On this day, it cleared up after the rain. There were two carriages parked in the courtyard of Wujiazhuang Magistrate's former residence. The first carriage was filled with two large tanks and was escorted by Wu Dacheng, who was wearing an official robe. Coachman A drove the horse. The last carriage was filled with all kinds of household goods and was escorted by Mrs. Wu, who was wearing gold and silver. Coach B drove the horse.
At this moment, Wu Dacheng got off the carriage and waved his hand. Wu Liangjin, who had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time, led four workers over. He grabbed the front and back and carefully lifted the two large vats from the carriage, and then carried them out. A wing designated by Jinwu Dacheng is placed against the wall.
After they walked away, Wu Dacheng opened the lids of the two jars and took a look. One jar was full of white silver; the other was full of yellow copper coins. He closed the two cylinder heads again with a smile, then locked the door and returned to the yard.
At this moment, Mrs. Wu was directing Wu Liangjin and four workers who came out of the house to unload the goods on the second carriage. After the goods were unloaded, items that needed to be lifted and moved were sorted one after another. Place the floor in a suitable location in the house.
It took more than half an hour to finish the work, and Wu Liangjin and the four workers were so exhausted that they were sweating profusely. I saw Wu Liangjin holding a big, bulging cloth bag, and he reached out to pat it. This scene was seen by Mrs. Wu, who was carrying a cowhide bag in her hand, so she approached him and stared at the big bag.
Mrs. Wu asked: What's in the bag?
Wu Liangjin didn't answer. He pursed his lips and smiled. He unfastened the seal on the bag and showed her to look at it. It was full of bunches of copper coins.
Mrs. Wu asked again, how many hangings?
Wu Liangjin leaned close to her ear and whispered, 1400 hanging.
Mrs. Wu frowned and walked away, coming to Wu Dacheng and speaking quietly.
Wu Liangjin bowed his hand to Wu Dacheng in a flattering manner and said, "Prefect Wu, congratulations on retiring from old age and returning home, ending the tiring journey."
Wu Dacheng said, thank you for your kind words.
Wu Liangjin said, "Prefect Wu, I'm sorry for the poor people. Do you want to settle the labor and wages of our laborers with you?"
Wu Dacheng said generously, OK! Then he turned his head and looked at Mrs. Wu and said, give each of the five workers 20 coins.
Mrs. Wu opened the buckle of her cowhide bag, took out 100 pounds from the bag, gave it to four laborers first, and let them all go. There were 20 coins left in her hand. Instead of handing it to Wu Liangjin, she put it back in the leather bag.
Mrs. Wu approached Wu Liangjin and said, "Can you tell me how you got the 1,400 copper coins in your bag?"
Wu Liangjin was stunned for a moment, and then replied calmly, the 1,400 copper coins in my bag have nothing to do with the salary I deserve today. Why don't you pay me the salary?
Mrs. Wu said, I will give it to you, but you haven’t answered my question yet.
Wu Liangjin smiled bitterly and said hesitantly, you...
Mrs. Wu is tough and wants to explain the stakes. If you don’t, then you can ask Magistrate Wu for the 20 cents labor fee!
Wu Liangjin glanced at Wu Dacheng, who was standing sanctimoniously in front of him.
Wu Dacheng looked at him and said, Wu Liangjin, you are a member of our village. We are actually a family. I will ask you to come to my house for a day of cleaning tomorrow. Why don't you settle the bill together with the 20 coins and the cleaning money? 40 cents, you won’t lose a penny.
At night, in the bedroom, Mrs. Wu blew pillows to Wu Dacheng and brought up the matter again.
Mrs. Wu said, I suspect that Wu Liangjin’s 1,400 coins came from unknown sources.
Wu Dacheng said, don't make blind suspicions, people may also get money from doing business. Then he hugged Mrs. Wu, who had taken off her clothes and had smooth and jade-like skin, but she was pushed away reluctantly by Mrs. Wu.
Wu Dacheng asked, why did the husband offend his wife?
Mrs. Wu said, you must promise me to ask Wu Liangjin clearly the origin of the 1,400 yuan tomorrow, and then I will obey you.
Wu Dacheng said, OK! lady.
Mrs. Wu giggled, and Wu Dacheng pounced on her like a hungry tiger.
The next day, when the sun rose, Mrs. Wu, who had just freshened up, came out of the room. She looked up and saw a person coming into the yard. It was none other than Wu Liangjin.
Mrs. Wu stood at the door and looked at him and said loudly, "Workers, just wait in the yard while I call Magistrate Wu."
