Chapter 9 Thank You
I see! Upon hearing Fang Yingwu's incisive analysis, the villagers understood clearly, each experiencing a sense of enlightenment, sudden realization, and profound awakening.
In the current dynasty, there is a customary practice within the government: when civil unrest occurs, it is common to apprehend the main instigator and impose severe punishment, while the others are primarily coaxed into submission, with the aim of resolving the matter peacefully. Today, I, Fang Wu, am the main instigator! When I arrive at the government office, I will fully admit to everything and take full responsibility! So what are you afraid of? What reservations do you still have? Does the government not need you to cultivate the land and pay taxes?
Furthermore, it is currently the season for transplanting rice, which is the busiest and most intense time for agricultural work! The nation is fundamentally based on agriculture, and anyone who assumes the role of county magistrate knows that during this time, governance should prioritize encouraging farmers. Farming is of utmost importance, and everything else can be set aside; otherwise, it will affect the harvest for the entire year, making it impossible to discuss the autumn grain. How could the county magistrate send people to the countryside at this time to disturb the farmers, or even threaten to arrest people and publicly humiliate them? What benefit would this bring to the county magistrate? Firstly, it would impact this year's autumn grain harvest; secondly, if word got out, it would lead others to mock the magistrate for being inept in governance and lacking in administrative capability! Therefore, it can be concluded that the tickets you hold are 70% likely to be counterfeit!
Just as the two henchmen were about to bind Fang Yingwu with a leather rope, they heard him shout loudly, his expression fierce as he scolded: "You thugs from the yamen, using counterfeit tickets to swindle people, do you really think you can deceive under this clear blue sky!"
Tan Gongdao was dazed and nearly unconscious, yet the cheers around him were so clear and piercing. The people's hearts have changed, and their trust has crumbled; after all, he is a representative of the government, how could he be treated this way
If this ticket is fake, then the nature of the matter would be entirely different. Only those officials with a ticket can be considered as legitimate officers; without a ticket, they lack authorization and can only be regarded as private wrongdoers
Uncertain of how many punches and kicks he had endured, the certain public servant, with disheveled hair, realized he was completely doomed when he was bound and pushed in front of Fang Yingwu.
In the next moment, the imposing Tan Gongdao was unexpectedly kicked from behind by someone, causing him to stumble and lose his footing. He was then struck down to the ground by another person, rolling several times, his blue and green official attire now covered in the mud of April, and his hat had long since fallen to the ground, trampled into a shapeless mass.
Fang Yingwu took advantage of the moment when everyone was momentarily stunned, broke free from the helpers beside him, and returned to the villagers. He then raised his arm and shouted: "I am completely certain that these are counterfeit tickets! Fellow villagers, listen to me, let’s surround them first to prevent the evildoers from escaping"
The youth before him, clearly just a callow boy, seemed to exist solely to provoke him. After years of hunting geese, he had been pecked in the eye by one, and Tan Gongdao felt an unbearable frustration within him. However, his anger had not yet subsided, and with eyes wide with rage, he exclaimed: "Killing is merely a matter of striking the head to the ground! What do you intend to do?"
Indeed, how could the parents and the authorities possibly send someone to the countryside at this time to pressure for last year's unpaid taxes? It is entirely detrimental to both parties! It makes no sense! Those who can be in positions of authority are not fools!
The act of extorting with a hand-held ticket is not something he has done just once; as long as he identifies the right target, he is virtually unstoppable. Prior to this incident, he had also inquired about it, and Huaxi Village is just an ordinary mountain village, lacking influential figures or prominent families, making it an excellent target for his schemes
Will the little thief die if he doesn't speak! After death, he deserves to be sent to the hell of tongue-pulling! Tan Gongdao could no longer hold back and cursed loudly
Tan Gongdao felt secretly pleased; although he lacked the ticket, he still possessed the authority of the official office! The ticket was counterfeit, but his legitimate identity as a constable was certainly not false. While the status of a constable is lowly, it still makes one an agent of the government! Even if he failed to extort, he could still retreat unscathed.
Surrounded by the villagers, Tan Gongdao had previously felt no fear, considering them to be nothing more than weak and easily intimidated country folk. However, now that he was pierced through by Fang Yingwu's piercing gaze, he began to feel a sense of dread in his heart.
In an instant, the crowd was in an uproar; Mr. Fang's words immediately lifted the last shackle from the villagers' hearts, unleashing the spirit of resistance and the elements of violence within the populace.
