In the early morning of winter, the fog is extremely heavy, but it is not cold.

Du Zhongxiao watched a few small servants clean up the porridge bucket, and said to Han Yueniang beside her: "Now the whole county knows that we give porridge, and some countrymen deliberately go to the city at night to eat this meal of porridge in the morning." You see, it was gone early today. ”

Han Yueniang said: "It's okay, just cook an extra bucket tomorrow." ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded with a smile and didn't say anything.

After confirming that the Du family did not brew wine privately, everything after that was logical. Shi Xianling was included in a book because of old age and mediocrity, and went home early to retire. Xu County Lieutenant had no way to govern and was transferred to a small county on Jinghu South Road, which was regarded as a punishment. The other officials were not affected, and Linying County was still the same as before.

The most unlucky is naturally Wu Kejiu. Because of false accusations, coupled with lynching in the land of the government, he was imprisoned, and I heard that some boards were beaten. Fortunately, his relative He Zhong immediately sent a letter to Su Shunqin to intercede for him, but he suffered some flesh and blood, and finally released him.

Wu Kejiu is a person who reads, and he will take the liberation test in the future. If he is sentenced and leaves a criminal record in the yamen, he will lose the qualification to be released. He Zhongli was the same year as Su Shunqin, and he was in the same voice, and in the end he still gave him this face, just to teach him a lesson.

With the recognition of the government, the business of making wine from the lees of the Du family is on the right track, and the scale is getting bigger and bigger. Now it's not just Hanjiajiao shops selling bad liquor, but also a few small foot shops, which can sell one or two hundred catties a day and earn a few dollars.

Once shared hardships, the cooperative relationship between the Du family and the Han family has been maintained. The Du family only controls the wine, and the Han family sells it to the outside world, and the profits are divided equally.

Han Yueniang insisted on the practice of soup porridge after buying sake lees, but now it is no longer at the door of the restaurant, but has been changed to several fixed places in the county. The Du family's business slowly revived, and it also won the name of a good person.

More than a month has passed, and the Du family has changed to a larger courtyard, and Du Zhongxiao, who is idle, picks up the poetry book again.

After finishing the porridge, Du Zhongxiao and Han Yueniang pushed the empty bucket back to the foot shop with a few small servants.

As soon as I entered the store, I saw my father Du Xun and Han Lian sitting there drinking at a table.

Seeing Du Zhongxiao coming back, Du Xun said: "I was just going to look for you, and you just came back." ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "I don't know what Daddy has to say?" ”

"Yesterday, Xinzhi County took office, and he sent someone to his home this morning. Let you go to the county office in the morning, and the county minister has something to ask you. ”

After what happened last time, Du Zhongxiao was afraid of seeing the official, and hurriedly asked, "I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing?" ”

Han Lian said with a smile: "Shi Xianling is old and mediocre, and the imperial court has ordered him to go home to retire." Now that there is a new young and promising magistrate, it is not a bad thing to recruit you. Virtuous nephew, do you think that all the officials are as stupid and useless as Shi Xianling? ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded and didn't say anything.

The final result of the last case, Du Zhongxiao was not satisfied. I suffered in vain, and in the end, I didn't treat the Wu family as well. Although Su Shunqin had the intention to punish the Wu family heavily, he interceded in the same year, but in the end, he still did not make a heavy hand. Du Zhongxiao originally thought that when his family situation improved, he would slowly find the bad luck of the Wu family. It's best to be a Jinshi in a few years, and then see how the Wu family dies.

Now that Shinchi County is in office, I don't know what to do with myself.

After having breakfast at Hanjiajiao's shop, Du Zhongxiao went back to his house to clean up, and when he saw that it was not early, he came to the county office.

When he arrived in front of the county yamen, he collided with Wu Kejiu, who was patrolling there.

Seeing Wu Kejiu's disgraced face, no longer arrogant a few days ago, Du Zhongxiao's heart moved, and he stepped forward and said, "I haven't seen you for a long time. Seeing that your face is full of red light, you must have been very proud lately. ”

Wu Kejiu looked at Du Zhongxiao viciously, and after a long while, he took a sip: "Don't be proud of the thief." A few days ago, you made me suffer by a rake, and this account will be written down for the time being, and I will slowly settle it with you in the future. You remember, the officials in the county are changing like water, but my restaurant is open there like iron. One day, I'll let you know my means! ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at Wu Kejiu and smiled faintly: "It's good that the little member has this heart, I'm afraid that your family business won't last at that time." ”

After speaking, he ignored Wu Ke and walked straight to the county office.

Wu Kejiu looked at Du Zhongxiao's back, his face was full of cruelty. Xinzhi County took office, did not alarm the local big households, and quietly entered the city with a few entourages, which shocked several wealthy families in the county. This has never happened before, and everyone is a little uneasy.

Wu Kejiu got the news, and he arrived outside the county office early today, wanting to see the new magistrate, and he set a set of almost. But I don't want the county magistrate to spread the word, I don't see the people of the city in the past few days, and I have to concentrate on dealing with the affairs in the yamen.

I just ate the closed door here, and then I saw Du Zhongxiao swaggering into the county office, which made Wu Kejiu suspicious.

When I arrived at the door, I reported my name, and a public servant had already come out and then led Du Zhongxiao to the back office.

