Du Xun had breakfast, prepared firewood in the shed with his wife, and waited for Du Zhongxiao to come back from pulling the lees and steaming the wine.

When the two of them were busy, the little guy sent by Director Tang hurriedly came and said to Du Xun: "Xiucai, it's not good!" ”

Du Xun came out of the shed and asked, "Who are you?" What's wrong? ”

The little servant gasped for two breaths before he said: "Today, when your little official and Han Daddy, who sells wine, were buying wine lees in my restaurant, they came to the Chen Jie level, and together with the little staff of 'Qixiangju', they were arrested. ”

Du Xun was taken aback: "Why did they arrest people?" ”

"It was said that he was buying sake lees and going home to make moonshine. The petty officials are divided into three parts, and they have never brewed privately, but they just don't listen to that section and insist on arresting people. When my supervisor saw that it wasn't the number of roads, he ordered me to inform Xiucai. ”

Du Xun listened to it, and connected with Wu Kejiu, who Du Zhongxiao said a few days ago, went to Hanjiajiao to make trouble, and understood seven or eight points in his heart. The liquor business has to face the strict laws of the imperial court, which cannot be avoided. The pros and cons have long been understood.

Commanding his wife, Du Xun said to the little servant: "Lead the way, let's go to your restaurant first." ”

When Du Xun followed the little servant to the "Yaojiazheng Store", the sun had risen high, and most of the people gathered in front of the restaurant dispersed. Only Han Yueniang was left in front of the restaurant, guarding the car loaded with wine lees, crying. A few archers not far away, looking at the car and Han Yueniang.

Seeing that Director Tang was still standing in front of the restaurant, Du Xun stepped forward and arched his hand: "Thank you for informing the director." ”

Director Tang stomped his feet and said, "Xiucai is here!" Chen Jiejie took your little official and Han Lian away, and sent someone to watch over the place, saying that the wine lees on the car were stolen goods, and no one was allowed to move, just waiting for them to come back. I don't think it's the number of roads, and there is a way to do it only when the show comes. ”

Du Xun thanked him again and asked, "I don't know where they took my son and Brother Han to?" ”

"I sent someone to follow and watch, but I was not escorted to the county office, but was locked up in a small courtyard not far from the county office. I asked people, the small courtyard is in front of a yaqian in the county, and I think it is because I am familiar with Chen Jiejie. ”

Han Lian nodded: "I understand, what Chen Jiejie is not here to catch the bootleg wine at all, he is just to provoke and make trouble." It's okay, I'll go to the county office, meet the county order, and explain the matter. A section level, you can also cover the sky in the county! ”

After speaking, Du Xun comforted Han Yueniang in the past, and asked in detail what happened today, and then rushed to the county office.

There is a bookstore next to the county government, and Du Xun doesn't need a central person, so he wrote a piece of paper, saying that Wu Xiaoyuan in the county colluded with Chen Jiejie of the county government to oppress the good people, and handed it in.

Today, the county is on duty with Wei Absei, and when he saw the pleadings handed in, he couldn't help but be taken aback. As this year's Fa Xie Jinshi, Wei Zhisi naturally met Du Xun, and also participated in the farewell banquet held for him in the county at that time. Although Du Xunluodi, the status of the township tribute jinshi is there, and the state and county and even the imperial court have his name. There are things in the county that have to be brought forward by such people.

After receiving the pleadings, Wei Zhisi didn't dare to slack off, and hurriedly asked the messenger to let Du Xun into the side hall.

After entering the side hall and ordering tea, Wei Zhisi arched his hand: "I have read Xiucai's pleadings, but it is a little difficult to handle now." ”

Du Xundao: "At the level of a section, there is no summons in his hand, there is no official document, so he arrested the good people and locked them up, which is illegal." This matter is clearly understood, why is it difficult for the priest to say? ”

Wei Zhisi sighed: "Don't hide Xiucai, Chen Jiejie is under the control of Xu County Lieutenant. The county lieutenant went to the countryside on business, and it would take a few days to return. ”

Du Xun couldn't help but laugh when he heard this: "Oshi, the county lieutenant is not here, the county order is here." The affairs of a county, and what the county order can't manage? ”

Wei Absi smiled bitterly: "Exactly. Shi County Ling is old, his energy is low, and he doesn't care about anything in the county. This matter—"

Du Xun went to Beijing to take the exam last year, and he went for a few months, but he didn't know that the county officials had changed. The newly transferred Shi County Order is a special name from the name, he was old when he came out, and he was finally promoted to the county order after many years of hardship, and he only wanted to finish his term of office and retire at that time. Since arriving in Linying County, Shi County Ling has not cared about anything, and all the affairs in the county have been handed over to the chief bookkeeper and the county lieutenant, and he has sat in the county government to cultivate his self-cultivation. Everyone in the county government knows that they don't bother him with anything, but only go to the chief bookkeeper and the county lieutenant.

The special performance name is a person who has participated in the imperial examination many times, and has fallen into the first place every time, and when he reaches a certain age, he has participated in many provincial examinations, and finally the imperial court gives him the title of Jinshi. They will also be crowned officials, but their official positions are low, and it is difficult to be promoted. As Shi County Order, being the head of a county is already good in the name of the special performance. In the Song Dynasty, the officials of the Beijing Dynasty were the heads of a county, which was called the magistrate, and the low-level candidates were called county orders. This is the practice of the Song Dynasty, the Beijing Dynasty officials to the local officials, generally called to know something, not only the county, the state, but also the state and county bureaucrats. Knowing something, knowing the county, is higher than directly serving in formal ministries and county orders.

