Chapter 73 Treating the Root Cause

Su Qing remained in Guangyuefu.

The group from the capital were very disappointed.

There are only so many good locations in the world, and Guangyuefu is one of them.

To allow her to remain in her post, and with the Emperor's permission, everyone could only feel regret.

However, this was followed by households with newly appointed scholars who had passed the imperial examinations.

Since Su Qing is still staying there.

Why not just send your own nephews or nieces over?

Guangyue Prefecture is peaceful, and with Su Qing in charge, it doesn't seek any political achievements, but it's still better than other places.

This wasn't an isolated case; many families shared this view.

The Ministry of Personnel was already a troublesome place.

Now it's even more annoying.

The Minister of Personnel also arranged for several of his students' sons and nephews to go to Guangyuefu.

That's not enough.

Many officials in Guangyuefu had already completed their terms of office.

People like Wang Xuezheng in the area, and several county magistrates below him, all need to be reassigned.

Especially the position of educational administrator.

The prefectural school under Su Qing's jurisdiction was well-governed, and its students were truly talented.

Those who are motivated by political achievements will naturally want to go there.

Those who are interested in the student level also want to go.

Therefore, the competition is extremely fierce.

So much so that even Wang Xuezheng's side heard about it.

He received a letter from the capital and rushed over to find Lord Su.

But Prefect Su's study was crowded with people.

The vast majority of them congratulated the official on being able to remain in his post.

This also proves the emperor's trust.

They could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Others, like Wang Xuezheng, were anxious.

Their transfer orders are coming down soon.

Where to go next remains uncertain.

Lord Su, could you please help me?

Su Qing is no longer the same person he was when he first became an official.

He now has quite a few connections in Beijing.

Everyone thinks that her retention must be related to these connections.

So I went to her for help.

When Su Qing met everyone, her expression improved significantly as they left, and she was full of fighting spirit.

Wang Xuezheng was completely baffled, wondering to himself, "Does Lord Su really have a solution?"

However, the other officials were not high-ranking, so they were all easy to arrange.

His current position is rather awkward.

If one were to be transferred to another place as an educational administrator, it would be a fifth-rank official position, essentially a lateral transfer.

But can other places have a similar Guangyuefu?

This is not a lateral transfer; it's clearly a demotion.

Then go somewhere else and become a government official?

In times of peace, this would definitely be better than being an academic official.

But now?

Please don't.

That's really going to kill him.

When the local authorities demand money, the tenants will cause trouble from time to time, and there might even be a rebellion.

The Emperor also needs money.

What should he do?

Does he have that ability?

Even if he has the ability, does he have that powerful backer?

So after thinking it over, I really want to stay.

Wang Xuezheng was uneasy and wanted Lord Su to put in a good word for him.

And he did a good job.

Which student in the prefectural school today doesn't possess genuine talent and learning? Which one isn't from a poor family? Students in other subjects also have real abilities.

Needless to say, he wouldn't accept anyone who wasn't extremely learned.

Some time ago, he even took the initiative to recruit female scholars into the prefectural school.

Without Lord Su even having to say a word, the matter was already taken care of.

Should we keep him around since he's been so dedicated?

Seeing that his saliva had dried up from talking, Yunxi poured Wang Xuezheng more tea.

But Su Qing's answer made him slump in despair.

"My sources say that the candidate for the position of educational administrator of Guangyue Prefecture has been decided."

ah?

Everything's settled.

"Who is it?" Wang Xuezheng asked helplessly.

Su Qing said, "Do you remember the chief examiner of last year's provincial examination, Lord Liang from the Ministry of Rites? He recommended the candidate, and the Ministry of Personnel has already agreed."

Lord Liang wrote to her, asking him to take good care of her; she was his classmate during the imperial examinations.

He was an upright man, but his official career was not smooth, though he was quite learned.

In short, he said a lot of nice things.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuezheng knew he had little chance and could only sigh.

Su Qing then said, "However, I do have a place I would like to recommend, but I don't know if you would be interested."

Where to?!

My hometown is Tongminfu.

"The position of Tongpan in Tongmin Prefecture will be reassigned this year," Su Qing said. "I can recommend you for a position there."

The prefectural vice-prefects were officials, mostly of the sixth rank.

This is considerably lower than Wang Xuezheng's current position as a fifth-rank academic official.

However, the position of Tongpan in Shunchang Kingdom also had supervisory functions and was in charge of military affairs.

It meant that local officials, including prefects, could be monitored. Memorials could reach the emperor directly.

He even had soldiers under his command.

Therefore, this location is not bad.

Of course, whether a prefect can actually get things done also depends on the personality and ability of the local official.

After all, it is not uncommon for powerful servants to bully their masters and powerful officials to oppress their superiors.

Just like in Guangyuefu, their Prefect Liu had only a so-so relationship with the Emperor.

Even if they could submit a memorial to the emperor, they most likely wouldn't dare.

Simply follow the prefect and handle your own duties.

In short...

Whether or not one can perform the duties of a prefectural judge depends on their abilities.

Wang Xuezheng was naturally aware of this.

If one could successfully become a sub-prefect, and then a local official with real power, that would certainly be good.

But what about the Tongmin Prefecture?

Wang Xuezheng knew Su Qing's personality and that he could speak his mind directly: "Tongmin Prefecture has too much local power, and officials who go there don't have an easy time."

