Qin Official

Xi is now the county's warden, Zuo Shi, with the same rank as Heifu. His boss is the county magistrate in charge of law, so he still does his old job: trying cases. However, Xi's outfit is still so simple. He wears a dark soap coat with no other decorations. Because he is not in the court, he doesn't even wear a xièzhi hat, only a single-plate crown. Compared with two years ago, he is already more handsome. There is a little more white silk, after all, I am in my forties.

To Xi, Hei Fu always regarded himself as a junior and bowed to him respectfully. Unfortunately, Xi was still so serious. Hei Fu called him "Xi Jun", but he called Hei Fu "Zuo Bing Cao Shi".

So Heifu didn't have the chance to exchange pleasantries with old friends in other places, so he had to go straight to the point and ask about the case he was concerned about.

"Dooran?"

Xi frowned: "It's the Duke of Chu State who was captured by you last year. I have seen this person in the correspondence. He was detained in Nanyang County in the twelfth lunar month, and he should still be in Wancheng now... …”

He raised his eyes and said, "Cao Shi, the Zuo Bing, mentioned this person. Is there something wrong?"

Heifu made his intention clear: "So that Lord Xi will know that we were trapped in an isolated city in the territory of Chu State that day. The Chu army was so large that we were unable to defeat it, so we had to outwit it. So I pretended to surrender in the name of Lieutenant Li." , in the Chu camp, this Dou Ran said something inadvertently, which made me very concerned..."

Immediately, Heifu told Xi in a low voice what happened that day. When I heard that Dou Ran had been exchanging letters with Ruo Ao's "old ministers" who stayed in Qin, it was very likely that after the "old ministers" leaked Qin's secrets to Chu, they were like a heavenly dog ​​that smelled the scent of prey. The whole person became energetic.

He lowered his voice and said, "What Zuo Bing Cao Shi means is that he wants to investigate this matter thoroughly?"

"Of course."

Heifu said: "Qin and Chu have become enemy countries. Nanjun and Anlu are border counties. If there are Chu spies hiding among them, then the reality of our country will be in the eyes of the Chu people. A thousand-mile embankment will collapse with ant holes; The room of a ruler is burning with the cracks and gaps, so we must be on guard! If we don’t catch this termite, I won’t be able to sleep peacefully for a day!”

He nodded happily and said: "This matter must be reported by Zuo Bing Cao Shi to the prison officer in person before the case can be filed. At that time, the county magistrate can issue a love letter to Nanyang County and ask Nanyang to transfer Dou Ran to Nan County for custody and trial..."

"At that time, could you trouble Xijun to try the case in person?"

Hei Fu requested: "Although Hei Fu is ignorant, he has heard a saying that small knowledge should not be used to make plans, and small loyalty should not be used to rule the law. If Ao's old ministers stayed in Qin, they would still be local lords and well-informed. , and may even have a backer in the county. Things are kept secret, words are revealed, and I cannot trust ordinary legal officials. Only Mr. Xi, who is a man of great knowledge and loyalty, can preside over this major case!"

"I will definitely try my best." Xi nodded and agreed.

After the two of them discussed the matter in the shadows beside the gate of the Sheriff's Mansion, they looked at the young Hei Fu happily. For some reason, they suddenly remembered the Mao who stopped a car by Yunmengze more than two years ago to complain about injustice. The young man was in a daze for a moment...

At that time, he never imagined that one day this young man would become his colleague, and they would discuss together how to uncover the "Chu spies" in the country.

"Zuo Bing Cao Shi, if I remember correctly, you are only twenty years old?"

"You are twenty-one years old." Hei Fu likes to think of himself as older now. In the officialdom, it is not a good thing for people to think that you are too young.

"When he was the chief of the pavilion, he repeatedly solved major cases; when he was a military officer, he repeatedly accomplished extraordinary feats. He is really an all-rounder."

I couldn't help but sigh, how could such a person suddenly appear in the small Anlu County? But being able to be promoted so quickly, although Heifu's talent was involved, could it be that opportunity was favoring him? Most of the ordinary Qin officials worked hard at the grassroots level for 20 to 30 years and retired in their original positions.

I just don't know whether it is a good thing or a bad thing for this young man to rise so quickly and become famous among the county governors and even the king's ears.

All this has nothing to do with Xi. He is more interested in the case at hand than other people's careers.

When saying goodbye, Xi remembered something: "By the way, when I entered just now, the county guard asked me about the history of Zuo Bing Cao."

Hei Fu smiled and said, "Really? Mr. Xi, can you say a nice word for me?"

Xi made a serious face and said: "I won't praise, I won't disparage, I won't flatter you, I won't hide my faults, I will tell the truth about everything Zuo Bing Cao Shi did in Anlu!"

…

Heifu thought he would be summoned soon. Unexpectedly, after Xi left, he waited for a long time until the "end of the market" time. The bell of the end of the market was heard in the distance, and they all lined up inside. There were not many minor officials left, so the two subordinate officials who brought him came out and invited Hei Fu to come in.

At this time, the day's official work was coming to an end, and many officials began to go out after get off work. Only then did Hei Fu realize that the clerk led him not to the office area on the right side of the county magistrate's mansion, but to the left side of the gate, where the magistrate lived. !

"Wait a minute, the county guard wants to see me at home?" Heifu immediately stopped.

The official was a close confidant of the county governor and said with a smile: "Yes."

Then he kept silent and continued to lead the way. Hei Fu couldn't say anything and could only walk behind suspiciously.

"I'm a stranger to the county governor, so why do I get the treatment that only close associates get?"

