Qing Yao

Chapter 90 Don't talk nonsense.
What does Teacher Lou mean by that?

Matters of principle are not open to negotiation, but if Professor Zhao himself embodies principles, then this matter can be discussed.

In plain terms, it means that you, Lord Zhao, are the top education official in Yangzhou, so do whatever you want. Why worry so much? Anyway, the report will go through me to the provincial level anyway.

I have no problem with this, so naturally I'll have no problem learning from the students at National Taiwan University.

He's just a self-degrading litigator; dismiss him if you want, it's no big deal.

Could it be that a student from National Taiwan University would clash with Professor Zhao, who was "specially promoted" five ranks by the Emperor, over a mere litigator?
Is it that the students from National Taiwan University don't want to be officials, or that the litigious lawyer doesn't want to live?
So what's the difference between reforming now and reforming after a while?
While processes and rules certainly exist, it is we who implement the processes and enforce the rules.

When it is implemented and when it is carried out has nothing to do with troublemakers and treacherous people.

Go ahead and do it boldly and confidently.

Hey!
Zhao An thought about it and realized that it made sense; he had almost been tricked by Boss Qian.

As long as the procedures can be completed eventually, it doesn't matter whether we fight sooner or later!
It's all up to him, the professor, to decide whether or not.

tell?
Where can someone surnamed Qian sue?

Local officials have no right to interfere in the "business" of school officials.

In Yangzhou's education circles, Zhao An is the boss. He has Lao Lou's help from the province. The students at National Taiwan University are just sitting around doing things for you, surnamed Qian. You can't exactly complain to the old man, can you?

That would be a life-or-death situation; it could even lead to the whole family playing Candy Crush.

That really woke me up from my dream. Without saying a word, I wanted to go with Teacher Lou to expel Mr. Qian from his student status on the spot and give him a good beating to vent my anger, regardless of any procedures.

Unexpectedly, Magistrate Zheng stopped Zhao An.

Seeing that the two academic officials were disregarding the rules and regulations of the court and were determined to strip Qian Xiuwen of his academic degree, which he wanted to protect, Magistrate Zheng hoped that Professor Zhao would think twice before acting, even though he needed their help in the prefectural examination. He insisted that even if it meant stripping someone of their academic degree, the matter should be handled in accordance with the law.

Don't make it too rough.

Yes, he, as the county magistrate, couldn't control the prefectural school, but the prefectural school couldn't control the county school either.

In theory, the county instructor was not under the jurisdiction of the county magistrate, but in practice, the magistrate's opinion still prevailed.

So no matter how many documents you issue from the provincial or municipal level, if the county refuses to comply, what can you do to me?
Besides, you don't even have any documents.

Of course, Magistrate Zheng was not as stubborn as Qian Xiuwen and spoke so bluntly. Therefore, he spoke in a very tactful manner, always indicating that he was on the same side as the two school officials and just hoped that things would develop in a positive direction.

It should be a harmonious atmosphere, not one where someone has to suffer.

Magistrate Zheng's feelings are understandable, but he didn't know that Zhao An was determined to avenge his uncle and cousin, so he ended up "walking into the line of fire".

Feeling that Magistrate Zheng was being unreasonable, Zhao An decided to threaten him with the prefectural examination to force him to cooperate unconditionally. He wanted to see whether the magistrate's assessment was more important than a mere white glove for the government.

Teacher Lou raised his hand to signal Zhao An to calm down, glanced at Magistrate Zheng who looked like he was trying to persuade him, and slowly said: "In the forty-second year of Qianlong's reign, the former provincial education commissioner, Lord Liu Yong, once submitted a memorial to the emperor, saying that the provincial and county officials had three fears: first, they feared troublesome people; second, they feared students; and third, they feared clerks."

Because of these three fears, local officials hesitated in handling matters, failed to distinguish right from wrong, and after punishment, those who should have been dismissed were not. This was truly due to their incompetence, negligence, and corrupt officials who were able to mutually benefit from their evil deeds.
The Emperor issued a special edict ordering local authorities to thoroughly investigate the "Three Fears" (a euphemism for trespassing or evading authority). The then Governor-General of Liangjiang, Yin Zhitai, was also severely reprimanded by the Emperor. I vaguely remember that back then, probably a dozen or so officials in prefectures, counties, and districts were stripped of their official ranks because of this. Although thirteen years have passed, I still remember it vividly.

At this point, Teacher Lou suddenly changed the subject, saying in a sinister tone, "Could it be that Jiangdu County also has these three fears?"

Before he could finish speaking, Magistrate Zheng shook his head in alarm, "No, absolutely not!"

Of course not! Otherwise, if these two academic officials impeach the Grand Secretary, and the Grand Secretary then impeaches the Emperor, what will become of their official positions?

Back then, the province-wide crackdown on the "three fears" phenomenon in Jiangsu caused quite a stir. Thirteen years later, if another one were to happen, Jiangdu County would be the first to bear the brunt. Zheng Sanwan felt like he wanted to die.

"If there is no such thing, why is Jiangdu County so protective of this scoundrel and litigious scholar? Does Jiangdu County not know about the corruption of collusion between officials and clerks in the Imperial Academy?"

Teacher Lou's voice was not loud and sounded very calm, but these two rhetorical questions concealed a huge "killing intent".

This startled Magistrate Zheng, causing him to completely change his attitude. He wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and said urgently, "This kind of scoundrel should have been stripped of his academic titles long ago. No need for you two academic officials to trouble yourselves; I will take care of it right now!"

Having said that, he rushed off to the front office, fearing that any further delay would cause the school officials to curse him as "Zheng the Three-Fears".

In fact, the phenomenon of "three fears" is very common in Jiangsu and other provinces. Even though Emperor Qianlong issued several decrees to rectify it, it was to no avail. In essence, it was a side effect of "local officials".

