bayedsolid Chapter 985 Bai Qi was sent by the Marquis of Anguo, how dare you be so presumptuous?
Chapter 985 Bai Qi was sent by the Marquis of Anguo, how dare you be so presumptuous?
Threat!
This is a naked threat!
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Several burly men who looked like guards from the three major families surrounded the main table with ill intent.
Lin Wanzhi sat upright, her expression calm.
She merely glanced indifferently at Bai Qi beside her.
Throughout the entire process, Bai Qi sat half a step behind her, like a true bodyguard, neither drinking nor eating, as if everything around him was irrelevant.
Only then did he slowly stand up.
"My family is trying to reason with you."
Bai Qi's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire Wangjiang Tower: "You all seem to not understand."
Wang Dechang narrowed his eyes and shouted, "Who do you think you are?"
"A servant like you, what right do you have to speak here?"
"Men, throw him out!"
"Yes!"
Two burly guards grinned maliciously as they charged toward Bai Qi.
However, before they could get close, Bai Qi's figure flickered like a ghost.
"boom!"
"boom!"
Two muffled thuds were followed by the crisp sound of bones shattering.
The two burly men were sent flying backward at an even greater speed than when they charged at them, crashing into two tables and instantly losing consciousness, their arms twisted at an odd angle.
The whole place was dead silent!
No one saw how Bai Qi made his move!
The three clan leaders, Wang Dechang, Xie Anshi, and Li Yuanjing, were so shocked that they stood up from their chairs, their faces filled with disbelief.
Bai Qi did not stop.
He walked slowly toward Wang Dechang.
"You just said the water is deep?"
Bai Qi stood in front of Wang Dechang and asked calmly.
Wang Dechang felt a chill run down his spine from that look, and roared, his voice trembling with fear, "You... what do you want to do?"
I am a local worthy, bestowed with an imperial decree!
"If you dare touch me, you'll be making an enemy of all the gentry in the county!"
"Oh."
Bai Qi responded.
Then, he reached out and grabbed the corner of the eight-immortal table made of precious mahogany in front of Wang Dechang.
Amidst everyone's horrified gazes, he slightly bulged his arm muscles, let out a low shout, and actually lifted the solid wood table weighing several hundred pounds, along with all the plates and cups on it, over his head!
"Crash-"
The sounds of soup, dishes, and porcelain shattering filled the air, splashing everyone around.
Bai Qi held the table high, like a giant god from ancient mythology, his gaze sweeping over all the trembling gentry and wealthy merchants in the room, finally settling on Wang Dechang, who was ashen-faced.
"Is the water still deep now?"
Wang Dechang's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground with a "plop," his crotch quickly becoming wet—he had wet his pants in fright.
Xie Anshi and Li Yuanjing turned pale and staggered backward, almost falling over.
Bai Qi casually tossed the table into the open space to the side!
"Boom!"
With a loud crash, the table shattered into pieces, sending splinters flying everywhere.
The entire Wangjiang Tower trembled.
He patted non-existent dust off his hands, slowly walked back behind Lin Wanzhi, sat down again, and transformed back into that silent stone statue.
It was as if the imposing, monstrous figure who had overturned the banquet was merely an illusion.
Lin Wanzhi stood up and straightened her sleeves.
She surveyed the entire room, looking at the gentry who usually swaggered around but were now trembling with fear, and her clear, authoritative voice rang out:
"Starting tomorrow, all merchant ships within Qingyang County will be inspected and taxed in accordance with the law."
"If anyone conceals or resists, the price will be the Wang clan chief and the table in front of him."
“I appreciate the hospitality extended to the three clan leaders tonight.”
Goodbye.
After speaking, she turned around gracefully under everyone's gaze and walked down the stairs step by step.
Bai Qi followed silently behind her, and wherever they passed, the crowd automatically parted to make way for them.
The deathly silence on Wangjiang Tower was only broken when Lin Wanzhi's official sedan chair disappeared into the night.
Gasps of cold air and chattering teeth filled the air.
Looking at Wang Dechang sprawled on the ground and the pile of rotten wood, they finally understood one thing profoundly—
The sky over Qingyang County has completely changed from tonight!
The earth-shattering banquet at Wangjiang Tower swept through the entire Qingyang County overnight.
The Wang family patriarch was so frightened that he wet his pants. The expensive mahogany eight-immortal table was lifted up by the new county magistrate's advisor with one hand and smashed in mid-air.
These details were embellished and spread to every corner of the county.
The various forces that were originally observing and even preparing to see Lin Wanzhi make a fool of herself instantly fell silent.
But beyond the fear, there was even more confusion.
Who exactly is this man in gray?
Why does it possess such terrifying military power?
