"Back off! Back off!"
Ashina Zhong led his soldiers to line up to keep the farmers and tenants at bay, and kept shouting and driving them away. However, more and more farmers gathered, dozens, hundreds, and even hundreds of people. The expressions of these people They were dull and did not make any noise. They just gathered silently and stepped forward, giving a kind of silent oppression.
A force gradually condenses and brews in the silence.
Ashina Zhong wiped his face. He didn't know whether it was rain or sweat. The clothes in his armor were already soaked through. He was trembling faintly. He looked back and forth with his eyes wide open. He was afraid that his soldiers would hurt the farmer rashly. They were even more afraid that the farmers would suddenly burst out in anger and attack their own array.
Either one will cause the situation to get completely out of control...
Now he is so regretful that his intestines are green. He has been silent for many years and is far away from the center. He originally wanted to take this opportunity to return to His Majesty's sight and regain his former power, but he did not expect to encounter such a difficult situation.
If I had known this, I might as well have been drinking and having fun in the mansion all day long...
Xu Jingzong was even more afraid that if the current situation led to an accident, it would be the end for him as the Minister of Rites. He had finally reached this point where he was one step away from the Prime Minister. How could he be willing to ruin his career like this?
There were more and more farmers, stepping on the muddy ground and gradually surrounding them. They forced me, Ashina Chu and the academy students to retreat continuously, and they were already semi-surrounded.
However, the officials of Henan Prefecture had already retreated under the leadership of Duan Baoyuan, watching silently and standing aside.
Only Jia Dunyi, with his beard and hair growing, stepped forward, pointed his finger in the farmer's face and kept yelling: "What do you want to do? Attack the imperial officials? Want to rebel? I am the governor of Luozhou, and now I order you to disperse as soon as possible, otherwise you will be investigated You are responsible for your crimes. If the angel is not harmed, you will not only lose the city, but also your family and relatives! ”
"I assure you that no matter who is behind the instigation, as long as you disperse now, let bygones be bygones. If you insist on going your own way and defy the court, you will be dealt with severely!"
The farmer finally responded. He was still the old farmer, roaring with red eyes and the veins on his neck popping out: "We are illiterate and don't know any national laws or emperor's decrees. We only know that measuring acres will leave us without land." It can be planted! You are the governor. You should know what it means to me to have no land to plant. It means that if we want to survive, we have to sell our sons and daughters, or even exchange our sons for food!”
"The imperial court won't let us live, why should we obey this imperial court?"
"It is you treacherous and sycophantic ministers who deceive Your Majesty for your own selfish interests. Otherwise, how could His Majesty's benevolence make it impossible for us to survive?"
"You are all traitors who bring disaster to the country and the people!"
……
The noise is getting louder and louder, covering up the torrential rain. The farmers' emotions are getting more and more intense. Their dull and honest faces are gradually becoming more ferocious. The steps under their feet keep pressing forward, as if a fuse has been lit. The sky-shaking thunder will explode completely in the next moment.
The situation is on the verge of getting out of control.
Xu Jingzong stepped forward and pulled Jia Dunyi back, glaring angrily, wishing he could bite him to death: "Are you crazy? These people are bewitched and have no idea what is right or wrong. Are you not trying to accuse and curse like this? Do you want us to be torn apart by drowning out their last sanity? You can’t anger them!”
Jia Dunyi was so angry that all the officials of Henan Prefecture stayed away to watch the excitement. Only he stepped forward to help. Do you still blame me now?
"I don't care whether you die or not, but these farmers are all people under my rule. I can't just watch them be beguiled by others to commit crimes that attack angels. I have to protect them!"
There is no doubt that once these farmers lose control in excitement, Xu Jingzong and others will not end well, but these farmers will definitely suffer the death penalty, otherwise it will not be enough to maintain the majesty of the center.
Xu Jingzong said angrily: "You keep saying that these are the people under your rule, but open your eyes and see if these people are on the government's official list, have they ever paid a penny of taxes to the Tang Dynasty, and have they ever shouldered the responsibility?" A day of corvee? They are not the people under your rule, they are just slaves raised by the clan! ”
If the population is not above the Ding register and does not have a household registration, they are just slaves of the wealthy families and cannot be counted as citizens of the country. The food produced and the wealth created by such a population are owned by the clan and make no contribution to the country.
Jia Dunyi retorted: "I'm helping you! You think they are slaves of the powerful family, then you have them slaughtered like dolphins and dogs?"
Xu Jingzong was furious: "You think I don't dare?"
"I can tell you don't dare! You're such a coward!"
"Wow, you dare to underestimate me like this?"
"Do you still want me to think highly of you, your Majesty's sycophant?"
"It's unbearable!"
Xu Jingzong's short and fat body was very agile. He rushed forward with a single step and hit Jia Dunyi's nose with a soaring cannon. Jia Dunyi was caught off guard and was hit so hard that he screamed "Ouch" and when he touched his face, nosebleeds gush out.
Jia Dunyi was furious: "How dare a traitor hit me?"
