After breakfast the next day, Shen Mo and Gui Youguang prepared gifts, and the plan to dredge the Wusong River, and went to Changzhou County in civilian clothes.

Hai Rui was suspended from his job to reflect, and now the work of the county government is presided over by the county officer, and the two of them looked through the car window, and everything was as before, so they did not disturb his office, and ordered the coachman to go to the back door.

When I turned to the back door of the county office, I saw some old people with yellow faces and thin muscles and ragged clothes sitting at the door, and some bare-bottomed children playing. Looking inside, the courtyard was full of very simple shacks, tattered clothes were drying in the clearing, and several women were chopping wood and doing laundry. Shen Mo is no stranger to this scene, when he lived in the riverside slum with his father, it was basically like this.

The two looked up, and said in their hearts, yes, it's the back door of the county government, why did it become like this? Gui Youguang was surprised: "Scared, is the beggar gang attacking the county government?" ”

"you." Shen Mo laughed and scolded, and asked Sanchi to find an old man and ask, is Lord Hai inside?

After three feet of turmoil, he talked to those idle old people, and came back after a while: "Lord Hai is inside, and these people are all allowed by him." ”

Gui Youguang asked, "Do you still go in?" ”

"Come in, why don't you go in?" Shen Mo rolled his eyes and said, "It's so faceless to be scared away." ”

The guards carried their things, protected the two adults, and carefully entered the county office, passing through the shacks and drying racks, and had to be careful not to touch people's clothes to the ground.

Looking at the shacks silently, there was nothing except a few black broken quilts, a few broken bowls for eating, a broken pot and a few bricks.

"This is all the belongings of those victims...... "Shen Mo said secretly, he had always avoided touching the suffering at the bottom, because it would make his heart as hard as stone, crack and doubt his own code of conduct and even the moral yardstick. He knew that in this era, this was almost devastating, not only would it not be beneficial to his career, but it would also make the lofty ideals that had always supported him become a flower in the mirror and a moon in the water.

hardened his heart, and Gui Youguang inquired all the way to find Hai Rui. If it weren't for a kid who took the initiative to lead the way, he would really get lost in layers of shacks and hangers.

"Well, that's the courtyard of Lord Hai." The child took them around, and finally reached a small courtyard in the corner of the mansion, and ran away without looking back.

Looking at the windy dangerous wall and the two broken tile houses in the small courtyard, he asked silently, "Is that stinky boy playing with the two of us?" ”

Gui Youguang saw a man holding a brick knife, concentrating on repairing the crumbling brick wall, he saw that this person was gray and muddy, and whispered: "Ask this man who worked for him." So he walked over and stretched out his hand to pat him on the shoulder, but saw that it was all dust, so he retracted his hand and asked, "Excuse me, Lord Hai Ruihai lives like this?" ”

What he never expected was that the one who built the wall turned around and said with a smile: "Zhenchuan Gong, how did you find this?" ”

Listening to the voice, the two of them realized that this 'yellow-faced Dian Wei' turned out to be Hai Rui. Looking at his dress again, holding a brick knife in one hand and a bucket in the other, his clothes were ragged and covered in mud, no different from the victims outside, and he couldn't cry or laugh.

Gui Youguang held back a sentence for a long time and said, "What are you doing here?" ”

"Build a wall." Hai Rui waved the brick knife in his hand, and the muddy water splashed: "This wall is in disrepair, and a heavy rain can wash it down." ”

Gui Youguang hurriedly dodged, but was still splashed on the corner of his clothes, and said with a wry smile: "Since ancient times, 'officials do not repair the government', and it is normal for some places to fall into disrepair, but there are many good houses in the county government, why do you have to pick up the broken ones?" ”

"I've been dismissed," Hai Rui said as if he hadn't seen the silence, picking up a brick and putting it on the wall, "It's a mistake to live here, but I can't afford to live in a house in Suzhou, so I have to be cheeky here." ”

Up to now, he didn't pay attention to the silence, which made Lord Fuzun quite embarrassed, Gui Youguang hurriedly relieved the siege and said: "Gangfeng, the adults came to see you, why don't you invite the adults to sit in the house?" ”

Hai Rui glanced at Shen Mo at this time, but the whites of his eyes were mostly white, and he said sullenly: "It's too chaotic in the house, I can't plug in my feet, so let's talk about something here." ”

"Gangfeng ......" Gui Youguang said that you are too ignorant of lifting, and he couldn't help but aggravate his tone.

