The next morning.
There were dozens of people outside the government office, all of whom were recruited as officials and handymen. Gu Zhengchen ordered the scribe to clearly record their identity, residence, experience, etc., and if they stayed until notified, they would be asked to leave.
When Gu Zhengchen had just begun to interrogate the case and had not finished hearing the people's grievances, Huang Minxing, an official in the reception room, hurried into the lobby and eagerly delivered a document: "Report to the prefect Gu, Hui'an County has sent an urgent report that there is a group of immigrants." The bandits have landed in Chongwu, and people in Hui'an County are now in panic, so they request Magistrate Gu to send people to help defend Hui'an."
Gu Zhengchen took the document and looked at it carefully, frowning slightly.
Navy Chu Xing and Meng Wanli were still parked in Quanzhou Port and did not leave. There were actually pirates who crossed Quanzhou Bay directly to the north and landed in Chongwu?
This document only mentions a group of pirates, not the approximate number of them!
Upon seeing this, Wukang, a fellow acquaintance, stood up quickly and said: "Master, the government office in Quanzhou is different from other places. The government office has the responsibility of controlling the sea areas. Now that the pirates are invading, Hui'an is in danger and people's hearts are unstable. I beg you, I am willing to lead you." A group of government officials and inspection sergeants rushed to Hui'an County to work with the people of Hui'an to defend Hui'an City and never let the pirates enter the city!"
Gu Zhengchen looked at Wu Kang who had a positive attitude, then looked at the emergency documents in his hand, and shook his head slightly: "Since such an emergency has happened in Hui'an County, and even the documents have been sent, I think there are a lot of pirates coming. I'm afraid we won't be able to repel them with the help of the Yamen and Inspection Department manpower. Wu Tongzhi, please inform the Quanzhou Guard Commander Qian Shi and ask him to quickly lead 500 sergeants to Hui'an to relieve the siege."
When Wu Kang saw that Gu Zhengchen wanted to use the Quanzhou Guards, he solemnly said: "The pirates may be powerful. Although the Quanzhou Guards can drive away the pirates, it still requires the government to come forward to appease the people. If no one from the government goes to Fusui, the people in the city will be in chaos. Get up, due to internal and external troubles, there may be a big disaster, please ask the governor to allow me to go!"
Gu Zhengchen looked at Wu Kang and finally understood.
On the surface, this incident was about the pirates invading Chongwu and threatening Hui'an. In fact, it was their counterattack against themselves.
If Wu Kang is allowed to go to Hui'an County, then he can leave Jinjiang. He can stay there for a long time in the name of Fusui Hui'an and watch the developments in Jinjiang City and the government.
Even if the government found out about his crimes, he could leave Hui'an calmly.
If something goes wrong somewhere else, officials can't run away and can only wait for the court to arrest them. But Fujian, Guangdong and other places with strong folk customs are different. Whether you have committed a crime or you cannot survive in the local area, you don’t have to wait completely for death. There is still a way out:
Go to sea!
Of course, there are only a few people who can escape out to sea. After all, the sea cannot be swam across with a few paddles. The small boat probably capsized before it even went to sea. In the Hongwu Dynasty, larger sea-going ships were only controlled by the navy and the shipping department. In their hands, ordinary officials have no way to escape.
But it is not without success, such as Liang Daoming who has already gone to sea with his family, Huang Senping who is about to go to sea, and the future Pirate King Chen Zuyi who does not know whether he has gone to sea.
Gu Zhengchen didn't want to let Wu Kang leave the government office and Jinjiang City, but if he didn't go, who would?
Send Qin Xin?
Not suitable, they are the same.
At present, among the government officials, except for Wu Kang and Qin Xin, he is the only one who has the power and status to appease the people and convince them.
But Gu Zhengchen cannot leave the government office at this time. This is the critical moment to handle the case and resolve the people's grievances. Once he leaves the government office, the people will definitely be panicked. If someone leaves the government office without permission while Gu Zhengchen is away, he will do anything to the people who complain about injustice. To take revenge, no one in Quanzhou City would really dare to file a complaint in the future.
But if they don't go to Hui'an County, and Wu Kang and Qin Xin are not allowed to go, then it will be their own responsibility if something goes wrong. There are a lot of dishonest people in Hui'an, and things like Ye Xiao walking on the street can happen. It's not impossible for them to get another group of people to cause trouble.
Wu Kang looked at the hesitant Gu Zhengchen, with a smile in his eyes, and he was secretly proud in his heart: "Are you leaving the government office or staying in the government office? If you leave, we will have a chance to breathe and have time and space to go." We can use a unified approach to deal with the affairs of subordinate officials and government servants in the government office, and we can also intimidate the people in Jinjiang City and make them shut up!"
"If you don't leave, Hui'an City will be in chaos, and you will be responsible for the deaths of people by then. Your best choice is to send us to Hui'an, but you don't trust us because you don't You will do this! Because you are afraid that we will run away. If we run away, it will be your shame. If you are not strict with your subordinates and have no control, it is because you have a problem with your ability!"
This is a dilemma.
Qin Xin also believed that through this move, Gu Zhengchen could be transferred away and gain more buffer time.
After Gu Zhengchen pondered the pros and cons, he came up with a strategy that stunned Wu Kang and Qin Xin: "You are right, pacifying Hui'an and stabilizing the people's hearts are also top priorities. In this case, it would be hard for Wu Tongzhi to go there in person. Let’s go to Hui’an.”
Wu Kang was a little stunned and couldn't believe it.
He actually sent himself out, wasn't he worried that he would run away?