Wu Liangjin said, OK! Is there any work to do today?
Mrs. Wu said that she should ask Magistrate Wu.
Wu Liangjin saw Mrs. Wu enter the house and disappear. He stood under a big oak tree on the west side of the yard and waited. After waiting for about a cup of tea, Wu Dacheng came out of the room. With his big belly, he raised his hand and took away the five gold coins.
He suddenly discovered that there were two big men standing behind Wu Dacheng, one with big arms and a round waist, holding a whip; the other with a black face and a big nose, holding a wooden stick. They sometimes stared at Wu Liangjin, which made him afraid to speak louder because of his fear.
Wu Liangjin nodded and bowed, and said with a fake smile on his face, Magistrate Wu, you told me yesterday that you asked me to clean the house for 20 cents for a day today. After finishing the cleaning, I will include the 20 cents for the unsettled labor fee from yesterday. A total of 40 coins. You see, I came here so early.
Wu Dacheng said, yes, it’s good to be here. I promised you to come to my house for a day of cleaning and pay the bill together. But there is a requirement. Then he leaned close to his ear and whispered, "You must explain clearly where the 1,400 coins in the bag you were carrying yesterday came from?"
Wu Liangjin hesitated and hesitated to speak.
Wu Dacheng said in a stunned tone, "If you don't make it clear, I don't need you to clean my house today, and you won't be able to take away the 20 cents for yesterday's labor fee."
Wu Liangjin had a look of horror on his face. He said, "I just made money from doing business. What do you have to ask?"
Wu Dacheng put his hands on his hips and suddenly said loudly, tell me clearly what business you earned from it.
Wu Liangjin was speechless and took a step back.
Wu Dacheng scolded you, "Looking at the wrong look on your face, your 1,400 yuan must have come from something wrong."
Wu Liangjin quickly said, "I came from the right place. I earned it from doing business. I have accumulated so much money over time. How can I explain clearly how much money I earned on one day?"
Wu Dacheng looked at him with sinister eyes and shouted, "You are dishonest."
Wu Liangjin's body was already trembling slightly. He said, "Prefect Wu, don't ask, I really can't explain clearly." I don’t have to pay for yesterday’s 20 yuan fee. So he turned around and wanted to leave.
Wu Dacheng shouted loudly, stop. Please tell me clearly, where did the 1,400 hanging money come from?
Wu Liangjin refused to say anything, his head drooped and his body trembled even more.
Wu Dacheng rudely ordered Liu Xun and Ma Li to tie him up, hang him from an oak tree in the yard, and beat him severely to see if he confessed.
Liu Xun flicked the whip, glared at Wu Liangjin, and reached out to grab him.
Ma Ma stomped the wooden stick, lowered his head and picked up a thick hemp rope that had been placed at his feet.
Wu Liangjin pretended to be calm and said, "Prefect Wu, I, Wu Liangjin, firstly, did not kill anyone, secondly, I did not set a fire, and thirdly, I did not do any other bad things. Why did you tie me up?" Is there any royal law in this world?
Wu Dacheng said very domineeringly, what I, the prefect Wu, said represents the king's law.
Wu Liangjin tried his best to avoid the unfavorable topics and persuaded, "Prefect Wu, you have retired to your hometown and retired, and you have long since stopped caring about officialdom. Why should you talk about the law of the king and not the law of the king?" Besides, I didn't offend the king's law.
At this time, Mrs. Wu with her hair in a high bun stood at the door of the house and peeped. Seeing that Wu Liangjin was so stubborn, she walked around to wink at Wu Dacheng. Wu Dacheng understood the meaning and nodded slightly.
Wu Dacheng raised his clenched fist to the sky and said loudly, Liu Xun, Ma Li, teach him a lesson.
Liu Xun immediately made a "bang" sound and whipped Wu Liangjin's thigh. Ma Li was about to cut his hands back and tie him, but he kept shouting for mercy.
Wu Dacheng frowned and asked, "Should we recruit?"
Wu Liangjin squatted down, put his hands on his head, and said in a trembling voice, move——
Wu Dacheng said, then tell the truth! Where did this 1,400 hanging money come from? If there is half a lie, do you know that whips and sticks do not recognize people.
Wu Liangjin was frightened and said, "Prefect Wu, I can only talk to you alone."
Mrs. Wu came out of the door and interrupted, Officer, take him to the room and talk to you alone.
Wu Dacheng said, "Let's go!"
Wu Liangjin followed Wu Dacheng across the threshold cautiously and entered the house.
