Chapter 37 3. Eliminate cruel officials with harsh hands, and secure the people of one side

After a pot of tea, the group of them arrived in front of the Xuelu tea shop.Unexpectedly, after entering the door, there are four or five square tables and eight or nine benches in the tea shop, which is very simple.Zhu Hu frowned slightly when he saw this, but Sima Yi remained calm, with a calm expression, and sat down calmly when he entered the shop. There were only the shopkeeper and two or three waiters in the tea shop, and when they saw the guests, they rushed to collect them.Sima Yi smiled and said: "Shopkeeper, the business in your tea shop is very slow!" The shopkeeper was about forty years old, with a very pale face, looked Sima Yi up and down, and smiled bitterly: "The world is in chaos, business is in turmoil. How can it be better? I not only sell tea here, but also sell gluten, steamed buns, rice, and dishes. If I do well in a month, there will be no more than a hundred customers. Also, to tell you the truth, my tea shop It is the only one within a hundred miles."

Sima Yi smiled: "According to what you say, it's really rare that there is only one tea shop like you in Nanyang." He smiled and looked up at Zhu Hu.Zhu Hu couldn't hold back, so he gave a dry cough and lowered his head to order.Sima Yi asked the shopkeeper again: "Is your life going well? How much grain can a family here grow a year? How much grain does the county ask you for?" The ordinary literati and scholars passing by, no doubt about him, replied bluntly: "We have a family of six or seven, and we can only grow a hundred and sixty shi of grain in a year of hard work. The county will collect more than half of it. .Ah! It's been a hard day!"

As soon as Zhu Hu's face changed, he was about to speak.But Sima Yi spoke first: "The county expropriates you on behalf of the imperial court, and it is a last resort. As long as the bandits are leveled, the Central Plains are cleared, and the world is peaceful, you can live an easy life." "The imperial government's use of troops to fight wars was originally to save the people from fire and water, and we are very supportive. But I think that if the imperial court really cares about us common people, it should improve its troops and simplify its administration. In fact, many of the soldiers in the barracks are troublesome people in the county. I'm used to idleness, and I'm in the army for nothing..." The shopkeeper said angrily, "Think about it, in this troubled world, seven out of ten people in the world join the army to quell the chaos, and the remaining two out of ten live in the fields. The people are few and there are many soldiers. I think that the soldiers in the barracks are all strong and strong, and they can do things by themselves on weekdays. They have enough food and clothing! The imperial court’s use of troops to quell chaos is originally for the sake of reassuring the people, not to disturb them..."

Sima Yi listened very carefully, and sometimes nodded slightly, saying yes softly.Indeed, the imperial court currently has an army of 800,000, and the supply of food and grass has always been a big headache.Although the shopkeeper's suggestion is unremarkable, it is very correct, and it is indeed a feasible strategy. After returning to the mansion, he must offer it to Prime Minister Cao.Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile slightly.It seems that this Weibo inspection is really a worthwhile trip.This suggestion alone was something he and his colleagues could hardly come up with while sitting in the study.Wang Chang was quite surprised on the other side. He didn't expect that there would be such a person with extraordinary insight in this wilderness, which is really not to be underestimated.

Sima Yi suddenly glanced at Zhu Hu again, and asked the shopkeeper, "I don't know how the people's livelihood and sentiments are in this Nanyang County? I think under the governance of the upright and honest Mr. Zhu, it should be 'scholars do their best, and the people enjoy their careers', right? But the shopkeeper shook his head and said: "Master Zhu is indeed a capable official of the generation, and it is true that he is a clean and honest official, but he supervises the people too strictly, governs the government too harshly, and enforces the law too harshly. Violators will be implicated in the nine clans and all will be imprisoned. If this continues, there will be big troubles. Many Nanyang scholars and people don’t want to stay here any longer, and they are planning to move to the surrounding Jingzhou, Yuzhou and other counties!"

Listening, Zhu Hu, who was silent at the side, looked even more ugly.Wang Chang saw that he just buried his head down and drank bowl after bowl of tea, resting his left hand on the tea table, his fingers actually scratched a few deep marks on the table.Sima Yi squinted to see all this clearly, and remained calm, just smiled slightly, took out a string of copper bahts and put them in the owner's hand, saying: "Listening to your words is better than reading ten years of books. I am very impressed, Thank you." Then he stood up, Zhu Hu and Wang Chang also stood up, and together with Sima Yi bowed their hands to the shopkeeper farewell.Only then did Zhu Hu raise his head, and his cold and sharp eyes punctured the shopkeeper's face, which made him feel very uncomfortable.He didn't know why this person seemed to have a deep hatred with him, so he had to send them out of the shop with a smile on his face.