Gu Zhengchen said with a serious face: "It's just that the number of pirates is unknown. In addition to asking the Quanzhou Guard to take action, Wu Tongzhi's safety also needs to be ensured. Most of the pirates are insidious, vicious, cruel and easy-to-kill people. Wu Tongzhi is out for the people, so he can't be hurt." . Zhang Pei, you are temporarily acting as Wu Tongzhi’s personal guard. No matter where Wu Tongzhi goes, you must guard him, even when he is sleeping and going to the toilet. Don’t let him make any mistakes, otherwise you will be held accountable!”
Although Zhang Pei was unwilling, he still accepted the order and agreed.
Wu Kang was dumbfounded.
What does this mean? He is not a guard, he is obviously a spy. In this way, wouldn't Gu Zhengchen know where he goes, what he says, and what he does?
Being controlled?
You still have freedom when you stay in the government office, but you lose your freedom when you leave the government office?
Gu Zhengchen looked at Wu Kang playfully: "If the matter is urgent, please Wu Tongzhi set off immediately. Zhang Pei, select a few Yamen servants to go with you. If any of the Yamen servants disobey your orders and put Wu Tongzhi in danger, I will give you permission." Take them down!"
Wu Kang had to get up. Accompanied by Zheng Pei and others, he hurriedly left Jinjiang City and headed straight for Hui'an after half an hour of preparation.
Seeing this scene, Qin Xin trembled all over.
What the hell is this? We agreed to drag Gu Zhengchen away from the government office temporarily, but now instead of leaving, Wu Kang has left...
After all, my understanding and understanding of Gu Zhengchen was wrong.
It is wrong to infer Gu Zhengchen's next move based on common sense. This is a person who does not act according to common sense.
Gu Zhengchen ordered Qin Xin to go to Quanzhou Guards in person to report the news and ask him to send troops, and then continued the trial of the case, as if the invasion of Hui'an County by pirates was not a big deal.
More than 80% of the cases accepted by the government office are related to the government office, which makes it easier for Gu Zhengchen to deal with them. After all, government officials and servants are easy to find. If they are confronted in court, it is easy to solve the case under the threat of the board and evidence.
I was busy again until dusk before leaving office.
After two days of intense trials involving more than 40 cases, 37 subordinate officials and handymen in the government were slapped with boards, and 11 were imprisoned in cells.
As corrupt officials were slapped or imprisoned one by one, people in Jinjiang City became more popular, and the people once again trusted the government.
Gu Qingtian's name spread like wildfire.
On the basis of stabilizing and winning the hearts and minds of the people, Gu Zhengchen changed his strategy. If it was not an urgent matter or a matter of human life, he would arrange for the people to go to the clerk and the reception room to explain the situation, write a clear pleading, and then issue the notice the next day, with priority Handle major cases.
This change is from an emergency state to a normal state.
Because of the pleadings, Gu Zhengchen could leave most matters to his master Li Chengyi, while he could handle the cases that Li Chengyi could not solve.
Having a master can indeed save a lot of trouble.
Gu Zhengchen took a break from the complicated and various cases and was able to think about the overall situation of Quanzhou Prefecture.
In the evening, Gu Zhengchen changed into a Confucian robe, put on some disguises, and accompanied by Xiao Cheng, left the government office and went to Zui Chunfeng Restaurant. He sat in the lobby on the first floor and mingled with the people in the market.
"Gu Qing is so majestic and majestic. You haven't seen that official. When he was beaten, he cried like a ghost and howled like a wolf. He was worse than a woman and the floor was wet."
"Well done! How many people have been harmed by these people in Jinjiang City. Those who have a little wealth are unlucky, and those who have no wealth are also unlucky. The rich and the poor are both affected. Now that they are better, support them to death!"
"I heard that the emperor hates corruption the most. There is no chance that these people will be tortured or skinned. When the time comes, I will stand in front and watch."
"With your courage, I'm afraid you'll vomit after just a few glances. It's all bloody. You think it looks good."
A big man with a curtain hat on his back stepped into the restaurant with sonorous steps. After a quick glance, he walked straight to a table and shouted to the waiter: "Add a pot of wine and two plain dishes."
The guy said yes.
The big man sat down, took the wine bowl handed over by the person opposite, drank it cleanly, and said in a low voice: "Prefect Gu is very good at serving it. It has not been a month, but the atmosphere of Jinjiang City has been completely renewed, and the people praise it." , many people say you are Gu Qingtian and Bao Zheng of the Ming Dynasty."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Huai'an Guard Commander Chu Xing, shook his head slightly and said: "Gu Qingtian, it's just because it's too dark here, so I lit a candle. But the place that this candle can illuminate is really limited. There are many places where I still can't reach out, so I can only think of you and hope you can help me with something."
Chu Xing readily agreed: "The Marquis of Jinghai has told us that the Quanzhou Port navy will obey the orders of Magistrate Gu and just do as they are told."
Gu Zhengchen was very grateful for the arrangements made by Lao Zhu and Wu Zhen, and said to Chu Xing: "Have you also received the news about the appearance of pirates in Chongwu?"
"I got it, but it's a little strange."
"What's weird?"
Chu Xing frowned and said seriously: "It's strange that the navy didn't find it in Quanzhou Port. Gu Zhifu, since the war of words on the Yangtze River, the court has punished many coastal guard officers in succession to punish them for lax inspections and indulgence in the sea. The pirates are heading north. We are rough people, but we also care about our lives. Therefore, the navy has ships checking the outer sea day and night. Although there may indeed be omissions, the lookout sergeants staying at Chongwu Beach have not found any trace of the pirates. It is like——" ..??m
Gu Zhengchen frowned slightly: "It's like pirates appeared out of thin air in Chongwu, right?"
