The Moon Over Tang Dynasty

Chapter 185: Divine Power, Dilemma and Desperate Situation

Seeing that the door of her house was just a few steps ahead, Liuli's eyes lit up, she smiled and nodded and said "goodbye" several times, then walked quickly into the courtyard door as if running away, and walked straight into the inner courtyard, and then walked out. tone. Looking back, I saw Xiao Tan running in with a basket in his arms with a embarrassed look on his face, and couldn't help but laugh.

Xiao Tan patted her chest with lingering fear on her face, "Madam, we better not go out for the next two days!"

The cook was fetching water from the well. When she heard this, she raised her head and said with a smile, "Don't talk about my wife, I don't dare to go out these days. I only have one good thing. Now if I go to the market to buy meat sauce, melons and fruits, everyone can buy them." Refuse to take money!”

Liuli was startled, and looked at the messy eggs, dried dates, and vegetables in Xiaotan's basket, and said with a wry smile, "In this case...it's better to give them when they should be given."

The cook immediately made a sad face, "Is it possible that when I go out to buy groceries every day, I have to fight all the way for money?"

Thinking of the warm smiling faces she met along the way, Liuli covered her forehead and sighed, "Well, it will probably get better in a few days." Now that several days have passed since the cattle theft case, Xizhou is slightly bigger Have all the cases you ordered been tried? Sooner or later the enthusiastic Xizhou people will get used to the fact that they have a long history of magic sticks...

Back in the house, Liuli glanced around the house that she had been tossing several times when she was very bored, and sighed. Pei Xingjian asked her to go out less these days, but now it seems that the order was in vain, and she couldn't even go out if she wanted to! Today she just went to the Jia Valer Shop - the popular patterns here in Xizhou are quite different from those in Chang'an. She prefers Western-style patterns such as linked beads and animals. She tried to draw them when she had nothing to do a while ago. Several kinds of them have come out, but I don’t know whether they can catch the eyes of Xizhou people. When I arrived at the Jiaval Store just now and asked, the shopkeeper thanked him profusely and said that someone had already placed an order. But he turned around and started praising Pei Changshi with gleaming eyes, "That Shi Da is such a tired person. He is such a scourge." I visited many houses in Xizhou, and after Pei Changshi looked at them calmly for a moment, he recognized everything!"...

It was easy to say goodbye to Shopkeeper Shi. On the way back, more and more women came up to say hello and say hello. It was only a few hundred meters away and it took her two quarters of an hour to get home!

After flipping through the book for a while, she saw the sun setting in the west and familiar footsteps coming from the door of the courtyard. Liuli put down her book and went out. Pei Xingjian opened the curtain and entered the room, with a faint look of tiredness on his face. Liuli poured a glass of water and handed it to him, "Is it another case that has been tried for a day?"

Pei Xingjian drank the water in one gulp, and then said, "There are no cases to be tried today, and I probably won't need to try them again in the future."

Liuli glanced at him in surprise. Pei Xingjian smiled and stretched out his hand to smooth her hair. His tone was a little careless, "Qu Chongyu came to me today and said that there was nothing to worry about regarding the criminal lawsuit in Xizhou. On top of the taxes, there were quite a few things." It’s a difficult problem. I hope that as a long-time historian, I can take action to sort it out.”

Liuli thought for a while and vaguely remembered that Pei Xingjian mentioned that Qu Chongyu would either let him take charge of criminal proceedings or let him take charge of taxation. Is there a big problem with taxation in Xizhou? Pei Xingjian looked at Liuli's confused face and smiled, "The burden of taxes in Xizhou has been accumulated and it is impossible for anyone to solve it. If it is not handled properly, people will boil over."

Liuli suddenly became worried, "What should we do?"

Pei Xingjian smiled softly, "If it can't be solved, it won't be solved. Don't worry, I have my own way."

Looking at Pei Xingjian's relaxed face, Liuli frowned slightly. Everyone said that he had unparalleled ingenuity, but how many people could see his repeated considerations and careful arrangements? But facing himself, he always looked like this as if nothing had happened...

