After working for a long time, Xiao Chen was already hungry.
Looking at the alluring aroma of wild boar meat on the table, I couldn't help but lick my lips.
Waiting for Duan Tianming to transport all Wang Kuan's private belongings back to the official post, he ordered the wild boar meat to be put on the table and everyone began to eat.
Gong Chang, the magistrate Wei Li, who was sitting next to him, tried his best to control his greed.
My throat was surging, and I swallowed several mouthfuls of saliva.
"Let's eat, why don't you move your chopsticks?" After everyone was served dry rice, Duan Tianming took his own bowl, pulled his chair back, and sat down.
"Aren't we all waiting for you?" Xiao Chen smiled and called to Wei Li beside him, "Master Wei has been busy with disaster relief for the past few days, and he doesn't have enough to eat or sleep well. I have enough control over the wild boar meat, so you can let go."
Let’s eat.”
"The prey caught during the morning exercise in Dongchang, the imperial envoy did not forget to ask the subordinates to share it with them. It is really an honor. Sir, use the chopsticks first." As he said this, Wei Li's right hand was already a little eager to try.
After not eating meat for several months, the fat and water in everyone's stomach has been squeezed dry.
No one can control this burst of meaty aroma.
"Okay, let's eat." Xiao Chen smiled, picked up a large piece of meat, put it into his rice bowl, and started devouring it.
In a short time, the pot of wild boar meat was eaten until the bottom of the pot was visible.
As for dry rice, no one remembers how many bowls they had eaten.
One by one, they put down their chopsticks with smiles on their faces, wiping the grease on their mouths with satisfaction.
"You can't buy this pot of wild boar meat now even with gold and silver. It's really delicious." Duan Tianming chuckled and continued to use chopsticks to search for minced meat in the meat pot.
"After that, during the holidays, Chief Duan made it clear in advance that only wild boar meat would be given as gifts." Wei Li also laughed.
Xiao Chen leaned back and gently shook his head to look at Wei Li: "Master Wei, who do you give gifts to during the holidays?"
"In addition to relatives and friends, there are no officials above." Wei Li said a little embarrassed.
"Do you also need to show filial piety to your fellow guardsmen at Dingxi?"
"That's not necessary." Wei Li shook his head and said with a self-deprecating smile, "Although the Marquis of Dingxi has a noble status, we can't get into his eyes at all. I'm afraid that if we fail to give the gift, we will be scolded instead."
The expression on Xiao Chen's face was a little disappointed: "I'm still thinking about learning a little bit about Ding Xihou from Master Wei. You can't even give me a gift. It seems that all I know is just rumors."
"Your Excellency, there is a person who you would like to know more about Dingxihou. You may wish to ask him."
"who?"
"Commander Gong Changwei, Commander Zhang Xing, Commander Zhang." Wei Li said with a smile.
"What does Wei Tongzhi mean, that the two of them have a deeper relationship?" Xiao Chen asked pretending to be nonchalant.
In the officialdom, it is normal for officials to have selective interactions with each other.
As long as it is helpful to my career, I will get close to and get to know you at all costs, and then I will naturally visit you with gifts.
"I don't know the extent of the relationship, but Commander Zhang visited Dingxi Marquis during the holidays, and I heard about it."
"No wonder, when Marquis Dingxi asked to see Wang Kuan, Commander Zhang agreed easily." Xiao Chen raised his head and looked at Duan Tianming, "Are you full?"
"I'm full, tell me if you have anything to say." Duan Tianming chuckled and put down the chopsticks in his hands.
"Assign two people to guard in the government prison to prevent any more accidents. By the way, let Commander Zhang come to the official post." Xiao Chen narrowed his eyes and smiled into a slit.
"Okay." Duan Tianming stood up, pretended to be around, and then turned back: "There have been a lot of things recently, and I feel that the manpower we brought is a bit insufficient."
"Send a message to the factory official and send five hundred Dongchang captains to Gongchang Mansion."
"Five hundred people? Isn't it a bit too much? For those who have traveled a long way, why don't you come with fewer people?"
"Do you still want something like Wang Kuan to happen again?" Staring at Duan Tianming, the smile on Xiao Chen's face gradually disappeared.
Duan Tianming nodded: "Okay, I understand."
Wei Li, the magistrate of Gongchang Mansion on the side, looked at Xiao Chen with some confusion: "If the imperial envoy feels that there are not enough manpower, you can borrow some troops from Commander Zhang. As long as you speak, Commander Zhang should not be concerned about this matter."
