My country, you can pinch it

The next day, the weather was sunny and sunny, and Shang Jinling set off for Yunzhou.

There were also Tongsheng students from Yongliang who also participated in the hospital examination, and Liu Ke sent another team of guards to follow them, listening to the orders of the Shang family. Yunzhou City is not peaceful, and it will be much safer for the candidates to travel together.In addition, there are two principals of the new law office. They went to see the on-the-spot situation of the new policy in Yunzhou, and they also vouched for these candidates.

After half a month of rushing, the group finally arrived at Yunzhou City.

No matter what dynasty or generation, the people at the lowest level were always the first to be oppressed and desperate, and riots also occurred among these people outside the city and near the suburbs.But before Shang Jinling got the news, Yang Shenxing had already rushed here, and now he has subsided.

It’s just that the turmoil is calm, but the trauma is still there. It’s spring, and it should be full of vitality, but looking around, there is a sense of depression. In the morning that should be busy, there are few people leaving the city and few entering the city. .

It was already noon when they arrived at the county seat. His Royal Highness King Ning was so rich that he reimbursed all the round-trip expenses for the dozen or so candidates. Therefore, they didn't need to find another place to live. They simply found a larger inn near the examination room.

After settling down, we went to the lobby to have lunch together.

Xiao Er graciously brought the tea to the table, and even brought the shopkeeper to follow. Seeing Shang Jinling and the others' attire, he couldn't help asking with a smile, "Are you young students who are taking the entrance examination?"

"Yeah, it looks like a scholar, right?" Shang Xiaowu sat aside and asked with a smile.

"That's right. At this time, there are the most students rushing to take the exam, but judging from the lady's accent, it doesn't seem like we are from Yunzhou?"

Shang Xiaoshuang said: "We are from Yongliang."

The shopkeeper suddenly said, "No wonder, then you all want to try our local specialties?"

"Okay, just wait for the shopkeeper to serve the dishes, let's try them all."

"okay."

It's meal time now, Shang Jinling looked around and found that apart from their few tables, the inn was unexpectedly empty, and there were not many people sitting in twos and threes, so he asked: "Shopkeeper, I just heard Xiaoer say that you The inns are almost full, so why don't people come down to eat at this time?"

"Yeah, when I came two years ago, this inn was overcrowded. Candidates from other counties in Yunzhou also gathered here, and all the nearby inns were full." Dashun's college exams are held every two years unless there are special circumstances. , this older candidate is already a veteran.

Speaking of this, the shopkeeper couldn't help sighing: "These students, scholars, have all gathered in front of the government office these days!"

Hearing this, everyone wondered: "Why?"

Shang Jinling's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't speak.

Seeing that there were few people, the shopkeeper took a break from his busy schedule and chatted with them: "It's not because of the New Deal. Life was difficult before, and you can get through it after a while, but when the New Deal comes, you can't live through it! Alas... Years ago There was also a riot here, everyone came to rush for the exam, I think there are guards around to protect you, have you heard about it, right?"

"Yeah, but why, Yongliang is also carrying out the New Deal, and we see it...it's okay." Shang Xiaoshuang glanced at the two scholars who were under the new law, and said casually.

"It's a long story." The shopkeeper sighed, "When the exemption law came out before, the government asked for money from door to door. In the past, there were still households, and poor households were exempted from corvee. Now, as long as they can't give the money, they will be directly locked. Take it to build roads and bridges. Therefore, in order to avoid corvee, as long as it is not too difficult, we will directly give money. In fact, it is not much for us, but those who dig food in the ground are like scraping oil from bones. It can still explode."

One of the directors of the new law, an older man named Qin Yue, asked directly, "Isn't there wages to compensate those who serve?" In Yongliang, even illiterate old men know about the New Deal. The terms of every decree, especially the immunity law, are talked about every day in the streets and alleys, read every day, and the ears can hear the cocoons, especially the point of compensation, everyone keeps it in mind.

"What kind of salary, as long as you can let people go back as soon as possible, and squeeze them relentlessly, thank God!" Before the shopkeeper could answer, the waiter who was pouring tea couldn't help but interjected.

