Chapter 186: Jinman County Magistrate

Yang Huahua glanced at Yang Wang, "You go back and tell them, I agree to this matter. If you ask them to bring the silver silk, I will let them carry the beauty back."

Yang Wang was shocked. The court and the foreign vassals had rules. They did not say that they could marry at will. Others could not know. He was the order of the Honglu Temple Dianke. If the emperor knew about it, he would have to remove his post.

He hurriedly said, "Aunt, there are rules for this matter. Even if my aunt agrees, they will ask the king to formally propose marriage. After submitting it to the emperor for review, it will be submitted to the emperor for approval. Only then will the emperor decide who to choose the relative. If you want to help, you can only wait until then to persuade the emperor, otherwise you will be laughed at by the Hu people to the Tang Dynasty."

Before he could finish his words, Yang Huahua waved her hand impatiently, "I don't care about your bullshit rules. My rules are to see money first and then deliver goods. Their money must be kept first. As for the court's rules, you can explain it to them."

"Yes! My nephew will explain it to them now."

Yang Wang wiped a cold sweat and slowly went down. Yang Huahua held the teacup in her hand tightly and sneered to herself: "Li Qilang, I said, you will kneel down and beg me."

July in Beiting is the most difficult day in midsummer. The heat that oppresses people is ruthlessly hot. As soon as the sun comes out, fire seems to be on the ground. Some gray gas that looks like clouds but not clouds, fog but not fog is floating in the air. A gust of dry and hot wind suddenly blows violently, and yellow dust is blowing on the road.

On the official road about twenty miles away from Jinman County, more than a dozen yamen runners were walking slowly in a wooden cage van. Under the poison of the sun, it was extremely difficult for them to take every step.

In the wooden cage was a man in his thirties. He was dressed in rags, his hair was loose, his eyes were closed, his head was listlessly leaning against the fence of the cage, his lips were blisters, and his face was darkened. This person was Chen Zhonghe, the magistrate of Jinman County who was sent back to complain.

"I said to County Magistrate Chen, if you have any last words, just tell us. If you hand over you to Beiting later, it will probably be a 'crack!'. We can also pass on your last words to our family."

"I'll get your kindness."

Chen Zhonghe's voice was hoarse, and he slowly opened his turbid blood-red eyes and said, "It's just that my family is poor, and I don't even have money to buy medicine, which will disappoint you."

Several yamen runners looked at each other, and the dignified county magistrate didn't even have money to buy medicine. Who would believe it? Everyone sneered.

At this time, an old official who sympathized with him slightly sighed and said, "Mr. Chen, you just confess your guilt and beg me. Maybe the envoy Li will spare your life and you can also serve as a supporter for your mother."

"Hmph! If I were a corrupt, would I still go to Chang'an to complain? A real man would die if he died. He left his own history on earth. My mother would not blame me."

Seeing that he was stubborn, the old official shook his head and stopped persuading him. Suddenly, a sharp chirping sounded from the sky. Everyone looked up and saw a huge goshawk hovering above their heads. The broad black wings blocked the dazzling sunlight. Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves behind him sounded, banging violently on the ground and rolling up rolling yellow dust.

The yamen runners hurriedly drove the prison van to the side of the road, and saw a team of cavalry roaring over. In the blink of an eye, they rushed to them and surrounded the prison van. The yamen runners' leader panicked and hurriedly bowed: "Dear soldiers, we are from Chang'an."

"I know you are from Chang'an!"

The cavalry dispersed to both sides, and the Beiting Jiedushi Li Qingan walked forward slowly. He was wearing a black helmet and black armor, holding a large red bow in his hand, with a majestic momentum.

The huge goshawk roared, flapping his wings and falling down, standing on his shoulders, staring at several yamen runners with sharp eyes.

Li Qingan looked at Chen Zhonghe in the cage and sneered: "Mr. Chen, it's been a long time since we saw each other."

Chen Zhonghe snorted, turned his head and ignored him. Li Qing'an said to the leader of the yamen runner: "I am Li Qing'an, Beiting, I will accept the offender."

The leader hurriedly took out the document from the bag and handed it to Li Qing'an: "Envoy Li, this is the Ministry of Justice's approval document. Please stamp and sign it, and we can submit the work."

Li Qing'an took out the seal of the Jiedushi, stamped the seal on the document, signed it again, and turned around and ordered: "I reward each of them with twenty taels of silver as travel expenses."

The yamen runners were overjoyed and thanked them repeatedly. They quickly completed the handover and did not enter Jinman County. They turned around and left. When the yamen runners walked away, Li Qing'an urged the horse to the prison cart again, looked at Chen Zhonghe for a while, and said coldly: "Although you are a little naive, you are still a good and honest official."

He waved his hand, "Let him go and leave him a horse."

