Chapter 124 The Scholar Who Favored His Concubine Over His Wife (Sixteen) Taking Pure Love to...
Within just three days, the people of Qizhou discovered that the shops of the Liu, Bai, and Tong families in the city had all been seized by the county magistrate. Immediately afterwards, all these shops were rebranded under the Song family's name. From rice and flour to grains and oils, teahouses, antique shops, incense and candle shops, general stores, inns, and restaurants, everything the people of Qizhou needed for daily life was now under the Song family's control.
At first, the people were somewhat panicked, but gradually they discovered that the same quality goods in Song's shop were more than 30% cheaper than before! Word spread quickly, and in less than half a month, Song's shop was rapidly accepted by the people of Qizhou.
At this time, in the county jail.
Master Tong gritted his teeth and roared at Wang Sushou, who was leisurely sipping tea outside the prison: "Lord Wang, shouldn't you give us an explanation for this matter? My Tong family, his Bai family, and Liu family are honest business people. Why did you order the yamen runners to detain us here without any reason? And even shut down our shops?"
"Be honest and dutiful?" Wang Sushou sneered. "Master Tong, do you dare say you know nothing about those tax silvers with unknown purposes?"
"This..." Master Tong choked, then said angrily, "I thought you understood everything, but... are you really completely ignorant of human relationships and social customs?"
Seeing that Wang Sushou remained unmoved, Master Tong bluntly stated, "Lord Wang, this matter is not something I, a humble magistrate, can decide! If you are angry, simply make a show of fining us some money, and we'll let it go. Don't blame me for not warning you, the person behind this is not someone a mere county magistrate like you can afford to offend!"
"Should we just let this go?" Wang Sushou countered.
“Indeed! Lord Wang! Humans have seven emotions and six desires, and we are no exception. After all, who can go through life without making mistakes? Consider this a favor we owe you, and we hope that you will be lenient for the sake of the Prefect.” Master Tong thought he had persuaded Prefect Wang, and said with a cupped hand and a smile.
Wang Sushou smiled faintly, put down his teacup, and the cup and saucer clinked together. He slowly took out an account book from his sleeve and calmly said, "Master Tong, do you recognize this?"
Master Tong was stunned, his face turning deathly pale. He staggered to the prison gate, asking incredulously, "This...where did you get this?"
“These are the account books of your Tong family’s dealings with the governor’s office over the past few years. Every single entry is recorded very clearly!” Wang Sushou said.
"So what if it is? Lord Wang, do you think you can convict us based on this ledger that's hard to tell if it's real or fake? Don't blame me for not warning you, with just a flick of the governor's finger, he can turn your official hat into a wooden yoke!" Master Tong forced a cold laugh.
"Oh?" Wang Sushou remained expressionless, pulling out a notice stamped with a red seal from his sleeve. He calmly said, "I knew you would say that. Over the years, you've been sending more money to the governor's mansion than you've been offering tribute to your own fathers. If you're unwilling to part with the money in your own treasury, where does that money come from? It's nothing but ill-gotten gains taken from the people. You've been recklessly inflating grain prices, causing countless people to go hungry. You've been levying excessive taxes, leaving countless families unable to even afford a winter quilt. I, a mere county magistrate, may not be able to touch the governor, but the 100,000 mouths of Qizhou City deserve an explanation."
Master Tong stared intently at the document in Wang Sushou's hand, gritting his teeth as he said, "Wang Sushou! Are you really determined to drive us to the brink? If you let us go this time, then this is your pledge of allegiance to the Prefect! Only by currying favor with the Prefect can you secure your official position and advance your career!"
Wang Sushou sneered and said in a cold voice, "You still don't repent and talk so confidently about a pledge of allegiance? Today I'll tell you, you unscrupulous merchants want to cut off the livelihood of the people of Qizhou, and I, Wang Sushou, will never agree to that!"
"Very well, very well, Lord Wang! Since you are so stubborn, then you can wait for the governor to come to your door in person and explain things to you in detail!"
Wang Sushou smiled faintly, put away the notice and documents, ignored Master Tong's clamor, and strode out of the county jail.
The prefectural capital, the governor's residence.
After listening to his subordinate's report, Governor Chen sullenly threw the writing brush in his hand to the ground.
"You, Prefect Wang!" Governor Chen paced back and forth in his study, gritting his teeth as he said, "A mere county magistrate dares to be so arrogant!"
The clerk beside him bowed and offered a cup of cool tea, saying ingratiatingly, "Sir, please calm down. That Prefect Wang is now under your jurisdiction, isn't he just like a fish on a chopping board, completely at your mercy? In my opinion, you might as well send some soldiers from the prefecture and say that you have received a report that there are grievances in Qizhou City. You can use the pretext of seeking justice for the people to go to Qizhou in person. At that time, what you want to do is just a matter of your word, sir."
Governor Chen stared at the teacup in his hand and sneered, "Fine! Then we'll do as you say! Once everything is ready, we'll set off!"
"Yes, sir! Then I will go and make preparations for this matter immediately," the clerk said.
Go!
Three days later, Prefect Chen personally led a hundred-strong contingent of prefectural soldiers to Qizhou in a menacing manner. Standing outside the city, he addressed Prefect Wang Su, who had come to greet him, with a forced smile: "Lord Wang! I have received a report that there are wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice in your Qizhou city. Is this true?"
Wang Sushou remained calm and bowed to Governor Chen, saying, "Governor, the people of Qizhou are now living in peace and prosperity. However, recently a few merchants have broken the law and violated discipline, and they have all been dealt with according to the law by me."
Upon hearing this, Prefect Chen snorted coldly and led the prefectural officials and soldiers straight to the county government office.
