The year was drawing to a close, and no one knew how to describe this year of military turmoil. The Emperor in Chang’an, upon his arrival, announced another amnesty and changed the era name to “Yongxing.” This marked the fourth time the era name had changed this year alone. The Emperor’s personal expeditions, from Luoyang to Ye City and then to Chang’an, had brought unrest throughout the entire realm.
However, as the year came to an end, a delicate balance was finally reached in the imperial court among the Sima clan members. After the era name change, the supposed “culprit,” Prince Chengdu Sima Ying, was stripped of his position as the Crown Prince, and Prince Yuzhang Sima Chi was appointed as the new Crown Prince. As the youngest son of Emperor Wu, Sima Chi did indeed have the qualifications to inherit the throne, but in reality, he was nothing more than a puppet put forward by the Hejian King.
It was as if they had received an auspicious sign with the new era name. Not only had the Eastern and Western Courts reached a truce, but even Bing County had also settled into peace. Tuoba Yiyi sent troops to assist Sima Teng, achieving several significant victories and reclaiming lost territories. The newly established Han state ceased its hostilities and hunkered down for the winter. Seeing the favorable situation, Sima Teng couldn’t help but feel self-satisfied and promised to petition the court to appoint Tuoba Yiyi as the Grand Chanyu. Tuoba Yiyi was deeply honored by this benevolent gesture and promised to provide military assistance once again.
It was like a ceasefire during Christmas in later times, and everyone began their winter break, preparing for the upcoming New Year’s festival. However, Liang Feng returned to Lu City with Yiyan.
This New Year, he couldn’t celebrate at home. Just as the imperial court held the Yuanhui1 on New Year’s Day, local states and counties also held their own gatherings on this day. After enduring last year’s political upheaval and warfare, Shangdang had finally settled down and begun rapid development. As the newly appointed prefect, Liang Feng had to use this opportunity to meet with his subordinate county officials.
With the superior’s orders in place, the subordinate officials dared not be negligent. Even before the official New Year’s Day, county officials from various counties had already arrived in Lu City. People like Guo Jiao, who was adept at politics, had come early to report this year’s achievements to Liang Feng.
“Thanks to the Lord’s guidance. In Gaodu County this year, we managed to settle more than six hundred households of refugees! Official land holdings have also doubled, and by the summer harvest next year, we’re sure to have a bountiful yield,” Guo Jiao, sitting in a lower position, said with great respect.
Guo Jiao was quite skillful in his speech. Nobody knew better than Liang Feng himself where the refugees from Gaodu had been relocated. In other words, besides the four hundred households allocated to the Liang Prefecture, Guo Jiao had successfully settled six hundred other refugee households. Shangdang alone had accommodated four thousand refugee households, and Gaodu County accounted for nearly a quarter of that. Moreover, these were households that were guaranteed to cultivate official land, a significant achievement in itself.
Liang Feng smiled and asked, “Dongye, do you have enough winter tools and seeds for spring planting?”
“More than enough! More than enough!” Guo Jiao, elated to be called by his courtesy name by Lord Liang, replied joyfully. “The hundred horses provided by the Lord were a great help. Who would have thought that their pulling power would be much stronger than that of oxen! There are no concerns about planting seeds either. We’ve already gathered a considerable amount of grain from last year’s autumn harvest. Even if we were to cultivate for over a hundred households, it wouldn’t be a problem!”
This was the benefit of implementing the official land system in Gaodu. Two consecutive seasons of bumper harvests had allowed Guo Jiao to taste the long-lost “abundant granaries.” And this was just a portion of the military provisions! When the newly reclaimed land also yielded bountiful crops next year, just the land tax alone might rival half of Shangdang’s income.
“Oh? That’s excellent. If any other county lacks grain reserves, you can requisition from Gaodu,” Liang Feng said nonchalantly.
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This statement left Guo Jiao momentarily stunned, but when he saw Liang Feng’s calm demeanor, he immediately understood. The Lord might be planning to assert his authority at the Yuanhui! If any county magistrate dared to claim insufficient grain reserves or refused to implement the new policies, Gaodu might be held up as an example. It seemed he was being asked to play the role of a vanguard to support Lord Liang.
