Tranquility

Chapter 103 The Strange Circle

Wearing a heavy black armor, Feng Ju dismounted majestically, and two soldiers beside him lifted up a grand master's chair. Feng Ju crossed her legs and sat down.

"Bold, when you see His Royal Highness, you still don't kneel down to salute!" The soldier who had just shouted shouted.

Tangning was taken aback for a moment, only to realize that all the people around were kneeling on the ground, their faces full of reverence and admiration.Only he and Shu Hongyu stood out from the crowd, stared at by a group of people with angry eyes, Tang Ning was on his back, but he still pretended not to hear, as an official of the court, he could kneel down to the emperor, queen, or even be loyal to the king, but the rank of the prince is not yet high. to that extent.

The soldier waited to reprimand again, Feng Ju raised his right hand: "It's okay."

Instead, he stared at Tangning's face and asked, "Are you a fellow acquaintance from Yongzhou who just arrived?"

"It's the subordinate."

"The man in the capital really raises people, and he can produce such a stunning place. This son wants to go and see him."

Tang Ning suddenly felt a little delicate. Unless the current emperor dies, this loyal son of the king will never leave Yongzhou for the rest of his life. What does he mean by this?

This thought was like lightning, and was immediately thrown out of Tangning's mind. Dazhao had very strict restrictions on the feudal kings. He had no money, no one, and no weapons. Want to rebel?In the next life.

What's more, there are so many court officials in Yongzhou. Once there is a change in Yongzhou, the court's eyeliner will always be able to detect it.

So Tang Ning avoided the seriousness and said lightly, "Xiaguan grew up in the north and got used to seeing the scenery in the north. When he first arrived in Yongzhou, he felt refreshed. On the contrary, he felt that the climate in the south of the Yangtze River is pleasant, and the lakes and mountains are beautiful."

Feng Ju sneered: "The weather is pleasant? Then why are these people homeless? I heard that you came up with the idea of ​​diverting water. I thought you still had some ability, but I didn't expect that your flattering skills are even better."

Tang Ning said without changing his face, "Your official is telling the truth. From the capital all the way south, the people I saw were affected by the drought. Countless people died of starvation and thirst. There was a severe drought in the north and a severe flood in the south. Although the terrain of Yongzhou is relatively low However, it is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the sea in the east. On the contrary, there is no danger of floods. Best city ever."

"Hahaha, you literati just talk a lot of nonsense. You go around and say that this son has the talent to govern the world. Next time, just say it directly, but your flattery makes this son feel comfortable, not bad." Feng Ju He patted the armrest and laughed.

Tang Ning rolled her eyes inwardly. He didn't mean that at all. Well, he mainly said that the geographical location of Yongzhou is good. If it hadn't been raining recently, the prince would have a headache now.

Feng Ju smiled for a while, feeling relieved, and finally stood up, patted Tangning's shoulder and said, "Okay, you're very good, work hard, you will benefit from it in the future!"

Before the words fell, the man had turned on his horse and left.

The people kneeling on the ground shouted excitedly to the back of a man riding a horse: "Respectfully send off His Royal Highness!"

After the figures of those people disappeared into the horizon, the people around got up one after another, supported each other with their relatives, and went back to their tents while chatting.

"His Royal Highness really loves the people like a son, remember to come and see us when you are so busy every day."

"Yeah, if he didn't take us to heart, where would we be able to eat such good rice every day?"

……

Tangning heaved a sigh of relief. Does this mean that he has paid homage to the top of the mountain, so he doesn't have to go to Prince Zhong's Mansion to be rejected tomorrow?

On the way back, Tangning watched the residents digging ditches spontaneously, and whispered to Shu Hongyu:

"This man is okay at first glance, he is very imposing, but even if he can't help boasting, he probably can't help belittling. He is headstrong. Although he is very talented, his character determines his destiny, and his future is limited."

Shu Hongyu smiled and listened.

"But then again, he is a born nobleman. He doesn't have to worry about losing his job. He only needs to govern Yongzhou. He doesn't need much talent. It would be dangerous if he really has no flaws."

"However, from my point of view, he is good at martial arts. The way he followed brother Xie was probably taught by veterans in the army. Third brother should not be underestimated." Shu Hongyu reminded.

"I know it well. I'm just a sixth-rank fellow magistrate. I don't care about taxes. I only do some chores. I don't interfere with the well water of Prince Zhong's mansion. In the future, I will have limited dealings. I have a magistrate above me."

"I hope so."

After paying homage to the biggest mountain, seeing Shangfeng again, and saying hello to her colleagues, Tangning finally started working officially.

First of all, he recruited the three governors under him to recognize them. Put aside the daily affairs and so on. The most urgent task is to solve the waterlogging problem in the city. There are only four days left in the days given by the prince.

Before Tangning recovered from his injury, Shu Hongyu rented a carriage for him.

Now Shu Hongyu is a bodyguard, nanny, butler, source of income, family doctor, etc. in one body, and he is more capable than a household robot. Without Shu Hongyu, Tang Ning and Tang Yu's life would definitely be much more difficult.

