Ma Erniang's Splendid Pastoral

Chapter 154
Xia Zhenzheng was talking about training with Zhang Nianmei, Gu Dun and others. His father and Wei Ren came in one after the other. Not only was he surprised, even Xia Zetao was also surprised: "Mr. Wei, don't you say you are going to Fucheng?"

Wei Ren smiled and raised the paper in his hand: "General, thank you for bringing this thing over."

Xia Zetao said: "There are only a few small officials in the yamen, and almost no one is working. When I went in to see, the small official surnamed Huang was copying. When he saw me, he hesitated for a moment, and then he gave the paper to me. I'll bring it to you."

Wei Ren replied with a smile: "General, you don't know, this person surnamed Huang is not a small official in Liangzhou City, but a person who was introduced by Ma Erniang to copy and write."

"Is he really a copyist?"

Wei Ren nodded: "However, according to the current situation, this is not a matter of copying and writing."

"what for?"

"The king of Beijun asked me to count the locations of the upper, middle and lower fields in Liangzhou City and the approximate number of acres. He counted them all."

Xia Zhen immediately stood up, reached out to take the paper in Wei Ren's hand, scanned it quickly, and turned her head: "Come here——"

Shocked Mo replied: "What's the matter with the county king?"

"Go and check this person!"

"Yes, the king of the county." Jing Mo said: "Maybe later."

"It's okay!" Xia Zhen said.

Wei Ren cupped his hands, "Jun Wang, I will go to Liangzhou Mansion to meet him now."

"Give him something first to test his ability," Xia Zhen said.

"Yes, the king of the county."

Ma Min'er has been tossing about the small wooden house these days, "Uncle Shan, a mansion may be built here in the future, and our small wooden house should be built towards the suburbs as much as possible, so as not to affect the construction of the city."

Old Uncle Shan laughed and said, "Little Boss, I understand, I found a place with a Wang Xiaoquan..."

"Is there Koizumi?" Ma Miner asked in surprise.

"I've wandered around a lot for the past few days, and I found it on the side of a hill, but it's a little far from here." Old Uncle Shan said.

"It doesn't matter, the farther away from here the better. Keep the flat land to build the city, and the hills will definitely be the outskirts of the city." Ma Min'er felt itchy, "Let's go, let's go see Koizumi."

"Okay!"

Uncle Shan took Xiaodong’s family to see Koizumi, it was really far away, and it took a long time to get there. It was in the hilly area to the east, but there were not many, occasionally a few small hills, most of the hills were further east.

"It's really good!" Ma Min'er saw the geographical conditions here, "Uncle Shan, find some people to cut some wood and build some small wooden houses. Before the city is built, it will probably be our fixed address."

"Okay." Uncle Shan nodded immediately. The most important thing in the army is manpower, and the young master is the future princess of the county. If anyone doesn't help, things will be easy to do.

Ma Min'er smiled and said, "Uncle, this house is entrusted to you!"

"Young master, don't worry, I will definitely fix it."

"Okay."

When Wei Ren found Huang Junyao, he was following behind Gu Deshui and his son, and they were lobbying some craftsmen who drilled dry wells and repaired culverts to go to the north to follow the king of Beijun to dig wells and drill canals.

"Old man Gu, is there really something wrong?"

"Of course!" Old man Gu said: "If you get water, show everyone the silver tea that the county king gave you."

Gu Deshui immediately took out a few silver coins of five taels from his bosom, "Madam said that I offered the blueprints, and ran errands, and gave me 50 taels, and I couldn't fit ten in my bosom, so I only brought a few for you guys." have a look."

Someone took the silver tea and took a bite with his teeth, "It's so pure silver tea."

"Of course, this is official silver, snowflake silver, it must be very pure."

Everyone was moved when they saw it, "Then...then how...to go?"

Gu Deshui said loudly: "If you want to go, come to me to register your name. After registering, you can go home and get a shop ticket, and you can start working when you arrive at Beishan. Not only will you have food, but you will also be paid according to the work, according to the quality of the labor. Give money."

"What do you mean giving money according to merit?"

