In winter, the trees were bleak, but it was not only the trees that were bleak.
As soon as they entered Bazhou, a vast expanse of wilderness came into view, looking bleak in the boundless snow. The dead branches shivered in the wind, making whimpering sounds.
Yang Ling was still an imperial envoy, but there was a difference between an imperial envoy and an imperial envoy. Now, he was merely carrying out an imperial order to arrest a corrupt official, so there was no need to mention the grandeur. Yang Ling's guards of honor mainly came from the yamen runners of the Ministry of Justice. The two flag officers were also appointed by the Ministry of Justice. There were only twenty family warriors from the Public House, led by Liu Big Stick, who followed beside him.
Other than the family warriors from the Public House and the people from the Ministry of Punishments. According to Liu Jin's octopus character, now that he had the power to intervene, he would not let go of this opportunity.
Although he did not want to gain any benefits from the confiscated money to build the Princess's White Clothes Nunnery, he still sent a eunuch, Liang Hong, to be appointed as the Commander of the Right Guard of Jin Wu and was appointed as the deputy imperial envoy to assist Yang Ling in handling the case.
During the Song Dynasty, Bazhou was the border area of the Liao Song Dynasty. It took nearly fifty years to build a city that mainly focused on military defense. In the 120 years after the Treaty of Shuiyuan was signed in 1004, the Song Dynasty set this place as a market for Liao. They traded with Liao, and the Central Plains and Jiangnan area exported agricultural products, handicrafts, and overseas fragrances to the north. From then on, Liao imported livestock, leather goods, medicinal herbs, pearls, and jade to the Central Plains. The Song Dynasty collected a lot of taxes from Yang merchants.
Normally, such a place should be very prosperous, but in the past hundred years, a large area of grain fields in Bazhou was taken by the royal family and the government into imperial farms and manors. The land was annexed to the extreme. Since the eleventh year of Yongle, in order to strengthen the cavalry to fight against the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty, the horse policy was implemented. It was stipulated that one horse should be kept for those below fifteen, and two horses for those above fifteen. The local officials took the opportunity to collect taxes and oppress the people. The people in Bazhou lived in poverty.
As soon as they entered Bazhou, Yang Ling got out of the sedan and changed to a fine horse. A few dilapidated villages occasionally appeared on the vast expanse of snow. The doors and windows of the dilapidated houses were tightly shut to ward off the bitter cold. Occasionally, there would be one or two pedestrians, wearing bloated and tattered black cotton-padded jackets, with their hands in their sleeves, watching the troops in bright armor pass by. Their gazes were as dull as clay statues. Occasionally, they could be seen moving, lifting their sleeves to wipe away the snot that flowed to the side of their mouths.
This was Red Lady's hometown! Was it the hometown of Cui Ying 'er, who was illiterate but possessed the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth and was as cute as an uncarved jade? She was only a bit younger than Cheng Qiyun, and she had mingled with bandits since she was a child. She was used to blood and ugliness, but her temperament and temperament were still straightforward and simple, like a clear spring rippling out of a mountain stream.
Was this the land that gave birth to her? Her Horse Bandits were running rampant on this piece of land, but why couldn't she see a single mountain? When the Ten Thousand Trees Awakened, this large expanse of empty land should be either fertile fields or grasslands, right?
The lush green grass was taller than the horse's belly. An unrestrained fine horse carrying an unrestrained person galloped on this piece of grassland. The horse was like a dragon, the person was like fire, the fluttering red clothes were like dancing flames. The person on the horse was her, was Red Lady.
A small waist, matched with the snow-white hook of Zhan Lu, that tied up black hair, those bright eyes, those eyebrows that were like distant mountains …
Such a woman full of wildness and ego, maybe only this kind of wild landscape could cultivate her. Just like Lian 'er, Lian' er was literate, but wasn't her temperament also like this? Maybe it was because they came from a similar place that they had similar Spiritual Energy, that they had the boldness and bravery that ordinary women of Ming Destiny did not have.
Leisurely thinking, a snowflake slowly fell down, landing on his face. There was a sweet feeling in the coolness. It was going to snow again. Looking into the distance, a black dot entered his eyes. They had arrived at Bazhou City …
※ ※ ※
Bazhou Guard Eunuch Zhang Zhong's residence.
His residence stretched from the West Main Street to the south bank of the river. It occupied a hundred mu of land and had more than five hundred houses. The houses in the residence were clearly layered, arranged in picturesque disorder, the pavilions towering, the atmosphere extraordinary. Entering the main gate and the middle gate, in front of them was the living room with stone and wooden pillars. There were square windows, partitions and doors, the inside and outside were decorated with large pieces of wood carvings of flowers and birds, appearing antique.
If Yang Ling saw this residence, he would not be so shocked by the size of the Princess' nunnery. Although the wealth of the rich people of the North might not be comparable to the wealth of the rich people of Jiangnan, but the size of the residence was something that the exquisite and elegant gardens of the rich people of Jiangnan could not compare to.
At this moment, there were two groups of people standing solemnly in the courtyard. One group was a group of soldiers in bright armor, holding sabers and arrows, murderous. The other group had fewer people, dressed like ordinary people, but they were still holding weapons in their hands. Their ferocity was several times greater than that of the soldiers.
