Chapter 336: The Scheming of the Little People
When the court was arguing endlessly in the Changping newspaper about the issue of government clerks and yamen runners, and it seemed to be turning into a major debate.

Because Zhang Juzheng temporarily suppressed the document from the Ministry of Personnel that he had already obtained.

There have been no changes in Shunyi County.

But the wind started.

These minor officials in the government were still keenly aware of the change in wind direction.

This day.

It’s the Double Ninth Festival.

This should be a day for families to climb high places, look far into the distance, respect the elderly and reunite.

But the Shunyi County Government was still busy as usual.

According to the official document sent by Shuntian Prefecture, the first batch of conscripted civilians were sent to the river to dig and clear the river in preparation for building a canal that could accommodate official ships of a capacity of 1,000 tons.

However, the number of people serving in the army still did not reach the one-third of the households in the county required by Shuntian Prefecture.

Early.

Wu Zhuang, the accountant of the household department, hurried into the yamen from outside.

He first went to the workshop to find Sun Zhaodong, and then the two of them went into the clerk's office and stopped Zhang Qi who was about to go out.

"problem occurs!"

Wu Zhuang looked anxious.

Without waiting for Zhang Qi to ask, Wu Zhuang handed Zhang Qi a newspaper tucked under his arm.

Wu Zhuang frowned and said, "The discussion about the clerks and runners in the government is getting louder and louder in the court, and all parties are arguing endlessly. Today's edition of Changping Newspaper is full of articles about clerks and runners from beginning to end."

past.

The regular front-page articles of Changping Daily are basically articles by three old gentlemen, Nie Bao, or great scholars discussing Confucian classics, followed by anecdotes from various places, and debates on a previous article.

Ever since the article “Investigation Report on Clerks and Yamen Runners in the Imperial Dynasty” was published, the pages of Changping Daily began to include more and more debates on this matter.

Thanks to the channels established in the south by the Jinyiwei under Lu Yi's command, debate articles on this matter in the south quickly flooded into Changping Academy and were then selected and published.

But today.

This latest copy of Changping Daily is actually filled with articles discussing clerks and yamen runners.

Zhang Qi, a clerk in the Shunyi County Clerk's Office, quickly flipped through the Changping newspaper handed to him by Wu Zhuang. With every page he turned, Zhang Qi's brows grew more solemn.

At last.

Zhang Qi slammed the newspaper shut and slammed it on the table beside him.

"Oh no!"

In just a moment, Zhang Qi understood the current situation.

He turned his head and glanced at the Lifang Office.

Because Shunyi County was recently responsible for the task of digging a canal, most people in the yamen were busy outside.

Today, there are only three of them in the Lifang Office.

Zhang Qi quickly closed the door of the government office and pulled Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong to sit down.

He looked at Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong.

"Have any bad guys in the village below filed a complaint recently?"

It is naturally impossible for everyone to be willing to pay the money they secretly collected from ICBC and ICBC.

If someone is unwilling, there will be resentment in his heart.

There is resentment.

Naturally, someone would come to the government office to file a complaint.

Sun Zhaodong from the workshop nodded immediately: "Of course, I have been keeping an eye on this matter, but it has been suppressed by the chief clerk and the registrar."

The magistrate was a newcomer. When he first took office, he had a fight with the Shunyi County government. In the end, he lost all his ambition and ended up living in the courtyard of a young lady in the east of the city.

As for the county magistrate, he is alone and cannot do anything. Even if he wants to fight for power, he still needs to be able to get the information.

Zhang Qi frowned and tapped the table with his fingers.

Just when Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong were becoming more and more anxious.

Zhang Qi suddenly said, "We have to find a scapegoat for our problem!"

As he spoke, Zhang Qi's eyes swept over Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong.

The two of them were shocked.

You don't want to be the scapegoat, do you?

Zhang Qi smiled and said, "Don't worry, the three of us and others are involved in this matter. We also have the chief clerk and the registrar above us, so we will naturally share the honor and disgrace together. No one can think of having it all to ourselves."

