Chapter 130: Pleading for the people and showing the yoke to the public
Chapter 130: Asking for orders for the people and displaying the shackles to the public
Li You hurried to Xujiang County Government Office, and within a short time he hurried back to Fucheng overnight.
In the early morning of December 15th, several drums were played in the Suzhou Prefecture Office, and the daily yamen ceremony began. Officials from Tongzhi gathered in the lobby to pay homage to the prefect. At the same time, all kinds of people came to the prefecture one after another with all their major and minor matters.
Reporting and asking for instructions, and waiting for orders, this is called Yashen.
Everyone in the officialdom knows that although Beijing officials are noble, they are also envious of local officials. First, the local officials are known as the herdsmen on behalf of the emperor. In order to show the majesty of the government in front of the people, there are canopies of ceremonial guards and magnificent scenery when entering and exiting, while officials in the capital do not
There may be these pomps. Second, local officials can enjoy the grandeur of arranging the Yamen every day. Dozens of subordinate officials, big and small, pay homage together, just like a copycat version of the emperor going to court - he has Huang Zhong Da Lu, we have Bangzi Lei.
Drum, he has his chamberlain to shout and shout, and we have the yamen servant to shout. But in Beijing, even if you become a minister, it will not be of such use.
Back to the story, in the lobby of Suzhou Mansion today, Wang Tongzhi was omitted as usual, and it was started by the general judge, and then the recommendation, experience, and grinding. After the officials finished talking, when it was time for the six-room clerk to serve, he saw
Governor Li, who was sitting on the bench with Old Man Wang in the Tongzhi Hall, suddenly stood out from the crowd, stepped forward and bowed to the magistrate: "I have something to attend to. Recently, rice has become more expensive, and it is difficult for the poor in the city to make ends meet. May I ask you, sir?"
Open positions, sell money, and implement good governance."
Everyone was surprised. Governor Li has kept a low profile since he took office and never said a word. Today he started talking for some unknown reason. Besides, the general magistrate is in charge of warehouse affairs, so Li You is a bit overstepping his authority. Also,
The officials in the hall knew what was going on in the Gusu warehouse. They only had some emergency rice left that might not be enough for next year's spring famine. How could they go out and calm the price of rice now? After thinking about this, everyone couldn't help but think that Li You was talkative and meddlesome.
It’s not like the government didn’t try to remedy the situation, but the more rice was bought back, the more expensive it became, and it was impossible to save the fire by transporting water from other places far away.
Magistrate Mao was getting angry and secretly thought that before I had time to attack you last time, you continued to slap your nose and face. Do you really think that I can't touch you? He scolded: "How dare you talk nonsense about political affairs! What's the matter?
Use your words..."
Before Magistrate Mao could finish speaking, Li You interrupted him without distinction, and rebuked loudly: "The people in the mansion are having a hard time, but the governor has been living in peace for months, and regards the suffering of the people as nothing? I, the people of the Su mansion,
How can I blame you for being in charge of such a stupid official! You are so stupid and incompetent! You are so shameless!"
The officials in the lobby were stunned. A ninth-grade miscellaneous official, who was no better than the officials, took the initiative to scold his immediate superior, a fourth-grade Zhengyin official. What was going on? Some people in the yamen
The veteran official who has been working for thirty years has never seen such a situation, and he was amazed in his heart. It is really a rare sight in a hundred years.
Even Magistrate Mao didn't expect that Li You, a little man, would insult him like a shrew in front of his face. His beard was trembling with anger, and he lost his composure. He stretched out his hand, took out the sign, threw it down and shouted: "Hit me!"
Governor Li showed no fear on his face and said impassionedly: "So what if I'm beaten to death! I'm an official asking for orders for the people, why should I be afraid of death!"
Wang Tongzhi looked on with cold eyes and sighed in his heart, you are too involved in the performance and have gone too far. He stood up and said to Magistrate Mao: "Master Li is an official. If you make mistakes, you will be punished by your own department. The magistrate must save some dignity, how can it be just a few words of criticism?"
Can’t you hear it too?”
Magistrate Mao saw Li You's face in his eyes, and for some reason he thought of those seniors in this dynasty who teased the emperor one after another, and begged for imperial sticks, beatings, and fame. At that time, he still admired Li You, but now he suddenly felt that this behavior of seeking fame and reputation was really serious.
