The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Su Jin and others left Meng Huiyuan's mansion and came to the street. Song Quan, who was dazed with his mouth open from beginning to end, was finally sober after being blown by the cold wind. He took Su Jin's arm and said: " Brother Su Xian, it turns out that you are here to investigate the situation, why did you lie to me and say that you are making a living by robbing houses."

Su Jin tore off the black mask on his face, and said with a smile: "Brother Shaoqing thinks so from the beginning to the end, the younger brother didn't say yes? It's just that he didn't deny it."

Song Quan thought about it for a while, and it was true that he had always regarded them as people in that line of work from the very beginning when he entered the house, but Su Jin never admitted it, but this guy was obviously teasing himself and playing around with himself.

"Brother Su Xian is not real, how can someone play tricks on people like this, I volunteered to help in vain." Song Quan feigned anger.

Su Jin laughed and said, "It's over now. I'll invite Brother Song to drink wine for three days as an apology. Don't be angry. Isn't there too much fun tonight?"

Song Quan rolled his eyes and said: "Brother Su Xian's actions... this... is completely eclectic, really... really..."

Su Jin said: "Do you want to say that my way of doing things is really not flattering, they are in the dark, I am in the light, it is obviously unfair; they act in secret, I also act in secret, this is called fighting poison with poison, shouldn't it? "

Song Quan always felt that Su Jin's strong words were unreasonable, but he couldn't find a reason to refute them for a while, so he could only say: "The matter has come to this point, what else can I say, brother Su Xian is resolute in his actions, brother Yu still admires that."

Su Jin's heart moved, and he suddenly remembered something. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard someone shouting from across the street: "Who are you? They are wandering the streets in the middle of the night. Stop and don't move."

In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen black shadows ran across the street, holding spears and swords in their hands, surrounding Su Jin and the others. A short and thick figure came out from behind the crowd, holding a waist knife in his hand and shouted: "Who are you?" What are you doing?"

Su Jin looked at the attire of these people and knew that he had run into a patrolling soldier. Before he could speak, Song Quan stepped forward, patted the man on the shoulder and said, "Wei Dutou, why don't you even recognize me? "

The soldier leader was stunned for a moment, squinted his eyes and looked carefully at the dim light, then suddenly withdrew his hands and said: "It turns out that it is Mr. Song, this is really offended, why is he walking on the street in the middle of the night, the street is not peaceful now, and the mob will attack him at any time." If you are gathering to make trouble, the young master should hurry back to the yamen."

Song Quan pointed at Su Jin and said, "I have a few friends here. The street is noisy during the day, so I took them for a stroll at night. Weidu is having a hard time. It's so late, my child, patrolling the street, you can do your best for business."

Wei Du looked at Su Jin and the others with his head, and thought: "How can anyone go out shopping at night and treat me like a three-year-old child? It is likely that this Mr. Song took people to visit the kiln. The prefect of Song has a very strict family education. You sneaked out, but don't let this leak pass through."

"I also want to go home and get a good night's sleep, but I'm afraid I won't be so lucky. Mr. Song, I'll protect you and go back to the yamen. It's best not to wander around at night. You don't know that someone was attacked in Xicheng last night. You are safe. First, safety first."

Song Quan said with a smile: "I'm worried about work, so I'll go back now. But we don't need to send you off from Weidu, the four of us are together, what are we afraid of?"

Wei Du nodded and said: "In that case, let me leave from my humble position. Don't worry, my son. I won't mention a single word about your affairs. But you don't need to have fun at night, it's too dangerous. gone."

Wei Du waved his head, and the soldiers swarmed away, and disappeared into the darkness after a while, walking cleanly.

The second monk Song Quanzhang couldn't figure it out, and said: "This head of Weidu speaks incomprehensibly. It's strange that he is looking for fun."

Su Jin laughed and said, "He thinks we're going out to visit the brothel all night."

Song Quan suddenly realized, spat and said, "Qiu Ba, he always doesn't think about the good."

Su Jin said with a smile: "Your Mr. Song is wandering outside in the middle of the night, and you are a suave master. If it were me, I would think so too."

Song Quan said: "You are also suitable to be Qiu Ba, all the way to be seductive."

Su Jin laughed and asked, "Do you know Feng Huhu that Meng Huiyuan mentioned just now? What's his background?"

Song Quan shook his head and said: "How can I make friends with this kind of person? If you ask me, I'm afraid I'm asking the wrong person, but why didn't you ask just now? The Weidu head just now is a native of Yangzhou. Li is quite popular on the streets of Yangzhou, maybe he knows, let me ask for you tomorrow?"

Su Jin frowned and thought for a while: "It's better not to ask, Feng Huhu is so famous, it shouldn't be difficult to find out his details."

Song Quan said: "Since that's the case, let's go back. It's cold enough. My legs are numb from the cold. I should have added more clothes."

Su Jin smiled and said to himself: Who told you to follow along to join in the fun?We are going to drink wind and gas.

"Dynasty, how far is it?" Su Jin softly asked the dynasty who was walking in front.

Wang Chao looked around with wide eyes, without turning his head, and said, "It seems to be around here. I remember that there was a big elm tree at the entrance of the alley, and there was a well under the tree. The houses here are all carved out of the same mold. try to find."

Song Quan said: "Why, do you want to find a second one?"

Su Jin took out a small cloth bag from his bosom and said, "We're here to give gifts, so let's ask for news by the way."

Song Quan said: "Big elm tree? There is a well under the tree? Isn't that the elm alley? It's a place where common people live."

The dynasty hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, it is a place where common people live, and most of them are ordinary people."

