Qing Yao

Chapter 199: Come and register!

what?
A local official wrote a tearful petition to plead for the people!

This is a major headline, a headline that's going to be the number one trending topic in the country!

Zhao An, who had a keen sense of news and politics, immediately got out of his sedan chair to see what was going on. He was an imperial censor representing the emperor on his inspection tour of the canal. Which staff member of the canal transport office would dare to stop him?
Moreover, these staff members were also completely baffled by the actions of that Ganquan County, and didn't know what had happened.

"Imperial Inspector Zhao is here! All other personnel, please make way!"

General Hou and his troops put on a great show, trying to highlight the lofty image of Lord Zhao.

Throughout history, youth has always represented vitality and vigor, while maturity has represented cunning and shrewdness.

Many onlookers were drawn to the upright and incredibly young Imperial Censor Zhao. Combined with the previous rumors that a righteous official named Zhao had arrived at the Grand Canal, some people excitedly shouted, "It's Zhao Qingtian! It's Zhao Qingtian!"

The news spread like wildfire, and soon the people around the Grand Canal Administration knew that a "Zhao Qingtian" had arrived in Huai'an City. Their curiosity about today's events intensified, attracting more and more people to the scene, making it difficult for the soldiers dispatched by the Grand Canal Administration to cope.

"Did you hear that? The people call our Lord Zhao, the Upright Official Zhao!"

"I knew Lord Zhao was a good official! The people have very discerning eyes!"

"."

The soldiers who cleared the way for Lord Zhao felt extremely proud, and even their "clearing the way" actions became quite civilized. Their pride was almost as if they had instantly transformed into Zhang Long and Zhao Hu.

General Hou's upright posture looked no different from that of Guard Zhan.

Baili Yunlong and his personal guards were filled with pride, because this Qingtian was their young lord!

Zhao Qingtian?
Zhao An himself wondered when he had become a righteous and upright official. He guessed it was the spirit of serving the people and his approachable manner that he demonstrated during his investigations along the way that won the heartfelt trust and support of the masses.

Therefore, ordinary people are the most down-to-earth group.

A little bit of formalism is all it takes to win their hearts.

We need to do more of this in the future; without form, where does the content come from?
Don't underestimate formalism, because officials who are willing to engage in formalism are those who truly care about the people!
Feudal officials who even made the common people avoid them when they went out didn't understand the dangers of formalism, and how many of them actually put the interests of the people first?

However, how many upright officials were there in the history of the Qing Dynasty?

It seems that the official sources have identified two individuals: one is Yu Chenglong, also known as Yu Qingtian; the other is Shi Shilun, the son of Shi Lang.

They all date back to the Kangxi era.

Yu Qingtian made his fortune in Guangxi, while Shi Qingtian made his fortune in Yangzhou and Huai'an. It is said that he was particularly good at solving cases, and Qing Dynasty literary workers even wrote a novel called "The Cases of Judge Shi" about him, which had a great influence.

It's comparable to "The Cases of Judge Bao".

Both upright officials eventually became high-ranking officials, the former becoming the Governor-General of Liangjiang and the latter the Governor-General of the Grand Canal.

It is evident that the image of an "upright official" is of great benefit to one's career advancement.

Zhao An felt that if he were to be transferred to a local official position, he would have to create some extraordinary cases no matter what. Yang Naiwu and Xiao Baicai would be fine, but the assassination of Ma would be out of the question.

One cannot rely solely on flattery and business acumen to advance in rank; one must also demonstrate competence in the field of criminal investigation.

He left the old master and the middle-aged man with the impression that Youlu was a fairly well-rounded and capable person.

Of course, Zhao An is capable of leading troops into battle, plotting to usurp the throne, and so on.

She's truly a multi-talented time-travel expert.

