Chapter 280: Ming Dynasty on the Firewood Pile
There was no one walking in Xin'an Lane. When the sound of horse hooves was heard, many eyes suddenly appeared behind the crack of the door.
"It's Long Wilbur who's back."
Every household opened their doors, and neighbors came out carrying bags on their backs, asking questions in a flurry.
"Uncle, what's going on outside now?"
"My Lord, they said His Majesty has passed away..."
"..."
Jiang Qingzhi raised his hand, and after everyone quieted down, he said, "Your Majesty is well, and the capital is also well, so just do what you need to do."
Everyone dispersed in a hurry.
"The boss is going to get some soy sauce."
"Hurry up and take out the food."
"You idiot, you brought the house snake with you!"
Jiang Qing got off his horse and walked into the alley with a relaxed look on his face.
Outside the house, Li Tian and his servants were waiting.
"Thank you for your hard work, husband."
Li Tian squatted down.
Jiang Qingzhi supported her and nodded slightly to Fu Cheng, "It's not easy for you at home either."
The couple entered the house.
There were over a hundred more soldiers guarding Xuanwu Gate at this moment. These soldiers who had never been in a battle looked a little nervous. They looked back at the city from time to time, or looked outside the city, as if many enemies would rush out at the next moment.
Jiang Qingzhi had previously ordered the four gates to be closed, and no one was allowed to enter or leave until the order from Emperor Jiajing arrived.
Soon, hundreds of people were blocked outside the city.
Jiang is one of them.
Jiang, who was in her forties, had rough hands and feet and a humble smile on her face. She came to Beijing from her hometown this time. At first, she followed the villagers on the road, but everyone had their own destinations, and halfway through the journey, Jiang was the only one left to go to Beijing.
"What a huge city wall!" Jiang kept admiring the majestic capital city.
There was a carriage nearby. The curtain was opened and a man in brocade clothes frowned and said, "Quack!"
Jiang turned around and saw that it was the noble young master. She was so scared that she squatted down and said, "I dare not do it anymore."
"Bad luck!" The nobleman lowered the curtain and said, "Although I don't know the exact cause of the turmoil in the capital, I think it is related to the death of the crown prince."
Opposite him sat a scholar who said, "Your Majesty could have used the opportunity of the Crown Prince going out to study to ease the relationship with us. But what did he do?"
The scholar sneered, "The crown prince was crowned first, and then His Majesty came in person. Yan Song, Cui Yuan and others presided over the ceremony, and His Majesty even came in person to offer sacrifices in the southern suburbs. In the end, all the ministers paid homage to the emperor. All this is telling us that he still won't bow his head!"
"So they cut off the source of the trouble." The nobleman lifted the curtain and took a look. "The soldiers guarding the city looked a little uneasy, but they were not panicked. It can be seen that their plan did not succeed."
At this time, several riders arrived and brought the decree of Emperor Jiajing.
Then the barricades were pulled open.
"It seems that I did fail." The young master sighed.
The carriage slowly drove into the city gate. The young man lifted the curtain again and saw the woman with rough hands and feet smiling at the soldier. When she saw him sticking his head out, she subconsciously squatted and smiled.
"Like ants!" sighed the nobleman.
The life of an ant is meaningless, and the young master feels that the current situation is as meaningless as that woman.
Jiang entered the city and looked at the prosperity around her curiously. After a while, she took out a piece of paper and asked a waiter for directions.
"Xin'an Lane?" The waiter pointed to the left. "Go straight along this street. Turn left when you see Taiping Warehouse and go in..."
"Thank you very much!"
Jiang thanked him profusely and then walked along the street.
When she found Xin'an Lane, she was a little hesitant.
"Who are you looking for?"
An old man came out with his grandson.
"Father, is this Xin'an Lane?"
"Exactly. Who are you looking for?" the old man asked. The grandson looked up at Jiang and said, "I'm looking for my uncle."
