Most of these potatoes grow at the foot of the barren mountains and in the sand quarries near the neighboring town. Among them, the sunlight, water, and heat conditions in Qinjiazhuangzi are the most suitable, which has given rise to such a vast potato field.
Seeing Li Ying looking hesitant and embarrassed, the county magistrate understood what was going on.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Li. I'll take care of this matter! Although I've had a feud with you, they still have to give me some face! Moreover, the Qin family is a scholarly family. Young Master Qin has just passed the prefectural examination. He's a knowledgeable person who cares about the country and the people. He will surely agree to such a good thing that benefits the country and the people!"
Li Ying sneered inwardly.
Caring about the country and the people?
Qin Jin really didn't hesitate to glorify himself.
She nodded imperceptibly and gave a gentle smile. "Then I'll have to trouble your honor to take more care. I'll go and organize the methods of planting and consuming potatoes and sweet potatoes right away for you to present to the prefect!"
She was too lazy to waste her breath on the Qin family's beasts in human clothing. The county magistrate could handle the negotiation.
Li Ying got up to take her leave, but unexpectedly, before she could step out of the door, two yamen runners came in with troubled looks on their faces to report. "Your honor, the Qin family said that if potatoes can solve the people's food and clothing problems, it's a meritorious deed equivalent to building seven-story pagodas. Naturally, they'd like to support it wholeheartedly."
"However, they mistook the potato field for weeds... and have burned it all down... The matter of presenting potatoes may have to be considered in the long run..."
Hearing this, the county magistrate couldn't help but frown tightly.
Was it that the heavens didn't want to see his ambition fulfilled?
Why was it so unfortunate!
Li Ying just gave a cold laugh.
The promotion of potato cuisine at the dock was quite a stir. Presumably, the Qin family had also heard about it.
To monopolize the opportunity of "discovering potatoes", Qin Jin really resorted to any means, even coming up with such a lame excuse.
"Your honor, when I went to dig potatoes, I saw potato flowers all over the mountains in the village. The tenant farmers were extremely lazy. I heard that it was just a deserted wasteland that no one had set foot in for a long time. How could there be such a coincidence that we discovered potatoes, and then the Qin family wanted to reclaim the land right away?"
One of the yamen runners nodded. "That's right. I saw that Scholar Qin was evasive and seemed to have something on his mind. Please give the order, your honor. We brothers will go and search again right away!"
The county magistrate pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "No. That village is the private property of the Qin family, not public land. Even I can do nothing about it..."
Li Ying was surprised. "Private land?"
The Qin family had always considered themselves noble. Even though their family had declined, they still tried to act as if they were wealthy. Old Lady Qin was a stingy person.
How could they allow the private land that didn't need to pay tribute and taxes to be deserted and the tenant farmers to be idle?
"Your honor, I dare to ask you to check the land measurement records. There's something really strange about the Qin family's village."
Although the county magistrate was skeptical, he thought that since she had been married to Qin Jin, she might really know some secrets of the Qin family. Since it was related to his official career, after a moment's thought, he ordered someone to fetch the documents and examine them carefully.
The more he read, the angrier he became, and his face turned ashen.
"The Qin family is really bold!"
No wonder the Qin family owned a large amount of land but paid very little tax every year.
It turned out that they had lied that the farmers had fled due to natural disasters, leaving the public land deserted. Then they had openly cultivated only the private land and allowed the public land to be overgrown with weeds?
There might be many more wealthy families in the town who were using such methods to avoid taxes! If everyone did this, it would be a huge loss to the national treasury!
In the end, all these would be counted against him, the county magistrate, and he would be accused of incompetence!
"Come here! Spread my order. Thoroughly investigate every inch of land of the farmers in the town and redraw the map of public land!"
As soon as the county magistrate gave the order, Qin Jin was soon brought in by the yamen runners. From afar, he saw Li Ying standing beside him, and a flash of hatred crossed his eyes.
"Your honor, please distinguish the truth. The family's property has been passed down from generation to generation. I've just taken over the family affairs and don't know the details. I definitely didn't mean to take advantage of the situation!"
"I'm willing to make up for the overdue agricultural taxes. Please be lenient with me!"
Qin Jin had only passed the prefectural examination and didn't have any official title yet, so he had to be respectful to the county magistrate. He was quite sensible and looked sincere.
Old Lady Qin was crying and had already prepared a lot of silver, just begging the county magistrate to be lenient and not ruin the eldest son of the Qin family's imperial examination prospects.
The county magistrate didn't want to fall out with the Qin family either. After sternly warning him a few times, he let Qin Jin go.
Li Ying watched all this and snorted coldly in her heart.
Collusion among officials. Just as she had expected.
She had originally thought that since the county magistrate needed her help now, he would be polite to her. But unexpectedly, this man was trying to please both sides between her and the Qin family. He was really two-faced.
Lu Xunguang noticed that she was in a bad mood. With a gloomy face, he was about to walk out.
But Yan Lianzhi stopped him indifferently.
"The officialdom has always been dark. This is just the beginning! Come back! If you can't control your temper like this, how can you achieve anything!"
Su Buchi also poured a cup of bamboo-leaf tea and invited Li Ying to drink with him. He comforted her gently, "Although the county magistrate is colluding with the Qin family, people will do anything for money, just like birds will do anything for food. For the sake of his official career, he will surely present the potatoes to the prefect. I've heard that the prefect is very honest and dedicated. When he comes to the town for a thorough investigation, that will be our turning point."
Li Ying drank two cups of tea, and the irritable anger in her heart finally subsided a little.
The county magistrate only cared about immediate benefits. He wasn't really worth cooperating with.
Winning the trust of the prefect, whom she had never met, was the most urgent task.
Seeing Li Ying and Su Buchi chatting happily, Lu Xunguang frowned even tighter. Not wanting to watch anymore, he silently left the fishing village.
The Qin family was also completely silent at this moment, dead silent.
Old Lady Qin clutched her chest and gasped in surprise.
"Son, this is really an unexpected disaster! We've spent a large amount of silver on paying the taxes today!"
Qin Shao was also indignant. "That bitch is really ungrateful! She's always pushing us and has no conscience at all!"
But unfortunately, they had already divorced, and each was free to marry again. Even though they hated Li Ying to the core, they were helpless and could only sulk at home.
"Does Young Master Qin think that he can rest easy after paying the silver? The county magistrate is now on good terms with Li Ying. He may rely on her in everything. Although he could avoid trouble by paying money today, that woman has held a grudge against you for a long time. I'm afraid she won't let it go so easily."
A charming voice came from outside the door. Qin Jin looked up and saw a woman in a black hood looking at him with a half-smile.
It was Lian Ji.