The old emperor's eyes were calm, but Wang Qinruo looked as if he wanted to eat people. He hesitated for a moment, lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, there are only two reasons why the villagers are like this.
First, the mountains and fields are closed to foreigners and lack knowledge. We are always wary of non-native visitors. This is also a necessary measure to maintain rural security. In addition, there are many people on your Majesty's trip. The guards are majestic and capable, well-dressed, and
"carry weapons"
"That shouldn't be such an overreaction!" the old emperor said coldly.
"Yes! Yes!" Wang Qinruo responded twice, then gritted his teeth and said: "Secondly, I guess it may be related to the county government. Previously, the county government had received an instruction from the state government, saying that the emperor would be stationed in Shenzhou
, requiring the government offices at all levels under their jurisdiction to deal with caution and advise the people to avoid chaos. Based on this, the county government issued a notice and notified all townships and villages."
Wang Qinruo's words were a bit cryptic, but the old emperor understood it as soon as he heard it. His gray eyebrows jumped and he turned his head and said to Liu Wenhuan who was following closely. Brother Liu Wenji said: "You have all heard it, right?"
"I heard it!" the two brothers looked at each other and said, cupping their hands.
"Remember, this is how these local officials cope with their fate. This is just the beginning of their many tricks to deceive the court!" the old emperor said in a serious tone.
"yes!"
The old emperor said this coldly, but Wang Qinruo was flustered and confused when he heard it. He also heard the old emperor say: "Compared with the methods used by the county government, I am more curious about the scene just now, but what was the real reaction of the villagers? Who took the lead?
young people..."
Listening to his grandfather's muttering, Liu Wenhuan said, "Is this the reason why unruly people come out of poor mountains and harsh waters?"
Hearing this, the old emperor turned his head sharply and stared straight at Liu Wenhuan. He was so frightened that he couldn't help but swallow his saliva and whispered: "Grandpa, my grandson said the wrong thing!"
Withdrawing his gaze, the old emperor fell into deep thought. After a while, he said: "It's not wrong, but this world is made up of thousands of unruly people!"
On the side, Li Jihe asked at the right time: "Your Majesty, what will happen next?"
"What do you think?"
Almost without thinking, Li Jihe admonished the old emperor: "The countryside is dangerous and unpredictable. For the safety of the holy bow, I beg your majesty to return!"
After hearing this, the old emperor couldn't help but look at Li Jihe. Seeing his serious and rigid look, he couldn't help laughing and scolding: "Li Jihe, you, the leader of the guard, why do you always neglect your duties? Why do you always want to let others go?"
Shall I go back?
Although this village in Langgang is remote, it is also a land of kings, inhabited by people under the rule of the imperial court. How come it turns into a dragon's pond and a tiger's den in your mouth?
Just do your job for me, if you dare to talk too much, go back!"
Li Jihe didn't feel much shame or anger after being reprimanded by the old emperor. He was just worried about the old emperor's safety. Seeing that he was still hesitating, the old emperor said again: "If you are worried about being punished for not being able to protect him well, I can replace him with someone else."
!”
After all the talk, Li Jihe dared not say anything, so he had no choice but to accept the order. Change someone? It would be better to change his head.
"Today's battle was fought with swords and sticks, and people were chased away by shouting and killing. This must be your first time!" After thinking for a while, the old emperor smiled and asked the two brothers Liu Wenhuan: "Isn't it surprising!
"
When asked, Liu Wenji shook his head and sighed: "From my grandson's point of view, this place is not deep in the mountains and forests, but the people's customs are so fierce that it is not easy for the government to manage it well!"
"I am leading you just to let you find out the reason!" Seeing Liu Wenji's expression of thought, the old emperor said softly.
Looking up, the sky was already getting dark. The old emperor knew that in the village, which had become quiet at this time, there were still many eyes staring closely at his group.
Being so strictly guarded, the county government's greeting is one thing, being able to organize it is another thing. The old emperor did not believe that the local government could control the countryside to this extent, and what the old emperor cared about was precisely him
The strange smell I smell here: clan and power.
"Since we are not welcome here, let's leave the village first and choose a place to camp under the hillock. We will stay overnight at the foot of the hillock today!" the old emperor ordered. Before he had taken two steps, he called Li Jihe to his side and pointed.
