Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 314 When Poor, One Should Cultivate One's Own Virtue

After having breakfast, the group continued their journey.

In the days that followed, Lin Chen traveled westward, engaging in countless battles.

……

Xishan County.

Before the group even entered the city, they saw a crowd gathered at the city gate.

Lin Chen lifted the carriage curtain and glanced inside, then frowned: "What's going on?"

Yan Da rode forward on his horse, then returned to report:

"My lord, these are the families of the garrison. Last year, Liu Wencai, the magistrate of Xishan County, withheld the soldiers' pay, which led to a mutiny among the garrison and the death of seventeen soldiers. These families heard that you are here on behalf of Heaven to inspect the land, so they came here early to kneel and wait."

Lin Chen frowned slightly. "Didn't the magistrate of Xishan County stop it?"

"They tried to stop him, but the Imperial City Guards at the outpost showed their tokens, and Liu Wencai didn't dare!"

Lin Chen nodded. The Empress was indeed farsighted; she had sent a portion of the Imperial City Guard out several months ago to prevent anyone from destroying evidence.

"Let's go into the city." Lin Chen lowered the carriage curtain.

As the carriage entered the county town, Liu Wencai and his men were already waiting at the city gate.

This guy was in his forties, fair-skinned, and looked like a scholar, but his eyes were darting around and he didn't dare to look people in the eye.

Lin Chen got off the carriage and, without wasting any words, asked directly:

"Magistrate Liu, are you aware of the mutiny that occurred among the garrison last year?"

Liu Wencai's expression changed, and he forced a smile, saying, "Your Highness, this matter has already been dealt with. Those few ruffians who led the trouble have been..."

"My question is, why are you withholding military pay?"

Liu Wencai opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Lin Chen didn't bother to ask any more questions and turned to look at Yan University.

Yenching University opened the file: "Liu Wencai, magistrate of Xishan County, served for four years and embezzled 23,000 taels of military funds, which led to a mutiny among the garrison and the death of 17 people."

Afterwards, they bribed their superiors to shift the blame onto several soldiers, who are still in jail.

Liu Wencai's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground.

Lin Chen looked down at him: "Is there anything else you want to say?"

Liu Wencai's lips trembled, and he suddenly lunged forward to hug Lin Chen's leg:

"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! I'm willing to hand over all the embezzled funds! I also have an eighty-year-old mother..."

Lin Chen kicked him away.

"Bring it up."

Several large snow dragon riders escorted several people dressed in prison clothes over.

They were all skin and bones, but there was still light in their eyes.

The leader knelt down with a thud and kowtowed, saying:

"Your Highness! I'm innocent! I didn't lead any mutiny! It was Liu Wencai who withheld our pay. The brothers were starving and went to argue with him, but he accused us of mutiny and arrested us!"

Lin Chen looked at Liu Wencai.

Liu Wencai collapsed to the ground, trembling so much he couldn't speak.

Lin Chen waved his hand.

A flash of light.

Heads fell to the ground.

The wrongly accused soldiers stood there, stunned, unable to react for a long time.

Lin Chen looked at them and said calmly, "Your injustice has been cleared. Go back now."

The leader suddenly knelt down with a thud, leading several others to kowtow repeatedly: "Your Highness, what a great favor! Your Highness, what a great favor!"

Lin Chen waved his hand and got into the carriage.

As the carriage drove through the street, people on both sides knelt down.

"The Prince of Zhenbei! The Prince of Zhenbei!"

"Lord Tianyuan!"

Lin Chen leaned against the carriage, picked up a spirit fruit, and took a bite.

Lan Fenghuang looked at Lin Chen and asked softly, "What do you plan to do with those soldiers?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, "Let them return to their units. Later, let's inform the garrison that I said we would let bygones be bygones."

Liu Shengxue spoke up: "What about Liu Wencai's assets?"

Lin Chen smiled and said, "You've reminded me. Peking University!"

A voice came from outside: "My lord?"

"Seize Liu Wencai's property, return what belongs to the garrison to the garrison, and distribute what belongs to the people."

"yes!"

……

Xishi County.

This place is different from the previous ones.

The county town is not big, but the streets are bustling with activity, lined with shops and people coming and going.

Lin Chen was stunned for a moment when he entered the city.

"This county looks good?"

Yan Da, standing nearby, said, "My lord, the magistrate of Xishi County is named Zhao Deming. He has been in office for three years, and it is said that he has governed quite well, but..."

"But what?"

Yenda lowered his voice: "But intelligence says that he colluded with local gentry to set up checkpoints and collect tolls."

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

When the carriage arrived at the county government office, Zhao Deming was already waiting at the entrance.

He was in his forties, fair-skinned and plump, with a friendly face, and he smiled whenever he saw Lin Chen.

"Your Highness must be tired from your journey! I have prepared a small feast; please do me the honor of joining me!"

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and chuckled, "Magistrate Zhao, I've heard your Xishi County is quite lively?"

Zhao Deming smiled obsequiously, "Thanks to Your Highness, things are alright."

Lin Chen nodded: "Then I'll take a stroll."

Zhao Deming's smile froze for a moment.

Lin Chen ignored him and led his men straight into the street.

After going around in circles, I discovered the problem.

There's a checkpoint in the east of the city where passing caravans have to pay a toll. The tolls aren't much, but they add up.

Lin Chen stood before the checkpoint, looking at the merchants paying their fees, and asked Zhao Deming, "What is this?"

Zhao Deming smiled and said, "Your Highness, this is...this is a checkpoint set up by the county to collect tolls for road repairs..."

"The imperial court has regulations prohibiting local authorities from setting up checkpoints privately," Lin Chen said, looking at him. "You didn't know that?"

Zhao Deming's forehead was covered in sweat: "Your Highness, this...this is a special circumstance..."

Lin Chen didn't bother to listen to his explanation and looked at Yan Da.

Yenching University opened the file: "Zhao Deming, magistrate of Xishi County, served for three years."

He colluded with local gentry Wang Fugui, Li Youcai and others to set up three checkpoints and collect about 80,000 taels of silver in tolls every year.

Half of the money went into their own pockets, and the other half was used to bribe their superiors.

Zhao Deming's face turned deathly pale.

Those local gentry were also in the crowd. Upon hearing this, they turned and ran.

He had only taken two steps when he was pinned to the ground by the Great Snow Dragon Rider.

Lin Chen looked at Zhao Deming and suddenly laughed: "Magistrate Zhao, do you know what I hate most?"

Zhao Deming shook his head, trembling.

"What annoys me most are people like you who, despite embezzling money, pretend to be speaking up for the people."

Lin Chen waved his hand.

The blade flashed a few times.

Heads fell to the ground.

Those local gentry were also beheaded.

The onlookers fell silent for a moment, then burst into cheers.

"Well done!"

"Long live the Prince of Zhenbei!"

Lin Chen didn't say anything, turned around and got into the carriage.

As the carriage drove out of the city, Lan Fenghuang asked, "Husband, what happened to the property of those local gentry?"

Lin Chen said calmly, "Search and confiscate. What should be returned to the people should be returned to the people, and what should be confiscated should be confiscated."

Yao Yao whispered from the side, "Husband, how do you know those local gentry are also involved?"

Lin Chen sneered: "Nonsense, what good could someone who's colluding with the county magistrate possibly have?"