Prefect Chen of Tongmin Prefecture even specially invited Su Qing over for this purpose.

That only had a temporary effect; I've heard that in many places, the virus has re-emerged.

He wouldn't dare go to that place.

Su Qing nodded: "It was precisely because I knew about this that I asked you, Wang Xuezheng, to go over."

“Lord Wang is capable. Given the opportunity, he will surely be able to secure the position of Vice Prefect.”

Just look at the prefectural school and you'll know.

Su Qing didn't actually interfere much; the initial rectification was handled by Fei Kaiyu.

It was discovered at the time that Wang Xuezheng was quite shrewd.

Afterwards, Fei Kaiyu went to Gaoqing Prefecture, but the prefectural school continued to improve, and last year's successful provincial examination was also the work of Wang Xuezheng.

The fact that so many people from Guangyuefu passed the imperial examinations is not solely due to Su Qing's efforts.

Wang Xuezheng deserves much credit for his contributions.

Seeing that Lord Su had seen it all, Wang Xuezheng fell silent for a moment.

“I won’t fall for this kind of sweet talk,” Wang Xuezheng said directly. “Sir, please let me enjoy some peace and quiet.”

Su Qing chuckled: "I'm not trying to push you into a fire pit, but rather I want to ask Lord Wang for help."

Su Qing spoke frankly and sincerely.

Tongmin Prefecture was, after all, her hometown, and she couldn't bear to see her fellow villagers suffering.

However, relying solely on Prefect Chen is not appropriate.

Because she believed that Prefect Chen only wanted to suppress public resentment and peacefully pass through his term of office.

So I want to find someone capable to go there.

Moreover, she assured Lord Wang that as long as he went over and cooperated with her.

The Tongmin Prefecture will inevitably become like the Guangyue Prefecture in the future.

This achievement absolutely belongs to Lord Wang.

“That’s my hometown, how could I, Su Qing, lie to you?”

Wang Xuezheng remained silent.

The silence at this moment was a sign that she was already moved.

Prefect Su never lies; everyone knows that.

Since she is determined to save her hometown, she will definitely do it.

With her supporting them, the entire Guangyuefu was supported.

Although Tongmin Prefecture and Guangle Prefecture are connected by Shanyang Prefecture and Shiwen Prefecture, it takes ten days to travel back and forth.

But none of this was a problem for Su Qing.

That's my hometown.

If he had the chance to govern his hometown into Guangyuefu, he would do his best.

It is said that it is hard to leave one's homeland.

Those who hold official positions are destined to leave.

The more this is the case, the more I want to do my part for my hometown.

Since they neither doubted Prefect Su's determination nor her abilities.

The future of that Tongminfu will definitely be bright.

If I go there myself.

Wouldn't he be the next Su Qing?

Wang Xuezheng was getting restless.

Who wouldn't be tempted by this?

"My lord, how do you plan to govern Tongmin Prefecture?" Wang Xuezheng asked.

Su Qing smiled: "I can't say for now, but it will be after the autumn harvest, around mid-September."

"If you agree, you should be able to make it in time."

It is now August 20th.

They're going to start this in mid-September?!

Then why doesn't he hurry up and set off?

Wang Xuezheng was extremely excited and even asked for a few more people.

They are all his capable subordinates.

Su Qing readily agreed and immediately wrote a document, which he then had Yunxi and Lvyun send to the capital.

There were also two letters, suggesting that someone was secretly working on it.

"Go back and pack your things, and don't let a word of it leak out," Su Qing said. "Your appointment will be issued before September."

When Wang Xuezheng left Prefect Su's study, his face was also full of smiles.

wrong.

Isn't he just like those people from before?

Where did Lord Su assign those people?

Everyone kept their mouths shut, and no one revealed a single detail before the appointments were officially announced.

Unless they have other arrangements at home, the other people will only be in two places: Gaoqing Prefecture and Tongmin Prefecture.

If you wish to go to the neighboring Shanyang Prefecture, that is also acceptable.

Prefect Shen now wields real power and is determined to accomplish something.

It wasn't just the Guangyuefu who were worried about being transferred.

This was true throughout Shunchang Kingdom.

The emperor had painstakingly cultivated a group of his own people, and he was determined to place them in various places, hoping that they would govern the country and bring peace to the people, so that Shunchang Kingdom would become better and better.

He made arrangements for his subordinates and also assigned personnel to the Tongmin Prefecture.

The Hua family of Guangyuefu remained extremely silent during this period.

Even the usually composed Master Hua couldn't sit still any longer.

He spent a lot of money trying to get Su Qing to leave this place.

But the more money he offered, the less willing they became to budge.

It took a lot of money to get one person from the Ministry of Personnel to tell the truth.

"Have you forgotten what happened in Jinling in the third year of Yongsheng?"

"The more you clash with Su Qing, the more the higher-ups will want to keep her around."

Hua Jingming delivered the message.

Master Hua, Hua Chengzai, and Hua Jingming were all at a loss for words.

The Emperor is too petty.

Wasn't it because when he was stranded in Jinling and short of money, the Hua family refused to give him any?

They still hold a grudge to this day.

So the more they wanted Su Qing to leave, the more they wanted her to stay.

To put it bluntly.

The Emperor disliked both Su Qing and the Hua family.

