The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

On the official road at the north gate of Yangzhou, Su Jin took Ma Han, Zhao Hu, Zhang Long, and a small group of horse soldiers to the north along the official road, crossed the valley and went straight to Lanruo Temple.Visit download txt novel

It was still early in the daylight, and Su Jin left immediately after listening to Yan Biyun's introduction to Ouyang Xiu at the inn, so it was just late, and about an hour later, the dilapidated temple of Lanruo Temple was already in sight.

Everyone got off their horses and entered the temple. Although it was the afternoon sun, the temple still had a gloomy atmosphere. Even the warm sunlight could not dispel the sneakiness brought by the long-term dilapidation.

Su Jin carefully inspected the traces on the open space in the courtyard, and at the same time ordered everyone to search the inside and outside of Lanruo Temple. There is no doubt that Wang Chao and Ma Han's judgment was correct, and this is Nayetun Temporary storage of grain.

The ruts in the long grass are like ruts, and the slightly soft turf is pressed out of deep ravines, which shows that there must be heavy objects on the vehicle.

"My lord, should we look around to see if this group of people will hide the food somewhere nearby." Ma Han brought up the old story again, but the answer he got was exactly the same as what the dynasty said.

"Impossible. It is absolutely impossible for grain to be piled up in the wild. This is not leading troops to fight. The grain is only available for more than ten days. After eating, our own grain transport team will send it over, so as not to be damp and mildewed; this is 180 million shi of grain, and It takes at least two months to pile up food in Yangzhou city before they run out of food, and they can pull it back and continue to sell it at a high price. Are you kidding me if I put it in the wild for these two months? Unless Feng Jingyao is planning for a rainy day, it is already guaranteed that the imperial court will send people to investigate this year, but he He is not a half-immortal, how can he guess?" Su Jin immediately rejected Ma Han's proposal.

"Then what shall we do?"

"It must be transported to a place where there are conditions for hiding. They dare not in Yangzhou Prefecture. If the people find out, they will inevitably talk about it when they enter the city for business. It must be transported to Tianchang; without delay, we will go to Tianchang immediately. Find Li Chong. With his assistance, we will definitely find out."

As Su Jin spoke, he got on his horse and galloped out of the courtyard first. Ma Han waved his hand and shouted: "Everyone, get on your horse and go to Tianchang."

Everyone got on their horses one after another, and dozens of riders raised dust and rolled along the official road to the northwest.

……

Wang Chao arrived at Tianchang as early as noon. After entering the city, he went to the county government office to ask Li Chong to see him, but he was in vain. His master told him that the county magistrate Li went to Hongcao Lake in the west of the city and took the people to repair and dig ditches. .

Wang Chao hurriedly asked the teacher to take him to look for it, but the teacher shirked the busy work at hand and refused. He made Wang Chao anxious with a few words, and got on the horse with the teacher's body. Bagongshan, recognized Chao Dynasty as the personal guard under the grain envoy, so he hurriedly stopped other government servants who were rushing forward to arrest him. Put it on horseback and beat the horse away.

After leaving the city and running for less than half a stick of incense, the teacher's bones and frame were about to fall apart, with his mouth open, he swallowed hard and pointed to the front: "This official... ... Right in front, let the old man off the horse, if this continues, the old man's life will probably be in your hands."

Only then did Wang Chao report him off his horse, and the teacher squatted on the side of the road panting for a long time, then he recovered, and limped leading Wang Chao to a willow forest at the intersection in front of him. Cheer up.

An endless stretch of tidal flat spreads out in front of our eyes, and what is even more amazing is that red grass grows all over the ground. Although the leaves are withered, the stems are tangled and red like fire. At a glance, it looks like a burning giant The carpet stretched out in front of my eyes, reaching an invisible distance.

Wang Chao praised: "What a big piece of grass, this place is really strange."

The master flattened his mouth and said: "Hehe, this is probably the first time for this master to come to our Tianchang County. This is the famous red grass lake in our Tianchang County. You see, red grass grows everywhere. It is green in spring and dyed in summer. Huang, as for the autumn and winter seasons, the stems are like fire and the velvet flowers are like snow, the beauty of the scenery is rare in the world.”

Wang Chao chuckled and said, "The old man's poems are good, but they are easy to describe. How about County Magistrate Li and the others? Are they going to dig ditches on this red grass beach?"

The master pointed to the distance and said: "Everyone is over there, look at the piles of red grass piled up, that is where the county magistrate is leading people to dig ditches."

Chao Chao tied the horse to the willow tree and said, "Then I'll go, old man, you will wait here."

After saying that, he stretched out his feet and stepped on the red grass. The master hurriedly said "no", but he was a step too late. As soon as Dynasty's big feet stepped on the grass, he suddenly felt soft under his feet, his body slipped, and half of his legs were deeply sunken. After entering the mud, he hurriedly supported the ground with his hands, but his hands soon sank in, and the whole person lay on the red grass stall and could not move, just like a big toad.

