Early the next morning, a large group of people spontaneously gathered at the Chun'an County government office and complained tearfully about the barbaric behavior of the police officers last night.
"Please, the county magistrate, please make the decision for us! Last night, some policemen forcibly broke into my house and took my father away."
"Your Excellency, County Magistrate, can you allow me to send my grandma on her last journey? Please..."
"My mother is not sick at all, why did you take her away?"
"According to etiquette, the body should be kept for seven days before being buried, but those guards..."
In the county government office, a government official came in to report.
"Report...to the county magistrate, someone is gathering to cause trouble outside the county government office!"
"What? Go out with me and have a look."
When Hai Rui heard this, his face was full of surprise, and then he walked out of the county government office under the leadership of the government servants.
Seeing Hai Rui come out, all the people who had gathered outside the county government knelt down and kept telling him their grievances, but Hai Rui just stood there coldly, expressionless.
"Have you finished speaking? Let's leave now!" Hai Rui sighed and said.
"Why don't you, the magistrate, avenge us? Punish those evil officials?" came a voice from the crowd.
"Because this order was given by me. If you want justice, just come and ask me for it! In addition, from now on, if there are still people in Chun'an County who dare to park corpses privately and shelter patients, If you do, I will never give you mercy and will punish you severely in accordance with the laws of the Ming Dynasty!" After saying this, Hai Rui turned around and returned to the county government office.
Seeing that the magistrate got angry, those who gathered immediately dispersed and did not dare to mention this issue again, for fear that they would be the next to suffer.
"Alas!" Hai Rui sighed after returning to the county office.
"The common people will understand your difficulties." Seeing that her husband was unhappy, Hai Rui's wife Wang came up to him, poured him a cup of tea, and offered comfort.
"I hope so." Hai Rui sighed and responded.
In the next few days, under the harsh measures of the government, no family in Chun'an County dared to park the corpses privately or shelter the patients. The city was gradually enveloped by the smell of quicklime mixed with burning mugwort, and at the same time, the sick people The number of people has also dropped significantly.
"Reporting to the county magistrate, the number of patients in the camp outside the city has been greatly reduced. In addition, Doctor Zhao also said that based on past experience, the epidemic will be over soon!"
The chief clerk of the county government knocked on Hai Rui's door and reported the news, his tone full of joy.
"Well, according to this later, the news will be sent to the Governor's Mansion."
"yes."
…
In the Governor's Mansion of Zhejiang Province, Hu Zongxian was sitting on the throne, turned his eyes to everyone, and said loudly: "You are doing a good job! On my way back to Zhejiang these days, I heard that the epidemic broke out in the two counties below. I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Just got it under control.”
Immediately afterwards, Hu Zongxian turned his attention to his staff Xu Wei and praised: "Chang Wen, you have worked hard these days. The entire affairs of the Governor's Mansion fall on you alone."
Xu Wei bowed his hands to Hu Zongxian and said: "My Lord Governor, I don't dare to take credit. The reason why we can achieve this is all because of your careful cooperation and sincerity! I just did something within my ability."
"You don't have to be too modest, Chief. The officials of the Governor's Mansion, big and small, are quite satisfied with your abilities. They say that you are extremely alert and can make decisions quickly without making any mistakes!"
"Thank you, Governor-General." Xu Wei responded respectfully, then stopped talking and stood aside.
"Oh, by the way, who came up with the epidemic in Chun'an and Jiande counties and the government's next response measures?"
"My Lord Governor, this is Hai Rui, the new magistrate of Chun'an." Zheng Michang paused for a moment and then said.
"Hai Rui? Is he the one who knelt in front of the Governor's Mansion with the victims last time and said he wanted justice from me?" Hu Zongxian said after thinking for a moment.
"Yes, that's the man! I heard that some people in Chun'an County even built a shrine for him." He Maocai on the side also added.
"This Hai Rui is quite interesting. I, Hu Zongxian, have been an official for so many years. This is the first time I have seen such a person. How strange!" After sighing for a few words, Hu Zongxian picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.
"Okay, it's okay to call you all here today. If you don't have anything to do, just leave!"
"Yes, Lord Governor, I'll take my leave now!"
Soon, almost everyone in the hall left, leaving only Hu Zongxian and Xu Wei.
Hu Zongxian turned his attention to his staff and asked, "Is there anything you want to tell me?"
Xu Wei bowed slightly to Hu Zongxian and said unhurriedly: "My Lord Governor, I want to resign from the position of staff of the Governor's Mansion."
"Why, didn't you do a pretty good job?" Hu Zongxian couldn't help but frowned when he saw his highly regarded staff member saying this, and then asked.
"My Lord Governor, I want to take part in the provincial examination in August this year. I also want to serve as an official and benefit the people like you! Only in this way can I have no regrets in this life." Xu Wei's voice was not loud, but his tone But there is a determination that has never been seen before.
"Oh, Mr. Wen! This officialdom is not what you imagined. The water here is very deep. A small wave can swallow you up. It's far less comfortable than being a staff member of the Governor's Mansion."
"My Lord Governor, I have made up my mind! Please stop trying to persuade me." Xu Wei interrupted what Hu Zongxian wanted to say next and said in a deep voice.
"Forget it, since you have made up your mind, I won't stop you anymore! Let me know when you want to come back. There will always be a place for you in the Governor's Mansion." Hu Zongxian looked at his right-hand man and said.
"Thank you, Lord Governor, I will take my leave now!" Xu Wei said, bowing and leaving.
"Um."
…
In the room, Zheng Michang and He Maocai gathered together to drink. The table was filled with all kinds of delicacies.
"Come on, let's drink. We won't go home until we're drunk tonight!"
"Here, cheers."
"Dry!"
After three rounds of wine and five tastes of food, He Maocai's face suddenly turned red and his tongue became knotted: "Brother, you...you don't know, you've been scaring me this whole time."
"Oh, is there anything that can scare you, brother, the inspector?" Zheng Michang was also drunk at this time, put down his wine glass, and asked with interest.
"Let me tell you, didn't Mr. Ge and the others send people to deliver news to us and tell us not to take any action for the time being?"
"I know about this, what's wrong?"
"The governor of Kaifeng didn't listen to the advice and wanted to join others in tampering with this year's salt tax. Before that, Mr. Yan Ge had warned everyone several times!"
He Maocai said, drank all the wine in the cup, and continued: "What happened to Kaifeng Prefecture Yin was reported by his subordinates. After the imperial court sent someone to verify, his house was quickly ransacked, and everyone was destroyed. The end!"
"It is said that Mr. Xiao Ge has a list. As long as your name is on that list, you will not live long!"
"Hey, so mysterious?" Zheng Michang exclaimed, perhaps because he was drunk. He was a little confused at this time.
"Really, where are you thinking? Do you think Mr. Xiaoge's list is a book of life and death! What I mean is that Mr. Xiaoge holds our leverage in his hands. As long as we show the slightest hint of disobedience, we will die. There is no burial place." He Maocai looked at Zheng Michang with a look of blame on his face and explained.
"Oh, it turns out it's not a book of life and death!" Zheng Michang suddenly realized after hearing He Maocai's explanation.
"Forget it, I won't tell you this anymore, just drink!"
"Here, cheers."
(End of chapter)
