Chapter 4 The third story of Baling Ye Lao: Robbing Officials

People from Mount Emei told a story that happened in the county government office, so let me also tell a story that happened in the county government office.If you want to ask which county government office this story happened in, I can only answer one sentence: Anyway, it didn’t happen in our county government office.Even though our county can't be called a model county, the golden plaques such as "Qingping World" and "Langlang Qiankun" sent to the county government by the gentry are shining. His deeds were notable and he was dismissed for investigation.Where can such absurd things happen in our county government office?And those of us all rely on this yamen to live. Although we don't eat very much, none of us starved to death, and we even have time to come here to sit on cold benches, drink cold tea, and set up dragon gates. This can be regarded as a troubled time The Taoyuan in the middle of the world has lived.Even in our county yamen, if you see something going wrong, you should cheer up and be a gentleman who punishes evil and promotes good.In short, this story did not happen in our county government office, and a statement must be made immediately on this point. ——Old Balingye issued his solemn statement in fear and trepidation, and only then began to set up his Longmen array.

If Mr. Balingye is not the oldest old man in our cold bench meeting, he can always take the second place in the respecting the elderly meeting.It is no longer possible to say that he is a gray-haired old man, because his hair has gone through a process from black to gray, to all white, and to complete loss.But it cannot be said that he is an old man of Longzhong.The hair was gone, but there was still a reddish glow on the top of the shining head; two bright eyes were still blinking under the white eyebrows; the face was thin, but still ruddy.His white and solid teeth made him not have the tooth loss and sunken cheeks of ordinary old people.His body can also be said to be strong, and he has not been seen carrying medicine jars for many years, and even colds and coughs are rare.When asked about his age, he was the least willing to answer.People asked him, "You've probably reached your sixtieth year, right?" "Retirement" means smashing the rice bowl, and the "turning death gully" is not far away.So someone exposed him, saying that he was close to the old age of "ancient age", and we all tried our best to defend him: "Hey, he hasn't even celebrated his 60th birthday. How can he say that he is almost 70? Absolutely not." Even though his hair is bald, look at his teeth, look at his energy, look at his energy for eating and drinking, even if he is fifty years old, can he compare to him?"

Because of this, he is considered the first person in our yamen who is dedicated to his duties, no matter what he does, he goes to and from get off work on time, rain or shine.If he could not speak, he would never open his mouth; if he could not get ahead, he would never stand out.He used to persuade those of us who are a little angry and like to complain: "Right and wrong are just for talking more, troubles always come out of force." Holding his bald pen in front of the table, he silently fought the ruthless years, waiting for the impermanent second master wearing a tall hat with big characters "You are here again" on it, to come one day with an iron chain Put him on and walk towards the gate of hell.

However, since he participated in our cold bench meeting, it seems that his youthful vitality has been summoned back to him, and he has become an old boy.Just like going to work, he must come to every meeting, rain or shine.When I heard everyone setting up some interesting dragon gate formations, I laughed out loud, shook my head like drinking old Laojiao Daqu wine, and praised with my hands: "This can really pass away the night and prolong life." ——" Pull the ending to the old elders.Now, he cast lots, and without waiting for others to urge him, he volunteered to set up a Longmen Formation.He poses.

I will put an "introduction" first, and the main text I put up is drawn from this "introduction". I don't want to say in which year this story happened.At that time, the county yamen had been renamed the county government, and the person sitting in the lobby was no longer the governor, but the county magistrate.However, the common people still follow the old habit of calling it the county government office where "don't come in if you have a reason and no money". They still call the county magistrate sitting in the lobby when they are beaten on the buttocks: "My lord, you are wronged!" I think these counties The head is similar to the county magistrate we have seen in the past.There are fat ones, thin ones, horse-faced ones, bull-headed ones, eagle-nosed ones, monkey-cheeked ones, pig-mouthed ones, and all kinds of weird shapes, and they all hang "upright" gold. Sitting in the lobby of the plaque, yelling at the panic-stricken common people in the hall, showing off their prestige, and beating the board; they also haggled with the "lobbyists" in the living room of the back garden, counting silver dollars and calling them gold bars.Of course, it doesn't always sit for a long time, as long as a year, as little as three months, and then sweep away and leave.Why?Because his "official limit" has arrived, and the new master has already left and is about to take office.Look at the various agencies, corporations, gentry, merchants, and office workers like us who are sitting on the benches, while they are busy giving the old man who is about to leave office umbrellas and political monuments; , red mats, gongs, drums, and firecrackers are also ready, ready to welcome the new county magistrate.

We don't know the name of the county magistrate who came back this time, and we don't need to know, anyway, holding the county magistrate's appointment letter with the provincial government's red official seal, it counts.Our county is by the river, and it is accessible by ship. Every time the county magistrate arrives, he always comes by ship. "Woo--", the steamer whistled, hit the slow train, and stopped in the middle of the river.Since there was no reliable ship, we had to send a few fast-running wooden sampans to the side of the ship to meet them.The sampan is ready, the new master and his family members, as well as the absolutely indispensable entourage such as the secretary, master and accountant, disembark together.

"Plop!" Something went wrong.I don't know if the new old man is old, or he is too excited to see the crowds on the shore, dressed in red and green, with gongs and drums beating, and firecrackers blaring all over the sky. While on the bumping sampan boat, I stepped on my foot, and fell into the big river with a "plop", and was swept into the rough waves under the belly of the ship, without a trace. What if something goes wrong?It is said that he should get off the boat and hold a funeral for the new master who fell into the water.However, the accounting director who followed was very clever.He made a decisive decision, and immediately researched it with the wife who came with the master and the secretary and master on the boat, and came up with a solution.So, the wife wiped away her tears, took out the letter of appointment from the master and handed it to the accountant director, who in turn passed the letter of appointment to the secretary and master, as if nothing had happened, and still calmly and cheerfully said: The secretary took the lead, followed by his wife with a baby in his arms, followed by the accountant director and his attendants. They went down to the sampan boat, rowed to the pier crowded with welcoming crowds, and landed.

When we arrived at the welcome shed, the secretary showed the letter of appointment to the outgoing county magistrate, as well as the heads of local agencies and corporations, and officials, and introduced himself: "I am Wang Jiabin."——Wang Jiabin wrote in The name of the new county magistrate on that commission.So everyone bowed or shook hands with the new master to express congratulations and toast the sweeping wine. Then they got into a big sedan chair carried by four people, pushed and rushed, and went to the county government office to take over the affairs. Someone asked, "What happened when I disembarked just now?"

