After seeing off Liu Fu, Lao Yuantou stood alone beside the field stalks in a daze, feeling very complicated.
There is compassion for the fellow villagers, and there is also a hint of pleasure in enjoying the privileges because his son is a junior student.
"Eating dog intestines turns out to be a good study. The villagers dare not bully me."
He murmured proudly, spat a mouthful of thick phlegm on the ground, raised his head again, and saw several people riding horses on the official road. After squinting carefully, he hurried over.
"Goro is here."
Old Yuan Tou wanted to learn to say a few words like "Your Majesty is coming to this remote country." It was not like he had never heard others say it, but when it was his turn to say it, he kept rubbing his hands and couldn't speak.
Du Wulang didn't care about these customs, he smiled and said: "I brought my friends out to hunt."
Lao Yuan looked up and saw a person behind Du Wulang. He couldn't help but let out a "ooh" in his heart, secretly thinking that a person who was like a god descending to earth, that is, the prime minister could meet such an outstanding hero.
"Well, the little man's house is right in front."
"Lead the way."
When they arrived at the place, Lao Yuantou bent down to the side of Du Wulang's tall horse and said: "Wu Lang, please step on the little man and dismount."
Before he finished speaking, Du Wulang had already stood up and dismounted from his horse. Old Yuan Tou wanted to help another noble man, but the other noble man was much more powerful than Du Wulang, and he didn't need his help.
In fact, what Old Yuan Tou didn't see was that there was a group of guards following him in the woods further away.
Because the person who went out with Du Wulang today was none other than Xue Bai.
"Go in and have a look."
Xue Bai entered the hut naturally and nodded to the old woman who was drying wheat. He glanced around and saw that there were only four walls and no place to sit, so he casually sat down on a big stone in the house.
"This house was built after you returned home and settled down?"
"Reply to Sir, that's right." Old Yuan Tou said: "Originally, the house here was burned down during the war, and the owner died, leaving a few walls. We, the settled people, helped each other build it.
The materials used in the house are all left over from the previous demolition of the temple.”
Xue Bai asked a few more questions about old Yuan Tou's situation after returning home. Finally, the topic fell on the spring seedling loan. He asked him if everything went smoothly from farming to harvesting, and whether he expected to repay the money in the autumn and how much it would be.
Surplus grain, etc.
This question was so serious that Lao Yuan was a little nervous when he asked it, and said everything went smoothly.
"Thanks to the spring seedlings, I let the little man plant them on the ground. There will be a harvest, and life will be easier."
Xue Bai paused and asked again: "Are other families like this?"
Old Yuan Tou hesitated, turned his head and looked at Du Wulang, and then replied in a squeaky voice: "Some people who borrowed the Chunmiao Loan did not farm the land properly and gambled the money, so they could not pay it back."
He said this because he didn't want to get into trouble, because the county officials specially came to tell him to be an honest man, and if he accused "Mr. Hu" behind his back, he might be saying that he was dishonest.
In this world where officials protect each other, if something happens, I'm afraid it will delay my son's exam.
"What else?" Xue Bai asked, seemingly well prepared.
Du Wulang also said: "If you have anything, feel free to tell me."
Seeing En Gong speak, Old Yuan Tou just said: "There are also some people who didn't get the Chunmiao loan, so they borrowed other people's money. The interest was a bit high and they couldn't pay it back."
Xue Bai was not surprised when he heard this, and asked again: "What are the details?"
"..."
After coming out of Lao Yuantou's house, Du Wulang couldn't help but said: "Looking at you, you must have known that there was a problem with Chunmiao Loan in Shouan County for a long time, so you just asked me to hunt today? I'm afraid you are hunting corrupt officials."
"Yes." Xue Bai said, "It's called hunting when you have a target."
"Since you know everything, why do you want to question Lao Yuantou carefully?"
"Look at the attitude of the villagers." Xue Bai said, "How much are you afraid of the local officials and how much are you willing to explain?"
"oh."
The two walked for a while, and Du Wulang suddenly said: "You have started to say the word 'fellow' again recently."
"What if?"
"You used to say it like this, but later you used 'common people' and 'limin people' for a while. How do you say it? The meaning is the same, but the feeling is different."
"Be kind?"
"Can't tell."
Xue Bai got on his horse and smiled unconsciously.
After arriving in the Tang Dynasty, he gradually wanted to be the emperor, and in the process he gradually became tainted with a lot of feudal bureaucracy. Recently, he has thought a lot more clearly, and often recalls what he did before time travel.