However, Guo Jiao didn’t hesitate at all. “The official land in the county is established for the benefit of the court. I will wholeheartedly devote myself to assisting the Lord in your great plans!”
Others might have reservations, but Guo Jiao had already set sail. Ever since he witnessed Lord Liang’s extraordinary talent during the victory over the Xiongnu bandits, he believed that this head of the Liang family was worth serving. In the blink of an eye, Lord Liang had risen to the position of prefect and obtained an official appointment from the court. Not to mention the numerous victories and achievements in recent times. In such turbulent times, was there anything more secure than aligning with such a powerful figure? Guo Jiao might have limited abilities, but he was shrewd and worldly-wise, and he understood the true strength of the Liang Prefecture better than others. So he readily agreed without any hesitation.
Hearing his response, Liang Feng nodded in satisfaction. “With someone like Dongye as a county official, it is truly a blessing for Shangdang.”
All the county magistrates gathered in the county town, and beneath the surface, hidden currents surged. However, when New Year’s Day arrived, which was also the first day of the lunar year, everyone put on their best attire and headed to the prefecture to participate in the Yuanhui.
Although it wasn’t as grand as the court’s celebration, the Liang Prefecture had made thorough preparations for this year’s Yuanhui. With the sound of drums and music, Liang Feng ascended the main hall and invited the county magistrates inside. In the courtyard, bonfires were lit, and bamboo shoots were thrown into the fire, crackling and popping, symbolizing the expulsion of evil spirits and the assurance of peace.
However, when the firecrackers ceased, the county magistrates realized that there was no banquet arranged inside the main hall. This was quite unexpected because even when the emperor summoned his officials, they would have a banquet, with the officials offering congratulatory wine. How could it be that at the prefecture, there was no banquet? Did they have to first present gifts and offer salutations to the prefect?
Sitting in his seat, Liang Feng calmly said, “Today, I invited all of you to the prefectural office to discuss plans for the coming year. Last year, Shangdang suffered from frequent military disturbances and implemented several new policies. I wanted to hear about your jurisdictions and whether they are secure.”
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Once these words were spoken, everyone understood. This was a preliminary evaluation of their performance! The imperial court did indeed have regulations for assessing the officials’ achievements. Typically, there was a small evaluation every year and a major one every three years, with the assessment officials being the prefect himself. However, these evaluations had their procedures. The county officials would maintain records, which would then be reported to the prefect. Why would they suddenly conduct this on New Year’s Day? Moreover, during the past decade of turmoil in the imperial court, these evaluations had been mostly in name only, with the last proper assessment being conducted during the Taikang era. Normally, it was about whether the county magistrate pleased or displeased the superior officials. Which prefect would really take this matter to heart?
Nevertheless, the silence lasted only a moment. Guo Jiao, the county magistrate of Gaodu sitting in a lower position, bowed and said, “Last year, Gaodu received over six hundred households of refugees and reclaimed ten thousand mu of uncultivated land. After the spring, we plan to construct ten waterwheels for irrigation in the official fields.”
These achievements were truly astonishing! However, everyone in attendance was astute and didn’t suspect that Guo Jiao was lying. It was well-known that the prefect’s estate was located within the Gaodu jurisdiction. It was reasonable to assume that Guo Jiao was a trusted subordinate of the prefect.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Guo Jiao finished his report, Liu Xuan, the magistrate of Xuanshi County, said, “I only received one hundred and thirty households of refugees, but I have repaired two more waterwheels this year. We plan to reclaim more land this spring.”
Following him, the magistrate of Huguan County added, “Last year, I gathered the refugees and conducted major repairs on the defenses of Huguan and Liang City. General Wu suggested that we could use soldiers to assist in reclamation this spring.”
The magistrate of Tunliu County chimed in, saying, “Last year, Tunliu suffered from a raid by the Xiongnu, resulting in the loss of many residents. Fortunately, we accommodated two hundred households of refugees and built two Wu forts to reassure the people.”
One by one, they began to report their work and achievements from the past year. After all, the prefect had repeatedly ordered them to accommodate refugees, construct Wu forts, and provided horses and farming tools. Now that the assessments were being conducted, who would dare to say they had not been effective? Furthermore, there were several county magistrates from humble backgrounds who genuinely cared for the welfare of the people and had accomplished quite a lot.
