The playboy county magistrate

"Ancestral rules must be upheld, and the people's hearts must be cared for. Long-term hidden dangers cannot be ignored, and the people's livelihood in the present cannot be neglected."

The emperor, high above, avoids disputes over right and wrong, remaining impartial yet his words subtly convey decisiveness.

"The new policies in Fuyu County have not caused any real harm, so we should not hold anyone accountable without cause. The reforms are unprecedented and should not be promoted abruptly."

"By imperial decree: The new policies are to be temporarily shelved, neither abolished nor established, nor punished. Feng Chongshan, the Prefectural Governor, is hereby ordered to conduct a monthly review of the regulations governing the workshops and the actual performance of the people in Fuyu County, and to submit a report every half month. If there is no unrest within the year and the current situation is still confirmed, the court will then discuss the pilot program for wider implementation."

A single imperial edict definitively settled the situation.

While seemingly a compromise and a wait-and-see approach, it actually preserved the foundation of the new policies and shattered the old faction's plot to abolish the government in one fell swoop.

The old-fashioned officials looked grim, but none dared to refute them in court.

His Majesty has already considered the ancestral rules and protected the people's livelihood. Taking both reason and emotion into account, if they continue to insist on this, it would be seen as deliberately using personal interests to obstruct free speech.

Fan Wuwei gripped the protective plate tightly, his heart turning cold.

By delaying and observing, they may seem to have won a temporary victory, but in reality, they have given Li Xuanzhi unlimited time to grow.

One year...

The longer it drags on, the more stable the foundation of the new policies will become. More and more prefectures and counties will follow suit, and the popular sentiment will become increasingly irreversible.

In this tug-of-war at court, the old faction seemed to be in the right, but in reality, they were at a complete disadvantage.

After the court session ended, all the civil and military officials bowed and withdrew.

As soon as Fan Wuwei stepped out of the palace gate, he bumped into Li Xuanjing, who was waiting outside.

"How is it?"

Fan Wuwei saw his future son-in-law as someone who could attend court but could not stand in the court, only outside of it.

He could only stop in his tracks, standing on the veranda. Gazing at the drifting clouds in the sky, he let out a long breath, his tone filled with melancholy and helplessness.

"It's too late."

"Your good younger brother has figured out human nature and the big picture."

"From now on, whether or not the new policies are abolished is no longer up to the court, but up to the people of the world."

Fan Wuwei's voice was cold and devoid of warmth. "In the imperial court, the emperor's will is balanced, and the people's hearts are hard to defy. We cannot touch him. Then let's go to the local area, to Fuyu County, where he has taken root."

Li Xuanjing, unusually humbled, bowed his head and asked for instructions, "I don't know how to proceed?"

"Do not violate the law, do not create chaos."

Fan Wuwei was well aware of the emperor's mind and knew that the emperor feared nothing more than officials forcing the people to rebel and causing turmoil in the court. Therefore, he avoided the biggest taboo and only chose insidious methods that had no solution.

"The law is without error, and the regulations are without loopholes. So let's start by implementing it from the hearts of the people and addressing any oversights in the details."

"Workshop disturbances, street rumors, illegal railways, and rural criticism. They don't need to be earth-shattering; they just need to be small, constant, and grow day by day."

"His Majesty desires no chaos throughout the year, while Feng Chongshan desires stability month by month. So let's make Fuyu County experience minor disturbances every day and criticisms every month. Accumulate small disturbances into major suspicions, and accumulate criticisms into a settled conclusion."

"As long as the new policy is labeled as 'disorderly and harboring hidden dangers,' it will slowly wither away during the observation period without impeachment or punishment."

They don't argue over trivial matters or gamble on a single instance of right or wrong. Instead, they exploit loopholes in the rules, using a series of minor, persistent problems to erode the vitality and trust in the new policy. They leave no room for argument, making it impossible to thoroughly investigate or refute their claims.

There was no need for Fan Wuwei to give any further guidance. After watching Fan Wuwei's figure disappear from sight, Li Xuanjing stepped out of the palace.

"Immediately send a secret message to our informants, coordinate with Diao Mao, and give him full authority to act."

