Abandoned by the best children? I just take out the space

Chapter 1826 The County Magistrate is Not a Human

The county magistrate tried to persuade Chen Changli to stay again and again, but Chen Changli was determined that he could not stay, so he asked someone to arrange an inn to accommodate Chen Changli and his companions.

Chen Changli thanked him and brought Wan Shufang and Cui Shi to stay in the inn.

"This county magistrate looks very nice. I think he is a good official who serves the people." Cui Shi took a sip of tea and exclaimed with a smile.

Wan Shufang nodded in agreement and said, "He gives people a good impression. I think he will handle the matter in Xingyun Town well. We just need to wait patiently for a few days and maybe we can get the result."

Pouring a cup of tea for Chen Changli, Wan Shufang took a sip of the tea and was about to continue praising the county magistrate when she found that he was frowning, as if troubled by something.

"Are you worried that even the county magistrate won't be able to find out the truth?" Wan Shufang asked quickly.

Chen Changli shook his head: "I don't have this worry, but I think it's a bit wrong that the county magistrate is not aware of this matter."

In his understanding, as the local official, the county magistrate should know everything about his jurisdiction. However, the things happening in Xingyun Town were so obviously strange, how could he know nothing about it?

Didn't he himself inspect the area under his jurisdiction, and did his subordinates follow suit?

With this thought in mind, Chen Changli suddenly felt that things were not that simple and they could not take it lightly.

"The county magistrate seems to be fine." Wan Shufang's voice was firm.

As soon as she saw the county magistrate, she observed him carefully. His behavior from beginning to end was consistent with her imagination of a county magistrate.

"Is it possible that you are too worried about this matter and that's why you have wild thoughts?" Cui Shi said quickly.

Seeing that they all had the same opinion about the county magistrate, Chen Changli suppressed his worries and said, "Maybe I'm overthinking."

He took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and said, "Don't dwell on it. Let's eat first and then go around the county town."

Wan Shufang was thinking the same thing, so she quickly called the waiter to serve the food. After the meal, the three of them went for a stroll on the street.

The county town looks much bigger than the town, but it is not as lively as the town’s market.

Wan Shufang felt something was a little strange, but didn't take it seriously. It wasn't until she realized that the people around them were very hostile to the three of them that she shuddered and unconsciously reached out to hold Chen Changli's hand.

"As long as I'm here, nothing will happen." Chen Changli had long noticed that the people looked at them in a strange way, with a hint of fear in their rejection.

There was a coldness in his eyes, but he lowered his voice so that only Wan Shufang could hear: "We were brought to the inn by the county magistrate's men, which means that someone saw us on our way to the inn."

Wan Shufang's eyelids twitched slightly when she heard this, and she couldn't help but look at the people around her, but she held back at the critical moment.

Because the people around seemed to be frightened and suddenly crowded in all directions.

Seeing them scattering like birds, Wan Shufang wanted to chase after them, but Chen Changli stopped her.

"Let's go to another place." After saying this, Chen Changli nodded to Cui Shi and took Wan Shufang to the front left.

He thought that the people in another place could not have seen the county magistrate's men taking them to the inn, so the emotions they showed should be better.

By then they can ask someone about the situation and find out what is going on.

Chen Changli's plan was good, but when he arrived at the place, he found that the people really rejected their presence. It felt as if the people knew each other, but when three strangers suddenly appeared, they were on guard like they were guarding against thieves.

"These people's attitudes are so strange." Cui Shi also noticed something strange and frowned.

"It's better than before." Wan Shufang sighed, "Let's find someone who looks friendly to ask about the situation first."

She started to act after she finished speaking, but no one wanted to pay attention to them.

Seeing this, Chen Changli said to Wan Shufang: "If they don't want to contact us, then forget it."

As he spoke, he took Wan Shufang for a walk, and it felt as if this was the original intention of their group.

The people who were on guard against them breathed a sigh of relief when they saw this.

Wan Shufang noticed this and felt a little complicated, but said nothing. She just walked along the street and observed the situation of the people out of the corner of her eye.

After a while, she discovered a problem, that is, this county town did not look as good as a town, but the prices were very high, even higher than that of Yongzhou City.

She felt very strange but did not show it. She seemed to be unaware of anything and calmly bought some things and took them back to the inn.

After making sure that no one was following her, Wan Shufang told Chen Changli about her discovery, and then guessed: "This is very strange. I always feel that the appearance is inconsistent with the inner heart. But the county magistrate looks so good, he can't be pretending."

"This is very likely." Chen Changli confirmed her guess, "So we have to find out as soon as possible how much the county magistrate has deceived us?"

"I can disguise myself." After hearing what Chen Changli said, Cui Shi immediately expressed his opinion, "Besides, I look very honest. As long as I disguise myself, I will be no different from a man working in the fields. I will go and get information, and I will definitely get good news."

Cui Shi started to act after he finished speaking. Chen Changli wanted to stop him, but when he thought that the county might be related to the things in the town, he could only place his hope on Cui Shi.

But he did not do nothing. He asked Wan Shufang to stay in the room and not go anywhere, while he went out to find out the news.

Not long after, he and Cui Shi came back. Wan Shufang, who had been waiting anxiously, breathed a sigh of relief when she saw them.

"Have you found out clearly?" Wan Shufang poured them a cup of tea but lowered her voice, fearing that someone might have ears on the other side of the wall.

"The county magistrate here is inactive. Not only is he squandering money on the people, he's also turning wasteland into farmland, forcing the people to pay 90% tax for no reason." Cui Shi's eyes were red, as if he was extremely angry and wanted to kill someone the next moment.

Chen Changli's face was also very ugly. "The common people sold themselves to the rich to make a living. Their life and death were not decided by others. The most important thing was that the common people's fields became the fields of the rich. Many common people could not make a living and could only become bandits. However, they had no strength and were regarded as bandits by these people and strangled to death."

Wan Shufang's eyelids jumped when she heard this: "There is such a thing. Is this county magistrate crazy?"

When the emperor first established the country, he issued an imperial decree saying that there would be no taxation for three years. After three years, when high-yield crops had been almost fully implemented and people's living standards were getting better and better, he began to collect taxes, but only two levels of taxes.

The county magistrate actually collected 90% of the profits. He is forcing the people to rebel!

"The people still think that it is the emperor who is not doing anything and they hate him." Cui Shi was so angry that he was shaking all over, as if he could not control his anger. "This county magistrate is not a human being. I will kill him."

Chen Changli stopped him immediately upon hearing this: "He is an official after all. If you kill him, it will probably cause some controversy. Brother Cui, don't be angry or anxious. I will deal with this matter before leaving."

Cui Shi looked at him worriedly when he heard this: "Is the emperor not good to you?"