The chief accountant immediately replied with an air of indifference: "Oh, when we disembarked just now, one of our servants got off the boat first, and unfortunately fell into the water and drowned." "Oh." So it turned out that a follower fell into the water, which of course has nothing to do with the overall situation.So the new Mr. Wang Jiabin took office as usual; delivered his policy speech as usual at the welcome meeting of government agencies and gentry; In the lobby, ask about cases, beat the common people as usual; embezzle public funds, extort, and scrape land as usual.

Only one thing is not as usual, that is, this new Mr. Wang is very vicious when he scrapes the land, he is like a hungry tiger going down the mountain, hungry for food, wanting any money, everyone's money, regardless of his own official voice, I don't want the umbrella of the people, I don't want to erect a stele of virtue and government, I just want to roll up my bulging official bag and run away in a few months.This "unusual" has attracted the attention of the local gentry and grain households, as well as people who specialize in "inquiry" and people who like to tell tales.In less than three months, bizarre rumors seemed to have grown wings and spread everywhere inside and outside the yamen.At first it was chirping, but slowly it spread, accompanied by some comments that damaged the official reputation of the new master, so that at the gate of the yamen, it was discovered that someone had secretly posted a flyer like "Express post on behalf of the telegram" .

The "Express Post" said that all this was a trick directed by the chief accountant, and that the one who fell into the water was the real county magistrate.It was the chief accountant who made a decisive decision and asked the secretary to take his place. He and his wife became a real husband and wife, pretending to be the real master of Wang Jiabin, and swaggeringly took office.Besides, the chief accountant arranged this way, the wife had to immediately agree to recognize a wild husband, all because they had unavoidable difficulties. Why did the accounting director direct such a trick?This will start with the inside story of selling officials and nobles in Chengdu Province. Have you ever been to Chengdu?There is a Shaocheng Park there, and there is a Heming Tea House in the Shaocheng Park.There is a rather large empty dam there, all covered with a pergola, facing the rippling green water, it is a good scenic spot.Tea tables and bamboo chairs are placed under the pergola, densely packed with tea drinkers, making it very lively.The voices of greetings and greetings can be heard everywhere, and the voices of tea servants putting down copper tea trays and calling for "boiled water" can be heard everywhere.This is an ordinary teahouse, where small businessmen, teachers, and other petty citizens come here to seek business, talk about marriage, talk about friendship, do business, quarrel, wrangle, participate in the "Battle of Liula", "eat Talk about tea". But there is a better secluded place with unique scenery, called "Green Shade Pavilion", where the pergola is high, covered with vines, and at the end of the winding path, there is a thatched pavilion, a waterside pavilion, and a small pavilion near the lake.Tea tables and deck chairs are placed in the corners and surrounded by flowers and branches. You can not only drink Hangzhou Longjing, Suzhou Xiangpian, Liuan Maojian leisurely, but also order delicious sweets, snacks, and fresh melons and fruits. It is really a paradise. .It is an ideal place to discuss business, study secrets, expose people's privacy, and engage in conspiracy and tricks. Of course, it is also a good place to publicly sell officials. It is said that there, whether it is the county chief, bureau chief, division chief, section chief, principal, dean and other vacant official positions, there are all vacancies, no matter whether you are a cat or a dog, a bull-headed horse-faced, a bandit and a robber, as long as you are willing to pay, Someone will come to you to thread the needle and bargain for the price.Prices are also different, there are fat and thin, and there are long and short ones.For example, if you are a county magistrate, the price varies greatly depending on the place.Counties with dense population, convenient transportation, and rich products and those poor, remote, and sparsely populated counties are divided into different grades and current prices.There is a big difference between the principal of the middle school in Qingshui Yamen and the director of the tax bureau who is covered in oil when he gets touched.The length of time for being an official also varies, ranging from one year to three months.To be able to buy officials for two or three years, in addition to paying more money, you also need to have some ties with the party and government authorities.For example, if you sell a county magistrate's job for a year, no matter how popular you are as a "parent officer", it won't work.On the contrary, if the time limit is not up, no matter how viciously you scrape the ground and how much complaints you make, you can still scrape it with confidence, and don't worry about being dismissed early.Because when buying an official, there is an appointment first, and the purchase price