In front of the mansion, there is only one Jinshi archway, because the three Yang brothers have separated, and the remaining Jinshi archways are on the side of the main clan.
Zhang Cong was ordered to come to Ningbo. He did not go directly to the Yang clan leader, but instead visited Yang Shousui, the retired minister of the Ministry of Industry.
Since becoming an official, Yang Shousui has lived a very chic life. He often wears Gebu wild clothes, holds a bamboo stick, and wears mango shoes. He forms a literary society with Ningbo scholars and travels leisurely among the mountains and rivers.
"Sir, Zhang Cong, a member of Wenzhou's elite, would like to see you." The servant presented a greeting card.
Under the service of the maid, Yang Shousui brushed his teeth with salt water and washed his face before casually saying: "Let him wait."
Zhang Cong waited for half an hour, refilling the tea several times, and was finally summoned by Yang Shousui.
"Zhang Cong, who is a junior and a late student, pays homage to Mr. Zhen'an!" Zhang Cong bowed calmly, without appearing impatient at all.
Yang Shousui looked amiable, smiled and said, "Friend Zhang, please have a seat."
Zhang Cong did not sit down, but handed over a letter.
Yang Shousui was obviously presbyopic. He held the letter in front of him and examined it carefully. He suddenly asked in surprise: "Friend Zhang is the governor's guest?"
Zhang Cong smiled and said: "Of course."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Yang Shousui said even more enthusiastically, "Please sit down quickly and let me finish reading the letter."
The old guy stared at the letter for a long time, feeling more and more shocked as he read it, but his face remained calm. After a long time, he sighed: "Mr. Wang, you are putting me, Yang, on the fire!"
Zhang Cong said: "Mr. Zhen'an, you and I are both Yue people. We should know that opening up the sea will benefit the country and the people."
Yang Shousui was still playing tricks on him: "The old man has separated his family, and he is not the head of the Yang family. My friend Zhang may have found the wrong person."
Zhang Cong has a hot temper. After being left out for half an hour, he had already suppressed his anger. He smiled and said: "General Wang has already stated the pros and cons in the letter. This matter will also be of great benefit to the Yang family. Why should Mr. Zhenan
Such evasion. The honor of a gentleman has been cut down after five generations. The Yang family in Ningbo has not been a Jinshi for nearly forty years. If this continues, can it really maintain its status as the most prominent family in Ningbo?"
These words made Yang Shousui very unhappy, and he immediately said with a cold face: "The Yang family's poetry and etiquette are passed down to the family. The prosperity of the descendants depends on knowledge, not the virtues of the ancestors."
Zhang Cong asked: "Mr. Zhen'an didn't even discuss it with the clan members, so he just refused?"
Yang Shou followed up and said: "I am the heir to the poetry and etiquette of the Yang family in Ningbo. I only work hard and study hard, and I don't know anything about merchants. Besides, the maritime ban is still an ancestral system of the Ming Dynasty. How can I rashly defy it? My friend Zhang, please go back."
Zhang Cong suddenly laughed: "If Mr. Wang chooses to open the sea in Ningbo, based on the conditions given in the letter, Mr. Zhen'an will definitely agree."
Yang Shousui said nothing, which was regarded as acquiescence.
The conditions given by Wang Yuan are very simple. He will issue a "sea guide", which is equivalent to a maritime business license. A sea guide allows a merchant ship to go to sea, regardless of the size of the ship, and the time limit is five years.
As for the Ningbo Yang Family, as long as they cooperate with Kaihai, they can get three "Sea Guides" for free.
Such a good thing, why did Yang Shousui refuse?
Because Wang Yuan chose to open the sea in Hangzhou, once the sea opening is successful, the Zhejiang sea trade base will inevitably be transferred to Hangzhou, and Yang will completely lose its supplier advantage in Ningbo!
Several major families in Ningbo have been married for generations, and their relationships are intricate. Led by the Yang family, they have developed together and have almost monopolized the right to supply sea trade. If the sea trade base is transferred to Hangzhou, the interests of Ningbo's wealthy families will be greatly affected.
Wang Yuan gave up Ningbo and opened the sea to Hangzhou. He also carefully considered it and did not deliberately make it more difficult for himself to open the sea.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou was the maritime trade center of the entire China, and Hangzhou Port was the largest seaport in East Asia. It was not until the Southern Song Dynasty that Hangzhou was established as the capital, and the maritime trade center was transferred to Ningbo for the sake of the capital's security.
