Yamen soap house.
Xu Lin, the squad leader, was chatting and laughing with several officials about interesting things in the city. Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door: "Team leader, the magistrate has summoned us."
Xu Lin walked to the window, glanced at Zhou Mao, and said with a grin: "Zhou Da, what are you doing when the magistrate comes to us at such a late hour? I don't have a wife by my side. Is there nothing I can do to help?"
The other officials heard this and laughed.
Zhou Mao said with a cold face, "Xu Laosan, you'd better show some respect to the county magistrate and come with me now!"
Xu Lin disagreed and staggered out: "Let's go."
Zhou Mao looked at the door of Yazao's room and said in a deep voice: "Call one more person, and also bring the stick with you."
"What?"
Xu Lin's expression changed.
It's night, and the county magistrate isn't reviewing the case, so where can I use the stick?
Zhou Mao didn't explain.
Xu Lin called out to the yamen officer Han Qiang uneasily, each holding a staff and followed Zhou Mao. He was even more frightened when he saw that the place he was going to was actually the county prime minister's house.
The magistrate's house is already brightly lit.
Liu Boqin, Zhao Doubei and Chen Zhong lowered their hands and looked at Gu Zhengchen.
Zhao Doubei stepped forward to intercede for Chen Zhi: "Our county government has been absent from the county magistrate for several months. In the past, the county magistrate used to handle everything on his behalf. Once the documents are available, it is customary to deliver the housing to the county magistrate's house. Liu County Magistrate I have already severely scolded him and asked him to send him to the county magistrate immediately. County magistrate, why don't we just let this matter go?"
Gu Zhengchen sat on the chair that had been moved out, glanced at Liu Boqin and Chen Zhong, and said sternly: "When it comes to any big or small matters, the magistrate should report it clearly to the chief first, and then discuss it with the second official to confirm the decision." Liu County Cheng is an understanding person and knows that Chen Zhi made a mistake. But Chief Zhao, are you an understanding person?"
Zhao Doubei cursed Gu Zhengchen secretly, but did not dare to show it on his face, and reminded him: "Your Majesty, this Chen Zhi is..."
"If you make a mistake, you should be punished!"
Classical historian Chen Zhong interrupted Zhao Doubei sharply.
Zhao Doubei looked at Chen Zhong, his brows furrowed.
Gu Zhengchen's mouth moved slightly and he took a deep look at Chen Zhong.
Zhou Mao came behind Gu Zhengchen and whispered: "Your Majesty, Xu Lin and Han Qiang have arrived."
Gu Zhengchen did not look at Xu Lin and Han Qiang, but at the county magistrate Liu Boqin and the official Chen Zhong, and said in a deep voice: "Ascending Chen Zhi from Fang, he first handed over the court documents to Li Fang for forwarding, and then brought the court documents with him. Let me first report to the county magistrate. I have broken the rules twice. I will receive a staff of forty, is it appropriate?"
Forty sticks? !
Chen Zhi panicked and quickly looked at Chen Zhong, his eyes full of pleading.
Chen Zhong raised his hand: "Whatever the county official says is what it is! There is nothing inappropriate!"
Gu Zhengchen nodded slightly and asked, "Xian Cheng Liu, Chief Secretary Zhao, what do you think?"
Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei could only nod.
Gu Zhengchen sat calmly and looked at the government servants Xu Lin and Han Qiang: "If you are not deaf, we will take action."
Xu Lin swallowed nervously and looked at Dian Shi Chen Zhong from time to time. This Chen Zhi is your nephew. Are you sure you want to beat him?
But Chen Zhong didn't speak for a long time, so Xu Lin had no choice but to step forward with Han Qiang.
Han Qiang opened Chen Zhi's belt and then pushed him to the ground.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not being a hooligan.
In the Ming Dynasty, the cane punishment required taking off the pants, exposing the buttocks and hitting the flesh directly.
