Chapter 42 A sudden turn of events
"Are you crazy or insane? You don't want to eat the official food, how tiring is it to guard the city gate? Is it harder than us to farm the land? Keep your rice bowl!"

"But what I do is boring. I want to go to Mengzhou to find Wudutou."

"It's good to be alive, how interesting it is?" Yang De blew his beard and slammed the table, then asked sharply: "Wu Song was exiled for killing someone, why do you keep thinking about him?"

"But without Wu Dutou, there would be no nephew now."

Seeing this, Lu came to persuade him, "Sanlang, you can't repay favors. If you can eat government food, don't be a commoner. You know that the new county magistrate just took office and imitated Ruzhou to promote 'public land'. Poor land and wasteland also have to pay rent. We can't survive, and we still hope that you can help us."

"But even if I continue to be an archer, I can't support myself."

"Why tell him this?"

Yang De glared at Lu and angrily threatened Yang Chang: "I, Yang De, have hands and feet. My family doesn't need you to support me. It's enough for you to support yourself. You are a young boy who doesn't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is. If you quit your job as an archer and starve, then you are not my nephew, and you don't ask me to take you in. Think it over before making a decision!"

It was a good farewell, but ended in a quarrel.

He doesn't have much family affection with Yang De, so this threat has no effect on Yang Chang at all, and he will never be an archer again.

When Yang Chang returned to the county, he thought of his aunt Lu's complaints and asked the tax collector he was familiar with in the county government about the so-called "public land law".

The Public Land Law originated from the rice field affairs newly established by the imperial court in the early years of the Zhenghe period.

At first, the pilot program was only carried out in Ruzhou, which was to select land suitable for growing rice, and then check the land deeds in the hands of the people, and trace them back layer by layer until there was no deed to prove the ownership of the land. The land beyond the original land deed was called public land, and those who cultivated the land were tenants and had to pay public land fees according to the amount.

The Northern Song Dynasty prohibited the sale of land, but as land was a tool for agricultural production, people with extra money were willing to buy land, just as they were obsessed with buying houses in later generations. This resulted in most land transactions being illegal, but no one took the agreements seriously once they were established.

During Zhao Ji's reign, he lived an extravagant life, and palace expenses often exceeded tax limits. In order to please the emperor, fawning officials came up with these new ways to exploit the people.

At this time, the public land law in Yanggu County was "upgraded" and supplemented. Barren land, abandoned dikes, abandoned weirs, receding beaches, silted land, lakes, etc. were all listed as public land and distributed to the people. Regardless of the harvest, rent was forcibly collected according to the standard of beautiful land.

After listening to the tax collector's introduction, Yang Chang felt a surge of anger rushing to his forehead. He thought to himself that this was no different from robbery. No wonder there were rebellions everywhere in the late Northern Song Dynasty, and no wonder the Jin people were able to advance all the way. Once this bastard decree came out, who would still support the Zhao Song Dynasty?

To be honest, yes, there is.

As the beneficiaries, the corrupt officials in the court and the powerful people like Zhujiazhuang outside the court naturally hope that the Song Dynasty will last forever.

Yang Chang walked towards the classroom with a gloomy face, preparing to pack his bag and clothes, and then resign from the government office and go to Mengzhou.

As a result, as soon as I entered the dormitory, I saw Xu Ji and Yan Jin inside, and the rest of my roommates were not there.

what's the situation?
Leadership at the grassroots level?
When Xu Ji saw Yang Chang, he immediately greeted him: "Sanlang, you're back? Yan Dutou was looking for you."

"Haha, Sanlang is really filial, visiting his parents from time to time."

Yan Jin was smiling, and Yang Chang was very surprised. He thought, we are not that familiar with each other? Is he dissatisfied with my frequent leave and wants to use me to establish his authority?

Humph, since you came to me, I don’t have to come to you to resign.

"Yandutou, I"

"Hey, let's talk later. Eun-sang wants to see you."

Yan Jin stood up while speaking, grabbed Yang Chang's hand and walked out. Before leaving, he did not forget to be polite to Xu Ji, "We'll talk later."

"Ok?"

Yang Chang hurriedly exchanged glances with Xu Ji, as if to ask, what's going on? I asked for leave and the county magistrate was alarmed? Xu Ji spread his palms in confusion.

On the way to see the magistrate, Yang Chang couldn't help but feel curious.

"Yan Dutou, what is going on?"

