Chapter 935

Wang Qi widened his eyes and shouted as the government office runners came to grab him: "Wait, what false information did I report…?"

But no one listened to him; the government office runners casually stuffed a cloth into his mouth and dragged him away.

Only then did Wang Qi panic, his face filled with fear as he looked toward Magistrate He and the surrounding crowd.

Magistrate He raised his gavel again, about to adjourn, when Xue Shao rose to stop him: "Magistrate He, I observe that the common people know very little of the law. Since everyone is here, why not explain the relevant statutes? Consider it public legal education."

Magistrate He froze: "Public legal education?"

Xue Shao cast a cold glance at him and said: "Teaching morality is also the magistrate's duty. The High Emperor Taizu specially compiled the Da Gao to disseminate legal knowledge throughout the realm."

Magistrate He's face flushed—he had focused solely on economic development, and on moral education, he devoted all his energy to preparing the county's licentiates, Provincial Graduate, and Metropolitan Graduate candidates, paying almost no attention to education below the licentiate level.

After all, the measure of moral achievement was how many licentiates, Provincial Graduate, and Metropolitan Graduate the county produced in each examination cycle…

Who would bother educating below that level?

Oh, the High Emperor Taizu would.

That emperor, born of the common folk, wished every one of his subjects to read, to master the law—to protect themselves, to expose corrupt officials, and to assist him in governing the nation from every corner, filling every inch of the land with light and banishing all shadows.

Thus, after founding the empire, he ordered the compilation of the Da Gao based on the Great Ming Code.

The Da Gao spread common legal knowledge, included case examples, and its primary purpose was to teach the people how to be virtuous, spirited, law-abiding citizens.

It not only taught the people that officials must be incorruptible, but also instructed them on how to report corrupt officials and bring them to justice.

This book was Zhu Yuanzhang's pride—though he did not write it himself, he strongly urged his ministers to compile it.

After the Da Gao was completed, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered every county government office, every county school, and every bookstore to display it prominently and sell it at low prices.

To promote the book, he enacted related laws and regulations.

For example, if a commoner committed a crime, possession of a single copy of the Da Gao would reduce his sentence by one degree;

Another example: those who purchased official rank must thoroughly read the Da Gao, study the Great Ming Code, and pass the relevant examination.

Old Zhu's logic was simple: I want your money for the official rank, but I also demand quality—even if you hold no actual post, I won't let you abuse power. So you must learn the law.

The intention was noble, but in practice, few actually followed it.

Yet the virtue of law lies in giving those who wish to be serious a legitimate opportunity.

At this moment, Xue Shao had that opportunity.

Magistrate He also needed this opportunity to declare himself to Xue Shao—and to the Emperor.

Magistrate He understood Xue Shao's implication, and immediately proclaimed to the crowd the reason for Wang Qi's arrest and the importance of the Da Gao, adding: "If you can read and can afford to buy a copy of the Da Gao, purchase one to take home—read it yourself, teach it to your descendants, and avoid deeds that bring shame upon your ancestors."

Magistrate He glanced at Xue Shao: How was that? Wasn't his public legal education and promotion well done?

Xue Shao nodded slightly, rose, and stepped beside Magistrate He, facing the eight plaintiffs and the crowd gathered outside the government office gate: "Wind, rain, thunder, lightning, clear skies—all are natural phenomena. Because favorable winds and timely rains are rare, we pray for them year after year."

"Favorable winds and timely rains are rare, so natural disasters are the norm," Xue Shao said: "There are many benevolent landlords, scholar-gentry, and merchants with great wealth—such as the Qian family of Hangzhou, the Wang family of Suzhou, the Xiao family of Changzhou. Whether in ordinary times or during disasters, they generously open their purses and pity the people. True goodness never exploits misfortune. Judging by deeds and intent, Wang Qi is merely a cunning rogue, while the villagers of Wangjia are ordinary farmers helplessly dragged into this."

Xue Shao said: "If they do not petition for themselves or their families, come autumn, not only will their fields be seized by Wang Qi, but their entire households will become his tenants or laborers—generations of accumulated wealth will vanish in an instant. Put yourselves in their place—would you accept this?"

The noisy crowd fell silent; the onlookers felt a deep, unspoken sorrow as they looked at Wang Jin and the other eight.

Seeing them wipe their eyes, their hearts grew heavy, and they no longer called them ungrateful wretches.

A scholar buried in the crowd suddenly raised his hand and shouted: "Let's go, let's go! Old Master Wang always harbored ill intent—this is merely karma biting back. Do we, who earn less than twenty wen a day, really feel sympathy for someone who can earn millions in interest with a mere flick of the wrist?"

At this, the crowd erupted and scattered.

But Xue Shao's words would spread through their tongues, carried far, far away.

