(In the afternoon, I will take a long-distance bus home for the New Year, and the second chapter will not be written until 12 o'clock in the evening, so everyone is going home soon, and the journey is safe)

……

The Qin State has always had a tradition of transferring to other places, and the three chief officials in the county, that is, the county commander, the county commander, and the county right lieutenant, are not allowed to be from the county.

Du Xian, the right lieutenant of Anlu County, is a native of Qin, Guanzhong, and although he himself came to Anlu to take up his post, his family stayed in his hometown. Therefore, Du Xian did not buy a mansion as his residence, but only lived in the courtyard specially provided to the officials after the official temple in the county seat.

The courtyard is not large, and the furnishings are not luxurious, and there are only a few slaves and concubines in the courtyard to serve and live. Originally, there was a piece of elegant bamboo forest planted by Dr. Chu Guoshi, but it was also cut down by Du Xian, and a corner of the courtyard was vacated as an open space for martial arts training - typical Qin State military officials thinking.

In the evening of this day, Du Xian's front foot asked the erector to send the visiting Huyang Pavilion chief Heifu away, and the back foot listened to a servant who returned from buying grain from the bazaar to say that Heifu's "generosity and righteousness" deeds were being spread outside.

"Is there such a thing? I didn't hear him talk about it......"

Du Xian knelt behind the desk, wearing regular clothes, and said in surprise. Fang Cai Heifu came to visit and thank Du Xian for his "kindness", the pavilion chief is a subordinate directly under the county lieutenant, not to mention that Heifu was recruited by Du Xian, and he can be regarded as joining the right lieutenant series.

Du Xian was also very happy to see that Heifu had just made a contribution and was promoted to a knight, so he left Heifu to eat, but in front of him and Chen Baijiang at the banquet, Heifu did not mention the matter of scattering wealth.

Chen Baijiang, who was sitting with him, said with some surprise: "This black man is too, he really doesn't treat money as money, more than 4,000 yuan is a lot, what he doesn't do well, but he uses it to repay the armor for others." That man was just an anonymous criminal, and he was not related to him, so why bother......"

For Heifu's rapid promotion, he was often praised by the right lieutenant, Chen Baijiang was a little jealous, and his luck was too good, so there was a bit of yin and yang in his words.

Du Xian said to Chen Baijiang: "Do you think his four thousand dollars are worth it?" ”

General Chen Baijiang heard the dissatisfaction in the right lieutenant's tone, and was a little at a loss, but he listened to Du Xian lecture him: "You, you are still too short-sighted, let me ask you, what do you want most for us officials?" ”

"Mo is not a military lordship? And a steady stream of money and food? ”

Chen Baijiang carefully replied that in the Qin State, the title and wealth were linked, and the higher the title, the larger the mansion, the more servants, and the more abundant the output.

Du Xian nodded: "Yes, I heard that Tingwei once said a sentence when he entered Qin, that criticism is greater than humility, and sorrow is worse than poverty. But what are the officials looking for? ”

Chen Baijiang arched his hand and said: "The subordinate is stupid, he can't think of anything else, and he asks the right lieutenant to solve his doubts." ”

Du Xian nodded at Chen Baijiang and said, "There is still fame!" ”

The so-called fame is merit and fame, in the eyes of the world, if the career is successful but the nationality is nameless, it is not enough to flaunt success and wealth.

Because of this, in another 20 years, the person who shouted "wealth does not return to his hometown, such as brocade clothes walking at night", misses not only the scenery of his hometown, the sound of Western Chu, but also the praise of the villagers.

So in Du Xian's view, Heifu gained a reputation in the county for 4,000 yuan, and was praised by the county people, which was really a good deal. Fame is hard to come by, it's not an ethereal thing, it can even be translated into real benefits.

Although the promotion of officials by the Qin State is regarded as a political achievement, reputation is also part of ability. In the article "The Way of Officials", one of the "five virtues" summarized as officials is "joy is good deeds". If a Qin official can do more good deeds and have an excellent reputation in the local area, it is easy to get the attention of his superiors, and he may even be promoted.

"This black man has a great future in the future."

Du Xian stroked his beard and began to congratulate himself on recruiting this man, for for Du Xian, the more capable and praised Heifu was, the more it proved that he was a good lieutenant......

……

Du Xian was praising Heifu's "good deeds and righteous deeds", and Zuowei Yunman, who lived in the south of the county, was scolding Heifu's behavior.

Yun Man is a descendant of the ancient Yun State in the past, and when he was in the Chu State, he was the doctor under the Yun Jun Ruoao is clan, responsible for managing the car garden. During the reign of the Qin State, the Meteoric clan became the largest local clan due to its active cooperation.

Even if there is a separation order restriction, their family is still extremely wealthy, with a high gate compound, pink walls and vermilion tiles, pavilions and pavilions in the courtyard, a bamboo forest in the garden pond that the Chu people like, and dozens of slaves with green clothes and good clothes and maidservants with thin skirts.

