The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

After finishing tidying up, Su Jin went out of the room, and there was a sound of playfulness coming from below. He leaned on the railing and looked down, only to see that the yard was sunny, and the three soft girls, Huanniang, and Xiaoxian were kicking colorful feather shuttlecocks in the open space. Back and forth, Yan Biyun sat on a chair and watched with a smile.

Rou Niang, Xiao Xian'er and the others were obviously hot from kicking, so they removed their loose coats and wore only close-fitting padded jackets, which made their waists softer and their figures more delicate; , looks doubly delicate and charming.

Xiao Xian'er's hands and feet are the most agile, the red skirt is flying, Caiyu is flying back and forth close to her body, her pair of little feet are swinging dazzlingly from front to back, no matter where the shuttlecock flies, it will never land.

All the girls cheered and cheered, and counted loudly. When the count reached 99, Xiao Xianer accidentally kicked the shuttlecock and flew sideways, heading straight for Yan Biyun's seat.

Xiao Xian'er chased after her, but couldn't get out. She kicked her own lady. Yan Biyun stretched out his hand to catch the flying shuttlecock in his hand, and said with a smile: "Just take a rest, you are the first!" , How many more kicks is enough?"

Rou Niang smiled and said: "Yes, sister Xian'er's hands and feet are really sharp, I lost to you as a raccoon girl, so I will give you my lotus sachet."

Xiao Xian'er giggled and said: "Then thank you sister Rouniang, this is a lottery, don't say that I insisted on it in the future, I just like sister Rouniang's female celebrity skills."

Yan Biyun gave her a blank look and said: "It's cheap and good-looking, you all put on your clothes, and you can't stand the cold when you're sweating."

Several girls put on the big cotton robes outside one after another, Huanniang said: "I don't know if the young master woke up, I'm afraid he was exhausted last night."

Yan Biyun blushed, not daring to answer; Rou Niang pulled Huan Niang's sleeve, Huan Niang also realized that her words were quite ambiguous, and hurriedly said: "Sister Bi Yun, I don't mean... that."

This time the drawing became darker and darker, and everyone turned into red faces. In the midst of embarrassment, Su Jin walked over from behind the pillar and laughed loudly: "You guys are so excited, don't call me for such a fun thing, Where's the shuttlecock? I'll come and play too."

Xiao Xian'er rolled her eyes and said, "You're a big slob, sleeping like...something, who can wake you up."

Su Jin glanced at Yan Biyun, Yan Biyun quickly looked away, his face flushed, Su Jin's heart moved, and he was about to say a few jokes to tease her, when someone in the aisle of the inn lobby said loudly: "Master, Lord."

Hearing that the voice was Zhao Hu, Su Jin turned around and frowned and said, "What's wrong? You're in a panic."

Zhao Hu panted and ran into the yard from the aisle, and said, "So who... brought a group of people here."

Su Jin said: "Who is that? Explain clearly."

Zhao Hu knocked himself on the head, suddenly remembered, and said: "Master Ouyang brought a lot of people here, it seems that he is here for us."

Su Jin smiled and said: "What's the matter? He will come when he comes, maybe it's just going in this direction."

Zhao Hu shook his head and said: "No, I just ran over from the government office, Lord Ouyang suddenly brought a group of followers to the government office in the morning, talked to Master Song, and then angrily led people to rush here ;I asked Wang Dalang from the government office, and he heard it clearly outside the door. He said that Master Ouyang asked if the Song Fuzun had moved any food, and Song Fuzun was forced to ask him, so he had no choice but to tell the son what to distribute The matter of food; later Master Ouyang became furious and scolded the Song Fuzun, so he asked someone to guard the Song Fuzun, and then brought people here."

Su Jin was surprised: "Is this true?"

Zhao Hu stomped his feet and said, "I don't dare to make fun of this matter, although I don't know what it is, but since even Song Fuzun has taken care of it, there must be something big going on, so I took a short cut and rushed to report the news. They're coming while we're talking."

Su Jin frowned and pondered, and the women's faces turned pale. They all knew about Su Jin's movement of military rations, and it seemed that they couldn't hide it after all.

After hearing the news, Wang Chao Ma Han and others rushed to surround him, and Ma Han shouted: "Master, I immediately summoned the manpower, and the official took the shit as soon as he entered the door."

Su Jin glared at him and said, "Do you think it's a rebellion? He's an imperial envoy. If there's a slight change, we'll all have to move our heads."

Yan Biyun said softly: "Yes, your son is right, you must not act rashly."

Su Jin walked back and forth for two steps, waved his hands and said, "Open the door of the inn, and make some tea. Let's welcome Mr. Ouyang."

Chao Chao and the others said in astonishment: "This... I'm afraid he came here in a bad way. What if he wants to arrest someone?"

Su Jin said: "Miss Yan is right. This matter will be leaked sooner or later. How can these arrested officials let me go? Once the imperial envoy interrogates me, they will naturally shake up the matter and drag me into the water. I am afraid of that." I have been mentally prepared; but I didn't expect this Lord Ouyang to be so fast, I thought he would investigate secretly and then launch it, but now it seems that this Lord Ouyang can't wait."

