Wang Chang looked at himself, stretched out his hand and touched his face and stomach. He lowered his head and didn't say anything.
In fact, he wanted to say that Gongsun Moyu wasn't dark and thin, he was just dark. How could he not be dark when he was running around outside all day? But he couldn't excuse himself by blaming others. If he angered Xiaobei and the others, he might be dragged to the capital.
"I can prove that in the past one and a half years, County Magistrate Wang didn't get a single penny from the county government for his own enjoyment," Gongsun Moyu said righteously.
Without waiting for others to ask, he continued, "Because after I came to the county, I knew the money in the county government. Part of the money that was handed over to the imperial court last year is in the Tang Bank in the state capital. Last year, there were 12 groups of inspectors. If County Magistrate Wang really used the money, I reported it.
Since the end of the New Year this year, our finances have always been open to the public. We have told the common people every coin we need. Until now, there have been five groups of inspectors. If there is really a problem, when the inspectors ask the people, the villagers will tell the truth. "
"Yes, yes, County Magistrate Gongsun is right. Every month, they come for inspection. I am timid and won't spend the county's money," Wang Chang quickly said.
"Don't change the concept. I asked you why you are white and fat. You told me that you didn't spend the county's money. You didn't spend the county's money. It can only mean that you are not greedy, but it can't mean that you have no problems. For example, you took bribes, or you used your position to bully people, or you didn't pay when you ate in the restaurant. "
Xiaobei still thought that Wang Chang's body couldn't be easily nourished in the tough environment of the county.
"I … I …" After Wang Chang heard Xiaobei's question, he began to stutter. Obviously, he was right.
Gongsun Moyu said, "What I can say is that County Magistrate Wang didn't pay when he ate, and he has three fixed restaurants. Every time, the restaurants give County Magistrate Wang money. The lowest is 20 to 30 coins, and the highest is 50 to 100 coins."
"Ha, you can even get money from eating. Good thing, why haven't I seen it before? County Magistrate Wang, you tell me, I will learn from you. There is such a wonderful thing in the world, good." Xiaobei began to clench his teeth.
"I'm innocent, innocent." A person came out of the crowd with a rolling pin in his hand. Seeing that everyone was looking at the weapon in his hand, four people grabbed his clothes and hurriedly threw the rolling pin on the ground. They were scared because at least twenty guns were pointed at them.
"Help him pick it up. What kind of weapon can the rolling pin be? At critical moments, what the rolling pin can do, the fist and the head can do as well. Newcomer, who did you say was wronged? "Little Hai didn't believe that someone would stupidly rush over and attack with a rolling pin. That rolling pin was no more than two feet long.
The guns were put away, and some people picked up the rolling pin, but they didn't hand it to the people who had squeezed in.
"County Magistrate Wang, I'm innocent. I overheard people saying that he doesn't pay for his meals and wants to pay for them. I'm innocent. He often eats in my shop. Why do you say he's resentful? Because he doesn't just eat, he also helps to cook. County Magistrate Wang's cooking skills were simply superb. Oh, my surname is Zhang, and my name is Wretched Ming. "
The person who called himself Zhang Cai gave Wang Chang a thumbs up when he praised him.
Xiao Bei and the others didn't say anything. They looked at Zhang Cai and signaled for him to continue.
Zhang Cai seemed to be slightly nervous. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and continued, "County Magistrate Wang's best cooking skills are his knife skills and deep-frying skills. That knife is very good. When cutting radishes, a few radishes added together are not even as thick as a strand of hair. He also deep-fried things. The same pot, the same oil, and the same things. County Magistrate Wang's deep-fried food is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
How good is it? Let me tell you something. You know about pork and fish, right? After County Magistrate Wang's hand frying, putting it in the pot and deep-frying, the outside of the pork will be crispy, and the inside of the fish will be juicy. It's fragrant and fresh.
Those who have eaten it can testify. Every time County Magistrate Wang comes to my shop to eat, I've asked you to join in the fun. Let's not talk about how good he is as a county magistrate. Let's talk about his cooking skills. I gave him money, right? "
"Yes."
"I've eaten it too."
"It's delicious."
"Vegetable dumpling, don't talk nonsense. County Magistrate Wang's deep-frying skills are better than yours. Don't put gold on your face."
Xiao Bei looked at the old man beside him and the old woman with the stick. Seeing that the two of them did not object, he believed a lot more.
He then looked at County Magistrate Wang and suddenly laughed, "Haha, are you a chef or a county magistrate? No wonder you're white and fat. You're a typical foodie. You don't care about the affairs of the people in the county. You go to other people's restaurants to eat and cook for them. Don't you think it's a waste of your talent to be a county magistrate? "
"Yes, yes, foodie. I'm a foodie. I don't deserve to be a county magistrate," Wang Chang said.
"I don't understand. You're a foodie. How did you become a county magistrate? You should be a chef." Xiao Bei was depressed. Who made Wang Chang the county magistrate? What a scam.
"I took the exam. In the sixth year of Kaiyuan, I was ranked 42nd. I was working in the imperial court, but I found that the salary was too little. The land next to my house was the land of other high-ranking officials. I wanted to raise pigs, but they said it smelled bad. I wanted to dig a pond to raise fish, but they were afraid that the pond water would flow into their fields and drown the seedlings, so they didn't let me dig.
Later, I had to cook for my superior for half a month before he helped to transfer me away. Then, Wenshan County lacked a county magistrate. I asked for help and got transferred to Wenshan. I knew about this place before I came. There are many wild animals in the mountains and many medicinal herbs. It's perfect for cooking. "
When Wang Chang talked about eating, he drooled. He swallowed twice to prevent the saliva from flowing out of his mouth.
