Han Shizu

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 wilderness are isolated and exclusive, and they lack knowledge. They are always wary of non-native visitors. This is also a necessary measure to maintain rural security.In addition, Your Majesty is on this trip, and there are a lot of people. The guards are majestic and capable, dressed in extraordinary clothes, 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 up and down, he turned his head and said to the brothers Liu Wenhuan and Liu Wenji who were following him closely: "You all heard it, right?"

"I heard it!" The two brothers looked at each other and said with cupped 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 this. He also heard the old emperor say: "I am more curious than the methods used by the county government. What was the real reaction of the villagers in the scene just now? Who took the lead? young people..."

Listening to his grandfather's muttering, Liu Wenhuan said, "Could it be that unruly people come out of poor mountains and harsh waters?"

Hearing this, the old emperor turned his head sharply and stared directly 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 say?"

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 serious 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 change him!"

After all the words were said, Li Jihe dared not say anything, so he had no choice but to obey.Substitution?It's better to change his head
"In this battle today, people were chased away with swords and sticks, shouting and killing, it 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! "

Upon hearing this, 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 getting a little dark. The old emperor knew that there were still many eyes staring closely at his group in the village that had become quiet at this time.

Such a strict defense, the county government's greeting is one thing, being able to organize it is another.The old emperor did not believe that the local government could control the countryside to such an extent. What made the old emperor care was precisely the strange smell he smelled here: clan and power.

"Since we are not welcome here, let's go out of 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 took 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 made Li Jihe a little confused for a while, but the emperor's oral instructions 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 billowing.The smoke from cooking on the hill 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, the old emperor was not here to experience the local charm after all.

Until late at night, in the small tent under the gangway, after being informed, Li Jihe and two guards came in, tied up a person, and stuffed a piece of cloth in his mouth.Seeing this scene, it was clear what Li Jihe had come up with.

Although it seems a bit magical that the emperor needs to use such means to meet people, but at this time, he can't care about that much.He was just a farmer, quite young. He took off his cloth head, thinking that he was being robbed by strong men, and kept calling 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, and I will punish them. If you use such means to invite, I hope you will forgive me for being disrespectful."

The old emperor's words made him feel confused for a while. After seeing this, he got to the point: "I'll ask you a few questions. Answer them honestly and you can be released safely!"

"If anything is unclear, you can explain it!" The old emperor glanced at Wang Qinruo again.

Wang Qinruo immediately agreed, and then explained the old emperor's meaning in his native 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 brought the old emperor a lot of emotion. Mandarin still needs to be vigorously promoted.
"Who's last name?"

"Zhang Wulin."

"Have you lived in this village for a long time?"

“Three generations of immigrants have been here for nearly 50 years.”

"Who is it that gathers people to drive 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 30 years ago, later than all the households with the original village surname. However, Lao Lizheng was a junior officer with military merit and was assigned to this village after his retirement.

Under his leadership, 20 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.What is conceivable is that after Li Zheng worked till death in this term, 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, the excitement on the old emperor's face can be imagined. 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 promotion of retired grassroots officers and soldiers to return to the countryside, and the purpose was to "send imperial power to the countryside."Even as early as 30 years ago, the old emperor had realized that this move was full of disadvantages and even backfired, causing a lot of chaos 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 is not that the matter has been resolved and settled, but that the officers and soldiers have become smarter and more sophisticated in the integration and evolution of the local tycoon clans, and they are well versed in the principle of "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?"

"Not entirely. In normal times, outsiders are still allowed to receive. 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?"

Regarding this question, villager Zhang Wulin did not dare to answer. A farmer who is a responsible farmer is instinctively vigilant when it comes to certain issues and does not want to talk too much to avoid getting into trouble.

Sensing his concerns, he offered some kind words to comfort him, but it was of no use. He kept shaking his head no matter how hard he tried to persuade him.In the end, it was Li Jihe who asked the old emperor for instructions with his eyes, pulled out a knife and put it on his neck, and then spoke 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, and each family must pay one pound and 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 became more and more enthusiastic. 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 by relying on the mountains.If it's just a donation, even if it's a bit difficult, you can still afford it if you squeeze in.

Two stones of wheat was not too much two years ago. New wheat was not enough, so I could just turn a blind eye and use old grain. If that didn't work, I could use game instead.The difficulty is money. The government only accepts gold, silver and copper coins. There is no need to consider the first two. But for ordinary villagers, there are only a handful of people who can always make money at home.