The old man smiled and said, “You’re the only one who knows.”
"I'll find someone called Mo Zhan," said Jiang.
"Mo Zhan?" The old man shook his head. Jiang was anxious. "That's my son. He asked someone to bring a message, saying that he was working for a nobleman and asked me to come to the capital to find him!"
"Nobleman?" the old man asked, "What's the name of the nobleman you are talking about?"
"It is said that his surname is Jiang."
"That's Long Wilbur. Just follow the path in and find him."
"where?"
"On the right, the one with the biggest frontage."
The door, the door...
Jiang stood outside the Bo's house and timidly picked up the door knocker and knocked on the door.
The small door at the side opened, and a head popped out. "Who are you looking for?"
"Slave... I'm here to find Mo Zhan."
Menzi asked, "Who are you to him?"
"I'm his mother."
"Wait! Why don't you come in and take a rest?"
"No need to."
Jiang waved her hands hurriedly.
While waiting for the doorman to notify people, Jiang looked around the mansion.
The gate is very big, bigger than the gate of the local scholar’s house.
After watching for a while, Jiang felt a little uneasy, wondering why her son hadn't come yet.
……
"...Mo Zhan is a taciturn person, but very reliable. Please make some arrangements here." Jiang Qingzhi was really tired, so he came back to give some instructions and then prepared to take a shower.
Li Tian asked someone to serve, and then asked someone to call Mo Zhan over.
"I've met my wife."
Mo Zhan still had that sullen face.
"Is there anyone else at home?" Li Tian knew what her husband meant: Mo Zhan could be used in an important position.
"Only the mother is left."
"Not married?" Li Tian was a little surprised.
Mo Zhan is nineteen years old. In this era, it is not uncommon for nineteen-year-olds to have several children.
"I have always been in the army." This sentence expresses the helplessness of being in the army.
He joined the army unmarried, leaving his old mother alone at home. Who would be interested in such a family?
"We'll wait and see about the marriage later. Let's bring your mother here first." Li Tian said.
"I have already sent a letter home." Mo Zhan said. "That's good."
Mo Zhan took his leave.
"Mo Zhan, your mother is here."
Just then someone came looking for him. Mo Zhan nodded and went to the front.
Jiang Qingzhi came out of the shower and saw his wife was a little dazed, so he asked, "What's wrong?"
"That Mo Zhan is so quiet and cold."
"It's not a bad thing to talk less."
Li Tian nodded, "I will find him a marriage later."
"That's fine. I won't ask about this matter." Jiang Qingzhi said with a smile, "After all, men are responsible for the outside affairs and women are responsible for the inside affairs."
"My husband is tired and has been busy for a long time. Take a rest!"
"Together?" Jiang Qingzhi paused for a long time, then became eager to do something, and reached out to hug his wife.
"Hey! In broad daylight..."
"It's better in broad daylight!"
"you……"
……
Jiang was waiting anxiously outside the door. When Mo Zhan came out, he saw her carrying a bundle, with her back slightly hunched, as if she was ready to perform a ceremony the next moment.
"mother!"
Jiang looked up, her eyes filled with surprise, "Da Lang!"
……
"After receiving your message, I resigned from my job. My boss said that he wanted me to join him. Dalang, if I could join him, it would save me a lot of trouble! What a pity."
Jiang was nagging as she unpacked her bag.
"Mom, if I surrender to you I will become a slave!" said Mo Zhan.
"Being a slave is better than starving to death. Last year there was a drought. If I hadn't helped take care of the children at my employer's house, I might have starved to death."
Jiang took out the clothes from the bag and said, "This is the clothes that mother made for you. Dalang, what are you doing? Get up, get up!"
Mo Zhan knelt on the ground, "I am an unfilial son."
Jiang tried hard but couldn't pull her son up. She sat down and gasped, "This is fate!"
Then the mother and son talked about their respective situations.
"…The owner's land is increasing, and the number of people in his family is increasing, so he lives a luxurious life.
