Shen Xi was still sitting upright as usual under the gaze of everyone, his face was gloomy, and the guests in the audience didn't even dare to breathe, just standing there with a wine glass. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

These days are the time of the cold spring, eating in the cold wind in the yard should have felt chills, but many people present have sweat on their foreheads.

Finally, after being silent for a while, Shen Xi finally stood up and looked around: "This glass of wine, this official can't afford it." ”

Shi Feng didn't mention how embarrassed he was at this time, he thought to himself, this is the wine we toast to you, whether you drink it or not is your own business, at least the etiquette between the government and the people is exhausted, there are still so many gentry watching outside, you can't say a few kind words?

Shi Feng had a flattering smile on his face: "Lord Shen, this is the respect of the officials and people in the city, you are about to lead the troops to the north, to pacify the bandits for the court and to ensure the peace of the people, you should accept this toast, and it is also the official and the people to express their respect for you." ”

Shen Xi nodded slightly, picked up the cup full of wine, and just when Shi Feng breathed a sigh of relief, Shen Xi suddenly spilled the wine in the cup on the ground, which surprised everyone present.

Shen Xi said in a deep voice: "The first glass of wine, first pay tribute to the innocent people who were killed by the thief Song Kuang, as well as the soldiers and civilians who have been robbed and killed by the thieves on the southeast coast in recent years!" ”

Shi Feng was stunned, then shook his head and smiled bitterly: "The dead are great, this is as it should be, respect the soul of the dead first!" ”

After speaking, Shi Feng stubbornly followed the spill of wine, and the officials, gentry, and businessmen present followed suit, and each spilled the wine in the cup on the ground.

Shen Xi poured a full glass of wine first, and raised it high: "Second glass, salute again!" ”

Paying tribute to the deceased for three cups first, Shi Feng and the officials and gentry present understood that this Shen Dufu was dissatisfied with the current situation in Huizhou Mansion.

The prefect Song Kuang covers the sky with one hand, and there is no more than one Song Kuang in the local area who is corrupt and perverts the law, in fact, Shi Feng of Shanzhi County may not be a good class, and his black history is still a basket. The gentry, on the other hand, tried every means to reap the benefits, colluded with the government, paid less taxes, forcibly occupied private land, and went unpunished if there were lawsuits.

The local gentry are rotten from the roots, and it is not possible to solve the problem by killing a Song Kuang.

Shen Xi's three glasses of wine may not be for the dead, but for the local people, but he didn't make the topic clear.

After three glasses of wine, just when Shi Feng felt that he could toast Shen Xi, Shen Xi put down the wine glass and stood there straight.

Shen Xi was standing, and others naturally couldn't sit down, and they all wanted to know what instructions and instructions Shen Xi had, maybe a certain sentence would be quoted from the emperor.

In the past, local banquets were held for the arrival of new officials, and there were often officials who put on this kind of score, and after showing their status, they accepted meeting gifts and let each family break the bank.

Shen Xi said: "The soldiers and horses are going north, and there is a shortage of material scheduling, I don't know if there is a surplus in the local treasury of Huizhou?" ”

"This ......"

One sentence stumped Shi Feng.

Since the beginning of the year, after Lu Heng, the political envoy of Guangdong, arrived in office, the political envoy Si Yamen and the local state and county officials repeatedly urged the payment of materials and food for the bandits, and the local authorities in Huizhou naturally made preparations, but in the end, it was impossible to know whether it was sent to Guangzhou Mansion or was given greed by Song Kuang and others.

This is a bad account, Shi Feng thought to himself that he was just a small Guishanzhi County attached to Guofu City, you immortals fighting, don't let me and other little ghosts suffer.

