Idle courtiers

Chapter 99 Qing Tian (please recommend tickets)
According to the system of the Ming Dynasty, all officials rested for three days during the Spring Festival.

On the fourth day of the lunar new year, Zhou Nan returned to the yamen as scheduled to work as an errand.

This Spring Festival, Zhou Nan holds a family property of 500 taels of silver.Coupled with the fact that he is about to resume his fame as a scholar, he feels refreshed and lives an extraordinarily happy life.

The days passed day by day, and soon on the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, the term of Andong Zhixian in Shizhi County officially ended, and he boarded a boat to leave Andong County.

As early as three days ago, Shi Jieren started to pack his bags, preparing to go back to his hometown to worship his ancestors, and then go to Yunnan after seeing his family.

It is not a lie that the prefect has been cleared for three years, and one hundred thousand snowflake silver.After three years of Qingzhi county, ten thousand can always be seen.In order to pack the luggage, he even specially ordered ten camphor wood boxes.In addition, the other messy furniture was wrapped in pieces of sackcloth and tied firmly with rope.

Shi Jieren is used to being stingy, he is a frugal person, and he packs everything he can bring back to his hometown.Pots and pans, needles and threads, even the two pots of wild persimmon bonsai in the back office.It made the yamen feel as if it had been washed by a flood, and it also made the new Master Zhan's face pale, and he was born and not prone to seizures.

Master Zhan is the clan brother of the new Zhan County magistrate, and also the future Chengfafang master, the head of the yamen. He came here in advance to handle the handover, and stood up for the Zhan magistrate.

Seeing Shi Jieren behave like this, he was very angry.These things are all daily necessities. Although they are not worth a few dollars, it takes a lot of work to repurchase them.

Therefore, early in the morning, he was full of displeasure, and followed behind Shi Zhixian and Zhou Nan without saying a word, looking at Zhou Nan with malicious intent.

It was very early, just after dawn, Zhou Nan and the others sent Shizhi County out of the Yamen and walked towards the pier.

Shi Zhixian has struggled here for several years, and has a deep feeling with Anton.Instead of taking a sedan chair, he said he wanted to take a last look at the county seat.

There was no one on the street, only the crisp footsteps of a group of people.

Zhou Nan felt a little sorry, and whispered to the county magistrate, "The county magistrate, it's because the subordinates are not good at doing things, which makes it so deserted today. If I had known it earlier, I would have asked the gentry and the people in the county to organize people to send it."

That's right, walking away in such a deserted manner is like losing a battle, and it would be unhappy for anyone else.

Shi Jieren shook his head and sighed slightly: "Zimu, it's not like you don't know that after the last time the land was changed to mulberry, this county has become strangers to the old people in the county. If that's the case, why force it. I'm no longer An An Dongzhi County, go call, if they don't come, they will be ashamed."

Zhou Nan: "Actually, I can ask someone from the Mei family to deliver it. Mei Kang's more than a hundred people can still make it up."

"Why, why?" Shi Jieren smiled: "Zimu, we are parting today, why should you and I lose our interest because of such trivial matters, let me take a look at Anton again."

Behind, Master Zhan just sneered and said nothing.

When they arrived at the pier and just boarded the boat, Shi Jieren wanted to say something to say goodbye, but suddenly found that there was no audience below, and he felt a little disappointed.

Just about to turn around and enter the cabin, suddenly, there was a burst of gongs, drums, and firecrackers.

I saw hundreds of thousands of people coming under the leadership of the big gentry holding the umbrella of the people.

There was a commoner who came out more and more, knelt in front of the boat, and cried loudly: "I heard that my old parents are going to abandon me, and I am grateful for the kindness of the old man. East."

With him taking the lead, I saw everyone kneeling on the floor, crying loudly: "Old parents, Shi Qingtian! Ever since your old man came to our county as an official, you have been clean and honest, and you have never taken a single thing. Now you are going to the court again Exemption of the national tax on our county's imperial grain for three years. But I don't know how many people will not be starved to death on the side of the road because of the kindness of the elder. If you leave today, how much suffering will the people of our county suffer in the future? Old parents, old parents, Stay, stay!"

