Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 36

Fu Lun, governor of Shandong Province, was sitting next to the case of signing the mortgage for a meal. The food was only meat and vegetables, and a few big steamed buns.While eating, he was also looking at the official documents.A piece of steamed bun scum fell on the table, Fu Lun immediately picked it up and stuffed it into his mouth.Although the yamen servants who waited on him for dinner were not surprised, they were still full of sighs in their hearts.

At this time, the staff member Kong Shangda came to report: "Master Governor, there is a businessman named He Hongyuan asking to see you!"

When Fu Lun heard this, his face turned dark: "Businessman? Ben Fu has never dealt with businessmen, don't you know?"

Kong Shangda said: "I also told him that the governor is really busy and eats in the signing room, how can he have time to see you? The man said that the matter is very important, so we must ask the governor to meet you."

Fu Lun said angrily: "Isn't a businessman just thinking about making money? What big things can there be?"

Kong Shangda said: "Yong Shu thought that you should meet him and send him away."

Fu Lun sighed: "Oh, Ben Fu is very busy with the things at hand. The imperial envoy is coming, so I have to sort things out. I need to meet some businessman. Well, let him wait in the living room."

Fu Lun put down his job while he was talking, but Kong Shangda said, "Your Excellency Governor, you'd better finish your meal before talking about it."

Fu Lun waved his hand: "Let's have dinner after meeting him first."

Kong Shangda shook his head for a long time, and said: "Your Excellency Governor is just like Duke Zhou back then. Duke Zhou vomited and fed, and the world returns to its heart!"

But Fu Lun didn't like to hear these words: "Old Master, don't be silly, let's do something solid for the common people!"

When Fu Lun went to the lobby, He Hongyuan rushed up to greet him and said: "The little man He Hongyuan pays his respects to the governor."

Fu Lun didn't ask him to sit down, but stood up himself: "Tell me, what's the matter?"

He Hongyuan said: "Governor, Xiaomin wants to sell some grain from other places, please allow it."

Fu Lun's face changed drastically: "Shandong has a big harvest of grain this year, what kind of grain do you want to sell? The governor's office has issued a notice a long time ago that private trading of grain is not allowed, don't you know?"

He Hongyuan said: "It is precisely because I know that Xiaomin came here to ask the governor."

Fu Lun looked at He Hongyuan coldly: "Since you know it, why are you deliberately confronting the governor's office?"

He Hongyuan handed over a bank note: "Master Governor, please hold your hand high!"

Fu Lun was furious: "Bold! In broad daylight, in the majestic yamen, you dare to openly bribe Benfu! Come, fight!"

Immediately, two yamen servants came in and set up He Hongyuan to go out.He Hongyuan knew he was in trouble and begged for mercy loudly.

Fu Lun didn't care so much, he just said to Kong Shangda: "Old Master, I said that all businessmen are not seen. Take a look, it really is a bribe!"

Kong Shangda looked ashamed, and said: "Master Futai's incorruptibility is known to the people, and your loyalty to the court is also known to the people. But the higher-ups may not know it. When you reported the harvest year, the emperor sent an imperial envoy. I heard that Chen Tingjing does one thing, and the other is two."

Fu Lun smiled coldly: "He, Chen Tingjing, is one and two, so I am not?"

Kong Shangda said: "But Mr. Futai, the local political affairs are complicated and the people's conditions are different. It is inevitable to neglect a hundred secrets. I am afraid that Chen Tingjing will find fault!"

But Fu Lun said: "Ben Fu walks steadily, sits upright, and is not afraid of him being picky. I want Chen Tingjing to take a good look at Shandong, and tell him to go back and report to the emperor with conviction!"

Kong Shangda said: "Chen Tingjing and Zhang Bao are relatives of their sons and daughters, so they should go to Dezhou Prefecture to have a look. But he just came to Jinan, which is unreasonable."

Fu Lun said: "That's their own business, I don't care. He doesn't act according to reason, and I don't treat him according to reason. He didn't send someone to post, so I won't pick him up. I’m more arrogant than him! Let him take a good look at it in Shandong.”

However, Chen Tingjing and his party went to the outskirts of Jinan and saw many people beating gongs and drums and pushing carts from a distance. It was very lively.Chen Tingjing ordered: "Dashun, you go on horseback and see what's going on."

