The halls of the town general's mansion were filled with the sound of files being flipped through, accompanied by the constant sound of dialing beads. The subordinates who came with Liu Xu on his eastward tour were checking various registers and accounts in Aolai City.
Separated by a curtain, beside the small table, Liu Xu and Liu Yongzhen sat opposite each other, sipping tea in silence. In this remote town, drinking tea was already an "aristocratic" enjoyment.
However, Liu Xu tasted it seriously and was a little intoxicated. Liu Yongzhen's Zhenjiangfu had a lot of good things. This tea was Xianglin tea from Hangzhou, and it was also selected as a tribute tea.
Liu Yongzhen obviously brought the best things to entertain King Qin, but what was depressing was that despite serving him so diligently, the anxiety and worries in his heart were always difficult to eliminate and lingered in his mind, especially when he looked at King Qin's indifferent expression.
Liu Yongzhen had never met Emperor Liu. Although he was Liu Guangyi's nephew, he obviously did not have the qualifications. However, at this moment, he couldn't help feeling in his heart that His Highness King Qin was so enigmatic and how majestic the Emperor was... ...
There were so many distracting thoughts in my mind that the cup of tea was completely cold and I didn't even take a sip. Liu Yongzhen's attention was obviously on the other side of the curtain. While accompanying Liu Xu, her ears were always raised high, listening and asking questions.
Seeing that he was a little uneasy, Liu Xu said softly: "Why is General Liu Zhen so distracted?"
Liu Yongzhen was startled, and without waiting for his reply, Liu Xu said: "You don't have to worry, it's just a routine inspection! This has always been the case for me along the way. If I make mistakes, I will correct them. If I have omissions, I will make up for them. I I’m not here to deal with you military and political officials, but I’m here to fill in the gaps in local governance!”
"Your Highness is wise!" Hearing this, Liu Yongzhen hurriedly complimented: "Your Highness is so broad-minded, why worry about Anton not being cured?"
But Liu Yongzhen couldn't feel at ease after saying that. Of course he also had some sources of information. As far as he knew, King Qin Liu Xu used many thunderous methods along the way. For those who did not comply with the policies of the Governor's Office and acted arbitrarily, Depending on the severity of the crime, punishments may be imposed. A mild punishment may be enough with a few words of reprimand, while a more serious punishment may include dismissal from office or even beheading.
For people like Liu Yongzhen, if something goes wrong, killing him would be more satisfying than being kicked out of Anton. If he was driven back to the capital and his family, life would definitely be difficult.
"This high-grade Xianglin tea is rare even in the Central Plains. I thank you for your hospitality. However, I am allowed to taste it here alone, but you, the master, are sitting across from me. As a guest, I feel a little embarrassed!" He made a joke and comforted Liu Yongzhen with gentle words.
Following Liu Xu's gaze, he saw the tea cup in front of him. Almost without thinking, Liu Yongzhen picked up the cup and poured it into his mouth, even chewing the tea leaves.
What they tasted was fried tea. Emperor Liu mentioned this, and then some smart people came up with the method of frying tea. After more than 20 years of development, the tea frying technology of the Han Dynasty has now changed. It matured and spread throughout the country.
Liu Yongzhen's actions made Liu Xu stunned for a moment. He was a descendant of a noble family, knowledgeable in books and etiquette, but his behavior made him look like a rough guy, but it could also reflect his uneasiness.
Because of this, Liu Xu, who had not taken it seriously at first, couldn't help but secretly wonder if there were any drawbacks to Aolai City? With a smile on his face, Liu Xu's eyes became deeper.
There was indeed nothing going on in Aolai City, a small city. Even if I checked the files for several years, it didn't take much time. Soon, Geng Jizhong, the Registrar's Office of the Governor's Mansion, walked in and bowed to Liu Xu: "Your Highness!"
Geng Jizhong is obviously a descendant of the Geng family, the youngest son of Liu Xu's uncle Geng Chong'en, and Liu Xu's cousin. It has to be said that at any time, Liu Xu can only rely on his mother's family, the Geng family, and his wife's family, the Bai family. Under the banner of King Qin, only these two families are the most reliable. .
"How is it?" Liu Xu asked.
Geng Jizhong glanced at Liu Yongzhen, who was a little nervous, and replied calmly: "Your Highness, except for the clear records of gold storage, the rest of the file records are very confusing..."
Liu Xu spread his hands, and Geng Jizhong hurriedly handed over a brief report. After reading it for a while, Liu Xu looked at Liu Yongzhen with a smile and said in a gentle manner: "Why are the accounts of grain import and export not clear?"
