Chapter 1504: Adding Chaos

After eating and drinking enough and sleeping well for a night, Wang Yan woke up comfortably.

After taking a sip of overnight boiled water, he let his hair down, wore undergarments, yawned, stretched, and walked out of the house into the courtyard.

"Third Master, you are up." Qi Dazhu greeted with an honest smile.

"Dazhu, why are you in my courtyard? Protecting me?"

"We brothers are watching. Third Master, you have fallen out with the people in the yamen and offended the big families in the county. What if they play dirty? We can't help but guard against it, Third Master. I have finally understood that in Chun'an County, you are the only good official, Third Master."

Wang Yan shook his head with a smile, but didn't argue with Qi Dazhu, brushing his teeth with a toothbrush: "How is the home confiscation going?"

"Third Master, that Zhang Song is really not a thing. We found thousands of taels of silver, hundreds of strings of copper coins, tens of thousands of taels of silver notes, and manors outside the city, and land deeds for hundreds of mu of fertile land in his home..."

Qi Dazhu recited a list and sighed with emotion, "Third Master, you say that officials are all like this, how can we common people live..."

"Naturally, live as well as you can. If you have the ability, take revenge; if you don't, just endure it." Wang Yan looked up and gargled, spitting onto the tree roots in the courtyard.

"Dazhu, why do you think I took such a big risk, offended the officials and big families of Chun'an, and desperately raised money and food?"

"You are a good official, Third Master!" Qi Dazhu said as a matter of course, as if a good person had to be pointed at by a gun.

"Actually, it's also for myself." Wang Yan explained patiently, "Dazhu, if there is no food and the common people can't live, what should we do?"

"Rebel! If you can't live, who cares about so much?" Qi Dazhu said even more as a matter of course...

"That's right. If you rebel, we officials definitely won't be able to live. Even if we run out, when the imperial court investigates later, such a big thing as inciting a civil rebellion must have an explanation. Do you think Chang Boxi died? He was the explanation!"

Wang Yan shook his head, looking sighing, "In that case, how can I be an official? How can I marry a beautiful lady from a big family? How can I enjoy the prestige of an official?"

"Uh... Third Master is teasing Dazhu. You are a good official, shouldn't these things be expected? Zhang Song, who is not a thing, has two concubines, and used to be like a street-cleaning tiger on the street. Who doesn't scold him? A good official like Third Master should definitely live a better life."

"Dazhu, you can do great things." Wang Yan laughed.

Qi Dazhu touched the back of his head honestly and laughed foolishly.

After washing his face with cold water and eating a fairly sumptuous breakfast with Qi Dazhu and others. It was truly sumptuous. Outside, people couldn't even get enough porridge, but Wang Yan had noodles with meat sauce here...

In the middle hall of the county office, after a night, Wang Yan saw the heads and brains of the yamen again.

"You didn't rest well last night..."

"Worrying about the common people, worrying about the common people." Tian Youlu replied shamelessly.

"Then Second Master, spend some effort and do some practical things for the people of Chun'an." Wang Yan said, "Zhang Song's case, let Second Master handle it."

"Uh... alright..."

Tian Youlu didn't dare to refuse, otherwise, it would be someone else handling him.

Wang Yan nodded with satisfaction: "Second Master, do you know how to handle it?"

"Third Master, rest assured, it will definitely be an iron case, so that Zhang Song will never turn over."

"With the silver found, Zhang Song is already finished. Second Master, it's better not to pretend to be stupid at this time."

Tian Youlu sighed in resignation and arched his hands unwillingly: "Third Master, rest assured, I will definitely find out clearly where Zhang Song's money came from, and there will be no mistakes even for a copper coin."

In his words, there was the confidence of persecuting others for years, and no one could walk out clean in his hands...

So Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "That's hard work for Second Master. This matter is related to the survival of our Chun'an common people, and also related to our heads. Please be sure to do it well. On the Household department side, count Zhang Song's family property clearly, count the money and food every day, and leave a margin."

"Yes."

"Now we can support for five days. We can't just wait. Today, send people to the prefecture to ask for food, and then send people to take turns every day, bring women and children who can cry, and block the gate of the prefecture office to cry. If they don't give food, cry every day."

"What if we get beaten?" The jailer Wang asked very straightforwardly.

"Since you are so concerned, then this matter will be handed over to you. No need to panic. If you really get beaten or caught, I have my own arrangements."

