A faint green smoke rose from the animal-shaped incense burner, and the air was filled with a rich aroma.

Xiuxiu sat on the edge of Liu Xiaomei's bed and looked at her motionlessly.

Liu Xiaomei smiled apologetically at Xiuxiu: "Xiuxiu, thank you for letting Big Brother Gao save me." I'm almost so good, I don't need anyone to accompany me, you can go about your business. ”

"I'm not going out! As soon as I go out, the officials will definitely scold me! Sister Liu Xiaomei, you don't know, I got into a big trouble this time! The official couldn't see Brother Gao, and when he asked me, his face, ah, was darker than the bottom of the pot! I've been with officials for so many years, and I've never seen an official like this, how dare I go out? ”

Liu Xiaomei smiled: "It turns out that you are hiding from me here." I really want to thank you this time, for saving my life, and for annoying you so much. You also have good intentions, and it's good that the official is angry. ”

Xiuxiu shook her head again and again: "No, the officials are angry that I didn't tell Brother Gao before I looked for him, and I almost made Brother Gao unable to come back." You don't know about our officials, but he won't forget this kind of thing. I can't escape this scolding, alas, it's a moment to hide. ”

Green smoke wafted out of the incense burner and spread to Xiuxiu's side, enveloping her sorrow.

In the living room of the front yard, Xu Ping sat opposite Zhang Rong, the inspector.

"Thank you for your help with yesterday's incident."

Zhang Rong said: "The judgment is polite, this is a matter within the duties of the lower officials." ”

Xu Ping pondered for a moment before asking again: "The inspection and subordinate Xiang troops have been in Guangxi for two years." ”

"It's coming soon. We are waiting for the Privy Council to issue a letter, and we don't know when the guard will change. ”

"Inspector Zhang, I'll just say it bluntly, have you ever thought about staying in Yongzhou?"

Zhang Rong sighed: "Since the general judgment is asked, I will also say what is in my heart." For more than a year, we have all seen the situation here in He County, and it is false to say that no one is moved. Xiang Jun's bowl of rice can't be eaten for a lifetime, who doesn't leave a way out for himself? Besides, it is rumored that this time it is more difficult, and we will be transferred to Jinghu South Road to guard against Meishanman, the same road is far away, and it is not as convenient to go home as here in Yongzhou. The day has come, and there are a lot of discussions in the inspection village these days, the monthly money and food of ordinary soldiers are not as good as you planting sugarcane here, there are letters from your hometown, and many soldiers will let them stay here to plant sugarcane, and they can send money back from time to time. But this kind of thing needs the consent of the Privy Council, and I dare not open it. ”

Xu Ping nodded: "It's man-made, as long as you have this heart, I will go to discuss with Cao Zhizhou, and together with the transfer envoy, I will make a note to the imperial court, and if I can stay, I will stay, so as not to have a hard journey." ”

Xu Ping is six or seven percent sure of this matter.

In the middle of the year, because of the fire in the Zhaoying Palace in Yuqing, Prime Minister Wang Zeng was implicated in Yanzhou. Of course, this is just an excuse, mainly because Wang Zeng did not attach himself to the Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager Liu took power.

Since the Qianxing year, the Empress Dowager Liu has been listening to the government for nearly ten years, the emperor is already 20 years old, and the bureaucrats and doctors of the Great Song Dynasty have gradually lost patience with the Empress Dowager. In order to maintain her position, Empress Dowager Liu was no longer as confident as in previous years, and she slowly began to change from being virtuous to being obedient.

That is, the current emperor has not responded to this trend and has always been deferential to the Queen Mother, otherwise the era of the Empress Dowager Liu may not wait for the tenth year of Tiansheng to come to an end.

Wang Zeng was demoted, Zhang Shixun died, and the court is now Lu Yijian's sole minister. On the one hand, he obeyed the words of the Empress Dowager Liu, and on the other hand, he was ready to deal with the court situation after the Empress Dowager Liu, and never offended the people who worked against the Empress Dowager.

Xu Ping has never dealt with Lu Yijian, but he has several official contacts in office, and Lu Yijian has taken good care of him. Whether it is to appreciate his own talent, or for other reasons, this is a Zai Zhi that Xu Ping thinks is the best to deal with, and he should seriously consider his own suggestions.

