Chapter 202: Inexplicable Promotion

The commander of Shandong is a high-ranking official of the second grade, even if it is not according to the tradition of today's lowly and noble martial arts, there is no one in this province who can compare with him. Although Liu Zhong is not a hero of Jingnan, he has followed Zhang Fu's expedition to Jiaozhi, and he has also made meritorious contributions during the Northern Expedition, and he has never made a big mistake in guarding Shandong over the years. Moreover, the political secretary governs Jinan Mansion, and all command the envoy to govern Qingzhou Mansion, and the well water on both sides does not violate the river water, and the boundary of Qingzhou Mansion is the largest Yamen of the capital division, and even the prefect has to look at it.

Then the post changed into the clothes of the guest, Zhang Yue muttered in his heart on the way to the Dusi Yamen, Liu Zhong never mentioned any birthdays or anything like that when he met in the morning, why did he suddenly send someone to the next post? However, the doubts that filled his stomach came to naught when he arrived at the Dusi Yamen, which was crowded with traffic in front of the gate of the Dusi Street, and all kinds of carriages and mounts were parked against the wall, and the people on and off the carts were all brightly dressed people, either holding them themselves or letting people hold congratulatory gifts.

Looking at his empty hands, Zhang Yue felt that he was not like words. However, when the civil official piggybacks on that sentence when he posts it, he can not be serious, but those martial artists are all talking one sentence at a time, if he really holds the congratulatory gift, he is afraid that he will really be kicked out.

When he reached the door, he saw a large red carved lacquer box and a gift slip with a smile on his face, and the servant who received the gift list opened it and glanced at it, and then raised his voice and shouted.

"Qingzhou Li Yuanwai congratulated, congratulatory gift jade horse pair!"

Hearing that shout, Zhang Yue suddenly frowned. He has gone to the birthday banquets of rich and noble families in Kaifeng and Nanjing and Beijing, although there is also a gift list at the door, but he will never be so ostentatious. Although Liu Zhong is the commander of the Shandong capital, but the scene is so grand, isn't he afraid of attracting people's attention?

When it was his turn to be empty-handed, he was about to take out the post. The middle-aged servant who was in charge of receiving the gift list, and there was always a look of arrogance between his eyebrows, only glanced behind him, and then his face was suddenly full of smiles, and he actually bent down respectfully: "Lord Xiao Zhang, you are here, and the master has nagged several times!" ”

"Someone, hurry up and take Lord Zhang and Master Peng in, the master is waiting!"

The first two little guys in front immediately came out to lead the way, and Zhang Yue took Peng 13 to follow. There were a lot of discussions behind him, all of them speculating about Zhang Yue's identity. The servant of the land that received the gift regained his arrogance, until someone shoved a silver bean into his hand and whispered to him who he had just entered, and he slowly dusted his sleeves.

"That's the nephew of our old boss, and the old man specially instructed him not to bring congratulatory gifts, otherwise everyone would not come empty-handed! What old boss do you ask...... I said Zhao Yuanwai. You're too bad in the head. With the identity of our master, how many more people can be worthy of the title of old boss? ”

Zhang Yue and Peng Shisan followed the little girl around the shadow wall and through the noisy outer courtyard, and after a while, they saw a hanging flower gate with weeping lotus pillars on both sides in front of them. When they arrived at the door, the two little servants who led the way lowered their hands and retreated, and a daughter-in-law in her early thirties greeted her at the door. She bowed to her knees. Because he smiled: "Lord Xiao Zhang is here, the master is waiting inside." ”

"Lord Zhang, you are the first time you have come back, and you don't know the temper of the master. In the years that the master has been in Shandong, he has never exploited the place like others. I can't even touch anything like seizing official land and invading people's houses. The lord is a good decent, so as long as someone has a birthday in the house, people outside will flock to give gifts, except for the whole birthday, relatives and friends have always been non-gifted, not that you are an exception. The outsiders all set up a dozen tables in the flower halls of the outer courtyard, and their own people can enter the inner courtyard. ”

Entering the hand-copying verandah next to the hanging flower gate, the daughter-in-law smiled and explained again. It was only at this time that Zhang Yuefang understood that today was just the birthday of Liu Zhong's second aunt Yao. It is a noble concubine with a head and a face. However, when he entered the spacious hall, he swept around, and did not find Aunt Yao, who should be the birthday star, but saw Meng Tao.

Seeing that Zhang Yue had recently stepped forward with a junior salute, Liu Zhong nodded with a smile: "Today is just a name for you to sit down, in fact, it has nothing to do with what birthday is not a birthday, so I ordered you not to bring any congratulatory gifts." As for the good news, I'll tell you later. Brother Meng did not come back in Shouguang County. So I had to pull his son to make up the numbers, and the other end was the eldest and second eldest in my family. is older than you, but not as promising as you, you just call the eldest and the second directly, and you don't have to be polite to them! ”

Having said that, Zhang Yue still stepped forward to meet and called Brother Liu and Second Brother Liu. Although Liu Zhong is bold and careless, his two sons are fine people, seeing that Zhang Yue is not confident that he will take it big if he has an official body, his heart is naturally appropriate, and he will become familiar after a while.

Next, several colleagues and servants of the Dusi Yamen came to congratulate their sons and nephews, and they just sat in a circle and talked separately. Zhang Yue's seat happened to be next to Meng Tao, and Meng Tao coaxed the two lotus-style carved lacquers together, and the two chairs were placed together. Peng Shisan was not used to such occasions where the children of nobles gathered, so Liu Zhong asked people to set up wine and food in the next room, and let a few of his henchmen and soldiers go over to accompany him to drink. At the beginning, everyone sat upright, and when the wine passed the three rounds, they made a mess.

