Li Zhi, don't be a coward

Chapter 1407 Struggling to Survive
As expected, the six prominent families took action.

The action was a living person's life. The eight small landowners were willing to die, but they committed suicide.

One has to admire the noble family's ability to easily commit suicide. In Jiangnan, they are really like earthly emperors, controlling everyone's life and death.

Now the pressure is on Li Qinzai.

"Eight small landowners committed suicide because I ordered the land to be measured? Is this called 'reverse behavior'?" Li Qinzai wanted to laugh.

Song Sen cut off another piece of mutton leg meat and stuffed it into his mouth, nodded and said vaguely: "It is said that the officials deliberately increased the number of acres of land. From now on, these small landowners will have to pay several times more taxes, and the landowners will not be able to survive."

"Did local officials really increase the number of acres of land on purpose?" Li Qinzai asked.

Song Sen shook his head: "According to Baiqisi's verification, officials from various places were very honest in measuring the land this time. They did not conceal the report or deliberately make false reports..."

"After all, Duke Li just interrogated more than 20 officials and escorted them to Chang'an. The officials in Jiangnan states and counties have been deeply intimidated by Duke Li's power. No one dares to play tricks anymore."

Song Sen wiped his oily mouth and sighed: "I'm afraid the head of a prominent family is behind this. They want to create panic among the people and incite public opinion to resist Duke Li."

Li Qinzai sneered: "They are very courageous. They have just destroyed the Zhu family, and they still dare to provoke me. Ha, it seems that my previous methods were too gentle."

Song Sen sighed: "They are not provoking you, but they are fighting desperately. Duke Li's step-by-step approach makes them feel in danger."

"Struggle is death, not struggling is death, it is better to fight to the death."

Li Qinzai hummed and said, "The death of the eight small landowners is just the first step. What's next? What else do those prominent families want to do?"

Song Sen smiled: "Jungong Li is also someone who has been in the Chang'an court. He should know what the noble family will do next. It is nothing more than inciting public sentiment, creating an atmosphere of cruelty and cruel expropriation in the south of the Yangtze River under the imperial envoys, and finally brewing a civil uprising and reaching the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Heaven listens..."

Li Qinzai also laughed: "So, all the blame was put on my head. In the end, the emperor had to recall me to Chang'an due to public opinion and pressure from courtiers. The Jiangnan noble family successfully survived this crisis..."

"That's right, what the noble family wants to do is to concoct a major case of 'officials forcing the people to rebel', and Duke Li is the culprit. In the end, let alone rectifying Jiangnan, Duke Li will not be able to protect yourself. If the courtiers in Chang'an continue to coax you, you There is a risk of being questioned at any time, and the danger of the distinguished family will be solved."

Li Qinzai smiled and said: "The method of dealing with me is quite clever. The famous families are all talented people."

"But it's not enough." Li Qinzai's tone became colder: "They underestimated the emperor's determination to solve the land annexation problem, and also underestimated the methods of me, the imperial envoy."

"Can Baiqisi find out which prominent family is behind this?"

Song Sen shook his head: "I haven't found out. I only know that a few days ago, six prominent families and several governors and county magistrates were invited by the Gu family of Wu County to go to the mansion for a gathering. These people chatted in a secret room for two hours. They talked in detail. What, Baiqisi’s spies can’t find it.”

Li Qinzai said coldly: "Never mind it, I will conclude that the Gu family of Wu County was behind this matter."

Song Sen was surprised: "Is it so careless?"

"Otherwise? I came to Jiangnan to try the case? Do I have to have iron-clad evidence to convict them? Anyway, no one in the famous family is good, so just point at one person and identify them. My persona is an imperial envoy of the emperor who behaves wildly, and I am not an ironclad person. The outspoken Mr. Qingtian."

After speaking, Li Qinzai turned to Buqu and said in a loud voice: "Go to the camp in the northern suburbs of Gusu City quickly and ask General Xue to come here to talk."

One of the soldiers mounted his horse and hurried away.

Xue Rengui led [-] troops to the outside of Gusu City five days ago and built a large camp to garrison in the northern suburbs. Without Li Qinzai's order, the army had not done anything in the past few days.

Li Qinzai still has 2 troops under his command, and a total of [-] troops. This is Li Qinzai's greatest confidence.