"Ruxian," at this time, an old lady's voice sounded in the courtyard, full of air and very loud, "When guests come, they don't invite people to sit in the house." ”

"Hey......" Hai Rui sighed, then put down the trowel, removed the rag on his shoulder, and said while wiping his hands: "Please." ”

Through the dilapidated courtyard wall, Shen Mo saw three women hurriedly hiding in the house, it was estimated that they should be Hai Rui's wife and two daughters, and the three of them were originally busy working in the courtyard.

When I entered the yard, I found that it was actually well organized, and the green vegetable furrows were neat and tidy, and there was not a single weed in sight; Although the floor was not paved with bricks, it was clean, and it seemed to have just been sprinkled with water, and there was no dust at all.

An old woman sat at the door of the main house, holding the loom with her hands and feet, and looked at Hai Rui and said, "Ruxian, how rude is it to muttering at the door if a guest is not invited in?" The voice had a faint majesty, no, naturally.

Hai Rui hurriedly replied: "Eminem, it's Shangguan who has arrived, our family conditions are too simple, and the children are afraid of ......."

"What are you afraid of? Our Hai family is bright, what's not to see? Hai Mu said: "Why don't you invite the guests to come in and sit down." ”

As soon as the old lady drank it, Hai Rui lost his temper, took off his shoes, scooped a scoop of water from the bucket at hand, and said while rushing at his feet: "Please come in." ”

Shen Mo saw that his feet were not dirty, and he didn't know why he was rushing, but he looked inside and found that it was covered with bamboo mats that Hainan people are accustomed to, so he also took off his shoes and socks.

Hai Mu shook her head and smiled: "Guests don't have to be like this. But seeing that Shen Mo was so polite, the old lady was still very happy, and hurriedly instructed her son to prepare refreshments.

"Do as the locals do." Shen Mo smiled and said, snatched Hai Rui's water scoop, scooped the water and washed his feet, then handed the water scoop to Gui Youguang, took the gift he was carrying, and said, "You can also rush." ”

Shangguan is all done, what else can you do? I had to take off my shoes and socks obediently, and said a little embarrassed: "Sweaty feet ......" and squatted there to scrub repeatedly, feeling very embarrassed.

After entering the house, sitting on the floor as the guest of honor, Hai Mu asked, "Are you Lord Shen?" ”

Shen Mo smiled: "Yes, I am Shen Mo, I heard that the old lady's family was here a few days ago, so I wanted to come and visit, but I have been entangled in mundane affairs, and I have free time today." Saying that, he glanced at Gui Youguang and said, "Then I came with Mr. Zhenchuan to greet the old lady." ”

Gui Youguang also smiled and said, "Yes, old lady, the lord has also prepared a gift for you." And he pushed it in front of him. Shen Mo is a thoughtful person, knowing that the Hai family has a different style, if the gift is expensive, it will definitely not be accepted, then it will be too embarrassing. It is not expensive to prepare a gift, it is nothing more than satin, shoes and hats, crutches and the like, and then some tea and ham, all of which are things that the juniors respect for their elders.

Hai Mu hurriedly thanked her: "My lord is too expensive, it doesn't have to be like this, it doesn't have to be like this." ”

Shen Mo smiled: "The first time I came to see the old lady, I can't be empty-handed, bent hat and straight crutches, new tea and old ham, it's just some household use!" He added, "The ham is beef." ”

Seeing that the other party even knew that he was a Hui and didn't eat pork, Hai Mu couldn't help but be impressed by this young adult, and at this time, Hai Rui brought tea, and she ordered: "Ruxian, you have treated me and thanked my lord." ”

Hai Rui had no choice but to bow down to Shen Mo, and then got up and put the gift in the room according to the old lady's instructions.

