The three-dan realm monks fought against ordinary government soldiers, just like a tiger hunting a rabbit. With one move and a half, Yun Danfeng easily achieved a complete victory in an instant. Moreover, Geng Nian also grasped the measure and did not make any moves.
Dead hand, the returning arrow did not hit their vital points.
Yan Xi saw that Geng Nian was so brave and effortless, and he made more than a dozen masters fall to the ground. He changed his arrogant attitude, looked panicked, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his body was trembling as he watched Li Xiaotian and the others walking towards him.
, suddenly knelt down, crying and begging: "Sir, please spare my life. I don't dare to do it anymore. You can confiscate all my property, which is more than half a million gold coins. This is
Not counting other valuable items, if we add them up, we must have seven to eight hundred thousand gold coins, not to mention one million. As long as you can save me from death, I promise not to reveal even a single word."
"It's hopeless." Li Xiaotian shook his head in disdain and said, "I can't control your life or death, it's up to His Majesty to decide."
Seeing that the inducement failed, Yan Xi collapsed on the ground with despair on his face.
"You are really good at acting. A corrupt official plays an upright official, and you end up on the coffin board." Lei Ming said angrily, he was actually deceived by this guy's poor acting skills, and he was furious.
At this time, the imperial guards happened to arrive. Li Xiaotian ordered several people to take Yan Xi and the soldiers who were hit by arrows into the prison. Waiting for His Majesty's decree to be issued, he also asked the remaining imperial guards to start ransacking the house. Since Yan Xi had just pulled back his belongings, this time
The search was surprisingly fast. In less than a stick of incense, all the gold coins and valuables were found. After counting, the gold coins were 584,444. As for the items, they were estimated to be 250,000 gold coins.
Around 830,000 gold coins in total.
Night, inn room.
The matter in Huazhou City was basically settled. At this time, Li Xiaotian was sitting in front of the case in the wing writing a memorial. He wrote down all the actions of Huazhou Prefect Yan Xi. After finishing the matter, Li Xiaotian did not delay and went to bed.
Sit cross-legged and guide the Qi to practice.
The next morning, they did not relax. Early in the morning, everyone left Huazhou and went straight to the next state city, Yinzhou.
Yinzhou is not too far from Huazhou. After a day of horse riding, we will arrive at the gate of Yinzhou City at dusk.
As always, I randomly found a few city residents and asked about taxes. It was normal. Then, after revealing my identity, the city guards showed Li Xiaotian the way to the Prefectural Mufu Mansion.
As soon as they arrived at the gate of the mansion, the guard announced. Not long after, a man came out to greet him. Li Xiaotian frowned slightly when he saw the state shepherd.
"Yinzhou Prefect Yang Xiao pays homage to you. I don't know that you are here to patrol, but I am not able to greet you from afar. Please forgive me." Yang Xiao said politely.
"Are you really Yang Xiao?" Li Xiaotian asked back, saying it was a rhetorical question, but more like a definite question.
When Yang Xiao heard this, he was so frightened that he forced himself to calm down and said, "This official is none other than Yang Xiao."
"I'm young, don't lie to me. It's written on the roster that Yang Xiao, the governor of Yinzhou, is the son of Prince Yang Xiankun of Kyoto. He's only twenty-seven years old. Look at you. You have white temples, white beard, and white hair. What's going on?
It is also the year of destiny, and you are older than the prince. You said you are Yang Xiao, so you should find someone of the same age. For lying so openly, are you stupid, or do you think I am stupid?" Li Xiaotian asked,
There was another point that he didn't mention, because the roster also said that Yang Xiao was a monk with a third-level cultivation of meridians. It was obvious that the old man was just an ordinary person, not a monk.
"Now that your Excellency has seen through it, I will no longer conceal it." The fake Yang Xiao withdrew his bow, stood up straight, and continued: "To be honest with you, Your Majesty, my name is Shi Yi, and I am a commoner. In my early years, I
He was a down-and-out scholar who was not afraid of jokes. He took the national examination thirteen times, and without exception, he failed. Later, he never took the national examination again. It was not that I was discouraged, but that I really could not afford to take the national examination.
I had no choice but to sell calligraphy and painting on the streets to barely make ends meet. Perhaps God’s blessing allowed me to meet Mr. Yang. When Mr. Yang saw that I was good at calligraphy and painting, he knew that I was a poor scholar, so he began to work with me.
After talking about the governance of the state, the young master felt that I care about the people. If I join the official career, not only to benefit one party, but at least to the peace and prosperity of the city and the people. Then, the young master said that he can give me someone to display my talents.
I was given the opportunity to use his name as a state pastor. At first, I refused because it was illegal to pretend to be an official. However, the young master has been trying to persuade me, saying that I am more responsible, more considerate of the people, and more
He is suitable to be a state pastor. The young master said that he aspires to travel far and wide. He was forced to come to Yinzhou to be a state pastor. After the young master's persuasion, I agreed. To be honest, I admit that I have selfish motives.
After spending a lifetime taking the national exam and failing the exam, who hasn’t thought about what it’s like to be an official?”
After listening to Shi Yi's words, as a former scholar from a poor family, Li Xiaotian had a deep understanding of his helplessness.
"How long have you been acting state pastor?" Li Xiaotian asked again, his tone now much gentler.
Shi Yi thought for a while and said: "Six years, five months and fourteen days."
Li Xiaotian was quite surprised and said: "It's been so long, has Yang Xiao never been to Yinzhou again since he became the shopkeeper?"
Shi Yi replied: "Yes, I came back three times. Each time I didn't stay long, saying that I managed Yinzhou well, and then left again."
"Do you know about E Qinian?" Li Xiaotian asked suddenly. He had always said that his political ability was good, but Li Xiaotian wanted to see if he was just a peddler or a real person.
Shi Yi nodded and said: "My lord, I know more than that. I have experienced it several times. The tragic situation is so tragic that it is hard to bear to look at it. Alas, if my calculations are correct, this year should be the year of disaster."
Li Xiaotian asked again: "Then do you have any preparations?"
"This kind of natural disaster, the wrath of nature, cannot be avoided. All we can do is to minimize the losses and prepare for rainy days in advance. Since last year, I have asked all counties to expand their granaries and stockpile reserve grains early.
, After a major disaster, plague will occur in either major or minor ways. As someone who has experienced it, I know that plagues can eat as many people as natural disasters. There are also stocks of herbs to treat plagues. There is only so much that can be done." Shi Yi truthfully said.
road.
After listening to what Shi Yi said, Li Xiaotian felt that Shi Yi was a pragmatic person. Although the preventive measures were ordinary, no state pastor was doing these simple preventive actions along the way. On this point, he was indeed
He is a competent state pastor, and he is also an agent.
"Bring me the accounts and achievements of your tenure over the past years for review later. After I read them, I will make a judgment on your assumption of the post of state pastor." Li Xiaotian said seriously, saying that it was a forgery.