After pondering for a moment, Li Qinzai suddenly shouted: "Come here, send the order, dispatch three thousand soldiers and horses to the Gu family's mansion in Wu County, camp within ten miles of the mansion, and send ranger scouts to the Gu family's mansion in Wu County day and night. Patrolling outside."

Song Sen immediately laughed out loud: "Jun Li is very smart. If this happens, Gu Chengzhang will be scared to the point of peeing. The disaster of destroying the Zhu family in Wu County will happen again to the Gu family. Gu Chengzhang is afraid that he will not be able to sleep. "

Li Qinzai sneered: "A prominent family has been wiped out. Yin Jian is not far away. He actually dares to play tricks behind his back, forcing me to once again establish prestige for a prominent family in Jiangnan. Aren't they mean?" What kind of public opinion and popular uprising can a prominent family do? What is being incited is just a group of ignorant people. Li Qinzai doesn't pay attention to it at all. To solve the problem, start from the source.

As long as there was a civil uprising in any state or county in the south of the Yangtze River, he ordered the Gu family's home in Wu County to be raided.

Yes, Li Qinzai's method is so simple and crude, but it is effective.

With an army of [-] in hand, he no longer bothered to engage in conspiracies and conspiracies. He defeated ten groups with one force, and the power of the state machine crushed all dissatisfaction.

After a long time, Xue Rengui led several guards and arrived on horseback.

After dismounting, Xue Rengui strode into the commander's tent. When Li Qinzai saw him, he immediately said aggrievedly: "Uncle Xue, someone bullied me..."

Xue Rengui suddenly said, "Nephew Li Xian, please be normal."

After discovering that Xue Rengui refused to drink green tea, Li Qinzai had no choice but to return to normal.

"Uncle Xue, the six prominent families in the south of the Yangtze River have taken action and have already committed a murder. They want to pin the charge of extortionate expropriation on the head of my foolish nephew..."

Xue Guiren waved his hand: "I'm just a military commander. I can't figure out how you guys are deceitful. My nephew, just tell me what I should do."

Li Qinzai thought for a while and said: "Uncle Xue has [-] soldiers. Today we can order the troops to be divided into six groups and camp outside the ancestral homes of the six prominent families. There is no need to do anything."

Xue Rengui said in surprise: "That's it?"

"That's it."

"Does it work?"

Li Qinzai smiled: "The richer people are, the more afraid they are of death, especially given the lessons learned from the fall of the Zhu family in Wu County. Thousands of soldiers and horses were standing outside each family's ancestral home. I don't believe they can sleep peacefully."

"For some things, you have to slap them hard first, and then they will listen calmly."

Xue Rengui nodded and said: "Leave everything to me, my dear nephew, don't worry. Not only did I order troops to be stationed outside each family's ancestral home, but I also beat drums and practiced in the camp every day to see if they can still sit still."

Li Qinzai smiled happily and said: "Uncle Xue is very savvy and can draw inferences from one example."

Xue Rengui chuckled: "I have been in court for decades, so I can still handle this small scene."

After saying that, Xue Rengui was about to say goodbye and leave, when Li Qinzai suddenly stopped him, looking like he was about to say something.

"Since Uncle Xue is here, my foolish nephew has to tell you some bad news..."

Xue Rengui was stunned: "What happened?"

"Ahem, your dog... Brother Shenyan, my dear brother, has been frequenting various brothels in Gusu City recently. I have reported to my foolish nephew that the girls that my dear brother Shenyan summoned in the brothel are all older. Woman, and it is said that her appearance is quite similar to that of several of your concubines, Uncle Xue."

Sighing with anger on his face, Li Qinzai said earnestly: "Uncle Xue, the child has gone astray. It is better to criticize and educate. It is best not to do anything, to avoid past mistakes and to treat illnesses and save others. The foolish nephew thinks that the wise brother who is cautious is still worth saving." All at once..."

Xue Rengui was stunned for a long time, his face gradually turned green at a speed visible to the naked eye, and finally he looked like the Hulk that had been exposed to gamma rays. He was so cute...

After a long while, Xue Rengui gritted his teeth and said, "Where does that evil boy live in the camp?"

Li Qinzai pointed to the left skillfully: "The second tent on the left."

Xue Rengui looked up to the sky and smiled, then said with a livid face: "My dear nephew, please warm a pot of wine. I'll come as soon as I go!"

(End of this chapter)