Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 437
Songcheng County is the seat of Yingtianfu and Jingdong Road. It is classified as Chi County, with a population of one million, a vast city, and extremely developed commerce and education. It is the third largest county in the Central Plains after Bianliang County and Luoyang County.

At nightfall, two fast horses galloped into the south gate of Songcheng County and stopped in front of a big official residence. The two riders got off their horses and ran up the steps.
This mansion is the official residence of Yang Du, the general judge of Yingtianfu. Yang Du was a Jinshi in the fourth year of Qingli.

Yang Du was very strong, and in just half a year he emptied the magistrate Zhao Zhinian. Although Zhao Zhinian also belonged to the same faction that supported King Langya, he still couldn't resist Yang Du's offensive. After being caught by Yang Du three times, he had to hand over power obediently , Gan Xin was suspended for two years until he was transferred back to the capital in March this year.

After two years of operation, Yang Du's management in Yingtian Mansion has become deeply rooted and has become a powerful support for Jia Changchao.

Yang Du is not very old, he is only about 37 or [-] years old. He is in the prime of life. His goal is to go to Beijing to serve as the head of the temple after Ying Tianfu's term expires. He came to take over the position of magistrate, but he didn't expect that the imperial court would drop Fan Ning from the sky, which immediately made him nervous.

In the study, Yang Du looked contemptuous, pacing back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, and his confidant Wang Yue stood beside him.

"I know that Zhao Zongshi will arrange for people to enter Yingtian Mansion sooner or later. I never thought that he would arrange for a young boy to come. He has no experience in local governance, and he should be the chief administrative officer of Nanjing. The court is simply making a fuss!"

Wang Yue said cautiously: "Tong Juan must not underestimate the enemy, this Fan Ning is said to be highly valued by the emperor."

"I know he is highly valued by the emperor!"

Yang Du interrupted him impatiently, "I know his background very well. He is the number one Jinshi in the Tongzi Division, he is successful at a young age, he opened up overseas territories, and catered to the officials. How can he not be valued, but he actually did it. What, I stayed in Taixue for three years, nominally as an inspector, but actually continued my studies, and then went overseas directly. After returning to the court, I worked as a Zuo Jianyi doctor for a few months, and Ding You went home for nearly three years. It's just his qualifications, it's just that the backstage is a bit tougher, Han Qi supports him, but he is actually a 23-year-old young man with no experience in officialdom struggles, no experience in governing the local area, taking up the post alone, and Ying Tianfu has no allies for him , what does he use to fight me?"

At this time, someone outside the door reported, "Report and judge, urgent letter from the capital!"

Yang Du was startled, and then said, "Let the messenger come in!"

A person walked in quickly outside the door, Yang Du immediately recognized that the person was Jia Changchao's confidant, the sender saluted, handed the letter to Yang Du, and said: "All the words are in the letter, Jia Xianggong has no other orders. !"

Yang Du nodded, and ordered: "Take 20 taels of silver and reward the messenger, and take him down to rest!"

"Thank you, Yang Tongjue!"

The messenger saluted and went down.

Only then did Yang Du open the letter and read it carefully, and said to Wang Yue: "Jia Xianggong said that this Fan Ning was sent here by Julu King in order to seize the dominance of Yingtian Mansion. Jia Xianggong ordered me to suppress this Fan Ning in Ying Tianfu. Tianfu, completely empty him and don't give him any chance to seize power."

"That's why the humble officer persuaded the general judge not to underestimate him. The Julu King sent him, so he must have something special."

Yang Du sneered, "Then why don't you show him off!"

After two days of sailing, in the early morning of the third day, the large passenger ship slowly docked at the Bianhe pier outside the city. It was the first time for Fan Ning to come to Songcheng County. The first impression he gave was that the prosperity here was comparable to that of Tokyo. Bianliang is almost the same. Various shops are next to each other on both sides of the road outside the city. There is an endless stream of pedestrians on the street, and ox carts, donkey carts and human-powered wheelbarrows come and go.

The cargo ships on the river were one after another without stopping, and both sides of the river were full of ships.

The names of Fanning's four guards are very distinctive. They are called Zhu Long, Zhu Hu, Zhu Bao, and Zhu Ying. They are all in their twenties. Loyal and loyal, these four people followed Fan Ning to interrogate the tea boy Ma Yuer before, and they officially belonged to Fan Ning, and they regarded Fan Ning as their master.

It will take two days for Fan Ning's carriage and horses to be delivered to Yingtian Mansion, and they can only rent their feet temporarily.

