Established a thousand-year family from the end of Qin Dynasty

Chapter 178 Wang Mang's New Deal ([-])

Five years later

Guanghan County

Chengxiang County

Shen Tusheng's Swan Goose Heaven was wiped out in just three months. The 30-plus refugee army of Hongyan Road was easily defeated by the imperial court's [-] elite cavalry, and the remaining stragglers were also killed by the joint prefectures and herdsmen of various places.

But rebellions are still happening everywhere.

A year ago, there was a drought in Guanghan County, and cannibalism occurred. A pincer named Zheng Gong led dozens of people to rebel and claimed to be a tiger. In just one or two months, tens of thousands of refugees joined Zheng Gong's organization. team.

Although Zheng Gong's rebel army was suppressed within a few months, Guanghan County is still full of hungry people, and a second rebellion may occur at any time.

The government refused to provide disaster relief, because the government’s grain had to be sold to the local powerful gentry, and then exchanged for five baht to be transported to Chang’an, which was used as a tax payment to the imperial court.

The people can suffer more, but the court's taxes must be paid.

Moreover, rich and powerful gentry do not pay taxes, but the imperial court’s taxes are fixed, so the government can only transfer the taxes of the powerful gentry to the self-cultivating peasants, and let the self-cultivating farmers help the powerful gentry bear the tax burden.

Today, many people from Chengxiang County came to the altar in the county to offer sacrifices, praying for the gods to bless them with good weather and not to starve to death next year.

At this time, commotion broke out in the crowd.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

A group of officials drove away the sallow and emaciated common people, making way for the crowded common people.

The common people ran away one after another, hiding on both sides of the road, looking at the court officials with hatred.

They dared not speak out, because those who dared to rebel had been wiped out by the imperial court's elite cavalry, and their heads were cut off to build a Jingguan, so they could only vent their anger like this.

Only then did the common people see that the person alighting from the carriage was the county magistrate of Chengxiang County.

The magistrate of Chengxiang County stood under the altar, motionless, as if waiting for someone.

Not long after, another carriage came here.

"Call-"

The groom stopped the carriage, and the next person stepped out of the carriage.

"Your Majesty has seen Dr. Wang!" The county magistrate bowed to the man.

This young man, honored as "Doctor Wang" by the county magistrate, can be described as sword-browed and handsome.

And even the county magistrate respects him so much, presumably he must be a high official of the imperial court.

But such a high-ranking official was dressed in plain linen clothes, and did not wear a crown on his head. Instead, he wrapped his hair with linen cloth like ordinary people, and wore a pair of worn-out old linen shoes on his feet.

After getting off the carriage, such an unusual senior official first saluted the county magistrate of Chengxiang County respectfully: "Mang, I have seen your honor, you don't need to be more polite."

After finishing speaking, Wang Mang looked at the people around him again, then shook his head and sighed to persuade the county magistrate: "Your Excellency, it is the right of people in the world to sacrifice to the gods, and the world belongs to the people of the world, please don't stop the people from offering sacrifices to the gods. "

"Eh..." The magistrate of Chengxiang County didn't understand whether Wang Mang was serious or just showing off. After all, there have been quite a few scholars who put on a show these years, and each of them said that they were the reincarnation of a saint, so he replied: "Your official understands."

Afterwards, the officials gave way to the common people, and the common people cheered and were very grateful to Wang Mang.

"I didn't expect the imperial court to have such a good official. I thought all officials would only be corrupt like our county magistrate."

"Shh, don't speak ill of the county magistrate, it's over if you hear it."

"Is the truth also a bad word?"

"Oh, it's rare to see such a good official who cares about our common people in a thousand years."

"What's the name of the good officer?"

"I don't know, but they all call him Doctor Wang, so he should be surnamed Wang and named Doctor."

"You idiot, doctor is an official name, not a name."

"I haven't read the book, and the biggest official I've ever met is only the county magistrate. I don't know that doctor is an official name."

The people crowded into the altar and talked about what happened just now.

The county magistrate of Chengxiang County couldn't help but look ugly when he heard the words of the people, and he ordered the officials viciously: "Shoot to death those swindlers who chewed their tongues just now!"

