Chapter 673: Open a smoking den and kill without mercy!
Yuejiang Tower was the second largest unfinished project in the Ming Dynasty. Although Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to build it, he was reluctant to spend the money. He started by using death row prisoners to build the foundation. However, after settling the accounts, due to lack of wood , and finally Zhu Yuanzhang personally issued an order to stop.
There is still a lack of wood, but Yingtian Governor Li Le means to pour concrete directly without using wood, and paint the outside with a layer of paint to look like wood.
The lime factory in Ming Dynasty needed some orders to maintain the scale of the lime factory. Similarly, Nanya also needed a Zhengya bell and drum tower to keep time. For various reasons, Li Le petitioned for approval.
What kind of emperor there is, and what kind of ministers there are. Li Le is also a big boss. He can actually choose to build it elsewhere, but Yuejiang Tower has a foundation, so it doesn’t need to be used in vain, and Yuejiang Tower Lulong Mountain (today's Lion Rock), where the building is located, is closer to the Daming Longjiang Shipyard, Lime Plant, Coal Bureau and Weaving Bureau of Coke and Steel Intermodal Transport, so Li Le chose this place.
“A full dozen can only be counted as 230,000 silver, which can be considered as a way to repay the long-cherished wish of Taizu Gao Emperor.” Feng Bao said in a low voice: “Back then, because we had to build the Yingtian City Wall and Fengyang Zhongdu Palace, we ended up only Construction can be stopped."
Zhu Yuanzhang fought throughout his life, winning and losing. The most talked about thing for future generations was the water battle on Poyang Lake. Zhu Yuanzhang defeated the strong by taking advantage of the east wind, igniting the boat and defeating Chen Youliang. A large ship with iron cables crossing the river.
In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang himself was most proud of the Battle of Longwan, which was the ambush at the foot of Lulong Mountain. It was a matter of life and death.
In the 20th year of Zhizheng in the Yuan Dynasty, Chen Youliang, who had killed Xu Shouhui and proclaimed himself emperor, and whose country name was Han, led a fleet of 100,000 people to attack Yingtian, preparing to complete his achievements in one battle and completely eliminate Zhu Yuanzhang.
At this critical moment, some people in Yingtian City were panicking and advocated retreating Zhongshan's defense, while some advocated surrender, because on paper, Chen Youliang had a strong army and strong horses, and Zhu Yuanzhang was attacked from both sides. Chen Youliang united Zhang Shicheng attacked Zhu Yuanzhang together.
Unable to win, coupled with the fact that they were being attacked from both sides, people were in panic.
At this time of life and death, Zhu Yuanzhang personally took command and ordered Chang Yuchun to lead 30,000 troops to ambush the Shishan Mountain, ordered Xu to attack Chen Bing at the south gate, ordered Zhao Desheng to garrison Hukou City, and ordered Yang Jing to arrive at Dasheng Port. He personally led his troops to ambush Lulong Mountain, using red and yellow flags as a signal to lure the enemy deeper.
Chen Youliang was greedy for power and advanced, which happened to fall into Zhu Yuanzhang's pocket. Zhu Yuanzhang won the life-and-death battle of Longwan.
The Battle of Poyang Lake is indeed a decisive battle, but the situation is definitely not as critical as the Battle of Longwan. Even if Poyang Lake loses, Zhu Yuanzhang can regroup and deal with Chen Youliang again, but this Battle of Longwan , if he loses, with Chen Youliang's character, he will definitely kill Zhu Yuanzhang, and there will be no future.
This is also the reason why Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to build the Yuejiang Tower. It was the most dangerous moment.
However, due to various reasons, it was not completed in the end, leaving only a foundation, witnessing the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty.
"Your Majesty, what Governor Li said is not unreasonable. In fact, he planned to calm the people and strengthen the capital to control the distance. The country suffered a huge financial loss. At that time, the powerful people in Jiangnan had the intention to despise the imperial court. Now, , Today is not what it used to be, and the Yuejiang Tower should be built to prevent these Jiangnan gentry from forgetting that this world still belongs to the Ming Dynasty. " Feng Bao still thinks it needs to be built.
