It doesn't matter whether you are an official or not. The people under your rule are starving to death. Being an official is not a glorious thing.
When setting off from Chang'an City, Li Qinzai always regarded this errand as very simple.
There are two purposes: one is to solve the drought, and the other is to deal with the Korean lady's illegal affairs.
At first, Li Qinzai didn't pay much attention to the drought. In his opinion, the solution to the drought was very simple. It was nothing more than using labor to dig ditches and build reservoirs.
It was not until he went to the countryside in person and talked with old farmers that Li Qinzai suddenly realized that solving the drought was not as simple as he thought.
After going to the countryside, Li Qinzai decided to adjust his plan.
Compared to the fact that countless people are about to starve to death, it is no longer important whether the Korean lady should die or live, and can be dealt with slowly. However, the drought situation in front of us is imminent and must be solved immediately.
After taking another look at the dry land and the unyielding villages, Li Qinzai bid farewell to the old man politely.
On the way back to Bingzhou City, Li Qinzai behaved very silently.
Liu Asi, who was riding side by side, hesitated several times and finally couldn't help but said: "Fifth Young Master, even if they dig the ditch and divert the water, it will be too late. This year's harvest is destined to be bad."
Li Qinzai nodded: "I know."
"The villain sees Wu Shaolang's intentions and still wants to help them solve the problem of water diversion, but it will not help the harvest anymore..."
Li Qinzai said calmly: "This year's harvest is indeed too late. This is destined by God, but we can't just focus on this year."
"Serving as an official brings benefit to one party. Although I am just a temporary governor, since I have become the governor, I should do something for the people."
"The ditches on all farmland in the four counties under Bingzhou must be dug to divert water this year. I will also build a reservoir above the water source to store water. On the ground of Bingzhou, there will be no more droughts in the future. This is what I can do."
Liu Asi hesitated and said: "But... what about the labor? Nowadays, the young laborers in each village must be dealing with the drought in their own fields, and there should be no manpower available to dig ditches and build reservoirs."
Li Qinzai smiled: "There will be. There are always more solutions than difficulties. If people starve to death under my rule, it will be a dereliction of duty on my part, and I will have no shame in returning to Chang'an to see Your Majesty."
…………
The group of people returned to Bingzhou City. After entering the city, they still rode straight into the city, attracting the glares of countless passers-by.
Li Qinzai didn't care. After entering the city, he was the notorious domineering dude. He was both arrogant and mentally retarded. His personality couldn't be broken.
Returning to the governor's office, Li Qinzai got off his horse and went straight to the bedroom in the backyard. He talked in the bedroom for a long time, then wrote a memorial in a hurry, sealed it with lacquer, walked out of the room, and ordered Liu Asi to send someone to deliver it to Chang'an Tai Chi Palace.
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After finishing this, Li Qinzai stretched himself and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Liu Asi sent a famous letter.
"Fifth Young Master, Mrs. Korea invites you to the banquet again tonight."
Li Qinzai did not refuse this time. He took the name card, glanced at it quickly, and said with a smile: "I'm really anxious. If I don't agree this time, it would be really shameful..."
In the evening, Li Qinzai, dressed in fine clothes, slowly walked out of the Governor's Mansion.
Going to a luxurious banquet, he still had no intention of taking a car.
Walking all the way through the streets, he carefully observed every plant and tree in Bingzhou City. The expressions of every passerby and every hurried figure fell into his eyes and were recorded in his heart.
Mrs. Korea's residence is not far from the governor's residence.
The mansion is a bit dilapidated. This was the former residence of Empress Wu before she was elected to the palace.
Empress Wu's mother, Yang, was the wife of Ying Guogong, the warrior Yu Xuxian. She married the warrior Yu at the age of forty-four. The elderly woman actually gave birth to three daughters in succession to the warrior Yu, among whom Empress Wu was the second eldest.
Later, the warrior Yi died, and his first wife's two sons, Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang, grew up and seized the family business, so they drove Yang and their three daughters out of the house.
Yang had no choice but to return to Bingzhou with her three daughters, and spent the most difficult years of her life in this former residence. It was not until Empress Wu was selected in the palace and became a talented person beside Taizong that the Wu family's mother and daughter turned over.
By the way, the relationship between the Wu family and the British Li family is not small. When the warrior Yi died, Li Ji, who was the governor of Bingzhou at the time, was ordered by Taizong to preside over the funeral for the warrior Yi and transport his body back to Bingzhou from Jingzhou for burial.
