Judging from his appearance, Deng Ji is a very honest young man.
He is not tall, about 175 centimeters tall, and looks a little fat. He has a round face and small eyes, but he is very charming.
But perhaps due to excessive fatigue, Deng Ji's eyes looked empty at this time.
His face was very ugly, with an unhealthy paleness. His hair was a little disheveled, and the black cotton robe on his body was wrinkled, and there were a few less obvious stains. Standing in the living room, he saluted Kuai Zheng respectfully: "
The junior official, Deng Ji, pays homage to Magistrate Kuai!"
He was a little confused in his heart and didn't understand what Kuai Zheng had ordered when he suddenly came to him.
Logically speaking, although Deng Ji was a subordinate of Kuai Zheng, he had never had any contact with Kuai Zheng. He himself was not a person who was good at making plans and liked to be courted. He always did his job conscientiously.
, and never pay attention to other things.
Originally, he was sorting out household registration in the county government office.
Due to the change of county magistrate, the household registration information of Jiyang County must be submitted to the new county magistrate.
The household registration management in the late Eastern Han Dynasty was not as standardized as that of later generations. Especially after the Taiping Dao Yellow Turban Rebellion, the household registration management became extremely loose. The last time the household registration was sorted out, it was done when Liu Biao first arrived in Jingzhou. Since then, Jiyang County
The order paid no attention to it. Although the county magistrate Wang Wei was very concerned about it, he was too busy with trivial matters and had to devote too much energy to sorting it out piecemeal.
Jiyang County is a medium-sized county with a population of 10,300 households and a population of nearly 50,000.
Almost every day, people are born, old, sick and die. After several years of accumulation, it is not a simple matter to suddenly come up with correct statistics. In addition, Deng Cai deliberately made things difficult and piled up several years of things at once.
Organize it for Deng Ji. Deng Ji is indeed very capable, but under such circumstances, it is impossible to complete it immediately. In total, he has been working at the county government for more than three days, and he does not even have time to go back and change clothes...
Even so, he still had to face Deng Cai's aggressiveness every day.
Kuai Zheng was also stunned when he saw Deng Ji.
I couldn't help but feel strange in my heart, why did Cao Peng's brother-in-law look so embarrassed?
He seems to have understood a little bit...
Cao Peng is here to question me!
Of course, Kuai Zheng was not afraid of Cao Peng. Even if Cao Peng was Pang Ji's disciple or even Pang Ji's son, he would not be afraid.
But offending someone for no reason is not a good thing after all.
Besides, Cao Peng didn't ask questions in person, and he seemed very polite and humble in his words. His sister had a conflict with someone at home, and it was only natural for him to come to pick up his brother-in-law. But the problem was, Deng Ji was under his control.
His subordinates were doing things like this. If the news spread, they would lose their face. Kuai Zheng was still wondering, what on earth was Deng Ji doing in the public house?
It's not easy to torture yourself like this...
Originally, Kuai Zheng planned to call Deng Ji over and let him and Cao Peng go back.
But now, he was also interested and asked in a deep voice: "Deng Ji, I have just taken office in this county and everything is unclear. I haven't had time to meet with you yet. I heard that you haven't come home for three days. I don't know why.
?If you have any difficulties, just raise them with the county."
Deng Ji's eyes were dull and he couldn't help but be startled when he heard this.
"Didn't the county magistrate ask the petty officials to sort out Jiyang's household registration?"
Kuai Zheng nodded and said, "It's true...but I didn't ask you not to go home for three days, right?"
"When you return to the county magistrate, you will tell me that the household registration must be compiled and submitted in the day after tomorrow. The junior officials are not very talented and have little knowledge, so they can only work from dawn to night and night to day."
Kuai Zheng said in astonishment: "When do I want you to submit your household registration in the future?"
After he finished speaking, he seemed to explain to Cao Peng: "Since I took office, I heard that the household registration in Jiyang County has not been revised for several years, so I ordered someone to sort it out...Deng Ji, I said there is no need to be too anxious about this matter. The household registration has been revised."
It's difficult, but it can be fixed slowly, and when will I let you report it later?"
