The playboy county magistrate

Li Xuanzhi bowed slightly and replied humbly.

"I will simply remain true to my principles and do what is right. I will not fail the Emperor's grace or the people's hearts."

……

At this moment, in the county government study, Li Xuanzhi was sitting quietly at his desk, reviewing the secret reports from the imperial court and the official records from various places left behind by Eunuch Fuquan.

Two days ago, Eunuch Fuquan returned to the capital with his Imperial Guards. Before leaving, he repeatedly instructed them that the old faction's dormancy was not a sign of retreat, but rather a covert operation that was already underway. They were just waiting for the new policies to be implemented before launching their attack.

Li Xuan knew this perfectly well.

A county's new policies can be stabilized by winning the hearts and minds of the people. But new policies across the country will inevitably shake the foundations of countless gentry and local elites.

The old faction abandoned open infighting in the imperial court and instead relied on the power of local gentry to obstruct and secretly cause trouble, which is the most difficult protracted war to eradicate.

County Magistrate Cao stood to one side, bowed, and reported in a deep voice:

"My lord, recently there have been rumors circulating in neighboring counties. Many local gentry from various prefectures and counties have been colluding privately to criticize the new policy in Fuyu. They say that the equal distribution of private land is against the ancestral system, disrupts the clan law, and may disrupt the order of the world."

"Furthermore, officials from neighboring counties secretly instructed them to prevent migrants from this county from moving in to reclaim wasteland."

Li Xuanzhi lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, his expression calm and composed, having already anticipated this situation.

The success of the new policies in Fuyu was a blessing for the common people, but a disaster for the gentry and local elites.

The new policy ensured that farmers owned their land, ironware was sold at fair prices, and workshops were returned to the public for profit. This directly severed the core profit-making foundation of the gentry and local elites.

With the complete annihilation of the Diao family line in Fuyu, local gentry were filled with fear and apprehension. Secretly banding together in resistance was already an inevitable trend.

"It's alright," Li Xuanzhi said slowly. "The new policies are based on the people's livelihood and follow the general trend. They cannot be shaken by worldly selfishness or the obstruction of the gentry and local bullies."

Before the words were finished, the sound of horses' hooves came again outside the county government office, another urgent imperial edict.

The official delivering the decree landed, his expression solemn, and loudly proclaimed the imperial edict.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Li Xuanzhi, a sixth-rank prefect, is known for his incorruptible administration, reforms that benefit the people, pacification of local gentry, and cleansing of corrupt officials; his achievements are evident to all."

"Now that the new policies in Fuyu are mature and feasible, without any drawbacks and beneficial to the people, Li Xuanzhi is hereby exceptionally promoted to the rank of Fifth-Rank Assistant Judge of Pingzhou, overseeing all matters related to the new policies and reforms throughout Pingzhou, coordinating all affairs concerning land, workshops, ironware, taxes, and displaced people in the prefecture, and granting him the authority to act first and report later, to verify the records of prefectures and counties, and to appoint and dismiss lower-level officials. So be it!"

All the officials and servants in the courtyard were deeply moved, their hearts trembling.

It hasn't been that long!

Lord Li was promoted several ranks from a seventh-rank county magistrate, and he held full authority over the new policies of Pingzhou in the north, as well as the power to act first and report later. Such an extraordinary promotion and bold delegation of power was simply unprecedented.

This is not simply a matter of overwhelming imperial favor; it is a blatant declaration by the emperor.

He wholeheartedly supported the new policies and gave full back to Li Xuanzhi. With his own strength, he moved the entire nation to reform.

It's such a blessing to follow an official like this!

Li Xuanzhi bowed to receive the imperial decree, his expression respectful and composed.

His Majesty's intentions are clear from this action.

No longer confined to a single county for pilot projects, and with no room for maneuver for the old guard, the reforms will be launched directly against a prefecture as the main battleground, with Li Xuanzhi as the sharpest weapon, striking at the core of the long-standing problems plaguing the aristocratic class.

Li Xuanzhi straightened his clothes, bowed respectfully, and accepted the imperial decree. His voice was steady and resolute: "Your subject accepts the decree and thanks you for your grace! I will certainly rectify the administration of Pingzhou and implement new policies that benefit the people. I will not fail Your Majesty's grace, the people, or the original intention of the reform!"

