For a whole afternoon, Lu Linghao and Yang Qixuan sat drinking tea and talking about poetry and songs, in a leisurely manner that was incompatible with the busy scene in the county office.
When the banging and drumming of Sanya began, Lu Linghao invited Yang Qixuan to his home for dinner, but he was politely declined.
"Yang Canjun returned to Beijing and saw General Wu. Please give me a few words of advice."
"Magistrate Lu, walk slowly."
Yang Qixuan raised his hand and asked Lu Linghao to leave the office and return home first. Although his face was still polite, his attitude was slightly condescending. No matter how good the conversation was, a county magistrate who had lost his power would no longer get his respect. They were just passing the time.
, even if Lu Linghao’s official rank is several levels higher, it’s useless.
The poems and songs I talk about still have a lingering charm, but the truth of life in reality is always cold.
After Lu Linghao's lonely figure faded away, the lights gradually lit up in the county office. The officials were busy day and night, trying to earn more tuition money. Only Yang Qixuan, an idle man, was still waiting, until he was furious.
Finally, Xue Bai came and said, "Yang Canjun has been waiting for a long time."
Yang Qixuan rolled his eyes and spat: "Eating dog intestines, do you know how long you left me dry?"
Xue Bai was not in a hurry to speak, and ordered the officials: "Bring the wine and food here, Yang Canjun and I will eat and talk."
Although Yang Qixuan was angry, he had nothing to do. He had completely different attitudes towards Xue Bai and towards Lu Linghao. Although he was not polite at this time, he felt fear or awe in his heart.
"Don't call me 'join the army'. I won't stay in this small official position for long. Just call me brother."
Yang Qi was not a big official, but his official power was not small. He pretended to be an elder brother and said: "I remember that the first time I met you was in the Youxiang Mansion. Shiro introduced you to me and said that you are Yang Shenjin's son and from the Youxiang Mansion.
Seventeenth son-in-law. How many years have passed and things have changed."
Xue Bai said: "Things have changed and people have changed, but our friendship has not changed."
After knowing each other for two years, their friendship has not improved at all.
At this time, the food and wine had been served. Yang Qixuan took a chopstick and said with some disgust: "The reason why I came to Yanshi, a small and run-down county, and can still stay here is definitely not because there is half any fun here. It's because I'm facing you right now."
We take it very seriously, understand?"
"I know that."
"You know? But I don't see how much you attach importance to the right prime minister."
"When I am a local official, I can never pay more attention to the right prime minister than the people I govern."
"Don't give me such an official tone." Yang Qi preached, "When you proposed to the right to be the county captain of Yanshi County, do you still remember what you promised?"
He understood Li Linfu's thoughts very well, and it was certainly a good thing to get rid of Xue Bai easily, but this was not the original purpose of his trip, so he remained unmoved in the face of noble persuasion.
He has other business.
"Yes." Xue Bai said: "Wang Fei."
"Thank you for remembering." Yang Qi said: "In the Lishan case, all traces point to Wang Xian. You went to Yanshi to look for evidence. Why did you do nothing for so long?"
"What do you think, Brother Yang?"
"Wang Xian took advantage of the land and water transportation to transfer power and sent the demon thieves who were dissatisfied with the imperial court to Lishan Mountain on the pretext of levying labor. Gaochong, the Prime Minister of Yanshi County, and Song Mian, the head of the Shouyang Academy, were both his companions.
The party...how can you not see such a simple thing?"
When the conversation reached this point, Xue Bai stopped answering and thought about it.
In fact, he also got some news and knew that Wang Zhi's authority had gradually threatened Li Linfu in the past six months.
As early as the fifth year of Tianbao, people in the world were very afraid of Wang Cai, but at that time, Wang Cai was still extremely respectful in front of Li Linfu.
Speaking of which, everyone is praising him, but how long can the respect that Wang Zhi is still struggling to maintain last?
It can be seen that the situation is about to change again. The atmosphere in the court during the Tianbao period was really not good. Suo Dou Cock was really fighting one after another...
