As soon as the official road enters the provincial border, there is a beautiful reception pavilion. This pavilion was not built for a long time, it was just built a day ago...it was specially built to welcome the imperial envoys! Although it was built in a hurry, it was not sloppy at all.
, is a double-story octagonal pavilion with cornices, three rooms wide and one and a half rooms deep. There are Su-style paintings on the pavilion, and the beams inside the house are decorated with colorful paintings of landscapes, flowers and birds. Such an exquisite and elegant pavilion only took half a month to build.
It came from nothing, which can be said to be a small miracle.
At this moment, there was a forest of officers and soldiers outside the reception pavilion, with colorful flags waving, and nearly a thousand civil and military officials at all levels. The scene was very grand. The three officials from Shandong Province were all wearing brand-new crimson official robes, standing slightly anxiously.
In the reception pavilion, I stretched my neck and looked at the official road to the north.
Around Chen time, bursts of smoke and dust rose up from the end of the official road, and a horse galloped to report, "Report! The imperial envoy has arrived!"
"Ah! Everyone, come with me to greet you!" Chu Yan was excited and walked quickly outside the reception booth. He did not forget to tell the officials beside him: "Everyone must remember the etiquette and must not mess around.
Got the rules!"
"Yes!" All the officials replied in unison, and followed Chu Yan to the official road outside the pavilion, and stood at the pre-arranged position. Liu Ben waved his hand, and the red and colorful gongs and drums team started playing hard! When Wang Xian's
As the team approached, sixteen bright red firecrackers were lit, crackling like a pot of porridge.
Amidst the sound of gongs, drums and firecrackers, the three officials led their subordinates to bow down and shouted in unison: "Welcome to the Imperial Envoy!"
Although Wang Xian was well prepared, he was still startled by this formation. He was stunned for a moment and then smiled and said: "You guys have killed me, please get up quickly."
After all the officials got up, Chu Yan stepped forward and held the reins of the horse. Liu Ben moved the horse stool and Ma Zhong held the stirrup. The three officials went into battle together and helped the imperial envoy off the horse. At that moment, Wang Xian felt as if he was
Patients with high-level paraplegia only have to be pushed in a wheelchair.
The imperial envoy dismounted at the splendid octagonal pavilion. Chu Yan hurriedly introduced himself and introduced the other two adults. Wang Xian did not trust him and greeted the three officials one by one. Then the three of them went their separate ways.
After introducing his subordinate officials, in addition to the senior officials of the Sansi Yamen, 99% of the official seal officials from the six prefectures, fifteen states and eighty-nine counties in Shandong Province came!
After the officials had finished paying their respects, Wang Xian was surrounded by three adults and entered the reception pavilion. The pavilion had already been set up with tea sets and more than a hundred kinds of exquisite snacks.
After Wang Xian was invited to take his seat, three adults sat beside him. The graceful maid held up a warm water towel. Chu Yan said with a smile, "Imperial envoy, please wipe off the dust and moisturize your throat."
"We really can't have a banquet in this remote country," Liu Ben answered: "So the reception banquet is arranged in Dezhou City, which is twenty miles away. It's a little far away. Please ask the imperial envoy to use some refreshments at will. When we get to Dezhou, we can prepare a good meal for you.
Receive the wind."
"Yes, yes." Ma Zhong continued: "You have your own hospitality, we Shandong people are the most hospitable, sir, just don't worry."
"You are so attentive, why should I be worried?" Wang Xian wiped his face with a towel, then took the tea offered by Chu Yan, took a sip, and said in surprise: "This is the Longjing before the rain this year.
?”
"Sir, you are indeed extraordinary. You will know where it comes from once you taste it!" Liu Ben praised: "It is the newest West Lake Longjing this year!"
"Counting the days, the first crop must have just been mined there," Wang Xian asked, "How come there is tea in the fields in Shandong?"
"Haha," Ma Zhong said proudly: "You don't know, there are some morning tea trees in Longjing Village, which ripen ten days earlier than other tea trees. The tea you drink is picked from those tea trees and roasted.
When it’s ready, Pegasus sent it to Shandong, the first cup of Longjing tea this year!”
"That's right," Wang Xian laughed when he heard this: "In ancient times, Emperor Ming of the Tang Dynasty traveled 800 miles to deliver lychees to Concubine Yang Guifei. Today, Mr. Dusi used the army's post to deliver tea to me. We can't let the ancients do it.
Beautiful!”
"Hahaha..." The three adults hurriedly laughed, but they just wanted to avoid muttering in their hearts, what did the imperial envoy mean by this? Why didn't it sound right?
Fortunately, Wang Xian didn't say anything to ruin the scenery. After finishing the tea and drinking the first pot of Longjing this year, everyone was about to set off. Wang Xian came on horseback, and Chu Yan and others would not let him go at this time.
When I rode it, I was told that I had to ride in a sedan... According to the stipulations of the state, civil servants rode in sedans and generals rode horses. But how hard is it to ride? Not only is it bumpy on the horse, but it is also a dirt road at this time. After a long ride, your whole body is covered with dust, so there is
Washing the dust. So it’s better to be in the capital. Once you leave the capital, civil servants and military generals all ride in sedan chairs. For example, Ma Zhong, as the commander of the Shandong capital and a second-rank military general, used a sedan chair with eight carriages when he came.
.
Wang Xianke followed his host and followed them to the reception pavilion. When he saw the big sedan prepared for him, he couldn't help being surprised again. My dear, this is a pavilion with carved beams and painted pillars! The bright red sedan roof is flying like a roll.