But everyone knows what kind of person Su Qing is.

The Emperor also knew that she would not use her position for personal gain.

Between the two, it's better to use Su Qing, this sharp sword, to cut down the Hua family.

The Hua family controlled too much land, making it difficult for the imperial court to collect taxes.

Then there's the story of Nanjing back then.

No matter how many times the emperor had to choose, he would always choose to support Su Qing.

The more money the Hua family spent, the less likely the emperor would release them.

In this situation, the entire Hua family was at a loss for words. Hua Jingming was also appointed as an official and sent directly to the Fujian region.

They have no say in what's happening here.

However, he still has one more chance.

That is to plead with Su Qing.

Before officially taking office, he, along with Gu Congsi, Qi Anping, Hui Rong, and others, were allowed to return to their hometowns to visit relatives.

In early September, these newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) from Guangyue Prefecture will gradually return to their hometowns.

Hua Jingming wanted to take this opportunity to plead with Su Qing on her behalf.

On the way back to my hometown from the capital.

These newly appointed scholars are no longer as green and inexperienced as they were when they first arrived in the capital.

We've seen and experienced too much.

They each had their own thoughts.

Of course, they each have their own futures, and they have even secretly split into several teams.

The newly appointed top scholar, Gu Congsi, was not sent to a post outside the capital and continued to serve as an official in the Hanlin Academy, making him the most orthodox civil official among the pure stream.

Moreover, he has a good relationship with the Grand Secretaries of the Imperial Court, so he will definitely be given an important position.

So he is an exception.

But he was devoted to the country and most wanted Shunchang Kingdom to be peaceful and prosperous, which is common knowledge.

Like Qi Anping and Hui Rong, one is young and energetic, and the other is calm and calculating.

However, both of them come from ordinary families.

The scholars who followed him were mostly from humble backgrounds and were more concerned about the common people.

Hua Jingming was surrounded by sons and nephews of local wealthy families and gentry.

Not just local.

Many wealthy young men outside of Guangyuefu were on good terms with Hua Jingming.

They were born into similar circumstances, both raised in luxury, and what they disliked most was officials like Su Qing.

However, Hua Jingming restrained himself because he knew right from wrong.

Knowing right from wrong and doing what one should do are two different things.

In his view, Su Qing was not wrong, and neither was he.

They all wanted to protect what they had worked so hard to obtain.

The Hua family's ancestral wealth must not be squandered in his hands.

Their ideas differed, and the intimacy they had during exam preparation was clearly gone.

After returning to his hometown to visit relatives, Gu Congsi went back to Beijing to take up his post.

The others went to their own posts.

I don't know when we'll meet again.

I suppose this journey home together will be the last one.

Upon arriving in Guangyue Prefecture, the group first went to the prefectural government office to pay their respects to the prefect, and then to the education commissioner.

They then went home to visit their families.

Gu Congsi and Hua Jingming, whose families were in the prefectural city, naturally stayed behind.

Seeing that the other party had gone to the government office again, Gu Congsi did not follow, but went home to pay his respects to his parents.

He's bringing his parents to the capital this time too.

The Gu couple had long wanted to leave this place.

No matter how Gu Congsi tried to persuade them, they insisted on leaving.

"This is Su Qing's territory, and we feel really awkward here."

"Yes, everyone knows those things, and we really want to leave."

"Why don't we go back to our hometown, Ludong Prefecture? We can't stay here."

Gu Congsi said helplessly, "There are bandits causing trouble in Luzhou East Prefecture, so we can't go back."

Neither of them knew how to farm, nor did they have a foothold in the market.

He had no choice but to use his connections to get his father transferred to the capital to teach, so he could continue teaching students.

I heard that the Gu family was quite satisfied with their trip to Beijing.

"You've worked hard here. I've made your favorite meal." Madam Gu said, and her son nodded slightly, very politely.

Lord Gu also noticed that his son was only respectful to them, but not affectionate.

Is he still complaining about the annulment of the engagement?

It's alright, we'll find him a good marriage after they go to the capital.

My son is twenty-five this year; it's time for him to get married. Once he has a wife, he'll settle down.

Gu Congsi saw through their thoughts at a glance and said directly, "You should stop interfering in my marriage."

After saying that, he added, "I'm also prepared to remain unmarried for the rest of my life."

What? !

These words struck them like a thunderclap.

Never to marry?!

This time, Gu Congsi didn't give the two a chance to say more, and turned around to instruct the servants to pack their luggage.

This is the study of the government office at this time.

Hua Jingming also wanted to discuss marriage.

But Su Qing merely sized him up, telling him to swallow his words.

Hua Jingming smiled wryly and, when talking about the conflict between his eldest brother and second sister, first said a few jokes: "The two of them didn't get along to begin with, and now when they meet, they look like they're cross-eyed."

"I don't know who to help either."

Su Qing replied seriously, "Haven't you been helping your older brother all along?"

"No," Hua Jingming said earnestly, "I didn't help anyone."

Su Qing smiled: "Not helping is also a form of help."

Logically, Hua Jingming shouldn't have pressed further, and instead said, "I don't understand."

Hua Jingming had many things he couldn't understand.

He didn't understand why Su Qing wanted to break up their family when everything was fine.

They couldn't understand why Hua Youling, having gotten what she wanted, would still want to move the workshop away.