After a while, Yang Qixuan couldn't hold his breath and said: "You are talking!"
"I did promise the right minister."
"Then blame it on Wang Fei." Yang Qi said: "I've been waiting here in this poor place, but I can't help but blame you on Anlu Mountain because you've been so busy. Do you want to break your promise? Tell me.
You, teasing the right prime minister will never end well!"
Xue Bai said: "Brother Yang, do you know why I am like this?"
"I don't care what you do, I just want the results."
"What if everything I find out is the truth?"
"The truth?" Yang Qixuan seemed to have heard a huge joke, and spat: "The bullshit truth."
In the eyes of people like him, competition in court only involves interests and no truth.
The purpose of Xue Baiqi and Yang Zhen behind him is obvious, to take advantage of the rift between the Right Prime Minister's Office and Wang Xian to gain official positions. Pretending to help the Right Prime Minister against Wang Xian, in fact they are pointing the finger at An Lushan in order to deprive the Right Prime Minister of his power...
cunning.
This is the truth. The truth is the pursuit of profit. In the name of loyalty and justice, people keep claiming to prove the facts and fight for power and profit.
"Don't think you can deceive me. You may think that I can't do anything to you, but don't forget that your future is still in the hands of the Right Prime Minister. No matter how much credit you make, the Right Prime Minister can stop you with just one sentence.
You will be promoted or even dismissed from your official position. At that time, the noble concubine and Mrs. Guo will not have time to intercede for you."
Yang Qixuan stood up and finally said: "That's it. Before I leave, give me the evidence I want."
Xue Bai didn't care about the ridiculous threat from the dandy boy.
He is not in a hurry to be promoted immediately. What he hopes most at the moment is to spread his business in Yanshi County as soon as possible, so that before leaving, he can arrange a trustworthy person to replace him, or the power behind the scenes is enough to oust the county magistrate.
But he could not ignore Li Linfu's attitude. For example, if he wanted to transfer someone to Yanshi to take over in the future, he could not avoid the approval of the right prime minister.
Today Yang Qixuan can say these words, obviously Li Linfu is already anxious.
Xue Bai weighed these things, turned back to Weishe, spread out his pen and paper, and began to write letters to Yang Yuyao and Yang Wei.
It stands to reason that in Chang'an, they should have been more keenly aware of the split among the Right Prime Minister lineage, but they were not. Including Yang Guozhong, their letters did not mention this matter.
Spring River Plumbing Duck Prophet, this time Xue Bai is the duck.
He thought about it while writing, and finally wrote down his opinions clearly.
He believed that Party Yang must not attack Wang Xian under Li Linfu's pressure. At this time, Li Linfu was in urgent need of help, and Party Yang should instead use all its strength to deal with An Lushan.
Although this will make Li Linfu dissatisfied, hostile, and even suppressed. But as long as he withstands the pressure, in the end Li Linfu may sacrifice part of An Lushan's interests to win over the Yang Party.
Of course, it is impossible to get rid of An Lushan by doing this, because any move against him will cause changes in the border town. However, as long as Li Linfu starts sacrificing An Lushan's interests, there will inevitably be dissatisfaction between the two parties. This is a great opportunity for Party Yang.
"Spring is coming to an end, and I look to the west at Chang'an. My eyes are full of sorrow and longing. I just hope that my brother will grit his teeth and take charge of the world. I must not give in. Remember this."
After writing the last few words, Xue Bai took a deep breath and dried the long letter. Just as he was about to put it into the envelope, he became worried for a moment and picked up the pen to add a few more words.
"In the present moment of your achievements, my brother must take good care of your body and cherish it."
In this way, he pretended to have a good letter and ordered his confidants to send it to Chang'an. He told him that it must be delivered to Yang Zhuan personally and that no one could deliver it to him.
~~
Over there, Yang Qixuan returned to the post house, where Li Shiniang was playing dominoes. When she saw him, she cursed angrily: "Where can a person who gets a thousand cuts go fooling around all day?"
