Although the governor has a high status, he is an outsider, and they, the local gentry, have deep roots in Datong.
From the humble clerks to the high-ranking officials at each government office, they are all closely related to local squires like them.
It's hard to say how afraid the governor is. After all, if the governor wants to successfully guard the place, he needs the cooperation of local squires like them.
Hu Mingyi looked at the squires present one by one.
It is obvious that these people here will not donate even one tael of silver.
"Mr. Hu, if you come to the Zeng family as a guest, I will welcome you. If you come for other things, you don't need to open your mouth again." The master of the Zeng family issued an eviction order.
Hu Mingyi looked at Master Zeng and said, "Master Zeng is trying to drive me away!"
"No matter, there are just bandits outside the city attacking the city. There must be a lot of things to do in the Yamen. Mr. Hu is working next to the governor. There must be a lot of official business to deal with. We won't delay Mr. Hu from getting down to business." Master Zeng said.
Hu Mingyi shook his head slightly and said: "There are indeed many things in the yamen, but they are not as important as what I am doing now. Dear squires, as long as you take action to support the governor in guarding Datong City, I will leave immediately , I will never disturb you."
After speaking, he looked at the squires present.
"Mr. Hu, why should he force others to stay? After all, he has lost the bearing of a scholar." The master of the Zeng family looked at Hu Mingyi and said.
Hu Mingyi waved his hand gently and said: "The magnanimity that Mr. Zeng said is not important to me. If Datong City is captured by bandits, all magnanimity will be gone. I am afraid that the huge Zeng Mansion will also become thieves." nest."
"Fart, the Zeng family is pure and innocent, how can they associate with thieves." Mr. Huang, who was sitting next to Mr. Zeng, spoke up for the Zeng family.
Hu Mingyi laughed loudly and said: "Mr. Zeng must be a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty. As for whether Master Zeng is, let's wait until the governor sends someone to check. Everyone, take your leave."
After saying that, he walked towards the door of the house.
"What do you mean by this?" Mr. Zeng felt the malice in Hu Mingyi's words.
It's a pity that Hu Mingyi did not answer his words.
When Hu Mingyi walked to the door, he suddenly stopped, turned around, looked at everyone in the room and said, "Everyone should go home early! Don't wait until the people from the Yamen arrive at your home and can't find you."
After saying that, he raised his left leg and stepped outside the threshold.
"If you do this, won't Li Xunfu be afraid of being blamed by the court in the future?" Master Zeng said, looking at Hu Mingyi's back.
Hu Mingyi said without looking back: "Even if the court wants to blame, it will have to wait until the bandits are exterminated. As long as the bandits are still besieging Datong City, my governor will have the final say in the city."
While he was speaking, his legs had already reached the outside of the threshold.
"Wait a minute." Master Zeng shouted to Hu Mingyi who was about to leave, "We agreed and are willing to pay a sum of money to the Yamen to use to defend the city."
"Brother Zhiwen, how can you agree to him?" The Huang family master said with an angry look on his face.
The faces of the other squires present were not good-looking.
The master of the Zeng family said to them: "If I don't agree, the Yamen will send people to your homes to conduct inspections. Then the losses of each family will only be greater."
"He dares to do it, but he has no choice but to do it." Mr. Huang slapped the armrest of the seat angrily.
Hu Mingyi, who was about to leave, turned back and said with a smile: "Mr. Zeng is a sensible person. Besides, all the money raised is used to defend the city. It is also a good thing for everyone. After all, there are rioters outside the city." If it is not eliminated, it will always be a threat to everyone.”
"Brother Zhiwen, are you really willing to be coerced by him?" Mr. Huang looked at Mr. Zeng and said, but he ignored Hu Mingyi.
"Yes, we cannot accept his coercion. The worst we can do is contact the imperial censor in Beijing and Uemoto join them. In short, Datong cannot be ruled by his single governor."
The other squires present shouted loudly.
The master of the Zeng family said helplessly: "I never thought of doing this, but have you ever thought about it? Datong City has been surrounded by bandits. Even if we want to find the censor to join the governor, we have to be able to leave the city. Before that, the governor of Datong City had the final say."
The people who were clamoring to go to the capital to find the censor before were silent now.
"Master Zeng is still sensible." Hu Mingyi returned to the room, looked at the people on the seats and said, "Actually, I don't mind at all if you are willing to donate money. The governor wants to give you a chance."
Returning to his previous seat, he picked up the tureen on the table and took a sip of the tea inside.
The master of the Zeng family faced Hu Mingyi and said: "We can donate a sum of silver to defend Datong City, but the governor must ensure that this is the last time and will never allow this excuse to be used to force us to donate silver."
"You can rest assured about this. Governor Li is not asking for donations just for the sake of greed, but for the safety of Datong City," Hu Mingyi said.
After this time, he didn't expect to get money from these squires again.
The master of the Zeng family turned to look at the other squires and said, "Mr. Hu has just agreed. This is the last time. For the safety of Datong City, you will provide money again."
"The Huang family paid fifty taels." The Huang family's master said with a gloomy expression.
"Twenty taels."
"Thirty taels."
"Fifteen taels."
As the squires present reported the amount of money they had donated one after another, Hu Mingyi, who was sitting in the main seat, turned darker and darker.
The amount of silver donated by each family was not as much as the amount of money he received from the Yang family's restaurant.
"To put it all together, the Zeng family will contribute eighty-five taels." The master of the Zeng family waited for others to finish talking about the number of donated silver taels, and then he reported the final number.
Snapped!
Hu Mingyi slapped the table.
The cup lid that rested on the rim of the cup fell to the table, and a lot of tea in the cup splashed out.
"If you are unwilling to accept the donation, I will never force you to do so. However, when people from the Yamen come to visit, don't blame me for not warning you in advance." Hu Mingyi glanced at these people one by one with a cold gaze.
If these people still didn't understand, he planned to go back and ask the governor for permission to send out government officials to go to these people's homes to look for evidence of their collusion with bandits outside the city.
He did not expect to find any evidence of collusion with the bandits, but he guaranteed that as long as the government officials entered these people's homes and searched, the losses caused would be greater than the losses of the money these squires honestly donated.
"Mr. Hu, please don't be angry. If you think it's too little, just tell me the amount." Mr. Zeng quickly spoke to appease Hu Mingyi.
They also knew in their hearts that the number they just mentioned was too small and did not match their identities.
