The dividends from the war against Japan were paid out one after another.
Zhu Pingan was promoted to the fifth rank of Commander of the Imperial Criminal Investigation Department; Liu Mu, Liu Dazhou, Liu Dazhou, Liu Dahan, Liu Daxue, Liu Dajiang, and Liu Dazhong were all promoted to the lowest rank of the military officials – small banners; and more than 2,000 people who participated in defending the city of Jingnan were also rewarded with a bounty that was more generous than they could imagine. ……
Not long after Zhu Pingan and the others returned to the county office, they received an official document sent by the Ministry of Revenue in a fast and furious manner.
The ministry was very efficient this time, and the final punishments for the “double punishment” of the county minister Zhang, the chief bookkeeper Yao, and the chief historian Li came to an end.
The Ministry of Administration issued a document: Zhang county minister, Yao bookkeeper to reduce the post as a citizen, never reappointed; Li Denshi army to send to Liaodong.
Of course, the three of them were also punished by confiscating their family assets.
“Big Sword, Big Hammer, Big Steel, you six people in groups of two, respectively lead the team to go to Zhang County Procurator, Yao Bookmaster, Li Denshi’s residence to copy the family. In addition to leaving them with the necessary necessities, all other properties, house deeds, land deeds, etc. will be confiscated. Keep an eye on your men, and during the process of copying the homes, strictly forbid the harassment of the women’s families.”
After receiving the official document from the Ministry of Officials, Zhu Pingan ordered Liu Dazhou and Liu Mu to lead their teams to confiscate the family properties of the three families.
The tree fell and the rhesus monkeys dispersed, if Zhang County Minister and the others were still in office, it would definitely be difficult to raid their homes. However, at this time, they have already been cut down by the Ministry of Justice, and no longer have any power, Liu Dagger did not encounter any obstacles to copy the family.
Zhang county minister’s family is the most abundant, a total of copied out of two hundred and eighty two gold, silver 11,400 taels, gold and silver jewellery a box, antiques and paintings a car, five street shops, more than 300 acres of good land, not to mention three into three out of the mansion. This family is really thick ah, worthy of being in the Jingnan entrenched for decades, scavenging for decades of the land snake!
Li Dianshi’s wealth is about the average of Zhang County Minister, a total of 100 taels of gold, 6,500 taels of silver, a box of gold and silver jewellery, antiques and paintings are very few, presumably Li Dianshi is a big old man, antiques and paintings do not have a cold, but Li Dianshi hands more than the County Minister of Zhang’s property, more than six hundred acres.
Master Yao’s family is the least, but there are also a hundred taels of gold, three thousand taels of silver, a hundred acres of good land, the collection of more than fifty pairs of paintings and calligraphy, Master Yao is very literate, the collection of paintings and calligraphy are masterpieces, the value of a lot of money.
“All good people ah, solved this official’s urgent need ……”
Zhu Pingan couldn’t help but pull the corners of his mouth after looking at the list of Liu Mu, Liu Dazhou and their confiscated properties.
“Brother Mu, these house deeds, land deeds, and their mansions, all of them should be taken off as soon as possible as well. Post a notice outside the county office that they can be sold at a discount of 80%, on a first-come-first-served basis. Of course, if there is simultaneous competition, the highest bidder will win.”Zhu Pingan explained to Liu Mu.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”Liu Mu cupped his fists and led the way.
After the notices were posted, there were many commoners who were interested in buying fields and houses and land, they had just received the reward silver and were being generous with their hands. In the farming era, they were obsessed with fields, and after seeing the notice of selling fields and properties, the people came by the wind, and the people who registered to buy fields, shops, and properties were close to trampling the threshold of the county government office.
In less than a day, the fields and shops of the three families were all offloaded, arriving at more than fifteen thousand taels of silver.
The mansions of the three families, as well as the paintings and calligraphy of celebrities, antiques, and curiosities have not yet been taken off their hands for the time being.
However, with tens of thousands of taels of silver in hand, Zhu Pingan is not in a hurry.
