Rise From the Humble

Zhu Pingan visited Yao's hometown for nearly an hour. While chatting about daily life, he asked about the situation in Dayao Village and several nearby villages. Yao Lao knew everything and talked about it, and Zhu Pingan got a lot of first-hand information.

After Zhu Pingan left Yao's hometown, he continued to visit two villages, and then returned to the county government.

Through visits, Zhu Ping'an strengthened his determination. As soon as he returned to the county government office, he ordered the government officials to be promoted to court.

"It's almost time to get out of office in the afternoon, why are you suddenly promoted to court? Did the little county gentleman take the wrong medicine?"

"If you don't know how to be a county magistrate, just don't do it. How long has it been since then to be promoted to court?! It's a joke."

"What kind of trouble does the little county gentleman want to do?!"

When all the officials in the county government received the notice of being promoted to court, they all slandered Zhu Ping'an in various ways.

"Let's see what the little county minister wants to do, and we will adapt accordingly." Zhang Xiancheng instructed everyone.

The subordinate officials in Liufang and others understood the situation and rushed to the lobby one after another, following Zhang Xiancheng and Yao Zhubu.

"Zhang Dianli, please inform the prison warden to bring all the prisoners in the prison who have not paid taxes to the lobby."

Zhu Pingan took out a "stick" stick from the lottery tube and gave it to Liu Mu, who handed it to Zhang Danian, the jailer of the prison cell, and ordered him to notify the prison and bring all prisoners detained for failure to pay taxes to the lobby.

Send all prisoners who have not paid their taxes to the lobby? ! Then there must be no more than 100 people? !

What is Xiaozhi County doing? !

Zhang Dianli took the order and did not immediately execute Zhu Pingan's order. Instead, he subconsciously looked at Zhang Xian Cheng.

Zhang Xian Cheng nodded inconspicuously. Zhang Dianli received Zhang Xian Cheng's tacit consent and then took the order to go to prison.

Zhu Ping'an squinted his eyes and took in this scene. He understood it in his heart and showed no reaction on his face.

After Zhang Dianli left, all the subordinate officials in the lobby whispered to each other, and the lobby was filled with their buzzing voices. They didn't understand why Zhu Ping'an brought all the prisoners who had not paid taxes to the lobby for trial? ! No need. They were arrested because they failed to pay taxes and have already been brought to court. But why did Xiaozhi County bring them to the lobby again? Trial again? Showing off authority? !

Or do you want to use torture, beat them severely with sticks, torture them, and force them to pay taxes? !

If these prisoners who did not pay taxes were really punished, it might be possible to force some of them to pay taxes.

Don't tell me, this is really a method.

Tsk tsk tsk, I really didn’t expect that!

Fortunately, he is still a scholar. He seems to be honest and gentle, and he is not very young. I didn't expect that his heart is so dark and ruthless!

If he really wants to do this, he might be able to force some people to pay back taxes and food. This is more or less his achievement after taking office. This is not good, and his conspiracy cannot succeed.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xiancheng couldn't help but look up at Chief Yao aside.

Master Yao had a clear understanding. He understood Zhang Xiancheng's look in an instant. He smiled slightly, lowered his head and whispered to Zhang Xiancheng, "Brother Zhang, don't worry. The Ming Dynasty Law prohibits and punishes people for reasons." For crimes, officials are strictly prohibited from abusing punishments. Prisoners can only be punished if they meet the four conditions of "committing a serious crime", "clear evidence of stolen goods", "refusing to accept admission", and "clearly documenting the case". During the Chenghua period, the punishment for officials was more There are strict regulations: except for homicide cases and robbery cases, other criminals can only be beaten with whips. If it is necessary to use sticks, clamps, brain boxes, soldering irons and other torture instruments, they must be petitioned step by step. If the county magistrate violates the rules and uses punishment, the punishment will be All crimes are punishable. If he wants to use punishment to extract taxes, we, as imperial officials, naturally cannot sit back and watch the county minister violate the law, abuse punishment, and bully the people."

Zhangxian Cheng was reminded by Chief Yao and immediately felt relieved. The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.

Soon, Zhang Dianli led the prison guards and escorted more than a hundred prisoners who had not paid taxes and food to the lobby.

There were so many prisoners that there was no room for them to stand in the lobby. Some prisoners stood outside the lobby and were guarded by jailers and government officials.

"Kneel down!"

The government officials and jailers ordered all the prisoners to kneel down.

"mighty!"

Two rows of government officials below the courtroom banged their killing sticks vigorously and shouted mighty, and the courthouse suddenly became solemn.

"The common people/criminal people pay homage to the magistrate."