At this time, Du Wulang could feel the change in his mentality, which made him feel relaxed and relieved.
Even the horse under his crotch could feel the owner's thoughts. As soon as he tapped his heel, the horse spread its hooves and galloped happily in the direction he wanted to go.
"Where are we going?" Du Wulang asked.
"If the fish doesn't take the bait, let's hook it up."
~~
Shou'an County Department.
Zong Han opened a beautiful sandalwood box, and his nose was filled with a refreshing fragrance. Inside was tea leaves that were beautifully packaged in gold foil paper.
"Master Secretary, this is a new tea from the south of the Yangtze River, and it is very valuable." The third steward of the Cui family stood aside and said with a smile.
“Good tea.”
Zong Han thought to himself that the current emperor was indeed talented in eating, drinking, having fun, and in poetry and singing. In addition to dominoes and cooking, he also came up with this tea-making method.
If the emperor could focus on these things in governing the country and stop fooling around, the Tang Dynasty would definitely be more prosperous and elegant.
"Thank you so much for me, Alang." Zong Han said, "The Cui family don't have to worry too much about this year's rent payment. The payment is 20% more than in previous years. The Luoyang government will not embarrass us anymore. After all, it is not a problem."
Smiling person.”
"yes."
"The Emperor is so close, it is always better to be cautious."
"Of course you are cautious. Alang has been very strict with his children and servants recently."
Zong Han has been the chief registrar of Shou'an County for twenty years. He is not worried about the Cui family, a prominent local family. Everyone is a well-behaved and well-behaved person.
On the contrary, he was not at ease with the county magistrate who had only been in office for two years, so he whispered a reminder.
"The county magistrate has stretched his hands too much this time. I'm afraid something will happen. Please tell Mr. Cui not to be implicated by him."
"Is it about the Spring Miao Loan?" The third steward whispered: "Alang has also heard about it. I'm afraid the county magistrate is too impatient."
"It's not a bad thing to let him be anxious when he is anxious." Zong Han said: "The emperor's new policy has just been promulgated, and he stood in front and took a knife to show that we behave properly. In the future, when the court's control will be relaxed, in the long run The interests are ours after all."
"Yes, Alang always said that one should have a long-term view. There are many people who gain power suddenly, but how many will last? What is most lacking in the world is people who are willing to accumulate slowly."
"Cui Gongyuan is worthy of being a famous family that has been passed down for thousands of years."
While they were talking, a clerk walked in quickly and whispered something in Zong Han's ear.
"Master Secretary, someone saw Du Wulang coming to Shouan County."
Zong Han was not surprised. He stroked his long beard and muttered: "Come so soon? Either the county magistrate is unlucky, or his little deeds have not been hidden from the eyes and ears of the court."
The third steward was slightly gloating about his misfortune.
These local cowards, most of the time, keep a respectful distance from outside county magistrates, knowing that they often stay for a short time.
"Then the little man will go back and remind Alang."
Zong Han nodded and watched the three stewards go. After thinking for a while, he summoned the clerk and ordered: "Go and remind the county magistrate that Du Wulang has arrived in Shou'an County."
"Here."
"Wait a minute." Zong Han called the clerk again and said, "Wait half an hour before going."
~~
Although Du Wulang had been to Jinping Bieye several times, he was not very familiar with Shouan County. Instead, Xue Bai, as if he already knew where he was going, led him all the way to the east of the city.
The east of Shouan County is close to Luoyang and Luoshui Wharf, with convenient water and land transportation and many wealthy families.
As the road became wider and cleaner, the Cui family's mansion in Shouan County appeared in front of them.
"Then the loan shark, Hu Gong, is from the Cui family?" Du Wulang couldn't help but asked: "If I had to guess, he should be the chief steward of the Cui family, right?"
"I didn't let you guess." Xue Bai said with a smile.
Today he came out for a private interview incognito, and he seemed to be in a good mood.
Passing by the grand courtyard of the Cui family, Xue Bai did not stop, but continued forward until he saw another even more luxurious house.
"Eh."
Du Wulang couldn't help but be surprised. He didn't expect that there was a more magnificent family in Shou'an County than the Cui family, a wealthy family. But it was a pity that it only had grandeur, but not that kind of artistic conception and foundation.
In comparison, the Cui family deliberately left behind some mottled exterior walls, lush vines, and simple plaques, never deliberately showing wealth, but showing family upbringing, while the house in front of them was lavish in every aspect.
But no matter how vast the country is, the wealthy locals in a small county cannot compare to the rich and powerful in Chang'an.