Shen Xi looked at Shi Feng and asked, "What's the matter, Shi Zhixian doesn't know?" ”

Shi Feng said truthfully: "Lord Hui, I'm afraid you have to ask the political envoy about this matter...... And the people of the prefect's yamen, Guishan County had already transferred 200 stone of grain to the treasury at the beginning of the year, and as for how the prefect's yamen was arranged after that, the lower officials did not know, and they did not dare to ask. ”

When the gentry and businessmen present heard it, it was broken, and the magistrate said that he didn't know, and now that the prefect is dead, there is no proof of death, and the military rations paid at the beginning of the year have to be paid again?

These gentry and merchants had already begun to calculate whether their families had enough food to toss, and although they were a little distressed, they were terrified when they thought of the large families whose property had been confiscated and even the head of the family had been imprisoned with a cane. It's just a few hundred catties of food, and there is no need to deliberately cut down on food and clothing, which is equivalent to spending money to buy peace.

Each family doesn't need to pay much, it adds up.

Shen Xi stopped talking again at this time, and the more silent he was, the more afraid the people present became.

Shi Feng felt that what he said might be shirking responsibility, if he offended the governor who held the power of life and death, then he might be the next to cut off his head.

Shi Feng hurriedly remedied: "Lord Shen, the local gentry learned that you led the troops north through Huizhou Mansion, and they are all willing to donate money and food to reward the soldiers of the three armies, and please give the local gentry and merchants a chance to serve!" ”

This belongs to Shi Feng to make his own decisions and express his position for the local gentry and businessmen.

Even if the gentry and businessmen were unhappy in their hearts, but thinking that this was the money and grain that needed to be paid to buy Taiping, many people present nodded yes.

Shen Xi's face was a little better at this time, and he asked with a smile, "Is it?" ”

"Yes, yes."

Shi Feng breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

Isn't it just asking for money and food, I don't have it, but the local gentry and businessmen below have it, anyway, the Yamen of Shanzhi County is only responsible for helping to collect and collect, you speak in public, and we will do things for you.

Shen Xi suddenly sighed again: "This official will lead the army to leave Guishan County tomorrow, I'm afraid it's too late." ”

"It's too late."

When Shi Feng heard it, this was going to be collected overnight!

Anyway, I have been scared for the past two days, don't think about sleeping at night, it is more important to send you, the plague god, away earlier, even if you toss the soap of the government and the county government to death, you will also keep the money and grain.

"Xiaguan will ask someone to arrange overnight to ensure that when you lead the troops to leave tomorrow, everything is ready, just wait for you to send someone to transport."

Shen Xi nodded: "That official thanked Shizhi County and all the squires." Now, I want to toast you. ”

"Don't dare, don't dare."

said that he didn't dare, but Shi Feng was busy raising his wine glass with the gentry and businessmen present and drinking with Shen Xi.

Shen Xi only had a few glasses of wine, so he used the excuse that he was too drunk to go back to consult the marching strategy and lead people away from Guishan County.

As soon as the people left, the county government exploded, and Shen Dufu came to the banquet not for wine and food, but to collect money.

A bunch of people went over to ask Shi Feng for advice, wanting Shi Feng to be "accommodating".

Shi Feng was annoyed and said angrily: "Who is yelling? Those who dare not obey their orders can either go to the government office to find Lord Shen to make it clear, or go to sue the official to see if Lord Shen is accommodating. ”

Shi Feng whispered to Shen Xi, but in front of the local gentry and merchants, he had always shown off his might, and he himself was depressed at this time, in order to send Shen Xi away peacefully, he had already made up his mind to do whatever it takes.

Subsequently, Shi Feng asked the county clerk, the chief bookkeeper and the officials of the county government to check with the gentry and merchants, how much each family needs to donate, and determine first, and each family needs to send the grain to the county government before the third watch.

Shi Feng warned: "Don't say that the official didn't remind you, if anyone dares to embarrass the county government, it will be difficult with Governor Shen, or it will be difficult with the court and the emperor, don't blame the official for being ruthless!" ”

The gentry and businessmen who attended the banquet hurriedly agreed and went back to prepare money and food, for fear of being questioned by the double-layer yamen of the governor and the magistrate.

