During the Zhizheng period, Huai'an Prefecture had more than 119,000 households and more than 906,000 Dingkou. Because of the water transportation, this was a big city in the Wei Dynasty.
During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, Yao Bin, the prefect of Huai'an, opened chrysanthemums to communicate with Huai, and built Ren Dam outside the east gate of Huai'an New City. Passing ships could only enter Huai by carts (ships crossing the dam first unloaded their empty cargo, and then used trucks to transport the empty ships across the dam, which is called carts). plate).
During the reign of Renzong, the prefect Chen Xuan built four dams, namely Yi, Li, Zhi, and Xin, outside the north gate of the new city. Together with the Ren dam, there were five dams in total.
It also stipulates that watercraft can pass through the Ren and Yi dams, and government and civilian merchant ships can pass through the Li, Zhi and Xin dams.
After passing the five dams of Ren, Yi, Li, Zhi and Xin, the car can enter the Huaihe River and reach the Qinghe River (another name for Sishui in ancient times). The labor cost is very huge.
Because Xu He and others were on an official ship, although they were going north, they also entered the mansion through Li Lao.
The ship traveled for about half a day and finally docked.
The people from the yamen and the boatmen were all waiting on the boat. Xu He led Gu Hengbo and Wu Decao to explore the way first.
Before leaving, Xu He had just landed ashore and turned back. He called the leader of the third team this time, took out five taels of silver and gave it to him, and said in front of everyone: "I don't know how long this trip will take, although everyone has been given by the Yamen." Expenses, but when you go out, money is used everywhere, so take this little thought and buy some good wine and meat to entertain yourself on the ship, but try not to get off the ship!"
When the people on the boat heard that there was money spent, they immediately cheered.
Everyone was full of praise for Xu He.
Xu He quietly looked at the previous boatman and saw that he was different from the others. He was huddled behind others and was not very happy. At most he was joking in agreement, obviously not caring about the sudden extra money.
This is interesting. A person who has been running boats to support his family all year round lives a very poor life. He would be happy for three days if he had meat to eat. Xu He took out so much money at once, but the other party was indifferent. Obviously, This is three melons and two dates that look down on Xu He!
However, in addition to observing each other, Xu He also formed a good relationship with all the people traveling with him. He gave the money and went ashore.
Walking on the wide stone road in Huai'an Prefecture, there are rows of shops on both sides of the bank.
"Liangsheng, which one should we go to first?" Wu Decao asked.
Xu He thought for a moment and said, "First go to the general's house and visit Sister Gu's sisters!"
After all, Wu Decao was used to walking in the market. When he heard this, he immediately paid attention to the shops on both sides of the street.
After a while, the carriage they hired was piled with rouge, gouache, and silk and muslin. Considering that the other party's owner was a warrior, Xu He specially asked Wu Decao to prepare ten jars of fine wine brewed in Yanghe Town, Huai'an Prefecture.
Gu Hengbo's sister, whose surname was Ma, was named Yu Shu. As soon as she was trained, she was bought and given to a general named Yuan as a concubine.
General Yuan Shen happened to be away from the 12th General's camp today. He heard that someone came to give gifts to his favorite concubine, Ma, and he immediately became interested in the visitor.
Wait until a group of three people enter.
General Yuan Shen's eyes were immediately attracted by Gu Hengbo, who was disguised as a man. His eyes wanted to hang on Gu Hengbo.
Gu Hengbo also felt General Yuan's gaze, and could not help but frown slightly, shrinking behind Xu He.
When Yuan Shen saw the beauty hiding behind a scholar, he was immediately bored. He sat arrogantly on a chair and did not greet her. He only drank a sip of tea and then asked: "Why did the noble lady come to my house?" ?”
Wu Decao hurriedly stepped forward and bowed his hands in greeting and said: "General Yuan, the student is from Hailing County. My brother and sister have an old relationship with your wife. When I come to Huaihe this time, I specially prepared some small gifts to visit you to reminisce!"
Yuan Shenjiang heard this and called the steward, asking her to take Gu Hengbo to the backyard to meet his concubine Ma.
After the figure who was staring at Gu Hengbo disappeared outside the door, he reluctantly withdrew his gaze, looked at Xu He with a scrutinizing gaze and said, "What's the last name of the student?"
Seeing that his squinting eyes were always staring at his sister Ma, Xu He felt unhappy for a long time. However, thinking of the hungry people in Hailing County who were waiting for food, he forced himself to calm down, so he coldly cupped his hands and said: "My lord Xu He , I have met Sir General."
General Yuan Shen saw this and said with a smile: "You came to my house just to let your lady see my concubine."
Seeing Xu He's unkind look, Wu Decao hurriedly stepped forward to help explain his intention!
After General Yuan heard about the purpose of their trip, the smile on his face had long since disappeared. He said coldly: "That is Ma Junmen's matter. How can I, a general, talk too much?"
Wu Decao thought he was trying to take the opportunity to extort money, so he smiled and pointed to the expensive gifts in the courtyard and said: "General Yuan, there are some little friends in this courtyard. If the general is willing to help, pass it on and let the court give it to me." The county’s grain will be shipped as soon as possible, and apart from anything else, I also have a gift for you from my honor!”
Yuan Shenjiang sneered: "What? Your magistrate thinks that I, Mr. Yuan, am a corrupt person and perverts the law? Humph!"
The host was so frank about giving gifts that Wu Decao couldn't handle it.
The routine is not like this.
Whether you can help is a matter of ability and willingness, but being polite to the person giving the gift is a matter of attitude.
Xu He knew that the other party would definitely not help, so he said to Wu Decao: "Brother Yaochen, let's go!"
After speaking, he bowed his hands to the Yuanshen general and said, "I'll take my leave today!"
Yuan Shenjiang sat in the chair, still showing no intention of getting up, and just waved his hand haughtily.
After the two of them left the main room and waited for Gu Hengbo to stop him in the front yard, Yuan Shenjiang called a family member and gave him instructions in his ear.
The family member nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, turned around and went out.
Xu He and the two waited for a long time. They didn't even get any tea this time, and the weather was extremely hot. When Gu Hengbo came out, their throats were almost smoking.
As soon as he left Yuan Mansion, Gu Hengbo said in surprise: "Why did you leave so quickly? Sister Ma and I haven't even said a word!"
When Xu He heard this, he immediately said angrily: "This General Yuanshen is not a good thing, and it will definitely not be good for your sister!"
Gu Hengbo said in surprise: "How do you know? Since my sister was brought into the mansion, General Yuan Shen treated her very well at the beginning, but as time went by, he married a concubine, and he didn't treat her as well as before. That’s it!”
Xu He sneered, thinking that this guy almost had the word "sex" carved on his forehead.
However, this visit was not without success. Ma Yushu told Gu Hengbo something that General Yuan Shen said while drinking.
It turned out that when the imperial court issued an order to transport grain to various disaster-stricken prefectures and counties, the disaster relief grain in Hailing County had already been loaded on ships, but a doctor suddenly came to the water transport yamen and asked the grain workers to transport the grain back. Chang Yingcang.
Xu He frowned when he heard this. It seemed that the problem did lie with the Caoyun Yamen!
Just to put it bluntly, how could a little Ambassador Chang Yingcang dare to hold on to the food for disaster relief?
Someone from above must have said hello.
