Civil servants of the Tang Dynasty

"The next official has seen Mr. Don't drive."

There have been too many accidents recently, so big that even An Biejia couldn't believe it, but he didn't know what the real reason behind the accident was. Abnormal things maintain a cautious and fearful attitude.

Tang Cheng, who was supposed to be suffering from a serious illness and waiting to die with his eyes closed in the Longmen County Yamen, suddenly came to see him alive and well. After hearing the news from the handyman, the hairs on the back of An Biejia's neck suddenly twitched, and the pain in his heart Fear was raised to the highest level in an instant.

Because of these bizarre and abnormal things recently, An Biejia really didn't know how to treat Tang Cheng in front of him before he figured out the root cause. Should he turn a cold face or be more affectionate?

In a short period of time, An Biejia's mind turned many times at an unprecedented speed, and finally decided to follow a business-like attitude.

That's the only way to be safe.

There was no mention of the unavoidable issue that the Longmen County Government is being investigated, nor did it mention the matter of Tang Cheng being seriously ill as mentioned by the Longmen County Government, as if none of this had ever happened. After nodding, he said in a very normal tone: "What is the magistrate of Tang County coming to the state government office for?".

"Private matter", Tang Cheng smiled, "here is a letter to Mr. Biejia", while speaking, he has already stepped forward and handed the second letter from Min Hyuk to the Anbiejia book case superior.

An Biejia looked at Tang Cheng, and then at the letterhead on the desk. After waiting for a while, he reached out and picked up the letter without a word on the outer cover.

After showing the letter, An Biejia didn't look at the previous content at all, and looked directly at the lower right corner of the letter at the end of the letter, and then his body visibly trembled, twisting and turning like a thorn growing on the beard stool under his buttocks After grinding for a while, I sat down firmly.

After raising his head and taking a deep look at Tang Cheng, An Biejia took a deep breath and began to read the letter.

Witnessing his series of petty actions, although Tang Cheng hadn't read what was written in the letter, he was able to clearly confirm that the letter was definitely not written by Min Hyuk, and it was definitely written by Min Qian himself.

An Biejia read the two short pages of letterhead for a long time before finishing it. After reading it, he didn't say a word. Instead, he picked up the cover and looked at it carefully. He didn't know what he was checking.

"Come on, hold the lamp." Hearing this order, the handyman serving outside was obviously stunned for a moment before agreeing. After a while, the lamp was brought in.

An Biejia burned the two pages of letterheads to ashes in front of Tang Cheng, and even while doing this, he took a special look at Tang Cheng, which was obviously indicative.

Is it difficult for Min Qian to let us supervise each other in this way?When Tang Cheng was guessing, An Biejia, who had completely calmed down after all this, said with a smile, "Why is Magistrate Tang still standing? Sit down, come, serve tea!".

What exactly did Min Qian say in the letter?It actually made An Biejia change so much. What changed was not only his attitude towards himself, but also the fact that he was now relieved and relaxed, and his whole body was free from the tension just now.As Tang Cheng thought to himself, he had already sat down on the nearby chair.

An Biejia folded his hands in front of his abdomen, and drew circles with his two thumbs interlaced in the void, "Magistrate Tang has worked hard. Although you haven't been here for long, the changes in Longmen County are still great. For this reason, the previous These days, the governors of the prefectural government have dispatched people to the county prefectural government. The purpose is to find out about these changes and gather folk stories together. If we really do a good job, Tang County magistrate can rest assured that the prefectural government will not hide their merits and should be truthful. Report to the Daoya."

"Thank you, Mr. Biejia." Hearing this, An Biejia smiled and waved his hand, "Thank you for what I did. It is also the imperial court's regulations to reward meritorious deeds and punishments. Although the results of the rewards have not yet been submitted, but If you don’t want to, I can tell the magistrate Tang about my attitude. Good job. The achievements of Longmen County are obvious to all. Don’t try to discredit anyone who takes office in this section. As the county magistrate, Tang Cheng, you have a head ".