Encountering Wu Kejiu reminded Du Zhongxiao of what happened a few days ago, and he was unhappy. The Wu family is a big family in the county, not only in the county there is a "Qixiangju" restaurant, but also a few farms outside the city, and the family is big. If the government doesn't handle them, the family business will not be able to fall, and the Du family's small family can't help them. It's just a matter of not seeing, seeing how Du Zhongxiao can swallow this breath.

When he arrived at the Houya Flower Hall, the public who led the way asked Du Zhongxiao to wait a while and go in by himself.

It won't be long before the new magistrate will come out. Du Zhongxiao saw that he was quite young, with white skin, a slight beard, and a look in his early thirties.

Mingfan Town, Xinzhi County, is the Jinshi of Du Xunluo's first year. Originally, he was the champion, but he didn't want to cheer when he was in the roll call, thinking that he looked bad and lost the dignity of a scholar, and his ranking was downgraded. If the ranking falls, the newly appointed officials will not be good. This time, Linying County was replaced, and some court officials felt that it was a pity for him, so they were specially promoted to be a magistrate.

These Jinshi are not as good as the previous ones, and the newly awarded officials are getting lower and lower. Before Jingyou, the first-class jinshi was often given a general judgment, and the second-class jinshi was also the beginning of the county. These two terms are not good, the first-class jinshi is also from the shogunate, and only after one or two terms can he stay up to the county. After Fan Zhen was demoted, he was appointed as the chief secretary of Xin'an, and this time he came to Ying to serve as the magistrate of the county, which was an exceptional promotion.

Du Zhongxiao got up to see the end of the salute and carefully sat down in the guest seat.

After ordering tea, Fan Zhen said: "I went to serve in this county, and when I passed through the state city, I saw Zhizhou and Tongju, and they said that there was such a person as you in the county. You have a magic way to strain the wine out of the lees. It is rare to be kind-hearted, and the wine is filtered out to sell in the lees, and he does not forget to give porridge to the poor people to avoid cutting off their food and clothing. The two officials have repeatedly instructed me to treat you well. ”

Du Zhongxiao listened to it, and hurriedly got up and thanked him. He originally thought that the previous incident would be over, but he didn't expect that there would be a follow-up. Su Shunqin did not severely punish the Wu family, but wrote down his name Du Zhongxiao and specially asked the new officials to take care of it. Don't underestimate such a sentence, if someone of their status says it, I don't know how much benefit it will be in the future.

Fan Zhen motioned for Du Zhongxiao to sit down, and said, "In the general judgment, look at the one you made, it's very good." During the Tiansheng years, Xie Xishen, Yin Shilu, Ouyang Yongshu and others were in Luoyang, like-minded, advocating ancient literature. When I look at your grammar, there are some similarities. ”

Du Zhongxiao was ashamed. It was originally Ouyang Xiu's article that he copied, and it was strange that the grammar was not similar. However, at this time, Ouyang Xiu had not yet become famous, he was only a lower-level official, and his fame was not as big as Xie Jiang, Yin Zhu and others. When it comes to ancient texts in this era, Yin Zhu is mentioned first, and Ouyang Xiu will be mentioned later. It will not be until another ten or eight years later, when Ouyang Xiu himself becomes an official in the capital, will his fame grow.

Fan Zhen just mentioned this, and then changed the topic: "I heard from the judge, you are a cultivator and a family heirloom, and you have read poetry and books since you were a child?" ”

Du Zhongxiao hurriedly said: "The judge is too close. The student's ancestors once had a Jinshi Zhuren, and the poems and books were passed down from family to family. It's just that the family business is tired, and the students are busy with food and clothing every day, but they can't talk about reading enough. ”

Fan Zhen nodded: "The word ploughing and reading is the foundation of the country." Since you are a family heirloom, don't waste it. Your father once explained that the capital rushed to the top in the exam, and he knew it in his heart. I wonder if you are interested in the road of the imperial examination? ”

Du Zhongxiao smiled bitterly in his heart, this magistrate was really unkind when he spoke. In fact, a few days ago, Su Shunqin came to Linying and realized from talking with Du Xun that Du Xun was not the material for the Jinshi examination. Not only is he ignorant of national politics, but his understanding of the classics is also specious, but he is just a country show who was lucky enough to be lifted. He said this to Fan Zhen, and Fan Zhen naturally thought the same.

In this era, if you want to be a jinshi, you can't be ignorant of government politics, and it's best to do articles that are close to current affairs. This is especially true for classical understanding, if a sentence is misunderstood, it may be brushed off by the examiner. It's better not to say it than to talk nonsense. Fan Zhen, the people from the imperial examination high school, know this truth best. After talking to people, you will understand whether it is the material of the Zhongjin sergeant as an officer.

It was Du Zhongxiao, because he copied Ouyang Xiu's fu, which made Su Shunqin impressed. Although he didn't praise him much in person, he recommended it to many people afterwards, but Du Zhongxiao didn't know it.

This is the atmosphere of Shilin in this era, and the scholars talk about like-mindedness, and they do not want to reciprocate kindness.

Su Shunqin took Nafu back, and Zhizhou Meixun was also appreciative when he saw it. However, they are all masters of current literature, and they do not think much of the ancient literature movement advocated by some young readers, and they will not be interested in Du Zhongxiao's blue eyes. But this does not prevent them from thinking that this person is a talent, but he has taken a detour in his studies. In the imperial examination, I still have to do Shiwen, and it is a pity to blindly pursue the ancient meaning.

Fan Zhen deliberately asked Du Zhongxiao to ask, which meant the same thing, reminding him not to make detours in his studies.