Chapter 88: Li Zhongling, Mr. Xie
Chapter 88 Leaving Zhongling, Xie Gongzi
At midnight that night, a major event occurred in Zhongling County.
Nearly a hundred well-equipped “bandits” rushed to the city, and after a “battle” with the officers and soldiers, they broke into the city for the first time, and then they started a lot of looting and burning.
Almost all the wealthy merchants in the city were attacked. Although they also resisted, ordinary servants and guards were no match for this group of bandits. In the end, every household suffered heavy losses, and some even had their heads of households killed.
This sudden catastrophe did not last long. In less than an hour, the bandits left the county town shouting and threatening to come back when they ran out of money. There
were cries and curses, and the whole Zhongling City did not sleep all night.
It was not until the next morning that these wealthy merchants who suffered losses barely cleaned up the mess at home and ran to the gate of the county government to ask for an explanation.
”My son! You died so tragically! Your father must personally kill that bandit to avenge you!”
”Where is Magistrate Wang?! We want to see him!”
”What are the officers and soldiers for?! They can’t even deal with a few dozen bandits?!”
”Master, don’t worry! I will never let you die so miserably!”
”Woo woo, my property…”
”Boom boom boom! Boom boom boom!”
The drum at the gate of the county government office was almost broken by the hammer, and more and more people gathered in the open space outside the gate.
However, if someone is interested, it is not difficult to see that all those who came to sue the officials and seek justice are the wealthy families in the city, and there is no ordinary people.
Of course, this is also reasonable. After all, it is “not easy” for bandits to enter the city to rob, and they will definitely not waste time on small families with little money.
”Squeak~”
Amid the earth-shaking wails of the crowd, the gate of the county government office was finally pushed open by two bruised and swollen yamen runners, but the person standing behind the door was not the county magistrate, but a white-haired old man.
”Master! Where is Magistrate Wang!”
Someone immediately asked loudly, “Such a big thing as the bandits entering the city! Don’t tell us that he doesn’t know!”
”Let Master Wang come out! We want to ask him for an explanation in person!”
”He doesn’t want to be a coward! If this matter is not resolved well, we will report it to the county government!”
”Everyone! Everyone! Listen to me first!”
Facing a group of doubts, the white-haired old man shouted in a deep voice with a face full of “sorrow”: “Master Wang personally led his troops to fight the bandits last night, but unfortunately he was injured by a palm from the bandits. At this moment, he really can’t even get out of bed!”
”Just tell me what you have to say!”
”What? Do I need to ask?!”
Someone shouted sternly: “Of course, the government wants us to compensate for our losses last night! And we must send troops to arrest all the bandits who committed the crime!”
”Yes!” ”
That’s right!”
This person’s statement immediately received a response, and the white-haired master was not in a hurry to speak. He waited until everyone was tired of shouting before smiling bitterly:
”Everyone, you are all from Zhongling County, and you should know the situation in this county best.”
”The bandit problem has continued for years. If the government could really suppress it, why would it have waited until today?”
”In fact, the bandits never entered the city before, not because they were afraid of the government, but because we were lucky!”
”But now the villages around the county have been plundered by them. I’m afraid that this county will often be invaded by bandits in the future…”
The master’s words were not only a complaint, but also conveyed a very clear message –
the government can’t control the bandit problem, so let it be.
Of course, everyone couldn’t agree with such an irresponsible attitude. For a while, the angry rebukes were even louder than before.
”What?! Is this what the government said to us?!”
”Lord Wang is the parent official of Zhongling! Just put the people in dire straits like this? It’s simply the biggest absurdity in the world!”
”Humph! Folks! Since Lord Wang doesn’t care, at worst we can go to the state government to file a complaint!”
”…”
Listening to the threatening words, the white-haired master shook his head helplessly, sighing in his heart that a kind person is bullied and a good horse is ridden.
It’s not uncommon for the people to sue the officials in other places, but at least they are all done secretly. How can they dare to threaten openly like now?
But this can’t be blamed on others. If anyone is to blame, it can only be blamed on his own master for being too weak and thinking too much about the “people” in everything…
Keeping in mind what Wei Changtian told him, the master waited for a while and felt that the time was almost right. Then he bowed to everyone and said helplessly:
”Everyone, I won’t hide it from you now.”
”In fact, you don’t have to sue. The county magistrate feels that he has let down the elders and villagers of Zhongling, and he is ready to resign and return home.”