What to do if you don't have money? You can only exchange 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 this one incident was enough to damage the lives and property of all the villagers in the nine villages, but just the year before last, from autumn to winter, the Luoshan County government issued three donation orders.Although the amount of money and grain requested each time was the same, the burden on the people became heavier each time. Many farmers' meager savings for many years were squeezed out in that year, which also caused a rare winter experience in Jiu Village in the past ten years. Disaster.

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 "mountain stone donations", "beam donations" and "copper paint donations".Not only do they need money and food, but they also need people. At the end of April last year, the government ordered the recruitment of workers, and more than 30 people were transferred from nine villages alone. More than 30 strong laborers are not a small number for such a mountain village.

Zhang Wulin's eldest son was also recruited 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 has exempted his family from paying part of the donation. It will be good if the people come back alive, so don't have extravagant expectations. A good life is farming. The country I still owe a lot of my main classes...

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.What did he say at that time?This is what the people below did again!At this time, the old emperor's throat felt as uncomfortable as if a fly had been choked.

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 reaction of the people, it is very serious, but in describing the specific details, it is just an understatement and a passing brushstroke.It is difficult to truly understand the depth and horror of many things without coming down to see them with your own eyes and hear 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 changed 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 many policies of the past imperial court. He proposed various proposals and reforms. The reports of the ministers were basically a great success, and the secret agents and supervisors also said that the results were remarkable.However, the situation in the Nine Villages really could not make the old emperor optimistic anymore. He even directly asked, was the rule of the Han Dynasty really as solid as a rock?What I saw and heard this time can already answer part of this question.

What a small Jiu Village 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 Jiu Village is quite disciplined and does not take too many actions to fish in the lake. They still retain the dignity of fellow villagers in each other. Even if they are exploited, they try to restrain themselves as much as possible.

From time to time, he can also spend money to build bridges and pave roads, clear ditches, and provide relief to poor households. When encountering disputes that do not involve personal interests, he can often make impartial and fair decisions.But there is also a prerequisite. At critical moments, such as now, the whole village must listen to his Shi family!

In contrast, it is also to "fulfill filial piety" for the construction of a palace, but in some places, the food appearance is ugly.When the government wants money, it dares to call out "new wheat" and "new wheat". If the old wheat is harvested, it doesn't count. You have to find a way to make up for it.

The government would draw ten dings, and he would draw twenty. The extra ten people did not have to go and spent money to buy their freedom. If they had no money, they could use food or local goods.We have no money or goods, but we have a way, so we can 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 we have earned several months in vain. time
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!" 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!"

"Have some 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, and 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 he just wanted to remove himself from the matter as much as possible and to gain the old man's approval. It was not the emperor's fault, but the traitor's obstruction.

However, Zhang Wulin's words once again asked the old emperor: "The officials in Xinyang and Yingshan cannot control us. I wonder what will happen to the magistrate of Luoshan County?"

(Ma Qing, a former magistrate of the county in southern Zhejiang, rushed to the city and felt his neck felt cold again)

The old emperor was still dazed, so he listened to this Wu Lin Road again: "I heard that the emperor's palace has been repaired 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 and accusations.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!"

After hearing the rebuke, Wang Qinruo's legs went weak and he knelt down: "I don't dare!"

Zhang Wulin was confused by the performance of the chief minister and looked at him in a daze.Ignoring Wang Qinruo, the old emperor thought for a moment and then asked, "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. We can get [-]% 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 tenant still retains a certain degree of freedom and his own land. However, according to the situation in this village, it may be gone one day. This situation is too fragile and makes people feel uncomfortable. I can't help but feel worried when I hear it.

"How many people are there in your family?" the old emperor asked again.

In response to this, Zhang Wulin's eyes immediately showed vigilance. It was 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 that no one dare to neglect, so Liu Wenhuan took a half step forward and spoke first: "Only when you register as a householder do you become a citizen of the Han Dynasty. Only then can you enjoy all the rights that a citizen of the Han Dynasty has, including going to school, taking exams, becoming an official, joining the army, traveling for business, and doing business. Your land, property and even safety have just been protected by the laws of the Han Dynasty. Even if your inheritance after your death is not inherited by your descendants, they 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 are talking about 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 government protection, we only hope that there will be no more donations, no more taxes, and less labor, and we are already satisfied.By the way, when you are doing labor service or 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 no one 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 expression made him angry: "If there are people who bully you, what will you do if there is no government? What 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, give him Fight back!"

