Chapter 34: 34. (Kneeling to thank the good brother

34. (Kneeling to thank the good brother "Chaoyun Hengai" for the two silver-tier rewards!!!)

"What case to handle? Naturally, it's a major case of the imperial court."

Facing Xiao Shimei's confusion, Ouyang Rong smiled lightly. At this time, the carriage stopped at the gate of the county government office, and an armored soldier helped him lift the carriage curtain.

"Thank you."

Ouyang Rong jumped off the carriage, and Xie Lingjiang followed, but her eyebrows frowned even more:

"A major case of the imperial court? Does Longcheng County have one?"

"Who said it must happen in Longcheng."

"If it doesn't happen in Longcheng, then why mobilize troops to Longcheng to handle the case?"

"Sometimes a murder case happening outside the county is more useful than happening inside the county."

Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes and looked at the Longcheng County government office, which had been surrounded by three hundred elite armored soldiers. The east warehouse, which stored account books and tax records, must have already been sealed by Captain Qin with people.

The Great Zhou Dynasty's military service system was the Fubing system. The basic organizational unit of the Fubing was the Zhechong Prefecture. There were more than 700 Zhechong Prefectures in the ten circuits of the world, presenting a pattern of "controlling the outside from the center" and "heavy inside and light outside."

The Guannei Circuit, where Luoyang and Chang'an were located, possessed nearly half of the Garrison Prefectures; the rest were mostly guarding the borders or located in important towns of the world, while there were relatively few Garrison Prefectures in the south. The entire wealthy Jiang Nan Circuit only had six.

Jiangzhou, called Jiujiang in the Qin Dynasty and Xunyang in the Han Dynasty—that's right, it was the Xunyang where "the guest was sent off at night at the head of the Xunyang River"—was the mouth of the three rivers and the thoroughfare of the seven provinces. The water transport was developed, and there was a Zhechong Prefecture located there, controlling the key points.

However, on weekdays, local officials, even the Jiangzhou Inspector, couldn't mobilize the soldiers and generals of the Jiangzhou Zhechong Prefecture.

This was also what Xie Lingjiang was curious about. She walked into the county government office with Ouyang Rong and pondered on the way:

"A murder case of the imperial court outside the county... Ru Shixiong means... the major corruption case that occurred in the Jiangzhou Jiemin Granary?"

"Xiao Shimei is smart." Ouyang Rong said casually.

"But how did it get investigated to Longcheng County? Could it be that someone in the county participated in this case?"

"I don't know if anyone in Longcheng participated in the corruption rice case, but I know that when investigating a case, if you investigate everywhere, the case will come out. Although what is investigated might not be the rice case, it doesn't matter much if it's handled as the rice case."

The young magistrate said with a smile, and the two of them approached the east warehouse. From afar, they could see the official office surrounded inside and out. He turned his head and finally stated the cause:

"I wrote a letter and handed it to Inspector Shen, who was handling the case in Xunyang City. Longcheng County is located at the entrance of the Yunmeng Marsh and the Yangtze River. Ships entering and leaving the Yangtze River from Jiangzhou must pass through Longcheng. The rice stolen and transported from the Jiemin Granary likely flowed through Peng Lang Ferry quietly, and might even have been transshipped and unloaded here."

Xie Lingjiang suddenly realized, "So that's it. This Inspector Shen Xisheng is the Inspection Envoy sent by the Empress to provide disaster relief and investigate the case. He indeed has the power to mobilize troops? So he directly sent three hundred iron cavalry to assist you in investigating the case?"

Ouyang Rong nodded lightly, then shook his head:

"If it were only this, Inspector Shen would at most send someone to investigate on his behalf. Directly handing over three hundred iron cavalry to my full responsibility is mainly because... we know each other.

"After I observed the mourning period for my mother, I returned to the Divine Capital. I was originally going to enter the Censorate and become Inspector Shen's subordinate, but later I risked my life to remonstrate before taking office... And that day in the main hall, this Inspector Shen also stood up and spoke two words for me. Compared to other superiors in the Censorate and the Lin Tai, it can be considered fair.

"This can also roughly show the character of this adult. And in the letter I wrote, there was nothing hidden, and I introduced the disaster relief situation in Longcheng County roughly. I think Inspector Shen should have understood.

"But he didn't say a word and directly mobilized three hundred elite cavalry. When Liulang reported it, I was quite surprised."

Xie Lingjiang's eyes were bright, looking at him: "Mainly because Ru Shixiong's conduct as a gentleman is famous throughout the world, and Inspector Shen has seen what you have done with his own eyes, so he naturally trusts Ru Shixiong. This is a drink and a peck, everything is predetermined."

Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and patted his sleeves, walking towards the east warehouse guarded by heavy soldiers. "Borrowing Xiao Shimei's auspicious words."

