In fact, the second Qin of the pit father not only suffered the people of Daqin, but also suffered all the officials of Daqin except Zhao Gao, and admired Xiang Kang's subordinate county commander Zhou Zeng is one of the typical representatives.

For Zhou County, who was a good official, Qin II was most deceitful to condone his teacher Zhao Gao to tamper with the Qin Law, tampering with a good Shang Jun's law beyond recognition, and just like worrying about not being able to oppose the common people, Leng revised the already strict Qin Law to be almost cruel and tyrannical, so that Zhou County's order, who had been familiar with the Shang Jun's law since he was a child, was at a loss, and had to spend a lot of time and energy to study and study the new Qin Law for a few days to change its appearance, and to give heavy sentences to prisoners who had only committed misdemeanors with a clear conscience. Not to mention the hard work, my conscience still hurts terribly.

“…… The county honor, the subordinates are wronged, the subordinates are wronged! The subordinate is not doing a good job, so that the robber who has been caught will run away, according to the law of Daqin, he will be the same as the bandit, and the subordinate will admit it! But the bandit was arrested without opening the door, it was an attempted theft, according to the laws of Daqin, he was only sentenced to death (tattooed on his face), why did the county prison Peng Sun not only sentence me to death, but also let me go to Chengdan? The subordinates dare to beg (appeal), just to ask the county to respect you as the master of the subordinates! ”

Looking sympathetically at the law-breaking officials kneeling in front of him and kowtowing repeatedly, Zhou County's face was full of helplessness, but there was nothing he could do, so he could only say apologetically: "The beggar is in a hurry, you have wronged Sun Prison, our Daqin's laws have been changed, even if it is an attempted theft, you must be sentenced to a sentence of Jiachengdan, you are careless and caused the criminal to escape, and you will receive the same punishment as the criminal, and you have to be sentenced to Jiachengdan." ”

"The law of the Shang Jun has been changed?" The lawbreaker who was crying bitterly was taken aback, and hurriedly asked, "County Zun, when did the law of the Shang monarch change?" How did the subordinates not know? ”

"Just a few days ago." Zhou Xianling said helplessly: "You are unlucky, on the first day of your crime, the court decree that changed this Qin law happened to reach the Xiaxiang County Temple, so Sun Prison had no choice but to convict you according to the new Qin law." ”

The lawbreaker was like being struck by lightning, first stunned, and then couldn't help beating his chest and feet, and cried: "Oh my God, why did you change it so much? Attempted theft has to be a city dan, is this still called a life? My children are still young, I went to Lishan to be a prisoner, what can they do? God, you have been so unfair to me! ”

Hearing the desperate cry of the lawbreaker, Zhou County Ling and his right-hand man Sun Jiaopeng, who were sitting in the hall, were inevitably a little unbearable, but they were helpless, out of sympathy, Zhou County Ling could only do his best to the clerk who was responsible for recording next to him: "Don't remember, when this begging did not happen, otherwise he will be offended again." ”

The scribe promised to stop writing, and Sun Prison Peng also said to the lawbreaker very regretfully: "Cang Pi, have you heard it, our county is magnanimous, and we will not pursue your crime of failing to beg this time, why don't you thank the county honor?" In the future, you don't have to beg, and if you make trouble in the county, the county will definitely add a degree to your crime, and then your corporal punishment will definitely not be as simple as black noodles. ”

The offending official did not thank Zhou Xianling for saving him kindly, but just howled and cried vigorously, sad and desperate to the extreme. Zhou County Commander understood his feelings, and did not pursue it, but just waved his hand and asked the official to escort this unlucky little official who accidentally let the attempted theft escape to the county jail, waiting for the tattoo to be tortured. And after the official sent the person away, Zhou Xianling couldn't help but sigh, and said with a wry smile to Sun Prison: "Poor, there is really no way to save him." ”

"The subordinates also think he is pitiful." Sun Prison Peng said with some frustration: "Actually, Gong Youwei also interceded with his subordinates, saying that this Cang Pi has always done a good job under him, and he deserves to be conscientious. But the subordinate really doesn't have the courage to do this, if he is lenient and known by the county imperial history of the county, I have to be guilty of the same crime as him, and I will be offended by one more. ”

"Do things with your conscience." Zhou Xianling sighed again and said: "Those who can be accommodating try to be accommodating as much as possible, but there is really no way to be accommodating, and they can only come according to the laws of the imperial court, and they can't put us in." ”

