It was three o'clock in the morning the next day, and Yang Peng woke up. He felt a heavy pain in his head and couldn't help but patted his head. He turned to look at the sky and saw that it was already bright, so he quickly got up. After coming out of the room, Wang Kai, who was guarding the door, waited for the secretaries.
Wei immediately greeted him with clasped fists. Yang Peng looked at the sky and asked, "Are Duan Zhixian and Cheng Shijie up?" Wang Kai quickly said, "I don't know!" "Where are Du Nan and Bai Tong?" Wang Kai said with a smile, "I should."
Still asleep!" Yang Peng said: "Ignore them, let's go to Yangzhou City for a walk." "Yes!"
A few people dressed in casual clothes left the camp and wandered on the busiest South Street in Yangzhou. It was almost noon, but there were only a few pedestrians on the street. The scene of crowded merchants that day no longer existed.
Most of the shops were closed, and the ones that were open were empty, with banners swaying feebly in the wind. There were many beggars gathered on both sides of the street, men, women, and children, all with unkempt faces and confused eyes. They could not see hope.
Where. There was the sound of running behind him, and then someone shouted: "Brother, wait for us!" It was Du Nan's voice. Yang Peng stopped and looked back, only to see the chubby Du Nan and the tall and thin
The thin Bai Tong ran over.
Yang Peng smiled and said: "I thought you two were still sleeping?" The two smiled sheepishly, and Dunan said: "When we got together, we heard that the eldest brother was out, so we both didn't eat.
He ran out." Yang Peng smiled, turned to look at the open restaurant nearby, pointed and said, "I haven't had breakfast either, so I might just have a random meal here!" The two of them looked at it.
He glanced at the restaurant next to him and nodded, Du Nan said boldly: "I will treat you today!" Yang Peng chuckled, "The relationship is good, I couldn't ask for it!" Du Nan grinned, "Look what big brother said,
As long as the eldest brother doesn't dislike it, the younger brother will treat you to dinner every day!" Yang Peng laughed loudly, patted Dunan on the shoulder, and walked towards the restaurant, and everyone quickly followed.
The boss suddenly saw a large group of people coming in, and he immediately became excited. He had not seen so many guests for a long time. He hurriedly came up to greet them, bowed and asked, "Do the guests want to drink?"
Dunan said angrily: "Nonsense, why don't you come to your restaurant to watch a show if you don't have a drink?" "Yes, yes, you are confused! Do you want to go into the box, or just eat and drink in the hall?"
Dunan didn't dare to make the decision without authorization and looked at Yang Peng. Yang Peng smiled and said: "No need to bother, just stay in the hall." "Yes, yes, yes, all guests, please come!" With that, the boss invited everyone to the table.
There were several tables sitting near the window. The boss asked, "What would you like to order?"
Du Nan said boldly: "Bring up all your famous wines and dishes in Yangzhou!" The boss's eyes lit up, and he felt that he was really lucky today and met a wealthy customer! After repeatedly saying yes, he hurried down to set up business. Bai Tong looked at it
Looking out the window, he frowned and said: "This Yangzhou was the capital of Jiang in those days. It is recorded in the history books that it was a paradise on earth with abundant people and merchants. But I didn't expect it to turn into something like this!"
Yang Peng said calmly: "There have been endless wars in these years. It would be really weird if we can still maintain prosperity!"
Du Nan frowned and said: "From what the two generals said, they have already asked local officials to implement many policies to benefit the people. Logically speaking, there should be some changes, at least the situation should be better, but in front of us is such a lifeless and dilapidated look! It can be seen that
Big brother's policy has not been implemented at all!" Yang Peng said: "It should be what you said, the local officials deceived the superiors and concealed the cause!" Dunan thought: "The two Huaihe Rivers have been very prosperous since ancient times. If they can be managed well, they will be
The country provides a steady stream of food and taxes, but on the contrary, it will not only fail to replenish the national treasury, but will also continue to consume the few resources! It can be seen that whether the two Huaihe Rivers can be managed properly is of great importance!"
