Chapter 1508

At the Chun'an wharf, a boat flying the flag of the Riverway Yamen slowly docked.

A person with a square face and angry eyes, dressed in coarse linen clothes, leading a donkey that carried his luggage, slowly came down from the boat and arrived at the shore.

Watching the alert village guards approach, this person took out his appointment order and presented it.

"I am the newly appointed Chun'an County Magistrate, Hai Rui."

The village guard suspiciously took the appointment order, looked at it symbolically for a moment, and then returned it, "Follow me, Magistrate."

"Are you literate?"

"Not literate." The village guard shook his head, "I see that you, Magistrate, are not afraid at all, so you shouldn't be lying to me."

"You are not afraid of me?" Hai Rui asked curiously.

"You are the Magistrate, you wouldn't make things difficult for me, would you?"

Hai Rui smiled: "That's not necessarily true."

The village guard also smiled: "Then I see that you won't last long as Magistrate."

"How so?"

The village guard shook his head and didn't speak. He was truly not afraid of officials now. Under the leadership of the Third Master, they had dealt with the officials in the yamen, dealt with the soldiers of the Riverway Yamen, and even directly arrested the Thousand-Household of the government soldiers, who was a big official.

Simply summarized, these young and strong men who often hung around the Third Master had lost their sense of awe for government officials, and all of them had become unruly commoners...

Hai Rui wasn't in a hurry either; he just led the donkey and followed the village guard toward the city, observing various situations along the way and constantly asking questions, all of which were answered by the village guard.

Along the way, Hai Rui watched the disaster victims cleaning the roads and also saw children reciting classics in the open air with scholars, learning to write characters on the ground with tree branches. Some women were listening to lectures, some were cooking, and young children were running around with bare bottoms.

One could see the suffering, but the disaster-stricken commoners all had a spirit, and didn't look very miserable.

Especially from afar, he actually saw people using bricks and stones to build houses.

"Are they building houses?" Hai Rui asked, knowing the answer.

"Exactly, the Third Master said he wants to build a market by the river, so that in the future, commoners can buy and sell fish there. It's also to test whether houses built with new bricks are usable."

"New bricks? Building houses?"

The village guard nodded repeatedly, and when talking about this, he couldn't close his mouth: "The Third Master said, we prepare the wood for the beams ourselves, and the remaining bricks, stones, and tiles are all provided for free by the government to build our houses."

"Free house building?" Hai Rui widened his eyes, "The commoners are still suffering from the disaster, and there isn't enough grain to eat; how can the government afford the expenses?"

"You don't know about this, Magistrate. Didn't I just mention the new bricks? That was researched by the Third Master leading the craftsmen. He said that although this kind of new brick is not as good as blue bricks, it consumes less material, time, and energy."

"The Third Master said, the soil for burning bricks doesn't cost silver, the labor for burning bricks doesn't cost silver, and building houses is the villagers helping each other, which also doesn't cost silver; as long as everyone suffers a bit of hardship and fatigue, the villagers will all be able to live in new houses this year."

Hai Rui nodded and turned to ask: "I heard that you arrested the government soldiers of the Riverway Yamen yesterday?"

"Arrested! And beat them too! Magistrate, you must uphold justice for us. These soldiers deserve to be killed! They actually colluded with Japanese pirates and wanted to frame us, just to force us to sell our land..."

Chatting like this along the way, Hai Rui learned about seven or eight out of ten from the village guard, understanding that the key to Chun'an now lay with the Registrar who had just taken office not long ago and had to stand up to lead the commoners to survive after the Xin'an River dike breach...

"Where is Registrar Wang Yan?" In the main hall of the yamen, seeing Tian Youlu take the appointment order with both hands to compare it with the official document sent earlier by the Ministry of Personnel, Hai Rui couldn't help but ask.

"Reporting to the Hall Master, the Third Master is at the kiln outside the city, doing research with the craftsmen." Tian Youlu looked at the appointment letter and felt a sense of relief, looking at Hai Rui as if he were looking at a great savior.

Hai Rui was stunned by the look and asked unhappily: "Why look at me like that?"

"Hall Master, please forgive me, please forgive me." Tian Youlu said with a mournful face, "Hall Master, you don't know, the Third Master is arbitrary and bold; I have been terrified all day long. Now that you have arrived, Hall Master, I am finally liberated."

"Oh? Is Wang Yan really like that? County Assistant Tian, tell me in detail."

"Uh..."

Tian Youlu looked at the minor official serving on the side and said very wisely, "You will understand when the time comes, Hall Master. Go, tell the kitchen to prepare wine and dishes immediately; today we must welcome the Hall Master, and also send someone to notify the Third Master to come back and see the Hall Master immediately."

"Yes."

The minor official responded and was just about to go out to arrange for someone to run the errand when he was stopped by Hai Rui.

"No need, Chun'an has suffered a disaster, and the commoners outside are starving; what face do we have to eat and drink heavily in the yamen?" Hai Rui snorted, his tone not very good, feeling dissatisfied with the low awareness of the people in this yamen.

