Xingchang fifth year, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
It was the Lantern Festival. Early in the morning, Mou Zhu steamed cocoons with his own hands for Jiang Chun, and put paper labels with official titles in the stuffing to predict this year's official status.
Jiang Chun ate two of them in a row, and the paper stamps said "promoted three times and transferred to the capital official", so he was very happy.
Of course he knew that Mou Zhu probably put the same paper sign in all the cocoons, but during the festival, it was all about seeking good luck.
If you're not an idiot like Fang Yankai, who takes everything seriously, how can you refuse a good fortune?
After breakfast, Jiang Chun picked up the paper sign and was not in a hurry to go to the front office. Now that even his staff Zhan Gang has left, he is too lazy to deal with county affairs. Until now, he has only prepared to hold a Lantern Festival
Things.
"Li Feiyu hasn't returned from Junlianzhou yet?"
"I only ask him every day." Mou Zhu said: "If you miss him so much, even if you were asked to recruit him as your son-in-law, you wouldn't do anything at all."
Jiang Chun waved his hand and did not answer this question.
He knew very well that it was useless to tell the woman these things. If she said that her daughter was ugly, she might not be interested in him. Then the woman would ask again, "Is it my fault that my daughter is ugly?" Then the house became restless.
"You don't understand. I'm very worried that Li Feiyu will cause trouble."
"What kind of trouble could there be? Everyone named Wu has been killed in the county. We are justified wherever we go, and County Lieutenant Li handles it appropriately."
"It's okay to govern in a provincial area, but it's hard to say in Jijunjun Lianzhou. Those southern barbarians are so unruly."
Mou Zhu was too lazy to listen to this and said, "I think Lieutenant Li may be back today."
"How do you know? I asked Han Jingzhi to ask, but he couldn't tell the truth at all."
Mou Zhu smiled and said, "I can tell by the look in Qiao'er's eyes."
Jiang Chun breathed a long sigh of relief and said: "It seems that things are settled... Fang Zhengshu thought I couldn't tell that when Li Feiyu went to Junlian, he must have gone to occupy Wutong's salt field. With such a big piece of fat, those Nannan
Yi will definitely grab it."
"They have soldiers."
"It's because he has troops that I'm afraid of conflicts." Jiang Chun said: "If he comes back with troops, it will mean that he has really frightened those southern barbarians..."
As he said this, a servant came over and said, "Alang, there is someone coming from outside. He only calls himself the manager of the Yan Family Salt Store, saying that the lanterns on the street have been hung up."
"Wait until I change my clothes and see him in person." Jiang Chun said happily, stroking his beard, and raised his arm to let Mou Zhu change his clothes.
"It's true, I've always wanted to hold this lantern festival."
"You don't understand. This is about sharing the joy with the people. I will be promoted soon. I have no shortage of political achievements. What I care about is what the people think of me." Jiang Chun sighed: "Li Feiyu and Fang Zhengshu are both old-fashioned... In the next many years, Qing
When Fu people think about the happy things in their lives, the only thing they can remember is the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival before Magistrate Jiang left office."
Mou Zhu sneered: "I don't know why Yan Yunyun donated money to hold a lantern festival for you."
It was in front of Mou Zhu that Jiang Chun smiled and said, "Of course it's because of the Yin family's case."
"Humph, you favor that woman."
Jiang Chundao said: "Yin Ji drew the pledge with his own hands and received five thousand guan from the Yan family in real money. He said it was a forced purchase and sale, but there is no evidence at all. Can I handle this case? Go outside and listen. The street
Who wouldn't praise the Yan family for selling salt fairly, and who wouldn't scold the Yin family."
"Official salt is sold cheaper than private salt. It's really a ghost."
"Yes." Jiang Chun also sighed with emotion: "The salt tax is more than this price, and it is rare to see such a thing in your lifetime. Let's see, after this batch of official salt is sold for a year, it will be difficult for the Yin family to even establish a foothold in Qingfu.
If he dares to file a lawsuit, the county will convict him of molesting a civilian girl..."
Jiang Di glanced through the crack of the window and said, "Is that person sent by your aunt?"
"Huh?" Han Qiaoer looked back and said, "Yes, shopkeeper Luo who works for my aunt."
She looked a little sleepy. She was so happy that she didn't sleep well last night because she heard Han Chengxu said that Li Xia would be back for the Lantern Festival. She took a few books and put them on the desk, lay down on them, and dozed off with her eyes squinted.
Jiang Di said "Oh" and then said: "It's amazing that a woman can manage such a big business. Can we go and play with your aunt?"
"My adoptive father won't let you go out." Han Qiaoer muttered, "You are grounded."