Shang Jinling asked: "Second brother, how do you know?"

The waiter at the shop saw that Shang Jinling was the youngest and the best looking, so he immediately liked him and said: "A distant relative in my village was arrested and sent to hard labor because he was unwilling to pay the money. He went there for two months and came back. They're all skinny! If it wasn't for my wife and children at home, I guess I wouldn't be able to keep going!"

The shopkeeper gave him a blank look, "Why are you talking too much, go to the back kitchen to hurry up, don't starve the guests."

"It's okay, shopkeeper, we're not hungry, let this little brother talk about it." Zhang Zhigao, another famous manager, laughed.

Shang Xiaoshuang thought for a while, pinched a piece of broken silver and put it on the table.

The little second brother then looked at the shopkeeper, who waved his hand, indicating that he would follow him.

So the younger brother simply put the handkerchief on his shoulders on the table and said: "Although I have never experienced this, but his wife came to the city to grab medicine and entrusted it to me, so she snotted and burst into tears." He told me honestly. He said that he fell ill when he came back and couldn’t even get up, so he asked the barefoot doctor to prescribe the medicine, and if I wasn’t by the side, I probably wouldn’t be able to take the medicine.”

"Why?"

The shopkeeper smiled wryly and said: "That's not a disease, it's overwork, and I can't eat well and sleep well, my body needs to be replenished, and the chicken and duck meat can be helped by the folks in the village, but the medicine is so expensive that I can't even afford it. , not to mention medicine?"

"and after?"

"This foolish boy paid for it, and I haven't paid it back yet, and I guess I can't pay it back." The shopkeeper said.

The second brother rubbed the back of his head, "That can't be helped. You can't just look at her and just hold a few copper coins before going back. It's just that my wife doesn't know about it. Shopkeeper, don't tell her."

"Don't worry, am I that talkative person?" The shopkeeper gave him a blank look, and then continued, "It's actually good to be able to come back, some of them just come back and tell them that there is no place to cry when people are gone. go."

Hearing this, some scholars couldn't help murmuring: "Why is this happening?"

"Hey, think about it, everyone. In the past, corvée came in rotation, and everyone was the same. Now, in order to escape from the convoy, everything that can be given is paid, and the rest who can't afford it will have to be squeezed with their lives?" The shopkeeper shook his head. , "Actually, this is not bad. After all, there are still a few who can't make it through. But after the Ximiao Law came out, the people's life really couldn't go on! No money and forced to borrow, it's all because of this meal. People, how do you pay back the money you borrowed, and the money can't be returned to your hands. I don't know any messy names in the New Deal. Suppression by officers and soldiers!"

"Is there no complaint here?" Shang Xiaowu asked.

"Sue? Are you kidding me? Who is our magistrate? He is the brother-in-law of King Duan. Who issued this new policy? It's not King Duan. How can we sue! Besides..." The shopkeeper looked around, then lowered his voice Said, "It's not that the little old man is talking nonsense. This Yunzhou mansion is the same from top to bottom, and no one has complained. Otherwise, there will be no way out... That resistance, right? But fortunately, God blesses, the court still sent Come here as an imperial envoy, otherwise many people will die!"

"Yang Shenxing."

"That's right, that's right, I heard that he is the high official who implemented the New Deal."

Shang Jinling said, "Has the turmoil subsided now?"

The shopkeeper wondered: "It's fair, it's okay, it's not fair."

"How do you say that?"

"Didn't you ask these candidates why they went to the Yamen, just to ask the imperial envoy for an explanation?"

"Explanation?" Everyone looked at each other curiously, Shang Xiaoshuang joked, "Could it be that Liang Chengye is going to be killed?"

"Miss can guess right, that's all."

"According to the laws and regulations of Dashun, it is indeed not a pity to die with a corrupt government like Liang Zhifu, who is a fish and meat common people." A scholar said in a low voice.

The people around also nodded. If they were also from Yunzhou, they would definitely be cheering in front of the government office at this moment.

