Chapter 384 The Youth's Passion
Huairou County is in a state of chaos at the moment.
County Magistrate Ma Kun left home early in the morning, saying he was going for an inspection.
"Inspection? I'm afraid the inspection was into a woman's arms." An old official sneered as he looked at the empty county government office.
"Old Wang, let's go." A clerk shouted outside, "It's time to go and receive the grain."
"Coming." The old official responded, turned around and glanced at the lobby, then looked up at the plaque that read "A Clear Mirror Hanging High", spitted and cursed, "They are all birds of a feather!"
The sunlight shines on the ground, reflects on the plaque, and then reflects the plaque back to the ground.
The four words were crooked and looked particularly ugly.
Outside the county government office, after the old official and the clerk left, the doorman lazily leaned against the door, the sun basking leisurely on his body. The wind had stopped, the snow had stopped, it was a good time to take a nap, wasn't it?
A few beggars were squatting diagonally opposite. The old beggar whispered, "He's asleep."
"Climb over the wall?" someone asked.
Zhu Shitai shook his head. "Climbing over the wall is too eye-catching. I think this way..."
He muttered something, and the old beggar slapped him, "What the hell is wrong with your brain? You have so many evil ideas."
"Half of that coin should be given to me."
"Why should I give it to you?"
When the doorman opened his eyes, he saw two beggars walking towards him, pushing each other.
"That family is all dead. I found the money. Why shouldn't I take most of it?"
"Without me keeping watch, you won't be able to spend the money even if you find it!"
"Fuck your mother's fart!"
The two beggars became angrier and angrier as they talked, and they even started fighting.
Snapped!
The doorman was slapped accidentally. The two beggars were stunned and ran away.
"stop!"
Menzi shouted, "You bastard, you hit me and you want to run away? Don't you even look... Stop!"
The doorman chased out, but did not notice that a few beggars quietly entered the county government office.
In the county government office, the clerk on duty was in the duty room. Zhu Shitai took a glance and saw that the man was dozing off with his chin on one hand.
He pointed inside, then outside, and said, "Leave someone here to keep watch."
You bastard, how come you are so skilled?
The old beggar was worried.
I thought, could they be the descendants of the old thief?
The two of them walked outside the hall. Zhu Shitai looked around and saw no one, so he turned around and said, "You keep watch outside..."
"Why shouldn't I go?" the old beggar asked.
"Can you read?" Zhu Shitai asked.
Old beggar: “…”
The lobby was also a bit messy, the floor was muddy and no one had swept it, and there were a lot of documents on the table.
Zhu Shitai walked over and flipped through the books one by one.
After Zhu Shitai used the silver to buy food that day, he felt that he had completed the disaster relief mission and wanted to go home, but when he saw the pitiful victims, he stayed for a few more days to help them.
At first, he planned to go to the county government office to introduce himself and ask the county magistrate to arrange a job for him.
However, outside the county government office, two clerks were heard whispering that some grain had been taken away and that the accounts had to be rechecked to avoid being discovered by the censor.
Zhu Shitai was stunned when he heard this.
He then went to the city gate and waited, counting the number of grain carts delivered in a day and roughly estimating the amount of grain.
He never missed the two porridge distribution events in the city every day. After drinking the thin porridge that was even worse than rice soup, he joined a small group of beggars and asked them how much rice was needed to cook the thin porridge.
After learning the answer, Zhu Shitai checked the food delivered and the daily consumption in the city and came to a conclusion.
——Someone is corrupt!
And the number is huge!
My second uncle once said: Every man has his share of responsibility for the fate of his country!
The boy's blood was ignited. He looked at the victims who were starving for food and those who died on the streets, and he vowed to get to the bottom of this matter.
He flipped through the documents one by one, but none of them were what he wanted.
"Where are the accounts?" Zhu Shitai flipped through the pages faster and faster. He was suddenly startled. "Why would the accounts be placed here?"
He had lived a life of luxury for many years and had no idea about such matters.
"Where will that be?"
Zhu Shitai scratched his head. The old beggar outside was whispering to him, "Have you found it?"
"Right away." Zhu Shitai paced back and forth and suddenly thought of something.
Dad had a booklet that he treasured and didn't allow anyone to read. One time, Zhu Shitai accidentally found his dad lying on the floor of his bedroom, reaching under the bed. He took a peek out of curiosity and found that what his dad had pulled out was the booklet.
"This kind of confidential document will definitely not be kept in the county government office. Otherwise, if someone pursues it, it will become evidence. So... we have no choice but to keep it at home."
The county magistrate's home is right behind the county government office. This has been the rule for many years.
Zhu Shitai quietly reached the backyard.
The county magistrate's house looked quite simple, with only an old servant slowly sweeping the yard.
Zhu Shitai took advantage of his inattention and trotted over from the side at full speed.
He panted slightly and couldn't help but be grateful for the training his second uncle had given him... If it weren't for the training these days, he would have not been able to make it through these days.
Zhu Shitai groped his way outside the bedroom and heard a woman talking inside.
"Put the money in a dark place, don't let anyone see it."
"Don't worry, madam."
Madam is a noble title, but as time passed, wealthy people and even the wives of officials began to call her Madam. The court turned a blind eye, and thus, the number of Madams in the world became a disaster.