Pei Xingjian smiled and said, "Someone you have been curious about may come to visit you later. Would you like to take a look?"

Liuli thought for a while, then her eyes lit up, "Han Si!"

Pei Xingjian smiled and nodded. Before he could speak, he heard Xiaotan's voice outside, "Alang, there is a gentleman named Han who wants to pay you a visit."

Pei Xingjian smiled and said, "Please wait in the hall in front."

Liuli asked curiously, "How do you know he will come today? Did you calculate it?"

Pei Xingjian was startled and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "When I came home just now, I saw him wandering outside. He tried to come up to me but then avoided me. Think about it, he can't come to our clinic for medical treatment!"

That’s right, this weird guy is a veterinarian... Liuli smiled and said, "Why aren't you here for medical treatment? Didn't you just come to see you?"

Pei Xingjian laughed loudly, took her hand and walked out, "In that case, let him see who we are!"

In the front hall, Han Jingzhi, who was wearing a semi-old robe, was pacing back and forth a little uneasily. When he saw Pei Xingjian and Liuli walking in one after another, he paused for a moment before saluting, "I've met Chang Shi, I've met Chang Shi." lady."

Pei Xingjian nodded and smiled, "No need to be polite, please sit down."

Liuli took a look and saw that Han Jingzhi was only in his twenties. He was probably exposed to wind and sun all year round. His skin was slightly dark, his facial features were distinct, his small eyes were very bright, but his brows seemed to be habitually frowning, and his expression was intermittent. He lost a bit of cheerfulness and looked neither like a famous veterinarian nor a famous thief.

Han Jingzhi still stood upright, hesitated for a long time, and suddenly bowed deeply, "Thank you, Chang Shi, for letting me keep my ancestral home! I, I don't know how to repay you!"

Liuli looked at Han Jingzhi's robe, which was somewhat torn at the edges. The poorest veterinarian in Xizhou City really lived up to his reputation. If he was to return the twenty calves, wouldn't he have to sell his ancestral home? Fortunately, those who owed him medical fees were all large households. They would rather lose a few bucks than be listed on the list. After asking for help, Pei Xingjian reluctantly agreed to their request of "not being held accountable." , withdrew the official document at the door of the mansion. It was probably after Han Jingzhi heard the news that he came to express his thanks.

Pei Xingjian laughed and said, "You don't have to take this to heart."

Han Jingzhi raised his head with a very serious look on his face, "I will be practicing medicine in a few days and I will return the money to those people!"

Pei Xingjian was slightly surprised, "You want to practice medicine?"

Han Jingzhi nodded vigorously, "My family has been practicing medicine for generations. However, my father died young and I had no one to guide me. I had to rely on medical books to explore on my own. In the past seven years, although I have made a living by treating cattle and horses, I have also treated hundreds of doctors who could not afford it." The herdsmen prescribed medicine to see the doctor, and I checked the prescriptions handed down from home some time ago. I will not let the Han family be embarrassed, nor will I let the chief minister down!" He seemed not used to long speeches, and after saying these words, he looked a little embarrassed. flushed.

Pei Xingjian looked at him for a moment, and finally nodded with a smile, "Since you are sure, I hope you get what you want."

Han Jingzhi breathed a sigh of relief and grinned. His snow-white teeth suddenly made his whole face come alive. "Pei Changshi, if you have orders in the future, I will definitely obey your orders."

Pei Xingjian smiled and said, "Okay! There's something I haven't understood yet, and I hope you can enlighten me." Han Jingzhi said hurriedly, "Please tell me."

Pei Xingjian looked at him calmly, "Why did you steal those calves?"

Han Jingzhi opened his eyes wide, "How does Chang Shi know..."

Pei Xingjian smiled and said nothing. Han Jingzhi was stunned for a long time, bowed solemnly, and sighed when he straightened up, "Qi Changshi, actually... I used those calves to test medicine. There are some ancient prescriptions written down in my family's medical book, and they look a bit weird. I don't know. I dare not use it on people randomly. I just happened to think of it last year. I can get some cattle and sheep and feed them more. If nothing happens, I can probably use it on people."

