Chapter 161 A series of slaps
Su Ze also thought about having Changning Wei pretend to be a Japanese pirate and directly burn Zhuangzi who was outside Yuan Cai.
But the murder of a rural official who was destined to become an official was no small matter. Even if he was killed by "Japanese pirates", the government must conduct a detailed investigation and it is absolutely impossible to close the case hastily.
Once the clues are exposed and Chang Ningwei is found, he will rebel if not rebel.
What's more, Lin Mojun may not agree to do this.
Leading the guardsmen to kill Ming Dynasty squires is completely different from leading a fleet to rob and smuggle merchants.
Su Ze sighed. In the final analysis, it was the completely different operating logics of land power and sea power that prevented him from using the power of the sea.
The operational logic of land-power countries is completely different from that of sea-power countries.
No matter what political system it is, Lu Quan pursues political "security."
What the expansion of land power requires is a sense of security. Binding people to the land is for a sense of security, and banning the sea is also for a sense of security.
Occupying every pass and every city, if administrative technology and communication technology were not available, land-based countries would even want to manage every inch of land and all the people on the land.
Lin Mojun could pretend to be a Japanese pirate and make waves at sea, but it would be different once he landed ashore, which would challenge the entire empire's sense of security.
Now the Ming court mobilized supplies from the southeast of the country and mobilized half of the country's elite troops to clear out the Japanese pirates who came ashore. It was because these Japanese pirates captured cities and killed people, seriously threatening the stability of the empire, that the Japanese rebellion was finally put down.
Su Ze had no intention of challenging the military strength of the entire Ming Empire. Although the Ming army was terrible during the Jiajing period, it was not to the point where he could defeat it with just a few hundred men.
If it really turned out to be like this, then Jiajing should hang himself on an old crooked-neck tree.
Lu Quan pursues ultimate control, and a large part of the wealth collected through layers of efforts is used to maintain the stability of the empire.
Stability is the most important thing, and behavior that challenges the imperial order must be severely suppressed.
When the empire's control declines, or the empire loses its governing authority, it is time for the empire to fall apart.
But the logic of sea power is completely different.
The ocean is vast and it is impossible to control all areas on the sea.
Even controlling a route is impossible.
Just like the Portuguese, they wanted to control the routes of Eastern spices, but a large part of the spices were still smuggled into Europe by the Ottomans. Over the years, they had no way to monopolize the sales of spices.
The same is true for the South American routes. Spain established colonies, but it could not stop the British and Dutch from exploiting its corners.
What sea powers value is influence. By controlling each node and weaving a network, sea powers count more on profits.
What is the investment in maintaining rule, what is the additional investment in suppressing rebellion, and what is the profit from occupying this area.
This is why Britain after World War II was able to give up Indian rule so decisively.
Although the United States and the Soviet Union intervened, it is undeniable that Gandhi's struggle movement at that time had made the costs of British colonization in India greater than the benefits.
As a continental country, it is difficult to imagine such behavior of giving up territory casually.
But in maritime countries, this kind of thing is normal.
Colonization is for making money, not for spreading money.
If you can't make money, you will naturally have to withdraw your investment.
All in all, there are rules on the road on land, and there are rules on the sea on the sea.
Except for the complete collapse of order at the end of the dynasty, in times like the 33rd year of Jiajing, bandits were the most disciplined organizations.
The villagers of those families in the city cannot be robbed, and the members of those families cannot be kidnapped. These are all things that must be kept in mind.
But even if he doesn't use the people from Chang Ning Wei, Su Ze still has plenty of ways to deal with the Cai family.
Almost everyone at Feihu Gambling House was imprisoned. Cai Bangzhuang, the proprietor of the gambling stall, was sent to the county jail for less than two days when he developed a high fever and Chen Shufei asked his family to carry him back.
Cai Bangzhuang died that night when he returned home. His family went to the county government to file a complaint, but they were told that the people who fought at the gambling stall that day were "robbers" who came to Nanping County from other counties.
Cai Bangzhuang's family is naturally dissatisfied with this result, but our Ming Dynasty is also a society ruled by law, and we must pay attention to evidence when doing things.
All the gamblers who were in the casino that day dispersed in a rush, making it impossible for them to come forward to testify.
Even the members of the gambling den who were imprisoned could not tell who they had offended.
Even at that time, they couldn't tell who made the move first.
Gambling houses are illegal to begin with. The shopkeeper of an illegal gambling house died immediately. He sent the petition back to Cai's family and asked the government officials to threaten them and not allow them to sue further.
What makes Cai Yuanwai uncomfortable is that the gambling house is just the beginning.
The Cai family suddenly received a large number of arrest tickets.
Several people from the Cai family who were in charge of shopping had received arrest warrants from the county government in the past few days, and someone accused them of harvesting and cutting.
Harvesting and mutilation was a serious crime for Ling Chi, so naturally he had to be imprisoned in a cell first.