Jiucun behind him said: "I don't care what method you use, I want to personally understand the situation in this village!"
This explanation left Li Jihe a little confused for a while, but the emperor's oral order had to be fulfilled. After gathering his subordinates and brainstorming, a solution was found.
At dusk, the trees above and below the hills are secluded. Due to the continuous rain, everything is still wet. Even if you light a fire, there will be thick smoke. The smoke from the cooking stoves on the hills is intertwined with the green mist in the mountains, making it difficult to distinguish.
If there weren't so many rights and wrongs and precautions, it wouldn't be a different scene. However, after all, the old emperor was not here to experience the local charm.
Until late at night, in the small tent under the hill, after being notified, Li Jihe and two guards came in, tied up a person, and stuffed a piece of cloth in his mouth. Seeing this, the method Li Jihe came up with was also
It’s clear at a glance.
Although it seems a bit magical that the majestic emperor needs to use such means to meet people, but at this time, he can't care about so many things. He is just a farmer, not young, and he took off his cloth, thinking that he was being robbed by a strong man.
Call for mercy.
"Don't panic!" I don't know if it was because the old emperor was too powerful or because his words had a special ability to soothe him. A brief sentence really made this man calm down.
Looking at the frightened villagers in front of him, the old emperor said slowly: "My subordinates are ignorant and disturb the villagers. I will punish them. If you use such means to invite people, I hope you will forgive me for being disrespectful."
The old emperor's words made him bewildered for a while. After seeing this, he got to the point: "I'll ask you a few questions. If you answer them honestly, you can be released safely!"
"If anything is unclear, you can explain it!" The old emperor glanced at Wang Qinruo again.
Wang Qinruo immediately responded, and then explained the old emperor's meaning in his local accent, and his tense nerves were slightly relieved. The pronunciation is different for ten miles, and the words are different for hundreds of miles. A simple communication problem was brought to the old emperor again.
I feel quite sad that Mandarin still needs to be vigorously promoted
"Whose last name is it?"
"Zhang Wulin."
"Have you lived in this village for a long time?"
"Three generations have immigrated for nearly fifty years."
“Who is it that gathers people and chases away guests during the day?”
"Son of Li Zheng, Shi Tong."
Then the old emperor asked about the origin of the Shi family. He thought they were rich people who had lived here for generations, but the villagers' words gave the old emperor a resounding slap in the face.
The Shi family moved to Jiucun about thirty years ago, later than all the households with the same surname in the original village. However, Lao Lizheng was once a junior officer with military merit and was assigned to this village after his retirement.
Under his leadership, twenty years later, the Shi family became the "big surname" that completely surpassed the other nine surnames in Jiu Village. Lao Lizheng died, and the new Lizheng who succeeded him was his son. It has been more than ten years now.
. It is conceivable that after this term, Li is working until death, the next person will still be named Shi, and maybe it will be the same Shi who took the lead just now.
After receiving such an answer, you can imagine the excitement on the old emperor's face. Even if the Shi family was a local tycoon as he thought, it would be easier, but it was not the case.
At that time, the old emperor advocated for the return of retired grassroots officers and soldiers to the countryside. The purpose was to "send imperial power to the countryside." Even thirty years ago, the old emperor had already realized that this move was full of disadvantages, and even
Things went against expectations, and a lot of chaos occurred everywhere.
But today, decades later, a story about the birth of a rural tycoon appeared due to his "sent to the countryside policy". Hearing such a story with his own ears, the old emperor also had mixed feelings in his heart. Obviously, it was not that the matter was resolved, but that it was just
Those officers and soldiers have become smarter and more sophisticated during the integration and evolution of the local tycoon clans. They are well versed in the principle of "if the people do not promote, the officials do not investigate".
"Do you usually treat guests like this and treat all outsiders as tigers and wolves?"
"That's not entirely true. In normal times, outsiders are still allowed to be received. When merchants come to the village, the Li Zheng family will specially invite them to their home to entertain them. However, not long ago, Li Zheng issued an order saying that there were strongmen causing trouble, and the villagers were strictly prohibited from entertaining outsiders."
