Chapter 2 Giving Bribes and Seeking the Government (3)
The old slave came back in high spirits.
After everyone found out, they saw how ridiculous Cheng Congyuan's command was. They all lay down in the pit, leaning on their shovels and snickering. Ye Yongjia personally came to call Cheng Congyuan - "Mr. Cheng! Sir, please take a rest. There is no work here."
Someone takes your place."
Cheng Congyuan suddenly turned around, with a serious look on his face, ran forward, and after kneeling down, those people quickly put down their things and squatted in the pit together. The crowd surged to see what he was doing.
But seeing Cheng Congyuan look happy:
"Master knows how to sympathize with us! Although I still want to do this, but Master has his own considerations, that's right!" He smiled and went to bow to the slave named Zhang Ping who replaced him. Ye Yongjia
As if he wanted to explain the situation to him, Cheng Congyuan looked at him, smiled, and walked away without waiting for an answer.
The group of people suddenly felt disappointed. Seeing Zhang Ping slowly walking forward and showing his kind face, everyone immediately felt at ease.
Zhang Ping is also a veteran of the Ye family, but his approach is very different from others, which makes him very popular: he does not rely on seniority, has a gentle temperament, and is not lacking in ability in doing things, which is indeed enough to alleviate the storm caused by the establishment of power.
He soon became familiar with everyone. He did not use any tricks. Just like usual, he chatted with everyone in his free time without any airs about Cheng Congyuan. If his hands were itchy, he would just pick up a shovel and jump in.
In the crowd, he followed the workers digging the foundation. He himself had no idea, let alone that he was trying to win people's hearts.
He even forgot about this important period to establish his authority, so he could not help but deduct a few wages and put it in his pocket. Although Cheng Congyuan was relieved of his duties as a supervisor, such a loyal servant who devoted himself to his duties would not rest in peace.
It is common for a few close friends to follow Zhang Ping in front and behind him, so that he can take care of the fortification matters at any time. He does not care about Zhang Ping as a person, he only cares about the top priorities that have nothing to do with his own livelihood.
In addition, in my free time, I like to play chess with a few old friends. Once I feel depressed about losing, I will yell and curse.
Today he still invited people to play chess. After playing for more than an hour, he was still not tired. He was undecided about the chess game and his eyebrows were deeply furrowed. The old slave who was playing chess with him looked out the window and saw a person walking in the corridor.
He seemed to be walking this way. "What are you doing? Mr. Cheng is playing chess, don't disturb me." He tilted his body and shouted outside.
"Wait a minute," Cheng Congyuan leaned forward and shouted out the window, "Come here and tell me!" He leaned back on the chair.
The man came in quickly, and Cheng Congyuan was still playing chess as if nothing had happened. The man was stunned for a long time, and Cheng Congyuan became impatient: "If you have something to say, tell me quickly, why are you doing this!" The man hesitated, and vomited out a few words for a long time.
In one sentence: "It's difficult for Mr. Cheng to handle this matter... Yes, it's Zhang Ping... I saw that he took a lot of money..."
Before he finished speaking, all the black and white chess pieces on the chessboard were scattered on the ground. A few chess pieces turned vertically for a few times before falling down.
"It's okay!" Cheng Congyuan smashed his hands on the chessboard, one hand still shaking a little. "Brother, I have to admit defeat! I have to tell the master!"
He stepped across the threshold, "What's the basis?" he asked after walking a few steps.
"The money allocated by the council this time was sixty-six taels of silver. Zhang Ping bought twenty bundles of wood from local merchants, which was converted into nineteen taels of silver. The wages given to everyone were ten taels, and thirty-seven taels were lost in the middle.
Two pieces of silver."
"What day did this happen?"
"About three to five days. I was afraid that something would go wrong. A few days later, before the money came out, he wrote an order and asked me to dial it again. I knew there was a problem."
Cheng Congyuan also nodded. The two immediately went to Ye Yongjia's room, but the master was still missing. They asked a few servants, and those who knew told them that the master had invited some friends out to eat and drink. I don't know when.
Neng Gui. Cheng Congyuan stood without saying a word, with impatience in his eyes. This kind of thing must not be delayed, and now we have to find another way.
