Judge of the Lamp

Chapter 779 Zhenkang, You Have Suffered

Seeing Hong Zhenji pick up the soldering iron from the brazier, Hong Zhenkang was frightened.

"Zhenji, what are you doing? I teach you a few words for my brother, and it's also for your own good..."

"Bah!" Hong Zhenji spat at Hong Zhenkang, "Did you call Zhenji? You are a first-order prisoner, and you dare to call me by my name?"

Seeing that Hong Zhenji really lost his face, Hong Zhenkang quickly softened and said: "Brother, just now I drank a few more drinks for my brother, and my words were a little less measured, don't mind."

Hong Zhenji frowned and said, "You are becoming more and more disrespectful, who are you brother? Who calls you brother?

You are a prisoner picked up by Xu Zhiqiong from the northern border. I took pity on you and took you in. Do you really think you are the King of Records? "

Hong Zhenkang shook his head again and again and said, "This, but, you can't talk nonsense..."

"Who is talking nonsense? You go and ask the judge surnamed Sun. He came back with you. What is your origin? Doesn't he know?"

Only then did Hong Zhenkang realize one thing, he had too many handles in Hong Zhenji's hands.

It would be great if I told the truth to Brother Huang at the beginning!
It's too late to explain now, I lied to the emperor before, the emperor will definitely not forgive me.

The traitor Hong Zhenji asked me to use this to threaten me, that's all, I won't argue with him yet, just give him a soft look.

"Zhenji, I remember your life-saving grace. Brother Wei is not the kind of ungrateful person. Brother Wei knows his mistake. Don't bother with Brother Wei!"

Hong Zhenji sneered and said, "How cheap do you think you are? I was going to give you a cheap name, but for the sake of love, I will give you a few strokes, and forget it!"

"I can't, I can't!"

Scoff!There was a puff of white smoke, and the soldering iron landed on his chest.

Hong Zhenkang seemed to have passed out, but it was not known whether it was real or fake.

Hong Zhenji turned around and told Cong Ming: "Send King Lu back to his residence."

Hong Zhenkang was thrown back to the mansion. He was in excruciating pain, but he didn't dare to seek medical treatment. He called a servant and asked him to fetch medicine for the wound. He applied the medicine and bandaged himself.

Needless to say, this procedure is familiar. He was often tortured by Yuan Chengfeng back then, and he applied the medicine himself.

After treating the wound well, Hong Zhenkang's anger surged up.

How dare he kill me!
From childhood to adulthood, Hong Zhenji never dared to raise his head and speak in front of him!
How many troubles did he cause as a child?Didn't he always cry and beg me to help him deal with the aftermath?

I say one, does he dare to say two in front of me?I asked him to kneel, would he dare to stand up?
Just because I taught him a few words, how dare he treat me like this?

The more Hong Zhenkang thought about it, the more he couldn't bear it, and he wished he could avenge himself today.

But revenge requires capital, and Hong Zhenkang has no one who can use it.

The group of soldiers and disciples that Yuan Chengfeng trained back then were all wiped out in the last fierce battle.

Besides, even if these people are still there, they are not Cong Ming's opponents.

Ask the emperor to sue him?

No, there are many things here, you can't let the emperor know.

After thinking about it, Hong Zhenkang suppressed his anger, and the matter of revenge will be discussed later, and the tribute silver must be collected first.

He ordered the housekeeper to invite the Minister of the Household Department to discuss the matter of increasing the tax.

The butler agreed and went to invite her.

I asked for it three times in a row, but Qu Guangling, the new Minister of the Household Department, did not reply.

The butler replied: "Your Majesty, the old slave has been there three times, but Qu Shangshu always said that he was not feeling well, and he didn't see the old slave at all."

Hong Zhenkang said angrily, "I'll invite you in person!"

He went to the House of the Minister of the Household Department, ignored the obstruction of the doormen, and went straight in. When he met Qu Guangling, he ordered the errand without any discussion.

Qu Guangling really didn't want to get involved in matters related to Tunu. The previous Shangshu Zhou Jinxiu was beaten into a useless person by the gods, and he is still locked up in the prison.