Listening to Wei Zhisi's words, Du Xun couldn't help frowning: "The county lieutenant is not in the city, and the county order doesn't matter, isn't it up to these junior officials at the Chen Jie level to do whatever they want?" How can this be handled? What should my son do if they have a bad heart and use lynching? ”

Wei Absi just shook his head, looking helpless.

Arresting thefts, investigating alcohol prohibitions, and the like are all the duties of the county lieutenant, how dare Wei Zhisi, a servant, dare to take care of the affairs of the officials? Or is it because Du Xun is a township tribute jinshi in the end, Wei Zhusi came out to accompany him to talk, if it was an ordinary person, he would have rejected the pleadings a long time ago.

Du Xun thought for a while, stood up suddenly, and said to Wei Zhisi: "No, you can't wait like this!" I heard that Chen Jiejie did not take people into the county office, but locked them up in a small courtyard outside. Who knows if he will be lynched? The so-called torture into a trick, then everything will be unclear. I know that the person who is the county lieutenant Xu is stubborn and self-serving, and he can't tell anyone at all, can he still be good if it falls into his hands? At the section level, regardless of whether the county order is in charge or not, please help me get through, I always have to be convinced. ”

Wei Zhisi had no choice but to get up and say, "In this way, Xiucai will sit down for a while, and I will go in and inform the county order." ”

Seeing Wei Zhisi get up and walk to the back office, Du Xun had to wait patiently.

After a short time, Wei Zhisi came out again, handed a piece of paper to Du Xun in his hand, and said: "The county order heard that you are the township tribute of this county, and you attach great importance to it." Cheered up, read the lawsuit, and wrote down this warrant. Xiucai took it and handed it over to Chen Jie. ”

Du Xun took the paper, read it, and saw that it was just a few clichés. In the end, Chen Jiejie was instructed that the Du family was a family of lifters, and lynching should not be used casually. Du Zhongxiao and Han Lian, who were arrested, took a good look at them, and everything waited for the county lieutenant Xu to return to the county.

After reading the warrant of Shi County's order, Du Xun couldn't help but tremble with his hands, and said to Wei Zhisi: "Charge, what is the difference between this warrant and not?" It's better to wait for the county lieutenant Xu to come back. Those people at the Chen Jie level are like wolves and tigers, in a few days, who knows what they will do? ”

Wei Zhisi spread his hands and said helplessly: "The county order has no psychological matter, what can be done in the next official?" ”

Du Xun paced back and forth, and after a while, he said categorically: "If that's the case, I have to go to the state for a walk!" ”

Wei Abssi arched his hand: "Xiucai is the right way to go to the state." The newcomer Zhizhou Mei Xun was originally a bachelor of Hanlin, and he was the best person, and he would definitely be able to judge the case. Moreover, the governors in the state are all scholars, so watching shows is naturally different from ordinary people. ”

Du Xun looked at Wei Zhisi and saw that his expression was sincere, and there was no pretense in the slightest, and he wanted to say the truth. The state is different from the county, there are many officials there, and most of them are scholars, and there is another attitude towards Du Xun's township tribute jinshi.

The city and the country, the state and the county are sometimes two worlds. In the counties of the Song Dynasty, due to the small population and underdeveloped economy, the head of a county was not much different from the head of the township and the head of the town in Du Zhongxiao's previous life. Not only are the conditions difficult, but the vision and knowledge are limited. Therefore, the officials who were born in the Song Dynasty were born in the Jinshi, and they had the saying of "going up the knife mountain and going down to the sea of fire" when they went to the county as officials.

An official like Shi Xianling, who is messing around, often can't tell the weight of things due to the limited vision. No matter what happens, you always want to delay it, and everything will be fine. Anyway, I don't want to be meritorious, but I want to have no fault, and I just want to spend my term of office in peace. It's just that the county order pushes everything to the chief bookkeeper and the county lieutenant and the two deputies, and he hides by himself, and he can't find his head if something really happens.

Du Xun thought about it, and when he met this kind of official, he had to go to the state. With a sigh, he bowed his farewell to Wei Abshi.

Out of the county office, Du Xun asked people and came to the small courtyard where Du Zhongxiao and Han Lian were held. As soon as he arrived at the door, he was stopped.

Du Xun said: "I am Du Xun, the township tribute of this county, and what is locked up is my child." It's convenient for a few people, I'll go in and take a look. ”

A middle-aged man said in a loud voice: "What Jinshi, are you here to bluff us?" It has spread all over the county, and when you go to the capital to take the exam, you will fall early and beg all the way back to your hometown. It's a blessing that you didn't starve to death, and you dare to come here and pretend. ”

Du Xunqiang held back his anger and said: "It's Luodi, I am also a township tribute jinshi of the imperial court, and the state and county have my name." Inside was my own child, and he should have gone in and had a look. Make it easy for you, and I will repay you in the future. ”

Several big men laughed together: "We listen to your nonsense!" When the section level left, he ordered that the felons who were locked up inside were moonshiners, and no one was allowed to enter. Get out of here, or you'll be driven away!" ”

Du Xun saw the vicious appearance of several people, and knew that he would not let himself in. After hesitating for a while, he had to say in a loud voice: "My son, I know you are being locked up here. Sit back and wait, I will go to the state to report to the official and give you justice! If someone comes in and lynching, you must endure it, and you must not be beaten into a trick. Otherwise, it will be difficult to tell the truth! Whoever judges you, who you beat you, you write them down one by one. Wait until I get back from the state, and then I'll settle accounts with them! ”

After speaking, Du Xun didn't care about the expressions of the guards, and walked away.