Han Du and the others hurried back to the county seat before the sun set. They found any excuse and spent some money on the road, and got in easily.
Night has not yet fallen, but there are not many people coming and going on the streets of the county town. If this were in the capital, as long as it was before the curfew, the streets would be crowded with tourists, and it would be very lively.
"Why is Liyang County like this? It's not even the curfew yet, so how come there aren't many people on the street?" a soldier complained.
Another soldier couldn't help but said, "Yes, this key is in the capital. In the densely packed restaurants on the street, you can see fried rabbit, fried raw lung, fried clams, fried crab, fried lamb and other delicious dishes.
Well. The stalls on the street are all filled with fried snacks such as fried vegetable dumplings, pastry cakes, flower cakes, meat cakes and other fragrant and delicious fried snacks."
"You two just know how to eat, can you shut up and stop saying a few words?" Li Jizu couldn't bear to listen, and immediately turned around and scolded the two of them.
The two of them were too scared to speak, but the hungry "gurgling" sound coming from their stomachs came out very clearly.
Han Du turned around and did not blame the two of them. Instead, he said: "You have been running with me for a day today, and you are exhausted. You didn't even eat during the trip. But since we have entered the city, we should go back quickly. When we get back,
I will immediately ask someone to prepare wine and food for you, so you can have a good meal."
"Thank you, Lord Marquis~" The two of them suddenly laughed happily.
Han Du nodded, withdrew his gaze and looked at the streets of the county town. What the soldier said just now was right, Liyang County town was really depressed beyond his expectation.
Avoiding other people's eyes and ears, Han Du went in from the back of the house. When he came back, Han Du didn't even eat, he hid in the room and ordered Li Jizu to strictly guard and forbid anyone to approach.
After sitting firmly, Han Du opened the wooden box, took out the contents, and read page by page.
At the same time, in the house where those people gathered last night, those same people gathered together again.
"Commissioner, I feel something is wrong." An official said with a sad look on his face.
The member of staff also rubbed the fan in his hand and raised his eyes to look at this person. "Go on."
Seeing this, the official began to speak freely, "Commissioner, we have all experienced this kind of drunkenness from time to time. No matter how drunk we are, there is no reason to be drunk for a whole day? If we are really drunk like this, it will be too early."
Are you dead drunk?"
After hearing this, the member of staff remained calm and looked towards
County magistrate.
The county magistrate stroked his beard and sneered twice, and said: "Hmph! It seems that we have all misunderstood. This man is not as easy to fool as Cen Yong. Instead, he wants to fool us, deliberately pretending to be crazy and showing his weakness to the enemy.
It seems that the person who came here is not kind and not easy to deal with."
Next to the county magistrate, a man with a round face wearing official clothes smiled and said, "So what if he doesn't get along well with us, that's all if he knows how to get along with us. If he has to have trouble with us, then just do it."
As he said this, the man stretched out his hand and made a killing motion.
The county magistrate frowned when he saw it. This bastard was really crazy. He even wanted to kill the Imperial Envoy. He was an Imperial Envoy. He represented the dignity of the emperor. If he was really killed, it would be worse than killing the chief minister.
The consequences will be even more serious. When the emperor is furious, will a small Liyang County be able to withstand the wrath of thunder?
And it was this bastard who caused the trouble, and now he wants everyone to take the blame. But there is no way, who made this bastard have a close relationship with Yuanwai, and Yuanwai insists on protecting him when he opens his mouth?
"Pa." The sound of the fan closing drew everyone's attention to Yuan Wai.
The officer glanced at everyone indifferently, as if he could see everyone's thoughts. After a moment, he slowly said: "Our imperial envoy, since we want to hide and investigate quietly, where can we find such a bargain?"
thing. I admit that I did underestimate him at first. I originally thought that I would arrange a house for him to test his character, but I didn’t expect that it would be convenient for him. In this case, let’s not test him, and let him put him in
Right under our noses."
Then, he nodded to the county magistrate and said, "Come here right away. Isn't he sick? Just use the visit as an excuse to see how he is doing, but you have to look carefully."
"Yes, I'll go right away." The county magistrate felt a little uneasy, and he couldn't rest assured unless he took a look at what the imperial envoy was doing.
On Han Du's side, after reading what Jiang Shi had recorded on his adventures, his face was as gloomy as ice. Han Du never expected that there would be such lawless people in this world, and in this emperor.
Underfoot.
It turned out that the county magistrate Li Ang was not the principal culprit at all. Instead, the real principal culprit was Pan Fu, the accomplice.
Pan Fu's ancestors were
He inherited the position of Liyang County government official from his father. As for why the county government official position became the private property of the Pan family and could be inherited?
That’s a good question. That’s because Pan Fuzu really had a bully character. Ever since he became the official of Liyang County, he used his status to collude in various places in the county. After more than ten years of operation, Liyang’s people have long been destroyed.