Since the superior wanted to investigate the old case, Prefect Wang had no choice but to order his men to bring out Master Tong and the others. Upon seeing Prefect Chen, Master Tong immediately cried out, "Father, save us! Prefect Wang, relying on his position as magistrate of Qizhou County, has arbitrarily confiscated our shops and imprisoned us in this dark and hopeless dungeon! We are innocent!"
Mr. Bai and Mr. Liu, who were standing to the side, also burst into tears, shouting that they were wronged.
Wang Sushou remained calm and gestured for his subordinates to present the account books from various prefectures. He solemnly said, "Your Excellency, the Tong, Bai, and Liu families have been secretly colluding for many years to inflate prices and levy excessive taxes. The evidence is conclusive. I have sealed off their shops in accordance with the law, and there is absolutely no injustice involved."
Prefect Chen casually flipped through the account books, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. After a long while, he tossed the account books aside and sneered, "Lord Wang, these account books are of dubious authenticity. To punish the merchants of the county based solely on these is far too hasty."
“Your Excellency, these account books were all found in their respective prefectures. The evidence is conclusive and there is no falsification,” Wang Sushou replied.
"Lord Wang, you have no evidence yet, but you have arbitrarily sealed off the merchants. What a display of your official power! I order you to release the people immediately and restore business to the three shops! It is not too late to punish them after you have obtained solid evidence," Prefect Chen said indifferently.
"The 100,000 people in Qizhou City have all been exploited by these three unscrupulous merchants. They collude with corrupt officials and commit such evil deeds for their own selfish interests. Does Your Excellency intend to protect these unscrupulous merchants?"
Upon hearing this, Prefect Chen flew into a rage and immediately questioned, "Prefect Wang, are you truly determined to die rather than release him and to oppose me?"
Upon hearing this, the main hall of the county government office fell silent.
Wang Sushou straightened his back, looked directly at Prefect Chen's flushed face, and said loudly, "As the magistrate of Qizhou County, it is my duty to seek justice for the people of my county! If I release them today, I will be letting down the people of this region!"
"Very well! Very well indeed!" Governor Chen trembled with rage. "Guards! Take these account books back to me. I want to examine them carefully! Also, bring these three people back to the prefecture immediately. I want to question them personally!"
Wang Sushou smiled faintly, then bowed to Governor Chen again and said, "Governor, if you insist on doing this, I'm afraid I will have a hard time explaining to the people of Qizhou."
"When did it become your place, a mere county magistrate, to interfere in my affairs?" Governor Chen flicked his sleeves and said coldly, "I have important matters to attend to, so I will not disturb you today!" With that, he led his entourage away.
After Governor Chen and his men left Kaizhou City, Wang Sushou immediately changed into ordinary clothes and went to see Song Ce.
"Mr. Song, as you predicted, Governor Chen has already taken those three away." Wang Sushou bowed deeply to him, his tone filled with undisguised excitement.
"Very well." The gray-robed youth in front of him slowly turned around and smiled gently: "From now on, Lord Wang can go all out and develop Qizhou City step by step."
Three years later.
Since the magistrate of Qizhou County had been rated as having the worst performance in the past three years by his superiors, some people in the court naturally couldn't sit still.
"Your Majesty! This year, Qizhou County has once again failed to pay taxes! Wang Su has served in Qizhou for five years, and not only has he failed to increase local tax revenue, but it has decreased year by year. Since last year, he has even reported that the county has no grain reserves and that taxes should be paid in a delayed manner. He is utterly incompetent!" In the court, a middle-aged civil official stepped forward from the left and impeached the emperor with strong words.
Upon hearing the name Qizhou, the Fourth Prince Xiao Yunzhan's eyes narrowed. He almost instantly recalled his trip to Qizhou a few years ago for disaster relief. In Qizhou, he had even encountered a seemingly miraculous fortune teller.
On the dragon throne, Emperor Wenyuan frowned slightly. He glanced at the ministers below and slowly said, "Qizhou? I remember that a few years ago, the Fourth Prince visited Qizhou. Fourth Prince, is Qizhou really that poor?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunzhan immediately stepped forward and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, when I was in Qizhou, I saw that the people of Qizhou lived in peace and prosperity, and it did not seem like there was a shortage of tax revenue."
"That's strange." Emperor Wenyuan stroked the armrest of the dragon throne. "I remember when Wang Sushou first received his official position, he swore to me that he would bring benefits to the people during his term of office. Now, only a few short years have passed, how could this be?"
The civil official sneered and said loudly, "Your Majesty, you are unaware that Prefect Wang Su appears diligent on the surface, but in reality, he condones unscrupulous merchants and abuses his power to expel all the merchants in the city, leaving only one shop to dominate Qizhou. Such collusion with merchants to monopolize trade shows a complete disregard for the laws of our dynasty! If this continues, Qizhou City may become a hidden danger to our dynasty, Your Majesty!"
These words immediately sparked a great deal of discussion in the imperial court.
The eldest prince, Xiao Yunqi, immediately stepped forward and said loudly, "Father, I request permission to go to Qizhou to investigate the truth for you!"
Upon hearing this, the Third Prince Xiao Yunshan immediately followed up, saying, "Father, I am also willing to go!"
Emperor Wenyuan pondered for a moment, then looked at Xiao Yunzhan, who stood to the side with his eyes lowered, and slowly said, "Since the fourth prince has been to Qizhou before, let him go this time as well! If that Prefect Wang Su is truly derelict in his duty, you must punish him severely!"
Xiao Yunqi and Xiao Yunshan exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of resentment in each other's eyes.
"Yes, Father, I obey your decree." Xiao Yunzhan stepped forward, knelt down, and accepted the decree.
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Author's note: Holidays are almost here! [droopy-eared rabbit head emoji]
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