The messenger nodded with a smile and whispered the Emperor's decree in his ear:

"His Majesty has said that the old faction, lying dormant and gathering strength, will surely cause trouble in the prefectures and counties. The expansion of Pingzhou is the first step in bringing the new policies to the whole country, and it is also the key to breaking the monopoly of the aristocratic families. I will personally check and balance the resistance in the court, and leave the local chaos to Minister Li. There is no need to worry or be afraid."

After speaking, he ordered the entourage to immediately return to the capital.

The county magistrate, Cao, looked solemn and spoke in a deep voice.

"My lord, the three counties of Changping, Yuanshan and Qinghe are all places where gentry and local gentry are deeply rooted and their influence is intertwined. Many officials are in cahoots with the old faction of nobles."

"Changping controls half of Pingzhou's fertile land and has colluded with former officials of the prefecture for generations. Hiding land and evading taxes are nothing new. Yuanshan is mainly composed of private metallurgical workshops, with gentry monopolizing iron ore smelting. They privately manufacture ironware and smuggle it secretly. Qinghe is a hub of waterways and land transportation, with local gentry controlling the ferry crossings. They control prices and monopolize freight, which is why the Diao family in Qinghe County was able to gather Pingzhou's advantages and become the dominant force. The three counties have formed alliances through intermarriage and have become a powerful group."

Li Xuanzhi raised an eyebrow.

It seems I still don't understand these old hands in Fuyu County well enough.

I thought they were all just going through the motions, but it turns out they all know exactly what's going on outside.

Thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. After serving as low-level officials in Fuyu County for so many years, they didn't get much money or kickbacks, and they were all dirt poor.

Besides being driven by a sense of responsibility, it must also be because they were unwilling to give so many years of effort only to receive nothing in return.

That's good, at least these people can be promoted appropriately.

Loyal, reliable, and easy to use; they are still my original core team.

Not only will promoting them increase their loyalty, it will also send a message to others—

As long as you are truly willing to listen to yourself, the opportunity to rise to prominence will be right in front of you.

It's much better than struggling alone, finally getting a chance to be promoted, only to have your spot squeezed out by someone with connections.

Li Xuanzhi smiled and picked up a brush to draw several circles on the map of Pingzhou, around the three counties of Changping, Yuanshan, and Qinghe.

"We were just worried about not finding a suitable county to start with. Since these three counties have the deepest-rooted problems, the longest-suffering people, and the most arrogant gentry, let's make these three counties the examples."

As soon as she finished speaking, Gu Pan'er walked over quickly.

She had already heard the contents of the imperial edict and knew the good news that he had been promoted to the fifth rank and given overall command of the new policies of the entire prefecture. Her eyes instantly filled with genuine joy and pride.

That young magistrate who once entered Fuyu County alone, facing countless hardships, has now risen through the ranks, wielding great power and single-handedly influencing the reform of the entire country.

While overjoyed, she was also keenly aware of the perilous road ahead.

The problems in these three counties have been entrenched for decades and cannot be solved overnight.

Gu Pan'er presented a thick stack of neat and meticulous account books to the master with a bow, her tone gentle.

"Congratulations on your promotion, sir. When I couldn't sleep, I went through all the accounts you confiscated from the Diao family. Among them were some old accounts related to the hidden farmland ledgers of Changping County, the private gambling dens of Yuanshan County, and the commercial tax records of Qinghe County."

Li Xuanzhi was also surprised by this unexpected joy, and his opinion of Gu Pan'er rose even higher.

Just then, several galloping horses rushed into the county government office from outside the city. The constable, looking flustered, reported urgently:

"Reporting to Your Excellency! Chaos has suddenly broken out in the three counties!"

"The gentry of Changping County gathered to obstruct officials from inspecting land, and publicly tore up documents related to the new policies. They declared that they would refuse to redistribute land or change the old system!"

"Private workshops in Yuanshan County have collectively closed down and ceased operations, inciting artisans to gather and riot. They falsely claim that new policies are seizing their businesses and cutting off their livelihoods!"

"Merchants and gentry at the ferry crossing in Qinghe County staged a collective strike, blocking major water and land routes, disrupting the flow of goods, and deliberately creating price volatility in the prefecture and county!"