Rise From the Humble

"The next official, Zhou Tai, paid homage to Master Zhu. The next official was selected by Shu Quan of the Ministry of Officials a month ago, and he was let go of Jingnan county magistrate. When he took office, he passed by Suzhou, which happened to be invaded by Japanese in Suzhou. He was delayed in the city for several days. He just arrived today. I hope your lord Forgive me. This is the official's official performance certificate. Please review it, Mr. Zhu."

Guided by Liu Dianli, Zhou Tai entered from the east hall on the east steps of the county government office, bowed his hands to Zhu Ping'an, and then respectfully placed the name card with his position and resume on the table in front of Zhu Ping'an. He took three steps back and bowed to Zhu Pingan three times.

Zhou Tai bowed deeply in front of Zhu Ping'an, and was a bit reserved. He looked like a standard official meeting a leader.

"Master Zhou, you have worked hard all the way. Why should you be so polite? Please sit down quickly."

Zhu Pingan glanced at Zhou Tai's name card, confirmed that it was consistent with the official notice issued by the Ministry of Officials a few days ago, and then enthusiastically got up and bowed his hands to return the gift, and offered Zhou Tai a little help, inviting him to sit down.

"Thank you, sir." Zhou Tai was a little at a loss when faced with Zhu Ping'an's enthusiasm. The sir seemed to be too enthusiastic.

How could Zhu Pingan not be enthusiastic? Zhu Pingan had been looking forward to this day for who knows how many days. He was looking forward to the stars and the moon, and finally he was looking forward to the arrival of Zhou Tai, the new magistrate of Jingnan who would succeed him.

Now that the new Jingnan County Magistrate Zhou Tai has arrived, he will be able to serve as Zhejiang's Prosecution and Inspector General.

Of course, Zhu Pingan is not eager to be promoted, but eager to stay in his position and seek political power. The great Japanese invasion of Jingnan has already begun. The higher the position, the greater the power, and the greater the role that I can play.

After a few brief greetings, Zhu Ping'an and Zhou Tai handed over Jingnan County seals, account books, fish scale albums and other confidential items, explained the official affairs of the county government, and then handed over Liu Dianli and other county government subordinates one by one. After being introduced to Zhou Taisu, the handover between the old and new Jingnan magistrates was completed.

Next, Zhou Tai's ceremony of receiving the seal and arranging the Yamen will be held in the morning of the next day.

Zhu Pingan will not participate in these.

After a brief contact, Zhu Pingan had a good impression of Zhou Tai. Zhou Tai is a calm person and follows the rules. He is not a vain person and seems to be a practical person. Zhu Pingan was relatively relieved that Jingnan was in Zhou Tai's hands.

After the handover, Zhu Pingan said goodbye to Zhou Tai, Liu Dianli and others, and was about to leave immediately to take up his post as Zhejiang's criminal envoy Si Qianshi.

Hua'er in the backyard had already packed up his things, and as soon as Zhu Ping'an came back, he set off. Of course, traveling with them were Liu Mu, Liu Dadao and others, as well as the demon Ruonan.

Zhu Ping'an declined and stopped Zhou Tai, Liu Dianli and others' request to send him off. He did not want to mobilize a large number of troops to avoid wasting people and money. Of course, he also did not want to alarm the people of Jingnan. I walk gently, just as I came gently, waving my sleeves without taking away a single cloud.

However, Zhu Pingan is still a little too wishful thinking.

Zhu Ping'an stopped Zhou Tai, Liu Dianli and others from seeing each other off, but he could not stop the people of Jingnan.

When Zhou Tai came to be appointed as the magistrate of Jingnan just now, according to the rules, when Liu Dianli and other county officials, as well as the squire elders and wealthy merchants from Jingnan came out of the city to greet him, the common people all knew about it.

The new county magistrate has taken office. Doesn’t that mean that our county magistrate is about to leave office? !

Ordinary people are not stupid, they will know it as soon as they think about it.

Therefore, the common people had been waiting near the county government office early. There were people at the front and back doors, waiting to see Zhu Pingan off.

"The County Lord, the County Lord has come out."

In order not to disturb people, Zhu Pingan left through the back door, but as soon as he went out, he heard a shout.

After this shout, there were more and more voices saying "The county magistrate has come out", just like trying to attract friends. After this shout, footsteps came from all directions.