County magistrates come and go like flowing water, but local officials are rooted in the land for generations. If a county magistrate, who is an outsider, wants to stay in office, he can only rely on the local officials. Otherwise, there are no people to use and no officials to govern. How can he "govern the people" for the court?

Unless the local officials are driven to the brink of destruction by the local magistrates, this phenomenon is simply unsolvable. Which official isn't fully aware of this, yet they all tacitly remain silent, and even more unwilling to be labeled as "three-fear" (a derogatory term implying fear of the people, fear of the government, and fear of the people)?

This hat is not only a symbol of incompetence, but also a signal of dismissal and investigation.

Not wanting to be dismissed, Magistrate Zheng had no choice but to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, and dared not act as a peacemaker again.

Ok?
Zhao An was somewhat shocked, feeling that Professor Lou seemed to be even more professional than him.

“Although we academic officials cannot interfere in local affairs, we can still speak about them. It’s up to us to decide whether to say good things or bad things. If the locals do not respect us academic officials, then we academic officials will not say good things to them. If we academic officials have nothing good to say to them, do you think it’s difficult for the local officials?”

The over-sixty-year-old Teacher Lou, with the air of instructing his students, stroked his long beard and said with some emotion as he looked at Zhao An, who was listening attentively: "The key to everything in this world lies in the word 'saying.' The beauty of this word 'saying' lies in knowing when to stop. It's not necessary to actually find someone's weakness to coerce them. If you coerce others in everything, there will be no justice or order in this world. Lord Zhao, you are still young, so you should think about this principle carefully."

It's clearly implying something.

"Yes, yes, Lord Lou's teachings are very true."

Zhao An nodded repeatedly, then looked up and humbly asked, "Lord Lou just said that there is no sun, moon, or heaven and earth in the world. Does that mean that the world in our Great Qing is now completely upside down?"

"."

Teacher Lou nearly choked with anger, and after a long pause, he said awkwardly, "Lord Zhao, let's not beat around the bush. If we cooperate, we both benefit; if we fight, we both suffer."

What if we fight?

I can't say anymore.

Because there seems to be something wrong with what you just said; didn't you see the gleam in that scoundrel's eyes?

Ugh!
He thought he was upright and honest, and that everything he did was aboveboard. He had been an official with clean hands and a clean reputation, but in his old age, he was blackmailed by a scoundrel. Teacher Lou was heartbroken and filled with the injustice of losing his integrity in his later years.

Back at the front office, Zhou, the criminal advisor from Jiangdu County, and Feng, the head of the criminal department, were trying to persuade Qian Laoda. They were saying that the county magistrate had invited that Zhao, the professor from the prefectural school, to the back to "work" on Qian Laoda's behalf. They were telling him to take this opportunity to apologize to his brother-in-law, Wang Wanquan. As long as Wang Wanquan had no objections, Professor Zhao would most likely have no objections either.

That settles the matter.

"Old Qian, if you don't listen to my advice and Professor Zhao really reports you to the education authorities to have your degree revoked, then no one can help you with this. Listen to me, what's so shameful about apologizing to your own brother-in-law? Even if you don't care about your sister, you should at least think about your newborn nephew."

Manager Feng, who had a "cooperative" relationship with Qian for several years, looked earnest and didn't want Qian to cause him any big trouble.

“Brother, we’re all family, why make things like this? Mr. Zhou and Manager Feng are right, you should apologize to your brother-in-law.”

The third son of the Qian family, Qian Xiude, also joined in the persuasion, while the second son, Qian Xiuwu, who had been beaten, leaned against the entrance of the hall, looking very upset about being beaten unjustly.

"Alright, since you two put it that way, then I, as your brother-in-law, will bow my head first."

Old Master Qian was aware of the stakes. After nodding to the two advisors and the head of the department with whom he had a good relationship, he stopped arguing and walked up to his brother-in-law with a straight face. Instead of scolding himself first, he asked his brother-in-law what his relationship was with Professor Zhao of the prefectural school.

"Professor Zhao? My family has no connection with him."

The honest and straightforward Wang Wanquan was telling his brother-in-law the truth.

Wang Defa had mentioned his cousin in Xinghua to his son before, but at the time he only said that he had helped his cousin get a job in the tax office. Later, because he did not live with his son and daughter-in-law, and the tax office was busy with summer tax work, he never had a chance to talk about it in detail.

When Wang Defa learned that Zhao An had impersonated someone else to become an official at the prefectural school, out of caution and fear that his son might be implicated if the matter came to light, he chose to keep the secret to himself. As a result, Wang Wanquan, the cousin, was kept in the dark about having a cousin who was the school principal.

So, what could Boss Qian possibly find out?

Still not entirely convinced, he asked again, "It really has nothing to do with your Wang family?"

"No, definitely not, I don't know them."

Wang Wanquan shook his head firmly.

Qian Laoda knew his brother-in-law's character well and knew he wouldn't lie. After hesitating for a moment, he stammered that he should apologize to his brother-in-law, hoping that the other party would take the initiative to propose to the county magistrate that neither party would pursue the matter further, and that he would withdraw the petition.

Let's assume both sides were at fault today, and neither of us will bring it up again. We'll still be family from now on.

Just as he was about to speak, the county magistrate arrived with a livid face. Upon entering the hall, he first addressed the clerk, Zhou: "You shall immediately issue a document in the name of this county to the county school, effective immediately, stripping the unruly Qian Xiuwen of his student status!"

Before Master Zhou could react, the gavel slammed down, and the yamen runners were ordered: "Seize this scoundrel Qian Xiuwen immediately and give him fifty strokes of the cane! Beat him severely!"

(End of this chapter)