novel-bin Chapter 93, 93, 5 taels
Chapter 93, 93, 5 taels
Chapter 94, page 93, Five Hundred Thousand Taels
Learning martial arts is like climbing a ladder to heaven, with each step leading to a new level.
The same applies to officialdom and the martial arts world.
Next year, I'll be going to the prefectural city to participate in the martial arts examination. This year, I'll be going to the prefectural city to search for five elemental spirit objects. The Lu family has business in the prefectural city, and right now, I also need to help my nephew propose marriage in the prefectural city.
Ren Qingshan had a vague feeling that he was about to be promoted.
From the county town of Tianjiao, a small step leads to the vast rivers, lakes, and seas of the prefectural city.
This step is like a fish leaping over the dragon gate.
However, before making the leap, there is still one hurdle to overcome—the imperial court needs to send someone down.
Tongbao Town.
Fang Yanping has set up a court in front of the Qian family mansion and has been holding trials for three days, making fluent judgments.
For the first time, he relaxed his standards for judging cases, firmly adhering to one principle—it was all the Qian family's fault.
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In fact it is.
Unlike county towns, where there are many wealthy families and at least some checks and balances, the powerful local magnates in the town truly have absolute power, and those who can be bullied are the weak.
After three days, the Qian family's granary had been completely depleted.
The Qian family originally owned 60,000 mu of land in Tongbao Town. A portion of the land was left for the collateral branches of the Qian family to cultivate themselves, and a portion was returned to the farmers by judgment. Even so, there was still more than 30,000 mu left. The small households that had been bullied to death for a century had completely disappeared into the dust of history. This belated justice weighed heavily on Fang Yanping's heart, and he was not at ease.
The bandits in Wangyue Lake have all been wiped out. A lake chief has been appointed, selected from the Demon Suppression Office, the yamen runners, the garrison, and the four surrounding villages. He will patrol the lake daily and allow the people to fish.
All of the Qian family's shops in Tongbao Town and the county seat were seized, and their deeds were confiscated.
The gold, silver, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, weapons and medicines seized were all inventoried and listed.
The total value is approximately three million taels, of which one million two hundred thousand taels are in cash!
This number shocked Fang Yanping.
The total grain tax of Huaiyin County for the entire year, converted into silver, amounted to only a little over 600,000 taels of silver. Confiscating the property of this one family would be enough for the entire county for five years.
This batch of gold and silver is truly a hot potato.
Fang Yanping wanted to distribute the money, but he knew that it would lead to soaring prices and ultimately end up in the pockets of unscrupulous merchants. It might even cause turmoil such as robbery and murder, so he couldn't make up his mind for the time being.
However, not spending money benefits those who come later, because when the officials of the court arrive, not many will remain.
He was very worried, really worried.
They have so much money they don't know what to do with it.
"Master Fang."
As evening fell, Ren Qingshan arrived on horseback. After Fang Yanping finished dealing with the day's petitions, the two entered the Qian family mansion, exchanged some casual words, and then got down to business.
"Qingshan, the Qian family owns many properties, with cash alone amounting to about 1.2 million taels."
Fang Yanping said thoughtfully.
He knew Ren Qingshan had many ideas, and perhaps he could find a way.
Give it to me!
Ren Qingshan thought to himself, then composed himself and slowly asked, "You really won't be an official anymore?"
A bitter smile appeared on Fang Yanping's lips: "Things have come to this point. It's not a matter of whether I want to or not. Let alone becoming an official, whether I can even keep my life is still a question."
In a fit of rage, he ransacked the Qian family's property; his intentions were clear, but he has to pay the price.
"There's no need to be so pessimistic. In the struggles of officialdom, it's a matter of soldiers against soldiers and generals against generals. In the officialdom, you just need to start your own battles, and you will find the right opponents."
"It's been three days, and no one from the prefectural city has come yet. Can't you see clearly?"
"Since you've offended some officials, you're bound to catch the eye of others. With this kind of behavior, there must be officials who appreciate you. Fang Yanping, how dare you be so arrogant as to think you're the only one in the world who cares about the country and its people?"