Luxuriously decorated and brightly lit with lacquerware, Yun Man was discussing with his children and nephews what was happening in the bazaar today.

"This black man made an accident as soon as he took office, so as to get credit, and now he has been promoted to the top creation, and his luck is really good!" One of Yun Man's nephews said indignantly.

Yun Man also looked unhappy, and responded: "This person seems to be simple, but in fact he is cunning. The so-called righteous deeds are also fake, have you heard the story of the righteousness of the Qi State Meng Weijun burning the coupons? In the old man's opinion, this black man is definitely also a famous person! ”

Although because of the previous two incidents, the Yun family gritted his teeth with hatred for Heifu, but now, that Heifu is on the big ship of the county right lieutenant and has gained fame in the county, Yun Man wants to clean him up, but it is a little difficult.

"Father, let that erection be proud for a little longer."

Yun Man's son suggested: "After a year and a half, Du Xian will be transferred, and this Anlu County Lieutenant's Office is still the father's decision!" It's not too late to clean up that black man when the time comes! ”

……

Prison Pengxi's family also lives in Luyou, south of the county, but the house is not as simple as an official's house. A small courtyard with three entrances, there are trees and vegetable furrows in the courtyard, the house is slightly old, but it is very clean, the house is very neatly cleaned, and there are no extra subordinate concubines, only an old servant is serving in the kitchen.

Xi has two sons, the eldest son was born in November of the 11th year of the reign of King Qin, and he is already 10 years old. The second son Hui was born in the eighteenth year of the reign of King Qin, and is now only 2 and a half years old, and he is still a babbling child.

Every day when I go home from work, I sit in front of the desk with my wife and son, and after eating today's food, the food is light and I don't talk much, but my wife is virtuous and filial, and the family is warm and harmonious.

Xi was not a very interesting person, there was no more entertainment, and for more than ten years, he would sit in front of the desk after his meal, and transcribe the case books of his daily work.

This habit originated when he was just a clerk, and he witnessed an unjust, false and wrongful case caused by the prison officials who were not proficient in the law and were beaten into tricks.

On that occasion, an innocent soldier was considered a cattle thief and was punished as a black-faced city-to-face city-to-face officer, and finally the unjust case was cleared up after appealing to the county. Although the Qin government took the initiative to help Na Shiwu buy back his wife and daughter, who were punished as subordinate concubines, they had already suffered, and the society of Qin was not tolerant of a dark-faced person, and the family could only spend the rest of their lives in seclusion.

Therefore, after witnessing all this, I have always warned myself that I must remember every law, be cautious about every judgment, and never allow grievances in my own hands.

When he was copying the Vinaya, his younger brother, who was a master in the school, dared to smile and say, "Brother, what's the use of copying these?" It's hard enough to be busy with cases every day, but do you want to copy them down and take them to the grave?

In this regard, Xi is only smiling and not speaking, and habits form naturally. He always felt that he had the obligation to record all kinds of cases that happened in Nanjun every day, and all the states, good and evil, of this small world were condensed in the prison case file. This is equivalent to the "three times a day and my body" of the Legalist lawyer.

In the evening of that day, halfway through the copy, his younger brother dared to visit him again and told him that he had done the "righteous act" that the head of the Huyang Pavilion, Heifu, had done in the market today.

"What do you think, brother?" Dare to sit opposite Xi asked with a smile.

Xi has been silent for a long time, and the focus of the county right lieutenant and the left lieutenant is different from the name of Heifu and the fishing name, and what Xi is concerned about is, does Heifu violate the law by doing this?

"Heifu is lending money to the sick and asking him to pay off the fine, Qin State is just not allowed to use houses and other property as collateral to borrow debts, but simply borrowing money, as long as the deed complies with the regulations, is not illegal. As for Heifu himself breaking the deed on the spot, he didn't want the four thousand dollars, it was something he could decide, and no one could hold him accountable, but ......"

Xi picked up a bamboo slip on the case, what was recorded on it was his sentence on the public servant's illness today, a concise sentence, but it can determine the second half of a person's life and the survival of a family.

Xi understands its weight very well, he is not a ruthless person, but he just thinks that the greatest justice in this world is to do everything according to the law. In this process, all your likes and dislikes must be brushed off.

"Shang Junyan, those who do not speak in accordance with the law, do not listen; Those who do not practice the law are not high; Those who do not follow the law will not do it. “

The meaning of this sentence is that anything that does not conform to the law is not obeyed, not advocated, not admired, and not done.

In Xi's opinion, what Heifu did did not violate the law. However, although Heifu has been praised by the whole county for his private favor, he has already exceeded the spirit of Qin Law and is a dangerous behavior.

Who does he think he is? A small pavilion chief, who has only been in office for a few days, has only handled a case, and he feels that what he has done is fairer than the law, can he reward and punish on behalf of the law?