What else could Tang Cheng say besides thanking An Biejia for saying this?

"Well, there are six counties under the jurisdiction of this prefecture, and there are many daily government affairs committees. In addition, the state government has undergone major changes. Although Biejia is trusted by the Taoist government to temporarily take care of state affairs, it may be difficult to take care of Longmen for a while. Tang The county magistrate, the official of Longmen county government can be entrusted to you." At this point, the smiling An Biejia really bowed to Tang Cheng, "Of course, this official is not just letting go. If you have any difficulties, you can come directly to the state government to find me."

What do you mean by that?Didn't it mean that he was given complete political autonomy in Longmen County? This is really an unexpected harvest.

While Tang Cheng was secretly delighted, An Biejia leaned forward slightly and continued, "I saw the relief documents you sent a few days ago. I met you yesterday. How much food is there for Longmen County? You can report it to the county magistrate Tang." Let’s count it, no matter how difficult the state government is, it will never lose the people of Longmen.”

"This lowly official needs to think about it carefully." One joy after another, Tang Cheng suppressed the excitement in his heart, and after careful calculation for a while, he reported a number.

Hearing the number he reported, An Biejia was a little surprised. It was much less than he expected. Seeing how they had prepared a relief document three days ago, it shouldn't be like this. After thinking for a while, An Biejia It was only then that he realized that the figures on Tang Cheng's return, together with what had been allocated before, could be regarded as the highest standard for food distribution within the scope allowed by the Ministry of Household Affairs.

In short, Tang Cheng made full use of the rules and regulations given by the Ministry of Household Affairs, but he didn't have any violations to give others a handle.

On this point, An Biejia's eyes on Tang Chengshi changed a bit, but he didn't point out anything, "Okay, I'll take care of this matter, and within three days at the latest, this batch of food relief will be sent to the Dragon Gate." .

This was an extremely harmonious meeting. An Biejia, who was temporarily taking pictures of state affairs, spoke highly of Tang Cheng, the magistrate of Longmen County, for his ability to appease the people and govern the government, and repeatedly stated that the state government would give Longmen County more rewards in the days to come. Firm support; the magistrate of Longmen County expressed his sincere gratitude to An Biejia for his affirmation and the state government's support for Longmen County government, and at the end of the conversation, he expressed warm congratulations to An Biejia for taking charge of state affairs .In the end, the meeting was successfully concluded when the two sides reached a lot of consensus.

After talking about the business, Tang Cheng politely declined An Biejia's arrangement for a banquet. An Biejia expressed his understanding of this, and despite Tang Cheng's repeated objections, Yanyan smiled at Yanyan's insistence and personally delivered him to the gate of the state government office. It spread throughout the Yamen, attracting whispers from countless civil servants and servants.

"My lord, please go back." At the gate of the state yamen, after Tang Cheng smiled and bowed to An Biejia, he stopped when he was about to leave. It's been confirmed, but I don't know..."

"Well, the rumors in the market are true, there is indeed such a thing."

"The cow envoy is now...".

"When Niu Shijun saw the incident of corruption, he committed suicide in fear of crime. Fortunately, the Taoist came with rich experience, but although he managed to save a life, his tongue was bitten to pieces, and now he can't speak a word."

"Is there such a thing?" Tang Cheng pondered for a moment and then let out a long sigh.

"Hey!" An Biejia's same sigh responded to him.

When the two looked at each other, they quickly avoided each other's eyes by coincidence.

"Master An, please go back, I will leave you as an official."

"Walk slowly, don't send us far away!".

Chapter 255 Why, You Are All Free?

"Master Tang..." After rubbing his eyes vigorously, Lao Zhang, the doorman of the Longmen County Yamen, suddenly raised his neck and sang to the inside of the Yamen: "The county lord has returned to the Yamen!".

It wasn't until the yelling was finished that the concierge Lao Zhang suddenly realized, "No, isn't the county magistrate suffering from a serious illness these days to recuperate in the yamen?".

