Chapter 21 Prime Minister Zhuge Liang is coming?
Although there are only seven yamen runners in Songyang County now, they can still keep things busy. Jiang Ge only needs to do the magistrate's arrangements and deployments. She doesn't need to worry about the rest. After all, Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao are not to be trifled with. When the two of them stand at the city gate, apart from the fear the people had a few days ago, they are now familiar with the two of them and are no longer afraid of them. On the contrary, they feel a great sense of security when they see their figures.
How can one not feel safe?
This is a general who can defeat ten thousand men on the battlefield.
With the safety issue in the county town resolved, the next issue is survival.
As she was thinking, her gaze fell on a pile of soybeans in the yard. These were old soybeans that Magistrate Xu had taken out of the warehouse a few days ago, and she wanted to dry them to remove the musty smell.
Magistrate Xu originally intended to cook some bean rice, but looking at this huge pile of soybeans, Jiang Ge suddenly had a flash of inspiration—why not teach the people how to make tofu?
Tofu, a nutritious and inexpensive food, is not only easy to make but also allows for the creation of many other dishes, such as dried tofu, tofu pudding, and tofu skin. Teaching people how to make tofu could not only solve some of their food problems but also open up new avenues for their livelihoods.
With this in mind, Jiang Ge immediately took action. She summoned Erwang and the others from the county government office, instructing them to soak the soybeans first, and then notify the nearby people to learn how to make tofu.
Just as he gave the order, Magistrate Xu rushed over and said, "Sir, someone has reported to the authorities."
Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao were also alerted and came over.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ge, Yuchi Jingde, and Qin Shubao exchanged a glance, and without further ado, the two spontaneously followed behind her.
This was the first case she had handled since becoming the county magistrate.
In the courtroom of Songyang County, Jiang Ge sat upright behind his desk, a vermilion brush in his hand, his gaze calmly sweeping over the two men kneeling below. One was an old man with a wrinkled face, the other a well-dressed middle-aged man. The two were arguing back and forth, their voices growing louder and louder, almost enough to lift the roof off.
"Silence!" Jiang Ge gently tapped the gavel; his voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable authority.
The room fell silent immediately.
Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao stood on either side of the courtroom, holding fire and water sticks, looking imposing.
"Court is now in session!" Jiang Ge struck the gavel.
"Majesty!" Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao shouted in unison, their voices so loud that the people below covered their ears.
Jiang Ge couldn't help but chuckle and coughed lightly: "Generals, could you please keep your voices down?"
Yuchi Jingde scratched his head and said with a simple smile, "Sorry, we're used to shouting slogans on the battlefield."
Qin Shubao also smiled and said, "Magistrate Jiang, don't worry, we will definitely pay attention next time."
Jiang Ge nodded slightly, his tone calm: "Which of you two will speak first, and tell me what exactly happened?"
The old man rushed forward, trembling as he kowtowed, his voice hoarse: "Your Honor, you must do justice for me! This Li Fugui, he... he stole my land! The land I just finished cultivating was taken by him!"
"Nonsense!" Li Fugui retorted immediately, his face full of indignation. "Magistrate Jiang, don't listen to his nonsense! That piece of land was clearly passed down from my ancestors. This old man just appeared out of nowhere and insists it's his!"
Django raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting between the two men: "Oh? Do you have land deeds?"
The old man hurriedly pulled out a yellowed piece of paper from his pocket and presented it with both hands: "Yes! Yes! This is my land deed, please take a look, sir!"
Not to be outdone, Li Fugui pulled out a brand-new document from his sleeve: "Sir, this is my land deed, please take a look!"
Jiang Ge took the two land deeds, compared them carefully, and frowned slightly. Both deeds were for the same piece of land, but the old man's deed was obviously very old, the paper was yellowed, and the edges were damaged; while Li Fugui's deed was brand new, the ink was clear, and it was obviously written recently.
“Li Fugui,” Jiang Ge looked up at him, “when was this land deed written?”
Li Fugui was taken aback, then replied, "Your Excellency, this was written last year. My ancestors have always owned this land, but the land deed was lost, and it was only renewed last year."
"Oh?" Jiang Ge looked at him with a half-smile. "When did your ancestors acquire this land?"
Li Fugui stammered, "This... was probably... fifty years ago."
Jiang Ge nodded, then turned to the old man: "Old man, when was this land deed issued?"
The old man quickly replied, "Sir, this was passed down from my ancestors and it's over a hundred years old!"
Jiang Ge smiled slightly, placed the two land deeds on the table, and said calmly, "Li Fugui, your land deed was renewed last year, while the old man's land deed is over a hundred years old. Whom do you think I should believe?"
Li Fugui's expression changed, and he hurriedly explained, "Sir, this old man's land deed must be fake! How could a poor old man like him have a land deed passed down from his ancestors?"
Jiang Ge remained noncommittal, then turned to the old man and asked, "Old man, do you have any witnesses who can prove that this land deed is genuine?"
