Rise From the Humble

The water volume of the Yangtze River is not as abundant as in the past. It no longer has the thrilling roar and turbulent waves of the past. It seems that it has changed from a girl full of ancient power to a gentle and graceful young woman, flowing gracefully and quietly.

Zhu Ping'an followed everyone and walked from the passenger ship to the river along the proposed bamboo rafts under the watchful eyes of the officials. The morning wind brought a bit of coolness and blew the fishy smell of the river water.

There are many people on the riverside, including men, women, old and young. They are crowded together by the riverside with their necks stretched out, pointing and talking. Some people who don't know think there is a baby born in the Yangtze River. If there were not police officers on site to maintain order, I am afraid that many people watching the excitement would have been squeezed into the Yangtze River.

There are many good swimmers in the river who are pulling fishing nets back and forth in the river under the command of several officials.

"My husband, where is my husband? Where are you..."

On the bank of the Yangtze River, there was a young woman wearing a light pink brocade dress with a plum blossom and white hosta. She was lying on the bank of the Yangtze River crying with pear blossoms in the rain and a haggard face. Behind her was a maidservant, who was kneeling with her and looked haggard. Equally sad.

There were several sisters-in-law beside the young woman who were comforting and comforting them, lest the young woman could not get over it and vote for the Yangtze River.

Standing by the Yangtze River was a county magistrate, about thirty or forty years old, orderly directing the government officials on their official duties.

The county magistrate had a thin face and was wearing a blue official uniform with an owl painted on it. However, there were two patches on the official uniform. It looked like the patches were made by a woman. The stitching was fine and the official uniform was starched. It's a little faded, but the whole thing is spotlessly clean.

At this moment, the magistrate was looking at the river with a slight frown, stroking his chin in deep thought with one hand, and standing upright, like a green pine.

"What are you doing? You just asked us to get off the boat. We have urgent matters."

"That's right, these officials don't care about the lives of the people at all!"

When we got off the boat and walked to the river, many people in the crowd were swearing and resentful. Everyone was in a hurry to get on their way. How could they not be resentful when they were stranded by the river all of a sudden.

"Shhh, keep your voice down, don't risk your life, you're going to have to give me a slap in the face." Someone in the crowd glanced worriedly at the county magistrate and the official officers armed with swords, guns and sticks by the river, and quickly reminded everyone.

Everyone was still in awe of the magistrates and officials. After being reminded by people nearby, they glanced at the magistrates and officials by the river with unwillingness and resentment. They closed their mouths and only expressed their dissatisfaction with their eyes.

"When can I leave? I'm still in a hurry to go to Yingtian Mansion to see my father. I can delay, but my father can't delay." A young man in the crowd who was supporting the old man cried anxiously.

"Oh, let the old man persist."

"Wait a minute. If you offend the official, your life will be gone. Why talk about medical treatment?" Everyone consoled sympathetically.

"I have to go to Yingtian Mansion to take the exam. If I don't leave, my ten years of hard work will be in vain." There was a man dressed as a scholar, carrying a bag, looking ahead on tiptoes, his expression even more anxious.

"I received news that my daughter-in-law is going to give birth. I have to rush back quickly." A man who was about to be a father was so anxious that he jumped into the water and swam home.

For a time, the crowd was furious.

Zhu Pingan was walking among the crowd and could clearly feel everyone's anxiety. Although the voice became quieter as he walked into the river, the emotional anxiety became more and more intense.

Let's see what's going on, try to sail the ship as early as possible, and at least treat it differently, after all, some people on the ship are really in a hurry.

So, Zhu Pingan walked a few steps faster and gradually came to the front of the crowd.

"Everyone, please stand by the side. We will let you sail after we finish the case. Mr. Zhang from Chun'an County went to Yingtian to purchase goods this morning. He may have been killed here. There are now passing ships and people nearby. Suspect, please cooperate with our investigation, we will let everyone pass after the investigation is completed."

An officer carefully looked at the people disembarking from the boat and told everyone the whole story in a loud voice.

"If a murder really happened, it would have to be before dawn. Our passenger ship was still far away from here at that time. Why are we all suspected?"

"That's right, we were still floating on the river at that time. We are thousands of miles away from here, so how could it be us."

"You can't accuse us good people unjustly."

After hearing what the official said, the people who got off the boat became even more excited. How could they get on the boat and become a murder suspect? People couldn't figure it out, especially after knowing the approximate time of the crime. I am more unjust than Dou E.

"quiet!"

The officer slapped the meal in his hand on the string of the boat, making a crisp metallic sound, and shouted loudly.

After hearing the officer's shout and looking at his uniform and the guy in his hand, even though people were unwilling to do so, they could only shut their mouths. How could the common people dare to confront the officer?

"After committing the crime, the murderer may have hid in the water and waited for your boat to sneak aboard and mix among you. It's also possible that there are accomplices of the murderer among you. Anyone who passes through here will be suspected."

"We are salvaging corpses in the river, and fishing nets have been intercepted downstream to prevent them from being washed downstream. All passing ships are not allowed to move forward until they are salvaged."

The officer explained further, then stopped caring. He told the officer to keep an eye on the people disembarking, and then strode to another boat.

In addition to Zhu Pingan and others who were stopped and docked, two other ships were also stopped and docked. They were also very angry and dissatisfied with what the government had done.

"Get out of the way, I am the fifth-rank magistrate of Hangzhou Prefecture, and I will ask you, sir, to come and see me. If you delay my errand, who can bear the consequences?"

Suddenly, an angry voice came from not far away. The subordinates accompanying him pushed the officer without hesitation. The man ordered the officer to call the magistrate on the riverside to come and respond. It seemed that he was also disapproving of the forced stop of the ship. Very dissatisfied with the docking.

"May I ask if you have the certificate? We can report it to the county master." The officer asked cautiously.

"Open your eyes!" Lord Tongzhi took out an official document from his arms and showed it with a grunt.

"You damn boy, I offended you, sir, please forgive me." After looking at it, the official immediately knelt down.

"Go and ask your county magistrate to come." The magistrate of Hangzhou Prefecture waved his sleeves and said, "Quickly cross the river to allow me to move forward."

Soon, the county magistrate who was standing by the river just now led several petty officials over. The accompanying petty officials knelt on the ground to salute the magistrates of Hangzhou Prefecture. Only the magistrate clasped his hands in a slight salute and said: The official has met your lord.

The clerks on both sides knelt down, and they knew where the county was standing, like a "mountain" shaped penholder.

"Why do you stand like a pine tree when you see me?" A fellow magistrate of Hangzhou Prefecture mocked the magistrate for not saluting him.

"If you are in a county government office, your subordinates should perform official courtesy. However, this is not a county government office, and a murder occurred here. It is your duty to perform salutes even if you are inconvenienced." The county magistrate had a serious look on his face and was not at all impressed by his superiority. Shocked by the official authority of the fourth-level Tongzhi, he was as calm as water without a ripple.