However, not all of the ten counties in Shangdang were governed by diligent officials. When it came to Nie County, the magistrate elegantly gathered his sleeves and said, “Last year, the county faced various troubles, causing significant distress to the people, who had no intention of farming. I respectfully request that Prefect provide funds and food to alleviate the disaster and stabilize the people.”
Even though he reported such dismal achievements, Magistrate Gao displayed no shame. Instead, he exuded an air of aristocratic pride. As a member of the Gao clan from Chenliu, he carried himself with dignity and was far from as deferential as the other magistrates. He boldly requested funds and food, as if it were his due.
Liang Feng raised an eyebrow, “How much food and funds do you need?”
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Without even calculating, Magistrate Gao immediately replied, “Five thousand bushels should suffice to tide over the spring famine.”
This amounted to more than twice Liang Feng’s annual salary, and he readily agreed. The great hall fell silent. After all, the newly appointed prefect had been in office for a short time, and now he had to deal with someone from the prestigious Gao clan. How would he handle this situation?
However, Liang Feng smirked coldly and said, “Five thousand bushels for disaster relief isn’t much. But what Nie County lacks isn’t just food and funds.”
With that, he picked up an item from the table in front of him and tossed it in front of Magistrate Gao. “This is the testimony obtained from the bandits who were exterminated around Nie County last year. The excessive tax collection by the county office last year forced over a hundred people to flee and join the bandits. Can you tell me how this additional tax would help?”
Magistrate Gao had not anticipated that Liang Feng would produce such evidence. He hastily replied, “It was Lord Dongying who ordered the increased taxation due to the military campaign…”
“During a military campaign, the military expenses should come from the prefectural treasury. Why is Nie County’s treasury empty?” Liang Feng posed his second question.
“Due to multiple years of natural disasters, the county treasury has been used for disaster relief…” Magistrate Gao’s forehead was now covered in sweat. This question was truly tricky. He couldn’t admit that he had depleted the treasury, could he?
“If it was for disaster relief, then why didn’t the county office submit any documents to the prefecture?” Liang Feng’s tone became stern.
Disaster relief couldn’t be carried out without due process. Even if they had acted expediently at the time, they would have had to report and record it later. Otherwise, wouldn’t the prefectural treasury become the magistrate’s private vault? Like Guo Jiao, who had initially misappropriated military supplies for accommodating refugees but later made amends and replenished them, along with recording the transactions meticulously, no details were spared.
As for Nie County, there were no official records, no funds, and it had even nurtured a gang of bandits, nearly causing a disaster. The scale of this banditry alone raised significant questions. In feudal society, only oppressive policies could lead to such circumstances. Therefore, after suppressing the rebellion, Liang Feng sent people to investigate carefully to understand what was really happening in Nie County.
Now, with all the evidence and witnesses at hand, the prefect had decided to hold the magistrate accountable during the New Year’s meeting. Magistrate Gao had no time to prepare and was caught off guard.
The suppression of the rebellion had occurred two months ago, and Magistrate Gao couldn’t have foreseen that his actions, which he thought had gone unnoticed, would come to light during this meeting. After stammering for a moment, he finally admitted, “When I took office, there were deficiencies in the county treasury. I swear, it wasn’t my doing…”
“But what about privately accommodating refugees, encroaching on official farmland, using officials and artisans without authorization, misappropriating relief supplies? Who is responsible for that?” Liang Feng picked up another ledger and threw it in front of him once again.
Magistrate Gao felt a wave of dizziness in his head. Many local officials engaged in similar activities, but while it could be done, getting caught remained a significant problem. Moreover, he had misappropriated the relief supplies given to him earlier, even swallowing the grain meant for suppressing the rebellion. There was no way to shift the blame. But how had this young upstart uncovered everything so clearly?
Seeing Magistrate Gao sweating profusely, Liang Feng played his final card, “And what about the two groups of bandits in the vicinity who confessed to having connections with the Nie County government? How does Magistrate Gao explain that?”