"I heard that the people of Luoshan County have been living in poverty in the past two years. Why? There were natural disasters and bad harvests? Or was it oppression by the government and exploitation?"
In response to this question, villager Zhang Wulin did not dare to answer. As a responsible farmer, when it comes to some issues, he is instinctively vigilant and does not want to talk too much to avoid getting into trouble.
Seeing his concerns, he offered some kind words to comfort him, but it was useless. He kept shaking his head no matter how hard he tried to persuade him. In the end, Li Jihe looked at the old emperor for instructions, pulled out a knife and put it on his neck, and then stopped.
It’s said reluctantly or half-willingly.
"In the past three years, the situation was very good. Every household had a surplus of food every year. While eating enough, they could also buy some new things. But starting two years ago, things suddenly turned bad. The county began to increase taxes," he said.
There is an order in the state to provide a palace for the emperor to practice. All people in Luoshan must be loyal and filial. Each family must pay a consistent amount of money, two stones for new wheat."
The people were angry and resentful and did not dare to express them. However, once they were led out, they were out of control. Zhang Wulin quickly told the story of the past two years one by one, and the more he talked about it, the more energetic he became. The core always revolved around the palace.
It seems that all the difficulties in building this point are caused by this matter.
The villagers in Jiu Village are not rich, but they can still live a comfortable life relying on the mountains. If it is just a donation, even if there are some difficulties, they can still afford it if they squeeze in.
Two stones of wheat was not too much two years ago. There was not enough new wheat, so I could just turn a blind eye and use old grain. If that didn't work, I could use game instead. The difficulty was money, as the government only collected
Gold, silver and copper coins, the first two do not need to be considered, but for ordinary villagers, there are only a handful of people who can always have enough money at home.
What to do if you don't have money? You can only exchange for food, game, furs, medicinal materials and other materials. This is also the usual way for many villagers to pay taxes. Once exchanged, the price will be lowered, and the landlord will first cut it off. This is also
Normality is the unspoken rule of the countryside.
Just like this, it was enough for all the villagers in the nine villages to suffer personal and financial losses. However, just the year before last, from autumn to winter, the Luoshan County government issued three donation orders. Although the amount of money and food requested each time was the same, the amount of money and food requested was the same for the people.
The burden brought by the epidemic became heavier each time. Many farmers' meager savings for many years were wiped out in that year, which also caused nine villages to encounter winter difficulties that were rare in the past ten years.
Last year, especially after the beginning of summer last year, a new round of "filial piety donations" came again, and there were more varieties, such as "stone donations", "beam donations", and "copper paint donations". Not only money was required, but
In addition to food, people are also needed. At the end of April last year, the government ordered the recruitment of labor. More than 30 people were recruited from nine villages alone. More than 30 strong laborers were not a small number for such a mountain village.
Zhang Wulin's eldest son was also drafted to build roads. Fortunately, he came back alive with no arms or legs. As for the food and money for hard labor, don't think about it. According to Li Zheng's explanation, Chu Ding had already asked them to
The family is exempted from paying part of the donation. It will be good if you come back alive, so don’t have extravagant hopes. Farming is the way to live happily. The country still owes a lot of money to the country...
Listening to his story, the old emperor looked indifferent and seemed unmoved, but he had already begun to recall in his mind that the drastic changes in Luoshan's policies and the urgency of exploitation seemed to have started after he urged Liu Gui last year. At that time, he was
What did you say? The people below did it again! At this time, the old emperor felt as uncomfortable as a fly choking on his throat.
Wang Qinruo couldn't help but look at these things. These things were reflected in previous reports, but they were more macro-level things, described from the perspective of county government administration. As for the public reaction, it was very serious, but in the specific details
In terms of description, it is just an understatement and a passing glance. There are many things that are difficult to truly understand the depth and horror of without seeing them with your own eyes and hearing them with your own ears.
Another point worth noting is that according to Wang Qinruo, although the county government's decrees are harsh, they are not as excessive as what this little citizen said. In many places, they are inconsistent with what he said.
Obviously, the policy changes during the process of issuance and implementation. The policy itself has problems. When the people who implement it have some problems and the people at the bottom are replaced, what else can it bring to the people at the bottom except suffering.
