Chapter 41 On the ninth day of the lunar month, don’t use the hidden dragon
Ouyang Rong has received a lot of letters recently.
There are some classmates from the academy, some former teachers, some parents from Nanlong, my hometown, and even someone from the same year who passed the exam in the first year of Jiushi. And if I remember correctly, he and this person in the same year were sitting next to each other at the Xingyuan banquet. We toasted each other with a glass of wine and forgot what they looked like.
These old friends all send letters to exchange greetings, reminisce about past friendships, and make arrangements to get together in the future. Finally, at the end of the letter, they will mention that they have a little friendship with a wealthy family in Longcheng County. I hope Brother Lianghan, please take care of me a little bit.
Is this reasonable?
This is very reasonable.
Ouyang Rong put down the letter, chuckled, threw the pile of letters into the trash can at his feet, stood up and left the study.
The plum blossom forest outside the study is falling, which is very pleasing to the eye. The plum blossoms in Longcheng bloom late and wither late.
Ouyang Rong picked up a pale pink plum petal on his shoulder, carried a bottle of wine, and went out humming "Hometown Song".
He was actually in a good mood, because he had not received letters from his mentor Xie Xun and supervisor Shen Xisheng, and a few days ago, Ouyang Rong had been mentally prepared to receive letters from the two.
Ouyang Rong arrived at the government office, and not long after, he brought a large group of officials and servants to the outskirts of the city to see him off.
Yesterday, he ordered Qin Heng and other Zhechong Mansion soldiers to return to the Jiangzhou camp, and the soldiers left today.
At the pavilion ten miles south of the city, Ouyang Rong poured a glass of wine with his eyes downcast and signaled to Captain Qin and other officers.
"General Qin, I don't have much literary talent, so I won't write poems to stir up emotion. Have a good time, everyone. It's been a hard day for you all."
"The county magistrate is so humble." Qin Heng shook his head.
"By the way, bring me a letter to Inspector Shen."
Ouyang Rong took out a letter and handed it over, and Qin Heng took it without asking.
After everyone finished drinking the farewell wine, they broke willows to say goodbye.
The young captain of Jiangzhou Zhechong Prefecture, who had just taken a few steps on his horse, suddenly turned his horse's head and said to the young county magistrate who was watching calmly in the pavilion behind:
"County Magistrate Ouyang, I actually... have always been puzzled by something. When I saw you walking out of the warehouse with your head on your head that night, I was able to tell... The county magistrate really wanted to take his brothers to ransack the house, but why did he do it later? Didn’t you go again?”
"General Qin also wants to raid his home?"
Qin Heng, who was always talkative and capable, nodded without hesitation, "The evil gentry and bully in this place can't be forgiven even if they raid a hundred houses a day. It would be a pity to die."
"General Qin has a charming temperament."
"Isn't it the same with County Magistrate Ouyang?"
"Then why didn't General Qin raid his house?"
"I hate that there are no military orders. But Ouyang County Magistrate can give orders."
"I can give orders, but I am not a general. I only need to lead the charge and draw my sword as I please." Ouyang Rong paused and said seriously: "I am the order of a county."
Qin Heng was silent for a while, then raised his scarlet riding whip and pointed it at the disaster relief camps in the field, and said loudly:
"Magistrate Ouyang, I will take the soldiers out of Jiangzhou City at night and pass through Xingzi, Hukou, Jishui and several counties. Along the way, your county has the least hungry refugees we have ever seen, the best disaster control, and the best officials. The quickest thing...this one-county magistrate has done a great job!"
"County Magistrate Ouyang, see you later!"
Qin Heng laughed, turned around and whipped his whip, led his three hundred armored cavalry and rode away, raising three feet of smoke and dust.
Ouyang Rong was slightly startled, shook his head with a smile, and returned to the county government office with the officials behind him.
…
"How much per bucket?"
"Sixteen cents, sir, this is the finest Qianshan tribute rice..."
Yan Liulang interrupted: "Do other rice shops also have this price?"
"It's all at this price, no matter how young or old you are."
"Let's fight for two."
"Okay, thank you for your patronage."
At a rice shop in the downtown area, Yan Liulang paid and picked up a bag of rice, then turned and returned.
Along the way, the detective in blue clearly felt that the county town and outside were much livelier and busier, and there was a lot more fireworks.
There are many sails on Butterfly Creek, and there are many more foreign ships than in the past. The laborers moving goods at Penglangdu Wharf are busy and short of manpower, so wages need to be increased, and they have to recruit people from refugees outside the city.
Shops in the East and West markets that had closed down due to the disaster are gradually reopening, and temples and buildings are being renovated all over the county in full swing.
In the past few days, a number of official documents issued by a young county magistrate to promote business and industry, as well as policies to vigorously promote the Dragon Boat Festival event, have become the most lively topics among wealthy households, civilians and suburban refugees in Dragon City.
Discussions were going on in the streets. I heard that the county magistrate was going to deliver a speech at the Dragon Boat Festival in person, and would also ask the county government to use real money and silver to reward the winning dragon boats and subsidize some active merchants.