"Those who are clever and able to do the job will be given more money, and those who are willing to work hard will be given more money, and those who steal and play tricks will be given less money."

"Oh...we're definitely not going to sneak around."

Gu Deshui said: "It's not up to us. Someone has calculated it. My wife said that as long as you work hard, you will never lose everyone."

Everyone was very happy to hear that, in this day and age, there are only a small number of people who steal, rape and play tricks, and an old man said loudly: "If you want me to say, this is all for our own benefit in the end. As long as there is a stutter, no money is needed." , I do too."

"exactly……"

……

Huang Junyao was about to help the Gu family and his son register the list. Wei Ren came over and waved to him. The crowd quieted down and made way for him. They turned their heads to look at the person who came. Someone knew him. He was from the king of Beijun. Reds.

"Mr. Wei, are you looking for me?"

Wei Ren nodded and asked him: "Are you..."

Huang Junyao replied: "Madam wants to build a canal. The Gu family and his son are recruiting craftsmen. I will help them register the list."

Wei Ren nodded, and immediately had an idea in his mind, and said, "It's just right, I have something to ask you to do."

"Sir, what's the matter?"

"It's Madam who repaired the canal. She asked me to find someone to take care of it. Then you."

Huang Junyao was taken aback, "I can't, I can't..."

"But why?" Wei Ren is a bold one. The matter didn't go through with Xia Zhen.

Huang Junyao replied sincerely: "I am not from Liangzhou City, I have been in charge of it before."

Wei Ren sneered, "The King of Beijun is not from Liangzhou City, has he built the canal?"

"No, no, no... the king of the county is different from me..."

Wei Rendao: "The king of the county has already said that you are appointed as the deputy magistrate of Liangzhou City (the assistant officer of the prefect, who is in charge of supervising food, catching pirates, coastal defense, river defense, water conservancy, etc., from the fifth rank.)"

"what……"

"what……"

……

Not only Huang Junyao himself was taken aback, but even the common people around him were also taken aback. They all looked at him in surprise, envious and puzzled, why was he appointed an official?
The old man Gu often played chess with him. From his words and deeds, he could tell that this young man was not like a child from an ordinary family. He was either from a rich family or an official family, but he was able to lead people to do things.

"I can't... I can't..." Huang Junyao refused again, he really didn't expect to be an official, he just wanted to support himself, how did he bring such trouble to himself, he was on the run!
Wei Ren hooked his mouth: "Huang Junyao, it's not up to you, you are in charge of the dredging and dry well digging, and I can be the master when appointed as an agent. As for the official appointment, after the canal is dredged, the county king will naturally find you. "

Huang Junyao took a few steps forward and refused again, "I'm sorry, I'm incapable of taking charge."

Old man Gu was born and bred in the local area, he knew what those people in the yamen did, and he thought that it would be good to let Huang Langjun take charge, at least he would not be greedy for our money, he thought so, and said it out of his mouth.

"..." Huang Junyao was stunned by these words, and looked at everyone blankly.

Everyone also reacted, yes, if Huang Langjun is allowed to be the master, at least they will not be greedy for money like the government, and they all coax him to be the master.

Standing outside the crowd, Wei Ren smiled and said to the two young staff beside him: "You help him."

"Yes, sir." The two young followers were about to do something to practice, so they happily agreed.

Huang Junyao was in charge of building the canal, and Ma Min'er was also taken aback, but when Wei Ren showed her his land statistics, she also felt that he was a talent.

"Just give him the money and let him do the rest, how about it?" Ma Min'er looked at Xiang Zhen.

"What about the man who repaired the canal?"

"The soldiers lent him the money, and he paid for it."

Xia Zhen heard Ma Min'er's meaning, "Well, good."

"Don't you think I'm messing around?"

Wei Ren also looked at the king of the county. All the money was controlled by Huang Junyao. In fact, all the power was delegated to him, and it even seemed to be monopolized.

"No, no, Huang Junyao is an outsider. Even if he is extremely capable and has no money or power, things may end up going well, but it won't go well. We can't wait. If it's repaired sooner, maybe we can catch up with the autumn seeds. One season."