After saying that, he turned around and left. The hawk on his shoulder rushed away and spread his wings toward the county town. The cavalrymen galloped and shouted loudly. In an instant, the cavalry disappeared into the distance.

The cage had been opened, and Chen Zhonghe's handcuffs and shackles were removed. He looked at the cavalry in surprise and looked at his hands and feet again, with a look of confusion in his eyes. After a while, he slowly crawled out of the cage. Staying in the cage for a long time made it very difficult for him to walk. He turned around and approached a horse. It took a lot of effort to climb onto the horse, pulled up the reins, and slowly headed towards Jinman County.

Chen Zhonghe's home was originally in the back house of the county government office. Later, because the county government office was disrepaired for a long time, the house he lived in was in danger of collapse at any time. He moved out of the county government office at the beginning of the year and temporarily rented a house. He prepared to repair the county government office after the autumn harvest and then move back.

The house he rented was not far from the county government office, with four mud houses surrounded by fences. His wife planted some grapes in the yard and raised more than a dozen chickens to supplement the family income.

Chen Zhonghe has a son and a daughter in his family. His wife has been childhood sweethearts with him since childhood. His father passed away ten years ago. There is also an old mother who needs to be supported. He is an honest official and often uses his salary to help the poor. In addition, his mother is in poor health and needs medicine for many years. Therefore, after nearly ten years of being an official, the family is still poor and does not even have a decent furniture. His wife and children even wear coarse cloth skirts they knitted all year round.

Last year, his mother's illness worsened and she was no longer able to do so. Her family had no money to buy medicine. Thanks to Cheng Qianli, who sent someone to send him ten coins of money, solved his urgent need. It was precisely because of this that after Cheng Qianli was seized from power, everyone was afraid of Li Qing'an's power, but he dared to go to Beijing to file a lawsuit.

Chen Zhonghe slowly returned home. He was most worried about his mother's illness. When he left, his family only had three guan money. He brought two guan money for money, and only Yiguan money was left in the family. In the past four months, can Yiguan money be able to hold on?

Chen Zhonghe's heart was tangled and he led his horse to the door, but he didn't dare to go in.

"Dad! Dad" suddenly the voices of his son and daughter came from behind.

When he turned around, he saw his ten-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter standing behind him, looking at him in disbelief.

"Shu'er, Qin'er, it's Daddy who is back."

He squatted down and opened his arms with excitement. The two children immediately rushed into his arms and started to cry. He held one in one hand and looked at them with heartache. It seemed that they had gained a little fatter than when he left, with a rosy face, and each of them was carrying a book bag.

"Where are you back?"

The son wiped his tears with the back of his hand and said, "We came back from school, why did Dad leave for four months?"

"School?"

Chen Zhonghe's eyes were even more confused. What school? His son always taught himself, so how did he enter the school? Where did he get the money? Why did his daughter also study?

A series of questions lingered in his heart. At this moment, the gate of the courtyard suddenly opened. His wife stood in front of the courtyard and looked at him blankly.

Chen Zhonghe stood up with difficulty and smiled, "Why, don't you know him anymore?"

"Husband!"

His wife screamed in surprise, ran out quickly, and excitedly held his hand, looking at her husband who was unkempt and ragged, like a beggar, "Husband, why are you?"

"Oh! It's a long story, let's talk about it when you go back to the house! By the way, what's wrong with my mother?"

"My mother just took medicine and was already asleep. It was too hot in the summer. Dr. Zhao asked her to rest more? She is in much better health now."

"Which Dr. Zhao?"

"It's Dr. Zhao from the Divine Doctor Hall!"

Chen Zhonghe's eyes widened. The famous doctor Zhao had to pay for a lifetime of money when he went to the clinic. How could his family have money? Seeing that several new pieces of furniture seemed to have been added to the room, he couldn't help but question: "Madam, tell me the truth, where did the money come from at home?"

His wife was stunned and blinked and said, "Eunuch Li said you know!"

Chen Zhonghe was dizzy in front of him and said for a while: "Which envoy, Li Jun, what's going on?"

"It's our Beiting Jiedushi Li Jun. Not long after you left, he came to his house to visit his mother's condition and asked the military doctor to treat her. He also said that you were ordered to go to Chang'an and sent someone to send two hundred stale coins. He said that you knew it, and I accepted it."

As soon as his wife finished speaking, Chen Zhonghe was furious and slapped his wife hard, cursing: "Silly woman, you have ruined my reputation!"

His wife's eyes turned red, she knelt down with tears in her face, and a son and a daughter also knelt beside her mother. Chen Zhonghe was angry and pointed at her wife and cursed: "It's so stupid! I, Chen Zhonghe, have been honest for ten years, how can I get 200 guan? Don't you think about it? If you take him 200 guan, my reputation will be completely ruined."

"But my husband"

Chen's wife shed tears of grievance. She wanted to explain with a trembling voice, but Chen Zhonghe rudely interrupted her, "I don't want to hear any explanation from you. I, I want to leave you!"