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“Lord Prefect! This is a conspiracy against me by those bandits!” Magistrate Gao couldn’t hesitate any longer and knelt on the ground. Other matters might be attributed to his incompetence or excessive greed, but collusion with bandits was a different kind of accusation. Regardless of the circumstances, he dared not admit to it.
Liang Feng coldly smiled, “Very well, Magistrate Gao, you can confront those bandits yourself. Take him away!”
Immediately, attendants on either side approached, grabbed Magistrate Gao by his sleeves, and began dragging him out. At this moment, Magistrate Gao stopped kneeling and shouted in anger, “Liang Zixi, I come from a prestigious family and hold the position recognized by the court! How can you humiliate me like this?!”
Indeed, no matter how one looked at it, he was a scion of the Gao clan. Being dragged out like this, dismissed on the spot, how could he justify it? Could it be that this man surnamed Liang wanted to replace him with one of his own trusted subordinates? How dare he do such a thing!
Liang Feng coldly smiled, “Magistrate Gao, don’t worry. The newly appointed acting Magistrate for Nie County will be Yang Ye. With the current chaos caused by the Xiongnu, leaving you in your position would only endanger your life. I believe both the court and your esteemed family will understand my intentions.”
Magistrate Gao was stunned. He hailed from Chenliu, not from Shangdang. However, the name Liang Feng mentioned, Yang Ye, was a local gentry of Shangdang with a prestigious background. Although his family had fallen on hard times, his status couldn’t be compared to commoners. Moreover, the last sentence left no room for argument. Even without the Xiongnu threat, the previous bandit problem had nearly breached the county town’s defenses. Nie County was a border region, and if a large army attacked, could he truly defend it?
All his grievances were suppressed instantly, and Magistrate Gao was dragged away in a daze. Inside the hall, silence fell once again. Those who had just reported their achievements breathed a sigh of relief, grateful they hadn’t violated the orders from the Prefecture, and they couldn’t have anticipated that the Prefect, in just two short months, could investigate county affairs so thoroughly and act decisively.
As for the county magistrates who hadn’t reported yet, beads of sweat formed on their foreheads. After swallowing hard a few times, the Magistrate of Wuxiang County finally spoke, “My Lord Prefect, please forgive me. Wuxiang has many Hu residents, and their livelihoods are in decline. Although many Jiehu returned last year, the fields have long been barren, and the grain stores are insufficient. I fear that spring farming will be affected…”
“How many refugees are currently in Wuxiang?”
“Seventy-six households, but there is much uncultivated land. If we could have 3,000 bushels of grain, we should be able to cultivate and support spring farming…” The Magistrate stammered out his response.
“Transport 3,500 bushels of grain from Gaodu to Wuxiang. Ensure that spring farming resumes to support the refugees,” Liang Feng’s tone remained unchanged as he issued the order.
Unexpectedly, the Magistrate agreed, and the Magistrate of Wuxiang County hurriedly kowtowed, “Thank you, Lord Prefect! I will do my utmost to help the refugees!”
Liang Feng waved his hand, “Shangdang has suffered from disasters for many years, and some counties are indeed struggling. However, as long as all county officials work together to stabilize and care for the people, the commoners will thrive like pastures. If you encounter difficulties, report to the Prefecture. The Emperor entrusted this region to my hands, and I serve the court and the people’s interests. Gentlemen, do not covet personal gain and forget this heavy responsibility.”
These words were delivered with respect and dignity, exuding a sense of determination. Those who had become Magistrates were undoubtedly well-read in the classics, and upon hearing these words, some felt admiration, some were ashamed, and others secretly resolved to at least not let the Prefect find fault with them. Regardless of their inner thoughts, on their faces, they all wore expressions of praise and gratitude.
“The Prefect is truly a loyal and virtuous man!”
“I will dedicate myself fully!”
“I dare not slack off and forget my responsibilities…”
Seeing the sincere or humble expressions below, Liang Feng smiled faintly, “May you all remember what was said today. Today is New Year’s Day, bring in the feast. I invite you all to enjoy the festivities with hearty drinks!”
With the stick of discipline established, there must also be a peace offering. However, at this moment, who was thinking about eating and drinking? All the county magistrates, with full dedication, respectfully took their seats and began another round of official socializing.