Hai Mu said with a smile: "Ru Xian often talks about adults, saying that you have great courage and wisdom, and you have swept a group of bold and reckless big families and businessmen into chaos, and finally they are all defeated. ”

Silent said no, could it be that the King of Hades is still a cold-faced and hot-hearted muffled type?

But I heard Hai Rui come out and say: "I'm just talking about things." ”

When Hai Mu saw her son's stinky face, she said unhappily: "Adults deign to come to see us, what kind of stinky face are you putting on?" Hai Rui had no choice but to apologize again.

After being silent and refreshed, he said in his heart that the brine points tofu, one thing drops one thing, and the king of Haiyan is still afraid of the king of Jizo.

Shen Mo asked the old lady how long it took to travel on the road, Xi was not used to the weather in Suzhou, and what was inconvenient in life, Hai Mu replied one by one, saying that there was nothing inconvenient.

Shen Mo looked up at the translucent roof, and said to Hai Rui: "Brother Gangfeng, I didn't say you, how can you let Mrs. Tai live in such a house?" Let's move back in. ”

"Lord Xie cares," Hai Rui said firmly, "It's good here." ”

"Yes, my lord, this is our family's old and young, and we already have some feelings." Lady Hai smiled: "Ruxian repaired the wall today, and another day to find some thatch and repair the roof, it will be no different from a new one." ”

"Old lady, this is to blame me, Brother Gangfeng." Shen Mo smiled bitterly: "I won't tell you, I'm here to compensate today, and I ask Brother Gangfeng to reinstate me." ”

"I don't think I've reflected enough." Hai Rui stiffened his neck and said, "You should continue to reflect." ”

"Oh, let's get down to business." Mrs. Hai smiled: "I'll cook for you, Lord Shen and Mr. Zhenchuan must appreciate it." ”

"I'm about to harass the old lady." Silent laughter. To be honest, he was curious about Hai Rui's family's food.

"That's great." Mrs. Hai stood up with her arms propped up, glanced at Hai Rui and said, "Ruxian, put away your stinky temper and talk to the adults!" ”

"Yes, Eminem." Hai Rui had no choice but to say obediently.

"Speak, sir." Mrs. Hai went out with a smile and beckoned her daughter-in-law to go to the room to work.

In the main house. As soon as the old lady left, the atmosphere became awkward, Shen Mo and Hai Rui stared wide-eyed, and they didn't speak first, Gui Youguang, who had a hard life, had to speak: "Gangfeng, in fact, the adults treated you like that at the beginning, it was indeed a last resort, if there was no upright parents like you, that scene would not be real anyway." ”

Shen Mo nodded and agreed: "Yes, if I discuss it with you in advance, there may be flaws." Saying that, he arched his hand towards Hai Rui and said, "I let you go home and rest later, and it is also for those people to see." I've really wronged you, and I can't compensate you. "As a Shangguan, doing this is already his extreme.

Hai Rui hurriedly turned sideways, accepted his courtesy, and said with a trace of helplessness on his face: "The adult misunderstood, Hai Rui is a reasonable person, and after thinking about it, he will understand the adult's intentions, and there is only relief in his heart, no personal anger." He said with a wry smile and said, "I don't, and I won't praise Lord Eminem in front of him." ”

"Then what are you ......?" asked silently.

"My lord," Hai Rui said with a straight face, "I heard that you gave more than 500 people from the three yamen, and each of them gave silver, the more one is one thousand taels, and the less is two hundred taels?" ”

"That's right," Shen Mo smiled, "They have worked hard for many months, and there is no benefit to appease them, it is really unreasonable." ”

"Dare to ask my lord, where did all this silver come from?" Hai Rui said in a deep voice.

"Of course, I earned it from the Annihilators." He said silently: "It's not people's fat and people's ointment. ”

"In the final analysis, it's still the people's fat and the people's ointment." Hai Rui Zhengse said: "The merchants have raised prices for several months, and the people have been exploited by every family, and this money is the people's fat and people's ointment in their hands, isn't it in the hands of adults?" ”

The sharp words were aggressive, making the silence like a man's back, and for the first time in his life, he couldn't deal with it.

