Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Chapter 272: It's hard to bear

"Master Qi, you must help us get rid of the evil ghost of the Hong family, otherwise we really can't survive."

"Look at the people behind me. I came here with all my heart to help you, but up to now, I don't have a single complaint in my hand." Qi Renli asked, "Who is willing to come forward and be the victim?"

Let’s talk about the Hong family.

Qi Renli had been away for a while, and the manager who had last discussed business with Qi Renli only found the housekeeper now.

"Uncle Xiancai, that county magistrate is here with bad intentions." The steward looked wise, "Our people have been keeping an eye on them, and sure enough, they went to two nearby villages."

"Oh?" The housekeeper didn't care much and his eyes were focused on the lovebird in the cage.

"No one in those two villages dared to say anything, but there are a few old men in Hongfu Village ahead." The manager's eyes showed ruthlessness, "Should we get rid of them in advance?"

The steward snorted and laughed twice, "Let them go, I'll see who dares to touch our Hong family."

"Yes." The steward smiled, "Our master has great powers, even the prefect..."

"Shut up." The steward turned and stared at him. "What can you say and what can't you say? Do you need me to teach you?"

This look from him frightened the manager so much that sweat broke out on his back.

"My mouth is foul." The steward slapped himself as he spoke, "Uncle Xiancai is more prudent, I still have a lot to learn from you." He decisively changed the subject, "By the way, Uncle Xiancai, what kind of official is this county magistrate? How come I have never heard of it?"

"Don't mention you. I haven't heard of it either." As the two of them were talking about this, the scholar who was working at the gatehouse happened to pass by the opposite corridor.

The housekeeper called the man over and said, "You have studied for a few years, do you know what rank the county magistrate is and what he is responsible for?"

The scholar said, "The county magistrate is below the county magistrate, and is an eighth-rank official. Although this position exists in this dynasty, most counties only have county magistrates, not county magistrates."

"Haha." The housekeeper thought of the official Qi Renli had just called "his official position". "What a high-ranking official he is. A mere 8th-rank county magistrate dares to put on airs in front of our master."

"Yes!" the steward echoed, "Which official who comes to our house doesn't behave politely? Even..."

The butler glanced over and he swallowed the rest of his words.

The scholar did not say anything, nor did he join the two men in mocking Qi Renli. He just stood quietly by the side.

"I think this person has no foundation and no connections, otherwise he wouldn't come to the local area to be an eighth-rank official." The housekeeper narrowed his eyes, "But this person is very ambitious. Don't tell me he wants to use our Hong family to pave his way to an official position."

"Then he is seeking death." The butler moved closer to the housekeeper, and used his hand as a knife to push down hard, "Why not..."

"No hurry, let him hang around for a few more days. Otherwise he won't even know how he died."

"Uncle Xiancai is kindhearted."

It was the morning of the third day of March.

Meng Changqing led another team of people and set out from Beishan County early in the morning.

Before leaving, he asked Xi Bei and Lai Cai to take care of the government office and look after his family.

Xi Bei originally insisted on following Meng Changqing out, and just for this, she squatted in front of Meng Changqing for the time it took to eat a bowl of noodles.

Meng Changqing said helplessly: "Master, I also want you to follow me, but you see, everyone who can make decisions in the county government has left. If Brother Yang or Brother Zuo were in the county government, I would not advise you to stay, but they are all out for something. You can just help your apprentice." "That's right, Master." Bafang squatted in front of Xi Bei, "You are the legal advisor of the government after all."

"Bullshit master." Xi Bei pinched Bafang's face, "You follow Changqing, and cheer up. If something like last time happens again, I'll show you how I'll deal with you."

"Master." Meng Changqing saved Bafang's face from Xi Bei's hands. "I will take care of it myself. Besides, Uncle Wei is watching over the territory of Liangzhou. What can happen?"

After continuous assurances, the group successfully left the county government office and gradually walked away under Xi Bei's worried gaze.

The carriage passed through Yangmen County and followed the official road to Luojiang County.

As soon as he arrived in Luojiang County, Meng Changqing saw fields and fields with people working on them.

"It's Luojiang County after all." Meng Changqing looked at the endless tracts of fertile fields in the carriage and the large-scale ditches between the fields, feeling very envious.

Bafang knew what she was thinking, "In a few years, our Beishan County will be like this."

Meng Changqing nodded, "Of course I will."

Continue forward, pass the farmland and villages, and arrive at Luojiang County.

The carriage stopped on a busy street. Meng Changqing went to buy two boxes of cakes himself. He entered the county government office with cakes in his hands and red envelopes in his pocket.

Someone passed the message up layer by layer, and when Meng Changqing was brought to the flower hall, Ding Aixue was already waiting inside with a small stove boiling water beside him.

Although it is called a flower hall, there is not a single flower in it. However, there are a lot of bean sprouts in the two earthen pots at the door.

Meng Changqing sighed that it was interesting.

Seeing Meng Changqing coming, Ding Aixue smiled and said, "Master Meng, I haven't seen you for a long time. How come you look thinner?"

"I haven't slept well in recent days." Meng Changqing saluted him and said embarrassedly: "Master Ding, these are two boxes of snacks bought in your county. Our county doesn't have anything to show for it."

"Lord Meng, you are being polite. If you need anything from me, just come directly. Why bother with all this false formalities?"

"Gifts should not be wasted. Besides, they are not valuable. They are just normal exchanges between you and me as colleagues."

"Please sit down." Ding Aixue said, "Look, the water has just boiled, perfect for making tea." As he spoke, he personally made several cups of tea, not only for Meng Changqing, but also for Bafang and Chu Mufeng who came in with her.

"Okay, let's stop gossiping. Lord Meng must have something to do since he came all the way here." Ding Aixue said seriously, "Just say it straight."

"You are a straightforward person." Meng Changqing said, "Just like last year, I want to borrow a cow from you."

Ding Aixue obviously didn't understand. "Last year, you had just arrived in Beishan County and didn't have anything to do, so it was reasonable for you to ask me to borrow a cow. But this year, I remember you raised a lot of cows in your government office."

"Yes, but it's still not enough." Meng Changqing said bluntly: "There is a lot of land and few people in Beishan County. If we don't want to miss the spring planting season, we can only use farm tools and oxen."

"You are telling the truth, so I have two truths to tell you." Ding Aixue sat up straight, "Although we are both county magistrates, I don't want to compete with you, and I am not the kind of person who can't stand seeing you do well."

Meng Changqing nodded as he listened.

Ding Aixue continued, "If I were your neighbor and you asked me to borrow some, I would definitely lend it to you as long as I had the money to spare, but the distance between our two counties is still quite far.

That is a mature ox, not a small thing that can be pulled by a cart. It can only walk by itself. Even if it can take a short break on the way, it is still very hard for it to walk for 70 or 80 miles. When it arrives at the destination, it has to continue working. It is really unbearable. "