Ming Dynasty man

Chapter 213 Extortion
Speaking of this, Li Jing suddenly smiled: "Master Zhang, I believe that some people are definitely unwilling to pay for food, so you have to ask Master Zhou for help. The brothers under Master Zhou are working hard for everyone. They But he refuses to pay even the money and food. Doesn’t he look down on Master Zhou’s brothers? Let Master Zhou take his brother and talk to these people with the dick, so that they will agree. In addition, you write down the names of these people , I’ll clean them up later.”

Zhang Li and Zhou Kang looked at each other and smiled wryly. Li Jing wanted them to take this opportunity to avenge their personal revenge, and at the same time hinted that they were enriching their own pockets.

The two calculated in a low voice for a while, and then Zhang Li said: "Boss Li, let me figure it out. It should be no problem for Anyi County to provide five thousand shi of grain. As for silver taels, I think I should be able to get 20 taels."

Li Jing shook his head: "Five thousand taels of grain is fine, but 20 taels of silver seems to be a little less, and 50 taels is about the same."

Zhang Li and Zhou Kang were taken aback when Li Jing reported 50 taels. This is really a lion's mouth!

Raising his hand to stop Zhang Li from speaking, Li Jing continued: "Do you two think that 50 taels is a bit too much and you think you can't get it out? I can tell you that there is no problem at all. Don't forget to know what there is in the state? There is salt! Those If the salt merchants have no money, are there any rich people in this world? And those officials in charge of salt, can they save less? You let them spit out all the money they swallowed!"

With a sneer, Li Jing said: "These people are salt merchants and salt officials who rely on the salt industry to make huge profits, but the country can't receive the taxes they deserve. If you don't ask them for money, you can ask for money. You tell them that you want to live Just pay, you write down the amount each of them paid, and next time I come over, I will investigate one by one."

"Wait, Chief Li, didn't you say you won't attack the city, why are you still here?" Zhang Li hurriedly said.

Li Jing smiled and said: "I promised not to attack the city, but I didn't say no! Don't worry, I, Li Jing, mean what I say, and I will never cause any harm to the people of Anyi."

After waving his hands, Li Jing smiled and said, "Let's do it, you two go back and prepare, three days, I'll give you three days to finish this matter, and then let the rogues leave Jiezhou."

Zhang Li and Zhou Kang looked at each other with embarrassment, and Li Jing's attitude seemed to regard them as his subordinates.

Shaking their heads, the two got up to say goodbye to Li Jing, Li Jing handed him off, and ordered his personal soldiers to escort the two of them to the bottom of the city wall.

……

The main hall of Zhizhou Yamen in Anyi City.

Zhizhou Zhang Li sat upright, and on both sides were Zhizhou Tongzhi Liu Bai and officials from Xiezhou, as well as city officials, wealthy businessmen, landlords, etc. Behind Zhang Li, a master sat behind a desk , the table is covered with paper, and the ink has been rubbed.

"These are the conditions for the rogues. Let's talk about it, what are your ideas?" Zhang Li said the conditions discussed with Li Jing, and finally asked.

"My lord, 50 taels is really too much!" said Liu Bai, the prefect and fellow magistrate, with a troubled face.

Zhang Li shook his head: "There are quite a few, but what can we do? The rogues are staring at us from outside the city now! We are people under the eaves, so we have to bow our heads."

"But we can't afford so much money at all! All the silver in our state treasury is only more than 3 taels, even if the money from the Yanzheng side is added, it is only about a hundred thousand. It is really impossible to spend so much money. What a lot of money!" Xu Han said.

Zhang Li nodded, the state treasury of so much silver would definitely not be able to take it out.

With a smile, Zhang Li said: "I want to ask everyone, do you think your life is more important than your money? At this juncture, it is natural to rely on everyone's concerted efforts. In this way, I will take the lead in pledging donations, but everyone knows that I The officials are relatively poor and don’t have much property, so I will do my best to give 300 taels of silver.”

As he spoke, he pointed to the master beside him, motioning him to write it down.

Hearing what Zhang Li said, everyone knew that 50 taels was not negotiable, and seeing that the accountant was ready, it was obvious that Zhang Li had planned to rely on everyone to pool the money.

Zhang Li paid for it himself, and the officials dared not say anything more, and registered and pledged donations with Mr. Fang.

This one said to donate 100 taels, and the other said to donate 50 taels. After a while, all the officials present reported the pledged amount.

After the accountant finished registering, Zhang Li took the account book and read it carefully.Then he smiled and held up the account book and said, "It's all at this juncture, and everyone is still unwilling to pay the money. It seems that everyone wants money but not life!"

He glanced at Liu Bai coldly, besides Zhang Li, he was the most senior official, and the second name on the pledge book was his name.

Walking up to Liu Bai, Zhang Li smiled and said, "Lord Liu, I have no money because I rely on my salary to support my family. What about you? You seem to have a lot of property in Jiezhou, right? You only pay 100 taels." silver?"

Liu Bai hurriedly waved his hands: "Your subordinates don't have any property, sir, please don't listen to other people's nonsense."

