In the front yard of Fangzhai, Zhou Zhongqing and Meng Sanshu had stopped here unknowingly and stood there for a long time, while the hundred generals and ten soldiers who followed Zhou Zhongqing stood at a distance and did not come near.
Zhou Zhongqing listened to Meng Sanshu finish all the words, and pondered for a moment before saying, "The emperor rules the world with his prefect, and the prefect rules all the people with his powerful people. There are not many powerful people left in this house now, and after all this experience Do you think Mr. Meng, these people can manage the people of this land despite being turned upside down twice?"
Meng Sanshu smiled slightly and said, "Master Zhou, Yongchang was originally a county and a land of seven cities. Now it is only two cities. There is no court inside and no supervision outside. How many officials are really needed? ?" He looked at him and said, "Besides, I heard that the prefect established a new civil and military examination in Lijun, and it actually selected a lot of talents. It can be seen that in Lijun... powerful families don't have to be born. In today's world, there are always some people who will rise to prominence when the world is turned upside down. It's only a matter of days."
"Mr. Meng's judgment has benefited Zhou a lot. It's no wonder that the Grand Administrator has used it so highly." Zhou Zhongqing's smile grew brighter. "This place in Yicheng is Mr. Meng's territory. Yongchang has a strong literary style and is a scholar." There are many, and I hope Mr. Meng can help me a lot when the court appoints talented people in the future."
Meng Sanshu bowed respectfully to Zhou Zhongqing, "Master Zhou has given you too much praise. Wansheng is no more than a street fanatic. If there is any inappropriateness in his words, please forgive me. As for Yicheng, it is the territory of the prefect. Wansheng can be It is a late-life blessing to drive for Lord Prefect and Lord Zhou, so there is absolutely no reason not to do your best."
"That's good," Zhou Zhongqing seemed to be very happy, reaching out and patting Meng Sanshu on the shoulder, "This time, Mr. Meng first cleaned up the square house and proposed to invite all the people involved in the family to gather here, and then meet with Zhou Zhou will write down his heart-to-heart talk, and when the work here is completed, he will definitely ask for credit for Mr. Meng in front of the prefect."
Meng Sanshu bowed again, "Wansheng doesn't dare to take credit for his duties," he looked around, took a step forward and whispered to Zhou Zhongqing, "Master Zhou, when Wansheng just led people to clean up Fang's house, he was in Zhao Nanpeng's study. I found a secret room, and the mechanism was on the wall between the bookshelves. Wan asked someone to go down to investigate. I didn’t want to lose a third-level warrior because of this, so I gave up and only waited for the adults to come here before making further calculations." He Lowering his voice even more, he said, "Wansheng never went down, but he saw a precious light shining deep in the secret room. It must be Zhao Nanpeng's secret and beloved place. When Mr. Zhou sends people down, he should send trustworthy people..."
Zhou Zhongqing listened carefully, with no change of mood or anger on his face. After listening, he nodded gently and said, "I know, this is also Mr. Meng's fault. Zhou took note of it."
Meng Sanshu glanced at Zhou Zhongqing's side face, cupped his hands and said, "In this way, my late birth will not delay Mr. Zhou from doing business, and I will leave first. There are a few ignorant people here to protect your safety. If you need anything, you can just speak up." ."
Zhou Zhongqing did not look at Meng Sanshu, but nodded slightly. Meng Sanshu bent down and took a few steps away, then turned around and strode away, leaving Fangzhai.
Zhou Zhongqing stayed where he was, watching Meng Sanshu leave with a smile until he was no longer visible. The smile on his face did not fade at all. He waved to the Baijiang who was waiting not far away and said, "Wang Baijiang, send someone to see you." Lord Zhao, the county lieutenant, said that Fangzhai has been cleaned up, but the stakes here are very important, and he asked him to send trustworthy people to set up defenses here."
"Yes!" The hundred generals turned around and left, and soon, two elite soldiers ran away.
When the hundred generals came back, Zhou Zhongqing said again, "I found the study room in this house that belonged to the former Yongchang County Captain Zhao Nanpeng." He looked at the hundred generals with extremely serious eyes, which made the listeners involuntarily cheer up. "Send someone to guard outside. No one is allowed to enter before the Lord Lieutenant sends someone here. No one is allowed to enter."
