I have a two world clock

Chapter 147 Borrowing Food
Let’s talk about the rich people in the world, no one is innocent!

In the world, almost no one who gathers a large amount of money is clean, and more or less violates the law.

If you are an honest person, you can only live in a well-off life at most, and it is almost impossible to want too much money.

Especially in the social environment of the Great Yin Dynasty, landlords and rich people rarely obeyed the law, and they would do some illegal and taboo things in private. This was due to the environment and was commonplace.

For example, mistreating subordinates, deducting wages, forcibly occupying land, bullying men and women, committing suicide without authorization, using lynching, discord with parents, disrespecting elders, etc., etc. The general government will not intervene too much in matters that are not investigated.

But there are many servants in rich families, so there are many things to do when there are many people. It is not uncommon for some murders to happen occasionally. There are also cases where the rich man has an affair with a maid, and the maid is beaten to death by his wife. It is not uncommon. If you really care about it, There's no such thing as a clean ass.

Let's not talk about others, just Li Mu, if it is really found out, he is also a generation with bloody hands, killing officials and people, beheading the city god, if it is in accordance with the law, ten heads are not enough to cut off.

Other gentry and wealthy households may not be as serious as Li Mu's case, but it may not be enough for the death penalty.

Especially Baoming County was hit by the disaster recently, and Qinghe County was also implicated. Among them, there were countless victims, and casualties were common.

Almost everyone has a few women in their homes as maids and servants, and it is not uncommon to force women into prostitution or kill people.

After Zhou Daoquan came to Qinghe County, he ordered people to investigate the place carefully. Shen Chong had a group of subordinates with high skills and methods.

The gentry at the scene were powerful, and all of them were law breakers. Even Li Mu was registered in the register for hanging a robber and castrating a quack monk.

"After investigation, Gui Youhu in Qinghe County bullied men and women, forced men into prostitution, entrapped the common people, seized women from the common people, used lynching, and resisted taxes. The crime is extremely heinous, and he should be punished according to the law!"

Shen Chong held a book in his hand, stood in the granary compound, and chanted loudly to the crowd: "Come here, lock Gui Youhu!"

"My lord, you are wronged!"

A middle-aged man was so frightened that he knelt down and kowtowed: "I would like to donate half of my property to help the victims of the disaster! Please spare my life!"

Zhou Daoquan shouted angrily: "How courageous! Is this official a corrupt person? You have committed such a serious crime, how can I keep you? Detain you and wait for orders!"

"Yes!"

A yamen servant walked over, picked up iron shackles and locked Gui Youhu, and said in a low voice: "Master Gui, why are you bothering? The governor personally invited you, you don't give him such face , can you still come down? Look at Mr. Li Daguan, he took out [-] catties of wheat seeds all at once, pulled them over by carts, and placed them in the yard, how spacious and bright! It’s a big sin, my lord is happy Under the circumstances, there will be no calculations!"

Gui Youhu beat his chest and stamped his feet, regretting endlessly: "If I knew today, I would donate all my family property, and I wouldn't dare to disobey my lord!"

As he was locked up, several wealthy gentry beside him were also locked up and taken to prison.

The rest of the gentry at the scene were all in danger, sweating profusely, and in an instant, sweat drenched through their heavy clothes.

When Gui Youhu and others were arrested, anyone with a discerning eye can understand that these are the most heinous people, so they were arrested.

Since the crime is unforgivable, he must be killed sooner or later, so it happened to be locked up at this time, and used to kill chickens and monkeys.

After the few people were taken away, Zhou Dao looked gloomy and scanned the crowd: "Since I came to Qinghe, except for a few wealthy households who have helped the victims, the rest of the people have been indifferent to the victims. Making money by chance, exchanging very little food for the land of the victims, trafficking in people, one by one, violating the law and destroying conscience!"

The place was quiet.

After a while, Zhang Shihong stood up, bowed and said: "My lord, it's because the students are negligent, please blame me!"

Zhou Daquan waved his hand and said, "You are the interim county magistrate. You didn't catch human rights before. Recently, you are too busy helping victims and maintaining law and order, so you don't have time to pay attention to this matter. It's reasonable. No wonder you have this matter."

When he said this, he looked at Li Mu: "Muzhi, what do you have to say?"

Li Mudao: "Based on the students' opinion, Gui Youhu and others can be dealt with according to the law. As for the other minor cases, if they sincerely repent, the adults should also give them a chance to reform themselves."

Zhou Daoquan nodded slightly: "I'm not a bloodthirsty person. If these people sincerely repent and atone for their crimes, it's okay to let them live."

Everyone in the courtyard breathed a sigh of relief.

