Chapter 165: Failing to Recognize the New County Magistrate

As the saying goes, one relies on the mountains for food if living near them, and on rivers for sustenance if by them. Anqiu County is surrounded by Moushan and Xishan to the southwest, Geshan to the northeast, the Wei River to the east, and the Wen River to the north—truly a place with both mountains and rivers. In the south of the Yangtze River, such a location might even earn praise for its beautiful scenery. Yet here in Anqiu County, it was nothing but barren mountains and harsh waters. During the Jingnan Campaign, Shandong, as the southern gateway to Beijing, became the battlefield for the imperial forces against the Yan regime. As a result, nine out of ten households in Shandong and Henan were left devastated. Even after more than a decade of recovery, the only word that described the region was poverty.

There were frequent floods, droughts, locust plagues, heavy corvée labor, and corrupt officials… No matter where it was, with so many problems, it was impossible to become prosperous. Still, even in the poorest places, there were always wealthy families and tyrants, and the county government always managed to maintain a semblance of dignity. At the lotus-shaped screen in front of Anqiu County Hall, several clerks stood around in groups, listless and slumped, almost as if they were about to sit on the ground.

“Have those officials mentioned when the new county magistrate will arrive?”
“The document says tomorrow, but who knows for sure! In our area, we’ve had four county magistrates in three years. I think this one won’t last long either! The previous magistrate, Mr. Qian, made such grand promises when he took office—what was the outcome? No matter how capable he was, with Luo, Zhao, and Ma working together, he couldn’t even scratch an itch!”
“Speaking of which, do you know this new magistrate is a complete novice? He’s never held any official position before!”
“Not only that—he’s said to be a greenhorn! It might work in other places, but in Anqiu County, the waters are deep enough to cover a person’s neck. Mr. Qian lasted half a year; I doubt this one can last even three months.”

Though these clerks were just chatting idly, if anyone passed by the county hall, they would glare at them aggressively. So whenever people walked by, they kept to the sides, mostly out of fear. Even those few who dared to show anger could only glare without speaking up. Just as they were mocking the passersby with their hostile looks, suddenly they heard the sound of hurried horse hooves. When they turned to look, they saw several riders rounding the corner and charging straight toward them at full speed.

The officials were all used to being domineering. Seeing someone charging over with such a fierce demeanor, they immediately panicked and rushed forward to block them. The one in the lead shouted loudly, “Who dares to ride at full speed in front of the county office? This is rebellion! Get off your horses right now!” As soon as he finished speaking, a loud shout came from the officials, and the group of riders about to reach them all reined in their horses. Another command followed, and aside from the leader, everyone else dismounted in unison. One young man in gray clothes ran over to the leader and took hold of the reins. Seeing their dusty appearance and recalling their earlier behavior, the officials grew suspicious and unsure of their intentions.

“Lian means integrity. The screen wall in front of this county office is quite interestingly built!”

The older officials didn’t dare act rashly, while the younger ones were used to being looked down upon and couldn’t stand it when others ignored them. One of them with a crooked eye couldn’t hold back any longer. He stepped forward, grabbed his dagger at his waist, and shouted, “This is no ordinary place. How dare you talk nonsense? If you’re sensible, leave now. If not, I’ll throw you in jail and have you beaten!” Throwing people in jail and beating them used to be highly effective at intimidating the common people, but this time it disappointed the official greatly. The young man on horseback gave him a strange look before turning back to examine the screen wall. Just as he was furious, a scornful voice came from behind him.

“Throw our young master in jail and have him beaten? You’re quite bold. Are you the law in Anqiu County? Go inside and report that the new county magistrate has arrived!”

The official, already furious from the first remark, couldn’t hear the second clearly. He cursed, drew his dagger from its sheath, and said aggressively, “How dare you mock me? Don’t think just because you can ride a horse you’re something special. In this little corner of Anqiu County, no matter how rich you are, I am the law. Believe it or not, I can kill you… Ouch!” Before he could finish speaking, he felt a fierce kick on his calf. While still stunned, he was suddenly pushed backward by a hand. Looking closely, he saw the oldest official standing in front of him. Instead of demanding punishment, he bowed deeply to the young man on horseback with great respect. Upon hearing the title, the official was shocked and inwardly groaned in despair.

