Chapter 430 Yuezhou "Caogong"

Chapter 430 Yuezhou "Caogong"

Chapter 430 Yuezhou "Caogong"

At noon in summer, the sun is as hot and dazzling as molten gold, baking the earth hot.

The sun shines brightly on the surface of Dongting Lake, making the waves sparkle and glitter with golden light.
It was like countless tiny gems were gently jumping, making the entire lake surface dazzling.

Water vapor rises under the sunlight.

A thin layer of mist forms, gently lingering over the lake, adding a bit of haziness and dreaminess.

In the distance, the water and the sky merged into one color, and it was hard to tell where the sky was and where the lake was.

I just felt a vast expanse of space, and my mind became broader as well.

On the shore, willow trees droop their branches, swaying gently in the wind.
Occasionally, a breeze blows by.
The lake surface was covered with delicate ripples.
It's like the hem of a girl's skirt brushing gently, so gentle and delicate.

Yuezhou Port is still as large as before.

The prosperous scene in the port makes everyone who comes here secretly astonished.

Even though it is summer now and the weather is extremely hot,
There are still many ships in the port.
The masts are like branches growing in the lake, each one standing upright.

There are all kinds of merchant ships on the wide river.

The port was very noisy. Looking around,

Countless laborers were busy among the merchant ships.

Sweat has soaked my body, and my khaki sweatshirt has turned the color of wet mud.

The white headscarves on their foreheads were soaked with sweat and slightly yellowed.

Even so, the porters still felt the sweat running down their noses.

Some flows into the eyes and some flows into the mouth.

Every time a merchant ship left, the porters would get a short rest when a new merchant ship arrived.

They hid in the cool shed, drank salt water in big gulps, enjoyed a moment of peace, and felt the coolness brought by the breeze.

The shed was filled with a complex smell.
It discouraged everyone except Li Fu.

At this moment, the ten porters employed by Zihe Trading Company were sitting in the shed, staggering from side to side.
Tangled with dark and thin facial features,
I squinted my eyes and looked at the scenery ahead, which I had seen countless times.

Ships are entering and leaving the port.

Every day is like this, without any change.

Maybe I have regained some strength.
Zhang Laoer, the leader of the group of laborers, looked at his distant nephew and asked:
"Tired?"

Zhang Laoer is nearly 40 years old, but looks like he is in his 50s.

There was already some gray in his beard, and his nephew next to him looked no more than 20 years old.
The young face was just dark and without wrinkles.

He reached out his hand and rubbed his eyes, then replied, "Tired."

"It's normal to be tired. People who make a living are bound to be tired."

Zhang Laoer laughed and patted his nephew's head hard.

The nephew curled his lips, obviously disagreeing with this statement.
But he did not refute, instead he took a big sip of water.

Salt water tastes unpleasant and has a strange smell, but it's just like that once you get used to it.

Zhang Lao Er cleared his throat and spoke softly:
"Some time ago I saw a strange object on an official ship from Yunnan.
That thing is good, it has two wheels and one person can push it, it looks very labor-saving.

I calculated these two days, and we need to move three times for every push of that thing."

Several people nearby looked over with questioning eyes but said nothing.

The nephew was a little curious: "Uncle, what is it?"

Zhang Laoer said: "I didn't dare to ask, it's just like a cart, the shelf is very high and things can be piled on it.

The shopkeeper also saw it and said it was a good thing and planned to get some.
Ask me if I can use it, and if it is easy to use.
I said that thing is good-looking but useless and easy to break."

"Why? Isn't it better to save some energy?" The nephew was somewhat dissatisfied with his uncle's lack of ambition.

Zhang Laoer smiled and replied:

"What can we save? There are ten of us in our class, but there are only three people on the Yunnan ship.
The work is easier but there are fewer people, and they are all doing the same work.

If the shopkeeper brings a cart, three people will stay.

I don’t save any energy, and others have nowhere to work. What will my family eat?”

After hearing this, the group of people who had been listening to it for fun also realized the seriousness of the situation.
The staggering posture becomes more cautious,

There was a hint of admiration in his eyes as he looked at Zhang Laoer.

Even his nephew beside him felt that his uncle was right this time.

If there were only three people left to work, unloading a boat would be even more tiring.

