The Lucky Farmgirl

Governor Ming caught up with County Magistrate Tang, who immediately stepped aside obediently, waiting for his superior to pass before following respectfully.

Once they had left the prince’s mansion, Governor Ming said to County Magistrate Tang with authority, "Come, ride with me in the carriage, I have some instructions for you."

County Magistrate Tang bowed and responded with a "Yes".

After boarding the carriage and the curtains were drawn, Governor Ming gave him a sidelong glance and said, "Your audacity is growing by the day. Even though it involves the Prince of Yizhou’s residence, couldn’t you have been a little more subtle in your approach?"

County Magistrate Tang’s face was cold, and he said with a sneer, "This was already being polite. Do you know how many people died or were injured today on the main street?"

Governor Ming sighed, "There were too many people; casualties were unavoidably."

"They could have been avoided," County Magistrate Tang said angrily, lowering his voice, "I didn’t agree with setting up a high platform in the first place. If they wanted a lively event, inviting a troupe of performers for a ritual drama and hosting a boat race would suffice. But he insisted on having a floral vehicle and setting up a high platform. How much did they spend on the invited drama and boat race? And how much for the high platform and floral vehicle he insisted on having?"

County Magistrate Tang lamented, "Thirteen. Thirteen commoners died today in a stampede, and more than a hundred were injured. Yizhou had just begun to ease its suffering."

Governor Ming fell silent too.

He had been transferred here only after Governor Yan was escorted to the capital, three months before County Magistrate Tang had taken office. He was even more aware of the conditions in Yizhou City after the disaster.

Calling it "nine homes out of ten are empty" would not be an exaggeration.