Chapter 97: County Master and Junior Disciple
Zhang Lizheng was a clerk, and the county magistrate had full power of execution. Deng Wenyan directly cancelled his subsidy for this year and threatened to punish him more severely if he committed the same offense again.
Zhang Lizheng kowtowed in gratitude. This punishment was painful but it was indeed light.
Xu Jiahuai had the title of scholar, so he didn't need to kneel when meeting an official. He used the strategy of retreating to advance well, but his kneeling also highlighted his guilty conscience.
Deng Wenyan, as his teacher, reprimanded him in public and recorded it in the files. He stated that if it happened again, he would criticize him publicly through the county school instructor. By then, all the students would know what kind of troublemaker Xu Jiahuai was, and he would no longer have to stay in the literary circle of Guangyi County.
Even though Deng Wenyan showed mercy, Xu Jiahuai still felt a burning sensation on his face, as if his skin was being peeled off in front of everyone, revealing the bloody flesh underneath.
"I was impulsive and reckless. I know I was wrong. Thank you, Your Excellency, for your mercy."
Deng Wenyan patted Xu Jiahuai on the shoulder and said, "Read the books of the sages, distinguish right from wrong, understand the importance of importance, and understand the overall situation. Don't waste ten years of hard study for your own selfish interests. A gentleman helps others to achieve good, not to promote evil. A villain does the opposite."
Xu Jiahuai's face flushed red, as if his clothes had been stripped off and he was standing naked in the sunlight being scrutinized. He didn't even dare to look up at Deng Wenyan.
"Your teachings are correct, and I will remember them."
The farce is over.
Pan He, standing at the end wearing a conical hat, said nothing.
Deng Wenyan waved his hand and let Zhang Lizheng and Xu Jiahuai leave together.
He waved goodbye and dismissed all the villagers from Liantang Village.
Deng Wenyan also asked the chief clerk, county lieutenant and a group of minor officials he brought with him to go back first.
Only the personal servant Changquan Changxi and Pan He wearing a bamboo hat were left.
The county lieutenant was worried, "Sir, may I stay with you?"
The county lieutenant lowered his voice and said, "There are many unruly people in the countryside, and your safety is the most important thing."
"It's all right. I just checked on the people and didn't touch anyone's food. No one's life is in danger. Go back and rest for two days. Send someone to keep an eye on the villages to the north. Have An Zhubu lead the others to think about how to prevent this year's floods in the west."
Guangyi County is a poor lower county. The poor mountains and bad waters produce unruly people. The people in the north have difficulty living there and are irritable. Fights over water are common. The people in the west are often flooded all year round, as if their energy and spirit have been washed away by the water.
It's the kind of self-abandonment that if there is no God to save them, they will just go with the flow and be washed away by the water.
People in the village over there rarely fight with others, but there are a lot of petty thefts.
Apart from these two headaches, Deng Wenyan has not found any major problems with the big landlords.
As long as they behave themselves and help each other, he doesn't want to make things difficult for them. If they are too ruthless and do something they shouldn't do, he won't be polite either.
The county lieutenant was unable to persuade them and had to leave with his men.
There was such a large group of people, the punishment given to Xu Xiucai was really too light.
The officials and clerks who left all took note of Xu Jiahuai in their hearts.
After leaving the county magistrate's sight, Zhang Lizheng could no longer hold back and began to sneer at Xu Xiucai.
"What selfish motives are you hiding, Mr. Scholar? You're treating me like a fool and driving me around like a sheep. I didn't bite you until my teeth broke. Are you satisfied, Mr. Scholar?"
Xu Jiahuai was also full of anger, but he still had to live in Dongshi Village in the future, and what happened today had just displeased the officials. He couldn't fall out with Zhang Lizheng at this time. Xu Jiahuai bowed and apologized repeatedly.
He also wanted to instigate the treacherous villain of the Li family with his words and wanted Zhang Lizheng to vent his anger on the Li family.
Zhang Lizheng has been the head of the village for so many years and he is not a fool. He was temporarily deceived by Xu Jiahuai before. He was attracted by his status as a scholar and his ability to open a school in Dongshi Village to improve the status of Dongshi Village, so he was temporarily deceived by him.
Now that he had seen through his true character, he sneered and said, "Xu Xiucai, don't blame me for not reminding you. Those who do evil will eventually perish. The teachings of the county magistrate are still fresh in my mind. You may have forgotten them, but I dare not forget them. If you still have the mood to worry about these things now, you should think about how to recruit students for your private school. The people are ignorant, but their words can also be turned into sharp arrows to shoot at those with bad intentions. You were scolded by the county magistrate in front of all the people in Liantang Village today. Aren't you afraid that the Li family will take this opportunity to spread the news? Don't forget, they go from village to village selling braised meat every day. This is just a small matter, just a few words."
Xu Jiahuai's face suddenly turned gloomy and he could no longer force a smile.
Zhang Lizheng finally felt refreshed with his hands behind his back.
snort!
Day after day, he tries to treat people as fools and manipulate them.
No one can control who anymore.
The Li family, who had fought two rounds of wits between Zhang Lizheng and Xu Jiahuai, were now stunned looking at Pan He under the bamboo hat.
They forgot that they were still on the edge of the field and were hungry.
Are their eyes blurry?
They had just seen Pan's sloppy old face when they heard the county magistrate respectfully call him "Sir".
It was even more polite and courteous than what Li Baisong had shouted before.
Pan Laita held his head high and chest puffed out, looking refreshed.
"Boy, I've been waiting for you at this guy's house for more than ten days. Are you going to break your promise to me?"
Boss Li, Second Li, Third Li and the others looked at Pan He and then at Li Baisong.
"What do you mean, sir?" Deng Wenyan asked with a smile, "Could it be that you want to find a junior apprentice for your student?"
Gulp!
It was the sound of Lao Li's family swallowing their saliva.
County, the county magistrate’s junior brother.
Wow!
It was too stimulating, so please forgive them for not being able to react for a while.
"My dear little brother, am I going to fly up to the tree and become a phoenix?
After Li Laoer finished speaking, Qin Fangci slapped him.
Qin Fangci didn't expect that Pan He's second apprentice was actually the county magistrate. She thought he was just a small clerk or something, after all, he was talking about a minor official.
Well, a seventh-rank county magistrate is, to another extent, also a minor official.
Li Baisong glanced at Qin Fangci, who blinked gently, knowing that she couldn't be lying this time.
"Mr. Pan, you are too kind. Mr. Pan is so kind to me. How could Bai Song not appreciate such kindness? However, my family is poor, and I am afraid that I cannot afford a decent gift to become his disciple. What will I do if I lose face for Mr. Pan? Bai Song feels really guilty and uneasy."
Pan He twitched his lips, not believing a single word he said. He sneered, "So, now you can come up with a decent apprenticeship gift?"
"Of course, I have two gifts for you. Please come home with me, Mr. Pan. I will show them to you right away."
Pan He raised his eyebrows, becoming interested. "Isn't it another one-drop thing?"
"Of course not." Li Baisong made an invitation gesture, "Mr. Pan, please. Your Excellency, please."
Deng Wenyan smiled and waited for Pan He to go first. Just by looking at the smile that could not be suppressed on the corner of Mr.'s mouth, he knew what Mr. had been doing during this period.
Li Bosong is indeed a good young man.
And this old woman.
A person's eyes cannot deceive others, and there is respect and fear in their eyes for him.
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