Tangquan, Caojiazhuangzi, front hall.

Although there were several charcoal basins in the room, He Maocai still felt cold sweat oozing from his forehead. He didn't dare to wipe it, so he could only stand with his hands down.

Cao Yuan stood on the other side and felt stiff all over. It was not that he had heard from the gods and had a lot of information. However, after Cao Yong returned to Zhuangzi, he did not directly call people, but went to the study room to look for Cao Yin first. This left Hu Cheng with wealth and ran to his uncle Cao Yuan to plead with him.

Although Hu Cheng had never been a bad person in the capital, he had long heard of Cao Yong's temper. He was unlucky and went down to collect rent. When he met a scoundrel like the Guo San family, he staged a farce.

After returning all the way, Cao Yong didn't even look at Hu Cheng. If he was scolded and beaten a few tricks, he would be more at ease. If he ignored this, even if Hu Cheng was stupid, he would think it would be bad.

When Cao Yuan heard Hu Cheng's statement, he felt that his hands and feet were cold and did not dare to be lucky.

This year, the capital city has a severe drought and the crops are not good. Although the Cao family is a well field, it has been affected a lot.

It was still the eldest grandma Chu Yu who was kind-hearted and thought that it was not easy for tenants to reduce rent at will, so she allowed tenants to clear canals in various villages during the Mid-Autumn Festival. On the Cao family, they subsidized these tenants by using silver and money subsidies or partial rent reductions.

Who would have thought that the favor from the superiors would change, and the person who committed the crime was his nephew. Cao Yuan was extremely regretful. If he had known that Hu Cheng was such a dissatisfied thing, how could he dare let him come out to work as a businessman?

Cao Yong was sitting in the seat and couldn't feel relieved.

Even if I worry and endure, the invisible place still hides dirt. The big trees are rotten from the inside, and this sentence makes sense.

Now, I think about the several villages in the Cao family, including shops, and hundreds of servants who work in the mansion. I heard that the servants in this royal palace and that mansion were arrogant and used as jokes, but I didn’t expect that my family would not be spared.

The room was silent, Cao Yong didn't speak, and He Maocai and Cao Yuan naturally did not dare to speak first.

Half an hour later, Zhao Tong came in from outside.

Cao Yong then raised his head and said, "How are you asking? Who recommends it, when will you be a job, and when will you start collecting rent?"

Zhao Tong leaned over and replied, "According to the uncle's words, Hu Cheng said, he was recommended by the butler to work in the village in February last year. In September this year, Qin Ming, who was responsible for collecting rent, took out his errands due to his old age and aging. He was assigned by the butler, and Hu Cheng took over Qin Ming's errands."

"What a 'recommendation', a 'promotion'? The master and I entrusted the housework. Are the two housekeepers so dedicated?" Cao Yong swept to Cao Yuan and He Maocai and said coldly.

"It's all villains who are confused. I didn't expect this evil man to do so recklessly?" Cao Yuan knelt down on the ground and said, "If you want to do something like this, you must be punished by the old man. I just want the old man to calm down and not be angry, otherwise the villain will not be able to bear it even if he dies."

He Maocai also knelt down and kowtowed, "It's all the fault of the old slave, it's all the fault of the old slave..."

Among the two, Cao Yuan was still younger and in his forties; He Maocai was gray-haired and over 60 years old. In normal times, Cao Yong would not sit and receive their tribute, nor would he let them kneel down and kowtow.

Now, Cao Yong watched coldly, without any intention of shouting. He glanced at Cao Yuan and said, "It is good to not avoid relatives, but be careful, don't make any difference between public and private matters. The butler is dependent on my father and me. Before the butler takes action, do you think of me, father and son?"

These words were said in a pleasant mood. Cao Yuan's back became cold and he hurriedly kowtowed: "I know my mistakes, but I am confused. I can't stand the grinding of my relatives and I'm so fond of myself."

In front of Cao Yin, Cao Yuan could still hope to tell some old feelings; in front of Cao Yong, he did not dare to make any defense.

The servants in the mansion said that the young master was kind, but Cao Yuan didn't dare to think so.

