"Fifteen or six hundred people?" Liu Xiang was shocked. This small prefect's yamen actually had thousands of yamen servants! This does not include the two counties of Panyu in Nanhai. [Read the latest chapter] If we add them all, there will be at least 3,000 subordinate officials in Guangzhou city.
By modern standards, in a city like Guangzhou with a population of hundreds of thousands, having 3,000 “officials” can be considered a streamlined organization. The burden on the people should not be heavy. The problem is that China, a classical society, valued officials over clerks. Although they all ate "imperial food", the officials ate most of the "imperial food", leaving the subordinates who could not even "drink soup". Regardless of whether it is seven taels per year for a six-room official, or three taels or six cents for a "established" government official, there is still only six dou of rice per month. In fact, it is not enough to live on, not to mention that the vast majority of people have no income at all. Therefore, every one of the more than 3,000 people has to find food by himself.
These more than 3,000 people cannot only obey the public opinion, but they are also the incarnation of the power of the government at the grassroots level. It is only natural for them to use their power to scrape land and take advantage of others. The old-style government actually acquiesced in doing this.
You can imagine how severe the harm these more than 3,000 "public gains" had on the people and the city's economy. Liu Xiang looked at the dark crowd below. If he didn't hold the "barrel of the gun" and had a ready-made cadre and administrative team to rely on, how could a foreign official come here to be an official and not be betrayed by a subordinate? Counting money is fine.
He slowly glanced at the subordinates in the courtyard for more than a minute. The courtyard was filled with silence, and the only sound was the wind blowing the leaves. After a long time, he said: "Since you have abandoned the secrets and turned to the light, and are loyal to the Senate, I have something to say here. I hope you will keep it in your hearts."
The following immediately sang in unison: "Please give me instructions!"
Liu Xiang said: "I know it's not easy for you people: the Ming Dynasty gave you so little money for food and work that you can't support your family - most people don't have this little money for work and food; the officials regard you as slaves; this is All government affairs in the government offices, big and small, are said to be handled by the officials, but in fact they are all done by you."
The expressions of the crowd changed slightly: officials have always given official instructions when they take office, which is nothing more than "forbidden abuses and corruption." Table 1 shows the determination to "serve the country and the people", and it is inevitable to "admonish" the subordinate staff, asking them to "do their errands with integrity" and "not to cheat" and so on. In fact, it’s all official documents and no one takes them seriously. When Mr. Liu started talking, he spoke in a different tone.
Tasting it carefully is an affirmation of their work and understanding of their "difficulties". All the subordinate officials couldn't help but murmur secretly. What kind of medicine is sold in Mr. Liu's gourd?
Liu Xiang changed the subject: "Of course, there has never been a saint in the world who was willing to obey the public, and you are not the same. I have heard that being a subordinate official can lead to great success. This is all in the past. I, the Senate, are generous and kind. , 'The culprit will be punished, and threats will never be held accountable'. As long as the people are not extremely angry, past events will not be pursued..."
The crowd immediately started to stir, although these words were a "reassurance". But it is also a "life reminder". Those who have a flexible mind have already understood that this Australian gentleman wants to "kill the monkeys to scare the monkeys", use his head to scare the subordinates, and win over the people. Several people's faces suddenly turned pale.
Liu Xiang is very satisfied with the effect. In fact, he already had an arrest list prepared by the Ministry of Urban Affairs. There were more than a hundred people on it. Among the top ten, only four people came to answer - it seems that they also have very good noses!
He suddenly said loudly: "Meng Gongchang!"
With this drink, the entire government office courtyard fell silent. Meng Gongchang was a fast-moving government official, even though he was "upright". But he is not a famous person.
Meng Gongchang trembled all over, thinking that he was not the "chief culprit" in any case. Could it be that Mr. Liu wanted to use the "j" he used to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys? Although he was afraid, he didn't dare to respond. He had no choice but to line up, barely supporting his trembling legs and feet, and walked to the dripping eaves, crossed his hands and saluted, "The villain is here."
"Can you read the words?"
"The villain recognizes it."
Liu Xiang dropped a piece of paper: "Read it!"
Meng Gongchang tremblingly picked up the paper and unfolded it, only to find a list with the names of twenty or thirty people densely written on it. He knew some of them. Some people are strangers. As for the people I know, there are those in the fast class and those in the soap class; I can't help but be secretly suspicious. He did not dare to delay and read loudly:
"Wu Duoduo!", "Zhao Xian!", "Ai Fan!"...
Those whose names were called came trembling one by one and stood under the dripping eaves to greet them. Liu Xiang waved his hand: "No need to greet me, just stand aside!"
After the names were called, a total of thirty people, including Meng Gongchang himself, lined up under the steps. My heart was on edge, and my whole body was like chaff - they were not important figures in the yamen, and they fit the criteria of being a "j".
Liu Xiang nodded and said to Meng Gongchang: "I now appoint you as the captain of the Detective Brigade of Guangzhou Special City Police Station. These people are considered your subordinates!"
Meng Gongchang had already closed his eyes and waited for death, but now he suddenly heard that Mr. Liu had made a mistake on the spot and appointed him as a "captain". Not to mention the high and low officials, at least his life was safe. It was like he drank a cup of hot wine on a cold day, warming it from his feet to his head. He knelt down on the ground with a pop and said in a trembling voice: "Thank you, sir, for your cultivation!" He kowtowed three times in a row.