Dashun rode his horse to go, and came back after a while and said: "Master, the people sent grain to the righteous warehouse. They said it was a catastrophe in the past few years. Thanks to the relief from the imperial court, otherwise they would have starved to death. This year's harvest is bumper, so donate grain voluntarily!"

While talking, Chen Tingjing's sedan chair approached the food delivery people, and suddenly the drum leader shouted: "Meet the Governor!"

The sound of gongs and drums stopped, and the common people knelt down together and shouted: "My lord, governor!"

Chen Tingjing thought that he had been the governor twice on the road, and secretly thought it was funny.He got off the sedan chair and shouted to the villagers: "Folks, get up."

The villagers got up one after another and stood where they were.Chen Tingjing called the person who was beating the drum just now, but that person looked around blankly.The elder pointed at the man by the way: "The imperial envoy called you."

The man hurriedly knelt down: "So it's the imperial envoy? The grassroots alarmed the lord. I hope you will forgive me!"

Chen Tingjing said: "Get up, you are not guilty. You are considerate of the court's difficulties and voluntarily donated the surplus food. I am very touched. I want to keep you to talk about it? What's your name?"

The man replied: "The young one is Zhu Qi, I...I still want to send food!"

Chen Tingjing said: "Isn't there just one less drummer, why not! Dashun, greet this Zhu Qi. Folks, send food!"

Zhu Qi seemed a little helpless, but he had no choice but to give the drum and mallet to others, and kept it for himself.The scene was very lively, and no one cared that there was a boy riding a horse standing there far away.

After entering Jinan City, Dashun first went to the governor's yamen to post posts.Not long after, Dashun came back and said that Master Fu Lun was waiting in the yamen.When he was about to arrive at the governor's yamen, he saw that Fu Lun had already been waiting outside the gate.Chen Tingjing got off the sedan chair, and Fu Lun came up to meet him.

Fu Lun first cupped his hands to the sky: "Fu Lun, the governor of Shandong, respectfully invites the emperor's peace!"

Then bow to Chen Tingjing: "I have seen the imperial envoy!"

Chen Tingjing also bowed his hands to the sky first, and then returned the salute: "Good luck, your majesty! Imperial envoy Chen Tingjing, a bachelor in charge of the Imperial Academy, a scholar of the Shuji, and a servant of the Ministry of Rites, has met Mr. Futai!"

Fu Lun said: "Fu Lun has lost his way, please forgive me! Please!"

The mysterious young man was standing far away on horseback, when he saw Chen Tingjing follow Fu Lun into the Yamen, he lost his horse and left.

When I entered the living room of the governor's yamen, there were already fruits and tea waiting for me.Chen Tingjing sat down and said with a smile: "The Governor reported that the people of Shandong thanked the imperial court for the disaster relief in the past few years and voluntarily donated [-]% of the food to the country. The emperor listened, but Longyan was very happy! But the emperor also thought that Shandong has suffered disasters year after year Worried that the common people would be grateful to the imperial court, but treat me badly, so I specially ordered Ting Jing to come to check the harvest."

Fu Lun smiled and said: "Master Chen, you and I are old acquaintances. Just now we also followed court etiquette, so I will be straightforward. Are you here to trouble me?"

Chen Tingjing laughed loudly and said: "The governor is indeed a straightforward person. When I stepped into the territory of Dezhou, the people greeted me along the road and regarded me as the governor. When I arrived in Jinan, I met the people who were going to deliver food to the righteous warehouse. As the governor. Lord Fu Lun, you are so highly regarded in Shandong, where should I trouble you!"

Fu Lun smiled and said, "Master Chen is not talking sarcasticly, is he?"

Chen Tingjing looked very sincere: "Master Fu Lun, where did you go? I am an official in the capital, and I have never been in the local area for a day. When I come here, I know that the people love a governor so much. I am really relieved. This is actually all You are thanking the imperial court!"

Fu Lun couldn't help sighing: "Lord Chen is so considerate, I'm a little relieved! It's hard to be a local official! It's not that I said it harshly, some Beijing officials in the court always said how beautiful and rich the officials in the frontier are down here! Let them come down and try, not everyone can do it well!"

Chen Tingjing took a sip of tea and said, "Tingjing admires Master Fu Lun's talents. In just one year, Shandong will change like this! I don't know what the former governor Guo Yonggang did in those years!"