is enough.As for when you are in office, you shave more and shave less; shave skillfully but clumsily;Therefore, no matter who it is, even if it is a cat or a dog, it is without exception that they scrape, scrape, scrape desperately as soon as they take office.Otherwise, why spend money to buy an official to be an official?Could it be that in today's world, is anyone really crazy, wanting to gain a reputation as an "upright official" who loves the people like a son? Some politicians are very addicted to being an official, and they think they have a way to be an official and have the qualifications to be an official, but they are "shy" and have no money. What should they do?There is a way, just find Shanxi Bank. I don’t know if you have heard of Shanxi’s bank?It is said that it was opened by Shanxi businessmen who are the best at doing business, and it is exactly the same as the current bank.This kind of bank has strong capital, lends usury, opens pawn shops, hoards, speculates, buys and sells real estate, undertakes remittances, and issues banknotes that work like banknotes.Anything that can make money, they sharpen their heads and work hard, so they take a fancy to the business of buying and selling official positions.Of course, these businessmen don't understand "politics", and they are always very mysterious when they become officials themselves, for fear of losing money.Therefore, they sent people to the Green Shade Pavilion in Shaocheng Park to negotiate with the leads who sold officials, bought a batch of appointment letters of various alternate officials, and hoarded them as commodities.The big officials who sell officials in the province also think that it is too troublesome to sell them piecemeal, so they can sell them wholesale to Shanxi Bank, which can be sold quickly and the money is neat, which is really convenient.Those who want to be released to become officials can directly go to such banks to negotiate and negotiate conditions, and they can buy a few officials for a lot of money.Save yourself asking for favors and giving gifts everywhere, and going to those big mansions to be idled by those sloppy doorkeepers.The road to success as an official is much simpler.When you go to the Shanxi bank to buy an official, there is another convenience, that is, you can "credit an official".If you have cash, you will get money, and they will charge a certain amount of interest.If you don’t have any money, it’s easy to do, just set up a letter of credit as an official to ensure that after you take office as an official, within a few months, you will scrape out the money and repay the principal with interest to the bank.There is only one condition, in order to ensure that the bank will recover the principal and interest, as usual, the bank will send a capable person to follow you to take up the post as your chief accountant, and all the income will be in his hands.Of course, the money advanced by the bank will be deducted first, and the money scraped out later will be considered your own.This kind of "selling young crops", although the interest rate is a bit higher, and you have to endure the huge profits from the bank, but it is worthwhile after all.As long as you take office, spend more time and effort to slap the common people more fiercely. This is how the funny scene directed by the accountant director we saw with our own eyes came about.Think about it, the boss of his bank gave Wang Jiabin a county magistrate's fat job on credit, and asked him to follow him to be the accountant director, and get his principal and interest back. Unexpectedly, something unexpected happened, and Wang Jiabin fell into the water and drowned before he took office.If it is announced that the county magistrate fell into the water and died, wouldn't the money be thrown into the river for nothing?How will he give his boss an account when he goes back?So the chief accountant had an idea and forced Wang Jiabin's wife to pay the capital and interest for the official.She is a woman, how can she have a lot of money?I had no choice but to hand over the letter of appointment, acknowledging the ingenious arrangement of the accounting director, and the secretary Shiye pretended to be Wang Jiabin and took office, and she honestly became the wife of the master.This master didn't need to pay a capital, just got a county magistrate, and accidentally got a woman to be his wife, how could he not do it?So three times, five divisions and two divisions, everything went smoothly, and it was performed according to the fun drama directed by the chief accountant.By the time the drama they acted has gone to the bottom, they have made enough money to pack up their bags and run away.The escape revealed the truth, and the anecdote spread throughout the county. This anecdote happened to reach the ears of a green forest hero we are going to talk about below, which made him do even more bizarre and earth-shattering things. The name of this green forest hero is Zhang Muzhi.But this name was only known later, and it is impossible to verify what his real name was.When he was in the green forest, for some reason, everyone called him Zhang Mazi, or Zhang Big Beard.It may be because our society has a habit of loving those untouchables who are restless and accept the rule of the *lords, who refuse