The only uncertain factor is the privy envoy Zhang Qi, who is the old man who has followed the Queen Mother since Zhenzong was the crown prince, and the Queen Mother values it the most. This person can't be said, and the biggest credit to the Great Song Dynasty is that he gave birth to a good grandson, Zhang Shuye, a famous minister in the late Northern Song Dynasty. However, this kind of person is the most reassuring for the Queen Mother, but Xu Ping and the people on the Queen Mother's side don't deal with it very well, for fear that he will get in the way.

However, now that the atmosphere in the DPRK has changed, Zhang Qi has become a target in the position of privy envoy, and many ministers directly say that he is incompetent, and they do not hide it at all, and they want to replace this villain who can only flatter him. In this case, it is really difficult to say whether he dares to top the book and the third division.

After talking about some miscellaneous matters with Zhang Rong again, Xu Ping asked Duan Kongmu, who was on duty, to take him to check the rewarded wine sheep and escort them back.

This time, the troops were just to show their faces, and it was enough to have wine and meat to send them down, and there was no cash reward. Although Xu Ping's official position carries the military of the state, the military word is really not enough gold, especially the partner is a military minister Zhizhou, the army is not transferred if he wants to, he can only make more money to win people's hearts.

As soon as Zhang Rong left, Gao Daquan came up by himself.

Xu Ping took a sip of tea, looked at Gao Daquan standing honestly in front of him, and sighed: "What do you have to say?" This time it's a lot of commotion! ”

Gao Daquan said: "It's a small recklessness that makes it difficult for officials." I won't do it again in the future. ”

"There's nothing wrong with you, there are the same things to do or do in the future. The eldest husband is alive, helping the needy, when is this kind of thing wrong! ”

Gao Daquan thought that he had misheard, and raised his head and looked at Xu Ping strangely.

Xu Ping sighed again: "You did the right thing, but the mistake was that you didn't tell me in advance." You may have been by my side for many years, is it possible that you are still afraid that I will stop you from going? When did I become such a person in your hearts? At most, it just doesn't leave you alone in the risk. ”

Gao Daquan was a little embarrassed: "It's a small one, and it's bad." ”

"Xiuxiu has been in that little sister Liu's room for a day, and she hasn't taken a step out of the room, and she is also sick?"

Gao Daquan said: "Xiuxiu knows that she is in trouble, but she is afraid that she will not dare to see the officials." ”

"It's good to know you're in trouble. It was originally a trivial matter not worth mentioning, she was afraid that she would know this, she was afraid that she would know, and it would be the same as pulling the thread, and the more she pulled it, the more messy it became! Go and call her out, I have something to ask her! ”

Seeing Gao Daquan rubbing there, Xu Ping couldn't help but get a little angry: "What, you are still protecting her?" This time you're going to the barbarian territory alone, count yourself lucky! Next time she sends you to Jiaozhi, I don't have the ability to take this person to Jiaozhi to save you! What if she doesn't change this problem? ”

Gao Daquan sighed: "Official, you are angry now, I'm afraid that Xiuxiu will be too serious." This time Xiuxiu did something wrong, but since you arrived in Yongzhou, haven't you noticed that Xiuxiu is different from before? ”

"What's wrong? She eats well, sleeps well, plays well, and doesn't know how much life she has! ”

"Official, there are some things, you really may not have our subordinates to see clearly. How old is Xiuxiu? Thousands of miles away from home, there is not even a person to talk to. Look at the place where she lives, the birds and birds she has raised in the past two years, and all kinds of messy little monkeys or something, how can she ever have such a habit in the city of Tokyo? At that time, she didn't even keep a parrot. To put it bluntly, at that time, she could go home for a few days from time to time, and Su'er was her peer to talk to her, and she was also by your side every day. Since she arrived in Yongzhou, she has no one to talk to, and you are busy with official business, so you don't want her to serve every day like before, aren't you obsessed with those little birds and monkeys or something? Although Liu Xiaomei is a few years older than her, they are always girls, and the two live together, so they have nothing to talk about. Xiuxiu is always a little girl, she doesn't know much, and she cares about it, so she broke into this trouble. ”

Xu Ping was silent for a while, and smiled at Gao Daquan: "I didn't see it, you still have such a delicate mind, and you can even figure out what a woman thinks." ”

Saying this, Gao Daquan was a little embarrassed, and his appearance was a little awkward.

