Chen Xi was still sitting upright as usual under the staring of everyone. His face was gloomy. The guests at the audience didn't even dare to breathe, and just stood there with their glasses on their backs.

These days are the coldest days. I should feel cold when eating in the yard with cold wind, but many people present had sweat on their foreheads.

Finally, after a while of silence, Chen Xi finally stood up and looked around: "I can't afford this glass of wine."

Shi Feng was so embarrassed at this time. He thought to himself, this is the wine we give you. It is your own business to drink it or not. At least, it is the etiquette between officials and the people. There are so many gentry outside watching you, so you can't say a few polite words?

He was very whispered in his heart, but he did not dare to disrespect anything in his mouth. Shi Feng smiled flatteringly: "Mr. Shen, this is what officials and people in the city respect you. You are about to lead troops north to quell the bandits for the court and ensure the peace of the people. You should accept this toast, which is also the officials and people express their respect to you."

Chen Xi nodded slightly and picked up the cup full of wine. Just as Shi Feng breathed a sigh of relief, Chen Xi suddenly sprinkled the wine in the cup on the ground, which no one present could have imagined.

Chen Xi said in a deep voice: "The first glass of wine is toast the innocent people who were killed by the thief Song Kuang, as well as the military and civilians who have been robbed and killed by the bandits in recent years!"

Shi Feng was stunned, then shook his head and smiled bitterly: "The dead are the most important, this is what we should do, so we should respect the dead souls first!"

After saying that, Shi Feng scattered the wine with his teeth. The officials, gentry and merchants present followed suit and sprinkled glasses of Chinese wine on the ground.

Chen Xi filled a glass of wine and raised it high: "Second glass, toast again!"

First, Shi Feng and the officials and gentry present understood that the Governor Chen were dissatisfied with the current situation in Huizhou Prefecture.

The prefect Song Kuang covered the sky with his hands, and the ups and downs were effective. There was more than one Song Kuang in the local area, and in fact, Shi Feng, the county magistrate, may not be a good person, and his dark history is still a lot. The gentry tried every means to gain benefits, and they were in tandem with the government, paid less taxes, and occupied people's land. If there was a lawsuit, they would be at ease with the whole country.

Local gentry rotted from the root, and it is not possible to solve the problem by killing a single Song Kuang.

The three glasses of wine in Chenxi may not be toasted by the dead, but by the local people, but by not making the topic clear.

After three glasses of wine, just when Shi Feng felt that she could toast Chen Xi, Chen Xi put down the wine glass and stood there straight.

When Chen Xi was standing, no one could sit down. At this moment, they wanted to know what kind of guidance and instructions Chen Xi had, and maybe a certain sentence would be quoted from the emperor.

In the past, local officials held banquets for new officials when they arrived at the office, and there were often such officials who showed off their status. After showing their identities, they would receive gifts for meetings, which would cost the money for each family.

Chenxi Road: "The troops went north to fight, and there was a shortage of material dispatch. I wonder if there was a surplus in the local treasury in Huizhou?"

"this……"

Shi Feng was stumped in just one sentence.

After Lu Heng, the left governor of Guangdong, took office at the beginning of the year, the governor of the Ministry of Justice and the local prefectures and county governments repeatedly urged the funds for the suppression of the bandits. Naturally, there was preparation in Huizhou, but there was no way to know whether it was sent to Guangzhou Prefecture or was greedy by Song Kuang and others.

This is a bad debt. Shi Feng thought to himself that he was just a small Guishan County magistrate who was affiliated with Guofucheng. You gods fight, don’t let the little ghosts suffer.

Chen Xi looked at Shi Feng and asked, "What, County Magistrate Shi doesn't know?"

Shi Feng said according to the truth: "Sir, you may have to ask the governor's and the people from the prefectural office. At the beginning of the year, Guishan County had transported 200 stones of grain to the treasury. As for how the prefectural office arranged it later, the officials did not know and dared not ask about it."

When the gentry and merchants present heard this, they were broken. The magistrate said that he didn't know. Now that the magistrate is dead, there is no evidence of death. If the military rations paid at the beginning of the year have to be paid again?

These gentry and merchants have already begun to consider whether the food stored at home is enough. Although they feel a little distressed, they are very afraid of the wealthy families whose property has been seized and even the head of the family was jailed. They are just a few hundred kilograms of food, and there is no need to deliberately save money, which is equivalent to spending money to buy peace.

Each company does not need to pay much money, but it will accumulate more.

Chen Xi stopped talking now. The more silent he was, the more afraid the people present were.

Shi Feng felt that what she was talking about might be shirking responsibility. If he offended the governor who held the power of life and death, then the next person who cut off his head might be him.

Shi Feng hurriedly remedy: "Mr. Shen, the local gentry learned that you led your troops north to Huizhou Prefecture and are willing to donate money and grain to reward the soldiers of the three armies. You also asked you to give local gentry and merchants a chance to serve!"

This is Shi Feng’s decision-making decision on his own and expresses his views on behalf of local gentry and merchants.

Even though the gentry and merchants were unhappy, they thought that this was the money and food they needed to pay for buying Taiping, many people present nodded.

Chen Xi's face then had a good color, and he asked with a smile: "Is that true?"

“Yes, yes.”

Shi Feng felt relieved.

Isn’t it just asking for money and food? I don’t have it, but there are gentry and merchants below. Anyway, the county magistrate’s office is only responsible for helping with the collection and collection. If you speak in public, we will do our business for you.

Chen Xi suddenly sighed again: "I will lead my army to leave Guishan County tomorrow, I am afraid that time will not be enough."

"It's time."

When Shi Feng heard this, he wanted to collect debts overnight!

