I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 277: Hai Rui, the Bargainer
Cai Guoxi was shocked when he heard Shu Youliang's report.

Xu Fan arrived at the gate of Songjiang government office?

What is he here for? To bring an army to call for punishment?

That's too arrogant, it shouldn't be.

Come to apologize?
Cai Guoxi glanced at Hai Rui.

If Young Master Xu really came to the government office to apologize, he must have been intimidated by Hai Qingtian's reputation and pressure.

Hai Rui looked calm and asked, "Xu Dalang, he came alone?"

"No, sir, but he is the only one kneeling at the gate of the government office, shirtless and with a whip on his back. The rest of the Xu family is standing in the distance."

Hai Rui laughed, "Xu Dalang is about to take the blame and apologize."

He leaned out of the window and looked at the sky. "The sun is not very strong, so let Master Xu kneel for a while longer. Shu Youliang."

"The little one is here."

"Watch the time and come back to call me in half an hour."

"Yes, sir."

Do they want Mr. Xu Fan, the eldest son of the Xu family, to kneel for another half an hour under the sun and in full view of everyone?
Cai Guoxi asked hesitantly, "Mr. Gangfeng, why don't you stop while you're ahead?"

Hai Rui glared at him and angrily scolded him, "Prefect Cai, you guys! What can I say about you? When you should have stood up, you were too cautious to care about your reputation. You were finally forced to fight hard, and just when you achieved some results, you shouted that you should quit while you were ahead.

You are so pedantic, why do you want to be an official? Just settle down and study. To be an official, you must do things, and to do things, you must learn how to be a human being.

When doing things, one should have a small mind but a big ambition, be wise but act squarely. "

Cai Guoxi's face turned red after being scolded.

To be honest, his position in this matter is not that noble.

If Xu Fan was fooled by Pan Yinglong, Cai Guoxi had ulterior motives.

Cai Guoxi knew very well that the Xu family had occupied a lot of land over the years.

In the first year of the Longqing reign, Xu Fan "bought" more than 50,000 acres of land with great momentum. Cai Guoxi was also aware of this, as he had to go to the prefecture and county government offices to transfer the ownership and use the seal.

He kept silent at first, because he received the hint from Pan Yinglong.

Hai Rui will be arriving in Suzhou and Songjiang soon. This is a golden opportunity that should be seized when the time comes. By making use of Hai Rui and the Xu family, who are well-known throughout the country, he can write a good article and enhance his reputation.

Yang Jinshui accompanied Hai Rui out of Shanghai to Huating County, Songjiang. Pan Yinglong must have known about it, and then he sent someone to secretly pass the news to Cai Guoxi, who happened to kneel down at the right time and caused such a public case.

However, Cai Guoxi never expected that Hai Rui, Xu Jie and others were all experts in this case and could see through his tricks at a glance.

He suddenly realized that he was as stupid as Xu Fan and was just a pawn being used by others.

Cai Guoxi asked quickly, "Lord Gangfeng, is it appropriate to ask Master Xu to kneel in front of the government office for half an hour?"

Hai Rui said unhappily, "Mr. Xu came here to ask for forgiveness. Who do you think came up with this idea?"

Cai Guoxi was stunned for a moment, then immediately replied, "Prime Minister Xu."

"By the way, his father has spoken, wouldn't it be appropriate for him not to kneel for half an hour?" Hai Rui said in a serious tone, "Brother Chuntai, I am not after a dispute of pride, but to make the Xu family give up as much land as possible and return it to the people who lost their land.

Mr. Xu is still the Prime Minister of the Cabinet. If we want him to return the land willingly, we need to force him to do so. If the Xu family wants to be respectable, we will give them respect, as long as they are willing to return the land. "

Cai Guoxi still didn't understand, "Lord Gangfeng, is asking Young Master Xu to kneel for half an hour to give respect to the Xu family?"

"Chuntai, Master Xu does not represent the Xu family. Prime Minister Xu represents the Xu family. When you kneel down at the door of the Xu family, the Xu family will be criticized and lose face. Prime Minister Xu will lose face.