At this moment, some brisk footsteps came from not far away.
A porter on the opposite side tilted his head to look at it, and immediately became alert and stood up quickly:
"The shopkeeper is here!"

All of a sudden, the ten people under the shed rushed to stand up.
Started to dust off the body,

They all picked up their eating utensils as if they were going to work.

The shopkeeper of Zihe Trading Company is a middle-aged man with a big belly.
Less than 40 years old, with fair and tight skin,
She was wearing a brocade dress of complex texture and holding a folding fan from Huajianji in her hand.

"Hello, shopkeeper."

After arriving here, he saw that everyone was about to get busy, so he quickly pressed his hands and said with a smile:

"Don't worry, don't worry, everyone sit down."

Yihang Lifu was quick to sense that something was wrong.

Shopkeeper Su never spoke to them so kindly.

When the group sat down, Shopkeeper Su clapped his hands.

The old man who looked like an accountant took out a booklet and said in a deep voice:
"Those whose names I call out can come and collect their wages for these ten days, and they don't need to come to work tomorrow."

wow——

Li Fu, who had just sat down, stood up suddenly as if he had heard a bolt from the blue.

He looked at Shopkeeper Su in disbelief.

"Why? Shopkeeper Su?"

“Did we do a bad job?”

"There are no ships coming now, we are just taking a break here."

A group of people were talking at once, making a lot of noise.
It makes the already irritating weather even more irritating.

The face of the shopkeeper Su, who was originally friendly, suddenly turned cold.

No longer trying to hide it, a hint of impatience flashed in his eyes, and he took two steps back.
Stood outside in the scorching sun to avoid the strange smell in the shed.

"It's not that we don't need you, but the company has a new plan, so we only keep two people.

Zhang Lao Er and Zhang Lao San, please stay. Everyone else, finish your work today and get out of here."

Everyone was so shocked by the tragic news that they were speechless.

They don’t understand why they are not allowed to do good jobs?
Zhang Laoer's face was extremely ugly. He took a step forward.
But he soon realized something, took a step back, and asked:

"Boss, my fellow villagers have always worked diligently. What did they do wrong?"

"The more work you do, the more food you eat. My small temple cannot support so many of you.

Zhang Laoer, you don't have to plead for them.

In one word, do you want to continue?
If you don't want to do it, get out of here. There are plenty of people who will do it!"

Hearing this, Zhang Laoer was extremely angry.
Not caring about the smell of sweat on his body, he took a step forward:
"Shopkeeper Su, if you don't want us to do it, you must have a reason.

We have been here for two years and there is nothing you are dissatisfied with. ”

Shopkeeper Su pinched his nose, his face full of impatience:

“There’s no need for so many reasons. If you want to do it, then do it or not. If you don’t want to do it, then get out.

To tell you the truth, if you leave now, you may find a job.
It will be difficult in a few days.”

As for why, Manager Su did not say, but the group of ten people from Wangjia Village also lost their jobs.

They did not do the afternoon work, but looked for new work.
They were surprised to find that Yuezhou Port, which was bustling and busy in the morning,
It seemed to become quiet in the afternoon.
The shouts of the cargo carriers were gone, the shouts of the chorus were gone,

Instead, there are countless people like them.

"May I ask if you are hiring? There are ten of us in this group, all from the same hometown. We have been working as laborers for three years and can do anything."

“No.”

"May I ask if you are hiring? There are ten of us, and we are all from the same hometown."

“No.”

"Recruiting or not, ten people, from the same hometown."

"No"

"Do you want to recruit?"

“No.”

After nearly an hour, the group realized the reality.
No one knew what had happened in the entire Yuezhou Port, and all the shop owners stopped hiring workers.

Half an hour later, ten people sat at the entrance of the pier.

I looked at the still busy procession of carriages and horses with some bewilderment,
They couldn't understand why the cargo was still coming in and the ships were still stopping.

How can the business move the goods up and down? Finally, after another half an hour,

Zhang Laoer's pupils shook violently.

He saw the cart he had seen a few days ago, and then he saw another cart that looked just like the cart.
They are so capable of carrying enough cargo for three persons at a time, and can then be easily pulled away.

Walk steadily and steadily.

