On the slightly muddy road outside the city, a group of officers and soldiers were surrounding a carriage and driving forward.
The path was not very smooth, and the carriage, which was used to traveling on bluestone roads, was bumpy at this time.
In the carriage, a middle-aged man who was dressed as a Yun Kingdom official and looked to be of high rank was clinging to the wall of the carriage, his face was pale, and he looked like he was about to be vomited.
The local magistrate who was sitting in the carriage looked at the middle-aged man nervously and asked cautiously:
"Master Supervisor, why don't you stop and take a rest first?"
The middle-aged man did not speak immediately, but after holding on for a while, he finally lost his patience and said:
"Okay, okay, stop for a moment!"
When the county magistrate heard this, he quickly stuck his head out and shouted:
"Stop, stop quickly! Seeing that I am having a hard time traveling, the supervisor allows us to rest for a while and then continue on our way again later!"
The motorcade slowly stopped and everyone stopped to rest.
Several officers gathered together and watched with cold eyes as their county magistrate hurriedly sent someone to bring water and handed it to the middle-aged man in a flattering manner. The flattery on their faces almost overflowed. They all rolled their eyes and started talking in a low voice:
"You said, this Changpingcang Supervisor from the capital just announced the new decree from the court and asked us brothers to run errands. Why do we have to go to the villages in the county in person?"
"That's right, isn't this a waste of time? It's been three days since I came here, and I've only visited seven or eight villages and towns. Looking at this situation, it's estimated that it will still take ten days and a half. Our county government will do nothing and just accompany him to mess around.
Turn around."
"Hey, this is what will make the new official take office! Let him do his job first, maybe he won't be willing to come tomorrow..."
Beside the carriage, Zhang Lei took a sip of water, exhaled a few stale breaths, and regained some color on his face.
The county magistrate was waiting respectfully and said to please:
"Master Supervisor, have you ever felt more comfortable?"
Zhang Lei nodded and said:
"Much better, I made the county magistrate laugh!"
"Hey, my lord, what are you talking about... Sir, please don't blame me for being too talkative. Can't I just let my subordinates do the work for promoting government orders? My lord, sitting in charge of the county government is more efficient, and you don't have to suffer such hard work."
!" the county magistrate asked.
When Zhang Lei heard this, his face visibly froze, and a trace of emotion flashed in his eyes.
But when he glanced at the slightly desolate and dilapidated muddy roads around him, the slightest movement in his heart instantly dissipated.
Zhang Lei shook his head firmly and said:
"Since I have been appointed as the supervisor of Changpingcang by His Majesty's orders, I need to fulfill my responsibilities! Magistrate Li, there is no need to say such words in the future!"
Zhang Lei doesn't want to stay in this miserable place any longer!
At this time, Zhang Lei was extremely fortunate that His Majesty had to defy all opinions and implement the system of passing the examination. Officials' merits could be verified and officials promoted.
This is the last life-saving straw for an official like him who is out of Beijing on business. So whenever he feels slack, his eagerness to return to Beijing will force him to do his best to do his business.
In fact, not only Zhang Lei, but also most of the people who were sent to various places to serve as Changping officials, although they were dissatisfied with being "sent out of the capital" at this time, they returned to the capital in order to keep their official positions.
No one dares to slack off.
When the county magistrate heard this, his smile froze, then changed again, and said with admiration:
"Your Majesty's loyalty to the country really makes your subordinates feel ashamed!"
Zhang Lei stood beside the carriage, took a deep breath and said:
"Magistrate Li, let's go!"
"yes!"
The convoy set off again, slowly heading towards the villages and towns ahead.
In the villages and towns, there were officers who had come to notify them in advance and gathered the people in the villages and towns.
But in this village and town, it is a little different from the previous ones.
The people present were not led by the clan elders, but were surrounded by a few young people wearing coarse cloth clothes, with slightly dark skin color and some dirt on their bodies. They looked like ordinary farm men.
The officer who came to report was also not surprised. He waved to the young people and said with a smile:
"Da Lang of the Xu family, your opportunity has come!"
The young man at the head has a somewhat honest face, bronze complexion, rough hands, and clothes stained with mud. He looks no different from ordinary farm youths.
After hearing what the officer said, several young people looked at each other and asked:
"Mr. Qian, what do you mean?"
The officer named Qian heard this and said with a smile:
"Now His Majesty attaches great importance to farming and mulberry farming, promulgated the Water Conservancy and Farmland Law, and encourages the people to submit good farming methods. If they are effective, the court will come forward to reward them!"
The officer paused and then said:
"Since you came, the people from all over the ten miles and eight villages have followed you Xu Heng in farming. Even the old farmers who have been working hard in the fields for decades are not as good as you. If you are in front of the high officials from the capital this time,
Show your face, and the reward will come. No wonder, you can be valued by nobles and become a real official!"