Now Master Xu has come to the Songjiang government office to apologize. If he kneels for a while longer, the Xu family can return with a little more dignity. "

Cai Guoxi finally understood and immediately bowed his hands to express his gratitude, "Thank you, Mr. Gangfeng, for your guidance. Mr. Gangfeng is upright and honest, and even Prime Minister Xu is concerned about him."

Hai Rui laughed, "Shao Hu Gong is not worried about me, but Xiyuan. I am just a Tai'a sword, and the hilt is in Xiyuan.

The sword can kill, but it can also save."

Half an hour later, Shu Youliang came running to report, "Master, the time has come."

"Then please invite Master Xu in."

"Yes."

Half a quarter of an hour later, Xu Fan came over staggeringly, supported by two servants.

His upper body and face were sunburned red, yet pale white. From his forehead to his face, neck, chest and back, all were covered with sweat.

When he saw Hai Rui, he fell to his knees and kowtowed repeatedly, "Lord Gangfeng, Xu Fan knows he was wrong. Please punish me, Lord Gangfeng."

Xu Fan felt aggrieved.

I had good intentions to help the Xu family gain wealth, but ended up falling into a trap set by a villain. The most hateful thing is that I don't even know which bastard tricked me.

In addition to the fact that the mastermind behind the scenes is too smart, the Xu family also has too many opponents. It's dizzying to count them all and it's really hard to tell them apart.

After getting into trouble, Xu Fan originally wanted to hide away and stay out of the spotlight.

I never expected that my father would rush from the capital to take me back to my old house in Huating from Taihu Lake. Then the second son arrived, exhausted, with his father's handwritten letter.

If I didn't do the things I was asked to do, my father would write a letter to the emperor accusing me of being disobedient, sever the father-son relationship with me, and remove me from the family tree.

Then I am still nothing! Xu Fan was extremely terrified, because he knew his father too well. In order to protect the prosperity and wealth of himself and the Xu family, he would definitely do what he said!

Hai Rui looked at Xu Fan and said bluntly, "Whether you are right or not, your father, Lord Shaohu, will discipline you. I only care about how much land the Xu family can return!"

Xu Fan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His father's prediction was correct. Hai Rui didn't care whether he was right or wrong. He just wanted the land to be returned to the people who had lost their land.

As long as Hai Rui does not pursue his right or wrong, he can escape from this case.

Xu Fan hid in the Taihu Villa for a while before he fully understood Hai Rui's lethality.

At first, he said that he was being targeted by the censor, and he wrote to his friends in the southeast to ask for help. Those friends didn't take it seriously, and even laughed and asked which censor was so bold.

I wrote back saying that Hai Rui was targeting me, but those bastards actually said that we were not familiar with each other and that I should write less in the future.

Then a gossipy maid in the villa told nearby relatives that she was forced by Hai Rui to hide in the Taihu villa. When the news spread, some of the surrounding villagers went straight to the government to report that the villa was hiding a fugitive who had committed heinous crimes and was unforgivable.

The rest all stayed away from their own villas, and did not sell vegetables, rice, firewood, fish or meat, or anything else to the villas. Nine out of ten people who went out of the villas would be hit by stones.

How can someone who avoids the "pursuit" of Hai Rui, the Justice of the Sea, be a good person?
Xu Fan quickly replied, "Lord Gangfeng, I have checked and found that there are 220,000 acres of land in your name and in the name of your clansmen, and none of them were obtained legally.

My father is the chief minister of the cabinet, the head of all officials, and he must set an example. I have been ordered to bring the deed of the 220,000 acres of land and hand it over to Mr. Gangfeng, so that he can listen to the truth and show his reputation. "

Two hundred and twenty thousand acres?!

Hai Rui stayed in the Songjiang government office for more than 20 days without saying a word or submitting a memorial, and yet the Xu family voluntarily handed over 220,000 acres of land?
Oh my god!
Cai Guoxi opened his mouth halfway, unable to believe it.

Seeing Hai Rui remained silent, Xu Fan quickly added, "I know I was wrong. I have already submitted a petition to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, stating my guilt. I would like to resign from all official positions and study at home to reflect on my mistakes and correct myself."

