Chapter 224 Robbery

After being transferred to Dizhou, Zhang Rongling changed his old habits and began to take the initiative to manage government affairs.

With Zhang Rongling's foundation and wisdom, he quickly took control of the situation in Dizhou. With his experience in the central government, he quickly subdued the local nobles, making the economy of Dizhou flourish, and the court's taxes were also fully paid.

This is very rare in the declining empire.

Many state governments can't even pay taxes, and they have to apply for money from the court to tide over the difficulties. Zhang Rongling, who has such ability, naturally soon entered the eyes of the top leaders again.

No one will have trouble with money.

Especially conservatives like Si Ge Lao.

By the pond.

Zhang Rongling was wearing a green robe, which was woven from high-quality silk and was very bright in color. He lay on a chair with a fishing rod in his hand. Chen Luo sat next to him, also holding a fishing rod in his hand.

"Everything in this world is fish. As long as there is enough interest, there is no fish that cannot be caught."

Zhang Rongling's hook was straight. He was not really fishing, but just resting.

Only when he went fishing with his second uncle did he have a similar mentality. It has been seven years since he came to Dizhou. In seven years, Zhang Rongling has become the prefect of Dizhou who has the final say. The biggest reason for this is interest. He used interest to connect all the people together!

The only losses were the numbers on the list, some of the lowest mud legs.

The clan gentry were all well fed, so Zhang Rongling's official job was naturally comfortable.

Seven consecutive years of taxes made his name Zhang Rongling reappear in the capital and on the jade case. This step can't be accomplished by just taxes. Over the years, Zhang Rongling didn't know how much silver he had sent to the capital and how many people he had won over. In order to climb up, he almost did everything he could, and he also had a lot of handles on the officials in the capital, so that these people could speak for him.

Chen Luo didn't speak, he just looked at Zhang Rongling quietly.

The calamity on Zhang Rongling became more and more intense. He was obsessed with "fame, wealth and honor". Not only could he not let it go, but he was also deeply trapped in it. His heart was full of fame, wealth and honor, and he had long lost his original intention.

Kill the calamity!

Kill the inner demon.

He couldn't do any of them. Chen Luo could already foresee the end of Elder Rongling.

"Second uncle, it won't be long before we can return to the capital and get back everything we lost." Zhang Rongling swung the fishhook in his hand, and he actually pulled a fish out of the water with its tail swung.

"My lord is awesome!"

"This fish is really lucky to be caught by my lord."

The two servants standing behind immediately ran over to flatter him. The corny words made Zhang Rongling laugh, and he took a few pieces of silver and threw them on the ground.

"This is a reward for you."

"Thank you, sir!"

The two servants immediately knelt on the ground, picked up the silver on the ground, and were excited. Just these few pieces of silver were enough for the two of them to fight for several months.

When the two were picking up the silver, a fat man in a yellow gold-rimmed official suit came in from outside. When he saw Zhang Rongling, his eyes lit up and he immediately spoke.

"Sir, I finally found you!"

Zhang Rongling glanced at the man and continued to cast his fishing rod to fish.

The fat man saw this and immediately said anxiously.

"I went to the county government office to pick up my son this morning, but the group of servants refused to let me go."

The fat man was the local tycoon Huang Daniu. This guy was a complete scum. Not only did he bully men and women, but his own son was also a waste. A few days ago, his son rode a horse on the street and trampled a hawker to death. The incident caused a big commotion, and Zhang Rongling directly arrested him.

Originally, the case ended here, but Zhang Rongling did not handle it according to the law, but sent a message to the other party.

The rest of the matter was handled according to the procedure. The sensible Mr. Huang immediately sent some local specialties to Zhang Rongling, the county magistrate, and arranged for someone to send some silver to the victim's home. He also had someone threaten him again, and finally suppressed the matter. He never thought that the process would change when he was bringing people up. The people he sent to the county government were detained. It was useless to go there in person, and he was driven out by the people inside.

"Mr. Huang, this matter is not easy to handle. The people are very resentful, which may affect the evaluation of this official."

Zhang Rongling did not look back, staring at the fishhook intently. Chen Luo sat aside and watched quietly. Over the years, Zhang Rongling's appetite has become bigger and bigger, and the amount of corruption has become more and more exaggerated. He is not only greedy, but also a traitor! He secretly resold military equipment and obtained a lot of silver through reselling military equipment, and then used this silver to build his own network of relationships.

From top to bottom, every reputation is made with money.

The court is full of people who say good things about him. If you can get money, you are the boss!

"I understand, I understand."

When Mr. Huang saw this, he quickly took out two silver notes of 100 taels from his sleeve.

He spent 200 taels at once, which shows how valuable Mr. Huang is.

Zhang Rongling glanced at it and spat at the lake. He stood up from the chair, threw the fishing rod aside, and ordered the two servants behind him.

"This fish is so stupid. I have been fishing for so long and it doesn't bite the hook. Go back and find some people to drain the water from the pond for me."

"Yes!"

The two servants immediately ran up to pick up the fishing rod. In the process, they did not forget to look at Mr. Huang, implying that this person did not know the rules and had the nerve to take out a mere 200 taels. Mr. Huang's face changed for a while, and finally took out five more silver notes from his sleeve. This time, the denominations were all 500 taels, adding up to a total of 2,700 taels.

