dognovel Chapter 543 is truly a model of filial piety and parental love!
Chapter 543 is truly a model of filial piety and parental love!
Loyal and respectful, and considerate of the people?
A small punishment but a big warning?
Zhu Biao really wanted to ask Liu Bowen how these words were connected.
Especially the words "loyalty and respect"—where did you, Earl Chengyi, derive that from?
What kind of respectable county magistrate would act like a bandit, leading his yamen runners to the prefectural city to kidnap someone?
What kind of respectable county magistrate would write sarcastic and obsequious things in his memorials?
Furthermore, judging from your expression just now, you, Earl of Chengyi, probably wished you could tear those county magistrates to pieces. In the end, all I got after waiting for so long was a small punishment as a warning to others.
This is truly an eye-opener – a small knife pulling out a big mess!
Just as Zhu Biao was secretly complaining, Li Shanchang frowned and said, "Your Highness, something's not right with these county magistrates."
Zhu Biao was slightly taken aback, and Li Shanchang continued, "Logically speaking, these people are from the same hometown, studied under the same teacher, and passed the imperial examination in the same year. With such a bond, how could they impeach each other over the issue of taking someone away?"
"Although there is a saying that if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked too, this is crooked far too much."
"It can't really be because they want to steal people, can it?"
After a slight pause, Li Shanchang added, "As for these four county magistrates, they are still too young and inevitably act impulsively. I believe that a small punishment is sufficient to serve as a warning."
Zhu Biao ignored the saying about minor offenses and major precepts.
After all, as Li Shanchang just said, if the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too.
My brother-in-law is no good either, so how can I expect his students to be well-behaved and sensible?
Zhu Biao was curious as to why these four men would directly lead the yamen runners to rob people.
Are Beiping and Yongping really short of people?
Li Shanchang stroked his beard and said, "I believe it is more than just a workshop."
"If it's really because the workshop is short of manpower, then the workshop that the four of them want to set up is probably not a small workshop at all."
The fact that the word "workshop" is part of the name of the workshop is enough to indicate that the scale is not very large.
Moreover, the idea of a county magistrate leading his constables to abduct someone is not something to be proud of, and no one would easily stoop to doing such a thing.
The fact that the magistrates of four counties were willing to throw away their pride indicates that the underlying interests go far beyond simply losing face.
Zhu Biao hummed in agreement, and after pondering for a moment, he instructed the eunuch beside him: "Go to the Office of Transmission and have someone bring over the memorials from Jinghai County, Luan County, Leting County, and Zunhua County."
After the attending eunuch left to carry out his orders, Zhu Biao continued, "No matter what, the four of them were improper in their attempt to abduct someone, and they should be punished accordingly."
"Here's what we'll do: deduct three months' salary from the salaries of the four of them. We'll decide on a more specific matter once we figure out the reason for the abduction."
As Zhu Biao finished speaking, Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen couldn't help but exchange a glance.
If it is truly a great thing that benefits the country and its people, then a three-month salary deduction is certainly warranted. However, the Crown Prince can also find any excuse to give them some additional rewards.
If these four scoundrels simply wanted to increase the number of people under their rule, then these three months' salary can be considered a lesson for them.
Seeing that Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen both nodded in agreement, Zhu Biao suddenly changed the subject, "By the way, my father and mother sent word that they have set off for the capital and should be back before the Lunar New Year."
"The Duke of Han and the Earl of Chengyi might as well organize the recent official business, and then let my father handle it."
Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen were immediately stunned.
This heavenly family...
The father handed over the reins of government to his son and took his wife to Dengzhou to find his son-in-law.
The son left his father a mountain of official business to handle and even hinted to his ministers to prepare more official business for his father.
What a perfect example of a loving father and filial son!
Thinking of this, Li Shanchang narrowed his eyes again and unconsciously stroked his beard.
What does this have to do with me?
Zhu Chongba is a scoundrel who treats me like a donkey. Now his son is following suit and treating me like a servant. Isn't this just retribution?
Liu Bowen even curled the corners of his mouth.
By the way, Zhu Chongba, have you ever thought about abdicating in favor of the Crown Prince and then re-employing him?
Unfortunately, that Yang the Madman was too young; it was far too early for him to retire, return to his hometown, and be rehired.
Otherwise, I would have to find a way to persuade him to retire and return to his hometown first, and then rehire him.
What a pity, what a pity, I'm probably not going to see the day when Yang the Madman gets rehired.
……
Just as Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen were either secretly laughing or secretly grieving, Zhu Biao's attendant eunuch had already brought over the memorials from the four counties of Huoxian, Luanxian, Leting, and Zunhua, along with people from the Office of Transmission.
Zhu Biao only flipped through a few pages casually, but his eyes widened like bull's testicles.
"These four guys shouldn't be punished."
Zhu Biao first had someone hand the memorial to Li Shanchang, and then said in a deep voice, "Not only should he not be punished, but he should also be rewarded handsomely this time."
Li Shanchang took the memorial with a bewildered look on his face, flipped through it once, and then handed it to Liu Bowen, echoing, "Moreover, not only should we reward them, but we should also continue to find ways to relocate people from Jiangnan to the area."
As Li Shanchang finished speaking, Liu Bowen, who had just received the memorial, was immediately stunned.
It's understandable that His Highness the Crown Prince would protect those four county magistrates, after all, those four scoundrels were students trained by a certain big scoundrel. Strictly speaking, these four scoundrels could even be considered the most loyal of the Crown Prince's inner circle.
To put it simply, these four scoundrels' status in the underworld is only slightly lower than that of core noble second-generation figures like Chang Sheng, Chang Mao, Xu Huizu, and Tang Ding.
Moreover, these four scoundrels were from the same hometown, taught by the same teacher, and all became Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) in the same year. Such conditions are incredibly rare, and ordinary second-generation nobles really can't compare to these four.
However, it's a bit unreasonable that Li Shanchang, that old scoundrel, also protected the four of them.
Thinking of this, Liu Bowen simply opened the memorial and began to read it.
"Your subject, Zhou Liangyu, the magistrate of Luan County, respectfully submits a memorial regarding the construction of a coal mine and a large-scale iron smelting workshop... I humbly submit this memorial."
"Your subject, Geng Xingming, the magistrate of Zunhua County, respectfully submits this memorial requesting the repair of the Malanyu Great Wall... I humbly submit this memorial."
"Your subject, Zhou Chengren, magistrate of Jinghai County, respectfully submits a memorial regarding the repair of the Grand Canal... I humbly submit this memorial."
"Your subject, Wang Zhaohu, the magistrate of Leting County, respectfully submits a memorial regarding the construction of a large-scale iron smelting workshop... I humbly submit this memorial."
After reading through all four memorials, Liu Bowen could only sigh helplessly.
Punishment?
How the hell should they be punished?
No sooner had these four county magistrates been punished than someone else would stand up for them.
Moreover, they don't even need to wait for some crazy Yang to show up; Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and other military leaders can stand up and start cursing first.
Mining coal, establishing large-scale iron smelting workshops, building the Great Wall, and repairing canals were not only beneficial to the country and its people, but also played a vital role in the Northern Expedition.
If anyone dares to delay Xu Da and his men's Northern Expedition, those ruffians in the Grand Commander's Office will surely cause an uproar.