The first thousand two hundred and forty-six chapters
The magistrate of Taiping County has been in dire straits recently. Due to its poor flood control, numerous people have been killed and injured in its jurisdiction. In particular, the villages near Xiangxi, Machuan River, Zhuxi River and other rivers were the hardest hit. A total of fifty-six villages were destroyed in one night.
were razed to the ground by floods. There were only a handful of survivors in each village, and other towns and villages were not much better. There were piles of bones abandoned in the wild. White flags were hung everywhere in Taiping County, and more than 90% of the people were reduced to
The victims of the disaster are suffering from hunger and cold, and the fields are filled with mourning, which is a human tragedy.
If other brother counties were affected by the disaster, the situation of the magistrate of Taiping County might be better.
However, Jingnan County, which is closest to Taiping County and has the most intersections, is a different scene.
Because Jingnan County Magistrate Zhu Ping'an took precautions before the flood, although Jingnan was not spared from the flood, no one in Jingnan County was killed in this once-in-a-century flood.
On one side, there were countless casualties and bones lying in the field, while on the other side, no one was injured. The contrast was stark! It highlighted his incompetence as the magistrate of Taiping County! It also set off the incomparable excellence of his colleague Zhu Ping'an, whom he disliked, envied, and hated.
!
Because of this, the surviving people in Taiping County complained and cursed him as the county magistrate!
In particular, I don’t know who spread the news that Jingnan Magistrate Zhu Ping’an had sent a letter to Taiping Magistrate to remind them of flood prevention a few days in advance before the flood, but their “good” county magistrate was ignored.
The garbage was torn into pieces and thrown away. After the news came out, the people of Taiping County scolded the Taiping Magistrate even more fiercely.
People used to use words such as stupid pig and stupid dog to call people, but now they use the name of Taiping Magistrate instead of pig or dog.
People in Taiping County were displaced. The shelter they gathered in the wilderness was called "Taiping Magistrate Village", the haystacks where people slept were called "Taiping Magistrate Beds", and the wild vegetables they ate to satisfy their hunger were called "Taiping Magistrate Delicacies"
, grasshoppers and other insects that are eaten in improved food are called "Taiping County Meat"
In short, in Taiping County, Taiping Magistrate is synonymous with a series of words such as "stupid" and "incompetent".
"Since the flood, I asked myself that I have been doing my best to organize disaster relief. I have never had a day off. Why can't they see it?! Everyone is looking at me sideways, and everyone in front of me and behind me is scolding me."
The magistrate of Taiping walked around the county government office with his hands behind his back, his brows full of irritation and resentment.
"The stupid people are the most short-sighted and cannot see Dong Weng's hard work. They can live today only because of Dong Weng's hard work. Please calm down Dong Weng and take care of yourself. We in Taiping County can't live without Dong Weng."
The staff member comforted him softly.
"Well, if everyone could understand my hard work like you do, then it would be easier for me to do my job."
The magistrate of Taiping sighed and reached out to pat his staff on the shoulder. The staff's comfort was very helpful.
"Hey, let's not talk about this, how is the construction of the resettlement area for the victims?" Taiping County Magistrate asked his staff.
Although the magistrate of Taiping County never said he regretted it, he felt regretful in his heart. He regretted not listening to what Zhu Pingan said at that time, so he had been sending people to pay close attention to what Zhu Pingan was doing in the neighboring county and secretly learned from Zhu Pingan.
Ping An’s methods of disaster relief, for example, this victim resettlement area is the Jingnan flood refuge area that he copied. However, due to some ulterior considerations, Taiping County Magistrate changed the name of the flood refuge area to the disaster victim resettlement area.
"Back to Dongweng, we have returned from the resettlement area for the victims. Now the resettlement area has been leveled. We are coordinating the transportation of wood and thatch. It is estimated that we can start building shanties for the victims in the afternoon."
The staff member replied.
"Why are we leveling the site? The progress is too slow. Didn't we start leveling the site three days ago? It only took one or two days to build the flood shelter in Jingnan, including leveling the land to building shanties.
alright."
The Taiping magistrate said dissatisfied.
