Waiting for Shang Yuan in the room were several main "clerks" (*Li*) of the county. More accurately, they were three "clerks" who had not yet been removed by Shang Yuan. Since Shang Yuan arrived in Fengtai County, he had begun to use People's Party members to replace the main "clerks" in the county. First were the "bailiffs" (*Yayi*). In the Manchu Qing era, bailiffs themselves not only had to undertake various public security tasks but also had to undertake many other tasks, such as collecting taxes and conscripting laborers. Anyway, it was a very versatile profession.

According to the Manchu Qing system, those selected through the imperial examination were "officials" (*Guan*), who acted as the top administrative leaders in various places. But officials alone could not govern a place, and the state naturally could not conscript a large amount of manpower to act as grassroots administrative personnel, so local officials could appoint "clerks." For example, Shang Yuan himself was a *Juren* (Provincial Graduate) and could serve as a local official. However, the "clerks" under Shang Yuan were not produced through the imperial examination but were either hereditary locals or produced through "recommendation and recruitment." Although these people did not have "official status," they possessed great say in the local political system. These "clerks" all came from the local area and could be considered local tyrants (*di tou she*).

In the political system constructed by Chen Ke, there was naturally no space for the existence of such old-style "petty clerks." Chen Ke prepared to adopt a bureaucratic system imitating the Republic.

The biggest difference between the bureaucratic system of the New China Republic and the bureaucratic system of the Manchu Qing and previous dynasties was that the Republic made "no distinction between officials and clerks."

Roughly speaking, in the Manchu Qing system, the administrative supervisor was the "official," while the one specifically executing affairs was the "clerk." Without passing the imperial examination, a "clerk" could not rise into the system of "officials."

In the Republic, regardless of whether you were an "official" or a "clerk," you all had to pass organizational selection and testing. Those selected were collectively referred to as "state staff" (*Guo Jia Gong Zuo Ren Yuan*). "State staff" also didn't have the opportunity to reach the sky in a single bound. Republic cadres all started from the grassroots, doing the work of "clerks" first. If they could show outstanding performance, they would climb the stairs in the selection system and step into higher-level positions step by step.

This selection system was certainly countless times more brilliant than the political system of the Manchu Qing era. This system guaranteed the unity and competitiveness of the administrative agency. As long as you were included in the "state staff" system, you had the opportunity to become a general or a minister. In the Manchu Qing era, petty clerks basically had no "within-system" opportunities to become officials.

However, as the saying goes, "a strong dragon does not suppress a local snake." Those who could muddle along as "petty clerks" locally were not ordinary figures. So the People's Party had originally formulated a plan to eliminate petty clerks. But man proposes, God disposes. After this flood, the power of the Insurance Corps expanded violently. Through organizing the victims, the People's Party had completely grasped the real power in the local area. The petty clerks in the county yamen were sidelined one after another. The "Lord Magistrate" above ignored them, and the common people below were completely controlled by the Insurance Corps. On the day Zhang Youliang was eliminated, Shang Yuan told the several petty clerks in charge of tax collection and bailiff duties that they were "laid off." Moreover, Shang Yuan told them particularly clearly that he hoped these few people could automatically request to leave. This would save everyone's face.

These few people came today to give their final answer.

Chen Ke felt his killing intent was heavy recently. Or rather, facing the complex situation, Chen Ke's patience had been exhausted. He had decided to adopt "simple and crude" means to solve some problems. He had already instructed Hua Xiongmao that if these people "occupied the latrine without shitting," then he would have to "adopt some means." Anyway, the People's Party did not lack manpower. Under the current situation, the existence of petty clerks was completely unnecessary.

Since he held this thought, Chen Ke had absolutely no intention of "baring his heart" to these people. He came over together simply to hear these people's attitudes. Shang Yuan himself also meant this. As a bureaucrat and landlord, Shang Yuan had an extremely bad impression of "petty clerks." To bureaucrats, petty clerks were people who feigned compliance while acting in opposition, trying hard to sideline the existence of superior officials. To landlords, petty clerks were a group who levied exorbitant taxes and tyrannized the people. Shang Yuan, who was both a landlord and a bureaucrat, firmly supported Chen Ke's plan to sweep away petty clerks.

These few petty clerks also came from families with some status in the county. Although Shang Yuan ordered them to resign voluntarily, they still didn't panic even now. On the contrary, these people looked like they really wanted to "have a contest" with Shang Yuan.

"Lord Magistrate, this lowly person doesn't know exactly what wrong he has done that Lord Magistrate treats this lowly person like this," asked Clerk Liu (*Liu Wenshu*), who managed money and grain revenue and expenditure. Clerk Liu was over thirty years old this year and had inherited his father's clerical work.

"Liu San of the dock said that you asked him to think of every way to prevent the Insurance Corps' boats from docking at the pier. This official feels that in this extraordinary period, we should be united from top to bottom to relieve the disaster. Don't you feel a loss of conscience doing this?" Shang Yuan asked sternly.

Liu San was a relative of Clerk Liu and dominated the dock business in Fengtai County. During the Insurance Corps' disaster relief, they requisitioned boats and even bought large boats to transport grain. Liu San had always been very resentful. However, the Insurance Corps never gave Liu San a chance. Now that Shang Yuan raised this topic, although Clerk Liu had indeed given some ideas, he felt that since Liu San didn't really act, this charge naturally couldn't be established.

"Lord Magistrate, you are fabricating charges," Clerk Liu knew Shang Yuan would definitely not let him off easily, so he simply cast aside the respectful expression just now and said sternly.

"Fabricating charges? If this official fabricates charges against you, what are you going to do?" Shang Yuan sneered.