Xi Rui was still young, so he could only be regarded as Tang Yu's playmate. Since Tang Ning's servant was still collecting the dropped carriage and the contents of the carriage, Xi Rui occasionally helped out with errands and looked at the door.

Tang Ning only took these few people with him when he took office. Compared with other colleagues who dragged their families and drove a dozen or so carriages, he was really shabby. Given that his predecessor was a clean and honest official who was almost sanctified, when he took office, She was even more alone, so Tangning was automatically categorized as an upright official. If it wasn't for her good looks, those colleagues might not even give her a smile.

Speaking of his predecessor, Tangning is now sitting in the carriage asking Governor Fu about his predecessor, because after running away from Yongzhou in the past two days, he found that his predecessor is really a practical and capable person. It is necessary to strengthen the dams and river defenses, maybe Yongzhou will really be flooded.

"Master Qu once told the officials that we need to open more openings in the city to lead directly to the sewer pipes, so that residents can pour waste water, even toilets, so that it can be drained into the pipes quickly when it rains, and more ponds should be dug outside the city. Lead the water out of the city and let the farmers in the suburbs take it back to fertilize. Unfortunately, it has not been implemented, and Master Qu did not know that there would be waterlogging in Yongzhou at that time, until Master Qu died of illness, this matter did not happen."

When Tang Ning heard this, she felt that Mr. Qu was really talented. His idea was very advanced and mature, similar to modern sewers.

Although he had this idea before, he rejected it in the end. It was too difficult to implement, so Tangning said, "But this method is a bit inappropriate. First, we need to prepare a strong cover for these openings to prevent pedestrians and children from falling. Yes, someone will definitely steal it, it is very unsafe; second, if the residents dump it in disorder, the smell will be bad; third, it is not convenient. According to my observation, people in Yongzhou are very used to being by the river or by the well. When washing clothes, the waste water is dumped on the ground, and it is difficult to make them run a few more steps to pour water; fourth, if this method is implemented, the people who pour Yexiang will have nothing to do, and the average family who can do this job is not They are very poor, and their jobs will be cut off, which may cause public anger."

Governor Fu slapped his thigh and praised: "Master Tang said exactly the same thing as Master Qu, and it is because of these that Master Qu put aside this method. Hey, if Master Qu is still alive, we will definitely become close friends."

Tangning asked curiously, "If I remember correctly, Mr. Qu hasn't reached the age of not being confused yet? Could it be that he is usually weak, otherwise how could he have died of illness in his prime?"

Governor Fu sighed deeply when he heard the words, and said: "Master Qu and I are fellow villagers, both from Quning, people from the Northwest are so strong, Master Qu is also good at riding and shooting, he has to exercise every day, how can he be weak It's just that Mr. Qu is alone, without father, mother, wife and children. Everyone thinks that he is the lone star of the gods, so they don't get close to him. Besides, Mr. Qu himself is honest and withdrawn. In official affairs, no one took care of him, and he didn't care much about his body, so he accidentally ate his stomach and got malaria, and he died after three days."

Speaking of this, Governor Fu couldn't help himself, and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

Tangning felt a little sorry for mentioning other people's sad things. She took out a handkerchief and handed it to Governor Fu, patting him on the shoulder.

Governor Fu couldn't hold back his emotions any longer, and said with a sob: "Master Tang, please don't blame me. I feel wronged when I mention Master Qu. Master Qu is really kind. He doesn't have much hobbies on weekdays. He only loves to read Buddhist scriptures. He thinks that He is the lone star of Tiansha. He is afraid of overpowering those close to him, so he wants to read more Buddhist scriptures to eliminate karma. This is also the reason why he dare not make friends with others. The only friend he has is an outsider.

Mr. Qu is the most hard-spoken and soft-hearted. Many families in Yongzhou City have received his favor, but he doesn't show up himself. He just asks us to do it, but he himself is the wicked person who teaches others.Even the little boy was disobedient, he stepped forward to reprimand him, but then asked the subordinate to buy a candied haws to coax him.After the poor Mr. Qu left, the savings left were only enough to buy a pair of thin coffins, and no one died, only the monk friend recited the Sutra of Rebirth for him..."

Speaking of this, Governor Fu broke down in tears.

Tang Jing sat quietly, wondering if he was infected by Governor Fu, but he also felt a little uncomfortable.

It was getting dark outside, especially in the carriage.

Governor Fu is still immersed in the past, unable to extricate himself.

Tang Ning opened the window and looked into the distance. The carriage had already driven out of the city gate, and her field of vision suddenly widened, but then Tang Ning's sight gradually faded away.

Qu Jing, the former Tongzhi of Yongzhou, whose name is Lijiang, was born in Quning, was a promising young man, and was admitted as a Jinshi when he was a weak crown. Because of his poor ranking and straightforward personality, he has been released until he died of illness this year.

This is the homework he did before leaving Beijing. He has never felt that there is a person behind such cold words, and he is still such an admirable person.

He never thought that there was such a kind of person, even if it was described by others in a few words, it would be so shocking. The Qujing man was dead, but he still lived in Governor Fu's heart.

