Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 145: Riots and Iron-Blooded Rule of Jiangnan (Two in One)

Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but wonder whether the Ming Dynasty was really too kind to these gentry in the past, because, in Zhu Houzhao's impression, this phenomenon of stripping a large number of gentry of their titles and official positions also occurred in the Qing Dynasty in history, but these gentry seemed to be very well-behaved and accepted it obediently, and did not force their masters to restore their titles and official positions like they were doing now.

Among them, there was a man named Xu Qianxue who had no complaints at all against Kangxi at that time. He even later served as Kangxi's obedient minister. He was very loyal to the extent that even when he was accused of being a corrupt official, he was still forgiven by Kangxi.

Zhu Houzhao looked at Ma Wensheng and Wang Shu. These civil servants were always worried that their actions would force the gentry to be at odds with them. However, Zhu Houzhao was thinking that if he was a little harsher, these gentry would not only not be at odds with him, but would be more loyal to him, when they completely understood that being a dog was better than being a human.

But deep down, Zhu Houzhao himself did not want these gentry to be dogs in the future. He knew that this was called slavery. He did not want his Ming Dynasty, or even the whole of China, to still have slavery in the future. But now, it seems that he has no choice but to cultivate slavery.

Zhu Houzhao looked at the common people who were watching the excitement with numb expressions at a distance from the city gate, and thought, perhaps only when the common people all over the world have civic consciousness, will he, as a ruler, not have to cultivate servile people.

But no matter what, Zhu Houzhao still didn't want these gentry to become real slaves. He just hoped that they would abide by the rules and understand that they also had obligations and responsibilities.

For example, like Ma Wensheng, Wang Shu, Wang Yangming and others around him, it would be better if he could serve the public a little bit. After all, it was only a tax ratio of thirty to one. Taking one less concubine and building one less garden would save several years of taxes. It would not hurt much. What's more, he was not like Yongzheng, who had both officials and gentry serving as one.

"People's hearts have changed. These gentry are no longer the group of gentry who took it as their duty to serve the country with integrity. Since Yu Shaobao, they have been getting worse and worse. I, an old minister, always lament for them. Now it is time to teach them a lesson!"

Wang Shu, who passed the imperial examination in the 13th year of Zhengtong and experienced four emperors in the five dynasties of Zhengtong, Jingtai, Tianshun, Chenghua and Hongzhi, could not help but sigh with emotion.

Wang Shu was a civil official, so he would naturally not take the initiative to admit that the Battle of Tumu was beneficial to the civil service group and made the civil service group bigger and increasingly arrogant. He only lamented that the gentry in the world began to gradually become bad after Yu Qian was executed by Emperor Yingzong of Ming, but the time was almost the same.

……

Just when Zhu Houzhao and Ma Wensheng agreed with what Wang Shu said, the Jinyiwei had already started to move out.

The Jinyiwei at the front were all holding glass shields, all of which were tempered glass produced by the Royal Industrial Company, and they also had special steel rods. As soon as these Jinyiwei holding glass shields appeared, they formed a row directly and squeezed out a row of gentry under the Hongwu Gate city wall, leaving only the 38 gentry who were the leaders of the instigation inside.

When the thirty-eight gentry saw that they were trapped inside, they panicked and tried to leave to join other gentry. But at this moment, two groups of Jinyiwei rushed over and captured the thirty-eight gentry. "Let's go!"

Seeing this, the gentry outside the glass shield rushed over to rescue these people, and some even rolled up their sleeves to fight, but they were all knocked back by the hard glass shield, and some of the gentry were even hit with bruises on their faces!

At the same time, two groups of Jinyiwei rushed in from outside, all wearing gas masks filled with charcoal powder and cotton. As soon as they rushed in, they threw Molotov cocktails into the densely packed group of gentry.

These Molotov cocktails contain chili powder, mustard powder and sulfur, so when they burn, they produce all kinds of pungent smells.

These gentry were choked by the various smells and had tears and snot running down their faces. Some could not even open their eyes, while others could only cough violently, making the situation even more chaotic, and countless people were trampled upon.

The Jinyiwei came over with iron rods, and one of them shouted, "Hit!"

Immediately, these Jinyiwei attacked these gentry directly. These gentry had no power to fight back and could only flee frantically. The scene was extremely chaotic!
The Jinyiwei holding glass shields also put on gas masks and moved forward step by step to clear the area outside Hongwu Gate.

During this process, naturally, some gentry who were running around would be beaten and run in other directions, while some were trampled to death in stampedes.

