And soon, the information that Hai Rui asked the chief clerk to submit to the Zhejiang Governor's Office was brought to light.
Xu Wei was quite troubled by this and couldn't make up his mind for a moment, so he had to ask everyone: "In your opinion, how should this matter be handled?"
What Xu Wei mentioned was naturally that the people were unwilling to bury the corpses of their relatives who died of illness immediately. Instead, they chose to follow traditional etiquette and bury the corpses after seven days.
"This... since it is a traditional etiquette, it should be followed! As for whether you can catch the disease or not, that is another matter later. After all, no one wants to be accused of being unfilial, right?" Zheng Michang said after listening to Xu Wei's words , after pondering for a moment, he spoke.
After Zheng Michang spoke, everyone was silent. Yes, this crime of unfilial piety is a serious crime! No matter how lofty your status is, no matter how high-ranking an official you become, as long as someone reports you for being unfilial and you are found to have done so, your political career will be over.
When the time comes, it will be a trivial matter to lose your official position. The person involved will be scorned by the mainstream values of the entire society. Your former students and former officials will also draw a clear line with you, and the common people will also use you as a negative example, which is equivalent to The whole society is dead and there is no way out.
"Now that the epidemic is raging, it is an extraordinary period. How can we blindly follow traditional etiquette? For the sake of the safety of the people, I suggest that the government enforce it and bury the bodies of those who died of the disease immediately, and isolate healthy people from the patients! "Tan Lun, who had not spoken for a long time since the last quarrel, stood up and spoke first.
"This move is feasible, but if the court investigates it at that time, the responsibility will be..." Zheng Michang turned his eyes to Tan Lun, with a hint.
"If the court investigates it by then, I, Tan Lun, will be responsible!"
"Then since someone is willing to take on this responsibility, I have nothing to say, so let's implement it according to their methods."
Seeing that Tan Lun was willing to take responsibility, Zheng Michang did not raise any other objections.
"Do you have any objections? If you agree, I will send a notice to the magistrates of Chun'an and Jiande counties later." Xu Wei then turned to everyone and asked.
"Then let's implement it accordingly." Seeing that no one raised any objections, Xu Wei nodded and said.
…
After coming out of the Zhao family, Hai Rui sighed helplessly. No matter how much he expressed his feelings and rationalized the matter, his family still insisted on keeping the body in the mourning hall for seven days before burying it.
"Let's go and check out the camp outside the city." Hai Rui shook off the disappointment in his heart and said to the government officials on the side.
"Yes, Lord Magistrate!"
When Hai Rui led the government officials to the camp outside the city, the smell of burning mugwort filled the entire camp.
"I've seen the magistrate!" The official in charge of managing the camp saluted hurriedly when he saw the magistrate coming.
"No need, how is the situation here?" Hai Rui waved his hand, indicating for him to get up.
"My lord, the county magistrate, there are currently too many people suffering from dysentery, and there is not enough space in the camp! Just today, we took more than a hundred corpses outside to bury them, and there is not enough quicklime and herbs." The camp manager Officials reported this.
"You don't have to worry. The follow-up supplies are already on the way. Take me in to take a look."
"Yes, please put this on, sir."
He handed over a silk scarf smoked with mugwort. Hai Rui put it on his face and followed him into the camp.
While the two were talking, a cart filled with corpses was rolled out of the camp.
"Mom, I feel so uncomfortable."
"My child, listen to your mother and drink the medicine. If you drink the medicine, you won't feel uncomfortable anymore."
"Dad, why did you just leave like that! What are you doing? Let go of my dad!"
"Tui'er, when you recover from your illness, we will get married, and then I will ask you to give birth to a big fat boy for me. Don't close your eyes, hold on, I will find a doctor for you right now!"
"God damn it, why..."
Various sounds intertwined together, like a heavy hammer, hitting Hai Rui's heart.
And soon, Hai Rui arrived at the place where the doctor was treating him.