Yang Peng took a sip of tea and asked with a smile: "If it were you, how would you govern it?"
Du Nan smiled and said: "If I were the younger brother, I would first have to promote a few reliable officials for my use, and select those with good reputations in the local area to promote. If there are none, I would have to ask the elder brother to assign them to me; and then
While encouraging farmers and merchants to prosper trade, they also slowly reformed the selection and training of talents in the government, and gradually replaced those useless officials. After the above is completed, it will be initially on the right track, and the next things will not be so
It’s difficult to handle, so we can only stick to two aspects.”
Feeling that his mouth was dry, he picked up the tea cup and took a big sip of tea, and continued: "First, vigorously develop agriculture, commerce and handicrafts. All policies that are conducive to these developments will be implemented, and those that are unfavorable will be resolutely eliminated. At the same time,
We must do a good job in government supervision and reward and punishment work. Haha, in fact, you don’t need to worry too much about this. The series of policies implemented by Big Brother are already very good. The only thing that needs to be noted is that before the supervisory department officials settled in Lianghuai, I
It is not difficult to do a good job of supervision on your own initiative. Just set up a separate supervision team in the yamen. At the same time, you can also organize the local famous gentry, businessmen, and students and give them power to supervise.
."
Yang Peng's eyes lit up and he praised: "Your idea is very good, especially the last one, it is a unique creation that has never been done before!"
Dunan smiled, "I just think that since this world belongs to the people of the world, the people of the world should be given the means and power to restrain the officials. Otherwise, this world belongs to the people of the world and it will be just a meaningless talk.
Got it!"
Yang Peng smiled and nodded. At this time, the boss and his wife came up and placed several famous local dishes in Yangzhou and a pot of fine wine on Yang Peng's tables. Du Nan saw that he and his wife served the dishes in person
, asked with a smile: "Is it possible that the boss is in such a difficult situation that he can't even afford to hire a clerk?"
The boss sighed, "That's it! Since the great chaos, Yangzhou City has become more and more depressed, and business has become more and more difficult to do. We have no choice but to fire all the redundant people. Even this is very difficult.
!" The proprietress on the side continued: "Actually, our store is pretty good, because it is our own store. Although the business is not good, we can barely maintain it! This is not the case with other stores, because they rent it from others.
The business of the shops is so bad that they can no longer sustain themselves, and every one of them has stopped working! Hey, in previous years we would all drink and celebrate together during the Chinese New Year, but last year’s Spring Festival was so deserted!”
Yang Peng asked: "It has been some time since Yan Yun's army regained Yangzhou. Has the situation not improved a little?" The couple sighed, and the landlady couldn't help but said: "They say King Yan is such a hero, but I don't think so.
! It has been so long since Yangzhou was recovered, but there has been no change! What was the Mingjiao occupation like before, and what it is like now! Guest officials, do you think this King Yan has a false reputation? "
Everyone laughed, and Bai Tong said: "Don't be anxious, boss lady, everything has a process. I believe everything will be fine soon!" The couple sighed. Then they felt that these people did not seem to be ordinary people, except
Except for the fat man and the thin man who looked like scholars, everyone else had a strong temperament, especially the leader, who was extremely brave and imposing. He felt like he should be a general with a heavy army! The couple couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts, thinking of just now
Yan Yun, who complained about King Yan, immediately became flustered. Then he found that they didn't look angry at all, and he couldn't help but let go. The lady boss said quickly: "The little woman just talked nonsense, please just think that I am
It’s just a fart, don’t take it seriously!”
Everyone laughed. Yang Peng asked: "Madam boss, are the local magistrates good to the people?" When the couple heard this, they couldn't help but become suspicious and looked at Yang Peng. The lady boss asked: "This young man is just afraid
Isn't he an ordinary person?" Then his mind moved, and he thought of the imperial ministers who were often ordered to visit privately incognito by storytellers, and his eyes lit up, "Could it be that the young master is actually an imperial minister?"
Everyone looked at each other and smiled, and Yang Peng said with a smile: "You can also say that." When the couple heard this, they were frightened to death and quickly knelt down and said, "Fuck, the common people don't know that you will be far away when you arrive to greet me."
