At the government office, order Mao as usual.
It's just that it took a short time to do it. After all, too many subordinate officials and handymen were injured and all went home to recuperate.
Insufficient manpower makes government operations difficult.
Faced with this situation, Gu Zhengchen selected 27 people from among the people who should be recruited to join the government office to serve as subordinate officials and handymen.
Huang Fei had no experience as a village leader and was not familiar with local affairs. He originally wanted to be a Zaoli, but Gu Zhengchen saw that he was a scholar and knew a lot about planning, so he arranged for him to work in a household.
Liang Hua was originally a patrol inspector in Jinjiang County. He once led the government officials and the people to fight against the pirates. He was quite famous. However, he was an upright man and was ostracized, so he had to go home. Hearing that Gu Zhengchen was doing things for the people and had Yang Baiju killed, he waited and watched for a few days and saw that Gu Zhengchen was acting vigorously and resolutely, winning the hearts of the people, so he came to seek refuge and was placed in the barracks by Gu Zhengchen.
Xu Lan was a well-known filial son in Jinjiang. After her mother heard about Gu Zhengchen, she asked Xu Lan to serve as an errand and help him no matter what. Gu Zhengchen accepted it and arranged it in the execution room.
There was Qian Bang in the work room, Wei Jingzhi in the ceremonial room, Huang Ke became the prison chief from the jailer, Zhao Sanqi led two teams of yamen servants, and Lin Wei was transferred to the official room.
From then on, after a lot of open and covert fighting, Gu Zhengchen finally placed a group of subordinate officials and servants in the government office who obeyed his orders, and initially took control of the government office.
Facing the powerful Gu Zhengchen, Tongzhi Qin Xin and Tang Xian couldn't use any strength.
Qin Xin was so angry that he stamped his feet: "It's good for him. He beat our people up and all his people came in. At first, he said it was nice and he wouldn't let anyone in. He was just bluffing. Now he's better, twenty-seven in one breath. People, the people in charge of the six rooms are all his people, the prison cell and the government officials are also his people! Judge Tang Tong, you have always been so wise, but you have to think of something."
Tang Xian lamented again and again.
Facing a powerful prefect, what can Tongpan, a subordinate, do? If he can't kill him, he can only make him stronger.
After fighting several times, things are fine now. People no longer have the final say in the government office. In addition, Gu Zhengchen strictly controls the entry and exit of officials, subordinate staff, and servants, making it difficult to leave the house.
Tang Xian knocked on the table, his brows full of sorrow: "Now, we can only hope that Gao Shenzheng will come to Quanzhou Mansion soon and suspend him pending the candidacy."
"But when will Gao Shenzheng come!"
Qin Xin sat down and stood up again, restless.
According to Gu Zhengchen's "seizing power", it would not take a few days to attack the officials in the government office. After all, many people have been imprisoned in the prison cell, especially the official Wang Xinqian. This person knows a lot. Once he speaks, he will be suspended. It’s you who participates.
"Urgent message."
Zhang Jiujing hurriedly entered the room and handed a letter to Tang Xian: "Wu Tongzhi sent an urgent letter from Hui'an County."
Tang Xian took it and hurriedly opened it. After only a few glances, his expression suddenly changed and he said in a deep voice: "Zhou Yuan did something bad and was caught by Gu Zhengchen."
"What?"
Qin Xin took the letter and looked at it carefully, his hands trembling a little: "Why is Zhou Yuan so careless? Why did he take risks if he didn't send someone to inform him!"
Tang Xian waved his hand: "It has happened, and it is meaningless to ask for the reason. Master Zhang, is there any news about Gao Shenzhen?"
Zhang Jiujing shook his head: "Not yet, but I guess it will be there soon."
Tang Xian frowned.
It's almost there, that is, it's not there yet.
Gu Zhengchen is a decisive and ruthless person. If he stays in the government office for one more day, he will suffer for one more day.
Tang Xian had no countermeasures, and Qin Xin had no idea, so he could only stare.
The prefect did not go to court, so he lay down and slept in the prefect's house.
Noon.
Gu Zhengchen opened his eyes slightly, walked down from the bed, and sat in front of the table covered with eyes, thinking about something.
Xiao Cheng stood outside the window and knocked on the window lattice: "Zhang Pei is back."
Gu Zhengchen's eyes lit up.
Zhang Pei hurried over, took out two account books from his arms, smiled at Gu Zhengchen and said, "Master, you have fulfilled your mission."
Gu Zhengchen took the account book and felt very happy: "I really chose the right person to send you to Hui'an County."
Zhang Pei grinned innocently.
Staring at Wu Kang is just a cover.
After Wu Kang was targeted, he was unable to escape and had to find a way to escape.
Zhang Pei's role mainly comes after Wu Kang escapes.
Every time Wu Kang escapes, it means he has plans and actions secretly.
Zhang Pei hid in the dark and spied the news.
Later, Shi Ruji "made Zhang Pei drunk" and Wu Kang left Hui'an County and went to the temporary camp set up by Zhou Yuan. Shi Ruji thought Zhang Pei was drunk and only asked people to pay attention to his movements, but he did not expect that his bedroom had already been entered. "thief".
Gu Zhengchen flipped through the account book. This was the black account recorded by Shi Ruji. It recorded how much black money Shi Ruji and the county officials had collected and how much they had divided.
I have to admire Shi Ruji. He is a very careful person. He only writes the numbers and characters clearly. He also writes the time and place clearly. He even records the other party’s reaction when he collects the money. For example, here:
On July 3rd of the fifth year of Hongwu's reign, Tang Hu was sent 800 taels of silver to Tang Hu in the courtyard of the Tang family. Hu was angry. I was frightened and sent another thousand taels of silver. Hu was overjoyed and praised his "good talent".
