Since it was a treat for the Governor's Mansion, the female musicians and dancers who came to perform were also from the serious Yangzhou Jiaofang Division. Therefore, the female musicians dressed in men's clothing played "Qingbo Music"; while the dancers performing in the hall were very tightly dressed, which was in sharp contrast to the thin and transparent clothes on the street.
In line with the solemn and high-pitched sounds of instrumental music such as sheng, harp, harp, Jiegu, and fangxiang, the dancers with high skirts and flowing sleeves are also a group dance. A sense of majestic luxury and graceful detachment that cannot be desecrated.
However, in this kind of atmosphere, it is not suitable to talk about personal friendship, or to show a business-like attitude of reciprocal reception. After all, Jiang Tian, as a censor who patrolled the Yangtze River and hunted down monsters, had done so many things in Yangzhou; as a local leader, he could not remain indifferent.
Therefore, after a round of toasts, Du Guyun, the governor of Yangzhou, left the table and changed his clothes. As an important accompanying guest, Yangzhou Prefecture's Shaoyin Su Wenyan, who was described as wealthy, also stood up and came to Jiang Tian's side. He gave a few symbolic greetings in a subtle way, then went straight to the topic and asked with a bright smile:
"Now that the evil spirits have subdued the law, the Constitutional Envoy has accomplished his merits. It is indeed a blessing for the imperial court and Yangzhou. But I wonder if there is any place where we can work together in the upcoming Constitutional Envoy's schedule? I won't hide it from the Constitutional Envoy. , the local gentry, officials and people in Huaiyang also have a desire to serve."
"Young people in Yangzhou are so impatient that they want to send me out of the country with gifts?" Hearing this, Jiang Tian suddenly smiled and said: "You have to try to get the Labor Government to treat you as a lobbyist? However, I do still have a little bit of trouble. The relationship and procedures require cooperation between the labor department and the local government."
"..." However, Su Wenyan didn't seem too surprised when he heard this. He took a deep look at Jiang Tian, then showed a complicated smile on his fat and oily face and said: "In this case, can you please move the envoy?" Let's talk." After receiving the answer, he took the initiative to leave the table.
After a while, Jiang Tian found Yangzhou Shaoyin standing on the railing on the terrace on the water side of the banquet hall, which was used to blow the wind and enjoy the scenery; during this period, he seemed to have had a few more drinks. , and his face became redder and redder, and there were faint traces of sweat on his head and face.
However, although he smelled of alcohol, his eyes were very clear. He swept away the smooth and fun-loving attitude in the banquet hall before, and said softly to Jiang Tian: "Compared with the things that the ambassador needs to clean up, Is that what’s wrong with Donghai Grand Shrine? Maybe it’s also related to Dayun Sect?”
"That's right!" Jiang Tian thought for a while and then replied calmly: "It seems that your master is also a thoughtful person, and he doesn't know anything about it! It's just that the relationship is really important, and I have no reason to let go easily. .”
"Despite this, I can't help but go above and beyond to give you advice. The relationships here are complicated, and the envoy should make choices." However, Su Wenyan on the opposite side shook his head gently and said: "Of course, I don't distrust the envoy's methods, but Some things cannot be easily dealt with by means of killing."
"Oh?" Jiang Tian said half-seriously and half-surprised: "But your mansion has noticed something; what kind of relationship is there on the ground in Yangzhou, enough for you to avoid it?"
"..." Su Wenyan sighed deeply, and then burped again. He narrowed his eyes and looked around him: "I... am from Pujin, Hedong, thanks to the last grace of Empress Dowager Yao and Shun. , graduated from the School of Liberal Arts of Peking University and passed the second-ranking Jinshi exam in the Renshen year."
"After the imperial examination, he successively served in Shuofang, Henan, and Jiannan provinces...until seven years ago, he was appointed as a direct bachelor of Dongge. Two years later, he was fortunate enough to be sent to Guangling to this day. Although he cannot be said to have achieved great results in his tenure, he has worked hard. He has maintained the peace and tranquility of the place; he has put a lot of effort and attachment into it.”
Having said this, he squinted his eyes and looked across from Jiuqu Pond, where the reflected crowds of people and the bright lights were like the continuous city square of the city that never sleeps: "Although there are not many left in my term, I absolutely don't want to see it. Such a great peaceful situation can be easily destroyed in one day."
"So, the following words are just nonsense that I unintentionally said after I got drunk. But after leaving here, I will never admit it; whether it is in front of the governor or in court in the future. This is the case even if I inquire; I also ask the envoy to forgive me."
"Please, but it's okay to say it. I'll listen to you." Jiang Tian also made a slight gesture of spreading his hands, and at the same time, he winked at Xuan Cong not far away; they dispersed in understanding, forming a terrace and An invisible cordon and buffer zone is formed between the banquet halls.
Then, Jiang Tian used his enhanced senses to carefully sense the surrounding environment; making sure that except for the sound of wind at night, the sound of water in the pool and the chirping of insects, there was nothing superfluous up and down the terrace. Then he said: "Actually, I also want to ask the master for advice..."