It's disgusting. If you seek benevolence and get benevolence, then let him be granted his favor... Magistrate Mao slapped the case and said: "People are coming from the left and right! Push this disrespectful thief out and put him in the shackles for three days to show to the public!"
Wang Tongzhi came forward to protest again: "This is a disorderly order! The government official has no right to deal with the imperial officials in this way!"
Magistrate Mao gritted his teeth and said, "So what?"
Those government officials would not listen to Wang Tongzhi, so they walked up to Li You and gestured: "Master Li, please stop. Don't force the younger ones to take action."
Li You snorted coldly and walked out of the lobby with his head held high.
The punishment of being paraded in public with the shackles is also common. It is often used on people who owe food taxes or have bad morals. The shackles are placed outside the yamen as a warning to others, but Li You did not expect that he would suffer the same punishment today.
Li You originally wore thick leather trousers to prevent him from being hit by the boards. Now that he is an official, Magistrate Mao will not take off his pants and beat him, but it seems that he was prepared in vain. But wearing wooden shackles should be easier than being hit by the boards.
It probably wouldn't last more than a while, just to experience life. And he had already told Zhang San to adapt to circumstances, so there would probably be no problems down there.
Although he thought it was easy, Li You suddenly changed his expression when he saw the yamen on duty carrying the wooden shackles - the wooden shackles were also graded, weighing twenty kilograms, forty kilograms, eighty kilograms, and a hundred kilograms.
This kind of specification, what this team of yamenmen moved was exactly the one weighing a hundred kilograms...
Such wooden shackles, even if they are worn, can directly press people to the ground. Whether they are sitting or kneeling, their shape is very humiliating. Only ugly and evil people are treated like this. How can Li You lose this?
Face? He was convinced that these cheap servants wanted to beat down the fallen dog to please the magistrate, and said angrily: "You, these thieves, how dare you do this!"
The foreman, whose surname was Hu, said with a ruthless smile: "Master Li, if you want to blame me, blame yourself. You can't live a good life, but you go to bring trouble to the master of the government. If you eat this bowl of rice, you can't make the master unhappy."
."
"If you make me unhappy for a moment, I will make you unhappy for the rest of your life!" Li You scolded.
Hu Bantou said disdainfully: "Let's wait until Mr. Li becomes the prefect before we talk about this."
You villain, you are truly a villain. Li You was so angry that he could never have imagined that such a situation would happen, but he had nothing to do. Before Magistrate Mao was officially overthrown, Governor Li's words were of no use.
.
If he had known this, he should have restrained his acting today, Li You regretted in his heart. When he was running out of options, he heard someone next to him shouting "Stop"! He turned around and saw that it was Inspector Hong.
In the government office, when it comes to understanding Li You, Wang Tongzhi is the first, followed by Inspector Hong. After all, he has dealt with Li You directly several times. In the lobby just now, Inspector Hong noticed Li You's words and deeds.
He felt very strange. He knew that Li You was definitely not such a just or reckless person. No normal person would do something like a ninth-grade subordinate insulting a fourth-grade superior, let alone someone as thoughtful as Li You. Moreover, he knew
Li You's backer, Magistrate Chen, has a very deep background. Taking all the circumstances together, it can be concluded that there must be some deep meaning.
After much deliberation, Inspector Hong sneaked out of the lobby quietly, sold Li You a good deal outside, and drank to stop Bantou Hu. As a role similar to that of the chief catcher, Inspector Hong had a much higher status than Bantou Hu.
Too much. When he spoke, Bantou Hu did not dare to directly disobey.
"You guys get out of the way, I want to have a few words with Mr. Li." Inspector Hong waved his hand.
Li You smiled bitterly and said, "Is Inspector Hong here to discuss business? How much does it cost to lose one pound of wooden shackles?"
Inspector Hong whispered: "Master Li is joking. I would like to ask what the meaning of Master Li's actions today is?"
"I have calculated with my fingers, and I know that there are benefits to scolding the governor today." Li You pretended, "If Inspector Hong can replace the wooden shackles, he will be rewarded generously."
