From Jiyang to Sichuan and Shu, from the east to the southwest, the distance is more than three thousand miles.
It took Wang Yuanju nearly two months of traveling by car and horse to finally reach the mountain city.
When he left Xinghe County, he also received another letter from the court, asking him to write a trip report on the official road from Jiyang to Sichuan, mainly focusing on road traffic problems.
Wang Yuanju immediately understood that this must be the intention of the imperial court to overhaul officialdom, and he fully agreed with this.
So every time he passed through a county, he would record it in detail, including some of his views on the current damage to the roads between various places. By the time he arrived at the mountain county in central Sichuan, this official document was already thirty-seven pages long.
He did not go home immediately, but after checking the official documents again, he rushed to Guanyi as soon as possible.
The official post is different from the post post. It is specially designed for military intelligence and government affairs. It is equivalent to a national channel. The six hundred mile express is also here.
In the official post, watching Wang Yuanju approaching, an official collected the documents in his hand and said lukewarmly: "This is not a place for letters and mails. Please move away."
"It's an official document." Wang Yuanju said simply and directly, taking out his official credentials.
The official took it and took a look, and his attitude immediately changed 180 degrees. While handing back the official certificate with both hands, he said with a smile on his face: "It turns out to be Sir Wang. I am disrespectful. Please give me your instructions."
"Please send this official document to Yong'an County Mansion." Wang Yuanju handed the sealed and thick document to the latter.
The official nodded and bowed with a smile: "No trouble, no trouble. Don't worry. I'll make arrangements now and I'll send you off quickly later."
"That's it, it's all good." Wang Yuanju signed the relevant things and left politely.
With his current official position and level, he was not qualified to write directly to the emperor, so he had to go through the county government, and it was important to send Yong'an instead of Yizhou, because he had been transferred to Yong'an as the chief minister.
In the afternoon, a carriage drove into a village under the jurisdiction of Shancheng County. This is Wang Yuanju's hometown. Although the carriage was not luxurious, it undoubtedly attracted the attention of the villagers.
As soon as they stopped, several children gathered around them. They wanted to touch and have a look, but they didn't dare. There was a woman nearby who scolded: "Second child! Are you being naughty again? You soiled the nobleman's car. You sell it and pay for it!"
Wang Yuanju opened the car curtain and walked out. He was not angry, but stretched out his arms to hug the child, with a smile on his face: "Isn't this the second child of the Li family? I haven't seen him in three years, and he has grown so big."
"You are." The woman didn't recognize it at first, and then said in surprise: "Yuanju! Ah! Yuanju, you are back!"
"This is the only official in our village who has gone out! Every time he goes out to talk to others, our whole village's faces light up!"
"Old Wang, come out quickly, your champion is back——"
Soon, the wooden door opened, and the first thing that caught the eye was the two younger sisters of the Wang family. They rushed over and shouted in surprise: "Brother!"
The little girl's eyes were red and tears fell.
"You are a big girl, and you still cry."
"Okay, okay." Wang Yuanju comforted him with a few words, then faced his parents again, bowed his hands, bowed his waist to the end, and said seriously: "I have met my father and my mother."
"Okay, I'm back. Come on, come into the house and say it." The old father was very excited.
"Look, Yuan Ju is very promising, but this scholar is different. Look how standard the etiquette is." A woman said sourly, not forgetting to say to her child: "You also have to learn from your uncle Yuan Ju, you know? ! Study hard and gain fame and glory in the future!"
After the villagers were busy, Wang Yuanju returned home, and his younger sister immediately came over, holding a stack of letters in her arms: "Brother, these were sent to our house in recent days, and I don't know what they are. ."
Wang Yuanju took it and did not open it in a hurry. Instead, he took a general look at the envelope. Most of it said: Brother Wang, sincerely.
The younger sister asked curiously: "Brother, you became the county magistrate in Jiyang. Are these all official documents?"
"No, they are all private letters." Wang Yuanju opened one of them and read it. The content of the letter was either about serious business, or just ordinary greetings and congratulations on his promotion.
News of this kind of transfer is not a secret in some official circles, and it is not surprising to have these letters. Presumably these people had no way of knowing where Wang Yuanju was before, so they simply sent the letters home.
The letter he read was written by the Prime Minister of Pingjiang County. There were also some familiar people, such as Ren Qitang, who was currently working as a minor official in the Ministry of Household Affairs, and Zhang Jie, who was working as a clerk in the Prime Minister's Mansion.
These people are all ranked scholars in the first year of Wude.
In official circles, there is a name called Tong Nian.
That is, officials who obtained meritorious service in the same year.
Although they were elected in the same year and served as officials in various places, these people will have a natural feeling of closeness.
"There are so many letters to be restored." Wang Yuanju said with a wry smile as he read: "Little sister, go to the carriage and get my pen and ink."
"Okay." The little girl responded and ran away happily. Wang Yuanju continued to read the letter.
Fortunately, Ren Qitang and Zhang Jie were good friends with Wang Yuanju, and the words in the letter were consistent with this. However, there was also another kind of person who complained about his bad luck and hoped that Yuanju's brother would not forget to support him when he rises to prominence. Brother, wait a minute.
Regarding this kind of thing, Wang Yuanju frowned secretly.
Not long after, the little girl left and returned. She put down her pen, ink, paper and inkstone and said, "Brother, your carriage is so big. Can I get in and sit on it?"
In fact, it was just the most common car, but it was not something ordinary villagers could afford.
"Of course. I'll call your second sister and we'll go to the county town together tomorrow to buy you some things." Wang Yuanju said with a smile.
"Ah, brother, you are so good!" The little girl jumped for joy and walked away.
Looking at her back, Wang Yuanju shook his head. After sharpening the inkstone, he unfolded the paper and started to reply with a pen: Brother Qi Tang, I have received your letter. I am grateful for your concern. Everything is well with Yuanju. I cherish you and encourage each other.
Wang Yuanju spent the entire afternoon replying to letters. His parents thought he had official business and did not dare to disturb him. They did not ask his younger sister to call him until dinner time.
On the dinner table, there were obviously a lot more dishes today, and there was even stewed chicken. The younger sister said with a smile: "Brother, it's best that you come back, otherwise the second sister and I don't know when we can eat chicken!"
"You're talking nonsense. Could it be that I abuse you on weekdays?" His mother hit her little girl with chopsticks.
The little girl is still smiling and has a very cute personality.
Wang Yuanju said: "Mom, do you still have enough money at home? If not, I will send more salary back in the future."
"Enough, enough." Mother said quickly: "Mom is keeping all that money for you to use for your wife."
At this point, the mother opened her chatterbox and began to chatter: "It's not what my mother said about you. You are twenty-five years old this year. It's time to marry a wife. I think the daughter of the rich man Liu's family in the county is good. He I’ve asked people to talk to me several times.”
"Oh mother!" Wang Yuanju had a headache. Before the Chang'an meeting, he had been caught by someone else.
"But mother is in a hurry to hold her grandson."
The mother was incessant, which was normal. Wang Yuanju quickly changed the subject: "In my opinion, the second and younger sisters are also grown girls. We should find a good husband for them first."
"Brother, why did you get involved with me?"
The whole family is enjoying themselves. (End of chapter)
