Zhao Xiancheng was communicating with officials at the recruitment office in the capital.
With 30,000 people joining the army, just registering household registration information is an extremely tedious task.
Fortunately, on the way to the capital, Zhao Ergou and Zhao Dashan had already sorted out all the information. Officials only needed to copy it into the booklet.
While he was busy, the imperial edict from the palace came.
"Where is the Prime Minister of Zhao County in Dahe Town, Huzhou? The Emperor ordered Prime Minister Zhao County to come to the palace as soon as possible to see him!"
Zhao Xian Cheng was so excited that he almost fell to the ground.
Before coming to the capital, he did think about the possibility of seeing the emperor, but what he thought about was when the emperor bid farewell to the army, and he was satisfied with just one look from a distance.
But now, the emperor actually allows him to enter the palace?
He, a country boy with slim legs, was actually declared a saint in the palace?
He walked out with stiff limbs and got into the carriage with Xiao Guozi who came to announce the decree.
After getting on the carriage, Zhao Xiancheng was stunned again. It can be said that in all his years of life, he has never ridden in such a comfortable carriage. It was softer and more comfortable than lying on his bed at home. There was actually a bed in the carriage. The table is filled with all kinds of food and tea...
He finally understood why, after Old Man Zhao came to the capital at the beginning of the year, he went back and showed off for more than half a year...
The carriage quickly arrived at the gate of the imperial city.
Looking at the majestic palace, Zhao Xian Cheng was once again frightened.
His legs kept shaking and he couldn't walk.
Xiao Guozi was very helpless: "Zhao County Cheng, cheer up and don't lose etiquette in front of the emperor. This time the emperor summons you, it's a great thing. Don't let a good thing turn into a bad thing."
"Yes, yes, my father-in-law said so."
Zhao Xiancheng's voice couldn't stop trembling. He took a dozen deep breaths before finally calming down.
Walking all the way to the Imperial Study Room, I slowly and finally calmed down.
He followed Xiao Guozi in, not daring to raise his head. When he saw a pair of bright yellow boots, he immediately knelt on the ground with a plop, bowed to the ground, and said loudly: "I have seen the emperor, and I want to pay my respects to the emperor. The emperor is blessed... ...No, no, no, long live my emperor!"
Listening to his trembling voice, the emperor couldn't help but laugh: "Prince Zhao, please get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Xiancheng moved, but found that his knees were numb, and in just a short time, his hands and feet stopped working.
He lay on the ground and said without tears, "Xiaomin... Xiaomin, just kneel. When I was farming in Dahe Village, I would kneel in the ground and pull weeds every day. This position is more comfortable..."
The emperor did not force it, and opened a pamphlet and said: "I heard that Dahe Town donated a total of 6 million jins of grain and grass, more than 100,000 taels of silver, and 30,000 people volunteered to join the army. This time, Dahe Town established a The great contribution must be made by Zhao County Cheng."
"Young people don't dare to be greedy for credit." Zhao Xiancheng lowered his head and replied, "The six million kilograms of grain and grass were collected by every household in Dahe Town. Isn't it just the autumn harvest? Everyone has a surplus of grain. Granny Zhang and the others The most stingy family also donated 400 kilograms of grain. There were also some businessmen doing business in Dahe Town who bought a lot of grain for donation... In addition to donating grain, those businessmen also donated money, plus every household chipped in. Got up and donated fifty to sixty thousand taels of silver. The biggest silver was the money earned from building the canal. I brought it all..."
"As for the 30,000 people who joined the army, in fact, only 3,000 people came out of Dahe Town, and the others were young people from other counties and villages in Huzhou... The ability to recruit 30,000 people is the credit of the Huzhou magistrate, and has nothing to do with the common people. relation……"
Maybe it was because he couldn't see the holy face with his head lowered, or maybe because he was talking about familiar things in Dahe Village, Zhao Xiancheng gradually became less nervous, and his words became smoother and smoother.
The emperor looked at him with admiration.
It is rare to not be greedy for merit.
It is precisely because of such honest people that Dahe Town will develop better and better.
In the past two years, driven by the canal, the flow of people has increased dramatically and business has been extremely prosperous. The tax revenue of a town in Dahe Town has almost caught up with the tax revenue of five counties...
"In any case, Prime Minister Zhao has made great achievements." The emperor said softly, "Whatever reward Prime Minister Zhao wants, I will satisfy you."
Zhao Xian Cheng's face was full of disbelief.
If he hadn't been kneeling in the imperial study at this moment, he would have wanted to slap himself to see if he was dreaming.
That bitch, Old Man Zhao, has obtained the emperor's title, and it's like showing off in Dahe Town. He must destroy that old guy's prestige.
"These are what ordinary people should do. I don't dare to ask for rewards. But, if the emperor insists on rewards, then ordinary people will be shameless and speak out." Zhao Xian Cheng did not dare to raise his head and whispered, "My dear The people want a piece of calligraphy from the emperor, and want it to be passed down from generation to generation as an heirloom of our family, I don’t know..."
The emperor couldn't help laughing.
How could I have the heart to refuse such a simple request!
So, I picked up the brush and in a few strokes, a few words fell on the best declaration - tranquility, far-reaching, and grand ambitions.
Zhao County Cheng's eyes lit up when he saw it.
Old Man Zhao only had four characters on his calligraphy, but he had eight characters here, which was a big win.
"Deliver my will -" the emperor put down his writing brush and said, "Since taking office, Prime Minister Zhao has worked hard to make Dahe Town well-organized and prosperous. As it exceeded the specifications of a town, he changed the town to a county. From then on, Dahe Town became Dahe County. The Prime Minister of Zhao County made an exception and was promoted to the position of Magistrate of Zhao County. I appreciate this!"
County Magistrate Zhao... no, at this moment, it was County Magistrate Zhao. He raised his head suddenly, his mouth opened, with a look of disbelief on his face.
News that the Jiupin County Magistrate of Dahe Town, Ping'an County, Huzhou, was promoted to two levels in an unusual manner, spread throughout the capital as if he had wings.
"I heard that Zhao County Prime Minister is already sixty years old. He can retire and return to his hometown at such an old age. Why should he be promoted?"
"What do you know? It is said that Dahe Town donated food and money this time, and brought 30,000 people to join the army. For such a great contribution, shouldn't it be rewarded?"
"It is no small feat that 30,000 people can voluntarily surrender to the army. Although Zhao Xiancheng has never read or gone to school and does not know a few words, his contribution is right in the heart of the emperor. Up."
"How many county magistrates have worked hard for decades, but were not promoted from their teens to their fifties. This County Magistrate Zhao is so lucky."
"It's not that they are lucky, it's that they are willing to mobilize the people to donate money and food, and the people in their jurisdiction are willing to join the army. This is their ability."
"The opportunity to make meritorious deeds only comes once every few years. Those county magistrates themselves cannot take advantage of it, so they can't blame others."
"..."
The conscription has not ended yet, so the county magistrates who heard about this can't sit still.
Originally, they expected the common people to donate money and food to join the army, but now, seeing the benefits, they started visiting each house...
While the capital was preparing for the battle with the Xirong Kingdom, it had already begun to snow over the Xirong Kingdom.
It’s November before we know it.
November in the northwest is even colder than the coldest period in Dahe Town. Heavy snow falls, the wind turns to frost, and falling water freezes.
The eaves of the palace were covered with ice hooks. Although there was a stove burning in the palace, the atmosphere was extremely cold and solemn.
