Chapter 228: I am among you, and you are among me

Whether Yanzhou Prefecture is in chaos or not depends on Qufu County.

Every move of Qufu County now involves the attention of too many people.

The county government was not a place where secrets could be kept. Shen Li’s attitude towards the rioters and He Xinyin’s whereabouts were immediately known to outsiders.

Kong Chenghou, Meng Yanpu and others stood side by side on the city wall of Qufu County, watching He Xinyin’s back as he left the city.

“You are so arrogant that you come to the meeting alone. Should we send someone to capture He Xinyin…”

Meng Yanpu held up his palm and made a horizontal stroke, continuing the unfinished meaning in his words.

Kong Chenghou frowned, feeling unhappy.

Meng Yanpu was the head of a branch of the Meng family in Zou County. He was originally responsible for linking up with the wealthy families in Zoucheng to cause trouble.

As a result, when this fellow saw the Inspector An Jiuyu passing through the territory to suppress the civil unrest, he did not dare to say a word, and lied that the clan leader was watching closely and he could not do anything tricky.

Oh, he knew that he should keep a low profile, but when he arrived at Qufu County, he immediately stood up and instigated him to get rid of the person who was registered in front of the emperor?

Did he think Kong Chenghou was extremely stupid, or was he afraid that the Kong family wouldn’t fall fast enough?
Look at how crazy Shen Li is now. It is not an exaggeration to say that killing rich people is like killing grass.

Everyone withdrew their tentacles from Qufu County, and even Ge Cheng only left a few people to remotely control the overall situation.

How could Meng Yanpu not know how tense the situation was?
After all, seeing that the civil unrest in Yanzhou Prefecture had already broken out, Shen Li was eager to vent his anger on the Kong family – with two thousand-year-old families huddled together, conflicts of interest were inevitable.

Kong Chenghou suppressed his dissatisfaction and said sarcastically: “It would be better to remove the firewood from under the cauldron and kill Shen Li directly.”

Now that He Xinyin is dead, Shen Li will most likely have to plow Qufu again.

After Shen Li died, it was the turn of the Governor of Shandong to plow the Yanzhou Prefecture.

Meng Yanpu saw Kong Chenghou’s reaction and knew that his little trick had been exposed, but he remained calm: “My dear brother, you are joking. We are all obedient citizens of the country. Don’t say such treasonous words.”

He paused, sighed, and said, “I’m just afraid that He Xinyin will mess things up.”

“He Xinyin is a famous scholar who resisted taxes and killed officials. He is also a peerless hero in the Four Seas Society. He has stabbed the emperor in the upper world and preached for decades in the lower world. His reputation in the community should not be underestimated.”

“Look at the followers around him. One foot they ordered us to kill officials, and the next foot they served He Xinyin. This is a clear example.”

“If we allow them to negotiate, I am afraid these rioters will be bewitched by them immediately.”

Meng Yanpu is a little older than me, but he is quite shameless.

Seeing that he couldn’t use Kong Chenghou as a gun, he began to exaggerate how powerful He Xinyin was and try to find out Kong Chenghou’s background.

This time Kong Chenghou didn’t react.

He snorted confidently, “No need to create unnecessary trouble! No matter how powerful he is, Ge Cheng is surrounded by our people. Unless the court is willing to stop the land reclamation, there will be no agreement!”

The so-called thousand-year-old family, the main family is often well-fed and well-fed, while the side branches and other branches have difficulty in getting enough food and clothing.

During the two hundred years of the Ming Dynasty, the side branch had worked hard to build up a little wealth by relying on the name of the old Kong family, but now they were told to do a land survey so they could have the land surveyed. This is simply outrageous!
As long as the imperial court is unwilling to revoke its order, let alone He Xinyin coming forward to negotiate, even if Duke Yansheng wants to cooperate with the imperial court, these side branches will never agree!
After hearing this, Meng Yanpu realized that Kong Chenghou was actually controlling Ge Cheng!

Only then did he feel relieved.

I couldn’t help but sigh in my heart.

After all, they are the Kong family. Even the side branches have such a solid foundation. My status is so different that I can’t even compare to them.

As a result, he had the ability but could only act according to other people’s moods, and even had to make indirect attacks on the idiot in front of him.