The old man nodded hurriedly: "Yes! Yes! The village head can testify!"
Jiang Ge nodded and instructed Yuchi Jingde, "Go and invite the old village chief."
Yuchi Jingde nodded, but his eyes trembled as he glanced at Li Fugui.
Before long, the old man was brought to the courtroom.
He was over seventy years old, with white hair and beard, but still very spry. Jiang Ge asked gently, "Old village head, do you know if this old man's land deed is genuine?"
The old village head glanced at the land deed in the old man's hand and nodded: "Your Honor, this land deed is genuine. My ancestors did indeed own this land, and it has been passed down for several generations."
Jiang Ge nodded, then looked at Li Fugui: "Li Fugui, do you have anything else to say?"
Li Fugui's face turned ashen, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Sir, this old village head must have taken bribes from the old man and is deliberately giving false testimony!"
Upon hearing this, the old village headman was so angry that his beard bristled: "You...you're spouting nonsense! The old man's land deed is real, I've seen it with my own eyes!"
Jiang Ge gently tapped the gavel to signal everyone to be quiet: "Li Fugui, if you have no other evidence, this judge can only rule that this land belongs to the old man."
Jiang Ge ignored him and turned to the old man: "Old man, do you have any other evidence to prove that this land deed is genuine?"
The old man thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up: "Sir, I remember now! There are ancestral handprints on the land deed; you can compare them!"
Jiang Ge nodded and instructed the yamen runners: "Go and retrieve the handprint sample from the old man's ancestors."
A short while later, the bailiffs brought over a sample of the old man's ancestral handprints. Jiang Ge carefully compared the handprints on the land deed with the sample and found them to be completely identical.
She looked up at Li Fugui, her tone stern: "Li Fugui, the old man's land deed is genuine, what else do you have to say?"
Li Fugui's face was pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead: "Sir, I...I..."
Jiang Ge sneered, "Li Fugui, you forged land deeds in an attempt to seize other people's land. Your crime is unforgivable! Guards, seize him and take him to jail to await punishment!"
Li Fugui slumped to the ground, his face filled with despair. Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao stepped forward and dragged him away.
Jiang Ge then looked at the old man and said gently, "Old man, this land is yours now. If anyone dares to bully you again, feel free to come to the county government to file a complaint."
The old man was so moved that tears streamed down his face, and he kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Thank you so much, Your Honor! Thank you so much, Your Honor!"
After the case was closed, Jiang Ge walked out of the courtroom and found that the area outside the county government office was already crowded with people. Everyone had heard that Magistrate Jiang was a brilliant judge and had come to watch.
"Magistrate Jiang is truly an upright and just official!"
"Yes, Magistrate Jiang's judgments are fair and just; it's truly a blessing for Songyang County!"
At this moment, 004 didn't forget to pop up some good news.
[The host handled a sudden case in Songyang County, helping an old man reclaim his forcibly seized land. A reward of 500 yuan has been given.]
The next morning, the courtyard of the county government office was crowded with people who came to learn.
When everyone heard that Magistrate Jiang was going to teach them how to make tofu, they all rushed over with curiosity and anticipation. After all, the curved plow that the new magistrate had made before was very useful, and they figured he wouldn't make any mistakes this time either.
Jiang Ge stood in the center of the courtyard, holding a handful of soybeans, and smiled as he said to everyone, "Fellow villagers, today I'm going to teach you how to make a food called tofu. It can not only fill your stomachs, but also earn you money to support your families. You must learn carefully, because once you learn it, it will be your own skill!"
The people nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Just then, Hei Fu, Yuchi Jingde, and Qin Shubao also entered the courtyard.
"Magistrate Jiang, we heard you're going to teach everyone how to make tofu, so we've come to join in the fun," Hei Fu said with a smile, his face full of curiosity.
It's important to know that tofu didn't exist in the Qin Dynasty. The Compendium of Materia Medica records that "the method of making tofu originated with Liu An, the King of Huainan."
Back then, tofu was a tribute item that only the emperor could enjoy, let alone ordinary people.
Neither Yuchi Jingde nor Qin Shubao had ever seen how to make tofu. Tofu only became truly widespread in the late Tang Dynasty.
It's good to learn; it'll add another dish to your repertoire.
Django glanced at them, smiled and nodded: "Great, you can learn from this, maybe it will come in handy in the future."
Before making tofu, you need to grind soybeans to make soy milk.
The soaked soybeans were taken out, and Jiang Ge directed them to move the stone mill to the center of the yard. She poured the soaked soybeans little by little into the hole of the stone mill, then turned the millstone, and milky white soy milk slowly flowed out.
"Look, everyone, this is soy milk," Jiang Ge said, pointing to the flowing soy milk. "When grinding soy milk, you have to take your time and not rush it, so that you can grind it into a fine paste."
The people gathered around the stone mill, watching intently. Hei Fu also came over and asked curiously, "Magistrate Jiang, can this soy milk be drunk directly?"
