noffsinger Is 52,000 a "fair price" in Chapter 374?
Is 52,000 a "fair price" in Chapter 374?
"My lord, you are confused! This area is the prefectural city, and there are many high-ranking officials here. It is already very difficult for you to achieve any real results."
Because of the heavy taxes and levies, the people were not well-off.
The hilly land in Jiangzhong Village was sold at the regular price, and the buyer will definitely hire villagers to manage it.
In this way, the villagers would have income and their lives would be better, so they would not leave their homes and become refugees, and thus would not launch riots.
Magistrate Chen's face turned pale and then red as he was being talked to. He pointed at Assistant Magistrate Shi and shouted angrily, "Assistant Magistrate Shi! When did it become your place to tell me what to do?"
The price of forty-eight thousand taels was agreed upon by me and the advisor; how can it be changed so easily!
The clerk standing nearby immediately stepped forward, his face plastered with a fawning smile, but he gave Magistrate Shi a cold snort.
“County Magistrate Shi is mistaken.”
The magistrate's actions were also aimed at replenishing the government treasury.
This hilly land is useless to begin with, but if someone were willing to pay a high price to buy it, who knows how much tax revenue it would save!
His words were laced with sarcasm as he subtly tugged at Magistrate Chen's sleeve. "Sir, Magistrate Shi has already acknowledged the value of this matter. You need not argue with him, lest you harm the harmony between colleagues."
Magistrate Shi was so angry that his chest heaved. He pointed at the clerk and then looked at Magistrate Chen, "Fill the treasury? I think it's filling your own pockets!"
We all know how much that land is worth: 48,000 taels, more than double the original price. This is clearly a case of profiting under the guise of public land!
Do you know how difficult life is for the villagers of Jiangzhong Village?
The year before last there was a drought, and last year there was a locust plague, leaving the people with no harvest.
Now they are hoping to sell the hilly land so that someone can hire them to work and earn a monthly salary to eat.
"You insist on raising prices like this; what's the difference between this and robbery!"
Magistrate Chen, his true feelings exposed, slammed his fist on the table in anger, declaring, "Whatever I say is the final word!"
If you dare say another word, don't blame me for dismissing you and investigating you!
County Magistrate Shi snorted coldly and took off his hat.
With a "smack," it hit Magistrate Chen's face. "This lowly eighth-rank official, let whoever wants to be it take it! I, Shi, feel guilty and I'm quitting!"
"Magistrate Chen, it's not you who dismissed me, it's me who dismissed you, my direct superior! You are unworthy to be my boss!"
After saying that, he turned and walked out.
Magistrate Chen, his face contorted in rage from the blows, jumped up and down in fury. "Rebellion! Rebellion! You refuse to serve, huh? You're just a commoner, aren't you! Guards, seize him and beat him mercilessly!"
Upon hearing the commotion, the yamen runners rushed out from both sides and immediately pinned the arrogant and imposing Magistrate Shi, who had walked to the door, to the ground!
"My apologies, Your Excellency."
The head constable apologized and then waved his hand, ordering his men to pin Magistrate Shi to the tiger bench!
"You bunch of accomplices, let me go! You're aiding and abetting evil, aren't you afraid of divine retribution in the future!"
"Snapped--"
As the first blow landed, the county magistrate was about to cry out "Ah!" when, to his surprise, although the sound was loud, it didn't hurt much.
He suddenly looked up at the constable standing to the side, only to see the constable winking at him, and then he understood.
The sound of being hit, "Ah ah ah," actually pleased Magistrate Chen!
"Hmph, serves you right for defying your superiors! Now you know that authority cannot be usurped!"
"Beat them! Beat them hard!"
Magistrate Chen stroked his beard, watching County Assistant Magistrate Shi "cry out in pain," and jumped up to count the beats!
A satisfied, maniacal laugh spread across his face. "Hmph, let me show you the power of this magistrate!"
"Oh, bad timing, you're here... on business!"
Gao Mengli and Lin Xi paid some money and entered the yamen, only to find it in complete chaos.
Magistrate Chen turned around upon hearing the sound and saw Gao Mengli and Lin Xi. His wild laughter vanished instantly.
He frowned, looking at the two with a forced smile, and asked, "What brings you two here?"
They were polite on the surface, but secretly they were seething with hatred.
If it weren't for these two people, he wouldn't have been given ten lashes and had half a year's salary deducted by the prefect as a warning to others.
After saying that, he raised his hand to stop the head constable from beating the man with the cane, and carefully examined the two men in front of him.
The prefect must have been acting strangely, having previously sought justice for the two men.
However, the poisoning accusation was a fabrication against the two of them. He simply assumed that he and Manager Wang had been caught by the prefect for their false accusations and were punished by the suddenly "righteous" Prefect Li.
If these two men had any connection with the prefect, he thought it probably wasn't much.
So he gave a cold snort to the two people below, as if they were nothing.
Gao Mengli glanced at the "wailing" county magistrate before turning to County Magistrate Chen and bowing, "Sir, I heard that buying all the hilly land in Jiangzhong Village would cost 48,000 taels?"
When Magistrate Chen saw that she had actually mentioned hilly land, he put on his official airs and stroked his beard, "Exactly!"
Although those five hills are public land, their boundaries border the outskirts of the prefectural city. If they were to be developed into estates in the future, their value would be immeasurable; forty-eight thousand taels is already a fair price.
"What? You want to buy it?"
Lin Xi, standing beside him, nodded with a half-smile. "Yes, we want to buy that place. Could you offer a more reasonable price, sir?"
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Chen waved his hand impatiently, "This is already very low..."
At this moment, the clerk stepped forward and whispered a few words in his ear.
After hearing this, Magistrate Chen's eyes darted around, and he coughed twice, changing the subject, "It's not that you can't buy it, to tell you the truth."
This hilly land has already been reserved by a wealthy family...
However, since you want it, I can mediate, but...
He rubbed his index finger and thumb together in front of him, the meaning of which was self-evident.
Gao Mengli chuckled softly, "Then how many would you like, sir?"
Upon hearing how cooperative the two men were, Magistrate Chen excitedly held up his hand and exclaimed, "Fifty thousand taels! I'll make sure that buyer gives you the hilly land!"
He actually managed to sell the 20,000 taels of hilly land for 50,000 taels, making a net profit of 30,000 taels!
Gao Mengli nodded, "Alright, sir, there's no time to lose. Quickly write the contract, and I'll go through with it today!"
Upon hearing this, the village chief behind Gao Mengli was about to speak, but Lin Xi stopped him and subtly shook her head at him.
Lin Xi pulled out a thick wad of silver notes from his sleeve, strutted forward with an air of arrogance, and waved them in front of Magistrate Chen. "Sir, we have enough silver notes with us, so please feel free to write!"
Magistrate Chen stared wide-eyed at the silver note in Lin Xi's hand, practically drooling!
He hurriedly shoved the clerk beside him: "Quick! Bring me the contract template and prepare the inkpad!"
The clerk turned around with a broad smile to pick up the documents.
Upon receiving it, Magistrate Chen snatched it away, picked up his pen, and began writing, fearing that if he hesitated even a moment, the silver would be lost.
As the inkpad fell, Gao Mengli's smile became even more "sincere"!
The clerk walked to Lin Xi's side, turned to the side and spread his hands, "The contract is written, give me the silver notes!"
Lin Xi twirled the silver note in mid-air before tucking it back into her sleeve. "We need to check the contract. We'll pay the money only if there are no problems!"
The advisor agreed.
He quickly turned back and handed the contract to the two of them, saying, "Take a look. If there are no problems, then hurry up and pay the money!"