The old emperor, who was accustomed to association, of course thought of the many policies of the imperial court in the past. He put forward various proposals and reforms. The reports of the ministers were basically a great success. The secret agents and supervisors also said that the results were remarkable. But the situation in Jiu Village was different.
It was really impossible for the old emperor to be optimistic anymore, and he even thought deeply about it, was the rule of the Han Dynasty really as solid as a rock? What he saw and heard this time can already answer part of this question.
What a small Jiucun can see is just the tip of the iceberg. For the huge Han Empire, it is insignificant compared to the incomparably vast territory, and it cannot even be said to be very representative.
This is because the Shi family in Jiucun Village is relatively disciplined and does not take too many actions to drain the lake. They still retain the dignity of fellow villagers and try to restrain themselves even if they are exploiting each other.
From time to time, you can still spend money to build bridges and pave roads, dredge ditches, and provide relief to poor households. When encountering disputes that do not involve personal interests, you can often be impartial and make fair decisions. But there is also a prerequisite. In critical moments, such as
Now, the whole village has to listen to his Shi family!
In contrast, for the purpose of "fulfilling filial piety" for the construction of palaces, in some places, the food appearance is ugly. When the government wants money, it dares to shout "two strings", and if it says new wheat, it will be new wheat. If the old wheat is harvested, it will not
If you do the math, you still have to find a way to make up for it.
The government draws ten dings, and he draws twenty. The extra ten people don't have to go and spend money to buy freedom. If you don't have money, food or local goods will do. If you don't have money or goods, there is a way, so use labor in exchange.
The labor service for the government ranges from three months to half a year. It only takes one month to help them. After all, it seems that you have earned several months in vain.
The atmosphere in the small tent calmed down, and the low-pressure air almost made people breathless. Wang Qinruo was sweating profusely, and his body was shaking involuntarily. And the farmer Zhang Wulin probably felt that he had said too much, and he became more and more nervous.
The more frightened he became, the lower his voice became, until he kowtowed and begged for mercy again.
"You are not guilty. You speak very well. Your words are like a thunderbolt, which is deafening and enlightening!" After a long time, the old emperor sighed softly and ordered Liu Wenji: "Go and help this old man up!"
"yes!"
Zhang Wulin didn't react until he was lifted up by Liu Wenji's strong hands. He looked at the old emperor again. He felt that the majestic old man in front of him seemed a little older.
The old emperor was sitting on a bed. The summer night was a bit cold due to the rainy weather. He was wearing a purple robe.
"sit!"
"Tea!"
After several consecutive orders, the old man Zhang Wulin was at a loss and flattered. He held the exquisite porcelain bowl in both hands, looked at the swirling camellias, and felt the temperature transmitted from the bowl, before he came back to his senses.
The old emperor also put down his serious expression, put on what he thought was a kind face, and asked softly: "It seems that the sufferings of the people of Luoshan are indeed real, but as far as I know, these are all caused by the government's poor governance."
The reason is that some corrupt officials deceived the superiors and concealed the truth from the inferiors. In the name of building a palace for the emperor, they exploited the people's wealth and enriched their own pockets.
For this reason, after the emperor visited Shenzhou, he immediately started investigating. It is said that he had killed many corrupt officials. Even the magistrates and magistrates of Xinyang and Yingshan counties had been beheaded.
From now on, those corrupt officials will no longer dare to do evil, and your life should be easier."
The purpose of the old emperor's words was probably not clear to him. Perhaps it was just to try to remove himself from the matter and to gain the old man's approval. It was not the emperor's fault, but just the traitor's obstruction.
However, Zhang Wulin's words once again asked the old emperor: "Xinyang, the officials in Yingshan can't control us. I wonder what will happen to the magistrate of Luoshan County?"
(He rushed to Ma Qing, the former magistrate of southern Zhejiang, and felt his neck felt cold again)
The old emperor was still dazed, so he listened to this Wulin Road again: "I heard that the emperor's palace has been built that day. It is very big and beautiful. It is built on the mountain. The mountain is much higher than our hillock, and the road is not
It’s easy to walk, my brother is here to build the mountain road.”