When the young man named Xu Heng heard this, his eyes moved slightly.
"Okay, the high officials from the capital will be arriving soon. If you are serious, you should make preparations in advance!" The officer ordered again, then turned and left.
When several young people saw the guards leaving, they quickly looked at Xu Heng, with some surprise on their faces, and said:
"Brother, the Water Conservancy and Farmland Law encourages the people to contribute good farming methods. This kind of good governance that attaches great importance to farming and mulberry trees clearly shows how much His Majesty attaches importance to farming today!"
"In that case, isn't this the time for my farm family to show off its talents?"
"Brother, don't miss this opportunity!"
The leader of the peasant disciple named Xu Heng could not help but reveal a smile on his face, nodded and said:
"In the Xia Kingdom, my farm family was suppressed by Confucianism, Legalism, and Mohism. We were ordered by our masters to come to the Yun Kingdom. We originally planned to take root in the mountains and villages and find another way. I never thought that this new majesty would be like this.
Pay attention to farming and mulberry, and directly implement such national policies. From this point of view, this is the king that my farm family looks forward to serving..."
Having said this, Xu Heng looked excited and said loudly:
"Because of my peasant family's ideas, the elite disciples in the sect have dispersed their power all over the world. It is difficult for the sect to respond quickly to the great changes in the government and the opposition in Yun Kingdom during this period. At this time, the other hundreds of disciples have probably sent people to come
I want to seize the Yun Kingdom in order to gain the upper hand over the Yun Kingdom’s court. We can’t wait for the master’s reply before taking action, otherwise it will be too late!”
Many of the farmers' disciples, after becoming apprentices, would imitate the farmers' sages, wear commoners and straw sandals, and travel around the world, hoping to find a piece of land and a house through self-reliance, and then settle down and engage in farming.
This method, like sowing dandelions, is actually to take root at the grassroots level, promote farmers’ ideas, and increase their influence.
However, this would naturally cause the farm disciples to be scattered all over the world, making it difficult to concentrate their strength.
Among the hundreds of families, at this time, they had received the news that the Yun Kingdom was undergoing great changes, and Xiao Chengzun worshiped the sages of various families. They all heard the news and sent disciples and disciples to come.
But it is estimated that only the farmers have not taken any action at this time. If not others, the power is too scattered and it is difficult to react immediately.
When the disciples heard this, they immediately bowed their hands and said:
"Please give me your instructions, senior brother!"
Xu Heng nodded and solemnly said:
"We are in the Yun Kingdom and know the affairs of the Yun Kingdom best. We must take action to prevent the other hundreds of families from taking the lead!"
He looked around at all the junior brothers and said loudly:
"I will go to Jixia Academy to promote my farming theory and promote my farming family's reputation! In addition, I also asked Junior Brother Zheng to lead a group of junior brothers to show off my farming skills in front of the officials from the capital. With the help of this water conservancy
Farmland law, enter the court!"
Next to Xu Heng, a peasant disciple immediately stepped out of the queue, cupping his fists and saying:
"I will obey my senior brother's orders!"
Hearing this, he turned to look at another junior brother and said:
"Junior Brother Zhou, hurry back to your master's school and tell the master about the changes in the Yun Kingdom and the reasons why we are good at making decisions!"
The farmer's disciple named Zhou stepped forward and clasped his fists, saying:
"Senior brother, please rest assured!"
Xu Heng nodded and solemnly said:
"Everyone, whether the farm family can prosper and whether all the brothers and sisters can show what they have learned in the Yun Kingdom depends on us!"
When the farm disciples present heard this, they suddenly realized how important the tasks on their shoulders were. Their moods were extremely exciting, their faces were full of excitement and fighting spirit, and they all apologized and shouted:
"You will definitely live up to our teacher's high expectations!"
--------------------------
"Taoist priests, please wait for a moment. I will go and report to your majesty right away!" In the Yangxin Hall, a group of Taoist priests stopped by a eunuch said.
The Taoist priests naturally had no objection at all. They nodded to the young eunuch and waited quietly outside the hall.
Among the crowd, the delicate Taoist boy kept looking at the majestic palaces around him, with a look of shock on his face, and said:
"My dear, is this the palace? It's even more majestic than the Taoist temple in Longhu Mountain!"
Taoism emphasizes pursuing the nature of heaven and earth. Although the residence is not to the point where "the sky is the quilt and the earth is the bed", it is still quite simple.
The little Taoist boy has grown up in Taoism, and the Taoist temples and temples on Longhu Mountain that he saw before are already the most exaggerated houses he has ever seen. He never thought that there is anything more majestic than Longhu Mountain in this world.
residence.