Gu Zhengchen continued to search the account book, flipping through page after page, his fingers stopped, and his brows furrowed: "On September 9, the sixth year of Hongwu, two pairs of golden sparrows were presented to Shou in the tower. Shou smiled and scolded: I am an eagle, domineering There is nothing comparable to a sparrow, so I cannot take it. On the twelfth day, I spent twelve pounds of gold to give it to the eagle, and I was full of praise."
Xiao Cheng raised his brows disdainfully: "Eagle, dominating one side? This divination man has quite a tone."
Gu Zhengchen nodded solemnly: "Compared to Tang Xian, Yang Baiju and others, what I care about most is the Bu family. Their relationship with the government is too close, and even local magistrates like Shi Ruji fawned over him, even at the expense of A lot of money, these corrupt officials will not fawn over an ordinary wealthy family for no reason, there must be something we don't know about."
Whether it's flattery or bribery, the purpose is to get greater benefits, otherwise anyone will give gifts to whom.
What benefits can the Bu family bring to Shi Ruji?
It's not mentioned in the accounts.
It took Gu Zhengchen half an hour to flip through the two account books, which not only recorded the money collected by Tang Xian's son Tang Hu, but also recorded the money collected by Tang Xian's housekeeper Tang Er, his master Zhang Jiujing, and the names of Yang Baiju, Wu Kang, and Qin Xin. Although it is not inside, there are traces to follow.
For example, Wu Kang had a nephew named Wu Yi who was engaged in antique trading in Jinjiang City. Although Shi Ruji did not send money to Wu Kang, he purchased as many as one thousand taels of ancient ceramics from Wu Yi every year.
Although this roundabout way of accepting bribes is hidden, it is not without flaws.
Gu Zhengchen closed the account book and had a headache.
It is said that in the early days of the founding of the Ming Dynasty, people's livelihood was in decline and the people were in poverty. Gu Zhengchen walked through Hui'an County and found that although no one died of starvation, few could eat three meals a day. Some people were even destitute and had almost no way of living.
But in such a dilapidated place, Hui'an County Government managed to unearth at least 50,000 taels of silver in just four years.
Apart from the private distribution of money and grain from the county treasury, most of this was probably obtained by raising taxes on the people and raising taxes on businesses. Just like the people in Shuangxi Kou, fishing lessons are collected even if there is no fish, and they have to buy salt in addition.
"Arrest someone?"
Zhang Pei flexed his wrist and wanted to catch all these corrupt officials with his own hands!
Gu Zhengchen clapped his hands on the account book, clasped it with his fingers, shook his head and said: "There are too many people involved in this account book. In less than a month, it will be difficult to interrogate everyone and convict them one by one. But the other party will not give us It's been a month and Gao Hui is coming. He is involved in provincial politics and has the power to suppress me. So..."
Xiao Cheng's face turned cold.
Zhang Pei became anxious: "We can't let them get away with it. It's hard to refute Gao Shenzheng under the account books."
"Keep it well. If you lose it, it will be difficult to rectify the officialdom of Quanzhou Prefecture." Gu Zhengchen stood up, handed the account book to Xiao Cheng, and then looked at Zhang Pei: "Gao Shenzheng came to Quanzhou Prefecture at this time. They were the ones who invited him. It would be too naive to place any hope in him. Once the account books fall into his hands, he has ten thousand ways to deny them or make them disappear."
Xiao Cheng put the account book into his arms, kept it close to his body, and asked with a cold face: "Don't do anything?"
Gu Zhengchen shook his head slightly and looked out the window with a cold look in his eyes: "No, we don't have time to arrest so many people or interrogate so many people, but we do have time to arrest a few people, interrogate a few people, and - kill a few people. ! It’s time for Mei Hong to come back, and the government offices can be under martial law."
Jinjiang City, outside the West Gate.
A group of majestic navy sergeants escorted forty-six pirates including Tang Bahu and Lin Qingtang, with a cart pulling a pile of corpses behind them.
Huai'an Guard Commander Tongzhi Chu Xing personally led the team and majestically entered the city gate. As soon as he entered the city, he shouted at the top of his lungs: "Gu Zhifu learned that the pirates were invading Hui'an. He strategized and dispatched Quanzhou Guard sergeants first and navy troops later. Assist, kill twenty-one pirates and capture forty-six!"
The news immediately exploded, and the entire Jinjiang City became lively, with countless people running out to watch.
When Tang Er saw Tang Bahu, Lin Qingtang and others being captured by the navy outside, he was so worried that he quickly ran back to the government office to report the news, but as soon as he entered the government office, he saw the squad leader Zhao Sanqi.
Zhao Sanqi had a cold face, slammed the water and fire stick in his hand, and shouted: "The prefect Gu has an order, the government office is under martial law, no one is allowed to move around! Butler Tang, please wait aside, if you disobey the order of the prefect , I’m afraid I’ll get something wrong.”
Tang Er's face turned pale. Gu Zhengchen did everything right. He even started to control the government office!
It's over, it's completely over now.
Damn it, if Tang Bahu and Lin Qingtang were not in Hui'an County, why were they suddenly arrested!
Navy!
Why did the navy's men run to Hui'an?
Tang Er felt cold all over, and the whole Jinjiang City became noisy, but Tang Xian and Qin Xin were still in the dark.
Fuyaqian Street.
A middle-aged man with a tall and slender figure, standing as tall as a poplar tree, stared at a group of pirates and navy sergeants. His slightly dark face showed no sadness or joy. Under his thick eyebrows were eye sockets like willow leaves, with sharp eyes hidden inside. of light.
The Confucian scholar in green stood next to the middle-aged man, his mouth slightly opened, and a bubble formed from his saliva, which quickly broke: "Gao Shenzheng, there is so much noise in the Quanzhou government office."
