However, to provoke the contradiction between the government and the county government, it is also necessary to distinguish priorities, Liu Ximing glanced at the prefect Zhang Licheng, and then looked at the person on his right who was wearing a seven-grade green robe and mandarin duck clothes, and knew that this should be Zeng Shuyao.

The Liu family is a native of Nanchong County, and the management authority is in the county, so it is said that Liu Ximing is best to pay the name to Zeng Shuyao, but after all, it is the official who crushes people to death, and this prefect is not easy to mess with.

Remembering that when he interrogated Li Yong before, he said that Zhang Yuqing had even taken care of the county, and he seemed to be about to complete his term of office for three years, Liu Ximing immediately made up his mind in his heart and said boldly:

"Xiaomin Liu Ximing to meet your parents and officials, thanks to Xie Xiancheng and the teacher's false praise, Xiaomin is deeply frightened, if this battle is not for the prestige of the house, where will the thieves retreat so fast, last night when the chaos was fighting, Xiaomin specially ordered his subordinates to shout 'Shunqing Mansion Zhang Licheng Zhang Fuzun has arrived, don't teach the thieves away', plus the small people are suspicious outside the village, the thieves believe it is true, so they fled in a hurry."

"Besides, if it weren't for the foresight of the Ming Mansion and the special dispatch of the officers and soldiers in the Mansion to rescue, Xiaomin and others would only be afraid that they would have been attacked and killed by the thieves who were wandering.

Zeng Shuyao heard that Liu Ximing gave part of the credit to Zhang Licheng, and he was angry in his heart, Xie Chengzhou brought me Nanchong County manpower, and immediately reprimanded Liu Ximing angrily: "Bastard, you have no merit and fame, and you have not been allowed, and you dare to talk nonsense." Someone come, and drive him out of the hall. ”

"Eh, Jinxian's words are wrong, this son has made great contributions, although there are offensive acts, but Xiao Jie'er, our parents and officials, should have the amount of tolerance."

Zhang Licheng listened to Zeng Shuyao Yue's command on behalf of Yao, and hurriedly spoke to stop him, this young man is very good, so he can't run away with the credit of his command, and his eyes when he looked at Liu Ximing were also kind.

Zeng Shuyao originally wanted to say something more, but if he didn't fight again, he was afraid that the credit would be taken away by the government.

Seeing him like this, Zhang Licheng knew what he was thinking, and immediately turned his face away, picked up the official authority of the prefect and said: "There is no need to say much about the Zeng County Order, now that the matter is clear, this official will report to the Yamen of the Political Envoy Division, and when someone comes, the officials of the military room will quickly identify the thief's head." ”

After finishing speaking, he didn't care about Zeng Shuyao and the rest of the county government, he turned his head and chatted with Liu Ximing with a smile: "I haven't seen such a heroic young man for a long time, and now it takes some effort to verify the first level, and you will tell me the details of last night." ”

Of course, Liu Ximing was happy to brag about his merits in front of the officials in the palace and to make a good impression on these people, so he explained in detail how he and others attacked and killed the enemy last night, and how they used torches and vehicles to disguise themselves as ambush soldiers.

As a personal participant and strategist, coupled with many years of experience in reading novels, he really spoke more vividly than Zhou Liangcai, and listened to the climax of the officials in the hall.

Zeng Shuyao was full of unhappiness on the side, and when he saw that Zhang Licheng and the others were fascinated by what they heard, he said gloomily: "The weapons you used to kill the thieves, where would ordinary people have these, could it be that you and the others have already had a plan?" ”

Liu Ximing didn't expect him to listen so carefully, but fortunately he had prepared before, and immediately replied respectfully: "So that the great order knows, the last time Xie County Cheng inspected the township, he mentioned the matter of thieves in person, and asked the people in the township to be on guard at all times. ”

Zeng Shuyao originally wanted to ask something more, but at this time, a scribe hurriedly stepped up to the hall and reported: "Ladies and gentlemen, the lower rank has completed the examination of the corpses brought by Xie County, a total of forty-five people, and one prisoner. After checking by the county officials and the elders of the township, these 45 people are not good citizens of the county, and they should be thieves. ”

Liu Ximing silently calculated in his heart, when he was in Zhangjiawan Village, the Long Xiang team killed four people near his home, and killed six people and one archer in the village, and killed four people in the Zhang family's mansion, a total of fifteen people, plus the thirty people who died when the thieves attacked the Zhangjia mansion in Zhengyuan Township, the number is correct.

When Zhang Licheng and other officials heard that there were forty-five corpses and one prisoner, they all became excited, and this was all a lot of credit, although they were only thieves, not as good as Tartars and other border criminals, but for civilian officials, this was also a meritorious service to defending the land.