The Ministry of Justice has also sent word that the county township, chief bookkeeper, and the chief historian of the Jingnan County Office will be appointed in place along with the new magistrate.
During this period of time, the magistrate, chief bookkeeper, and historian of the Jingnan County Office will remain vacant until the new magistrate takes office. Zhu Ping’an was the only one in the leadership of the Jingnan County Yamen who was a “line” governor.
In fact, to Zhu Pingan, it made no difference whether there was a county magistrate, chief minister, or chief historian. Previously, when they were still in office, they were not cooperating with the work, not doing their jobs, but just pulling back, affecting the efficiency of the administration. Now without them, Zhu Pingan feels that the county government office runs more smoothly.
At the time when Li Dianshi was sentenced to military service and left Jingnan County in shackles, the autumn harvest also began.
Early in the morning, the red sun rose, and the heavy rice bent over to greet the sunrise, announcing its maturity.
Zhu Pingan led a group of people from the Jingnan County Office to the head of the paddy fields of the suburban village about ten miles outside the county town early in the morning, and surrounded by the elders and gentry of the eight villages in the ten miles, began the autumn harvest sacrifice ceremony.
The so-called autumn harvest festival is to offer sacrifices to the earth mother and the first farmers, to pray for a smooth autumn harvest and a good harvest, and to seek a good omen for the upcoming autumn harvest. “The ancient people, who valued farming and ploughing, attached great importance to it, from the emperor to the common people, which can be felt from the ballad sung by the children playing in crotchless trousers at the head of the field, “February 2, the dragon lifts its head, the son of heaven ploughs the land and the ministers drive the oxen, and the Queen comes to deliver the food, the ministers of the court throw away the seeds, plough in the spring and plough in the summer, and lead the world to a good harvest and a prosperous future.Rate the world, the five grains are abundant and peaceful autumn ……”
Zhu Pingan, as the governor of Jingnan, has the duty of advising classes on agriculture and mulberry, and can only follow the customs of the countryside.
Today’s autumn harvest festival is a small festival, praying for a smooth autumn harvest, until the autumn harvest is completed, in the month of Mengdong auspicious day there will also be a social grain of the main festival, that is, the so-called “spring praying for the autumn report” of the “autumn report” of the festival.
“The auspicious time has come.”
The magistrate of the county government office, old man Liu, litigated, a few young and strong people set off firecrackers, and Zhu Pingan led the crowd to start the autumn festival.
“The heavens are above, the thick earth is below, Zhu Pingan, the governor of Jingnan, brings the Jingnan fathers and mothers to pay homage. Chinese farming has a long history. The Divine Farmer, heaven and earth look down on; father heaven and mother earth, grow grains, nourish all things, today I hope to pray for the blessing of a smooth autumn harvest and a good harvest of all grains ……”Zhu Pingan was at the head and recited the sacrificial words.
After the ritual was completed, Zhu Pingan led a group of county magistrates to roll up their sleeves, roll up their trouser legs, go down to the paddy field and harvest a bundle of rice. Amidst the cheers of the common people, the curtain of Jingnan’s autumn harvest was drawn.
“Many thanks to the Great Lord Governor for letting me return home from prison to help my old mother cut the rice. My mother is old and has difficulty with her legs, if it weren’t for the Great Master of the Magistrate’s favour, my family’s eight acres of rice paddies would have rotted in the ground this year, thank you, Great Master of the Magistrate. After the autumn harvest, I will definitely return to the prison on time ……”
As Zhu Pingan was on his way to inspect the autumn harvest, a man who was cutting rice ran to the ground and knelt down to thank Zhu Pingan. His mother, whose legs were not convenient, also leaned on her crutches to kneel down and thank Zhu Pingan.
Zhu Pingan was quick to help the mother up and encouraged them.
Such scenes happened many times when Zhu Ping An was inspecting the autumn harvest in various villages. Zhu Ping An also encouraged them with good words.
When there is food in the house, there is no panic in the heart.
Looking at the smooth progress of the autumn harvest and the heartfelt smiles on the faces of the people, Zhu Pingan, who had not rested properly for several days, felt refreshed.
