Xu Ping sat on the chair, although it was in the shade under the ginkgo tree, there were still beads of sweat oozing from his forehead. There was a fan on www.biquge.info table in the pen "Fun" pavilion, but he didn't pick it up.

Sitting opposite was Li Yonghe, who had just rushed over from the former military supervisor, his face was covered with sweat, and he was drinking tea with him.

Before you know it, it's late May, and the weather is getting hotter and hotter. Located on the edge of the Yellow River, it is impossible to escape the scorching heat during the day, although the cool breeze blows at night.

Putting down the teacup, Li Yonghe said with a wry smile: "I thought that the weather should be cooler when I came to the north, but I didn't want it to be hotter here than in Kaifeng City." The former military supervisor had only traveled one or twenty miles to get here, but he was sweating. ”

Xu Ping said: "This place is close to the Yellow River, and it is surrounded by swamps, which is naturally more sultry than Kaifeng." By the way, Uncle Shi's journey from Kaifeng was still smooth? ”

"Smooth, between the two capitals, the heart of the country, what accidents can there be?"

After a few words of gossip, Xu Ping asked Li Yonghe to eat the melons and fruits on the table. Now the season is still early, and it is not the season when a large number of melons and fruits are on the market, and it is nothing more than a few kinds of cherry, yellow apricot, tender lotus root and the like.

Picking up a piece of crispy tender lotus root and chewing it in his mouth, Li Yonghe asked Xu Ping: "You went out to Beijing to inspect the river this time, and things went well, right?" I think you're pretty laid back here. ”

"No surprises, everything was fine. In a few days, after completing the investigation and reaching this section of Bishui County, we will be able to return to Beijing for business. ”

Hearing this, Li Yonghe nodded, shook his head again, didn't speak for a while, and picked up the vegetable water on the table and held it in his hand. After a while, he said to Xu Ping: "It's been more than half a month since you came out, and I heard that after you left the city, you went to Zhongmu County and acted separately from Wang Yan." These days, I wonder if you have been in contact with him? ”

Xu Ping had a faint bad feeling in his heart, and said: "I have sent him a few letters and told him about the situation I have investigated here, but Deputy Envoy Wang has never replied to me. ”

Li Yonghe took the teacup in his hand, neither drank the tea, nor put it down, and thought about it for a while before saying to Xu Ping: "Xu Ping, you and I are friends of the two worlds, if there is anything, don't think too much about it." ”

"How can Uncle Shi say such things? I'm what you watched grow up, and if you have anything, just tell me what! ”

Li Yonghe nodded: "Yes, you are something I watched grow up little by little." I have known and fellowshipped with your father since I was young, and if it weren't for his kindness, I might have died on the side of the road. It is precisely because of this that you are different from other people, and I can't ignore your affairs. ”

Having said this, Xu Ping knew that he must be in trouble, his face became solemn, and he said to Li Yonghe: "Uncle Shi has something to say, even if he says, I am not the stubborn teenager I was back then, and I have my own way of doing things." ”

"Since your family moved to Zhongmu County, you have been like a different person, knowledgeable and courteous, progressive, step by step finally today, the world is unpredictable. I think back then, when you were young, I gossiped with your father, and your father only hoped that you would be happy when you were older, and if you didn't lose the family business, he would be satisfied. Where would you have thought that today, your Kechang High School has risen all the way to this step. However, then again, Xu Ping, after all, we are from a small family, and we can't compare to those eunuchs, and there are foils everywhere. Since you entered the rank and ranked, you have been promoted all the way, although this is all obtained by your own ability, but in the eyes of others-"

"I know, Uncle Shi, I know this." Xu Ping nodded, "I'm just the son of a wine seller, in my twenties, I am a county marquis, an official is a langzhong, and I am a squire officer, and many people don't like it." I know my own affairs, so I have worked hard over the years, never picking fat and thin, and never comparing myself with others, that is, I understand that once something happens to me, no one will stretch out a hand to me. Born in a small family, there are not so many relatives and friends to help, everything can only rely on yourself. Why, I do this, is there anyone still dissatisfied? ”

Li Yonghe sighed: "Xu Ping, you can only raise obscurity, but you can't taoguang!" Although you don't compete with others, but you do everything better than others, how can you avoid others looking at you differently? I don't go around in circles, you came out to inspect the river this time, and offended Wang Yan, who was walking with you. ”

Xu Ping's heart tightened, and his eyes froze: "Uncle Shi, what's going on?" ”

"Before I left Beijing, Wang Yan sent a letter to the court without telling you, saying that it was not possible to divert water from the Luo River. First, the amount of water is insufficient, and the water of the Yellow River is slow after passing through the white waves, and from the Luo River to the Bianhe River from high to bottom, the water of the canal must be urgent. The difference in water volume between this emergency and the slow is too large, and unless the water of the Luo River is completely intercepted, it cannot be guaranteed to be clear. And how can the Luo River be cut off completely? Again, the forced opening of the canal is huge, and just the rumor of the wind has already caused the surrounding people to flee. ”