For a while, the crying was loud.Some people couldn't hold it anymore and wanted to jump into the river.He was hugged and persuaded with tears.

All the clerks and servants in the yamen cast admiring glances at Zhou Nan. This Zhou Zimu was really awake, and he could even imagine the scene where the common people cried and gave away with Wanmin umbrellas.Today, Shi Jie's reputation as an upright official will probably be known to everyone in the world.Unexpectedly, he did it without anyone noticing it, hiding it from everyone.

Zhou Nan spread his hands and made an innocent expression.Said that this matter has nothing to do with my money, what a pity!

When Shi Zhixian saw this, he was moved and rushed to get off the boat to help the people up.How can one be lifted up while the other is kneeling down?

He couldn't help the tears in his eyes, and said: "I am lazy in politics, I don't like vulgar affairs, and I haven't done anything for everyone. I should be more diligent in politics, I should be more diligent in politics..."

"No, no, sir, you are governing by doing nothing, which is the virtue of the great sages of ancient times." A gentry shouted loudly: "Qing Tian, ​​Qing Tian! If all officials are like Shi Xianzun, why worry about the world not being governed ?”

For a moment, the words Qingtian's parents resounded through the sky.

Next to him, Master Zhan watched with boredom: Life is like a play, it all depends on acting skills.Such a clumsy performance is so fucking over the top, for the sake of a great reputation, you Shi Jieren have come up with so many tricks, the food is too ugly, isn't it?After you make such a move, you still ask Zhan Zhixian how to continue this magistrate in the future. No matter what he does, he will be compared with you.

Also, what did you say, "If you leave today, the people of our county will suffer a lot in the future?"

Seeing the excited people, Zhou Nan was amazed and amused, but suddenly his heart moved: So it was like this.

Yes, in fact, in the ancient agricultural society, the social form was simple, and it was much better for a local official to do nothing than to act recklessly.Whether you are doing well in office or not, the common people have a steelyard in their hearts.

Although Shi Jieren couldn't get along with Jishen when he was in office, no one responded when he changed the land to mulberry last time.The reception of Wang Ruoxu asked everyone to contribute money, and everyone complained that they were poor.

But after thinking about it after coming down, everyone felt that Shizhi County had dealt with Master Wang's inspection indiscriminately. In the end, everyone didn't lose an acre of land, but in fact they owed him a favor.Just imagine, if a powerful person were to be the county magistrate, he would have already sent people to cut all the rice in the field.

I heard that the conversion of land to mulberry in Zhejiang and Jiangnan was very messy. Some wealthy households resisted the new policy and were arrested and imprisoned and went bankrupt, and some ordinary people were beaten to death to protect the seedlings.

Without comparison, there is no harm.

Moreover, he also exempted the people in the county from taxes and corvee labor for three years, which is a real benefit.

From this point of view, Shi Jieren is really a good official of thousands of families.This time he is leaving, we should go see him off because of emotion and reason.

Zhou Nan said in a loud voice: "Everyone, gentlemen, old folks, if you continue to worship like this, the old parents will not be able to leave. The county lord will go to Yunnan this time, and he will be high school in two years. That's a good thing. Maybe he will pay for his life Stay in our small place, delay your future, please get up!"

As he spoke, he helped Shi Jieren into the cabin, and was about to say goodbye.

Seeing that there was no one else around, Shi Jieren sighed: "Zimu, there is always a banquet in the world. You and I are the host and guest. I am also reluctant to part this time. In the future, the mountains will be high and the rivers will be far away, so take care. In the past, I I'm also harsh on you, please don't take it to heart."

Zhou Nan was moved in his heart: "The county lord has taken care of Zhou Nan a lot in the past, and cleared away the grievances of the students. Such kindness, I will never forget it in my life."

