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

"Sir, we are almost at Qi County." The accompanying sergeant reported.

Qin Yunhe lifted the car curtain and looked out. Qi County was clearly visible in the distance.

As the weather warmed up, the fields were bustling with activity. Passersby saw the avoidance signs from afar and moved aside.

"Sir, there is no place to stay in Qi County. Where can I stay?"

Qin Yunhe had already thought about it and said, "Let's go to the City God Temple."

It was morning, the busiest time in the city. There were many people walking on the street, and they all stepped aside when they saw the avoidance signs.

When Qin Yunhe arrived at the City God Temple, a temple priest came out to greet him.

Upon learning that the inspector was going to stay in the temple, the temple keeper quickly instructed the Taoist priests in the temple to make arrangements.

Qin Yunhe and others had just been settled when the magistrate of Qi County came with his men to pay a visit.

"... Qi County Magistrate Chang Min pays his respects to the Inspector. I did not know you were coming, and I am sorry for not welcoming you."

Qin Yunhe returned the greeting and said, "County Magistrate Chang is very polite. It is not convenient to greet or see off a local official. I also wanted to wait until everything is settled before sending someone to invite County Magistrate Chang over."

"I'm sorry for being so rude. I wonder if the inspector has made arrangements for you?"

"It has been arranged. Please come in, County Magistrate Chang."

Qin Yunhe invited County Magistrate Chang into the side hall where they were staying, and told Hesheng to ask the Taoist priest in the temple for hot water to make tea.

"It seems that Magistrate Chang has only been in office for a short time."

The former Qi County magistrate was dismissed by Censor Tian because he was found to have accepted money for fraudulent examinations.

"Yes, I will take up my post after the New Year. Your Excellency is here as an inspector, I wonder if you have any instructions for me."

Qin Yunhe nodded and said, "Please ask County Magistrate Chang to send someone to print the prohibition agreement and the imperial edict. In addition, issue a notice that if there is any grievance in the county, they can go to the City God Temple to ask the inspector to make a decision.

The county's case files and tax books are all ready, and I want to check them. Please ask the county magistrate Chang to select a few capable clerks and scribes to serve me."

"Yes, I will arrange it immediately."

Needless to say, prohibitions and imperial edicts were published.

County Magistrate Chang also hurriedly ordered someone to write a notice. Not only was it posted in the county government office, but he also asked the village heads and village chiefs to take the notice and make sure everyone was informed of the arrival of the inspector.

County Magistrate Chang had just taken office and there was no reason why anything could happen to the Inspector General. However, he did not dare to neglect the Inspector General's orders at all and was extremely cautious.

It would be bad if I displeased the inspector by ignoring his orders.

A courtyard in Shuangfu Lane, Qi County

"Auntie, where is Ayu?" A middle-aged man hurried over and pushed the door open.

The woman who was sifting rice in the yard was startled: "Zhang Chun, you scared me. Ayu is in the house."

Zhang Chun ran into the room and saw the young man leaning against the bed, looking listless.

"Ayu, I just saw the inspector's carriage entering the city on the street!"

The young man's body trembled slightly, and his expression suddenly became depressed and aggrieved. He pushed Zhang Chun away and lay down on his side, tears streaming silently.

Zhang Chun made a sound of "tsk", and tried to pull him. "This time there's a new inspector. If you have any grievances, go find him!"

The young man silently and gently pulled back his sleeves, wiped his tears and lay down again.

Zhang Chun was also a little annoyed: "Who are you showing this half-dead look to? How long are you going to hide when it's time for spring plowing? Even if you don't think about yourself, think about your mother. She still has to support you at such an old age."

There was a commotion inside, and the woman outside heard it and hurried in.

"Ah-Chun, what's wrong? If you have something to say, please talk to Ah-Yu."

Seeing that Zhang Yu had made up his mind not to get up, Zhang Chun stopped calling out and just pushed the woman to the outer room.

"Aunt, I just saw a new inspector coming to the street, and I thought of asking Ayu to go to the inspector to appeal for justice.

He certainly didn't mean to be a pariah. How can it be justified that he was punished when others who had signed the bond were not punished? "

The woman hesitated and said, "Is it possible? It's hard to explain this matter..."

"Aiya, auntie, why are you like Ayu? I heard that the previous inspector was called back to the capital to be tried because he was reported by someone, so his sentence must not count.

You said he didn't go for such a good opportunity. Who would make the decision for him if he missed it? Are you going to see him hiding at home every day?"

The woman was indeed frowning: "This is all my fault..."

"Aunt, please stop saying that. How can you be blamed? I can only blame Xu Qizhong. He didn't tell me earlier that he had a dirty background, which caused Ayu to be stripped of his title.

But our Ayu really doesn't know his origins, why is it that others who don't know only suspend one subject from taking the exam, while our Ayu is expelled from the imperial examination and beaten with a stick."

The woman quickly looked inside and pushed Zhang Chun out again.

"Speak softly, don't let Ayu hear you."

The woman naturally knew that Zhang Chun was right.

only……

The woman hesitated and looked worried: "What if the inspector still believes that Ayu was bribed to conceal the guarantee... and beats him up again?"

Zhang Yu has been good at studying since he was young, and all the neighbors praise him.

When he grew up, he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, and he was also a filial son, the envy of his neighbors. He was truly the apple of his parents' eyes.

Not to mention beating, there is even less scolding.

Who knew that because of the matter of Gu Bao, he would bring disaster upon himself. Not only was he dismissed from his post, but he was also beaten with a stick.

This was completely unacceptable to Zhang Yu, who had been the center of attention since childhood, and he almost wanted to commit suicide.

His mother had no choice but to watch and persuade him, and it was only in the past two months that he got a little better.

Zhang Chun hesitated for a moment, and then said after a moment of contemplation, "No, aunt. You know, Ayu was punished last time, and wasn't he punished for his bail? The worst result this time is that he can't overturn the verdict, so how can he be punished again?

But if we are lucky enough to have the verdict overturned, can't our Ayu still take the exam to become a scholar?

Last time, it was the inspector who decided the case, so neither the prefecture nor the province would take our case. The only way to overturn the verdict is to find the inspector again."

The woman was also somewhat tempted, but she was still hesitant.

"Aunt, don't hesitate. Is it easy for our Zhang family to offer up a scholar? If you miss this opportunity, you will never get it again. Hurry up and persuade Ayu. Don't regret it after the inspector leaves."

Zhang's mother looked back at the inner room and said, "Okay, I understand. You go back first and I'll persuade him."

Outside Qi County, Xu Family

"Another inspector?" The middle-aged man on the recliner stood up.

"Yes, sir. The magistrate has had a notice issued saying that the inspector has come here to investigate. Anyone who has grievances in the countryside can go to the City God Temple to ask the inspector for help."

The middle-aged man slowly lay back down, fanning himself gently back and forth, his expression changing from gloomy to bright.

After a long while, the middle-aged man spoke again slowly, "Another inspector has come... Doesn't that mean that the emperor was not satisfied with the previous inspector? Then his judgment still counts? Hmm?"

The middle-aged man raised his eyes and glanced at the servant standing by.

The servant quickly agreed: "That's right, it definitely doesn't count."

Then he said, "Please ask the second master to come over. I have something to discuss with him."