Qinzhou, Zhangde Prefecture, Anhua County.

This place is located in the northernmost part of Qinzhou and is also the first stop for the wedding delegation after entering Qinzhou.

This year's severe drought has affected almost the entire territory of Qinzhou, and the disaster situation in Anhua County does not seem to have reached a horrific level. Although Pei Yue seemed to be in a heavy mood all the way before, after the mission entered the county, the people in the city seemed to be barely able to live.

To be considered normal.

The county magistrate Wang Qi, who was nearly thirty years old, led his officials and people to greet him.

When Pei Yue, wearing the robes of a first-class marquis, emerged from the carriage, Wang Qi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly stepped forward to salute and said: "I am the magistrate of Anhua County, Wang Qi, and pay my respects to the imperial envoy!"

Pei Yue glanced past this person, to the subordinate officials who were holding their breath, and then to the anxious people beside the road, and said lightly: "No courtesy."

"Thank you, Lord Marquis." Wang Qi's tone was filled with joy.

According to the regulations of Daliang, counties outside the capital are divided into different grades according to the number of households, including upper, middle, lower middle and lower. Anhua County is one of the nine upper-level counties under the jurisdiction of Qinzhou. The permanent residents in the county are

There are about more than 160,000 people, and there are probably more than a thousand people on the main street at this moment.

Although Pei Yue has good eyesight, it is impossible to see the appearance of all the people at a glance. From the observation of the people nearby, it is obvious that they have not experienced such a big scene. They have been suppressed by the elite knights of the Beiwei camp behind the mission.

, at this moment, they were swept away by Pei Yue's cold eyes, and they couldn't help but lower their heads.

Judging from their clothes, these people were indeed ordinary people. Pei Yue looked away, but there was some murderous intention in his heart.

He glanced at the dim sky and said with a calm face: "The envoy will stay in the city for a night. I have sent someone to inform you in advance. Is Magistrate Wang prepared?"

Wang Qi cupped his hands and replied: "Back to the Marquis, I have cleared an open space to the east of the county government office for your nobles to camp and rest. In addition, the county government office has been vacated. Please spend the night with the Marquis and the dignitaries of the envoy."

"

Pei Yue said: "No need, the envoy also lives there."

Wang Qi raised his head and glanced at Sheng Duanming beside Pei Yue. Although he had never seen this person, he knew that he was the Minister of Rites, so he mustered up the courage to say: "Your Majesty, I have prepared a table of water and wine, especially for you."

The Marquis and the people of Shanda are going to catch up and wash away the dust, please reward the Marquis with a thin noodles."

Before Pei Yue could speak, Sheng Duanming sternly rebuked: "County Magistrate Wang! Now the drought is serious in the entire Qinzhou, and the people are suffering from the loss of summer grain. As a parent official, you don't solve their problems for them. Instead, you are obsessed with such evil ways. Could it be that you want to

Do you want me to praise you in front of the governor of Qinzhou?"

Wang Qi was horrified and quickly apologized: "Sir, calm down, how dare I do this? Now the grain storage in the city can barely survive, and I am already trying to dig water wells everywhere. As for catching the wind and washing away the dust, it is actually my fault.

Jing prepared a plain banquet at home and invited the Marquis and Lord Shanda to take some time to sit down."

After hearing this, Sheng Duanming snorted, his expression still unkind, but his anger had obviously subsided a lot, and he said in a deep voice: "You are not too confused!"

He turned to look at Pei Yue, obviously waiting for the prince's envoy's decision.

Pei Yue said calmly: "There is no need for the reception banquet. Magistrate Wang is accompanying me for a while and wants to ask you something."

"Your Majesty, I obey." Wang Qi bowed his head in agreement, and at the same time he suddenly became alert.

He is not a fledgling official, so how could he make such an obvious mistake? He was just testing the two big figures in front of him. Sheng Duanming is indeed a decent gentleman, but a gentleman can bully him, so there is nothing to worry about. Really let him

The person Wang Qi felt nervous about was naturally Pei Yue, a ruthless character who had killed many people in the Western Region and Kyoto.

When he saw Pei Yue appear in front of him, he was relieved that he was not trying to hide the truth.

In fact, when the envoy left Kyoto and entered Yongzhou, some people were secretly observing their whereabouts. However, they did not dare to get too close because they knew Pei Yue's reputation, but they could always keep track of the envoy's movements.

What Wang Qi is most worried about is that Pei Yue leaves the mission and visits incognito. In that case, many problems cannot be covered up at all. He can do his best to cover up the official road and the county town. How can he have the capital to cover up the entire Anhua County?

It's as peaceful and peaceful as ever.

Now that he saw that Pei Yue had never thought about it at all, and was fooled by him by showing his loyalty by complaining bitterly, he naturally felt a little more contemptuous.