Inspector Hong took a deep look at Li You and thought in his mind, I heard that Inspector Ma, as an imperial envoy, had no choice but to ignore Magistrate Chen. This shows that Magistrate Chen has a great background, and Magistrate Chen has an extremely close relationship with Magistrate Li.
I also heard that the third master of Zhao Mansion in Zhaojia Lane often interacts with Governor Li, so Governor Li will not have no way out. Helping him now is a favor in times of need, and it should be rewarded. Even if he is betrayed by Governor Mao,
Even if I blame him, it doesn't mean he can't make up for it. The worst outcome is to wait for a year to get rid of Magistrate Mao, who has been working for five years and is about to expire in six years.
He came to the conclusion that the deal was worth it. After finishing his calculations, Patrolman Hong called Team Leader Hu over and said: "Change to the lightest one. I will bear the responsibility if the boss blames me."
Just like that, Governor Li was tied up with wooden shackles, pushed out of the government office gate, and stood under the eight-character wall to show the public.
It is said that there is always a lively scene outside the gate of the government office. In modern terminology, it is called "yamen economy". From those who sell pens, inks, paper and inkstones to those who write petitions, from those who work in the government office to those who file lawsuits, from intermediaries to agents
Lively idlers, from tea stalls chatting to busy restaurants, in one word, bustling, in short, there are a lot of people.
As soon as someone was pushed out today, it attracted the attention of countless people at the yamen gate. It is not unusual for these people who hang out at the yamen gate all the time to be shown the yoke, but the official wearing a blue official robe was put on a wooden yoke
It's rare to see it put on display, and you have to come up to watch it.
"Isn't this Governor Li who has only been in office two or three months?" Someone immediately recognized Li You.
"Only the Palace Master can put wooden shackles on Governor Li? What have you committed?"
"You don't understand, this is the legendary political struggle! I heard that Governor Li is Wang Tongzhi's man, and Wang Tongzhi doesn't deal with the governor. Governor Li must have been caught and repaired by the governor.
"
"I heard a few days ago that Governor Li wrote a poem to satirize the magistrate for the common people. Could it be that he was punished for revenge? There is no justice in this world."
Li You stared at the sky and cursed Zhang San in his heart, why didn't he come out? Master, I'm about to do tricks for people to see.
Finally, I saw Zhang San staggering out of the government office, kneeling at Li You's feet, hugging his thigh and crying: "Master! You don't have much rice to eat. What does it have to do with you when the price of rice is one hundred taels?"
, what does it have to do with you if the rice in the warehouse is making money or not? What's the point of contradicting the government official for this! The poor man has to suffer the humiliation of this instrument of torture because of his dignified official status. Who of those ignorant people will think of you? You really can't do it.
!”
With Zhang San's shouting, the onlookers were in an uproar. None of these people were rich, and they felt the pain of the price of rice. When they heard that Mr. Li had offended the prefect because of the rice dumping issue and was punished, the crowd became excited on the spot, and they all came together to support Li.
You cheered and applauded, and words of praise flew all over the sky.
Hearing this made Mr. Li feel light and relaxed, and he understood why Magistrate Chen was so keen on building up his reputation.
In fact, I'm not that good... Li You put his hands across the wooden board, reluctantly made a gesture like cupping his hands to the crowd, and said loudly: "Li You is incompetent. I am ashamed of my fellow countrymen and elders. I don't want this official position."
The yamen guard who was watching on the side sneered in his heart, he was just a useless cold kitchen official, pretending to be a big shot, there was no point in interacting affectionately with these ordinary people, ten thousand words could not match one sentence of the magistrate.
At this time, a group of people suddenly appeared outside the gate of the government office, showing their official badges and honor guards. A leader shouted: "The Imperial Envoy, the Prime Minister, Suzhou Grain Reserve, the Nanjing Metropolitan Procuratorate, and the Deputy Imperial Envoy of the Nanjing Metropolitan Procuratorate have been ordered to come here! The rest of the people are staying away, Suzhou
The government will welcome you quickly!"
Imperial envoy? There was a guard on the spot who was so panicked that he rushed into the Yamen to report.
It's finally here! Li You was overjoyed. He secretly met this old man in Xujiang County yesterday, so he dared to play the unscrupulous role of a tough official who asked for his life today.