You are talking nonsense, please forgive me!" Yang Peng asked with a smile: "What are your sins?"
The landlady whispered: "Young lady, you shouldn't, you shouldn't talk nonsense!" The boss next to you said angrily: "You are really talking nonsense! King Yan is so wise and powerful that it is rare for a thousand years for a great figure to appear! You
What does a woman know? If she opens her mouth and talks nonsense, she deserves to die!"
Yang Peng smiled and waved his hands and said: "The boss lady is not wrong! I have some complaints in my heart, so there's no harm in talking about it! It's because King Yan did something bad that I'm sorry for you. I'm here to apologize to you on his behalf!"
Then he stood up and bowed with his fists clasped.
The couple were startled and kowtowed hurriedly: "The common people don't dare! The common people don't dare!" Yang Peng helped the two of them up, and they looked at Yang Peng with both emotion and nervousness. Yang Peng asked the couple to sit down.
The couple didn't dare to say anything, so Yang Peng asked him to sit down again and again. The couple couldn't help but refuse, so they sat down awkwardly.
Yang Peng asked: "This time I paid a private visit incognito, I just want to hear the voices of your people. Only by knowing the difficulties of the people can King Yan prescribe the right medicine!" After hearing such words, the couple were so moved that they didn't know it.
What should I say? Yang Peng smiled and said: "I still have the same question as before, what do you think of the local magistrates?"
The couple looked at each other, and the boss sighed, "I don't know how to talk about this!" Yang Peng said with a smile: "Don't worry about anything, just say what you know!" "Yes!
"After a pause, "Hey! Speaking of local magistrates, I'm afraid we, the common people, all hate them!" As he spoke, his face showed an expression of anger and hatred, "These guys don't care at all.
Not only did they impose heavy taxes and extort money on us, but they also used their power to seize people's land and property, causing many families to go bankrupt and have to flee!"
When Yang Peng heard this, he couldn't help frowning. The boss clasped his fists and said: "You may not know something, but Yangzhou and even the entire Huainan area are controlled by three major families! The people of those three major families are on this land.
It can be said that he is tyrannical, robs women of the people, seizes property, and even kills or kills people in appointments. He does all kinds of evil!" Everyone in Yang Peng couldn't help but become angry. They expected some shortcomings in the local officialdom, but they didn't expect it to be so bad. It really had to be rectified.
reached the point!
"Which three major families are you talking about?" Yang Peng asked.
The boss said: "That's the Zhou family, the Zheng family, and the Wang family. They are all big families in Huainan." He smiled and said, "I'm not afraid that adults will laugh at me. In fact, the common people are also members of the Zhou family." Everyone was a little surprised. Du Nan
He said jokingly: "Isn't this very good? The boss must have gained a lot of benefits from it!" The boss smiled bitterly and said: "You are making fun of me! Although the grassroots belong to the Zhou family, they are not the same as the Zhou family. That circle
It's actually very small!" He pointed to the wife next to him and said, "My wife's surname is Wang, and she and the Wang family are from the same clan and head, but in fact the two parties have no contact at all! We have three families with the surnames of Huai, Zhou, Zheng and Wang.
There are many, but it cannot be said that they are from those three major families!"
Yang Peng smiled and nodded, "I understand what the boss means." Then he thought: "The current name of the Yangzhou magistrate is Zhou Xian. He must be a member of the Zhou family among the three major families, right?" The boss nodded, "
Exactly, and he is also the head of the Zhou family!" He frowned and said, "Zhou Xian is very vicious this time! Not long ago, his son Zhou Lu fell in love with the daughter of the family on the corner of the street. When the marriage failed, he openly broke in.
The house was robbed, and the two old men were severely beaten and paralyzed on the bed, but they were still worried about their daughters! Hey! I don’t know how the daughter of that family is doing now? I’m afraid she has been ruined!” After that!
Sighed a few more times.
