The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 224 Xu Xuan’s spring is here

Seo Hyun has been living a good life recently.

The articles he wrote under the pseudonym Xu Maocai attracted the attention of newspapers. Basically every two or three issues, you can see his articles on the front page, becoming the core reading of the current newspaper.

The author Xu Maocai has become a moderate celebrity in Anding County.

Correspondingly, his manuscript fees have also increased, and coupled with the salary earned from working as a part-time editor on weekends, it is enough for him and Li Congjia to live a decent life in the county.

Even eating at Taihe Building three or four days a week is more than enough.

Xu Xuan paid off the rent in arrears within a month, and invited the waiter and several master chefs in the kitchen to have a meal together in Taihe Building. He also gave each of the helpers in the back kitchen a meal. Fifty cents red envelope to thank them for taking care of Li Congjia recently.

Xu Maocai and his nephew Li Jia suddenly became the most popular people from the old people in the house.

Originally, he planned to entertain the manager of Dishe alone, but Hu Guangyue, the head waiter, said that the manager was too busy and had no time to attend.

Anyway, Xu Xuan has never seen the shopkeeper since he moved into the residence. He only knows that he is an extremely busy and carefree person.

Everyone in the mansion knows that there is such a person as the shopkeeper, but the only people who have really seen him are Hu Guangyue and a few other waiters, as well as several masters in the back kitchen.

Xu Xuan guessed that the shopkeeper might also be a member of the government, and running the residence was just a side job, and his real career should be in the government.

In Anding County, the scale of Shenghe's residence is not small, and I have never heard of any disputes with others, and no one made trouble.

To do this, the shopkeeper must be a person with considerable energy.

Xu Xuan secretly thought that if he could get to know the shopkeeper, he could firstly ask him about the whereabouts of Mr. Siyou, and secondly, he could find a way to see if it was possible to rescue Xu Biao and others from trouble.

There was another thing that confused Xu Xuan. Everyone in the house didn't seem to be very interested in going to Taihe Building for dinner.

It was the first time for Xu Xuan and Li Congjia to see many of the new dishes in Taihe Building. But when they had dinner last time, Hu Guangyue could tell the names of the dishes just by looking at them. It didn't look like it was his first time eating them.

Xu Xuan has never been to the hall, so he doesn't know how much he can earn as a waiter. Judging from the business situation of Shenghe Mansion, Hu Guangyue should be able to earn a lot, but he won't be so extravagant as to go to Taihe Building for dinner.

There is also the head chef of the back kitchen, who often shows a disdainful attitude towards Taihelou's dishes.

Originally, Xu Xuan thought that the old chef was because of his enemies in the same industry, or because he was envious of the high salary of the Taihelou cook.

Later, the old master got interested one day and made a crystal elbow. Li Congjia secretly brought some to him to try. The taste was exactly the same as that of Taihelou, as if it was taught by a master.

Crystal elbow is also a famous dish of Taihe Restaurant, which is very popular among Li Congjia.

Xu Xuan and Li Congjia were shocked that a cook from Dishe's kitchen could make Taihelou's famous dishes.

No wonder the old master mentioned Taihe Tower in a loud tone.

What Xu Xuan and Li Congjia didn't know was that this old chef and the chef from Taihe House really came from the same school.

They were all trained by Zhu Xiu personally and underwent strict assessment before they were allowed to graduate.

The old chef originally worked as a chef in Taihe Building, but later he was transferred because he had a bad temper and often had quarrels with guests.

Just when Shenghe Dishe opened, there was a shortage of kitchen chefs, so he was asked to take up the post.

Dishe Zaofang does not have high requirements for the dishes, and there are very few customers who find fault. The master chef does his job in a relaxed and happy manner.

In the entire mansion, the only people who really knew Zhu Xiu's identity were the old master and Hu Guangyue.

Therefore, strictly speaking, there is no essential difference between Xu Xuan and Li Congjia eating in the Dishe dining hall and eating in Taihe Building.

Today, Xu Xuan received another generous royalties and went to Guanghe Store to buy some candies and snacks. He left some with Li Congjia and took the rest to Hu Guangyue.

Hu Guangyue is convening a meeting with several clerks in the lobby on the first floor to summarize the information collected from business travelers from various places in the past half month, and prepare to report it after sorting it out.

These guys, like Hu Guangyue, are all intelligence personnel for the development of the Zangfeng Battalion. They are considered core members of Dishe. They are all nominal waiters in the Zhangyi Army and can be regarded as established waiters.

"Brother Hu!" Xu Xuan shouted enthusiastically, carrying the gift box and entering the lobby.

Hu Guangyue did not expect that Xu Xuan would come to him at this time, so he hurriedly winked and asked his men to collect all the documents and materials.

"Are you here?" Xu Xuan was a little confused when he saw a few guys leaving quickly holding a pile of book pages.

Hu Guangyue laughed dryly and said: "You have nothing to do, brothers, have some fun and read the picture album or something."

Hu Guangyue winked and smiled very obscenely.

