It's August, but this year's summer is extraordinarily long, it's already August, and it's still hot.

After the magistrate finished his official business, he went back to the back office, leaving a group of officials in the county government with big eyes and small eyes, and there was nothing to do.

Originally, there was nothing to do today, and they could go home early, but who knew that the county lord was unhappy for a while, so he let them sit in the yamen and bask in the sun, only so hot that they sweated, and they couldn't wait to take off all the clothes on their bodies.

Just as they were complaining, someone came in to report that two people had come outside to see Lord Zhixian.

When the people heard this, they rejoiced.

Someone went to the yamen, this is a good thing, he must have come to redress his grievances, the county magistrate is the best one, he has not tried the case for several days, and he is in an irritable mood, which is good, someone sent it to the door. So everyone went out together to see the excitement.

When I came to the yamen, I saw two people standing in front of the door, the older one looked like a businessman, and the younger one looked like a follower.

At this time, a servant asked in a loud voice, "What grievances do you have?" Ribbon paper? ”

The middle-aged man looked at the disheveled servants, and immediately turned his back to them, not wanting to talk to them.

Seeing this, the young man said loudly, "We are not wronged, I am afraid that it is you Chen Zhixian who are wronged." Hurry up and report it, on this hot day, let's wait for Master Zhang under the sun like this? ”

The officials looked at each other for a while, I didn't hear that there was going to be any big man above, but looking at the middle-aged man's empty eyes behind his hands, although he didn't wear an official uniform, he did have the appearance of being an official. The foreman's official did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly asked one person to report to the county magistrate.

Then he walked down the steps quickly, came to the middle-aged man, bent over and said with a smile on his face, "Master Zhang has worked hard, let's go inside and rest first on this hot day." ”

The middle-aged man didn't look at him, and said coldly, "Take me to you to see you in Chenzhi County." ”

The foreman didn't dare to say anything, and hurriedly led the way ahead. The officials knew that this was not a good thing, so they couldn't join in the excitement and avoided it one after another.

When the three of them came to the living room, they saw that the living room was empty, the middle-aged man had a cold expression, and sat down on the chair on the left, and the young man stood aside.

The foreman's servant was at a loss, and under this cold atmosphere, he didn't want to stay for a moment, but if the county lord didn't appear, he couldn't leave, and he was so anxious that he scolded his mother in his heart.

Fortunately, I didn't wait long, and I saw the county lord coming out of the back room, and the foreman hurriedly stepped forward to report, "My lord, this Lord Zhang has been waiting for a long time." ”

Chen Zhixian looked at the middle-aged man seated, waved his hand to the servant, let him go out, and then asked the middle-aged man, "Forgive this county, I don't know where Your Excellency is working, what is the matter with coming to see this county?" ”

The middle-aged man didn't reply, and the young man behind him said, "Chen Zhixian, the adult of my family is Zhang Ti, who came to the Huainan West Road Sentencing Department not long ago. ”

Chen Zhixian was shocked when he heard this, hurriedly took a few steps forward, and said respectfully, "I don't know that Zhang Tixing suddenly visited this county, and the lower officials have lost their welcome, and they still look forward to Lord Zhang Haihan." ”

Zhang Tixing got up and replied coldly, "Chen Zhixian, are you blaming the official for not reporting in advance?" ”

Chen Zhixian was startled, knowing that this adult Zhang was unhappy, so he said again and again, "Don't dare, don't dare." Seeing that the adults are in the dust, and they have worked hard all the way, the lower officials will arrange it to pick up the wind and wash the dust for the adults. ”

Zhang Ti said, "No need, this official is not here for the sake of appetite. ”

Chen Zhixian arched his hand again, "I don't know if Zhang Tixing visited Yi County, what advice do you have?" Please also make it clear. ”

Zhang Tixing's face softened slightly, "Sit down and say." After sitting down, he tidied up his clothes, and then said, "Let me introduce, my surname is Zhang, my name is Zhiyuan, I received an order a month ago, and I was transferred from Shaoxing Mansion to the Huaixi Criminal Division, and Lord Chen is not guilty." I really have something to ask Master Chen for advice this time. ”

Chen Zhixian said again and again, "Don't dare, don't dare, if there is something to ask, the lower officials know everything, and they can't say anything." ”

Zhang Zhiyuan said hello, and then continued, "A few days ago, I checked the prison rosters reported by various states and counties over the years, and found that the number of people in Taihu County who have been imprisoned all year round in each year in the past three years has increased by more than five times compared with three years ago, and the population under the jurisdiction of Taihu County is only 100,000, where are the hundreds of people in prison every year? I arrived here yesterday, and I saw that every household lived and worked in peace and contentment, everywhere was peaceful, I could not see fights, I could not even hear quarrels, I did not close my house at night, and I did not leave no trace of the road. Taihu County is so safe, why is your prison overcrowded? ”

