Rise From the Humble

"Thank you for your humble position, Your Majesty. Ahem, in fact, it is very convenient for me to go home for dinner." When Zhang Captou heard that Magistrate Zhou invited him to have lunch with him, he hurriedly thanked Magistrate Zhou, then paused and declined with his head lowered. For a moment.

"Zhang Captou, you don't have to be polite or formal. Although you and I are subordinates, we are just having a casual meal now, not running an errand." Zhou Houjie said to Zhang Captou with a smile.

Uh, I don't seem to be polite and reserved.

Zhu Ping'an watched the interaction between the two and said nothing, but he felt something strange in his heart. The expression he looked at Zhang Captou just now didn't seem to be as polite and reserved as Zhou Houjie said, but rather a feeling of disgust. Ah, it's like being bitten by a snake and being afraid of well ropes for ten years.

"My lord, what I'm trying to teach you is that you won't be polite if you hold a humble position." Zhang Captou cupped his hands and said.

"Well, okay, you go ahead and tell the cook and then come over and have a meal together." Zhou Houjie smiled and nodded.

"Yes, sir." Captain Zhang stepped back and went to the kitchen to arrange for the cook in the yamen to add food.

"Let's go, Zihou, let's go inside for a while." Zhou Houjie smiled and extended his hand in an invitation gesture, then pulled Zhu Ping'an straight into the lobby.

The Shuntian Mansion Yamen is five rooms wide. The platform in front of the hall is old, but it is majestic and majestic. A black lacquered koan is displayed in the middle of the lobby. Behind the koan is a background screen with the red sun rising over the sea. A plaque with the words "Mingjing Gaohang" hangs above the lobby. Plaques such as "Silence", "Avoidance" and "Ya Sheng Sacrificial Officer" are displayed on both sides of the lobby. In front of the hall Hanging a couplet, "Redressing unjust prisons, blocked joints, it is the atmosphere of Yama; rescuing victims, showing boundless compassion, and still having a bodhisattva heart.", being fair and majestic without losing consideration and caring for the people, will be an official's attitude, responsibility, and caring for the people. It is similar to the couplet outside, and it should also be written by Zhou Zhifu.

Prefect Zhou took Zhu Ping'an from the lobby to the second hall. The second hall is where Zhou Houjie works daily. The six offices of the government office "Li Hu Li Bing Xing Gong" are distributed around the second hall. The subordinate officials in the six rooms heard the news. They all came out to salute Zhou Houjie. Zhou Houjie nodded in response and led Zhu Ping'an to the second hall.

After entering the second hall, Magistrate Zhou asked Zhu Pingan to sit wherever he wanted. He stood up, took out the teapot from the small charcoal stove, poured Zhu Pingan a cup of tea and brought it over.

Zhu Pingan stood up and left his seat, taking the tea cup with both hands.

"The visitor is a guest. Just sit down, Zihou." Zhou Houjie said with a smile.

After sitting down again, Zhu Ping'an observed the second hall where Zhou Houjie worked. It was decorated like a study room by Zhou Houjie. Several bookshelves were filled with books, including the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as "Datang Laws and Regulations" and "Daming Laws and Regulations". ”, “Ling Ling”, “Continuation of the Imperial Edict”, “Three Parts” and other law books. Judging from the color of the books and the degree of wrinkles on the pages, these books are frequently read.

There is a piece of rice paper spread on the desk. The ink has been ground and half written on the rice paper. Zhou Houjie must have been writing here just now. Halfway through writing, he went out when he heard that he was coming.

"I'm disturbing your office," Zhu Ping'an said apologetically.

"It doesn't matter, just holding the candle for a while tonight is enough." Zhou Houjie waved his hand nonchalantly, and then started to clear the table for dinner later.

"Zihou, I have read the complaint you wrote. I will leave this matter to my officer. I will definitely get to the bottom of it." After clearing the table, Zhou Houjie said to Zhu Ping'an.

"Thank you, sir, for taking the decision for Ping An." Zhu Ping'an cupped his hands and thanked him.

