The Zhenjiang Army issued a "Seek for Talents" order?
Isn't this a joke? Didn’t all the troops of the Shengtang Dynasty die in Crescent Bay? Why are you still recruiting talented people from all over Guimo in Western Xinjiang?
The order for seeking talents that Li Jiangyao came up with quickly spread to the entire Western Xinjiang region through the twelve tribes of the Shenhua family and in the name of Shengtang Zhenjiang Army Metasequoia Military Mansion.
The news that Zhenjiang soldiers and horses defeated the Western Xinjiang coalition forces in Metasequoia City also spread like wildfire with the order seeking talents. The common people in Western Xinjiang who had their hearts set on the imperial dynasty quietly told each other, unable to conceal their joy.
Suddenly, almost half of Western Xinjiang was talking about it.
The four cities of Metasequoia, Daban, Iklu and Pai returned to the rule of Shengtang. This brought a rare glimmer of hope to people in the dark and chaotic situation. Regardless of whether the news was true or false, people from all over the country still flocked to the territory of the Metasequoia Army like a tide, as if on a pilgrimage.
But it’s no wonder. There was a rebellion in Western Xinjiang. The rebels led by Loulan and Shule were burning, killing and looting everywhere, causing complaints from all countries and making people miserable.
Not long after, the Turks also joined the chaos.
Although they followed Ashina Zhijin's strict order, they did not slaughter cities and exterminate clans at every turn like they did in the past in the Western Continent. However, the supply pressure after the war also shifted to the people of various countries in Western Xinjiang. Continuous oppression and plunder have made the people's already riddled life even worse.
Therefore, as soon as the news of the Zhenjiang Army came out, a large number of people came to defect. Among them, naturally, there are also a large number of official talents that are most urgently needed by the Metasequoia Military Government.
In order to prevent the enemy from taking the opportunity to infiltrate, Li Jiangyao decided to recruit mainly Shengtang officials in the first batch. Compared with rebels and Turks, pure blood can guarantee loyalty to the greatest extent.
After various rounds of selection by Ma Mu and Situ Wushou, a total of 135 officials were hired and assigned to serve in four major cities and important towns. Among the one hundred and thirty-five officials, a middle-aged man named Xie Tanzhi attracted Li Jiangyao's special attention.
Xie Tanzhi is over forty, looks smart and capable, and has a very clean resume. During the interview, Ma Mu and Situ Wushou were very satisfied with his thoughtful thinking and fluent answers.
What interests everyone even more is that there is a story circulating among people who are familiar with Mr. Xie.
Xie Tanzhi was from Shengtang, and his ancestors were said to be from a prominent family in the Central Plains. I don’t know from which generation, their family moved to Guimo in Western Xinjiang and settled there, and Xie Tanzhi was born there. After growing up, this guy studied hard, took the imperial examination, and became the chief registrar of Balie County in the Suiye Kingdom.
Once, the magistrate of Balie County went out on official business, and Master Xie was responsible for staying at the county government office and performing official duties on his behalf.
It happened that at this time someone came to beat the drum and complain.
It turns out that there was a wealthy Shengtang family in this county, whose surname was Zheng Mingcai. Not only did Zheng Cai come from a well-off family, but his brother-in-law was also a captain in the Zhenjiang Protectorate. Zheng Cai relied on his status as a member of the Holy Tang Dynasty and his brother-in-law's power as a backer. He often bullied the villagers and had a bad reputation.
One morning, Remu Kezi, the old sheep herder hired by Zheng Cai, accidentally let a lamb fall off the cliff and die. Remu Kezi honestly told his employer Zheng Cai about the incident and expressed his willingness to compensate for the losses.
Unexpectedly, Zheng Cai took a look at the little lamb held in Remu Kezi's hand and asked him to pay five hundred silver coins. Otherwise, he would ask the old sheepherder to send his fifteen-year-old daughter to compensate.
Remu Kezi was dumbfounded on the spot. In the market, a lamb only costs a dozen silver coins. Zheng Cai's nonsense is obviously blackmail. His purpose is not the sheep, but his daughter.
The two couldn't agree, so they couldn't help but quarrel and fight. The village chief and the neighbors came out to break up the fight, but Zheng Cai refused and insisted on dragging Remu Kezi to the county government office for a lawsuit.
After hearing the whole case, Xie Tanzhi, the substitute secretary, couldn't help but his face darkened, and he asked Remu Kezi: "You are employed by someone, and you have violated your duty by throwing the lamb to death. Why don't you want to compensate?"
