When Chen Jiao said this, it happened that Zhang Yan had already walked out of the back hall and happened to hear Chen Jiao's words.

He immediately stopped and did not go out in time, but secretly observed Chen Jiao.

Chen Jiao is very young, about twenty years old, with a sallow complexion and a thin body, looking like he has just recovered from a serious illness, giving people a weak look. But in his eyes, there was a blazing gaze, and he was even more shrewd.

Zhang Yan hid in the shadows and deliberately didn't come out to meet Chen Jiao, just to see Chen Jiao's patience again.

A quarter of an hour passed, two quarters of an hour passed, Chen Jiao sat in the hall and never saw Zhang Yan appear, and gradually began to fidget.

After another quarter of an hour, Chen Jiao really couldn't sit still, so he simply stood up and paced around the hall, anxious like an ant on a hot pot.

"If it weren't for Chen Yuanlong's face, I wouldn't have come. This is the first time I have encountered such a snub to the Magi. If I knew that was the case, I shouldn't have come! Chen Jiao said angrily while pacing back and forth.

After another moment, Chen Jiao didn't see Zhang Yan appear, he was a little annoyed, he couldn't stop shaking his head, and said to himself: "Chen Yuanlong, Chen Yuanlong, you have made me miserable......"

He suddenly stopped, thought for a moment, and walked straight to the outside of the hall, but after just two steps, he stopped again, and said to himself: "No, since I am here, I must see him, if I don't say goodbye, it seems that I am too uneducated......"

Chen Jiao turned around and returned to his seat and sat down.

"Master, this person seems to be about to go crazy, do you really not go out to meet him?" Xu Sheng, who had been standing beside Zhang Yan, said in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

Zhang Yan said softly: "I'm testing his patience, such a young person, even if he is very talented, but if he is too impatient, he will definitely not be too reliable in doing things." Don't worry, I'm in control. ”

Xu Sheng was silent anymore, and together with Zhang Yan, he hid there, secretly watching Chen Jiao's every move.

After about a cup of tea, Chen Jiao's restless expression appeared again, and he said to himself: "No, what if I see him, he won't let me go, and trap me here?" Forget it, I'd better go first, no upbringing, no upbringing, it's better than being stuck here, right? ”

As soon as the words fell, Chen Jiao immediately stood up and strode out towards the outside of the hall.

Seeing this, Zhang Yan couldn't bear it anymore, if he really let Chen Jiao go, he was afraid that it would be difficult to invite him back in the future.

So, he hurriedly walked out of the back hall and shouted, "Mr. Chen, you are in such a hurry, where are you going?" ”

Chen Jiao had just stepped out of the threshold of the hall with his front feet, and suddenly heard a voice from behind him, and suddenly "chuckled" in his heart, and said in his heart: "It's over, I can't leave if I want to, why am I so unlucky!" ”

He had a bitter look on his face, and when he turned around, the expression on his face immediately changed, with a smile.

He noticed that standing in front of him was a young man, about twenty-three or fourteen years old, dignified and handsome.

After Chen Jiao saw Zhang Yan, he was taken aback, and thought in his heart: "He is Zhang Yan, the prime minister of Pengcheng?" That's too young, isn't it? ”

"I'm really sorry, I've been delayed for some things, and I've been busy until now before I came to see Mr., I'm really sorry that Mr. has waited for me for so long, and I ask for your forgiveness." Zhang Yan respectfully apologized to Chen Jiao.

Chen Jiao hurriedly said: "My lord is diligent in government affairs, he has all the opportunities, he is busy with business, it is not a big problem for me to wait here for a while, if the adult is not busy, you can continue to be busy, I will wait here for a while and there is nothing to do." ”

"In that case, then Mr. Chen Weishenme is leaving?" Zhang Yan asked.

"My lord misunderstood, I'm not leaving. People have three urgencies, I'm going to go to the thatched house...... Ouch, this is coming, and it can't be stopped, my lord, where is the thatched house? Chen Jiao was in a hurry, and hurriedly pretended to be urgent.

Zhang Yan hurriedly said to Xu Sheng behind him: "Hurry up and accompany Mr. Chen to the toilet......

"I don't need to be accompanied, just tell me where the toilet is." Chen Jiao said busily.

Zhang Yan was worried that Chen Jiao would escape by urine, so he smiled and said: "The road in the house is complicated, and the toilet is not easy to find, so let him accompany Mr. Chen, otherwise, I am afraid that Mr. Chen will get lost, and if he disappears again, then my sin will be great." ”

Chen Jiaojian couldn't refuse, and he could only let Xu Sheng accompany him, but he didn't know that this was deliberately arranged by Zhang Yan.

Xu Sheng took a few steps forward, stood in front of Chen Jiao, and said respectfully: "Mr. Chen, please come here!" ”

Chen Jiao looked helpless, it seemed that he really couldn't leave if he wanted to, so he had to follow Xu Sheng to the toilet.

Xu Sheng accompanied the whole process, not only sent Chen Jiao to the toilet, but also brought Chen Jiao back and returned to the hall.

At this time, Zhang Yan was sitting in the center of the hall, and when he saw Chen Jiao coming back, he waved his hand at Xu Sheng and said, "You go and get busy with your first, and tell your subordinates to make a good pot of tea!" ”

"Whoa!"

"Mr. Chen, please take a seat!"

