Hearing this, Zhang Mingzhi wanted to curse.
This isn't a manor, it's a fortress.
Fortunately, the local terrain is not very dangerous, otherwise Zhang Mingzhi would have turned around and left, waiting for Cheng Guorong to bring the army.
Of course, with Zhang Mingzhi's level, he knew that Qinghe had explosives, and the war had ended for a while. Logically, the current stock of explosives was recovering, so it should be no problem to apply for a hundred kilograms of explosives to blow up the city gate.
The real problem is that so many people have been sent to deal with the land issue, and they are doing very well. I have just taken office and was given the position of county magistrate, but I actually want to use explosives. This really affects my image in the big office.
What if Lin Hai said: "This Zhang Mingzhi, can't he get things done without explosives? If I have explosives, who should I send?"
I'm afraid I'll become the laughing stock of Qinghe College.
"I say, the Sompha family is so big, how could the government control them during the Khmer era?"
Zhang Mingzhi wanted to learn some lessons from his predecessor's methods, but it was obvious that he was disappointed.
"It can't be controlled, so I don't try to control it at all." Liu Da said.
"The Songpa family is a wealthy and prosperous family. Not to mention their large population, over the years, they have produced two Jinshi (Jinshi), three Juren (Juren), and over twenty Xiucai (Xiucai). The highest-ranking official in the family is a prefect."
Having said that, Liu Da swallowed his saliva and continued:
"Master Zhang, you were sent down from above, and you've seen a lot of things, so naturally you don't think this kind of family is that scary.
You have to know that this is a giant in the local area!
It doesn't mean that every county magistrate has to give face to the Songpa family, but every county magistrate lives under the shadow of the Songpa family. Without the approval of the head of the Songpa family, he cannot be the county magistrate.
Putting aside other things, the purpose of being a local official is to serve two terms in peace and then see if there is a chance of promotion. The Songpa family has deep roots in the Khmer court, and they can even reach the steward of the Left Prime Minister's family. Do you think any county magistrate can withstand a word from him?
Zhang Mingzhi frowned upon hearing this and said, "After all these years, how could we not even encounter an honest official? Has the Cambodian government not become so corrupt?"
Liu Da laughed and said:
"How could that be possible? Honest officials? Honest officials are plentiful.
Not to mention anything else, from what I have heard, there are several county magistrates who said when they took office that they would punish local tyrants and evil gentry. To put it bluntly, they want to fight against the Songpa family!
After all, as long as you don't want to be promoted and aren't afraid of getting a poor grade in the evaluation, then it won't be easy for the Left Prime Minister to deal with you. You know, Cambodia has its own national conditions. Once you join the official ranks, it won't be easy to get you out."
"oh?"
Zhang Mingzhi became interested and asked, "What was the result?"
"Hey~~ My Lord Zhang, if those honest officials had won, would you still be able to see the Songpa family today?"
Liu Da put on an expression that looked like he was looking at an idiot, then it disappeared in a flash, and he put on a respectful look again and said:
"As for the county magistrate, his job is nothing more than managing land, taxes, population, prisons, and labor service.
But if you offend the Songpa family, you can't do anything about it.
In the entire Beilan County, 70% of the land belongs to the Songpa family. Except for a few villages, the other villagers are actually tenants of the Songpa family. If someone in the village commits a crime, there is no need to send it to the authorities, as the Songpa family will come to deal with it.
If the county magistrate is on good terms with the Songpa family, that would be great. You don't have to worry about anything. There is no criminal in the entire county. If something happens, it will not be sent to the county. It will be resolved in the dungeon of the Songpa family.
Naturally, it is impossible to collect all the taxes, but the Songpa family will give some, and then squeeze the remaining self-cultivating farmers who have land. Even if they can't collect all the taxes, they can still collect most of them.
As for the performance evaluation, it is even simpler. It is a matter of a word from Master Songpa. It is not easy to get a top-notch position, but it is easy to get a top-notch position. After serving two terms, you will definitely be promoted and transferred. At the very least, you can become a county magistrate in a top-notch county.
Tell me, who would be willing to go against the Songpa family?
As for those who were stubborn, at best they were demoted or transferred, or at worst they were suddenly met by bandits, and no one could hold on."
"We are in the same industry." Zhang Mingzhi chuckled in his heart. Qinghe had also used this trick of letting the county magistrate suddenly encounter bandits in the past. It seemed that the simplest method was the most effective, otherwise why did everyone like to use this trick.
"Can the Sompha family kill officials? With such a big incident, even the Cambodian Left Prime Minister can't protect them, right?"
"It's impossible to kill officials. Everyone is seeking wealth, it's not necessary, it's not necessary."
Liu Da explained:
"But you can let the villages near the county town be looted by mountain bandits, and then find a few victims to go to Taijing to file a complaint, saying that the county magistrate is incompetent and the bandits are plundering the people. This charge alone will be enough for you to suffer.
As for those who are stubborn and want to send troops to wipe out the bandits, that is even more interesting.
In the county town, whether they are soldiers or runners, they are all members of the Songpa family. At the very least, they are well fed by the Songpa family. Who would follow you out of the city to fight?"
"What if we don't use the existing soldiers and runners, but instead recruit able-bodied men to protect the village?"
"You know what, someone actually did that, and caught the Songpa family off guard."
"Then what?"
"Then the county magistrate's family was attacked by bandits. The county magistrate himself escaped the disaster by not returning home, but his wife and daughter, who had been abused all day, both hanged themselves. His son was also kidnapped, and they demanded a full 1,000 taels of silver to release him."
"Can they do it?"
“What can’t be done?
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