Upon learning that the refugees had turned into roving bandits, County Magistrate Zheng Xiuwen didn't say a second word. He ran to the Military Guard Post, used his official hat as a guarantee, and borrowed three hundred governnt troops.
These governnt troops drilled year-round, and their moves were killing blows. How could the roving bandits compare?
County Defender Feng Jintang originally suggested learning from Tang Shijun and absorbing the refugees who hadn't committed major cris and were just fishing in troubled waters as local households, but was flatly rejected by Zheng Xiuwen.
"Lord Tang did so back then only because those refugees did not cause chaos, and the population of Pingshui Town had sharply decreased."
"That was then, this is now. If we absorb the refugees who caused chaos as local households, in the future, everyone fleeing from disaster will co here, and it will inevitably lead to great chaos."
"Those who cause chaos will be punished severely without leniency!"
Zheng Xiuwen had a tough personality and didn't give face to anyone.
Many refugees had blood on their hands and were caught and tied up securely.
According to the laws of the Kingdom of Jing, a life for a life. What awaited them would be their heads falling to the ground.
As for those who caused trouble and robbed, if no lives were lost, they were thrown into prison to await sentencing.
The rest were either beaten with boards until their skin split and flesh tore, or directly expelled, at a loss as to where the road ahead led.
A few days later in Fenggu City, the matter of Zheng Xiuwen deploying troops without authorization sparked a debate.
So officials believed this was a major cri and should be reported to the Ministry of Personnel for a decision.
Even worse, so wanted to take Zheng Xiuwen down directly, lest the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of War co looking for trouble.
Of course, there were also people who exonerated Zheng Xiuwen.
The situation was urgent. The ssenger sent by Zhangnan County broke his leg halfway, delaying the timing.
Under those circumstances, Zheng Xiuwen doing it to protect the commoners of the villages and towns could be considered excusable.
The thirty-three-year-old Tang Shijun was much more mature than when he left Zhangnan County.
Sitting upright before the desk, not a trace of impatience could be seen on his face.
He just quietly listened to the officials arguing below the hall, his gaze indifferent.
At this ti, a clerk from the Personnel Office walked in and presented a letter sealed with clay with both hands.
"This was sent by soone dispatched by the County Magistrate of Zhangnan County, Lord Zheng Xiuwen."
The sound of arguing in the council hall ca to an abrupt halt, and many officials looked over one after another.
Tang Shijun raised his hand to take it and opened the letter with a calm expression.
Zheng Xiuwen did not exonerate himself in the letter, but frankly admitted the cri of deploying troops without authorization, and stated it had nothing to do with the Battalion Commander of the Military Guard Post.
He wrote down everything that happened in Zhangnan County in full detail, leaving nothing out.
Including the casualties of the commoners and property losses in several towns, as well as the unusually peaceful state of Pinecone Village.
Chu Xun's na naturally also appeared in the letter.
And with heavy emphasis, it clearly stated that Pinecone Village being able to be preserved during the refugees' chaos was largely due to the great rit of Secondary Guest Chu!
But how to reward him, he found it difficult to decide, and wanted to ask the Lord Prefect to make the decision.
As for his own cri, although he acted according to the urgency of the situation, it should also be handled according to the law, without the need for favoritism.
The officials below had been carefully observing Tang Shijun's reaction, but couldn't see the slightest clue.
A few officials of Fenggu City couldn't help but look at each other, sighing inwardly.
"This Lord Tang's shrewdness has beco increasingly deep. He truly has the deanor of remaining composed even if a majestic mountain presses down on his head."
"Worthy of being the Second Place Graduate from a prestigious family!"
Although he had only been promoted to Prefect for a year, during his previous three years as Vice Prefect, Tang Shijun's achievents were brilliant.
Otherwise, the Ministry of Personnel couldn't have promoted him so quickly.
Fenggu City, which was currently still a "Lower Prefecture", would definitely be able to be promoted to a "Middle Prefecture" in another two years.
By that ti, Lord Tang would probably have to move up again, or be directly promoted in rank on the spot.
The Prefect of a "Lower Prefecture" is Rank 5a, while the Prefect of a "Middle Prefecture" is Rank 4a.
After reading the letter, a bit more of a smile appeared on Tang Shijun's face.
Seeing him smile, the officials were all sowhat surprised.
