When Magistrate Qian saw that Lord Zheng had persuaded Colonel Wu to send troops with just a few words, he immediately realized that he had been blind and had mistaken a pearl for a fish eye. At this moment, the County Assistant rushed over, bowed to everyone present, and whispered a few words in Magistrate Qian's ear.
But then the county magistrate's eyes widened as he looked at Zheng Quchi in astonishment.
"Lord Zheng just... went to the disaster relief area?"
Upon hearing his sudden question about this matter, Zheng Quchi knew that the county magistrate had reported her to the authorities. Slightly guilty, she said, "This matter was presumptuous of Quchi, but I also..."
"Qianhe thanks Lord Zheng."
The magistrate's emotional shout startled Zheng Quchi, and he forgot the words of explanation that were on the tip of his tongue.
She raised her hand: "No, you're welcome."
As long as he doesn't mind that she, a craftswoman who knows nothing, is interfering with his duties as county magistrate, that's fine.
"Lord Zheng, you've set a good example. They've learned what you taught them and built several three-story sheds. Now, the camps won't have to eat cold food anymore, and they don't have to worry about starting fires. I've also heard that Lord Zheng suggested they take matters into their own hands. So, even though it's not raining, they haven't been idle. They're all planning to go into the forest to cut down trees first, and then we'll all be ordered to build temporary shelters tomorrow..."
As he spoke, the magistrate's emotions surged with excitement, even his mustache twitched, clearly indicating that he was very pleased with the scene.
"You have no idea how worried I am. We only have so few people. On one hand, we have to take care of the wounded, on the other hand, we have to search for people trapped in the flood, and we also have to stay up all night to count the number of missing persons in their registered residences and report the situation in the disaster-stricken areas. I am fifty-three years old this year. Even if I work myself to the bone, I still won't have enough hands to handle all these things."
His two beady eyes were staring intently at Zheng Quchi, as if he had something to say or something to help him with.
“…There’s no need for such formalities, Magistrate. Just tell me what you need me to do.”
"This refuge camp is currently in a state of chaos. Could you please give me some advice, Lord Zheng, or perhaps even re-plan the various construction schemes and budgets for me? The main thing is that you are familiar with this matter and would be far more suitable for us laymen to do it."
Zheng Quchi: "..." Isn't he just trying to make her a free construction engineer?
Seeing that she remained silent, Magistrate Qian assumed that she did not want to take on this troublesome matter, so he hurriedly said, "This humble official has already gone to the neighboring county to borrow money. Afterwards, I will definitely not treat Lord Zheng unfairly or make him work for nothing."
Zheng Quchi was speechless upon hearing this.
"Magistrate, I thought you were an honest official, but it turns out you also know this bribery trick. But unfortunately, I don't accept bribes. Don't worry, I'll get the construction plan for the refuge camp done tonight."
The county magistrate, with tears welling up in his eyes, said, "Lord Zheng, you are truly a great man."
How many "good person" cards has she received today? I can't remember, but generally, when someone calls another a "good person," it means that person is being taken advantage of.
Zheng Quchi had seen through him. This Qianxian magistrate was shrewd and cunning, not someone to be trifled with, but he could also see that he genuinely cared about the people and was a pragmatic official.
"Don't bother borrowing money from next door. Building a shelter won't cost much. I'll do the work for you for free. But treating the wounded will probably cost a lot of money. By the way, how many wounded have been sent to the shelter?"
Previously, if Zheng Quchi had asked about these matters, the magistrate would have simply brushed it off with a few words, not wanting to waste his breath on irrelevant people. However, Zheng Quchi has now completely won over the magistrate with his "personal charm," so he basically answers every question.
In short... there are signs that he is becoming another Captain Wu.
"There are dozens of people with broken legs and arms, but the imperial court has only sent a few medical apprentices from the Imperial Medical Academy. After examining a few patients, they said they were going to explore treatment methods and then never returned. When we send someone to urge them, they say they are just resting because they are tired. I dare not trouble them, so I can only ask some barefoot doctors who know a little about herbal medicine to bandage them first." Magistrate Qian sighed helplessly.
The people in the Imperial Medical Academy are all proud and arrogant. Many of them would come voluntarily to treat these dirty, ordinary people. Even those who do come are mostly apprentices who haven't completed their training and only want to gain some knowledge and practical experience.
Zheng Quchi thought for a moment and said, "Leave this to me."
Upon hearing that she had also taken on this matter, Magistrate Qian's eyes lit up. This Lord Zheng was indeed extraordinary. Judging from her tone, she must have quite a background, even able to get involved in matters of the Imperial Hospital.
"Very well, then I'll leave it to Lord Zheng. On behalf of the people of Cangling County, I thank you, Lord Zheng. You are truly a bodhisattva of our time. Look at your kind and benevolent face, and this..."
Zheng Quchi couldn't take it anymore: "...So, besides knowing how to bribe, Magistrate Qian also knows how to flatter. So why is he still just a mere magistrate at the age of fifty?"
She was puzzled and didn't understand. With his ability to climb the social ladder, he should have been able to get transferred from the local area to the central government and become a high-ranking official. But instead, he was still struggling in a minor official position in the twilight of his life.
The county magistrate's expression froze, as if he had been struck head-on. After a long while, he said in a weary voice, "It's just that I matured too late... When I was young, I had a lot of ambition, but now I have nothing but empty words."
In other words, when you're young and lack skill, you're like a stubborn donkey—hard and inflexible. As you get older, you may succumb to reality and learn to be more tactful, but you'll find that without money or connections, you can't even find a suitable person to rely on.
But now it seems like such an opportunity has finally arrived... Who knows, he might be about to usher in his "golden years"?
He looked at Zheng Quchi with his small, beady eyes full of expectation.
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