Chongzhen's domineering

Chapter 126 Pirates and Treacherous Officials Collude (Fifteen)
The wages of avarice is death.

The wealthy textile industry in Jiangnan was highly coveted, but it was also particularly prone to problems.

Countless incidents occurred during the Ming and Qing dynasties at the Jiangnan textile manufacturing bureau. The decline of Cao Xueqin's family, which is recorded in history, was related to the Jiangnan textile manufacturing bureau.

Sometimes, the word "profit" can be incredibly harmful; the enormous profits of the Jiangnan Textile Bureau alone are enough to drive people to take risks.

Now, with the profits from raw silk and tea added to the mix, the local tyrants and gentry of Jiangnan went completely mad, ignoring the governor's orders.

In order to make huge profits by selling raw silk and tea overseas, wealthy merchants from Zhejiang even used naval warships to smuggle their own goods.

For the sake of profit, almost the entire Jiangnan region broke away from the control of the Ming Dynasty court or the emperor. Imperial power could not reach the countryside at all. In the eyes of the local tycoons and gentry in Jiangnan, there was only profit and no emperor!
Zhu Jue stopped being polite to these guys and directly unleashed Wei Zhongxian, that vicious dog.

Wei Zhongxian disregarded everything and led his Imperial Guards onto the centipede-shaped ship, heading straight for Suzhou Prefecture.

He worked incredibly hard, and to get to Suzhou Prefecture as quickly as possible, he brought along all the officers in the Imperial Guard who knew how to row.

Along the way, the naval soldiers and imperial guards took turns rowing, rowing desperately. Four days later, at dusk, he miraculously led his men to Suzhou Prefecture.

At this time, Zheng Zhibao was already there with 20,000 troops and 500 warships, and Xu Guangqi had also arrived long ago.

The next morning around dawn, everyone gathered in the main hall of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau.

Xu Guangqi, the Prime Minister of Agriculture, sat in the main seat, while Wei Zhongxian, Zheng Hongkui, Zheng Zhibao, Tu Wenfu, Li Chaoqin, and others stood on his left and right.

Everyone is waiting for Xu Guangqi to speak.

Xu Guangqi also knew that the emperor urgently needed raw silk. At this moment, the silkworms in Jiangnan had almost finished spinning their silk. If he didn't act soon, he wouldn't be able to get much raw silk.

He thought about it carefully, and then said solemnly, "Lord Wei, you should also know that the spinning mills and weaving mills in the capital are almost completed, and His Majesty needs a large amount of raw silk."

Therefore, we must first target and clean up the main production areas of raw silk. Suzhou Prefecture and several counties around Taihu Lake are the main production areas of raw silk in Jiangnan and even the entire Ming Dynasty. You should start today and begin the cleanup.”

No problem at all. You could even ask me to clean up the entire Jiangnan region without any problem, let alone just a prefecture and a few counties.

The problem is, I'm not familiar with Jiangnan; I've never been there before.

Wei Zhongxian thought for a moment, then cautiously said, "Lord Xu, I'm unfamiliar with this place. Could you arrange for some people to guide me?"

Can't you read a map?
Where am I supposed to find someone to guide you right now? Besides, it's not easy to find someone to guide you. Who would be so bored as to travel all over Suzhou and the area around Taihu Lake and memorize the routes every day?

Xu Guangqi thought for a moment and then said simply, "Zhibao, the waterways around Taihu Lake are numerous and complex. Traveling by boat is faster than riding a horse. Why don't you lead the way for Lord Wei's men? Wherever they want to go, you can send someone to take them there."

Zheng Zhibao bowed without hesitation and said, "This humble general obeys."

That's fine then. You guys go about your business, I'll go about mine.

Xu Guangqi nodded slightly, then stood up and said, "Alright, Lord Wei, you and Zhibao can discuss it and clean up Suzhou Prefecture and the surrounding counties of Taihu Lake as soon as possible."

"I have some business to attend to in Jinling. Hongkui, take your men and the fast boat with you. Grandfather Zhou has already prepared what you requested. I've also asked Grandfather Zhou to purchase a batch of goods; please help me transport them."

After saying that, he walked out.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Hongkui quickly followed.

This was actually an oral instruction from Wang Yingchao. He was only responsible for designating the location and would not concern himself with the rest. This was because Wei Zhongxian was too ruthless, and Zhu Jue was worried that he would not be able to stand by and watch, and would interfere and ruin Wei Zhongxian's plans.

Wei Zhongxian was not only ruthless, but also extremely cunning.

He stared at Xu Guangqi's retreating figure for a while, then asked, "Zhibao, can you read a map?"

What kind of question is that? Do you think I, a general who leads troops into battle, can't understand a map?
Zheng Zhibao nodded without hesitation and said, "Lord Wei, this humble general can read the map."