"Ouch, evil gate!" Zhao Chao shouted.

"Don't move, don't move." The old man hurriedly picked up a long stick from the side of the road, and handed it to Chao Chao. He used all his strength to pull Chao Chao out. His hands and legs were covered in mud. Embarrassed.

"Your lord is too impatient. These red grasses seem to be able to bear people, but the bottom is full of mud, which is so deep that it can't reach the top; although the grass stems are tangled together, they are crisp and easy to break in winter. If spring and summer It's better."

Wang Chao crossed his hands and said, "This...how did County Magistrate Li and the others get there?"

The master said: "Manpower can definitely do it, there is no reason to be stumped by this mud, you help me pull some wicker off, and the old man will help you make a pair of mudflat shoe covers, so that you will not sink into it."

According to his words, Wang Chao stretched out his hand and tore off a large bundle of thin willow sticks from the willow tree by the roadside, piled them in front of the master, watched curiously as the master rolled up his sleeves, spit into the palm of his hand, rubbed his hands together, and moved Weave easily.

After a while, two small wicker basket-like things were woven, and the master said: "Step on one foot, and the old man will help you tie it. When you walk, you have to lift your feet and lay them flat on the grass. It's sinking."

Wang Chao didn't believe it, but seeing the master's confidence, he hesitated again and again and finally raised his foot and stepped lightly. He stepped on the grass with a small willow basket. There was a sound of grass stems breaking, but it really didn't sink.

Wang Chao was overjoyed, raised his thumb and said, "It really works."

The master grinned with a toothless mouth and said, "Is that still false? People here all walk like this."

Wang Chao cupped his hands and said: "Thank you, old man. I was unreasonable just now, and I offended you so much. I will go to your county magistrate to report important matters, and I will apologize later. I will treat you to a drink when I have time."

The master laughed loudly and said: "Don't dare to be so, go quickly, remember, raise your feet high, step on the grass lightly and then use your strength, you will be safe."

Chao Chao promised, turned around and stepped on the grass slowly towards the piles of piled up red grass.

A huge trench was dug out in the red grass beach, and Li Chong stood barefoot in the muddy water that covered his ankles, following hundreds of people to work in full swing; They were all standing in the muddy water barefoot, wearing only thin clothes on their bodies, but their faces were covered with beads of sweat.

Who would have thought that Li Zhong, who usually recited poems, painted paintings and started a poetry club, would be so pragmatic and able to endure hardships after he became a county magistrate, and if it was spread to Luzhou, none of the princes and ladies who knew him well would believe it.

Wang Chao didn't believe it either, so he stood on the edge of the ditch and looked at Li Chong. He couldn't recognize him. He looked at Li Chong for a while, and then tentatively looked at the man who seemed to be Li Chong who was covered in mud all over his face. He called out, "Is it Li County Magistrate?"

Li Chong raised his head in astonishment, recognized Dynasty at a glance, and was taken aback for a moment, and said in surprise, "Brother Dynasty? Why are you here? Your son has been here for a long time?"

Wang Chao clasped his fists in salute and said, "My young master didn't come, so I came, but I have something important to discuss, and my young master is still waiting for a reply."

Li Chong hurriedly bent down to wash his hands and feet in the muddy water, walked up the ditch along the wooden steps, put on a cotton coat, and said with a smile: "This is rude, look at me, I am covered in mud."

Wang Chao pointed to the gully and said, "What is... what?"

Li Chongdao: "Brother Dynasty, you don't know. This year's drought is really severe. My 30 mu of land is almost useless. It's because there is no water for irrigation. This county is burning with anxiety."

Wang Chao said: "It's not your county magistrate Li's fault, God is not open, what can I do?"

Li Chong pointed to the vast distance of the Red Grass Lake and said: "There is really no way if it doesn't rain, but this red grass beach is full of water all year round. How can I feel at ease when I look helplessly at the water and can't irrigate it?"

Wang Chao said: "Where did the water come from? It's just a piece of sludge."

Li Chongdao: "The center of Hongcao Lake is full of water, it's just that it can't be used."

Wang Chao said in astonishment: "So you plan to dig a ditch to bring water here? This is too difficult. I'm afraid it's a distance of more than ten miles. It depends on you people?"

Li Chong laughed and said: "Brother, this ditch was dug in the hands of the former Mr. Bao. After digging, I, Li Chong, are stupid. Is Mr. Bao also so stupid? Look at what is gushing out of the mud. What? Isn't this water? Don't look at this muddy field, the red grass root system is well developed and stores a lot of water. It is no exaggeration to say that the water seeping out of this muddy field cannot hold several large lakes; have you seen it? Let's dig The open mud seeps into the ditch on both sides, if there is no ditch in front to divert the flow away, this big ditch would be full at this moment."

The dynasty suddenly realized that Li Chong and the others just wanted to dig a big mud pond, and the water seeping from both sides could be channeled outside along the ditches for irrigation. of the water.

After understanding this point, Wang Chao felt a little in awe. Mr. Bao's mind is really not covered up.