Hangzhou is adjacent to South Zhili and is the beginning of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
If the opening of the sea is successful, the cost of cargo transportation will be greatly reduced. Commodities from Hebei and Shandong can be transported down the river, and there is no need to go to Ningbo to set up banknotes again.
With such convenient conditions, why open sea in Ningbo?
What's more, Ningbo has a shipping department and a eunuch who oversees shipping. The Ningbo shipping department is also responsible for paying tribute to Japan. It is managed by the parents-in-law of the Ministry of Rites, and the official obstacles are far greater than those in Hangzhou.
Seeing that Yang Shousui was ignorant of current affairs, Zhang Cong sneered, walked away, and threatened: "Mr. Zhen'an, please give me an answer within three days, and I will stay in the largest inn in Ningbo!"
Why only give three days?
Because Wang Yuan is in a hurry!
In ancient times, shipping had to rely on ocean currents and monsoons. Take the Sino-Japanese trade as an example, it could only come and go once a year. If the monsoon changed by the end of August, it would be impossible to sail to Japan again, and it would already be June.
There were only two months left, and he still had to spend time gathering goods. Wang Yuan didn't have time to mess around with Yang.
The reason why Wang Yuan cooperates with Yang is very simple, that is, using Yang's supply channels can save a lot of energy. If Yang is really uncooperative, it can be completely bypassed, but it will just take more effort.
"How can such a young person be so unreasonable!"
After Zhang Cong left, Yang Shousui cursed loudly, and he was actually threatened by a judge.
Three days later, Zhang Cong did not wait for a reply. Five hundred gunmen arrived in Ningbo just in time - Zhang Cong could walk faster alone.
The officers and soldiers guarding the city were shocked and asked: "Where are you waiting, sergeant? Get away from the city gate quickly!"
Yuan Da stood on the bow of the ship and shouted: "Yuan Da, the guerrilla general (unofficial position) under the governor's account of Zhejiang, leads the Shenji battalion to capture the Japanese spies! Open the city quickly!"
"What trust do you have?" asked the soldiers guarding the city.
Yuan Da raised a spear with a flag hanging on it: "Here is the king's flag. It's easy to follow the emperor's orders!"
The officers and soldiers guarding the city could not make the decision, so they had to inform the chief officer.
Zhai Tang, the prefect of Ningbo, rushed to the city. The man climbed up to the city tower and was furious. He shouted: "Even if there is a royal flag, you are not allowed to enter the city and disturb the people. If there are any spies who want to stab the Japanese in Ningbo City, I will report them to you."
Bring someone to capture him, you go there as soon as possible!"
Yuan Daxiao asked: "The Yang family in Ningbo is a Japanese invader. Do you dare to arrest him?"
Zhai Tang was furious: "The Ningbo Yang family has six Jinshi and three ministers, how can they do anything to communicate with the Japanese? Don't talk nonsense!"
Zhai Tang is also a ruthless man, he even dares to fight against eunuchs.
Paying tribute to the merchants is often accompanied by actions that harm the people.
For example, the Shipping Department of Ningbo City, Japan is allowed to carry three ships of tribute according to the regulations. These three ships of goods are carried by the eunuchs and slave laborers. Not only do the people have no wages, but they also have to bring their own food and transport the remaining goods sold locally to Hangzhou for loading.
The ship went north. Every year, people in Ningbo lost their families and died because of transporting tribute.
Historically, in more than half a year, Cui Yao, the eunuch of Ningbo Shipping Department, would continue to transport tributes and harm the people.
Zhai Tang, the prefect, not only intervened to stop it, but also beat to death Wang Chen, the confidant of the admiral eunuch, and was subsequently imprisoned by Zhengde for this.
This old man is very hard-boned, and he is not afraid of the governor of Zhejiang. Even if the emperor comes, he will not open the city gate.
Zhang Cong walked from the inn to the inside of the city gate and shouted to Zhai Tang on the tower: "Prefect Zhai, assistant to the Zhejiang Governor's Mansion, Zhang Cong, the Juren of Wenzhou, wants to see you!"
Zhai Tang turned around, took a look, and said angrily: "Let him come up."
Zhang Cong walked up to the city tower slowly and said, "Prefect Zhai is just afraid that the officers and soldiers will disturb the people. I will immediately order the soldiers outside the city to abandon their guns and go into the city without weapons to capture the Japanese spies."