Have a meal...Dalang didn't know that the host's family had five people, so the meal was quite a big deal.
The food was served not long after, and was removed without any regard for whether it was touched or not, and then the next one came...
Oh my! This is the ultimate in wealth. But mother thinks! This person should be thrifty. If he wastes food, he will be struck by lightning! "
Jiang looked up, tugged at Mo Zhan's collar, took two steps back to look at it, and said with satisfaction, "Just right."
Mo Zhan asked, "Mom, where did that family get the land and people?"
"People like us don't have enough food. If we don't have any disease or disaster, it's fine. But if we get sick, will you treat us?
What to do if you have no money? You can only find a rich person to borrow money from. The interest rate is not low. It is considered lucky if the disease is cured. The whole family will pay it back for decades. If you are lucky, you can pay it back.
If you are unlucky, the interest will compound and the debt will grow bigger and bigger, so you have no choice but to become a slave to the creditor.
Furthermore, if there is a natural disaster and the harvest is poor, will the whole family really starve to death?"
Jiang took out a few dry biscuits and said, "Then we can only borrow money and grain, and the interest will be compounded... Dalang, 40% of the land in our village is now owned by the landlord, and the population is about the same.
Alas! It's a pity that you are not here, otherwise with your strength, the boss would definitely be willing to pay you. By the way, what is the family you are joining now? Are they good to you? Can you eat enough?"
"Good."
"Yes, your bedding is a rare commodity, which shows that the owner is not poor." Jiang said, "I will find a family in the capital to do some work, such as washing clothes, cooking, or helping to take care of children, so that I can save some money for you to marry a wife."
"Mom, don't worry about this."
"You're already nineteen."
"The whole house is covered."
"All...all included?"
"Ok!"
"This family is... charitable! Dalang, what does the master do?"
"The master is your majesty's cousin."
"What did you say?"
"The master is your majesty's cousin."
"..."
……
Jiang Qingzhi slept until dark. Li Tian had already gotten up and was talking in a low voice to Huang Yaner outside.
"…I followed my husband north this time. Ask Sun Bu Tong how to arrange the guard duty. Try to let them rest for a few more days and relax when necessary."
"Also, Mo Zhan's mother is here, so his accommodation has been rearranged."
"Then his mother's monthly allowance..."
"Compare to yours."
"Ah! That high?"
Huang Yan'er is the chief maid beside Li Tian and is treated first class.
"That was the shield beside my husband. He didn't even want his life. Could it be that the mansion is reluctant to give up that little money?"
"Yes."
"Madam, Mo Zhan is outside asking to see the Lord." A maid came to report.
"My husband hasn't woken up yet, why don't you ask him to come back later."
"I am up."
Later, Jiang Qingzhi met Mo Zhan in the study in the front yard.
"…Mother said that Mr. Chang has been annexing land and taking in people over the years. Now 40% of the people and land in the village are in his hands."
"Forty percent!" Jiang Qingzhi closed his eyes. "Looking around, there are local rich people everywhere in Ming Dynasty. Forty percent... this is still too little."
The vast majority of the Ming Dynasty's wealth is concentrated in these families, far more than 40%.
"As wealth and population are increasingly concentrated in their hands, the Ming Dynasty becomes more dangerous. Hmm!" Jiang Qingzhi was suddenly startled, "Why do you want to ask this?"
Mo Zhan's cold face showed some embarrassment, and he frowned slightly, "I know that Master Bo wants to do something big."
"Oh! Then do you know what big thing I am going to do?" Jiang Qingzhi looked at the cold-blooded Number One Knife of Xuanfu with interest.
"Big event in the world."
……
Jiang Qingzhi returned to the backyard.
Said to Li Tian: "Mo Zhan's monthly salary will be increased by two levels from now on, only one level lower than Fucheng and Shitou."
Li Tian was stunned, "Okay."
(End of this chapter)
