Transmigrated into a minor official in a county government, with children at home waiting for rice t

Xi Mei'er smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescents. She traced a couple of lines on the account book cover with her finger. "Dad, we're getting our monthly pay tomorrow. Who in the family needs a little extra feeding, chicks?"

Zhang Sanlang was taken aback by her question for a moment, then laughed, "It wouldn't be good if someone heard you say that, they'd think we look down on them. It's just something we father and daughter said in private, just for fun. You're so young, you need to learn to respect others."

"Your sister Yun and her daughter are both people who have suffered a lot. They are especially good to you and your brother. In addition to your wages, you can trust them more. For example, give them the money for shopping in advance, and don't make up the difference later."

"Your husband, Mr. Huangfu, lives alone and doesn't spend much money. He's not greedy, so you just need to show him enough respect and courtesy. A purple-tipped brush or an inkstone would suffice for the New Year."

"What about Uncle Sanbao?"

Zhang Sanlang thought for a moment, "You have to make sure he's well-fed at every meal, preferably with meat every day, so he'll have the strength to keep his eyes wide open and help us keep watch at night."

"What about Uncle Lu? I don't think he likes anything. He usually stays in his room meditating. Apart from teaching us martial arts, he rarely leaves the house."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sanlang's expression turned serious. "Your Uncle Lu is a capable man. He can see through life and death, so he doesn't care about material possessions. With him at home, I can truly feel at ease about you and your siblings."

happy Mei'er's face tightened upon hearing this. "Dad, you said Uncle Lu is very skilled, and he taught me and Xiu'er some martial arts. How about we don't charge him rent?"

Zhang Sanlang nodded with satisfaction, then shook his head. "Good Xi'er, you do know how to repay kindness. However, your Uncle Lu is a man of simple tastes. He teaches you because he wants to, not because your father hired him."

"As for rent, if we don't charge it, he'll feel like he's living under someone else's roof and won't feel at ease staying there. So we can't waive it, and we might even have to charge more. Different people need to be treated differently."

happy Mei laughed again after hearing this, "What about Qing Ge'er? Is he the little chick that runs away after eating his fill?"

Zhang Sanlang grinned. "He's that little rooster in the yard, always clucking and thinking he's the boss, but he can't even beat a little hen. That kid has no self-awareness; just give him a penny a day..."

happy Mei laughed out loud and covered her mouth with her sleeve.

From the front yard came the sound of Qingge chasing chickens, followed by a long, drawn-out cry of "Don't run!", then the flapping of the hen's wings, and Wang Yue'e's shouts from the kitchen doorway, "Little darling, be gentle with the chickens!"

The next day, just after dawn, Zhang Sanlang, with the revised draft tucked in his sleeve, walked through the corridor toward the second hall.

The servants in the corridor had just sprinkled water, and the blue brick floor was damp. His boots left a few shallow imprints as he stepped on it.

The door to the second hall was open. Li Hang sat behind a desk, while Zhao Changyan sat on a chair beside him, holding a bowl of freshly brewed tea. Hearing footsteps, the two of them looked up at the same time.

Zhang Sanlang stopped outside the threshold and cupped his hands in greeting.

Li Hang and Zhao Changyan exchanged a glance, a smile appearing on their lips. "Shouli, you're here early. Is there something you need?"

Zhang Sanlang entered the second hall, pulled out a booklet from his sleeve, and handed it over with both hands. "Your Excellency, Shouli went back yesterday and, after discussing with the Xu brothers and others, drafted a report on the handling of affairs in the Criminal Division. Please take a look."

Li Hang took the paper and examined it carefully, one by one. When he got to the last one, his finger paused for a moment on the edge of the paper before handing it to Zhao Changyan, who was sitting next to him, craning his neck.

Zhao Changyan took it, put down the teacup, and examined it.

His gaze swept across the area faster than Li Hang's, but he stopped when he saw the section about the county jail under repair.

Li Hang leaned back in his chair, his smile gentle. "Shouli, your proposal is much more detailed than the one from the Household Department. It includes more specific details in addition to the regulations."

Zhang Sanlang stood there with his hands hanging down. "Reporting to the Magistrate, the Household Department is in charge of money and grain. The accounts are fixed. We just need to follow the rules and regulations and keep the accounts in order."

