On the way from the capital to Gu'an, I met countless beggars in rags, some of whom had yellow faces and thin muscles, and shivered in the cold wind. Some dragged their families and snuggled together to keep warm. Some sell their sons and daughters in order to survive, and even sell their own children. Some are strong, wearing tattered uniforms, and corpses that have frozen to death and starved to death but have nowhere to bury them can be seen everywhere.

On the disaster of war, Yangzhou has experienced it, and Shanghai is experiencing it, but there are not so many beggars in either Yangzhou or Shanghai, and this is at the foot of the Son of Heaven, this is the land of Gyeonggi!

This situation made Han Xiufeng's mood extremely solemn, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was like this in other places, how long could the emperor of the country sit.

Wang Qianli didn't expect the Son of Heaven to be starving all over the wilderness, and when he hit the tip at noon, he couldn't help but call Ji Daji Er to ask, I don't know if I don't ask, and I feel heavier when I ask, it turns out that the people who flocked to the capital in groups but couldn't enter the city, there are Han people and Manchurians, not only from the state capitals of Zhili, but also from Shandong and Henan. As for those who wore uniforms and coats, it was unbelievable that they were all deserters who should have been in Jinghai and even Liangjiang to quell the chaos.

Although everyone didn't say anything, they all thought in their hearts that if the people had no food to eat and no way to live, they would rebel, but it was not easy to settle these people. After all, there are so many fields in Zhili, and most of them are banner lands, and the Manchurians can't live happily, let alone the Han people.

It is already dusk to arrive at the Yongding River Yamen in the south of Gu'an County, the Yamen is really very big and magnificent, there is a large school field at the door, and there is also a large school field in the west, and you can see the big flagpole erected in the front yard from a distance.

Su Jueming took Han Xiufeng's name card and ran to report it to Menzi.

Han Xiufeng got out of the carriage and straightened his official uniform, and was about to let the big head and Chen Hu and the others who came up wait for a while, when a person who looked like him and Su Jueming ran out of the Yimen, and when he saw him, he called a thousand: "The little one has seen Master Han, my master has been waiting for Master Han for a long time, Master Han, please!" ”

"Lord Wu is in the government office?"

"Master Huihan, not only is my lord here, but also Master Shi of the North Shore Hall."

"What a coincidence." Han Xiufeng smiled, glanced back at everyone, and walked inside accompanied by Chang Sui.

Bypassing the gate of the Yimen is the gate of the Provincial Department, guarding a soap on one side, and a wooden shelf on the left, on which is a big drum used by the people when they come to complain. Crossing the threshold and walking into the courtyard is another instrument gate, and a large courtyard with blue bricks on the ground around the instrument gate comes into view.

There is a flagpole erected in the center of the courtyard, and on the east and west sides are two rows of public houses, adding up to more than 20 rooms, and each room has a cloth curtain hanging at the door, and the scribes go in and out with official documents, looking very busy.

There was a soap handle at the door of the lobby, but Han Xiufeng didn't go to the big head, but followed the long entourage to the side door and went straight to the second hall, but he didn't expect that as soon as he walked through a small garden into the main hall of the second hall, he saw an old man who looked a little familiar but dirty, standing by the door and looking at him with a smile.

Han Xiufeng recognized at a glance that the person in front of him was Shi Zanqing of the same year as Lord Duan, although he was young and orderly, but now he was not only wearing official uniforms but also the same product as the other party, he did not dare and could not hold the salute of the juniors, but arched his hand and said: "Xiufeng has seen Shi Tongzhi, it has been three years since the capital was separated, and Shi Tongzhi's demeanor is still the same, but I don't know if Shi Tongzhi still remembers Xiufeng." ”

"Remember, remember," Shi Zanqing bowed back, and said with a sideways smile: "I just didn't expect to meet here, and I didn't expect that the head of the Chongqing Guild Hall back then would become a true five-grade acquaintance, and he would become a colleague with me." ”

"Brother Jizhen, do you know Brother Han?" Wu Tingdong asked subconsciously.

"There was a relationship, when Brother Han was the head of the guild hall in the capital three years ago, Xiaguan went to the Chongqing guild hall to eat once."

"I see."

Han Xiufeng also realized that now was not the time to catch up with Shi Zanqing, so he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed: "Xiaguan Han Xiufeng greets Lord Wu!" ”

"Brother Han is exempt," Wu Tingdong helped him up, looked at him with a smile and said: "Brother Han, you haven't arrived yet, and the official documents of the Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry have already come three or four times, if you don't take office again, I don't know how to explain to the officials, after all, everything can be delayed, and the official duties assigned by the officials cannot be delayed." ”

"Lord Wu, Xia Guan originally planned to come to take office earlier, but he didn't get his official certificate until yesterday afternoon."

Wu Tingdong thought that Han Xiufeng said that he would wait for the emperor to summon him in the capital, but he didn't expect him to mention it, and secretly thought that at least he didn't look like a pampered and arrogant person, so he asked quietly: "The official is in charge?" ”

"Led," Han Xiufeng hurriedly took out the official certificate from his sleeve and presented it respectfully: "Please Lord Wu take a look, and ask Lord Wu to pay it off on his behalf." ”

"The duty is, not to talk about the trouble," Wu Tingdong took the official certificate and looked at it, and handed it to the long-term entourage who was waiting on the side, and then beckoned Han Xiufeng to sit down and have tea, and said with a smile: "Brother Han, the official documents of the Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry are clearly written, ordering you to reorganize the river camp after you take office, and order the second brother to be in charge of the river affairs of the section of the river under the jurisdiction of the South Bank Department, and order the official to recommend one person from among the river members who are on probation to serve as the grain officer of the river camp." There was a time when Brother Zhen was here, and the river affairs of the river section under the jurisdiction of the South Bank Department did not need to be bothered by the official, and it was easy to recommend the river members who were on probation to serve as the grain officer of the river camp, but it was not so easy to rectify the river camp, and I don't know what Brother Han planned next. ”

Han Xiufeng couldn't hear that he didn't want to offend people, and arched his hands without being humble or arrogant, and said: "Lord Wu, I have visited Lord Peng before the lower official came, and Lord Peng said that if anyone dares to play tricks and tricks during the rectification of the river camp, let the lower official report to Lord Wu." ”

"Report to the official?"