The year was drawing to a close, and no one knew how to describe this year of military turmoil. The Emperor in Chang’an, upon his arrival, announced another amnesty and changed the era name to “Yongxing.” This marked the fourth time the era name had changed this year alone. The Emperor’s personal expeditions, from Luoyang to Ye City and then to Chang’an, had brought unrest throughout the entire realm.
However, as the year came to an end, a delicate balance was finally reached in the imperial court among the Sima clan members. After the era name change, the supposed “culprit,” Prince Chengdu Sima Ying, was stripped of his position as the Crown Prince, and Prince Yuzhang Sima Chi was appointed as the new Crown Prince. As the youngest son of Emperor Wu, Sima Chi did indeed have the qualifications to inherit the throne, but in reality, he was nothing more than a puppet put forward by the Hejian King.
It was as if they had received an auspicious sign with the new era name. Not only had the Eastern and Western Courts reached a truce, but even Bing County had also settled into peace. Tuoba Yiyi sent troops to assist Sima Teng, achieving several significant victories and reclaiming lost territories. The newly established Han state ceased its hostilities and hunkered down for the winter. Seeing the favorable situation, Sima Teng couldn’t help but feel self-satisfied and promised to petition the court to appoint Tuoba Yiyi as the Grand Chanyu. Tuoba Yiyi was deeply honored by this benevolent gesture and promised to provide military assistance once again.
It was like a ceasefire during Christmas in later times, and everyone began their winter break, preparing for the upcoming New Year’s festival. However, Liang Feng returned to Lu City with Yiyan.
This New Year, he couldn’t celebrate at home. Just as the imperial court held the Yuanhui1 on New Year’s Day, local states and counties also held their own gatherings on this day. After enduring last year’s political upheaval and warfare, Shangdang had finally settled down and begun rapid development. As the newly appointed prefect, Liang Feng had to use this opportunity to meet with his subordinate county officials.
With the superior’s orders in place, the subordinate officials dared not be negligent. Even before the official New Year’s Day, county officials from various counties had already arrived in Lu City. People like Guo Jiao, who was adept at politics, had come early to report this year’s achievements to Liang Feng.
“Thanks to the Lord’s guidance. In Gaodu County this year, we managed to settle more than six hundred households of refugees! Official land holdings have also doubled, and by the summer harvest next year, we’re sure to have a bountiful yield,” Guo Jiao, sitting in a lower position, said with great respect.
Guo Jiao was quite skillful in his speech. Nobody knew better than Liang Feng himself where the refugees from Gaodu had been relocated. In other words, besides the four hundred households allocated to the Liang Prefecture, Guo Jiao had successfully settled six hundred other refugee households. Shangdang alone had accommodated four thousand refugee households, and Gaodu County accounted for nearly a quarter of that. Moreover, these were households that were guaranteed to cultivate official land, a significant achievement in itself.
Liang Feng smiled and asked, “Dongye, do you have enough winter tools and seeds for spring planting?”
“More than enough! More than enough!” Guo Jiao, elated to be called by his courtesy name by Lord Liang, replied joyfully. “The hundred horses provided by the Lord were a great help. Who would have thought that their pulling power would be much stronger than that of oxen! There are no concerns about planting seeds either. We’ve already gathered a considerable amount of grain from last year’s autumn harvest. Even if we were to cultivate for over a hundred households, it wouldn’t be a problem!”
This was the benefit of implementing the official land system in Gaodu. Two consecutive seasons of bumper harvests had allowed Guo Jiao to taste the long-lost “abundant granaries.” And this was just a portion of the military provisions! When the newly reclaimed land also yielded bountiful crops next year, just the land tax alone might rival half of Shangdang’s income.
“Oh? That’s excellent. If any other county lacks grain reserves, you can requisition from Gaodu,” Liang Feng said nonchalantly.
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This statement left Guo Jiao momentarily stunned, but when he saw Liang Feng’s calm demeanor, he immediately understood. The Lord might be planning to assert his authority at the Yuanhui! If any county magistrate dared to claim insufficient grain reserves or refused to implement the new policies, Gaodu might be held up as an example. It seemed he was being asked to play the role of a vanguard to support Lord Liang.