"Xue Bai left him alone at the county office." Yang Qixuan said: "I saw his attitude and didn't take me seriously."
In fact, Li Shiniang didn't take her husband seriously. She pushed the card and said, "Aren't you trying to use noble things to suppress him?"
"The bad thing is that he is noble. If he didn't suppress it, it would make Xue Bai's arrogance even more arrogant. If not, I wouldn't be in such a difficult situation."
"Six loaves."
Yang Qixuan stood behind his wife and looked at the cards, stretched out his hand to take back the card she wanted to play, and pointed to the other one.
"Don't move." Li Shiniang hated someone teaching her how to do things. She glared at him and spat: "Get out of here, I don't need your teaching."
After being so angry, Yang Qixuan didn't say a word. He just sighed and said, "Then just teach me."
"This is not easy." Li Shiniang immediately started chatting, "I have told you before, Xue Bai is a soft-spoken man but not a tough one. If you continue to push him, he will be even better than my grandpa.
?This time it’s nothing more than to win him over to deal with Wang Fei, just give him good words and persuasion. I know you can’t lose face, so I’ll ask Shi Qi to say something..."
"You should have said it earlier, Yanshi has really had enough of this."
Li Shiniang was about to make a fool of herself in this game, but she didn't expect someone to beat her to it. She was still arrogant, saying that she was unlucky, and dismissed all her poker friends, and then called for Li Tengkong.
The maid reported that the Seventeenth Mother was out today.
"Going out? I just saw Ji Lanzi come back after buying rouge." Li Shiniang said in surprise, "Oh, Yang Lang, you don't know, because we are going to Luhun Villa tomorrow, and these two ladies are busy dressing up.
Well, here are the Taoist priests... Wow."
She talked so much that the servant girl couldn't even answer the questions.
Yang Qixuan had no choice but to ask a few more questions and found out that Li Tengkong was escorted when he went out.
"She must have been dissatisfied with the rouge, so she went to buy it again." Li Shiyi Niang rambled, "Otherwise, where else could she go? It's rare for her and Ji Lanzi to be separated."
"yes."
Yang Qixuan walked to the window and looked into the courtyard, but unfortunately he could not see Li Jilan.
He thinks she likes him.
Every time she saw him, her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were flushed, making her look extraordinarily beautiful. But when she couldn't see him, she would often feel sad alone, with her eyes full of sorrow.
It's a pity that he is already a husband, and his wife is still such an arrogant character that she does not allow him to take a concubine. And along the way, they did not have a chance to say a word alone.
Thinking of this, Yang Qixuan looked at the withering flowers in the courtyard, feeling melancholy and wanted to compose a poem to express to Li Jilan that he had received her thoughts.
After much searching, he finally just let out a long sigh.
"well……"
~~
"Hush!"
On the official road in the west of Yanshi County, five people came on horseback and reined in the horses in front of the houses on the roadside.
"Mr. Lang, would you like to rest for a while at the tenant's house?"
The leader was a middle-aged man in his thirties, followed by four domestic servants.
He had a dignified appearance and wore a filial piety hat on his head. He came here covered in dust, his eyes were red, and he was obviously experiencing great grief.
When he heard the servant's question, he did not answer. He just looked up at Shouyang Mountain to the north and remained silent for a long time.
Seeing this, the servants helped him off his horse and invited him into the tenant's home.
"Hey old man! Mr. Lang is back, go and boil a kettle of water!"
An old farmer with a stooped body came out of the farmhouse. When he saw this group of people, he was a little panicked and hesitated to speak. Finally he said: "Okay, okay."
"Whose horses are these? Has anyone passed by your house?"
"This is……"
Before Old He could answer, the middle-aged man was already being pushed into the farmhouse. When he entered the courtyard, he suddenly stopped and froze there.
In the hospital, a female crown was applying medicine to a little girl.
She only showed a little profile of her face, with the slenderness and tenderness of a girl, and she also looked like a kind-hearted fairy who had fallen into the world.
"Who is this?"
The female crown turned her head and looked back, and replied: "I am here to treat my young lady's illness."