"Back to Dongweng, the people below are cheating and playing tricks, and the victims are unwilling to help. This is the result that I have been keeping an eye on, otherwise I am afraid that the ground will not be leveled for another three to five days." The staff member wiped the sweat from his forehead.
, replied with a wry smile.
He didn't say some words. Dong Weng didn't go to the resettlement area for the victims. He didn't know the situation at the scene. He didn't have money or food supplies. He just used administrative orders blindly to force the people below and the victims to work hard. How could he get up quickly? Besides,
The prestige of the county government among the people is also declining day by day.
"This group of unscrupulous people, I have worked so hard to build flood shelters, no, for whom are the resettlement areas for the victims?! They are not even willing to give up their strength. How can they deserve this disaster!"
When the Taiping County Magistrate heard this, he couldn't help but curse out loud. After he finished cursing, he turned to his staff and asked, "By the way, I asked you to keep an eye on Jingnan. What new actions have they taken over there recently?"
"What's wrong? Has he come up with any great plan?"
After the Taiping County Magistrate finished asking, he saw a strange expression on the staff's face and asked nervously.
Firstly, he hoped that Zhu Pingan would come up with some good ideas, so that he could steal his lessons; secondly, he was worried that Zhu Pingan would come up with some good ideas, otherwise when Taiping County and Jingnan County were compared, he would be Zhu Pingan's contrast!
"Dong Weng, Mr. Zhu," the staff member shook his head and said with a complicated expression.
"What's wrong with him?! You should tell me quickly." Taiping County Magistrate couldn't help but urge.
"Dong Weng, Mr. Zhu sent an official document to various places in Jingnan. The official document defined the price of food in Jingnan as 2,500 yuan per stone." When the aide said this, there was an expression of disbelief on his face.
"What? Two thousand five hundred yuan per stone?!" Upon hearing this, the magistrate of Taiping changed his face in shock.
"Dong Weng, although it is unbelievable, it is true. I even rode a horse to Jingnan to verify it. I saw this official document with my own eyes. The official document was also stamped with the bright red seal of Jingnan Magistrate! There are grain stores all over Jingnan.
It is true that the price of grain has been raised to 2,500 yuan per stone," the staff said.
"Is he, Zhu Ping'an, crazy? In the current flood, from Fucheng down, those grain merchants who are driving up prices are beheaded or imprisoned, and they are using thunderous means to lower grain prices! He actually goes against the grain and raises grain prices so high?
!What good will this do to him?!"
The magistrate of Taiping took a breath of cold air, unable to believe that Zhu Pingan would make such a policy.
"What good is it for him?! Ahem, the county magistrate heard that grain merchants from all over Jingnan were queuing up to send gifts of thanks to Zhu Pingan. Zhu Pingan was reluctant to accept the gifts. Some people from other places rushed to Jingnan to make a fortune after hearing the news.
The grain merchants and Zhu Ping'an also sent people in the name of 'raising donations', which was a great success! According to rumors, Zhu Ping'an only received this amount of gifts." The staff sneered and made a gesture.
"Eight thousand taels? So much!" Taiping Magistrate opened his mouth in shock.
"It's eighty thousand taels!" the staff corrected.
"What, 80,000 taels?!" Upon hearing this, the Taiping magistrate's eyes almost popped out of his head. Not only were they prominent, but they were also red with bloodshot eyes, "Zhu Ping'an's ability to collect money is really that of a top scholar!
!”
After being shocked and jealous, the Taiping magistrate walked around twice in circles with his hands behind his back, and couldn't help but curse!
How can you steal someone like this!
If I steal from you again, my ancestral graves will be dug up by the angry people of Taiping County!
Zhu Pingan, Zhu Pingan, I didn’t expect you to be such a person!
During the flood period, I put aside my previous suspicions and did not hesitate to learn from you! I didn’t expect that you would turn into a corrupt official!
However, this was fine. After the Taiping Magistrate cursed a few times, a smile suddenly appeared on his face. He waved to his staff and ordered them, "Hurry up and spread the news! The wider it spreads, the better it will be."
Okay, the further away the better! Hum, let those stupid people see what kind of face they are thinking about and praising the person! By the way, later, you draft an official document for me, and I want to report it to the governor.