"Is this the Hu family?" Du Wulang said, "But I don't know who is so arrogant that he even dares to touch the new policies set by the emperor."
Xue Bai said: "If you haven't heard of this person, it means your level is low."
"ha?"
Du Wulang thought this joke was boring, and sneered: "You are of low level if you come here to vent your anger on a rich man in person."
"Knock on the door."
"oh."
Du Wulang then dismounted and walked forward, but was soon stopped by two strong servants.
There are six tough men guarding the door of the Hu family, which is considered to be an extraordinary figure in this county.
"Who?!"
"I want to meet that... Mr. Hu."
"Who do you think you are? You also want to see our Alang."
Du Wulang scratched his head and looked back at Xue Bai. Seeing that Xue Bai had already walked up, he whispered to him: "Do you have to see him like this? Show your identity?"
"No."
"Okay." Du Wulang could only say loudly: "I am a talented student from the county school, and I am here for the spring seedling loan..."
"roll!"
Before he could finish his words, the strong man shouted loudly and spat out stars.
Seeing this, the followers behind them hurriedly stepped forward to take action.
"What are you doing?!" Hu Family Nursing Home said immediately: "Is it possible that the unruly people want to cause trouble?!"
With these words, the gate of the house opened, and six more men holding big sticks came out.
"Where can these unruly people dare to cause trouble?!"
Although Du Wulang was usually timid, he was not afraid of this kind of guarding the courtyard. He muttered: "Well, I have become a troublesome person."
He told himself not to worry about these details and said: "I don't want to cause trouble, I just want to see Mr. Hu and ask about the interest."
"You owe a debt to my family, Alang? Then repay the money! It is only right to pay back the debt."
"I owe?"
Before Du Wulang could refute, Xue Bai casually handed him an IOU, and he had no choice but to continue: "I owe a lot of money. I borrowed two thousand dollars with a monthly interest of two cents. Now I have to pay it back..."
"Three thousand two hundred dollars."
Xue Bai asked: "What if we have no money?"
"If you don't have money, then detain the person and let his family redeem him with something!"
"Try it."
"Get them!"
Du Wulang was deeply afraid of an accident, so he quickly said: "Don't rush to take action, let us see Mr. Hu, we will discuss the matter after we meet with Mr. Hu!"
The commotion here gradually became louder, attracting many people to watch. Some people ran to the county office and shouted: "The Hu family is going to arrest the students from the county school!"
Du Wulang shouted while pulling Xue Bai back, almost pleading: "Stop playing, in case you get hurt."
"Don't worry, it won't hurt."
During the dispute, a steward of the Hu family came out. He could see at a glance that Xue Bai was in an unusual manner, so he shouted: "Stop!"
He came forward and looked at Xue Bai's clothes again. When he saw that he was wearing a cheap cloth robe, he felt relieved and looked at Du Wulang who was wearing silk and satin. He didn't feel much aura.
"Come in and talk."
"Okay." Xue Bai responded readily.
The steward of the Hu family nodded lightly, turned around and left.
He was wearing Lingluo, and the material was better than what Du Wulang was wearing, so he felt that his aura was higher. He walked into the side hall with big steps, and sat down in the first position on the left.
"You guys stand." He said calmly.
Du Wulang actually stood, thinking that it would be awkward to let such a person arrange it. Maybe he should sit down deliberately.
But when he looked at Xue Bai, except for a hint of teasing at the corner of his mouth, there was no hint of displeasure on his face. He just stood there.
"You are the students of the county school, so you can be considered the disciples of the county magistrate?" asked the steward of the Hu family, but he was drinking tea by himself as he spoke, without even looking at them.
"Yes." Du Wulang said.
"That's right." The steward of the Hu family continued to play with the tea cup and said, "If you can take the imperial examination and become an official in the future, even if you are not as good as the noble officials with good family background, you will have a bright future, not bad."
Du Wulang couldn't help but said: "You are so arrogant, but you are criticizing us."
"The realm is different."
The steward of the Hu family took a sip of the tea soup, slurped it twice in his mouth, closed his eyes to taste it, and left the two of them there to relax.
After a while, he finally opened his eyes and looked at Xue Bai, raised his hand and commented.
"You are not bad, you have good looks and demeanor, your family background... must be poor, but you may have good luck today, I plan to introduce you to my Alang."
"oh?"
The manager of the Hu family felt that the young man was pretending to be calm in front of him, so he smiled meaningfully and said: "If I, Alang, take a fancy to you, I will give you a future. The daughter of the Hu family is plump and plump, which you have never seen in your life."
