Startled Meng

"Lord Xue, Yan Cijing's private opening of the official warehouse..." Luo Sheng glanced back at the study, and said to Xue Rulie in a low voice.

Xue Rulie was a minister sent by the imperial court to provide disaster relief, and he was also the head of the household department who just took office this year. He looked easy to talk, but in fact he said what he said. Before Yan Cijing returned to Jiangling City, he presided over many things.

Now that Jiangling has gradually recovered, Xue Rulie is also preparing to return to Beijing to report on his work. The report needs to be detailed, so Mr. Yan can't hide the fact that Mr. Yan opened an official warehouse to release food.

Pei Yuantang is well aware of the seriousness of this, even though Lord Xue is upright, he still has to work hard to intercede for Lord Yan: "Master Xue, before we came, the situation in the city was really not optimistic, thanks to Lord Yan's official warehouse opened early, otherwise The losses in the city will be even greater."

Luo Sheng pointedly said: "And Mr. Yan almost died of the epidemic..."

Xue Rulie stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said: "Master Yan has such courage when he first took office, and his actions during the outbreak of the epidemic are also commendable. Naturally, he should be rewarded for his contributions to disaster relief, but he can't pass it by without opening an official position, otherwise Where is the law of the country?"

Pei Yuantang anxiously defended: "What Master Xue said is true, but Master Yan has no choice but to open the official storehouse. The charity storehouse for relief has long been empty. If the official storehouse is not opened, how will the people in the city survive?"

Luo Sheng's heart skipped a beat, thinking that Mr. Pei is really outspoken.

Xue Rulie stared at Pei Yuantang, and said expressionlessly: "It's true that there is a problem with the Yicang, and it's also true that Lord Yan opened the official warehouse. Do you really just think that he shouldn't be punished for the sake of Lord Yan?"

This was a suspicion that Pei Yuantang and Yan Cijing had selfishness. Pei Yuantang was sweating, and he bowed his head and dared not speak any more.

"What's more, Mr. Yan has already entered the city, but I haven't even seen him face to face. If he really repents, he should explain himself." Although Xue Rulie doesn't like official socializing, Yan Cijing never shows up. , he also had to wonder if Yan Cijing was suffering from laziness.

Luo Sheng quickly explained: "Master Yan has been patrolling the streets every day since he returned to the city, and he has been dealing with things in the study after returning home. If you have been negligent, please atone for your sins."

"Study?" Xue Rulie put his hands behind his back, "I'll go and have a look."

Luo Sheng and Pei Yuantang followed Xue Rulie, and the three walked towards the study.

Xue Rulie refused to let Luo Sheng report, he wanted to see what Yan Cijing was doing.

"Master Xue."

Xue Rulie pushed open the study door, and for a moment he didn't see anyone, only heard voices.

"Master Xue, I'm here."

Yan Cijing moved away the old book in front of him, Xue Rulie finally saw him: "What are you doing?" While talking, he picked up the booklet full of words on the desk, the more he looked at it, the more surprised he was: "This, this is?"

"Building construction." Yan Cijing said, "I went to the streets two days ago and found that many people in the city have come back one after another, and many shops have also opened. It's just that after this incident, the lives of the people in Jiangling are difficult to recover for a while. At the previous level, it is not easy to find a living job."

Xue Rulie read: "Lake lake embankment, moon dam construction, river dredging, lotus and tree planting..." Xue Rulie shook the booklet in his hand, "Are you thinking of all these?"

"No," said Yan Cijing, "Borrowing from the sketches of the old officials in Jiangling, the predecessors were more thoughtful."

"Old official?" Xue Rulie thought of something, rummaged on the table, and found it, a pair of yellowed blueprints were turned out, Xue Rulie squinted his eyes to identify carefully, the old friend's handwriting could be recognized at a glance.

He couldn't hide his excitement: "Master Yan, do you know whose blueprint you borrowed from?"

Yan Cijing looked directly at Xue Rulie without fear, and nodded solemnly.

Xue Rulie slowly moved his gaze to the drawing, his eyes were full of sadness and nostalgia, he carefully rolled up the drawing, and asked, "Can you lend me a night?"

"Your Excellency, please."

Luo Sheng and Pei Yuantang waited outside the door, not knowing what happened inside the door, why Master Xue seemed to be a different person when he came out, his momentum was much weaker, and he still held a scroll in his arms.

Pei Yuantang hurriedly asked: "Master Xue... about Mr. Yan's private opening of the official warehouse..."

Xue Rulie said: "Master Yan is also for the common people, there is a reason for the incident, and there is an excuse."

Others didn't know what Xue Rulie was carrying in his arms, but Luo Sheng didn't know, he asked tentatively: "The construction of Jiangling still needs the Ministry of Household..."

Xue Rulie waved: "Approved! All approved!"

Yan Cijing heard it clearly in the room, and sighed with relief.

Xia Changying pointed out that Xue Rulie, who replaced Fan Zhi to be promoted to the Minister of the Household Department, was once reprimanded for publicly interceding for Meng Xiao, and was trapped in a small town for several years without being promoted. Even so, he did not regret his actions back then.

Sure enough, Yan Cijing found out Xue Rulie's thoughts after digging through the old blueprints. In this way, the following things will be much more convenient.

The workers signed up spontaneously from the refugees in the shelter and the people who returned to the city. Because the Yu family and the Qiu family made a lot of contributions, the stone and building materials needed for the construction were purchased from these two major merchants, and the supervision and stability of the order belonged to Jiangzhou camp management.

The previous arrangements were considered smooth, but the trouble came at the last step, He Qian disagreed with the appointment of supervisors.

