The king behind the empress

Chapter 244 In Nanjun, the official has the final say
When Shi Zhipei's carriage walked outside the city gate, Yan Wenfu, the magistrate of Nanzhou County, had been waiting here for a long time. After all, Shi Zhipei came to relieve the disaster as a censor, and he was holding the holiday bestowed by the empress in his hand. In terms of power, he should go out of the city to welcome him.

Yan Wenfu led a group of officials from the county, and greeted Shi Zhipei outside the city gate for a while, then brought Shi Zhipei and Liu Hong to the government office, and set up a sumptuous... banquet?
Looking at the sumptuous dishes, Shi Zhipei was at a loss, the refugees outside couldn't even eat, and the government office set up such a sumptuous banquet to welcome him?

There were three people sitting at the table entertaining Shi Zhipei and Liu Hong, besides Yan Wenfu, there was also a county lieutenant with a pot belly, and a thin county magistrate.

Yan Wenfu, who was sitting at the dinner table, didn't see Shi Zhipei's displeasure. After inviting everyone to sit down, he said to Shi Zhipei with a little show off: "Master Shi, please try this Qinghe carp. You don't know, Qinghe carp is unique in our Nanzhou, not only the meat is fine and delicious, but also there are not many thorns, and there are not many opportunities to eat this kind of good food on weekdays."

"If it weren't for the severe drought in South County this time, the water level of the Qinghe River has dropped, and if you want to eat this Qinghe carp, you have to wait."

"is it?"

Shi Zhipei's complexion was a bit ugly, but he didn't get angry, he just said lightly: "So it's a coincidence that I'm here?"

"It's not a coincidence, as long as the water level of the Qinghe River doesn't rise, the officials can guarantee that Mr. Shi can eat Qinghe carp every day in Nanjun."

Yan Wenfu's face was slightly smug, and then he reached out to pour wine for Shi Zhipei, but Shi Zhipei directly covered the cup with his hand.

"Master Shi, you are..."

Yan Wenfu was taken aback by Shi Zhipei's disrespectful behavior. The wine jug in his hand was gathered in the air, and he didn't let it go, and he didn't let it go, he was a little embarrassed.

Liu Hong has been following Shi Zhipei for disaster relief for some time, so he can tell at a glance that Shi Zhipei is on the verge of breaking out, but the situation is not clear at this time, so it would be a bit strange to fall out with the Nanjun Sheriff over a meal It was too suitable, so he smoothed things over and said, "Master Shi is here mainly for business. You can eat, but you don't need to drink."

After finishing speaking, he said meaningfully: "And as long as you can do things, it doesn't really matter what you eat."

Hearing Liu Hong's last words, Shi Zhipei knew that he was reminding himself, so he forced an ugly smile and said, "I'm on business, so I can't drink alcohol. When the disaster is over, I will talk to Yan Yan again." The grown-ups have a good drink."

Although he knew that this meal was just a trivial matter, but thinking of the victims outside the city and looking at the meals in front of him, when Shi Zhipei said this, no matter how he thought about it, he felt disgusted.

"Oh, so that's the case, but the lower officials were negligent, negligent."

Yan Wenfu glanced at Shi Zhipei thoughtfully, then quickly put down the jug to apologize to Shi Zhipei, "Master Shi eats vegetables, but you can't drink wine, and you have to eat vegetables."

"Thank you Lord Yan for your hospitality."

Shi Zhipei suppressed the thoughts in his heart and picked up a piece of fish with chopsticks. It was indeed as Yan Wenfu said, the meat was delicious and had a special taste, but when eating this meat, Shi Zhipei's mind always flashed across the city from time to time. The scene where ordinary people peel off the bark from the tree to eat, so these meals, no matter how he eats them, it doesn't taste good.

"Master Shi, you have also seen the disaster in our South County. It is too serious, and almost all the people have no way out."

When it was almost time to eat, Yan Wenfu asked, "I wonder how much relief money the imperial court sent you here this time?"

"His Majesty is still thinking about the disaster relief bank, and he is not sure yet."

When Yan Wenfu asked about the disaster relief money, Shi Zhipei's heart moved. Although the money had already been allocated to him by the imperial court, he didn't mention a word, but said: "However, the food has been confirmed, and it will be transferred from the capital in the early stage." Bring 50 shi of grain to temporarily relieve the crisis in Nanjun, and then consider the situation in Nanjun before considering allocating grain."

"Has the relief money not yet been decided?"

Hearing that the relief money has not yet been determined, Yan Wenfu couldn't help showing a hint of disappointment in his eyes, but after hearing that there were 50 shi of grain, he quickly cheered up again, "Master Shi, when will the 50 shi of grain arrive?" ?”

Seeing the disappointment in Yan Wenfu's eyes, Shi Zhipei's heart sank slightly. As the head of a county, it is a bit abnormal for him to care about money first in such a catastrophic year.

Shi Zhipei didn't show any signs. After confirming that there was something wrong with Yan Wenfu, his mentality calmed down a lot, and he could even fake a fake smile on his face, "Master Yan, don't worry, just here It will be here in a few days."

"However, before this batch of food arrives, the official wants Nanzhou County to find a way to raise some food, and first relieve the victims outside the city, so as not to starve to death in the past few days. How about next?"

"Oh, it's difficult."

Yan Wenfu shook his head again and again, "Lord Shi doesn't know something. It's not the first year that Nanjun was hit by a disaster. I have thought of all the ways I can think of. Under His Majesty's order, the Guancang and Changpingcang have already been emptied for disaster relief."

"Even the big households in the city have been forced to collect food several times by the officials, and now the entire Nanjun county city has no food."

Shi Zhipei's eyes were slightly cold, Yan Wenfu's words obviously did not intend to cooperate, nor did he intend to contribute, so his next words were not so polite, and he said slightly threateningly: "Master Yan, Your Majesty sent me to help the disaster , in order to eliminate the disaster situation and help the victims.”

"If this official comes, and the victims are still starving to death, then it will be difficult for this official to explain, but Master Yan will not have a good time, right?"

"This……"

Yan Wenfu hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded and said: "Master Shi is right. If this is the case, then I should think of a way to make people starve to death."

"This will trouble Mr. Yan."

Seeing that his goal has been achieved, Shi Zhipei showed a faint smile to Yan Wenfu, and then said goodbye with his hands together: "Sorry, Mr. Yan, I have been in the carriage for too long, and I am a little tired now, so I will take my leave first." .”

After finishing speaking, Shi Zhipei didn't stay any longer, and walked out of the mansion directly with Liu Hong.

After Shi Zhipei completely disappeared from Yan Wenfu's sight, Yan Wenfu's face suddenly darkened, "I don't drink alcohol, I don't eat food, and I always ask about the disaster when I come here. This Shi Zhipei is not a good person."

The Jun Cheng at the side said with a little emotion: "It has long been heard that Mr. Shi is an upright official, but now it seems that the rumors are indeed true."

"What kind of shit is a clean and honest official, just cherishing feathers."

Yan Wenfu snorted coldly with some disdain, "I don't believe there are people in this world who don't love money."

"But Shi Zhipei's attitude is really troublesome."

The potbellied county lieutenant frowned and said, "Especially with the Dongchang people around him, even if he loves money, we can't buy them both at the same time."

"It's okay."

Yan Wenfu said indifferently: "This is Nanjun, not the capital."

"In Nanjun, the official has the final say"

(End of this chapter)