Inside the hall, there was a different scene. The room was as warm as spring, the four walls were hung high, and a person sat on the main seat. He was about fifty years old, had a good appearance, his face was rosy, round, and wore a purple satin robe with copper coins. One look and you could tell that he was a rich and powerful gentleman.
On his left sat a row of burly men, the leader had a square face, thick eyebrows and tiger-like eyes, he was not angry but had a dignified look. On the opposite side was a row of generals, looking at their clothes, they were arranged according to their rank.
Next to each of the two sides sat a beautiful woman in full makeup. In the middle of winter, they were wearing spring clothes made of silk. The narrow sleeves of the crimson spring clothes exposed the beautiful curves of their breasts and slender waists.
The walls of the room were warmed up by the heat, there were also eight large bronze tripods in the hall, inside of which there were smokeless animal charcoal emitting bursts of heat, so that even though they were wearing spring clothes, they still felt warm, but the officers and men sitting on both sides could not help sweating profusely.
The women were like snakes showing off their beautiful bodies, teasing the men they were responsible for serving, but all the men were holding the table and staring at each other. Their fierce eyes seemed to be ready to fight at any time. They turned a blind eye to their teasing, and even their hands were tightly gripping the weapons at their waists.
The beautiful women had to take the initiative to take off their spring clothes, revealing half of their breasts, and use their breasts to rub against the men's shoulders. It was just that through the thick armor and cotton gowns, it was unknown whether they could be tempted.
The gentleman in the purple satin copper coin robe laughed and said, "Everyone, in my house, I, Zhang Zhong, promise that there will be no fighting, so why are you so nervous? Once you enter my house, you are my guest. Let me ask you, what kind of hatred do you have, and why do you have to fight to the death? "
"Eunuch, the man opposite us is a big thief. He once led a group of people to rob a large family in Hejian Prefecture. I followed him all the way here, and you want me to eat with him. This … I hope you can explain it to me."
"Oh … hehe, you mean this, it's a misunderstanding. He just had some personal grudges with the rich family, and he led a few brothers to pick a fight. Nothing serious happened, right? It seems … "
He picked his ears impatiently and said, "It seems that he only killed two servants and guards. He didn't hurt anyone else, did he?"
The leading burly man on the opposite side hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, we only killed two, and he was a dog slave."
"Eunuch, as far as I know, this man is a big thief in Bazhou, and he robbed that family …"
"Officer Yuan!" Although Zhang Zhong's amiable face became fierce and he shouted, Officer Yuan couldn't help but shiver when he met Zhang Zhong's snake-like eyes.
"Hehehehe …" The murderous look on Zhang Zhong's face disappeared, and he became as warm as the spring wind again. "Officer Yuan has just been promoted, so we are not familiar with each other yet. You will know what kind of person I, Zhang Zhong, am. I, Zhang Zhong, travel all over the world, and I like to make friends. I have good friends from all walks of life. Yesterday, I even had a drink with your Deputy Commander Zhang. "
A maid in front of him poured him a cup of wine. Zhang Zhong raised the cup and said with a smile, "General Yuan, actually, I have heard of your name for a long time. When I returned to the capital a few days ago, there were over a dozen generals discussing promotions, but they were all stopped by the Ministry of Appointments. Only three people were approved. One of them is Zhou De 'an, promoted to Jinling. The other is Datong Jiang Bin, promoted to guerilla warfare. The last one is you, Yuan Biao, promoted from Qianhu to Officer Yuan.
When Liu Yu of the Ministry of War requested the decree of appointment, I was there and saw Eunuch Liu sign it with my own eyes. It has only been a few days, and we have met again. It is fate. We should get along well in the future. "
When Yuan Biao heard this, his expression immediately changed. This guard eunuch was too powerful. The Deputy Zongbing was Yuan Biao's immediate superior, but this eunuch actually called the Minister of War by his name. He seemed to be the favorite of the powerful Eunuch Liu. Was this someone Yuan Biao could provoke?
Zhang Zhong raised his cup and said, "In the future, Officer Yuan will come here to arrest thieves, which is enough to show his loyalty to the court. When I return to the capital, I will definitely write to Eunuch Liu and the Minister of War about General's loyalty and bravery. I sincerely want to make friends with General, but there is one matter that I must not keep secret. "
Saying this, Zhang Zhong pointed to the stern man on the left and said, "This person is actually my brother in the clan. His name is Zhang Mao. He is a chivalrous man and is a hero in Bazhou. General, please take good care of him! I will personally offer a cup of wine. If General is willing to give me this face, please drink the wine in this cup. "
The maid beside Officer Yuan rose gracefully and walked over to receive the cup with both hands. Returning to Yuan Biao, she raised the cup with both hands over her head and knelt in front of the table. Immediately, the hall became solemn. Everyone's gaze focused on him.
Yuan Biao looked around in panic. He saw the murderous aura of the bandits in front of him, as if they would leap up at any moment. Zhang Zhong, who was sitting at the top, sat unmoving. However, his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing an indescribably frightening gaze.
