Compared with the small town of Huanglinggang, Kaocheng, as the county capital, is much more prosperous, and there are inns and restaurants on both sides of the street. The reason why the two places are like this is because there are two ferries near the Yellow River, and there are really many merchants coming and going from the south to the north.

However, compared to the Su inspection in Huanglinggang, this Huangzhi County is not a thing, and the restaurants on the street do not go, and they go straight to the county government with everyone. And the so-called wine banquet, but also shabby, in addition to the braised Yellow River carp in the center, the rest of the four dishes on the table are all vegetables, vinegared cabbage, cold gherkins, vegetable oil and wheat, shallots and tofu.

It's just endured, in addition to the three big steamed buns in front of everyone in front of everyone, there is not even a wine glass on the table, it's really not a dry food for the cow waiter!

"Adults, please take a seat." Huang Zhixian didn't feel sorry for a few people at all, so he asked a few people to sit down with a smile on his face, and kept explaining: "You don't need a big place like the capital to take a small test city, and I ask you to forgive me if there is any inconsiderate hospitality." ”

After all, he was out of Beijing on business, and the imperial court also repeatedly ordered that officials were strictly forbidden to be extravagant and wasteful, and he couldn't say anything in the face of such a shabby hospitality, he could only sigh that he was kind and bullied, if he was a servant of the ministry, he would not dare to treat him like this.

"A few adults, eating more vegetarian dishes is good for the body, this is what the emperor said in the internal scriptures." As the yellow fat man spoke, he picked up the fish head with chopsticks and sucked it up, which was boring to listen to.

Although the Niu Shilang and the others were not satisfied, they had not yet fallen to the point where they could not afford to eat meat dishes, and they did not speak, and after eating a few bites, they said that they were tired and wanted to rest.

Huang Zhixian, who was almost holding a plate and eating braised big carp, was stunned, and hurriedly wiped his mouth and stood up, "Lord Niu, the lower official of the residence has already been photographed for you, and at the Yuelai Inn diagonally across the yamen, the lower official has chartered all the courtyards of other people." ”

Lord Huang was busy showing his work, as if he didn't notice the darkening face of Lord Niu, he lived in the Yuelai Inn opposite three times, the courtyard was no different from the small courtyard of the farmhouse, although it was clean, the low guest rooms lacked lighting, and the room was damp.

That's it, the problem is that once he lives there, this fat man won't come back again, so he has to take care of his own meals, and I don't know if the less than eighty taels of funds is enough, and whether it can support him to return to the capital.

"There's Lord Lao Huang!" Lord Niu held back his anger and said, but he had already made up his mind in his heart that when he went to serve in other yamen, he must take care of this yellow fat man who likes to make things difficult!

"My lord, you also know that my Kaocheng County is an inferior county, you look at the official uniform of the lower official, which has been worn since the lower official took office, and he has not been able to buy a new one for nearly ten years now. And if you hadn't come today, Xia Guan would only be able to eat some pickles every day, which is really pitiful. The fat man complained while leading the way.

Lord Niu lazily listened to him, and asked directly: "Does Lord Huang want to say that Kaocheng County has no money to repair the Yellow River embankment?" ”

"Your Excellency is wise, although the lower officials are eager to donate their family wealth for the benefit of the people under their rule, but they really can't come up with the silver, please be considerate." The fat man paused and said pitifully.

"I understand." Niu Shilang didn't stop, and directly gave an answer that was not the answer, Huang Fat couldn't help but be stunned, what's going on, in previous years, Lord Niu didn't have such a big temper.

I couldn't figure it out, and the fat man didn't have time to think about it, so he could only clean up his mood and follow up again.

Yuelai Inn is close to the Yamen, and it can be regarded as a prosperous location, although it is smaller than the Yingbafang who lived in Huanglinggang last night, but the decoration inside is not bad. It's just that Shen Chongming was dumbfounded when he arrived in the backyard, no wonder Lord Niu's face was so long, although this yard is not small, but because the front is a two-story building, and the house is low, the lighting is seriously insufficient, and the house in the daytime also looks very dim.

This can be tolerated, but the musty smell indicates that this place is not suitable for human habitation, and the yellow fat man just stood at the door and said a few words, turned around and slipped away.

"Bastard thing!" Niu Shilang said angrily, the two principals sitting on both sides were also sad, they were also subordinates who had followed Niu Shilang for many years, this stingy yellow fat man was naturally familiar with it, and this trick could be described as extremely vicious over the years.