"Mr. Huang is worthy of being a local squire. This incident is a misunderstanding at first glance. It must be those unruly people who are responsible. Don't worry, Mister Huang. I will definitely give you an explanation for this matter and make the young master innocent."

"Then I'll trouble you, sir."

Mr. Huang breathed a sigh of relief, and after a few more polite words with Zhang Ronling, he left cautiously.

"Are you going to let him go?"

Chen Luo asked from the side.

"How could the fat pig that was finally caught be let go so easily? The Liu family is interested in the Huang family's business. This incident is a trap set up by the Liu family."

Zhang Ronling said casually.

He has done similar things countless times over the years.

The county magistrate destroyed the family and the prefect exterminated the family.

This sentence is most vividly reflected in Zhang Ronling.

After fishing, the uncle and nephew separated. Zhang Ronling went to deal with matters, while Chen Luo returned to the small courtyard and continued to practice his health-preserving skills. His body is already sixty-seven years old, which is considered an advanced age in this world.

"Second brother, you are back..."

The woman struggled to sit up, but she tried several times but failed. Her health got worse. After the age of sixty, a woman's physical fitness deteriorates rapidly, and all the problems she suffered from when she was young are now showing up.

She spends most of her time lying in bed. Chen Luo can see her weakness. A woman's life has entered a countdown. This is the life of ordinary people.

"I'll get up and make porridge for you..."

The woman still wants to get up and take care of him as before, but she can no longer do it now.

"Have a good rest, I ate at Rong Ling's place."

Chen Luo squeezed the woman's rough hand, this silly woman, a woman who had even forgotten him in his whole life.

"I'm fine, I'll just take a nap and I'll be fine."

Sensing the emotion on Chen Nuo's face, the woman tried her best to smile.

"When I get better, I'll make porridge for my second brother..."

The woman fell into a deep sleep and never woke up.

Her hand was still holding Chen Luo, her rough hand was filled with life.

Chen Luo carefully covered her with a quilt.

Walk out of the house in silence.

It was raining lightly outside, and the aura of calamity in the sky became even more intense.

The woman's funeral arrangements were handled very simply. It was just Chen Luo and Zhang Ronling. Zhang Ronling came over personally to kowtow to the woman. With his current status, there was absolutely no need to do this, but he still came, which proved that in Zhang Ronling's heart, his second uncle and his second aunt had always been the closest people.

"Rong Ling, have you ever thought about letting go?"

Above the mourning hall, Chen Luo reminded Zhang Ronling again.

After spending half a lifetime together, how can our hearts be as strong as iron?

"I can't let it go, second uncle."

Zhang Ronling shook his head, threw the last piece of yellow paper into the brazier, looked at the old second uncle in front of him, and said seriously.

"I am not alone. If I let go, what will happen to the people who follow me? What will happen to Junru?"

The Jun Ru he mentioned was the prime minister's daughter and his only wife in these years.

Although the prime minister had been betrayed before for a future, it was a political game and did not affect the relationship between them as husband and wife. Perhaps due to the influence of Chen Luo, or perhaps because he has failed someone in the past, Zhang Ronling has only had one wife in these years. For him, his wife is his obsession that he cannot let go of.

For these people, he must move forward and do something.

Even in the eyes of some people, he is a heinous corruption and traitor.

"Famous and successful, there may be someone on the other side waiting to wake up."

Chen Luo could only say this. As a natural disaster, there were some words that he couldn't say, and even if he said them, Zhang Ronling wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Then let me on the other side never wake up. Here, I have too many things that I can't let go of."

Zhang Ronling responded with a smile, his eyes serious.

Chen Luo sighed and gave no further advice.

half year later.

Zhang Ronling, who had seven years of experience in local governance, was transferred back to the capital again. This time, he returned to the stage of the empire, took back his rights, became a minister, and ranked first.

In the same year, the emperor died and a new emperor succeeded to the throne.

With the change of power, the new party once again seized the initiative and regained power by relying on its relationship with the new emperor. A large number of the old parties were expelled from the court. Zhang Ronngling relied on the influence left by his former father-in-law to change his family again and became the banner figure of the new party.

"Mr. Zhou Ge, my father-in-law told me before he was alive that you were his most proud disciple."

Zhang Ronling is as philistine and tactful as ever.

The new Mr. Zhou Ge looked at the son-in-law of his former mentor and remembered some of his reputation. It's just that today is no longer the same as in the past. Zhang Ronling is no longer the new junior official of the past. There is also a large number of people standing behind him, and he is a force in his own right. Under this situation, it is natural to win over and unite to deal with the old party together.

As a superior, the first thing to abandon is personal likes and dislikes.

"I have often heard my mentor mention you before. Come in and sit down." In just two words, the two formed an offensive and defensive alliance.

Zhang Ronling's power took a step further and he began to peek into the cabinet.

In the next few months, Zhang Ronling joined forces with Mr. Zhou Ge to eliminate dissidents. A force headed by him appeared in the court. Although it was not as good as the old and new parties, it was already a force that could not be ignored.