An obese old man wiped his sweat and stood up; "My lord, the grassroots are willing to donate 100 catties of grain and [-] taels of silver to help the victims of the disaster!"

Another middle-aged man got up and said: "The villain is willing to donate [-] catties of grain, and the victims don't need to return it."

Afterwards, everyone at the scene signed up enthusiastically, and the donation amount was more than ten times higher than before. Not long after, they donated 3000 taels of silver, plus more than 7 catties of grain.

But the sum of these things is still far from the rations and seeds needed by the victims.

Zhou Daoquan's face became more and more ugly. He stood up and nodded slowly to everyone: "Okay! Very good!"

Immediately said to Shen Chong: "According to the law, capture one by one, and don't let a single criminal go!"

Shen Chong cupped his fists and saluted: "Don't worry, my lord, my subordinates will definitely take them seriously, and no one can escape!"

Zhou Daoquan didn't say any more, and told his left and right: "Prepare the sedan chair and go home!"

After a while, he returned to the county office in a red sedan chair.

The rest of the people, except Li Mu, Zhang Shihong and Sun Honglie and a few others, the rest of the country gentry were all locked up and taken to prison.

"The so-called prodigal county magistrate, the magistrate who killed the family, hehe, Mr. Zhou's gesture is so good, these people are still reluctant to part with this little thing in the house. They really want money and life!"

Li Mu looked at the people locked away, and couldn't help shaking his head and laughing: "It's better for the county magistrate to be in charge now, not to mention the governor, who sits in a state and can be called a vassal of a place, with the power of life and death. These guys, dead to death It's coming, and I don't even know it."

Sun Honglie said: "They think they are used to it. Usually, the county lords just force a little family wealth. They have never let them have bloodletting, so they think Master Zhou is the same."

In today's world, the imperial power does not go to the countryside, and local officials and gentry rule the country. Naturally, they will not exploit the gentry too much, and at most they just extort some money.

After all, most of the county magistrates are not locals. If they really offend all the local gentry, I am afraid that it will be difficult for any order to come out of the county office.

But this is only limited to small officials with weak personalities. If Zhou Daoquan is a governor of a place and a feudal official like Zhou Daoquan, if he wants money and people, he will be paid for nothing. In the middle of a move, it can be destroyed with a flip of the hand.

These wealthy gentry in Qinghe County, used to being proud and arrogant in Qinghe County, completely forgot the difference between the governor and the county magistrate. If the family is ruined and the family is destroyed, the vitality will definitely be severely injured.

The so-called being greedy for small things and losing big things, picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons, is nothing more than that.

Zhang Shihong wiped the sweat from his forehead, and bowed to Li Mu: "Brother Li, you saved another life!"

If Li Mu hadn't discussed with him and lent grain seeds together, Zhang Shihong would never have taken the initiative to lend grain to the people. After all, during times of famine, his own grain might not be enough to spend, so there is no reason to lend it to others?

When Zhang Shihong was the county magistrate at the beginning, he was a bit close to handling things, and he was still a little short of the fire, and he couldn't reach the level of foresight and early action.

If he hadn't been the first to donate money and food with Li Mu today, Zhou Daoquan might be angered. Not only the magistrate who just got it won't last long, but he might even be imprisoned.

After all, their old Zhang's family had been squires for several generations in Qinghe County, with little wealth, and their actions were a bit ostentatious, and there were many things that violated the law in the things they did over the years.

If you really want to pursue it, not to mention Zhang Shihong, even Zhang Shihong's parents will have to face a lawsuit, and they will be imprisoned.

A good home will be destroyed in an instant and disappear in smoke.

"This is brother Zhang's luck. Brother is just a proposal. Brother Zhang is the one who decides."

Li Mu helped Zhang Shihong up, and said with a smile: "Master Zhou, we have passed this level, and we will do things better in the future."

Zhang Shihong said: "Brother Li said that my younger brother will definitely fulfill his duty in the future and serve the country and the people!"

After the two of them talked a few words in the courtyard, Li Mu stepped aside, sat down under a tree against the wall in the courtyard, poured out tea, and sipped tea slowly.

Zhang Shihong took the prestige of the county magistrate, sat in the courtyard, and ordered the three classes of yamen servants to lead the victims to distribute grain.

In the two counties of Qinghe and Baoming, there were more than 20 victims. Later, they died of illness and hunger, and tens of thousands died. Some people fled to other places. The victims are still wandering in Qinghe and Baoming counties. , there are only more than 3 people left.

The grain at the grain depot plus Li Mu's previous 17 jins was only [-] jins, which was less than [-] jins of grain per person.