He helped Su Qing when she was in trouble back then.

He also helped Hua Youling when she couldn't keep the pig iron workshop afloat.

Why did this happen?

Seeing that he wouldn't leave and insisted on an explanation, Su Qing clearly felt that she and Hua Youling were both betraying him.

Su Qing was getting annoyed.

I was already busy with the affairs of the Tongminfu government, and now I have to explain to you, the landlord's son, why I didn't help, even if it meant helping.

Su Qing said directly, "Hua Youling lost her mother and is not close to her father. She is also a woman, but she wants to prove her ability and has been working for the Hua family."

"Can she really stand up to Hua Chengzai in the Hua family?"

"A person who is two meters tall fighting against a person who is one and a half meters tall."

"But you say you didn't help anyone, so that's fair?"

This refers to matters between the children of the Hua family.

It also discusses the relationship between landlords and tenants.

No matter how "kind and benevolent" the landlord may seem now.

None of this changes the fact that they have annexed the people's land.

Hua Jingming stands between Hua Chengzai and Hua Youling, doing nothing and claiming that he is being fair.

At the same time, they stood between the landlord and the tenant, saying that their own family had done nothing wrong.

This is far too "pure and innocent".

His perceived concessions only occurred when his interests were not affected.

It really affected his family's core interests.

He then became Master Hua's real son.

No wonder Master Hua dotes on him the most.

Having said that, Hua Jingming naturally knew that Su Qing wouldn't listen to any of his excuses.

As long as Su Qing is alive.

The Hua family's land will continue to be lost.

Especially after this year's autumn harvest, a large number of tenant farmers will terminate their leases.

Because the Hua family had treated them well in recent years, grain and commodity prices in Guangle Prefecture had remained stable.

Anyone with a bit of foresight could save up money to either return to their hometown or go to a more remote county.

They can always buy some land and start a new life.

The land that has been returned to its owners will be left uncultivated and will become wasteland in two or three years.

Yunxi and Lvlan watched.

I have no sympathy for the Hua family.

They were both tenant farmers.

Why couldn't I save money when I was a tenant farmer?

Now I've saved it up.

It can't be that everyone suddenly became enlightened and knew how to save money, right?

It's all because the Hua family pressured us so much that, apart from food rations, most of our money had to be used to pay rent.

Now they are completely subservient to their superiors and dare not ask for more rent.

The tenants could finally breathe a sigh of relief and have their own savings.

In comparison.

Who would believe that the Hua family did nothing wrong?

In fact, you can tell from the fact that the tenants are no longer obedient.

In the past, to please their employers, tenants not only had to farm, but also help fight, and even give gifts to their employers.

After all, people's mood determines their fate and the amount of rent they pay.

The so-called "disobedience" now is actually a normal rental relationship.

To draw an analogy, you can...

You rented a house for one person, but you still have to go to the landlord's house to do laundry, cook, and take care of the children.

Is this normal?!

But if you don't do that, they won't let you rent the house anymore.

What? Renting someone else's?

I'm sorry, but all the houses in both counties, including the prefectural city, belong to my family.

Unless you end up sleeping on the streets or rolling around somewhere else.

This requirement applies to houses in other places as well.

The "tenant" has to pay rent, do laundry, cook, take care of the children, and work all at the same time.

In this environment, tenants can't even afford to eat, let alone save money.

Su Qing has dealt with most of the wealthy gentry and landlords in Guangyuefu.

The Hua family, the last one, will also lose a large number of tenants after this year's autumn harvest. Their so-called thousands of acres of fertile land will be left uncultivated and can no longer be called fertile land.

Hua Jingming stumbled and fell as he left the government office before finally returning home.

Judging from his expression, you could tell that his words were useless.

Disappointment flashed across Master Hua's face as he slumped into a chair, saying, "Is Heaven going to destroy the Hua family?"

The Hua family's resentment is not mentioned.

Su Qing also wanted to give a farewell banquet to Wang Xuezheng, who is now the Tongminfu Prefect, and also to welcome the newly arrived Xuezheng.

The newly appointed education commissioner also happens to be surnamed Wang, and he is thirty-six years old this year.

She seemed aloof at first, but always answered my questions. She actually has a gentle personality and speaks kindly.

Lord Liang said he was a very upright person.

He may have a cold face, but he's actually kind-hearted, easy to talk to, and upright.

At the banquet, Su Qing noticed his long, black beard and thought to herself that if Mei Niang saw it, she would probably like it.

Lord Wang, who had become the Prefect Wang, praised the new Academician Wang's beard a few times, and then quickly apologized: "I did not know that your wife had passed away. I misspoke."

The new Wang Xuezheng did not care.

Su Qing then learned that Wang Xuezheng's first wife had passed away five years ago, and he had never remarried and had no children.

He previously taught at the Imperial Academy and was also good at managing affairs.

Unfortunately, lacking status and background, there was no place for him after the Imperial Academy appointed a new Chancellor.

Fortunately, Minister Liang of the Ministry of Rites was his classmate, and with great effort, he managed to get him appointed as the educational administrator of Guangyue Prefecture.

Gu Congsi also helped with it.

Gu Congsi also thought this Lord Wang was a good person and helped him out.

Just then, Gu Congsi finally arrived.