Zhang Yue is not good at drinking too much and doesn't want to drink too much, so it's just a superficial taste. Suddenly, he felt someone tugging at his sleeve, and when he turned his head, he saw Meng Tao winking at him.

"Brother Yue, the fourth sister asked me to tell you, go back to my house after the feast. You are really amazing, you actually worked that Du girl all the way from Jinan to Qingzhou in the snow, just to see you, and also went to my house. Aren't you afraid that my fourth sister will be jealous? ”

Hearing that Du Juan suddenly came to Qingzhou, Zhang Yue was a little surprised, and then gave Meng Tao a roll of his eyes angrily, thinking that even if people came, it must be because of Du Zhen's orders, and it had nothing to do with any personal affairs or other decisions. After asking carefully, he learned that Du Juan had first visited Mrs. Wu's illness, and sent some medicinal materials such as Zhejiang fritillary, atractylodes, gastrodia, ginseng, and a Buddhist scripture hand-copied by Mrs. Du's Qiu, so he nodded secretly.

After this feast, the crowd gradually dispersed. Seeing that everyone was gone, Zhang Yue got up and said goodbye, but Liu Zhong said something with a smile: "Little Zhang Yue." Do you know why I have to invite you to this meal today? It's for that good news! I just got the news that you're going to be promoted! Because of the shortage of people in Qingzhou Mansion, the Ministry of Officials promoted the current general judge to the prefect, promoted you to the sixth rank, and acted as the governor of Qingzhou Mansion, and was divided into patrols, money, grain, and water conservancy affairs. The acting historian of your county is in charge of county affairs, and it is estimated that after two months, you two will be able to remove the word acting. ”

At this time, everyone else is gone. But Meng Tao and Liu Zhong's two sons were still there, and their eyes widened when they heard this, and then they showed envy that was difficult to hide, and Liu Zhong laughed with emotion. Now that Qingzhou has a new prefect, it was originally just a general judgment, and Zhang Yue, the acting governor, sounds nothing, but in fact he has a lot of power. Speaking of which, Zhang Yue has been in office for less than three months, and it is really a mistake to be promoted so quickly!

Seeing Zhang Yue standing there, he was stunned. Liu Zhong slapped him on the shoulder with emotion: "Among the four happy events in life, this cave room flower candle day, the title of the gold list is the most happy, you have done the title of the gold list, but you have to hurry up with this cave room candle!" I met Brother Meng's daughter once. Good looks and good conduct, you can see it and let people propose it seriously! ”

was teased by Liu Zhong, Zhang Yue was helpless, and hurriedly slipped away after a perfunctory sentence. When I got outside, I met Peng Shisan. He waited for Meng Tao to catch up, and then went to Meng's house together. Since they were all in the Yamen of the Dusi, they went out of the gate of Liu's house, but they just turned a corner and walked a stone's throw away, and everyone arrived at the ground, and entered the second gate from the gate.

Meng Tao drank a few more drinks this night, and his face was crimson and he held Zhang Yuedi's shoulder, taking advantage of his drunkenness. He chattered about his sister's benefits in his mouth, and it wasn't until Meng Min came up with a few housekeepers' daughters-in-law that he closed his mouth.

"I told you to drink a few less, but I don't know moderation! Someone is coming, hurry up and help him to the house to sober up! ”

hurriedly asked people to place Meng Tao, and as soon as Meng Min turned his head, he saw Zhang Yue standing there, so he stepped forward to greet him generously, and then explained: "Sister Du only arrived yesterday." After visiting my mother. Let's just say that Master Du has something important to bring to you. I took her to your inn that day, and who knows if you didn't come back in the evening. Stayed in the Han Palace. Today I heard that Liu Dushuai's family is going to invite you to the birthday banquet, so I asked Brother Tao to bring a message. Sister Du is in the yard next door, you hurry up! ”

There was only a dim lantern in the courtyard, but Meng Min stood on the snow, and Zhang Yue could see the faint smile on his face clearly. Thinking that she and Du Juan were just the fate of Pingshui, this time he didn't know what was important, but he was still enthusiastic and thoughtful, he couldn't help but feel very grateful, so he said deeply: "Thank you fourth sister for bothering!" ”

Since the Yamen of this capital is not large, the Meng family can't allocate it by themselves, so it is naturally difficult to vacate this guest room. The house where Du Juan lived was not a guest room, but Meng Min moved the sixth sister to live with him, but vacated the sixth sister's boudoir. As soon as Zhang Yue entered the door, he caught a glimpse of the figure sitting on the ground in front of the window, and after a slight pause, he shouted, "Sister Juan." ”

Except for seeing it once in Qixia Temple, and then coming to Shandong all the way, Du Juan and Zhang Yue talked no more than twenty sentences. At this time, she hurriedly stood up and finished saluting Zhang Yue, but she did not beat around the bush.

"Daddy originally planned to write a letter to my brother, but because the messenger is unreliable now, after all, the letter is the evidence of the situation, so he sent me. Daddy said that now there are three troubles in Qingzhou Mansion, one is for conscription, the second is for white lotus, and the third is for the vassal king. Although you are holding the power of the British public, you can't reduce the servitude, you can't govern the white lotus, and you can't control the vassal king. If the first two are combined, it will be a big disaster, and if the vassal king makes any changes, then because you are not a military attache with troops, even if you have great ability, you will not be able to solve it. Therefore, if you want to govern Qingzhou Mansion now, you can only start from one point, and that is the upstart. ”

Zhang Yue could naturally tell that this was Du Zhendi's original words, however, what surprised him was that Du Zhen's meaning between the lines seemed to have known his latest appointment for a long time, as if he had long known that the assassination of King Han would not be resolved. If you want Du Juan to set off four or five days ago, could it be that his teacher is so powerful?