"You!" Clerk Liu didn't expect Magistrate Shang Yuan, who usually looked very scholarly, to be so unreasonable when he got tough. But he really had no way to refute it.

"Do you dare to say you didn't collude with Liu San?" Shang Yuan laughed loudly. His gaze was cold, staring tightly at Clerk Liu.

"I... I dare to say it!" Since it came to this, Clerk Liu simply acted tough to the end.

"Bring Liu San in," Shang Yuan shouted. An Insurance Corps soldier outside responded. Not long after, a fair-skinned man was dragged in. The three petty clerks were all inexplicably surprised upon seeing the comer. Liu San was originally a dark and thin fellow, but now his whole person had become fair and plump. Only after careful differentiation could they see it was Liu San.

Seeing the surprised expressions of everyone, Chen Ke almost laughed out loud. This Liu San had soaked in the dark "water dungeon" for a day, and his whole person was "bloated" from soaking. Naturally, he was both "white" and "fat." The benefit of scholars is being knowledgeable, but Chen Ke had even more knowledge from the internet. The KGB had accumulated long-term torture experience, and their conclusion was that torture only obtains the result the interrogator hopes to hear. And Chen Ke simply didn't intend to let Liu San speak any "truth." So after catching Liu San, he adopted the less bloody water torture.

One of the means of torture to create pain and despair is not to let the prisoner get used to a certain kind of pain. You have to innovate constantly and create pain from different angles. So first was hanging upside down to cause suffocation, dipping Liu San upside down into the water for a minute and a half at a time. Without anyone asking questions, they dipped Liu San into the water repeatedly, lasting for half an hour. Liu San wailed and repeatedly expressed that he would do anything.

The interrogator then asked Liu San about Clerk Liu colluding with him to try to destroy the Insurance Corps' transportation. Liu San didn't confess at first. So the interrogator adopted Lai Junchen's method of "please enter the urn." Fengtai County didn't lack coal. They found a large urn, tied Liu San up, and put him inside, then burned coal underneath. When Liu San arched outward due to the heat, the interrogator poured vinegar into Liu San's nose. After a round of pouring, Liu San completely submitted.

He said whatever the interrogator asked him to say. He signed and fingerprinted whatever he was asked to sign and fingerprint. In order to consolidate the "persuasion effect," the interrogator, according to Chen Ke's meaning, tied Liu San up so he couldn't move. Especially the head was fixed, making Liu San unable to move anywhere except his eyes. Then he was put into a closed water dungeon without light to soak for a day. Being unable to move meant unable to relieve stress. A dark water dungeon could greatly destroy a person's spirit. The Americans had done this set in Guantanamo, and Chen Ke felt it was very necessary for him to learn from the democratic torture experience.

After dragging Liu San out, the effect was truly like the US military's effect; Liu San completely collapsed. Except for "whitening," Liu San had no injuries on his body.

"Liu San, who exactly instructed you to make trouble for the Insurance Corps fleet?" Chen Ke asked.

Liu San looked at the few people numbly, then pointed at Clerk Liu. "It was him." Although he had soaked for a day, Liu San himself had a dry mouth and tongue, his throat dry and hoarse. He sounded like an elderly person.

"You are framing me (*duan lian cheng yu*)!" Clerk Liu shouted in exasperation.

"Liu San, take off your shirt and let them see if we beat you," Chen Ke asked.

Liu San's body shook but didn't move.

"Don't be afraid, I'll treat you to tea," Chen Ke said comfortingly.

Hearing "water," Liu San's body shook, and he almost cried out. He looked at Chen Ke imploringly. Chen Ke smiled slightly at him, "Don't be afraid. With the Lord Magistrate here, they dare not do anything to you."

Liu San looked at Chen Ke with trembling fear, then looked at the surrounding people. He saw Chen Ke pick up a tea bowl and slurp a mouthful. Liu San hurriedly took off his shirt and, as if still unsatisfied, took off his trousers too. Sure enough, apart from being "white and fat," there wasn't a single scar on his body.

"Liu San, did we beat you?" Chen Ke asked.

Liu San shook his head hurriedly and said repeatedly with a dry and hoarse voice: "No, no. Didn't beat me."

Shang Yuan ignored Liu San's miserable state. He asked sternly: "Clerk Liu, now we have the witness. What else do you have to say? This official doesn't want to make it impossible for everyone to step down. Do you insist on making this official take out the physical evidence too? If both witness and physical evidence are complete, this official won't just let you resign decently yourself. This official will convict you."

Clerk Liu was furious. He grunted and wanted to leave. But he saw the door blocked by several Insurance Corps soldiers.

"Clerk Liu, you want to walk out this door without writing a resignation letter? This official tells you, it's fine if you don't resign. The grain in the official warehouse doesn't match the account. As the clerk in charge of the official warehouse, you have to give me an explanation for this matter no matter what. If this official returns and doesn't see your resignation letters, this official will send people to take you back to the yamen and properly ask about this grain matter." After Shang Yuan finished speaking, he said no more. He got up and left the yamen with Chen Ke. Leaving the few people with faces full of shock and anger in the room.

"Brother Wangshan, do you think the positions of these few petty clerks can make those landlords take the bait?" Chen Ke asked with a smile on the road.

"Wenqing, you don't know the detestability of petty clerks. You can't imagine the landlords' resentment towards petty clerks," Shang Yuan just sneered.

"That means our bargaining chips have increased a bit more." They were going back to wrangle with the landlords soon. Although this small interlude in the middle wasn't much of a battle of wits and courage, the feeling of suppressing those villains with power and violence was still quite happy. Chen Ke finally laughed loudly.