"Take six qian of ephedra, two qian each of cinnamon twig and licorice, six qian of almond, three qian of ginger, one qian of schisandra... After frying, bring it to the patient's place just now. Go quickly." Zhao Qing's eyes were filled with tears. Bloodshot ordered this to the apprentice in his own medicine shop.
"It's master, I'll go right away." The apprentice followed the master's instructions, grabbed the medicine, and left quickly.
Seeing Hai Rui coming, he hurriedly saluted and said, "Zhao Qing, a common man, has met the magistrate!"
"Well, Dr. Zhao, please get up quickly. How is the current situation in the camp?" Hai Rui asked Zhao Qing to stand up.
"Oh, Lord Magistrate! I'm afraid this epidemic cannot be controlled. More and more people are sick now. After the sick people die, their families are unwilling to bury the bodies immediately. At the same time, they are also unwilling to interact with the sick people. The family members are separated, and then the disease spreads like this from ten to ten, from ten to a hundred! If it continues like this, it will be uncontrollable." Zhao Qing said, sighing, his tone full of helplessness.
"Some people died of diarrhea. First, there was pus and blood in the stool, which was bright red in color. Then they kept pooping and pooping until nothing came out! Then..." Zhao Qing said, I couldn't help but choke up.
"I have reported this matter to the Governor's Mansion. I think there will be a result soon." Hai Rui looked at Zhao Qing's tired face and comforted him.
…
It was already night when Hai Rui returned to the county office from the camp outside the city.
What he saw and heard in the camp and the city during the day kept replaying in his mind. The epidemic was getting more and more serious now, and many people died from it even in the city. If no measures were taken and the epidemic was allowed to spread, I am afraid that by then very few people in the entire Chun'an County will be able to survive.
But if it is implemented forcefully, what should we do if the court investigates it? At worst, it means not following etiquette and law; at worst, it is unfilial! As a parent official, you will definitely be held accountable.
Hai Rui was caught in a dilemma and paced around the room anxiously.
For a long time, Hai Rui seemed to have made up his mind. He stopped pacing and said silently to himself: "Hai Rui, Hai Rui, why are you still hesitating? Since this can save the people from the fire and water, so what? But what about those who are hesitant? Just go ahead and do it! As for other merits and demerits, let others judge."
Thinking of this, Hai Rui's eyes became firmer, and he immediately summoned the officer and said in a deep voice: "My order is that from now on, people in Chun'an County are not allowed to park corpses without permission, and the corpses must be buried. At the same time, the sick people must be buried. The sick were taken to the camp outside the city, and healthy people were not allowed to see them! Quicklime was also sprinkled on the place where the sick once lived. If anyone obstructs the officials from doing their work, they will be dealt with directly in accordance with the law and dealt with severely!"
"Yes, my subordinates will do it now!" After the officer accepted the order, he quickly left.
"Master Magistrate, this is the news sent to you from the Governor's Mansion." After the officer took the order and left, the chief clerk of the county government knocked on the door with the news from the Governor's Mansion.
"Well, the Governor's Mansion also agreed to my suggestion." Hai Rui took the letter from the chief clerk's hand, and after reading the contents, he said.
"Your Excellency, County Magistrate, these are extraordinary times. Naturally, we have to use some extraordinary measures. The people will understand your painstaking efforts." Seeing that Hai Rui was in a low mood, the chief secretary comforted him.
Hai Rui just sighed and had no intention of talking.
Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night in Chun'an County. After receiving the order, the officials rushed to the homes of those who disobeyed the court's orders, parked corpses without authorization, and still lived with the sick.
After entering the home, they began to act without explanation. Those who parked the corpses at home took the corpses and buried them. Those who stayed with the sick people took the sick people to the camp outside the city. At the same time, they sprinkled quicklime on them to disinfect them. During this process, if there was even the slightest resistance, the person would be severely beaten, or even put directly in jail. The rough behavior of the officials also aroused complaints from the people.
(End of chapter)
