There are precedents in the history of the Red Chamber

Shi Zhongzhu came to the small study that had just been tidied up, leaned on the back of the chair wearily, and said, "Tell me in detail."

"Master, it's roughly the same as the previous file. Tongzhi Guo Tiebi and Tongpan Yuxie were both born in a poor family. During the reign of the first emperor, they were top-ranked scholars, and they were not well-known in the local area. They were neither the Qingtian master nor the evil officials of the fish and meat villagers. Niu Pu from Ninggu Village is an offshoot of the Zhen Guogong's mansion, while Su Hao from Xibao is the bastard son of the original owner of the Su family." Qu Bing replied.

"The Su family, but that Su family that was stolen when he ascended the throne today?"

"The master is right, it is the Su family. Their family betrothed their daughter-in-law to Prince Rong, but as a result, Prince Rong failed. The favored Concubine Su was ordered to be buried, and the Su family was ransacked by the sage with an excuse. It's rare for this Su Hao not to be downgraded, and he still does his job."

"The Su family was raided. Those people were just demoted to ordinary people. How do they live? Did they come to join Su Hao?" Shi Zhongzhu thought that his family's livelihood was gone, so he had to come to join this commoner.

"My lord, the Su family is so proud. I don't pay much attention to the affairs of a fourth-ranker. The first branch of the Su family was confiscated, and the position of patriarch was handed over to another branch. The first and second branches fought together. Quan, no one wants to come to Anshun, which is poor and poor." Qu Bing sneered.

"The slave also found out that Su Hao's biological mother is from the Buyi tribe, so it is more convenient for him to come here to work than others. However, the specific identity of Su Hao's biological mother has not been found out yet. It should be the daughter of a certain patriarch or chieftain. Otherwise, You can't be accepted by the Su family as a concubine."

"Well, we're new here, don't be in a hurry, just ask slowly. Let's talk about the distribution of power in Anshun's officialdom." Shi Zhongzhu thought that the identity of the bastard son of Su Hao's family and the blood of the Buyi tribe would be a breakthrough, but he had to take his time.

"Yes, master. Now Anshun's power is nominally owned by the prefect of Anshun, but in fact it is divided into three parts. The two chief judges have soldiers in their hands, representing one side, and the local patriarch and chieftain are on the other side."

"It means that the magistrate has no real power?" Shi Zhongzhu frowned.

"After all, the magistrate occupies the righteousness, and the other two forces do not dare to overdo it. It turns out that the prefects are like this. In name, Anshun is a military and civilian government, and the magistrate also has the right to control the officers and soldiers, but it is not as old as the two. No way. The local mountain chiefs and chieftains are on one side, but they do their own thing, and often fight, and there can be fuss about it.”

After listening to the general analysis of the situation, Shi Zhongzhu knew that it is not easy to be an official in a place where ethnic groups live together.

"Don't act rashly. In the first half of the year, we probably won't be able to open up the situation. Qubing, your task is to collect more information. I think it's a good place to start. You also urged Yannian, he has been away for so long , why haven’t you come back yet, when he comes, it will be easier for me to handle things.”

"Yes, master, I will write a letter to Yannian when I get back."

After Qubing reported the situation, he didn’t keep any more. In Shi Zhongzhu’s study, there were maps of Anshun, power distribution maps, and ethnic distribution maps. They were only based on the information in the Qubing Report. These maps were not perfect. Just look at it.

Shi Zhongzhu was busy in the study until midnight, and when he returned to the bedroom, Wei Zhenniang had already gone to bed.

After resting for two days, Shi Zhongzhu hosted a banquet in the prefect's back office, and all the officials and gentry in Anshun came.

Tongzhi Guo Tiebi first welcomed Shi Zhongzhu on behalf of the local officials: "Your Excellency has come from afar, and Anshun is flourishing. In the future, I will entrust you to your Excellency for important matters of people's livelihood."

"I don't dare to do it, I don't dare to do it, I still need your help." Shi Zhongzhu took over the heavy burden carelessly.

The topic did not talk about government affairs, but asked: "Guo Tongzhi, I heard that there is a famous waterfall in Anshun called Huangguoshu?"

"Your Excellency is well-informed, we have many waterfalls in Anshun, and Huangguoshu is the most famous of them!" Guo Tiebi introduced.