Zhang Ping still works hard and does not listen to what is going on outside the window, so he does not worry about corruption and other things. This is due to his age. Habits have already smoothed his instincts. Naturally, he was surprised by Cheng Congyuan's
He was fierce. "Chengyu Shun, what are you doing here? This place is not yours to take care of! If you want to have a drink..."
Before he finished speaking, he jumped up. Ke Cheng's cronies beside Yuan were quick and took out hemp ropes and restrained him severely on the spot. He struggled desperately, and the slaves working on him shouted loudly.
"Oh, don't be anxious. We don't take people for no reason, we still have orders from the master. Everyone... ah, and Zhang Ping
"Take out the account." Cheng Congyuan said slowly, but with murderous intent, and everyone shuddered. Only Zhang Ping struggled excitedly, with his hair scattered around his face, and bloodshot eyes gradually revealed: "You
This dog is Cheng Congyuan! He must have been slandering his master! Didn’t you say that his master wanted to arrest me? I am fucking my mother, please let my master come over! If my master doesn’t come... you are just making things up, you old dog!"
He still didn't let go of his foul language. Cheng Congyuan suppressed his anger and gritted his teeth and said: "Okay, okay, you have a rest. If I don't want to talk to you, go to the meeting hall to see the master!" As he looked to his side, a steward had already taken it.
A pile of paper came over, all of which were accounts. Cheng Congyuan picked up the account, squinted at it, and said with an accent: "Aren't you a bastard? Let me tell you. I understand this account, it is sixty
Six taels of silver; how much wood did you buy?" Zhang Ping wanted to speak, but Cheng Congyuan asked the servants first: "How many bundles did you move?"
"Mr. Huicheng, twenty bundles."
Cheng Congyuan smiled and stared at Zhang Ping sharply: "How much does twenty bundles cost? Why is it not enough?" Zhang Ping said angrily: "Fifty-six taels, no more, no less!" Cheng Congyuan said
Stomping his feet: "Fart! Think I'm stupid! Even if I don't know how much a bundle of wood costs, I'll be in charge of this business for nothing! I cut corners and cut corners. Adding the labor cost, it only cost twenty-nine taels. What's left?
Where did you put it!" Although Zhang Ping could not refute, he still maintained great anger: "Ask those people, how many of them don't take some dirty money! You old beast, you take less than me?"
"Okay! Then you just admit it!" Cheng Congyuan didn't allow others to interrupt and quickly ordered his servants: "Carry Zhang Ping to the meeting hall. I want to watch him personally."
"Old beast..." Zhang Ping's face was pressed to the ground, and he lay down reluctantly. "Lock the doors and windows." Cheng Congyuan was used to being scolded by him, and he didn't seem to care. Just when Zhang Ping wanted to see him clearly
When he looked at his face, the spacious meeting hall was already covered by dim shadows. Only the sunlight coming through the door gap saw a cold wooden armchair and a figure sitting upright. He was stunned for a while, and then became crazy again: "
Old thing, it’s my master! If you dare to exercise power privately and exclude loyal people, let’s see what the master will say when he comes back!”
"If the master is here, he must be like this. But things cannot be delayed..." Cheng Congyuan said slowly. Then he looked at him with a sneer: "Do you really think I don't dare to kill you?"
Zhang Ping still showed no fear at all, and still shouted angrily at Cheng Congyuan: "How dare you kill me? Even if I want to kill me, I may not agree!"
Cheng Congyuan did not fight back, but raised one hand easily - although Zhang Ping did not see it, through this moment of silence, he noticed a hint of danger, and then he held his breath and concentrated. He heard Cheng Congyuan's teeth.
Shivering slightly.
"Beat to death in court..." Zhang Ping's head suddenly buzzed, and he thought he heard it wrong for a while. But the stick beside him was dragged up; he heard Cheng Congyuan's teeth trembling again; and then there was a slight unevenness.
The sound of breathing; then the sound of wind caused by the swing of the stick. After he was hit firmly on the flesh, he broke away from the slow and meticulous thoughts and began to scream in pain. Cheng Congyuan turned his head and disappeared, but when Zhang Ping's
The wailing got louder, and he couldn't help but shed a little sweat. He took out his handkerchief and wiped it slowly. After a while, he returned to his previous state and sat calmly. Soon after the sound died down, the men put away their sticks and reached between their mouths and noses.