The old man's words seemed a bit long-winded, and it seemed that he was just stating a fact seriously, but to the ears of an interested person, there was no doubt that he was making insinuations. Wang Qinruo couldn't help it, and shouted at him: "Bold!"
As soon as his voice fell, the old emperor shouted at him louder: "You are brave!"
Upon hearing the rebuke, Wang Qinruo's legs went weak and he knelt on the ground: "I don't dare!"
Zhang Wulin was confused by the minister's performance and looked at him for a while. He ignored Wang Qinruo. The old emperor thought for a while and asked again: "How many people are there in the family?"
Having said all that he dared not say, the old man was still single at this time and answered directly: "Including the two daughters-in-law and the unmarried little girl, there are eleven people in total!"
It is an ordinary home, the old emperor thought to himself, and asked: "How many acres of land does the home have?"
"Ten acres of dry land and five acres of fruit trees."
"This little Susukada doesn't produce much, so how can we support eleven people?"
"It's natural that we can't make it with this little land. We also help cultivate the family's fields, and we can get 30% of the output every season. We also hunt some local products from the mountains and make ends meet."
"What is clan land? Do you still have public land?"
After his explanation, the old emperor soon understood that the so-called "family land" was just the land of the head of the family named Zhang in Jiucun. Translating the situation, it was the relationship between the landlord and the tenants. However, this
Tenants still retain a certain degree of freedom and their own land. However, according to the situation in this village, it may be gone one day. This situation is so fragile that people can't help but listen to it.
worry.
"How many people are there in your family?" the old emperor asked again.
In response to this, Zhang Wulin's eyes immediately showed vigilance. He was always concerned about personal interests and his reaction was always the most genuine. And for the first time, he asked rhetorically, "What do you mean?"
Seeing this, the old emperor sighed: "It seems that many of the eleven members of your family have never registered!"
"Why should I become a registered citizen? What are the benefits of becoming a registered citizen?"
"What are the benefits of being registered? This is a good question!" The old emperor murmured, then pointed at Zhang Wulin and said to brothers Liu Wenhuan and Liu Wenji: "Tell him about it!"
"yes!"
The old emperor ordered, no one dares to neglect, Liu Wenhuan took half a step forward and spoke first: "Only when you are registered as a Han citizen, you can enjoy all the rights that a Han citizen has, such as going to school, taking exams, becoming an official, joining the army, traveling for business and industry, etc.
Your land, property and even safety have just been protected by the laws of the Han Dynasty. Even after your death, your descendants will not be able to inherit it if they are not registered in the household."
Liu Wenhuan's words were quite insightful, and everyone in the tent nodded slightly to show their approval. It was Wu Lin who looked puzzled, but relied on instinct to answer:
"My family has been farmers for generations. If you point to these lands, you can live a lifetime. What you mentioned has nothing to do with my family. My family does not study or do business. If we want to travel, we can only go to the surrounding grass markets, markets, and even county towns.
Can't walk.
As for the protection from the government, we just hope that there will be no more donations, no more taxes, and less labor service, which is enough. By the way, when you perform labor service and military service, why don't you show up according to your household registration? There are quite a few imposters.
As for the family property, my eldest son and second son are both registered, so they can inherit it."
After some explanation, Liu Wenhuan was almost dumbfounded, and then he said angrily: "At this moment, at that moment, even if you are willing to degenerate and settle down to farming, don't you think about future generations? What if they want to study and become officials?"
"The husband of the Li Zheng family is studying and practicing martial arts, and none of them has become an official. How can he be in my family's turn?" Zhang Wulin said: "Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings!"
"Don't talk about children and grandchildren, let's talk about the present!" Liu Wenhuan's arrogant look made Liu Wenhuan furious: "If there are people who bully you, what will you do if there is no government? If someone robs your land, property, or even your daughter,
, so what?"
Hearing what Liu Wenhuan said, Zhang Wulin became a little anxious and said: "Except for the government, who dares to bully the people of our nine villages? Even if there are, there are all the villagers, old and young, who are making decisions for us! Even if the bandits and bandits come, we will give it to them."
Fight back!"