When the general heard this, he puffed up his chest and performed a military salute, "Yes!"
Zhou Zhongqing stood there and pondered for a while, then looked around. He had no intention of continuing to go deeper into the house. Instead, he turned around and walked towards the gate of the house. Finally, like Meng Sanshu before, he stood at the gate of Fangzhai with his eyes closed and meditative. .
This time, he didn't wait long, and a carriage came here first. There was only a middle-aged man in gray servant clothes who acted as the driver in front of the carriage, and there was no one else.
The carriage stopped, and an old man with white eyebrows and eagle eyes walked out of it. He was the former Yongchang County Lieutenant and now the Li County Military Affairs Office Supervisor Wang Quanhu!
Zhou Zhongqing did not make excuses this time. He walked down the steps and took two steps to greet him. He cupped his hands and said, "The first person to come here at Zhou's invitation is indeed Mr. Wang."
Wang Quanhu was not reserved at all, he quickly returned the gift with his hand, and said with a smile, "I am an old man, I can't do anything else for the prefect now, I have to sell my face, and treat it as some lost descendants. Showed the way.”
"Master Wang, how old are you?" Zhou Zhongqing responded with a smile, while using his empty hand to guide Wang Quanhu towards the direction of Fang's house. Unexpectedly, before the two of them entered the house, another carriage came from the corner of the alley, and there were more than one person. Instead of one car, seven or eight cars came one behind the other, arriving together.
Wang Quanhu and Zhou Zhongqing stopped together and watched the carriages stop in front of Fangzhai. A white-haired old man got out of the first carriage, and the people who got off the following carriages were also quite young.
The old man who got off the carriage at the head of the carriage, supported by two servants, walked strenuously to the door of Fangzhai. He bowed his hands in salute to the two of them, and said in an old and angry voice, "Sun Zhongwen, a common man, has met these two adults... ."
Behind the old man, the rest of the people quickly followed. The two people in front of the other man's house greeted him and said, "I've seen these two adults..."
Zhou Zhongqing glanced at Wang Quanhu and saw that he had no intention of speaking. He smiled and stepped forward to help the old man in the lead carriage. He looked at the crowd and said, "Master Sun, gentlemen, there is no need to be polite!" He looked at The old man surnamed Sun in front of him said gently, "Master Sun, you were once a civil servant in the government. How can you call yourself a commoner in front of a junior like me?"
The old man who called himself Sun Zhongwen was helped by Zhou Zhongqing, and he stood up happily and said, "You must be Mr. Zhou, the chief official of our Li County, right?" When he saw Zhou Zhongqing nod, he raised his hand tremblingly. He came and bowed, "Mr. Zhou, the little old man did serve in the old dynasty, but now the world has changed and it is a new dynasty. All the things in the past..." He waved his hand and said with a smile, "It doesn't count anymore. , not counting..."
All the old people behind Sun Zhongwen also agreed, "Yes, yes, we are old and don't dare to call ourselves adults..."
Zhou Zhongqing looked at the crowd and said, "My lords, what Master Sun said is inappropriate."
When Sun Zhongwen heard this, he seemed to be deaf, and he muttered "ah" as if he was frightened.
Zhou Zhongqing gently reached out and patted the back of his hand, and said in a louder voice, "You may not know yet, but yesterday, Master Meng Jiaoyang, the head of the Meng family, was honored by our Lijun Prefect for his contribution to the city. He was granted the title of Dedication, served as the governor of Ganyuan County, and was granted land. Now that the entire Meng family has moved to Ganyuan, it is clear that they have a safe and secure future. And Mr. Wang, even more so now. The county superintendent of our Military Affairs Office in Li County is the military master who serves as deputy to our Lieutenant Zhao, and when Zhou meets him, he must also address him as "Sir."
He looked at the people with different expressions, took in everyone's expressions, and then asked Sun Zhongwen softly, "Master Sun, tell me, our Lord Prefect wants to knock over all the things of the old dynasty with one stroke, and don't do anything." Anyone who counts?"
