Chapter 2619 - 2592: Insight

Governor Yu killed three people upon his arrival, and they happened to be the three families most active in stirring up the tenants during this period.

Tang He and the others had conducted investigations, thinking initially to first tackle them before winning over others, which would be quicker this way. However, seeing no results, they switched to another strategy.

Now with Governor Yu having killed people, the Qizhou governor’s office fell into silence, and the next day, Governor Yu accompanied the officials from the capital on an inspection tour to the countryside.

The Zhu Family, Chai Family, and Zhang Family were both angry and fearful, unfamiliar with this new governor, worried he might have barbaric tendencies after spending long years in Yunzhou, and might really execute them at a word of dispute.

Though they could ultimately use this against him for impeachment, the people of their own family who had died would not come back to life.

They dared not gamble with their lives for Governor Yu’s future.

The barefooted do not fear those with shoes, but the Zhu Family, Chai Family, and Zhang Family were far from barefoot; in fact, they had large and prosperous households, flourishing families, wearing elegant satin shoes, embroidered beautifully. Not only barefoot, but standing on even moderately uneven ground was uncomfortable for them.

So they did not dare.

Hence, the ruthless fear the unreasonable, and evidently, this Governor Yu was of the latter type.

Seemingly aware of striking while the iron was hot, Governor Yu proposed to Tang He that they first visit the domains of the Zhu, Chai, and Zhang Families.

Tang He readily agreed.

Thereupon, the group shifted their location.

This time, Governor Yu brought along his personal guards, officers from the governor’s office, and the imperial guards sent from the capital, driving all the tenants who had been causing trouble recently to an empty ground.

Governor Yu was not gentle like Bai Shan, standing boldly before them receiving their hostile and frightened gazes.

Governor Yu did not furrow his brows even slightly and turned to Tang He.

Tang He smiled at him gently and then had Bai Shan step forward to deliver the speech.

Bai Shan, clad in a light red official robe, stepped forward, standing clean and fair before the people, loudly yet gently explaining the court’s reason for reclaiming these lands and how the lands would be managed going forward...

Governor Yu, standing boldly: ...

It was somewhat unexpected for him. Why explain these court policies in such detail?

During his time in Yunzhou, the citizens in the city were largely soldiers and exiled criminals, requiring strict adherence to commands; he merely needed to issue orders.

He glanced at Bai Shan and found his plain language and painstaking deliberations somewhat wearying, continually casting his gaze toward Lord Tang.

Lord Tang ignored him.

Censor Liang and Censor Ren also stood sternly by.

Gradually, the keen Governor Yu sensed something amiss and looked at the tenants standing below.

Their expressions of anger and fear had dissipated considerably, with some even looking up earnestly at them, seemingly teary-eyed.

After Bai Shan finished speaking, he pointed at Tang He and said, "This gentleman is my superior officer, designated by the Emperor to lead the inspection here, with him present, I dare not speak frivolously, so you can trust my words."

He then pointed at Governor Yu and said, "This gentleman is the new governor of Qizhou, your governor sir, who has come here specifically to see you, pitying your loss of land."

Looking at Governor Yu, Governor Yu looked at him too. Below, the tenant farmers raised their heads to look at Governor Yu.

Governor Yu then stepped forward and said, "Once these lands are redeemed, I will have people sign leasing agreements with you. Those interested in leasing can speak directly to the Chief."

His piercing gaze fell on Chief, "All those interested can lease, make sure to record all names, missing even one..."

Chief immediately kneeled on the ground and kowtowed, saying, "Yes, yes, I dare not miss anyone."

Governor Yu nodded slightly.

Bai Shan waited for a moment, seeing him fall silent, helplessly stepped forward, raising his hand to quell the growing murmurs, saying, "Governor pities you in poverty and weakness, and His Majesty repeatedly instructed us to treat you kindly, hence, this reclaimed official land when leased will only require forty percent rent."

At these words, the murmurs grew louder, with several old men directly kneeling and kowtowing loudly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Governor—"

Others followed suit, kneeling en masse, loudly exclaiming, "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Governor—"

Governor Yu raised his brows high, first glancing at Bai Shan, then softened his expression, descended from the podium built with tables, and helped the few elderly in the front up, sighing, "Let bygones be bygones for those previously deceived and forced against you, from today you should farm earnestly."

The words were sudden, but the tears flowing from the helped elderly were instant, simultaneously a heavy stone in their hearts fell heavily, they knelt with a thud, leading everyone to kowtow again, this time more genuine, chokingly loud, "Thank you, sir, thank you, sir, sir’s great kindness."

Lord Tang raised a brow at Bai Shan slightly, see, I said he has subtlety within roughness, cunning within, just one phrase can promptly rally the people’s hearts Bai Shan had painstakingly calmed.

Lord Tang clasped his hands within his sleeves and thought, as long as Governor Yu delivers what he promises, leasing these redeemed lands at forty percent rent, without adding taxes or levies, these people will undoubtedly swear loyalty to him, even the local clans might struggle to shake his position.

Governor Yu too sensed the sentiment among the people, his eyes shimmered as he helped the people stand, then couldn’t help but turn back to look at Bai Shan.

He wasn’t foolish, and had four years of governor experience, even if Yunzhou’s situation differed from Qizhou, people were similar, ordinary citizens.

Even in Yunzhou, it took him four years to earn such support.

Yet here, he merely stood on the podium and spoke a few words.

Of course, he didn’t think saying these few words alone would have such effect, not without Bai Shan’s groundwork over nearly an hour...

It seemed this Lord Bai wasn’t entirely useless.

Governor Yu pondered, so was his promise of leasing truly as Tang He described, softhearted and kind, bookishly naive, or... deliberate?

Governor Yu smiled faintly, withdrew his gaze.

The remaining matters were unrelated to Bai Shan. After placating the tenants, Governor Yu and Tang He turned and headed to the Zhu Family.

Bai Shan accepted the bamboo tube from Daji to drink some water, sighed to Daji, "Manbao prepared many medicines, but forgot to prepare throat lozenges for me."

Daji said, "Young master, you speak too much, perhaps next time let other lords speak?"

Bai Shan sighed, "Who else? Surely not Senior Brother Tang and Governor Yu?"

The two censors shouldn’t be considered, as they were here to supervise them, seeming even more imposing than Senior Brother Tang.