Travel through the Qing Dynasty and become emperor

After the morning court, Guan Xuqing left Feng Xianghua, Liang Qichao, and Zhao Bingjun behind to discuss the Middle East war for a while, then leaned on the xumizuo, drank the ginseng soup in one gulp, and said with a smile: "Iran's overall situation has been settled, and we have nothing to worry about." *Relaxed, there is nothing left and right now, all three of you will accompany me out of the palace for a stroll."

The three of them had a sudden heartbreak, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, there is absolutely no way to force it. Although the world is said to be peaceful now, the capital is a place of great gangs, and there are various places in the five directions. What can't be remembered..."

Guan Xuqing said with a smile: "Kangxi and Qianlong both had the habit of visiting in secret, but I am a timid and fearful monarch. With you three ministers of military affairs and espionage, what troubles can happen? Don't talk too much. Let’s go back to the mansion first and make up, and see you at Donghua Gate in half an hour, I’m tired.”

The three of them looked at each other, there was nothing they could do, the emperor had always been arbitrary, it was rare for him to be in a good mood, if he got angry, no one would benefit, so they had to leave first.

Half an hour later, the four monarchs and ministers met at Donghua Gate. Guan Xuqing brought Da Dao Wang Wu and Huang Feihong to accompany him, all dressed as servants, and accompanied him behind him. Guan Xuqing was wearing a maroon poplin gown and a hat on his head The melon skin hat looks like a wealthy businessman from the southern province, and Feng Xianghua and Liang Qichao are both dressed as housekeepers, while Zhao Bingjun is wearing a gray and white gown and carrying a rattan box. He looks like a student who came to Beijing to rush for the exam.

Guan Xuqing laughed loudly and said, "I'll go out later, you all call Zhentian Shenggong, or Huang Erye."

Feng Xianghua cupped his hands, and just said the word "Emperor", Guan Xuqing pointed at him: "Wrong, it should be called Zhentian Shenggong."

Liang Qichao laughed beside him and said, "Your Majesty, you are also wrong. Can you still call me '朕' when you leave the palace gate?"

Zhao Bingjun smiled and pointed at Liang Qichao: "Mr. Liang, you are wrong too."

The four looked at each other and laughed.

The four of them left Donghua Gate and walked eastward along Tianjie Street. Feng Xianghua whispered, "Emperor... Huang Erye, where are we going?"

Guan Xuqing said: "The purple air comes from the east, of course it is to the east. I heard in the palace that there is a market not far from the Donghua Gate. Today, it is indeed the case. The front gate has a big fence, so walk."

The origin of Dashilan can be traced back to the first year of Emperor Xiaozong Hongzhi in Ming Dynasty.At that time, there was a "curfew" in Beijing. In order to prevent thieves from hiding in the streets and alleys, with the approval of the imperial court, wooden fences were built at the intersections of many streets and alleys in Beijing.Dashilan used to be four corridors, but because the fences in this alley are well-made, preserved for a long time, and larger, they gradually attracted the attention of the capital.

When you come to Dashilan, you can see many shops, pedestrians intertwined, and the sound of buying and selling. Ruifuxiang, Neiliansheng, Liubiju, Rongbaozhai, Qingyun Pavilion, Tongrentang, Zhang Yiyuan, Changchuntang, Yueshengzhai and other time-honored brands Everyone gathers here, those who buy tofu and green vegetables, those who cook stew, those who make sugar, those who yell to buy Rendan, and those who pull kites, what a bustling and lively scene of Taiping!

Zhao Bingjun said as he walked: "Master Huang, the people in the capital have a jingle called 'Go to the overpass to see things, and go to the Dashilan to buy things. , around the waist of the four constants.' Dashilan has been prosperous since the Ming Dynasty until now, and it is a place where people gather, and it is indeed a treasure."

Feng Xianghua raised his head and pointed to the large plaque in Qingyun Pavilion, "Second Master Huang, this Qingyun Pavilion gathers all kinds of famous food in the capital. There are everything flying in the sky and running underground, such as Fengdu Feng, Xiaochangchen, rice cake money, and tea soup Li. , King of pot stickers, all of them are unique in Beijing. Scholar Xu Yuchu once wrote a poem saying: "Looking at the Qingyun Pavilion, there are noisy shoppers. The pearls are shining, and the antiques are rubbing. The bookstores are full of books, and there are many fortune tellers. It’s actually a beautiful scenery. , worthy of singing the Taiping Song. If you are interested, let’s taste it.”