He wasn't late on purpose; he just had a lot of things to do at home, so he quickly apologized.

The Prefect Su, Registrar Luo, Registrar Wu, Magistrate Wang, and the newly appointed Education Commissioner Wang, who were all present, did not care.

Moreover, Gu Congsi was one of their own, so they wouldn't say much.

The meal was a pleasant one for both the host and guests.

Wang Xuezheng breathed a sigh of relief.

In his view, the people of Guangyuefu were very simple in their relationships, which suited his personality perfectly.

He was not angry that he had taken the position of Magistrate Wang. Instead, he talked to him about the social customs and etiquette of the Guangyuefu Academy.

No wonder everyone wants to become an official in Guangyuefu.

It is said that what the superiors do, the inferiors will follow.

With Prefect Su overseeing this place, it's indeed a good thing.

The new academic administrator has successfully taken office.

Judge Wang went to Tongmin Prefecture to take up his post.

Before he left, he repeatedly asked Prefect Su for help.

We must save him as soon as possible.

Please, please.

Let's quickly transform Tongmin Prefecture into Guangle Prefecture!

Su Qing reassured him, "Everything will be fine."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Wang left with his family and servants, heading to the Tongmin Prefecture.

The prefectural school had a new education administrator, and everyone adapted quickly.

The new Wang Xuezheng is indeed quite capable.

However, there have been no changes for other officials at all levels for the time being.

It's harvest time, and many job changes will take place after the harvest.

Su Qing's attention was also focused on the autumn harvest.

Guangyue Prefecture's tax revenue has also increased this year.

Last year's figure of 1.19 million had already drawn attention from others.

Taxes will be even higher this year.

Wu Husi said, "It's around 1.76 million."

"It mainly comes from newly cultivated land and income from pharmaceutical workshops."

Wu Husi added, "The Hua family has also paid some back taxes."

Does the Hua family want to spend money to avoid disaster?

Or perhaps they have ulterior motives.

Clerk Luo was clearly a bit wary as well, and nodded, saying, "I will keep an eye on their actions."

Su Qing was relieved, but still said, "It's all in vain."

“After the autumn harvest, his tenants did not renew the lease, and it was not something that others could interfere with.”

The Hua family either offered more benefits to retain the tenants.

Either let them go.

These tenant farmers can make a living anywhere.

In Guangyue Prefecture, buying and selling are fair throughout the region. Once you acquire land and build a house, you become a farmer.

As long as there is a relatively stable and fair environment.

There is no need to worry about the people's lives; they have the ability to make their lives better and better.

We don't need to take the Hua family's tricks to heart.

Unless they're desperate and resort to any means necessary.

Wu, the head constable, had obviously thought of this as well. On one hand, he arranged for the government office to patrol, and on the other hand, he instructed the constables from Nanjiang County to protect Mei Niang, Su Cheng, and the others.

It just so happened that the new education commissioner was going to inspect the schools in various counties, and he took him along as well.

Su Qing knew the gravity of the situation and naturally dared not act recklessly, so she had been staying home and avoiding going out lately.

She's about to dig up someone's ancestral grave, how could she not be careful?

Besides the Hua family.

Other tasks are running smoothly.

Compared to Guangyuefu, Tongminfu was worlds apart.

September 8th.

Judge Wang arrived at the city of Tongmin Prefecture.

Prefect Chen hosted a welcoming banquet to celebrate the departure of the former sub-prefect, but these details need not be elaborated upon.

On the evening of September 11th.

Before going to sleep, Magistrate Wang lamented the exorbitant prices and the ubiquitous beggars in Tongmin Prefecture. He was awakened from his sleep by someone calling his name.

"Something terrible has happened! The magistrate of Zhao Town County has reported that a group of bandits have broken in and are robbing and looting!"

"Those bandits number nearly a thousand! None of them can defeat them!"

Judge Wang sat up abruptly: "Where's the garrison? Where's the local garrison? Send troops to encircle and annihilate them immediately!"

"Lord Wang, our new garrison commander in Tongmin Prefecture has not yet taken office."

"Only you can command the troops, and they must obey your orders."

Judge Wang was completely baffled.

who? !

Who issued the order?!

There are nearly a thousand people over there; do you expect him to mobilize troops?

Will he?

Have you forgotten?

I used to be an academic official, an educational administrator!

When he arrived at the government office dressed in his best clothes, Prefect Chen said, "It's all over now."

Is everything alright?!

Judge Wang was speechless for a long time before finally complaining, "In the three years I've been in Guangyue Prefecture, I've never been so frightened."

There were things going on at the Guangyuefu as well.

But compared to the situation in Tongmin Prefecture, it's nothing at all.

Prefect Chen was well aware of this, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Once he calmed down, he respectfully inquired about what had happened.

A staff member beside Prefect Chen sighed, "The casualties in Zhao Town County are heavy."

Heavy casualties?

He just took office.

The staff continued to explain the situation.

It started in early September.

Outside Zhao Town County, there was a band of mountain bandits.

This band of mountain bandits was extremely "cunning." Under the guise of standing up for the people, they claimed to uphold justice and eliminate evil, and sent threatening letters to landlords and gentry of all sizes in Zhao Town County.

The letter stated that if the tenants' rightful share of grain was returned to them, the usurious loans with compound interest would be waived.

Then these Daze soldiers will let them go.