Meng Yanpu was burning with jealousy, but he didn’t show it on his face. He continued to probe, “If that’s the case, is there anything I need to cooperate with in getting rid of Shen Li?”

There is a difference between a governor and a governor.

The people who govern from provincial government to county and township levels are the orthodox officials of the dynasty, which is the so-called bureaucracy.

Just like Hai Rui’s former supervisor of salt tax and Shen Li’s current supervisor of land measurement, the positions are set up according to the matters.

To put it bluntly, they are similar to the eunuchs of the Eastern Depot and the nobles of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, all of whom are only responsible to the will of the emperor himself.

In the words of Bolshaya, this is called oligarchy.

No matter what happens, as long as it is within the bureaucratic framework, it can always be digested; if the country implements an oligarchic system, it will be like it is now, with the country no longer a country and civil unrest everywhere.

Therefore, in order to restore order through land survey, governors like Shen Li must be removed.

This is an old tradition, just with a different approach each time.

As for how this specific action would be carried out, Yin Gao and Kong Chenghou did not reveal it to him after he declined to organize the civil unrest in Zou County.

Kong Chenghou did not notice Meng Yanpu’s probing, and just shook his head mysteriously: “There is no need for help, just watch him fail on his own.”

Meng Yanpu was most familiar with Kong Chenghou’s temperament.

Seeing Kong Chenghou’s nose in the air, he immediately revealed his stupidity and made a fuss: “Watch him defeat himself?”

“Is there any other high-ranking official in the court who is against the land reclamation like you and me?”

As usual, as long as he appeared stupid enough, Kong Chenghou would start to act like a know-it-all and talk impatiently and proudly.

as predicted.

Kong Chenghou glanced at Meng Yanpu with disdain: “The Wenhua Palace is full of New Party members, so there are no senior officials who oppose the land reclamation.”

Meng Yanpu looked eagerly: “So what do you mean, brother…”

Kong Chenghou raised his head with dignity: “In the words of the emperor, there are no factions in the party, and there are all kinds of strange things.”

He sold it out.

Meng Yanpu took advantage of the situation and shook his head in confusion.

Kong Chenghou then explained with satisfaction: “Shen Li is a man who can’t give birth to a son, is cynical, and has no brains.”

“Since this guy inspected the fields, he has advocated sweeping away fallen leaves like an autumn wind, cutting the Gordian knot with a sharp knife, and using the toughest attitude to complete the land survey in the fastest time.”

“Before arriving in Shandong, the inspection office only took a month to review the situation in Northern Zhili. They were rude and inhumane, impeaching a number of officials for dereliction of duty and arresting countless guilty tyrants… It would have been fine if these people had close ties with the court, but they even caused the people to fight with carrying poles.”

“Just for this matter, the governor of Baoding Prefecture and Zhili successively submitted memorials to impeach Shen Li.”

“Even Shen Shixing came out to advise, saying that governing a large country is like cooking a small fish, and when encountering difficulties, we should discuss them in detail, and when encountering opposition, we should unravel the mystery. The court should complete this land reclamation in the most stable manner.”

“Although the emperor stepped in to suppress the dispute in the end, but… what do you think will happen to the Central Government if the civil unrest breaks out and the news of Shen Li’s intention to kill the people is fabricated and publicized?”

Meng Yanpu showed a look of sudden realization when he heard this – this time he was not pretending, he was really sudden.

After all, the Meng family’s foundation is inferior to that of the Kong family, and they are not very clear about the situation in the court.

Although Meng Yanpu had a vague feeling at one point, it was like seeing flowers in the fog and not very clear.

Now that he was reminded, he suddenly reacted!
Yes! How can there be a monolithic association? How can there be no time when there is no party struggle in the court?
Even if the emperor demoted people on a large scale and eliminated the best during the Southern Suburbs Field Festival, leaving only the New Party in the court, party struggles were inevitable.

When it comes to innovation, there are always people who are labeled as moderates because they are not radical enough. It would be strange if a person as mild-mannered as Shen Shixing did not have a disagreement when meeting someone as straightforward as Shen Li!

Meng Yanpu had almost finished his test and was ready to leave.

But as soon as he thought about it, he seemed to remember something.

He looked at Kong Chenghou, showing his stupid expression again, and asked in a pretentious manner: “Speaking of which, even if Shen Li falls, the emperor will just replace him with someone else. What can we do then?”

