I have to say that Cheng Jingzhou's mind is quick.
He directly exchanged a white deed for the price of a bucket of rice.
And this rice is still old rice sent by the Du family.
Ordinary people don't care whether it's old or new rice, as long as it's not moldy and can fill their stomachs.
This can be regarded as making the best use of everything!
Now that these white deeds are in Cheng Jingzhou's hands, they are evidence of the crimes of some officials and even the emperor's relatives!
Cheng Jingzhou didn't expect to bring down some people just by relying on this, but at least in the next thing, those people should cooperate honestly and not dare to make trouble again.
Indeed, until the marriage was completed, many people did not think of this white deed.
Nowadays, there are a few people who are thinking about this level. They immediately send people to ask, and they are all wilted when they learn that the white deed has been handed over to the government.
Among them was a scholar from a certain town.
This scholar's surname is Wei. He is over forty this year. He gave up the scientific examination more than ten years ago and then started teaching privately. This year's income is not small.
As time passed, Wei Xiucai felt that his status had improved, and the business had to be bigger.
Therefore, I also had the idea of buying land.
Wei Xiucai also had several slaves in his family. Whenever a family in a village was in need of money, he would send someone to buy the land.
Of course, the land belongs to him, but the tax does not belong to him. In short, the farmers become his tenants.
If an acre of fertile land can produce three hundred kilograms of grain, then in addition to the grain tax and the rent sent to his house, if he can have a hundred kilograms left, he will have to burn high incense!
Moreover, Wei Xiucai will deliberately lower the land price. Those who are anxious to spend money will naturally not be able to sell it at a high price. Everyone knows this truth.
But being able to reduce fertile land to six taels of silver per acre is considered to be the limit.
Wei Xiucai relied on this trick to acquire land for himself over the years, and he used white deeds.
Some country people have never entered the county town in their lives, let alone met the county master. How do they know about this red deed and white deed?
Unknowingly, Wei Xiucai actually had hundreds of acres of farmland in addition to the eighty acres of farmland under his own name.
For the villagers, this is a big business, and they can definitely be called a landlord.
Wei Xiucai didn't take Qingzhang's matter seriously at first, because he never showed up for the fields he bought, and they were white deeds. They were not registered with the government, and he never touched the fields. It's the farmers who are planting it, even if you ask about it, it's the same.
However, Magistrate Cheng actually thought of such a thing and immediately voided the white deed. How could he endure this?
But can you sue him for this kind of thing?
This white contract was originally agreed upon by the common people themselves. Compared with the red contract, the red contract is naturally more binding. Moreover, the county government communicated this matter to the lower levels. Pavilion chiefs and lizheng everywhere sent people to knock on doors to inform them of the matter. They also stated that the government had given a time limit and they would not go to the government to apply for the red deed after the expiration date. , and never went to the county government to plead their case, so what reason do they have?
This is equivalent to Wei Xiucai losing hundreds of acres of farmland and nearly a thousand taels of silver overnight!
Wei Xiucai was so anxious that he almost didn't stick it out.
But does he dare to go to the government to exchange for a red deed?
The white deed clearly states the number of acres and the date it was signed. Can he bear it once he checks it?
Look at the fate of Wang Juren in the head, which one of them dares to make trouble again?
It's better to just lose nearly a thousand taels of silver than to have your reputation revoked!
After all, as long as he has the reputation of being a scholar, the property under his name does not need to be taxed, and his family does not need anyone to serve as a Yao servant. He is a scholar and is respected by others. If his neighbors need to ask him to come forward when something happens, he still needs to pay taxes. Being able to be a teacher will give them some preferential treatment in their own shop. These benefits far exceed that one thousand taels of silver!
After all, it’s all about face!
The county magistrate has to report to the Ministry of Rites to revoke the merit of a person. However, for a small scholar, the county magistrate only needs to inform the academic officials of the county, and the merit can be revoked directly without even having to report it.
Tsk, the more Wei Xiucai thought about it, the more he felt that he was in bad luck!
He was the first person to think of these white deeds, and immediately sent people to inquire everywhere.
When the people who came back told him that all the white deeds had been sent to the county government for sealing, Wei Xiucai couldn't bear it anymore and fainted!
When Wei Xiucai regained his composure and was able to walk and talk, another two days passed.
"Quick, go get some banknotes or silver ingots. I'm going to the county office."
Mrs. Wei was originally distressed about those properties, but now that she heard that he wanted money again, she became very angry: "More money? What else do you want? Our family has lost so much money, isn't it enough?"
Wei Xiucai said angrily: "You know nothing! Go and get me all the banknotes and cash at home. If it's too late, our whole family may have to be seized by the government!"
These words frightened Mrs. Wei.
As Wei Xiucai waited for his wife to get the money, his mind went through the years of those fields rapidly.
Some of the land has been in his hands for more than ten years. Even though it cost a few taels of silver at the beginning, after so many years, the free food they got is enough to cover the money.
Thinking like this, as if he had nothing to lose, Wei Xiucai felt better.
But when I thought about it again, those white deeds had all entered the county government. Once County Magistrate Cheng freed up his hands to investigate carefully, there was no way he could escape this disaster.
Cold sweat broke out on Wei Xiucai's forehead again, and he subconsciously thought of Master Du and Wang Juren. The fate of these two people was completely different. Wei Xiucai thought that even if he gave up money, he had to keep his fame, otherwise, his children and grandchildren would also have to Being laughed at!
Cheng Jingzhou does things flawlessly, but he doesn't push people into desperate situations.
Wang Youfu was blind, so Cheng Jingzhou thought of using him to scare the monkeys.
As for other people, as long as they are willing to lower their heads and admit their mistakes and make up for it with taxes, grain, taxes and money, they are not unreasonable people.
Of course, he didn't mean to ask those people to make up for it exactly as they were, and he didn't plan to hold a trial on the matter. As long as it was acceptable, he didn't plan to pursue it any further.
When it comes to this kind of thing, some farmers are being exploited and calculated, but some are really not.
Take the fields bought by Wei Xiucai as an example, 90% of them were because they were short of money and took the initiative to sell the land, so they ended up with Wei Xiucai.
It can be said that Wei Xiucai is unscrupulous, but at least he did not force others to sell their land like Wang Youfu. They are both evil people, but there is still a difference.
So when Wei Xiucai came to the county government office with a box of money, Cheng Jingzhou allowed him to see him.
