In the evening, Yu Wenshu and Jiang Sumei went to the inner hall behind the prefect's yamen.

The layout here is quite elegant, it is obvious that it is often cleaned, and it is spotless.

Lu Xiangjin and his wife Fang, son Lu Zhang, and daughter Lu Yun were waiting inside.

The two went in and solemnly saluted.

Lu Xiangjin returned the salute, invited them to take a seat, and asked the next person to watch the tea.

Fang looked at the two of them with a smile and said, "It's really a perfect match, from Kyoto, it's not ordinary, it's not like a small place like ours." ”

Jiang Sumei said with a smile: "Hangzhou has always been the land of fish and rice, outstanding people, Mrs. Lu, you are modest, you and Ling Qianjin are full of aura, we look a little rougher." ”

The mother and daughter, like Lu Xiangjin, are dressed very simply, especially Lu Yun, who only has a silver swallowtail hairpin on his head, but their faces are white and red, which shows that they are well raised on weekdays.

Lu Yun lowered his head in shame and did not speak.

Fang invited Jiang Sumei into the back room, came over and took her hand and said, "As soon as I saw the young lady, I felt kind, let's go in and talk, and eat inside in a while, are you hungry?" Why don't you have some snacks first? ”

Jiang Sumei was also not polite, glanced at Yu Wenshu, and followed her to the side hall next door.

The side hall seemed a little empty, only a table of eight immortals, a few round stools, a few high on each side, with blooming flowers, Jiang Sumei looked around, sat down, looked at the almond cake on the table and said with a smile: "I have heard that Hangzhou's food is famous all over the world, which shop is this pastry from?" ”

Fang said: "It's not a big shop, it's the ones we are used to eating, and the taste is still good." ”

Isn't it even bought in a big shop to entertain guests? Jiang Sumei glanced at the Fang clan again, smiled slightly, and said, "I'll try it." "Take one side and put it in your mouth.

Soft and sweet, but not too greasy, she nodded: "It's really delicious." ”

Fang said with a smile: "I heard that Mrs. Yu Shao is the third aunt and grandmother of the Jiang family in Kyoto?" I wonder how your grandmother is? ”

Jiang Sumei was surprised, "Do you know my grandmother?" ”

"My father used to work as an errand in Jingzhou, and I also lived there for a while, when I was still young, I went to Yu's house with my father." Fang Shi smiled, "But the number of times is very small, I'm afraid that your grandmother won't remember, after all, there is some time." ”

This relationship seems to have shortened the distance all of a sudden, and the two spoke more casually.

Fang Shi talked to her about business.

"It's not good to patrol the history of the tax, we have always been in trouble in the past few years, the farmland is not harvested, this is not tax, it can't be collected, the prince is also very anxious, but you can't force the people, they are not easy."

It sounds like the couple are both kind-hearted, Jiang Sumei thought so: "You are right, Xianggong often says, everything should be put by the people first, no matter what, the people must always have enough to eat, without them, our country would not be so rich." ”

The two ladies spoke as if they were thinking about the people at the bottom, and the more they talked, the more speculative they became, Lu Yun listened a little impatiently, and peeled his nails in his sleeves.

When it was time to eat, the people brought four dishes and one soup.

The best dish is the simmered chicken with yellow mud, the others are some vegetables, mushrooms, but the soup is a famous soup, because this lettuce is unique to the West Lake, and the shredded ham and chicken breast are stewed together in the pot, not only the color is bright, but the taste is also fragrant and wonderful.

Jiang Sumei drank two bowls in a row and praised them greatly.

Seeing that the sky was dark, she left the prefect's yamen with Yu Wenshu after eating and drinking.

"What did you eat?" On the way, the first thing she said was this question.

Yu Wenshu said: "Gluttonous cat, it's nothing, it's just called flower chicken, a few kinds of lettuce soup, this Lord Lu looks very incorruptible." ”

"It looks like it is." Jiang Sumei bit the "three words" very hard.

