Chapter 108: Friends come far away

After the incident between Du Liangshan and Runzhou was over, Li Qingan wrote to the court in the name of the Censor, impeaching the prefect of Sizhou to collude with Du Liangshan Xiangma. In the memorial, he praised Cui Pingyitong and recommended him to temporarily serve as the prefect of Sizhou.

Then, the regiment training camp returned to Yangzhou with abundant spoils and joy. Two days later, the army returned to the Jiangdu military camp, and even without a sip of tea, he hurried to the prefecture yamen.

In the official room, Li Qing'an handed over a list of Du's property to the prefect Lu Huan.

"This is the Du family property I seized in Liangshan. Except for the small part that sank into the river, everything else is here. I have not taken any money. In addition, I will bring Du Boyuan's head and ask Prefect Lu to accept it."

Speaking of this, Li Qingan sighed and said, "There is Du Boyun, but unfortunately he committed suicide. I did not ask about Du Bosheng's whereabouts."

Lu Huan looked at it for a long time before slowly awakening. He quickly stood up and bowed to Li Qing'an and said, "General Li has great achievements. I will report to the court in time and I will commend General Li."

"There is no need for commendation. I passed by Xuyi County in training troops. I can't wait to see you die, right!"

Li Qingan waved his hand and smiled, "Since the Du family earned these property from the people of Yangzhou, it should be returned to the people of Yangzhou to build bridges, pave roads, and build schools. All these require money. I hope that Prefect Lu can use the money in the open."

Although Lu Huan knew in his heart that most of the money had to be transported to the court, Li Qing's concern for the people's ethics still made him very impressed. He nodded and said, "General Li loves the people, Lu must do his best."

He looked at the list and asked again: "Is General Li not at all about Du Bosheng's whereabouts?"

This morning, the prince secretly sent someone to ask him to collect evidence of King Qing's smuggling, or be able to kill Liu Changyun and seize the position of Jianghuai Transportation Envoy.

He had Du Posheng's confession, and the key was Du Posheng himself, as well as relevant evidence such as the account book, so finding Du Posheng is particularly important.

Li Qingan took a sip of tea and shook his head and said, "I also want to ask, but unfortunately Du Boyun committed suicide. No one of his subordinates knew Du Bosheng's whereabouts, but there was news that he might be hiding in Suzhou and waiting for an opportunity to go out to sea."

Lu Huan showed a look of disappointment on his face, and he forced a smile and said, "It's okay, I also beg General Li to help us more and catch this big salt owl as soon as possible."

"That's of course, I will definitely do my best to help."

At this time, a yamen runner at the door whispered: "Prefect, that Li Bai is drunk again. In the Xunyang diner, the shopkeeper asked us to carry him back."

Lu Huan frowned, "Why are you drunk again? Oh! Forget it, wait until he wakes up and comes back."

Li Qing'an smiled and said, "That Li Taibai seems to have caused a lot of trouble to the envoy."

"Hey! There are not many troubles, but every piece is a headache. When he first came to me, he was drunk almost every day until he drank all the wine I saved. He might feel embarrassed and wanted to say goodbye. I gave him a hundred guan and hired a ox cart to help him get money. Unexpectedly, he just arrived at Jiangyang County next door and met a poet friend. The two of them gathered in the restaurant every day. In less than half a month, the one hundred guan was spent cleanly. The shopkeeper of the restaurant sent him back. When he woke up the next day, he apologized to me. I gave him twenty guan and kept asking him not to spend it randomly. He agreed. Unexpectedly, he walked to the city gate and saw a beggar who was pitiful, so he gave twenty guan and came back empty-handed. I was helpless."

After saying that, Lu Huan shook his head repeatedly and sighed.

Li Qingan thought for a while and smiled: "Maybe he was depressed and felt that there was nowhere to display his ambitions. Prefect Lu might as well find something for him."

"I found it for him and asked him to be a doctor of literature, but he said this was a minor official. It depends on the eyes of people. If he doesn't do it, I can't do it."

Speaking of this, Lu Huan suddenly laughed and said, "By the way, General Li doesn't have any aides around him. Why not just let Li Taibai be your aide and handle the documents of the regiment camp for you. I think he is willing to do it too."

Li Qingan was startled. How could the great poet be his aide? He waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I don't know that I am just a general of the Central Army, so how can I afford to be a staff member? Besides, there are already two clerks in the training camp in the regiment camp, and they were sent by the Grand Governor's Office."

"Haha! It doesn't matter. Even the seventh-rank magistrate has his own aide. General Li was a founding uncle of the third-rank country and was a regiment training envoy. Why can't he have an aide? Besides, you officers need a scholar and aide even more. Li Taibai's ambitions are thousands of miles away and he will definitely be competent. General Li should not refuse."

