There is certainly a reason why Yunxi chose the brothel as the first object of investigation.
First of all, although the rulers of the past dynasties may have allowed the existence of brothels because they thought they could not be banned, traditional feudal morality was against the existence of brothels, and public opinion also despised the brothel industry, so the first step was to rectify the brothels.
The backlash was minimal, and even those who opposed the emperor's actions did not dare to speak out publicly, otherwise their reputation would be ruined.
Secondly, brothels are also natural sanctuaries and hiding places for various criminals. Especially after the police patrol the entire city, they can be said to be the only safe hiding places, so checking brothels can eliminate the last one.
Areas hardest hit by public security.
Thirdly, because brothels have always been despised by Shilin public opinion, there is minimal backlash against the practice of changing customs in brothels, especially those that use forced girls to become prostitutes and beat people to death. After a number of brothels are closed down, the remaining brothels remain
The brothel must not dare to disobey the Yamen.
Fourth, because prostitution has always been despised by scholarly public opinion, there will be minimal backlash from changing industrial and commercial taxes. Officials may be sarcastic in their hearts, but most likely will not say anything openly.
Because the investigation of the prostitution business took into account Yunxi's three purposes, and the backlash from public opinion was minimal, Yunxi chose to investigate this business first. Of course, the official responsible for presiding over this matter would definitely be ridiculed by other officials, and his reputation would not be good.
Great. So although Huang Huai himself cannot escape the 'leadership responsibility', he is not willing to take command personally.
Yunxi then asked Li Guan to take charge of this matter. Although Li Guan was shameless on the surface, he was already shameless in his heart. With the "righteous status" given by Yunxi and Huang Huai, he didn't care about the public opinion of Shilin at all.
Work in order to get Yunxi's approval and be promoted. This was also the purpose of Yunxi when he put him in Yingtian Mansion - to do the work that others were not willing to do. Now it seems that Yunxi's purpose has been achieved.
Already.
Moreover, the purpose of checking brothels is to beat the nobles. Although Yunxi did not expect that so many officials' children would be named, it was inevitable that the nobles' children would be found.
He took this as a warning to remind them to be careful about restraining their own children.
Yunxi then took a look at the brothels he inspected, and was not surprised to see that only one female prostitute had reported the madam.
Regardless of whether these female prostitutes were abducted, they have already eaten their fill; because of public opinion's discrimination against female prostitutes, the conservative social atmosphere, and the fact that the number of men and women in most areas is roughly equal or even more women than men, they want to marry a serious man.
It is almost impossible to find a good wife. The way out is to marry someone who cannot find a wife, or to be a concubine for a wealthy family. The people investigated this time are all high-end brothels. It is easy for them to report their own madams, but
What happens next? How can a rich family want such a person? Marry into a family that cannot find a wife? Nine out of ten people will not be able to bear it. If you don't behave, how can you continue to eat this bowl of rice in another place? How can there be a high-end brothel?
The hotel wants you again? If you want to go there, you can only go to a second- or third-rate place.
Therefore, unless they are those who have just been abducted or are extremely bullied by the madam, they will not report their own madam. The only person who reported their own madam this time was someone who was often bullied by the madam and other female prostitutes.
Yunxi asked: "How did Li Guan deal with it?" Yunxi gave Huang Huai and Li Guan greater freedom in dealing with it, and it was not clear what Li Guan would do.
"Your Majesty, County Magistrate Li sentenced the old bustard and others to serve as Lehu and send them to the border to work as prostitutes. The female prostitute who exposed the report was betrothed by Li Guan to a widowed policeman from a guard station. The rest of the female prostitutes were imprisoned in Lehu.
The servants will be released after a few days of detention. Since most of them are Lehu, the Department of Rites and Jiaofang is ordered to strictly discipline them," Huang Huai said.
Yunxi actually wanted to say: At such an old age, are the soldiers still in the mood? But considering that there are many soldiers in the border areas, there are more men than women, so maybe they will be very welcome.
But of course the emperor couldn't say this, so Yunxi said: "This is a safe decision."
After thinking for a while, Yunxi ordered: "Starting from tomorrow, the police will patrol the Qinhuai River area every day. We must strictly control the forced prostitution of girls. We must also crack down severely on human traffickers, especially those who sell girls to brothels.
If caught, they will be executed."
Human trafficking has been severely restricted by the government since at least the Tang Dynasty. There are legal situations, such as parents selling their children to local wealthy families as slaves when they have too many children to support, or during times of disaster, the government acquiesces to the purchase of human traffickers.
Children; but in most cases human trafficking is strictly prohibited - don't use the Manchu Qing Dynasty as an example. The Manchu Qing Dynasty was a degenerate social system, and the trafficking of women for prostitution was strictly prohibited in the past dynasties.
"In addition, starting from tomorrow, let Li Guan implement the custom tax."
"Implementing custom tax?" Huang Huai said with some doubts.
"Yes, custom tax." Yunxi paused, and then said softly to Huang Huai: "I am very disgusted with the brothel business, but I know that this business cannot be completely banned, so I figured out the idea of 'Yuyuan'
This method is to ban Yu Zheng." Then Yunxi explained the meaning of ban Yu Zheng.