Seeing that Hai Rui remained silent, Xu Fan began to panic.

Or do you want to give up another 50,000 acres of farmland?
Anyway, Dad's original words were to stop Hai Rui from pursuing the matter at all costs. After this incident, the possibility of him becoming the head of the Xu family in the future was greatly reduced.

In that case, I wouldn't feel any pain at all if you took out another 50,000 or 100,000 acres of land from the Xu family.

"Lord Gangfeng, I remembered it wrongly. The Xu family and the Xu family still have 50,000 acres of land that were obtained illegally. I am willing to hand it over to you to make it right."

Hai Rui's dark face showed a simple smile, "You, the eldest son of the Xu family, are not very efficient. When you take things out, it's like an 80-year-old man peeing, dripping.

Let’s round it up to 300,000 mu.”

Xu Fan was about to cry.

Master Hai, you are my grandfather, and you are bargaining. Just now, you had a dark face and were so serious that you almost scared me to death.

After obtaining the deeds for 300,000 acres of land from Mr. Xu, Hai Rui returned the land to the farmers whose land had been seized one by one at the gate of Songjiang government office according to the household registration information copied from several counties in Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures.

For a moment, the people kneeling in front of the gate of Songjiang government office shouted "Hai Qingtian" with their voices shaking the sky.

There were still 120,000 acres left, which were the land of the garrison or unowned land occupied by the Xu family and were directly handed over to the Ministry of Revenue by Hai Rui.

At four o'clock in the morning of that day, Hai Rui, accompanied by Cai Guoxi, quietly boarded a ship bound for Shanghai.

"Mr. Gangfeng, I don't know when we will meet again after this farewell, so please take care of yourself!"

Cai Guoxi was impressed by Hai Rui's character and way of doing things and wanted to become his disciple.

I am just a juren, and you are a jinshi. What knowledge can I teach you?
Morality? Do you need to teach that? Isn't it enough for you to just follow and learn?

Just like that, Hai Rui flatly refused the request to become his disciple.

Cai Guoxi was unwilling but helpless.

"We will meet again in the future. Don't be sad. Just do your job well."

Hai Rui, dressed in casual clothes, stood at the bow, bowed to Cai Guoxi, and soon disappeared into the night with the ship.

"Master, it seems like we are running at night." Shu Youliang said as he handed over a cup of hot tea.

"Nonsense, do you know what night running is? You are an illiterate fellow."

"Hey, Master, are we going back to Beijing?"

"Yes. We will go to Shanghai and take a ship. When the south wind blows strongly, we will ride the wind and waves and sail all the way to Dagu."

"Hey, I'm going back now. The master has been on such a long journey, I thought I would quit my job and become a judge, but in the end, I have worn out four pairs of shoes.

Fortunately, something like this happened in Songjiang Prefecture. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to brag to my neighbors when I get home.”

Hai Rui glanced at him, smiled and replied: "In the past, I wished I could turn into water to cleanse the world of filth; I wished I could turn into fire to burn all the corrupt officials.

The longer I walk, the more I see, and I gradually understand that in this world, we cannot act on impulse. The more anxious we are, the less likely we are to accomplish anything.

I remember the time when I took a walk with His Highness in the West Garden to digest my food, His Highness said to me, Lord Gangfeng, you should learn more from the treacherous officials.

Shu Youliang was stunned. What did the prince mean by this? He wanted our master to turn over a new leaf?

"I was also puzzled at the time. The prince said, Lord Hai, if we are not smarter and more cunning than the treacherous officials and corrupt officials, how can we expose their schemes and defeat them?"

At this point, Hai Rui laughed out loud, "It's incredible, but it does make sense."

Shu Youliang was speechless. This was the truth, but it sounded awkward.

The sky in the east was blue and purple, and a ray of light was spreading across the horizon, like the slits of the eyes of a sleeping person.

The oars paddled in the river, making a splashing sound.

Hai Rui's hearty laughter, followed by the sound of paddling, was like a morning bird flying by the river, whooshing past the river, looming in the mist on the river surface, but very loud!
(End of this chapter)