"Don't I know that the liar is actually secretly investigating this house?" Su Wenyan looked at the corner where Xu Zhiyuan was and said softly: "It's just that I am upright. At most, there are some financial mistakes. Nothing else. There is no one to check, but it’s different for others.”
"So, I still have to worry about warning him and trying to force him to seek asylum from the constitutional envoy; however, his colleagues did not have such good luck. They were robbed and killed on the ship a month ago, and their bodies were directly It was thrown into the ditch, but when it was picked up, it was already beyond recognition."
"If my subordinates hadn't been experienced enough and discovered some clues about his identity, he wouldn't have known such a shocking relationship. As for him, he probably knew only a limited amount, so he was put to the last disposal. But fortunately, the Constitution Envoy The arrival will make thieves afraid."
"Then, what kind of thief can actually make you, the head of the Huaiyang house, feel powerless?" Jiang Tian immediately grasped the key point: "Don't you think that the house should not have such a major relationship now? Asking the governor for help, but making a special trip to find me, a passerby?"
"The constitutional envoy is too self-effacing." Su Wenyan said helplessly: "Since Jiangling and below, the reputation of noble officials has long been known all over the country, not only causing those monsters everywhere to change their color and rush to hide after hearing the news; No matter how many families have had affairs or connections, they can’t escape having their families broken down and exterminated.”
"After arriving in Huaiyang, I even captured the patrolling capital soldier (Ma Jin) in one fell swoop. Speaking of my own reputation, I and this man dislike each other and have been at odds with each other officially for many years; secretly, they are not I haven't investigated him, but I still haven't been able to get the key information about him. I have no choice but to do so."
"But only after the constitutional envoy arrived, he was easily cornered. He could only gather a crowd to resist and then fled in fear of crime. This also caused those who usually protected him to have a big hole, and many of them were implicated and arrested or imprisoned. Resigning to retire also gave me an opportunity."
"Have the local situation in Yangzhou become so serious?" Jiang Tian then suppressed his smile, and after thinking about it for a while, he looked at him calmly and said, "Aren't you always on good terms with Governor Dugu, so why didn't you ask for instructions? Or? Tell me, are you worried about the governor’s office?”
"No, no, although Dugu Shijun is a bit arrogant and unapproachable, he has always had an upright temperament; he was born in a prominent family in Beijing, so he shouldn't be interested in the deeds of these local gangsters." Su Wenyan shook his head without hesitation. : "But there are many local people in the Governor's Mansion."
"This is what I am most worried about. The sutra chanting associations that originally called themselves Dayun Sect have spread all over the countryside, and local officials and people, wealthy gentry, merchants and wealthy families are inevitably involved. In recent years, the traffickers, foot soldiers, and officials in Lianfu City are all involved. In the concubine's house, we also found people gathering to chant."
"But the tens of thousands of troops and horses in the Jianghuai River under your control have been listened to. I always feel that it is just a problem of mustard moss. Just order to expel it and ban it. If you dare to gather people to cause chaos, the soldiers will be crushed into powder. Therefore, it is regarded as If you exaggerate your words, and the envoys in charge of government affairs, I will avoid suspicion."
"Therefore, what I am more worried about is that someone is secretly bewitching or misleading the envoy." At this point, Su Wenyan's face turned slightly ugly: "If this is the case, I will be the head of the house after all, and I will only wait for you." Just collect more evidence and slowly deal with it to find flaws."
"However, just a few days ago, an important personal attendant that I brought from the capital actually lost contact after he went to live in seclusion in the countryside. And this person was sent by our government to secretly monitor and protect that person. Mr. Li Xinglang is a master who can't get close to dozens of people with weapons."
"At the same time, our government has also received unknown true or false information from many sources. There have been many signs of divine manifestations in the Dayun Sect's associations. Not only have they bewitched more villagers, they have dedicated their lives to fight for the cause. The sacrifice also caused many of the spies sent in to lose contact."
"If there are other means of pretending to be deceptive and deceiving others, it is not impossible for me to deal with it." Su Wenyan sighed again: "But I have to worry, because there are real extraordinary means involved, coupled with the help of some monsters, That would be really beyond our capabilities.”
"Have you actually become so rampant?" Hearing this, Jiang Tian was halfway through his words, but suddenly reached out and grabbed the air as if he felt something. In an instant, he caught a thin, buzzing arrow. The arrow shaft was painted gray and black, and there were empty slots on the small arrow cluster.
The direction of the arrow was aimed at Su Wenyan, who was leaning on the railing. He was so shocked that he was sweating profusely, and his face suddenly turned from a drunken red to a pale blue with no human color. "You actually dare to harm people in front of me!" Jiang Tian smiled coldly, waved his hand, and in an instant, the turret opposite collapsed.
Along with the large pieces of broken bricks and tiles exploded in the air, a figure like a wounded bird leaped hastily and was about to land. In the pool dozens of steps away, there was a small boat on the water, quietly approaching. . The next moment, the figure suddenly stopped on the water.
Then, struggling desperately as if he couldn't help himself, he quickly retreated from the water and landed on the terrace where Jiang Tian was located like a leap in the air. At this time, the guests in the banquet hall seemed to have noticed this meaning, and they gathered in an uproar and were stopped again. (End of chapter)
