"Steward Fang, you and I are about the same age. You are old and confused, but I am not. The county government is my home, so why would you lead someone to set fire to your own home?"
Butler Fang also laughed.
While talking and laughing, when they arrived at the county government office, the county magistrate first reported to Kong Fang the donations made by the people, and then talked about the bandits in Litou Mountain.
"Sir, why do you think they suddenly want to donate money to the People's Square? Is it really for atonement as they say?"
The county magistrate said strangely.
This was a question he hadn't thought about along the way.
Bandits go to the mountains to become bandits just for money, food, and women. How can they spend money outside? They are cruel by nature and do many evil things. When the word "atonement" came out of their mouths, he always felt it was inconsistent.
Kong Fang had a different idea.
In the beginning, human beings are inherently good. No one is born to be a vicious person, and no one is born to be a bandit. Human growth is deeply affected by many factors in the external environment.
Since it can turn an ordinary person into a villain. Then, it can also turn an evil person into an ordinary, kind person.
One of the ways is through ideological transformation. There are many ways to reshape one's thoughts, including directly reshaping one's mind, and some reshaping one's body.
He was not surprised that the bandit would change his mind and start a new life.
Because they are human beings too.
He asked Butler Fang to bring the bandits in. When the bandit entered the door, he knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Kong Fang, saying:
"The sinner Zhu Gouzi pays homage to your lord."
Kong Fang motioned to Butler Fang to help him up. Kong Fang looked familiar to him, so Guan Fang said, "Zhu Gouzi is Zhu Cao's father."
Zhu Cao?
Oh...it turned out to be him. A figure popped into Kong Fang's mind.
Zhu Cao is also a bandit. He is young and strong. He is usually responsible for digging stones. One day, the rocks on the mountain became loose and slipped. The tragedy could have been avoided, but Zhu Cao was hit by stones because his hands and feet were bound by iron chains and he could not dodge. The bandits who were cuffed with him were also injured.
Zhu Gouzi came after hearing the news, hugged Zhu Cao and cried loudly. The white-haired man gave the black-haired man a gift. Everyone who heard the scene was sad, and those who saw it shed tears.
Kong Fang couldn't bear the accident that killed one and injured another at the construction site. When he heard Zhu Gouzi crying miserably, he blamed himself, so he ordered the chains on the hands and feet of all the bandits to be removed.
Zhu Cao gave his life in exchange for the personal freedom of his companions.
Surprisingly, the bandits inexplicably had an illusion. They may have admitted that their freedom was related to Zhu Cao's death, but they believed that it was a favor given by Kong Fang.
After all, he is an official.
In his eyes, they should be inferior to an ant, but he unexpectedly valued their lives and gave them their freedom.
As a result, the bandits knelt down and kowtowed to express gratitude.
Kong Fang seemed to have seen something, so he simply announced that all bandits would eat the same food as other workers, with white rice and a small portion of meat when necessary.
The workshop will give them a small living allowance every month to help them improve their lives.
The only thing they insist on is that they are still not allowed to leave the workshop or the construction site without permission.
The bandits knelt in a daze, with tears streaming down their faces.
These benefits have always been something they have wanted but have never dared to strive for. They originally thought that sooner or later they would die in the workshop like a dog.
Just a second ago, their hearts were filled with resentment or fear for this young man.
Now, they see him as more like a savior.
Kong Fang bent down, patted Zhu Gouzi on the shoulder, and said sincerely: "Old man, I'm sorry, I was negligent. To express my apology, I will compensate you one hundred taels of silver, okay?"
"If you want to leave here, you can leave anytime."
Zhu Gouzi suddenly looked up at Kong Fang. There was no hatred in his eyes, only disbelief. Did he say sorry to himself? He said he could leave? He said he would compensate him with one hundred taels of silver?
he……
Is it true?
Why did he say sorry? They are just bandits who deserve death.
Kong Fang took a hundred taels of silver note from Guan Fang's house and handed it to Zhu Gouzi with his own hands.
"Old man, I bought a good coffin and let Zhu Cao be buried in peace. If you have any other requests, just ask Butler Fang. I'm leaving first. I'll go see the injured guy."
He patted Zhu Gouzi on the shoulder again, and then left.
Zhu Gouzi was holding the banknote, his hands shaking.
They worked as bandits under Zhu Chongjiu. In fact, these little pawns were not as prosperous as the legend said. They rushed to the front when they were smashing, smashing and robbing, but in the end they got the least.
If he is unfortunately killed by soldiers one day, if he has parents at home, Zhu Chongjiu will give him five taels of silver as a pension. If he doesn't have parents, even if he has brothers and sisters, it is impossible for him to give him any money as a pension.
As for the corpses, they should be buried where they died.
Zhu Cao's death was an accident, and it was a favor for him to pay for the coffin.
However, he gave himself a full one hundred taels of silver as a pension.
Zhu Gouzi had never seen such a large denomination of banknotes in his life.
Several close companions gathered around.
With tears in his eyes, he said, "Tell me, everyone, is Mr. Kong a god from heaven who has descended to earth?"
Everyone nodded tearfully.
Kong Fang did not see this scene.
The injured was carried to Fang's Pharmacy. Fortunately, he only suffered a superficial injury, and the doctor gave him medicine.
Kong Fang comforted him as usual, and then gave him another ten taels of silver, and at the same time allowed him to rest in peace and recuperate, and did not have to work until he recovered.
His actions moved the young bandit to tears.
It had been so long ago that he had almost forgotten about it.
"Uncle, Zhu Gouzi and the others heard that you made a sudden donation to the People's Square. They also wanted to donate, but I didn't dare to make the decision, so I brought him to see you."
Butler Fang explained.
Zhu Gouzi took out some broken silver and two silver notes from his worn pocket.
"Sir, these two banknotes, one belongs to my son Zhu Cao, and the other belongs to Yao Yao. Oh, Yao Yao is the young man who works with Zhu Cao."
"My lord gave him a ten-silver banknote that day, but he was reluctant to spend it. When he heard that your lord made a sudden donation, he took it out. The other pieces of silver are all the wishes of my gang. Here is a list."
He handed the list to Kong Fang and suddenly cried: "Sir, we know that this money is too little, but it is already our entire savings. Please don't dislike it."
He paused and then said: "Actually, no matter how much money we have, it can't redeem the sins we committed. We just want to express our feelings."
"Before I came, everyone said that we would not leave our names on the merit monument, so as not to tarnish Qinghe's reputation. We are willing to make cement for adults in the cement workshop in our lifetime. If we die one day, we can have a name like Zhu Cao Just a burial place."
This is too strong a statement.
Kong Fang didn't know how to answer the question for a while.
