Magistrate’s Yamen·Backyard
As soon as they arrived at Shun'an Mansion, the prefect's wife Qi Zhou, who moved in, was indeed an expert at managing the family. Because the previous prefect had set up another residence, the courtyard behind the Yamen had been used as a warehouse to accumulate things, and the courtyard was in a mess, even before they arrived. , the Yamen officials have already taken care of it, but it is still very popular.
But after only ten days of tidying up, the courtyard was already in order. Qi Hongxin's own landscape paintings were hung in the main hall. Every detail was taken care of. You can feel the warmth of home as soon as you enter. .
But Qi Hongxin obviously didn't pay attention to this. He walked back from outside and sat on the armchair next to the square table in the main room, with a tired look on his face.
He was calm in front of others, but it was only now that he showed signs of depression.
Where can he get the money to kill the locusts?
It's not enough to have tens of thousands taels, but the flood control yamen said they wanted to pay back the 100,000 taels, but they can't get it now... Oh, how difficult it is!
When he thought about the difficulties, he felt irritated and an itch came out of his throat. He covered his mouth and coughed.
"You!" Mrs. Qi Zhou came over at this time. There were two maids carrying several dishes. She put a small jade pot next to Qi Hongxin's hand and put down a small wine glass.
Seeing that her husband was only fifty years old and his face was full of wrinkles, I couldn't help but feel sad. When I saw him coughing a few times and filling himself with wine, I could only lean on the chair next to him and watch quietly.
Since it was already past lunch, she and her son had already eaten. The food and wine were specially kept warm and prepared for her husband.
Unexpectedly, my husband came back later today and was able to have dinner together.
Qi Hongxin was indeed hungry. He ate a few mouthfuls and couldn't help but sigh.
"Why are you sighing again while eating? But you are still worried about the locust plague?" Qi Zhou asked warmly.
"The locust plague has taken hold and is difficult to eradicate. Now we must concentrate all the power of the county to kill it. Otherwise, I'm afraid I will bear a heavy responsibility." Qi Hongxin sighed.
His wife was more tolerant, or had a reason to feel sorry for him, and comforted him: "Every time you went to a new place in the past, there was no time when you didn't face a crisis? This time it will probably pass smoothly, so there is no need to worry so much."
Then he said: "Moreover, your health has become worse and worse in the past few years, you are still coughing up blood, and you are so tired. What you do as a prefect is really tasteless. This official is not the right one!"
Qi Hongxin smiled bitterly: "Yes, this official position is getting more and more boring. It's just that the locust plague is terrible. If it really becomes a disaster, it will really destroy thousands of families. How can we resign at this juncture?" "
After hearing this, Mrs. Qi Zhou felt sad and her eyes were red.
My husband is a stubborn person. When he talked about resigning before, he refused and said he wanted to repay the emperor's kindness. But when he mentioned it today, he didn't say this - indeed, even a man made of iron cannot withstand the day and night. What?
But he listened to Qi Hongxin's words: "But if you want to do something, you have to ask for money. The sad thing is that the county is empty and there is no money at all."
"Why don't you give me a favor?" The wife felt distressed, thought for a moment, and came up with a plan.
Qi Hongxin shook his head. Because he drank several drinks in succession, although he usually had a good capacity for drinking, he seemed a little drunk at this time: "How can it be so easy? When I betrayed the prince, I thought that this day would happen. Shangguan didn't believe me. Although Use me, but always be on guard... As it turns out, I am the one who has dragged down this people..."
Qi Zhou, who had always been gentle, changed his expression and interrupted him with a sharp voice.
"I don't like to hear what you are saying. When you go to serve in the Prince's Mansion, you are just a dispatch from the Ministry of Officials, not the Prince's personal minister!"
"At that time, the prince has fallen, and a disaster is imminent. You have a mother to support. If you don't leave the prince, you may not even be able to support her, and the whole family may be guilty."
"And you didn't report it. You just signed it in order to protect the family. With or without you, the result would be the same. How can I blame you?"
"At that time, the emperor killed hundreds of people in one breath and implicated dozens of families. Did you have to be buried with your whole family just because the official department sent you?"
"Even I was not convinced, not to mention that I was pregnant at the time."
Qi Hongxin smiled bitterly.
"That's not what we say about officialdom. As a minister, loyalty is the first priority. I am favored by the prince..." Qi Hongxin wanted to say something else, but he felt sad, his voice was choked, and tears flowed down silently.
Seeing that he was crying, his wife, who had been with him for many years, was so painful that her heart clenched, and she hugged him and started crying.
"I don't know what you men are like, but you haven't forgotten him for so many years. I feel jealous. You have paid for your sins for twenty years. That's enough, that's enough!"
No, how could it be possible?
A person like the prince should die so unjustly and in such a humiliating way, and yet he, a former minister, not only did not retaliate with death, but lingered on and lived to this day, it is really painful every time he thinks about it.
But he was afraid of going down there, how to face the prince, and he didn't even dare to die. He could only live like this, focusing on people's livelihood.
I just hope that I can do more things in this lingering life to atone for my past betrayal.
But this was his own idea, but it dragged down his wife and son. Now that he heard his wife crying, he felt even more uncomfortable. He patted his wife's thin back gently, but he also didn't know what to say.
At this moment, someone knocked on the door. The knock was very urgent, interrupting the sadness of the two of them. They separated quickly and each wiped their tears. Qi Zhou quickly took a towel and wiped it for him before opening the door. .
The person who came in was Qizhuang, a member of his own clan and someone who had been with him for a long time. Seeing their expressions, he knew that they had cried. He was surprised for a moment, but at this time he couldn't care anymore and said hurriedly: "Master, it's not good. I'm in the wild." Swarms of locusts have appeared, and some people are still making trouble, saying they want to lead people to worship the Locust God and demolish the original water temple!"
Qi Hongxin took the towel away. His tired face and full of melancholy disappeared, and he regained his majesty and calmness. He straightened up and said to his wife: "I will come back as soon as I go. You stay in the house, don't worry about me!"
Qi Hongxin walked out quickly, a gust of wind hit his face. Without hesitation, he sternly said: "Prepare oil coats and horses for me. Immediately call all the officers in the yamen, put on their weapons and come with me."
"Also, use my seal to immediately order the county captain to order troops and follow him within half an hour. I will need at least 300 county soldiers to fight. Don't fool me with side soldiers. Otherwise, I will dismiss him from his post." .”
"Yes!" Qizhuang responded loudly, with a serious expression.
The county lieutenant of Shun'an Prefecture is a sixth-grade officer who serves as the commander of the county soldiers of a county and is in charge of 1,500 county soldiers.
This is stationed in a large camp outside the city, and each county also has county captains, who usually command hundreds of county soldiers, and they are also stationed near the county town.
The county soldiers have the same origin as the elite soldiers stationed in the capital. They are regular troops of all dynasties and are the main force in fighting. Although they are not as well-equipped and well-trained as the imperial army, they are also the greatest force in protecting the counties.
Once there is a rebellion, the county soldiers are usually dispatched.
