Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 315 Don’t You Know You’re Wrong?

The difference between a prefectural governor and a county magistrate seems to be only a fine line.

The two individuals are respectively the heads of administrative departments at various levels.

They may seem similar, but in reality they are worlds apart.

Below the prefect were the prefectural commandant, the prefectural assistant, the inspector, the registrar, and the supervisor.

The story of Liu Bei whipping the inspector is well-known because it was a case of a subordinate defying his superior.

If Liu Bei were to whip the instructors and officials, everyone would just think it was pure workplace bullying, and that he was really going to get involved.

Therefore, even a mere inspector could completely control the county magistrate, allowing him to extort and demand bribes without restraint.

Not to mention the governor, the inspector's direct superior.

Even if this prefect is not a powerful minister like Song Shi'an, he is not someone a mere county magistrate can easily influence.

Prefect of Huai County, Song Shi'an...

Zhang Cun's mind is still buzzing.

It's almost blank.

It felt completely unreal, like a dream.

Until the stern rebuke from the yamen servants inside the hall.

"Stay still and don't move!"

The young master's hand had already gripped Song Shi'an's wrist, preparing to subdue him and take him away.

Zhang Cun looked up in astonishment and saw this scene.

In an instant, I was brought back to reality.

Cold sweat immediately broke out on his forehead.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly, then violently constricted, and I almost couldn't catch my breath!

"Don't move!" After swallowing hard, his heart pounding like it was on a rollercoaster, he immediately shouted.

"Did you hear me? Your father told you to behave yourself!" The young master grabbed Song Shi'an by the waist and warned him again.

Song Shi'an was being manipulated by him, but his expression remained completely calm.

"I told you not to move, stand aside!" Zhang Cun stood up and waved his hands vigorously. "You, you, and all of you, stand over there! Who gave you permission to lay a hand on me!"

"..."

Everyone was stunned and began to look at each other in bewilderment.

What do you mean by "who gave me the opportunity to work with them"?

Isn't it you?
What's wrong with you, Master?
"Get out of the way! Are you all trying to rebel?"

After Zhang Cun added that sentence, they quickly scattered and stood on both sides.

This scene left the patrol officer who had brought Song Shi'an over and even whipped him completely dumbfounded. He stood there stunned, caught off guard.

"Are you alright?" Xin Yue, who was standing next to Song Shi'an, touched his elbow with her hand.

"It seems to be broken." Song Shi'an grimaced, looking like he was in pain.

These words terrified Zhang Cun so much that his legs went weak.

But he's not easily intimidated!

This fish-shaped talisman couldn't possibly be fake, because its craftsmanship is very similar to my own, only more refined, and the materials are different, making it quite difficult to counterfeit.

Furthermore, the gilded fish tally was only issued to high-ranking officials of the third rank or above in the imperial court. If an ordinary person dared to steal or misuse it, their entire family would be executed.

The punishments given to imposters in ancient times should not be underestimated.

After all, in that era of limited information, impersonating an official could cause huge losses to the imperial court, and even lead to the loss of a city.

Not to mention impersonating Song Shi'an.

"How did you get this?" Zhang Cun asked, trying his best to remain calm.

How could this thing possibly appear on a refugee couple?

But these two people really don't look like ordinary people.

The woman is too beautiful.

The man is too handsome.

Moreover, his demeanor suggested he wasn't poor, and the fact that he could recite "Exhortation to Learning" so fluently and without hesitation suggested he was at least a down-on-his-luck scholar...

“It’s mine,” Song Shi’an said calmly, looking at him.

Zhang Cun picked it up with both hands, then respectfully raised it and introduced it: "This is a fish tally, and it belongs to Lord Song, a third-rank official of the imperial court."

These words stunned everyone in the hall.

Their gazes were all fixed on Song Shi'an.

What? ! !
“This is Lord Song’s fish tally, how could it be yours?” Zhang Cun asked the two men sternly.

Song Shi'an did not speak, but maintained a calm smile.

“Impersonating an official of the imperial court is a capital offense, and what you’ve done is impersonate Lord Song,” Zhang Cunyi said sternly. “Explain immediately where this came from.”

"This is mine."

Song Shi'an said simply.

"..."

Inside the county government office, everything froze.

Meanwhile, outside the county government office, a young servant on duty secretly opened the bundle left behind by the young and beautiful woman.

Although they were poor, they had to bring some valuables with them when they fled famine, at the very least some copper coins.

However, upon opening it, what immediately came into view was a red robe.

Moreover, it was an official robe...

Suddenly, his body tensed. After looking around, he quickly resealed the bundle and put it back on the ground.