"My lord, according to the students, this Kaocheng County is not prosperous, although it is an inferior county, and so many merchants from the south to the north must bring a lot of taxes every year, so it will not be so poor." Shen Chongming looked at Niu Shilang and said.

Niu Shilang smiled bitterly, and said helplessly: "This official naturally knows that this guy obviously doesn't want to give this money to cry to us for poverty, and the people of Kaocheng have such a parent official, which can be regarded as bad luck." ”

"Shen Gongzi, you may not know. The part of the money that was intercepted by Kaocheng County every year for repairing the embankment was used in the current year, and if it was not used, it did not need to be handed over to the imperial court, and it all fell into the hands of these officials. Director Qi, who rarely spoke, explained with a wry smile.

Shen Chongming suddenly realized, and then wondered: "Since this is the case, then Huang Zhixian must have been greedy for a lot of silver, why didn't the adults punish him." ”

"Punishment? I only have the right to supervise, but there is no right to decide, such a greedy thing can only be handed over to the Ministry of Household Officials to investigate and decide, Shen Gongzi may not know, the current Ministry of Henan Department of Officials Lang Zhong Huang is the uncle of this Huang Zhi County. Director Zhao smiled bitterly.

Shen Chongming naturally understood the meaning of these words, as the saying goes, officials protect each other, not to mention that this official is still a relative, where can he not protect him.

The dim room fell silent for a while, and one of the three products and two six products were lost their temper by a small seven-rank Zhixian, and no one was comfortable.

At the same time, the fat man in the county office is also restless, and the cow waiter has a good temper, which is not a good sign.

"Master, tell me what's going on, is this cow waiter have something to rely on?" Huang Fat Man said with some concern.

He knows the foundation of Niu Shilang, although such an unlucky guy has no real power in the official residence, he has not seen him lose his temper in the past few years, but he has never seen him lose his temper in the past few years, but this year's changes are too great, and he can't help but worry.

The master with a black mole on his cheek and a pair of triangular eyes shook his mustache and said: "There should be little reliance, my lord, you also know that the Ministry of Industry has always been not valued by the imperial court, and the successive Shangshu has no right to speak in the court. ”

The master belittled him fiercely, and the fat man nodded in agreement, if it weren't for that, even if he ate the bear's heart and leopard gall, he wouldn't dare to treat others like this.

Because of this, the original Yan Shifan did not receive Niu Shilang under his command. Now that the Yan family has fallen, and the court is full of King Yu's party, there is no reason for them to win over Niu Shilang, so Niu Shilang can't have anything to rely on. If the little one guessed correctly, it is very likely that Niu Shilang has been depressed for many years, and this is his temper, so adults don't have to pay attention to it. "The master is analyzing.

"Well, what the master said is reasonable." Huang Fatzi nodded and smiled, feeling a lot more relaxed, it seems that this year's more than 3,000 taels of river control expenses will belong to him again.

"The silver that is related to the lives of the people dares to be greedy, this guy is really ruthless." Back in his room, the more Shen Chongming thought about it, the more he felt that this Zhu Fat Man was angry, for his own selfishness, he actually put the lives of hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the river at risk, such an official should be killed!

If it was before, Shen Chongming would naturally have nothing to do with himself, not for anything else, just because we were powerless. But now it's different, with the favor of the high arch, although it is not an official gentry, its energy cannot be underestimated. If you don't poke it up, I'm afraid that this fat yellow man won't be able to eat and walk around.

With a cold smile, Shen Chongming got up and went out, if he wanted to denounce the fat man, the evidence of the crime was indispensable. You don't have the right to investigate, but you can collect some through visits.

"Childe, where are you going?" The handyman who was specially responsible for serving Shen Chongming hurriedly stepped forward and asked when he saw that Shen Chongming was going out.

"Oh, it's okay to wander around at will, you can rest." Shen Chongming said amiably and strode towards the lobby of the Yuelai Inn.

"Little second brother, I would like to ask you something, does Huang Zhixian from the Yamen on the other side often come to eat with you?" Shen Chongming smiled and asked the little second brother who was busy wiping the counter.

When Huang Zhixian sent them in, Shen Chongming saw with his own eyes the intimacy of the guys who ran the hall, but he didn't have the sincerity and fear of facing the officials to ordinary people, so it was inferred that they should be more familiar.

The little second brother who knew that he just glanced at him vigilantly, shook his head and said nothing.

"My son doesn't mean anything else, but he likes to listen to other people's things, alas, there is no place to spend this money." Shen Chongming said to himself as he played with the money bag he took off from his waist.

Listening to the sound of silver crashing inside, the little second brother who was originally bowing his head and silently wiping the counter couldn't help but pause.