In fact, the dragon boat race during the Dragon Boat Festival in previous years was also a grand event, because the people in the land of Wuyue were also superstitious and regarded the dragon boat race as a major event to pray for good weather in the coming year, so they naturally participated enthusiastically.
And in general, when evaluating local county magistrates in the state, whether the county magistrate can change customs is also a criterion. Previous county magistrates have to do this. However, it is rare for young county magistrates to be as vigorous as the current ones, especially in Yunmengze University.
After the floods, counties are struggling to cope.
As soon as the news came out, Longcheng County became very conspicuous in the entire upper and lower river basins of Jiangzhou.
Moreover, Yan Liulang knew that this was just the beginning. The people who came now were wealthy businessmen from several nearby counties, and more tourists and wealthy businessmen were still to come.
This is the advantage of developed water transportation. Only Jiangzhou is affected by floods, but the surrounding states are all "rich and peaceful" and can be reached by boat.
However, the young county magistrate said that this was both an advantage and a disadvantage, and the door must be locked... Yan Liulang was a little confused about this, but the Ming government did not elaborate further, so he did not ask further questions.
Now, Yan Liulang was returning to the county office with rice in hand when he met Ouyang Rong and others who had returned from outside the city.
"Mingfu, the price of rice in Dongshi..."
"Go in and talk."
"yes."
The two of them came to the back hall, and before Yan Liulang even had his buttocks on the bench, he reported everything he had observed in the county, including today's rice price.
"Only sixteen coins a dou?"
Ouyang Rong took a sip of tea and immediately put down the cup after hearing this, feeling very unhappy:
"It's so cheap, who are you looking down on? People outside don't know, and they think we Longcheng people can't afford rice."
Yan Liulang twitched the corner of his mouth and couldn't help but said:
"In the Ming Dynasty, sixteen dollars a dou is already the same as robbery. I just paid the price and didn't even bargain for the rice. The boss looked at me with as much amusement as if I were looking at a fool... This is the most basic price of rice.
Ah, even if it increases by one penny per bucket, it’s nothing.”
Ouyang Rong seemed not to have heard, rolled up his sleeves, grabbed a handful of snowflake-like cold white rice from the bag, stared at the "trickling rice flow" falling between his fingers, and muttered:
"No, it's not high enough. It needs to be raised again. It's still 20 yuan a dou before the Dragon Boat Festival. Our county needs to give those grain merchants a little Dragon City shock."
Yan Liulang: "..."
Mingfu, if you are kidnapped and coerced by grain merchants, just blink.
Yan Liulang hesitated to speak, but Ouyang Rong spoke first and gave instructions.
"Rokuro sent someone to release a message first..."
After he warned carefully, Yan Liulang nodded hesitantly and retreated. However, not long after he walked out of the door, Yan Liulang returned to the lobby again. This time, a tattooed man followed behind him.
"Mingfu, look who's coming!"
Ouyang Rong, who was still twirling rice in deep thought, looked up and was a little surprised: "Ah Shan?"
"Thank you sir for saving my life."
Liu Ashan knelt down and kowtowed directly on the corridor outside the door.
Ouyang Rong hurriedly stepped forward to help him up.
"You don't have to kneel to me. You can survive because of your luck. It has nothing to do with other people." He sighed. It was the truth. He was indeed a ruthless person who could survive this.
Liu Ashan didn't listen and continued to kowtow respectfully.
But then, Ouyang Rong, who had been a little busy recently, said something embarrassing to himself.
"Why are brothers Ah Shan here, but what's the problem at home?"
Liu Ashan's face was stunned for a moment, "Didn't the master ask me to come to the county government office to look for the master after I recover from my injury?"
Ouyang Rong realized it later and then realized what he was doing.
The casual remarks made that day were actually remembered by the man on the bed.
The old face blushed slightly and he said calmly:
"Yes, yes, Brother Ah Shan came just in time."
After another pause, he asked, "I remember that you are an official slave and where you worked before."
Liu Ashan immediately said: "Guyue Sword Shop. Our family is a factory worker. We were formerly untouchable officials under the management of the county government. Later, the Liu family on the West Bank was appointed by the Holy Emperor as the sword master, and our group of workers were assigned to Guyue.
The sword shop can be regarded as a long-term job for the Liu family."
Ouyang Rong nodded and immediately asked Yan Liulang: "Can an official slave like Ah Shan be redeemed?"
Yan Liulang was stunned, thought for a while and said:
"Yes, yes, but there is no need to waste money. The Ming government can find an excuse and simply send a document to transfer Brother Ah Shan back to the county government. If you work for the county government, don't you work for the Ming government? Over at Guyue Sword Shop, this
There are countless similar workers, and it is impossible for the Liu family to argue with the Ming government over an official slave..."
"No need." Ouyang Rong interrupted directly: "Although I am poor, I still have some savings. I will use them to redeem brother Ashan first."
Yan Liulang and even Liu Ashan didn't quite understand why Ouyang Rong insisted on redeeming himself for freedom, because in the Zhou Dynasty, sometimes those who worked as private slaves for powerful families were no worse than ordinary people of good origin.