Gui Youguang lowered his face and said in a deep voice: "Gangfeng, this money is taken from the people, and most of it still has to be used by the people." As he spoke, he took out a booklet from his sleeve and said: "The siege of dredging the Wusong River, with an advance budget of one million taels, has finally been settled!" Where does all this money come from? If you want to say that it is the people's fat and people's ointment, then let me ask you, which penny of my Ming Dynasty is the people's fat and people's ointment? ”

"I know it's impossible to return this money to the people." Hai Rui nodded: "The best way is to take this from the people and use it for the people." He waved his hand and said, "I have no opinion on spending this money on the right path...... But more than 100,000 taels of silver were distributed to those small officials and officials, is this also called taking from the people and using it for the people? ”

"So to speak." Shen Mo replied lightly: "Lord Hai, you also did it from below, you should know that the most greedy are these people...... If I don't satisfy them, they will squeeze the people, isn't this equivalent to the secondary exploitation of the 'people's fat and people's cream'? ”

"Do you think it's useful to reward these people?" Hai Rui shook his head and said: "The ancients said that 'the desire is difficult to fill, and the people's hearts are insufficient', you just give them a few hundred taels of silver every month, as long as they can be greedy and can be earned, they will definitely be greedy and will fish, there is no time for contentment!" ”

"Of course I do!" Shen Mo also said with a straight face: "The status quo is like this, you and I can't change it!" ”

"I can change!" Hai Rui stubbornly held his head high and said: "Restore Taizu's strict punishment law, severely punish all greed, kill sixty taels of corruption, peel the skin and fill the grass, hang it next to the public seat, and see who dares to follow suit!" ”

The murderous words made Shen Mo and the two of them shudder and change their faces.

"If you are greedy, you will kill!" Hai Rui's eyes were blazing and he said: "If you are greedy, you will kill a thousand, and if you are greedy, you will kill 10,000, and there will always be a day when you will be killed!" ”

"If you say so," Gui Youguang said with a dry smile, "Who still comes out to be an official?" How did the Ming Dynasty work? ”

"How can no one be an official? As long as you do your duty, the state will give you a place to live, give you official clothes to wear, have rice to cook, have money to buy salt, and have no worries about food and clothing. It's better than those peasants who get up early and stay late all year round, tired and tired, but still have no food and clothing, right? ”

"Not everyone can be an official." Gui Youguang said depressedly.

"One official doesn't need technology, and the other doesn't need strength, according to the law of the ancestors, according to the script, you can be cured very badly." Hai Rui laughed and said: "Even without the nonsense of being an official, the common people are still living better!" ”

"You, you, messing around with ......" Gui Youqi was broken, and he wanted to reason with him, but he was stopped by Shen Mo and gave him a look, which means, don't waste foaming with this idiot. Only then did he remain silent.

Shen Mo looked at Hai Rui with a calm face and said: "If you are not in your position, you are just a small magistrate, and I am just a small acquaintance, neither of us can kill anyone, nor can we change the status quo." ”

"Why can't it be changed?" Hai Rui said excitedly: "I understand what adults mean, how much effort can be done, then we will make Changzhou County and Suzhou Mansion a pure land, it will be the blessing of the people!" It's better than being with the light! ”

"Hai-sama!" He said silently: "The Ming Dynasty is not only one Suzhou Mansion, nor is it only our subordinates. We still have colleagues, there are Shangfeng, we are just one of the fourteen prefectures of Nanzhili; Nanzhili is only one of the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty. ”

"Among the tens of thousands of officials above the seventh rank in the Ming Dynasty, we are only two insignificant, and our existence or loss will not affect the operation of this huge machine." "This means that we must follow the rules of the game, and if we violate it, we will be isolated and expelled from the game!" Then there is no chance to even give the people a little practical thing......"

Hai Rui's two thick eyebrows couldn't help shaking, and his face showed a thick look of disappointment, but he also nodded slowly.

(To be continued)