The playboy county magistrate

After those heavy words, the long-standing silence in the hall was instantly swept away.

The group of gentry, who had been bowing their heads and holding their breath with solemn expressions, raised their eyes, their eyes no longer showing the gloom and dejection of the past few days, but instead igniting a faint yet burning light.

At the head of the table, Diao Mao tapped the dark tabletop with his fingertips, moving slowly and deliberately.

The soft tapping sound was particularly clear in the quiet lobby.

He slowly revealed his long-planned scheme, each word concealing a sinister and cunning mind, each step of his plan precisely aimed at the heart of the newly appointed magistrate, Li Xuanzhi.

"Firstly, the mines sealed off in Fuyu County seem tightly secured, but the barren mountains stretch for thousands of miles, with ravines and winding mountain roads. How can they be completely blocked off?" Diao Mao's lips curled into a sinister smile, his voice low. "We secretly take out money to bribe those refugees temporarily conscripted by the government, so that they can take advantage of the gaps in their work in the mountains to quietly wander along the edges of the barren mountains, picking up scattered ores and raw coal, accumulating little by little, and quietly hoarding the goods."

Everyone nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with understanding.

Diao Mao's eyes turned cold as he continued, "Secondly, the newly established official workshops in the county government have gathered all the artisans from both inside and outside the county, seemingly giving them firm control over the core techniques of iron smelting and tool making. But people are greedy for profit, and artisans are just ordinary people."

"The official workshop had strict rules, with wages paid according to work and daily pay. The laws were strict but rigid and inflexible, leaving no room for flexibility. The apprentices and menial workers toiled every day for meager wages, and their hearts were already filled with resentment."

"We seized upon this, secretly sending people to make contact, enticing them with hefty sums and promises of fertile land and mansions, or cash payments. Our aim was twofold: first, to gather information on the complete process of modern iron smelting, furnace fire ratios, and forging techniques; and second, to plant trusted spies within the official workshops. Once we had a complete understanding of the industry, we secretly set up small furnaces in secluded mountains and forests to smelt iron and manufacture weapons. We never directly competed with the official workshops, only dealing in black market goods, quietly accumulating wealth and expanding our power."

The two well-organized moves impressed the assembled gentry, who all marveled at the meticulousness of the plan.

But Diao Mao's voice suddenly stopped, and a sinister look surged in his eyes, overshadowing his previous composure. His tone also became more chilling: "As for the third one, it is also the most deadly and the most capable of breaking the deadlock in one blow."

Everyone held their breath instantly, leaned forward slightly, and listened intently, not daring to miss a single word.

"The government's mining operations are already skirting the edge of the court's rules," Diao Mao said in a deep voice, each word firm and resolute, carrying an air of unwavering certainty. "Throughout history, agriculture has always been prioritized over commerce. Mining and iron forging have always been top priorities strictly controlled by the court. Ordinary county magistrates have absolutely no right to mine privately, gather people to smelt iron, or mass-produce ironware. In the past, when someone in a small county secretly mined, no one investigated and it was simply let off the hook."

"But Li Xuanzhi is different." His eyes were deep, and he sneered, "He has been extensively mining and establishing workshops in Fuyu County, gathering hundreds of craftsmen to forge ironware day and night, forming his own unique system. Tell me, if this were reported to the prefectural government or the imperial court, what crime would he be charged with?"

A single word awakens one from a dream!

The assembled gentry suddenly understood, their eyes gleaming with a sharp light, and all the pent-up frustration of the past few days vanished.

Previously, they were only concerned with Li Xuanzhi's ruthless reform methods and extraordinary iron-smelting skills. They were stunned by his unstoppable new policies and almost forgot the ironclad rule of being rooted in the court.

Local magistrates who, without special imperial decree, engage in unauthorized mining, ironware manufacturing, employing artisans, or arbitrarily altering local regulations, commit serious crimes such as illegally opening mountain passes, privately manufacturing heavy equipment, and violating regulations and disrupting governance! Once held accountable by higher authorities, they have no way to defend themselves!

"We will not argue over trivial matters, nor will we indulge in momentary emotional outbursts." Diao Mao leaned forward slightly, his tone icy. "From now on, on the surface, we will fully cooperate with the county government's new policies, actively donating grain and supplies, contributing funds to infrastructure construction, and deliberately showing weakness and yielding to their demands. We will carefully cultivate the image of virtuous gentry and obedient citizens, completely numbing Li Xuanzhi and making him believe that all the gentry of Fuyu County have submitted to our cause and that there are no longer any obstacles to the new policies."

