Yunping County.
On the east side, in the area where the aristocratic atmosphere gathers, there is a luxurious mansion covering an area of several acres, with green tiles and white walls, and a series of pavilions and pavilions.
In front of the house is a vermilion lacquer gate, at the gate there are two stone lions with teeth and claws squatting, and there is another plaque with two golden lacquer characters written "Zhou's house".
At this time, the main door was closed, and a few people in green clothes and hats were sitting on long benches, yawning lazily, but the side door was open for people to come in and out.
This is the house of the big family in the county, the Zhou family!
According to the rules of the Zhou Dynasty, only the House of the Prefect, or the Mingtang of the Five Grades, is eligible to be called the 'Mansion'!
Although the Zhou family is powerful, but their influence is not more than one county, it is very appropriate to call it "Zhai".
Although the Zhou Dynasty fell and the system of etiquette and law was corrupted, some rules were still strictly followed, especially in the county town and the county government.
At this time, in the study room, there were two people holding Yiqi and talking with their hands.
These two people have an old-fashioned face, three long beards floating down, wearing a scholar's headscarf, a bit bookish, swearing at Fang Qiu's taste, but a pair of dark and warm eyes, unfathomable, this is the contemporary Patriarch Zhou of the Zhou family. It's safe.
Opposite him was a young man, gentle as jade, holding a white piece, and was concentrating on dealing with it.
Soon, the young man saw sweat slightly on his forehead, and a big dragon was killed, and he couldn't help saying: "My father is very good at chess, my son is ashamed of himself!"
This person is Zhou Tong'an's legitimate son, Zhou Binglin, who was quick in writing when he was young, and could compose poems in seven steps.
Seeing this, Zhou Tongan sighed slightly.
Although the patriarch of a big family has always had authority, it is extremely difficult to be the patriarch. Although he has helped the son to publicize his reputation and practiced more, but now it seems that he is still only a layer of flesh and blood.
Of course, in a safe world, this layer of flesh and blood is enough, but not now.
Then he asked again: "The festive season is approaching, are the gifts for all the officials and houses in the county ready?"
"It's ready. According to Father's orders, it's 50% thicker than usual!"
Zhou Binglin said respectfully: "In addition... the second uncle also sent a thousand taels of silver, and Wushi Song personally escorted him!"
"good!"
Zhou Tongan shook his head: "Your second uncle is an official in a different place, and he manages up and down. This is indispensable... He is the future hope of my Zhou family, and he can protect the family business for another forty years. You must not neglect..."
That's right, it's Zhou Tong'an's second brother, Zhou Tongren.
This person had already obtained the fame of juren, and although he failed to pass the Jinshi examination, he also made up his official status. At this time, he has achieved the position of Zhengbapin County Prime Minister.
The county magistrate is the deputy of the county magistrate. He doesn't usually take care of things, but the county magistrate will also give some thin noodles.
Just not in Yunping County.
This is easy to understand, the Zhou family is already powerful, if there is another Bapin county magistrate, or even a county magistrate, wouldn't the entire Yunping County have to be surnamed Zhou
It is the instinct of the superior to divide distant responsibilities.
Now that the weekly system is corrupt, it is still in the same county, not too far away. If it was before, it would not even be in the same state.
"Son wake up!"
Zhou Binglin should be respectful, and immediately said: "Also, the matter of the Wu family... Is the suppression too much? For this reason, the relationship with the Taoist temple seems to be a bit outweighed... In terms of reputation..."
"snort!"
Zhou Tongan snorted coldly, and immediately made Zhou Binglin tremble: "I'm afraid it's more than that? I know, you have always been interested in that Wu Qing... It is inevitable that you are a little bit fond of Wu Qing..."
In this world, the rules of etiquette and law are strict, and a son cannot disobey his father in the slightest, otherwise he will be despised by the world, and a catastrophe is imminent. Zhou Binglin broke out in a cold sweat and apologized: "My son dare not!"
"You really want to think so..."
Zhou Tong An Senran said: "Suppressing the Wu family is not only the only way for us to get in touch with the family in the county, what's more...you are not qualified to enjoy this girl Wu Qing, understand?... She has been seen by the nobles for a long time. up!"
A beautiful image appeared in Zhou Binglin's heart, and he felt a pain in his heart, but he didn't dare to show it at this moment, and said: "My son knows!"
No matter what he thinks in his heart, at least Zhou Tongan is very satisfied with this statement. His face turned warm and he said: "I have made arrangements for my father. As long as we take down Wu Ming's son, someone in the Taoist temple will immediately make trouble for us... when… "
Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps interrupted Zhou Tongan's words.
He frowned, and Zhou Binglin's heart immediately froze. Knowing that this was the expression of his father's extreme anger, he bowed his knees even more and dared not speak out.
"Patriarch, the villain has something important to report!"
"Come in!" Hearing the voice from outside, Zhou Tongan forced himself to suppress his anger, knowing that he was serving someone at this time, he knew his temper, and there was nothing urgent, so he didn't dare to disturb him at all.
"Report to Patriarch!"
The person who came in was a middle-aged man wearing a black suit with a gloomy face, bowing his knees to Zhou Tongan: "Deacon Yu and Keqing Qingping have not been in touch for a day and a night. According to the news, Qingshi Village found a demon who claimed to be Qingping, manipulating the corpse, practicing evil methods, has been beaten to death, soaked in the cesspit, and the corpse is turned into ashes!"
