Han Shizu

Sunset on the west mountain, the sky is covered with colorful clouds, and the afterglow of the setting sun, sprinkled on the canal, is another wonderful scene, colorful and intoxicating.

The sun is shining brightly, reflecting the surface of the canal in red. On the Shanyang Wharf, there is a din of people, some coolies in short clothes, or simply topless, are working hard to load and unload the goods, and the work is over in the evening. , the more busy you are.

As the starting point of the Huaiyang Canal, where the north-south waterways meet, the attributes of Shanyang's traffic hub have become increasingly prominent over the years. Passenger and cargo ships traveling north and south will basically choose to stop here for supplies. There are special cargo stations and warehouses in Yangyang to facilitate trade.

After more than 30 years of construction, Shanyang Port has become very mature. Although its scale is not as good as those well-known seaports in Dahan, or Yangzhou Port in the south, it is at least the first port in Huaihai, with more than [-] large and small wharves, and it is still expanding. .

The river port is very spacious and has a wide view. In the evening, most of the ships are moored in the port. Under the urging of the setting sun, it even looks a little chaotic.However, the passenger ship that Zhao Pu took entered the port smoothly and without hindrance, and the flag of the Zhao family was still very useful.

When the boat docked, anchored and boarded, the occupants on board were the highest, but Zhao Pu was also the first to disembark.With the help of a servant, Zhao Pu frowned at the scene on the pier as he walked down the board.

I saw that under the leadership of Zhao Chengzong, the magistrate of Chuzhou, all the officials in the state, large and small, were waiting respectfully. The people who were blown by the damp river wind felt a little uncomfortable, but they were all at ease and seemed very patient.

Seeing Zhao Pu come ashore, Zhao Chengzong immediately showed joy, and immediately went up to greet him, and said joyfully, "My son welcomes father!"

Seeing this, the officials of Chuzhou might salute Zhao Pu respectfully in unison, either out of curiosity or in awe: "I see Mr. Zhao!"

In the officialdom, Zhao Pu is a legendary figure. The authority accumulated in his 20-year career as prime minister cannot completely fade away in just two years.Most of the officials in Chuzhou have never met Zhao Pu (when they went south, they never stopped in Chuzhou), but they have seen his reputation and some government orders issued by him, and now they can see the old man with their own eyes , Naturally, they all actively want to show their faces.

For these officials' minds, Zhao Pu naturally had a clear understanding, and simply bowed his hands in return, and said indifferently: "Everyone welcomes you with great kindness, I am very grateful, but now I am just a bearded old man, living in the Jianghu, passing by this time, just to visit relatives , such a courteous treatment, I am ashamed of it!"

Hearing what Zhao Pu said, the judge of Chuzhou immediately responded: "The elders of Duke Zhao are always admirable. The officials waited this time, only treating each other with the courtesy of the younger generations, not official greetings. I hope you don't take offense!"

Obviously, Zhao Pu wanted to be humble and low-key, but these Chuzhou bureaucrats would not take his words seriously. Not to mention anything else, he would rush to Zhao Pu's current title of Marquis. No one dared to underestimate him when he arrived. It was the most real status symbol.What's more, it would be a fool to really treat Zhao Pu as a former prime minister, and in this matter, all the bureaucrats in Chuzhou are smart people.

"Everyone, I appreciate your kindness, thank you here!" Zhao Pu's tone remained flat, and he said, "Everyone, please go back, there are so many people crowded here, don't affect the orderly operation of the port!"

"Mr. Zhao is right! The banquet has been prepared in the state, please move forward respectfully!" The judge heard the words, looked at the passengers on the boat who were queuing up and waiting to get off the boat to eat, and hurriedly begged.

"No need!" Zhao Pu waved his hand directly: "I'm tired! Everyone, please go back!"

Seeing Zhao Pu's inhumanity, the judge couldn't help being stunned, and looked at Zhao Chengzong eagerly, but under Zhao Pu's gaze, Zhao Chengzong didn't dare to agree, and waved his hand gently.Seeing this, the judge then led the people back respectfully, leaving the pier almost every step of the way.

After getting rid of the flies in Chuzhou, Zhao Pu's face immediately turned cold, and he said to Zhao Chengzong who was carefully serving him: "You started this battle?"

Faced with the questioning, Zhao Chengzong immediately explained: "The officials in Chuzhou were very happy when they heard that my father was passing through the border, and they took the initiative to come to see him as a show of respect!"