"Secretly, everyone immediately wrote letters, contacting old acquaintances in the prefecture, old friends in the court, and even the eldest son of the Marquis of Cheng'en!"

He slammed his hand heavily on the table, his tone resolute: "List all of Li Xuanzhi's violations of regulations, including evidence of his unauthorized mining, ironware manufacturing, hiring artisans, arbitrarily altering old rules, and seizing local resources. Compile and report all of this!"

"Once the prefectural government issues the official document and the superior formally holds him accountable, no matter how popular he is, how skilled he is, or how smoothly his new policies are implemented, he will ultimately be nothing more than a mere seventh-rank county magistrate!"

Diao Mao's eyes were filled with ruthlessness as he said, word by word, "Under the imperial law and the court system, all the industrial foundations and new policies he has painstakingly built will collapse instantly and vanish like bubbles!"

After the ruthless move was made, the hall fell into a moment of deathly silence, then erupted into a series of low cheers and exclamations, everyone's face filled with excitement.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" An elderly local gentry clapped his hands and sighed, his eyes filled with admiration. "In a head-on confrontation, we might not be his match, but by using his strength against him and intimidating him with rules, he simply has no way to defend himself!"

"That's right! This kid knows how to smelt iron, how to govern the people, and how to win their hearts, but he's still a newcomer to officialdom, and he doesn't understand the intricacies of the court or the constraints of the law! That's his biggest weakness!"

"After days of frustration, we've finally found the key to breaking the deadlock! This move will surely bring him down completely and eliminate any future trouble!"

The local gentry relaxed, their pent-up frustration from the new policies completely dissipating, replaced by an air of certainty that victory was assured. They had finally found the key to Li Xuanzhi's fate, the sure-fire winning strategy.

"Go and carry out the orders." Diao Mao raised his hand to silence the murmurs, his expression suddenly turning solemn. He ordered in a deep voice, "Be careful in your words and actions, and act discreetly. Do not leave the slightest trace. Until the prefectural government's approval arrives, everyone must remain obedient and not cause any trouble or create any complications. Simply wait for the opportune moment, and when it does, strike decisively to eliminate any future threat!"

"We will obey Lord Diao's orders!"

The crowd bowed in unison, their expressions invigorated. They concealed their arrogance and quietly dispersed, each returning to their own residences to secretly devise underhanded schemes and lay a trap.

A day later, when the sky was clear and bright, carriages and horses gathered in front of the Fuyu County government office.

Led by Diao Mao, almost all the local gentry, big and small, from the surrounding counties came. They changed their previous hostility and estrangement and entered the county government hall together to apologize.

In the main hall, Diao Mao bowed first, his back slightly bent, his posture humble and respectful, suppressing all the arrogance and sharpness of the powerful local gentry, his expression sincere, showing no sign of pretense.

"Your Honor, we have come here today to apologize." His voice was earnest, every word filled with remorse. "In the past, we were short-sighted and ignorant, failing to recognize Your Honor's good intentions in reforming the government and benefiting the county. In a moment of confusion, we spread rumors and caused trouble, repeatedly obstructing the implementation of the new policies, disturbing the local people's livelihood, and offending your authority. We should reflect on our sins."

"After days of seclusion and reflection, we are filled with remorse and regret. Today, as atonement, the Diao family voluntarily donates 500 shi of grain and 1,000 logs of fine timber to support the operation of county workshops and local infrastructure. From now on, the Diao family will strictly abide by the government's orders, behave itself, and fully cooperate with the new policies without the slightest thought of rebellion!"

With Diao Mao taking the lead in expressing his opinion, the other local gentry followed suit, bowing their heads and taking turns to apologize.

Some pledged to donate 100 bushels of grain, while others volunteered to fund road repairs and relief for displaced people. Everyone spoke earnestly and acted with humility and obedience, appearing as if they had completely turned their hearts away and were repenting.

Seeing this from the side, Magistrate Cao's heart, which had been hanging in suspense for many days, finally settled down a little, and he secretly breathed a long sigh of relief.

He secretly admired the young man's swift and decisive actions.

After several confrontations, the group of unruly local gentry who had been entrenched in the area for many years was finally deterred, and the local resistance was completely suppressed.

For an ordinary official of the same age, achieving this level would be extremely rare.

In Cao County Magistrate's view, the fact that the local gentry collectively pleaded guilty and surrendered today was the best proof that the new policies had firmly taken root.

Li Xuanzhi, who sat upright in the main seat, remained calm and composed throughout, his mind as clear as water, his eyes showing no ripples, no joy, and no relaxation.

He knew all too well these old foxes who had been entrenched in the area for generations.