to convert to the Three Principles, and kneel under the *flag. The anti-lawless people of the gentlemen are all said to be murderers, arsonists, and heinous bandits and robbers, and they always describe the leaders of these mobs as vicious, vicious, cannibalistic spirits, at least in their appearance. Some physical defects are endowed, such as Zhang Mazi, Li Guaizi, Wang Waizui, Zhao Laizi and the like.It seems that these people are evil stars descended from heaven to the world. They must not have a body with good features, a resourceful head, a loyal and upright personality, and a gentle and kind conduct.If these are only used to describe the compliments of our lords, and to describe those rebellious robbers and bandits, wouldn't the world be turned upside down?So our green forest hero Zhang Muzhi had no choice but to be ordered to grow a beard and become pockmarked. But we have to turn things upside down for Zhang Muzhi.Because we need to be realistic.No matter how much the gentlemen insist on calling him a vicious bandit, they say that he is a gangster who kills without batting an eyelid, is a pockmarked man, and has a big beard (note that there is often a strange connection between a beard and a bandit. For example, in some places, the bandit Simply called "beard"), I still want to say that he has a honest and upright personality, a gentle and kind character, and a resourceful head.As for the body, it looks quite upright, neither beard nor pockmarked, it is clean, rather like a white-faced scholar with outstanding talents.At least it is much more upright and clean than many masters and young masters we see every day.I'm not spreading rumors, I saw it with my own eyes. You have to ask, "Hey, how did you get to see a gangster with your own eyes?" I saw it with my own eyes.And I also served him...as a subordinate. "??! What's more, you went to work as a subordinate for the bandits!" Yes, it's true, I was a subordinate of Zhang Muzhi, and I think he is a very good superior, at least better than our yamen These superiors are much better now. "The more you talk, the more inexplicable you become!" Isn't it?Listen to me put it out, you won't feel baffled, and you have to say it's indescribable. Where exactly Zhang Muzhi was from and what his original name was, no one knew.Later, the masters were unwilling to give him such an elegant name as "Zhang Muzhi", and they still called him Zhang Mazi when he was given a formal punishment.But I still prefer to call him Zhang Muzhi. I am not the only one. It can be said that all the people in the county are willing to call him Zhang Muzhi, and they justifiably call him "Zhang Qingtian". It is said that Zhang Muzhi was born in a very poor family. He suffered from childhood and had no food and clothing. When he was old enough to serve a job, he was sent to a landlord's family as a cow herder.This landlord is actually the housekeeper of the first big landlord in the county, Mr. Huang Tianbang. He made his fortune as a second landlord, so he is very mean.In the team of long-term workers working in this house, there is an elderly long-term worker who is the foreman of the long-term workers. His name is Boss Zhang.This person is very interesting. Although being a long-term worker is like falling into a vat of coptis, he is always so happy.He likes to chat and laugh with everyone, and especially likes to play dragon battles with everyone.In his spare time, he used the Dragon Gate Array to relieve everyone's boredom.Most of these Longmen formations are intended to expose the ugly background of the old men and boost the ambitions of the poor.He also often showed where "magic soldiers" appeared, and where poor people ganged up on the mountain and set up a stockade, and they took over the world by themselves.These are good teaching materials for enlightenment to Zhang Muzhi, who is a cowherd boy.He has absorbed rich spiritual nutrition from here.How much he admired those heroes of the green forest!This old long-time worker, Boss Zhang, can still read a few words, and can understand small wood-cut books. He likes to buy a few books at the small stalls and read them when he is rushing to the market.Some of the Longmen arrays he put up were taken out of this kind of libretto, supplemented and modified according to his own rich imagination, and then presented to everyone.Holding those librettos, Zhang Muzhi was fascinated. He never thought that there were such beautiful things in them.It's a pity that he was a blind man, and the pole fell on the ground, and he couldn't recognize the word "one".He worked hard to worship Mr. Zhang as a teacher and learn to read from Mr. Zhang.As soon as he told Zhang Boss, Zhang Boss agreed.However, the long-term workers asked him to kowtow to Boss Zhang and become his disciple, and Zhang Muzhi really kowtowed to Boss Zhang and called Master Zhang.Boss Zhang cheerfully pulled him up from the ground and said, "Okay, let's create a rebellion against Kuixing Bodhisattva and make the poor become talents." Another little book.This moment simply delighted him, and opened up a new world before him.He reads whatever he sees, even old account books and outdated almanacs, he has to look through it, gaining some knowledge.The long-term workers all liked this young man, he was regarded as a young scholar