After sighing, not wanting to recall the desperate and pitiful look of the unlucky little official, Zhou Xianling could only change the topic and asked Sun Xuanpeng: "How is the matter of recruiting the fourth round of soldiers, how is Captain Xu Zuowei doing?" (During the Qin Dynasty, the right lieutenant of the county was in charge of anti-theft, and the left lieutenant was in charge of militia recruitment, but neither of them had the power to command the troops.) ）

"Returning to the county honor, listening to what Xu Zuowei said, it's not good." Sun Prison replied with a wry smile: "The escape is too strong, and I can't catch it, Xu Zuowei estimates that at most, it can only be sixty percent, and it may even be lower." ”

The sadness reappeared on Zhou County's face, but Zhou County's order was still helpless, so he could only comfort himself and said: "Whatever, anyway, the surrounding counties are also fleeing worse than the other, and I am not the only one to accept the guilt." Besides, there is a county guard above me, and there is a high top when the sky falls, and I don't need to die alone. ”

After talking to himself, there are still countless official affairs to do, and the Zhou County Order has just asked Sun Jian to go down to handle his errand, but he never thought that an official messenger suddenly came to report outside the door, and said: "Yu County Zun, Xiang Kang Xiang Gongzi of Shiling Pavilion is here, he said that he has something very important to see you, please take some time to see him." ”

"Something very important?" After hesitating for a moment, looking at Xiang Kangpo's face for his appetite, Zhou County, who had just picked up the bamboo slip and was about to work, still said: "Take him to the back hall to wait, I'll come in a while." ”

The messenger agreed, and immediately went out to lead Xiang Kang to the back hall to wait, and Zhou County Ling hurried to finish the official work of the bamboo slips in his hand, and then got up and went to the back hall to meet Xiang Kang. However, what surprised Zhou County Ling was that as soon as they met, Xiang Kang, who had always been neither humble nor arrogant in front of him, was unusual, jumped up and bowed to the ground to himself, and begged: "County Zun, junior beg, please save my nephew Xiang It, otherwise he will die." ”

"Save your nephew?" Zhou County's order was first stunned, and then he misunderstood Xiang Kang's meaning, and asked coldly: "Xiang Gongzi, your nephew, what did you do again?" ”

"The county respected misunderstood, he didn't do anything, he was sick, very sick." Xiang Kang said nervously: "Only the county can save him, otherwise his life will not be saved, so the younger generation has the courage to come and beg you, please be extrajudicial and save him." ”

"How can I save him when he's sick? This official is not a medical worker. Zhou County's order was completely confused.

"The county respects forgiveness, and the juniors should be beaten, but the juniors are too anxious and don't make it clear." Xiang Kang twitched his cheeks, and then sorted out his words, and said: "County Zun, that's the case, my nephew Xiang Qi's household registration is Zuolu, and his height is already six feet seven inches, he belongs to an adult, this time the county is recruiting the fourth round of soldiers, he must obey the call and go to the frontier to serve in the garrison." ”

"County Zun, my nephew didn't want to be a fugitive, and he also prepared clothes and luggage to serve in the frontier, just wait for the time to come, and go to the frontier with Brother Feng and him." Xiang Kang added: "But there are unforeseen circumstances, I thought that just the day before yesterday, my nephew suddenly fell ill, and he still had typhoid fever, and he had been in a coma with a high fever. The medical worker said that even if he could be saved, he would have to stay in bed for at least a month or two, and he could not do heavy work, let alone be beaten by the wind and rain, otherwise the condition would definitely recur. ”

Zhou County Ling finally understood what Xiang Kang meant, and asked, "Xiang Gongzi, in this way, do you want to ask for the mercy of this official outside the law and exempt your nephew from military service this time?" ”

"Exactly." Xiang Kang nodded, and said to Zhou County: "County Zun, the younger generation does not dare to deceive, my nephew Xiang It is the only grandson of my uncle Xiang Chao of the same clan, his father and my big brother Xiang Tuan, also died of illness when he was young, he is the only seedling of the younger brother Xiang Tuan, I, who is Uncle Ji, must not watch him die in vain." Therefore, the younger generation is brave and wants to ask the county to raise his noble hand and exempt my nephew from this battle. ”