We really need a bell and drum tower to tell the time, fulfill the long-cherished wish of Emperor Taizu Gao, and the most important thing is to calm people's hearts.
When they were poor, the gentry despised the court and the emperor. Now the emperor is so rich that he can rival the country. If you don't make some noise, who knows that your emperor is rich and powerful?
"Have I become the elder of Jinchi? Do I have to wear that brocade cassock?" Zhu Yijun was stunned. Xu Wei mentioned in the memorial that Mouri Terumoto accused Oda Nobunaga of the fundamentals of the prefectural law. It’s the brocade cassock.
The boomerang of the Wanli era was really that fast!
"Your Majesty, sometimes you still have to wear what you should wear." Feng Bao said sincerely.
Zhang Jin has been an admiral in Yingtian Mansion for twelve years and knows Nanya very well. Many people climb Lulong Mountain every year to laugh at Zhu Yuanzhang’s great achievements. This kind of poetry meeting Every year.
When a person dies, he becomes dirt, and scolding you in the place where you are most proud is the bad taste of these cheap Confucians.
This is deliberately creating centrifugal force. At this time, the completion of Yuejiang Tower is to give these dogs a hard slap in the face and tell them that the Ming Dynasty is not dead yet, so just wait!
"Okay, let's build it, since there is a need." Zhu Yijun was finally convinced. The centrifugal force in Jiangnan is very strong, and such a spectacle is really needed. After it is built, it can at least tell the time.
The Ming Emperor didn’t like these fancy spectacles very much.
The most unfinished project in the Ming Dynasty was not the Yuejiang Tower, but another one. During the Yongle period, Zhu Di built the world's largest stele for Zhu Yuanzhang, the Xiaoling stele weighing more than 30,000 tons. Halfway through, I found that it was too big and heavy to transport, so I gave up.
"Your Majesty, there is something that your Majesty may need to take a look at." Tishuai Zhao Mengyou hurried in and gave His Majesty a copy of the newspaper.
Everywhere he visited during the southern tour, Zhu Yijun would release all his Tiqi to visit and find out the public sentiment. This time, Zhao Mengyou discovered something that surprised him, the opium den.
It's an opium den, a smoke den that provides venues, opium, and tools for smoking opium.
This is Yizhou, not along the coast, but there are opium dens in Yizhou. The proliferation of opium is already conceivable.
"Go and have a look." Zhu Yijun stood up immediately, changed into regular clothes, and followed Tiqi to the place where the opium den was.
Yizhou has one axis, four areas, and ten squares. It can be regarded as a medium-sized city in the hinterland. It can only be surrounded by thirty miles and has a population of only 700,000. Looking at the whole world, Yizhou is one of the best. Big cities, even Madrid, the capital of Felipe II, are only half the size of Yizhou, but in the Ming Dynasty, Yizhou was just an ordinary state city.
Zhu Yijun rushed to Huiminfang. He did not enter the opium hall, but a three-story restaurant on the street from the opium hall. This restaurant has been completely cleaned up. There will be no danger for the emperor to enter, Ti Qi Qi even cleaned the place to prevent His Majesty from seeing anything unsightly, and lit sandalwood so that His Majesty could enter.
"Over there." Zhao Mengyou pointed in the direction of the opium den.
The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty climbed up and looked far away, took out his telescope, and looked at the place where Zhao Mengyou was pointing, where he could see the whole view of the opium den.
The smokehouse looks like an ordinary folk house, with a main room and left and right side rooms. But when you climb up and look far away, you can see the problems. This folk house is cleverly constructed through various secret doors. were connected together, it was only daytime, but people were walking through in an endless stream, and you could even see scantily clad women walking around in twos and threes, talking and laughing.
From some open doors and window sills, you can clearly see that there are rows of large beds with bed tables. There is a tray on the bed table, which contains candles, cigarettes, Tweezers, teapots, cups, etc. People were lying on the bed, leaning on the pillows and puffing away.
There are also some women sitting on these men, shaking up and down. This scene is extremely decadent.
And everyone who comes in and out of this place is dressed in splendid clothes, silk and satin, and they look like they are either rich or noble. Even some people wearing linen clothes are servants serving these rich people, and in many places, there are Sentry posts, these sentry people, squat in a small cubicle on the second floor or something like that, with a clock next to them.
