Before Qiao Xuan had time to answer, Mrs. Wei had already stepped forward, bowed deeply to Liu Xin and said, "Sir, we are here to visit relatives!"
Liu Xin said in surprise: "Oh, you still have relatives in Xiangyang. I never heard you talk about it when Liu was in Lujiang last time!"
Mrs. Wei chuckled and said: "Master Liu is such a noble man who forgets things so much. Our relative is you!"
Liu Xin frowned and said, "I am your relative!"
Mrs. Wei nodded very firmly and said: "Mr. Liu, don't you remember, your wife recognized my daughter as her adopted daughter!"
Liu Xin suddenly realized: "That's right, that's right, Mr. Qiao. According to this, our two families are really relatives. Chan'er, look who's here!"
Qiao Xuan's family came all the way from Lujiang, and there were three carriages in total. In addition to the one they took, there was also one probably for the servants. The outing of Liu Xin's family was much larger, with one carriage alone. The lady has a specially made and exquisite carriage, that is a total of seven carriages, plus the maids and various utensils used, it is a huge fleet.
The carriages Liu Xin's wives rode were all specially designed. Sitting in the carriage, one could clearly see the scenery outside. Therefore, Diao Chan saw Qiao Xuan and his wife waiting outside the house in the carriage. It was just in the way. In terms of etiquette, she really didn't dare to show up in front of others without Liu Xin's call. When she heard Liu Xin calling her, Diao Chan immediately jumped out of the carriage. She had been dancing since she was a child and her body was flexible, so she could do these movements effortlessly. .
Diao Chan came closer, took Mrs. Qiao's hand, and said, "It turns out that my mother-in-law is here, and those two little girls have not been seen for almost a year. I still miss them!"
Mrs. Qiao turned around and shouted: "Beautiful, Wan'er, why don't you come and see your godmother soon!"
The two pretty little girls got off the carriage and said long blessings to Diao Chan. Diao Chan held one in each hand, looked left and right, and praised repeatedly: "I didn't expect that we haven't seen each other for a year. You two little guys are better than before." Even more beautiful!”
Qiao Xuan couldn't get a word in at the side and couldn't help coughing twice.
"Since we are relatives, don't stand outside the door and talk. Let's go into the house together." Liu Xin knew that Qiao Xuan had a weird temper. It was absolutely impossible for him to come here to visit relatives, so he couldn't help laughing. He let the family into the house and suddenly said, "Executive member Qiao, you are not just here to visit relatives today, are you? Do you also want to fulfill your responsibilities?"
At this time, Liu Xin had already remembered that Qiao Xuan was not only a wealthy gentry in Lujiang, but also a civilian supervisor appointed by him personally, responsible for supervising officials at all levels.
Qiao Xuan perked up and was about to speak when he saw Mrs. Qiao winking at him and saying first, "Mr. Liu is joking, we are really here to visit relatives!"
Liu Xin had already seen what was wrong with this, and couldn't help but laugh: "It turns out that you are really here to visit relatives. In that case, Chan'er, you take Mrs. Qiao and the children to play in the back, and I will chat with Mr. Qiao outside!"
The female family members have their own female family members to entertain them. This is the rule for visiting relatives. Qiao Xuan is not only upright, but also rigid in his behavior. Naturally, these rules must be followed. Mrs. Qiao could not stay in the living room and had to get up and follow Diao Chan. He left behind, and before leaving, he kept winking at Qiao Xuan.
Qiao Xuan turned a blind eye to his wife's little actions. When he and Liu Xin were the only two people left in the living room, his expression suddenly changed and he said, "Mr. Liu, when you hired Qiao as a civil supervisor last year, you said, Qiao has the right to supervise officials at all levels, but I don’t know if this still counts!”
"Of course it counts, how can it not count? Come and watch the tea." Liu Xin laughed, pointed at the tea bowl that the little maid had just brought, and said, "Come, sit down and drink and chat, this is this year's new tea! "
Tea has now become popular among the upper class. When they were in Lujiang last year, Liu Xin once gave Qiao Xuan half a catty of good tea. After drinking it once, Qiao Xuan became addicted, but he could no longer buy it on the market. When it comes to such good tea, even ordinary tea is in short supply. This year's new tea is even more expensive and has nowhere to buy it. Qiao Xuan hasn't smelled the fragrance of tea for half a year.
Picking up the tea bowl, Qiao Xuan took a deep breath and praised: "It's really good tea, but it's a pity that Qiao is just a commoner and can't enjoy it!"
Liu Xin heard something in his words and couldn't help but said seriously: "Last year's tea production was limited and it was naturally difficult for ordinary people to buy it. However, many new tea farms have been opened in Jiangnan. This year's tea production will triple from last year's. , people with better conditions can drink tea. Of course, as a commodity, tea is not liked by everyone, nor can anyone afford it. Take Xiangyang, for example, where Liu operates For many years, there are still many families who cannot eat meat even a few times a year. Chinese people have always worried not about scarcity but about inequality. Liu thinks this is a big mistake!"
Qiao Xuan pointed to the green and clear tea in the bowl and said, "But such top-quality tea is impossible to buy even if you have money!"