Liuli couldn't help but be a little surprised, engaging in animal experiments? How could this veterinarian come up with this trick?

Pei Xingjian also raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Why use calves instead of lambs?"

Han Jingzhi was silent for a moment, "Because beef is delicious."

Liuli lowered her head silently until Han Jingzhi said goodbye. As soon as the curtain fell, she couldn't help it anymore, burying her head in her sleeves and laughing sullenly. Pei Xingjian turned around and saw her appearance, and shook his head and laughed.

Liuli finally stopped laughing, raised her head and said, "It turns out there are things in the world that you can't account for!" I don't know how this Han Jingzhi's brain grew. Call it confusing, but he thought of using fresh grass to lure the calf. He got on the cart, poured sleeping pills, and openly took him back to Xizhou City like a sick cow. If he was smart, he just loved beef, but he actually felt that he could only be sincere in giving away beef that was rarely seen on weekdays. His herdsmen from every township in Xizhou all thanked him - no matter how much trouble it would cause if too many calves were stolen!

Pei Xingjian sighed, "Of course, I have never thought of the two reasons he mentioned today!"

Liuli couldn't hold back and laughed again, "It doesn't matter, no one in Xizhou has ever thought about it. In fact, you didn't just count on it, and the Han Sihui would fall into the trap."

Pei Xingjian looked at Liuli with a smile, "As long as you know."

Liuli walked to his side, stretched out her hand and scratched his face, "That's why you are so thick-skinned. You clearly see that Han Si is not a narrow-minded person who loves revenge, but you still want to pretend to be sophisticated. What happened last time?" Colleagues asked you how you solved the cattle theft case, but you actually said - the secret must not be leaked! It makes me afraid to leave the house now! "

Pei Xingjian only felt itchy on his face, and he smiled and held the troublesome hand, "Otherwise, how can we establish authority?" He didn't know what he thought of, and his smile gradually faded, "Actually, the so-called secret, no matter how it is leaked, If you don’t reveal it, someone will always be able to guess it!”

　　…………

Under the bronze flower candlestick, Qu Chongyu silently looked at the map of Xizhou spread out on the table. After a while, he raised his head and smiled softly to himself, "That's it!"

Wang Junmeng took a step forward and asked, "What do you see?"

Qu Chongyu pointed at a dozen thin red dots on the silk map, "I have marked all the villages where cattle have been lost. Look..."

Wang Junmeng took a closer look and saw that red dots were scattered around Xizhou City in all directions, but there was nothing special about it. Qu Chongyu didn't seem to expect him to notice it, and said calmly, "These places are far away from Xizhou City. It’s less than a day’s journey. Therefore, the person who stole the cattle must live in Xizhou.”

 Wang Jun Meng looked at Qu Chongyu in astonishment, didn't everyone know about this? The cattle thief was Han Si. Pei Xingjian's clever calculation forced him to take action on his own. Moreover, twenty-two calves' heads were indeed found beside the cowshed where his family usually treated sick cows. Because of this incident , Now everyone in Xizhou regards Pei Xingjian as a god!

Qu Chongyu smiled coldly, "Pei Shouyue didn't calculate it at all. This matter is a game from beginning to end, and I have already figured out the key points!"

He pointed at the map, "Pei Shouye must have paid attention to the case and saw that the cattle thief must live in Xizhou City, and how could something as big as a calf be stolen casually? This man stole two times in a row More than a dozen of them were not found. Naturally, they usually traveled around the country and often brought calves with them. They must have been either cattle and sheep traders or veterinarians. That’s why they didn’t show any signs of malpractice. Remember, before the trial that day. The notice posted stated that the government was going to try two cases of cattle fighting and cattle theft in succession. In addition to relatives and friends of Zhang Qiao's family, they could come to the government to hear the case. People in Xizhou who were familiar with the breeds of cattle and sheep could also come to listen and help. Sir, how do you distinguish between calves?”

