Zhao Jie turned his attention to Yuan Xuezheng. Yuan Xuezheng laughed loudly, looked at his work, and then looked at Xin Zhicai and said: "Officials reward you, you reward me. It is an honor for me to be favored by the county magistrate. I just have this." meaning."
Xin Zhicai bowed his hands, smiled slightly and said, "It would be disrespectful of this county to refuse."
At this time, Xin Zhicai carefully looked at the content of the words and couldn't help but applaud. He pointed at the words above and looked at Yuan Xuezheng and couldn't help but sigh: "The words are good and the content is good. They express our yearning and pursuit. These couplets and remarks have not been heard in this county." Yes. Is this Haozhi’s realization?”
Yuan Xuezheng bowed his hands and said: "No, no. I'm ashamed to say that, I'm ashamed. These are some immature ideas of the lower official disciple Zhao Ping, which makes people laugh and be generous."
Xin Zhicai couldn't help being surprised when he heard the word "Zhao Ping".
He looked carefully again, thought for a while and seemed to remember something, and suddenly asked: "Is it the boy Zhao Ping who wrote "Looking at the Sea Chao. Changyuan" and "Changyuan Fu"?"
Hearing that the dignified county official knew the name and articles of his master Zhao Ping, Zhao Jie turned around and secretly wiped away the tears he shed due to excitement. Then he nodded in the direction of Zhaojiazhuang and expressed his true feelings about his coming to the county to fight for a spot in the security team. Be confident.
Yuan Xuezheng, with a smile on his face, nodded and said, "It's just a disciple who is not talented in his lower official position. I hope the county magistrate will not extravagantly grant him a correction."
Hearing that Zhao Ping was Yuan Tao's disciple, Xin Zhicai straightened his clothes and then solemnly and respectfully bowed to Yuan Tao.
Yuan Tao hurriedly passed by, and then hurriedly thanked the county magistrate Zhicai in return.
While Xin Zhicai continued to look at the content of the scroll, he pointed at the scroll and sighed: "Although this boy is young, his talents have already appeared, and his ambitions are even more lofty. It is really enviable to be so talented! Yuan Xuezheng teaches well, and famous teachers produce great disciples. !This county admires it! I admire it!”
After saying that, Xin Zhicai saluted with his hands in hand.
Yuan Tao hurriedly returned the gift and said: "The honorable county official has given me a reward. How dare you give me a reward! How dare you!"
A tacit understanding of alliance was reached.
Yuan Tao asked Zhao Jie to submit the application documents for Zhaojiazhuang's application for the security team, and then handed over to Xin Zhicai and said: "Zhaojiazhuang was attacked by bandits last time, including the mother of Zhao Ping, a disciple of Xianguan, who was also seriously injured. She still needs support. action, so the lower official disciple Zhao Ping had to take three months off to go back and take care of his mother."
At this point, Yuan Tao paused and explained his purpose.
"Since the disciples went home to honor their mother, they could not come to ask the county official for advice in person. The official had to come on behalf of the disciples. The official believed that Zhaojiazhuang paid taxes in accordance with the law and had never been in arrears. It urgently needed the security team to protect it. Now it is time to ask the county official People decide.”
Xin Zhicai nodded and opened the document. When he saw that Zhaojiazhuang had applied for a security team quota of two thousand people, his face changed and he frowned and asked: "The security team for a village requires two thousand, which is too much. In this way, since Changyuan County is not far from Jiading and Tongchuan Prefecture, this county believes that one thousand is enough. What does Haozhi think?"
Yuan Tao was overjoyed and hoped that it would only be five hundred at most. Unexpectedly, Xie Zhicai took the initiative to set the number at one thousand. He hurriedly bowed to Xin Zhicai and said, "Xiaguan Dai disciple Zhao Ping thanks the county magistrate for his kindness."
Xin Zhicai nodded and said to his staff Xin Dong: "Please invite Liu County Cheng to come over and discuss this."
After a long time, Liu Angshi Shiran came over, and then he saluted Xin Zhicai and said, "I have something important to do just now, so I came here to accuse you."
After looking at Yuan Tao, he bowed his hands and said, "Yuan Xuezheng is also here."
Yuan Tao hurriedly returned the courtesy and said calmly: "I have met Liu County Cheng."