These tea leaves were collected from a few wild tea trees in the Kuaiji Mountains before the Qingming Festival. The annual output does not exceed two kilograms. These wild tea trees are now the focus of protection. There is a team of soldiers guarding them day and night, and all the new tea picked are given away. When going to Xiangyang, outsiders naturally have money and no place to buy it. The tea Liu Xin usually drinks is just Mingqian tea produced in ordinary tea farms. These teas are only brought out when entertaining distinguished guests. If Diao Chan doesn't recognize them, As Er Qiao is his goddaughter, Qiao Xuan probably won't be able to drink such good tea in his life.
Of course, Liu Xin couldn't explain the reason in detail to Qiao Xuan, so she couldn't help but laughed and said: "Exceptor Qiao, let's put aside the tea issue for the time being. Let's talk about the issues you want to report. Is there something wrong with the Lujiang Prefect?"
Qiao Xuan said in a deep voice: "The prefect of Lujiang follows the rules. What Qiao wants to say is your problem, Mr. Liu. Don't talk about anything else. Just talk about tea. You have monopolized the best tea in the entire Han Dynasty. This is considered Not a problem!”
She kindly took out the best tea to entertain Qiao Xuan, but she didn't expect to cause trouble. Liu Xin couldn't help but smile bitterly and said: "Qiao Yuanwai wrongly blamed Liu. The tea Liu drinks daily is no different from what is sold on the market, and Liu bought it with his own money. Such good tea is only used for important official receptions, such as foreign envoys coming to the DPRK, and Han civilian supervisors like you. It is an important part of the purge of officialdom, so I am lucky enough to taste it. I'm here to wait for good tea, but speaking of it, Liu is still taking advantage of you!"
Qiao Xuan listened to what Liu Xin said so plausibly, but he couldn't find any reason to refute it for a while. He could only cough dryly and said: "Yes, Qiao came here this time to perform his duties. The person Qiao Xuan wants to talk about is Mr. Liu." you!"
Qiao Xuan mentioned the issue of tea just now. Liu Xin thought he was just using the tea to test whether he really allowed his civilian supervisor to speak freely. Unexpectedly, he really came to find fault with her. Unconsciously, Stunned, he immediately stood up, gave a deep salute to Qiao Xuan, and said: "No one is a saint, and no one can have faults. It's just that most people in the world can't see their own faults, so they need others to point them out. Liu is also a common man, so naturally he can't Exceptionally, if there is anything you have done wrong, please let Mr. Qiao say it clearly. Liu will definitely correct it if he has it, and encourage him if he doesn’t!"
Qiao Xuan didn't expect Liu Xin to be so easy to talk to. He was stunned for a moment, and he hesitated for a long time before saying: "To be honest with you, sir, Qiao came here with the intention of dying. Your Excellency has just admitted that your family and I are Regarding the relationship between relatives, if there is anything wrong with Qiao's words that offends the lord, I hope that for the sake of relatives, you will spare your wife and two aunts, Qiao will be overwhelmed and grateful!"
Liu Xin couldn't help frowning and said sternly: "What did Mr. Qiao say? Even if there is no such relationship between you and me, Liu will not do anything detrimental to you, even if you say something wrong." , at worst, if Liu removes you as a civilian supervisor, why worry about his life? Qiao Xuan, why are you here today? If you have such thoughts, Liu will not welcome you!"
Only then did Qiao Xuan feel that he was judging a gentleman's heart with a villain's heart. He suddenly felt ashamed and said with cupped hands: "Sir, it's like this. Qiao heard rumors in Lujiang that the war between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in the north was... It was deliberately provoked, your purpose is to make them fight so that both sides will lose, so that you can reap the benefits!"
Liu Xin's face couldn't help but become solemn, and she asked in a deep voice: "Is there anything wrong with Liu doing this?"
Qiao Xuan's heart trembled, and he gritted his teeth and said, "But have you ever thought about it, sir? The war in the north is protracted and hundreds of people die every day. However, as the general manager of the four states, you are temporarily taking charge of the government, but you only care about yourself in Xiangyang." They are sensual, carefree and happy, but they have no regard for the common people in the world. I dare to ask your Majesty whether such behavior is guilty or not!"
Liu Xin did not speak, but stared at Qiao Xuan closely. The sharp look in his eyes made Qiao Xuan's heart tremble, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Suddenly, Liu Xin smiled and said: "I'm afraid this is not Qiao Yuanwai's own idea. I don't know who ordered Qiao Yuanwai. I ask Qiao Yuanwai to tell the truth!"
In fact, even if Qiao Xuan didn't say anything, Liu Xin had already guessed who it was, because these words were exactly the same as those fallacies spread by Mi Heng in Xiangyang a few days ago.
Because the influence of Dahan Express in Xiangyang is much greater than in other places, and what Liu Xin has done in Xiangyang over the years has brought considerable benefits to the local people, Liu Xin is the most loved by the people in Xiangyang. , Mi Heng's words didn't have much market in Xiangyang at all, and in the end, they were rated as "crazy" and were forced to leave Xiangyang in despair.
But Mi Heng also has some knowledge. Xiangyang is Liu Xin's "base". If it doesn't work here, he will naturally go to other places to show off his ideas.