"What if Li Zheng wants to seize your family's land and your wife and daughter?" Liu Wenhuan was completely annoyed and said directly.
This question barely calmed the peasant, but after a while, he heard him stubbornly say: "If this is the case, the government is dozens of miles away, so why should it protect ordinary people like us? The government still needs to rely on it.
If Li Zheng collects taxes and levies, wouldn’t he side with Li Zheng?”
"You! You are simply unreasonable!" Listening to his words, Liu Wenhuan felt a little overwhelmed.
"Okay!" At this time, the old emperor suddenly spoke up, interrupting the dispute between the dignified grandson and Yi Nijizi. He looked at Liu Wenji, who had been deep in thought, and asked: "Wenji, you have been silent and thinking.
What?"
After hearing the question, Liu Wenji raised his head, and his eyes gave people a sense of distraction. After waking up, he whispered: "I think this person is right!"
"Erlang, don't talk nonsense!" Before the old emperor could say anything, Liu Wenhuan couldn't bear it and scolded Liu Wenji.
When Liu Wenji saw this, he also hurriedly apologized to the old emperor. The old emperor looked at his grandson, but didn't say much. He just stroked his forehead sadly. After a long time, he looked at Zhang Wulin and said, "Because the government has forcibly allocated taxes in the past two years.
How much food does your family provide?"
"Not counting anything else, I have 7 gu of money and more than 1,500 kilograms of old and new wheat." Zhang Wulin still couldn't help but feel heartache when he answered.
"The family is rich!"
Obviously, this family was really considered a rich farmer before. After all, it was still a self-cultivating farmer, and the family had plenty of labor.
"Go and get twenty guan of copper coins, give it to him, and let him go home!" the old emperor ordered, and then said to Zhang Wulin: "Twenty guan of copper coins, ten guan of copper coins can be regarded as making up for your family's losses in the past two years, and ten guan of copper coins can be regarded as a right."
Your candid thank you tonight.
I can understand what you are worried about. After returning home, just pretend that nothing happened tonight and you said nothing. From now on, you can plant your land with peace of mind!"
When twenty strings of heavy money were held in his arms, Zhang Wulin still couldn't believe it. He left tentatively and turned back three times. But seeing that he really didn't stop him, he turned around and kowtowed several times, and then thanked him profusely.
The land has gone.
"Difficult people," Wang Qinruo thought in his heart, watching the old emperor carefully from the corner of his eye, very uneasy. After hearing what he said tonight, no one else would be upset. If the old emperor breaks out, who can stop it?
What should I do?
However, unexpectedly, the old emperor seemed very peaceful, and there was no trace of sullenness at all.
After a while, the old emperor continued to ask brother Liu Wenhuan: "What do you two think about the situation in this village?"
Liu Wenhuan said without thinking: "The villagers are ill-informed, stubborn, pitiful and hateful. However, in comparison, these corrupt officials in Luoshan County who wantonly exploit the people under the pretext of building palaces should all be killed!"
Liu Wenhuan was so murderous that Wang Qinruo broke out in a cold sweat, and he himself was among them.
This time Liu Wenji did not ask the old emperor to name him, but took the initiative to say: "My grandfather was aware of the people's sentiments, and he needed to use such methods to hear some truth and see some real situations. My grandson thought about it, and he felt more and more heartbroken. It is obvious that it is difficult to govern the country.
A spot!"
After silently evaluating the answers given by his two grandchildren, the old emperor smiled faintly: "With this experience, it's not like you came in vain!"
"Okay, that's it for tonight!" As he said that, the old emperor waved his hand a little tiredly: "Let's all go down and have a rest! We'll leave tomorrow and check out the next village!"
"yes!"
In fact, if you look further down, what will you see? In addition to disappointment, you are still disappointed. What you saw and heard gave the old emperor a feeling of despair and even numbness.
Even though the old emperor had been mentally prepared for a long time and had no intention of seeing any peaceful and prosperous or bright world, when he truly faced the world that once made the old emperor extremely proud and heard and witnessed the situations that had been ignored and paralyzed for a long time, the old emperor
My heart was confused.
If we say that at first, the old emperor carried out this private visit with a punitive or even atonement mentality because of the construction of Taikang Palace.
