Invincible son

Chapter 726 725 [Hidden Sword]

Qinzhou, Zhangde Prefecture, Anhua County.

It is located in the northernmost part of Qinzhou, and it is also the first stop of the welcoming missions after entering Qinzhou.

This year's severe drought has almost covered the entire territory of Qinzhou, and the disaster situation in Anhua County does not seem to have reached the point of disastrous.Although Pei Yue seemed to be in a heavy heart all the way before, after the mission entered the county, the people in the city seemed barely normal.

Wang Qi, the county magistrate, was nearly thirty years old, and led his subordinate officials and common people to greet him along the way.

When Pei Yue, who was wearing the robes of a first-class prince, appeared from the carriage, Wang Qi secretly heaved a sigh of relief, and hurriedly stepped forward to pay respects and said: "I am the magistrate of Anhua County, Wang Qi, and I pay my respects to the imperial envoy!"

Pei Yue's eyes passed over this person, and glanced at those subordinate officials who held their breaths, and then looked at the anxious people beside the road, and said lightly: "Excuse me."

"Thank you, Lord Hou." Wang Qi's tone was filled with joy.

According to the regulations of Daliang, counties outside Gyeonggi are divided into different grades according to the number of households, including upper, middle, middle and lower, and lower.Anhua County is one of the nine high-class counties under the jurisdiction of Qinzhou. There are about 16 permanent residents in the county seat, and there are probably more than a thousand people appearing on the main street at this moment.

Although Pei Yue has good eyesight, it is impossible for him to see all the common people at a glance.From the observation of these people nearby, they obviously have not experienced such a big scene. They were already overwhelmed by the elite knights of the Beiwei camp behind the mission.

Judging from their attire, these people were indeed ordinary people. Pei Yue looked back, but there was a bit of murderous intent in his heart.

He glanced at the dim sky, and said calmly, "The mission will stay overnight in the city. The Marquis has already sent someone to communicate in advance. Is the county magistrate Wang ready?"

Wang Qi clasped his hands and replied: "Back to Lord Hou, the officials have cleared an open space in the east of the county government office for nobles to camp and rest. In addition, the county government office has been vacated, please stay overnight with Lord Hou and the adults of the mission. "

Pei Yue said: "No need, the mission also lives there."

Wang Qi raised his head and glanced at Sheng Duanming who was beside Pei Yue. Although he had never met him before, he knew that he was the servant of the Ministry of Rites, so he summoned up his courage and said, "My lord, I have prepared a table of water and wine for you. Lord Hou and Mr. Sheng will wash away the dust, please Lord Hou give me some thin noodles."

Before Pei Yue could speak, Sheng Duanming reprimanded sharply: "County Wang! Now the entire Qinzhou is suffering from a severe drought, and the people suffer from the lack of summer grain. As a parent and official, you don't solve their problems. Instead, you are so focused on engaging in such crooked ways. Want this old man to praise you in front of the governor of Qinzhou?"

Wang Qi was shocked, and quickly pleaded guilty: "My lord, calm down, how dare I do this? Now the grain storage in the city can barely last, and the officials are already trying to dig water wells everywhere. As for the matter of taking the wind to wash away the dust, it is actually a clumsy order of the officials. Jing set up a plain table at home, and invited Lord Hou and Mr. Sheng to sit down for a while."

Hearing this, Sheng Duanming snorted softly, his expression was still unkind, but his anger obviously subsided a lot, and he said in a deep voice, "You're not too confused!"

He turned his head to look at Pei Yue, obviously waiting for the decision of the envoy.

Pei Yue said indifferently: "There is no need for the reception banquet. County Magistrate Wang accompanied Benhou for a while, and wanted to ask you something."

"I obey your orders." Wang Qi bowed his head in response, and at the same time became vigilant in his heart.

He is not a fledgling in the officialdom, how could he make such an obvious mistake, he was just testing the two big men in front of him.Sheng Duanming is indeed a decent gentleman, but a gentleman can deceive him, so there is nothing to worry about.The one who really made Wang Qi nervous was naturally Pei Yue, a ruthless character who killed countless people in the western region and the capital.

When he saw Pei Yue appearing in front of his eyes, he didn't play tricks and felt relieved.

In fact, when the mission left Kyoto and entered Yongzhou, someone secretly observed their whereabouts, but because they knew Pei Yue's prestige and did not dare to get too close, they could always keep track of the mission's movements.

What Wang Qi is most worried about is that Pei Yue will leave the mission for a private visit. In that case, many problems cannot be concealed at all. He has done his best to pretend to be along the official road and in the county town. Where is the capital to make the entire Anhua County As peaceful as ever.