The prisoners' arms trembled and they knelt on the ground one by one. They felt uneasy and uneasy. They didn't know why the magistrate escorted them to the trial again, but a strong foreboding premonition enveloped them, making them feel as if they were going to the guillotine.

"Get up."

Zhu Ping'an sat in the high hall, raised his right hand, and asked the prisoners to stand up.

All the prisoners stood up in fear, their limbs trembling, waiting anxiously for the unknown fate to come.

"You are all prisoners who have not paid taxes." Zhu Pingan looked at the prisoners and said slowly.

Straight to the point, the picture is very clear. Is this going to force taxation through torture? !

Zhang Xiancheng and others looked at Zhu Pingan, preparing to wait for Zhu Pingan to use torture, and decisively stopped him in accordance with the "Da Ming Code" and other laws to prevent Zhu Pingan's conspiracy to use torture to extract taxes from succeeding.

"Mr. Magistrate, we didn't intentionally fail to pay the taxes. We really can't collect the taxes..."

"Last year's harvest was not good..."

"We really didn't mean to resist the tax. My mother-in-law is sick, and we have sold all the grain to buy medicine. The county magistrate..."

A kind of prisoner couldn't help but explain anxiously.

"quiet!"

The officials knocked on the ground with their killing sticks and ordered the prisoners to be silent. The prisoners were suddenly frightened and did not dare to say a word.

Everyone looked at Zhu Pingan, waiting for Zhu Pingan's next move.

The officials of the ceremonial room and the execution room had received instructions from Zhang Xiancheng and Chief Yao, and they had raised their butts. They were just waiting for Zhu Ping'an to order the use of torture to extract taxes. They acted as leaders and quoted "Da Ming Law", Chenghua regulations stipulate that it is necessary to prevent and oppose Zhu Ping'an.

Under the spotlight of everyone, Zhu Pingan stood up from the lobby and looked at the prisoners under the court.

All the prisoners were on tenterhooks, the two groups were fighting, and there was quite a feeling of impending disaster.

The pupils of Zhang County Cheng and Chief Yao shrank slightly, and their eyes were focused on Zhu Ping'an. The buttocks of the ceremonial room official and the execution room official were raised by another third, with only a little of the buttocks touching the chair.

"You are all prisoners who have not paid your taxes."

Under the gaze of everyone, Zhu Pingan continued what he just said, "You are also the sons, husbands and fathers of the family. You also have a family, parents, wives and children, and you also have to live. It is almost September now, and it will be soon. It’s time to harvest early rice. In order not to delay the farming season, and for the sake of your parents, wives and children, I have specially allowed you to go home for the autumn harvest. However, when the autumn harvest is over, you must report back to the prison as soon as possible. Now, you can all Go home."

ha?

What? !

As soon as Zhu Pingan finished speaking, Zhang Xian Cheng, Chief Yao and the six subordinate staff all looked at Zhu Pingan in shock.

unbelievable!

can not believe!

Zhu Ping'an...he, he...he is really braving the world's disdain! Has he eaten the courage of a bear's heart and a leopard's courage? ! Does Zhu Pingan know what he is doing, letting more than a hundred prisoners go home for the autumn harvest? ! In the whole world and in history, no magistrate has ever dared to do such a crazy thing! ! ! Does he, Zhu Pingan, the county magistrate, not want to do this anymore? !

Zhang Xian Cheng took a breath of cold air and pointed at Zhu Ping'an with a trembling finger. His eyes stared at the boss, almost popping out of his eye sockets. The boss's mouth was open, he was too shocked to make a sound.

In fact, they were not the most shocked.

It was the prisoners under the lobby who were trembling, uneasy, and fearful, waiting for the impending disaster.

The prisoners, who thought they were in danger, unexpectedly heard Zhu Ping'an's order to let them go home for the autumn harvest. They all couldn't believe their ears, and couldn't believe that the county magistrate actually wanted to let them go home for the autumn harvest. ? !

is this real?

This is a huge surprise!

The prisoners pinched their arms and felt the bone-piercing pain. Then they believed that this was true. The county magistrate was really going to let them go home for the autumn harvest. They were incredibly happy. Many prisoners even cried with excitement.

"Master Qingtian, thank you very much Master Qingtian."

"Don't worry, sir. I will definitely return to the prison on time after the autumn harvest. If anyone dares not to return to the prison, I, the great cow, will be the first to spare him!"

"After the autumn harvest, we will definitely report back to the prison. If anyone doesn't come back, he or she will have no children or grandchildren and will die a good death."

All the prisoners knelt on the ground and thanked Zhu Ping'an incoherently. They all swore to return to the prison after the autumn harvest.