Chapter 969 Will They Be Happy?
The scholars and officials in the south used their tax-free privileges to annex land and take in people, thus becoming wealthy from generation to generation. As the wealth accumulated over generations was so abundant that it was unimaginable for ordinary people.
Zhao Fu's house has been run by many generations, and each owner would repair or expand it. Over the past hundred years, half of the people in this alley have changed their surnames to Zhao.
In the past, Zhao Fu was quite pleased with himself, but at this moment he just wanted to slap himself hard.
The house was so big that by the time he ran all the way to the back door, his legs were weak and his whole body was shaking.
He looked back and grinned, "We'll see!"
He opened the back door, stepped out, and then his heart skipped a beat and he suddenly wanted to step back.
But there were footsteps behind me.
"Run, run for grandpa to see."
Zhao Fu rushed out suddenly.
There are people on both sides.
And with a knife.
Looking at him with a smile.
Zhao Fu's knees went weak and he slowly knelt on the ground, "Who are you waiting for?"
He swore that as long as they were not Jiang Qingzhi's men, he would donate half of his family wealth to bribe these men.
A big man strode over and kicked him down. Zhao Fu lay on the ground, gasping, "It's Jiang Qingzhi, it's him, hahahaha!"
Zhao Fu's laughter turned into sobs, and then he burst into tears, "Master, spare my life, I am willing to apply, I am willing to take the lead in applying!"
People always have a sense of luck, always thinking that this is not the case, that is impossible, and use this as an excuse to continue their unhealthy lifestyle or continue doing something risky.
"Who else?" the big man asked.
"Zhu Yi! Zhu Yi!" A fierce look flashed in Zhao Fu's eyes. "He is the mastermind! He was the one who first found the villain and said that if we succeed, the entire southern literati will regard us as heroes. The benefits are countless."
"Go and report to the hundred households immediately."
But it's too late.
Zhu Yi ran faster than a rabbit, making Ye Bushou one step late.
The Zhao and Zhu families were sealed off, and the accompanying soldiers searched their houses and found a lot of correspondence.
Xu Wei was in charge of the search and seizure. He was not interested in the land and population, and was looking at the letters carefully in the study.
"Old Xu, what's so good about these things?" Sun Chonglou came in hurriedly, holding a few account books in his hand, "There are a lot of fields, Old Xu, take a look."
Xu Wei shook his head. "Anyone who commits such a serious act as arson, as long as he is not stupid, will first hide the correspondence somewhere or burn it. However, the correspondence between Zhao Fu and those people is clearly placed in the study. Do you know why?"
"Look through it?"
"No, it's intentional." Xu Wei smiled sadly, "Although I followed my uncle and became a member of the Mo family, I have been a Confucian scholar for many years, and looking at these idiots... I can't help but feel sad. Things must rot by themselves, and they must rot first!"
Old Xu is out of luck... Sun Chonglou threw the account book on the table and went out to ask Zhao Fu, "Why did you put the letter in the study?"
Zhao Fu thought he was doomed, so he said calmly, "If someone comes to arrest me, it must be because of arson. Once I'm caught, I'll be dead. I'm going to die, so why should I let those people go free? It's only right for us to die together."
Sun Chonglou was startled, "But...what about friendship?"
In Sun Chonglou's eyes, friendship is the whole meaning of life. He followed the young master from Suzhou Prefecture to the capital, north, south... encountered danger countless times, but Sun Chonglou was never afraid.
This does not rely on the master-servant status, but on friendship.
"Loyalty?" Zhao Fu was stunned, thinking that the young man was a little stupid. "People live in this world for wealth and glory, how much is loyalty worth?"
Sun Chonglou sighed, "But you wait... just look at the group of scholars we met outside the city, reciting poems and writing lyrics, full of passion..."
"Wait, passionate?" Zhao Fu laughed. "A person has several faces in life. One in front of others and one behind others. The passionate one is for the outside world, but how many people are not greedy behind others? That's human nature, no one can escape it, hahahaha!"
Sun Chonglou said: "Young Master said that we should be cautious when alone."
"That's just fooling people." Zhao Fu panted and said jokingly, "Back then, the Master also executed Shao Zhengmao on a trumped-up charge. Hahahaha! Where does a saint come from? Where does a perfect person come from!"
Sun Chonglou went to the base feeling a little depressed.
The residence was not far from the government office. It was originally a merchant's house. The merchant had accumulated a lot of wealth, but he thought that the money earned from business was too slow to lend money. So he turned to the loan sharking business. Who would have thought that he was set up by someone to borrow a large sum of money, and then the person disappeared.
After the businessman went bankrupt, he disappeared overnight and his house was sealed by the government, so it was a perfect time for them to move in.
"Where is the young master?" Sun Chonglou entered the house.
"My Lord is in the government office."
Sun Chonglou went to the government office. Mo Zhan saw him coming and said, "The wolf soldiers are still far away!"
Sun Chonglou glared, "You're making fun of me too."
Mo Zhan smiled and said, "I'm not teasing you. You're not a child anymore, it's time for you to get married. Hua Yan is now a thousand households... Hey! Shitou, you're not a good match!"
"What's the point of being well-matched? It's enough if we like each other." Sun Chonglou had never thought about this question at all.
In the lobby, Jiang Qingzhi and Chen Lian were drinking tea.
Jiang Qingzhi took a sip of the tea and was a little surprised. After tasting it carefully, he found that it was actually a top-grade tea. "Someone else gave it to me." Chen Lian quickly explained.