Seeing that Pei Yue hadn't thought of that at all, and was being fooled by himself by showing his loyalty, he naturally felt a little more contemptuous.

After all, I'm just an ordinary man who has never read sage books, I am!

Pei Yue didn't seem to notice the slight change in Wang Qi's eyes, and asked as he walked, "How long can the Changping warehouse in this county last?"

Wang Qi said with a sad face: "Your Majesty dare not lie to your face. It hasn't rained since the end of April, and the weather is getting hotter and hotter. Many people don't have food in their homes. The food stored in several rice shops is less than a month old. It has been sold out, and the county government can only open the Changping warehouse to release grain and sell it at a low price, but this will not last long."

Pei Yue frowned slightly and said, "The grain merchants don't have any grain to sell?"

Wang Qi said carefully: "In previous years, they would go to Yongzhou to buy grain, and then sell it to the people in the county at a slightly higher price. This has been the case for decades. However, the price of grain in Yongzhou has risen this year, and the transportation The cost of rice will definitely rise a lot. Master Han of the Eastern Mansion has strictly ordered grain merchants not to sell at high prices, so...the county government can't force them to do business that loses money."

Pei Yue remained silent, Sheng Duanming said: "Have you reported this matter to Han Shenzheng?"

Wang Qi sighed: "The lower officials have sent people to send five urgent reports, but Han's participation in politics is also difficult. The seven prefectures and 39 counties of Qinzhou were hit by disasters everywhere, and urgent reports for help flew to Chengjing like snowflakes. It is also impossible to fully fill the food gap."

After all, Sheng Duanming is the minister of the Ministry of Rites, and asking him to preach the scriptures is a good game, and it is naturally a little unfamiliar when it comes to common affairs.

Pei Yue suddenly said: "Magistrate Wang, let these people go back, they don't have enough to eat, why bother standing here and wasting energy."

Wang Qi said with emotion: "Your Majesty loves the people like a son, and the officials respect you the most."

As he spoke, he signaled the officials to dismiss the people on both sides of the long street.

Pei Yue went first, followed by the mission group and the Beiwei camp. While looking at the buildings in the city as if casually, he asked Wang Qi about the disaster relief situation in the county and the countryside below.

Wang Qi had been prepared for a long time, and explained in detail the grain storage, distribution and specific sales methods of the Changping warehouse in the county, and Sheng Duanming kept nodding his head.

When they came near the open space, the soldiers of the Beiwei camp under the leadership of Deng Zai began to set up a temporary camp. Pei Yue stopped more than ten feet away and asked unhurriedly, "Where is the county magistrate Wang?" Renshi?"

Wang Qi replied cautiously: "Back to Lord Hou, the next official is from Zhongshan in Chengjing."

Pei Yue glanced at him in surprise, and slowly said: "So that's the case. County Magistrate Wang, this Marquis has another merciless request."

Wang Qi bowed slightly and said, "Please order, Master Hou."

Pei Yue said: "I didn't expect the drought in Qinzhou to be so severe. Ben Hou intends to look around from north to south. Since Wang County Magistrate is from this state, how about asking you to be a guide for a few days? Leave the affairs of the county to the second officer temporarily. On behalf of you, you can also make an order in advance."

Wang Qi wanted to refuse at first, but after seeing Pei Yue's slightly impatient expression, he immediately came to his senses and replied respectfully: "The next official takes orders."

Pei Yue nodded and said: "That's very good, please go back, magistrate Wang, just come here at the first hour of the morning tomorrow."

"Yes."

Wang Qi saluted the two and turned to leave.

Sheng Duanming watched his back go farther and farther, and sighed: "This county magistrate is not bad, at least he is not waiting to die."

Pei Yue was noncommittal, he just sneered a few times in his heart.

Let's say that after Wang Qi returned to the county office, he went straight to the study room, and then relied on his powerful memory to write down all the details after seeing Pei Yue on paper, and finally attached his own analysis and judgment.

He sealed the envelope with sealing paint, then stood up and faced the southeast corner of the room, and said calmly: "Go to Chengjing overnight, and give this letter to my cousin. Be careful, don't be found by those people .”

"Obey!" A black shadow standing there responded in a low voice. After receiving the letter, Wang Qi seemed to feel a blur in front of his eyes, and then disappeared without a trace.

Wang Qi took a few sips of the tea on the table, his eyes were full of sarcasm, and he said leisurely: "That's all."

He is not only the parent official of Anhua County, but also a direct descendant of the Wang family. Although this king has nothing to do with the king of Wei Guofu in the capital, he is still a well-known family in Qinzhou.

In such a big family, there are still many officials or hermits like Wang Qi. They are connected and close to each other, like an impenetrable giant net covering the sky of Qinzhou.

(End of this chapter)