Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

It immediately caused an uproar!

"No way? The governor actually..."

"Indeed, all crows under heaven are black, even Prefect Cheng is like that!"

"Is he being nice to us ordinary people because we can't be squeezed out of us?"

"Bah! These scholars, they spout a bunch of grand principles all day long, but once they become officials, not a few of them are not greedy!"

.....

The people were discussing it animatedly.

quickly,

In their mouths, Cheng Wanli

He thus became a good official who stood up for the people.

In an instant, he became insatiable.

Officials who levy exorbitant taxes and engage in corruption are corrupt!

"You, you all..."

Cheng Wanli also did not expect that,

The people's opinion of him

Such a dramatic change could happen in an instant.

Although Cheng Wanli's family was not considered wealthy when he was young,

But they were also well-off and had no worries about food and clothing.

This gave him the time and money to study.

Because they grew up under the influence of the classics,

Cheng Wanli had aspirations since childhood.

You must become someone who stands up for the people.

A good official helps the people seek justice!

But I don't want to grow up...

He then realized just how difficult it was to fulfill this wish.

Although relying on his own abilities,

Cheng Wanli passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi.

However, the Cheng family was originally only moderately wealthy.

He had absolutely no connections in the imperial court.

After Cheng Wanli passed the imperial examination,

He then found himself relegated to the sidelines.

Wealthy individuals obtained official positions in prefectures and counties.

It wasn't even in his place, a powerless and insignificant person, to become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

Ordinary officials

Cheng Wanli himself, however, looked down on it.

And so, more than ten years were wasted.

Although he held several minor official positions,

But it's far from his childhood dream.

But it's undoubtedly getting further and further away!

Cheng Wanli, whose edges had gradually been smoothed out by officialdom,

Ultimately, he accepted the advice of a classmate.

At the other party's recommendation,

He sought refuge with Tong Guan, a close and favored minister of the emperor!

Cheng Wanli was initially a little unaccustomed to it.

I always felt that I was a scholar,

However, he sought refuge under the patronage of a eunuch.

It truly disgraced the integrity and dignity of scholars.

But he didn't expect that,

It was because of Tong Guan's status as a eunuch that...

As a result, not many civil officials have ever pledged allegiance to him.

Not to mention a Jinshi like Cheng Wanli.

With Tong Guande's support

Cheng Wanli, who had been sitting on the sidelines all along,

I finally experienced what it feels like to be promoted so quickly.

In just four or five years,

He then obtained a sinecure from a seventh or eighth-rank official position.

He gradually rose to become the Prefect of Dezhou, wielding the power of life and death over the people of the prefecture!

After becoming a high-ranking official in the Texas state government with real power

Cheng Wanli had not given up on his former ideals.

He stood up for the common people and sought justice for them.

Do your best

To ensure that the people under his rule are prosperous and happy.

However, he had already joined Tong Guan's tutelage.

There were also places where one had no choice in the matter.

That was his "benefactor," Tong Guan.

They would often demand that he send tribute from the prefecture to Tokyo!

At this point, Cheng Wanli was no longer in control of his own destiny.

Although he knew it was wrong,

But under Tong Guande's urging,

We can only try our best to meet their demands!

But he still has some bottom lines.

Knowing that no matter what,

We can no longer exploit the people at the bottom of society.

Then the person demanding money,

This money was allocated to the wealthy merchants in the prefectural city...

Chapter 634 The Prefect's Ideals Shattered

Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce!

In the eyes of the court and scholars at this time

Although the merchant was wealthy,

But in other respects,

Especially in terms of various political rights,

They are not even as good as farmers or skilled workers.

Even if he is extremely wealthy,

They could only be at the very bottom of the social hierarchy: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants!

This is also true for many businessmen.

The reason they had no choice but to rely on the powerful and influential.

Cheng Wanli, as a traditional scholar,

In his understanding,

Merchants are the epitome of cunning and deceit.

Compared to ordinary people who were forced to live in bandit camps,

Demanding money from these merchants

This was the choice Cheng Wanli made out of desperation.

He had always thought that

Doing this myself,

It's about protecting the people under our rule!

But did not expect,

Now that things have been exposed,

It's unbelievable that they've received so much abuse from the people!

"I...I am not a corrupt official!"

Cheng Wanli muttered to himself, his face pale.

But amidst the clamor and pointing of the crowd,

He had this rebuttal.

Naturally, it appears unexpectedly pale and powerless!

Until this moment,

Cheng Wanli suddenly remembered,

These merchants in front of us,

Aren't they the people under his rule?

His previous claims of standing up for the people and seeking justice for them

Now it seems,

It's a complete joke.

He's just deceiving himself!

"Prefect Cheng,"

Gao Liang frowned.

"As far as I know, you shouldn't value money too much,"

"Then why are you still demanding money and goods from these merchants?"

Cheng Wanli was not greedy for money.

This is what Cheng Wan'er told Gao Liang herself!

Gao Liang didn't think much of that gentle-looking girl.

They would lie about this!