Guan Xuqing nodded with a smile, and said: "What you said is interesting. It's quite fresh to put the names of dishes and people together. The big hermit lives in the city. Let's learn from the ancients and go to Qingyun Pavilion to catch up with the earth." Enter Qingyun Pavilion.

As soon as he entered the door, a shop assistant came over with a handkerchief on his shoulder, yelled, bowed and said, "Hey, sir, is there any familiar seat?"

Guan Xuqing didn't understand what it meant, Zhao Bingjun replied: "Acquainted with the seat, on the west of the second floor, private room by the window."

The clerk nodded, and suddenly pulled his neck and yelled: "On the west of the second floor, in the private room by the window, there is a guest—"

Guan Xuqing was startled, and his face was slightly angry.The four monarchs and ministers went up to the second floor and sat down in the private room. Guan Xuqing glanced out the window and saw that the street was crowded with people. All for profit."

Liang Qichao poured a cup of tea for the emperor and said, "Second Master, you can see clearly when you sit high in the Forbidden City. All the living beings in this world can't escape a word of profit. Please use tea."

Guan Xuqing took a sip, and said with a smile: "If this tea is used by ordinary people to search for oil and scrape their stomachs after meals, it will be fine, but if it is fried in snow water from the vat of Xiong Xiling's house, the taste will be far worse."

Middle East Storm Chapter 8 Adventures in Qingyun Pavilion

ps: It's five o'clock today, give me some strength from flowers! ! !

Feng Xianghua said: "This is the vulgar taste. Vulgar tea quenches thirst, and orchid fragrance relieves worries. Each has its own advantages."

Guan Xuqing laughed loudly: "Well said, well said!" Looking back at Wang Wu and Huang Feihong, he said with a smile: "Everyone came out for joy, you don't have to be formal, just sit down." The door curtain sits down.

Guan Xuqing looked at the pattern of monkey grandson beating three bone spirits on the teapot, and said leisurely: "I plan to send people to the south of the Yangtze River for a draft in a while, and observe the people's sentiments by the way, but the Qingliu in Chaoli have been chattering benevolently and rationally in my ears all day long. , I said that a ruler should restrain himself and return to the courtesy, and he also cited the example of Yao, Shun and Wang Mang to persuade me, which pierced my ears. Today I managed to hide and relax."

Feng Xianghua said with a smile: "You don't have to worry, the talent show is originally a regulation of the palace, others only have the role of persuasion, this matter is ultimately out of their hands."

Liang Qichao also said: "In the past, you used to manage a lot of things, and there should be some considerate women around you. The harmony of yin and yang makes the dragon body healthy. Don't say it's a talent show, it's really not too much to be a three-thousand fan."

Zhao Bingjun also repeatedly said yes.

Just as we were talking, the waiter came with the menu. Guan Xuqing glanced at it casually, and handed it to Feng Xianghua. Feng Xianghua didn't look at it, and returned the menu to the waiter. Mr. Wei is the biggest grain merchant in the capital, and you can find out how to match a few hard vegetables, if you serve him thoughtfully, you will certainly be rewarded."

The man immediately put on a smiling face, bent over and said, "May I ask what your name is?"

"Mr. Tian Sheng."

"Dele! Take a look, I'm sure you'll be satisfied." The clerk came out with the menu, still muttering: Mr. Tian Sheng?Or the largest grain merchant in Beijing?Never heard of it.

Not a lot of effort, a few dishes were placed on the table one after another. Although they were not as exquisite as those in the palace, they were full of fragrance, making people hook the gluttons when they smelled them. To be on the safe side, Wang Wu and Huang Feihong tasted each first. After taking a bite, Guan Xuqing picked up a chopstick and put it in his mouth to chew slowly. The intestines of the small intestine were fat but not greasy, and they were muscular. After chewing for a few times, the mouth became full of body fluid. The more you eat, the more delicious it becomes. Take a bite and say hello.Everyone filled up the wine, Guan Xuqing raised his glass in his hand and said: "I said before that tea is a gentleman in water, and wine is a villain in water, but there is no banquet without wine. It is rare for us to get together today. We drank this glass of wine together. .”