Since he was hailed as a benevolent ruler by the people, Zhao An naturally had to act like one. Along the way, he would clasp his hands in greeting and nod to the onlookers from time to time. When he saw a little girl being pushed and fell by a woman because of the crowd, he immediately stopped and picked her up.

"Auntie, there are many people, so please keep a close eye on your child. The child is still young, and it will be difficult to find him if he gets lost."

After gently patting the little girl's forehead, Zhao An returned her to her mother.

Everything seemed so natural because Zhao An wasn't acting at all; it was purely an instinctive reaction.

However, this gesture warmed the hearts and earned the admiration of the onlookers. It's a pity that there was no clapping ceremony in this era, otherwise there would have been thunderous applause.

After this minor incident, Zhao An, accompanied by Commander Hou and others, finally made his way through the crowded streets to the gate of the Grand Canal Administration Office, which bore the plaque "Governor-General of the Grand Canal Administration Office".

Why is it called the Governor-General's Department of Grain Transport?
Because the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner must concurrently hold the titles of Vice Minister of War and Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and these two official positions are generally respectfully addressed as "Minister" and "Censor," the lanterns bearing the official titles of the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner during his ceremonial processions all bear the four characters "Grand Canal Transport Commissioner and Censor." He is respectfully called "Grand Canal Transport Commissioner" in official circles, and because he can lead troops, he is also respectfully called "Grand Canal Commander."

When Zhao An arrived, the staff of the Grand Canal Administration were "rescuing" the magistrate of Ganquan County who had come to present a letter written in blood.

Old Ding, who was lying on the ground, did not wake up for a long time. When Zhao An, the grandson-in-law, saw the blood-written letter tightly clutched in his hand, he felt a pang of anxiety. Worried that something might have really happened to Old Ding, he quickly went over to check on him.

"Make way, make way, give the Censor some space!"

Just now, the garrison commander Hou, who was still furious, led several officers forward and, without saying a word, chased the people from the canal transport office aside.

"What are you doing? Can't you see we're rescuing people?!"

The speaker was Qi, the supervisor of the canal transport office. The plea from Ganquan County to see the governor was none of his business, but he happened to be out delivering documents to Huai'an Prefecture and couldn't ignore it.

Neither he nor the staff at the gate knew anything about medicine, and despite their frantic efforts, they couldn't wake the magistrate. They were extremely anxious. If this magistrate from Yangzhou really died outside the canal transport office, this would be a huge scandal.

The governor-general is bound to be impeached by the censors. With the court furious, everyone in the grain transport office is probably living in fear.

For the sake of his future and his secure job, Chief Qi had to do everything in his power to save the county magistrate, who was facing a major crisis in his career.

"I am the newly appointed Imperial Inspector of the Imperial Court, and I have some knowledge of medicine. You may all step aside."

Zhao An raised his hand to interrupt the commander Hou, who was about to speak out, and stepped forward slowly. Although he was only wearing the official robes of a seventh-rank official, he exuded an aura of an emperor.

Yes, it represents the weather for the old man.

"this,."

Qi, the steward, glanced at the crowd around him. Not daring to contradict the Imperial Censor, he stood up and said, "Since you know medicine, then I'll trouble you!"

After saying that, as if remembering something, he reached out to take the blood-written letter that Old Ding was tightly clutching in his hand.

However, when I tugged at it, I couldn't get it out.

"Lord Zhao told you to get out of the way, didn't you hear me!"

General Hou was a seventh-rank military officer, which was insignificant compared to a seventh-rank civil officer, but he held absolute authority over this lowly ninth-rank official.

With a wave of his hand, several subordinates immediately drove the person in charge and the security personnel of the canal transport office aside, while some shrewd people quietly slipped into the office to report to their superiors.

The blood-written letter in Old Ding's hand was also pulled out by Captain Hou and handed over to the Imperial Censor.

Good boy!