Land surveying is not the will of one individual.

Since the Gia Long reign, the imperial court had been unable to collect land taxes. Before the salt tax system was reformed, the imperial court was even unable to make ends meet.

The decision to conduct land survey was simply the court’s instinct for survival.

It can’t be stopped just because Shen Li steps down.

Kong Chenghou raised his head again with dignity and snorted.

He seemed confident: “Substitution is inevitable.”

“However, if they are also brainless and unsympathetic, they will be driven back soon. Hai Rui during the Longqing period and Shen Li today are both like this.”

“And if a senior official who knows how to take things slow takes over…”

Kong Chenghou paused and said, “Do you know what Sun Piyang did in Nanzhili?”

Meng Yanpu’s confused expression gave the answer.

Kong Chenghou said meaningfully: “Take Xiuning County as an example. Based on the 310 li of Xiuning’s registered households, one li is a map, and a map director is appointed; the 10 li within the county city is divided into four corners, and a corner director is appointed; the 300 li outside the county city is divided into 33 du, and a du director is appointed.”

“These three virtues must be fulfilled by a person who is upright, calm, and honest.”

“Land disputes during land surveying are also mediated by the three officials, and the government does not intervene.”

“Sun Piyang only requested that the number of acres of land be 30% higher than in previous years.”

“Tell me, have both parties come to an explanation?”

Meng Yanpu’s heart moved.

He first exaggeratedly sighed: “Sun Lishan is loyal to the emperor and patriotic, yet he is also humane. He is truly an honest elder.”

Then he revealed his true colors: “Well, our current Governor Yu is a kind and honest elder? Should we make some plans?”

Upon hearing Yu Youding’s name, Kong Chenghou immediately became solemn.

He said with a stern face, “Brother Meng, don’t act rashly. Yu Youding is a student of Governor Yin. Let Yin Gao persuade him first, and then we can make any plans.”

Meng Yanpu was in the middle of the situation, and when he heard these words, he finally understood what these people were planning.

He showed a smug smile, shook hands and patted shoulders with Kong Chenghou for a while, said take care to each other, and then said goodbye and left.

Turning around and walking down the city wall, Meng Yanpu glanced at the Qufu City behind him with an expressionless face.

I sighed in my heart.

I hope I won’t be led into a ditch by these people.

……

Similarly, whether Shandong is in chaos or not depends on the Yanzhou Prefecture.

The fiefdom of Lu State, the Duke Yansheng of the Kong family, the Governor Shen Li, and the Governor-General Yin Shidan were all crowded in this small prefecture.

Of course, at this moment, we must also add Yu Youding, the governor of Shandong, who came from Jinan early and had just stepped into the territory of Yanzhou Prefecture.

Sometimes it was early, sometimes it was just now. In fact, it was because the governor’s procession had been walking on the official road for a long time, which seemed to reflect the psychological contradiction of Governor Yu.

“You mean, the reason behind the civil unrest in Yanzhou this time is your eldest son Yin Gao!”

Yu Youding pulled his son Yu Tingqi into the carriage, lifted the curtain to reveal half of his head, and after dispersing the followers, he lowered his voice to confirm again and again.

Yu Tingqi nodded solemnly: “That guy came to my house and told me that himself.”

“It’s really blatant.” After getting confirmation, Yu Youding muttered to himself with a bad look, “What did he say to you?”

He committed such a heinous crime and still dared to admit it. How audacious!
Is this what Yin Shidan meant?
No, not possible!
Yin Shidan was never confused about major issues, especially since he was in a high position, he would never offend the emperor for the sake of his own wealth.

Yu Tingqi’s face was strange: “He said that he would give me the property of Tongleyuan and the surrounding land.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt his father’s sharp gaze sweeping towards him.

Yu Tingqi quickly explained: “The child didn’t take it! He refused it outright!”

“He was so angry with me about this that he burned the house and land deeds in front of me.”

Yu Youding was shocked when he heard this: “Burned!?”

Yu Tingqi nodded blankly.

He immediately came to his senses and realized something was wrong: “Sir, is there something wrong?”

Yu Youding looked at his son and sighed, “Then how can you tell whether you accepted it or not?”

Yu Tingqi was stunned.