among them, and they liked to discuss everything with him.A few years later, when he grew up and was able to work like a long-term worker, his master Zhang Boss suddenly fell ill and died, and he cried very sadly.Boss Zhang was single and had no relatives, so Zhang Muzhi voluntarily dressed his master in sackcloth and mourning, and sent him back to the mountain.Zhang Muzhi had long been a de facto leader among the long-term workers, so he went on to become the foreman of the long-term workers. I don't know how many years later, Zhang Muzhi had a girl who came to see him, and the landlord fell in love with her at first sight, and she was supposed to be sent to the city to pay tribute to Mr. Huang, and to work as a girl in the Huang's mansion.Zhang Muzhi disagreed.As a result, he was forcibly dragged away by the landlord and raped first, then sent to the city, and committed suicide by diving on the way.Zhang Muzhi's father went to a lawsuit with the landlord of the family, and Mr. Huang sent a business card to the county magistrate, causing Zhang Muzhi's family to be ruined. Zhang Muzhi was furious.He had known for a long time that he could not win a lawsuit with this kind of person, as he read in those librettos, "The eight-character yamen opens to the south, don't come in if you have a reason but no money." He did what he did, hired a group of long-term workers, had a fight with the landlord, and killed the scoundrel.What if you kill the master?Could it be that the government came to arrest them and behead them one by one?No, they had no other way to go.As soon as everyone discussed it, they remembered the stories about the heroes of the green forest that Boss Zhang had shown them, who went up to the mountains to set up a village and became kings themselves.Zhang Muzhi slapped his thigh: "Damn, go up the mountain!" Then he shook out to his companions a book he had recently read in small-printed lithographs, and explained how Lin Chong was forced to go up the mountain.Zhang Muzhi's conclusion is: "Let's go, let's go to Xishan!" Not long after, it was said that a group of "thieves" appeared in the mountainous area of ​​the Xishan area of ​​this county, "blocking roads and robbing, and business travelers bound their feet."After these news reached the county seat, the official documents issued by the county government told us so.I heard that they have developed from a few long-term workers to a dozen or twenty people, and from unarmed to seven or eight long and short guns.During this period, the county government also sent a local regiment to suppress and arrest them, but from the official documents in the county government, it was seen that this group of bandits was "erratic and difficult to capture."That is to say, I didn't touch a hair of them. The Xishan area was originally the place where Mr. Huang dominated. It was the place where he grew opium, trafficked opium and "put sheds".So he sent his own domestic soldiers to conquer.These guys are all local snakes who can drill mountains. They found Zhang Muzhi and fought a few battles, but it was rumored that this group of "thugs" were very flexible. Not only did they not defeat them, but they confiscated several guns.They also took advantage of the situation and ate a few small "sheds" released by Mr. Huang, and took away a few quick guns. What is "putting a shed"?Here is an explanation.Landlords in power like Mr. Huang always feel that it is too polite to exploit the common people with legal land rent, usury and lavish taxes, so they put their own armed forces, three to five, ten to eight, and secretly put them into the mountains , Blocking roads and robbing pedestrians, privately planting and smuggling opium, "fat pigs" who pull local riches, kidnapping and extorting, or "tearing tickets", so as to accelerate the accumulation of their wealth.Sending people out to do this kind of work is called "putting sheds".Zhang Muzhi and the others hate this kind of "shed" the most.They took the method of surprise attack, ate up several small "sheds" of Mr. Huang, took their good guns, and took their "fat pig ticket".Master Huang was so angry that he blew his beard and stared at his eyes, and let out his words, vowing not to give up until he kills all these thieves.Zhang Muzhi also made an oath that he would only fight against Mr. Huang for the rest of his life.They also brought words to the city. One day, they rushed into the county town, got Master Huang, and wanted to chop him into eight pieces. After several years of activities like this, Zhang Muzhi became popular, with 20 to 30 people, 20 or so guns, and quite a bit of money. He haunted the Xishan area at the junction of several counties, set up a stockade, and started fighting. The common people in the vicinity can also respond to everything.They have risen from "thieves" to "bandits" who are headaches for officials.Master Huang knew that this was a great disaster, and sent his soldiers to go there many times, "touching the snails at night", and also used the method of long-distance raids at night, pretending to be a bandit to "fight with Zhang Mazi" and take advantage of his tricks to eat him Also used.Zhang Mazi was very slippery, so he didn't follow his tricks. On the contrary, the local people informed him first, so he followed his plan and