After getting the holy decree, Xu Ping did not delay in Daozhou any longer, and went north with Shi Quanbin. Ren Shouzhong followed the two of them closely, waiting in front of the saddle and behind the horse, nervously waiting for the verdict of his fate after returning to Beijing.

On the way, Xu Ping deliberately went around to Dingzhou and met Cao Keming, who was there in Zhizhou. Listening to Xu Ping talk about the war with Jiaozhi in the past two years, Cao Keming couldn't help but sigh and deeply regretted that he didn't participate in it.

Dingzhou Zhiwuling County is the Changde of later generations. At this time, it is not the scene of later generations, the wilderness is everywhere, the Wuling barbarians next to it are powerful, and they often go out of the mountains to make trouble, Cao Keming is not idle here, but he has no military achievements. Thinking that if he was still in Yongzhou, the credit of Pingguangyuan Prefecture and Poshenglong Mansion would inevitably fall on others, and he couldn't help but be depressed.

Cao Keming's term of office as governor has also expired, he is used to marching, and he doesn't want to go back to the capital to enjoy happiness, if he has the opportunity, he will find a position to go back to Lingnan to make some contributions, how can he fight for a beautiful official above the history of the assassin before he is willing to give up.

As soon as Cao Keming left, Xu Ping made a bold move in Yongzhou, although the Queen Mother offended some people when she was there, but she also made a real contribution, and always felt that she owed Cao Keming something. Hearing that he had this thought, he agreed to come down, Yongzhou has expanded its land for hundreds of miles, and it is in need of a minister who is familiar with affairs to preside over it. This time I returned to Beijing, not to mention the future official arrangements, at least in the imperial court's future development plan for Yongzhou.

Farewell to Cao Keming, no more miscellaneous things, went north along the way, and in mid-July, finally arrived at Xiangzhou, the junction of the north and south.

The so-called South Ship and North Horse, the meeting point is in Xiangzhou, which has always been an important town south of the Central Plains. The place here is rich and the population is large, and the land should be rushed, and it is a large county of the imperial court.

At this time, Xu Ping had already gotten the news. After the emperor's pro-government, the Privy Council was replaced, and Xia Zhu, the deputy privy envoy, was demoted to Xiangzhou. However, he did not arrive, and on the way he changed to Zhiying Prefecture. Xia Zhu was reappointed, and Zhang Qi, the privy envoy who was demoted, was reappointed as the governor of Xiangzhou. I don't know if I will go to work in the end.

Wang Qi, the governor of Xiangzhou, has expired, and he is dragged by these two figures and cannot leave, which is really miserable. The number of years of official grinding is calculated according to the actual days of arrival, Wang Qi is just Dr. Taichang at this time, compared to Zhang Qi and Xia Zhu, who have to use grinding and surveying, they are the capital of their own promotion every day, and the result is consumed here.

When they arrived at the post house, Xu Ping and Shi Quanbin arranged for Gao Daquan to bring his famous thorn to visit Wang Qi. I made an appointment to visit the Xiangzhou government office with Shi Quanbin the next day.

At this time, Xu Ping's official position has long surpassed Wang Qi, where does he dare to sit in the official office and wait for the two of them to come? Let Gao Daquan reply, and he will come to the post house to see Xu Ping the next day, so he doesn't have to work Xu Ping and Shi Quanbin.

Xu Ping is also used to these officialdom etiquette, just let Gao Daquan and Sun Qilang prepare in advance, don't lose the etiquette. There is also a routine for the magistrate to welcome and send him, and the wine feast is not a problem. The most important thing is to send Sichuan capital. Like Xu Ping, it is clear that he wants to reuse it when he returns to Beijing. The magistrates should be attentive and give extra money for the travel as a sign of their gratitude. Although the money comes from the minister's treasury and is the money of the official family, there are too many places like Xiangzhou. I'm afraid it's also overwhelming.

It is also shabby to say, the gifts received on the way to the post or on the way back to Beijing turned out to be a major entry for officials in this era, generally according to the distance and the degree of local wealth, each has its own routine. Of course the officials are demoted. Or promotion, it also has a significant impact. Like Xu Ping from Yongzhou to Daozhou, although the governors of various places are familiar with each other and the distance is long, he did not receive much money. As soon as he left Daozhou and became a popular upstart, he received more money at once. These private money were all collected by Xiuxiu, and when they were originally collected, they were all silver collars from various states, but they were heavy on the way, and Xiuxiu couldn't take them, so she had to go to the gold and silver shop to exchange them for gold ingots. It seems that when he waits in the capital, this income will be able to catch up with the official income that Xu Ping has saved in recent years.

