Because Shi Haoran, the envoy of the two Huai salt transports, confessed a list of local gentry who participated in the smuggling of maritime trade, dozens of officials and gentry were arrested in just a few days, and this part of the people confessed to others, so it was like a snowball, more and more people were implicated, and the prison of the Yangzhou government was soon overcrowded.

These days, Lu Bing's Jinyi guards are busy and crazy, going out early and returning late every day, catching people everywhere in the stars and moons, although it is hard, but they also make a lot of money, so one by one it is like playing chicken blood, and they are full of strength to rush to the "performance", and then the manpower is really insufficient, so Lu Bing seconded soldiers from Yangzhou Weizhong to help.

This is a terrible thing, you must know that the arrested gentry and businessmen are all wealthy families who control the lifeblood of the local economy, and their influence is not trivial. As soon as these people were arrested and their industrial workshops were closed, a large number of unemployed workers immediately appeared, and prices skyrocketed, followed by poor public order and unstable people's minds.

It is worth mentioning here that the Ming Dynasty during this period had already seen the germination of capitalism, especially in the rich places of Yangzhou and Suzhou, where the handicraft industry was very developed, and a large number of people relied on working in workshops to earn money to support their families. Now that the workshops and workshops have been closed down, these workers have lost their source of livelihood, and with the help of well-intentioned people, they have gathered to make trouble.

Xia Yan originally strongly advocated severe punishment of the sea trade smugglers, but now he was a little panicked, and he hurriedly ran to Xu Jin to discuss countermeasures.

It is said that some time ago, Dongtai County ordered Zhu Kun to cause a commotion due to the strict investigation and arrest of smugglers, but the influence of a small Dongtai County is limited after all, and compared with Yangzhou City, a Tongdu Dayi with a population of hundreds of thousands, it is not the same at all.

What's more, Shi Haoran, the envoy of the two Huai salt transports, is a dignified member of the Sanpin, and his connections can be said to cover the Yangzhou Mansion, and the list of his confessions includes the wealthy dignitaries of several nearby prefectures, so the involvement is extensive, far more than 100 times that of Dongtai County, and the consequences are naturally 100 times more serious.

On the morning of April 20th, Xu Jin had just eaten the breakfast prepared by the perfect maid in early summer, Xia Yan came with a solemn expression, and just sat down and said urgently before waiting for tea: "Lord Xu, now that the prices in the city are rising, and the people are being instigated to make trouble by people with bad intentions. ”

Xu Jin was ordered to go south to Zhejiang and Zhejiang this time, and the reason why he chose Xia Yan as his partner was because he liked this person's ability, and secondly, he wanted to find an opportunity to change his idea of "forcibly forbidding the sea", so as to assimilate it into his own camp, and at this time it was obviously a good opportunity to change Xia Yan's mind, so Xu Jin quietly took a sip of tea and asked rhetorically: "What is the way Lord Xia can deal with it?" ”

Xia Yan stroked the beautiful hair under his chin and said: "The top priority is to open a warehouse and release grain, stabilize the market prices, as long as the prices come down, the people's complaints will naturally disappear." In addition, troops were dispatched to severely punish those who took the lead in causing trouble, and the culprits behind the instigation were found out and brought to justice. With this two-pronged approach, you're all set! ”

Xu Jin frowned imperceptibly and said, "Lord Xia, do you know what items in Yangzhou City have risen the most in price now?" ”

Xia Yan was stunned for a moment, and said with a little embarrassment: "This subordinate has not investigated in detail, anyway, the prices on the market have risen, and the people are complaining about this." ”

Xu Jin Kan said: "The most powerful price on the market today is cloth and silk, followed by paper, pen and ink, the price has risen by more than 40%, and daily necessities such as pots and pans have also risen by nearly 30%, but the increase in grain, oil and food is smaller, and the overall increase is less than 20%. Therefore, the official thinks that opening a warehouse and releasing grain will not really solve the problem. ”

Xia Yan couldn't help showing a hint of embarrassment, arched his hand and said: "It's the negligence of the lower officials, so they will transfer cloth and other scarce goods from other places to Yangzhou City to stabilize prices." ”

Xu Jin shook his head and said with a wry smile: "The largest production areas of cloth and silk are in Yangzhou and Suzhou, and the price of cloth in Suzhou is not much cheaper than Yangzhou now. Besides, doesn't Lord Xia think that this method is a palliative rather than a cure? ”

Xia Yan hesitated: "That...... Can Lord Xu have a more appropriate way to deal with it? ”

Xu Jin smiled and said: "Lord Xia, we can't always treat headaches and foot pains, we have to analyze the root cause of the problem and grasp the main contradictions...... Oh, it's to get to the root cause and solve the problem.