This operation has advantages. It is impossible to hide a protective pad to reduce the damage. In addition, if the beating is severe and the quality of the pants is not high, it can also prevent flesh and blood from sticking to the pants...
Chen Zhi turned pale and shouted: "Uncle, save me, save me!"
Gu Zhengchen looked at Chen Zhong, stood up and said, "It turns out he is Chen Dianshi's nephew, Chen Dianshi, can you intercede for him?"
Chen Zhong said bitterly: "Everything is at the command of the county magistrate."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Xu Lin and Han Qiang: "Since Chen Dianshi understands justice, what are you waiting for? Let's do it!"
Xu Lin had no choice but to raise his eyebrow-level stick. This stick is also called the water-fire stick, which means ruthless.
Snapped!
As soon as the stick fell, Chen Zhi screamed, tears fell, and shouted: "Your Majesty, your Majesty, please spare my life, I was wrong, I know I was wrong."
Gu Zhengchen said nothing.
Xu Lin knew that this was a struggle between the county magistrate and the magistrate, the chief registrar, and the county magistrate, and Chen Zhi was just a pawn who was captured to establish his power.
The yamen servants are caught in the middle and it is difficult to do it.
Hit him hard, it will offend Dianshi.
Take it lightly, it offends the county magistrate.
We can only do it in a disciplined manner, one after another.
Chen Zhi just turned thirty this year, and he would sit in the reception room and relax on weekdays. He had never experienced such pain. By the time he got twenty canes, he was already crying uncontrollably.
But no matter how much he shouted and begged, no one spoke, and the beating with the cane could not stop.
Snapped!
Snapped!
The crisp sound of execution is heart-pounding.
Zhou Mao stood behind Gu Zhengchen, his hands trembling slightly.
Is this what the county official does?
After getting acquainted with the county government, did he finally stop being gentle and choose to establish his authority? But if this happens, I'm afraid it will intensify the conflict between the county magistrate, the historian, the chief registrar, and the county magistrate!
When Chen Zhi resisted to thirty-five sticks, he fainted from the pain. Just like that, Gu Zhengchen didn't even call for stop. It wasn't until Xu Lin and Han Qiang finished beating him that he took the document bag and walked to the unconscious Chen Zhi and said seriously: "I hope you remember clearly who to approach first for all matters in the county government! If you do it again in the future, it's best to think about the consequences!"
The person who fainted naturally could not hear the magistrate's words.
But no one who is awake dares to forget.
Gu Zhengchen looked at Liu Boqin, Zhao Doubei, and Chen Zhong, and said solemnly: "Come to the second hall to discuss the matter."
With a cold face, Chen Zhong asked Xu Lin and Han Qiang to take Chen Zhi away, and followed Zhao Doubei and Liu Boqin to the second hall of the county government office.
Gu Zhengchen sat down and opened his document bag. He came back with two documents.
The above document was signed by the Ministry of Education of China. The content is simple and clear. The core sentence is:
The previous order was changed, and Tatar prisoners were placed in Jurong, totaling 2,256 people.
The date for the delivery of prisoners was adjusted from September 30th to October 15th.
Gu Zhengchen read it twice, then picked up another document. When he saw the words "Mr. Gu" on the header, he knew it was written by Zhu Biao and Zhu Dalang.
Calling sir is just an honorific. When Zhu Biao meets Song Lian, Li Xiyan and other people from the East Palace, he will habitually use honorific titles to show respect for talents and scholars.
On this point, Lao Zhu also sets an example.
Zhu Dalang said a lot. Putting aside the details, he summed it up in just four words:
Just let it go.
Gu Zhengchen felt relieved, put Zhu Dalang's document into his sleeve, picked up another document and handed it to Liu Boqin, with a solemn expression on his face: "Things have changed."
Liu Boqin took the document and read it, and immediately exclaimed: "More than 2,200 prisoners! There were only more than 1,000 prisoners before, so why did they suddenly increase so much?"
