Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

On the 25th day of the first month of the 12th year of Chongzhen, in Hefei, Luzhou Prefecture, Nanzhili.

The overall rise in prices has made the already hungry people even more distressed. The areas around Hefei city are full of people wandering around because they cannot afford to buy food.

Among them were the uncle and nephew Song Laosan and Song Wanli, both in their thirties. They fled here from Shandong. All their relatives died in the war, and they survived by selling their labor in the city.

But more than a month ago, the imperial court issued an edict to impose additional labor and commercial taxes.

The foreman was unwilling to bear this part of the expenditure, so he passed the increased labor tax on to the workers below, reducing the wages of Song Laosan's uncle and nephew.

At the same time, the prices of various goods in the city, including food, have increased to varying degrees.

The uncle and nephew worked hard and could barely make ends meet after working hard for a month, but now they can't even fill their stomachs.

A few days ago, the young and hot-tempered Song Wanli was so angry that he went to argue with the foreman. The foreman was very arrogant. Not only did he order his men to beat Song Wanli, he also drove the uncle and nephew out of the workshop and did not even pay them their wages.

The uncle and nephew hadn't eaten anything for more than a day.

"Uncle, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have been so impulsive." Song Wanli said dejectedly.

Song Laosan shook his head and reached out to touch his nephew's head to comfort him.

"How can you be blamed for this? If you want to blame someone, blame the world."

After Song Laosan finished speaking, he looked around and saw people everywhere who had lost their land and livelihoods like them, with despair flashing in their eyes.

"But a living person cannot be crushed to death by the world. If the world is flawed, every man can make up for it." Song Lao San muttered to himself, not knowing what he was thinking.

At this moment, there was a sudden commotion in a hidden corner not far away. It turned out to be the housekeeper of the Yan family in Hefei City.

It was unknown what the strict steward said to the refugees around him, which made their eyes light up.

"Uncle, is the Yan family recruiting workers? Let's go and have a look. Maybe we can find food there." Song Wanli said with cheer.

Song Laosan also thought so, and the gloom in his eyes gradually faded away. The uncle and nephew walked towards the steward of Mr. Yan together.

"My master Yan knows all about your situation. To be honest, fellow villagers, Master Yan and other wealthy families in the city are deeply sympathetic to your situation.

My master doesn't want to lower your wages, but the court maliciously increases the taxes, and my master has no choice!

If this continues, not only will you lose your livelihood, but the city will also lose a lot of business, which will also be a loss for many masters in the city.

You, my master, and other wealthy families in the city are actually on the same side."

The butler was very eloquent. He only changed the concept secretly and made most of the refugees present nod their heads in agreement.

According to their superficial thinking, the court's increase in labor taxes led to a decrease in their wages, and the increase in commercial taxes led to an increase in prices, resulting in them being unable to afford rice and merchants being unable to sell their goods, and everyone was suffering losses.

And the only beneficiary, isn’t it the imperial court that was the instigator of everything?

"But we can't just sit there and wait for death. The wealthy families in the city, including my master Yan, held a meeting and decided to put pressure on the government.

The big families in the city have agreed to provide a large amount of money and food to help you through this difficult time." Steward Yan added.

Song Wanli was young, and after hearing this he asked:

"I wonder what Steward Yan wants us to do?"

"This little brother asked a good question. We are on the same side. The big family provides money and food, and you just need to provide labor."

"Contribute? How can we contribute? And how can we put pressure on the government?"

"If you are willing, you can get a sign from me, and then you can go to the prefectural government office together to appeal for justice. The bigger the better.

When the work is done in the evening, anyone who gets a badge can receive five cents from me, and those who have made contributions will receive additional rewards. "Steward Yan said.

Compared to the fact that most workers earn less than one or two taels of silver a month, five cents of silver a day is definitely a high price.

But the people present were not enthusiastic about it.

"How can the government tolerate us gathering together to cause trouble? The yamen runners are not vegetarians. They will definitely put us in jail." Song Wanli said.

"That's right. Master Yan wouldn't bully people like this, getting beaten for five cents." Others echoed.

Butler Yan was not annoyed when he heard this, but smiled and said:

"Haven't you heard that the law does not punish the masses? If only three or two people cause trouble, the government will definitely not compromise.

But what if there are three or two hundred? Three or two thousand, or even three or two thousand?

How many jail cells does the government have? How many people can they arrest?

To be honest with you, in Hefei city alone, there are thirty-eight big families joining forces, and I am just one of them.

The surrounding counties and cities such as Anqing, Fengyang, and even Huguang, Jiangsu and Zhejiang will act together.

We must make the court withdraw its order. With such a huge momentum, given the current predicament of the court, can it withstand the condemnation of thousands of people?" Steward Yan said sternly.

Everyone present fell silent upon hearing this.

Song Wanli frowned, as if he felt that there was some truth in this. At this time, another person said:

"I'll do it for five cents a day. Even if I'm caught in jail, I'll have prison food to eat, which is better than starving to death in the city!"

After the man finished speaking, he immediately asked Butler Yan for the badge, and Butler Yan happily handed him one.

Someone took the lead, and the others thought about it and agreed with the idea, so they all went to ask for the signs.

"Uncle, should we..." Song Wanli was obviously tempted, but he knew that his second uncle was the most knowledgeable, so he half-asked and half-begged.

Song Laosan stared at Butler Yan for a while, and his frown suddenly relaxed.

"This may also be an opportunity for you and me, uncle and nephew."

Song Wanli didn't understand what his second uncle meant, so he asked again:

"Uncle, should we go or not? I am starving."

"Go, not only go, I want to be the leader!"

……

Half an hour later, hundreds of refugees gathered outside the Luzhou prefectural government office.

They complained and shouted loudly, asking the government to cancel the additional taxes and to give them a chance to live.

At the beginning it was just a request, but as more and more refugees gathered, their grievances and complaints became more and more serious, and what started as a request gradually turned into a demand and coercion.

"We have nothing, we work so hard every day, but we still can't even afford to eat and live in poverty!

The imperial court does not consider our fatigue but makes things worse. They really do not treat us as human beings!

If the officials in the yamen are sympathetic to the people, why don't they come out and redress our grievances?" Song Lao San stood on a high platform in the prefectural yamen and raised his arms to shout.

"Brother Song is right! If the official has sympathy for us, he should come out and see us!"

"Cancel the additional tax and give me a way to survive!"

……

As the first and second days passed, more and more people joined in. In addition to the encouragement of the wealthy families in the city, many ordinary people who heard the news also joined in due to the herd mentality.

However, the Luzhou prefectural government office remained closed, and no official came out to deal with the matter.

"Brother Song, if this official still refuses to see us, are we going to starve to death here?"

Because Song Laosan always spoke with confidence and received support from everyone, in just three days he had become a leader.

"Humph, you won't see us. If the mountain doesn't come to me, then I will go to the mountain!

Break this wooden door and let's go in and see if the prefect will treat us as human beings!" Seeing the public opinion, Song Lao San pointed to the gate of the prefect's office.

"Yes! The government won't let us live, so shouldn't we ask for an explanation?"

"Come in!"

With the crowd excited, the gunpowder ignited at once.

Butler Yan, who was not far away, shuddered and ran towards the Yan Mansion in a hurry.

……