Chen Jiao returned to his original seat, but he was uncomfortable, like sitting on pins and needles, and his heart was even more up.

Seeing this, Zhang Yan could almost guess Chen Jiao's thoughts. He spoke first and said: "Mr. Chen's name, Zhang has heard of it for a long time, and even Yuan Long often mentions it around me, saying that Mr. Chen is young and promising, well-read, knows astronomy and geography, and is an unborn genius. ”

Chen Jiao was praised by Zhang Yan and flew into the sky, although he also knew that this was Zhang Yan's flattery, but there was no way, he just liked to listen to good words. was said by Zhang Yan's sweet words, and the unhappiness in his heart just now disappeared.

Because in his opinion, even the Ming Lord, whom Chen Yuanlong highly admires, will definitely not be wrong.

However, Chen Jiao is still a little self-aware, and his upright personality immediately said: "My lord's praise, I'm just afraid that I can't afford it." How many pounds and taels do I have, and I don't know it myself? Anything that knows astronomy and geography is all adults putting gold on my face. My lord, I am a straight person, so I will not beat around the bush, and the reason why I was invited to come this time is entirely because of Chen Yuanlong. If Chen Yuanlong hadn't written to me and persuaded me to come over to help my lords, I wouldn't have come to this troubled water. However, since I am here, I am not going to leave. Let's get straight to the point, what position are you going to put me in? ”

Zhang Yan didn't expect Chen Jiao to be so hearty, he was taken aback at first, and then said with a smile: "Mr. Chen has a good temperament and is quick to talk, I appreciate it." Then, let me say it bluntly, I invited my husband here this time because I wanted to ask him to serve as the minister of Xiapi and govern Xiapi for me. ”

"Xiapi State Minister?" Chen Jiao was suddenly surprised.

"That's right, it's the prime minister of Xiapi." Zhang Yan emphasized again.

Chen Jiao never expected that Zhang Yan invited himself from so far away to let him serve as the minister of the country. On the way here, he thought about it, and felt that he was young and a newcomer, and it would be good for Zhang Yan to let him be a county magistrate, and he never thought about it.

But who would have thought that as soon as Zhang Yan opened his mouth, he would hand over such a high official position as the minister of the country to him, which made him a little flattered.

Chen Jiao hurriedly said: "I'm just a shallow learner, and I'm young, I'm still a newcomer, and I'm afraid I can't afford it." ”

"Mr. Chen, Yuanlong has been recommending you to me, saying how capable you are, I just invited you from afar, why don't you want to be the prime minister?" Zhang Yan asked.

Chen Jiao was also embarrassed, and said: "My lord, it's not that I don't want to be, but I don't have that ability at all, the post of minister of the country is equivalent to being too guarded, I am young and vigorous, not calm enough, in case I take over in a hurry, I am afraid that I will not be able to govern Xia Pi at that time, and I will not be able to explain to the adults." With my current ability, at best, I can be a county commander, and no matter how high it is, I'm afraid it's not suitable. ”

In fact, Zhang Yan also understands that although Chen Jiao is talented, with his current experience, if he wants to be a good minister of state, he is afraid that there will be great difficulties. It's just that at this stage, he lacks talents for a while, and Xiapi must stabilize as soon as possible.

However, Chen Jiao is a self-aware person and directly rejected the post of state minister.

Zhang Yan thought for a while, and then said: "Since Mr. Chen is unwilling to be the minister of state, then I won't force it." If Mr. is not the Minister of State, what about the county order? ”

"It's the perfect fit for me."

"In that case, then please choose one of the seventeen counties under the rule of Xia Pi to serve as the county commander!"

Chen Jiao didn't think about it, so he said loudly: "Just Xutai County." ”

"Xutai County?" Zhang Yan was not very familiar with the map of Xiapi, so he immediately opened the map on the table and glanced at it hurriedly, only to know that Xutai was located in the south of Xiapi, bordering Dongyang County in Guangling County.

Zhang Yan thought that the reason why Chen Jiao chose this place might be because it was relatively close to home, so he didn't say much, so he immediately agreed and said to Chen Jiao: "Okay, then from today on, you will be the county magistrate of Xutai County." For the past two days, you will rest in the mansion first, and when I have taken care of all the things, I will send someone to send you to take office. ”

"Alright then, if you don't have any other instructions, then I'll go and rest first."

"Okay."

Chen Jiao slowly retired, and after leaving the hall, he followed a servant to the guest room. As soon as he left with his front foot, a Danyang soldier stepped into the hall with his back foot, hugged his fist towards Zhang Yan and said, "Lord Qiqi, Chen Qun's wife and son have already come out of the house and are currently in the market. ”

When Zhang Yan heard the news, he immediately asked Xu Sheng to call over.

"What does the master command?" As soon as Xu Sheng came, he hugged his fists.

Zhang Yan walked up to Xu Sheng's ear and whispered something to Xu Sheng, and after Xu Sheng heard it, a strange smile appeared on his face.

"Don't worry, master, this matter is on me, and I will definitely do it without leaks!"

"Okay, let's get busy! But remember, don't let the mother and son get hurt in the slightest, otherwise, come and see you! ”

"Whoa!" Xu Sheng answered, turned around and walked out of the hall.

Zhang Yan looked at Xu Sheng's distant back, a faint smile appeared on his face, and he said confidently: "Chen Qun, Chen Qun, you don't want to escape from my palm this time!" ”