Ma Min'er smiled, "My lord, you are becoming more and more like a parent official."

"Haha..." Xia Zhen raised her head and laughed.

Ma Min'er said again: "But building the canal really costs a lot of money, will it make things difficult for you?"

Xia Zhen stopped laughing, but the smile in the corner of her eyes did not stop, "Don't worry, there is plenty of money."

Ma Min'er deliberately leaned back, "Didn't I marry a rich landlord Lao Cai?"

"Haha..." Xia Zhen laughed again, "I am much richer than the landlord Lao Cai."

Ma Min'er laughed, "Then I've really made a lot of money. I won't be farming in my next life, and I'll just eat until I grow old."

"Haha..." The little daughter-in-law is so cute, Xia Zhen couldn't help but reached out and touched her head. With a smile, the Xia family had a secret, and he had to find a chance to tell her, maybe as smart as her, she Already noticed something.

Both wanting to do things and accomplishing them have been the same since ancient times, and they are all very fast.

When Xia Zhen was about to hand out the power and money, the news of Jingmo's inquiry also came back, "Jun Wang, Huang Junyao is from Yangzhou, and his ancestors were from the family of rich people in Yangzhou. Four generations ago, he started the road of imperial examinations. His great-grandfather worked hard. After more than ten years, he only passed the exam as a scholar, and spent money to be a small official in the town. In his grandfather's generation, he didn't pass the exam until he was 40 years old, and he became an eighth-rank master in the county. One day, he got a serious illness and died. His father was only a scholar at that time. He could have been promoted to a higher level, but because of the death of his grandfather, the family began to seize the family property, and it failed for several years. No achievements, Huang Junyao was gifted and intelligent since he was a child. He was a child at a young age. Under the protection of his father, he was not affected by the family property seizure. When the tribe was fighting for the family property, he accidentally pushed the tribe, and the man fell down and died. His father was terrified, so he let him escape, and he has been wandering here for three years."

"So that's the case." Xia Zhen smiled, "Okay, I understand."

"Yes, the king of the county."

Now that she had made a clear inquiry, Xia Zhen no longer hesitated, and let Huang Junyao delegate the power of money.When he got the letter of appointment, he still couldn't believe it, and turned around.

From the initial refusal to the current hesitation, to the determination to do this well, Huang Junyao struggled all night, from the room to the courtyard door, from the courtyard door to the room again, the struggle between heaven and man.

Does evasion work?Huang Junyao kept asking himself, how many years did his father endure, and those uncles still ignored him, bullying his father to focus on his studies, ignorant of business matters, taking their shop and fields as their own, stealing and stealing. It never stopped.

He has seen too much, really too much, human nature is worthless in front of money, but his father has always taught himself that a gentleman should do something but not do something, and be open-minded, whether it is power, official position, or money , must be obtained in a proper way, which is also the reason why the ancestors became rich.

Yes, no matter how greedy others are, I do my own thing well, use my ability to support myself, and use my ability to get the money I deserve.

Huang Junyao looked at the dark night sky, if I do my job well, will there be a chance to bring my parents here to reunite with them?Suddenly, he found the direction to work hard, and secretly made up his mind, yes, he is the king of Beijun, he has the ability to let me pick up my parents, and leave those greedy moths from now on, yes, just do it!

On the second day, Huang Junyao rolled up his clothes and went to Beishan, found Wei Ren, and then went to Xia Zhen. No one asked him to set up a military order, but he himself made a military order.

"Your Majesty, I only have one request."

"Say—" Xia Zhenduan sat down after a few cases and made a stern cut, looking forward to it.

Huang Junyao suppressed his timid heart and cupped his hands: "Jun Wang, I know that you built the canal to grow food and provide military use."

"Ah."

"I will go all out to build a main road and two auxiliary roads before the autumn planting, so as to ensure that [-] mu of land can be planted outside Liangzhou City."

Hearing this sentence, Xia Zhen nodded unconsciously. She didn't exaggerate. She was very pragmatic and had a clear purpose in what she did. She really is a talent. "Okay, what is your request?"