"ah?"
Deng Ji said in a daze: "But the chief secretary said that this was your order..."
"Nonsense!"
Kuai Zheng became angry when he heard this, and his face sank, "Are you saying that it was Deng Cai who ordered you?"
"Exactly."
"How can such a talented person do something like this?"
Kuai Zheng is really a little angry!
The reason why he appointed Deng Cai as his chief registrant was because he was introduced by his clan members before he took office. He originally thought that someone introduced by his family could be a confidant even if he was not very capable. After all, the Kuai family was not in Jiyang at all.
Just like if there is no one available, it is difficult to use his fists. But now, Deng Cai has made him lose face in front of the Lumen disciples... It is not a good thing if this word spreads.
"Xiandi brother, this matter... my subordinates are messing around, and Brother Deng has been implicated. I hope Xiandi will forgive me."
Only then did Deng Ji notice that, in addition to Kuai Zheng, there was also a sickly young man sitting in the hall. At first glance, Deng Ji thought this young man looked familiar. When he married Cao Nan,
He had met Cao Peng before. But because Cao Peng was withdrawn, he didn't pay much attention to it. When he saw him again, Deng Ji couldn't remember who Cao Peng was. It was impossible for him to think about Cao Peng... After all, his family
He also knew the situation of his daughter-in-law's family, how could he let the magistrate of the county treat him like a distinguished guest?
Unexpectedly, the young man stood up and waved his hand seemingly nonchalantly.
"Brother, why should you blame yourself? This matter has nothing to do with eldest brother in the first place. The people below are messing around. Just turn around and discipline them. Don't take it to heart."
While talking, the young man walked up to Deng Ji, cupped his hands and said, "Brother-in-law, let's go home."
Brother-in-law?
Deng Ji was even more confused. He stared at the boy for a long time before he stammered and asked: "You, you, you...are you Ah Fu?"
"Brother-in-law, don't you recognize me?"
Deng Ji opened his mouth in surprise and stammered: "Ah Fu, why are you here?"
Cao Peng smiled and said, "Brother-in-law, it's a long story. Let's talk about it when we get back.
My sister had a conflict with Deng Cai’s daughter-in-law today and was slightly injured... Please go back with me quickly and I will explain to you slowly on the way."
Deng Ji was really confused!
Is this still the withdrawn and unapproachable brother-in-law of his family?
When Kuai Zheng heard this, he was also stunned.
Cao Peng told him earlier that his sister had a conflict with an evil woman in the village. Kuai Zheng didn't care... In his opinion, evil women and the like were not worth mentioning at all. As long as Cao Peng raised it, he would have said nothing.
Not to mention, I helped Cao Peng vent his anger. But if this was the case, Kuai Zheng might have underestimated Cao Peng. Fortunately, Cao Peng did not mention this matter, and Kuai Zheng certainly would not pursue it.
But now...
Deng Cai, Deng Cai again!
"Brother Cao Xian, you just said Deng Cai, which Deng Cai was he?"
Cao Peng pretended to be astonished and replied: "They are from Deng Village, I guess... Brother, I just arrived today. To be honest, I don't know what's going on."
Kuai Zheng looked at Deng Ji with a gloomy face.
"Brother Deng Xian, how many Deng talents are there in Deng Village?"
"...Well, there is only one brother."
"Deng Cai is still your brother?"
"Exactly... they are just half-brothers."
The ancients often said that "brothers, friends and brothers are respectful". These four words were left by the sage Confucius and are also an important basis for evaluating a person's virtue. Deng was Deng Ji's elder brother, but he always made things difficult for his brothers. It seems that he is not the same as "brother."
The word "friend" has nothing to do with it! On the contrary, Deng Ji was gentle and courteous. He also spoke slowly and slowly, quite like a "brother and respectful".
Inadvertently, Kuai Zheng's favorable impression of Deng Ji suddenly increased; at the same time, his feelings for Deng Cai suddenly dropped to freezing point.
"Brother Cao Xian, please go back with Deng Ji first.