In less than an hour, all the gentry who gathered outside Hongwu Gate to threaten the emperor and the court were dispersed, and no major accidents occurred. As for the casualties, they were only trampled to death, so the court could not be blamed. The Jinyiwei did not kill anyone from beginning to end.

However, the thirty-eight gentry who led the instigation cannot be let off easily; they must be killed as a warning to others.

Soon, these 38 gentry were taken to the governor's office, and Wang Yangming also received instructions from Zhu Houzhao to hand over these 38 traitors for treason.

The cabinet immediately voted to execute them, and the Imperial Household Department also approved it. Soon, these 38 gentry were taken to the outside of Hongwu Gate and beheaded to the ground.

Tan Qingshan was also among the thirty-eight people. At this moment, he was filled with remorse. He glanced at the Hongwu Gate behind him and cried, "I feel so miserable! I don't want to die!"

Click!

As soon as Qin Qingshan finished speaking, he chopped off his head with a knife!

Immediately afterwards, the other thirty-seven heads were also chopped off.

However, after these 38 gentry were beheaded, the Jinyiwei followed the instructions from above and reassembled the bodies and heads of the 38 people together. They also placed them outside the city gate for public display and posted a notice to inform all the people that these 38 criminals were traitors who incited the people and intended to rebel. If any accomplices came to claim the bodies, it would be equivalent to surrendering themselves and they would be treated leniently.

As a result, no gentleman dared to come and claim the body.

The gentry of the entire Southern Zhili were completely frightened this time, and they were even more terrified when they thought of the methods of the Jinyiwei. Of course, they hated them very much, but now they were helpless and could only grit their teeth at home.

……

Gu Xinlei, the son of Gu Xiantong, is now looking at the Nanjing Palace City in the direction of Hongwu Gate with gritted teeth. He knows that all this is caused by the emperor named Zhu Houzhao in the palace. He also begins to have to admit that the emperor in the palace is a tyrant, and even the ministers around him are cruel officials!

Because of the hatred for his father's murder and the infringement of the interests of the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River, Gu Xinlei hated the court he saw now, as well as the king and his ministers of this court. Gu Xinlei decided to go to Zhenjiang to find Zhenjiang General Tian Zheng.

Naturally, more and more gentry in the south of the Yangtze River began to feel dissatisfied with the imperial court and the government like Gu Xinlei, but they did not dare to rebel directly, or they had not yet found an opportunity to rebel directly.

Some began to pretend to live in seclusion but actually began to look for princes and powerful people who were willing to raise an army. Some condoned or even instigated local ruffians to riot and no longer used their own clan power to control them. They even secretly colluded with bandits to undermine the stability of the grassroots society.

At this time, Cao Xutong, the former Junior Minister of the Dali Temple and the representative of the Nanjing gentry, said to several gentry friends:

"Since the imperial court intends to abandon us Jiangnan gentry, then let the imperial court know the consequences of not having us Jiangnan gentry. When the time comes, let the whole city of Nanjing be in chaos, the people riot, bandits rise up everywhere, and the whole country is in chaos. Let's see how the imperial court will end it!"

"Only when the emperor and the scholar-officials rule the world together can a prosperous era be created. Since the court only cares about taking care of the common people, let the court see how grateful the common people are to the court!" said a gentry from Jiangnan.

Then, within a few days, a series of incidents of looting, smashing and burning began to occur in Yingtian Prefecture and even other prefectures.

All of a sudden, many ruffians appeared out of nowhere and started riots, rebelling everywhere!

There were countless murders, arson, and even rapes of women, as well as fights, strikes, and business closures.

Even in Nanjing, there seemed to be many more unruly people and bandits. Some towns suddenly saw people hacking and killing people indiscriminately, and the people were all panicked. Bandits suddenly appeared on the main roads, and many merchants were robbed and killed, and even officials were killed. The whole Jiangnan seemed to have entered a state of riot, and it seemed to have become a society of mutual harm at the bottom, as if there was no law at the grassroots level.

The common people stayed indoors during the day and dared not go out, nor sleep deeply at night. Even the pressure on the court's rule increased, but those wealthy and powerful families continued to live in peace and prosperity.

Zhu Houzhao received urgent reports from Wang Yangming from various places, so he frowned and thought deeply. He asked Ma Wensheng and Wang Shu with a smile: "Is this their counterattack? They don't rebel directly, but make it look like the world is in chaos. What's the purpose? Are they trying to tell the world that I am cruel and ruthless, causing chaos in the world? So as to encourage heroes in the world to rise up?"