Although the former residence is old, it has carried many years of grudges and vicissitudes.
The descendants of the Wu family and the Li family meet again in this former residence today. Whether they are enemies or friends will be decided by God.
Li Qinzai stood in front of the former residence of the Wu family and silently stared at the ancient and vicissitudes of the lintel for a long time.
The door of the house opened, and a group of servants and maids slowly walked out surrounded by a graceful and luxurious woman.
Li Qinzai had never seen a Korean lady, but looking at this woman's dress and temperament, he knew without a doubt that she was a Korean lady.
"The lower official Li Qinzai is paying homage to the Korean lady. She is a lowly official, so how dare she greet her personally." Li Qinzai bowed humbly.
The Korean lady is about thirty-four or five years old. She is a typical mature woman. She is really good-looking. She has slender eyebrows and thin lips, and the charming charm she exudes when looking at her body is definitely not something that a young girl can imitate. , no wonder Li Zhi was so obsessed with her that he was reluctant to kill her.
Seeing Li Qinzai salute, the Korean lady covered her mouth and giggled, saying: "I have heard for a long time that there was a bastard dandy in the British family. He used to be domineering in Chang'an City and did all kinds of evil. How come he knows so much about etiquette in my house?"
Li Qinzai always has a dark face and always pokes at people's shortcomings when they meet. Is this woman flirting with him or does she not know how to chat?
"Madam, you are serious. Your subordinate has always been a pillar of the country, how could he do all kinds of evil? Madam, please don't believe the rumors in Chang'an City."
The Korean lady laughed so hard that her branches were trembling, her chest was all white, and the sound of "DUANGDUANG" could be vaguely heard.
As soon as they met for the first time, Li Qinzai suddenly found that he had empathy with Li Zhi.
This woman's charm...if it were him, he wouldn't be willing to kill her.
"It's been a long time since I've seen such a funny person as Governor Li. How can anyone call himself a 'pillar of the country'? Do you have to be shameless?"
Li Qinzai said sternly: "'The pillar of the country' was not said by Xianguan. It was said in the imperial edict of your Majesty's reward. Xianguan was just repeating the original words."
The Korean lady laughed more and more, and the two stood at the door chatting for a long time. Only then did the Korean lady realize the indifference and hurriedly invited him into the house.
The former residence is not big, it is a courtyard with three entrances. The courtyard and front hall are relatively small, far inferior to the British palace in Chang'an.
The fact that this former residence has been preserved and can still be inhabited may be a way for Empress Wu to flaunt herself, like Empress Changsun, as a mother who cares about the world and at the same time, she can also be frugal in running the family.
After all, the empress's former residence was in such a dilapidated state, and in the eyes of caring people, Empress Wu's political image was firmly established.
The higher your status, the more you have to show your poverty to outsiders. A truly smart person will not show his luxurious life to outsiders.
Everywhere in the front hall of the former residence is dilapidated, the columns have lost a lot of paint, and even the wooden floor in the hall has been worn to pieces.
Li Qinzai stepped into the front hall and was stunned as soon as he entered.
There was also a woman sitting in the hall, wearing plain palace clothes, with picturesque eyebrows and jade-like features. She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with her eyes lowered and her fair hands playing with a guqin on the table.
When she heard someone walking into the hall, the woman raised her eyes and their eyes met instantly.
The Korean lady behind her chuckled and said, "Today's guests are all distinguished guests. It's been a long time since my old house has had such distinguished guests."
"Li Cishi, this is the head of Jinxiang County, and her father is Prince Teng."
Li Qinzai was shocked.
Li Yuanying, the king of Teng, was the son of the great ancestor Li Yuan. He was not very old, but his seniority was quite high.
When Li Shimin initiated the Xuanwu Gate Rebellion, Li Yuan was forced to abdicate and was placed under semi-house arrest in the Daming Palace by Li Shimin.
Li Yuan, who became the Supreme Emperor, lived the life that every man dreams of.
There were songs and dances every day, there were countless wines and beauties, and all kinds of stunning beauties could sleep how they wanted.
In order to appease Li Yuan and prevent him from being interested in government affairs again, Li Shimin also put a lot of thought into it. After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, he gathered countless beautiful women and stuffed them around Li Yuan.
This is how Teng Wang Li Yuanying was born. To put it bluntly, he was the product of Li Yuan's difficult and boring time.
In terms of seniority, Li Yuanying was Li Shimin's half-brother, and the head of Jinxiang County in front of him naturally became the younger sister of the current emperor Li Zhi.