CHAPTER 318: CHAPTER 312 SEALING THE HOUSEHOLD DEPARTMENT

"Occupying a position without planning for its governance, being a parent official of a county yet having no compassion for the people, excessively greedy and cruel, doesn’t he deserve to be executed?" Zhao Hanzhang’s face was solemn as she glanced over the officials including the Chief Clerk who had hurriedly arrived, and with suppressed anger, she said, "I don’t care about the outside atmosphere, but under my jurisdiction, if you occupy a position, then you must do the work associated with it."

"If you don’t want to work, then get out quickly, don’t just occupy a position and do nothing!"

Wu Erlang was shocked by Zhao Hanzhang’s bluntness, but couldn’t help but agree in his heart, indeed, don’t occupy a position and do nothing.

Fu Tinghan stood there with a calm expression, flipped through the papers in his hand, and handed them over to Zhao Hanzhang who was seated, "These are the accumulated cases on the table."

Zhao Hanzhang took it and glanced through, her expression turning even more displeased. She angrily hurled the papers at their faces, "Of the 128 households in Houshan Gou, only 39 households remain, and nearly half of those have turned to banditry, robbing passing merchants. The village chief reports to appease the remaining villagers, and yet you claim there’s no issue in the county? Are your eyes and brains just for show?"

Everyone bowed their heads in shame, trembling with fear.

Qiu Wu soon came in holding County Magistrate Hu’s head to report, "Ma’am, the person has been beheaded."

Zhao Hanzhang:...

She turned her eyes away and waved her hand saying, "Let the Hu Family take care of him, what are you bringing his head back for?"

Qiu Wu’s body stiffened, he thought the master might want to see it, after all, it was her first County Magistrate execution.

Zhao Hanzhang, however, had no intention to disgrace County Magistrate Hu further and directly instructed Qiu Wu to return the head and pull the body over to give to the Hu Family.

She then turned her attention away from this matter and asked Liang Hong, "How much grain is currently in the county government warehouse? How much money? Can we immediately purchase enough grain in the county to relieve the people?"

Liang Hong was still preoccupied with the sight of County Magistrate Hu’s head and thus looked pale, not even aware of what he was saying, "Only a bit over two hundred stone of grain, not much money in the warehouse, to buy grain, we’d have to buy from the Guo Family and the Ma Family. Both families have a good relationship with the County Magistrate, if he mediates, maybe it could be cheaper..."

Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who were the two people drinking and taking medicine with County Magistrate Hu earlier?"

Liang Hong’s head was still buzzing, and he replied with a dull face, "It should be Mr. Guo and Mr. Ma, they often discuss philosophy and drink with the County Magistrate, they are confidants."

Fu Tinghan had already quickly flipped through the records on the table, and he opened the page of the ledger, laying it in front of Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at it, her gaze slightly focused, "So it turns out the silks of Biyang County are so famous? So many silk cocoons collected every summer and autumn, where have the money and fabrics gone?"

Liang Hong replied, "Most in the County Magistrate’s house..."

"County Magistrate Liang!" Ma Zhubu couldn’t help yelling, shocking him back to reality!

Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze landed on Ma Zhubu, smiling faintly, "It seems one life isn’t enough, Ma Zhubu is so anxious, could it be you miss County Magistrate Hu and wish to be down there to accompany him?"

Ma Zhubu’s face changed colors, but he raised his head high, "Kill if you wish, it’s a woman’s scheming to rule through fear, extremely malicious!"

Zhao Hanzhang was incensed and placed her hand on the hilt of her knife, but Fu Tinghan reached out to hold her hand, shaking his head slightly, his eyes falling on the ledger before her, "I need all the accounts and household registries from the Household Department."

Zhao Hanzhang calmed down, indeed, she had a ready reason for executing County Magistrate Hu, openly and aboveboard, whether from a legal or moral standpoint, she was justified;

But to kill Ma Zhubu, as of now, there was no reason, killing in a fit of emotion might deter all talents coming to join her, and instill fear among the people, which would be more harm than good.

Zhao Hanzhang restrained her anger, looked at Ma Zhubu, and smiled, "You are right, this County Magistrate is indeed malicious, someone, keep the Household Department and the County Magistrate’s office under surveillance, no one is allowed to touch the documents inside. From now on, the entire county government will follow Fu Tinghan’s commands."

Qiu Wu acknowledged and immediately took his men to seal the Household Department.

Ma Zhubu’s face changed, the core items of the entire county government, the majority were in the Household Department.

After the Household Department was guarded, Zhao Hanzhang then said to County Magistrate Liang, "Take people to search and confiscate the Hu Family."

County Magistrate Liang hadn’t reacted yet when Ma Zhubu already yelled with wide eyes, "How dare you! Disaster doesn’t extend to family, Third Lady Zhao, do you dare to so humiliate the scholarly family..."

Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand and said, "Ma Zhubu is too agitated, come, let him sober up in prison and reflect on himself!"

"How dare you!"

Zhao Hanzhang sneered, she couldn’t kill him now, but she could certainly imprison him, couldn’t she?

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Qiu Wu, and Qiu Wu made a gesture, two strong soldiers stepped forward to seize Ma Zhubu and were about to drag him away.

Ma Zhubu couldn’t help screaming, and Fu Tinghan frowned before speaking to Qiu Wu, "Gag him, it’s too noisy."

Zhao Hanzhang immediately said, "Yes, gag him."

Liang Hong:...

Qiu Wu didn’t hesitate, he casually pulled an official’s belt and balled it up to stuff into Ma Zhubu’s mouth.

Liang Hong wanted to speak but stopped, this was a great humiliation for a scholar, such disgrace, what if Ma Zhubu committed suicide?

What was most important, if this matter spread, it would also be very bad for Zhao Hanzhang. No one had ever dared to gag a scholar’s mouth, even though many wished to.

The cloth ball was stuffed into his mouth, Ma Zhubu mumbled twice and was dragged away, in the hall, all officials were drenched in cold sweat, trembling in fear, dare not to say a word.

Only then did Zhao Hanzhang look at them again, "Who will search and confiscate the Hu Family?"

The crowd remained silent, not daring to speak, Liang Hong gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and stepped forward, "This subordinate is willing to go."

Zhao Hanzhang finally slightly curled her lips, nodding, "Good, you go."

Liang Hong took the government officials to the back courtyard of the county government, Qiu Wu followed with a few soldiers, and soon, cries and scolding came from the back courtyard.

Zhao Hanzhang sat as steady as a mountain, organizing the ledgers with Fu Tinghan.

Wu Erlang kept looking out, and even Ting He curiously glanced out several times.

Seeing this, Zhao Hanzhang said to her, "If you want to see, then go."

She paused for a moment then said, "The ledgers haven’t been sorted out yet, but County Magistrate Hu hasn’t committed rebellion, it won’t implicate the family."

Ting He immediately said, "Yes, I will definitely watch over them and not let them harm the Hu Family members."

Zhao Hanzhang slightly nodded.

Ting He then left.

Wu Erlang looked filled with longing and regret, he also wanted to go take a look.

But Zhao Hanzhang seemed not to notice at all, instructing him to work, "Go find out the situation outside, especially that of the Ma Family and the Guo Family."

Wu Erlang brightened up and immediately complied, happy just to be able to go out, outside was just as exciting as the back courtyard of the county government.