It turned out to be for this, Chen Zhixian suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, and replied, "Master Zhang doesn't know, when Xiaguan first came to Taihu County three years ago, the public security situation here was extremely poor, and robberies occurred from time to time. ”

Zhang Zhiyuan replied, "I will report on Chen Zhixian's political achievements, but what I want to tell you today is not this problem. Since the establishment of the Taizu Dynasty, there have been testaments, engraved on the stone tablet, we and other officials see day by day, month by month, year by year, how can Chen Zhixian forget? ”

Chen Zhixian was a little puzzled and asked, "I don't know what Lord Zhang meant?" ”

Zhang Zhiyuan continued, "When Taizu read the articles of the previous dynasty and read that the people were easy to abuse and deceive the heavens, he had a lot of feelings about these words, and thought that it was not easy for the people in the world to live, so he engraved a few words on the stone tablet and erected them in every yamen, which is to warn us and other officials on the official side to love the people, understand the hardships of their lives, and give more education, and do not punish the law harshly, which will only increase the misery. Now, Chen Zhixian is doing the opposite. I looked at the prison registers and saw that you sentenced both sides of the neighborhood quarrel to fifteen days in prison. ”

Chen Zhixian defended, "Adults don't know, neighbors quarrel and bickering seems to be a trivial matter, but over time, it is not allowed to give birth to fights and injuries to people's lives, and the lower officials do this to prevent trouble." ”

Zhang Zhiyuan got up, shook his hand and said, "Nonsense." A little thing, you put people in prison with a word, and when they go to prison, they are criminals, leaving a stain, how will they behave after they get out? If you don't practice benevolence and righteousness, you don't educate people, and you can simply lock people up? You, the county magistrate, are too easy to do, Chen Zhixian! ”

Chen Zhixian only then knew that the sentence in front of him was not good, and he replied with great trepidation, "My lord is angry, the lower officials know that they are wrong, and they will definitely correct it in the future." ”

Zhang Zhiyuan said, "I'm afraid it's late, someone has already sued you about Taihu County to the Criminal Division, saying that your Taihu County seems to be peaceful and quiet on the surface, but the prison is overcrowded, and there is no place for those who steal chickens and dogs, so they can only be imprisoned in the same room with the death row prisoners, but is there such a thing?" ”

Chen Zhixian denied it again and again, "It is said that the lower officials are just and just, and the punishment is too severe, and the lower officials do not deny it, but to say that ordinary prisoners are detained together with death row prisoners, this is absolutely impossible, and it is absolutely a false accusation." ”

Zhang Zhiyuan ignored his argument and said coldly, "Bring this year's prison books in Taihu County, and I will check them one by one." ”

Chen Zhixian hurriedly called someone and ordered him to go and get the prison book quickly. At this time, he was extremely frightened, he had been an official here for three years, just to make political achievements, so that he could be promoted as soon as possible, who knew that he would attract the attention of the Criminal Division, if he didn't handle it well, I was afraid that his career would have to be ruined here.

Not long after, his subordinates took the prison book and sent it to Chen Zhixian.

Chen Zhixian didn't dare to look at it, and handed it to Zhang Zhiyuan directly, "Lord Zhang, this is this year's prison book in Taihu County, please take a look." ”

Zhang Zhiyuan took the prison book, turned around and sat down, opened the first volume to check, read the first few pages very slowly and carefully, and then turned faster and faster, only to hear the pages of the book, the voice became more and more urgent, and the anger on his face became more and more vigorous, and suddenly "bang" slapped the roster on the desk, and said sharply, "Chen Ruyi, you are ridiculous!" Eight or nine-year-old children are fighting in the streets, and you dare to put them in prison? Which law do you follow? You make it clear to me today. ”

Chen Zhixian trembled in fright and didn't dare to reply.

Seeing that Chen Ru bowed his head and was silent, Zhang Zhiyuan stared at him and asked, "Is it that there are too many cases of this kind, and the county magistrate can't remember clearly?" After speaking, he picked up the prison book on the desk and continued to look through it.

Zhang Zhiyuan, who was working on a cup of tea, flipped through a few prison books, looked at the last numbers, and asked, "Chen Zhixian, how many people are locked up in the county government prison now, do you know?" ”

Chen Zhixian didn't read the prison book, of course he didn't know, and replied truthfully with sweat on his forehead, "The lower officials don't know." ”

Zhang Zhiyuan handed the prison book to the young man beside him and said to Chen Zhixian, "One hundred and fifty-three people! I was really shocked that a small county jail could hold so many people. Would you like to go and see it together? Without waiting for Chen Zhixian to reply, he got up and walked out.

Chen Zhixian hurriedly stepped forward to lead the way, not daring to slack off a little. He clearly felt that Zhang Tixing was extremely dissatisfied with what he had done, and he had to find a way to make up for it, otherwise there would be no career at all.