Chapter 178 The scorching sun is covered with clouds
Chapter 178: The sun is blazing and the sky is covered with clouds
The next day, Li You continued to lead a few government servants to squat in front of his pawnshop, enjoying the bad fun of pretending to be a pig, eating a tiger and beating up the scoundrels in the market, which was considered a half-day leisure.
Of course, he didn't really care about anything. News from the government office also reached his ears. For example, yesterday, the prefect Wang went to see Shi Shenzheng and asked him to stop building the city. The two sides had heated talks, but nothing happened.
What is the result? This morning, the prefect Wang went to see Shi Shenzheng again, but the result is not yet known.
Seeing the scorching sun in the sky, it was gradually getting hotter. It was already noon, so Li Tuiguan stopped working and invited guests to have dinner. After eating a few mouthfuls, he saw his servants and the Wang Prefect's entourage coming to see him.
"Master Li, go and persuade my master!" the attendant shouted.
What are you trying to persuade? Li You asked, "How do you say this?"
"My master is now guarding the door of the Taoist Department. We are helpless. Mr. Yang said that you are the only one to come forward."
It turns out that Wang Zhifu returned without any results yesterday, and went back today, but was turned away by Shi Shenzheng. From the morning until this time, he was still guarding the Kuhou outside the Taoist Department and refused to leave. Shi Dacan also became ill.
Cruel, just don't see Wang Zhifu.
When Li You rushed to the archway outside the branch guard's office, he saw that the prefect Wang's black gauze and brocade robes were neatly dressed, with his head held high and chest raised, facing the gate of the branch guard's office. His back, shrouded in a fiery red robe, was exceptionally tall.
, the spine is exceptionally straight...
Li You couldn't help but praise in his heart. The advantage of this old man is his perseverance. If it were him, he would never have the patience to wear a full set of official uniforms and be inexplicably roasted under the scorching sun from morning until now, and it is already afternoon.
I couldn't help but think back to the past when Magistrate Wang was still Magistrate Wang last year, when Magistrate Mao forced him to go to Xujiang to ask for money, and the dignified fifth-grade civil servant condescended to go to the ninth-grade inspection house to chat and laugh. How could he bear it?
Getting closer, I could see more clearly that the back of the sixty-year-old prefect was already soaked with sweat.
Li You stood on the side and saluted: "Why do you have to do this, Your Majesty?"
The prefect Wang did not squint, he put his hands behind his hands and looked into the distance, and said lightly: "You are finally here..."
"The lower official is deeply impressed by the perseverance of the governor."
"Don't dare to be...his motherfucker!" Wang Zhifu suddenly cursed. Only two people heard the sound, but he still maintained his head held high.
Li You pretended to be deaf last night and pretended he didn't hear anything. It seemed that Old Wang was still not at peace.
The prefect Wang's face remained unchanged but he sighed and said: "It's hard to get off the tiger. This person who participates in politics is worthy of his surname Shitou. He doesn't have enough money and salt to get in, and he won't follow the rules of his official position."
Li You was surprised and couldn't help but ask: "What does the Palace Master mean..."
Magistrate Wang smiled bitterly, "I wanted to bluff him, but Shi Shenzhi refused to take soft and hard advice, so there was nothing I could do."
Li You almost jumped up. He dared to believe that the magistrate Wang's previous big fanfare and actions were just for show! It was just to create leverage to force Shi to participate in politics and make concessions. It may not be that he really wanted to overhaul the water conservancy project.
He even deceived himself! Li You remembered again, that Wang Tongzhi was not only a Tongzhi who dared to be embarrassed enough to condescend to visit the Ninth Grade inspection, but also a Tongzhi who could conceal himself enough to deceive everyone in the government office!
But listening to Old Man Wang's tone, this desperate fight seems to have kicked the iron bricks... Li You couldn't help but ask: "What did Shi Shenzheng say?"
"He actually said that the doctor of the Department of Water Resources of the Ministry of Industry in the capital was his protégé. He could write a letter and tell me that the water conservancy project could not be repaired and that a new city must be built first! This is really a trick of fate."
