I was a conman in the Ming Dynasty.

Chapter 395 Temporary Workers Also Existed in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 395 Temporary Workers Also Existed in the Ming Dynasty

Miao Ping cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd and said, “Gentlemen, today Young Master Zhou is seeking justice for his father-in-law, and we should also seek justice for ourselves. The Emperor has ordered the cessation of the three taxes, but Lord Shen is refusing to return the overcharged taxes. How can we not demand an explanation?”

Someone said, "Old Miao, don't cause trouble. A few days ago, we went to demand an explanation, and not only did we get beaten up, but Qi San also lost his life because of it. Do you want us to get beaten up again?"

Miao Ping said righteously, "I am a scholar with the title of Xiucai. If Lord Shen dares to act recklessly again, I will definitely report this to the Prefect."

The onlookers reasoned that since Old Miao was leading the way, even if the sky fell, Old Miao would be there to take responsibility; at worst, they could just run faster. So, encouraged by Miao Ping, they followed the funeral procession to the Gaoling County government office.

Shen Zizhen, the magistrate of Gaoling County, was reading in his study when a yamen runner came to report that the yamen had been surrounded by thousands of people.

Shen Zizhen's expression changed. These unruly people were simply outrageous. It was true that he had collected the three taxes, but he hadn't pocketed any of it; it had all been handed over to the imperial court. Now that you were asking him for money, who was he supposed to ask?

Shen Zizhen hurriedly ordered, "Quickly go and ask Commander Yu to send troops."

"Your subordinate obeys." The yamen runner took the order and left.

He Renlong's base was not in Gaoling County, but it was very close to it. The reason he went to Gaoling was to climb up the social ladder by getting close to Wang Wenzhou. Since Wang Wenzhou was pretending to leave, he certainly wouldn't stay in Gaoling.

Yu Qianhu's name was Yu Tao. He was a subordinate of He Renlong. Because his Qianhu garrison was located in Gaoling County, Shen Zizhen sent someone to ask him to send troops.

Shen Zizhen arrived at the county government office and looked at the funeral procession made up of courtesans. She shook her head with a bitter smile, knowing that there must be a mastermind behind today's events.

Seeing Miao Ping leading the funeral procession, Shen Zizhen thought to herself that it must be Miao Ping who instigated the people to cause trouble. This old scholar is outrageous. No wonder he has failed the imperial examinations for so many years. Instead of studying the classics, he is just stirring up trouble among the people!

Under the protection of the yamen runners, Shen Zizhen stopped the funeral procession and shouted, "Do you want to cause trouble?"

Miao Ping stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Lord Shen, today is Qi San's funeral. His family wants to ask you for an explanation: why was Qi San beaten to death?"

Shen Zizhen was furious. Miao Ping was just trying to instigate trouble!

Shen Zizhen asked coldly, "Where are the Qi family members?"

Liu Rushi slowly stepped forward and said, "I am Liu Ai, and I greet Lord Shen."

Shen Zizhen had learned from the yamen runners that a wealthy man had bought Qi Siyan, who had sold herself into servitude to bury her father. Wealthy people are often capricious! So she wanted to help her father-in-law seek justice.

Shen Zizhen was quite helpless. The person was already gone, so what justice could he possibly seek? Did he expect the official to pay with his life? Even if you have money, you can't be so willful! You're from out of town, not from a local gentry family. Do you think the official is afraid of you?

Shen Zizhen looked Liu Rushi up and down and asked, "Who is Qi San to you?"

"Qi San is my father-in-law. I just want to know why you ordered the yamen runners to beat him to death?" Liu Rushi asked rhetorically.

Miao Ping looked at Liu Rushi with suspicion. Where did Young Master Zhou go? How did you become Qi Siyan's husband? You're a woman! Could it be that Young Master Zhou was afraid of getting into trouble and sent you to take the lead?

Wang Wenzhou had met Shen Zizhen once before, and although he had changed his clothes, he was afraid of being recognized by her. He wanted to force Shen Zizhen to say something outrageous to incite the people's hatred so that he could appear on screen and play the role of Wang Qingtian, the righteous official who rid the people of evil.