However, they never expected that in this inconspicuous mountain village, they would be utterly defeated! The situation escalated, causing unrest among the villagers. The fact that such a significant case was escorted to the county is tantamount to being caught red-handed, and it is likely to lead to dire consequences
Fang Yingwu smiled faintly and said, "It's nothing much, just borrowing your head for a moment!"
When the villagers began to waver, suddenly an untimely sound seemed to emerge from the distant horizon, piercing into Tan Gongdao's ears
Fang Yingwu remained fearless, laughing heartily. The villagers around him were quite worried, sweating for him, as they never expected the young master of the Fang family to be so stubborn, challenging the officials even in a position of absolute disadvantage. Truly, he would rather lose his dignity than back down. Did he not understand the consequences of opposing the government?
Thirdly, you all repeatedly claim that the county magistrate intends to renovate the academy and build granaries for emergencies, thus necessitating the collection of overdue grain. I see this as a mere pretense, a way to intimidate us villagers! A county magistrate who is genuinely concerned about the academy and the granaries must be a benevolent and just figure; how could he possibly force people to sell their children and land during the busy farming season? Moreover, the county has always focused on soliciting donations from wealthy families for large construction projects, and would not openly compel the poor to sell their children and land during the harvest season. What benefit would this bring to the county magistrate? Therefore, it can be concluded that nine out of ten of the tickets you hold are fraudulent!
Upon thinking of this, Tan Gongdao sternly shouted, "Commoners, stand aside! I must return to the county first; you shall not obstruct the officials of the government!"
As Tan Gongdao's words had not yet fallen, Fang Yingwu responded loudly, "A mere petty official without a badge is nothing more than a common thug impersonating the government to extort the villagers. According to the law, if you were to be killed, it would hardly matter!"
Uncle Er, seeing that today's situation was beyond salvage, had a face that resembled a bitter melon, secretly regretting that it was a grave mistake to place his hopes on Fang Yingwu from the very beginning. Not only did it fail to resolve the issue, but it also made matters worse. As it stands, the benefits he had intended to offer to several officials today would likely need to be doubled.
The officials, for their own benefit, secretly sought out the relevant housing department to purchase permits and it is not impossible that they also misappropriated the official seal. This is clearly the situation that Fang Yingwu is indicating.
Tan Gongdao, however, was incited by Fang Yingwu to rage furiously and pointed at Fang Yingwu, saying: "I will kill you first!"
Tan Gongdao's husband, who has been with him for many years, has gone astray, and it is unclear how many truths and falsehoods have been involved. In the moment, he remains unperturbed, chuckling lightly, "With no evidence or proof, you dare to speak recklessly, you little rascal; do not implicate your relatives! If you wish to know the truth, come with me to the county, and you will find out!"
The words of the young gentleman are more reasonable than those of the second uncle, and they resonate deeply... Most of those present are young and vigorous villagers, each nodding in agreement, secretly endorsing his views
Such individuals, once the fierce facade is stripped away, amount to nothing. A few of the assistants, feeling anxious, could not help but huddle closer together, as if this would provide them with a greater sense of security
Fang Yingwu sighed inwardly; the peasant class could indeed only be led by the ruling class. Of course, there was another statement that the fruits of victory have always been usurped by the ruling class. His fruits of victory had not yet been secured, so how could he let this opportunity slip away?
Fang Yingwu scoffed disdainfully a few times, "The ticket is not forged, but it is fake. You bought it with money from the county office's treasury, and the official seal on it was also stamped secretly"
Upon hearing these words, Tan Gongdao felt a chill run down his spine, as he could not comprehend the meaning behind Fang Yingwu's words, which were exceedingly profound and inscrutable
Although Fang Yingwu was roughly seized by the collar, he remained calm and composed, a mocking smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. He said leisurely: "Sir, your loud shouting will only expose your timid and weak heart, as you have to rely on bluster to cover it up"
In terms of numbers, it is not difficult for twenty or thirty people to surround five or six. Tan Gongdao glanced around but showed no signs of fear; they were merely a rabble. Finally, he looked towards Fang Yingwu outside the circle and gritted his teeth, saying: "Do you dare to say that the ticket is forged?"
This remark was very grating to Tan Gongdao, making him increasingly furious. He threw Fang Yingwu to his subordinates and roared, "You reckless young man who still doesn't know the danger of your situation, aren't you afraid the wind will cause your tongue to slip? I want to see what your bones are made of! Hang him up and beat him!"