"This is my official responsibility. Why should Zihou do this? It's too late for me to get along with you, but it has nothing to do with today's case. I will handle this case impartially and will not tarnish the name of the court." Zhou Houjie said seriously. road.

"Zihou believes in you, sir." Zhu Pingan smiled calmly.

This is what Zhu Pingan admires about Zhou Houjie. Zhou Houjie is a principled person. Although he appreciates himself more, publicity is public and private is private. He is not the kind of person who abandons publicity for private reasons. This is why Zhu Pingan has great affection for Zhou Houjie. A place of good feeling.

Separating public and private matters is easy to say, but difficult to achieve in practice. People are all born from their parents. One has no relatives or friends, is not a foodie, has all six roots cut off, and the other has no emotions. If it involves relatives and friends, how many officials can handle it with calmness and impartiality? If everyone was the selfless Bao Zheng, then Bao Gong would not be famous.

Zhou Houjie couldn't help but smile slightly, and looked at Zhu Pingan with even more admiration.

"Actually, I admire Zihou very much. Regarding the memorial, I am afraid that even I, let alone others, will be hesitant and worried." Zhou Houjie nodded on the table and mentioned the memorial.

"If it's someone else, that's fine, but if it's an adult, Ping An believes that you will be able to play faster than Ping An." Zhu Ping'an shook his head and joked.

"That's not necessarily the case." Zhou Houjie smiled and shook his head.

At this moment, there was a sound of footsteps outside, and then Zhang Captou was seen walking from outside carrying a food box. The food box was steaming and exuding the smell of food.

"Sir, the food is ready." Zhang Captou came over carrying a food box.

"Okay, let's have a meal then." Zhou Houjie nodded after hearing this, then looked at Zhu Ping'an and said, "Meal and simple food, Zihou, don't dislike it."

"How could it be possible? Ping'an just disturbed you." Zhu Ping'an said.

After Zhang Captou opened the food box and put the meals on the table one by one, Zhu Ping'an realized that Zhou Houjie's simple meal was really not modest. In addition, he understood Zhang Captou's expression at the beginning.

Which, I guess I really dislike it.

Five dishes and one soup were placed on the dinner table. The five dishes and one soup sounded very rich, but hearing it was not as good as seeing it. If you saw these five dishes and one soup, you wouldn't think so. Although the five dishes and one soup were colorful and colorful, there were five plates in a row. together, and the soup in the middle is also a big bowl.

A plate of mung bean sprouts soaked in vinegar, a plate of stir-fried cabbage, a plate of boiled tofu with cabbage, a plate of boiled peanuts, and a plate of pickled radish strips. The knife skills are good, the radish strips are cut neatly, and some green onions are sprinkled on top. .

In the middle is a large bowl of soup, which is also the only meat dish on the table - crucian carp and tofu soup. There are two palm-sized crucian carp in the soup. It is estimated that this is the added dish.

Is this the lunch for the fourth grade prefect?

Zhu Ping'an was a little stunned, and then glanced at Zhang Captou.

Zhang Captou smiled bitterly and gave Zhu Ping'an a look of affirmation. This was his third time dining with Prefect Zhou, and he had already realized it.

"Come on, you're welcome, the steamed buns are enough." Zhou Houjie greeted warmly.

"Do you usually eat these?" Zhu Ping'an asked curiously, a little unbelievable that his family's living conditions would be greatly improved after he won the imperial examination, let alone Zhou Houjie, a fourth-grade Shuntian prefect.

"Food and clothing is enough, food and clothing is enough." Zhou Houjie said with a smile, and then greeted him warmly, "Zihou, hurry up and eat. This is Liuweizhai's tofu. It tastes best when eaten while it's hot."

"Sir Zhu, this is the day you are here. The master of the palace has added some extra dishes." Zhang Captou explained with a wry smile, "My lord, do you know which dish is being added today?"

"This crucian carp and tofu soup is definitely the best," Zhu Pingan said.

"Lord Zhu is half right. In fact, this boiled peanut is also a dish added by Fu Zun. Fu Zun previously ordered the kitchen to prepare meals for you. He feels that it is the right way to entertain guests that you have to prepare four dishes." The catcher shook his head and smiled bitterly.