Jiang Wei's estimation was correct. Almost as soon as they left, Zhong Daming hurried to the study and dealt with all the books of the large box hidden in the secret room, burning all the fire.
When Lei Jing rushed into Zhong's house with the captors, most of the account books had been burned out.
Only a few books pressed at the bottom were rescued by the captors.
Lei Jing opened the books whose skins were burnt black. He only turned more than a dozen pages and saw a lot of problems.
He glanced at the books that had been burned to ashes and sneered: "master Zhong is really fast, but do you really think we can't check your accounts without these books? Without evidence, we still have witnesses! "
Then he put the account book in his arms and said to the other captors, "go and catch the accounting room of the Zhong family!"
The Zhong family's business is very big. Naturally, there is an accountant, and more than one. There is one at home and two in the shop.
Zhong Daming's face was as white as paper, and he was so anxious that he was sweating.
Time is pressing. He only had time to burn the account books. He hasn't had time to inform the account room.
Trembling, he bowed and begged, "please raise your hand and spare me. I will give you money every month to show my filial piety."
"In broad daylight, in full view of the public, you dare to pay bribes openly. It's absolutely lawless! Somebody, catch him for me! "
Two constables rushed up, one left and one right caught Zhong Daming and put him in chains on the spot.
Zhong Daming was taken away.
Mao and Zhong Guan chased out and tried to save Zhong Daming, but they were severely warned by the captors.
"If you dare to hinder us from doing business again, we'll catch you all!"
After a hard drink, Mao and Zhong Guan didn't dare to mess around again. They had to stand at the door and cry while watching Zhong Daming taken away by the captors.
The captains soon arrested all the three accounting rooms. After some torture, they shook off all the tax evasion of the Zhong family's business.
The confession was sent to Zhong shuran.
After reading it, Zhong shuran couldn't help laughing: "I didn't expect that a small merchant's house could dare to hide so many taxes. It can be imagined that those really powerful and powerful families secretly stole how much money from the imperial court?"
Jiang Weiwei didn't answer this.
Corrupt officials are indispensable in all dynasties. As the saying goes, when water is clear, there is no fish. As long as people still have desire, it is impossible to completely eliminate corruption and bribery. Therefore, Zhong shuran's words are tantamount to not saying. Anyway, he can't change the current situation.
Zhong shuran went to the cell with his confession and talked with Zhong Daming face to face for half an hour.
When Zhong Shu ran returned to his study, he had a new confession in his hand.
He smiled happily: "the confession has been obtained. The Zhong family not only has to make up all the taxes owed this time, but also has to confiscate 10000 liang of silver as an example. As for Zhong Daming... For the sake of his age, I won't embarrass him. I beat him thirty big boards and let him go home. "
Jiang Wei couldn't help asking, "can the Zhong family get 10000 liang of silver?"
Although the Zhong family does business and is quite famous in Jiuqu County, in fact, they are far from the real big families. Their family wealth is far less rich than those big families. To let them take out 10000 liang of silver at one go is tantamount to hollowing out the whole Zhong family.
Zhong shuran said, "I've asked someone to check the property of the Zhong family. As long as I sell all the properties of all the shops under the Zhong family's name, I can almost make up this number, and maybe there will be a little surplus. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. I won't really force people to a dead end. I'll have some money to feed them. "
According to the law, tax evasion like the Zhong family should be included in corvee for at least three years.
Zhong Shu ran asked the Zhong family to pay for the corvee. In fact, it is equal to buying the corvee with silver. This kind of thing is allowed in southern Chu. When they perform the corvee every year, for example, those who have money in their families will choose to pay for exemption from their corvee this year. Only those poor people who have no money will go to the corvee honestly.
Knowing that he was old and could not bear the burden of corvee, Zhong Daming simply chose to pay for impunity.
After he was beaten 30 times, Mao and Zhong Guan took him home.
Lei Jing then took a group of captains to the Zhong family and confiscated all the Zhong family's property. The three members of the Zhong Daming family were also driven out of the house. They returned to their hometown with only a little silver money.
These are later words.
At this time, Jiang Weiwei was still talking to Zhong shuran in his study.
Zhong Shu ran asked, "I heard that someone in your village was infected with smallpox?"
"Since you already know, why do you ask me? If you have anything to say, I don't like to beat around the bush. "
Zhong shuran smiled: "your temper is really like your father. OK, I'll tell you the truth. In fact, the first day there were smallpox patients in your village, the news has already reached my ears. Smallpox is no small matter. Once it spreads, countless people will die, so I immediately affected all the entrances and exits around Yunshan village, isolating the whole Yunshan village from the outside world. All the people who escaped from Yunshan village before are also under our centralized care. "
Jiang Weiwei has nothing to blame for his practice.
As a county magistrate, he has to think from the perspective of the whole county. In order to prevent others from being infected, he must isolate those who may be infected first.
This kind of thing is the same even in modern society.
We can't ignore more lives for the sake of the lives of a small number of people.
Jiang Weiwei said, "now that you know about smallpox, you must know that cowpox can prevent smallpox?"
Zhong Shu nodded: "yes, I was surprised to know this. I didn't expect that cowpox could still have this magical effect. I immediately asked people to test it according to the vaccination method you said. The results proved that you were right. The symptoms of people who planted cowpox are very similar to smallpox, but they won't die. They can recover themselves in more than ten days, And people who succeed in vaccination will not be infected even if they stay with smallpox patients. "
Jiang frowned slightly: "in addition to Zhao and Jiang Ruxiang, others have been infected with smallpox?"
"Well, we also found several patients who unfortunately contracted smallpox in the town. These people were isolated by us. The doctors in the town have done their best, but unfortunately, they can't be saved. Those people have died of illness, and their bodies have been cremated and returned to their families."
Jiang Weiwei asked, "how did they catch smallpox?"
Finding out the source of the epidemic is the most important thing.
Otherwise, you never know when and where the next patient will appear?
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