Fan Ning ordered Zhu Long, and not long after, Zhu Long rented four ox carts, everyone got into the carts, and the four ox carts headed for the county seat.

The county town is also extremely prosperous. The north-south central axis is Songzhou Street, which stretches for more than ten miles. The street is spacious, and there are continuous large shops on both sides. He stopped the bullock cart, took out half of the jade pendant and handed it to Aya, "Go to the money shop and see if I have got my money. The password is Taihu people."

Aya agreed, and took a little maid to the money shop. They entered the money shop, and after a while, they saw a middle-aged man who looked like a big shopkeeper escorting them out. Aya got on the cattle driveway: " A total of 3 taels of silver has arrived!"

Of course, Fan Ning is considering buying a house. It would be best if the official house can satisfy him. If the official house is not satisfied, he can only buy a house first and sell it in the future. Fan Ning has already inquired about it before. The chief official's house behind the Yingtianfu Yamen where the chief official lived was occupied by the general judge Yang Du, and it is said that it was let out by the former prefect.

Fan Ning must either live in a smaller official house, or find a house by himself. This will be the first test Fan Ning faces.

At this time, Fan Ning saw an inn with a large area called 'Liangzhou Inn', and he immediately ordered, "Stay at the inn in front."

The four ox carts slowly stopped in front of the inn, and the innkeeper rushed out to greet them, and said with a smile: "Welcome the guest officer to stay at the inn?"

"Is there a single house?" Fanning asked.

"Yes! The shop has four courtyards, one big and three small. Currently, only one small courtyard has customers, and the other three are empty."

Fan Ning smiled happily: "Then go to the biggest yard!"

The shopkeeper hurriedly ordered the waiter to come to help with the luggage, and he personally led Fanning into the inn.

"The shop is one of the three major inns in Songcheng County. Although it occupies less land than the Songzhou inn, it is cleaner than it. All kinds of services are in place. There is hot water supply at any time, and the food provided is delicious and cheap."

At this time, Gongsun Xuance stepped forward and said to Fan Ning in a low voice: "I recommend living separately, so that we can go to the city to understand the situation."

Fan Ning nodded, "Then the two of you are going to stay at the Songzhou Inn, and come here to meet up in two days."

Gongsun Xuance and Zhang Bo left in a hurry, and Fan Ning led everyone to the largest single courtyard, which was quite large, consisting of six guest rooms, and there was a big tree in the courtyard.

The shopkeeper introduced: "This is the best single-family house in the small shop. The rent is a little more expensive. It costs [-] Wen a day, and the meal fee is not included."

Fan Ning smiled slightly and said, "It's not expensive, such a courtyard costs at least two pennies a day in the capital."

"Of course it can't be compared with the capital city. What is the land price in the capital city? We are a small place here, and the guest officials come from the capital city?"

Fan Ning looked around the house and was quite satisfied, so he nodded and said, "Just this yard, prepare the necessary things, and we will live here."

Everyone hurriedly carried their luggage into the yard. They didn't have breakfast and were a little hungry.

Fanning asked, "Is there breakfast?"

"Yes! Today's breakfast is meat buns and rice porridge just out of the cage. You can eat it in the dining hall, or you can ask the waiter to deliver it."

Fan Ning said to the four guards: "You go to the dining hall to have breakfast first, and after eating, Zhu Long goes to the government office to submit a letter."

The shopkeeper heard that they were going to the government office to submit letters, but he didn't know their identities. He hesitated and said: "If the officials are government officials, they can live in the official post. The conditions are good and it doesn't cost money."

"No need, just stay here."

Fan Ning took out ten taels of silver and handed it to the shopkeeper, "This is the rent deposit, and we will settle the bill together at the end."

The shopkeeper was overjoyed, and went to register with the silver.

Fanning asked the waiter to bring breakfast, and everyone sat down to eat.

After breakfast, Aya took several maids to pack their luggage, the tea boy Gui Geer took out the tea stove to make tea, and Fan Ning sat in the room and read a book.

At this time, footsteps came from outside, and Zhu Long hurried in with an official.

The official came in and bowed to Fan Ning and said, "The lowly position is Zhang Qi, the head of Yingtian Mansion, please refer to Prefect Fan!"

The head of Ying Tianfu is an eighth-rank official, equivalent to the director of the office. Fan Ning asked people to go to the government office to submit a letter, but only one eighth-rank official came.

(End of this chapter)