Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 254
It was May, the sun was scorching, and the air was filled with a kind of rice fragrance, and the joy of harvest spread throughout Huguang.

Agriculture is the foundation of all industries. Handicrafts and commerce all need the support of agriculture. Therefore, driven by agriculture, commerce in Huguang area is becoming more and more active.

And most of the state capitals in Huguang have already fallen into the joy of autumn harvest.

On both sides of the official road, the golden rice was harvested by sickles. The farmers buried their heads in the rice under the scorching sun, and the sharp wheat awns could not break through their cocoons.

Not far away, a post station is being erected, and dozens of carpenters are constantly busy.

"Hey, it's crooked, the sign has to be straight!"

"It's not painted well, will you?"

One ear is missing, but the weight of the man's voice has not diminished, it is still harsh, making people feel more uncomfortable in the restless summer.

With his hips akimbo, Zhou Dacheng spit and spit, talking dryly.

The post station is Shuima Station, which is close to the Xiangjiang River. It is set up every [-] miles, covering an area of ​​about five or six acres, with the front shop and the back yard.

A wall surrounded the entire station, and the gate in front, like a wine shop, was exclusively for eating and drinking.

People live in the backyard, and there are stables for livestock.

And dozens of steps away, there is a pier for ships to dock and repair.

The green bricks and green tiles are extraordinarily bright and beautiful.

Retired as a wounded man, and getting older, he took the initiative to come to the exchanged land and asked for an errand as a postman.

Originally I thought I was going to the army station or the county government office, but it was too late, and my status was just a senior, so I could only be a postman.

But fortunately, after some reforms, the low-level official position of Yi Cheng has also obtained the rank of the ninth rank.

Thinking that this bright post station will be managed by himself in the future, he is quite excited.

"Yi Cheng, the mung bean soup is ready!"

At this time, the hired cook came with a large bucket of soup.

"Come down, drink some soup, so as not to suffer from heat stroke."

Zhou Dacheng waved his hand, and the craftsmen stopped one after another, happily drinking mung bean soup.

In this regard, he is soft-hearted after all.

He stood up and looked at the almost harvested rice fields in the distance, the hot official road, and the slightly swollen Xiangjiang River, and couldn't help but think:
"At this time, there should be no one!"

As the saying goes, the more you don't want it to happen, the more it will happen.

But for a while, I saw a donkey carrying a person on the official road, followed by two servants, followed by a group of officers and soldiers, walking hungry.

When I saw the station, I was overjoyed instantly.

"The little one is the postman here. Not only is there any Shangguan here, but is there any reconnaissance?"

Zhou Dacheng went up to greet him and asked inquiringly.

The young man on the donkey froze for a moment, then took out Kanhe from his pack, and said with a smile, "I am the magistrate of Xiangyin, and I happen to be going to take office today."

Zhou Dacheng hurriedly looked around, only to see that Kanhe wrote, Zhang Wencheng, 28 years old, hereby serves as the county magistrate of Changsha County, and must arrive in Changsha County on June [-]th...

"So it's Judge Zhang!"

This is a senior official from the seventh rank, Zhou Dacheng hurriedly saluted, and then said with a smile: "The judge knows that this inn has not been repaired yet, and the conditions are a bit crude, please forgive me."

After speaking, Zhou Dacheng came to his senses: "Why don't you go to the Xiangjiang River?"

Compared with the land route, the ship is not only safe, but also extremely convenient, which is much more comfortable than taking the official route.

"Xiangjiang?"

Zhang Wencheng said with a wry smile: "The Xiangjiang River has flooded in the lower reaches, and the water flow has skyrocketed, making it difficult for ships to move, so we can only follow the official route."

"Okay, let's arrange board and lodging for us!"

Zhou Dacheng didn't dare to neglect, and hurriedly gave orders.

Sitting in this spacious station, Zhang Wencheng couldn't help sighing: "It's only been a few months, has the station been built in Changsha Mansion?"

After going to the Military and Political Department for half a year, I went through all the cao's. I thought I could assign a county magistrate, but there were too many people, and his qualifications were so low that he could only serve as a judge.

However, what is even more tragic is Fuguo County, the greatest misfortune among misfortunes.

Still not enough qualifications!
Sighing, Zhang Wencheng became excited again that he was about to show off his skills. After following Zhang Shenyan for so many years, he already had some confidence in the verdict.

However, after half a year of experience, he can become a judge from the seventh rank, and what's more, he can directly become a county magistrate. King Yu's generosity is really rare.

"This is the treatment only for Jinshi!"

After a while, the meal was brought up.

As the judge of Congqipin, Zhang Wencheng had a table for himself. On the table were two dishes and one soup, one meat and one vegetable, scrambled eggs, vegetables and tofu, and a bowl of Xiangjiang fish soup.

The entourage has no official status, so he can only pay for it, and the two share a meal.

The officers and soldiers escorted by Yiwu came from the military battalion. The usual practice is that they are treated as the ninth rank, and the five of them only have three dishes and one soup.

Although it is a bit crude, it is provided for free after all, and everyone swallowed it without picking it.

Seeing that a group of soldiers was still not enough, Zhang Wencheng paid for a jar of rice wine to relieve them from the heat.

After sweeping away, everyone was satisfied.

At this time, Zhou Dacheng took out the bill and asked him to sign for reimbursement.

"Yi Cheng, how is Changsha County?"

Zhang Wencheng couldn't help asking.

"Although the official has just arrived, I have heard that Changsha County has fewer military disasters. Unlike Baidi in Hubei, it is now very prosperous and densely populated. Every family raises silkworms and reels silk, and there are many tea mountains. It is first-class. Good place."

Zhou Dacheng praised.

"but……"

"But what?"

Zhang Wencheng was taken aback, what does this half sentence mean?
"However, although Changsha County is the best in Hunan, it is extremely difficult for a judge like you."

Zhou Dacheng said honestly.

"Why is this?" Zhang Wencheng was puzzled.

"Hey, Changsha is in a good location, and the people don't suffer from much famine. There is at most a little flood every year, which is much better than that in the Central Plains."

Zhou Dacheng said with a smile: "It is so prosperous, which makes the people of Changsha only have money in their eyes, and everyone sees the benefits."

"In other words, the common people care about everything and are willing to pay for lawsuits and fight lawsuits."

"Ah, this!" Zhang Wencheng was quite helpless when he heard this, "How similar is this to Nanjing?"

"A group of unscrupulous people who only have money but no benevolence. They are ungrateful and ungrateful. It's really a decline in the world, and people's hearts are not old!"

When he thought of this, he seemed to see the scene where his cases would pile up like mountains in the future, with flies buzzing around his ears every day.

Really annoying.

For a while, he actually regretted it a little.

The trend of "litigation" prevailed in the south, especially in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, when government management was loose, urbanization, and commercialization developed, making the "no litigation" advocated by the government an illusion.

And it also gave birth to the vigorous development of the profession of litigator.

Of course, for the government, more lawsuits means that the folk customs are not ancient, which is denying his governance ability and even affecting his future.

Moreover, in the officialdom, the policy is to do less and make less mistakes, and do more and make more mistakes. Once a certain case is neglected, it will have a great impact on his political career.

So, officials don't like lawsuits.

　The new year is coming, I wish you all a better next year
　　
　
(End of this chapter)