。 The roads in Shanghai County are all paved with bluestone, but they are not the bluestone slabs commonly used in water towns. Instead, use stone stakes that are three inches square and more than a foot long. Dense wedges. Putting together a smooth road, you can imagine how much work it will take. But the main roads of the entire city of Shanghai are paved in this way. After seeing this kind of pavement at the beginning, the scholars did not understand it very much. They think that this method is time-consuming and laborious, not to mention, and it is not as beautiful as the road paved by bluestone slabs, so I really don't know why bother. However, Shen Mo insisted on using this method to pave all the main roads of Shanghai, and they were extremely wide, and the main road could be parallel with six carriages, and the branch road could also be four cars in parallel, and it cost hundreds of thousands of taels of silver for this, and until this year, some branch roads have not been completed; Not only that, but he also ordered the construction of underground drainage channels to match the streets and housing sites, and a dense drainage network was built before all the buildings in Shanghai appeared, and the cost was unknown.

But when the new city was opened, everyone immediately realized the great benefits, first of all, the original bluestone road, it is easy to be uneven by the passing carriages, and even the stone slabs are crushed, and the pits are injected, water and soil, and the result is that the car is dusty on sunny days, and the mud is splashed on rainy days, and even often because the carriage is stuck in the pit, causing traffic jams; But the pavement of this city of Shanghai. It is surprising that there is no water in the rain, no dust in the sunny, and the carriage is safe and sound, and it has been in good condition for several years.

Even more comfortable is the underground drainage system in the city. It is rainy in the south of the Yangtze River, and it is full of sparse and ordinary people, and it often floods the Seventh Army, making it impossible for people to go out. But this Shanghai city is a god, no matter how heavy the rain is or how long it falls, there is no water on the ground, and the road will dry as soon as the rain stops, and there will be no delay at all. It also makes people feel very comfortable.

Many wealthy families have bought properties in the city, and even moved their families to live in Shanghai, which may have something to do with it to a greater or lesser extent.

Sitting silently on the carriage, lifting the curtains, looking at the busy streets and the bustling crowd. The mood is very comfortable, that sense of accomplishment and pride. It was something he had never felt in his years in the capital.

Along the way, the carriage stopped unconsciously, and the Shanghai county government arrived, compared with the city and street that were carefully built regardless of the cost, this blue-gray county government looked very unimposing, and even a little cold, if it were not for the eye-catching "county office." The plaque reminds that many people will pass by and miss directly,,

At this time, the front of the yamen was crowded with people watching the excitement, and everyone tiptoed to look inside, as if there was something lively to see.

Silently jumped out of the carriage. Let Sanchi go to inquire, and after a while, I came back to report that today is the day when the county lord decided the case, and everyone came together to see the excitement in the morning.

Shen Mo said strangely: "The county master decided the case? Can you see it at the yamen? "All the yamen in the world are asking questions in the second hall. Entering through the main gate, there are two more gates, and what can you see at the door?

"Yes, I also think it's strange" Sanchi said: "As a result, people are in love, their county master's style is like this" Lafeng said with a smile: "Isn't this a word you commonly use?"

He also glanced at him silently and said, "Let's go, let's go and have a look." ,One,,Heart,One,,

With the help of Sanchi and another strong guard, it took a lot of effort for Shen Mo to squeeze into the front row. The whole crowded placket ignored the white eyes of others, and looked into the county government.

I saw two rows of officials holding water and fire sticks, standing in the courtyard in a row class, and two officials, working together to hold a huge Luo umbrella, covering a young man wearing a seven-grade official uniform under the umbrella; The young man was very characteristic of appearance, with a small head, and wore an official hat like an iron pot on his head; The eyes are small and the chin is pointed. He has two mustaches, like the head of the zodiac, and it is funny to look at the appearance, "If you go to the Ministry of Officials, don't think about it for the rest of your life."

He didn't have a sitting appearance yet, and he crossed Erlang's legs. While shaking his head, the wings of the official hat trembled. Obviously sitting on a chair, but it seems to be sitting in a sedan chair; He also held a purple clay pot in his hand, taking a sip from time to time, which looked extremely comfortable.

Seeing him like this, Shen Mo couldn't help but want to laugh. I was afraid to alarm him again, and I couldn't see a good show, so I hurriedly held back my laughter. Turning his gaze to the row of people standing in front of him, he saw that there were old and young, some dressed as merchants, some strong men in short robes, and even foreigners in long robes.

"This is all for a lawsuit? Silently asked the people on the side.

"Yes." The person on the side replied: "The county lord takes the case once every five days." Generally, the case is decided on the spot, and unless it is not satisfied, it is rare to have an overnight stay

Qi Mo counted nearly twenty people, and asked, "This has to be a ** case." "Eight." The man on the side replied, "It's already broken." After these eight are cut off, the county lord can rest for another three or four days. ”

"Hehe, this county order should be quiet and silent, and I couldn't help laughing.