Yu Youding closed his eyes and slowly leaned back towards the back of the carriage.

It definitely wasn’t Yin Shidan. His teacher wouldn’t use such despicable and disgusting means to drag others into trouble.

It must be Yin Gao!
Yin Shidan did not have much time left to live, and had already reached the point where he had to worry about his reputation after his death, while Yin Gao was not even a Jinshi, and could only make a living by guarding his fields and property.

Even if they are father and son, their interests are not entirely consistent when it comes to land surveying.

Yin Gao had the motive and courage to take advantage of the power of another.

Yu Tingqi was extremely annoyed and could not help but say, “Sir, how about I go back and take over Tongleyuan and donate it to the government?”

Yu Youding waved his hands weakly, unwilling to explain.

He frowned, rubbed his hands back and forth, and fell into deep thought.

Whether it is out of consideration for his career or for the sake of his country and the world, he would never allow Yin Gao to drag him down.

Take the opportunity to apologize and retire to avoid the limelight?
I’m afraid it also fulfilled the wishes of some people.

Even if we take a step back and say that he retired after clearing the landmine, what would the emperor think of him?

So, should we take down Yin Gao while the situation is going on?

I’m afraid not.

Even if Yin Gao acted on his own initiative, he was still Yin Shidan’s biological son.

Once he is arrested, he will probably be killed if Shen Li finds out.

Not only would his teacher-student relationship with Yin Shidan be ruined, but he would also probably be branded as ungrateful.

Besides…does Yin Shidan really not know?

Yu Youding felt extremely confused when he thought of this.

He suddenly lifted the curtain of the carriage and said, “Don’t go to the Yanzhou government office first, take the Jining Prefecture route!”

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a response from outside.

Seeing this, Yu Tingqi cautiously reminded: “Sir, Yin Gao just met with me in private. Isn’t it inappropriate to go to Jining at this time…”

His son’s tone was soft, but it sounded like thunder in Yu Youding’s ears.

He suddenly realized what was happening and quickly stuck his head out again: “The itinerary remains unchanged! We’re going to Yanzhou Prefecture!”

Yu Youding took back the water he had thrown away in the blink of an eye, and couldn’t help but laugh at himself: “I’m not as calm as you.”

As he said this, he felt a little scared.

If he, as the governor, had to ask Yin Shidan for instructions when he encountered a problem, then the careers of both of them would probably end here.

Seeing his father was upset, Yu Tingqi simply expressed his own thoughts: “My Lord, let me take your advice.”

“Just pretend that I never told you about this, and I also pretend that I never saw him. If we find out privately, we will show mercy. If Shen Li, An Jiuyu and others see us, we will handle it impartially.”

“In the final analysis, you only need to do your job well, and you will not lose the emperor’s favor. Other minor details may not matter to you.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Youding was somewhat relieved that his son was sensible – after all, he was much better than someone like Yin Gao, who was unlucky in luck.

He gradually calmed down.

“Yes, I have to be careful that someone might make a fuss about this matter. I must do my job well, otherwise the emperor will definitely suspect me.” “But my job is my job, and I can’t lead by example, lest I get deeper and deeper into trouble…”

Thinking of this, Yu Youding suddenly shook his head: “I’m afraid I can’t go to the government office!”

Yu Tingqi couldn’t keep up with the train of thought and asked in confusion, “Why is that? To quell the civil unrest, shouldn’t you stay in Yanzhou Prefecture? Censor An is still waiting for you, sir.”

Yu Youding sighed, “Now Shen Li is killing people in Qufu. I can’t support it, nor can I stop it. If I go to the government office, I’m afraid I’ll get into trouble for nothing.”

After saying this, the son was still confused.

Seeing this, Yu Youding had no choice but to make his words clearer: “Nowadays, the struggle over land reclamation is not only fierce at the local level, but also at the central level.”

“Last time Shen Li reported the matter of inspecting the fields in Northern Zhili, the cabinet proposed ‘to be eager for quick success and instant benefits, and to have a weak foundation’. The Minister of Rites Wang Zongyi also petitioned the emperor to take back Shen Li’s governor badge. From now on, small matters will be handled by the local authorities, and major matters will be reported to the central government.”

“It was Wang Xijue and others who came forward to support Shen Li, advocating that patrolling the fields was an extraordinary matter and that extraordinary powers should be used.”