Without waiting for Li Qingan to refuse again, Lu Huan immediately shouted: "Come here!"

A yamen runner came in and Lu Huan ordered: "Go and move Li Taibai's luggage to the regiment training camp."

"This" Li Qingan saw that the matter was irreversible, so he had to bite the bullet and agree, "Okay! As long as Brother Taibai is willing, I have no objection."

When he came to the prefecture, he handed over money and property from the Du family, he got an aide, and this aide was actually Li Bai, a poet who had been famous for thousands of years. Li Qing'an felt complacent. Later generations might also write a note when writing about Li Bai's life: "In the seventh year of Tianbao, Bai was the assistant of Li Qing'an, the general of the Central Army of Anxi.'

It was already afternoon when I walked out of the state yamen, and the sun was also a little tired. It was lunch time. He was about to turn over and his horse. At this moment, someone suddenly called him behind him, "Li Qing'an, Qilang!"

The voice of a young woman was very familiar. Li Qingan was stunned for a moment. When he looked back, he saw a little girl wearing weird makeup appear on the steps. Her lips were painted black and her face was painted with a few gorgeous peach blossoms. She was jumping excitedly and waved to him.

Li Qingan immediately recognized the unique makeup, Dugu Mingzhu, why did she come?

He had a dreamlike feeling. This is Yangzhou, thousands of miles away from Chang'an. Li Qing'an turned over and got off the horse. Dugu Mingzhu ran down the steps and rushed into his arms like a bird. "Qilang, I thought I could not see you?" She was excited and cried.

When Li Qingan saw the yamen runners next to him staring at Mingzhu in surprise, he felt funny in his heart, her new trends were eye-catching everywhere.

"What does it mean to not be able to see me? Did I go to Yangzhou without going back?"

Mingzhu burst into tears and laughed embarrassedly, "I don't mean that. I have been here for seven or eight days. I said you are out and waiting for you every day, and my neck is growing."

"Oh! I'm going out to train." Li Qingan saw a thin scar on her snow-white neck and smiled and said, "Mingzhu, why did you come to Yangzhou? Are you here to find me?"

"No! No!" Mingzhu shook her head in panic, "I'm here to see my father, have you forgotten? I told you that my father is an official in Yangzhou."

"Your dad? Your dad is"

Li Qingan felt that he had never heard of an official named Dugu since he came to Yangzhou. Who could this be?

"My father is Dugu Haoran, the chief of Yangzhou."

As soon as Mingzhu finished speaking, her eyes slanted and she immediately waved to Li Qingan with a smile, "Dad!"

Li Qingan turned around and found that a middle-aged official came from behind him. His skin was fair and his long beard floated on his chest. He was smiling and looking at Li Qingan.

Mingzhu jumped up, pulled the middle-aged official's arm and smiled, "He is Li Qing'an."

This middle-aged man is Dugu Mingzhu's father Dugu Haoran. He was originally the prince of the Eastern Palace, Zhongyun, and was promoted to the chief of Yangzhou the year before. It has been two years since then. Dugu Haoran has one son and three daughters. The eldest daughter Mingyang was unfortunately killed by the Khitans because of the failure of marriage. The second daughter Mingyue and the little daughter Mingzhu. Among the three daughters, he loves the little daughter Mingzhu the most.

Dugu Haoran smiled and knocked his daughter on the head, "Silly girl, how could I not know General Li?"

Li Qingan hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, "Li Qingan has seen Uncle Dugu!"

Dugu Haoran was very grateful for Li Qing'an's rescue of his two daughters, and hurriedly replied: "When General Li came to Yangzhou, I happened to go to the countryside to persuade farmers. I only met the general today. I really don't know how to express my gratitude."

"The chief minister doesn't have to take a little thing to heart. Actually, I like Mingzhu very much. How can she encounter misfortune?"

"Anyway, I'll invite General Li to have a glass of water and wine."

Dugu Haoran pondered for a moment and said, "I will rush to Jiangyang County tonight, let's go tomorrow night! General Li must enjoy the scenery."

"Okay! I will definitely come."

Dugu Haoran stroked his beard and smiled slightly, and said to his daughter: "Talk to General Li! Daddy has gone in advance."

Dugu Haoran nodded to Li Qing'an and quickly walked into the state yard. When Dugu Mingzhu saw her father leaving, she immediately grabbed Li Qing'an's hand and laughed coquettishly: "Dad to invite you to dinner tomorrow, then you can treat me to dinner tonight!"

"No problem!" Li Qing'an smiled and said, "Where do you want to eat?"

"I don't know, why don't we go and see."