Seeing Lao Zhang, the concierge coming out, staring at him blankly, Tang Cheng, who had just stepped off the carriage, smiled kindly at him. With the experience of entering the city gate just now, he was surprised by Lao Zhang's damn expression. No wonder.

After all, who made the three of Jia Xu come up with such a lame reason in order to cover up his AWOL?Anyone who sees a man who is rumored to be suddenly ill and dying like him must have such an expression.

After Tang Cheng got out of the car and smiled at Lao Zhang, he turned around and greeted the car: "Please record the matter."

"I don't dare to be Mr. Tang like this", said in his mouth, Yu Rentai, the new secretary of the Guizhou Prefecture Yamen who had just taken office for only three days, got out of the carriage, and stretched out his hand to make way: "Tang Mingfu first please."

"Why be so polite, that's all, let's go together", Tang Cheng stretched out his hand to support Yu Rentai's arm, and the two walked into the yamen side by side with a smile.

Not long after Tang Cheng left that day, the large troops sent by the governors of the prefectural government to investigate the Longmen County Ya "Illness" news, even the matriarch of the county, who was talked about by the people in the county, temporarily put aside her errand of distributing food, and did not show her face after returning to the county's inner office.

Although most of the people who came down from the state government heard the news, they didn't believe it, but they didn't think about it elsewhere. People need face, and trees need bark. Faced with such an investigation, it's normal for a county magistrate to be reluctant to come out to meet them face to face. The less you can come out, the better it will be, so the investigation will be much less resistance, just hide, it depends on how long you can hide in the small courtyard of the inner yamen!

It is normal for people from the state government to think like this, but people in Longmen county government don't think so. Although the county lord has only been in office for a short time, he has done everything in a down-to-earth manner. , and no matter what happens, he will never shirk and evade, let alone sacrifice his subordinates as scapegoats. How can a person like him hide like a turtle when faced with such a difficult situation?

The county magistrate really couldn't afford to fall ill?One day, two days, five days, ten days, as the time passed and the county lord never showed up, the original sporadic thoughts gradually became a prairie fire.

It seems that the magistrate of the county is really seriously ill. After this news was "confirmed" in the passage of time, the energy and aura of unity of one mind cultivated by the Longmen county government were suddenly shrouded in a deep sense of pessimism.At this time, Tang Cheng is not only a symbol of the county government, but also the backbone of the officials and civil servants in the government. If the backbone has been taken away, how miserable should those people who are attached to him be?

Bad news always spreads quickly, and the same is true on the construction site of terraced fields outside the city. Although the construction of terraced fields has not completely stopped, the progress has slowed down a lot. Looking around, I hope to see the familiar figure in the blue official uniform at the mountain pass below. According to previous experience, even if the county lord is busy, he will always come here every two days. trip.

Day after day, time after time, from disappointment to hesitation to despair, if Yang Jiao and the others hadn't gritted their teeth and desperately supported them, perhaps these farmers with cold hearts would have dispersed long ago. There are fewer and fewer cars, and they are getting slower and slower.

After waiting for decades, I finally hoped for a good county magistrate who will take care of me. As soon as the project of transforming mountains and land was started, the county magistrate fell ill. What else can I say?God bless Longmen!

Dark clouds overwhelmed the city, and just when the new county government and terraced fields that Tang Cheng had worked so hard to build were about to collapse, the gatekeeper Zhang's voice was like a bolt of lightning smashing into the dreary county government.

Whether it's a errand, a clerk, or a handyman, all the people in the county government who heard Lao Zhang's singing almost unanimously threw away their belongings and ran to the gate of the government. The county lord has returned to the government?Every time this thought turns in my mind, my heart that has been terrified these days becomes stronger.

As soon as Tang Cheng and Yu Rentai walked into the main gate of the county government office, all they saw were a dozen pairs of eyes staring blankly at him. In addition, there were people running here from the gates of the East and West Courtyards in the distance.

