The boat traveled more than ten miles, left the Wusong River and headed north, and entered the Xiaoli River.

As soon as he entered the Xiaoli River, the miserable scene on the south bank of the Wusong River was thrown behind the boat.

In front of me, the scene of the water town like an ink painting was restored.

On both sides of the river, there are high and low, black-tiled brick houses, a small bridge made of cyan stone over the river, and a green rice field in the distance.

It's just that the streets on the banks of the river are crowded with people fleeing, always reminding people that disaster is not far away.

Zhao Shouzheng was already worried, and kept urging the boatman to move forward quickly. Because until now, he didn't see a figure of an official on the embankment along the way.

On the contrary, some common people, under the command of the squire, spontaneously excavated earth to strengthen the river embankment. However, on the embankment of dozens of miles, a handful of people from the east and a gang from the west add up, and there are only a few hundred people, which is a drop in the bucket at all, and it is useless.

Where have all the officials gone?

Zhao Zhixian was anxious to know the answer.

Looking at his father's worried face, Zhao Hao was deeply grateful. People really still have to bear something in order to become mature.

~~

After the meal, the official ship entered the Loujiang River, and a blue brick city more than two feet high suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

"Yo, the county seat is quite new." Zhao Hao couldn't help but be a little surprised.

"In the past, Kunshan County was all Tuweizi. Later, Ji Xing shined brightly, and there was a champion Gu Dingchen. Xu Wei said with a smile: "Speaking of which, this old Gu is the first person to present a green speech to the first emperor." ”

Zhao Hao nodded, Qingzi Prime Minister Gu Dingchen is very famous.

"Gu Ge is always a sycophant, he can't do anything, he just fills his position." Wu Chengen also had some disdain for Lao Gu, and then changed his words and said: "But in Kunshan, his prestige is extremely high. At that time, he was the one who did his best, replacing the low adobe city wall with a tall masonry wall. In the Japanese rebellion a few years ago, the people of Kunshan were thus saved, and they were very grateful for the kindness of Gu Gelao. ”

"So when you enter the county seat, don't speak ill of Gu Gelao, you will be beaten." Wu Chengen's words were specifically said to Xu Wei.

Xu Wenchang pursed his lips and was about to speak.

But I heard Zhao Erye's sigh. "What is this doing?"

When they followed the prestige, they saw hundreds of lanterns and many torches lit on the pier in front of them.

It was dark and raining, and the sight was particularly eye-catching.

"It's coming, it's coming!" Immediately after, a noisy human voice sounded on the dock.

Soon, a clipper boat came up to meet him, and an official in a nine-grade uniform shouted from above:

"Bai Shouli, the chief secretary of Kunshan County, welcomes the county lord to take office! There are more than 200 officials and gentry in the county, all waiting for the lord at the dock for a day! ”

"Oh." Zhao Shouzheng finally knew where the officials in the county had gone.

When the official ship docked, dozens of miscellaneous officials, scribes, and more than 100 well-dressed gentry, under the leadership of an eight-rank official, flocked to the edge of the dock and warmly welcomed the new lord.

Several officers lit firecrackers in the pavilion, and the musicians next to them played the "Welcome Music" vigorously in the crackling and smoke-filled environment.

As soon as the suona sounds, all the troubles disappear, and the cheerful atmosphere rises.

It's just that the red carpet on the ground has been soaked by the rain, and the colorful buildings covered with flowers and red silk have also lost a lot of color in the dim skylight, which makes the Kunshan gentry who are carefully preparing for the ceremony very sad.

What makes them even more sad is that they have only received the eldest master until now, will they be considered slack?

An eight-grade official in his fifties with gray hair first took everyone to pay homage to the eldest master. Then Cheng Cheng stepped forward in fear, bowed down and said:

"Xiaguan Kunshan County Cheng He Wenwei, welcome the eldest lord to take office."