The three of them walked several miles away, each with their own thoughts, and remained silent.It was Sima Yi who broke the dullness first, and said with a smile: "Lord Zhu has always been loyal to the court and Prime Minister Cao, and Prime Minister Cao has always valued you very much. Prime Minister Cao sent Sima Yi here this time to pay tribute to Lord Zhu , soon, you may be promoted to the imperial court, congratulations!" At this moment, Zhu Hu showed some smiles on his livid face.He bowed his hands to Sima Yi, and said: "As long as the court and the prime minister can understand the loyalty and dedication of serving the country, the subordinate will have no complaints or regrets if he is severely slandered."

Sima Yi smiled: "The foolish people are ignorant, please Master Zhu not to be as knowledgeable as them. I will take my leave now, please Master Zhu work hard in office and live up to the expectations of the imperial court and the prime minister!" Zhu Hu nodded, and went to bed with the two of them. Carriage, farewell and go. As soon as he got into the carriage, Sima Yi's face turned cold.Wang Chang didn't know why he looked so stern, and didn't dare to ask more.After the carriage drove ten miles away, Sima Yi suddenly yelled: "Stop!" Turning to Wang Chang, he said, "I'm going back to the tea shop immediately. You immediately take my seal and go to the nearest Hejian County Go to Master Cui and quickly transfer 300 soldiers over here, and you must arrive before dark today. Remember, you must come as soon as possible!" Wang Chang was shocked, and after thinking about it, he immediately understood, and said: "My lord, it's better for me to return tea It is more appropriate to do so. You go to deploy troops!"

Sima Yi waved his hand resolutely, and said: "After I go back, if Zhu Hu really brings troops to attack, I can still use my tongue to delay for a while; but if you go, I'm afraid he will silence you as soon as you meet, I'd better go back Good!" Wang Chang's eyes were blurred by tears at this moment: "My lord, please take care!" He rode a fast horse and galloped away. Sima Yi hurried back to the tea shop.When he entered the door, he saw that the shopkeeper had already put on a Confucian uniform, set up a table of dishes, and greeted him with a smile.Sima Yi also seemed to meet an old acquaintance, and ran in with a smile on his face, and said with a smile: "Brother Hu, it's been a long time! It's been a long time! I didn't expect you to come to this Nanyang territory, hidden in the city" ——just pretended not to know, but there is a reason for it..."

The owner of the shop turned out to be Hu Zhao, Sima Yi's classmate and good friend when he was at Ziyuan Academy in Linglong Valley.Seeing that he was still so affectionate after meeting for many years, Hu Zhao was also a little moved, and said with a slight smile: "Mr. Sima has recently traveled to various states and counties in disguise as the prime minister's special envoy. It is famous far and wide. How dare Zhao not hear the wind and wait for you to come to relieve the people's difficulties?" "Oh...so that's the case." Sima Yi couldn't help nodding his head slightly, took out a stack of letters from his bosom, put them on the table, pointed with his finger, suddenly realized, and said lightly, "I think these lawsuits against Zhu Hu would be detrimental to the people. The letter you cited was probably written by Brother Hu and some other Nanyang gentry?"