An even more helpless smile appeared on Zhou County's face, and after a sigh, Zhou County's order first sat down in his place, and then said: "Xiang Gongzi, it stands to reason that for your sake, this official should help you with this." But there is no way, the Qin law is heavier than the mountain, and the law of Great Qin stipulates that except for the elderly, children and the disabled, no one can be exempted from the military service, and your clan nephew is not among them, so this official is really helpless. ”

"But my nephew is sick, and he's very sick." Xiang Kang said anxiously: "Thousands of miles to the northern frontier, exposed to the wind and rain, how can he hold on?" It must be that the condition will worsen halfway, and there may be death on the road! ”

"No way, in the laws of Great Qin, there is no article that the sick can be exempted from military service." Zhou Xianling shook his head helplessly, and said: "Also, Xiang Gongzi, the situation of the fourth round of conscription of soldiers, you must have seen it with your own eyes, in order not to serve the garrison, many people in Qianshou either ran or fled, and they were beheaded after being caught and beheaded as a fugitive." If this official exempts him from military service because of the illness of your nephew, the other people of Qianshou are not allowed to follow suit? At that time, I'm afraid that even self-harm will be done! So what else is going to do with Captain Xu Zuo's errand in the county? What else do the townsmen and the messengers of the towns and pavilions do? ”

"County Zun, really can't be accommodating?" Xiang Kang asked without giving up.

"I can't help it, don't blame the son." Zhou Xianling replied helplessly, and at the same time, Zhou Xianling was also very clear in his heart, knowing that with the virtue of the children of the Xiang family, nine times out of ten he would transfer Xiang it in advance and help Xiang it flee to another country.

It was very unexpected by Zhou County's order, and after hanging his head slightly and thinking for a while, Xiang Kang actually stood up straight, hugged his fist to himself and said: "County Zun, then the junior is brave, please do another thing, please give me a simple slip, let the junior and the nephew Xiang It exchange household registration, and let the junior replace him to serve in the garrison." The younger generation's household registration is Youlu, and this time there is no need to serve in the military, and after the younger generation exchanges household registration with his nephew, he can rest assured that he will be recuperating at home. ”

"Xiang Gongzi, you want to serve for your nephew? Are you not afraid of suffering and sinning? Zhou County's surprise was not trivial, he didn't expect Xiang Kang to value family affection to this extent, and in order to give his nephew time to recuperate and rest, he volunteered to serve in the garrison instead of his nephew.

"Of course, the younger generation is afraid of suffering and sinning." Xiang Kang replied calmly, and said: "But there is no way, Xiang is the only seedling of the younger brother, in order to keep his bloodline for the brother, the younger brother can only suffer this hardship and suffer this crime!" ”

After speaking, Xiang Kang lowered his head again and said: "Also, don't dare to deceive the county honor, in fact, the younger generation and the Yu family's Yushu have already scheduled to get married on July 26, and after serving the military service for my nephew, the marriage date of the younger generation can only be postponed." ”

Zhou Xianling's mouth opened wide in disbelief, and he said after a while: "Xiang Gongzi, you have to think about it, you went to the frontier to serve in the garrison, and even the official doesn't know when you will come back." Also, the suffering of being a soldier is not something that ordinary people can bear. ”

"The county respects rest assured, the juniors have already thought about it." Xiang Kang was resolute and said: "The juniors still don't dare to deceive the county zun, in fact, just now, the juniors also thought about taking advantage of the fact that there is still some time to send my clan nephew to the field for a while to avoid this call-up." But the younger nephew's body is too weak now, and if there is an accident on the road, it will be too late to regret the medicine. Also, even if we can take care of it on the road, but after escaping, the younger generation's clan nephew will have to hide in Tibet for the rest of his life, always worried about being taken over by the government, and it will be difficult to get married and start a family, so as to continue the bloodline for my eldest brother. ”

"So the juniors have made up their minds." Xiang Kang raised his voice and said, "Please be kind to the county and allow me and my nephew to exchange household registrations!" Let me serve as a soldier for my nephew, so that my nephew can stay at home to recuperate! ”

Carefully stared at Xiang Kang for a long time, seeing that Xiang Kang's eyes were clear, his expression was open, no matter how he looked at it, it didn't seem to be a mischievous gesture, Zhou County, who had already admired Xiang Kang very much, inevitably glanced at Xiang Kanggao, and finally nodded and said, "Okay, this official promises you!" Make an exception to allow you and your nephew to change your household registration, and fulfill your love for your nephew! ”

"Thank you, county." Xiang Kang hurriedly thanked Zhou County.