"I don't know how it compares to the Lushan Waterfall. I just heard Li Taibai's flying water flow down [-] feet. It is suspected that the Milky Way falls in nine days. I know that the Lushan Waterfall is majestic and magnificent." Shi Zhongzhu asked.

"The lower official has never seen the Lushan Waterfall with green eyes. He only read the poems of the poets and was fascinated. However, the Huangguoshu Waterfall is also majestic and magnificent. This waterfall was originally called the Baishuihe Waterfall. Because of the yellow kudzu trees planted all over the river and cliff, the barbarians called this book Huangguoshu. After shouting and shouting, they called it this name. This waterfall is really magnificent. But there are no literati and poets to sing about it. The talent of adults is famous all over the world. It will be fixed in the future I should ask adults to write a poem for this Huangguoshu Waterfall."

"Then I must take a look, so that this trip is not in vain." Shi Zhongzhu sighed.

After talking about the waterfall, he said, "I heard there is a Hongfeng Lake here?"

"Extremely, extremely. The scenery of Hongfeng Lake is also wonderful. Others only think that Hongfeng Lake is named after the maple tree. In fact, this lake is best named after the scarlet letter. The rocks and sand there are all red. In autumn, the maple leaves bloom again. Red, it is really red, and it looks like a flame hunting from a distance, it is a spectacle."

"Really? I have never seen such a rare red rock. I must go and see it this autumn." Shi Zhongzhu sighed.

After the group finished talking about Anshun's local scenic spots, they flattered Shi Zhongzhu to describe the scenery of the capital. Shi Zhongzhu also acted like a fledgling impulsive boy, showing the arrogance of the nobles in Beijing to the fullest, as if he looked down on Anshun very much.

After chatting and laughing for a long time, Shi Zhongzhu went to the clean room to relieve himself. On the way, he met a small official who claimed to be Guan Lin, a professor of Confucianism in his government, and came to flatter Shi Zhongzhu: "This official is also from the capital, but I haven't heard the local accent for twenty years. Listening to what your lord said today, I finally found a fellow countryman." After speaking, he burst into tears.

Seeing a big man crying, Shi Zhongzhu was naturally at a loss: "Don't cry, if you want to go back to the capital and write a letter, you can go back. Why are you crying?" He handed over the handkerchief and arranged for him to wash up.

Guan Lin tidied up his appearance, came out and confided in Shi Zhongzhu: "Your Excellency treats you like a confidant, and I dare to advise you not to be arrogant. When you first come, you should hold the power in your own hands." At the end At one sentence, the voice was almost a whisper.

Shi Zhongzhu's face was touched and said, "It's a fellow countryman, I know what you said, but I didn't want to come to Anshun, unfortunately... let's not talk about it, I have come here, at most five years, at least three years I will be transferred back The capital is now, as long as there are no moths, I don't bother to care about these messes, when I took office, my family gave me a lot of teachers and staff, so I'm not afraid."

Then he said sincerely to Guan Lin: "I know your kindness. When I leave, if you still want to go back to the capital, I'll just write a letter to my father."

Guan Lin was overjoyed and thanked him, and helped Shi Zhongzhu, who was a little drunk, back to the banquet.

In the inner courtyard, the wives of various families also chatted happily. Wei Zhenniang was wearing the most fashionable clothes and the most exquisite jewelry in the capital. She was a noble lady from a wealthy family.Pointing to the hairpin on a lady's head, she said: "This lady's jewelry is really exquisite, and the style is unprecedented. It opened my eyes."

The lady introduced herself as the wife of the Experience Department, got up and pulled out the hairpin, handed it to Wei Zhenniang and said, "I dare not call you Madam, you can call me Mrs. Chen, this hairpin is in the shape of a tung flower."

Wei Zhenniang took out the hairpin, looked at it carefully, and asked, "But that tung tree flower?"

"Madam Ruo is talking about the oil tung tree that is used for oil extraction." Mrs. Chen said.

Wei Zhenniang frowned as if inadvertently, and said: "What are you talking about to extract oil, and the good color of the tung flower will not be stained." Then she rinsed her mouth with fragrant tea, and slowly recited a poem: "I have a Xishan tung tree, and the tung tree is full of flowers. The sweet heart is from the love of butterflies, ethereal and boundless. The white one contains beauty, and it is as bright as condensed Yaohua. The purple one spits out fragrant flowers, and rots like the morning glow. Su Nai is also imitated, and red apricot is added together. The world is expensive, but the elixir , Yao Yanzi is proud. The singing pipes circle the threshold of the court, and the rewards become boastful. If you are looking for beautiful talents, you will be lamented by your elders."