Jiang Ge shook his head: "Of course not. Raw soy milk must be boiled before it can be consumed. It's good for your health. We need to boil it for a while longer before drinking it. Our goal today is to make tofu, so we need to continue processing it."
The ground soy milk was poured into a large pot, and Django lit the stove to start cooking it. As she stirred, she explained, "You have to stir it constantly while cooking soy milk to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. After it boils, you have to cook it for a little longer to make sure it's fully cooked."
Soon, the aroma of soy milk filled the air, and the people sniffed and exclaimed, "It smells so good!"
The courtyard was filled with the aroma of beans.
Yuchi Jingde couldn't help but move closer to the pot and take a deep breath: "It smells so good, it's still piping hot!"
Jiang Ge smiled and scooped up a bowl of cooked soy milk, handing it to him: "Try it again, cooked soy milk tastes even better."
Qin Shubao took the bowl, eagerly took a sip, and his eyes lit up immediately: "It's even more fragrant now! Magistrate Jiang, you're truly amazing!"
After everyone finished drinking the soy milk, Django began teaching them how to turn it into tofu. She mixed gypsum powder with water and then slowly poured it into the cooked soy milk, stirring constantly as she poured.
"Look, this is the key step in making tofu," Jiang Ge explained. "Gypsum can coagulate the soy milk and turn it into tofu pudding. You have to pour the gypsum water slowly and stir it evenly. This will make the tofu smooth."
The people gathered around the pot, watching in amazement as the soy milk gradually solidified into tofu pudding. Hei Fu couldn't help but ask, "Magistrate Jiang, can we eat this tofu pudding now?"
No matter what Django does, Haf wants to know if it's an order from the general.
Django smiled and nodded: "Of course, tofu pudding is also a delicious dish. However, we're making tofu today, so we'll need to process it further."
Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao also came over, looking at the tofu pudding that was gradually solidifying, and couldn't help but sigh, "This tofu pudding looks really good, I wonder how it tastes."
Jiang Ge scooped up a bowl of tofu pudding and handed it to them: "Try this tofu pudding."
The three of them took the bowl, carefully took a bite, and their eyes lit up immediately. It was as if they had swallowed something, but it didn't feel like they had swallowed anything; it had a soft and tender texture.
The tofu pudding was poured into a wooden frame lined with gauze. Django wrapped the gauze around the tofu pudding and then placed a wooden board and several stones on top of it.
"When pressing tofu, you need to apply even pressure. The tighter you press, the firmer the tofu will be," Jiang Ge explained as he worked. "After pressing for about half an hour, the tofu will be ready."
Watching Jiang Ge's skillful movements, the people were eager to try it themselves. Hei Fu couldn't help but ask, "Magistrate Jiang, may we give it a try?"
Django smiled and nodded: "Of course, everyone can take turns trying."
Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao also joined in pressing tofu, and the three of them discussed the wonders of tofu as they pressed it.
Half an hour later, Django lifted the gauze, revealing a piece of pure white, delicate tofu. She cut the tofu into small pieces and distributed them to the people to taste.
"Everyone, try this. This is the tofu we make," Jiang Ge said with a smile.
The people took the tofu, carefully took a bite, and their eyes lit up immediately: "Delicious! So tender and smooth!"
Hei Fu, Yuchi Jingde, and Qin Shubao also took the tofu, took a bite, and immediately exclaimed in admiration: "This tofu is so delicious! Magistrate Jiang, you are truly amazing!"
Seeing everyone's satisfied expressions, Jiang Ge felt a sense of accomplishment. She continued, "Tofu can not only be eaten this way, but it can also be made into dried tofu, tofu pudding, tofu skin, and so on. Once you learn how to make tofu, you can not only eat it yourself, but also sell it for money."
The people nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with gratitude. An old woman grasped Jiang Ge's hand and said excitedly, "Magistrate Jiang, you are truly our benefactor! With this skill, our lives will be so much easier from now on!"
Jiang Ge smiled and patted her hand, saying, "Auntie, don't be so polite. As long as everyone is willing to learn and work hard, life will definitely get better and better."
No sooner had I finished speaking than a "ding" sounded, indicating that there was another job posting available.
The position being advertised is Clerk, responsible for assisting with document management and criminal cases. This position is considered a leadership role, and I wonder who is on the list of candidates.
Django quickly went back to his room to look at the list.
"Zhuge Liang."
Era: Three Kingdoms.
Position: Prime Minister.
The moment this first person appeared, Django was captivated, and he had to exert all his strength to stop himself from clicking to send the offer letter.
This is Zhuge Liang!
Good heavens, the Prime Minister is coming? Is this a joke?
A note from the author:
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Hehe, based on the clicks, I noticed that people don't seem to really enjoy farming-themed content, so I've moved up the recruitment of Zhuge Liang to facilitate the development of Songyang County. I'll update more frequently later, updating according to the rankings before it becomes a paid feature [cheers!]. Please add it to your favorites; I'll release a huge update after it becomes a paid feature [praise!].
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