novelhk Chapter 37 Lawlessness
Chapter 37 Lawlessness
Two weeks later, Beining City had completely returned to its former bustling state.
Although the north and south city gates are still heavily guarded, they have been opened to facilitate the flow of people.
At the same time, Guan Xingsheng returned to his old profession, once again operating under the name of Xingyuan Escort Agency, escorting goods and supplies.
As for Hu Xu and Wu Weichen, the manager of Xingyuan Escort Agency who had come with the refugees, they once again donned the clothes of merchants and began to use the resources and connections of their own chamber of commerce and escort agency to quickly infiltrate Daqi and Jurchen.
Ten days ago, Hu Xu sent someone to deliver the message.
The Mintai Chamber of Commerce has contacted the other leaders of the four major chambers of commerce and the eight major escort agencies in Shangyuan. Two of the chambers of commerce and three of the escort agencies had long been unable to bear the oppression of the Daqi Dynasty and wanted to escape.
The fact that the four major merchant guilds and eight major escort agencies openly sided with Qin Xuan back then meant that their fates would not be good.
As for the remaining chambers of commerce and escort agencies, it wasn't that they were unwilling to come, but rather that they needed some time to evacuate their main supplies. Since their core locations were originally in the capital of Daqi, they naturally couldn't leave as easily as the other chambers of commerce and escort agencies.
At the same time, Hu Xu also brought Qin Xuan some exciting news.
Qiu Xingzhi, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, has resigned from all his posts at the Imperial Academy and plans to travel to Beining City with the merchant caravan.
Qin Xuan naturally held this great Confucian scholar in high regard and had high expectations for him.
Good news kept coming, and some changes were quietly taking place in Beining City.
Lanshan County is a small county town under the jurisdiction of Beining City. Qin Xuan and Zhao Luoying are secretly visiting the nearby villages.
“Your Highness, Lanshan County reported 4,300 mu of fertile land, but the county magistrate Wu Qiwen alone owns more than 2,000 mu of it. This doesn’t even include the fertile land seized by those corrupt officials like the registrar, the secretary, and the wealthy merchant Wan Youqing. It’s outrageous!”
Zhao Luoying was wearing a white long robe and a scholar's cap. Although she was dressed as a man, she still exuded a heroic spirit.
However, her face was full of resentment, and her eyes were filled with intense killing intent.
Qin Xuan remained expressionless, his gaze sweeping over a group of people rushing over from a distance. He said calmly, "The main character has arrived."
Zhao Luoying looked up and saw a plump man in official robes walking briskly towards her.
He was followed by three people, who did not appear to be ordinary people.
Behind these people were a group of yamen runners wielding fire sticks and a large number of servants carrying farm tools and sticks.
"No wonder the strategist said that these county governments below are lawless; they are indeed incredibly audacious."
Zhao Luoying couldn't help but sneer, already condemning these people to death in her heart.
"So you're the new inspector? What, my Lanshan County has already reported the acreage, and you've come here secretly to inspect it again? Are you trying to deliberately slander me?"
The fat man at the head of the group was Wu Qiwen, the county magistrate of Lanshan County. He had a goatee and a bloated appearance.
Zhu Di nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "Since you've come all this way yourself, then tell me what's in front of you?"
"It's just a field, isn't it? Didn't I report it, sir!"
Wu Qiwen gave a cold laugh. To his left, an old man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like face, holding a folding fan, chuckled and came out: "Master, we have already reported the number of fields in response to the King of Chu's call."
“These fertile fields in front of us all belong to the people of Lanshan County. I wrote it down clearly back then, so there’s no mistake.”
"That's right! Our county magistrate is known for his love for the people, you're clearly trying to slander him!" someone shouted immediately, and then others began to criticize him all at once.
"What kind of damn inspector is this? He's clearly just here to lining his own pockets."
"In my opinion, Lanshan County is managed so well by our county magistrate that there is absolutely no need for these outsiders to cause trouble."
“Drive them out; they’re trying to take over our fertile land.”
The group of servants pressed forward menacingly.
Although Qin Xuan and Zhao Luoying were only two people, they did not give in at all.
Zhao Luoying then shouted angrily, "Right and wrong will be judged fairly. Do you really think you can cover up everything?"
"Haha, this young master is not old, but he has quite the big mouth."
Wu Qiwen glanced at Zhao Luoying sideways, then turned to Qin Xuan and said, "I suppose you're the inspector? Why don't you just lay down your cards and tell me what you're up to?"
"Has Magistrate Wu not received the order to clear up the land accounts and return the land to the people?"
Qin Xuan spoke slowly, his gaze sharp as a knife.
The moment Wu Qiwen met Qin Xuan's gaze, he instinctively trembled. This man's eyes were truly terrifying, as if he had been tempered in mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
But with his chief clerk and advisor standing behind him, and Wan Youqing, the richest merchant in the county, backing him up, how could he be afraid?
He then sneered, "If that's the case, then you may leave! If you have any doubts, you can have His Highness the King of Chu investigate personally."
No sooner had Wu Qiwen finished speaking than the portly middle-aged man beside him couldn't help but sneer:
“So what if he is the King of Chu? We are just common people. If he forces us to the point where we can’t live, we can rebel against him just the same way.”
"Don't forget that the reason Beining City was able to be defended was entirely due to the self-sacrifice of us, the people of Beining City."
As soon as he said that, the others immediately joined in the clamor.
"Gentlemen, please leave! As the saying goes, the law does not punish the masses. If it weren't for my magistrate here today, you would have deserved to be beaten to death. No one could have punished us." The clerk reminded them in a sinister tone.
"So this is your source of confidence?"
Qin Xuan couldn't help but smile.
Two days ago, Zhuge Xuan came to report to him that the new land system was difficult to implement. Qin Xuan thought that although there were obstacles, they were not that difficult.
But seeing it today has truly broadened my horizons.
When all the power groups in a county band together, outside forces are naturally unable to penetrate or infiltrate.
Unfortunately, some people have forgotten an old saying: "In times of chaos, harsh measures are necessary!"
Zhuge Xuan was, after all, a military strategist, and may not have been good at governing.
It seems we need to urge Hu Xu to send Qiu Xingzhi over as soon as possible so that the administration of Beining City can be cleaned up.
"You're really asking for it!"
Seeing that his words had failed to scare Qin Xuan, the clerk felt embarrassed and said in a stern but weak voice, "Do you see all these people behind me? If they start fighting, they won't know their own strength."
"Master Li, why waste words with them? Just fight them out."
Among the yamen runners, one of them, unable to contain his temper, shouted angrily.
In other words, Qin Xuan and Zhao Luoying were there under the title of newly appointed inspectors. If someone with a slightly lower rank or no rank had come, they might not only have been kicked out, but could very well have died here.
Lanshan County is utterly lawless.
"How dare you!"
Zhao Luoying immediately stepped forward and shouted loudly. The murderous aura she had developed on the battlefield suddenly erupted, instantly frightening the people in front of her into retreating.
Qin Xuan looked tenderly at his woman, then spoke coldly, "I am King Qin Xuan of Chu. Do you know your crime?"