Chapter 48 What kind of bandits are so rampant?

Su Ying's words left the two of them silent.

Hu Erlang tapped his hand lightly on the table as he pondered. "What the lady said makes sense! This wasn't invented by us. Stealing someone else's invention and using it as a tool for making money is truly despicable! Shame on you! Shame on you!"

After calming down, Hu Erlang felt deeply ashamed.

"Boss, we can't earn nothing. We've put in a lot of effort in production and promotion, so it's only fair that we earn some money."

Su Ying was worried that she had fooled Hu Erlang and ended up doing business at a loss.

"No, girl, your words reminded me!" Hu Erlang thought of something more meaningful.

"I have a better idea. Let's make less money and promote it quickly and vigorously!

Wu County is vast and sparsely populated, with low productivity. If the Jiangdong plow is widely promoted and popularized, it will quickly increase the labor force and increase the efforts to reclaim wasteland. I believe that in the near future, the amount of fertile land will gradually increase!"

"The boss is far-sighted, and the people of Wu County are blessed!" Su Ying gave a compliment at the right time. The young man who cares about the people deserves great encouragement and praise.

"Don't laugh at me, girl. Business is business. Ultimately, I just don't want outsiders to make the money! The people benefiting is just a by-product." Hu Erlang said modestly.

"Boom, boom, boom!" The sound of drums could be heard faintly from outside.

"Oh my!" Su Ying suddenly panicked, "The city is about to close! Shopkeeper Zhu, let's go quickly!"

"Let's go, I'll see the girl off!" Hu Erlang stood up and personally saw Su Ying off.

As soon as I walked out of the reception room, I saw a middle-aged man running towards me in a hurry. The front of his official uniform was tied around his waist, and he was wearing a pair of hemp shoes that were stained with mud.

There was a man who looked like a legal advisor following closely behind him.

"Erlang, wait a minute!" the middle-aged man shouted.

Hu Erlang stopped and said, "Aye!"

"Erlang, who painted this?" A middle-aged man without a crown came rushing out of the study, a little out of breath.

"Yes, it's this girl!" Hu Erlang replied.

County Magistrate Hu looked at Su Ying.

"Greetings, Lord Hu!" Su Ying raised her hand and bowed, performing the male salute.

"Girl, could you explain this Jiangdong plow in detail?" County Magistrate Hu was eager to learn.

"Uh, sir, the closing drum has sounded. My family and I have agreed to meet outside the South Gate..." Su Ying said in embarrassment.

Closing the gates at 2:00 PM in the Tang Dynasty was really too early, but in modern times, the city gates are closed at 1:30 PM!

"No problem, I'll have someone issue you a warrant later." County Magistrate Hu thought it was no big deal. "Come, please move over, young lady, and tell me more about this Jiangdong plow."

The group returned to the reception room and sat down as host and guest.

"How did you come up with this design?" After listening to Su Ying's detailed explanation, County Magistrate Hu marveled at the ingenious idea.

"To be honest with you, Lord Hu, the reason why this plow is called Jiangdong Plow is that it was improved by farmers in the Jiangnan area. I am just a porter." Su Ying said frankly.

"Oh! No wonder Jiangnan is so prosperous, a land of fish and rice! With this Jiangdong plow, I hope Wu County will also be prosperous in the near future!" County Magistrate Hu praised, "Are your ancestors from Jiangnan?"

"No! I am from Chang'an and just arrived in Wu County not long ago." Su Ying replied.

"Just arrived in Wu County?" County Magistrate Hu recalled the fugitives who had arrived a few days ago. "Is it the family of Chang'an County Magistrate Su Bucheng?"

"It's my father!"

"No wonder you have such insight!" County Magistrate Hu suddenly realized, "So you are the daughter of County Magistrate Su!"

Su Bucheng's exile document arrived in Wu County along with others. That day, County Magistrate Hu went to the countryside, and the people under him were relocated to Huanggou Village, Heifeng Township according to the procedures.

