The lobby of the Prefect's Mansion.
Liu Yuzhi handed a bamboo slip to Xiao Yuan respectfully: "My lord, please take a look."
"This is it?" Xiao Yuan put down the tea cup and took it.
"This is the result of scholars from all over the country who have come to take the exam in recent days. I have made this list after preliminary consideration and selection."
As Liu Yuzhi spoke, he took out another bamboo slip and handed it to Xiao Yuan: "In addition, this is an article written by one of them. After reading it, I was amazed."
"Oh?" After hearing this, Xiao Yuan couldn't help but put down the scroll of bamboo slips with the list first, took the second volume, unfolded it and read it carefully.
Because the first volume was just a list of those who passed the preliminary examination, and the second volume was an article written by one of them. Whose article could make Liu Yuzhi speak like this and presented it alone, Xiao Yuan naturally became interested.
He read it very seriously and didn't miss a word. After he finished reading, he couldn't help but nodded secretly, closed the bamboo slip and said: "Well, this article is magnificent in writing, magnificent in prose, and full of talent. It is enough to be called This is a generous work, and in the article, he pointed out the current shortcomings of Qin and pointed out the governance strategy..."
Liu Yuzhi deeply agreed with Xiao Yuan's praise. He also had the same view on this matter, and then said: "The person who wrote this article is named Wen Ruo. In my opinion, he should be the first among scholars."
Xiao Yuan nodded in agreement and said: "This person does not need to take the exam anymore, just pass it."
"Yes." Liu Yuzhi responded, and then said: "But this person's name reminds me of an old friend."
"Oh?" Xiao Yuan glanced at him with interest, waiting for him to continue.
Liu Yuzhi explained: "I have an old friend named Shangguan Wenruo. He traveled all over the world in his early years. He is talented, full of knowledge, and has the ability to help the country."
"Wen Ruo, Shangguan Wen Ruo, the names are indeed similar." Xiao Yuan smiled slightly and didn't care much. He said half-jokingly: "Isn't Mr. Liu exaggerating the talent of supporting the country?"
"No, no, no." Unexpectedly, Liu Yuzhi waved his hands repeatedly and said seriously: "I'm telling you the truth. I'm not exaggerating. It's just that he likes to travel around the world and I don't know where he is now. Otherwise, if you find him, you will get this person." If we help each other, great things will happen.”
Before Xiao Yuan could answer, Liu Yuzhi said again: "If you want to dominate, you must go to Shangguan Wenruo!"
The more he spoke, the more exaggerated he became, but he had a serious face. Xiao Yuan understood Liu Yuzhi's character to some extent and knew that he was not an exaggerated person, so he couldn't help but ask: "How is this person's talent compared to yours?"
"Beat me several times, even dozens of times." Liu Yuzhi said seriously.
"How is this possible!" Xiao Yuan smiled and said with a smile: "Master Liu is too modest."
Liu Yuzhi's talents were actually not displayed much after coming to Qinzhou, but Xiao Yuan knew very well that when he governed Liucheng, he turned the poorest small county into the largest county in Anyang, handling people's livelihood and taxes , is the number one person in Anyang, and when it comes to logistics work, no one among Xiao Yuan's subordinates can match him.
If someone is said to be ten times more talented than him, how could Xiao Yuan believe it? This can only be said that a scholar like Liu Yuzhi is too modest.
But Liu Yuzhi said urgently: "Sir! I am definitely not lying!"
Hearing this and seeing his expression, Xiao Yuan couldn't help but feel shocked. After a pause, he said: "Even so, I don't know where Shangguan Wenruo is. Let's not talk about it for now. Let’s do it.”
"Forget it, I don't know where Shangguan is now. If we have a chance to meet him in the future, I must introduce him to you. Your Excellency must keep him by then."
Liu Yuzhi sighed, and then turned to the topic, saying: "What are your plans for this group of scholars to finally take the exam?"
"Well..." Xiao Yuan pondered for a moment and said: "In three days, I will be at the prefect's mansion, I will take the exam and read their articles in person, how about it?"
Liu Yuzhi nodded: "Okay, I will make arrangements later."
While the two were talking, a guard from the mansion came to report, clasping his fists and saluting: "Sir, General Ye Cheng is here."
"Let him come in." Xiao Yuan said casually.
"No." The guard responded, and not long after, Ye Cheng walked in quickly.
After entering the hall, he first saluted Xiao Yuan, then nodded to Liu Yuzhi, and then said: "My lord, Shen Rong has been arrested, but during the trial, he said that there were evidence of the crimes of many officials in Qin, and he wanted to see your lord. ."
"Oh?" Hearing this, Xiao Yuan couldn't help but be shocked. He now lacked reasons to punish those officials!
"Where are the others? Bring them over quickly."
"The escort has been brought. Please wait a moment, sir." As he spoke, Ye Cheng turned around and walked out of the hall. Not long after, Shen Rong was escorted up.
His hands were tied behind his back. As soon as he entered the hall, he knelt on the ground with a thud, faced Xiao Yuan, kowtowed and said: "Sir, spare my life! My lord, spare my life -"
His appearance vividly portrays a villain who is greedy for life and afraid of death. Xiao Yuan also frowned and shouted immediately: "Stop talking nonsense! Shen Rong, I want to ask you, do you think there are various places in Qin?" The evidence of the official’s guilt is true!”
"Yes...yes." Shen Rong said quickly: "I beg you to spare my life. I will tell you everything I know."
Xiao Yuan did not answer him, but said coldly: "Then recruit him truthfully! Otherwise, his head will fall to the ground!"
"Yes, yes." With his life at stake, Shen Rong didn't dare to hesitate and immediately began to tell:
"Chang Shi Guo Qian is the biggest corrupt official in Qinzhou. He not only preys on the common people, but also bought and sold officials before the governor took office, with clearly marked prices..."
"The magistrate of Fengyang County originally came from a large family with no talent or knowledge and no knowledge of politics. However, he gave him 30,000 taels of silver and directly bought the official position from Guo Qian. After he took office, he cleverly created names for each of them. This kind of tax increase, in just one year, not only did he get back the 30,000 taels of silver he spent on buying an official position from the people, but he also had a surplus. In the following years, he levied and expropriated it, hiding hundreds of thousands of taels of silver..."
Xiao Yuan was shocked after hearing this. He only knew that officials in Qin were corrupt, but he didn't expect it to be such a bad deed!
No wonder people's livelihood in Qin is miserable. It can be imagined that those people spend money to buy officials. What they do for it is to make money!
How can these people not exploit the people after they take office in order to make money?
Otherwise, how to get back the money?
How could they care about people's livelihood and care about people's life and death!
After looking at Liu Yuzhi, Xiao Yuan pointed at Shen Rong who was kneeling below and shouted sternly: "Keep talking!"
"Yes, yes..." Shen Rong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said truthfully:
"The magistrate of Ganshan County gave me 50,000 taels of silver to buy this official..."