Xin Zhicai frowned, suppressed his displeasure, waved his hand, and asked softly: "Zhaojiazhuang was attacked by bandits. Ten days have passed. Has Mr. Liu made any progress?"
Liu Ang smiled coldly in his heart, cupped his hands in his mouth and replied calmly: "Reporting to the county magistrate, bandits are extremely cunning and come and go without a trace. How can a few detectives capture these powerful bandits?"
Liu Ang hereby takes the word powerful very seriously.
Xin Zhicai nodded, pointed in the direction of Zhaojiazhuang and said: "It seems that Liu County Prime Minister also knows that the bandits are indeed powerful, and Zhaojiazhuang's taxes account for more than 20% or even 30% of the county. If Zhaojiazhuang is destroyed by bandits, what will happen to Liu County?" How can the Prime Minister complete the taxes assigned by the court?"
Liu Ang suddenly felt a chill on his face. It seemed that today was not an auspicious day. He looked around and said, "We can strengthen our defense, such as the security team."
Xin Zhicai picked up the tea bowl on the desk, took a sip, looked at Liu Ang and said: "It seems that Liu County Cheng has also agreed to the establishment of a security group, which is in line with the county's wishes. The county proposes that Zhaojiazhuang set up a security group, and the number is temporarily set at Thousands of people were subsequently established, and the cost of weapons and training was borne by Zhaojiazhuang."
Liu Ang suddenly became anxious, arched his hands, pointed in the direction of Lin'an and said: "A thousand people are too many, two hundred people are more than enough. Your Majesty, please consider the court's considerations and standards."
Xin Zhicai also pointed to the west and southwest and said: "The officers and soldiers of Tongchuan Prefecture and Jiading are fighting fiercely with the Hu people. If the Hu people bypass Tongchuan Prefecture and Jiading, and use the Hu people's fast horses, they can reach Changchun in one day." Yuan County. Are there intact eggs under the dangerous nest?"
Liu Ang was furious, pointed to the sky and said: "I want to report to the imperial court. I am afraid that the county magistrate has lost confidence in the imperial court and his actions are alarmist."
Xin Zhicai smiled faintly and said after drinking tea: "We just happened to submit a letter together. This county also wants to impeach the Prime Minister of Liu County to harm the local economy and ignore the great cause of the imperial court's taxation."
Liu Ang glanced at Yuan Tao with squinted eyes, then bowed his hands to Xin Zhicai and said: "The county has already made a plan regarding the security team. Please make your decision. I have other important matters, please take my leave."
After saying that, he waved his sleeves and walked out.
After Liu Ang left, Xin Dong wrote the document, stamped it with the magistrate's seal, and handed it to Zhao Jie.
After Liu Ang returned to the public room, he walked around the desk several times but still couldn't relieve his anger. Suddenly he threw the tea bowl on the ground, and then used his sleeve handle to brush all the official documents that he had worked on so hard and devotedly to the ground. Finally, he was angry. Panting, he sat on the chair.
Pointing in the direction of Xin Zhicai's public house, he said bitterly: "Bookworm, I will let you be proud of yourself today, but I will make you look good tomorrow." At this time, a tall, thin man of about sixty with gray hair came up next door to the public house and silently took him He picked up the official documents from the ground and placed them on his desk.
Liu Ang seemed to have caught a life-saving straw. After saluting the man, he asked: "Weng Yan, today the nerd seems to have enlightened himself. He actually knows how to seize Zhaojiazhuang to break the situation, which gives me a real headache. Can Weng Yan do anything?"
The old man known as Yan Weng pondered for a while, and then said: "Since Xin Zhicai has staked everything on Zhaojiazhuang, he might as well start with Zhaojiazhuang. As long as Zhaojiazhuang is destroyed, it will be difficult for Xin Zhicai to stand up. I have a series of plans. , not only can you kill three birds with one stone, but you can also take the opportunity to capture Zhaojiazhuang in the hands of the Lord."
After saying that, he whispered something in Liu Ang's ear.
After Liu Ang heard this, he immediately saluted Yan Weng again and said, "Thank you, Yan Weng, for the wonderful idea. Concierge, go get a new tea bowl."
After Yuan Tao and Zhao Jie, Xin Dong looked at the two gift lists left by Zhao Jie, then thought for a while and said, "Is it appropriate for Dong Weng to bet on Zhaojiazhuang to defeat the game?"
