: It’s hard to argue

When he heard Yan Boda talk about the amount of silver allocated, Xiong Can's expression suddenly changed: "What's going on? In February, I only received 7,600 taels of silver allocated to me by the prefect's office, but the governor said he allocated 13,000 taels of silver to us. Where did the other 6,000 taels of silver go?" Seeing him stunned, Yan Boda snorted coldly: "Why, you have nothing to say, right? I didn't expect that you even greedy for the money for repairing the river bank. This time, Jiande suffered this major disaster, it was not your fault, who would have the blame for this crime?"

"Sir, the official has only received 7,600 taels of money for the construction of the embankment..." Xiong Can walked out of his shock just now when he heard Yan Boda's words, and hurriedly spoke up.

But as soon as he started, someone interrupted him: "Mr. Xiong, isn't it too late for you to deny it again at this time? If you hadn't withdrew the money for river repair, how could the Jiande River embankment be destroyed? You have to make a fuss at this time. Could it be that you really want to be a governor and be bullied?" It was Zhang Siyuan who spoke there.

"I..." Xiong Can was insisted that he had greedy for the river repair money, and he was so angry that he couldn't speak, just gasping for breath: "Sir, why are you wronged by the officials..." In the end, he could only say one sentence.

"You are wronged? Which innocent people who died in the flood asked for an injustice?" Zhang Siyuan asked aggressively: "As the head of a county, you not only do not want to make decisions for the people, but also cause the people under the rule to be destroyed. Do you have the face to say that you are wronged? Look at other prefectures in Zhejiang, some of which are not as good as you Jiande, why did you have such a disaster in Jiande alone? Can you give me a reason? It wasn't it because you embezzled the volume of the court? Now, the lord is seeing that you are an official position and can still talk to you. If you refuse to admit your guilt, the governor can then remove your official position and throw it into prison and torture!"

These words forced Xiong Can back all the excuses that he wanted to say. He just stood there and murmured: "The official is wronged, the official has reported his feelings..."

"You say, it depends on what other reasons you can make up!" Yan Boda said after looking at Zhang Siyuan.

"Sir, even if it is only more than 7,000 taels of silver, my Jiande River Embankment can still be kept in danger." Xiong Can didn't care too much at this time, so he told the whole story that happened that day.

"You mean when the embankment collapsed, the officers and soldiers who suddenly arrived were guarding there?" Yan Bodaqi said.

"It is precisely because the leader Wang Wanchun repeatedly asked that the officials brought people back to the county government. But who would have thought that the embankment over there would collapse at night..." Xiong Can said tragically.

"There are so many officers and soldiers who have gone to Jiande, and so many people can't defend such a dam. This is too incredible, right?" Zhang Siyuan sneered and said, "Have they ever said where they came from?"

"The General Wang said that he was from Hangzhou..." Although he answered this question, Xiong Can felt a little uneasy, as if there was something wrong here. Sure enough, after hearing his words, the officials in the hall showed disbelief, and Zhang Siyuan even said directly: "It's nonsense! My Hangzhou City has also encountered the invasion of floods. It was not until the rain was lower the day before yesterday that the officers and soldiers were resting, but they could not send one soldier to Jiande. This matter is not only my official, but also any adult in the hall can prove it."

"What?" Xiong Can screamed in surprise, but when he looked at everyone in the hall, he saw disbelief and suspicion in their eyes. "What's going on? Who are those officers and soldiers?"

"What? Can't you justify yourself? Then let me help you answer. Because you embezzled the money for repairing the embankment, Jiande County was flooded. Because you were afraid that Shangguan would ask for punishment, you made up such a lie here, pushing all the mistakes onto the officers and soldiers you made up, hoping to get away with it. Xiong Can, Xiong Can, do you really think that everyone in the world is a fool? Will you be blinded by your lies?" Zhang Siyuan said contemptuously.

Yan Boda also said: "At this time, Xiong Can, are you still unwilling to avenge your sins?"

"Sir, the officials are wronged... It was true that the five hundred officers and soldiers suddenly arrived that day, and the officials would... "Xiang Can wanted to argue, but was suppressed by a thick voice: "Don't you bet, I have never had a general named Wang Wanchun under my command. You made up stories and made up some of my mother for me! This commander and his men are not something you can blame!" The person who spoke was a stout man. As he spoke, he had already come to Xiong Can's side and raised his fist at him: "If you dare to talk nonsense, I will kill you alive."

"Mr. Fan is a little worried." Seeing the big man getting angry, Yan Boda's face darkened and advised: "Don't think about moving hard in front of me at any time. What kind of morality is this?"

