coobybook Chapter 1056 The Qiu Family of Jingzhou
Chapter 1056 The Qiu Family of Jingzhou
At the same time that the emperor's imperial carriage and entourage were making their grand southward journey.
Hundreds of miles away in Jingzhou, the atmosphere was completely different inside a large, secluded mansion.
This is the ancestral home of the Qiu family in Jingzhou.
The Qiu family was not a top-tier clan known throughout the world, but in the Jingchu region, especially in the Jiangling and Xiangyang area, it was a prominent and well-established family.
The family genealogy can be traced back hundreds of years. Although there have been few prominent figures who have held high positions in the government, there have always been many members of the Qiu family among the prefectural and county officials and local powerful families.
Their influence was deeply entrenched in fields, shops, canal transport, and even local government, making them a typical local powerful family.
However, since Li Che ascended the throne and implemented new policies to suppress powerful clans, local gentry families like the Qiu family have found life increasingly difficult.
The imperial examination system cut off their shortcut to monopolizing official careers.
The reform of the provincial system weakened their control over the grassroots level.
The land survey directly impacted their most fundamental interests, namely the land and the people they depended upon.
In the past, government officials would show deference to the Qiu family's children, but now the situation is different.
Those local officials from humble backgrounds, while not openly bullying the Qiu family and other old clans, did not show much respect for them either.
Everything must be handled strictly according to official procedures, and many previously acceptable practices are no longer valid.
The Qiu family dared not retaliate, because they all knew that these officials from humble backgrounds, who seemed to have no connections, actually had powerful backers.
That is His Majesty the Emperor!
The side hall of the ancestral hall in the Qiu family's ancestral home was now closed, with the doors and windows tightly shut, creating a solemn atmosphere.
Five or six people were sitting in the hall, all of them prominent figures from various branches of the Qiu family. The current head of the family, Qiu Hong, was seated in the main seat.
He was about fifty years old, with a thin face, three long wisps of beard, and an unyielding sorrow between his brows.
“We’ve received another message from Xiangyang. The new clerk in the county government, Wang, is completely unyielding and insists on re-verifying the deeds and tax records for our three thousand mu of sloping land.”
A well-off middle-aged man sitting at the lower end of the table wiped the sweat from his brow and complained:
"Everyone knows how that land came about back then. The contracts can't withstand close scrutiny, and the amounts paid as tribute over the years don't match the new dynasty's accounting format... If this is really investigated, paying back taxes is a minor matter. The real problem is that old cases might be uncovered, leading to charges of embezzling government land."
Another gaunt old man, Qiu Wen from the fourth branch of the family, sighed, "It's not just Xiangyang, it's the same here in Jiangling Prefecture. The canal transport line to our family's is now being closely watched by the new transport commissioner. We can no longer collect the usual fees, and instead, we have to pay extra to avoid having old debts brought up."
"This business is clearly losing more and more money."
"The imperial court is trying to force us to our deaths!" a younger member of the Qiu family said angrily. "They won't give us an advantage in the imperial examinations, they're restricting our business, and they're even going to seize the land passed down from our ancestors!"
"If this continues, how will the Qiu family maintain its foothold in Jingzhou?"
Everyone spoke at once, recounting their respective predicaments.
The once powerful local figures appeared helpless and in a sorry state in the face of the new dynasty's iron-fisted rectification.
After a long silence, a middle-aged man who hadn't said much, sitting in the corner, suddenly sighed softly: "Alas... if it were still when Second Uncle was in charge, things wouldn't be so difficult."
The "second uncle" he mentioned was the late Qiu family's second master, Qiu Bai's father, Qiu Mingyuan.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the people in the hall all changed.
Before his death, Qiu Mingyuan had long been in charge of the Qiu family's economic lifeline. He was shrewd, capable, resourceful, and adept at social maneuvering.
Under his management, the Qiu family's businesses expanded, and they maintained a very harmonious relationship with the local government. They received all the benefits they were entitled to and were always able to avoid trouble in advance.
Back then, the Qiu family, while not exactly thriving, was at least as stable as Mount Tai. They were never as anxious and fearful as they are now.
Some people nodded slightly, revealing a sense of nostalgia.
Indeed, compared to their current predicament, the years when Qiu Mingyuan was in charge can be considered the golden age of the Qiu family in recent decades.
"shut up!"
A low shout interrupted everyone's thoughts.
The head of the family, Qiu Hong, sat in the main seat with a livid face. He slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clatter.
"Qiu Hongli, what nonsense are you spouting?!"
"Does Qiu Mingyuan, that sinner who failed to raise his son properly and caused such a tragedy for his family, even deserve to be mentioned by you?!"
He surveyed the crowd, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Have you all forgotten? How did my poor wife and children die? It was all thanks to that unfilial son, Qiu Bai!"
"He murdered his brother and relatives, colluded with bandits, and his hands are stained with the blood of my Qiu family's kin!"
"This beastly son was raised by Qiu Mingyuan!"
"He may have gained some minor benefits when he was in charge, but it was precisely because of his poor management that such a terrible disaster was sown. And you still miss him now?"
The hall fell silent instantly.
Qiu Hongli's face turned pale, and he lowered his head, not daring to speak again.
The others also avoided the head of the household's gaze, either lowering their heads to drink tea or staring at the floor.
Qiu Hong's grief over the loss of his wife and son was real, and no one dared to offend him in this matter, much less defend Qiu Mingyuan and his son, who had already been labeled as sinners in the family.
However, how can outsiders completely suppress the thoughts deep in people's hearts?
Many people still can't help but have a fleeting thought in their hearts.
Even if Qiu Bai is a rebellious son, the prosperity of the Qiu family under Qiu Mingyuan's management back then was not fake.
Times have changed, and with the new emperor's blade hanging overhead, who still cares about the feud between their direct descendants and the second branch of the family?
However, Qiu Mingyuan is dead. If he were alive, as long as he could lead the Qiu family out of their predicament, everyone would not mind letting the second branch of the family become the direct line.
In powerful and influential families, there's not much room for kinship; ultimately, interests come first.
Seeing that he had intimidated everyone, Qiu Hong took a few deep breaths and barely managed to calm himself down: "The new policies of the court are like a sudden storm. It is not just my Qiu family that is suffering. Which powerful family in the country is not going through this ordeal?"
"It's useless to dwell on the past. What's important now is to sort out our own accounts, make up for what needs to be made up, and let go of what needs to be let go."
"At the same time, we must restrain our children and children, and make them careful in their words and deeds, so as not to give others any reason to use them against us."
"We must cultivate good relationships, especially with newly promoted officials from humble backgrounds. Even if we cannot become close friends with them, we must never offend them easily!"
"Yes, Master." The crowd responded obsequiously.
As for Qiu Bai?
In ancient times, information was scarce, and names had to be avoided. Although they knew that one of the marquises was surnamed Qiu, they did not know that he was Qiu Bai.
In the Qiu family's minds, Qiu Bai had been away from home for many years and had long since died in some remote place.