Wang Junmeng was stunned for a moment and suddenly realized, "Did Pei Shouyue deliberately arrange this to catch Han Si himself?"

Qu Chongyu nodded, "If I were Han Si, obviously I was safe and sound, but the government said that they were going to try the case of cattle theft. It was obvious that the calves had been eaten and divided, but the government said that they had been found and wanted How can we not just watch a joke and have fun when we find someone to identify it?”

Wang Junmeng continued, "After Han Si fell into a trap, Pei kept his promise and made another lie, and he was deceived!"

Qu Chongyu shook his head, "That's not the case. I remember that before Pei Shouyue counted three times that day, I saw his entourage standing among the crowd of cattle dealers and veterinarians. I guess Pei Shouyue had already noticed that Han Si looked wrong. Let his entourage tell him the truth. If he doesn't admit it, he will be grabbed by Pei Shouyue's entourage on the spot, and it will be difficult to escape from the law. It is better to cooperate with Pei Shouyue and come out on his own to avoid the pain of exile. ”

Wang Junmeng stamped his feet and sighed, "So that's it! It's true! It's not surprising at all, but Pei Shouyue was allowed to pretend like this!"

Qu Chongyu snorted coldly, "It's not surprising at all. Can you imagine it? Can you arrange everything that day perfectly from beginning to end? Even I was plotted by him and saved Zhang in front of the people of Xizhou. That guy! Didn’t you see that the officials in Xizhou look at Pei Shooyue differently now? Not to mention the ignorant people! If not, how could I make such a move and let him be in charge of tax matters? ?”

Wang Junmeng sighed, with a look of frustration on his face. After thinking for a moment, he raised his head and said with a smile, "Pei Shouyue said it was just a small trick, but the taxes in Xizhou are simply unsolvable. There are more than 10,000 households in the prefecture. Who doesn't owe three to five years of rent? He is not the Guo Duhu who was able to use soldiers to enter the house and forcibly seize them. Even the later clan official Chai Duhu was unable to do so. If everyone can afford it, I don’t believe he can create mountains of gold and silver!”

Qu Chongyu's face was very serious, "If it weren't for the fact that the situation is now difficult to reverse, do you think I would use this matter to make it difficult for Pei to keep his promise? As soon as we return to Xizhou, we will build workshops, give preferential treatment to merchants, and tie the belts of all officials in the state. It’s tight, why are you here?”

Wang Junmeng was stunned and said, "Yulang..."

Qu Chongyu waved his hand and said, "I know for sure that this year the Tang army will definitely attack the west. Isn't the surplus in the Xizhou warehouse not enough for the army? It is indeed necessary to call in some rent transfers. This kind of thing that offends the people of the whole state, Pei Shou Who will do it if you don’t agree to it? You’re right, no matter how clever he is, he still has no solution to the taxes in Xizhou!”

His slender fingers as white as jade slowly traced across the map of Xizhou, and a wonderful smile appeared on his face, "Back then, the Khan of Heaven destroyed me, Gaochang, and Guo Duhu used iron-blooded methods to kill him within a few years. Xizhou implemented the Tang system from top to bottom. They only wanted to spread the benefits of the Tang Dynasty throughout the Western Regions, but they did not know that they forced the people of Xizhou to have no way to go. Now I want to take a look. This Pei Shouyue How can we go on in such a desperate situation!"

Tian Khan is the name given to Li Shimin by people from the Western Regions. During the Zhenguan period 16 years ago, King Qu Wentai of Gaochang, who was sworn to Tang Monk, was confused and wanted to go against the Tang Dynasty. Hou Junji directly destroyed the country. All the royal family members and high-ranking official families were moved to Chang'an. Yonghui Er In November of that year, due to the turbulent situation, the imperial court sent Qu Zhizhan and some senior officials back to Xizhou. At that time, Xizhou had fully implemented the Tang Dynasty system.

Alan has been very diligent recently, right? Hoho, please give me a pink vote for praise.

 (End of this chapter)