A moment later, a knock sounded on the study door...
"Knock, knock, knock, anyone home? It's Magistrate Chen, here to visit Young Master Xiao and Prefect Qin!~" Magistrate Chen's rough, hoarse voice came through.
Upon learning that Prefect Qin had arrived at Dashui Village, he had rushed over without delay...
First, he wanted to pay his respects to Prince Ming and His Highness the Crown Prince, and second, he wanted to get on Prefect Qin's good side.
After all, the incident where he was dragged into the cesspool before was quite undignified, and in terms of work, Prefect Qin had frequently made things difficult for him, constantly finding fault...
"Come in!~" Xiao Jinheng narrowed his eyes.
A moment later, the study door was gently pushed open, and Magistrate Chen tiptoed in.
"Your subordinate, your subordinate Chen Yugang, pays his respects, pays his respects to His Highness Prince Ming..."
Before he could finish the word "subordinate," Xiao Jinfeng walked forward with a smile, patted Magistrate Chen on the shoulder, and said, "I am no longer Prince Ming. I am just an ordinary, peace-loving country folk. I will have to ask for your continued care and attention in Magistrate Chen's jurisdiction from now on!~"
"Oh dear, you mustn't, you mustn't..." Magistrate Chen was utterly astonished, his legs trembling.
What right did he have to trouble the Second Prince of the current dynasty?
Even if Xiao Jinfeng had been stripped of his title as Prince Ming, he was still a prince in name and deed. Who dared to provoke his wrath?
"Your subordinate, your subordinate is just a ninth-rank official. If you are staying in Dashui Village from now on, your subordinate will do his utmost to take good care of you..." Magistrate Chen clasped his hands.
Xiao Jinheng coughed lightly upon hearing this, "Magistrate Chen, do you have business with the Old Yun family?"
Magistrate Chen: "..."
What kind of question was that? The Old Yun family was his in-laws. Couldn't he visit his relatives?
But these words welled up to his lips, only to be swallowed back down. He put on a smiling face, "Your Highness, your subordinate is here specifically to visit you!~"
Xiao Jinheng: "..."
This old fox, only saying pleasant things.
However, during this past year, Heyang County, governed by Magistrate Chen, had been very peaceful. The people lived and worked in peace, the harvests were abundant, and the crime rate was also very low...
With such performance, Xiao Jinheng could write a letter to his father, the Emperor, to have Magistrate Chen reinstated as Prefect and then find a new magistrate to take over.
"Magistrate Chen! Prefect Qin!~" Xiao Jinheng walked to the desk with his hands behind his back, his eyes narrowed as he asked, "When your father, the Emperor, dismissed your official posts, you must have been quite resentful, right?"
Magistrate Chen's mind was filled with cold sweat at the remark...
Prefect Qin was even more terrified. He dared not speak of resentment, for fear of death, unless he no longer wished to live.
"The Emperor dismissed my official post, and he must have had his reasons. How dare I utter a single word of complaint..." Prefect Qin murmured.
Magistrate Chen lowered his head, continuously wiping his sweat, as silent as a cicada in winter. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Seeing this, Xiao Jinheng slightly curved his lips, "Do you two remember why you were dismissed from your posts?"
Prefect Qin was once an imperial inspector with great power. Now that his rank had been reduced by one level, he must have harbored some resentment...
The two exchanged glances, not daring to speak.
Xiao Jinheng suppressed his laughter, "How about this, I'll give you two a task. If you do it well, I will ask my father to promote you. From now on, Prefect Qin will take up his post in the capital, serving as an editor or a minister in the Hanlin Academy or the Zhongshu Province. As for Magistrate Chen, you will become an imperial inspector in the prefectural city. What do you two think?~"
Prefect Qin: "???"
Magistrate Chen: "???"
Was there such a good thing?
Something unusual must be afoot. Was His Highness the Crown Prince setting a trap for them...
Magistrate Chen raised his eyes, staring at Xiao Jinheng's hem, and said weakly, "Your, Your Highness, what do you want your subordinate to do?"
"Windmills!~" Xiao Jinheng did not keep them in suspense. He waved his hand and pointed towards the window, "Do you see the windmill in the Yun family's courtyard?"
Prefect Qin and Magistrate Chen nodded in unison, "Yes, yes, we see it..."
"I want you to build windmills for the common people in the towns and villages of the county and prefectural cities for free within three months. Remember, you must ensure quality and quantity. If anyone dares to cut corners or do a shoddy job, then you will never be promoted again!~" Xiao Jinheng said with a serious expression.
Prefect Qin: "..."
Magistrate Chen: "..."
Three months?
Was this a joke? Even in half a year, they wouldn't be able to build them.
Xiao Jinheng's intention was to reduce the pressure on the imperial court, allowing the Ministry of Works to concentrate its efforts on other regions...
On the other hand, he also wanted to test the administrative capabilities of the two officials.
If they couldn't even handle this small task, then the two of them should just stay in the county and prefectural cities. They would have no great prospects for the rest of their lives...
"Your, Your Highness!~" Prefect Qin looked distressed and heartbroken, "It's not that your subordinate doesn't want to be promoted, but this task is simply too arduous and difficult. If your subordinate cannot complete it, His Highness the Crown Prince will be disappointed!"
Alas, he was having a hard time.
Xiao Jinheng nodded lightly at this, glancing at Magistrate Chen, "So, you also think you can't complete it?"
Magistrate Chen cried out in his heart: I didn't say that...
"Alright, I understand. You two may leave!~" Xiao Jinheng waved his hand.
Prefect Qin blinked, completely bewildered.
Had His Highness given up on them?
Just as the two were about to slip out, Xiao Jinfeng suddenly coughed lightly, blocked their path, and whispered a reminder, "You two should think carefully. Once this village is gone, there won't be another like it. Moreover, even Sweet Baby can build windmills, so why are you two so useless? Hurry and admit your mistake to the Crown Prince, take on the job, and don't disappoint him too much!~"
Prefect Qin: "..."
How could we compare to Sweet Baby? She was a rare genius once in a century. Even if they were given the windmill blueprints, they wouldn't understand them.
Magistrate Chen secretly glanced at Prefect Qin, unable to suppress his laughter.
The prefect's jurisdiction was vast, unlike Heyang County, which had only a few villages, countable on one's fingers...
Thinking of this, Magistrate Chen straightened his neck and clasped his hands in a bow to Xiao Jinheng again, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, your subordinate accepts. I guarantee to complete the task within three months..."
Xiao Jinheng's expression brightened upon hearing this, "Good. Then let's start with Dashui Village. Ensure that two windmills are built in every village!~"
"Your subordinate obeys!~" Magistrate Chen replied.
Prefect Qin: "..."
This traitor, how could he have no principles or stance?
If you've already agreed, and I refuse now, wouldn't that be offending the Crown Prince?
"Since that's the case, then, then your subordinate also accepts!~" Prefect Qin murmured.
Xiao Jinheng's face lit up with joy. He quickly stepped forward to help the two officials up, "Very good. I will give you the windmill blueprints later, and Xi Tian will teach you the structure and principles of the windmills. You may go back and prepare now!"
The two officials heard this and looked utterly despairing, almost fainting on the spot...