The magistrate of Tang is the magistrate of Tang, and the person standing in front of him is clearly the magistrate of Tang in full swing!After finally confirming this point, the eye sockets of these people who rushed over had not spoken yet, and their eyes became hot.

Tang Cheng stood still at the gate of the yamen, his warm eyes slowly swept over the excited faces of these subordinates, and he said in a solemn voice: "Who asked you to gather for no reason during the yamen time, what, the errands in hand Very free? Sansi Sun, together with yourself, record the names of these people for me.”

Seeing that these people still stared at him in a daze after talking so much, Tang Cheng suddenly raised his voice twice, "Why are you standing there stupidly, why don't you all go to work."

His voice, expression and tone of voice were no different from before he arrived in Jinyang.

Behind Tang Cheng, the concierge Lao Zhang listened to the familiar voice and words, and the astringent feeling in his old eyes finally turned into two drops of muddy old tears, muttering in his slightly trembling mouth that only he can do it. Listen to the words clearly: "Okay, okay, finally it's okay...".

After hearing the news just now, the people gathered around dispersed across the courtyard, but this time no one was afraid of Tang Cheng's words, turning around and walking back, these people almost unanimously let out a long sigh of relief, okay, okay!What followed was that the previously desolate and empty heart finally fell to the ground again.

Many people who had just heard the news and ran out of the east-west courtyard stopped when they saw them like this, and after asking a few words, these people tiptoed to Tang Cheng at the door from a distance, and then followed After going back, I heard a messy sound coming from across the yard on both sides.

Messy, but full of angry sounds.

Seeing this scene, Tang Cheng showed a smile on his face, and Yu Rentai, who was standing beside him, sighed and said: "There are not many officials who are loyal to their subordinates like Tang County Magistrate. Admiration, admiration." .

"Absurd praise", Tang Cheng stretched out his finger and pointed to the two courtyards, "These people in the state government are bothering to record things."

Although Niu Zude personally ordered the investigation of the Longmen County Ya’an University to be completed, there are still some people who are doing finishing work here. Just stop, everyone in the prefectural government will evacuate Longmen County early tomorrow morning."

"Okay", Tang Cheng smiled and nodded upon hearing this, "please".

……

The people in the state government came down quickly that day, and now they collect even faster, almost in less than two sticks of incense. These days, the state government officials who have been invincible in Longmen county government have followed Yu Rentai with embarrassment. Out of the county office.

When leading these black-browed and white-eyed people away, Yu Rentai firmly refused Tang Cheng's arrangement for the evening banquet, "Thank you Tang Mingfu for your kindness, but today is really not the time", Yu Rentai said, turning his mouth to the officials behind him. They gestured a few times, "Let's save it for tomorrow, and Mingfu will not be able to spend money in another day."

After sending Yu Rentai away, Tang Cheng went straight to the courtyard of the back yamen, and he didn't know who among the officials had reported the news with a long tongue, which made his attempt to surprise Zheng Lingyi completely in vain.

Tightly hiding in Tang Cheng's arms, Zheng Lingyi's arms were like two ropes, wrapping her body around the man's waist with all her strength. Seeing how tight she was, it seemed as if she loosened a little and Tang Cheng disappeared.

Tang Cheng's hand stroked Zheng Lingyi's back lightly, and he could feel the slight trembling of his body in his arms, especially in his neck - where Zheng Lingyi's head was clinging to, it was already wet, if it wasn't for the moment when he was in person Experience, Tang Cheng can hardly imagine that a person can shed so many tears in such a short time.

In the quiet room, the two embraced each other silently. When Zheng Lingyi's body in his arms stopped trembling, Tang Cheng suddenly bent down and hugged her, and said softly in a low exclamation: "" In The Book of Songs·Zheng Feng·Zijin, it is said, "Choose and reach, and stay in the city. If you don't see each other for a day, it's like March." The lady should let her husband take a look."

With a soft smile in his mouth, Tang Cheng had already arrived at the dressing table with Zheng Lingyi in his arms.