This brave and skillful general, who had many military achievements, did not show any fear in the face of fierce bandits and powerful enemies. However, when faced with this kind of invisible pressure, this kind of relationship network formed by power and profit, his face was covered in sweat. He had no idea how to deal with it.
So what if he was brave and skillful in battle? The other party had eyes and ears all over the world. His position as a Brigadier General was not a small one, but with just one word from him, he might be able to get rid of him. His bright future would be gone. At least with his influence, just by being ostracized, he would not have an easy time in the army.
He looked back at the comrades who had followed him for many years. Most of them had already lowered their heads and no longer had the stern murderous aura from before. The beautiful woman in front of him held the cup with both hands. Her arms were already so sore that they were trembling. The wine trembled and splashed out, but she still did not move.
Zhang Zhong's expression gradually became ugly. The corner of his mouth turned up in a cold smile.
The cup of wine in front of him was more oppressive than a sharp knife or sword. Yuan Biao took a deep breath and finally slowly loosened his right hand that was holding the knife. I am an official, he is a thief. Eunuch Zhang is openly covering up for bandits. He clearly has an extremely powerful background and does not care about my identity at all. If I really want to pursue this, I will only be asking for trouble. Even if this case goes to the heavens, I am afraid that all the evidence will be destroyed by then. Is Zhang Mao a good citizen or a great thief? Will the court believe me or Eunuch Zhang?
Yuan Biao took the wine and suddenly drank it in one gulp. The wine was bitter and he could not taste anything else.
"Hahahaha …" Zhang Zhong laughed like a duck and poured another cup of wine. He raised it to Zhang Mao and said, "From now on, General Yuan will be on good terms with you. From now on, do not disturb General Yuan's territory and make things difficult for him."
"Yes, I will obey Big Brother's orders!" Zhang Mao smiled happily and took the cup. He walked in front of Yuan Biao and knelt down on one knee. He said, "General Yuan, I have been impolite. As the saying goes, no discord, no concord. From now on, General Yuan and I will be on good terms. "
When soldiers catch bandits, they become brothers. Yuan Biao laughed bitterly and also raised his cup in response. Zhang Mao drank the wine in his cup and returned to his seat. The tense atmosphere in the hall immediately eased up.
Zhang Zhong smiled and stood up to urge them to drink. The beautiful maids serving Yuan Biao and the other generals stood up and left their seats. Not long after, they each carried a tray and returned to their side. On each tray, there were a dozen or so gold ingots. The generals looked like they were not looking at them, but they secretly spied on them. Their expressions softened a little.
With beautiful women and gold to accompany the wine, it was much easier to make friends. Zhang Zhong occasionally mentioned the high-ranking generals in the army and the civil and military officials of the court, one by one. Listening to him, Yuan Biao was secretly in awe. Since he had decided to make friends with them, he also put down his pride and tried to please them. For a while, the guests and the host were happy.
After Yuan Biao and the other generals returned with a 'full load', Zhang Mao worriedly said, "Big Brother, will this Yuan guy go back on his word? His official position is not low. If he goes back and announces this … "
Zhang Zhong sneered and said, "He is just a rookie who has just been promoted. He is hot-blooded. If he wants to sue us, he won't be able to! Don't worry, Big Brother has already sent someone to inform his superiors and colleagues. When he comes back and knows how powerful our family is, if he wants to be promoted again, he will have to be my disciple. The gold that he took out today will also have to be returned to me. Tell on me? Humph! "
Zhang Zhong was in charge of the military horses raised by the people of Bazhou, so he often had dealings with the officers and generals in various places. They were close friends and his network was extremely large.
After he finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and said with a serious face, "Why did you go to Hejian Prefecture to make trouble and get chased all the way here? If it wasn't for us, your foundation would be gone. You are too careless. "
Zhang Mao smiled bitterly and said, "Isn't it because the big broom Yang is coming? This guy is a big scourge. When he was far away in the capital, he caused chaos in Bazhou. Brother Yang Hu's stronghold was destroyed and he had to flee to Shandong. Qi Yanming was also arrested by the officers and soldiers to suppress the bandits. He is too famous. Even if you come forward, you still can't get him out. I don't dare to commit crimes in Bazhou, so I can only go to Hejian Prefecture. "
Zhang Zhong walked back and said disdainfully, "You mean Yang Ling? He has already been brought down by Eunuch Liu. Now he is just a state duke with an empty title. He came to Bazhou to confiscate the An family's property. How can he interfere with our family? "
Zhang Mao said cautiously, "Big brother, don't be careless. Haven't you heard? It is said that this person is a killer who has descended to the world. Wherever he goes, there will be a military disaster. Do you think that there are no swords and sabers wherever he goes? It is really strange. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Now the imperial court and the three armies of Duoyan are trading and borrowing the grassland to raise horses. It is estimated that in another two years, there will be a large number of warhorses for the army. At that time, the policy of raising horses in Bazhou will be abolished. It is hard to say if big brother can still guard this place. We have to make a big profit in these two years. "
Zhang Zhong laughed and said, "How? Just by robbing a few big families? Stupid! Look at me. I just got a job from Eunuch Liu. Not only will I supervise the Bazhou army, but I will also be in charge of mining. In two years, I can guarantee a gold mountain. "
Zhang Mao was surprised and said, "Mining? Are there mines in Bazhou? Gold, silver, or copper and iron mines? "
Zhang Zhong smiled but didn't say anything. He thought for a while and said, "But your concerns are reasonable. There are still people with great supernatural powers in this world. This Yang guy became a High Duke in just two years. His murderous aura is really strange. Hmm … "
He thought for a moment and said, "Later, go to Longquan Temple and invite the four Buddhas to do a great ceremony to dispel Yang Zhantou's murderous aura. I will send someone to the Governor's office and ask them to sell the An family's property, land deeds, and servants for cash as soon as possible … Forget it, I might as well buy it and send Yang back to the capital as soon as possible. He will not be a hindrance here!"
