Heroes of the Sons and Daughters

Chapter Three
Master An took a look and saw that the man had a big nose, high cheekbones, a pair of mouse eyes, and a few yellow whiskers. He didn't look like a law-abiding person.Since it was recommended by the first county, I asked his first and last name first.The man replied that his surname was Huo, and his name was Shi Duan.The county then said: "Tomorrow, I will serve Mrs. An's mansion." The man thanked him and left.The wine broke up for a while.The next day, Mr. An bid farewell to his guests and brought his family to Pizhou.

Yu Lu has nothing to say.When you get there, you will be greeted by a group of scribes and yamen servants, and you don't have to be cumbersome about how to welcome the officials in the hall and even the officials of the same city.After Mr. An took office, he preferred work over simple administration and not many official affairs. The old couple lived a thrifty life as usual at home, and only cared about the young master in their hearts.Suoxi received a few letters from home, knowing that the house is quiet and the son is studying as usual, so there is nothing to worry about.

One day, Mr. An followed up the inspection report of the Zhihe River in Pizhou, and reported that a section of Tanpo gravel along the river was washed away by water, and the soil bank was sunken. He asked for repairs.Mr. An took the case and personally brought the workers to wait for the workers to check it. However, there was a project of more than ten feet, and the broken stones collapsed and scattered due to the falling of wooden piles, but they were never washed away, so they could be used as much as possible.The earthworker didn't get stuck too much. Although he didn't understand it, it was probably only a hundred and ten gold.When he came back, he ordered the bookkeeper in the room to handle the manuscript, and he rushed to do it under the two items of year-old repair and silver.

The next day, the manuscript was delivered to the room, first sent to the master for ordering, and then signed and presented to the master for marking.Seeing the manuscript, I can understand it, but the ruler of the workshop, the stack of purchased materials, and the amount of money and grain are left blank, and a small red check is stuck next to it, which says "please approve internally" three times. words.The master who should do it has never filled it out.The master immediately called the signature and said, "Go and ask the master, why didn't you fill in the amount? I think it was missed." The young man stopped the signature and returned and said, "I asked the master, and the master said that the amount of money and food will be approved by the master before verification. It’s always been done like this.” The master said, “How do you say this? Could it be that I can sell it myself? You probably didn’t hear clearly, so let me ask myself.”

With that said, he got up and went to the study.

The master heard that his master was coming, so he quickly put on his hat and bowed to greet him, but there were still two shoes under his feet.After serving tea and letting you sit down, the master asked this question.I saw the master said in a serious manner: "the rules are like this. The master has to approve the amount of food to be paid, so that the late students can calculate the labor according to the amount of money and food." Now that we have a zhang chi, it is natural to check the zhang chi to calculate the work materials, and check the work materials to calculate the money and food. How can we determine the amount of money and food in advance? Besides, let me approve it, how can we calculate the approximate amount? Ruler, sir, how much grain do you think should be used?" The master said, "according to the surveyed feet, it is no more than a hundred and ten gold." The master said, "but come again! Just report the amount according to the truth That's it." The master shook his head again and again and said, "It's impossible!" The master asked, "How can we say this?" The master said, "I will not abandon the Dong family, please ask Wansheng to help with the work in this yamen. But I dare not tell you with all my heart: For those of us in the river engineering yamen, the word "accurately" is useless and impossible. That is to say, the owner came here from Beijing and spent his daily expenses. Doesn't that place use money? Besides, the big bosses in the capital, the superiors at all levels in the province, and even the friends of colleagues have to socialize, which is especially difficult. This is also the owner himself, and the late students dare not take the liberty to spend too much Said. But as far as our yamen is concerned, late students may or may not be present, and they don’t care about it. It’s just that there are door seals, servants, cooks and firemen on the inside, and six rooms, three shifts, and even dispersal Serves, which one is not expected to open a hole and get some projects to eat? This is still a small one. Adding another project will cost the government, the road, and the hospital fee, which will be a big one. After that , Commissioners need fees for survey work, fees for finishing work, as well as future science fees, department fees, etc., how much money is there? The boss is very clever, please think about it, but the word "according to the facts" is useless have to go?"

Hearing this, the master thought to himself: "If this is such a stubborn method, wouldn't it be using the country's useful money and food to support everyone's family and enrich themselves and do anything wrong? I can't figure it out. It's gone." Because he said to the master, "According to what you've said, sir, there's nothing to do with this extra expense. As for my family, it's absolutely unnecessary, let alone my level." The master saw that it was not the way, of course he didn't. I would like to, but "three points as a craftsman, seven points as a master" can't do it, so I have to vaguely approve the money and food of two or three hundred gold, and report it out.From then on, everyone inside and outside the yamen complained, not saying that the master is clean, but that the master is dull, and they all hope that the master will be promoted, saying: "If you continue to work, everyone will have their mouths tied!"

