Ancient Imperial Examination Daily

Chapter 732 Amazing, Master Du
Of course, there were also those who hugged Cao Hongshou and Wang Yugui's thighs very happily, and couldn't see the faces of some people taking pleasure in others' misfortune, and said in a low voice: "Dali Temple just asked Mr. Cao and Mr. Wang to go to the capital to do an investigation. Maybe I'll be back soon. Then I'll see what happens to all of you."

His words made everyone's necks shrink suddenly.Especially those like Ma Jian's face was pale.

Before these people expressed their loyalty to Cao Hongshou, they heard a burst of noise outside, accompanied by women's wailing and cursing.

Everyone's complexion changed, and they hurried out of the gate of the prefecture's office. Dozens of old people, women, and children in sackcloth and filial piety were kneeling on the ground. One of the women held up the pleadings and said loudly: "The women want to sue Cao Hongshou for corrupting the law. Dozens of people were killed."

The officials in the state government were horrified.

In the winter of the previous year, Beijing took out money to repair the river embankment, Cao Hongshou and Wang Yugui embezzled most of the repair money, and forced the young and strong men in various places to repair the river embankment.Due to lack of funds, food and housing were extremely poor. In the end, the embankment was repaired, and less than half of the young and strong men were able to go home; those who did not return, dozens died of accidents, and the rest died of cold and hunger. died of illness.At that time, people in Runzhou were full of complaints.

Someone went to Beijing to sue for impeachment, but something happened before they reached the capital, and even a big change happened at home. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that it was Cao Hongshou who did it.Some well-educated people really couldn't bear to see it, and secretly asked someone to deliver the papers to Beijing, but for some reason, these papers were lost, like a sinking ocean.

In the end it was over.

Those who died back then were all farmers, who had no rights and no money, and died after they had nowhere to ask.The places where they live are scattered again. It is not easy to tell them and let them come here to complain at this time.The officials who were born in Dali Temple in Beijing came very suddenly, even Cao Hongshou, who had good hands and eyes, didn't get any news.Now as soon as Cao Hongshou was arrested, these people blocked the door in mourning clothes. This incident was very strange at first glance, and it made people feel chills for no reason.

"Master Du is too powerful, this is not leaving a way for Mr. Cao and Mr. Wang..." an official murmured tremblingly.

No one laughed at him, the others stood there one by one, sweating profusely.

With a wave of his hand, the people from Dali Temple came to arrest Cao Hongshou and Wang Yugui; with scheming and premeditation, Cao Hongshou and Wang Yugui were investigated to the bottom of the sky.What did they do to this tough and ruthless backstage man?Give people a cold face, all kinds of cynicism...

"I..." Yu Huaigu, a Cao official from the Ministry of Industry, swallowed his dry throat, "I'm not feeling well. Mrs. Ma, I'll ask for a leave of absence. I'll go back and get some medicine. I'll come back in the afternoon."

As he spoke, he cupped his hands towards Ma Jian, seeing that the two officials of Dali Temple were surrounded by a group of women and children, and he had no time to care about this side, so he slipped out along the wall.

Another shrewd official rolled his eyes and said to Ma Jian: "Master Ma, the tax in the workshop is about to be collected. I'm going to go to the workshop today, but go there first."

Ma Jian was stunned.

When he came to Runzhou as a co-prefect, he was treated the same as Du Jinning at first, but later he compromised with Cao Hongshou so that he could stay in the prefectural government.But because he couldn't do what Wang Yugui did, he was treated as an invisible person when he came and went.None of the subordinate officials in the yamen took him seriously.He is in charge of arresting robbers and other matters, and few people can take care of him when he usually gives orders.

Now, the subordinate officials called "Master Ma" one by one, bowed to him, and respected him as a real chief, a sixth-rank court official.It's just, why are all of them asking for leave to go out?
Then should he stop it?
Cao Hongshou and Wang Yugui were taken away, Du Jinning was not in the yamen, and Ma Jian was the biggest official in the yamen now.If he let these people go, and the superiors track them down, wouldn't he be responsible?The officials of Dali Temple are still at the gate of the yamen. Seeing that I let these people go, will they turn their heads and arrest me?
But if he doesn't agree to leave, these people probably won't listen to him, right?
Ma Jian has a weak personality, and has been bullied by Cao Hongshou and others in the past two years.At this time, even though he was the only one left in the yamen, the subordinate officials didn't pay attention to him, they just used him as a shield.In the future, if someone checks it out, or Mr. Du will blame him after the incident, everyone will say that they have reported to Ma Jian.

So everyone just announced that there was no need for Ma Jian's consent, and before he could speak, those who were supposed to leave walked far away.

Watching Yu Huaigu leave, Cao Hongshou's adjutant Zhong Dianshi thought for a while, and seemed to have finally made up his mind, and said to Ma Jian: "I'm going to inspect the cultivated land, and I'm going out of the city today."

"Hey, Zhong Dianshi..." Ma Jian wanted to call Zhong Dianshi, but Zhong Dianshi went straight into the yamen as if he didn't hear him.There was a back door in the yamen, and Cao Hongshou and Wang Yugui would slip out through the back door when it was inconvenient for Cao Hongshou and Wang Yugui to come in and out through the front door—for example, when the front door was blocked by people calling for injustice.

Of course, ordinary subordinate staff are not allowed to use that door.

Three of them walked away at once, and the rest of the quick-witted ones also came to their senses at this moment, and quickly pointed to something to slip away. In the end, only Ma Jian and the old man from the Ministry of Industry were left at the gate of the Yamen. The subordinate officials, as well as a few low-status and insignificant petty officials and servants.

The old clerk from the Ministry of Industry shook his head, smiled wryly, and cupped his hands with Ma Jian: "Master Ma, the villain has gone in to do business." Then he turned and entered the yamen,
Before leaving, he scolded several small officials and officials and said: "Aren't you going in and doing things honestly? No matter who comes to know the state, they need honest people. It's useless to think about those crooked ways, be honest and diligent Fang is right."

Seeing that the little official and the poor yamen had also entered the door, it seemed that he was the only one left at the door, so Ma Jian quickly entered the yamen too.

Zhong Dianshi went out from the back door and got into the carriage, only then remembered that he didn't know where Du Jinning lived, so he hurriedly asked his servant, "Do you know where Master Du lives?"

The boy shook his head in fear.

Cao Hongshou fell, and Zhong Dianshi's status was in jeopardy. He was afraid that his master would take his anger on him.

Sure enough, Zhong Dianshi scolded him all over the face, and shouted: "Go ask, do you want me to tell you how to do it?"

The young servant of the Zhong family had no choice but to get out of the carriage, and ran outside quickly, thinking to himself: Where does the newcomer Du Tongzhi live? How would ordinary people know?Where is this going to ask for directions?
Thinking of this, he complained in his heart: he is a Tongzhi after all, as a classic history, shouldn't the master have sent someone to find out where Du Tongzhi lives?You have to force him, this boy, now.

After running out of the alley, the servant saw sharply that Yu Huaigu, Dian Yu, stopped a mule cart and gave the driver a place name.

(End of this chapter)