Be a small county magistrate in ancient times

The ginseng sent by Meng Changqing did not work.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month, Meng Changqing was entertaining guests from Hongjia County and was talking about Liu Dexiang's request for a tax increase.

"Mr. Weng, I wonder what Mr. Hua thinks about this matter?"

Weng Wang, who was sitting in the hall, was an old man who followed Hua Rujin. Today he came to see Meng Changqing on behalf of Hua Rujin.

"The old man always feels that the people's lives are not easy, and he doesn't agree with this." Weng Wang looked at Meng Changqing earnestly, "In the border cities, the people's lives are more difficult than elsewhere. How many years has the war stopped? My master thinks that now is not the time to increase taxes.

I wonder what Lord Meng thinks?"

Meng Changqing didn't need to beat around the bush with Hua Rujin, so he said directly: "Master Hua and I agree, please let Elder Weng convey your message."

Weng Wang heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this, and then continued, "My Lord sent me to ask if Lord Meng has any way to get Lord Futai to revoke his order?"

"The key to this matter lies with Sun Tongpan." Meng Changqing said, "This is about taxation, which is within Sun Tongpan's responsibilities, but this matter has not been conveyed by Sun Tongpan. Perhaps there is a rift between the two of them. Before Mr. Weng came, I had sent people to Liangzhou Prefecture to inquire, but it will take some time for the news to be transmitted back."

Weng Wang nodded, "Since Lord Meng has already made a plan, my master can rest assured."

Meng Changqing added: "Since Elder Weng is here, I also have something to ask of you, Lord Hua."

Weng Wang guessed what Meng Changqing was going to say, "If you want to persuade the other county magistrates, my master has already given instructions. After I pay my respects to you, I will go to Weishan County."

This was another joint complaint, just like that year when several county magistrates joined forces with Sun Xiang to bypass Wei Fangyun and sue both Meng Changqing and Wei Fangyun.

Now that Meng Changqing is among the plaintiffs, his mood has not improved at all compared to before, and he only feels angry.

At this moment, Bafang hurried to the door and saw that there was a guest in the hall. After greeting, he did not enter rashly.

Meng Changqing said, "Banfang, this gentleman is a retainer of Mr. Hua, you have met him before."

Only then did Bafang enter and pay his respects.

Weng Wang was very perceptive and stood up and said, "Lord Meng, I still have to go to Weishan County. I'll take my leave first."

"Goodbye." Meng Changqing escorted the person to the door of the room and asked the yamen runners at the door to continue escorting him.

After they walked some distance away, Bafang said to Meng Changqing anxiously, "Master Ding is going to return home for mourning!"

"What!" Meng Changqing found it hard to accept for a moment.

"I went to see Lord Sun today and was about to ask him about taxation. Before I could say anything, I heard a yamen runner come to tell him that Lord Ding had submitted a letter to resign and return home, and Prefect Liu had approved it and sent the letter to the Ministry of Personnel immediately. This happened yesterday, and now the matter has been settled!"

"What kind of practice is this?" Although Meng Changqing had never been an official, he also knew the practices of the current dynasty.

The old lady of the Ding family was already seriously ill, and her recent death was not surprising. It was also normal for Lord Ding to resign and return home to show his filial piety. However, Liu Dexiang should not have agreed immediately and sent the letter directly to the Ministry of Personnel.

When an official's parents died, they would return to their hometown to mourn, which was the way for the literati to express their filial piety.

But there are so many officials in the court. If every official strictly abides by the rules, how can the court function?

The normal practice was that the official resigned, the court wanted to retain him, the official resigned again, and the court wanted to retain him again. After two or three rounds, a feasible solution was discussed, which was usually to allow the official to observe mourning in the hometown for two or three months, and then return to his original post and work as usual.

Now, as soon as Lord Ding made his memorial, Liu Dexiang agreed immediately, which was clearly telling other officials that there was something wrong with Ding Aixue.

Meng Changqing immediately called the bailiff who had been guarding the county government office for the past two days and asked, "Has anyone from Luojiang County been here recently?"

The bailiffs thought carefully and said, "No." "Maybe the person who came claimed to be my master's family, is that right?" Meng Changqing asked.

The yamen runners looked at each other, all confused. "Sir, except for Mr. Weng who just left, no one else has come to the county yamen recently."

Meng Changqing was confused. She had been Ding Aixue's disciple, although not for long, but they were still master and disciple. Moreover, she had visited Luojiang County not long ago. How come no one came to tell her that her master's mother had passed away?
"Go and do your thing." Bafang waved his hand and asked the yamen runners in front of him to leave.

"Master, I'm afraid Lord Ding is so busy that he forgot about you. Now that we know the news, why don't we prepare a sacrifice and go to Luojiang County to take a look."

"You are right!" Meng Changqing said to Bafang, "You go and prepare the horses, and I will go to Xinjie to buy some."

Meng Changqing packed his things and headed for Luojiang County with his men.

It was already dusk when we arrived at the gate of Luojiang County Government.

Bafang dismounted and stepped forward to explain his purpose, and the bailiff immediately went in to report.

Soon Meng Changqing saw Ding Aixue, who was in mourning.

Meng Changqing threw away the reins, knelt down and kowtowed, "My disciple is unfilial." Bafang also knelt down.

Ding Aixue stepped forward quickly and helped him up. He held Meng Changqing's elbow tightly with mixed feelings. Finally, he sighed and said, "Come in with me."

Several people from all directions carried the sacrificial offerings in and handed them over to the person in charge of the Ding family.

The manager hurriedly asked people to cut new white cloth and distribute it to all directions.

Meng Changqing was brought to the coffin by Ding Aixiu, who burned incense and offered sacrifices.

The crying sounds in the mourning hall were depressing and exhausting. Although Meng Changqing had never met the old lady of the Ding family, he could not help but feel sad when he saw the sad faces of everyone in the mourning hall.

"Master and Madam." Meng Changqing knelt down beside them, "You two should also take care of your health."

Teacher's wife Chen Xifang nodded and advised Ding Aixue to go out and rest for a while.

Now that Meng Changqing had arrived, Ding Aixue couldn't force her to kneel all the time.

Although there is a master-disciple relationship between the two, after all, the other party is the same county magistrate as himself. Moreover, he was rude before, and now that he brought these offerings, it can be said that he has not done anything to let him down.

Ding Aixue took the person to the next room, sat down and found an excuse for himself, "I was in a panic for a while, and I thought you might not be free, so I didn't tell you."

"The old lady passed away suddenly, and the master was deeply saddened and couldn't think of anything else for a while." Meng Changqing's words were full of understanding for Ding Aixue.

But after the emotional etiquette, there are still serious matters to be asked.

"Master, I heard that you submitted a petition to return home in mourning, and the prefect has agreed?"

Ding Aixue nodded and said something that Meng Changqing had not expected, "My term here is almost over. I am submitting this petition just to send my mother back home to avoid Liu Dexiang."

"Although his official position is higher than ours, we are also officials appointed by the court. Everything we do is for the court and the people. Why should we be afraid of him?" Meng Changqing said.

Ding Aixue waited until Meng Changqing calmed down before saying, "You are young and full of passion, and you are not afraid of these villains. But since ancient times, it is easy to dodge an open spear but difficult to guard against an arrow from the dark. He is like this on the surface, so how do you know what kind of person he is in secret?

Be careful of people like this." (End of this chapter)