What is Daze Army?

Never heard of it.

Let them go? Do you even know how many servants they have?

The letter was given to the local county magistrate, who was educated.

Da Zejun didn't know.

But Dazexiang is very famous because it was the place where Chen Sheng and Wu Guang's rebel army caused trouble at the end of the Qin Dynasty.

Those unruly people were spouting nonsense about whether kings and nobles were born with special privileges, and about a peasant uprising.

They were actually rebels.

This alarmed the county magistrate, who immediately reported it to the prefectural government.

But there was no news from the prefectural city, so he stopped paying attention.

The main reason is that Prefect Chen really didn't care.

Given the current situation in Tongmin Prefecture, it's not the first time that tenant farmers have gathered to cause trouble.

So I don't care.

But to the people of Zhaozhen County, this news was like heavenly music.

Regardless of whether it's true or false.

They all want to join!

This is unbearable.

Lord Su came once before and dealt with the powerful local gentry, and they behaved themselves for several months.

But when the autumn harvest comes, their true colors are immediately revealed.

In fact, because of his restraint some time ago, he has become even more vicious.

They harvested more grain and forced people to work for the landlords.

They continued to add interest on top of the original usurious loans.

His wife and daughter were kidnapped to "pay off debts."

The people of Zhaozhen County were filled with hatred, feeling that they had nowhere to turn for help.

They even secretly went to the home of Prefect Su Qing, hoping to plead with his grandmother and maternal grandfather.

They asked them to bring their children, or themselves, to Guangyuefu.

I'm really begging them.

The Su family and Mei Niang are helping to contact Su Qing.

News of Dazejun's arrival came.

The local gentry and wealthy families kept laughing at them.

Tenant farmers, however, grasped at it like a lifeline.

However, the Daze army was very vigilant. Some of their servants went to search outside the city, but they did not find a trace of it.

Therefore, most wealthy people thought they were bragging.

It's just another one of those petty tricks played by these troublemakers.

But just last night.

On the eleventh day of the ninth month in the sixth year of Yongsheng, at the third watch of the night.

The "Daze Army" quietly entered the villages.

Every household on that list was broken into.

They burned down ancestral halls, opened granaries, killed wicked servants, and murdered the head of the household.

Overnight, countless wealthy and influential local gentry met untimely deaths.

These Daze soldiers simply distributed the grain without taking a single penny.

They even ignored the countless treasures of gold and silver.

As for those IOUs for rent, they were all burned to ashes.

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Wang exclaimed in surprise.

This really does resemble a rebel army.

They weren't the kind of people who used the guise of an uprising to cause trouble.

Moreover, the Daze Army.

This name is quite interesting.

Prefect Chen was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), so there was no way he wouldn't have noticed.

But he still pretended not to know.

Whether they don't know or are just too lazy to care.

"And then? How did it end? How come everything was alright?" Wang Tongpan knew the outcome, so he wasn't flustered.

Anyway, Zhao Town County is far away from here.

Prefect Chen visibly breathed a sigh of relief: "After killing those wealthy families, the thieves left."

That's how it ended?!

The more I listen, the more something seems off.

"Fortunately, those who were killed were all greedy and unscrupulous people, who were universally hated by both gods and men."

If you said these people were all villains, everyone would believe you.

But to be killed like this is to disregard the law.

Judge Wang swallowed his words.

He had already discovered that Prefect Chen was the type to just get by.

However, given the state of Shunchang Kingdom, where is the law and order? This is not Guanglefu.

It's actually a good thing that these people died this way.

The matter of Zhaozhen County was thus put aside.

Prefect Chen sighed repeatedly, clearly lacking energy.

He's so unlucky. He's supposed to step down next year, and this huge problem has already happened this year.

Asking Su Qing for help before was only a temporary solution.

Wang Tongpan didn't speak again. He said, "This matter should be reported to the imperial court."

Prefect Chen nodded, but then added, "It's just some bandits causing trouble; there's no need to go into the details."

It means, don't mention those letters or such.

It's a big deal to bring this up.

If he angered the emperor, he would be in even more trouble.

This approach left Judge Wang dumbfounded.

If it were the Guangyue Prefecture, their Lord Su would definitely report the truth and take strong action.

No, he's already been transferred here.

Why keep thinking about Guangyuefu? You can't think about it anymore.

His current partner is Prefect Chen.

Oh no, thinking about it like that only makes me more frustrated.

Good heavens, why did Lord Su send him here?

Although he was inwardly complaining, Wang Tongpan nodded on the surface, covering up for Prefect Chen.

Before Prefect Chen could feel at ease, another piece of news that left him speechless arrived.

The so-called Daze Army went to two other counties and also sent letters to the local wealthy families.

The situation is the same as in Zhaozhen County.

However, this time the requirements are even higher.

Not only should the grain be returned to the tenants, but their debts from previous years should also be forgiven.

It must be completed within three days.

Otherwise, they would definitely go again.

What happened in Zhaozhen County may be unknown in other places, but the two counties nearby know it very well.

Those wealthy people panicked instantly, and at the same time felt that Da Zejun was really arrogant.

The reason we were able to break into the villages of Zhaozhen County last time was because the villagers were not on guard.

This time, they were not only prepared, but two counties received the message simultaneously.

Do you people really think you're divine warriors descended from the heavens, or that you're the war god Prince Zheng?!

