The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

That afternoon, Meng Yi and his party arrived outside Pei County.

Since two months had passed since the censor's inspection and supervision, all the counties in the east had received the news to a greater or lesser extent.

At the city gate, County Magistrate Han Wen, County Lieutenant Liu Bang, and the County Magistrate had been waiting for a long time. Han Wen was dressed in official uniform and looked respectful, while Liu Bang seemed a little casual, but his eyes revealed a shrewd look.

It is worth mentioning that the former magistrate of Pei County, Chen, who is also Lu Ze’s father-in-law, has been transferred to the position of county chief clerk.

As Meng Yi and his group gradually approached, he saw clearly that in addition to the county magistrate and others, his brother-in-law Lu Ze was also among them. Lu Ze was smiling, and his eyes showed a friendly look.

County Magistrate Han Wen hurriedly led the crowd, stepped forward quickly, saluted respectfully and said: "I am Han Wen, the County Magistrate of Pei County, and I am here with the officials of Pei County to pay my respects to the Chief Censor." His voice was loud and clear, revealing his respect for Meng Yi.

Seeing this, Meng Yi did not act arrogantly, but dismounted and returned the greeting, saying: "Thank you for your courtesy, County Magistrate Han. I have come here on the orders of Your Majesty to inspect the counties in the east. I hope you will cooperate with me on this trip." His tone revealed sincerity and determination.

Han Wen and the others expressed their full cooperation and invited Meng Yi to go into the city to rest. Meng Yi nodded in agreement and went into the city with everyone else.

Along the way, Han Wen gave Meng Yi a detailed introduction to Pei County's basic situation and recent work. Meng Yi listened attentively, occasionally asking questions, which Han Wen answered one by one.

"County Magistrate Han, what is the security situation in Pei County?" Meng Yi asked.

Han Wen replied, "Don't worry, sir. The security in Pei County has always been quite stable. I and the county lieutenant Liu Bang have always been committed to maintaining local peace."

Liu Bang added, "Sir, we never slack off on our patrols to ensure the safety of the people's lives and property."

Meng Yi nodded slightly and continued, "What about taxes? Are the people burdened too heavily?"

Han Wen quickly explained, "I have always collected taxes according to the court's regulations and will never slack off. At the same time, I will also pay attention to the actual situation of the people. If they are in need, I will reduce or exempt them as appropriate."

After hearing this, Meng Yi said with satisfaction, "This is very good. Officials should put the people first."

As they walked and talked, the atmosphere was harmonious. Meng Yi gained a deeper understanding of the situation in Pei County, and Han Wen and others also felt his seriousness, responsibility and care for the people.

Then, Meng Yi looked at Liu Bang and Lu Ze with a smile and asked gently, "Brother Liu, Brother Lu, how is my father-in-law these days?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bang and Lü Ze hurriedly bowed and prepared to respond, but Meng Yi quickly stepped forward, held them with both hands, and said softly with a friendly smile, "We are family, there is no need to be so polite."

County Magistrate Han Wen, standing nearby, had long heard that Lü Taigong's son-in-law was the younger brother of General Meng Tian, ​​renowned for his loyalty and filial piety. Meeting him in person today confirmed his reputation. He quickly chimed in, "Right, right, right, Lieutenant Liu, and Lü Gongcao, Lord Zhongcheng, arriving in Pei County is like returning home. There's no need to be so reserved."

After hearing what the county magistrate Han Wen said, Liu Bang immediately responded, "Your Excellency, County Magistrate, is right. Brother Meng, rest assured that my father-in-law is doing well."

Lu Ze also said: "Father and mother are in good health, but they often miss my brother-in-law, sister, and my little nephew."

Meng Yi smiled and said, "I also want to bring Hao'er to show you, but he is still young and it is not convenient for him to travel long distances. But when he grows up a little, I will definitely let Susu bring him back so that you can meet this lovely child."

After that, Meng Yi and the others continued on their way, chatting and laughing along the way, the atmosphere very harmonious. The sunlight shone on them, outlining their clear outlines. The trees on both sides of the road were lush and green, and the breeze rustled the leaves.

Soon they arrived at the gate of the county government office. The gate was tall and majestic, its vermilion paint gleaming in the sun.

The stone lions in front of the gate are lifelike, with their fangs and claws bared, as if they are guarding this land, but also as if they want to "eat people".

Since Xiao He had served as an official before and had been gaining experience in the northern camp, he was familiar with all the documents and accounts of the county government. Therefore, Xiao He was responsible for checking all these aspects along the way.

Then, accompanied by the county magistrate Han Wen and the county lieutenant Liu Bang, Meng Yi took Han Xin to the military camp to inspect the weapons, equipment and supplies.

Accompanied by the county magistrate and Lü Ze, Xiao He came to the official document room of the county government office. He was somewhat surprised by the piles of bamboo slips there, and he could not help but frown.

The official document room was filled with an old-fashioned atmosphere. The sunlight shone through the window onto the bamboo slips, creating patches of mottled light and shadow.

Xiao He carefully flipped through each bamboo slip, his fingers gently touching the words, his eyes focused and attentive, not missing a single detail. He meticulously reviewed archived records of Pei County's household registration, taxation, and other matters, meticulously studying every page. After this lengthy study, he gained a deeper understanding of Pei County's current governance.

He then visited the markets and villages of Pei County, interacting with the people and understanding their living conditions and aspirations. The markets were bustling with people, and the various sounds intertwined to form a unique symphony.

Xiao He moved among the crowd, chatting with vendors and asking about prices and business conditions.

After several days of visits and checking accounts, Xiao He found a clue in the grain in and out accounts of Pei County.

Although it was only a slight difference, his keen insight still detected the problem. However, he did not expose it on the spot, but chose to remain silent. He knew that now was not the time, and he needed to wait for the right opportunity to report the situation to Meng Yi in person.

At the same time, Meng Yi was conducting a comprehensive inspection of all aspects of Pei County.

He first inspected the military camp and checked the soldiers' training and equipment. Then he climbed the city wall to observe Pei County's defense facilities and surrounding environment.

During this inspection, he found that the public security in Pei County was good and people's livelihood was stable, but there were still some problems that needed to be improved. For example, some parts of the city wall needed to be reinforced, and the training of soldiers could be further improved.

Meng Yi recorded these issues one by one and had an in-depth discussion with the county magistrate Chen Wen. Chen Wen and Liu Bang promised to implement corrective measures as soon as possible to ensure the development and stability of Pei County.

Meng Yi stood on the city wall, his heart filled with emotion. "No wonder everyone wants to be a high-ranking official. It seems that this is not just the case in later generations, but since ancient times, as long as someone is sent down from above for inspection, even the top leaders below will worship the special commissioner as a god. Alas! How high is the official position?"