Soul echo

Chapter 673 Judgment
After learning some news from that refugee, Zhong Ye began to focus on the Li family.

It's not that he didn't pay attention to it before, one of the reasons why he came to Zhijiang was the rumors, but now he pays more attention to it.

After two days of observation, he found that the Li family was just as the emperor said, even more exaggerated.

The Li family holds more than [-]% of the land in their hands. Of the remaining [-]%, [-]% belongs to the government. Most of these lands are barren and unsuitable for planting. Cheng belongs to the local gentry and local tyrants who have good relations with the Li family. They follow the Li family no matter what they do, and they are the vassals of the Li family.

If it is really counted, the Li family controls [-]% of the land around the Zhijiang River, and these lands are all 'good land', whether it is planting or breeding, they can have good harvests.

In addition, the Li family controlled the entire grain industry in Zhijiang, whether it was food for humans or livestock, they had to buy from them.

Previously, Zhijiang was closed for a period of time, which caused the price of food to soar. Even if the blockade is lifted now, the prices of those things still have not been lowered.

The Li family sells at high prices and purchases at low prices, but no one dares to resist them, because in addition to using commercial methods, they are also a black and evil force, and they have done a lot of things to directly kill the rebels.

Sometimes they don't even need to do it themselves, and the dog legs under them will do it first in order to show courteousness.

Such a family, in the eyes of ordinary people, is an image that enjoys a good reputation and helps the public.

Because they sponsor children from poor families to study every year, and they only ask those children to get a good grade in their studies.

At the same time, there are many infrastructures in Zhijiang that are also funded by them, such as the wharf.

This time, the Li family blamed the high food prices on the government, saying that the price went up because the government bought a large amount of food and gave it to the refugees.

The Li family's game of turning black and white is really beautiful. If Zhong Ye hadn't come here, their good reputation might still be maintained.

"The accused, the head of the Li family, Li Jingming!"

Hearing this voice, Li Jingming took a deep breath and walked into the lobby of the yamen.

After entering the lobby, he was attracted by a tall figure, and couldn't help turning his head to look.

——Supervising the censor, "Jade face Yan Luo", Zhong Ye.

After taking a deep look at Zhong Ye, Li Jingming turned his attention to Zhijiang County Magistrate sitting on the main seat. Seeing his pale face, he knew that that idiot was really forced.

Was he being forced to do anything to himself, though?

Li Jingming only knew that because of this idiot, the century-old business of the Li family was ruined because of this idiot, and he didn't know how much it would take to restore it to its original state.

mighty--

The water and fire sticks came together, creating a terrifying momentum. Li Jingming was not frightened, but the county magistrate sitting on the main seat seemed even paler.

The county magistrate's knuckles turning white while holding the gavel, his attention was not on Li Jingming, but he was always paying attention to Zhong Ye's movement from the corner of his eye.

He could never forget the scene when Zhong Ye suddenly took out a document, put it in front of his eyes, and asked whether he wanted to dismiss the official or sentence the Li family.

After struggling several times, the county magistrate decided to keep his official position.

After taking a few deep breaths, the county magistrate patted the gavel, but the sound was not loud.

"Li Jingming, your Li family has been buying low and selling high for many years, why don't you repent?"

Before Li Jingming could speak, the county magistrate took out a document: "This is the "Grain Price Guidance Order" promulgated by the Holy Majesty. The officer also told you about it.

"This decree has been issued since the day your Majesty ascended the throne, and it has been promulgated for three consecutive years. Why is your Li family still doing this hooligan thing of buying low and selling high!"

Li Jingming finally understood why the county magistrate would do such a thing, because of the "Guiding Order".

Three years ago, when the emperor issued the "Guiding Order" for the first time, the county magistrate told him about it. At that time, the magistrate ridiculed him, but now he is using this thing to sentence him... Hehe , It's ridiculous!
"Reporting to my lord, I don't know about this matter, and the food transactions are all managed by the third brother in the family..."

Having said that, Li Jingming paused.

Because he saw the county magistrate winking at him, he couldn't help but sneered in his heart, this idiot is still thinking of sitting on the wall at this time.

But that's okay, with his help, the loss of the family should be able to reduce a lot.

The county magistrate breathed a sigh of relief, and then said: "Since you have a good attitude, I don't care about it so much. Next, the county government will send people to supervise your family to make up the taxes owed for many years. Punish more."

