It was also because the Lung Stones were visible everywhere and understood by the people that Zhao Hanzhang followed Ji Yuan’s suggestion to define the grievance box as the Lung Stone Box;
And because every educated person knew the story of the Tribute Wood from the era of Yao and Shun, Zhao Hanzhang decided to change the definition of the political comntary box to Tribute Wood.
Policy, regardless of its na, as long as it is widely known and profoundly understood, it is successful.
At this mont, standing at the county governnt entrance, Fu Yong imdiately understood the purpose of the "Tribute Wood" and "Lung Stone" boxes ntioned by the two examinees.
It was precisely this purpose that gave Fu Yong unlimited courage.
This Great General, who can open up ways for speech and allow common people to express their grievances, must be an enlightened and benevolent ruler, so what should he fear or worry about?
Fu Yong put down the bamboo basket, tidied his clothing solemnly, and stepped towards the county governnt.
Guan Er and a few others were startled to see him just head toward the county office like that and were about to stop him when Fu Hong and Dong Shu, instead, stopped them. After exchanging a glance, they brightened their gaze at the Tribute Wood standing to the left of the county governnt entrance, put down their bamboo baskets, and followed Fu Yong inside, "You all wait here, and don’t run around."
The county governnt gates were wide open, and surprisingly there was no governnt official guarding the entrance, allowing anyone to walk in.
The officials of the county governnt were about to get off work. A clerk packed his things, and seeing no one around, couldn’t help but twist his stiff waist as he walked. Just as he was twisting vigorously, he was startled to see Fu Yong standing in the courtyard, making a cracking sound in his waist.
His eyes opened wide at once, unable to help exclaiming, "Ouch, ouch."
Fu Yong was curiously examining the county hall, which was completely different from his mory, and turned his head upon hearing the cracking sound.
He rolled up his sleeves, walked over to press on the clerk’s waist, and kneaded it, saying, "Relax, don’t move."
"You, you, who are you? The county office is closed for the day. If it’s not urgent, please co back tomorrow." Realizing he was using force, the clerk shouted, "No, no, no, I can do it myself, just let sit for a bit."
Fu Yong chuckled, "It’s a misaligned muscle; sitting won’t cure it."
With that, taking advantage of his distraction, he applied force, producing a cracking sound, and the clerk’s waist straightened.
The clerk scread in fright but then realized the dull pain in his waist was gone. Carefully turning around, his eyes lit up, "Hey, it’s better."
Fu Yong smiled and looked at him.
The clerk then assessed him, and seeing his refined deanor, unlike a typical farr, asked, "What’s your na? What brings you to the county governnt? Although it’s after hours, if it’s not sothing major, I can help you."
"I am Fu Yong from the Northern Land, here to inquire about so information."
The clerk looked surprised, "You ca to the county governnt for information? Is it about politics? What do you want to know?"
Seeing the clerk’s calm acceptance of his reason for being there, Fu Yong beca even more amiable, smiling, "I ca to inquire about the Great General and Minister Fu, I..."
"How bold!" Before Fu Yong could finish, the initially friendly and polite clerk suddenly turned angry and serious, "The Great General and Minister Fu are not for you to pry into!"
The clerk, younger than Fu Yong, had gotten in through school examinations. Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan were teachers to all students, viewed by him as second parents. He abhorred anyone prying into Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan, attempting to separate or drive a wedge between them.
What difference is there from separating his parents?
Glancing at Fu Yong’s fair face, it was undeniable. Fu Yong inherited the Fu Family’s hard-to-tan complexion. Even though his hands and feet were calloused with minor injuries, his face remained fair, strikingly so against the backdrop of the recently sunburned clerk.
The clerk imdiately understood, retreating two steps. Despite Fu Yong just fixing his waist, he unceremoniously muttered under his breath, "Pretty boy!"
Fu Yong: ...
He imdiately had suspicions about this Great General, pausing silently before saying, "Dear friend, I’m Fu Yong from the Northern Fu Family, Fu Tinghan is my elder brother!"
The clerk’s face stiffened, skeptically assessing him, "Are you serious? I never heard Minister Fu had brothers?"
Standing behind, Fu Hong couldn’t help but say, "How could there not be, cousins!"
The clerk was unsure, alternating his gaze between Fu Yong and Fu Hong, asking, "Do you have any proof?"
Proof?
Indeed, he didn’t have any, as the family book was with his father, not taken from the mountains. However, he did have an ancestral jade pendant from the Fu Family he was planning to pawn; he rembered his elder cousin having one too, but could a clerk at a county office recognize this?
Fu Yong still presented the jade pendant, saying, "This is our Fu Family’s jade pendant; my elder brother has one too."
The clerk, upon seeing the jade pendant, imdiately took it for a closer inspection, turning to leave.
Fu Yong was startled, hastily following.
The clerk went straight into the office, directly to a wall, carefully comparing the pendant with a portrait on the wall.
Fu Yong halted his steps, and Fu Hong, who caught up, was also stunned.
In a small office room, there were two desks on each side with rows of shelves in the back, stacked with books and docunts. On the right wall upon entering hung two portraits. In one, a person with flowing sleeves and bright eyes was looking forward with a smile, his features handso and very familiar.
The person in the portrait had a jade pendant hanging from his waist, and the clerk was now closely comparing the pendant against the wall.
Fu Hong was dumbstruck at the person in the portrait, "This, brother, this person looks a bit like you."
Without turning his head, Fu Yong said, "I look like him, are you stupid? That’s our elder cousin."
Fu Hong stared blankly, was this Fu Changrong?
It had been so many years since he had almost forgotten what he looked like.
Fu Yong directly went to view the other portrait hanging with Fu Tinghan, which depicted a general with a face as bright as the moon, clad in armor, with a long spear stood behind him. The general raised his eyes to et hers, imdiately capturing his attention.
Her gaze was bright and sharp, piercing to the heart, capable of instilling fear in one glance, as though imposing pressure on the heart; yet, looking again, one felt her gaze warm and inclusive, with her lips slightly upturned, gently watching him.
No introduction was needed; Fu Yong knew it was Zhao Hanzhang, the daughter of the Xiping Zhao Family, his sister-in-law whom he had never t.
Fu Hong was also captivated, along with Guan Er, as they gazed in a daze at the two people in the portraits.
The clerk finally completed his comparison, stepped away from the wall, and nodded to Fu Yong, "There is so resemblance, but I have never seen Minister Fu, so I can’t be certain. However, our County Magistrate has t him, wait here, I’ll go invite him. If you truly are the teacher’s brother, we will certainly treat you well, but if you aren’t..."
Fu Yong promptly responded, "I would willingly accept severe punishnt."
The clerk stowed the jade pendant in his bosom, directed them to stand in the main hall, "Please wait a mont, I’ll be back soon."
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