Xuanzhou, Ningguo County, Huangjiazhuang.
In early summer and May, the weather is getting hotter. The early morning sunshine is warm and not too hot. It shines on a large field by the river outside the village. It is full of green and the rice is growing happily and endlessly, indicating the hope of a good harvest this year.
A dozen or so officials-looking people, holding cloth rulers and fish-scale books in their hands, were busy measuring and clearing the acres of land on the ridges of the fields without escaping hard work.
Two government officials in official uniforms sat under an old tree on the river bank, leaning against the tree, each holding a piece of thatch in their mouths, lazily watching the officials working in the fields.
"Old Chen, you said these guys are jumping up and down, are they serious?"
The stocky government servant drank water slowly and asked slowly.
"The devil knows. The county magistrate asked us to follow him, so we will follow him, just to show off."
The thin black yamen officer said casually.
"I heard that all the prefectures and counties on Jiangnan East Road are implementing the boundary law. People are panicking and there are complaints everywhere. I don't know if it's true or not?"
"Can you not complain when you cut off the flesh of a powerful official? If it were you, someone would take away your gold and silver treasures. Would you be willing?"
The thin black yamen officer said coldly, the grass jumping on his lips.
"Then let's just watch like this, why don't we go down and help?"
The short and stocky yamen servant was kind-hearted and felt a little embarrassed when he saw the officials working in the fields.
"If you dare to go down, you will have to get out of the county government office tomorrow! Do you dare not listen to the words of the county magistrate?"
One word from the thin, black yamen officer made the stocky yamen officer shut up immediately.
The magistrate and the prime minister asked them to obey the law and violate the law. How dare he, a small official, make such a mistake?
Jiangnan East Road implements the Jingjie Law, and powerful officials from all over the country complain. Who knows how many more days the officials at these Jingjie offices will be able to toil?
"These yamen servants are asked to come to help, but none of them can do anything to help. Instead, they are just like the officials. It's really annoying!"
Fang Yiqing raised his head, looked at the two soap officials on the embankment, wiped the sweat from his head, and said something resentful.
Officials of the Jingjie Office were clearing land in Ningguo County. Xu Hai, the county magistrate, asked the following Dianshi to deal with it on the grounds of physical illness. Dian Shi often slips out of his job, and the two government officials are standard judges.
"Needless to say, it was ordered by the magistrate of Ningguo. It's good that they don't cause trouble."
Wang Donglai wrote it down in the book, frowning.
Since the implementation of the Sutra Realm Method, various obstacles have come one after another, and they are well aware of it.
Especially those wealthy families with officials in their families, as well as those country officials who have become officials, all of them are wild, powerful, and cunning, so they are very difficult to deal with.
"Fang Yiqing, Wu Hai, you see, in the official yellow roll, Huang Zhendong only has twenty acres of land in his name, but we have measured it in the past few days, and the Huang family has at least sixty acres. This member Huang is really brave. !”
Wang Donglai flipped through the book and shook his head.
With sixty acres of land and forty acres of tax hidden, the owner of Huangjiazhuang can be said to be extremely bold.
"It's all expected. The Huang family has a great business. Huang Rucheng, Huang Yuan's nephew, is the prefect of Ningguo Prefecture. Who dares to check whether his family has more or less land?"
As Fang Yiqing spoke, he raised his head and looked at the villagers in the fields.
The people in Huangjiazhuang looked strange today, as if they had no good intentions towards them.
"What about the Huang family? Aren't we still investigating?"
Wu Hai put away the ruler and said coldly.
"When the time comes, we will report it to Mr. Hu, and see how Huang Zhendong can make excuses if the Jingjie Office comes forward. By then, the county magistrate, as well as the magistrate of Ningguo, will probably be involved!"
The emperor was escorting the Jing Boundary Law on Jiangnan East Road. What else were they worried about?
"I hope I can finish the measurement quickly in the next two days and nothing will happen."
Fang Yiqing nodded slightly, and everyone started working again.