"There is a sickening sweet smell." Zhu Yijun put down the telescope. Even if he was farther away, he could still smell the sweet smell of opium being ignited. He knew this smell because He actually smelled it.
"How did you find it?" Zhu Yijun asked curiously. Without climbing high and without a telescope, it would be difficult to see what's going on inside. This place is extremely secretive, with many entrances and not too densely populated. The ability to investigate the case is very great, but it is not that great.
“When people pass by this place, they can always smell a cloying smell, and there are many rich and wealthy people coming in. The people think it is a gambling house, so they tell Tiqi an anecdote. Listen, the Tiqi people paid attention to this matter and found something wrong here." Zhao Mengyou told the emperor how to know.
Zhu Yijun looked at the richly dressed Jin gentry who came in and out of opium dens, and said with emotion: "Judging from the results of Qingzhang, 4% of the people in Ming Dynasty controlled 40% of the land, and 10% of the people in Ming Dynasty controlled 40% of the land. Controlling 80% of the land, that is to say, including everyone in the Jin Shen family, the total amount is only more than 10,000,000, but it controls more than 6.5 million hectares of land in the Ming Dynasty."
" The life of these Jin gentry seems to be fixed. The biggest expenditure is to donate to increase the child's life, and to donate the title of scholar to each child in his family. If he succeeds in the examination, he will naturally shine on the lintel of the family. If he fails in the examination, he will fail in the examination. , the second expenditure is to use money to deal with various lawsuits, bribe local officials, and occasionally need to meet the local officials' allocations."
"In addition to these three items, it is all. It is to marry a concubine, raise a wife, and then the noisy life is over. When the time comes, find a doctor, find a large ginseng or polygonum multiflorum to prolong your life. I don't know if it is useful, but everyone does it, and you should do it too. "
Zhao Mengyou thought for a moment, then gave up and shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, I am stupid."
Your Majesty is right, Zhao Mengyou has seen many Jin gentry in these years. It is indeed exactly what His Majesty said. Life is basically fixed. Few people can pass the examination. Most of them donate their fame, settle lawsuits, take concubines, and engage in ginseng, and then their lives come to an end. It is not like this.
Zhu Yijun sighed and said: "It doesn't actually cost much to eat, drink or have sex, nor does it cost much to wear clothes to protect the wind. It doesn't even cost much to buy a maid to warm your feet. They won't even spend a lot of money in a brothel in their lifetime." I can’t go there more than once because it’s not unusual. This opium is a shining light in a boring life.”
"They held the vast majority of the wealth of the Ming Dynasty in their hands, but they did not exchange it. As a result, no one wanted the things produced by the poor coolies and the family workshops where men farmed and women weaved."
"So, this is the shortcoming of the Ming Dynasty."
When Zhang Juzheng was giving a banquet to His Majesty the Emperor, he mentioned the threshold of human enjoyment.
The threshold of enjoyment, in the long-term luxurious life with clothes to eat and food to eat, will pile up higher and higher, and finally enter a state of detachment, feeling that one can defeat death head-on, that kind of self-awareness and self-detachment , commonly known as death, because nothing can stimulate their nerves anymore.
Detachment and distinction are a kind of self-feeling with both feet on the ground.
Other things can no longer stimulate their nerves, but opium can.
"Check it." Zhu Yijun put away the telescope and said calmly: "Follow this line and keep digging to find all those who dare to open opium dens. If they dare to resist, they will be killed without mercy! After the investigation is complete, we will send it to the capital for questioning.”
“Anti-drugs, this is a war that we must win. If we cannot win, it will be meaningless no matter how much money I accumulate. "
"I obey the order." Zhao Mengyou has already prepared. He has already arranged everything and is waiting for His Majesty's order.
The Tiqi began to take action. Teams of Tiqi surrounded the entire Huiminfang. The shining iron armor and hooks and sickles reflected the midday sun, making everyone tremble with fear. , and at all entrances, the mother-and-son cannons were pushed out, and the tiger crouching cannons were placed on the ground by the Tiqi.
