plumnovel Chapter 86 Bowing one's head
Chapter 86 Bowing one's head
"Ouch~~~"
With a cry of pain, Zhu Zhicheng clutched his waist, his brows furrowing.
He then smiled wryly and said, "I'm getting old, and my health is deteriorating day by day. Please forgive me, Your Excellency."
"Ha ha!"
Zhong Mei, who was behind him, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Zhu Zhicheng's face instantly darkened, and he turned to look at Zhong Mei, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
How dare a mere maidservant laugh at him?
Seeing this, Li Chong greeted him with a smile, "Alright, alright, Bingzhong was just in a hurry. This county is magnanimous and will not hold it against him."
Zhu Zhicheng then turned around: "Thank you, Magistrate."
"Hmm." Li Chong made a move to stand up. "Since the old man's family is so opposed, I can't force them to do something. I'll just let it go and help them out. I'll take those prisoners back and see if I can get anything out of them and find a way to settle those people."
After saying that, Li Chong called out, signaling Xue Ming and the others to leave with him.
Hearing this blatant threat, Zhu Zhicheng could no longer remain calm.
"Your Excellency, please wait! Your Excellency, please wait!"
Now that Li Chong is powerful, if we really want to get some information out of him, he might have to bleed even more.
As for his son's suggestion to sue Li Chong in the prefecture, that's too unrealistic.
Once they send someone to Xucheng to smooth things over, Li Chong will be able to cause trouble for his family countless times.
Once the Zhu family's power wanes, the others will show no mercy.
Even Yang Chengde, the registrar, wouldn't mind taking a share.
A distant source of water cannot quench an immediate thirst, and a local official is more powerful than a distant one; it's best to humble yourself.
Zhu Zhicheng stepped in front of Li Chong and said in a slightly humble manner, "My family still has some land. As the county magistrate is settling the people, my Zhu family is willing to do our part."
Seeing that he had lowered his head, Li Chong started to act pretentious again.
"Isn't that inappropriate?" Li Chong feigned hesitation. "The old man's land was earned through hard work. How can I seize the people's fertile land because of my official duties? If word gets out, wouldn't it make us look like the county is exploiting its people?"
Zhu Zhicheng gritted his teeth in resentment, but he still had no choice but to swallow his anger.
"This is a sincere offering from an old man, and it certainly cannot be called exploitation. The county magistrate has rid Yanggu of this great scourge, and I am deeply grateful. What are a few acres of land compared to this?"
"Hahaha." Li Chong laughed loudly, then stepped forward to help Zhu Zhicheng up. "Old sir, your sincerity makes this county magistrate feel somewhat embarrassed. In that case, this county magistrate will accept your offer without hesitation."
"Once we return to the government office, the county magistrate will send someone to coordinate with the old man. We'll need your help in measuring the land and building the house."
Li Chong not only wanted his family's land, but also wanted them to pay for building houses for others.
But the words had already been spoken, and Zhu Zhicheng had no choice but to agree.
The old man could only nod resentfully: "I will certainly do my best."
"Very well, if everyone in the world could be as reasonable as the old man, what would our Great Song Dynasty not prosper?"
After offering Zhu Zhicheng some encouragement, Li Chong took his leave.
"Hey!" Zhu Zhicheng stopped him again. "Your Excellency, that bandit leader..."
Li Chong chuckled at him, "Don't worry, old man. Once the people in the mountains are settled, it will be time to execute the bandit leader. I'll save a good seat for you then."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhicheng instinctively shrank his neck, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Since Li Chong had set his terms, Zhu Zhicheng knew that it was probably impossible for Li Chong to kill them to silence them. Helpless, he had no choice but to step aside and watch them leave.
After staring at him for a long while with a gloomy face, he shouted in a deep voice, "Someone, hurry to the county and inform Registrar Yang that the magistrate has returned victorious, and tell him to make proper preparations!"
-----------------
On the way out of the village, the sound of silvery laughter could be heard all the time.
"Hahaha!" Zhong Mei grabbed Li Chong's clothes with one hand and clutched her stomach with the other. "You guys didn't see that old dog's face! It was as black as if it were smeared with coal! It's hilarious!"
Xue Ming also chimed in with a smile, "This time, the Zhu family will probably have to give up hundreds of acres of land. All their efforts over the past few years have been wasted, so naturally they'll feel the pain."
Li Chong, however, was not as optimistic as they were. Although he had a smile on his lips, his eyes remained serious.
Li Chong straightened Wenzhao's furrowed brow as they walked, saying, "We'll still need your family's help a lot here. Keep an eye on him and make sure they don't bring out any inferior land to fill the quota. Make sure the people who get the land can cultivate it next year."
Xue Ming clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I understand. I will send someone to my father to ask him to send some men to help with this matter. If there are any places that cannot be accommodated, my family can also contribute some land."
"Thank you for your trouble." Li Chong waved his hand, "But there's no need for you to take the land. A gentleman doesn't take what others cherish. Shouldn't we leave this opportunity to do good deeds to our esteemed Old Master Zhu?"
Xue Ming couldn't help but laugh out loud: "The county magistrate is right."
After giving him a few more instructions, Xue Ming turned and left, intending to transfer people from the Xue family.
Xue Ming is very enthusiastic about things that annoy others.
Moreover, after this experience of suppressing bandits, he greatly admired Li Chong.
He was capable of passing the imperial examinations and easily defeating bandits, accomplishing what others could not. Naturally, he was wholeheartedly convinced by Li Chong's arrangements.
After seeing Xue Ming off, Zhong Mei's smile gradually faded, and he returned to calm.
As they approached the village, Zhongmei asked, "Are you really planning to distribute land to the people in the mountains?"
"Otherwise what?" Li Chong gave her a strange look. "If I didn't do it this way, why would I bother putting on this show for this guy surnamed Zhu?"
"But...but wouldn't the village be empty then?"
After all, it was the place where she grew up, and Zhong Mei's feelings were somewhat complicated when she heard that Li Chong was going to do this.
On the one hand, she knew clearly that for those she knew in the village, going down the mountain and becoming an ordinary citizen was the best choice.
With land to cultivate and a county magistrate like Li Chong, one could at least make ends meet.
Living as a hermit in the mountains is not a long-term solution. This time, Li Chong was kind-hearted and didn't intend to take credit for their efforts. But if they are wiped out again next time, others won't be so kind.
If killing innocent people and claiming credit for it is something they can do, how much more so when these people are not even considered good citizens?
On the other hand, it is only natural to feel reluctant to leave the place where one grew up.
Moreover, if the village is gone, where will she go?
"You?" Hearing Zhongmei's troubles, Li Chong couldn't help but chuckle. "Of course you're coming back to the yamen with me. Don't forget, you're still my maid. If you run away, I'll have someone catch you."
Zhong Mei raised her hand and slapped Li Chong: "I'm talking to you nicely, and you're joking with me again!"
"Who's joking with you? I'm serious, you have to come back to the yamen with me!"
Li Chong's resolute words surprised Zhong Mei.
She stared at him blankly for a moment, then her expression changed: "You, surnamed Li, you really want to be a master? Don't think I don't know you're a fake!"