BSI Chapter 13 Yang Jian's New Laws
Chapter 13 Yang Jian's New Laws
Choi Si-il pushed the door open again and entered, her face still showing undisguised excitement.
He tried to lower his voice and said, "Sir, someone from the prefectural government has come and said that the prefect has approved our appointment, so we can go to take up our posts."
"Are you serious?" Li Chong asked, somewhat incredulous. "Weren't you going to summon me for questioning? How come the warrant was approved without me even showing up?"
"Who knows? But it doesn't matter anymore. Anyway, we've gotten away with it. Let's hurry up and grab the note and head back."
With that, Cui Shi gestured for Li Chong to follow him out so that they could collect the items and return to Yanggu quickly.
Although this city is nice, it is not a place to stay for long. Staying here will inevitably make one feel fearful.
Li Chong was puzzled and even became a little wary. Could there be some kind of trap?
However, when the time came, he had no choice but to back down.
After straightening his clothes, Li Chong slowly walked out of the room.
On the second floor, the minor official I had met that day was standing in the main hall. When he saw Li Chong come out, he immediately put on a smile.
"Lord Li," he bowed to Li Chong, "Prefect Wang has been quite busy these past few days and has been unable to attend to other matters, so he was absent. After verifying that the official document and records were correct, he approved the document. Now, Lord Li may proceed to Yanggu County to assume your post."
Li Chong hurried forward, saying, "I see. Thank you for making this trip."
Li Chong took the document and glanced through it briefly. It was stamped with a seal, so it seemed to be a legitimate document.
Is this all just going to be swept under the rug? Wasn't there supposed to be an interview?
At this moment, the minor official opposite seemed to notice Li Chong's doubts.
He leaned closer to Li Chong and lowered his voice, saying, "Your Excellency, you may not know this, but these days the imperial court has issued a new decree to reclaim land, and has even set up a new yamen called the West City Land Reclamation Office. The prefect is so busy every day, how could he possibly have time for your little matter?"
"If I hadn't presented your official document to the county magistrate, I'm afraid we would have had to wait even longer."
"The Western City Land Reclamation Office?" Li Chong frowned. "What does this do? Reclamate land? Reclamate whose land?"
Instinctively, Li Chong felt that something was going on here.
Given the nature of Emperor Huizong and his ministers, the new laws they issued were certainly not for any meaningful purpose.
For the imperial court, land reclamation was certainly a good thing, but for the Northern Song emperors and their officials, it was probably just another money-making feast.
The minor official shook his head helplessly: "Whose land can be seized? Whoever has land can be seized. Because of this, Prefect Wang hasn't slept well for several days. He's been so busy he barely has time to rest."
"This is a new law presided over by the Grand Tutor. Who dares to be negligent in the slightest? The entire Yunzhou region needs to get busy. After the county magistrate returns to Yanggu, he will probably start working on it as well."
"Grand Tutor..."
At this time, Li Chong, the Grand Tutor of the Northern Song Dynasty, seemed to vaguely remember seeing relevant records.
Li Chong blurted out, "Yang Jian!"
The minor official opposite him suddenly changed his expression and quickly gestured for Li Chong to shut up: "Stop talking!"
He looked around and said in a low voice, "Is it someone we can just call Grand Tutor Yang by his name? If this gets out and someone reports it to the higher-ups, I'll be in deep trouble!"
Li Chong's mind raced, and he immediately put on an indignant expression.
"The current emperor is wise and virtuous, but he is surrounded by treacherous and wicked men who are misleading the country and harming the people! If I ever have the opportunity to return to the capital and take up a post, I will certainly submit a memorial to the throne to set the record straight!"
He looked exactly like a cynical and pedantic scholar.
The clerk who brought the news was filled with regret, wondering why he had gotten involved with Li Chong.
He came here hoping that Li Chong would be generous, and if he could say a few good words for Li Chong and show off his help in submitting the official document, he could definitely get some money.
Upon hearing that Li Chong dared to criticize the government and speak rudely to Yang Jian, the Grand Tutor and a favorite of Emperor Huizong, he was immediately put on an awkward position.
He moved with light steps, his face flickering; he wanted to slip away right now.
Li Chong caught a glimpse of his expression, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. He stepped forward and grabbed him, asking, "What do you think, Your Excellency? Isn't this land reclamation policy harmful...?"
"Lord Li, I suddenly remembered that I still have some official business to finish at the yamen, so I'll take my leave now."
He forced a smile, broke free from Li Chong, and ran outside.
"Eh." Li Chong looked surprised. "Please wait a moment, sir. I haven't thanked you yet."
As Li Chong waved, the man's speed increased even further.
In just a short while, he disappeared from the inn.
"snort."
With a disdainful snort, Li Chong examined the official document in his hand.
Is that all the identity verification is done?
It came so easily that Li Chong even felt a sense of unreality.
"Speaking of which, should I thank Yang Jian? If it weren't for that treacherous minister, I might not have gotten through this so easily." Li Chong felt it was absurd.
"My lord, with this, can we return to Yanggu?"
After the messenger left, Cui Shi came closer, looking at the official document in Li Chong's hand with a hint of envy.
"From today onwards, sir, you are now the true magistrate of the county."
The thought that Li Chong wouldn't have become the county magistrate without his help filled Cui Shi with jealousy.
This is an official, and he got such a great deal for nothing.
At this moment, Cui Shi seemed to have forgotten that he was the one who begged Li Chong to impersonate him, and he had completely forgotten the fear and anxiety he had endured in the process.
Li Chong casually tossed the official document to Cui Shi: "Keep it. Read it if you want. When you're done, go tell Wu Dalang and the others that we're going back to take up our posts in Yanggu!"
With his identity now fully confirmed, no one could expose Li Chong's true identity for a short period of time, and a huge weight was lifted from his heart.
Now, he was thinking about the news he had just heard.
Even though Li Chong doesn't yet know the full details of the land reclamation decree promoted by Yang Jian, it's almost certain that it's an evil law.
So, is there any connection between the Song Jiang uprising that will happen soon and this land reclamation magistrate?
And what can he gain from it?
The day of catastrophe is not far off; we must prepare now.
With their hearts full of worries, Li Chong and his group left Xucheng and headed straight for Yanggu.
This trip back to Yanggu is different from the last one.
Before Li Chong and his group even reached the county town, they saw Yang Chengde and Fu Shun leading a group of people out of town to greet them.
It seems that all the officials from Yanggu County have come.
"Registration Officer Yang, Commandant Fu, why make such a fuss?"
Li Chong alighted from the carriage to greet him.
Yang Chengde, no longer displaying his previous skepticism, stepped forward with a smile and cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Excellency is too kind. Since the previous magistrate passed away in office, Yanggu has been without a magistrate for several months. Today, with Your Excellency taking office, we finally have someone to rely on. How could we not come to welcome you in person?"
Fu Shun chimed in.
"Your Excellency, we have prepared a banquet in the city to welcome you and celebrate your journey home."
Li Chong pulled the two of them along, saying, "Come on, let's go together. We'll definitely have a great time."
The group entered Yanggu in a grand procession, looking quite happy and harmonious.
I wonder what everyone is thinking.