However, Guo Jiao didn’t hesitate at all. “The official land in the county is established for the benefit of the court. I will wholeheartedly devote myself to assisting the Lord in your great plans!”
Others might have reservations, but Guo Jiao had already set sail. Ever since he witnessed Lord Liang’s extraordinary talent during the victory over the Xiongnu bandits, he believed that this head of the Liang family was worth serving. In the blink of an eye, Lord Liang had risen to the position of prefect and obtained an official appointment from the court. Not to mention the numerous victories and achievements in recent times. In such turbulent times, was there anything more secure than aligning with such a powerful figure? Guo Jiao might have limited abilities, but he was shrewd and worldly-wise, and he understood the true strength of the Liang Prefecture better than others. So he readily agreed without any hesitation.
Hearing his response, Liang Feng nodded in satisfaction. “With someone like Dongye as a county official, it is truly a blessing for Shangdang.”
All the county magistrates gathered in the county town, and beneath the surface, hidden currents surged. However, when New Year’s Day arrived, which was also the first day of the lunar year, everyone put on their best attire and headed to the prefecture to participate in the Yuanhui.
Although it wasn’t as grand as the court’s celebration, the Liang Prefecture had made thorough preparations for this year’s Yuanhui. With the sound of drums and music, Liang Feng ascended the main hall and invited the county magistrates inside. In the courtyard, bonfires were lit, and bamboo shoots were thrown into the fire, crackling and popping, symbolizing the expulsion of evil spirits and the assurance of peace.
However, when the firecrackers ceased, the county magistrates realized that there was no banquet arranged inside the main hall. This was quite unexpected because even when the emperor summoned his officials, they would have a banquet, with the officials offering congratulatory wine. How could it be that at the prefecture, there was no banquet? Did they have to first present gifts and offer salutations to the prefect?
Sitting in his seat, Liang Feng calmly said, “Today, I invited all of you to the prefectural office to discuss plans for the coming year. Last year, Shangdang suffered from frequent military disturbances and implemented several new policies. I wanted to hear about your jurisdictions and whether they are secure.”
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Once these words were spoken, everyone understood. This was a preliminary evaluation of their performance! The imperial court did indeed have regulations for assessing the officials’ achievements. Typically, there was a small evaluation every year and a major one every three years, with the assessment officials being the prefect himself. However, these evaluations had their procedures. The county officials would maintain records, which would then be reported to the prefect. Why would they suddenly conduct this on New Year’s Day? Moreover, during the past decade of turmoil in the imperial court, these evaluations had been mostly in name only, with the last proper assessment being conducted during the Taikang era. Normally, it was about whether the county magistrate pleased or displeased the superior officials. Which prefect would really take this matter to heart?
Nevertheless, the silence lasted only a moment. Guo Jiao, the county magistrate of Gaodu sitting in a lower position, bowed and said, “Last year, Gaodu received over six hundred households of refugees and reclaimed ten thousand mu of uncultivated land. After the spring, we plan to construct ten waterwheels for irrigation in the official fields.”
These achievements were truly astonishing! However, everyone in attendance was astute and didn’t suspect that Guo Jiao was lying. It was well-known that the prefect’s estate was located within the Gaodu jurisdiction. It was reasonable to assume that Guo Jiao was a trusted subordinate of the prefect.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Guo Jiao finished his report, Liu Xuan, the magistrate of Xuanshi County, said, “I only received one hundred and thirty households of refugees, but I have repaired two more waterwheels this year. We plan to reclaim more land this spring.”
Following him, the magistrate of Huguan County added, “Last year, I gathered the refugees and conducted major repairs on the defenses of Huguan and Liang City. General Wu suggested that we could use soldiers to assist in reclamation this spring.”
The magistrate of Tunliu County chimed in, saying, “Last year, Tunliu suffered from a raid by the Xiongnu, resulting in the loss of many residents. Fortunately, we accommodated two hundred households of refugees and built two Wu forts to reassure the people.”
One by one, they began to report their work and achievements from the past year. After all, the prefect had repeatedly ordered them to accommodate refugees, construct Wu forts, and provided horses and farming tools. Now that the assessments were being conducted, who would dare to say they had not been effective? Furthermore, there were several county magistrates from humble backgrounds who genuinely cared for the welfare of the people and had accomplished quite a lot.