The scholar who had urged them to leave took a few steps, then couldn't help glancing back at Xue Shao.

Xue Shao was looking at him too; seeing the scholar turn back, Xue Shao gave a slight nod and smiled.

Magistrate He had been watching closely and immediately asked: "Does Master Xue know him?"

Xue Shao: "I shared a stall with him two days ago. He writes letters for others and sells his own calligraphy and paintings—he's a licentiate."

Hangzhou is full of talent, and licentiates are not valued; his family lacks wealth, so he cannot afford to open a school, and must earn a living by writing letters and selling calligraphy and paintings.

When I shared a stall with him two days ago, I noticed his words were numb and cold—I knew he had given up on the imperial examinations, clearly heartbroken and defeated.

I wonder—has he reignited his ambition now?

The scholar strode away with firm steps—he had indeed reignited his ambition. He decided to try once more: he would become an official like Xue Shao.

Magistrate He, however, found Xue Shao's presence deeply troubling, standing beside him, lips moving but words unspoken.

Xue Shao noticed him glancing back and forth, glancing back and forth, yet saying nothing—finally, he could not bear it, turned his head, and said directly: "Magistrate He, speak plainly."

Magistrate He hurriedly said: "Your Excellency, speaking so openly in court—won't that cause trouble when it spreads?"

Xue Shao remained calm: "What trouble?"

Magistrate He choked, murmuring: "It just… feels like tearing off the mask."

Xue Shao scanned him up and down, then shook his head slightly: "Magistrate He, how can you be a good magistrate with such thin skin?"

Magistrate He widened his eyes: "I—I have thin skin?"

No one had ever said that to him before.

"Not thin? Then it's hypocrisy," Xue Shao said coolly: "The Emperor wrote examples of official corruption into the Da Gao not only to teach the people how to recognize corrupt officials, but to teach children from childhood that integrity is an official's duty—to instill in them from youth that if they wish to be officials, they must be good ones."

"This is moral education," Xue Shao said: "The Emperor himself is sincere—why should we, his ministers and subjects, feign sincerity and pretend all is peaceful?"

He said: "When a problem arises—especially a widespread one—it must be laid bare."

Magistrate He was terrified: "H-how do you lay it bare?"

Xue Shao said: "This is precisely what I wished to discuss with you, Magistrate He—the Hangzhou Prefecture must hold a moral education campaign—to teach the people how to avoid fraud and how to resist usurious lending."

Private lending is legal in the Great Ming; major money shops, silver exchanges, pawnshops, and even individual wealthy households all engage in lending.

"The Great Ming Code stipulates: private lenders may charge no more than three percent monthly interest; even over many years, total repayment must not exceed principal plus one-time interest. Violators are flogged forty times and forfeit excess interest. Magistrate He, usury harms not only others but also oneself—that is why it must be publicized."

But to explain this fully, one must address how every social class uses various means to oppress the people and seize their land, homes, and shops. Last year's wind disaster—without even mentioning Zhejiang—produced many refugees in Hangzhou alone.

How did they become refugees?

Once you dig deeper…

Magistrate He swallowed hard, his heart shrinking back. He gave a bitter laugh and said, "Lord Xue, your courage is as vast as the sky, but this county magistrate has no such grand ambitions. I'm about to be demoted and dismissed from office."

Xue Shao gave him a smile full of hidden meaning and said, "Hangzhou is about to undergo great changes. At a time like this, staying still is better than moving. Magistrate He may have been derelict in his duties, but for Hangzhou at present, he is actually a rather suitable county magistrate."

Having said that, Xue Shao gave him a slight nod to signal the end of the conversation, then left with Xi Jin, leaving Magistrate He standing there in a daze.

Magistrate He only came back to his senses after Xue Shao had vanished from sight. He turned his head and asked the private secretary, "What did he mean by that? Could it be that I can still keep my post?"

The private secretary pondered: "My lord has been in office for two years, with one year remaining in your term. He is the Jiangnan Touring Censor. If he is willing to vouch for my lord, you can indeed continue to hold your post. After one year, when your performance is assessed, if it is rated superior, you might be able to atone for your faults with merit, and it is not impossible that you could remain for another three years."

As long as Magistrate He can earn a rating of 'good' every year, after three years, even if he cannot be promoted, a lateral transfer to serve as county magistrate elsewhere would pose no problem.

The private secretary looked at him with shining eyes and said softly, "My lord, you endured ten-odd years of painstaking study — are you truly willing to return home just like that?"

Of course he was unwilling.

He began his schooling at five, only passed the Metropolitan Graduate exam at twenty-five, then served three years as a county vice-magistrate and three years as county magistrate before being promoted here. Although he was still a county magistrate, this was an upper-rank county.

