When it came to his own affairs, Pan Lian's expression quickly dimmed.

Shang Cheng guessed half right, Pan Lian was suddenly stranded in the capital for a reason. He is no longer the inspector of Jiangnan Road, nor is he no longer a member of the fourth rank of the imperial court, but as a degraded official of the sixth grade, he stayed in Beijing to wait for his post. But his demotion had nothing to do with the north-south dispute in the imperial court. It can't be said that someone deliberately framed him. In fact, his fate was largely self-inflicted.

Shang Cheng really couldn't understand what the former servant said. What does it mean to be self-inflicted? Could it be that Pan Lian also made some big mistakes?

"Have you heard of the floods on the east and west roads of Huanghuai in April and May?" Pan Lian asked with a frown.

Shang Cheng nodded. He knew about it from the military newspapers. Since the beginning of this year, the spring drought on the east and west roads of Huanghuai has lasted for more than a month, which has affected the spring plowing of the two prefectures and counties to varying degrees; In the dozen or so counties where the drought is most severe, there is no guarantee of drinking water for people and livestock, let alone any sowing. The drought lasted until the beginning of summer. Within a few days of summer, it rained for more than 20 consecutive days on the Huanghuai West Road, and as a result, the water level in the middle and upper reaches of the Huai River soared, and the menacing flood broke through the river embankment, making a large area of fertile land south of Huaiyang and north of Chuzhou overnight. None of the more than a dozen counties along the flood was spared, more than one million mu of fertile land was flooded, and the affected population was as high as 60,000 households and nearly 300,000 people. What is even more unacceptable is that the poor people of Huanghuai not only have to endure the pain brought to them by God, but also suffer from the suffering caused by human factors, because the local government has not taken effective measures in disaster relief, and there have been cases of starvation and death in several places, and large-scale civil uprisings have been provoked in Huaiyang, Si, Su and other prefectures and counties......

"The Huang Huai Xuan envoy appointed by the imperial court in the spring is the first ...... I recommended to the center," Pan Lian said bitterly.

Shang Cheng also has an impression of this. He had seen it in the military newspaper that the official sent by the imperial court to coordinate and direct the drought and flood control of Huanghuai was a scholar of Wenyingdian University. At the same time, he still remembered that because both things were wrong, the scholar had been dismissed by the imperial court. But that scholar deserves it, what does this have to do with Pan Lian? Could it be that the imperial court will also sit with Pan Lian? Unless the court has evidence in its hands that Pan Lian has shady things in this personnel appointment and dismissal, Pan Lian must not be dismissed from office just on the basis of an inappropriate recommendation! He said to Pan Lian: "It is your duty as a servant of the ministry to recommend officials to the imperial court. Although you may have made the wrong recommendation and have the responsibility of negligence, the court cannot remove you from your post because of this matter! The center's punishment for you is too heavy! You can find an opportunity to appeal to Tang Xiang or Zhang Yuan. As long as you say what you say, I think they'll value your words. ”

Seeing Shang Cheng's grievances for his own suffering, Pan Lian was both grateful and ashamed. He lowered his head, and after a long time, he took a long breath and said, "You can say this, which shows Zida's integrity." But I am really ashamed of Zida's trust. Actually, in fact, ,...... "He really didn't know what to say." There was no connection between his demotion and the recommendation of Su Qian, a university scholar, to serve as Huang Huai's consolation envoy, but because when he was discussing the punishment of Su Qian in the imperial court, he resolutely disagreed with Su Qian's dismissal and exile to Qiongzhou because of his friendship with Su Qian for many years, so it led to the current ending.

Shang Cheng suddenly frowned. He remembered that the military newspaper mentioned that Su Qian did not take office directly after receiving the appointment of the imperial court, but walked halfway to hear that the drought on the Huanghuai Road had been alleviated, so he turned a corner halfway and first went back to his hometown in Caozhou to make his old mother's 70th birthday. What is even more hateful is that Su Qian did not immediately organize disaster relief after rushing to the disaster area, but first unified the caliber of the officials, and then concealed most of the facts from the imperial court. It was his false report that led to the imperial court's misjudgment of the disaster, so that it failed to mobilize relief materials such as grain, cloth, and medicinal materials to Huanghuai West Road in time, which eventually intensified the conflict and caused a popular uprising......