The eight catties of grain were just grain seeds. As for food, they had to use the form of work-for-work relief, so that they could barely eat something so that they would not starve to death.

Let these people come one by one to receive the grain, and after receiving it, sign and draw a deposit as a voucher.

Zhang Shihong and Sun Honglie personally sat on the scene to supervise the victims to receive the seeds. They worked for five days before distributing the seeds.

During this period, Li Mu took out another [-] catties of seeds. In this way, each person can have more than ten catties of seeds. If they can be planted properly and the weather does not change much, it will be enough for these victims not to be killed in the next day. years of starvation.

On the fifth day, fewer and fewer victims came to receive the grain seeds. Zhang Shihong called to Li Mu: "Brother Li, just wait for the grain seeds to be lent out today, and then you can go to see the boss and report the matter, which can be regarded as a settlement." .”

Li Mu smiled and said, "It's over? Lending out the grain seeds is only the first step. How to cultivate, how to protect the seedlings, how to water, how much harvest in the coming year, piles of piles, which one is not your business? What do you want? It’s over? I’m afraid it will take three to five years, and it won’t be over!”

Zhang Shihong sighed: "I used to only see the prestige of being an official, but now I have become an official, but I find that it is really hard to be an official.

There was water in the east and fire in the west, and I was required to come forward.Farming and harvesting, droughts, floods and diseases, I have to find a way to deal with it, and I am exhausted all day long.No wonder so many corrupt officials turn a blind eye when they are in office, but it turns out that it is so difficult to be a good official! "

Li Mu said: "In such troubled times, it is difficult to be a good official!"

Zhang Shihong said: "Since my younger brother has become one, let's work hard for it. How can I read my book of sages for nothing? Do your best and go all out."

Li Mu nodded: "Brother Zhang can have such an idea, it's not in vain."

While the two were talking, Li Mu suddenly raised his head and looked outside the door.

The two of them were sitting in the granary courtyard at this moment. There was a jujube tree in the courtyard. The yamen servant placed a large table under the tree. The two of them sat at both ends of the table and supervised the people coming to receive the grain seeds. Handle emergencies.

At this time, the victims in the courtyard were in twos and threes, and there were not many grains. Almost all the grains that had piled up like a mountain were taken away, and the entire courtyard was much empty.

When Li Mu looked out the door, he saw an old man with a cane walking towards the gate of the courtyard.

This old man has a bare forehead and no hair on his head, but he is not a monk. He is wearing a blue cloth shirt, his face is full of wrinkles, even his bare scalp is covered with wrinkles, and the two mustaches at the corners of his mouth have become pure white. The color, the whole body, lifeless, almost too old to look at.

Old teeth, old teeth, this old man is not only toothless, but also hunched over and coughing again and again.

The old man was leaning on crutches, panting step by step, taking a step, taking a step, taking a step, taking a rest, from the gate outside the courtyard to Li Mu, it took several minutes, even the tortoise could run faster than him .

"Two little brothers, is it possible to receive grain seeds here?"

The bald old man shrugged his shoulders, poked his head forward, and looked at Li Mu and Zhang Shihong with two small mung bean eyes: "Our family has always had no food, and we have been hungry for several years. The hungry little old man is dizzy and trembles when he walks." Brother, can I get some seeds here, so that when I go back, I can quickly plant some food, so that the whole family and friends will not starve to death."

"Have you been hungry for years?"

Zhang Shihong laughed dumbly: "Old man, you have been hungry for several days, right? Don't worry, we still have a lot of dry food here, you can eat some first, and when you have strength, as long as you are from Baoming County and Qinghe County, you can The official will give you twenty catties of grain seeds for you to cultivate."

"Also...you have to be from Qinghe County? Can you not be a human?"

The old man looked distressed: "I have lived in Qinghe County for hundreds of years, and I have never been registered. This kind of grain, without a household registration, can't I get it?"

Zhang Shihong glanced at the old man, his face was shocked: "Aren't you human?"

The old man said honestly: "We are demon cultivators nearby, and we have always done our duty. We have never killed anyone. We also open up wasteland and grow some food on weekdays, which is enough to feed our hunger. After harvesting, I can only go to closed doors and live without food. I have been hungry for three years, and suddenly I woke up from starvation, and several children are dying of hunger, so I am afraid it will not work."

He said to Zhang Shihong: "I wanted to go down the mountain to carry some grain, but I didn't expect a great Confucian to appear in Qinghe County, so I didn't dare to make a mistake. Seeing that there are grain seeds here, I came here to pick up a grain. Plant food and feed my children."

Hearing this, Zhang Shihong's face changed color, and he turned to look at Li Mu.

(End of this chapter)