The Department of Water Resources of the Ministry of Industry is in charge of river and water conservancy all over the world. He may not have the ability to help you repair water conservancy, but he certainly has the ability to prohibit you from repairing water conservancy...
This is to defeat ten guilds with one force, and Li You also feels a headache about this. The current momentum has been built up, and Old Man Wang is playing hard! It can be said that he shot himself in the foot and was in a dilemma.
Just listen to Wang Zhifu's faint voice: "What's the best plan now?"
Li You was so angry that he almost yelled, "You didn't ask a few days ago, but now you know it's up to others to ask!" I was looking for ideas for a while. But now that we are on the same ship, we really can't ignore it.
Accompanying his superior, Li You also stood in the scorching sun for a moment, then suddenly pointed at the closed door of the Taoist branch and said: "Do you dare to kneel down and ask for permission, Lord!"
Magistrate Wang, who looked as confident as a stone sculpture in defeating others, finally turned his head and gave Li Tuiguan a surprised look.
Li You asked again: "Do you dare?"
The prefect Wang made a loud noise, and knelt down in front of the main gate of the Taoist Office. His staff and entourage not far away were all shocked and asked Li Tuiguan to persuade people. How could he persuade them like this?
You really dare to do it... You are worthy of being the persevering little strong king who dares to sacrifice his face at critical moments.
Immediately frightened, the gatekeepers of the Taoist Department were in a panic. Who dared to suffer such a blow from their parents? Another person quickly ran towards the office, obviously going to report to the Wang Magistrate.
After a while, Li You whispered: "I'm about to faint. It's time for the people inside to come out."
The prefect Wang tilted his head and collapsed after obeying the advice. Li You stretched out his hand to support him and shouted: "Come here! The prefect has fainted!"
The Wang Zhifu's entourage and sedan bearers hurriedly carried the Wang Zhifu into the sedan chair. Li You ordered: "Go back to the government office quickly! Send someone to call for the doctor!"
Later, Li You also violated the etiquette and entered the sedan chair to conspire with the Wang Prefect. Anyway, the prefecture's standard sedan chair was spacious, so it would not be a problem to seat two people.
"You don't have to sit up, just open your mouth and speak." Inside, Li You supported Magistrate Wang and said considerately. However, Magistrate Wang closed his eyes and showed no reaction, apparently because he was afraid that outsiders would see something because of the large gap in the sedan chair.
.
Pretending to be so... Li You, who is also an actor, was very stressed. He pushed Fu Zun several times, but he still didn't move.
Damn, he actually fainted...Li Guan got out of the sedan again. Unless he had something to say, he had no interest in squeezing into the sedan with the man.
At this time, Master Gao, who was guarding the Taoist Office, hurriedly came out of the office, but he was completely empty. The crowd had already dispersed outside the gate.
Senior Master Gao shook his head helplessly and went back to admonish Shi Shenzheng: "Why should the proprietor insist on going his own way? If word spreads, he will have a bad reputation."
Shi Shenzheng said seductively: "What does it mean to go your own way? The city of Suzhou has been in disrepair for a long time, and the tax money outside the city has been seriously lost. Isn't this damaging to the national money? Building a new city wall and sorting out the alleys is beneficial to the country. What's wrong? Water projects are in vain and people's money is wasted.
But we haven’t seen its use in a short period of time, so we can first collect enough money to use it, and then discuss the river affairs in the year after tomorrow. Not to mention the treacherous master, how can we ignore the hands of those above and below him!"
Master Gao said nothing more and walked out of the security room. He looked up at the sun. It was clear that the sun was shining brightly, but he still felt that there were lingering clouds.
The small turmoil in front of the gate of the Taoist priest seemed to have passed with a ripple, and the prefect Wang also imitated Li Tuiguan and claimed that he could not recover from his illness.
Immediately, Shi Shenzheng also exercised his power. Since the two colluded with each other, he did not need to be polite. He ordered Shen Tongzhi to act as the prefect, and also sent the experience department of the branch of the Dao Defender Department to the government office to act as a recommendation officer, openly trying to steal the job.
Seize power.