But after actually doing this, he couldn't help but find that compared to the construction of Taikang Palace itself, the large-scale construction projects and the waste of people and money were just superficial, and the current grassroots operating rules and order of the Han Dynasty reflected in them were even more shocking.
.
As the supreme leader of the Han Empire, he was even more angry and unwilling.
Angry that at the far end of the imperial power's tentacles, another system prevailed that was beyond its control. What was even more terrifying was that the imperial court had to rely on such a system to manage the common people, and even regarded it as national rule.
An important supplement, even though the system itself is eroding imperial power and undermining governance.
The unwillingness lies in the fact that the old emperor was once so high-spirited and arrogant, and he once said boldly and dared to teach the sun and the moon to change the sky. However, after decades of imperial dominance and repeated setbacks, looking back, it seems that nothing has changed.
If it had been ten years earlier, with the pride of the old emperor, I am afraid that his heart would have been broken. But now, in his sixtieth year, he is very old. He just walked in silence. After reading, no one knows what he is thinking.
What.
It is probably close to the plains, the transportation is not that difficult, and the connections with the outside of the hillock are relatively frequent. In fact, the nine villages are not as closed-off and poor as the old emperor and the others saw. As they walk along the hillock, the farther they go, the farther they go.
The deeper I went, the more villages I saw, and I discovered that the situation in the nine villages could even be described as good.
The encounters are similar. It is absolutely impossible to have a face-to-face contact and conversation without revealing your identity. The further you go, the more xenophobic and cold your attitude becomes. However, like the case in Jiucun, where the villagers organized the use of force to expel them, it is no longer possible.
Did not happen.
Of course, the old emperor noticed these anomalies, but he did not expose them. He just followed the same pattern, arrested people and interrogated them, and carried out this special private visit to the end.
When he walked eastward for more than 40 miles along the ridge to the fifth village and asked about the seventh farmer, the old emperor was no longer interested in walking any further. The people's livelihood and conditions behind him were more difficult than the last, and those local tycoons
The evil gentry's methods are worse than the last. Compared with this, the Shi family in Jiu Village can build a "virtuous gentry" memorial arch.
After walking around the Langgang area in the south, he did not give up on the plain area in the north. This time, the old emperor did not "dislike" it anymore, and seemed to hope that the "good" conditions of the plains could comfort his heart.
Heart.
However, things were counterproductive. Of course, the overall situation in the plain areas was better, but that was only because the basic conditions were better, and the people were more tolerant of exploitation, but the severity of the hardships they encountered was the same.
At the same time, the northern plains with better water and soil conditions are where the really big landowners gather. The situation of land annexation is more serious, there are fewer self-cultivators, and personal dependence is more severe.
In the past, let alone this situation, even if such a trend appeared, the old emperor would hate it deeply and couldn't help but get angry. But this time, the old emperor endured it.
Until May 24th, the old emperor came to Luoshan County in a public capacity. In the county government office, he summoned all the officials and important officials who had fled abroad. He did not give any lectures and only asked everyone to do one thing.
, memorize the "Commandments" written by Meng Chang in his early years.
Twenty-four words, ninety-six words, is not too difficult for most officials. Soon some people memorized it by heart, but they were not finished yet. They were even forced by the old emperor to recite it, which lasted for a day and a night. It is said that
, from morning to night, all night long, the Luoshan County government office was filled with the sound of reciting the "Commandments", which could still be heard from across the alley.
Until everyone was hungry and most of them had repeated the reading mechanically, the old emperor finally appeared. He was not too verbose, but simply and seriously mentioned Meng Chang's story, and came to a conclusion. When Meng Chang
When he forgot the "Admonitions" that he personally composed, Meng Shu was destined to fall and perish.
After the old emperor left, all the Luoshan County officials present were frightened and broke into cold sweats.
At the head of Luoshan North City, standing by the earthen city wall, touching the solid parapet, the old emperor raised his head and looked north. Under the night, behind him were the lights in the small city. To the north, there was a dark wilderness with dense forests.
I can vaguely feel the sound of the Huai River running eastward. It must be an illusion. After all, the Huai River is difficult to level, and there is still a certain distance between the county seat and the river bank.