* * *
"What's the hurry? We won't be able to return to the capital for the New Year anyway. Let's stay here for a few more days. What do you think?" Yang Ling had made up his mind to leave the capital to kill time and buy time for Liu Jin to create chaos. In the past, he was always swift and decisive when he went on official business. He wanted to finish his business as soon as possible and return to the capital. This time, however, he was very relaxed.
It was just a property seizure. He could not think of anything big even if he racked his brain. The main point was in the capital. But now he had to avoid it. What was there to kill time in this place?
Usually, he wanted to return to the capital early but could not leave when he went on official business. Now, he had no reason to stay even if he did not want to. Thinking of this, Yang Ling could only smile bitterly.
Liang Hong heard this and it was exactly what he wanted. The best way for a capital official to make money was to go on official business. It was rare for Eunuch Liu to give him this job. If he cleaned up in two or three days and returned to the capital immediately, wouldn't it be a wasted trip?
Liang Hong quickly agreed and said, "High Duke is right. The lanterns of Bazhou's Shengfang Town are very famous. Since we are here, we should see it."
"See lanterns? It is only the fifteenth of the first month. There is too little time. It is not enough for Liu Jin to play around. We can slowly think of an excuse then. " Yang Ling thought. When he looked up, the Bazhou Zhizhou was already waiting at the city gate with a group of officials.
The inside of the city looked very desolate. The Bazhou Zhizhou Fan Moli accompanied Yang Ling and Liang Hong. As they entered the city, he introduced the situation of Bazhou. Yang Ling was concerned about the civil affairs of Bazhou, the situation of the Bazhou Horse Gang extermination and how much property An Ye had. It was just that he had just entered the city and it was not convenient for him to ask about these things. He just listened to Fan Moli's introduction.
"Whose chastity memorial arch is that? Why is it so dilapidated? The memorial arch is crooked. Why didn't the government come out to repair it?" Liang Hong suddenly saw a chastity memorial arch and asked in a bureaucratic tone.
Fan Moli smiled and said, "Replying to eunuch, this memorial arch … It was built by a Prefect of Bazhou in the fourth year of Jianwen for his widowed mother. Unexpectedly, his widowed mother committed adultery and got pregnant. She was found guilty of deceiving the Emperor and her house was confiscated.
Before the memorial arch was smashed, it became crooked. Everyone said that this was because of the gods of heaven and earth in the dark. That's why the memorial arch became crooked. It can't be fooled. That's why we didn't get people to smash it. It was to give a warning to the future generations, to let those who are righteous on the surface but are secretly thieves and prostitutes know that heaven and earth have eyes and the gods are at ease. They should not do such things to deceive the Emperor. "
The fourth year of Jianwen was the year when the Prince of Yan revolted. The world was in chaos. It would be strange if someone cared about such things. It was no wonder that this chastity memorial arch was still standing until now.
Liang Hong was interested when he heard this and hurriedly asked, "Oh? Is there really such a thing? Was it really done by the gods? "
Eunuchs looked forward to the existence of ghosts and gods more than ordinary people. They looked forward to the afterlife even more so they were especially interested when they heard about ghosts and gods.
Fan Moli saw that this Commander of the Jin Wu Guards was interested and couldn't help but laugh, "There should be. Speaking of which, there's a joke about this. In the fifteenth year of Hongzhi, a local filial piety petitioned to build a memorial arch for his widowed wife. He said that she had been a widow since she was nineteen and never left her house. She raised her son and was filial to her in-laws. She was very virtuous. The Former Emperor then issued an edict to allocate five hundred taels of silver to build the memorial arch.
Unexpectedly, when his widowed wife heard this, she was terrified. She had also heard that an unfaithful person's memorial arch could not be built. She had no choice but to tell her brother-in-law that she had an affair with someone else.
When the brother-in-law heard this, he was shocked and afraid. If a criminal deceives the Emperor, they will be beheaded and their house confiscated. At this time, he couldn't care less about his wife and could only spend a lot of money to beg a Daoist.
After the Daoist accepted the money, he performed a ritual and said that his wife had cheated a few times. He sprinkled a few soybeans under the memorial arch to break the spell.
When that Xiaolian returned, he asked his wife how many times she had cheated. His wife mumbled for a while before saying, "Uncle, don't talk about the number. Just take the dustpans and pour them into the pit. Two dustpans will definitely be enough."
When Yang Ling heard this, he couldn't help but burst out laughing. Commander Liang laughed so hard that he couldn't straighten his back on the horse. He kept asking, "What happened next? Haha, did the spell really break?"