Yan Biyun said softly: "Then do you have any countermeasures?"

Su Jin said: "No, I have been chasing food all the time, but I didn't think about it carefully. Right now, I can only take one step at a time."

Yan Biyun said: "Isn't this caught off guard? Zensheng thinks of a countermeasure. Hey! This is what to do."

Su Jin patted her hand and said: "Don't panic, I don't think things are too bad to be out of hand. I think Lord Ouyang made a sudden move instead of immediately reporting to the court. There is a lot to be done here. Going to the capital is really hopeless, maybe I can make a deal with him, I don't know."

Yan Biyun asked suspiciously, "A deal?"

Su Jin nodded and said: "It's a deal, I don't have time to tell you in detail now, I'll meet with the imperial envoy first and then act accordingly."

Yan Biyun turned around and told the girls to go upstairs to escape, Su Jin grabbed her hand and said, "You come with me to see him."

Yan Biyun was surprised and said, "How can I show my face? Ouyang Xiu knows my family well."

Su Jin smiled and said: "It is precisely because he knows you that I want you to go to see him with me. Since we are going to make a deal, the heavier the bargaining chip on my side, the better. quite?"

Yan Biyun suddenly understood that Su Jin asked her to meet Ouyang Xiu together, not because of Yan Biyun's face, but to show Ouyang Xiu how close the relationship between Su Jin and the Yan family was.

Su Jin looked at Yan Biyun with anticipation in her eyes. Yan Biyun could not hesitate. At such a time, even if she became a bargaining chip in Su Jin's hand, she would let Su Jin use it without hesitation. After hesitating, his position in Su Jin's heart plummeted from then on.

"I'm going to change clothes, I'll be here soon." Yan Biyun gave a blessing, turned and left.

Su Jin heaved a sigh of relief, straightened his clothes, and walked into the lobby of the inn. At the same time, a voice shouted outside the door: "The imperial envoy, Yushi Zhongcheng, Mr. Ouyang, is here!"

Su Jin let out a long breath and went up to meet her.

……

Inside and outside the Yamen of Yangzhou Mansion, all the guards from the capital city brought by Ouyang Xiu, Song Xiang sat in the inner hall with a gloomy expression, and all the personal servants around him had been replaced. Prisoner.

The sudden visit by the imperial envoy in the morning, and straight to the point, asked him whether he was involved in the movement of the military rations, which made Song Xiang flustered; although he knew that Su Jin had already made a remedy after the incident, by forging the seal of the military rations and making it into a mess. He looked as if he didn't move at all, but Song Xiang knew that these hands and feet could not be hidden from Ouyang Xiu's eyes.

Who is Ouyang Xiu?Although he was born in a poor family, he has been promoted all the way. Since Tiansheng became a Jinshi in the eighth year, he has been promoted to an important figure in Yushitai in just 11 years; Song Xiang knew it well when he was the deputy prime minister in the capital , Ouyang Xiu has excellent literary talent, but his promotion is not based on a good essay, but because he is good at judging the situation and trying to figure out people's hearts.

None of the officials who fell under the hands of Ouyang Xiu used to be all-powerful, but it was this Ouyang Xiu who made them prisoners of the ranks one by one; However, this dog did not bite people indiscriminately. Because of this, the emperor attached great importance to Ouyang Xiu, and it was nothing more than a roll call of praise in the court. Ouyang Xiu was not allowed to intervene in some national policy discussions, so he was allowed to speak up. Two sentences.

Song Xiang maintained his innocence, and with his business spirit, he had criticized Ouyang Xiu fiercely in public several times, but Ouyang Xiu did not express anything.

When Ouyang Xiu came to Yangzhou as an imperial envoy, Song Xiang had a rare sense of political sensitivity. He felt that Ouyang Xiu would settle old and new accounts together this time, and he would not escape the palm of this person after all.

But Song Xiang had nothing to say, other things were fine, tampering with the army ration reserve was a crime of treason and immorality, even if Ouyang Xiu used this knife to slash himself, he could only put his neck on it.

What Song Xiang hated was only Su Jin. If this kid hadn't gotten himself drunk and forged official documents to open a warehouse, how could he have fallen to the point where his love and reputation were ruined; when Ouyang Xiu asked about this, Song Xiang didn't care about the details All the bamboo tubes dumped the beans, and fully explained what Su Jin had done.

Ouyang Xiu couldn't believe these facts, but Song Xiang had no other advantages, that is, he regarded himself as noble and would never frame others. With his words, he could basically conclude what Su Jin did.

Ouyang Xiu was both hesitant and excited. What was exciting was that another shocking case was about to happen in his hands. The road under his feet was paved by these officials who had made a big mistake. Once this matter was exposed, the steps in front of him might change There is a step up.

But this excitement passed quickly, followed by a process of conflict, hesitation and entanglement, Ouyang Xiu even suddenly felt a little at a loss, this matter is not as simple as simply taking someone.