……

……

On the other end, Shen Xi took advantage of a little wine, sat in a sedan chair and closed his eyes to rest, and after a day of sleep, his head was still groggy.

Jing Yue's voice came from outside: "Lord Shen is really capable, then Shi Zhixian is trembling when he sees your scared legs, and the local squire doesn't dare to breathe. ”

Shen Xi sighed lightly: "Being an official is not to make people afraid, but to make people convinced." This time, it was also a last resort for the sake of the smooth war. ”

Lu Heng, the political envoy of the left cloth in Guangdong, took the lead and prepared a lot of money and grain for this expedition, but a lot of money and grain could not be transported in the future, and the intention of the local perfunctory and prevarication was obvious, the political envoy sent 1,000 stones, and the prefect's yamen may collect 1,200 stones, but only 4,500 stones were transported to Guangzhou as military rations, and the rest was similar to an IOU. The local government can even default on the taxes of the imperial court, let alone the military expenses outside of taxes.

Shen Xi finally knew the necessity of implementing the examination method in Daming.

Without pressure, there is no motivation, the magistrate can get by, and the political performance does not lie in whether the tax is collected in full, but whether the relationship with the official is harmonious, and he only cares about corruption in office, and is not responsible for the people or the court, and is only responsible for the money and the Shangguan who controls his promotion destiny.

Back at the prefect's yamen, Shen Xi did not go back to the room to rest, he planned to seize the time to sort out the case and report it to the imperial court, so as to make a preemptive strike, so as not to have a young person maliciously slandered behind his back, and if he wanted to sleep, he could rest on the bumpy carriage after the expedition, even if it was worth the hard work.

In the middle of the night, Shi Feng personally led people to the government to give a speech, saying that most of the money and grain had been collected, and all the money and grain collected were the money and grain of the rich gentry and big merchants in the city, and it was too late to collect it from outside the city, let alone go to other counties to collect it.

“…… How much is counted, the money, food and materials are dispatched, and the truthful record is recorded, if this expedition returns triumphantly, the official will record Shi Zhixian's merits. ”

In the inner hall of the prefect's yamen, Shen Xi smiled and said to Shi Feng.

When Shi Feng heard about it, there was such a good thing? I've only been busy for half the night just to get you away early, and it would be nice if I could get a promotion by the way.

Shi Feng hurriedly saluted: "Thank you Lord Shen for your support, Xia Guan will definitely try his best!" ”

"Hmm."

Shen Xi nodded with satisfaction, "I'm tired of Shizhi County to count the money, grain and materials, and the official will send someone to escort them at the fifth watch, just go out of the city from the north gate of Fucheng." ”

"Yes, yes, my lord, the next official will arrange it."

Shi Feng had worked hard and had no motivation before, but when he heard that Shen Xi would make a note of him in the credit book, his attitude quickly became correct...... It's already hard work, so it's better to work harder, let Lord Shen see my efficiency, maybe Lord Shen will think of me when he needs help in the future.

This Lord Shen is the best candidate for the prime minister, I don't want to slap him well, who will go? Could it be those six-ministry officials in Nanjing City who are pampered but far away from the court and the Son of Heaven?

Shi Feng left in a hurry, Jing Yue at the door looked at Shi Feng, curious in his heart, this goods came and left. Jing Yue came in and said, "Lord Shen, he ......"

Shi Feng looked tired and languishing when he came, because he wanted to leave an impression on Shen Xi, he worked hard, so that Shen Xi would not condemn him.

When he left, he was in good spirits, as if he could fight another three hundred rounds, also to leave an impression on Shen Xi...... Not only will I be able to do things, but I will also be tireless, and Lord Shen will only dispatch and command in the future.

Shen Xi sighed, this is the contradiction of the official, in the face of merit and demerits, to make different postures, in fact, it can be summed up as just to meet the official.

It's scheming. (To be continued.) )