The news of Su Wenqian's impending transfer had spread, and the people of Qingzhou Prefecture came to bid him farewell with gifts.
In March, there wasn't even a single melon, pear, or peach in sight.
It's unclear where these people got their food from, but an old man brought two buckets of water and blocked the entrance to the government office early in the morning.
The gatekeeper had become accustomed to receiving so many gifts these past few days, and he advised, "Sir, you should go back now. My master doesn't accept gifts..."
"What a joke, sir. I'm here to sell fish..." he said, opening the lid of the wooden bucket, revealing two lively fish inside.
The gatekeeper's expression changed slightly upon seeing this. "Old man, did you go into the water...? The ice has just thawed; you might ruin your legs if you go in... Aren't you afraid of accidentally..."
"Pah, pah, pah... How dare you say such unlucky things! Lord Su is leaving soon. Once he returns to the capital, we won't be able to eat any fish from Qingzhou Prefecture even if we want to."
The old man's eyes reddened as he spoke, "Two years ago, my family was too poor to pay the head tax, and it was Lord Su covered it for us. Now my daughter has married into a good family and is living a happy and fulfilling life."
"It was all thanks to Lord Su's matchmaking; what's wrong with me sending two fish?"
He had barely finished speaking when the gatekeeper shouted, "You still say it wasn't a gift? Take it back immediately... If the imperial court finds out, Lord Su will be accused of oppressing the people."
"Pah, don't try to scare me... Which prefect in the past didn't take bribes and demand favors? Why weren't they labeled as oppressors of the people? Enough said, just tell me where the kitchen is, and I'll personally stew fish for you, sir."
An old man carrying two buckets of fish was about to rush into the government office when the gatekeeper stopped him. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of an old woman carrying a bamboo basket, rushing in like a thief.
"Auntie, come out here..." His shout only made the other person run even faster.
The old man pointed at the woman's back and shouted, "Why can she go in but I can't? Get out of my way!"
The gatekeeper stumbled from the impact, quickly regained his balance, and as he turned around, he saw a child burst in like a firecracker, carrying a small bundle on his back.
The gatekeeper shouted, " Xiao Huzi... don't think I won't recognize you just because you've covered your face! Come out here, or I'll lock you up in jail!"
As if he hadn't heard anything, Xiao Huzi rushed into the second hall like a gust of wind. He saw Su Wenqian being cornered by an old woman who was forcibly offering him meat.
With a quick thought, he bent down and quietly approached, untied his bundle, and tied it to Su Wenqian's ankle. Su Wenqian noticed the strange sensation on his leg.
Looking down, he saw a child and was so frightened he almost kicked the child away. "Whose child are you...? What are you doing at the yamen? Go back home..."
He tried to block the pork his aunt brought him while kicking the bundle, but it was tied tightly and he couldn't get it off.
Upon receiving the gift, Xiao Huzi chuckled, " Lord Su, my mother says you're a good official. This fabric is all handwoven by your own family; it's worthless..."
After saying that, he ran out of the government office without looking back. The gatekeeper was still outside trying to stop him, but seeing Xiao Huzi coming and going so freely, he angrily said, " Xiao Huzi, you wait... I'll throw you in jail!"
Xiao Huzi disappeared without even turning his head.
The old man carrying fish was so angry when he saw everyone going into the government office that he threw his wooden bucket to the ground and sat down to wail.
He pointed at the gatekeeper, " Wu Zhuangzi, you're not human... You don't stop others, so why are you stopping me?"
The gatekeeper said anxiously, "Old man, don't I have to stop them one by one?"
The old man pointed at the others, "Then you go and stop them! So you're going to stop them one by one, while I have to call them one by one... Wu Zhuangzi, you're so shameless..."
Wu Zhuangzi's face turned red from the scolding. As more and more people gathered, someone bumped into him, and he immediately lay down on the ground.
He yelled, "Who? Who pushed me?"
Those who brought gifts were all ordinary people, kind-hearted and simple. When they saw Wu Zhuangzi fall, they instinctively wanted to help him up. But the old man jumped up, picked up two buckets of fish, and rushed towards the government office.
Only then did everyone realize that the government office gate was unguarded, so who cared about Wu Zhuangzi anymore? They rushed into the government office with their gifts.
Just as Wu Zhuangzi was looking up at the sky, three faces suddenly appeared before him, startling him. " Shopkeeper Jin... you're here to deliver gifts too??"
Jin Shanyao her head. "No, Madam Su invited us over for dinner. What are you doing lying here???"
Wu Zhuangzi cried out in pain, clutching his back. " Lord Su told me to stop the people at the door, but I don't know who pushed me... I fell and broke my back."
Jin Shanyao reached out to touch Wu Zhuangzi's waist, startling him so much that he sat up abruptly, clutching his belt tightly with both hands and staring at Jin Shanyao warily.
"What are you trying to do..."
Everyone in Qingzhou Prefecture knows that Jin Shanyao has a habit of untying people's belts; this isn't the first or second time she's done it. No one expected her to turn her dirty hand on him.
Wu Zhuangzi's ears turned red. "Let me tell you, I'm not someone to be trifled with."
Jin Shanyao in mid-air, shaking her hand, and asked in confusion, "Didn't you say your back was broken?"
It turned out to be a misunderstanding. Wu Zhuangzi coughed twice to cover his embarrassment, "Um, suddenly I felt better..."
As he spoke, he stood up, dusted off his clothes, and shouted to the people who had just arrived, "Go back quickly, Lord Su said he won't accept gifts."
"Ouch..." Wu Zhuangzi was pushed down again without warning. He lay on the ground and looked up at the sky, letting the people rush into the government office.
Jin Shanyao, Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci squatted down beside Wu Zhuangzi's head. "Did you hurt your back again?"
Wu Zhuangzi didn't want to see Jin Shanyao's face, so he turned his head to the left and saw Meng Anzhi. He turned to the right and saw Meng Anci again, so he simply closed his eyes.
Out of sight, out of mind; who knew my eyelids would be pried open?
Jin Shanyao her innocent eyes and asked, "Why are you ignoring me???"
Wu Zhuangzi pointed to the main gate of the government office, "Where's the gate? Go in yourself..."
After speaking, he brushed aside the hand Jin Shanyao and closed his eyes again.
Jin Shanyao chuckled and said to the two children, "Let's go..."
The siblings followed Jin Shanyao, asking, "Auntie, why is Wu Zhuangzi lying on the ground? Didn't Lord Su tell him to stop people?"
Jin Shanyao chuckled, " Wu Zhuangzi couldn't disobey Lord Su's orders, nor did he want to disappoint the people, so he pretended to fall, allowing them to sneak in."
Meng Anci suddenly realized... rules are rigid, but people are flexible!
As the three entered the government office, they heard a noisy commotion coming from inside. Following the sound, they made their way to the second hall.
Then he saw a group of people carrying baskets and cloth bags and handing them to Su Wenqian. Some people even knelt at his feet and kept kowtowing.
Su Wenqian couldn't tell who was who at all. His official robes were being pulled askew, and he was clutching his official hat in his hand. He was busy trying to persuade one person and helping another, sweating profusely.
Jin Shanyao and the other two stood there stunned. This was a scene they had never seen before. Jin Shanyao had only ever met two officials at most.
Yang Kui, Magistrate of Willow and Poplar County.
Su Wenqian, Prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture.
She believed that all officials should be like Magistrate Yang, seeking no merit but avoiding mistakes.
I never imagined that someone like Su Wenqian could be so beloved by the people.