Great Tang Dynasty

Chapter 117 The County Government Is Very Poor
It was cold the next day, and Qin Tian and Tang Rong didn't sleep very comfortably in the county government office.

Firstly, the place is unfamiliar, and secondly, it is still too cold at night.

Longkou County is already far to the north. Although it is early winter, the temperature is extremely low at night.

Qin Tian felt that it was necessary for him to improve the heating equipment in the room.

But right now he doesn't have the time.

Not long after waking up, Lu Jiu and Liu Yong were already waiting with a group of yamen servants.

Seeing that they came early, Qin Tian knew that he had successfully established himself yesterday, so he was very happy.

However, although he was happy in his heart, he was very calm on the surface. He said: "I just came to Longkou County, and I don't know anything about the county government or even the whole county. I'm afraid I will bother Lu Xiancheng and Mr. Liu with many things."

Speaking of this, Qin Tian paused for a moment, and said: "Let's start with the county government office. The county magistrate, Lu Xiancheng, will tell my lord about the county government's finances and prison cases."

Lu Jiu didn't fight Qin Tian to the death, so after Qin Tian's order, he quickly stood up and said, "Returning to my lord, the situation in Longkou County is complicated, and there are many forces. Someone even took the place of the county government to charge those people Taxation, so the finances of the county government are very poor, there is not much left, and the people here like to be thieves at every turn, so many prisoners are detained in the prison..."

Lu Jiu's words, seven points are true, three points are false, and seven points are true and three points are false, it makes people very convincing. After listening to Qin Tian, ​​his expression is already dignified, and his brows are furrowed.

The situation in Longkou County is much more serious than he thought.

"Someone collects taxes from the people instead of the county government, who is it?" Qin Tianning raised his eyebrows. Only the imperial court can have taxes, and others dare to collect them.

"Back to the words of the adults, it is the golden dragon in Qiba Lane, known as the Dragon Lord. He controls Qiba Lane in Longkou County. He has more than 500 subordinates. Because of his huge power, he often collects protection fees from the people, and sometimes even In the name of taxation, the county government has only about [-] yamen servants, and it is really no match for him, so I let him do it, but in order to show compassion for the people, sometimes if they accept it, our county government will not accept it again. gone."

Lu Jiu said they were very kind, but Qin Tian laughed inwardly. The county government is short of finances, and it is not known whether someone has tampered with it.

When he finds a time, he has to check the ledger.

Thinking of this in his heart, Qin Tian didn't show any anger, as if he just wanted to know the situation in Longkou County.

Then he asked: "Is there a man named Zhou Zhou in Longkou County?"

When Qin Tian asked about Zhou Zhou, Lu Jiu was startled, because Qin Tian had only been here for a day, how did he know Zhou Zhou?

"Back to my lord, there is indeed one."

"How is Zhou Zhou's character?"

"Zhou Zhou is the richest man in our Longkou County. His family is very rich, and he has three or four hundred thugs in captivity."

Seeing that Lu Jiu's description of Zhou Zhou was not exhaustive, Qin Tian became more thoughtful, but he didn't ask any further questions. After nodding, he said, "Bring me all the dossiers from Longkou County in the past two years. The officer took the time to take a look."

"Here!"

Qin Tian nodded, and asked again: "I heard that there are thieves outside the city, who knows this better?"

At this time, Liu Yong stood up: "My lord, I know a thing or two clearly."

"Okay, Catcher Liu, let's talk about it."

"There are five or six gangs of thieves outside the city, but two gangs are in the most serious situation. They are Chen Yingying from Xiyingshan and Song Fei from Qingliubo. Both of them have more than a thousand subordinates. , the terrain of West Eagle Mountain occupied by Chen Ying is steep, easy to defend and difficult to attack, there are only two mountain roads to go up the mountain, but of these two mountain roads, one is strictly guarded by Chen Ying's people, and the other is a natural danger, which is difficult for manpower."

"As for Sein Fei's Qingliu Po, it is a water pool that stretches for three hundred miles. They live on the island in the center of the water pool. If they want to capture them, it will take a lot of manpower and financial resources. These two groups of people, The market was robbed along the way, and sometimes even went directly to the county town to plunder, it is extremely abominable."

Liu Yong told the situation. When he said it, he still felt very jealous. After hearing this, Qin Tian's expression became slightly condensed. He had already heard about these two groups of people before.

But he didn't know much, and now after listening to Liu Yong's words, he realized that it was no easy task to exterminate these two gangs of thieves.

"These two groups of robbers, the previous county magistrate never thought of exterminating them?"

"Your Excellency, you are joking. With only a small force like our county government, it can be done. The previous county magistrate also borrowed soldiers from Binzhou. Unfortunately, when the soldiers came, they couldn't attack them. Instead, they aroused the murderous intentions of these bandits and harassed them. The common people are more powerful, so as time goes by, they are rarely wiped out."

Longkou County belongs to Binzhou, and Binzhou Jiedushi has three thousand soldiers and horses of the Tang Dynasty there, which can be borrowed.

However, it is not easy to borrow soldiers. First, these soldiers and horses must be free and have no other tasks. Second, the Jiedu Envoy must be unified, and there is also the borrowing of soldiers. All the soldiers have to meet the needs of the county government. Take care of it, you have to pay some money when you come here, and there must be some casualties.

This is a lot of pressure for a small county government.

But the county government is very poor, who can often afford to borrow these soldiers and horses?

"Okay, I already know about the situation in Longkou County. If there is anything I need from you, I will speak up. Let's stop here today, everyone go to your own business."

Lu Jiu and Liu Yong looked at each other, both a little puzzled by Qin Tian's reaction.

It stands to reason that when Qin Tian heard so many problems in Longkou County, he should be furious and eager to try, but this young man is a little too calm, right?

Did he never think about solving these things at all, or is the city so deep that he has his own calculations?

Although the two were puzzled, they didn't ask any further questions, turned around and backed away.

Not long after these people left, someone sent Qin Tian the dossiers of Longkou County over the years. Qin Tian didn't do anything, just read these dossiers in the study. Tang Rong occasionally came to bring him some hot water. Put some charcoal on the stove or something.

When dusk came, snowflakes suddenly fell in Longkou County, and Tang Rong ran in happily.

"Sir, it's snowing."

Qin Tian looked at the snowflakes outside through the window, and suddenly sighed: "The wine and meat of Zhumen stinks, and the road is frozen to death. I don't want the snow to fall so early, sir."

Tang Rong was stunned for a moment, and thought to herself that the road of rich wine and meat was frozen to death, her husband was really a good official who cared for the people, but she was the one who only cared about her own joy and feelings.

"Sir, do you see anything in these files, are there many unjust cases?"

(End of this chapter)