I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 212 Zhongxin Society! What does it mean to be all-powerful? What does it mean to be lawless?
At the beginning of the day, in the courtyard rented by Shen Nian and others.

After hearing Tang Xianzu say that he was "unclean", Shen Nian knew that he had suffered a great injustice.

“Yireng, this place is not safe. Let’s move to the Duke Yansheng’s residence first and then we can talk,” Shen Nian said.

Tang Xianzu nodded in agreement.

He knows.

After he escapes from the Flower Pavilion, a large group of people will soon be frantically searching for him, and these rental-type residences are their main focus.

Immediately, everyone quickly moved towards the Duke Yansheng's residence.

……

And this moment.

In front of the East Flower Hall of the Qufu County Government Office, in front of the temporary residence of Xu Liang, the Vice Prefect of Yanzhou Prefecture.

boom! boom! boom!
Bai Youlu, the county magistrate of Qufu, pounded on the door.

A few moments.

Xu Liang, a burly man in his forties and the prefectural vice-prefect of Yanzhou, walked out with a displeased expression.

"Magistrate Bai, is it a rebellion attacking the city or a meteorite hitting the Confucius Temple? Can't we talk about this after dawn? I'm not like Magistrate Tang, who can go to the yamen to work anytime!"

"Prefect Xu, something terrible has happened! Magistrate Tang has been rescued from the Xiehua Tower and is currently missing. Lord Xue has already sent his servants to search the entire city!"

"What? Who saved him? How many people were there?"

"I...I...don't know."

Xu Liang paused for a moment and said, "It's alright. The city gates won't open until five quarters past 3 AM. He and his accomplices are definitely still inside the city!"

"Quickly take the fast and strong constables and search the whole city for him, paying special attention to inns and rented houses where outsiders are staying. Also, have the bailiffs stand guard at the four city gates. If they spot him, arrest him immediately! If he escapes Qufu County, none of us will survive!"

"Yes!"

County Magistrate Bai bowed slightly to Xu Liang, then quickly left.

Xu Liang's face was gloomy as he muttered, "Damn the Xue family! If we had killed Tang Xianzu beforehand and framed some scoundrel, the matter would have been over. But they insisted on making the other party submit to the Xue family. What a hassle!"

……

Just as the yamen runners of Qufu County and the servants of the Xue family were frantically searching for someone in the city.

The Duke Yansheng's Mansion, inside a detached courtyard.

Shen Nian looked at Kong Shangxian and said with a smile, "Lord Yansheng, the people in the manor shouldn't reveal our whereabouts, right?"

"No, absolutely not! Scholar Shen is carrying out an imperial mission. If I neglect my duties, it will be a hindrance to His Majesty's affairs. Scholar Shen can stay here in peace."

"However... however... my Kong family and the Xue family have always kept to themselves for generations. If Scholar Shen finds any mistakes or omissions on their part, he must make it clear that they have nothing to do with my Kong family, so as to avoid future conflicts between our two clans."

“Okay!” Shen Nian readily agreed.

This Duke Yansheng was quite timid, and all he wanted to do was guard his own little territory and avoid offending anyone.

Shen Nian didn't expect him to do anything more for her.

at this time.

The residence rented by Shen Nian and others has been discovered by the yamen runners of Qufu County and the servants of the Xue family.

The real estate agent only knew that the lessee was a young bookseller who wanted to store books there; he knew nothing else.

……

After a while.

Shen Nian, Shi Qing, and Tang Xianzu sat around a table.

at this time.

After Shen Nian and Shi Qing learned that Tang Xianzu had been rescued, the Xue family's servants and the county government's yamen runners quickly went out to search for him.

This matter is absolutely inextricably linked to the Xue family, Xu Liang, the prefectural magistrate of Yanzhou, and Bai Youlu, the county magistrate of Qufu.

After washing up and changing his clothes, Tang Xianzu looked noticeably better.

He slowly began to speak: "In early February, I came to Qufu County. After conducting an investigation, I found that if the land survey in Qufu were to proceed smoothly and the common people were to have enough to eat, the Yansheng Duke's Mansion and the Yangwu Marquis's Mansion would have to cooperate fully."

"On the third day after I took office, I visited the Duke of Yansheng and the Marquis of Yangwu. Both of them were very warm and polite, and claimed that they would fully cooperate with the land survey and would never hide a single piece of land."

"At first, they did a very good job. The Kong family and the Xue family cooperated very well in the land surveying for the county government. In particular, Xue Zheng, the younger brother of Marquis Yangwu Xue Bian, was about the same age as me. He was good at poetry and music and often sent people to help the county government survey the land, which solved a lot of trouble for me. The people in the county called him the Second Marquis!"

"But a month later, I discovered that this second marquis had impure motives."

"After we became acquainted, he would slip gold leaves into the books he gave me, and he would use the excuse of taking me to inspect the people's conditions to participate in gambling. Although the stakes were small, it was still gambling. He would even send singing girls to my bed after the banquet!"