"Sir, it's not that this villain doesn't want to pay, it's just that he's asking for an exorbitant price, and I can't afford to pay!" Remu Kezi explained in a stumbling manner in poor Shengtang dialect.
"Oh? You said that Mr. Zheng is asking for a lot of money, so how much does he want you to pay?" Xie Tanzhi asked in a cold tone.
Remu Kezi looked at Zheng Cai and said angrily: "Five hundred silver coins!"
"Five hundred silver coins?" Mr. Xie pondered for a moment and said, "After all, it was you who made the mistake first. As the victim, he deserves whatever compensation he asks you to pay."
Hearing this, Remu Kezi suddenly became anxious: "Master, I don't have that much money to compensate him. Zheng Cai doesn't want money, but wants to take away my daughter..."
Mr. Xie interrupted the old shepherd's words: "I don't care whether you have money or not. Killing people to pay for their lives and debts to pay for their debts is a matter of course. There is nothing to say. If you refuse to pay compensation, I will smoke you forty in the hall." The leather whip can also be counted as a credit. You can decide on your own."
When the head of the village heard this, he couldn't help but feel worried: forty lashes dipped in salt water would definitely kill Remu Kezi. He quickly stretched out his hand and grabbed Remu Kezi's sleeve, asking him to stop arguing with the adults. He also whispered comfort and said that when we go back, we can all think of a solution together, and Minato will also help him raise the money.
The old sheepherder couldn't twist his thigh with his arm, so he had no choice but to agree with tears and accepted Master Xie's sentence.
The villagers watching the excitement all cursed in their hearts, feeling that this dog official named Xie favored the people of Shengtang, which was really disgusting.
Zheng Cai was smiling brightly, thinking that he would just come to the Yamen to file a lawsuit. I would be surprised if you guys from Xijiang could win. He bowed to Xie Tanzhi and said, "Thank you very much, sir, for upholding justice. I will also invite you to be a guest in my mansion in the future, so that the common people can have the opportunity to repay the favor."
"Don't be too busy repaying me yet," Xie Tanzhi said calmly, "I haven't finished the trial yet."
"Ah? The trial hasn't ended yet? Didn't you just award him compensation?" Zheng Cai was confused.
Xie Tanzhi smiled faintly and explained patiently: "When I investigate a case, I always smash the pot to judge the basin, smash the bowl to judge the bowl, and after one trial is completed, I will try the next one. I just finished the case of the defendant Remu Kezi, and now it's time to It’s time to put you on trial as the accuser.”
Hearing what Chief Xie said, Zheng Cai, Remu Kezi, the Li Chang and others were all confused on the spot: I had only heard of the trial of the defendant before, but today was the first time I heard that there was a trial of the plaintiff?
Xie Tanzhi asked: "Ms. Zheng, tell me why your lamb is worth so much?"
Zheng Cai was stunned by his question, rolled his eyes, and said casually: "Sir, this sheep from Cao Min is not an ordinary sheep, but a rare breed from the Ghost Desert in Western Xinjiang - Tianshan Snow Sheep. After the snow sheep reaches adulthood, The sheared wool is very fine and is of the highest quality, and can be sold at a sky-high price in the market. In addition, the goat milk of Tianshan Snow Sheep not only has a large output, but also has the effect of prolonging life, so it is naturally much more expensive."
"Oh, that's it." Xie Tanzhi stroked his beard and asked again: "However, I think this dead sheep is still a baby, not underage."
Zheng Cai smiled calmly and said: "Sir, Cao Min's sheep is indeed small, but as long as it is fed well for two years, it will be worth a lot of money. If Remu Kezi throws it to death, it does not mean that Cao Min's life has been cut off. It’s a way to make money.”
Mr. Xie nodded slightly: "Oh, so you are asking for compensation based on the value of the Tianshan Snow Sheep after it grows up?"
"My lord is wise, that's exactly what it is."
"Well, it makes sense to look at it this way," Master Xie smiled and suddenly asked Zheng Cai: "Mr. Zheng, for such a rare breed, the feed must be unusual, right?"
"That's natural," Zheng Cai continued to boast in order to be more reasonable: "You adults don't know something. To feed this kind of snow sheep, you not only need to use fodder, but you also need to feed rice, at least three kilograms a day. .”
Secretary Xie was very interested: "Oh? Three kilograms of rice a day? It is indeed precious. Three kilograms a day, which is one thousand two hundred kilograms in two years, is equivalent to nearly twenty kilograms. According to the current market price, it should be seven hundred kilograms. Seventy silver coins. Right?”