Fu Lun shook his head and said, "Let's not talk about the predecessor, let's not talk about it. I don't know how Mr. Chen will arrange it? I can also listen to orders at any time!"

Chen Tingjing said: "As the saying goes, hearing is believing, seeing is believing. I want to visit the Yicang tomorrow, and then check the accounts of people donating grain, and that's it."

Fu Lun said: "That's very good! It's just that the emperor hasn't approved it yet, and we dare not let go of accepting donations. If we can't help it, we accept some. The charity warehouse is not full yet! The number of donations from various places has been reported. "

Chen Tingjing nodded and said, "I know this, the province has a total of more than 25 shi."

At this moment, noises were heard outside.Fu Lun ordered the left and right: "Go quickly and see what's going on!"

He heard someone calling for an imperial envoy outside, so Chen Tingjing said, "It seems they are looking for me, I'll go and have a look."

Fu Lun hurriedly persuaded: "Master Chen, the people below are complicated, so don't show your face easily."

Chen Tingjing just said it's okay, and went out with Fu Lun.It turned out that many petitioners came outside, and someone shouted: "We want to see the imperial envoy! Our people in Shandong have finally hoped for a clean and honest governor, but the imperial court doesn't trust him, and they want to send imperial envoys to investigate him! This world is still in trouble." Is there justice?"

Seeing Fu Lun come out, a commoner shouted: "Master Governor, don't be afraid, we Shandong people can all testify for you!"

Fu Lun stared angrily: "You are really lawless! Do you know what an imperial envoy is? It was sent by the emperor! The emperor is heaven! How dare you make such a mess? Do you think this is helping me? This is not helping! "

Chen Tingjing cupped his hands at the people and said, "I don't blame you, you have something to say."

He Hongyuan, who was beaten in the Governor's Yamen a few days ago, shouted loudly: "Master Imperial Envoy, look at the wound on my head. This wound was caused by the Lord Governor's orders to his subordinates. The Governor is an upright official!"

Suddenly such a person who said something wrong with his mouth appeared, and everyone laughed coquettishly.Chen Tingjing also felt strange when he heard it, and asked: "This is a rare thing, tell me?"

He Hongyuan said: "A few days ago, I went to the governor's office to deliver money, but was kicked out by the governor, and was beaten with a stick."

Fu Lun stared at He Hongyuan, and said: "You are really shameless! You have done such shameful things, and you dare to speak out in public!"

He Hongyuan bowed his head and said: "Xiaomin is indeed shameless, but I have seen an upright official like you with my own eyes, and I am willing to suffer some grievances."

Chen Tingjing nodded and said, "Look, Governor, how simple the people of Shandong are!"

Fu Lun hurriedly clasped his hands to the sky: "This is not due to me, Fu Lun, but our officials at all levels proclaim the Emperor's "Sixteen Sacred Orders" every month, and the spring wind turns into rain, bathing everything."

Chen Tingjing was praising the folk customs with Fu Lun, but someone shouted: "My lord, our Shandong is not only the hometown of Confucius and Mencius, but also the hometown of Song Jiang. If your lord wants to make trouble for the governor, be careful that you won't be able to return to the capital!"

Fu Lun stomped his feet and cursed angrily: "Bold, you're going against the law! Arrest this man!"

All the yamen servants rushed up and arrested this man.Chen Tingjing hurriedly said: "Master Governor, let him go. What he said is a bit harsh, but he didn't say a single word wrong."

Fu Lun refused, and said: "My lord, this man dares to say such irony in front of the governor's office, he should be severely punished according to the law! Please hand him over to the governor. Take him away!"

"Folks, I beg you! Why are you making a fuss here? You are trying to help me, but you are hurting me! You all go back." Fu Lun said, suddenly knelt down, " The common people are my food and clothing parents, and I will pay homage to you today! As long as you all settle down and live a good life, I will be very grateful!"

The people knelt down, and some people cried and said, "Your Excellency, we will obey you, we will go back!"

Everyone was kneeling, only Chen Tingjing and a few people around him stood.He raised his eyes and saw the young man on horseback, with a sneer on his face, he got off his horse and left.

Chen Tingjing asked Dashun in a low voice: "Did you see it? Pay attention to that boy on horseback. He followed from Dezhou to Jinan."

