readsfreenovel Chapter 70 Inspection in the Rain
Chapter 70 Inspection in the Rain
Chapter 70 Inspection in the Rain
Lightning flashed and thunder roared outside the window. Everyone says that spring rain is as fine as cow's hair, but now, even though it is spring, a torrential downpour has suddenly begun.
Listening to the sound of rain outside the window, Wang Wenzhou burst into laughter.
"What's wrong?" Sheng Lan asked, puzzled.
"I'm going to inspect the people's conditions!" Wang Wenzhou laughed loudly.
"Ah... let's go after the rain stops!" Sheng Lan advised.
“No, the rain has stopped, and the people-friendly show won’t be as effective!” Wang Wenzhou said with a mischievous grin.
Sheng Lan smiled wryly. The master was acting strangely again. Yesterday, she initially thought he was going to Chunfeng Pavilion to sleep with girls, and she was quite upset about it. Who knew he was actually there to cause trouble? Chunfeng Pavilion had only been open for half a day before the master had forced it to close.
"Wait a moment, let me get you a raincoat," Sheng Lan said.
"No!" Wang Wenzhou shook his head and said, "How can I wear a raincoat! It's more effective without one!"
Sheng Lan frowned and earnestly advised, "Put on a raincoat, it's not good to catch a cold in the rain."
"fine!"
……
Hanshan County, Nancheng, Yichixiang.
A dozen or so families lived in Yichixiang, all of them poor. In modern terms, Yichixiang was a slum in Hanshan County.
Outside, it was pouring rain, and inside Zhao Zhengxi's house, it was also drizzling. He carried pots and pans and placed them in the leaky areas of the house to catch the rainwater.
Zhao Zhengxi's mother, with her failing eyesight, could no longer see clearly, but she couldn't stay still. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she kept giving directions, "Here... there..."
"Sigh..." Zhao Zhengxi sighed. He was twenty-eight years old this year. Because his mother had poor eyesight and his father had passed away early, his family was very poor and he had never been able to get married.
Since Lord Wang came to Hanshan, Zhao Zhengxi's family's circumstances have gradually improved. These days, he works at the labor camp construction site, earning fifty coins a day. In addition to his daily income from selling tax stamps, he can earn about one qian of silver every two days.
"Mother! It's all your fault! I told you long ago to buy some materials and hire a few people to fix up the house. But you wouldn't agree, and look, it leaks everywhere when it rains!" Zhao Zhengxi complained.
"Hmph!" the old lady complained, "You can't waste money! You need to save up to get married!"
"Mom! I'm earning quite a bit now! It's only a matter of time before we can save up enough for the bride price! And this house can't keep leaking forever!"
"Get a wife first, so the Zhao family can have an heir. Then your mother can face your father even after she dies. If..." The old lady kept nagging on and on.
Zhao Zhengxi was busy putting pots and pans everywhere, too lazy to pay attention to the old lady.
"Knock knock..." Just then, there was a knocking sound at the door.
"Who is it? Come in, the door's open!" Zhao Zhengxi said.
Wang Wenzhou pushed open the door and walked in, followed closely by many yamen runners, officials, and others.
"Who is it?" the old lady asked, hearing the chaotic footsteps.
"Ah... Lord Wang!" Zhao Zhengxi turned around and almost dropped the plate in his hand.
"Hello!" Wang Wenzhou smiled and said, "It's raining heavily today, and I'm worried about the poor people, so I've come to visit them and take a look."
Wang Wenzhou walked to the bedside, took the old lady's hand, and asked kindly, "Grandma, are you having any difficulties at home?"
"My eyesight is poor, I can't see people clearly. Who are you?" the old woman asked.
"Mother, this is Magistrate Wang Wenzhou, Lord Wang!" Zhao Zhengxi said hurriedly.
"Wang Qingtian! Everything is good at home! Since you came to Hanshan, our family has been able to eat meat every few days!" The old lady was very grateful to Wang Wenzhou. If it weren't for Lord Wang's introduction of the city entry tax, her family wouldn't even be able to afford to buy meat during the New Year.
The room was very quiet, except for the conversation between the two people and the sound of raindrops dripping into the pots and pans.
"Why is the house leaking?" Wang Wenzhou asked, glancing at the earthenware jar beside the bed.
"Yes! The house is quite old, and we haven't had the money to repair it," the old lady replied.
"This won't do!" Wang Wenzhou turned around and asked, "Who is the head of this neighborhood?"
“Reporting to Your Excellency! It was I!” Zhang Qingge quickly stepped forward.
"How can we let people live under dangerous buildings? It's one thing if it leaks when it rains, but what if the houses collapse in the event of other disasters?" Wang Wenzhou asked irritably.
Zhao Qingge smiled bitterly. "The people's houses collapsed, that's a natural disaster, why are you worrying about it, sir? It's none of my business! I'm just a village head, you're asking me what to do?"
"Xiao Yin, we're working on-site, please take notes!" Wang Wenzhou said.
"Yes, sir!" Li Yinshui quickly took out the brush, ink, paper and inkstone that he had prepared beforehand.
Wang Wenzhou began by saying, "After the rain stops, immediately order all village heads in the county to investigate dilapidated houses in their respective areas. After reporting to the government, the government will fund the repairs."
"Sir! The government is funding the repair of people's houses?" Zhang Qingge couldn't help but ask. He had only ever heard of people paying taxes to the government, never of the government funding the repair of people's houses.
"Of course!" Wang Wenzhou said righteously, "Taxes are collected from the people and used for the people. How can I sit idly by and watch the people live in dilapidated houses?"
Zhang Qingge tugged at Zhao Zhengxi's sleeve and whispered, "Hurry up and thank Lord Wang!"
Zhao Zhengxi immediately knelt down and said, "Lord Wang is truly a just and upright official!"
Wang Wen tilted his head and whispered to Zhang Jiao, "Jiaojiao, punch me in the nose!"
"What stupid thing are you doing now?" Zhang Jiao said sarcastically, annoyed.
"Fine, I'll hit myself then!" Wang Wenzhou punched his own nose hard. His nose stung, and tears mixed with snot streamed down his face.
Wang Wenzhou gently wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, helped Zhao Zhengxi up, and said sadly, "As the magistrate of Hanshan County, it is my fault that the people under my jurisdiction live in leaky houses!"
"Ah..." Zhang Qingge was dumbfounded. I, Old Zhang, have been a village head for over thirty years and have seen more than a dozen county magistrates, but I've never seen a county magistrate like Lord Wang before.
"Wang Qingtian! Thank you, Wang Qingtian!" The old lady finally realized what was happening and knelt on the bed, kowtowing excitedly.
"Grandma, please get up! This is all within my duty!" Wang Wenzhou quickly helped the old lady up.
Zhao Zhengxi stared blankly at Wang Wenzhou. The official wasn't wearing a straw raincoat, while some of the yamen runners and officials who came with him were wearing them, and some weren't. It seemed they had arrived in a hurry.
The official robes of the adult clung tightly to his body, already soaked through. Rain dripped from his hair, his eyes were red-rimmed, and his face was filled with worry, undoubtedly grieving for his family's plight.
Zhao Zhengxi was deeply moved. The official was truly a just and upright magistrate who wholeheartedly served the people!
Zhao Zhengxi will never forget that day. Decades later, when he tells his grandson about it, his eyes still well up with tears.
His grandson tugged at his sleeve, which was missing an arm, and asked, "Grandpa, how did you lose your arm?"
Zhao Zhengxi laughed heartily and replied proudly: This is the proudest thing Grandpa has ever done in his life! Grandpa lost an arm, but saved your life!