Chapter 381: The Special Three Counties of Osan County
The dinner lasted for an hour.
After Li Changan and the twelve governors clasped their fists and saluted, they prepared to return to Honghuyuan first.
There are many things that are inconvenient to say in front of so many people.
At the banquet, they only talked briefly.
For more than half a year, although the thirteen envoys did not meet often, they basically used the Thousand Miles Transmission Symbol to hold discussions for several hours every two days to discuss important matters.
This meeting was not so much a discussion as it was a sit down and have a glass of wine to bond over.
On the way back, there was a noise in front of me.
"Sir, please let me go in and ask to see the prefect."
"We in Wushan County have really encountered a big problem. I hope you will be accommodating."
"The prefect has a distinguished guest today, so the county magistrate should invite him back first and come back tomorrow."
"If you are allowed in, it will be difficult for us to do business..."
Li Changan couldn't help but stop when he heard the word Wushan County.
"What's going on there? Boping, go and have a look."
Ran Boping nodded in agreement, and then walked quickly away.
After a while, he came back and reported, "Sir, it's the governor of Wushan County who came to see the prefect, saying that the water level of Yanshui River is rising again, and they are about to be unable to hold on."
Li Changan frowned slightly, "Let's go and see the situation."
It was Liang Tongpan who was guarding the path.
When Liang Tongpan saw Li Changan, he immediately clasped his fists and saluted.
Li Changan nodded in return, then turned his gaze to the Wushan County Sheriff and asked,
"I wonder what the governor has to do? You might as well tell me."
The Sheriff of Wushan County was stunned for a moment and looked at Liang Tongpan with some hesitation.
If you tell this young man, will it work?
He begged many people, all the way to the magistrate, but nothing could be done.
Is this young man in front of me okay?
When Liang Tongpan saw the governor's appearance, he quickly reminded him, "Why don't you salute quickly? You really can't see the mountain."
"This lord is a loyal and brave man, a true god!"
"If this lord nods, your matter in Wushan County may be hopefully solved."
When the governor of Wushan County heard this, he was immediately frightened. Uncle Zhongyong Li Changan!?
He quickly bowed to Li Changan and Li Changan,
"Fan Zhenquan, the governor of Wushan County, is here to pay homage to Uncle Zhongyong."
"Master Fan, there is no need to be polite, why don't you just come with me." Li Changan stretched out his hand to guide him.
Fan Zhenquan saluted again, and then followed Li Changan cautiously.
All the principals and clerks of the Zhenfu Department also followed behind.
This made Fan Zhenquan feel like a light on his back, and he was even more nervous.
"Master Fan, don't be nervous." Li Changan comforted him softly.
Fan Zhenquan nodded hastily, "Yes, Mr. Li... Mr. Li..."
"Let's talk about the situation in Wushan County." Li Changan walked forward slowly, "I'm also curious as to why among the six Wanchuan counties, only Wushan County is so special..."
Fan Zhenquan bowed slightly and said, "Wushan County only has three counties under its jurisdiction. It is only because of these three counties that it is special."
"The land of these three counties is where the Yan River flows into Wan."
"The terrain is steep, and I would like to ask Mr. Li to help Wushan County solve the flood problem."
Li Changan raised his eyebrows slightly and said in surprise, "So, don't you tell me about the situation in Wushan County?"
Fan Zhen looked embarrassed, and in the end he could only say vaguely, "Sir, it's not that I don't want to say it, it's just the situation in Wushan County that I don't dare to say..."
Li Changan paused and said, "Don't you dare say it? In that case, Master Fan, please come back."
Fan Zhen's face suddenly changed, and he hurriedly explained, "It's not that I didn't tell you, but the three counties under the jurisdiction of Wushan County are too special."
"If I tell you, my life may be in danger."
"In the final analysis, the official is just a temporary official in Wushan County. He will leave in two years."
"I really can't bear to see the people in the three counties suffer from floods again, so I came to ask the prefect for help."
"Floating official position? I have been promoted to official positions... aren't they all floating official positions?" Li Changan keenly caught two of the words.
Fan Zhenquan immediately shut his mouth, and then said softly, "This is all I have to say. I would also like to ask you to help Wushan County to control the flood for the sake of the people of the three counties."