Anyway, I have been scared all over the past two days, so don’t want to go to bed at night. It’s more important to send you, the plague god, away earlier. Even if you torture the soap servants of the government office and the county office, you will keep the money and grains to collect.

"The servant asked people to make arrangements overnight to ensure that when you lead the troops tomorrow, everything is ready, just wait for you to send someone to luck."

Chen Xi nodded: "That official thanked the magistrate Shi and all the gentry. Now, I want to give you a cup of honor."

"Don't dare, don't dare."

He said he didn't dare, but Shi Feng hurriedly raised his wine glasses with the gentry and merchants present and drank with Chen Xi.

Chen Xi had just had a few glasses of wine, so he used the excuse of being unable to drink to go back to discuss the marching strategy and took people away from Guishan County.

As soon as the person left, the county yamen was in trouble. The emotional governor came to the banquet not for the sake of fine wine and food, but for the sake of collecting money.

A bunch of people came over to ask Shi Feng for advice, hoping that Shi Feng would be "comfortable".

Shi Feng was annoyed and said angrily: "Who is yelling? Those who dare not obey orders may go to the government office to find out clearly, or go to the official to sue the official to see if Lord Shen is aligned."

Shi Feng whispered to Chen Xi, but he always showed off his power in front of local gentry and merchants. At this moment, he was also very depressed. In order to send Chen Xi away safely, he had made up his mind to take all costs.

Afterwards, Shi Feng asked the county magistrate, chief clerk and the county magistrate to check with the gentry and merchants. The amount of donations each family needs to be paid should be decided first, and each family needs to deliver the grain to the county magistrate before the third update.

Shi Feng warned: "Don't say that I have not reminded you, if anyone dares to make things difficult for the county government, it is to make things difficult for the governor Chen, or the court and the emperor. Don't blame me for showing mercy at that time!"

The gentry and merchants who attended the banquet quickly agreed and went back to prepare money and grain, for fear of being punished by the governor and the magistrate's double-level yamen.

...

...

On the other end, Chen Xi took advantage of the slightest drinking, sat in the sedan chair and closed his eyes to rest. After sleeping for a whole day, his head was still drowsy.

Jing Yue's voice came from outside: "Mr. Shen is really capable. When Magistrate Shi saw that your legs were trembling when he was afraid, the local gentry didn't dare to breathe. He was probably chaotic now and was preparing money and food."

Chen Xi sighed lightly: "As an official, it is not to be afraid, but to be convinced. This time, it is also for the smooth progress of the war, and it is a last resort."

Lu Heng, the left governor of Guangdong, took the lead and prepared a lot of money and grain for this expropriation, but a lot of money and grain were not allowed to be transported in time. The local government's intention of perfunctory and shirking responsibility was obvious. The governor's magistrate sent 1,000 stones, and the prefect's yamen might collect 1,200 stones, but only 4,500 stones were transported to Guangzhou as military rations, and the remaining ones were similar to writing an IOU. The local government could even arrears the taxes of the court, let alone military expenses other than taxes.

Chen Xi finally knew the need to implement the test method in the Ming Dynasty.

Without pressure, there is no motivation. Local officials are just doing it. Their political achievements do not depend on whether the tax is collected at full capacity, but on whether the relationship with Shangguan is harmonious. They only care about corruption in office, are not responsible to the people, nor to the court, but are only responsible to the silver and Shangguan who controls his promotion.

When he returned to the prefect's office, Chen Xi did not return to his room to rest. He planned to take the time to organize the documents and report them to the court, so as to take the initiative to avoid any sluts being maliciously slandered behind his back. If he had to sleep, he could rest in the bumpy carriage after the sunset. Even if he had to work harder, he could rest in the bumpy carriage.

In the middle of the night, Shi Feng personally brought people to the government office to report that most of the money and grain had been collected, and the money and grain collected were all from the wealthy gentry and big merchants in the city. There was no time to collect it outside the city, let alone to collect it in other counties.

"...Whatever you have is calculated, how much you have, dispatch money, grain and materials, and record it truthfully. If you return in triumph this time, this official will remember the merits of Shi Magistrate."

In the inner hall of the prefect's yamen, Chen Xi smiled and said to Shi Feng.

When Shi Feng heard that there was such a good thing? I had been busy for half a night just to send you away earlier. If I could get a merit and promotion, that would be great.

Shi Feng hurriedly saluted: "Thank you, Lord Shen for your support, I will do my best to do my best!"

"Um."

Chen Xi nodded with satisfaction, "I'll trouble Shi County Magistrate to count the money, grain and materials. At the fifth update, I will send someone to escort it, and you can leave the city from the north gate of the capital city."

"Yes, yes, sir, let's make arrangements now."

Shi Feng worked hard but was not motivated before. When he heard that Chen Xi would write down his credit book, his attitude quickly became more correct... He just worked hard, so he might as well work harder and let Lord Shen see my efficiency in doing things. Maybe he will think of me when Lord Shen needs help in the future.

This Lord Shen is the best choice for generals and ministers. If I don’t flatter him, who will I go to curry favor with? Are they the six officials in Nanjing who are pampered but far away from the court and the emperor?

Shi Fengfeng left in a hurry. Jing Yue at the door looked at Shi Feng, curious in his heart that this guy was completely different from his departure. Jing Yue came in and said, "Mr. Shen, he..."

When Shi Feng came, he looked tired and looked listless, trying to leave an impression on Chen Xi. He worked hard so that Chen Xi would not blame him.

When he left, he seemed to be able to fight for another 300 rounds, which was to leave an impression on Chen Xi... Not only did I do things but I was tireless, Lord Shen just ordered the orders in the future.

Chen Xi sighed. This is the contradiction between officials. In the face of merits and demerits, they have to make different attitudes. In fact, in summary, it is just to please the Shangguan.

The attack is scheming. (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!