Song Quan stomped his feet and said, "I went wrong. This is Dongcheng, that's Nancheng. I've walked such a distance for nothing. I've visited that area before, wanting to experience the life of the common people, so I know it very well."

Chao Chao was dumbfounded, looking up at the dark houses around him, at a loss.

Ma Han muttered, "Food...!"

Wang Chao slapped him on the back of the head and said, "If you dare to say that about your elder brother, you are looking for a beating."

Su Jin couldn't laugh or cry, cupped his hands and said to Song Quan: "I have to ask Brother Song to lead the way, please."

Song Quan said proudly: "How? Bring me here to come in handy."

Su Jin said: "It's handy, it's very useful."

Song Quan smiled triumphantly, and walked forward with big strides.

……

In the private room on the third floor of Zuixian Building, Zhu Shiyong looked at the expectant eyes of the three members of the chamber of commerce, and said calmly, "Don't worry, as long as you deal with it properly, Su Jin will be the special envoy for food affairs, and you will have nothing to do with it."

Tang Jiyuan said: "I also ask the Lord Fu Zun to give me some advice."

Zhu Shiyong said in a low voice: "I have published the official document of the imperial court to the whole city. Have you read it? Grain will be purchased at official price and put into warehouse before the [-]th of next month. What do you think of this matter?"

President Tang said: "Cut, who cares about that little reward, the official price is always [-] Wen per shi, which is lower than our purchase price. Are we making our work for nothing?"

Tang Jiyuan also said: "Master Fuzun, the 30 shi of grain we have hoarded, we only need to bear it for a month, and then it will be doubled, and the huge profit of 30 guan, how can I forget about the [-] shi of grain by then?" Good thing, but if it is sold at the official price of the imperial court, our work will be in vain, and we will have to pay for labor, who would like to do a loss-making business."

Zhu Shiyong scolded: "A woman's opinion! The court made up its mind this time, don't you see it? Su Jinhui doesn't care about the things on the ground in Luzhou? Don't tell me you have a festival, even if there is no festival, Luzhou is his How could he not come to his hometown?"

Tang Jiyuan said: "Is there no alternative strategy?"

Zhu Shiyong said seriously: "Let me ask you a question, does Su Jin know about your hoarding of food?"

Tang Jiyuan frowned and said, "I should know, but the drivers at the pier didn't keep their mouths shut."

Zhu Shiyong said: "Then does he know the exact number?"

Tang Jiyuan said: "I'm afraid he doesn't know about this. It's unknown that he has the ability to hoard 50 shi under our noses. We also place the goods at night, and arrive at the dock in batches. Those unloading men and those who pull the goods The coachman doesn't belong to the same family, so even if you ask, you won't be able to find anything."

Zhu Shiyong nodded and said: "That's easy to handle. Tomorrow I will order the warehouse secretary to openly collect the grain into the warehouse according to the official documents of the imperial court. You must prepare the grain tonight. It doesn't need to be too much. It is only [-] shi for each family. I have given up the tens of thousands of shi." The income, in exchange for making big money in the future, this move is not only for the subordinates, but also for the superiors, and for the subordinates, your chamber of commerce will take the lead in responding to the call of the court. It is a righteous act, and the government will vigorously publicize it. Your reputation; by the way, the businessmen of our Luzhou Prefecture have responded positively, and the face of this government is also glorious, isn't it?"

Tang Jiyuan was stunned, and praised: "Good idea, Mr. Fu Zun is worthy of being an old Jianghu, this plan kills two birds with one stone, even if Su Jin came to Luzhou to check the grain, he would have nothing to say, a clever plan, a clever plan."

Zhu Shiyong smiled and said nothing, President Liu pondered: "The strategy is a good strategy, but I am afraid that Su Jin is not so easy to fool. To be on the safe side, we have to transfer the food to the secret place, and the guards have to change a group of people, so as not to The coachmen on the pier were asked the location of the granary."

Tang Jiyuan said: "Yes, there is a little grain left in the original granary. Don't discard it. You have to do a full set of the show. When the grain is transferred, we don't have to worry about the drivers on the pier being asked where the granary is, but we also encourage them to tell us where the granary is. Come out."

Seeing the excitement of the three, Zhu Shiyong did not hide the contempt in his eyes, and said indifferently: "You don't have to tell me what you do, but are you complacent just because of such a small matter?"

Tang Jiyuan said in amazement: "My lord, do we have anything else to do?"

Zhu Shiyong sighed: "Poor thing, being compelled by others to back down again and again makes you complacent. It really can't be a big deal."

The three petrified again, and they really couldn't understand the deep and perceptive heart of the magistrate. Although Tang Jiyuan and others did not respect Zhu Shiyong from the bottom of their hearts, after all, with this big tree as a shelter, it was more convenient for them to do things, so it was okay. There is not much disgust for Zhu Shiyong's contempt.

Zhu Shiyong said: "Think about it carefully, if Su Jin's errand is completed, then he will be doing a great job, the emperor may formally bestow official titles to become officials, and at that time, a few bitter days will come."

President Liu is known as Little Zhuge, and his eyes turned faster than those two, and he understood Zhu Shiyong's meaning in his stomach, and said softly: "Master Fu Zun means...to make Su Jin's errands impossible? Now Su Jin Jin is in a hurry to transfer 50 shi of grain from Luzhou to Yangzhou for emergency treatment, let's find a way to silence his first shot, so that the court will lose its trust in it?"

Zhu Shiyong put down the teacup and got up and said, "The mansion has gone back, I didn't say anything, you can figure it out for yourself, um... Commander Long and his subordinates seem to be a little dissatisfied with Su Jin."

After saying that, he flitted away with a flick of his sleeves, leaving behind the three men with sullen faces, sitting in the private room frowning and speechless.