"But don't regret it." Zhou County's order took the slip and wrote the official document allowing Xiang Kang and Xiang It to exchange household registrations, and said with a smile: "Don't go to the frontier and can't endure that hardship, scolding the official behind your back for harming you, and I didn't try my best to stop you at this time." ”

"Please rest assured, the younger generation is not that kind of person."

Xiang Kang replied solemnly, Zhou Xianling nodded with satisfaction, first quickly wrote the official document, and then handed the official document to Xiang Kang, and asked Xiang Kang to go to Dongxiang Township to change his household registration, while saying from the bottom of his heart: "Xiang Gongzi, this official really envies your nephew, and it is really his blessing to have an uncle like you." ”

"The county has won the award." Xiang Kang was modest, first respectfully accepted the slip, and then thought about it a little, Xiang Kang pleaded again: "County Zun, junior courage, I want to invite you to go to Shiling Pavilion in person at noon on the fourth day of the seventh month." ”

"What did I ask to do at the Shiling Pavilion that day?" Zhou Xianling asked curiously.

"That day was the day when the Dongxiang garrisons assembled and set off, assembled and set off at noon, first went to the Santai Pavilion north of the lower prime minister to meet the garrisons of other townships, and then set off for the frontier to serve the next day. The younger generation is brave and wants to ask the county to respect several brothers of the same clan for the younger generation and the younger generation. Xiang Kang explained, and said: "This recruitment, among the children of our Xiang family, there are five people who go with me, and the younger generation wants to ask the county to give us a strong line, and personally encourage our brothers in person, so that the people of Qianshou in Lingting know that our Xiang family children are all men who are not afraid of hardships, and none of them should escape!" Let the juniors win glory for our Xiang family! ”

Xiang Kang's excuse was of course a little reluctant, but it was the same as Xiang Kang's estimate in advance, Zhou County Lingyi really admired Xiang Kang very much, and was willing to give Xiang Kang a face and help Xiang Kang fight for some glory for the old Xiang family; Second, I feel that if this matter is handled well and a glorious example is set up for the children of the Xiang family, it will definitely inspire the people's morale and facilitate their own political and public affairs in the future. So after thinking about it a little, Zhou Xianling nodded and said, "Okay, if the official can spare time at that time, he will definitely go to Gongzi in person to give you a strong trip." ”

Zhou County's order did not give a positive answer, and Xiang Kang, who had worked hard, was of course a little disappointed in his heart, but he didn't dare to show it on his face. However, just when Xiang Kang thanked him and said goodbye, Zhou Xianling suddenly remembered something, hurriedly stopped Xiang Kang, and said: "Xiang Gongzi, by the way, I inquired about one thing, this official heard that there are ghosts and gods in the shrine temple of Shiling Pavilion, and it has been spread to Xiaxiang City, what kind of ghost and god thing is it?" ”

"Oops, why did Zhou Xianling hear the wind so quickly?" Xiang Kang complained bitterly in his heart, but he couldn't help but answer, and he didn't dare to deliberately lie to arouse Zhou County's suspicion and vigilance, so he could only think about the sentence and said: "There is indeed such a thing, but the county respects the crime, that matter is a bit taboo, and the juniors dare not answer directly, so they can only ask the county to inquire about it themselves." ”

"Taboo? What taboo to commit? Zhou Xianling asked suspiciously.

"Committing the taboo of the imperial court, Brother Feng was scared and sick because of this, and he is still lying in bed." Xiang Kang replied truthfully, and said: "And if the junior says that matter, it is equivalent to being convicted immediately, so please ask the county to forgive the crime, and the junior will not dare to say it." ”

"What the hell is going on? Terrible like this? Zhou Xianling wondered in his heart, but he didn't force Xiang Kang to answer immediately, just waved his hand and asked Xiang Kang to leave, and at the same time said in his heart: "It seems that I have to go to Shiling Pavilion in person to investigate what kind of ghost and god thing is at the scene, even Xiang Gongzi is so frightened that he doesn't dare to say it directly, this matter is definitely not trivial, I have to find out as soon as possible, and I should press it down quickly, so as not to affect the future of my official's career." ”