“There are now two factions within the party: radical and conservative.”

“Right now, Shen Li is slaughtering the wealthy and powerful in Qufu County…”

Having said this, Yu Youding stopped abruptly, but his meaning was already very clear.

Shen Li is now in the political vortex, and it is best not to touch him if possible – if it were normal times, Yu Youding would still be able to stand on his side with his integrity, but now that he has run into trouble with Yin Gao, he has to be cautious again and again.

Yu Tingqi was caught off guard when he suddenly analyzed current affairs from this perspective.

He hesitated and said, “Then Your Majesty…”

As soon as he said this, Yu Youding interrupted him impatiently: “The emperor has a firm attitude on the land reclamation, but he never advocates killing innocent people like Shen Li.”

“During the last debate on the review of Northern Zhili, the emperor just smoothed things over and asked Shen Li to properly handle the contradictions between the enemy and ourselves and the internal conflicts during the land reclamation.”

“It’s the same as saying nothing. No one can guess what the emperor’s attitude is on this matter.”

If the emperor did not support the land reclamation, the dynasty would be doomed in no time.

If the emperor is openly bloodthirsty, he is probably not far from being a tyrant and a traitor to the people.

So the emperor had no choice but to have both.

It’s hard for those who are doing the work.

Yu Tingqi seemed to understand, but he simply put it out of his mind: “Since we are not going to the government office, where should we go?”

Yu Youding thought for a moment, lifted the carriage curtain for the last time, and said, “Come here, take a message to the Imperial Censor An, and say…”

“Say that the Yanzhou Prefecture civil uprising is urgent and cannot be delayed. The governor’s office will allocate half of the infantry to him and he and I will act separately.”

“I will not go to the government office. I will lead the troops myself and immediately go to Guyang, Dingtao, Juye, Caoxian and other places to put down the civil unrest.”

“The remaining Tancheng County, Yi County, Yizhou and other places will be entrusted to him!”

After saying that, Yu Youding slowly sat back.

Facing his son’s complicated look, Yu Youding sighed: “This is where all the bad things in the world go wrong. You are in me, and I am in you.”

……

The Master stood by a river and said.

What river is this? It is Sishui.

The dead bodies were like water, covering the entire Surabaya.

This is an expression of compassion for the people during a time of civil unrest.

He Xinyin, who only had half a day to spare, rushed straight to the temple where the rioters had gathered.

The temple was built along the river, which also made it convenient for the insurgents to get drinking water.

The roads were filled with the red people caught up in the turmoil.

When the temple came into sight, the most eye-catching thing was the crowd of black and miserable rioters in front of the temple.

He was wearing coarse linen clothes, his skin was dark, and his palms were covered with calluses from working and farming.

Different from the orderly strikes and marches during civil unrest as everyone talked about, these people before us not only had no order, but were also a bit disorganized and chaotic.

He Xinyin took in all these rioters.

With the help of the rioters who had been following him all the way, He Xinyin easily saw the ragged rioters and spontaneously made way for a passage.

Of course, there were some minor setbacks.

When the rioters learned of He Xinyin’s identity, they rushed forward, speaking in dialect at once, some understood and some did not.

“Master, we beg you to stop raising taxes!”

“I’ve heard of you, old man. Please help me speak up!”

“We are just demonstrating! We are not rebelling!”

There are endless cries of injustice, appeals and requests.

Occasionally there would be some dissatisfied scolding, but it was quickly pushed to the back by the crying and shouting.

He Xinyin responded with difficulty, and his powerful explanation was drowned out by his howling.

I saw more and more people gathering around.

Time was running out and business was important, so He Xinyin had no choice but to walk in with his head covered.

After struggling for a long time, I finally saw the light.

He Xinyin looked back with a complicated expression. This scene was destined to be engraved in his mind.

It is obvious that after the wealthy and powerful completed their leadership, the number of servants and scholars from large households among the rioters dropped rapidly, leaving only the tenants and helpers who were swept up in the riots.

Of course, this does not include the leaders of the uprising.

He Xinyin followed the guidance and finally entered the Buddhist hall. At the same time, he also met the leaders of the civil unrest.

The entourage was stopped outside the hall, and two big men were guarding the door.

The legendary Ge Cheng sat in the middle of the main hall with an expressionless face.