Unlike Jiangdu Bei City, which is almost filled with official warehouses, the Nan City is a place where private business businesses are densely populated, and pedestrians on the streets are also different. The overseas trade of the Tang Dynasty was very active, and the degree of restricted contraband was far less than that of land trade. For example, pig iron, weapons, gold and silver and other prohibited goods were almost unrestricted. Therefore, maritime merchants from various countries came in a constant stream, with Yangzhou, Guangzhou and other places being the most concentrated. On the streets of Jiangdu, merchants from various countries were even more lively than Chang'an. They were dark-skinned, wearing wide linen clothes and straw sandals; short-sized, awe-in-law and a respectful mouth-like man; Silla people leading a group of Korean female slaves across the street; even big cannibals in broad white robes, and thick and tough Khitans.

In the south city, there are also many foreign shops, including fur and horses from the north; spices, pearls, ivory from the south; gems and silverware from the west of the ridge; lacquerware and pearls from the mouth; medicinal materials, paper, hawking and shouting, and there is a noisy and lively scene everywhere.

This was also the first time Li Qing'an saw the prosperity of Jiangdu in person. He led the horse and Dugu Mingzhu to walk side by side, while enjoying the exotic style that is hard to see in Chang'an, and paying attention to both sides. Although the assassin first arrived in Yangzhou was left alone, it did not mean that the assassin let him go. His two followers followed behind and watched the surrounding situation vigilantly.

Mingzhu looked around, looking for a satisfying restaurant everywhere, and her soft little hands tightly held Li Qing'an.

"Qiro, let's go to this one!"

Mingzhu found a wine shop exquisite and elegant, and she immediately fell in love with it. She pulled Li Qing'an and ran to the wine shop. Li Qing'an looked up and looked at it. The wine shop was three stories high, red all over, and a flag was flying high. "Xunyang wine shop". He suddenly remembered something and smiled and said, "Okay! Let's have dinner in this wine shop."

A guy came out and smiled and said, "Please, two guests, please!"

When I walked up the third floor, I heard someone chanting loudly from afar: "The living are passers-by, and the dead are returning home. Once the heaven and earth go against each other, we will be sad forever."

Li Bai had already sobered up, but he picked up a pot of wine and chanted while drinking: "Since ancient times, all sages were lonely, but only those who drink were left with their names. He recited poems and essays in the north window, and thousands of words were worth a cup of water."

Li Qing'an walked forward quickly and smiled and said, "Brother Taibai, it's been a long time since we saw each other."

Li Bai glanced at him sideways and suddenly laughed: "It turns out to be Mr. Li Jun. It's a good place. Let's bet on the wine again!"

Li Qingan smiled and said to the guy: "Give me the best jar of wine!"

The guy quickly took a jar of good wine from the corner of the house. Li Qing'an took it, patted Kaifeng mud, and poured two large bowls full of them. He picked up the wine bowl, drank it all, and put it heavily, "It's your turn, drink it!"

Mingzhu quietly pulled Li Qing'an's sleeve and whispered: "Qilang, he has drunk too much and can't drink anymore."

"I know."

Li Qingan looked at Li Bai with a smile, "How? Do you want to bet with me today, or come again in two days?"

Li Bai stared at the wine bowl blankly, and suddenly picked up the bowl and drank it. He drank the big bowl and threw it hard, "Okay! Good wine, good pleasure."

He stumbled towards the stairs, but after only a few steps, he weakened his body and fell to the ground, snoring loudly.

The guy was anxious and stepped forward and pushed him and said, "Customer, you haven't paid for the wine yet! You can't sleep anymore."

"Let him sleep!"

Li Qing'an took out a famous post and handed it to the clerk and said, "Hold a carriage to take him to the regiment camp outside the north gate. I will pay for his wine."

Li Qingan sent Li Bai away. He and Dugu Mingzhu found a elegant room by the window and sat down. They ordered a table of wine and food. He poured Mingzhu a glass of wine and smiled and said, "To be honest, did you sneak out by yourself?"

Mingzhu blushed and said, "It's not entirely true. Dad didn't go home in the New Year. Mother missed him very much, so I said I would send a letter to Daddy, and then he came."

"What's wrong with your sister? Have you ever gone out to write poems with King Guangping and others?"

"Hey! Don't mention it, my sister is angry with him! They have invited her twice, but my sister refuses, and my grandfather is planning a blind date for her again."

Li Qingan picked up the wine glass and said lightly: "Have you found a suitable person?"

"Sister doesn't seem to be in this mood. Grandfather invited Jinke Tanhualang to his house for dinner. The sister didn't even see her, which made her angry."

"What about you? What do you think of that Tanhualang?"

Mingzhu tilted her mouth, "I don't look straight, I'm just a good person, and I don't like it at all."

"Haha! Don't your sister likes such people?"

"Who said that you don't understand my sister's thoughts at all."
To be continued...