It really was written in blood, with several hundred words in total. Old Ding really went all out!
Zhao An gestured to Captain Hou and the others not to come closer. After confirming that no one could hear him, he bent down and squatted down next to Old Ding, feeling his pulse with one hand and flipping Old Ding's eyelids with the other, while whispering, "Stop pretending."

Before her hand could even touch Old Ding's eyelids, Old Ding woke up and glared at her grandson-in-law: "Why did you come so fast?"

The implication was that he had finally come up with this brilliant idea that would astound the Jianghuai officialdom and shock the court, so as his grandson-in-law, he should at least let him put on an act for a while longer.

"I'm just afraid that if you die, it will implicate me in my period of mourning."

Zhao An reached out to help Lao Ding sit up, his face full of concern.

"You're talking nonsense about mourning! My death has absolutely nothing to do with you, Zhao Youlu!"

Old Ding was somewhat unwilling. He had originally planned to wait until Lord Caotai came in person, but Zhao An's actions clearly disrupted his plans.

It's like doing something and then suddenly your wife stops you from doing it.

"No, did you really write this letter in your own blood?"

Zhao An examined the blood-written letter. It was very well written and had great literary talent, befitting someone who was a genuine third-class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

"Hmph, those people from the Grand Canal Transport Office don't take me seriously. If I don't make a big fuss for them, they won't know how many eyes Lord Ma has!"

Old Ding was particularly frustrated because he was full of confidence that he was representing Yangzhou Prefecture and the canal workers to coordinate with the canal transport authorities in Huai'an. However, after several days, he only received a minor official and did not see a single proper official.

Clearly, the Grand Canal Administration, an independent government system separate from the local area, did not take him, the magistrate of Ganquan County, seriously at all.

Or rather, he, as the county magistrate, was not qualified to negotiate on an equal footing with the Grand Canal transport office.

Old Ding was so anxious he was pacing around in circles. Wouldn't he lose face if he just slunk back like that?
With a heavy heart, I pulled this stunt.

As a result, he bled a little over half a bowl of blood.

"Don't worry, with such a commotion, even if the Grand Canal Commissioner were deaf, he would know."

Zhao An reassured Lao Ding that his actions would definitely be effective, and before he finished speaking, the effect came.

Several officials of the fifth or sixth rank walked out of the gate, with Wu Wenyun, the second-in-command of the Grand Canal Transport Office and the Councilor of the Grand Canal Transport, leading the way.

Wu, the councilor, and his entourage were quite aggressive. As soon as they arrived outside the door, they shouted at Old Ding, who was sitting on the ground: "Ding Chengen, your Ganquan County is under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou Prefecture. What does it have to do with my canal transport office? Do you really think that my canal transport office can't do anything to you by causing trouble here today?!"

A sixth-rank official standing nearby also spoke up in a menacing tone: "The Grand Canal Commissioner is the Imperial Governor-General of the Grain Transport Department. If you dare to be disrespectful again, be careful, the Grand Canal Commissioner will bring out the Imperial Decree Flag and punish you accordingly!"

The "royal command flag" was a powerful authority granted by the Qing Dynasty to governors-general and military commanders. Anyone who committed a serious crime and had to be executed immediately could act with the flag, as if they were acting on imperial orders.

Regardless of rank, whether official or commoner, anyone below the fourth grade who has not committed a serious crime has the right to arrest, imprison, and impeach.

The two men meant that if Old Ding, the county magistrate from Yangzhou, dared to meddle again, then the Grand Canal Commissioner would not hesitate to use his imperial authority to deal with him.

To be honest, Old Ding was really startled.

"The Imperial Decree Flag of the Grand Canal Commissioner can be used to govern Ganquan County, but I wonder if it can be used to govern me, the Imperial Censor who is on behalf of the Emperor to inspect the canal transport? If it can, please go and fetch the Imperial Decree Flag right now!"

Zhao An snorted slightly, "If not, please tell me your names and official positions, so that I can tell the Emperor about your prestige!"

(End of this chapter)