Chapter 26 Apprehending criminals
Does Ma Su have the ability to govern Longxi County? This is a doubt of the local gentry.
If he didn't, there would be no problem in falling out with Ma Su. Household registration checks and the implementation of Han law were all things that could not be clarified under the cover of the gentry without any ability.
By then, the gentry would be completely non-violent and non-cooperative, leaving Ma Su unable to achieve anything. Later, when the Qiang people came out to plunder, they used stumbling blocks at the back to inform the Qiang people, causing the Qiang people to go into chaos.
In this way, no matter how strong Ma Su's background is, he must be replaced as soon as possible.
After all, this is the home ground of local nobles like them, and they are not afraid of non-cooperation from foreign officials.
However, they soon discovered that they were very wrong, because Ma Su didn't play according to common sense at all.
Dozens of Shu officials took Ma Di's order and read it out in the streets, calling on local Guizhou leaders to expose the dirty deeds of these nobles. On that day, anyone who preys on the common people, bullies men and dominates women, can report it to the official.
It doesn't matter if you are afraid of retaliation. Just cover your face in a deserted place and find an official to report quietly. Taishou Ma was personally sent by the Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty to implement Han law, and he would never collude with the nobles.
The effect of Ma Su's decree was immediate. Because of the anonymous reporting, many Guizhou leaders who were afraid of the power of the powerful families also thought of reporting.
Cover your face and wear a rag, and the officials will never know who you are.
In just a few days, a lot of crimes against nobles' children were reported to Ma Su's desk.
Then Ma Su took the guards directly to the scene to arrest people. Anyone who dared to stop them would be arrested together.
"What? Ma Su sent people to take Wu'er away?" The head of Chen's family looked at the servants who hurriedly came to report, his face was so ugly that he almost wanted to eat someone.
"That's right, Master, that Ma Su is very shameless. We were walking well on the road protecting the young master, but suddenly he rushed out from the side with his men, threw us aside and took the young master away."
The servant had a bruised nose and swollen face, and answered with a sad face.
"Their people have extraordinary skills and murderous intent. We are no match at all. Several of them had their hands broken."
"You guys are a bunch of trash!!" The head of the Chen family looked extremely ugly. What's going on with Ma Su? He just went to arrest people without respecting martial ethics, right?
Before he could make any move, suddenly a large group of people outside rushed in crying and shouting.
"Master! You have to make the decision for us! That Ma Su is simply a gangster!"
"My Ya'er went to buy some rouge and was robbed on the way back!"
"How unbecoming is it for a high-ranking county governor to lead people to kidnap and extort people?"
Seeing members of all branches of the family jumping out and crying, the head of the Chen family turned dark.
In total, more than one person has been arrested?
"Quick! Prepare your horse and follow me as quickly as possible to the county government office to ask Ma Su for an explanation!!" The head of the Chen family was so angry that he almost had a heart attack, but thinking about his captured clansmen, he gritted his teeth and roared.
With his entourage, he rode on a fast horse and dashed all the way towards the county government office.
When he arrived at the county government office, the head of the Chen family saw the heads of Guizhou three circles inside and three circles outside watching a play. At the gate of the county government office, Ma Di stood aside, and a row of scholars in front of him were pushed to the ground.
Behind them, dozens of soldiers holding five-color sticks were waiting in full formation.
What shocked the Chen family leader was that many of the scholars who were pushed to the ground were not members of his clan. In other words, Ma Di treated the big families in Longxi equally and spared no one.
When he thought of this, the head of the Chen family felt inexplicably less uncomfortable.
"Folks, according to the law, these are the ones who have committed the most minor crimes, so we will start with them."
Ma Su held a scroll of bamboo slips, looked at the people watching the excitement below, and said with a smile.
"Of course, thank you all for coming to support me. I will send people to each of you to give half a catty of millet as my gift to you soon."
"The governor is wise!!"
A group of people who were attracted to watch the fun were overjoyed and shouted together when they heard that there were gifts.
"Okay, but don't make noises now, it's time for us to go to trial." Ma Di said with a smile, pointing to the few soldiers who were pressed to the ground.
"None of them have any murder cases, but they have done a lot of dirty things of bullying men and dominating women. Among the people arrested by this officer, they have committed the most minor crimes. Each of them received fifty sticks and was detained for one month before being released. .”
"But don't be disappointed. In the next half month, I will be here to supervise executions every day. Those criminals behind have made big mistakes, and some of them will be executed directly!"
"If you have time, you can come and see us at any time. I will give everyone present half a catty of corn!"
Ma Su's order, which seemed to have a cerebral thrombosis, caused a burst of cheers from the Guizhou leaders. It's fun to watch and you can get benefits, but no one would be happy about it.
For a time, the people had forgotten the popular names given to the county governor as "madman" and "tyrannical man", and all praised the county governor for his wisdom.
"Governor Ma, I'm afraid it's a bit unethical for you to do this!" At this time, the head of the Han family had also arrived. This grumpy head came directly with his servants.
When he saw his family member being pushed to the ground and about to be beaten with a stick, the head of the Han family looked extremely ugly.
"Are you still a gentleman? Aren't you afraid of the world's rebuke?"
"Master Han, you came just in time. As a local sage, why don't you come and supervise the execution with the county guard?" Ma Di said happily when he saw the people from the family arriving.
"These are all serious criminals, and they have all confessed their crimes after being tried personally. Now is the time for execution, and the world will be restored to peace in Guizhou."
"Ma Su! Do you really want to make an enemy of the world's scholars?" The head of the Chen family couldn't sit still anymore and immediately stood up and shouted.
While yelling, he winked at the servant, who immediately understood and turned around and shouted at the people watching.
"What are you looking at! Do you dare to get involved in the affairs of the Chen family? Is it because I, the Chen family, don't have enough prestige?"
Their negotiations with Ma Su themselves need to be conducted privately, and try not to spread the news as much as possible. Once the trouble gets bigger, these may be opportunities for Ma Di to gain prestige, and the family also understands this truth.
As soon as these words came out, the surrounding Guizhou leaders suddenly became timid. After all, the prestige of the local nobles is not generally high, and no one dares to touch their troubles.
However, before the servant could say a few words, an arrow suddenly shot out and penetrated his throat directly.
"A servant without official rank threatens his own people in the street. Master Chen, you are so powerful." Ma Su put away his crossbow and said without changing his expression.
"Ma Su! You can't punish a doctor! Have you forgotten all the lessons you learned? You are making an enemy of the world's scholar-officials!" The leader of the Han family turned red with anger and roared through gritted teeth.
"What kind of scholar-bureaucrats are a few guilty people?" Ma Su sneered and suddenly shouted to everyone.
"I, Ma Su, am the governor of Longxi appointed by the Han Dynasty. My duty is to implement Han law. In front of the law, no matter you are a Guizhou leader or a scholar, as long as you commit a crime, you will be dealt with equally!"
"Now, execution!"