"Yes, sir." The big man took a step back and said respectfully. But then he said unconvincedly: "But he said that to us, I, the commander, couldn't swallow this breath!"

Yan Boda ignored him, but looked at Xiong Can: "What else do you have to say now? The lies you made up have been exposed on the spot. Are you still unwilling to admit your guilt?"

"Secretary..." Xiong Can only know what it means to be hard to argue. Although he said the truth, the people present did not believe it. At this time, he was more sure that someone was secretly harming him, but he didn't know who was doing this, was the governor Zhang, the commander who jumped out, or someone else?

Seeing that he was silent, Yan Boda snorted again: "Don't just say that I can't do anything to you. Although you have fame and status now, I can't do anything to you. But if you commit such a serious crime, it's just a matter of removing fame and status. I advise you to confess."|

"Brother, I'll go find Lord Tang now, you must hold on..." The words said before his brother Xiong Hui left echoed in Xiong Can's ears again: "Now I can only believe him." After making up this idea, Xiong Can just shook his head: "Governor, everything the lower official said is the truth, please check it out!"

"You..." Yan Boda was so angry that he almost cursed someone by his words. He waved his hand and said, "Come on, throw him into prison. When my official report to the court, he will be revoked for his official position and fame!" Although one is a seventh-rank county magistrate, and the other is a governor who holds the power of a province and is a first-rank governor, as long as the county magistrate is still an official, the governor will not be too much for him.

Seeing the person being taken down, Zhang Siyuan felt relieved. Although everything was in his control, when Xiong Can mentioned the silver for repairing the dike, he was still nervous. Fortunately, the governor refused to believe his words because of his preconceptions, otherwise things would be in trouble.

"Master Zhang..." A somewhat impatient call came into his ears, which made Zhang Siyuan react. He hurriedly looked up and found that Yan Boda was calling him, and said, "Do you dare to ask what instructions do you have?"

"Mr. Zhang, it has been several days since the order to raise grain from other prefectures and counties. Have you ever received the food?" Yan Boda asked the previous question again. He couldn't figure out why so many people were absent-minded today.

"If you come back, except for Xiaoshan County, it has sent 500 stones of grain, no other prefectures have sent them."

"Why is it only five hundred stones?" Yan Boda said dissatisfied.

"Sir, although the other prefectures and counties have not suffered from floods, they have experienced heavy rains in recent days, and the harvest this year will inevitably be greatly reduced. How can those officials be willing to hand over the grain in the warehouse? They still have to keep it for their local people."

"This..." Yan Boda forgot this section when he issued this order before. Now he remembered what Zhang Siyuan said: "What should we do? If the food from other prefectures cannot be sent, how should the people of Jiande County live? Do you want them to starve to death? Or let them leave their hometown and be the refugees?"

"Sir, I still have thousands of stones of food in Hangzhou Prefecture, but that's just a drop in the bucket, but it can't solve the urgent needs of the tens of thousands of people there." Hangzhou magistrate Meng Haigang also smiled bitterly and said, "Now it is the time when the young and yellow are not in charge. Now I'm facing such a major disaster. I'm afraid that Zhejiang will not have too much surplus food this year. The following officials' opinions, should we go to him to buy food?"

"Go to him to buy grain? Where should I get this money? Moreover, other provinces have suffered repeated disasters in recent years. Is it not that easy to buy grain from them?" Zhang Siyuan also said with a bitter face.

"This is not possible, nor that is not possible. Do you really have to watch the people of Jiande starve to death? By then, not only Xiong Can, but also you and I will be severely punished by the court! It may even trigger civil rebellion. If the court does not need to deal with us, we will die forever. Shandong is still in front of us, so we must be careful." Yan Boda said worriedly.

Zhang Siyuan saw that the time was coming, so he decided to express his early plan: "Sir, if you want to talk about it, we have not reached that point yet, so we still have a way to raise food."

"What method?" Yan Boda asked hurriedly.

"There are many wealthy businessmen in Zhejiang. Their families are rich in money and food. As long as our government can protect them and let the victims of Jiande ask them to borrow food, it will not be difficult to overcome this difficult situation."

"Mr. Zhang is a good idea. The official thought that this method is the best idea to solve the current crisis. Since our government cannot produce so much food, why not use the wealth of the people? As long as the governor speaks, they will not refuse." Meng Haigang also helped.

Seeing that the two subordinates said this, Yan Boda was really moved. After staying for a while, he finally said, "Then let's talk to them first, see how much food and money they are willing to take out, and what are their requirements..."

Seeing that the governor agreed, Zhang Siyuan and Meng Haigang exchanged a look in secret, and the two showed tacit smiles...
Chapter completed!