The remaining twenty-nine people also came to their senses, knowing that they were "Jane in the Emperor's Heart", and they knelt down and kowtowed together.
"Okay! Our Senate is not in the mood to kowtow to ask for peace," Liu Xiang waved his hand, "Since you are the captain of the detective team, it is your duty to arrest the traitors! I have a list here, take it by name. People! Mr. Lu, read it!"
"Here!" Meng Gongchang was full of energy at this time and turned around to stand under the dripping eaves.
Lu Yizhong quickly took a few steps and took the list - he had already guessed that Liu Xiang was going to arrest someone in court. The so-called killing of chickens to scare monkeys is simply impossible if you want to use these people without "showing power". Lu Yizhong quickly shook off the list, took a deep breath, gathered his energy, and wanted to leave a good impression on Chief Liu.
"Zhen...Zhen...Hao...Ren..." Unexpectedly, Lu Yizhong stuttered at the first name. I was so surprised that I almost couldn't read it anymore.
The subordinate officials present also burst into excitement.
Zhen Haoren is a household secretary in Guangzhou. Although he is only a small official scribe, he is one of the most powerful people in Guangzhou. As the head of Guangzhou Prefecture's Household Secretary Office, the entire Guangzhou Prefecture's tax collection is in his hands. From the county magistrate to the grain collector, everyone in the fifteen counties and one prefecture relies on him. Although the magistrate can display his authority as an "adult" in the official world, he still treats him politely in private. The local gentry did not dare to show too much disdain to him. His two-finger-wide strip was actually more effective than the county magistrate's strip.
Lu Yizhong never expected that the first person to be arrested would be the "local magistrate". He had been in officialdom for a long time and had seen many "defiant ministers". He was upright and honest, and was not afraid of the powerful. But no one really dares to take action against subordinate officials, especially the household secretary who holds the power of finance and grain. When faced with an honest, honest, smart and capable official, the best he can do is to restrain himself and stay dormant for the time being. Shangguan also gives up when he sees fit and will never pursue him to the end.
Zhen Haoren has not gone to the government office for a long time. He directs his disciples and disciples to do errands and exercise power at home or in teahouses. He was sure that the emperor would be indispensable to him if he wanted to rule the world, so Dian Mao didn't come at all this time.
Meng Gongchang was also surprised. In the eyes of these subordinates, Uncle Zhen was a figure in the clouds - the secretary in the sixth room was a "official", which was one level higher than "subordinates" like them, not to mention He is also the head of the most important household secretary among the six houses!
However, Uncle Zhen was not present at all today. He hurriedly reported back: "To tell you sir, Zhen Haoren has not arrived yet! Please give me the cards and fire lottery, I will go and get them now."
"Go quickly!"
Meng Gongchang did not dare to neglect and immediately ordered a few brothers to go together. Here Lu Yizhong read out the second name:
"Bivusi!"
The crowd stirred again. If Zhen Haoren is the "prefect of the city", Bi Wusi is the "Tai Sui of the city" - the leader of the fast class in Guangzhou Prefecture. This position is not even a "official", it is an out-and-out "subordinate". But his power is not much less powerful than Bi Zhenhao.
He has the most white minions under his command. Not only do all the city foxes and social rats in the city have to listen to his call, but also the various "gods" who come to the city to make a fortune will never even think of opening their own business in the territory of this prefecture and two counties if they don't pay enough filial piety. . As for ordinary people, they are treated as nothing more than trivial matters.
Lin Baiguang collected a lot of black material about him - in fact, it is not black material at all. Many of his evil deeds are already known to everyone in Guangzhou, and he only killed more than a dozen people on his hands. Although no one knows the exact amount of wealth accumulated in his family, some people estimate that his "regular silver" every year amounts to several thousand taels. The family wealth is at least 100,000 yuan.
Zhao Xian and Ai Fan were both yamen or white members of the fast class, and they were shocked when they heard that they were going to be the leader of the fast class. On weekdays, they didn't even have a chance to talk to Bi Wusi - he rarely went to the Yamen, and it was all ordered by his disciples, disciples, and grandchildren. During festivals or birthdays, everyone would kowtow together and give gifts. If Team Leader Bi said a few words to them, If you have a smiling face, it will be a big compliment.
Now that the superior officer was calling for it, they naturally couldn't disobey the order. They immediately pulled the chain in their hands and walked towards Biwusi.
Zhao Xianpi bowed and said with a smile, "Master Bi! I have a small business to attend to, so please bear with me..."
Bi Wu Si came to Ying Mao in person today - he did not have the ancestral secret knowledge to rely on compared to Zhen Hao, so he was particularly flattering. Hearing that Liu Xiang was about to question himself, he couldn't help but feel panicked. After all, he still had the power, and once he waved his hand, Zhao Xian and others did not dare to take it by force.
Bi Wusi forced himself to calm down, raised his hands and sneered: "What did you do to disobey your lord? Your Majesty, you want me to do something to you? Although I am not a saint, you have kept Guangzhou safe in these years. Xiaoxiao does not dare to cause trouble, sir." Think twice!" (To be continued.)