Xin Zhicai took a sip of tea, looked at the backs of Yuan Tao and Zhao Jie and said, "Do I have any other choice? Although this Zhao Ping is young, he is one of the top three poets in the county school."
Having said this, his eyes couldn't help but show admiration.
"Here is an engraving of the county school's "Excerpts of Previous Articles of Changyuan County School". In less than a month, Zhao Ping was admitted to the county school with four articles, including two poems and one poem each, which actually accounted for the total number Half of it. Didn’t my uncle see the couplets and remarks sent today? With such talent, I think Prime Minister Yan was no more than this."
"Actually, saying that this son has the stench of copper is other people's misunderstanding of him, and even jealous people may slander him. Judging from Yuan Xuezheng's calligraphy, this son still wants to run a school. Today, isn't Yuan Xuezheng standing up for his proud disciple? ?”
After saying that, he took out a brand new book from the bookcase that still smelled like ink and handed it to Xin Dong.
If he knew Zhao Ping's teaching methods, he would have more confidence in Zhao Ping.
Unfortunately, Xin Zhicai was trapped in the cage of the yamen.
Xin Dong took the "Excerpts from Changyuan County School Academic Articles", opened it, drooled, and started reading.
Wang Zhicai watched Xin Dong read, and after drinking tea, he asked gently: "Uncle, how do you feel about Zhao Ping?"
Xin Dong put down the scroll, looked at the direction of Yuan Xuezheng and Zhao Jie who had gone far away, looked directly at Wang Zhicai, nodded and said: "I have quietly inquired, it is said that all the property in Zhaojiazhuang is the work of this son. This son is indeed extraordinary, not only was he born, he changed everything." The pattern of Zhaojiazhuang has changed the pattern of Changyuan County and Changzhou, and may have an impact on Sichuan."
Xin Zhicai couldn't help but be startled. He took a sip from the teacup in his hand and then put it down. He looked at Xin Dong and asked, "How can uncle solve this problem?"
Xin Dong looked in the direction of Zhaojiazhuang and couldn't help but said leisurely: "Whether it is Huaxianzi gouache, Huaxianzi soap, fairy charcoal, fairy stove, etc., all of them are things that have never been seen or heard before, whether in the Song Dynasty or among the Hu people." , are extremely popular. It is foreseeable that as long as there is Zhaojiazhuang in Changyuan County, there will be no tax problem at all. Moreover, these things in Zhaojiazhuang have only been sold for more than two months. At the same time, Zhaojiazhuang continues to launch new things. In the past, It’s Xian Soap, Xian Lu, Xian Charcoal, and now it’s Hua Xianzi Gouache and Hua Xianzi Soap. If it continues to develop at this rate, Changzhou will become more and more dependent on Changyuan County’s taxes.”
Having said this, Xin Dong paused again, read the text, and sighed deeply: "Is it true that this kid still has an innocent heart? If it weren't for the existence of Zhaojiazhuang, one stone of rice in Changyuan County It’s at least eight pieces, or even ten pieces are possible, but now Zhaojiazhuang has forced the price to more than three pieces, which is basically the same as last year’s price.”
Speaking of this, Xin Dong couldn't help frowning, and suddenly said with enlightenment: "Zhaojiazhuang's doing this will obviously greatly affect the interests of other grain merchants. Could it be that those troublemakers last time disrupted Qijia rice store, and this time the bandits attacked Zhaojiazhuang, and other It is obviously impossible to say that there are no rice merchants and others who are behind this. It is obviously impossible that these merchants have been operating for a long time and have no contacts with the local government. And the one who has been operating here the longest is Liu Ang."
At this point, Xin Dong's frown deepened, and he further analyzed: "Could it be that those troublemakers and bandits had Liu Ang's acquiescence or even fueled the situation? If they failed to achieve their goals these two times, then they must have something to do next. From troublemakers to bandits, their methods against Zhaojiazhuang are becoming more and more fierce. What methods will they use next time? Zhaojiazhuang is in danger. Dong Weng now pins his hope of breaking the situation on Zhaojiazhuang. If something happens to Zhaojiazhuang, Dong Weng will obviously It’s not good, Dong Weng needs to be careful.”