"But how did they know the old man's whereabouts?"

Zhao Chengzong couldn't help being embarrassed about this, and the news naturally leaked from him.Seeing this, Zhao Pu sighed, and said: "I'm an old man now, without any official position. You listen to them talking about Mr. Zhao, and I don't care. But this is in Chuzhou, where you keep your pastoral care. If you go out, don't you just give people something to talk about!"

Facing Zhao Pu's lesson, Zhao Chengzong's expression was serious, and he immediately said: "Father taught me the lesson, I didn't think carefully about this matter!"

As he said, Zhao Chengzong said: "You have worked hard on the boat, and since you don't want to go to the banquet, please go back to the Yamen to rest with your son!"

Hearing this, Zhao Pu shook his head and said: "The schedule is in a hurry, so don't worry about it. I'll stay at the pier tonight! Send someone to pick up my family, I'll meet you, and have a family dinner, that's all!"

Zhao Pu ordered so, Zhao Chengzong had no choice but to follow through, and immediately arranged for someone to handle it.Leading the way to the dock inn, Zhao Pu looked left and then again along the way, and said: "Shanyang is a north-south transportation hub, and the location is very important. If I have time, I would like to take a stroll there and see your Gains and losses in politics! But no matter what, you, the governor of the state, should take care of yourself!"

"I understand!" Zhao Chengzong nodded.

Zhao Pu pondered for a while, and asked, "How many people have changed in the government of Chuzhou in the past year?"

Zhao Chengzong sighed: "From the state officials to the county officials, there are more than [-] people, and there are more than [-] people who were questioned and beheaded by Najing. If the court hadn't stopped it in time last year and winter, and changed the course, let the officials all over the world Breathe a sigh of relief, I'm afraid there will be big troubles in Chuzhou."

Hearing what Zhao Chengzong said, Zhao Pu's face suddenly became serious, he stopped, stared at Zhao Chengzong, his eyes were slightly severe: "You think so?"

Seeing his father's expression, Zhao Chengzong immediately became more vigilant, met Zhao Pu's gaze, and said hesitantly, "Did my son say something wrong?"

"Of course you are wrong! What are you doing? Are you complaining to me, or are you complaining about the imperial court's policies and questioning His Majesty's will!" Zhao Pu said sternly.

Hearing this, Zhao Chengzong said anxiously: "How dare you, son? Absolutely no such intention!"

Frowning, he looked at Zhao Chengzong for a long time, before Zhao Pu said: "Don't say that there are more than seventy people, even if Chuzhou has been changed all over, all you have to do is to behave and be safe, and do your best to ensure that the whole Chuzhou If there is any trouble in Chuzhou, it will be the crime of you, the prefect, and you, the chief official, will be the first to bear the blame!"

"Yes! My son has been educated!" As Zhao Pu's most valued son, Zhao Chengzong is naturally not a fool. Hearing his lesson, his face suddenly dawned, and he solemnly replied.

"Over the past few years, the court and the country have not been peaceful, and I'm afraid they won't be able to calm down for a while. Remember to be cautious as an official, don't rush and be patient!" Zhao Pu warned again.

"Yes!"

"You have been in Chuzhou for two or three years, what are the difficulties?" Zhao Pu continued to ask.

"The situation here in Chuzhou is very good. A canal is enough to benefit the whole prefecture, and it also has the benefits of Hongze. Although I dare not say that the government is well-organized and the people are harmonious, the people are rich and the country is rich, but the people under the rule will have no worries about food and clothing!" Zhao Chengzong There is a little smile on the corner of his mouth: "The biggest difficulty is probably in the Huaihe River. Although the dikes have been repaired and the ditches have been dredged, the floods have recurred from time to time, and the people along the coast have suffered greatly."

"Since you have benefited, you should bear the harm. If you are a government, you should take the benefit and prevent the harm!" Zhao Pu said, pondered for a while, and then asked: "How much arable land is there in the state?"

This is a sensitive matter for the big man at the moment. Zhao Chengzong immediately thought of something, and said in a deep voice: "The registered cultivated land is about [-] hectares!"

"On the record?" Zhao Pu showed a little playful look: "What about the reality?"

Of course, there is nothing to hide from Zhao Pu. Zhao Chengzong said: "I sent someone to investigate. Although it is not clear, but according to the prediction, the actual cultivated land owned by Chuzhou is no less than [-] hectares."