Where did Lin Wanzhi, a female top scholar with no connections, find this terrifying figure?
Countless questions swirled in the air above Qingyang County until the scene at the county government office the next morning provided the chilling answer.
At dawn, the gates of the county government office were wide open.
Unlike the usual deathly stillness, the atmosphere in front of the yamen was grim today.
Lin Wanzhi, dressed in the official robes of a seventh-rank official, personally led all the yamen runners on duty in front of the gate.
Beside her, the registrar Qian Qian held the account books and abacus with trepidation.
Behind her stood a gray-clad retainer named Bai Qi, arms crossed.
Among the crowd, some sharp-eyed people recognized that Zhang Jing, the county magistrate who was arrogant yesterday, was now mixed in with the yamen runners, his face pale, his head down, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Lin Wanzhi's clear and authoritative voice rang out: "By order of the imperial court, as the parent of Qingyang, I will personally lead a team to inspect the county's canal transport taxation, effective immediately!"
"All merchant ships, regardless of ownership, must truthfully declare their goods and pay taxes in accordance with the laws of the imperial court!"
"Anyone who conceals or resists, do not blame this official for being ruthless in upholding the law!"
She used her authority as county magistrate to personally conduct the investigation.
This is legally sound, but it demonstrates her determination to investigate the matter thoroughly at all costs!
"Let's go to the dock!"
Lin Wanzhi gave no one time to react. With a single command, she led her team in a grand procession toward the dock.
The onlookers and spies from various families quickly made way, whispering amongst themselves.
"This Lord Lin is serious!"
"But what's the use of just coming here?"
The three major families have dominated the docks for decades, their influence deeply entrenched. And she, a mere woman…
“Shh!
Didn't you see what happened at Wangjiang Tower yesterday?
That bodyguard of hers is no pushover!
Among the crowd, a knowledgeable old scholar stroked his beard and said in a low voice, "The key is not how good the guard is at fighting, but what his background is."
"Without a name or status, even if someone is killed, the three major families can find a way to make him pay with his life, and might even implicate Lord Lin."
"But if he has powerful connections..."
As they were talking, a commotion broke out at the front of the group.
Li Yuanjing, the head of the Li family, led dozens of servants and guards to block their way.
Unlike Wang Dechang, who was foolish enough to make threats directly, he put on a pained expression and bowed to Lin Wanzhi, saying, "Lord Lin!"
Absolutely not!
"The docks have their own rules. Your high-profile investigation will disrupt business and cause widespread panic!"
"We are only thinking about the stability of Qingyang County!"
The guards behind him, armed with sticks, formed a swarm, clearly intending to use public opinion to force Lin Wanzhi to back down.
Lin Wanzhi stopped and looked at him coldly: "Clan Chief Li, are you saying that the rules of Qingyang County are greater than the laws of the imperial court?"
"This humble subject dares not!"
Li Yuanjing said he dared not, but his body did not move aside. "However, sir, this guest of yours injured someone and beat up a local worthy at Wangjiang Tower yesterday without cause. There must be an explanation for this."
Who exactly is he?
"Why do you act so arrogantly and domineeringly in my Qingyang County?"
"If Your Excellency cannot provide a clear explanation, we, the gentry of the entire county, will jointly appeal to the Qingzhou Prefecture, and even to the Emperor, to seek justice for the Wang clan chief!"
His words were extremely insidious, directly targeting the legitimacy of Bai Qi's identity.
If it is proven that Bai Qi was a thug secretly hired by Lin Wanzhi, then she will have committed the serious crime of condoning evil servants and oppressing the good. Not only will the new policies be unable to proceed, but she may also lose her official position.
All eyes were on Lin Wanzhi, watching to see how she would respond to this fatal question.
Lin Wanzhi showed no panic.
Instead, he revealed a cold smile that was hard for others to understand, almost a pity.
She stepped forward and said loudly, "Do you all want to know who he is?"
"Very well, then I will tell you!"
Her voice echoed throughout the entire street: "This Mr. Bai Qi is not a guard I hired, but a second-rank General of the Garrison Army personally appointed by His Majesty!"
"He is here on the orders of Marquis Anguo, Bailu, to assist me in reforming the bureaucracy and safeguarding the new policies!"
"The Marquis of Anguo has decreed that anyone in Qingyang County who dares to obstruct the imperial decrees or outwardly comply but inwardly defy them, General Bai may, on behalf of the Emperor, execute them first and report later!"
The moment the words "Marquis of Anguo" were uttered, it was as if a thunderclap from the heavens had exploded in the crowd!
Who is Bai Lu, the Marquis of Anguo?
She was a legendary woman who held military and political power in the Great Wu Dynasty!
