inspire-indiana Chapter 501: Not enough success, more than enough failure
Chapter 501: Not enough success, more than enough failure
By the time Chen Fengzhi and the officials finished collecting taxes, it was already dark.
They collected ten large boxes containing silver and copper coins. Each box was so heavy that it took several people to carry it.
They loaded five ox carts, and twenty officials were assigned to work in groups of four, each responsible for one ox cart.
Not daring to delay any longer, they headed towards the county town with torches in hand.
Chen Fengzhi walked in front with high spirits.
It’s true that people feel refreshed during happy events.
So much silver!
He has accomplished a great feat this time.
Maybe when the county magistrate becomes the county magistrate, he can be given the position of legal advisor.
Gu Xi and Shuipingfang came out of the mountain and followed the officials' team from a distance.
If we take action now, it will be easy for people to suspect Chen Shuicun.
After walking for more than twenty miles, we were out of Caiji Town and only five miles away from the county seat.
Chen Fengzhi was still shouting in front:
"Brothers, keep working hard. Once we get to the county government office, the county magistrate and county commissioner will surely reward us handsomely!"
Gu Xi and Shui Pingfang looked at each other, then tiptoed to catch up with the last two officials and sprinkled a handful of medicine powder on each of them.
The two officers fainted instantly.
In order to prevent them from making too much noise when they fell, Gu Xi and Shui Pingfang, one officer each, supported the two officers and slowly laid them down to the ground.
Then he did the same thing and knocked out the two officers in front of the ox cart.
The ox looked at the official falling to the ground, unmoved, and continued pulling the cart forward.
It's none of your business, just hang it up high.
The squeaking sound of the wheels covered up the movements of Gu Xi and Shui Fang.
The people in front didn't notice that the people behind had already fainted.
Shui Pingfang quickly opened the box containing the silver and put all the silver and copper coins into the space ring.
Then he took out a pile of stones that he had just collected from the mountain from the space, threw them into the box, and then closed the box.
Afterwards, the two men quickly chased after a car in front, continued to stun the officers, and replaced the car with another one.
After a while, all the silver and copper coins in the five carts were exchanged for stones.
Chen Fengzhi, who was walking in the front, was still unaware and said loudly:
"There are still three miles to go. Brothers, hurry up. When we get to the county government office, we will definitely have plenty of wine and meat tonight!"
He shouted a few more times, but found no one responded, so he turned around to look.
Hmm? The ox cart was still there, and the ox was still pulling the cart forward, but why were the officials gone?
Chen Fengzhi was so frightened that he quickly pulled the ox in front to stop the ox cart. He ran back with a torch in hand to look for someone.
While running, he shouted:
"Tou Li? Zhao Cheng? Where are you?"
It was too dark to see clearly and suddenly I tripped and fell flat on my face.
"Ouch!" He rolled over, got up, and found that it was the constable Zhao Cheng who tripped him.
Chen Fengzhi was so frightened that he thought all the officials were dead.
It took him a while to come back to his senses. He picked up the torch on the ground and reached out to feel Zhao Cheng's breath. Fortunately, he was alive.
"Zhao Cheng, wake up!" Chen Fengzhi pinched Zhao Cheng's philtrum.
Zhao Cheng woke up slowly.
"Chen Wenshu, what's wrong with me?"
Chen Fengzhi said anxiously:
"How should I know what happened to you! Hey, why did you all faint while walking?"
It’s just a meal I missed, so why would I faint from hunger?
Zhao Cheng sat up and looked back and forth. It was pitch dark and he couldn't see clearly, but with the help of the torch, he could see their leader lying on the other side of the road.
He quickly crawled over and pinched Li Touer's philtrum.
Soon Li Tou'er woke up, also with a confused look on his face.
When he reacted, he immediately arranged for Zhao Cheng to watch the ox cart, while he and Chen Fengzhi continued to search back.
He pinched the Ren philtrum as he walked for two miles and finally found the twenty officers. They were all lying on the roadside, unconscious.
After waking up, everyone was in shock.
If one person faints, it may be that he is sick, but what does collective fainting mean?
But strangely, Chen Fengzhi did not faint.
Everyone felt that what happened today was too weird.
Chen Fengzhi pushed one of the boxes, and it didn't move at all, and the silver was still there.
Not daring to delay any longer, he drove the ox cart quickly towards the county town.
When they arrived at the county government office, everyone carried all ten large boxes in and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
When the county magistrate learned that they had collected the tax money, he was overjoyed.
He immediately ran to the county magistrate to claim credit.
The county magistrate praised the county magistrate highly.
After all, this money was said to be tax money, but the court didn't know about it and they could easily embezzle it.
The county magistrate and the county magistrate soon arrived at the lobby.
"Open the box!" the county magistrate ordered.
Seeing that the two big bosses from the county had arrived, Chen Fengzhi hurried forward and opened the box himself.
Um? That’s not right!
"What's going on?" Chen Fengzhi widened his eyes.
Then immediately open the second box.
Everyone looked into the box.
The box that originally contained silver and copper coins was now filled with stones.
The officials became anxious and quickly opened the remaining boxes. Without exception, they were all filled with stones.
"This is impossible!" Chen Fengzhi's face was full of disbelief.
The officer was also stunned.
They packed all the silver and copper coins into the box by themselves, and counted every box. Chen Fengzhi even had the account books on him.
The county magistrate's face darkened and he glared at the county deputy.
The county magistrate quickly explained:
"My Lord, please listen to my explanation. I saw them carrying the box in just now and hurried to report to you. I didn't know that the box was filled with stones!"
The county magistrate had a dark face:
"I don't think you dare to fool me! Tell me, what's going on?!"
The county magistrate looked at everyone present.
The county magistrate also glared at Chen Fengzhi angrily.
It is true that there is not enough success and more failure than success.
He had hoped to use this incident to get the county magistrate to speak well of him, but this guy ruined everything!
Chen Fengzhi came back to his senses from the shock and fell to his knees with a plop.
"I don't know what happened! When we were in Chenshui Village, there were silver and copper coins here, and everyone was watching them. How come they turned into stones after walking for a long time?"
When the other officers saw Chen Fengzhi kneeling, they were so frightened that they also knelt down one after another, not daring to breathe.
"How can silver turn into stone? Is there someone behind this? Investigate for me! If anyone finds out, I will punish them severely!"
Regardless of the fact that it was already midnight, the county magistrate immediately went to the court to interrogate Chen Fengzhi and the twenty officers.
Twenty-one people knelt on the ground and recounted the entire process of collecting tax silver and returning.
The county magistrate cast a cold gaze at Chen Fengzhi.
"So, on the way back, all twenty of them fainted, and only Chen Wenshu was awake?"
Chen Fengzhi was so frightened by the county magistrate's glare that he broke out in a cold sweat.
He replied tremblingly:
"Yes."
The county magistrate slammed the gavel, "Bang!"
"Chen Fengzhi, why don't you tell the truth!"