"Promise!" The officials agreed, and then they were going to drag out the civilian who told the county magistrate the truth and beat him to death.

The crowd harassed again, and the people were terrified. No one dared to stop the officials, for fear of being beaten to death by the officials.

The few civilians who told the county magistrate's truth just now were also full of despair, just when they thought they were bound to die.

"Wait a minute!" At this time, Wang Mang stopped in time and advised the magistrate: "Your Excellency, if the people make any mistakes, please punish me, Wang Mang. I, Wang Mang, are willing to be punished on behalf of the people. If you want to be killed, please Kill me, Wang Mang."

The county magistrate frowned, unable to understand what Wang Mang was doing, but naturally he couldn't really kill Wang Mang.

Although Wang Mang's current official is smaller than his county magistrate, behind Wang Mang is a powerful relative of the Wang family, and it is not easy to offend.

In order not to offend the relatives of the Wang family behind Wang Mang, the magistrate of Chengxiang County said with a smile: "I was just joking just now. I am benevolent and love the people. How could I beat people to death just because they accidentally said a few words wrong?" What? I am definitely not that kind of villain, haha!"

In the end, those officials returned to their positions, and the people were able to continue to go to the altar to worship the gods.

"That good official seems to be called Wang Mang."

"Wang Mang? I seem to have heard that my cousin's seven aunts and eight aunts were maids in a gentry manor. She often heard those scholars discuss a man named Wang Mang, and said that Wang Mang was the number one gentleman in the world. It is even said that Wang Mang is a reincarnated saint."

"The reincarnated saint... such a good person really deserves such a good name!"

"Yeah yeah!"

"Our current emperor is a fool. Regardless of the life and death of us ordinary people, if we can replace the current emperor with Wang Mang, I believe we will be able to live a happy life without worrying about food and clothing."

"Yes, it's a pity that I can't change it, alas..."

The people admired Wang Mang more and more, and they even hoped that Wang Mang would become their emperor in words, and believed that Wang Mang could lead them to a prosperous, healthy and happy life.

Hearing that the people dared to speak ill of the emperor, the county magistrate wanted to arrest them again. After all, it was not the time of Emperor Wen. Emperor Wen allowed the people to vent their anger by cursing the emperor.

But just as the county magistrate was about to issue an order, he saw Wang Mang next to him who was worried about the country and the people, so he had to give up. He didn't want to be used by Wang Mang for the second time to erect the image of loving the people.

At the same time, the county magistrate also asked an official to bring his grandson. He also had to adapt to the current situation and establish an image of benevolent government and loving people for himself.

Wang Mang came to the altar, knelt under the altar and cried: "God! How unfair you are to make the people suffer so much. If you want to bring down natural disasters, please punish me, Wang Mang, and don't let the people suffer anymore, woo woo woo Woo~~"

Wang Mang asked the gods not to send floods and droughts that caused the people to starve to death. If disasters were to be sent, they would only be sent to him, Wang Mang, and let him suffer and suffer instead of the common people in the world.

The people were all moved by Wang Mang. They didn't expect that there would be a person who cared about their life and death among those powerful nobles who regarded themselves as noble, and would pray to the gods to punish him in order to prevent them from suffering.

"There are giants in the world, but they can't be the emperor. This is the greatest sorrow!" A scholar who saw this scene shook his head and sighed, even he was moved by Wang Mang.

"Duke Mang through the ages!"

"If Lord Mang can become the Son of Heaven, it will be the luck of the world!"

"Liu Han's power is exhausted. Only by changing the country and surname can the world be saved."

"If you really want to pass on Guoyi's surname, it should be passed on to Duke Mang!"

Everyone praised Wang Mang one after another, thinking that only Wang Mang can save the common people in the world, so that the common people in the world will no longer suffer from hunger and cold.

At this time, the grandson of the magistrate of Chengxiang County also came to the altar and put a wreath on Wang Mang's head.

Wang Mang paused from his grief and looked at the county magistrate's child, who seemed to be only six or seven years old, so he couldn't help asking, "Son, what's your name?"

"My name is Gongsun Shu." The six or seven-year-old boy replied, with cute innocent eyes.

(End of this chapter)