If the imperial power does not go to the countryside, the county magistrate who wants to manage the people who rule the countryside must pass through the unique class of gentry.

The gentry is mainly composed of scholars who have not been in the imperial examination or failed or failed, local educated small and medium-sized landlords, retired and returned to their hometowns or lived in the countryside for a long time to rest, and clan elders, and other people who have influence in rural society.

They have both status and are also a bridge between the country and the rural people. The county magistrate naturally dares not offend too much.

Facing the twenty-seven gentry gathered together, County Magistrate Liu coughed lightly, told the whole story, and focused on two points.

This is everything that is forced by the Japanese. Five Thousand Oceans are the request of the county magistrate. He, the county magistrate, is just a messenger who runs errands and asks them to do it.

As soon as he finished speaking, the lower part was in full swing.

"Five thousand oceans, are the Japanese crazy about gains and losses?"

"Five thousand oceans, our ancestors have saved up for many years, but they can't save such a piece of property. Is this Japanese made of gold? It's so valuable!"

"If I want to say, it's not our business at all. This is not what the bandits have come to our Yuanbao Town to do. The Japanese have already left the town. Who can know where they have gone? It depends on us, and who knows if he is cheating people?"

"Yes, the Japanese are too bad-hearted and strongly suspect that this is their conspiracy. They make up such an excuse to extort money."

Similar doubts kept ringing, and no one was willing to admit this. Five thousand oceans, half of the squire present had a property not enough!

Besides, why do they pay for this fictitious thing?

Is it something made up because of the Japanese nonsense?

Let's have fun!

County Magistrate Liu drank tea and waited for them to finish complaining, and then he said slowly: "Everyone, you must be clear that the Japanese will not give up if they receive a satisfactory reply.

Now it is the magistrate of Chang County that has decided to solve the problem. If the five thousand oceans have solved it, everything will be happy. But if the Japanese are serious, it will not be able to settle the situation if the five thousand oceans are replaced. The sooner the problem is solved, the better."

The gentry present was silent, and they also knew the domineering of the Japanese. The failure of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, and the land was ceased and the court also admitted its conscience!

Even said that at that time, "patterned silver" with a content of 93.5%, the Qing court thought that it could be paid according to this.

However, in order to pay more compensation, Japan insisted on settlement at 99% of the "suffice of silver" in order to pay more than 10 million taels for this!

Isn’t it normal for Japan to blackmail more than 10 million taels, and a few little Japanese to blackmail 5,000 oceans?

Seeing that their attitude was relaxed, County Magistrate Liu continued to persuade: "Everyone, these five thousand oceans are not for you to leave. Yuanbao Town has this responsibility. If you spread it equally, everyone will be just a ocean."

For those present, it is to make a few taels of good tea and set up a table of good dishes. Even when you are in a good mood when you listen to the opera, you throw a few pieces of ocean to the stage to reward it.

To them, a piece of ocean is just a daily consumption and is nothing.

But for the tenants at the bottom, the coolies who carry the bags, and the counter-attacks, a piece of ocean may be their income for ten days and half a month. It is difficult for them to earn that little money and support their families. If they take out this piece of ocean, it will be a pants.

What's more, some people have old and young people, and they rely on one or two strong laborers to make money. The money is spread evenly on them, which is several dollars. Would their whole family not eat or drink for a month?

The squire's expressions were a little solemn, and anyone with a little conscience would definitely not be willing to do so.

But if they really make a choice, they will definitely choose to sacrifice the interests of others and protect their own interests.

At this moment, Zhu Kaishan stood up and said, "Everyone, I'll say justice. This incident is a disaster. It has nothing to do with us if something happens to the Japanese. I can only blame them for their bad luck.

But now the Japanese have left this responsibility on our young and old men, which is a little wrong.

For money, yes. For humanitarianism, we can give their families some pensions, but we must not have that much. Do we treat our men as suspicions?"

