The prefect of Jinan Prefecture withdrew his gaze from Zhang Yuanwai, turned to look around at the others, and said: "I know that you are not willing to let the tiger thieves enter the city, and I am not willing either, but I want to Only if you can defend Jinan City, if you can't even defend Jinan City, then everything you say is just like fart."
He knew the reason why Zhang Yuanwai and other squires did not want to see the soldiers and horses with the Tiger Flag entering the city.
After all, the policies implemented by the Tiger Character Banner are the most unfavorable to these local gentry.
"During the day, you have heard how sharp the tiger bandit's cannons are, even if you haven't seen it with your own eyes. The defenders in the city didn't even dare to climb the city wall. Governor Fu was so frightened that he abandoned the city and fled. The reason why you guys Isn't it just to come up with a solution here?" Tong Juan said from the side.
He doesn't care if he can't become an official. Even if the tiger-character flag is powerful at the moment, he is still a traitor in his eyes and may one day be wiped out by the court.
Therefore, he is unwilling to do things that are disobedient, and he does not care about the harm to the interests of the local gentry. His hometown is in Jiangnan, and if he is not an official in Jinan Prefecture, he will live like a master when he returns to his hometown.
"Defending the city is a matter for the government. The government should be responsible for this. Guard Jinan City and prevent traitors from entering Jinan City." Another squire sitting next to Zhang Yuanwai said.
They, the local squires, had no place to run, so they least expected the army of the Tiger Flag to arrive.
The judge looked at him and said: "Even the most capable uncles and nephews of the Cao family in Jinan City have run away. Who do you think can guard Jinan Mansion? Otherwise, you can pay five thousand taels of silver to each family, and I will find a group of people who are willing to sacrifice their lives." Are people coming to defend the city?"
"Why should we pay for the government affairs that guard the city?" A squire muttered in a low voice.
Five thousand taels of silver is not a small sum even for country squires like them.
Not everyone is as rich as those vassal kings.
The savings they, the country squires, accumulated over several generations were far inferior to those of the vassal kings.
"Okay, I have decided to open the city gate and let the army of tiger thieves enter the city." The prefect of Jinan Prefecture was too lazy to argue with these squires about whether to let the people with the tiger flag enter the city.
There is nothing to argue about, because they cannot defend Jinan City at all.
As long as his life is still there, he can return home and devote himself to the mountains and rivers, and his family will not be short of money. There is no need to stay in Jinan and die with these local squires.
"Futai, you can't do this! The army of tiger thieves has entered the city, what should we do!" Zhang Yuanwai said unwillingly.
The Tiger Flag has been in Shandong for so long, and they have learned about many policies.
These policies are very unfavorable to country gentlemen like them, and may even cost them their lives if they fail to do so.
The magistrate of Jinan Prefecture said: "Xu Tongpan just said that if you come up with money, I can defend the city. Otherwise, don't mention it again."
He has decided not to accompany these blind squires to die.
"Take the silver, let's take the silver." Zhang Yuanwai said hurriedly, "We are willing to use the silver to defend the city, but five thousand taels is too much. How about five hundred taels?"
He reported a number with a pained look on his face.
The magistrate of Jinan Prefecture sneered when he heard this and said: "I see that you are not sincere, so I will wait for the army of tiger thieves to enter the city, and then ransack your homes one by one."
The five thousand taels of silver suddenly dropped to five hundred taels, which in his opinion was just a waste of time.
Does he, the magistrate of Jinan Prefecture, care about a mere five hundred taels of silver?
"How much do you want to say about the Futai?" Zhang Yuanwai started to bargain.
The magistrate of Jinan Prefecture leaned back on his chair and said, "Didn't Xu Tongpan tell you just now? If each family pays five thousand taels of silver, I will not let the tiger thieves enter the city. How about that?"
"This is too much. Can it be less, six hundred taels?" Zhang Yuanwai tentatively reported a number.
"Come here, see the guests off!"
The prefect of Jinan Prefecture shouted outside.
"Don't, don't, don't!" Zhang Yuanwai hurriedly stopped him and said immediately, "Five thousand taels is too much. I really can't take it out. Otherwise, give half of it, two thousand five hundred taels."
Seeing that adding one to two hundred taels of silver was no longer enough, he gritted his teeth and shouted out a large number.
The magistrate of Jinan Prefecture said: "Five thousand taels of silver, even if you lose one big man, Jinan City cannot be defended anyway. The tiger thieves will definitely not let you go once they enter the city. By then, if you keep the silver, it will be easier for the tiger." A thief will lose more than five thousand taels of silver."
The anxious look of these local squires made him see an opportunity to make a fortune.
Normally it would be difficult to get these local squires to get hundreds of taels of silver, but now that they had the opportunity to make a huge sum of money, how could he, the prefect, just let it go.
"Master Futai, don't forget, even if the army of tiger thieves enters the city, they may not let you go." To be honest, Zhang Yuanwai did not forget to glance at Xu Tongpan.
It was Xu Tongpan who asked them to pay for the five thousand taels of silver.
Faced with the threat from Zhang Yuanwai, the prefect of Jinan Prefecture chuckled and said: "Didn't Zhang Yuanwai hear that just now? As long as I let the tiger bandit army enter the city, the tiger bandit people will do whatever they want to me, so I How can you be afraid!"
"How credible are the words of a group of rebels? Mr. Futai, you don't really believe it, do you?" Zhang Yuanwai said.
After hearing this, the prefect of Jinan Prefecture said with an unchanging expression: "I am willing to take this gamble, and I also believe that the tiger thieves can be trustworthy."
Zhang Yuanwai saw that the magistrate of Jinan Prefecture looked like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water, and he didn't know what to say.
He and other squires had few means to threaten the prefect of Jinan Prefecture.
"Otherwise, let's take out this money!" A squire next to him said.
The magistrate of Jinan Prefecture, who was sitting on the main seat, had a proud look on his face when he heard this.
Zhang Yuan's appearance turned gloomy.
There are not many choices left for them, and the threat methods are also very simple. Some methods are useful in normal times, but they are useless at this time.
"Five thousand taels of silver. When you're ready, please bring it to Mr. Futai." Zhang Yuanwai said through gritted teeth.
He knew very well that the other party was adding insult to injury.
But they had no choice. If they wanted to keep their family business, they had to obey the wishes of the Jinan Prefecture magistrate. If the other party really wanted to put the Tiger Flag army into Jinan City, it would really be a big trouble for them.
"You have to hurry up. If you don't see any silver before dawn tomorrow, I will open it and let the tiger thieves enter the city." The prefect of Jinan said, "By the way, it's five thousand taels for a family, not five in total. Thousand taels."
"I know, let's get ready now."
With that said, Zhang Yuanwai was not interested in staying here anymore, so he stood up and walked out.
When the other squires in the room saw this, they all stood up and left with him.
Soon there were only two people left in the house, the magistrate of Jinan Prefecture and Xu Tongpan.
(End of chapter)