“May I ask if you are Lord Zhang, the new magistrate?”
It was only then that Zhang Yue on horseback turned to face the respectfully bowing official before him. Thinking of those men at the ferry who had whipped them without hesitation, and now seeing these officials who clearly were no good, he was extremely annoyed. If it were up to his nature, he would have wanted Peng Shisan to lead his men and give those reckless fools a good beating. But since they were now in Anqiu County town, not some desolate place like the ferry outside the city, he had to suppress his anger and leaped off his horse.
“I am indeed the new county magistrate of Anqiu.”
The old official had already heard Peng Shisan’s words earlier, and upon hearing confirmation from the other party, he had no doubts left. He quickly knelt down and addressed him as “lord.” Seeing this, the other officials exchanged glances for a moment before also kneeling down in a rush, forgetting to send someone inside to report. The one who had spoken rashly earlier was sweating profusely before finally kneeling down, pounding his head in apology and pleading for mercy at a rapid pace, though it was unclear what he was shouting.
“Get up all of you,” Zhang Yue said casually as he looked at the officials kneeling on the ground. Then, noticing the one with the slanted eyes left alone, he snapped, “Speaking nonsense in public—how bold of you!”
Fearing that the new magistrate might punish him severely in anger, the official hurriedly apologized repeatedly and slapped himself across the face, the sound echoing loudly.
Zhang Yue didn’t bother to check whether he was really hitting himself or not. Instead, he said to Peng Shisan, “Lao Peng, go get the documents from the Ministry of Personnel. Let’s go in.”
Peng Shisan, who had fought alongside Zhang Fuan in many battles, hated cunning and lazy people the most, so he gave those officials a fierce glare. He retrieved the documents from the saddle bag, instructed one of his attendants to watch the horse, and followed Zhang Yue into the county government building. When they passed by the screen wall and saw the characters “Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness” on the archway in front of the building, he couldn’t help but sneer.
“What Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness? To me, it’s nothing but a den of scoundrels—what kind of people are these?”

Beyond the archway, the main gate of the county yamen was tightly guarded by an eight-shaped wall. The plaque above it bore the words “Anqiu County Yamen,” which carried a certain air of dignity, though the paint had faded, giving it a rather shabby appearance. There was a gatekeeper dozing at the entrance; it was not until Zhang Yue and his men passed by that he suddenly woke up, rubbed his eyes, and saw the group rushing straight inside. He was greatly surprised and chased after them, calling out repeatedly, “How dare you! Who are you, rascals, to storm the county yamen… You still dare to intrude? This is rebellion… Someone, someone has broken into the county yamen…!”

His loud cries immediately alarmed the entire yamen. By the time Zhang Yue and his group passed the ceremonial gate behind the two-story drum tower, several officials and clerks had rushed out—some with suspicious expressions, some alarmed, some furious, while others cunningly stayed at the back, observing these uninvited guests thoughtfully.

If it hadn’t been for the two troublesome incidents earlier, Zhang Yue might have played along by hiding his identity and continuing to watch the drama, but he really had no such inclination now. He took the official documents from Peng Shisan and said calmly, “Since those outside failed to report in time, and the gatekeeper was so sleepy he only woke up when people passed by, I shall enter on my own. I am the newly appointed magistrate of Anqiu. Where is the registrar? Someone should verify these documents!”

These words were like a thunderbolt, leaving the crowd stunned for a long time. The gatekeeper, who had been trying hard to stop them, swallowed hard, almost biting his tongue, while the other clerks who had rolled up their sleeves ready to arrest the troublemakers were also frozen in shock. The two middle-aged officials at the back exchanged a glance, showing little surprise. As for what they were thinking, only heaven knew.

Luo, the deputy magistrate, and Zhao, the clerk, had both served here for ten years as graduates of the imperial examination system. Ma, the registrar, had even longer experience, having been promoted by a previous magistrate over a decade ago. Due to his honest and hardworking nature, as well as his low-key demeanor, he remained in his position despite several changes in magistrates. Hearing Zhang Yue’s demand to verify the documents, he immediately stepped forward without hesitation. Having dealt with official documents all day, he recognized their authenticity at a glance and quickly straightened his clothes before bowing deeply. “I pay my respects to the magistrate!”

At his bow, the two middle-aged officials at the back also hurried forward, their faces filled with joyous smiles. They introduced themselves one after another—one said he was the county magistrate of Luo, and the other said he was the county clerk of Zhao—then quickly began to speak.
“Your Excellency has traveled such a long distance; it must be exhausting. I will immediately order people to prepare a room for you to rest in. Tonight, my subordinates will host a banquet to welcome you. I earnestly hope you will grace us with your presence.”
“If anyone offended you just now, it was surely due to their ignorance. Please forgive their mistakes, Your Excellency, and give them a chance to make amends.”
Their words sounded perfectly smooth, but after those two incidents, even a fool would realize that the atmosphere in this yamen was in complete disarray. As a newly arrived county magistrate, his task was no easy one. With those first two demonstrations of authority already given, it would not be wise for him to act stern now. So he smiled slightly and said, “Those who do not know cannot be blamed. As a newcomer, how could I possibly seek to punish anyone? You are all so generous—I accept your kindness. When evening comes, just send someone to call me.”