The monarchs and ministers were drinking and talking, when they faintly heard the sound of Xiao Ran's silk and bamboo, a woman's Wu Nong sang softly: "But Xu Lan's boudoir disappears forever, how can I teach girls to think about spring..." The voice is like a spring warbler, intoxicated It's soul-stirring, the end of the song is far away, and it makes people feel that the lingering sound is lingering.But when you listen carefully, it makes people recite thousands of times, like weeping and complaining.

It happened that the waiter was serving the dishes, so Guan Xuqing and others asked him about it. The waiter sighed and said, "Father and daughter, a sanxian and a pipa, traveled thousands of miles from Yangzhou to Beijing. There is no place to stay. If our shopkeeper was kind enough to give us a chance to make a living, we might have starved to death on the street. Although the emperor is blessed and the world is peaceful in these years, there are still many people who suffer from disasters. well!"

"How about this, you invite the father and daughter to the private room, we want to sing." Guan Xuqing winked at Zhao Bingjun, Zhao Bingjun understood, took out a hundred yuan dragon coin, and handed it to the clerk, of course the clerk was happy Unbelievable, he nodded like a chicken eating rice, and left the private room in a flash.

I didn't work very hard, I only heard a few small steps, and the man's voice said: "You two are blessed. I met a nobleman today. He is a big family in the capital. If you take good care of him, rewards will definitely be indispensable."

The curtain was lifted, and two people walked in, an old man and a young man. The old man was wearing a maroon jacket with a "chicken mouth knot" on the broken part, and a pair of round pancake sunglasses, which just covered a scar on his face. Apparently he was a blind man, holding a Sanxian in his hand, walked over slowly, stopped in front of the door, bowed to Guan Xuqing and the others, and said, "I don't know what song you want to hear, sir?"

Guan Xuqing waved his hand and said, "Sing whatever you are good at." As he spoke, he glanced at the girl. The girl was about fifteen or sixteen years old. holding a pipa, bowing his head, with a sad expression on his face.The guy next to him scolded: "Come on, are you dead?" The girl nodded, her face calmed down a little.

Guan Xuqing frowned, waved his hand to let the shop assistant back down, and looked at the father and daughter.Wang Wu moved two stools and let them sit down.The old man timidly said: "Little old man, let's sing "Sigh of Three Lives." While speaking, he tuned a string, stretched out a withered old hand, and wiped the string, and the girl over there sang: "The Three Lives Stone While sighing for three lives, what happened on the Naihe bridge, God is playing tricks on people, the West Lake case, the wind is thin and frosty, where can we talk about lonely lights..." The singing is sad and heart-wrenching, I did not expect this girl to be a girl A golden and jade-like voice actually sang such a sad tune.

After the song was sung, everyone had long since lost their interest in drinking, and their hearts were covered with frost and mist, and there was a sense of sadness.It took Guan Xuqing a long time to say: "Old man, listening to your music is very sad, and I must have unspeakable difficulties in my heart."

The old man put down the three strings, sighed and said: "Young old man, once he heard this nobleman's voice, he knew he was a kind-hearted man." He slowly took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of blind eyes with rolled flesh, and pointed with his hand: Let’s start with my pair of blind eyes.”

The old man talked about his experience: "The little old man was originally from Gongdao Town, Yangzhou. Gongdao Town is the hometown of Ruan Yuan, a former scholar of the Qing University. I think that when Emperor Qianlong went to Jiangnan, he once joked that "there is only one place in the world." Gongdao’, hence the name of Gongdao Town. Alas, the emperor went to the south of the Yangtze River to sing the wind and enjoy the moon, and he didn’t care about the sufferings of the people. Although it is a peaceful time, who would think that Gongdao Town would have no justice since then... ..."

Zhao Bingjun couldn't help asking, "How do you say that?"

