Chapter 200 Corrupt officials want rape, honest officials even more
Xue Kewen, Yang Tai and others happily sounded the gong to clear the way, leading Xiao Tang and others to drive straight to the Rang Tower in Rang County, Dengzhou. Dengzhou was called "Rang" in ancient times, and this Rang Tower is also the most gorgeous in Dengzhou.
A grand and one of the most famous restaurants.
When Xiao Tang arrived at Ranglou, all the civil and military officials from Dengzhou, such as officials, Kongmu, commanders, governors, etc., came up again. They were respectful and introduced and saluted Xiao Tang.
Instead, he was so dizzy by their fuss that he barely remembered a few names. But he didn't have to worry about it. His personal followers, Yan Qing and Xu Guanzhong, had already paid attention to the actions of these officials.
Tang Pengxiu and other Xiao Tang's family members and servants had already been escorted by Xue Kewen to the post house in Rang County. After all, it was a banquet for official entertainment. No matter whether Tang Pengxiu was a concubine or a maid, it was not always convenient to have her present.
Xiao Tang was invited to the banquet by Xue Kewen and Yang Tai, while Yan Qing, Guan Sheng, Hua Rong, Yang Zhi and other close subordinates were also arranged at several banquet tables. Xue Kewen had already ordered the famous chef in the building to cook for more than a dozen tables
Delicious food and delicacies, he, who was here to discuss prison business, only exchanged a few polite words with Xiao Tang. After drinking a few glasses of wine, he excused himself and left, saying that he still had official business to attend to.
As soon as Xue Kewen left, Yang Tai immediately stood up, apologized to Xiao Tang and said: "Just now, the executioner was here, and I didn't dare to make any mistakes. Mr. Xiao has worked hard all the way, so why not drink...
Naturally, we should listen to some small songs. We, the girls from Lefang Brothel in Rang County, are naturally not as good as the characters in Mr. Xiao's Golden Wind and Jade Tower, but we have to ask the general to express our feelings no matter what."
Immediately after Yang Tai gave an order, many official prostitutes and singers came in. All they saw was a patch of pink, willows, and colorful purples. During the banquet, a group of women were having porridge, which actually made the officials present feel a lot better.
As the karaoke and dancers finished singing and dancing, Yang Tai suddenly coughed dryly, lowered his voice and apologized to Xiao Tang: "Master Xiao, although these official prostitutes and dancers are extremely beautiful, they are not as prosperous as the capital.
But she also has a different style... Is there any woman who can catch the eye of Mr. Xiao? I will just go and make arrangements for Mr. Xiao in the end."
"Huh?" Xiao Tang glanced at Yang Tai in surprise. At this moment, he looked like the dignified commander of the Imperial Army of the Song Dynasty. He was clearly a turtle pimp in a brothel.
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"Master Yang, according to the laws of the Song Dynasty, when officials hold banquets, although official prostitutes can sing songs and serve wine, they are not allowed to recommend private pillows. I'm afraid that Master Yang's arrangement is very inappropriate, right?" Xiao Tang put down his wine glass and looked at it.
Looking ahead, he said leisurely.
Yang Tai's face was condensed, and when he was hesitating and unable to get off the stage, Xiao Tang thought of the policy Wen Huanzhang recommended to him a few days ago, so he turned his face and smiled at Yang Tai: "Everyone is entitled to the imperial salary and should serve the country wholeheartedly.
.I accept Mr. Yang’s kindness, but I am tired from traveling and traveling, and I can’t bring myself to be very interested. I hope Mr. Yang won’t be offended.”
Only then did Yang Tai's expression lighten up, and he kept saying, "What are you talking about, sir? The general's arrangements were inappropriate, and I shall punish myself with three cups of wine. Master Xiao, we will never get home if we don't get drunk today!"
"Did Xiao Tang really say that?" Xue Kewen couldn't help but be surprised when he heard what Yang Tai said.
After the banquet in Ranglou was over, Yang Tai carefully sent Xiao Tang and others to the post house, and then hurried over to report Xiao Tang's reaction to Xue Kewen. He said worriedly: "The guy later said that he was just
I don't dare to damage the court's official and legal system, and I have no intention of disturbing the general's good intentions. But he and his subordinates have all benefited from us, and the general always feels...unsure."
Xue Kewen sneered disdainfully and said: "To be beaten in the officialdom, you have to carry a sedan chair and stand in front of everyone. But if you violate the private taboos of officials in various states, you will naturally be pushed down by the wall. Isn't it ridiculous that he pretends to be a gentleman? !Who is the young lady who is traveling with him, who is as beautiful as a flower, but whose relationship with that guy is unclear?"
Xue Kewen twirled his beard and thought about it carefully, and said coldly: "But this is beyond my expectation. I thought that Xiao Tang would give in easily. Although today's officials are generous, officials sleep with official prostitutes. It’s not a big deal, and we won’t use this as a reason to impeach him. But if Xiao Tang is willing to accept our benefits, and everyone will be fine, we don’t need to be too wary of him.”