Looking at the group of people outside the door and more and more people coming over, Zhu Pingan was stunned.

"My lord, are you leaving?"

"County Lord, please don't leave, okay?! You can be our parent and official here, we beg you."

"County Lord, don't leave. What will we do if you leave?! We will never meet a good parent like you again."

The common people spoke emotionally outside the door, and even some elderly men knelt down.

"Uncle, aunt, all you elders please get up quickly. I'm leaving. Jingnan still trusts Mr. Zhou, the magistrate, and he will take good care of everyone." Zhu Ping'an hurriedly stepped forward to help the nearest white-haired man. The old man and an old woman with the same gray hair said to everyone.

"County Lord, we don't recognize anyone, so we will recognize you. Only if the County Lord takes us in his heart, treats us truly well, helps us reduce taxes, redresses our grievances, and saves us from floods and Japanese pirates, can we survive." It has been a good life. After many years and many years as county magistrate, we have met a good magistrate like you, a parent official who truly makes decisions for the people and asks for orders for the people."

"My lord, please, please don't leave. Stay and become the county magistrate for us."

The eyes of all the people were wet.

"What are you doing one by one? Do you want to repay kindness with enmity?! The reason why we can stand here alive, and the reason why our lives are getting better day by day, are all given by the County Lord. The County Lord You are promoted, but you don't let the county official leave. Are you trying to ruin the county official's future?! Besides, can you stay if you ask the county official to stay? Are you taking national events as a trivial matter?! The county official's promotion , this is the emperor’s order! Disobeying the emperor’s order is a fool’s errand! You are all so selfish!”

An old man squeezed in front of the crowd with a cane, waved the cane and shouted angrily at the crowd.

"Yes, the county magistrate has been promoted. We can't block the magistrate's future."

"The county magistrate has been kind to us, but we can't repay him with enmity."

"The county magistrate has been promoted. We want to be happy for the county magistrate and we want to see him off."

"Old lady, go and catch our chickens and send them off to the county magistrate."

"We'll give Cheng Yi to the county magistrate."

After the old man finished teaching him a lesson, all the people figured it out and expressed their opinions to see Zhu Pingan off.

Some of the common people are catching chickens, some are leading sheep, and some are taking melons, fruits and agricultural by-products. Of course, Cheng Yi’s money is indispensable. , and it didn’t take long to collect a large basket of copper coins and broken silver.

"Fathers and elders on a blind date, especially grandpas and aunts, you are so old, and you have come from afar to see Ping An off, which makes Ping An grateful, but also makes Ping An feel uneasy. I appreciate the wishes of all the fathers, old folks, and Ping An. There is no need for money and other items.”

Zhu Ping'an was very moved, but of course he firmly rejected everyone's kindness, not wanting a grain of rice or a penny.

"Xunxian, we are mountain people, we have never seen the world, and we don't have much culture. But we know everything in our hearts. In the past, the county magistrates only knew about collecting corvees, collecting money, food and taxes, and did not see anything for us ordinary people. It caused anger and resentment. Since the county venerable came, we only know what a parent official is. The county lord judges the case impartially and decides for us. Surviving the floods and Japanese pirates, one by one, is the favor of the county lord to us. Thanks to the county lord's contribution, we survived. We lived well and lived with dignity. Now the county lord is going to be promoted. We are here to see off the county venerable, these are our insignificant thoughts, please don't refuse the county lord, you must accept it, otherwise we will feel uneasy."

Several old men stepped forward and said excitedly that Zhu Pingan must accept the Cheng Yi they gathered.

"You elders are absurd. Ping An is nothing more than doing what you are supposed to do. It is far less than what your elders say. The hearts of your elders and fellow villagers, I have received it with peace of mind. Money and other things can never be taken away."

Zhu Pingan said firmly.

The common people refused and insisted that Zhu Pingan accept it. In this way, the stalemate lasted for a long time.

"This is the hard-earned money of the old folks. Ping An accepts this article as a commemoration, carries it close to him, and will never forget it." Seeing this, Zhu Pingan had no choice but to take out a copper coin from the money basket to accept it.

The common people admire Zhu Pingan even more.

Suddenly, Zhu Ping'an's reputation as "Yiqian County Zun" and "Yiqian Master" spread like wildfire.