The first year of Daming Jingtai, the first day of October. Appropriate, open the market, travel; Don't, break ground.

For example, for the yamen in various places today, the beginning of January is an extremely busy day. Early in the morning, the subordinate officials had to rush to the yamen to arrange the yamen, and then the county magistrate had to preach the imperial court decrees to the people under his rule in front of the yamen's affirmation pavilion, reward and punish the merits, and after the end, they would accept the people's pleadings and judge the case in public in the hall.

In the end, all these things will be written as notices and posted on the eight-character wall in front of the county office, as well as at the important sections and gates of the county seat, so as to make the decision of the people in the city know about the county office. During this period, many scribes had to stand below these lists and read them out to the people who came and went over and over again, after all, there were so few literate people in this era that it was useless to just post notices.

However, all this is so distant and unfamiliar to the people of Qufu County. The officials and people of the city could no longer remember the last time they did such a thing with such fanfare. Only the Kong family is the real master of this Qufu County, as for the county magistrate, it is just an ornament, how can he have the power to deal with these important affairs of a county?

Today, however, the situation is markedly different. When Jia Ming, the warden of the household, came to the county office after three o'clock in the morning as usual, he found that there were a lot of people gathered in front of the eight-character wall, looking at a newly posted list, and some people were even whispering something there.

This abnormal scene also surprised Jia Ming, and out of curiosity, he also went up to see what was going on. In fact, he didn't have to get too close to see what was written on the list, because just like the rules, there was also a scholar under the list who was explaining the content of the notice to the people in front of him with full confidence: "The county magistrate learned that many of the autumn grains harvested this year were shoddy, and the old grain was handed over as new grain, so he was furious and ordered that all the grain collected this year be sent back to the villages, and it would not be too late for you to replace it with new grain." In addition, in order to prevent anyone from cheating on it, this year, people from the yamen will personally go down to collect this tax grain, so there is no need to hand it over to the grain chiefs of the townships! ”

After hearing this, the people were naturally surprised, and some of the people who paid the grain even called Qu Lai, how dare we fool the government so much, obviously the previous grain was newly harvested, why did the government identify it as old grain? Moreover, we are all living a tight life, and there is no surplus in the whole year, how can we use the old grain of previous years to fill the new grain?

Of course, these words are very reasonable, but it is impossible for these people to reason with the government. When the scribe saw that everyone was in a hurry, he explained: "The magistrate said that such a defect had been discovered, but he did not say that you must have done such a thing. If you want to prove your innocence, you can go to those grain chiefs to get your grain back, and then hand it over to the county government. Moreover, the county magistrate said that in order to compensate for the loss of everyone's time, when you come to pay the grain, you only need to hand over ninety percent of the original amount. ”

As soon as he said this, many people had a look of intent on their faces. Although it is only reduced by one percent, according to the average household handing over two or three hundred catties of grain, it can save twenty or thirty catties, which is enough for several days of rations. Although it is indeed troublesome and delayed, compared with the visible benefits, what is the point of wasting such a little time?

So, after confirming that all this was true, many people went back with hope and high spirits. Obviously, after some of them go back, they will spread the word about the county government's decision, so that the neighbors around them will know, and it won't be long before the people inside and outside the county will know that the county government has made this decision.

Of course, there are also many people with some doubts and uneasiness in their expressions, including Jia Ming. Because as the warden of the county government, he didn't know that the county magistrate had such an arrangement, and this harvest of autumn grain was within his purview.

In a hurry, he stopped staying where he was, and immediately walked quickly into the yamen, and then went straight to the second hall, the public house of the county commander. Feeling a little annoyed and anxious in his heart, he didn't think much about it, even though the door was closed, but as soon as he stretched out his hand, he pushed it open, and said, "My lord, is what is written on the notice outside true?" ”

It wasn't until the words came out that he was stunned. Because he was shocked to find that there were several officials sitting in the room, in addition to the magistrate, there were also county officials and the chief bookkeeper who also sat in the lower place, and there was also a young man who sat on top of several officials even more aggressively.

Jia Ming's sudden push of the door naturally alarmed the four people, and the eight eyes looked at him in unison, especially the young man's gaze, which shot like two rays of ice, stabbing his body stiff, and his movements were completely stopped.

"Qiu County Order, your county government is also a little unruly, a small official actually dared to break into the county order's public house directly, and interrupted our negotiations, what do you say should be done?" The young man above frowned before he spoke.

