The First Auxiliary Road from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 1025 Zezhou Prefecture Luo Buyan

There is a restaurant in Fucheng, Zezhou Prefecture, called "Xunwei". It is the most well-known restaurant in the area, with the best location and top-notch style.

On weekdays, powerful people from the south often choose this place for gatherings, business negotiations with wealthy gentry, and government officials making connections.

Now, Shengyuan and Anyu were sitting in the box reserved by the government office all year round, accepting the entertainment from the officials of the southern region.

"The Southland is not very well-off now. I am afraid that I have wronged the governor. I am here to offer tea instead of wine and apologize in advance." Luo Buyan, the prefect, raised his cup and drank it in one sip, and then looked at the table full of vegetarian dishes. He sighed repeatedly.

"The Southland is no better than the counties in Qizhou. It has a reputation as a land of plenty. If we talk about it, the south of our Southland was the place where officials exiled guilty officials before the Great Yan Dynasty!" Luo Buyan complained with a grimace and shook his head. , “If it hadn’t been for more than ten generations of people who have worked tirelessly to plant medicinal herbs and trees here, and to reclaim land and build mountain roads, it would be impossible to have the good times we have now... It’s a pity that a flood that has not happened in hundreds of years is coming, and our Zezhou Prefecture There are countless fertile fields up and down, but there is almost no harvest!”

His words were sad, and his tone was just right. Even if you heard the words without knowing it, you couldn't help but sigh.

But after hearing this, Sheng Yuan, who was sitting in the seat, showed no trace of pity on her delicate face. Instead, she turned the wine cup in her hand, showing no trace of her amusement.

Luo Buyan's hands hidden in his sleeves trembled slightly, and he continued: "If it weren't for the big families in Zezhou Prefecture who contributed money, effort, and people, and tried their best to help the government offices, we would probably be in chaos for a while longer. We want to I’m afraid you are too helpless to entertain the Governor!”

"Oh? In this case, I would like to thank you all. If it weren't for you, Magistrate Luo, to unite and cooperate with all the big families and the people of the whole government, I am afraid that I would be suffering now!"

"..." Luo Buyan did not expect Sheng Yuan's reaction, and for a moment he was not sure whether what she said was good.

"When the imperial court erects a merit monument in the future, your achievements will definitely be engraved on it, so that future generations will remember your contribution." Sheng Yuan put down the wine cup and smiled Wen Luo without saying anything, "Prefect Luo did not mention those who have made meritorious deeds today. Please come and talk?"

Luo Buyan's face was full of shame: "It is indeed the official's negligence."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Fu Cheng next to him couldn't help but defend: "I would like to inform you, the governor. Our magistrate invited all the sages the day before yesterday. However, we, the wealthy people in Zezhou Prefecture, have always been humble and did not dare to show up rashly for fear of offending the governor." "

"Oh? I am inspecting the Zezhou Prefecture on behalf of the emperor, providing food to the people, helping people in need, and all of you are assisting me by doing good deeds. How can I be offensive and rude?"

Sheng Yuan put down the wine cup and said with a smile: "I told Magistrate Luo bluntly that before coming to Zezhou Prefecture, I had already sent people to Ruan Zhi to buy grain. Although the grain on hand is limited now, I will wait until the grain is distributed in batches. Arriving there will probably relieve Zezhou’s troubles.”

When she said this, Luo Buyan and other government officials were all surprised when they heard this. They all expressed gratitude to Shengyuan: "The governor is kind!"

"I just don't know when the governor expects to release the grain?" Luo Buyan couldn't wait to ask.

Sheng Yuan waved his hand: "Don't be anxious, Prefect Luo. I can be here at any time, but I have to give the people of Kyoto time to know, right? What's more, specific regulations are needed on how to distribute grain... However, I look at Prefect Luo. You're a little too anxious. Could it be that the relief food supply in Fucheng is going to be cut off?"

Luo Buyan's face turned red, and he mumbled a few times in surprise: "It's the official who was rash."

"Hey! Don't talk like that, Prefect Luo. I am an honest man. I have always said that. After you and I have worked together, you will naturally understand me as a person... If Prefect Luo really has difficulties, I am not incapable of being accommodating." Sheng Yuan speaks kindly and looks really easy to get along with.

However, Luo Buyan did not take advantage of the situation. He only said that he could make do here for a while and just listen to Governor Sheng's arrangements.

After he said this, Sheng Yuan naturally couldn't force him: "Prefect Luo doesn't know what kind of person I am, and I don't force him. He knows the horse power from a distance, so he can just walk."

Although she was not angry, Magistrate Luo and others were still busy trying to appease her with smiles. "If the Luo Prefecture is cheap, why don't you inform the big families in the city that I am coming this time, accompanied by a caravan, and besides providing food relief, there are also special products from Ruanzhi and other places that can be traded. If you are interested, You can go to the imperial merchant house next to the Fucheng Posthouse to discuss with them the day after tomorrow. The food and money raised will be used by Zezhou Prefecture to provide food relief to the people."

When the simple dining and entertainment was about to end, Sheng Yuan dropped such a bombshell news, which made Luo Buyan and other officials overjoyed.

……

"Sister Yuan, our people are back." In the evening, Anyu returned to the room with the news and nodded to Shengyuan, "The prefect named Luo has sent people to notify the local prominent families, and has also started arranging for the government officials to notify the waiting people. The people are ready to receive food."

Sheng Yuan put down the book in his hand and pointed at the edge of the table: "The regulations for grain distribution and trading have been decided. It will be carried out according to the procedures... But can the lives of the people here return to normal?"

Anyu sat down next to her and poured a cup of tea by himself without Xiaoyao's help. While eating, he said, "Let's go out in disguise and take a look tomorrow?"

Sheng Yuan smiled: "We won't pretend this time, let's just go out and patrol openly!"

……

"Sir, at dawn today, Governor Sheng and his party will go out."

Luo Buyan nodded and looked at Di Bao intently: "But he's in disguise?"

"Sui didn't make any fanfare, but he was wearing official uniform."

"Huh?" Luo Buyan heard this and chuckled, "I know, let them go!"

……

"Old man, what are you throwing into the fields?" Cheng Dong was clearing the way in front of him. He saw the people in the fields cleaning the land that had been washed away by the flood, while grabbing fine powder from the small baskets tied around their waists and throwing it into the ridges. Tossing couldn't help but walked over curiously and asked.

The old farmer heard the sound and looked up. Since he had never seen Dong wearing a guard uniform, he thought he was a Yamen servant of Zezhou Prefecture: "Well, the messenger has just arrived, right?! He is also patrolling the prefecture and county for the prefect. Na?"

Chengdong knew that he misunderstood and did not correct him. He just smiled and waited for him to continue talking.

The old farmer didn't care and pointed to the mostly tidied fields: "After the flood, our fields were full of dead branches, rocks and other debris, and they had to be cleared every inch before we could grow food. However, the fields that the floods have passed through are probably poisonous. , it must be disinfected with the medicinal powder prepared by the Fucheng doctor, and it can be cultivated again after a while. "

"So that's it." Cheng Dong nodded, looked at the large fields that had not yet been cleared, and asked, "This is a lot of hard work! Old man, are you probably full now? Are you tired from working like this?"

The old farmer said with a smile: "Thanks to the prefect, we won't go hungry... As for working, our ancestors have been doing this for generations. Whether we are tired or not is not a big deal."

"This old farmer is so smooth." Anyu listened from a distance and winked at Shengyuan.

Sheng Yuan was speechless. After looking around for a moment, he motioned to Xiaoyao to ask about their current residence.