Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

Meng Changqing said softly: "It's really a different face in the same place."

Bafang quickly understood what she was talking about. "It's understandable that the government office didn't accept Hong Sifang's complaint. After all, there's a layer of separation, so it's difficult to obtain evidence. Besides, it's not a small case. Lord Wei will be transferred out of Liangzhou this year. If we intervene rashly and fail to handle it properly, Hong Sifang might suffer even more."

"What are you talking about?" Meng Changqing said, "Lord Wei has taken good care of us, but that doesn't mean that what he did was not wrong."

Meng Changqing was so emotional that her reason could no longer control her mouth. "As a prefect, it's hard for him to check whether Hong Sifang's accusation is true. What's the problem? What's troubling him is his own future! It's the favors in the officialdom! In the end, he's just an official, a vassal of power!"

Meng Changqing's clenched right hand couldn't stop shaking, "A running dog of feudalism." She leaned against the windowsill and said weakly, "I'm just a dog too."

Bafang was frightened. He rarely saw Meng Changqing lose his composure like this, and he didn't know how to comfort him.

"Master, don't you always say that people shouldn't belittle themselves? Why do you say that about yourself?" Bafang didn't get any closer and spoke in a lower voice, "No matter what others in the officialdom say, you are truly doing the job of a parent official."

Meng Changqing did not respond. After venting her emotions briefly, she quickly sorted herself out.

Although there were two people standing in the study, the only sound was the popping of candle flames for a long time.

"Master." It was Bafang who broke the silence first. "Go back to the back hall and have a rest."

"Let's go."

After passing through the narrow alley, Meng Changqing became the same Meng Changqing again, smiling back at every glance from the back yamen.

Wen and Liang Jiujiu were still waiting for her to have dinner.

After closing the door and sitting down, the two elders could tell that she was different from usual.

"Have some stewed eggs." Mrs. Wen gave her two spoonfuls of them. "It's easy to digest."

"Thank you, mother."

Liang Jiujiu also picked up a piece of fried meat for her and said, "Eat more. You look thinner than before."

"You just look thin." Meng Changqing lifted his sleeves to show Liang Jiujiu, "It's all muscle." "You've been practicing martial arts for many years, so you should look like this." After careful consideration, Wen still felt that some pus would not heal easily without puncturing it, so she said, "You've been staying in the study for a long time since you came back. Did something happen in the capital?"

Meng Changqing joked, "It's strange that Bafang didn't tell you about that."

"You were in a bad mood, and he was very worried. He found different excuses to come into the study to check on you several times." Mrs. Wen pointed out, "Although he is older than you, he has always relied on you. If you are not doing well, he will not have the time to talk to others."

Hearing what Wen said, Meng Changqing felt fortunate that she did not vent her anger on everyone, otherwise she would have to regret it for half a year.

"I met a man named Hong Sifang on my way back." Meng Changqing put down his chopsticks and said slowly: "The latest scar on his body was caused by a stick."

Wen immediately understood, "But was it because of torture by the yamen runners?"

"Most likely." Meng Changqing continued, "The man said that his whole family was persecuted by bandits, his parents died, and he himself was tortured. He was clearly in Yangmen County, but he had nowhere to turn to. Yangmen County didn't care. After waiting for the bandits to leave, he reported it to Liangzhou Prefecture, but the prefecture still didn't care.

He denounced the fact that there were no good people among the officials and wanted to go to the capital to file a complaint with the emperor and seek justice for his family.

Liang Jiujiu couldn't eat anymore as she listened. Imagine a person being in such a situation. What's the difference between that and falling into the underworld?
Wen then asked, “How did you do it?”

"I gave him a travel permit and a ten-liang silver note," Meng Changqing said. "My conscience told me that I had to help him, but my mind also told me that any help I could give would not be enough. Perhaps helping him would harm him, or even harm more people.

So I hid it in a cloth bag and told him to use it if he was caught by soldiers and needed to save his life."

"Even if he had the two things you gave him, he might not be able to reach the capital." Wen said, "Even if God blesses him and lets him reach the capital, he might not be able to file a complaint with the emperor."

"I know this clearly, so I feel sad," Meng Changqing said, "People cannot choose where they are born, but birth determines how they will live their lives.

Born as a commoner, one must compromise everywhere, compromise for the interests of officials, and compromise for the so-called overall interests of the court.

What is the people? "Meng Changqing's eyes blurred, and she recalled what Zong Ruwen had said to her. She murmured, "There is not enough justice in this world." (End of this chapter)