Zhai Tang said: "There is no war in Zhejiang, so how can there be any reason for soldiers to enter the city?"
Zhang Cong smiled and said: "Prefect Zhai, since the soldiers outside the city have laid down their weapons, they can be regarded as agents of the Governor's Mansion. Are you also colluding with the Japanese pirates, and that's why you prevent the Governor's agents from entering the city?"
Zhai Tang thought for a while and said: "Okay, as long as they put down their guns and don't bring weapons, I will allow them to enter the city!"
Zhai Tang also didn't like the Yang family, and at the same time he had a grudge against Wang Yuan. He put these soldiers into the city and let Wang Yuan and the Yang family fight each other. No matter what the outcome was, he could write a book about it.
As expected, the five hundred soldiers laid down their weapons, leaving only ten people on the boat to guard the firecrackers. The rest all disembarked carrying hammers, iron drills and other items.
"Didn't you say put down your weapons?" Zhai Tang asked.
Zhang Cong said: "The hammer and the iron drill are not weapons."
Zhai Tang was speechless and didn't know how to refute. He had no choice but to let these soldiers into the city and then follow him personally to see what Wang Yuan wanted to do.
The people along the street gave way one after another. Seeing that hundreds of soldiers did not disturb the people, they became more courageous, and many people followed to watch the fun.
Under the leadership of Yuan Da, hundreds of soldiers went straight to the Yang clan.
Rihudong, Cailian Bridge.
There are five Jinshi archways, two of which are also Shangshu archways!
After passing the archway, there is a house covering an area of hundreds of acres. The plaque at the front entrance is engraved with four characters: Otsuka Zaidi!
Zhongzai, the head of the Six Ministers, is also called Dazai. In the Ming Dynasty, he specifically referred to the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
The Yang family had obviously received the news a long time ago. Yang Meisheng, the patriarch of the Yang family, was a middle-aged man. He pointed at Yuan Da and shouted: "This is Otsuka Zaidi, how dare you do this?"
Yuan Da said: "Someone has reported that the Yang family in Ningbo is a Japanese communicator. Get out of the way!"
Yang Meisheng was so angry that his beard was trembling: "That's nonsense! Even the Governor of Zhejiang, without His Majesty's order and without the documents of the Ministry of Punishment, is not allowed to trespass into Otsuka Zaidi!"
"So what if I break in? You still dare to fight against the imperial officers and soldiers!" Yuan Da showed no sign of weakness.
Suddenly, Yang Shousui, wearing mango clothes and sandals, came over with a bamboo stick and said loudly: "Let them go in and search."
"Uncle..." Yang Meisheng was unwilling to agree.
Yang Shou shouted: "Let them in! I want to see how many spies they can find."
Yuan Da swarmed in with hundreds of soldiers. After a short while, he pointed at the buildings in the mansion and said, "Okay, it has double eaves and heavy beams. The Yang family is going to rebel. Let me demolish this house!"
Yang Shousui was already confident, but when he heard this, his vision went dark and he almost fainted on the spot.
The architecture of the Yang family's house is over the limit...
The question is, among the officials and citizens who have some power and money, especially in the prosperous areas in the south, who can build a house that does not exceed the regulations?
Yuan Da continued to stroll, and suddenly raised his hand and pointed: "There is actually a caisson, so demolish this house too!"
The caisson can be built at will, but it cannot be carved or painted, as Zhu Yuanzhang stipulated.
Not long after, Yuan Da pointed to the gallery again: "There are five-color decorations here, I have to remove them all!"
The Yang family members were so angry that they couldn't finish demolishing the Yang family if they continued like this. But it happened that they had exceeded the limit. Wang Yuan did not arrest anyone directly because he had already saved face for them.
For example, only emperors and princes can build painted caissons. What do you, the Yang family, want to do by building painted caissons?
Zhai Tang, the prefect who had followed all the way, couldn't laugh or cry when he saw this situation. No wonder those hundreds of sergeants entered the city with hammers and iron drills. They had made up their mind to demolish the city early in the morning.
"Friend Zhang, please take a moment to speak." Yang Shousui finally couldn't stand it anymore.
If he doesn't stop him with words, after destroying the main sect's title of Otsuka, it's time to dismantle his own title of minister. The old gentleman is very old, and he doesn't want to sleep in the open at night.
This governor is really nothing. He can even demolish people’s houses. Who knows what he will do in the future!