Since coming to this world, Zhao Lin has always been feeling uneasy.
This place is a naked dark society where there is a risk of death at any time.
Even though he won the top spot in the imperial examination, Zhao Lin was still not at ease, which was why he was determined to come to Qingzhou.
He knew the benefits of going to the Hanlin Academy and being closer to the emperor.
However, the emperor was far away in Qingzhou, and he was the boss of the state. His direct superior Feng Siyuan and he were both eunuchs, and he had Li Xingye and Zhu Zhongyan to rely on in the court.
More importantly, once he arrives in Qingzhou, he can secretly train his troops.
Political power comes from the barrel of a gun.
This is an unquestionable statement no matter what time and space, or what dynasty.
Now with these 10,000 soldiers, although they are just new recruits who have just entered the barracks, Zhao Lin still feels a lot more at ease.
No longer afraid of being killed accidentally one day.
only.
Whether it is building a military camp or recruiting soldiers, a lot of money is needed.
But Zhao Lin only had 100,000 taels of silver in his hand.
He won a total of 200,000 taels from the Thousand Yuan Gambling House, of which 100,000 taels belonged to Sudi.
"Thanks to the gambling house."
Zhao Lin laughed and said, "It's a pity that I didn't dare to bet during the palace examination, otherwise I could have gotten hundreds of thousands of taels."
"With so many people, we will need to form a cavalry in the future. This money is not enough." Sudi said.
One soldier costs one penny of silver a day, which is 0.1 taels. For ten thousand soldiers, that would be one thousand taels.
One thousand taels a day, ten thousand taels in ten days, and one hundred thousand taels in a hundred days.
This does not include other weapons, armor and other items.
The 100,000 taels in Zhao Lin's hand can only last for 70 or 80 days at most.
So war is the most expensive thing in the world.
"Don't worry, someone will deliver it to us." Zhao Lin said.
Zhao Lin wrote a letter to Li Weibai, telling her that her 3,000 soldiers had been recruited and asking her to send military pay to her soldiers.
Zhao Lin naturally wouldn't give Li Wei this money for nothing.
Although we don’t know who this soldier will belong to in the future.
This is the loss of three thousand soldiers.
But there are still seven thousand.
"Where is Tongzhi Lu Ze'an?"
Zhao Lin summoned officials from the government office.
Lu Ze'an immediately stepped forward and asked, "What are your orders, sir?"
Zhao Lin stared at Lu Ze'an. "You used the pretext of the Flower and Stone Gang being robbed to seize a commoner's ancestral property, demanded a bribe of three thousand taels, took possession of a woman, and even forced her parents to death. Is this true?"
Lu Ze'an sank to his knees and said, "Sir, this is unjust. This is a false accusation. I have always been a law-abiding official and have never violated the law."
Zhao Lin snorted coldly, "Hmph, I dare to say it in public, so I have evidence. I'm not afraid of you denying it. Do you want to confess on your own, or do you want me to torture you?"
"this……"
Lu Ze'an looked at the prepared torture instruments, his heart trembling, and said dejectedly: "I plead guilty."
He was an old official and had seen countless people in miserable states after being tortured.
No matter how tough a person is, he cannot endure these torture instruments.
Besides, Zhao Lin explained it so clearly, how could he not know that Zhao Lin had been eyeing him for a long time?
Lu Ze'an gave a bitter laugh and said, "I boasted that I could manipulate you at your will, but I never imagined that I was the one making the joke. As long as you spare my life, I will serve you like a slave."
"It's too late."
Zhao Lin said calmly, "If you were only targeting me, I could spare your life. But you've harmed the people, so how can I let you go so easily? Come, strip Lu Ze'an of his official robes and take him to the prison. After the Ministry of Justice has reviewed his case, execute him in the autumn to serve as a warning to others."
Two yamen runners rushed over, stripped off Lu Ze'an's official robe, put him in chains and took him away.