After your sister is in good health, my little brother will take care of you in the county town... Deng Ji, you are taking care of Mrs. Cao at home these days, so there is no need to rush back to do things. As for the household registration, you don't have to worry about it anymore. Wait until you come back.
, this county has other important tasks entrusted to you."
"Here!"
Deng Ji was immediately overjoyed and quickly stepped in to answer.
Cao Peng stood beside him, his pale face still looking particularly calm.
From the moment he came to the county government and talked to Kuai Zheng, everything he said was carefully thought out. Originally, if Kuai Zheng had not asked about Deng Ji's work, he would have brought the topic to this topic. No.
Thinking that Kuai Zheng was also the governor, I took the initiative to mention it and save him trouble.
Children of this kind of aristocratic family are the most concerned about face.
Today I came here wearing the hat of a student of Pang Ji and gave Kuai a positive face.
Then Kuai Zheng will definitely give him enough face...
"Brother-in-law, let's go."
After saying that, Cao Peng bowed his hand to Kuai Zheng and said, "Sir, I'll take my leave first."
Cao Peng led Deng Ji out of the hall, but Deng Ji was still a little dizzy.
He still seemed to be in a cloud and couldn't figure it out. Why did his brother-in-law suddenly appear in Jiyang? And judging from the posture just now, Kuai Zheng and him seemed to be extremely affectionate. Deng Ji also had some understanding of the temperaments of these aristocratic families.
.If they are not of equal status, they will not lower their status like this...It has been almost three or four months since I last saw Cao Peng.
Could it be said that in the past three or four months, my brother-in-law has become a climate change?
Deng Ji followed Cao Peng one step at a time, and in a short time he arrived at the gate of the county government office.
"Brother-in-law, do you still recognize Wang Shifu?"
In private, Cao Peng could call Wang Meng uncle; but in public, he had to respect him as "World Father".
Shifu and uncle mean the same thing, but they are more respectful.
This is a county government, and you must pay attention to everything Cao Peng says and does.
Deng Ji and Wang Meng were very familiar with each other, and he immediately called out in surprise: "Uncle, you are fine."
"Uncle-Sun, you haven't changed either."
"Uncle, what are you doing today..."
"Haha, it's a long story, let's go back first.
Your brother has invited a doctor, and maybe he should be home now. Let’s take care of these things first, and then we can have a good chat."
Deng Ji nodded and raised his legs to get in the car.
At this moment, someone beside the gate shouted sharply: "Deng Ji, where are you going?"
Deng Ji was stunned for a moment, turned around and saw a young man walking out of the corner door next to the county government office. The man looked older than Deng Ji, and he was also somewhat tall. But at first he was a little thin and his eyes were a little thin.
He is long, has a high nose bridge, and exudes an air of meanness and unkindness.
"Brother..."
"How many times have I told you that this is a county government office, not home.
Here, you have to call me by my official position... It’s really rude, and you’re a scholar, and you’ve really lost the face of a scholar.”
Deng Ji's face turned red and his breathing suddenly became short.
He suppressed his anger, cupped his hands and said: "See Master Deng..."
This young man is none other than Deng Ji's elder brother, Deng Cai.
He raised his neck and said with a cold and arrogant look: "Deng Ji, where are you going?"
"Go back to Master Deng's office. The clerk is about to go home."
"Go home?" Deng Cai's little eyes widened and he shouted sternly: "Who allows you to go home? Can you finish the things assigned to you?"
Deng Ji blushed and was about to answer.
But I heard a cold voice coming from the gate of the county government office, "I asked him to go home, Chief Secretary Deng, what do you think?"
Deng Caizheng was arrogant and scolded without looking back: "Who do you think you are? I tell you, if you don't finish your official duties, you will never go back."
After saying that, he realized that what he just said was not what Deng Ji said.
So he quickly turned around and took a look. This sight made Deng Cai turn pale with fright. He quickly bowed his back and stammered: "The unknown county magistrate is here, I'm going to be the official, I'm going to be the official..."
Kuai Zheng stepped out of the county government office, stared at Deng Cai coldly, and after a long time, he said in a dark voice, "Master Deng, you have such great official authority!"
