Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1252: Do You Want to Walk Into the Lion’s Den?

“Brother Xie, your greed knows no bounds! Our other prefectures haven’t even secured a single Dou Ou Bank, yet you aim for two!” The Magistrate of Tong’an Prefecture chimed in, “Brother Xie, you mustn’t be so selfish. You need to leave some for us. My Tong’an Prefecture still has two copper mines; if something were to go wrong, those mines would be difficult to protect.”

*Shameless! How could they even say such a thing?!* everyone thought.

All the officials present mentally railed against such selfishness.

Aside from Linhe Prefecture and He’an Prefecture, Tong’an Prefecture was considered the most secure in Jianghuai. Because of its copper mines, the Emperor had stationed an additional military detachment to guard them. Ordinary bandits, refugees, and even local inhabitants alike were deterred by Tong’an Prefecture’s reinforced military presence and dared not cause disturbances there.

The Tong’an Prefecture Magistrate, noticing the covetous glances from the other officials, quickly added, “While Tong’an Prefecture boasts double the military strength, it isn’t exactly prosperous. The farmers still struggle to afford their taxes.”

*So please don’t glare at me; I’m suffering just as much.*

The Magistrates of Baishan Prefecture and Yuyang Prefecture could no longer bear it, pleading with Master Ouyang, “Sir, our two prefectures are adjacent to the Central State, and conditions have already deteriorated significantly. We cannot afford further chaos. We implore you to establish a bank in our prefectures and offer some assistance.”

*Let us be transferred first, and then you can withdraw the bank. We don’t want to be implicated and lose our heads due to the chaos within our jurisdictions.*

The Tong’an Prefecture Magistrate, with his sharp tongue, remarked, “Esteemed colleagues, your two prefectures are infested with mountain bandits. Is this truly the opportune moment to dispatch a substantial amount of Silver to Baishan Prefecture and Yuyang Prefecture? It would be akin to sending sheep into a tiger’s den!”

*The Silver would be plundered the moment it entered your prefectures.*

The magistrates of the two afflicted prefectures felt an overwhelming urge to knock the Tong’an Prefecture Magistrate to the ground and beat him severely.

Master Ouyang turned his gaze to the two magistrates and stated, “Gentlemen, there is no need for undue concern. I have received intelligence that due to the recent incidents in Zhili, the Emperor is greatly displeased and has already commanded reinforcements to secure every prefecture.”

Upon hearing this, the Magistrates of Baishan Prefecture and Yuyang Prefecture grimaced. Merely sending troops to quell the situation? They desperately needed Silver!

But alas, there was genuinely no Silver to be had.

Master Ouyang continued, “Young Master Dou and I are limited in our capabilities; we can only establish the bank incrementally. I fear I cannot offer you the assistance you seek.”

The magistrates were on the verge of physically assaulting Ouyang Hu but restrained themselves due to his esteemed status as a Great Scholar and the formidable protection of his elder brother. They could only stifle their frustration and inquire, “Sir, you mean you will offer us no help whatsoever?”

Master Ouyang sighed deeply, “It is not a matter of unwillingness, but rather a lack of capacity… Initially, I should not have involved myself in tax matters, but my conscience was troubled, compelling me to dip into my own wealth to establish the Dou Ou Bank.”

“Gentlemen, I offer my sincere apologies.” Master Ouyang rose and bowed to the two magistrates, startling them into hastily stepping aside and returning the respectful gesture.

At this juncture, all the officials present grasped the grim reality: relying on the Dou Ou Bank for salvation was an impossibility.

However…

Master Ouyang added, “There is no need for excessive worry, gentlemen. The Emperor will not abandon Jianghuai. If you can weather this difficult period, favorable news is bound to arrive from the Capital.”

The Magistrates of Baishan Prefecture and Yuyang Prefecture listened, but their expressions remained unchanged. Perhaps other regions of Jianghuai would receive protection, but their own two prefectures, situated so close to the Central State, were uncertain.

Magistrate Gu attempted to comfort them, “Colleagues, since Master Ouyang has spoken thus, there must surely be promising developments from the Capital. Let us await them with patience.”