”Once Lord Wang leaves, it will take at least a year and a half before the next county magistrate comes. Even if the new official comes, can he definitely suppress this bandit?”
”Everyone, listen to my advice.”
”There will be no peace in Zhongling County from now on. You… should pack up and leave early!”
”…”
This time, there was no quarrel, no anger, no dissatisfaction.
After the master said these words, all the people blocking the door were dumbfounded.
They never thought that the tall and thin county magistrate who never lost his temper would resign and leave like this!
They didn’t need to sue the state government, he would quit first!
But the county magistrate can leave, but they can’t!
These people’s family businesses are all in Zhongling. Who would be willing to give up the good life and run to a new place where they are unfamiliar with to start over?
But if they don’t leave… do they have to wait here for the bandits to rob and kill them again and again?
”The county magistrate can’t leave! I, I am willing to donate silver to suppress the bandits!”
Someone suddenly shouted, and after a brief silence, the response sounded instantly.
”Yes, yes, yes! Lord Wang cannot resign! My Liu family is also willing to donate money!”
”Didn’t the county magistrate say before that as long as there is money, the state government can send troops to suppress the bandits? Let’s collect the money! We must not give Zhongling County to the bandits!”
”That’s right! Good officials like County Magistrate Wang are hard to find in the world! My Jia family is also willing to take the money!”
”Wanchang Rice Shop is also willing!”
”For my dead son! I will donate too!”
”All donate! We will all donate…”
”…”
The scene in front of the county government suddenly changed. The group of people who were just indignant and wanted to ask for an explanation instantly turned into good citizens with a sense of social responsibility, and they all rushed to express their willingness to donate money to suppress the bandits.
The lawyer looked at all this, marveling at the ingenuity of Mr. Wei, but his face showed embarrassment.
”Everyone, you are… that’s all! Then I will inform the county magistrate of this matter and let him decide…”
”Master! You must persuade the county magistrate not to resign!”
”Yes! Money can be negotiated! This position cannot be resigned!”
”It was our fault that we didn’t want to donate money to suppress the bandits before! Please tell the county magistrate that we have realized our mistakes…”
”Okay, okay, I will tell you the truth…”
The white-haired master was dealing with everyone while waving to the yamen runner next to him.
The latter immediately retreated quietly upon seeing this, and soon a rider came out of the back door of the county yamen and headed straight to the south of the city.
…
A quarter of an hour later.
On the official road in the south of the city, more than a hundred green-armored soldiers stood grimly, and the thin county magistrate knelt down in front of Liang Zhen and Wei Changtian with snot and tears, and finally several people helped him up.
”Lord Liang! Young Master…”
”I really don’t know what to say. Such a great favor will be remembered by the people of Zhongling…”
”Hahaha, Lord Wang, you don’t have to be polite. It’s just a small favor.”
Liang Zhen laughed twice, and it can be seen that he was in a very good mood: “Since those wealthy businessmen are willing to donate money, then we should set off. Lord Wang, you don’t have to see us off. We will meet again in the future.”
”Lord Liang… I have another unwelcome request.”
The thin county magistrate looked at Wei Changtian and asked very seriously: “Forgive me for being so presumptuous, may I ask your name?”
”…”
Wei Changtian was slightly stunned, and then generously introduced himself: “The Wei family in Beijing, Wei Changtian.”
”Young Master Wei, thank you… What!”
The thin county magistrate suddenly trembled all over, and was stunned in place for a moment.
”You, you are the one…”
”Yes.”
Wei Changtian was not surprised that the thin county magistrate would have such a reaction. He smiled and looked at Liang Zhen and prepared to get in the car and leave.
However, after he took a few steps, he suddenly turned around and asked loudly:
”Lord Wang, I know you are an honest official, but I don’t know whether you serve as an official for the people or for your own reputation?”
”Of course it is for…”
The thin county magistrate came to his senses and subconsciously wanted to answer, but he never said the second half of the sentence.
”Da Da Da” the rapid sound of horse hooves sounded, announcing the end of a small episode of Wei Changtian and others heading south to Shuzhou.
The thin county magistrate was stunned for a long time, and suddenly straightened his hunched body and brushed off the dust on his tattered official uniform.
He stretched out his arms forward as if holding a ring, raised his hands to his forehead, and bowed deeply to the dust rising from the road.
”Thank you, young master.”
(End of this chapter)