"The criminal investigation department handles cases, and each case involves specific people. It's easy to draft regulations, but the difficulty lies in getting people to follow them. This requires careful consideration and providing the most comprehensive possible solutions."

Li Hang nodded, his smile deepening. "Every point in your report is written by exploiting loopholes in old practices. Cancellation slips, fake attachments to files, dedicated key management, and the placement of injury examination booths... none of these came from nowhere."

Zhao Changyan had also finished reading by this time.

He placed the report on the table, looked up at Zhang Sanlang, and said, "Shouli, the first dozen or so points are all very well written. The cancellation order has controlled the backlog of cases, the half-month comparison has controlled the alteration, and the current placement of the injury examination form has controlled the coroner's deception..."

"These are all practical regulations, ready to be used once they're on paper. If all prefectures and counties follow this plan, six or seven out of ten long-standing problems can be eliminated. However, I've looked at the section on repairing county jails twice, and I have a question."

Zhang Sanlang looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Of all the prisons in the world, eight or nine out of ten are dilapidated, leaky, with prisoners living together in disarray, and filthy. In some places, the prisons are even worse than what you described."

"In the end, a prison is a place to detain criminals, not an inn or a charity home. If we can sort out the case files, control the stolen goods, and assign the prisoners to work, that is already a great achievement."

"Why spend an extra thirty strings of cash to repair the prison cells, lay straw and place jars, and have a doctor inspect them for ten days? There's another matter; I heard that you've placed quite a few released prisoners in captivity."

"Some of these people are convicts, some are destitute after serving their sentences, and some even have their names tattooed on them. Distributing these people to docks, warehouses, and almshouses to make a living is a virtuous and benevolent act."

"Shouli, looking at these two matters together, Jingzhai and I are fine. But you should understand that if it were a different magistrate, he would probably have to think about it more."

He chuckled twice after he finished speaking, and didn't say anything more, but the meaning behind his words was already clear.

Zhang Sanlang took half a step forward and stood up straighter. "Mr. Zhao, let me start with the first matter. Many of the sources of epidemics in the world come from prisons."

"When the plague spreads, the jailers are often the first to fall ill, followed by the cooks who deliver meals every day, and then the servants in each cell. Once the plague spreads, it often leads to a great disaster, and the thirty strings of cash spent on repairing the jail cell will amount to more than a hundred times that amount."

He paused, then looked at Zhao Changyan, "As for the second matter..."

Zhao Changyan stared intently at him, as if trying to confirm something.

Zhang Sanlang's expression turned serious. "If those people under supervision cannot be properly resettled, they will have to beg on the streets. If they can't beg, they will steal; if they can't steal, they will rob. If they rob, they will be caught and thrown back into jail."

"Even if you're locked up in jail, you'll still be the same. Once you're out, you'll still steal and rob until you commit a capital offense. Take Lü Sanbao, for example. After he was released from the county jail, he couldn't find any work because of the tattoos on his face, so he came to me for help."

"If I give him food and something to do, he won't steal or rob. The streets and docks of this county will be a little more peaceful with one less vagrant."

"By extension, there are a few more porters at the docks, a few more warehouse watchmen at the warehouses, and a few more woodcutters and sweepers at the almshouses. By settling these people, I have saved the county treasury a single penny, yet I have eliminated a potential disaster for the people of this county."

Li Hang glanced at Zhao Changyan, a smile returning to his lips. "Shouli, I heard that you spent ten years in the Ministry of Personnel and never argued with anyone. Your words remind me of a line from the Analects."

"As you wish to establish yourself, help others to establish themselves; as you wish to achieve success, help others to achieve success." By providing a way of life for those who are under supervision, you are not giving alms, but enabling them to stand on their own two feet.

"If we give them something to do, food to eat, and a roof over their heads, they won't have to do those petty thefts and other misdeeds that cause trouble for the people. This is the principle of 'helping others to achieve one's own goals.'"

"This isn't a principle you can understand by reading countless classic texts. It comes from seeing through people's hearts and understanding the suffering of the world. What you've done is far better than those who spout benevolence but do nothing. Truly admirable!"

Li Hang picked up the memorial on the table and read it through from beginning to end again. "This memorial is entirely approved. Go ahead and do it! If there are any mistakes, I will take responsibility."

Zhang Sanlang bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, Your Excellency. I will take my leave in accordance with propriety."