Three hundred and ninetieth eight chapters East Shi Xiao frown
Chapter 398: Imitation of others
In the last month of the year, Yangzhou, a leisure city, has entered into the New Year atmosphere early. Only the west side of Tianning Temple outside Gongchen Gate is still under construction in full swing.
On the construction site of the palace, there were not only civil servants and craftsmen recruited from the levy, but also dozens of experienced farmers who were responsible for planting and transplanting. Time was tight, and Mr. Li, the little governor of Yangzhou, ordered that the construction should continue until the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.
We will resume work on the fifth day of the first lunar month next year.
On this day, Mr. Li made arrangements to leave the office and inspect the construction site. The weather was not too warm, but the thick curtains kept the air out of the sedan, so it was quite comfortable in the sedan.
As soon as they left the yamen gate, the sedan stopped. Brother Chang Suiyi reported at the window: "Master! There are a group of scholars blocking the road at the yamen gate!"
Mr. Li got off the sedan and looked forward, and sure enough he saw a dozen scholars in scholarly attire blocking the door.
There is always no shortage of people watching the excitement near the Yamen Gate, and they start talking when they see this.
"Look, this is what we have learned. Last time, dozens of scholars made a fuss, and Mr. Li gave in. Everyone saw this, and they followed suit."
"Is this just a slap in the face? If so, it will be difficult for Mr. Li to handle it."
Li You was very impressed with these scholars. He frowned and scolded: "You have gathered here to surround the Yamen. Why are you here?"
One of them handed over the report and bowed proudly: "We are all scholars in the government, and now we have something unfair to report to our father!"
It turned out that he was from a government school rather than a county school. No wonder he looked strange. Li You frowned and said, "Say!"
"The emperor is approaching, and I heard that my father ordered merchants to make offerings. There is even a family where three brothers are shop owners. Is it unreasonable to seize the benefits of the people for the emperor?"
Hearing the words "Three brothers from the same family are all shop owners", Li You was convinced that it must be the three brothers of the Xie family who were cheated like this. Jin Wanwan and Mrs. Xie were both from Huizhou and were originally from Jiangdu County, so naturally Mrs.
Hui people.
A few months ago, during the dispute between the prefecture and the county, he expelled the boarding students from the county school. At that time, the prefect Luo responded tit-for-tat by enrolling these students in the prefectural school.
The result of the fighting was that all the boarding students were gathered into the prefectural school, while all the county school students were locals. Therefore, these prefectural students were probably boarding students, benefiting from the three brothers of the Xie family.
So he came over to give blunt advice to his fellow villagers, and took all the merchants along with him. After all, most of these merchants were from Anhui.
Perhaps the good show he played with the county scholars last time greatly inspired their confidence. Mr. Li thought to himself that this trend must not last long, otherwise everyone will think that he is easy to bully. He said: "
Why are you studying?"
"Of course it's Xiu Qi Zhiping!" replied the leading academic scholar.
Li You immediately showed off his official authority, waved the invitation to the scholar in front of him, and shouted loudly: "To collect profits from merchants, we take them from the people and use them for the people! It is unfair to talk about the government competing for profits with the people at every turn.
You are a rotten scholar and you are not good at reading, yet you dare to speak nonsense, who instructs you?"
Without waiting for the student members of the government to defend themselves, he sternly asked, "Answer me, are you standing here to speak for the court or for the merchants? Tell me!"
The accompanying government officials were all members of the husband's family, and they shouted in unison: "Speak!"
These scholarly scholars were not very old and had little experience in the world. Faced with Taishou Li's tricky questions and invisible pressure, how could they respond so quickly and intelligently?
They just accepted the gift from Xie Jia, a fellow villager, and came here on impulse. Or maybe they just saw the successful examples of the county school, and they didn't want to let the county school excel and wanted to make a name for themselves.
I am eager to reap the benefits.
Most of the idle people watching the excitement at the Yamen Gate were locals. Seeing the embarrassment of the foreigners and wanting to flatter Mr. Li, who had a very positive image, they all shouted, "Of course I speak for the rich people from my hometown!"
In this scene, the time, place, and people were all gone. The dozen or so scholars were speechless and were about to leave in despair. However, they heard Taishou Li saying righteously and sternly: "As a scholar, I don't care about the teachings of saints, but I collude with wealthy businessmen to threaten them."
The government, trying to control local government affairs, is like a scoundrel and cannot be forgiven! Where is the left and right? I will strip him of his clothes, remove his honor, take him back to the government and report him to learn the truth!"
The scholars and ministers were shocked. They never expected that the Yamen would throw away their honors today. It was a big loss. Only then did they remember Master Li's domineering attitude and the relationship between Master Li and the Taoist officials.
very nice.
Li You then said to the master next to him: "Remember, from now on, we in Jiangdu County will exempt shop owners from purchasing, and we will make changes to the market as soon as possible! When we return to the Yamen, we will issue a notice."
The onlookers all praised: "It's really like the blue sky."
Li You shook his head and got on the sedan. These people really lacked creativity. They had no words other than "blue sky" and their ears were calloused.
The scholars from the government schools stood dumbly looking at each other. Master Li's move was equivalent to draining the bottom of the fire. The merchants were relieved of their errands and naturally went to feel complacent. They definitely had no intention of continuing to support them. Who cares whether they can keep their honors as scholars?
Can it be saved? And the merchants must be grateful to Mr. Li, but they are the unlucky ones.
However, after the incident, the prefectural school instructor went to the director of Tongzhi Yamen and knelt down to beg for mercy. Li You avoided the punishment of "removal of meritorious service" and only demoted the prefecture students who were in trouble to the third class and prohibited them from participating in the undergraduate provincial examination.
This matter spread in the city, and those scholars in the government were ridiculed by the people in the city as "imitation of others". Some scholars who thought that Mr. Li was doing good things and planned to go to the Yamen to build his reputation shrank.
I didn’t mention it later, but said that Mr. Li arrived at the construction site, and Guo Xiancheng, who was in charge of supervising the work, had been waiting for a long time and reported: "With the approaching New Year's Day, the civil servants are homesick, but they can't let go in order to rush the work."
Li You nodded and said: "Speed up the progress, people's hearts still need to be appeased, otherwise no one will be able to bear the fatigue. Years ago, civil servants and old farmers were each given three taels of silver, and craftsmen four taels, to encourage people's hearts."
Guo Xiancheng said with a grimace: "How can we afford this?"
Li You said: "It's okay, if someone offers the money."
It turned out that this expense was sponsored by a salt merchant named Xu Changrui. The last time he gave money directly to the imperial envoy, he was kicked out by the imperial envoy and became a laughing stock in Yangzhou City. But he persevered and found Li You again, and finally got into this situation.
Opportunities to spend money.
Mr. Xu has a truth, money should be spent wisely, and it should be spent with special characteristics. Together with his peers, he donates and contributes. He is just a few words on the list, which is not very interesting. His initiative has been overturned by Jin Million
He was robbed, so he had to find another way.
Because of their good family background, most of the other salt merchants have studied since childhood, and those who are not outstanding will not be chosen to take charge of the family business. Therefore, most of them have some scholarly habits and pride themselves on being half Confucian and half businessman. Xu Yuanwai is different, so he can sacrifice his body.
I went to a night party to deliver money to the imperial envoy, but after being kicked out, I found him at Li You's door, just for being "different".