Realizing that his words were recognized, Huang Junyao said: "I want to take over my parents, brothers and sisters from the south, and let them settle down here."

"no problem."

"Also... and..." Huang Junyao raised his head cautiously, "I..."

"Accidentally pushed someone to death?"

Huang Junyao was shocked.

Xia Zhen said: "It's nothing special, it's just a mistake. Besides, they made mistakes first, you can't reach the sentencing, or even be innocent."

Huang Junyao ignored the powerful people's ability to find out about him so quickly, and was shocked again, "I... am I innocent?"

Xia Zhen grinned: "Huang Tongzhi, you can't just read sage books. There are many unsage things in the world, and not all sage books can solve them."

"I understand." Huang Junyao bowed to the end, "Thank you, Prince, I will definitely live up to the expectations of you and the people of Liangzhou City."

"That's good." Xia Zhen said, "Come on—"

Xiaowen stepped forward.

"Give him the official seal, together with the right to spend one hundred thousand taels of silver."

"Jun...Jun...Jun Wang..." Huang Junyao was frightened again today.

"10 taels is not enough, you can raise it again, I just want to irrigate the fields."

Huang Junyao knelt down on his knees, "Yes, the king of the county!" In this situation, any words on the scene have lost their meaning.

Ten days later, near Beishan, Ma Min'er led Xia Zhen to the newly built cabin and stood beside Xiaoquan, "The prince..."

"There's no one here, call your name."

Ma Min'er grinned, "It's cool to be called the king of the county!"

"Naughty!" Xia Zhen reached out and patted the young daughter-in-law's shoulder.

"Hee hee, Xia Zhen, look, how wonderful this Wang Quan is!"

"Yeah." Seeing the clear spring water gushing out, Xia Zhen was also in a good mood.

Ma Min'er knelt down and took a handful of it with her hands, "Come and drink it, it tastes a little sweet, and our meals are made with it recently, it feels a little sweet."

Xia Zhen lowered her head and drank the water from the daughter-in-law's hand, "Well, it's quite sweet."

"You seem to be a little free recently." Ma Min'er smiled.

Xia Zhen replied: "Well, the army is stationed, there is not much food, and even the training has been reduced."

"It turns out that the lack of training is due to food." Ma Min'er smacked her lips, "In April, there are green and yellow everywhere, it's really..."

She took Xia Zhen's hand, "Let's go and see Aunt Shan grow vegetables."

Xia Zhen followed her, "Why don't you ask about the canal repair?"

"Didn't Huang Tongzhi take over the repair?"

Xia Zhen said: "Many craftsmen in Beishan say that they are too busy to be moldy."

Ma Miner smiled.

"Why do you just laugh and don't talk?"

Ma Min'er raised her face: "Did you see that Tongzhi Huang has stopped moving?"

"Ah."

Ma Min'er chuckled, and smiled into the distance: "Aunt Shan, is there a saying that sharpening a knife should not miss the time to chop vegetables?"

Aunt Shan was hoeing the field and tidying up the gravel. When she heard what the little boss said, she nodded, "Er Niang is right, that's right."

Ma Min'er turned her head, "What about you, you have been marching and fighting, and you don't know much about the affairs of the yamen, do you?"

Xia Zhen nodded, "Yes."

"Also, when it comes to war, do it as soon as you say it, and fight it as soon as you say it. Although you are also prepared, it is generally Lei Li who is popular, isn't that the case?"

"Well, almost."

Ma Min'er smiled and said, "Building a canal may be more time-consuming and labor-intensive than marching and fighting."

"Oh." Xia Zhen frowned, "If I hadn't delegated all the power, I really wanted to go to him."

Ma Min'er asked back, "Did Mr. Wei look for him?"

"It should be found."

Ma Min'er continued to ask: "Mr. Wei didn't come to you?"

"not yet."

Ma Min'er smiled again: "To be honest, I also estimated the canal project."

Xia Zhen looked down at her in surprise.

