Lantian County, county government.

A middle-aged man dressed in a dark green official robe and wearing a crown of Jinxian was sitting on a couch in the flower hall in the backyard of the county government.

The Tang Dynasty officials have strict grades, and there are strict rules for the color of official uniforms.

For example, the third grade or more is purple, the fourth or fifth grade is scarlet, the sixth or seventh grade is green, and the eighth or ninth grade is green.

The colors of various official robes are divided into dark and light colors, such as green official robes, which are six-rank officials who wear dark green, and seven-rank officials who wear light green.

The county order is generally a seventh- or eighth-grade official, but Lantian is a county of Qi, with a very high grade, and the county order is on the sixth-grade official line, and it is a dark green official robe worn.

The county order's surname is Liu, and he was born in the Liu family in Hedong. Hedong Liu's family is also a famous scholar family, he is about forty years old, and he can be appointed as the county commander of Ji County, and his career is already very good.

At this time, he sat on the couch, smiling, and smiled at the young man opposite, "How can Gorou have time to come to see my uncle today?" ”

Sitting opposite him was Xue Wu who came from Lanxi, and his name was Xue Jin, whose name was Chu Yu.

Liu Yan and Xue Wu are both from Hedong and are fellow villagers, but they also have a deeper relationship, Liu Yan is Xue Wu's old uncle.

Xue Wu's mother, the Liu family, was born in the Liu family in Hedong, and Liu Yan was also a cousin of the Liu family.

When the Liu family married Xue Rengui, the Xue family declined, but later Xue Rengui joined the army to conquer Liaodong under the persuasion of the Liu family, made military achievements, and revitalized the family. When Xue Rengui joined the army, he was not less helped by his wife's clan, and he was even able to move all the way up, with the help of the Liu family.

The Xue Liu family is not only relatives, but also officials of the same dynasty, and usually helps each other, and the relationship is excellent.

Although Liu Yan is Xue Wu's uncle, he is not big, although Xue Wu's generation is light, but his father is the general of the right leading army, the real power of the army, even Xue Wu, is the emperor's trusted flying cavalry captain, and Xue Wu is also a seventh-grade grade, which is not much worse than his six-grade county order.

And Xue Wu is only in his early twenties, and his future is bright.

"Uncle, my nephew was bullied under your rule today."

Liu Yan said with a smile while giving Xue Wu sencha, "Who dares to bully our General Xiaofei, who doesn't know that you are a Jiangmen Huzi, a well-known warrior in Beijing, and the name of General Xiaofei is still given by His Majesty." ”

Xue Wu rubbed his hands and smiled, "If it was in Chang'an, no one would dare to bully me, but in this Lantian area, there are still such arrogant people." This person not only dared to scold me, but even said that their Zhang family had the final say in Lanxi Township. ”

Lanxi, that is a township under Lantian. The Datang world is divided into ten provinces, and there are states under the provinces, and there are counties under the states. And under the county, there are townships, li, villages, etc.

However, the imperial power does not go to the countryside, and the county order does not go to the countryside.

Generally, five li is a township, and a township has five li, but the township does not have a township head, but the five li chiefs take turns to be responsible for the affairs of the township, assisting the county in managing village security, collecting grain taxes, and conscripting forced labor.

Lanxi Township is the easternmost township in Lantian County, although it is in the belly of the Qinling Mountains, but because it guards the Lanwu Road, it is still very prosperous.

Lan Xi, Zhang Jia, when he said this, he already had some impressions in his mind.

"Lanxi Zhang's family, but the richest man in Lanxi, Zhang Fugui?"

"The richest man in Lanxi, it seems that this Zhang family is really famous, no wonder you dare to be so arrogant, even your uncle can blurt out, uncle, tell your nephew, how much money has this Zhang family honored you?" Xue Wu said with a smile.

"Don't talk nonsense, this Zhang family is just a local tyrant. It's just that he has always been more disciplined, but whenever there is an apportionment in the county, he responds more positively, and he is more good at being a person, and he is up and down, so the county says good things about him. It is said that this person mainly does some things to lend money to earn interest, although I know some, but as long as it is not too much, I will turn a blind eye, what, he provoked you? ”

The county order is called Bailihou, but it is not so easy to do.

The key is that it is easy to be hollowed out by local officials and big clans, after all, the county commander is only in office, and the term of office is often not long, if the ability is insufficient, it is normal to be elevated.

Liu Yan is better, he was born in a famous family, and he has a lot of local practical experience, when he came, he brought a lot of children of the Liu family, and even a lot of staff and disciples who joined the Liu family.

But everything is the same for officials, if someone gives you one point, you have to return two points.

Liu Yan has been in office in Lantian for more than a year, and some problems have been discovered, but as long as it is not too much, he will not pursue it too much, as the so-called water is clear and there are no fish, and many things are originally in office, and even the old problems left by taking office, it is not good for everyone to pursue them.

"Obey the rules? I'm afraid that's not the case, right? I heard that the richest man in Lanxi was not the Zhang family but the Li family in the past, and the Li family was the richest man in Lanxi for generations and was also the first good, but later he was framed by this Zhang family's design, and he plotted to seize and annex the family business step by step, let's talk about something simple. The Zhang family plotted to seize the Li family's property, not to mention, and even killed it all, and lent the Li family a funeral fee three years ago, but it was only a few dozen yuan, but now it has rolled to 800 yuan. ”

"Ten times the breath, do you think that's too much?"

In these years, wealthy families all lent money to earn interest, even temples specialized in pawn lending, and even the imperial court gave local yamen a sum of money to the local yamen, which was specially used to lend money to earn interest, and the income was used for office expenses.

However, although the interest rate of the public money in the yamen is not low, the monthly interest rate is only 8 percent, which is only double throughout the year.

But as for the Zhang family's debts, it has increased tenfold in three years, which is not as simple as rolling interest on lambs.

"Ten times in three years? It's a bit high. "Liu Yan is not the kind of scholar county order, and he also knows a lot about the people's livelihood economy, and the interest rate on private loans is definitely higher than the official one, and even nine out of thirteen are not a lot of this, and some of them directly show that it has doubled once a year, but it has increased tenfold in three years, which is indeed over.

"Wulang, listen to the meaning of your words, I'm afraid that this matter is not as simple as the Zhang family rushing into you, could it be that you have something to do with this Li family?"

Xue Wu said with a smile, "It's just that someone is stepping on the uneven road." ”

"Is that really all?"

"Uncle, I also want to help my uncle, you are in charge of Lantian, this is Qi County, this position is very important, many people are staring at it, how many people wish that their uncle had a mess, so as to arrange their own people to replace him. This Zhang family is acting so arrogantly, it is a dangerous chess piece, who knows when something will happen. I'm worried that my uncle will be innocent when he arrives! ”

"Uncle, if a person like the Zhang family is rich and notorious, if my uncle can punish and uphold justice, I don't know how many people will clap their hands and praise you for being fair and promising. Even, this Zhang family must have amassed a lot of money over the years, and if they dig this rat's nest, they can gain a lot. ”

"Besides, my uncle has been in office for so long, and he can't always be harmonious, otherwise who can be in awe of you. Appropriately kill chickens and make an example of monkeys, this is also Liliwei! ”

Liu Yan pinched his chin, and couldn't help but look at this nephew, this article is so reasonable, it is really surprising, who would have thought that this will be so careful.

However, what Xue Wu said does have some truth, if you copy the rat nest of the Zhang family, you can have these benefits, so why not do it.

"Goro, thank you for reminding me, I'll send someone to strictly investigate the Zhang family when I turn around."