GBP Chapter 59 You've come to save them!
Chapter 59 You've come to save them!
These counties generally fall into three categories.
The first is that the county magistrate holds all the power in the county, just like the Xu family.
The second type is small, peripheral county towns that are monopolized by certain families, such as the Qian family.
Another possibility is that the newly appointed county magistrate holds all the power.
Most of these county magistrates were bribed by wealthy merchants and obtained their positions through bribery and selling of official posts.
The original powerful families in the county were naturally princelings. When the new magistrate arrived, he immediately set fire to the families in the county.
King Qi wanted to consolidate power. The new county magistrate had paid a high price for his official position, so naturally he also needed to gain control. Otherwise, how could they, who came from wealthy merchant families, have made their fortunes?
In the Wuji Empire, merchants do not have a high social status and are often extorted by powerful families.
Now that they've turned the tables, they naturally want to take revenge.
Those who are willing to obey will obediently marry out of the family as the legitimate daughter and hand over more than half of the family's wealth.
Those who refused to hand over their property were labeled as princelings and were exterminated.
As time went by, the new magistrate eventually became the local tyrant.
But they still had to hand over the silver demanded by their greedy superiors; otherwise, how could a wealthy merchant like him have served as a county magistrate for over a decade?
According to the law, the job is to be changed every three years, but who would be willing to change it?
After the wealthy merchants seized power, they began to seize land, increase taxes, and force the people into slavery.
The people worked from dawn till dusk, but their wages were pitifully low.
In a good year, at least the whole family can have enough to eat.
If any natural disaster or man-made calamity occurs, then we're doomed.
Selling one's children to pay the debt is a minor issue; the real problem is the compounding interest that can't be repaid even after a hundred years.
Taikang County, you can tell how wealthy this county was in the past just by its name.
But now, in just over a decade, it has been exploited into this state.
No wonder the Valley God Cult can gain momentum with just a little propaganda.
When Xu Tianyi saw this scene, he already understood why the Leilingjiang Dam had been blown up.
He gave a wry smile.
"Is there any need to investigate? This is exactly the same as the case of the Shenji Battalion explosion."
Shen Miao and Wei Qing were startled and thought about it carefully.
Wei Qing fell silent.
Shen Miao also became serious, her eyes filled with anger.
"The dam wasn't blown up by the Ceres Cult..."
Xu Tianyi nodded.
"These officials resold off all the grain that was supposed to be handed over to the government and made a fortune."
In order to give an explanation to the imperial court, they had no choice but to blow up the dam and lie that the flood had submerged the fields.
They even demanded that the imperial court provide disaster relief.
Once the imperial court provides disaster relief, they can then pocket another sum from the relief funds.
Therefore, I believe that the entire officialdom in Leizhou is utterly corrupt.
Officials in every county affected by this flood are implicated.
They didn't care how many people were affected by the disaster, nor did they care how many people would lose their lives as a result.
What they wanted was gold and silver, which they buried deep in the cellar, waiting for the day they would present them to high-ranking officials to gain promotions and titles!
Subsequently, after they were promoted to higher positions, they naturally became even more ruthless in their exploitation and oppression.
For ten years, the people suffered terribly.
The century-long golden age established by Emperor Yanwu was destroyed in an instant!
These remarks left Wei Qing and Shen Miao deeply disturbed for a long time.
They had thought of it, but it was painful to hear Xu Tianyi say it so bluntly.
Because the Shen family was a prominent and wealthy family.
Wei Qing hated these corrupt officials, but they were loyal subordinates of the King of Qi to whom she served.
After taking a deep breath, Wei Qing looked at the wailing crowd and some members of the Valley God Cult, and she didn't know what to do.
Her duty, naturally, was to stop the rioters and assist in suppressing the rebellion.
As soon as she steps forward, she can immediately kill these Valley God cultists, whose strongest members are no more than Grand Martial Masters.
But so what?
This does not align with the principles I hold dear!
She studied Legalism and believed that laws should be fair and just in order to create a harmonious world.
But now, should we strictly enforce the law, or just sit idly by and watch them continue?
Suddenly, she looked at Xu Tianyi.
What do you decide to do?
On his serious, jade-like face, his brows were already slightly furrowed.
Xu Tianyi saw her dilemma and said calmly, "Trial the corrupt officials, then appease the people, and then find grain to provide disaster relief first."
Finally, they organized the people to rebuild their homes and applied for tax exemption.
It's that simple, but who can take the lead?
Is it you, or the Valley God Cult?
Wei Qing didn't understand these things, but hearing Xu Tianyi speak so eloquently, she couldn't help but trust him a little more.
You do it!
"Me? What should I do?"
Wei Qing stared intently at him, as if she were grasping at a straw.
“Nowadays, countless innocent people are dying every day. Although I was born into royalty, I also have a heart of justice.”
If you are willing to help, I will naturally conceal your whereabouts and do my best to assist you.
Xu Tianyi shook his head: "Put aside your desire to help others and respect their fate. I'm just a lowly Martial Spirit, and Xue Mantian is still chasing me."
If I were to stop and provide disaster relief.
So the people live, but I die!
Do you understand this principle?
Wei Qing lowered her head.
Shen Miao, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward and grabbed Xu Tianyi's hand: "Brother Tianyi... please help these poor people. We don't understand what you're saying. We're counting on you."
"I promise you, I'll make you the best armor and weapons, okay?"
Xu Tianyi sighed: "I've saved this one county, but what about the other counties? What about the whole of Leizhou? This isn't a disaster relief issue; it's a political one."
Now everyone understands.
Even the usually mischievous Shen Miao fell silent.
Gu Qinghan suddenly spoke up: "Tianyi! There are some things I feel we must do, even if it means death, I will accompany you. At least we have seen each other. We can't worry about the future, let's worry about the present!"
Taikang County, I want to save it!
Xu Tianyi stared at her blankly.
She is different from Gu Feixue.
Gu Feixue is willing to risk her own life or the lives of her family, and she doesn't care about anything else.
Gu Qinghan couldn't do it.
Her education did not support her standing by and watching these innocent people suffer so much.
Xu Tianyi lowered his head.
After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Alright then, I..."
“Four heroes! There’s no need to be so conflicted. Since it’s inconvenient for you all, let me do it.”
A middle-aged man in plain clothes slowly jumped down from the opposite rooftop.
He was about 1.8 meters tall, with short beard and a scholar's gray robe. His feet were covered in mud, and his body was covered in rainwater and grime, making him completely different from the four clean-looking nobles, including Xu Tianyi.
He appears to be nothing more than a slightly stronger, poor scholar.
But that resolute spirit inexplicably made Xu Tianyi feel a sense of goodwill towards it.
(I'll update slowly, and I'll change my name when I reach 200,000 words. I was thinking of quitting, but seeing all the gifts and urgings from everyone, I can't bear to leave you all.)