Zhang Licheng was overjoyed at this moment, how to look at it, how did he feel that Liu Xi's fate was pleasing to the eye, and he waved his hand and said to him: "Hahaha, it will take a lot of time to report to the political envoy and the yamen to ask for merit, but you have no merit and fame, and it is estimated that it is mostly a reward for goods." Thou shalt have other requests, and if they are the rulers of this house, they shall be granted today. ”

Liu Ximing's heart moved, this is a good opportunity, after this battle, Zhengyuan Township and Zhangjiawan Village were burned down, and a lot of fields became ownerless, if he didn't take advantage of the current expansion of power, wouldn't it be too stupid.

But if you buy too much land, then the levy tax is a big problem, since Zhang Licheng asked, Liu Ximing thought about it and said: "Thanks to the respect and love of the government, the small people should not ask for more, but the village is now suffering from great disasters, and the livelihood of the villagers is even more difficult, can you ask the Ming Duke to exempt the three years of forced labor?" ”

Zhang Licheng suddenly felt a little hesitant, this scope was a little too big, and thought about it: "If you want to reduce taxes and levies in the township, you need to report to the imperial court to know, and it is not the government that can call the shots." In this way, because of your great merit, the government has granted you and your family three years of exemption from taxation and forced labor, and you will be satisfied? ”

Liu Ximing was overjoyed, Zhang Licheng estimated that he thought that he was just a child of a poor family, even if he was exempted from taxes and forced labor for three years, it was not a big deal, but what he didn't know was that he had the space to produce and accumulate funds, and he had earned seven hundred and twenty taels in these three months alone, plus the harvest at Zhang Yucheng and Zhang Yuqing's house last night, although he hadn't had time to count it carefully, but roughly estimated, two thousand taels should still be there.

When the time comes, I will take this shield and buy hundreds of people, hehe, as for three years later, Liu Ximing will not believe it, there is space to drink spiritual water every day, and he will not be able to take the exam after three years?

Even if you really can't pass the exam, after three years, your own power should be established, and then these county officials will dare to come to the door to extort money.

However, what he asked for just now was a reduction in the township, but now he is only exempted from his own family, Liu Ximing is not easy to show a happy expression, he pretended to be sad and thanked him: "Xie Fuzun is elevated, the small people are grateful, and I hope that Fuzun will say a few more good words for the villagers." ”

Zhang Licheng smiled, he felt good about Liu Ximing's face kung fu, this was like what a young hero who saved the teacher should say, and immediately comforted him, Zhou Liangcai and others A few words, and let them retreat first.

The prefect spoke, and Liu Ximing, Zhou Liangcai and others had to withdraw from the government first.

Thinking that Zhang Licheng had just said that he would be exempted from taxes and forced labor, Liu Ximing thought about it carefully, and it was best to buy all the land in Zhangjiawan Village as soon as possible, so as not to be taken by others when he got it.

As for the borderless land of Zhengyuan Township, he didn't dare to pay attention to it, the Zhang family had fallen, and the other squires must be eyeing it, this piece of fat was not something he could reach, and even the land in Zhangjiawan Village had to ask Xie Chengzhou for help.

Seeing that Zhou Liangcai was still on the side, he arched his hand and asked Zhou Liangcai: "I don't know what Mr. plans to do now, do you want to rest in the city for a while, or go home directly?" ”

Zhou Liangcai sighed and said: "Alas, now that the Zhang clan has been burned down, even if it is still there, it will be difficult to succeed without the support of the Zhang family. As for the past few days, now that the thieves have just retreated, I am afraid that there will be chaos outside the city, and I have a friend in the city, so I will go to his house to spend the night. ”

After speaking, thinking of the academic problems of Liu Ximing and others, he thought about it and said to Liu Ximing and Xu Wei: "It's almost June now, and the county government test is not far away. Ximing, although you are quick and talented, and you have left a good reputation in Shilin this time, you must not be proud and stagnant. ”

Liu Ximing listened to Zhou Liangcai's advice and knew that he had good intentions, so he said with gratitude: "Sir, rest assured, students must study hard and not fall into Mr.'s prestige." ”

Zhou Liangcai nodded with satisfaction, then said goodbye to everyone and went to find his friend by himself.

Xu Wei and Zhang Yuanlong originally wanted to wait for Liu Ximing to leave together, but Liu Ximing still had some things to do in the city, so they let them go back first.

When he came to Fucheng, Liu Ximing only brought Mu Jingnan, Li Jingsi and other four people, and the rest stayed in Zhengyuan Township to help clean up the mess.