Of course, there were also timid big spenders who quickly burned all the IOUs from over the years in public.

Not only that, they also distributed the grain.

The main idea is to lose money to avoid disaster.

The people of the same county naturally laughed at them and at the same time strengthened their defenses, just waiting for the so-called Daze Army to come.

Of course, this matter was also reported to the prefectural government, requesting the prefect to send troops.

Prefect Chen's vision went black.

He had just submitted the memorial from Zhaozhen County, and he tried to falsify it as much as possible.

Now again?

Two at once?

The local garrison is en route.

That prefectural magistrate?!

Prefect Chen immediately summoned Magistrate Wang.

Judge Wang was speechless.

He realized that Prefect Chen had no desire to shoulder any responsibility, let alone take any action.

No wonder they invited Lord Su over to warn the local gentry and wealthy families to be the first to act.

Wang Tongpan had been in Guangyue Prefecture for a long time and had not seen an official like this for a long time.

Having no other option, he could only send troops over, hoping it would have some effect.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Prefect Chen said, "No, don't send troops yet."

Why?!

Judge Wang discovered that after arriving at Tongmin Prefecture, he kept asking why!

Has the world outside of Guangyuefu become like this?

Prefect Chen said, "If troops are sent, the situation will be very different."

He had only one thought on his mind.

Turn a big problem into a small one, and a small problem into nothing.

It's better to ignore them and wait until they've fought enough before sending someone over to check.

Anyway, it's not a big deal if a few hundred or a thousand people die down there.

In the counties below, there were also instances of landlords and gentry killing ordinary people, and the imperial court could not possibly investigate them all.

These landlords and gentry are pretty much the same now.

If you're dead, you're dead. What else can you do?

As long as it doesn't affect him, everything is negotiable.

Judge Wang's lips twitched slightly, he seemed somewhat displeased, but ultimately said nothing.

Hopefully, the wealthy families in the next two counties will escape this calamity.

September 15th arrived, the time set by Dazejun.

According to the letter, they would enter the village tonight and kill the local tyrants and bullies.

But nothing happened overnight.

"See? They're just a bunch of troublemakers, they're just trying to scare us."

"Zhaozhen County is pitiful; he suffered because of his lack of experience."

"By the way, did you know they have a new magistrate?"

"I know, he just arrived at his post, poor thing."

"Look at our servants, with our weapons, who dares to touch us?"

And on the evening of September 16th.

These arrogant bullies died under the moonlight, their bodies appearing deathly pale.

Executions were carried out simultaneously in more than a dozen villages across two counties.

The bandits from the "Great Marsh Army" came masked, still opening the granaries to distribute grain, and still killing people according to the roster.

Of course, those families who burned the IOUs and returned the grain could be spared.

They would show absolutely no mercy to other people.

The so-called master servants were no match for them at all.

Even their weapons are inferior to those of others.

However, this time is a little different.

That is, some tenant farmers took advantage of the chaos and joined Dazejun in seeking revenge.

Many local gentry and bullies had their faces smashed to pieces after they died.

When the news spread, ordinary people secretly cheered.

This tyrant's favorite pastime is to rape women and steal other men's wives.

When a tenant farmer gets married, the bride must be sent to his house and allowed to stay for ten days or half a month. Once she is satisfied, the bride will be sent back.

In recent years, he has also fallen in love with handsome young servants; any good-looking young man is no match for his charms.

If any family dared to resist, their vicious dogs would be used to kill the entire family, then the body would be chopped up and fed to the other tenant farmers in the neighborhood.

Now that he's dead, his sycophantic dogs, who relied on their master's power, scattered and disappeared without a trace.

An old hunter, seeing this, led his tenants to hunt and kill vicious dogs to commemorate their loved ones who had died in their mouths.

If Zhaozhen County was just the beginning...

But those two counties don't mean the end.

Tongmin Prefecture comprised twenty-one counties and one prefectural city.

All the big players panicked.

It's obvious they're after them!

Moreover, those people were well-trained and even very popular.

They refused to believe that no one had seen the faces of the Great Swamp Thieves, nor had anyone discovered their whereabouts.

But not a single piece of information has leaked out.

All anyone knows is that they come and go without a trace.

After killing someone, he would eat and drink for a while and then leave immediately.

The weapon in his hand was of unknown origin, but it was extremely sharp and sturdy.

The leader is more agile.

The information that was vaguely revealed said that he was tall, masked and red-eyed, and did not personally take action, but only used arrows to hunt down those who escaped.

They've gone mad.

All the wealthy families in Tongmin Prefecture are going crazy.

Who on earth is this person?!

Many people began to build defensive fortifications.

Some people are even planning to move to the county seat.

What?

Burn the IOU?

Forget it, I'd rather not give it up unless absolutely necessary.

Compared to their terror.

The people of Tongmin Prefecture were almost overjoyed, and everyone was looking forward to one thing every day.

Dazejun, come quickly!

We also have local gentry and bullies here!

Interestingly, the happiest person actually received a reply from Da Zejun.

"It will come."

It will come!

Really!

The people of Tongmin Prefecture were excited.

As expected, no one paid any attention to Prefect Chen's memorial after it was sent to the capital.

It's just petty thieves causing trouble; it's nothing new.