But when the prince came forward in person, Qu Guangling didn't dare to refuse, and according to the rules, he issued a document ordering the states and counties to levy more money.

This move annoyed Xu Zhiqiong!
I thought that after being beaten, Hong Zhenkang would know how to do it and shirk this job, but I didn't expect that Hong Zhenkang was so eager to seek merit that he dared to send out the order to increase the reward.

What is he asking for credit for?
With such a prominent status, does he still ask for an official?Are you still asking for a name?Do you still ask for money?

Hong Zhenji said from the side: "Yunhou, you are right, what he is looking for is money, Yuan Chengfeng doesn't know where to hide the money, after I sent Hong Zhenkang back to the mansion, I accompanied him to search for it for two days, and searched all over the mansion Yes, there is only 80 taels of silver in the treasury, and there is no more money.
His mansion is big and there are many people, 80 taels of silver is not enough for a day's expenses, and all the food and drink expenses these days are supported by me. "

"Didn't all the money collected be given to Tu Nu?"

"When grease is passed through hands, there must be some oil and water left behind."

Xu Zhiqiong nodded: "I know this. Layers of oil and water have come down. Tu Nu has collected 500 million tribute silver, and I am afraid that the common people will have to pay 800 million."

Hong Zhenji sighed: "800 million taels is probably more than that, but 1000 million taels is not enough."

Xu Zhiqiong nodded and said, "King Lu seems to understand the rules very well."

Hong Zhenji was taken aback, and quickly explained: "Qiancheng has always had this long-standing disadvantage, which is well known to the world."

Xu Zhiqiong said: "Since the world knows it, Hong Juncheng must also know it."

Hong Zhenji laughed dryly: "Shenjun naturally knows about this, but it's just tacit understanding."

Xu Zhiqiong couldn't help nodding: "That's good, it's good to know it."

After returning to the Department of Punishment, Xu Zhiqiong summoned all the judges, and immediately went to the state capitals through the Chengfeng Tower, trying his best to delay the matter of adding taxes.

More than 100 judges, three people in a team, act separately.

This is Xu Zhiqiong's second time to sabotage and increase Fu. Judges from all walks of life are familiar with it. Not long after arriving at the destination, Ning Yongwei was the first to succeed.

He pretended to be a petty official offering gifts and begging for an official. Through bribery, he bought off the prefect's guards, went directly to the outer house, and found the prefect who was having fun with the outer room.

Ning Yongwei still used bandits to break an arm of the magistrate, forcing the magistrate to make a written statement, and issued a notice, promising not to increase the tax in the prefecture.

After another three days, the judges of the Sixteenth Route succeeded one after another. Although the methods were different, the results were not bad, and all the states and counties in various places delayed the matter of adding taxes.

There are those who can do things well, and there are those who can't do things well.

Shen Shuliang took two judges to Sizhou, and they also found the magistrate, but they failed to stop the addition of gifts, and the three of them were captured alive by the government officials.

Xu Zhiqiong knew Yachai's fighting strength very well. No matter in Daxuan or Qiancheng, he could only use the word "unbearable" to describe it.

Although Shen Shuliang's combat strength is not high, he still has a fifth-rank cultivation, so he was arrested by a group of yamen?
In desperation, Xu Zhiqiong had no choice but to run to Sizhou to rescue him through his eyesight.

After rescuing Shen Shuliang, Xu Zhiqiong inquired clearly about the reason, only to realize that Shen Shuliang was captured not because of lack of fighting power, but because of lack of scheming.

He found Tan Sizhong, the magistrate of Sizhou, and Tan Sizhong explained the difficulties, saying that this matter should be discussed with his subordinates, and Shen Shuliang lettered it.

Tan Sizhong immediately summoned all his subordinates and asked Shen Shuliang to wait for the result of the discussion, and Shen Shuliang agreed.

The unsuspecting Shen Shuliang waited in the backyard of the magistrate's yamen, and was captured alive in such a daze.

There were serious technical problems in the negotiation process between him and the magistrate.

Xu Zhiqiong personally found out the magistrate, and broke down all the technical actions in detail.

"The prefect of the fourth rank is an important member of one party. He must be loyal to the court at the top, and care about the people at the bottom. During the negotiation process, he must fully consider the difficulties of the other party."