Hu Zhao nodded slowly, and said solemnly: "Mr. Sima really had good intentions when he left and returned this time. You also know that when Hu sees the chaos in the world, he doesn't want to be known to the princes, but just wants to stay in the poor house alone. He spent his whole life humbly. However, Hu could not bear to see the living people haggard. He deeply wanted to plead for the people and do his best for the country, so he reported these things about Zhu Hu to the prime minister's office. Mr. Sima came here today During the unannounced visit, Hu told all the sufferings of the people, and hope that Mr. Sima will never forget in the future, that he will implement benevolent and lenient government, and relieve the people from hanging upside down!" Sima Yi looked at him quietly, and couldn't help the tears welling up in his eyes.From Hu Zhao, he seemed to see the shadow of himself when he was a hermit.After a long, long time, he said with emotion: "Brother Hu's feelings of helping the world and the people, Sima Yi will never forget. If I can be in power in the future, I will definitely sweep away the filth, bring the world back to unity, eliminate the disputes in the troubled times, and return peace to all people." , creating the first prosperous age after the three generations of Yao, Shun, and Yu!" Hu Zhao nodded silently, held up his teacup and respected him without saying a word.Sima Yi took the tea, drank it down, and said: "There is an old saying: 'The one who knows the leakage of the house is under the sky, and the one who knows the loss of government is in the grass." Brother Hu will live in seclusion in the future, no matter what kind of suffering the people see, You have to send me a letter to tell—Yi will definitely do everything possible to resolve it!" He was full of pride, and chatted with Hu Zhao while drinking tea, and he seemed to be restless. It was getting dark outside the door.Seeing this, Sima Yi asked the waiter to take away the food, dressed himself as a waiter and stood behind the counter, and said, "Brother Hu, don't worry. If Zhu Huruo really left and returned, he intends to harm you, Zhong Da has his own countermeasures." "If Zhu Huruo is broad-minded and has no intention of harming others, this matter will be closed, and I will forgive him for his tyranny and abuse of the people." Hu Zhao laughed: "Hu has stayed in Nanyang County for two or three years, and he has figured out the temperament of this prefect. He looks clean on the outside but tyrannical on the inside, greedy for fame but not for people's feelings, self-willed and narrow-minded. Today, Hu is so sharply accusing him of his faults, how can he bear it with his fighting tool? He will definitely bring troops to come later." Sima Yi sighed and said, "I really don't want to see him come back." Just as he was speaking, there was a loud "bang", and someone kicked the store door away.Following this loud noise, several vicious government servants came in from outside the door.A yamen servant at the head asked sharply, "Who is the owner?" Hu Zhao turned his head, looked at Sima Yi who was standing behind the counter pretending to be the waiter, and just smiled.Sima Yi's face turned livid with anger.Hu Zhao smiled, went forward to meet him calmly, and replied, "I am the owner of this shop." The yamen servant stared at him coldly: "You are the shopkeeper who speaks rudely and has no law? I don't know what superpowers you have, but you are just a poor scholar!" Hu Zhao remained calm and asked calmly, "I don't know how my lord knows that Xiaosheng's words are not contemptible and he has no law for the king?" "I told them." With a deep voice, the gloomy Nanyang prefect Zhu Hu flashed out of the darkness outside the door in official robes. "Aren't you the guest officer who was drinking tea in the small shop just now?" Hu Zhao pretended not to know that he was Zhu Hu, with a look of surprise on his face. Zhu Hu sneered and said, "I'm the Zhu Hu you just said that 'supervising the people is too strict, the government is too harsh, and the law is too strict'!"Hu Zhao pretended to be taken aback: "So you are the prefect? ​​Xiaosheng did speak rudely just now and insulted you. I hope you will forgive me! Xiaosheng is convicted." "It's late." Zhu Hu said coldly, "Didn't you say that this official is 'too strict in supervising the people and too strict in politics'? Then let everyone in your store know that I am 'too strict in supervising the people and too strict in governing the government'." It's harsh!" Then he turned and told the servants, "Put all the people in this shop into prison and serve them with severe punishment!" All the yamen servants responded in unison, gearing up to come up to arrest people. But he heard a resolute and decisive voice from behind the counter: "Wait!" Zhu Hu was startled when he heard the sound, and followed the sound to the person who spoke.But he saw the man slowly raised his head, his gaze was piercing like a sharp sword, forcing him to dare not look at him—it was actually Sima Yi, the Dong Cao subordinate of the prime minister's mansion whom he had just sent away in the afternoon!When Zhu Hu saw it, his face immediately changed, and his whole body trembled involuntarily.Sima Yi looked proud, and slowly walked out from behind the counter, saying, "Lord Zhu, I never thought we would meet again." Zhu Hu's voice trembled: "Master Sima...Zhu Hu...Zhu Hu acted in such a stupid way in a moment of panic...Please forgive me..." "In the prime minister's mansion, I have received several joint blood letters from the people of Nanyang County, telling you that you are 'cruel and harsh, and you are too aggressive'. I didn't believe it at first, thinking that you were a 'generation of capable officials' bestowed by the prime minister's personal letter." ', maybe some people are jealous of it, but it's just slander." Sima Yi looked stern, not angry, "But I didn't expect you to be so cruel and narrow-minded! What's the matter? You don't have to hurry up and catch me. Everyone will be punished!" Zhu Hu lowered his head, gritted his teeth fiercely, turned his heart, suddenly looked proud again, raised his face, his eyes showed a fierce look, and said: "Master Sima doesn't care about you and my colleagues, and I don't care about it either. It’s a