Several official servants originally just went to villages and towns to collect money from members as usual. Of course, the main reason was because of Zhu Xiluo's stinginess. The official servants had not received their wages from the Ming Empire for a long time. Naturally, there were several officials from nearby prefectures and counties. The source of income for the great master, and these small soldiers can only target some remote areas, so they happened to encounter the White Lotus Sect stealing chickens. This can only mean that the people at the foot of the mountain are blessed. I met an official who solved people's worries.
A dozen White Lotus sect believers were strung together like candied haws on a stick. Fortunately, several official servants also had cars. A flatbed truck often seen in rural areas was pulled by a donkey or an ox in front. Of course, it could also be pulled by a person. Okay, a few officials took one car, and a dozen people were crammed into another car. It was unprecedentedly small, so we could only make do. It was crowded, and of course no one raised any objections. It was a bit crowded, But it's better than walking on your feet.
Wang Busui was lucky enough to be squeezed together with Xiaohong. Well, Wang Busui, whose chest was as heavy as a washboard, felt a little sore. However, Xiao Hong was quite happy. Instead of being crowded with other men, it would be better to be crowded with this person who she didn't hate very much and who had helped her.
It didn't matter that Wang Budie went to Songjiang Mansion Prison, and since he was innocent, he might be acquitted. Wang Budie wasn't very worried, and his mood improved a lot.
On the other hand, Xiao Ming and Lao Wu felt much heavier. Is this a clean sweep? After so many years of hard work and countless financial and material resources and energy, they had achieved some results. Who would have thought that just because of a chicken? , uh, no, there is also a red panty that was taken away in one pot. I feel aggrieved just thinking about it. Doesn't this feel like pulling a baby into the crotch? The two of them looked at each other, there was a kind of sympathy and sympathy for each other. a feeling of. Trying not to let the tears fall.
After all, Lao Wu is a person who has been here for a long time. His age is there. To put it in a very arrogant way, he has eaten more salt than you have eaten rice, and has urinated more water than you have ever drank soup. He has experience and can withstand pressure. His ability is also stronger, so he comforted him and said, "When heaven is about to entrust a great responsibility to this person, he must first work hard on his mind, work his body and skin, and deplete his body. Necessary hardship is indispensable on the road to success. Only by experiencing hardships and obstacles , setbacks and difficulties, only when you climb the mountain and achieve something successful can you appreciate the beauty of the scenery at the top and the hard-won achievements."
"Yeah" Xiao Ming nodded and responded: "I understand this truth. The edge of a sword comes from sharpening, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold. Human life is precious, and everyone has only one life. Only by dedicating your life to The most magnificent cause of mankind - the liberation of all mankind, is meaningful. As a believer in the Inanimate Mother, we can only dedicate our youth and blood. The spring cicada will not die until it dies, and the wax torch will turn to ashes before the tears dry. My life is meaningful. Brother Wu, don’t worry. I am also a veteran of the White Lotus Sect and a proven class warrior. Even if I sacrifice my life, I will not betray the organization or my fellow believers. Remember, if anything happens to me, give me Burn a few paper figurines and ask for girls, and they will think of becoming a real man." Xiao Ming vowed, of course, only he knows how much water there is.
Lao Wu nodded: "Yes, me too"
The two hands held each other tightly. At this moment, their moods were the same. For the sake of the people, for the Ming Dynasty, and for all mankind, there was no harm in sacrificing oneself. Since ancient times, no one has died. He must keep his loyalty to reflect history. He is not afraid of being shattered into pieces. He must keep his innocence in the world. History will leave a strong mark on them.
There was a squeaking sound, the friction between the wheel and the rotating shaft. It was estimated that the officials would not oil the car, so the two of them muttered in a low voice, and the officials in the car in front did not hear it. So for the sake of safety, with the efforts of Lao Wu and Xiao Ming, more than a dozen members of the White Lotus Sect also agreed on the same story. They only admitted that they had stolen the chicken and denied anything else. They would not say anything about it even if they were beaten to death. Everyone also He nodded and promised that if you steal a chicken, you will be jailed at most, but if you join the White Lotus Sect, you will be beheaded, and they all know the severity.
The donkey cart was very slow, but fortunately, no one was walking, and it saved a lot of effort. After two days of driving, everyone finally arrived at the destination - Songjiang Prefecture Prison when they were hungry.
An ancient building located in a remote area south of Songjiang Prefecture. Of course, the land here is cheap, the court is not wealthy, and frugality is a virtue.
The night is deep, but there are still lights shining in the prosperous area in the distance, and the bluestone paved road is full of potholes. If Wang Busheng's guess is correct, this ground should have a history of more than a hundred years, and a piece dug out at random should be regarded as an ancient relic. However, in ancient times, People are relatively honest. Although they have been trampled by people for hundreds of years, they are still usable. Although they are bumpy, there is no choking smell of soil. This should also be one of the differences between prefectures and rural areas.
Soon the car stopped at the Songjiang Prefecture Prison. More than a dozen White Lotus Sect members and several officials got out of the car. The management of the prefecture and county was much better than that of some villages and towns. At least there were people standing guard in front of each government office at night. Seeing the Wuyangyang group of people walking past, the jailer guarding the gate was not afraid at all. He probably had seen this kind of scene many times.
"Lao Jia, what's the matter? You've gained quite a lot after being out for two days," one of the jailers joked with a smile.
Jia Guancha proudly touched his beard that had not yet grown, and replied with a smile: "Thank you, brother. I just caught a dozen chicken thieves. You said these people really have bad consciences." "It's easy for ordinary people to raise a few chickens. They don't want to eat them themselves, so they stew them and eat them. Brother, you haven't seen how big their pot is." Jia Guancha gestured with his hands, "It's so big. "It's not a problem to eat more than a dozen chickens at one time."