Prices in Yangzhou have risen because a large number of cloth mills, dyeing mills, paper mills, and porcelain cellars have been closed down. And the closure of these workshops has also cut off the source of livelihood for a large number of workers, and there is no rice to cook at home, so it is strange that these people do not make trouble. ”

Xia Yan frowned and asked, "What does Lord Xu mean?" ”

Xu Jin said lightly: "According to the official's opinion, for those gentry and merchants who violate the ban on the sea, it is best to replace the crime with a fine of silver, as long as it is not a capital crime such as a thief, try to give a light punishment, and if the circumstances are slight, give a warning and let them resume production, so that the problem can be solved." ”

Xia Yan immediately raised his eyebrows and reprimanded loudly: "Lord Xu's words are extremely ridiculous, the king's violation of the law is still the same crime as the people, let alone other people?" Whoever commits adultery must be punished, and how can he give up enforcing the law because of pressure, if everyone treats the law as child's play, then what is the use of me knowing the law? ”

Xu Jin was suddenly speechless, and said with a wry smile: "Don't be excited, Lord Xia, the law is nothing more than human affection, and the official has not said that there is a law that is not followed, but it is just a matter of taking it lightly." ”

Xia Yanhuo stood up and recited aloud in a righteous manner: "My Ming law stipulates: If the traitors and heroes want to build illegal ships with more than three masts, they will take the prohibited goods to the sea, go to Fanguo to buy and sell, sneak into the pirates, conspire to gather, and plunder the good people as guides, and the offenders will be beheaded according to their own laws, and the whole family will be sent to the border guards to fill the army. It built the sea ships mentioned above, sold them to those who made profits, and compared them with those who went to sea with forbidden weapons, so they leaked the law of military intelligence, beheaded those who were beheaded, and sent the army to the servants to the side. ”

After Xia Yan recited the provisions in this "Da Ming Law", he said angrily to Xu Jin: "Lord Xu can hear clearly, the above is the law set by Emperor Taizu of this dynasty. ”

Xu Jin almost had a crooked nose, and said coldly: "Then Lord Xia also listened: those who dare to have a private mutual market must be put on the heavy law, and all incense and goods are not allowed to be sold, and their existing ones are limited to being sold in three months."

The above are also the rules set by the Taizu of this dynasty.

Those who privately build sea ships to go to Fanguo, steal and sell arms and sea ships to Fan, or secretly rob the people with pirates, can be sentenced to kill the head and confiscate the army, but if they only participate in smuggling and selling goods, the "Da Ming Law" only says that the punishment is only severe, and there is no beheading and confiscation of the army, so how to punish can be agreed on as appropriate. ”

Xia Yan was immediately speechless when he refuted, and finally snorted coldly: "Lord Xu, this is a strong word!" ”

After the upright Lord Xia finished speaking, he flicked his sleeves and hurriedly slammed the door out of the door in anger. Xu Jin was also very angry, and for the first time he regretted choosing Xia Yan as his partner, although this guy is talented, he is too admitted, and it is tricky!

"Hmph, this Xia Yan is really a pit stone, look at the old man's anger, next time I come to the maid to kick him out with a broom, give the master your breath." Chu Xia walked over indignantly and threw away the teacup that Xia Yan had drunk with the tea.

Xu Jin couldn't help but be dumbfounded, slapped the pretty maid's buttocks, and scolded with a smile: "Look at what you can get with this little hoof!" ”

Chu Xia exaggerated a coquettish snort, then turned behind Xu Jin, pinched his shoulders very considerately, and said shyly: "Master is still angry?" Why don't you blow a jade flute to the lord to reduce the fire? ”

Xu Jin couldn't help but gasp, pulled the little from behind him into his arms, and slapped the pretty buttocks with two slaps that were neither light nor heavy, the latter twisted his waist and swung his hips, and Lord Xiao Xu was immediately rubbed and reacted.

Sensing the change, the little covered his mouth and giggled, ran quickly to close the door, and then ran back and knelt expertly between the old man's legs.

Xu Jin secretly said that he was dead, and then leaned back comfortably in the chair......