The atmosphere in the government office became strange. In response, Li You just sent the chief to follow Zhang San, moved a chair, and sat outside the courtyard of Tongzhi Hall drinking tea all day. Suddenly, all the scribes did not dare to come here. I came here to do something, lest I be seen and misunderstood that I was trying to curry favor with Shen Tongzhi. Shen Tongzhi stayed out of the hall the whole day after he took office, and he didn't seem to have much prestige. He was not as powerful as Li Tuiguan.
The magistrate was vacant, and the magistrate acted as the official seal of the main hall, but no one came to him to consult and use the seal. How could the government still carry out its normal official duties? It looked like it was paralyzing.
Even if Shen Tongzhi, who was holding the magistrate's seal, was impatient, he would not have the nerve to go to each room and provide door-to-door service, otherwise it would really become an official scandal.
As for the official office, no one dares to go there. Who knows whether Li will suddenly recover from his illness and come back to settle accounts in the fall. The eleven officials who have been sent away without mercy at the beginning of the year are probably already on the ground. I guess they don't mind a few more people there. .
The government office continued to be chaotic like this, but Shi Shenzheng was very patient. He didn't think that a group of handymen could last long under the general situation. Even if it was a little cloudy, under the scorching sun and strong wind, they would soon disappear.
Of course, Li You would not be idle. This time he and the prefect Wang were really desperate. He jumped up and down for several days, and finally made an appointment with Mr. Huang from the police department on a dark and windy night, and secretly gave him something. A stack of paper said: "I drafted a memorial on my behalf. This is Chen Xundao's opportunity to become famous!"
After reading it, Mr. Huang laughed and said: "Oh, there are eight major crimes, and the compilation is very pertinent. Actually, even Qian Huangshang and Zhao Daguan followed you to make mischief. Speaking of the back and forth between you and Shi Dacan, , it’s so unrelenting that it dazzled me. But this memorial cannot be published by Chen Xundao. Chen Xundao became the fifth-rank police officer at the age of twenty-six or seven. This is already eye-catching enough. If you go to Impeaching Lord Shi in the same city will inevitably be considered as coveting the position of Fenshou, which will lead to greedy material arguments."
He added: "What's more, there are many rules in the Cha Branch. Unlike the censors, imperial envoys, who specialize in suppressing the big ones with the small ones. Therefore, Chen Xundao currently needs to maintain a high profile among scholars and keep a low profile in the officialdom. The correct way is to maintain seniority steadily, and things like impeaching famous ministers of the third rank by a fifth-rank official are not suitable for him to do."
Li You said helplessly: "This low-ranking official is desperate! Please help me, Mr. Huang!"
"Why are you so desperate?" Mr. Huang pointed out: "You are right. Shi Shenzheng is well-known in the world. Everyone knows that he is honest and selfless. He has always been the only one who can participate in other people's affairs. Anyone who can participate in his book will be famous all over the world. The name has moved the court! It's a pity that Chen Xundao does not need this name now. As I said just now, the imperial court has a censor, who is responsible for the official position of imperial envoy who specializes in suppressing the big with the small... Contrary to Chen Xundao, there are some people who are very Isn’t this the way to go if you need these things? You are now a seventh-grade official, and you are qualified to take the initiative to meet him! When the benefits come, there is nothing we can’t agree on!"
What Li You was thinking about... The friend who had eaten the soft rice from Ge's hometown seemed to have run far away at the beginning of the year to avoid the responsibility for the food shortage in Suzhou Prefecture. He went to Taiping Prefecture in the upper reaches of Nanjing, and then continued to inspect the area around Ningguo Prefecture in Huizhou to the west.
But I heard that the imperial envoy will soon go to Suzhou for rest. It seems that more than half of his one-year term has passed, and he seems to have done nothing outstanding. He also got into some trouble with colluding with eunuchs to plunder people's wealth. Give him some political achievements to clear his name. That should make sense?
It is said that Ma Qinqian, the censor of the imperial censor, did not have a good impression of Li Tuiguan, or in other words, he did not have a favorable impression of anyone related to Xu Jiang and Chen Xundao.
But when his confidants brought a thousand taels of silver and a few pieces of paper and put them in front of him, he was moved after seeing them. Maybe his move to fame will be today...