Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 101

Unlike Asano Qingliu's disappointment, Hai Rui's disappointment was heart-pounding despair.When the Zhejiang case was closed according to the court's order, Hai Rui's heart fell like fallen leaves in the autumn wind in August, and he handed in his resignation letter to Zhao Zhenji. He returned to Chun'an and waited for the approval to go back to the countryside with his mother, wife and daughter...

It was the first ten days of August, the sun was approaching dusk, the autumn wind was already bleak, and many leaves fell from the big trees in the yard before they turned yellow.

Before entering the courtyard, Hai Rui's footsteps were hurried, but when he looked at the door in the backyard, Hai Rui's footsteps slowed down and seemed a little heavy. A few short steps seemed a long way.

According to Haimen's rules, even though you live in the back house of the county government, and the house is tightly guarded, you still lock the courtyard door at night, and keep the door closed during the day.Hai Rui walked to the door step by step and stopped there.

The sound of spinning wheels can be clearly heard from the courtyard inside the gate.Hai Rui stood there, listening to the sound, and after a while, he gently pushed open the half-hidden door with both hands.

The door was pushed so lightly that no one inside could notice it for a while.Hai Rui stood by the door and looked towards the main room.

Under the eaves of the main house, Hai Wife sits on a low stool in front of the spinning wheel, spinning the yarn intently while shaking the wheel.The youngest daughter also squatted beside her mother, watching intently that the ball of cotton in her mother's hand slowly turned into a thread, and then slowly turned into a thread on the wheel.

Hai Rui's face showed the love and affection that a husband and father should have.Then, he stood at the door and coughed lightly.

The wife's eyes immediately cast over, full of surprises!

The daughter turned her head away from her mother's gaze, and immediately exclaimed: "Daddy!" The calf quickly ran towards the father.

Hai Rui picked up his daughter in one arm, and then walked towards the door of the main house.

The wife is already standing there.

"Where's Aunt?" Hai Rui looked into the room.

Hai Wife didn't answer immediately, and there was a complicated look in her eyes.

Hai Rui's face became serious, and he asked again, "Where's Aunt?"

"Grandma is in the kitchen." The daughter in her arms answered.

"What is Mom doing in the kitchen?" Hai Rui straightened his face, put down his daughter, and looked closely at his wife.

Only then did Hai Wife softly reply: "I just got home, and I told you not to be angry."

Hai Rui looked at her closely.

Hai Wife lowered her head: "Mum is cooking in the kitchen."

"That's unreasonable!" Hai Rui left the mother and daughter behind and strode towards the kitchen on the side corridor.

Unlike usual, Haimu completely changed her clothes, with a short skirt and a rough linen apron tied around her waist. She was sitting in front of the stove, adding a piece of firewood to the fire in the stove.Then he stood up and lifted the wooden basin-shaped lid on the big iron pot, a white steam came out, and the jellyfish took a breath and looked at the bowl of red dates and eggs steamed in the iron pot.

Hai Rui quietly leaned against the door, looking at his mother's profile, tears came into his eyes, and he quickly wiped them away.He knelt down by the door, and in order not to surprise his mother, he called softly, "Mum."

Mother Hai was still a little startled, then slowly turned her head, looked down from above, and saw her son kneeling at the door.

With sweat all over her face, she lifted up the apron on her waist. Haimu quickly wiped off the sweat and walked towards her son: "Ru Xian, why are you back?"

Hai Rui didn't answer his mother's question, but knelt there and said, "My son is not filial, he didn't teach his wife well, and he made mother suffer."

"Blame your wife?" Haimu asked anxiously.

Hai Rui raised his head, "My son should teach her well."

"It's almost fifty, and I still can't change it. If you don't ask about anything, you can blame others." Haimu said this sentence with a smile.

Hai Rui was stunned, but still knelt there, looking at his mother with some puzzlement.

"Get up." Mother Hai supported her son's arm, and Hai Rui stood up quickly.

Haimu: "Let me tell you, your mother-in-law is pregnant."

Only then did Hai Rui realize, but after a moment's pause, he still said, "I'm only a month or two pregnant, so why don't you even leave the kitchen? You're still tiring my mother."

Mother Hai: "I won't let her do it. I tried it, and the jar of pickled cucumbers is almost finished. I have a queen in Haimen."

