met free Page 2302
Page 2302
"Therefore, during the Xuanhe era of the Song Dynasty, bandits rose up everywhere in Hebei,"
"My whole family has fled to the county town for refuge."
"Because my floating wealth was robbed, I borrowed fifty strings of cash from the Dong family,"
"If the debt cannot be repaid within three years, the land will be used as compensation."
"The interest rate on this debt is quite high,"
"Two years ago, we gave 40 mu of land to the Dong family as collateral."
"Later, the Jurchens wreaked havoc,"
"Not only was the exploitation excessive,"
"Furthermore, they forcibly ordered people to shave their heads and change their clothes."
"I cannot bear this burden and this humiliation,"
"Then I followed my brother and took our whole family of six to seek refuge with the Ming Dynasty."
"My elder brother is still serving as a soldier under General Yue Fei,"
"What has been done?"
"Now that the royal army has won a great victory, I will take my family back to my hometown."
"But they discovered that their houses and land had all been seized by others."
"The people who seized the land and occupied the house were none other than the Dong family from the same village."
"I'll take the land deed to the county government to file a complaint,"
"Most of the people in front of the yamen are former acquaintances of the Dong family,"
"They actually kicked me out!"
This kind of thing happens all the time.
Not to mention experiencing war,
Even after returning from famine,
Their assets could be seized by others.
Zhao Yuan asked, "You didn't mention your elder brother,"
"What rank would you have been if you served under Yue Fei?"
"I said it,"
High-minded filial piety,
"That yamen official is the cousin of the son-in-law of a minor branch of the Dong family,"
"And they even laughed at me for wielding a chicken feather as an imperial edict,"
"A lowly soldier who's only a sergeant dares to mess with the Dong family."
Zhao Yuan asked, "Are the land deeds still valid?"
Gao Chunxiao said, "I protected it with all my might, otherwise the yamen runner would have snatched it away."
"These are all land deeds from the former Song Dynasty,"
"However... however, most of them are field surfaces (field skin)."
Field surface or field skin,
It refers to the right to use land.
It is divided into two types: permanent right of use and limited-term right of use.
Chapter 296 Taking Action Against the Powerful Clans
"Field surfaces count too,"
Zhao Yuan gave the instructions.
"Bai Sheng, send someone to take their whole family away,"
"Go to the county government office in Gaocheng to find Xu Xin."
"If the officials of Gaocheng do not obey orders,"
"Just directly dispatch Zhang Di's troops to handle the matter."
"Make this a model case,"
"All offenders will be dealt with severely!"
"After the case was closed, it was sent to officials in the newly recovered prefectures and counties of Hebei for review."
"Yes!"
Bai Sheng led his men away.
This case should be made into a model case.
This is because it involves two points:
First, it involves military families.
The soldiers of the Ming Dynasty were not rotten bastards.
They are not people that any local gentry can bully!
Second, it involves powerful clans seizing the property of returning migrants.
Hebei was ravaged by the Jurchens.
Countless people have fled their homes.
Their real estate will definitely be seized.
Moreover, it cannot be seized by ordinary people.
It could only have been seized by the remaining powerful clans or wealthy households.
.....
Xu Xin, courtesy name Zili,
He was from Gongzhou, Kaifeng Prefecture.
His father's name is Xu Yong.
He is an agronomist.
He wrote a book on agriculture during the reign of Emperor Huizong.
Xu Xin was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) during the Xuanhe era.
He impeached treacherous officials before even being appointed to an official post.
He slunk back to the countryside to farm.
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty,
Zhao Ding recommended Xu Xin.
The Ministry of Personnel examined his abilities.
He was transferred to serve as the registrar of Ren County.
His father, Xu Yong, was also recruited into the Agricultural Promotion Bureau as an advisor.
They enjoyed extra allowances from the imperial court.
This battle in Hebei,
Many territories were recovered.
They then drew assistant officers from neighboring prefectures and counties.
He was urgently transferred to the newly established site to serve as the top two leaders.
Xu Xincai had served as the county clerk for over a year.
He was quickly promoted to magistrate of Gaocheng County.
He has a lot of things to do right now.
I heard that the royal army won a great victory.
Countless people braved the snow to return to their hometowns.
Economic disputes are emerging one after another.
People come to complain every day.
There are even numerous marriage cases.
The husband, who had been on the run south for several years, returned home.
He discovered his wife had remarried.
Moreover, she remarried while bringing her family fortune with her.
A mountain of cases,
This drove Xu Xin to the brink of madness.
"Magistrate Xu, this is His Majesty's decree,"
"Your Excellency may freely deploy the troops stationed in Gaocheng."
"His Highness also said that this case should be made into a model case,"
"Soldiers aren't just rotten soldiers,"
"They fought to save their country and should not be bullied."
"I already know."
Xu Xin breathed a sigh of relief.
He was also afraid of taking action against the powerful clans.
It would ruin His Majesty's important military and national affairs.
Now it's easier.
Let's start by investigating the major clans.
Many cases can be easily solved.
The clerks in the county government office,
Xu Xin doesn't trust anyone.
A deeply entrenched local power broker, representing the entire local elite!
Xu Xin went to visit Zhang Di at night.
I want to build a good relationship with the person in charge of the troops first.
Zhang Di suffered a serious abdominal injury.
He almost died from an infection and fever.
You can't move around too much right now.
I have to be carried around when I go out.
Most of his former subordinates were dismissed.
Only five hundred men were left to garrison Gaocheng.
The prisoners of war were transferred to Zhengding for custody.
"The county magistrate has arrived. Please forgive me for not being able to rise and pay my respects!"
Zhang Di sat in a chair and clasped his hands in greeting.
Xu Xin quickly said, "General Zhang, please don't move."