Xiao Bei patted his head twice, "I … I … I really don't know what to say. I believe in Chef Zhang's words now. The food you cook must be delicious. I don't think it's right to say that a person who chose to be an official and choose a place to eat is not delicious. Have you been starving since you were young? "
"No, I was able to eat when I was young because of my mother. My father died early, and my mother raised the six of us. At that time …"
Wang Chang began to talk about his family matters. He said that his mother had suffered a lot in order to raise the six of them. When they were young, they ate first, and their mother would eat after they were done. If there was nothing left, their mother would just drink some dishwater and consider it as eating.
Later, he swore to the heavens and his ancestors that one day, when he was successful, he would definitely let his mother eat good food every day. Before he took the imperial examinations, he helped others copy books and earned money to buy ingredients for his mother to cook. Then, when he took the imperial examinations, he actually passed.
Then, while he was an official, he used his salary to buy all kinds of food for his mother, wife, and children. As long as he was at home, he wouldn't let others cook. When it became a habit, he would feel uncomfortable if he didn't cook for a day.
No matter where he became an official, he had to consider what the local food could be eaten, so that when he brought his family there, they could eat delicious food.
He was frugal in his daily life. If his clothes were torn, his wife would mend them. He was not allowed to throw away leftovers. After all, his mother used to drink the dishwater. If he threw away the leftovers, he was afraid of being struck by lightning.
When he arrived at Wenshan, he found that there were many wild animals. However, the county was poor, far worse than before. In the past, he could always get some benefits from other places, but there was nothing in Wenshan County. He really wanted to be greedy, but his mother wouldn't let him. She said that the commoners had a hard life, and if he spent this money, he would sooner or later suffer retribution. He would rather continue drinking the dishwater than eat the food bought with the greedy money. Otherwise, he would starve to death.
Therefore, Wang Chang changed his method when he felt that his salary was not enough. He went to three good restaurants in the county to help. After he earned money, he went back to buy ingredients and cooked for his family.
With his good skills, he lived well for the past few years. Every year, he could cook bear paws for his mother twice. Then, with the arrival of Gongsun Moyu, he found that he couldn't beat him. Fortunately, Gongsun Moyu was capable, so he put down the matters in the county and focused on cooking.
"I really didn't do anything bad." Wang Chang promised again.
"You still say you didn't do anything bad? This is considered inaction. Fortunately, Gongsun Moyu came. Otherwise, the commoners in the county would have been cheated to death by you." Xiao Bei pointed at Wang Chang and said.
"I plead guilty. I deserve to die." Wang Chang lowered his head.
Xiao Bei sighed. "Aiya."
He reached out and grabbed Xiao Yuan's shoulder, shaking it back and forth. "Xiao Yuan, why do we have such a hard life? Can't we encounter a simpler case? Investigate the evidence and chop off the head. Everyone is nimble.
Look at what kind of people we met. When we investigated at the seaside, they were so capable that we could only give them a warning. When we investigated at Fengzhou, it was a fellow who was also used. Moreover, he was slick. It's the same now. You said you killed him, but he was filial. He also knows how to be thrifty.
Moreover, he helped the restaurant to cook, which can be considered to have improved the food conditions of some people. But if you don't teach him a lesson, he hasn't done anything for the past few years. He only thinks about how to cook good food. It's too torturous. "
Xiao Yuan felt the same. He nodded and comforted Xiao Bei. "Life, this is life. He won't be able to be a county magistrate. Why don't we send him to the front? "
"Why? Let him do business?" Xiao Bei pursed his lips and asked.
"Let him go to the front to study the ingredients there. In the future, when we conquer the place, we will develop it. Food is the most important thing to the people. Let him go there and try." Xiao Yuan suggested.
Xiao Bei thought for a moment and said unhappily, "It's enough to have Brother. Didn't Brother cook for us before? He said that the food that might appear there in the future is called curry or something. It's disgusting just thinking about it. I admit that he has been ambitious since he was young. He cooks well, but it depends on who he is compared to.
His knife skills are good, but is he as pretty as Brother when he's throwing knives? When frying pork and fish, it's nothing more than roasting the pork slightly to remove the moisture. When wrapping the fish, the inner layer of the pork is smeared with starch to moisturize it. If the weather is cold, the frozen fish is used. After frying it, it will be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside like juice. Right, County Magistrate Wang? "
Wang Chang was listening by the side. In the beginning, he was nervous when he heard the two of them deciding his life and death. When he heard Xiao Bei's method, he immediately forgot about his nervousness and asked in surprise, "You … How … How did you know? I have an exclusive secret recipe. The soup in the buns is just frozen first. My family's recipe is not leaked to outsiders. "
"Pui! My family runs a restaurant, Between the Clouds and the Water, and they have served soup dumplings many years ago. You think you are good at it, but have you eaten the real soup dumplings? My brother's food is the best delicacy in the world, "Xiao Bei said proudly.
"I will definitely ask for advice when I have the time," Wang Chang replied unconvinced.
"You have the time, but my brother doesn't."
"Right, I almost forgot. Your brother is Xiao Bao. He won't play with me." Wang Chang appeared very depressed. The difference in status was too great.
"Find a place to rest first. We will talk about your matter later. Don't worry, you won't die. At most, you will suffer a little. Gongsun Moyu, think of a plan and tell us later. If we can't solve it, we can look for Brother and Sister. I believe that Brother and Sister are definitely better than you. "
Xiao Bei, who realized that he still couldn't directly kill the officials, quickened his pace. At the same time, he felt that this was good. It meant that there were fewer problems with the officials in Tang Dynasty. If there were officials everywhere that deserved to die, Tang Dynasty would be in danger.
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