Wang Yan ignored the jailer Wang's face and left the county office directly with the people from the Works department to look at the riverway...

The breach of the Xin'an River, plus the flood discharge from other river sections, the cleaning and reconstruction work after the disaster is truly a big project.

Wang Yan wanted to follow the professional personnel of the Works department to determine the construction problems of the whole county. For example, the repair of riverways, the construction of roads, the re-combing of water conservancy, all of which are big projects.

The Chun'an County now has only just blocked the mouth of the Xin'an River, and all kinds of things have just begun...

After ten days, this noon, Wang Yan finally received good news.

"Third Master, the big families in our Chun'an have destroyed their homes to save the disaster, and want to take out 20,000 shi of grain to help our Chun'an common people survive this flood." Tian Youlu reported to Wang Yan with pride.

Wang Yan's gaze fell on the dozen or so middle-aged and elderly people standing behind Tian Youlu: "You are all righteous. This matter must be written into a document and reported to the imperial court. In addition, a monument of merit must be erected, and your names must be engraved on it, so that our Chun'an common people can feel your great virtue."

"Third Master, what are you talking about? It's all what we should do."

Everyone laughed forcefully and said humble words to Wang Yan.

"Is that so? It turns out that I underestimated your breadth of mind and spirit." Wang Yan clapped his hands happily, "In that case, why don't you add some more and make it 30,000 shi? There is strength in numbers. You fourteen people, each of you..."

"Uh... this..."

The big families hesitated. Hesitation is not enough, and they also cast their eyes on Tian Youlu.

Tian Youlu looked like he was going to die, staring at the big families and said: "Third Master, absolutely no problem. Originally, 20,000 shi were to be purchased. Buying more, you are all good gentry in Chun'an, and you will definitely support it."

So the big families supported it, because Tian Youlu's eyes were about to blink, and they didn't understand that if they didn't agree, the end would definitely be miserable.

"Very good!" Wang Yan clapped his hands happily, "What are you waiting for? Take your seats. Today, Wang and you will drink until you are drunk. Come, come, come..."

Perhaps the big families couldn't drink, and after drinking a few cups, they said they were drunk and left. Even Tian Youlu didn't get close to him and went back to accompany his wife...

On the same day, the grain of each household was transported out of their granary, and under the eyes of everyone, a part was first sent to the granary of the county office.

The fact that there is not enough food is something that the common people know. Originally, there was only two days of food left, and the common people were already very restless. Now with 30,000 shi of grain, everyone can eat for a month, which is considered to have solved the crisis, and everyone can feel at ease to engage in construction again...

At the same time, some silk merchants who came to buy fields finally arrived in Chun'an County.

As soon as they arrived, they contacted the county office and received a warm reception from Tian Youlu. But that was all, he couldn't make the decision on other things.

In fact, he had a way, just cut off the food relief for disaster relief. The hungry common people would naturally sell their fields first. This is why the disaster relief food was delayed.

However, the situation now is different. Wang Yan is trying every means to raise food, not to mention promising to build houses for the common people. The expectations have been raised, and everyone is waiting for Wang Yan to speak. Tian Youlu has no power at all now.

Even if he had some power, Tian Youlu didn't dare to make a decision. That would really kill people, and he didn't have the guts...

"We are from the same family, Jailer Wang? Ah? You ran to the prefecture to cry and make trouble, and brought such a group of silk merchants to me?" Wang Yan held the tea, looking unhappy.

Jailer Wang stood trembling in front of Wang Yan: "Third Master, the subordinate has no way. People don't hit or scold, but they don't pay attention to us. It's already helping to send these people to buy fields, otherwise, these silk merchants wouldn't come."

"Are you really stupid or pretending to be stupid? Why did the Xin'an River breach, why was our county flooded, do I need to say more? You tell me it's someone helping?"

Wang Yan shook his head and sighed, "Damn it, when earning money, one is more active than the other. When it comes to doing some practical things, they are not as good as dogs. They only know how to bully the common people! No promise at all! Go, gather another group of people for me, go to the Provincial Administration and Governor's Office to cry! You lead the way and kneel and cry for me!"

"Yes, yes, yes, Third Master, the subordinate will go, will go." Jailer Wang was relieved, responded in a hurry, and ran away quickly.

Tian Youlu sighed: "Third Master, silk merchants have come, this is the last chance. If we don't give them an explanation today, the news will reach the two departments tomorrow, and then the matter will be difficult to end."

