"Shopkeeper Wen, if you were tired, why didn't you tell me?" Guo Xiangren took another sip of wine, "I'll help you share the burden, why bother to retreat in a hurry?"
Tongpao Chen put down his wine bowl, took the opportunity to poke Squire Feng with his finger.
Squire Feng understood immediately. He opened his mouth and said with a smile: "Yes, we can discuss everything with each other."
Wen Zhong breathed out a breath of alcohol and continued: "Listen, that's what the feudal squires say! I am not lazy when I am the boss. It is actually your family matter, and I have to avoid suspicion at all costs. I was not worried a few days ago. This In the past few days, everyone has seen your talent, and you are quite convinced. If you have any trouble again, just come to me, we are still connected."
The Xiang man said nothing and looked at Feng Xiangshen.
Squire Feng took a piece of duck meat to Wen Zhong and said, "Since Shopkeeper Wen has said so definitely, does it mean that I am shirking my responsibility if I refuse? As long as the shopkeeper thinks highly of me, a villager, I can say anything."
The people in Hunan laughed loudly: "Who are you! I should be the one to catch you! You will need to work hard to find a clear warning from the public in the future!"
"Where, where?" Squire Feng's face was full of joy, "Where are the slaves? Pour the wine quickly, we have to drink a lot!"
The four of them raised their wine bowls and shouted together: "Fuck it!"
In the early morning, Wen Zhong was groggy due to drinking at night. He lay down for half an hour before he managed to get up and vomited for a long time. The Xiang people woke up from drunkenness last night and had returned to the house to rest. Only Chen Tongpao and Feng Xiangshen were the only two. He didn't drink much, there was nothing unusual about his body, and his mind was relaxed.
When Wen Zhong recovered, his colleagues came out of the house with him and helped him to his horse. Before leaving, Squire Feng stopped his colleague, handed him ten taels of silver, and said excitedly: "If it weren't for you, sir, I don't know how to start this end, and I don't know how to end it. I'm really grateful to you!"
After Chen Tongpao said a few polite words, he finally accepted the money and left with Wen Zhong.
This banquet was very satisfying for all four of them. Wen Zhong confided his true feelings to the Hunan people, and he was able to use this to withdraw. The Hunan people could also firmly control the family property from then on. Chen Tongpao repaid the kindness of Feng Squire and allowed him to get acquainted with the housekeeper, which was really comprehensive.
The relationship between the four parties has become extremely harmonious. Although his colleagues are comfortable among them, his superior always looks depressed and melancholy.
"Master Magistrate, is it because of Governor Kuang..." My colleague poured a cup of tea for the Magistrate and asked.
"You know me really well." The magistrate took out a piece of official document from under the book and said, "Read it yourself."
When Chen Tongpao took the official document and looked at it, it clearly said "中书省义", and he looked at the prefect with doubtful eyes.
"The imperial court's approval," the prefect explained coldly, "last time, according to your method, you asked Jiangsu Xuezheng to invite the chief envoy to take office. It was because you had enough time to show off your skills, but the result was that Liu Dang dealt with it like this So fast, the approval came today, which is frustrating.”
The colleague lowered his head, and it read as expected: "According to the discussion of the court, Jiangsu Governor Kuang Chang is loyal, upright, wise, diligent in administration, and can be appointed to concurrently serve as chief envoy. I hope you will know it." Yan Wen and others who participated in politics responded with approval. '
"Come to think of it, Kuang Chang has been wooing the family again," the magistrate said. "He's going to deliver cloth to people from Hunan. How can Yangzhou listen to my orders!"
Chen Tongpao put his hands together and said: "The Guo family is forced by the governor's thieves and dares not go to greet him. This person is very affectionate. When Kuang Chang declines, the Guo family will rise up and respond. The magistrate must not worry."
"Let's forget about playing house for now, what should we do now?" The prefect asked impatiently with a look of helplessness on his face.
Chen Tongpao couldn't think of a word for a long time. After thinking quickly for a while, he said calmly: "Since the academic administration has the intention to eliminate thieves, can the academic administration be moved here?"
The prefect sighed: "With the academic government here, it can limit the governor's actions... But Yangzhou already has two yamen, the governor and the prefect. It's a bit unreasonable to add another academic government."
"This is not difficult. It can be said that the academic administration is far away and it is inconvenient to do things. Since the chief envoy cannot come, we can ask him to come to Jiangdu to work with the governor. What do you think?"
"Can the court agree?" The prefect didn't trust him as much as last time.
"The Liu Party has just suppressed the memorial to change the political envoy. If we suppress this reasonable memorial again, it will lead to resentment from both the government and the public." Tongpao Chen said sincerely, "I am confident this time, and my plan will be clear." Success! If not, I’ll cut off my comrade’s head.”
The prefect could only nod his head sharply: "Okay! I will submit a letter immediately!"
While Chen Tongzhi was waiting for the memorial to be delivered to the capital, he did not forget Ye Yongjia in Nanjing. He immediately called a messenger, put the written letter into his arms, and said: "This letter must be delivered to the hands of Magistrate Ye. It's the New Year, please ask him for his safety on my behalf, and ask him to come at any time." Jiangdu."
The colleague said, and the messenger responded with a "yes", straightened his back, put down the letter, walked slowly out of the city gate, then mounted his horse and galloped away.
It took the messenger only three to five days to get up the official road of Nanjing and enter the city. He asked along the road and found out that Magistrate Ye was in the Yamen, so he went to look for him on foot.
According to Ye Yongjia's arrangement, lanterns were set up on the walls of the yamen courtyard to add to the atmosphere. Ye Yongjia looked through the paper window at the government servant standing outside. Suddenly he saw a messenger coming and hurriedly asked him to take a seat.
"I was sent here by Mr. Chen, the governor of Jiangdu. Here is the letter. It has been cold recently. He asked if you are still healthy?"
When Ye Yongjia heard that it was Tongpao Chen, he immediately smiled and said, "I'm usually in good health, so he doesn't have to worry about it. I wonder how my brother is doing?"
"Master Chen is also fine."
Ye Yongjia opened the letter and touched it, and found a heavy grain of silver. He saw that the letter said it was ten taels of silver.
"Hey, Brother Chen is being polite," Ye Yongjia handed the money to the policeman, "Instead of not defaulting on each other, I might as well take the money and have a comfortable New Year."
The messenger was afraid of being scolded when he went back, so he just smiled and refused.
Seeing that he didn't dare to take it, Ye Yongjia put the silver aside and said with a smile: "Forget it, this is also the friendship between us, you can go back."
After sending the men out, Ye Yongjia read the letter again and sighed that his colleagues were not just 'allies', but more like confidants, which gave him great motivation.
Now the political situation in Nanjing has become clearer, and the dark clouds seem to have gone away forever. Ye Yongjia's melancholy was gone. He seemed to be a new person, and he seemed very talkative in front of the scribes in the yamen, except for one person - Wei Chong. In the past, when Magistrate Ye saw him, he was like a mouse seeing a cat, wanting to hide in the dark. But it was different today. Ye Yongjia had regained his ambition and confidence, and he was going to cut Wei Chong out with the first blow.
"Secretary Wei is here," someone said.
"His name is Wei Chong, not Secretary Wei." Ye Yongjia's voice was sonorous and powerful.