Although Cao Yong always looked kind, he had a lot of people close to him over the years. Not to mention others, he just talked about Cao Yuan's younger brother and nephew. Cao Fang was with Cao Yong for more than ten years and was still respectful year after year, without any slackness; Xiaoman was a close servant, and he did not dare to be rash when he spoke or acted.

Cao Yong originally thought that Cao Yuanhui would defend himself, but as the chief steward of the Cao family, he usually had some shame.

Seeing that he had recognized him honestly, Cao Yong narrowed his eyes and felt that he underestimated the butler. Although this butler was a little dull, he had the ability to see.

Cao Yong snorted coldly in his heart, not because he took his anger against Cao Yuan, but because he laughed at himself as his negligence in the past.

He looked at He Maocai again and said, "Butler He, you are the chief manager of Changping Zhuangzi. Over the years, I have entrusted all the errands of the outer village, so how could I talk about anything? Now it seems that it is my fault!"

"Uncle, old slave... old slave..." He Maocai felt aggrieved, but he was irrefutable. After all, he was concerned about Cao Yuan's power and did not dare to offend him, so he let Hu Cheng do it.

Cao Yong thought for a moment and said, "Cao Yuan is not recommended by others, He Maocheng is not responsible for his own good, and he will be able to redeem his own firewood and rice for a year. Can you convince me?"

When Cao Yuan and He Maocai heard this, they were like being amnesty, and they would not dare to be picky. They hurriedly said "convinced".

Cao Yong picked up the corner of his mouth, but did not scream, turned to Zhao Tong, and said, "What is the case for Hu Cheng to collect rent? How many more is the rent? How many places are forced to rape? How much is the stolen silver goods?"

Cao Yuancai's heart that had been relieved suddenly raised again.

He suddenly remembered something. Zhao Tong was not the one who always followed Cao Yong, but the most trusted companion.

Among the leaders of the Cao Mansion, Zhao Tong was the one who could go to and from the palace to the ban government office. Many people said that Zhao Tong would be released to be an official in the future because he followed Mr. Jiang to study the squad and specialize in the name of punishment.

If you are familiar with Xing Ming, you can use it in addition to being the famous Xing Ming Master.

Zhao Tong gave birth to a son of the Cao family, and even if he was released, he would not have the reason to give him the opportunity to be the slander. I think it would be possible to release him to make up for the seventh-rank magistrate in a few years.

Hu Cheng's fool is not Zhao Tong's opponent, I'm afraid he can't hide anything.

As expected, I heard from Zhao Tong said: "Uncle, according to Hu Cheng, the rent collected is mostly as usual. There are more than twenty families, or more fields, or... or if there are young women in the family, there are 10% to 20% of them. I force the traitor to 7 places, and the traitor to 5 places, and the two places did not follow. The two households who refused to follow the tenant, bought houses and animals, made up for the rent, and moved to a foreign land at the beginning of the month; the other one is Guo San's family, and Guo San's wife has not yet been eliminated. The additional rent and the rent are required, and the total amount is 137 taels of silver for carriage and horse fees is 137 taels, and there are chickens, ducks, sheep, etc., and the quantity is unknown."

Speaking of this, he took out the account book from his sleeve and presented it to Cao Yong with both hands and said, "Mr., this is the stolen silver account. Hu Cheng was afraid of being confused with the public account and made a private account. He kept the rice, grain, silver and money in the account, and the chickens, ducks and other living things were not recorded. He didn't know the specific amount himself."

One hundred and thirty-seven taels of silver, Su Cao Yong would not take it seriously. Because he does not lack silver, the amount of silver is nothing to him.

At present, Cao Yong dared not underestimate the more than 100 taels of silver. For tenants, some families, except for rent, have only the rest of the rice and grain, and how many can save money?

This hundred and thirty-seven taels of silver is probably the whole blood and sweat of more than a dozen families, so they were plundered.

The key is not money, but the rape.

In this world, even if a woman’s chastity is valued by a poor family, even if the five families are traitors, how much blood and tears are there behind them. It is not difficult to imagine what kind of eyes the five humiliated women will be rolled by their family and neighbors.