Not allowing Zheng Ling to get off the ground at all, Tang Chengcheng, who sat down, hugged her in his arms and knees, and was about to turn around to get a tortoiseshell comb to comb the beauty's messy sideburns, when the first thing that caught his eye on the dressing table was a pair of flat Paved scrolls.

This is a pair of exquisite fine brushwork. The background of the painting is Yangzhou in March, which is full of spring scenery. The foreground is the Shiboshi Mansion, which Tang Cheng is very familiar with. In this painting, only flowers are represented in thick ink and color, clusters of blooming spring flowers, and the swing that has been set up in the sea of ​​flowers.

On the high swing, the beautiful girl's clothes flutter in the sky with the spring breeze, looking like a flying goddess dancing in the blue sky; under the swing, a handsome young man looks at the flying girl with affection, Eyes as bright as the stars revealed deep affection like the sea.

After reading the scroll, Tang Cheng's eyes naturally shifted to the four poems inscribed on the painting in the upper right corner:

The king is the rock, and the concubine is the pampas grass.The pampas grass is like silk, and the rock has no transfer.

Silently reciting these four lines of poems, Tang Chengcheng felt a burning sensation in his heart. In the famous Yuefu poem "The Peacock Flies Southeast" in the Six Dynasties, these four lines of poems are not only the confession that Liu Lanzhi and Jiao Zhongqing will never be separated, but also the love between the two. A sworn oath of death.To make such a beautiful painting, but to use such a painting poem, does Zheng Lingyi need to say more?

"Ling Yi, let's set up a swing in this yard too."

"Well... Husband, you..." Before Zheng Lingyi could say anything more, Tang Cheng had already hugged her body and turned to the dressing table.

Turning around and seeing this painting, Zheng Lingyi wanted to reach out for it, "Husband, this painting...".

"This painting is very good, and it is worth cherishing carefully for a lifetime, but the inscription on the painting has some flaws." Tang Cheng stopped Zheng Lingyi's hand, and took an eyebrow pencil from the dressing table to write on the scroll.

Nestling in Tang Cheng's arms, Zheng Lingyi gently recited the sentence written by her husband:

Willing to be a lovebird in the sky, and a Lianli branch in the earth, forever and ever, this love will last forever!

When the last sentence was read, Zheng Lingyi's modest voice was inaudible, but the tears that had just flowed from his eyes fell silently like broken strings of beads.

After that, they hugged each other for a long time, until Zheng Lingyi suddenly remembered something, "Husband, have you been to Donggu since you came back?".

"I came back directly after finishing the affairs of the county government. I haven't spared time to go." Tang Cheng smiled and smoothed Zheng Lingyi's messy temple hair, "What's the matter?".

"Oh, I should have warned you earlier," Zheng Lingyi sighed annoyedly, and stood up from Tang Cheng's lap, "The situation in Donggu is very unstable, husband, you have to go and appease."

"Is there such a thing?" Tang Cheng also stood up, "Isn't there Jia Xu and the others?"

"Longmen County is incomparable to other places. After decades of accumulation, the people can't trust the county government." Zheng Lingyi walked over and took Tang Cheng's official clothes, "Hurry up and change your clothes... this time they are willing to come, one is Running for food and land, and also for you, now that the news of your serious illness spreads, the hearts of the people over there would have already dispersed, if Mr. Yang and the others hadn’t maintained it, I’m afraid everyone would have left.”

Hearing this, Tang Cheng didn't say anything else. After changing his clothes, he took the wind cloak and put it on his body with a shake of his backhand, "You go with me."

"I am coming too?".

Before Zheng Lingyi could hesitate any longer, Tang Cheng had already dragged her out in big strides.

Because Tang Cheng was in a hurry, the two of them didn't even sit in the carriage, and rode straight to Donggu. Some people who had seen him on the street along the way were stunned when they first met him, and then they shouted fiercely, "County My lord, is my lord from the county..."

But before they finished shouting a whole sentence, Tang Cheng, who was riding a horse, had already run far away.