Will refuse."
Xiao Chen smiled: "In the entire Gongchang Mansion, I'm afraid you are the only one I can trust now."
Wei Li was startled: "Your Majesty, you mean that Gong Changwei can't be trusted either?"
"Wang Kuan died just after I left. How dare I use Gong Changwei like this? If the manpower wasn't really too tight, I would want all the Gong Changwei soldiers in Gongchang Prison to be evacuated right now." Xiao Chen said.
"Oh." Wei Li nodded, and his whole body became nervous involuntarily.
If, according to what the Imperial Envoy said, he is the only one in the entire Gongchang Mansion who can be trusted, doesn't that mean that everyone else is not of the same mind as him, and they are not on the same side as him?
The dignified prefect Gongchang could be killed without any explanation. As a fellow prefect, why can't others just strangle him to death?
Raising his hand, Xiao Chen patted Wei Li on the shoulder: "Now, the affairs of Gongchang Mansion depend on you. Especially when it comes to disaster relief, you have to pay more attention."
Faced with Xiao Chen's slap, Wei Li was a little flattered.
"Sir, you are the imperial envoy for disaster relief. You have entrusted me with the disaster relief. Are you going to go?" Wei Li had a question on his face.
"Now, there is a more important thing that I need to do. The disaster relief is basically on track. I believe you." Looking at Wei Li, Xiao Chen nodded vigorously, "I don't want to leave, but I can do it every day."
You can’t just go to the front line of disaster relief.”
"It turns out that you are not leaving, so I feel more relieved." Wei Li let out a long breath.
"You are also the only chief official of Gongchang Mansion now. The power is handed over to you, so what are you worried about? Just go ahead and do it." Xiao Chen said.
"With you here, I feel like I have a backbone." Wei Li smiled awkwardly.
Although he now has the final say in Gongchang Mansion, Wei Li still feels a little nervous after having served as co-prefect for a long time, assisting the prefect in doing things, and leaving all affairs to himself.
"As long as Master Wei is dedicated to serving the people, even if I really leave in the future, if anything happens to Gongchang Mansion, you can just send a message to Dongchang."
"Really? It's such an honor for me, then." Wei Li hurriedly raised his fists and saluted Xiao Chen respectfully.
"I have clearly seen the suffering of the people of Gongchang. And Wei Tongzhi devoted himself to the people and worked day and night. I have also thoroughly remembered it in my heart. The suffering of the people of Gongchang in recent years is real.
There are too many. As long as you are here, the people's good days are not far away. For officials who are dedicated to serving the people, the court will not let you be wronged."
"Thank you, Lord Qincha, for your trust." Wei Li's face was flushed, and there seemed to be tears in his eyes.
There was a sound of voices coming from outside the gate of Guanyi.
Immediately afterwards, two figures walked in, it was Duan Tianming and Gong Changwei's commander Zhang Xing.
However, the two of them were not walking side by side, nor were they walking back and forth.
Instead, Duan Tianming held Zhang Xing's arm and helped him limp in.
Seeing Xiao Chen sitting at the table, Zhang Xing hurriedly clasped his fists and prepared to pay homage.
"Okay, okay." Xiao Chen waved his hand and pointed to the seat next to the table, "With these fifty military sticks, your buttocks have been beaten to pieces, right? Come on, we just finished eating wild boar meat, and we haven't even had time to pack up the things.
, it was a mess, Commander Zhang just sat there."
Listening to Xiao Chen's words, Wei Li next to him secretly sweated for Zhang Xing.
When you eat wild boar meat, you not only have to say it, but you also have to tell others that you just finished eating it, for fear that they will not know that you are eating meat and you are not calling him.
There is really no need for an imperial envoy to call local officials to eat meat.
But I am sitting here again, obviously deliberately not giving others face.
Although I didn't have a close friendship with Zhang Xing, they were both the second-in-command in the Gongchang Mansion, so we couldn't see each other without looking up. For a moment, I felt very embarrassed.
He had no choice but to stand up, hold his hands and salute Zhang Xing: "Commander Zhang is here."
"Yeah, Wei Tongzhi is here too." Zhang Xing nodded in return, holding the table with one hand and the chair with the other, and sat down slowly.
But as soon as he touched the chair, he felt a burning pain in his buttocks.
"Oops." He yelled and stood up again with a "pop".
"If you really can't sit down, don't sit down. Just stand like this while we talk." Xiao Chen squinted his eyes and his face was bright.