"Speaking of this, who complained to father?" Jiang Di said: "I have only been to Ruan Po's house a few times, but I didn't know that the mute girl was an assassin from the Quanzhen sect. 'She' doesn't look like a man at all."
Han Qiaoer didn't speak, lying on the table as if asleep.
Jiang Di glanced at Han Qiaoer with some guilt.spanstyle>谷/spanstyle>
She only found out about Yu Dechen's capture when she met Ruan Po again on the third day of the first lunar month. For the next ten days or so, she had been worried about whether the assassin dressed as a mute would say what she had said about her longing for Li Xia.
As for worrying about Yu Dechen? That's impossible. I've only met him four or five times in total, and I haven't said a word to him, so we can't say we have much friendship.
Jiang Di only told "her" what was on his mind because he thought "she" was mute and seemed approachable.
Now that I think about it, I feel that this assassin is quite hateful. He disguised himself as a woman and eavesdropped on people's thoughts. He also pretended to be so beautiful. If he confessed, he would be finished...
Han Qiaoer also glanced at Jiang Di, and immediately closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, feeling a little guilty.
Because it was her grandfather who complained to Jiang Chun.
Liu Jinsuo had long thought that it would be dangerous for his daughter to run away from home all the time, for example, she might be abducted by traffickers and sold to her mother. When he heard that Jiang Fan found Yu Dechen at Ruan Po's house, the first thing he did was to find Han Chengxu who said he was at Ruan Po's house.
I saw the county magistrate's daughter.
He is so warm-hearted...
"It's so annoying." Jiang Di added, "I really want to see how your aunt does things."
Han Qiaoer opened her eyes and asked, "How about we play grass fighting at home without going out?"
"Is not fun."
"What about playing shuttlecock?" Han Qiaoer asked again.
"No." Jiang Di said, "I'd better study. I also want to be a smart woman."
As she spoke, she picked up the "Art of War" borrowed from Li Xia with some guilt and looked at it.
Han Qiaoer lay down and dozed off again, muttering: "I study every day and don't play."
"Qiao'er, you only play and doze off every day. You are so smart and talented, but you have wasted them all."
"I've memorized all the books you read."
"Then do you know what the book means?"
"I don't need to know. My grandfather said that books will become useful when they are used. My father said that children should play." Han Qiaoer responded, with the look of a person who has great talent and is wasting it.
Jiang Di felt envious and regretful at the same time, and said: "Where are the children? My menstrual period has come, and I will be a big girl soon."
Han Qiaoer quickly turned his head and said, "If you didn't fight grass or kick shuttlecock, I would fall asleep."
"I don't play with these children's things." Jiang Di lowered his head and read a book.
She seemed to have been inspired by seeing Yan Yunyun doing things for Li Xia; and she seemed to just subconsciously like to imitate others...
Han Qiaoer took a nap in the morning, left Jiang Di in the afternoon, and went to stay in the private room of Li Xia in the front office.
Nowadays, most of the scribes in the front office are sent by Han Chengxu, and they seem to be somewhat majestic. She stayed in the public room for a long time watching her grandfather send people, and as expected, Li Xia came back today.
Han Qiaoer first acted like a little spy and told some of Jiang Chun's recent words and deeds about Li Xia.
The so-called "duck prophet of the warm spring water", Jiang Chun is this "duck". He has the most sensitive sense of officialdom in Qingfu County. Li Xia can tell whether the situation is changing through Jiang Chun's attitude.
Hearing Han Qiaoer say, "My adoptive father and stepmother are very enthusiastic and nice to me." Li Xia knew that everything was still stable in the few days since he left.
Han Chengxu then asked: "Is Alang's stay in Junlianzhou going well?"
"Just force it." Li Xia said: "I secretly occupied Junlian Salt Fields in the name of inspecting illegal salt. But that's all. I can't control the villages for my use in a short period of time. I have been intimidating and gentle, so I can only do this for the time being.
Until everything is safe and sound."
Han Chengxu said: "It is no longer easy. Most of the power in Jisi Prefecture is in the hands of various hereditary local officials, and it is difficult to control it with royal laws. We can only wait for Alang to become a strong soldier, and then open up the business route to Dali. Military power and interests go hand in hand, or
Can conquer all villages."
"Yes, we have begun to control the Five Feet Road, we just need to open the road..."
The power of Qingfu County alone is far from enough for Li Xia, and development to the north will easily arouse the jealousy of the court. Therefore, connecting with Dali has become one of the things he is most concerned about.
When he separated from the Gao brothers and sisters, Gao Changshou once said that he wanted to raise an army to attack Wu Lianghetai, but now there is no news. Although Li Xia did not mention this, he was worried in his heart.
After talking for a while, a miscellaneous official outside the public house reported: "County Lieutenant, there is someone asking to see you, claiming to be sent by the County Lieutenant's old friend from the south..."