Zhizhou Daren Fan laughed, "Xiaolian's face turned purple when he heard this, but he couldn't get angry. In order to prevent an accident, he secretly poured three dustpans full of soybeans into the pit. Only then did he get someone to build the memorial arch.
After the memorial arch was built, he couldn't stop worrying and went to look at it with his wife every day. In the end, after a few days, the memorial arch started to become crooked. In a rage, Xiaolian killed his wife and his nephew, who I don't know if he was his brother's blood. He also committed suicide. "
"Ah!" Liang Hong cried out in shock, "So it really is that godly. Aiyaya, this deity really can't be deceived, can't be deceived."
When Yang Ling heard that it led to such a tragedy, he couldn't help but secretly sigh. What deity manifesting divinity, to sprinkle soybeans under the memorial arch, and even sprinkle three dustpans full. The soybeans absorbed the air of the earth, ate the water, swelled and sprouted. How could it not be crooked? Ai, although this woman was shameless, the shady business she did did not harm anyone. In the end, it ended up like this.
Because he heard this joke, Yang Ling couldn't help but look a few more times at the tilted chastity memorial arch. Under the memorial arch sat a person wearing a tattered cotton-padded jacket. He was using a wooden stick to struggle to stand up. Under the memorial arch, there was a large bowl. It looked like he was a beggar.
Yang Ling saw that the person was unkempt and extremely dirty. Moreover, he only had one leg. Yang Ling couldn't bear it and wanted to turn his head away. But when his eyes met that person's, he suddenly felt a little strange.
Yang Ling didn't recognize who this beggar was at all. But from the way that the beggar looked at him, it was obvious that he recognized him. Yang Ling couldn't help but be moved. He turned his head and stared at that person.
His clothes were dirty and tattered, and his face was thin and dirty. He had never seen this person before, but his gaze … Yang Ling's heart trembled when his gaze landed on his broken leg, and he suddenly thought of someone.
He immediately called Liu Da Bang Chui over and whispered a few words to him. Liu Da Bang Chui understood and immediately led a few of the House of Duke's family warriors to slow down their pace. When the ceremonial guards passed by, they went to welcome the beggar.
That beggar had already reacted. He was about to walk away in a panic. But he couldn't move freely. How could he be a match for these foreigners from the inner court. He was sandwiched by two foreigners and surrounded by the family warriors. Without anyone noticing, he sneaked into the rear of the imperial envoy's ceremonial guards …
※ ※ ※
After entering the city of Bazhou, the civil and military officials had to welcome the imperial envoy. Then, they sent the two imperial envoys to their residences. It was already late. Naturally, the relevant matters could only be reported the next day.
Yang Ling's residence was the old house of the An family that had been confiscated. With the imperial court's decree, the Bazhou government locked all of the An family members who usually called each other brothers in prison. They seized all of the An family's properties and registered them. All the workers were sent home. The servants who sold themselves to the An family were considered as confiscated properties and were registered as well. They were waiting to be sold.
This big house was close to the city. The houses were arranged neatly. Just the main house alone occupied more than eighty acres. It spanned across two streets. Outside the back house, there was a boundless land. The thousands of acres of land were all purchased by the An family these years. As they were worried that the An family's servants would harm the imperial envoys, the Bazhou magistrate arranged for some male and female servants to be used by the two imperial envoys.
Yang Ling went up to the attic and looked at the thousands of acres of snowfield in the back house. He couldn't help but be shocked at the amount of wealth that the An family had seized. An Dongchen managed the Dirty Punishment Storehouse. The Dirty Punishment Storehouse was specially used to collect the treasures of the corrupt officials who had been punished and the confiscated treasures of the officials who had committed crimes.
After these things were registered, they were transported to the Dirty Punishment Storehouse. Some of these things had been stored for decades. After a long time, it was impossible to count them. Thus, An Dongchen took the opportunity to steal them. In addition, some of the officials were later released. When they returned their properties, they claimed that they were damaged or could not be found. Those officials who had just been released did not want to cause trouble and could only swallow their anger. Just these properties alone were worth tens of thousands of gold.
In addition, some of the treasures had not been appraised. The account book only recorded the names of the tools. For example, it was obviously a priceless jade bottle. An Dongchen cheated and replaced it with some ordinary bottles that were only worth a few copper coins. This way, he could steal a large amount of wealth.
In less than ten years as an official, this small mouse with a low position had grown into a huge mouse. If Yang Ling was not personally responsible for confiscating the An family, he really couldn't imagine that a small treasury department of the Ministry of Revenue could purchase such a huge amount of property.
Liang Hong stood at the side with a smile. He stood on his tiptoes and looked at the boundless land outside the backyard. He clicked his tongue and said, "Good fella, the An family has such a large piece of land. Just by collecting rent from these thousands of hectares of land, how much harvest would they have in a year?"
Yang Ling nodded. Suddenly, he thought of something and said, "Along the way, many places have been enclosed as imperial farms and official farms. The rich and powerful people also have a large amount of land. Furthermore, every family in Bazhou needs to raise horses. There is not much grassland left. How can they raise good horses?