The sentry at the opium hall was horrified when he saw Tiqi, and he struck the bronze bell in his hand vigorously to warn everyone that people from the yamen were coming.
What surprised Zhu Yijun was that the Tiqi actually dug four pits in the surrounding net, with a vat inside. This was to listen to see if there were people walking underground, and whether there were tunnels in this opium den. Secret passages and stuff like that.
The sounding arrow began to take off with a sharp neighing sound. "Kill!" The Tiqiu buckled up, their voices a little dull, and the hook and sickle gun moved forward and began to attack the entrance. If there was resistance, the mother-child cannon and the tiger crouching cannon would be activated, but it did not happen.
Zhu Yijun saw the use of a door-breaking device for the first time. After a burst of smoke, several entrance doors fell down, and this scene happened at the same time.
The Tiqi rushed in. There were cries and even fire everywhere, but they were quickly extinguished. The poisonous insects on the bed were dragged out like dead dogs and concentrated in the middle of the yard. , and those half-dressed prostitutes all squatted on the ground with their heads in their hands, covering their bodies.
The commotion only lasted for a quarter of an hour. Everyone was arrested, including those who wanted to follow the secret passage or hide in the dark room. Before taking action, Zhao Mengyou had already sent Tiqi to find out. All the arrangements in this opium shop are to prevent fish from slipping through the net.
A total of seven opium dens connected with private houses with three entrances and exits were all taken by the Tiqi.
"Since all the gunpowder has been withdrawn, let's let it go and watch the excitement, otherwise it will be troublesome to settle the account when we go back." Zhu Yijun explained the final precautions, even for Tiqi, the gunpowder withdrawal procedure It is also extremely cumbersome and requires Emperor Zhu's approval to specify its purpose. It is better to just put it away.
"I obey the decree." Zhao Mengyou chose to agree with His Majesty's statement, which is indeed troublesome.
Besides, if Tiqi goes out and doesn’t make some big noise, who knows that Tiqi has set out? ! If no one knows about it, it won't be effective in intimidation.
Amidst the roar of artillery, Zhu Yijun's car left Huiminfang.
Qi Jiguang arrived soon. The anti-drug war was a qualitative anti-drug war from the very beginning. Therefore, as a general, Qi Jiguang naturally wanted to ask for details. He quickly followed the Hu Jing camp to help Tiqi handle the case. Because the scale of the case involved was relatively large, it required The soldiers from the Beijing camp were dispatched.
On the ground in Yanzhou Mansion, the emperor's power was once again felt in a physical sense, because the streets were full of soldiers walking in neat lines. After Tiqi checked and found out, these soldiers immediately started arresting them.
After Wang Yi'e, the governor of Shandong, learned of the incident, he immediately came to the emperor to plead guilty.
"Excuse me, you don't have clairvoyance or ears. Is there no problem in Shandong just because you, Wang Yi'e, are the governor? I'm in Jingtang, and there aren't many rebels in Jingtang? Okay? Come on, stop kneeling. It’s not scary if there are any problems. What’s scary is that you don’t dare to face these problems.” Zhu Yijun didn’t blame Wang Yi’e too much.
In fact, even the people living in Huiminfang only thought it was a casino, and the Tiqi only discovered the truth after repeated investigations.
Wang Yi'e didn't notice it because the problem was not too big and the scale was not big enough to alarm him. It was really a disaster. Wang Yi'e had never heard of it. He insisted on causing a mutiny in Zhejiang Jiuying. At this point, there was no need for Zhu Yijun to issue an order to investigate and deal with it. Wang Yi'e could just find a tree to hang himself on.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." Wang Yi'e stood up. It was only spring, but he was already sweating profusely. He heard that something had happened and said he was going to die. He was really nervous.
"The source of opium is the private sea market set up by the Hejian Zhang family in Tianjin. In fact, wherever I go, these monsters and ghosts will choose to lie dormant, waiting for me to leave before they come out to make trouble." Zhu Yijun said Wang Yi'e sat down and then explained the details of the case.
The opium in Shandong did not come from the Maritime Bureau of Mizhou City. Wang Yi'e kept a close eye on it. The opium did not flow from the Maritime Bureau of Mizhou City. Coupled with the completion of the coastal defense system, it ensured that opium would not flow into Shandong from the sea of Shandong.