"If you want to divorce her, then kill me first!"

A trembling voice came from the room. Chen's mother came out of the room with difficulty with her crutches. Chen Zhonghe was so scared that she hurried forward to support her mother, "Mom, it's hot outside, you go back and rest!"

Chen's mother pointed to the door and said angrily: "I don't have your ungrateful son, so get out of here!"

Chen Zhonghe knew that his mother was angry, so he looked at his son and daughter who was kneeling on the ground and crying to tears. He couldn't help but sigh and lowered his head.

Chen's mother stepped forward and knelt down to her daughter-in-law: "Daughter-in-law, I have given birth to a bastard son, I'll apologize to you."

"mother!"

Chen Zhonghe was also so scared that he knelt down. Chen's mother pointed at him angrily and cursed: "You are such a villain! Do you know that the day after you left, the rice shop and the landlord came to ask for the account, saying that the county magistrate would never owe money, and his wife had to give them the only money in the family. It was not enough. She also paid the silver hairpin of the dowry to pay the rice debt. The family had no penny and there was no rice in the rice jar. The children were so hungry that they cried. The wife protected your reputation and refused to borrow it from the neighbor's house. The next day she had to go to wash clothes for others and earn some rice money. The dignified county magistrate's wife actually washed clothes for people. Have you heard of it?"

When Chen's wife heard the sadness, she hugged her children and cried. Chen Zhonghe lowered her head in shame. He knew that the family would be in trouble, but he was not in trouble.

Chen's mother sighed and said, "Thank you, Li Jun, came to visit us and gave us some money, so that we will not die of illness and starvation. You are so good that you will hit someone without asking any questions and have to divorce your wife. If you dare to divorce her, I will fight you."

Chen Zhonghe was in a mess, and he remembered that Li Qingan not only did not cure his sins, but also released himself and gave him a horse. Now he saved his family in danger. He sighed and his resentment towards Li Qingan disappeared.

"Is County Magistrate Chen here?" The voice of County Magistrate Sun suddenly sounded at the door.

Chen's mother hurriedly said to her wife: "Let's give him some face first, and you can teach him a good lesson tonight."

Chen's wife nodded, stood up and ran into the house, took out an old robe, put it on her husband, tidied his hair, and whispered: "Go!"

Chen Zhonghe looked at the red fingerprints on his wife's face, and couldn't help but feel annoyed, "Madam, I."

"Go quickly! County Magistrate Sun is waiting outside."

Chen Zhonghe turned around and opened the door. He saw the county magistrate Sun Li standing at the door with a smile, and then said, "How do you know I'm back?"

"The yamen runner guarding the city gate came to report to me and said that the beggar of our county is back."

Chen Zhonghe smiled bitterly, "Please come in!"

Sun Li walked into the yard. Chen's wife had already placed a table and a stool on the grape trellis and brought a pot of herbal tea. However, while Sun Li was not paying attention, she secretly wiped her husband's face with a wet towel.

Chen Zhonghe winked at his wife, then sat down with a smile, poured him a bowl of tea and asked casually: "How is the situation in the county?"

As soon as he said that, he suddenly remembered that he was no longer a county magistrate.

Sun Li smiled and said, "A few days ago, the Ministry of Personnel sent someone to send you a letter of dismissal. Li Envoy refuted it again, saying that you are a good official who is honest and honest, and recommended you to join the army as a Xizhou official. I'm sorry, now I am the county magistrate of Jinman County."

The chief officer of the governor's prefecture was equivalent to the chief secretary of the prefecture, who was in charge of the government affairs of a state. Chen Zhonghe was stunned for a long time and could not say a word.

Sun Li sighed: "A lot of things have happened in the past few months. Many new military households have come one after another, and a thousand craftsmen have basically been placed in Xizhou. So Li Envoy decided to let you go to Xizhou. Brother Chen, you have a heavy responsibility!"

After a moment of silence, Chen Zhonghe asked, "Where is Cheng Dupu? What is he doing?"

"Husband Cheng has been transferred back to Chang'an to serve as General of Jinwu Guard. Now the military and political power of Beiting is in the hands of Li Envoy. I guess the court is ready to break the leaves."

"How did you see that you were going to break the leaves?"

"The court is preparing for war! In the past few months, the court has sent three batches of military supplies and 400,000 stones of grain in a row. Li Envoy recruited 8,000 soldiers from the new military households, and the new soldiers were stationed in various counties. The veterans were transferred to the five castles, and the five new castles had garrisoned 12,000 troops, and the farthest was already at Yibohai. Isn't this a sign of breaking the leaves?"

Chen Zhonghe nodded silently. He was really confused. The court wanted to break Ye, how could he punish Li Qing'an? He even went to sue the emperor. No wonder Li Qing'an said that he was naive and stupid!
To be continued...