Once the horses do not meet the standards or the foals die of illness or starvation, the government will punish them with a large amount of money. Just this alone is a heavy burden that the people can't bear. It seems that the horse policy in Bazhou and even in Henan and Hebei is really a heavy burden on the people.
Sigh! These people have suffered for a year or two more. Now that a few large horse farms outside the border have been built, they can buy a large number of foals in the spring. Very soon, they can provide a stable source of warhorses for the army and a large number of high-quality warhorses. By then, these people will no longer have to suffer such exploitation and hard work. In addition, with the promotion of new crops, the people will first have enough to eat and wear.
Opening the sea trade from the coast to the inland will slowly expand its influence. It will affect the circulation of crops and local products. It will expand the overall prosperity of handicrafts, commerce, transportation and service industries. I think … in ten years' time, the poor people here will have a big change. "
He looked at Liang Hong and deliberately yawned and said, "I am already a little tired from the long journey. Liang eunuch, you should go back and take a bath and rest early. Tomorrow morning, we will listen to Magistrate Fan's report on the investigation. "
When Liang Hong heard that he was asked to leave, he did not feel disobedient. He smiled and cupped his hands to bid farewell and returned to his own residence. Yang Ling immediately asked someone to bring the beggar into the inner hall.
The skinny, tanned, one-legged man was helped into the warm inner hall and sat on a chair. Yang Ling walked in front of the man and stared at his face. After a long time, he took a deep breath and said, "It is indeed you. You are the Black Sparrow Hawk!"
The thin, dark man had been avoiding his gaze with his head lowered. When he heard these words, his body suddenly shook. He immediately raised his head and laughed bitterly. "That's right, it is me. I, Black Sparrow Hawk, used to be a famous man, but now … now I have become a beggar."
He lowered his head, his disheveled hair covering his eyes. Yang Ling could see two streams of tears flowing down his dirty cheeks, turning muddy by the time they reached his chin.
Black Sparrow Hawk muttered, "If I didn't have a blind mother, I would rather die like this, freeze to death on the streets and end all my troubles. But I still have an old mother. I am unfilial, unfilial! "
As he said this, he fiercely hammered his broken leg. Yang Ling grabbed his hand and asked, "How could this be? When you left, I had given you a large sum of medical fees. You and your mother should have been able to survive with this money. How could … how could … Ying 'er not give you the money? "
"Ying 'er?" Black Sparrow Hawk raised his eyes and looked at him with a strange expression. "You call Sister Cui Ying' er? She … she really took after you? "
Yang Ling shook his head slightly and sat down beside him. He said sadly, "Her old stronghold in Bazhou was destroyed. Old Master Cui died under the arrows of the soldiers. She wholeheartedly wanted revenge. Why would she follow me? I owe her a lot. I really want to take good care of her for the rest of my life. I really want to … Unfortunately, she refused to give me this chance … "
Black Sparrow Hawk's eyes rolled around. 'Owe her a lot?'
Thinking of how Cui Ying 'er had been absent-minded ever since she returned to Bazhou, Black Sparrow Hawk concluded that something must have happened between the two. One was an official and the other was a bandit. How could there be love between a man and a woman? Could it be that he … used his power to forcibly possess Red Lady?
Thinking of this, Black Sparrow Hawk suddenly jumped up and grabbed him by the collar. "You took advantage of Sister Cui, didn't you? You bastard! Oh! You are now a duke, a very high official position, almost catching up with the princes. I owe Sister Cui a great debt of gratitude. If you dare to betray her, I … I will kill you! "
Seeing this, Liu Bangchao and the others roared and scolded him. They wanted to push him away. Yang Ling smiled bitterly and stopped them. He said to Black Sparrow Hawk, "There is no need for me, a duke, to come to Bazhou to confiscate the property of a corrupt official. I took the initiative to come here, hoping … hoping to have a chance to see her. I can't wait to find her and take care of her. How could I betray her? "
Black Sparrow Hawk was dubious. But thinking of Red Lady's attitude towards Yang Ling, if she was raped, how could she … Not only was she full of love in Yangyuan, the man she thought about day and night when she returned to Bazhou was most likely him.
Black Sparrow Hawk sat back in his chair and said, "In Yangyuan, I found that you two … Your relationship is unusual … You are getting higher and higher. Although Sister Cui is young and beautiful, her family background is not good and she doesn't know how to read. Surnamed Yang … Are you really sincere to her?"
Yang Ling smiled bitterly. "Heaven and earth can bear witness to Yang Ling's heart. It's just that she is like a wild horse that can't be tied up. How can I stop her? A few days ago in the capital, she saw me once, but then she disappeared again. I thought she would return to Bazhou, so … she chased after me. "
Black Sparrow Hawk's expression softened. After thinking for a while, he said, "I believe you. Sister Cui likes you. Ever since she returned to Bazhou, she has been absent-minded all day. I have never seen her like this. She always carries two paintings with her. They were painted for her when you were in Yangyuan, right? Even when she came to visit me and my mother, she was reluctant to leave. Once, I accidentally bumped into them and she got angry at me … She must have fallen in love with you. "
When Yang Ling heard this, he was very excited. Just as he wanted to say something, he suddenly saw Liu Bang Chui and the others looking outside with strange expressions. He couldn't help but stop and said, "Bang Chui, bring some people out and prepare some food and wine. I want to invite Brother Sparrow Hawk to drink."
