Prince Regent's Concubine

County magistrate Xu, who looked as expected, showed a surprised expression when he looked up and saw Ling Qing, "Who are you?"

Ling Qingshi asked Lin Xun to sit on the chair next to him, and sat next to Lin Xun himself, "Magistrate Xu was surprised to see me, so who do you think should come?"

"You are not from the Lin family!" County magistrate Xu used an affirmative sentence, and he looked at Lin Xun again, "This is a child of the Lin family. What did you do to this child? You took him hostage to threaten me?"

No matter how you hear it, it feels weird. County magistrate Xu obviously cares about Lin Xun, and obviously knows something about the Lin family, and even waits for the Lin family to come to the door, but after the Lin family's accident, there is no movement at the yamen. It becomes a contradiction.

"Magistrate Xu, he is my cousin," Lin Xun spoke for Ling Qingshi under the cold gaze of Magistrate Xu.

"Cousin?" County magistrate Xu still doesn't know this person.

Lin Xun added, "My cousin and my aunt came from the capital, and my aunt went home to visit my great-grandfather."

Now Magistrate Xu understood, and was even more surprised when he looked at Ling Qing, "You, you are... the princess regent?"

Ling Qing smiled, "It seems that County Magistrate Xu still knows my identity. Since County Magistrate Xu knows, then other officials who want to come to the county should also know that the Lin family is now a cousin of the Prince Regent's Mansion?"

County magistrate Xu smiled wryly, "So what if you know, this Kaiyang county is no longer a place where your senses have the final say. I'm old and can't do anything."

If it weren't for a county magistrate who was too conspicuous in doing those things, the subordinates would not let him, an old man, continue to be the county magistrate. He was the shield that those people put in Kaiyang County. With him around, the subordinates would be able to act better. .

Ling Qingshi was not surprised by the words of County Magistrate Xu, but asked, "Is County Magistrate Xu loyal to the court now, or does he have other ideas?"

"This official is naturally loyal to the court. I have been an official in Kaiyang County for many years. Although I haven't done any major things, the people under my jurisdiction have lived well under my governance. I have no shame in the court and even more worthy of the people in my life. ,” County Magistrate Xu said without even thinking about it.

Ling Qingshi raised his eyebrows slightly, "With the current situation, does County Magistrate Xu dare to say that?"

The officials at the bottom have different intentions, and Kaiyang County will soon change hands. It is hard to say whether the people will live and work in peace and contentment as they are now, or will be in dire straits.

When Ling Qingshi asked this question, County Magistrate Xu sighed, and leaned back on the chair back, "I dare not, I am sorry for the emperor and the common people." County Magistrate Xu covered his face, looking it's painful.

Ling Qingshi didn't want to watch this bitter scene, so he said directly: "Magistrate Xu, let's talk about the Lin family's affairs first, how much do you know, who is behind the Lin family's matter, and how long they have been planning."

County Magistrate Xu didn't speak, but gave Ling Qingshi an account book. Ling Qingshi opened the account book and found that this small Kaiyang County was actually a treasure house. mines, not only iron but also coal.

A few years ago, the Regent arranged for people to mine an iron mine and a coal mine. This is something that the court knows, but other mines that have not been approved by the court have also been mined in recent years. The output of these mines is recorded in the account books. As well as the people who instigated the mining, they were all county officials, the county magistrate, the county magistrate, and even the boss below were all famous.

Ling Qingshi sneered after reading it, "Kaiyang County is really talented. All the adults want to reach the sky in one step and grab things from the emperor."

County magistrate Xu didn't have the nerve to answer this. As a county magistrate, he had long been dismissed, and he couldn't control these matters.

The county magistrate Xu explained to Ling Qingshi, "Some mines were bought by some wealthy households in the county, and they belonged to private property. The imperial court does not allow the people below to own private mines, but these mines are not yet known to the imperial court, and they do not want the imperial court to own them." Knowing that, we can only use other methods to get rid of people, the fields and mountains are gone, and the owner will be under the management of the yamen, as long as they are in the hands of the yamen, it will be easy to talk about."

Ling Qingshi saw in the account book that the two mines were in the villa bought by the Lin family, that is to say, the Lin family was obstructing people's eyes because of these two mines.

Not only the Lin family, but also two other rich households in the county are also listed on the account books. Ling Qingshi pointed to the other two households and asked County Magistrate Xu, "Are these two households doing well now?"

County magistrate Xu said: "They don't dare to be so rampant. Even if they want to get rid of them, they will come one by one. Every one or two years, don't let them be suspicious. Otherwise, it will definitely attract the attention of the court. Nothing can be hidden."

Ling Qingshi raised the corners of his mouth, a little sarcasm, under the jurisdiction of the capital, it is no different from the world at the foot of the world, so many minerals have been produced, and he still wants to hide it, how much he does not take the little emperor seriously.

County magistrate Xu looked at Ling Qingshi's eyes, and continued, "The Lin family has a special status. Everyone knows that a daughter of the Lin family married into the prime minister's mansion. I was afraid that doing something to the Lin family would attract the capital's attention. Unexpectedly, the prime minister's side This time I took the initiative to send someone to move the Lin family, and then someone helped a little, and things became like this."

"Ling He is no longer the prime minister. He has no real power in his hands. People here still listen to him like this?" Ling Qingshi was curious.

County magistrate Xu sighed slightly, "But he is the empress dowager's brother after all. As long as the empress dowager is around, even the emperor will give him a little favor. It's just a concubine's natal family. Would the emperor treat his uncle because of a concubine's natal family?" Are you ruthless?"

After all, the root cause is still in the Queen Mother.

"Master Xu, how did you know these things? You said that you have been excluded, and it is difficult to collect this information. Also, you know that someone from the Lin family will come. If it weren't for me, the person who should come from the Lin family today would be who?"

"After all, I have been an official in Kaiyang County for so many years. I have some contacts. Although I can't do much, I can still investigate some things. As for the people from the Lin family, I should ask the Lin family to make arrangements and see who the Lin family wants to keep. After staying for the Lin family, whoever should come, I have seen almost all the men, big and small, of the Lin family."

Ling Qingshi didn't believe this, but he didn't hold on to it, but continued to ask, "The man is here, how does the county magistrate plan to help the Lin family?"

County magistrate Xu shook his head, "I can't help anything, I can only keep people in the mansion to avoid the limelight, and let them figure out their own ideas after the matter is over. They need me to stand in front of the court. I can't touch my official, but I can barely protect one or two people."

County magistrate Xu looked down at himself, "I am too old to be stimulated, otherwise something will happen."

Ling Qingshi understood this. A little irritation can lead to death. The county magistrate passed away. All this can't be covered up.