His respectful attitude towards Wei Zhongxian was not out of a desire to curry favor with Wei Zhongxian, but because Wei Zhongxian's nephew, Duke Ningguo Wei Liangqing, had a very good relationship with his elder brother, and he was giving face to Duke Ningguo Wei Liangqing.

Wei Zhongxian nodded with satisfaction, then decisively said, "Send several teams of men, each with fifty warships and a hundred elite cavalry, to capture the magistrates of the counties surrounding Taihu Lake." This was a trivial matter.

If it were an ordinary naval commander, upon hearing that he was to lead men to arrest the local magistrate, he would probably hesitate, fearing that he would be dealt with by those civil officials.

Zheng Zhibao, however, was not afraid at all. He was a pirate by origin, so what was there to be afraid of in a civil official? He dared to lead men to arrest the county magistrate, let alone the prefect or the provincial governor!
Without hesitation, he cupped his hands and said, "This humble general obeys."

Wei Zhongxian nodded slightly, then instructed, "Wenfu, take a hundred elite cavalry and bring the prefect of Suzhou to me. Chaoqin, take a thousand elite cavalry and bring the prefects and magistrates of the remaining counties in Suzhou to me."

Tu Wenfu and Li Chaoqin quickly cupped their hands and said, "Your children understand."

Wei Zhongxian nodded slightly, then waved his hand and said, "Go."

Soon, the Jiangnan Textile Bureau dispatched its secret agents everywhere, arresting the prefect of Suzhou, the magistrates of various prefectures and counties in Suzhou, and the magistrates of counties around Taihu Lake, all of whom were taken to the Textile Bureau.

Wei Zhongxian disregarded all consequences and subjected these local officials to severe torture.

He thinks he's in the right this time? He's gone too far! You guys don't even respect the Governor's orders!

In fact, these prefects, magistrates, and county magistrates had no choice. They were not natives of Zhejiang and Zhili. This was because the Ming Dynasty had strict household registration regulations, and official officials appointed by the Ministry of Personnel were not allowed to serve in the province of their place of origin.

They also knew that these local tycoons and gentry who were connected with Zhejiang's wealthy merchants and pirates were not to be trifled with, and that they had received some benefits from them.

These local tycoons and gentry simply refuse to report, so how can they report to Xiong Wencan, the Governor-General of Zhejiang, Zhili and Fujian?

Their testimonies were all in one sentence, and since the local authorities didn't report them, there was nothing they could do.

If it were someone else, they probably wouldn't be able to do anything about this kind of testimony.

Upon receiving the confession, Wei Zhongxian did not hesitate to send naval fast ships and elite cavalry to arrest all the local village heads and chieftains.

All because he felt he was in the right again, and his confession was his evidence. He disregarded the orders of the governor conveyed by the prefect, the magistrate, and the county magistrate. They had gone too far!

This time, they're not so easy to catch.

At this point, the imperial power of the Ming Dynasty was truly unable to reach the countryside. Moreover, the local tyrants and gentry had already prepared for this, having arrested a large number of prefects, governors, and county magistrates upon hearing that Wei Zhongxian was coming.

Could they allow Wei Zhongxian to arrest both the village head and the head of the village guards?
The local village heads and village chiefs were all their people, and many of them were even their relatives.

As a result, the various prefectures and counties of Suzhou Prefecture and the counties surrounding Taihu Lake were bustling with activity, as if a pot had been boiled over.

When the village heads and village chiefs heard that the Imperial Guards had come to arrest people, they all loudly summoned their able-bodied men to confront the Imperial Guards!
If Tu Wenfu and Li Chaoqin were in this situation, they might not dare to take action.

Wei Zhongxian was overjoyed by this, because Zhu Jue had told him that anyone who dared to resist would be arrested, have their property confiscated, and be executed.

He wasn't in a hurry to be executed; he was in a hurry to confiscate the property, because the confiscated wealth could be used to please the current emperor.

This fellow directly ordered Zheng Zhibao to send naval troops to support the operation, arresting all the village heads and village chiefs who dared to resist and taking them to the Jiangnan Textile Bureau for severe torture.

The Jiangnan Textile Bureau was immediately filled with howls and screams, the cries echoing throughout the entire Suzhou city.

Immediately afterwards, he dispatched his naval forces in warships, accompanied by the Imperial Guards, to launch a frenzied raid.

He not only ordered the ransacking of the homes of those village heads and village chiefs who dared to resist, but also ordered the ransacking of the homes of the local tyrants and gentry who instigated the rebellion.

In this way, countless quantities of raw silk, tea, and even cloth were confiscated, along with a considerable amount of gold and silver treasures.

While he was happily collecting goods in Jiangnan, the capital was in an uproar.

The impeachment memorials flew to the capital like snowflakes.

Wei Zhongxian actually led a large group of pirates to raid and plunder village heads, local tyrants, and gentry in the southeast!
Is this still available?

Is there any more royal method?
(End of this chapter)