Some faceless shopkeepers appeared at the port with smiles on their faces.

Between Yuezhou Port and the Military Port, there is a bustling market.
On the edge of the market, close to the sparkling Dongting Lake,
A row of antique pavilions stand leisurely, with the breeze blowing.
The pavilion is bathed in shade, making people want to take a rest.

Among this row of pavilions, the one closest to the water is particularly eye-catching.

In the pavilion, a dignified woman in a beige dress sat on a stone bench.
The long skirt sways gently in the wind, just like the gentlest sunshine in spring.
The tied-up women's hair accessories are simple yet elegant, adding a touch of gentleness.

Her face is as gentle as water and her eyes reveal wisdom.

Opposite her sat an old man with a slightly hunched back.

His face was full of traces of time, but his eyes were bright, revealing an open-mindedness and calmness that came from having experienced many vicissitudes of life.

The old man was wearing a simple grey robe, which contrasted nicely with the gentle attire of the woman.

The two sat opposite each other, with an exquisite Go board placed between them.

The sunlight flickers gently between the black and white chess pieces.

Several guards in tight uniforms stood around the pavilion.
They stand tall, have sharp eyes, and are always alert to their surroundings.

The sunlight shines through the gaps in the pavilion and onto the stone table, interweaving with the light and shadow on the chessboard, looking inexplicable.

Occasionally, the noise from the market drifts in with the wind.

It is entangled with the tranquility here, yet coexists in an inexplicable harmony, which makes people feel relaxed and happy.

"Snapped."

Hua Jieyu picked up a black chess piece and gently placed it on the chessboard.
As the chess piece was put down, her indifferent gaze became more profound.

"It's your turn."

The old man looked at the chessboard with a blank expression:
"News has come from the capital that the position of Minister of Revenue, which has been vacant for many years, has been taken over by Yang Jing, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

The new Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works, Qin Kui, is the Minister of this Ministry. "

Hua Jieyu looked calm and said:
"I am not interested in the affairs of the court.
The life and death of those big shots has nothing to do with me, I am just a brothel owner."

Mr. Lin smiled and placed a black piece:
"I am interested, but I don't know who to tell. I can only tell you.
I say, listen, whether you listen or not, I don’t mind. ”

“It has been three months since the incident of the heavenly punishment began, and the court has been in a fierce struggle.

Chen Guangsong, the former Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, who had tampered with military equipment,

There were more than a hundred people in the family, young and old, and not a single one survived.

The two assistant ministers of the Ministry of Rites were dismissed and then impeached by the censor. It is still unknown what their fate will be.

Even Li Yuanming, the Minister of Rites, lost his position.
After being severely reprimanded by the current emperor, he has already thought about retiring and returning home.

The changes in the six ministries and nine ministers,
Zuodu Yushi Zhan Hui played a great role in this.
You may not know that behind him is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, or His Majesty.

In addition, judging from the information gathered from various places, the number of people whose property was confiscated this year is several times more than in the past, which is simply shocking.”

Hua Jieyu raised her eyes slightly, a hint of laziness flashed in her eyes:
"I don't investigate a few officials every year. You're just worrying too much."

The old man shook his head repeatedly, with a smile on his face:

“No, no, no, this year is different from the past. There are so many people. There are more than a hundred people whose names I can remember.

Xi'an Vanguard Commander Wang Gang was executed.

The Left Chief Secretary of Yu Prefecture, Rao Chang, and the Right Chief Secretary, Yang Yuan, were executed for dereliction of duty.

Zhao Chongwu, the deputy governor of Beiping, was executed for treason.

Qian Wenli, the prefect of Yingtian, was executed for embezzling disaster relief funds.

Zhang Huaide, the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple, was executed for favoritism and corruption.

Lin Zhiyuan, the Right Counselor of the Fujian Provincial Government, was executed for allowing bandits to disturb the people.

Chen Qiwen, the deputy censor of the Guangdong Provincial Surveillance Commission, was executed for torture that resulted in the death of an innocent person.

Zhao Qi, deputy envoy of Liangzhe Salt Transport Commissioner, was executed for colluding with salt smugglers.

Li Hua, deputy censor of the Zhejiang Provincial Surveillance Commission, was executed for bending the law for personal gain.