Huang Huai was very surprised when he heard this. Yun Xi's method is very feasible. For industries that are not recommended to increase taxes, although operators will inevitably pass on taxes to consumers, visiting kilns is not a necessity for most people.
The higher the price, the fewer people will shop; and with fewer consumers, there will be fewer operators, and fewer women will be forced into prostitution. In this way, the purpose of permissiveness is achieved.
People who can be officials under the traditional Confucian education system have never thought about the problem in this way, and they are not stupid. How could they not see that Yunxi's method is effective?
Huang Huai said loudly: "Your Majesty, this method is very good." His voice was so loud that the auxiliary officials and people in the Zhongshushe who were drafting the memorial were very surprised: Did Huang Huai hear what His Majesty said?
Yunxi also smiled. The various modern taxation methods are beyond what you, a native, can imagine. I have other good ways!
However, Huang Huai thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty, let Li Guan propose this method. As the emperor, your Majesty is thinking of increasing taxes on this industry. This..."
Yunxi himself also understood: As the emperor, he was thinking of raising taxes on the prostitutes. The reputation was not good, so it was best to find an official who didn't care about his reputation to file a memorial, and then find someone from Zhongshushe to vote for it.
', it would be better if you just accept it as it goes.
After Yunxi thought about it, he glanced at Huang Huai: You also care about reputation, so he suggested that Li Guan go to the memorial.
Yunxi said: "Then you go back and tell Li Guan about this. Tell him that I will never treat him badly in the future."
Huang Huai breathed a sigh of relief and agreed.
After that, Yunxi ordered: "All the patrol policemen temporarily transferred from other cities should be sent back to this district. We don't need so many patrolmen for daily patrols." In order to have enough people for this surprise inspection, police officers from other cities were temporarily transferred.
Some patrolmen.
"Also, instruct the patrol police to strictly investigate private prostitution on a daily basis. If you are caught for the first time, you will be fined. If you are caught for the second time, you will be included in the Lehu."
"The most important thing," Yunxi said in a deep tone: "In promoting the change of customs in brothels, the main thing now is to pay attention to hygiene, so that they are not allowed to throw garbage casually and not pour dirty water on the street. I have listed seventeen items in total. You can
Tell the patrol police and let the brothel strictly enforce it."
After Yunxi finished speaking, he looked at Huang Huai's expression that he agreed but didn't understand, and sighed. These ancients didn't know the importance of paying attention to hygiene at all, and they probably thought they were looking for excuses to deliberately clean up brothels.
After that, Yunxi had nothing more to say, so he asked him to step back.
After he retreated, Yunxi ordered Wang Xidao: "Send someone to announce that Zhang Wen, Huang Xuan, and Lu Xian have entered the palace."
…
…
At Huining Hou Mansion, Zhang Wen looked at the somewhat worried third son Zhang Xian in front of him and asked, "Are you causing trouble outside again?"
"You have already started training in the army and are already a military commander under the Ming Dynasty. Why are you still causing trouble outside!..."
Zhang Wen first criticized Zhang Xian, and then asked: "What trouble did you get into?"
Zhang Xian said very uneasily: "Yingtianfu inspected the brothels on both sides of the Qinhuai River last night. Lu Shilin, the son of the Marquis of Ji'an, happened to ask his son to help Huang Muling, the son of Huang Xuan, the newly transferred governor to the capital. His son was arrested by the police of Yingtianfu.
Arrive and take your name.”
"Did you give your name?" Zhang Wen asked.
"No, because Emperor Taizu's decree prohibited officials from engaging in prostitution, so the son reported his fourth brother's name." Zhang Xian said.
After that, he closed his eyes and waited for Zhang Wen to continue scolding or giving him a good beating.
But for a while, there was neither a voice nor a whip falling on him. He opened his eyes and looked at his father with some confusion: "Father?"
Zhang Wen couldn't help laughing, and after a while he said: "Do you think I will beat you up?"
"Daddy beats you because you are causing trouble outside. Mianhuasuliu is not causing trouble, so why is dad beating you?"
"However, after all, my son was registered by the police of Yingtian Mansion. Yingtian Mansion will probably report his son's name to His Majesty," Zhang Xian said.
"So what? Even if His Majesty finds out, it doesn't matter. At most, I can just say a few words to my father. What's the point?" Zhang Wen said.
Zhang Xian's expression looked like he was about to cheer. But Zhang Wen suddenly lowered his face and said: "But even if you have extenuating circumstances in saying your brother's name, you still made a mistake, and dad will beat you up for this."
.”
Zhang Xian's face immediately fell, and he slowly turned his head and took off his shirt.
But at this moment, his housekeeper came in and said to Zhang Wen: "Sir, someone is coming from the palace. It is Chang Ruijiang, your majesty's bodyguard, saying that Master Xuan has come to the palace to see you."
Zhang Wen said: "Hurry up and prepare the clothes for my visit. You first go to the front hall to accompany the guards from the palace."
Then he turned to Zhang Xian and said, "I'll take care of you when dad comes back!" After that, he quickly walked out of the house.
Zhang Xian breathed a sigh of relief: He didn't have to be beaten by his father for the time being. But he remembered that he could avoid the first day of the lunar month but not the fifteenth. Unless his father was suddenly sent out to lead the troops to fight, he would not be able to escape in the end, and his face fell again.