"Your Majesty, they may have the same idea, but since ancient times, the imperial power has not extended to the countryside, and the county and below are all managed by the gentry and clans. I am afraid that they are just giving up now, so they are causing the collapse of laws and social unrest!"

Ma Wensheng replied.

Zhu Houzhao laughed and said, "Are they forcing me to admit defeat? They want to tell me that without them, I can't even rule the country, and I may even lose the support of the people, but I won't admit defeat! And don't push me too hard, if you push me too hard, I will make the people of the world stop paying taxes, and see if the people will still stand on my side!"

Although what Zhu Houzhao said was just an angry remark, it was indeed a strategy to cut off the source of the problem. After all, Li Zicheng was able to destroy the Ming Dynasty in one fell swoop by relying on the fact that King Chuang came and refused to pay taxes.

If he really did this now, all the common people in the world would naturally stand on his side.

But Ma Wensheng, Wang Shu and other civil officials would not let Zhu Houzhao do this, so Ma Wensheng hurriedly advised:
"Your Majesty, calm down! Do not act on impulse. Since these Jiangnan gentry want to cause chaos in Jiangnan, we should take this opportunity to rule Jiangnan with iron and blood! I suggest that we take this opportunity to let the court take charge of the people on behalf of the Jiangnan gentry!"

"What the Prime Minister said is very true. Since the imperial power did not extend to the countryside before, and now that local clans are unable to manage the people, the court should take charge!" said the Minister of Personnel Wang Shu.

Zhu Houzhao agreed with this and suddenly had an idea:
"My dear ministers, what do you think about setting up a police department? Since these Jiangnan gentry want to cause chaos in Jiangnan and bully Nanzhili because there is no censor, then let Nanzhili Governor Wang Yangming set up a police department, set up a police bureau in each prefecture, a police sub-bureau in each county, and a police station in each township, recruit good people from the lower classes as police soldiers to manage local public security?"

When Zhu Houzhao said this, Ma Wensheng and Wang Shu were a little surprised, but then they felt fresh again. At this time, Wang Yangming said:
"Your Majesty, this move is very good for maintaining local public order, and it can also replace the gentry's power to manage the villagers. However, this will increase the number of clerks and the people will suffer. In addition, if such a police camp is really to be established, its use of firearms and cannons must be restricted to prevent those with bad intentions from obtaining them."

"Your Majesty, what Mr. Wang said is absolutely right. There is some overlap between the police soldiers and the yamen runners. Instead of setting up new police soldiers, it would be better to order each prefecture, state, and county to increase the number of yamen runners and constables to take charge of various places," said Wang Shu.

"I do not intend to make the police soldiers the same as the clerks. The police soldiers are the same as other officers and soldiers. The soldiers are soldiers of the court, and the officers are also officials of the court. Like the censors in other places, they are responsible for arresting and executing criminals in their local areas! Otherwise, I will directly expand the East Factory and let the East Factory come to Jiangnan to exercise the power of the censors and manage public security!"

After Zhu Houzhao said this, Ma Wensheng and Wang Shu both understood what Zhu Houzhao meant. It was nothing more than setting up people to manage prisons in the Jiangnan region from the village to the provincial government. It was just a change of name, but the two had to admit that this was indeed beneficial for the court to control the local areas.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Wang Shu expressed his opinion directly. In his opinion, setting up police soldiers in Jiangnan is better than directly sending the East Factory to Jiangnan. After all, the people in the East Factory are all eunuchs, and the police soldiers are not eunuchs after all.

Civil officials had an instinctive contempt for eunuchs, so Wang Shu was more willing to set up a police department and police corps. Moreover, he had experienced the era when the factory guards were rampant during the Chenghua period.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Ma Wensheng also expressed his opinion. He had the same idea as Wang Shu. It was better to establish a police force in Jiangnan than to let the East Factory expand its manpower and come to Jiangnan to cause chaos. After all, the police force was still under the control of civil servants.

Zhu Houzhao also knew what they were thinking, but he didn't expose them, so he nodded and said, "Well, draft an edict. The Southern Zhili Governor Shouren will immediately recruit good people as police soldiers and set up a police department. The police department will be the same as the inspection department. The police department will hold the seal and be in charge of the police department, and will be awarded the rank of the third rank!"

"No! Your Majesty, it is inappropriate to call the person who holds the post of Police Department as the Seal Holder. In my opinion, it would be better to call him the Chief Justice directly."

Wang Shu was deeply afraid that eunuchs would be in charge of the police force in the future, so he even felt that the word "seal holder" was inappropriate, and changed it to "criminal judge", which meant that the person in charge of the Nanzhili Police Department would still be a civil servant in the future.