"I, Song Ruosi, was born in the Song family of Luhun Villa. I was appointed as a supervisory censor. My father... my deceased father..."
"Condolences."
"Dare to ask the elder's name."
"Tengkong." Li Tengkong applied the medicine to the little girl and said, "Don't touch the water. I'll see you again in two days."
After that, she got up and left.
"Wait a minute." Song Ruosi quickly motioned to the servant to bring out the money, "This is the consultation fee for the Taoist Priest."
"No need."
"It should be given. Old He is a tenant of the Song family. As the head of the family, I cannot..."
"No more."
Li Tengkong finally stopped and said seriously: "He is no longer a tenant of the Song family, but a registered household in Yanshi County."
Song Ruosi was stunned, not understanding how Old Man He redeemed himself. The servant beside him was about to shout and ask, but he raised his hand to stop him.
"I see, but I still ask the Taoist Priest to accept the medical fee."
Li Tengkong did not leave immediately, just to see how Song Ruosi would react to the change of tenants into registered households. When he saw that he was not angry, he left, but he still quietly left a guard behind to watch the changes after the incident.
~~
"Song Ruosi didn't have much reaction to the household registration. He only stayed at Old Man He's house for a while and then rushed back to Luhun Villa."
At the county office, Xue Bai was listening to Du Jin and holding a booklet in his hand.
There are thirteen children of the Song family who have rushed back, and he needs to select one or two of them who are the best to control as the nominal heirs of Lu Hun Villa.
The point is, it was his choice, it was he who gave the other party a chance, and he was the one who showed mercy.
"Currently, it seems that Song Ruosi is the one with the best character."
"Yes." Du Jin said, "But there is a problem. His official position is too high. At the age of thirty-seven, he has been appointed as the censor."
"They are almost as good as my teacher."
In fact, the supervisory censor is only an official from the eighth rank, but it is a very important threshold. Lian Song Ruosi was born in this way, and he was still young and promising at this age to hold this official position. This shows that the official career in the Tang Dynasty is difficult.
Xue Bai pondered, and finally said: "You are not afraid of having a high official position, but you can convince the public. What you are really afraid of is high ability and strong character... Let's go to Luhun Villa tomorrow and use him if he is weak enough. For this matter,
Let Du Wulang test it out and you will know that he is still accurate in judging people."
"Goro can only see something similar to him."
"Yes." Xue Bai smiled.
Du Jin pursed her lips and smiled, and asked: "Bring two plum flowers with you tomorrow?"
"As I said, we are just friends with them."
"We are friends, but you and Yang Yuyao are siblings, and you and I are family members?"
While talking, Xue Bai had put down the book in his hand.
He was going to take Er Li on an outing tomorrow, and Du Jin was obviously thinking of giving him something harsh.
She wore a long skirt today...
“There are many things you can do now.”
If the ambitions of these two people were originally hopeless, now they seem to have taken the first step, so they have been very excited after taking control of Yanshi County.
But there are some differences today.
Du Jin can tolerate Xue Bai and Yang Yuyao, and has recently been helping to win over Li Tengkong, but she may not really mind. She can tolerate this because she has some ideas.
Therefore, when her love was at its peak, she whispered something to Xue Bai.
"How about I give you a baby... ugh!"
Her ambition was still raging and burning, and it reached its highest point at this moment.
~~
When Xue Bai woke up the next day, he had a little trouble.
But in fact, they were all far away, and it was useless to think about it for the time being. He arranged the county affairs and prepared to go to Luhun Villa.
On the way to pick up someone at the post house, Du Wulang suddenly asked: "Do you have something difficult to solve?"
"Do I look different?" Xue Bai asked.
"No," Du Wulang said, "But we are so familiar. If others don't understand you, how can I still understand you?"
Xue Bai reflected on himself and reminded himself to keep his emotions and anger a secret.
"Actually, I'm just asking blindly. What are you really worried about?"
"No." Xue Bai said, "I think you have something on your mind."
