“无需多言，数日足矣。”
张罗挥手打断。
郡府架构尚存，重启政务并非难事。下官明白！”
周青臣暗自诧异。
传闻这位张上卿素来慵懒，在咸阳时常早退，怎会...
“涉间！”
张罗朝外呼唤。末将在！”
骁将应声而入。
张罗头也不抬地吩咐：“速往郡尉府取兵符，整饬郡兵，掌控临淄！”
“若无兵符，便称奉本官诏令。
陛下赐我先斩后奏之权。”
“得令！”
涉间按剑疾步而出。
半个时辰后。
数十名获释官吏战战兢兢地拜见新上官。闲话少说，各司其职！”
the grand hall of the Governor’s mansion was abuzz. Zhang Luo presided from the main seat, with the mandant of Justice, Zhou qingchen, seated at his side.
the remaining officials, those not yet apprehended, hurriedly excused themselves. Yet before the time it took for an incense stick to burn, a steady stream of people began pouring in.
meanwhile, word of Zhang Luo handling governance spread rapidly through Linzi. matters long delayed due to the governor’s disappearance were now being addressed.
At first, it seemed unremarkable. but after little more than half a shichen, an eager onlooker rushed out, exclaiming, quick! Go see! the Governor’s mansion is nearly packed with people!
ing and going—nonstop!
hearing this, the idle townsfolk decided to investigate. Upon arrival, they realized it wasn’t just crowded—officials, convicts, servants, moners, nobles, and merchants were all gathered outside the gates. more kept arriving from afar.
to keep order, guards led by She Jian held back the curious masses, preventing them from blocking the path.
wasn’t Lord Zhang Luo just appointed today? Already at work?
Lord Zhang Luo? the prefectural overseer?
Fool, how many Zhang Luos hold such rank in qin?
the crowd didn’t fully grasp what they were witnessing, but the sheer bustle fascinated them. people streamed in and out, and occasional shouts and cries hinted at unseen drama.
None had ever seen such governance firsthand.
by heaven, in the time we’ve been talking, four officials already left the Governor’s mansion!
carrying bundles too.
two men—partSo fast—does he even understand the cases?
Idiot! A man of his rank handles a county’s affairs with ease!
but how?
how should I know? we can’t go in.
Say, remember when you had to repay the state for those broken tools? what if we appealed?
No point—I already paid.
It’s fine. Lord Zhang doesn’t seem harsh. If it wasn’t deliberate, he might waive it.
——
chapter 122
by the second day, Zhang Luo had moved his seat outdoors, near the courtyard stethese two days had reshaped Zhou qingchen’s understanding of efficiency. the backlog of two months’ worth of documents was vanishing at an astonishing rate—without cutting corners.
No wonder he rose to high rank so young—even with short hours—his work simply gets done.
As Zhou qingchen reflected, he noticed Zhang Luo hand a document to a clerk, who scurried over.
Finishing his own task, Zhou qingcen turned to the couple before him and scowled. husband Yue, for beating his wife—fracturing her arm and injuring her foot—shall be punished with shaving. however, given the wife’s own shrewish nature, the penalty is reduced: only his beard shall be removed.
他将刑文书递给另一人。
其他人会照办。
至于那对夫妇如何反应，与他无关。
张罗听见了，处理完手头事务的他，瞥了那对夫妇一眼。
男子满脸愤懑，手伤未愈的女子略显窘迫。
古人极重身体发肤，何况是精心养护的胡须。
尽管此事已过去两月，或许他们早已和解，但当初已在临淄城报了官。
既已报案，便须处置。
周青臣继续处理张罗方才交办的文书。嗯？买凶行凶者名业，另曾唆使十二岁童子致人伤残。
这类大案他此前已办过几桩，未料仍有遗留。
周青臣看向跪伏一旁的刑犯。依律，业当处磔刑！
磔刑，先裂肢体，再断咽喉。
刑犯闻讯顿时瘫软，嘶声嚎叫起来。
但很快被拖了下去。
周青臣随即取过下一卷竹简。
张罗案几旁的茶水始终未动。
此刻他正审视两名临淄郡官吏——田啬夫与仓吏。
连这两人也面露茫然，昨日才刚获释。你们当真无罪？
禀上卿，下吏确实冤枉啊！小吏声音发颤。
张罗冷哼，目光钉住田啬夫。单说临淄县——今年降雨几何？可曾伤稼？谷穗抽发如何？荒芜田亩多少？已征刍稾几许？
郡中文书多半空白，有字的还是旁县所报。