Zhu Houzhao did not intend to take away the power of the civil officials in the prison, but he did not intend to abolish the East Factory, so he did not refuse and said, "Then change it to the Chief of Justice!"

Therefore, after the cabinet's draft and the approval of the Imperial Household Department, Wang Yangming, the governor of Southern Zhili, officially received the decree to establish the Police Department. In addition, Wang Yangming himself temporarily took on the role of Chief Justice of the Police Department. At the same time, he personally recruited good citizens to form police soldiers.

The people of the entire Southern Zhili were also deeply harmed by bandits and scoundrels, so they also participated enthusiastically.

Soon, Wang Yangming formed a large police force. After receiving the order, the prefectures, counties and cities in Nanzhili also quickly established police units, recruited police soldiers and appointed police officers. Since the Minister of Personnel Wang Shu was in Nanjing, the administrative efficiency of appointing police officers was also very fast.

As a result, within less than a month, a group of officers and soldiers to maintain public order appeared in the entire Southern Zhili.

At the same time, Zhu Houzhao asked the cabinet to issue an edict, ordering Nanzhili to enter a period of alert. During the alert period, local governments could kill people and investigate their crimes before reporting them to the higher authorities in order to maintain public order, but they were also strictly prohibited from killing innocent civilians.

The servants of the gentry Cao Xutong had already received Cao Xutong's instructions and ordered a group of thugs to break into a private house in Nanjing City. One of them, Xing Laoer, even dragged out a virgin girl and was about to beat her up. The other thugs watched and laughed. The girl's father couldn't help but curse, "Aren't you scoundrels afraid of being punished by the government?!"

"We are Cao Sanye's men. Do you know who Cao Sanye is? The government office is owned by Cao Sanye's family. Even if the government arrests us, we can release us in a few days. Believe it or not! Lowlife, be obedient and let me play with your daughter. That's your blessing!"

Xing Lao Er laughed excitedly, but just as he finished laughing, Wang Yangming came over and stabbed him in the back with a knife: "You dare to do evil in Nanjing City, you are really brave!"

This Xing Lao Er was killed on the spot!
As he said this, Wang Yangming directly asked the other young man: "Who is Mr. Cao Sanye?"

"It's the Third Master of the Cao family. He's the son of the housekeeper of Master Cao's house on East Street." After the young man finished speaking, Wang Yangming ordered, "Take him away. Go and arrest the Third Master Cao!"

On other streets, other policemen also used violence to maintain law and order. Although most of the policemen were newly recruited lower-class civilians, the police officers were transferred from the Jinyiwei, so they did not show mercy when killing people.

The police soldiers, who were composed of newly recruited civilians, hated these young scoundrels and even had a long-standing grudge against them, so they were very active in their work.

A few young gangsters had just set a house on fire when they were surrounded by police soldiers who had rushed over.

"Ah! Spare my life!"

These young men were beheaded on the spot before they could even finish their words.

At this time, Wang Yangming also arrested nearly seventy so-called local tyrants such as Mr. Cao Sanye and Mr. Li Siye in half a month, and even some gangsters and some clerks who colluded with them secretly. They were all taken to the execution ground in Nanjing and beheaded.

Seeing that even with the support of the gentry and the secret help of the clerks, the cost of looting, smashing and burning was still very high, the scoundrels became more obedient. As a result, law and order in Nanjing was restored in less than a month!
At this time, Pan Duan, who had been recommended by Wang Yangming as the chief judge of the Suzhou Prefecture Police Bureau, also set up his own police force with the help of a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. After chopping off the heads of more than 80 ruffians and clerks on that day, the public security of Suzhou Prefecture was restored!
Immediately afterwards, public security in Songjiang Prefecture was restored!
Public security in Changzhou Prefecture, Chizhou Prefecture, Fengyang Prefecture, Yangzhou Prefecture and other places was also restored one after another!
However, this was not the end. After public security was restored, Wang Yangming, the governor of Nanzhili, received an imperial decree, instructing police officers and soldiers in various places to eliminate bandits within a time limit and to find out the bullies and evil gentry who were behind the scenes intending to disrupt the local area. They must not tolerate or hide the traitors. He even set a reward amount and directly stated that it was linked to political achievements.

This time, these gentry were really scared!

Thanks to my book friend Deng Xian Li Bie Yi Xiao Hun for the reward of 200 Qidian coins. This chapter cannot be separated, so I posted it together. Today is still the third update with more than words. Why is the gentry afraid? The answer will be revealed in the next chapter tomorrow.
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(End of this chapter)