Officials at the Jingjie Office were busy in the fields. Many villagers in shabby clothes watched coldly by the river and in the fields. Many of them had deep hostility in their eyes.
"What are these guys going to do?"
A villager asked. His clothes were shabby, but he was full of anger. He seemed to be an idle man in the village.
"What else can we do? Of course the people from the Jingjie Office are here to measure how many acres there are in the village!"
The farmer in his forties, thick-boned and well-informed, seemed to have experienced this in his youth or youth.
"Clear my husband's land! If this is the case, wouldn't we have enough to eat?"
Half of the boys asked in confusion.
"You know nothing! When will we have enough to eat? Let me tell you, the government is doing a good job. Huang Yuanwai's hometown..."
A Confucian scholar with a sallow complexion muttered, but before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by a gray-haired old man beside him.
"Master Huang, stop talking nonsense, do you still want to stay in Huangjiazhuang?"
Master Huang glanced at the unkind glances around him and kept silent.
On a piece of land by the river, the housekeeper of the Huang family watched the officials measuring the land for a while, then stood up and waved to the surrounding villagers, who gathered around him.
"Fellows, you have all seen it. If they do this, the fields will have to pay taxes, and everyone will not have a good life in the future! Huang Yuanwai has no food, and he will not live well. Naturally, everyone will have nothing to eat. What do you think we should do? "
Huang Da, Huang Zhendong's servant, Huang Yuanwai, shouted loudly.
"Fellows, folks, the government not only wants to collect taxes, but after the measurement is over, it wants to collect the arrears of the past five years, and it also wants to double the taxes. Are you willing?"
The housekeeper was upright and continued to fan the flames, and the villagers became angry.
"Is it possible for people to survive after collecting five years of accumulated debt? What a shame! Tell them to go back!"
"Double the taxes! Kill him!"
"That's right! There are so many exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, it's a shame!"
The housekeeper said loudly, and the servants around him, as well as some villagers, shouted.
Most of the villagers in Huangjiazhuang work as tenant laborers for the Huang family. Their livelihood depends on the food provided by the Huang family. Many people still owe the Huang family land rent. If something happens to the Huang family, it will be difficult for them.
The housekeeper of the Huang family took the lead, the servants made noises one after another, and the villagers were still hesitant.
Since ancient times, people have not fought with officials, not to mention that the officials of the Jingjie Office are all Shangguan officials from Jinling City. Killing these superiors will have serious consequences.
Seeing that some villagers were still hesitating, the housekeeper turned his face aside and began to call the names.
"Master Huang, you haven't paid the rent you owe to Yuanwai. Qian Liu, when will you pay the money you owe? Ergou, who asked the doctor to take good care of your mother's illness? And you, Huang Duofu, your father He died, who buried him?"
The housekeeper asked questions one by one, and the villagers looked at each other, and someone immediately spoke out.
"This is our land in Huangjiazhuang. Why do the people from the government have their say here? Drive them away!"
"That's right, drive them away! Kill them!"
"Since ancient times, the law has not punished people. Even if they are beaten to death, the government will not be able to investigate and deal with them!"
The villagers clamored one after another, and for a while the crowd was angry and the atmosphere was lively.
There are more than a thousand households in Huangjiazhuang, and the Huang family's tenants account for about half of them. The Huang family took the lead, and all the villagers began to agree.
"Folks, don't be afraid. Even if something happens, there will be Huang Yuan and the county magistrate and magistrate. Go hide for a few days afterward to make sure you are fine!"
The Huang family's housekeeper continued to fan the flames and reassure everyone.
"Folks, kill the dog officer!"
"Kill the dog officer!"
"Kill the dog officer!"
The villagers were furious, but the steward calmly took command.
"Huang Si, you take people to the south, I'll go to the middle, and Huang Da goes to the north. Drive them to the river so they have no place to go! Get the book back!"
After the housekeeper ordered them to go down, the villagers held sticks and the servants held knives in front. The group of people formed a huge encirclement with great momentum and rushed towards the officials of the Jingjie Office who were measuring the fields.