Speaking of this, Xu Zhiqiong pressed the prefect and asked: "Prefect Qin, can you not add a tax and leave a way for the people to survive?"

Song Zhifu said righteously: "This is the order of the imperial court, and it is the duty of this government!"

Xu Zhiqiong looked at Shen Shuliang and said, "Now you understand that there are many difficulties in being a magistrate, so the first punch must be punched!"

After finishing speaking, Xu Zhiqiong punched Magistrate Song's mouth with a hammer, his lips cracked, his front teeth broke, and flew out of his mouth.

Song Zhifu cried: "Don't hurt me again, I will follow your orders, and I will not add any gifts."

Xu Zhiqiong went on to explain: "Under normal circumstances, out of loyalty to the imperial court, the prefect of a state will definitely resist to the end, so the second punch has to be slapped!"

Song Zhifu cried: "I didn't resist, I agreed."

boom!With another punch on the mouth, Song Zhifu's lips turned outward and he was speechless.

Xu Zhiqiong continued to explain: "After two punches, if the magistrate still resists, it proves that there is something else hidden, and the reason must be considered, so the third punch is still to hit the mouth."

Under Xu Zhiqiong's careful guidance, Shen Shuliang finally mastered the basics, and the prefect Qin, who was almost killed, showed a gratified smile.

Half a month later, all the judges in the states succeeded, and the matter of adding taxes was delayed.

This delay made Hong Zhenkang's life difficult. The agreed time had come, and Hong Zhenkang did not collect a tael of silver.

After hearing the news, Hong Juncheng called Hong Zhenkang to the Enwei Hall and asked why.

Hong Zhenkang shifted all the responsibility to the prefects of the states, and repeatedly accused them of ineffectiveness in handling affairs. He was filled with righteous indignation and blushed.

Hong Juncheng listened to him patiently, and ordered the servant to make a pot of tea for Hong Zhenkang.

Hong Zhenkang knelt down to thank him, Hong Juncheng laughed and said, "Zhenkang, I heard that you have been short of money recently?"

Hong Zhenkang was startled, he didn't expect Hong Juncheng to know about it.

"My brother, I'm used to frugality." Hong Zhenkang replied ambiguously.

Hong Juncheng said again: "Money is tight, it's okay to earn some, but you can't miss the big deal."

Hong Zhenkang's hairs are counting down, what does this mean?
He suspected that I was greedy for money?

This has wronged me!

Hong Zhenkang kowtowed again and again: "My brother is incompetent, but my brother is dedicated to serving the emperor, and has absolutely no selfish heart."

"It's okay, it's okay." After the tea was brewed, Hong Juncheng ordered it to be delivered to Hong Zhenkang.

Hong Zhenkang felt at ease, but when he saw the waiter bring the tea to him, Hong Juncheng flicked his sleeves lightly, a sense of grandeur came over him, the teapot overturned, and it was on Hong Zhenkang's body.

The boiling tea fell on his back, and the hot Hong Zhenkang wailed repeatedly.

Hong Juncheng smiled and said, "Zhenkang, have you suffered a lot these years?"

Hong Zhenkang trembled.

What does this mean?
Does he know that Yuan Chengfeng gave me...

Hong Juncheng continued to laugh and said, "Don't you want to suffer any more in the future? I will give you some time. After ten days, I will see the five million taels of silver."

……

Hearing that the matter of adding gifts was not going well, Hong Zhenkang was scalded all over his body with blisters, Hong Zhenji was overjoyed, and specially set up a banquet for Xu Zhiqiong to watch the dance.

Hong Zhenji picked up his wine glass and repeatedly sighed: "This is called not accepting good words, and you have to blame yourself!"

Xu Zhiqiong was soft-hearted after all: "It's not easy for King Lu, I have to find a way to get him some money."

Hong Zhenji suspected that he heard it wrong: "Yunhou, is this not a joke?"

Xu Zhiqiong shook his head and said, "I'm not kidding, I really want to get some money."

"How much?"

"It's hard to say how much. It depends on how much Yuan Chengfeng left behind. Is the cook in your house still there?"

(End of this chapter)