After returning, County Magistrate Hu looked through Su Bucheng's file and felt sorry for him.

As a grassroots official, County Magistrate Hu wasn't particularly conscious. He was simply speaking the truth. What was wrong with killing the locusts? Should we just sit back and watch the locusts eat up all the crops?

In fact, many people understand that killing locusts is necessary to protect crops. Although there is theism, eating is also an urgent matter!

Everyone sees the truth but doesn't say anything. They worship the locusts as sacred insects, but they still kill them in private, otherwise they will all starve to death.

County Magistrate Hu believed in his heart that Su Bucheng was a good official, but unfortunately he was unlucky.

Under the emperor's feet, nothing can be hidden.

What the superior likes, the subordinates will follow! The emperor has a problem, and uses locusts to publicize his benevolence and virtue, and he has gained the throne righteously.

The above explanations were given for Su Bucheng's locust extermination. There were explanations for whether the locust plague spread or subsided. In short, Su Bucheng was the one who took the blame, and the emperor was the one who was benevolent and virtuous.

Thinking of this, County Magistrate Hu wanted to meet County Magistrate Su, "Is your father here?"

"Here I am. You should be waiting for me outside the South City Gate." Su Ying replied.

"Oh, then please come and have a seat!" County Magistrate Hu said enthusiastically, "Someone, go to the South City Gate and invite Mr. Su over!"

"Yes!" A servant went to convey the order.

County Magistrate Hu was an official of the previous dynasty. Wu County was really poor, and the previous county magistrate resigned from his post, and no one was willing to take over.

The boss had no choice but to select the honest household official Hu Sansi from among the various officials in the Wu County government office to be the county magistrate and take charge of Wu County.

Soon, the previous dynasty perished and the new dynasty was established. County Magistrate Hu continued to serve in the position and served in this position for more than ten years.

The taxes here are not collected in full every year, and the superiors reprimand them every year, so no one is willing to take up the position here.

Whoever comes here will be in trouble! What a tough job!

County Magistrate Hu also wanted to change the current situation here and move to another place, but his ability was limited. No matter how hard he tried, he was still as poor as before.

Thanks to the fact that his wife used her dowry to buy a few shops, he was able to barely maintain the family's food, clothing, and dignity.

There is really no purchasing power here, and after deducting costs, the shop doesn't make much profit.

After more than ten years of operation, only the grocery store remains. At this rate of development, it will not be able to sustain for much longer and closing is a matter of time.

By then, I will probably have to resign from my official position, right?

I was just discussing some serious matters with my advisor in the study when a servant came over with blueprints, saying that they were sent by Erlang.

County Magistrate Hu had been dealing with farmers for a long time, so he understood the picture at a glance and was very excited.

After talking with the master for a few words, he became even more convinced that this was a treasure, and hurriedly chased after it, wanting to see who it was.

It turns out that she is Su Bucheng's daughter. Like father, like daughter!

Su Bucheng was the county magistrate of Chang'an County. He had good political achievements and was a capable person.

I think I'm more capable than this girl. Let's have a chat. Maybe we can come up with something! County Magistrate Hu thought happily.

Suddenly, a bailiff came in and whispered mysteriously in the ear of County Magistrate Hu.

"What? They caught the bandits?" County Magistrate Hu was surprised. "Were the bandits so stupid? They were so brazen as to flaunt their stolen goods through the streets?"

"Really? Niu Er and his men captured several men, two of whom were dressed strangely and looked like bandits.

There's a lot of stolen money. I can see it clearly. It's filled two backpacks! "Tsk tsk," the slave said enviously.

Niu Er and his friends have made a fortune, and they can take away a large reward from these stolen money!

"Let's go and see what kind of bandits are so rampant!" County Magistrate Hu stood up and went to the government office. "Erlang, Mr. Su will be here soon. Please greet him for me first!"

"Yes, Aye!" said Hu Erlang.