The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Early the next morning, Su Jin parted ways with the brigade. This time, Xiao Sui'er and Huan Niang did not follow, and Zhao Hu and Xiao Zhuzi also stayed in the capital, only bringing Wang Chao, Ma Han, and Zhang Long with them. There were only five guards, and one of these soldiers was not familiar with them. Su Jin was a little worried, so he ordered Zhang Long to follow the brigade to guard Yan Biyun and Xiao Xian'er.

Yan Biyun refused at first, and when Su Jin went to Yangzhou, Wang Chao and Ma Han were left beside him, making people even more worried, but Su Jin insisted on it, and Yan Biyun had no choice but to ask Xiao Xianer to take care of the daily life, but Su Jin flatly refused; it was simply unrealistic to go flying for several days and take Xiao Xian'er with her.

Su Jin hurried straight to Yangzhou Mansion. Along the way, he saw the sky covered with dust and weeds, the river dried up, and the fields were cracked like tortoise shells. He couldn't help being surprised.

Two days later, Su Jin and the other three finally arrived at the foot of Yangzhou city. The city of Yangzhou is definitely not peaceful.

Outside the west gate of Yangzhou, Su Jin ordered the dynasty to come forward and shout, asking the city gate guards to inform Song Xiang, the prefect, and said that the special envoy for grain affairs in the capital had arrived. Half an hour later, the city gate opened wide, and a group of people came out to greet them. The leader was dressed in four Wearing official clothes, tall and thin, about forty years old, fair and handsome, with three beautiful beards floating under the jaw, giving people a sense of elegance and weakness.

Su Jin knew that this was Song Xiang, so he hurriedly got off his horse, bowed his hands, and went forward to salute; Song Xiang couldn't help being stunned when he saw Su Jin, looked behind Su Jin, and asked strangely: "Where is the special envoy? Why are you alone?" Several people?"

Su Jin was also taken aback, and immediately understood that Song Xiang might have regarded himself as the first entourage of the food-raising envoy, and it is no wonder he would have such an idea, a young man in short clothes and riding a horse without an official uniform How could Lang be the food envoy sent by the capital.

Su Jin smiled and said: "Prefect Song, don't look for it anymore, here is Su Jin, the grain envoy you are looking for."

Song Xiang pulled his beard in surprise, opened his eyes wide and said, "You...are...the envoy?"

Su Jin chuckled, took out the document from his bosom and handed it to Song Xiang, "It's guaranteed to be a fake."

Song Xiang looked at the document, shook his head again and again and said, "Unexpectedly, unexpectedly, you are really an envoy, and I am offended."

Su Jin smiled and said, "What's the matter? It's not just you. I'm afraid everyone won't believe me if I tell you."

Song Xiang tugged at his beard and said, "The envoy is young and talented, his future is limitless. Are these the only people who accompany the envoy?"

Su Jin said: "It's only three of us."

Song Xiang frowned and said, "The envoy didn't bring anything?"

Su Jin thought for a while, and understood what Song Xiang was referring to, so he said, "My lord is disappointed."

Song Xiang was a little disappointed, and he couldn't help complaining to the imperial court. He appointed a special envoy for grain affairs, but he didn't even bring a grain of grain when he came to Yangzhou. What's the use of coming?But disappointment is disappointment, and etiquette cannot be neglected, so he extended his hand to invite, and a group of people entered the city gate side by side.

Yangzhou City is also a big city. Before coming here, Su Jin learned that there are about 70 households in Yangzhou Prefecture, and each household has seven people, which is about 40 residents. Except for some living in counties and villages, there are more than [-] residents in Yangzhou City alone. [-] people.

Entering the city now, one can imagine the density of pavements on both sides of the street, the luxury of the dwellings, and the width of the street. The city is extremely prosperous.

Of course Su Jin knew that Yangzhou City was a gold-selling cave. Since ancient times, there has been a saying of "wrapping a hundred thousand guan and riding a crane down to Yangzhou", which shows that Yangzhou is not only a gold-selling cave, but also a place where rich people are willing to spend money. The bliss is there; the reason is not difficult to understand, Yangzhou is a place where merchants gather and fireworks are gorgeous, no matter how much money you bring, you can always spend it cleanly here.

But if you look around, you can see that the streets are empty, the shops are tightly closed, and the sparse pedestrians are also hurrying, huddling their heads and running fast in the cold wind, but there are patrol soldiers lined up on the street from time to time Patrols come and go.

