I have been a county magistrate for ten years. My subordinates insist on giving me a yellow robe.

"As for the saying 'at sixty, one's ears become obedient', it means that when you have six hundred thousand soldiers and horses, whatever you say will be pleasing to others.

At seventy, you can do whatever you want without breaking the rules. With seven hundred thousand soldiers and horses, everything you do will be in line with the rules of everyone in this world."

Jiang Yuan's words startled everyone. Wang Kun stared at Jiang Yuan:

"According to what the Lord meant, are you planning a rebellion?"

Jiang Yuan immediately glared back: "What rebellion? I'm speaking for the current emperor. Besides, what good is there in rebellion?"

"Isn't it good to be an emperor?" Wang Kun looked at Jiang Yuan with a squint.

Jiang Yuan was in no mood to pay attention to him: "You know shit. Being an emperor is exhausting. What good is there? It's better to be a free and easy county magistrate who can protect himself."

As he spoke, Jiang Yuan walked out of the crowd and walked towards Sun Xin.

Since I've been recognized anyway, I might as well confront him directly.

I did it, so what? Can you still kill me?

We are all county magistrates. Even if you are one rank higher than me, can you still kill me?

With this kind of mentality, Jiang Yuan swaggered all the way to Sun Xin, lowered his head and showed a smile that he thought was very bright:

"Lord Sun, long time no see."

"It's only been a few days!" Sun Xin looked at Jiang Yuan angrily and squeezed out a word from between his teeth.

"Ahem!" Jiang Yuan coughed dryly twice. "Well, as the old saying goes, 'a day without seeing you feels like three years.' Calculating this way, it's been decades since we last saw each other."

"I wonder how Lord Sun is doing these days?"

Sun Xin glared at Jiang Yuan, trying hard to suppress the urge to attack.

"Thanks to Lord Jiang, everything is fine!"

Jiang Yuan shrugged disapprovingly: "Master Sun, then you think we should not be thrown into prison now?"

"Okay! Take your people and leave Taizong County immediately!" Sun Xin said without hesitation.

In just a few days, nearly five thousand people have left Taizong County, and it is expected that more people will leave in the future. In total, a total of eight thousand people have been lost.

Sun Xin's heart was bleeding at this moment. Eight thousand people, how long would it take for them to recuperate and recover?

Jiang Yuan looked at Sun Xin innocently and said confidently, "Sir, what are you talking about? Didn't we agree on a permanent exchange?"

"Asking me to take my people back now, isn't this asking me to destroy my own reputation? How will others view me, Jiang Yuan, in the future? How will they trust Taiping County?"

"This is absolutely unacceptable. Lord Sun, please revoke your order."

Sun Xin spat out a mouthful of blood in his heart. Believe you?

Who the hell would dare to believe you now? I was too young at the time and was fooled by you. It was because I believed in you that I lost eight thousand people.

You don't think you still have a good reputation outside, do you?

"I've broken my promise, I regret it, okay? Take your people and leave quickly. I don't want to see you now." Sun Xin closed his eyes tightly, as if he had suffered a great injustice, and of course that seemed to be the case.

Jiang Yuan curled his lips and said, "Sir, what are you talking about? The exchange was agreed upon by both parties. You can't go back on your word now."

"So what the hell do you want?" Sun Xin stared at Jiang Yuan with red eyes. He couldn't bear it anymore and exploded completely.

Jiang Yuan blinked his eyes. Was this a bit too much?

As soon as this thought came to his mind, Jiang Yuan immediately regretted it.

No, I'm not a good person at all!

"Master Sun, what can I do? Of course I want to continue to live and work in peace in Taizong County!"

Sun Xin let out a long breath, revealing a pleading expression: "Uncle Jiang, I beg you, please be kind and spare us."

Jiang Yuan frowned and looked at Sun Xin with a righteous expression: "Master Sun, what are you talking about? What do you mean by letting you go? You're talking as if I'm some evil person who does all kinds of evil!"

"Isn't it?" Sun Xin said subconsciously.

"Of course not!" Jiang Yuan immediately refuted. Then, regardless of whether Sun Xin was willing or not, he put his hand on his shoulder and said kindly, "Master Sun, I have a few questions. May I ask them?"

"Ask." Sun Xin sighed, with helplessness written all over his face.

"Lord Sun, do you really think that I am deceiving the people here just for my own selfish gain?"

Sun Xin looked at Jiang Yuan suspiciously: "Is this even necessary?"

"You couldn't even eat in Taiping County half a year ago. Even if you have incredible abilities, you can't possibly be brought back to life in just half a year!"

Jiang Yuan nodded in agreement. Although Taiping County looked peaceful on the surface, the reason behind it was that the county government had earned a large amount of silver and spent it on the people at all costs.

Once the government's income and expenditure are not proportional, this balance will be immediately broken.

"Yes, Lord Sun, what you said makes sense, but please take a good look at what this is." Jiang Yuan said, handing over the bamboo slips that Li Hu brought last night.

Sun Xin took the bamboo slips listlessly, and after just one glance, his expression instantly became serious.

He spent half an incense stick reading the bamboo slips with dozens of words. During this time, he kept looking at the seals on the bamboo slips to see if they were fake.

"Okay, Lord Sun, you've read it dozens of times, you can't be wrong." Jiang Yuan spoke slowly and reached out to take the bamboo slips back.

Sun Xin looked at Jiang Yuan with a complicated expression. This bamboo slip was none other than the one that gave him the permission to mine iron ore.

But Sun Xin never thought that Jiang Yuan could get such a thing.

"What do you think, Magistrate Sun, would you consider merging Taizong County into Taiping County?" Jiang Yuan said calmly.

Sun Xin's expression froze. If Jiang Yuan dared to say such a thing before seeing the bamboo slips, he would be the first to disagree.

But now, Sun Xin just thinks it is natural for Jiang Yuan to have this ambition.

To mine iron ore, their Taiping, Taizong and Tai'an counties are located deep in the mountains. How many mountains are there around them, and how many iron ore mines are there?

This is simply impossible to estimate.

Even though Taiping County is really poor now, as long as there is permission to open mountains, it will become rich in a matter of minutes. At that time, the people will surely flock there, and he will not be able to stop them at all.

"This, I need to think about it. You can take your people back first." Sun Xin said slowly.

Jiang Yuan grinned: "How can this be possible? We still need to continue to live and work here in peace and contentment!"

It felt like ten thousand alpacas were running through Sun Xin's heart.

Damn it! He was so serious just now, why did he become so careless now?

Is this stuff really reliable?

"Anyway, no matter what, you can't fool the people of Taizong County anymore!" Sun Xin said almost roaring.

"How could I be fooling them? I was treating them with all my heart." Jiang Yuan looked innocent.

Sun Xin wanted to refute, but for a moment he didn't know how to refute.

Ever since this guy came, he's been providing us with food and drink, which is really damn good.

"That won't work either. What if I don't agree? What will happen to Taizong County then?" Sun Xin spoke again, acting as if he would fight you to the death if you dare.

Jiang Yuan took a few steps back and said with a wry smile, "It's no big deal. After they're gone, at worst you can just become the mayor. If that doesn't work out, you can even become the village chief."

"Why don't you become the village chief!" Sun Xin said angrily.

Jiang Yuan squinted his eyes at him and asked, "What's wrong with the village chief?"

"Don't treat the village chief as a cadre. Although he is a lowly official, he is very corrupt!"