Wang Youcheng looked at the big swollen knot on his ankle, his eyes were red, and he shouted to Wang Fugui: "Father, if you don't arrest him and send him to the official, he is holding an ax and intending to murder someone!"
Wang Fugui glared at Wang Youcheng fiercely, this son really didn't live up to expectations.
According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, if anyone commits murder, the person who created the intention (the principal offender) will be executed.
But the problem is, son, you are still alive...
The relationship between Gu Zhengchen and you is not a murder, at most it is a "fight".
According to the law, anyone who fights or beats others with other objects will be whipped forty times if they are injured.
Blue, red and swollen is an injury.
Even if he is sent to the county government, he will only be beaten with forty small sticks. Look at Gu Zhengchen, who is rubbing his fingers. Damn, his hands seem to be red and swollen. If he is sent to the county magistrate, son, you will not be able to escape forty small sticks. …
Gu Zhengchen looked at the ax in his hand and explained calmly: "I plan to go up the mountain to chop firewood later, so I brought an ax with me. It makes sense, right?"
That’s reasonable, your sister!
Wang Fugui cursed Gu Zhengchen in his heart. They said they were talking about firewood in August. It was late April and the trees were in full bloom. Which kind of firewood should we cut? Besides, you still have a pile of firewood at home, do you need to chop it down?
You did it on purpose!
Wang Fugui was startled, and fear appeared in his eyes for the first time.
All of this was Gu Zhengchen's plan. He knew that there would be disputes over debt collection today, so he brought an ax with him. He might even have read the "Laws and Orders" to know how to hurt people with the lightest punishment!
Horrible scheming!
Is this person the same Gu Zhengchen who was bullied by the Wang family and had no choice but to jump into the lake and commit suicide?
Why did his pedantry, his weakness, and his fear suddenly disappear without a trace? It was as if he had become a different person, one who knew how to adapt and became tough, without even a trace of fear in his eyes!
He seemed to be laughing.
Why? !
Wang Fugui looked at the calm Gu Zhengchen, calmed his mind, and said sternly: "Gu Juren, you and I have a seven-day agreement. If you can't pay off your debt today, then you can work as a tenant in my house to repay the debt as agreed."
Gu Zhengchen dropped his ax and pointed at the unpicked copper coins scattered on the ground: "Let me pick up the copper coins and count them clearly."
Wang Youcheng shouted angrily: "Gu Zhengchen, do you want to delay time?"
"Shut up!"
Wang Fugui scolded sharply.
If you hadn't been fooling around, how could this have happened!
Gu Zhengchen bent down and continued to pick up copper coins. Each one was a sign of care and love from the neighbors of Dayan Village.
"Show off your edge!"
Master Yan Bin sighed secretly.
The county magistrate Li Yi nodded heavily, looked at Gu Zhengchen who was picking up the copper coins in a hurry, and analyzed softly: "This person is familiar with the laws and regulations of the court, has sharp methods but is able to grasp the right measures, and is calm and calm in doing things. He is a good candidate for an official."
Yan Bin nodded.
If Gu Zhengchen had no sense of propriety and acted like he was in danger, then Wang Youcheng's foot would not be smashed, but cut. Once the trouble comes to the Yamen, Gu Zhengchen's punishment will no longer be forty floggings, but eighty canes.
If the staff is eighty, the person will be paralyzed for three months even if he is not dead or disabled.
Gu Zhengchen was sober and avoided the most important things.
Outside the fence.
Zhang Shiping looked a little ugly and turned to look at Zhao Yaowen: "Gu Juren is naturally cowardly and weak. Brother Zhao, this is what you told me, right? Why are the two different people I saw today?"
Zhao Yaowen was quite embarrassed. As Zhao Yaer's brother, Zhao Yaowen often spoke ill of Gu Zhengchen. He could sum it up in one sentence:
Gu Zhengchen is terrible and not worthy of my sister.
Zhao Yaowen's Adam's apple twitched: "In the past, he was indeed cowardly, otherwise he would not have jumped into the lake and committed suicide. Even if he changes, he will never be able to pay off his debts. When the time comes, he will become a tenant in the Wang family and it will be impossible to make a difference. .”