Only then did Hai Rui softly reply, "Yes."

Haimu: "Since you're here, take that bowl of red dates and eggs and make it up for your daughter-in-law."

Hai Rui: "Yes." He hurried to the stove and saw that a piece of firewood in the stove was still half burnt, so he took out the firewood first, poked it in the eye of the stove and extinguished it, and put the half of the firewood that was not burnt out. Put it outside the stove, then picked up the rag from the stove, and carefully brought out the bowl of red date eggs.

Haimu kept smiling as she watched her son walk out of the kitchen carrying the eggs.

Hai Wife scooped up an egg but stopped in her hand, and slowly looked outside the door.

Haimu was already sitting in front of the spinning wheel under the eaves, helping her daughter-in-law to spin again.Hai Rui moved a small stool and sat beside his mother.

In the house, the daughter stood opposite her mother at the table, her eyes wide open, looking at the round egg in her mother's spoon.

Hai's wife saw Hai's mother and Hai Rui with their backs facing the house outside the door, so she hurriedly beckoned, and her daughter ran over lightly, and Hai's wife fed the egg to her daughter's mouth.The egg is big and the mouth is small. The daughter quickly took the egg with her hands, bit off half of it first, and swallowed it down her throat without chewing, and her eyeballs immediately bulged out.

Hai's wife panicked and didn't dare to say anything. She quickly took another spoonful of soup from the bowl and fed it to her daughter.The daughter swallowed the half egg.

Hai's wife lowered her head and gestured for her daughter to eat slowly. The daughter took the half egg, walked lightly to the side, and ate it behind the door.

Only then did Hai Wife scoop up a red date and put it into her mouth, then looked affectionately at her mother-in-law and husband outside the door.

The mother and son had obviously been talking for a while, and the silence between the two at this moment meant that Hai Rui was waiting for his mother to express his opinion on his choice.

The mother of the sea kept turning the spinning wheel, and the cotton thread quickly spun out from his left hand.When the handful of cotton was spun, the mother of the sea didn't let the cotton thread continue, and the cotton thread broke.

Mother Hai looked at her son sitting beside her.

Hai Rui still lowered his head.

Haimu stopped looking at him, turned her eyes to the sky above the courtyard, and said slowly: "I remember when you were one year old, your father was selected as a scholar, but he refused to go to the Juren examination. At that time, he He read two poems to me, saying, "The clear water of the Canglang can wash my tassels, and the turbid water can wash my feet." I asked him what he meant, and he said that the government was too corrupt. He told me this The two poems are ancient Yue songs. Is our Chun'an the Yue State in ancient times?"

Hai Rui raised his head, with some tears in his eyes: "Back to my mother, Zhejiang is the country of Yue in ancient times."

Mother Hai pulled out a Gema handkerchief from her skirt and handed it to her son: "Your father refused to take the Juren exam, and you don't want to be an official anymore. It's the same reason. My mother understands." There were also tears in his eyes.

Shocked, Hai Rui quickly turned to his mother to wipe away his tears.Mother Hai took the veil and wiped it quickly, then smiled and said, "Our mother and son should say what the common people say, 'Having a son is all that matters, and not being an official is light'. The dozens of acres of land in our hometown in Hainan can't support us. A family of five?"

Hai Rui immediately smiled apologetically: "When the grandson is born and the son is free from official duties, then he can teach him well. Just like a mother teaches a son."

Mother Hai was very pleased: "Tomorrow I will be seventy, and seeing this grandson, I can also go to see Dad with peace of mind."

Hai Rui: "My mother is benevolent and heavenly, and I will definitely be able to wait until I hug my great-grandson. Mom, tomorrow is an auspicious day. Although my son has a few friends, he can't come to celebrate his birthday. My son feels ashamed."

Mother Hai: "With you and a daughter-in-law here, even though I haven't had children yet, I have grandchildren, and my mother is content. Tomorrow, we will weigh two catties of meat and come to our family of five to celebrate our own birthday."

Hai Rui: "Yes."

Hai's wife and daughter were inside the house, listening to the conversation of the mother and son outside the house.Hearing that there was meat to eat, the youngest daughter ran out immediately: "Grandma, I want to eat beef stew made by grandma."

Haimu was very kind today, and took her granddaughter's hand: "Ani is sensible, your mother is twin now, and cannot do important things. Tomorrow, grandma will make beef stew for you."

