Chapter 117: I Said So

"My Lord, if we keep going forward, we should be arriving at Songnan Prefecture soon!"

This time, when heading to Songnan Prefecture, Shen Yu only brought He Yinshan with him; as for Lu Ze and Zhou Yuan, they had been left behind by him in Sanshui County.

What was even more unexpected to everyone was that Shen Yu had recommended both Lu Ze and Zhou Yuan for the positions of County Magistrate and County Lieutenant in one go, and the key was that such an absurd recommendation was actually granted.

Lu Ze had previously been nothing more than a head constable, but after following this County Magistrate for over half a year, he was promoted directly from a head constable to an Eighth Rank County Magistrate; this speed of promotion made countless people green with envy.

Head constable Zhou Yuan, who had been following this County Magistrate all along, went from being a head constable in a small, run-down place to becoming the County Lieutenant of a major county like Sanshui County; it could absolutely be called a grassroots counterattack.

But thinking about it, the man could even get his hands on a Jade Tablet Command Sword from the Governor's Office; could he be an ordinary person? With someone above looking out for him, and a direct line to the Governor's Office, with such solid connections, others could only stare in frustration.

Because of this, every family wished they could arrange for their own disciples to be by this County Magistrate's side. Unfortunately, they had stood on the sidelines when it was time to make a choice; let alone arranging for their own kin, they were almost worried to death by this County Magistrate afterward.

Given this County Magistrate's temper, it was already giving them face that there hadn't been large-scale retaliation. So, no matter how he tossed them about, they had to endure it, and what's more, they had to be grateful and show their thanks.

Thinking about the vast amounts of money scattered during this period, and the benefits distributed to those peasants, it was heartbreaking!

Finally, the imperial transfer order arrived, and this master finally left; all the major forces in the entire Sanshui County almost wept with joy. With only Lu Ze and Zhou Yuan left, wouldn't they be theirs to manipulate?

Yet this master had said he would correspond with Lu Ze often and would frequently send people back to take a look. If there was the slightest bit of dissatisfaction, he would immediately kill his way back to have a "heart-to-heart" talk with them.

Do not think that what he said were merely threats; those who knew this County Magistrate's temper were all clear that he always did what he said. This was equivalent to hanging a sword over the heads of them all.

You say you've been transferred away, yet you still won't let people have some peace. Everyone who came to see him off was smiling on the surface, but gnashing their teeth in private.

However, they were also clear that as long as this master didn't fall halfway, his future would be infinitely bright. He would only climb higher and higher; what could they do? They could only endure it obediently.

"My Lord, what is wrong with you? Why do you seem so unhappy?"

Bringing He Yinshan, the two galloped all the way to Songnan Prefecture. He Yinshan, who had followed him the whole way, felt that this Lord had been furrowing his brows throughout the journey; no matter how one looked at it, he didn't seem happy.

One must know that when the imperial transfer order came down, it was a promotion from an Eighth Rank Sanshui County Magistrate directly to a Sixth-rank Prefect of Songnan Prefecture; such a terrifying speed of promotion caused jaws to drop everywhere.

In this day and age, is there anyone who isn't happy about getting a promotion?

"It's nothing, just a bit of a sigh. I knew this was a trap, but I didn't expect it to be this much of a trap; this Songnan Prefecture is a massive fire pit!"

Holding the intelligence regarding Songnan Prefecture in his hand, Shen Yu looked helpless. He had originally thought that upon arriving, he would have to guard against the Dongning Army, but now it seemed that what he had to deal with wasn't just the Dongning Army, but also the various forces of Songnan Prefecture, both large and small.

Mr. Chen was quite right; this Songnan Prefecture is truly not an ordinary place of outstanding people and divine spirits. There is a Marquis, two Earls, and successively there have been a Vice Minister, two Inspectors, and several Prefects.

Which of these people is easy to provoke? The families behind these people are even more deeply rooted. If their family traditions were good, that would be fine, but if their family traditions were even slightly crooked, one doesn't know how many commoners would be harmed.

