Chapter 154 The person in front of me...can't read!
It rained heavily.
The sound of the drizzling rain has been going on for four days.
Tongzhi County is under the jurisdiction of Yujiang River and has the same Jiangnan climate.
It is the rainy season now, so it is normal to rain.
But the rain was heavy and never decreased or stopped.
Most people stayed at home, and apart from the shops that were still open, there were almost no street stalls to be seen.
The county magistrate of Tongzhi County stood on the river bank holding an oil-paper umbrella, looking grim. "If the rain doesn't stop, it will cross the line and cause a flood."
The chief clerk beside him nodded silently. "I heard that the new magistrate will arrive today. Why don't we go back and take a look? The new magistrate seems to be coming from the capital. Maybe he can come up with some good ideas."
"This is the only way." The county magistrate shook his head. "Let's go back. I hope the rain stops soon... otherwise the people will suffer this year."
Once a flood occurs, ordinary people will be injured or killed, houses will be washed away, and rice fields will be damaged. The consequences will be very serious.
The two returned to the county government office in silence.
As soon as I entered the door, I saw a young man in official robes sitting in the middle seat.
His eyes were dull, but revealed a bit of eagerness.
The county magistrate and the chief clerk looked at each other, stepped forward and saluted, "Excuse me, are you the new county magistrate?"
The young man then looked at the two men, picked up the gavel, and slammed it down, "Who are you? Kneel down when you see me!"
The loud noise startled the two of them.
They had a bad feeling in their hearts, wondering if there was something wrong with the new magistrate. Or is it the first three things a new official does upon taking office?
However, the county magistrate still bowed first, "Your Excellency the County Magistrate, I am the county magistrate here."
"I am the chief clerk."
"County Magistrate? Chief Clerk?" The young man looked puzzled. "What is that?"
His expression changed, and he shouted sternly, "Can't you two talk properly? If you dare to tease me again, I will throw you into jail!"
The county magistrate's face changed drastically. How could anyone who came to be a county magistrate not know what they were!
…
Half an hour later.
The young man finally understood the identities of the two of them, "You are my subordinates, okay, go make me a cup of tea first, it must be hot, if it's cold, I will only ask you!"
Veins popped up on the county magistrate's forehead, and he already had a bad guess in his mind. This new magistrate from the capital was not a talented person at all. On the contrary... he seemed to have some problems with his brain.
"My Lord, I will have someone make some tea right away. But it has been raining heavily in Tongzhi County and the water level is rising. Please give an order to reinforce the river bank to prevent flooding."
The young man didn't care. "It rains, so it rains. Don't worry about it. It rains at this time of year. When will my hot tea be ready? I've been traveling all the way here and I'm exhausted. By the way, I warn you, don't do anything behind my back. Do you know who's above me?"
The two of them felt even more heavy-hearted.
The county magistrate was old, with gray hair on his temples, and his back seemed even more hunched at this moment. "I don't know."
"My boss is Xun Mingzhi, the father of Concubine Zhao! Does Concubine Zhao know who he is? The concubine who gave birth to two princes for the emperor, and a meritorious official of the Darong Kingdom!"
The county magistrate gritted his teeth and suppressed his anger, "Sir, it is urgent to reinforce the river bank..."
"Stop talking nonsense. I need to rest. We can talk tomorrow if there is anything." The young man said, and stood up and walked to the back. "By the way, come over and help me clean it up. What is that hanging next to it? It's an eyesore."
That was the couplet in the county government office, but it had a curled edge and a bulge.
First Couplet: I am willing to work in a government office with clean water, and use the clear spring to cleanse my ambitions, and pursue my distant dreams with a clear mind.
Second line: If you are willing to be an enthusiastic public servant, you must serve the people with passion and send the spring breeze with your warm heart.
The county magistrate spoke in a cold voice, "This is the facade of the county government. It says that the government has two doors open, and state affairs must be treated like family affairs. The government has been in existence for thousands of years, and the sentiments of the people are the sentiments of the officials."
The young man nodded. "Well written. Keep it."
The county magistrate was now certain that the person in front of him... was illiterate!
The night deepens.
It is still raining heavily.
The county magistrate and the chief clerk sat in the room, facing the candle in silence.
"What should we do?" The county magistrate looked unhappy. "The new magistrate can't even read a single word. How can he govern Tongzhi County?"
The chief clerk had no choice but to say, "A higher-ranking official can crush someone to death, and there is someone above him. I've heard of that Concubine Zhao, she is the emperor's favorite. She gave birth to two princes a few days ago, and the emperor was so happy that he cancelled taxes for a year and celebrated for three days throughout the country. We are just ordinary officials. If we offend such a person, we won't even know how to write the word death."
The county magistrate slammed the table and said, "What do you mean by that? Are we just going to let it go like this? Tongzhi County has a population of tens of thousands and countless fertile fields. If a flood occurs, the situation will be extremely serious!"
This place is located in the south of the Yangtze River, and the food from any piece of land is extremely valuable!
"So what do you want to do?"
The county magistrate gritted his teeth and said, "I will go find someone to reinforce the river bank."
"Are you trying to pass on the magistrate's order forged? If we were to be discovered..."
"It's okay. He's so stupid that he might not notice it. Anyway, let's control the amount of water first!"
The two separated and returned to their rooms.
The county magistrate has made up his mind to find someone to reinforce the river bank tomorrow. He wanted to wait for the new magistrate to take office, but he didn't expect that the new magistrate would be a fool. Then he has to make the decision!
As a native of Tongzhi County, he could not bear to watch his fellow villagers die in the flood!
…
The night grew darker.
There was a sound of hurried footsteps and shouting.
“The dam has burst!”
"The river bank on the east has burst its banks!"
The county magistrate opened his eyes in a daze, and it was pitch black outside.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and the chief clerk shouted anxiously, "Come out quickly, it rained heavily last night, and now the dam on the east has burst, and the west can't hold on anymore!"
What?
The dam broke!
The county magistrate didn't even bother to put on his clothes and ran out of the room in a hurry.
The newly appointed county magistrate also woke up, "Who is shouting outside? Hurry up and catch him! Damn it for disturbing my sleep!"
"Mr. Magistrate, the levee has broken!" The county magistrate came running over. "Please give the order and send people to reinforce the levee as soon as possible!"
"What's the matter with the dam breaking or not? I want to sleep, don't bother me!"
The county magistrate could no longer bear it, and stepped forward, grabbed his collar, his eyes bloodshot, "Listen to me, the dam has broken! The water will soon rush into Tongzhi County, and you are still thinking about sleeping! Hurry up and give the order to have someone reinforce the dam!"
The young man was so frightened that he woke up completely. "What? The water is coming in?"
He pushed the county magistrate aside and ran out barefoot, "Someone come and protect me!"
The county magistrate was already old, and after being pushed by the other party, he staggered and fell heavily to the ground.
His head hit the corner of the table next to him, and blood flowed out...
It was pitch black in front of his eyes, but he was still muttering, "Reinforce the river bank..."
As soon as he finished speaking, his head tilted and he became completely motionless.
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