The curved roof has a foot-long golden hanging curtain under the eaves. Half-hidden by the hanging curtain, there is a patterned window made of white silk. Through the window, you can see what seems to be a moving figure inside.
Such a large sedan chair was almost as big as the emperor's jade chariot. There were sixteen people carrying the sedan chair alone. Wang Xian and his entourage's eyes were a little straightened when they saw it. At this time, the curtain of the sedan chair was slowly opened.
Revealing two slender jade hands, two lithe and green girls came out of the sedan and bowed to Wang Xian. Their voices were as gentle and pleasant as the spring wind in March: "Master, please get on the sedan."
When Chu Yan and the other two people saw Wang Xian, they all stared blankly. They couldn't help but feel proud. They said to themselves that once this trump card comes out, even the king of heaven can subdue him. Why don't you, a young man, just sit on the sedan obediently?
Behind Wang Xian, Gu Xiaolian and Lingxiao, who were disguised as men as guards, were very angry. They said to themselves that the tricks of these officials were too scary. Didn't they want to teach the officials to be evil?
Wang Xian stood at the door of the sedan, struggling a little in his heart. Such a divine enjoyment made every man want to get up there and try it. After thinking about it again and again, he decided to use his trick and stepped up to the sedan in a dignified manner and sat on it.
Chu Yan and the other three were overjoyed, their words had been fulfilled! They could put their hearts in their stomachs now! Ma Zhong's happy voice even changed its tone: "Get up the sedan!"
The big sedan slowly lifted up. Sitting inside, it was quite stable and you didn't feel any bumps. Moreover, the sedan was very soundproof, and you could hardly hear the movement outside. Wang Xian looked inside the sedan. It was the most comfortable sedan he had ever seen.
There was a thickened scarlet carpet on the floor, and a wide couch for sitting and lying on. It was still very spacious even for the two charming ladies who were waiting on it. This was clearly a smoke-free building.
Pandan Room!
Along the way, Wang Xian was lying on the couch. There was fruit wine on the couch. One girl peeled the fruit for him and brought it to his lips. The other knelt on the carpet and massaged his lower limbs. He felt so comfortable.
It was like being in a fairy palace. But Wang Xian did not indulge in it, but maintained a high degree of sobriety. Over the years, he had experienced so much in the gentle countryside and the golden tent that he was still not fascinated by their little tricks.
The deliberate flattery of Chu Yan and others here only made him feel more uneasy... How much dirt must he have on his body to make such a big investment on himself?
Unknowingly, the team arrived at Dezhou City. There were military guards in the front, drum leaders in the back, and flags in the middle. Surrounded by the long procession of sedan chairs, they entered the city in a mighty manner. The people of Dezhou had never seen such a big parade.
Everyone ran to the streets to watch, especially the large sedan with balustrades that looked like stars holding the moon. The people looked like a fairy palace, and they were all dumbfounded and amazed.
"Show your eyes!" Lingxiao followed Wang Xian's sedan chair and saw that the people were all looking towards him and pointing, and his heart was filled with anger.
"Others have no chance to realize this," Gu Xiaolian said with a smile, "Are you angry with the two girls in the sedan?"
Lingxiao curled her lips and whispered: "Professing prostitution in the daytime..."
"Ahem..." Gu Xiaolian almost fell off the horse...
That night, the group stayed at the Dezhou Magistrate's Yamen. The three adults held a grand welcome banquet for Wang Xian. As for the delicacies and fine wines at the banquet, it goes without saying. Inside and outside the main hall of the government Yamen, there were forty tables crowded with guests.
A crowd of officials from Shandong came to greet him. They all stretched their necks and watched in silence as they watched what was going on at the main table.
Chu Yan picked up his wine glass, toasted to Wang Xian on behalf of Shandong officials, expressed his warm welcome, and then respectfully asked the imperial envoy to give a lecture.
Wang Xian stood up with a wine glass in his hand, slowly left the table and walked a few steps. The eyes of hundreds of officials inside and outside the hall followed him closely.
Wang Xian inspected the inside and outside of the hall, then stood still, smiled faintly, and said, "I heard that Shandong people are hospitable. I really learned a lesson today."
"Haha..." Inside and outside the hall, the officials burst into moderate laughter, and Chu Yan and the other three looked even more pleased with themselves.
"Today I finally understand what seeing is believing and hearing is believing. Everyone says that Shandong is a poor place, but what I have seen today has proven that Shandong is the richest in the world! Those rumors are all slanders against Shandong!"
Wang Xian said loudly: "I will definitely come to the table and say some fair words for everyone here and for the elders of Shandong! From now on, I will be angry with anyone who says that Shandong is poor!"
"Haha..." The officials' laughter became messy, and their expressions were even weirder. Chu Yan and the three exchanged glances, wondering what they meant by this? Why did it sound so harsh?
"Shandong is great! It deserves to be the hometown of Confucius and Mencius! The people are simple and honest, children are not bullied, no one picks up things on the road, and the house is not closed at night!" Wang Xian paused, as if thinking for a moment, and then said: "I think it must be like this, otherwise everyone
All the adults have come here, and no one in the prefectures and counties in Shandong is even sitting in court. This is unimaginable elsewhere! Only a land of education like Shandong can govern like this without doing anything!"
"Ha..." The laughter of the officials was almost invisible now, and the faces of the three adults also showed panic.