Wang Yan nodded: "You have a point! Strike first to gain the upper hand, strike later to suffer. I remember Big family Xu said that the Hangzhou Tongzhi also intervened in the repair of the riverway in Chun'an, and the stealing and selling of official food also has something to do with their family's business..."

In Tian Youlu's terrified eyes, Wang Yan hit his palm with his fist, "Come, organize the village braves, go to Hangzhou to catch people!"

"Rebel! Rebel!" Tian Youlu trembled and pulled Wang Yan's arm, "Third Master, can't do it, can't do it..."

"What are you panicking about? Teasing you." Wang Yan laughed, pulled his arm out, and patted Tian Youlu on the shoulder, "Brother, now you are the master of the county, there is a big case in the county, how can you sit idly by? I think, brother, you should write a few official documents, clearly state the details of this case, and report to the two departments, the Governor's Office, the Censorate, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

After hearing this, Tian Youlu felt that the sky had fallen.

He looked at Wang Yan in disbelief: "Third Master, you are asking me to die..."

"How is that possible?" Wang Yan shook his head repeatedly, helping his good brother who couldn't stand firm to sit down, "We are in the county, the disaster is the heaviest, the higher-ups don't give food for disaster relief, and our own official food was stolen and sold. We have to find a way ourselves. Since the official food was stolen and sold, and there was corruption in the construction of the Xin'an River, we should dig it out, find it, and ask for money and food!"

"Who listens to us?" Tian Youlu said with a pale face, trembling, "Third Master, you are not unaware that the two departments and the Governor's Office are all people of the Yan Party. The destruction of the levee and the flooding of the fields must be done by them, just to change rice to mulberry, so they can make a fortune. In such a situation, Third Master, do you think the documents we sent out are useful?"

Tian Youlu was truly desperate, as if he were already dead.

"Send a copy to every yamen, how can it be useless? The Yan Party is powerful, but are all people Yan Party? We send a copy to every place, that is to make it known to everyone, and no one wants to cover it up. And..."

Wang Yan poured tea for Tian Youlu, "Second Master, you don't think about it. If it were really an iron plate, where would there be a chance for the two of us to discuss it? After Chang Boxi's head fell, the fields in our Chun'an would all have to be sold, and the change of rice to mulberry would have been completed long ago, just waiting for the mulberry trees to grow to reel silk and weave. How could there be such trouble now?"

Tian Youlu blinked his rat eyes, and fine light flashed: "You mean someone doesn't want to change rice to mulberry?"

"Isn't this obvious? Otherwise, you, Second Master, would have received official letters and private letters from above... Now? No food, no clear orders, just sent some silk merchants to suppress the price, what's the use? Second Master, the Yan Party has been in power for twenty years. Do you think it's just the matter of changing rice to mulberry?"

"Then we shouldn't get involved even more. We will lose our heads! Isn't it good to wait for them to fight out the result?"

"Wait for them to fight out the result, the common people will all die! Being skinned and cramped, not even the bone dregs will be left! I read the sage books and can't bear to see such miserable things. I can only do my best. Brother, you must write this official document."

"Hey... why is my life so bitter?"

Tian Youlu really cried, tears and snot, it was really aggrieved...

Regardless of Tian Youlu, Wang Yan always does what he decides, because if he doesn't do it, his end won't be too good. After all, the handle is in Wang Yan's hands. It's hard for Wang Yan to explain so much to him, letting him understand that doing so doesn't have such a major harm.

May 21st, this day Hu Zongxian entered the capital to report the situation to the Emperor.

It was also at this time that the Junior Cabinet Minister made the strongest voice: The two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty are on my shoulders!

However, he didn't know that in the small Chun'an, a person who took the burden was leading a group of craftsmen to build kilns to burn bricks and cement.

Wang Yan said he wanted to build new houses for the common people, not just talking about it. With the benefit of bricks, stones, and cement, it is completely possible to do it. Just study slowly and wait for some accidents and coincidences...

It was also on this day that a team of more than a dozen Chun'an messengers, who traveled 300 li in the starry night, arrived in Hangzhou, and presented the official documents with the Chun'an County seal and the seals of County Assistant Tian Youlu and Registrar Wang Yan to various yamen...

Daily thanks to the big brothers who tipped, voted for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and silently read the book for their strong support! ===== CHAPTER 1505 =====