Du Wulang answered as soon as he asked, "Aren't Yun Niang and I already eighteen after the Chinese New Year? It's already March, and we still have no results. My mother keeps urging me."
Xue Bai was surprised that he was in such a hurry and felt that time passed so quickly. In the blink of an eye, yesterday's boy was already thinking about becoming a father.
Turning around, he saw that the wild flowers on the roadside had withered...but he did not feel sad about the spring and autumn. He only thought that time was running out and he had to move forward faster.
"Xue Lang."
Li Tengkong and Li Jilan came out of the post house hand in hand. The girl's beauty was eye-catching, sweeping away the sense of decline in late spring.
Xue Bai's eyes fell on Li Tengkong, he was stunned, nodded, but only turned to Yang Qixuan and Li Shiniang, and said: "Brother Yang, please."
Everyone then went to Luhun Villa.
It was the custom in the Tang Dynasty that most women rode horses when they went out. Li Tengkong originally planned to ride alongside Xue Bai, not because she wanted to, but because Li Shiniang had given her some instructions and told her to pass on some words to Xue Bai.
But when Li Jilan followed Xue Bai enthusiastically, she hesitated again.
…
"It's been half a year since I heard Xue Lang compose a poem." Li Jilan was very happy today. "I wrote so many poems and sent them to Xue Lang. Can I change them to another one?"
Her riding skills were the worst of all, but when she got excited, she raised her hand and made a "one" sign with her slender fingers, humbly emphasizing even just one song.
Xue Bai quickly stretched out his hand to help her.
"You ride well."
"Then Xue Lang agreed."
"All right."
"Very good……"
Yang Qixuan was not far away on the other side of Xue Bai. He turned to look at Li Jilan's smiling face, which was inexplicably disgusting.
He actually didn't think much about it, but he just felt that a woman who clearly admired him could get so close to Xue Bai? Did he want to get closer to this side?
Entering Shouyang Mountain, the scenery ahead becomes better and better. After walking through the mountain road and entering the deep valley, the scenery becomes even more pleasant.
Everyone rested for a while by the stream, and Yang Qixuan couldn't help but chant: "The cold dew fades in Beifu, and the setting sun breaks through the east mountain. The loud songs are walking in the Zhenyue, and the roosting birds follow me back."
This is Song Zhiwen's poem, which he prepared before he came.
Unfortunately, when she recited it at this time, only Li Shiniang clapped her hands in agreement and said proudly: "It's such a good poem."
Yang Qixuan knew that his wife did not understand poetry at all and had no sense of accomplishment in his heart. He looked sideways at Li Jilan, but saw that she seemed not to have heard, pointing to the temple in the distance and asking Xue Bai where it was.
~~
Nowadays, the stewards and servants of Lu Hun Villa have been bribed by Xue Bai, or have been replaced by his people. He has actually taken Lu Hun Villa into his hands. Although these children of the Song family have just returned, many of them have already
Noticed something strange.
Xue Bai was coming today, so they took the time to discuss the matter in detail.
"The manager of the mansion has been changed, the tenant households have been changed to registered households, and what he has said to us has been violated in disguise... All of this shows that Xue Bai, the new county captain, must be plotting against our family's fortune."
Those who served as officials outside were obviously more experienced than Song Mian and others.
Among them, Song Ruosi had the highest official position and high seniority, so everyone chose him as the leader.
"Uncle Qi, your official position is not lower than that of Xue Bai, and you are also the master of this place. It is up to you to ask questions about many things and seek justice for Aweng."
Song Ruosi had a frown on her face and said, "But now I know that my family actually minted copper coins privately. This is a serious crime..."
"Which high-ranking family doesn't mint copper coins privately? Uncle Qi will be afraid if this is the case. How will he be the head of the family in the future?!"
In response to the public's expectation, Song Ruosi was taken up and she had no choice but to make up her mind to seek justice from Xue Bai.
When he learned that Xue Bai had arrived at Luhun Villa, he led his brothers and nephews to greet him... From a distance, a figure caught his eye.
