Chapter 262 Seizing the Seal

The county office is not brightly lit, but there are a few extra lanterns hanging, which makes it look a little warm.

Lu Linghao was very considerate. When he learned that Xue Bai was going to bring farmers to discuss farm issues, he ordered his servants to cook mutton soup noodles overnight and set them up at the street entrance outside the county office.

A row of five large pottery cauldrons was placed, with blazing flames below, becoming the most conspicuous presence in the night. Smoke rose from the mouth of the cauldron, spreading the aroma of mutton soup and attracting people's scum.

At the steps of the gate of the county office, an official shouted: "You are all common people in the county. The county magistrate knows that you are frightened, so each of you will get a bowl of mutton noodle soup to fill your stomach, and wait for the county magistrate and the county lieutenant to take care of your fields."

Let’s talk things through.”

The farmers looked at Xue Bai one after another, their stomachs growling. They were both greedy and had to wait for the county captain's arrangement.

Xue Bai knew that it was impossible for Lu Linghao to poison, and he did not have the amount of poison that could kill more than a hundred big men, so he said: "Take it."

Someone put their hoe aside and went to get a bowl of noodle soup. Lao Liang was furious, stepped forward and kicked him, and cursed: "The guy who was eating was thrown away first, and he deserves to be starved to death."

Little things like this have to be learned through experience and cannot be learned overnight.

The farmers in the front were holding hoes in one hand and bowls in the other. They were not afraid of burning them and squatted on the street to suck them.

Lu Linghao came out at this time, followed by several armored guards, and said loudly: "Tonight, the villagers grabbed the land. This county has made you feel wronged, and there is no place for you to sit, but your fields, I

Lieutenant Xue Xian will definitely protect it for you."

Everyone's reaction was sparse, and in short, they were acting like this. Seeing that the farmers' grievances had subsided, Lu Linghao realized that it was a trick and invited Xue Bai back to the office to discuss in detail...

"Xue Lang was ill for a few days, and something like this happened in the county. Fortunately, Xue Lang recovered and dealt with it in time."

"Maybe because I am a sick cat, someone in the county wants to occupy the newly cultivated fields."

"No, how can there be so many conspiracies? This county guarantees you that the fields belong to them. How good is that?"

"That's good."

"Now that the matter is settled, let these farmers go back with enough food and everything will be fine." Lu Linghao laughed heartily and yawned, "You are old, so go back to sleep and sit back and relax."

Xue Bai had no intention of disbanding the office and asked: "The county magistrate will not hold me accountable for killing Guo Sanwulang?"

"What?" Lu Linghao pretended to be surprised, "Guo Sanwulang is dead?"

Of course he wanted to pursue the case, but he planned to wait for two days, send all those farmers back, buy and divide them into a group, and wait for the high-ranking Luoyang officials to return. Then he would definitely be endlessly pursuing Xue Bai for committing suicide without permission.

Guo Sanwulang was a provincial tribute son, and Lu Linghao ordered it himself three years ago.

"I killed him." Xue Bai said, "Don't you want to find out the matter tonight?"

"Oh, you really... missed it?" Lu Linghao stood up, rubbed his hands, and showed great concern for Xue Bai, "To resolve this matter, I have to comfort Taigong Guo for you, and I have to stop anyone who knows about it from talking...

…”

He muttered something in his mouth, and finally said: "Don't worry, I will solve it for you. Go back and have a good sleep."

Xue Bai said: "No investigation?"

"Just wait and see. As long as I'm here, I can suppress this matter."

"Okay, the county magistrate won't hold me accountable, but I have a few things to ask the county magistrate." Xue Bai didn't bother to see Lu Linghao pretending, and asked first: "Tonight, what should we do with Buqu, the farmer who was beaten to death?"

"Yes? No? They are all villagers. How can you kill them?"

"My men killed three Bubu."

"This matter will be reported to the master..."

"How should we deal with the situation when families occupy acres of land and hide slave households?"

"How can this happen..."

"You officials and gentry collude, hide land and evade taxes, forge records, levy exorbitant taxes, misappropriate public funds, steal charity treasury, bully men and women, force good people into slavery, and so on, how to deal with it?!"

Lu Linghao was stunned for a while, and then turned to look outside the county office. He almost thought that Xue Bai had invited the saint from Chang'an... Otherwise, what's the point of saying that there are none?

"Xue Lang, I'm afraid you haven't recovered yet and are talking nonsense. You'd better go back and recuperate."

"If I have to say I'm sick, it's Magistrate Lu who treats me. Or should I say that Datang is sick?"

"You rule?" Lu Linghao thought Xue Bai was too ridiculous, "No matter how great the Tang Dynasty was, it was not the turn of small officials like us to take charge."

"It doesn't matter if you are a minor official, but if Magistrate Lu becomes a high official, will you care?"

"You're really sick."

Lu Linghao glanced outside the door again, but didn't see Xue Bai's men rushing in. He thought that as long as he didn't take action, it would be easy.

Of course, he is not afraid of taking action. Most of Xue Bai's capable men have been sent to Luoyang, and the rest are guarding the weaving workshop with Xue Xin.