If there is no money to buy land and tenant land, the poor people who are in trouble will buy houses, animals and rent to move, how will they live in the future?

Do you rely on others' power?

How can you tell yourself about your innocence? Pretend to be kind, but this bad thing outside will still fall on yourself.

"Fifty boards, recover the stolen silver and send it to the official court." Cao Yong threw the account book on the table and pointed it at Tongdao Zhao.

Not only Cao Yuan, He Maocai and Zhao Tong were all a little surprised.

Isn’t there an old saying, “Don’t make family scandals public”? It’s not important to punish Hu Cheng. When it comes to the yamen, the father and son of the Cao family must be punished with the crime of “not being strict with the rulers”.

"Uncle, no..." Cao Yuan raised his head and said with a little anxiousness: "If the uncle is angry, the big board will kill that bastard. You must not be a official. The reputation of the master and the uncle is important... The master and the uncle are both noble people, so there is no need to be a slave and taint the reputation..."

"It's better not to have this reputation for pretending to be wrong. My father and I still abide by the law. We dare not slacke in any slightest. The people who are serving in the office can be so arrogant and ignore the laws and regulations of the country. What is this not to betray the Lord? On the day of doing this, we will abandon the kindness of the master and servant. We are the enemy of the Cao family. If we don't send it to the yamen, we will also defile the Cao family's land?" Cao Yong looked at Cao Yuan and said slowly.

"Uncle..." Cao Yuan murmured, and something came to his mouth and swallowed it again. He originally wanted to say whether to discuss with the master and make a decision. But he was also aware of his feelings and did not say it.

He was the chief manager of the Cao family, and he could see it clearly. After Cao Yin and his wife came to Beijing, although Cao Yin was nominally the head of the family, in fact, Cao Yin had long been ignorant of the supervisor and allowed his son to take charge of the family.

This kind of self-deprecating thing is also helpless. Only by acting in this way can we kill the chicken to warn the monkey, making others afraid to have other thoughts.

Otherwise, like other powerful mansions, even if the evil slaves have any evil behavior, and the head of the family turns big things into small things for the sake of reputation, then there will be no one or two who dare to use the power of the Cao family to violate the law and discipline in the future.

"Hu Cheng is so traitorous, Cao Yuan, as the steward, must have to bear the fault of "missing the inspection" and be responsible for the thirty-year-old general manager. Cao Fang will be temporarily replaced by Cao Fang from now on. As the chief manager of the outer bank, He Maocai did not ask about his bad deeds, did not observe or correct him. He had the fault of "condonation" and was also responsible for the thirty-year-old general manager, and for another two years." Cao Yong thought for a moment and made the following judgment on the two kneeling on the ground.

While speaking, it was just Cao Yuan's chief supervisor. Cao Yuan's face turned a little pale and he responded respectfully, without any attempt to rob the sky and the earth.

Zhao Tong was aside, a little confused.

Is the old man trying to seize power and use his own hands to defeat the old-fashioned people in Jiangning? If so, I shouldn't have used Cao Fang. Although Cao Fang is an old man next to the old man, Cao Yuan is a brother.

Zhao Tongzheng was stunned and listened to Cao Yong's orders: "Zhao Tong, now I will entrust you to be the supervisor of the patrol. From tomorrow, I will inspect various villages with Cao Yuan to check whether anyone has done Hu Cheng's affairs. If any discovery is found, severe punishment will not be imposed. If I continue to tell me, I will allow the subordinates to report anonymously, recover the stolen silver obtained, and reward the reporter for the money and money. The losses from the tenant will be compensated separately."

When Zhao Tong heard this, his face turned red immediately, his heart was inexplicably excited, and he bowed to respond.

If it were someone else, he might have to regard this as an offensive job. Even if he couldn't escape, he would have to complain in his heart. However, Zhao Tong was so happy that he had studied the name of the crime for several years and finally had a place to use it.

In just a moment, Cao Yuan seemed to have been aged a few years ago. He was dismissed from the general manager. This not only lost his own face, but also lost his father's face. This mistake was real and it was not clean.