Zhang Shiping nodded slightly.
This is true. Emperor Hongwu was very dissatisfied with the candidates who came out of the imperial examination, and he would no longer select talents to serve as officials from the candidates who had been elected in the five years of Hongwu.
Juren who want to enter the officialdom can only rely on the recommendation of edicts and county magistrates.
But recommendation is not a trivial matter. According to the regulations of the imperial court, the election is false, the evil sycophants have not gone away, the powerful families ask for help, the disabled officials let go, and the people are grieved and have no complaints. There are those who have been convicted of crimes and have been upheld.
This is the crime of "elevating someone who is not the person he is referring to, but not the person he is recommending", that is, the recommender must bear responsibility for the recommended talent. These regulations were established as early as the Han Dynasty.
Some foolish and greedy officials do not care about recommending people to take responsibility. After all, the benefits outweigh the risks. However, Li Yi, the magistrate of Teng County, and Xu Wenfeng, the instructor, are upright, honest, and cautious in their actions. They will never recommend a person who has no merit and acts recklessly.
Gu Zhengchen picked up all the copper coins, counted them, and looked at Wang Fugui: "Here are the usual fifteen cents for one coin."
Wang Fugui said with a gloomy face: "I'm afraid these are not enough."
Wang Youcheng put his hands on the shoulders of the two servants and raised his left foot, not daring to touch the ground. He shouted angrily: "What, this is all?"
Gu Zhengchen lowered his head and said nothing.
Wang Youcheng urged his servants to come forward, jumped in front of Gu Zhengchen, and said in a low voice: "Gu Zhengchen, wait until you become a tenant in my house and see how I deal with you!"
Gu Zhengchen raised his head, looked at the proud Wang Youcheng, and put his hands behind his waist, as if he was reaching for something.
When Wang Youcheng saw this, he jumped back in horror and shouted: "Stop him, stop him."
Gu Zhengchen looked at the frightened Wang Youcheng, shook his head, and said to Wang Fugui, "Wait until I go back to the room to get the money."
Wang Fugui stared.
Withdraw money?
Where do you still have money?
Your shabby house wouldn't even be worth so much money if you stripped it!
"Father, he must be playing tricks to delay time! Gu Zhengchen, if you delay any longer, you won't be able to come up with the money. Accept your fate as soon as possible and move into my house as a tenant!"
Wang Youcheng croaked.
Gu Zhengchen and Wang Fugui looked at each other.
Wang Fugui sneered: "In that case, I will wait here and see how Gu Juren comes up with the money."
Gu Zhengchen smiled faintly, turned around and walked into the room.
boom.
The door was closed and there was no movement inside.
The onlookers murmured.
Yan Sanjing was worried, and the men, women, and children in Dayan Village also looked at him with sad faces.
Seeing that Zhao Ya'er was angry, Aunt Zhang whispered: "He must not be able to get the money, so he is delaying time on purpose. It's impossible to say that he knows that things have not changed, and he is preparing to hang the beam at this time. Miss, listen, isn't that just kicking down the bench? The sound…eh?!”
Wang Fugui heard the noise and quickly called for someone to knock on the door. Two servants ran for help. Just as they were about to hit the door panel, the door suddenly opened. The two of them had no time to stop and crashed directly into the room. They hit the ground hard and kept wailing.
Gu Zhengchen walked out from behind the door, carefully passed the two people on the ground, holding a package in his hand, and walked towards Wang Fugui step by step: "Here are four guans, eight qian, and eighty-five wen, totaling one qian and fifteen wen here, totaling Six dollars."
Wang Youcheng stared at the package in Gu Zhengchen's hand and sneered, "Are you sure it contains copper coins and not stones?"
As soon as this statement came out, the Wang family burst into laughter.
Gu Zhengchen didn't even look at Wang Youcheng, he stopped in front of Wang Fugui, raised his hand and handed the package over: "From now on, the debts of the Gu family and the Wang family have been settled!"