Thinking back to the message Mr. Chen asked him to convey to the former Prefect, one knows what kind of character that former Prefect had while in office; it is estimated that eight or nine times out of ten, he just let everything go unchecked. After so many years, one truly doesn't know what kind of state that place has been ruined into.

Although this official position is good, it is unusually hot to handle!

"You peasants, don't be ungrateful! You dare not to plant the land of our family? Beat them for me!"

From afar, the two seemed to hear the sound of someone cursing angrily, and then they rode quickly toward that direction. Several people dressed like servants were surrounding a few ragged commoners and committing violence, only stopping after they had beaten them until their heads were broken and bleeding and they were begging bitterly for mercy.

"I'm telling you, you will plant this land whether you want to or not. If you really don't want to plant it, that's fine, but the rent must be paid to me without a single coin missing, do you hear me clearly!"

Sweeping a cold gaze over everyone, that arrogant and domineering manner made even someone like He Yinshan almost draw his sword. However, Shen Yu pressed down on him and shook his head at him.

If one doesn't solve the root of the problem and merely acts to vent a moment's anger, the ones who will be retaliated against in the end are still these commoners. Therefore, either don't make a move, or if you do, you must settle it once and for all!

But what shocked Shen Yu even more was that the many commoners around only glanced at this side indifferently and then paid no more attention. Clearly, they had long since become accustomed to the scene before them, or were even numb to it.

"This old gentleman, what is going on here?" Walking up, Shen Yu asked softly beside a slightly older man, "Why is there someone forcing others to farm?"

"This young master, you must be from out of town!" Upon hearing Shen Yu's question, the old man appeared very humble. After all, the brocade clothes Shen Yu wore were not something an ordinary family could afford; at the very least, he was a young master from a wealthy family.

"Those are servants from the Zhen'an Earl's estate. It's not that everyone is unwilling to farm, it's just that the Zhen'an Earl's estate demands ninety percent of the harvest as rent. And when they collect rent, they use the standards of a bumper year. If you farm the land, no matter what the harvest is like, the rent that should be paid cannot be a single coin less!"

"In an average year, after farming their land, you end up having to pay out of your own pocket. Even in a bumper year, how can the little that remains feed a whole family?"

"Ninety percent? Have they gone crazy with greed?" With ninety percent rent, it's not even certain if one can earn back the cost of the seeds. If they do this, these tenants would have to rely on begging to survive the day after paying the rent grain.

And they don't care what the harvest is like; they collect rent based on a bumper year. This is no longer collecting rent; this is naked, daylight robbery!

"This young master, you have seen it too. If everyone doesn't farm, they force us to farm, and they won't even let us farm our own land!" Perhaps because he hadn't spoken to anyone to vent his inner bitterness for a long time, the old man couldn't help but say a few more words.

"If there is no food in the end, everyone can only sell their land. These lands actually still fall into their hands, and we poor wretches still have to farm their land in the end. This world, sigh!"

"My Lord, this..." In rumors, Songnan Prefecture is prosperous and wealthy, and it is a top-tier place in the Nanhua Domain; why is everything they see worse than Sanshui County? What they have seen and heard is shocking.

In the eyes of these commoners around, there seems to be not a glimmer of spirit. It is as if they are living just for the sake of living; there is no hope, no joy, only endless struggle.

This scene also made Shen Yu feel that his shoulders were a bit heavy. The bones of this Songnan Prefecture are not easy to gnaw on.

"Grandpa, doesn't the yamen take care of this?"

"Take care? With what? That is the Zhen'an Earl's estate; who dares to take care of it? Who can take care of it! It's better not to report to the officials; if you do report it, you end up having to pay them back in the end. How many families have been ruined because of this? How would the yamen stand up for us poor wretches?"

"Grandpa, rest assured. From today on, the yamen will specifically stand up for you people. I said so!"