ate the people sent by Mr. Huang, beating them so that they scrambled and ran back. .The government also sent soldiers to suppress it several times, but to no avail.The official documents said that the common people in that area were all "communists with the bandits", and it was difficult to distinguish the bandits from one family.If you go to suppress, you are all civilians; if you leave, you are all bandits, Mo Naihe.Zhang Mazi's fame grew, and the county government posted a notice offering a reward for the capture of Zhang Mazi's head, and the value of his head gradually increased with the passage of time, from 500 yuan to 1,000 yuan, and later to 3,000 yuan up.But this "pockmarked man with a big beard" (as described in the wanted notice) has never been found, and his activities seem to be everywhere.Some of them are actually just fabricated by kind-hearted people to scare the landlords and lords, hoping that they will be more "behaved".Of course, this pockmarked Zhang does not rob the common people, he only punishes those lords who are rich and unkind, those big merchants who exploit big profits, those opium dealers with strong capital and strong background, and those who want to smuggle money out of the common people’s land Officials who are out.For hawkers and small businessmen, as long as they pay the prescribed "travel money", they will protect the border crossing.In this way, the landlords in that area did not dare to be crooked, and the common people really lived and worked in peace and contentment.How can we not be "a family of bandits"?How could Zhang Mazi not "get away with it"? Let's talk about one day, that is, when the fun drama directed by the chief accountant of the Shanxi Bank that I put before me ended.The funny drama they performed was spread all over the county, and they couldn't stay any longer, so they had to sweep up the money they had already scraped and the public funds they had seized, and fled.Of course, they couldn't wait for the next master to come to take over the handover, and they didn't want the worthless Wanmin umbrella and the stele of virtue and government. They got a few sliders and picks in the middle of the night, stole out of the city, and fled.Of course they didn't dare to take the steamer, so they had to follow the direction of the provincial capital, spend the night at Xiaoxing, and hurry on their way.Unconsciously, they walked into Zhang Mazi's independent kingdom. On this day, the "eyeliner" placed at the bottom of the mountain went up the mountain to report to Zhang Muzhi: "Report, a few sliders and a few picks came down the mountain. I don't know what they are doing. Look at their sneaky appearance. He will be a good person, will he grab it or not?" "Give it up!" Zhang Muzhi gave an order, leading people down the mountain and ambush at the intersection.Wang Jiabin, oh, it should be said that Wang Jiabin's secretary, accountant, and Wang Jiabin's wife and children who pretended to be Wang Jiabin's magistrate, and Wang Jiabin's wife and children walked into Zhang Muzhi's ambush circle, and they were immediately surrounded, and none of them escaped.When the master and the accounting director saw the outfits of these people, they knew that they had met the "King of the Mountain".They just wanted to save money and avoid disasters, and just go back to the provincial capital with their heads saved, and decided to pretend that they were doing business.Zhang Muzhi found a large amount of gold and silver, banknotes and opium from their luggage, so he guessed that these people had a lot of connections.He asked: "What do you do?" The accounting director immediately replied politely: "Businessmen, well-behaved businessmen." Then he added: "We are willing to pay the toll according to the regulations." Talk about them being the county magistrates who escaped from the county seat.However, the damn county magistrate's letter of appointment was finally found out.Although Zhang Muzhi had never seen such a letter of appointment before, he could read the characters. From the words "appointment" and "county magistrate" and the official seal of the provincial government, he knew the identity.He also deliberately asked: "What is this?" The master thought that these "kings of the mountain" must be some illiterate rough people, and wanted to fool them, so he replied, "This is, this is a ticket issued by the provincial bank." Zhang Muzhi asked, "What is it for?" "Use this to get the money," added the chief accountant. "Haha." Zhang Muzhi couldn't help laughing, and jokingly said, "That's right, this is the certificate for withdrawing money. You came to our county to withdraw money with this paper, right? No wonder you scraped so much money! These We borrowed the money. Let’s go, our county magistrate, go up the mountain and I’ll give you an IOU and a road for you.” So they led them up the mountain.The master and the chief accountant didn't expect that the mountain king could read, so they exposed their identities all at once.On the way up the mountain, the secretary secretly asked a big man with a gun: "Excuse me, what part do you belong to?" The name of King Shan, so I can go and sue Yama?Or imagine that these people are just "sheds" released by some county uncle, as long as they promise to hand over all the money and