He had a thought in his mind, suppressed his emotions, and bowed to Xue Bai. He had a high official position, so his tone was calm.
"Xue County Lieutenant is here."
"The Song Dynasty censor mourns and obeys the changes."
"I'm not filial." Song Ruosi said, "When I came back from Chang'an, my grandpa had already been buried. I didn't even see him for the last time. My grandpa values etiquette. I wonder what the scene will be like when he is buried?"
This is the beating that officials from the capital gave Xue Bai, a small local official.
"I didn't come, but I heard that there was only a thin coffin that was found temporarily." Xue Bai said.
Song Ruosi was stunned, as if she thought she heard wrongly.
He has been around polite people since childhood, and has never faced such unscrupulous provocation... Hearing that Xue Bai is still the top scholar, he is even more arrogant than the generals of Bian Town.
"How could you... Lieutenant Xue County be so rude to the deceased?"
"Don't you know why I'm like Song Yushi?" Xue Bai said, "The case has not been further investigated. It is a great courtesy for me to call you Song Yushi."
The dislocation of official positions was broken only at this time. Xue Bai was far more than a county captain, but the sworn brother of a noble concubine and the leader of the Yang Party. Of course, having a local title was not enough, he also had to have the strength of a local snake... He had it.
As for Song Ruosi, a filial censor who grew up under the protection of his family, he was more like an outsider who had just arrived.
"Xue County Lieutenant please invite me."
In the end, Song Ruosi didn't say anything and turned to talk to Yang Qixuan.
Yang Qixuan was inexplicably angry with Xue Bai today. He was happy to see anyone who was unhappy with Xue Bai, and soon became close to Song Ruosi.
These two people felt that they had high official positions and high status, so they rushed to the front and deliberately suppressed Xue Bai's momentum.
When Song Ruosi learned that Li Tengkong was the daughter of the right prime minister, she admired her even more and talked to her repeatedly.
"Eleventh Mother, Teng Kongzi, you ladies will come first. I am also good at practicing Taoism, and I hope I can discuss Taoism with Tengkongzi..."
Seeing this situation, Xue Bai didn't know what to say.
It's not that he's angry, but that he didn't expect these people to be so blind and stupid beyond his expectation. It's funny and boring at the same time.
The next moment, Li Jilan pulled his sleeve.
He turned around to look, and because he was so close to her peach-like face, he inexplicably recalled the nosebleed at that time.
"Xue Lang, the master here does not treat you well, please don't be angry."
"I'm not angry, and the host here's hospitality... isn't very good either."
Having said this, Xue Bai looked at Li Jilan's concerned eyes and said, "Let me give you a poem."
"Now?"
"Since it's given to you, there's no need to show off in front of others."
"OK."
"..."
Over there, Li Tengkong was so impatient listening to Song Ruosi's chatter that he finally got away from them when Li Shiniang stopped holding her arm.
She deliberately lagged a few steps behind, turned around and saw Xue Bai and Li Jilan talking very intimately. Xue Bai also smiled, a rare relaxed attitude, and she felt inexplicably left behind.
But she could only wait there alone, waiting for them to slowly walk over... Then, she also heard a poem written by Xue Bai to Li Jilan, a very good little poem.
"The beauty of April in the human world is gone, and the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are beginning to bloom."
…
Xue Bai was meditating on the poem when he suddenly thought about it. He turned around and saw Li Tengkong's somewhat disappointed expression. He stopped unconsciously and felt something.
He feels that he is mature, always thinking about making achievements, and knowing the historical context, but he always feels that he is not being treated as one.
But this morning, when I saw Li Jilan and Li Tengkong in this late spring, I felt like I was young again because of their simplicity and kindness.
"I always regret that I can't find a place to return to in spring, and I don't know where to turn."
Xue Bai gave this poem to Li Jilan, and also wanted to give it to Li Tengkong...
That’s it for today. It’s 6673 words. Let’s talk about it. I’ve been studying at Lu Xun Institute of Literature recently and I’ve really tried my best. Please give me your monthly vote~~