Everyone was furious, and Dunan asked: "If the local government doesn't care, doesn't it mean the local garrison doesn't care either?" The boss was stunned, "What does this matter have to do with the local garrison? Shouldn't all such matters be handled by the local government?"
?"
Yang Peng asked: "After this incident, did that family take any measures?" The boss nodded, "Who said no? After their daughter was taken away, the two elders begged their relatives to file a lawsuit. Sir, what do you think?
, then the prefect is Zhou Lu's father, how could he take care of this case? The people who went to complain failed to get the complaint, but were beaten up by the prefect. Since then, no one dared to complain, and the two old people could only
I cried at home all day long! Oh, there are so many things like this that I can’t even talk about them in one moment!”
At this moment, there were chaotic footsteps at the door. The boss and his wife looked up, suddenly became nervous, and hurriedly greeted them. Then everyone saw the boss and his wife very respectfully greeting several young people in servant uniforms.
, "Oh, you guys are really rare guests, please come quickly!" Those young people had wild heads and rat-like eyes, raised chins, and looked arrogant and domineering.
Several people walked to a table and sat down. The boss bowed and asked: "What do you guys want to order?" A young man said angrily: "This is not the first time for you guys to come here. What are you talking about?
Just pick it up and go!" "Yes, yes, you guys will be later!" Then he and his wife went to work in the back.
Yang Peng and others remained calm, minding their own drinking. They only heard the servants next to them talking loudly, and one person said: "I didn't expect that woman to be so violent, she actually used scissors to kill herself!" Another person snorted coldly,
"There is no point in committing suicide! That little girl is simply ignorant. If her death makes Yanei unhappy, will her parents be able to get rid of the problem? I am afraid that Yanei will kill her parents the next day! If she
If you are smart, you should obey the yamen and become the yamen's concubines. In this way, not only will they not get into trouble, but they will enjoy endless glory and wealth. How stupid!" Others agreed.
Yang Peng and others felt that they were talking about the woman that the boss had just mentioned who was snatched away by Zhou Lu. They really admired that woman's strong character. The boss's wife came out from behind with a few side dishes and a jug of wine, and went straight to kill Yin.
Go to that table and set the food and drinks.
When the servants saw this, they were very angry. One of them slammed the table and shouted: "Didn't you see the masters here? How dare you serve them wine and food first!" The boss's wife quickly stepped forward to apologize, saying only that they were here.
The guest officer asked for it first, and also asked them to forgive me. The landlady did not dare to reveal the identity of Yang Peng and the others, because she felt that since the other party was visiting privately incognito, they should not be willing to reveal their identity casually.
The servant who was patting the table raised his hand and slapped the landlady in the face, scolding: "You old godly woman, you are so tired of living!" Yang Peng and others were shocked when they saw him beating someone, and they all screamed.
rise.
Although the boss's wife was beaten, she did not dare to get angry and just kept apologizing. The servant who hit the boss's wife refused to give up. He grabbed the boss's skirt with his left hand and raised his right hand to slap her again. Just then.
At this time, a strong hand suddenly grasped his wrist. The servant was startled, turned around and saw a heroic and very angry face, and the curse words on his lips were stuck.
After putting it in his mouth, he couldn't help but feel fear in his heart. Then he thought that he was a servant of the Zhou family. Who else could he be afraid of? His courage immediately increased. He let go of the landlady's skirt with his left hand and actually slapped Yang Peng.
Come on, I have to admire this man's courage!
However, how could he possibly touch Yang Peng with this little skill? With his palm still in mid-air, he felt a huge force lift him up, as if the clouds were rising, and then he hit them hard with a loud bang.
On that table, the square table was smashed and fell to the ground. Several other servants were so shocked that they fled away. When they realized what was happening, they couldn't help but become angry and rushed towards Yang Peng.
The secret guards immediately stepped forward and beat the servants who were used to bullying the common people with three punches and two kicks until their noses were bruised and their faces were swollen and they were looking for teeth. Yang Peng said loudly: "Okay, stop fighting!" The secret guards stopped then.