After all, he is just a common man who has never read the books of sages, bah!

Pei Yue seemed not to notice the subtle change in Wang Qi's eyes, and asked as he walked: "How long can Changpingcang in this county last?"

Wang Qi said with a sad face: "Master Hou dare not lie to his face. It has not rained here since the end of April, and the climate is getting hotter and hotter. Many people do not have food stored in their homes, and the food stored in several rice shops will be exhausted in less than a month."

It has been sold out, so the county government can only open the Changping warehouse to stock the grain and sell it at a low price, but this cannot last long."

Pei Yue frowned slightly and said, "The grain merchants don't have any grain to sell?"

Wang Qi said cautiously: "In previous years, they would go to Yongzhou to buy grain, and then sell it to the people of the county at a slightly higher price. This has been the case for decades. However, this year, the price of grain in Yongzhou has gone up, and with the increase in transportation,

The cost of rice will definitely rise a lot. Mr. Han of Dongfu has strictly ordered grain merchants not to sell at high prices, so...the county government cannot force them to do loss-making business."

Pei Yue remained silent, and Sheng Duan said clearly, "Have you reported this matter to Han Shengzheng?"

Wang Qi sighed: "The lower official has sent people to send five urgent reports, but Han Shengzheng also has difficulties. The seven prefectures and thirty-nine counties of Qinzhou were hit by disasters everywhere, and the urgent reports for help flew to Chengjing like snowflakes, no matter how many Changpingcang there were.

Even doubling the amount cannot completely fill the food gap."

After all, Sheng Duanming was the minister of the Ministry of Rites, so he was good at preaching the scriptures, but he was naturally a little unfamiliar when it came to general affairs.

Pei Yue suddenly said: "County Magistrate Wang, let all these people go back. They don't have enough to eat, so why bother standing here and wasting energy."

Wang Qi said with emotion: "The Marquis loves the people like a son, and his subordinates respect him very much."

With that said, he signaled his subordinates to dismiss the people on both sides of the long street.

Pei Yue went first, followed by the envoys and Beiwei Camp. While looking at the buildings in the city casually, he asked Wang Qi in detail about the disaster relief situation in the county and the villages below.

Wang Qi had already prepared and detailed the grain storage, distribution and specific sales methods of the county's Changping warehouse. Sheng Duanming kept nodding when he heard this.

When they arrived near the open space, the soldiers of Beiwei Camp, led by Deng Zai, began to set up a temporary camp. Pei Yue stopped more than ten feet away and asked unhurriedly: "Where is County Magistrate Wang?"

Renshi?"

Wang Qi replied cautiously: "Going back to Lord Marquis, my subordinate is from Zhongshan, Chengjing."

Pei Yue glanced at him slightly in surprise and said slowly: "I see. Magistrate Wang, I have an unkind request."

Wang Qi bowed slightly and said, "Please give me your instructions."

Pei Yue said: "I didn't expect the drought in Qinzhou to be so serious. I plan to look around from north to south. Since the Wang County Magistrate is from this state, how about asking you to be our guide for a few days? The affairs of the county will be left to the second official for the time being.

On behalf of you, you can also give instructions in advance."

Wang Qi wanted to refuse, but after seeing Pei Yue's slightly impatient expression, he immediately woke up and replied respectfully: "I will accept my order."

Pei Yue nodded and said, "That's very good. Magistrate Wang, please go back and come here tomorrow at the beginning of the day."

"yes."

Wang Qi saluted the two of them and turned around to leave.

Sheng Duanming looked at his back and walked further and further, and sighed: "This county magistrate is not bad, at least he is not waiting to die."

Pei Yue was noncommittal, he just sneered several times in his heart.

Let's say that after Wang Qi returned to the county government, he went straight to the study, and then relied on his strong memory to write down all the details after meeting Pei Yue on paper, and finally attached his own analysis and judgment.

He sealed the envelope with fire paint, then stood up and faced the southeast corner of the room, and said calmly: "You go to Chengjing overnight and give this letter to my cousin. Be careful, don't be discovered by those people."

.”

"Yes!" A dark figure standing there responded angrily. After taking the letter, Wang Qi seemed to feel a blur in front of his eyes, and then the other party disappeared without a trace.

Wang Qi picked up the tea on the table and drank a few sips, his eyes full of sarcasm, and he said leisurely: "That's all."

He is not only a parent official of Anhua County, but also a direct descendant of the Wang family. Although this king has no relationship with the king of Wei Guofu in Kyoto, he is still a prominent family in Qinzhou.

In such a big family, there are many officials or hermits like Wang Qi. They are closely connected with each other, like a huge airtight net covering the sky of Qinzhou.
Chapter completed!