Heifu didn't know, but what the little official in front of him was thinking was: "Since the county governor took office, he has been absorbed in official duties and rarely sees guests at home. Especially for the officials of this county, if they have official business, they will We were received in the courtroom. Even just now, who was very pleased with the courtesy of the county governor, we also discussed matters in the courtroom. Why can this young Zuo Bing Cao Shi be treated like this? I can't figure it out!"

Hei Fu was so preoccupied that he didn't even bother to look at how big the place where the governor was. He just took a few steps along the way and met maids and slaves. They should all be the maids of the county governor. They looked at him in surprise. Looking at this unfamiliar young official.

Soon, they passed through the corridor and came to the outside of a hall. Hei Fu followed the clerk at the door, taking off his shoes and entering with only his feet on.

"Report it to the county guard. Cao Li, the left soldier, will bring it to you."

"My subordinates have seen the county governor!"

Although Heifu's title exempted him from having to pay homage to the county magistrate and county magistrate, he still had to salute because he was a high-ranking official with two thousand dan in front of him. He immediately bowed down and bowed. When he raised his head again, he could see clearly the appearance of the county magistrate.

A middle-aged man in his forties with a face as thin as a knife. He did not change into regular clothes when he returned to the mansion. He was still wearing the mysterious uniform of the county guard. His crown, belt, and green ribbon with silver seal were placed on the table. On the case, I was reading a volume of slips at the moment.

When Ye Teng raised his eyes, Hei Fu saw a pair of blue-black eyes, like two ancient wells, bottomless, as if they wanted to see people's hearts clearly.

Heifu immediately lowered his head in submission and did not look directly at him. The man opposite him was the person who accomplished the feat of destroying the country for the first time at the end of the Warring States Period. He was also a frontier official who kept his mouth open about the life and death of Nanjun. He might as well pretend.

"Here you come? No courtesy, just take a seat."

Ye Teng spoke concisely, with almost no polite greetings, and not even a word of praise for Hei Fu, a "young talent." Instead, he went straight to the point and said to him: "I called you here today to set up a medical emergency in Nanjun. It’s related to scholars…”

When Hei Fu heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief. His guess was correct, Nanjun was going to implement this strategy as well.

Next, Ye Teng asked some details about first aid wound dressing. Whatever he asked, Hei Fu answered honestly, unlike when he proposed to Chen Wu Jiu before, he was full of sensationalism. I can only say that when I was the commander of the camp, I witnessed my soldiers being injured and died, so I came up with this idea. Now that it can really come true, I am really happy for the thousands of wounded soldiers...

"Oh? How can a small village leader have such a vision and put forward such suggestions that are beneficial to the army and the country?"

It's okay if Ye Teng doesn't smile, but when he smiles, it makes people think that his intentions are unclear.

Fortunately, his smile quickly faded: "Your Majesty has ordered that each county set up a new department under the Bing Cao to be responsible for training medical and first-aid personnel. We strive to ensure that for every hundred soldiers who suffer a stroke, there will be one medical and first-aid personnel." , treating injuries and illnesses on the battlefield. Nanjun needs to train more than 300 people. Since this policy was proposed by you and you serve in the military cao, you will be responsible for this matter..."

"only!"

Heifu agreed and said: "This matter should be informed to the county lieutenant first..."

"I will send a letter to Lieutenant Li to let you know."

What a domineering leader!

Hei Fu secretly complained in his heart that Ye Teng was as domineering as a county chief. If it were another county chief, although he would not be fawning over Li Si's son, he would at least treat him with respect. But when Ye Teng mentioned Li You, he seemed to be referring to a younger generation. Now, he decided this matter directly before informing Li You. Aren't he afraid of causing conflicts? Or did Li You dare not be dissatisfied if he got it right?

"Black husband."

At this time, Ye Teng called Hei Fu's name and said: "Are you wondering why the county governor summoned you alone instead of asking the county lieutenant to come together to discuss it? And you came to the private hall of the mansion? "

"Don't dare..." Heifu raised his head. Although Ye Teng's eyes were still scary, his doubts could no longer be hidden.

"Because what I am going to ask you about today cannot be brought to court."

Ye Teng said lightly: "That's it. This county governor has encountered something strange. Maybe you can help me figure it out."

He waved everyone in the room to go out. After the door was closed, he read the bamboo scroll in front of him.

"Heifu, a native of Chaoyang, Yunmeng Township, Anlu County, Nanjun. He was twenty years old. He was promoted to an official. He served successively as the Pavilion Chief of Huyang Pavilion in Zhunshui Township, Anlu County, and the Chief of the Wei Wei Village. He was also appointed as a holiday tourer in Huzhou. Captain Li With a short army and hundreds of generals, he broke through the encirclement and performed meritorious service. Now he is Cao Shi, the left soldier of Nanjun..."

"Cron, a native of Chaoyang, Yunmeng Township, Anlu County, Nanjun, is a craftsman. He is probably twenty-eight or nine years old. He once offered a treadmill to pound rice with half the effort, so he became a public official. Now he offers a water hammer, which saves ten times the manpower. He should be promoted to Shangzao and remain as county engineer and engineer."

This was the birthplace of Heifu and Citron. Before Heifu could figure out what it meant, Ye Teng read the third name again.

"Sincerely! I am from Chaoyangli, Yunmeng Township, Anlu County, Nanjun. I am thirty-one or twenty years old. I have been honored as a public servant. I have used the method of composting and retting to double the yield per acre. I worship you as a public servant. I am now the Tiandian of Chaoyangli... "

After reciting his hometown, Ye Teng raised his head with menacing eyes.

"Hei Fu, last year and this year, the county governor has gained a lot. Whether it is the method of composting compost, stepping on the water tiller, or even the advice of the medical soldiers, they are all strategies that benefit the country and the people. But the strange thing is that these three These things were all done by your brothers. Is this a coincidence? Or is there another reason?"