Chapter 96: Retreat to Advance
Seeing Deng Wenyan was stumped by the question, Qin Fangci kindly offered him an excuse, "It's okay if your Excellency doesn't know. We'll figure it out later. My family caught three piglets this year, raised ten ducks, and the chicks are hatching. We'll definitely have more manure next year."
Deng Wenyan breathed a sigh of relief and changed the subject, asking, "Your family has so many people, but you only have thirteen acres of land? Have you ever sold land before?"
Unless they encounter major natural disasters or man-made disasters, the people are not allowed to resell their land privately.
But for this kind of thing, you can just make some connections in the county government.
The law is not so absolute that it cannot prohibit certain things.
"Your Excellency, we haven't resold our land. Of our thirteen acres of land, there's not a ton of inferior land. We still have eight acres of barren land. I asked the children to sow bean seeds there for a few years. When the land is fertile, we'll sprinkle some more fertilizer on it to nourish it. When the land is fertile, we'll plant wheat."
"How much can I harvest from planting beans on eight acres of land?"
"When we get a lot, we can harvest two bags per acre. When we get less, we can only collect the seeds." Qin Fangci lowered her head. "Sir, it's not that we don't try our best. For example, the land we use to grow vegetables has been plowed twice. For example, for this rice seedling field, I asked the children to carry the fine soil back home, pound it down bit by bit, and sift it through a sieve."
"Why do you have to sift the soil so finely?"
"So that the seeds can breathe. If you hadn't asked, this is a secret recipe I figured out myself. I wouldn't tell anyone else." Qin Fangci acted like a peasant woman who wanted to hide a little secret but was afraid of a high-ranking official.
Deng Wenyan coughed lightly, knowing that no matter who the craftsman was, they would always keep their craft to themselves, and no matter how high an official he was, he couldn't force anyone to hand it over.
"Sir, I'm not sure if this will work. It's hard to spread the word. If others learn how to grow crops well, they might not even praise me. If they don't, I'll be drowned in spit. After all, it's hard to be a good person."
Qin Fangci let out a long sigh.
Deng Wenyan also lowered his voice, "Don't worry, Aunt Qin. If your method can grow more food, I will record your contribution. If it doesn't work, I won't let anyone spread the news."
"With your words, I feel relieved. Your Excellency has a handsome face and a clear and upright gaze. You can tell at a glance that you are a good official."
"It's hard to be a good official." Deng Wenyan repeated Qin Fangci's words to her.
Qin Fangci raised her eyes and looked at Deng Wenyan. When she met his half-smile, she immediately lowered her head in fear.
Deng Wenyan slowly stood up, and Zhang Lizheng finally squeezed forward.
"Your Excellency, I am guilty!" Li Zheng Zhang knelt in the mud, knocked his head against the ground, sweat dripped into the mud, and he felt dizzy.
"My Lord, I was deceived and was not careful enough to cause trouble for you. I deserve death."
Li Baisong knelt down beside Zhang Lizheng.
The other members of the Li family were stunned. They wanted to kneel down as well but they didn't know what this had to do with them.
It seems that they are not wrong, right?
I'm a little unsure. Let me see.
During this moment of hesitation, Li Baisong, who was kneeling on the ground, spoke. "Your Excellency, please investigate. Lieutenant Zhang has been in office for over ten years, and there has never been a major disturbance in Dongshi Village, Liantang Village, or Maozhu Village. Every year before the rainy season arrives, he organizes the township to dredge the canals. Although he has some selfish motives, he is brave and capable. They say it is easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with the little devils. It is precisely because of this concern for the people that Lieutenant Zhang hurried into the city to ask Your Excellency to come. It is also our fault that we only started planting rice today, causing everyone to worry about us, especially our old village chief, who came to our house every few days to persuade us about this matter. It is our fault that you are worried."
Li Baisong kowtowed again and said, "Please, Your Excellency, please be lenient with Zhang Lizheng's sentence, considering his concern for the people."
Zhang Lizheng looked at Li Baisong in surprise. The boy was young and immature, but he had a masculine and upright spirit.
His features are clear and elegant, and his figure is as straight and upright as a newly sprouted green bamboo. Although thin, it contains vigorous vitality.
He is a very handsome young man.
Why didn't he notice that there was such a young man in Liantang Village before?
If he grows up like this, he will definitely be better than Xu Jiahuai in time.
Okay, okay, okay.
Wait until he gets through this stage.
Deng Wenyan's eyes swept lightly over Li Baisong, then he looked at Qin Fangci calmly, and then swept over the nervous faces of the other members of the Li family.
"Zhang Lizheng, you said you were deceived? Tell me in detail."
"Yes, sir, I dare not lie in the slightest.
The steps have been set up here, and Zhang Lizheng would be doing himself a disservice if he doesn't take it up.
What's more, what he said was all true, without any fabrication or falsehood.
Village head Zhang told him everything about how Xu Jiahuai came to his house yesterday evening, and how he talked about the Li family's recent business and how the fields were still empty.
He only concealed Xu Jiahuai's overt and covert hints that the Li family did not give him any gifts despite having such a big business.
Xu Jiahuai also said that after the new county magistrate took office, he hardly returned to the county government office during the spring plowing season and was always wandering around the countryside, which showed how much he valued his reputation.
If the Li family's behavior were to be heard by someone with ulterior motives, the county magistrate would be angry and punish him for not governing strictly enough. It would be better for him to report it himself and gain a good reputation for being honest, incorruptible and selfless, leaving a good impression on the new county magistrate.
Xu Jiahuai did indeed plan this. In his plan, he could clear himself of all charges no matter what.
His plan was to kill three birds with one stone.
Zhang Lizheng proved that he had the ability to come up with good ideas.
He showed his good qualities of being affectionate and righteous to the county magistrate.
The most important thing to prove that he was reliable and responsible in front of the Li family was to be tied to Li Yulan. It was he who helped the Li family overcome difficulties. Later, when he married Li Yulan, no one would say he was heartless if he married a younger one later.
He never expected that the Li family would ruin his good fortune at the root, causing his good plan to fail and ending up in the embarrassing situation of being roasted on the fire.
Scholars don't have to kneel when meeting officials, but Xu Jiahuai didn't care about that at this time. He lifted his robe and knelt down.
"Your Excellency, I understand that every word I say is true and sincere. I am concerned for your safety and have no intention of slandering the Li family. I have read the teachings of the sages and could not bear to see the fertile land go to waste, so I acted impulsively. If you want to punish me, I will accept it. I hope you will take care of yourself and not let my momentary confusion and anger get you sick. I simply want to share some of your burdens, and I do so with all my heart."
Xu Jiahuai knocked his head to the ground, looking ready to die.
"I have no defense. I beg the County Magistrate to punish me and give the Li family justice."
What a good trick of advancing to retreat. Xu Jiahuai was able to deceive Li Yulan so much that he must have some tricks up his sleeve.
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