My heart is beating faster and faster.

Finally, he decided to report it to his father.

So he ran into the county government office. In the tense atmosphere of the main hall, when their eyes met, he quietly went around to the side and stood next to the magistrate. He covered his mouth and whispered, "Your Honor, there is an official robe in this woman's bundle."

"!" Zhang Cun's eyes widened like copper bells.

"The robe is red," the young master whispered again.

"..." Zhang Cun slowly looked at the person who came to report, then slowly turned back to look at Song Shi'an.

Lifting the wrinkled cuffs of his sleeves that had been pressed against him, Song Shi'an shook them forcefully, instantly transforming from a commoner reporting to an official into a figure of imposing authority and stern authority, with sharp and piercing eyes.

Zhang Cun immediately knelt down.

The other county officials watched as their magistrate, a man of supreme power in Cishan, staggered forward from the edge of his desk.

The others' knees also happened to buckle, and they all knelt on the ground.

"This humble official, Zhang Cun, was blind and did not recognize a great man. I did not know that Lord Song was visiting incognito and had offended you..." Trembling, he crawled to Song Shi'an's feet, not daring to raise his head, fear had taken over his whole body.

This person could very well be Song Shi'an.

Because the imperial convoy had already arrived at Cishan.

Given this official's personality, wouldn't it be perfectly normal for him to travel incognito?
Damn it, how did my men manage to catch them...?

Wait, I need to think of a way to shift the blame onto him!

Did I arrest Lord Song?

Moreover, I even whipped him?

me……

Plop.

The kneeling young master suddenly went black, his body twisted to the ground, and he fainted.

The others didn't even dare to look at it.

tread, tread, tread...

Footsteps echoed in the lobby.

Zhang Cun felt the dark figure in front of him disappear.

He slowly turned his head while kneeling.

Song Shi'an walked to the desk, sat down in the chair, leaned back, and stood as calmly as Mount Tai. At this moment, the roles of offense and defense shifted.

Xin Yue stood beside him, cold as a Valkyrie.

Why not accept people who settle in the military farms?

Song Shi'an's words were like a thunderbolt from the sky, a bolt from the blue, sending chills down one's spine.

“Prefect, Prefect.” Zhang Cun hurriedly crawled toward Song Shi’an and raised his head to explain, “The Prefect has given Cishan an order to register the names of the people who have settled in the fields, and also said that he will take in the refugees who have no food.”

"So?" Song Shi'an asked.

Swallowing hard again, Zhang Cun explained, "But Cishan is a poor mountain county and can't support so many people..."

"So you're not going to take any of them?" Song Shi'an asked again.

"Reporting to the Prefect, the original intention was to take in some people, but once this door is opened, the rest of the people will probably rush in..." Zhang Cun said, already feeling guilty and unable to meet the gaze of the other people.

"Is there a disaster in Cishan?"

"Reporting to the Lord: No, nothing."

"Is Cishan experiencing a poor harvest this year?"

"Reporting to the Lord. The harvest is about the same as in previous years."

"What about the people of the past..."

Song Shi'an stared at him, then suddenly flew into a rage and shouted, "Are we going to starve to death like this after the autumn harvest?!"

"..." Zhang Cun was almost scared to death. Knowing that he was doomed, he hurriedly said, "Reporting to the Prefect, these people were originally tenant farmers who were attached to some large families in Cishan. However, next year, they will be preparing to settle down and cultivate land, so these people have broken away. Because the number is too large, the government is unable to supply them."

Xin Yue immediately became furious: "The Lord and I clearly saw so many tenant farmers lacking food and cooking. Did they all leave voluntarily? Did they starve themselves?"

“Yes, some want to negotiate with the big landlords to lower the land rent and voluntarily leave.” Zhang Cun had no choice but to apologize to the big landlords and say in a slightly negative way, “Some big landlords want to cultivate land, so they dismiss their tenants.”

"Why didn't they store their winter food before they were dismissed?" Song Shi'an asked.

“Yes, I have also taken men to persuade those people,” Zhang Cun said with great difficulty, “but they are all unwilling to pay their share of the grain.”

“Look at me,” Song Shi’an said coldly.

Zhang Cun looked at him nervously.

Then he saw Song Shi'an raise his finger, point to his own face, and calmly ask, "Is this your business or mine?"

"...It's my business! It's my business!" Zhang Cun said. "I'll go and get those wealthy households to provide grain and settle the winter rations for the tenants!"

In response, Song Shi'an simply laughed: "Do you think there's still a chance?"

These words chilled him to the bone.