Ouyang Rong immediately asked about the price again, asked the two of them to wait, returned to Meiluyuan's study, and took some money back.
Last time he took ten guans from his aunt, but the fund-raising banquet at Yuanming House only cost him two guans. This may be because there were no dancers or escorts for the entire banquet, or maybe the restaurant
The boss gave him a "limited time discount".
As for the 650 "paper money" donated to him by the gentry and wealthy people, he donated all of it to the county government.
But even so, the nearly eight thousand dollars he had left on him was still a huge sum of money for a commoner.
Ouyang Rong picked out several copper plates, stuffed them back into his arms, and handed over all the remaining seven coins.
Liu Ashan waved his hands in panic, "Master, I don't need so much ransom money."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, "Then I'll redeem your sister or mother. However, seven strings may not be enough, but I'll redeem as many people as I can, and use the remaining money to buy property."
Liu Ashan said loudly.
Ouyang Rong waved his hand, "Go, follow Liu Lang to complete the formalities, and come back to me after redemption. Just treat it as working for me. I heard that you are good at water, and I... just need someone here. I will need more help from Brother Ashan in the future."
.”
Liu Ashan looked at the sincere smile on the young county magistrate's face, nodded vigorously, said no more, turned around and followed Yan Liulang out.
Ouyang Rong watched the two people leave, thought for a while at the door, and then turned back to deal with the official documents. At this time, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man in red dressed in red rushing towards the corridor in the distance.
After a while, he rushed to him.
Ouyang Rong took a step back silently, as if he was afraid that his junior sister would illegally hit someone with the ball.
The day before yesterday, Xie Lingjiang, who was talking about "big brother" like a little follower of the curious baby, now frowned and asked Ouyang Rong:
"Master...Brother Lianghan, why did you relax the price of grain? Did you know that the price of grain in the county has now increased to sixteen yuan a dou! I heard rumors that the county magistrate's family is secretly selling grain, so that's why the price of grain has been opened.
Is it true that you are lining your own pockets?"
Ouyang Rong raised his eyebrows.
But my first reaction was... the little junior sister looked quite cute when she was angry.
…
"You mean, on the night of the audit, after the county magistrate beheaded a scribe, he did not immediately lead troops to raid the house. Instead, he sealed the warehouse and did not audit the accounts. Two days later, he sent people to the city.
Those thirteen families' apology wine? In the past few days, they have said that they will join hands with the squires to hold the Dragon Boat Festival? And today they also sent back the soldiers of Zhechong Prefecture? "
Su Mansion, back garden.
After Su Guo'er silently listened to what the little maid with a steamed face asked about, she couldn't help but confirm with her again.
"That's right, miss."
The little girl in Cai Shou nodded like she was pecking at rice, but the little maid's focus was obviously not on the same channel as her own. She added in a low voice:
"Miss, I really didn't expect that the new county magistrate, who looks so handsome but looks like a frail scholar, would actually kill someone with his own hands."
"Yeah, I really didn't expect..." Su Bao'er whispered.
Cai Shou's eyes sparkled, "Well, he's just like the fatal scholar in the novel. He's suave, but has deadly tricks."
Su Guo'er didn't even raise her eyelids. Seeing this, Cai Shou didn't ask for trouble and continued to apply plum blossom makeup on the eyebrows of the contemplative young lady.
The little maid with a bun face held the ink pen in her hand. The more she drew, the more she felt that the young lady's pretty face was so beautiful that even she, a girl, was a little moved.
It's a pity that the young lady doesn't smile most of the time. She doesn't have the charming and infatuated temperament of her daughter's family. She is often alone, either with a cold look or a frown.
A fortune teller came to the house before and told the master and his wife that the young lady's wisdom would be severely damaged and that she should think less about things and spend more time at her daughter's home.
Raising civet cats and painting plum blossom makeup are one of the leisure activities.
This plum blossom makeup is also a coincidence. One day the year before last, the lady was lying under the eaves and taking a nap. The wind happened to blow a plum blossom onto the lady's forehead. Maybe it had been on the skin for too long, or maybe the plum blossom had faded and turned red.
As a result, a plum blossom-shaped pale red mark was left on the young lady's forehead, which could not be wiped away, and made her originally cold and arrogant little face look a little charming and delicate. So she was seen by the master and his wife at dinner, and she liked it very much.
Let the lady keep it specially, and often wear plum makeup on weekdays...
"It's like a different person, this is..." Su Guo'er whispered: "On the ninth level, there are regrets for being a proud dragon."
The face of Cai Shou, who was applying makeup on her, was slightly stunned:
"Huh? What does that mean?"
Su Guo'er brushed her away lightly, and left the bamboo chair with her slender figure. Holding a book in front of her chest, she wandered for a walk in the garden. After a while, she narrowed her eyes and whispered softly:
"I was wrong before."
Cai Shou became more and more confused.
The girl with plum blossom makeup who loves to talk about mysteries ignored the stupid maid and opened the "Book of Changes" in her arms. She gently tapped on a certain page and a certain line with her slender fingers, and she murmured:
"Then it's...the ninth day of the lunar month, so don't use Qianlong."