Ye Chi's hands froze in mid-air, his white clothes were cold and cold, and his face was as handsome and good-looking as usual, but he was obviously shocked, but Kaoru Tai didn't know what shocked him.

"What's wrong with him?"

When Ah Yao heard this, his eyes blinked, but he didn't answer. He remembered that Ye Chi's eyesight at night was also very poor, so he slowly walked up to the other party, handed over one of the lanterns, and called, "Lord Ye." ”

Ye Chi looked at Ah Yao's outstretched hand in confusion, only to realize that he wanted to whisper, so he leaned down and only listened to him: "You don't have to be discouraged, no one here can beat my sister." ”

Yao smiled at him, said "come on" in his ear, and then trotted back to Kaoru Yutai, took her hand and walked back.

Originally...... No one could beat her. He smiled as if relieved.

Something seems wrong.

***

The gambling house incident was successfully resolved, as soon as I heard that the final buyer fell on Ye Chi's head, the gangs had no intention of making trouble, which was like saying that two people fought to the death, if they lost to each other, they would definitely hit the wall, but if they lost to a third person, then both sides found the bottom of the stairs, and it was not a bad thing.

Summer has come quietly, and lately the sky has been clear. Not long after receiving the Yulu, half a month passed, and Kaoru Tai's life began to be struggling again.

On this day, she wrapped the silver ticket, but the boy who helped her deliver the letter never appeared, and later learned that she was sick, so she had no choice but to deliver it herself.

She didn't like to go on her own, which was a strange feeling.

The mother died two years ago, and some officials of the yamen died in the accident, and the children naturally became orphans. She would send out a part of her money anonymously every month, and over time it became a habit, and apart from her, the only one who knew about it was the messenger boy who received hush money.

Ye Chi disappeared when he was eating in the morning, and he didn't know where he had gone after asking Changsu. She didn't care about it, she just took the envelope and went to a deserted alley in the south of the city, and wanted to leave the letter at the door and leave, but the door was pushed open.

Kaoru Tandai was startled and subconsciously hid to the side, but soon stopped, staring incredulously at the person who collided with her head-on.

It was a young man dressed a little strangely, with a wide brim that covered half of his face, and a small box in his hand, which looked like a medicine box, and he left without looking at her, but was grabbed by Kaoru Tandai by the sleeve.

"Lord Ye. She called out word by word, frowning slightly.

"No, you've mistaken someone. ”

"Do you think I don't know you if you're wearing a hat?"

“……”

After hearing this, Ye Chi finally turned around and smiled gently with her: "I'm just here to see a doctor." ”

"Visiting the doctor?" Kaoru Tandai stared straight at him, "Are you still a doctor?"

"No, it's just that I studied with a friend from the hospital for a year or two. ”

Kaoru Tandai still clutched his sleeve, remembering that he never forgot anything, and it wasn't strange to be able to memorize medical books, but ......

"Did you investigate me?"

She was still expressionless when she spoke, but Ye Chi could see that she was angry. Although he didn't know the real reason why she sent money to those families, he could feel that she didn't want to reveal her identity, so she kept it so secretive.

"Last time, when the messenger boy came, he happened to be bumped into by Changsu, so he asked him a few words. Ye Chi said bluntly, "But he didn't tell me anything, I guessed it myself." ”

As he spoke, he reached out and patted Kaoru Tantai on the shoulder, and she looked at the ordinary wooden house at the same time, so that his hand landed on her neck, accidentally touching the cool skin, delicate and fair, as soft as clotted fat.

“……”

The whole person froze, his body was agitated, he grabbed his hand like a conditioned reflex, and fell out of the shoulder, and only reacted to something when he was halfway through the force, and hurriedly let go of his hand and helped Ye Chi back to the same place.

Ye Chi was still in shock, feeling that she didn't complete this action, it was really merciful.

The last time she kissed him, it was fine, but she accidentally touched her neck, how could it be......

"Don't touch it in the future. Kaoru looked him up and down to make sure he wasn't hurt, then stuffed the envelope in the door and turned away.

Ye Chi's gaze froze, as if he remembered something, and looked at his hand.

When he touched her just now, he seemed to see a scar on her neck, which was usually well covered by clothes.

Scars like burns.

***

The Dragon Boat Festival is approaching, and Tai Yao's sick leave is over, and he will go back to school after that. The family arranged for him to be guarded by a few tall horses, and they guarded the door every day, and soon no one went to school.

Ye Chi received a complaint at the end of the month.

"Your Excellency...... Woo woo woo you also know that it is not easy for us to open the school, every day there is such a group of fierce and vicious door gods guarding, how to live this day, ahh......h

In the past, these ordinary people did not dare to complain, but I heard that the new state pastor was very authentic, and so far there has been no sign of madness like the previous state pastor, and I think that maybe he is really a person who can save Qinzhou from danger.

Ye Chi should make this matter and list it as an expedited process, and he is going to visit Yutaishu when he has time. The deal at the gambling house was completed a few days earlier, and the yamen had officially taken over, and it was not long before someone was hired.

Although it is unprecedented, the gambling house managed by the government is unprecedented, but this place is a legitimate operation, and the situation in Qinzhou is not surprising.

"Are the people here?" he asked, turning to Kaoru Tandai, who was sitting next to him.

"It's all there. She nodded and placed a dossier in front of him, "Next month is the annual review, and there will be officials from Beijing here." But I'll take care of it. ”

That sounds reliable.

