The Mysterious Ming Dynasty: The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom

Tianjin.

"Heavenly Official".

"It's been a few days."

Marquis Wuqing, Li Cunshan, bowed deeply, his posture extremely humble.

Marquis Yangwu, Xue Lian, stared at the dog's head hanging on the mast, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. It seemed he had arrived at the worst possible time.

Those bastards in the White Lotus Cult are unreliable.

And they even said it was foolproof.

This is your foolproof plan.

Si Chen raised his hand, "Please, both of you."

Guests are always welcome, especially when faced with such fat sheep.

Outside the hall stood twelve tiger-like guards, each holding a ceremonial sword, clad in heavy black and yellow armor, carrying an apricot-yellow flag, wearing tiger masks, and with gilded fire bells hanging from their waists.

Marquis Wuqing and Marquis Yangwu seemed to be watched by twelve large tigers.

Marquis Yangwu, Xue Lian, swallowed hard.

Marquis Wuqing, Li Cunshan, gritted his teeth and passed through.

Si Chen asked, "What do you two think of my warriors?"

Marquis Xue Lian of Yangwu laughed and said, "Extremely magnificent!"

Marquis Li Cunshan of Wuqing echoed his sentiments.

"The merchants of Pu are willing to send a treasure ship to the Heavenly Official. It will arrive on an auspicious day and will be delivered at Dagu Port by sea."

"What does the Heavenly Official think?"

Si Chen waved his hand dismissively, "Let's discuss these trivial matters with my left and right protectors."

Marquis Wuqing quickly stood up, "Thank you for your mercy, Heavenly Official."

Si Chen shifted his gaze to Marquis Yangwu, Xue Lian.

Marquis Xue Lian of Yangwu sat upright in place, feeling sweat beading on his back.

"Why does the Heavenly Official look at me like that?"

"What about those outside? Aren't you going to give an explanation?"

"I truly had no idea. The sled was a gift from the merchant, and it was only after Your Excellency asked me for it that I gave it to you. Where have I offended Your Excellency? Please grant me a chance to atone for my sins."

Si Chen remained silent, staring at Yang Wuhou for a long time. Seeing that Yang Wuhou was still unmoved, he finally spoke, "Since there's nothing else, then get lost."

"Yes, I'll go back right now." Marquis Yangwu Xue Lian turned and left, completely forgetting what he was supposed to do.

Cao Youyi and Liu Ji emerged from behind the screen, one on each side.

Si Chen closed his eyes to rest, awaiting good news, and casually asked, "Cao Youyi, have any wandering knights come to seek refuge with you recently?"

Cao Youyi cupped his hands in greeting, "I respectfully report to the Emperor. The wandering knights, having heard of your illustrious reputation, dare not approach."

Among wandering knights, there is a good and a bad mix.

To put it nicely, they are heroes, but most of them are actually just thugs and ruffians, some of whom also work as bandits.

"However, the Duke of England recently sent another batch of Imperial Guards. If Your Excellency is willing, you might as well give it a try."

Si Chen raised his hand. "Never mind. I just want to recruit some chivalrous men to maintain order. Using the Imperial Guards would be a waste of their talents."

There are many talented people in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Compared to ordinary military households, they received a more comprehensive education and were literate. Their inherited military traditions were also far superior.

Fifteen minutes later.

The six Ding and six Jia, twelve guardian deities, arrived together.

"Ascend."

"The Marquis of Wuqing only took the managers of the major salt fields back with him. Apart from that, he handed over the four salt fields near Tianjin."

Si Chen nodded and looked at Cao Youyi, "Take over these salt fields, compile the rosters of salt workers from each major salt field into a book, and get them running smoothly. There shouldn't be any problem, right?"

Cao Youyi said, "This matter is easy. The problem is, how should we deal with these salt workers rioting over their wages?"

Si Chen looked at Jia Zi and said, "Take a hundred cavalrymen with you, arrest a few salt smugglers, and behead them as a warning to the public."

"Is there anything else?" Si Chen looked around.

The Six Ding Divine Generals rose to their feet. "Take your place. Where do these merchants from Pu come from? They even managed to acquire a treasure ship."

Si Chen looked around and explained to them, "I rely on the Shanxi Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, Shaanxi Governor, Three Border Commander-in-Chief, Minister of Revenue, Minister of Personnel, Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, Junior Tutor, Pillar of State, Grand Tutor, Yang Yiqing, Yang Wenxiang."