Live a life of wealth and honor.”
Xue Bai asked: "What about the money owed?"
"You don't have to pay it back, as long as you marry into the Hu family."
"You didn't even ask me who I was."
"It's not important." The Hu family steward waved his hand, looked at the tea cup, and said calmly: "What matters is whether Alang is willing."
Xue Bai asked: "Under the Emperor's feet, you are taking away the Spring Miao Loan provided by the imperial court to help the poor peasants and making loan sharks at usury. Aren't you afraid of beheading?"
"This place is still fifty miles away from Dongdu." The Hu family manager said: "You think that you are too great. You commoners are just like ants in the eyes of the emperor."
"It seems you are confident."
"Just take it as such."
Xue Bai said: "I want to go to Dongdu to file a complaint."
"Haha." The manager of the Hu family was amused by him and asked: "Do you know who I am, Alang?"
"Who is it?" Du Wulang asked, he was really curious.
The steward of the Hu family raised his hand and said slowly: "The Lord of Tian, Shou'an County, is my nephew, Alang."
"Okay." Du Wulang said, "You almost scared me to death."
"Let me tell you, even if this matter comes before the emperor, it is because those unscrupulous people borrowed Chunmiao Loan and lost all their money in gambling, and then borrowed money from me, Alang."
Du Wulang said: "But we have evidence..."
"You have no evidence." The manager of the Hu family interrupted him firmly, "No unruly citizen dares to speak in front of the government, and all officials will keep silent. This is the rule of Shouan County. What I, Alang, said
, this is the law of Shouan County."
Du Wulang clicked his tongue and asked, "Are you really not afraid of the imperial court investigating?"
"The imperial court can't investigate. Do you think Shou'an County is the only county in the world that does this? Let me tell you, Shou'an County is the only county in the world that does this most secretly."
"Pah, pah, pah."
Du Wulang couldn't help but applaud him and asked: "Can we meet Mr. Hu?"
The steward of the Hu family pointed at Xue Bai and said, "Come on, Alang will come over and wait."
Unexpectedly, Mr. Hu was in such great ostentation that the wait lasted a long time.
Du Wulang asked: "Hey, what will happen to you if we don't pay back the money?"
"There are so many ways for you to return it."
Finally, a young boy from the Hu family rushed in and whispered in the ear of the Hu family steward: "Steward, the chief registrar sent someone to say that Du Wulang has arrived in Shou'an County."
"Going to Yuan's house? Send someone to threaten the old man again and tell him that his son's future is in the hands of the county magistrate."
After the Hu family manager finished speaking, he glanced sideways at the two people in front of him and said, "You scholars are the ones who love to cause trouble."
Not long after, there was a noise outside, and then a boy rushed in and said, "Manager, it's bad! Those talented students from the county school are here!"
"Then beat them out!" The manager of the Hu family set up the case and cursed, "With so many nursing homes, can't we beat a few scholars?"
"But they are..."
"They are raised by the county, that is, they are raised by the Hu family! Beat those ungrateful white-eyed wolves!"
Xue Bai saw it and said to Du Wulang: "Don't let those students get hurt."
"good."
The two of them walked outside.
The manager of the Hu family was furious and shouted: "Where do you want to go?! The debt has not been paid off yet!"
Then two nurses came to stop him. Xue Bai immediately grabbed their heads and smashed them together with a "bang" sound. Then he came back, picked up the Hu family steward, and first slapped them hard with a "bang" sound.
Go down and whip him until he feels dizzy.
"How dare you..."
"Bang!"
Xue Bai picked up the manager of the Hu family and smashed his head on the desk until the desk broke into pieces.
Outside, a group of guards rushed over at this moment. Du Wulang quickly picked up the broken tea cup on the ground and put it on the neck of the Hu family steward, shouting: "Who dares to move."
One moment, Du Wulang was still thinking that his majesty's world-conquering hands were really cheap to beat a servant of a rich country man's family; the next moment, he thought that he could fight side by side with his majesty, which was also a good martial arts.
~~
"Hit him!"
"Go to hell, dog slave!"
Outside the courtyard, Lin Jizheng led a group of geniuses to fight with the nursing home.
He came from the Jimin Society. Not only did he do farm work and study, he also learned boxing and even served as a militiaman. He was not only flexible in fighting, but also ruthless. He knocked down two nursing homes by himself.
But only a few people who came out of the Jimin Society were born to fight. For example, Yuan Zhiyuan and others had been thin and weak since they were young, and they had already been knocked down by the nursing staff, kicked to the ground, and screamed.
