Yu Yunwen said, "Your Majesty is wise beyond our reach."
"Yu Qing, tell me, why is there a riot in Guangzhou?"
"Your Majesty, I believe there are two reasons for the riots in the new Guangnan Prefecture: First, since the opening of maritime trade during the Jingkang era, a large number of foreign merchants have flooded into Guangzhou, exceeding the number of merchants in the former Tang dynasty. These foreign merchants have made considerable profits in Guangzhou, cultivating relationships with local powerful figures and officials, and have become increasingly arrogant and extravagant. There have been numerous cases of foreign merchants bullying the people of the Song dynasty in Guangzhou; just from last year to this year, there have been ten such incidents. After He Yongfu took office, his strict control over foreign merchants angered them, leading to the Peng Island Tea Incident. After this incident, He Yongfu mobilized..." The local militia's attempts to arrest people led to the second reason; secondly, the militia's attempts not only failed to capture anyone, but also resulted in the deaths of over two hundred people and the injuries of five hundred and thirty-eight others. This was due to the actions of local private armed forces. Since the Jingkang Reforms, the imperial court had strongly encouraged private commerce, leading a large number of local powerful families to sell their original land and engage in trade, accumulating enormous wealth and growing increasingly powerful. The imperial court neglected to control them, and some gradually became arrogant, even establishing their own armed forces, interfering in local government affairs, and some even illegally possessing firearms.
His last words were about the Zheng family case that led to Xu Churen's downfall last year.
Zheng Jia Dalang openly killed someone with a musket on the street, triggering a major case that affected the power center of the Song Dynasty.
The emperor remained silent for a long moment, and the air seemed to freeze.
"What an increasingly arrogant and extravagant foreign merchant! He comes to the Great Song Dynasty to make money off me, and he also oppresses my people. At the slightest disagreement, he colludes with local gentry to rebel against me!"
The emperor's voice sounded calm, but beneath that calm lay a raging storm.
The emperor's voice suddenly rose: "Bring that Aliben back to Tokyo for me. I will personally witness him being torn to pieces! All the other foreign merchants who participated in the rebellion shall be executed!"
At this moment, Prince Kang, Zhao Gou, stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I have heard that Ali is a nobleman from the Abbasid Caliphate, and his status is not low. If this is the case, it may trigger a war. Please..."
Zhao Huan abruptly interrupted him: "I want war!"
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