"You also have a military job. If you are marching and fighting, and you don't even understand the logistics of military supplies and make mistakes in supplies, can you still win the war?"
Liu Xu asked calmly, but Liu Yongzhen blushed, hesitated, and explained in a low voice: "Your Highness, this is my fault. However, Aolai City is a small country with few people, and there are no planners who are good at calculations... ..."
"Since there are few people in the city, how can it be easier to straighten things out?" Liu Xu immediately retorted: "Even the cattle and farm tools rented by farmers are mixed up. Over time, they will become bad debts. Those cattle, farm tools, etc. Farm tools are also the property of the government. Why, General Liu Zhen is very generous. Is it possible that he plans to directly provide good governance and benefit the people in the future, and then write it off without any further pursuit?"
Liu Xu's eyes were full of oppression, and he said calmly: "It is true that some cattle and farm tools are not a big deal. In order to attract immigrants, the governor's office can order them to be donated to farmers. However, since the leasing system has been formulated, it must be implemented smoothly. Otherwise, you can simply extend favors and benefits, so why introduce this policy? General Liu Zhen must have no intention of corrupting the governor's government order..."
"Your Highness!" Liu Yongzhen was obviously intimidated by Liu Xu's understatement. He stood up hurriedly, knelt on the ground, and said excitedly: "Your Highness clearly knows that I will never change His Highness's decree even if I die!" If you make a mistake, please forgive me, and I will have no complaints!"
He looked at Liu Yongzhen silently, and after a while, probably seeing his sincerity, he waved his hand: "Get up! You don't have to be like this. I still say what I said, I'm not here to cause trouble for you, I just want to be with you. Discover the problem, find out the omissions, and then solve it. Anton, it can be managed not by me, Liu Xu, but by the Governor's Office. We have to work together from top to bottom!"
"Yes! Your Highness is right, I will definitely keep your Highness's teachings in mind!" Liu Yongzhen quickly expressed his stance.
Looking at Liu Yongzhen, Liu Xu said: "Your Majesty once chatted with me and said that the entire country is a big account. If the accounts are not clear, the country will be in chaos. Although your Aolai City is small, the truth is the same!"
"Your Majesty is so far-sighted and magnanimous..." Liu Yongzhen began to talk nonsense, flattering Emperor Liu from thousands of miles away.
Liu Xu was almost not amused by him. He raised his hand and told Geng Jizhong who was standing aside: "Leave an accountant to help General Liu Zhen sort out Aolai City's accounts!"
"yes!"
"If there is help from the superiors, then the subordinates will have nothing to worry about!" Liu Yongzhen said.
Liu Xu looked at him: "I have to work hard for you. Gather the officers above the length of the Aolai garrison. I will have a meal with them in the evening. It is really hard work to guard and maintain security in this remote place and protect the environment and the people." , as the governor, I should also comfort him on behalf of the imperial court!"
"Yes!" Shocked by Liu Xu's words, Liu Yongzhen dared to object, and did not consider that the deputy governor of Anton's army was actually An Shouzhong. It’s our honor.”
Although the imperial court still adheres to the principle of separation of military and political affairs in Anton, in fact, it is impossible to achieve complete monitoring and implementation even though it is thousands of miles away.
Liu Xu is the King of Qin, the eldest son of Emperor Liu, and the Governor of Anton. Who can really check and balance him in the realm of Anton? In addition, nominally, the Andong Garrison was also subordinate to the Governor's Mansion. As the Governor, it was not difficult for Liu Xu to interfere in some military affairs. No one dared to offend the King of Qin and easily accuse him of interfering in military affairs. .
From the establishment of the Anton Governor's Office to Liu Xu's drastic political actions in Anton, there have always been various controversies and criticisms. Naturally, there are many far-sighted people in the court. Some people have pointed out the hidden worries early on, thinking that Anton The power of the Governor was too great and needed to be restricted. At least the jurisdiction of the garrison must be separated from the Governor's Mansion. However, Emperor Liu did not adopt it because of his personal feelings or considering the actual situation in the Northeast... .
When Liu Yongzhen left, her legs were weak, her steps were unsteady, and the lining of her back was soaked with cold sweat. When he first came to Anton, he was personally received by Liu Xu. At that time, the feeling was not so profound, but now, he is more and more convinced that the rumors are true. His Highness, King Qin, is not easy to serve, and his majesty cannot be violated... ..
