GBP Chapter 76 Zhu Chong 8: They all want to fool us like we're idiots!
Chapter 76 Zhu Chong 8: They all want to fool us like we're idiots!
After reprimanding Chang Yuchun, Zhu Chongba spoke to Liu Hongchang, Master Geng, and other gentry in a gentle tone: "I am aware of your demands. However, I cannot simply listen to your side of the story and execute an official of the court."
Emperor Zhu Chongba pondered for a moment: "How about this? I'll send someone to Ningyang County to investigate first. You can stay in this military camp for now. Once my men have found out what's going on, I will give you justice. What do you say?"
Liu Hongchang, Master Geng, and other gentry were overjoyed and bowed to Emperor Zhu Chongba, saying, "Your Majesty is wise! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
After waving his hand to have Liu Hongchang, Master Geng, and the others taken away, Emperor Zhu Chongba's face darkened again.
"Damn it," Emperor Zhu tapped the table with his finger, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his narrowed eyes, "they all think they can fool us like we're idiots!"
Chang Yuchun glanced at Emperor Zhu Chongba, pondered for a moment, and then tentatively asked, "Why didn't the emperor just kill them directly? Why did he leave them in the army instead?"
Emperor Zhu Chongba glanced at Chang Yuchun and asked in return, "Let me ask you, ever since these dozen or so gentry arrived in Yanzhou Prefecture, a children's rhyme has slowly spread that the corrupt official Yang is swindling people out of three feet of the land and calling himself a righteous official. Do you think it's possible for just a few of them to spread the word so quickly?"
Chang Yuchun thought about the appearance of Liu Hongchang, Master Geng, and the others, shook his head slightly, and said, "Judging from their cowardly appearance, they don't seem to have such great abilities."
Emperor Zhu Chongba snorted and said, "Isn't that settled? To be able to compose such a catchy and memorable song, and to spread it so quickly, it's far from enough for just a few of them. Don't you want to find out who's behind them?"
At this point, Emperor Zhu Chongba suddenly let out a cold laugh, "If we just kill them all, the rumors will keep going. In the end, it will be either you or me. Someone will have to bear the infamy of suppressing public opinion. At that time, I will also become a foolish emperor who cannot distinguish right from wrong and protects corrupt officials."
"In that case, our painstaking efforts to win back the people of the North will be in vain. The people of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun are already at odds with the people of Jiangnan. Wouldn't they become even more hostile to each other then?"
"Damn it, what a brilliant plan, what a brilliant plan!"
After thinking it over again, Emperor Zhu Chongba abruptly stood up and shouted without turning his head, "Erhu!"
Erhu immediately cupped his hands in response and said, "Your position is superior!"
Emperor Zhu Chongba took a step forward and said, "Come on, come with me to Ningyang County. I've always been curious about what kind of person that Magistrate Yang is, that he can win the hearts of the people so much, yet be so hated by everyone!"
……
The seventh month of the lunar calendar is usually the harvest season, when crops such as rice in the south and millet and sorghum in the north will be harvested one after another.
However, in Ningyang County, or rather the whole of Shandong, July is the opposite. Not only are there no crops to harvest, but the people have to do their best to take care of the soybeans that were planted early and the autumn sorghum that was planted not long ago.
Unfortunately, the entire Ningyang County was unable to properly cultivate the land in the spring. The people were busy with clearing land, weeding, digging lakes, and digging ditches. A lot of their energy was tied up by the drought. In addition, the land that had been abandoned for many years was not suitable for cultivation. As a result, many crops that should have been planted in the spring could not be planted. They could only rush to plant some late autumn crops in mid-to-late June.
When Emperor Zhu Chongba, accompanied by his two tigers, arrived in Ningyang County, he saw the busy scene of the people tending to soybeans and sorghum.
After wandering around outside Ningyang City for most of the day, especially after running into a field, grabbing a handful of soil, and smelling it, Zhu Chongba's smile grew wider and wider.
"Damn it, they kept talking about drought and locust plagues," Emperor Zhu said, laughing and cursing at the same time. "We all suspect that the bastard is just trying to swindle our relief grain."
Erhu, who was standing next to Emperor Zhu Chongba, looked up at the emperor and then at the city wall of Ningyang County not far away, feeling a sense of horror.