When they came down, a secret guard kicked a servant on the head again out of anger. Several servants were lying on the ground, screaming in pain. With great difficulty, they helped each other to get up, with expressions on their faces.
Staring at Yang Peng and the others bitterly, one of the servants said fiercely: "You wait! You wait! This matter is not over yet!" After saying that, they helped each other and stumbled away.
The landlady said with a gloomy face: "They will definitely not give up. What should we do? What should we do?" At this time, the boss had already come in and saw the mess in the hall. He still couldn't figure out what happened.
He looked very surprised. After hearing his wife briefly describe what happened, her face instantly turned pale and her lips trembled involuntarily.
Bai Tong said: "You don't have to worry, everything is under control, sir, nothing will happen to you!" The couple then remembered their identities and quickly knelt down, begging Yang Peng to make the decision for them. Yang Peng helped
He picked up the two of them and said with a smile: "It will be okay, don't worry!" When the couple heard this, their originally frightened hearts calmed down a lot.
Yang Peng said loudly: "Don't let this disturb our interest. Everyone, sit down and continue eating and drinking!" Everyone returned to their seats and sat down, continuing to eat and drink. The couple quickly brought out the remaining food and wine.
, my heart was always unsettled. The boss carried the smashed table out of the door and put it down. Just as he was about to go in, he suddenly heard the noise of people on the street in the distance and couldn't help but listen. It doesn't matter if you don't look at it.
, I was startled when I saw nearly a hundred government officials running towards me, shouting, and passers-by were running away. The few following them were clearly the servants of the Zhou family who had been beaten just now. The boss hurriedly ran
He walked back and stammered: "No, it's not good! They, they are coming!"
Yang Peng and others who were eating and drinking put down their wine glasses. At this time, the sound of hurried and chaotic footsteps outside reached everyone's ears. Yang Peng's heart moved and he couldn't help but frown. The door suddenly went dark, and a large group of fierce government servants swarmed out.
Come in. The boss and his wife were so frightened that they hugged each other and retreated to the corner, trembling.
The strong man who looked like a head catcher at the head glanced at the hall. There were only a few tables of Yang Peng and others in the hall. The catcher's eyes naturally fell on them. At this time, a servant who had been beaten before pointed at
Looking at Yang Peng and others, they said very bitterly: "It's them!"
The catcher frowned, but did not take action immediately. He had been born in Gongmen for many years, and he still had some discernment. He felt that these people had an iron-blooded spirit, and I was afraid they were not ordinary people, so he did not dare to take action rashly.
The voice said: "Who are you? How dare you make trouble in Yangzhou City?"
Dunan looked at him and said mockingly: "Why do you say with certainty that it was us who caused the trouble?" The servants next to him asked, "Why can't it be them?"
Several servants saw that the other party was still so powerful at this moment, and they were very angry. They shouted and cursed: "You bastards, you don't know when your death is coming! We will see if you are still arrogant later!" Then one of them rushed to arrest him.
He shouted: "Captain Zheng, why are you nagging them? Why don't you arrest them quickly!"
Zheng Captou glanced at Du Nan and thought to himself: I'm afraid I'm too worried. How could they have some background? I've seen all the important generals of the Yanyun Army. There are absolutely no such people, and they can't be.
Ordinary sergeants, Yan Yunjun's military skills are as good as mountains. It is impossible to come to this restaurant to drink at this time. Judging from their attire, they are probably merchants from other places. As soon as he thought of this, he felt confident in his heart and said coldly: "
If I say you are making trouble, you are making trouble!"
Du Nan sneered and said: "This catcher is really powerful! I heard that King Yan would not treat the people like this. Whose power are you relying on to dare to be so rampant?" Zheng catcher was furious.
, shouted: "How brave, how dare you speak to me like this, you are really impatient! Come on, take them down for me!" All the government officials agreed in unison, and rushed forward. The secret guards had already
I was on guard, and when I saw this situation, I immediately took action. I saw all the Yinsha punching and kicking me. The government officials were accustomed to bullying the people, but they were no match for Yinsha. They were beaten until they staggered back and forth.
What happened after all? Let’s look at the breakdown next time.