"Oh...oh!" Xu Xuan was stunned for a moment before realizing what Hu Guangyue meant by the picture album.

Xu Xuan blushed in embarrassment and stood there at a loss.

It's really vulgar to watch erotic pictures together in broad daylight.
Hu Guangyue's expression remained as usual. He asked Xu Xuan to sit down and poured him tea: "Why didn't Mr. Xu go to the newspaper office today?"

Xu Xuan put down the gift box and said calmly: "I've been there. I just came back. I received my royalties and bought some cakes on the way. This box is specially given to Brother Hu. Please accept it!"

"Mr. Xu has another masterpiece that is going to be on the front page! Congratulations!"

Hu Guangyue glanced at the gift box, "It's from Guanghe Store? The price is not cheap! It's too expensive. I don't dare to take it. Please take it back, Mr. Xu!"

"Brother Hu, please don't refuse!" Xu Xuan thrust the gift box into his hand.

"Xu lives with his nephew in his residence, and has always been taken care of by Brother Hu. A little thought is nothing, so just treat it as thanks to Brother Hu for taking care of him in the past two months."

Hu Guangyue smiled and said: "Mr. Xu is too polite, so I would rather obey your orders and accept it."

When Xu Xuan saw Hu Guangyue accepting the gift, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and his smile became more cordial.

"Brother Hu, have you been working in Dishe for a long time?" Xu Xuan said.

Hu Guangyue nodded: "I have been here since the establishment of Dishe."

Xu Xuan smiled and said: "The shopkeeper has not seen anyone for a long time and has always left the residence to Brother Hu. I think the shopkeeper must have great trust in Brother Hu."

Hu Guangyue said: "The shopkeeper has a big business and doesn't come here often. He saw that I was quite serious and meticulous in my work, so he trusted me to take care of it."

Xu Xuan asked: "May I ask, does the shopkeeper have an official position?"

Hu Guangyue looked at him and smiled, "Mr. Xu came to me today to find out the details of the shopkeeper, right?"

Xu Xuan smiled sheepishly, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Hu, please forgive me, Xu Xuan did not mean any offense."

"It's okay, Mr. Xu, you might as well tell him if you have something to say."

Xu Xuan looked outside the lobby and whispered: "Brother Hu knows that we are coming from the south. When we first entered the country, there were several tribesmen who violated the rules of the Changyi Army because they were ignorant and are now being detained in the reform center. I would like to ask the shopkeeper for help and find some connections through my connections to see if I can save the clan members from their troubles."

"That's it." Hu Guangyue nodded, frowned and said nothing. "To be honest, Mr. Xu, although my shopkeeper is not a member of the public, he is well connected in the county government and even the Jiedu Mansion. It's just that the shopkeeper is low-key and rarely appears in public. It's really difficult to get help from him~"

Xu Xuan was a little disappointed and said hurriedly: "Can I ask Brother Hu to introduce me to you? Xu asked him personally?"

Hu Guangyue smiled bitterly and said: "I'm really sorry. The shopkeeper doesn't like to be disturbed by others. Although I know where he lives, I don't dare to come to the door rashly. I can only wait for him to come to the residence when he is free and convey Mr. Xu's message. mean."

Xu Xuan sighed, "That's all, I'll bother you, Brother Hu."

Seeing Xu Xuan's frown, Hu Guangyue couldn't help but remind him: "Mr. Xu, the reconstruction site is under the direct jurisdiction of Jiedu government, and even the county government has no right to intervene. It is not easy to rescue people from inside.

Mr. Xu and his nephew finally got out of trouble, so they should not take risks easily. If they are regarded as spies from the Southern Kingdom, their lives may be in danger~"

Xu Xuan smiled bitterly: "Thank you, brother Hu, for warning me. It's just that my tribe followed me north. Now that we are out of trouble, they are trapped in a cage. How can I feel at ease?"

Hu Guangyue opened his mouth to say something, but if he continued to speak, he did not dare to say more due to confidentiality regulations.

Xu Xuan suddenly thought of someone and asked hurriedly: "Chu Xun, Mr. Chu, has not been seen for nearly a month. I don't know where he went? The shopkeeper is his second uncle. Can I ask Mr. Chu to intercede on my behalf and let me see the shopkeeper?"

Hu Guangyue looked at him with strange eyes, hesitated for a while, and then said: "Master Chu entered Jingzhou Academy. I think he is busy with his studies and has no time to go out. I will inform Mr. Xu in advance when Master Chu comes next time."

"Thank you!" Xu Xuan bowed gratefully.

