Zhou Nong found that his fear of Gu Zhengchen seemed to be engraved in his bones, and he couldn't help but tremble when he saw his eyes.
In fact, this is not Zhou Nong's feeling alone.
Even fellow acquaintances Qin Xin and Wu Kang, who could be said to dominate the world in Quanzhou Prefecture, had to be cautious and tread on thin ice when facing Gu Zhengchen.
It was originally very simple. Compared with the previous Quanzhou magistrates, Gu Zhengchen was too fierce. He could find sufficient reasons in the Ming Dynasty laws and regulations to beat people to death or maim them.
Killing a few and maiming a few is actually nothing to Qin Xin, Wu Kang and others. In order to obtain benefits, no one has killed anyone or broken up a home.
But the problem is that the wealthy farmers these people target are businessmen and hawkers, and they are the common people at the bottom. But Gu Zhengchen was very different. He targeted government officials, subordinates, and servants. It was an officialdom. The lightest ones he caught were punished with sticks, and the most severe ones were already dead.
Wu Kang was almost sent to the dungeon by Gu Zhengchen. If Gao Huigao had not participated in politics and arrived in Jinjiang City, Wu Kang would most likely have been found by Gu Zhengchen to find various criminal evidence, and then - face to face with Tang Xian, it was really heartbreaking.
Gu Zhengchen asked Lin Fu to take out the tax stamp and shouted sternly: "As a last resort, the imperial court may levy next year's tax this year. It is not unheard of to tax three times a year. But Qin Tongzhi came to tell me when Quanzhou Prefecture arrived. As a last resort, when will the business tax be levied until two years later?"
A tax stamp is a tax payment voucher left by the Tax Division to a businessman. It says Quanzhou Tax Division, and also uses the seal of the Tax Division. The tax collection object, business category, tax amount, collector, and collection time are all written clearly. Clear and irrefutable.
Qin Xin took the tax stamp and looked at it, his face turned livid.
Zhou Nong, Zhou Nong, do you know how to do things? Who would steal something and still leave their name, or rob someone and still report their family name?
If you want money, you need money, so why leave any proof!
Now it's fine, the evidence is solid, what should we do?
Zhou Nong is also aggrieved. He doesn’t want to leave his name, but he doesn’t have one. Who will give us money? People will ask:
What do you do and why do you want money?
Business tax?
Get the tax stamp.
Common people's tax payment starts from receiving receipts, and merchants also need tax stamps as a basis for tax payment.
No tax invoice is issued, and the money required is less.
When issuing a tax invoice, you don't have to fill it in casually as to how much it costs. With the stroke of a pen, money comes in, how cool it is.
Qin Xin looked at Zhou Nong and said in a deep voice: "As the ambassador of the Taxation Department, how dare you act so recklessly? Now I will imprison you and will not convict you until the accounts of the Taxation Department are clear!"
Zhou Nong admitted that it was really not safe outside, so he should stay inside for a few days. After Gu Zhengchen left, it would not be too late for him to come out.
Gu Zhengchen looked at the Yamen servant who was walking over and said in a deep voice, "Step back!"
Upon seeing this, the yamen servant took two steps back, but felt something was wrong. He wanted to step forward but saw Gu Zhengchen's sharp eyes and quickly lowered his head.
Gu Zhengchen pointed at Zhou Nong: "Zhou Nong used his status as the ambassador of the Tax Division to bully merchants and amass money wantonly. The evidence is conclusive. Qin Tongzhi wanted to inspect the Tax Division's accounts. I have no objection to ruling another day. But this person interrupted Lin Punishing one leg will make the person disabled. According to the law, he will be punished with a hundred sticks and three years in prison."
Zhou Nong quickly retorted: "I didn't do it."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhou Nong coldly: "It hasn't been that long. It's not difficult to find witnesses. In addition to the witnesses in the Big Bowl Restaurant, the followers around you are also witnesses. It's not impossible for the two of them to come forward. testify."