But his day and night defenses missed the land inflow, especially the flow route from north to south and from Tianjin to the south, which also caught Wang Yi'e a little off guard.
Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "I'm not being pretentious. I am also an emperor after all, and I also take Tiqi around to visit. This is all on the surface. I followed the Chi Road to the secret place. Zhou, along the road, there were opium dens everywhere in the city, but they were closed down to avoid my attack, for fear of being discovered by me."
"Finally, we arrived at the ground in Yizhou. How dare they open the business in such a grand manner before I leave!"
"I have to say, the traitors are so brave, I admire them!"
The windows of Fusi in Beizhen are clean. The cracks in the bricks are all clean, because His Majesty the Emperor is going to inspect things like this. No matter how meticulous it is, it is not too much. Obviously, Yizhou has also made preparations for the inspection, and even the eaves of the roof have been cleaned. After passing by, the streets were even cleaner, but this opium shop actually dared to open its business before the emperor left. It was really brave.
"People who smoke opium cannot be judged by ordinary people." Wang Yi'e wiped the sweat from his forehead and said quickly.
The great medical officials have studied opium and believe that opium creates an uncontrollable inner demon in people, so these people can't hold it back. What happened to the King of Heaven? The King of Heaven is here, but I can’t stop him from taking opium!
“The prices in Shandong are actually much cheaper than those in the capital.” Zhu Yijun and Wang Yi’e chatted about the prices in Shandong. It’s not that the prices in Yizhou are low, but that they are very low overall. The price in the capital is five per stone. Money, in Shandong, is generally three cents per stone. The most expensive is Jinan's three cents and five cents per stone, which is also cheaper than Jingtang.
Tenderloin in Shandong costs one qian and six cents per catty, while Jingtang costs two qian per catty. Chicken, duck, fish, beef and mutton, cotton cloth, red dates, paper umbrellas, etc. are all much cheaper than Jingtang. .
Wang Yi'e hurriedly said: "The shovels in Jingtang are cheap. You can buy five shovels for two coins, but in Shandong, one shovel costs one coin."
"What I mean is, you Good job, just keep doing it, how can it be so clean?" Seeing that Wang Yi'e didn't understand at all, Zhu Yijun chose to say it clearly.
What Zhu Yijun means is that prices in Shandong are cheap, which shows that under Wang Yi'e's rule, the overall situation in Shandong is very good, not particularly chaotic. There are some problems that he is not aware of, and the emperor will not go too far. Hold accountable.
Wang Yi'e is not a god, he is omnipotent.
But Wang Yi'e didn't hear the subtext of the emperor's words at all. He only felt that he had been promoted because of his majesty's objections, but now his majesty personally questioned him about the problem. This made Wang Yi'e E was quite a bit frightened.
"I thank your Majesty for your kindness." Wang Yi'e understood this and hurriedly thanked him.
In the Shandong opium den, Tiqi Zhao Mengyou followed this line and conducted a comprehensive investigation, sweeping away the entire drug network in Shandong. More than 980 people were arrested, and three drug addicts were exiled to Java. There are more than a thousand people involved, and it can be described as an out-and-out major case.
When Zhu Yijun left Yizhou, the Tiqi were still operating on the ground in Shandong and would not give up until the entire drug network was uprooted.
Wang Yi'e, the governor of Shandong, personally took command and dispatched the inspection department, government officials, and police officers to cooperate with the action. Later, the government officials and police officers were prohibited from participating in the matter by Wang Yi'e, and Tiqi and the inspection department were specially assigned to The soldiers were responsible for the arrest, because these government officials and detectives actually tipped off the news, which made Wang Yi'e furious, and he took action to sort out the officialdom of Shandong's ground.
Without the protection of officials, how could these insects be so rampant?
Soon, Lei Shizhen, the magistrate of Yizhou, was imprisoned. Starting from the opium den, the earthquake in Shandong's officialdom also began. This time Wang Yi'e changed his appearance as a good old man, using harsh and vicious methods, and even attacked many people with a good background. The officials tortured and questioned the people who were protecting them.
