Weng Yanguo sent people to Shouchun to inform Wang Zhongheng not to sell his land to anyone, and to stop others.

But the Imperial City Division's actions were too fast. Wang Zhongheng and Wang Shuxun had already been thrown into the Imperial City Division's prison, but the letter sent by Weng Yanguo had not yet reached Shouzhou City.

And the Imperial City Department interrogated him once.

Wang Zhongheng kept saying that Weng Yanguo forced him to do it. Was it really Weng Yanguo who forced him to do it?

In this world, no one person's energy can dominate the overall situation. After all, apart from status, there is not much difference in the physiological structure between people.

People can't transmit messages thousands of miles away, can't control thoughts, and can't say something once, and others will be completely devoted to him or just do everything he does.

Even the emperor couldn't do it.

Therefore, when Wang Zhongheng said that Weng Yanguo forced him to do it, he was obviously trying to protect himself by passing the blame.

It's just a community of interests. When we have money, we all work together.

Once exposed, everyone will naturally take the blame and escape.

However, having said that, Weng Yanguo is the transfer envoy of Huainan West Road and the leader of civil affairs and finance. Regardless of whether he is forced to do so, as long as he participates, he has the greatest responsibility.

At least that's what Zhao Ning thinks.

His logic is very simple, with unified rights and responsibilities.

You are the top leader of a province. Power can be delegated to you, but you must also bear corresponding responsibilities.

Zhao Ning sat there, looked at Wang Shuxun, and asked: "How did you buy it from a small and medium-sized household?"

"It's through the Baozheng and powerful people in the village. They know the village best, and they know how much land each family has." Wang Shuxun explained in detail, not daring to hide anything.

"What I'm asking is how to buy it from small and medium-sized households?"

"It's a forced purchase. We pay them some money per acre, make them sign a land sale contract, and promise to make them tenants of the new owner of the land."

Zhao Ning asked: "What if we don't sell it?"

"If you don't sell...if you don't sell..."

"Tell me! What will happen if you don't sell?"

"They usually sell them. If they don't, those people will go to their homes to force them to buy them. If they don't sell them, they'll beat them." Wang Shuxun said with trembling fear.

Zhao Ning sighed in his heart: In ancient times, imperial power did not extend to counties, let alone justice.

Ancient society was a clan society. Generally speaking, clan law was superior to national law, and Baozheng and local large households basically controlled the power of public opinion and law enforcement, and sometimes even the power of trial.

If those people really want to forcefully buy the land, anyone who dares not to sell it will be beaten to death. If they are beaten to death, they will die.

If things get serious when you kill someone, find a scapegoat to take the blame.

The interests of those high-ranking officials have been achieved, who cares about the life and death of the mud-legged people below?

Who cares if the prisoner has been replaced?

This is also the reason why powerful people have always been created in ancient times.

Zhao Ning held the confession in his hand and continued: "These lists are all Shouchun's involved in buying and selling land?"

Wang Shuxun said: "Yes, yes, the common people have all spoken out, and no one has been missed. Some of them are either collecting fields below, some are looking for buyers from above, and some are currying favor with officials and building relationships."

Sure enough, to do anything, you must find the key person.

Who are the key people?

Weng Yanguo?

No, no, generally the officials above are responsible for maintaining the overall situation and not letting the court come down to investigate.

The middle-level officials are responsible for managing the losers at the grassroots level, and it is the losers who do the real work.

And in any game, there is a character like this, who can have both sides, and everyone can take advantage of it.

Wang Shuxun is such a person. This kind of person knows many details.

Weng Yanguo didn't care about how the subordinates monopolized the land. He only cared about the court's recent movements in Huaixi and how much money the subordinates paid him regularly.

Therefore, if you really want to take Weng Yanguo directly and interrogate him, he will definitely not know anything about the execution matters.

Zhao Ning's eyes fell back on Wang Zhongheng and continued to ask: "So they deliberately concealed and failed to pay last year's summer tax?"

"It's the transportation department that deliberately neglected to accept it."

"You're not willing to accept it?" Zhao Ning confirmed carefully, "Are you really not accepting it?"

"Yes, they have been collected, but no one knows how much they have collected."

"You, the general magistrate in charge of the fields, don't know that?"

"They all belong to Weng Yanguo, and I have no right to interfere with taxation."

"Then what you mean is that the tax was collected as expected, but the Huaixi Transportation Department concealed it?"

"Yes, Your Majesty is wise and I dare not deceive you." Wang Zhongheng said truthfully, "This is also the reason why the Ministry of Revenue used to conduct tax inspections and there was great resistance to land inspections."

Now that the question has come to this level, there are some things that not all Wang Zhongheng knows.

Zhao Ning asked the last question: "I have one last question. Some officials in the Huaixi Transfer Department are hiding taxes. What are the Criminal and Prison Department doing?"

"They..." Wang Zhongheng was startled for a moment, and seemed to think for a while before sighing and saying, "Of course they are serving as His Majesty's ministers, receiving salaries and serving as officials in Huaixi."

Zhao Ning understood this incomprehensible sentence.

Let me remind you that the Penal and Prison Department is in charge of local justice and also has the responsibility of inspecting officials.

But regarding the Huaixi incident, the Prison Department did not respond at all.

This fully illustrates one point: the officials of the Song Dynasty were overstaffed.

"Your Majesty, I have said everything that needs to be said. Your Majesty, please spare my life."

"Don't worry, if you are willing to tell me, I won't kill you. This is a rule I have set. I will not break the rules I set."

Brothers Wang Zhongheng and Wang Shuxun breathed a long sigh of relief.

Death penalty can be avoided, but living crime cannot be escaped.

Zhao Ning said nothing and walked out.

The lingering cold of February still lingers, and noisy sounds can be heard vaguely in the distance. The night market in Tokyo has just begun.

Zhao Ning looked up at the stars in the sky. The cold wind blew on his cheeks. Although it was cold, he felt more comfortable than ever before.

"Gao Qiu."

"I'm here."

"Go and bring Li Qing to the Imperial City Department. The results will be heard tonight."

"Yes, officials, don't worry. Li Qing has been under our surveillance. I will send someone to get him right now."

Without saying anything more, Zhao Ning went straight back to the palace. After returning to the palace, he said to Wang Huaiji: "Notify me of the morning meeting tomorrow."

"yes."

At this time, people under Gao Qiu had already discovered that Li Qing had just arrived at Qian's house.

"The Qian family? Is that the Qian family that Wang Zonglio supports?"

"I heard that he is a distant relative of Duke Rong Guo."

"I don't care what kind of distant relative he is, if he dares to associate with the imperial court, we will arrest him together!"

"After all, he is Wang Taiwei's man. Do you want to say hello?"

Gao Qiu chuckled and said, "Just hello, catch me! I want to see today who dares to protect those who dare to beg for food and collude with the imperial court!"

"yes!"

The imperial city commander Panzhi immediately dispatched and rushed to the vicinity of King Wucheng's temple.

At this time, Li Qing had just arrived at Qian's house.

"Brother Qian, my uncle has arrived in the capital. He is the transfer envoy to Huaixi. As long as we get married, our business will only get bigger and bigger in the future."

Qian Yuqing said: "Brother Li, this matter is of great importance. I need to go back to my hometown to discuss it with my parents."

"Brother Qian, I know that you are from the Qian family in Hangzhou, and Duke Rong Guo is your relative, but think about it, this bloodline is already very far away, and my uncle is the transfer envoy to Huaixi. As long as we get married, you will
Chapter completed!