Chen Minggang
Chen Minggang is Chen Minggang is a ruthlessly calculating and ambitious Revenue Section clerk in Lingao County, whose role revolves around overseeing the grueling process of grain taxation under the Liao Supplies levy—a system that exploits the county’s impoverished rural population through excessive silver demands. As a mastermind behind cunning financial manipulations, he thrives on the economic disparities between high-priced silver and low-cost grain, systematically extracting vast amounts from farmers while maintaining an air of moral superiority. His meticulous calculations and unyielding greed—combined with his ruthless efficiency in enforcing taxes—position him as a dominant figure within the county’s bureaucratic hierarchy, though his methods often clash with local resistance and moral objections.
Context from Novel
"Chapter 439 - Clerks Lingao's commodity economy remained woefully underdeveloped. Silver circulated rarely, making its price relatively high while grain prices stayed low. Collecting taxes in silver inevitably meant extracting far more grain than the nominal amount. The price differential between incoming and outgoing seemed minute on any single transaction, but when accumulated, the figures became enormous. The total taxable official land in Lingao amounted to 1,660 qing and 98 mu . At 9 li per"
"Chapter 440 - Chen Minggang's Abacus Chen Minggang thanked him and took his seat, eyes sliding calculatingly across Xiong Buyou's face. "Master Xiong, please speak your mind freely." "Old Eight!" Xiong Buyou adopted Wang Zhaomin's familiar address, projecting warmth without lowering his own status. After all, even the county gentry called him "Old Eight." "There's a matter I need you to be straight with me about." Xiong Buyou dispensed with pleasantries—given both sides' communication abilities,"
"Chapter 441 - Chen Minggang's Domestic Affairs "Master, go quickly! The fight's already started!" Zhou Qi urged frantically. If the fight had already started, there was no need to deliberate—his little darling was suffering under his wife's cruel hands at this very moment. Imagining what the beauty's tender skin would look like beneath his wife's brutal fists, Chen Minggang felt a stab of anguish. He raised his hand and slapped Zhou Qi hard across the face. Zhou Qi was completely unprepared. The"
"Chapter 442 - Cooperation Partner "Yes. Qiuhong once served as the fence for a bandit in the county. After we exterminated that bandit, the wealth conveniently fell into Qiuhong's hands." "Does Chen Minggang know about this?" "Of course he knows. However, I've come to understand some of their jianghu rules," Zhou Botao reported. "For this kind of thing, customarily the Fast Squad and Militia Squad should each receive a share. Chen Minggang should have at least offered a portion for the two squad"
"Chapter 443 - The Knowledge of Grain Collection Over the following minutes, Wang Zhaomin maligned Chen Minggang continuously—though "malign" wasn't quite accurate; he was simply stating facts. The Revenue Section clerk clearly hadn't been getting along with Private Secretary Wang in recent years. Wang Zhaomin had no idea his words were being recorded—of course, he lacked such awareness. The Political Security Bureau took keen interest in such material where natives exposed one another. Sometimes"
Appearances
Appears in chapters: 439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 482, 483, 1650.