Zhao Lin said, "This is Sudi Su, the top scholar. He will take over the position of Tongzhi. Do you have any opinions?"
The other officials were trembling with fear, nodded in unison, then suddenly came to their senses and shook their heads again.
"No objection, no objection. Su Tanhua being Tongzhi is a waste of his talent. How dare we have any objection?"
"Right, right, right. We are just a small prefectural government office, but we have a top scholar and a third scholar. Who wouldn't be envious? The governor doesn't even have such a thing."
The officials all smiled along.
He was afraid that he might not express his meaning clearly and be used as an example to scare others by Zhao Lin.
Zhao Lin said, "Lü Ze'an's crimes are heinous. I don't know how many people he has harmed and how much wealth he has plundered. Lord Su, take your men and raid his house."
Sudi said, "Yes, sir."
Seeing Sudi striding away, the officials became even more frightened.
"Sir, although Lu Ze'an is indeed a bit bad, it doesn't warrant the confiscation of his property, right?" Judge Zhang Hong said bravely.
Zhao Lin glanced at Zhang Hong calmly. "He actually found an accomplice of Lu Ze'an. Come, arrest Zhang Hong and torture him severely. See if he confesses."
Immediately, yamen runners from both sides rushed over and pinned Zhang Hong to the ground.
Zhang Hong struggled and said, "My Lord, my Lord, I am innocent. I have no connection with Lu Ze'an. I am innocent."
Zhao Lin said calmly, "Still being stubborn. Start with thirty lashes."
Seeing the yamen runners taking off their pants and holding up the boards to hit him, Zhang Hong immediately panicked and said, "Your Excellency, please ask whatever you want to know. If you don't ask, I will confess nothing."
"slow."
Zhao Lin stopped the yamen runner and asked, "How much money have you plundered from the people?"
"This, I have always been law-abiding and would not dare to overstep the boundaries..."
Zhang Hong's eyes flickered.
"Hmph, you still dare to quibble. It seems you won't confess unless you're tortured. Beat you!"
Zhao Lin threw down the order, and the yamen runner immediately started beating him hard with a board.
After thirty strokes of the cane, even if the bailiffs showed mercy, Zhang Hong was beaten to death and screamed in pain.
"Have you remembered?" Zhao Lin asked.
"My humble servant, my humble servant..."
Zhang Hong was about to answer with trembling voice when Zhao Lin said impatiently, "Forget it. I don't think you'll tell the truth either. Let's just confiscate his house. Go and tell Lord Su to confiscate Zhang Hong after you've finished confiscating Lu Ze'an."
Immediately a bailiff went to deliver the message.
Zhang Hong's eyes rolled back and he fainted from fright.
The other officials were shivering even more, like quails in the rain, shrinking their necks, and some even had their upper and lower teeth chattering.
Zhao Lin glanced at these people and asked, "What about you? Will you take it out on your own initiative, or will you let me confiscate your property?"
These people finally understood.
Zhao Lin's target is their property.
If you hand it over honestly, we can still talk.
If he were like Zhang Hong, he would probably be beaten and his house would be searched.
Worse still, it would be even more disastrous if you ended up like Lu Ze'an.
"I plead guilty, I plead guilty."
An official knelt down and kowtowed: "I plead guilty and hand over all my illegal gains. Please show mercy, sir."
Zhao Lin knew him; he was the newly appointed magistrate.
The magistrate is mainly responsible for judicial matters.
Zhao Lin beat to death Hong County Magistrate Qiu Cheng, and the next prosecutor was appointed as magistrate. This prosecutor was new and had been in office for less than a year.
He just started reaching out after taking office...
Zhao Lin was furious and said, "Tell me everything clearly, or it will be too late to regret when I confiscate your property."
"Zhao Lin, you are so arrogant, aren't you afraid of being blamed by the higher-ups?"
Seeing that he could not escape the consequences of having his house confiscated and being imprisoned, Zhang Hong started cursing.
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