The old man sighed and said: "I said this last year. The imperial court issued an amnesty order to the Yangzhou government, exempting money and food from all over the country. The tenants have to pay four or six rents to share the emperor's grace. The old rich man is stingy, saying that the land price has risen , Those who originally wanted to increase the rent, but now it is already polite not to increase the rent, and they still have to make trouble with the tenants, so they had to take the land and find another breeder. For this, a few tenants reasoned, and a fight broke out, and seven or eight tables were overturned at the banquet. The county magistrate persuaded at both ends, but no one listened, and just let the rich lords pick up a gang of local ruffians and beat people. One of the rich lords was Xu Youdao, who was also the largest landlord in the county. It is said that people were killed. Not only is there land here, but there is also a place in the north of the county, with a total of dozens of hectares..."

Guan Xuqing said "Oh", took a sip of tea, lifted his spirits, and opened the bamboo fracture fan with a snap, shaking the fan while listening.

But the old man continued: "We are poor, so we paid for the Salt Gang to come out and take charge..."

"Wait," Feng Xianghua interrupted the old man and asked, "What does the Salt Gang do?"

"Gentlemen, you are big businessmen in the capital city, so naturally you don't know anything about the southern province. Yangzhou is a water town and an important place for water transportation. Seven or eight out of ten salt merchants in the world gather there. Salt tax is the main tax of Yangzhou government. They are all supported by these salt merchants. But the salt merchants are also divided into grades, the bigger ones are called salt merchants, the smaller ones are called salt dealers, and the smaller ones are called salt oil sons. Most of the salt merchants are in the government office. For the record, the salt merchants have the government’s salt quotations in their hands, so the salt dealers will do it in private. The salt dealers are all gangsters. If you make a connection, you can eat some leftovers behind the salt dealer’s ass, and you can live a happy life. Never mind the salt Merchants are still salt dealers. If you want to transport salt to various places safely, you need to use salt gangs. It is said that there are 36 salt gangs in the waterway of Yangzhou Prefecture, and the largest one is called "Carp Gang". Said: People are not enough to swallow elephants, even if the salt merchants have Yanyin, there are still a few of them doing things well, and many of them secretly colluded with the government to engage in that lucrative business."

"What is a lucrative deal?" Liang Qichao couldn't help asking, the more shocked he heard it.

"Of course it's smuggling salt! This sale of smuggled salt has been banned from ancient times to the present, just because the sale is a huge profit. Many people are willing to risk their heads for this. Isn't it all about the money? Yangzhou Prefecture Salt Department The most important thing is that if you take the black road, you can save a lot of tax money, and the original one-point profit will become ten profit. Who would not take the risk of beheading and jump into this money hole! The Salt Gang is a two-pronged , The character who is afraid at both ends, the government randomly distributes salt quotations, and if there is an accident, they will take a sum of money from the salt class to give to the salt gang. Not to mention the salt merchants, if you offend the salt gang, they will send you a boatload of smuggled salt They all fell into the river, and when they turned around, they said that the boat had capsized, and they claimed compensation from the salt merchants. The salt merchants could only break their teeth and swallow blood. Therefore, it is said that the Yangzhou Salt Gang is a powerful character, and the salt gang is also divided. Some of them specialize in unscrupulous business, except selling private salt, collaborating with salt merchants, and even oppressing the common people. They are extremely arrogant. The carp gang I mentioned just now is still a charity gang, and they always give money to the poor. "

"It seems that you are very clear about the matter of the Salt Gang." Guan Xuqing tried to test it out.

The old man said: "The little old man is blind but not blind. He has lived for more than 60 years, and he can tell the difference between good and bad. Besides, my daughter's ghost husband is from the Salt Gang, and he was beaten to death because of fighting with rich men." The two are not yet married, and my family has accepted the engagement ceremony, and the one who is alive and kicking is gone like this. What a pity!"

"Kang Dang", the girl trembled, and the pipa fell to the ground, sobbing and crying.

Guan Xuqing frowned and said, "Don't be sad, old man. I have a relative who is a Beijing official. If you tell me in detail, maybe I can help you."

Hearing this, the old man pulled his daughter down on her knees with a plop, and shouted: "If you can help, the little old man will repay you even if he pretends to be a cow."

Middle East Storm 8 Chapter [-] Yangzhou Salt Gang