Chapter 1248: Explanation of Doubts and Misunderstandings (Part 1)
"County... County Lord, we also come to say goodbye..."
While Old Man Liu and the others were angrily saying goodbye to Zhu Pingan, Two more newly recruited officers came. They were both young men who had made contributions to the fight against Japan. They also came to bid farewell to Zhu Ping'an.
"Your Majesty, even an illiterate police officer is ashamed to be with you, don't you feel ashamed?"
Old man Liu and others snorted and glanced at Zhu Ping'an sideways. The words were both indignant and sarcastic.
Zhu Pingan rubbed his forehead with a wry smile. Since the continuous rain in Jingnan, Zhu Pingan has been leaving early and coming back late every day, working overtime and staying up late every day. He has not had a good rest yet, and now he is very tired.
"Well, this is my fault. I was eager to get things done and failed to solicit everyone's opinions in advance before the decree was issued, which caused everyone to misunderstand. So, please all the subordinate officials and servants in the county government Gather in the lobby , I will explain it to everyone. If you still decide to say goodbye, I will not stop you."
After Zhu Pingan rubbed his forehead, he cheered up and said goodbye to Old Man Liu and others. People are suffering.
"Misunderstanding? Huh, let's wait and see how the county magistrate confuses right and wrong. But the county magistrate must not forget what he just said. After the explanation in the lobby, I will say goodbye later, and I hope the county magistrate will let you go easily. "
Old man Liu and others snorted. How much they trusted Zhu Pingan before, but now they are so prejudiced against Zhu Pingan.
Soon, all the subordinate officials and servants working at the county government were summoned to the county government lobby.
Zhu Ping'an stood in the lobby and scanned everyone, taking in the microexpressions of all the subordinate officials and servants under the hall.
"Everyone, I know that since the official document defining the 'Jingnan grain price per stone' was released this morning, you have had great opinions on me. I believe that in private, you have often scolded me as a dog official, Corrupt officials and traitorous officials should not be concealed from you. There are already many people who want to distance themselves from me, a corrupt official, a bad official, and a traitorous official, and have submitted their resignations to me."
When everyone came together, Zhu Pingan twitched his lips and said. He said to everyone with a self-deprecating smile.
"My lord, please take back your life. The highest price of food in other places is only 1,350 yuan per stone. You define the price of food in Jingnan as 2,500 yuan per hour. This is Isn’t it driving us Jingnan people to a dead end?”
"Your Majesty, we don't know Chinese characters, but we can still tell the difference between good and bad. Your Majesty has set the price of food in Jingnan so high for us to make shady money from it. I have no shame in working for you, otherwise I will go back." The people in the village will poke my spine"
"County Lord, do you know how the people outside are scolding you? Everyone calls you a black-hearted maggot."
"County Lord, you are trying to drive us Jingnan elders to a dead end. Ah, 17 cents per catty of grain. This was even before the flood. It’s enough to buy a pound of meat. The price of food is so expensive that everyone can’t afford to eat, so they can only drink porridge.” They all came to give you thank-you gifts. I heard that you didn’t refuse any of them. . County Lord, you have changed. You are no longer the Qingtian Lord who prays for the people and has a clear mind.” Yes, like a vegetable market.
"Everyone, this is my fault. I was eager for success and failed to consult everyone's opinions in advance before the decree was issued, which caused everyone to misunderstand." Zhu Pingan said to everyone with a wry smile.
"Misunderstanding? Haha, County Lord, you said we misunderstood?! Could it be that County Lord, you are raising the price of food in Jingnan, setting the price at 2,500 yuan per stone, or is it for disaster relief, for the sake of Jingnan? The people can’t succeed?”
There was a sneer in the hall.
"Yes, it is true." Zhu Pingan nodded, with a serious look on his face.
“Huh?”
"Haha. Who believes it?!"
As soon as Zhu Ping'an finished speaking, there was a burst of ridicule in the hall.
“I believe!”
“I believe!”
“I believe in our young master!”
Amid a burst of jeers from the crowd, five people including Liu Mu, Liu Dadao, and Liu Dachui stood up and answered decisively, with loud voices and firm eyes. They did not have any doubts about Zhu Pingan's words.
What? There are still people who believe the county magistrate’s lies? !
When everyone heard the words, they were startled for a moment. When they saw that the speakers were Liu Mu, Liu Dadao and others, they were not surprised. They sneered and said, "You are the county magistrate's cronies, follow Zhu Ping'an After reaping the benefits, of course you believe it. Oh, don’t say that the county official said that he raised the price of food for disaster relief, but the county official said that the sun rises in the west, you. They must have said without batting an eye that the sun is rising in the west today! Huh, you might have gotten a share of the dirty money collected by the county magistrate this time!”
“ What nonsense are you talking about!" Liu Dadao and others glared at them, "The county magistrate is not that kind of person!"
Everyone sneered at them.
"Okay, everyone, listen to me." Zhu Pingan waved his hand to control the situation that was about to get out of control.
"Everyone, do you think money or life is more important?" Zhu Pingan asked everyone.
"Do you still need to ask? Of course life is important. Money is something external to the body, and you can never make enough money. Those who make more or less have their own ways of living, but there is only one life." Everyone said nothing. He replied without thinking.
"It's just the county's issue. Does it have anything to do with you raising the price of food?! You don't have to quibble anymore. The floods have not receded yet, and the people have already suffered heavy losses. For everyone, of course, the price of food The lower it is, the better it is for everyone. If food prices are low, people can still afford to buy food and eat from 4 per stone before the disaster. 00 Wen has risen to 1,350 Wen, and the people are already suffering. Now you have raised the price of food to 2,500 Wen. Ordinary people cannot even afford to eat, and they can only eat porridge with their families. I can’t even afford porridge, so I can only wait to starve to death.”
“My lord, the city has lowered food prices in order to control it. , two profiteers were beheaded on the street. In order to control and reduce food prices, Linhai County, Taiping County and other counties also arrested several profiteers who were driving up food prices and sent them to prison. With this thunderous method, Fucheng and other counties were imprisoned! The price of food in the county has dropped and has stabilized at around 500 yuan per stone. Governments everywhere are now using thunderous means to reduce food prices. ! For your own selfish gain, you went against the grain and set the price of grain in our Jingnan at 2,500 yuan per stone. If you did this for disaster relief and for the good of our people in Jingnan, then the world would be upside down. , The sky has no eyes! We have nothing to say, we can only forgive you!”
Everyone felt that Zhu Ping'an's question of whether money or life was more important was nothing more than strong rhetoric and confusing the public. (End of this chapter)