The sky was covered with dark clouds, and the sun was so tightly covered that it seemed to be dark all of a sudden. I don't know when, a heavy snow fell. The snowflakes were like goose feathers, fluttering one after another, and soon the world turned white.

Du Zhongxiao stood outside the village, looked at the heavy snow, and said to Su Song beside him: "Ruixue Zhaofeng year, this good snow, next year will be a good harvest." In the newly cultivated fields near here, many families have burned wasteland, and with this heavy snowfall, they will not have to worry about planting in the spring of the next year. ”

Su Song said: "I remember that I met you for the first time in the capital, and I was looking for people to discuss poetry every day, and all I was thinking about was the imperial examination. After winning the jinshi, he couldn't be idle when he went to the local government. After being busy with a case for half a year, it was finally quiet, and I thought about reclaiming wasteland. Wait for dawn, we are officials, and we can't think about these things every day. Reading articles and listening to some new songs is not only to entertain others and entertain oneself, but also to familiarize oneself with the ancient teachings of sages and sages, and to know the sufferings of the world. ”

Du Zhongxiao smiled slightly and said softly: "I have seen too much suffering in the world. The ancient teachings of the sages, I read them too badly. At this time, I should concentrate on doing things, but I just have to sort these things out, otherwise I won't understand what this official does. I was born in a peasant family, and I can't compare with Zirong, and there are many things in this world that I can't understand and think through. Cultivating fields here is not only to recruit people to grow food, but also to know the world and the hearts of the people. - That's it, let's not talk about this, it's rare to have a good snow today, let's go back and have a drink. Manager Zheng doesn't have to keep the shortage, the next one will go to Jingdong Road, and he is on the rise, and he will get together. ”

Su Song always felt that Du Zhongxiao was weird when he talked about things in the officialdom, and he didn't argue with him, so he went back to the village together.

instructed Chai Xin to prepare wine and meat, and Du Zhongxiao asked his entourage to call Zheng Peng, the manager of the army, and He Kun, the owner of the village, who were still in the village, to drink and enjoy the snow with them. He Kun is a martial artist, he has recently been promoted, and he has also learned to start reading and prepare to be a big official.

After roasting the fire around the brazier with Su Song for a while, he saw Zheng Peng and He Kun coming together, followed by Tao Seventeen, who was running errands. The officials in the state discussed again and again, and assigned Tao 17 to the inspection village, which was regarded as a resumption of the army. In fact, the real army is to go to the prison city and be assigned to the prison city to command, how can there be such a good thing as going to the inspection village. Although the commander of the prison city is also a sequence of the Xiang army, in fact, he does hard labor, such as various chores in the state city, repairing bridges and repairing roads, etc., all of which are the tasks of the commander of the prison city. They were understaffed, so they had other troops to replenish them. In the words of Du Zhongxiao's previous life, the prison city command is actually a labor camp, which is where the prisoners really serve their sentences, and the prisoners in each prison are actually prisoners waiting for trial.

Seeing that Tao Qiqi was wearing a new jacket and his face was full of red light, Du Zhongxiao said: "The owner of the village treats you very well, you should be cautious and do things well in the village." Good and bad, things are over, don't think about it. ”

Tao Seventeen saluted: "The small revenge is retribution, and the officials of the festival have contributed a lot." This kindness is remembered in my heart. ”

Du Zhongxiao smiled and shook his head: "I'm just doing my own thing, do you want to remember Shien?" It's cold, drink a glass of wine to get rid of the cold. ”

Tao Qiqi took the wine handed over by Chai Xin, raised his head and drank it all, his face immediately turned red, and he arched his hand and said: "Xie Jie pushes the official wine!" ”

Du Zhongxiao saw that Tao Seventeen was well-behaved, and his mood became better, and he said to him: "After the year, the owner of the village will be promoted to another state, and it is not a way for you to have nothing to do in the village." This year, thanks to the nearby fireworks factory, there will be some more manpower and some vans after the New Year. After the owner of He Zhai leaves, you can go there to work. The place where the work is made, it is like there is nothing to do in the village. ”

Tao Seventeen thanked him again and again, and happily stood aside. He was so young that he spent several months in prison, and he survived on one breath. A few days ago, I was released, and I was as happy as something, revealing a lot of childishness.