The imperial court is busy collecting taxes from various regions; it has no time to deal with these matters.

Speaking of this, your Tongmin Prefecture has collected 390,000 in taxes this year, and you've already handed over 300,000.

When Prefect Chen saw the reply, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Okay, okay.

As long as he is not held responsible, that's fine.

As for the 300,000 in taxes, he will definitely pay them, and he will even have to pay some more.

This was given as a token of gratitude to the imperial court for showing leniency.

Judge Wang watched from the side, his face turning green.

He even had an idea.

Where is Dazejun?

Could we please execute Prefect Chen first?!

Hearing that Lord Su was in the capital, he made every effort to ask Lord Su Qing to go to the Tongmin Prefecture to help.

This earned him considerable praise from officials.

Many people in the court praised it.

Now it seems like it was all just a show.

They invited Lord Su to the Tongmin Prefecture and then forced him to take the lead.

Judge Wang took a deep breath, no longer daring to be so careless.

I spent too much time at Guangyuefu.

It's really wrong of me to forget about the backstabbing and infighting outside.

After returning home, Magistrate Wang wrote a letter to Prefect Su, firstly to inform her of the situation and secondly to ask her what solutions she might have.

This is her hometown; we can't just sit idly by.

In fact.

Su Qingbi, along with Wang Tongpan and others, was more familiar with the affairs of the Tongmin Prefecture.

Even the so-called Daze Army was something she had discussed with General Chai.

Cleaning up local gentry and bullies one by one according to the list is also part of the plan.

But Su Qing always felt that something was wrong.

Leaving aside the situation in Zhaozhen County, this small-scale trial is not surprising.

The two counties deployed troops simultaneously, and the matter was handled extremely efficiently.

"It looks somewhat familiar."

Outside Yisong County, in the military camp.

General Chai believes that his bottom line seems to be getting lower and lower.

At first, when faced with the prospect of 30,000 to 40,000 miners leaving Shanyang Prefecture for Gaoqing Prefecture, he firmly refused.

Then, when it came to seizing the eight million taels of silver, he hesitated.

Now, they're pretending to be so-called bandits in the Great Swamp, robbing the rich to help the poor.

However, all the food and drink for the army is now being purchased and allocated by Nanjiang County.

Su Qing not only didn't keep a single penny of the silver they obtained, but also tried every means to use it all for the army.

This forms a very strong contrast with what the imperial court is doing.

Let's just leave these things as they are.

General Chai felt that things were still within the bottom line.

But to keep it a secret from everyone, having Prince Zheng, who should have been in the capital, personally lead the troops was something even I couldn't believe.

In other words, the prince had great prestige in the army, and the men he selected were people he trusted implicitly.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have kept it a secret until now.

That day, Prince Zheng suddenly appeared in Yisong County and asked him to come over and talk.

He was so frightened that his legs trembled.

If the emperor finds out, all of them will die.

Prince Zheng was the first of his kind.

But Prince Zheng came for only one purpose.

Help him lead the troops.

To carry out the orders of Prefect Su.

Let the God of War lead the troops to deal with those local gentry and bullies?

Even General Chai thought it was too much.

Look at the results now, look at this impressive record.

He truly deserves the title of War God Prince.

General Chai looked at Prefect Su's letter and clearly noticed something was wrong.

The results of the battle were too good.

With her keen perception, how could she not notice?

Yan Zhengzhou entered the tent and immediately recognized it as a letter from Su Qing. He took it as a matter of course, read it carefully three times, and then wrote back, "Hmm."

General Chai asked in surprise, "Don't you need to explain?"

What does "hmm" mean?

Yan Zhengzhou said, "No need."

"She knows."

General Chai touched his mouth and shut up, then had the letter mailed out.

Okay, fine, I'll do whatever you say.

One can govern, and the other can fight.

As long as he's a soldier, it's good that he's obedient.

"The rations and pay have been issued!" The cheers outside continued. "Great! We thought the owed rations and pay would never be paid."

"Yes! My family needs the money."

"Who doesn't?"

General Chai sighed softly.

It's not that he was disloyal to the emperor.

The question, however, is how to remain loyal to the emperor in such a situation.

The letter was delivered all the way to the capital of Guangle Prefecture.

Su Qing opened the letter and took a look.

It was clearly Yan Zhengzhou's calligraphy.

Su Qing looked at the words and could hardly suppress a smile.

It seems the trouble at Tongmin Prefecture will be resolved soon.

Wang Tongpan was also one of them.

Why are you in such a hurry?

Doesn't he think that by killing all the bedbugs in Tongmin Prefecture, it would actually be cleaner?

Everyone says that her previous treatments only addressed the symptoms, not the root cause.

Isn't this addressing the root cause?

Don't rush.

Besides, the troubles in Tongmin Prefecture are nothing compared to what's to come.

There are also eighteen counties, as well as the prefectural city.

I was initially worried that the killing would slow down as the game progressed.

There's absolutely nothing to worry about now; we can just wait and see what happens.

After fooling Magistrate Wang.

Then they continued to deceive the capital.

What?

Our tax revenue is 1.86 million.

You want 1.6 million?

No, that won't work.

Didn't they say they would let Guangyuefu take over the military expenses for the garrison?

Our Guangyue Prefecture's tax revenue for this year has already been allocated.

If you really want it, ask the military for funding.