Cai Yuanwai sent someone to inquire and found that the people suing his family's stewards were children from the almshouse.
These children complained to the government that their brothers and sisters had been abducted and trafficked by the stewards of the Cai Mansion. There was also a lot of circumstantial evidence that they saw the stewards of the Cai Mansion talking to these children and taking some of the children away.
"That's unreasonable! Does Bai Zhixian County understand the laws of the Ming Dynasty? Do you accept the complaints of these homeless children?"
Cai Yuanwai is a white and fat old man. His exact age cannot be determined by his long-term pampering.
However, according to the retirement age stipulated by the Ming Dynasty, Cai Yuanwai was over sixty years old.
Cai Yuanwai wore a Jinxian crown. Although he was complaining, he was working non-stop and was carefully rebinding an ancient book.
Standing opposite Cai Yuanwai was a middle-aged man in silk and satin. He did not wear a crown, but tied his head with a square scarf. He cupped his hands in front of Cai Yuanwai and said: "These children have been accused, the county
government Naturally, the case will be accepted."
Cai Yuanwai put down the ancient book in his hand and said, "Then go to court! I will order the law and the accuser will be equally guilty! Framing is a serious crime!" The middle-aged man sighed, his name is Fang
Jing , is a famous barrister in Yanping Mansion.
On weekdays, Fang Jing usually handles the Cai family's lawsuits.
Fang Jing was well-informed in the Fuya County Government and was also a well-known person in Yanping Mansion, but in front of Cai Yuanwai, he still looked like a junior student.
There is no way, why should Cai Yuanwai be an official? Fang Jing is just a scholar.
Fang Jing said: "Well, the people who are prosecuting these children this time are from the prefect's family."
Yuanwai Cai finally put down the ancient book in his hand, frowned and said, "Prefect?"
Fang Jing nodded bitterly. Although he was a servant of the magistrate's family, he was also a member of the official's family. If someone from the magistrate's family came forward to sue these children, how could the county dare not accept it?
Not to mention that these complaints are all witnessed and written. If the county does not accept them, they can be filed directly with the government.
Upon hearing that Magistrate Fang had intervened in this matter, Cai Yuanwai's expression finally changed, and he was no longer as calm as before.
"The gambling house incident and these accusations were all done by the same person, right?"
Fang Jing nodded. The Feihu Gambling incident was obviously planned by someone. Cai Bangzhuang was not able to survive after two days in the county jail. , The people in the gambling house are still detained in the county government. Now, so many false accusations have been made out of thin air, and all the important managers of the Cai family have been arrested. It is obvious that someone is targeting the Cai family.
"Check! Who is it that I have trouble with?"
Cai Yuanwai threw down the ancient book and ordered with a ferocious expression on his face.
The next day, Fang Jing knew who did it without using his connections to investigate.
The first issue of October was not published on time due to the Japanese invasion, so a new issue was issued on October 7.
The front page is still the serial Peony Pavilion, but the second page is a murder case in the county.
Although Xiong and Cai are used to replace the characters, anyone can tell who Cai is referring to.
The case included how Father Xiong became addicted to gambling, divided tribute in the tea plantation, Xiong went to a gambling house to argue, was dumped in a tributary of the Min River, and then Father Xiong committed suicide after signing a sweet knot. All the processes were written in detail.
The names of people and places appearing in this article, and even the names of gambling houses, are all local to Nanping County, and the writing style is easy to understand. However, the plot twists and turns, and it also involves human life lawsuits, and it soon became a topic of discussion throughout Nanping County. Hotspot.
It is self-evident who this Cai is.
The Cai family no longer dare to go out to buy groceries.
Scholars in Nanping County have cut themselves off from the Cai family for fear of losing their reputation.
That's the thing about reputation. Some things just can't be left out in the sun.
Many big families in the county have done this by forcing people to death to seize other people's property.
Forced buying and selling, contract traps, these are also common operations.
But you can only do it secretly, not openly.
Once it is made public, it will be despised by everyone.
Now the Cai family's reputation is like this. The families who used to interact with it no longer dare to interact with his family. The Cai family has to be noticed and saluted when they go out on the street. The Cai family's house has also been vandalized and pooped.
The Cai family now dare not even go out, and the children of the Cai family dare not go to school.
In the nursing home, Su Ze was teaching arithmetic to the children.
In later generations, these children will be in elementary school, but now they have to make a living by selling newspapers.
Although Peng An, the leader, still refused to move into the Almshouse, he would come to attend classes every time the Almshouse opened.
Su Ze's enlightenment skills have reached Level 5, and he can teach these children easily. After finishing the lecture in simple and profound terms, as soon as Su Ze announced that school was over, these children rushed to leave the class.
Su Ze smiled, and "Master" Fang, dressed in brocade clothes, stepped into the classroom.