After a while, Governor Fu finally calmed down, and the carriage was still driving.

The reservoir for the candidates sent by the prince to supervise is a bit far away, and it is estimated that there is still a long way to go.

In order to ease the embarrassment, Tangning asked casually, "Governor Fu's surname is Fu, and he's from Quning. My friend with the surname Fu is from the same village. His name is Fu Jiayan, and his style name is Meng Yan. I wonder if Governor Fu knows him?"

Governor Fu was a little embarrassed at first, but when he saw that Tangning thoughtfully changed the subject, he followed along, "He is the nephew of the lower court. Qu Ning only has a family named Fu, which is our Fu family. They say they are rich, but they are not. They are all small officials and officials, which made Mr. Tang laugh."

Tangning smiled and said, "Governor Fu is too modest. I'm the son of a humble family, so I'm not as good as Governor Fu."

"It turns out that Master Tang is Meng Yan's good friend who saved him. I also invite Master Tang to be honored by the officials. For your help, our whole family is very grateful."

Tangning was taken aback by his actions, she quickly supported him and said, "Governor Fu must not be like this. Meng Yan is my best friend, and it is his duty to save him. Besides, he is also affected by me."

"Hey, I know about this. I don't blame my lord. It was his own carelessness, and the disaster came out of his mouth. Meng Yan is the most talented person in the next generation of the Fu family, but he can't control his own mouth, so my cousin is the one who reads the book." We will name him Jiayan. We all knew that sooner or later he would stumble over this, but we didn't expect the stumble to be so big that he almost couldn't get up." Knowing Tangning's identity, Governor Fu's tone was full of emotion. Very close.

This was the time to establish a good relationship with the boss, Governor Fu was about to say a few more words, when he heard a fast horse galloping outside.

Immediately one person got off his horse and said anxiously: "My lord, it's going to rain, do we need to cover the pond, otherwise, when it rains, our digging will be in vain."

Tang Ning and Governor Fu opened the window to look, and their expressions changed.

Before noon, the sky turned dark, the wind was blowing outside, the temperature began to drop, and the rainstorm was approaching in the blink of an eye!

"My lord, I'll go and have a look first. You're not in good health. Don't get out of the carriage. Be careful of catching a cold." Governor Fu made a decisive decision and turned to the craftsman who came on horseback. .”

He also told the coachman: "The road is muddy, you must walk slowly, if it is broken, the adults will ask for you."

Before Tangning could refute, Governor Fu had already straddled away.Tangning shook her head helplessly. After today's conversation, his opinion of Governor Fu has changed a lot. It seems that he is really a practical person.After being in the court for a long time, before he knew it, he had started to get used to guessing others maliciously first.

Governor Fu had not had a cup of tea before he left, when the heavy rain came suddenly, and the dirt road in the countryside was muddy by the heavy rain in no time, and the carriage became more and more difficult and slower.

Tangning opened the curtains and looked at the surrounding farmland covered by a huge rain curtain. She was very worried. Another heavy rain might make things worse.

Suddenly he saw a farmland in the distance, a ring of seedlings on the ground was hit by the rain and all fell to the ground, especially against the background of the surrounding seedlings.

Moreover, Tangning's heart skipped a beat when she saw that the land was sinking downwards. Could it be that they dug up the land?

"Stop!" Tangning yelled.

The coachman didn't know why, but he stopped anyway. The craftsman opened the curtain and asked, "My lord, is there something wrong?"

"Take me over there to have a look."

"This..., but Governor Fu told you not to get out of the carriage, you are not in good health..." The craftsman hesitated.

"It's okay, you give me the coir raincoat, and you can follow behind with an umbrella. I'll go and have a look, and I'll come back after reading it. It's not too far away."

The craftsman knew that this was Governor Fu's superior, and Governor Fu's words didn't work. Although he was reluctant, he was afraid that the adults would get angry if he said too much, so he had no choice but to agree.

When Tang Ning walked to the field, the land had stopped sinking. When she got closer, the diameter of the circle was not small, about two meters in diameter. Scrub layer by layer.

Although Tang Ning was born as a farmer in her life, she had never planted land before, so she didn't know what this kind of seedling was, but it could be seen that the seedling was already very large, and the roots had already taken root. The surrounding plants did not fall down. This piece obviously doesn't look like it was planted, but it looks like it was inserted hard.

Tangning became suspicious, and asked the craftsman to find a stone and throw it in. There was a "bang", as if hitting wood.Tangning didn't care about anything else, she threw down her umbrella and wanted to see what happened, but was stopped by the craftsman.

Tangning had no choice but to open the umbrella herself, and asked the craftsmen to push away the layer of soil above, revealing a wooden cover.A craftsman is a craftsman after all, with great strength, he quickly opened the lid.

Tangning squatted at the entrance of the cave. It was so dark inside that she couldn't see anything clearly. After thinking about it, she decided to go first and wait until the rain stopped to see what it was.

He was about to get up, but he didn't want to be pushed from behind. Tangning's eyes darkened and she felt like she fell down.

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