dognovel Chapter 56 Journalism in Da Ming
Chapter 56 Journalism in Da Ming
Upon hearing Wang Qiong introduce herself, Yang Shaofeng was completely stunned.
There's an old saying that even a seventh-rank official has to stand before the prime minister's door, and another old saying goes that you have to consider the owner before you beat a dog. The interpreter of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is a ninth-rank official, and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is under the command of the Crown Prince. The current Crown Prince is Zhu Biao, the first permanent vice emperor of the Ming Dynasty. This is not just beating the interpreter of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, it's beating Zhu Biao's face!
Just as Yang Shaofeng was having a headache, Wang Qiong bowed deeply to him and said, "I was misled by a villain and thought I was speaking up for the people. In fact, I said many disrespectful things to Magistrate Yang. I have already learned my lesson at the artificial lake. I asked this lame brother to bring me here so that I can apologize to Magistrate Yang in person."
Yang Shaofeng quickly stepped aside, but seeing Wang Qiong's bruised and swollen face, Magistrate Yang couldn't help but ask, "Who is the villain that Wang Sheren mentioned?"
Wang Qiong turned his head slightly and said awkwardly, "Xu Xiang and Chang Pingzhang praised Magistrate Yang highly in their memorials. His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince also praised Magistrate Yang. This time, I came to Ningyang County on His Highness the Crown Prince's orders to deliver a reward to Magistrate Yang. I thought I would take this opportunity to see how Magistrate Yang governed Ningyang County so well that he could receive such high praise from Xu Xiang and Chang Pingzhang."
"But I never expected that when I passed through Shawo Village, I heard an old woman say that Magistrate Yang had forcibly conscripted women to work in the workshops and ordered young men to dig some artificial lake. In a fit of youthful arrogance, I ran off to the artificial lake without a second thought..."
Wang Qiong quickly recounted how she disguised herself, how she believed the old woman's words, how she ran to the artificial lake, and how she cursed Yang Shaofeng, the magistrate, without understanding the situation at the artificial lake, based on her preconceived notions.
"I was misled by one side of the story, which led me to misunderstand Magistrate Yang," Wang Qiong said, bowing to Yang Shaofeng again with a face full of shame. "Whether Magistrate Yang wants to beat or scold me, I will have no complaints!"
Magistrate Yang Shaofeng quickly reached out to help Wang Qiong up, and said with a smile, "This is not Wang Sheren's fault, so why blame him?"
Seeing the growing shame on Wang Qiong's face, Magistrate Yang Shaofeng couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
The Tongshi Sheren was in charge of the etiquette for the Crown Prince's audiences, farewells, and visits to the court, as well as the duties of offering condolences and greetings. Whenever civil and military officials of the court came to the Crown Prince to offer congratulations, present memorials, spring greetings, or calendars, the Tongshi Sheren was responsible for guiding and presenting the trays. Although it was only a minor official of the ninth rank, its responsibilities were by no means insignificant.
If a bookish scholar like Wang Qiong, who is almost pedantic and whose mind is full of pleading for the people, can serve as a translator in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, how desperately does the Ming Dynasty lack officials?
As for Wang Qiong being fooled by Geng Jinshi, running to the artificial lake to spout nonsense and then getting beaten up... Magistrate Yang Shaofeng can only say that he was not wronged at all.
Is what Geng Jinshi said true?
It's all true; not a single word is false.
In Yang Shaofeng's view, this tactic was equivalent to "a German veteran who participated in World War I, the only one in the Nazi Party who refused to salute Hitler, personally commanded the defeat of the German offensive against Stalingrad, made a great contribution to severely damaging the German army and laying the foundation for the Allied victory, and personally killed Nazi leader Hitler."
Everything is true, but when all the information is put together, the conclusion drawn is bound to be wrong.
Yang Shaofeng never expected that Zhang Xuefeng could still achieve such a feat in the Ming Dynasty hundreds of years ago, and that Wang Qiong, as a translator in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, could be fooled by such a simple method of journalism.
However, what Yang Shaofeng was curious about was that since Emperor Zhu Chongba and Zhu Biao were able to send Wang Qiong, a clerk in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, to deliver the rewards, had the matter of Ningyang County already been discussed in the court?
Suppressing his curiosity, Yang Shaofeng led Wang Qiong to a table on the riverbank and poured him a bowl of water. He smiled and said, "Lord Wang, you must stay in Ningyang County for a few more days this time, so that I can show you some hospitality."
Wang Qiong took the water, drank a couple of sips, put down the bowl, and then bowed to Yang Shaofeng, saying, "I am ashamed, I am ashamed."
Yang Shaofeng was preoccupied with the matter of digging an irrigation canal to draw water from the Dawen River, and he really didn't want to get entangled with an official like Wang Qiong any longer. So he cupped his hands and said, "How about this, Lord Wang, please sit here for a while. I will arrange for them to finish digging the canal first, and then we can go back to the county office together."
Wang Qiong quickly stood up, cupped his hands in return, and said, "Magistrate Yang, please do as you please. I will wait here."
Yang Shaofeng bowed in greeting again, then went down the riverbank and called over Limpy Five: "Brother Limpy Five, later you should have someone inform the heads of all the communities and villages that all the able-bodied men in Ningyang County should stop what they are doing, including the strong women. Except for those working in the lighter workshop, all the rest should be brought over to dig irrigation ditches. All the livestock and carts in Ningyang County should also be brought over."
"No matter what, we must dig the ditch from the Dawen River to the Liu Miao artificial lake within five days. As for the food, let Zhang Wangshi and the others take care of it. We'll slaughter two fat pigs later and put plenty of lard and meat in the buns."
"After the irrigation canals here are dug, we will send some of the able-bodied men to the east of the city to dig an artificial lake, and leave a smaller number of able-bodied men to dig the irrigation canals at the same time. We have no experience this time, but next time we will try to dig the artificial lake and the irrigation canals at the same time."
"We must not stop having people haul water by truck. We cannot place all our hopes on the irrigation canals. If the water level in the Da Wen River drops to the point where water trucks can no longer draw water, at least we can still use trucks to haul water back to store it."
"..."
"In addition, send someone back to the county office to have a banquet prepared. Just a few dishes will do. If you can find some wine, that would be best. If not, it doesn't matter. I will be going back to entertain this Wang Sheren later."
After Yang Shaofeng finished explaining, Lame Wu bowed slightly and replied, "Rest assured, Your Excellency, I will make all the arrangements properly. I guarantee that the irrigation canal will be dug within five days, and we will begin drawing water to the artificial lake after five days."
Yang Shaofeng nodded, then turned back to the embankment, cupped his hands in greeting to Wang Qiong, and said, "Lord Wang, why don't we return to the county government office now?"
Wang Qiong returned the greeting with a bow and said, "I will follow Magistrate Yang's arrangements. However, I am quite interested in that artificial lake, as well as the waterwheel and canal in front of me. I wonder if Magistrate Yang could enlighten me on a few things?"
Yang Shaofeng immediately smiled and agreed. After the lame man led the horse over, he smiled and said to Wang Qiong, "Wang Sheren, please."