Yang Tai was still worried and uneasy, he stammered: "Since then... if Xiao Tang intends to gain authority in the army, and the affairs of the last general are difficult to cover up... so what? "
Xue Kewen chuckled and said: "Don't worry, now we are grasshoppers tied to the same rope, how can I abandon you? If Xiao Tang is wise, we can show weakness to him and sell him more benefits. .It’s just that his intentions are unpredictable now, so we need to be prepared for any eventuality. If he really wants to use you to establish his power. Hum, I am not a vegetarian when it comes to prison matters!"
Yang Tai hesitated for a while and then said: "But what about that Yu Guangting? Mr. Xue, this person is not the same as us. Besides, since he is the prefect of Dengzhou, he knows something about our activities..."
When Xue Kewen heard this, his disdain was even more palpable. He snorted and said: "Who is he? Now that Cai Jing has retired from officialdom, his cousin Yu Shen has no big tree to enjoy the shade, and he is already afraid of sins. Come on. This Yu Guangting is just a prefect. If I want to punish him, why don’t I just take control of him? If he just becomes a mute official, I can tolerate him for a while. Even if he wants to die, he won’t be able to stir up any trouble! "
After scolding Xue Kewen, he said to Yang Tai: "You don't have to worry about Xiao Tang. Didn't he say he was afraid of breaking the court rules? Hum... then you just follow the 'rules' before trying to flatter him." If he looks at it, what will Xiao Tang say?"
Early the next morning, Yang Tai and other local officials in Dengzhou City, as well as foreign gentry, came to the post house one by one to visit the pacifying envoy. Naturally, all the visitors brought valuable gifts such as gold and silk utensils, precious calligraphy and paintings. According to Xiao Tang Hearing Huanzhang's suggestion, everyone who came came accepted the expensive gifts one by one.
But Xiao Tang couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. The administrative and judicial organs at the Dasong Road level were appointed to the Department of Punishment and Prison, the Department of Punishment and Prison, and the Department of Comforting Envoys. He, as the Comforting Envoy, was not as powerful as the officials and wealthy businessmen on Jingnan Road. , it is understandable that the philistine officers and generals in the military supervision and service should be filial to their superiors, but why do they behave like this?
When Xiao Tang, Wen Huanzhang, Xiao Jiasui and others were getting together, suddenly Yan Qing came in and reported that the commander under the military supervision of Yang Tai had sent four beautiful maids, and they were all delicate, dignified, intelligent and considerate. They just said they were seeing each other. Xiao Tang didn't have any servant girls around him, so he specially bought four maids as gifts to him to serve him in his daily life.
"Then Yang Tai is really persistent and determined to establish friendship with Brother Xiao. He just gave some gifts to the maidservant, but he did not break the court rules." Yan Qing couldn't help shaking her head and laughing.
Showing affection for nothing is either a traitor or a thief. Xiao Tang sneered and said, "The more he behaves like this, doesn't it mean that he has something evil in his heart? If he is so handsome and walks upright, why should he fawn over me like this?"
?”
"In times like this, being an official in a local state government does not depend on how upright and honest you are and how outstanding your political achievements are. It depends on whether you know how to cater to your superiors and whether you are a good person in the officialdom..." Wen Wen
Huanzhang let out a long sigh and said leisurely: "Yesterday, Yang Tai must have felt uneasy when he saw Master Xiao rejecting his kindness, so he lowered his posture to cater to the master.
What's more... I told you that day, we just want the military supervisors in all the states on the southwestern Jingdong Road to think that you are greedy for money and benefit, and that you are a superior official who can be bribed and fawned over, so that we can get together with them.
By then it will be clear who can be moved and who cannot be moved; who can be won over and who should be suppressed; who has extenuating circumstances and who is unforgivable. Yesterday's master... he should have received the benefits of Yang Tai."
Wen Huanzhang's strategy is actually somewhat similar to the famous saying in Xingye's classic comedy movie "The Nine-Rank Sesame Official": "Corrupt officials have to be treacherous, and honest officials have to be even more treacherous. Otherwise, how can we deal with those bad guys?!" You
If you put on a selfless face from the beginning, those abusive generals will be wary of you from the beginning, plot against you, and make you fall into a quagmire in the west of Beijing, making it difficult to move forward. But if you are the same type of person as them,
, colluding with each other to flatter each other, their culpability and fatal weakness can be seen more clearly.
It's just that last night, according to Wen Huanzhang, Yang Tai should be laughed at for currying favor with the official prostitutes and singers invited by Xiao Tang and told Yang Tai to be less vigilant. But what kind of thing is this? Go whoring for national affairs.
1 Prostitute?......Xiao Tang still can't get over the hurdle in his heart.
"But brother... what should we do with these maids?" Yan Qing blinked slyly and said to Xiao Tang.
What else can I do? I can only accept it. I am reluctant to accept it in order to paralyze the enemy and for the sake of national affairs. My confidants and brothers around me can also understand this...
Of course, there are still people who don't understand, such as Tang Pengxiu, who was really angry.