In the evening, he didn't want to eat, so Xu Ping and Shi Quanbin took Gao Daquan and Sun Qilang out of the post house and went to Xiangzhou Market to find a clean restaurant to drink two glasses of light wine.

When I arrived at the Hanshui River, I looked at the river scenery for a while, and saw that a restaurant next to it was not small, and it was tidy, so I went upstairs together. When he arrived at the pavilion near the river on the second floor, he sat down, and Sun Qilang arranged vegetables.

Shi Quanbin said to Sun Qilang: "After Xiangzhou, it belongs to the Central Plains, and there is no fish to eat." Shichiro, you pick up the fish from the store and make a fish soup to satisfy your cravings. ”

Sun Qilang agreed.

After a while, the little guy brought up the wine and vegetables, a few kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables, nothing more than fresh water chestnut crispy lotus root, with a big bowl of fresh fish soup.

Xu Ping and Shi Quanbin toasted each other, and then took a pot of wine to Gao Daquan and Sun Qilang, who were standing and waiting.

Gao Daquan took a sip and frowned.

Xu Ping smiled and asked, "What, do you think the drinks here are too light?" ”

Gao Daquan said: "This wine is as light as water, and the table is full of vegetarian dishes, is Qilang going to be a monk?" ”

Sun Qilang glanced at Gao Daquan and said helplessly: "There are only a few meat dishes in the store, and the waiting time is too long, and the official ordered to eat it early, but that's not all?" ”

Xu Ping couldn't eat these light things when he saw Gao Daquan's appearance, so he said to them: "Xiangzhou lacquerware is famous all over the world, if you two feel unappetizing, go downstairs to the lively place, choose exquisite lacquerware and buy a few things, and we will take it home." After Xiangzhou, I arrived in the capital in a few days, and the gifts should be prepared. I estimated the time by myself and returned to the restaurant in an hour. ”

When the two heard this, they were full of joy, and they said goodbye together and happily left the restaurant. I knew in my heart that Xu Ping asked him to find a place to eat something affordable, and went straight to the lively place.

At this time, stir-fry was not common in large restaurants, and in fact, you couldn't eat anything, and drinking wine was really drinking. Vegetables and fruits have always been the main ingredients for sake, but as for meat dishes, most of them are extremely time-consuming, making soup and soup, and they can't eat it in a hurry.

It is fish and shrimp, which are also vegetarian dishes according to this habit, and are attributed to vegetables rather than meat. While vegetarians eat fish and shrimp, and on the other hand, they are keen on releasing animals and releasing aquariums, Xu Ping can't understand what people in this year think.

Seeing the two of them go out, Xu Ping took a deep breath out the window and said to Shi Quanbin: "It's close to home, even the breath is different, and it is refreshing from the bottom!" ”

After Xu Ping vigorously recruited the population, Yongzhou said that there was no miasma, so it depends on where it is compared. Compared with the surrounding states and counties, Yongzhou is naturally an area that has eliminated miasma, but compared with the Central Plains, the sultry weather there is still uncomfortable.

Let's talk about it, Xu Ping and Shi Quanbin drank a pot of water and wine, and ate a few newly produced oranges to clear their mouths, and Gao Daquan and Sun Qilang returned to the restaurant.

The two of them didn't know where to drink, their faces were full of red light, and they each held a bunch of lacquerware, and said to Xu Ping: "Official, the lacquerware here is worthy of being a tribute, and the exquisite is the crown of the world, what do you think of these?" ”

Xu Ping looked at it and nodded, "Not bad." When I go back, I said that it was chosen by the two of you, and it seems that I can do things. ”

Gao Daquan was nothing, and Sun Qilang grinned. Back then, he just couldn't stand Lin Suniang's control, and couldn't wait to follow Xu Ping to Yongzhou. Now that I've turned back, I still have to find a way to please Lin Suniang. Xu Ping added an official to the knight, even if he returned to Beijing, he had no time to worry about the affairs of his family, and Lin Su Niang had to take care of it. Gao Daquan didn't have this concern, he had merit, and Xu Ping would definitely find a way to make up for him after he went home. (To be continued.) )