Fang Ruolan looked at Su Ze with a half-smile but said, "As soon as the newspaper came out today, the Cai family will know who is dealing with them. Do you really want to jump out and make an enemy of Mr. Cai?"
Su Ze finished sorting out the textbooks and lowered his head. Said: "The Cai family killed my friend, so Su naturally wants to avenge his friend."
Fang Ruolan sighed and said, "Then Cai Bangzhuang is dead, isn't he?"
Su Ze said: "Cai Bangzhuang? That's just a lackey, the real harm is Isn't it obvious who killed the Xiong family?"
Fang Ruolan sighed and said, "The Cai family owns a tea garden and a dyeing shop. They are a wealthy family that has been rooted in Nanping County for many years. Although you, Chang Ningwei, also have industries, you cannot continue to do so. The fight continues like this."
Su Ze heard Fang Ruolan's voice-over: "Is there anything to say from the government office?"
Fang Ruolan nodded and said, "Cai Yuanwai also has connections in the Fujian Procuratorate, and he found someone to beat the government office. Hello."
Su Ze immediately understood what Fang Ruolan meant, and that day he asked Fang Ruolan for help, asking people from the government office to come forward to sue the children, and imprisoned several managers from Cai's government office in the county government office.
Nowadays, Cai Yuanwai has also made connections. A provincial prosecutor's office is responsible for the judicial work of a province, and is in charge of a province's criminal affairs. It is in charge of a province's civil affairs, justice, and military affairs with the chief envoy and the commander-in-chief, collectively known as the three divisions.
Now the Prosecutor's Office only communicated with the government officials privately. If the Prosecutor's Office brought the case to trial, the government offices at both the prefecture and county levels would not be able to hold on.
Su Ze smiled slightly. This move was nothing more than an idle move outside the game. It just made the Cai family feel sick. It was not a real killing move.
Even the article published in the newspaper was not Su Ze's killer move.
Fang Ruolan looked at Su Ze: "Do you have any other ideas?"
Su Ze picked up an abacus and said: "The two villages outside the Cai family's city both grow indigo, and the tea gardens will not produce anything until the next spring." "The
Cai family is so There are many people. Cai Yuanwai bought a concubine with two rooms at a low price during the Japanese war this year. How much does it cost to feed and clothe the family for a month?" The salary of officials in the Ming Dynasty was not high, and Cai Yuanwai was just a foreign minister of the Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs
. That's it.
The money accumulated during these years as an official has basically been converted into real estate, that is, farms and tea gardens.
The first choice for officials in the Ming Dynasty to buy property was naturally to purchase land.
In a place like Fujian where land is scarce, buying land is an urgent need. As a new generation of squires, the Cai family naturally spent all their money on buying land.
Yes, the Cai family is still the first generation of squires in Yanping Mansion. Cai Yuanwai is actually just a civil servant. He was promoted to Nanjing Household Department Yuanwai Lang through hard work.
Wailang, a member of the household department, was an official from the fifth rank, and the Cai family had never had a Jinshi candidate from higher up, so it was not a family with a deep foundation in Nanping County.
Su Ze quickly used skills such as "valuation" and "mathematics" to calculate the Cai family's property and daily income in detail.
"You see, the Cai family only has so much property. Most of it is on the land of the farm. However, his family's farm does not grow food. Their daily income depends on the income from the gambling shop and dyeing shop in the county." "Cai Yuanwai's two
sons Going to school consumes no less than five hundred taels of silver a year. The Cai family also held a wedding banquet a few days ago, which is another huge expense." "It is also because the expenses are
increasing that the Cai family came up with these despicable methods. Take away my brother Xiong’s family’s property.”
In fact, Xiong Yue also said that his family wanted to sell the tea garden.
To open a tea garden, you need to have tea tributes and hire workers during tea picking. In fact, the income is higher than farming.
The Cai family also thought about buying tea gardens, but the market price was too high, so they resorted to this method.
Su Ze said: "The gambling shop has been closed, and the next step is the dyeing shop."
Of course, Su Ze was not so cheap as Cai Yuanwai, and he would definitely make him pay for it with his life.
But just like fighting, if you want to behead an enemy general, you must first cut off his minions and drain the Cai family's blood first, and then it's time to take revenge.
If the Cai family wants to show off their tactics or even take revenge on Su Ze, they will naturally have to spend money.
Then cut off his financial path first!
Su Ze looked in the direction of the Cai family. He wanted to tie the Cai family to the altar, slowly drain his blood and then kill him. Only then could he pay homage to Xiong Yue's spirit in heaven.
And this time, dealing with the Cai family also involved Su Ze's selfishness.
After the rebellion in the future, it is necessary to unite some progressive gentry to attack the evil gentry and local tyrants like the Cai family and dismantle their influence. The Cai family was Su Ze's first target.
Fang Ruolan felt a chill, but she was also slightly excited.
She couldn't help but clap her hands.
If she wanted to watch, she wanted to see the river of blood!
(End of chapter)