As soon as Li Xuanjing left the palace, he solemnly gave orders to his loyal subordinates.

"I don't care about the cost, I only want results. Within half a month, I want the verification report submitted by the state government to be full of doubts and flaws."

At the same time, an urgent imperial edict, delivered by express courier, arrived in Fuyu County in fifteen days.

In Qinghe County, the closest county to Fuyu County, lies the secret chamber of the Diao family.

When the secret letter fell into Diao Mao's hands, and after he read the entire plan to disrupt the situation, all the frustration, despair, and resentment that had been building up over the past few days transformed into extreme ruthlessness and excitement.

All his previous counterattacks were ultimately based on local grudges. Limited in scope, they amounted to nothing more than filing complaints, making false accusations, and spreading rumors, all of which were easily neutralized by Li Xuanzhi.

But the plan that came from the capital today was a deadly trap tailor-made for Li Xuanzhi by the old faction of the court.

Precisely avoid all pitfalls and firmly grasp the lifeline of the new policy.

The rule of setting aside imperial orders and conducting monthly checks, which was originally Li Xuanzhi's protective shield, has now become a shackle binding him.

Once chaos arises, there's no need to convict anyone. Simply checking the entry on the accusation of "mismanagement and public unrest" and observing the situation for months is enough to slowly drag down the entire new policy.

"I can't beat you, Li Xuanzhi, because my vision is too narrow and my methods too shallow."

Diao Mao gripped the letter, letting out a low, cold laugh. His eyes were bloodshot, radiating a menacing aura.

"But you are ultimately just a seventh-rank county magistrate. Can you possibly outmaneuver the local gentry, or even the majority of the imperial court?"

"You use public opinion to build momentum and technology to spread like wildfire. I will destroy your public opinion, disrupt your regulations, and tarnish your reputation."

Diao Mao wasted no more time and immediately got up.

He summoned all his remaining confidants and lurking gentry overnight, abandoning his previous subdued and demoralized demeanor, and spoke with a resolute and ruthless tone.

"All assets have been mobilized; there's no need to hold onto any money. From today onward, everyone is mobilized and will take action separately!"

"The first group of people infiltrated the workshop. They bribed scoundrels and instigated the craftsmen. Under the pretext of unequal pay and division of labor, they stirred up quarrels and disputes every day. They didn't seek major chaos, but only daily disturbances and constant noise, so that the workshop could not be peaceful."

"The second group controlled the marketplace. They secretly bought iron at high prices and sold it privately at low prices. They deliberately created a black market circulation and then anonymously reported the county government for lax control, thus confirming the new policy's accusation of 'ironware flowing out and regulations being lax'."

"The third group of people traveled around the countryside. They altered the storytelling narratives and spread rumors that the new policies would deplete the county treasury and that taxes would inevitably be increased and labor forcibly conscripted. They incited suspicion among the villagers towards the workshops and the county government, gradually undermining public morale."

Three instructions, nested layer by layer, covering all aspects.

They do not seek to determine victory or defeat in a single battle, but only to create chaos every day and gradually erode the enemy's strength.

The new policy, which was praised by everyone as a benevolent and beneficial policy, has gradually turned into a policy rife with hidden dangers and constant controversy that disturbs the people.

The group of trusted confidants, who had been demoralized, regained their confidence instantly with the support of the capital and the strategy that Diao Mao had obtained from the secret letter. They all accepted their orders and left to divide up the tasks overnight.

……

Three days later, at night.

The backyard of the county government office was brightly lit.

Li Xuanzhi sat upright at his desk, with the neat workshop regulations and detailed accounts of money and grain spread out in his hands.

His expression remained calm and composed, showing no sign of emotion.

County Magistrate Feng strode in, his expression grave. His already tense nerves were now even more anxious. He bowed and urgently reported:

"My lord, there have been unusual occurrences in the city; something is amiss."

"This afternoon, three inexplicable disputes occurred in the workshop. All three involved normally well-behaved old craftsmen who got into arguments and shoves for no reason, nearly causing a disturbance. The supervisor intervened in time to prevent a major incident. When questioned afterward, the people's answers were evasive and vague, clearly indicating that they were instigated by someone."