Fang Yingwu had long identified many suspicious aspects and materials, seizing the opportunity to lay them all bare. "Who says I have no evidence? Firstly, the current dynasty's system of summer and autumn taxes requires the collection of summer tax by May 15. How could the county magistrate demand the payment of last year's autumn grain before collecting the summer tax? If last year's autumn grain has not been fully paid, it is already a default. If the people were to make up for last year's autumn grain at this time, would they have any resources left to pay the summer tax? Wouldn't this lead to another instance of summer tax arrears? This is no different from robbing Peter to pay Paul. The money and grain are the basis for the county magistrate's assessment, and a shortfall in summer tax would equally affect performance. To address last year's arrears by creating new ones this year is merely adding new blemishes. The county magistrate cannot be so oblivious to the intricacies of this matter. Therefore, demanding the payment of last year's overdue autumn grain cannot be handled at this moment. Based on this, it can be concluded that half of the tickets you hold are likely counterfeit!"
Although the villagers of Huaxi Village still harbor a sense of fear towards the officials, they subconsciously hope that what Fang Yingwu said is true, and they cannot help but gather around, reasoning that merely observing is not against the law
Otherwise, being trapped in a small mountain village, I truly do not know what to do next
At this moment, Fang Yingwu's authority was unprecedentedly high. Upon hearing this, others paused their movements and continued to surround several officials.
Fang Yingwu chuckled a few times and replied, "Uncle Er, do you know why these lackeys and vicious dogs have come to our Huaxi Village? It is precisely because our village lacks a strong figure, and the local customs are simple and honest, making us appear weak and easy to bully. That is why they dare to choose our village for extortion. Today, even though we are in the right, we still endure the humiliation in silence; if this continues, nothing will change, and we will encounter similar situations again! Therefore, we must make a significant commotion to let the people in the county see that our village is also tough and difficult to deal with, so that they will not dare to easily cause trouble in the future!"
Upon hearing that these ominous officials were about to leave, the villagers of Huaxi Village felt that the matter had finally been settled today, and they secretly breathed a sigh of relief, ready to clear a path to send the plague away.
This statement is also quite threatening, and the villagers of Huaxi Village have once again wavered. After all, these individuals are from the government office; what if mhetushucom.com captures them and they are deemed to be unruly people?
Fake tickets? Once spoken, it was like a clap of thunder, startling everyone around. Tan Gongdao and his subordinates also changed their expressions slightly; they were well aware of the authenticity of the tickets.
Oh... The villagers were taken aback. A few light words completely dispelled the official authority that Master Tan had established.
A genuine ticket must be validated by the approval and seal of the county magistrate to be considered effective However, technically, it is possible to secretly write tickets and misuse the official seal without the magistrate's knowledge after all, the magistrate cannot constantly monitor the official seal
Tan Gongdao was furious, having been repeatedly undermined by Fang Yingwu's dismissive attitude. He felt that Fang Yingwu was intent on thoroughly dismantling their efforts. In that moment, he raised his voice to the highest pitch and sternly admonished, "Gathering in a ruckus and assaulting the public officials, do you all wish to become a band of unruly thieves? Disperse at once!"
He was merely separated by the crowd, unable to push through. Although he was seething with anger, he also understood that making a small fortune today was certainly out of the question. Given the current atmosphere, lingering would be unwise; it would be better to leave for now.
If it were not for you, how would I have the opportunity to escalate the matter and thereby make a name for myself? How would I have the chance to meet the esteemed county magistrate and seek a foundation for advancement?
The old saying is indeed true: a scholar does not need to leave his house to know the affairs of the world. The knowledge and insight of a young gentleman like him far surpass those of these farmers.
Seeing the crowd gathering tightly, Tan Gongdao became worried. He could not afford to refute Fang Yingwu and sternly admonished the villagers, saying: "The officials are here to carry out their duties. Who dares to obstruct them! You come forward, do you intend to attack the officials as unruly commoners?"
In fact, Fang Yingwu merely thought that saying this was very cool, without any practical significance. However, he silently contemplated in his heart, I sincerely thank you!
Uncle Er believed that Qiu Ge'er was being too ruthless in his actions and advised, "Where it is possible to spare others, one should spare them. After all, they have not succeeded, so it would be better to let it go this time."
Fang Yingwu, upon seeing the situation, quickly commanded: "Villagers, do not move! These individuals are criminals; we should capture them and send them to the county to face justice!"