The villagers were so angry that they filled the mountains and plains. The two government officials on the embankment were taken aback. They spit out the thatch in their mouths and stood up.
"What do the Huang family want to do? What should we do?"
The stocky yamen servant was dumbfounded. Looking at the formation of the villagers, it seems that they are about to form an encirclement. If this breaks out, someone might die.
Needless to say, it was the Huang family who was working hard from behind. Those ordinary people don't have enough to eat, so how can they think of this?
"Don't move! If you go down now, you might be beaten to death by the Huang family. Take a look first before talking!"
The tall and thin yamen officer stopped his accomplice from making any move.
The Huang family had obviously planned this for a long time, and just the two of them might not be able to withstand the angry onslaught of so many villagers.
"What will we do if someone is killed?"
The stocky yamen servant's face was ashen and sweat was pouring from his forehead.
"What are you afraid of? If something happens, the magistrate and county minister will take care of it. It has nothing to do with us!"
The tall and thin yamen servant sat down on his companion, and the two of them sat upright, looking excited and nervous.
The villagers came roaring and shouting wildly, and the officials at the Jiejie Office raised their heads one after another and looked at this scene in shock.
"What are they going to do?"
Wang Donglai was confused and said stupidly.
They just came to clear out the land and collect it into a book under the orders of the Jiangnan East Road Construction Department and the Consulate General of Jiankang Prefecture. What do these villagers want to do?
"They... seem to be coming for us!"
Fang Yiqing sensed danger from the distorted faces and shouts of the villagers.
"Wu Hai, pack up the account books! Everyone, run!"
Fang Yiqing no longer hesitated, shouted, and everyone turned around and ran away. Wu Hai hurriedly wrapped the booklet in oil paper, stuffed it into his arms, and followed closely.
Villagers came from all directions. Fang Yuqing and others had no choice but to run to the river. Several people ran away together, and the villagers' morale became stronger. They ran over the mountains and plains in all directions, heading straight to the river.
There were bumps on the river beach. Wang Donglai ran too fast and accidentally fell to the ground. A group of villagers came up and immediately started attacking with sticks. Wang Donglai held his head and screamed. Under the siege of the villagers, Wang Donglai soon lost his voice.
Fang Yiqing and others ran to the river, but the surging water blocked their way.
The villagers swarmed in, their ferocious faces clearly visible. Stones, clods, and sticks flew like raindrops, hitting everyone on their heads and bodies. The pain was unbearable, and Fang Yiqing shouted.
"Jump!"
If he waited any longer, he would be beaten to death. Fang Yiqing immediately jumped into the water, splashed twice in the water, and was swept away by the river.
Wu Hai jumped into the water and saw Fang Yuqing being swept away by the river. Wu Hai wanted to swim up to save him, but was too late, so he had to swim to the other side as hard as he could.
Of the several comrades who followed him to the other side, only the young Liu Yannian seemed to be still visible. The others, like Fang Yiqing, were swept away by the raging river and soon disappeared.
The few colleagues who stayed on the shore and did not dive fell to the ground one after another under the crazy siege of the villagers, showing no signs of getting up.
Wu Hai turned his head, no longer hesitated, and swam hard to the other side. He touched his arms and saw that the booklet was still there.
The fierce fight ended quickly. On the embankment, the two government officials were stunned and their expressions changed.
The villagers left in a show of force and laughter, leaving behind seven or eight bloody corpses scattered on the river beach. No one cared about them.
"what to do?"
This time, it was the thin black yamen servant's turn to turn pale and his lips trembled.
With so many officials from the Jingjie Office being beaten to death, this matter may have really become a big deal.
"What else can I do? I'll go back and report it to the county magistrate. You can watch from here."
The stocky Yamen servant replied to his companion and stood up listlessly.
Things have already happened. As for how it will end, he doesn't bother to care. He will just watch the excitement when the time comes.