Hearing this remark, the two magistrates almost scoffed aloud. *It’s easy for you in He’an Prefecture to speak so nonchalantly when you’ve already reaped all the benefits!*

The Magistrate of Linhe Prefecture, Magistrate Shi, also entered and spoke up, “Colleagues, I have heard that numerous affluent families from the Central State have sought refuge in your two prefectures. These individuals are quite wealthy, and given the prevailing instability in their home regions, they should be amenable to contributing to maintain stability.”

Having made his statement, he rose, irrespective of whether the two magistrates were paying attention, and bowed to Master Ouyang. “Sir, I humbly request your assistance in mediating with the esteemed families of Linhe Prefecture. Please persuade them to contribute Silver to aid the farmers of Linhe Prefecture during this trying period.”

Magistrate Shi harbored ambitions for a promotion; he was unwilling for the tax crisis to impede his path to advancement.

However, Magistrate Shi wasn’t overly concerned about potential disturbances within Linhe Prefecture. For one, Linhe Prefecture was a place of great prosperity, teeming with affluent individuals whose contributions could easily remedy the situation.

Secondly, the presence of numerous noble families meant they would actively protect the stability of their own domain, as their influence was substantial, far beyond what a single magistrate could suppress.

Master Ouyang remarked, "Old Master Yan San is an acquaintance of mine. Magistrate Shi, why not seek his assistance? The influential families and wealthy residents of Linhe Prefecture possess both resources and intelligence; they will undoubtedly be willing to contribute funds to ensure Linhe Prefecture's stability."

Would Old Master Yan San indeed lend his aid?

A sense of relief washed over Magistrate Shi, and he smiled, expressing, "Thank you, sir."

With Master Ouyang's guarantee, Magistrate Shi, upon his return, could directly approach Old Master Yan San to implore him to convene the noble families and affluent individuals to discuss the matter of financial contributions.

His objective accomplished, Magistrate Shi clasped his hands towards the assembled officials and declared, "My esteemed colleagues, we of Jianghuai serve as the bulwark of Jiangnan, a land blessed with abundant resources and fertile plains. The Emperor will surely safeguard Jianghuai, and there is no cause for undue worry."

He continued, "As the hour grows late and Junior Minister Ming still resides in Linhe Prefecture, I cannot remain away for an extended period. I must depart tomorrow morning to rejoin him, so I shall take my leave now."

Having spoken, he departed without further ado, his entourage following suit immediately.

The officials present could not help but feel a pang of envy. Stationed in a prosperous prefecture undoubtedly offered significant advantages; even when confronted with a substantial issue like double taxation, they could resolve it with relative ease.

Following Magistrate Shi's departure, Master Ouyang also rose and announced, "Gentlemen, after a long and arduous journey, I too must take my leave."

With that, he departed without ceremony, taking Young Master Dou, Gu Jin’an, and County Magistrate Zheng along with him.

This left only Magistrate Gu to manage the situation with the magistrates who had not yet received any funds.

Master Ouyang felt a disquiet in his heart. Without asking County Magistrate Zheng and the others to accompany him further, he was supported by Ah Song as he returned to his quarters.

Noticing Master Ouyang's frail appearance and concern that he might not endure the strain, Gu Jin’an produced a bottle of Convenient Medicine and offered it. "Sir, this is a Yangrong Pill from the pharmaceutical workshop. Please take one before retiring."

Master Ouyang inclined his head, instructing Ah Song to dissolve the pill in warm water before he consumed it.

Observing Master Ouyang's silence, Gu Jin’an felt a deep sense of guilt. He bowed and stated solemnly, "Sir, this is entirely my fault. I should not have suggested establishing the new bank."

Master Ouyang offered a gentle smile, looking toward Gu Jin’an, and inquired, "Do you know what my elder brother used to reprimand me for the most?"

Gu Jin’an paused, somewhat bewildered by the sudden shift in topic, and shook his head. "I do not know, sir."

"It was for being too quick to champion the underdog." Master Ouyang explained, "When I was young, my impulsiveness often caused my elder brother considerable trouble. He would patiently clean up my messes while scolding me, yet I remained steadfast in my beliefs, considering myself in the right."

After sharing this memory, Master Ouyang paused, lost in reflection of bygone days. "Therefore, even if you and Miss Ming had not intervened, I would have extended my assistance regardless... This is not your failing; it is merely the execution of my own intentions."

Had he not desired it himself, neither Good Brother An nor Miss Ming could have swayed him.