Yu Wenshu laughed: "Have you found any clues?" ”

"There is no clue, it's just that the furnishings in their room are very strange, I later found out that there were some things missing, like the side hall, I saw traces on the ground, when it was placed on a large screen, and Mrs. Lu, Miss Lu, is also too simple, always Mrs. Sipinguan, meeting guests, should be more solemn, I think they want to cover up." She snorted, "It's too underestimated, how can you fool us like this?" ”

"Madame is amazing!" Yu Wenshu held her hand and patted it, "Just having a meal can see so many things." ”

"Less, can't you see it?" Jiang Sumei glanced at him, "Then what did Lord Lu say to you?" ”

"I didn't say anything, it was just polite words, to the effect that he would help me, if there is any problem, just look for him."

The corners of Jiang Sumei's mouth twitched: "It's like saying in vain, what help, didn't the last imperial history do nothing, doesn't he know?" So, did he reach out to help at the time, I guess not. ”

Yu Wenshu smiled: "All kinds of people in the officialdom are not good to make a judgment so quickly, wait for me to check the taxes over the years." ”

In the days that followed, after he first visited the officials of various departments in Hangzhou, he plunged into the piled up account books, and Jiang Sumei rarely saw him after that, and often woke up in the middle of the night to find that he had slept next to him, and in the morning, the people were gone.

Fortunately, she is new to Hangzhou, and she is also very curious about this Hangzhou city, and she goes out for a walk every day.

It wasn't until a month later that Yu Wenshu finished reading all the account books, and the books he carried were already full.

"What can you find?" Jiang Sumei asked.

"It's all small fish." Yu Wenshu shook his head, his brows furrowed, "It's hard to change the previous imperial history and didn't do anything, it's really impossible to start!" ”

It looks tricky, Jiang Sumei said: "I haven't played in vain recently, it turns out that Hangzhou has indeed had a lot of floods, fertile fields are flooded, and one year is even worse, and there is no harvest, but I heard from the people that the granary of the yamen is full, just because of the perennial wind and rain, even if it encounters some bad years, there will not be too much damage, and those shops, are full of people coming and going, and the transactions are endless." ”

No matter how you look at it, it's a prosperous scene.

Yu Wenshu sighed: "There must be something wrong." ”

As he was talking, a little servant reported outside the door: "There is a master surnamed Wen who asks to see him." ”

Yu Wenshu was strange: "What's it called?" ”

In his impression, there seems to be no friend with the surname Wen, and in the entire city of Hangzhou, there seems to be no official with the surname Wen, who could it be?

"It's called Venda."

Yu Wenshu hurriedly said: "Please let him in." ”

Jiang Sumei looked at the door with curiosity, who expected that the little maid would lead in a person, wearing a straw hat on his head, and he couldn't see anything, Yu Wenshu entered the house with him, and only after retreating from the people did he take off his hat.

This person has a very thin face, a very pointed chin, light eyebrows, and eyes that are often purring, Jiang Sumei thinks very impolitely, she really looks like a mouse!

How could Yu Wenshu have such a friend?

He was born in a family, and his gestures are elegant and extravagant, and the friends around him may not be as good as him, but his temperament is not much different, but no matter how you look at the person in front of him, he is not the same type.

Aren't you a friend?

But the next moment, she saw Yu Wenshu and the man's hand holding together.

"Uncle Wang!" Yu Wenshu smiled, "Why did you come?" ”

Isn't it called Wenda, why is it called Uncle Wang again? Jiang Sumei's eyes widened.

Wenda smiled: "I heard that you are a tax inspector, how can I not come?" It's not a good job! While looking at Jiang Sumei, she sighed and said, "You also brought your wife here, but it's not too troublesome." ”

Jiang Sumei twitched the corners of her mouth.

What's the trouble, she's a good helper!

Yu Wenshu laughed: "Don't underestimate her, she can often help." ”

Jiang Sumei couldn't help it, and asked at this time: "Xianggong, who is this Uncle Wang?" ”

Yu Wenshu was just about to answer, Wenda twisted his beard and said: "The calligraphy and painting tea party that your grandfather used to participate in was organized by me. ”

God, is this the Wang Sheng that my grandfather often scolded later!

Isn't he attached to the Chapter?