"What?"
This earth-shattering news immediately made Zhou Tongan lose his voice, and wiped out all the black and white pieces on the chessboard.
"Daoist Qingping..."
Zhou Binglin was also in a daze. He remembered that the Taoist man with a bamboo crown and feather clothes pointed out the scene of the country. Even his father respected him very much, so he died like this
Even, is the end so bleak
"... How did Taoist Qingping die? Can the case be overturned?"
After Zhou Tongan took a heavy breath, he still asked coldly.
"Daoist Qingping has made arrangements before. To capture the Wu family son, there should be a fight, and he will be killed if he loses! As for reversing the case..."
The man in black said: "There is a joint testimony from the villagers of Lizheng, and there are copper corpses and iron corpses that have been trained. Some of them were stolen in the county and have a criminal record... When the real evidence is all there, the iron evidence is as hard as a mountain, and it is even more difficult. !"
Hearing this, Zhou Tongan's face became even darker: "Where's Deacon Yu? Where is he?"
"Deacon Yu is missing, and it is suspected that he has fallen into the hands of the Wu family!"
The man in black bit the bullet and said it, and saw that Zhou Tongan didn't lose his temper anymore, but turned gloomy instead.
After a long time, Zhou Tong'an sneered and said, "Okay! Okay! Okay! I never thought there would be a master in the Wu family!"
Immediately ordered: "You go down and take back all the benefits given to Taoist Qingping, and... to create evidence that Yu Cheng embezzled the property of the master's family and was kicked out of the door early, understand?"
Zhou Binglin listened in a daze, looking at the man in black who bowed away, but felt a little chilly in his heart.
Once something goes wrong, it's normal to distance yourself from the relationship.
After all, the Wu family is also a big family in the county, and some methods to deal with small people cannot be used. Once they go to court, they will be a little passive. It is human nature to abandon the car to protect the handsome.
But knowing it is one thing, doing it is another.
Although the descendants of Yu Cheng and Qing Ping, if they knew the truth, they could get some support in secret, but wouldn't it be common for people to take tea? I'm afraid the end will not be so good.
It's frightening to act like this!
…
At the same time, within Wujiawu Fort.
Wu Ming was wearing fox fur and a silver crown on his head. He was as rich as jade. The incense burner was lit in the room, and the air was wafting like a fairyland.
According to the rules of the Zhou Dynasty, the crown ceremony for men was fifteen, jade crowns were used for nobles, officials of the third rank and above, gold for county prefects or houses of the fifth rank, silver for nobles, and wooden and bamboo crowns for ordinary people.
At this time, I heard Feng Han say: "The Zhou family lived in Yunping, which can be traced back two hundred and seventy years. Zhou Yong followed the general Wu Qi to quell the chaos in Shu. He was a half-life soldier and won the fiefdom. The Zhou family rose from this, and several generations came out. He recruited people and took advantage of the situation to prosper. Up to now, there are more than 5,400 mu of land, more than a thousand clansmen, and as many servants as a cloud. At present, the highest official status is the younger brother of the patriarch Zhou Tong'an—Zhou Tongren, the prime minister of Qingmu County, Yunping County Inside, the closest relationship with the Zhou family is Master Hu. This person can become the county master. The Zhou family has made great efforts, so they regard him as a benefactor... In addition, the Zhou family also sent servants to secretly support several families. Be in business and make a lot of money…”
Wu Ming nodded from time to time, Feng Han was putting his heart into it.
In a short period of time, the general strength of the Zhou family was found out, and Wu Ming seemed to see a behemoth that took root in Yunping and spread to several counties.
"And... there is another boss, which is a bit difficult!"
A cold light flashed in Wu Ming's eyes.
In the Dazhou county system, there is a county magistrate in the county, who is of the seventh rank, who takes over the power, and under him there is a county magistrate and a county lieutenant of the eighth rank.
And under this core, there are officials, households, and criminal workers, such as the small six departments, all of which are of the ninth rank.
In addition, there is also a nine-rank inspector who is in charge of thieves, and a master book who is in charge of documents in each room, communicates with each other, and sorts out confidential information. The position is very important.
It's just that the weight of the master book is extremely high, almost like a prime minister. If the rank is higher, it can even make the county magistrate empty, so it can only be from the ninth rank.
In addition to these official positions, there are officials in various houses, storehouse officials, head arresters in quick shifts, inspections in various townships, and a larger number of helpers who cannot even be registered as officials.
Just a county government office is a small center with all five internal organs although the sparrow is small.
At this moment, Wu Ming made a comparison. Both the Wu family and the Zhou family were big families in the county. On the surface, they treated them equally, and they couldn't use methods that would ruin their families when dealing with ordinary people.
But in terms of real relationship, the Wu family is far worse.
Although gifts for the four seasons, ice respect and charcoal respect are indispensable, but that's all, compared to supporting the Zhou family who is in charge of the master, it is a bit superficial.
At the very least, Wu Ming is sure that if they really want to go to court, the county magistrate may still treat them equally, but I am afraid that everyone below the master will lean towards the Zhou family.
At that time, even if he holds the ironclad evidence, there will still be some suspense.
"Not to mention... In the worst case, the Zhou family may still be able to borrow the connections in the county, and even the county magistrate can be suppressed... There is simply no victory!"
Therefore, Wu Ming had no intention of resolving this matter publicly.