At the scene, he numbly stepped forward and reported: "Zhang Ping was beaten to death."
"...That's right. Don't publicize what he did. This matter of dead people...who doesn't want to die a slave? Let them talk." Cheng Congyuan stood up from the chair and saw the dead body, thick and thick on the ground.
The red blood flowed calmly, or gradually seeped into the soles of the boots, or allowed to be scanned by the scattered cold light outside the house.
Zhang Ping's body was immediately wrapped up in a straw mat. Everyone did not mourn, but was angry. It was not that he was killed indiscriminately out of anger or that he died in resignation, but that the leisurely life of the past few days was coming to an end. But now there is no
He relied on it to cause trouble, and once this happened, he had no choice but to let it go, with no choice but to do so.
Before the blood was as dry as water, Cheng Congyuan was busy greeting his master. It was not too late when the master came back, but the lights were on in the house. When he saw Ye Yongjia's face, he was a little tipsy.
It looked like he had a little bit of wine. "I'm back! What are you going to do? I didn't ask a servant to follow me. It's so unstable..." Cheng Congyuan greeted him with a smile, and two eyes squeezed out between the wrinkles, which seemed to have
There seemed to be no place to peek. He was still in a clear spirit. He stepped onto the bluestone road step by step and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Cheng. I was just catching up with a few classmates and drinking some wine. Although there is still something going on at home, it's nothing."
Obstruction."
"Sir... I have something to tell you..." Cheng Congyuan deliberately looked timid, and Ye Yongjia couldn't help but become suspicious. He opened his mouth to speak, but he saw the oil lamps going back and forth, so he was afraid that it would be inconvenient to press him at this time.
Only then did he show his proper demeanor and interrupted: "If you have something to discuss, go to the meeting hall. Mr. Cheng, please don't break the rules."
Cheng Congyuan looked flustered again and said yes again and again; this made Ye Yongjia even more uneasy, his chest felt very tight, and his steps became chaotic.
There was no light in the dark meeting hall, and the breeze blew against his face with a fishy smell. Ye Yongjia almost vomited, and all the alcohol in his body was instantly wiped away. Cheng Congyuan, as if nothing had happened, stretched out his hand to light a lamp,
When he turned back and saw his master's expression, there was a sudden silence. Ye Yongjia focused on the sparse firelight in the wick, and everything around him seemed to be swallowed up, with no place to stand. Of course Cheng Congyuan found it hard to say, but after all he had to say, approach cautiously
, lowered his voice: "Sir...you know I won't kill people at will. But he was greedy for money."
"Deserves to be killed?..." He was still stunned.
"Thirty-seven taels of greedy ink...it's Zhang Ping." Cheng Congyuan said.
"I believe that sir will not lie to me. But although he deserves punishment, in the end the crime does not deserve death! How can you not act according to family law!" Ye Yongjia turned his head quickly, his eyes were burning, and he roared in a low voice.
"This method cannot be used at all times..."
"There is no need to use it at this time!" Ye Yongjia almost jumped up, "Then why is this? To establish prestige, human life is not worth anything anymore! We are a family of poets and calligraphers, Mr. Cheng..." Ye Yongjia came closer and said through gritted teeth. .
"Oh," Cheng Congyuan smiled bitterly, "when the master works in the court, there are many enemies against him! If we just want to fix it, if someone catches you, the brand of this poetry and calligraphy family can be given to you. Take it off! Zhang Ping died for the Ye family, please think about it carefully, sir! This life is worth a lot of money." As if he couldn't bear it, he stepped forward and patted Ye Yongjia's shoulder blade.
He was unmoved and stared at the blood stains on the ground. He had no reason to argue. The blood was flowing from his own body. Thinking of this, he felt a chill all over his body.
"I forgot to wipe it clean! I'm going to have a rest first..." Cheng Congyuan pushed and supported him carefully. The remaining lamp swayed gently in the breeze, and the light gradually disappeared and turned into ashes.