The official looked at Leng Ping's face and saw that her hair was disheveled and her face was stained with black and yellow patches. She was very unclean and looked like she was just a troublesome person. However, the magistrate relied on his feelings and firmly believed that she was interested in him.
It will be of some use.
"My name is Chen Tongpao, don't be afraid. What do you want from this county?" The magistrate gave her a polite smile.
What Leng Ping always saw were the sarcastic comments from others, and she hadn't seen such a smile for a long time. Although it might be hypocritical, there was still a wave of emotion in her heart.
"Sir, the name of the folk girl is Zhu Qiuguang. You must have never heard of it...but I want to ask you to bury the mother of the folk girl."
"Bury your mother?!" a sergeant shouted in surprise.
"Who the hell are you to make such a request?" People around him began to sneer.
Tongpao Chen, with two eyes that no one could see through, stepped on the sand with his boots and frowned.
"Please, sir, please say something." A close subordinate knew that he was not hesitating, it was just for outsiders to see.
"Say it, okay." Tongpao Chen said, "Bring your mother over."
Leng Ping did not expect Mr. Chen to agree so quickly. He was stunned for a long time before he excitedly knocked his head several times and almost shouted out loud: "Thank you, Mr. Magistrate! Mr. Thank you, Mr. Magistrate!"
She ran all the way, then slowly held the handle of the car and pushed it this way.
Everyone cast suspicious eyes on Chen Tongpao, wondering when the county magistrate showed his kindness again.
Under all kinds of looks, Chen Tongpao whispered to his servants: "Take it down and buy a tomb for it."
While he sent people to the city to buy a tomb, he asked Zhuo Lengping to live in his house temporarily until her mother was buried before talking about his affairs.
During this period, in order to fully understand Chen Tongpao, Leng Ping asked people who often worked around him, such as subordinate officials and servants, and also got some information about him.
First of all, those people said without exception that Chen Tongpao treated people like his own son and was friendly. He never said a bad word, never saw him lose his temper, and always maintained a calm and composed expression (but judging from Leng Ping's view)
, closer to sluggish), he doesn’t care about big or small things, and he is considered a very easy-to-get-together administrator.
Secondly, I occasionally heard people talking about his past, saying that Chen Tongpao once held the position of general judge in a certain state and was very popular among his colleagues and superiors. His official career was smooth sailing, and he was about to become prosperous.
, but in the end
Because he once participated in a secret incident, which aroused the dissatisfaction of the local magistrate, he was involved in a memorial and dismissed from his official position. Later, fortunately, the imperial court was merciful and did not blame the past, and he was reinstated as the magistrate of Taizhou, and he was able to look decent again.
.
But Taizhou could not thrive for a long time, and the land became barren. After the bandit rebellion, it was removed from the state and turned into a county. Once you come here to serve as an official, it is equivalent to a death sentence for your official career. But Chen Zhixian firmly does not believe these "nonsense" and still dreams of one day
He can make a comeback. However, he is indeed cautious and wise in his actions. If he can make such a bold statement, there must be some truth to it.
After listening to this, Leng Ping seemed to have grasped the lifeblood of survival. He chewed these words like rumination and silently kept them in his heart.
Two days later, she received news from Tongpao Chen, saying that her mother's burial had been settled and he asked her to come and say goodbye. After hearing this, Leng Ping anxiously followed the visitor to the grave.
Leng Ping walked to the tomb and gradually slowed down. She continued to move forward along the bare slope. The tomb was particularly easy to see, right in the middle of the slope. There were also several tombs erected on both sides, which were very simple.
, but a solemn heart arises spontaneously.
There is a stone tablet erected in front of his mother's tomb, with neat handwriting engraved on it: 'Grave of the Zhang family in Nanjing'. Leng Ping has been hiding his name in order to escape the pursuit of the Lu family, but he doesn't want his mother to have to bear anything for her until her death.
Responsibility, so choose not to shy away from it.
A mother's upright life must also lead to an upright death. Leng Ping felt that this was the best condolence for his mother.
A pit was dug for this monument. Next to the pit was a thick coffin, with the coffin boards not yet nailed. Inside was the mother's body.
Although Zhuo Lengping was still far away, her tears could not stop flowing out like a spring. Her legs and feet were trembling, and she stood there crying loudly.
"Find someone to help her," Tongpao Chen, who was standing aside, said, "let her stand firmer."
Several people came up and held Leng Ping's arm.
Her tears ran down her cheeks and fell down drop by drop, moistening the road. Along with the sad cry, everyone present was moved. Only Tongpao Chen yawned idly, without any fluctuation in emotion.
She walked to the coffin, knelt gently beside her mother, and wiped away her tears.
There was silence for a long time before Zhuo Lengping made a weak voice: "Can I lift this shroud?"
"Lift it," Tongpao Chen said.
Leng Ping slowly opened the piece of plain cloth, and saw that his mother's face was even paler than the cloth, which was extremely shocking. Fortunately, her face was not damaged, and she could see her mother's eyelids were closed heavily, but she still had a peaceful air.
It's like being in a dreamland.
Leng Ping didn't say a word, just pressed her face against hers, shed tears, and kissed her mother on the cheek. She slowly covered her mother's cheek with plain cloth, lowered her head and prayed for a while, then said: "You are buried.
Just my mother."
Tongpao Chen winked, and the people on both sides covered the coffin board together, nailed it tightly, and placed it heavily in the pit.
Although Leng Ping was mentally prepared, when he actually faced this scene, he still seemed a little more fragile, burying his face and burst into tears.
"No one can predict life or death. Since things are like this, why bother to add to the sorrow..." Chen Tongpao stroked her hair and consoled her.
Leng Ping was already heartbroken with grief, but there was no one around her to complain to. When she heard these words, they hit her heart. She cried for a while, then held him tightly with her soft hands, and said with sobs:
"Thank you, sir..."
After burying Lao Zhang, Chen Tongpao gave her a white linen mourning garment that he had prepared. Leng Ping immediately put it on her body and followed them down the slope to the city gate.
Chen Tongpao then followed Zhuo Lengping's advice and returned the car that transported her mother to the shop owner, saying to him: "Miss Zhu said she used your car and was grateful, so she came here to return it. But you
If you think this car is stained with something sneaky, we'll just throw it away."
The owner of the shop suddenly didn't pay attention to any taboos this time. He carried the car over with a smile on his face, and praised many things about his coldness. When he talked about her mother's death, he turned to look depressed and sad.
He looked very compassionate.
After parting, the shop owner took out another nine cents and said that now that the car was returned, the money would also be refunded, so Leng Ping had to accept it. She was secretly surprised, but still took the money and left with the shop owner's every kindness.