When it comes to the annual review, it is the assessment of each state capital by the imperial court, and an official is sent here by the Ministry of Officials, and then reported to the top. In fact, most of the officials in Beijing have an account in their hearts about the local situation; for example, Fengzhou is a treasure land with good mountains and rivers, and the people live and work in peace and contentment; for example, Qinzhou, where he is located, is a ghost place where there is a miasma of smoke and miasma, and dry racks are used as food.

Soon after the emperor ascended the throne, in order to encourage these local officials, a ranking was drawn up for each state capital, presumably based on the reports of the officials. He had also read these pieces before, and remembered the content in them, Fengzhou was basically the first every year, but unfortunately he didn't see the name of Qinzhou after turning several pages.

"I remember that Qinzhou is ......"

"We're at the bottom every year. Kaoru replied, sounding proud.

“……”

This answer did not surprise him, but he just ordered to go down: "Since the gambling house has accepted it, we need to spend money in Qinzhou, and we must slowly turn around all the irregular things." ”

Kaoru Yutai nodded, stared at him and said, "We can only apply to the imperial court for eight hundred taels a year, and if we exceed this number, we will be beaten back." I heard that there are three thousand taels at least in Fengzhou, even if you come...... Isn't it useless?"

Ye Chi spread his hands helplessly: "This amount depends on the situation of the place, although this is a little inappropriate for me to say, but today's Qinzhou is indeed only worth this price." ”

Kaoru was silent. What she didn't tell Yechi was that Qinzhou was located close to the border pass, and it was stocked all year round, and it used to be even more smoky than now. Her mother had proposed a lot of rectification plans, but unfortunately they stopped halfway through implementation.

Ye Chi didn't notice the look on her face, and began to review the official documents again, and explained a few words about the annual review: "It's good to strive not to be at the bottom this year, let's start with the household registration first." ”

Hearing this, Kaoru didn't move, and said indifferently: "Is the annual review very important? ”

Ye Chi was stunned.

It is true that many local officials will bribe those who come to the assessment to earn a higher ranking, but when it comes to it, the ranking has little practical significance. For Kaoru Yutai, it is chicken ribs that have no practical meaning.

"It's not as simple as you think, so don't feel like it's indifferent. ”

He unconsciously straightened up, and spoke much more harshly than usual. Kaoru Tandai nodded, stared at him for a while, and asked, "You...... Angry?"

Ye Chi shook his head, feeling a little hungry, it was about noon. At this moment, a little catcher quickly walked in, and smiled with Yutai Kaoru: "Lord Tantai, Yuan Gongzi is waiting for you outside, saying that he will take you to Zuixiang Mansion for dinner." ”

Kaoru Yutai responded, and didn't seem surprised by this, as if he had said it a long time ago, and was about to get up and go out, but was suddenly pulled by Ye Chi's sleeve.

He tried not to touch her, so he just carefully tugged at the corner of her sleeve. Kaoru Tantai looked down at him, a little puzzled, but heard him say, "Wait, I'm angry, so you stay for lunch today." ”

***

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the entire yamen was busy. In order to deal with some unregistered and illegally operated stores in the city, the little catchers were tired to death every day, and finally completed this first step before the annual review.

The official surnamed Chu from Beijing had a bitter face when he first arrived here, because they guessed a punch when they left, and the one who lost the worst went to Qinzhou. After the results came out, everyone was overjoyed, but he almost hanged himself.

"Why doesn't this little place even have a reception?" This middle-aged man has a fat head and big ears, and he has long heard of the prestige of Qinzhou, and he was reluctant when he first set off.

Yutai Kaoru stood aside to greet him, and said quietly: "I am the governor of Qinzhou, and I am here to greet Lord Chu." ”

Chu He was startled by her cold words, and turned his head to see the pretty girl in red, with a fair complexion and bright lips, beautiful and moving.

"Why don't you even wear official uniforms?" Chu He Xindao No wonder this place is in such a mess, he didn't know where to start reproaching, and waved his hand tiredly, "That's it, let's take this official in first." ”

He looked arrogant, and he pouted when he saw a lot of small catchers, but the other party was from the ministry, no matter how arrogant he was, he had to look at his face, and he was more unhappy than the other.

The public hall is fairly clean, which is a little different from what I imagined. Chu He's face was obviously better, but he was still very disgusted when he asked questions, and finally he didn't want to talk to Yutai Kaoru anymore, so he shook his hand and said, "Call your state pastor to come out and talk to me." ”

He was just a petty official in the ministry, but when he arrived in Qinzhou, he instantly became high-end and atmospheric. I heard that Qinzhou has changed a state pastor, but there are too many people who are promoted and demoted every year, and he has no intention of writing them down one by one.

Kaoru Yutai never had a seizure, and walked into the second hall to inform Ye Chiren that he had received it. Chu He over there has been in the Ministry of Officials for a long time, and he knows that some of the small halls in the annual review are drinking tea with his legs crossed and waiting for someone to kneel and lick, but he fell off the chair the moment he saw Ye Chi.

"Ye Ye Ye ......"

Not only Kaoru Yutai, but also the little catchers also showed surprised eyes, and it took a long time for someone to react and lean over to help him.

The smile on Chu He's face was almost distorted, and it took a moment to calm down, and he said incredulously: "Lord Ye Xiang...... How did you come to this place?"

"Ye Xiang?" Kaoru Tantai looked confused and corrected, "His name is Ye Chi." ”

As soon as she finished speaking, she immediately reacted, her eyes widened, and together with the little catchers, she looked at the gentle Qinzhou Governor behind her with a frightened expression.

It seems like...... It's incredible.