Wu Zhuang was slightly relieved and said in a deep voice: "The court is discussing this matter. I think we will have to make a big effort to rectify it. The governor of Shuntian Prefecture is not an easy person to deal with. He came from the cabinet. He must be hoping to make a great contribution so that he can return to the cabinet."

Sun Zhaodong even spat in public: "Bah! Does he want to take credit for our crimes?"

Wu Zhuang glanced over sideways.

He snorted twice, "Shuntian Prefecture has not said anything until today, so they must be holding back something big. No matter what, we can't let him find any evidence against us!"

"That's why we have to take the initiative to expose this matter and give him a scapegoat."

Zhang Qi's tone was gloomy and his eyes turned away.

But he thought of the past of Zhang Juzheng, the current prefect of Shuntian Prefecture.

He used to work in the cabinet.

Can they get along well with each other?

Once the matter of ICBC and ICBC Express they had done in Shunyi County was exposed.

Zhang Qi couldn't help feeling a chill on the back of his neck.

"He Bo Suo!"

Zhang Qi suddenly slammed his hands on the table, which startled Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong.

The two looked at each other.

Zhang Qi explained: "The horse soldier from Hebo Station flattered the county magistrate when he took office last year. The bastard Zhao in the east of the city was introduced to the county magistrate by the horse soldier."

Sun Zhaodong immediately leaned forward and stretched his head: "What you mean is..."

Wu Zhuang also looked at him expectantly.

Under the gaze of the two, Zhang Qi said gloomily, "Ma Bing is in charge of the Hebo Office. This incident involves the government's order to dig a canal. At the suggestion of the county magistrate, he used the power of the Hebo Office to exploit the people and curry favor with the county magistrate. We saw what was going on and didn't want to be involved, so we reported him for breaking the law!"

This is to put the blame firmly on the cavalry of the Hebo Station in Shunyi County.

By the way, the magistrate of Shunyi was also involved.

Wu Zhuang's eyes lit up: "Right, right, right! Who would dare to exploit the people's money and grain without the county magistrate's instructions? His cavalry and the county magistrate colluded with each other to exploit the people. It's really abominable!"

Sun Zhaodong stood up immediately.

Wu Zhuang raised his head and looked over: "What do you want to do?"

Sun Zhaodong raised his eyebrows and said, "Since his cavalry is illegal, his family must have hidden silver. I will go to his house and take some silver to hide it."

Zhang Qi half stood up, stretched out his hand and pulled Sun Zhaodong back to sit down.

Seeing Sun Zhaodong frowning and looking puzzled.

Zhang Qi said, "There's no rush for this matter. We can go tonight. Now there's another thing to do..."

"What's the matter?"

Sun Zhaodong, who was pulled back, immediately started asking.

Zhang Qi poured a cup of tea for the three of them. After taking a sip of the tea, he said, "In addition to Ma Bing's house, we also need to hide some silver in that bitch Zhao's yard..."

After hearing Zhang Qi's arrangement, Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong looked at each other, both of them showing admiration in their eyes.

"Okay!"

"This is a good idea!"

"As long as we find the silver from that bitch's house, not only will our magistrate's affair be exposed, but he will also be held responsible for exploiting the people."

"Then let's do it!"

Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong let out a low cry, their faces lit up.

Zhang Qi waved his hand: "It's not over yet."

"Isn't it over yet?"

Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong immediately looked at Zhang Qi again.

Sun Zhaodong was anxious: "If you have something to say, just say it all at once. You are keeping me in suspense and it is really frustrating!"

As he spoke, Sun Zhaodong picked up the teacup, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp like a cow.

Zhang Qi, however, leisurely poured a cup of tea for Sun Zhaodong.

Then he said, "Before nightfall, the two of you should find a few trustworthy people outside the government office. After you hide the silver tonight, have them come to the county government office to file a complaint tomorrow. Then we will immediately bring people to investigate and find the silver. This matter will be a solid case!"