Cultivating land costs money, especially Du Zhongxiao's big project there, attracting many boatmen on the Bianhe River, and spending money is more like flowing water. can support it, all thanks to the workshop that makes fireworks.

This factory was built by Du Zhongxiao, and no one in the state took care of it before, but now it has begun to make a lot of money, so it can't be all up to Du Zhongxiao alone. Officials cannot buy industries under their rule, and when factories are built, they are government-run, and the income must be handed over to Bozhou. Because of his son Han Jiang's relationship, Han Yi was not thin on Du Zhongxiao and ignored this matter. After his departure, the new officials would not be so easy to talk to. How to raise money for the cause of land reclamation at that time, Du Zhongxiao is worried. Now put some people in the field office, and then we will have to discuss it with Shinchishu.

Approaching the New Year's Festival, fireworks have been sold a lot recently. Recently, Du Zhongxiao opened up the market to the lower reaches of the Bianhe River, and asked Yangzhou to sign Wang Anshi to help, and sold all the way to Liangzhejiang Road.

Everyone sat down, and Chai Xin brought a pot of boiled mutton, all of which were large pieces of meat with small bones cooked to a crispy crisp, just to enjoy on such a snowy day. I also served a few kinds of snacks and fruits, and served them with wine.

After drinking a few glasses of wine, Du Zhongxiao said to Su Song: "As soon as the New Year is over, Zheng Sili and He Zhai will be promoted to other places. Although the trial of the Mamun case has been concluded, there is still a lot of paperwork to be done. Zirong will stay here for a few more days, and it will not be too late to return to Suzhou when the spring flowers bloom. ”

Su Song is an easy-going person and immediately agreed. He is a pusher like Du Zhongxiao, and if he has no major cases, he is extraordinarily idle, and the state does not urge him to go back. Moreover, he also wanted to wait until spring to take a boat along the Bianhe River to Yangzhou to see his father. Compared with other positions, the shogunate is relatively idle, and not everyone is as idle as Du Zhongxiao.

Du Zhongxiao left Su Song with another intention, which was to use this time to study the steam engine with him. Du Zhongxiao's impression is that the steam engine can really be widely used, and there is still a problem of miniaturization. A huge machine, if it only has a few horsepower, will not be of much use. Whether it is loaded on a car or a ship, it must be smaller in size and more powerful. And this step will involve the content of force science, using high-temperature and high-pressure steam. Even if it is very superficial, to study these, it is necessary for a genius like Su Song to participate.

Drinking the spirits and looking at the snowflakes that were fluttering, Du Zhongxiao said with emotion: "The northwest is about to negotiate peace, and the thieves on Jingxi Road and Huainan Road are in the law, and at the end of the year, there are some signs of easing the internal and external troubles, no wonder the saint will lower the sound of virtue." In the past half a month, the trial was quickly terminated, and the prison was finally empty before the year, and the governor of the state minister, Zhang Zhishi, also looked good. And such a big case, after all, there was no execution, and it was also a prosperous atmosphere. Chai Benshan and Ma Meng should be stabbed by the thieves and stabbed on Salmon Island, and a group of henchmen or rods, and the thieves and wicked people in the place were swept away. I came here as an official, and before I knew it, half a year had passed in a hurry, and now I think about it, I have done so many things. ”

Speaking of this, he raised his glass to the other three and said: "Because I insisted on handling the Mameng case, and I made you suffer a lot of hardship, this glass of wine is for you." However, in the eyes of your hard work, the court will eventually have a good result. After drinking this glass of wine, this year will pass, and then it will be the annual leave time, and I will no longer be concerned about business. Come, drink this cup together! ”

After speaking, Du Zhongxiao drank it all with everyone.

The governor of Bozhou is Han Yi, although he basically ignores things because of his old age, and other officials have worked hard. But with him, everyone's credit is real, and the court's reward is not discounted. Zheng Peng and He Kun have already been promoted after the New Year, and Du Zhongxiao and Su Song have not yet been awarded because they are new jinshi. But judging from others, this half year will never be in vain, so it is possible to transcend the election and be promoted to Beijing official. If they can do this, the two of them will be equivalent to a first-class improvement in their grades in this year's new jinshi.