesan and oiran are all called Nanqu masters. They are all good at singing and dancing, and have literary talent. Wives and concubines, this is worthy of their status, and the two beauties have long been attracted by two celebrities, one is Maoxiang, the other is Hou Fangyu, both girls are staunch, and they directly sent that Song to propose marriage People got called out."

"How can this Song give up? It is said that when he went back, he got entangled with a group of minions to snatch the marriage. Who knows that he stumbled again. Mr. Mao and Mr. Hou have gathered classmates and scholars to guard against him. Your Majesty, you don't know, then One day, there was a melee in the street, especially Mr. Hou, who was talking about the righteousness of the Spring and Autumn Period, and at the same time, he used his ancestral ten slaps to subdue the dragon, and beat Song Mou all over the place!"

"In the end, Mr. Hou also united with those like-minded young masters to jointly defend against the Song thief, and almost drove him out of Yingtian Mansion. The righteous deed of the two young masters made everyone in Nanjing applaud!"

A talented person defeats a bully and wins a beautiful woman back. It is the mainstream tone of this era. What the old butler said was just like what he saw with his own eyes. His eyebrows were beaming. Concubine Tian Gui also smiled with her mouth covered, but it was heard in the emperor's ears. Here, it's not like this.

His face darkened slightly, and Emperor Chongzhen asked a little gloomyly: "A while ago, Song Qingshu attacked Chizhou again, was it because Hou Fangyu and Mao Xiang provoked him to compete with him for prostitutes?"

"What's hitting Chizhou?" The old housekeeper was in a daze, and he scratched his head for a long time.

"A few days ago, there were a lot of warships gathered on the Yangtze River, but it is said that once the governor of Fengyang went, those ships would all retreat. I really don't know about this!"

Suddenly seeing that the emperor was in a bad mood, Concubine Tian raised her heart, and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, my father brought some Jiangnan specialties this time, and you are tired from going to court. Do you want my concubine to cook for you?" Two side dishes?"

"Oh, no need, I still have some business to do, so I won't stay any longer, old housekeeper, spend more time with Xiuying, she is bored in the palace, and I have too many things, only an old family like you can make her feel happy Take it easy, Cheng En, and go to carry the chariot."

The chief eunuch Wang Chengen trotted out of the palace gate in a hurry, and Concubine Tian Gui and the old housekeeper hurriedly bowed behind.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty."

After leaving the palace gate, Wang Chengen trembled immediately, only to hear Emperor Chongzhen hum angrily.

"A bunch of ignorant guys!"

Sitting on the Dragon Throne, just two steps away, Emperor Chongzhen suddenly poked his head out again and asked, "Hou Xun, Hou Fangyu, go and find out what is the relationship between the two of them!"

It was already night when he got the answer again. Looking at Hou Fangyu and Mao Xiang's hometown, Emperor Chongzhen's face was gloomy again for a long time, but immediately he threw the paper into the fire without saying anything.

Dark clouds are densely covering the city of the capital...

(End of this chapter)