Ma Min'er replied: "I think it will take twenty to one month at the earliest to start work. It's only been ten days now. I'm not in a hurry, not at all."

"Why?"

Ma Min'er said: "Just like your war, the construction of the canal is divided into three parts. The first is of course the labor of the canal construction. This is no problem. The army lives here, as many as you want. The second is the supervisor. Don’t you think that Huang Tongzhi is the only one to build the canal?”

Xia Zhen understood, "It's like I have many generals and lieutenants under my command!"

"That's right, if I'm not wrong, Huang Tongzhi is stuck here. He's an outsider, and it's not easy to gather a group of people for his use. It really depends on one's ability."

Xia Zhen agrees.

"The third point is to let proficient craftsmen draw first, not only to measure and draw the canal repair plan, but also to calculate the materials, manpower, and logistics. All kinds of things must be considered. If Huang Tongzhi is in a hurry, I think This canal can be repaired, and now he is not in a hurry to do it, I think it is because of it."

Xia Zhen sighed: "I'm still rough."

"No ah!"

"No?"

Ma Min'er smiled: "That's right, you can still chat and walk with me here, which means that you have already made up your mind."

Xia Zhen smiled wryly, "Can I run up to him and yell, 'Huang, you bastard, can you fix it, can you fix me and replace me.' This not only embarrasses the subordinates, but also makes him dare not Doing things by hand also loses my majesty, and makes me lose the city."

"Haha..." Ma Miner raised her head and laughed.

Xia Zhen was having fun while suffering, but he didn't realize at all that three years ago, he was so anxious to beat people with a whip, but now, he was able to observe and wait quietly and patiently.

Finally stopped laughing, "Actually, you haven't been idle for the past few days. The prefect surnamed Sha brought a few officials to cry in front of you all day long. It didn't work out. I heard that he even used beauties. Woolen cloth?"

Xia Zhen stretched out her hand and pinched the back of Ma Min'er's hand, "You dare to say this, don't go and save me."

Ma Min'er quickly withdrew the pinched back of her hand, it hurt so much: "Beauty, it's too late to enjoy, what can I do to save..." Seeing that Xia Zhen was about to panic, she ran away quickly.

Aunt Shan who was hoeing the field watched the young couple fight and quarrel behind a rock, shrank her head, and continued to pick up stones, "I hope I can grow vegetables."

Behind the rocks, the young couple have already stuck together. As for what they are doing, they can only say the word 'Shi Dong', and then omit the word N!
Haha ...

The beauty came again, but it was a pity that the incomparably handsome Beijun King was not in the camp. She was disappointed, and hurriedly pulled her father's robe, "Father, I want to marry the County King, so hurry up and tell the County King."

Governor Sha also thought about it, but the king of Beijun was not close, and he turned a blind eye to his beautiful daughter, so he was so anxious to death, silver, I heard that the king of Beijun gave that foreigner 10 taels, God, I knew it earlier, Just stay in the yamen honestly and do business, listen to some nonsense, saying that the emperor has no food for him, his grandma, the emperor has no food, I don’t know that he not only has food, but also money.Silver... white silver...

Prefect Sha wanted to die. He understood very well that his prefect was just a decoration. Can a government office without tax be called a government office? The remaining few sons are enough for a fart!

Oh my god... old earth... Sha Zhifu looked behind him, there were more than a dozen people who made trouble with him the day before yesterday, but now there are two or three, it's hard... Is it possible that I, the fifth-rank prefect, should be subdued by one person? The fake 'cong Wupin' who came halfway to do things?
In just a few days, Huang Junyao, a beautiful young man in the south of the Yangtze River, has grown a mustache, from handsome to thin, and he only sleeps for two hours a day, if it is not for his body, he can live all day and all night Without sleeping, I finally recruited some people and put them in suitable positions according to their abilities and specialties.

One meeting a day, one meeting every three days, constantly organizing manpower, and constantly assigning things. Now he finally understands the hardship of his mother being in charge of the family. She once said that the most difficult thing in the world is to be sad, and to control people's hearts for his own use , is not a simple matter.

