Inside Di'anmen, there is a small shop in Xilou Lane.
The four masters of the Song family got up before dawn again and got busy early.
"Good morning, Second Master."
Laosi Zhenzhao saw Liu Er coming with a birdcage from a distance and quickly said hello.
"Good morning, what fresh vegetables have been brought in today."
Lao Song came out and said hello, "Good morning, Mr. Liu. Prices have skyrocketed recently, and I can't do business anymore. I can't buy anything anymore. I just have stinky tofu, sauce, dried beans, pickles, and some potatoes and sweet potatoes."
Corn and sorghum." He said as he greeted Liu Er into the house.
There has been a famine in Beijing for a while, and ordinary people have not seen fine grains for a long time. Even the bannermen have to mix fine grains with coarse grains, and they still have to eat cornstarch and even boiled potatoes.
Ordinary Han people's life is even more difficult. Many people have fled with their families and families, and the rest have to endure meal after meal and starve to death every day.
Of course, Mr. Liu, who works as an errand in the household department, is living a good life, and has even been promoted to a migrant worker position. Although he has not yet reached a formal rank, he has half-stepped across the threshold.
Others eat zucchini and melon to make soup every day in summer, and in winter, they eat radish and Chinese cabbage to make soup, or they boil potatoes, occasionally stir-fry shredded potatoes, and eat them with two yellow croakers.
But Liu Er's family can often eat well behind closed doors. Luxuries such as shrimp skin and lard are often available at home. They can also get fish and meat from Lao Song every now and then, and they can eat it for a month.
I eat mutton two or three times, and although corn flour steamed buns are often eaten as staple food, white flour is also often eaten, and dumplings can also be made often.
Other people's family eats glutinous rice bran when they are hungry, but his family can often eat noodles with fried bean paste and even candies.
The reason why the old Liu family could maintain such a life during this time of famine was not because of the extra salary after his promotion. In fact, his promotion was also funded by his small yellow croakers.
"I made some good things today, fish meatballs and beef meatballs. They were fried to golden brown. I took them home and cooked them in a copper pot. Not to mention how fragrant they are."
"Let's take a look." Liu Er said with a smile.
Lao Song then led Lao Liu into the backyard. After saying a few words in the courtyard, he opened the curtain and entered the back room, closed the door and the two of them got together.
"What's new?"
"Beijing has had no food for a long time. Now the two regents are anxious. At the just-convened meeting of the princes and ministers, it is said that the princes and ministers were arguing and blaming each other. Some impeached Li Guohan and lost Hanzhong, and some accused Wu Sangui of not
Some of those who responded promptly also said that Ao worshiped the mourning master and harmed the country.
"Some people suggested sending troops to recapture Luoyang and Kaifeng, while others said they wanted to abandon Xuzhou and Yingzhou. In short, it was chaos."
When Mr. Liu talked about this, he felt very relaxed.
Although he was an errand in the Household Department of the Qing Dynasty, under the guidance of Lao Song, he has officially joined the Beijing branch of the Tiandihui led by Lao Song, and has become an underground martyr to support the Ming Dynasty and destroy the Qing Dynasty.
Liu Er used to provide information to Lao Song and made a lot of money. Now that the situation is getting worse and worse, he actively seeks to join Lao Song's side in order to give himself a way out.
Life is pretty good now. He works as an errand in the Beijing Municipal Household Affairs Bureau. He has the appearance of a Beijing embassy, but is also an underground righteous man inside. He eats both sides.
The bannermen were all starving, but Lao Liu was able to get the scarce food, meat, vegetables and other materials through Lao Song, and he lived a comfortable life. Lao Song even provided him with gold to help him build relationships, get promotions, and get in touch with more people.
intelligence.
"Now the regent is angry and has issued a fatal order to various places to collect grain from Shaanxi, Shanxi, Beizhi, Liaoxi, and Liaodong and supply it to Beijing. In order to be able to raise grain, he also asked the Ministry of Household Affairs to take all effective measures to conduct an inventory of various places
The number of positive results over the years will be reported to the imperial court."
After losing the important grain producing areas of Huguang, Jiangnan, Huaiyang, Henan, and Shandong, not even Guangdong, Guangxi, and Shuhan were able to hold on. The Tatars are now completely out of control in the Central Plains. Even the originally stable Liaodong region outside the Guanhai Pass has been exposed.
The army is involved.
It can be said that the Tatars still have quite strong Eight Banners soldiers on the surface. They are quite large in number and the main force is still there, but they are forced to defend in various places and lack food and weapons, so they are completely useless.
Even the imperial court in Beijing could no longer afford it.
In this case, the regents, auxiliary kings, princes and belles have no choice but to find ways to obtain food from the existing control areas.
Regardless of whether there is a war or a disaster in various places, the grain must be turned over, and a group of ten households must be held together. If one household flees, if the grain is not paid, the other nine households will share the payment.
No matter how the people fled or how poor they were, the total number of people in various places must be collected according to the quota.
Even if a full levy is not enough, then we will find ways to recover the arrears.
Daishan directly said that the serious debts in various places were due to official corruption. In addition, in the past, the Ming Dynasty and the feudal lords invaded and evaded taxes.
Officials occupy many acres of land, do not pay rent and taxes, hijack the officials, and destroy the fields in the guard stations, etc.
This was done in the Ming Dynasty before, but it doesn't work now.
Must be paid in full.
Now the two regents have issued an order to strictly clear the money, assign tasks at different levels, and incorporate them into the performance evaluation of local governors, guardians, and county officials. Those who complete the tasks as scheduled will be promoted to higher positions. Those who fail to complete the tasks will be severely punished and demoted.
