Being an official for a year is not as good as being a fraudulent businessman for a day.
The annual salary of a prefect was only 150 taels of silver, and even with countless people offering congratulations and gifts, he only gave 1,000 taels of silver.
In just half a day, Xu Jing had collected four thousand taels of silver from the two merchants. Not counting the labor costs, the monthly rice rations for one hundred female workers was only ten taels of silver.
The fur was given away for free, and including the fifty taels of silver for the materials, Xu Jing made a profit of three thousand four hundred taels of silver.
Excited, he immediately sent someone to call a meeting with Lin Xiancheng and others.
When County Magistrate Lin heard that Jiang Xuqing had cheated merchants out of four thousand taels of silver, his mouth opened so wide that he could swallow a cow.
Jin Zhubu stroked his sparse beard, stood up tremblingly, and asked, "How much?"
Xu Jing took out a stack of silver bills and a few cloth bags. After Jin Zhubu counted them personally, he confirmed that he was not blinded by his old age and that it was indeed four thousand taels of silver.
"Oh, my Lord, you are so smart and resourceful. Our Jianzhou is saved, woooo!" The excited Jin Zhubu danced with tears and snot all over the floor, looking extremely uncomfortable.
But no one criticized him, and some even criticized him loudly, which was really exciting.
You have to know that when Jianzhou was still Muhe County, the annual tax revenue was only over 10,000 taels. Jiang Xuqing just moved his lips and brought in 4,000 taels in an afternoon. If he was given a few more days, wouldn't he be able to make a big difference?
Jin Zhubu now looked at him as if he were his own father, with hope glimmering in his eyes.
"My Lord, what are you going to do with these four thousand?"
Before Xu Jing could say anything, County Magistrate Lin suddenly stood up and said loudly, "Sir, the river affairs have not been dealt with for a long time. If the river is not repaired, the people's problem of fertile land will remain unsolved. I do not ask for more than one thousand taels of silver. I guarantee with my own life that the matter will be resolved."
Shi Dianli, shaking his already dull head, also came to ask for silver. "Sir, several of the yamen runners responsible for maintaining public order have resigned. Their salaries are barely enough to support their families. Furthermore, there are too many criminals, and not enough officers. This will lead to disaster in the long run. Please give me one thousand taels, and I will resolve your public security and prison issues."
Speaking of prisons, Xu Jing remembered that Luo Ying, the city gate guard, was still imprisoned. Although he had three meals a day delivered on time and no worries about eating, drinking, defecating, or urinating, it still restricted his personal freedom, which was not good.
Bai Yong and the others were already packing their bags, planning to leave tomorrow. Xu Jing thought he had to find a way to get the man out of jail. Otherwise, not only would his wife run away, but the border camp would also rebel.
"Sir, are you listening?"
Xu Jing came to his senses and said, "Let's do this first. If we want to do something, we should do it one step at a time. We won't get anything done if we hit it here and there. Let's focus on public security first."
Upon hearing this, Shi Dianli was overjoyed and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Excellency, you are truly foresighted. I share your thoughts: we must resolve public security issues before the people can think of other things."
"Sir." Jin Zhubu was slow to speak, and it took him a long time to get a word in. "The provincial examination is also related to your political achievements, sir. You can't just ignore it, right?"
County Magistrate Lin was very dissatisfied and said with a gloomy face: "Your Excellency's foundation for promotion is not stable to begin with, and the higher-ups have not arranged for anyone to assist you. Even if a provincial examination is held, how many people can become scholars? In previous years, only more than ten people have come, and there are no juren. Master Jin, you are so evasive, aren't you afraid of disturbing your thoughts and polluting your ears?"
Jin Zhubu was furious and launched into a verbal attack. "You, you are truly unreasonable. This is better than your water management, which has been ineffective for three years and has wasted money. Lin Xianzhi, you are such a mediocre person. You should just resign and go home to farm."
County Magistrate Lin was furious and rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight him.
"Stop it! It's so disgraceful to make such a fuss." Xu Jing said with a dark face, "Since I'm the governor of Jianzhou, of course I have to do everything well. Your tasks will come one by one. When it's your turn, just don't complain or feel tired.
Let's talk about the security issue on Shi Dianli's side first. How many people in the prison know about it?"
Shi Dianli hesitated for a long time, unable to explain his reasoning. Xu Jing tossed him a booklet and said, "Take a good look at it. It lists all the crimes committed in Muhe County in the past three years and all the people arrested. It also lists all the people you mistakenly arrested and those who took the blame for their connections. I've cleaned up all of that for you."
Shi Dianli was ashamed. "Sir, you are really..."
"Stop flattering me." Xu Jing said coldly, "First, settle the people in the prison. Then, find ten jailers to take turns guarding. If anyone is found cheating, drinking, or gambling, the first time they are caught, the leader of the group of ten will be lashed with twenty sticks and sent to serve as a sentry on the city wall. If they are caught again, the warden will be lashed with forty sticks on the back and sent to the military camp to guard the border. If you catch them again, you, the stone clerk, will get out of here and go home. Don't blame me for being ungrateful."
Shi Dianli was frightened by Jiang Xuqing, thinking that one of the three fires of a new official finally burned on him, and he couldn't say anything.
Jiang Xuqing is no longer the former Muhe County Magistrate. He is now a favorite of Tianshi and the fifth-rank official of the imperial court, the Jianzhou Magistrate. A single word could cost him his life, so it is better for him to keep a low profile. "Yes, I understand."
"Get this done first, then we can discuss the outdated prison facilities and public security. I'll give you three days. If you don't do it right or mess it up, I'll hold you responsible, not anyone else."
Seeing that County Magistrate Lin and Chief Secretary Jin were still watching the situation from the other side, Xu Jing smiled instead, saying, "Don't think you can just sit back and watch. I've pledged my allegiance before the angels. If Jianzhou isn't healed, I'll pack up and go home immediately. You guys won't end up as well as I did. I still have a home to return to, but you might as well lose your lives."
County Magistrate Lin disagreed.
Even an angel would not take human life lightly. After all, he is an official. Although he was not appointed by the court, he has been working for many years. At worst, he can resign and become a local squire.
Jiang Xuqing's radical approach did not work for him.
Jin Zhubu also didn't care. He was just a local gentry. At worst, he could go home to enjoy his retirement with his grandchildren. If he quit, he would just quit. No one would buy Jiang Xuqing's account.
The thing that a boss hates most is giving orders himself. If his subordinates don’t cooperate, the plan cannot be implemented.
If he got stage-frightened and couldn't handle the two cunning guys, the young man Shi Dianli would definitely turn a blind eye. Then the entire prefectural government system would be paralyzed, and he would be the only one who would suffer in the end.
"Lin County Magistrate, do you think you can escape unscathed?" Xu Jing took the initiative to attack Lin County Magistrate, repelling him layer by layer, determined to break his pride.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