treasures, they can escape from the tiger's mouth? "Why do you ask this, we belong to this part." The big man with a gun who escorted them up the mountain replied. "Which part?" "It's this part." The big man was angry, with raised eyebrows. The master couldn't find any answers. After a while, his mouth was itchy, so he asked again, pointing to Zhang Muzhi and asking, "Who is that leader?" "Shut your bird's beak!" The big man slapped his ear, the "bird's beak" was closed, but bleeding came out. "Master County, this is not the place for you to sit in the lobby and ask questions!" Zhang Muzhi said calmly. After going up the mountain, after three questions and two questions, both the master and the chief accountant had to honestly admit that they had escaped from the county town, and confessed to the funny play they played in. Zhang Muzhi asked the accountant director unintentionally: "Why do you ask them to pretend to be false?" Only then did the chief accountant tell the truth about the sale and purchase of officials in the provincial capital and the hoarding of appointment certificates in Shanxi banks. "Can anyone buy an official job?" Zhang Muzhi asked. "As long as you have money." The accounting director replied affirmatively. Zhang Muzhi was surprised to hear that the officialdom was so filthy, but he laughed out loud. Needless to say, all the money and opium that the secretary and the accounting director worked so hard to scrape the ground and stole before leaving were all confiscated.Wang Jiabin's wife and children survived, and unexpectedly got enough travel expenses to go back to the provincial capital, so they hurried down the mountain to escape for their lives.Those who carried the sliders and the porters were paid double the travel expenses, and they were also told to go down the mountain.The secretary and the chief accountant really got the way, but it was not written in ink, it was written by Zhang Muzhi in blood. They went to the ghost gate to report, and they deserved it! "I'm going to buy a county magistrate too." Zhang Muzhi got inspiration from the chief accountant, and suddenly became whimsical.It sounds strange to you that a Jiangyang bandit wants to be the magistrate of the county, doesn't it?You open your mouth wide, what are you looking at me for? Actually, I don't see anything unusual about it.I would like to ask you a question: why can't a robber become the magistrate of the county?In my opinion, the magistrate is worse than a robber, ten or a hundred times worse than a robber.No, there is simply no comparison.你莫看他们穿上衮衮官服，坐在挂着“正大光明”匾的大堂上，神气得很，其实是满口仁义道德，一肚子男盗女娼。都是头顶上长疮，脚板心流脓，坏透了的家伙。有个秀才形容他们是：“一身猪、狗、熊，两眼官、势、钱，三技吹、拍、捧，四维礼、义、廉（无耻）”，一点不差。他们对老百姓就是公开地抢，公开地杀，抓拿骗吃，无恶不作，到头来还硬要老百姓给他们送万民伞，立德政碑。无耻之极！他们有哪一点比强盗好呢？ 我在这里不是发牢骚，不过是说了实话。至低限度我碰到过的县太爷，没有一个比张牧之这个江洋大盗好。that is the truth. 张牧之从来说话算数的，在他那个“王国”里，他说的话就是决定。而且当他和他的兄弟伙一说他的想法，大家也同意了。什么想法？前头我说过了，张牧之平生有一个大仇人，就是住在县城里的外号叫黄天棒的黄大老爷。他一家死尽了，就是这个他没有见过面的黄天棒干的坏事。他发了誓，死也要进城去报这个仇。兄弟伙听他这么一说，谁不同意呢？而且简直为张牧之这个强盗进城去当县太爷的想法着了迷了。 在他们的脑子里，本来只能想象得出，那些地主老爷和他们的少爷才有资格去当官，才有资格去坐大堂。只要老爷一声令下，两旁凶神恶煞似的差狗子们大声吆喝，跟着就是扁担一样的刑杖，打到他们这些普通农民的屁股上来了。坐在大老爷旁边那个文书师爷已经写好了判辞，无论什么样的判辞，他们只有在那上面画十字或者按手指印的份了。他们怎么能够想象得出来，就是和他们这些泥巴脚杆一样的张牧之，忽然很威严地坐在县衙门的大堂上，他们这些泥巴脚杆就站在两边厢，也拿着扁担。张牧之忽然一声叫喊：“带黄天棒上来！”他们就一路传话传下去：“带黄天棒上来！”于是他们平常痛恨之至的黄天棒被狠夹着推上大堂来，头也不敢抬地跪在张牧之的公案前。于是也被按在地上，在他屁股上噼噼啪啪地打起板子来，随他鬼哭狼嚎，也不饶他。……哈哈，这是多么叫人痛快的事，多么令人神往的事！现在，他们的头头张牧之说：“我们也去买个县太爷来当一当。”想象不到的痛快事情就要实现了。就是为这个要付出砍头的代价，也是值得的！因此他们一致拥护他们的头头的这个勇敢的决定，就这么“一致通过”了。 但是马上就发生一个问题。到县城去买个县太爷的一切开销，是毫无问题的，就把他们刚才从秘书师爷和会计主任那里没收来的这笔不义之财中抽出一部分来，也就够了。问题是哪个能去办这个买官的事呢？还有一个问题，就是用钱去买了个县太爷来，可是他们肚子里都没有一点墨水，没有一个能够摇笔杆子的师爷，这怎么行呢？至少要写告示、看状子嘛。这个师爷又到哪里去找呢？ “去给我弄个师爷来！”张牧之又作出决定了。于是下边的兄弟伙就去想方设法，“弄”一个师爷来。怎么弄法？他们派几个兄弟伙化装到县城里去打听，看哪个肚子里有墨水的师爷合适，就把他弄来。他们进县城里打听几天，认定县政府里有个谁也没有把他打在眼里的穷科员合格。这个人也是苦出身，为人自来比较正派，对于县里的各种事情、各种人物都比较熟悉。他们回来向张牧之说起这个人，张牧之说：“好，合适。”他同意了。几个兄弟伙又进城去，想办法把这个科员逗出城来，不管三七二十一，抢他到山里来了，并硬要他当秘书师爷。这个科员就这么糊里糊涂升了官。他叫什么名字，我也不知道，暂时就说他姓陈，以后我们就叫他陈师爷吧！ 陈师爷起初不答应，他想哪有这种强迫封官的搞法？张牧之说：“好，你不干，你就先在我们寨子上委屈几天吧。”说的是委屈几天，结果陈师爷在山里一住就是两三个月。他暗地里看，这一伙强盗其实都是穷人出身，被逼上梁山的。他们大块吃肉，大碗吃酒，公平分钱，打起仗来，勇敢冲杀，拼死相救，像亲兄弟一般。他也有些感动了。世界上竟然还有这么一些好人哩。这哪里是他在城里听说的杀人放火、穷凶极恶的张麻子这股土匪的模样呢？说到对于他，虽说在“弄”他来的时候，曾经有过不很礼貌的举动（听说是用麻袋把他装起来，当做货物绑在马背上，驮上山来的），可是“弄”进来以后，却对他十分尊敬，照顾得无微不至。甚至没有告诉他就暗地派人送钱到他家里去，好叫他家里安心过日子。而且他听到这个头头终于很直爽地对他说：“陈师爷，你瞧得起我们这些泥巴脚杆，你觉得我们干的是劫富济贫的好事，愿意和我们干，你就留下；你觉得不是这样，在这里不自在，我们送路费，你走就是，一点也不勉强。” 这一席倾吐肺腑的话，直把陈师爷说得老泪横流。“我干！”这就是他的回答。 但是当张牧之提出要派他带钱上省里去，到山西钱庄买这个县的县太爷来当的时候，他却有几分怀疑，觉得这码子事未免太稀奇了。 “你说，你凭良心说，我这个张麻子，就是在你们县城城门口贴着告示，悬赏三千块大洋买他脑袋的这个张麻子，可不可以进城去当你们县的县太爷？你这个穷科员可不可以去当秘书师爷？”张牧之诚心实意地问。 陈师爷当时没有回答，张牧之也不估倒他马上回答。陈师爷想了一夜，正和我在前面说过的一样，他想通了。张麻子这么一个好人，为什么不能去当县太爷？比他过去见过的所有的县太爷都好得多。至于说他这个穷科员可不可以去当秘书师爷，他更有信心。说到摇笔杆子，他的文字通顺，比那些县太爷带来的狗屁不通的师爷好得多。他还通晓事理，为人耿直，自信比那些专门出“烂条儿”的师爷强。right! 第二天早晨，他回答了：“可以！” 大家一听都高兴得跳了起来，张牧之更是不用说有多么高兴了。 只要陈师爷思想一通，什么事都好办了。 陈师爷办的第一件事就是给这个未来的县太爷想一个堂皇的官名。他总不能用“县长张麻子”出布告嘛。他想来想去，忽然想到就和“张麻子”这三个字谐声，取名叫“张牧之”吧。古时候县太爷本来就叫做“牧民之官”，叫“张牧之”正好。——我前面摆故事都叫他张牧之，其实他是这个时候才开始叫张牧之的。但是我不知道他原来叫什么，又不愿学老爷们骂他，叫他“张麻子”，所以提前使用他的这个官号。 陈师爷陪着张牧之带了一大笔钱到省城去了。由于这个县里冒充县太爷的秘书师爷已经潜逃了，正空缺着，他们出的钱又比别人愿意出的多得多，所以一切都进行得很顺利。具体事宜都是陈师爷去经办的，谁都看得出，他是一个老在衙门进出办事的人，熟门熟路。至于最后要去拜望一下省民政厅长官，也难不倒张牧之。张牧之打扮一下，看来却真是年轻英俊，一表人才。而且去拜见的时候，也不过是讲些下去以后要奉公守法、勤政爱民的一派官话，陈师爷事先一教，张牧之马上就会说，也就应付过去了。 他们带着上面盖大红官印，赫然写着县长张牧之几个字的委任状，回到县里去了。当然不是坐着轮船、打着旗号到县城去，而是偷偷地回到西山他的老窝里。兄弟伙们接他们回到山寨，都争着来看这张委任状。他们都很奇怪，凭这么一张纸，他们就可以大摇大摆到县城里去，把县政府那颗官印拿过来，凭着这颗攥在手里的印把子，就可以出告示，要钱，杀人……这是他们先前万万料不到的。 