After hearing this, He Shen looked across the river, and the surrounding squires also looked over.
The distance was too far, and they couldn't see anything clearly. There were only a group of small black dots moving back and forth in their sight.
Combined with the sound of fireworks and firecrackers before, everyone suddenly understood that this must be something that many people were celebrating there...
"In the face of a great disaster, there are northern captives heading south again, yet they are still so extravagant..." He Shen sighed and shook his head.
Seeing this, Liu Quan asked tentatively: "Master, do you want to send someone to find out..."
"Just go and do it."
He Shen knew with his buttocks that this was definitely Yan Song's fault.
"Yes, sir."
Not long after, a small boat swayed away from the shore...
At the same time, on the north bank of the Yellow River.
Surrounded by a large number of gentry and wealthy people, Yan Song stood on the wide stone embankment, looking at the three big characters "Yan Gong Embankment" with dragons and phoenixes dancing in front of him, with a flash of satisfaction in his eyes.
"Ru Zhen, this is too arrogant!"
When he turned back, Yan Song had already lost his face and reprimanded in a deep voice: "It's too extravagant! With the manpower and material resources to build this monument, how many people can have a full meal?"
Hu Zongxian lowered his eyebrows and said yes repeatedly.
The surrounding squires did not dare to breathe. Although Yan Song usually looked like an approachable little old man, when he was really angry...the power of the right minister of the imperial court would be fully revealed.
Yan Song didn't stop, and still said sadly: "Ru Zhen, I have always thought that you are a talented person and the future pillar of the imperial court!"
"But I didn't expect that when I was about to leave, you would be like this..."
It seemed that he couldn't bear to reprimand Hu Zongxian, and he stopped abruptly here, but a long sigh completely showed the old prime minister's disappointment in the younger generation.
"That's what Prime Minister Yan taught you."
Hu Zongxian did not fully accept the reprimand this time, but instead "argued vigorously".
"But this time, Prime Minister Yan was really unjustly dismissed!"
He held his head high and said bluntly: "This matter of erecting the monument was not ordered by Xiaguan. Even Xiaguan just learned about this monument."
"Huh?" Yan Song frowned slightly.
Hu Zongxian was not afraid at all, and said loudly: "Prime Minister Yan, this monument was not erected at the instruction of anyone, and there was no collusion between anyone in it!"
"This is a monument that the people of Yuanwu County voluntarily erected for Prime Minister Yan in gratitude for his kindness!"
The surrounding squires were all shocked by Hu Zongxian's bold move. After a while, someone had the courage to follow him and said: "Mr. Yan, we really didn't tell the county magistrate."
"Yes, Prime Minister Yan. At first, the students were grateful for Prime Minister Yan's kindness and thought of erecting monuments and building temples. But they didn't expect that Liu Yuanwai from East Village had the same idea at that time!"
"There are also Zhou Juren and Sun Yuan from our Dawa Township. When the grassroots just thought this, they didn't expect those two brothers to come to me at the same time!"
"The tenants in our village are all grateful for Prime Minister Yan's kindness..."
Seeing this, Hu Zongxian seemed to have received some kind of recognition. He turned his head and said to Yan Song with some emotion: "Mr. Yan, you see, it is not the officials who are trying to connect them, but the people of my original Wu County who erected this monument spontaneously!
"
"Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect?"
"Prime Minister Yan allowed tens of thousands of victims in Yuanwu County to survive, so that they were not just displaced, but also allowed them to have a full meal... Who can not be grateful for Prime Minister Yan's kindness??"
"Erecting this strict embankment is like children repaying the kindness of their parents!"
The squires were stunned for a while, and nodded in approval.
Yan Yi, who was following Yan Song, was also a little dumbfounded. He looked at Hu Zongxian with blank eyes. He had long known that Hu Zongxian was much better than other magistrates, but now he was still shocked by his behavior. There was only one thought in his mind.
:This guy is so scary.
Yan Song was also silent and couldn't speak. After a long time, he let out a long sigh.
"The truth...is known."
"Xiaguan, Yuanwu County, and even the whole of Xingyang dare not forget Prime Minister Yan's kindness."
Hu Zongxian solemnly said: "So, in the name of Yan Gongdi, please Prime Minister Yan never refuse it again!"
Yan Song sighed again and looked at Hu Zongxian deeply: "That's okay..."
"Public opinion cannot be violated. Since it is the will of the people of Yuanwu County, I will no longer reject it."
He changed his voice and added: "We've already finished erecting this stele. There's no need to mention temples, portraits, etc. It's a waste of manpower."
Standing statue?
