Reborn as a Cube Man in the Late Ming Dynasty

Chengcheng, inside the City God Temple.

The newly appointed magistrate of Chengcheng County, Meng Yongnian, dressed in formal official robes, held incense and candles, laid out offerings, and recited prayers.

"Your Excellency, I, Meng Yongnian, the humble magistrate of Chengcheng County, have been appointed to govern this county. I am deeply grateful for the nation's favor and the people's high expectations. Today, I come to the temple to burn incense and humbly pray for your wise judgment."

May the divine power manifest itself to protect our land, ensuring abundant harvests and the well-being of our people. This wish and prayer are offered with utmost compassion and humbly accepted by the divine being.

The smoke from incense and candles swirled in the air, mingling with the dim light.

After the prayers were finished, Meng Yongnian walked out of the shrine and saw the clerk standing in front of it, waiting respectfully.

"But Wu Zhen is back!" Meng Yongnian asked hurriedly.

Since he took office, he has only encountered people who do nothing but freeload, and he originally thought that the patrol inspector Wu Zhen was the same.

After all, the fact that such a large city as Chengcheng could be captured right under his nose meant he was definitely drawing salaries without working.

Even so, nothing went wrong. He must have bribed his superiors to have done that. Moreover, he had a sinister look on his face and didn't seem like a good person.

During the period when he first arrived in Chengcheng, Meng Yongnian had almost no communication with him except for official business.

Civil officials commanding the army.

Even among officials of the same rank, these military officers had far less social status and power than their civil servant counterparts.

Moreover, this is just a lowly ninth-rank inspector.

However, after spending some time in Chengcheng, Meng Yongnian realized that he had misunderstood.

Even after the storm had passed, the bandits from Wuzhen would still frequently flee, sometimes even venturing beyond the area under their jurisdiction, and each time they would wipe out several groups of bandits.

Stay at your post!

His soldiers were strong and energetic, and they didn't look like people who were starving at all.

He loved his soldiers like his own children!

On this basis, the soldiers were not afraid of Wuzhen, which shows that he was usually very kind to these soldiers.

Corporal Lixian!

What's even more remarkable is that even under such intense bandit suppression, their troops were able to maintain extremely high morale.

He was a master of commanding troops!

Any one of these four qualities would make someone a rare talent, and Wuzhen possesses them all.

In a court where all officials, both civil and military, have colluded with each other and the government is utterly corrupt, there is still such a loyal and devoted person.

For the first time, Meng Yongnian had the idea of ​​befriending a ninth-rank military officer. During several official business meetings, and fueled by alcohol, he chatted with Wu Zhen for a long time.

The more they talked, the more he admired this person.

Although he was a military officer, he spoke softly and was sincere to others. When talking about his own outstanding qualities, he was very modest and unwilling to admit them at all.

From time to time, Meng Yongnian would invite Wu Zhen to visit, and he regarded him as a close friend.

The only pity is that, for some reason, Brother Wu can't eat fish; he'll vomit whenever he sees it. But that's not a big deal.

If such a person were to meet a patron, he would be more than just a patrol inspector; it is definitely the former magistrate Zhang Yaocai who is behind it all!

Thinking of this, her resentment towards Zhang Yaocai intensified.

That damned Zhang Yaocai! That scoundrel has ruined my brother Wu's bright future!

"No," the clerk paused, then suddenly asked, "Has Your Excellency come up with a solution to the food shortage?"

Brother Wu has gone out; has he not returned yet?

Upon hearing this, Meng Yongnian first shook his head, then couldn't help but mutter curses and sigh repeatedly.

"Zhang Yaocai, that scoundrel, dared to levy exorbitant taxes and arbitrarily increase them, forcing the people to rebel. Not only did he fail to defend Chengcheng, but the city fell, and the grain in the granary was looted."

"To be ignorant of the times, yet dare to be arrogant and act absurdly, is truly a disgrace to our generation!"

No wonder the Donglin Party tried every means to transfer me to this place, to see what the dead Zhang Yaocai left me.

Extreme public resentment, bandits everywhere, taxes that were clearly uncollectible, and empty granaries in the city.

What will he use to make up for it?

If he still dares to send people to collect taxes, he will inevitably become the next Zhang Yaocai. But if he asks those gentry and wealthy households, it will be harder than taking their lives.

I've used both soft and hard tactics these past few days, and I've barely managed to get a little bit, which I've distributed to the people to appease some of their grievances.

But if you ask again, it will be impossible!

He was just a newly appointed county magistrate. If he dared to ask the local gentry and wealthy households for more money, bandits would sneak into the city tomorrow, claiming to be killing corrupt officials, and take his life.

These days, especially in places like this where bandits are rampant, anyone who can get away with nothing is no pushover!

Where can we get the supplies to make up for this shortage?

This is clearly a dead end. I either lose my official position or my life. There is no other way!

"There's no good solution to the food problem for now," Meng Yongnian said with a wry smile, then casually asked, "What's wrong? Have you thought of any good ideas?"

The clerk cupped his hands and said, "No, a group of people from the county government came and said they could help Your Excellency with your urgent problem."

Meng Yongnian's eyes flickered as he asked, "Is what you said true?"

"I dare not deceive you, sir," the clerk said, bowing his head.

It's not easy to get someone to come to you proactively!

There's no such thing as a free lunch; the other party's intentions are far from small!

"Let's go back and take a look!" Meng Yongnian said in a deep voice.

"This..." The advisor hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Meng Yongnian asked sternly, "What? Could it be that those people are plotting something?"

"No, Your Excellency, you'll see for yourself. I can't say for sure," the clerk said hesitantly.

"Alright," Meng Yongnian said, enunciating each word clearly, "I want to see what's so special about this group!"

Upon arriving outside the county government office, Meng Yongnian frowned as he stared at the strange villagers in the distance who were wearing leather breastplates and boots and carrying wooden swords.

The yamen runners standing in front of the county government office actually ignored these guys as if they didn't exist!

"What are those yamen runners doing? They're clearly trying to cause trouble, why aren't they driving them away? Sure enough, they're all a bunch of freeloaders."

Meng Yongnian said irritably, then suddenly turned around, looked at the clerk, and tentatively asked, "The group you're talking about, it's not them, is it?"

The clerk said helplessly, "Your Honor, you're right, but sir, their leader is a scholar, and he's waiting for you inside!"

Are these guys reliable?

Why does it look so similar to the Yellow Turban Army's style of dress!

Meng Yongnian saw that the carriage the group was carrying was vaguely filled with things.

"Let's go in and take a look."

Meng Yongnian and his clerk walked past the guards on duty without expression and entered the county government office.

"Brother, are we really just going to let those people go unchecked?" Zhao Wu turned his head and asked worriedly, "The new magistrate didn't look too good just now. Could he be blaming us? What are you hiding from me?"

"Soon, almost there!" the constable muttered, looking at Zhao Wu with barely suppressed joy. "Hahahaha, Zhao Wu, go listen to what those soldiers are saying. When the time comes, you'll know what's really going on!"

Finally, finally!

It's Chengcheng's turn!!!