"Hall Master, wine and dishes are still necessary." Tian Youlu said, "Although Chun'an has suffered a disaster, it is enough for the yamen to prepare some meals every day. Moreover, the Third Master loves meat and wine; he must eat..."

Hai Rui frowned, staring at Tian Youlu and the minor official.

Then the minor official smiled apologetically: "Magistrate, I will send someone to notify him."

Seeing the minor official walk out, Hai Rui's gaze fell on Tian Youlu again, the questions in his eyes solidifying.

Tian Youlu also smiled: "Hall Master, the officials in this yamen have basically been replaced during the time the Third Master has been in office; they are all people he arranged himself, and they all listen to the Third Master. Sometimes I can't even order them around."

"You are the Chun'an County Assistant, and the County Magistrate position is vacant; the County Assistant temporarily acts as the official in charge!"

Hearing Hai Rui's naive words, Tian Youlu just smiled: "You will know when you spend more time with the Third Master, Hall Master."

Hai Rui glared at Tian Youlu, his head full of trouble. Is the situation in Chun'an so complex? Can a newly arrived Registrar have such high prestige and directly cover the sky with one hand?

Tian Youlu didn't say much, just led Hai Rui around the yamen, familiarizing him with the situation, and introduced him to the officials, while also telling Hai Rui about the county's situation, which surprised Hai Rui greatly.

He had been holding on firmly in Hangzhou, never expecting Wang Yan to be so much more ruthless here. He forced the wealthy families to provide money and grain immediately, and in order to get more grain back, he took the initiative to expose the corruption case of the Xin'an River. Hai Rui had no doubt that if it weren't for fear of not being able to clean up after it blew up, Wang Yan would have truly dared to lead the commoners to Hangzhou to raid their homes...

After hearing a pile of things, Hai Rui finally understood why Tian Youlu said Wang Yan was bold; he was truly afraid of nothing, and was clearly a hard bone that wasn't afraid of death.

He had single-handedly managed to leave the county yamen and the wealthy families half-dead during this disaster in Chun'an...

It wasn't until noon that Hai Rui finally met Wang Yan.

"Wang Yan greets the Hall Master."

Seeing Wang Yan wearing a green shirt with quite a bit of dust on it, his sleeves tightly bound, his hair only casually tied up with a green jade hairpin, and his official boots also dirty. Dressed like this, neither literary nor martial, neither fish nor fowl, and not in accordance with etiquette, he showed no respect for him as the County Magistrate.

However, Hai Rui was not angry, but brought a smile to his face and cupped his hands to greet Wang Yan: "I have heard of you like thunder, Registrar Wang; I didn't expect you to be so young."

"Hall Master is joking; my name, ancestral home, and age should have been known to everyone long ago."

"You have done such great things that people have ignored your age. An ordinary twenty-year-old person couldn't do what you have done."

"Hall Master, you praise me too much; I haven't done anything great, just led the Chun'an commoners to struggle for survival. Hall Master, please, I will definitely accompany you to eat and drink well."

As Hai Rui sat down, Tian Youlu sat on the left, and Wang Yan sat on the right; there were only the three of them at the table.

Wang Yan personally poured wine for Hai Rui and Tian Youlu and said: "This is authentic Jin Hua longevity wine, fragrant and sweet; it is truly good wine. I toast you, Hall Master."

"No need, I am a poor person, and I cannot bear to see poor people; I am not used to drinking this wine, nor am I used to eating this table of dishes." Hai Rui began to show no respect.

Wang Yan didn't feel embarrassed, drank a cup of wine himself, and said with a smile: "Hall Master is a good official who worries about the suffering of the commoners; the commoners of Chun'an are fortunate."

While speaking, he used his chopsticks to take apart a chicken leg and put it on Hai Rui's plate, "Hall Master, you should eat when it's time to eat; the wine and dishes are all prepared, so don't worry about so much."

"I said before, the commoners outside are still starving; I have no words to enjoy such wine and dishes. Registrar Wang, I heard that you love meat and wine; I would like to ask, how can you eat and drink?"

Wang Yan directly used his hands to take the chicken leg from Hai Rui's plate, finished it in one bite leaving only the bone, then drank a mouthful of wine, and muttered: "Did you see, Hall Master? That's how I eat and drink."

Hai Rui's eyes widened; this little Registrar was too arrogant...

Wang Yan laughed: "Hall Master, don't be angry; I also know the suffering of the commoners outside, but I can't let it stop me from eating meat and drinking wine. You should know what I have done, Hall Master; I ask myself if I have lived up to the commoners of Chun'an, and I eat and drink my daily wine and dishes with a clear conscience.

Hall Master, you may not know, but the money for these wine and dishes is not the yamen's money, but money from the wealthy families of this county who, feeling grateful for my single-mindedness for the people, paid to reward me, so that I can eat and drink well and do better things for the commoners of this county."