There were already food and wine prepared in the residence. There were a few platters and a few hot dishes. Black Sparrow Hawk was really hungry. He hadn't eaten meat and wine for a long time. As he ate and drank, he told the story of how Red Lady brought him back to Bazhou.
It turned out that Red Lady hired a carriage to bring him back to Bazhou. She settled him and his mother in Bazhou City and restored his original name, Miao Gang. She used the money that Yang Ling gave them to buy a house and a few acres of land. She rented it out and collected the rent to live. After she returned to the stronghold, she often came to visit them.
Although Black Sparrow Hawk was disabled, he and his mother did not have to worry about food and clothing with the money. Ever since Cui Ying 'er told her father about Yang Hu, the Old Stronghold had withdrawn their support for Yang Hu. Fortunately, Yang Hu's own forces had quietly moved away, so he didn't suffer too much loss. Although he often went to the Old Stronghold, hoping to get Boss Cui's forgiveness, most of the time he had to return to his own secret mountain gate to take charge of the overall situation. Red Lady didn't see it, so she didn't feel annoyed.
She was living comfortably in the stronghold, but she always had a sullen expression. Black Sparrow Hawk couldn't bear to see her like this. In addition, this place was too barren. Poor families had widows, and their in-laws couldn't afford to support them. The maternal family also didn't want to keep them. So since ancient times, there was no concept of shameful remarriage. Especially for the women in the stronghold, they didn't have these scruples.
Yang Hu was despicable and shameless. Red Lady had already done her best not to expose his dirty deeds to the public. She had no obligation to keep her chastity for him. Black Sparrow Hawk saw that her heart was firmly tied to Yang Ling. He also heard about Yang Ling suppressing the pirates and fighting the Western devils in the south. He felt that Yang Ling could be considered a good man, so he advised her to find Yang Ling. However, Red Lady just shook her head and smiled, saying, "He is a high-ranking official of the imperial court. I am just a bandit. Even if I jump into the Yellow River, I won't be able to clear my name. Don't have any absurd ideas."
Black Sparrow Hawk thought about it and felt that it was true, so he didn't mention it again. In the first few months, Zhou Dean, Yuan Biao, and several other valiant generals were dispatched to exterminate the bandits. Because Yang Hu's main force had moved to another place, they could only capture the old, weak, women, and children. It couldn't be considered as a great achievement. They then marched forward and wiped out all the strongholds. Because the old stronghold was also attacked, the war situation was critical. Red Lady didn't come back again.
After another month or so, there was news that the Bazhou stronghold was completely wiped out. The Great Leader of the Cui Family Stronghold was also shot by an arrow and escaped. Black Sparrow Hawk was Yang Hu's subordinate, so he didn't have any feelings for the Cui Family Stronghold. He only cared about the whereabouts of his great benefactor, Red Lady. He secretly inquired about her whereabouts, but he didn't hear any news of Red Lady being injured or captured. Only then did he feel relieved.
He didn't expect that the news of him secretly inquiring about the bandits would fall into the hands of the government officials. When the Bazhou Imperial Judge received the news, he investigated and found out that Black Sparrow Hawk had just broken his leg not long ago and had just moved to Bazhou City with his old mother. Moreover, he was a homeless person without any property or job. Unexpectedly, he bought a house and a piece of land. Moreover, there were often several men riding on fast horses who would come to visit him. The Imperial Judge suspected that he was a bandit who had left the bandit group due to his injury. Thus, he captured him and interrogated him.
The pitiful Black Sparrow Hawk was originally a bandit, so how could he tell the ins and outs of his story? Fortunately, he was a man. No matter how much they tortured him, he clenched his teeth and refused to admit that he had a dispute with the bandits. In the end, his old mother sold the house and the land. She also took out the rest of the gold and silver and gave it all to a famous local litigator, Wang Zhi.
Wang Zhi had a daughter, Wang Mantang, who was said to have married a nobleman. Therefore, the Wang family got acquainted with many local gentry and landlords. After Wang Zhi made some connections and entrusted these local celebrities to mediate, they finally bailed out Black Sparrow Hawk. However, he had already become penniless. That was why he was living in a shabby Dragon King Temple and became a beggar.
Hearing this, Yang Ling was furious but had nowhere to vent his anger. To be honest, the Imperial Judge was a capable official. He was able to catch a bandit living in seclusion with just a few clues. Of course, he couldn't rule out the possibility that he was used to extortion and was just casually pinning down the crime. However, if he stood up for Black Sparrow Hawk, then it would be unjustifiable.
Yang Ling stared blankly for a long time before he forced a smile and said, "I came to Bazhou this time to confiscate the property of the corrupt official, An Dongchen. You and your mother have nowhere to go. When we return to the capital, I will take you with me. Ying 'er can't take care of you anymore, so I will take care of you for her."