Zhang Li sneered and said: "Your properties are all under other people's names. Don't think that I don't know. Do you want me to tell you one by one? Many things are tacitly understood by everyone. I originally thought that everyone is Colleague, I don't want to expose you. But now is life and death, and you are still so stingy, I'm afraid there will be no good fruit to eat in the future."

"My lord Zhang, Hugh is so bloody, what kind of property does the lower official have!" Liu Bai said anxiously.

Zhang Li nodded, ignored him, and turned to look at others: "What about you, everyone here seems to be doing business for a living, so just pay this little money? And these adults in charge of salt administration, hehe, Mr. Wang It’s only 30 taels of silver. Good! It’s hard for you to get it.”

A group of officials said one after another: "I really have no money."

Zhang Li smiled: "I don't know if you have any money? Give you another chance, or just donate these money?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Zhang Li smiled and said: "Since that's the case, don't blame me for being rude. Mr. Zhou, I will trouble you with this matter."

As he spoke, he took out a booklet from his cuff and handed it to Zhou Kangdao: "I copied all the shops listed here."

Zhou Kang was overjoyed, he didn't expect Zhang Li to have such a hand, and immediately stepped forward to take the booklet.

"Master Zhang, I don't know why you raided those shops?" A wealthy businessman asked.

Zhang Li took a closer look and saw that he was the owner of a cloth shop in the city. His surname was Zheng, and he was Liu Bai's uncle. His family's cloth shop happened to be opened in the name of Liu Bai.

Zhang Li smiled and said: "Boss Zheng, your cloth shop has been open for a few years, right?"

Boss Zheng nodded and said, "It can be opened for six years."

"I don't know if you have paid the shop tax in the past six years?" Zhang Li asked.

"This..." Boss Zheng was speechless immediately.

Although this shop is his name, the owner behind it is Liu Bai, who dares to collect taxes from him.

Seeing that Boss Zheng was speechless, Zhang Li sneered and said, "You haven't paid taxes for six years, yet you still dare to ask me why I am raiding the shop. It's a joke in the world."

Boss Zheng glanced at Liu Bo, saw Liu Bo bowed his head and said nothing, thought for a while and hurriedly said, "I'll pay the tax right away!"

Zhang Li smiled coldly: "Think about paying taxes now? It's too late!"

He gave everyone present a cold look: "Don't blame me for being rude. Master Zhou, start copying from Boss Zheng's cloth shop, so that there is not a hair left in these shops."

"Wait a minute, Mr. Zhang, if you do this, you will know what will happen in the future?" Liu Bai said coldly.

Zhang Li sneered and said: "I don't know what will happen to you, but I'm afraid your fate will never get better. Finally, I advise everyone, if you want to have a good ending, you should save your own life first."

"Master Zhang, is it okay for the next official to pledge again?" an official said with sweat on his face.

Zhang Li took a look at this person, but it was Mr. Wang who was in charge of the salt administration. It was hard for him to sweat in such a cold day.

Smiling, Zhang Li said: "Master Wang, first tell me how much you pledged."

Darren Wang said: "The lower officials pledged three thousand, no, five thousand taels!"

Zhang Li shook his head: "What is 3000 taels, 5000 taels? I don't even understand the number. 3000 taels plus 5000 taels is 8000 taels. Let's make up an integer of 1 taels."

After listening to Zhang Li's words, Mr. Wang sweated even more, but he also knew that as long as he pledged 1 taels, Zhang Li would let him pass the test.

Thinking of this, Mr. Wang gritted his teeth, nodded emphatically and said, "Just according to Mr. Wang, I will donate 1 taels."

Zhang Li smiled and nodded, and said to the accountant behind him: "Remember, Mr. Wang pledged 1 taels."

The accountant heard about it and wrote quickly.

Seeing that Zhang Li squeezed out 1 taels of silver from the salt official surnamed Wang in a blink of an eye, Zhou Kang was greatly admired when he saw it, and said in his heart; Got it."

When the rest of the people saw that Mr. Wang took the lead in pledging 1 taels of silver, they were all shocked. Everyone knew that Mr. Wang had a backer in Beijing, otherwise he would not have been sent to Jiezhou to serve as a salt teacher.

This is a fat job, if you use your brain a little, it will be easy to get tens of thousands of taels of silver a year.

In fact, the Department of Prosecution of the Salt Class is under the control of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the local chief executive has no control over him.

But how could it be possible to promote the local salt department without the help of the local officials?What's more, Mr. Wang's official position is not clean. Although Zhang Li is not his official manager, he has a handle on him.

Seeing Zhang Li ruthlessly slaughtering Mr. Wang, everyone knew that Zhang Li was starting to play with his life. If anyone didn't know how to play at this time, then his life would be too long. Didn't you see that Zhou Kang had already sharpened his knife? .

Wanting to understand this verse, everyone came to Mr. Accountant again to pledge again.

But Zhang Li listened to their report with his ears stunned. When he heard that a certain salt merchant reported 3000 taels, he saw that the accountant was about to write a record. Zhang Li hurried forward and said to the accountant: "You heard it wrong." , he said 3 taels."

"Ah?" The accountant was taken aback for a moment, and thought, "I haven't written it yet, how do you know I heard it wrong?"

(End of this chapter)