"Yang Bo, son of Yang Zhan, one of the three prominent merchants in Pu, studied under Yang Wenxiang from a young age and rose to the positions of Governor of Gansu, Governor-General of Xuanda, Minister of War, Minister of Personnel, Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, Junior Tutor and Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, Junior Preceptor and Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, and Grand Tutor."

"Yang Bo, a relative by marriage, was one of the three major merchants of Pu. He served as governor of seven garrisons—Xuancheng, Datong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Yancheng, Ningxia, and Gansu—for twenty years, eventually rising to the position of Minister of War and Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince."

"Zhang Siwei, one of the three major merchants in Puzhou, was a salt merchant. He rose to the positions of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, Grand Secretary, Junior Tutor and Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince, and Pillar of the State. He was posthumously awarded the title of Grand Preceptor."

"The Yang, Wang, and Zhang families of Pu are related by marriage."

"During the Wanli era, Zhang Siwei, Yang Bo, and Wang Chonggu, together with the Duke of Dingguo, who was in charge of the Right Army Commandery, presided over the tribute mission to Anda."

"Historical records say that Altan Khan paid tribute of more than 30,000 warhorses every year. But the nine major border garrisons didn't receive a single one, nor did the Imperial Stud. Zhang Siwei, Yang Bo, and the three powerful clans of Puzhou are the greatest traitors to the country."

"While enjoying the tax revenue from the imperial customs, they also used the horse market to exploit the weaknesses of the various Mongol tribes."

"They were the ones who forced Bo Bai to rebel. The three powerful clans of Puzhou embezzled most of the grain and salary, and the shameless civil officials recruited and tricked Bo Bai into fighting with the vanguard battalion, killing Liu Dongyang and others. Then they went back on their word, killed Bo Bai, and sent Bo Bai's son, Bo Chengen, back to the capital to be beheaded and displayed to the public."

"They coveted the imperial court's provisions and used the imperial army to annihilate the elite border troops."

"This is one of the three famous campaigns of the Wanli era in history, the Ningxia Campaign. In reality, it was the three powerful clans of Puzhou who used their power to eliminate dissidents and deliberately forced Bo Bai to rebel."

"What is meant by 'soldier's blood'? This is drinking soldier's blood."

"Han Kuang was related to Zhang Siwei by marriage and was also Yuan Chonghuan's mentor. He served as Grand Secretary twice."

"Look at them."

"On the surface, everything is bright and clear; in the shadows, people are scheming and despicable."

"Using the banner of serving the country and the people to influence national policy is nothing more than a matter of privilege."

"No one in the world can match his hypocrisy, cunning, selfishness, and self-interest."

"A merchant has no country."

"Scholars are shameless."

"When scholars and merchants collude, they become the greatest traitors to the nation."

"Generations of intermarriage have created numerous disciples and former officials, forming a clan and faction."

"Therefore, you need not feel pity for them."

"Business can be done."

"But there's no need to cultivate a personal relationship with them."

"Sooner or later, it'll just be a single cut, and his head will fall to the ground."

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

This situation is a complete mess.

A vast interest group, integrating gentry, wealthy merchants, and nobles.

It's completely rotten.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

If this is the case in Shanxi, it is even more so in the Jiangnan region.

The most prosperous region in the land continuously siphoned the wealth of the entire Ming Dynasty to the south.

However, they did not pay a single penny of commercial tax.

They only want power but not responsibility, and they despise artisans, farmers, and soldiers.

Not engaged in a proper occupation.

In Si Chen's eyes, they were all malignant tumors that could be discarded at will.

"We understand."

Everyone bowed their heads.

Even Liu Ji has gained a lot of knowledge in the past few days.

The world is ruined by the people at the very top.

Thinking about the difficulties I've faced over the years, I felt a surge of hatred towards them.

They're practically sucking the marrow dry, cutting flesh from the Ming Dynasty.

Si Chen could clearly sense that they had finally begun to accept his ideas.

People must first learn to respect and love themselves, to know honor and shame, and to empathize before they can learn to think.

Otherwise, even if Si Chen taught them a hundred times, he still wouldn't be able to change them.

As the saying goes, "It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature."