Just when Xu Shu and Ma Heng were discussing about going to Nanzhong to investigate, Fazheng brought new news.
Fazheng investigated and learned that some people from the Five Directions Sect were promoting the theory of ghosts and gods in Chengdu.
Strictly speaking, they are not all Taoist priests in the Five Directions God Sect, but the Qiao clan.
"Qiao family?" Xu Shu was a little surprised.
Fazheng nodded.
Although Fazheng said that he was not responsible for these counter-espionage matters, he could not turn a blind eye to some things that happened at the local level, so after paying attention, he found out that Xu Shu and Ma Heng had some negligence.
Where to come...
Xu Shu and Ma Heng looked at each other and then fell into thinking.
Fa Zheng discovered a bright spot.
Xu Shu and Ma Heng may not be aware of what Fazheng said, but the Taoist priests of the Five Directions God Sect themselves believe in gods, so isn't it normal practice to talk about ghosts and gods in daily life?
If Taoist priests are not allowed to talk about ghosts and gods, what else can Taoist priests say? So when Xu Shu and Ma Heng received the relevant reports, they naturally excluded these Taoist priests from the Five Directions God Sect.
This surprised Xu Shu.
Fa Zheng said in a deep voice: "The Taoist priests from the five directions talk about ghosts and gods who seek good deeds. However, people of the Qiao family pretend to be ghosts and gods, seek too much wealth, and deceive the people, but they are actually doing evil."
"In order to sell talismans, he did not hesitate to harm innocent lives..." Fa Zheng said, and then sighed a little, "In the name of the lord, he actually robbed the villagers. The Qiao family used the Five Directions Catholic Church to harm the people in order to make huge profits.
Not willing to kill innocent people..."
As Fazheng narrated, the faces of Xu Shu and Ma Heng gradually became serious...
No one rushes to the red line zone to die from the beginning.
At the beginning, the Qiao clan members did not intend to commit suicide, but after constant trials, they gradually became bolder. It was like the local officials in the feudal dynasty imposing additional taxes or levying transfers.
At first, they just said that Codonopsis pilosula should be fined. They said that Codonopsis pilosula is a medicine and it is precious. How can the untouchables eat it at will? Then seeing that there was no movement, I thought that the next step would be to include garlic in the list of confiscations.
After all, garlic is also a medicine.
The Qiao clan's greedy process of amassing money is also full of intimidation, bribery, blood, cruelty...
But were the people up and down the Qiao family so bad from the beginning?
Not really.
Xu Shu still remembered that a few years ago, the Qiao family had a good reputation. It was said that the Qiao family cultivated the land themselves, encouraged the people to do good, and did a lot of work in paving roads and building bridges. They were very good examples of rural squires, but
It has only taken so long to become what it is now?
Of course, Xu Shu believed that Fazheng would not lie about this matter, and must have found relevant conclusive evidence. Sure enough, Fazheng then took out a written document and recorded in detail the issues related to the Qiao family.
The cause of these problems is just an Orion.
An ordinary old hunter.
……┐(?～?)┌……
a few days ago.
Inside Qiao's Manor.
Qiao Ming just looked at the book sent by his subordinates and felt very happy.
The Qiao family has begun to transform from its original heirloom of classics.
Transformed into a religious heirloom.
The Five Directions God Cult is obviously more useful than the prophecy technique of Jinwen Jing Xue that Qiao learned before.
The art of prophecy and weft, prophecies are used as hidden words to predict good and bad luck, and weft is the tributary of the meridian, which can derive side meanings.
Speaking of which, the ancestor of the prophecy should be King Wen of Zhou. As an avid divination enthusiast, he left the most famous prophecy, which was the result of divination based on the content of Taisi's dream: "Accept the great order of Shang from the Emperor of Heaven."
”. Even in the Book of Songs, there is a “Young Voice of King Wen” that says, “King Wen was ordered to have such martial arts; after attacking Chong, he built a city in Feng.”
The prophecy became the sword that King Zhou used to stab the ancient wizards. It also provided the legal basis for his subsequent crowning of kings and the construction of a spiritual platform, as well as for his son, King Wu of Zhou, to destroy the Yin and Shang dynasties and unify the world.
However, you will have to repay it sooner or later. King Zhou Wen’s debt was repaid by King Zhou Xuan.
During the reign of King Xuan of Zhou Dynasty, there was a rumor among children that "if you wear a bow and a robe, the Kingdom of Zhou will be destroyed", which is an allusion to Bao Si...
One prophecy leads to life, another prophecy leads to death. The Western Zhou Dynasty seems to be so absurd.
But in fact, everyone knows that history is just a little lonely person who can be dressed up by others.
So it’s just like that. It depends on whether you want to wear a miniskirt or a thong...
Now that the General of the Hussars has eliminated prophecy from the Confucian classics, the Qiao clan is naturally not having a good time. However, they have found a new path, and then they find that this new path is even more useful than the previous prophecy theory!
Make more money!
Just like this time, no farmer dared to refuse the "Five Directions God's Blessing" charm they provided. There was naturally some bargaining, but it was all within the allowable range.
Qiao Ming was careful not to push the farmers too hard.
All farmers know how to cut leeks one crop after another, and just pull them out by hand. Isn’t that killing the goose to obtain the eggs?
"God bless the five directions" is just the talisman paper for the ghost painting. The cost is almost negligible. At most, it is just a little money for paper and paint. The pre-engraved seal is brushed with red ink and the paper is pasted.
, it is a "painted" charm.
That's right, it's more troublesome to draw, but it's better to print.
After all, there may be one more stroke or one less stroke in the drawing, but it will be basically the same when printed. The magic power of "Five Directions God's Protection" is naturally the same.
So this business, um, is not a business, it is a blessing, uh, wrong, it is a charm, which is great!
This year’s income, tsk tsk...
Sure enough, after changing the name, it became much easier to use.
This is a benefit that I have never dared to think about in the past. In the past, those unscrupulous people were always thinking about defaulting on their debts. The taxes collected from Zhuanghe were often insufficient. Some even defaulted on their official taxes, and they kept saying they were pitiful.
, we should show compassion at every turn, be kind-hearted and so on.
Not to mention that compassion and kindness are rare. Most people don’t have them. Even if they do have them, how much will they have left if they send them here and there all day long?
Things are getting better now, even the Taoist priest who went down to deliver the charms had a shiny face.
However, when Qiao Ming looked behind him, his expression gradually darkened.
He put down the booklet in his hand and frowned, wondering what he was thinking about.
In the hall, one of his personal followers saw Qiao Ming's expression and quietly moved to the side. The follower knew that Qiao Ming was a little unhappy and it might be a sign that he was about to lose his temper, so he hurried away first.
Stay farther away to avoid suffering the disaster of fish in the pond.
"Call lame Zhang!" Qiao Ming ordered.
Lame Zhang is lame. When he was young, he became lame for some unknown reason. He always had a smile on his face. He would not speak to anyone but would smile a little.
The Han Dynasty does not have any system to protect the disabled. Although Lao Dai said very early on, "The journey of the great road is that the world is for the public, select the talented and capable, maintain trust and cultivate harmony. Old friends do not just kiss each other,
It is not only a son, but also a son. The old will have their end, the strong will be useful, the young will be prosperous, and those who are shy, widowed, lonely, alone, disabled and sick will all be supported. Men will have their share, and women will have their homes. Goods will be abandoned on the ground.
Also, there is no need to hide it from oneself; if one’s strength does not come from the body, there is no need to do it for oneself..."
But in fact, let alone widows and widowers, even the simplest evil forces have been difficult to eradicate for thousands of years.
Therefore, if the current disabled people in the Han Dynasty want to survive, they must pay a higher price.
Lame Zhang has to pay more for his conscience.
He flattered the Qiao family and asked for an errand to go to the countryside. He firmly grasped the secrets of the errand, and the first step was to "strike ruthlessly." The orphans and widowers knelt in front of them and begged, and they had to be ruthless.
, the old, the weak, the sick and the disabled are about to die, but they must first make up the debt. A liter of rice means a liter of rice, even if it is missing a grain of rice.
Secondly, you have to be able to endure it. It is common to go back and forth to collect taxes from farmers in the countryside. Sometimes you have to miss the trip and have to eat and sleep in the wild. At this time, no one cares whether the lame person will receive preferential treatment.
, if you can't make it, no one will wait, you can only grit your teeth and hold on hard.
Then, because he is a lame, he has to do more than normal people. Otherwise, why would a nobleman ask a lame person to do things? The dirty work is naturally his, regardless of the rules. Anyway, he can only do the things assigned by the nobleman well.
It only shows his ability more, so no matter what job it is, Cripple Zhang rushes to do it, and he must do it better and more in line with the nobleman's wishes...
Probably because of his disability, Lame Zhang had a particularly strong desire to climb up. Of course, because of his physical condition, he could not get a better position, and the so-called room for advancement was almost non-existent. After all, in the Han Dynasty
In traditional customs, appearance is also an important criterion for judging whether an official is responsible. Pang Tong had suffered a loss in this regard, so the cripple Zhang's small goal is to be a good loser first and be the best loser among them, and then
If you then seek the position of manor steward, that's basically the end.
Qiao Ming also felt that Laizi Zhang was more useful, so he called Laizi Zhang.
The lame Zhang saw Qiao Ming's worried expression and immediately said, "My lord, do you have any instructions?"
Qiao Ming hummed, and then said: "Hou Gang Zhang Orion still doesn't ask for "God's protection"!"
Hearing this, Cripple Zhang already knew what was going on.
Recently, there have been rumors and rumors in the market. In fact, most of them were released by the Qiao clan. Of course, some of them were said by idle people who followed the trend. Most of those idle people who followed the trend and thoughtless people just wanted to have a verbal pleasure, and
The Qiao family is after real gold, silver and copper plates.
Most of the farmers are illiterate. The furthest way from their lives is to go to the market, so they have no idea what the outside world is like. As long as a few more people say the same thing to the farmers, these farmers will believe it, no matter what they say.
How outrageous.
But some people are different, such as Zhang Orion from Hougang.
This Zhang Laizi's family may have often traveled in the mountains, or they were accustomed to going to the county town to exchange prey pelts for money and goods, so they did not believe the rumors spread by the Qiao clan, nor did they think there were any ghosts in the mountains.
Even if there is a real ghost, Zhang Orion doesn't think the "God's Protection" ghost painting charm sold by Qiao's can resist it.
Therefore, Orion Zhang did not buy, well, according to the Qiao family, it was "please", and he did not ask for the "God's protection" charm.
"This Zhang Orion is so ignorant..." Qiao Ming sighed and said, "I asked someone to lower the price, but he still refused... This is really very ignorant! Think about it, God protects all these people.
Only he doesn't have it here. Isn't there a loophole? If the ghosts in the mountains find a loophole, wouldn't it be harmful to the villagers?"
As for what kind of protection and what kind of loopholes, it's basically bullshit. If there really were ghosts, Qiao would run up and down faster than anyone else.
The reason why Qiao Ming is dissatisfied is because if Zhang Orion is left alone and does not buy it, then if Zhang Orion is safe, more people may not buy the new "God's Protection" charm. How will this business be done in the future?
How to continue doing it?
How to carry it forward and last for a long time?
"The Gods of the Five Directions, this is what the generals of the Hussars believe in!" Qiao Ming said earnestly, "What does this Orion want to do? Not even the talisman that the generals of the Hussars believe in? What does this mean?
?This thing is very bad...』
The lame man Zhang lowered his head and said: "My lord, let me handle this matter..."
Qiao Ming glanced at Lame Zhang, "Do you understand? Do you know what to do?"
"Understood!" The lame man smiled, "Lord, don't worry..."
When cutting leeks, there should be no hard stubble.
……(?▽?)/……
The Qiao clan was not so arrogant at the beginning.
But now, the Qiao clan members feel that it is normal to be arrogant.
Because the Hussar General "believes" in the Five Directions Catholic Church, and the Qiao family also "believes in" the Five Directions Catholic Church, just like A=B, C=B, so the Qiao family feels that they have the authority of the Hussar General.
, at least it represents the cavalry general exercising jurisdiction and herding the people in the countryside. It's like shouting at every turn, "I represent so-and-so," but it's not just beautiful girls, and it's not just the moon that is represented.
.
Zhang Orion still didn't realize anything was wrong.
