"I used to think you were a monk, but now I realize you are just a sinister beast in a monk's robe..."
"Tsk tsk... Some people look decent, but they are actually vile and filthy..."
Although the evil woman Ruonan let Zhu Ping'an go, she didn't treat him well for several days and even made sarcastic remarks to him from time to time.
After all, Zhu Pingan was at fault first, and he was embarrassed every time...
Hua'er stood up for Zhu Ping'an every time, and she didn't understand why the evil woman Ruonan slandered her own son-in-law every time... ...
On the second day, after performing various ceremonies, Zhu Ping'an officially took office and received visits from government officials.
However, since Zhu Ping'an was in charge of military preparations, he was destined not to stay in the office for long. He might even be more rooted in the local area than the patrol officers like Chuxiong. Therefore, although these officials were respectful to him, they did not fawn on him.
Of course, Zhu Ping'an was also happy to see this.
After officially taking office, Zhu Pingan found that this position of military preparation was a big pit, dark and big. Simply put, it was just like the line in the Love Apartment: not enough money, actors not decided, script not available yet... ...
Zhu Ping'an currently has only an imperial edict specially issued by the court to "rectify military preparations", and nothing else.
Although Zhu Ping'an has the power to command troops and lead all militias in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the current situation is that there is not a single militia under the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Criminal Procuratorate;
There is no money or food. At present, Zhu Ping'an has no money or food, and the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provincial Criminal Investigation Department has no budget for this.
There is no campsite.
No... ...
Zhu Ping'an is the only commander without any other troops. Zhu Ping'an's most important task at present is to solve these problems.
On the third day, Zhu Pingan went to visit Linhuai Hou Li Tingzhu. Linhuai Hou Li Tingzhu was the commander of the Jiang River and the commander of the left naval force of Yingtian Zuojun Dudufu, and was also in Yingtian Prefecture. It was reasonable for Zhu Pingan to visit him.
Linhuai Hou Li Tingzhu did not live in the Governor's Mansion, but rented a large house in Yingtian Prefecture.
The reason why Li Tingzhu, the Marquis of Linhuai, rented a house was not because he could not afford to buy one. In fact, with the economic strength of the Marquis of Linhuai, it was not a big deal to buy a house in Yingtian Prefecture. It was because of the strong anti-corruption policy of Emperor Hongwu. The laws of the Ming Dynasty prohibited local officials from buying houses in their places of office. Any official who dared to buy a house in the place where he was in office would be punished with fifty lashes, dismissed from office, and all the purchased houses would be confiscated. The law clearly stipulates: "All officials are not allowed to buy land and houses in the place where they are in office. Those who violate the law will be flogged fifty times, dismissed from office, and their land and houses will be confiscated by the government."
It is precisely because of the institutional constraints that even Linhuai Hou Li Tingzhu, who is not short of money, can only rent a house in Yingtian Prefecture.
The capital does not count.
Zhu Pingan often heard colleagues complain that the system was too harsh, but Zhu Pingan thought it was very clever. In modern times, Zhu Pingan has seen too many corrupt officials who have been corrupted by bribes such as real estate. The criminals gave officials houses or gave them big discounts when they bought houses. This disguised bribery method has corrupted countless officials who are not firm in their positions. Although this ban in the Ming Dynasty could not eliminate corruption, it at least solved some of it.
In addition to prohibiting local officials from purchasing real estate in their jurisdiction, the Ming Dynasty also prohibited them from marrying local women as wives and concubines. The law stipulates that any prefecture, state, or county official who marries a local woman as a wife or concubine during his tenure shall be punished with 80 strokes of the cane. The woman’s family and the person who presided over the wedding shall be punished with the same crime, and the wife and concubine shall be separated. The woman shall be given to the official as a gift, and the government shall pay the bride price. This regulation is to prevent officials from marrying local women, and the woman’s family from taking advantage of the official’s power to benefit, which would lead to more serious family corruption.
Of course, no matter how good a policy is, there will always be loopholes in its implementation, but it is still better than having no policy at all.
Zhu Ping'an brought a gift and came to the house where Linhuai Hou lived and handed over a visiting card.
"Fifth uncle, you are here! Do you need a visiting card? Just come in with me. The Marquis specifically told me to wait at the gatehouse yesterday, for he was afraid that the gatekeeper wouldn't recognize you, so he instructed that as soon as you arrived, you should be invited into the mansion immediately." Zhu Ping'an had just handed in the visiting card when a surprised voice came from the gatehouse.
Then, a familiar-looking man walked out of the gatehouse. It was Li Er, a small butler in the Linhuai Marquis Mansion in the capital.
It turned out that the Marquis of Linhuai had learned yesterday that I would take up the post of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Judicial Supervisory Office, and knew that I would definitely come to visit, so he specially ordered Li Er, who knew me, to sit at the gate and wait for me to come and provide convenience.
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle. Thank you for your hard work, Butler Li." Zhu Ping'an said with a bow.
"We are all family, so there is no need to be polite. Please come in, I will take you to see the Marquis." Li Er said, bending down.
The house rented by Linhuai Marquis Li Tingzhu was originally a private garden, but later it was converted into a residence. Although the courtyard area is smaller than that of the Linhuai Marquis Mansion in the capital, it also occupies a large area. The courtyard is exquisitely built, with a pool dug into the ground and a mountain made of stones. The living environment is much better than the building where Zhu Ping'an was assigned in the office of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provincial Criminal Investigation Office.
Zhu Ping'an was led into the mansion by Li Er. On the way, Li Er asked the maids in the mansion and learned that the Marquis of Linhuai was testing the younger son's academic performance in the study, so he led Zhu Ping'an directly to the study.
Test the younger boy's homework?!
Could it be that the naughty boy Rui Ge'er also followed Linhuai Hou to Yingtian Prefecture? ! Zhu Pingan guessed after hearing this.
Zhu Ping'an and his companion had just arrived at the study room, and before they even entered, they heard the angry voice of Linhuai Marquis Li Tingzhu, the sound of meat being hit with a bamboo stick, and the howling of the naughty boy Rui Ge'er like a pig being slaughtered... ... Hearing the naughty boy's distinctive howling, Zhu Ping'an knew that he had guessed right, the naughty boy Rui Ge'er had indeed come.
But, is it just a test on academic performance? Why corporal punishment?! How did the naughty kid offend his father again... ...
"My Lord, the fifth uncle is here." Li Er seemed to be accustomed to this scene and went forward to knock on the door.
"Zihou is here, please come in quickly."
After hearing the report, Linhuai Marquis Li Tingzhu walked out dragging his fat body with a rattan stick in his hand. He had just used it to teach the naughty child a lesson and he had not had time to throw it away.
"Ping'an greets uncle." Zhu Ping'an bowed in greeting.
"We are all family, why bother with all these red tape? Please come in." Linhuai Marquis Li Tingzhu patted Zhu Ping'an's shoulder with his fat hand and invited Zhu Ping'an into the study.
After entering the study, Zhu Ping'an saw the naughty kid Rui Ge'er as expected. At this moment, the naughty kid was crying, sniffling, and his shoulders were twitching. The two tears on his little fat face were particularly funny, and his face showed an expression of both aggrieved and unwilling. His two fat hands were rubbing desperately, and red marks on his palms were vaguely visible... ... It seemed that the naughty kid Rui Ge'er had just been hit on the palms with a rattan by Linhuai Hou.