Zhou Xiaoer and Wang Daguang shivered.
Damn it, Zhou Nong, just admit it. If you don't admit it, the brothers will have to go to the prison cell with you to check in with the warden.
Zhou Nong looked at Gu Zhengchen, who had malicious intentions, and remembered that this guy would hit him at every turn without any delay. He was frightened and shouted quickly: "It was Zhou Xiaoer, Wang Daguang, who hit him. I didn't do it."
You are a good brother, so help me carry a hundred sticks. I have treated you well in the past, and now it is time to repay you.
Zhou Xiaoer and Wang Daguang's eyes widened.
what's going on?
Are you betraying us?
Zhou Xiaoer couldn't understand, Brother Zhou, you are a person I admire, how can you be so shameless, if you are the one who does the work, everyone is responsible for it.
Wang Daguang saw Gu Zhengchen touching his chin, which was his typical action when watching a cane torture. It seemed that he wanted to continue beating people, and he ignored the old brotherhood and shouted: "Prefect Gu, it was he who ordered us to do this. ah……"
Zhou Nong yelled: "Wang Daguang, how dare you talk nonsense!"
Qin Xin is even more troubled. He is the acting magistrate and the person in charge. Why did you explain it to Gu Zhengchen?
Gu Zhengchen smiled and looked at Qin Xin: "It seems that the facts are very clear. Zhou Nong is the mastermind, and they are the slaves. The mastermind will be severely punished, and the slaves will only be punished with eighty sticks!"
Qin Xin secretly hates that these people are not living up to expectations. If you shut up and don't talk, who can do anything to you? It's better now. No one can escape.
"This is just what he said and may not be credible."
Qin Xin wants to save the situation.
Gu Zhengchen looked at Qin Xin and said seriously: "One person's words are really not trustworthy. How about asking Qin Tongzhi to check the cards and have all the people from the Taxation Department come over and interrogate them one by one. I think there should be a lot of people who come to know about this. That's okay too. Post a notice and look for the drunkards who saw them beating people that day, and you can even go to the doctor and ask what Lin Wen said in the first place."
Qin Xin's face was very ugly, he was trying to make things worse.
The more people involved, the more troublesome things become.
Who knows if the people from the Tax Affairs Department will yell about other things when explaining.
Qin Xin looked at Zhou Xiaoer and Wang Daguang, was shocked, and shouted sternly: "Zhou Nong bullied the Chamber of Commerce, enriched himself, and injured other people's masterminds. He will be imprisoned until the tax department's accounts are verified." , the two crimes are both committed, pull them down! As for Zhou Xiaoer and Wang Daguang, they beat others and caused their limbs to be broken. According to the law, the cane is eighty! The left and right government officials!"
Zhou Nong was pulled out by the yamen, his face was full of joy, and he thought to himself: Fortunately, the crime was serious, otherwise the fate would have been sealed today.
Zhou Xiaoer and Wang Daguang were so wronged that they cried and begged for mercy.
The yamen servant didn't care about this. He took off their pants and beat them with a cane.
Qin Xin made a gesture and told the yamen servant to beat Wang Daguang hard. It was better that this guy didn't open his mouth. Since he opened his mouth, he couldn't keep it.
But things went counterproductive.
Zhou Xiaoer was a little thin and was beaten to death directly.
Wang Daguang was somewhat fleshy. Even though he was beaten to pieces, he survived without being beaten to death.
Qin Xin looked at Gu Zhengchen, gritted his teeth and shouted, "What else can I do?"
Gu Zhengchen pointed at Lin Fu: "This is the owner and shopkeeper of Dawan Restaurant. The restaurant has had very little revenue in recent years. According to the imperial court's commercial tax of thirty to one tax, last year we only had to pay six thousand dollars in tax, and this year we only have to pay Three guan of money. However, the amount of money that the Tax Department took away from the restaurant was as high as 470 guan. Qin Tongzhi was asked to investigate the accounts of the Tax Department to find out the money coming in and out, and return all the money that should be returned to the restaurant. "
Lin Fu looked at Gu Zhengchen and was deeply moved.