"But will Lord Yang agree?" All the scholars couldn't help looking at Shang Jinling as they spoke. They all knew that this was the young master of Xiling Duke's mansion, and also a celebrity in front of His Royal Highness Ning Wang. Naturally, there was no comparison in the presence of the government. He is more familiar.

Shang Jinling thought for a while and asked, "Shopkeeper, don't they only want to punish corrupt officials?"

The shopkeeper said: "No, Lord Yang is also required to abolish the law of exemption from military service and the law of suppressing seedlings, so as to give the common people a way to survive."

Hearing this, Shang Jinling smiled and said, "It's not easy at all."

"So, isn't this just a commotion?"

"How can I negotiate terms with the government? What will happen if Master Yang doesn't agree?" Shang Xiaowu asked curiously.

"This... the little old man doesn't know. After all, he is just an ordinary person. What can he do? It's just as chaotic as before, isn't it so?"

Shang Jinling asked: "When negotiating with the government, there is always a leader. Do you know who it is?"

"I heard it's the head of Yushan College."

Shang Jinling was surprised, "A college head?"

"Yeah, he is very famous in our Yunzhou, and he is full of peaches and plums. I heard that there are many students who are officials in the court. Liang Zhifu dare not touch him easily."

"What's your name?"

"We all call him Yushan Layman."

After the shopkeeper finished speaking, Xiaoer took the plate and started to serve the dishes. He smiled and said, "These are our Yunzhou specialties, everyone, try them and see if you get used to them."

"Thank you, shopkeeper."

"You're welcome, please take your time." At this time, other customers came in, and the shopkeeper went over to get busy.

"Come, come, it's all King Ning's money, everyone, please don't be polite." Shang Xiaowu didn't treat herself as an outsider at all, and greeted her directly, and the accompanying guards picked up chopsticks and ate, eating dry food all the way, sleeping in the open air Yes, I finally had a decent meal, and I quickly filled my stomach.

However, those examinees and the two principals of the new law were holding bowls, as if they were so preoccupied that they couldn't eat.

"Master Shang..." Their eyes fell on Shang Jinling one after another, and they hesitated to speak.

Shang Jinling swallowed the food in his mouth, and said with a smile: "Hurry up and eat, let's go to the yamen after eating."

As soon as this remark came out, all the scholars' eyes lit up, they nodded together, and then suddenly picked up their rice.

Shang Xiaoshuang asked: "Lingling, you guys still want to join in the fun?"

"The exam is coming soon, do you have to review it to consolidate it?" Shang Xiaowu also said.

When they came, Lord Xiling and all the elder sisters urged to protect Shang Jinling's safety. After all, he was not in Yongliang, and he was on someone else's territory, so he had to be careful.

Qin Yue said: "Why don't Zhigao and I go have a look?"

Shang Jinling shook his head: "I reckon that if this matter is not possible, this hospital examination will not be possible."

"What?"

The candidate sitting at another table said: "If I am from Yunzhou, I am not in the mood to take the exam. I need an explanation from the court."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"But what can a group of scholars with no power and power do?" Shang Xiaowu was puzzled, he looked at Shang Jinling and asked, "It's also strange, since the riots have subsided, why does Yang Shenxing bother with those laymen?" ?”

"Didn't the shopkeeper say it? It seems to have calmed down, but it is actually undercurrent. If the blood-sucking leeches in the prefect of Liang and the people's hatred and resistance to the New Deal cannot be resolved, the riots will only happen again." Zhang Zhigao said.

"That's right, the relationship between officials and the people is precarious today, and there is no trust at all. The slightest provocation is a conflict. If Yang Shenxing doesn't want to use violence to control violence, he has to deal with it properly." Shang Jinling said Here, with a slight sigh, he looked through the gate of the inn, looking at the people passing by, with a slightly dignified expression, "I just don't know what role this layman of Yushan played in it."

The twins listened to this, looked at each other, and then quickly picked up the meal. Obviously, Shang Jinling and the others were determined to get involved in this matter. If this is the case, why are they missing?