"What the adults teach is that it is the subordinate officials who have no way to discipline them." Qiu Changyuan immediately admitted his mistake, and then turned his face blank: "Jia Ming, you really shouldn't have trespassed on your official's office, hurry up and go to the torture room to receive the punishment, and I will beat you with fifty boards according to the law." ”

As soon as these words came out, Jia Ming was even more stunned, and even stared at Qiu Xianling as if he didn't know him. To be honest, he has never seen the county magistrate dare to hold a county clerk like himself accountable. Because he should know very well that the six-room scribes who are really in charge of the affairs and affairs of the county government are more or less one and are controlled by the Kong family, so no matter what they do, Qiu Changyuan, the puppet county order, must accept it.

Seeing that he didn't move, Qiu Changyuan's face sank even more: "What, do you still want to add a charge of disobeying orders?" ”

"The adults forgive your sins, and the little ones are also disturbing you because of a momentary hurry." Finally, Jia Ming woke up from the surprise just now, but he did not retreat according to the other party's wishes, but strode into the room: "It's just that such a notice was suddenly posted outside, and I, as the warden of the county's household, don't know at all, which really doesn't make sense." I hope you can give me some advice. ”

"Isn't it clearly written? Because the official found that there was a problem with those autumn grains, they needed to be sent back for people to claim before receiving them. Why, can't this county magistrate even do this thing? ”

Jia Ming just wanted to laugh when he said this. The autumn grain in his mouth, but not even a grain has entered the gate of the county government, which he, the household warden, is naturally very clear. But the county magistrate actually opened his eyes and said nonsense, saying that there was a problem with food, isn't this a joke?

But then, he couldn't laugh anymore. Because the young man spoke: "Qiu County Order, your county hall is really disappointing." A mere low-ranking official dares to come in and question your decree, if this spreads, what will your face have? In my opinion, it should be severely punished to set an example. ”

These few words finally made Jia Ming sober up, and there was something wrong with this time. This young man should be the mysterious visitor who was suddenly treated as a guest by the county order two days ago, and the sudden arrival of the county order must have been inspired by him.

Obviously, this announcement of the grain exchange was a means for them to target the Kong family, and they actually crashed into it in such a stupid way, isn't this hitting the knife on the person's edge?

In fact, he can only blame him for this matter, he has never taken Qiu Changyuan to heart, thinking that the county officials are one and the same, and there is a big backer of the Kong family, and the county order has no way to take them. But now it seems that things have clearly changed.

And before he could admit his mistake and quit, Qiu Changyuan's face had changed suddenly, and he said: "The lesson of the lord is that the lower officials should punish this fang well, so as to correct the atmosphere of our county government." Come! ”

With this order, four or five burly men with fierce descriptions suddenly flashed out in front of the originally empty public house, and as soon as the county order was taken, they had already entered the house, stretched out their hands like iron tongs, held down the frightened Jia Ming, and then dragged them out.

"Adult, the little one knows that it's wrong, the little one shouldn't come here to make noise......" It was only then that Jia Ming was really a little panicked. Because these guys who suddenly appeared to take people were not only something he had never seen before, but they all had a murderous aura that made people palpitate, and it seemed that as long as they fell into their hands, there would definitely be no good results.

But Qiu Changyuan was not moved at all, he just waved his hand and said: "Just in this courtyard, beat him fifty boards, no mercy!" "For this subordinate who is always embarrassed by himself and has made himself unable to get off the stage many times, the county magistrate naturally hates him. Now that I finally have a chance to vent, of course I won't let it go. Moreover, he knew better that in fact, it was Lu Zhen in front of him who was in charge, and it was useless for him to say anything about it.

So, under Jia Ming's exclamation and the surprised gaze of the other county clerks and servants who rushed to hear the sound, he, a household warden with a high status and great power in the yamen, was dragged to the courtyard like a chicken, and then the two men who dragged him slammed him to the ground.

As soon as he let out a scream, several big feet had already stepped up, pressing his palms and ankles to the ground. Afterwards, someone brought two wooden sticks used to beat the board in the county yali, and the two men lined up left and right, and after exhaling, they waved the wooden cane and slapped it Jia Ming's buttocks.

The muffled banging sound and screams suddenly resounded in the courtyard, and everyone around them was shocked. And what made them even more panicked was that these guys really beat people to death, only ten rods, Jia Ming's screams were already weak, and when he had thirty rods, he was silent, and the wooden staff was pumped on his head, as if he had fallen on a piece of dead meat!