Rebirth: From being expelled from the imperial court to becoming a high-ranking official

Before setting off again, Qin Yunhe deliberately observed the situation of the official road outside Gaoyi County.

It is said that it is because there are few people walking on the road, but actually from Qin Yunhe's observation, there are quite a few pedestrians on the road, but most of them are ordinary people.

I guess passing officials, couriers, and soldiers rarely take this road.

This may be partly because Wilmar's side is more convenient and faster, and partly because the road is difficult to repair due to years of disrepair.

As officials and couriers stayed, the post stations gradually became dilapidated and the government naturally became even more reluctant to repair them.

"Sir, do you want to enter Gaoyi County?"

Qin Yunhe glanced at Gaoyi County outside and said, "Let's not go in. Let's go to the official post station in front."

For many days afterwards, Qin Yunhe and his companions traveled during the day and slept at night, and after more than ten days, they finally entered Tongyang County, Guihua Prefecture, Henan Province.

Tongyang County had an office of the Censorate. When the group arrived at the office, it was already evening. Considering that the county government had already been dismissed, they planned to have someone print the inspection ban and the imperial edict of His Majesty the next day.

After a few people settled down, Wang He smiled and said, "The magistrate of Tongyang County really abides by the rules. Although the censors are not allowed to go out of the city to greet or see off the censors, it is rare that he does not come to pay his respects after the censors have settled down."

Qin Yunhe also smiled and said, "That's good. It's better to follow the rules than to ignore them. This is my first time on patrol, and I'm afraid I might accidentally break any taboos along the way."

The next morning, Qin Yunhe called the clerk Wang He and asked him to arrange for the printing of the imperial edict, and ordered people to post it. He also asked someone to summon the magistrate of Tongyang to see him.

Nearly half an hour passed before someone came to inform that the Tongyang County Magistrate wanted to see him.

Qin Yunhe stood up and asked suspiciously, "Is it only the county magistrate who came?"

"Your Excellency, only the county magistrate has arrived."

"Please come in."

Soon, an official in his forties was brought in.

"I am Meng Hui, the county magistrate of Tongyang County, and I am here to see the inspector. I did not know that the inspector was coming, and I failed to greet him. I hope you will forgive me."

"Mr. Meng is very polite. I am an official who has been ordered to inspect the city and I do not want to be too ostentatious. Mr. Meng, please take a seat."

Qin Yunhe asked County Magistrate Meng to sit down, and then asked in confusion: "I wonder where your county magistrate is, and why did the county magistrate come here alone?"

"Your Excellency the Inspector may not know this," said County Magistrate Meng, "Not long ago, a student in our county was accused of pretending to be a good person to take the county government examination. The magistrate of our county is suspected of guaranteeing a pariah and shielding him from taking the examination. Although the magistrate is still in office, he is awaiting punishment and is no longer involved in county affairs. Now I am temporarily in charge of county affairs.

That is why I was so busy today that I was unable to greet you in time."

"When did it happen? If he is suspected, why is the magistrate still in the county?"

"It happened at the end of last year. I heard that Your Majesty was investigating the issue of cheating in the exam, so some scholars went to the Ministry of Education to report the student and said that the magistrate was suspected of accepting bribes and protecting untouchables.

In fact, the matter has not been finalized yet, and the education commissioner also said that the inspector will come to deal with it. However... the county magistrate is discouraged and has not taken care of the affairs these days. He just stays at home... "

Qin Yunhe laughed angrily: "Ridiculous! He is not taking care of county affairs before a conclusion is reached. Even if it is finally found out that he has nothing to do with it, I will punish him for dereliction of duty!"

The county magistrate agreed but didn't dare to say anything.

Qin Yunhe was just about to ask someone to call the county magistrate, but he didn't expect to hear a series of shouts coming from far away.

"My lord, please forgive me, sir!"

As he spoke, someone rushed in regardless of the obstruction. Before he could even see Qin Yunhe sitting there, he bowed and saluted: "Tongyang County Magistrate Lu Qing greets the Inspector. I didn't know the Inspector was coming, so I'm sorry for not welcoming him. Please forgive me, Your Excellency."

"Tongyang County Magistrate, I was looking for you. How can you, as the magistrate, neglect your duties and ignore county affairs?"

"Your Excellency, I have always been diligent and conscientious, and I dare not slack off. It is just that I have not been in the morning court recently because I have been unwell. I just learned that Your Excellency was coming when the messenger came to report to me."

"I heard that there was a case in your county where a student was accused of pretending to be a good person. Did it involve you?"

The magistrate of Tongyang County looked at the county magistrate Meng who was standing beside him, and then he spoke again: "Sir, please do not listen to the slander of the villain. I have suffered a lot of injustice recently, and I am just about to ask the inspector to redress my grievances."

Qin Yunhe also frowned and looked at County Magistrate Meng beside him.

County Magistrate Meng just lowered his eyes, looked at the teacup in his hand and said nothing.

It seems that the magistrate and the county magistrate of Tongyang County do not have a very good relationship.

"Let me first tell you what happened. I came here on the orders of the Emperor to investigate the Mao Liang incident."

"Yes, Your Excellency, please allow me to report this. This matter is really caused by those students who are making trouble unreasonably. They came to report it once before when the county examination was held.

They claimed that the student Han Lin was the descendant of a police official and should not be allowed to take the county exam. But I had someone check the records and found that Han Lin’s grandfather was not a police official on the list. Not to mention that he was not on the list, even if he was, Han Lin’s father Han Fang had long been adopted by his uncle, and Han Fang’s uncle was not a police official, so how could he be considered the descendant of a police official?

"Then why do you insist that Han Lin is the descendant of a police official?"

"Oh, sir, why else would you say they are making trouble without reason? They insisted that the Han family deliberately said that Han Fang was adopted by his uncle in order to get rid of his status as a slave. So they brought the matter to the governor again."

If he was really adopted, then it cannot be considered as a slave.

However, this was just what the magistrate Lu Qing said, and Qin Yunhe naturally would not believe it.

"I will investigate this matter myself. Magistrate Lu should just manage the county affairs well and not let it go unchecked."

"Yes, yes, I dare not. I am really just feeling unwell."

"I have already had the imperial edict printed and distributed. I would like to trouble Lord Lu to issue a notice. This official is here for inspection. If the people in the county have any grievances or dissatisfaction, they can come here to file a complaint. The county magistrate and the county magistrate shall not stop them.

The county's case files and tax books are all ready, and I will check them. In addition, select a few capable clerks and scribes to serve me."

"Yes, I will take your orders."

"You can leave first. I will have someone send the case file of Han Lin to us later."

Qin Yunhe asked the county magistrate Lu Qing to step down, but kept the county secretary.

"Mr. Meng, what do you think of this Han Lin Mao Liang incident?"

"Your Excellency, this matter concerns the County Magistrate, so I dare not speak."

Qin Yunhe looked at him, not knowing who had brought this matter to his attention.

"But... if the inspector asks, I dare not hide it."

Qin Yunhe nodded and motioned him to speak.

"In fact, we can't blame those students for filing a complaint. They said Han Fang was adopted by his uncle, but in fact, the two families were separated by a wall, and Han Fang ran back and forth between the two when he was a child. How can this be considered adoption?

Another thing is that Han Fang’s biological father was clearly a former clerk, and when the prefect asked someone to check, Han Fang’s biological father was not on the register. This… who can believe it? This is just making things worse.”

Not on the register anymore?

"You go back first and have someone send the books and case files here."