"Master Dao, can the emperor live in such a big place?" Tao Tong couldn't help but ask.
"Ahem!"
The Taoist boy's muttering was obviously not too quiet. The leading Taoist priest with lowered eyes coughed twice, which was a reminder.
Most Taoist boys have the nature of children, and they are not stupid or ignorant of importance. At this moment, when someone reminded them, they immediately realized where this place was. They immediately paused and pursed their lips in confusion.
The young Taoist looked at his junior brother who looked like he was in trouble. He couldn't help but chuckle, rubbed his head, moved his lips slightly, and under the influence of internal force, his voice condensed into thin lines and sounded in the Taoist's ears, saying:
"It doesn't matter, the Emperor of Yun Kingdom will definitely not care about this matter!"
Hearing this, Taoist Qing Leng glanced at the Taoist boy, his expression extremely dull, and he also said in a voice:
"Although I'm a little rude, it's just an honest mistake. Don't worry about it!"
Not to mention anything else, just for the sake of Taoism, the current Emperor of Yun Kingdom would not care about this child's flattery.
When the Taoist boy heard this, the faint worry on his face disappeared slightly, and he turned a little embarrassed, and whispered:
"Senior brother, isn't my performance embarrassing?"
Hearing this, the young Taoist laughed and said:
"Taoism flourished in the Xia Kingdom and was highly respected by the powerful. Some of these Taoist priests even entered the Xia Kingdom's palace to preach scriptures and pray for the Xia Emperor. It's hard to believe that when they first entered the palace, they were even more rude than their junior brothers.
Woolen cloth!"
Hearing this, the Taoist boy blinked slightly, nodded, leaned over and whispered:
"Forget it, Senior Brother, he has always been unmoved by external things. But Second Senior Brother looks calm now, without any surprises. Did he come out to see the world behind my back before?"
When the young Taoist heard this, he showed an incomprehensible expression, scratched his head and said:
"Well, I think I have seen the world. But speaking of it, that is something that has not been done yet, so I don't want to mention it..."
At this time, a little eunuch trotted over, bowed slightly to the Taoist priests, and said:
"Fellow Taoist priests, Your Majesty invites you!"
The door of Yangxin Hall slowly opened, and all the Taoist priests followed the leading eunuch and entered.
The Taoist people often had good relations with Xia Kingdom's dignitaries in the Xia Kingdom, so they were quite familiar with the etiquette. Entering the palace, they greeted Xiao Cheng on the dragon chair quite familiarly and fluently.
Xiao Cheng looked at the people wearing Taoist robes in the hall, and his eyes suddenly focused on the three Taoists in the middle.
The three Taoists have an extraordinary aura, far surpassing that of all the Taoist priests around them. Especially the cold Taoist leader, who is ethereal and comes out of the dust, giving people a feeling of being integrated with the surrounding world.
At first glance, it seems to be extremely harmonious, but after careful consideration, I feel that such a temperament is extremely inconsistent and particularly conspicuous among the crowd.
In addition, when all the Taoist priests faced Xiao Cheng, they all knelt down and saluted, and when the three Taoist priests only bowed slightly, people could notice them at a glance.
Feng Bao knew the identities of these three people, so he didn't get angry immediately when he saw this. Instead, he glanced at Xiao Cheng subconsciously.
Xiao Cheng waved his hand slightly, and then said loudly:
"No gifts!"
The three Taoists stood up straight, then raised their heads slightly and took a look at Xiao Cheng, who was sitting on the dragon chair.
Wearing a sapphire blue dragon robe and a jade crown, the young emperor looked at the three of them with great interest.
Xiao Cheng glanced at the three people who were looking at him with a half-smile, and then said:
"Taoism is extremely prosperous in the Central Plains. I have heard about it for a long time. Our country of Yun worships Buddhism and there are few Taoists, so I don't know much about Taoism. Today, by chance, I can invite you to come and come to help me.
Let’s talk about the scriptures and doctrines of this Taoism!”
Xiao Cheng paused, then chuckled and said:
"If Taoism is like Buddhism, a sect that encourages people to do good, I will personally promise to allow Taoism to preach in our country of Yun!"
When the leading Taoist priest heard this, he immediately bent down and bowed, and said very cooperatively:
"My Taoism also emphasizes practicing good deeds. If I can educate the people and stabilize order for Your Majesty, it will also be an opportunity for my Taoism!"
In fact, both parties knew full well that this was just a formality.
Xiao Cheng needs Taoism to check and balance Buddhism in the future. Taoism also wants to spread its faith into the Yun Kingdom. The two sides hit it off immediately.