Ren Qingshan addressed him by his name and smiled faintly.
Fang Yanping's body suddenly trembled, his eyes lit up, and he suddenly felt as if he had been enlightened.
After staring at Ren Qingshan for a moment, a smile appeared on his lips, and a huge weight was lifted from his heart.
He stood up and bowed deeply to Ren Qingshan once again.
"Been taught a lesson!"
Qingshan, a great talent!
Ren Qingshan helped him up—all talk and no action, is this advice worth 500,000 taels?
"One million two hundred thousand, it's a lot on one hand, and a little on the other. When the Qian family falls, we'll make sure you eat your fill."
"Think about this: since buying an official position is the same no matter who you choose, why not offer tribute to the emperor? Just find some excuse—birthday tribute, imperial birthday tribute, tribute from this county, or something like that—and give him 500,000 taels of silver. Do you think he'd be willing to chop off your head?"
Fang Yanping was dumbfounded.
He felt enlightened once again, and his mouth became dry: "But—Your Majesty strictly forbids the offering of birthday gifts, lest it disturb the people and lead to extortion."
He tried to refute it, but he felt powerless and gave a forced smile.
"I see."
Offering unsolicited gifts to show favor is indeed forbidden by the court and would result in impeachment by the censors, thus damaging one's reputation.
But in the current situation, perhaps a "what's the use" approach might actually lead to a brighter future.
He considers himself a loyal dog under the emperor's command!
Even if His Majesty punishes him out of consideration for the overall situation, he will surely be reinstated soon—this is a path to great success.
Fang Yanping inwardly despised himself—how could he be so shameless! So depraved! So scheming!
But I was truly moved.
Compared to bribing his superiors to buy an official position, he could accept bribing the emperor.
"Let's do it this way first. Jiang Shi'an and I can handle this. You allocate one million taels, give half a million to the Emperor, and I'll look for business opportunities along the way to earn the remaining half a million back for you. How does that sound?"
Ren Qingshan was so focused on his calculations that Fei Fangyanping was speechless.
Fang Yanping was quite taken aback.
However, he instinctively felt that Ren Qingshan should have such abilities.
"What do you need so much silver for? If you're short on cash, I'll give you ten thousand taels. You don't need to pay it back, and I'll take responsibility for the consequences."
"My internal organs are malfunctioning; I need to buy five elemental spirit items."
Fang Yanping's facial muscles twitched, and after glancing at Ren Qingshan again, he was completely speechless.
What kind of monster are you!
He then realized that Ren Qingshan had already opened all four of his meridians in the previous battle against the fake magistrate.
Eyes facing each other.
Each person's eyes held a deeper meaning.
Do you have a secret?
Don't ask, I won't tell you even if you do.
—I really can't ask?
--roll!
"Alright! Then it's your decision!"
Fang Yanping pondered for a moment, made up his mind, gritted his teeth and said, then paused and added, "Qingshan, although we've known each other for less than a year, we're already—sworn brothers! I'll leave this matter to you."
Ren Qingshan wanted to make a joke, but seeing his sincere eyes, even with a few tears glistening in them, he held back and gave a heavy "Mmm".
It is not too late.
After confirming the matter, Ren Qingshan began to mobilize resources and prepare for departure.
The garrison sent a team of two hundred men, led by centurion Niu Ben. They were all elite soldiers. Every year, the garrison would send men to pay the grain tax. Since it was a gift to the emperor, they naturally had to send men.
Liu Yunfei, from the Demon Suppression Division, led twenty subordinates.
The yamen sent two constables, Guan Shanyue and Feng Peng, with thirty yamen runners.
The Eight Horse Escort Agency provides free escort services, with Jiang Shi'an leading twenty escorts.
The Fuhu Martial Arts School dispatched two Silver Blood Warriors, Wang Jingyong and Ren Yaohui, who led a team of ten elite disciples.
There were also a hundred servants and several attendants.
One million taels of silver were loaded onto the five-toothed treasure ships that had been used to pay grain taxes over the years. They were then loaded with yellow banners as tribute to the imperial court, hoisted their sails, and sailed away in a grand procession along the Grand Canal south of Beijing.
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