The reason why he didn't buy any "God's Protection" is simple. He doesn't believe in any gods or ghosts, whether it's the gods of the five directions or other ghosts and gods. He only believes in his own hands.
Over the years, no ghosts or gods helped him when he was in trouble. When he was sick, no ghosts or gods gave him food. He dragged his sick body up the mountain to hunt and finally survived.
Zhang Orion has no wife, let alone children.
He knows how hard hunting is and how tiring life is, so why should he find another wife and let his children continue the pain and tiredness?
It's not like he hasn't thought about going down the mountain and changing his career, but after hunting for more than ten or twenty years, he can only hunt.
Go down the mountain and farm like farmers? Or go back to school again?
Zhang Orion also tried to join the army, but he was rejected. There were younger people rushing to join the army, but he couldn't win.
Not all hunters are marksmen.
He himself is already in his early thirties, and has lived most of his life. When the day comes that he can no longer hunt, he will die of old age in the mountains. Or he may not even have to wait to die of old age. He will just close his eyes when he encounters tigers, leopards, jackals, etc.
If you kick your legs, it doesn't matter where you die.
So Zhang Orion is very open-minded.
The more I see it, the less I believe in ghosts and gods.
Zhang Orion hunted a hare two days ago, ate the meat and peeled off the skin. Along with the fur and other things he had accumulated some time ago, he went to Nanshi to exchange for money.
There are two restaurants in Nanshi, one is expensive and the other is even more expensive. Just like the two trees in front of Mr. Lu’s door. Zhang Orion can’t afford to eat in a big restaurant, but it’s better to find a small restaurant to eat.
It's okay to reward yourself.
Nowadays, in Chengdu, there are more and more grand stage-style venues. Restaurants are also nearby. There are even only a few seats and benches. There are also many hot food stalls. You can eat a bowl of hot soup cakes and then
Listening for a long time while shaking your head is considered a small pleasure in life.
Zhang Orion ate a bowl of hot soup cakes, then entered the stage and found a seat to sit down.
Someone was singing a tune on the stage, and while singing, they were banging the tambourine.
Orion Zhang recognized that this was a new song called rap.
There were rappers like this before. In addition to persuading people to be kind and religious stories, they also sang various folk songs.
Really popular song.
The rappers were talking and performing, and the people in the audience laughed and made noises from time to time, which was really lively.
Although the song does not blatantly describe the threesomes, it still tells the story vividly. Not only the voice is full of emotions, but the story has branches and leaves. How about quietly climbing the wall into the boudoir in the middle of the night, hiding under the bed and waiting in an anxious state?
What's more, as for the various content that they like to hear and see later, it is even more varied, making the audience in the audience drool after listening to it.
Zhang Orion also laughed when he heard this.
Little common people?
The rapper Dongdong beat the tambourine and finished singing a song, then went down and was replaced by a few jugglers. He held a plate and stepped on a large vat, and swallowed a sword with his soft skills, which again attracted bursts of applause from the audience...
Zhang Orion was also watching intently, but he didn't notice that someone on the side was casting an unkind look.
Zhang Laizi and several people were staring at Zhang Orion's back.
"Boss, do you want to take action here?" A person next to Zhang Laizi asked quietly.
"Are you stupid?" Zhang Laizi scolded in a low voice, "If you do something in a busy city and are caught by the inspection, you will have to work in a labor camp for the rest of your life, even if you don't pay for it with your life!"
"Isn't it okay if you don't get caught?" The man said, "I have a knife hidden in my sleeve. I can walk over and stab him to death. Then I sneak into the alley during the chaos. I don't believe anyone can find it."
I?!"
Lame Zhang pondered for a moment, shook his head, and said, "What if he doesn't stab him to death right away? Forget it, let's go first and wait at his house..."
It’s not that Zhang Xin, the lame man, can’t do his job, but because Qiao Ming gave clear instructions, saying that if a “ghost” harms Zhang Orion! If Zhang Orion is stabbed to death with a knife here, he will not only challenge the arrest of the inspection
, there is no way to fulfill Qiao Ming's intention. Zhang Orion must die miserably to let others know that without the "God's Protection" spell, it means that "ghosts" will come!