Yi Song

Chapter 114 Li Gang, you really disappoint me

In the Yuxian Tower, the round Wu Fugui was greeting guests from all walks of life.

"Shopkeeper Wu, are they full again?" A customer looked frustrated.

"Civil officials, there is really nothing we can do. The customers are too enthusiastic. How about you apply for a VIP card, which will not only give you a discount, but also reserve a space in the private room." Wu Fugui replied with a smile.

"Shopkeeper Wu, you have to top up a VIP card with a hundred dollars. You don't have the financial resources. I am your regular customer. Today I brought Gongju from the same state to taste your spicy hot pot. I can't let you Let’s come here in good spirits and return in disgrace.”

"Civil official, follow me up to each floor and look around. If there is still a vacant seat, I will dig out these eyes for you. There are really none. There are even tables and chairs in the corridor and backyard, and it is really impossible to squeeze in any room."

Six or seven literati looked at each other, "What should we do? How about changing to another company?"

Just as he was talking, two fire masters came over with a steaming copper pot. In the middle was a charcoal fire chimney, surrounded by a copper lid. The aroma wafted out uncontrollably and got into everyone's noses.

"Wow, it smells so good!"

"It contains butter, vine pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, spicy feet and dogwood. It's really spicy and fragrant."

This guy is also a foodie and has a really good nose!

"This is Yuxianlou's latest spicy hotpot. Did you see it? The ones served by Huojia at the back are beef and mutton, the thin ones are beef and mutton, and the black ones are beef louvers and blood, as well as yellow throat, not to mention the powdered intestines. , drooling. I ate it once and will never forget it, so I brought you here to eat it today. What a pity, what a pity!"

"It really smells delicious. Brother Wen, you are a regular customer of Yuxianlou. Please help us get a table. If we don't eat today, we won't be able to sleep well when we go back."

"Yeah yeah."

The civil servant went forward to negotiate with Wu Fugui. After a few arguments, Wu Fugui had no choice but to pull the civil servant aside.

"Civil official, you are a regular customer, and I have to give you some respect. In this way, if you wait a moment, a table will become available in the open air in the backyard, and I will quietly add you in.

Don't make any noise! Brother, as you can see, there are hundreds of people waiting for a table outside. If you see you cutting in line, you will have to order us at Yuxianlou. "

The civil servant felt that it was particularly honorable, so he took Wu Fugui's hand, expressed his gratitude, and then quietly left with the Huo family.

Liu Guozhang emerged from the darkness and asked, "Shopkeeper Wu, what is the origin of this civil servant?"

"My boss," Wu Fugui replied with a smile, "This civil servant's name is Wen Zhenqi, a native of Chengdu Prefecture in Xichuan. He was a Jinshi at the end of the fifth year of Zhenghe. He is not very good at writing, but he knows how to deal with the world.

He found Xichuan's merchants in Kaifeng, gathered a sum of money, and found a way to stay in Kaifeng City. Now he is the chief clerk of the Department of Examination and Examination of the Ministry of Personnel. His official rank is not high, but he has considerable authority. No matter what, I have to give him face today and arrange a table.

Just don't talk about it, it doesn't look like he has face. "

Liu Guozhang couldn't help but give a thumbs up.

"Well done, Shopkeeper Wu. It will always be beneficial to make friends with more people like this in the future."

These people are well-informed and can find out secret information in the palace, officialdom, and Taishifang. In addition, it can't help you get things done, but it can help you ruin other people's things, but it is more than enough.

"Is my private room ready?"

"Ready, Mr. Zhengdao, Mr. Deyuan and Mr. Bo Ji, the judge of the left hall of Kaifeng Prefecture, have arrived."

"Li Gang is here too?"

"Yes."

"Okay, prepare a mandarin duck pot for us. Three portions each of beef, lamb, louver, and green vegetables, and four portions of ramen."

"Yes."

As soon as he entered the room, Zhang Zeduan said with a smile: "Yajian, Yajian, your single room in Yuxian Tower sounds good, isn't it the same? Could it be that the food is more delicious?"

"Of course the food in my Yuxian Tower is better than that in other restaurants, don't you believe it?" Liu Guozhang said with a smile.

"Believe it, I still can't believe it!"

"Mr. Boji, Brother Deyuan, Liu is late, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Zhang Jun, who returned the favor with his hand, looked at him with a complicated expression, somewhat absent-minded. But Li Gang suddenly said: "Liu Erlang, do you really have to take over the task of dredging the Bianhe River?"

"Yes, the imperial edict has been sent to the Zhongshu Province and the Privy Council."

