"Please wait for a moment, Manager Ji."
Fang Yun processed the documents for fifteen minutes before realizing that Ji Zhibai was still unwilling to leave. He then stood up and said, "The documents have been processed, please allow me to escort Official Ji out."
"Please." Ji Zhibai said.
Ji Zhibai walked in front while Fang Yun followed behind. The rest of the officials followed Ji Zhibai out of the main hall. They walked past the stone tablet and arrived at the main entrance of the county office.
As Fang Yun walked, he looked outside and saw that many people were either standing, kneeling or sitting. When they saw Ji Zhibai and his entourage, they all stood up.
"Ji Qingtian! Official Ji is here! "
"Thank you, Ji Qingtian!"
"Thank you, Official Ji. If not, our entire family would not be able to survive!"
Many people cried as if their parents had just died. It was as if seeing Ji Zhibai was enough to make their lives worth it.
A few people noticed that Fang Yun was here and their faces were filled with shame.
Fang Yun frowned instinctively.
The High Scholar official who had followed Ji Zhibai smiled proudly and bowed to the people, "Everyone, please do not be like this. This is what Official Ji should do."
At this moment, a cripple walked over with his family holding a Wanmin Umbrella. He knelt on the ground and shouted in a sobbing tone, "Lord Ji! Master Ji Zhibai! Thank you for being so observant last year. If not, our entire family would be finished! We have already set up a memorial tablet for you. We worship it every day and worship it every year! "
Ji Zhibai paused and quickly walked forward to help the cripple up. He said happily, "So it is Old Xing. How is your family?"
Cripple Xing nodded vigorously. He said, "Thanks to you, our entire family is doing well. That Official Zhang would not dare to do anything to our family!"
Ji Zhibai nodded. He said, "That is good. I am indebted to all of you. I am unable to repay your kindness. I will bow deeply to thank everyone! "Ji Zhibai then bowed.
"No, no …" The crowd quickly stopped him.
After Ji Zhibai got up, an awkward expression appeared on his face. "After all, the person in charge of Ning An County is County Magistrate Fang. We can't make things difficult for him. Everyone, please go home. In the future, if you encounter any problems in Ning An County that you can't solve, I, Ji Zhibai, will definitely be willing to help! "
"Thank you, Lord Ji!"
"Thank you, Master Ji!"
Everyone kept turning their heads back as they walked. Reluctance was written all over his face.
Some of the officials laughed coldly. Ji Zhibai was implying that Fang Yun was not as good as him in governing Ning An County, and that he might come back at any time.
Fang Yun stood behind the doorsill and did not step out of the door. He had been watching with cold eyes.
Seeing that almost everyone had left, Fang Yun expressionlessly looked at the backs of those people and said, "Pay more next time, your acting was a little bad."
The officials snickered. Only Fang Xusheng would say that.
Ji Zhibai's face flushed red with embarrassment. He turned around and said, "County Magistrate Fang, you are the official of Ning An County. I don't want to criticize you too much. However, since I am about to become the Inspector of Mi Province, I have to say a few words. "
"What advice does Lord Ji have? I don't know how to set up the Thousand People Umbrella. "Fang Yundao said.
Ji Zhibai acted as if he did not hear Fang Yun's sarcasm and said seriously, "Governing a county by law is not a problem. However, as an official, you must maintain a benevolent and righteous heart. The law is nothing more than human feelings. In some cases, it is good for County Magistrate Fang to abide by the law. However, it will also lead to a lack of benevolence! "
When the officials heard this, they realized that something was wrong!
The dispute over etiquette had always existed. Ji Zhibai was clearly attacking Fang Yun for favoring the law over benevolence. Once the Hall of Rites caught onto this, even if Fang Yun was Xusheng, he would not give Fang Yun any face. The old men of the Hall of Rites were definitely the most stubborn group of people in Sheng Yuan Continent.
Last year, they dared to punish the Lei family. This year, they could target Fang Yun.
Fang Yun's expression was indifferent. He smiled and said, "Although Lord Ji's words are biased, they are still reasonable. If Lord Ji has any advice, please say it all. "
Ji Zhibai raised his head and said, "Since County Magistrate Fang is so straightforward, then this official will teach you the way of being an official …"
Ao Huang was annoyed and said angrily, "Ji Zhibai, be careful. Are you worthy of teaching Xusheng the way of being an official?"
Ji Zhibai laughed and said calmly, "No one is born with knowledge. If you want me to teach Fang Xusheng the way of poetry, then I am talking nonsense. However, if I want to teach County Magistrate Fang the way of being an official, then it is reasonable. Prince Huang, are you trying to interfere with Jingguo's political affairs? "
Ao Huang rolled his eyes at Ji Zhibai and snorted, "You and this dragon should be careful! Your opponent is like a pig! "
Ji Zhibai's face flashed with annoyance. He ignored Ao Huang and looked at Fang Yun. He continued, "This official has heard of the case that County Magistrate Fang has judged. I remember that on your fifth day in office, you encountered a case like this. A poor farmer felt that a rich doctor was treating his illness indiscriminately, so he went to the doctor's house to cause trouble. In the end, he was stopped by the doctor's servants. During the fight, many valuable medicines were scattered, and the farmer was injured. County Magistrate Fang, according to the law, you made the farmer compensate the doctor for the medicine. However, what happened after that? The farmer had to sell his family's meager fields to pay for it. "
Fang Yun asked, "Is there something wrong?"
Ji Zhibai said loudly, "Of course there is something wrong! After you judged the case, the farmer went bankrupt and his family lived a miserable life. As for the doctor? He was very rich and didn't lack those few taels of silver. To him, even if the farmer didn't pay for it, it didn't matter. You seemed to be fair, but you ruined a family! When I was the County Magistrate of Ning An County, I encountered a similar case. Do you know how this official judged it? "
"There is no harm in saying it." Fang Yun still didn't care.
Ji Zhibai said, "Then this official will tell you! You saw Cripple Xing just now. Do you know why his left leg was crippled? His leg was trampled by Squire Zhang's family's cow! "Ji Zhibai deliberately paused and looked at Fang Yun.
Fang Yun thought for a moment and said, "This county magistrate knows about this case. Cripple Xing was idle and saw Squire Zhang's cow eating grass, so he went to tease it. As a result, the yellow cow was startled. Not only did the yellow cow knock him down, it also trampled on his leg. In the end, the yellow cow ran far away and disappeared. After that, you judged Squire Zhang to be in the wrong and had to pay for the medical expenses. Speaking of this matter, this county magistrate will also report you for misusing the law and dereliction of duty! "
Ji Zhibai laughed again and said, "Fang Yun, oh Fang Yun, you are conceited and intelligent, but you don't have a benevolent and righteous heart. Although Cripple Xing was in the wrong, you don't know that not only does he have an old mother to support, he also has a wife and two children. If this official didn't judge Squire Zhang to pay for his medical expenses and had to pay for the yellow cow, then the Xing family would be ruined! To Squire Zhang, the yellow cow and the medical expenses were insignificant. Can you watch as Cripple Xing's family is destroyed because of a small mistake he made? Oh, you really can. The punishment you gave to that farmer was merciless and inhumane! County Magistrate Fang, let this official tell you, they are people of flesh and blood with feelings. They are not ice-cold laws! "
Some of the officials revealed worried expressions. Ji Zhibai had hit Fang Yun's weak point.
The Legalists of the Qin Dynasty were strict and tyrannical, causing the common people to rebel. Later officials were much more careful. Overly strict judgments would inevitably attract criticism.
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