At this time, he didn't want to say any more. Seeing that Xue Bai and the two fierce guards around him still refused to move, he asked, "What do you want, Xue Lang?"

"Simple." Xue Bai said: "Clear the land and household registration, and ask each family to hand over their hidden fields and households. That's all."

In fact, he could not do this and get promoted safely through qualifications, but decentralization is really a rare opportunity to accumulate strength, and to quickly accumulate strength, he cannot avoid the fields and the population, and the fields and the population represent

that power.

To cultivate confidants, accumulate food, train troops, make utensils, and open banks... Xue Bai also needed a large number of land people, as well as power.

Of course, smart people can make the stall bigger and share it with the local families, but a county is so big, and Xue Bai's ambition is too big, and it is really impossible to share it with these narrow and greedy vested interests.

Collusion of interests does not involve the root cause of the bad governance of the Tang Dynasty, so what is the meaning of ambition?

To put it more simply, for such a major matter as conspiracy, the foundation of strength must be in your own hands. You cannot wait until you are about to win the title before asking Song Mian to borrow some money and food.

The word "Qingzhang" sounds easy to say, but in fact, it appoints officials to control the land, population, and taxation of a county. If Xue Baizhen succeeds, he will have complete control of Yanshi County. By then, Lu Linghao will be equivalent to a puppet.

After handing over all the interests and power, Lu Linghao would certainly not agree to make concessions... It should be said that he would never agree in his heart, but on his face he hesitated, stroking his beard and sighing.

"Why don't I want to reduce the burden on the people? To be honest, when I took office, I was as enthusiastic as you, but this matter is difficult! You go back first, and we will discuss it in the long run..."

Xue Bai said: "How about we open a meeting to solve this problem at dawn?"

Lu Linghao narrowed his eyes, trying to hold back his anger.

Xue Bai didn't wait for his answer and shouted directly: "Get ready to open the meeting!"

Lao Liang immediately stepped forward and said: "Please ask the county magistrate to open a meeting!"

"Too presumptuous!"

The clay figurine was also very angry. After Lu Linghao tried to persuade him all night long, he finally lost his temper. He took a few steps back and hid in the protection of the guards. He shouted angrily: "If you continue to be aggressive, this county will punish you!"

What answered him was the sound of drawing a sword, and Lao Liang shouted loudly: "Please invite the county magistrate to sit in the court!"

"You! This is the county office..."

Suddenly there was a sharp whistle. Lao Liang formed a ring with his two fingers, put it in his mouth and blew a long whistle. The outside of the county office suddenly seemed to be boiling. The farmers had already eaten the mutton soup noodles and raised their hands one after another.

Hoes poured in.

"Please ask the county magistrate to ascend the court!"

"Shengtang!"

Zhao Yuliang was not sleepy at all at this time. After finishing the two bowls of noodle soup, all the previous nervousness and fear disappeared, and he only felt excited.

Although they were all entering the county office for the first time, they from the Jimin Society were very orderly, because they were often led in formations and stabbed throughout the winter. They had no experience when they were first raided, but now they reacted and finally had the training skills.

appearance.

Although Lao Liang had never been a general, he could easily direct this small scene and arranged for them to guard the front and back gates of the county office and surround Lu Linghao's people.

"First team to the nave!"

Zhao Yuliang was the leader of the team. He rushed into the courtyard of the central hall and felt that he had entered a new world. He was inexplicably excited.

There were six guards stationed in front of the nave, wearing armor and holding long swords, waiting in full formation.

But you can see inside through the door. The county captain is sitting on the side, handsome and majestic, like a fairy figure; the county magistrate is huddled behind the four guards, looking a little sneaky, raising his finger and pointing on his face

Full of fear.

"You...are you going to rebel? Take them all down to me! Take them down!" Lu Linghao shouted.

There are ten armored guards here, and there are ten more outside. In addition, there are more than twenty people from the Lu family's tribe, and some of them are extraordinary knights. Although the number is not large, it is far from the ones under Xue Bai's men.

Mud Legs can compare.

Lu Linghao dared to ask Xue Bai to bring these mud-legged people because he knew that the guards would be scared to death if they drank them.

"Back off!" the guards shouted.

Zhao Yuliang was so frightened that he quickly raised his hoe at an angle, but unexpectedly felt that the guard opposite was also a little nervous.

"You haven't invited the county magistrate to ascend the court yet!" Lao Liang shouted.

Zhao Yuliang then took two steps forward, and all the hoes and shovels in the hands of dozens of farmers around him also swung forward.

As peace prevailed in the Tang Dynasty, land was equalized, and the military system was completely destroyed. The folk customs also changed. Hu people were used in border towns. Good families were ashamed to serve in the army. Those whose children became military officers were despised by their fathers and brothers. Most of the candidates were recruited.

Lai Han, who had never practiced martial arts. As for the guards like Lu Linghao, they all looked burly, but they were used to living a good life of big fish and meat, and they were used to bullying civilians. How often had they seen such battles?

"call--"

The sharp shovel was swung in front of the eyes, and the six guards retreated in succession, shouting in surprise.
To be continued...