Officials and gentry gathered together to form a large network that included all officials and gentry in Liyang County.
Although Pan Fu is just a small "official", his family has been "farming" in Liyang for several generations. He has deep roots and well-connected people. The local tycoons and powerful people in Liyang have friendship with him, and everyone above and below them must give him face.
.
According to Jiang Shi's records, in fact, before Li Ang came to Liyang, that is, when the previous county magistrates were here, Pan Fu had already dragged him into trouble.
As soon as Li Ang came to Liyang, he found that he had been completely ignored. At this time, Pan Fu wisely gave him a beauty. He placed the beauty in Pan Fu's home for Li Ang to enjoy.
How rampant Pan Fu was in Liyang can be seen from an incident recorded by Jiang Shi. It is said that the beauty Pan Fu gave to Li Ang was kept in Pan Fu's home. One day, Pan Fu saw the beauty's
She was so beautiful that she didn't know which muscle was wrong, but she was so itchy that she even slept with Li Ang's beauty. After the incident, Pan Fu was so satisfied that he even married this beauty as his concubine.
She took advantage of the county magistrate and became his own little wife. This is because she wants to form a deadly feud with the county magistrate. Just imagine how Li Ang could quit?
But Pan Fu said: "Whether he likes it or not, we have the final say in Liyang. Can he try to touch me?"
Logically speaking, if something like this happened, Li Ang would definitely break up with Pan Fu. But after Li Ang knew about it, he really didn't dare to touch Pan Fu in Liyang. Not only did he grit his teeth and endured the incident,
, when Pan Fun took the beauty as his concubine, he gave her a gift. Even the parents and officials in the county had to swallow their anger like this, let alone ordinary people.
It can be seen from this that although Pan Fu is just a government official in Liyang, in Liyang he is simply more arrogant than the county magistrate.
Jiang Shi also recorded in detail the various crimes Pan Fu committed in Liyang, which is rich in thorn sticks. Pan Fu gave Li Ang advice and asked every household in Liyang County to hand over thorn sticks on the pretext of making a confession to the court. Even though
Even if the common people behave in a good manner, they will also find excuses to say that your performance is too poor and that you are fooling the court.
What should I do if I fool the court? Fine me!
With Pan Fu's help, the officials and gentry in Liyang colluded
Come, let’s continue to innovate in new ways of partnership and make money in new ways!
In the beginning, it was just a stick of thorns. When the officials and gentry saw that the people were just enduring without resistance, they had to pay to cross the county road, cross the bridge, and even sleep in their own homes at night. In short, they had to pay for all kinds of looting.
There are countless ways for people to make money, and this group of people has made a lot of money.
Naturally, the people of Liyang lived in misery, but few people wanted to go to the county government to file a complaint. As soon as they went there, Pan Fu sent people to beat them up, and all their property was emptied. If anyone wanted to cry and complain, or
He wanted to go to Beijing to file an imperial complaint, and was even killed by his whole family and his body was buried in a river!
Just when Han Du finished reading, he was filled with anger.
Li Jizu came to report, "Master Hou, the Prime Minister of Liyang County is here and wants to see Master Hou."
"No!" Han Du's eyes were blood red. The county magistrate was also one of the murderers who killed the people. Han Du didn't want to see such a bastard in human skin.
Li Jizu did not leave, but after pondering for a moment, he continued: "Master Hou, they seem to have noticed something and insist on seeing Master Hou."
Han Du had a sullen face and raised his head to glance at Li Jizu. He stood up and walked a few steps in the room with his hands behind his back.
He immediately said: "In that case, then I will meet him. Immediately go and prepare a banquet for me. Remember that I have been drinking today and am already starting to get drunk."
"Yes, the general will understand." Li Jizu suddenly understood and quickly turned around and went out to prepare.
After everything was ready, Li Jizu went to the door to see the county magistrate.
The county magistrate was already impatient with waiting at this time. Even though there were several soldiers guarding the door, he wanted to give the order and rush in directly.
Fortunately, at this time, when he saw Li Jizu coming out, he resisted not to rush directly, but asked in a deep voice: "What does this mean, your Majesty the Imperial Envoy? I am here to visit you out of kindness, why don't you see others?"
The county magistrate looked at Li Jizu coldly, and even suspected that the imperial envoy was not at the house at all, but was playing a golden cicada to escape his shell for them.
"My lord is already drunk. I didn't want to see you originally. But since you insist on seeing me, please go ahead." As he said that, Li Jizu stepped aside and extended his hand to signal.
When the county magistrate heard that the imperial envoy was drunk again, he couldn't help but think: Could this imperial envoy be an alcoholic? He obviously drank just yesterday, why did he drink alone again today? He was a little confused in his heart, whether he and others were drunk.
Thinking too much, do you think this imperial envoy will cause trouble for them?