"Wang Qinruo!" After his eyes were in a trance for a while, the old emperor gently called Wang Qinruo, who was at his side.
"I'm here!" Wang Qinruo responded respectfully.
Although his position was still only that of a small ninth-grade chief registrar, Wang Qinruo knew that his life and official career had undergone earth-shaking changes.
Accompanying the king for a period of time in the past period has made Wang Qinruo's whole temperament seem to have been sublimated. Now, every move he makes is more like a close minister of the imperial court, rather than a country bumpkin from a "humble" background.
People's adaptability in this area is obviously very strong, as if they were born to eat this kind of rice.
"I will leave this Luoshan County to you! You will be the magistrate of Luoshan County!" the old emperor said.
When Wang Qinruo heard the words, there were ripples in his heart, but there was an embarrassed expression on his face. Seeing this, the old emperor asked: "What, do you think the official is too young?"
"How dare you, a humble minister?" Wang Qinruo said quickly: "I am grateful to your Majesty for your removal. However, I am in a humble position and have a low position. If I am promoted by leaps and bounds, I fear that people will be dissatisfied and will arouse criticism!"
Hearing what he said, the old emperor didn't even look at him, but said in a cold tone: "Is this what you said? Are you, Wang Qinruo, someone who is afraid of criticism? How can an honest man do those little tricks?"
After several consecutive questions, Wang Qinruo's expression changed drastically. He couldn't help but bow down, buried his head deeply, and said with a shudder: "I am scared!"
The old emperor's face looked very indifferent, and his tone was even more steady, and he said: "It is understandable that those who strive to make progress will do their own thing. I don't care what purpose you had before, I only look at the future.
The people's livelihood and sentiment in Luoshan are not optimistic and are in urgent need of change. I put you in Luoshan County to see your performance!
You have also seen the problems in this county before and after the inspection. I will give you two years. Within two years, Luoshan will be governed. You will be promoted to take charge of Shenzhou. Otherwise, go home to study and farm the fields!
Also, the cure I want is a radical cure, do you understand?"
After thinking for a moment, Wang Qinruo prostrated again and responded with great solemnity: "I will do my best to live up to your Majesty's expectations!"
"Stay back!" After explaining, the old emperor waved to Wang Qinruo and continued to look out at the summer night with only scattered lights outside the city.
Wang Qinruo, who walked down the city, still looked like he was neither happy with things nor sad with himself. After returning to his home, he finally couldn't hold back anymore. He couldn't restrain his excitement on his face. He stuffed his sleeves into his mouth and went crazy.
He smiled, even though his face turned red.
After a long time, he calmed down, and his deep eyes became even brighter.
At this moment, it means that he really made the right bet and succeeded! A seventh-grade county magistrate is naturally not Wang Qinruo's pursuit, but with this experience, it can save him ten years, or even more. For a man who is obsessed with
For those in the official career, ten years is of great significance.
If you can reach the position of the chief official of Zhongzhou in your early thirties, then you can definitely describe it as a promising future. At this age and rank, you are no worse than those powerful people born with golden keys.
Therefore, Wang Qinruo was not at all intimidated by the old emperor's final threat. On the contrary, he was full of determination.
In Wang Qinruo's eyes at this time, there was no trace of cowardice or retreat, only courage to move forward. Anyone who stood in the way of his progressive career would be mercilessly destroyed.
Regarding this aspect, Wang Qinruo has already made plans. Simply bringing Luoshan County out of chaos, abolishing the exorbitant taxes and restoring calm is not the way to go. And Wang Qinruo also understood what the old emperor really cared about.
In his mind, what was actively bursting out at this time were one after another methods to suppress the powerful people in the country, especially the local tyrants and evil gentry.
The difficulty of governing local clans with powerful powers must be viewed in the long term. If it is only at a certain node, not to mention some small village tyrants, even the real aristocratic families, nobles and royal relatives cannot withstand the violent attacks from the powerful.
, it just depends on whether those in power are willing to take action.
At least at this time, Wang Qinruo was determined and unstoppable.
I had a lot of fun during the long vacation and wasted a lot of time. I still think highly of myself. I am already trying my best to finish the book. There is still a little bit to go, just a little bit.
