Chapter 92: Eating the Rich (VI)
"Huo Chong, do you admit your guilt?"
"Please let me know, Governor."
"You paid taxes on behalf of others, using this as an excuse to create good fortune. Is this true?"
Listening to the governor questioning Huo Chong, Magistrate Dong beside him felt relieved. Although he had heard that Huo Chong had used such means, before seeing the official document forwarded by the governor's office, Magistrate Dong, although disgusted, chose to turn a blind eye. It was not until he read the official document from the governor's office that he immediately sent someone to put Huo Chong under house arrest.
At this time, Magistrate Dong saw that Huo Chong was not shocked when facing the accusation, and thought that Huo Chong really looked like he was into this kind of thing. Just as he was thinking about how Huo Chong would respond, he heard Huo Chong answer: "I won't dare to do it again in the future."
Shandong Governor Li Shude responded unhappily: "You really don't dare? Or are you just trying to fool me?"
Huo Chong answered sincerely: "Reporting to the governor. I just wanted to save some trouble, so I found this excuse. I already know that I was wrong, and I will never do it again."
"It's good that you know you're wrong." Li Shude said, and snorted unhappily.
County Magistrate Dong was shocked. Spreading rumors to mislead the people was punishable by beheading according to the Qing Dynasty law, but he did not expect that Li Shude would let Huo Chong go after only scolding him a few words.
Yes! People in the officialdom actually knew that Huo Chong was eager for quick success and instant benefits, so they just used this excuse. It was completely different from those people who were really involved in the sect. This was also why so many officials turned a blind eye to Huo Chong, a big taxpayer, and pretended not to see it.
However, after being exposed, he was only scolded a few times. Could it be that Huo Chong had a deep background?
Magistrate Dong did not want to punish Huo Chong to death. Although he was surprised, he remained silent. Just as Magistrate Dong expected, Li Shude scolded Huo Chong and told him to get out. He went back to prepare for the next tax payment.
Seeing how a matter that could have been big or small was turned into nothing, County Magistrate Dong felt that his eyes had been truly opened.
Li Shude punished Huo Chong and asked County Magistrate Dong to deal with the tax-owing gentry. In Li Shude's opinion, the gentry were much more hateful than Huo Chong. Although what Huo Chong did was wrong, at least he had no ill intentions. Having been an official for so many years, Li Shude knew very well that Huo Chong's little tricks were actually very effective.
Not to mention those ignorant people and women, even the princes in the capital would ask the famous blind man Chen to read their faces and tell fortunes. Even Emperor Kangxi knew about this.
Similarly, Li Shude's master, Kangxi, was more aware of the fact that the gentry used every possible means to delay the payment of taxes and silver. In particular, many places in Shandong tried to implement the policy of equalizing the land tax and levy, which caused the landlords to increase the rent and then annex land on a large scale. Compared with Huo Chong's little trick, Kangxi was unwilling to make the equalization of land tax and levy a major national policy because he was worried about the unrest caused by the equalization of land tax and levy.
Huo Chong did some tricks just to pay taxes, but if a large number of landless people appeared and were instigated by missionaries with ulterior motives, the situation would be completely different.
Since Kangxi only wanted to reprimand Huo Chong, Li Shude let him go. Just as he was thinking about doing something else, Li Shude stopped. Kangxi was very satisfied with the contribution of repairing Xiaoqing River, and Li Shude's preparation to "borrow money to get by" from the treasury was ready.
The officials have already made it clear and are just waiting for Li Shude to decide how much to borrow.
After working so hard for so many years, he finally made a fortune. Li Shude no longer wanted to do anything else, so he called his lawyer to discuss the matter.
The master did not give Li Shude a specific number, but only talked about the experience of officials of the same level as Li Shude. Because he was from Shaoxing, the master fully demonstrated the strength of Shaoxing masters.
For example, Kangxi's most trusted Wei Dongting had borrowed 300,000 taels of silver from the treasury in Beijing. For example, the Cao family had borrowed at least 500,000 taels of silver. For example, other governors had borrowed around 150,000 taels of silver...