Hai's wife also walked out of the door at this time: "My mother cares about my daughter-in-law like this, and my daughter-in-law can't afford it. In fact, Li Taiyi said when she left that you have to do some work when you are pregnant, and you must not sit or lie down."

Hai Rui immediately answered, "We must listen to what Dr. Li says."

Haimu: "There's nothing you must listen to. Listen to half of what the doctor says and don't listen to half. As I said, before the full moon, you can't let your daughter-in-law do the washing and cooking."

Hai Rui sighed softly, "Yes."

In every large county, the county magistrate is set up, and there is an office for the magistrate in the courtyard on the right side of the lobby.For example, in Chun'an, Hai Rui has been transferred to Hangzhou for more than two months to try the case, and the county magistrate Tian Youlu is the deputy magistrate, and all criminal charges, money and food are also disposed of in the county magistrate's office.

The county magistrate is the eighth rank, and the hall office is smaller than the hall of the county magistrate, but there are also public case boards, hall lottery, and the same can be used to beat people.

Tian Youlu is now sitting in front of the case in his hall office. The officials who are in charge of money and food, the officials who are in charge of criminal names, the head of the guards, and the head of the prison who are in charge of the prison have all been called, waiting to hear what Tian Youlu has to say.

"You all know about the return of Master Hai." Tian Youlu still looked like an official when he was not unlucky. Zhao Zhongcheng has already been sent to the imperial court. He also confessed to me when we met just now, saying that it is inconvenient for him to be a member of the council until the reply from the imperial court arrives, so I should worry about it. I don’t know where to recite.” He stopped on purpose at this point.

Of course the clerks and yamen servants knew that he was not reciting handwriting, but was telling everyone that Chun'an County was currently in charge of him, and although Master Hai hadn't moved away, he was already an official waiting to be punished.In the atmosphere of the officialdom, there must be a response after greetings. For a while, the heads of all departments expressed their opinions:

Chief Qian and Liang: "Second Master, don't worry, we have been working under your old man for not a year or two, and we know the rules."

The head of the criminal official: "All the hard work and hard work are here. Maybe the court's reply will ask the second master to take over the magistrate of this county. That is also a reasonable thing."

The head of the guard: "Urge food to get people, and the second master will issue a lot."

Prisoner Wang: "That's right. Since Master Hai came, nine out of ten cells in my cell are empty. It's time for the rogues and thieves to get some."

"I'm afraid we need to take some people." Seeing everyone holding his feet, Tian Youlu became more energetic, "Zhao Zhongcheng's order was issued yesterday. We have so many farmers and mulberry households in Chun'an who borrowed food from the Weaving Bureau. If you don’t want to return the silk, it’s okay. Within half a month, at least [-] dan of silk will be collected and sent to the province. Those who refuse to hand over the silk will be put in prison.”

Wang Laotou regained his energy all of a sudden, and turned to the head of the guard team and said, "Brother, do you have enough manpower? Not enough manpower. I have no. 30 people in my place who can help you get them."

The head of the guard: "I can't give you the subsidy from the yamen."

Prisoner Wang: "No, no, if someone is locked up in the cell, what are we going to do with your subsidy?"

"Can you take fewer people or take fewer people." Tian Youlu interrupted them with a serious face, "As long as the people keep their duties and are willing to hand over the silk. The political harmony is still important."

The head of the official Qian Liang said, "Second Master, this is a love for the people, we understand it."

"There is one more important matter right now." Tian Youlu sat up straight with a solemn expression on his face.

All four fell silent, looking at him together.

Tian Youlu: "The state called me. They found out that Hu Butang's son is coming from his hometown, and he will pass by us in Chun'an. I figured it out, it will be today and tomorrow. After I finish speaking, I will get it." Go to the post station and wait there. Send Mr. Hu away, and then do the matter of urging silk."

All four are serious.

The head of the money and food official: "This is not to be neglected. According to the usual practice, the princes of the department hall have to be served according to the treatment of the department hall. I will transfer 600 taels of silver to the second master. 200 taels for food and fodder, and 400 taels for respect. "

Tian Youlu nodded emphatically: "It is better to use cash for food and grass, but it is best to use silver tickets for respect."

"Understood." The official Qian Liang said this first and looked at Tian Youlu, as if he had something to say.