Jiang Sumei couldn't close her mouth now, looked at Yu Wenshu, and then looked at Wang Sheng, a head of paste.

Wang Sheng laughed.

"Oh, you're a fine worker!" Fortunately, she was not stupid, and soon shouted, "You are by Zhang Yu's side, in fact, to push him!" ”

"You are smarter than your grandfather!" Wang Sheng said aggrievedly, "You don't know, how many times I have been scolded by your grandfather, hey, fortunately, I hid here, he can't scold even if he wants to." ”

Jiang Sumei bowed and saluted: "It's not easy for you, I'm sorry for my grandfather here." ”

Wang Sheng patted his chest and sighed: "At this time, I am much more comfortable here." ”

All three laughed.

After talking for a while, Yu Wenshu said: "I didn't know that you were originally transferred to Renhe County." ”

"You are busy with official business, you don't know it, and besides, these are the affairs of the ministry." Wang Sheng took a few sips of tea, "This weather is really hot, I was originally in Kundian, and it was like spring all year round!" ”

At that time, he was under Zhang Alcohol, and after Zhang Alcohol fell, he was demoted to a small county in Yunnan as a county magistrate.

However, after only more than two years, he was transferred to the rich place of Hangzhou, which shows that he is powerful, Jiang Sumei can't help but admire, but I don't know how Yu Wenshu met him, and why is he willing to pay such a big price for defeating Zhang Alcohol?

Seeing that the two had important matters to discuss, Jiang Sumei was always a woman, although Yu Wenshu would not let her go, but she was afraid that Wang Sheng would mind, so she retreated by herself.

Wang Sheng asked, "What are your plans now?" ”

"No, I just checked the account books, and all kinds of taxes, adding up to a total of more than 250,000 taels!"

Wang Sheng shook his head: "Hangzhou has often occupied the top three over the years, but recently it has been a year that has not been as good as a year, no wonder the emperor will send you here." He has been a county magistrate in Renhe County for more than a year, and he has some understanding of the situation in Hangzhou City, so he paused and said, "How did your predecessor Lord Hong leave his job, do you know?" ”

"Nothing."

"Yes, that's why you're here to be in danger!" Wang Sheng said, "However, although Hong Qing has experienced storms, his temperament is still too cowardly, he can't bear people, and he doesn't dare to make up his mind in everything, and he is not decisive, so he delayed again and again to get this result." ”

Yu Wenshu pondered for a moment, as if answering the question: "On the first day I came, Lord Lu invited me to a banquet. ”

"Him?" Wang Sheng smiled, "Lord Hong came the first day, he also invited Lord Hong, I heard that the delicacies of the mountains and seas are spread all over the table, what did he invite you to eat?" ”

Yu Wenshu was stunned, it turned out that Lu Xiangjin still treated the two of them differently: "It's very light, there is no luxury." ”

"Looks like he's already found out about your identity." Wang Sheng pulled his beard together, his eyes narrowed and he couldn't see, "Maybe he is afraid of you, so it will be even more difficult, but I am afraid that he will be on guard." ”

"Indeed." Yu Wenshu said, "However, he is not a tax person. ”

"He was originally the imperial history of tax patrol," Wang Sheng said to wake up the dreamer, "five years ago, he was the imperial history of tax patrol here, and later he was promoted to the prefect, and since then, Hangzhou's tax revenue has begun to show signs of decline!" ”

Yu Wenshu only checked the accounts, and before he had time to assess the replacement of officials over the years, he suddenly realized: "I see!" The corners of his mouth couldn't help but pick up slightly, "I went to the banquet to explore the truth, and I thought he would do the same." ”

"You must not have said anything superfluous." Wang Sheng smiled, "I know you are cautious. ”

"Looking back, Lord Lu is also quite cautious, I'm afraid this person is very difficult to deal with!"

"He's just that." Wang Sheng said, "Do you know who is the most difficult person in the city to deal with?" ”

Seeing his deep eyes, Yu Wenshu thought for a while and said, "Could it be Liu Can, the new Changbo?" ”

Wang Sheng clapped his hands and shouted: "It's not him, he's the grandfather of the queen's mother!" Who dares to move? ”