The chicken thief was scolded as a murderer with a thousand cuts. Wang Busui was very ashamed. After all, Li Baoguo was also a commoner, and he ate the chicken without paying. Of course, Wang Busui was mainly ashamed of people like the White Lotus Sect. Well, he has a big conscience. If it's broken, even the chickens won't be spared.
Not ashamed, but also because of poverty, everyone in the White Lotus Sect has done it, including Comrade Xiaohong, who was tortured by the big boss. The red bellyband she was wearing at this moment had a wrong origin.
It's just that everyone feels aggrieved. The pot is quite big and there are a lot of people after all. But if you say that you stewed more than a dozen chickens, you are unjustly accusing people. It's obviously just one chicken and all they drank was soup. Of course the explanation is Cover-up, cover-up is very likely to be the truth in the eyes of the official. Disaster comes from the mouth, and disease comes from the mouth, so it is better not to speak.
"Haha, they are pretty damned," the jailer said, "Have you heard of this?"
"What's the matter? I've been in the countryside these days."
Looking around, the jailer said carefully: "Master Li, the prison chief, has changed the reward and punishment system again."
"It's been changed again." As if he realized something, Jia Guancha hurriedly stopped his voice and asked in a low voice: "What has it been changed to again?"
"The commission is less, and three meals a day has been changed to one meal a day. Only those on duty can enjoy the three meals a day."
"Well, the commission has been reduced again. The original 10% commission was small enough. You can only eat meat once every three or two days. If this changes again, wouldn't it mean that you won't be able to eat the meat for three to five days?"
"You're right, everyone's complaints are quite loud,"
"Do you know the reason?" Jia Guancha asked in a low voice. Everything must be done as it should be, and the Registrar will not make changes without any reason. After all, everyone has feelings for him. Before Chief Li took office, everyone had to live on the salary of the court and some gray income. Big fish and meat were unthinkable. After Chief Li came, he implemented With the commission system, every time a prisoner is caught, there will be a certain commission. As for the source of income from this commission, we will talk about it later. Because of Director Li, everyone has ushered in spring, and their work enthusiasm has been greatly improved. In the days when there was chicken and meat, wine and women, it was also because of the existence of Chief Li that the officials had money, and the income from the bath house also increased a lot, which in disguise promoted the economic development and performance of Songjiang Prefecture. A good official will even keep one for a long time, and there are not a few who keep an outside wife. This is all the credit of Chief Li. It is also because of Chief Li that the number of criminals in Songjiang Mansion has been reduced a lot. , the public security conditions improved rapidly, and Master Li also received many awards.
The wind was very tight, and those thieves naturally restrained themselves a lot, so that fewer and fewer people were caught every day, and each person's commission was also much less. Moreover, a few days ago, Director Li used the excuse that the cost of the prison cell was too high, All commissions were reduced, and today the commissions were reduced again. Naturally, there were complaints, and the officials were very unhappy.
"It's not the same old thing about saying that the cost of the cell is too high," the jailer said disdainfully. Although he was only a janitor, it was based on the average of the jailers in the Songjiang Prefecture Prison. If the income of the officials was less, his income would also be reduced. .
"Humph, Li Bapi," Jia Guancha gritted his teeth and cursed.
"Yes, it's shameless, but Lao A has a good harvest today, and he should also have a good income." The jailer said with a smile. The jailer's smile was sincere, after all, the income of the poor officer A was also tied to himself.
Think about it, although the commission is less, as long as you catch more, the income will be considerable.
"That's what I said. As court staff, it is acceptable to make necessary sacrifices for the sake of the Ming Empire and the prison of Songjiang Mansion. Why do we only have the common people in our hearts?"
"Yes, yes, everything is for the people." This was what he said in his heart, and the jailer echoed it again and again.
The people are the cornerstone of the country. The common people are the magical tools used by officials of the Ming Empire all over the world, and they are always tried and proven.
When he arrived at the door of the prison, it was obvious that Xiao Ming, who had no experience in prison, was a little nervous, and he couldn't help but move closer to Lao Wu.
Old Wu seemed to have seen Xiao Ming's heart, and comforted him softly: "The sky has unforeseen circumstances, and people have misfortunes and blessings. A centipede with hundreds of legs cannot move as fast as a snake. A rooster with two wings cannot fly as fast as a crow. A horse can travel a thousand miles, and no one can ride it." Since the past, people have ambitions to reach the sky, and they cannot achieve it without luck. Gai Wen, in this world, wealth cannot be immoral, poverty cannot be changed, articles are unparalleled, Confucius was unlucky to Chen State, military strategy was outstanding, Taigong fished in the Wei River, don't be afraid , the time has not yet come, when the day when the old mother Wusheng comes, everything will change, everything will get better, the people can live and work in peace and contentment, we are the ministers who have made contributions, and the big boss will not treat us badly."
Only by enduring hardship can one become a master. For future glory, wealth and a happy life, going to jail is also something that must be experienced in life. After some persuasion from Lao Wu, although Xiao Ming didn't quite understand what he heard, he felt a lot more at ease.
He extended his thumb and said, "Old Wu, you are so educated."
"That's right, I am a scholar of the last generation." Old Wu stroked his beard proudly. Of course, if his hands and feet were not tied and his hem danced with the wind, the effect would be better.
After listening to Lao Wu's words, Wang Busheng suddenly remembered a sentence he had heard in his previous life: "Summer insects cannot speak of ice."
