In this regard, Xu Qing's attitude was unwavering, leaving no room for the local officials to exercise creativity.

Everything was based on the "Fish Scale Book Verification Technique." Perhaps, in the eyes of outsiders, such an approach may seem somewhat dogmatic and rigid, lacking flexibility.

But Xu Qing understood that whenever new decrees were implemented, the most terrifying aspect was vague regulations. Once lower-level officials were allowed to exercise discretion or act recklessly, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Take, for instance, a county magistrate who abuses his meager authority impulsively, which could disastrously affect hundreds of ordinary farming households, resulting in broken families and separated wives and children.

The people of the Great Yu Dynasty, especially the farmers, lived lives far too difficult.

After two hundred years of land consolidation, the remaining self-farming peasants were as fragile as a thin sheet of paper. Even a small disruption could be the last straw that breaks their families.

The regulations introduced by Xu Qing might not entirely match the real situation in certain specific regions, and might even seem somewhat harsh. But overall, for the vast majority of the populace, they are still regarded as good governance.

It's like finding a source of water in a barren desert, even if water is scarce and difficult to obtain, it ultimately gives people a hope of survival.

Nowadays, Xu Qing increasingly understood the deeds of the former Grand Secretary Zhang Tai'a.

Being in a high position at the Court, maintaining the massive operation of the government inevitably involved exploiting the nation.

It is akin to an unavoidable act of "evil," but the key lies in how to "act evil" in a way that benefits the Court and how to minimize the harm to the people while maintaining control.

…

…

The proprietress A Cui at a nearby tea stall had been eavesdropping for a long time. She couldn't help but interject, "Li Office Clerk, everyone's short on silver coins. To exchange them, you have to go to Liu Usurer's house. But their grain measuring scoop..." she said conspiratorially, lowering her voice and making a slanted gesture to imply corruption.

Li Xiwen heard this and his spine stiffened as if struck by an invisible force.

The scene three days ago at the warehouse suddenly flashed in his mind: he had found the double-sided scoop and led government officials to seal it off overnight.

At that time, the sinister laughter of the Warehouse Officer Old Zhao seemed still to echo in his ears: "Little gentleman must have read Liu Zongyuan's 'Snake Catcher,' right?"

That laughter seemed to conceal endless mockery and threats, sending chills down one's spine.

Now, these silver coins were those snakes.

At this moment, an old farmer trembled as he handed over the silver coins prepared for taxes. To gather the silver coins equivalent to the tax based on the One Whip Law, a stone and two scoops of grain, he had spent as much as three stones of grain.

Still, he had the advantage by going early. The losses suffered by those neighbors who went later were far worse, but even with grievances in their hearts, they could only silently endure, swallowing their indignation, not daring to voice a complaint.

If it had been in previous years, collecting an extra three to five scoops of grain would have been enough to plunge a family into despair, sinking their lives into an abyss of destruction.

But now, things were different; during idle farming times, going to the city as laborers could earn some money to supplement the household. If the family remained safe, without illness or disasters, being frugal for three to five years could save enough for a son's bride price.

In the old farmer's mind, such days were like the legendary Yellow Heaven era, too good to be true.

By the way, the money earned working in the city was almost always paid in copper coins. It's said that copper money can be exchanged for silver coins at the government's bank, but in the eyes of people like the old farmer, their status was so humble, unmistakably the "lowly folks," they dared not easily attempt it.

Moreover, who knows how much would be deducted if they took copper coins to exchange for silver coins?

Also, they believed that those who went to the bank were respectable people with status, either scholars or wealthy merchants.

Deep down, they felt unworthy of setting foot there, fearing they would dirty the place, they could only keep at a distance.

Therefore, the tea stall proprietress A Cui's reminder went unheard by the old farmer, who continued to prepare on his own to complete this major task of paying taxes.

To them, paying taxes was like a calamity that they must endure, and once this hurdle was over, they could live a relatively stable life.

Moreover, now the government provides food during conscription in idle farming times.

The village tutor said there was actually a wage, but no one had ever heard of someone actually receiving it.

For this, although everyone was puzzled, they dared not ask more, nor spread the word.

In their view, being able to eat during conscription was already a great favor, who dared expect more?

They occasionally heard the tutor act as a storyteller, saying that the provision of food was specially implemented by Wenqu Star's Xu Liushou.

Xu Liushou truly was a hero for these poor people, always remembered them.

It's said Xu Liushou had six heads, capable of seeing all the suffering of the populace.

But why could a person grow six heads? The old farmer really couldn't imagine.

At times, when attending temple fairs, he saw Buddha statues with only four heads and eight arms.

Amazing, Xu Liushou had two more heads than the Western Heaven Buddha!

…

…

Late night at the house duty, Li Xiwen was surrounded by seven different types of measuring cups.

As he compared the capacity of the ninth cup with a vernier caliper, he suddenly heard the crisp sound of tiles falling to the ground.

Pushing open the window, in the moonlight, three masked men were climbing a ladder, attaching to the outer walls of the warehouse, the bull-ear daggers on their waists gleaming with a blue light.

"Catch the thief!" He grabbed the copper gong and struck it fervently, but the night watchman Old Wu's muffled groan came from the shadows.

By the time the patrol guards arrived, the thieves had long gone, leaving only a line of chalk-written bloody words on the warehouse wall: "How long can the New Dynasty's vitality last?

…

…

Northwest Province.

A young grain transporter squatted in the corner of a porridge shack, counting rice grains — it was the seventh grain of coarse rice wrapped in yellow mud he found in three days.

Suddenly, he heard a strange sound from the grain cart.

The disaster relief clerks immediately surrounded the grain cart, but saw the old escort suddenly foaming at the mouth, with web-like blue stains appearing on his neck.

"It's Miao Border poison!" The accompanying doctor screamed and retreated.

The disaster relief clerks tore off their official robes to wrap their hands and continued counting, discovering that thirty stones of relief grain had already been swapped with soaked old rice.

Now, with the Court's army set to march north, not a single extra grain of relief food can be gathered.

Disaster relief clerks fell into despair.

Similar events occurred in different government offices and convoys transporting relief grains.

…

…

Before the army set out.

Xu Qing received collated reports from various regions.

What he found intolerable was that even the Government Office of Yingtian Prefecture had issues like this.

It seemed he hadn't killed enough people.

Did they think his sword wasn't sharp enough?

Xu Qing paused the army's dispatch.

This would cause severe losses, but Xu Qing couldn't care less.

"Summon Duke Wei to see me."

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