It was already April in the world, and Ma Qifeng received letters from his children again, one from Beijing and one from Liangzhou, in addition to reporting safety, the letters were more about local conditions and customs.

"Who wants them to say this." Ma Qifeng was a little dissatisfied.

"Then what do you want them to say?" Mo Wanyi sat beside him, gesturing at the man's summer shirt.

"At least tell me whether they are suffering or not." Ma Qifeng sighed.

Mo Wanyi turned her head, "It's you, you know how to speak."

"will not."

"That's terrible, why are you angry?"

"I'm not angry."

Mo Wanyi didn't argue with him, "Dalang's Chunwei has started, and it is estimated that the next letter will mention the matter of Chunwei."

"Yeah, I don't know if he has eaten well and dressed well." Ma Qifeng was worried again.

I don't know if it's because I've been sitting for a long time, but Mo Wanyi felt uncomfortable in her stomach, "I'll get up and walk."

"Are your legs numb?" Ma Qifeng was pulled back from his thoughts and asked with concern.

"I don't know, maybe I got a little cold in the morning and feel sick to my stomach."

Ma Qifeng followed and stood up, "I'll ask Big Brother Niu to find a doctor to come over and feel your pulse."

Mo Wanyi stopped her and said: "That's so delicate, don't bark, I'll go for a walk and drink some hot water, maybe it will be fine."

"Then I'll pour hot water." Ma Qifeng immediately stood up and poured hot water for his wife, letting her drink it down. "How is it? Are you feeling better?"

Mo Wanyi nodded, "It's much better. I don't feel jealous anymore, but I still want to go."

"Okay, I also want to go out for a walk, and go to our family's brassica field. The flowers are blooming like the sea, they are yellow and beautiful, and they are beautiful."

"Okay!"

The man is poetic, and the woman follows suit. The couple went to look at the flowers side by side, and Ma Qifeng's melancholy finally had a place to be relieved.

In the capital, the spring has begun, and the surroundings of the Gongyuan are guarded, and there are forbidden troops everywhere, and no one dares to approach.This is the first exam. Ma Dalang is sitting in a certain isolation room, quietly waiting for the exam papers to be issued. He was so nervous that he couldn't sleep a few days ago. For some reason, his mood has calmed down now, as if it was just a normal homework.

In Beijun Prince's Mansion, Zhuang Hao has already taken care of Ma Dalang, and he is listening to the servant's reply, "Sir, everything that needs to be taken care of has been taken care of. There are no problems with food, toilets, and supplies."

"Ah That's good."

"Sir, it seems that some other people have also taken care of Ma Dalang."

Zhuang Hao frowned, "Could it be his grandfather?"

"The little one didn't find out."

Zhuang Hao said: "Ma Chengzu was conferred by the emperor as a Tongfeng doctor. From the third grade, although his rank is high, he is a prose official, and he has lost the glory of the past."

The servant asked: "Sir, I heard people say that he wrote a letter requesting to restore his original surname, but the emperor has never approved it."

"If my guess is correct, the emperor should not change his last name."

"But why?"

"Respect to the late emperor."

"Oh."

In Prince Ning's mansion, there was also a report, "Your Majesty, it's already taken care of."

"Yeah!" Liu Zaili sat lazily on the couch, "Go."

"Yes, the king of the county."

After the little steward went out, the dark guard walked up to him, "Go back to the county king, Xia Zhen's army has moved two hundred miles north of Liangzhou City."

"Why?"

"I sent someone to inquire. I think Liangzhou City is too open and difficult to defend and easy to attack."

Liu Zaili sneered, "My Majesty and I have been to Liangzhou, the place is extremely desolate, and he will move north, it is really a barren land."

The secret guard said: "Your Majesty, Yizhou Pingding has been transporting grain to Liangzhou, but there is no supply. I heard that the people of Yizhou have complained."

Liu Zaili raised his eyes: "Really?"

"Yes, the king of the county."

"Anyone take the fold?"

"not yet."

Liu Zaili pinched his chin and remained silent for a long time.

(End of this chapter)