"That's why this temple can't accommodate the great Bodhisattva Lord Shen" The spectators on the other side couldn't help but defend the county order: "It's just a Shanghai county, and you can manage it with two points of strength, why do you want to use those eight points." This person spoke a little loudly, which affected the spectators on the side, and immediately attracted a dissatisfied reprimand: "What are you yelling about, disturbing us to watch the play." ”

Silent this sweat, my heart said, it turned out that this was a theater. stopped talking and concentrated on watching Shen County's trial case.

But after a while, he had to ask questions again, no way, who made him half-way and didn't catch up with the first half? I had to whisper to the person on the side: "What kind of case is being tried now?" ”

The one on the side was also a good talker, ignoring the cannibalistic eyes of others, and explained silently: "Now the trial is a theft case, and the thin and tall man is the owner, claiming to be in the honey stack business." I worked hard to earn fifty taels of silver in Shanghai, and I was about to take it home to marry my daughter-in-law, but I didn't want to leave it on the ferry, so I hurriedly went back to find Xiao Gong but was flatly denied it, and asked the lord to help find it. ”

"What about the county concubine?" asked with a silent smile.

"The county lord sent someone to pass on the little prince with him." The man said, "I'll be back now." Silence was picked up at this moment.

At this time, I saw the official who went to detain people, carrying a cloth bag, pointing to a man with a blue nose and swollen face, and a boatman dressed as a boatman, and reported: "Master, this is when the boatman went to detain him, I saw that he was in a hurry to hide this burden; The brothers have the wise leadership of the master, all of them are like lightning and move like rabbits, how can they let him succeed, they will throw him to the ground at once, and they will get the stolen goods! ”

"Oh?" Shen County ordered the messenger to take the burden in front of him, looked at it silently for a moment, then stretched out his hand to scratch his back, and lazily asked the owner: "Is this your burden?" ”

"Yes, yes, it is the burden of the villain" The lost owner said excitedly: "Thank you for your help!" ”

"Is this really your baggage?" Shen Xian Ling didn't seem to believe it, and squinted at him and asked, "What's in front of you there?"

"There are five taels and eight gaps in it" were exchanged by the villain before, and the rest were some scattered silver, which had not yet had time to be exchanged. ”

Shen Xian Ling opened the baggage, only to see that there were indeed eight silver disciples inside, some broken silver, which was exactly what the man said, and everyone in the audience said: "It seems that it is indeed his silver."

After listening to everyone's discussions, the boatman shouted anxiously: "My lord, I am wronged, this is the money that the villain has saved by selling fish and ferrying, because he can only fall asleep by counting it every night, and the villain has a problem with talking to himself, so he must have eavesdropped!" ”

Shen Xianling's expression moved when he heard this, and he said to the boatman: "Don't talk yet" and then looked at the plaintiff and said, "Look at this burden again, is it really yours?" As he spoke, he said with a solemn face: "Here, falsely accusing others and seeking property, but you will be punished twice!" ”

The man was frightened by him and couldn't help but shudder, but he still insisted that it was his own.

"Look at it again". Shen Xian Ling made a fuss and said, "This burden is really yours?" There is no turning back

"It's really mine," the man's voice grew more and more, but at this moment, the simple-minded boatman. But he was enraged, pointed at him and said loudly: "You lie, this wrapper is the scraps of a piece of sailcloth, it has not been cut or cut, and it can be matched with my sails" As soon as this remark came out, the plaintiff immediately understood why the county lord kept asking if the burden was his, and hurriedly changed his words: "What I said is that the things in the baggage are mine, and this baggage skin is not."

Shen Xianling glanced at the boatman helplessly. said: "I said dude, are you in a group with him?" These words caused a burst of laughter from the onlookers, but the boatman and the second monk were puzzled, and just flatly denied it: The villain doesn't know what his name is, how can he be in a group with him?

"Isn't it a gang?" Shen Xianling took a sip of tea, smashed his mouth and said, "Then shut up for me, I don't ask, master, you are not allowed to say a word; One more thing, I won't investigate this case, and I will directly award the silver to the plaintiff

"Don't" said the boatman, said two words, and quickly covered his mouth, lest the eldest master close the case, which would cause another burst of laughter.

After seeing this person's performance, Shen Xianling had a plan in his heart, but he had to find convincing evidence to confirm his guess, so he took the burden and looked at it carefully, and everyone held their breath, lest they disturb the county master to find inspiration. For a moment, the courtyard was very quiet, except for the rustle of leaves in the wind. And,, coo. The sound of a cat meowing.

Shen Xianling was looking at the burden and was engrossed, but he heard a cat barking. When I looked down, it turned out to be the big yellow cat raised by my wife, who was flattering around him, staring at the bag of silver with his eyes, as if he was very eager. Shen Xianling couldn't help laughing and said: "Damn, these ways have really changed, not only people love money, but even cats like silver" After thinking about it, isn't it right that cats want silver to have a hair? Could it be that he could go to the fish shop with two coins of silver in his mouth and say to Xiao'er, "Bring me a big one?" Obviously impossible,,

Shen Xian Ling looked at the cat that would be so flattering when he met something he liked to eat, and then a bag of silver, suddenly understood, turned his back, put the bag of silver close to his nose, and went through them one by one, oh is over, and he understands; The net wants to say the old but ugly can't help but choke, wipe his nose, and ask the plaintiff! "You said that the continent is inlaid and knocked on the north. But the burden is not, so where was it originally contained? ”

The plaintiff said without hesitation: "Go back to the master." In the box I carried with me. As he spoke, he pointed to a large wooden box with many drawers beside him, and said, "The man has also entered the batch of goods, and is going to go home to give them away, and put them together with the silver. That's when I saw the intention of making money

"Do you still have any silver on you?" Shen Xianling's good temper ended here, interrupting him.