Not to mention the nonsense of everyone.But one day, suddenly a corner of the official document was issued by the courtyard. The master opened it up and saw that he had dispatched Gaoyan Waihe Tongju by himself.After reading it, the master was wondering in his heart, and said, "I have not long since arrived here, and Gaoyan was deployed again. What's the meaning of this?" Seeing that long follower Huo Shiduan came up to congratulate him in a hurry, he said, "This is really unexpected. It’s a good thing! This shortage is a beautiful one, and you can’t get it if you ask for it. Now that the master has been transferred, it’s because the superiors think that he has accepted it, or else, it’s because there is some hard favor from the master in Beijing. This After such a transfer, the master will have to answer the favor from his superiors in a decent manner before he makes it!"

The master then said: "I'm just doing my best, being truthful in everything, prudent about the money and food of the emperor's family, and caring for the lives of the common people. I'm answering my boss's favor. Is there any other way?" Huo Shiduan said: "That's not here at all. There is an opportunity right now, and the little one is about to go back to the master: next month will be Hetai's birthday, but I don't know what the master plans to do?" The master said: "That has already been done. Yes. The last time I was in Huai’an, Shouxian said that each reserve silver is 50 taels, and I have handed it over to Shouxian for the public birthday ceremony.” Huo Shiduan smiled and said, “Is it true that the master intends to end it like this?” Master Said: "What else do you want?" Huo Shiduan replied: "The little one dares to say 'how'. If you want to help the master, the little one will lose his conscience. The little one knows: the Huaixu Road is silk gauze; the Huaiyang Road is delicate, it is a square inkstone, and it looks like a red sandalwood box from the outside It contains Duanshi inkstone, but the inside is made of red gold, and then covered with lacquer, which is a very expensive gift; Huaihai Road is a string of pearl bracelets, eight taels of Liao ginseng; Heku Road is even more clever. It was a special person who went to the old man's original place to buy a hectare of land, and exchanged the tenants of the village head to the young master of the house, but put the deed paper in a small box, and took it to the courtyard to deliver it face to face; even the 24 halls also have their own. The number of roads has its own ingenuity. The master is now only 50 two centimeters, how can he get it down? What's more, the master is now adjusting such a beauty!"

The master said, "That's all for me! If I don't have such a property, I have it, and I don't want to do it." Huo Shiduan said, "Why is the master not willing to do this? This is a business that comes and goes. , It’s just using the money from the national treasury to make trouble for Curry’s eyes. If it’s done well, it’s a good coincidence! Otherwise, it’s a pity that there is such a shortage, I’m afraid we won’t be able to stand firmly.” The master heard Here, he said: "You don't have to go on, go, go!" Huo Shi looked at the scene, but he didn't know what to say, so he retreated embarrassingly, and made his own plan.

Don't bother talking.Since Mr. An received the letter from the investigation department, he sent his family members to Gaoyan Tongju Yamen to take office, and he himself managed the thanking committee of the upper court, so he paid homage to Hetai's birthday.When I arrived in Huai'an a few days ago, just as the life of Hetai was approaching, I arranged wine and opera in advance, and invited those river members.Everyone's gifts are all bets, no less than Lintong Doubao.In addition to being 50 and two centimeters apart, Mr. Du'an just kowtowed three times, ate a bowl of noodles, and then hurriedly thanked the commissioner for his resignation and left after taking office.

Or one day, when I arrive at the new post, I can see that there are dense crowds and prosperous tunnels, which shows the spirit of the yamen, and the neatness of the staff is also different from that of the deserted small yamen in Pizhou.What's more, the construction period is long, the money and food are huge, and the official affairs are complicated. It took several days to take over orders, order materials, check the warehouse books, and settle the family members.

Lie Gong, you think that Hetai is not suitable for Mr. An, and Mr. An is an old-fashioned person. He has no fawning in front of him, and he has never had any compliments. He suddenly transferred Mr. An. What is the meaning of such a beauty deficiency?There is a reason why Lie Gong doesn't know about it.The place where the river outside Gaojiayan is the downstream of Gaojiayan, where the water is received.The former general magistrate is also a shrewd ghost. He saw that after the opening of Gaojiayan last time, although he quickly closed the dragon, the projects in the downstream area were all done by cutting corners and materials, so they were definitely unreliable.

He spent the peach flood in March with great difficulty, he had enough to eat, he had enough of captivity, it was nothing to do with him, he wanted to take advantage of this time to hide and find another safe way to go.So I found a job to stay in the province and sell it, but I gave up the vacancy to act for others.That river platform was originally a bug on the river worker, what did he not understand?It's just that I accepted a generous gift from someone, and I couldn't resist it. I looked at this place where troubles immediately occurred, and if I entrusted someone else, no one would give me [-] or [-]. How can I be ashamed?I can't help it, but I think of Master An.He just looked at the account of receiving gifts, the severity of which varies, and everyone is very dedicated. He is very annoyed that Mr. An only has an empty name on the birthday screen; However, he used the idea of ​​"take him" that he said that day.Thinking of transferring him in this way, since he suppressed the outsiders' tongue, he really went through the flood and kept him safe, so it's better to keep him safe, not afraid that he will not be extra dedicated; if he can't do it, he will simply join him , he has nothing to say.That's why there is such an investigation.