"Don't you know this is a huge trap?"

"of course I know."

"Oh, you know what the trap is?"

"Master Cai personally recommended me. There must be a big trap that could kill me."

Li Gang was a little confused: "Do you really know, or are you pretending to know?"

"I know there is a trap inside, but I haven't had time to understand the details yet."

Li Gang couldn't help but let out a long sigh, "Liu Erlang, you are so reckless!"

"Reckless? Please give Mr. Bo Ji some advice."

At this time, Huojia Liushui introduced the dishes, with a steaming mandarin duck pot in the middle and a circle of vegetables surrounding it.

After the fire masters retreated, Li Gang looked at the hot pot with charcoal sparks and let out a long sigh: "Erlang, the Bianhe River is blocked every year. Why is it so blocked in the past two or three years?"

"I don't know."

Zhang Zeduan stood up, took some vegetables and put them in the pot on both sides.

"Let's talk while eating. Boji, please tell Erlang carefully."

"The dredging of the Bianhe River used to rely on the efforts of the states and counties along the coast to dredge the river in sections. Whether it was the recruitment of civilians or the recruitment law after the Xining Reform, it cost a lot of money and the states and counties were exhausted.

In the past, in order to ensure the smooth transfer of the Jianghuai and Cao Gang to Kaifeng City and to ensure the expenditure of millions of officials, soldiers, and civilians, the states and counties along the coast gritted their teeth and persisted. But in the past few years, what has been carried on the Bianhe River is the Huashi Gang, the Wanshou Gang, the Imperial Gang, the Jin Ming Gang, the gold and silver jewels in the private pockets of the six thieves, and the Fengheng Yuda.

All states and counties are discouraged and no longer actively cooperate. Without local cooperation and insufficient deployment of people's power, dredging has naturally become an empty talk. "

Liu Guozhang listened silently, but stood up and took some dishes to Zhang Zeduan, Zhang Jun and Li Gang.

"Also, before, both sides of the Bianhe River were mostly official fields and barracks for the imperial army. After the Chongning period, the Six Thieves were rampant, and the powerful families and corrupt officials tried their best to annex the official fields and barracks on both sides of the river. Almost exhausted.

After it became their private land, in order to harvest more grain, these people secretly released water from the Bian River to irrigate the fields. Originally, there was a certain amount of water consumption, but when it was replaced by these people, it was so unscrupulous that it reached the point of being crazy.

Every time the Bianhe River water is stolen, the river bed will have to be dug one more foot. The local government there was uncooperative and the people's power was insufficient, so the amount of construction here doubled. One decrease and one increase have become a huge problem. "

Li Gang said more and more vigorously, "Xue Rugui was a great scholar from Huainan, a famous scholar, and famous for his moral articles. Didn't he want to dredge the Bianhe River? He thought about it day and night. However, he was restrained by various restraints, unable to move, and finally ended up... The fate of being reprimanded and demoted by traitors and leaving the capital sadly."

Seeing that Liu Guozhang was indifferent, Li Gang became a little anxious and raised his voice and asked: "Erlang, do you understand everything I said?"

"I understand!" Liu Guozhang put down his chopsticks and replied, "Let me sum it up. First, if the stealing of water from the Bian River is not stopped, the amount of dredging of the Bian River will be doubled, and the required people, money and food will also be doubled. But stealing water They are all powerful and powerful, and no local official can afford to offend him. There is no solution.

Second, the Huashi Gang, Yuqian Gang, Jin Ming Gang, and Wanshou Gang are now transported on the Bian River. They are the extremely luxurious people's wealth and anointing provided by the traitor officials to the officials, as well as the gold and silver jewelry that the traitor officials headed by the six thieves collected from various places.

You honest ministers who are responsible for the clean flow of water, just don't bother dredging the Bian River and let it block up. If it's blocked, you don't have to watch these bad lucks come and go before your eyes.

You even have a saying that whoever dredges the Bianhe River to allow these outlines to be transported to Beijing smoothly will be helping the tyranny of the tyrants, and will be a lackey of the Six Thieves and the traitorous party.

Mr. Boji, am I right? "

"Yes, yes, yes!" Li Gang nodded repeatedly in surprise, and then said eagerly: "Erlang hates evil as much as he hates evil, and he is eager for justice. He is not on the same side as Master Cai, and naturally he is not on the same side as the Six Thieves. Why don't you find an official to resign from this job? I’m on a mission, and I can’t do this to help the tyrants do harm!”

"Li Boji, Li Gang, you really disappoint me." Liu Guozhang sighed and said sadly.

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(End of this chapter)