He is a pillar of the nation who is treated with utmost respect even by the current emperor!
Her fame had already spread to every corner of the Great Wu Dynasty.
And this menacing man was actually sent by her?
Or was he a general in charge of a garrison?
The color drained from Li Yuanjing's face instantly. He pointed at Bai Qi in disbelief, his lips trembling, "No... impossible!"
"The Marquis of Anguo is far away in the northern border, how could he... how could he possibly concern himself with the affairs of our Qingyang County..."
Lin Wanzhi sneered, "Has Clan Chief Li forgotten?"
This official and Lord Su Mingyue, the supervisor of the Pingzhou border trade, were both Jinshi graduates of the same cohort and are sworn brothers.
"Lord Su is currently serving under the Marquis of Anguo."
"Regarding my predicament here, Lord Su has already written a letter to inform the Marquis."
"The Marquis values talent and upholds the law. He cannot bear to see officials of the court hampered by petty people, so he specially dispatched General Bai!"
Her words were half true and half false, yet logically sound and flawless!
It was no secret that Su Mingyue was working under the Marquis of Anguo.
Through this relationship, it became perfectly natural for Marquis Anguo to intervene in the affairs of Qingyang County!
Li Yuanjing was completely dumbfounded.
He originally thought he was facing only a helpless female county magistrate, at most a tough brute.
Who would have thought that the other party's backer was actually that living Buddha whom no one dared to offend!
To oppose Marquis Anguo?
Let alone the Li family, the entire Qingzhou Prefecture would have to think twice!
"thump!"
Li Yuanjing's legs went weak, and he knelt down on the ground.
The dozens of menacing guards behind him suddenly knelt down, throwing their sticks all over the ground and kowtowing repeatedly.
"My lord, please forgive me!"
Your Excellency, please forgive me!
The petty person is blind to the great man!
That despicable person deserves to die!
Li Yuanjing was in tears, his dignity as a member of a gentry and aristocratic family completely gone.
This kneeling completely shattered the last shred of hope held by all the old forces in Qingyang County.
Lin Wanzhi didn't even glance at him, strode past him, and her cold voice rang out again: "Go to the dock."
This time, no one dared to stop them.
When Lin Wanzhi's group appeared at the dock, all the merchant ship managers and members of the canal gang were like mice seeing a cat.
Especially after hearing Bai Qi's true identity and the Marquis of Anguo's orders, the last thought of resistance in everyone's hearts vanished.
The verification process went exceptionally smoothly.
Everyone rushed to declare and pay their taxes, fearing that if they were a step too slow, they would be targeted by General Bai, who acted on behalf of the emperor and reported to the emperor without consulting him first.
In just half a day, the collected canal transport taxes filled several large boxes, exceeding the total amount collected in the past year.
The registrar, Qian, held the account book, his hands trembling so much that he could barely write.
The look in his eyes when he looked at Lin Wanzhi had changed from awe to almost godlike worship.
With the Marquis of Anguo's banner in hand, the work of measuring fields progressed with unstoppable momentum.
Bai Qi no longer needed to personally crush the table legs.
He only needed to take his constables to the countryside, stand at the village entrance, and have the constables loudly announce: "By order of the Marquis of Anguo, assist Lord Lin in surveying the land. Anyone who hides land property will be punished as a traitor!"
The word "treason," coupled with Bai Qi's fearsome image, is enough to terrify any landlord with ulterior motives.
The measurement work encountered no resistance whatsoever; on the contrary, countless citizens came forward to report it.
Half a month later, an unprecedentedly accurate "Qingyang County Field and Fish Scale Register" was completed.
Based on this, Lin Wanzhi redistributed the taxes. The large landowners were in dire straits but dared not speak out, while the poor were overjoyed and spread the news. Every household erected a longevity tablet for Lin Wanzhi, calling her a living bodhisattva sent by the Marquis of Anguo to save them from suffering!
With ample financial resources and popular support, Lin Wanzhi immediately began her long-term plan—to revitalize education and culture and enlighten the people.
She repaired the county school and personally taught classes, and her knowledge and demeanor impressed all the scholars in the county.
Immediately afterwards, despite immense societal pressure, she founded Qingyang Girls' School.
Faced with the overwhelming public opinion that "women's education is useless," Lin Wanzhi did not use the prestige of the Marquis of Anguo to suppress it.
She knew that ideological barriers and forceful pressure would only provoke a greater backlash.
She adopted a gentle and pragmatic approach: girls were taught literacy, arithmetic, and practical skills, and were provided with meals and financial subsidies.
This move precisely targeted the weakness of impoverished families.
When they discovered that their daughter's education was not only free, but also brought home food and income, their deeply ingrained old ideas changed.