Six key members under his command sat down one by one facing the gate and took turns to attack Ge Cheng.

He Xinyin pushed the door open and walked in. As soon as the two sides met, someone immediately took the lead.

“Mr. Fushan, as long as the imperial court is willing to stop the land survey in Yanzhou Prefecture, my General Ge is willing to plead guilty and go to jail!”

A short man with a pointed face and monkey chin took the initiative to speak.

He Xinyin was stunned.

Turning around, I saw Ge Cheng, who was “willing to plead guilty”, sitting at the top with an expressionless face, with no intention of speaking at all.

He Xinyin remembered this scene in his heart, and asked the sharp-nosed and monkey-faced man calmly, “Who are you?”

At this time, the other person who was attacked by Ge Cheng snorted coldly: “Stop asking nonsense, Lord Fushan, since you are here to negotiate on behalf of the government, just tell us whether Yanzhou Prefecture can stop measuring the land!”

The person who was speaking had a big belly and did not look like a poor person at all.

Ge Cheng still sat at the top without saying a word.

He Xinyin had a rough idea in his mind, but he was also vague and shook his head decisively: “Land surveying is a national policy, and we will never stop.”

The pot-bellied man flew into a rage: “He Xinyin! I’ll give you some face and respectfully call you Mr. Fushan. If you’re so arrogant, you may come in alive but leave alive today!”

Ge Cheng did not react at all. Instead, the man with a pointed chin and monkey face who spoke first came out to smooth things over.

The latter still maintained basic courtesy: “The mountain master, once the land was surveyed, it almost cut off the livelihood of common people like us.”

“Now that the imperial court is determined to settle the land survey, we will all die anyway. Lord Fushan should just let us die on our own.”

After saying that, he stood up first, holding out his hand as if to see someone off.

The other five people either sat down or stood up, and followed suit to see the guest off.

He Xinyin had only said a few words when he entered the room and was about to be sent away. He knew very well that these people had no intention of negotiating unless they achieved their goal.

As for motivation?

If the imperial court is unwilling to stop the land survey, these people would probably wish that all the common people outside the temples and monasteries would be killed by the butcher knives of the imperial guards!

At that time, naturally someone would use this to shock the imperial court.

He Xinyin took a deep breath and said, “This leader said that once the land is cleared, the livelihood of the common people will be almost cut off.”

“Here, I guarantee with my life! This time, I will not impose additional taxes on the common people!”

Although he was over sixty years old, his voice was extremely loud, and when he opened his mouth, his voice was immediately heard outside the house.

“The imperial court will use courtesy before force. If I fail in the negotiations, the imperial guards will immediately draw their swords from behind!”

“I see that you leaders are not ordinary people, so you may just walk away. But the thousands of people outside lost their lives because of your decision. How pitiful is that!?”

“You leaders want to drive me away when you disagree with me. I think it’s better to open the door and have a public discussion with thousands of people!”

After saying that, he turned around without warning, put his hand on the door, and was about to open it!

When several leaders saw him shouting and yelling, they had a bad feeling.

At this moment, He Xinyin was about to open the door without paying attention, and everyone changed color.

“shut up!”

“Someone! Take him out!”

The big man guarding the gate also reacted, immediately stretched out his arms, rushed forward, and tore He Xinyin apart.

The latter, as one of the greatest heroes of the time, is still strong despite his age, so naturally he is not afraid at all.

The big men on both sides attacked together, clamped He Xinyin’s hands, and tried their best to pin him down.

He Xinyin exerted force with his arms, wrestling with the two big men, and taking advantage of the momentum, he kicked the door open in the air!

The sunlight came in, and the room suddenly became bright.

The fact that the government office sent people to negotiate was already a thrilling thing, and coupled with He Xinyin’s shaking and tearing sounds, people outside had already heard the noise and gathered around it several times inside and outside.

Seeing this, several leaders didn’t care about their dignity and hurriedly called their confidants: “This man has no intention of peace talks! Come, drive him out!”

As soon as he finished speaking, several strong men holding sticks stepped out of the crowd and rushed towards He Xinyin.

It’s too late, but it’s soon.

“stop!”

A loud shout came from the hall.

The sturdy man’s movements came to an abrupt halt, and he was immediately caught in a dilemma.