Prefectural Judge Wang Yanlin couldn't help but ask, "Why is Lord Tang smiling? What is written in Zheng Xiuwen's letter?"
Tang Shijun smiled naturally because the trouble in Zhangnan County had been resolved, and also because he saw the na of an old acquaintance.
And that man had done very well.
After putting down the letter, Tang Shijun looked at the officials and said, "Have you all finished discussing? If you have finished discussing, this Prefect will say a few words."
"Zheng Xiuwen has already requested punishnt himself in the letter. Although there is a reason for the incident, we cannot open this precedent. This Prefect plans to demote him and investigate. The position of County Magistrate of Zhangnan County will be temporarily filled by Registrar Li Zhaoming. What do you all think?"
Of those who could sit here, not a single one lacked sches.
Upon hearing these words, they understood that Tang Shijun wanted to protect Zheng Xiuwen.
Demoted and investigated, not dismissed, and it wasn't said to what level he was demoted.
Moreover, a Registrar temporarily acting as County Magistrate was not appropriate.
After all, above the Registrar, there was still a County Defender, who was the suitable candidate.
Zheng Xiuwen was originally directly promoted from Registrar to County Magistrate, entirely relying on Tang Shijun's guarantee to barely pass the Ministry of Personnel's hurdle.
A thing can be done once but not twice. Li Zhaoming temporarily acting as County Magistrate was not justified by title or logic.
Waiting for the storm of this matter to pass, and then finding an excuse to let Zheng Xiuwen be reinstated to his original position would be a matter of course.
This was not any novel routine in officialdom, and everyone knew it clearly in their hearts.
Having figured this out, how could anyone raise objections again? They cupped their hands one after another and said, "Lord Tang has thought deeply and carefully, it should be so."
"Then this Prefect will report to the Provincial Surveillance Commission, and then forward it to the Ministry of Personnel," Tang Shijun said.
Then he spoke again, "Another matter, Zheng Xiuwen clearly stated that there was no refugee chaos in Pinecone Village, and Secondary Guest Chu Xun's rit is very great. This Prefect plans to reward him well, to serve as an exemplar for others."
"Everyone speak freely, and decide what should be rewarded to him."
Prefectural Judge Wang Yanlin said, "He's just a rural Secondary Guest, the county office can just casually reward him with sothing. Why does Your Excellency need to personally..."
Tang Shijun raised his eyes to look over, his voice neither salty nor bland as he said, "When this Prefect served as County Magistrate in Zhangnan County, this person paid out of his own pocket to strengthen the state treasury. Rescuing refugees and sharing the country's worries, his rit is already not small."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yanlin's expression imdiately beca awkward.
Even a fool could hear it. The Lord Prefect's aning was, this is my old acquaintance, you'd better think clearly before speaking.
Zhangnan County, Zhenwei Martial Arts Hall.
Hall Master Cao Yuanhui sat upright in the main seat.
The martial arts hall had been passed down for several generations, its prestige shaking an area of hundreds of miles.
Relying on the family-inherited Wind and Thunder Fist and Six and a Half Point Pole, over the years, those who ca to challenge the hall were all defeated.
In the pugilistic world, people called him the Dual Master of Fist and Pole.
Now sixty-nine years old, although his vitality and blood were weaker than at his peak, his experience was more abundant.
What was a pity was that all four sons were good-for-nothings.
The eldest was congenitally deaf and mute, the second broke his leg at the age of fourteen, and the third frequented brothels year-round and had long been hollowed out of his vitality and blood.
Only the fourth was left. Although he had no major illnesses or disasters, his physique was naturally weak.
Having practiced for so many years, he was still only a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist.
As for the next generation of grandchildren, they were also spoiled outrageously.
Zhenwei Martial Arts Hall seed glorious, but in reality, it had a bit of a feeling of a temporary shortage of successors.
This was also one of the reasons why when Zheng Xiuwen asked them to go to the villages and towns below to help, Cao Yuanhui absolutely refused, only willing to firmly defend the county town.
"I heard that during this refugee chaos, there is a Secondary Guest nad Chu Xun in Pinecone Village who raises so kind of crows that are very formidable," soone said.
This matter had long been spread far and wide. Even more so, so said that Chu Xun was favored by the Songliu Water God, and the crows were protectors of the mortal realm.
[End of Chapter]
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