"Brother Zhu is right. This is a pension, not a compensation. The Japanese cannot treat us as suckers. This amount is too large, and I don't recognize it."

"Brother Zhu is right, and I agree."

The others agreed and almost choked Liu County Magistrate who was sitting first. He did not expect that this strange man was so appealing and took the initiative away.

He whispered to the familiar squire next to him, "Old Zhang, who is this person?"

No matter how lively the talk was, the old man didn't say anything. Then he opened his eyes and looked at everyone present and said lightly: "This is Zhu Kaishan from Niugou, a foreigner who has just taken root for a few years. It's normal that Lord Liu doesn't know him."

How much influence can a foreigner who has just taken root for a few years have? County Magistrate Liu naturally doesn’t panic when he has a clear mind.

Facing this foreigner who refuted his face, he didn't want to let go, and took this opportunity to let people see his official power.

He stood up, pointed at Zhu Kaishan and scolded, "Who are you? Who hasn't tied your belt to expose you? How dare you point fingers here? Drive it out for me."

The soldiers he brought understood his mysterious voice and rushed up with malicious intentions, preparing to give this countryman some color to let him know the power of the county magistrate.

But Zhu Kaishan is not an easy person. The lives of the Qing soldiers in his hands have already been double digits, so how could he be taken down by these few tricks?

After a series of fists, five or six soldiers all lay down to the ground, and were seriously injured one by one. The remaining soldiers quickly pulled out their waists and surrounded Zhu Kaishan in the middle, but no one dared to act rashly.

"Mr. Liu, don't be dirty like a pit, I will not help but want to beat you up." Zhu Kaishan glared at him coldly and said without fear.

County Magistrate Liu's face was so gloomy that water was almost dripping from him. No one dared to talk to him like this!

The crime comes casually, "Resist the law and attack the imperial court's official, and the crime should be punished and taken down by me!"

But at this moment, Yuan Pengfei, who had been outside for a long time, did not dare to continue watching and shouted: "Yuan Pengfei is here, who dares to be arrogant!"

The four people following him were not polite, and rushed in, took out the muffle gun at his waist and pointed it at the soldiers, so they could kill them at any time.

They also let them know that the three words Yuan Pengfei are not just talking about, but that is a life-threatening person.

Yuan Pengfei glanced around everyone, looked at Liu County Magistrate, and said playfully: "Mr. Liu County Magistrate, what were you saying just now? I didn't hear it clearly, repeat it to me again."

At this moment, Mr. Zhang pretended to be panting and coughed, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Mr. Liu is too anxious. Zhu Kaishan is Yuan Pengfei's godfather, so he represents the dozens of families in Gengniugou."

The cold sweat on Liu County Magistrate's forehead instantly flowed down. How could he get involved with this King of Hell? This is a murderous demon!

Yuan Pengfei's name is known to everyone in Yuanbao Town, and even the newborn children know that this is their guardian god, and it is also a god who kills all the bandits within a radius of 30 miles.

County Magistrate Liu also knew his name!

For a time, the bandits were pulled to the county government office by car, and the heads on the city gate were almost full, and they were all famous bandits on the green forest road.

Later, I didn't continue to send it off because the unlucky bandits on Yuan Pengfei's territory were almost killed. And those clever feelings could not survive. They would rather go to compete with bandits from other places to eat than face Yuan Pengfei, the King of Hell, on this ground.

Although the Chang County Magistrate did not take Yuan Pengfei seriously when he gave orders to him, he was very angry. In fact, if he really wanted to be in front of Yuan Pengfei, the Chang County Magistrate didn't dare to say that.

Yuan Pengfei has long been the first to be a newcomer without a background. Someone from Fengtian has already greeted them, and someone is covering them.

Only the magistrate of Chang County is qualified, and he is not a county magistrate!

Squeezing out a smile, County Magistrate Liu waved his subordinates back, took small steps to Yuan Pengfei, bowed respectfully and said: "Captain Yuan Haihan, this is not a flood that has washed away the Dragon King Temple, and the whole family doesn't know the whole family!