What kind of person was this magistrate of Ningyang County that his superiors could laugh and call him a dog, and even say that he was trying to embezzle relief grain?
To embezzle relief grain from officials in the south—what a serious crime! If this were one of those officials in the south, they would probably be beheaded by now.
Just as Erhu was pondering this, Emperor Zhu Chongba called out again: "Let's go, let's find out where the Prince Canal and Daming Lake are located, and go take a look first."
When they arrived at Daming Lake and saw that the lake surface had dropped by a full ten feet, and that there were still oxcarts coming to haul water, the originally thick smile on Emperor Zhu Chongba's face faded by a third.
After circling Daming Lake and seeing that there wasn't much water in the Prince's Canal that Wang Qiong had mentioned, Emperor Zhu Chongba could no longer contain himself. He returned to the south side of the lake, grabbed a commoner who had come to fetch water, and asked, "May I ask your name, sir? Can you weather this severe drought?"
The commoner, who had been pulled aside by Emperor Zhu Chongba, glanced at the emperor curiously and exclaimed, "Is he from out of town? Could he be another official like that Wang Sheren?"
Zhu Chongba was slightly taken aback. He first asked, "What Wang Sheren?" and then said with a smile, "No, no, I'm just a farmer, not some official."
The man who had been pulled back then said, "Oh, old man's surname is Wang, it doesn't matter what kind of surname he has."
After saying that, Old Man Wang actually smiled a little: "As for this drought... sigh, if it were back in the Tartar era, after this drought, Ningyang County would have been wiped out, if not completely wiped out, at least seven or eight out of ten people would have fled."
"But what can we do? We're lucky to have such a good emperor and a good magistrate. This drought was a disaster, otherwise, the people of Ningyang would have been doomed!"
Old Wang pointed to Daming Lake, where the water level had dropped significantly: "Look, this lake was dug out by our county magistrate. It was originally full of water. In the past two months, the water level has dropped by more than ten feet. But everyone in Ningyang County knows that there is still at least two feet of usable water below the lake. As long as we are willing to irrigate, even if God doesn't send rain, the crops won't die from drought."
"Besides, the current emperor has allocated relief grain to our Ningyang County. A few days ago, our master brought back a large amount of grain from the mountains. Even if this lake dries up, the people of Ningyang County will not have to worry about not having enough to eat."
Emperor Zhu Chongba said "Oh," and then asked, "What about the locust plague? I've heard that your Ningyang County had a locust infestation not long ago?"
Old Wang chuckled: "Locust plague? There was no locust plague. The locusts hadn't even finished molting before the ducks ate a lot of them. Later, the magistrate had people catch locusts, and after drying them, they could sell for five coins a pound. Now, the people in the county are complaining that the ducks ate too many locusts back then, and they haven't caught many for themselves."
Zhu Chongba looked at Old Man Wang with a completely bewildered expression, inwardly cursing "Holy crap!" countless times.
Locust plague!
That's a locust plague!
I've always heard of locusts devouring crops, but when have I ever heard of not having enough locusts to catch?
Shocked, Emperor Zhu Chongba pressed on again, asking, "Then why is the county magistrate collecting locusts?"
This time, Old Man Wang did not answer Zhu Chongba's question. Instead, he shook his head and said, "The master didn't say, so I didn't ask. Anyway, if the master is willing to take them, we'll catch them for him. Who cares what he needs locusts for? Maybe he wants to keep them to feed his chickens and ducks later?"
Emperor Zhu Chongba nodded, completely bewildered, and casually replied, "That's true. With officials like this, who would care about locusts?"
After thinking for a moment, Emperor Zhu Chongba asked again, "All we've heard along the way is praise for the county magistrate. Does that mean he has absolutely no faults?"
Old Man Wang suddenly glanced warily at Emperor Zhu Chongba and asked, "Are you really not an official like Wang Sheren? Let me tell you, no matter what official you are, don't even think about harming our master, or the people of Ningyang County will not forgive you!"
Emperor Zhu Chongba was not offended. Instead, he chuckled and said, "Look at you. Didn't we just say that I'm just a farmer? How could I be some kind of official? Actually, I'm just curious if there really are officials as good as your county magistrate in this world?"
Old Wang snorted and said, "What do you mean there's nothing left? I've never heard of an emperor who allocated relief grain to the common people before! Since there's such a good emperor, what's wrong with having a good official like our master?"