However, not all of the ten counties in Shangdang were governed by diligent officials. When it came to Nie County, the magistrate elegantly gathered his sleeves and said, “Last year, the county faced various troubles, causing significant distress to the people, who had no intention of farming. I respectfully request that Prefect provide funds and food to alleviate the disaster and stabilize the people.”
Even though he reported such dismal achievements, Magistrate Gao displayed no shame. Instead, he exuded an air of aristocratic pride. As a member of the Gao clan from Chenliu, he carried himself with dignity and was far from as deferential as the other magistrates. He boldly requested funds and food, as if it were his due.
Liang Feng raised an eyebrow, “How much food and funds do you need?”
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Without even calculating, Magistrate Gao immediately replied, “Five thousand bushels should suffice to tide over the spring famine.”
This amounted to more than twice Liang Feng’s annual salary, and he readily agreed. The great hall fell silent. After all, the newly appointed prefect had been in office for a short time, and now he had to deal with someone from the prestigious Gao clan. How would he handle this situation?
However, Liang Feng smirked coldly and said, “Five thousand bushels for disaster relief isn’t much. But what Nie County lacks isn’t just food and funds.”
With that, he picked up an item from the table in front of him and tossed it in front of Magistrate Gao. “This is the testimony obtained from the bandits who were exterminated around Nie County last year. The excessive tax collection by the county office last year forced over a hundred people to flee and join the bandits. Can you tell me how this additional tax would help?”
Magistrate Gao had not anticipated that Liang Feng would produce such evidence. He hastily replied, “It was Lord Dongying who ordered the increased taxation due to the military campaign…”
“During a military campaign, the military expenses should come from the prefectural treasury. Why is Nie County’s treasury empty?” Liang Feng posed his second question.
“Due to multiple years of natural disasters, the county treasury has been used for disaster relief…” Magistrate Gao’s forehead was now covered in sweat. This question was truly tricky. He couldn’t admit that he had depleted the treasury, could he?
“If it was for disaster relief, then why didn’t the county office submit any documents to the prefecture?” Liang Feng’s tone became stern.
Disaster relief couldn’t be carried out without due process. Even if they had acted expediently at the time, they would have had to report and record it later. Otherwise, wouldn’t the prefectural treasury become the magistrate’s private vault? Like Guo Jiao, who had initially misappropriated military supplies for accommodating refugees but later made amends and replenished them, along with recording the transactions meticulously, no details were spared.
As for Nie County, there were no official records, no funds, and it had even nurtured a gang of bandits, nearly causing a disaster. The scale of this banditry alone raised significant questions. In feudal society, only oppressive policies could lead to such circumstances. Therefore, after suppressing the rebellion, Liang Feng sent people to investigate carefully to understand what was really happening in Nie County.
Now, with all the evidence and witnesses at hand, the prefect had decided to hold the magistrate accountable during the New Year’s meeting. Magistrate Gao had no time to prepare and was caught off guard.
The suppression of the rebellion had occurred two months ago, and Magistrate Gao couldn’t have foreseen that his actions, which he thought had gone unnoticed, would come to light during this meeting. After stammering for a moment, he finally admitted, “When I took office, there were deficiencies in the county treasury. I swear, it wasn’t my doing…”
“But what about privately accommodating refugees, encroaching on official farmland, using officials and artisans without authorization, misappropriating relief supplies? Who is responsible for that?” Liang Feng picked up another ledger and threw it in front of him once again.
Magistrate Gao felt a wave of dizziness in his head. Many local officials engaged in similar activities, but while it could be done, getting caught remained a significant problem. Moreover, he had misappropriated the relief supplies given to him earlier, even swallowing the grain meant for suppressing the rebellion. There was no way to shift the blame. But how had this young upstart uncovered everything so clearly?
Seeing Magistrate Gao sweating profusely, Liang Feng played his final card, “And what about the two groups of bandits in the vicinity who confessed to having connections with the Nie County government? How does Magistrate Gao explain that?”