张牧之和兄弟伙们商量了一下。他们在西山这块地盘，不仅不能丢，而且还要扩大些；他们这支队伍，不仅不能散，而且要乘机壮大，把县上保安队的好枪来他一个“枪换肩”。自然，他要带几个兄弟伙进县城，替他管钱管东西，其余作为保驾的跟班。他带的有徐大个，当他的卫队长，张德行帮他守牢，王万生当勤务兵，还有别的几个兄弟伙，都是真心实意跟他，和他一条心的，又是能跑会飞的好枪把式。 陈师爷真是忙起来了。他要向张牧之介绍这个县里的各种情况，各种当权人物的姓名、性格以及他们之间的派系和利害关系。还要教张牧之他们进城以后的起居生活习惯，包括各种交际往来的礼节、规矩、仪容以及谈话的方法。他还要为张牧之起草到任后的施政演说稿子。进城以后，只要把几个大的交际应酬和出头露面的场合对付过去了，以后一切事情，都可以由他这个秘书师爷出面来处理，那就好办了。 但是在研究发表施政演说的内容的时候，引起了一些争论。有些人主张张牧之抓到了印把子，就应该替受苦的人说话、办好事。要劫富济贫，整治那些欺压老百姓的恶霸地主和专干坏事的土豪劣绅。他们讲得很清楚：“要不，我们花这么多冤枉钱买个县太爷干什么？去县城里受那份洋罪干什么？还不如我们在山里头一刀一枪地跟他们干痛快一些呢！如果哪个进了城，就去学那些坏老爷模样，腐化堕落，替地主老爷欺压老百姓，去盘剥穷苦人家，不论是哪个，白刀子进，红刀子出！” 这些主张都是很合张牧之的心意的，他听在耳里，记在心里。但是这却叫陈师爷作了难。他不是不赞成这些穷苦兄弟伙的主张，要不，他还不愿这么冒着砍脑壳的风险来跟他们干呢。但是他明白，这个县到底还是在反动政府统领之下的，衙门口挂的到底还是*，还是国民党三*义的天下，还是层层都由地主老爷和老板们掌着实权的。他劝张牧之，还是要表面一套，暗地一套，不要叫他们看出马脚来。只能是以一个清官的样子出现，不能把他当江洋大盗这套拿出来。至于说上任以后发表的施政演说，更不能出了格，露了馅。但是张牧之他们坚决不同意在讲话中显出和他们这些党棍子、恶霸是一鼻孔出气，说的一个格调。这却叫陈师爷费了不少脑筋，才从那些老爷们惯常唱的三*义的高调中，提取出一些如“勤政爱民”、“救民于水火”以及“节制资本、平均地权”这套陈辞滥调来，写成了演说稿。 一切准备停当，又约好了以后往来联系的办法就出发了。他们先悄悄地动身到一个大一点的城市里去，在那里置办了行李，穿上了官服，发了即将“到任履新”的电报。然后从那里上了轮船，大模大样地向这个县城进发了。 他们下了轮船，在码头上受到县城机关、法团代表和绅粮地主老爷们的热烈欢迎。他走进披红戴绿的欢迎彩棚里，踏上铺在地上的红色地毯，好不气派。陈师爷按大小先后把张牧之介绍给大家，一一见面寒暄。张牧之和他的跟班们早就听说过这个县里的这些乌龟王八蛋，早就想一个一个地捉来，一刀一刀地砍掉。现在这些家伙就站在眼前，还要和他们又是拱手，又是点头地应酬，也真叫人憋气了。 那些老爷们呢，当然不知道站在他们面前、他们毕恭毕敬地欢迎的人，这个穿着笔挺的藏青色中山装、颇有点三*义忠实信徒模样的人，就是他们一提起来就咬牙切齿的，长着大胡子的张麻子这个江洋大盗。他们一看这个人头发梳得溜光，两眼炯炯有神，生气蓬勃，仪表堂堂，已经有了几分好印象。再一听他在寒暄中随口说出“兄弟才疏学浅，初出茅庐，一切都得仰仗列位大力鼎助，勤政爱民，不负*重任和全县父老殷望……”这样一些很得体的话来，就更加敬重了。 在简单的茶叙之后（陈师爷早已交代，切不可和这些老奸巨滑的人深谈），决定到县政府去接事。绅粮一声号令，几乘四人抬的大轿，就送到彩棚外面来。一般随员是骑马，还拉来了几匹高头大马。可是新来的县太爷不赞成坐四人抬的大轿，而要骑上高头大马进城。这一行径，使欢迎的士绅、地主老爷们见到了这位新太爷的新风范，很合乎国民党“革新吏政”的精神，无不肃然起敬。 张牧之骑马走在前头，从河街进城走上大街，直奔县衙门。一路上老百姓都站在街旁看热闹，好不威风。当张牧之进城门口的时候，陈师爷一眼就看到已经贴得发黄的告示，这就是以三千元大洋通缉张麻子的通缉令，还提到这个江洋大盗是长有大胡子，一脸大麻子的特征。陈师爷在张牧之身边暗地指给张牧之看，张牧之望了一下，不禁暗笑起来。 张牧之就是这样走马上任的。他在县衙门举行了一次简单的茶会，念了陈师爷煞费苦心才准备好的施政演说，又听了一些官员们、绅粮地主代表们的欢迎和赞颂，就此结束。本来照过去的规矩，还要去赴商会、法团以及绅粮们的一连串宴会，特别是要主动地拜会本县第一块招牌人物黄大老爷，面请指教的。但是新县太爷宣布了：要遵照上级简朴节约的精神，提倡清勤廉明，一切宴会从免。有些老爷们就在暗地里嘀咕：“哼，说不定这是一个才出炉的党棍子，将来怕有些难缠咧。”而另外一些人，比如县银行的钱经理就凭他过去的经验，有不同的看法。他说：“你别看他穿那身标准官服，装模作样，只要用金条子一塞，就全垮架，就要来甘拜下风了。” 最感觉恼火的是黄大老爷。他是本县的第一号人物，什么都是第一。田产最广、收租最多，第一；做的生意买卖最大、钱最多，第一；他在城里的公馆最多，第一；家里人在外面做大小官员的最多，第一；自然，他的姨太太最多，也算第一。所以每一个新上任的县太爷，到了衙门的第一件要办的大事，就是送名片到黄公馆，亲自上门拜会黄大老爷，死气白赖地要拜认做门生。这个张牧之竟然不是这样。许多天了，没有去拜会的意思。“这是一个什么不识好歹的后生小子呢？连规矩都不懂了。” 陈师爷出于一番好意，几次劝说张牧之不妨去黄公馆走个过场，以便在县里站住脚。可是张牧之和他带来的几个兄弟伙坚决反对。张牧之说：“这个十恶不赦的大浑蛋，我一见他就想给他脑壳上凿个洞洞，安上一颗'卫生汤圆'，把他卸成八大块，还不解气哩，要我去给他说好话、赔小心，办不到！”他又对陈师爷说：“你倒要给我出个主意，怎么暗地里整治他，把他弄痛，最后还要把他杀尽做绝，解我心头之恨，这才对头。” 张牧之上任后不几天，就碰到审理一个案子。一个本地姓赵的地主告他的佃户刁顽，抗不交够租子。原告被告都传到大堂上来了。照往常规矩，地主进来可以在一旁站着，被告的佃户则应该一进来就下跪的。今天这个佃户上堂还没下跪，地主就作揖说：“禀老爷，叫他跪下，好审这些刁民。”两旁掌刑棍的旧差狗子就照例叫一声：“跪下！” 那个佃户就真的“扑通”一声跪下了：“老爷，冤枉。” “慢点！”张牧之看了，很不是味道。生气地问那个地主：“为啥子只叫他跪，你不跪？” 赵家地主非常奇怪地望着这位新老爷，居然问出这样的话来。那掌棍的几个大汉也奇怪地望着新老爷。 “给我站起来。”张牧之说，“现在提倡三*义，讲平等，不兴下跪。”陈师爷在一旁都为新老爷能够随机应变，暗地笑了。 徐大个去把那个下跪的农民提一下：“站起来。”这个佃户还有些莫名其妙，只好站起来。 “你也站过去，站在下边，好问话。”张牧之对那个站在旁边的赵家地主说。徐大个一伸手把他提到中间，和佃户站成一排。这位地主有些不以为然，把一只脚斜站着，一抖一抖的，满不在乎。徐大个生气地在他腿肚子上踢一脚：“站规矩点！” 这样才开始了问案子。 张牧之听了原告、被告两方的申诉。很明显看出是这个赵家地主不讲理，把当时政府规定的但是从来没有执行过的“二五减租”，反倒改成“二五加租”，要农民多交租。张牧之一听，火星直冒，本来想当场发作，要宣判姓赵的地主给佃户按规定倒退二成五租谷的，可是陈师爷却给他递了眼色，低声说了几句。张牧之才忍着气宣布：“退堂！听候宣判。” 姓赵的地主不放心说：“禀老爷，这刁民不押起来，不取保，他跑了，我将来向哪个讨租去？” 张牧之本待发作：“你咋个就晓得一定是他打输官司？”陈师爷却跑在前面代他答了：“退下！本官自有道理。” 下堂以后，姓赵的地主就找到了那个掌刑的政警：“张哥，咋的？'包袱'塞了不算数？” 那个政警把嘴一撇：“哼，你那几个钱，还不够人家塞牙齿缝缝的。”其实这份“包袱”完全被他独吞了，新太爷一文也没见着。 新老爷审案子的事，一下子就传开了：新章法，讲平等，原告被告都不下跪了。那些照例是被告、照例该他们下跪的穷百姓听了，觉得张老爷提倡的这个平等好。那些照例是原告、照例不下跪的地主绅士们听了却觉得稀奇。有人说：“怪不得，是根党棍子啊，你看他穿的那一身标准制服！”有的却觉得这一下乱了规矩，怎么要得！于是摇头摆脑地叹气，“国将不国”了。这件事也照例传进黄公馆黄大老爷的耳朵里去，他却一言不发，只是在沉思。 等到过了三天，县衙门口的布告牌上贴出宣判告示来，是姓赵的地主败诉了。上面说按照政府第几条第几款法令，应退佃户二成五租谷。这一下在县城里像揭了盖子的一锅开水，沸腾开了：“哼，这位太爷硬把法令当真哩！”“嘿，这还成哪一家的王法？”有的人也责备姓赵的地主：“他也太心黑了，二五减租，你马马虎虎不减也就是了，偏还要二五倒加租，还要去告状，输了活该！” 这件稀奇事情当然也传到黄公馆里去了。黄大老爷听了，还是一言不发，闷起！ 穷苦老百姓一听，却高兴地一传十，十传百，一下传开了：“新来的张老爷硬是要实行二五减租哩。”许多人在盘算：“去年的已经给地主老财刮去了的，就算了。今年眼见要收谷子，这回有人撑腰，要闹他个二五减租了。” 张牧之上任不到两月，来说事情的，许“包袱”的，总是不断。这在别的县太爷看来，就是财源茂盛的意思，巴不得。张牧之却觉得心烦，多靠陈师爷出面去处理。反正张牧之给他定得有一个原则：凡是地主老财们送来的，收，多收。狠狠地刮，刮得他们哑子吃黄连，有苦说不出。说的事情就给他来个软拖，东拉西扯，横竖不落地，理由就是塞的包袱不够，难办事。至于那些穷苦人、正派人，就一律不要。专门替人家办理付款事情的县银行钱经理看在眼里，想在心里：“这位太爷，口讲新章程，其实是个'鲢巴郎'嘴巴叉得很。” 这时上边又下来公事，收一笔爱国捐，五万元，限期交上去。一个县太爷在任上，只要碰到这么一笔上面下来的什么税，什么捐，就可以把腰包填满了，可以走路了。这种捐口说五万元，县太爷可以不必自己兴师动众地去收，只要按七万元出包给人家去收就行了，收得快，又得利。这不知道是哪一个国家，哪一个朝代，哪些会做官的老爷想出这种妙法。实在方便。至于那些来包税捐的地主老财们，用七万元包了回去，他们爱向谁收，收多少，就不用问了。十万元也由他们去收了。这真是发财的好门路。 这一笔五万元爱国捐的公事一下来，那些有钱有势的老财们纷纷出动，上下活动，打通关节，要求包收爱国捐。可是谁也莫想一口独吞，连黄天榜大老爷也不敢使出他的“天棒”，独包了，这是要利益均沾的事，不然你休想以后办事搁得平。你要求包这一个乡，他要求包那一个区，而且是先付包银，倒是可以的。这条件真够优厚的了，可是张牧之偏偏不干，他要研究一个新章程、新办法。 他找陈师爷问了一下。陈师爷解释说，如今的国民政府就是捐多税多，所以大家叫“刮民政府万税”。一道捐税下来，就像在穷苦老百姓的脖子上又勒一道绳子。城里乡下，都要搞得鸡飞狗跳，逼得多少人家倾家荡产，多少人家鬻妻卖子，多少人寻死上吊呀。可是那些包税的老财们却借机会发大财，呵呵笑，所以乡下人形容说：“地主老财笑哈哈，穷苦百姓泪如麻。” 张牧之和他的几个兄弟伙一听是这么个整法，就冒火了。张牧之叫道：“算了，老子不给他收了。” 陈师爷说：“那咋行？你这个县太爷不想当了？” 王万生说：“为了当这个臭官，要我们去坑害穷人？” 陈师爷笑了一笑说：“刀把子在你手里，你要向哪个开刀，还不是看你的。” 张牧之问：“你说咋个整法才好？” 陈师爷说：“我们不想在这里头取利，不包给老财们，让他们拿去坑人。但是我们自己如果要去四乡找有钱人收这笔捐，你就搞一百个人去收它半年，未必收得齐。” 王万生问：“那怎么办？” 陈师爷的点子就是多，他那眼睛眨巴眨巴几下子，脑子一转就出来了：“这么办，随田粮附加。有田有粮的都是富实人家。” “好，好！”张牧之他们几个都笑起来，“五万元都弄到他们头上去，专门整治他们。” “不过，”陈师爷说，“这一下要碰到一些本县的硬牌子，本来是他们赚钱的买卖，倒弄得来要他们蚀财，他们要叫喊，要抗捐不交。” “我们顶住跟他们干，最多砸了县太爷这把交椅。”张牧之说。 深谋远虑的陈师爷说：“你一拿王法整他们，他们会暗地去上边告状。所以要去上边找个说得起话的靠山才好。” 他们商量了一阵，决定由张牧之和陈师爷赶到省里去一下，公开说的是去要求减少爱国捐数目，其实是去用钱打通门路，拜省上一个最有势力的刘总舵把子的山门。多亏陈师爷的门道多，几下就打通了。这位总舵爷，也乐得收这种县太爷当门生，随时三千五千地得点孝顺钱，也要得。他们还把这笔捐要采取随田粮附加征收的好办法，向省田粮总局打了一个招呼，对方哼呀哈的，没有说什么。 他们回来以后，张牧之本来想召集本县有田有粮的大粮户开会，特别是把黄大老爷请来，宣布上级的指示。陈师爷却劝张牧之先通过“民意”了再办。 “什么民意？”张牧之问。 “