After chatting for a few more words, Xu Xuan said goodbye and went upstairs. Hu Guangyue watched him leave, walked quickly to the backyard, summoned a waiter, and whispered a few words in his ear.

~~~
A few days later, Chu Xun did not come, let alone the mysterious shopkeeper, but Xu Xuan waited for another news.

During the weekend, Xu Xuan went to the newspaper office to help proofread the publication as usual, and came back with a recruitment notice.

For agricultural reclamation areas more than forty miles away from the county seat, a town mayor must be publicly selected.

Xu Xuan had never heard of the position of mayor. After reading the notice introduction carefully, he realized that he was an official between the county government and the village.

Agricultural reclamation areas should set up town offices, a first-level administrative office between the county government and the township, to oversee the countryside.

The town mayor, elected by the county government, and the local elected elders and villagers jointly govern the local area.

The main administrative power belongs to the town mayor, and the elders and village sages only have the right to consult, and they can directly bypass the town mayor to report to the county government.

This kind of administrative division was refreshing to Xu Xuan. He returned to his room and couldn't wait to study it carefully.

Since ancient times, imperial power has not been extended to counties, but only to clans. All clans are autonomous. Autonomy relies on ethics, and ethics relies on squires.

Since the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the township system has combined local patriarchal society and government administration to a limited extent, effectively strengthening grassroots administrative management.

However, the patriarchal system still has huge power in local areas, and sometimes even threatens county-level officials.

Especially in prefectures and counties where aristocratic families are located, the imperial power is not as effective as the words of aristocratic families.

In the chaotic times of the late Tang Dynasty, the world was full of wars and wars, which not only crushed the glory of the Li and Tang Dynasties for more than 200 years, but also the aristocratic families that had continued since the Wei and Jin Dynasties.

The local patriarchal system has been greatly weakened, which is indeed the best time to strengthen grassroots administrative management.

There were no prominent families in Jingzhou, and the authority of Jiedu Mansion was at its peak. It seemed like a natural step to establish a town office so that government administration could directly touch the people at the grassroots level.

"Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!"

After Xu Xuan read the recruitment notice, he praised it repeatedly.

The people in power in Jiedu Mansion seized the opportunity to set up administrative reform pilots and implement government decisions at the grassroots level. This was an extremely clever move.

Xu Xuan was born into a prominent family in Wu County, and the land south of the Yangtze River was more deeply affected by the patriarchal system. He understood even more how powerful the clan power was in the local area.

If they want to seize power at the grassroots level, the Jiangnan court cannot do it, nor can the Kaifeng court. However, remote Jingzhou may succeed.

It's just that Xu Xuan couldn't figure out why the mayor's position should be appointed from among the people with great fanfare.

However, the notice also stated a series of restrictions for applicants, which were densely packed. Xu Xuan quickly read them carefully one by one.

After reading it, Xu Xuan looked up blankly, unable to believe his eyes, and then lowered his head to look carefully.

After reading it again, Xu Xuan was finally sure that he seemed to meet the application requirements!
"Sir, I'm back." The door of the house opened and Li Congjia walked in.

After working as a cook in the back kitchen for two months, Li Congjia's figure widened and thickened at a speed visible to the naked eye. He even had a swaying feeling when he walked. Two rabbit teeth were exposed in the middle of his lips, making him look more like a fat white human animal. Harmless fat bunny.

"Little Prince, come and see!" Xu Xuan hurriedly asked Li Congjia to sit next to him, pointed at the recruitment notice, and explained the contents above.

After Li Congjia looked at it, his eyes widened in surprise: "Sir, it seems that all of these restrictions are met!"

“First, you must be proficient in writing and have published more than three signed articles on the front page of Jingzhou Life tabloid.
Second, you must be able to speak Jiangnan Mandarin. Well, when you are an official in Jingzhou, why do you need to speak Jiangnan Mandarin? "

Li Congjia's fleshy face was full of confusion.

Xu Xuan shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Xu doesn't know either."

"Third, the height must be between five feet four and five feet six. How tall is sir?"

Xu Xuan thought about it: "About five feet five."

Li Congjia was stunned again, and then looked down: "Fourth, you must have good facial features, an elegant and peaceful appearance, and have the demeanor of a celebrity."

Xu Xuan couldn't help but stood up, walked around for a few steps, and stretched out his sleeves: "How about it?"

Li Congjia smiled and said: "Sir, he is a famous person from the south of the Yangtze River. He has an elegant temperament and is completely qualified."

Xu Xuan smiled and motioned him to continue down.

"Fifth, you must be good at writing and calligraphy, and be able to play the piano and flute. The examination site must conduct inspections on painting, calligraphy, poetry and poetry."

Li Congjia muttered: "Such an official selection is too ridiculous. How can the requirements be so stringent, but Mr. Xi happens to meet all the requirements?"

Xu Xuan put the recruitment notice aside and said, "Xu has an idea and wants to discuss it with the little prince."

"Sir, please speak."

"I'm going to apply for the election. If I'm lucky enough to become the mayor, I might have the opportunity to get in touch with powerful people in Jiedu Mansion. Firstly, I can find out the whereabouts of Mr. Siyou, and secondly, I can develop contacts and find opportunities to rescue Xu Biao and others. What does the little prince think?"

Li Congjia thought carefully for a while and said: "Sir, you have thought carefully about it. Just let him make the final decision."

Xu Xuangong cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Thank you for your support, little prince."

Xu Xuan felt a little excited in his heart. If he could become the mayor and truly participate in the hot construction tide in Jingzhou, it would undoubtedly be a rare experience for him.

(End of this chapter)