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“Lord Prefect! This is a conspiracy against me by those bandits!” Magistrate Gao couldn’t hesitate any longer and knelt on the ground. Other matters might be attributed to his incompetence or excessive greed, but collusion with bandits was a different kind of accusation. Regardless of the circumstances, he dared not admit to it.
Liang Feng coldly smiled, “Very well, Magistrate Gao, you can confront those bandits yourself. Take him away!”
Immediately, attendants on either side approached, grabbed Magistrate Gao by his sleeves, and began dragging him out. At this moment, Magistrate Gao stopped kneeling and shouted in anger, “Liang Zixi, I come from a prestigious family and hold the position recognized by the court! How can you humiliate me like this?!”
Indeed, no matter how one looked at it, he was a scion of the Gao clan. Being dragged out like this, dismissed on the spot, how could he justify it? Could it be that this man surnamed Liang wanted to replace him with one of his own trusted subordinates? How dare he do such a thing!
Liang Feng coldly smiled, “Magistrate Gao, don’t worry. The newly appointed acting Magistrate for Nie County will be Yang Ye. With the current chaos caused by the Xiongnu, leaving you in your position would only endanger your life. I believe both the court and your esteemed family will understand my intentions.”
Magistrate Gao was stunned. He hailed from Chenliu, not from Shangdang. However, the name Liang Feng mentioned, Yang Ye, was a local gentry of Shangdang with a prestigious background. Although his family had fallen on hard times, his status couldn’t be compared to commoners. Moreover, the last sentence left no room for argument. Even without the Xiongnu threat, the previous bandit problem had nearly breached the county town’s defenses. Nie County was a border region, and if a large army attacked, could he truly defend it?
All his grievances were suppressed instantly, and Magistrate Gao was dragged away in a daze. Inside the hall, silence fell once again. Those who had just reported their achievements breathed a sigh of relief, grateful they hadn’t violated the orders from the Prefecture, and they couldn’t have anticipated that the Prefect, in just two short months, could investigate county affairs so thoroughly and act decisively.
As for the county magistrates who hadn’t reported yet, beads of sweat formed on their foreheads. After swallowing hard a few times, the Magistrate of Wuxiang County finally spoke, “My Lord Prefect, please forgive me. Wuxiang has many Hu residents, and their livelihoods are in decline. Although many Jiehu returned last year, the fields have long been barren, and the grain stores are insufficient. I fear that spring farming will be affected…”
“How many refugees are currently in Wuxiang?”
“Seventy-six households, but there is much uncultivated land. If we could have 3,000 bushels of grain, we should be able to cultivate and support spring farming…” The Magistrate stammered out his response.
“Transport 3,500 bushels of grain from Gaodu to Wuxiang. Ensure that spring farming resumes to support the refugees,” Liang Feng’s tone remained unchanged as he issued the order.
Unexpectedly, the Magistrate agreed, and the Magistrate of Wuxiang County hurriedly kowtowed, “Thank you, Lord Prefect! I will do my utmost to help the refugees!”
Liang Feng waved his hand, “Shangdang has suffered from disasters for many years, and some counties are indeed struggling. However, as long as all county officials work together to stabilize and care for the people, the commoners will thrive like pastures. If you encounter difficulties, report to the Prefecture. The Emperor entrusted this region to my hands, and I serve the court and the people’s interests. Gentlemen, do not covet personal gain and forget this heavy responsibility.”
These words were delivered with respect and dignity, exuding a sense of determination. Those who had become Magistrates were undoubtedly well-read in the classics, and upon hearing these words, some felt admiration, some were ashamed, and others secretly resolved to at least not let the Prefect find fault with them. Regardless of their inner thoughts, on their faces, they all wore expressions of praise and gratitude.
“The Prefect is truly a loyal and virtuous man!”
“I will dedicate myself fully!”
“I dare not slack off and forget my responsibilities…”
Seeing the sincere or humble expressions below, Liang Feng smiled faintly, “May you all remember what was said today. Today is New Year’s Day, bring in the feast. I invite you all to enjoy the festivities with hearty drinks!”
With the stick of discipline established, there must also be a peace offering. However, at this moment, who was thinking about eating and drinking? All the county magistrates, with full dedication, respectfully took their seats and began another round of official socializing.