Zheng Cai was a little stunned: "Sir, you... why do you think this is the case?"
Xie Tanzhi said calmly: "I just said that you should judge the basin by breaking it, and judge the bowl by smashing the bowl. Remu Kezi will compensate you based on the price of an adult snow sheep, and your sheep still has two years to grow up. Therefore, you also have to make up for his feed money for two years, and the two accounts are balanced - well, there are a total of two hundred and seventy silver coins left!"
After hearing this, Zheng Cai suddenly realized, Damn it! It turns out that Mr. Xie is waiting for him here!
"Sir, please wait a moment," Zheng Cai said urgently: "In that case, the common people don't need to pay compensation to him, this lamb... I don't want it anymore."
Snapped!
Xie Tanzhi was shocked and his face was as dark as water: "If you say you want to pay, then you will pay. If you say you don't need to pay, then you won't. Do you think this yamen is specially opened for your family? You don't have to pay if you don't want to, just like him. Pay the bill with forty lashes!"
Zheng Cai was so frightened that he trembled and quickly changed his words: "Yes, yes, the common people gave Remu Kezi feed money, give him money!"
"Okay, since you admit it, I will write a verdict for you." Xie Tanzhi dipped his pen in ink and wrote down a verdict:
Kill the sky goat and calculate two years of rice.
The defendant compensated 500 yuan, which was returned to 270 yuan.
Zheng Cai takes partial wealth and blackmails others but bullies himself.
Tricky and secretly guilty, but clear and clear.
"Oh - long live Mr. Xie -"
Remu Kezi and the villagers couldn't help cheering, but Zheng Cai obediently paid and ran away in despair.
After returning home, the guy became more and more angry and went to his brother-in-law to complain all night long. Zheng Cai's brother-in-law was a captain of the Zhenjiang Protectorate, a high-ranking general. He had always been arrogant in the Suiye country where he was stationed. After hearing his brother-in-law tell the story, he immediately became furious.
He believed that by doing this, Xie Tanzhi was clearly not giving him face and helping the untouchables in Western Xinjiang to bully the Shengtang people.
Early the next morning, Zheng Cai's brother-in-law wrote a letter to the local county magistrate, strictly ordering him to remove Xie Tanzhi from his post and investigate. Otherwise, the Protectorate will never give up!
The county governor received an official letter from the Governor's Office, so naturally he couldn't afford to offend him. After weighing the situation, I had to sacrifice Xie Tanzhi, a low-level official, and find an excuse to dismiss him.
Xie Tanzhi lost his official position, knowing full well that Zheng Cai was behind the trouble. However, he didn't bother to worry about it, and immediately packed his bags, planning to take advantage of the opportunity of being an official to go to the Central Plains of the Holy Tang Dynasty to appreciate the customs of his motherland.
But who knew that just when Xie Tanzhi was setting off, a rebellion suddenly broke out in the Ghost Desert of Western Xinjiang. Fortunately, he was dismissed from office. The rebels captured Balie County and killed all the officials of Shengtang except him.
Xie Tanzhi, who had escaped the disaster, secretly thanked God and felt fortunate that it was a blessing in disguise. Soon after, he heard about the Battle of Crescent Bay, in which the entire army of the Zhenjiang Protectorate was annihilated, and Zijin Pass and Shengyuguan were also blocked by the Turks, so he gave up the idea of going to the Central Plains and ran to the countryside to temporarily hide.
It wasn't until the "order to seek talents" spread throughout the country, and Xie Tanzhi hoped to do something for Shengtang and the people of Western Xinjiang, that he came to apply.
After hearing his experience, Li Jiangyao couldn't help but feel very interested, and quickly asked his subordinates to invite Xie Tanzhi to meet him. The two people sat down to chat, and they immediately felt like they had met each other late. Xie Tanzhi admired this commander who was much younger than himself from the bottom of his heart, and Li Jiangyao also admired Xie Tanzhi's style and insight.
The two people talked more and more, and Li Jiangyao felt that he had found a treasure, so he quickly ordered people to call Xu Youchang, Lin Feng, Du Jian, Huo Liya, Ma Mu and Situ Wushou, and they all chatted happily while drinking and eating.
Xie Tanzhi is a bit of a "crazy" guy. Seeing the big shots from the Metasequoia Military Mansion gathered together, I couldn't help but get excited, and on the spot proposed an idea that I had been thinking about for a long time.
Unexpectedly, his idea immediately shocked everyone present and stunned them:
The Zhenjiang Army negotiated peace with the Western Xinjiang Alliance.