"Hmph!" Miao Ping snorted coldly and said viciously, "That day, Qi San and others gathered a crowd to cause trouble, and I had no choice but to order the yamen runners to disperse them. During the clearing process, Qi San and others violently resisted the law, so the yamen runners had to use force against them. I also regret Qi San's unexpected death. But it was an accident, and I cannot punish the yamen runners who were enforcing the law impartially."

"You scoundrel!" Liu Rushi was furious. Shen Zizhen had gone too far, lying through her teeth!

"How dare you! How dare you insult an official of the imperial court!" Li Bantou rebuked Liu Rushi.

Liu Rushi asked coldly, "Very well! Lord Shen, I will not pursue the cause of my father-in-law's death for now. May I ask, Lord Shen, the Emperor has already ordered the cessation of the three taxes. After ten years of collecting the three taxes in Gaoling County, when will you return the silver that should not have been collected to the people?"

"Yes! Lord Shen, where's the money?"

"You surnamed Shen, did you pocket all the money yourself?!"

"Corrupt official Shen Zizhen!"

The people criticized it.

Shen Zizhen frowned and rebuked, "How dare you! How dare you slander me? I have always been honest and upright, how could I embezzle the three taxes? The collected taxes have already been handed over to the court and distributed to the soldiers. What do you want from me?"

"You corrupt official who deceives his subordinates and conceals the truth from his superiors!" Liu Ru said angrily, pointing at Shen Zizhen. "You are incredibly audacious to levy the three taxes ten years from now! The people just wanted to get an explanation from you, and you ordered your yamen runners to commit violence..."

Shen Zizhen frowned as she looked at Liu Rushi's Adam's apple; she was a woman disguised as a man.

"Do you think you, a courtesan, can control matters of state? Get out of here now, or don't blame me for being impolite!" Shen Zizhen said coldly.

"You..." Liu Rushi was furious. She came from a brothel, but she was now the mother of Zhong Yigong. How dare you, a mere county magistrate, criticize and insult her?

"You son of a bitch! How dare you insult my baby!" Wang Wenzhou strode forward, pointing at Shen Zizhen and cursing loudly.

"How dare you! You insult an official of the imperial court! Guards, seize him and give him ten strokes of the cane!" Shen Zizhen said, pointing at Wang Wenzhou.

"Damn it! Shen Zizhen, open your dog eyes and look at yourself! You dare to hit me with a board? I think you've got a death wish!" Wang Wenzhou roared in fury.

Shen Zizhen looked closely and was terrified. It was none other than the Imperial Envoy Wang Wenzhou, Lord Wang!

"Your humble servant, Shen Zizhen, the magistrate of Gaoling County, greets Lord Wang Wenzhou!" Shen Zizhen immediately knelt down.

"Huh?" Miao Ping was stunned. This man who called himself King Wen of Zhou was actually the imperial envoy, Wang Wenzhou. This made sense, after all, Wang Wenzhou was a notorious womanizer, and he really was capable of acting on a whim for a woman.

Wang Wenzhou bowed to the people and said, "I am Wang Wenzhou. The Emperor ordered me to come to the Northwest to supervise the army. I did not want to get involved in today's matter, as it is not my duty. However, I simply could not bear it! A county magistrate dared to collect the three taxes for ten years and even ordered his yamen runners to beat innocent people to death."

"Lord Wang, please do us justice!"

"Wang Qingtian, you can't let Shen Zizhen, that corrupt official, get away with this!"

The people immediately knelt down and screamed.

Wang Wenzhou waved his hand and said, "Elders, please rise. I cannot accept your great courtesy. I am determined to handle this matter today! Shen Zizhen, do you know your crime?"

Shen Zizhen hurriedly wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and said, "Lord Wang, the death that day was truly an accident. The murderer was not a yamen runner, but a able-bodied man who came to help temporarily."

"Pfft..." Wang Wenzhou was immediately dumbfounded. Damn, did the Ming Dynasty have temporary workers too?