"Yue Junshan! Are you my lieutenant general or his Yan Cijing's lieutenant general? If I say I don't agree, I don't agree!" He Qian had a rare outburst of anger, panting with his hips on his hips, out of breath.

Yue Junshan knelt down: "General! This is a great thing to benefit the city and the people! Once completed, Jiangling will never suffer from floods again! I really don't understand why you disagree!"

"General? Do you remember to call me General?" He Qian kicked Autao over in anger, "Who can't be a supervisor? Do you have to go to the Jiangzhou Camp? We are soldiers, iron-blooded soldiers who guard the border and go to battle to kill the enemy ! Not his Yan Cijing's soldiers!"

"General!" Yue Junshan persuaded, "I know that you have been trapped in Jiangling for several years, and it is difficult to realize your ambitions, but is it important to go to battle and kill the enemy?"

He Qian shouted: "What do you know?"

Yue Junshan said: "When the epidemic broke out, you led people to guard the city gates to prevent the patients from escaping. You ordered the brothers to patrol the streets to stabilize the people's hearts. You even came to report the dead patients. You are responsible to Jiangling. Why did you do this? The first time you resisted like this?"

"Because—" He Qian looked at Yue Junshan who was listening attentively, and scratched his hair irritably, "I told you that you don't understand, so get out!"

"General!"

"I tell you to get out!"

Yue Junshan went out with downcast eyebrows, Yan Cijing was still waiting for him outside the door.

Yan Cijing knew what happened at a glance, and said: "There are still a few soldiers in my mansion, let's fight for a while first."

Yue Junshan said anxiously: "The supervisor is only a part. Counting the number of people, dispatching workers, and logistics all need people. Master Yan, wait a little longer, and I will go to persuade the general."

Yan Cijing nodded: "Okay."

Yue Junshan bowed: "Master Yan, don't worry too much. Everyone has seen what you have done in the disaster relief. The general is definitely not targeting you."

"I see."

Responding with strict words, Yue Junshan was asked to leave.

Yu Fangzhi, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke: "I'm still a reliable language expert, easy to handle, unlike these soldiers with stinking problems."

Yan Cijing didn't hear what he was talking about, and thought to himself. After thinking for a long time, he still had no idea: "Why is He Qian so resistant to sending troops to supervise the work?"

Yu Fangzhi asked: "What kind of work is the supervisor?"

Yan Cijing replied: "Build embankments and dams on the south side of Linghu Lake."

Yu Fangzhi said again: "I heard that the engineering drawings borrowed from the plans of the predecessors."

Yan Cijing answered truthfully: "Master Meng Xiaomeng."

"By the way," Yu Fangzhi snapped his fingers, "That's why He Qian didn't want to be a stranger."

"Why?" Yan Cijing was puzzled, but Yu Fang knew it but smiled and said nothing.

General He Qian... Jiangling... Yan Cijing thought carefully: "He Qian once supported the northern border with the current emperor, and the title of general was also awarded after helping the northern border regain the three states of Ru, Su, and Yan. Seeing the tragic scene of the enemy crossing the border, He Qian must have hated Meng Xiao who 'collaborated with the enemy' at that time."

Yu Fangzhi smiled but not: "Yes, so it is absolutely unacceptable for He Qian to act according to the blueprint left by the traitor."

Yan Cijing said coldly: "The Jiangling City Gate guarded by the Jiangzhou Camp was built by Master Meng during his tenure, and the school field where General He led the troops to practice was also approved by Master Meng himself. Also, what kind of person is Master Meng, he should see is believing, how can he listen and believe?"

"For the sake of his own selfishness and his emotions, he abandoned tens of thousands of people in the city. If he insisted on sticking to his so-called righteous way, he would not be worthy of the world's honorable title of 'General He'."

"If he decides that the matter has nothing to do with himself, I can't do anything about him, but what about the Jiangzhou camp behind him? Everyone who enrolls in the military has lofty ambitions. When the country is in trouble, it will fight on the battlefield, and when the world is peaceful, it will protect the people. , What is mediocrity? Does he want the entire Jiangzhou camp to be ashamed because of him?"

"Don't be angry, don't be angry," Yu Fangzhi coaxed, "If you don't come, don't come, I'll find someone for you."

Yan Cijing glanced at Yu Fangzhi: "I'm not angry, I'm just telling the truth."

Yu Fang knew it or not: "Look at you, your face is pale with anger, and you still say no." Then he nodded Yan Cijing's cheeks, "Look, they are all bulging."

"Nonsense." Being disturbed by Yu Fangzhi, Yan Cijing forgot why he came, and said, "I've eaten a lot recently."

Yu Fang Zhile: "How about the lotus leaf chicken that was sent to the house yesterday?"

Yan Cijing replied: "It's the first time I eat it, it's really fresh."

Yu Fangzhi: "If you like it, I will send you some later."

The two chatted one after another, Yan Cijing saw Luo Sheng who was frowning outside the mansion from a distance, and then vaguely remembered the reason for his trip.

"I won't ask you to follow me next time."

Yu Fangzhi said cheerfully: "My lord hits it off with me, we talk so much that we forget about the unpleasant things, isn't it good?"

Yan Cijing put on a straight face: "The matter has not been resolved yet."

Yu Fang knew: "Don't worry, maybe things will turn around."

Yan Cijing didn't take the turning point seriously. It wasn't until the day when the work officially started that he saw a group of soldiers led by Yue Junshan beside Linghu Lake, and then he realized that Yu Fangzhi's words were not just to make him happy.

The author says:

Now the atmosphere between the two is different from before!