A hero was in trouble and he had been begging for food for so long. How could Black Sparrow Hawk maintain his unyielding character? He was ashamed and agreed. Yang Ling said, "So, after the encirclement and suppression by the soldiers, Bazhou has quietened down? I wonder … where did she lead the people of Laozhuang to? Sigh! I hope she doesn't stir up any more trouble. "
Black Sparrow Hawk shook his head and sneered, "Bazhou is a den of bandits. Among the four great bandits, we, the bandits, are ranked last. How can there be peace after the bandits have been wiped out? The common people are harmed by the other bandits even more than us bandits! "
Yang Ling was startled and blurted out, "The four great bandits? Why do you say that? "
Black Sparrow Hawk hesitated. Yang Ling raised his eyebrows and said, "Brother Miao, you should have heard about my character by now. From north to south, wherever Yang goes, he is cursed as the Big Sweeper and the Killer Star. It's not that I don't know. But who are the people who call me a jinx and fear that I'm the Killer Star? Are they the poor people? No! They are the corrupt officials and those who have ulterior motives!
The common people are passionate about creating a rumor and spreading it, not because they are afraid of me, Yang. It's because they want me to be a big scourge, to harm those who harm the common people. It's going to be the New Year soon, and every household has a door god pasted on it. The door gods are pasted to stop little ghosts, but can they really stop little ghosts?
One of the four bandits of Bazhou is gone, and there are still three great bandits left! Tell me who they are. Now that I, the Killer Star of Tai Sui, have come, if possible, I will help the common people get rid of these demons and ghosts! "
Black Sparrow Hawk gritted his teeth and drank a cup of wine, saying, "Good! Since Sir wants to hear it, I will tell you. Does Sir think that the bandits of Bazhou are the number one scourge of Bazhou? Wrong, there aren't many mountains in Bazhou. Although the bandits are active in Bazhou, their strongholds are outside. Moreover, most of the bandits have their own remote land, and when they can't use what they have, they will go down the mountain to plunder.
What about the officials? The guarding eunuchs, the Bazhou officials, and the guards have joined hands to harm the common people, taking over land, imposing fines, extorting rich families, and committing all sorts of crimes! The true scourge of Bazhou … The number one of the four bandits is the official thief! "
Yang Ling's face twitched. Black Sparrow Hawk was a bandit, and his words couldn't be completely trusted. However, he could investigate it, and if it was true, he would let those who thought he was a toothless tiger have a taste of his prowess. He could punish the corrupt officials and save the common people, and he could also take the opportunity to stay in Bazhou for a few more days, killing two birds with one stone.
He said indifferently, "Go on, what is the second thief?"
Black Sparrow Hawk said, "The second thief is the divine thief! Because this place is poor, Buddhism and Daoism are very popular. However, these monks and Daoists aren't proper monks at all. Not only do they cheat people of their money, but they also cheat women. They especially like to befriend those high officials and nobles, and they are unscrupulous. Who knows how many foolish people have fallen for their tricks! "
When he said this, he laughed bitterly and said, "It's said that bystanders see things more clearly. We bandits see the common people being cheated, and we know it clearly. However, when it comes to us, we still fall for Daoist Liu's tricks, believing that Yang Hu is the Purple Star Lord that has descended to the mortal world? Heh! His Purple Star Lord has lost to you, the Killer Star, and this is his retribution! "
"Using Buddhism and Daoism to earn money? Could it be related to the Maitreya Sect? They are the best at making use of preaching to earn money, and taking in foolish people. "
Yang Ling was secretly alert, and asked, "What about the third thief?"
Black Sparrow Hawk said, "The third thief is the Ringing Horse Gang!"
Yang Ling was curious, "Ringing Horse Gang? Isn't it the same as you people who gather to go up the mountain and plunder for a living? "
Black Sparrow Hawk shook his head and said, "It's not the same. As bandits, we have our own sect, and we have our own banners when we go down the mountain to plunder. But the Ringing Horse Gang is different, the common people in Bazhou raise horses, and everyone values martial arts. These Ringing Horse Gang are normal people usually.
When they are bandits, they cover their faces with scarves, and they come and go like the wind. After plundering, they leave. When they get on the horse, they are thieves, and when they get off the horse, they are commoners. It's impossible to guard against them, and it's hard to chase them down. In the past, when they committed crimes, they mostly pushed the case to us bandits. Now that the bandits in Bazhou have been completely wiped out, they are still active, and that's why they were discovered. They formed their own group, and they are different from the bandits. "
"I see! No wonder Ying 'er said that the commoners in Bazhou are in hell on earth. The officials are thieves, the gods are thieves, and the commoners are also thieves. It would be strange if it's not hell on earth! "
Yang Ling slowly let out a breath, and said softly, "In a while, I will get someone to accompany you back, and fetch your mother from the Dragon King Temple, and settle her down. Don't worry, aren't they just the four thieves? One of the four thieves is already gone, and now I will come and get rid of the other three! "
Yang Ling suddenly thought of the eight characters that Taoist master Zhang arranged for him, saying that he was a person who killed all his life, and took away people's lives and wealth. It seemed like it was true. Wasn't it just going to Bazhou to confiscate property, who would have thought that he would have to return with blood on his hands again?
He shook his head, and with a strange expression, he said something that Black Sparrow Hawk couldn't understand, "It's New Year, it's really New Year! The heavens increase the years, and I increase my lifespan! "
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