Do I still have a chance?

I arrested the prefect.

He even found out about this. Do I even have a chance?
That person is a favorite of His Highness the Crown Prince.

“My lord, I was wrong! I was really wrong!” Zhang Cun burst into tears and cried, “Please give me another chance, my lord, so that I may serve you again… Even if you don’t let me work here anymore, I don’t want to cause you any trouble or trouble for the county.”

"Are these the county's account books?" Song Shi'an picked up a few books and asked casually.

"Yes, it is."

Looking at him with trepidation, Zhang Cun choked up.

Song Shi'an opened it and began to read.

Zhang Cun's cold sweat slid down even faster, sneaking into his collar and spreading under his inner garment.

"How many tenants are there in Cishan?" Song Shi'an asked.

“Reporting to the Lord, a rough estimate... should be more than seven thousand people.” After saying that, Zhang Cun quickly corrected himself, “But some families are hiding, so the total may be more than ten thousand.”

We can no longer continue to favor these powerful and corrupt individuals.

Everyone knows that Song Shi'an came here to kill a lot of dogs.

Therefore, I must be the Lord's loyal hound!
"There's quite a bit of grain in this granary," Song Shi'an said after calculating. "If we open the granaries and distribute the grain, it shouldn't be a problem for these registered tenants to get through the winter, right?"

“Your Excellency, it’s barely enough,” Zhang Cun explained, “but if you factor in the salary the government will pay, it won’t be enough.”

"But your salaries from last year haven't been paid either," Song Shi'an asked jokingly. "What, you're going to start giving out money now that I'm here?"

It's common for salaries to go unpaid.

It exists all over the country.

Let's not discuss whether this is right or wrong.

You didn't give it when the prefect was in power, but you will now.

What, you're using my money as a favor?
"Your Excellency, even without salaries, this amount of grain will likely only last these people until February or March of next year..."

“That’s enough. I’ll take everyone with me then,” Song Shi’an said. “As for you county officials, at least half of you will be transferred to the military farms. The rest of you will stay here; you won’t starve.”

"Yes!" Zhang Cun readily expressed his loyalty. "We will immediately use all the grain in the granary to cooperate with the Prefect in the land reclamation. We will also tighten our belts and not cause the Prefect or the court any trouble!"

It's nothing more than vomiting blood.

Let this matter pass.

If you can pass the test, even if you don't get promoted, you can keep your position as county magistrate.

No, at least we must save their lives!

If the big boss had been a little more narrow-minded, he would have lost his mind by now for what he did today.

"Go check the treasury."

Song Shi'an suddenly stood up.

"..." In an instant, Zhang Cun's face turned pale.

His legs were weak, but he managed to get up.

Standing hunched over beside Song Shi'an, he forced a smile and said, "My lord, the treasury is too dirty. You don't need to go there yourself."

"Dirty?" Song Shi'an looked himself up and down. "Isn't this the kind of place that's perfect for a dirty person like me?"

“Then, then Your Excellency should go and see for yourself tonight…” Zhang Cun stammered as he explained, “There is still some grain that has been taken out to dry, but it hasn’t been put into storage yet.”

"Then let's look at the others."

Song Shi'an ignored him and continued walking forward.

Zhang Cun followed closely beside him.

Suddenly, his legs gave way and he collapsed to his knees.

After glancing at him, Song Shi'an said, "Someone, help the esteemed man walk."

"……Yes!"

A man came and helped Zhang Cun, as if he were dragging someone who was paralyzed from the waist down, and followed Song Shi'an to the county government's treasury.

Zhang Cun was speechless.

Just following along.

Upon arriving at the treasury gate, the young master addressed the registrar, who had already heard about the commotion and had come specifically for this purpose, saying, "Registrar, this is the Prefect. Please open the treasury gate."

"..." The registrar looked at the county magistrate, who was now as thin as a noodle, and opened the storeroom door with trembling hands, then stood outside dumbfounded.

Upon entering, dozens of bags of grain were displayed in the courtyard for ventilation, piled up.

Xinyue walked over, picked up the bamboo knife, and stabbed him.

The white grains flowed out.

"Open the door."

In the end, only the large warehouse remained.

All the county government's grain is stored here.

With the leader caught, the gatekeeper could only open the door with trembling hands.

The warehouse door was slowly pushed open.

The interior of the vast warehouse is solemnly presented.

The entire granary was completely empty.

Zhang Cun knelt down with a thud, his eyes red, and said, "My lord, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong..."

Song Shi'an slowly turned his head: "You don't know you're wrong, you know you're going to die."