Chapter 156: Officials Don’t Maintain Their Offices
Those officials are not stupid, it is impossible for them to focus on Zhao Xing.
This requires someone to set the pace.
As long as someone focuses the impeachment on him, even if others don't do so, my father will think so.
Unfortunately, Luo Hui did not agree, so he had to arrange for someone else to do it.
…………
Although Weishi County is just a county town, it is less than a hundred miles away from Bianjing and is quite prosperous.
Qi Heng, accompanied by Buwei and several maids and guards, left Bian Jing and headed for Weishi County, accompanied by Duke Qi and Princess Pingning.
This was Qi Heng's first time leaving Beijing, and he was not in a hurry. He did not enter Weishi County until the evening of the next day.
"Young master, fortunately we made it in time, otherwise we would have to spend the night outside the city." Buwei looked back at the slowly closing city gate and said with some relief.
Qi Heng got off the carriage when entering the city and walked instead. He was looking at the pedestrians on the street with interest and said with a smile: "It's the same if we stay overnight in a village outside. We can also learn about the local conditions and customs of Weishi County."
"Young master, are we going to the county government office now?" Buwei asked.
"Let's not go to the county government office first. Let's find an inn to stay for one night and talk about it tomorrow." Qi Heng said.
Buwei didn't say much after hearing this, and the group found a nice inn to stay in.
The next day, Qi Heng did not go to the county government office, but took Buwei to play in the city.
"Sir, what's so fun about this small county town?"
After walking around for a while, I felt it was a bit boring.
Weishi County is close to Bianjing. Everything that Weishi County has is also available in Bianjing, and things that Weishi County does not have are also available in Bianjing.
Because the distance is not far and the customs and culture are not much different, I really don’t understand what is so interesting about visiting here.
"Your Highness often says that for many things, people see them differently depending on their identities." Qi Heng said with a smile.
Buwei scratched his head, not understanding some of it.
Qi Heng had no intention of explaining. He was not traveling for fun, but to understand the situation in Weishi County.
After he takes over as the county magistrate, he doesn't know how many eyes will be staring at him, and what he sees by then may be what others want him to see.
The weather is hot now, and Qi Heng is sweating profusely after walking for a while.
Even if I didn't advise him to rest, he wouldn't listen.
It was almost noon when Qi Heng stopped strolling and returned to the inn.
When the weather got a little cooler in the afternoon, he took Buwei out of the inn again.
After a day's tour, he had a good impression of Weishi County and did not find any major problems, only some minor ones that were not serious.
As a result, Qi Heng became more confident in governing Weishi County as the county magistrate.
I returned to the inn in the evening, washed and rested early, preparing to go to the county government to take up my post early the next morning.
While Qi Heng was resting, in the main hall of a house covering an area of more than ten acres in the east of Weishi County, seven or eight men of different ages were drinking with beauties in their arms.
At this time, a servant came in, went around the side, came to the middle-aged man sitting in the main seat, and whispered something in his ear.
After listening to this, the middle-aged man waved his hand, and the servant bowed and left.
"Clap!"
The middle-aged man clapped his hands, and the eyes of those who were flirting with the woman in his arms were drawn to him.
"You go down first." The middle-aged man said to the woman in his arms.
"Yes!"
Several women stood up, bowed, and left.
"Everyone, if you like, you can take it back with you when you go back with your beauty. But now we should talk about business." The middle-aged man at the head smiled and said, "Our new county magistrate has returned to the inn to rest. He will probably take office tomorrow."
"Haha, I heard that our new county magistrate is the son of a nobleman, so he is easy to fool." "That's right, he even went on a secret visit, but he was discovered as soon as he entered the city."
"These lords' children are like this, they have high expectations but low skills."
"This is a good arrangement by Master Huang."
Everyone started talking at once, and their words showed disdain for Qi Heng.
The middle-aged man at the top, the man called Mr. Huang, had a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. He pressed his hand and said, "Don't be careless, everyone. After all, the new county magistrate is of noble status, so we should be more careful. And I got a message that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ordered all counties to check the land. As the saying goes, if the sky falls, there is someone taller to hold it up. Our new county magistrate is of noble status, isn't he taller? Everyone must give the new county magistrate enough face and not make any mistakes."
"Don't worry, Master Huang. If the new county magistrate has any instructions, we will do it."
…………
The next morning, Qi Heng packed up and went to the county government office with his servants.
Without going forward to verify his identity, the bailiff at the door hurried in to report.
After a while, County Magistrate Huang Xuan led officials of all ranks in Weishi County to hurried out to greet them.
"I am Huang Xuan, the county magistrate of Weishi County. I wonder if the county magistrate could let me see the appointment document?" Huang Xuan said.
"It's my duty." Qi Heng nodded slightly and asked Buwei to take out the appointment document.
Huang Xuan carefully checked it, returned it, and bowed, saying, "It's my duty, I hope the county magistrate will not blame me."
"What County Magistrate Huang said is nonsense. Identity must be verified." Qi Heng said nonchalantly.
Huang Xuan welcomed Qi Heng in with a smile, and came to the county magistrate's official residence, where he introduced all the officials one by one.
"I wonder if the county magistrate has found a place to live?" Huang Xuan asked.
"Don't the county government have accommodation? I can just live in the county government." Qi Heng said.
"This..." Huang Xuan said with embarrassment, "But the county government office has been in disrepair for a long time. I am afraid that the county magistrate will be wronged. How about you stay at my house temporarily, and I will have someone repair the backyard of the county government office."
"No need, as long as there is a place to shelter from the wind and rain." Qi Heng waved his hand.
He just took office and he resigned from his office. If this got out, what would the people of Weishi County think of him?
Huang Xuan tried to persuade him again, but when he saw Qi Heng insisted, he stopped persuading him and said, "The county magistrate has just arrived. Several of our colleagues will host a banquet to welcome him at noon. Please do me a favor, county magistrate."
"I should be the one inviting everyone. I have just taken office and I don't know anything. I still need your help." Qi Heng said.
"You are too polite, sir. We will definitely treat you to the first meal. If you want to treat us in the future, there will be plenty of opportunities."
"Yes, sir, this is a welcome party for you, how can it be yours?"
Seeing everyone persuading him, Qi Heng agreed.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, they agreed to have lunch together at noon. Huang Xuan and his companions left after leaving a clerk to await Qi Heng's orders.
When Qi Heng followed the clerk to the back court, he was surprised.
The ground behind the yamen was overgrown with weeds and the houses were dilapidated.
Qi Heng had heard from Huang Xuan that the county government office had been in disrepair for a long time, so he was mentally prepared, but he didn't expect it to be so dilapidated.
Qi Heng didn't know that there was a saying in the local officialdom that officials should not maintain their offices.
Because officials do not stay in one place for long, no one will repair the government offices, whether to show that they are honest or to embezzle the money.
"Sir, how can we live in such a shabby house? How about we go and rent a courtyard nearby?" Buwei said.
"No need, you take some people to clean it up." Qi Heng came back to his senses and shook his head.
He had already said that he wanted to live in the county government office, so how could he just give up like that?
Buwei opened his mouth, but seeing Qi Heng's determined face, he could only answer, "Yes!"
(End of this chapter)