Then Mr. An can't count it in his sleep and dreams!I don't want to say "the emperor does not bless the kind-hearted people", but after Mr. An's appointment, it is the time when the spring is at the end of spring and the beginning of summer is full of water.The Hongze Lake was full of water for days and nights, and the mouth of Gaojiayan opened more than a hundred feet, and the water went straight to the lower reaches of the river outside Gaojiayan.Not only the two sides of the strait were washed away, but even the rural houses of the people were washed away and collapsed.There is a group of local officials to take care of the refugees.This period of work is exactly the responsibility of Master An.On the one hand, he collects his husband to buy materials, and on the other hand, he sends money to build the building.The previous approval from the court will come down, and the approval is: "The downstream section of the high weir has been repaired and consolidated by the former riverman, and it has experienced peach floods without any danger. When the director came to work, he should take precautions in advance and try to protect it. It happened that the water was slightly weak. It’s long, and it’s really poor management. Take off the top first, and repair it in one month, don’t cut it hastily, and it’s the end of the day.”

Mr. An continued to look at it, then smiled, and said to his wife: "This is something that foreign officials must do. Besides, I can see clearly at this moment of poverty and honor, and my wife doesn't mind. But this country's money and people's life is very important." It's important." As he said that, he spread the word and went to work immediately.He was stationed at the work, and together with the campers, he supervised and led the officials, soldiers, and kung fu, and began to work hard.Everyone saw that the master shared joys and sorrows with others in everything, and everyone was enthusiastic, and relying on his husband to provide enough resources, the construction was completed within one month.Although it can't be practical everywhere, compared with the predecessor's project with various departments, it is twice as solid and material, which is quite different.As soon as the work was completed, it was notified to the top, and I asked someone to check it.

You said it was a coincidence, just as the saying goes: "The leak in the house caused continuous rain all night, and the boat sailed in a headwind." It happened that it started to rain on the day after the completion of the work, and it rained pouringly for half a month.In addition, the rivers in Sichuan and Hubei have risen sharply, and the water potential is steep and steep along the river.The commissioner who inspected the collection was not in contact with Mr. He'an, and he estimated that the inspection fee might not be sold, so he refused to come to work to collect the inspection.At this time, the rain became more and more unstoppable, and the water became longer and longer, and a small hole was opened from someone else's upper section of work, and the water flowed straight into the soil berth of this work, and it became a wave. For a new worker who has not been confiscated by the constitution, the mountain seems to have collapsed.Mr. An was so stunned that he had to report overnight.

When Nahetai was furious when he saw it, he criticized: "The new work has just been done, and it has not yet been checked and accepted, so it collapsed suddenly. It can be seen that it was sloppy and sneaked. You can see it. Wait for participation!" The master went to Huai'an to await trial.The committee member took out the document and showed it to Mr. An, and saw that the manuscript read "dismissed from office, questioned, and compensated with guilt".Mr. An's crown had already been taken away, and the king of the country dared not refuse to accept it, so the two officials immediately looked at it.Fortunately, Mr. An is a well-read and experienced person, and he has no complaints about others.But he said: "The water in the neighboring provinces is rising, the Hongze Lake is flooding, and the upper port is washed away. What can I do? I dare not say that I am wronged. It is always me, An Xuehai, who is ignorant and incompetent. There is nothing more to say, to live up to the grace of heaven and the ancestors." It was just that Mrs. An went through these things, and he was so frightened that he was sifting chaff, and tears streamed down his face.The master said: "Madam, this is the end of the matter. It's useless to be afraid, and it's useless to cry. After I leave, you hurry to Huai'an, find a few houses to live in, and then slowly discuss the reason."

Don't bother talking.Mr. An set off with the committee members, and his wife couldn't live in the yamen anymore, so she packed her luggage all night and came to Huai'an with mud and water.Mr. An went to Huai to vote, and there was nothing to ask about, so he handed it over to the Shanyang County Yamen for collection, and pursued compensation and repair silver.Thanks to Shanyang County, because he was an upright official and an official prisoner, he was never imprisoned, so he settled in a land temple in the gate of the prison.

When the wife arrives in Huai'an, where is she going to find a mansion!Settle down at the Dongguan Hotel for the time being.At that time, Muyou left, Chang Sui dispersed, and there were a few lonely attendants who couldn't support themselves, so they were recommended out. Only Cheng Daibi, Cheng Xianggong, and Jin Sheng, Liang Cai, Dai Qin, and Sui Yuan'er were left. The family, and several servants and maids have nowhere to go.

Poor Mr. An has been a foreign official since the winter of last year, and now, in less than half a year, he has had a big dream!This is exactly:
The world is as vast as the sea, where is there no trouble in life?
If you want to know how Mr. An and his wife will return later, I will explain in the next book.

(End of this chapter)