Zhang Qian, a councilor of the Zhejiang Provincial Government, was executed for falsely reporting the disaster and embezzling disaster relief funds.

Wang Xin, the Tongzhi of Songjiang Prefecture in Southern Zhili, was executed for embezzling public funds.

Zhou Xian, the academician of Southern Zhili, was executed for cheating in the imperial examinations.

As the old man uttered the names one by one,

The originally warm atmosphere in the pavilion also became solemn.
Even if Hua Jieyu was not interested in court affairs, she knew the matter was serious.

She rubbed the chess pieces with her hands, her eyebrows slightly frowned:
"What happened this year? The first half of the year was extremely peaceful."

The old man smiled, his eyes filled with eagerness to try, and he chuckled and said:
"Although you are one of my own, there are some things I cannot tell you.
But this is possible, and it has something to do with you.”

Hua Jieyu frowned more and more, raised her head and looked at the old man, a look of confusion flashed across her beautiful face:

"Is it related to me?"

The old man nodded: "God's punishment is certainly a big deal.

But it wouldn't have caused such a commotion. What really caused all this was an incident before the Yunnan Heavenly Punishment."

"What's the matter?" Hua Jieyu's voice was cold.

"Duke Cao was assassinated, and Lu Yunyi was also there."

"what?"

Hua Jieyu's heart suddenly tightened, her five white fingers tightly grasped the hem of her skirt, and her emotions were revealed on her face.

"Haha." The old man laughed dryly.
"Look at you like this, don't worry.
Your lover is fine, and Duke Cao and the others are fine too.

But this incident made His Majesty and the Prince furious.

After the heavenly punishment, His Majesty and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had knives in their hands.

Then you can kill people at will, just as you please."

Hua Jieyu regained her calm look and felt relieved.

"They are all corrupt officials and they deserve to be killed."

The old man smiled and continued to play chess, saying nonchalantly:
"There are so many corrupt officials in this world, how can we kill them all?

These people are all victims of party struggles.

However, people like them deserve to die.

Your Majesty is in full glory. If you don't stand up for your Majesty and try to disobey him, you deserve to die."

As he spoke, the old man remembered something and said:
"The governor of Yuezhou is about to be dismissed and investigated.

The imperial court repeatedly ordered that no city entry tax or other miscellaneous taxes should be collected.
But the Yuezhou government refused to listen, which might have been the idea of ​​prefect Feng Xu. "

Speaking of this, Hua Jieyu understood something and nodded slightly:
"Some guests are also talking about this. The caravans have to pay a lot of money to enter the city.
It can be as little as a few cents or as much as a few taels.

These days, many caravans have placed their goods at the market outside the city and sold them on the spot.
A few days ago, an official came and said he wanted to collect taxes at the market."

The old man looked surprised and snorted coldly:
“These people really know how to make money!

If you need any help from me, just let me know. You're welcome.

Huajianji is a good business, and many brothers rely on the money here to support themselves. We cannot let them ruin the business."

Hua Jieyu shook her head slowly, smiling softly:

"My man is a third-rank military officer, and he is under the protection of my elder brother and Duke Cao. Who would be so blind as to cause trouble for me?"

Mr. Lin was stunned for a moment, then he burst into laughter and made a move:
"This time, the Beijing army made great contributions in Yunnan.

Your lover is still young, and he has a bright future following Lu Yunyi."

The coldness on Hua Jieyu's face melted away like a spring breeze, and she smiled:

"It's been so long, and the Beijing troops will soon be in Yuezhou.
This woman really needs to have hope.

In the past, I thought that life was just like this, and every day was boring.

But now, every day is spent in anticipation. Although it is slow, it is very interesting. "

The old man smiled.

"I am old and have been busy all my life. I don't understand how you young people feel."

As soon as the voice fell, a series of loud shouts suddenly appeared in Yuezhou Port not far away.

The noisy noise suddenly intensified and became more and more intense.

The guards around approached cautiously and wrapped the pavilion tightly.

The old man frowned and ordered, "Go see what happened."

"Yes!"

After a while, the guard came back in a hurry, with fear on his face, and spoke quickly:
"Master, the people have revolted!!"

(End of this chapter)