He rushed up and pushed Xu Jingzong to the ground, rode on Xu Jingzong and waved his fists. Xu Jingzong received several punches in the face, struggled desperately, and pinned Jia Dunyi underneath him. It was raining heavily, and the ground was covered with water and mud. The two struggled and fought in the mud. After a while, they were like balls of mud, and they were in a mess.
Everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events, and stared blankly at the two people struggling in the muddy water. One was the Minister of Rites and the other was the governor of Luozhou. They were both high-ranking officials, but they were like shrews in the city. Generally pulling hair, spitting, and pulling balls...
The angry farmers were also stunned. When had they ever seen officials of this level fighting each other?
Learned a lot.
Ashina Zhong, who was nearest, was moved in his heart and scolded the farmers in front of him: "Hurry back, anyone who dares to hurt these two will be punished with an additional penalty!"
The farmers and tenants were startled when they heard this, and they all backed away with a "hoo!". The people behind them were caught off guard and couldn't dodge in time, and they collided with each other, causing a burst of chaos, and the atmosphere that was already on the verge of breaking out instantly dissipated.
They came here to put pressure on the central officials based on the mentality of "the law does not punish the public". They would never dare to let these peasants collide with a minister of the Ministry of Etiquette. The atmosphere just now was so good that everyone was filled with anger. , refused to retreat or give in, and determined that Xu Jingzong did not dare to kill anyone.
But now the situation is completely different. These two people are rolling around in the muddy water. If they accidentally step on or touch them when they roll to their feet, wouldn't they commit a serious crime of "beating an angel"?
It's better to get away quickly.
Ashina Zhong was overjoyed when he saw that the farmers began to retreat and their momentum was no longer strong. He took the opportunity to say loudly: "What are you looking at? They are all gone. It is raining heavily today and the measurement has stopped. When will we measure again? Wait for the notice ! ”
Then he leaned over and pulled the two people who were struggling apart. He carried one on his back, and asked the captain next to him to carry another. He quickly left with a group of soldiers, leaving only the confused farmers, tenants, and monks standing aside and watching. Henan officials were too late to react.
"This...what should we do now?"
The officials in Yanshi County were confused and could only ask Duan Baoyuan.
Duan Baoyuan frowned and thought for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "Let's leave for now, but we must continue to instill in these people the concept that 'measuring acres means the court wants to take back the land', and let everyone know that once the court takes back the land, they will have no land to farm. Wait until the next field measurement Mom, let's all come together to stop it. Don't worry, Xu Jingzong and Ashina Zhong will never dare to show their swords to ordinary people. Otherwise, no matter what the outcome, their careers will come to an abrupt end. How can they risk their own futures? ?”
"Here."
The officials of Yanshi County listened to the order and left with the gathered farmers and tenants.
Duan Baoyuan wiped the rain off his face and let out a long breath.
He naturally understood Xu Jingzong and Jia Dunyi's clumsy performances, but gathering so many farmers this time was just a test. Since these two people gave them a step regardless of their dignity, everyone would follow the steps.
But it is absolutely impossible to measure the acres of land.
……
"Mom! This is simply unreasonable!"
Returning to the official residence of King Wei in Shangshanfang, Xu Jingzong, who was covered in mud and water and was in a state of embarrassment, kicked over the table and let the tea set on the table shatter to pieces on the floor. He was so angry that he gasped and was still angry.
He has been serving in the central government since he was called into the "Tiance Mansion". Although he knew how unruly and domineering the powerful families were, he had never experienced it personally, and what he knew and saw was only based on documents.
Now that he was being teased like this despite being the emperor, he saw how the family's members were able to do whatever they wanted in the local area.
I was shocked, angry, and worried.
I thought that the meritorious service was within reach, but now I know that it is really difficult to complete the measurement of the land. If you are not careful, not only will you not be able to complete your majesty's entrustment, but you may even get trapped in it and be unable to extricate yourself...
Jia Dunyi asked the doctor to clean his nose and apply medicine to remove the blood stasis. Seeing Xu Jingzong's anger, he couldn't help complaining: "I fell to the ground after just hitting me. Why use so much force? I feel like the bridge of my nose is broken."
The doctor hurriedly said: "It's nothing serious, but you must take good care of it and don't touch it these days, otherwise it will bleed again."
Xu Jingzong said: "You still have the intention to blame me? You are the governor of Luozhou and an official of Henan Prefecture. However, they are colluding and forming cliques for personal gain, but you are left aside. How do you still have the nerve to speak? I don't know what to say."
Jia Dunyi snorted, still feeling frightened in his heart.
Today, the officials of the Henan Prefecture under the leadership of Duan Baoyuan not only played a cruel trick on Xu Jingzong, causing him to lose face and hinder his mission, but he, the governor of Luozhou, was also thrown aside. If the situation breaks down and Ashina Zhong's soldiers clash with farmers or even cause casualties, Xu Jingzong and Ashina Zhong will certainly be blamed. He, the governor of Luozhou, will also be involved and bear responsibility.
However, this situation is not unexpected. Since he moved to Luozhou governor, he has focused on farming, digging water conservancy, and cleaning up the officialdom. He is incompatible with the officials of Henan Prefecture, so it is reasonable for him to be excluded and not recognized. "It's useless to talk nonsense, why don't you think about what you should do now?"