"Don't be nervous. Eun-sang is easy to talk to, which is a good thing."

Yan Jin was as kind as an older brother, which made Yang Chang even more confused. He thought to himself, I don’t even know the new magistrate well, what good can come of this?
Yang Chang's mind was filled with doubts, and for a moment he forgot about resigning.

I came to the second hall of the county government office in a daze. The skinny County Magistrate Zhang was already waiting there. Yang Chang and Yan Jin went in to greet each other, and the Magistrate asked them to sit down and talk. "Since the Prime Minister asked you to sit down, you should sit down generously."

"Oh"

"Yang Chang, the third child in the family, is now nineteen years old. Last year, he was recommended by the former captain Wu Song to serve as an archer in this county, is that correct?"

"That's right, sir, what are you doing?"

Yang Changqing couldn't help but stand up, and County Magistrate Zhang hurriedly waved to him.

"Don't be so reserved. Sit back and relax. I haven't been in Yanggu for long, but I've heard a lot about you. You're a good talent to be cultivated, Yan Dutou. What do you think?"

"What En Xiang said is very true. I have observed San Lang for a long time. He is hardworking, has good martial arts skills, and is capable. He fully meets the requirements for promotion. I need a good helper."

"Haha, since Captain Yan strongly recommended me, my promotion to captain is a done deal. Captain Yang, you have to treat me to a drink."

"Ah this."

Yang Chang originally thought that he was going to use himself to establish his authority, but he never expected that it was actually a pre-promotion assessment conversation. Could it be that Fang Shen really did the handover?

Seeing Yang Chang standing there in a daze, Yan Jin stood up and tried to smooth things over with a smile.

"Sanlang has been promoted to the leader of the team, and the whole city wants to celebrate for him. I'll buy the wine first, and we can return the favor later."

"Captain Yan is still very particular. I am handing Xiao Yang over to you today. If he is wronged by you, I will hold you accountable!"

"How could that be possible? En Xiang, don't worry. From now on, San Lang is my real brother. San Lang, you should thank En Xiang as well."

“Oh, thank you, Eun-sang.”

I was planning to resign, but ended up getting promoted instead.

The reversal came too sudden and too unreal.

Yang Chang didn't know how to get back to his residence until he asked Xu Ji about the situation.

It turned out that Yan Jin was getting familiar with his subordinates in the past two days. Yang Chang was not in the county because he had asked for leave to visit his relatives, so Yan Jin asked Xu Ji about the situation indirectly. Xu Ji told him a lot of Yang Chang's deeds, including his acquaintance with a noble in the capital.

"Fourth brother's meaning."

"Zhang Zhixian is the same as Fang Zhixian. Yanggu County is not their final destination. Making friends with you and getting in touch with Cai Jing or Yang Jian will only benefit their careers. You are so lucky. Fourth Brother will have to rely on you to take care of him in the future."

"Brother, stop joking. I don't know that person well at all. Aren't you afraid of causing misunderstanding?"

"You have to get acquainted with people you don't know well. Others don't even have this opportunity. I believe that if you ask for leave to go to Tokyo again, Yan Dutou will gladly agree."

Xu Ji became more and more excited, but Yang Chang frowned and reminded him: "Could it be County Magistrate Fang?"

"Absolutely impossible. As the saying goes, when a person leaves, the tea gets cold. If Fang Shen had really recommended you, he wouldn't have let you wait until now. By the way, when are you going to the capital? And take Fourth Brother with you to broaden his horizons?"

"Hmm? Why would I go to the capital? Even if I could establish connections, I wouldn't even know where the person lives."

"Where did you meet him before? You can go and guard there again, or guard outside the residences of Cai Jing and Yang Jian?"

"Go, go, go, the more you talk, the more nonsense you become"

Yang Chang originally wanted to resign and go to Mengzhou, but his plan was suddenly interrupted by a promotion. He then thought about helping Yang De for a while and then joining Wu Song when he went to Liangshan. If he went to Mengzhou at this time, he might be reprimanded.

Perhaps it was because Xu Ji had exaggerated enough, that the day after Yang Changzai was promoted to team leader, Yan Jin moved him from the large dormitory to a single room.

Although they did not sleep side by side like Wu Song, Yan Jin showed just as much closeness to Wu Song. He asked the brothers in the city to take turns treating Yang Chang to a drink to celebrate so that Yang Chang no longer had to be exposed to the wind and sun.

(End of this chapter)