After Zhu Ping'an learned about the situation in the prison, he had an idea in mind. However, based on the principle of "listen to both sides and you will be enlightened, only listen to one side and you will be blinded", he changed into his regular clothes, took Liu Mu and Liu Dadao out of the county government, and went to the villages below for a private visit to further understand the situation on the ground and conduct sufficient research for the implementation of the idea.
After Zhu Ping'an left, Zhang Danian, the clerk of the Criminal Department, immediately went to report to Zhang Xiancheng and Yao Zhubu.
"This little county magistrate just walked around the cell and asked a few prisoners about their conditions? What did he want to do?"
After listening to Zhang Danian's report, County Magistrate Zhang was confused about what Zhu Ping'an wanted to do, so he turned to look at Chief Clerk Yao.
Yao Zhubu plays the role of a think tank in their party. County Magistrate Zhang would refer to Yao Zhubu's opinions on many important matters. For example, it was Yao Zhubu's idea to unite the six clerks to refuse to cooperate with Zhu Ping'an in his work.
"What did he ask? Tell me from the beginning." Yao Zhubu narrowed his eyes and looked at Zhang Danian.
"When he first entered the prison, he asked how big the prison was and how many rooms there were. Later, when he entered the outer prison, he asked why there were so many prisoners and what crimes they had committed. Later, he asked several other prisoners why they were detained. When he entered the inner prison, he asked again why there were so many prisoners and why they were detained?" Zhang Danian answered truthfully.
"After understanding the situation, how does he look?" Yao Zhubu asked again.
"Expression?" Zhang Danian was stunned. He tried to recall it and replied uncertainly, "It seems very solemn."
"Haha, that's right." Yao Zhubu laughed when he heard it. "Do you remember the first time the little county magistrate went to court to summon all the officials of the county government? The little county magistrate divided the official duties of the county government. In addition to being responsible for the overall work, he was also in charge of the trial of the cases. Haha, Zhang Dianli took his time to do a good job, and the files have not been handed over to the little county magistrate. The little county magistrate has no way to understand the backlog of lawsuits. He can't do anything about Zhang Dianli, and he can't wait, so he can only go to the prison to understand the situation. Seeing that the prison is overcrowded, of course he must be worried, it would be strange if he didn't look solemn."
After listening to Yao Zhubu's analysis, County Magistrate Zhang agreed with it deeply and couldn't help laughing. It was indeed so. What else could a small county magistrate like him do except look solemn
Zhang Dianli also laughed.
The room was filled with the trio's triumphant laughter.
While the three of them were laughing triumphantly, Zhu Ping'an and his party had already arrived at the first village, which was the closest village to the county town. After entering the village, Zhu Ping'an first went to the fields to check on the growth of the crops.
Zhu Ping'an was born in the countryside. His eldest uncle was unproductive and his fourth uncle was lazy. Thanks to them, Zhu Ping'an had often gone to the fields with his father and brothers since he was a child and was no stranger to planting and harvesting crops.
The main agriculture in this village is rice planting. The rice in the fields is about to be harvested. The rice grains are orange yellow, but the overall growth is very average. Judging from the traces in the fields and nearby areas, the rice here has experienced a flood. Zhu Ping'an estimates that the yield per acre will be reduced by about 20% to 30%.
There was an old farmer who was resting on the ridge during a break from farming nearby. Zhu Ping'an approached him and started a conversation with him. He learned from the old farmer that their rice had indeed just experienced a flood disaster, and after the flood, there was also a locust swarm. Fortunately, the scale of the disaster was not large, so their village was lucky enough to escape. However, the yield of this crop of rice is estimated to be reduced by at least 30%.
"Alas, there was a disaster and the grain production decreased, but the taxes have not been reduced at all. Life is so difficult..." the old farmer sighed.
"Father, our village has suffered from floods and locust disasters. Doesn't the village have an organization to report this to the county government? After the report, the county government will send people to survey the disaster and report to the state government, which can reduce or exempt some taxes as appropriate." Zhu Ping'an asked puzzledly.
"It has been reported, why not? We have reported every disaster for so many years, but it's useless. No one cares about us. We have to pay the taxes for so many years. If we can't pay, we will be fined or even arrested. These officials only know how to collect taxes, and they don't care about our life or death. The family of Da Niu in our village suffered the most serious disaster last year. Poor them, their few acres of paddy fields yielded less than 10% of the harvest in previous years, and they couldn't raise the tax even if they sold their houses and iron. They were thrown into jail before the New Year. Now it's time to harvest rice again, and Da Niu is still in jail. How can they, an orphan and a widow, harvest the rice in the fields? Oh, life is hard..." The old farmer shook his head and sighed again and again, with the wrinkles on his forehead as deep as the gullies in the fields.
Zhu Pingan frowned when he heard this. His predecessor was derelict of duty...
According to regulations, disasters should be reported to higher authorities, with the people reporting to the county magistrate, who should report to his superiors as soon as possible, and then form a disaster survey team. The county magistrate should personally go to the villages to survey the disaster, count the number of people affected and the scope of the disaster, distinguish between the serious and the urgent, provide disaster relief, and request reduction or exemption of corvée and taxes... ...
According to what my father-in-law said, it seems that all the previous Jingnan county magistrates have not done this, which is already a serious dereliction of duty.
However, in ancient times, the power of the county magistrate lacked supervision and restriction, and such dereliction of duty and even abuse of power often occurred.
When officials do not do their job, the people suffer greatly. Zhu Ping'an has truly felt this.
People’s life is not easy.
Zhu Ping'an said goodbye to his father-in-law, went into the village and visited several households, and then went to the next village.
The situation in this village is very similar to that in the previous village, with similar situations.
For the third village, Zhu Ping'an chose Dayao Village, which was the village where Mr. Yao lived whom he met at the city gate when he came to Jingnan.
When they arrived at Dayao Village, Zhu Ping'an first learned about the village's crop conditions, then asked the villagers about Mr. Yao's residence. He brought some cakes and took Liu Mu and Liu Dadao to visit Mr. Yao.
After knocking on the door and entering Yao's house, Yao was stunned at first when he saw Zhu Ping'an coming. It was only when Zhu Ping'an smiled innocently and called him "Old Yao" that Yao recognized Zhu Ping'an. He was surprised and excited, and shouted with trembling lips, "Your humble servant greets the magistrate," and was about to kneel down to greet Zhu Ping'an.
Zhu Ping'an stepped forward and supported Mr. Yao without waiting for him to kneel down.
"Mr. County Magistrate, you have really come to our Dayao Village. My wife, son, and daughter-in-law, please come out quickly to greet the Mr. County Magistrate. The Mr. County Magistrate has come to see an old man like me." Old Man Yao shouted excitedly into the house, urging his wife, son, and daughter-in-law to come out to greet Zhu Ping'an.
"No need to be so polite. Please stand up, everyone." When Yao's family came out to pay their respects, Zhu Ping'an waved his hand and asked them to stand up.
"Master Magistrate, if you want to come, just come. Why do you bring anything with you?"
Old Yao said this with a proud look on his face. He then turned to look at his wife, son, and daughter-in-law, and said with a bit of pride and boasting, "When I told you this at the beginning, you didn't believe me. You said the county magistrate was just a formality. But now, the county magistrate is as good as his word. He has come as soon as he said he would."