"What?"
Zhao Doubei and Chen Zhong were also shocked.
Before, the document was clearly written, with 1,236 prisoners written in black and white. Now, more than 1,000 prisoners have been added. What is the court doing?
Liu Boqin finally understood why the imperial court hurriedly sent documents with such high efficiency, and why feelings changed so quickly!
The number of prisoners to be resettled suddenly doubled, but the time was only extended for half a month. Is this an intention to trap Jurong to death?
County Lord, have you offended some important person?
Zhao Doubei looked at the number of prisoners in the document and made sure again that it was not because he was dazzled or made a mistake. He looked at Gu Zhengchen uncertainly: "Your Majesty, in this way, it will not be enough to recruit 800 people. Time is tight. Two thousand people need to be recruited!”
Liu Boqin nodded heavily: "I'm afraid that a group of prisoners have all been resettled in Jurong. More than 2,000 Tatars have settled in Jurong. The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Households, the Governor's Office and the Yingtian Mansion will all pay attention to Jurong. If something goes wrong, it will be very difficult. If we do well, we should mobilize enough people."
Gu Zhengchen knocked on the table and said seriously: "Two thousand people? Do you know what it means to recruit two thousand people? It means that nearly 20% of the more than 10,000 households in Jurong have lost their backbone! The autumn harvest is coming soon. , the rice is fragrant in the fields, and so many people are mobilized to serve as corvees, then who will harvest the crops? Women, old people, or children?"
"I have just arrived in Jurong. I did not impose excessive taxes. Instead, I started to carry out large-scale construction projects and exhausted the people's strength. What do the people of Jurong think of me? If it comes to winter and the people have nothing to do at home, it will be okay to deploy more. But we cannot delay the autumn harvest. , at least we can’t delay the autumn harvest of too many families!”
Liu Boqin gritted his teeth and said bluntly: "Your Majesty, if you delay the autumn harvest, you will also be delayed, and you will suffer for the common people! But if you delay such an important matter as the placement of prisoners, it will be your Majesty and all the county government officials who will suffer!"
"What's more, no matter how much the people harvest, the county government will not reduce the autumn tax by one stone or one bucket of rice, and the court will not be harsh. If there is a problem with the placement of prisoners, the court will punish them!"
"Choose one of the two, for the sake of an official career or for the common people. Don't the county officials know how to choose? They are all officials. Only political achievements can be seen by the court. You care about the people and are stingy about their power. No one If you can see it, no one will care!”
Gu Zhengchen looked deeply at Liu Boqin, what he said was not unreasonable.
Being good to the people is far less beneficial than currying favor with important officials in the court, pleasing superiors, and doing some "key projects."
"No one cares, I care."
Gu Zhengchen stared at Liu Boqin and said word by word: "I know you don't want to be implicated by me. I am responsible for this matter alone. Eight hundred people, twenty days, resettlement 2,256 People! The recruitment of people’s strength will not change, and the time will not change!”
"It can't be done!"
Liu Boqin looked at the young Gu Zhengchen and couldn't help but feel angry.
Everyone in the court knew that the number of prisoners had increased, so it was appropriate to delay it for half a month. But you don't even know this?
Zhao Doubei and Chen Zhong looked at Gu Zhengchen and felt that he was too inexperienced and took things for granted.
Gu Zhengchen stood up and said sternly: "If we can't finish it, Gu will resign!"
Liu Boqin's eyes lit up.
Zhao Doubei and Chen Zhong remained silent.
Gu Zhengchen walked out from behind the desk, opened the door, looked at the stars in the night sky, and said softly: "Get ready to allocate grain from the east warehouse. In previous years, I didn't care how much rice a person got per month during the corvee. But this time, six buckets of rice per person per month will be given in full. If anyone reaches out here, haha... Please pass on the message, don't lose your hand or leg by then, blame me for not reminding you!"