He rushed out of the city gate all the way, and when he ran halfway to the East Valley, he happened to meet Yang Jiao who was also riding a horse on the opposite side. He was accompanied by a civil official who vaguely saw him at the gate of the yamen just now. It must have been the letter he came to report.

"Oh, you are back in Mingfu." Seeing Tang Cheng, Yang Jiao heaved a sigh of relief, "As soon as I heard the news of Niu Zude's accident in the state government office, I thought you should come back. How did you delay until now?" .

Min Hyuk once said that day that it is fine to go back with money, but Tang Cheng couldn't say to Yang Pai, "Something is delayed over there, sir, don't need to get off the horse, let's just spin around." After finishing speaking, he clamped his legs He rushed forward, Yang Jiao turned his horse's head to follow when he saw this.

Now Jia Xu really wished that his whole body would have a hundred mouths. Only in this way can he barely cope with so many chattering farmers around him. There are too many people talking, but what they said together is actually one sentence—— —To see Tang Xianzun.

Rao Jia Xu kept saying that he had sent someone to invite the county lord to come over, but the farmers who had been disappointed these days refused to believe it.

It is the county lord who can control Xi people, and it is still the county lord who can spread out such a big stall. Now the households only recognize the county lord. If he is not the one who sits in the Longmen county government, who knows how hard it is now Who will own the terraced fields cultivated through painstaking efforts?If that's the case, what's the point?

When Jia Xu was in a state of desperation, Qian Sanba called out not far away, "Tou Jia, Mr. Yang should go to the county government now." Asking around, the throat is also hoarse, and beads of sweat are covered on the forehead.

"Hurry up", Jia Xu shouted with his neck tilted, and couldn't wait for Qian Sanma to answer, so he hurriedly turned his head and shouted at a person in the crowd: "Brother Li, we are here in Liuguan Village. I know you. Since that day, since when did the county government fool you with empty words? Old man, you have helped persuade me anyway. Seeing that the magistrate is coming soon, what's the matter with the folks leaving now? ?”.

Li Nong in the crowd was silent for a while before opening his mouth and said in a low voice: "There are thousands of people in the family, and one person in charge. It's not that the villagers can't trust the two adults. If the county government really wants to change the seat, the two adults can't do it either." Lord, it's half a month before the New Year's Eve, what are you guys working so hard for here? Since you can't see Mr. Tang and can't hear a word of truth, the folks have to go back no matter what they say. No, Mrs. Jia just hold your hands high, and come back after we pass the New Year?".

Jia Xu really didn't know what to say, he just hoped that Yang Pao's legs would be quicker and the county lord would come quickly.

Just when the situation was about to be overwhelmed and the farmers were about to disperse, they suddenly heard the faint sound of a few horses' hoofs coming from the mountain pass.

As soon as he heard the sound of horseshoes, Jia Xu's heart skipped a beat, and he didn't care what to say, he turned his head and stared at the mountain pass.

Soon, the farmers around him also stopped making noise and walking around, and the whole valley quickly calmed down like a rippling lake. After the news of the sound of horseshoes, they all turned their heads to look at the mountain pass.

Everyone was in the same mood as Jia Xu and Qian Sanba. They only hoped that this was the county lord who gave them good hope and led them to realize it. The only one they could really trust was the county lord.

Finally, the owner of the sound of horseshoes rushed out from the mountain pass. Seeing the familiar official clothes and the familiar figure standing upright on the horse, Li Nong heaved a long sigh of relief like everyone else.

Immediately there were sporadic cheers in the valley, and soon the cheers merged into one, and the restlessness of the farmers for these days finally returned to reality.

Lord Xianzun can ride a fast horse!Your Majesty the county is well!He is still sitting in the Longmen county government office!

Amidst the cheers of everyone's attention, Tang Cheng rode his horse and rushed directly in front of Jia Xu.

"Your Excellency, you are back." Jia Xu not only said exactly the same words as Yang Jiao just now, but even his expression of relief was the same.