"We were stupid and mistakenly thought that the eldest lord would come directly from Fucheng to Loujiang, so all the people and horses who greeted him were placed on the Loujiang River. Xiong Dianshi also took the old man's sedan chair to wait at the county border...... "As he spoke, he quickly explained.

"The eldest man detoured to the Wusong River and inserted it from the Xiaoli River." Fan Datong, who also served as Zhao Shouzheng's personal entourage, explained loudly for him.

"This ......" He Xiancheng, Bai Zhushu and the big and small officials in the county tightened their hearts, and their intuition was not good.

"On the way to take office, the eldest lord began to inspect the people's situation, which is really a model for the lower officials and others." He Xiancheng had no choice but to bite the bullet.

Zhao Shouzheng walked off the boat in a huff, and had the intention to scold this group of things that didn't do business, but he felt that they were also excusable...... What if you don't follow the rules and greet you ceremoniously, what should you do if you are hated by the old man?

As he was hesitating, he listened to Zhao Hao, who was following him and giving him an umbrella, and whispered: "If you want to scold, scold, be polite." ”

"A bunch of unscrupulous things!" Second Master Zhao immediately came to his senses, and scolded the officials with a black face:

"Half of Kunshan County is submerged in water, hundreds of thousands of people are displaced, and the streets are full of people fleeing. You are still here to put up lights, beat gongs and drums, welcome every three miles, and pick up one in five miles! Is this a welcome to the prefecture? I see you're roasting me on the fire! Deliberately let the people poke me in the backbone! ”

Whew, the evil breath is out, it's so refreshing.

A group of officials in Kunshan County were scolded by the county magistrate, and they were all silent in the rain.

"Comfort the gentry......," Zhao Hao reminded again, like a mosquito and a fly.

Second Master Zhao was also angry, and his tone was not so blunt. hugged a group of Kunshan gentry who didn't dare to breathe.

"The flood situation is severe, and the county is a little grumpy, so please ask you Haihan."

"The old parents care about the people, which is really a blessing for the county!" A gentry in his fifties, dressed in the uniform of a five-grade righteous official.

As soon as he spoke, the gentry nodded in agreement. It seems that he should be the leader of the Kunshan gentry.

"Dare to ask this old gentleman's surname?" Zhao Shouzheng asked politely.

"Little Ke Yongli Gu Clan's big building, meet the old parents." The old man named Gu Dadong once again gave a big gift to Zhao Shouzheng.

"It turned out to be the famous Mr. Yongli, disrespectful and disrespectful." Zhao Shouzheng hurriedly supported Gu Dadong.

He had done his homework before he came, and he knew that the five giant rooms in Kunshan and the Gu family were the first. And the contemporary patriarch of the Gu family is Gu Dadong.

Seeing that Zhixian did not kill all of them with a stick, he respected them as gentry. The big dogs stepped forward one after another to salute.

Among them, the patriarch of the Zheng family is named Zheng Ruozeng.

'Mr. Kaiyang...... Looking at the white-haired old man, Zhao Gongzi's eyes lit up, and he secretly swallowed his saliva.

Xu Wei behind him also winked at the old man named Zheng Ruozeng.

Seeing Xu Wei, Zheng Ruozeng first rubbed his eyes in surprise, and then pinched his beard in surprise.

It's just that this kind of occasion is not suitable for catching up, so the two made eye contact and agreed to talk later.

~~

Wait until Zhao Shouzheng and the gentry have finished greeting.

Gu Dadong invited respectfully: "Xiao Ke and others put a little thin wine on Xitang Street, wanting to catch the wind and wash the dust for their old parents, and hope to appreciate the light." ”

When Zhao Shouzheng heard that there was wine, his eyes lit up at first, and then he shook his head and said: "I have good intentions, thinking of the people who have been affected by the disaster, how can the county eat?" ”

After speaking, he arched his hand to the gentry and said: "Early tomorrow morning, this county wants to inspect the river embankment, I wonder if you can accompany you?" ”

"Yes!" The new officials took office with three fires, and the gentry all understood it, so they naturally cooperated.

ps. Chapter 5......