Seeing Hai Rui look at himself for verification, Tian Youlu nodded repeatedly: "Yes, the dozen or so wealthy families in this county all admire the Third Master very much and support the various affairs of the yamen. You can eat and drink with peace of mind, Hall Master."

"How is this different from extortion?"

"Hall Master, you are mistaken; it is the wealthy families who sincerely paid to support us."

"If they didn't pay, what would you do?"

Wang Yan smiled and shook his head: "Hall Master, you misunderstand me greatly. Even if they paid, I would still deal with them. They usually bully the commoners and do all kinds of evil, but now is not the right time, and I still need them to do things. When the matter of changing rice to mulberry subsides and the commoners have caught their breath, that will be the time to settle accounts after the autumn. Hall Master, doing things for the commoners doesn't stop us from eating and drinking."

"This is all the fat and blood of the people..."

"Hall Master, we are truly doing things for the commoners; even if it is the fat and blood of the people, we have a clear conscience."

Hai Rui said: "Then do you know that this meal of yours is enough for an ordinary commoner to eat and drink for half a month?"

"Hall Master is right, but if I don't eat this meal, the ordinary commoners won't have eaten and drunk for half a month more either. This money was obtained by me from the wealthy families with my own ability; the commoners couldn't get it. Of course, when the time comes to destroy these wealthy families, the land will definitely be distributed to the commoners. I am just using a little; what harm does it do to the big picture?"

"Sophistry!" Hai Rui was furious, "If you eat one mouthful less, the commoners will eat one mouthful more. Since you can get money from the wealthy families, naturally you should be the one to get it; why should the commoners get it? Your salary is all paid by the commoners; it is the commoners who are supporting you. In this position, naturally, you should do things for the commoners; this is the principle of heaven and earth."

"Hall Master, being an official in our Great Ming is like this; how difficult is it to maintain self-discipline? Hall Master, you may not know, but I bought this position of Registrar! I sold the land in Liaodong to gather enough silver to come to Chun'an to be an official.

Hall Master, you may not know yet, but this Chun'an Commandant has a family fortune of tens of thousands of taels of silver. Second Master is the same; he has been in Chun'an for more than two years and has made thousands of taels of silver."

Seeing Hai Rui looking as if he wanted to stare himself to death, Tian Youlu smiled apologetically: "Hall Master, I didn't make much; the former County Magistrate Chang Boxi made much more. He resold government grain, embezzled public funds for river repairs, and also received a lot of silver from the wealthy families; at the very least, it must be twenty thousand taels of silver."

Wang Yan patted the back of the fuming Hai Rui, reassuring him: "Hall Master, please don't be angry; anger hurts the body, it's really not worth it. Second Master has also sincerely repented, and he is still capable of handling things. He has done a very good job with the yamen affairs and disaster relief; the silver wasn't made in vain."

Seeing Hai Rui still wanting to say more big principles, Wang Yan immediately followed up, "Hall Master, if the water is too clear, there will be no fish. Emperor Taizu peeled skin and stuffed it with straw, but did he stop the greed in people's hearts? No! He couldn't kill them all; everyone thinks they are the lucky one who won't be killed, let alone wanting people to restrain themselves?

There are too many temptations, Hall Master. Take the time I've been here, for example; the wealthy families send me money, send me women, and even send me land—not land in Chun'an, but in Hangzhou.

This is not important; what is important is that they have connections above. People send money to local officials just to reduce unnecessary trouble. If you don't accept it, it means you don't give them face, and you will be manipulated by the wealthy families, or even killed.

With such temptations below and pressure from above, Hall Master, wanting to be clean and white is truly not easy. You can strictly restrain yourself for a lifetime, but others can't."

"Distorted logic! Is being clean and white also a mistake?"

"Sometimes it is a mistake."

"Sometimes?"

Wang Yan smiled: "Many times."

Hai Rui let out a cold snort, didn't speak, didn't eat meat, and didn't drink wine.

"Since that is the case, let's not say much more. From now on, all affairs in Chun'an will be the responsibility of the Hall Master, and I will honestly be a small Registrar, calculating our Chun'an accounts. In addition, I previously promised to build houses for the commoners; I will be responsible for this matter to the end, and I will do what I say."

"Why?" Hai Rui was puzzled.

"Hall Master is a good official, and I am not greedy without limit, nor am I someone who clings to power. It's just that these people were single-mindedly trying to harm the commoners before. Although I also became an official for silver, I have read the books of sages and worthies, and I couldn't stand to watch, so I fought with my life. Hall Master is a seventh-rank official in charge; your shoulders are broader than mine, so you should be the one to be the master for the commoners of Chun'an."

Wang Yan drank a mouthful of wine and shook his head, "Being an official is too tiring; I was originally happy to come here to make silver, who would have thought I would run into these things..."

Hai Rui stared blankly at Wang Yan, as if looking at flowers in the fog, unable to see clearly no matter what...

?? Daily thanks to the great brothers who tip, cast monthly votes, recommendation votes, and silently read the book for their strong support!