"Go!"
A maid came out and looked around. Zhu Shitai, who was hiding on the side, was pressed against the wall, and the potted plant in front of him just blocked him.
The maid left, and soon the woman inside came out. She looked at the sky and sighed, "Why doesn't it rain a little longer?"
Zhu Shitai inexplicably thought of a story his second uncle told him. During a period of heavy snow, three people gathered together to drink: a scholar, a wealthy man, and a businessman. There was a beggar outside the door. Each of the three people recited a poem.
The heavy snow is falling, this is a sign of royal prosperity. If it snows for another three years, why not… The beggar added, “Bullshit!”
Is this what my second uncle meant by "the vulgar meat eaters"?
Zhu Shitai fell into deep thought, then his whole body trembled, and he cursed himself for being stupid and forgetting the important matter.
He groped his way into the bedroom, opened the drawers and searched, but found nothing.
where?
Zhu Shitai searched around but found nothing.
Just when he was feeling extremely desperate, there was a commotion in the front yard. Zhu Shitai's heart tightened, and he knew someone was coming.
go back?
He looked at the bedroom unwillingly, and suddenly remembered that there was a place he had not looked at.
He lay on the ground and reached under the bed.
My father hid the things down there. Will this person...
Zhu Shitai's body suddenly shook, and he touched a thick oil paper bag.
He took out the oil paper bag, opened it and took a look.
What the hell!
The old beggar in front was extremely anxious at this moment and cursed: "That kid actually ran away."
At this moment, someone came up and was talking to the clerk who stayed behind, saying that the county magistrate would be back soon and asked him to prepare hot water.
"What about people?"
The old beggar was so shocked when he heard the footsteps approaching that he looked around and found a door leaning against the wall on the left. He ran over and squatted under it.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer, and the old beggar saw two pairs of feet.
"County Master, the Ministry of Revenue has just sent a sum of money and grain."
"It's been properly stored."
"Yes."
The old beggar heard the county magistrate emphasize the word "appropriately".
"Also, someone in the capital sent a message saying that the places under Chang Wei Bo's charge are all cheering "Long Live His Majesty..."
"Why?"
"It is said that Long Wilbur has done a good job in settling the disaster victims, and the people are at peace."
"Isn't our Huairou safe?"
"Of course it is safe and sound, but there are a very small number of people who are slandering the county lord."
"We'll find a reason to arrest those black sheep later. We just need manpower for post-disaster reconstruction, huh!"
"Yes!"
The two did not enter the lobby, but went to the side hall. They vaguely heard someone saying that an imperial censor was coming and they should be careful.
The old beggar felt relieved and was about to get out when suddenly someone appeared next to him.
He was so frightened that he wanted to scream, but the person covered his mouth and said, "It's me."
Zhu Shitai covered the old beggar's mouth, and the old beggar slowly calmed down. When Zhu Shitai let go of his hand, he whispered, "Did you get it?"
Zhu Shitai patted his bulging chest, and the old beggar was overjoyed, "They said that the imperial censor came to inspect today."
"good chance!"
Zhu Shitai was secretly happy.
At this time, the county magistrate and the man came out of the side hall.
"There is a banquet over there, so I won't be back at noon."
"Your Excellency, I wonder when the censor will arrive!"
"I don't drink."
In the afternoon, more than ten riders entered Huairou County, led by the Imperial Censor Xiao Mo.
County Magistrate Ma Kun came with officials to greet them. I don't know how he managed it, but he looked quite tired.
"It's been a hard journey." Ma Kun said with a smile.
"It's been a hard journey, but the disaster is severe!" Xiao Mo said calmly: "I have been ordered to inspect the disaster. What is the disaster situation in Huairou and how is the disaster relief? Please tell me, County Magistrate Ma."
The porridge shed was right next to it, and a team of soldiers were maintaining order. The victims looked ruddy and calm.
"Since the disaster was discovered, I have brought people with me..."
As Ma Kun tells the story, the image of a diligent and people-loving official comes to life.
Xiao Mo walked into the shed and asked for a pair of chopsticks to stick into the porridge.
"The chopsticks stand upright without falling, good!" Xiao Mo praised: "It is indeed Huairou County that was rated as the best last year!"
"Thank you for the compliment." Ma Kun said modestly. He then said, "The county government has prepared some simple meals. There is no wine or meat, but tofu and dried vegetables are delicious when cooked."
"I'm just hungry."
"He's lying!"
At this time, a group of beggars rushed out from the side alley.
Ma Kun frowned, "Go and have a look!"
Several yamen runners rushed over with sticks in their hands. A young beggar shouted, "Ma Kun embezzled relief money and grain. I have evidence here."
"It just so happens that I will be transferred back to the capital next year..." Ma Kun said with a smile: "I am sorry to make you laugh, Censor Xiao."
——This is a frame-up!
Xiao Mo smiled and said, "I see."
The two looked at each other and smiled in tacit understanding.
The old beggar saw this and whispered, "Boy, they are in the same group!"
"Catch them!" The soldiers also went out.
"Run! Boy!" The old beggar turned and ran.
But when he turned around, he saw Zhu Shitai holding up the oil-paper bag and shouting, "I am Zhu Shitai, the son of Duke Cheng. Who dares to arrest me?"
(End of this chapter)