If I had known that it was your Captain Yuan’s elder, I wouldn’t have said that even if I had beaten to death! Please forgive me, forgive me!"

Zhu Kaishan glared at him, but did not say anything. He knew that it would be no good to break up with the government. If the stable life was chaotic, he didn't care. Those couples in the family would not do it.

Yuan Pengfei looked at Zhu Kaishan's appearance and said what to do. He wrote a note to this guy in his heart, but he did not continue to pursue his unclean mouth.

"Mr. Liu, how much does the Japanese want?"

"Five thousand oceans."

"My face should be worth two thousand oceans!"

County Magistrate Liu felt bitter, but he had to admit it. He nodded quickly and said, "It's worth it, it's definitely worth it. Not to mention two thousand oceans, even three thousand oceans are worth it."

"No need, I know how much I have. Even if it's two thousand oceans! I'll find six Japanese people to fight the bandits and get two thousand oceans of hard money, right?"

"It should be, it should be, how can I not spend money on bandit suppression? It is natural to spend money on bandit suppression." County Chief Liu cooperated with a smile.

When he meets someone who can control him, he is just a vocal worm, and he dares not disagree at all.

Yuan Pengfei knew that was it, and chuckled, "Okay, there's only a thousand oceans left. Come again in fifteen days, get the money, the heads of the bandits, and the six little Japanese. Of course, I hope they are still alive, otherwise I will find their remains for you at most."

County Chief Liu did not dare to say a word of no word, and continued to lick his face and flatter him, "I don't feel at ease if I leave this matter to anyone, but it must be easy to leave it to Captain Yuan to do it. I'll be willing to give it a hundred things."

Yuan Pengfei did not respond to his flattery, and others ignored him, and the scene was once in awkward.

County Magistrate Liu was unhappy but did not dare to show it. He squeezed his smile and said to himself, "Captain Yuan, if nothing is wrong, then I will say goodbye first. Everyone, let's see you back."

After saying that, he waved to his subordinates and took the lead in leaving in shame.

Those who know the times are heroes, and those who can’t afford to be honest and admit defeat is the only rule of being in the officialdom.

After the irrelevant person was driven away, Yuan Pengfei began his orders.

"Five thousand oceans have become three thousand oceans. I have done my best personally, you have no objection!"

"Captain Yuan is a blessing for our Yuanbao Town. It's too late to thank him, so how could he have any opinions?"

The old man who just cheated Liu County Magistrate has become very energetic now and takes the lead in expressing his agreement.

Yuan Pengfei also knew that this guy was sowing the disagreement just now, but he saw it really.

But the gentry group is indeed mixed. Just say that this old man is just a retired and small official who returns to his hometown, and it doesn't seem worth mentioning.

But in fact, three of the squire present through marriage were his children and relatives. The combined influence of the four people can influence the livelihoods of more than 100 families, and their voice will be greater.

If Yuan Pengfei dealt with him, the entire Yuanbao Town would be shaken three times, which could easily cause instability.

So as long as this guy doesn't fight him with a broken face, he won't be willing to pay such a big price, and he will just turn a blind eye and pass it.

Nodding slightly, Yuan Pengfei talked about the plan that he had formed in his mind just now: "With the raising of these three thousand oceans, considering that some people can't afford this money, I also give two options: money and strength.

Spread the money evenly according to the heads. If you are willing to pay, you will organize some money. If you are willing to contribute, you will count it and report it to me. The insurance team also needs to build a large barracks, and labor will definitely be able to use it.

We control food and accommodation, and the wages are based on the market price. After deducting the share of the same, you can still get the wages. What do you think?"

This incident arose because of him, and he still felt a little guilty. He was willing to help him in the best of his ability.

But when he gives favor, he also needs to pay attention to strategies and methods. If he takes on all the things he takes, he will certainly remember him. But when something happens in the future, people will still place their hopes on him.
To be continued...