I saw Zhang Qi finally finished speaking.

Sun Zhaodong got off the stool, but he didn't forget to look at Zhang Qi: "Are you done?"

Zhang Qi nodded: "That's all."

Sun Zhaodong then stood up completely: "Then I'll do it now!"

Wu Zhuang also stood up: "I'll follow."

Zhang Qi nodded: "I will go to the classroom to inform them that we must catch Ma Bing red-handed tomorrow and arrest him in public!"...

Suzhou Prefecture is thousands of miles away from Beijing.

Hai Rui, who was granted the title of Governor of Yingtian, went to Nanjing to take up his post without going there first, under the protection of Wang Chao, Ma Han, Zhang Long and Zhao Hu.

After he sailed from the Yangzhou Canal into the Yangtze River waterway, he ordered the official ships to go downstream directly to Suzhou Prefecture.

Hai Rui did not make any announcement along the way. It was not until he entered the Grain Inspectorate Office in Suzhou Prefecture that he sent letters to various government offices in Suzhou City to inform them of the latest imperial edict.

The people in Jiangnan had already received news about the imperial court's latest appointment as the Yingtian governor.

The officials of Suzhou Prefecture were puzzled as to why Hai Rui did not go to Nanjing but came to Suzhou Prefecture first when taking up his post.

But when the officials met the new superior.

Hai Rui, however, acted decisively and publicly announced the first thing he did after taking office as the governor of Yingtian.

That is to investigate the conduct of government officials in the counties of Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures.

The officials of Suzhou Prefecture had not yet reacted, and the people of Songjiang Prefecture didn't even know the news.

Hai Rui raised another banner and invited Xu Wenbi, the tax collector supervisor.

When the officials of Suzhou Prefecture did not know how to investigate the clerks and yamen runners under their jurisdiction.

Xu Wenbi has already started to take over this matter with his tax soldiers.

Hai Rui's move naturally aroused dissatisfaction among officials of Suzhou Prefecture.

It is true that you, Hai Rui, are the governor of Yingtian.

It is true that we are now under your command.

But we need to investigate the clerks and servants in various government offices. Can't we do this ourselves?

Why do we need to hire the irrelevant tax soldiers from next door to do this?
This is a lack of trust in us!

However, Hai Rui had the imperial edict in his hand, and also a letter from the chief minister of the cabinet allowing the tax and military offices to assist Hai Rui.

The officials of Suzhou Prefecture were completely speechless.

Looking at the tax soldiers who were as ferocious as wolves and tigers and had been so powerful recently in the territories of Suzhou and Songjiang, the officials of Suzhou Prefecture wisely chose to remain silent. Afterwards, they quietly reminded their trusted clerks and runners to be careful of Hai Rui's fire that might burn them.

But Hai Rui's fire was really burning.

In just a few days, Xu Wenbi and his men uncovered the illegal activities of the clerks and servants in the Suzhou government office.

Then, the tax collectors extorted large amounts of money from illegal clerks and runners in front of the officials of Suzhou Prefecture.

In one day.

More than one hundred clerks and runners in Suzhou Prefecture were detained in the Grain Supervisory Office.

As for Songjiang Prefecture, it was heard that the situation had become even bigger. Several times more clerks and yamen runners than those of Suzhou Prefecture were being captured by the tax soldiers and were being escorted to the Grain Supervision Office in Suzhou Prefecture.

At this time, Hai Rui's memorial was also sent directly to the capital at an express speed of 800 miles by a centurion from the Suzhou Prefecture's Jinyiwei.

……

Towards the capital.

Shunyi County.

The cavalry officers of the Hebo Office, as usual, signed their names at the Hebo Office, and then went to the river with a few of their men.

Although digging the canal was an assignment from Shuntian Prefecture and most matters were handled by the county government, he was an official at the River and Lake Office and still had to keep an eye on matters on the river.