The fight was in a mess, suddenly.
"stop!"
The guards turned around and saw two young men escorting their guards.
Yuan Zhiyuan was rolling on the ground with his head in his hands. He felt the punches and kicks on his body getting lighter. He looked up and couldn't help shouting: "Wu Lang!"
The Hu family manager was still threatening Du Wulang, shouting: "If you dare to touch me, you will die..."
The next moment, he was shocked, his face instantly turned pale, and he murmured: "You, you, you, can't you be Du Wulang?"
On the other side, Hu Gong, who was hurried over, happened to hear the three words "Du Wulang", his face changed drastically, and he quickly stepped forward and laughed in apology.
"Hahaha, the flood has washed away the Dragon King Temple. It turns out that Du Wulang, who is famous all over the world, is here. I, Hu Bugui, am lucky enough to meet Wulang's face."
In Hu Bugui's view, there is still room for improvement, as long as Du Wulang can be appeased.
On the field, Lin Ji looked at the man standing next to Du Wulang, with uncontrollable reverence on his face.
He knew that the matter this time was so big that even ten lives of a man like Hu Bugui would not be enough to decapitate him.
~~
Cui family.
After hearing the report from the third steward, Cui Can summoned several Cui family disciples and said slowly: "Today we are determined to reform, and I have asked Cui Youfu to advise me, but I can't stop it. The Cui family is not far to the east, at the feet of the emperor.
, I won’t be able to openly oppose it, so I’ll just obey.”
"yes."
"Today, Du Wulang is here again. He is a puppet held by the emperor. When he comes, the county magistrate's hand in lending spring seedlings has happened."
Cui Jing asked: "What should the Cui family do?"
"This is a good thing." Cui Can said: "The emperor is young, he is very ambitious, and he hopes to achieve political achievements. Now that the results have been achieved, the county magistrate is pushed out. The emperor is satisfied, the excitement has passed, and he is stable."
"That's what my uncle said."
"Cui Dong."
"exist."
"You go to the county and meet Du Wulang. I have also collected some evidence that the county magistrate has been corrupt and violated the law. You can take it with you."
"yes."
Cui Dong stood up, took an account book, turned around and left.
However, a servant came over rashly and passed him by. He rushed to the hall and said, "Alang, it's bad, something happened in the county."
"Don't panic, I already know, Du Wulang is here to handle the big case..."
"This is a major assassination case!"
"What assassin?"
"The Emperor has arrived in person! A major conspiracy to assassinate the Emperor has occurred in Shou'an County!"
"What?!" Cui Can stood up, completely forgetting that her body was old, and said in shock: "A major assassination case?!"
The matter was obviously much more serious than he expected. Now it had turned from an ordinary corruption case to a major treason case. As local snakes, the Cui family could not escape even if they were afraid of hiding.
Cui Can's eyes were dull for a long time before they finally regained their luster. She immediately shouted to Cui Dong: "Go see Wu Lang quickly, go quickly!"
"yes."
Cui Dong ran away, mounted his horse and galloped away.
He passed by the Cui family's manor, and a steward was meeting with the fugitives who wanted to leave their country and hide in the Cui family.
"It's not impossible to do things for the Cui family..."
Cui Dong didn't hear the noise in the manor, he had gone straight to Shouan County.
~~
Shouan County.
Xue Bai refused to return to Dongdu immediately, so he was immediately protected and sent to the county office.
He was very patient, waiting for the important officials of the court to arrive.
When the time comes, he will carefully repeat to them what the Hu family's steward said.
After the matter was done, Du Wulang finally relaxed and sat there chattering.
"It's fine that you're not injured. The only thing I'm worried about is that you are injured. But I also know what you're thinking. I just didn't expect that a rich man could be so crazy."
Speaking of this matter, Du Wulang was also filled with emotion and said: "It is ridiculous and extremely ridiculous that there are such crazy people posing in front of the emperor."
"It's ridiculous?" Xue Bai asked, "Do you think it's ridiculous?"
"No," Du Wulang said, "I just wonder how there could be such a stupid person."
"I don't think it's funny."
Instead, Xue Bai lost his initial interest and his tone was a little solemn.
"I don't think it's ridiculous, because this is the norm. I'm here today, so he looks stupid."
As he talked about it later, his anger gradually grew, and a murderous aura emerged.
"You think he is arrogant today, but he is already polite to us. In places where I can't go or see, in every state and county in the world, there are many people who are even more arrogant than this!"