Qin Xin looked at the strong Gu Zhengchen and had to lower his head: "It should be so!"
Gu Zhengchen nodded slightly, looked at Wu Kang, and said with a smile: "Wu Tongzhi can still sit safely in the lobby of the government office. It's really a good thing."
Wu Kang stood up and hid his fists in his sleeves: "Prefect Gu, please don't say sarcastic words. The government office has already investigated my affairs and Gao Shenzheng has cleared my name."
Gu Zhengchen stared at Wu Kang and said with a smile: "Innocent body? Then you must cherish it, lest after a while, this body will not be innocent."
"you!"
Wu Kang was furious.
Isn’t this calling yourself a woman?
Gu Zhengchen moved his sleeves and glanced at Qin Xin. Qin Xin called out and everyone retreated.
Lin Fu thanked Gu Zhengchen for his great kindness and was very excited: "Gu Qingtian, ordinary people..."
Gu Zhengchen helped Lin Fu up and sighed: "Quanzhou Prefecture has been suffering from evil for a long time, and it cannot be rectified in a day or two. I know something about the tax department's harm to the people, but before I could investigate it carefully, I was arrested by the high officials. Participating in politics has received the seal of power. Although Shopkeeper Lin and Zhou Nong are imprisoned in the prison cell, if there is not enough evidence to prove that this person is corrupt in the Tax Department, Qin Tongzhi is likely to make some arrangements to let him go free."
Lin Fu quickly asked: "What does Magistrate Gu need from me?"
Gu Zhengchen smiled. It was obvious that Lin Fu knew what he meant by saying this, and did not beat around the bush: "Contact other merchants and ask them to sort out the corresponding accounts, tax receipts, and fix the evidence."
Lin Fu did not hesitate and agreed: "The common people should do their best to handle the matters arranged by the prefect."
Gu Zhengchen nodded happily.
The heart is the power.
Lin Wen looked at Gu Zhengchen who was about to leave and asked eagerly: "Prefect Gu, are you really going to leave Quanzhou Prefecture?"
Gu Zhengchen looked at Lin Wen with a sad face, laughed out loud, raised his hand and patted Lin Wen's shoulder: "If you want to leave, you have to finish things before leaving. There is no reason to give up halfway."
Lin Wen's eyes lit up, he grabbed his father Lin Fu's arm, shook it and said, "Father, did you hear this?"
Lin Fu's eyes were wet and he said with expectation: "The people need honest officials like Magistrate Gu."
Gu Zhengchen nodded heavily without saying anything, waved his hand, and turned to leave.
Tongzhizhai.
Qin Xin gritted his teeth, held the tea bowl and thought for a while, but finally did not drop it, and said to Wu Kang: "If Gu Zhengchen doesn't leave for a day, there will be no peace in Quanzhou Mansion!"
Wu Kang looked at Qin Xin helplessly: "Who doesn't want to drive him away? Gao Hui participated in politics and wrote the document to impeach Gu Zhengchen. If nothing else, Gu Zhengchen will leave here within two months."
Qin Xin shouted unwillingly: "Two months? How long has it been before this man named Gu changed his tactics and used my hands to kill a handyman! If he is allowed to be here, he will become a lawsuit for others one day. , one case after another comes up, how do you and I deal with it?"
Wu Kang had a headache: "But now we have no other way to transfer him out of Jinjiang City. Even if something happens locally, you will be responsible for it on behalf of the prefect, and it is not his turn to be Gu Zhengchen..."
Qin Xin was very sad and complained that Gao Hui was too involved in politics. It would have been better to just throw Gu Zhengchen into a prison cell. Now that he is better, he still does not forget to cause trouble for him outside...
Qin Xin's old slave Qin Yuan came over and said in a low voice: "Master, the Yamen servant sent someone to deliver news that a strong man came from outside the Yamen and wanted to see Magistrate Gu by name."
