I was the emperor in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 166 The Little Teahouse
Just after noon, Qiuyang was taking a nap in the flowing clouds, the sky and the ground were cool.

The small teahouse in the East Alley of Chongwen Street was also bustling with people at this time, and it was full of people taking a break.

This kind of small teahouse can be seen everywhere in Beijing, and a large pot of tea can be bought for twenty renminbi. For ordinary people, it is a good place to brag and fart after a meal, but that's all.

Leading the queen to sit down quietly, Li Tian casually ordered a pot of tea, then leisurely knocked on Erlang's legs, leaned against the wall behind and squinted his eyes to doze off.

It was the first time for Empress Zhang to come to this kind of place. Looking at the mottled and dilapidated table case, her face was filled with uneasiness, she frowned lightly, covered her mouth and nose and said in a low voice:
"Husband, there is a big strange smell here."

"Ling'er, don't you look at the people who come here, those who pour Yexiang, those who forage, and the shabby scholars. It's strange if they are tasteless."

Taking a sip of the strong tea that pierced his throat, Li Tian pouted.

Seeing Li Tian's interested look, Empress Zhang was very puzzled:

"Why did my husband come here, but I want to see what the people are doing on weekdays?"

"Ling'er, don't underestimate this place." Changing into a comfortable position, Li Tian stretched his legs on the broken stool without any image, and laughed twice:
"Which family's piglet gave birth, whose wife ran away, and Zhu Gaoxu took a concubine again. Whether the government's government orders are good or not, we can all listen here."

"The decrees of the imperial court are all formulated and promulgated by the ministers of the cabinet after careful consideration. What opinions can these common people have?"

Hearing this, Li Tian snorted noncommittally.

Empress Zhang is virtuous enough, and she can be said to love the people like a son, but the education she has been exposed to since childhood still makes him unconsciously show contempt for the people at the bottom.

But this is something that can't be helped. The aristocratic class never thinks that the common people in Shengdou can achieve any great things, except when the peasant uprising army rushes into their homes.

"Ling'er, this is your prejudice. The imperial government's government orders, which one is not far-reaching, even if it involves these people, how can their words be empty talk."

While talking, a poor scholar in a blue robe leaned against the counter of the teahouse with a teacup in his hand, and smiled and took out a card from his pocket:
"Everyone, have you ever seen a residence card mixed with silver? This thing can't be bought even if you have money."

As soon as the poor scholar said this, everyone was attracted by it, and the old man who told how an old sow gave birth to ten cubs was thrown aside.

Becoming the focus of everyone's eyes, the poor scholar was overjoyed, shook the exquisite card in his hand and said:
"I'm dismounting to protect a dignified scholar, and we drink tea together every day. With such a good thing, I certainly won't cherish it with my broom.

Whoever wants it, you only need to give me 25 taels of silver, and I will give you the whole one within three days. "

As soon as the poor scholar's words fell, someone booed again and again, and teased and laughed without leaving any sympathy:

"Isn't this just a household registration certificate for 20 taels of silver? I thought it was some fun stuff, Ma Xiucai, you're so awesome that you're really broken. We've made all the money."

When Ma Xiucai heard this, his face flushed red with embarrassment, and he said somewhat aggrieved:

"This silver-stuffed household registration certificate can't be bought with money. The change of household registration is also based on my fame. That's why I sold one. You are a scholar who is rare for your little money."

"Yo yo yo, Ma Xiucai is still wronged." The tea customer who had teased Ma Xiucai turned around, faced the crowd and said with a grin:
"20 taels of silver, I think Ma Xiucai took out all the money to marry his wife, and is just waiting for us to supplement him."

"You know shit."

Ma Xiucai's face became redder and redder, showing a hint of anger from embarrassment:
"There are many advantages to this bank account card. Not only does it not need to be inspected when entering and leaving the city, but you can even borrow money from the bank in the city without pledging anything. It is also better than the ordinary iron ID card."

After Ma Xiucai finished talking like a cannonball, everyone held their breath immediately, obviously they were stunned.

A tea drinker who had been acting as a tease pursed his lips and asked in a low voice:
"This bank account certificate is really as convenient as you said?"

"Hmph, it's more than that." Ma Xiucai continued to show off as he tilted his face up and his nostrils to the sky:

"With this certificate, the Thrushcross Tower, Elegy Tower, Sea Lion Tower, and Golden Courtyard in the city are all honored guests. There are also taxes and corvees. With this certificate, the subordinate officials of the household department in the county dare not make things difficult. you also have"

Unconsciously knocking on the table, Li Tian listened carefully, turned to look at Queen Zhang and said with a smile:

"Well, this place is interesting."

Empress Zhang was also fascinated by it, she raised her chin and looked at the raging crowd, she said suspiciously:
"Husband, is it really as good as he said? How can I remember Huang Ge's old saying that more than [-] silver and iron ID cards have been sold."

"Of course not, this scholar just wants them to pay money."

"Then isn't he trying to deceive these people?"

"That's not true, it's just that these tea customers don't know as much as this scholar. Silver and iron ID cards are the way to make money from the household reform bureau, except for the shape and structure, they are no different from ordinary ID cards.

As for what goes in and out of the city gate, the bank borrows money, and the yamen handles affairs. People who can afford 20 taels of silver have this treatment. "

Empress Zhang realized immediately when she heard the words, she kept nodding her head and murmured:

"So that's the case, I thought it was done on purpose by the yamen below."

One tael of silver is one thousand Wen, and 20 taels of silver is twenty thousand.

Twenty thousand dollars is a huge expense for most of the time when you come here to drink tea. If you go to buy cattle, you can buy at least two top-quality bulls.

Fortunately, Ma Xiucai's words were superb, and he fooled four or five people into paying money in a short while.

"Everyone, this scholar will keep the money. Tomorrow, you will bring the slips left by the household reform office. Within three days, this scholar will make one for each of you."

While talking, Ma Xiucai looked at the crowd with a smile, as if he was looking at a bank note that could talk, and the cost of buying the household registration card by himself would be recovered.

Suddenly, Ma Xiucai's pupils shrank suddenly, and his whole body trembled.

The noble young man who invited them to drink tea last time came again today!

Ma Xiucai calmly chatted with everyone, and Ma Xiucai's heart turned sharply, racking his brains to figure out how to approach him.

After offering such a great benefit to the big guys, everyone was willing to listen to Ma Xiu say a few more words, but Ma Xiucai was in a hurry at this time, so how could he be in the mood to chat and fart with these people.

(End of this chapter)