Transmigrated into a minor official in a county government, with children at home waiting for rice t

Chen Youde waved his hand, "Captain Wu is Xu Kai's man, don't touch him. As for those archers, forget about them, they're not worth the effort. Go!"

The butler acknowledged the order and bowed as he left the study.

A night breeze blew in through the crack in the door, causing the candlelight to flicker, and Chen Youde's shadow was cast on the wall, swaying as well.

He picked up the two strings of coins on the table, weighed them in his hand, then tossed them back, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

The tea has gone cold.

The next morning, when Zhang Sanlang got up, it was just getting light.

In the courtyard of the east wing, Wu, the head constable, was squatting by the well washing his face. Four archers stood under the eaves; Old Liu was fastening his belt, Little Zhao was yawning, and the other two were talking in hushed tones.

Old Zhao came out of the side room, holding a piece of dry rations. He broke it in half and handed it to Zhang Sanlang, saying, "Zhang Qianxing, how are we going to expedite things today?"

Zhang Sanlang took the dry rations and took a bite. "Let's find those seven tenant farmers first."

Old Zhao nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

After breakfast, Zhang Sanlang took Lao Zhao out of the Chen family mansion. Wu Dutou wanted to follow, but Zhang Sanlang waved his hand, "Second Brother Wu, rest in the mansion. I'll go for a walk in the village with Lao Zhao. We don't need archers."

Wu Dutou glanced at him and said, "Then be careful."

On both sides of the village road were fields of wheat, the winter wheat just sprouting into tender seedlings about an inch tall, a lush green expanse. Several early-rising farmers carrying hoes walked by, and when they saw Old Zhao in his official uniform, they quickened their pace and walked around him.

Old Zhao smiled wryly, "Zhang Qianxing, did you see that? The tax collectors are here, and everyone's hiding from them."

Zhang Sanlang didn't reply and followed Lao Zhao into a dirt alley.

At the end of the alley stood a row of low, mud-brick houses, with piles of dried cow dung and firewood at the base of the walls. The gates were crooked, with patches nailed to the doors.

Old Zhao pushed open the gate of a house and called out, "Old Ma! People from the county government are here!"

There was a rustling sound inside the house, and after a while, an old man in his fifties came out.

His hair was gray, his face was etched with deep wrinkles, and he wore a patched-up short brown coat with cuffs worn smooth.

He looked at Lao Zhao, then at Zhang Sanlang, his expression shifting from panic to resignation. He walked over with his head down, saying nothing, just rubbing his hands and standing at the doorway staring at the ground.

Zhang Sanlang squatted down, took out a handful of copper coins from his sleeve, and placed them on the threshold. "Uncle Ma, I'm not here to arrest you. Your family's tax arrears this year are the Chen family's business, it has nothing to do with you. Just tell me the truth."

Old Ma glanced at the money, his Adam's apple bobbed, his lips trembled a few times, but he ultimately remained silent.

Old Zhao sighed beside him, "Old Ma, this is Zhang Qianxing, the newly appointed head of the household registration office, not one of those tax collectors from before. What are you afraid of?"

Old Ma raised his head and glanced at Zhang Sanlang, then lowered it again, his voice forced out from his throat, "Sir, the land doesn't belong to this old man, but the taxes are in this old man's name. I have neither money nor grain, so arrest me if you want."

Zhang Sanlang pushed the money forward, "Take this money and buy some grain. I'll figure out how to deal with the tax arrears."

Old Ma looked at the money, but didn't reach for it. He took a step back and said, "Sir, I dare not take it. If I take it, I'll admit defeat. If Master Chen finds out, I won't even have land to cultivate, and my whole family will starve to death next year."

After he finished speaking, he turned around, went into the house, and closed the door.

The door closed with a muffled sound, as if afraid of startling someone.

Zhang Sanlang stood up, glanced at the closed door, and didn't knock again.

Old Zhao picked up the money on the threshold and handed it to Zhang Sanlang. "Zhang Qianxing, the tenants dare not say anything. The Chen family provides food and land to cultivate. If you offend the Chen family, your whole family will starve to death."

Zhang Sanlang took the money and put it back in his sleeve. "Go to the Liu family."

The Liu family lived at the west end of the village. Their house was made of blue bricks and tiles, and a wooden plaque hung above the door that read "A Family of Good Deeds".

The courtyard gate was open, and a man who looked like a steward stood at the entrance. Seeing the two men, he greeted them with a smile, "Sirs, are you here to see my master? My master is in town on business and is not home. Would you please come another day?"

Old Zhao glanced at Zhang Sanlang.

Zhang Sanlang nodded, then turned and left.

Old Zhao caught up with them, "Zhang Qianxing, the Liu family and the Chen family have been intermarried for generations, why would they help us? I said before we came that this path is a dead end."

"Go back and check the accounts." Zhang Sanlang withdrew his gaze and strode towards the Chen family mansion.

The Chen family's accounting office was located on the west side of the main courtyard, spanning two rooms. Along the wall was a row of wooden shelves, on which were stacked more than a dozen account books. On a long table lay this year's income and expenditure ledger, the ink still wet.

The butler stood by the desk, holding an old account book in his hands, a fawning smile on his face. "Zhang Qianxing, this is the Chen family's land tax record for the past five years. Which entry would you like to check? I'll find it for you."

Zhang Sanlang sat down at the desk, took the account book, and opened it.

The pages were yellowed, the edges were curled, and the ink stains were of varying shades. He turned the pages one by one, his fingers tracing the surface at a moderate pace.

His fingers stopped when he turned to the third book.

This page records the transfer of ownership of fifteen mu of paddy fields near Guangji Bridge. A copy of the contract is pasted on the page; the ink is newer than the entries next to it, but the characters are crooked and the strokes are uneven.

The signature at the bottom reads "Chen Youde," and the handwriting is clearly different from that on the previous pages.

Zhang Sanlang folded a corner of the page and continued turning the page.

I turned a few more pages and saw the transfer records for the sixteen mu of medium-sized fields in Liushugou.

The signature on the copy of the contract was also crooked. The strokes of the three characters "Chen Youde" were exactly the same as on the previous page, but the difference was obvious when compared with the signatures on earlier pages.

The signature strokes from a few years ago were rounded and full, like the handwriting of a scholar. The signature strokes on these two pages are stiff, as if someone copied them.

Zhang Sanlang closed the account book, glanced at the steward, and asked, "Where are the original copies of these contracts?"

The butler paused for a moment, "The original... is in the master's study. Zhang Qianxing wants to see it?"

"Give it to me."

The butler hesitated for a moment, then turned and left.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he returned carrying a wooden box. He opened the lid, and inside was a stack of contracts. They were made of mulberry bark paper, with yellowed edges, and were neatly folded.

Zhang Sanlang laid out the contracts one by one on the table and compared them item by item with the copies in the account book.

The contract for the fifteen mu of paddy fields by Guangji Bridge was written in neat and powerful characters, with the three characters "Chen Youde" at the end written steadily and clearly, which was completely different from the crooked characters on the copy of the account book.

He placed the original contract and the copy side by side, looked at them for a moment, and then picked up the contract for the sixteen mu of medium-sized fields in Liushugou. The signature on the original was just as neat, completely different from the traces on the copy.

He folded the deeds, put them back in the wooden box, and closed the account book. "Butler, who handled these transfers?"

The butler's smile was somewhat unnatural. "It's...it's Qian Laohei. He used to be the jailer in the county government."

Zhang Sanlang nodded, stood up, and said, "The accounts are settled. Let's go back to the county office first."