The next day, Fu Lun accompanied Chen Tingjing to inspect the Yicang.The granary clerk opened a granary, but saw that the wheat inside was piled up like a mountain.Then he opened another granary, only to see that it was full of corn.

Fu Lun said: "Without the emperor's permission, we dare not open our mouths to accept it, otherwise the warehouse will not be able to hold it."

Chen Tingjing said with a smile: "There is food, are you afraid that the warehouse will not be able to hold it?"

Fu Lun smiled, turned back to the clerk and said, "The cemetery must take four precautions: anti-theft, fire, rain, and rodents. The most difficult thing to prevent is rats. Although rats are not big, they can be very harmful. Warehouses must keep There is a cat hole, let cats come and go freely. One thing falls one thing, mice are afraid of cats, and corrupt officials are afraid of honest officials!"

The clerk bowed his head and replied: "Your governor sees the big from the small, and you can see the big from the small, and the small ones will keep in mind the teachings of the governor!"

Fu Lun smiled and said: "You are a small warehouse official, don't follow the official clichés. Do your job well one by one! What I don't listen to the most is the official clichés! Mr. Chen, it's time to get rid of the evils and reform this officialdom!"

Before Chen Tingjing could speak, Kong Shangda, who was accompanying him, answered, "Your Excellency, the Governor, has a lofty vision and is prepared for danger in times of peace. I really admire you!"

Fu Lun smiled helplessly at Chen Tingjing, and said, "Master Chen, take a look. I just said the storekeeper, and he is here again. Old Master, I have invited you as an aide because I see that you are a scholar and have a lot of ideas. You Ah, give Ben Fu some good ideas. Shandong is well governed, and the people's life is better year after year, and it's not in vain for you and me to work together!"

Kong Shangda blushed immediately, and said: "Yong Shu, remember the governor's teachings!"

Suddenly, a dart flew straight to Chen Tingjing.With quick eyes and quick hands, Da Shun pushed Chen Tingjing away, and the dart hit the door frame of the granary.Everyone shouted to catch the assassin, but they didn't know where the assassin was.After such things happened, Fu Lun hurriedly apologized.Chen Tingjing smiled lightly and said nothing.

Not long after, the assassin was captured and knelt down on the ground.Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the boy riding a horse.Holding the boy's saber in his hand, Dashun replied: "Master, it is the one who has been following you all this time!"

Fu Lun pointed at the young man and shouted: "You are so bold that you dare to assassinate an imperial envoy! Kill him!"

Chen Tingjing raised his hand: "Slow down!" Then he lowered his head and asked the boy, "Why did you assassinate me?"

The boy gave Chen Tingjing a hard look, bowed his head and remained silent.Chen Tingjing looked at this man strangely, so he asked someone to take off his hat and take a closer look.The boy freed his hands and covered his head.The yamen servants yelled and cursed and took off the boy's hat, and everyone was shocked!It turned out to be a pretty little girl.

Chen Tingjing was also quite surprised, and asked, "It turned out to be a little girl. Where are you from, why did you disguise yourself as a man and assassinate this official?"

The little girl still didn't speak.Fu Lun said: "Assassination of an imperial envoy is a capital offense! Say it!"

The woman still did not speak, but buried her head low.Chen Tingjing ordered: "Temporarily detain the prisoner in my office. If a little girl can't bear the pain of flesh and blood, you can't punish her."

Fu Lun said: "Master Imperial Envoy, it's better to lock up the criminals in the Yamen Prison, in case something goes wrong!"

Chen Tingjing smiled and said: "A little girl, it's okay. This matter is strange, I want to interrogate her personally."

Fu Lun had no choice but to nod: "Follow the orders of the imperial envoy. The imperial envoy surprised you."

Chen Tingjing was full of joy: "Where is that! I am very pleased to see that Shandong has really harvested a lot!"

The yamen servant took the little girl away, and Dashun followed behind.

Fu Lun returned to the yamen after socializing with Chen Tingjing, feeling very happy: "The emperor said that Chen Tingjing is lenient and mature, which is really good. He doesn't look like a troublesome person!"

Kong Shangda said, "Lord governor, I'm a little worried!"

Furren asked, "What are you worried about?"

Kong Shangda said: "Seeing Mr. Chen so calm and unhurried, I feel a little guilty!"

(End of this chapter)