December of the first year of Hongxing in the Ming Dynasty.

It's the coldest time of the year in Wuhan, with the north wind howling, snowflakes and patches of ice floes can be seen on the Han River and the Yangtze River.

The scene of ice on the Han River and the Yangtze River is unimaginable in later generations, but for Yao Daqiao and Ye Jiaxin, they are the people of Hubei, and they can see it every year.

It's just that this year's winter has been particularly cold for the two of them...... Not cold from the outside in, but cold from the inside out!

The hearts of both of them are cold now, and if they dig it out, they may be two ice lumps!

Now the two of them are walking on a near Hanzheng Street, one after the other, next to the Han Water covered with ice......

Now the price of the feudal bonds has fallen below 50 taels per piece...... Yao Daqiao's position was also closed, and in the end, he lost 220,000 taels of silver in this wave of feudal debt speculation!

He entered the field with 380,000 taels, and now there are only 160,000 taels left...... If the 380,000 taels were his own money, it would be nothing. However, of the 380,000 taels, 280,000 taels were the payment for the goods to be paid before the end of the year.

But he only had 160,000 taels left in hand, and he was still short of 120,000 taels......

120,000 taels of silver!

If it was before Li Zicheng came to Huguang, it would be impossible for Yao Daqiao to be forced to come to Hanshui every day for 120,000 taels of silver.

At that time, he owned 20,000 or 30,000 acres of paddy fields in Hubei, which alone was worth hundreds of thousands of taels...... But these paddy fields have been counted and equalized, and Yao Daqiao has also deposited these lands in the names of twelve people. So he didn't even get the ransom rice, and the hundreds of thousands of taels of land were gone.

However, there was still a little bit of belongings left in Wuchang Mansion, which was enough to support the shelves of big businessmen, so after Li Zicheng was driven away, he took the opportunity of the imperial court to find someone to go to Hubei to buy white rice.

However, the resurgence of Yao Bridge is somewhat lively, the market is quite large, but the foundation is very thin, so it is maintained by borrowing and demolishing the east to make up for the west. Because of the lack of capital, Yao Daqiao has been fast in and out in the past two years, although he has made a lot of money, but he also missed the opportunity to make a lot of money when food prices skyrocketed.

Therefore, before the "feudal debt incident", what supported the apparent prosperity of the Yao family was more than 100,000 taels of its own funds......

Now the money has been lost, and it still owes 120,000 taels!

And as soon as he lost everything, Ye Jiaxin, who relied on him to make a comeback, was also unlucky......

Ye Jiaxin is now a tenant farmer, and he does not have his own land, but is all operated on rented land. The business is good, this year's harvest is very good, after removing the costs, there are about 2,000 taels of profits, of which 1,400 taels are Yao Daqiao's, and he himself has 600 taels.

A good day looks like it's coming, who knows that Yao Daqiao will lose 120,000 taels again...... At this time, the farm that Ye Jiaxin and Yao Daqiao cooperated with could not be kept - the farm assets (farm tools and land leases, etc.) all belonged to Yao Daqiao. Ye Jiaxin is only responsible for the operation, and he can only share 30% of the profits.

Now that Yao Daqiao collapses, the farm can only be sold out, and Ye Jiaxin will get nothing except 600 taels of dividends. Now I am entrusted by Mrs. Yao, and I have to watch Yao Daqiao every day...... Don't think about it!

This feudal debt turmoil has pitted a group of gentry and businessmen in Wuhan Prefecture, and some people can't think of committing suicide in three days.

And Yao Daqiao's loss is not small, and he can be ranked in the top 10 among a bunch of losers!

I don't know if I can't think about it, Yao Daqiao suddenly stopped, facing the surging Han water, motionless.

This frightened Ye Jiaxin, who was following him.

Is this going to jump? He's going to jump, can he save himself? It's dangerous to go down in such a cold river, so forget it!

Ye Jiaxin waited for a long time, but Yao Daqiao didn't jump, so he sighed and took a few steps forward: "Brother Yao, don't ...... it"

Yao Daqiao didn't seem to hear his words, but just muttered to himself: "It's settled, it's all settled...... The shops on Hanzheng Street can't be saved, and the Yao family's mansion has to be out! This one is a miserable loss! I, Yao, have nothing but half of Yao's house street! ”

Lost only half a street left, or half a street in the center of Hankow! I don't know how much it will be worth in the afterlife? However, the housing prices in Hankou are not high now, and Yaojiazhai Street is not a commercial street, so half a street is not worth much.

