Prefect Qin looked sharply at Prefect Chen, his expression contorted with rage, as if his eyes were about to spew fire.
If the Emperor weren't watching them, he would have strangled this damned fool to death right now…
Why should he suffer punishment along with Prefect Chen for Prefect Chen's mistakes?
Emperor Cheng put down his teacup and waved his hand, "You two, both of you may go. Hand over your work properly. From now on, you must wholeheartedly consider the welfare of the people. Our dynasty has always advocated for thrift and frugality. Henceforth, you shall not feast and drink excessively. As for that alcohol, if you can quit, then quit!~"
Prefect Chen: "......"
His mood was even more dejected than Prefect Qin's.
Being demoted was one thing, but not allowing him to eat meat heartily and drink from large bowls felt like trying to suffocate him to death!
After bowing to Emperor Cheng, Prefect Qin stomped out angrily.
Prefect Chen also got up, his entire being like a walking corpse, soullessly exiting the West Wing…
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped off the stairs, Prefect Qin grabbed him by the collar and dragged Prefect Chen straight to the outhouse.
No, from now on, Prefect Chen would be called Magistrate Chen, and Prefect Qin would be called Prefect Qin.
Magistrate Chen cried out in distress, "You… what are you doing? This cesspool is so deep, what if I fall in?"
The two stood before the cesspool and began to argue, unaware that Yun Siman, squatting inside the latrine, was involuntarily becoming their audience.
Prefect Qin gritted his teeth, "You damned fool, you caused me to be demoted, I can't even be a Prefect anymore. Tell me, why is this happening?"
It couldn't be just because Magistrate Chen had bribed someone before that the Emperor would be so furious. Something must have happened to enrage the Emperor…
Magistrate Chen broke free from him, his face full of guilt, "Perhaps, perhaps my wife insulted the Emperor!~"
"What did you say? Insulted?" Prefect Qin's eyes widened, and he shoved him hard, "What did she say to the Emperor?"
Not only was Prefect Qin shocked, but Yun Siman, squatting in the latrine, nearly dropped his jaw…
What did Magistrate Chen just say?
The Emperor?
Who is the Emperor, Young Master Xiao's father?
No wonder when he first met 'Master Huang,' he felt he had an extraordinary bearing, with every gesture exuding imperial majesty.
So he was the Son of Heaven of the Great Liang Dynasty…
Thinking of this, if he were the Emperor, then wouldn't Xiao Xinling be a princess of the court?
At this thought, Yun Siman lost all interest in defecating.
"She, she called the Emperor an old geezer!~" Magistrate Chen mumbled, lowering his head.
Upon hearing this, Prefect Qin almost stumbled and fell into the cesspool.
"Oh dear, your wife is truly something else! How could she say such a thing?" Prefect Qin lamented, feeling as if he wanted to die.
His good-for-nothing wife was not only a jinx to her husband but also to his official career…
Magistrate Chen fiddled with his hands, "What can be done? Since we've already been demoted, let's work hard together from now on and bring a good life to the people!~"
"Who's going to work hard with you? I was demoted from a third-rank Prefect to a fourth-rank Prefect. It's all because of your good-for-nothing wife. What do you say we do?" Prefect Qin was so enraged he was spitting fire, his voice hoarse.
If killing were not against the law, he would have already dismembered Magistrate Chen a thousand times over…
Yun Siman raised an eyebrow. They had been demoted?
It seemed that Heyang County would finally have a magistrate.
"What can I do? Oh, don't pull me!~" Magistrate Chen looked desperate.
Prefect Qin, like a mother hen, began to wrestle with him, "You useless good-for-nothing, you can't do anything. I… I'll drown you in this cesspool today!"
Yun Siman: "......"
Can you two stop fighting after I finish using the latrine?
"I've already divorced her, what else do you want!~" Magistrate Chen shouted.
Prefect Qin had completely lost his reason and couldn't hear anything Magistrate Chen said…
As fate would have it, the Yun family had no one at home, leaving only Yun Siman.
Madam Gu and Old Man Yun had gone to Gou Gou Lake to buy fish.
Little Xi Tian had gone to the county town with Da Man and Jin Shan. Jin Huai Hua had gone to Sister Su Zhen's house to borrow soy sauce. Zhao Gui Hua, carrying Little Zhu Zi and with Yun Xiao Bao, had gone to see off the yangge troupe. Er Man and Du Tie Shan had gone to the village chief's house to offer tea and help the village chief's wife sew a quilt…
Gao Jing De and Chen Xiao Ran had gone to catch crickets. San Man, with Shangguan Fang Er, had gone to inquire about the prices of hides and mountain goods this year.
Even Xiao Xin Ling had gone out for a stroll with Nanny Gao.
Jin Xiao Lou, upon hearing that Little Xi Tian had gone to the county town, walked all the way there to find her.
Madam Xue and Qin Feng Lan had gone to the fields to catch centipedes. They heard that these creatures, when steeped in wine, could treat rheumatism, and Madam Xue wanted to catch some for her husband.
In short, only Yun Siman was squatting in the outhouse, and he was blocked inside by Magistrate Chen and Prefect Qin…
"Oh dear, Your Excellencies, stop fighting!" Magistrate Chen frowned. "If you're not satisfied, you can go to the Emperor and beg for mercy. Perhaps if he's in a good mood, he'll rescind the order!~"
"Why don't you go and say it?" Prefect Qin slapped Magistrate Chen across the face.
With a 'snap,' Magistrate Chen lost his balance and fell straight towards the cesspool.
"Ah! Save me, I'm falling…!" Magistrate Chen yelped, reaching out and grabbing Prefect Qin's arm.
Prefect Qin's face turned panicked, "No, you, what are you doing? Let go, let go quickly!~"
Magistrate Chen dared not let go, and the tighter he gripped, the tighter he held on. Then, with a 'plop,' the two officials, like slabs of pork, plunged headfirst into the cesspool…
Splashes of filth flew out, filling the air with a foul stench. Two or three drops even landed on Yun Siman's backside.
"Are you two crazy? If you're sick, go see a doctor! Why are you arguing by the cesspool?" Yun Siman wiped his backside, pulled up his pants, and stood up.
"Gurgle, gurgle…"
Several bubbles rose from the cesspool, and Magistrate Chen and Prefect Qin simultaneously poked their heads out, gasping for air.
The Yun family had many members, so the cesspool was dug very deep, storing almost a summer's worth of excrement and urine. Once the ground froze, the manure would be dug out and used as fertilizer in the spring…
"Ah! Si, Siman, you, quickly find a bamboo pole or something to pull us up!~" Magistrate Chen shouted.
Yun Siman tied his belt, his face full of disgust, "You two are too smelly, I'm not helping!"
Prefect Qin, hearing this, said with a grim face, "Siman, I order you to fetch a bamboo pole immediately!~"
Yun Siman: "......"
These two officials from the prefectural and county seats were truly a pair of clowns.
"Wait a moment!" Yun Siman covered his mouth and ran off.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he ran into the courtyard, he saw Xiao Xin Ling rushing in, "Siman, Siman, I found something fun, come quickly and take a look!~"
Before Yun Siman could agree, he was dragged away by Xiao Xin Ling…
Old Man Yun, who was buying fish at Gou Gou Lake, rubbed his eyes, "Old woman, why is my eyelid twitching? Is something going to happen?"
Madam Gu placed two carp into the basket and smiled, saying, "Perhaps someone has fallen into a cesspool!~"