"Madam is very talented." "This poem is so beautiful. We have seen the tung flowers in these years, and it is not as good as Madam has never seen!" "Only a talented woman like Madam can describe the beauty of tung flowers in one sentence." Come."

Wei Zhenniang smiled proudly, and said: "When I give birth to Lin'er, I will definitely go with my husband to enjoy the tung flowers!"

After finishing speaking, he returned the hairpin to Mrs. Chen, who was experienced, and said that he would ask the accompanying craftsman to make a finer one for her. Mrs. Chen thanked her with a smile.

Speaking of Tonghua, Wei Zhenniang suddenly saw a maid wearing blue cloth clothes, and called her over, saying: "This girl's clothes are so unique, what kind of cloth is this?"

The little girl was suddenly pulled out to show, everyone was so frightened, trembling and unable to answer, her master, a woman dressed in Miao nationality, replied: "It's just ordinary homemade cloth, I can't be praised by my wife."

"It's just like the fabric, but the print is also pretty, fresh and elegant, with the charm of blue and white porcelain."

The Miao woman proudly said: "It's the batik of our family on the mountain. It's very rough, very rough."

Wei Zhenniang refused, and said that the print was no worse than the jacquard brocade provided by Jiangnan Weaving. The people in the yard laughed and laughed, and the time passed quickly.

Wei Zhenniang started chatting and laughing with her fellow acquaintances and co-inspectors in the inner court, but then her interest turned to scenery, clothing and jewelry, and finally, she seemed to realize that she was chatting with a few higher-ranking women. People chatted and laughed.

After seeing off the guests, Wei Zhenniang complained to Shi Zhongzhu, "I pretended to be ignorant of the world and innocent and lively for a day, and my mouth almost laughed crookedly."

"Ma'am, you've worked hard. I'll give Madam a hard time." Shi Zhongzhu explained gently, "My place is even more outrageous. Suddenly, someone shows loyalty. Even a fool should see that something is wrong. Am I really that stupid? ?”

"Your Excellency's acting skills are superb, and this little girl admires you." Wei Zhenniang teased.

"Okay, laugh at me now, stop hammering, it's your turn to serve as your husband." Shi Zhongzhu looked arrogant, and handed over his arm, Wei Zhenniang laughed so hard that he hit him with a fan.

"I just hope to lower their vigilance." Shi Zhongzhu calmed down and whispered.

In Tongzhi Guo Tiebi's house, the man who claimed to be Confucianism professor Guan Lin called himself a slave in front of Guo Tiebi, and said: "That Zhong Jiabo was so drunk that he said he was here to gain his qualifications, and that if he left, the slave would be a slave." If you want to go back to the capital, write to Bao Linghou."

It turned out that this Guan Lin was Guo Tiebi's housekeeper, and there was no such person as Guan Lin in the world, so he wanted to prevent Shi Zhongzhu from finding fault, and Guo Tiebi was also afraid that Shi Zhongzhu would come to find this person when he woke up, so he arranged a false identity.

"Hmph, little boy with a yellow mouth, one mouthful of my father, my father, only relying on the shade, I really don't know how the saint was deceived by him, and even conferred the title of title." Guo Tiebi pouted.

When the Miao family woman returned home, she also talked with her husband about the situation in the inner courtyard, and only said that Wei Zhenniang "hasn't grown up yet, and it is estimated that the experienced servants reminded me to have sex with Mrs. Tongzhi and Mrs. Tongju." It’s a good relationship, but when I saw something novel, I forgot it, and turned back to talking and laughing at the end, very stiff.”

"Well, the new magistrate is also childish. He only inquires about some scenic spots. I'm afraid he really came here to gild his qualifications."

"My lord, why don't we be more cautious, we won't be so stupid if we can become high officials."

"Whether he is stupid or not, I will believe him when he says he is stupid. How long a Han official can stay has nothing to do with our tribe, so don't worry about it."

"it is good."

At the end of the day, the entire Anshun officialdom knew that the new magistrate's focus was not on government affairs.