"Lord Wu, that's what Lord Peng really said."

Wu Tingdong thought to himself that there is no such reason in the world, let me do the things that offend people, not only do I have nothing to do with the training of the river camp, but I also have to pay for food. However, thinking that this was also what the emperor meant, he could only say coldly: "Since Master Peng has spoken, let's do it." This official wants to see who dares to be treacherous and slippery, and who dares to disobey the yang and the yin! ”

"Lord Xie Wu!"

"No thanks. When do you plan to go to the South Bank Office, and when do you plan to summon the garrison, the commander and other military attachés? ”

"Naturally, the sooner the better, but it is difficult for a good woman to cook without rice, and the lower official can't just go to the river camp empty-handed, and before coming, Lord Peng explained, let the lower official apply to Lord Wu for some money and food first. In addition, when Xiaguan set off from Shanghai to return to Beijing, Guan Rishengchang's Shanghai branch borrowed some silver and bought more than 40 foreign guns and more than 1,000 catties of gunpowder and lead from foreign firms in the Shanghai concession. ”

As soon as you come, you will ask for silver, and you are really afraid of something!

Wu Tingdong stared at Han Xiufeng with a gloomy face for a long time, and forced himself to ask angrily, "What about the gun?" ”

"Lord Wu, the guns are all outside, or the official will order someone to bring the guns in and ask Lord Wu to check them."

"More than 40 guns cost more than 5,800 taels of silver, what gun is so expensive?"

"Foreign guns, foreigners' guns." Looking at Wu Tingdong's suspicious look, Han Xiufeng emphasized: "Lord Wu, this kind of gun is really not expensive for more than 100 taels and one shots, if you don't believe it, you can send someone to inquire, not only is it not expensive, but even if you have silver, you may not be able to buy it now." ”

Shi Zanqing knew that Wu Tingdong was the real clever woman, and it was difficult to cook without rice, so he really couldn't take out so much silver. It is also very clear that Han Si came to train the army by order, if he doesn't have money, he can't train the army, and if the training of this soldier is not good, he can't communicate with the emperor, and he doesn't know how to fight this round for a while, but in front of Wu Tingdong, he can't help but say something, so he can only ask stubbornly: "Brother Han, do you know what the Daoist Department has?" ”

"I don't know."

"You don't know, although I have not been in office for a long time, I still know something, and there are five items to sum up, one is the 40,000 taels of river silver allocated by the imperial court according to the routine, although if it is not enough, it can be recited at any time in another case, but now it is not as good as in previous years, and the imperial court can't even give 40,000 taels, let alone increase the allocation."

As soon as Shi Zanqing's words fell, Wu Tingdong added: "Brother Han, 40,000 taels seems like a lot, but it is a drop in the bucket for the Yongding River, which winds for hundreds of miles. ”

Han Xiufeng was silent.

Shi Zanqing continued: "The second is the 15,000 taels of silver allocated by the Ministry of Industry for the annual repair of silver on both sides of the strait, for example, before the year, for the distribution of materials purchased on the north and south sides of the strait. Although it is not enough to apply for it again, as far as I know, not only does the Ministry of Industry have no money, but even the Ministry of Households cannot move around, and the fifteen thousand taels have not been requested for several years.

The third is the rent of the mu of river silt land, each person is allocated six mu and five cents of land, and the rent per mu ranges from three to six cents of silver, and the storage channel is relieved of the reservoir and subsidized for the river workers. The total amount of silt land in Hezhou County is only 105 hectares, about 5,200 acres. The land rent is calculated at four cents per mu, and the depreciation of silver is less than three hundred taels;

The fourth is the willow gap rent, that is, planting willows at the river beach, calling tenants to lose rent, and leviing two cents of silver per mu for the river. The total of this river beach is about 70 hectares, and the land rent is only more than 500 taels of silver; Fifth, the reed land is about 46 acres, and the reeds produced are sold for money to return to the treasury, but how much can the reeds be worth? ”

Looking at Han Xiufeng's thoughtful appearance, Wu Tingdong said with a gloomy face: "Brother Jizhen, you missed an item. ”

"Missing?"

"In addition to what I just said, I still have acres of incense in Yongding River. In the eleventh year of Yongzheng, the then river Dingzhu donated 29 acres of public land, and he could also receive some land rent every year. However, that bit of money should be distributed quarterly to the temples along the river for incense and public expenses for worshipping the gods. ”

How could Han Xiufeng not hear the meaning of their words, and subconsciously asked, "So there is no silver in the treasury?" ”

"There is silver, but the flood is coming, and the little silver in the Dao Treasury can only be used for river affairs," Wu Tingdong paused, stared at Han Xiufeng and said: "Even if you are lucky, you can survive the spring flood and the summer flood, and survive the summer flood and the autumn flood." Let's put it this way, the little bit of silver in the Daoku is not enough to stuff your teeth! ”