"Thank you, sir." Li Jingming bowed his hands, his expression uncertain.

Just as the county magistrate was about to announce his resignation, Zhong Ye on the side said, "Master Shi, don't announce your resignation so quickly, there are still things that have not been pronounced."

As soon as these words came out, the county magistrate and Li Jingming all turned their eyes to Zhong Ye.

Li Jingming clenched his teeth, his lips trembled slightly, and wanted to curse, but this is a yamen, so he still had to take care of his own face.

Afterwards, he turned his gaze to the magistrate, wanting to get some news from the magistrate, but saw the magistrate looking at Zhong Ye, trembling all over.

That's right, Zhong Ye is the supervisory censor, and he suddenly spoke up, so what he is going to say may have something to do with the county magistrate.

Seeing this, Li Jingming couldn't help but sneer silently.

"Li Jingming, the current head of the Li family in Zhijiang, do you know where all the scholars supported by the Li family have gone?"

As soon as Zhong Ye opened his mouth, Li Jingming was stunned.

How could he know these things? There are so many scholars funded by the Li family, even if it takes one day and one night, he can't tell them all. How could he know where they are?

However, he knew some of them.

Zhong Ye ignored Li Jingming, and started talking to himself: "Du Yuheng, who was the inspector of Jingzhou at the time, provided shelter for the Li family's various transactions in the past. Over the years, tax evasion has reached tens of thousands of gold; The supervisor provided shelter for the Li family to evade taxes. Since he took office, he has lost [-] silver in taxation in Zhijiang; In Wenchang, let the Li family occupy the Zhijiang market and kick out all other businessmen, allowing the Li family to occupy the entire grain market in Zhijiang, more than half of the medicinal material market, and three-fifths of the bookstores and private schools, forming a substantial monopoly."

After finishing speaking, Zhong Ye added another sentence: "This is only a part, and I won't talk about some others. Although most of the scholars you sponsored failed to obtain fame and came to work under your family, there are still some scholars who succeeded. After obtaining fame and fame, those people colluded with your officials and businessmen to open the door for you, which led to the decline of the Zhijiang market and increased the burden on the people.

"If they were in other places, they might have some hope of reporting to officials, but in Zhijiang, your Li family covered the sky with only one hand, and the common people had no way to report to officials. Unless they are willing to abandon their ancestral property and hometown and stay away from Zhijiang, they can only endure your oppression. , Li Jingming, what do you think your Li family should be guilty of?"

After listening to Zhong Ye's words, Li Jingming realized one thing - Zhong Ye was planning to kill their Li family!

So, he stopped pretending and laughed twice: "My lord, my Li family—what is the crime?"

However, what surprised Li Jingming a little was that Zhong Ye didn't respond to this.

"Patriarch of the Li family, did you make a mistake?"

Zhong Ye looked at Li Jingming expressionlessly, and said, "You think Zhijiang is your Li family's Zhijiang, and your Li family is the local emperor here, don't you?"

Li Jingming smiled and shook his head, "I didn't say that..."

Then, he saw Zhong Ye stand up from the chair, his tall body seemed to burst through the hall of the yamen, filling all his vision.

"Li Jingming, in the seventh year of Yanwu, that is, 12 years ago, you were informed by the county magistrate because you fell in love with a woman from a good family, kidnapped her, tortured her, and then killed her. , you took the trouble to destroy all of them—do you remember this incident?"

Zhong Ye walked over to Li Jingming, looked at his terrified face, took out the Shangfang Sword from his bracelet, and chopped it off without waiting for Li Jingming's answer.

Blood was sprinkled in the center of the hall, before the eyes of the county magistrate and the people standing outside the door, causing them to fall into astonishment.

"The Li family has been doing evil for many years, and the blood debt they owed will be repaid today!"

Zhong Ye glanced across, scanning the magistrate and the others.

"Come on, take down Shi Wenchang and others!"

The faces of the county magistrate and others suddenly changed, and just about to shout out, the yamen servant next to him shouted excitedly: "No!"

The Yamen servants rushed forward and directly captured the county magistrate and others.

Their faces were pale, and they never expected that Zhong Ye would take control of the entire Zhijiang county government office in just two days!

(End of this chapter)