He was even fired directly from his job.
Under the decree of the two regents, the scope of this settlement has been clarified.
First of all, the royal family, vassals and relatives of the original Ming Dynasty. All the lands they occupied must be confiscated. Before, they pretended to give preferential treatment to the old ministers of the Ming Dynasty. But now it can no longer be done. Regardless of whether you obey or not, the land must be confiscated.
All confiscated, nothing retained.
Next is the original health center.
In the past, some Qing officials in various places also began to follow the example of the South in evacuating garrison posts and recovering farmland, but this was only done in some places. But now, the Qing government directly customized it to evacuate all garrison posts, including those along the canal.
The guards responsible for water transportation were not left behind either.
Because the canal has been completely blocked long ago, what is there left to do?
In addition to clearing and reclaiming the fields of the royal family, clans, vassals, relatives, and guard posts, it is also necessary to clean up the fields that have been invaded and occupied by the powerful gentry.
The focus this time is also directed at these gentry and powerful people from all over the world.
Especially last year, there were great uprisings in Shanxi, northern Shaanxi, Gansu and other places. A large number of gentry and landlords followed the rebellion against the Qing Dynasty. This made the Tatar court angry, but felt that this was a betrayal.
Therefore, Yue Le massacred the city in Shanxi, and Wu Sangui massacred the city in Shaanxi. Not only were they not punished, but they were rewarded.
Now that the Tatars have no place to squeeze out money and food, they can only attack these gentry who are unwilling to surrender sincerely.
Moreover, Daishan and others also heard that Zhu Yihai also did this in the south and it was very successful, so why didn't they do it this way? Although there were many Han officials in the Beijing court who opposed it, Daishan and the others no longer had any directors to the Han officials at this time.
Even people like Fan Wencheng, Ning Wan and I are no longer trusted by them, and have even been deprived of their title of Minister of State Affairs.
With so many capricious Han surrender ministers and the loss of Huang Taiji, those in power such as Dorgon, who paid more attention to the surrender of Han people and the reuse of Han ministers, and princes such as Daishan, all hated Han officials.
The Beijing court has purged several waves of Han people who were demoted. Many demoted generals from all over the country have been transferred from their positions as chief generals, but there are very few who can still be trusted and reused.
"Jilharang has already promised that no matter how much the debt is, it will all be recovered. Now if you refuse to pay, even if you owe only a cent, you will be expelled from your job title, and even your home will be confiscated and questioned!"
Old Song couldn't help but shook his head after hearing this, "It seems that the Tatars had already pursued the money in Shandong before. A Tanhua was falsely accused of owing a penny and had her house confiscated and executed. Now that the Tatars are going to do this all over the place, it seems they are really confused.
"
Liu Er chuckled.
Anyway, they, a subordinate class, have nothing to do with this kind of thing.
Besides, he actually felt in his heart that no matter who was in power, it would be the same, just like the Mingzi in the south who is now called the Great Emperor. Didn't he also pursue debt collection and debt repayment in Jiangnan for ten years?
When the Tatars first entered the customs, everything went smoothly, so they were good to the surrendered civilians and military officers, and even the gentry and landlords. But now that the situation is getting worse, they are becoming more and more unscrupulous.
Now that the Tatars are launching such a severe debt settlement, they are actually not only trying to grab money and grain, but also attacking the powerful Han gentry. The so-called strike first is to rescue the crumbling rule and deter the resisters.
"For the gentry with a good reputation, the land they have invaded and the taxes they have evaded through false mailings, flying taxes, etc. will be recovered for ten years and paid in full within a time limit. If they rely on their power and fail to pay the full amount, they will be expelled from their honors and be punished with forty bans and shackles.
For two months, the house will be confiscated to pay taxes, and those who refuse to pay a large amount or have a bad attitude may also be punished with imprisonment, exile, exile, beheading, etc.
In addition, if any of the gentry's brothers, relatives, or clan members default on payment and refuse to pay, they will also be sent to the Ministry of Punishment in the shackles. The gentry is jointly and severally liable and must help pay."
This is revenge and also deterrence.
This was also used to weaken the strength of the gentry in the occupied areas.
When they first entered the customs, they still wanted to consider themselves civilized and sit on the throne of the Lord of the Central Plains, so they had a gentle attitude. But when the resistance became fierce, especially when the situation was unstable, they revealed their true colors and started to engage in violence.
Massacre, hoping to shock, especially these gentry, with force and brutality.
"Now the bannermen in Beijing are in arrears of pay for seven or eight months. The Eight Banners garrisons and green battalions in various places have also been without pay for at least a year. They all rely on self-financing. However, in many places, the troops can only rob the people, but
There are many places where you can’t even grab food, and many places even go so far as to rob people to eat.”
"If this continues, Beijing won't be able to hold on much longer."
"Old Song, when do you think the emperor will return to Beijing?"
Old Song stroked his beard and said, "It should be soon. Get more reliable information after you go back."
The Tatars are now massacring cities and killing people everywhere, and at the same time they are also engaging in memorials, sales, and collections. Even the gentry are not spared. It seems that they are really at the end of their rope.
He can be sure that when the Tatar court gives this order, the local officials and soldiers will not immediately use chicken feathers as arrows, but will take the opportunity to engage in corruption and looting. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated by the gentry, not only by the powerful, but also by ordinary people.
No.
The Tatars are trying to force all the Han people to rise up against them.
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
Sorry for the late update, I had insomnia and just fell asleep in the morning.