Su Jin wondered: "Master Song, is this a place where fireworks flourish in Yangzhou from time to time? How did it become like this, and the gates of the city were still closed just now, why?"

Song Xiang sighed: "I can't do anything about it. The civil turmoil has continued these past few days. I had to implement the ban policy and arrested many rioters. Many shops on the street were smashed, so even if I send troops Patrol, but still dare not open."

Just as he was talking, a soldier galloped forward on horseback, got up close and got off his horse and reported: "My lord, there are refugees gathering on the small stone bridge in front of you. My lord, please take a detour back to the government office. The head of Weidu is leading people to chase him away." Go and disperse."

Song Xiang turned his head and glanced at Su Jin apologetically, and said to the soldier, "Understood, all you need to do is disperse the head of Wei Du, and you don't need to hurt anyone."

The soldier promised to turn around and left, Su Jin said: "I imagined the situation here before I came, but I didn't expect the situation to be so bad."

Song Xiang sighed and said: "This government is incompetent, and the situation is getting more and more difficult to control. It's hard to explain it in one word. Let's talk about it in detail when we get back to the government office."

A group of people turned right onto an alley, from which they could bypass the small stone bridge in front of which the common people gathered together. After walking for about an hour, the alley came to the end, but it was a side alley. Two cloth bags walked through the side alley, talking while walking.

"These bastards, the expensive money is going back to grab medicine and eat it, this bird is worldly, the whole family has worked hard and can't even fill their stomachs..." the tall man scolded.

The woman next to her with a cloth scarf covering her head hurriedly said: "The head of the house, please speak in a low voice. There are officers and soldiers everywhere. It's amazing to hear it."

"Why are you afraid of them? Am I wrong? I work as a coolie honestly and earn more than a dozen dollars a year. In the end, my wife and children can't even afford rice. Isn't this the way of the world? Look, just Such a bag of rice cost us two pennies and six. How much money do you think we can make? Fleeing."

The woman was speechless, sighed, and the two walked away.

Su Jin stood still, bowed his head in thought; Song Xiang said: "My lord, don't take the people's complaints seriously, and don't bother him. If you don't listen to a few sentences of complaints, it won't mean that the people will have no way out."

Su Jin smiled and said: "That's natural." Turning his head to Wang Chao beside him, he said: "Go, follow that couple, find his house, remember the place clearly and come back, be careful not to disturb him."

With a promise, Wang Chao turned around and followed the backs of the two couples.

Song Xiang was a little displeased, looked at Su Jin and said, "Master Special Envoy, forgive me for speaking bluntly, just now I told you that the complaints of the common people should not be taken seriously, yet you send someone to watch, it's scary to act like this It's not right."

Su Jin laughed and said: "Master Song, I'm afraid you have misunderstood. I asked people to follow them, not to accuse him of crimes."

Song Xiang said, "Then why follow them?"

Su Jinfu whispered in Song Xiang's ear: "Didn't your lord hear what they said? I'm afraid they bought their food from the black market."

Song Xiang said, "How do you say it?"

Su Jin frowned, Song Xiang was still the number one scholar in the second year of Tiansheng, he seemed to be a nerd, and he had to analyze this matter for him, but if he didn't clear up the mind of the magistrate, he would ask him to assist him in the future. This nerd is afraid that he will not.

"Do you know where the black market is?"

"Since it's a black market, it's naturally a secret place. The government hasn't found out yet." Song Xiang said honestly.

"Then do you know where the food in the black market comes from? There is a shortage of food out there, so where is the food sold on the black market?"

"This... is naturally a family with food storage."

Su Jin rolled his eyes and said, "This envoy is here to punish the private hoarders who are hoarding money. I don't know if you have received the imperial edict."

Song Xiang said: "What official document has never arrived."

Su Jin said: "I will arrive in the next few days. I will leave Beijing on my front foot, and the messenger will go to various states to deliver the edict. I guess I will go to Huainan East Road first, and then to our Yangzhou City; this time I will dig out these moths. If you don’t follow those two people and ask where they bought the rice, how can you follow the clues and dig out the hoarding merchants?”

Song Xiang suddenly realized, and couldn't help but take another look at the hairless envoy. He thought he was just here to mess around, but he didn't expect to enter the role so quickly, and from the conversation between the two common people, he could immediately After tracing the clues, the envoy seems to be very difficult.