Xu Ping frowned and said slowly: "I am the envoy who patrols the river, why didn't he inform me?" ”

"Hmph, because Wang Yan made it clear in the recital, you are so happy, no matter what, don't listen to his upright words, there is no way, so he will play the recital alone. Moreover, he also knew that it was wrong, and he impeached himself in the last chapter. ”

"Okay, good, his hand is beautiful, and he advances by retreating! However, the clear is clear, the turbidity is turbid, and I have a clear investigation of the river here, and it is clear from there to open and merge from there. Even how much work it takes to dig a ditch, how much earth and rocks to dig, and how much time it takes, they all understand, how can he deny it in a few words?! ”

Li Yonghe shook his head again and again: "Xu Ping, you still don't understand, things in officialdom can't be explained clearly like this many times." You think you understand it, but how many people understand what you calculated? Officialdom pays attention to one person doing things, and many people help him, this is common sense! You always feel like you can do everything yourself, what do other people think? Like now, you don't need to get things straight, you need someone to help you! ”

Xu Ping looked at the table, was stunned for a while, then raised his head and said to Li Yonghe: "The ministers in the court, they won't settle this matter just by relying on a few words from Wang Yan, right?" The Holy One is at the height of the Spring and Autumn Period, and he also wants to make great achievements, so he won't believe me just by relying on a few words like this? ”

"The official family naturally believes in you, otherwise where would I know so much? When I went out of the city, the official family specially brought me into the palace and said these words to me, so that you can know in your heart. But as an official in my Great Song Dynasty, you don't just rely on the official family to believe your words, you have to let the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty also approve it! You have been an official for many years, so you naturally understand this truth! ”

"So, is it that the ruling minister of the court doesn't believe me?"

"Okay, I'll make it clear to you. Lu Xianggong thinks that you have a monopoly on power, and you can't insert the needle in the three divisions, and you can't splash the water, but you just keep putting up with you. As for Wang Xianggong, he didn't have a bad feeling for you, but Wang Yan said that as soon as you arrived in Heyin County, you would just find an excuse for the two big families to be arrested and put in prison, which made the county's grievances boil. Coupled with what you did in the Third Division a few days ago, Wang Xianggong thought that you were in too much of a hurry, did not think about it well, competed with the people for profit, and didn't want to speak for you. As for the other ministers, do you think Privy Zhang will speak for you? The others just looked at the faces of these three people! ”

"Ha, haha," Xu Ping couldn't help laughing when he heard this, "Speaking of which, I was already angry and resentful in the court, and people and gods were angry!" I still feel that I have done a lot of things, and now that the treasury is full, it is my opinion, and for the sake of money, I will not complain much about me, but I didn't expect it to be so! ”

Li Yonghe looked at Xu Ping, saw that his eyes were clear, and he was not really dizzy, his heart was a little calm, and he sighed: "So I said, the most important thing for you now is not to do things well, but to find someone to help you." Now in the court, the people who speak for you are a group of middle and lower-level officials, although there are quite a few of them, but what has happened? ”

"Oh, is there anyone else speaking for me?" Xu Ping's head was raised suddenly, looking at Li Yonghe.

"Naturally, there are, and not all people are blind. However, Wang Gongchen, Han Qi, and Wang Su are soft-spoken, and who listens to them when they say it? You are now a marquis of a county, an official and a deputy envoy, and you are not far from the position of the ruler, how can these people be counted on? ”

"Don't count on these people, Uncle Shi, who can I count on? My dad is a wine seller, and I don't know any big names except you, and I really rely on myself! As long as those young people don't dislike me, the people in the court can't sit in the political hall for a lifetime, so I'll just wait slowly! ”

"Didn't you really think about finding someone to help you?"

"Looking for whom? How to find it? Gift-giving? Submit a post to recognize a protégé? Even if I can pull my face down, what will the emperor think of me? I went from being a general judge in a small border county to being the deputy envoy of the third division in one year, and I know how my status came about. ”

Li Yonghe slapped the table anxiously: "Why don't you understand, my words are what the official asked me to tell you!" Now you are still young, your roots are too shallow, and you should bow your head when you should bow your head! ”

Xu Ping smiled and shook his head, but didn't say anything. He thought about this matter more clearly than Li Yonghe, the emperor who is now sitting on the throne is not a strong-willed person, and now that he has resistance, he can encourage himself to worship the pier. But when it really comes to being on his own, he may think of these things and distrust himself.

So what's the bother? When you are young, you will have more tribulations, and in exchange for stability in the future, this account is easy to calculate.

Li Yonghe actually knew this in his heart, and he also knew Xu Ping's personality, seeing that he had made up his mind, he no longer persuaded him, and said to him: "Besides, there is another way?" ”

"Uncle Shi, please speak."

"Is it an official eunuch, in-laws are also a way to get closer. Panpan has also grown up, in fact, you can try to help her get married, isn't it also a way? (To be continued.) )