"Yes" that humanity.

"Show it to the officer." Shen Xian Ling stretched out his hand.

The man took a delicate little money bag from his bosom, handed it to the official, and said, "This is eight taels of silver, because it is on his body, so he has not stolen it."

Shen Xian Ling snorted noncommittally, and motioned for the official to hold the silver in front of him. After a moment's scrutiny, he got up and paced around the courtyard with his hands behind his back and his head down, as if he were thinking about something.

So the courtyard fell silent again, and everyone stared at the county lord who was turning in circles, for a moment. Then he stood still, and tapped the ground with his toes, and said, "Put both bags of silver here."

"Master, do you want to put it on the ground?" The official asked in a low voice.

"Nonsense, can I put it on my toes?" Master Shen rolled his eyes and said.

The official shrunk his neck, hurriedly put the two bags of silver at the place designated by the county master, and then accompanied the master to stare there with wide eyes, and after a while, the big yellow cat also followed, persistently on the large pile of silver.

After looking at it for a while, the county magistrate nodded and said, "The truth is revealed, and he asked the errand officer on the side: "Do you see it?" The officer rubbed his sore neck, and said inexplicably: "Master, I don't see anything."

"So I'm the sir, and you're the creep." The county magistrate smiled proudly, his eyes swept over the two people, and finally fell on the plaintiff's face, his eyes glared, and he said sharply: "Boldly disrupt the people, and dare to make up lies to deceive the officials and frame good people, quickly recruit from the truth." The plaintiff's face changed suddenly, and his voice trembled and he shouted that he had been wronged.

Shen Xianling smiled coldly: "If you are not convinced, come over and have a look." ”

The plaintiff staggered forward, staring at the large and small piles of silver, and then heard Shen Xianling ask, "What do you see?" ”

The plaintiff hesitated: "Two piles of silver" cats, and ants. ”

"Why are there cats and ants? Everybody knows. Cats love fishy smells, ants love sweets! Shen Xianling sneered: "Look at this silver like this, my cat is repairing on this big pile, which shows that the silver has a strong fishy smell, and this small pile taken out of you is crawling with ants, take a closer look, what are the ants doing." ”

The plaintiff's legs were weak and his reaction was slow, but the official moved quickly, stared at it with wide eyes for a while, and said excitedly: "It turns out that these ants are moving some sugar powder,"

"Yes!" Shen Xianling said to the plaintiff in a deep voice: "You are a sweets, and it is inevitable that sugar will stick to your hands, and then stick to the silver, so your pile of silver will be crawling with ants, and on the other pile, there is no sugar at all, so you will not attract ants, but attract cats." Isn't it clear to the owner of these fifty taels? ”

As he spoke, his face sank, and he shouted, "Come on." Take him down and serve him with great punishment."

The plaintiff was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, and finally admitted that he was on the boat, and when he heard that he was counting the money, he saw that he was rich, but he saw that the little man was strong. didn't dare to take it by force, so he thought of such a method as clever, but who knew that it was debunked by the county magistrate on the spot.

Shen County ordered him to be taken into custody, and ordered someone to wrap up fifty taels of silver, as well as the plaintiff's eight taels, and gave him justice: "I'm sorry to hurt you, the extra money, even if it is the soup and medicine fee, the little public cleared up the injustice, and got a windfall, and kowtowed excitedly, thank you Lord Qingtian."

Shen County's seriousness passed all of a sudden, and he smiled at Na Xiaogong and said: "You can't have the heart to hurt people, you can't have the heart to prevent people, don't easily show your wealth in the future." In the cheers of the spectators, Shen Xianling seemed to enjoy this cheer, and even waved to the crowd, who knew that at a glance, he saw a figure that he hadn't seen for a long time, and he was looking at himself with a smile.

As soon as he saw that person, he was first happy, then shrunk his neck, stuck out his tongue, and wanted to disperse the complainant, but when he saw that the person shook his head slightly, he obediently stopped, sat back in a precarious position, and broke the case seriously, in fact, with his cleverness, it didn't take so much time to deal with these simple cases, but he liked this tune, so he deliberately made it so complicated.

Now as soon as the speed is accelerated, the remaining cases will be cut off after dividing five by two, and the plaintiff and the defendant have no objections, but the audience is very disappointed, because they didn't see any wonderful jokes, how to brag when they go back.

The officials were also very surprised and whispered, "Master, are you in a hurry to urinate?" ”

Life is a mess")