Chapter 152 The Emperor Wants His Daughter
After Chen Xiao cleaned up Su Daqiang, the gentry leader, the remaining gentry obviously did not have much threat.
The public welfare undertakings such as building bridges, roads and digging canals are itself the gentry and wealthy people who pay money to do things for the people.
So, Chen Xiao really planned to let them pay, instead of cheating the people with them!
Chen Xiao believed that he could not do anything to cheat the people.
But he is really interested in cheating the gentry and wealthy people!
So, on the next day, outside the county government, a fundraising ceremony was held.
Countless people have come, and the gentry and wealthy people are even more active.
You know, when it comes to fundraising, none of these gentry and wealthy people emerge.
This time, Chen Xiao fooled them, and each one became more active than the other.
Chen Xiao spoke some nonsense outside the county government office, and then spoke directly and asked everyone to raise funds.
"Everyone, digging a canal may cost 10,000 taels of silver. After all, labor, material resources, time and so on are all problems. So, everyone start raising funds!"
Needless to say, since the gentry and wealthy people took the lead, they were the first to go up.
Each of them had about 1,000 silver dollars. After seven or eight squires and a few rich men took turns, they had already received more than 10,000 taels of silver.
During the process, they vaguely felt something was wrong, but they couldn't say what was wrong, so they smiled and raised funds first.
Anyway, I thought I would return it to them later and I could still share the money raised by the people. How great is it?
However, after these rich gentry donated money, Chen Xiao looked at it and said:
"Okay, the gentry and wealthy people in this county donated a total of 14,000 taels. OK, it has exceeded our fundraising amount!"
He was very serious about the words "14,000 taels".
After saying that, he deliberately asked: "There are people, do you want to donate?"
Everyone heard him say that the amount was enough, so the people naturally felt that there was no need to donate again, so they didn't come up again.
Gradually, the rich and gentry looked strange.
Finally I understood something was wrong. I just raised 10,000 taels of silver in total. The rich gentry and wealthy people have raised more than 10,000. Are the people stupid? How could they continue to donate?
It’s like you say you’re hungry and need a bowl of rice. Someone has given you two bowls of rice. I have no reason to give you some of my rice?
Obviously, it is impossible to continue raising funds. People know that enough is enough, so there is no need to continue to donate it with money.
Chen Xiao also had a good grasp of it. He pretended to ask a few more questions, and said:
"Okay, that's all for today's fundraising. Thank you to the gentry and wealthy people in this county for lending a helping hand. There is true love in the world, true love in the world, and if one side is in trouble, all sides will support it..."
Chen Xiao said a lot, and the more these rich gentry heard, the more wrong they became. When the fundraising was over, they immediately ran to the county government to find Chen Xiao.
"Mr. Chen, didn't we agree to let the people raise funds and take the lead and then distribute the people's money? But... the people didn't give a penny, what should we distribute?" The old squire asked in a hurry.
Chen Xiao said: "Yes, they didn't give it, so obviously there was no point? Who asked you to donate so much money one by one? You donated enough, so naturally they won't donate anymore."
"But you said that the more we donate, the more we get?" said another squire.
Chen Xiao nodded: "Yes, but I didn't ask you to donate enough directly?"
"this………"
The rich and gentry looked at each other and then said, "Then you return ours. The people didn't donate. At worst, we won't make any money."
"Yes, we'll give us ours back. At worst, we can do nothing!"
"Yes, you promised that our money will be returned in full!"
Chen Xiao smiled: "If I return it to you, where can I get the money to repair the canal?"
"But, did you agree?" The old squire was anxious!
Chen Xiao said: "I agreed and planned it too, but you are too greedy and donated hard one by one, which caused the people to stop donating and ruining my plan. You have to bear the loss yourself!"
"What does it mean? County Magistrate Chen, this is different from what we discussed yesterday!"
"Yes, not only are we not making money from the people now, but we have also paid in?"
"Everyone, if you only donate a few hundred taels per person, it will be a lot less after you donate, and the people will naturally donate. In this way, they will donate a lot of money.
However, you donated enough in advance, which led to them not being able to donate. This is caused by you. Do you want me to bear your fault?" Chen Xiao said with a cold face.
"You... aren't you? You're obviously cheating us of money?" the old squire shouted.
"I'm just cheating you, you should feel glad, because the only squire who I didn't cheat money was dead yesterday!"
Hearing this, the rich gentry and the rich all changed their expressions. Then they suddenly realized that it was very likely that Chen Xiao used the gentry and other gentry.
"Everyone, although you have a high status, remember that the yamen has the final say in this place. You should be more obedient, because the consequence of being disobedient is... you will never have the chance to be obedient again..."
Chen Xiao said, putting his hands behind him, squinting at everyone.
At this moment, the squire was frightened.
They understood Chen Xiao's words and told them that if they were disobedient and became enemies with the government, Su Daqiang would be the end!
These gentry obviously had to suffer losses in this money.
What can they do? They can only break their teeth and swallow them by themselves.
So, they all left the county government.
Seeing this, Chen Wenshan came over and said, "Son, will it be bad for offending them?"
"We have killed Su Daqiang, why are they afraid of what they will do? Don't worry at all!" Chen Xiao said.
Hearing this, Chen Wenshan breathed a sigh of relief.
Next, basically nothing happened during the days in the county government.
And as the days pass by, the day is getting hotter and hotter.
In ancient times, it was so hot that there was no air conditioner, so I could only find a cool place in the county government.
At the same time, in the palace, the emperor looked at the sun outside and thought to himself: "I don't know if Zi'er is in Qingyang County, so hot..."
"Your Majesty, it's been half a month, why don't you... let Princess Ninth and the others come back?" the old eunuch reminded.
The emperor sighed and said, "I really miss Jiuer... During this period, Concubine Hu should have been peaceful. Let's do this. In the past two days, I will send an order to return to the imperial capital and take office in the Ministry of Revenue and take charge of the Ministry of Finance and Economics!"
"Yes, Your Majesty..."
Chapter completed!