He didn't understand and glanced at Pan Lian. The Huai River burst and flooded, flooding three county seats, killing 10,000 or 20,000 people, and displacing 200,000 people. Why would Pan Lian still say good things for this kind of person?

He needed to re-examine his thoughts. He didn't want an unprincipled person to be the prefect of Yanzhou.

He asked Pan Lian: "So you have been on duty since the summer?" Did the court say what position will be assigned to you next? ”

"Some time ago, I said that I was sent to a certain road in the southwest to be a wind watcher." Pan Lian said depressedly. The Wind Watcher is just a nice way to put it, not only does he not even have an office place, but he also has to run around all over the place, which is actually exile in disguise. He knew that this was actually part of the imperial court's punishment of him. "Two days ago, I heard that the imperial court will send an envoy to Tibet next spring, and I will probably be appointed as a deputy envoy......"

Shang Cheng was still indignant at Pan Lian's approach, but now he suddenly heard that Pan Lian was going to envoy to Tibet, because he was so shocked that he couldn't say anything for a long time with his mouth open.

What kind of fame is the center doing, how could he think of letting Pan Lian envoy to Tibet? How old is Pan Lian this year, if he is not sixty, he should be fifty-five, just his age, with his body and bones, can he still go to the plateau with an average altitude of 4,000 meters? If he goes up, can he still get down? Alas, if this is not for Pan Lian to be sent to death, what else can it be? It seems that although Pan Lian put on the posture of an outsider, he was finally involved in the dispute between the north and the south, otherwise it would be impossible for others to target him like this.

Alas, it seems that he will have to correct the idea he just made. He had already dispelled the idea of letting the officials transfer Pan Lian to Yanshan, but now it seems that he has to let Pan Lian come. He couldn't just watch Pan Lian die on the plateau.

After making up his mind, he stopped beating around the bush and asked bluntly: "Duke Yu Qing, I ask you about everything, there is a vacancy in the prefect of Yanzhou Mansion, are you willing to be a border state guard?" He poured tea for Pan Lian, poured it for himself, picked up the bowl and said, "If you don't have this idea, it's just that I haven't said it." If you are willing to come, I will go and talk to the officials tomorrow. ”

Compared with the unpredictable envoy to Tubo, going to Yanzhou to be the prefect is almost a beautiful thing like a pie falling from the sky, how could Pan Lian not be willing? What's more, Yanshan Weimu is Lu Ji, and the inspector is Di Xu, the two of them are either his long-term acquaintances or his fellow villagers, no matter how big the matter is, he can give him a response, he only needs to do things solidly after he goes, and he doesn't have to worry about being stumped by cold arrows behind his back. Moreover, Shang Yandu is also a bold and upright person, and he is very relieved to work with such a person.

However, before agreeing to Shang Cheng, he still tactfully mentioned that he and some people in the court had big differences on some issues, and if he went to Yanshan, would it bring some unexpected trouble to Shang Cheng because of this? He was afraid that Shang Cheng would make a wrong judgment because he didn't understand the current situation in the court, so he simply mentioned by name Zhang Pu, the right minister, and several Shangshu servants in the six departments, one by one, he had contradictions with these people.

He did this out of pure kindness, but Shang Cheng didn't care at all. It's nothing to have contradictions; There were also contradictions and differences between him and Zhang Pu, but this did not prevent him from having official contacts with Zhang Pu. He and Di Xu still have contradictions, haven't they worked together for more than half a year, and they haven't seen any mistakes?

He happily said to Pan Lian: "Since you don't object, then I will go and talk to the officials tomorrow." Anyway, I'm still a fake admiral, so whether they agree or disagree on this matter, in the end, it has to follow our thoughts. You also go back and get ready, maybe there will be an appointment in two or three days. As for what to do after arriving in Yanshan, let's take the time to talk about it carefully after you take office. I'll tell you one now, after you arrive in Yanzhou, you have a lot to do, and if you imagine being so idle today, I'm afraid you won't have the opportunity for a long time. ”

Pan Lian also said lightly: "I'm not afraid of complicated affairs. Don't hide it from the general, I'm afraid of being idle now. ”