"Big brother, you still have half a street, don't think about it!" Ye Jiaxin hurriedly enlightened, "I have seven or eight hundred taels of silver left now, isn't it okay?" ”

"Am I fine?" Yao Daqiao glanced back at Ye Jiaxin, "By the way, why have you followed me every day these days?" I don't owe you any money, do I? ”

"No, no!" Ye Jiaxin hurriedly shook his head, "I, I don't have nowhere to go, I just wonder Brother Yao, you must have a way......

Yao Daqiao nodded: "So that's the case...... Since you asked, I really have a way out, I don't know if you want to follow? ”

"Is there really a way out?" Ye Jiaxin asked, "Where are you going?" ”

Yao Daqiao didn't answer directly, but asked rhetorically: "Do you remember Peng Juren?" ”

"Peng Ziqin?"

"Yes, that's him." Yao Daqiao said, "He also lost...... I met him outside the maritime business yesterday and cried like a tearful man. He told me that he had no choice but to go abroad to fight! ”

Peng Ziqin got some ransom rice and became an official again, and his life gradually improved. But he is not satisfied, the Jiupin Sesame Official has no head, and there are not many officials, and he has no chance to fish.

So he thought of speculative debts...... As a result, I also became a leek.

Ye Jiaxin asked: "Go abroad?" Where to? ”

"What kind of Shuizhenla country is going," Yao Daqiao said, "that country's uncle Zheng Sen has a piece of land there, which can be reclaimed in Tuntian." Someone needs to run it, Peng Juren wants to sign up to be a tuntian official, so that he can be promoted to two levels, and he can also get a double salary, and he can also have a vocational field in Shuizhen Laquan, and he can circle less than 5,000 acres. He asked me if I could recommend someone to manage the field for him...... Why don't we go together? ”

"Let's go to the country of Shuizhenla?" Ye Jiaxin asked, "It's not far?" ”

"Far ...... It is south of the Annam Metropolitan Division. Yao Daqiao said, "Wealth and danger are begging!" Are you going or not? ”

"Go!" Ye Jiaxin stomped his feet, "I still have 700 taels, which is just used as capital!" ”

......

"Your Majesty, these days, the gentry and merchants in Wuhan can be miserable by the debts of the vassals, and the families are bankrupt, and they don't know how many ......."

"Your Majesty, this is a petition jointly signed by the Wuhan gentry and businessmen, requesting a thorough investigation of the mastermind behind the skyrocketing and plummeting feudal debts!"

"Your Majesty, the minister also thinks that it is very unusual for the feudal debt to rise and fall so much, there must be traitors who are making trouble!"

Donghu Palace, Qinzheng Palace. Emperor Zhu, who had just sent away Wu Sangui, Ma Shiying, and Zhu Cijiong, who had just sent away the gang of bills, had not been clean for a few days before he encountered new trouble.

Some gentry and businessmen who were anxious to lose refused to take the risk, but wanted the imperial court to find out who was behind the scenes...... It seems that there are still a few ministers who are full of sympathy for them and help them speak at the court meeting.

"Is there anyone behind this? I really didn't expect that there would be such treacherous people! Of course, Zhu Cihong attached great importance to it, and his face sank suddenly.

This is undermining the country's financial security! This is digging the corner of feudalism in the Ming Dynasty! Such a bad person must be caught and severely punished!

"This black hand must have been sent by Li Guo!" Zhu Cihong said with a calm face, "It may also be sent by Dolgon...... Zhu Chunjie! ”

"The minister is here!"

Zhu Cihong said: "I ordered the Jinyi Guard to investigate this matter thoroughly...... If there is really a black hand, I must find him out! No matter who it is, I will not spare him! ”

Zhu Chunjie immediately patted his chest and promised: "Your Majesty, rest assured, the minister will investigate thoroughly!" ”

"Good!" Zhu Cihong nodded heavily, "You let it go!" Even if it is found that there are relatives of the emperor involved, I will severely punish them! ”