Impulsively, he wanted to tell Shi Jieren that the new policy of changing the land into mulberry trees would be abolished soon, and that the strict party would also be liquidated in the future, and that his future in Yunnan was not good.

But after thinking about it, what can I tell him now?
Before the big era, let alone Shi Jieren, even a time traveler like himself is very powerless.

Instead of saying it to make him worry, it is better to make him happy for two years.

In other words, in fact, even if there was no such incident, Shi Jieren would have to retire and go home after his tenure in Anton expired.

Shi Jieren held his hand, his eyes were slightly red, he sighed for a long time, and said, "Zimu, you have worked hard in the yamen for the past six months. I am not a heartless person, so I should give you something."

Zhou Nan was overjoyed and was about to thank her.

Shi Jieren said again: "But, you are a man of integrity, and you don't like ordinary yellow and white things. This box contains all the articles I wrote when I was studying for the imperial examinations, and my daily reading experience. You After recovering your fame, you will definitely have to take the imperial examination, so I will give it to you, and it may be helpful to you."

The smile on Zhou Nan's face froze, and he felt a great pain in his heart: Don't, I'm just a layman, I have no integrity, I just like gold and silver!I don't want books, I want to win.

Well, I can only go home with the heavy box of books on my shoulders.

I opened it and looked at it, that is, the Four Books and Five Classics, and dozens of reading notes.

Zhou Nan didn't go to the exam again, so he got angry when he saw these things, and said to Yunniang, "I'll put it out for you when you're cooking."

Yunniang was taken aback: "Doesn't Mr. Xiang take the merit test?"

"I don't take the exam anymore, it's boring. I haven't studied for ten years, and I have returned all the things I learned before to the teacher. Now I can't pass the exam at all. If I start from scratch, how can I pass the exam without ten years of work? Life is so different. How many decades?" Zhou Nan said with a smile: "Don't study yourself to the point of deceiving yourself, if you study so poorly that your family can't help it, that's a crime against your family."

"What is the purpose of studying? Is it to become an official for the imperial examination? What is the purpose of being an official? To put it bluntly, it is to rule the country and the world. To put it in a small way, it is to make a fortune. I have a lot of ways to make a fortune. Now I live comfortably and spend a lot of money. So what are you going to do with all the detours? Instead of focusing on the exam, you might as well think about how to cooperate with Mei Yuanwai."

Yunniang smiled and said, "Master, anyway, you can do whatever you want, as long as you are by my side."

Zhou Nan: "Good woman, good woman."

A while ago, he finally received an official letter from the Nanzhili Xuezheng Yamen, saying that the fame of the scholars who had been expelled had been restored.

So, before Xinzhi County arrived, Zhou Nan put down the book and went to the county school to add his name.

In the past, Zhou Xiucai was a student in the county school. According to the system of the Ming Dynasty, he could receive two stones of rice every month, which was regarded as a financial meal.

Of course, it is impossible to distribute these two stones of rice in full, and it is good to have one hundred catties in hand. In ancient times when oil and water were scarce, it was enough to fill a person alone.

However, the political benefits of the qualification of Linsheng are many.First of all, you don't need to pass the additional test when you take the township test, you can take the test every year.Secondly, if you are a scholar, you can be exempted from corvee, and you will not kneel when you see an official.

However, there is a problem with this.County schools have fixed quotas for lin students and enrolling students, and if there is a sudden addition of one student, one will be eliminated, which is very difficult.

Zhou Nan thought for a while and said, forget it, I won't be a granary student, just give me a spot as a scholar, and I won't be admitted to the county school.That's how it's done.

Enter the county school, what a joke, that place is easy to go.He has to pass the exam once a year, fails the exam, and gets spanked by Xuezheng, this person can't afford to lose.

Another two days passed, and the new prefect of Zhan County, Andong County, arrived.

(End of this chapter)