Tian Youlu: "Just say what you want."

Qian Liang official: "This subordinate once heard from the second master that tomorrow is the [-]th birthday of Mrs. Hai's wife. It was said that everyone gathered together to congratulate. If you want to congratulate, please second master."

Tian Youlu did say hello to them three or four days ago. Of course, he didn't expect Master Hai to come back like this at that time. Can not but give a word.So he sat there, twitching the mustache on his chin, thinking very seriously, and then said: "It stands to reason that we should celebrate this birthday with my colleagues. But you know that Mr. Hai doesn't like this. The crime is at home, think about him, and we don't want to make trouble for him anymore."

How can this be messed up?The four of them just wanted his words, and immediately replied in unison: "Then don't make trouble."

Chun'an is a big county, and it's located in an important area of ​​water and land. Although the countryside was hit by a disaster this year, the disaster has been stabilized after Hai Rui came, so the morning market is still busy every day.

The south of the Yangtze River is no different than the north. Because of the rice planting, the common people regard cattle as human beings, so they don't slaughter the beef for sale easily.Therefore, there are pork, chicken, duck, fish, goose and fresh vegetables everywhere in the market, but beef stalls are hard to find.In order not to be recognized by the people, Hai Rui still wore a bamboo hat when he went out in the morning, half covered his face and carried a vegetable basket, walked slowly among the crowds in the market, looking for a place to sell beef.

Walking to an old man's stall selling eggplants and peppers, Hai Rui squatted down: "Weigh a catty of peppers and a catty of eggplants."

The old man weighed the hot peppers he grabbed, and weighed a few eggplants, and poured them into Hai Rui's vegetable basket: "Ten copper coins."

While counting the copper coins, Hai Rui asked the old man, "Excuse me, where can I buy beef?"

The old man glanced at him: "The guest officer is not a local?"

Hai Rui: "Stop by an expensive place to do some business."

The old man: "I'm really asking the right question. The buffalo of Li Er's family in Shanghuai Village fell to death yesterday, and they are selling it at the south gate."

Hai Rui: "Thank you for your advice." He walked towards the south gate with a vegetable basket.

"Locked up! Locked up! Don't let any of them get away!" A loud shout from the front of the crowd caused chaos on the street!
Hai Rui looked up, and saw the officials of the Chun'an County Government and the prison guards chasing a group of raw silk sellers.

Some people were grabbed by their collars, some people's arms were broken, and the bundles containing raw silk were snatched away by guards and jailers.

The guard squad leader and the jailer chief stood there and yelled loudly:

"What are the chains for? They're all locked!"

"Send the raw silk to the Yamen! Everyone is thrown into prison!"

The guards and jailers pulled out chains from their waists to lock them up.

The people who were doing other businesses were shocked, and they ran around carrying the things they wanted to sell.

Hai Rui was bumped by people who kept coming.

"Take them all away!" Prisoner Wang shouted loudly.

The guards and guards arrested more than a dozen people and walked towards this side led by iron chains.

In the Ming Dynasty, the first pleasure of eating Gongmen meal was arresting people.Because the imperial court set up the Criminal Division and the Zhenfu Division, which are in charge of arresting ministers, and sometimes even generals who hold heavy amulets and support soldiers outside, it is necessary to think about more methods of arresting people, which will affect the prefecture. In the county government, the methods of arresting people by those officials are much more ruthless than in previous dynasties.For example, in the Tang Dynasty, arresting people was also called arresting people. Du Fu's "Shihao Officials" said, "In Shihao Village at dusk, there are officials who arrest people at night."In the Ming Dynasty, it is no longer called arrest, but taken. People are treated as things, just go and take them.

"There are two more, go over there and get them!" The guard yelled loudly as he looked at the two middle-aged men running towards Hai Rui.

A few guards and jailers ran after him, and the people in the market fled to both sides one after another.

In the street, Hai Rui was the only one standing there, watching the two middle-aged men running past with their bags, and seeing several guards and soldiers chasing him like crazy, getting closer.

"Stop!" Hai Rui shouted.

When those guards and jailers suddenly heard this loud shout, they subconsciously stepped forward, some of them stopped, and some of them couldn't stop all of a sudden, they stopped walking and slid forward a long way. They all stopped.

(End of this chapter)