The people of Anlu County are also confused, how can they blindly praise and appreciate such behavior?

Misfortune and misfortune are born from the Tao, not from love and dislike.

"Brother wants to investigate and reprimand the pavilion chief?" Not every Qin official is like a god under the law, Xi's younger brother dare not understand his brother's radical thoughts, and he, like the people of Anlu County, appreciates Heifu's righteous deeds.

Xi shook his head: "As a lawyer, you can't be tolerant of things that are prohibited by the law, and you don't have to be harsh on things outside the law. ”

The line of line is placed there, and the law enforcer only needs to see whether people have crossed it, and must not expand the line infinitely because of their own likes and dislikes, and put in those who are obviously stepping on the line.

Although he was a little unhappy in his heart, he didn't pursue Heifu for this, in that case, wouldn't he also become the kind of person who acted according to his likes and dislikes?

"As long as his deeds remain within the testimonies, let him be!"

After sending his younger brother away, he looked at the half-copied legal documents on the case, and suddenly thought of what Heifu had said when he asked him today, and remembered the unjust case he had experienced when he was a servant just now.

"Judgment should be rewarded and punished, not guilty or innocent, did I really do it?"

But after a moment of wavering, he reverted to his old persistence.

"I have a clear conscience, at least, worthy of the law!"

……

At this time, Heifu did not know the various discrediting evaluations of the people and officials of Anlu County.

He doesn't care too much, because Heifu has always felt that the responsibility for honor and disgrace lies with himself, not about others! This time, he also dared to pat his chest and say that he was worthy of his heart.

After getting rid of the public servant and going to the disease, Heifu first took a look around the cattle and horses in the sunset market and looked at the ploughing cattle, which was the first thing Heifu wanted to buy after getting a huge sum of more than 10,000 yuan.

"Spring ploughing is coming, although there will be no more officials to make things difficult for my family this year, but if there is a ploughing ox at home, my uncle and the ploughing field can also be less tired."

Considering that he did not have a few opportunities to return home this year, Heifu would have no one to help with farm work, and one more cow in the family was equivalent to three more laborers.

I didn't know if I didn't know and was startled when I saw it, and after he turned around the cow and horse pen and asked the price, he realized that he was thinking too simple.

It turns out that the cheapest price of a ploughing cow is seven or eight thousand, and the better ones are even tens of thousands. At this time, Heifu felt that the 4,000 yuan bond that had been burned in the blink of an eye was indeed a bit too much. But he doesn't regret it, the big husband has done something and not done, and Heifu thinks that's what he should do.

Ploughing cattle is so valuable, it is the most valuable property of many Chinese families, which is equivalent to buying a car in later generations, but you can't just pick one......

Picking cattle and horses is a kind of science, and the folk even have special horses, cows, and some mantras, such as watching cattle, that is, "the eyes are round and big, the whites of the eyes are connected with the pupils, and the neck is long and the feet are large and the broad hair is short", but Heifu has only heard that when he sees it in person, he is still confused.

So Heifu temporarily gave up his plan to buy cattle, and decided to wait for Xiu Mu to go home, and then discuss the matter with his heart, the eldest brother is a good farmer, and he knows how to do it.

Subsequently, Heifu bought some gifts and went to visit Du Xian, the county lieutenant. You have to have a good relationship with the leader, especially the leader who has the grace to support you, and you have to rely on the right lieutenant to make the left lieutenant dare not touch himself. He knew very well that although he was the pavilion chief, he was still a small person in Anlu County.

When he came out of the right lieutenant's mansion, it was already dark, and Heifu hurried through the streets and alleys, and arrived at a courtyard next to the county carpentry workshop before curfew.

His brother-in-law was left in the county seat by the county engineer because of his dedication, and was responsible for teaching the craftsmen how to make the treadmill, and also arranged a place to live for him, and the treatment was not bad.

These days, whenever Heifu comes to the county seat to participate in the trial and testify, and he can't return to Huyang Pavilion late at night, he will come here to lay on the floor and make up for the night.

He never thought that when he arrived at the door of the small courtyard today, he saw the whirlpool rubbing his hands and pacing by the door with an anxious expression.

"Sister, what's wrong? Didn't you forget to bring a pipe 籥 (yuè) again? Heifu asked.

Speaking of his honest sister-in-law, he is also funny, where he lives, he always forgets to bring the key, and one day he knocked on the door in a daze and called the name of the black husband and his sister, saying wife, come and open the door quickly......

I guess I've been away for a long time and I'm homesick.

But today, the whirlpool is wandering outside the door for another reason.

Seeing Heifu coming back, Lu was overjoyed, and after a few steps, a pair of big hands patted Heifu's shoulder, almost dislocating him......

"Hef, that's a good thing!"

Lu grinned and said, "We offer a reward for stepping on the ground, and the county has finally sent it down!" ”