Han Du and the others rushed back to the county seat before the sun set. Just find any excuse, spend some money on the road, and sneak 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 very lively.
"Why is Liyang County like this? It's not even the curfew yet, so why can't we see a few people on the streets?" a soldier complained.
Another soldier couldn't help but said, "Yes, if this were placed in the capital city. In the densely packed restaurants on the streets, you can see fried rabbit, fried raw lung, fried clams, fried crab, fried lamb and other delicious dishes everywhere Yeah. The stalls on the street are all filled with fried snacks such as fried vegetable dumplings, shortbread cakes, flower cakes, meat cakes and other delicious and fragrant fried snacks..."
"You two just know how to eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, can you shut up and say less?" Li Jizu couldn't listen to it, 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 in the middle of the journey. But since we have entered the city, let's go back quickly. When we get back, I will immediately have people 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 was really depressed beyond his expectation.
Avoiding other people's eyes and ears, Han Du entered from the back of the house. As soon as he came back, Han Du didn't even eat and hid in the room. Li Jizu strictly guarded him and prohibited anyone from approaching.
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 Yuanwai remained calm and looked at the county magistrate.
The county magistrate stroked his beard and sneered twice, and said: "Hmph! It seems that we have all misunderstood. This person 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 round-faced man wearing official clothes smiled and said, "It doesn't matter 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... ."
As he said this, the man stretched out his hand and made a killing movement.
The county magistrate frowned. This bastard was really crazy. Even the imperial envoys wanted to kill him. That was the imperial envoy. He represented the emperor's dignity. If he was really killed, the consequences would be even more serious than killing the chief envoy. 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 other way. Who makes this bastard have a close relationship with Yuan Wai, so Yuan Wai 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 calmly, as if he could see everyone's thoughts. After a while, he slowly said: "Since our imperial envoy wants to hide and investigate quietly, there are such cheap things. I admit that I did underestimate him at first. I originally thought that I would arrange it for him. A house was used 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's put him under our noses."
Then, he nodded to the county magistrate and said, "You come to visit him immediately. 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 became as gloomy as ice. Han Du never imagined that there would be such lawless people in this world, and they would be under the emperor's feet.
It turned out that the county magistrate Li Ang was not the main culprit at all. On the contrary, Pan Fu, the accomplice of the government office, is the real principal culprit.
Pan Fu's ancestor was once a government official in Liyang County, and he inherited this position from his father. As for why the county government office became the private property of the Pan family and could be inherited?
That's a good question. That's because Pan Fuzu really has a bully mentality. Since he became the official of Liyang County, he has used his identity to collude in various places in the county. After more than ten years of operation, it has long since attracted officials and gentry in Liyang, and weaved a large network that includes 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 rich and powerful people in Liyang have friendship with him, and they all 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 been dragged into the water.
As soon as Li Ang came to Liyang, he found that he had been completely ignored. Just at this time, Pan Fu wisely sent him a beauty. He placed this 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. By the way, the beauty Pan Fu gave to Li Ang was kept in Pan Fu's home. One day, Pan Fu saw the beauty's beauty, and he didn't know which muscle was wrong. He was so itchy that he even slept with Li Ang's beauty. After the incident, Pan Fu was so satisfied that he took the beauty as his concubine.
She played the role of the county magistrate and became his own little wife. This is because he wants to form a deadly feud with the county magistrate. Just imagine how Li Ang can 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 found out, he really didn't dare to touch Pan Fu in Liyang. Not only did he grit his teeth and endure the incident, he also gave Panfun a gift when he took the beauty as his concubine. The parents and officials of a county had to swallow their anger like this, let alone ordinary people.
It can be seen that although Pan Fu is just a government official in Liyang, he is simply more arrogant than the county magistrate in Liyang.
Jiang Shi also recorded in detail the various crimes Pan Fu committed in Liyang, a city rich in thorn sticks. Pan Fu gave Li Ang an idea, and asked every household in Liyang County to hand over a thorn stick on the pretext that he wanted to make an offering to the court. Even if the common people do your job well, they will find excuses saying that your job is too bad and you are fooling the court.
What should I do to fool the court? Fine!
With Pan Fu's help, the officials and gentry in Liyang colluded to innovate in new ways and make money in different ways!
In the beginning, it was just a stick of thorns. When the officials and gentry saw that the people just tolerated it without resisting. You have to pay to cross roads and bridges in the county, and you even have to pay to sleep in your own home at night... In short, there are countless ways to steal people's money, and this group of people has made a lot of money. Full.
Naturally, the people of Liyang lived in misery, but some people wanted to go to the county government to file a complaint. Just as he was about to leave, Pan Fu sent people to beat him up and evacuate all his property. If someone wants to cry and complain, or if he wants to go to Beijing to gain imperial status, he will even be killed by his whole family and his body will be drowned in the 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 of 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."
small book booth
Han Du had a sullen face and looked up at Li Jizu. He stood up and walked around the room with his hands behind his back.
He immediately said: "In that case, then I will meet him. Go and prepare a banquet for me immediately. Remember that I have been drinking today and am already getting drunk."
"Yes, the general will understand." Li Jizu immediately 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 do you 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 come over there." 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 about it. Could this imperial envoy be a drunkard? He obviously just drank yesterday, why did he drink alone again today? There were some doubts in my heart. Did I and others think too much, thinking that this imperial envoy would cause trouble for them?