Tang Xianzu looked at Shen Nian and Shi Qing.

"I politely declined all his requests for these illegal actions and told him that the Ming Dynasty's officialdom could not tolerate such violations of the law, but he still did not stop."

"I did not report this matter to the prefectural government because I had only been in Qufu County for a short time and was eager to do things, to do big things. I was worried that if I offended the Xue family, they would find ways to resist the land, so I did not pursue it. But... I did not compromise in the slightest!"

Speaking of this...

Tang Xianzu raised his voice, clearly a little nervous. He was worried that Shen Nian and Shi Qing would think he was cowardly or that he wasn't telling the truth.

“We believe you, please continue!” Shen Nian’s tone was very gentle.

Not every official can be like Hai Rui.

If you invite me to dinner, I'll flip the table; if you bribe me, I'll immediately impeach you; if you try to kill me, I'll not only be unafraid but also fight you to the death.

Local county officials sometimes have to resort to wining and dining and make compromises on certain matters in order to get things done.

Because if you offend a powerful local family, you might find it difficult to accomplish anything.

When Tang Xianzu first entered officialdom, it was already quite remarkable that he was able to resist these temptations.

……

Tang Xianzu paused for a moment, then continued: "In early June, Xue Zheng's gift-giving became increasingly outrageous. He even brought a troupe of actors to the back office of the county government, claiming that he wanted to give them to me. I could no longer tolerate it, so I reprimanded him and then wanted Marquis Yangwu, Xue Bian, to teach him a lesson. However, Marquis Yangwu, Xue Bian, refused to see me. I told Xue Zheng that if he dared to offer bribes again, I would imprison him in the county jail."

"He's a madman. The next day, he actually took the deeds to two shops and tried to give them to me. I was furious and locked him up in the county jail. I only released him three days later!"

"Then he told me that he had had enough of me and that I had to beg him to give me gifts, to go to brothels and gamble. I thought he was crazy at the time, but soon, everything in the county government changed!"

“The county magistrate, registrar, clerk, the three shifts of yamen runners, the six departments of clerks who used to cooperate with me very well, plus the miscellaneous servants who received and sent official documents and were on duty, all started to slack off. In the county yamen, no one listened to my orders.”

“County Magistrate Bai Youlu told me that in Qufu County, one could either become a friend of the Second Marquis (Xue Zheng) or become his enemy. To become his friend, one had to accept his gifts and do as he asked.”

"I was furious about this and immediately wrote a document to report to the Yanzhou Prefecture and the Imperial Inspector. However, the document could not be sent to Qufu County and returned to my desk on the same day. All my actions were under the supervision of the three shifts of yamen runners, and I rarely had any freedom. I could not even leave the county government office."

"For the first time, I truly understood what lawlessness meant!" "On June 16th, Xue Zheng swaggered into the county government office like a magistrate from Qufu County. He told me that if I wanted to live, I should join the Zhongxin Society he founded. He claimed that the Zhongxin Society had many high-ranking officials and nobles who could not only guarantee me wealth and honor but also ensure my smooth career advancement. He then told me that the prefect and vice-prefect of Yanzhou Prefecture were both members of the Zhongxin Society, while the current county magistrate, registrar, and clerks were only members on the outer register of the Zhongxin Society."

"My condition for joining the Zhongxin Society was that, on his arrangement that night, I would go to brothels, gamble, and, in addition, return the hundred acres of fertile land that had been surveyed to the Xue family's hidden land."

"Suddenly, I realized that the Chung Hsin Society was an evil organization that used officials' vulnerabilities to coerce them into obeying it!"

"That night, I didn't go. Then the next day, I was completely confined to the county government office. I tried to figure out how to send a message out, and finally, I thought of Xiangwa and asked him to deliver the message!"

……

“That day, it wasn’t a mob storming the government office; it was Xue Zheng and his servants who beat me up. I was prepared to die, but he didn’t kill me. He even wanted me to submit to him and become a member of the Loyalty Society!”

"So he locked me in the Flower Pavilion and tortured me constantly. He made me sleep naked in bed with a group of prostitutes. He forced me to gamble and do whatever he asked of me, but I refused. I was determined to fight him to the end!"

……

After hearing this, Shen Nian sighed deeply.

I never expected such a thing to happen in the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

A county magistrate appointed by the imperial court was so helpless and could be bullied to this extent.

From this point of view.

At present, Qufu, and even the entire Yanzhou Prefecture, is filled with members of the Xue Family Loyalty Society.

This place is practically their kingdom; they can destroy whomever they want.

"The Duke of Yansheng's mansion was not involved in this matter, and it has no members of the Loyalty Society?" Shi Qing asked Tang Xianzu.

"Probably not. The Kong family and the Xue family hardly ever interact. The current Duke Yansheng is timid and loves his reputation. He most likely knows what the Zhongxin Society is doing, but he pretends not to know!" Tang Xianzu replied.