"What if Li Zheng wants to take away 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, why should it protect the common people like us? The government still needs to rely on us. If Li Zheng collects taxes and levies, will he not side with Li Zheng?"

"You! You are simply unreasonable!" Listening to his words, Liu Wenhuan felt a little bit off guard.

"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 confusion. 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.

Upon seeing this, Liu Wenji 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: "Because the government has forced apportionment in the past two years, how much food has your family paid?"

"Not counting anything else, I have 7 gu of money and more than 1500 kilograms of new and old wheat." Zhang Wulin still couldn't help but feel heartache when he answered.

"The family is rich!"

Obviously, this family was really rich farmers before.After all, he is still a farmer, and his family has plenty of labor.

"Go and get twenty guan of copper coins, give it to him, and let him go!" 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 outspoken thank you tonight.

I can understand what you are worried about. After returning home, you can 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 tentatively left, turning back three times at a step, 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.

"Tricky people." Wang Qinruo thought in his heart, watching the old emperor carefully from the corner of his eye, feeling very uneasy. Anyone else would be upset after hearing what he heard tonight.If the old emperor breaks out, who can stop him? What if he kills himself?
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, and took the initiative to say: "My grandfather was aware of the people's sentiments, and he actually 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! Let's start tomorrow and check out the next village!"

"Yes!"

In fact, what can you see if you look further down?In addition to being disappointed, he was still disappointed. What he 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 and waste of people and money were just superficial, and the current grassroots operating rules and order of the Han Dynasty reflected in it 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 frightening was that the imperial court had to rely on such a system to manage the common people, and even regard it as national rule. An important supplement, even though the system itself is eroding imperial power and undermining governance.

The unwillingness is 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 the Taoist heart would be broken.But now, in his [-]s and very old, he just walked through it in silence. After reading it, no one knew what he was thinking.

It was probably close to the plains, the transportation was not that difficult, and the connections with the outside of the gang were fairly frequent. In fact, the Nine Villages were not as closed-off and poor as the old emperor and the others had seen.As we walked further and deeper along the ridge, and saw more villages, we 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 direct contact and talk without revealing your identity.The farther back you go, the more exclusive and cold your attitude becomes.However, as happened in Jiucun, the organized use of force to evict villagers has never happened again.

Of course, the old emperor noticed these anomalies, but he did not point them out. He just followed the same pattern, arrested people for questioning, and carried out this special private visit to the end.

When he walked more than 7 miles eastward along the ridge to the fifth village and asked about farmer No. [-], the old emperor was no longer interested in walking any further.The people's livelihood and conditions in the back are becoming more difficult than the last, and the local tyrants and evil gentry are worse than the others. In comparison, the Shi family in Jiu Village can even build a "virtuous gentry" memorial arch.

After walking around the Langgang area in the south, he did not give up on the plain areas 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, the opposite happened.The overall situation in the plain areas is of course better, but that's just because the basic conditions are better, and the people are just more tolerant of exploitation, but the severity of the hardships they encounter is 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 the 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 left the country. He did not give any instructions. He only asked everyone to do one thing. Meng Chang's "Commandments" written in his early years.

24 words, 96 words, is not too difficult for most officials.Soon some people memorized it by heart, but it was not over yet. They were forced by the old emperor to recite it, and this lasted for a day and a night.It is said that from morning to night, 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 the northern city of Luoshan, standing beside the earthen city wall, touching the solid female wall, the old emperor raised his head and looked north.Under the cover of night, behind you are the lights in the small town. To the north is a dark wilderness with dense trees. You 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. The location of the county seat. There is still a certain distance from 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 ninth-grade chief registrar, Wang Qinruo knew that his life and career had undergone earth-shaking changes.

Accompanying the king for a period of time in the past period 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.This person's adaptability in this area is obviously very strong, as if he was 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, his heart was filled with ripples, but he had a troubled 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. He just 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 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 and take charge of Shenzhou. On the contrary, 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, but 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 having such a resume can save him ten years, or even more.For a person who is obsessed with official career, ten years is of great significance.

If you can achieve the position of chief official of Zhongzhou in your early thirties, then you can definitely describe it as a promising future.At this age and rank, he is 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 cowardice or retreat at all, 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. It is not his ability to simply bring order to Luoshan County, abandon those exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, and restore peace.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 by powerful clans must be viewed in the long term. If it is only at a certain node, not to mention some small village tycoons, even real aristocratic families and nobles and royal relatives cannot withstand the violent attacks from powerful forces. , it just depends on whether those in power are willing to take action.

At least Wang Qinruo at this time is 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.