The surrounding squires were a little confused. What kind of statue?
Did we talk about standing statues?
Hu Zongxian opened his mouth, and after regaining consciousness, he hurriedly said: "Prime Minister Yan, I'm going to lower my rank..."
"No need to say any more."
Yan Song waved his hand and interrupted him expressionlessly: "Although I will return to Beijing in a few days, I will still pay attention to Yuanwu County at any time. I hope you will not let me down and don't do anything extravagant and wasteful."
Hu Zongxian understood immediately and hurriedly agreed: "Prime Minister Yan has worked hard, and my subordinates understand."
"only……"
He said with an expression of embarrassment: "Lord officials will not do this, but the common people will spontaneously build shrines and erect statues for the good officials they love..."
Yan Song snorted coldly: "As a county official, you naturally have to restrain yourself."
Hu Zongxian smiled bitterly and said helplessly: "As Yan Xiang said, public opinion cannot be violated, and the admiration of the people cannot be curbed. The lower officials can only do their best, but it may not be possible to completely suppress this matter."
The squires also reacted, and a wise man hurriedly said: "Prime Minister Yan has such a high reputation in Yuanwu County that he is a household name. Some villagers can even enshrine the memorial tablet of Prime Minister En in their homes! How can this be prohibited?"
"Yes, ten families can pool together the money to erect a stone statue of the Prime Minister by the river. This is hard to guard against!"
"In this case, it is very reasonable for people in a village to raise money to build a shrine for their benefactor..."
Yan Song felt a little helpless when he heard this, and let out a long sigh. Just as he was about to say something more, something unexpected happened here.
A small boat with a black awning sailed over from the other side of the river.
With so many important people here, the security work was naturally done well. There were still some distance away from the shore, and two small boats came to meet them.
"Wuna man, what do you do?"
The boatman seemed startled by the huge formation and did not reply. He turned around and rowed back. Before leaving, he stretched his neck and kept looking at the embankment.
Naturally, such a movement cannot be hidden from the people on the embankment. The other squires may not pay much attention and just take a look and pass by.
But Hu Zongxian, Yan Song and Yan Yi clearly sensed something was wrong, especially the way the man looked back before leaving. The more he looked at him, the more he looked like he was here to inquire for information.
The boat sailed straight towards the center of the river, heading towards the opposite bank of the river.
Hu Zongxian looked south along the direction of the awning boat, and suddenly noticed something strange on the other side of the river.
"Prime Minister Yan, over there..."
In this case, Hu Zongxian naturally wanted to listen to Yan Song's opinion.
Yan Song also frowned and looked over there. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Send someone to find out what it does."
"Yes, Prime Minister Yan."
The people sent by Yan Song had just set off, and the people sent by He Shen to investigate returned to the south bank.
"What?"
He Shen's eyes suddenly widened: "Yan Gongdi?"
After hearing this, all the squires were also a little dumbfounded. What's going on? Plagiarism of ideas??
He Shen came back to his senses and glanced at Zheng Chen with a strange look in his eyes.
He felt that others might not know, but Zheng Chen must know something inside, right?
But this time he seemed to have really wronged Zheng Chen.
"My lord...this..."
Zheng Chen's forehead was covered with sweat, and he really didn't know how to explain it for a moment.
We can't mess around with Heshen at this time. Both parties have been getting along happily with Heshen for more than half a year. How could they come here like this before leaving?
"Sir, it suddenly occurred to me that this monument has not been completed yet."
In desperation, Zheng Chen came up with a remedy.
"Not finished yet?"
He Shen also helped him climb down the slope.
"Yes, sir."
Zheng Chen responded: "Actually, there is still a standing statue missing next to this monument."
In such a short period of time, he had made a plan in his mind, and at this moment he said with confidence: "It's the statue of your Majesty!"
"With only the name He Gongdi, others may not be able to immediately know that it is He Gongdi's contribution...it cannot express our gratitude."
"If another stone statue is erected next to the monument, it will not only allow passers-by and common people to see the heroic appearance of Mr. He, but it will also allow us folks in Xingyang to express our gratitude!"
"this……"
He Shen fell into deep thought.
If it were him, there would definitely be no need for such a ostentatious behavior.
But now on the other side of the river is Yan Song's Yan Gongdi. It would be too uncomfortable if it looked exactly like him.
He Shen paused for a moment and then asked: "Mr. Zheng, isn't this too extravagant and wasteful?"
Zheng Chen was overjoyed when he heard this and said hurriedly: "No, no!"
"Please don't worry, Your Excellency. It's just a standing statue. Why waste money? I think it can be released before I return to the capital with Your Excellency!"