The rioters outside the house stuck their heads in to look inside.

The person who stopped them was actually Ge Cheng, who slowly stood up.

His eyes passed over the stunned leaders and He Xinyin, whose back was arched and temples were protruding.

He looked at the “bandits” outside the house, and said solemnly, “The person who came to the government office to discuss this is Mr. Fushan, who traveled around to study and preach, and was famous all over the world. He founded the Four Gates Society and criticized the emperor’s mistakes to his face. He said that we should open the door for public discussion.”

Several leaders looked unhappy.

The pot-bellied man among them had veins throbbing on his neck. He secretly grabbed the corner of Ge Cheng’s clothes and whispered something through gritted teeth.

Ge Cheng turned a deaf ear and threw away the corner of his clothes: “Brothers, if you are interested, just open the door, sit on the ground outside, and listen together.”

With these words, the tribesmen sat down silently in the open space.

Only the strong men who were holding sticks were left. They were caught off guard and were still standing outside, squeezed by their brothers who were sitting on the ground and had no place to stand.

Ge Cheng was about forty years old, wearing coarse linen clothes, but he had an extraordinary temperament.

At this time, he looked at He Xinyin and said, “Mr. Fushan just said that during this land survey, the common people will not be taxed. How do you understand this?”

He Xinyin was mentally prepared for these twists and turns.

Even if several leaders are not interested in peace talks, do the tenants and laborers outside the house still want to fight the court to the end?

As for Ge Cheng’s appearance, it was both unexpected and reasonable – even the imperial court could not be united, let alone the rioters, who all had their own demands.

He Xinyin restrained his edge, and the whole person became an ordinary old man again: “General Ge, this is the central government’s major policy, but it was deliberately misrepresented by someone with ulterior motives.”

“This land survey is to clear up the annexation of land from the rich, to bring together large and small acres, and to register hidden households… We have never said that we will recover the capitation tax or increase the land tax!”

As soon as these words were spoken, people outside the house immediately began to whisper and rustle in a symphony of sounds.

The same notice was also posted in the Field Inspection Office.

However, the credibility of what different people say is different, and the credibility of the government office may not be as good as He Xinyin’s.

“Well, Mr. Fushan has a good reputation, so I will believe you for now. The imperial court is targeting the rich and powerful.”

Ge Cheng generously accepted He Xinyin’s interpretation of the land survey, and glanced at several leaders inconspicuously.

Several leaders looked unhappy – when they opened the door and spoke, Ge Cheng was the real leader, and no one present could contradict him.

He Xinyin was delighted.

Just as he was about to speak, Ge Cheng’s next sentence came immediately: “But, Mr. Fushan, do you think that after the central government has taken action against the local areas, will the local government offices, wealthy families, and gentry bear the consequences themselves, or will they continue to exploit the common people?”

He Xinyin frowned.

Ge Cheng walked down slowly from the main seat in the main hall. He was a very burly man, with a broad back and strong waist, more than seven feet tall.

His chivalrous temperament was almost impossible to conceal.

“The common people donated their land to the rich, but the rich were well connected and many of them did not pay taxes to the court.”

“These so-called mergers, whether they are large or small, will all be taxed in the future. Will the big households, while feeling the pain, raise rents for the common people?”

“Besides, there are quite a few illegal residents outside the gate. They are told that they all need to be registered and exempted from the labor service temporarily.”

“So what if the exemption period is over? Can they go from being penniless to becoming wealthy out of thin air?”

“The court also said that after the land survey, all miscellaneous taxes will be abolished, and only regular taxes will be collected from now on.”

“To put it in a broader perspective, this was the national policy when the country was founded, but what happened later?”

“To talk about the recent past, how come in the past few years, no county or state in Yanzhou Prefecture has merged miscellaneous taxes?”

Ge Cheng stood in front of He Xinyin and said seriously, “Mr. Fushan, if this matter has come to this, I will die. Even if someone promises me that I will only be imprisoned for a few years, I will sneer at it.”

“If we are sincere in the peace talks, I can drive these red people back home, and I can also entrust my life to Lord Fushan.”

“I just want to ask one question…”

“Master He, you are a trustworthy person in the underworld. Tell the brothers with all your heart, after the land survey, can the common people really be exempted from additional taxes?”

(End of this chapter)