The east warehouse contained the household registers, strong-man registers, customs tax, and foreign merchant tax account books of Longcheng County for the past five years. It was a place in the county government office that no one cared about in the past, and the clerks left to guard it were all those who sat on the cold bench in the government office and came to eat dust.

But at this moment, the east warehouse had become the most heavily guarded house in the official government office, and also the focus of the gentry and noble families who were anxious.

Fruitful Commandant Qin Heng and Longcheng capture master Beside Yan Liulang were waiting in front of the east warehouse. When Ouyang Rong brought Xie Lingjiang, they saluted and reported the situation.

Ouyang Rong said it was hard work.

At this time, County Assistant Diao hurried over with a pile of clerks.

The former almost plucked out his beard. "Magistrate, Magistrate, what is this for? What is this for? For no reason, why bring troops?"

Ouyang Rong nodded. "Checking accounts."

"For no reason, what accounts are being checked?"

"Does County Assistant Diao think this is also for no reason?"

"What does the Magistrate mean?"

"Outside the city are common people who can't afford to eat, and on both sides of the Butterfly Creek in the city, the gentry are richer than the county government office even if you take one out. Does County Assistant Diao think this is for no reason?"

"This... people accumulated it over several generations, what can be done? Can't just rob them, right?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "Rob? That won't happen."

County Assistant Diao breathed a sigh of relief, but the next sentence he heard made his heart tremble again.

Ouyang Rong nodded: "But if it's not theirs, I'll take it back after calculating the accounts. That's not too much, right?"

He also reached out a slender, fair palm from his sleeve, smiled and showed his white teeth, and said:

"And several generations of ancestors forget it, there is no such leisure. I will just check the past five years, not much, right? They have been rich for so many years, their hands and feet should have been clean long ago, right?"

"Then... what if they are not clean?"

"If they are not clean, then go help them copy it clean."

"..."

County Assistant Diao stammered, looked left and right, and said helplessly: "Then since it's calculating accounts, why drive out the clerks of the Granary Department who manage the east warehouse? They are the most familiar with calculating these accounts."

"I don't need these people of yours. I have my own manpower. These clerks who have been following me to check statistics and planning in the disaster relief camps these days look like they are doing quite well, so let them calculate."

Ouyang Rong carefully explained a few words, Beside Yan Liulang left to find people, and not long after, he brought over the batch of clerks Ouyang Rong was familiar with.

When everyone was gathered, Ouyang Rong said calmly to the armored soldiers at the warehouse door: "Open the granary."

Then he pointed to the gate that was slowly opening:

"I want to see if there are also giant rats all over the floor here, just like in the Jiemin Granary.

"The accounts of the Dragon King Liu family must be calculated first. What a good 'Liu' character! Born with water, prosperity when water overflows!"

The young magistrate stood tall on the top step, turned around at this moment, and said loudly to everyone below:

"Don't say I am bullying the people. Today, we will check it openly and honestly here, and handle it openly and honestly according to the process. I said, I only do one thing when I come to Longcheng this time. Then next, let's take out every account for everyone to see, and let me also open my eyes to see how the Liu family has been rich every year despite the floods every year!"

————

(PS: Woke up on New Year's Eve and saw, eh, why are Gentleman and Sword Lady on the full-site broadcast? Am I still dreaming?

Looked again, holy crap, it's actually true!

Confirmed the eyes, this good brother "Chaoyun Hengai" is a life-and-death good book friend, really teary-eyed!

Sword Lady, one silver-tier reward.

Gentleman, another silver-tier reward.

Too fierce, directly filled.

The dog author who has been beaten by poison finally experienced a taste of "life is like a cool novel" QAQ

Thanks to good brother "Chaoyun Hengai". Looking closely, he is an old book friend who came from Sword Lady. Really teary-eyed!

Actually, compared to money, what moves Xiao Rong more is the sense of achievement and happiness of being recognized by others.

If you tell family and friends that there are people in this world who like your books, they will be half-believing, thinking you are selling melons and entertaining yourself;

But if you tell them that a book friend who has never met you rewarded you with two silver-tier rewards and tells them the value of the silver-tier reward, they will immediately understand that what you are writing is at least not a piece of garbage that no one cares about, and not that you are wasting your time in a small room without doing your proper job.

We don't need recognition from others, but we look forward to recognition from others so much.

Thanks to old brother "Chaoyun Hengai", you gave me a crown that I can always hold my head high and look directly at the family who don't understand my coding.

Also thanks to all the book friends who have spent reading time on Gentleman and Sword Lady. The money for subscription is worthless compared to the time you spent.

And thinking that book friends, including old brother "Chaoyun Hengai", can spend precious energy and time reading the shallow stories I wrote... There is no greater honor for a writer than this.) ===== CHAPTER 35 =====