Poisonous insects, opium den owners, wandering bandits, gentry, officials and other criminals were sent to the capital in batches. The Fusi Prison in Beizhen was not enough, and the Criminal Department Prison was about to be filled. Full.
“I can’t finish the tour, I can’t finish the tour at all!” Zhu Yili looked at the pile of files and felt a little desperate. He needed to make more parade cars to hang all these insects!
"Your Majesty has sent a letter." Li Yougong presented the emperor's letter to His Royal Highness King Lu.
"Huh?" Zhu Yixuan held the letter, his eyes widened, and he made a sound of doubt through his nose in shock. There was only one "" on the piece of paper.
"Brother Emperor, what do you mean?" Zhu Yili said fiercely.
"Did your Highness hold it backwards?" Li Yougong looked at the furious Zhu Yili and said tentatively.
Zhu Yixi did hold it backwards, but that’s how Xin pretended! The emperor did it on purpose. Compared with His Majesty the Emperor, aren't the things Zhu Yili did just like a child's nonsense?
When His Majesty handled the case, more than 500 people were sentenced to death alone, which was much more terrifying than Zhu Yixi's small fight.
"Your Highness, it's time to deal with the memorials." Li Yougong reminded His Highness King Lu that the backlog of memorials was serious. If His Highness King Lu didn't read the memorials, they would pile up like a mountain.
Zhu Yili lay down on the Grand Master's chair, waved his hands and said, "Let's see tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be tired of scolding people." I have asked many times." Li Yougong refused to take a step back, and still forced King Lu to read the memorial. The officials of the Ming Dynasty, who were used to waiting for memorials to be published, had not felt this kind of relaxation for a long time because the memorial could not be approved.
This kind of laxity is not wanted by the officials of the Six Ministries at all, because many things involve passing the exam. No one passed the exam like Zhu Yili, but Zhang Juzheng will pass the exam to become a hundred officials. This involves a major matter of promotion and transfer. It is careless. No, but King Lu, the living ancestor, has accumulated four days of memorials and has not read them!
"Hey." Knowing that he couldn't hide, Zhu Yili reluctantly sat up straight, lazily picked up a memorial, and began to review one by one, holding the Zhang Bu Keep poking and poking.
“I don’t know how Brother Huang persisted. I only watched it for a month, and I was already very bored. Brother Huang could actually watch it for twelve years without getting tired of it. It’s really...eh "This book is a bit interesting." Zhu Yili suddenly noticed a memorial from the Ministry of Household Affairs.
The Shipping Departments of major cities in the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development have drawn up a list and organized the annual export goods into categories. In the 12 years since the opening of the sea, various goods have increased in different circumstances, but the situations are different.
For example, in the second year of Wanli, Daming exported a total of 450 boxes of tea, with a total value of about 21,185 silver. Last year, Daming tea export settlement reached 21,543 boxes, with a total price of 507,102 silver, accounting for 10% of Daming’s exports. , the proportion is increasing rapidly, and another item is coffee beans from Yunnan, which appeared on the list for the first time in Wanli ten years, and has reached 700 boxes, with a total price of about 30,000 silver.
“Hey, is this tea also becoming a bulk commodity?” Zhu Yiliu looked at the goods on the list. Among bulk commodities, silk and cotton ranked first, ironware ranked second, and tea ranked third.
"Li Yougong, are these barbarians so willing to watch the silver flow into the Ming Dynasty?" Zhu Yili frowned and said: "Look at the difference between exports and imports, including the Global Global War led by Liu Ji last year. The trading fleet exported a total of 11.89 million silver worth of goods and imported less than 3 million silver. This is the result if Luzon is counted as import when transporting these governor's palaces back to the hinterland."
If these governor's palaces are removed, the import of three million silver will be directly reduced to less than one million.
Li Yougong also looked at it for a long time before saying with conviction: "Indeed, looking at it this way, the barbarians do not see any money back when they do business with us. If I were a barbarian, I would not be willing to do it."
"Huge. The trade deficit will definitely make these barbarians take risks, because they are really far away and beyond the reach of the Ming Dynasty."
(End of this chapter)