Li Changan had a thoughtful look in his eyes and asked Ran Boping to send Fan Zhenquan away.
"Let's go and talk about it when we get back."
Back at Honghuyuan, all the chief ministers and ministers straightened their backs and stood in the yard.
Li Changan glanced at the twenty-six people present.
"I have three questions now."
"First, why did the magistrate of Wushan County say that he was a exiled official? Could it be that in addition to being exiled officials, there are also local officials in our Great Jin Dynasty?"
"Second, why did he ask the prefect to help instead of directly asking the prefect to solve the flood problem?"
"Giving a helping hand is not like what a lower official says to a superior official, but more like...asking a friend to help?"
"I think I understood it correctly?"
"Third, what is so special about Wushan County?"
"That place is obviously the source of the flood, but interestingly, this place is not mentioned in the Ministry of Industry files."
"That is to say, of all the fortifications to build roads and canals, there is not a single one in Wushan County."
The courtyard was quiet.
Everyone looked at each other, but just shook their heads and said nothing.
Li Changan frowned, "Feng Buyi, you tell me."
Feng Buyi's body shook violently, he hesitated for a long time, and whispered, "Sir Senator, the situation in Wushan County is quite special."
"Special?" Li Changan's eyes suddenly condensed, staring closely at Feng Buyi, "This can't be explained clearly by just four words."
Feng Buyi looked at the others and gritted his teeth, "Sir, you have never experienced officialdom."
"Among the official positions in so many counties in the Jin Dynasty, except for the governor of Wushan County, there are no other official positions in Wushan County."
"The last place that all officials and scribes want to go is Wushan County."
Li Changan really became interested, grabbed a chair and sat down, "Tell me, why are there no official positions in Wushan County?"
"Is Wushan County not our territory of the Jin Dynasty?"
Feng Buyi looked confused, but under Li Changan's gaze that looked like he was smiling, but actually looked stern, he finally tried to lower his voice and said, "Yes and no."
"When Wushan County was first established, it was established separately for those three counties."
"Xilin County, Qutang County, Wuling County."
"There is neither Wenchang Monument nor Wude Monument in these three counties. They are not within the teachings of the saints."
"That's why Wushan County was established, but that's all."
"Strictly speaking, the three counties of Wushan County seem to be under the rule of the Jin Dynasty, but in fact they are not under the jurisdiction of the imperial court."
Li Changan took a deep breath and tapped the surface of his leg with his index finger, "So, it's more like a country within a country?"
Zeng Shicai on the side nodded and said, "Yes. The three counties of Wushan County are a country within a country."
Li Changan chuckled and said, "I remember that in the entire Jin Dynasty, I was the only one who received a real seal, but I have never heard of these three counties."
Zeng Shicai looked around and said softly, "This matter has always been taboo in the imperial court, so naturally no one dares to say it."
"These three counties were sealed off at the beginning of the Jin Dynasty."
"At that time, Emperor Taizu founded the Jin Kingdom and granted three vassal kings. It was said that it was enfeoffment, but in fact it was..."
Zeng Shicai didn't say the last words, but anyone could hear his tone.
Li Changan nodded understandingly. There were too many examples like this in history. Most of the vassal kings who were enfeoffed seemed to have become local emperors, but in fact they were equivalent to changing prisons.
Zeng Shicai continued,
"Then because of the insufficient number of Wenchang steles, the Wenchang steles and Wude steles were simply not erected, completely excluding them from the saint's education."
"This situation has continued to this day for eight hundred years."
"These three families gradually evolved into three counties, and since they were not allowed to use the surname of the royal family, they took the title of the original vassal king as their surname."
"One family's surname is Zhao, one family's surname is Zhou, and one family's surname is Wei."
"The three families are in charge of their own affairs. On weekdays, they collect taxes by themselves and the people manage by themselves."
"Although the position of county governor is set up, it is actually just a pretense. It belongs to the Jin Dynasty in name, but in fact it is not considered the territory of the Jin Dynasty at all."
Zeng Shicai paused, then persuaded,
"Sir, the water in Wushan County is very deep and the problem is huge. Even the Southern Patrol Division cannot control it."
"We really don't need to go through this muddy water."