Crossing the Unknown Country

Chapter 456: Getting off the boat and arriving at Chonglou County

The couple looked as if they didn't want to be approached by strangers, so Su He and the others didn't speak to them, but only greeted Fan.

Su He and his friends finally got off the boat when they had had enough of the ride. When they got to the shore, they felt like they were stepping on a sponge and were a little unsteady on their feet.

They found an inn with a good reputation in Chonglou County and prepared to rest. This is a relatively poor county town, and it seems that there are few people. The people in the city have dull eyes and look tired, which shows that life is not easy.

This shows that the county magistrate here is probably a corrupt official or an inactive official. The geographical location here is good. Just looking at the guests who transfer to the carriage here can boost the local economy.

But the common people in the city were still like this, which meant there must be something wrong. When they were eating in the inn, they asked around and found out the reason. It turned out that it was because the county magistrate was quite lustful and had many concubines in his mansion.

Following the example of their superiors, all the officials in the county government were greedy and lustful. The entire Chonglou County was in chaos because of them, and the people were suffering.

Those who have connections have moved away to live with relatives, while those who don't have connections or are reluctant to leave have sent their daughters away early. It is difficult for men of marriageable age in the county to find wives now. Do you think the people here can live well?

Moreover, there were many exorbitant taxes in the county. For example, oxcarts had to pay money to register at the county government office, otherwise they could not travel in the areas under the jurisdiction of Chonglou County. Ordinary people were not allowed to speak ill of officials, and if caught, they would be fined one or two taels of silver. Houses were not allowed to be renovated and repaired, and they had to report to the county government office and pay money. They collected money for trivial matters in the lives of ordinary people.

The innkeeper whispered, "If it weren't for the fact that our boss's eldest brother-in-law's second uncle-in-law is a constable in the county government, we wouldn't dare to say anything. You outsiders should just take a day off and leave early! I heard that the county magistrate has someone above him, and no one has been in charge for three years."

Su He and the others knew that this was because someone in the capital had a background, so they dared to oppress the people like this. As ordinary people, they could do nothing but silently sympathize with the people here.

They all knew that the people of each side were like being drawn by fate. If they drew the best lot and met a good official, they would be able to live and work in peace. If they drew the worst lot, they would have to live in dire straits.

Su He's three brothers were very angry, but they all knew that with their own strength, they could not influence anything. The feeling of powerlessness at this time made them eager to pass the provincial examination and become a good official who would benefit the people. It would be best if they could become a good official who could punish corrupt officials, so that they could see injustice and punish evil and promote good.

If Su He knew, he would dissuade these three middle school boys. There is always power politics, there are corrupt officials at the top and at the bottom. Do you think there would be so many corrupt officials if the highest authority did not give up power?

Perhaps most of the money of these corrupt officials flows into the hands of a certain senior official. This senior official is their umbrella, allowing them to do whatever they want. The senior official also gives part of his ill-gotten gains to the people in power in disguised form.

Even if all three of them passed the imperial examination and became officials appointed by the imperial court, it would not be a complete success. When you are in charge of a place, there may already be many powerful forces entrenched there, and they are not afraid of you, a newly arrived manager.

They stayed here for only one day before renting a carriage to go to the nearest county town on the way to the capital. When they got there, they finally felt relieved because Su He, Ying Ying and Qing Ming were almost adults and they were afraid of being seen by those evildoers.

Fortunately, when Su He and the others got off the boat, they were all dressed as men. Su He felt that riding in a carriage was unsafe, so he dressed up as a scholar and went with his brothers, so that the whole family would be safe. Yingying and Qingming dressed up as servants, so that all three of them were dressed as men.