"That's it, then let Xiuxiu accompany Liu Xiaomei for a few more days, and I'll talk to her in a few days."

Gao Daquan listened to Xu Ping's relief and secretly sighed. They have followed Xu Ping together for many years, and they have the same spirit, Xiuxiu's careful eyes, they were really scolded by Xu Ping, and they don't know what it looks like to be sad.

Xu Ping thought for a while, and said to Gao Daquan: "Okay, this matter is over, you will have a number in your heart in the future, no matter what you do, ask me first." You go back first, go out and find Lieutenant Huang, I have something to ask him. ”

When Gao Daquan heard that he was looking for Huang Tianbiao, he suddenly felt in his heart, he was the first to take everyone to drink that day, which caused Tan Hu to make up an excuse to ask for leave.

Hurriedly asked Xu Ping: "Official, what is the matter with Huang County Lieutenant?" ”

"Business, don't ask."

Gao Daquan didn't raise his head when he saw Xu Ping, and in addition to being worried in his heart, the word business was somewhat comforting.

Out of the main hall, Gao Daquan saw Tan Hu spinning around under the banyan tree in the yard, like a donkey with a grinding head, and he was not afraid of getting dizzy.

Seeing Gao Daquan, Tan Hu came up and grabbed him: "What did the official say about you?" ”

"I didn't say anything, just asked me to report to the officials first for anything in the future. By the way, it's the same for a few of you, otherwise the officials will move the board next time! ”

Tan Hu was stunned: "It's okay?" Did you mention me? ”

Gao Daquan shook his head: "I didn't mention it." However, the official asked me to go to Huang County, saying that I had something to discuss with him, and maybe I would look for you after looking for Huang County. ”

"Then I'm not miserable!" Tan Hu was so frightened that he almost made the ground, "Isn't this looking for County Lieutenant Huang to confront me?" It's over, it's over, I'll go to the official first and admit it myself! Aren't you okay if you admit it? ”

Gao Daquan grabbed Tan Hu: "Don't scare yourself!" I'm okay because the officials said that what I did was not a bad thing, and that my husband was right to help the needy. You are different, you deceived the official to ask for leave to drink by yourself, did you go in and get boarded? According to me, the officials may not know at all, and finding Huang County Lieutenant is a business and has nothing to do with you. Anyway, if you admit it, you have to fight, and if you don't admit it, you have to fight, so it's better to just resist it, maybe you will dodge it instead. ”

Tan Hu still couldn't give up: "You have a point. ”

"Tan Jiejie, I didn't say you, no matter whether the officials know it this time or not, they won't dare to do it again in the future!"

Tan Hu said: "Where do I dare? How could Huang Countywei's meal of wine withstand my fright for the past two days? ”

Gao Daquan shook his head and went out to find Huang Tianbiao.

Huang Tianbiao has always been rough, and when he entered the courtyard, he didn't care, and when he saw Tan Hu sitting under the banyan in despair, he shouted at the top of his voice: "Tan Jiejie, what are you doing sitting here idle?" The general judge has something to say to me, and when he is done, we will go to the town to have a drink! ”

Tan Hu looked at Huang Tianbiao, shook his head impatiently, and sighed heavily.

"Blame!"

Huang Tianbiao didn't understand what it meant, and he didn't bother to ask, so he raised his feet and entered the main hall.

After seeing the ceremony, he sat down on the side, and Huang Tianbiao said: "What do you have to tell the general judge to find the next official?" ”

"It's not a big deal, you're a local native, and you still know the people of Chungju?"

"I'm not in their hands, I don't know much!"

"Well, bring Huang Congfu to me in two days, remember not to let others know."

"I'm not familiar with it-" As soon as Huang Tianbiao's words came out, he saw Xu Ping looking at him coldly, and swallowed back the words behind. "Xia Guan remembers, you will always get people here in three or five days!"