It was in despair that Cao Yuan heard what Cao Yong ordered Zhao Tong to do, and he had his own affairs. He raised his head and looked at his little master Cao Yong, and his mood was quite complicated.

"Cao Yuan, I hope you can help Zhao Tong to purify the various places, eliminate the shortcomings, and maintain the reputation of the Cao family." Cao Yong nodded at Cao Yuan and said.

Cao Yuanzhen felt like he was in a desperate situation, and felt his nose sore and kowtowed, "The villain will obey the order and will definitely live up to the advice of the uncle..."

Henan Prefecture, Cao's House.

Cao Xiang held Lu Ju and sat by the kang, looking at her belly that was already showing signs of her mother, and said with some concern: "I'm going to the county again, you are at home, can you do it?"

Lu Ju nodded with a smile and said, "Isn't there any Fuling and a few nanny? But I've just been back for two days and have to go on a business trip again. Thank you so much."

Cao Xiang rubbed his forehead and said, "What's the point? Because of the war in the northwest, all provinces have to pay. In addition to raising military rations, we also have to pay more silver to buy horses and raise horses."

Lu Ju is also ignorant about these things in the yamen, but she knows that this year the drought is severe and the harvest of nearby people is not good. Because of this, the price of grain in the city has also risen, and there are many refugees.

"Does the Northwest really want to fight? My master, otherwise I would plead with the master and transfer me back to Beijing? If there is a war, it will be the capital..." Lu Ju felt a little afraid when she heard the war, and grabbed Cao Xiang's sleeve and said.

When Cao Xiang heard this, he couldn't help but smile, patted Lu Ju's back of his hand, and said with a smile: "My good grandma, what are you talking about? Our Qing Dynasty is not that weak. Even if Zhungeer is not peaceful, he is just a small Mongolian man. He has tens of thousands of soldiers and horses at the sky, and he can't even enter Yumen Pass. Our Henan Prefecture is peaceful, don't worry."

When Lu Ju heard this, she became more confused and said, "Even if there are such a few people, what are the court waiting for? All the places have to raise food and money, which makes people panic. How long will it take to fight?"

"Just sending troops, it's good. It takes less than three or five months to eliminate the rebellion. At that time, the yamen can also make contributions to raising funds." Cao Xiang said with a smile.

Seeing that her husband was so confident, Lu Ju felt much more at ease.

Cao Xiang smiled bitterly in his heart. Since the founding of the country, the northwest territory has been in chaos, and it has not been a single or two attacks for three or five years. At that time, the only thing that will be the innocent people below will be.

This kind of grace of "adding children in prosperous times will never increase taxes" has been ineffective after a few years. The taxes and labor service that the people bear are more and more arduous than in the past...

Xiaotangshan, Cao Family Garden.

After listening to Cao Yong's report, Cao Yin was a little surprised. Although he was already prepared and knew that his son was really angry and would severely punish his family slaves, he did not expect that it would be the "official law to deal with it".

A literati cherishes his reputation. Although he has been an official for half his life, Cao Yin is still a literati in his bones.

He sighed and looked at Cao Yong and said, "There is no other way?"

Cao Yong shook his head and answered the question: "Father, when it comes to personal gain, it is not terrible if it is forbidden for personal gain and abuse of power. Because my father and I know my own weight and know what it is to be able to take responsibility. The people below are forbidden for personal gain and abuse of power. They have limited vision, and they only think that my father and I are big trees and dare to do whatever they want. This is the source of disaster for the family to bury the family!"

Cao Yin nodded, and knew that his son was right. He felt a little ashamed that his son was young and energetic, and he was so open-minded and not greedy for fame. He studied Buddhist books by himself and thought that he was still restricted by his actions.

"Well, in this way, we can understand that there is nothing that you, my father and son cannot say to others." Cao Yin nodded and said, "It is a blessing to eliminate future troubles as soon as possible. This year, the capital of the capital is drought, and the place where the production reduction is not one or two. You can also tell me the waiter to say that."
To be continued...