After listening to these introductions, Li Shude, the governor of Li Xunfu, had already made a decision. Since other governors borrowed between 100,000 and 150,000 taels, there was no need for him to go too far. If he borrowed too little, it would mean he looked down on other governors. If he borrowed too much, it would mean he was arrogant because of his favor. Li Shude finally made a decision that borrowing 115,000 taels of silver would be enough.
It is impossible for a person to have two minds. Li Xunfu's attention is focused on borrowing money, so the official duties must naturally be undertaken by other officials. For example, Huo Chong's matter may not seem important, but it must be carried out from beginning to end.
The academician Mr. Gao received the official document. Yu Xiucai from Mouping County wrote a petition to falsely accuse Huo Chong. He couldn't just pretend that nothing happened.
Huo Chong was fine, but Yu Xiucai was in trouble. Gao Xuezheng saw the intention of the governor's office and beat Yu Xiucai with a stick, deprived him of his official title, and ended the matter.
Unexpectedly, Huo Chong, who had no official title, could cause a scholar who had studied hard to lose his official position. Gao Xuezheng was very dissatisfied and brought Yu Xiucai to question him.
Although the scholar did not have to kneel when he saw the county magistrate, there was no place for Yu Xiucai in the prefectural city. When he was brought in, he was still wearing wooden chains. When he saw Gao Xuezheng, Yu Xiucai knelt down obediently, leaving no room for him to stand.
After listening to Yu Xiucai's detailed account of what happened, Gao Xuezheng, who had originally wanted to take care of the scholar, no longer had such thoughts. Looking down at the scholar, Gao Xuezheng even considered whether to increase the number of strokes from ten to fifty. Did Yu Xiucai read so much that he could not even understand the truth?
Before making his decision, Gao Xuezheng tried to confirm again, "Since you have no grudge against Huo Chong, why did you write a petition to sue Huo Chong when someone asked you to?"
Yu Xiucai lowered his head in shame when he heard this. He regretted listening to his wife's advice and wanted to find something to hold against Huo Chong. However, under Gao Xuezheng's urging, Yu Xiucai could only tell the story of his argument with Huo Chong for the sake of his fellow villagers.
After he finished speaking, Yu Xiucai stole a glance and found that Gao Xuezheng's face looked even more unhappy. It was obvious that he could not accept Yu Xiucai's reason.
As expected, Gao Xuezheng asked, "After you argued with Huo Chong, Huo Chong's men didn't continue to urge him, right?"
"Yes." Yu Xiucai could only answer truthfully. After he finished speaking, Yu Xiucai suddenly felt extremely regretful. If Huo Chong's men had still been so unreasonable and made trouble at that time, it would have been better. In that case, Yu Xiucai could have pushed all the blame onto Huo Chong.
Now he had no chance. His efforts to portray himself as a righteous scholar who fought against the powerful were obviously not recognized by Gao Xuezheng.
Yu Xiucai lowered his head and heard the high and mighty Gao Xuezheng ask coldly: "Do you have anything else to say?"
Knowing that if he said he had nothing to say, he would have no chance at all, Yu Xiucai raised his head in a hurry and said, "Sir, I have something to report."
"explain."
At this time, Yu Xiucai only wanted to find some charges for Huo Chong, and he could no longer care about so many things, so he directly took Huo Chong in as a prisoner of literary inquisition. He also told them about letting them teach and paying them wages.
As he talked, Yu Xiucai felt that this was Huo Chong's crime. If Huo Chong used the excuse of "planting blessings" to get people to surrender, it was Huo Chong's lies to confuse the people. He took in the relatives of the criminals in the literary inquisition and let them teach. This was close to rebellion.
After he finished speaking, Yu Xiucai began to feel some anticipation . If he could use this incident to bring down Huo Chong, Yu Xiucai would be able to turn things around. At least Yu Xiucai thought he could.
Gao Xuezheng did not ask any more questions. He was silent for a while and then ordered the officers, "Take him away."
