Chapter 596: County Magistrate Tang is trying hard to make money
Sun Shan and De Ge'er sat outside the courtyard and chatted while drinking tea and eating melon seeds.
Gui Ge'er listened to them talking and lit a mosquito coil.
This is the case in Huangyang County. Whether it is winter or summer, there are annoying mosquitoes.
As Sun Shan and De Ge'er talked, they couldn't help but talk about Yang Qingbei and recalled their childhood.
De Ge'er didn't know that Yang Qingbei was beaten to death. He only knew that he had contracted a disease and was buried in the loess of the mountain behind Yangjia Village before he could see him for the last time.
Sun Shan said calmly, "Brother De, you are in the county school. Please help me find out about the county magistrate, Lord Tang, and his brother-in-law. For example, what do they like to eat, what are their hobbies, and what did they do when they came to our county. Anyway, please write down everything about them and tell me. Be careful not to let others think you are asking questions on purpose."
Speaking of the county magistrate, De Ge'er had something to say: "Shanzi, many people in our county school have opinions about the county magistrate, Lord Tang, and think he is not as good as Lord Wei."
Then he asked, "Shanzi, why do you want to know about Lord Tang and his brother-in-law?"
It is understandable that he wanted to inquire about Lord Tang. After all, he was a county official, and Sun Shan was a juren scholar. He must know what kind of people the officials of a county were like.
What's strange is that he was inquiring about the county magistrate's brother-in-law. Could it be that Shanzi wanted to curry favor with the county magistrate and get to know County Magistrate Tang through his brother-in-law?
Sun Shan gave the order directly: "Don't ask so many questions, just help me find out. Ask the teachers and students of the county school indirectly, but don't let others know that you are asking on purpose."
De Ge'er didn't know why Sun Shan did this, but he nodded and agreed: "Shanzi, I understand. You must have a purpose for doing this. I don't know it."
Sun Shan asked again, "What opinions do the people in the county school have about Lord Tang? Tell us what you think."
De Ge'er talked incessantly about how the students, teachers, and even instructors in the county school all had opinions about Lord Tang.
Because Lord Tang embezzled a portion of the income belonging to the county school.
Huangyang County was poor, so Lord Wei reclaimed wasteland and rented out the farmland to earn a certain amount of rent.
Part of the rent was given to the government, part to the county school, and part was used for disaster relief and the like.
After County Magistrate Tang arrived, he privatized the land belonging to the government office and sold it.
As a result, subsidies for both the government office and the county school were reduced.
Once the number is reduced, the county school will naturally have objections.
But County Magistrate Tang was smart. He reduced the funds just enough to cover the expenses of the county school and maintain its operation, instead of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
It makes everyone feel miserable and have to swallow the loss in silence.
After hearing this, Sun Shan roughly understood the style of Magistrate Tang.
County Magistrate Tang knows how to "measure" everything and everyone.
The collection of agricultural taxes, commercial taxes, etc. were all collected in moderation, without forcing people to resort to rebellion.
For example, when dealing with Zeng's Escort Agency, the benefits collected are just enough to allow Mr. Zeng to maintain the operation of the escort agency, and will not drive the agency to a dead end or replace it.
In short, County Magistrate Tang was just the right amount of greedy, without restraint but not insatiable.
It seems that he does have some skills.
From the information we have heard so far, the Yang Qingbei incident does not seem to be done by County Magistrate Tang. Doing something so unpopular seems not to be County Magistrate Tang's style.
On the contrary, it seems like County Magistrate Tang's brother-in-law is taking advantage of County Magistrate Tang's power to bully others and act tyrannically, like a little devil around the King of Hell.
Sun Shan couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
The next morning, Sun Shan and De Ge'er went to the house bought by Uncle Sun to have breakfast, which was cooked by Huang herself.
To be honest, the taste is just average. No wonder De Ge'er and Huang often go back to her parents' home to eat and drink for free.
Uncle Sun's house is bigger than Sun Shan's, with two courtyards.
It seems that Uncle Sun and Aunt Sun have made a lot of money from collecting mountain products over the years and can afford such a big yard.
De Ge'er took Sun Shan on a tour of Huangyang County and knew exactly where the fun things to do and where the delicious food to eat were.
As Sun Shan was walking, he saw a group of young men coming out of an alley. He asked curiously, "What is this place?"
De Geer whispered, "The gambling house. I heard that the owner of the gambling house makes a lot of money every day."
Sun Shan was stunned. When did their Huangyang County have a gambling house?
Even if it exists, it exists in secret, not so openly.
He had walked this road many times and had never seen a gambling house here.
De Geer continued, "It was opened half a year ago. I heard that the government office was also involved."
The government office is also involved. Could it be that it was opened by County Magistrate Tang?
Of course, he will definitely not openly openly openly, he will definitely find an agent to open it.
Running a gambling house is the most profitable business with no capital. Nine out of ten gamblers lose, and the remaining one loses everything and becomes worse than a pig.
It seems that County Magistrate Tang is trying hard to make money.
Sun Shan and De Ge'er found a teahouse to have tea.
The shopkeeper recognized Sun Shan and greeted him warmly: "Mr. Sun, when did you come back?"
Sun Shan smiled and said, "I will be back soon, shopkeeper, please bring me a pot of tea."
In fact, Sun Shan didn’t know the shopkeeper at all, but others greeted him with a smile, and you had to respond with a smile even if you didn’t know him.
Always maintain the image of a young and green boy.
In fact, Sun Shan did not come to drink tea, but to listen to the people of Huangyang County chatting, hoping to get some useful information from them.
Teahouses have been "information exchange centers" since ancient times.
Those who come to drink tea are either very bored or have even more free time. When they are free, they like to chat about other people's private matters and gossip.
The shopkeeper greeted Sun Shan in a ostentatious manner, so that all the guests in the teahouse knew that Mr. Sun had returned to Huangyang County.
Some curious people asked Sun Shan if he had failed the imperial examination.
An old man even asked him why he was still unmarried at his age, and asked if he should introduce someone to someone.
Sun Shan's mouth twitched, what could he say.
He had to tell the truth. As for whether the spectators believed it or not, Sun Shan didn't know, but he certainly believed it.
When it came time to pay the bill, the shopkeeper charged a higher fee.
He also said that such a high fee had already been discounted by 12% due to his status as a juren.
He also explained to Sun that the tea grown on the mountain was top-grade West Lake Longjing tea, which people in Huangyang County generally were not worthy of drinking.
The shopkeeper saw that he was the only juren in Huangyang County, so he took it out from the bottom of his box and tailored it specifically for him. He would not be willing to take out this kind of jewelry for other people.
Sun Shan was very upset. He came in and just ordered a pot of ordinary tea, but the shopkeeper took it upon himself to order the most expensive tea in the teahouse.
No wonder they were so enthusiastic and provided five-star service. It seemed like they saw this little fish coming in and they had to kill him when.
He was served all the expensive tea that no one drank, and he must have thought that he had finally cleared out the stock.
Sun Shan really wanted to not pay the bill, but everyone was looking at him. If he started arguing, who knows how rumors would spread tomorrow.
Will it be rumored that he drank tea without paying because of his status as a juren?
In the end, I had no choice but to pay the bill with tears in my eyes, remember this teahouse and never patronize it again.
He hunted geese all his life, but his eyes were pecked out by geese.
The people of Huangyang County are not simple and honest at all!