Jiang Qingzhi nodded. It was inevitable that he would have to accept some benefits in the officialdom. He was not a saint and could not live in harmony with the world, but he was not so black and white that he hated evil.
Once you understand human nature, you will no longer have any hope for so-called integrity.
Xia Yan had been an official for many years, and after he retired to Xin'an Lane, he had given up his desire for fame and fortune and became more detached. When a person becomes detached, his thoughts become free.
This is what is meant by "being strong without desire".
Xia Yan passed on all those insights to Xu Wei and Hu Zongxian, especially those about human nature.
——Human nature is greedy. If a person is said to be honest, he must have other purposes. For example, for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, or for some people or things. In the final analysis, he still has something to ask for.
This kind of desire will change, and it will slowly change in the long official career and under various temptations.
Therefore, Jiang Qingzhi knew that Chen Lian was corrupt, but as long as the amount was not large, he would turn a blind eye.
If he were to haggle over every penny, 90% of the officials in the world would be arrested.
"Water is so pure that it is speechless. Even Emperor Taizu Gao could not stop the corruption of officials even if he skinned them alive and stuffed them with straw." Jiang Qingzhi's words made Chen Lian feel at ease. Then he asked, "Are you sure Xu Fan is not involved in the case?"
Does this new boss really want to take over the Xu family?
Chen Lian was shocked. "My Lord, I have been investigating the case recently. Although I have not found out who did it, I have figured out Xu Fan's position in this matter. There should be some clues before the arson happened. Xu Fan..."
"Knowing?"
"Maybe!" Chen Lian said, "But he didn't intervene."
"Keeping oneself safe is Xu Jie's family tradition, and he has learned it." Jiang Qingzhi smiled.
Chen Lian felt a sense of awe and wondered if Jiang Qingzhi was trying to attack Xu Jie from a distance?
If this is the case, this vortex will probably become extremely large.
"Xu Jie is the leader of the literati. Lord, if you touch him... the land reclamation issue will already destabilize the situation in the country. Xu Jie... can't be touched! At least not now."
This was Chen Lian's heartfelt words. Since he followed Jiang Qingzhi, he hoped that Jiang Qingzhi could get away with it unscathed.
"To be honest, I share the same glory with you. You may not know that the southern scholars are quite hostile to the court. Xu Jie is the one they put forward to challenge the court.
Those people placed their hopes on Xu Jie. If Lord Bo makes a move on Xu Jie...their years of expectations will be dashed. I dare not imagine what those people will do."
Collecting taxes is like pulling out the tendons, and dealing with Xu Jie is like skinning him.
Skinning and pulling out tendons... Can you still expect the southern scholars to continue to be patient and calm?
"I am worried that something unbearable will happen." Seeing Jiang Qingzhi's silence, Chen Lian sighed, "The sky is high and the emperor is far away in the south. Once those people get angry...all taxes and grain will be intercepted. Once the taxes and grain in the south are cut off, the north, the capital, and the nine borders will starve. By then, the court and you will be in trouble!"
Jiang Qingzhi took out the medicine cigarette and lit it slowly. Chen Lian said, "Can we still suppress it with a large army? The South is a big place, and those garrisons, Lord Bo doesn't know that most of the officers and soldiers in the South are connected with the local scholars and officials. It is impossible to let the local garrisons suppress the scholars and officials!"
"As for the local governments, to be honest, let me ask you, if the court ordered me to suppress the locals before my Lord went south, do you think I would dare to do so? I wouldn't dare!"
Chen Lian smiled bitterly, "If I really follow orders, I might lose my head one day. Lord, this is like skinning and pulling out tendons! The methods they use are so cruel that I dare not even think about them, nor dare to try them."
Chen Lian sketched out a painting in this way.
The local scholar-officials have great power and can make officials bow their heads. They are in collusion with the local guards. Once they start to fight...
"Benbo, it seems that I see smoke everywhere."
"Yes! This is what I am worried about. So, Lord, the Xu family... at least it is better not to touch Elder Xu's place for the time being."
Jiang Qingzhi nodded, "I know."
He had no intention of attacking Xu Jie, so Chen Lian breathed a sigh of relief. "My Lord, you are wise."
"It's not that I don't dare to touch Xu Jie." Jiang Qingzhi took a puff of herbal cigarette. "It's just that Xu Jie is a man who is good at forbearance. I like to see him forbearance under the oppression of Yan Song and his son. If I don't see him for a day, I feel like I owe him something."
At this time, Sun Chonglou was peeking out from outside. Jiang Qingzhi stood up and said, "Xu Jie will continue to endure it."
What does this mean?
Chen Lian was stunned for a moment, then he understood.
——As long as I am alive, Xu Jie will have to endure.
Is there anything more pleasing than watching your opponent act like a grandson under your suppression?
No!
This is why I didn't touch Xu Jie.
"What about the smoke of war everywhere, what about the unspeakable things." Jiang Qingzhi said calmly: "It will take ten years for scholars to rebel. If they dare to take action, then it's great. We will wipe out the influence of Confucianism in the south completely!"
These words were full of murderous intent, making Chen Lian shudder.
"Master, the arsonist has been caught."
Sun Chonglou said, "But one escaped."
Jiang Qingzhi ordered: "Throw that righteous citizen out and parade him through the streets!"
Jiang Qingzhi turned around and asked, "This is a gift from me to the scholars and officials in Songjiang Prefecture. Do you think they like it?"
Chen Lian was convinced and said, "I'm sure he will be very happy."
(End of this chapter)