lot. You came to my Nanyang, secretly passed the envoy of Guan Yu, and betrayed the secrets of the court. You are a sinner of my big man. Come, take him down!” Seeing that Sima Yi was alone, all the yamen servants really yelled when they heard the order from the prefect, and they wanted to come up to arrest him.As soon as Hu Zhaolue signaled, his waiters also surrounded him to protect Sima Yi.Sima Yi laughed, and said: "Master Zhu, you want to kill me? Wrong, wrong, Master Zhu, you are very wrong." Zhu Huqing knew that he had no way out, and ordered his servants to say: "Give it to me! Take down this Sima Yi, and I will reward you a lot!" At this moment, people outside the store could only hear people screaming and screaming.Zhu Hu hurriedly turned his head back, only to see groups of elite soldiers standing densely with guns and knives raised where the torches were brightly lit.He was shocked and said, "Where did these soldiers and horses come from?" A young man walked in quickly from outside the store, knelt down to Sima Yi, and said, "My lord, Wang Chang is late with his troops, please forgive me." Sima Yi waved his hand calmly, and Wang Chang got up immediately. Waving to the outside of the store, a group of soldiers rushed in and surrounded Zhu Hu and his servants. Only then did Zhu Hu fully understand: "Sima Yi! You are so powerful. It turns out...so you have planned..." Sima Yi said coldly: "It is still forgiven for evil done by the sky; but it is not forgivable for self-inflicted evil. Zhu Hu, you Being in a prefecture, you don’t comfort, comfort, or support the people, but only know how to disable, abuse, and harm the people. You have let down the high expectations of the imperial court and the prime minister. Zhu Hu was stunned for a moment, and then smiled miserably: "Well, you Sima Yi! You're amazing! You're so shrewd in life, and you tricked me! That's all, that's all! Zhu will help you. Let you take Zhu with you!" Go to Xudu to claim the reward from Prime Minister Cao!" After saying that, he drew out the saber from his waist and wiped it on his neck, blood spattered immediately, and he died. Sima Yi said coldly: "Wang Chang, you immediately draw up a notice to calm the people, saying that after the court and the prime minister's open and unannounced visits, Zhu Hu of the Nanyang Taifu was greedy for fame and gain, and wanted to seek rewards in his heart. The scrutiny has caused the people in the county to live in poverty, and it is a crime that cannot be punished. Now the canonical punishment has been issued, and the head of the owl is shown to the public." As soon as this remark came out, Wang Chang had already drawn up a draft.At the same time, he secretly admired Sima Yi's foresight.In fact, Zhu Hu himself did not make a big mistake. He was cruel and harsh, and the supervisors were strict, all of which were actually for the court.The imperial court used troops to fight all the time, and the issue of food and grass was the top priority. Zhu Yuyu was too strict and strict with the people in the county. In fact, he was harming the interests of the people and benefiting the imperial court. What is the crime?But he is so blindly abusing the people, he has already offended the public, and caused the people of Nanyang to be unstable, and it is really in danger.Today, Master Sima lured him into the net of justice and punished him for his crimes. He had no choice but to use his head as a substitute for the court to appease people's hearts. After thinking about it, he was about to find a pen and paper to write this An Min Notice, when Sima Yi seemed to remember something behind him, and shouted: "Wait a minute!" Hearing this, Wang Chang hurriedly stopped and turned around to listen to his orders. Sima Yi stared coldly at the door of the shop where the weapons were handed over, and the Nanyang government servants sitting around the ground looked awe-inspiring, and said coldly: "You add another sentence to the Anmin Notice: Fan Nanyang Mansion Yazhong once worked together with Zhu Hu, and all the staff and servants who worked for tigers must be arrested and brought to justice. Immediately investigate the facts and deal with them strictly. Don't let them go, don't let any one go!" Everyone in the store was surprised when they heard this.This Sima Yi seemed gentle and elegant, but he acted vigorously and resolutely, without tolerance or connivance.Thinking of this, they couldn't help feeling awe and admiration towards Sima Yi. But Sima Yi didn't notice this. After giving orders, his expression softened a little. He turned his head and looked deeply at Hu Zhao, wanting to say something.But Hu Zhao looked surprised, staring at him as if looking at a stranger. Sima Yi was startled, and immediately understood that Hu Zhao was startled by his murderous words and actions just now.He gave a faint wry smile, and said with some self-defense: "Oh! Brother Hu doesn't know something—the officialdom is dangerous, the official career is dangerous, and the heart is treacherous. It's difficult for me. It's not enough to have a bodhisattva heart. Only a butcher can be used to punish rape and eradicate evil..." "Mr. Sima is right. People of my generation have to learn how to use power and make changes in this troubled world..." Hu Zhao looked at him quietly for a moment, and then said leisurely, "Confucius was When the State of Lu was in power, Shaozheng Mao was also punished with an iron fist..." Hearing what he said, Sima Yi calmed down a little bit of uneasiness in his heart, and said with a slight smile: "Brother Hu, now that the cruel officials have been removed, Nanyang urgently needs a tolerant and virtuous man to sit down and appease. According to Sima Yi, Hu Brother, why don't you just come out of the mountain and help me, how about it?" Hu Zhao thought silently for a long time.Then he raised his head and said: "How about this, Mr. Sima, please leave Wang Jun to sit here in Nanyang, and I will help Wang Jun temporarily; after you return to Xudu, please send someone to replace Hu Mou as soon as possible. Hu has been used to idleness all his life, and he really can't stand this official career!" Sima Yi was overjoyed, and cupped his hands and said, "It's so good, then let me send you and Wang Jun to take office immediately, and tell the whole county."