He too had grand ambitions. He figured he had to be promoted to Department Magistrate before the age of forty, then he could rise to Prefect around forty-six, and if he kept steady progress, perhaps at fifty he could return to the capital and enter one of the Six Ministries, to fight for a Vice Minister post. As long as he lived long enough and made no mistakes, the chance of entering the cabinet was not necessarily out of reach.

One might ask, which scholar does not dream of entering the cabinet and becoming a prime minister?

As long as Xue Shao did not strip him of everything this time, in fact, giving it a try was not out of the question.

His eyeballs darted rapidly beneath his eyes. The private secretary, even more agile, said softly, "My lord, Lord Xue's proposal itself is a major political achievement. If this method of moral instruction takes effect, although it will offend a group of people, it can also curb peasants from losing their land and continue to produce refugees. With the people's voice added, it is very possible that your performance will be rated superior, and even…"

"Even if Hangzhou succeeds, it can be used as a model to be promoted nationwide. When that time comes, my great name, He Zhi, will spread across the whole realm. I — I shall be a famous official!"

The private secretary nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining: "Lord He's grand ambitions will surely be realized in no time!"

Magistrate He's heart surged with emotion, and he decided on the spot: "Let's do it! Anyway, my family isn't in Hangzhou — worst case, I'll go back home and farm!"

The private secretary's family was also not in Hangzhou. Moreover, both of them had only been in Hangzhou for two years and had not put down deep roots here, so they could pull up stakes and leave at any time.

This is also an important reason why officials serve away from home and are generally transferred after one term of three years, with most being moved after two terms.

No sooner had Xue Shao stepped out of the county government office than Wang Jin and the others, who had been waiting outside, immediately rushed forward and dropped to their knees to pay respects.

Xue Shao reached out and pulled him up, smiling lightly: "There is no need for that."

Wang Jin's eyes reddened: "Thanks to my lord for speaking up for us, otherwise today… whether we won the lawsuit or not is one thing, but our Wang Family Village would likely have been branded as ungrateful wretches from now on."

Xue Shao said: "This is because everyone was unaware of the swindle within. Most people in the world are good, and so they tend to think the best of others, naturally unable to imagine the malicious intent behind it. Once they have seen more and come to know the human heart, they will know that you were driven to a desperate corner, and are not ungrateful wretches."

Wang Jin hurriedly asked: "Then how can we let them know? The people gathered outside the county government office today do know, but after all they are only a small number. The others, especially those in the villages near ours, probably think we are ungrateful wretches."

Xue Shao smiled: "As long as you win the lawsuit and bring the interest down, and keep on repeating how the Wang family once rescued the suffering and helped those in distress, they will come to know your true nature."

"Huh?"

"The Wang family rescued the suffering and helped those in distress?"

"That's right. Regardless of whether their original intentions were bad, they did lend you grain. Just go on spreading it like that, and the result will turn out as you wish in the end."

Sometimes, appropriately speaking well of one's enemy can instead draw in more allies.

Especially when those people likewise have great interests tied up in it — once they too want to take their fields back from the Wang family, they naturally become allies.

Wang Jin did not quite understand, but he noted it all down one by one, planning to go back and discuss it with the elders.

Things they did not understand, the elders might.

To make it easier for them to go into the city to file their case the day after tomorrow, Xue Shao also gave them a handful of copper coins: "The next court session is the day after tomorrow. You can invite some of the elders from the village to come along."

Wang Jin thought for a moment, took the copper coins, and bowed to Xue Shao again and again.

Seeing them walk off into the distance, Xi Jin hurriedly came forward holding a black cat: "Young Master, Pan Xiaohei has come to find us."

Xue Shao reached out and took the black cat, smiling as he asked: "Where did you find it?"

"Over there."

Xue Shao turned his head to look, and Xi Jin cheerfully said: "It was just crouching over there a moment ago, pricking up its ears to listen to the young master speak while staring at the sugar-figure blower."

Xue Shao stepped forward and bought two sugar figures, one for Pan Xiao Hei — but he did not let it eat it, only let it look at it;

The other he took back to the inn for Pan Yun.

Pan Yun crunched it down in a few bites. She said: "So many people wanted to come see me today, but I turned them all away. I plan to go to Ningbo for a trip tomorrow."

Xue Shao's hand paused, and he asked: "Aren't you going to wait for Hangzhou's result?"

Pan Yun smiled: "The Emperor has already sent a reply to Sun Da Ren; it will arrive in a couple of days. It's convenient for me to come and go, no need to linger here. Once he receives the reply and persuades Hangzhou's gentry and merchants, I'll come back over."

Xue Shao raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, then asked: "Then why choose to go to Ningbo? Could it be that you'd rather build the Haigang at Ningbo?"

Pan Yun gave him a smile. (End of chapter)