This time He Shen was really surprised: "Before returning to Beijing?"
"Mr. Zheng, I will return to Beijing in three days, is it too late?"
"It will definitely come in time!"
Zheng Chen made a promise that as long as the work is divided and cooperated, some people will lose their heads, some will lose their hands, and some will lose their legs and feet... Work all night long, but are you afraid that you won't be able to do it?
"My lord and I will definitely have to take the waterway back to Beijing. We will get on the boat from here and take a look at this statue by the way!"
"It doesn't have to be like this." He Shen refused.
"My lord and you must come, we must come."
Zheng Chen insisted on this, and he must not leave a grudge in He Shen's heart...
While a group of squires were busy trying to please He Shen, the boat sent by Hu Zongxian to investigate information also circled here and returned to the north bank.
“Hegongdi??”
Yan Song looked expressionlessly at the servant who came to report the news. Although he hadn't said anything yet, everyone around him already felt that the atmosphere was a little abnormal.
The surrounding squires were also dumbfounded. They all looked at Hu Zongxian as if they had no backbone.
What does this mean? Plagiarizing an idea?
In fact, Hu Zongxian's current mood is not much better than theirs, but at this time, except for him, there is really no one who can stand up and take charge of the overall situation.
"Prime Minister Yan, this..."
Hu Zongxian wiped his sweat, and then he had an idea and thought of a solution: "Actually, the monument has not been completed yet."
"Before I went down to the official position, I heard from the wise villagers that not only the stele of Yan Gongdi was built, but also a tall statue should be erected next to the stele."
Although we have just mentioned that we should erect a statue, where we erect it is also crucial.
Standing next to this stone monument, you can instantly overwhelm Mr. He on the other side, which is of great significance.
"Um?"
Yan Song withdrew his gaze from the other side of the river and turned to look at Hu Zongxian: "Ruzhen, is this too extravagant?"
"Natural and not extravagant."
Hu Zongxian secretly breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly explained: "It's just a stone, what's the point?"
"Compared with the gratitude that the people of Yuanwu feel towards Prime Minister Yan, it's just a drop in the bucket!"
Yan Song paused for a moment and did not make any comments. Instead, he said to him: "Let's see this place first today. I am also tired. It's time to go back."
"Yes, Prime Minister Yan."
Hu Zongxian responded hurriedly, and the squires behind him also gave way to him. Yan Song passed through the crowd and walked towards the bottom of the embankment...
~~
Three days later.
In the same place, Yan Song once again passed through the crowd and walked onto the embankment.
What is different from the previous few days is that this time there are still many people under the embankment. These people came spontaneously to see Yan Song off.
Some of the people brought a few baked pancakes, some brought pickled pickles, and in good condition, a few hard-boiled eggs...
Although Yan Song would not accept it, it also represented their feelings.
Yan Song was wearing a patched green robe, and Yan Yi was carrying a small black cloth bag containing clothes. Compared with when they arrived, there seemed to be nothing more and nothing less.
The squires and officials on the embankment were all saying farewell to Yan Song and sending the right minister off to Yuanwu County respectfully.
Among them, the "Yan Gongdi" stone tablet was alone the day before yesterday, but today it has an additional stone statue as a companion.
This standing statue is all gray and white. It is an old man wearing linen clothes and walking in the mud.
Although the wind and rain covered his face, he still walked firmly, which perfectly reflects the tenacity of this man.
As for the appearance, it is completely restored to Yan Song himself.
In fact, if an uninformed person looked at it, I'm afraid he would never have thought that this was the Prime Minister of Daqian and the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Because he has no nobility or official position at all, his appearance is no different from those mud-legged people in the countryside.
When this statue was designed a few days ago, many squires opposed Hu Zongxian.
But Hu Zongxian still insisted on doing so despite all opinions.
When Yan Song just walked up, he saw the standing statue. After nodding to Hu Zongxian, he walked through the crowd and came to the stone statue and looked at it carefully.
The squires all raised their hearts in their throats, fearing that he would suddenly become angry.
Although Hu Zongxian looked confident, he couldn't help but become nervous at this time.
It wasn't until Yan Song nodded lightly and turned around with a smile that everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ru Zhen, after I return to Beijing, you must take good care of Yuan Wu."
It was just such a simple reminder. After saying this, Yan Song turned around without hesitation and boarded the ship through the pier.
"Prime Minister Yan, I will definitely keep your instructions in mind."
Hu Zongxian waved his hands to send Yan Song away, and there seemed to be two glimmers of light flowing out of the corners of his eyes.