Shi Qing said, "Next, as long as we capture Xue Zheng, we will know the list of all members of the Zhongxin Society. He should have a list specifically for recording the incriminating evidence he used to threaten people!"

Shen Nian nodded slightly.

"Given Xue Zheng's current power, it will be very difficult for us to capture him! Xu Liang, the prefectural magistrate of Yanzhou, has more than 300 men, plus more than 100 clerks from the county government. If they really surround us in the Duke of Yansheng's mansion, they will probably be the ones to capture us!"

Shi Qing had only about thirty Imperial Guards under his command.

“He dares to defy the imperial envoy? If a fight really breaks out, we can fight our way out and report this to the capital. Once the news gets out, they will be finished!” Shi Qing said with great confidence.

Shen Nian thought about it.

“The Duke of Yansheng’s mansion is not safe either. They should be able to find this place soon. When that happens, we’ll probably have no choice but to fight them head-on. Commander Shi, before they find us, try to capture Marquis Yangwu, Xue Bian.”

Shi Qing's eyes lit up immediately.

Faced with Xue Zheng, Marquis Yangwu, Xue Bian, was the best hostage.

"Alright, let's give it a try tonight!"

Shen Nian looked at the gradually brightening sky outside and said, "Everyone has been up all night, let's rest first, and then organize the details into a document. For now, we can only wait and see!"

Then, Shen Nian looked at Tang Xianzu and said, "Yireng, a pure heart leads to a pure body. Don't feel that you have suffered a great humiliation and are no longer worthy of being an official. This matter is nothing!"

"I understand!" Tang Xianzu bowed deeply to Shen Nian.

Fortunately, Shen Nian came in person this time.

If it were only the Embroidered Uniform Guard or a certain censor, Tang Xianzu might have already died, while Xue Zheng could easily have faked it.

……

A moment later, it was time for Qufu County to open its city gates.

However, Shen Nian received the news.

Xu Liang, the prefectural magistrate of Yanzhou, and Bai Youlu, the county magistrate of Qufu, used the pretext of thieves entering the city to block all four gates of Qufu and prohibit anyone from entering or leaving.

Under normal circumstances, even if there are thieves, they will only increase their search efforts at the city gate.

However, the two men actually issued an order to seal off the city. If this order were to reach the imperial court, they would certainly be severely punished.

The fact that the two of them dared to do this shows that they must have powerful backers.

……

Afternoon, the back hall of the Qufu County Government Office.

Lord Xue Zheng, the Second Marquis, Xu Liang, the Prefectural Magistrate of Yanzhou, and Bai Youlu, the County Magistrate of Qufu, gathered together.

Bai Youlu said angrily, "I even had the Confucius Temple searched thoroughly, but there wasn't a soul in sight. Have they already left the city?"

"Impossible, absolutely impossible. Unless they have wings, they can't leave Qufu!" Xu Liang said with certainty.

At this time.

Second Marquis Xue Zheng, a fair-skinned and refined-looking man, spoke up: "I'm wondering, who exactly saved them? Are there still any people associated with Tang Xianzu in Qufu County today?"

"Although some people greatly respect him, they are nothing more than poor people at the bottom of society. They do not have the power, let alone the courage!"

Bai Youlu suddenly stood up, looking completely bewildered.

"Could it be... could it be that the imperial court sent the secret police to investigate the rioters who stormed the government office, and then rescued Tang Xianzu? If... if it's the Embroidered Uniform Guard, then... we're all doomed!"

"What's there to be afraid of? This is Qufu County, not the Forbidden City. If it were just a few Imperial Guards or eunuchs, we could easily find an excuse to kill them!" Xu Liang, the prefectural magistrate of Yanzhou, said with great disdain.

As the prefectural vice-prefect, Xu Liang was in charge of grain transport, farmland, water conservancy, military affairs, and supervision of the prefectural officials.

He was very confident in the more than 300 soldiers he had brought from Yanzhou.

In addition, he had a lot of leverage over Xue Zheng, so he had no choice but to make a statement.

Xue Zheng nodded slightly and said, "Continue searching for Tang Xianzu. Once we find him, I'll skin him alive! In Qufu County, anyone who doesn't join the Loyalty Society is our enemy and will only die!"

……

soon.

A group of soldiers, clerks, and servants of the Xue family, under the guise of searching for thieves, began a frantic search in Qufu County.

Anyone from out of town would be thoroughly investigated, and some might even be taken directly to the county jail.

The county jail in Qufu was just like Xue Zheng's personal jail.

They can lock up whomever they want.

The Duke Yansheng, Kong Shangxian, and some members of the Kong family knew many of the Xue family's secrets, but they pretended to be ignorant, acting as if they knew nothing.

In their eyes, as long as Qufu County has a strong Confucian atmosphere and the Confucius Temple is bustling with worshippers, that's enough.

(End of this chapter)