After visiting several construction sites.

When Ma Bing was about to go to the material yard to take another look, people from the yamen rushed over.

Without waiting for Ma Bing to ask, the man told him that he wanted him to return to the yamen to discuss matters concerning the river.

The cavalry did not dare to delay.

Although he had pleased the new county magistrate last year, the new magistrate was weak and incompetent, which made it difficult for him to do his job in the yamen. Now he could only submit and behave himself.

The cavalrymen did not dare to rest all the way back to the yamen.

It is true that the government was discussing the matter of digging a canal on the river.

But it didn't take long.

More officers rushed in from outside.

"It's bad! Some people are blocking the county government office, saying they want the government to do justice!"

This one sentence immediately caused an uproar in the county government office.

Zhang Qi, Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong were also present.

But none of the three spoke.

Instead, someone else asked, "Where is the county magistrate?"

As soon as he finished speaking, silence fell in the government office.

Everyone knows that the county magistrate is not in the county government office now, so he must be in the bed of Mrs. Zhao from the east city!

Sun Zhaodong only spoke at this time: "Where is the county magistrate?"

"The county magistrate is in the back hall!"

Someone responded.

Zhang Qi immediately said, "Go and invite the county magistrate."

Wu Zhuang added: "Please invite the chief clerk and the registrar over!"

immediately.

The crowd rushed out of the government office and arrived outside the yamen.

The cavalry were caught in the middle.

And outside the yamen.

No less than thirty people from Shunyi County gathered at the gate of the government office.

"Please, sir, give us justice!"

"Please, sir, punish the evildoers!"

"Give me justice!"

"..."

When they saw the government officials coming out, the people outside the yamen knelt on the ground and called out to them.

Ma Bing's face changed drastically, and he was at a loss as to what had happened.

Not long after.

The county magistrate, chief clerk, and registrar of Shunyi County were all invited out.

Wang Dianshi stepped forward with a stern face and asked questions.

Soon, the matter came to an end.

Before Ma Bing could react, Wang Dianshi of Shunyi County had already turned around and looked at him coldly.

"Somebody come!"

"Capture the officers and soldiers of the Hebo Station first!"

"How can this county ignore the people's complaints?"

After saying that, several yamen runners immediately stepped forward, as if they had known that the people would cause trouble today. They took the hemp ropes that had been prepared in advance and tied up the cavalrymen.

At this time, the chief clerk of Shunyi County looked at the county magistrate beside him.

"Second Master, this matter should be investigated further. If the people's accusation is true, then this county will certainly not tolerate the corruption and illegality of the petty officials under its jurisdiction."

The magistrate of Shunyi County, who still had no idea what had happened, saw the people kneeling outside the government office, and then looked at the cavalry who had been tied up.

The county magistrate could only sigh, wave his hand and nod: "Check it out!"

"This county will never tolerate any termite breeding lawlessness!"

The chief clerk and the registrar of Shunyi County, both of whom were surnamed Wang, looked at each other.

Zhang Qi, Wu Zhuang and Sun Zhaodong all had smiles on their faces.

The county magistrate has spoken.

Three shifts of yamen runners immediately set out and rushed to Ma Bing's house.

Not long after.

A full thirty taels of silver were seized from Ma Bing's home in public.

It was a lot of trouble.

Surrounded by the chief clerk and the registrar, the magistrate of Shunyi County took the confession of Ma Bing who was taken to prison for interrogation and unexpectedly found one hundred taels of silver under the bed of the wife of the Zhao family in the east of the city.

This is where things come to this.

At least there is a whole story.

The county magistrate of this county instigated the cavalry soldiers from the river and lake to exploit the people and engage in corruption.

The case was solved almost instantly.

The confession and documents were also quickly written.

Without waiting for the drunken county magistrate to react, the bewildered county magistrate could only nod in agreement and send all the documents of the case to Shuntian Prefecture.

…………

Monthly PassMonthly Pass
(End of this chapter)